《Hikikomari Kyuuketsuki no Monmon》 Volume 1 - CH Ep When I came to my senses, I was laying on a bed. My head felt dizzy, and my body was aching all over. I don¡¯t remember this ceiling. Why was I sleeping here? Was I finally abducted? That sounds highly plausible if you ask me. I¡¯m the daughter of a rich, influential family. More than anything though, I¡¯m an unparalleled beauty. ¡°Komari-sama, have you woken up?¡± I moved my gaze when someone called out to me. I saw the perverted maid sit next to my bed on a chair. My eyes opened wide. The main reason for this being because she wore hospital clothes, with bandages around both her arms. This isn¡¯t the perverted maid. She¡¯s just a pervert now¡ªWait, who cares about that. ¡°¡ªVill!? You¡¯re okay!?¡± When I jolted up from my bed, I felt pain fill my entire lower body, pulling me back down again. It hurts. It hurts so much. It feels like I¡¯m being cut in half by giant scissors. ¡°Stay still, your wounds haven¡¯t healed just yet.¡± ¡°It hurts~! Why does it hurt so bad!? My legs are burning!¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯ve been stabbed by the heavenly tool. Do you not remember?¡± I remember now, yeah. I headed over to the abandoned castle, fought against Millicent, and got a rough beating by her. I had given up, accepting reality where I couldn¡¯t save Vill¡ªBut this pain I¡¯m feeling means that I¡¯m still alive, right? ¡°¡ªHey, Vill. Is this heaven?¡± ¡°No, we¡¯re still on earth. You won, Komari-sama.¡± ¡°In what?¡± ¡°In your battle against MIllicent Bluenight. You snuck inside the abandoned castle, defeated that terrorist, and saved me.¡± ¡°¡­No seriously, what are you on about?¡± I was losing, wasn¡¯t I. She hit my entire body with her , stabbed me with that silver knife, and had me eat a part of that laser. Only some hero or demon lord out of a novel could come back from that. ¡°Do you know this so-called Nucleus Liberation?¡± Vill stared at me. ¡°Nucleus¡­? Oh right, you talked about that in the bath, yeah?¡± ¡°Yes. A Nucleus Liberation is a different kind of power from magic. By cutting your connection with the magic nucleus, the magical power inside of you that would normally be locked away can be used freely.¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­First time I heard of that. What about it?¡± ¡°You used that, Komari-sama.¡± ¡°Eh? What?¡± According to Vill, this is what happened¡­I had been born with my own Nucleus Liberation, called , which activates whenever I drink blood, allowing me overwhelming magical power and physical abilities. When I was about to get killed by Millicent, Vill forcefully had me drink her blood, and I beat up Millicent without even knowing about it. I see, I see¡ªWait, hold your damn horses! ¡°I don¡¯t remember any of that, you know!?¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably because your magical power, endurance, and willpower ran out. The members of the 7th Corps carried you here, but any longer, and you might have died.¡± ¡°Hold on, there¡¯s too much info to process!¡± ¡°I will explain everything later. For now, all you need to know is that you¡¯re the strongest, Komari-sama. You can defeat whatever opponent may stand in your way. You defeated Millicent with ease.¡± ¡°As if I could believe that! She didn¡¯t even die after being crushed by two rocks!¡± Vill let out a snicker. ¡°Yeah, it must be hard to believe. But, you don¡¯t have to. I¡¯m plenty satisfied with having you with me here.¡± Why can she say stuff like that with a straight face. That¡¯s embarrassing, so quit it. I¡¯m not used to receiving such honest feelings. Act more perverted will you. Actually, nevermind. I averted my gaze from Vill, and changed the subject. ¡°¡­Are you feeling fine now? That must have hurt like crazy.¡± ¡°I am a soldier. I am confident in my endurance.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± There, my words stopped. My head was still spacing out. I understand that this isn¡¯t heaven, but reality still hasn¡¯t set in. ¡°Komari-sama.¡± Vill spoke up. ¡°You won. You managed to capture that terrorist, and handed her over to the underground prison. She won¡¯t come attack you again.¡± ¡°Y-Yeah.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why, there¡¯s no need to be hung up on your past any longer.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I felt a comfortable breeze blow through my heart. I don¡¯t have to be hung up on the pasty any longer. How wonderful of an idea that was. These past three years, I was always scared of Millicent. I didn¡¯t want to leave my room. I didn¡¯t want to deal with people. Because I was scared of going through something similar again. I tried to hide these thoughts, and pushed them to the back of my head. I shut myself in, was absorbed in whatever I felt interested in, and ignored the tragedy that was my life. But now, that life came to an end. Because I succeeded in taking a step forward. ¡°¡­These wounds won¡¯t disappear just from defeating her.¡± ¡°That might be true, but¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try talking with Millicent later.¡± Vill¡¯s eyes opened wide. She was shocked at my words. But, I just felt like I needed to do that no matter what. ¡°She loathes me. I doubt that will ever change. But, I want to change. I want to understand her, and maybe arrive at a common ground. If I don¡¯t do that, I will never be able to deal with the past.¡± ¡°How wonderful. That is something admirable.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± I gave a wry smile. It might be weird for me to say it, but talking with someone like that¡ªEspecially with someone who hated me before, makes me want to think that I¡¯ve grown. ¡°I guess that leaving my house won¡¯t hurt once in a while.¡± ¡°Understood. Then, I¡¯ll plan three battles every two days.¡± ¡°That¡¯s taking too far, okay!¡± I was sulking. As always, she didn¡¯t understand my feelings at all. Or she does, and is just being a horrible person as always. In her case, I can tell that she¡¯s acting for my sake, so I don¡¯t mind too much. ¡°Komari-sama.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Thank you for saving me.¡± I glanced at her. She had no expression as always, but I could see her reddened cheeks. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± I looked up at the ceiling, and responded. ¡°¡­Then again, that was some weird way to end things. Is everything really over? Feels like I¡¯ll only wake up from my dream soon.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t. This is reality.¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess you¡¯re right. But, how was Millicent caught by the imperial army?¡± ¡°You used your Nucleus Liberation, and came to save me.¡± ¡°Again, that¡¯s¡­Well, whatever. We¡¯re both safe, so that¡¯s all that matters.¡± I¡¯ll think about the details at another time. ¡°Oh right, what are you going to do now, Vill?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°The incident from three years ago has been dealt with, right. There¡¯s no need for you to stay as my personal maid.¡± If what she wrote in the letter is true, then Vill became my maid to repent for her sins (although I never asked for anything like that though). Now that the past and the present had been severed, I didn¡¯t see any more reason for her to work with me¡ªAnd yet, when I looked over at her, she made an expression like the world was about to end. ¡°That¡¯s¡­you¡¯re just throwing me away now¡­¡± ¡°No, not at all.¡± ¡°How cruel of you, Komari-sama. You¡¯re stealing my job from me! Now I have to sneak into your room and steal your underwear!¡± ¡°At least steal the money! Any more than that, and I¡¯ll fire you for real!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­How cruel¡­After everything I did¡­¡± ¡°I get it, I get it! You just stay with me forever, Vill!¡± ¡°Eh, was that a proposal¡­?¡± ¡°Of course not!!¡± Because I retorted with a loud voice, the wound at my leg started hurting again. Really, she¡¯s such a bothersome maid. But¡ªexchanges like these aren¡¯t as bad, I guess. It makes me feel like an idiot for always worrying how to deal with others. If I¡¯m with her, I might really be able to change my life. At the very least, that¡¯s what I felt like at that moment. * I wanna shut myself in for the rest of my life. That was my deepest wish. ¡°¨CUrgent news! Captain Melaconcy defeated the enemy general! I repeat, Captain Melaconcy has defeated the enemy general! Our army has emerged victorious!¡± The vampires around me heard these words, and loudly celebrated. As for me, I secretly let out a relieved sigh. ¡°That was dangerous. To think they aimed for a surprise attack right away.¡± ¡°You can say that again. I thought I was going to die¡­¡± I felt the tension escape from my shoulders, and sacked back down in my chair. This was the third battle against the chimpanzee general of the Laperico Kingdom, together with the 7th Corps I had under my control. Apparently, Hades Molkikki was fixated on only getting revenge on me. I was overly cautious because of this, but that was all for nothing. Right when the battle started, Lieutenant General Molkikki ordered his entire troop a frontal attack, rushing towards our headquarters. Well, Melaconcy¡¯s explosion magic took care of them really quickly. If this doesn¡¯t turn into a grudge, I don¡¯t know what will. According to Vill, I possessed the strongest possible Nucleus Liberation, but that just sounds like a bold-faced lie to me. It¡¯s me, you know. I have no special talent, blessed with nothing at all, an outsider vampire. My subordinates apparently saw the scene where I beat Millicent to a pulp, but they must have been fantasizing. How did I defeat Millicent then, if not with that Nucleus whatsit? ¡­Good question. She probably died because of the magical jewels I used. That had to be it. ¡°¡­Tsk! No turn for me to participate.¡± A blonde-haired man, Johan Heldars, clicked his tongue. He was as blood-thirsty as always. ¡°I finally can participate in the battle, and I can¡¯t even let out this burning fire inside of me? Maybe I should just burn down this entire plain.¡± ¡°¡ªHey, brat. Why are you back in this corps?¡± Belius crossed his arms, glaring at Johan. This dog man had recovered fully, and killed a fair amount of his allies during yesterday¡¯s training even. In response, Johan let out a snort. ¡°Hey now, Belius. If you got any complaints, let her Excellency know. She was the one who allowed me to come back to the 7th Corps.¡± ¡°¡°Wha¡ª¡±¡± Chaostell showed a baffled expression, sharing it with Belius, as they both looked down at me. I mean¡­everybody makes a mistake once or twice? It seems like Johan is reflecting on it. So, I thought of forgiving him. And, he properly apologized and all. ¡ªSorry about what happened. I won¡¯t try to kill you any longer. If anything, you saved me, so I should be thanking you. You¡¯re weak as hell, but at least you have the guts, so I¡¯ll try my best to help you. D-Don¡¯t get the wrong idea! It¡¯s not for your sake or anything! I¡¯m just accepting this condition so that I can come back to the 7th Corps. Since you protected me, let me stay with you! I can totally use him. He¡¯s offering to protect me, you know? How could I not forgive him. ¡°Your Excellency! Why did you forgive Johan!?¡± ¡°He worked with terrorists before. He¡¯s dangerous.¡± Chaostell, Belius, and the other vampires complained. But, I just showed a confident smile. ¡°Are you going to judge a person for a single mistake they committed?¡± ¡°However¡­¡± ¡°You just sweat the small details too much.¡± ¡°!?¡± The vampires looked like they had been hit by lighting. ¡°How kind!¡± ¡°That¡¯s your Excellency for you!¡± ¡°The world she lives in is entirely different from hours.¡± ¡°I can hear it¡­the cries of hell and slaughter.¡± As if you do. Also, stop looking at me with respect like that. ¡°I see. Johan had been saved by her Excellency¡¯s heroic spirit.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it is. But, you needn¡¯t worry. If he dares to plan something again, I won¡¯t forgive him again. I¡¯ll take responsibility, and finish him myself!¡± ¡°Wohoooooooooooo!!¡± The vampires roared. I guess that was enough to satisfy them. ¡°¡ªAlright! We¡¯ve won today¡¯s battle as well, so let us return and be greeted by fanfare! After I finish my report to the Empress, you¡¯re free! So take a good rest!¡± I wanna go home and sleep. That¡¯s what I thought, but¡­ ¡°No, your Excellency! Let us think of a strategy for the next battle!¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°I second that. You can never prepare too early!¡± ¡°Right, right!¡± ¡°Time to head home and prepare for the next battle!¡± ¡°It¡¯s gonna rain blooood!¡± ¡°Alrighto!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do this!¡± ¡°Wahahaha!¡± ¡°Phewwwwwwwwww!¡± ¡°Yahahaha!¡± ¡­¡­ ¡­¡­¡­¡­ ¡­What is this, a zoo? ¡°Komari-sama, I suggest you give up on getting a break anytime soon. Keep fighting.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I felt despair. I really don¡¯t get what they are thinking. They¡¯re the exact opposite from an indoor-type like me. Of course, they¡¯re all good people, but as soon as they get together this corps, they¡¯re uncontrollable. Not to mention that I could be killed any second. And yet, I never hated this current situation of mine. ¡°Very well! I¡¯ve received everyone¡¯s enthusiasm! Let us return to the Mulnight Empire, and work on our next strategy! I, the great Terakomari Gandezblood, will color the world crimson, and will offer it to you!¡± A roaring applause followed. My subordinates were asking for another Komarin Encore. Standing in the midst of this heated passion, I looked up at the clear blue sky. Who¡¯d turn such a beautiful sky into a grotesque red. Maybe I really should have stayed a shut-in¡­ Volume 1 - Prologue Blood splattered, roaring screams rang out, magic was blasted off. At the same time, heads soared through the air. In the midst of this wide open field, a horrendous battle was at its peak. The Eastern troop was composed of overwhelmingly strong beastmen warriors, belonging to the Laperico Kingdom¡¯s Army, whereas the Western troop was built upon an elite of vampires, fighting for the Mulnight Empire¡¯s Imperial Army. ¡°Ugh, what is wrong with them¡ªDamned monsters!¡± However, the result was just about to be decided. The beastmen¡¯s morale was shaking. Reasonable enough, as a giant mountain of corpses was what had been left of the Laperico Kingdom¡¯s troop. ¡°Flame O Flame. Burn down this quivering forest.¡± ¡°Shit, magic again!? I¡¯ll just kill you before you can cast it! ¡°Tony!? Hey, Tony! Calm down!¡± A bear man had his sword readied, but was burned to cinders in the blink of an eye. The rest of the beastmen around were yet again forcefully reminded of their difference in strength. It must be their pride as soldiers, as not a single one of them dared to lay down their weapons. But, everytime a vampire chanted another spell of magic to make the air around them quiver, some gulped in defeat, and some stared death in the eye. ¡°Shit! I¡¯m not dying here!¡± ¡°Ice O Ice. Freeze the hearts of the enemy.¡± A tiger man attempted an escape, but had his head pierced by an ice arrow. The second his allies witnessed his large body falling to the ground like a tree, they started raising shrieks resembling small animals in the face of a predator. They no longer held any coordinated force as a troop. A deer man threw away his weapon, whereas a cat man faced the heavens above in defeat, and another lion man hid his terrified expression behind his shield. Even so, the vampires showed no restraint. They used their magic to shoot the escaping beastmen to death, crushed them, burned them, exploded them¡ªalmost as if they held an all-you-can-kill buffet, these vampires were enjoying themselves. ¡°Gyaaaaaaah!¡± ¡°Stop, I don¡¯t want to die!¡± ¡°Waaaah, my tail is burniiiiing!¡± ¡°Flame O Flame¡­¡± It truly was a slaughter. No doubt that the commander of the Eastern Troop (A chimpanzee man) wanted to retreat about now. Even if they can revive thanks to their magic nucleus, having your head cut off must hurt beyond what you could imagine. Pain is something grotesque, and nobody wants to get hurt. Not even those inflicting it. ¡°¡ªI have important news! The enemy troop has been annihilated! Currently, First Lieutenant Belius and Captain Melaconcy are headed over to the enemy troop headquarters. The victory of our Komari Squad is as clear as the morning sunshine!¡± The second these words reached the allied troop headquarters, the vampires stationed there could finally relax, raising voices of joy and victory. The location was to the West of the plains, on top of a small hill. This was the Imperial General Headquarters of the Mulnight Empire¡¯s troops. ¡°We finally did it!¡± ¡°Hmpf, these beastmen are just too simple.¡± ¡°Did you see that!? This is the Komari Squad¡¯s true strength!¡± The operation the vampires had decided upon went as follows. First, the great and courageous warrior First Lieutenant Belius would charge into the enemy troops head-on. Once the beastmen grow flustered and go for the counterattack, Captain Melaconcy, who was always skilled at surprise attacks, would aim for the enemy¡¯s headquarters, break through the weak defenses, and defeat the enemy¡¯s acting commander¡ªthat¡¯s the gist of it. It was overtly simple, but it was expected that the beastmen would fall for it. ¡°Once we make it home, it¡¯ll be time for a victory celebration party.¡± ¡°He he he, let¡¯s make some blood sake out of the beastmen.¡± The vampires had been certain of their victory, boasting in laughter and arrogance. However, there was one man in the midst of them who had yet to relax. ¡°¡ªIt¡¯s too early to celebrate. Our victory has not been decided yet.¡± A silence filled the place. He wore a spectacular army uniform, possessing a large and slim figure. He was the self-proclaimed advisor of the Komari Squad, which belonged to the Imperial Army¡¯s 7th Corps, Chaostell Cont. ¡°A war is something where you have to expect the unexpected. In this moment where we don¡¯t even know of any possible hidden tactics of the enemy, we should not celebrate victory just yet. Be reminded of this.¡± Chaostell¡¯s words acted as the cold water that quickly erased any celebratory mood in the rows of the vampires. At the same time, he was absolutely correct, which forced the vampires to sit there in silence. ¡°Belius and Melaconcy are without a doubt skilled fighters with a great amount of experience on their shoulders, but we should always be prepared for the what-if scenario. You can never be too careful, as they say. As you know, this is our first battle, so we cannot allow ourselves to show failure¡ªDon¡¯t you agree, your Excellency Terakomari.¡± All gazes present gathered on a certain point, namely at Chaostell¡¯s lower left. On a decorated, sparkling chair sat a single young girl. ¡°¡­Fueh? W-What is it?¡± Said girl raised her head like she had awoken from her slumber. She apparently only now realized that she was the center of attention around her. The maid standing next to the girl gently lowered her hip, approaching her ears. ¡°Komari-sama, murmur murmur¡­¡± ¡°Eh? O-Oh, right.¡± The girl cleared her throat, and spoke up. ¡°¡ªListen well, everyone! Just as Chaostell has stated, this is our first battle today! Losing would be a pain, so let¡¯s do our best!¡± ¡°¡°¡°¡°¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±¡±¡±¡±¡± A painful silence filled the area. That moment, every single vampire present had their hearts stolen. ¡ªAhh, how beautiful. Her golden hair seemed like it had the moonlight captured inside of it. Her white skin resembled a corpse at the moment of death, and her facial features looked handmade. And if that wasn¡¯t enough, she possessed crimson red eyes that had been passed down from noble vampire to another inside the Mulnight Empire¡ªmaking her a vampire amongst vampires. She was the commander-in-chief, Terakomari Gandezblood. ¡°¡­Um, why are you all keeping quiet now? You¡¯re going to work hard, right?¡± Everyone present was pulled back to reality at the girl¡¯s worried voice. There could have been no greater shame than ignoring the words of their admired commander and disappointing her in the process, only able to be repaid in cutting their bellies while being naked, and dancing at the same time. Hence, it didn¡¯t take a second for everyone to respond. ¡°¡°¡°¡°¡°Yes, we¡¯ll do our best!¡±¡±¡±¡±¡± Commander Terakomari looked surprised for a second, but apparently accepted this reaction as sufficing, and sat up straight in her chair. At the same time, Chaostell kneeled down in front of his Commander. ¡°Your Excellency, I have a request.¡± ¡°W-What is it?¡± ¡°In the event that both Belius and Melaconcy were to lose, I wish for your Excellency Terakomari to defeat the enemy commander yourself.¡± Time came to a standstill. ¡°¡­Huh? Why?¡± ¡°As I have stated previously, war cannot be predicted. Even if your Excellency, and rising star Terakomari Gandezblood, equipped with utmost beauty and strength, being the most promising candidate to become the next Emperor, would normally never lose against a low chimpanzee, luck is always a great factor in battle, so even you have a chance at losing. However! If you were to show your power and skill in battle, your name would be known through the entire world, creating a new legend!¡± A row of excited voices ran through the place. ¡°Um, but, I¡­¡± ¡°Adding to that, I want to see it with my own eyes, your strength that is. With mere fifteen years, you made it up to the summit of the military, becoming one of the Seven Crimson Devas, so your power must be unrivaled!¡± ¡°I want to see it as well!¡± ¡°Me too!¡± The other vampires around showed agreement to Chaostell¡¯s words. However, the commander in question had trouble finding the right words. Chaostell however misinterpreted this, and encouraged the girl even further. ¡°There is nothing to be ashamed about. Let us trample over this lowly beastmen royalty! As long as you act, the national prestige of the Mulnight Empire shall be known to the entire world! And then, the historiations in the future will say this¡ªThat a new age had begun with this very day!¡± ¡°¡°¡°¡°¡°Woooooooooooooohooooooo!!!¡±¡±¡±¡±¡± The vampires raised their voices at this motivational speech Chaostell gave. What ensued was a storm of applause, and some vampires even whistled in excitement. They even started chanting Komarin! Komarin! Komarin! in between there. Met with this sudden heat and passion from her followers, the choice Terakomari Gandezblood took was¡ª ¡°¡ªI-I got it.¡± The applause and cheers came to a halt. Every single person present awaited the girl¡¯s next words. The commander-in-chief took a few deep breaths, her gaze wandering around to look at her subordinates, and finally stopped, as if she had made up her mind. ¡°¡ªIf you have this much faith in me, I guess I¡¯ll try my best. However, that will only happen if Belius and Melaconcy actually lose. If that one in a million chance occurs, I will go all out against the enemy. That¡¯s why, you needn¡¯t worry. Because I am the strongest vampire there is! No matter the enemy, I will defeat them in a mere three seconds!¡± ¡°Three¡­seconds?¡± Chaostell asked. ¡°N-No, I meant one second! One second is more than enough!¡± A second of silence followed, but that was broken right away. ¡ªWohooooooooooooooooooooooo!!! ¡ªKomarin! Komarin! Komarin! Komarin! ¡°Aha, ahaha, ahahahahaha¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­Ahhh, how did things end up like this?¡± This battle raised the curtain on Terakomari Gandezblood¡¯s days plagued with agony and worries. Volume 1 - CH 1 This world and everything inside of it acts based on unreasonable thinking. Around fifteen years ago, I was born into the most noble royal family of the Mulnight Empire, the Gandezblood Family. First, what kind of name is that? That name alone tells you that his family is a mess, and as it turns out, I was correct. This Gandezblood Family has existed for a thousand years, being hereditary army generals. The name of the family is even left behind in the history workbooks of our race, and five years ago, my mother had been one of the Seven Crimson Devas. That¡¯s where the horrors started. Needless to say, I am a vampire that advocates peace and freedom. I am the furthest away from these berserker ancestors of mine. Yet, my relatives put insane pressure on me. Komari-chan will definitely become a wonderful commander, she¡¯ll kill everyone that stands in her way, she¡¯ll surely become the greatest killer in history, and so on¡ªMorons, all of them. In the beginning, I tried responding to everyone¡¯s expectations, but that effort was shut down right away. I was lacking various skills and talents in order to achieve this. First of all, I can¡¯t use magic. Following that, my physical and athletic abilities are way below average. Lastly, my body is way too small. And, there is a very obvious reason for these three problems plaguing me¡­I can¡¯t drink blood. During every single dinner table at our Gandezblood Family, blood could be found everywhere, but I really don¡¯t get how anybody could be able to drink that. I can¡¯t even stand the scent, or the sheer look of it. Why do I have to drink something disgusting like that? How can everybody else just gush it down their throats? My little sister Rorocco once said ¡°You¡¯re missing out in your life if you can¡¯t drink blood¡±¡­Shut up, okay. I¡¯m more than satisfied with tomato juice. But, from an objective point of view, I might be the weird one here. As a result of this, my life took a turn for the worse. Not being able to drink blood means that I can¡¯t grow up. For a vampire, blood is a crucial source of nutrients, and not drinking any blood means that many types of bodily functions don¡¯t work well. The reason why I can¡¯t use magic, why I have no athletic skills, and why my little sister beat me in terms of height is all because I¡¯m lacking blood supply. As a result of this small difference to the other vampires, my life was full of suffering. At school, I was the target of everyone¡¯s gossip, even bullied and hurt for no apparent reason. On top of that, my relatives still expected me to become the greatest vampire ever. As you might expect, I couldn¡¯t handle the situation, which is why I became a shut-in. This happened three years ago. In this vampire society where strength is everything, as someone who can¡¯t drink blood, can¡¯t use magic, and has no physical outstanding abilities, a shut-in has no hope of ever achieving anything. The best I could do was stay in my safe space, and keep writing novels, because that fit me best. It really should have fit me best, and yet¡ª * It¡¯s morning. My inner clock is telling me so. But, I won¡¯t get up. I refuse to get up. I rolled over in my bed, tightly kept my eyes shut, and embraced the dolphin hugging pillow my father bought for me. Let alone hibernation, I planned on sleeping through several twilight years. I have no connection with this world at all, I am a nomad travelling from one corner of the bed to the other. I was preparing myself for another slumber, when an irregularity occurred. My belly was itchy. Even after scratching it, the itchiness wouldn¡¯t go away. As a result of this, my eyes opened. Some insect might have bitten me in my sleep. Still drowsy, I pushed up my upper body, and looked beneath my pajamas. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± And then, I froze up. On top of my navel I could see some mysterious pattern. It was a weird design with the wings of a bat, and waves of blood around them. I feel like I¡¯ve seen that before¡ªOh, right. This is the Mulnight Empire¡¯s coat of arms. It¡¯s drawn on the royal palace even. No matter how much I tried to scrub it away, it stayed. Is this some weird dream I¡¯m seeing? ¡°¡ªTerakomari-sama, good morning.¡± I suddenly heard an unfamiliar voice, which almost had my heart leap out of my chest. When I looked at my surroundings, I found a weird-looking girl standing in the corner of the room. She possessed a cool gaze, giving off a dignified atmosphere, and she wore maid clothes. Was this girl working here? With my wariness up to a maximum level, I glared at the girl. ¡°W-Who are you. Why are you in my room!¡± The maid¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Villhaze. I work at the Imperial Army, and I am an associate special third-ranking lieutenant. From today onward, I will be working here as Terakomari-sama¡¯s personal maid.¡± I don¡¯t get it. Why would I need a maid? ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be rude, but¡­this room is quite the mess, is it not.¡± That is actually very rude. ¡°¡­What do you want? Money?¡± ¡°Do not be so frightened, please. I am your ally, Terakomari-sama.¡± As if I would believe you just like that. You might be a thief, or you might be a pervert who came here to assault me. I¡¯m probably better off asking my father. And more importantly, I need to visit the toilet. However, I can¡¯t leave her unattended. This is bad, I¡¯m getting close to leaking. ¡°¡­Hey, you Villhaze or whatever. Wait here for a second.¡± ¡°We do not have the time for that. We have to depart right away to the royal palace.¡± Royal palace? I got a really bad feeling about this. Every fiber of my being screamed danger, as I acted like a cat, jumping away from this person. Or so I planned, but that maid suddenly grabbed my arm, not allowing me to escape. ¡°Let go! I need to take a piss!¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the time for that. Please listen to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m gonna let it out, okay!? Are you fine with that!?¡± ¡°Then listen to me while you let it out.¡± ¡°That¡¯d just make me a pervert!¡± ¡°Nobody is watching, so feel free.¡± ¡°You sure as hell are watching!¡± The heck is wrong with her. She must be a pervert that came here to assault me. It sounds plausible, seeing that I am a beauty above beauties (since my father tells me each and every single day, it must be true). ¡°We have no more time. Please stop resisting, and follow me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t wanna! You¡¯re going to kidnap me, right! Because of my overwhelming looks as a beauty!¡± ¡°Is that something you should say about yourself?¡± Like this, we continued to battle for a few moments, when¡­ ¡°¡ªYou can leave it at that, Vill-kun.¡± I heard a deep voice from the hallway. Turning around towards the source of the voice, my savior, a large vampire wearing a black mantle just waltzed into my room. That¡¯s right, tell her, Father! She¡¯s a perverted maid who came here to assault me!¡ªis what I screamed inside of my heart, and said maid indeed let go of my hand, albeit too abruptly. ¡°Bulgh!¡± Because of the momentum I still had, I slid on the ground face-first. That hurt. I feel like crying. My view grew blurry. The perverted maid however fully ignored my state, and instead politely bowed to my father. ¡°I am terribly sorry, Gandezblood-dono. Terakomari-san resisted beyond what I imagined, so I was thinking of forcefully bringing her with me.¡± I knew you were trying to abduct me. ¡°Don¡¯t go around bullying my daughter too much, okay. She is a proud shut-in.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, she is a shut-in.¡± Why¡¯d you have to repeat that. That just hurts me even more if you do that. Just to let you know, I can easily leave my own room if I want to. I just never really felt the need to, but if I¡¯m motivated, I can easily do a hitchhike across the world. ¡°Komari! Are you hurt anywhere?¡± Unsure of what I should feel about this, I pushed up my body, when my father approached me with wide open arms. On top of that, he¡¯s got the nerve to touch me all over my body. If that guy wasn¡¯t my parent, I¡¯d get him arrested. ¡°Hum, you seem to be fine, but maybe we should get you checked out at a doctor? An unrivaled beauty like you has to be careful about her body after all.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m fine, okay.¡± ¡°Terakomari-sama, are you really fine? Do you not feel weird around the area of your belly?¡± Holding back the desire to immediately shove her out of my room, I remembered it thanks to her words. Right, the symbol on my belly, it was itching. Scratch. ¡°Oh my, if you keep scratching like that, your silky smooth skin will be ruined.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch me, you perverted maid!¡± I brushed off her hand, and swiftly took three steps back. As a result, she even stared at me with a blank expression and cold gaze. I¡¯m scared, I feel like she¡¯ll kill me in my sleep. ¡°Father, who is she even!?¡± ¡°From today forth, she will be your personal maid, Komari. She will listen to whatever you say, so use her freely.¡± Whatever I say? She sure as hell didn¡¯t let me go when I told her to, right? ¡°I don¡¯t need a maid. Not to mention such a scary one¡­¡± ¡°You say that, but this has been ordered by her Highness, so put up with it.¡± ¡°The Empress? Why is that?¡± ¡°I shall explain that.¡± The perverted maid took a step forward. ¡°Terakomari-sama, you know the Seven Crimson Devas, correct.¡± ¡°Where did that come from¡­I mean, I do, what about them?¡± The Seven Crimson Devas: They are vampires in full control of the army under the royal family, basically the strongest seven fighters in the imperial army. ¡°You became one of them, Terakomari-sama.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Congratulations. With a mere fifteen years, becoming one of the Seven Crimson Devas is something extraordinary.¡± ¡°No, wait¡­Why?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because your father worked really hard.¡± He dared to show me a shit-eating grin. ¡°Komari, a while ago, you said that you wanted to work, right?¡± My heart almost leaped out of my chest. ¡°¡­R-Really?¡± ¡°Your father remembers it clearly. It happened during last year¡¯s Christmas party. Roro asked you with a Why don¡¯t you start working? and this is what you answered¡ª¡± ¡ªWork, huh. I am well aware that hard labor is crucial for society. But, you can¡¯t forget that I am a legendary sage. There¡¯s no job befitting my greatness. Well, if there is one, then it¡¯d be being the Empress of the Mulnight Empire, so I wouldn¡¯t mind working if I became that, I guess? I felt the heat rush to my head. Now that I hear about it, I might have said that¡­ ¡°Your father was so moved, you know. To think the shut-in Komari, who only stayed in her room for three whole years, would bring up the idea of working like that.¡± What should I even say here. To be perfectly honest, I had no intention whatsoever to start working. The only reason I blurted out nonsense like becoming the new Emperor was because I was absolutely drunk¡­.from apple juice, that is. ¡°R-Right, I did say that. So, what about that?¡± ¡°I talked to Her Majesty, asking for you to receive the position of the Empress.¡± Are you a moron!? ¡°Because of that, she got really angry at me.¡± Yeah, who would have thought. ¡°But, your father still didn¡¯t give up, because it was for your sake, Komari.¡± Just give up, please. You¡¯re going to be the death of me. ¡°I explained how much of a genius you are, and mentioned that you even call yourself a legendary sage. I added the fact that you always stay in your room, thinking about something on levels a normal person could not even hope to comprehend. More than anything though, I had to stress the fact that you possess unparalleled beauty¡­And then, Her Majesty said Very intriguing, you know.¡± Nothing is intriguing here. I feel like wanting to kill myself. ¡°Basically, Her Majesty has admitted your greatness, Komari. But, making you the Empress out of the blue would be impossible, right? That¡¯s why she made you one of the Seven Crimson Devas.¡± The perverted maid nodded along to that. ¡°It is exactly as Gandezblood-dono has stated. According to the custom of the Mulnight Empire, only the strongest and most skilled warriors of the Empire have the right to become the Emperor. Hence, the tradition shows that the Seven Crimson Devas have the chance to become the next emperor candidate. Her Majesty must have appointed you as one of the Devas to measure your talent and skill, Terakomari-sama. On a side note, I am your personal maid that will aid you in this endeavour. Please treat me well in the future.¡± My head was spinning. The Seven Crimson Devas are that, you know¡­They¡¯re the types of demons that kill other races inside this world¡¯s centre, the ¡®Nucleus Domain¡¯. As I stated before, I am a vampire that advocates peace. How would I ever fit into a group of monsters like that. As if I¡¯d do that, moron. Since this conversation just crossed the point where continuing wouldn¡¯t make any sense, and more importantly, since my urge to urinate was reaching critical limits, I ignored the two, and was about to make my way over to the toilets, but¡­ ¡°Please wait!¡± For some reason, that perverted maid clung to my thighs. ¡°I became a maid so that Terakomari-sama would find success in her military rule! Please, become a Seven Crimson Deva! If not, then my reason for existing will vanish¡­¡± ¡°S-Stop shaking me, I¡¯ll seriously let it out, okay!¡± ¡°Terakomari-sama, I am your humble servant! I have the determination to accept your everything!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have the determination to let you accept it! Father, stop watching and help me!¡± ¡°You say that, but Vill-kun is a worthy subordinate of the legendary sage, don¡¯t you think? She should provide great support for you, I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°If anything, I¡¯ll be forced to keep her in check!¡± ¡°Terakomari-sama, please become one of the Seven Crimson Devas.¡± ¡°Who¡¯d become one of them!¡± I forced the scariest expression on my face, and glared down at that perverted maid. ¡°Just to let you know, I¡¯ll become an author! I¡¯m writing lots and lots every day! I want to stay inside, not meet anybody, and work on my story! Me wanting to work was just a joke, why¡¯d you take it seriously!¡± I only realized after finishing these words. Both the perverted maid and my father were staring at me with a baffled expression. Immediately, I felt a sharp pain in my chest. Maybe my heart has gotten cold after locking myself up for such a long time. If it was me a few years back, I would have never been able to raise my voice in front of my father like this. ¡°T-That¡¯s why¡­I can¡¯t become a Seven Crimson Deva.¡± ¡°However¡­¡± ¡°So annoying!¡± ¡°However¡ªif you don¡¯t become one of the Devas, Terakomari-sama will explode and die.¡± ¡°¡­Excuse me?¡± What did she just say? Explode? Huh? ¡°It¡¯s just as Vill-kun stated, Komari.¡± My father narrowed his eyebrows as he looked at me. ¡°In order to become one of the Devas, you have to exchange a promise with the Empress. In return for receiving exceptional status as one of them, you offer a contract and promise to give your entire existence for the Empire. And, in the event that this promise is being broken, you will explode.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even remember making a contract like that, you know.¡± ¡°Last night, it was formed.¡± ¡°Formed? How?¡± ¡°Her Majesty snuck into your room, and gave you a kiss while you were sleeping.¡± ¡°Huuuuuuuuh!?¡± A¡­what, a kiss!? A kiss, that kiss!? I remember that a kiss can be used as a trigger to activate contract magic¡ªAnd how did that shitty Empress even make it into my room! Why is everyone around me a pervert! ¡°¡­Wait, doesn¡¯t contract magic require consent from both sides?! I don¡¯t remember agreeing to that!¡± ¡°Your father gave the consent. I am your legal guardian after all.¡± ¡°What the hell are you thinking!?¡± I slammed my fists against Father¡¯s chest, but he just laughed it off. This isn¡¯t something you should laugh about, you shitty old man. So this symbol that¡¯s making my belly itch this entire time is the proof of our contract? Don¡¯t joke with me, that has to be illegal. ¡°This is the worst¡­My life is over¡­¡± ¡°Terakomari-sama, this is a personal letter from Her Majesty.¡± The perverted maid handed me a letter with noble design, so I quickly ran my eyes over the contents. I have decided to make you a Seven Crimson Deva. The blood contract has already been established, and you are unable to escape from this order. As long as you don¡¯t want to be blown to smithereens, you shall fulfill your duty as a Seven Crimson Deva, and show me your determination to become the next Emperor candidate. Leaving aside your work as a Seven Crimson Deva, I already admire your appearance enough, see. Your beauty deserves to stand at the summit of this Empire. Just looking at your sleeping face had me get excited beyond what I have felt in years. By the way, rumours have told me that you loathe drinking blood. What a rare disposition to have as a vampire. Because of this, I have considered you. Instead of having you drink my blood, I had you drink my saliva, and formed a contract based upon this. Putting it simply, we shared a deep kiss. I treated you kindly, so be thankful to me. So friggin disgustiiiiiiiiiiing!!! ¡°Good for you, Terakomari-sama.¡± ¡°Nothing is good here! I got goosebumps all over my body! I never even had my first kiss yet¡­¡± ¡°Now now, don¡¯t be like that. This is a great opportunity, so just become one of the Seven Crimson Devas. With this, you¡¯re a full-fledged member of vampire society! And then, your father can be proud of you, and brag to other people!¡± Ahahahahahaha¡ªI heard the distant laughter of my father. A Seven Crimson Deva¡­Why did it have to be one of the worst possible jobs imaginable. If I had to work somewhere, I at least would have wanted something more peaceful¡­like in a cake shop. ¡°Congratulations, Terakomari-sama. Let me confirm the schedule right away. First, you have a meeting with Her Majesty in two hours, and after that, your subordinates will be awaiting you. Tomorrow, you will attend your first ever battle with the neighbouring Laperico Kingdom. Following this¡ª¡± I started blending out the perverted maid¡¯s words after that. What is this, why did things end up like this? I should have never blurted out about becoming the next Emperor. Also, how in the hell did my father manage to convince that wench. Did he catch her weakness or something? But, even if I didn¡¯t want to accept it, this is reality. Me running away from reality this far has come back to haunt me. ¡°Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!¡± Having reached my limit in a lot of ways, I just crouched down on the spot¡­Only to be reminded of my bodily needs, so I jumped up and dashed towards the toilet. This time, nobody stopped me. * One hour passed. ¡°Hey, um, Villhaze?¡± ¡°Feel free to call me Vill.¡± ¡°I-I see. Then, you can call me Komari as well. That¡¯s what my family calls me anyway.¡± ¡°Understood, Komari-sama.¡± ¡°Very well¡­So, Vill, how many subordinates do I have? Around five or something, right?¡± ¡°Five hundred.¡± I almost fell over from that number. Hearing 500 just like that was enough of a shock, but because I haven¡¯t been outside in a long while, the sunlight hitting me had me feeling all dizzy as well. ¡°Ugh, the sunlight is too tough¡­¡± ¡°Ah, Komari-sama! Get a hold of yourself! I will take you to the toilet right away!¡± ¡°What good would that do!?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to go there before?¡± ¡°I already finished my business!¡± Around one hour went by after I was attacked by that perverted maid, and somehow managed to keep my dignity. Even now, I had trouble accepting this rotten reality I found myself in. I tried slapping myself in an attempt to wake up from this nightmare, but I felt the pain nonetheless. This meant that I really was made a Seven Crimson Deva from the Empress, and if I were to reject that, I would die. What kind of stupid situation is this even. I know I basically asked for this, but never in a million years would I have imagined that it would come back to haunt me like this. ¡°Ahh, I don¡¯t want to be a commander¡­¡± ¡°Do you want to die, then?¡± ¡°Of course I don¡¯t¡­¡± It¡¯s exactly because I don¡¯t want to die that I¡¯m actually going outside right now. I had to accept the fact that I couldn¡¯t run away from my duties as a commander any more, and reluctantly announced that I was stepping down from being a shut-in. The second I did so, all the servants gave me a round of applause. Even my rotten father had tears in his eyes. My siblings appeared out of the blue, blessing me as well. Of course, all of this had the opposite effect on me. Only my little sister showed worry with an ¡®Are you going to die, Koma-nee?¡¯. Don¡¯t just jinx anything, will you. According to my father, I had a single duty to fulfill. [Battle against an enemy country every three months, and win.] That is the bare minimum a Seven Crimson Deva has to fulfill, and if I don¡¯t do so, it will be regarded as a break of contract, and I¡¯ll be blown to smithereens. It¡¯s so illogical, I feel like crying again¡­And if that wasn¡¯t enough, there was another part to consider. [If you manage to win a hundred battles, you will earn the rank of being an Emperor Candidate.] Seriously, who cares about that. I sure as hell don¡¯t. ¡°Please hurry, we only have twenty minutes left until the meeting.¡± Vill hopped onto the horse carriage she had prepared. It¡¯s been what, three years now since I used one of these? Then again, it¡¯s been three entire years since I left my house in general. I sat down on my seat with unsteady feet, and let out a sigh as the carriage started moving. Shortly after this, we made it to our destination. As always, the residence of the Empress couldn¡¯t have been more luxurious. I thought our house was gigantic, but it had no way of beating this place. When we told the guards the purpose of our visit, they smoothly let us through, and we were guided inside¡­N-Not good, the tension is getting to me. ¡°¡ªI welcome you, Komari! You are as precious and lovable as I remember you!¡± Right as we approached the throne, that person came jumping down towards me with a beaming smile. The girl possessed impactful golden hair, and she should be around the same age as me. However, you cannot be deceived by her outer appearance. As a former Seven Crimson Deva, she utterly obliterated the commanders and generals of our neighbouring countries. On top of that, she genuinely has the hots for other girls, which is why she constantly sexually harasses them no matter the time or place¡ªAh, her face is so close! Too close! I knew it, she¡¯s just a pervert! ¡°Komari, I have longed to meet you.¡± She wouldn¡¯t even leave two centimeters between us. Her breath hit me right on the cheek, and her sweet scent drifted up my nose. Her moonlight-colored eyes stared directly into mine, telling me that I would be executed if I dared to run away. ¡°I-It an honor to meet you¡­But, aren¡¯t you a bit too close?¡± ¡°What problem is there between the Empress and a commander being close?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant¡­I was talking about the physical distance¡­¡± ¡°By the way, I¡¯d love to fondle your breasts, can I?¡± She said, but already was about halfway on her way towards my chest with her hand. Yet again I understood just how much of a pervert she was. I have to involve the police in this as quickly as possible. ¡°¡­Your Majesty, please keep this jesting at a modest level. Komari-sama will start crying at this rate.¡± Just when I actually was about to break out in tears, the perverted maid oddly enough helped me for once. I guess she has some common sense in her¡ªBut, my admiration didn¡¯t last long, as the Empress gave a nonchalant ¡®That was a jest indeed¡¯, and sat back on her throne. So making me cry is just a joke for you? ¡°I am the type to respect other people¡¯s feelings. I wouldn¡¯t fondle your breasts if you do not consent to it.¡± ¡°You did kiss me, though¡­¡± ¡°Ah..¡± For a second, the Empress showed a bewildered expression. ¡°Wahaha! Interesting, truly interesting! Honorific language does not befit your image. Please, talk to me like we¡¯ve been friends for tens of years.¡± I don¡¯t even have a single friend, you know. But of course, the Empress had no way of knowing this, and crossed her legs as she continued. ¡°By the way, you really resemble your mother. The air around you is slightly off, but looking at you makes me feel quite nostalgic.¡± ¡°R-Really?¡± ¡°Indeed. You inherited her looks. Possessing overwhelming beauty, your mother Yurine Gandezblood gave you all her genes it seems. It gives me the shivers, really. I¡¯ve always wanted to make her my own, but that Alman bastard had to steal her from me¡ªOh, that object hanging around your neck, is that Yurine¡¯s pendant by any chance?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Met with her passionate gaze, I was a bit at a loss. I froze up, unable to say anything, when the Empress showed a snicker. ¡°Sorry, sorry. That doesn¡¯t matter right now, does it¡ªListen well, Terakomari Gandezblood, you have been appointed as one of the Seven Crimson Devas, are you prepared to inherit this position?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Not at all, but whatever. ¡°I said you needn¡¯t use honorific language with me. If you dare ignore my command, I will kiss you again.¡± ¡°I under¡­stand¡­¡± ¡°Alright, time to give you another smooch.¡± ¡°I-I got it! I got it already, so stop acting like a pervert!¡± ¡°Ahahaha! You really are an interesting one.¡± Nothing is interesting here! ¡°Well, let us leave this matter aside. I deemed it necessary to give you a warning, Komari, since you have been appointed as one of the Seven Crimson Devas.¡± ¡°Warning?¡± ¡°Indeed. You are actually weak, correct?¡± I twitched in shock. Then again, trying to hide it would be a waste of effort. Everybody could easily find out that I have no combat skills and strength. ¡°What about it? Ah, am I actually too weak to be one of the Seven Crimson Devas? Aw man, that sucks, guess I have to go home now¡­¡± ¡°Do not worry, the second I formed that contract with you, the rank of Seven Crimson Deva has been bestowed upon you.¡± Tsk, don¡¯t get my hopes up. ¡°What I am concerned about is whether you can fulfill your work or not. I am sure you must be aware of this, but the commanders known as the Seven Crimson Devas are the vital point of the military affairs. If you fail to defeat and kill enemy generals and commanders, your salary will go down drastically.¡± ¡°¡­Huh? So basically, if I keep sucking, I¡¯ll get fired?¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯ll get fired, explode, and have your head flying off. Basically the same.¡± Stop joking around like that. I just thought I saw a light in this nightmare. ¡°Hence, I want to ask of you. Are you able to massacre like it is expected of you?¡± The Empress asked me with a serious expression. But, I had no reason to hesitate. ¡°¡­I told you I¡¯m the legendary sage, right?¡± The Empress showed an interested Oh?, and crossed her arms. ¡°I heard about this from Alman¡ªNo, your father. In the face of your lack of physical ability, you have profound knowledge and wits, is it.¡± ¡°Exactly. The knowledge and wisdom I acquired over the last fifteen years of my life greatly surpasses that of the average person. Even if I have no value in actual combat, I am skilled in the art of moving and ordering others. I¡¯ve read the entirety of ¡®War Chronicles of Andronos¡¯, you know? I¡¯m sure you must have heard of this, but that series consists of 40 volumes, with each book possessing over 400 pages. I remember all the tactics used in there.¡± That¡¯s right, I accepted the idea of becoming a Seven Crimson Deva. The reason is simple, it¡¯s because I judged I didn¡¯t have to step on the front lines myself. If it was anything but one of the Devas, I would have bawled my eyes out and begged for my retirement. ¡°Komari-sama, that is¡­¡± However, the perverted maid of all people showed me a worried gaze. Even the Empress had a wry smile on her face. Did I say something weird? ¡°¡­Very well. Let us assume that you were able to rival even the Gods with your knowledge and wits. What do you think your subordinates will do, in this vampire society that is dominated by strength?¡± ¡°They¡¯ll force me to do some muscle training?¡± ¡°Wrong. You¡¯ll be overthrown.¡± I felt my chest tighten up. But, the Empress continued indifferently. ¡°Komari, your predecessor Deva has been overthrown by their subordinates, and was killed. Because they had been weaker than the ones they controlled.¡± ¡°W-Wait a second! Is that allowed!?¡± ¡°Naturally, by law it is not, but strength decides everything. As proof of this, the one who has killed your predecessor still works in the imperial army now, and I have no intentions of exiling them.¡± ¡°So that means¡­¡± ¡°Indeed. The second your subordinates will find out about you being weak and fragile, they will kill you without hesitation. Vampires are the type of beings that always crave for something higher.¡± ¡°Wha¡­¡± I started sweating profusely, and my heart started to race. ¡°W-What should I do about this!? Dying is the thing that hurts like crazy, doesn¡¯t it!? It hurts more than having my big toe hit the corner of the shelf, right!?¡± ¡°Do you hate dying?¡± ¡°Of course I do!¡± ¡°But, you¡¯ll be able to become a shut-in again once you die, you know.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± With the power of the magic nucleus, I can come back to life no matter how many times I die. That is common sense, and a logic even children know about. In other words¡­if I were to get killed by my subordinates, I would be removed from my rank as a Seven Crimson Deva. That is something I would very much appreciate, but¡­ ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want to die. And, Father worked his best to give me this chance, so I can¡¯t disappoint him.¡± The Empress gave me a stern gaze, as if to figure out my true feelings. Eventually, her cheeks relaxed. ¡°Then, the best you can do is hide it. No matter what may happen, you have to act like an undefeatable champion in front of your subordinates. To support you in that¡ªI gave you this maid.¡± ¡°Please leave it to me, Komari-sama. I will definitely make sure you won¡¯t be found out!¡± ¡°Now I¡¯m even more worried¡­¡± There exists no term of office as a Seven Crimson Deva. This means that if I don¡¯t keep losing in battle, don¡¯t get overthrown by my subordinates, or run away from the battle all-together, I can¡¯t get out of this. This is hell, isn¡¯t it. ¡°¡­Vill, you¡¯re not going to overthrow me, right?¡± ¡°Naturally. I love Komari-sama more than anybody else in the universe.¡± What a bad liar you are. Today is our first meeting. * At the same time, inside the Mulnight Empire¡¯s Royal Palace¡¯s Seven Crimson Office, also called the Blood-stained Room, the vampires belonging to the newly-formed Komari Squad had gathered. Every single one of them wore deep red clothes, emitting strength beyond the reasonable, and awaited the arrival of their new general. However¡­ ¡°¡ªLate! What is our commander doing!¡± A young man with golden hair stomped on the ground in anger. His name was Johan Helldars, and he was a genius rookie skilled at using fire magic. ¡°Look at this, they¡¯re already five minutes late for the meeting! Do you really think some tardy bastard like that is allowed to be our leader? You don¡¯t, right! It wouldn¡¯t be too far off if that good-for-nothing got fired from their position as a Seven Crimson Deva, right!?¡± Johan looked at the other vampires around him, asking for supportive voices. Though there were those that nodded in agreement, most of these were the usual group that would always suck up to Johan. The greater number of vampires present disagreed with him. ¡°Huh? Aren¡¯t you all annoyed? Someone who can¡¯t arrive in time is a failure in society¡¯s eyes!¡± ¡°¡­Zip it, brat. We are under the command of the commander-in-chief. You shall not complain about them.¡± A deep voice filled the room. A man leaned against the wall of the room with his arms crossed, possessing the head of a wolf¡ªBelius Inu Kerbero. ¡°Tsk.¡± Johan glared at Belius as he clicked his tongue. ¡°What do you want, dog brain. Should I forcefully send you back to the beastmen country, huh!?¡± ¡°What did you just say, you bastard? I won¡¯t tolerate any insolence like that, brat.¡± ¡°Huh, who¡¯s a brat here? I¡¯m already twenty, you know?¡± ¡°Your mental age is three at best. Just go back to kindergarten, you brat.¡± Snap, a loud sound of something breaking filled the silence. Of course, that sound came from none other than Johan. ¡°I¡¯ll fucking kill you!¡± Without casting anything, Johan gared a hellflame, and jumped off the ground with enough force to leave a cave-in. Their distance had been at around five meters, and yet he overcame that in a split second, arriving at Belius¡¯ face. ¡°You darned brat picked the wrong fight.¡± Belius readed is greataxe. Every other person present raised cheers in the face of this upcoming battle, as raging flames started to scorch the ceiling, and the two fighters about to clash¡ªBang! Johan¡¯s body slammed into an invisible wall, flung backwards. Hitting his back on the floor, Johan frantically looked around him to find the reason for this unexplainable event, only to find a single man holding up his right hand. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t stop me, Chaostell.¡± ¡°There is nothing more unsightly than interior fighting, so please put away your weapons, the both of you.¡± ¡°Tch¡­¡± ¡°As long as you understand it.¡± The man flashed an eerie smile. Chaostell Cont. He had the physique of a withered tree, possessing quite possibly the most effective magic against Johan. Said Johan grit his teeth, when someone tapped him on the back. He turned around. A flashy-looking man had both his middle fingers up. ¡°My name¡¯s Melaconcy. Overflowing with charisma C. Small brat, go back to kindergarten and regret, I¡¯m climbing up the ladder, light as a feather. Who¡¯s the strongest? I¡¯m the strongest! Yeah!¡± The man got hit right in the face by Johan¡¯s fist. Why are there only annoying folks in this squad, he asked himself. ¡°¡ªAnyway, let us stop this needless fighting. We cannot greet our commander-in-chief like this.¡± Belius argued. ¡°That does make sense. We should just wait for our commander to arrive.¡± ¡°Yeah~! The three-year old brat can¡¯t wait, and started a party-internal debate!¡± Most of the vampires present were convinced by these three. Only Johan tried to leap at Melaconcy in anger, but now even his followers tried to hold him back. Chaostell ignored this reaction from the blonde-haired rookie, and crossed his arms. ¡°However, I do understand Johan¡¯s feelings. This new Seven Crimson Deva called Terakomari Gandezblood is a young lady with unknown origin after all.