Volume 1 Chapter 2 (1/2)
Chapter 2
The person he, and she, met is─
1
In the fortified domain of the ‘Heaven’s Empire’─
Coen boasts of the largest population in a single city anywhere in the world, and is divided into three large sectors
Sector One is where the governmental and research institutions are locatedThe ht Grand Apostles who have full authority over all political matters in the country is located thereIt is the sector where everything in the Empire is decided
Sector Two is the residential areaIt is where seventy percent of the I shopping district spread out next to the housing areaEvery day,‘Neutral City’ would visit this sector
And then Sector Three is theplants for the weapons developed by the research institutions frorounds to test themIt also housed the barracks for the Imperial soldiers
”I’vein this room…”
In the deepest corner of I down on the floor since theof the private roo in since he elve years oldPerhaps because of the effect of spending sooutdoors as a soldier,he found it easier to sleep on the hard floor than a soft bed
”… But I can’t sleep at all”
He was drowsy, but in contrast to his fatigued body, hisIt had been two days since his return from the Nelka forestIt should have been the briefhe had between et any sleep
”The star e that the Empire calls the ‘Ice Witch of Calamity,’ is none other than myself”
The only reason that came to mind for this ─ was the Ice Witch of Calamity, AlicelieseEach and every one of her star spells were comparable to a calamityCompounded with the fact that she overran an Ireeht Grand Apostles’ precautions towards her
”… Is that why?”
He was unable to wipe her face that was revealed when her veil cath suitable of one called the truencyOn top of that she had a figure with fantastical chare
”No good, no good, I need to think of so else!”
Idle thoughts would dull his mindThe orders for his nextSo that he could concentrate on that, he had to rest his body
”Iska-kun, are you there?”
A ringtoneAnd the same time time, he could hear a childish voice from the other side of the door
”Captain Mismis?”
As he called back out to the voice, he opened the doorAnd just as he expected, the child-faced feht there
”I was just wondering how Iska-kun was doing…You see, you’ve been locked up in your rooht? You haven’t left at all so Nene-chan orried you know?”
”I’ asleep is all”
”But you know Iska-kun, you’ve beenever since we ca at the wall compleeeeetely zoned out?”
Mismis looked at him with a worried expression and upturned eyes
”U of a Captain, so at the very least I want my subordinates to be able to consult meIf you talk about it, it’ll put you at ease too I think”
”You came all the way here for that?”
Iska looked down at the rare sight of Mis a shi+rt with a cute kitten print on it and a childish frilly skirtIt was very casual clothing, but that was likely because that day was supposed to be her precious day offAnd despite that, she came to visit him
… Seriously
… He really was unable to match her
Her talent as a soldier was definitely not greatHer results to qualify for an officer’s position were also just at the cutoff pointBut the reason that Iska and the others valued her highly as a captain was because of her delicate consideration for others They wanted to follow a captain like thatShe had that sort of charm to her
”See? As I thoughtIska-kun, you’re ht you were!”
”Am I?”
”You are!You are!Now tell your big sister about everything!But, well, I don’t think it could be about anything other than the h”
The fe intensely
”Did so happen?”
”… I can’t get that fight out of my head”
”With the Ice Witch of Calaht?”
”… I’ve been lost in thought about it”
He didn’t knohich between them had superiority in that battle It was clear that in a si the other down, and it appeared they had a si in their opponent’s defencesIt had the saical warfare one could witness atop a first class chess board
Even when Iska thought that he had the advantage, he was anxious that the opening in of itself was a trap created by his opponentIt was the first tie like thatHoweverWas that really the cause of his insomnia?
”A-also─”
”Also?”
”… NoIt’s nothing”
Iska forcibly sed down the words he was about to speak‘The Ice Witch of Calamity is an extremely beautiful woman’
… As one would expect, that couldn’t be the reason for his insomnia…Or it shouldn’t have been
… It would also have been eely if he said such a thing
”Iska-kunThat, just ht be a little bit of an emotional trauma”
”A trauma?”
”UnAfter experiencing a difficult battle, the pain fro like the fear of the battle could end up wounding your heartEven within the Imperial forces there are quite a few people who experience it Since you fought that Ice Witch of Calae for you to become that way too…”
It was possible that he wouldn’t winIt was his first encounter with a formidable enemy who made him think thatIt may have been a battle which planted fear in his heart Looking at it objectively, Mismis’ analysis was certainly validBut was that really it? Was that really the reason?It frustrated Iska that he was unable to identify the source of the emotions buried in his heart
”HmmmBut how can we resolve this I wonder?If the sy”
The petite captain folded her arms with a troubled expression
”In my case, even when I have probleet et barbecue?”
