Editing/Standardisation: Medicine Melancholy
Original Translation: Medicine Melancholy
Rare Editor note: Sorry for the irregular mass uploads, from now on you can expect 2 chapters every week for regularity. Thank you for still sticking with us – APM
Iris
For a moment, the Beast of Spiritual Chant seemed to have been subdued. However, it proved to be nothing but a brief respite.
The sea of flames surged again with renewed ferocity.
I sensed faint life readings indicating that everyone had managed to evacuate. However, I missed my chance to evacuate when I had to take cover behind an ice wall.
Hearing the sound of the ice behind me shattering, I suppressed my trembling body.
I knew Milly-san was desperately creating more walls to keep the flames at bay, but I calculated that it wouldn’t hold for much longer.
I hope you understand that you can’t hide your true nature forever.
I recalled the words Master Nephilim said to me yesterday.
“Protection” was still on cooldown. My only option might be to risk exposing myself to Shin from the player aid organization.
Three walls left, then two… This is my limit. I decided and tightly closed my eyes, opening my mouth to begin the incantation for ‘Wide Protection’—when suddenly…
“BLAZE REVERSAAAAAAAAL!!”
In a flash, Reiji-san appeared right in front of me.
With a great shout, he swung one of his “Form is Emptiness” swords at a speed impossible for the eye to see.
The slash was so fast that it carved apart the approaching flames into circles, then Reiji-san’s “Blaze Reversal” activated, blowing Thanatos’ flames away in a literal act of fighting fire with fire.
Its power was incomparable compared to the very same skill in the game. Watching in awe as the flames pushed back against each other, I was suddenly lifted and carried out of the danger zone.
“Sorry, I’m late… You alright?”
“Yes… I knew you’d come…”
As he looked down at me with concern, I smiled weakly at him and replied, my heart still pounding.
“You made me really worried when I saw you in the flames, you know…”
“Sorry about that… If you’re here, what about Titilia-san?”
“She’s fine. Preparations over there are complete, look.”
At his words, blue beams of light shot up around us. In the center was…
“Flame Containment Field!”
On the roof of the workshop, untouched by the flames, Titilia-san shouted as she struck the roof with her hand. Blue rays of light spread out in a geometric pattern, suppressing and scattering the flames wherever they went.
“Iris-chaaaaaan! I’m holding back the flames with the water veins, but I can’t maintain this for long!”
Titilia-san yelled.
Even though the flames had been weakened, its source was still on a rampage and thus, impossible to approach.
“What’s the plan now?!”
Standing in front of me, Reiji-san asked as he slashed away the feather-shaped flames flying at us like arrows.
“I… want to rescue Kirsche-san.”
I had now gained the ability to discern somebody’s condition just by looking at them.
And now, Kirsche-san’s magic power was being endlessly sucked away by the out-of-control Beast of Spirit Chant.
Her condition was worsening by the minute. It was clear that if this continued, she would soon collapse from running out of magical power.
“Of course you would say that… but how are you going to get close to her?!”
Reiji-san deflected another attack and asked again.
Thanatos’ tremendous flames made approaching impossible. A ranged attack seemed to be the only option…
“…I’ll use a fully-charged Divine Spear to halt Thanatos’ movements. Please guard me while I prepare.”
“Alright, but wouldn’t it be easier to target the caster with a non-lethal attack?”
While it was true… I could only shake my head bitterly.
What I’d learned from observing the Beast directly, was that it isn’t entirely composed of the caster’s magical power.
The Beast was made up of the magical power naturally existing in this world, and I suspected that the caster’s magical power was acting as a framework for constructing the Beast’s physical form, and as a core for collecting magical power from the surroundings.
And between the caster and the Beast, the latter contained greater magical power. By far.
For that reason, it would be much more efficient to incapacitate the caster and prevent them from maintaining the core, but…
“Kirsche-san’s critically low on magic power. Targeting her with my Divine Spear would put her in grave danger.”
It’s a wonder she hadn’t collapsed yet in her state. Logically speaking, it was the only way to keep her safe. And…
“…I think it’s the big sister’s job to save her little sister.”
Right on cue, Nii-sama descended from the sky in front of us, holding another person in his arms… Ouka-san.
Ouka-san’s eyes… were filled with determination as she gazed straight at her stepsister.
“That’s why… I’m going to focus on assisting her. That’s the best way to help both sisters.”
“…Are you sure she can handle that monster?”
“Yes, absolutely.”
Reiji-san looked at me for a moment, then nodded.
“Alright. Do what you need to do. I’ll also… absolutely keep you safe.”
With a gentle ruffle of my hair, Reiji-san whispered. I nodded deeply and began chanting magic…
Ouka
“Wow…”
I looked at the sea of flames spread out below.
The workshop was just barely out of the flames’ reach, there’s simply nowhere to land.
As for the reason why I was looking down from above…
“T-Thank you…”
“Don’t mention it. We should think about our next move.”
“The prince’s face was currently awfully close to mine.
Right now… he was carrying me as we flew through the air.
“Iris… Well, she should be fine if Reiji’s with her. As for your sister…”
Blue lights raced across the ground, and the flames suddenly waned in intensity.