¡± Belius let out a snort. ¡°Terakomari-dono¡¯s mother seems to have been a former Seven Crimson Deva. On top of that, the Gandezblood Family has a long history inside the Mulnight Empire. I wouldn¡¯t say that she has an unknown origin.¡± ¡°Yeah! Gandezblood Family is royalty, Belious woof woof family is lower tier!¡± Yet again, Melaconcy ate a fist straight to his face. He was the one trying to pick a fight most out of everybody now. ¡°My lord¡­¡± Chaostell shook his head. ¡°I wonder if this Terakomari person will be able to keep a squad like this under control.¡± ¡°Well, if she can¡¯t, then the same thing will happen again.¡± ¡°Oh? Will you be the one finishing the deal then, Belius?¡± ¡°If need be¡­However, I assume there to be more bloodlusty folks in this 7th Corps. The reason we are called the ¡®Blood-drenched Army Corps¡¯ is because these fools continue with their mindless slaughter.¡± ¡°It sure is troublesome to live through this constant change.¡± ¡°Why not become one of the Seven Crimson Deva yourself?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen. Me and the other members of the 7th Corps are being hated by Her Majesty after all.¡± This is the Mulnight Imperial Army¡¯s 7th Corps. It harbors those outsiders that could not fit into the Imperial Army under normal circumstances. The greater half of these 500 soldiers have caused some sort of problem in the past, hence put into this outsider corps, being treated like criminals by the other army soldiers. That¡¯s why things such as killing their superiors happen quite frequently. ¡°I hope things continue a bit longer this time. After all, with nobody above us, we can¡¯t even wage any war¡ªOh, it seems like she has arrived.¡± Chaostell directed his gaze at one location, and Belius followed suit. A sound came from the giant door of the Blood-drenched Room. At the same time, a vampire showed a reaction, moving in from the corner of the room. ¡°Hah! I don¡¯t know who our commander will be, but it¡¯s ten years too early for them to stand above me!¡± It was Johan. He forcefully had his followers shut up, and summoned a flame in both his hands. ¡°¡­What should we do? Should we stop him?¡± ¡°No, let us observe this. We can use this as a chance to observe the new Seven Crimson Deva¡¯s strength.¡± Chaostell said, and grinned. * (A bit back in time) After the visit of her Majesty, I now have to join the meeting with my subordinates. I was following Vill, and arrived at a location military officers of the Imperial Army could use freely, a building they call the Seven Crimson Office. According to Vill, the Seven Crimson Office was probably one of the most luxurious buildings you would find inside the palace. Rather than focussing on refined and grandiose building style, it gave off an unsophisticated atmosphere, showing that this was the place of the strong. For the legendary sage that is me, it is the most unbefitting place. After Vill took me to all sorts of places, and told me about this and that, we arrived at the clothing room. ¡°Now, please change into this.¡± Vill said, and handed me the military uniform of the Imperial Army. Naturally, the stylish design definitely looked cool, but I would have never expected to wear one myself. ¡°I will help you in taking off your clothes. Please, raise your hands.¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s fine, I can do it myself.¡± ¡°No can do. I am your personal maid, Komari-sama. I have the duty to strip you.¡± ¡°As if such a duty exists! You just sit still, and wait for me to finish!¡± ¡°Is that so. Then, I will closely observe Komari-sama¡¯s stripshow from the prime seat.¡± ¡°No need for you to do that!¡± Hasn¡¯t she gotten even more perverted in these past few hours? If I leave her alone, she might just attack me when I¡¯m not even paying attention¡­Feeling afraid, I somehow managed changing. I observed my own appearance in the mirror, and unexpectedly, it didn¡¯t look half bad. The Imperial Army sure has good sense. ¡°It suits you wonderfully, Komari-sama.¡± ¡°R-Really? Well, I am an unparalleled beauty after all. Everything looks great on me.¡± ¡°It is the best. You are unbearably cute. If possible, I would like to hold a fashion show with you the second we make it home. I will prepare all sorts of clothes, be it Eastern or Western, so just wait a bit. A formal feeling does not hurt indeed, but I would like to see you in more revealing clothes. For example, a goth loli, or in a one-piece¡­¡± ¡°As if I¡¯d just let that be done to me.¡± I decided to not spend any more time with this perverted maid in here, and quickly dashed out of the changing room. I knew that I had no other place to escape to, so I thought I might as well finish off this meeting quickly, and get home. ¡°Wow¡­You really look like a Seven Crimson Deva¡­¡± ¡°I will be one soon. Although I hate the idea of it.¡± I guess that I¡¯ve given up on running away now that I¡¯m wearing this uniform. My heart is still racing, and I can tell that my legs were shaking. The vampires we¡¯ve passed gave me odd respect and even showed slight bows, when we finally spotted the door we aimed for. Beyond that laid the Blood-drenched Room. I asked Vill why a room could have such a grotesque name. ¡°Because a murder happened in that room.¡± If you¡¯re going to joke, at least come up with a more interesting and laughable one. I took a deep breath, and carefully put my hand on the door¡ªbut it wouldn¡¯t move an inch. In fact, it was way too heavy for me to move. ¡°Ugh¡­Isn¡¯t this at least a million tons heavy¡­!¡± ¡°Of course not. Normal vampires have no problems opening this door.¡± ¡°Sorry for not being a normal vampire!¡± I complained, and used my entire body to try and push open the door. I would have loved for the door to blow open on both sides, allowing me a cool entrance, but if I really had that strength, I wouldn¡¯t be plagued by these troublesome jabs this perverted maid was giving me. ¡°Keep fighting, Komari-sama.¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t just stand there, and help me¡­!¡± The perverted maid just ignored me. Of course, I was slowly growing agitated, but even if I did, nothing in this situation would change. Hence, the best I could do was keep pushing my body against the door. A bit later, I finally had the door half-open, and just when I had seen hope¡ª ¡°Go rot in hell, you shitty commander!!¡± ¡°¡­Eh?¡± I saw it. Through the opening, I spotted a blonde-haired man running towards the door, ready to attack me. ¡°Wah, kyaaaaaa!?¡± ¡°Hyahahahaha! I¡¯ll use my hellfire to burn your hair to a crisp!¡± Bang! A dull sound rang out. It probably was the sound of the door closing. I say ¡®probably¡¯ because I actually haven¡¯t seen it close. The second I saw that mysterious man run towards me, I decided on a tactical retreat. I immediately let go of the door, and hid behind Vill¡¯s back. Of course, that sounded more cool than it actually was. In short, I just ran away because I was scared to the bone! What even just happened!? Who is that man!? Did he just tell me to die?! ¡°Komari-sama, are you okay?¡± ¡°I-I¡­I¡­I-I¡¯m¡­f-fi¡­fine¡­?¡± ¡°Alright, alright, good girl.¡± Vill gently embraced me, as I quivered in fear. It was too much for me to handle. That person just now must be a subordinate of me, right? He just leaped at me, you know? He was fully intent to overthrow me the second we met. What is going on? Also, Vill, I appreciate that you¡¯re hugging me like this, but where are you touching me? You¡¯re totally using this chance to grope my butt and breasts, aren¡¯t you. You really are a pervert, aren¡¯t you. ¡°¡­W-What should I do, Vill¡­they¡¯ll find out right away that I¡¯m weak¡­¡± ¡°No need to worry. Komari-sama has already won against that outrageous rebell.¡± Unable to comprehend what she was saying, I just traced after Vill¡¯s gaze. There, I thought my jaw would drop to the floor. The blonde-haired main had his head stuck between the door, his neck crushed, and had ceased any movement. ¡°Vill¡­¡± ¡°He died.¡± ¡°He¡¯s dead!?¡± Another murder case occurred, and this time I¡¯m the killer!? ¡°Well done. You managed to defeat a vampire without using weapons nor magic nor any other skills. That is the legendary sage I know and love, you really deserve to be a Seven Crimson Deva. As expected of Terakomari Gandezblood-sama.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the time to give me an applause, right! Ahh, why did this happen¡­¡± I quickly rushed towards the dead corpse. On a side note, as long as you¡¯re on the perimeters of the Mulnight Empire, the magic nucleus allows for a safe revival, and you can only die because of old age. Even this person will come back to life after a few days¡­But, having killed someone like this still leaves a bad aftertaste. ¡°Oh my god¡­Maybe we should put some flowers on his grave.¡± ¡°It is his punishment for attempting something foolish like that. Rather, let us hurry inside, your subordinates are waiting.¡± Vill said so with a deadpan expression, and pushed open the door with one hand. She fully ignored my troubles and worries. I didn¡¯t even have the energy to say something. I gave my regards to the deceased body of the blonde-haired man, and walked after Vill. And then, I felt fear run through my entire body. Countless vampires waited inside the wide open room. They weren¡¯t any normal vampires. Every single one was wearing army clothes, looking like they could murder me in a second. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, all of their attention was directed at me in a second¡­Yeah, I¡¯m done for. I would have loved to run away instantly, but Vill tightly held my right hand. How could I run away from that very hand who so easily opened that heavy door. I¡¯m really done for, yup. ¡°¡ªTerakomari Gandezblood-sama, we have been waiting for you.¡± A man built like a withered tree called out to me. He wore the crimson red army uniform, looking like a classic vampire. I was about to pass out from the tension alone, but I seriously thought my heart would run away before I could when he stepped in front of me. ¡°It is an honor to meet you. I am a third lieutenant of the 7th Imperial Army Crops, and my name is Chaostell Cont. Please treat me well from here on out.¡± ¡°I-Indeed, nice to meet you.¡± I somewhat managed to give a passable response, when this Chaostell person showed me a smile. ¡°Your Excellency, I am astonished. To think that you would slaughter the utmost impulsive member of this 7th Corps, Johan Heldars, in a mere second.¡± He must be talking about that blondie from before. I really had no intentions of killing him, but¡­No, this is actually a great chance. I should use this to show my greatness to them. ¡°Hm, I can take care of such a low life with my pinky.¡± Shocked voices arrived at my ears. Oh? Maybe my pinky was taking it too far? Even this Chaostell was giving me a puzzled expression. ¡°Y-Your pinky?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, my pinky.¡± ¡°However, Johan was quite the skilled vampire¡­¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m even more skilled then! You all probably don¡¯t know, but everybody who dared to do a pinky promise with me had their bones fractured!¡± ¡°Oh my¡­¡± I knew myself how bad of a bluff it was, but everybody apparently believed me. That was close. I should really work on my lies. If they find out that I¡¯m not strong at all, I¡¯ll be killed right away. But, I should be able to do it. Because I am the legendary sage. ¡°By the way, when Komari-sama was still a young girl, she had killed a hundred vampires with only her pinky. If Komari-sama were to go all out, she could slaughter all vampires here in a mere five seconds.¡± Youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!? Don¡¯t just add more fuel! Everybody would know that you¡¯re lying! And don¡¯t give me a thumbs-up now! You¡¯re not helping me in the slightest! ¡°Also, Lieutenant Cont, you are acting oddly presumptuous. You should offer allegiance to Komari-sama, and lick her shoe.¡± Shut up already! Where did that even come from! Isn¡¯t this just your own desire!? See, even Chaostell is bewildered at¡ªHm? He isn¡¯t? ¡°¡ªI never even thought about that. Your Excellency, am I allowed to lick your shoe?¡± ¡°Of course you can¡¯t!¡± I immediately regretted retorting like that. I wonder if I¡¯ll get killed now. But, for whatever reason, Chaostell prostrated himself on the floor at the speed of light. ¡°Excuse my rudeness. A vulgar subordinate like myself shall never even dare to touch Your Excellency¡¯s foot. I am terribly sorry.¡± I¡¯m actually a bit disgusted. I really am, but apparently this man doesn¡¯t hold much hostility towards me. It made me feel a bit more relaxed, which allowed me to speak more calmly. ¡°Well¡­raise your head. Can I go ahead and introduce myself to everyone now?¡± ¡°Indeed! I ask of you, please greet your new subordinates, who are eagerly awaiting your words! This day shall mark the birth of the 7th Corps¡ªNo, the Komari Squad!¡± Komari Squad? Can you not give it such an embarrassing name. Well, nevermind that. I can¡¯t get hung up on that. For now, I have to forget about that whole pinky thing, because that will utterly destroy my already broken mental state. I tried to calm down my shaking body as much as possible, and observed the interior of the room. At that moment, around 500 rough-looking vampires went down on one knee. They all looked so scary, I was about to break out in tears. But, I can¡¯t run away. Take a deep breath, and another deep breath¡­Alright, let¡¯s do this! ¡°To all you present!¡± What era is this greeting from!? I¡¯m such a moron. But, I can¡¯t get depressed because of my mistake. I¡¯ve practiced my speech countless times before coming here, so now it¡¯s time for the main play! ¡°I am the new Seven Crimson Deva, Terakomari Gandezblood! Now that I have become your commander, don¡¯t think you can go back to your eashi¡ª!¡± I bit my tongue. All the atmosphere I built up vanished. Save me, Vill. ¡°As you can see, Komari-sama bit her tongue because she¡¯s so nervous. Isn¡¯t she cute?¡± You¡¯re not helping! I was forcefully reminded that asking Vill for help is just going to get me killed. Hence, I removed this previous mistake from my memories, and redid my speech. ¡°Don¡¯t think you can go back to your easy-going lives! From here on out, it¡¯s going to be war every single day! There won¡¯t be a single moment where blood doesn¡¯t splatter, and the slaughter will never stop! But, do not worry. You all just have to follow my orders. Don¡¯t ever think of overthrowing me, or betraying me, and just offer your everything to this beautiful and unparalleled beauty Terakomari Gandezblood-sama! I will promise you. As long as you continue fighting for me, days of pleasure will await you!¡± A roar of admiration followed after I ended my speech. Seriously, what am I even saying. War, slaughter, pleasure, I have no interest in any of that. ¡°That¡¯s right, I will be the vampire to become the champion of this realm. As long as I, Terakomari Gandezblood, exist in this world, heaven and earth will be under my command! Because I am the absolute ruler! I have the strength to fight a hundred battles on my own! I possess wits! Magic! Strength! All you have to do is blindly follow me. Never ever think of trying to overthrow me, and just worship me! Do you get it? My beloved soldiers, this is the glory you have all been waiting for!¡± Everyone had their attention focussed on me. This is bad, I feel like puking. Why do I have to act like this? All I do each and every day is reading novels. ¡°Now, let us step forth! Grasp your swords! Follow me to the end of the world! Don¡¯t you dare think of betraying or overthrowing me! Because if you do, you¡¯ll end up like that blondie over there! I will kill you in a mere second! Did you get that! Very well! Those of you who want to fight with me, stay in this room! I, Terakomari Gandezblood, will give you eternal glory as a promise! That is all!¡± With these final words, silence followed. I said everything I wanted to. Although the later half was more ad-lib than anything, I think I did well, considering my communication skills are practically nonexistent. If you use strong words, you look strong. Everybody should know how strong I am. But, I still am scared nonetheless. Unable to bear the silence, I glanced at the others. And then¡ª ¡°Wohoooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!¡± A roar loud enough to burst my eardrums filled the room. ¡°Eh? W-What happened?¡± I was left baffled, when the vampires present started screaming like drug addicts. I could even hear some disgusting cheers like ¡®Komarin! Komarin! Komarin!¡¯ in the midst of that. Excuse me, but who¡¯s Komarin? I¡¯m not an idol, you get that. And as if that wasn¡¯t enough, Vill gave me some mysterious wink. ¡°Congratulations, Komari-sama. It seems like you managed to get control over your Komari Squad.¡± Get control¡­Was it really that simple? Isn¡¯t this development a bit too fast? ¡°Now you only have to hide your true strength from them.¡± ¡°That is the biggest problem, you know¡­¡± I felt heavily depressed, when a few vampires approached me. A-Are they a faction that doesn¡¯t agree with me!?¡ªI felt a sense of danger rush through my entire body, which automatically urged me to run away, but the words of these vampires had me freeze up. ¡°Your Excellency, can I lick your shoe!?¡± ¡°Your Excellency, please step on me!¡± ¡°Your Excellency, can you crush my neck like you did with Johan!?¡± I felt panic and danger for a different reason. Is this corps going to be fine? There¡¯s only perverts in here. Also, just go kill yourself then, you last guy¡­No, who cares about them. Even if they¡¯re perverts, my own mission doesn¡¯t change. I have to act as an invincible ruler, so that they don¡¯t even dare think of killing me. So far, everything seems to work out, but I have to keep this act up in the future as well¡­Will I be able to pull that off? Just thinking about the hellish days ahead of me, I let out a defeated sigh. I just want to go home and take a nap, okay. * Now, why was Terakomari Gandezblood this popular in her squad? To find out the reason for this, let us ask the vampires belonging to this Imperial 7th Corps Komari Squad, and you find out soon enough. ¡°Ah, her Excellency? I mean, she¡¯s super cute.¡± ¡°I fell for her at first sight.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a blooming flower in this otherwise oppressing military life. My groin is already in combat mode. ¡°This cold-bloodedness to kill that brat¡ªThere, I realized she would be the unparallelled leader I always dreamt of having. I don¡¯t know how strong in battle she actually is, but she must be worlds apart from her predecessor. However, I will continue to watch over her.¡± ¡°Komarin Super Conqueror, KSC, KSC.¡± ¡°I want her to step on me.¡± ¡°I want to lick her entire body.¡± ¡°I want to drink her blood.¡± ¡°Yeah! Her Excellency Komari got peak taste, she¡¯s got wits and strength so graced.¡± ¡°Her voice sounds beautiful, I could listen to it all day.¡± ¡°I want her to call my name.¡± ¡°As things stand, I was overwhelmed the second I saw her. She possesses iron will to immediately reign control over her subordinates, yet equally possesses the beauty of an angel. I believe her to be someone worthy of using me. Sometime in the future, I want to make it past her shoes, and get a good li¡ªExcuse me, ignore that last part. Anyway, I have high expectations for her. I would love to see her destroy the enemy by the swing of her pinky one day.¡± A big part in this might have been the fact that their previous commander was some old man, but a greater half of the squad was already above the clouds solely because a cute girl arrived. The 7th Corps might be a lot more simpler than previously assumed. Or in other words, they were all normal men that had tastes like normal people. But, to Komari¡¯s misfortune, she might never realize that. And with this, we move back to the prologue. * The vampire race and its Mulnight Empire. The beastmen race and their Laperico Kingdom. The supernatural beings and their Fairy Land. The Senryuu1 race and their Republic of Gela Arca. The Sougyoku2 race and their Hakkyoku Federation. The peaceful spirit race and their heavenly paradise. These six countries existing in this world have their own kind of magic nucleus. A magic nucleus is a special grade heavenly tool, able to produce unlimited amounts of magical power. Thanks to this magic nucleus, the current society is built upon this limitless surge of magic and ability to be revived endlessly, using this to its fullest, which makes it a so-called magical society. Let us take the Mulnight Empire as an example. The newly-born vampires in this country are being cared for two weeks, and then hold a ritual where they offer a part of their blood to the magic nucleus. Part of this is meant in a religious sense to offer your life for the royal family, but more than anything, by offering their blood to the magic nucleus, they become a part of it. What does that mean? The answer is simple. Since the magic nucleus can produce endless magical power, and holds the ability to restore life, the vampires, who have become a part of this magic nucleus can use its strength itself. Hence, the people living in this world have an endless supply of magic at their disposal (although the strength and quality of magic can vary from person to person), and as long as you are within the range of the magic nucleus itself, no matter how deep and life threatening of a wound you may suffer from, or even death itself, it can be healed after a certain set of time. This is the reason why wars and battles aren¡¯t fought with the consciousness of life or death. Instead, current wars are all nothing but a demonstration of power. Countries use their prestige to fight until the bitter end, but it is nothing more than a sort of entertainment. Hence, the commanders controlling the war have the duty to show off the country¡¯s strength to the rest of the world. If a Seven Crimson Deva lost in an unsightly manner, it would bring shame to the Empress. I think it¡¯d be a perfect act to repay that shitty Empress, who kissed me without asking for my consent. But, as a result of that, I¡¯d be the one being blown to smithereens. ¡°¡­As if I could just accept some absurd reality like this.¡± I looked at the sky. In the center of the world lies the ¡®Nucleus Domain¡¯. This so-called Nucleus Domain is a special territory where the range of all the magic nuclei overlap. Hence, it is the location the most befitting for the countries to engage in a war. And this Nucleus Domain is drenched in blood yet again. The Eastern troop was composed of overwhelmingly strong beastment warriors, belonging to the Laperico Kingdom¡¯s Army, whereas the Western troop was built upon an elite of vampires, fighting for the Mulnight Empire¡¯s Imperial Army¡ªbasically, the 7th corps I had under my control. This is the following day after I had the first meeting with my subordinates. I had planned on relaxing all day in my room, but that perverted maid pulled me to this battlefield. That predecessor of mine apparently had a battle planned for today, and I had to now take up after him. Eat shit and die, predecessor¡­or rather, go die again¡­ ¡°¡ªUrgent news! First Lieutenant Belius has succeeded in defeating the enemy commander! I repeat! First Lieutenant Belius has succeeded in defeating the enemy commander! Our troops have emerged victorious!¡± The moment the loud voice of the messenger reached my ears, I felt my hips about to give in. Ahh, I¡¯m so glad¡­Now I don¡¯t have any reason to participate after all. ¡°Ha, hahaha¡­Well done, Belius. I will give you a reward later.¡± I don¡¯t even remember who that Belius guy is though. ¡°Tsk, now her Excellency won¡¯t¡­!¡± ¡°Read the mood, Belius.¡± ¡°Huh? Reward? Shouldn¡¯t he be killed instead?¡± ¡°Alright I¡¯ll put thumb tacks into his shoes.¡± Hey, why do you all have to react like that? Aren¡¯t you all comrades? ¡°Congratulations, your Excellency. Your first battle has ended with an overwhelming victory.¡± I was left baffled at my subordinates¡¯ reactions to our victory, when Chaostell lowered his head towards me. He apparently is responsible for everything substantial regarding the 7th Corps. ¡°O-Of course! It is the corps that I directed after all!¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I expected from your Excellency. It is a shame that we didn¡¯t get to see your full strength, but I will just look forward to it at another time.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t. You¡¯re just making me blush.¡± ¡°No, I will be so free as to have high expectations. Let us continue to stay victorious from here on out. Our next target is the Republic of Gela Arca.¡± This is enough, okay. I want to stay in my room for the next three months. But of course, there¡¯s no way I could tell him, because I¡¯d probably die in the process after him doubting me. ¡°¡­Komari-sama. At this time, you are best off nodding along.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± I held my head in defeat. Nobody here considers my honest feelings. That makes me feel a bit lonely. ¡°Now, your Excellency! Let us return to the Seven Crimson Office and work on our plan of operations for the next battle! This is not the time to relax. One day, you will surely stand at the peak of this world!¡± When did I ever say that I was aiming for that!? I really want to scream this at his face, but that would just seal my death. ¡°R-Right! Alright, everyone, great work today! Just to let you know, we don¡¯t have any time to relax! Now that you are working for me, I will promise you endless days of blood-shed and fighting! Let us return to the royal palace and be greeted with fanfare!¡± I barely finished my words, when¡­ ¡°Wohooooooooooooooo!!!¡± Yet again, roaring cheers got close to completely and utterly obliterating my eardrums. I want to die. These guys have too much energy. ¡°Um, can I have a moment!?¡± A sudden voice arrived at my ears. Since I was still in high tension, I turned around in shock. A young girl, holding pen and paper, looked over at me. She possessed snow white skin, probably belonging to the Sougyoku Race. ¡°I belong to the Six Countries Newspaper, and my name is Melka Tiarno! Excuse me, but you are the new Seven Crimson Deva of the Mulnight Empire¡¯s Imperial Army, Terakomari Gandezblood, correct!? Could I ask you a few questions!?¡± So close, her face was way too close for comfort. Wah, her eyelashes are so lo¡ªWait, who cares about that! Who is that even? I¡¯m bad with people who are this pushy¡­At the end of my thought process, I glanced behind me. Vill stared at me, and Chaostell showed a grin. Is this what I think it is? They¡¯re telling me to do this? Ahh, whatever then! ¡°I-I got it. Ask me anything. But, could you move away a bit?¡± ¡°Thank you very much!¡± She said, and pulled even closer. Heeyyyy! What did I just tell you!? Our noses were about to touch there! ¡°The thing is, I have no idea what kind of person you are, Terakomari-sama. That¡¯s why I would like to ask a few questions. Quite frankly, what happened for you to become a Seven Crimson Deva!? And, do you really come from the renowned Gandezblood family!? What is your relationship with Her Majesty! What is your favorite food!? Your favorite animal!? What have you been doing all this time before you became a Deva!? Is it true that you killed 500 vampires with just your pinky!? How do you think your future battles will evolve!? Do you have a lover? Did you have your first kiss yet¡ª¡± ¡ªS-So annoying! ¡°Let go of me already!¡± ¡°Kya!¡± I reflexively pushed away the reporter, and spoke up, my heart burning with determination. ¡°The strong don¡¯t need any words! However, that would be troublesome for you, wouldn¡¯t it. You must want to write a magnificent article! That is why, just for you, I will use my words! What will I do from here on? That is simple! Absolute dominance! In other words, I, Terakomari Gandezblood, will murder the commanders of the other countries, and show everyone the greatness of our Mulnight Empire! Did you get it!? Also, my favorite food is omurice! That¡¯s all!¡± When I finished speaking, exhaustion assaulted my body, which led my shoulders to move up and down while I was gasping for air. Too much happened in these past two days. First I was dragged out of my room by that perverted maid, then I had to deal with these scary subordinates of mine, and today I was forced to guide the battle with these beastmen. The exhaustion must be visible on my face. However¡ªto my surprise, the people around me begged to differ. ¡°A-Amazing¡­¡± The reporter girl had her mouth open in admiration. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s so amazing, because I just came up with these words on a whim. At the same time, my subordinates were looking at me with sparkling eyes, like I was some goddess that had descended. ¡°Ah, this is a real Seven Crimson Deva.¡± ¡°The strongest vampire, indeed.¡± ¡°Was there ever a commander with such overflowing strength.¡± ¡°This will remain in the chronicles of our world.¡± ¡°No mistaking it.¡± ¡°A new legend is beginning.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad I was born at the same time as her Excellency.¡± ¡°Thank the gods for my luck.¡± What are you all on about? Then again, I probably should be thankful that they accept everything I say so honestly. After all, if they found out that I was weak, I¡¯d get killed right away. ¡­But, won¡¯t I just die from the stress at this rate anyway? 1It¡¯s written as scissors/annihilate and weapon. No idea what this could even mean, so I¡¯ll keep it original here for consistency sakes and since I have no context 2Written as azure + ball/egg/idk Volume 1 - CH 2 The next morning arrived, and I woke up from a nightmare. It was a terrifying one. Everyone found out about my true strength (basically that I¡¯m a small fry), and hung me upside down. My subordinates that had respected me thus far now glared at me like I was their enemy, screaming in rage as they lowered me into a pot filled with boiling water. After they let me cook for around ten minutes, they served me as grilled food. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, there was a girl who licked her tongue with a Looks delicious, looking awfully similar to Vill, the perverted maid that apparently really couldn¡¯t care less about my own life. Eventually, she just stuffed me into her stomach¡ª ¡°Good morning, Komari-sama.¡± ¡°Woaeh!?¡± The second I thought my life was over, I almost actually died from the shock. The perverted maid had snuck right into my bed. I tried to escape instantly, but she just clung to my belly, not setting me free. ¡°W-Why are you here!?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t remember? None other than Komari-sama has invited me. Ahh, just remembering all the tempestuous intercourse we had, I can feel my body burning up yet again.¡± ¡°I actually really don¡¯t remember inviting you!¡± ¡°Ahnn~¡± I pushed off the perverted maid and escaped away to the wall, glaring at her like she was my archnemesis, and¡ªHold on a second! She¡¯s naked!? There¡¯s no more room to argue anymore, she actually is a super pervert! ¡°You¡­what did you do¡­?¡± Vill flashed a bewitching smile as she spoke. ¡°My deepest gratitude for the food. It was terribly delicious.¡± I felt a shiver run down my back. I would have rather preferred to be eaten as deep-fried food. ¡°Oh my? If you feel cold, I wouldn¡¯t mind warming you up.¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t need any of that! You just go and put on some clothes! You¡¯ll catch a cold!¡± ¡°¡­Do you dislike yuri?¡± ¡°Yuri? I don¡¯t hate it, but where did that come from¡­¡± ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m relieved to hear that.¡± Vill showed a happy smile for some reason. I feel like there¡¯s some grave misunderstanding between the two of us, but I couldn¡¯t be bothered to think any more deeply into it. It was probably just my imagination. Vill sat up straight on the bed, showed a single roll, and immediately was in her usual maid attire. It was like a magical illusion or something. ¡°¡­And, what did you come here for?¡± I asked, to which Vill jumped off the bed. ¡°In order to fulfill my vow of love with Komari-sama¡­¡± ¡°Enough about that already!¡± ¡°To have sex with Komari-sama¡­¡± ¡°Only your phrasing changed!¡± Can you not blurt out such obscene stuff this early in the morning? I¡¯m getting tired of retorting on every single thing. ¡°Answer me. Why are you here?¡± ¡°There are two reasons.¡± Vill raised two fingers. ¡°The first reason is simply because I am Komari-sama¡¯s personal maid. I have the duty to stay with Komari-sama from early morning to late night.¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t.¡± ¡°The other reason is because there is something I needed Komari-sama to know. I have found a truly interesting news article in today¡¯s newspaper, so I got too excited, and destroyed the door in a rush.¡± ¡°You destroyed the door!?¡± I looked over at where the door should stand, and indeed found it collapsed on the floor. If this isn¡¯t a crime, I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m dealing with here. Just calling her perverted maid isn¡¯t even accurate anymore. She¡¯s a perverted criminal maid now. ¡°Komari-sama, forget about the door, and take a glance at this article. It even has the picture of yesterday.¡± ¡°What are you talking about! I don¡¯t care about the newspaper right now¡ªwait, what?¡± The second my eyes fell on the bundle of paper Vill handed me, everything about the door immediately vanished from my head. This is impossible. I can¡¯t believe it. Right on the first page of the bundle, I could see the unparalleled beauty (?) that I was, and the ridiculous news article¡ª The birth of a new Seven Crimson Deva: ¡°I will make this entire world into omurice.¡± On the 8th day, the new Seven Crimson Deva of the Mulnight Empire, Terakomari Gandezblood, has shown an overwhelming victory against the neighbouring Laperico Kingdom. Previously, on the 2nd day, her predecessor and commander Augus Nupayer had been killed, and she had stepped in his palce five days later¡­(omitted)¡­.The new general of the Laperico Kingdom¡¯s army, Hades Molkikki stated that ¡°We will never forgive them. One day, we will get our revenge, and humiliate them¡±, openly requesting another battle. In response to this, the commander herself claimed ¡°I love omurice. I¡¯ll murder the generals of the other countries, turn them into ketchup, and use their innards for my omurice,¡± showing clear and fiendish killing intent¡­(omitted)¡­ This is clearly fake reporting no matter how you look at it!?!?! What kind interpretation is that!? I only added the part of me liking omurice because I felt generous and answered another question of that reporter, not to add some hidden message like that! Stop reading between the lines when you clearly don¡¯t have to! ¡°I especially like the picture they have added. You truly look like an Empress of Evil.¡± ¡°This is just horrible! The other countries will come for my head, won¡¯t they!?¡± ¡°You most likely stand correct in assuming that. Currently, the largest problem should be the chimpanzees of the neighbouring country. I have received reports that they put up wanted pictures of you.¡± ¡°Nooooooooo!!!¡± I violently scratched my head and fell back on my bed. The heck is this. I thought I could enjoy another three months of staying in my room, and they had to release this declaration of war! Mass media really are good for nothing, damn it! ¡°Do not worry. I will protect your virginity, Komari-sama.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one I¡¯m most worried about!¡± I pushed Vill off the bed as she tried to lay down next to me, and wrapped myself up in my blanket in order to escape this cruel reality. As if I¡¯d go to war again. I decided that I¡¯ll become a shut-in again! ¡°Komari-sama, about our plans for today.¡± ¡°Bla bla bla, I can¡¯t hear you! I¡¯m taking the day off!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t rest even if there is no battle to fight. The Seven Crimson Devas have a duty to work every single day.¡± ¡°I¡¯m feigning an illness then, so tell everyone.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t school. If you plan on keeping this resilient, I have my own plan of action.¡± ¡°¡­Hmpf, I won¡¯t tolerate any violent attacks, okay. If you get only one step closer, I¡¯ll use this crime prevention buzzer and start crying.¡± ¡°¡®How to make strawberry milk¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± I stopped moving altogether. Isn¡¯t¡­that¡­ ¡°¡®I always wanted to experience a love that tasted like strawberry milk¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡®Sweet and mellow, leaving no sharp sensation on my tongue, tasting warm and invigorating, a love like the calm sunshine¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­Stop.¡± ¡°¡®You might laugh at me, complaining that I¡¯ve read too many stories. You might say that such a love would never exist. At first, I felt the same way. But¡ªAfter meeting that person, my entire world looked as pink as strawberry milk¡¯.¡± ¡°Stooooooooooooooooooooop!?¡± A roar escaped from the depths of my chest. Subconsciously, I jumped off the bed, leaping at that perverted maid. However, against her immense arm strength, I couldn¡¯t do anything, and was locked in a fierce hold instead. At a distance close enough for our breaths to touch the other, the perverted maid flashed a devilish smile. ¡°Your work was truly interesting, Komari-sama.¡± ¡°Ah, ahhhh¡­¡± My head burned up to a level it could put magma to shame. My mouth opened and closed like a fish¡¯s waiting to be fed, when I finally found the words I wanted to say. ¡°Where¡­did you¡­¡± ¡°I was cleaning up the trash bin in your room, and found it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Is this supposed to be a rejected attempt? I did make a copy of it just to make sure.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Still, I was quite surprised to find out you wrote romance novels. Do you have any experience in love?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°By the way, if you were to skip your work any further, I will hang up this novel everywhere in the royal palace. Naturally, while adding your name.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Eh? Komari-sama, are you listening? Komari-sama¡ª¡± I grabbed Vill by the collar. Or more accurately, I rubbed my head against it. I grit my teeth, and spoke up. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll listen¡­to whatever you say¡­So please, don¡¯t tell anybody¡­¡± Pffft! Blood came gushing out of that perverted maid¡¯s nose. * Now then, let us make this a bit of a thinking time. The greatest weakness of mine had been grabbed by that extremely dangerous and violent perverted maid. At this rate, our relationship will be overturned immediately. No matter how perverted she might act, assaulting me even in my most defenseless times, she can just bring up the novel again, and I can¡¯t argue against that. This is excessively bad. I have to come up with some countermeasure. 1st countermeasure: Burn all the copies of my novel she has¡ªRejected. She always brags about having a great memory, so even if I burn the paper, nothing will change. 2nd countermeasure: Forcefully erase that perverted maid¡¯s memories¡ªRejected. I can¡¯t use memory erasure magic, and I would feel bad hitting her enough times that her memories get erased. Also, I doubt I have the strength to even achieve that. 3rd countermeasure: Find out about her weakness¡ªUsable. I can¡¯t think of anything else besides that. If I find something comparable to my novel, or even a bigger weakness, I can turn things around. For example¡­her bed-wetting even at her age¡­ Alright, I¡¯ll go with that. Now all I have to do is observe Vill 24/7. We should sleep together as well, that would be the best, yeah¡­Staaaaaare. ¡°K-Komari-sama¡­it¡¯s embarrassing if you stare at me so passionately¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say it with such a disgusting voice!¡± No can do, I can¡¯t win against her. I guess I¡¯ll have to put aside this problem and possibly find a weakness of hers at a later time. For now, the bigger problem is my job. Currently, I am present in the office room of the Seven Crimson Office. Every one of the Seven Crimson Devas has been given their own office room to use. As for my office room, it is located the furthest up inside this Office, allowing me to immediately see everything of the imperial capital with just a quick glance outside the window. However, I didn¡¯t even have the time to admire that view, because I had to focus all my attention on this hard labour in front of me. ¡°¡ªSo, what do I have to do?¡± ¡°Yes, Komari-sama, there will be a meeting with your subordinates soon.¡± I narrowed my eyes. I just met them a while ago, right? ¡°The goal this time is to get to know everybody that belongs to the upper brass. They are all hooligans that might very well become your closet subordinates, so it would be best to get to know them as quickly as possible.¡± ¡°Did you just say hooligans? Not something like decisions?¡± ¡°Hooligans. They are hooligans who would not hesitate a second to overthrow you.¡± ¡°I see, I see. Let me just visit the toilet really quick.¡± Vill grabbed me by the shoulder. ¡°Let me go! I don¡¯t want to die yet!¡± ¡°¡®Strawberry Milk¡¯.¡± I sat right down again. Vill nodded, and explained the situation. ¡°There are currently four people with the rank worthy of this, not including me. However, one of them is dead, so he can¡¯t participate.¡± ¡°If only everybody could die¡­¡± ¡°That is why, your work for today will be to talk with these three, and solidify your future course of action. Simple, right?¡± ¡°How is that simple¡­¡± My face tightened up. If I make a tiny mistake, I¡¯ll be dead meat. Also, what should I even talk about during that meeting? Even if she says ¡®future course of action¡¯, I have no idea what she means by that. I have absolutely no knowledge about military affairs (apart from tactics), so I don¡¯t even have anything to say. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. You just have to sit on the chair, give comments such as I see or Huh or Makes sense. That will be enough to satisfy your subordinates.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that taking it too far? They¡¯ll overthrow me if they find out that I have no clue.¡± ¡°If you are this worried, then¡­I know, you should praise them. If you succeed at that, you might be able to grasp their hearts.¡± ¡°What kind of praise would they be happy about?¡± ¡°For me, a hug would be more enough of a reward.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking you.¡± I guess the safest way would be something like Thanks for always working so hard~, huh? Going along with my common sense, everybody would be happy to get praised by their superior, right? Then, using common sense might be the best bet here. ¡°Now then, as for the participants of this meeting.¡± Vill took out three individual papers from the files she was carrying, putting them down on the desk in front of me. ¡°First, please confirm this information right here. That way, the conversation will surely move along more smoothly.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡­Woah, look at this, Vill. He¡¯s a dog!¡± I looked inside the CV, and found a picture with a dog head in it, which made me giggle a bit. Oh right, this person (?) finished off the chimpanzee yesterday, right. Thanks to that, I didn¡¯t have to participate in the battle myself, so I guess he saved my life to a certain degree. Alright, I know what to praise him for. ¡°Lieutenant Belius Inu Kerbero, is it. He had previously been stationed in the 6th Corps, but had been moved after committing manslaughter.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want him in my corps anymore!¡± What kind of wild beast is he supposed to be? Wait, I heard the 7th Corps that I have under my control has various other members gathered who committed similar crimes and instigated problems in other corps, right? So that means¡ª ¡°T-This person is also¡­¡± ¡°Lieutenant Chaostell Cont, indeed. He had been ejected from his previous corps having been a suspect in the abduction of a little girl.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a super serious crime!?¡± ¡°And last, we have Captain Melaconcy. He had been moved to the 7th Corps because of an attempted bomb attack on the royal palace.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a terrorist!?¡± My head was spinning. I know it¡¯s a bit late for that, but isn¡¯t my workplace kind of dangerous? I sunk deeper into my chair (which was super comfortable and luxurious-looking), when I felt a hand on my head. For some reason, Vill was gently rubbing it. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. Even if someone dared to harm you, Komari-sama, I will turn everyone to ashes.¡± ¡°Vill, you¡­¡± ¡°Now, let us prepare for the meeting. Naturally, I will stay with you the entire time.¡± Vill said with a gentle smile. She¡¯s a helpless pervert, but she¡¯s at least supporting me when I need help. I guess I could thank her for this once. ¡°T-Thanks, Vi¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªFuwaaaaah! This smell, this wonderful smell of your hair, Komari-sama! A hugging pillow really won¡¯t be enough to taste the smell, I need the real deal! Ahh, I want to fall asleep while being enwrapped by this sweet strawberry milk smell¡ªSniff sniff sniff!¡± ¡°Give me back my gratitude!!¡± Her patting me on the head swiftly changed into her sniffing my head. Yeah, she doesn¡¯t deserve any thanks. * Ten minutes later, the three subordinates I gathered information about arrived at my office, after having been summoned by Vill. The second they walked inside, the atmosphere in the room changed drastically. It felt like I was locked inside a cage with blood-thirsty animals. These guys are as scary as ever. I should have gone to the toilet after all. I carefully observed the three men lining up in front of me. To the right was Chaostell Cont. He was built like a withered tree, and was a hidden pervert. In the middle was Belius Inu Kerbero. He had the head of a dog, and a heavily muscular body, a trained killer. To the left was Melaconcy. He speaks in mysterious rap rhythm, and is a terrorist¡­Yeah, I¡¯ll probably die. ¡°A wonderful day to you, your Excellency. How can I assist you?¡± Chaostell showed a grin, and said so. Now that I look at him, he definitely has the type of face that would abduct a young girl without hesitation. Since I¡¯m not a young girl though, I should be outside of his strikezone, but being careful never hurt. ¡°Indeed.¡± I nodded. ¡°For now, take a seat.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± My subordinates did not move. I thought something was off, when Belious showed a complicated expression. ¡°Your Excellency¡­There are no chairs.¡± I forgot to prepare theeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeem!? Isn¡¯t this a seriously bad impression!? I¡¯m supposed to sit on a luxurious chair, while I make my subordinates kneel on the ground? I can¡¯t just ignore human rights like this! ¡°What are you saying, Belius! Her Excellency has told us to sit, so keep quiet and sit down at her command! Even if we don¡¯t have chairs, if it¡¯s for her, we have to sit down even on a cold ground, on top of a sea of lava, a mountain of needles, or even on her lap!¡± ¡°Yeah~ Dogs should sit on the ground, perfect place for a hound!¡± ¡°Who¡¯s a dog!?¡± Belius roared, and sent a fist straight into Melaconcy¡¯s face. Right after that, Belius glanced over at me in fear, and lowered his head. ¡°Excuse me! I will gladly sit down here!¡± The three sat down on the floor¡­No no. No no no no! Where should I even retort on here!? There¡¯s way too many things, you know! Me forgetting the chairs doesn¡¯t even matter now! But, as a Seven Crimson Deva, I have to act strictly. ¡°N-Now then! I thank you for gathering like this! It might be a bit sudden, but I would like to hold our first executive staff meeting. If possible, I want to confirm future plans and course of action for this 7th Corps.¡± ¡°An executive staff meeting! What a wonderful sound!¡± Chaostell commented, seemingly excited already. Belius and Melaconcy didn¡¯t seem too bothered by the idea, so I guess this is doable. ¡°Let¡¯s get started right away then. Let me ask you¡ªwhat are your plans for the future?¡± ¡°Endless war,¡± said Belius. ¡°I want to observe your Excellency¡¯s future activities,¡± said Chaostell. ¡°A rap battle with your Excellency! Yeah!¡± said Melaconcy. The last one is a mystery to me, but I got the gist of it. Basically, every single one in this 7th Corps is some sort of berserker, be it in brains or muscles. ¡°I-I see. So you want to keep fighting.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Chaostell shrugged his shoulders, and said so. ¡°You should be aware of it. The greater number of our Komari Squad has caused problems in other corps before, and was moved to this one. The main reason for this is simply because we cannot get enough fighting¡ªOne time when the battle had been postponed because of a typhoon, someone ran rampant in the city, and when the battle was cancelled last-minute, another went for the enemy general¡¯s head nonetheless. Things like these happened.¡± But you abducted a little girl, right. Well, nevermind that, I guess that the 7th Corps really is a gathering of criminals, huh. Also, isn¡¯t killing the enemy general like that against the International Treaty? ¡°¡­I got the gist of it. You are all thirsting for battle and war, correct?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± ¡°Right, right¡­I wholeheartedly understand those feelings. I¡¯m a girl of the army as well. It¡¯s in my blood, urging me to fight.¡± Of course, that was a blatant lie. ¡°Then, would you mind sparring with me tomorrow, your Excellency?¡± The dog looked at me, his gaze filled with expectation. I froze up for a second, but¡­ ¡°¡ªI-It¡¯s a hundred years too early for you! I will give you the right to fight me after you¡¯ve defeated all the generals of the other countries! Only if I feel like it though!¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± His dog ears dangled down. What¡¯s that reaction, so cu¡ªWait, no! He¡¯s not cute at all, he¡¯s a monster ready to kill anybody in his way! ¡°Yeah! A rejected wild dog should just sit down, be careful or her Excellency will make you drown, and not in blood!¡± That rap bastard took another straight hit to the face, getting blown away in the process. I really don¡¯t get their relationship at all. ¡°A-Anyway! It seems like your opinions have been written in stone without any need for this meeting. That makes things easy, we¡¯ll do war. Fight war as much as you want¡­However.¡± I took a short break. ¡°I have a doctrine to not fight any mindless war. Counting higher numbers is great and all, but I personally prefer the substance. Hence, unless no truly interesting war occurs, I will not participate in battle. I will do the bare minimum of giving out orders.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think badly of me, Chaostell. You can fight as much as you want, but that will be for you all to deal with.¡± ¡°¡­I¡­understand¡­¡± Chaostell seemed like he wanted to say something, but the other two accepted my words. Alright, this is going great so far. Now I¡¯ve established the bare minimum of reasoning that I don¡¯t have to fight myself. At the same time, Vill stepped forth. ¡°Then, I, Villhaze, will adjust future plans. If you have any wish or desire, feel free to inform me, and I will try my utmost to fulfill such. Please treat me well.¡± She grabbed the hem of her skirt, showing a slight blow. That improved my opinion of her. I thought she could only pull off dirty jokes, but I guess she can be serious when it comes down to it. Also, that means the meeting is over, right? That went much easier than I expected. I feel like an idiot for getting all worried. Welp, guess I¡¯ll continue with my novel some more once I get home. ¡°¡ªNow then, this brings us to Her Excellency Terakomari¡¯s reward time. Her Excellency has evaluated your efforts during the previous battle against the Laperico Kingdom, and decided to hand over befitting rewards. Anything besides military affairs and battle is allowed, so just let out your inner desires at your leisure.¡± ¡°Hey hey hey hey!?¡± I pulled Vill to one corner of the room, glaring at her with blood-shot eyes. ¡°What is this reward time!? I was planning on heading home now, you know!?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t we just talk about it? If you praise and reward your subordinates, the chances of you being overthrown will be lessened drastically.¡± ¡°I mean, that¡¯s true, but¡­Well¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. Komari-sama, you are the superior of these hooligans¡ªA Seven Crimson Deva. They won¡¯t ask for the impossible. If they dared to request a chance at sniffing you, or touching your breasts, I will bring down the death penalty upon them.¡± ¡°So is it okay if I have you executed?¡± ¡°In my case, it happens upon consent.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember giving my consent though! Also, you always just¡ª¡± ¡°Your Excellency!¡± Someone called for me, and I turned around. Chaostell flashed a bright smile, as he looked at me. ¡°W-What is it, Chaostell.¡± ¡°How generous of you, listening to a request of ours.¡± I don¡¯t remember ever saying that. But, taking it back now won¡¯t work either. ¡°¡­Indeed. I have to offer merits for your hard work.¡± ¡°Wonderful! Did such a generous Seven Crimson Deva ever exist, I wonder! Her Excellency is the greatest Excellency in all of the previous Excellencies!¡± What is he even on about? ¡°Then, I would like for you to grant my request right away.¡± With these words, Chaostell started gathering magic power. I thought I¡¯d get killed now, and froze up, but he actually used high-ranking magic, called . It is a type of space magic, which allows you to store objects in an empty space for later use. On a side note, this type of magic can only be used by around two or three sorcerers in the royal palace, so this guy ain¡¯t just your average pervert. I waited for the object Chaostell would summon¡ªWait, is that¡­a camera? ¡°Then, let us hold a photoshoot. Your Excellency, show me a smile please.¡± ¡°Eh, why¡­?¡± Flash, Chaostell ignored my confusion and took a picture¡­Hey, I never consented to this, you know. ¡°Ah~ A serious expression isn¡¯t bad either. However, I would love to see a smile now. Your Excellency, I¡¯m sorry to request this much, but could I ask for a more softer expression?¡± ¡°Hold on a second, why are you taking pictures now?¡± ¡°Because this is my request?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Of course, I will not misuse these pictures, so rest assured. In recent days, there have been less people applying for the Mulnight Empire¡¯s Imperial Army, and after thinking about it, I figured that the existence of Your Excellency alone should be enough to solve this problem. By creating pictures and goods, such as calendars or posters, we can lure in more lolico¡ªExcuse me, more courageous youth, using the beauty¡ªexcuse me, the admirable presence of Your Excellency. And it won¡¯t end there. With all these goods, the credibility of this corps will rise as well, which will score us more popularity as a squad.That¡¯s why, taking pictures of you is definitely not a personal desire of mine. Really, I swear on my life.¡± Chaostell kept blabbering on, his worlds full of obvious excuses, as he pressed the shutter of the camera relentlessly. Snap, snap, snap! ¡°You only had one request, you know? Taking that many pictures is¡­¡± ¡°No no no, my request was for a ¡®Photoshoot session with her Excellency¡¯, so this is all fine.¡± As if I¡¯d accept such a stupid logic like that¡ªHey, Vill, can you give this guy the death penalty? ¡°Let us increase the variation of clothes as well. I have prepared maid clothes, a swimsuit, and even a kindergartener uniform.¡± ¡°Alright, death penalty! Death penalty for the both of you!¡± The second I realized this betrayal, I tried to run away, only to have my arm grabbed by that rotten maid, my chin pushed up, and the words ¡®Strawberry Milk¡¯ whispered into my ears. I was wrong, I have to find out her weakness right away, or I will die. In more than one way. ¡°Stop joking with me, I won¡¯t allow this!¡± ¡°Komari-sama, if you don¡¯t listen to your subordinates requests, they will be disappointed in you, and they might overthrow you as a result. Are you okay with that?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t, correct. That¡¯s why, let me help you change into all the various clothes I have prepared just for you. Some of these might be a bit revealing, but you don¡¯t have a problem with that, right?¡± ¡°You perverted maid¡ª!!!¡± * From there on out, a hellish fashion show opened up. ¡°Can¡¯t I just wear some normal clothes¡­¡± Of course, my plea was ignored beautifully, as I was forced to wear clothes with frills all over, or clothes that revealed way too much for my taste. Naturally, Chaostell continued to take pictures this entire time, and I was only released when the Western sun shone into my office. I can¡¯t become a bride anymore. Can I just go home? Of course not, as a man¡¯s hand stopped me. ¡°Yeah! Rap battle!¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Rap battle!¡± I was baffled. I totally forgot that I had to fulfill the wish of all these three guys, not just one. But, this guy wants a rap battle? Is he stupid? What did you say, Vill? He¡¯s one of the most dangerous ones in the group so I have to play along? Alright then, for crying out loud! ¡ªI¡¯m pretty sure I was lost beyond the point of no return during that time. ¡°Yeah! Is your hobby slaughter, your Excellency? Are you going to make the crimson-red flower bloom? My hobby is easy to see, always excited and hype, agree? I¡¯m the blood-victim rapper Melaconcy, once I start singing they scream reeee! Only you joined me, is everybody else dead, crazy?¡± ¡°YO! YO! I don¡¯t get it, but I gotta join in! I am the great commander Komari, the absolute ruler absolutely fancy! I¡¯ll slaughter whatever enemy stands in my way, so just keep them coming, ¡®kay! Who do you idolize? The great me that is wise!