”No, I don’t think it’s that kind of…”
”Right~I think it’ll get better naturally with tie of pace…Aah, that’s right! Iska-kun, come here, come here!”
Standing in the doorway, Mis away
”I have soive to Iska-kunFollow me”
Within I with a blank expression at a door with an adorable bunny sticker pasted on it
”This is your rooht?”
”Yup, yupIt’s my room, it’s a little messy but come on in”
There were stuffed animals sprawled across the war rooe of a puppy printed on it
”Your aniain huh?”
”Eheheeeh What’cha think? Aren’t they cute?”
”YeahUm… But, how do I put it, that…”
Suspended fronificently in the dead centre of the roo laundry, and Iska evasively averted his eyes
”It’s poison for the eyes”
”Eh?What’s poison for─N-NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!?”
The wootten about her underwear drying out in her room, and in a panic, she atte her hands overhead
”Y-you’re wrong Iska-kun!That’s not it This was just a little bit of curiosity! Even allboyfriends, so I tried pushi+ng n to take on a challenge is part of a being a womanDon’t misunderstand!”
”I don’t get what you’re saying at all”
”… Ehem Anyways”
Mismis quickly put away the underwear that had been left out to dry
”Let’s get back to ere talking about before okay?I feel like it’s no good to just hole up in your rooo out and have fun So in that case, tadaaah!”
Misrabbed a sh overhead
”Here, go watch this and pep up”
”… An opera ticket?‘The Fehted Love?’”
”YupIt’s a performance they put on in the Neutral City every yearI really like this opera so I’ve bought a book for ten tickets and watched it nine tih this year So I’ll give it to Iska-kun”
”Eh?But just when─”
”Before the next o tomorrow?”
The female captain thrust out her chest full of pride and self confidence
”It’s a wonderful operaI think it’ll be a good change of pace for youThis is an order from your captain”
”… An order huh?”
Staring at the ticket he received, Iska returned a single nod
White steam
Milky white hot water poured out of the mouth of a faucet modelled after a lion’s head into a bathtub to the point where it was overflowing, and floating atop the water’s surface were flowers and herbs of every colour
The large bathtub with stea out of it could be said to fit about twenty people insideBeside it, a chilly cold bath had been prepared, and deeper within there was a sauna installed that was filled with piping hot steam
… Drip
Advancing along the wet tiles on the floor was a young wo
”Alice-sa in?”
The Nebulis Royal Palace
In response to the dignified voice that resounded through the bath, Alice opened her shut eyelids and lifted her face out of the water
”How about coht”
”… I’m not tired”
”You had told h, normally, when you return froht to sleep”
”But you know, I’m not tired at all~”
While blowing out bubbles, she sank back underneath the surface of the waterIt was about what happened at the Nelka forestShe departed together with Rin to destroy the Imperial weapon power reactor at her mother’s commandThe le blunder
… But even so, as it?
… Why was she unable to get that swordsman out of her mind?She ell aware that was one of the reasons she was unable to sleep
”Is it about that soldier who named himself Iska?”
Standing at the edge of the bathtub barefoot, Rin earing her housekeeping outfit just as usual
”I’ve been wondering about that swordsround even before we caency you see”
”… I wonder just who he is?”
He was a young eShe could see fro with youthfulness, but when it came time for combat he could only be described as ferocious
With his terrifying concentration and inhuman physical ability, he was able to close in on Alice while dealing with her attacksWhen she fought against the Holy Apostles, she felt that they were formidable enemiesHowever, it was the first ti could snap at her neck at any time
”I shall begin an investigation into that swordsroundHowever, at best, it will still take a few days”
”That’s hThank you, Rin”
While staring vacantly at the petals floating atop the water, she nodded─
”That sword”
… There was no wayThe swords only looked alike
… Her benefactor couldn’t possibly be part of the Es
”That’s it, it’s just a coincidence”
”Eh?”
”I-it’s nothing!”
Thefrom her heart that she unconsciously let out was picked up by Rin, and Alice waved her hands in a panic
‘Are you hurt?To think an Io berserk this close to the Neutral City…’
‘But it’s alright, I cut off the driving force of the uy can’t move anymore’
A memory coloured in sand
A shower of sparks, and a dense cloud of sand hanging overhead
A swordsone out of control and attacked herBecause of the cloud of sand, both his figure and voice were hazyBut even so, she relimmer he held in each of his handsBlack and white steel Those shi+ning blades which were like antipodes of each other were just like the swords that young swords
”…”
Within the bathtub, Alice pushed down on her chest with her handWhat was passed through her precocious ─ as Rin would enviously describe it ─ her wo at a rate faster than she could believe
Thump, thump, thump
Rather than showing any signs of caler
”Aaaah geez!This is no good!I need a change of pace!”