As the flames around Thanatos weakened, I could finally see that girl over there…
“…She’s growing weaker and weaker, isn’t she?”
“I’m seeing symptoms of magic depletion… At this rate, her life could be in danger.”
“I see. Then in that case, I have to stop her, as her sister. I’m grateful for you saving me, but can you put me down?”
When I said that, the prince’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.
“…What’s wrong with that?”
“I thought you’d be discouraged again.”
“I still am. I hate myself so much that I want to die.”
If I could, I would want to hit myself a hundred times right now. That’s how much I’m angry at myself.
“But… it’s just like you said. No matter how many times I fail or become discouraged, if it’s something important to me, I should reach out as many times as it takes.”
I honestly still couldn’t tell if she’s that important to me.
That’s because basically nothing had started between us yet.
And yet, if I let things between us end like this… I didn’t know why, but I detested that idea. So…
“For now, let’s focus on saving her, anything else comes later!”
“Haha, good, that’s the spirit!”
The prince heartily laughed and put me down in front of my stepsister.
“Let’s give it our all, then. It seems the other side’s getting ready too!”
On the opposite side of us, across where my stepsister was.
There stood the princess, who seemed to be in a state of extreme concentration, and a red-haired swordsman who wasn’t present yesterday guarding her.
The princess’ iridescent silver hair fluttered in the air, and the magical power started swirling around her was so dense that I could physically feel it. Around her, which glowed faintly like a halo, gigantic spears of light appeared one after another, and I couldn’t help but gasp.
…Wait, I don’t remember Divine Spear being anything like that in the game!
Not only were the spears of light far brighter and larger than what I remembered, their number also went beyond the game’s limit of four.
“DI…… VINE……. SPEEEEEEEEAR!!”
As the princess shouted in her adorable voice, the eight spears of light around her were fired all at one with the force of missiles, sending her little body flying from the recoil. All of them pierced Thanatos without fail, staggering it slightly.
The Beast, which manifested by receiving the magical power of the caster, was weak against attacks that disrupt magical power.
Even though it wasn’t enough to bring it down… it was successful in stopping its movements, if only for a moment.
The barrage of flames ceased… and a critical opening appeared.
“Ouka-san, can I leave it to you to stop her?”
The prince pointed to my sister, still sobbing like a child.
“…I’m going to stop her, of course. I’m her big sister, after all!”
I looked at him straight in the eye and nodded.
“Haha, I like that answer!”
One of the black stars floating around him left its spot and flew toward the giant bird. He then wrapped his sword with lightning, which was already half-melting from the load and likely no longer usable afterward, and threw it.
The prince’s lightning sword pierced the black star that flew in front of Thanatos.
A blinding flash of light erupted the moment the black star disintegrated.
“Allow me to pave the way! You go protect what you want to protect!”
“…Thanks!”
I dashed past the prince straight toward my sister.
However, at this rate, Thanatos would recover faster, and I’d end up in a sea of flames. But still, I charged forward as fast as I could.
“…Kirsche!!”
“…Onee-chan? What are you doing…?!”
Before my eyes, Kirsche responded to my call, moving slowly and raising her dark, cloudy eyes, wet with tears…
“…?!”
Her expression stiffened in shock. In a sudden move, the flames Thanatos was about to unleash on me stopped.
That’s only natural, since right now, I wasn’t holding my beloved spear in my hand, I was completely unarmed. As for that spear…
“Chainbind… Rampage!!”
I had no intention of wielding my spear against my sister. As I passed by the prince, I thrust it onto the ground and let go of it.
A bolt of lightning flashed past me. The prince, who picked the spear I left behind in place of his lost sword, began charging toward Thanatos, wreathed in chains of purple lightning.
The Beast was entangled and immobilized by the chains. Now, there were no obstacles remaining between me and my sister.
The way’s clear. It’s all up to you now.
The prince’s confident smile seemed to convey that thought, and I silently thanked him in my heart.
My sister tried to flee from me, but I reached out to her and grabbed her arm on the spot. And this time, I held onto it tight.
“Ah…”
“…I’m sorry. It’s just like you said, I’ve never properly taken care of you. I’m sorry for being such a terrible big sister.”
Her small body collapsed without much resistance.
I embraced her, not wanting to let her go again.
It was just this simple, really… I truly am an idiot.
The distance that I once assumed as infinite between us… was really just a misunderstanding, and in reality could be made zero had I actually tried. It was so comically simple that I felt like laughing.
“I really should have done this sooner… It’s late, but I’ve finally reached you…”
“Onee-chan…”
“You’re still calling me that…? Thank goodness…”
“Onee-chaaaaaan…!!”
My sister broke into tears, and I gently patted her back to soothe her.
I had finally reached out to her with my hand.
Before I knew it, the manifestation of fury and fire had disappeared…
(Author’s Note)
Afterward…
Titilia: “I had a vague idea that you’re doing to dump me for Iris-chan, but for leaving me alone in a place like this, I’ll definitely complain to Leonhardt-sama later, Reiji-san you dum-dum!!!!!!!!!” (teary-eyed)
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