¡± Like this, our rap battle continued for about an hour. Night had already arrived, and my body was at its limits, but Melaconcy seemed satisfied, so I¡¯ll take it. Right after we were done, I happened to meet eyes with Belius, who just gave a nonchalant ¡®I¡¯ll save up my reward for later¡¯. I guess he was more normal than I previously assumed. Like this, our first executive staff meeting came to an end, but¡­the heck even just happened? Why did we go from a photoshoot to a rap battle? Did I come to the wrong place? ¡°Today¡¯s meeting was a great success, Komari-sama. You managed to realize the desires of your subordinates, so the results for this meeting will show in the near future, I¡¯m sure.¡± I don¡¯t really get it, but can I go home now? I¡¯m tired. Volume 1 - CH 2.5 ¡°¡ªI don¡¯t get it.¡± The executive staff meeting has ended. Belius Inu Kerbero walked down the floor inside the Seven Crimson Office, as he muttered these words. The time moved around 8pm. The sun had already sunk beneath the horizon, as darkness filled the view outside the windows, hiding the Mulnight Imperial Palace. ¡°¡ªYou don¡¯t get it? Are you unsure about her Excellency¡¯s three sizes?¡± ¡°What are you on about?¡± Chaostell walked next to him, speaking absurdity as always. He possessed great talent in tactics and battle, but always had the weirdest thoughts. ¡°Then, what were you referring to?¡± ¡°I was talking about Her Excellency Terakomari. She undoubtedly has charisma befitting her position¡ªbut I can¡¯t figure out what lies at the bottom. For example, I could figure out right away that you are a deviate.¡± ¡°And you can¡¯t tell with her Excellency, is what you¡¯re saying.¡± ¡°Exactly. From her choice of words, I felt her relatively young atmosphere, but the rest is something else. I can¡¯t put it into words¡­It¡¯s like my hair is standing on edge just by dealing with her. It felt like I stood in front of an overwhelming ruler.¡± ¡°Hm¡­That reminds me, her Excellency never gave off any magical power. It almost felt like she didn¡¯t possess any to begin with. That in itself is odd.¡± Chaostell showed an ominous grin, and caressed his camera. For the sake of the world and its inhabitants, it would be best if he got arrested right away. ¡°But, what about that then? Her Excellency is her Excellency. Nothing more, nothing less, correct? As long as she allows us to bathe in war and battle, what should we complain about?¡± ¡°That is true, but¡­¡± If I don¡¯t know her true identity, I can¡¯t trust them¡ªBelius had these thoughts at that time. Then again, it was probably because Belius had sharp senses. Anybody but him¡ªin other words, every other idiot of the 7th Corps genuinely trusted that girl, becoming a fan even. ¡°Well, I do understand your worries. I actually looked into her Excellency¡¯s origin.¡± ¡°How did you¡­?¡± ¡°I looked through the records of the public office.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s illegal, isn¡¯t it.¡± ¡°Now, just ignore that. Anyway, what I found out is that Terakomari Gandezblood is an absurd Black Box.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°A part of her career is shrouded in mystery. Until she was twelve years old, she lived her life like a normal girl, went to school, and practiced her magic. From thereforth¡ªmeaning that ever since three years ago, we have no information whatsoever.¡± ¡°Maybe there just wasn¡¯t anything to write about?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought as well in the beginning. But, the circumstances apparently differed.¡± Chaostell said, handing Belius a single paper. It was parchment with small words written on it. It took Belius more than just a second to even grasp what it said, seeing that he had no education whatsoever. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It is a secret report of the imperial court.¡± How did he even manage to get his hands on something like that? ¡°It speaks of the details about the incident three years ago, but this was never actually published to the populace. It had been kept secret by the government.¡± ¡°¡­And, what does this have to do with her Excellency?¡± ¡°As it turns out, her Excellency was the source of that incident.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Three years ago, the Imperial Academy was attacked. From the school¡¯s side, we have 30 confirmed deaths, and another 70 from the Imperial Army¡¯s 3rd Corps who moved to intercept back then. All of them had been killed with the use of a single pinky.¡± Even the usually ignorant Belius knew about this incident. Three years ago, a slaughter had occurred at the academy. The criminal had been a student there, and newspapers as well as magazines all pressed this incident on every single issue. However¡ª ¡°Wait a second. Someone else was supposed to have been the mastermind, right?¡± ¡°They changed it. Originally, it should have been published with the name of the criminal being ¡®Terakomari Gandezblood¡¯, but it was changed to ¡®Millicent Bluenight¡¯, someone entirely unrelated to this. Then again, it is questionable if this Millicent person even existed in the first place.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡± ¡°Neither do I. All I know is that Terakomari Gandezblood had committed history¡¯s greatest manslaughter three years ago.¡± Belius felt a shiver run down his spine. If that was really true¡ªthen what could have happened? ¡°I do not know why she would cause such an incident. However, ever since then, her Excellency had retired from the Academy, and hid herself.¡± ¡°What did she do then?¡± ¡°Who knows. Since the government is keeping it a secret, I highly doubt it was something like office work or attending a reform school. If you¡¯re that curious, why not ask her personally?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Belius didn¡¯t answer. Or rather, he couldn¡¯t. With his arms closed, he could just keep walking, as he thought. Just who is that girl? Met with this Black Box as Chaostell called her, his body froze in discomfort. ¡°Well, there is also the possibility that this secret report is fake all-together¡ªHm.¡± Chaostell stopped in his tracks. It happened right after they stepped out of the Seven Crimson Office¡¯s gate. Next to the water fountain, spraying up navy blue water, stood a shadow, barely recognizable. This shadow wasn¡¯t all too tall, and wore a black robe. And, on its face, it had a fox mask. No matter how you thought about it, this personally didn¡¯t belong here. Chaostell crossed his arms, and started analyzing the situation. ¡°I see, I see. I can¡¯t see the face, but it probably is a woman. Not a young girl however. She should be around fifteen or sixteen. I highly doubt she¡¯s older than that. I can tell from the scent. This drifting scent of flowers would make me feel drunk otherwise.¡± There was actually another suspicious person. However, Belius knew about that already, and ignored him. Instead, he glared at the person with the fox mask. ¡°Hey, you woman. Outsiders are not allowed at the palace. If you don¡¯t want to get killed, you should make your way home.¡± The person with fox mask showed silence for around ten seconds. And then, a sickly-sweet voice spoke up. ¡°¡ªThe royal place unexpectedly has a high guard. I thought of visiting the Empress and slaughter her really quick, but I couldn¡¯t get inside because of the barrier magic.¡± Tension filled the area. And, Belius subconsciously grabbed the handle of this axe. ¡®Kill the Empress¡¯ is something you often hear inside the castle palace. It is the typical climate in the Mulnight Empire to overthrow your superiors, and the Empress herself allows this, as she possesses unwavering confidence in herself. However, this word ¡®Kill¡¯ that this mysterious person just used gave off evil on a different scale. There was no logic behind it. Belius instincts as a beast were telling him so¡ªThat this fox mask person is dangerous. ¡°Are you aiming for the Empress?¡± A faint snort could be heard from behind the fox mask. ¡°Eventually, I will. But, not now.¡± ¡°Oh? Then what did you come here for?¡± ¡°Nothing big. I just came here to confirm something. It said that this Terakomari Gandezblood became one of the Seven Crimson Devas, right? Is that true?¡± Right after that, Belius readied his weapon. He didn¡¯t know who this person was, or what they were talking about, but he could just hear them out after they were slaughtered¡ªwith this logic, he kicked off the ground. At the same time, Chaostell activated his space magic , sending a magic sword flying at the fox mask. ¡°Naive. You can¡¯t beat me with that magic.¡± The person with the fox mask used a beginner-tier light attack magic, called , to deflect the , and showed an arrogant laugh. Belius saw a chance in this, and raised his axe¡ªand just when he put strength into his arm to swing it down, the irregularity occurred. The fox mask with the person wearing it vanished. ¡°¡ª! Above!¡± Together with Chaostell¡¯s voice, Belius looked up. And there, he was astonished. The fox mask person was floating in the air, with the moonlight at their back. Belius readied himself against the incoming attack, prepared to evade, but that attack never came. Instead, that person was just looking down, snickering. ¡°Huh. I guess that the person mentioned in the newspaper was really Terakomari.¡± Belius glared at the fox mask. Although it really didn¡¯t matter in this situation, a miniskirt appeared from beneath the black robe, and revealed what should have been hidden by that super easily. No doubting it, this girl must be quite the pervert, using with these clothes. ¡°¡­Who are you.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter, does it. This is a problem between her and me. It¡¯s got nothing to do with some dirty mongrel and degenerate.¡± ¡°What did you say¡­!?¡± ¡°I cannot ignore that. Who is supposed to be a degenerate?¡± The person with the fox mask let out a roar of laughter. ¡°You aren¡¯t nearly enough of a hindrance for me. But, this is the result of your work. So, give Terakomari my regards.¡± ¡°Hey, wait!¡± They couldn¡¯t stop the person. Right when Belius threw his axe, the person with the fox mask, disappeared into something like a candle flame. Having lost its target, the axe just spun through the air, vanishing into the darkness. The enemy probably used magic. Chasing after them was futile now. Silence filled the darkness, as the two fighters left behind exchanged exhausted glances. ¡°¡­So they were aiming for her Excellency after all. What should we do.¡± ¡°The best we can do is figure out their identity and deal with them.¡± ¡°That does make sense, but¡­Should we tell her Excellency about this?¡± Chaostell grinned. ¡°If her Excellency were to act, she would be able to capture this scoundrel in less than a day. Then, there is nothing else for us to do. In order to gain the right to ¡®Lick her Excellency¡¯s foot¡¯, I have to deal with this enemy myself.¡± ¡°However¡­¡± ¡°However whatever, I say. We shall not have her Excellency act for something like this. It is our work to support her in any way possible.¡± ¡°I guess that makes sense¡­¡± Belius commented. The 7th Corps was known for not sharing information with their leaders. And thus, Komari¡¯s worries had grown yet again, without her even knowing about it. Unofficial illustration of what this fox mask person supposedly looks like Volume 1 - CH 3 The next morning, that perverted maid stood next to my bed, only wearing an apron above her naked body. ¡°Good morning, Komari-sama.¡± ¡°Yeah, mor¡ªWait, we¡¯re just gonna ignore your attire!?¡± Right immediately as I saw her, I felt a sense of danger filling my entire body. My pervert sensors have gotten much more sensitive as of late, I feel like. Whenever this girl approaches, I feel my hair standing on edge. I fell back to the wall, and glared at that pervert. ¡°I¡¯m shocked you can wear such embarrassing clothes like that. Do you not have any shame?¡± ¡°I do not.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t just agree to that! What am I supposed to respond now!?¡± ¡°Breakfast has been prepared. Today, I made Komari-sama¡¯s favorite french toast. I did my utmost, so please eat up.¡± ¡°Eh, really? Yay~¡± I sat at the counter table in my room, gazing at the plate Vill had prepared. It gave off a sweet scent, and looked terribly delicious. ¡°Can I eat?¡± ¡°Feel free.¡± ¡°Thanks for the food.¡± I carefully put a piece into my mouth. So soft, and sweet. It makes me feel proud that I¡¯ve been a shut-in the entire day. On a side note, Vill has been preparing my food as of late. According to her, ¡®It is my duty as your personal maid¡¯. As things turn out, she¡¯s actually a pretty good cook. I do make cookies from time to time, but I can¡¯t even hope to compare with her¡­Even though she¡¯s just a pervert¡­ ¡°That was delicious~¡± After around ten minutes, I had finished my breakfast. My stomach was full, and my eyes were telling me to go for a second slumber. But before that, I have to brush my teeth. I put a bit of milk in my cup, taking a sip, when Vill raised her voice in a calm tone. ¡°Now then, since you¡¯ve had breakfast, I¡¯ll have you work, Komari-sama.¡± ¡°Pffft!¡± I spit out the milk in my mouth. This wench¡ªshe would use such methods!? ¡°W-Wait. I worked like crazy yesterday, didn¡¯t I? I have to work again?¡± ¡°Of course. What do you think a job is? Anyway, you have to change into your army uniform, so please take off your clothes. Up with your arms~¡± ¡°Can you not treat me like a small child!¡± I rolled myself up in my blanket. As if I¡¯d work every single day. I deserve a week off at least. ¡°Komari-sama, about today¡¯s work.¡± ¡°As if I care. Tell my subordinates that I¡¯m sick.¡± ¡°I think we¡¯ve had this conversation before¡­But rather than that, are you sure? Today, the plan was for Komari-sama to choose her own Rider Beast.¡± ¡°¡­Eh?¡± I showed my face from beneath the blanket, and stared at Vill. Rider Beast? You mean¡­that Rider Beast? ¡°Indeed, that Rider Beast. They say that a famous general needs a fine horse. Well, there¡¯s no guarantee that it will be a horse, but¡­You have to choose your important partner now.¡± ¡°Hmmmm¡­¡± If that¡¯s the case¡­Then I guess I could step outside for a bit? ¡°Now, you have to change into your uniform. Today, I will definitely help you change.¡± ¡°¡­Hey, Vill, will I really get my Rider Beast?¡± ¡°Yes, her Majesty the Empress has given her permission. Now, raise your hands, please.¡± ¡°H-Hmm, how generous of that perverted Empress. By the way, where are we going? The farm?¡± ¡°There is a special barn near the Seven Crimson Office, and we will go there¡ªAh, Komari-sama, your skin is so white and beautiful. I could look at it forever.¡± I see, a special barn¡­Heh, hehehe. I actually always admired having a Rider Beast. In the ¡®War Chronicles of Andronos¡¯, the protagonist had one as well. And, I feel like that Rider Beast could become my very first friend. ¡°I thought that there¡¯s only demerits when becoming a Seven Crimson Deva, but this is an unexpected reward. Don¡¯t you agree, Vill?¡± ¡°Indeed. I want to observe Komari-sama¡¯s glorious appearance as you sit on the Rider Beast. Also, I want to help you take off your lower garments, so could you turn towards me?¡± ¡°Ah, yeah.¡± This is going to be great~ I wonder what kind of beast it will be? But, I never rode on a Rider Beast before, will I be fine? I hope someone can teach me. How long has it been since I was looking forward to going out like this? Let¡¯s go, Vill! * The worst possible scenario had occurred. Because I got so excited about the Rider Beast, the perverted maid used this opening to help me change my clothes. That being said, I feel good right now, so I wasn¡¯t bothered with that too much, even though I¡¯d normally scold her like crazy. ¡°We¡¯ve been awaiting you, Gandezblood-sama. Now, please come inside.¡± A near-elderly wise vampire greeted us at the barn. He apparently had received command from the Empress to care for this barn. I could pick up a clear radiance from his eyes when he talked about Rider Beasts. He feels like a normal person, and not a pervert or berserker for once. ¡°Rider Beasts can see into the hearts of us. They immediately find out if we hold wicked thoughts. That¡¯s why, when dealing with a Rider Beast, you have to show kindness and respect.¡± ¡°I-I see. Kindness, and respect¡­¡± I carefully stepped into the barn, when a beastly and distinct scent scratched my nose. But, the sight that opened up in front of me completely blew all of that away. ¡°Waaaah! There¡¯s so many!¡± I guess that¡¯s about what you could expect from a barn under the direct control of the Empress, as even an amateur like me could tell how trained and excellent these Rider Beasts here were. It ranged from average horses to what looked like reptiles. I found one that looked interesting, and reached for it with my hand. It must be used to other people, as it showed no resistance to having his head caressed by me, and instead narrowed its eyes. S-So cute¡­ ¡°Have you found one you¡¯re interested in? This one came from the Fairy Land, belonging to the Mizuchi1 race. Probably the most gentle race out of every Rider Beast, but once they kick off the ground, you have to be careful not to fall off.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Listening to the old man¡¯s explanation, I observed the other Rider Beasts around. Each and every single one looked like it was wasted on me. ¡°And, did you decide on one?¡± Even if you ask me that, I could never choose one out of my own accord. Every single one looks great. While I was racking my brains, I walked deeper into the barn, when I spotted a single Rider Beast all alone. Judging from its outstanding fur, it must have belonged to the dragon race of Rider Beasts. It¡¯s appearance gave off an air that made it hard to approach it. ¡°Old man, what about that Rider Beast?¡± ¡°That? Well¡­¡± The old man narrowed his eyes. ¡°It is the most rare Mizuchi breed out of all, and we call it a Crimson Dragon. I only have one of this breed here as well. It possesses courage, strength, agility, making it quite possibly the highest rank of the Rider Beasts. However, regarding this¡­¡± From that tone, I judged that there must be some problem with it. However, I felt some sort of connection between me and the Crimson Dragon. It¡¯s probably because it gave off an atmosphere of loneliness. I slowly approached the stall, and called out to it, putting as much kindness into my words. ¡°Come here.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t, Gandezblood-sama! It¡¯s too dangerous!¡± ¡°What is? This guy¡¯s the same as me. There, there~¡± The Crimson Dragon had been wary of me at first, but eventually saw me as a harmless vampire, and slowly approached me. I gently touched its white fur, and it gave back a comfortable sensation. I moved over to its chin, its neck, when a relaxed snort came out of the Crimson Dragon¡¯s nose. ¡°N-No way¡­¡± ¡°Fufu, surprised? Most people just regard this guy as a problem child who doesn¡¯t get along with anybody, right? But, he and I are allies in that regard, so we can get along like this.¡± This radiance in its blue eyes¡­to me, it looked like it didn¡¯t want to meddle with anybody, rather staying alone. Because of its special features, like its white fur, it couldn¡¯t fit into its surroundings. I understand that painfully well. After I touched it for a while, the Crimson Dragon apparently had opened its heart entirely. It started rubbing its head against my chest, as if it asked to be spoiled even more. ¡°Wah, ahaha! Stop it, you¡¯re tickling me!¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, but what is that Crimson Dragon¡­¡± ¡°Ah, Villhaze-sama? Several generals had tried to win it over, but they failed in the process¡­ After all, this Crimson Dragon really loves little girls, and only opens its heart to them. When a group of students came to visit this barn, it only got along with the girls.¡± ¡°I see. That makes much more sense.¡± ¡°Rider Beasts can easily see inside the hearts of us. However, we can¡¯t do the same thing with them¡­¡± I heard Vill and the old man talk about something behind my back, but I wasn¡¯t too bothered. I was just so happy to have found a new friend, that everything around me was blended out. I¡¯m sure that the Crimson Dragon must have been feeling the same way that I did, as it pressed its nose against me. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve decided!¡± With clear feelings, I turned towards Vill and the old man. ¡°I¡¯ll make this guy my partner. Old man, you got no problems with that, right?¡± ¡°Y-Yes, but¡­are you sure?¡± ¡°Of course, we two are comrades. It wouldn¡¯t be too far off to say that we are two bodies, one soul. Right, Bucephalus2?¡± The Crimson Dragon neighed as if he was agreeing with me. I came up with his name on a whim, but I feel like it¡¯s a great fit. From today onward, you will be my trusted partner Bucephalus! ¡°If Gandezblood-sama says so, then I have no reason to object, however¡­¡± ¡°No need to try any further. Komari-sama might seem weak and fragile, but she can be oddly obstinate at times.¡± Then, why don¡¯t I try riding Bucephalus for now? Those who call themselves generals on my level need to be skilled at riding Rider Beasts! ¡ªAlso Bucephalus, can you stop tickling me like that!? Don¡¯t lick my neck, will you! Hence, it was time for riding practice. Since I was an absolute beginner, I had to learn how to even mount it, but thanks to Vill and the old man, I somewhat managed to succeed. But, when I eventually made it up Bucephalus, it felt like I was above the clouds. I was way too high up. It was around ten times higher than I had imagined. I was drinking milk every single day with the desire to maybe grow a bit more, but I don¡¯t need this much. Just by looking down sideways, my body started shivererererer¡ª ¡°A-Are you okay, Gandezblood-sama? You seem to be a bit pale¡­¡± ¡°W-What are you saying! I¡¯m trembling with excitement!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Forage-dono. A Seven Crimson Deva general such as her would never tremble in fear at riding a Rider Beast. She definitely isn¡¯t about to break out in tears.¡± ¡°R-Right. Then, let¡¯s start walking, Gandezblood-sama.¡± According to the detailed and considerate explanation of the old man, I had to push my ankles against the belly to tell the Rider Beast to speed up or slow down. It was fairly easy to follow, and Bucephalus started trotting. Ohh, this is amazing! I¡¯m actually doing this! ¡°That¡¯s Komari-sama for you. You¡¯re so skilled my eyes are tearing up.¡± ¡°Wahaha! Don¡¯t you agree! Go forth, Bucephalus! Let us become the wind, as we aim for the end of the world!¡± Bucephalus neighed again. It¡¯s like he¡¯s answering my feelings, as he was picking up more speed. Wow wow wow, am I a genius or something? Alright, I¡¯ll just do a round around the royal palace¡ªHm? Hold on¡­ ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t we going too far? Bucephalus, me saying that we should aim for the end of the world was a play on words, okay? That¡¯s why, stop¡­stop! Hyaaaaaaah!?¡± At that moment, I really became like the wind. My brain couldn¡¯t process it quickly enough. The Rider Beast Bucephalus that I sat on moved at lighting speed across the ground. The scenery around me went by what felt like in a flash. My eyes couldn¡¯t even keep up with the change. Even after screaming, Bucephalus didn¡¯t stop. This is bad, this is really bad. ¡°Stop¡­Stop stop stop!¡± ¡°Gandezblood-sama! Pull on the reigns!¡± I heard the old man¡¯s voice from behind my back, but those words didn¡¯t reach my ears. Filled with fear, my body wouldn¡¯t even allow me to move my legs, and give Bucephalus the signal to stop. Of course, my partner had no idea about my fears either, as he just enjoyed the moment. * Johan Helldars was beyond furious. Near the Seven Crimson Office, there existed a training field. Even if this squad had gathered problematic soldiers and murderers, they still were a fully-fledged corps. On days with no battle, they would practice, and that¡¯s why a great number of vampires headed over to the training field. The battle between Belius and Melaconcy was especially harsh. The ground was scooped out, explosions rang out everywhere, and people occasionally got wrapped up in this, which even created casualties. However, contrary to them, Johan did not hold such a desire to fight. He sat cross-legged on a nearby beneath in the shadow of a giant tree, munching on his lunch, as he tried to suppress his rage. Of course, the target of his rage was none other than Terakomari Gandezblood. That small brat stole the seat of the Seven Crimson Deva from Johan. This wasn¡¯t the first time where someone from a royal family misused their power to make it high inside the army. On the contrary, it happened on a frequent basis here in the Empire. The problem was however that this brat dared to embarrass Johan. Just by remembering it, Johan was boiling with rage. On the day before yesterday, when Johan tried for a surprise attack against Terakomari Gandezblood in the Blood-drenched Room, she killed him without remorse. If she possessed strength befitting a Seven Crimson Deva, she should have been able to deal with that attack easily¡ªThat¡¯s what he judged, and acted accordingly so. And, as things turned out, Johan had been dealt with easily. In front of everyone¡¯s eyes, his neck was crushed, and he died an unsightly death. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, because he had died there, he couldn¡¯t even participate in the battle against the Laperico Kingdom. There couldn¡¯t have been any greater humiliation. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely get my revenge¡­!¡± He crushed the bone of his meat with his bare teeth. A follower of his let out a terrified shriek at that, but Johan couldn¡¯t be bothered. He was completely focussed on how to get revenge. He would have preferred to go look for that commander right away and slaughter her, but just doing that would be boring. He had to pay her back for all the shame that had been brought upon him. First, burn away all her beautiful hair, and her clothes while he was at it. And then¡ª ¡°Oh my, revenge is not something I can appreciate.¡± A voice suddenly spoke up behind Johan. A man like a withered tree stood there, looking down at Johan. He was the self-proclaimed advisor of the 7th Corps, Chaostell Cont. ¡°¡­What do you want? I¡¯m in a bad mood right now.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you always in a bad mood? That¡¯s why your head isn¡¯t focussed when you need it.¡± ¡°Are you picking a fight with me?¡± Johan glared up at Chaostell, who just laughed it off. ¡°By the way, you just muttered something about revenge, did you not?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not aiming for her Excellency, right?¡± ¡°Who else is there, huh?¡± Chaostell shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Did you not realize that you cannot hope to win against her? Her Excellency Komari possesses exceptional strength.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk stupid shit like that, it was nothing more than a coincidence! I¡¯m being praised as the ¡®Hellflame Slaughterer¡¯, so how would I lose against a brat like that.¡± ¡°I mean, you did die.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you, it was just a coincidence! An accident! That brat does not have any strength at all! Did you see her pale face when I attacked her? And, she closed the door instead of challenging me head on.¡± ¡°Even if that was the case, how do you feel about yesterday¡¯s incident?¡± ¡°Yesterday? What are you on about?¡± ¡°The battle with Laperico Kingdom. You might not be aware of it because you couldn¡¯t participate, but her Excellency had given a rather vague and illogical command as a commander. It was something someone with a long military service would say.¡± ¡°And what was that?¡± ¡°¡®Let¡¯s go get this party started¡¯, that was the only order her Excellency gave us.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the best possible order for a corps like ours? She had perfectly grasped our individual desires after not even two days, and used that to her advantage. Even I felt like taking my hat off to her.¡± ¡°Even a chimpanzee could have come up with that! I knew it, she must have become a Seven Crimson Deva just because of her connections!¡± ¡°Oh lord¡­¡± No matter how much Johan rambled on and on, Chaostell just shook his head in disbelief, muttering an exhausted ¡®This is why brats are¡­¡¯, not even trying to hide his annoyance. Yet again, Johan grit his teeth to a level where it made a crusty sound, and glared at the withered tree bastard. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t underestimate me too much, or you¡¯ll regret it.¡± ¡°Do it then. I was looking for a mock battle partner anyway.¡± ¡°Hyaha, alright then, let¡¯s do this.¡± Poof, a flame appeared in both of Johan¡¯s hands. Chaostell was about to ram one fist right into his face, but decided against it. ¡°No, wait a second Johan.¡± ¡°Huh? Are you chickening out now? I¡¯ll burn your hair roots to a crisp, so prepare yourself¡ª¡± ¡°Hyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Out of the way out of the way out of the waaaaaaayyyy!!¡± ¡°Hm? ¡ªBlegh?!¡± A dull impact hit Johan in the back of his head. He couldn¡¯t even process what just happened. He didn¡¯t even have time to feel the pain, and the fact that blood splattered from his head was unbeknownst to him. Without knowing anything, his world turned black. Johan died again3. * At that time, I was already beyond help. Bucephalus apparently really was planning to bring me to the end of the world, as my eyes couldn¡¯t keep up with the scenery around me changing this rapidly. Hence, I gave up on thinking. It¡¯s over. I¡¯ll just take the hand of this old man, inviting me to heaven¡ªI stood with one foot in the coffin, when¡­ My sight was turned upside down. Following that, I felt my body soar through the air. Apparently, I had been blown off Bucephalus¡¯ back. The world felt like it moved in slow motion. I was doing several rolls mid-air, when a familiar face appeared in my view; the withered tree Chaostell, as well as dog-head Belius and rapper Melaconcy. Apparently, I ended up at the training area of the Mulnight Imperial Army. I even saw various other subordinates around. Everyone was staring at me in confusion and surprise. Well, I understand, I¡¯d be just as shocked. Their admired superior turned out to be clumsy enough that she can¡¯t even handle a single Rider Beast. Oh yeah, I¡¯ll definitely be overthrown for this. And probably killed right after. If anything, I¡¯ll die from falling off Bucephalus first. I mentally prepared myself for a kiss with the solid ground, when I actually shared a passionate kiss with soft maid clothes¡ªFueh? Maid clothes? ¡°¡ªMy, Komari-sama, I keep telling you not to leap at me like this during the day. Please think about my own feelings.¡± I carefully looked up, only to find an all-too familiar girl gaze down at me. There, I realized that the perverted maid was carrying me like a princess¡­How did she manage to keep up with Bucephalus? Magic? That couldn¡¯t have been average speed¡ªAlso, can you not sneak your hands into my clothes, you perverted maid!? ¡°I-I won¡¯t thank you for this.¡± ¡°Why are you stuttering, I wonder?¡± ¡°S-Shut up. Let me down right away.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Vill listened to me, and carefully let me down. Ugh, my eyes are still turning¡­Also, that Vill is holding my hand, making sure that I don¡¯t lose balance¡­Why is she so reliable so randomly. ¡°If it isn¡¯t her Excellency. I am honored to meet you on this wonderful day.¡± I finally stood on solid ground, staggering like a drunkard after my third bar, when Chaostell approached me, showing his usual cheerful smile. Damn it, why at a time like this¡­ ¡°Chaostell. How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Thanks to you, just fine. The Komari Squad came here to train for your sake.¡± ¡°Is that so. I appreciate that.¡± ¡°Indeed, I¡¯d love for her Excellency to join us.¡± ¡°Wahaha, what are you saying. If I joined you, everybody would die in five seconds.¡± A wave of admiration filled the audience around me. These are all morons, I see. ¡°Indeed. It seems like this fool has died before he could even challenge the battle.¡± Dog-head Belius gave a cynical smile. Fool? Died? What is that guy talking about? I turned around to look behind me, only to find a blonde-haired man laying on the grass. I felt like crying again. Isn¡¯t that¡­ ¡°Indeed, he has been stomped to death by Komari-sama¡¯s Rider Beast.¡± Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!? I killed again!? And it¡¯s the same guy from before!? He¡¯ll totally come for my head, right!? I¡¯d definitely get stabbed if I walked alone at night. And, where did Bucephalus go!? Did he run to the end of the world without me!? That moron! I held my head in despair, when my subordinates caused a ruckus. ¡°Long live her Excellency!¡± ¡°Long live the killer!¡± ¡°Get rid of that guy!¡± However¡­ ¡°¡ªI¡¯m not dead yet you morooooons!!!¡± Poof, I felt insane heat building up at my back. Looking over, the blonde-haired man, who should have been dead, had his entire body wrapped in flames, as he glared at me. In the sight of this, I felt my entire body fill with fear and despair. This guy was still alive!? ¡°Your Excellency, don¡¯t you think surprise attacks are a bit unfair?¡± The blonde-haired man spoke with a deep, resentful voice. I had no words to counter that. But, I knew I had to say something. ¡°You are at fault because you didn¡¯t evade.¡± ¡°Hah, that so? Then, you won¡¯t have any complaints if I slaughter you right now, will you!?¡± The blonde-haired man ran towards me, his body still in flames. Ah, I¡¯m done for. The second these words popped up inside my head, Vill suddenly let go of my hand. And then, a miracle happened. I lost balance in that second, as my body tilted sideways, which allowed me to evade the incoming attack of the blondie. ¡°Ohhh!¡± ¡°So smooth!¡± ¡°That¡¯s her Excellency for you!¡± ¡°It¡¯s like I¡¯m watching a bullfight!¡± ¡°Just watching her gets me excited beyond the reasonable!¡± Stop, just shut up. No, these guys don¡¯t even matter. I have to do something about that blondie. ¡°Evading because of luck, huh!? Then, you just have to die this time!¡± The blondie fixed his posture, and came at me again. If I don¡¯t evade now, I¡¯ll die. My instincts were telling me so, which is why I somehow managed to move my feet. But, because I was still feeling dizzy, they wouldn¡¯t do what I wanted them to. Damn it, my semicircular canals are way too weak! ¡°Hyahaha! Burn to cinders, you darned command¡ªGuha!?¡± ¡°Uwaaah!?¡± It felt like heaven and earth had been flipped. Unable to comprehend what just happened, I just let it happen. I knew that I fell over, but I barely felt any pain¡­? ¡°Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!¡± Just when I thought that, I heard a loud shriek right close to me. I looked beneath me, and somehow ended up on top of the blondie. Not to mention that I had the index finger of my right hand directly stabbed into his eyeball!? ¡°That¡¯s Komari-sama for you! You turned this situation around, and utterly destroyed his eyeball in one strike! You brought forth the greatest possible result from the least needed effort! If this isn¡¯t the essence of Komarism, I don¡¯t know what is!¡± Thank you for the swift explanation, Vill. But, what is Komarism? Nevermind, who cares about that! I pulled out my finger from the man¡¯s eye socket, and stood up. The blondie rolled around on the ground in anguish, screaming ¡®My eye, my eye!¡¯. When I looked around me, my subordinates were nodding in admiration. Even one of them was crying tears of blood, gritting their teeth with a ¡®I¡¯m so jealous!¡¯. Who are you even, get away from me. Also, what should I even do with this? Should I act like the tough guy again? I took a few deep breaths, and spoke up. ¡°Hmpf! This is what happens when you try to rebel against me! Next time it won¡¯t just be your eyeball, but what¡¯s inside your ass as well, so be prepared!¡± ¡°Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooohoooooooooooooo!!!¡± A roar of applause filled the area. I don¡¯t want this kind of work anymore. Can I quit now? Oh right, I can¡¯t. Guess I¡¯ll just vent out my anger later at that perverted maid. Inside of my head, I came up with the ¡®Hellish Tickling Punishment¡¯ for her, when the blondie pushed up his body. ¡°H-How dare you! I won¡¯t forgive you for this!¡± He covered his right eye with his hand, pointing scorching hot killing intent at me. I readied my body, not knowing what he would do. He put one hand in his military uniform¡¯s pocket, took out something, and threw it at me. It was a glove. Eh, you¡¯re throwing this away? I¡¯m sure it could be used still. What a waste¡­ I was thinking that, when I realized that the air around me changed. ¡°Now this just got very interesting,¡± Chaostell commented, as he took a step forward. What is he on about? The blondie glared at me, as the corners of his mouth went up, grinning. ¡°Terakomari Gandezblood. I challenge you to a duel.¡± ¡­What? Cruel? Jewel? Fuel? ¡­Duel!? ¡°Wah, eh¡­¡± ¡°Haha, hahaha, I should have done this from the very start. It¡¯s obvious that I¡¯m stronger. During a one versus one, in a place with no mystery ingredients, I¡¯ll definitely come out on top. Hey, your Excellency, you won¡¯t accept that, right?¡± The blondie grinned. I looked around me, utterly baffled. Vill gave me a thumbs-up. Chaostell did so as well. Belius had his arms crossed, and Melaconcy was dancing to himself. The other subordinates stared at me with eyes of expectation. I had not a single ally in this. Really now, that can¡¯t be helped then. I slowly walked forward, and picked up the glove from the scorched ground.I mustered the best arrogant smile I could manage, and announced. ¡°¡ªVery well, I accept. Eventually, you will regret this decision, but then it¡¯ll be too late, okay?¡± * ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!¡± The second I made it back to my room, I jumped on top of my bed, and deeply regretted my decision. Of course, the reason was obvious. I accepted the challenge of Johan Helldars without thinking twice about it. I can¡¯t run away anymore. I¡¯ll get roasted to a crisp by this man in front of everyone, and get removed from my position. ¡°Komari-sama, are you that happy about it?¡± ¡°Who¡¯d be happy about that!?¡± Vill had a calm expression as always. Does she not have any sense of danger? I guess that makes sense. I¡¯ll be the one to die, not her. ¡°Ugh¡­What should I do¡­Should I seek exile? Run away? A neighbouring country? But, the chimpanzees will attack me¡­¡± ¡°Komari-sama, please raise your head.¡± I buried my face into my pillow, about to break out in tears, when Vill called out to me with a kind voice. What does she want now, I thought to myself, and looked at my side. ¡°What do you want, pervert. I¡¯ll report you.¡± ¡°Oh my, don¡¯t use these words now. I understand your feelings, Komari-sama. After all, if you do nothing, you will definitely be killed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! I¡¯m at the end of my life! What should I do about this!? There were so many things I wanted to do before dying! Publicize my book, make a castle out of sweets, and¡ª¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Swim inside a pool of honey.¡± Pffft, Vill laughed at me. Come on, I was panicking and blurted out things I never did. How can I live with this shame anymore. Maybe I¡¯ll go die. Then again, I will anyway. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine.¡± Vill smiled. ¡°Have you forgotten? Even if you get killed, you won¡¯t die4. The Mulnight Empire has its own magic nucleus.¡± ¡°I know about that! But, dying hurts, right! And it¡¯s uncomfortable!¡± ¡°As I¡¯ve said, you don¡¯t have to worry. As long as you have me around, you will not die in a duel, no matter what opponent you may fight. Believe in me.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± I gave a baffled reaction. What is she talking about? The perverted maid however ignored my confused gaze, and instead announced proudly. ¡°I am a special third-lieutenant of the Mulnight Imperial Army¡ªSpecialized in intelligence and subversive activities. Just leave everything to me. I will definitely bring victory to Komari-sama.¡± * And then, the day of the duel arrived. The Mulnight Royal Palace has a fighting ground annexed to it. It¡¯s usually used for idol concerts or the end-of-year slaughter activities, but by using the right of a Seven Crimson Deva, you can even hold a duel here. Really, power and influence is everything you need, huh. ¡°Kyaaa! Look, it¡¯s Terakomari-sama!¡± ¡°Your Excellency! Just kill off Johan!¡± ¡°Komarin! Komarin! Komarin!¡± ¡°Ahhhh, haaa¡­Komatan¡­So good¡­¡± A great number of onlookers had gathered already, every single one looking at me like some drug addicts look at their stuff. And, these guys didn¡¯t even belong to the 7th Corps. They¡¯re all peeps from different corps, or even complete outsiders of the army all-together. Apparently, the fact that I would be participating in a duel was spread all across the imperial capital. No need to even guess who planned that, it was the people from my corps. Because of these morons, I was about to die before the duel even started¡­I was really hoping we could finish this a bit more secretively. This isn¡¯t even just the idiots from my 7th Corps, it feels like I¡¯m some idol during a live concert! What do you all even expect from me!? ¡°¡ªKomari-sama, how are you feeling?¡± I suddenly heard the perverted maid¡¯s voice in my ear. On the way here, she handed me a magical transmission device. ¡°How am I feeling? I want to run away¡­¡± ¡°Please try your best. You have to stand strong now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t wanna~ Let me go home~!¡± ¡°If you make it through this, I will offer you a wonderful reward.¡± ¡°Reward?¡± ¡°Sleeping together with a beautiful maid ticket x5.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need that!¡± ¡°x10.¡± ¡°The amount is not the problem!¡± ¡°By the way, the maid will be Komari-sama.¡± ¡°What are you on about!?¡± ¡°These tickets will sell like hot potatoes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not even for you!? How much are you going to make me work!?¡± ¡°I will buy all of them, so do not worry. I cannot allow some ugly old man sleeping next to you. Also, this all sounds too complicated, so will you just sleep with me if I pay the money?¡± ¡°You¡¯re sounding awfully like an old man now!!¡± My motivation was slowly disappearing. What is this pervert plaguing me about only a few minutes before my death. ¡°¡­Hey, Vill. Let me be serious for a second.¡± ¡°Feel free.¡± ¡°Can I¡­really make it out of this alive?¡± I heard a faint snicker. However, that only lasted for a second, as Vill spoke up with her usual calm tone. ¡°Do not worry. I am Komari-sama¡¯s faithful servant. No matter what may happen, I will not cast you aside¡­Also, it seems as if your opponent has appeared.¡± There, a loud roar filled the fighting ground. At the opposite side of where I stood, basically where the entrance of the challenger was located, the giant door opened with a dull sound. I gulped. It¡¯s about to happen. It¡¯s about to begin. What in the world is Vill planning? I don¡¯t mean to brag, but I¡¯m as resilient as tofu when it comes to a fist fight. At the same time as I was thinking that, a person appeared from the opening the door provided. ¡°Te¡­Terakomari¡­t-today¡­I will¡­b-burn you to a crisp¡­¡± It was Johan Helldars. However, something was odd about him. His face was as pale as a grey wall, and his legs were quivering, as he held his stomach like he was plagued by a harsh case of diarrhea. Oh, he fell over. Is he sick or some¡ªWait a second, is this possibly¡­? ¡°I poisoned him.¡± Vill spoke up in my ear. ¡°I knew it!!¡± And what kind of poison!? Is that even allowed!? ¡°It was simple. Lieutenant Helldars eats lunch at the cafeteria every day. And the menu is always meat on the bone. That¡¯s why I mixed deadly poison into every single piece of meat.¡± ¡°All of it!?¡± ¡°I had to make sure he would eat it. This will probably result in around twenty or thirty deaths, but that can¡¯t be helped.¡± You¡¯re a terrorist now!? How can you be this cruel!? I mean, I¡¯m happy that you¡¯re going this far for me, but let¡¯s use a more healthy method, okay! With the gaze of a starved beast, Johan walks towards me. ¡°H¡­Heh, what¡¯s wrong, your Excellency? E-Even if you¡­start cr¡­ugh¡­crying now, I-I¡¯ll burn¡­you to ¡­c-c-c-cinders, and¡­send you to the ¡­hospital.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you should be visiting the hospital more than anybody right now.¡± ¡°What¡¯d you say!? Don¡¯t underestimate me¡­!¡± I wasn¡¯t provoking you or anything. I¡¯m genuinely worried, alright. But, my feelings were blissfully ignored, as a loud gong echoed, signaling the start of the duel. ¡°Kill him!¡± ¡°Go die!¡± I heard voices around me, making my eardrums shake. ¡°I-I¡¯ll kill you¡­Ugh, bleghhhhh!¡± ¡°Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?¡± He¡¯s attacking me while vomiting and excreting!? But, his speed was all too slow, resembling an elderly vampire. Or rather, he looked like a zombie who just got out of his grave. ¡°Hey, Vill! What should I do about this! Small children are watching right now!¡± ¡°Then, please use magic now, Komari-sama.¡± ¡°Huuuuuuuh!? If I could do that, I wouldn¡¯t have this much trouble to begin with!¡± ¡°No, you just have to act like you are using magic. All you have to do is snap your fingers at my signal, and if possible so that everybody can see it. Five, four, three, two, one¡ªOkay, now.¡± I didn¡¯t know what would happen, but I had no other option to trust that maid. Snap, I snapped my fingers. The next moment, a loud sound rang out, as Johan disappeared. No, more accurately, he fell. He fell down into a giant hole that had opened on the ground¡­Huh? ¡°Wooooah!?¡± ¡°What was that magic!?¡± ¡°She managed to create a hole directly under her opponents feet!?¡± ¡°What speed!¡± ¡°What power!¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t that high-tier magic¡­¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t even sense any flow of magic coming from her?¡± ¡°So basically, her Excellency knows magic that can completely hide her own!¡± ¡°I see. High-tier magic.¡± ¡°That¡¯s her Excellency for you!¡± ¡°She¡¯s so amazing!¡± The audience started to speculate, when Vill spoke up. ¡°I dug a hole there last night.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me!?¡± ¡°Also, I prepared bamboo spears at the bottom of the pit, so Lieutenant Helldars should be pierced by now.¡± Isn¡¯t that a bit too cruel!? But, how is this even possible? There¡¯s no guarantee that Johan would step exactly on the hole, right? Was she just betting on luck? ¡°No need to worry. I have prepared 52 hidden holes in this entire area. No matter where he would have run to, he had no chances of ever reaching you in the very first place. That¡¯s why, please don¡¯t move from your current position either, Komari-sama.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It seems like I truly am standing in the middle of hell. Because of the fear, my feet wouldn¡¯t move anyway, so don¡¯t you worry about that¡­ Suddenly, I heard nervous voices from the audience. To my surprise, a blood-drenched Johan had climbed out of the hole, barely alive. ¡°Ha¡­hahaha¡­this is supposed to be magic? Don¡¯t joke with me¡­you swindler.¡± You are absolutely right. ¡°You set this up yesterday, right? Because you probably can¡¯t win otherwise.¡± Johan glared at me with a beet red face, as he summoned flames in both his hands. Indeed, that¡¯s the case. I¡¯m terribly sorry. ¡°What an insolent fellow. Komari-sama, let him hear it!¡± I¡¯m so sorry, but I have to act tough here, or I will die, Blondie. ¡°¡­Wahahaha! You say some interesting things! You¡¯re accusing me of having set up traps? Impossible! Don¡¯t you think you can win this, Johan Helldars! I don¡¯t even need to move an inch to defeat you! I¡¯ll squash you small fry, squeeze your blood into a bottle, and drink it after a comfortable bath tonight!¡± ¡°Ohooooooooooooooooooooooo!?¡± The audience screamed, which led Johan to completely go haywire. ¡°Go ahead and try it if you can!!¡± ¡°Hey, Vill. What should I do now, he¡¯s super pissed!¡± ¡°You honestly earned that yourself, but leave it to me¡­However, it pains me to say it, there are no more holes between you and Lieutenant Helldars.¡± ¡°Why!? Didn¡¯t you say this place was riddled with them!?¡± ¡°I can only say that luck ran out on our end.¡± ¡°Stop joking with me.¡± That moment, I felt something hot pass by my ears. In a panic, I looked back at Johan, who threw bullets of fire at me. ¡°Hyahahaha! Go burn to a crisp!¡± ¡°Wah, wai¡ªTime out!¡± The sight of his running towards me looked like a fire devil. Fire bullets came from all directions, aimed at me. And if that wasn¡¯t enough, he possessed good control over them, so them hitting me was just a matter of time. I can¡¯t move from here, after all. ¡°Vill! Should I snap my fingers again!?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s too late already.¡± ¡°Too late!? My life is over!? Stop joking¡ª¡± With me¡ªI wanted to finish my sentence, when a great explosion occurred. I thought my eyeballs would pop out of my sockets. The impact of the explosion made it hard for me to stand. The epicenter of the explosion was the exact location Johan had stood on. Suddenly, I heard a voice from Vill, transmitted directly into my ear. ¡°A landmine.¡± Eh? A-A landmine? ¡°It seems like he stepped on it. Which makes sense, since I buried around 96 of them here.¡± ¡°What kind of battlefield is this!?¡± This isn¡¯t just on the level of being prepared. Did Vill go this far, and worked all night just so that I wouldn¡¯t die¡­? ¡°Now then, with this, Lieutenant Hellards should have been blown to smithereens, which means that you have won, Komari-sama.¡± ¡°I mean, that¡¯s right and all, but¡­¡± The smoke started to clear. I was a bit worried to find his body party blown all over the place. If so, I really didn¡¯t want to see that¡ªor so I was thinking, but I soon doubted my eyes. Johan Helldars was still alive. He was crawling on the ground, but he still could move, closing in on me like a caterpillar. Even though he was in tatters, he did not give up. For a second, I was shaken by his unwavering determination. ¡°H-How¡­how dare you¡­! I¡¯ll burn away your clothes¡­and embarrass you in front of everyone¡­! It¡¯ll be a naked fire dance¡­Hehehe¡­¡± What shook me even more however was terrifying fear. In a lot of ways, everything was too late. Johan had reached my feet. I could have easily moved away, but I was too afraid to step on a landmine¡­My fear however was useless, as I realized Johan had stopped moving all-together. He had died, for real this time. T-Thank god¡­I mean, I really shouldn¡¯t be happy about that, but still¡­For now, I had to put up a strong facade again. I stepped on his head with my right foot (as softly as possible), and announced. ¡°The rebel has been punished!¡± ¡°Wohoooooooooooooooooo!!!¡± The audience yet again raised excited voices, as even the people from the 7th Corps came running into the field themselves¡ªWait, you moron! This is an actual battlefield, so don¡¯t you dare¡­Ah, whatever! Explosions rang out everywhere, but I stood still in the midst of these. I¡¯m happy that I managed to make it out alive, but seeing Johan this messed up, I just had to feel bad. I mean, he¡¯s clearly the victim in this situation. I acted like a coward with cheap tricks, and yet everyone is cheering for me again with ¡®Komarin! Komarin! Komarin!¡¯ (while they¡¯re exploding), so I couldn¡¯t say I felt comfortable. ¡°Hey, Vill, I feel like I¡¯m just deceiving everyone¡­¡± ¡°No need to worry. You truly are deceiving them.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­Well, you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just too kind-hearted of a person, Komari-sama. As a Seven Crimson Deva, you need to be more cruel.¡± ¡°I guess¡­¡± Well, thinking too deeply into it won¡¯t change a thing. I just continued to observe the battlefield in front of me, riddled with explosions everywhere, as I let out a sigh¡ªAh, hey! Don¡¯t get too close, you¡¯ll wrap me up in this mess! * Thus, I managed to escape certain death. On a side note, Johan and the other people that died because of the explosions were transported to the hospital. Then again, it¡¯s more of a safe-keeping place for the corpses, to make sure they can safely regenerate. Of course, it¡¯s the place I never want to see from the inside. Let¡¯s get back on topic. Absolutely tattered and exhausted, I moved my heavy body home, and headed straight for the bath. My body was sticky from the sweat and blood from I don¡¯t even know who, glued to my hair and clothes. I¡¯d definitely get a nightmare if I went to bed like this. Hence, I came to the changing room, but¡­ ¡°Hey, I want to use the bath.¡± ¡°Understood. I will prepare a change of clothes right away.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°What do you plan on doing while I¡¯m taking a bath?¡± ¡°I had planned on fulfilling my work seriously.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Please, take your time.¡± With these words, Vill walked away. Suspicious. Very suspicious. I don¡¯t know what exactly is making me feel that way, I just know that something is off. I mean, she¡¯s a perverted maid. She tried sexually harassing me countless times. There¡¯s even times where I should have gotten the police involved. ¡°¡­No.¡± I¡¯m thinking too deeply into this, I bet. Yesterday, and the day before that, she didn¡¯t try anything. For now, I have to relax, or I¡¯ll die. With these thoughts, I took off my clothes, and set foot into the giant bath. I don¡¯t know the size of an average family¡¯s bath, but this one must be several times the size. I might even be able to swim in here¡­if I could swim, that is. After washing my body and hair, I carelly set foot into the warm water. Around the time my shoulders made it as well, I let out a long and deep sigh that made me wonder if I just let out all the happiness inside of me. ¡°Haaaaaaaaa¡­I really thought I was dead¡­¡± In my head, the scenery of the duel popped up. That blondie¡­Johan Helldars really hated me from the bottom of his heart. Then again, I can¡¯t blame him. A girl with no real talent or skill became a superior of his. Johan is the correct one here. If the others knew about my true identity, they would attempt the exact same thing as him. I somehow managed to win thanks to Vill, but my luck might run out the next time someone challenges me to a duel¡ª ¡°¡­¡­¡± In that sense, my one and only ally might be Vill after all. She won¡¯t talk badly about me, and even accepts my weakness. She¡¯s always saving me. ¡°¡­I guess I really should be thanking her¡­¡± ¡°Please do. If possible, not with words, but by using your entire body. Can I start by hugging you?¡± ¡°I thought soooooo!!!¡± The second I heard the words ¡®If you would excuse me¡¯, I started running. However, since the perverted maid possessed much better reflexes, that ended up in a failure. Not even after five seconds, she captured me, sealing away my movement. ¡°Damn it! Why are you here!? Weren¡¯t you supposed to be working!?¡± ¡°I was lying.¡± ¡°And you don¡¯t even try to hide it¡­Wait, don¡¯t touch me there!¡± I continued trying my best to resist, as I shed tears and shrieks. Suddenly, I saw some red spots on Vill¡¯s hands, who wrapped around my belly. Isn¡¯t this¡­ ¡°Now, Komari-sama, let us share a warm bath together¡­¡± ¡°You, aren¡¯t you hurt!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± It felt like time came to a halt, only for the perverted maid to immediately distance herself from me. With an indifferent expression, Vill hid her hands behind her back. ¡°I just hurt my hand a bit. Thanks to the magic nucleus, it¡¯ll heal tomorrow.¡± ¡°But, that looks like it really hurts¡­¡± ¡°Pain will vanish just as quickly. It¡¯s nothing of importance.¡± That¡¯s clearly not the problem here. Also, is this because she¡­? ¡°Tell me how you got hurt.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± ¡°This is an order. Explain it.¡± Vill kept quiet for a second, unsure what to respond, but eventually saw that my decision won¡¯t change, and resigned herself. ¡°I dug deep holes in order to kill Johan Helldars.¡± ¡°Yup.¡± ¡°I dug them all with a shovel.¡± ¡°You did that by hand!?¡± ¡°I can only use poison-related magic after all.¡± ¡°¡­R-Right.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± We continued to look at each other, not speaking a word. I could see the cheeks of the perverted maid growing more red. It¡¯s not because she stood naked in front of me. Rather, she probably felt embarrassed about the fact that I found her wounds. That is some crazy personality she has there. ¡°¡­I am terribly sorry. I showed you something unsightly.¡± Vill lowered her head in an apologetic way. It¡¯s like she was a completely different person from a few seconds ago¡­Really, what a moron she is. ¡°There¡¯s nothing unsightly about that.¡± I made up my mind, and approached Vill. However, the second I made it in front of her, I grew flustered, and sat down inside the water, embracing my knees. ¡°Vill, you worked hard for me. Without you, I definitely would have died today. I¡¯m¡­well, really thankful for that. That¡¯s why¡­you don¡¯t need to hide anything from me¡­How do I say it¡­it might sound a bit heavy¡­but, I¡¯ll accept everything¡­so¡­¡± My words started to get stuck in my throat. You really can¡¯t put someone¡¯s feelings into words. But, I hope that at least a bit of that got through to her. Then again, I myself am not sure what I was even trying to say. ¡°A-Anyway, thank you. That¡¯s all I wanted to say. Did you get it?¡± ¡ªShe probably didn¡¯t, is what I thought. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°¡­Eh? Really?¡± ¡°I fully understand that Komari-sama truly loves me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I think that¡¯s a bit different from what I was saying, but I take it. ¡°Komari-sama.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t changed at all.¡± I snuck a glance at Vill. Oddly enough, she was smiling a bit. ¡°I¡¯m trying to be a peaceful vampire after all. I¡¯m different from you or the other perverts in the corps.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant¡­¡± Vill stopped her words. I don¡¯t think it was that important, so I didn¡¯t try to cut into it. Instead, I brought up something I was worried about for a while now. ¡°¡­Hey, isn¡¯t it hard always being with me? It must be tough always protecting me from dying¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the case. I have a special talent after all.