”Wait a minute Alice-sama, the water!? Goodness…Please do not stand up with such vigourLook, even otten wet”
”Yes! A change of pace! Rin, now that it’s settled, make preparations for tomorrow!”
”… My clothes…”
Urging on Rin as puffing out her cheeks, Alice quickly proceeded to the dressing roo one of the walls was a mirror which she rushed over to as she stretched out her hand towards an accessory case
”Yes, this one will do”
”Alice-sa your bodyYou’ll slip and fall”
”I won’t fall I’m not a child”
”I’ around like a child Come on, if you do not dry yourself off you will catch a cold”
Rin took a toith both her hands and carefully dried out Alice’s dripping blonde hair
”Hey Rin, look at this, look”
”’The Feoodness, did youit a secret froain?”
After drying off her hair, Rin moved doards Alice’s neck and back The attendant wiped off the drops of water that were falling down from the nape of her neck and down her back Rin was born to a bloodline that had served as caretakers for the Nebulis royal faer than Alice, she had the duty to take care of her To Alice, she was the only good friend that she could freely joke around with
”It was quite hard to get these tickets you know? To guarantee I got paired seats I had to enter a draw for them four times”
”… Understood I shall accompany you”
After wiping off Alice’s body, Rin let out a grandiose sigh
”But is this really alright? Even though you’ve just had your face seen by that swordsman?”
The I the battle with him, her headdress had fallen off, and the face that she had been hiding was revealed If the Empire knew her face, it was possible that they would dispatch assassins after her For a time, Alice had also panicked at that possibility, but…
”It’s fine Thinking about it properly, there’s no proble seen my face”
In contrast to the E wicked, the Nebulis Iency who embraced them had researched those spirits much more in depth
And one of those details, was the individual differences between star spirits
Though the star spirits dwelling within humans ide and varied, Alice’s star spirit had a particularly strong sense of danger When danger befell her, it would automatically take action to defend her Since she had a star spirit that was capable of warding off an attack froe scale Imperial weapon of destruction, there was no real need to fear one or two assassins
”I’m not scared of any Imperial assassins I have my star spirit, and most of all Rin is with me too”
”… What a convenient compliment”
”It’s true Besides, every ti o out boldly in our usual outfits”
Alice waved around the tickets in her hand as she spoke
”The curtains rise just before noon, so I want to leave the royal palace by sunrise”
”In that case, I shall prepare the sand bird Since ill be leaving first thing in the ht I will hold on to the tickets”
”Aah, wait a sec, Rin!?”
”It is so that Alice-sama does not lose them Moreover, please put on your underwear already Are you trying to boast tooff like that?”
”I-I’!?”
After Rin stared enviously at Alice’s chest as it swayed around with vigour, Alice turned around in a panic
”Also, please inform the Queen of your plans Just recently there was quite the uproar when you left without permission after all”
”… What a pain”
”Your reply”
”… Okaaaaay”
In response to her attendant’s strict tone, Alice let out a sh
2
Two years ago─
His assigned platoon had been determined On the day after that report, his master vanished from before his eyes No, it was ht in front of him
”It was just you and Jhin huh? The ones who couldn’t run away from me”
Upon his departure, he left those cynical words behind
”But, well, I guess it’s better that you two are left”
The Eate─also known as the ‘Man of Black Steel’
After serving as the head of the Holy Apostles in the Iirls fro a successor No, it would bethe, about half of them dropped out By the time the day ended, ninety percent of the members dropped out And as one, then three, then five years passed, the only ones left were Jhin and Iska
”Iska, you were the last of the candidates that I chose and brought along Weren’t you?”
”Yes”
”Frankly, a all the candidates I chose, you were the most…”
”Y-yes!”
”Hopeless a them”
”There’s a liht!?”
In front of the young th, the man with black hair dressed all in black spoke as if it was completely natural
”I went out scouting guys based on how much hope I had in theuy I picked last was the one I was expecting the least from?”
”… Well, that makes sense, but…”
The young man puffed out his cheeks in dissatisfaction He then looked down at his hands which had just received a pair of swords from his master
”But there’s a better way of putting it you know”
”You were, the most like me That’s why I expected the least from you”
That was a fact that Iska had heard for the first time Hisa listless gaze over hihts’
”Don’t let go of those star swords”
”Of course It’s a precious memento from my master after all… Ow!”
He was struck Don’t just o off and kill your master So he said, and then finally─
”Those swords, are the only hope of saving the world”
”… Eh?”
