191 # 180 Captive shrine maiden and reflection meeting.txt (1/2)

I unlock the cage and go inside.

I unlock the handcuffs of my love fire companion and release her. I have to let her recover first.

I use my heel and she wakes up. Oh, thank God. She's going to be okay.

And that's when I knew. She's going through a tailspin. Her face turns angry, her teeth turn to fangs, and her hand nails grow rapidly. I don't think this is a runaway!

Gah!

The nails of both of her hands pierce my shoulders and she bites my neck. If it's real, it's deadly.

My body moves before I can even think about what to do. I hold her gently and stroke her head.

'It's okay... it's okay now. I got rid of the scary one... so... it's okay now.

I guess it's because she heard me say it. Her outburst subsides and she loses consciousness.

''Ta-taq brother!　Are you okay!

Oh... it's okay. Let's take her back to Fretia.

But first, I'm going to lock the jail and set up an anchor point inside the jail. That way I could get here safely and securely.

I didn't have much life force left. It wouldn't be worth it if this was back to death. I pick her up and Lily and the others protest as I pick her up, but that's not enough right now.

I go back to Leaprich and put her upstairs in bed.

'She's sleeping like she's safe. Thank you, brother Takht, thank you. For stopping her from running off.

'Okay. I'm a friend of the love fire. I'll do my best.

But there's a hole in my brother Tact's robe.

''I'll get Mew to fix it. More importantly, love fire, I have to be angry with you for that battle earlier.

When I say this, the love fire becomes droopy-eared.

''I'm sorry...I just lost my temper...I moved without instructions from my brother Tact.

'It's certainly not right, but my mate did that to me. Anyone would be angry. Me too, of course.

I can't be mad at Koibito because I got really mad at him too when he was Arthur. I'd rather give him credit for getting mad at me for the sake of his friends. But it's what happens after you get angry that matters.

''What's important is that we don't let our anger control us. That summoner could have defeated the original love fire.

No, no!　No, I don't!　The only reason we were able to defeat it was because of your brother Tact!

”I fought him, okay?　Do you doubt my word on that?

Well, no, I don't think so, but...

You're in a state of complete self-doubt.

”If you're a regular Koibito, you wouldn't have made the mistake of getting caught by that guy. Against an unknown number of enemies, wouldn't love to see what happens at first?

...Yes?

Then I'm sure he'd have found out what he was capable of and what his weaknesses were.

When I say that, Ion asks me.

'Have you figured out what that man's mysterious abilities are, Tact-san?

'Oh. I don't know if I'm right about everything, but I think I'm right to a certain extent. We're going to have to fight again, so I'll share the information with you.

I'll explain about the enemy's capabilities. First of all, let's talk about Love Fire's first attack and Lily's attack.

''First of all, there's no doubt that the enemy's abilities have generated some kind of enhancement against us summoners and summoned beasts. We were able to stop Love Fire and Lily's attacks.

'Yes... I didn't think I could stop you with my bare hands.

''Lily's light wave and dragon claw didn't work either...''

Yes. It was extraordinary that Lily had remained unharmed through that attack. But this could explain it.

'I suppose that's because there's an ability that can be nullified against the summoner's skills. However, I think that's only one thing.

''Is that because... when you stopped Sister Lily's alchemy and dragon claw, the only thing that was disabled was the dragon claw?''

Setia, you're right. If I could disable them all, I would.

'What's that?　It's not fair!

Well, Lily was right, it's a pretty cowardly skill. But it didn't seem to be a skill that was only useful, did it?

'It's definitely a sneaky skill, but there's probably a condition to activate it.

Conditions?　A.

I knew you'd notice the love fire, right? I'll make him answer.

''Is that why you were stopping all of our attacks with your bare hands?

I think you're right.

Yes, he was using his hands for everything. Perhaps the condition for triggering it was to touch it with his hands. That's where Aeon poses the question.

'What was it that prevented my attack?　I thought it was completely set in stone.

'I thought it was a done deal, too. It was a complete attack from behind. I thought it was a good attack.

Aeon seemed happy to be praised.

'But there's a good reason I didn't decide. I fought, too, and I took the blame for that identity.'

What was that about?