¡± ¡°Your poison magic?¡± ¡°.¡± The heck is that. ¡°It is a strength different from magic, and a bit hard to use, but¡­Anyway, you don¡¯t have to worry, Komari-sama. I don¡¯t think of supporting you as hard or a lot of trouble.¡± I don¡¯t really get it. ¡°¡­I see. But, why are you this clingy then? It¡¯s making me a bit uncomfortable at times.¡± ¡°Because Komari-sama is an unparalleled beauty.¡± ¡°I know that, but that¡¯s not the point. I was just wondering if you had another reason for that.¡± A sigh escaped Vill¡¯s lips. ¡°I have committed a crime.¡± ¡°I know that.¡± ¡°Eh, you do¡­?¡± ¡°You constantly sexually harass me, right.¡± Vill had a perplexed expression. If you got fired, I could put that into your CV, you know?¡­Wait, isn¡¯t that the weakness I was looking for? Maybe with this, I can finally have her stop bothering me with the whole strawberry milk curse? ¡°It¡¯s not a crime that you are aware of, Komari-sama. It is a crime much heavier than you might imagine.¡± ¡°Even heavier!? So you played pranks on me while I was sleeping¡­!?¡± ¡°I do that every night, so no. It is something that happened a long time ago, and I decided to become a maid in order to repay this guilt I have accumulated. Once the right time comes, I will tell you about it.¡± ¡°I-I see¡­¡­¡­Hm?¡± I feel like I heard something rather worrying in there, but because Vill¡¯s expression seemed so conflicted, I couldn¡¯t comment on that. A heavy crime, huh? Since she sounded so sincere about it, I doubt it could be anything perverted. If she doesn¡¯t want to talk about it, then it can¡¯t be helped. Like this, the two of us enjoyed the bath for a bit longer. Oddly enough, Vill didn¡¯t try to sexually harass me any longer. Somehow, I feel a bit disappoi¡ªHold on, no no no! Wake up, me! You¡¯re being poisoned without realizing it! 1 A dragon-like beast 2 Horse of Alexander the Great 3 Is this some fate reference? LANCER GA SHINDAAA 4 What is this novel, some giant fate series reference? Volume 1 - CH 3.5 In the lower-class district in the royal capital, there existed a bar, the so-called ¡®Dawn¡¯s Gate¡¯. It was a rather calm bar with barely any visitors, which allowed Johan Helldars to gulp down his blood wine in anger without bothering anybody. A week had passed since the duel. In this one week, Johan¡¯s life had taken a complete 180 turn. After his loss against Terakomari, he had been thrown out of the 7th corps. Before this, he had already been moved to this very corps, but now he had no more place to belong to, no other corps to join, meaning that he had to quit the army all-together. Previously, he had been called the ¡®Hellflame Slaughterer¡¯, considered a genius rookie, and he could have very well made his way up to become a Seven Crimson Deva. And yet, everything had been stolen from him because of that brat. ¡°Ahh, I can¡¯t take this¡­Hey, give me another cup.¡± ¡°You¡¯re drinking too much.¡± ¡°Who cares, I have the money.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the problem here¡­¡± Eventually, Johan still received another cup. The master of this bar was a foreigner you rarely saw in the empire¡ªharboring deep dark skin. He belonged to the Senryuu Race. If he were to die here, outside the range of his own country¡¯s magic nucleus, he would not come back to life. Hence, people who had the guts to open a shop like he did must either have some certain circumstances, always thirst for battle and trouble, or hold confidence that they could win against no matter who tried to kill them. Johan was aware of this, and turned towards him. ¡°Hey, Master. Do you know this Terakomari Gandezblood?¡± ¡°The new Seven Crimson Deva, right? She¡¯s gotten pretty famous for being the youngest general ever.¡± ¡°Right. But, she actually isn¡¯t powerful at all. I should have been the one to become the next Seven Crimson Deva, but she stole that from me!¡± ¡°That sounds tough.¡± ¡°It is tough! With this, the history of the Mulnight Empire changed. Normally, I should be the one to control the 7th Corps¡­¡± Johan didn¡¯t even pick up on the Master¡¯s disinterested sigh. This guy was only thinking about Terakomari. How should he burn her to a crisp? What should he do to become the next Seven Crimson Deva? And, this fact led to the worst possible scenario. ¡°That sounds pretty interesting.¡± A sickly-sweet voice spoke up. Johan turned towards that voice in surprise, only to find a girl with a fox mask sitting next to him. ¡°Wha¡­since when were you¡­?¡± ¡°My, are you getting drunk? I¡¯ve been here the entire time.¡± The girl let out a snicker. Because of the mask, Johan couldn¡¯t make out her face, but she really didn¡¯t seem too trustworthy. At the same time, the girl softly waved the glass in her hand. ¡°You are Lieutenant Johan Helldars from the Imperial Army, right?¡± ¡°¡­How do you know about my name?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re quite famous, Mr ¡®Hellflame Slaughterer¡¯.¡± Johan narrowed his eyes. Just talking with this girl made the wine taste worse. Time had passed quite a bit as well, so Johan decided to make his way home, raising his hip, when it happened. ¡°Terakomari Gandezblood.¡± ¡°!?¡± ¡°You hate her, right?¡± Johan gulped. He realized that he was about to be swallowed up in her ominous atmosphere. ¡°Who are you?¡± The girl showed another snicker. ¡°My name is Millicent. I¡¯m from ¡®Inverse Moon¡¯.¡± Johan was baffled. This ¡®Inverse Moon¡¯ the girl mentioned so nonchalantly¡ªWasn¡¯t that name of the terrorist organization that caused a great ruckus in the six countries a few years ago? They had the ominous slogan of ¡°Dying is the Living Ones¡¯ cherished desire¡±, and they had planned on destroying the magic nuclei the various countries possessed. ¡°That¡¯s a bad joke alright. You won¡¯t deceive me with that.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to believe me. But, I think hearing me out might be quite beneficial to you.¡± She gulped down the wine. Or at least, she tried to, because the glass bumped into her fox mask. ¡°¡­Are you sure you¡¯re not the one being drunk?¡± The girl¡¯s ears, not hidden by the fox mask, were slightly red. ¡°You don¡¯t have to believe me. But, I think hearing me out might be quite beneficial to you.¡± ¡°Hm? What? Did we go back in time¡­?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? You really are drunk, aren¡¯t you.¡± The girl said, and removed her fox mask. Her almond eyes conveyed a certain beauty. And this time, she gulped down the rest of the wine. Or rather, it wasn¡¯t even wine, it seemed to be juice. She must be underage still. The girl put down the glass, and glanced over at Johan. Her wicked, evil eyes were brimming with aspiration. ¡°You¡¯re a soldier of Mulnight, right?¡± ¡°Y-Yeah¡­still am as of now.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a barrier around the Empress¡¯ residence. But, you should be able to get inside.¡± Johan was at a loss. He just stared at the girl¡ªat Millicent¡ªin disbelief, as she flashed a devilish smile. ¡°¡ªHow about we work together? Both you and I have a personal grudge with that girl.¡± Volume 1 - CH 4 Recently, I started thinking that I might actually not die. I mean, whenever I have to deal with my subordinates, I still get close to dying. But that¡¯s not in the physical sense, but rather that the stress and hard work are going to be the end of me instead. This past month, I kept working all day every day without getting a good break. The reason for that is the newspaper article from a few days back, who announced my (fake) declaration of war towards the other countries, which is why every single one of their generals had the nerve to challenge me to a battle. First, I had a battle with the Laperico Kingdom five days after the duel. Their commander, Hades Molkikki (a chimpanzee) was brimming with desire to see me dead, and set up a fierce attack that put their previous attack force to shame. In the later stage of the battle, the chimpanzee himself arrived at our headquarters, throwing a at me, which only barely scraped by my cheek. Melaconcy managed to deal with that guy, but if luck was not on my side, I could have died no problem. Of course, the fighting continued even after that. The next day after the Laperico Kingdom, I had to battle the Republic of Gela Arca, followed by the Hakkyoku Federation, and finally the Heavenly Paradise to finish things off. I had mentally prepared myself to die every single time, but thankfully the battle always ended without me needing to participate. Or in other words, I¡¯ve been insanely lucky. And, this has brought me to yet another stress problem. Since this 7th Corps has had a win streak that continued for a while, more and more people have caught on to this, unrelated to political or public voice. According to Vill, my name has been making rounds inside the royal palace, and there¡¯s at least one article about me in every single newspaper. On top of that, it¡¯s not only limited to military affairs, but they keep adding personal information about me as well, which makes it even worse. What have I been doing until now? What¡¯s my favorite food? What am I doing on my day off? As you can see, it¡¯s just generally putting a lot of mental stress on me. But, there¡¯s other reasons why my mental state is taking a dip for the worse. There¡¯s parties. My subordinates, over excited as always, are constantly planning parties. Every single time, they¡¯re forcing me through literal hell. I¡¯m already bad at talking with people, especially during such a gathering of muscle berserkers, and there¡¯s always the chance they might find out that I¡¯m actually not strong at all, which is why I have to be on edge as much as possible.There¡¯s bingo parties and rap parties, and once they start doing killing parties, I can only lock myself up in the bathroom. And no, I¡¯m not done yet. So as to lessen the chances of me being overthrown by my subordinates, I have to always make sure they¡¯re in a good mood, and happy with me. One time I went through the hard work and made handmade sweets. It had a certain effect, as those people I gave them too all reacted in happiness, even saying things such as ¡®Her Excellency is so kind to make us sweets!¡¯¡­Well, I¡¯m glad I made them after all. Anyway, even during times when there¡¯s no battle, I have to constantly be aware of how my subordinates are feeling, but when I had gotten closer to them, yet another problem arose. My subordinates, who had gotten very clingy to their superior, often showed their faces in my office, striking up various conversations. Recently, it revolved around hobbies or favorite food, but sometimes it drove off lane with a ¡®I¡¯m actually quite worried about my future path¡¯ or ¡®I can¡¯t get up in the morning¡¯ or ¡®My magical power has been growing too much lately¡¯ or ¡®I need some advice for the person I like¡­¡¯ and many more. You know, I¡¯m not some counsellor, okay¡­But, I can never muster up the courage to say that, which is why I always have to balance my own work and properly dealing with my subordinates¡¯ troubles. It¡¯s quite ironic that someone like me, with barely any experience in life, is giving out sloppy advice (that I did think about thoroughly though) to some older men. I totally assumed that I would get some angry complaints, but that only raised my popularity. Nowadays, there¡¯s always a large line building up in front of my office, and the other Seven Crimson Devas even give me comments such as ¡®Gandezblood-dono sure has changed¡¯ and whatnot. As a result of all these reasons mentioned above, I barely had any time to rest as of late. So, I¡¯d like to be honest here. ¡°¡ªI¡¯m tired of this!¡± Bang! I slammed my hand on my desk, and shot up from my chair, when Vill gave me a puzzled expression. ¡°What happened, Komari-sama? Your signing session is about to begin.¡± ¡°That very signing session in itself is weird! I¡¯m supposed to be a commander, not an idol! Look at the other Devas, nobody is doing anything like this!¡± I sat inside the Mulnight Palace¡¯s auditorium. Kidnapped by the perverted maid, I was forced into my military uniform, and had to sit down on this luxurious chair. When I asked for the reason, Vill just gave a nonchalant ¡®There will be a signing session of yours now¡¯, and that¡¯s about it. I would understand if she pulled me to another battle (although I don¡¯t want to), but why do I have to act like an idol? Is it because I am an unparalleled beauty? ¡°Demand and supply, you see. The other Seven Crimson Devas are all stern-looking men, whereas Komari-sama possesses feminine beauty of an angel, which is why there is so much demand.¡± ¡°You say that, but isn¡¯t there more important stuff to handle? I looked into a few good magic teaching books since Marco asked me, and I found some good sweets recipes for Teressa as well. On top of that, Danilo needed help for a speech that he¡¯s going to give at his friend¡¯s wedding, Rolan still needs to make up with his wife, and there¡¯s also Pecol¡ª¡± ¡°You try to fulfill all the work entrusted to you, how wonderful.¡± ¡°How is that wonderful!? Give me a break! And I mean that literally!¡± ¡°Do not worry. Taking care of the documents later will account for a break.¡± ¡°What kind of black company is this!?¡± ¡°Your guests are about to arrive.¡± ¡°Eh, what¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t even mentally prepare myself, as the door of the auditorium opened, and the vampires walked inside. Ugh, whatever then. Let¡¯s just get this singing session over then! I tried to calm myself down, but my tension wouldn¡¯t vanish, as my heart continued to race. I feel like puking. I thought there¡¯d be a lot of girls my age, so why is it that many guys? I¡¯m a bit scared. ¡°¡­It¡¯s the actual Excellency¡­¡± ¡°Her aura is different¡­¡± ¡°She really feels like a Seven Crimson Deva.¡± ¡°But, she¡¯s so small and cute.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just up my alley, actually.¡± The people (fans ?) were guided inside, approaching me. Also, you calling me ¡®small and cute¡¯ actually hurts quite a bit. I¡¯m drinking milk every day, you know? Well, I¡¯ll just overwhelm them with my Deva mode. ¡°U-Um, my name is Rakna, and I¡¯m a fan of your Excellency! Please give me your autograph!¡± First up was a young boy with a beet red face. He looked like he was about to explode from embarrassment. Well, I technically am a Seven Crimson Deva, and I can have quite the terrifying aura (if I want to). I accepted the signing paper from the boy, and put my autograph on it with smooth movement. It¡¯s basically me practicing acting like an author once I¡¯ll debut with my own novel. I was about to hand over the signing paper, when I stopped. Aren¡¯t I a bit too cold here? I don¡¯t want to scare him away¡ªThat was my thought, so I showed my best smile, and spoke up. ¡°Thank you, Rakna-kun. I¡¯ll give it my all during the next battle.¡± ¡°!?¡± The boy accepted the signing paper, and his mouth opened and closed like he wanted to say something. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Rakna-kun? Do you have a fever?¡± ¡°N-No¡­Thank you very much! Bye!¡± He dashed away like the devil chased him, as I felt a flush of anxiety inside of my chest. At the same time,Vill spoke up with a worried tone. ¡°Komari-sama, please don¡¯t tease your fans too much.¡± ¡°Tease? Did I do something I shouldn¡¯t have?¡± ¡°You airhead¡­¡± Vill started her words, but quickly stopped herself, shaking her head. ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t act too close with your fans¡ªNow, the next person please.¡± Following this, the signing session went along smoothly. Why can¡¯t I just change my occupation into being an author. I¡¯m already used to giving out autographs. Everyone is coming here with such positive affection, like ¡®I¡¯m always supporting you!¡¯ or ¡®Please try your best!¡¯ and others, but then there¡¯s also questionable people with ¡®Please make miso soup for me every morning¡¯ or ¡®Please drink my miso soup every evening¡¯, where I honestly had trouble figuring out what they wanted from me. ¡°Your Excellency! Please let us make love after thi¡ªGugeh!?¡± Towards the end, there was one guest who had his neck squashed by Vill, dying in the process, but that was about it, which led the signing session to end fairly safely. However, by the time it ended, the time day was about to close as well. After I confirmed the last guest had left the auditorium, I sank back into my chair. ¡°I¡¯m done. I can¡¯t anymore. I wanna go home.¡± ¡°Good work today, Komari-sama. There is no more work left for today, so let us return. I shall wash your body in the bath for you.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡­Wait no! Nevermind!¡± I can¡¯t let down my guard for just a second. Also, ever since that duel with Johan, I never once took a bath again with her. Vill tried to assault me during my bath time, but when I told her that ¡®I¡¯ll start hating you if you keep sexually harassing me like this!¡¯, Vill showed a face distorted in despair, and left. I don¡¯t really get it, but that apparently had some sort of effect on her. I guess I¡¯ll use that the next time as well¡ªis what I thought, when I heard a familiar voice. ¡°¡ªHey, Komari. Working hard, hm?¡± ¡°Father?¡± Looking over towards the voice, I spotted a tall vampire wearing a jet-black robe. ¡°What brings you here? Work?¡± ¡°On my way back, yeah. I was talking with Her Majesty the Empress.¡± My father grinned. ¡°Seems like the signing session was a great success, huh. I guess you could call it a Komarin Boom. If you keep going like this, you might really make it up to the position of an Empress.¡± Oh right, we talked about that before. ¡°Stop with that, I don¡¯t plan on becoming the Empress¡­¡± ¡°Even if you don¡¯t feel like it right now, your opinion might change later on. I know that her Majesty has a high evaluation of you Komari.¡± ¡°Eh, that perv¡ªHer Majesty does?¡± ¡°Right, right. Recently, she had to worry about this whole terrorism, from that ¡®Inverted Moon¡¯ group or whatever. With a reliable Seven Crimson Deva, she¡¯s much more reassured, see.¡± ¡°But, I¡¯m not strong at all¡­¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, because you¡ª¡± Father suddenly stopped his words. ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s nothing. Rather than that, an invitation from that perverted Majesty or what you call her has been sent towards you.¡± Father took out a letter from his chest pocket. I got a horrible feeling about this. ¡°It¡¯s an invitation for a party, addressed to you, Komari.¡± * Will I receive overtime pay for this? Eh, I won¡¯t? Nothing at all? I¡¯ll at least get a day off later, right? I won¡¯t? I see, I understand¡ªRot in hell!!! Even if I screamed that inside of my heart, nothing changed. That¡¯s why, the following day after the signing session, I was inside the ¡®Ovation Room¡¯, located in the Mulnight Imperial Palace.I was forced to participate in the buffet party held by the Empress. Luxurious food filled all the tables around me, as the royalty and nobles of the Mulnight Empire tasted the food and drinks, talking with each other. As for me, I was hiding in a corner of this wide open room. To my right, I had the perverted maid Vill. To my right stood the wild beast of a killer, Belius Inu Kerbero. In case you were wondering why Belius was with me, it¡¯s because the Empress mentioned I could bring two subordinates with me. Normally, I should have probably invited Melaconcy with me, since he had the highest standing, but his personality is a bit¡­complicated. Since Chaostell is out as well, I went with Belius, since he seems the most rational (although he¡¯s a killer as well). I was dressed up accordingly to the occasion (because I was forced to), and even though I had proper support with me, the best I could do was stand in one corner, sipping on some milk. Of course, all because I absolutely fail when it comes to communicating with others. ¡°Your Excellency, what exactly should we do now?¡± Belius had a troubled expression on his face. I gulped down the rest in my glass, and glanced up at him. ¡°Are you bad with occasions like these?¡± ¡°Honestly speaking, I am. I had lived my life with no connection to royalty and the upper class after all.¡± Oh yeah, I read in his CV that he grew up in a lower class district. ¡°The royalty can only think about themselves.¡± Belius clicked his tongue. ¡°They only think of us lower citizens as insects that deserve no attention¡ªOf course, your Excellency is different.¡± I see, a lot must have happened¡­ ¡°No need to worry. If someone dared to disrespect you, I will deal with them. I belong to a distinguished family after all, so not many try to challenge the Gandezbloods.¡± ¡°No, it is nothing that you should meddle with, your Excellency¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to hold back. I am your superior, so I have responsibility to take care of you. You are a trustworthy benefactor of mine, and a member of my 7th Corps, invited to a party with the royality¡ªThis is something an ordinary vampire could never hope to achieve, so you can feel proud about yourself.¡± ¡°Y-Your Excellency¡­¡± Belius looked down at me, deeply emotional. ¡­I wonder, did I say too much? ¡°Well, if you¡¯re not used to it, you can just enjoy the food. Someone will eventually come talk to you. Or, would you rather talk with me?¡± ¡°Then, I ask you to talk with me, Komari-sama. What are your weak spots? I¡¯m very sensitive beneath my navel¡ª¡± ¡°You keep quiet! There¡¯s people around, you know!?¡± ¡°Then, let us continue this conversation when it¡¯s just the two of us¡­¡± ¡°Enough! I¡¯m talking with Belius now!¡± I tore my eyes away from the perverted maid, facing Belius. Now, what should we talk about? It¡¯d be best if the other people around us won¡¯t think of us as loners. I feel like I can talk more easily with him as well. He¡¯s like a dog, a pet. ¡°¡­But, what should we talk about?¡± ¡°Anything is fine. Tomorrow¡¯s weather, your favorite food or sweets¡­¡± ¡°Then, I would like to talk about the current power balance between the six countries.¡± ¡°P-Power balance?¡± ¡°I wanted to ask about the Republic of Gela Arca, and their current rise in motivation and strength.¡± ¡°Ah, Gela Arca, huh. Their fried shrimps are great.¡± ¡°No, not that¡­¡± Belius wanted to say something, but an energetic girl¡¯s voice interrupted him. ¡°My beloved Komari! Are you having fun?¡± Feeling that something was off, I turned around. Standing there was a beautiful girl, with eyes and hair glowing like the moonlight. The clothes she wore were dazzlingly beautiful, and her body height was not too different from mine. She is the person who kissed me against my will, the perverted Empress of the Mulnight Empire. Belius went down on one knee, and I rushed to follow suit, but the perverted Empress grabbed both of my shoulders, and stopped me. ¡°Stop it, stop it. This is a gathering, no audience. On top of that, you and I are really close, right?¡± ¡°R-Really?¡± ¡°Indeed. That¡¯s why, feel free to call me Ren-chan, okay?¡± Close, you¡¯re too close, Ren-chan. Also, stop running your hands along my shoulders, I¡¯m getting the shivers. I looked at my left and right, asking for help. Belius did not dare utter a sound. Vill was shaking herself with a disgusted expression. What¡¯s wrong, are you jealous or something? ¡°Let me ask you, Komari. How is your work as a Seven Crimson Deva coming along?¡± ¡°Even if you ask me that¡­¡± ¡°It seems as if I didn¡¯t need to ask. I see your achievements, and your continuous victories against the other countries except the Fairy Land. I¡¯ve never seen such a Seven Crimson Deva before.¡± Totally not because I was lucky all this time. ¡°I invited you to this party to celebrate your efforts. Eat and drink as much as you want. Some summer vegetables with crocodile meat and blood sauce, as well as some pure 100% blood juice¡ªOh wait, you¡¯re bad with blood, right. Then, head over to that table there. You can find bloodless dishes at your desire.¡± The Empress clung to my arm with no hesitation whatsoever, pulling me along. We walked through the rows of nobles, and made our way to the dinner table. How long has it been since I talked with her? She¡¯s as eccentric as ever, I see. To be perfectly honest, I¡¯m not too good at dealing with her. Also, her large breasts are constantly hitting my arm. How did she make them get this big? What is she eating? Must be blood right? God damn it. ¡°¡­Fufu. You know, I¡¯m fairly relieved.¡± The Empress packed her plate full of sausages, as she spoke. ¡°You¡¯ve been shutting yourself in three whole years. I thought that you might not make it back to society, but it seems like your father¡¯s bet was worth it.¡± ¡°Bet?¡± ¡°Yeah, he bet on the fact that you would leave your room if I forced you to become a Seven Crimson Deva. It¡¯s quite the danger, pulling a shut-in out of their safe space. They can start crying, causing a ruckus, or even attack their parents¡­But, you didn¡¯t do that.¡± Of course. Even if I wanted to cry and cause a ruckus, the symbol on my belly won¡¯t allow me to do so. If I don¡¯t fulfill my work as a Seven Crimson Deva, I will explode and die after all. And, the girl that put me into this horrible situation is currently right in front of me. ¡°Do you loathe me for forcefully sealing that contract? Well, this is something your father begged me to do. The money I got from him was also too delicious to miss out on.¡± So some trade like that happened!? Jesus, this country is so corrupted! ¡°But, it seems like you don¡¯t hate me after all. In your eyes resides a crimson color, resembling the dusk of Mulnight. You¡¯re enjoying your current life, huh?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± The Empress stretched out her hand, touching my lower abdomen. And if that wasn¡¯t enough, she gently rubbed my stomach there, above my clothes. ¡°This isn¡¯t just your own body anymore. You get what I¡¯m saying, right?¡± As if I would. I¡¯ll sue you. ¡°I¡¯m saying that you have many subordinates who put their faith in you. No, not just subordinates. All the Komarists in this country, all the people gathered here, they are all aching to have a word or two with you. They were probably holding back because I hadn¡¯t gotten to you yet.¡± Hold on a damn second, what the heck is a Komarist? Also¡­ ¡°I¡¯m not alone?¡± ¡°Indeed. To be more accurate, you have never been alone, but now you have many more supporters. There is no need to act timidly. Here, open wide~¡± Biting down on the wiener the Empress pushed into my mouth, I couldn¡¯t hide my bewilderment. I swallowed down the meat. ¡°¡­Why are you this worried about me?¡± The Empress was baffled for a second. ¡°Ahahaha, what an exceedingly accurate question. Very well, let me tell you the truth. The reason I had set my eyes on you¡ªis because you are the daughter of my former lover.¡± My mouth opened wide. But, the Empress frantically shook her head. ¡°Ah no, I¡¯m not talking about your father.¡± ¡°Meaning?¡± ¡°Your mother and I had promised our future to each other.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± What is she talking about? What did my Mother do? ¡°However, that bastard Alman¡ªyour father had stolen her from me. That Yurine is always so dishonest.She had someone like me, but went playing with someone else, and eventually had both her heart and body stolen.¡± That¡¯s too lively, I don¡¯t want to hear about that. ¡°But¡­whenever I look at you, I¡¯m reminded of your mother. If you grow some more, maybe you¡¯ll end up as a beauty like her? I¡¯m terribly looking forward to that.¡± The perverted Empress moved her hand down at my behind, gently rubbing it. She really is even more of a pervert than Vill, huh. The Empress moved away from me with an ¡®I was jesting¡¯. ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate non-consensual acts. In fact, I never kissed you in your sleep. There are countless other methods to form a contract.¡± She turned around on her heel. ¡°To get back on topic, you aren¡¯t alone, Komari. There are countless people that yearn for you, just like me. That¡¯s why, don¡¯t fall into despair¡­like three years ago.¡± She told me to enjoy the party, and walked away. I didn¡¯t even have time to think about her words, as countless nobles gathered in the room came rushing towards me. ¡°Good day, Commander.¡± ¡°It is an honor to meet you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen your excellent work during the previous battle.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t you let my son into your 7th Corps?¡± ¡°If possible, I¡¯d like to arrange a marriage meeting for you with my son¡­¡± With everybody rushing to approach me, I felt a bit uncomfortable. It¡¯s true that they hold great interest in me. However, that is only because I am a Seven Crimson Deva. It¡¯s solely because they think I¡¯m strong, and influential. The Empress said that I wasn¡¯t alone. But, if everybody present here found out the truth about Terakomari Gandezblood, how many would still continue to follow me. There, a certain thought popped up in my head. What are you troubled for, Terakomari Gandezblood. I am the advocate of solitude, enjoying my time most when I¡¯m locked up inside my room to read books and write novels. Why do I care what other people think of me¡ªExcept the fact that I might be overthrown. That¡¯s right, I am a proud shut-in vampire princess. Ever since that day three years ago, and three years in the future from now on, that will not change. ¡°¡­Terakomari, mind giving me some of your time?¡± I suddenly heard someone call me by my name. I saw a fox mask looking at me, worn by a girl. Who is this person? ¡°U-Um, who might you be?¡± ¡°Just another noble passing by, any problems with that?¡± ¡°Not really, no¡­¡± Her tone sounded oddly aggressive. The more I looked at her, the more suspicious she seemed. However, there¡¯s a barrier set up around the party grounds, so the second she¡¯s made it in here, she¡¯s nobody dangerous. Hence, I had to go into commander mode again. ¡°Very well then, let us talk. No need to hold back. Today, we¡¯re having a banquet, so keep the stiff attitude for another time.¡± A loud laugh came from behind the fox mask. ¡°Interesting¡­Very interesting. Just as I¡¯ve heard, you do act how you please, don¡¯t you. I take it that you are this successful in battle because you give your subordinates a fair amount of freedom?¡± ¡°Hm¡­? I mean, that is correct¡­¡± ¡°Do you trust your subordinates that much? The pervert-filled corps?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t necessarily trust them, but they¡¯re all out for blood, so if I leave them alone, they do the job of killing the enemy.¡± ¡°So you don¡¯t have to work yourself?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I nodded, only to panicky add. ¡°¡ªWell, if I had to act, I would win in the blink of an eye, so that would be boring, right?¡± The fox mask let out a disinterested sigh. ¡°So you thought it through, huh. It¡¯s true that war nowadays is nothing more than a declaration of national strength. Or in simpler terms, it¡¯s a form of entertainment for the masses. If you participated, it¡¯d be an immediate bloodbath the people have seen countless times already, and that¡¯d be boring, alright.¡± ¡°Yeah yeah. That wouldn¡¯t be good enough. Glory and reception with the populace would be the best, but that would destroy the show, ahahaha.¡± ¡°You can say that again. Not killing for your own joy, or purely for the sake of it, but doing it for your own country makes it feel like such a waste.¡± ¡­Hm? We¡¯re actually getting along? ¡°W-Well, that is correct.¡± ¡°Right? And, the one insulting true fighting and war the most¡ªis you, Terakomari.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like your way of living. Why can you stay as a Seven Crimson Deva nonetheless? Why can you walk under the sun? Is it fun being thrown around by everyone around you?¡± What is she¡­? ¡°Because people like you exist, this world is as rotten as it is right now. I was the same. If not for you, right now I would be¡ªNo, that doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m wholeheartedly satisfied with my current environment. Getting chased out of the country, and entering ¡®Inverted Moon¡¯ was the best thing that could have happened for me.¡± What the hell is she on about¡­? ¡°U-Um¡­¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. My name is MIllicent Bluenight. I came back to repay my debt from three years ago.¡± The girl suddenly took off her mask. What appeared from beneath that was a face I wanted to forget, but never could. Millicent: She is the reason why I became a shut-in. Her skirt fluttered in the wind because her motion, as she took a stop towards me, a silver knife in her right hand. ¡°¡ªYour Excellency!¡± I ate a tackle to my side, and was blown away. I ended up slamming my head into the meat sauce spaghetti. When I pushed up my head and looked back, I saw the girl stabbing the knife right into Belius¡¯ side. ¡°What a shame, I missed.¡± ¡°¡­Ugh¡­Argh¡­¡± A red puddle was created on the bottom right below the wound. I heard screams around me. What just happened. Why did this happen? So much blood¡ªcrimson red blood. ¡°Komari-sama! Please leave this to me!¡± Vill screamed. She gathered magical power around her to a level even an amateur like me could see, as several throwing knives came flying from her hand. The girl showed a confident snicker in response, pulled the knife out of Belius¡¯ side, and jumped back. The throwing knives missed her, stabbing into the cooking, the tables, or the party visitors, as apparently the poison set it, when the food had gone bad, the tables turned purple, and the party visitors collapsed. I felt like crying at seeing such a grotesque scene. ¡°My, how scary. I¡¯ll definitely die after getting hit by those.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t miss next time.¡± ¡°You will. I¡¯m stronger than you after all.¡± The girl laughed, and flashed a truly discomfortable smile. What is this? What is happening? I was about to get killed? Belius protected me? ¡°W-Who is that! Seize her!¡± ¡°Intruder!¡± ¡°What are the security doing!¡± ¡°This is the first time something like this happened!¡± ¡°What should we do?¡± The nobles were screaming in confusion in fear and rage, and yet the intruder showed a saddened expression. I felt indescribable fear. Millicent hasn¡¯t changed at all since three years ago. She can hurt other people without a moment¡¯s hesitation, and can laugh in the face of whatever tragedy might occur. ¡°¡ªHey. What do you think you¡¯re doing, interrupting my party? You got a death wish or something?¡± ¡°Can you keep quiet for a second, Empress? I didn¡¯t want to interrupt anything. I just¡ªYeah, I¡¯m going to kill you, kill Alman Gandezblood, and then kill the terrified Terakomari last.¡± Millicent turned towards me. I felt like my heart was gripped. These eyes of hers. These deep, profound eyes¡­Because of her, these last three years¡ª ¡°Well, if talking won¡¯t work, then I can only kill you now. Go die, will you.¡± The Empress¡¯ fingertip started glowing. Millicent let out a roaring laughter, jumped into the air, and landed right next to me. She glared at me like a snake staring at its prey, leaving me unable to move. ¡°Komari-sama!¡± ¡°Tch¡­A hostage is quite unfair, don¡¯t you agree.¡± Both Vill and the Empress could only watch us passively. Millicent pressed her knife against my neck, and stabbed into it without hesitation¡ªor so I thought she would, but nothing of that happened. Finally, Millicent let out a bored sigh. ¡°¡ªBoring. It¡¯d be boring to end it like this. I want us to fight and kill each other.¡± ¡°What¡­are you talking about?¡± ¡°As if you¡¯d understand my feelings¡­Anyway, I¡¯ll be coming again, Terakomari. And, I will kill you for sure. I¡¯ll make you taste a death where even the magic nucleus won¡¯t be able to revive you¡­So look forward to it.¡± Milicent showed a fiendish smile, and waved her left hand to cast magic. But, everything was too late when we realized that it wasn¡¯t an attack magic. ¡°Space magic! She¡¯s going to escape!¡± The lighting fired from the Empress barely missed the girl, who vanished like a hallucination. The lighting fired off by the Empress scattered into empty air after hitting nearby victims, immediately killing them. However, nobody cared about that. Vill came rushing towards me. ¡°Komari-sama, are you injured?¡± ¡°N-No, I¡¯m fine. What about Belius¡­¡± I looked over, and saw him collapsed on the ground. However, Vill quickly reassured me. ¡°You needn¡¯t worry. With the magic nucleus, his wounds will heal soon.¡± ¡°That¡­is true, but¡­¡± ¡ªI¡¯ll come again, Terakomari. Spaghetti was still glued to my face, as I started quivering in fear. It felt like everything was taking a turn for the worse. Millicent Bluenight. Why. Why is she here? I haven¡¯t done anything bad. Why is she here again to come for me? Why isn¡¯t she satisfied yet? Why¡ª ¡°Komari-sama¡­?¡± I couldn¡¯t answer her. Inside of me, in the depths even I myself should not be able to reach, the forbidden door, which had been sealed there until now, slowly started to open. 1 Lit. Smelly Ball Volume 1 - CH 5 ¡°¡ªLet us annihilate ¡®Inverted Moon¡¯! Right now!¡± Bang! A hand slammed down on the desk, to which the perverted maid Villhaze let out a sigh. We currently found ourselves up on the highest floor of the Seven Crimson Office, the office room of Commander Gandezblood. However, the commander in question was not present. Surrounding the desk were Villhaze and Chaostell Cont only. Nobody else was present. On a side note, the members of the 7th Corps were waiting outside the door of the office room, trying to gather what was spoken inside. Chaostell opened his mouth with great vigor. ¡°They are criminals having bared their fangs at the Mulnight Empire. We have to punish them.¡± ¡°We have yet to find their hideout. Even after the six countries worked together to find it for the past years.¡± ¡°We just have to find it ourselves. Or, will you wait for them to regroup? Is this really the time to be saying that?¡± Of course not. Around one week ago, during the party organized by the Empress, a girl named Millicent had attacked Komari, and heavily wounded an upper brass of the Komari Squad, Belius, leaving him in an unconscious state. That¡¯s right, he still is unconscious. Normally, a wound like that should heal after a while through the power of the magic nucleus, especially after a week had passed. However, not even the wound where he had been stabbed was healed. The reason for that had been guessed by the blonde-haired big-breasted Empress. ¡°She must have used a heavenly tool. Only a heavenly tool can cancel the effect of another heavenly tool, a magic nucleus. Hence, the only way for that wolf man to heal is by using his own stamina and strength.¡± In a time long past, where there existed no magic nuclei, society and its inhabitants were relying on a profession called ¡®Doctor¡¯, who supposedly could heal every imaginable sickness and wound. There still existed doctors now, but none of them could hope to compare to the magic nuclei¡¯s effect, which is why Belius had to deal with this wound on his own. Hence, Chaostell requested a battle of revenge, and the driving force behind this most likely was rage. Rage towards the terrorist who splattered his beloved commander¡¯s face in spaghetti. ¡°Also, what was the imperial court doing! A terrorist made it to the deepest parts of the country! If that isn¡¯t a national disaster, I don¡¯t know what is!¡± ¡°The imperial court has meetings day in, day out. There is an important reason for that.¡± ¡°And what is that reason?¡± ¡°Spies might have snuck inside the Empire.¡± ¡°Spies¡­?¡± Chaostell glared at Vill. ¡°A teleportation gate had been set up inside that party hall. Since you are well informed in spatial magic, you should know about this, but magic requires you to create two gates beforehand. Basically, someone must have snuck into that hall before the party, and set up a gate. An outsider should not have been able to do that. On a side note, the other gate has been found in a back alley located in the lower-class district of the imperial capital.¡± ¡°I see¡­So basically, the guys from the imperial court are trying to filter out the spies that snuck inside the country, as well as searching for other possible gates.¡± ¡°Correct. That is why they are carefully talking things through.¡± ¡°So irritating!¡± Chaostell let out a roar. ¡°What problem is there even if spies were in our country!? We just have to overwhelm and chase them out!¡± ¡°¡­It seems like you are quite the unexpected muscle brain.¡± ¡°I know when to stay calm, and when to become passionate! And, I couldn¡¯t be more fired right now! We should gather the corps right now, and control the vicinity of the capital!¡± ¡°That would be regarded as a violation of orders.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Chaostell swallowed his words. ¡°Komari-sama has given us the order to ¡®Stay on stand-by until I come back¡¯, remember? If you were to move separately now, your head would fly.¡± ¡°I-I know that, but¡­Where is her Excellency right now? I want her to give us the order to move out right away.¡± ¡°She seems to be inspecting enemy movements. She wouldn¡¯t even tell me, her close aide, of her location.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­No, please wait, Lieutenant Villhaze. I cannot ignore that last part. Her close aid is me, Chaostell Cont.¡± ¡°Well then, do you know the color of Komari-sama¡¯s underwear.¡± ¡°!?!?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t, right? Hence, I am the one worthy of holding this title. Anyway, Komari-sama will eventually contact us, so we cannot move on our own.¡± ¡°However¡­will her Excellency really come back?¡± ¡°What are you referring to?¡± ¡°The Komari Squad is like a torchlight before a storm. Johan has left the army, Belius is currently unable to fight, and Melaconcy is currently using his paid vacation to travel overseas. Now that even her Excellency is gone¡­¡± Vill agreed to that. It made sense that he would be worried. ¡°¡ªIt will be fine. She is a great commander handpicked by her Majesty the Empress. She is a hero that will color the heavens crimson. She would never throw away her subordinates.¡± Vill tried to stay positive, but the 7th Corps really was about to fall apart. Komari is currently out scouting the enemy? Please. As if that girl had such courage to begin with. But, Vill had to continue lying about it, because otherwise the Komari Squad would fall to ruin. Having left the Seven Crimson Office, Vill hopped on the horse carriage, and arrived at the Gandezblood Residence. She used the servants entrance to get inside, and made her way up to the second floor. She walked down the hallway, and finally spotted the room she was aiming for. She stood in front of the destroyed door, and spoke up with a ¡®Komari-sama¡¯, but no response came. ¡°Komari-sama, excuse me.¡± She carried her feet inside the room. The inside of the room was dark, and countless books had been scattered all over the floor. The girl must have been devoid of any energy to even clean up. After a deep breath, Vill called out again. ¡°Komari-sama, how are you feeling.¡± ¡°¡ªVill?¡± Something moved inside the bed. Vill was relieved to have received an answer, and continued talking with a kind voice. ¡°Everyone is worried. Please, won¡¯t you leave your room only for a little bit?¡± ¡°No.¡± Vill was rejected without hesitation. ¡°If I leave the room, I¡¯ll just get killed. I¡¯m an irregular vampire with no strength nor courage, so I have no place outside. Staying as a shut-in is the best for me.¡± ¡°That is not the case. Lieutenant Cont wants to meet you.¡± ¡°As if I care! He¡¯s probably disappointed in me! I was drenched in spaghetti! A Seven Crimson Deva was humiliated like that! I couldn¡¯t even protect Belius like I told him I would.¡± Vill swallowed her breath. She didn¡¯t expect the girl to be hung up on that. ¡°Komari-sama¡­¡± ¡°A-And also¡­And if I leave, she will¡­¡± She¡­There is only one person she could have referred to. Millicent Bluenight from ¡®Inverted Moon¡¯. She had been a fellow student in the same year of Komari, and the reason why Komari had been bullied into becoming a shut-in. Vill let out a sigh, and muttered a defeated ¡®I understand¡¯. ¡°Then, I will wait for when you¡¯ve changed your mind.¡± Vill showed a slight bow, and left the room. It¡¯s been one week since Komari has started to shut herself in again. Being attacked by Millicent must have been some sort of trauma for her. Or, it could have been an explosion of all the stress she had accumulated. Either way, this wasn¡¯t a preferable situation. She wouldn¡¯t eat much food either, and sometimes doesn¡¯t even respond over all. Right when Vill turned around the corner, Komari¡¯s father appeared. ¡°Hey, Vill-kun. No success today again?¡± ¡°¡­Yes. I¡¯m terribly sorry.¡± He awkwardly scratched his cheek. ¡°I see. Well, it can¡¯t be helped. To think that girl would appear in front of Komari under such circumstances, I never would have expected that. Man¡­it¡¯s coming back to bite me, huh.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Millicent, see. Three years ago, she was the vampire who bullied Komari, and I couldn¡¯t allow that. I put false accusations of rebellion against the royal family on her family, and forced her out of the country. To think she¡¯d come back as a member of a terrorist group to take revenge. How troublesome, really.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Well, leaving that side, I leave Komari to you. She¡¯s weak, fragile¡ªand too kind for her own good. Without you, she won¡¯t be able to live on.¡± ¡°¡­I understand.¡± ¡°Yup. I have to get back to work now, so take care, Vill-kun.¡± Leaving only these words behind, the man walked away. Vill observed his back grow more distant, and formed a determined fist. * The trigger was something trivial, I¡¯m sure. I probably did something to agitate Millicent, and before I even realized what was going on, it was already too late. During class or magic practice, getting ignored was the least of my problems. However, Millicent¡¯s actions escalated more and more, as she even talked badly about me in my absence, insulting me whenever I was around, destroyed my personal belongings right in front of my eyes, and even used violence. But, I still tried to hold back nonetheless. As a daughter of the prestigious Gandezblood Family, I was not allowed to receive such treatment from a classmate. If my parents or the other nobles found out about this, the Gandezblood Family would be pulled through the dirt. That¡¯s why I never asked anybody for help, and just put up with it. Even when I was ignored, when my shoes were destroyed, and when my books were ripped to shreds, my food wrapped in a dirt-cloth, I continued to cry to myself, and held it all in. Because in my eyes, she was a poor girl who could only find joy in hurting others. With these thoughts, I continued to hold it all in. But, I soon reached my limit. I think it happened in the summer three years ago. I was called to the empty classroom by Millicent and her friends, when they asked me¡ª ¡ªHey, won¡¯t you lend me that pendant? Of course, I rejected that request. The pendant I carry around my neck is a memento for my mother Yurine Gandezblood, who had died a rare ¡®Accidental Death¡¯ in this society based upon the magic nuclei. As for Millicent, she enjoyed my reaction, actually showing resistance for once. Her followers immediately restrained me. She stretched out her hand for it, looking at me like I was some toy of hers. And there, I cut a blank. Despair turns cowards courageous, you could call it. I hit one of the girls holding me on the face with the back of my head and let her lower her guard, running away with tears in my eyes. However, Millicent used magic (probably gravity-controlling magic), which let me fall over. ¡ªNow you¡¯ve done it. Look at this, that girl¡¯s nose is bleeding. I completely froze up, as I saw her glare down at me with pure killing intent. ¨CRight, I wouldn¡¯t mind forgiving you with a pinky of yours. Kyahaha! Give me your pinky¡ªit¡¯s a standard type of bullying. It¡¯s not a metaphor either. The girls that are weak and get bullied have to cut off their pinkies, and give it to the other person. I don¡¯t remember much after rejecting that request. I feel like I was beaten to a pulp one-sidedly, and I might have fought back a bit that led them to bleed. Either way, the day came to an end, and I laid down in my bed, my body in tatters and hurting everywhere. But, it didn¡¯t matter. My wounds will heal soon enough. What was the biggest problem? The heart. Having my heart excavated by Millicent, I stopped going to school. All the anxiety and fear I had built up so far all started to burst out. What happened after that isn¡¯t something I should talk about here. Three years passed since that incident, and I had stayed a shut-in that entire time. I never went outside again, never bothered to interact with anybody, and just stayed at home, reading books, writing novels. After staying for a shut-in, I slowly felt the wounds in my heart heal. My father and the Empress must have seen that. Through their strategy, I became a Seven Crimson Deva, and slowly started to leave my safe space. With this, I could finally forget about the past¡ªor rather, these memories still existed, locked away inside of me, and I acted like none of that ever happened, which allowed me to talk with people normally. But, this time ended as well¡­because Millicent appeared yet again, pulling me back into those grim days. ¡°¡­¡­¡± I clung to my dolphin hugging pillow, and envisioned the worst possible scenario that could befall me. I thought I could do it as a Seven Crimson Deva, and acted all bossy, but in the end, I¡¯m still a shameful shut-in. That¡¯s why, I won¡¯t leave my room. I¡¯ve decided. Three days passed. Millicent did not show herself again. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean I would just forget about her. If anything, I was more sensitive to everything around me, as my body quivered by just a small sound. Vill always brings me food three times a day. Whenever she walks inside the room, and eventually leaves, she always talks to me, but she never once tried to sexually harass me again. ¡°Komari-sama, I made omurice for today¡¯s dinner. You like it, right?¡± ¡°Komari-sama, we have such nice weather today, how about we go for a walk?¡± ¡°Komari-sama, I found an interesting book, why don¡¯t you read it? I recommend it.¡± She always left behind kind and considerate words. However, since this ¡®interesting book¡¯ was actually an obscene magazine, I knew that something was wrong with her after all. Anyway, I gave a response whenever I felt like it, but kept quiet when I didn¡¯t. I wonder what she¡¯s thinking while being forced to deal with me? Sympathy? Empathy? Or because I¡¯m rich? Because she gets paid a whole lot? Oh yeah, she did say that she ¡®committed a ¡®heavy crime¡¯ before. ¡°Komari-sama, are you not writing a new novel?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Is that so. Then, show it to me once you complete it.¡± Vill showed a bow, and left my room. Since the door was still broken, I could see her figure all the way down the hallway. Just who is she? * Chaostell¡¯s determination was burning strong, as he looked down at the scenery from the top of the highest building in the capital, the Altova clocktower. He swore to take revenge on the girl who injured his brother in arms Belius, and dared dirtying his beloved Excellency¡¯s face with spaghetti. However, the situation was fairly complicated. Two weeks had passed since that incident at the party, and he could not find any more information that he could rely on. If anything, nobody even picked up on the enemy¡¯s secret work, which is why a more relaxed atmosphere filled the royal court. The cabinet minister even said ¡®Maybe they gave up and left?¡¯ like the idiot he was. ¡°Her Excellency is still¡­¡± Chaostell took out a picture from his chest pocket. It showed his beloved Excellency, wearing a school swimsuit as her cheeks were flushed to the fullest. This picture was his prized possession, and supported him even in his darkest times. ¡°Just where did her Excellency go¡­?¡± Ever since this one incident at the party, Chaostell¡¯s beloved commander has not shown her face in front of the 7th Corps. According to Villhaze, she was scouting out the enemy, but that was too suspicious too believe. It felt like that maid was hiding something. ¡°Your Excellency¡­I am terribly sorry¡­¡± Chaostell confessed. The terrorist this time had been a girl wearing a fox mask. If they had managed to seize her that one night, none of this would have happened. In other words, this is Chaostell¡¯s responsibility to carry. Nobody else was allowed to take that from him. However, finding the girl was all too difficult. That is why he decided to search for Komari¡¯s current location himself. Chaostell stuffed the picture back in his pocket, and activated his spatial magic. He took out a wooden box out of thin air, and removed a strand of hair from the box. It belonged to Komari, which he had secretly secured. Using this blonde hair, Chaostell could confirm the location of her. In more detailed terms, by using the spatial magic , which spans all over the imperial capital, Chaostell can locate the vampire this strand of hair belonged to. However, with the activation of , this strand of hair will turn into raw magical power, and disappear. In other words, Chaostell had to say goodbye to his precious. He had crawled after Komari countless times, and finally managed to find this treasure, meaning that it held immense value to him. ¡°..Can¡¯t I just cut my belly instead¡­¡± It couldn¡¯t be helped. Chaostell told himself that another chance to acquire a new strand of hair, and faced the scenery of the capital below him, activating his magic: Spatial Magic . The strand of hair disappeared, as a web appeared from Chaostell¡¯s palm, slowly enwrapping the entire capital. After a brief moment passed, the surprising truth opened up in front of Chaostell. The person he looked for apparently was located in the Gandezblood Residence. Just as Chaostell had expected, she was not scouting out the enemy after all. At the same time, he wondered why she never showed up in the Seven Crimson Office if she was this close. But, he stopped thinking two seconds after. That girl must have come up with a plan Chaostell could never hope to comprehend. This meant that only meeting her directly could clear up anything. Indeed, he had to visit Komari at her home. Normally, this act would be considered as an act of insolence towards the superior, but this was an emergency situation. His commander would surely overlook that. In fact, Chaostell even might be able to enter his commander¡¯s room¡­Oh my. Chaostell started grinning just by imagining that. Suddenly, agical power filled the transmission crystal Chaostell had with him, as an annoying rapping voice rang out. ¡°Yeah! Medicine found, my knowledge profound. Belius woke up, so tough?¡± ¡°Wha¡­¡± Chaostell¡¯s eyes opened wide. Apparently, Belius had recovered. That was something worthy of celebrating, but wasn¡¯t this rapper supposed to have been on a trip overseas? Or did he do that to search for the medicine? Well, not like it matters. ¡°Melaconcy, I leave Belius to you. I will visit her Excellency.¡± ¡°WHY?¡± ¡°Because I don¡¯t have any other clues at my disposal.¡± ¡°Yeah! Loiter around down if you need clues, but if you fail don¡¯t get blues.¡± The transmission cut off. Chaostell jumped down off the clock tower, and headed to the Gandezblood Residence. * (A bit before that) When Vill brought me lunch, I asked her. ¡°Why are you this worried about me?¡± To that, Vill gave her response. ¡°Why would I not be. I love Komari-sama more than anything else in the universe.¡± Stop lying¡ªis what I wanted to think, but I couldn¡¯t. If she really was after the money or a higher position, she would have definitely treated me differently. I fully ignored the currey, and just gnarred on the apple pear. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. Vill, are you some little sister of mine that got separated at birth?¡± ¡°In that case, I would be your older sister. But no, that is not correct.¡± ¡°Then, why?¡± Vill started blushing, and averted her gaze. ¡°I thought of explaining it before.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°But, I was too embarrassed to say it.¡± ¡°Then forget about it.¡± ¡°Wait, don¡¯t give up on me! At times like these, you should bite on with a ¡®Come on, what are you so embarrassed for, Vill-chan? Tell your kind uncle~¡¯, right!?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, there was no place for that joke, right¡­¡± Vill showed a reaction like she was reflecting on her actions, and stuffed her hand into the pocket of her apron. Shortly after, she took out an envelope. ¡°My feelings are written inside of this letter. If you have the time, please read it.¡± ¡°If I feel like it.¡± I stood up from my seat, and fell down on my bed, the pear still in my mouth. I felt a bit more comfortable today, which is why I tried talking with Vill, but this is my limit. Whenever I¡¯m with that perverted maid, I¡¯m forcefully reminded of being a Seven Crimson Deva, war, and the scent of blood. But, Vill still had something more to say. ¡°Komari-sama, there are a lot of people that are worried about you.¡± Again with that? I¡¯m tired of hearing that. ¡°There are probably more people like this that you would imagine¡­People that don¡¯t care about your skill, your talent, your position¡­I just want you to know that.¡± Another lie. The people from the 7th Corps only admire me because I¡¯m a Seven Crimson Deva. The second I stop with that act, I¡¯m just a brat who can¡¯t do anything. I know that more than anything else. ¡°¡ªThen, I will take my leave here. Once you¡¯ve calmed down, please let us meet at the Seven Crimson¡ª¡± Suddenly, Vill¡¯s voice came to a halt. Subconsciously, I glanced over at her. And then, I felt like someone had grabbed hold of my heart. ¡°Hello there, Komari.¡± ¡°¡­!?¡± Millicent stood there. Right behind Vill. Even in this faint darkness, I could see her grotesque smile¡ªand how she had stabbed a sharp sword into Vill¡¯s back. ¡°Ah, argh¡­Komari¡­sama¡­¡± Her white apron quickly turned crimson red. A red liquid started dripping down from her mouth, hitting the table below. Vill had an expression distorted in despair. Her legs were shaking, probably trying to keep her standing, but that didn¡¯t hold on for too long, as she sacked on the ground. I couldn¡¯t even use my voice. ¡°Oh my, what happened? Not going to say anything? I came to greet you, and this is how you treat me?