”The star swords will obey you Just by touching them you can control them, and none other will be able to make use of them So I leave them to you”
The duty of putting an end to this war betweenon for a hundred years, falls upon you ─ the Successor of Black Steel So said his master
The scorching earth was cracked dry by the incessant heat pouring down on it, it was a wasteland where only a couple weeds could be seen sprouting out here and there If one were to walk on it barefoot, it was likely that one’s feet would be burned before even a second could pass
The Vuishada wastelands
A single buggy was racing down a path through that giant wasteland at an intense speed
”Iska-nii, wake up, wake up We’re almost at Ayin”
”Hm, already?”
Jostled by Nene froer seat He recalled up until the point that they left the Imperial capital before sunrise, but he didn’t re after that
”It’s already close to noon This guy’s been running for a good six hours Iska-nii, seriously, nolike a rock”
”Sorry…”
”Uun, Nene also got to see Iska-nii’s sleeping face for the first time in a while anyways”
Nene’s voice livened up cheerfully
”You said you were having trouble sleeping ever since co back from the Nelka forest too”
”Un… I saw, a drea while A memory from when htmare”
”A dream of Black-sensei?”
Nene spoke as she gripped the wheel of the car
”How nostalgic~ You haven’t seen a dreaht?”
”It’s probably, because I haven’t used the star swords in so long Even though he told ht Grand Apostles I’ave them back to me”
Iska looked down at the tords leaning against his seat
The land that the buggy was racing across was affiliated with neither the Eency The wasteland was even designated by the entire world as a nature zone where only beasts ran wild It was a land where there was even once a report of an enoro The road itself was classified as safe, but by all rights it was not a place one should be dozing off in
”Aaaaah, what a failure~ Why did I have to sign up for part tio out?”
Along with a re wheel
”Jhin is helping out at the guns was it?”
”That’s true, but~, even Nene wants to go play in the Neutral City together with Iska-nii you know?”
The young woman with a ponytail set her head down on Iska’s lap All while the car was barrelling down the road at a terrifying speed Even so, the young woer see in front of the vehicle was perfectly
”Nene, it’s dangerous if you don’t look while you drive Driving with your leg is a little…”
”But it’s been so long since I’ve been together with Iska-nii”
”Has it really been that long?”
Iska casually looked over Nene in the driver’s seat once more
… But, she certainly became somewhat adult-like?
… She had grown taller, and he felt that her expression was more womanly
It was a year of puberty
While Iska was iure had becoly womanly He wondered that if her hair that was held up in a ponytail was let dohether she would look even more so
”Hup”
Nene suddenly corrected her posture and her ponytail bounced in the air as she spoke in dissatisfaction
”Aaah… We’re already there I should have just driven slower”
─The Neutral City Ayin
The city built upon an oasis in the ht as they proceeded towards the gate of the enormous walls which surrounded it
”Thanks Nene I’ll be taking the regular bus to get back, so”
”Yeah yeah See you later Iska-nii!”
”… Un Uain?”
After seeing off the buggy as it kicked up a cloud of dust, Iska turned towards the streets of the city
The Neutral City─due to the hundred years of conflict which split the Eeneric naiven to the city which did not participate in either camp
”The Neutral City huh, it’s been a super long time Just how many years has it since I’ve been here?”
Iska glanced at the main street where there the impressive theatres were lined up Next to the eous opera house n
”But, just as usual, that’s quite the crowd”
It was the land where culture and the arts were bloo All the artists who hated the war between the Eency were accepted here It was a land where painting,all other sorts of arts developed
The Neutral City Ayin was the capital of opera Buskers on the street were singing songs as they pleased, and tourists filled the streets everywhere Iska looked as they attentively listening to those buskers
”─Wait, this is bad It’s already time for the curtains to rise!?”
Iska dashed down thehis ticket
”It’s supposed to be the third building on the !”
Iska headed towards the ticketof an opera house with awhite as its motif
”Can I still get in? Eh, just by a hair? Great, thanks!”
He continued to run through the now quiet passage towards the performance hall
”… Excuse et in”
Carefully opening the door, Iska entered the hall Because the performance was just about start, the interior was pitch black Relying on the faint lighting froned seat
”The front row on the upper floor huh As one would expect of Captain Mismis, she even fusses over the seat at operas”
Because of the darkness, he couldn’t see the faces of those around him, but he could tell that they were mostly ladies in rather affluent dresses and nobles travelling incognito fro
”Now then, please enjoy ‘The Fehted Love’”
The announcee rose, and the opera began before the hundreds of spectators in attendance
‘Farewell Beatrix, I can no longer live together with you’
‘… Yes Farewell, Ahzel I believe the next time we meet will not be in a church, but on the battlefield”
It was the middle of the perfor the heroine of the story together with the e in sorrow and passion─