Eve strode up and stood before Rebecca.
Rebecca stood her ground, unflinching at the approach.
“......”
At this moment, the fact that she could not speak human words had never felt so ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) suffocating to Eve.
She wanted to say something mean, but she didn’t know the words.
And she wasn’t in the mood to fetch a board from somewhere and write.
“......”
Only—what she could not understand was this:
Rebecca had always intensely disliked her.
She could sense it, faintly, all along.
At first there had been a distant, stiff feel.
From a certain point, she began to get a little uncomfortable.
After Eve entered a contract marriage with Dante, Rebecca shifted further and began to show hostility.
Eve did not understand that.
“Do you... hate me?”
She asked with gestures.
“What are you even saying. You’re getting on my nerves.”
A voice answered.
“Why... didn’t you come out? If you had helped... he wouldn’t have lost his legs.”
“Handle it yourself. That Hero Party or whatever—you said you’d decide that yourself, didn’t you? You can’t even handle your own business properly and I’m supposed to help?”
“Can’t... hear... your words.”
“You couldn’t even handle a single Constellation-class opponent and you talk about saving the world? Honestly, I don’t know why Dante keeps you people around.”
“....”
“It’s not just you. That guy Glory, too. The Kreutz Cardinal nominee, too. He’s supposed to be a professor, a royal son-in-law. Are those things, which have nothing to do with the Academy, really that important?”
While Eve understood nothing at all, Rebecca just kept stringing together words laced with hatred.
“I don’t like you.”
The anger spreading out from Eve settled back into Eve.
“I don’t need a reason. I just hate you. I hate you to death. Truth is, I hated you a long time ago. A really, really long time ago.... If you’re the Hero, I have no intention of helping you, but from what I see, Glory’s the Hero. Isn’t he? You being the Hero doesn’t make sense somewhere.”
“You’re a demon.”
“You’re deaf.”
“You’re mute.”
“Think about it. Have you ever heard of anything like a demon, deaf, mute Hero in this world? I haven’t.”
“Honestly, isn’t that why you get Dante’s attention? That man’s a bit like that. Strange. Different from others. If he sees someone lacking, he tries to help. That’s why he pours attention into you, right?”
As expected, Eve understood none of the words. But in the expression, in the posture, in the lashing tone—she clearly understood the surging hatred.
However, Eve was the Hero, and she was aware she was the Hero. A Hero does not fight people. People are not the Hero’s enemy.
“Hey. Say something. React. Earlier you glared with your eyes wide, didn’t you? You looked like you’d take a swing, didn’t you? Stop pretending to be nice....”
Eve still did not answer. She only bowed her head slightly and tried to turn her body away.
A vibration buzzed at her wrist.
It was a [Crystal Orb].
“...What the....”
At the same time Rebecca’s voice faded.
Because a man’s face rose on the plane-illusion drawn by the [Crystal Orb].
Dante Hiakapo.
“......”
With Rebecca falling silent, Dante gestured something, and Eve nodded and gestured something back.
Until just now she had been stone-faced; Eve’s slightly drooping expression began to brighten all at once.
Rebecca stared holes through that face.
— We need to get Balmung hospitalized right away....
— Come back quickly.
Eve conversed with gestures to the very end, and the call cut.
Rebecca could not forget that moment.
Slowly, Eve turned her head—
Met Rebecca’s eyes—
And curled her lips into a smile.
After that, Eve walked off into the distance and disappeared.
“...What?”
Rebecca felt like she’d been whacked on the crown with a hammer.
“...What was that smile? What was... that? ......”
Rebecca’s breathing turned rough.
She closed her eyes and looked to the sky, then hurriedly put a hand to her mouth. She felt so filthy she might throw up.
She somehow flailed her way up to mid-mountain. There she leaned against a tree, sank down, covered her face, and panted.
Very nasty thoughts began to bloom in her head.
Just then—
Someone’s footsteps arrived before her.
In that moment, regardless of her mood, Rebecca felt one question resolve itself.
Why the Black Darkness Constellation⚉ Matriarch Nibelung, at the chance of a lifetime, had abruptly vacated the field.
“Young lady. Lift your head.”
The Reaper Constellation Ω had come for Rebecca.
“You’re Dante Hiakapo’s wife?”
***
When the Ten Great Constellations all stormed into the imperial palace at once, Kaiser was already limping far away, out of the zone.
Five Constellations, including Quan, followed after him.
Kaiser climbed onto a floating island ○ purchased by the Dominion❆ and looked down on the world.
Humans like ants bustled about, trying to set the situation in order.
Kaiser watched the movements of that crowd.
What mattered was the “sanctum” inside the palace.
Demons always fixate on certain places to use as altars for the Demon King.
The palace had one, too.
Several high-ranking retainers began to go in and out of it.
And the Dominion Order❆ moved, tailing them.
Reports poured in in real time.
“...Sitting here, I feel like a god. Hehe.”
Then Quan, seated at his side, chattered.
Kaiser didn’t reply.
“But you know, there’s always been something I wondered.”
“......”
“When you look down from so high on the low places, Sir Kaiser, don’t you ever think something like this?”
Quan spread his arms wide and spoke like an actor.
“If this were a power for me—”
Then he chuckled, huh-huh.
“...Can’t say I’ve ever thought that.”
“Really?”
“The Dominion❆ exists only for the Dominant Star❆.”
“But that ‘Dominant Star❆’ of yours—truth is, it’s a star that doesn’t even exist, isn’t it?”