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re as pitiful as ever. Just by someone getting stabbed, you grow pale. But don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t use a heavenly tool this time. With time, she¡¯ll recover. Though, she won¡¯t be able to move for a while.¡± ¡°Why¡­are you here?¡± ¡°Why? Millicent showed a fiendish grin. ¡°I told you I¡¯d come to meet you again. Did you forget?¡± MIllicent slowly approached me, but I couldn¡¯t move a single muscle. ¡°Kyahaha! There¡¯s no need to be so scared. I¡¯m not going to eat you. Not to mention that people might come bother us if I started killing you.¡± Bother? Oh yeah, there¡¯s a lot of people in this residence. But, just when I thought of shouting for help, Millicent fired a magic bullet from her palm, creating a large hole in my bed. Overwhelmed by fear, I couldn¡¯t open my mouth. ¡°Scream, and you¡¯re dead. Cause a ruckus, and you¡¯re dead. You just sit there and listen to me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s it, good girl, Komari. Then, to get back on topic. I did not come here to kill you today. It¡¯s all to prepare an even more tragic slaughter for another time.¡± ¡°Pre¡­pare?¡± ¡°There¡¯s way too many people who could interrupt us here, right? That¡¯s why I want you to come to a certain place. Can you stand?¡± She wasn¡¯t joking. I will definitely get killed. I just looked at her in a daze, unable to even speak or nod. ¡°I thought so.¡± Millicent let out a sigh. ¡°You¡¯re not in a state where you can come on your own, huh. Well, I figured as much. You¡¯ve always been nothing but trash, a crybaby whenever something bad happened. And yet, you have this ridiculous sense of justice with you. That¡¯s why, let¡¯s do it like we did three years ago.¡± Millicent turned around, and picked up Vill with a single arm. It looked like a child carrying around her toy. ¡°I¡¯ll take her with me. If you want her back, come to La Nerient city¡¯s abandoned castle when the day changes.¡± ¡°Wha¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re even one second late, Villhaze will die. Naturally, you have to come on your own. You know what will happen if you don¡¯t abide by these conditions, right?¡± I felt despair fill my chest. Even if you say that¡­what¡­am I supposed to do? ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m waiting for you. Don¡¯t disappoint me again, Terakomari.¡± Millicent left only these words behind, and walked towards the window, covered by the curtains. She fired off another magic bullet, and destroyed the glass, which created a roaring sound. Sunlight shone into the room. The terrorist didn¡¯t wait for anybody else to arrive, and just jumped through the window, still carrying Vill under her arm. Having been left behind, I fell down on the bed. The blood-drenched floor, the wall, the curry, Millicent, the stabbed Vill¡ªI couldn¡¯t believe the scenery in front of me. I didn¡¯t want to. But, the pain in my heart spoke for itself, reminding me that this was reality. What should I do, what should I do, what should I do¡ªI held my head. Around one hour passed while I covered myself with my blanket. Once my heart had calmed down, I was yet again reminded of the severity of this situation. Vill had been kidnapped, by a terrorist of all people as well. There¡¯s no guarantee that she will be kept alive. Since the other party isn¡¯t requesting money, I cannot use the influence of my family to clear up this situation. Millicent said to come to the abandoned castle alone. She said I can¡¯t ask someone else for help. Basically, this is a problem between me and her. As if I¡¯d do that. I am an advocate of peace and solitude. No matter what anybody says, I will stay a shut-in. No matter what happens to that perverted maid, it¡¯s none of my business¡ª ¡°¡­¡± Or that¡¯s how it should have been. Yet, why does my heart ache like this? Everytime I remember my days with that perverted maid, my chest tightens up. Vill never threw me away. During the duel with Johan, during the party when I was attacked by Millicent, she always tried her fullest to save me. And¡ªall these days I stayed at home, she would always bring me food. How can I just ignore her when she¡¯s in trouble? But, I can¡¯t save her either. I have to deal with true evil in the form of Millicent Bluenight. Not to mention that she holds a heavenly tool which can nullify the effect of the magic nucleus. I¡¯m supposed to jump into this danger and save the princess? I¡¯m not some hero. I¡¯m better off leaving this to the stronger army, and¡ªOh yeah, I¡¯m a commander myself. Subconsciously, I flashed a wry smile. I¡¯m a fake commander. Even if I wanted to, I can¡¯t change this situation on my own. I¡¯m a moron. I just used the vampires from the 7th Corps to my advantage, and acted like I was an actual Seven Crimson Deva. I kept complaining how I didn¡¯t want to work, and yet I never tried to deny the fact that I enjoyed the days with Vill and my subordinates. When I shut myself in again, I was reminded of that fact. Being alone means being lonely. I don¡¯t feel like I¡¯m alive. It hurts so much more than being forced to participate in a battle, being close to getting killed by my subordinates, and even more than being bullied by my heartless classmates. That¡¯s why¡­I want to leave my room. I want to throw this trauma of being bullied into the trash, and call it a day. But, I have no strength, no courage, so my legs wouldn¡¯t move. If I even had an ounce of strength inside of me through some miracle, I want to go and save Vil right away. But, I¡¯m an irregular vampire. I can¡¯t save her. Throw her aside? I can¡¯t. That would definitely break my heart. But then, what else should I do¡ª The envelope Vill had put on the table appeared in my sight. The letter inside should contain her honest feelings, right? I carefully got off my bed, avoided the blood on the floor as best as possible, and picked up the envelope. I opened it, and read. To Whom it May Concern, How are you spending these days, as the season is changing, the summer standing in front of our door? Well, we meet each day, so there is no need to ask that. I just felt like writing such a greeting at least once, see. Now then, I would like to get to the most important part right away. Komari-sama and I, we actually met three years ago. You must be surprised, right? It seems as if you do not remember this, but I have not once forgotten about that moment. Back at the time, I was an irregular and poor student at the Academy. I was an utter fool, a good-for-nothing. And, as you might expect, a ¡®weakling¡¯ like me was bullied by my classmates. The leader of these bullies was Millicent Bluenight. That wench has no regard for other people¡¯s feelings. As long as she is happy and comfortable, she doesn¡¯t care for others. By using violence and bullying like this, she rose to the top of the school caste. Just by remembering the days I had to suffer through, I feel my heart about to break. Of course, the weakling that I was had no chance of fighting back, so I was just toyed around with, and tried to bear with it. In the midst of these hellish days, a ray of sunshine appeared¡­You, Komari-sama. You probably don¡¯t even remember. I was bullied again by Millicent and her group, when you suddenly appeared, taking me by my hand, and pulled me out of that hell. It must have hurt, right? It must have been tough, right? It¡¯s okay now. You can¡¯t lose against them¡ªAll of yours words reached my heart. Back during that time, I really thought of you as a messiah. If a person as kind as you exists, then this world isn¡¯t as bad¡ª-that¡¯s what I thought. However, what happened after that was even worse. You should know about this, because you became the new target of Millicent. She must have hated the idea of you interrupting her fun. But, I couldn¡¯t do anything. Even when I saw Komari-sama suffering from Millicent¡¯s attacks, I could not step forth like you had done. This is my guilt. I couldn¡¯t even return the favor after you have saved me. I am the worst possible kind of human being. In the end, until Komari-sama became a shut-in, and Millicent disappeared, I could only hide in the shadows. That¡¯s why I wanted to atone for my sins. I couldn¡¯t stand the fact that the life of such a wonderful person such as yours would be ruined by fiendish bullies. Komari-sama always shines as brightly as the sun, possessing a gentle heart stronger than anybody. It¡¯s my responsibility that you ended up this way. Plagued by the guilt, I worked really hard on myself, going through hellish training day after day. But, when I think of being able to save you, everything feels so easy. I felt like crying at times even, but my feelings for Komari-sama supported me even in my darkest times. And, after I managed graduating from the academy, my wish had been granted, and I was employed as a maid at the Gandezblood Family. Indeed, I¡¯ve been working here for almost a year now. The only reason I hadn¡¯t come to greet you earlier was because I didn¡¯t want you to relive your past memories. I decided to watch you from the shadows, and wish for your happiness. However, I couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. The moment I heard that Komari-sama would become a Seven Crimson Deva, I had offered to become your own personal maid as support. I couldn¡¯t leave this to anyone else. In the end, I had been employed as a personal maid under the Mulnight Imperial Army (which is why I have the title of associate special rank), and my reunion with Komari-sama was granted. I was worried about what would happen during our reunion, but you had forgotten about me. I was unsure how to feel about that, but I just acted like it had been our first meeting. I¡¯m terribly sorry for deceiving you like that. I know that this letter has been quite long now, but there is only one thing I wanted to tell you, Komari-sama. You are a wonderful person. Stronger, more kind than anybody. You shine as bright as the sun. You stayed as a shut-in for such a long time, and yet you managed to recover from that. This is something worth celebrating, not something to loathe. Even if Millicent were to come attack you again, who says that you have to listen? If you have trouble on your own, please rely on me. I know that I have betrayed you in the past, but I will never make the same mistake again. I will give you a helping hand for you to walk ahead. If you can¡¯t, then I won¡¯t force you, and stay with you until you are ready. Komari-sama, your happiness is my blessing, and my wish. Please, love yourself more. Yours Sincerely. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­Vill.¡± The moment I finished reading the letter, it already fell down from my hands. I don¡¯t know what to do anymore. Tears came falling down from my eyes. Vill was bullied by Millicent. I became her superstition. Plagued by the guilt, Vill became my personal maid¡­So that¡¯s what happened. Why did I never remember? I probably never tried to. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± How can I sit still now? Being shown such devotion, reading about such honest feelings, only a heartless bastard would not be moved by this. I tightly grasped my fist. What irony this is. It¡¯s the exact same from three years ago. Vill is being held captive by Millicent. I hesitate if I want to go save her or not. If I don¡¯t save her, that¡¯s it. If I do save her, I will end up in her position¡ª No. Things are different now. I won¡¯t let things go her¡ªMillicent¡¯s way again. Because of her, my life went off the rails. These three years, I just stayed at home, talking to nobody. I won¡¯t let things end up like that again. As if I would. I¡¯ll free myself from the past. I don¡¯t care how pathetic I look. The people can laugh at me. I will get Vill back, return to the 7th Corps, and fight with them, no matter what it takes¡ªWell, I really don¡¯t want to fight, but I really miss the noisy days I spent with them. Not inside this gloomy room, but under the sunlight, laughing together with everyone else¡ª ¡°Terakomari-sama, you have a guest.¡± I turned around in shock. A servant stood in front of the broken door. I wiped away the blood on the floor with a dust cloth. ¡°¡ªGuest? Who?¡± The servant showed a troubled expression. ¡°He named himself as Chaostell Cont. Apparently he is your subordinate?¡± * I hurriedly put on my military uniform, and waited for the man to come greet me. When I asked what brought him here, he let out a scream. ¡°Ahh, your Excellency, I can finally meet you again! What have you been doing this entire time!? I was worried to death!¡± Chaostell seemed like he was about to break out in tears, which filled my chest with guilt. But, I can¡¯t hesitate. I took a deep breath, and faced the man. ¡°Sorry, I was shutting myself in.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Chaostell¡¯s eyes turned into dots. ¡°You can laugh at me as much as you want. I was just so scared of Millicent. My legs were shaking, and I could not take a single step outside my room.¡± ¡°Please stop with the jokes¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking. I actually am¡ª¡± ¡°No, you are joking. Aren¡¯t you outside right now? How is that supposed to be shutting yourself in?¡± It felt like something hit me in the solar plexus. Chaostell¡¯s smile was as uncomfortable as always, but his eyes showed no disappointment whatsoever. ¡°Anyway, let us ignore this fact for now. There are more pressing matters.¡± ¡°Ignore this¡­¡± ¡°Your Excellency!¡± Chaostell spoke up. ¡°You must be aware of it, but this fiendish terrorist has ruined your beautiful face during the Empress¡¯ party. I cannot forgive that. Hence, we decided to search for this so-called ¡®Inverted Moon¡¯ on our own. However, all possible clues have dried up. Without you around, the Komari Squad was about to break apart as well.¡± ¡°You¡¯re angry about that? The spaghetti in my face?¡± ¡°Of course I am. I am terribly sorry for not having been able to catch the terrorist in your absence. That is why I came here to ask you for help¡ªplease give us your orders.¡± I had no words. Even if you tell me that, what am I supposed to do? ¡°An utter fool like me has no right to know why you have hid yourself for almost two weeks. But, the fact that you have appeared now¡ªmeans that the time to fight back has happened, hasn¡¯t it! Everyone from the corps has been waiting for this.¡± Chaostell snapped his fingers. I felt magical power around me gather, as a magical circle appeared¡ªIsn¡¯t that a ¡®gate¡¯ used for ¡­No, that¡¯s . He¡¯s calling someone here with magic. ¡°Your Excellency! You are safe, I see!¡± I was baffled. The person who appeared from the magical circle is someone I recognized very well. He was the dog man who protected me during the party¡ªBelius. He leaned against Melaconcy¡¯s shoulder, slowly making his way towards me. ¡°Belius? A-Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes. I won¡¯t die from something like that.¡± ¡°But, you were in a coma for two weeks¡­¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t anything to worry about. I managed to be of use for your Excellency, so¡­No, you must have been able to defeat that terrorist in a second or two, so me trying to protect you was probably just needless meddling.¡± ¡°Yeah! Dead dog, almost dead dog, useless dog, apologetic blegh!¡± Melaconcy was hit in the face. That punch must have hurt Belius as well, as he held his side in pain. ¡°¡­Anyway, let us have a return match. I, Belius Inu Kerbero, will follow wherever you may go, your Excellency. So please, give me your orders.¡± ¡°I, Chaostell Cont, will do the same. I cannot allow such a scoundrel to roam freely!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± I felt a pain like I was stabbed in the chest. They really have the wrong idea about my strength. ¡°Hey, everyone.¡± I looked at the three, and asked. ¡°Why do you all admire me?¡± I immediately regretted saying that. I knew it already. ¡®Because you are the strongest¡¯, they will say. What other response could there be? A second passed, and another, and another¡­I just waited for their answer, when they all showed a ¡®What is she talking about?¡¯ expression. Chaostell spoke up. ¡°Because your personality is so kind. I¡¯ve never met a commander like yours. Well, there¡¯s also the part that your unripe physique is right up my strike zone, but your kindness does it more than anything.¡± Following that was Belius. ¡°Frankly speaking, you are very considerate of others, and I like that.¡± Melaconcy joined in. ¡°Only your Excellency raps with me. Everybody else is an idiot, see. That¡¯s why, your Excellency understands me the most, and I want to boast.¡± Ah¡­I felt the inside of my chest warm up. I was about to break out in tears. They¡¯re all idiots, and criminals across the bank, but I still love them very much as my precious subordinates. Was I ever this happy before? ¡°I-I see.¡± My voice shook. ¡°Then, you don¡¯t care how strong I am, right?¡± ¡°Strength? No, I do very much care.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Chaostell continued with an indifferent tone. ¡°Since you are a Seven Crimson Deva, you must be strong. If not, you¡¯ll be overthrown by your subordinates.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Well, regarding your Excellency, I have no worries at all. After all, your Excellency is the strongest Seven Crimson Deva in history! And on top of that, you don¡¯t get drunk on your strength, and instead always think of your subordinates! Who could not be attracted to you!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yup, I see. Me being strong just has become a premise, huh. Maybe I really should hide my true (nonexistent) strength. ¡°R-Right! You love the kind and strong me, yeah! Then, why don¡¯t I fulfill your expectations!¡± ¡°¡°¡°Oh!!¡±¡±¡± The three raised excited voices. These guys don¡¯t know anything about me, huh. They really don¡¯t¡ªbut I can tell that they put their trust in me. And that¡¯s not only because of my strength, but because of me as a person. That alone was so reassuring for me. This meant that I had to respond to their expectations. That shall prove no problem, for I am the legendary sage, their superior, and one of the Seven Crimson Devas. I don¡¯t have time loitering around here. Hence, I turned around on my heel, and proudly declared. ¡°¡­Thank you. Because of you, I¡¯m feeling more motivated than ever. That¡¯s why, I¡¯ll be making my way to defeat that terrorist.¡± ¡°So you know of the enemy¡¯s location?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I nodded, and shook my head. ¡°However, I cannot take you all with me.¡± ¡°What!¡± ¡°Your Excellency!?¡± Dissatisfied voices stabbed me in the back. I really want to take you all with me, you know. How easy everything would be if I could just tell them to defeat Millicent for me. But, this is my personal problem. In order for me to take one step towards becoming a proper person, I have to deal with this myself. I turned towards my subordinates, and showed the best possible smile I could. ¡°Apologies, but this is my battle. You all stand by at the Seven Crimson Office, and wish me luck. With just that, I¡¯m feeling invincible.¡± Volume 1 - CH 6 ¡°Become strong. Stronger than anybody else.¡± Her father¡¯s teachings were always brief. Naturally, such a teaching would immediately drive an innocent child¡¯s heart towards the unorthodox road. At least that¡¯s what Millicent Bluenight felt like. The Bluenight family was a family of politicians. They managed to gain trust inside the imperial court through trickery and finesse. Without making it sound like a metaphor, they always had the habit of devouring weaker families. That¡¯s why the teachings of Millicent¡¯s father held so much value. As a matter of fact, Millicent¡¯s father directly influenced her education, hammering magic and traditional performing arts into her. And that was still the comfortable part, as it didn¡¯t hurt. He trained Millicent in battle, and forced her into special lessons¡ªor simpler said, through hell in order for her to hone her senses. The first time she met that man was when she was eleven. ¡°You will eventually become the next Empress. You know what¡¯s necessary for that, right?¡± Her father called Millicent to the royal court, and asked these words. ¡°Strength, I think.¡± ¡°Exactly. I knew you would understand it.¡± A smile escaped Millicent¡¯s lips. She felt happy being praised by her father. ¡°You need to become strong. If you don¡¯t get stronger, you won¡¯t become the next Empress.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°However, I¡¯m not talking about normal strength. Those who become Emperors all hold a special strength. That¡¯s why, you have to find your own.¡± ¡°What should I do?¡± ¡°Sensei will teach you.¡± That¡¯s when Millicent realized another man stood next to her father. If nobody told her, Millicent might have never caught on to his presence. That¡¯s how far away he seemed from the world of the living. He possessed black hair and crimson eyes. He wore a green kimono, and although his facial features seemed relaxed, his eyes had a sharp glare to them. ¡°He¡¯s Amatsu-sensei, who came from the Heavenly Paradise. He¡¯ll be the one teaching you from today on. Please treat him with respect.¡± The man wearing eastern clothes offered a handshake. ¡°Amatsu Kakumei. Nice to meet you.¡± Millicent was baffled. It wasn¡¯t uncertainty in the face of a new teacher, but rather because this was the first time she met someone from a race other than her own. This person is going to be her new teacher¡ªMillicent felt a bit excited, and went to respond to the handshake, when her entire world turned around. ¡°¡­Eh?¡± She felt a sharp pain at her arm being twisted, and only seconds later realized that her back was slammed on the ground. What just happened? It hurt. She couldn¡¯t breathe. She looked up at the man, Amatsu-sensei, who suddenly took out a pole from somewhere, and stabbed it right into her flank. This time, she couldn¡¯t hold back a shriek. Amatsu gave a close glance at Millicent, and spoke up. ¡°Way too defenseless. You won¡¯t become a Seven Crimson Deva, let alone an Empress if you show weakness like that. Bluenight-dono, it will take some time to raise her.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay as much as you need, so raise her as you see fit.¡± ¡°Hm, then I might as well put some effort into it.¡± Amatsu showed a snicker. Millicent felt a shiver run down her spine. There was not an ounce of warmth, kindness, or sympathy in his words. And thus, hellish training started, which resulted in this growing wickedness inside of Millicent¡¯s heart. ¡ªMillicent, was it? From here on out, I will teach you how to cultivate your heart. To become strong, your heart needs to be unmovable. Right after classes, private combat lesions started. Amatsu-sensei used the so-called ¡®Comet¡¯s Persistence¡¯, which is the name of the pole he used. Millicent was allowed to use whatever she wanted, ranging from weapons to magic. However, her attacks never reached Amatsu. Even as she used her she had been praised for at school, she could not land a hit. Rather, it wore down her endurance, which made her open for a counterattack. This continued every single day. If she ran out of gas midway, her father would let out a raging roar. ¡°Pull yourself together.¡± ¡°You are the successor of the Bluenight Family.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t increase Amatsu-sensei¡¯s workload.¡± Millicent felt like crying whenever she heard words like these. But, she couldn¡¯t fight against her father, so she continued to live through this hell. What hurt the most was the use of Amatsu¡¯s ¡®Comet¡¯s Persistence¡¯. It looked like an average pole, but it apparently was a heavenly tool or something like that, which could nullify the effects of the magic nucleus, meaning that the damage Millicent received was 10x as bad, because her wounds wouldn¡¯t heal. The bruises stayed for days, and so did the pain. Millicent became scared of fighting, as she started to avoid the attacks, which led to her father scolding her again. As a result, she became even more scared, mustered up her courage, and tried her best, only to suffer more wounds. What meaning even is there in this¡ªA doubt grew inside her heart, and she asked Amatsu. ¡°Your father wants you to awaken to a special power.¡± ¡°Special power¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s called . You should know a little bit about it.¡± She had no idea. According to Amatsu, Nucleus Liberation is a special strength, completely removed from this world¡¯s laws. You can gain temporary strength that could allow you to dig out the size of a small star from the earth. However, as a result, it puts a great strain on the user¡¯s body, and it acts as the opposite of the magic nucleus¡¯ ¡®unlimited regeneration¡¯, as this Nucleus Liberation is usually locked away by the magic nucleus¡¯ magical power. In order to activate it, you apparently needed to cut your connection to the magic nucleus, or something along those lines. ¡°There is an exceptionally low chance for a human to possess this skill at birth. However, by going through rigorous training, you can acquire it as well. This is the truth that we arrived at.¡± Amatsu said with a confident grin. ¡°What is this rigorous training?¡± Millicent asked. ¡°Train your heart so it can withstand any adversity. Apparently, Nucleus Liberation is connected to something deep inside your heart¡ªAnd, the fastest way to train your heart is to ¡®Have your life threatened¡¯. When you continue to suffer wounds that won¡¯t heal, be it on the outside or inside, your heart will be cultivated.¡± Millicent thought it was ridiculous. But, Amatsu was too serious. ¡°I get it. You hate the time you spend with me. But, if you can push aside these feelings, and face me properly, you will be thankful one day. And then, your father will accept you. That¡¯s why, let¡¯s both try out best.¡± The tip of the pole was flung at Millicent without a warning. It hit her right on the chest, creating another wound. ¡ªListen carefully, Millicent. Nucleus Liberation is a possibility. The first person who achieved freedom through that truly felt that he was ¡®alive¡¯. Once you manage to activate Nucleus Liberation, your father will praise you, okay? You must be happy about that. ¡°Why can¡¯t you activate Nucleus Liberation!¡± Millicent¡¯s father let out a roar of anger, and she herself had no words. ¡°It¡¯s been a month now. Are your efforts lacking? Just to let you know, Amatsu-sensei was one of the Five Sword Emperors over in the Heavenly Paradise, okay. You¡¯re clearly the one at fault!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Also, I saw your grades at the academy. You dropped to second place overall, right? Are you even aware that you are a member of the Bluenight Family?¡± Millicent thought that this was something to be expected. Whenever she got home, she had special training, so there¡¯s no time to study. ¡°D-Dear Father¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk back!¡± He slammed his hand on the desk, and turned around. He let out an annoyed sigh, and muttered the following. ¡°At this rate, the Gandezblood Family will laugh at us. To think my successor would be this useless¡­Why couldn¡¯t I have gotten that girl instead¡­¡± Gandezblood. It was another political family rivalling the Bluenight Family. Millicent¡¯s father always complained about them. But, the girl was too shocked to care about that. Her father¡¯s words were too cruel for her to handle. That¡¯s why, she just ran away as she shed tears. She didn¡¯t listen to her father¡¯s screams. She had worked this hard. She had suffered through all of that. And yet, her father won¡¯t praise her efforts. Is she still lacking in something? Does she still need more wounds? Is her heart really that weak? Millicent threw her wound-riddled body on the bed, and hid herself beneath the blanket, when she heard faint footsteps approaching. ¡°Petro, you¡¯re here to cheer me up¡­Thanks.¡± It was the corgi Millicent received on her tenth birthday. On days where Amatsu hurt her, and her father scolded her, he would always come to cheer Millicent. Only with him around, she could relax. ¡°I have to work harder¡­Yeah, I¡¯m fine.¡± She gently rubbed the back of Petro, and found new determination. No matter how tough it may be, how much she was hurt, how much she felt like crying, she wanted to work hard to be praised by her father. She had to achieve this Nucleus Liberation at any costs. ¡ªThe Nucleus Liberation is a wonderful thing. However, as long as you are connected to the magic nucleus, you cannot activate it. It feels like it obstructs with the principles of a human being. How troublesome, don¡¯t you think? After that, Millicent worked harder. All so that her father would praise her. She had to become stronger, become a Seven Crimson Deva, and sit on the throne of the Empress¡ªmore than anything, so that her family would receive glory and fame. As of late, she started being able to evade Amatsu¡¯s attacks. ¡®At this rate, you might be able to awaken it soon¡¯, is what he said, which made Millicent really happy. The training was still as tough as ever, but it felt like she saw a ray of hope. However, that soon was destroyed as well. ¡°I heard that the girl in that other class can use some amazing magic.¡± This happened at the academy. Millicent fought against the sleepiness, when she heard a conversation close-by. ¡°I know about that, the teacher mentioned it. It¡¯s some magic that normal people can¡¯t use.¡± ¡°So you mean high-tier magic?¡± ¡°No no, something different.¡± ¡°Then what is it?¡± ¡°What was it¡­Nucleus¡­Liberation?¡± ¡°¡ªHey, could you tell me more about that?¡± Millicent approached her classmates. According to them, a girl from a neighbouring class managed to achieve this so-called Nucleus Liberation. The skill Millicent had longed for¡ªThis set forth a burst of panic and jealousy. Millicent immediately went to meet the girl. Oddly enough, she sat in the corner of the classroom, reading a book. Her first expression could easily be summed up in the word ¡®plain¡¯. She is the supposed one who held the power for a Nucleus Liberation? Impossible. ¡°Hey, is it true that you can use this Nucleus Liberation?¡± The girl lifted her head. Her face looked like she was terrified. ¡°That¡¯s not true, right. You shouldn¡¯t be able use that without going through harsh training like I do.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s true. Sensei told me.¡± You could tell that she was not too comfortable. Millicent stole the book from her hand, and glared down at her. ¡°Then, show me.¡± ¡°B-But¡­¡± ¡°Not like it¡¯ll cost you anything.¡± The girl apparently felt threatened by Millicent¡¯s attitude, and could only nod. However, she felt hesitant to use it in the classroom, and said ¡®Please come with me to an empty location if you want to see it¡¯. Then, Millicent and her came to the back of the school building. ¡°I don¡¯t really want to show it off¡­¡± ¡°Just hurry up and do it.¡± The girl let out a sigh, and beckoned Millicent over, with words she would have never expected to hear. ¡°Suck it.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Suck my blood. My Nucleus Liberation allows me to see the future of those who have sucked from my blood. It¡¯s called . It has a 100% chance of telling me your future for today.¡± There exists no magic that can predict the future. If what this girl said was true, her Nucleus Liberation was something that defied logic and common sense. Millicent grew highly interested, so she bit down on the girl¡¯s index finger. She tasted her blood, sucked up into her fangs. And then, the change happened. The girl¡¯s eyes turned crimson red. Millicent heard about this from Amatsu. It¡¯s a sign that the Nucleus Liberation began. ¡°I saw it.¡± However, the girl seemed hesitant to continue. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°What is it? I don¡¯t know what you saw, but tell me.¡± ¡°Yes¡­Well, you really are an unfortunate person¡­¡± For a second, Millicent was at a loss. But, after she understood the girl¡¯s words, her head was filled with rage. She couldn¡¯t stand the fact that a girl like her showed sympathy. Something snapped inside Millicent¡¯s head. A rush of anger built up inside her. She gathered magical power in her palm, firing a . At a close distance like that, there¡¯s no way she would miss. However, the girl easily evaded it, almost like she knew that it would come. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m really sorry. That¡¯s not what I meant. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°W-Wait!¡± The girl ran away as if she had been chased by the devil. No matter how many Millicent fired, none of them hit. Only later did Millicent think¡ªIf even one of her magic spells had hit that girl that day, she would have died, seeing that her connection to the magic nucleus had been severed. ¡ªLoathe those with talent? Interesting, really. Go ahead and hate this Villhaze girl all you want. But, you still can¡¯t kill her. Because the magic nucleus exists. This girl became the archnemesis of Milicent, whose heart she so easily managed to threaten just by existing. The girl had been born in a lower-class district of the imperial capital. Normally, she would be living a life far away from Millicent. However, since the Imperial Academy allows for a general entrance exam as long as you possess top-grades, even people from different classes were allowed to attend the academy. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, this girl had been the one to steal the top rank from Millicent. Worse however was the fact that she could use Nucleus Liberation. Whereas Millicent was coughing up blood in an attempt to somehow awaken this special power, the girl achieved this with no effort whatsoever. Millicent couldn¡¯t accept that. Because she couldn¡¯t, she thought of trapping her in a different situation. It should be simple. The Bluenight Family was one of the most prestigious families in the Empire. She spoke up with an annoyed voice with lots of people around. ¡°That Villhaze girl sure is annoying, right.¡± That alone was enough for the girl, born in the lower-class, to become an enemy of the academy. There were those that felt Millicent was in the wrong, but she just had them keep quiet with her influence. At first, they just ignored her. Following that, they badmouthed her behind her back, and moved to insulting her face-to-face, which ended up in raw violence¡ªThe bullying escalated more and more. Since Millicent could not hope to compete against her and her Nucleus Liberation, she made sure that her blood would not reach anybody¡¯s mouths, and always worked in groups against her. Villhaze showed no opposition. She never had the constitution that would allow her to do so. The best she could do was cry and try to bear with it. But, that felt all unbearably comfortable for Millicent. She could feel her wounds inflicted by ¡®Comet¡¯s Persistence¡¯ slowly heal. Thus, Millicent started treading down the wrong path. ¡ªNow that is some good look in your eyes. I¡¯ll admit it, you have become much stronger. You even started to grow numb in receiving wounds. See, you don¡¯t need the magic nucleus after all. It¡¯s just obstructing your growth. After the end-of-term examination, Millicent was the top rank in her student year. At the same time, Villhaze had fallen down to 31. Of course, this happened solely because she was bullied at school, and could not focus on her studies. Millicent was truly delighted. Although she still did not succeed at activating Nucleus Liberation just yet, she regained her previous position at school, so her father would surely treat her more kindly now. ¡°Kyahaha! Hey, Villhaze. You¡¯re on rank 31 now. How does it feel?¡± Be it kicking, hitting, or trampling on her, Villhaze just cowered on the floor, showing no resistance. How could someone as weak as her acquire the Nucleus Liberation with no effort? That thought only fuelled the rage inside Millicent. ¡°Stand up. You¡¯re actually strong, right? You hold the Nucleus Liberation, so you could easily kill us. Why not fight back a bit!¡± But, Villhaze never said anything. She accepted all violence with no complaints. It¡¯s probably because she relied on the regenerative ability of the magic nucleus. Now, what would happen if she lost this ability? Millicent thought, as she felt the wounds inflicted by Amatsu all over her body. ¡°Hey, Milly. This one¡¯s done for. She¡¯s going to break.¡± ¡°Right. Getting no reaction whatsoever is boring.¡± Even Millicent¡¯s followers started to grow tired of her. They weren¡¯t wrong. Millicent thought about it for a second, and came up with something. ¡°Guess we can kill her then.¡± Her followers liked the idea. But, the same couldn¡¯t be said about Villhaze, as her face distorted with fear. Of course, thanks to the magic nucleus, she could not fully die, but that doesn¡¯t allow the very act of killing. Then again, nobody would believe that girl anyway, so Millicent showed no restraint. She used her beginner-tier light attack magic-type , which could erase Villhaze¡¯s life with a single shot to the brain. ¡°Sto¡­p¡­¡± Villhaze pleaded for her life. That¡¯s it. That was the face Millicent wanted to see. She deserved this, for gaining that ability without putting any effort into it. She could not be forgiven for stealing her position at school. Someone like her should just die¡ªis what Millicent thought, as her mouth formed a smile. The roots of evil started to bloom inside of her. ¡°¡ªStop.¡± Suddenly, her right arm was grabbed, and she saw a flash of light. The person who stopped Millicent¡¯s near-rampage was a girl with blonde hair and crimson red eyes. She tried to act tough as her entire body was shaking, but her eyes did not waver. She was Terakomari Gandezblood. She later became the greatest opposition in Millicent¡¯s later life. ¡ªI see. You really have talent. I will tell your father that it won¡¯t be long until you awaken your Nucleus Liberation. Millicent was unsure of bullying at first. However, since it was a vampire of fellow standing, not to mention from a rival family, she stopped caring. She felt comfortable with it. Although she couldn¡¯t kill Villhaze, she got to see a new terrified expression of hers. And, because her father would be happy that she managed to get the top rank of the student year. That¡¯s why she decided not to care about Terakomari for now¡ªBut¡­ ¡°¡­Top rank of the student year? That¡¯s to be expected of you!¡± Millicent gleefully reported her success to her father, but he yet again screamed at her in rage. ¡°Rather than that, can you still not use your Nucleus Liberation?¡± Millicent tried to hold back the tears as she spoke. ¡°Amatsu-sensei said that I should be able to use it soon.¡± ¡°Stop lying!¡± Her father roared as he spit everywhere. ¡°Amatsu-sensei said that you¡¯re a lost cause! If you had any talent in you, you would have awakened to your Nucleus Liberation by now! He even requested more money for future tutoring!¡± Millicent felt like she had been hit in the face. Did Amatsu-sensei really say something like that¡­? ¡°¡­Really, why do you have to be so useless. A daughter of the Bluenight family is expected to at least have one or two types of Nucleus Liberation. At this rate, the Gandezbloods will laugh at me again¡­¡± ¡°Gandezblood¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That bastard Alman chewed out my ear with stories about his daughter. Apparently, she holds some ¡®special strength¡¯ or whatever. She¡¯s entirely different from you. You¡¯re¡­you¡¯re just useless waste!¡± Thinking back on it, Millicent¡¯s father might have been the unfortunate person. However, the Millicent from that time didn¡¯t feel that way. She¡¯s the one at fault. She loathed herself. She turned her back towards her father, and started running. Why won¡¯t nothing work out? Why won¡¯t her father praise her? Why does she not have any talent? She worked this hard, and yet her wishes were not answered. It¡¯s like the world worked against her. And there, Millicent thought. ¡ªI¡¯m not the one at fault. It¡¯s her. That Terakomari is. Why did Millicent never realize. The reason she has to suffer like this, being compared all the time, it¡¯s all Terakomari¡¯s fault. If only she didn¡¯t exist. If only she never existed. Millicent threw curses at the girl inside her head, when she spotted something black laying in front of a door. ¡°Petro¡­¡± There was no mistaking it. It was Millicent¡¯s only friend in her family. He must have felt the sadness of his owner, and came to cheer her up. Her mood improved drastically, as she ran over to the corgi. ¡°¡­Petro?¡± However, Petro showed no signs of turning around. He was merely laying on the floor. Immediately after realizing this, Millicent felt a bad premonition creep up her back. She realized that her heart was racing, as she dashed over towards Petro, picking him up. The body was cold, and showed no signs of living. ¡°Eh¡­?¡± ¡°It seems that he died.¡± Millicent felt a presence at her back, belonging to a man with eastern clothes. He showed a calm, almost cold expression, as he looked down at the animal. ¡°He must have been sick. What a shame.¡± ¡°H-How¡­!? He was still doing fine this morning!¡± ¡°Pets are not under the protection of the magic nucleus. These things happen.¡± A wave of despair beached inside Millicent¡¯s heart. It was too sudden, her thoughts couldn¡¯t keep up. Tears came falling down from her eyes. Amatsu spoke with an indifferent tone. ¡°An ally of mine has the ability to turn back time. Of course, that¡¯s a Nucleus Liberation ability. However, I can¡¯t call them here right now. What a shame. If you had achieved your own type of ¡®special power¡¯, you might have been able to save him. What a shame, what a shame.¡± ¡°Ah¡­Ah¡­¡± ¡°It really is unfair. A magic nucleus really can¡¯t save what¡¯s precious to you. This time it¡¯s a dog, and not a person. What value is there in being alive then? Is this really something that should be allowed to happen?¡± Millicent had trouble understanding what Amatsu was talking about. Because of the shock after losing Petro, she couldn¡¯t think about anything. With this, she had lost her final ally. Nobody would come cheer her up. Nobody would treat her kindly. All that awaited her was constant complaining, pain, and hell. What meaning is there in a life such as this? Despair filled the deepest parts of her heart, when a hand was put on her head. Millicent looked up in shock, only to find Amatsu smiling down at her. ¡°Don¡¯t cry like that. Once you forget about getting stronger, that¡¯s where your limits will be.¡± Amatsu¡¯s words sunk deep into Millicent¡¯s heart. ¡°You must hate the world for putting you through this situation, right? You want revenge, don¡¯t you. You want to kill and go rampant¡­Leaving me out, of course. Anyway, if you keep this killing intent and rage inside of your heart, you can become stronger than anybody else. I will make you stronger, as I am your only ally.¡± Millicent looked up at Amatsu. It¡¯s been a long time since she heard such kind words from someone. She felt his warmth from his hand. In her eyes, Amatsu looked like a saint. ¡°What¡­should I do now?¡± ¡°Live freely. That is how we are supposed to live. If you think of something as lovable, love it. If you hate something, kill it. Is there someone you want to kill?¡± A face appeared immediately inside of Millicent¡¯s head. It belonged to the person who created this whole situation: Terakomari Gandezblood. ¡°Then, use whatever method you need, and kill her. I will give you the strength you need.¡± Amatsu directed a serious gaze at Millicent. Thus, the girl had bent. ¡ªTo be perfectly honest, you possess no talent. You probably will never be able to use Nucleus Liberation. But, even if that proves impossible, you just have to hone your other talents. That¡¯s why, don¡¯t fret like this. You can become strong even without the Nucleus Liberation. Amatsu prepared a funeral for Petro. He chanted an unfamiliar ritual prayer that belonged to an eastern country, and nodded. ¡°With this, Petro will be able to sleep in peace.¡± After that, Millicent¡¯s psyche changed. Her father¡¯s teachings had been correct after all. Only the strong can survive in this world. If you¡¯re weak, you will die. Amatsu-sensei stayed as strict as always. She received new wounds on a daily basis, and the pain continued. However, Millicent didn¡¯t hate it any longer. Her only thought was to become stronger. But, that still would not allow her heart to calm down. Villhaze, Terakomari Gandezblood, the existence of these ¡®talented others¡¯ plagued her. Especially Terakomari, she was a thorn in Millicente¡¯s eye. She belonged to a family of equal if not higher standing, possessed a beautiful face, and a sense of duty that does not allow any bullying. And, she also harbored the potential to use her own Nucleus Liberation¡­Millicent was inferior in almost every regard, even though she had worked this hard. Because of her, Millicent¡¯s father showed his own daughter no love. ¡ªKill her with whatever means necessary. Millicent remembered Amatsu¡¯s words. She felt no remorse, no hesitation. Because she had Amatsu¡¯s permission. All left for her was to destroy the girl with any means possible. Just like she did with Villhaze, Millicent set up a plan to have the girl bullied. Although she was the daughter of a noble family, she had no faction like Millicent did, so it didn¡¯t take long for her plan to bring results. ¡°Kyahaha! If you hate this so much, why not use your Nucleus Liberation to fight back!¡± She had called Terakomari to the back of the school building, and attacked her. Millicent waited for her to use her Nucleus Liberation. She planned to use one of her followers as a shield, observe this skill, and kill her after. However, Terakomari didn¡¯t even try to resist. She should hold sufficient strength, but she was only gritting her teeth. But, she was different from Villhaze. She did not give in to Millicent. No matter how hard she was beaten, kicked, and insulted, the light from her eyes did not vanish, which led Millicent to feel guilty. It was too dazzling to watch, which only agitated Millicent further. And, what delivered the final blow was a faint voice coming from the girl. ¡°¡­Pitiful.¡± Millicent doubted her ears. What is she talking about, she thought. ¡°Is there¡­something troubling you?¡± ¡ªAre you stupid? This is all your fault. Because of you, my life has been plagued by misfortune. You don¡¯t even know what I went through, so don¡¯t look at me like I¡¯m the weak one. I¡¯m strong. I¡¯m much stronger than you. With thoughts like these, Millicent was baffled. To think the girl had this much freedom to speak these words in such a situation. There seemed to be a need to break down her psyche. Hence, Millicent looked through Terakomari¡¯s personal history, and found a method that would definitely ¡®work¡¯. ¡°¡ªHey, won¡¯t you lend me that pendant?¡± The results were astonishing. Terakomari actually resisted against Millicent, which allowed for some good entertainment¡ªbut that¡¯s only as far as her memories lasted. * It¡¯s like there was a hole in her memories. Millicent only remembered the part after she woke up in a hospital bed. However, this hospital actually was a safe space to secure corpses. In other words, she had died. But, how? Did she die while playing with Terakomari too much? She sat on her bed in a daze, when a higher-up from the Imperial Army arrived. ¡°Millicent Bluenight. You have been found guilty after committing the crime of manslaughter, and will be exiled from this country.¡± Millicent¡¯s thoughts came to a stop. What did the man just say? According to him, on the day Millicent tried to steal Terakomari¡¯s pendant, a killing spree occurred at the Imperial Academy. The death counter rose above the one hundred mark even. Millicent assumed that she had died in the midst of this, but that turned out to be wrong. After all, every newspaper article reported her to be the killer of that incident. ¡°What¡­is going on¡­?¡± ¡°Ask that yourself. More importantly, you are no longer a vampire of Mulnight. If you don¡¯t want to be locked up in the underground prison, leave right this instant.¡± What is going on? Millicent was at a loss. The only thing she felt is fear. Something deep inside her brain forcefully made her remember. Crimson eyes, blood spraying everywhere, and a pinky drenched in red liquid¡ªthe second Millicent touched that pendant, something incomprehensible happened. And, her instincts told her exactly what¡ªShe had been killed by Terakomari. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous¡­¡± At the very last, Terakomari used that trump card. Millicent was baffled. She had the confidence that she would be able to fight against Terakomari¡¯s Nucleus Liberation if it came down to it. She had suffered through all that hellish training until now, holding certainity that she was the strongest person in the academy, easily able to defeat that girl¡ªAnd yet, this is the result? Everything was twisted beyond belief. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Tears came out because of the frustration. Was this the difference in talent between the two? But, that¡¯s as long as she had time to regret. She was chased out of the country right away. Back then, she couldn¡¯t comprehend the situation. After looking into it a few years later, she understood. She had been set up, and was made the mastermind. Undoubtedly, Terakomari was the one who had committed that slaughter. However, her father was afraid of losing his daughter, and having this crime known. He had Millicent carry the blame, removed her from the country, and even defeated his political enemy, the Bluenight Family in the process. It sounded impossible at first. However, knowing Komari¡¯s father, Alman Gandezblood, he would use whatever dirty method needed to give himself an advantage. Millicent heard her father complain about this several times. And as if that wasn¡¯t enough, Alman was the junior of the current Empress. If the Empress agreed with Alman¡¯s plans, something like this might have been possible. After this incident, Millicent had to live apart from her father and Amatsu. She cried, more than anything still because she had lost Petro. Her tears soon turned into fuel for self-hate, and she hated her weak self. At the same time, she hated this unreasonable world. And finally, she hated herself for not killing Terakomari right away. That¡¯s right, Terakomari. She is the root of all evil. Millicent felt a strong drive to one day get revenge against her. And then, she¡¯ll definitely pay for what she has done, no matter if she can use that Nucleus Liberation. And then, as if he had heard these thoughts, Millicent¡¯s devilish saint arrived in front of her. ¡°Millicent, you really have some great eyes.¡± Black hair and crimson-red eyes greeted her, together with a loose kimono. No way could Millicent forget about that appearance. It was her master, Amatsu, flashing a fiendish smile. ¡°I never would have expected such a development, but I guess this kind of reunion isn¡¯t as bad. If you¡¯re okay with it, come with me, Millicent. I will introduce you to my allies of ¡®Inverted Moon¡¯.¡± * She fought a tough and long three years after that. She continued to live like her father taught her, meaningly to ¡®Become strong¡¯. But, she stopped wanting to become strong for her family. She wanted to be strong for her own sake. Then, she could kill Terakomari, and change her own life for the better. That¡¯s why she worked, and trained with ¡®Inverted Moon¡¯. After these three years passed, she once again saw that name. The birth of a new Seven Crimson Deva: ¡°I will make this entire world into omurice.¡± Millicent could only assume that this was some sort of bad joke. But, it still had enough of an impact to make her heart shake. Her body quivered. All the memories she tried to suppress came gushing back inside her head. A burning rage made her body burn up. They had brought news every day that Millicent was a blood-thirsty terrorist, and yet the one who deserved all this blame became a Seven Crimson Deva, loved by everyone. Millicent could not let such absurdity stand. Hence, Millicent returned to her own country, and searched for information concerning Terakomari. As it turns out, she spotted her near the imperial palace working. She was smiling. She had an expression like she was enjoying her life, satisfied by her situation. Seeing this, Millicent was about to lose herself in rage. She bit her lip fiercely enough that blood came out. She definitely¡ªDefinitely definitely definitely definitely definitely definitely definitely definitely definitely definitely definitely definitely had to kill her. And, just killing her wasn¡¯t enough. She had to destroy her psyche to a level where recovery was no longer possible. She had to let her taste true despair. Might as well kill Villhaze as well. After everything of that was done, Millicent could finally live a normal life again, surely. Volume 1 - CH 7 Johan Helldars was trembling with fear. He had stayed over at this town of La Nerient, specifically the abandoned castle, for two weeks now, and in the deeper parts of the church¡¯s altar, he spotted a familiar maid, crucified. Both her arms had been stabbed by nails to keep her in place, as red liquid endlessly dropped down from them. What was that about? Johan felt an odd sense of anxiety in his chest. ¡°H-Hey¡­what is that?¡± He asked MIllicent, who stood next to him. She had previously said ¡®I¡¯ll show you something interesting¡¯, so Johan followed after her, but there is nothing interesting to see in this scenery. ¡°You can¡¯t see it? That¡¯s Villhaze¡ªthe maid of the Gandezblood Family.¡± ¡°I know her. She¡¯s that weird maid who always follows Terakomari. I¡¯m asking what she¡¯s doing here.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a hostage, of course.¡± Millicent said, as she approached the maid. The girl seemed to be unconscious, not moving at all when Millicent gently ran her hand along her body. ¡°As long as we have this maid with us, Terakomari will definitely come. She¡¯s a coward, but her sense of justice is even stronger than her fear. She surely won¡¯t cast this girl aside.¡± It was a doubtful reasoning. Johan didn¡¯t believe Terakomari could go this far, and he was still wary of Millicent at the same time. When they met at the bar, this is what she told him. ¡°If we can kill Terakomari at the party that¡¯s happening soon, she¡¯ll definitely suffer from the shame. And not just that. She¡¯ll get ridiculed by her subordinates, and most likely be removed from the position of a Seven Crimson Deva.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll sneak in there and kill her.¡± Johan said. ¡°No. That will be taken as an attempt of rebellion against the country. I will be the one to kill her. You just have to get me inside the party.¡± Johan felt bothered at the fact that he wasn¡¯t allowed the main dish, but he also wanted to escape being branded a criminal. Hence, Johan could only agree to his plan, using whatever clarification he had as someone from the army, and prepared the ¡®gate¡¯ at the party location. However, the target couldn¡¯t be killed nonetheless. Only the party itself had been ruined, but the evaluation of Terakomari had not suffered in the slightest. There, Johan¡¯s head suddenly cooled down. There was absolutely no merit for him to work together with a terrorist. All he wanted was revenge, all he had to do was kill the target of his revenge, so there¡¯s no need to work with a spy¡ªthat had been the Hellflame Slaughterer¡¯s principle. But apparently, Johan had lost himself too much in his rage. He could not return to the 7th Corps. At the same time, the remains of magical power at the gate must have surely revealed Johan to be the one who set it up. There was no more place to be at the Mulnight Empire. That¡¯s why he just loitered around with Millicent. ¡°¡ªHey, if you kill Terakomari, what will I¡­¡± Johan stopped his words. Something incredible happened in front of his eyes. Millicent had stabbed a heavenly tool into the maid¡¯s shoulder. It was a silver knife that could cancel the restorative ability of the magic nucleus. The maid¡¯s expression distorted in anguish, and blood came gushing out of the wound. Seeing this, Johan grew frantic. ¡°W-What are you doing!¡± He grabbed Millicent¡¯s shoulder. ¡°She¡¯ll die for sure if you do that!¡± ¡°¡ªDie for sure? What are you talking about?¡± Johan felt a shiver run down his spine. The voice he heard sounded like he stood in the middle of a blizzard. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to not die of boredom until Terakomari comes here.¡± ¡°B-But, there¡¯s no need to use a heavenly tool. The wounds will stay¡­¡± ¡°¡­Hey, did you really want revenge on Terakomari? I thought you wanted her head?¡± ¡°I do, but not in the real sense¡­¡± ¡°Stop blurting out nonsense or I¡¯ll kill you.¡± Johan felt like a frog being targeted by a snake. Millicent turned around, glaring at him. ¡°It seems like you¡¯re lacking awareness that you¡¯re an ally of ¡®Inverted Moon¡¯. Then, let me ask you. What meaning is there in a battle with no permanent death.¡± ¡°Y-You can fight as much as you want.¡± ¡°I see. I thought you were the same as me, but I was wrong.¡± Millicent showed a faint smile, and pulled the silver knife out of the maid¡¯s body, holding it in her left hand. Johan watched this in a daze. He did not feel her killing intent at all. The tip of the knife suddenly dug deep into his own chest. * The town of La Nerient was a type of slum located in the lower-class district found in the imperial capital. Normally, it¡¯s a place I¡¯d never visit out of my own desire, but just for today, I had to make up my courage and set foot inside. A stagnated atmosphere greeted me, together with a dimly-lit city landscape. I could feel temporary gazes from the houses, but nobody came talking to me. If I had to guess, they must have been scared of the military uniform I was wearing. And, it wasn¡¯t just any uniform. It was something only a commander of the highest rank was allowed to wear, the ¡®Full Moon¡¯s Coat of Arms¡¯. After walking for a while, I found the place I was looking for, the abandoned castle. According to the topography, this had been a separate residence built as a pastime of a noble family, but after the owner disappeared, thieves and animals started to nest in there. Taking a deep breath, I passed the gate. That¡¯s right, I am heading over to my battle with Millicent. Of course, I finished all my preparations already, but I still can¡¯t help being scared. If possible, I want to forget about all of this, and just go home. But, that won¡¯t do. I¡¯ve decided to face my past, and come to terms with it. I took another deep breath, and entered a large hole inside a nearby building, heading inside. It was dark, making me feel like I entered a graveyard. I took care of rubble and old furniture as I moved along, when I spotted a mysterious door. It was rusty and dirty as everything else, but it looked different than the rest. I immediately understood. This is the place. Past this door, Vill and Millicent are waiting for me. I swallowed my breath, and carefully opened the door. What greeted me was an old church. The owner of this castle must have been quite the faithful follower¡ªis what I thought, taking another step forward. ¡°I¡¯m glad you came, Terakomari.