38 Lending Just a Tiny Bit of Help (1/2)
Nyuu looks down at the bodies in the devastated research lab. Her dark brown hair and eyes are accompanied by lame-looking glasses and the academy uniform.
She can dress up in inconspicuous clothing, but she has a sexiness that cannot be hidden.
”The Crimson Order's 'Glen of the Lion Mane,' huh.”
The corpse's anguish-filled face is glaring vacantly at empty air. It seems that he had suffered quite a lot before dying.
He was quite famous within the Knight Order, but with his magic sealed, he became easy picking.
Then Nyuu's interest shifts elsewhere.
There is one more knight on the ground. He is actually still breathing.
”Marco Granger. So you had entered the Crimson Order.”
Nyuu recognizes him.
He has beautiful blue hair and a handsome face, and is also quite skilled as a knight. There were even rumors that he might be elected as the Grand Commander of the Knight Order in the future. Now that she's thinking about it, she remembers that he has also had a strong sense of justice ever since he was young.
In what seems like a lifetime ago, Marco had been Nyuu's fiancé.
They've exchanged many letters, and have danced together in many balls. But in the end, he was only the partner that her parents had decided. Nyuu doesn't know what he had thought of her, but to the very end, she never did come to fall in love with him.
But then again, she didn't particularly hate him either.
She didn't love him, but she did think of him as a nice person.
She didn't feel averse to the idea of marrying him in the future, and had actually thought that by marrying this person who everyone praises, she might have a shining future ahead of her.
Path, decided by someone else.
Partner, decided by someone else.
Future, decided by someone else.
Back then, Nyuu had a very thin sense of will. She merely followed along with the values espoused by those around her, and obeyed the orders from those in a position to order her. Even now, she doesn't think such a way of living is that bad. It's just that in comparison to her current life, it seems so very constrained.
While looking at Marco's face, Nyuu recalls the memories of them dancing together.
Remembering herself being brought around like an accessory by the handsome Marco, Nyuu smiles wryly.
Memories that she wants to forget, but cannot forget.
”Nyuu, what are you doing?”
Nyuu turns around at the voice that suddenly addresses her.
She feels no presence, but there's no need for alarm. Because she recognizes that voice.
”Shadow-sama...”
There is a black-haired teenage boy with a common-looking face standing in the research lab.
The boy walks past Nyuu, then opens a cupboard in the lab.
”This person used to be my fiancé.”
”Heeh~ What are you going to do about him then?”
”Personally speaking, I have no reason to save him, nor any reason to kill him.”
”Isn't that fine to just leave him be, then?”
So saying, the boy continues looking for something in the cupboard.
Nyuu leaves Marco and stands beside the boy.
”Shadow-sama, I'm sorry for the delay, but I have something to report.”
”Un.”
”Currently, Shadow Garden is lying in wait in the vicinity of the academy. They can move as soon as you give the order.”
”Un.”
”However, there would be a certain risk with fighting under this magic restriction. The only ones who can move as usual are the Seven Shadows, but the only one of them currently in the capital is Gamma-sama. And, um, Gamma-sama is not very suited for this kind of...”
”Yep, she's got zero sense.”
”That's... yes, sir. As for me, I can only use about 50% of my usual strength...”
”I see.”
”Gamma-sama is currently taking general command. She predicts that this state of magic restriction would not last long, so her standing order is for us to standby until it is lifted.”
”Un.”
”The men in black have barricaded themselves in the auditorium, then shown no further movement. They have also not made any demands. The Knight Order has the academy surrounded, but the only one of them who has enough strength to fight these men is Iris Midgar and the Grand Commander. Due to the fact that the two of them are usually at each other's throats, cooperation between them is highly unlikely.”
”Un.”
”Do you have any further instructions for us, Shadow-sama? If not, then we'll continue being on standby.”
”Un.”
”Will that be all, sir?”
”Un... ah, wait a second.”
”Yes, sir.”
”I'm looking for a few things, give me a hand. Mithril forceps, earth dragon powdered bones, ash magic stones...”
As the boy continues to rattle off a list of utensils and ingredients, Nyuu takes them out from the cupboards and shelves.
”Thanks, you were a great help.”
”It was my pleasure. Umm, may I ask what you are going to do with all these?”
Nyuu asks the teenage boy who has both hands full.
”Aah, this? It's for modifying an artifact.”
”Modifying an artifact?”
It is beyond her expectation that he would be proficient even with artifacts, but then again, his existence being what it is, it would not be surprising if he is. But it's just, why this during the current situation?
”What's causing the magic interference right now is an artifact called the Eye of Avarice. These are for the final modifications to a different artifact that can temporarily cancel out the effects of the Eye of Avarice.”
”How... as expected of Shadow-sama.”
To think that he's already determined the cause of the magic interference, and is even already in the process of preparing a countermeasure.
But to prepare something that can counteract an artifact capable of causing such an enormous magic interference would require an abnormal amount of knowledge. In fact, it would be impossible without knowledge on par with the top minds of the country.
Nyuu shivers at his unfathomable brilliance.
”It should be done around when the sun sets.”
”Then we will ready ourselves to begin moving in concert with that timing.”
”It's gonna be fun, isn't it?”
”Yes, sir.”
After seeing off the teenage boy with utensils and ingredients in both hands, Nyuu reconfirms her former fiancé's consciousness.
Her jet black blade touches his neck.
His breathing and heartbeat are both normal, with no tremor.