At Quan’s words, slit pupils turned.
“Oops. My apologies....”
But before he retreated too far, Quan added one more line.
“Still, it could be an opportunity. Why are all the rulers of the world greedy? It’s the nature of humans. The higher they fly—the more they want to fly. Even if their wax wings melt when they reach the sun.”
“...Would you leave, Quan.”
“Frankly, isn’t it the first time since the ‘Elemental Banquet’? That this many Constellations gathered around one person.”
“Quan.”
A voice, level and cold, flew at him.
“Go. Now.”
Quan fake-coughed and withdrew his body.
After that, the palace’s full-scale suppression of the Dominion❆ began.
The imperial army moved and smashed the Dominion❆’s underground church.
The assassination of a high-ranking Dominion❆ cleric came as a bonus.
A statement laced with anger flew toward the Hiaka royal house. If Dante was not seized and extradited, there would be sanctions from the international community, it said.
Events verging on war broke out in succession.
The Dominion❆ was attacked daily by the media and the world.
And yet...
Somehow—
The number of people hoping to join the Dominion exploded.
“We are the Anti-Empire League, Wings of Freedom. We will wholeheartedly follow Chairman Kaiser, who has achieved what no anti-empire organization has ever accomplished.”
“We come from the Grand Ducal Office of the Principality of Horanche. Our Horanche has long hung the sign of a grand duchy, but in truth it has been no different from a colony of the Empire. Now we want independence. We wish to join with Chairman Kaiser.”
“I’m Song Chien∞, a Constellation.... Could I and the Competitiveness↑ Constellation join in there? In a supporting-Constitution role.”
“Chairman. Non-Imperial believers have surpassed thirty million!”
In the midst of crisis, opportunity arrived.
Believers gathered again at the church that had burned down. Tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands—countless numbers circled under a single symbol❆ emblem.
“Believers, lend your ears.”
There, Kaiser preached to the faithful.
“The decline of the old era has already begun.”
“Old customs and rotten systems are collapsing, and old convictions are scattering to dust. We stand upon that rubble.”
“Rubble of fallen values, rubble of betrayal and greed. In this time of chaos, if we merely hope someone will save us, we will never be saved.”
“In an age of turmoil, only those who answer can write history. Humanity must govern itself and save itself. Waiting for someone else to come lead us is betrayal. Now is the time for action, the time for decision.”
“Today! Our Dominion❆ will dismantle the old order and set a new standard. I, Chairman Kaiser, will light the way with unshakable will and lead us by unity. What they speak are not empty promises.”
“We have trembled with fear and lost our way to confusion. But fear and confusion do not define us. Who we are, what we must defend, is decided by our choices. Here today, we choose. We will stand again. We will make a new age.”
“Believers, struggle from your respective places!”
“Let the farmer till deeper into the soil, let the artisan craft better works. Let the student learn more keenly, and the soldier stand more firmly! Each small motion shall gather into a vast wave. That wave will open our new era! It will bring rightness to mankind!”
“Now is the time to form ranks. All peoples, with the Dominion❆ and with me, Kaiser, will carve out the rot and raise up what has fallen.”
“Upon that, our sons and a new order will proudly stand!”
Adnet—!
“Once more—let us raise our voices as one—”
“World! Be governed before what is right!”
Adnet—!!
A voice that rang through the whole church. Adnet, Adnet.... But after the service ended, in a dark corridor, Kaiser again had to face Quan.
“Look. See who they’re raving for now.”
“......”
Quan lifted the curtain a crack and jerked his chin at the frenzied believers.
In the dark—Kaiser glanced that way.
“Do you still think not, Chairman Kaiser?”
“......”
Then it happened.
Was it coincidence? Or inevitability?
Through the slight gap of an open window, a blue butterfly fluttered in. A 『Glass Butterfly』.
“My, my. And who might this be.”
The flittering thing landed on Kaiser’s palm.
And a voice came.
A voice of Dante Hiakapo, all too familiar.
— Kaiser Truman. Step out and have a talk with me.
Ecstasy began to collect on Quan’s face. He jerked his chin at the butterfly.
— You’re stirring up more than you can possibly handle right now, and I’m worried about you.
— Put aside this Dominant Star and Chairman talk. Let’s meet—after a long while. Person to person.
The voice ended there.
“What will you do?”
Quan asked Kaiser.
Kaiser did not answer easily.
He only stared at the butterfly, lost in thought.
“.............”
***
A warm breeze, sunlight poured down. Like feathers—or like the careful touch of a gentle owner—it tickled the cheek.
When Elize opened her eyes, it was a hospital room. She turned her head; Balmung was looking at her.
“...Balmung? Your leg....”
She tried to say something, but discomfort was felt around her jaw. She put a hand there—bandages were wrapped around her head.
Her abdomen as well. Her eyes crumpled at the tremendous pain.
Gloomy thoughts suddenly embroidered her mind.
Usually, gloom did not linger. That was Elize’s good nature—but this time was different.
Before a feeling of having lost something, Elize’s mind began to go blank.
Then Balmung opened his mouth.
“Hey. Get up and fix your hair.”
“...Huh? I’m not o—okay....”
“You’re not okay, so fix your hair. And wipe your nosebleed.”
“......”
For now, she took the wet wipes he handed her.
As she spoke, Elize’s nose twitched. Sniff, sniff.
This smell....
He was getting closer.
At that fact, Elize’s expression twitched and began to brighten.
Soon, the door opened.
“Professo—r...!”