¡± Hearing my name called out like that, my heart almost jumped out of my chest. I spotted Millicent, standing near the altar. She held a silver knife in her right hand, with her left hand in her pocket, as she glared at me. My legs froze up because of the fear getting the better of me. But, the second I looked next to her, all of my fear and anxiety were blown away. I saw Vill, crucified on a cross. ¡°Vill!¡± ¡°Oh, no need to rush. She¡¯s not dead yet. She eventually will be, though.¡± Millicent laughed. I put strength in my quivering hands, and glared at her as best as I could. ¡°¡­Return Vill.¡± ¡°Now now, there¡¯s no need to rush things. It¡¯s finally just the two of us, so aren¡¯t there things you¡¯d like to discuss first?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have anything like that.¡± ¡°Well, I do.¡± Millicent came down from the altar, approaching me with loud footsteps. ¡°Hey, Terakomari, do you know how much I had to suffer ever since that day?¡± ¡°That day? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°The day three years ago. When I tried to steal your pendant.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I remember. That was the reason I became a shut-in. Apparently, Millicent also had disappeared from the academy ever since then. ¡°My life changed drastically ever since that day. Your shitty old man accused my family of planning a rebellion, and chased me out of the country.¡± ¡°Eh¡­¡± ¡°With no place to return to, the only place that offered me a home was the terrorist organization ¡®Inverted Moon¡¯. While you were staying at home, living the life, I had to taste all the ill-will this world has to offer.¡± Millicent spoke as she played with the knife in her hand. ¡°I had to go through all of this because of you, Terakomari. I did join this wonderful organization exactly because I was chased out, but that isn¡¯t enough to just rectify everything. It¡¯s true that I agree with the organization¡¯s principles, namely the destruction of the magic nuclei, or ¡®Dying is the Living Ones¡¯ cherished desire¡¯ and all that. But, what¡¯s burning strong inside my chest isn¡¯t some religious belief. Rather, what kept me going these three years¡ªwas the desire for revenge. My desire to kill you, Terakomari.¡± ¡°W-What¡¯s up with that! That¡¯s just baseless hate!¡± ¡°But, this hatred exists. It burned up my heart into black ashes. If I leave this alone, I¡¯ll burn up entirely. That¡¯s why I chose the same date as these three years ago, and will put an end to this farce. By killing you, I will take another step towards a brighter future. That¡¯s why, consider this a ceremony.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± I see, that makes sense. She¡¯s similar to me. Unable to escape from my trauma, I still can¡¯t live an honest life if I don¡¯t free myself from it. That¡¯s why, talking things through here probably won¡¯t work. ¡°I understand your feelings. You really want to see me dead, right.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been saying so from the very start. Even if you cry and beg for your life, I won¡¯t forgive you. I¡¯ll turn you into omurice now. I¡¯ll use your innards as filling, and use your blood as a sauce. You like Omurice, don¡¯t you.¡± ¡°Eh? Not really. I prefer hamburgers¡­¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll turn you into a hamburger!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really get it¡­¡± ¡°Stop it, Terakomari! Don¡¯t provoke her any more than that!¡± Someone screamed over at me from the corner of the church. Looking over, I saw a man with blonde hair¡ªJohan Helldars, as crimson blood dropped down from his stomach. I was baffled to meet him here. ¡°She¡¯s an actual killer! You have no chance against her! Just run away while you have the chance!¡± ¡°Why are you here¡­?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter right now! Just run! She has a heavenly tool! See, that wound in my chest. It won¡¯t heal at all.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± I formed a fist. ¡°Sorry that I¡¯m this late. I¡¯ll save you right away, so just wait.¡± Johan looked utterly baffled. Right after, he started muttering to himself. ¡°You¡¯re an idiot. The biggest idiot in the universe¡­I¡­I worked together with her to see you dead, you know? You can¡¯t even do anything, and she¡¯s a full-fledged killer. She¡¯s different from an average soldier. Just forget about your maid, and¡ªUgh!?¡± Johan¡¯s body flung up. Millicent had sent a flying at his thighs, which led him to soar down on the ground. I thought so before, but she really does not care about others. ¡°Shut up, you insect. I¡¯m talking with Terakomari here.¡± She said, and trusted the silver knife at Johan. This knife was a heavenly tool, allowing you to cancel the regenerative ability of the magic nucleus. If she were to cut Johan¡¯s carotid artery, he would die for sure. I couldn¡¯t allow that to happen. I watched the scene in front of me unfold, as a warm passion burned up inside of me. It was anger. A scorching hot rage that I had never felt in my life so far. I rummaged through the pocket of my military uniform, and took out a small stone. ¡°Wha¡ªA magic jewel!?¡± Millicent had her eyes wide open in shock. The magic jewel flew, and landed right at the place where Johan was. ¡°Gyaaaaaaaaaaa!¡± Johan screamed in fear. As a roaring explosion rang out, I fell backwards, and was relieved that I managed to deny Millicent¡¯s attack. Since he had been killed by the magic jewel before the heavenly tool, he should be able to resurrect normally. ¡°¡­Cough cough¡­Ha¡­hahaha, that was great, Terakomari. Seems like you prepared yourself for a battle, huh.¡± The dust and smoke of the explosion started to clear up, as I could see Millicent¡¯s slender silhouette. With a trembling hand, I counted the magic jewels I had left in my pocket. I couldn¡¯t prepare too many, but it should be enough to bring an end to this. Soon after, everything was back to normal, and I could see Millicent¡¯s fiendish smile directed at me. At the same time, a shower of was sent my way. * At the same time, Komari¡¯s father Alman Gandezblood ran through the royal palace in a rush. Before he realized it, Komari had disappeared. Only a puddle of blood was to be found in her room. ¡°Your Majesty! Komari¡­Komari disappeared!¡± Without even bothering to give a greeting, Alman barged into the throne room, looking up at the Empress. The big-breasted blonde-haired beauty sat on the throne as always. ¡°¡­Disappeared?¡± ¡°Yes, but I don¡¯t know when.¡± ¡°You only now realized?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Alman let out a dumbfounded voice. To that, the Empress let out a sigh. ¡°You might seem wise, but you can be quite the idiot as well. Komari departed from the Gandezblood Residence about an hour ago. She headed for the enemy¡¯s hideout to fight Millicent, and take back Villhaze. A guard reported this.¡± ¡°W-Why?¡± ¡°You ask me how I can sit still here? Let me ask you a question of my own. Will me acting really be for her sake?¡± ¡°If you won¡¯t, then Komari will die. Are you going to abandon her?¡± ¡°How could I. She is mine and Yurine¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t twist reality. Komari is my daughter.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about the small details. I¡¯m saying that you¡¯re too overprotective. None of this would have happened if you didn¡¯t exile the Bluenight Family. Anyway, I won¡¯t go save Komari. Saving her would mean the same as abandoning her. She has to deal with her own past herself, and this is a great opportunity.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that too much of a tough love?¡± ¡°You needn¡¯t worry. I am a vampire, but no demon. If things look helpless, I will offer a helping hand¡ªHowever, I don¡¯t believe I have a role to play here.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You should know as well¡­that she isn¡¯t normal. She could easily surpass me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± A long silence set it, when¡­ ¡°E-Excuse me! Your Majesty, we have a problem!¡± A court lady rushed into the throne room. She must have been running here, as she was out of breath. ¡°¡­What happened? Want to take a bath with me later? Or should I lick away all your sweat?¡± The court lady beautifully ignored the Empress¡¯ sexual harassment. ¡°The members of the 7th Corps have started to invade the lower-class district.¡± * ¡°The town of La Nerient, huh. How mischievous, your Excellency.¡± There was a group that rushed through the darkness that enwrapped the imperial capital. It was the 7th Corps of the Imperial Army, also known as the Komari Squad, and its 500 vampires. None of them seemed to be working together, as they only ran with blood-shot eyes. They didn¡¯t even care about the reports of the inhabitants that an ¡®angry mob appeared¡¯. That was just how desperate they were. ¡°We¡¯ll definitely get punished for this.¡± Belius muttered, and yet showed no signs of slowing down, in spite of being hurt still. He seemed intent on fighting together with his commander. Chaostell ran next of him, and grinned. ¡°Who cares about being punished. How can we sit still when her Excellency is fighting on her own?¡± Only Belius thought about the possible consequences of this. Everybody else only focussed on heading over to their commander¡¯s location, ready for battle. This was something normal for the 7th Corps, as they were known for disregarding orders. Luckily, they had found out that their commander was currently located in the town of La Nerient. When they last met, the girl did not share her destination with them. However, Chaostell had the magic called . He could pinpoint the location of a certain individual thanks to this. However, since he already used the strand of hair before, he had no chance of using that magic¡ªUntil suddenly Melaconcy handed him a golden thread. ¡°HERE YOU ARE!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Yeah! Entered her Excellency¡¯s room, found a strand of hair, boom. I¡¯m a criminal, punishment won¡¯t be minimal~¡± Of course, he ate another fist to the face for that. However, this allowed Chaostell to find the location of his commander. She did tell the squad not to follow her, but he had to ignore this order. The entire squad was prepared to face the consequences. Chaostell especially was ready to receive whatever punishment necessary, like being stepped on, being insulted, or having his neck squashed. ¡°Just you wait, your Excellency! We will help you right away!¡± ¡°Wohoooooooooooooo!!¡± The Komari Squad let out a roar as they kept running. * The second I saw that she started casting magic, I frantically hid beneath a couch. The storm of created holes everywhere around me. ¡°Come on now! How long are you going to hide, you little rat! Come out, come out! Your precious maid is going to get killed at this rate!¡± ¡°Damn it¡­¡± Right after another bullet scraped the tip of my nose, I used up all the courage I had, and ran away from beneath the couch. In response to that, Millicent¡¯s expression distorted in joy. The second she finished aiming at me for another use of , I took out a magic jewel out of my pocket, with the effect , and slammed it on the ground. Following that, magical power gathered in front of me, and created a wall that blocked the incoming attack. Millicent shot a few more of her bullets, but the showed no signs of breaking down. I might be able to do this¡ªthe moment I thought so, I prepared another magic jewel. This time, the attack type. Preferably one that can finish this all in one strike¡ª ¡°Ugyah!¡± A sharp pain ran through my shoulder. Another bullet apparently grazed my skin. I could see that the slowly showed holes inside of it, and Millicent aimed exactly for these as she kept firing more . The magic jewels in my pocket fell to the ground. I wanted to pick them up right away, but that instant, my broke with a roaring sound. I couldn¡¯t even react, as the attack hit me, a bullet of magical power piercing my left shoulder. Because of the impact, my body was flung backwards, as I rolled around several times through the dirt, eventually hitting my body and head at a stone wall. I tried pushing up my body, but that was impossible. The incoming pain delayed my every move. The pain made it feel like my body was burning up in fire. Blood came gushing out from the wound, and I felt my heart pounding all over. I started crying. No matter how many times I rolled around, the pain wouldn¡¯t go away, and I finally felt the premonition of certain death creep up on me. ¡°¡ªWhat are you doing? You can¡¯t die this quickly. Entertain me some more.¡± Millicent yet again played with that silver knife, as she laughed. That¡¯s right. I wasn¡¯t stabbed by that heavenly tool. The magic nucleus will help me heal. But, it still hurts. The blood won¡¯t stop. Why do I have to go through this hell? Subconsciously, I glanced up at Vill, still crucified. Just by looking at her, I can tell that she¡¯s suffering. She had wounds all over her body, as the blood dropping down created a river of crimson red. Her hands and feet were nailed to the cross. Compared to her suffering, this bit of pain is nothing. As if I¡¯d die in a place like this. ¡°¡ªOh? You can still stand? Not bad.¡± I used the wall to push up my body. My entire body hurt like hell, and my legs were quivering. My heart was about to be crushed by the fear assaulting me, but that¡¯s not something that will stop me. ¡°¡­I¡¯m not going to lose!¡± Millicent grinned. ¡°Heh, so you actually got some guts in you. Where do you want me to shoot you next? The chest? Stomach? Or would you rather have me make a mess out of your face? Ruining your so-called overwhelming beauty doesn¡¯t sound half bad.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not overwhelming, it¡¯s unparalleled!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference, really! Stop annoying me!¡± ¡°I¡¯m even more annoyed!¡± At the same time as I flung the magic jewel, I started running. I was aiming for Millicent¡¯s reach. She won¡¯t be able to use her like this, but I can freely use my magic jewels. ¡°Kyahaha! Some suicide attack!? Have you gotten crazy now!?¡± Millicent fired a consecutive row of bullets from her fingertip. One grazed my ear. I don¡¯t feel any pain. I will bring this to an end before I can feel anything. I evaded the approaching me. ¡°¡ªExplode, magic jewel!¡± I tightly closed my eyes, and ignited the magic jewel I just threw. A bright flash filled our surroundings; . It¡¯s magic to momentarially blind the enemy. ¡°You damned wench and your impudent tactics!!¡± I heard Millicent¡¯s enraged voice. She must have been hit by the flash, as she held her eyes in agony. From her slender fingertip, she fired more . They created even more holes in the chairs, stained glass, and the statue of the Holy Mother¡ªNo, don¡¯t be afraid. Don¡¯t back down. I dodged every bullet that came too far, and finally made it up to Millicent, whose eyes were wide open. However, I had already pressed my magic jewel into her lower abdomen. ¡°You¡ª¡± ¡°Magic Jewel .¡± Bang! A shockwave rang out, sending Millicent¡¯s body flying. But, my feet didn¡¯t stop yet. I chased after the soaring Millicent, and activated another magic jewel with the name right as she hit her back on the ground. Magical power was set free, as a rock materialized in the air. ¡°Get crushed, Millicent!!¡± ¡°Wha¡­Eh!?¡± It was already too late for her. The magical rock had already materialized fully, and attacked Millicent¡¯s body. A high shriek rang out, followed by the sound of bone being crushed. But, that wasn¡¯t enough. I used another magical jewel with the same effect, falling onto the previous one. This time, I heard no screams. At first, Millicent tried to fight against the falling rock, but apparently ran out of strength, as any movement stopped. Yet, I prepared another magical jewel just in case. Everybody else would tell you that she¡¯s dead. But, I was riddled with anxiety still. There¡¯s no way Millicent would be defeated by something like that. She must be alive under that rock. More than anything, I couldn¡¯t believe that I killed her. And yet, Millicent showed no reaction. Letting out a sigh, I fell to the ground. I did it. I finally managed to come back from being a shut-in. But, I didn¡¯t have time to relax yet. I pushed up my tired body, and ran towards Vill. ¡°Vill! Are you okay!?¡± The girl didn¡¯t respond. She still was bleeding from all over her body. I have to carefully get her down, and quickly take her back¡ªI felt relief for a second, but then it happened. I felt something hitting my calf. ¡°Eh?¡± I looked down. I found a silver knife stabbed into my leg. Holding the knife was a blood-drenched hand. Following that hand, I found Millicent, who looked up at me like the devil himself. ¡°Kyahahahaha! How dare you, Terakomari!¡± I was so terrified, I couldn¡¯t force out a voice. The knife was pulled out again, and I fell to the ground. Impossible. I was stabbed? By that silver knife? I was stabbed by the heavenly tool that can negate the magic nucleus¡¯ effect¡ªBut, I was only allowed to think that far. A burning pain ran through my muscles. A piercing shriek escaped my mouth. I started crying again. Drool came out my mouth as well. Indescribable pain ran along my skin. This wound will never heal. I will continue to taste this pain¡ªthe second this realization set in, I almost lost consciousness from the panic attack. But, I barely managed to get a grip of myself, and tried crawling away on the ground, distancing myself from Millicent. ¡°Ohh? Terakomari-chan, where do you plan on going?¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Millicent kicked my stomach, which lifted me up from the ground for a brief moment. Reflexively, I looked up, and saw how Millicent was grinning down at me. ¡°Ho¡­w¡­¡± ¡°How am I still alive, you ask!? Hyaha! As if such low-tier magic could kill me, you idiot!¡± She grabbed me by the collar. I couldn¡¯t look her in the eye. Instead, when I glanced past her, I saw the destroyed rock. She must have used some defense-type magic to avoid being crushed¡ªBut, I don¡¯t have time to closely analyze the situation. ¡°Hey, does it hurt? It must hurt, right? Look at all that blood coming out.¡± ¡°Sto¡­p¡­¡± ¡°As if I would stop, you moron!¡± Sparks filled my view. When I realized that I was hit in the face, I already had fallen on the ground, facing upwards. I tried to stand up, but the pain in my leg led me to fall down again. My chest hit the ground. Millicent only laughed even harder. ¡°Well, I think you were trying pretty hard this time around. I didn¡¯t think you had the guts to actually attack me.¡± The Death God slowly approached me. My body wouldn¡¯t move still. I saw the silver knife flash up. ¡°But, it¡¯s already three years to late. You¡¯re a trashy kid that got bullied. Nothing changed since then. Even if you tried to change, you failed miserably. People like you have less worth than insects, and should be killed.¡± Without me realizing it, I started weeping. My entire body hurt. The shoulder I was shot through, the leg I got stabbed at, the cheek that got hit, my broken heart, everything gave me anguish. ¡°Huh, you¡¯re gonna cry now? You really are worthless trash. What do you think will happen just because you start crying? Just to let you know, this world isn¡¯t as kind as you think! You probably don¡¯t get it, but I understood that when I got chased out of the country. Even when I cried, nobody came to save me! I could only rely on my own strength!¡± ¡°S-Shut up. Shut up. I¡¯m¡­not crying¡­¡± ¡°Stop acting brave now!!¡± The magical bullet she fired from her fingertip pierced my side. Oddly enough, I felt no more pain. Millicent brought her face closer, and kicked me in the stomach. ¡°Ugh!¡± I couldn¡¯t bear it. I rolled around on the ground, holding my stomach in pain. ¡°Kyahaha, how unsightly.¡± Millicent let out a roaring laughter, pulling me up by my hair. ¡°This time I¡¯ll make you into omurice. Any problem with that?¡± ¡°Y-You¡­liked omurice more than me, right¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that!?¡± My face was pressed on the ground. My field of view turned white, and I couldn¡¯t think about anything. ¡°¡ªWhy don¡¯t you use that Nucleus Liberation of yours anytime soon? Then you might even have a chance. I prepared myself these past three years, so don¡¯t waste all my efforts, will you.¡± What is she saying? I gave no response. ¡°Huh? You have some condition to activate it? Or do you not feel like using it? Are you too scared to even think?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Say something!¡± She screamed right into my ear. It felt like my head was about to explode. Millicent clicked her tongue. ¡°¡­You really don¡¯t know anything. Did you not come here trying to win by using your Nucleus Liberation?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡­know anything like that.¡± ¡°Then, why did you come here in the first place. You can¡¯t win against me under normal circumstances. You should know that better than anybody.¡± Of course I did. However, it¡¯s not a problem of being able to or not. Neither is it a question of life or death. ¡°¡­For Vill¡¯s sake¡­¡± I pushed myself up, while spitting out blood. But, my words didn¡¯t stop. ¡°I came here to save Vill. I might be small, bad at sports, and unable to use magic, a total failure of a vampire¡­Yeah, I was scared to come here. My legs were shaking, and I thought of turning around again and again. But, I didn¡¯t want to run away anymore.¡± Just breathing hurt me. But, my words won¡¯t stop. ¡°I can¡¯t stay a shut-in forever! That¡¯s why I came here! I know that I¡¯m weak! But, I have to do this! I have to work hard for the people who care this much about me!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Millicent took half a step back¡ªor that¡¯s what it felt like, but I had no way of confirming. Right away, she screamed in rage. ¡°¡­Work hard? Stop spitting nonsense! Nobody would suffer if you could get what you want with just effort!¡± She kicked me in the stomach again. I wanted to argue against that, but I couldn¡¯t muster up any strength. ¡°You really disgust me. How could you come here while knowing that you¡¯re weak. I don¡¯t get it¡­Ah, whatever. I¡¯ll free you from this misery soon. And after that, I¡¯ll bring ruin to the Mulnight Empire. We don¡¯t need such disgusting people, so I¡¯ll just slaughter them all.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± She¡¯s a demon. She does not have a human heart. I thought that ¡®We might be somewhat similar¡¯, but I was wrong. She hasn¡¯t changed at all in these three years, and she made no attempts either. She¡¯s rotten to the core, taking pleasure in other people¡¯s suffering. My entire body hurts, I can¡¯t move still. I lost. It¡¯s over¡ª ¡°¡ªNow then, I guess I¡¯ll start by killing the maid. You take a good look at it. Your precious maid will go to hell right in front of you.¡± What did she say? She¡¯s going to kill¡­Vill? ¡°Hm, seems like she¡¯s still sleeping. I¡¯d love to kill her when she¡¯s awake, and enjoy her expression. Maybe she¡¯ll wake up if I stab her a few times?¡± Millicent took a step forward. Her face was distorted in joy, as she held the silver knife in her hand. Wait. I won¡¯t allow that. This isn¡¯t the time to be frustrated. ¡°¡ªStop.¡± Millicent¡¯s feet came to a halt. I slowly stood up. My courage burned up strong as I grit my teeth to suppress the pain. I glared at the girl. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch Vill. I¡¯ll be the one to defeat you.¡± Millicent grit her teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. Why don¡¯t you show me then. At this rate, that girl will die, after all.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t¡­let her die¡­As if I¡¯d let someone like you kill her.¡± No way I can give up here. How could I, after Vill did so much for me. Also, I¡¯m the strongest Seven Crimson Deva. I can¡¯t watch someone else kill my subordinate. That¡¯s why, all I have to do is kill who¡¯s in front of me. ¡°Stoooooooooop!!¡± I raised my voice, and rammed my body into Millicent. I had no particular plan. I just tried a suicide attack. ¡°Give it a rest already!¡± She turned around to kick me in the face. I couldn¡¯t find solid ground, and leaned backwards. But, I still wouldn¡¯t give up. ¡°I can¡­I can still fight¡­¡± ¡°I told you to quit it!!¡± A grazed my cheek, another my shoulder, another bit into my flank, as blood splattered everywhere. These wounds will recover. Go break my arm, pierce my flank, I can just grit my teeth and fight back. ¡°I won¡¯t forgive you¡­I¡¯m definitely taking Vill back with me!¡± ¡°Again with your righteous nonsense! You¡¯re a shut-in, so stop acting so tough!¡± ¡°I¡¯m no shut-in! I¡¯ll defeat you, and take my first step towards a brighter future!¡± ¡°First step? Why don¡¯t I break your beautiful leg, and make sure that you won¡¯t be able to move any longer!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t lose either way! Not against someone who can hurt others without batting an eye! I¡¯ll win this!¡± ¡°Haha, well then why don¡¯t you try, punk!!¡± Millicent held her hands aloft, as she gathered magical power. It was already too late when I realized. A magical circle appeared, and lasers flickered up. This is high-tier magic; . I can¡¯t run away from that. I tried moving my body, but then Vill would be hit behind me. ¡°¡ª!!¡± An immense impact shook my entire body. My field of view grew white, and my consciousness was close to being blown away. My wounds ached, my blood vessels popped, making me think that this time I must have died for sure, as I was blown through the air. When things calmed down, I realized I was laying on the ground, facing upwards. My body won¡¯t move anymore. I couldn¡¯t even move a single fingertip. My sense of pain apparently had vanished already¡ªI see, I will die like this. It¡¯s frustrating. Unbearably frustrating. I couldn¡¯t defeat Millicent, couldn¡¯t save Vill, and couldn¡¯t change myself. I don¡¯t want that. Just when I finally decided to muster up the courage to change, this is the result? ¡°Komari-sama.¡± Just when I started crying out of frustration, I heard a voice. At first, I thought it was just a hallucination. But, that turned out to be wrong. Apparently, I had fallen right beneath the altar, which allowed me to see inside Vill¡¯s skirt when I looked up¡­Black panties. No, why am I just calmly stating that. I¡¯m not a pervert, okay. My brain just went crazy because I¡¯m on the brink of death. ¡°Komari-sama.¡± Vill had woken up, it seems. ¡°Vi¡­ll¡­I¡¯m sorry¡­I couldn¡¯t save you.¡± I coughed up blood as I said that. I couldn¡¯t muster up any more words. I wanted to, of course, but only groans came out of my mouth. Vill shed tears of blood, as she smiled. ¡°I couldn¡¯t be happier. To think you would come to save me again.¡± No. This isn¡¯t right, Vill. I didn¡¯t do anything. I just left my room once, and got killed right away. Where is this legendary sage? I don¡¯t know her. ¡°Please don¡¯t make such a saddened expression. You worked really hard. You are no longer a shut-in vampire. You can live proudly.¡± How could I. I¡¯m a shut-in, a good-for-nothing¡ªAs if Vill had felt my thoughts, she showed a tired smile. And then, my eyes opened wide. Vill forcefully freed her right arm, which had been nailed to the cross. The nail flew off, as a gush of blood fell to the ground. I could tell that it must have hurt. Vill¡¯s expression tightened up for a second, but quickly calmed down again. ¡°You are the strongest, most kind person in this world. But because you don¡¯t have any confidence in yourself, I always have to worry about you.¡± She slowly lifted up her right hand. It dangled right above of me. And then from the tip of her finger, a drop of red blood fell¡ª ¡°You¡¯re still alive, Terakomari!?¡± A roar arrived at my ears, making me twitch. Of course, that was Millicent. I can¡¯t fully see her, but she was approaching me, judging from her footsteps. ¡°Just you wait! I¡¯ll cut you to shreds with this !¡± She probably was done playing around. I¡¯ll be killed. My body didn¡¯t move, and neither did my heart. Yet, my gaze was glued to a single point in my view. Vill¡¯s finger, the deep red blood, the source of magical power, the life of a vampire, the beverage I hated the most. ¡°Please forgive me, Komari-sama. I am ready to face whatever punishment you give me.¡± She apologized with a blank expression. A drop of red fell down. It was defeated by gravity, and soared down¡ªweddending my lip. Thus, the world turned crimson red. * A vast ¡®future¡¯ was created like a puzzle of light particles. It was a dazzling sight. She had never seen such a future. Even with this that she held, she could never hope to achieve what was in store for her. ¡ªYeah, things will be fine. I saw everything. ¡ªIf it¡¯s Komari-sama, she will not give in again. A snicker escaped her lips. It was a laugh of relief. Relief and pride that the girl she loved and respected has such a blooming future in front of her. ¡°Komari-sama, you will not lose.¡± Muttering only these words, Villhaze¡¯s eyes closed in peace. * ¡°Your Majesty, we have to send the army there right away!¡± ¡°The army is moving already, right? The 7th Corps, that is.¡± ¡°That is not the army. They are a group of criminals.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking with your superior here¡­Ah, wait a second.¡± Alman was desparate, but the Empress looked up at the ceiling. He grew agitated, thinking that she wasn¡¯t taking this seriously, but the best he could do was wait for her words. ¡°Seems like the game has been set.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, please use words I understand.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t understand it, then think. A great magical power source just appeared. The location is the lower-class district of the capital. In other words, Komari had taken blood to herself.¡± ¡°Wha¡­¡± Alman felt a cold sweat run down his cheek. The situation he feared the most finally occurred. However, the Empress only showed a calm smile. ¡°That takes care of things.¡± ¡°¡­Are you serious? Do you know how much I went through to not make her drink any blood?¡± ¡°Rest assured, the same tragedy from three years ago won¡¯t happen again.¡± ¡°However¡­¡± ¡°Do you not have any faith in your own daughter? After becoming a Seven Crimson Deva, she met all sorts of folk, and washed away the self that held her back. Right now, she has a heart. Even if she drinks blood, she won¡¯t lose herself. Though she might suffer some injuries on the side.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Alman grit his teeth. The reason Komari hated the idea of drinking blood was all because of Alman¡¯s brainwashing. The person herself isn¡¯t aware of it, but Komari held immense power. Nucleus Liberation¡ªBy cutting yourself free from the magic nucleus, you can draw out your innate abilities, which greatly defy common sense. In Komari¡¯s case, the condition to activate the Nucleus Liberation is to ¡®Drink someone else¡¯s blood¡¯. This incident marks the fourth time her Nucleus Liberation was activated. The first time happened when she was three years old. During lunch, she had her first sip of blood, which ended up in her slaughtering the entire Gandezblood Family. The second time was when she was ten. A newly-hired maid accidentally cooked food with blood in it, and was instantly killed by Komari. The third time was when she was twelve. She was bullied, beaten, and happened to drink a bit of blood from the other girl as she fought back, killing everybody in the vicinity without a single person realizing what even had happened, disregarding them being bully, normal student, or teacher. She even killed the former 3rd Corps commander, who acted as a Seven Crimson Deva. Basically, whenever Komari had just a drop of blood, she caused a slaughter, killing anybody in her sight¡ªand the person who had induced this crossed her legs with an indifferent expression. ¡°Seven Crimson Deva are specialists in killing, and if a weak Seven Crimson Deva existed, that would be blasphemy towards the royal family. The reason I agreed to make her a Deva was because I wanted to get a grip on her own life, and also because she truly was worthy of being a commander.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Ahh, I¡¯m so excited. Show me, Terakomari. Show me the greatest Nucleus Liberation the Empire had seen for the past thousand years ¡ª , and its value that it holds with you.¡± The Empress raised her head. Outside the window, a crimson-red moon shone in the sky. * The vampires of the Komari Squad that set foot into the church of the castle came to a sudden halt. The scenery that had opened up in front of them was too surreal. Everything around the area was drenched in blood. A blue-haired girl stood in the center of the church. She held a knife, making her the terrorist that infiltrated the party. Normally, the Komari Squad would run out to attack her right away¡ªbut what stopped them was the sight of a maid crucified on top of the altar. And, below said maid laid their beloved and respected commander Terakomari. Impossible. Had their commander lost against the terrorist? The vampires were about to jump out, when the impossible happened. Her Excellency slowly stood up, like she had just gotten up from her grave. Her uniform had been ripped to shreds, her body drenched in blood, and yet she held no expression on her face. Suddenly, her small mouth moved. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you.¡± Following that, a storm of crimson-red magical power hit the church. No, it wasn¡¯t just the church. Her Excellency¡¯s immense magical power covered the church, the abandoned castle, the lower-class district, and the entire Empire as a whole, turning the world crimson. The vampires froze up. Fear, doubt, uncertainty, all these feelings gathered in their hearts, but what stood above all of them was joy. Their respected commander had colored the heavens crimson. This is the true strength of Terakomari Gandezblood, no doubt. ¡°Your Excellency¡­¡± Someone opened their mouth. Other voices followed. ¡°Your Excellency!¡± ¡°Your Excellency Komarin!¡± ¡°So this is how strong she really was!¡± ¡°Go and kill that terrorist!¡± ¡°Komarin! Komarin! Komarin!¡± The voltage between the vampires started to grow, as their Komarin chanting began. The church was filled with excitement, but the Komari in question had kept her cold, rational gaze glued at her enemy. * Millicent Bluenight narrowed her eyes. Terakomari should have been utterly defeated, and yet she stood up. Not to mention that her entire body was wrapped in a fearsome amount and density of magical power. A cheering squad was screaming at her back. Without Millicent realizing it, a group of vampires wearing military uniforms had gathered. That brat, she had the nerve to actually call her allies over¡ªMillicent grit her teeth, and faced the girl. ¡°Hey, Terakomari, I told you I¡¯d kill the hostage if you talked about this with someone, right? That cross actually has been riddled with explosions, so if I sent a bit of magical power over there¡ª¡± Millicent was forced to swallow her breath. She was gone. Terakomari had disappeared. Millicent frantically looked around. Impossible. Where did she go? She was in front of her only a second ago, so why¡ªa sweat ran down her back, when a strong impact hit her into the abdomen. ¡°Gah¡­¡± A groan escaped from her lips, and yet she somehow managed to stand on her own two staggering feet. In a panic, she observed her own abdomen. Her skin had burst open, as red liquid gushed out of the wound. It hurt like her inner organs had been ripped out of her. No, they must have been ripped out of her for good. The second she understood that, Millicent¡¯s expression tightened up. ¡°What¡­did you dooooooo!!¡± The vampires watching raised voices of admiration. Terakomari stood still at around three meters away. Her crimson-red eyes were radiating¡ªand that crimson looked even more red than usual¡ªas her right hand was drenched in Millicent¡¯s blood. Terakomari showed no signs of her past self that had been bullied before, and resembled a monster more than anything. She didn¡¯t say anything, just staring at Millicent. ¡°W-What happened¡­? Is that¡­Nucleus Liberation?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Say something! Look at what you did to me! How are you going to compensate me for that!?¡± ¡°¡­you.¡± ¡°Huh!? I can¡¯t hear you!¡± ¡°I will kill you.¡± Terakomari kicked off the ground. She moved with the speed of a storm, wrapped up in crimson magical power, to which Millicent fired purely out of instinct and fear for her life. The barrage of bullets vanished in the darkness of the church. Not a single one of them hit Terakomari. She used movement you wouldn¡¯t expect from a living being to evade these bullets. ¡°¡­!¡± Millicent could follow her, when a fist appeared right in front of her eyes. It was a small, girly fist, and yet it was filled with immense killing intent. Millicent barely managed to avoid it, as the fist instead rammed inside the wall behind her, creating a magical explosion. Met with the explosive breeze, Millicent fell to the ground. The wall of debris had been blown away like it was a mere child¡¯s toy. Impossible. This should not be happening. Millicent had spent the past three years trying to rival Terakomari¡¯s Nucleus Liberation. By defeating her, only then would she feel her own growth. ¡ªBut, this was outside her expectations. To think such a rule-breaking Nucleus Liberation existed. Millicent held her own abdomen to subdue the pain, and stood up. Her enemy gripped her right hand tight, tilting her head like she was confused. The vampires at her back were still chanting ¡®Komarin! Komarin! Komarin!¡¯, supporting the brat. ¡ªDon¡¯t joke with me. ¡°All of you¡­are just joking around¡­making fun of others who aren¡¯t born with talent¡­!¡± ¡®I¡¯ll kill you¡¯, she says. You should be the one to get killed. People like you, who trample on others feelings, should die the most gruesome death. I want to rip out your heart right now, and turn it to shreds. Millicent staggered backwards, gathering magical power. She used up all of the magical power sleeping in her body. Who cares if her eyes were bleeding from the extreme toll this took. As long as she could kill Terakomari, everything was worth it. ¡°Millicent.¡± Terakomari turned towards him. ¡°How foolish you are.¡± Something snapped inside of Millicent. She lost herself, and screamed. ¡°Youuuuuu damned braaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!!!¡± She set free all of the destructive magical power she gathered in the form of special-tier light attack magic . A thick laser carved the ground around them. With this, the battle is over¡ªMillicent felt sure of her win. However, the impossible happened. The second she thought Terakomari had been hit, the laser was deflected upwards. ¡°Wha¡­¡± It looked like something changed it¡¯s trajectory. A roaring sound rang out. The laser, directed upwards, destroyed the stone roof. It kept going beyond that, and went straight up into the night sky. The hole in the ceiling let the moonlight in, coloring the interior of the church crimson red. Millicent was baffled, and glanced at Terakomari. In front of her, a magic circle had been established, belonging to high-tier reflection magic . Any sort of attack hitting this magic circle could be controlled, but mastering this magic was exceptionally difficult. ¡°How¡­how can you use mag¡ªUgh!¡± Her left arm was hit by an impact enough to tear it apart, followed by pain that made her almost blank out. Letting out a scream, she looked over at her left arm. But, it was nowhere to be found. There was no more left arm. A bullet had blown it off, and it dropped down lifelessly in the corner of the church. It was low-tier light attack magic that had struck her. She had the nerve to use the magic Millicent most excelled at. Unforgivable, unforgivable, unforgivable. Millicent had to kill her right away¡ª ¡°!?¡± But then, a sense of discomfort plagued her. Her legs wouldn¡¯t move, almost like someone was holding onto them¡­ ¡°Eeeek!?¡± Millicent let out a pathetic shriek. From the puddle of blood at her feet, crimson-red hands appeared, grabbing her ankles. ¡°What¡­the hell is this¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t just comparable to ¡®grabbing¡¯. They desperately clung to her legs, slowly crushing them. Even as she fired several at them, the holes that appeared in these bloody hands closed right away. Millicent screamed and begged her to stop, but nothing happened. The bones in her ankles were breaking apart. Unable to bear the pain, Millicent fell to the ground, and screamed in agony. The broken bones tore through her skin, visible from the outside. It really felt like all the blood was drained from her body. What the hell is this? Millicent had never heard of such magic before. ¡°Stop joking with me, stop joking around¡­¡± She muttered to herself, and glared at Terakomari. Terakomari¡¯s eyes had been as cold as ever, fixated on Millicent as she approached her. Illuminated by the crimson moonlight, the girl was drenched in blood. Seeing this, Millicent¡¯s body shook in fear. And then, a sense of deja-vu set in. It¡¯s not her brain which remembers, but rather her body. This sensation¡ªit¡¯s the same from these three years ago where she had attempted to steal the pendant from Terakomari. These past three years, Millicent worked hard to repay the favor she had received that day. But, the result was the same. Was all her effort for nothing after all? Was everything lost from the very beginning? ¡°Wooohoo! Your Excellecy!¡± ¡°Finish her!¡± ¡°Terrorists are the trash of this world!¡± ¡°Her Excellency is so cool!¡± ¡°Marry me!¡± ¡°Komarin! Komarin! Komarin!¡± These cheers didn¡¯t even reach Terakomari, who slowly approached Millicent. ¡°This is the end.¡± She stretched out her hand. Instinctively, Millicent felt fear. ¡ªFear? I do? Towards Terakomari? As if I would! She realized that she still had a way of winning. Using the , which she held in her right hand, she could still defeat Terakomari. She didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Go rot in hell, Terakomariiiiii!!!¡± However, that knife did not reach Terakomari¡¯s throat. A right arm fell to the ground. Of course, that one belonged to Millicent. It had been cut off all-too-clean from her shoulder. ¡°Ah¡­Ugh¡­¡± Her heart was assaulted by despair. She had no means of resisting anymore. The second she realized that this was her defeat, fear filled her body. She started shaking, as a cold sweat drenched her clothes, and yet her willpower allowed her to glare at Terakomari. ¡°How¡­are you¡­¡± Millicent didn¡¯t know what she even wanted to ask. In the face of overwhelming talent, all effort is useless¡ªshe didn¡¯t want to accept that. She hated the person Terakomari Gandezblood, who had been blessed by life, given so much raw talent without having done anything for it. She glared at her fated enemy, and saw overwhelming magical power, paired endless vigor. But then, she realized. Terakomari was in tatters. Her clothes had holes everywhere, her expression and face dirty with blood and tears, wounds all over her body, and she must be still suffering from the that she had been stabbed with. All of these wounds had been given to her by Millicent. If Terakomari had known that she could use Nucleus Liberation, then she would not have ended up this way. That¡¯s right. Even she isn¡¯t perfect. Without this Nucleus Liberation, she¡¯s just your good-for-nothing vampire. She has no special power, and can¡¯t fight on her own. And yet, she suddenly awakened to this power. ¡ªNucleus Liberation is connected to something deep inside your heart. She remembered Amatsu-sensei¡¯s words. ¡ªI have to work hard for the people who care this much about me! Terakomari¡¯s words played back in her head. That might just be it. If Millicent held a heart as strong as Terakomari, maybe things could have ended differently. Because she herself suffered, she vented out her anger on others. She sought for strength, and joined a terrorist organization. These are all signs of Millicent¡¯s weak heart, and if she had taken a different approach, a different future might have greeted her¡ª No. Regretting the past won¡¯t change anything. Coming to this realization, Millicent shed tears. She wasn¡¯t frustrated at her loss, nor was she scared of dying. Rather, the sight of Terakomari was too dazzling. ¡ªI wanted to become someone like her. ¡°Prepare yourself.¡± Terakomari¡¯s slender fingers wrapped around Millicent¡¯s throat. The deep crimson vampire princess spoke, absolutely indifferently. ¡°With this, you¡¯re free.¡± ¡°Wha¡ªGeh.¡± She didn¡¯t even have time to regret. As her heart was hit by a wave of despair, her throat was crushed. * Six Countries Newspaper: 21st day of the 5th Month, Morning Newspaper Successful Capture of the ¡®Inverted Moon¡¯ Member [Capital¡ªMelka Tiano] The Mulnight Government has announced the successful capture of a girl that belonged to the terrorist organization ¡®Inverted Moon¡¯, which had caused several attacks in the Empire. According to the government, she was a former inhabitant of the Empire, and was hiding in an abandoned castle near the lower-class district¡¯s town La Nerient, where Seven Crimson Deva general Terakomari Gandezblood killed her in battle, and secured her corpse. This being the first time a member of ¡®Inverted Moon¡¯ had been captured, the Empire will play a great role in the search for the rest of the terrorist organization¡­(omitted)¡­Commander Gandezblood will be awarded for her honors. Of course, judging from the ongoing ¡®Komarin Boom¡¯, her work thus far was only the beginning, and she is already regarded as the new rising star of the Seven Crimson Devas, allowing us to have high expectations in the future as well. 1 Originally written as 2 Mirror found in hell in Enma¡¯s chamber that allows people to see their good and bad deeds Volume 2 - CH Pr It¡¯s morning. The sun shining into the room through the curtains informed me about this fact. But, I¡¯m awake. Normally, I¡¯d be hiding in my bed, sleeping until my twilight years, but oddly enough, I already sat at my desk. ¡°Done¡­It¡¯s finally done¡­!¡± What filled my chest was limitless joy. After all, I had finished it, my own novel. I think it turned out pretty great. Seeing that I finished this in about a month, while being forced to work from early morning to late night, not even granted a bit of freedom at home because that perverted maid is constantly assaulting me, as well as needing to fully rest on Saturdays because of my exhaustion, I might actually have some talent for this, don¡¯t you agree? All that¡¯s left for me is to send it over to a publisher. It sounds simple, but there is one thing I have to be exceptionally careful about. Namely, that the perverted maid cannot find this manuscript at any means. If this masterpiece of mine, which could even win against ¡®Strawberry Milk¡¯ in terms of being embarrassing, were published without permission, I would certainly die an embarrassing death, so I cannot ever let her¡ª ¡°Good morning, Komari-sama.¡± ¡°Waaaaaaaaaaah!¡± I threw myself over the manuscript in a desperate attempt to hide it. A girl wearing a maid uniform had appeared behind my back. She had previously proclaimed herself as ¡®Komari-sama¡¯s personal maid Villhaze¡¯, but I just call her ¡®perverted maid¡¯. She might have a calm, polite expression, but you can¡¯t fall for that. She¡¯s always thinking about perverted things, I tell you. ¡°How rare for you to be up at such a time, Komari-sama.¡± ¡°R-Right? I thought that getting up early once in a while wouldn¡¯t hurt. That¡¯s why there¡¯s no need to wake me up, so could you leave already?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind, but could I first read your masterpiece, Komari-sama?¡± ¡°I was found out already!!¡± I embraced my manuscript, and escaped to the wall. This time, I definitely cannot let her read it. ¡°Do not get any closer! If you do, I¡¯ll reveal your embarrassing secret!¡± ¡°There is nothing embarrassing about my body! If you would like to confirm this, I don¡¯t mind stripping right away!¡± ¡°Be a bit more embarrassed about that!¡± Vill was confused. She might actually be a full-fledged pervert. However, the girl showed an unexpected smile, adding ¡®I¡¯m joking¡¯. ¡°Stripping for no reason is unappealing. I have realized this as of late.¡± ¡°Only as of late? Isn¡¯t that too late already?¡± ¡°Also, I don¡¯t mean to forcefully read Komari-sama¡¯s novel. You are my lifesaver, I would never want you to hate me.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± I remembered the incident from a month ago. Out of nowhere, Millicent appeared, and disrupted my daily life. It was literal hell for me, but at the end of that tragedy, I somehow graduated from being a ¡®total shut-in¡¯ to a ¡®half shut-in¡¯. I met Millicent several times after that. Because I felt like we needed to talk things through. However, I can¡¯t meet her yet. According to the government, Millicent has been locked up in the capital¡¯s prison, but when I went there myself, I found absolutely no traces of her. One guard told me ¡®You cannot meet her yet¡¯, whereas another just asked me out on a date for some reason. Seriously, I wonder where she wandered off to. ¡­Anyway, Vill apparently feels the need to repay some sort of debt because I saved her during that incident. I don¡¯t really see any reason for her to feel like this though. ¡°That¡¯s why, there is no need for you to act this wary of me, I shall not do anything you would hate.¡± ¡°Then, will you spoil me?¡± ¡°Of course I will. So, let¡¯s both do our best during today¡¯s work.¡± ¡°How are these two things related in any way?¡± ¡°Because they are. Today is Monday, so there is new work.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to spoil me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That is why I made your enemy for today¡¯s battle the easy-to-defeat apes, from the Laperico Kingdom. It seems as if Hades Molkikki is brimming with energy as always.¡± Vill said, and handed me a letter. It was addressed to me. On the sender name, it said ¡®Laperico Kingdom Four Heavenly Beast Hades Molkikki¡¯. Let me open it up. [You¡¯re dead meat.] ¡°Was there even a need to put this in a letter!?¡± ¡°It is probably meant as a threat. In the realm of nature, being underestimated means the same as being killed.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t carry your weird rules into the world of rational-thinking people!¡± ¡°I can agree that this letter holds absolutely no value. Someone like Komari-sama, the legendary and unparalleled Seven Crimson Deva Terakomari Gandezblood, would not be threatened by a wild beast¡¯s growls.¡± ¡°I¡¯m about to crap my pants here, Vill!¡± ¡°Please do not worry. I am with you.¡± ¡°Even if you say that, I still don¡¯t wanna! Today, I¡¯ll definitely use my fake illness card! I got some crazy fever threatening my life, so let me stay at home!¡± ¡°But, I have heard you will be granted a week off if you win during today¡¯s battle.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Today will be your tenth win in a row. Her Majesty seemed very delighted about this fact, and promised you a long-awaited break as a reward.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± A break¡­of a week. What could I do for an entire week? I could read lots of books, sleep all day long, or work on another story¡­ ¡°This being the case, let us prepare. You have to change, so could you take off your clothes for me?¡± My heart was shaken. I know that betting my life on the line for a relatively small break was idiotic. But, a week is a week. I can¡¯t miss out on this chance either. ¡°Oh my, you seem to be sweating quite a bit. Let me wipe that for you¡­Slurp~¡± Then again, a battle is a battle. I¡¯m the legendary sage who advocates peace and solitude. If things went south, I might get killed during the battle, you know? ¡°Ahh! Komari-sama¡¯s skin is so soft, and utterly delicious! I can¡¯t get enough!¡± No no no no, wait. I already won against that chimpanzee man three times, and with ease during every single battle. If I leave it to my subordinates, they should bring home a victory for me¡ª ¡°¡­Hm?¡± I looked down at my own body. I was wearing my military uniform. ¡°Eh? When did I¡­?¡± ¡°I enjoyed the freedom to change your clothes while you were lost in your thoughts, Komari-sama.¡± ¡°Huuuuuuuuuuuuh!?¡± ¡°Now, it is time for departure! Let us enjoy today¡¯s slaughter as well!¡± ¡°Wah, eh¡ªI haven¡¯t mentally prepared myself yet! Also, what do you mean ¡®enjoy¡¯!?¡± In the end, I was not given a choice after all. * I don¡¯t mean to brag, but I¡¯m super weak. Because I couldn¡¯t drink blood ever since I was young, I stopped growing, my magical power stopped increasing, and I became absolutely useless when it came to my physical abilities, making me a good-for-nothing vampire. These three characteristics led me to be bullied at the academy, and this bullying was the cause of me shutting myself in for three whole years. Around a month ago, when I started working, it¡¯s gotten a bit better, but since I¡¯m an indoor-and brain-type, I¡¯m not made out for this work. I am a vampire that advocates and loves peace. The average kill experience of an inhabitant of the Mulnight Empire runs at around 1.9 people (which is exceptionally high compared to the other countries), but I have never killed anybody, and I don¡¯t plan on ever killing someone. I was involved with a few killings of my subordinates, but that was either an accident or beyond my control, so I¡¯m not counting that. That¡¯s why, and I will say it again, I¡¯m very much not fit for work like this¡ªAnd yet, my subordinates seem to have a crazy misunderstanding. ¡°¡ªLieutenant Hades Molkikki has been defeated! The Mulnight Empire has emerged victorious!¡± The second someone shouted these words, roaring cheers rang out, almost bursting my eardrums. Can you not scream this close to me? ¡®Nucleus Domain¡¯¡ªThis is the blood-drenched battlefield which is located in the center of the area where all the magic nuclei ranges intersect. Vill forcefully pulled me here, had me stand in front of 500 vampires to give another arrogant speech, and had me sit down on my chair. Without ever being allowed to mentally prepare myself, I¡¯m being pushed into another battle. Although we did manage to win. The entire army of the Laperico Kingdom attacked again, to which Chaostell used his spatial magic , pushing all of them into some four-dimensional space. However, as I should have expected, the enemy¡¯s general, Lieutenant Hades Molkikki alone managed to destroy the wall of that fourth dimension, and returned to our world, killed around a hundred of my subordinates, when blondie Johan stepped in front of me with a ¡®Can¡¯t help it, I¡¯ll protect you¡¯, only to get punched in the face. Lastly, Belius was the one who cut off the chimpanzee¡¯s head, and saved the day. Sigh, I seriously thought I was dead. And, I feel like me getting close to dying is happening a bit too frequently as of late. ¡°Great work, your Excellency! Yet another wonderful victory under your command.¡± I tried to calm down my racing heart, when a subordinate of mine called out to me. He had the body stature of a withered tree, and his name is Chaostell Cont. ¡°With this, these beastmen should know their place, and have learned of the fact that Commander Terakomari Gandezblood possesses unmatchable beauty and strength, overflowing with killing intent!¡± ¡°Y-You can say that again! There¡¯s no other vampire than me who possesses such unmatchable beauty and strength, and I can¡¯t get enough killing! No matter who the enemy is, I¡¯ll defeat them with a pinky!¡± ¡°¡°¡°¡°Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!¡±¡±¡± My subordinates let out a celebrative roar. Can you not scream about every little thing? You¡¯re scaring me. At the same time, Chaostell showed the smile of a known child abductor. ¡°Your Excellency, have you not grown tired of only fighting beastmen? Should we declare war against a stronger enemy?¡± ¡°Stronger enemy?¡± ¡°Indeed. The people you have defeated this far were average at best, if I may be so rude. The so-called aces of the various countries have continued to watch in silence thus far, and did not request a battle as of yet. That is why I think we should take the step and be on the aggressive.¡± ¡°I-I wonder about that.¡± ¡°I second that.¡± A beastmen with a dog head, Belius Inu Kerbero, showed consent to Chaostell¡¯s opinion. ¡°Judging from your ability and wits, you should be able to take on the other aces with ease. That¡¯s right, how about the Republic of Gela Arca¡¯s Nelia Cunningham, the Fairy Land¡¯s Airan Rinzu, or even Amatsu Karilla from the Heavenly Paradise.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m¡­¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± A rapper suddenly appeared, who is probably the most mysterious and dangerous explosion specialist of the 7th corps, called Melaconcy. ¡°Your Excellency Komarin¡¯s getting more glory, but with me around, no worry? These peeps from the other countries might be strong, so Belius has to worry about surviving against them, am I wrong? Woof!¡± Belius apparently answered that question himself by sending Melaconcy flying with his fist. Why does this guy always say the most unnecessary things? Then again, this is the same as usual. More importantly, they¡¯re telling me to declare war against the other countries¡¯ aces? Can you not pull bad jokes like that? As if I would voluntarily step into danger¡ªThen again, one day someone might come by and see if I¡¯m really that strong, so maybe I should consider it while I still have the freedom of choice. ¡°Hey, Vill. My beloved subordinates are telling me to declare war against a strong enemy, but how do you feel about this?