Volume 1 Chapter 5 (2/2)
”It is likely the star spirit’s automated defence”
”… Alice-sama”
”There’s already no point in hiding it before someone who knows that the Founder is alive”
Nebulis’ princess turned towards Iska
”A hundred years ago, when the Founder was exhausted from the battle with the Empire, it is said that she went to sleep to heal her body The true nature of the star spirit within the Founder’s body is unknown to all We call it the ‘star spirit of space and ti but a nickname”
”A star spirit unknown to all…”
”That star spirit of space and ti Founder”
Alice spoke of it like it was only natural A the star spirits, there were star spirits who protected their host huer the star spirit, the more remarkable it was, but in the E
”Is Nebulis still sleeping?”
”She probably is Setting aside what she reacted to, the attack from the star spirit of space and time is far too indiscriminate, it is likely because the Founder who controls that star spirit is sleeping I can comprehend it if that is the case, but…”
Nebulis’ princess stopped for a moment there And then, with a worn out voice…
”How frustrating…”
”Frustrating?”
Ever since she started staring up at the girl in the sky, she turned to face Iska for the first time Like redor swaying, she silently stared at Iska
”I… For just this matter, I wanted to settle it just between you and I”
Alice bit her lower lip As if enduring so
”Ever since e haze has been building up inside me… That is a failure ofall that off I was thinking of bringing an end to the fight that was interrupted in the Nelka Forest That’s why I ca the same uniforht”
Nebulis’ royal gar the crumpled hem of her skirt…
”… I really put my spirit into it I didn’t report it to Mother, and I even ht I would be able to settle it just between the two of us without anybody getting in the way after all And yet, of all things, for that kind of bitch to thoughtlessly butt in, it’s a huge nuisance!”
”Th-th-that kind of bitch!? Alice-sama how can you speak of the Founder that─”
”Enough At any rate, we can’t just stay here i out”
Alice snapped her fingers The curtain of ice burst open and flew into the sky as it collided with the current of fla each other, the heat wave and cold wave cancelled each other out
”Captain, run”
They ran up the slope of the crater Waiting for them in the sky filled with a countless nu the sa had happened with her eyes tightly shut
… It’s true that I can’t sense her consciousness
… Alice’s description of her being still asleep is probably on point
Having sensed an I froiven that order before Nebulis went to sleep, even after a hundred years, the star spirit of space and time faithfully continued to protect her
”Our estee your assistance in the fight between this Imperial soldier and I However, I wish to settle the score with this one just between the two of us!”
Alice mustered up her voice and yelled to the skies
”Please return to the royal palace!”
The oldest star e remained silent Even unconscious as she was, as she continued to float there with her head drooping down, it certainly looked like Alice’s words reached her ears However…
”It’s hopeless! You can’t, Alice-sama!”
Rin grabbed her master’s hand as she pulled her back As a first class star uard ever since she was a child, it was possible for her to predict ould occur the instant the Founder began er
”A star et in my way? If you are to consort with the Empire…”
To the oldest star e, they were nothing but droplets of water before the raging flames that was her hatred Alice did not know that In other words, all that would obstruct her vengeance were her enemies
”Vanish from this star”
A massive sword of fire
Higher in the blue sky than where Nebulis was floating, a red blotch was given birth And from that crack in space, a fla doards the earth Severing the ath temperature blade which could fuse the earth itself And as the blade whichclosed in…
”Alice-sama, look out!”
A gole devotion to the one known as the Founder, precisely because she held caution against her deep in her heart, she secretly had a countermeasure prepared beforehand
”Rin!?”
The golee What Mis carried by Iska, was only up until that moment
─The fla sword bore into the earth
The earth struck by the sword fused and turned into ma, and the earth further down the trajectory of the slash split open, spewing up awith sparks The sparks shot up into the air, and spread flames out over an even wider area
”Iska-kun! The fla to the city…!?”
Mis the skies above the Neutral City dyed in red, the squad captain frorief
”We have to save them!”
”Calm down Captain It looks showy, but there are only sparks falling down Most of theround, if we deal with it calration… Instead of that, we need to focus on the enemy in the sky”
Just how could they deal with the absolute worst eneinable, the Founder Nebulis? Even if they requested reinforcements from the Iet support from Jhin or Nene While Iska was about to say this, what caht was─
”Rin!? Rin, answer me!”
The young attendant who had collapsed onto the hideously burned earth
The figure of Alice as holding her with a frantic expression as she screamed her name
In front of theolem had crumbled to pieces, and returned to clumps of earth on the wasteland
She succeeded in getting Alice out of the range of the et away in tied to escape a direct hit fro about the heat wave in the air
”Rin, I’ you, open your…”
”Don’t move her around too much”
Grasping a black star sword, Iska co her attendant’s shoulders, and juirls
一A single slash
As the second wave of flames came down on a defenceless Alice, the black blade severed it And then, as if dissolving into the air, the flames vanished
”That’s what your star spirit is for isn’t it?”
”Eh?”
”Cool Rin’s body with ice Deal with the burns while you still can”
”…!”
Nebulis’ princess raised her face in astonishertip, and she slorapped the air around Rin’s body
”Captain Mismis, take her to a hospital! If you can, please show her to a specialist when it came to star spirit cases!”
Iska pointed at the Neutral City Ayin, the city that sparks continued to rain down on
”And make a request for the citizens of the city to remain where they are Absolutely do not let them leave the city’s walls This wasteland is about to becoerous battlefield”
”… Eh? U-um”
”Quickly!”
”U-un! Iska-kun, be careful!”
The fe the star e as supposed to be her enemy on her back, she ran towards the city that could be seen far away Without seeing her off, Iska directed his gaze at the enemy in the sky
The Founder Nebulis
The ultie who had becoeance
”Nebulis”
A black star sword in his right hand, a white star sword in his left hand While brandishi+ng the only star swords in the world that were entrusted to him by his master…
”A hundred years ago, you es However, you’re wrong I can tell fro your actions You are─”
”You are no longer needed in this day and age!”
A voice which sounded like a bell le hint of hesitation It rang out through the wasteland
”What kind of Founder are you? You should be ashae does not wish for you!”
The one whobeside Iska
”Getting in the way ofhare…! Nebulis, only you are truly a witch!”
Aliceliese Lou Nebulis IX
The one who carried the burden of being the current princess of the Ier at the founder of that saency
”Nothing can be born of your power It won’t make anybody happy”
”Agreed This is, no longer the age that you know of”
One step, the two moved forwards
”Ie You bastards─”
””Silence!””
Cutting off the Founder’s words, standing before the witch as caught in her endless dream, their voices cried out in perfect harmony
”Your actions are nothing but a vain effort The future that I seek does not exist there”
”Nor does the world I desire”
The two of them understood each other They were enemies The day that they would collide would co the two of the about only between them Unwanted interventions were not needed
”That’s why─”
””You should once more, sleep for another hundred years!””
The Successor of Black Steel Iska and the Ice Witch of Cala their backs to each other, the two roared in unison