¡± I asked Vill, who stood next to me. She¡¯s my ally. She would probably choose an enemy that I could beat easily, and more importantly, she said that she would spoil me. With a bit of luck, she¡¯ll be able to convince them¡ªor so I thought. ¡°I consider it a great idea. I will prepare a befitting declaration as soon as we make it back to the capital.¡± Huh? ¡°Komari-sama, which opponent would you prefer?¡± ¡°Um¡­Vill? What about you spoiling me¡­¡± Vill grinned. You¡ªYou¡¯re enjoying this!? ¡°Stop fooling a¡ª¡± ¡ªround, I wanted to say, but I realized that my subordinates were looking at me. Not to mention that they had a really expectant gaze. My survival instincts were telling me to make something up. ¡°¡­U-Um¡­Well, you know. Maybe the¡­Uhh, Fairy Land? Yeah, that!¡± ¡°The Fairy Land, is it? I know the most famous of the ¡®Three Dragon Comets¡¯ is Airan Rinzu. Apparently, he has the ability to make the enemy¡¯s heart explode with his magic.¡± ¡°O-Ohh! Well, I guess he¡¯s not worthy then! I can use similar magic after all! They can go ahead and explode a heart or two of mine!¡± ¡°Ohhh!¡± ¡°She really is the legendary vampire!¡± ¡°Soon she¡¯ll be history¡¯s strongest Seven Crimson Deva.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time until she becomes the next Empress!¡± Stop it already¡­please, I beg you. Hey, stop applauding me! I¡¯d just stand out more if I did that. And then, everybody would be coming for my head. I¡¯ll be forced to brag even more. What should I do about this¡­ ¡°¡ªGandezblood-dono! Is it true that you¡¯re going to declare war against the Fairy Land!?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± A small girl stood in front of me. I remember her. She¡¯s the idiot who declared that I¡¯d make the whole world into omurice. She carried a pen and paper, belonging to the Sougyoku Race. She¡¯s an aspiring newspaper journalist, Melka Tiano. Also, your face is too close! Again! ¡°It has been a while Gandezblood-sama!¡± ¡°M-Melka¡­Yeah, it has been.¡± ¡°Waah! You¡¯ve even remembered my name!? I am honored!¡± ¡°I have a good memory after all¡­And, what do you need?¡± ¡°I want to gather some more material! Can I ask you some questions!?¡± In the corner of my view, I saw Chaostell nod. I guess he¡¯s telling me to agree? Well, nothing can go wrong anyway, I¡¯m sure! ¡°Alright. But, keep it short.¡± ¡°Thank you very much!¡± Her eyes were sparkling. ¡°Is what you just talked about with Villhaze-sama true!? Why are you aiming for Sir Airan Rinzu? Who do you think is the strongest except yourself!? Please tell me all the people you¡¯re aiming for! Another Seven Crimson Deva? A general from another country? Or your mother!?¡± ¡ªS-She still is as annoying as ever! ¡°Get away from me already!¡± ¡°Kya!¡± I subconsciously shoved her away, as a flame of rage burned up in my heart. ¡°I told you the same before, did I not! I¡¯m aiming for absolute dominance! In other words, conquering this entire world! That¡¯s why I don¡¯t see any reason to declare war against anybody! Also, the person I think as the strongest¡­Hmm, probably the Empress! There, over!¡± At the same time as I finished my words, I let out a sigh. ¡ªI did it again. I can already tell this is going to bite me in the near future. It¡¯s really tough that I always have to act strong¡­Man, I really want to stop working, and just shut myself in. Is there nobody who shares these troubles like I do? I want someone who understands my feelings¡­ Surrounded by my approaching subordinates, I let out another deep sigh. * The meeting ended, and the sun had already sunk. Having been sitting on a chair for far too long, he had to stretch his body, as he walked through the imperial palace. No other people were around, which made sense, looking at the time. ¡°The elderly of the Empire have it rough¡­¡± A bit of exhaustion filled Alman Gandezblood¡¯s voice. Who could blame him. He had to constantly deny and stupid ideas coming from her Majesty, which stretched the meetings endlessly. The topic of today¡¯s meeting was ¡®How should we destroy the terrorists¡¯. The memories of the terrorist organization ¡®Inverted Moon¡¯ sneaking into the rows of the Empire and causing a great ruckus was still fresh in everyone¡¯s heads. The more radical ones screamed that ¡®We won¡¯t let them trample on the royal family like this!, and emphasized immediate interception of ¡®Inverted Moon¡¯ was necessary, whereas the more calm and collected straddling faction just said that ¡®We should leave it to the other countries¡¯. Alman himself thought that this could not be tolerated. These terrorists had to be dealt with right away. They were researching and even using this certain type of skill, Nucleus Liberation, which differed from normal magic use. One day there might come the time where they are powerful enough to destroy the magic nucleus of the Mulnight Empire. Something like this could not be allowed, as that would endanger the safety of everyone living here¡ªor in other words, Komari¡¯s safety. Alman¡¯s doctrine was to always aim for a safe and secure empire, so that his family and Komari could live here in peace. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll have to strike a secret agreement with her Majesty.¡± Alman and the Empress had been acquainted ever since their student days. She had always been a weird person, but that character trait only grew more twisted after she was selected as the Empress. As the Prime Minister even, Alman could almost never stop her from deciding on another crazy idea, just as today. ¡°Hm?¡± He felt a presence. Someone was standing in the shadows. The height didn¡¯t seem too high, and because of the darkness, he couldn¡¯t make out the face. As for the clothes¡ªit was the Mulnight Empire¡¯s military uniform. Couldn¡¯t be a patrolling soldier either. But, Alman wasn¡¯t too wary, since they weren¡¯t holding a weapon, and they showed no signs of casting magic. Hence, he approached the person with his usual work smile, and opened his mouth. ¡°Who might you be? Could I ask for your¡ª¡± The figure disappeared. Alman observed his surroundings, and thought that it might have been some sort of ghost, which induced a cold sweat running down his back¡ªwhen he felt a sharp pain at his abdomen. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Blood dripped from his mouth. He looked down. The person had stabbed their arm right into his stomach. ¡°You¡­are¡­¡± It was the military uniform from before. They held no weapon, used no magic, and didn¡¯t even emit any killing intent. They had pierced Alman¡¯s stomach like it was the most natural thing to do. The person¡¯s eyes were radiating red¡ªNucleus Liberation. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­tell¡­me¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t think any more about this. All strength left his body, as he had to take a knee. His field of view shook, as his breathing grew out of control. Just as decided to hurriedly report this to the Empress, Alman¡¯s heart stopped beating. * Murder is always troublesome. The more gruesomely you kill someone, the feelings of the victim will cling to your heart. That¡¯s why, you are to kill as calmly as possible, hide your own presence, and kill the other person before they can plague your heart in such a way. With this, you will suffer no needless memories that could haunt you. ¡ªAt the killer¡¯s feet laid the deceased body of a man. Alman Gandezblood, a high-ranking noble of the Empire. Killing him out of the shadows proved to be impossible, so the killer went for an immediate kill attack. ¡°¡­Bleh.¡± The killer choked, almost throwing up. Even if you can control someone else¡¯s psyche, the same can¡¯t be said about your own. They call it a ¡®Secret technique to burn the nucleus¡¯, but it isn¡¯t omni-potent. The killer only looked at the memories related to the magic nucleus, with the rest being ignored as much as possible. ¡°Alright.¡± The investigation of the memories ended. Now that they fulfilled their duty, they needed to leave as quickly as possible. If someone spotted them, things would turn ugly¡ªThe killer turned around with these thoughts, when they realized their military uniform was drenched in blood. Every time they saw this red liquid, memories of a nightmare came gushing back. Blood. A rotten stench. Eating breakfast in a room colored with red. The family members had died each in their own way, some without head, some without arms or legs, hearts scattered on the carpet, every one possessing great individuality. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The killer tried to subdue their urge to vomit. They couldn¡¯t erase their trauma. Even with their strength, it was impossible. What an incomplete skill. Suddenly, their transmission-type magic crystal was filled with magical power. The killer responded to this, and a sober male voice spoke up. ¡°Results?¡± The killer thought for a bit, and responded. ¡°None. Alman Gandezblood doesn¡¯t know anything.¡± ¡°Even the Prime Minister of the Empire doesn¡¯t know? How careful.¡± ¡°What should we do? Should we stop?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind. Proceed as planned.¡± The voice was overbearing. Suppressing their fear, the killer responded indifferently. ¡°Understood. I will begin massacring the Seven Crimson Devas.¡± Volume 2 - CH 1 ¡°I¡¯m sure that Her Majesty the Empress must be proud of having such a successful Seven Crimson Deva under her command. No mistaking it, your Excellency will be the next Empress.¡± Chaostell walked next to me, and bragged like he always would. This is the following day after the battle with that chimpanzee. We walked down the hallway of the Mulnight Palace, on our way towards the audience room. Looking at my own reflection in the sparkling floor, I gave a disinterested ¡®Yeah¡¯. At my other side stood Vill, who gave me a glance. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Komari-sama. You seem to be a bit lackluster.¡± ¡°Of course I¡ªN-No, I mean, I¡¯m always brimming with energy!¡± In a panic, I corrected myself. I shouldn¡¯t be giving my honest feelings here. I don¡¯t know who could hear me, and Chaostell is always clinging to me anyway. Unrelated to this, as for the reason I was here, I had been summoned by the Empress herself. Since I had won against the Laperico Kingdom again, I was promised a week of vacation. That¡¯s why I had planned to shut myself in for the rest of the day, but the perverted maid suddenly barged in early in the morning. ¡°The Empress calls for you. If you don¡¯t come in time, Her Majesty will kiss you as punishment, so let us hurry, Komari-sama! Hurry!¡± she said. I feel like Vill sounded oddly panicky there, but leaving that aside, now that I was threatened, I had no other choice but to visit her. That is why I¡¯m in a slightly bad mood today. I just got a nice nap, so if you dare take away my well-deserved vacation, I¡¯ll start crying for real. ¡°¡­Hm, the Empress sure is a troublesome one. Suddenly calling me over like this, does she want a lesson from me?¡± ¡°Ohhh! To think you would use such vocabulary towards the ¡®Lightning Emperor¡¯¡­! That¡¯s her Excellency for you!¡± ¡°R-Right? ¡­So, Chaostell, why are you here?¡± ¡°I happened to spot you, so I thought I might as well come greet you.¡± ¡°I see. Good morning.¡± ¡°Indeed, good morning. And, there is one thing I wanted to give you.¡± Chaostell stuffed his hand into the handbag he carried with him. I was worried that he might show me something obscene, but I turned out to be wrong, since he took out¡­folded clothes? ¡°I¡¯ve talked about special goods of your Excellency, haven¡¯t I? This will be the first attempt, an ¡®Her Excellency Shirt¡¯.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I accepted the shirt, and opened it. Imprinted on it was my face, showing half of a smile. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Wonderful, is it not? This sold like hot potatoes, see, so I¡¯ve been experimenting with other variations. I¡¯m thinking of an embarrassed version, or a sulking version.¡± ¡°Huuuuuuuuuuuuuh!?¡± Wah, eh, are you serious!? The heck is wrong with you!? You made this!? And, you were even selling it!? There¡¯s no way anybody would buy this, right!? ¡°Please try it on yourself, your Excellency.¡± ¡°It¡¯d be weird for me to wear it! I¡¯m not some narcissist!¡± ¡°But, it¡¯ll double your beauty.¡± ¡°Moron! Even if I fell into a river with no other clothes to change into, I would never wear something like that! Hey, Vill, say something!¡± ¡°I bought a hundred shirts already.¡± ¡°How do you have this much money to waste!?¡± ¡°Johan is wearing it every day under his military uniform.¡± Chaostell chimed in. ¡°The heck is wrong with him!?¡± I held my head in disbelief. I know that everybody has a different taste. But, is it really fun wearing clothes like these? Are they just poking fun at me? Also, curse you Chaostell for just making that without my consent! ¡°Hey¡­you should stop.¡± I muttered. ¡°Stop¡­Why is that?¡± ¡°B-Because this is embarrassing¡­So call them all back.¡± ¡°What are you saying, your Excellency!¡± Chaostell spoke like a veteran swindler. ¡°Even if this is your request, your Excellency, I cannot follow such. These goods are too wonderful to just be thrown away, see. They are still selling well, which only raises the honor of the Komari Squad. And, if you were to keep your position in this regard, then I, Chaostell Cont, will request a battle and show you my determination.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Yeah, they really don¡¯t listen to my orders at all. Ahh, damn it all! ¡°¡­I see. I see, I see. Well, I could easily defeat you in a mere second, but if you show this much confidence, then I cannot interfere any longer.¡± ¡°I thank you for your kind words!¡± ¡°But, when you do something like this again, you have to confirm everything with me first.¡± ¡°Understood. I will try my utmost so that the next type of goods does not disappoint you in any way!¡± Don¡¯t make it sound like I have any expectations to begin with. ¡°Lieutenant Cont, I have a few favorite pictures of mine, so if you could¡­¡± ¡°You be quiet for a second!¡± Every single one of them is not taking me seriously. What¡¯s worse is that I can¡¯t scold Chaostell and the others, since they are strong enough to defeat me in a second if I were to talk back. Is there nobody here who would treat me kindly? I pushed the shirt onto Vill, and started walking again, as if to escape the despair chasing me. Ahh, I wanna go home. I wanna shut myself in for the rest of my life. When I walked ahead with these thoughts, another group of vampires wearing military uniforms walked towards me. At the front walked a woman with a confident atmosphere to her, and the other people after her seemed ready to kill at her command. Subconsciously, I moved to the corner of the hallway. If I happened to bump into them, I would be killed for sure. ¡°Your Excellency, why are you creating a path? The other party should have made room for you instead. Let us show them how superior you are!¡± Shut up for a second, please. I don¡¯t want them to hold a grudge against me. I ignored Chaostell and moved ahead, when I glanced at the other group¡­and their female leader. She had glossy hair like a cloud ear mushroom, with a gallant gaze in her eyes. She should be around twenty. I can feel a noble atmosphere from her¡ªHm? Where did I see her before? ¡°¡ªOh my, if it isn¡¯t Commander Terakomari Gandezblood! Are you here to meet Her Majesty as well?¡± Right when we passed each other, the woman called out to me. This is bad. Why does she know my name? Did I meet her before? ¡°Y-Yeah. I¡¯m heading over there right now.¡± ¡°Hm~ That reminds me, your victory against the Laperico Kingdom was your 10th in a row, right? It seems like the 7th Corps cannot be stopped.¡± ¡°Right! I¡¯ll conquer the entire world next!¡± What am I talking about? This isn¡¯t the time to be blurting out nonsense¡ª ¡°Pfft.¡± The woman suddenly burst out laughing. ¡°¡­Did I say something weird?¡± ¡°Excuse me. Your jokes were so amusing, I just happened to laugh, Gandezblood-san.¡± ¡°Huuuuh?¡± ¡°I mean, you can¡¯t be seriously talking about ¡®conquering the world¡¯ after having defeated some mountain apes.¡± The girl¡¯s followers started laughing. If I had to guess, she probably isn¡¯t a big fan of mine and my work (which was riddled in lies, to be fair). And, I can totally understand why. It makes me want to apologize, honestly. That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t act arrogantly in the slightest. But with this many people around, I had to argue back at least in some way. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with aiming high, hm? People can work hard because they have a dream.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that dream a bit too unrealistic? Can you really achieve that¡­? After all¡ªyou are actually weak, are you not?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± A cold sweat built up on my back. Hold on a second. How much does she know? ¡°All the enemies you aim for are weaklings. Not to mention that you keep sitting in your own chair, at a safe distance, just giving out orders. Did you ever really fight yourself?¡± ¡°S-Sometimes?¡± ¡°Sometimes? You mean ¡®never¡¯, right?¡± She laughed like she made fun of me. But, I was just relieved. She didn¡¯t know anything about me, and is just trying to provoke me with some false accusations¡­Then again, that is quite the attitude to have towards someone you¡¯ve never met. I guess nobles are all on an entirely different level. ¡°That reminds me, you apparently caught that terrorist a month ago. But, is that any proof for anything? Maybe you just had your subordinates do the work, and reaped all the rewards?¡± I heard an oddly loud Snap sound from both sides next to me¡ªHey now, don¡¯t get provoked. Things will definitely turn annoying if you start a fight now. Let¡¯s solve this like actual people. I read in a book that you should just praise people like her. For example, an ¡®Indeed, you can say that again! I really can¡¯t compare to you at all!¡¯, and then they should calm down as well¡­But, before that, ¡°Hey, Vill. What¡¯s her name? I feel like I¡¯ve seen her before, but I can¡¯t remember¡­¡± ¡°Who knows? Why don¡¯t you ask her yourself?¡± ¡°Right, that¡¯d be the easiest.¡± I turned towards the girl, and opened my mouth. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that it took me this long to ask, but who are you?¡± Ah, I maybe could have asked that in a more gentle tone. But, when I thought so, it was already too late. The three people around me all gave different reactions. Vill was snickering, Chaostell held his chin with a profound gaze, and¡ªthe person in question was blushing furiously, as she spoke up with an angry voice. ¡°¡®Who¡¯¡­? You are seriously asking me ¡®who¡¯ I am¡­?¡± ¡°Sorry. Who might you be?¡± ¡°The phrasing was not the problem here!¡± She stomped on the ground. ¡°How insolent¡­oh so insolent¡­! I am the heroic Seven Crimson Deva, the ¡®Black Flash¡¯, Frete Masquarelle! Remember the name!¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking exactly because I don¡¯t remember the¡­Wait, Seven Crimson Deva!?¡± ¡°Y-You brat¡­!¡± ¡°That¡¯s my beloved Komari-sama for you! Picking a fight with the most famous Seven Crimson Deva of the Empire, Frete Masquarelle, born here in the imperial on the 7th of the 8th month, currently 21 years old, her hobby of counting banknotes, possessing unbeatable black magic, which earns her the nickname ¡®Black Flash¡¯, I can only admire your confidence, Komari-sama!¡± ¡°If you knew about her, then tell me, will you!?¡± Why would you lie now!? Because of you, things turned unbelievably complicated! Look at that Frete girl, she looks like she¡¯s about to explode! ¡°Heh¡­hehehehe¡­So you are underestimating me¡­To think such a day would come.¡± ¡°N-No, I wasn¡¯t doing anything like th¡ª¡± ¡°That is correct. Masquarelle-sama. Her Excellency had no intentions of doing so. Why would she pick a fight with a weakling such as yours?¡± Don¡¯t add oil to the fire, Chaostelllllll!!! I don¡¯t have any intention of fighting this person! In this country of berserkers, she¡¯s a super berserker! If I don¡¯t get along with her, I¡¯ll get wiped off the face of the earth! ¡°Hey, Vill. What should I do about this? Our relationship is taking a dip for the worse!¡± ¡°Leave this to me.¡± ¡°I know it won¡¯t help asking, but what are you planning?¡± ¡°If you¡¯ve committed insolence, you need to show your faith. For now, shall I give an attempt?¡± ¡°R-Really? Well, try it then.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Vill showed a rarely serious expression, and stepped in front of Frete. ¡°Masquarelle-sama. I am terribly sorry for this misunderstanding. Komari-sama had not been a Seven Crimson Deva for too long. She has yet to learn a lot about the world, so could you please overlook this?¡± ¡°Eh? Well¡­¡± ¡°Let me give this to you as an apology. It is the imperial capital¡¯s famous brand of ¡®Bloodstained Steamed Buns¡¯, which had been praised during a certain magazine¡¯s interview.¡± There, Vill took out a wrapped object (from I don¡¯t even know where), and offered it to Frete. I was deeply moved. I thought she was going to say something ridiculous, only making the situation worse. Maybe the perverted maid wasn¡¯t just your average maid. Frete on her end blinked a few times, and accepted the offering. ¡°O-Oh really. It seems like your maid at least knows her stuff.¡± ¡°I gratefully accept your praise. However, there is one thing I would like to correct, seeing that you seem to have the wrong idea, Masquarelle-sama.¡± ¡­Hm? ¡°Komari-sama is the strongest and the cutest person in the entire world. You had sounded like you were provoking Komari-sama with a level of what a chimpanzee would do, so I was wondering if you were really aware of Komari-sama¡¯s greatness.¡± Stop. Please, just¡­just shut up¡­! ¡°This is quite the predicament. Not a single person in this world can be allowed to not know about Komari-sama¡¯s greatness and charm. That is why, please allow me to give you this.¡± Vill handed the shirt she was holding to Frete. ¡ªWait, you moron! Why would you give her that shirt of all the things!? ¡°What exactly is this?¡± She opened up the t-shirt, and my face (with that half smile) appeared. Immediately after, I could see veins popping on Frete¡¯s face. ¡°¡­I am quite lost here, to be frank¡­But, Gandezblood-san, I don¡¯t believe we will be able to get along.¡± ¡°D-Don¡¯t be like that. We¡¯re both co-workers, so to speak.¡± ¡°I personally don¡¯t feel the desire to spend any more time with your arrogant attitude. Really, I thought that you might be someone interesting since Karen-sama had taken a liking to you, but I am utterly disappointed!¡± ¡°¡­Karen-sama? Who is that?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb! It said in the newspaper this morning that you held a highly intimate relationship with Her Majesty the Empress!¡± Empress? That woman had such a cute name? I mean, I¡¯m not that shocked, to be honest. Not like I had any time to be anyway, since Frete used spatial magic, and took out the newspaper she was talking about. [Her Excellency Komari-sama in a passionate relationship!?] On the 4th day of the month, Seven Crimson Deva Commander Terakomari Gandezblood (15) has sent a heart-warming love call to our current Majesty the Empress Karen Elvesias (38). The Commander has stated that ¡®I consider the Empress as the strongest person¡¯, her words overflowing with passion. This ¡®strength¡¯ she refers to clearly refers to the popularity inside the Midnight Empire, so this can only be a confession. In response, Her Majesty Elvesias answered that ¡®If Komari wishes for it, then I am willing indeed¡¯ with a satisfied manner. Sources tell us that they have been calling each other ¡®Komari¡¯ and ¡®Empress¡¯ as well. I guess we are witnessing the birth of a couple with 23 years apart. ¡­The heck is this. ¡°I cannot accept this! Something must be wrong with Karen-sama! Who would grow to like such a vampire who only exists because of their family! Even though she won¡¯t give me any attention at all!¡± ¡°Like I care! Also, do you not see that this is total nonsense!? It¡¯s the Six Countries Newspaper! Half of their articles are fake and pure clickbait! They¡¯re famous for that, you know!!¡± At least in my head! ¡°Even if that article is fake, there¡¯s no doubting that Karen-sama truly has taken a liking to you! Karen-sama, why would you choose such a small, unappealing girl! First Sakuna Memoire, and now her¡­!?¡± Frete grit her teeth, and glared at me. In my opinion, that Empress is nothing but a bother. Also, don¡¯t wrap me up in some ridiculous love triangle, will you. ¡°Anyway! I will not accept you. If you dislike that, then¡­I know, show me the adequate strength of a Seven Crimson Deva.¡± ¡°I-I will gladly show you. But, not today.¡± ¡°Hmpf, you are just running from your responsibility, I see! You will pay for this eventually!¡± I felt a sharp pain in my chest. Not that I have any idea what she¡¯s talking about. A follower of Frete¡¯s whispered a quiet ¡®It¡¯s time¡¯ into her ear. The heroic Seven Crimson Deva nodded, and started walking. ¡°Have a pleasant day, Gandezblood-sana. The next time we meet, I would love to see your true strength.¡± * I watched Frete and her followers disappear down the hallway, and Chaostell split up from us as well with an ¡®I have some work to attend to now¡¯. I¡¯d love to hear about this work of his. He better not be making some goods again without my consent¡­No, I have to forget about that, I rather have to think about how to make up with Fre¡ªNo, meeting that perverted Empress comes first¡ªActually, I wanted to visit the post office, but I forgot my manuscript at home! There¡¯s too many things to remember, god damn it! While I was thinking about how stressful my days were, we made it to the audience room. What greeted me was a big-breasted blonde-haired beauty sitting on the throne, eating some ice cream. ¡°Ohhh!¡± She approached me. ¡°I¡¯m glad you came, Komari! Outside, it¡¯s fairly hot, is it not? You were bad with this season, so why not have some ice to cool yourself down.¡± ¡°Mguh!¡± She stuffed that ice cream right into my mouth. Cold. Sweet. It tastes like oranges! Delicious¡­Wait, no! Can you not stuff random objects into my mouth!? I accepted the ice cream, and mustered the best possible glare I could. ¡°Empress, what do you want.¡± ¡°Wahaha! How hasty you are. How does that forceful indirect kiss taste?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t act like some disgusting old man! It tastes like oranges!¡± I pushed back the ice cream into her mouth. I think that it can be considered a skill to constantly sexually harass other people, and not feel bad about it, I¡¯m quite jealous. Oh right, there¡¯s something else I wanted to talk about. ¡°Rather than that, what was this newspaper article about!?¡± ¡°Newspaper article? ¡­Ah, about our passionate love?¡± The Empress said with the ice cream stick in her mouth. ¡°That sure was a scandalous article. I don¡¯t appreciate the idea of falsification of someone¡¯s feelings.¡± ¡°Then, what was that comment of yours about?¡± ¡°That was my answer to the question of ¡®What would you do if Commander Gandezblood requested a duel with you?¡¯, you know. They always twist around your words. The Six Countries Newspaper is ready to fight every single powerful institution. They do bring out worthwhile articles once every ten years, but¡­most of the time it¡¯s just infuriating.¡± That¡¯s quite unexpected. To think that Empress could argue with rational thinking. I thought she purposefully released that fake article¡­My opinion of her might have improved just a little bit. ¡°Well, normally I ask them to withdraw that special issue, together with ordering them to write an apology, but I won¡¯t do that this time since I¡¯m busy¡­¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°So, Komari, let me get serious for a second.¡± ¡°Hold on a second. You¡¯re not going to let them retrieve the magazines? Everyone will get the wrong idea¡­¡± ¡°As I stated, I have more pressing matters to attend to. For example, your deceased father that had been killed last night.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the problem of being busyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!¡± ¡°His corpse is right over there.¡± ¡°Whyyyyyyyyyy!?¡± I thought my eyeballs would pop out of my sockets. This existence leaning against the wall that I had previously ignored actually belonged to my father. I thought he was just sleeping at first, but he was actually dead!? I rushed towards him, trying to shake him awake. ¡°Father! Father, wake up!¡± ¡°No need to fret. He will recover today thanks to the magic nucleus.¡± The Empress said so, but my heart wouldn¡¯t calm down. A family member of mine was killed, you know. I can¡¯t just be relieved with a ¡®He¡¯ll come back soon¡¯. Also, why are you just leaving him aside like he was some toy!? ¡°He suffered a heavy wound at his abdomen.¡± Vill crouched down next to me, and observed the corpse. Now that she mentioned it, I could see a part of his clothes ripped apart around his stomach. ¡°Since the wound has healed, I can¡¯t give an accurate statement, but I doubt any weapon or magic has been used here. If I had to give a thought, his stomach was probably pierced with a bare hand. Any average person could not have pulled that off¡­¡± ¡°This sounds terrifying¡­¡± Now that I think about it, Father never came home yesterday. Rorokko said something stupid like ¡®He might have found a woman outside! Ahahahaa¡¯, but that¡¯s impossible. I always had a gut feeling that something worse might have happened. Never would I have expected that he was killed. ¡°Your Majesty. Did something happen with Gandezblood-dono¡¯s body?¡± ¡°As you can see, he was killed. He was on his way back from a meeting, and was attacked as it seems. But, it wasn¡¯t just Alman¡ªIn the past week, various high-ranking politicians and elder statesmen, together with even a Seven Crimson Deva had been killed. This is terrorism now.¡± I was baffled. Is something like that really possible? ¡°What might be the objective of the terrorist?¡± The Empress showed a troubled expression. ¡°We could not find out anything. The people who had been killed didn¡¯t even remember that fact, so of course none of them could tell me about the criminal.¡± ¡°So memory manipulation magic?¡± ¡°That possibility exists indeed. However, since this happened in the vicinity of the imperial palace, that could not have happened without my conscience. Of course, with the use of high-tier magic, it might have been possible, but¡­I personally assume that we¡¯re dealing with a Nucleus Liberation right now.¡± ¡°Nucleus Liberation¡­This has turned quite troublesome.¡± There, Vill spoke like she had remembered something. ¡°A moment of your time please, your Majesty. The royal palace should be off-limits for outstanders that don¡¯t belong to the royalty or army, and a barrier prohibits entry of such. Could you find any gates used for like Millicent had used?¡± ¡°We found no gates, no. Neither did I receive any reports that the barrier had any holes in it. There¡¯s only one possible solution to this¡­Someone inside the army is working as a terrorist.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± ¡°The elder statesmen are getting nervous, see. This morning, they already ordered me to ¡®Seize that criminal right away¡¯. However, when I bring in my own opinion, they immediately put the fault on me. I can see the reason why this country was in such ebb tide for a time.¡± ¡°Leaving that aside, if we don¡¯t come up with a countermeasure, things will definitely turn ugly in the longer run.¡± ¡°I already have my plans. That is why I called Komari here¡ªKomari, I know that you are worried, but the regeneration won¡¯t be faster even if you keep staring at the body.¡± ¡°I-I get it! But¡­why did you have him sleep there? At least get him to the hospital.¡± ¡°I brought him here from the hospital so that you could meet him.¡± ¡°Nobody asked for that! Now I just feel bad for him!¡± ¡°We are talking about morals now? Just to inform you, when I was hit by a bullet and died, he threw my body into the cesspit, so I don¡¯t think he has any right to complain now.¡± What was that idiot thinking!? ¡°And also, if someone were to spot the body, they would figure out that something troublesome is going on, right? We¡¯re already wary because of the previous terrorist attack, and it¡¯s the duty of the Seven Crimson Deva to take care of this.¡± I felt a horrible premonition. That¡¯s why I waved my hand. ¡°Just ask Frete, she seems strong enough to handle this.¡± ¡°She already has the next few days filled with battles.¡± ¡°Then do it yourself?¡± ¡°I will sound like a broken recorder, but I am very busy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy myself, so I¡¯ll be going home now.¡± ¡°Komari.¡± ¡°What.¡± ¡°I give you the order to deal with that terro¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t wannaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!¡± A scream escaped from my mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t wanna don¡¯t wanna don¡¯t wannaaaaa! I¡¯m going to shut myself in my room, and get a good vacation! I was promised a week of freedom because I won in my last battle, right!? Weren¡¯t you the one who promised me that!? So that was a lie!?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember saying that.¡± ¡°That was a lie necessary to get Komari-sama out of her room, tehe~¡± ¡°Villllllllllllllllllllll!!!¡± ¡®Tehe¡¯ te nandayo1! You trying to act cute now!? Do you know how much I longed for at least a few days of rest¡­I stepped onto that battlefield because I thought I would get something out of it¡­And you¡­with that face¡­you just toyed with my feelings¡­! ¡°Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuggggggggh¡­!¡± Met with this shocking revelation, I couldn¡¯t hold back my tears from coming out. They fell down my cheeks, drenching the blood-red carpet beneath my feet. But, I tried to hold back. My entire body was shaking in rage, and I grit my teeth, as I glared at Vill. ¡°¡­Hey, Villhaze, you shouldn¡¯t bully Komari too much.¡± ¡°However, if I hadn¡¯t done so, Komari-sama would have not left her room¡ªPlease, calm down.¡± ¡°Shut up! I won¡¯t forgive you as long as you don¡¯t apologize!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Don¡¯t immediately apologize like that. And don¡¯t make that apologetic expression as you lower your head. Now I have to forgive you¡­ ¡°Next time, I will use brute force to pull you out of your room instead of using words, so forgive me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not better!!¡± My anger was fuelled again. Well, she seems to be reflecting on it, so I won¡¯t blame her any further. ¡°No, I will grant you a vacation.¡± The Empress said. ¡°W-What do you mean?¡±¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying that I will grant you a vacation if you listen to my request. At this rate, I have to fear that you might break down from overworking yourself¡ªthat¡¯s why, if you manage to capture the terrorist, I will grant your request.¡± So that¡¯s how we¡¯re playing this game, huh. ¡°¡­But, even if you tell me that, I¡¯m not strong at all.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t have anything to do with personal strength. Starting with Villhaze, you have wonderful subordinates, do you not? And, you won¡¯t be alone on this mission either.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± A confused voice escaped my lips, when I heard sounds at my back. I turned around, and spotted someone peeking at us from behind the large golden pillar at the entrance of the audience room. ¡°Sakuna Memoire! There is no need to be embarrassed!¡± The Empress screamed. I saw the shoulders of the person jolt up in shock, but it still took them a second to move forward. Their appearance slowly showed from the shadows. It was a white girl. She might have some Sougyoku Race blood in her. Her hair which reached down to her shoulders possessed a snow-white, silver color. The way she acted gave a rather unreliable impression, but the gothic magic stick she carried at her back was quite impactful. The girl stood in front of me. She¡¯s white. Unbelievably white. She¡¯s like an artificially created puppet, but her cheeks yet looked soft and responsive if you were to poke them. Our eyes met. I felt myself trapped in her blue eyes. Seriously, this girl really is¡­ ¡°Beautiful¡­¡± I wasn¡¯t the one who said that. It was the white girl. The second I thought about how beautiful she was, the girl said it out loud towards me. ¡°Ah, I-I¡¯m sorry, I just¡­¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no need to apologize¡­I am an unparalleled beauty after all¡­¡± The girl started blushing, and cast her face down. What kind of atmosphere is this? ¡°Uhum!¡± The Empress cleared her throat. ¡°In this case, the terrorist even killed a Seven Crimson Deva. Only Komari alone won¡¯t be able to deal with this. Hence, I will have you two work together.¡± Work together? With this girl¡­? I glanced over at the girl, who immediately averted her gaze. I think this is the first time I met someone who¡¯s worse at talking with people than me. ¡°¡­Empress, I know it¡¯s not my place to say that, but this girl is¡­¡± ¡°No need to worry. She has the needed strength, but more than anything, she possesses great willpower. She will definitely fulfill her revenge against that terrorist.¡± ¡°Revenge¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, revenge. Now, Sakuna, introduce yourself to Komari, will you.¡± My head was filled with question marks. But, the Empress didn¡¯t bother with me much, and talked to the girl instead. ¡°My name is Sakuna Memoire, and I am a Seven Crimson Deva¡­And yet, I was killed by that terrorist¡­So I need to get my revenge no matter what.¡± She¡¯s a Seven Crimson Devaaaaa!? I was about to scream in shock. She is one of the strongest seven people in the country!? She really doesn¡¯t give off any vibes like that. I stared at the girl in disbelief¡ªto which she started blushing. Is she going to be okay? ¡°U-Um¡­¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­not really good at talking, so¡­I wrote a letter instead.¡± She handed me an envelope. Why do I feel like I get so many letters as of late? Is that some new trend? ¡°I-It¡¯s pretty embarrassing for me, so please read it later¡­Anyway, I¡¯ll excuse myself here!¡± ¡°Eh, wait¡­Sakuna-san?¡± I couldn¡¯t even call out to her, as the girl started dashing away like a scared rabbit. Left behind, I dropped my gaze on the envelope, which had a star-shaped seal on it. I¡¯m happy it¡¯s not a heart at least, but I feel like this would bring about enough of a misunderstanding already if someone else saw this. Seriously, I got a really bad feeling. * Dear Terakomari Gandezblood-sama, I am sorry to have pushed this letter onto you. I don¡¯t have any confidence in properly telling you with my words, so this was the only other option I had. My name is Sakuna Memoire, and I would be happy if you were to call me ¡®Sakuna¡¯. Around one week ago, I became a new Seven Crimson Deva. I know that I shouldn¡¯t be saying this, but I am not strong at all. Quite frankly, I am unfit to be a Seven Crimson Deva. I just happened to accidentally kill a Seven Crimson Deva, and this was accounted for as me overthrowing them¡­ But, even if I wanted to quit, I couldn¡¯t. As you surely know, the Seven Crimson Devas are bound to fulfill a contract, and if we do not complete enough work sufficinging this, our bodies will explode, and we will die. I know that this might be a common occurrence in the army, but I hate pain. I don¡¯t want to die. That is why I can only work harder, and become stronger¡­ However, a short while ago, I was killed by that terrorist. I don¡¯t have any memories from when it happened, nor do I remember the killer¡¯s face. All I know is that I was terrified when it happened. Dying is something very scary, and I don¡¯t want to ever go through that again¡­ At the same time, if I keep going like this, I will die because of the contract. A Seven Crimson Deva being killed by a mere terrorist is unforgivable, which is why I have to get my revenge no matter what. If not, I will explode, and be dismissed. Of course, being dismissed would be the least of my problems (although I know that it is presumptuous of me to say that), but I don¡¯t want to die again. That is why I have to capture that terrorist. That would be the gist of my situation. I¡¯m not as strong as Komari-sama, so I don¡¯t know if I even have the right to say this, but I just felt like I had to tell you no matter what¡­And, since we will be working together now, I didn¡¯t want to hide anything from you. That¡¯s why I¡¯m revealing everything. I may be inexperienced, but please treat me well. Let us capture that terrorist together (although I might not be able to contribute much, I will give it my best). Lastly, I¡¯d like to introduce myself properly. My name is Sakuna Memoire. I was born in the imperial capital. My grandmother from my mother¡¯s side belonged to the Hakkyoku Federation, making me a quarter. I am not strong when it comes to raw physical strength, but I use magic during battle. I¡¯m what you could call a mage (seeing that I possess a wand). My hobby is reading books, and my favorite book is ¡®War Chronicles of Andronos¡¯. My favorite food is omurice, my favorite animal is a capybara, my favorite season is summer, and my favorite constellation is Delphinus. When I was younger, I loved to watch the stars with my family. Please treat me well. Sakuna Memoire * ¡°The heck is this¡­!¡± An hour had passed since the meeting in the audience room. Vill yet again forcefully pulled me with her to the training grounds, and just when I thought I¡¯d be forced into another duel, she told me to ¡®Observe the training of your subordinates¡¯. At least I wasn¡¯t forced to fight¡ªis what I thought, so I went slurping on some watermelon juice on a nearby bench (as my subordinates were killing each other in front of my eyes), and decided to read the letter Sakuna gave me. And there, I was baffled. Her circumstances are almost identical to mine. ¡°¡­Hey, Vill. Is this Sakuna girl famous?¡± ¡°Fairly, yes. It has been quite some time since a Seven Crimson Deva has been overthrown like that. According to what I have heard, she had the former Seven Crimson Deva explode in front of a lot of people.¡± ¡°You¡¯re kidding me, right? In the letter, it says it was just an accident.¡± ¡°Whether it happened intentionally or by pure accident, the fact that she has killed a Seven Crimson Deva does not change, which of course gives her a great boost in popularity.¡± ¡°Hm¡­I see. Not to mention that appearance. Makes sense that she¡¯s popular.¡± ¡°¡­Do you like such type of girl, Komari-sama?¡± ¡°Her? Hmm, I guess I do?¡± ¡°!?!?!?!?!?!?¡± At least more than all these other brutes I¡¯ve met so far¡ªHm? What happened with Vill? She¡¯s got an expression on her face like the strawberry shortcake she kept ready all day was eaten away in front of her eyes. Does her stomach hurt or something? Well, whatever, this isn¡¯t the first time she¡¯s acting weird. More importantly, I want to close the gap between me and Sakuna. I thought I was the only one suffering as a Seven Crimson Deva, but to think someone else with similar problems was right next to me. And, the hobbies she wrote about in the letter almost perfectly match up with mine¡­Hehe, I¡¯m getting excited now. I can see great friend potential here. ¡°Alright! I will go visit Sakuna right away. I¡¯d rather not bother with the terrorist hunt, but I¡¯d love to talk to her once.¡± ¡°No can do. You have to watch over your subordinates.¡± ¡°Why? Meeting with Sakuna is more important, is it not?¡± ¡°Your subordinates can work hard because you watch them, Komari-sama. Please, take a look at Captain Melaconcy¡¯s expression. He¡¯s sending explosions everywhere.¡± ¡°He¡¯s the same as always, isn¡¯t he!? I want to meet Sakuna. And then, I wanna talk about ¡®War Chronicles of Andronos¡¯ with her!¡± ¡°Let us at least talk about your work instead¡ªNo, that won¡¯t do. That girl gives off an oddly dangerous scent. There¡¯s no mistaking it, she is loitering around at night, killing people.¡± ¡°Only that terrorist would do that! I have to meet Sakuna in order to capture that very terrorist as well, so at least let me do my work!¡± ¡°O-Oh my¡­! Komari-sama is willing to do her work¡­! Understood. I have received another battle request from Lieutenant Hades Molkikki, so let me finish the preparations right away.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not talking about that kind of work!¡± Why are you this frantic? Are you angry? Because I left over some bell peppers from this morning¡¯s saladan? ¡°¡­Sorry, I¡¯ll properly eat my bell peppers from now on.¡± ¡°I do not understand what you might be referring to, but I am happy to hear that.¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t it!? Alright, then forget I said anything!¡± Damn it, now I said something unnecessary. Anyway, I want to meet Sakuna right away. And then, we¡¯ll talk about our hobbies. I want to become friends with her, and share my problems. Then, I can also stay away from my berserker subordinates. Otherwise, I¡¯ll die soon for sure. I looked at Vill with a determined gaze, to which that perverted maid let out a defeated sigh. ¡°I understand. I will not stand in your way any longer¡ªHowever, if we¡¯re going to meet Memoire-dono, it has to be as a strategy meeting on how to capture that terrorist.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­O-Okay, I get it¡­but, now that I think about it, is there even anything I can do? That terrorist is a murderer, right?¡± ¡°You have to skillfully use your subordinates then. You have 500 trained killers and murderers at your demand, Komari-sama.¡± Vill glanced over at my subordinates fighting on the training grounds. Their eyes were bloodshot, burning with desire to kill every single person around them. I could even see a lot of corpses that had already fallen victim to this slaughter. ¡°Now, give them the order.¡± ¡°Order¡­Aren¡¯t they busy?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, just call out to them.¡± I feel like I¡¯ll just get killed for doing that, but¡ªI figure Vill will protect me. She will, right? Because I believe in her! Don¡¯t you dare betray my trust! I stood up from my bench, took a deep breath, and stood up. ¡°¡ªEveryone, can I have a moment of your time!¡± Every single movement stopped. Almost like time came to a halt, the vampires froze up. Since that was so unexpected, even I was at a loss. Vill came to my assistance, and cleared her throat. ¡°Please gather over here. Terakomari-sama has new orders for you.¡± ¡°Orders.¡± Someone muttered. The others followed suit. ¡°Her Excellency¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°Her Excellency¡¯s orders!¡± ¡°Shut up and listen!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let a single word go to waste!¡± ¡°Your Excellency, order us whatever you desire!¡± ¡°Who should we kill!?¡± ¡°Her Majesty the Empress!?¡± ¡°The chimpanzee!?¡± My subordinates rushed towards me like a flock of piranhas. Their choice of words and attitude is as gross as¡ªHold on, one of you only has half of a face left, you okay!? ¡°Your Excellency! Might you be talking about this continued murder case?¡± Chaostell spoke up next to me. Where did you even come from, you¡¯re giving me a heart attack. ¡°I-Indeed. I received an order from the Empress to take care of that. She wants me to capture that criminal.¡± ¡°Ohhhh!¡± The vampires raised joyful voices. I don¡¯t quite understand why you would react that way, but I guess they¡¯re at least willing to hear me out. ¡°Anyway, I need the help of you all in searching for this killer. I apologize for asking you during these busy times, but I want to capture this terrorist as quickly as possible¡± ¡°What are you saying, your Excellency!¡± ¡°If you order me, I will ignore anything else!¡± ¡°There is no need for you to ask us!¡± ¡°You bastards! Let¡¯s go and find that terrorist right away!¡± A storm of voices beached at my eardrums. Stop it already, you¡¯re bothering the neighbourhood here. The maids inside the Seven Crimson Office are already glaring down at us. Can you not embarrass me any more¡ªBut of course, nobody heard my inner voice. ¡­Well, I guess I should be happy that my subordinates are this motivated. They might be a bother most of the time, but there¡¯s no doubt that they¡¯re strong, so there probably won¡¯t be any need for Sakuna or me to participate. ¡°If I may be so rude, your Excellency, I have another idea.¡± ¡°What is it, Chaostell?¡± I got a really bad premonition. He spoke like a convicted murderer who came up with a way to escape the prison. ¡°How about you offer a reward to the person who manages to capture the terrorist? That will raise their motivation hundred-fold.¡± ¡°Is there even any need to motivate them any further?¡± ¡°It would allow for this incident to be cleared up much faster, I assume.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± I don¡¯t mind if the terrorist gets caught faster. And, it¡¯s the duty of a superior to give out rewards. That¡¯s why this ¡®carrot¡¯ may be necessary. I glanced over at Vill. She had a blank expression, probably telling me to think about it myself. ¡­A reward, huh. To be perfectly honest, I get really bad vibes from this. The last time I promised a reward, that pervert of a withered tree forced me into a fashion show¡ªNo wait, as long as I specify the reward, none of that will matter, right? I just can¡¯t say ¡®I¡¯ll listen to whatever request you have¡¯, and everything should be fine. ¡°Alright¡­Everyone, listen carefully!¡± I went into Commander mode, and called out to them. ¡°The job this time is quite difficult. After all, we need to look after a terrorist whose identity we don¡¯t even know. This being the case, I will grant a special reward to those who manage to capture the terrorist!¡± Everyone swallowed their breaths. Every single one of them was waiting for my next words. ¡°My reward for the one who captures the terrorist¡ªis a special 3-day vacation!¡± Sileeeeeeence. ¡­¡­ ¡­Huh? I thought they¡¯d be delighted about that, so¡­why? ¡°Your Excellency.¡± Chaostell whispered into my ear. ¡°If I may be so rude, I don¡¯t believe that can be called a reward.¡± ¡°Eh? Why?¡± I tilted my head, when now Vill talked to me. ¡°Their hobby is slaughter. For people who spend their days on the battlefield, a vacation is not something they would be delighted about. Please, observe their expressions, and how they are colored with despair¡­¡± S-Something like that is possible!? If it was me, I¡¯d start dancing in joy if such a reward was promised for me. Are we that different? More importantly, at this rate, I will get them angry, I will get overthrown, and get killed¡­! ¡°I-It¡¯s not just any vacation! More importantly¡­Yeah, I know! You get a break and I will give you a ticket for the zoo!¡± I got tickets that I just received from my little sister Roro a while back. Two of them, actually. She bragged about going with her boyfriend, but apparently got rejected right before. I was lost on how to respond, when she just pressed the tickets on me with tears in her eyes. Hence, this was a good chance to get rid of these tickets. A single subordinate raised his hand. ¡°Um¡­does that mean that we can go together with her Excellency?¡± ¡°Hm? I mean, if you want to¡­¡± Wait no. There¡¯s no way a psycho would be happy to get tickets for a zoo, right?¡ªOr so I thought, when¡­ ¡°It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s a date¡­¡± ¡°A holiday date.¡± ¡°A rendezvous¡­¡± ¡°A secret date¡­!¡± Oh? The atmosphere changed, didn¡¯t it? Vill, what is going on here? ¡°¡­Komari-sama, I fear that this might be too much.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I tried to ask for her thoughts, but I was interrupted. An explosion occurred. ¡°Wooooooooooooooohooooooooooo!¡± ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!¡± ¡°Heck yeaaaaaaaaaaaah!¡± ¡°A date! A date!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no better chance than this!¡± ¡°This is God¡¯s will!¡± ¡°It is a sign from the universe! Kill the terrorist!¡± ¡°Just you wait, you damn terrorist! You¡¯re dead meat!¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯ll go on a date with her Excellency!¡± ¡°Shut up, I¡¯ll be the one!¡± ¡°The terrorist is aiming for politicians, right? Then I¡¯ll just kill them first!¡± ¡°I see! ¡®Burn the forest to find the hiding tree¡¯, huh!¡± ¡°Hyahahahahaha!¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­ ¡­¡­ ¡­I feel like every single one of them could be the terrorist! ¡°It¡¯s already too late. What should we do, Komari-sama.¡± ¡°Do these guys like animals that much?¡± ¡°I see it is already too late for you as well, Komari-sama.¡± ¡°That it is! What should we do about this!?¡± They¡¯re all running around like monsters now. My head went blank, as I could do nothing about this. ¡°¡­Your Excellency. We should be careful about their actions, or a riot may break out.¡± Dog-head Belius Inu Kerbero appeared. ¡°Komari-sama, about our plans for the future.¡± ¡°I¡¯m meeting Sakuna now.¡± ¡°What about your subordinates?¡± ¡°¡­Belius, Chaostell, can I leave them to you?¡± ¡°¡°Understood.¡±¡± The two dashed away. Seeing them vanish into the distance, I let out a sigh, and looked up at the cloudy sky. ¡°Well, things will work out, I¡¯m sure.¡± * I feel like I heard distant screams and explosions, but I shouldn¡¯t pay any attention to them. I¡¯ll have to take responsibility for that later, but not now. I have to think about what¡¯s most important. For dinner, I¡¯d love some hamburgers, yeah. ¡°¡­Komari-sama, we have arrived.¡± Vill¡¯s words called me back to reality. The elevator moving with magical power opened its doors, and we found ourselves up on the 6th floor of the Seven Crimson Office. Since I¡¯m in charge of the 7th Corps, I always leave on the 7th floor, and the same could be said for the respective Seven Crimson Devas and their floors. The 6th floor belonged to Sakuna, and her respective office. Walking down the hallway, I found the door to the room. S-Still, now that I came here, I¡¯m really nervous. This might be the first time I ever visited someone like this. I wonder if I¡¯m even welcome? ¡°¡­Hm?¡± There, I realized. I heard someone talking across the door. If I had to guess¡­it¡¯s another man¡¯s voice? And, did I just hear my own name? I wonder who she¡¯s talking with. I know it¡¯s not good to eavesdrop like this, but I can¡¯t help it. ¡°Maybe someone¡¯s with her?¡± ¡°Should we check?¡± ¡°Check? How?¡± ¡°Like this.¡± Bang! Vill slammed the door open. She showed no restraint, revealing the inside of the room. Sakuna stared at us in surprise, and facing her was a man wearing the priestly vestments of the holy church. Even he was looking at me in confusion. Who could blame him, that¡¯s gotta be one of the worst possible entrances you could have. Seriously, Vill, what are you thinking!? Our first impression couldn¡¯t be worse! ¡°¡­Terakomari-san?¡± Sakuna¡¯s voice was riddled with doubt. I forced out the best smile I could. ¡°H-Hey, Sakuna. Sorry to suddenly barge into here. I came to talk about the terrorist¡­but maybe I caught you at a bad timing?¡± I looked at the old man. It seemed like he was talking about something important. ¡°No no!¡± The man waved his hands. ¡°By any means, you can stay. We just finished talking as well, Terakomari-dono! That¡¯s why, I¡¯ll be taking my leave here¡ªMemoire-dono, at a later time!¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± The man spoke these words, and walked towards me¡ªthe entrance of the room, rather. I opened a path for him, to which he stopped next to me with a smile. ¡°It is an honor to meet you, Gandezblood-dono! You¡¯ve been working exceptionally hard as of late! At this rate, overthrowing the other countries is only a matter of time!¡± ¡°Y-Yeah. I¡¯m looking forward to my rise and world domination.¡± ¡°Hahaha, brimming with confidence! By the way, do you believe in God?¡± ¡°¡­Eh?¡± Where did that come from? ¡°Do you believe in God?¡± ¡°I-I mean, just like the average person, I guess¡­¡± ¡°Ohhh! What profound faith! So Gandezblood-dono is a follower of the pious God! I see, I see, so your great efforts had been blessed by God after all, that makes sense. As you might know, God is aware of everything in this world, and rewards people¡¯s benevolence, and punishes people¡¯s misdeeds. This shows in various aspects of this world¡ª¡± The man spoke with glittering eyes, scaring me a bit. There, I was certain of it. He¡¯s just as much of a crazy guy as everyone else around. When I looked over at Sakuna, she was clearly embarrassed by his act, blushing furiously. ¡°Oh, excuse me. I seem to be taking up a lot of time when I just get so passionate. Either way, I am delighted to know that Gandezblood-dono is a fellow believer! I would love to talk with you about God¡¯s influence in our lives!¡± ¡°Y-Yes, God and his creation is amazing.¡± ¡°Yes, that it is indeed!¡± He forcefully grabbed my hand, shaking it up and down. The perverted priest showed a bright smile, and walked away with a ¡®Now then, I look forward to seeing you another time! Amen!¡¯. This is what I think it is, right. He¡¯s the type I definitely should not get involved with. Or rather, why is that weird guy even in this room? ¡°¡­Sakuna, do you know him?¡± Her small body twitched as I called out to her. Why are you this shocked? I¡¯m an advocate of peace and freedom, and entirely different from the other Seven Crimson Devas, definitely not a killer¡ªis what I wanted to tell her, but I feel like that¡¯s a bit too early. ¡°¡­That person was Heldeus Heaven. He is the Seven Crimson Deva that recommended me.¡± Aren¡¯t there too many weirdos in the army? Especially in the rows of the Seven Crimson Devas? ¡°Yes¡­However, his actual profession is a priest, and he is managing a church and orphanage outside the capital. I actually grew up in that orphanage.¡± ¡°I-I see.¡± I don¡¯t really get it, but it seems like she has some quite complicated circumstances. I¡¯ll just ignore it, and get right to the main topic. Although I really don¡¯t want to do any work¡­ At that moment, I heard a loud Ding Dong sound from afar. The clocktower of the imperial capital set off the sound magic, signalizing the inhabitants of the capital that noon had arrived. Oh yeah, I¡¯m starting to feel hungry. ¡°Komari-sama, what should we do about lunch?¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± Yeah, this is a great timing. But, leaving right away would feel weird, so the natural flow of events should be¡­ ¡°Sakuna, if you¡¯re okay with it, d-do you want to eat lunch together?¡± I said it. I actually said it. I never invited someone out by myself, so I¡¯d say this is a great achievement on my end. But then, I started wondering. Was inviting her like that really okay? Maybe I¡¯m jumping the gun here? I was worried for a second, when I heard Sakuna whispering. ¡°¡­Yes, I¡¯d love to, Terakomari-san.¡± * We moved to the special restaurant ¡®Fertile Field Fruit¡¯ which was side by side with the Mulnight Imperial Palace. It¡¯s a high-society location almost exclusively used by nobles who entered and left the imperial palace, and it¡¯s a location I would normally never visit, but since this was the closest place, I saw no other choice. ¡­That might have been a mistake. At the same time as we entered, we heard voices from everywhere. ¡°It¡¯s her Excellency Gandezblood.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°As calm and collected as always.¡± ¡°She has this certain atmosphere around her.¡± The people around us apparently were happy to see me, but Sakuna just hid behind my back. ¡°Maybe we should switch the location after all?¡± I offered, but Sakuna shook her head. I don¡¯t really get it, but apparently she doesn¡¯t want to be a bother. Not like she is¡­but I¡¯ll just respect her opinion. Shortly after, we arrived at our seats. Sakuna sat across from the table, and Vill stood at my back¡ªWhy at my back though? ¡°What are you doing? Sit down, will you.¡± ¡°Such a high-society store does not fit me. As a maid, I cannot sit at the same table as my master.¡± ¡°Even though you crawl into my bed every single morning?¡± ¡°Phew~¡± I heard a vampire whistling. Looking over, Sakuna was blushing furiously, her mouth opening and closing in a panic. What¡¯s wrong with her? ¡°That¡¯s right. We two are partners that have made it through several life or death situations.¡± ¡°I feel like 80% of these situations had been created by you to begin with.¡± ¡°That is just your imagination. Anyway, Komari-sama and I are close enough to sleep in the same bed, and sit next to each other. I almost forgot.¡± Just as Vill stated, she sat down right next to me. I feel like she was grinning at Sakuna like she was bragging, but what was that about? Maybe I¡¯m better off not caring about that. For now, we finished ordering our food, and I opened my mouth in determination. ¡°Now then, let me introduce myself. My name is Terakomari Gandezblood, and I¡¯m fifteen. I¡¯ll probably be in your care from here on out, so¡­um¡­looking forward to it.¡± ¡°S-Same here¡­I¡¯m Sakuna Memoire¡­Ah, right, did you¡­read the letter?¡± ¡°Yup, I did. I also like reading, so I think we should be able to get along just fine.¡± ¡°Okayyyy¡­¡± The girl started blushing furiously, as she somewhat managed to push out the words. ¡°Thank you very much. I¡¯m very happy¡­yes. But, more than my hobby, how do you feel about my circumstances that led me to become a Seven Crimson Deva? Were you disappointed after all?¡± Oh yeah, she apparently became a Seven Crimson Deva because of an accident. How would I be disappointed because of that, I¡¯m almost the same. ¡°I was just a bit curious, but how did that happen anyway? How did you kill that Deva?¡± ¡°With an explosion.¡± So that fact was true? ¡°Since I¡¯m weak, I felt the need to become stronger, so when I was practicing my magic, I happened to hit a passing Seven Crimson Deva¡­and killed them¡­¡± ¡°I-I see¡­That does sound quite unfortunate.¡± ¡°Yes¡­Normally, that wouldn¡¯t be enough to become a Seven Crimson Deva, but that Heldeus Heaven just now was adamant on it. ¡®I will definitely make you a Seven Crimson Deva, Sakuna!¡¯, he said, talked to her Majesty the Empress, and I was accepted right away.¡± ¡°Yeah, I figure that this perverted Empress accepts anybody as long as she¡¯s cute.¡± ¡°A-Am I¡­cute¡­?¡± Sakuna showed a surprised reaction. And if that wasn¡¯t enough, Vill glared at me like she was looking at her nemesis. ¡°Anyway! I understand that you had certain circumstances, Sakuna. But, what¡¯s more important is that you have to hide your true strength from your subordinates. If they find out that you¡¯re actually weak, they¡¯ll definitely overthrow you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe that will happen¡­¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°My subordinates all know that I¡¯m not terribly strong. But, they are willing to support me as a Seven Crimson Deva, always protecting me. They are all nice people, so even if I want to quit, I also want to try hard for their sake.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The heck is that. I¡¯m like super jelly¡­Will I be accepted like this by my own subordinates if I did that? No, probably not. ¡°I-I see. That is something I¡¯m very glad to hear. However, I have to say, I can¡¯t appreciate the fact that you had been forced into this occupation. Even if you¡¯re doing a great job.¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t even hope to compare with Terakomari-san. You¡¯re a proper Seven Crimson Deva, and you have achieved this much.¡± I really want to tell her how wrong she is, but I held back as best as I could. I can¡¯t risk the other nobles around me picking up my words. I guess that choosing this place was the worst possible decision. I didn¡¯t even know how to respond, when Vill sent me a gaze. ¡°Komari-sama, please remember that we came here with our work in mind, so keep any unrelated conversations to a bare minimum.¡± Hm? Is she in a bad mood or something? ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, we should be talking about how to deal with that terrorist, right.¡± Sakuna panicked a bit. You really don¡¯t have to listen to that pervert. Well, I don¡¯t want Vill to torture me later, so I guess I should focus on my work for now. Though, I still think there barely is anything to talk about. After all, my subordinates have been released, and they definitely won¡¯t rest until they find the terrorist. ¡°Right. So basically¡­you were killed by that terrorist once, Sakuna. But, you don¡¯t remember their faces, correct?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I left the Seven Crimson Office at night, and wanted to make my way home¡­but when I came back to my senses, I had died outside.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Vill nodded. ¡°According to what Her Majesty the Empress said, the killer possesses an ability to play with the other person¡¯s memories, in the shape of a Nucleus Liberation. Memoire-dono, do you know what this Nucleus Liberation is?¡± For a brief moment, so short I could barely pick up on it, it looked like Sakuna¡¯s eyes grew sharp. ¡°¡­No, I have only heard rumours about it.¡± ¡°Nucleus Liberation is a different type of skill compared to magic. If the terrorist truly can use this ability, we can never be too careful.¡± ¡°Um, I¡¯m really weak, so will I be fine?¡± ¡°We will have Komari-sasma provide a follow-up, so things should be fine.¡± Vill gave Sakuna a wink. Sakuna¡¯s eyes started sparkling as she looked over at me. Reflexively, my mouth moved. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about anything. I¡¯ll protect you, Sakuna!¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry¡­The best I can do is crush an apple with one hand.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Hold on a damn second, I thought she was as weak as me? ¡°¡­I-I¡¯m sorry. I guess I have to at least be able to split a watermelon, right?¡± ¡°Wahahaha! There¡¯s no need to be depressed! Right now, a pineapple is no problem for me, but when I was younger, an apple was my limit as well. If you work hard, you¡¯ll get to the watermelon soon.¡± ¡°Yes, I will try my best.¡± ¡°But, you can¡¯t play with your food like that, okay?¡± ¡°Yes, I will eat everything.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± ¡­The heck is this conversation. ¡°Komari-sama, the conversation is drifting off.¡± Vill warned me with a sharp tone. ¡°We have to search for the terrorist before anything.¡± ¡°Hm¡­I¡¯ve been wondering for a while, but what might be the terrorist¡¯s goal? It¡¯s not just randomly killing people, right? He¡¯s not one of my subordinates at least.¡± ¡°The lack of information is critical here.¡± And that¡¯s all Vill said. There¡¯s no reason to speculate indeed. My subordinates are currently on the run, searching for any possible clues, so they will surely capture that terrorist eventually. That¡¯s why, it would be fine if I talked with Sakuna about books or constellations¡ªNo, that would make me a failure of a superior. I have to support my subordinates. ¡°Now then,¡± Vill suddenly spoke up. ¡°There is only one thing we can do for now. Since the terrorist only appears at night, and only at the Imperial Palace, we should be patrolling the area at night.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± I turned pale. Nighttime patrol? ¡­Huh? ¡°So that means I won¡¯t have to work during the day? I can sleep until noon?¡± ¡°What are you saying? Noon is noon, and night is night. From 9am in the morning¡­to¡­let me think, 8pm at night should do the trick.¡± ¡°Huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh!?¡± I let out a roar as I got up from my chair. 9am to 8pm, you say? My head will explode if I work for that long! ¡°Don¡¯t joke around with me! I definitely won¡¯t put up with that!¡± ¡°Komari-sama.¡± ¡°What!?¡± ¡°Please be wary of the people around you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Sakuna looked at me with a baffled expression. So were the nobles around us, whispering to themselves. ¡°Her Excellency is a Seven Crimson Deva, right?¡± ¡°Does she hate working?¡± ¡°If that is true, then she is a failure as a Seven Crimson Deva.¡± ¡°No wait, maybe it was just a slip of the tongue?¡± ¡°Even so, something like that¡­¡± ¡°Now that you say it.¡± Oh, this is bad. ¡°Don¡¯t joke with me! As if I¡¯d only work for such a short amount of time!¡± The nobles around me were shocked. But, I continued. ¡°Children are still awake at 8pm! As if I could capture that terrorist if I went home at such a time! This is happening in a place where we have no oversight. That¡¯s why we have to go out of our way and look everywhere!¡± I pointed my index finger at Vill, and flashed a cool pose. I heard someone applauding me, whereas another whistled, until the entire restaurant was filled with applause. At the same time, I was riddled by despair. And if that wasn¡¯t enough, Vill had to give me the rest. ¡°Komari-sama¡­! To think you were willing to give this far for the Mulnight Empire! Understood, I will arrange your schedule that you can be out on patrol until 10pm every single night. Memoire-dono, are you okay with that?¡± ¡°Of course. I will learn from Terakomari-san¡¯s example.¡± Stop. Don¡¯t look at me like that. I¡¯m not a good example. I¡¯m a shut-in vampire who¡¯s not strong at all. Ahhh, I really can¡¯t tell her¡­ I let out a deep sigh, and sat down on my chair again. Working until 10pm? I¡¯m not going to survive that. Sakuna, you actually don¡¯t want that either, right? Please, complain¡­Yup, doesn¡¯t seem like she¡¯s bothered by it at all. Why are you this motivated? Didn¡¯t you want to quit as a Seven Crimson Deva? ¡°¡­I guess this should do for now.¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll have to see for later during the patrol.¡± I¡¯m tired already, and the nighttime patrol hasn¡¯t even started¡ªThen again, if I¡¯m lucky, my subordinates will find the terrorist during the day, so I won¡¯t have to work at all. Though I hope they don¡¯t go around slaughtering innocent people. ¡°¡­Still, that omurice I ordered is sure taking its time.¡± ¡°The restaurant is fairly popular after all, it must take quite some time.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± I¡¯m getting close to my limit here. I haven¡¯t had anything to eat yet. I grew impatient, when I heard a loud explosion sound from the outside. And, it wasn¡¯t just any explosion, it was great enough to shake the entire restaurant. The nobles all raised screams of fear¡ªand even I was about to. ¡°W-What just happened!? Is it the terrorist!?¡± ¡°That possibility stands, yes. Komari-sama, let us hurry!¡± ¡°W-Wait! I don¡¯t wanna go there! I didn¡¯t even have my omurice yeeeeeet!¡± Vill forcefully pulled me away from my seat¡­I want strength. Strength to put up with these berserkers. * We ran out of the Imperial Palace¡¯s garden, only to be greeted by a surreal scene. Corpses¡­mountains of dead bodies, who rolled over other deceased vampires. Not to mention that most of them I recognized, seeing that they belonged to my own corps, and they had been slaughtered unsightly. What is going on? Did they start killing each other? That would make sense, but¡ªit doesn¡¯t seem like that¡¯s the case. ¡°Belius! Chaostell! What happened to you two!?¡± On the grass, I spotted Belius and Chaostell, collapsed. If even they had ended up like this, then it wasn¡¯t just your average quarrel. ¡°My deepest apologies, your Excellency¡­¡± Belius slowly opened his mouth. Seems like he¡¯s not dead yet. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°She¡­¡¯Black Flash¡¯ did this¡­Cough!¡± Belius coughed up blood, and stopped moving. Even if he¡¯s going to be revived soon, looking at the corpse of someone you know never is comfortable, and I doubt I will ever get used to it. ¡°D-Don¡¯t worry, he hasn¡¯t died yet. Leave it to me.¡± Sakuna took a step forward. I was wondering what she was doing, when she carried her giant wand in both hands, and pointed it at Belius while chanting something. ¡°¡®Magic Nucleus O Magic Nucleus, Move everything that is calm in this world¡¯ ¡ª Intermediate-tier healing magic .¡± Together with these words, a red light enwrapped Belius¡¯ body. After a bit of time passed, Belius started coughing, seemingly having recovered at least a little bit. ¡°I can accelerate the recovery with my magic, as long as they haven¡¯t died yet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing, Sakuna!¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s not that great¡­As someone from the Sougyoku Race, I¡¯m just good with healing magic like this¡­¡± ¡°It still is amazing. I can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­Ehehe¡­¡± I haven¡¯t heard that she can use such amazing magic. I¡¯m pretty sure that she¡¯s far more talented than me, which makes sense, I guess¡­Anyway, more importantly. ¡°Belius, you feeling better?¡± ¡°Yes, somewhat¡­¡± There, he seemingly remembered something. ¡°Your Excellency, I am terribly sorry! It¡¯s Frete Masquarelle. We fell behind her.¡± ¡°Frete, you say¡­?¡± There, I heard another explosive sound. I looked up in a shock, where I saw someone fighting up on a building. One of them was a woman holding a sword, possessing glittering black hair, as they danced through the air. It is the self-proclaimed heroic Seven Crimson Deva ¡®Black Flash¡¯, Frete Masquarelle. The other person was evading Frete¡¯s sword strikes, firing explosion magic at her. He is an upper brass of the 7th Corps, Melaconcy. Every time he attacked, a part of the building exploded, as rubble fell to the ground. Now, I wonder whose responsibility this will be? ¡°Tsk, how crafty¡­Eat this!¡± Frete¡¯s sword accumulated magical power. At the same time as she swung her sword, a torrent of jet-black magical power was fired¡ªprobably some type of high-tier black magic. However, Melaconcy showed a jump, evading this torrent, which hit the minaret behind him, and vanished into the air. Well, that is Frete¡¯s responsibility. Right after, Melaconcy landed right next to me. That is some insane strength in his legs he got there. ¡°M-Melaconcy! What is going on here!?¡± ¡°Yeah! Frete¡¯s angry, going rampant, she¡¯s going to get more wrinkles, no more gallant. That Black Flash can piss off, I¡¯m gonna beat her without a cough.¡± ¡°Talk normally, will you!¡± ¡°She attacked us, so now I¡¯m fighting her.¡± ¡°You can talk normally!?¡± ¡°What a horrible accusation. I was merely doing my work.¡± Frete slowly descended down to us as well. She still glared at me like she did when I first met her this morning. I was scared for a second, but with my subordinates around, most of them dead, I took a step forward. ¡°F-Frete! I see you¡¯ve been having fun with my subordinates! What is this about? Depending on your answer, I will get angry, and ignore you for an entire wee¡ª¡± Suddenly¡­Frete¡¯s body vanished. ¡°Fueh?¡± Following that, a black lighting appeared in my field of view. I stood still because of the shock, when a loud roaring sound had my eardrums shake. A fierce wind hit me. When I opened my eyes, Sakuna¡¯s back was in front of me. She held her giant wand in two hands, blocking Frete¡¯s sword. Seriously, what is going on. ¡°¡­My, Memoire-san was the one to react?¡± ¡°U-Um¡­I don¡¯t it¡¯s very nice to just attack someone like that¡­¡± ¡°My hands slipped, that¡¯s all.¡± Frete let out a snort, and pulled away her sword. Only then I finally realized what was going on. That Frete had tried to attack me, and I definitely would have died there, if it wasn¡¯t for Sakuna protecting me. Yet again, I was saved. ¡°Are you okay, Terakomari-san?¡± ¡°Eh, ye¡­ah¡­yes, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°¡­I-I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sure that you must have been able to evade an attack like that, but my body just moved on its own!¡± ¡°N-No no no, you don¡¯t have to apologize! It¡¯s true that I could have blocked that attack with my pinky alone, but you did great protecting me! Thank you!¡± ¡°Ehehe¡­I was praised~¡± What the hell. She¡¯s so cute. And, reliable as well¡­Eh, what, is she an angel? Also, Vill, why are you just standing still over there, carrying your throwing knives? ¡°I¡­I wanted to be the one to save Komari-sama¡­¡± That face of yours is scaring me. But, you know who else is even more scary? That person who literally tried to kill me. I glanced over at Frete Masquaralle, the Seven Crimson Deva, who clicked her tongue in annoyance. ¡°Seems like you¡¯re having your followers do all the work for you. Even though you can¡¯t do anything yourself.¡± ¡°Not like I need to! And, I don¡¯t feel like it today! Also, what were you doing with my subordinates? Manslaughter is a crime!¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. Your subordinates were disregarding public morals here in the royal palace.¡± ¡°Public morals? Were they smoking?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t something simple like that!¡± Frete glared at me like a demon. ¡°What kind of education have your subordinates gone through? Damaging of property and failed attempts at murder¡ªYour subordinates were acting like terrorists themselves!¡± ¡°Eh, what do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about all the dead subordinates of yours! They were going rampant inside the Imperial Palace, so I stopped them!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I looked over at Belius. His ears dropped, and he spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry. I wanted to stop them, but I couldn¡¯t.¡± ¡­Huh? So wait, I¡¯m the one at fault here? So I could be killed and I had no room to argue? ¡°¡­Gandezblood-san, are you listening? Your subordinates have created severe collateral damage, you know? How are you going to take responsibility for that?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll pay with money¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare think everything can be resolved by paying money!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do anything¡­¡± ¡°Everybody can run their mouth like that!¡± Then what else should I do? Have them participate in some volunteer work? Or should I denounce them? Should I step back from my own position? I¡¯d love to do that, but I doubt Frete would forgive me for that¡­ Suddenly, the Black Flash started grinning. ¡°I have decided that Gandezblood-sana is not suitable to be a Seven Crimson Deva. On top of your true strength being unknown, you can¡¯t even control your own squad. Never has any Seven Crimson Deva existed like this.¡± She is completely right. That¡¯s why, don¡¯t glare at her like that Belius. And Melaconcy, no chanting magic. Vill, put away your throwing knives. ¡°Gandezblood-san, any objections?¡± ¡°None.¡± ¡°Very well!¡± Frete showed a truly delighted expression. ¡°Then, I will submit a vote of no confidence. The deliberation will happen during the next ¡®Seven Crimson Deva Meeting¡¯. I am sure you must be aware of this, but this meeting gathers all Seven Crimson Devas, so of course you will have to be present. Fufu, I¡¯m looking forward to what judgment we will arrive at.¡± * ¡°¡ªHey, Vill. What will happen if I get discharged from my position during this Seven Crimson Deva meeting?¡± ¡°Since the contract magic does not get removed, you will explode and die.¡± ¡°So I will die either way!?¡± A sigh escaped my mouth, which held my entire soul, and vanished into the darkness. Night had fallen upon the Mulnight Imperial Palace. I¡¯m currently on the nighttime patrol which we had established this noon. After I finished my normal work at 6pm, I ate dinner, and now started patrolling the surroundings. It¡¯s been like this for an hour, but the terrorist has yet to show up. Now that I think about it, since that killer is only focussing on government officials, isn¡¯t it kind of useless to just loiter around like this? Well, that¡¯s only the least of my problems. Right now, there¡¯s an even bigger problem plaguing me. That is the fact that I will probably die at this rate. I¡¯m scared of dying though, and even if I resurrect, I hate pain. ¡°First the terrorist, and now this¡­It¡¯s too much¡­!¡± ¡°It cannot be helped. I knew that it would come down to this sooner or later.¡± ¡°You knew!?¡± ¡°Everybody knew. In battle, Komari-sama is like a puppet put up on display. It was only a matter of time until people would grow suspicious.¡± Yeah, I guess she¡¯s right. I should have figured that Johan wasn¡¯t going to be the last one. ¡°¡­What¡¯s this Seven Crimson Deva meeting like anyway?¡± ¡°I do not know. However, taking Frete Masquarelle¡¯s words into consideration, it will probably consist of the Seven Crimson Devas deciding on you being left alive or not, most likely with a majority vote.¡± ¡°As if I¡¯d let anybody decide that! I¡¯ll definitely die, won¡¯t I!? There¡¯s no other allies that I have¡­¡± ¡°I-It will be fine!¡± Sakuna tightly gripped her want as she walked next to me. ¡°When it comes to a majority vote, I will be Terakomari-san¡¯s ally! There is no person more worthy of being a Seven Crimson Deva than you after all¡­¡± ¡°S-Sakuna¡­!¡± I was moved. Leaving aside the guilt I felt, I was brought close to tears at the fact that there is a vampire this kind to me. That¡¯s definitely the first time ever. Overwhelmed by happiness, I subconsciously put my hand on her white head, and rubbed it. On a side note, she¡¯s taller than me. ¡°You really are a good girl Sakuna. Once this is over, let¡¯s talk about your favorite constellation.¡± ¡°Y-Yes. Thank you very mush¡­Um¡­but, my head¡­¡± ¡°Ah, sorry. I just happened to¡­Do you hate it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t. I¡¯m happy¡­it feels like I have an Onee-chan now.¡± ¡°Onee-chan?¡± ¡°¡­! N-Nevermind! Just a slip of my tongue¡­¡± Sakuna had a terrified expression on her face. What is she panicking for, I wonder? ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. I¡¯m just a bother, aren¡¯t I¡­¡± ¡°Of course not. I¡¯d be more than happy to have a little sister like you, Sakuna.¡± ¡°R-Really¡­? Ehehe¡­Komari-oneechan.¡± ¡°Ah¡­that sounds really nice. Can you call me like that one more time?¡± ¡°Komari-oneechan!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± When I rubbed her head some more, Sakuna showed a happy smile, narrowing her eyes. For a second, it felt like I could see a tail wagging behind her. What the heck. Was she always this cute? I¡¯d love my good-for-nothing little sister to learn from her¡­Wait, wasn¡¯t she sixteen? Doesn¡¯t this make me her little sister instead? How does an older little sister work anyway? ¡°Komari-sama, this isn¡¯t the time to be flirting.¡± I heard a cold voice behind me. Turning around, I saw Vill glare at me with a frozen expression. ¡°Even with Memoire-dono¡¯s assistance, the chances of Komari-sama being saved is relatively low. After all, there are another five Seven Crimson Devas, and the greater majority most likely holds discomfort towards you.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s right¡­! What should we do about this? Pay them with money?¡± ¡°We cannot bribe anybody.¡± ¡°Why do you have to sound all logical now!? My life depends on this.¡± ¡°There is no need for bribing. Just leave this to me, and everything will work out. Komari-sama, can you see my eyes?¡± ¡°Your eyes¡­? Wait, what happened? They¡¯re blood-red¡­¡± Vill¡¯s crimson red eyes stood out in the dark. ¡°Nucleus Liberation . It seems like it finally happened.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I believe I never fully explained it. My Nucleus Liberation allows me to see into the future. By having someone else drink my blood, I can see their near future. However, since the amount this time is very small, I can barely see anything.¡± Sakuna took a step away from Vill. Look into the future, huh? Sounds pretty amazing, if you ask me. Vill looked up at the sky, and started muttering something. ¡°¡­Seven Crimson Deva meeting¡ªFrete Masquarelle¡ªHeldeus Heaven¡ªOdilon Metal¡­I see, I see.¡± She looked down again. ¡°I understand everything.¡± ¡°What did you find out?¡± ¡°This meeting will be an interrogation in three days, during the actual Seven Crimson Deva meeting. Frete Masquarelle will throw oppressing logic and arguments at Komari-sama, and it will be decided if Komari-sama is a worthy Seven Crimson Deva.¡± ¡°¡­And, what will happen?¡± ¡°At the meeting itself, Komari-sama will explode.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°You¡¯re kidding me, right?¡± ¡°I am not.¡± ¡°Tell me that you¡¯re lyyyyyying!¡± ¡°I was lying.¡± ¡°You were!?¡± ¡°I will make it a lie. I can change the future of an individual, so if you leave it to me, you will not explode. I won¡¯t let you.¡± Vill said, brimming with confidence. This led me to remember. If I leave it to her, everything will be fine. I just have to rely on her again¡ªWith these thoughts, I felt a ray of hope in this darkness that filled my heart, when Vill suddenly pushed her head towards me¡­What does she want? ¡°I am trying my hardest for Komari-sama.¡± ¡°R-Right, you are. Thanks.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a good girl as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Her expression was serious. I rubbed my hand on her head, which gave back a sweet lavender scent. There, I realized that Sakuna was gazing at me in confusion. ¡°Um¡­do you dislike fighting, Terakomari-san?¡± ¡°Eh? W-Why would you ask that?¡± ¡°I mean¡­a normal Seven Crimson Deva would choose a more violent method. If there was someone like Frete-san against them, they would try to immediately show their strength.¡± Not good, she¡¯s sharp. ¡°O-Of course, that would be the most effective method! But, I have the principle to not take any unnecessary and boring fighting. This time, I¡¯d like to resolve it with words only.¡± ¡°Oh¡­I thought that was the case.¡± Sakuna showed a relieved smile. I don¡¯t really get it, but I¡¯ll leave that for now. Because the hellish Seven Crimson Deva meeting is now approaching. ¡ªOn a side note, we couldn¡¯t find the terrorist that day. 1 For those of you who aren¡¯t cultured enough: Sauce Volume 2 - CH 2 We continued our nighttime patrol every night ever since then, but the terrorist never showed up. Since no other victim appeared either, we were probably just racking up useless overtime. Or, that terrorist got tired of killing people. Maybe they already fulfilled their original goal as well, that¡¯s a possibility. Honestly speaking, I really don¡¯t care. As long as these hellish days finally end¡­ Sadly, the most hellish event of all was still awaiting¡ªThe Seven Crimson Deva Meeting. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh I don¡¯t wanna go me don¡¯t wanna go can I just stay at hoooooooooooooome!?¡± I screamed like a little child. It was morning, as I laid on my bed, hiding inside my blanket. That cursed perverted maid suddenly barged into my room, saying ¡®It is time for us to depart¡¯. To me, she looked like a death god bringing me to my final supper. ¡°Komari-sama, I will fully support you, so do not worry. Most likely, you will not die under my supervision.¡± ¡°That ¡®most likely¡¯ isn¡¯t very reassuring!¡± Vill shrugged her shoulders. ¡°What happened to you? The other day, you embraced me, saying ¡®I put faith in you, Vill!¡¯. I still remember your warmth.¡± I don¡¯t remember saying or doing that. ¡°I mean, I do trust you¡­But, we¡¯re dealing with the seven strongest people of the Empire, so it won¡¯t go as easy as what happened with Johan!¡± ¡°I understand. So your worries have grown because you kept thinking about it¡­However, I want you to rest assured. The chances of you exploding have disappeared, Komari-sama.¡± ¡°Did you see that with your Nucleus Liberation?¡± ¡°No, the effect ran out before that.¡± ¡°¡®Zat so.¡± This time, I averted my face, and buried it deep inside my dolphin hugging pillow. I really should stay at home today. I¡¯ll just sleep through the day, and visit the land of sweets in my dream. Nobody talk to me, thank you. ¡°Komari-sama, are you not planning on going?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°I will read another novel of yours out loud.¡± ¡°¡­Strawberry Milk? Go right ahead, I don¡¯t care anymore.¡± ¡°Not quite, I was talking about your new novel.¡± ¡°W-Why?! You said you wouldn¡¯t forcefully read it! Also, I locked up the drawer of my desk, you know!? How did you read that!?¡± ¡°Since this is a very important issue, I took the freedom to destroy the lock and forcefully take it.¡± ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!?¡± I rolled around on top of my bed, letting out a groan. God damn it! I figured this would happen! Vill¡¯s a perverted maid who really loves reading my novels after all! Go ahead and read it then. ¡°I had planned to release this either way, so read it out loud as much as you want!¡± ¡°Is that so. Then, Sakuna Memoire-dono, if you would.¡± ¡°Eh? Ah, okay¡­¡¯The Orange Season of Love¡¯.¡± ¡°Hold on a damn seccccccccccccccccooooooooooond!¡± I jumped up. Right as I did, I spotted a single girl with silver hair¡ªSakuna Memoire. This sense of atmosphere she gave off, it¡¯s the real person. I looked over at Vill, who gave me a glance which basically said ¡®If you don¡¯t get your butt out of here, I¡¯ll have Sakuna read this¡¯. ¡°Ah, Terakomari-san, good morning. Let¡¯s do our best for the Seven Crimson Deva Meeting.¡± ¡°I-Indeed! Let¡¯s do that! ¡­But before that, why are you here, Sakuna?¡± ¡°I thought we might as well go there together¡­¡± Didn¡¯t Sakuna live in the dorm? That¡¯s gotta be a super detour for her¡­Then again, she can use magic, so she probably used some spatial magic to teleport here. ¡°S-Should I not have?¡± ¡°N-No no no! I¡¯m more than happy!¡± I directed my gaze at her hands. ¡°Um, about that manuscript¡­¡± ¡°This? What exactly is this even?¡± Sakuna turned towards Vill, who answered with a shit-eating grin. ¡°It is the legendary new work of a future author. Since you liked books, Memoire-dono, I wanted to have you read it, assuming that you might like it.¡± That bastard, she¡¯s using this for her benefit¡­! ¡°Is that so. Terakomari-san, did you read it already?¡± ¡°Fueh!? Y-Yeah, I sure did¡­¡± Since I was the one who wrote it after all! ¡°Was it interesting?¡± ¡°If I had to say¡­It was super interesting!¡± ¡°Waah, I¡¯m looking forward to reading it¡­Also, who wrote this?¡± I froze up. I had planned to eventually release this novel into the world¡ªbut I really didn¡¯t want Sakuna to read it at this point in time. It¡¯s super embarrassing after all. That¡¯s why I hid it. ¡°That¡¯s¡­A relative of mine wrote it. They were confident about it, so they let me have a glance. Once you¡¯re done reading it, tell me about your impressions, I¡¯ll let them know.¡± Sakuna nodded happily¡­Wait, isn¡¯t this the best possible solution? I can avoid the shame of having this read out loud, and Vill can¡¯t threaten me anymore, so I don¡¯t have to leave. Not to mention that I can have Sakuna read my manuscript, and hear her impression as a fellow book reader. Man, now I¡¯m even excited. ¡°Komari-sama was the one who wrote this.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me!?¡± ¡°Eh? ¡­Is this really something you wrote, Terakomari-san?¡± ¡°Y-You¡¯re wrong, Sakuna! That perverted maid just has to lie at certain times during the day, or she won¡¯t be able to relax! This really is a book my relative wrote!¡± ¡°Is that so¡­that is a shame.¡± Sakuna dropped her gaze on the manuscript, seeming slightly disappointed. This is too dangerous. If I leave that perverted maid alone, she¡¯ll do something unnecessary again. Just when I thought so, that very perverted maid clung to my arm, and smiled. ¡°Now then, if you don¡¯t want me to reveal it for real, let us head out, shall we.¡± ¡°D-Don¡¯t touch me! I planned to sleep for all eternity today!¡± ¡°However, you will die as a result.¡± ¡°That just helps me fall asleep faster! My decision is set in stone!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish, have you forgotten about Memoire-dono?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I actually did for a second. Now Sakuna was looking at me with a bewildered expression. Now I get it, that perverted maid used Sakuna as a means to pressure me, and that¡¯s why she let her inside. ¡°Terakomari-san, I understand that you must be tired from working so hard, but I still believe that you have to attend this meeting. I will try my best to support you, so let¡¯s go together.¡± Seems like there¡¯s no way for me to escape from this. I technically am her Senpai after all, so I have to show my reliable side in front of her. That¡¯s why I stood up straight on my bed, and declared the following. ¡°Very well! I shall meet the other Seven Crimson Devas! You needn¡¯t worry, as I am a vampire worthy of being called one of the ¡®Empire¡¯s Strongest Seven¡¯! Indeed, nobody possesses more right than me to be called like this!¡± I regretted saying that later on. * The location was the ¡®Blood-drenched Room¡¯ located in the Mulnight Imperial Palace, the same room where I had met my subordinates for the first time. I still vividly remember the scenery of these vampires wearing the military uniform, staring at me as I entered, but now the large room only had a round table in the middle. And, they were sitting around the said round table. I¡¯m scared. More accurately, terrified. Every single one of them looks dangerous. These commanders, the Seven Crimson Devas, looked ready to kill. ¡°My my, Gandezblood-san! And, Sakuna Memoire-san! What wonderful attendance at work you show us! Everyone has been waiting for you.¡± The second we entered the room, ¡®Black Flash¡¯ Frete Masquarelle gave us a provocative gaze. She really felt ready to murder me. I mentally prepared myself to get slaughtered, and looked at her. ¡°H-Hmph! We aren¡¯t late as of yet, so I don¡¯t see any reason why I would have to care about your complaints! What about you? Do you have that much time to spare to wait endlessly for us?¡± ¡°¡­! Now you¡¯ve said it.¡± Not good, I¡¯m sweating like crazy. Why did I go and have to say that? I know¡­this is a tactic, so I can¡¯t help it. I have to do what Vill told me before. ¡°You have to put on airs.¡± ¡°Put on airs? In what way?¡± ¡°Basically, you need to act very arrogant. Become a Cockymari.¡± So basically, the same as always. Honestly speaking, I highly doubt such a method would work against the strongest people of the Empire. But, acting arrogant and cocky makes me feel at peace as well. Then again, if I look at Frete, she already looks ready to murder me. ¡°Komari-sama, let us hurry to your seat.¡± ¡°Y-Yeah.¡± Vill pushed my back, and I moved around the round table on wobbly feet. Ahen, I realized. On the seat belonging to the captain of the 1st corps (basically next to me), a certain perverted blonde-haired big breasted perverted beautiful Empress sat. ¡°¡­Empress, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Observing the scenery. I¡¯m interested to see how this meeting will end, Komari.¡± Why do you have such an excited look on your face? Are you that excited to see someone possibly die in front of you? Stop joking around. ¡°Wahaha!¡± The empress let out a healthy laughter. ¡°Now now, don¡¯t give me that greedy look. We¡¯ll leave that for our private time together.¡± ¡°What are you even talking about!?¡± ¡°What are you referring to!?¡± My voice overlapped with Frete¡¯s, who raised one eyebrow as she looked at me. ¡°Take your seat already! Sakuna Memoire-san as well!¡± ¡°Y-Yes!¡± Sakuna sat down on wobbly feet. I panicked myself, and sat down as well. This is bad. This is very bad. All the Seven Crimson Devas are looking over at us. I feel like they could kill me with just a glance. However, getting afraid means that I will lose. I can¡¯t let them think that I¡¯m some weakling, because that could be the final trigger to get killed. That¡¯s why I tried acting tough, playing like I couldn¡¯t care less about this meeting. Next to me sat the Empress, as she took a sip from her tea cup. Normally, that would be the seat of the 1st Corps¡¯ captain, so it is really okay to just occupy that? Well, I¡¯d rather have her next to me than some super berserker during our first meeting. Following her was the 2nd Corps¡¯ captain, Heldeus Heaven. He is a Seven Crimson Deva, as well as a manager for an orphanage and a priest for the holy church. He was the only one wearing a religious robe instead of the military uniform. He glanced over at me, painted a cross with his fingers over his chest, and clapped his hands together¡­Hey hold on, you don¡¯t need to pray for me yet. I¡¯m still alive, you bastard. Next to him sat the captain of the 3rd Corps, Frete Masquarelle. She is the one who probably holds the most killing intent towards me out of this bunch. On a side note, the Masquarelle Family apparently was always in a rivalry with my own Gandezblood Family, so I guess her hate for me might originate from that. After Frete sat the 4th Corps¡¯ captain, Delpune. She¡ªNo, maybe they¡¯re a man judging from the clothes? Either way, they¡¯re wearing a foreign mask on their face, as they had their arms crossed, leaning against the chair, which gave them quite the mysterious atmosphere. Then again, just the mask alone tells me that I shouldn¡¯t put too much trust into them. After them was the captain of the 5th Corps, Odilon Metal. From his looks, I judged that he possessed quite the experience in battle. His age seems to be around forty, as he possessed a muscular stature, wrinkles between his eyebrows, a flashy beard, and more than anything¡ªa sharp gaze enough to leave me terrified. Following him was the 6th Corps¡¯ captain, Sakuna Memoire. She is the only person here who gives me some sort of comfort. It wouldn¡¯t be too far to call her the only pillar that supported me. Whenever our eyes met, she tightly formed fists with her hands, as if to cheer me on. Thank you, really. Lastly, we¡¯re back at the seat of the 7th Corps¡¯ captain, Terakomari Gandezblood. In other words, me. Showered by the severe gazes of the other Seven Crimson Devas, I tried to act tough¡ªAs I almost collapsed from the stress, unbeknownst to everyone. I can¡¯t take this. I glanced at my back, at Vill. She seemed calm, but I had no idea what she was thinking about¡­Please, I¡¯m putting my trust in you, don¡¯t let me die¡­! ¡°Now then, leaving aside the captain of the 1st Corps Petrose Calamalia, everyone has gathered. The condition to hold this meeting was for ¡®At least six Seven Crimson Devas to gather¡¯, and as you can see, we have fulfilled such, so the Seven Crimson Deva meeting will now begin. No objections towards that, I assume?¡± Everybody nodded in unison at Frete¡¯s words. It seems like she will be taking the leading role for this meeting. Looking at the other Seven Crimson Devas, I was surprised to find quite the variety in color. Since our title is Seven Crimson Deva, I was expecting red clothes and uniforms, but each captain had their own colorful appearance. On a side note, Seven Crimson Deva doesn¡¯t mean ¡®Red Commander¡¯, but rather ¡®Commander who colors the sky red¡¯. As I was thinking that, Frete spoke up again. ¡°I only have one topic for today. Namely, the question of ¡®Is Terakomari Gandezblood worthy of being a Seven Crimson Deva or not¡¯. Ever since she has become a Seven Crimson Deva during this 5th month, she has achieved victory after victory, and finally managed to gather a consecutive row of 10 wins during her battle with the Laperico Kingdom the other day. I think we can all agree that her achievements speak for themselves.¡± ¡°Indeed, they do! It must be the result after praying to God for success!¡± ¡°Heaven-sama, could you keep quiet when you¡¯re not asked? Anyway, looking at these accomplishments, nobody would find fault with her, correct? However, only if you look at her accomplishments!¡± Frete glared at me. ¡°Everyone, have you never seen her fight in an actual battle? I am almost certain that you have not. During battle, Terakomari Gandezblood only sits on her chair inside her safe headquarters, giving out orders. As her subordinates fight for her, she leaves everything to them, and apparently has yet to kill an enemy commander herself.¡± ¡°I do remember hearing that indeed!¡± The captain of the 5th Corps, Odilon Metal (the scary old man), raised a roaring voice. ¡°A Seven Crimson Deva should be symbolic of a weapon! My trained body has the duty to defeat the enemy! Are you aware of this concept, Gandezblood-dono?¡± ¡°O-Of course I¡ª¡± ¡°By all means she does!¡± Heldeus Heaven interrupted me. The heck is wrong with you? ¡°The one who does not understand anything is you, Metal-dono. The true strong do not fight the weak! Gandezblood-dono is aware of such, and does not fight of her own!¡± ¡°Then she should search for stronger opponents! At least four out of these ten battles, Gandezblood-dono has fought these chimpanzees, has she not! I accept the idea that you disagree to fight the weak, but why doesn¡¯t she look for stronger opponents then!¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t get it! This is the proof that you are a savage non-believer!¡± I feel like I heard a vein pop inside Odilon¡¯s head. He must be pissed beyond belief. But, Heldeus continued nonetheless. ¡°Gandezblood-dono holds a great weapon like our holy God does. You cannot swing it aimlessly. That is the teaching of our Lord.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense! Explain it to me more easily.¡± ¡°Then, let me explain it so that even an uncultured person like you can understand it. In the event that Gandezblood-dono is challenged to a battle by another country, she can accept this with the kindness of a heart wide enough as the ocean. In other words, she does not choose her opponent. Hence, all her opponents just so happened to be weak, and that was not something she could control!¡± ¡°Hasn¡¯t she fought the chimpanzees too many times!?¡± ¡°Since they are brainless beasts, they probably declared battle again and again without thinking. Can you not understand them? It seems like you are the closest to them out of everyone here!!¡± Bang! A fist was slammed into the desk. Sakuna let out a scared shriek, and even I was really close to letting mine out. Following that, Odilon screamed. ¡°Say that one more time, Heldeus! I¡¯ll cut up that dirty robe of yours, burn it to cinders, and feed it to the pigs!¡± ¡°What insolence! It seems like there are still people in this world unaware of God¡¯s grace¡­I understand. As a faithful of the Lord, it is my duty to correct the savages of this world. I¡¯m sure that even a beard-face of a barbarian like yours can be saved!¡± ¡°You shitty priest!!!¡± ¡°¡ªStop it at once, you two!¡± Odilon was about to pull out his sword, and Heldeus was already standing up from his seat, so I figured they¡¯d soon start killing each other, when Frete used some black magic that passed between the two. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, that black beam (?) passed by my cheek, hitting the wall behind me. ¡°Such an attitude is not welcome at a place like this. Not to mention that a private duel between Seven Crimson Devas is prohibited. On top of that, you are in front of Her Majesty the Empress, so cease this instantly.¡± ¡°Tsk¡­right. Private duels were not allowed.¡± Odilon clicked his tongue, and put away his sword, whereas Heldeus showed a smile as he sat down. As for me, I was baffled at the current situation, my mouth open in shock. ¡°Komari-sama, your expression looks dead.¡± Vill played with my face from behind me. There, I finally managed to regain my arrogant smile. ¡°Hey, Vill. Am I going to die?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let you.¡± I definitely will, just look at this. ¡°Let us return to the topic at hand. As I have stated, I am doubting Terakomari Gandezblood¡¯s true strength. Do you have anything to say about that, Gandezblood-san?¡± ¡°I am the strongest, yes.¡± ¡°That does not turn into an argument.¡± Frete said with a cold voice. ¡°That reminds me, I have heard that you killed the terrorist Millicent Bluenight, who seemingly belonged to Inverted Moon, but can I have some more details concerning that?¡± Don¡¯t ask me, I¡¯d like to know more about that. ¡°Oh my, we are talking about you, and you don¡¯t have an answer for us? Or did you forget?¡± Rattle! Sakuna stood up from her seat. ¡°P-Please wait a moment! We don¡¯t need to listen to that! Terakomari-san just has to show her true strength¡­right? For example, some high-tier magic¡­¡± Sakuna, I¡¯m very happy that you managed to build up some courage and spoke up like that, but I can¡¯t even use low-tier magic, so this just put the noose around my neck¡­ ¡°I¡¯m sure she can¡¯t use it. Right, Gandezblood-san?¡± ¡°O-Of¡­Of course I can use it!¡± ¡°Go ahead then.¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s not time yet¡­¡± ¡°See, I knew it.¡± Frete let out a sigh. I felt a sharp gaze coming from Sakuna at my side, as if she was questioning me. Sorry, Sakuna¡­I¡¯m sorry to hurt your trust like this¡­ Bang! This time, Heldeus stood up. ¡°Masquarelle-dono! A faithful believer such as Gandezblood-dono would never lie!¡± ¡°Then she just has to show that she is not lying. And, Heaven-dono, you have the wrong idea about something. Terakomari Gandezblood is not a believer of the holy church.¡± ¡°Huh¡­? That¡­is impossible¡­¡± ¡°Feel free to check the name register later. Her name should not be found anywhere. Adding to that, the Gandezblood Family is known for not being religious in the slightest, ready to always spit in the face of any believer.¡± ¡°W-What did you say!?¡± Heldeus glanced over at me. He looked like a puppy betrayed by its owner. Why are you acting like this? You just assumed that on your own. ¡°¡ªNow then, Gandezblood-san, tell us how you defeated that terrorist.¡± I spoke up with a quivering voice. ¡°¡­H-How could I forget, it was a fierce battle¡­Specifically, a lot of magic flew everywhere, and we jumped around¡­fighting¡­¡± I heard someone¡¯s disappointed sigh. It was Odilon. ¡°In what way is that specific?¡± Frete spoke in disbelief. ¡°I really do not like that about you. You give vague answers to my questions¡­What do you mean by ¡®a lot of magic flew everywhere, and we jumped around?¡¯. Can you not use more specific words? You are a Seven Crimson Deva, this isn¡¯t an excuse.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong, I made a mistake. To be more accurate¡ª¡± ¡°There¡¯s no meaning in correcting yourself if there¡¯s nothing to tell! You should read more books to develop a more eloquent vocabulary¡ªRight, I recommend using ¡®War Chronicles of Andronos¡¯, which actually had been written by my older sister, and it is often used to teach children technical terms. Should I lend it to you? If you read all the volumes, you might be able to express yourself better than this.¡± ¡°I-I read books!¡± ¡°Be quiet. As I have stated, you are not worthy of being a Seven Crimson Deva. I have sufficient proof as well. Please take a look at this. These are her grades when she attended the Imperial Academy. She had 1s in magic and physical abilities. How could such a drop-out become a Seven Crimson Deva?¡± ¡°What¡­where did you¡­¡± ¡°Using the influence of the Masquarelle Family, I had no problems whatsoever. Either way, you were a hopeless irregular student. You even dropped out of the academy, right? What were you doing these three years? You were not shutting yourself in, were you? Are you telling me that the daughter of the Gandezblood Family spent her life as a shut-in?¡± ¡°Who cares about that¡­!¡± ¡°You are right. Nobody cares. What I don¡¯t like is the fact that you became a Seven Crimson Deva. You must have used your connections, did you not?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°The Gandezblood Family is a prestigious family after all. Using your influence, you should be able to become a Seven Crimson Deva even with your lack of strength and achievements. ¡®Please Father, make me a Seven Crimson Deva!¡¯, that¡¯s probably how you begged your father to make you a Seven Crimson Deva commander, right? How despicable!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You wanted to gain popularity, right? You wanted to be admired, did you not? Look at all your goods being sold right now. I¡¯m shocked you have the audacity to do such a thing. Are you not ashamed of yourself!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± I was starting to tear up. I felt like a criminal during a trial. If I started crying now, I¡¯d definitely get executed for real, so I tried my best to hold back the tears, and continued listening to Frete¡¯s insults. But, I was nearing my limit. Her words started to stab into my heart like sharp blades¡­That¡¯s right, there¡¯s nothing wrong with what she¡¯s saying. Of course, there¡¯s a lot of parts to her words that are not correct, but it¡¯s not enough to allow me any room to argue back. I can¡¯t take this. ¡°Why are you only looking down like that? You will be dismissed soon, but as of right now, you still are a Seven Crimson Deva. Hold some more confidence. This is why you were¡ª¡± ¡°Leave it at that.¡± Frete¡¯s words were interrupted, as all gazes gathered towards the smiling big-breasted blonde-haired girl sitting next to me. Frete doubted her eyes. ¡°K-Karen-sama¡­? What do you¡­¡± ¡°She is only 15 years old. It¡¯s not very mature of you to hammer down on her like this.¡± ¡°However¡­She is a Seven Crimson Deva. That¡¯s why¡­Um¡­I thought that saying this would be¡­I was just telling the truth! What is wrong with that!?¡± ¡°Is that really the truth? Did you really confirm everything? Are her school records really enough proof to confirm that ¡®Komari used her connections to become a popular Seven Crimson Deva¡¯?¡± ¡°T-Thats¡­it should be¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like you can read hearts, can you. If you¡¯re going to call together something grande like a Seven Crimson Deva Meeting, you should have collected some more proof and information.¡± The Empress started to calmly reprimand Frete. I realized that I was protected. I felt happy, and relieved. But at the same time, I felt pathetic. I should have learned from that incident a month ago. The entire incident with Millicent happened because I had no backbone. I really am happy that the Empress is my ally. That being said, I hate being protected all the time. I should be fighting back myself. ¡°Karen-sama¡­it is just as you say. However, that does not change the fact of me having proven that Terakomari Gandezblood is unworthy of being a Seven Crimson Deva. Looking at her grades, that is proof enough! Not to mention the fact that she has never shown her true strength! I can only see this as her misusing her connections!¡± ¡°I told you to quit speculating. Also, I was the one who decided to make her a Seven Crimson Deva, so¡ª¡± ¡°Empress, that¡¯s enough.¡± I mustered up all the courage at my disposal, and spoke up. The Empress looked over at me in shock. I wiped my eyes with a handkerchief, and glanced over at Vill. ¡°Vill, I won¡¯t explode, right?¡± She looked surprised herself, but eventually flashed an invincible smile. ¡°Believe in me.¡± Then, there¡¯s no need for me to worry. I mean, I¡¯m terrified to speak up here, but I want to put my trust in Vill. If not, nothing will happen. I took a deep breath, and glared at Frete, who showed me a surprised reaction. The Empress raised the corners of her mouth, like she was watching something interesting. All the other Seven Crimson Devas had their attention on me. I crossed my arms, stood on the table, and spoke with a provocative smile. ¡°Feel free to chirp on like that, Frete Masquarelle. The words of a small chicken like yours is not something I will lend an ear to.¡± Frete froze up, not moving an inch. The Empress let out an intrigued ¡®Hmm¡¯, and the other Seven Crimson Devas were staring at me as well. As for me, I was assaulted by despair like the world was ending in front of my eyes. I said it¡­I said it¡­I went ahead and said it¡­! Never in my life did I act more cocky than this! I¡¯m clearly provoking every single person here! I can¡¯t even complain if I get beaten to a pulp! That Frete looks close to immediately chanting some magic, that¡¯s how pissed off she seems. ¡°¡­Fu¡­Fufufufufu¡­Gandezblood-san, what kind of joke is this supposed to be?¡± ¡°Joke? You must be kidding yourself. Are you not even aware of my strength? Do you think you¡¯re something special just because you can use some black magic?¡± Slam! I heard a worrying sound. Frete¡¯s fist had slammed into the desk, opening a hole. ¡°You¡­You dare ridicule me, the heroic Seven Crimson Deva ¡®Black Flash¡¯ with your words¡­!? Take them back immediately!¡± ¡°Then you start! I won¡¯t stand being insulted and doubted just because of such a vague proof that you showed us! I will not forgive you until you apologize!¡± ¡°Who would apologize to someone like you! I was only revealing the secret you¡¯ve been hiding! You are the one at fault for doing so! But, who could blame you for hiding it, looking at your rotten personal record!¡± ¡°R-Rotten personal record¡­¡± No. Don¡¯t cry. Hold back, me¡­! ¡°If something is rotten, then it¡¯s your brain!¡± ¡°Excuse you!? Unbelievable! That is the perfect example of a groundless accusation!¡± ¡°Shut up! Shut up! Weren¡¯t you the one who started with groundless accusations!? What do you mean ¡®Black Flash¡¯!? The heck is a heroic Seven Crimson Deva!? Don¡¯t just give you two nicknames! Are you not embarrassed, you narcissist!?¡± ¡°You¡­damned brat¡­! What about you then! Everybody laughs at your self-proclaimed ¡®Unparalleled Beauty¡¯ title! How are you any better than me!?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with stating the truth!? My father tells me every single day, so it must be true! I¡¯m different from you, who gives herself weird nicknames!¡± ¡°Are you really taking that doting father of yours serious!? I will let you know, the two of us couldn¡¯t be more different! After all, I have the necessary strength and accumulated achievements that gratify me being a Seven Crimson Deva! I have confidence, and the high evaluation from everyone around me! I am different from a fake Seven Crimson Deva such as yourself!¡± ¡°How exactly are we different!? I never even heard about you until a few days ago, and I never saw you fight on the frontlines either! You¡¯re so plain I didn¡¯t know you even existed! Aren¡¯t we the same then!? If we talked some more, we might have found out that the other person is actually pretty amazing! Yet, you immediately pulled me into this trial! Your thoughts are rotten to the core!¡± ¡°Whose thoughts¡­are rotteeeeeeeeeeeeen!?¡± Shing, Frete drew her sword. Ah, I might have gone too far. ¡°Since you keep boasting like this, why don¡¯t we have a fight to confirm everything! Then we will know if you are worthy of being a Seven Crimson Deva, or not!¡± ¡°S-S-S-S-S-Sounds fine by me! Come, Frete Masquarelle! My powerful magic will turn you into omurice! ¡­or so I¡®d like to say, but I need to confirm your strength first, so you will have to fight my maid Villhaze first. Take care of this, Vill!¡± ¡°No thank you.¡± ¡°S-Seems like we won¡¯t be fighting today¡­¡± ¡°Stop fooling around!!¡± ¡°Frete, calm.¡± A swirl of black magic started gathering around the tip of Frete¡¯s sword, and right when she pointed it at me, the Empress got between us. Frete seemingly couldn¡¯t disobey the Empress, so she put down her sword, looking at her with tears in her eyes. ¡°Karen-samaaa! Do something about her! Why are you protecting such a brat!¡± ¡°Is that not clear as day? Komari is such a cutie.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­such a personal reasoning! But, aren¡¯t I plenty c-c-cute as well!? When I was younger, you told me the same, did you not!? So, won¡¯t you consider my opinion as well¡­¡± ¡°Every single citizen of the Mulnight Empire is my cute little child. You aren¡¯t special at all.¡± ¡°Wha¡­¡± ¡°And, I¡¯d like to correct a misconception you have. I¡¯m not protecting Komari in the slightest. Your actions and words have been going too far, that is all. Frete, remember where we are. This is a Seven Crimson Deva Meeting.¡± Frete opened her eyes wide. She observed her surroundings, and cleared her throat. ¡°¡­Excuse me.¡± She lowered her head. But, I could tell that this apology was only directed at the Empress and the other Devas, not at me in the slightest. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have started a fight like that. There is no need for a fight to begin with, since Gandezblood-san will be dismissed now.¡± ¡°D-Dismissed, you say? That¡¯s not something for you to decide!¡± ¡°I know that! That is why I called together this meeting! Anyway, I would like to proceed, and start our majority vote. Of course, you don¡¯t have any vote in this, Gandezblood-san.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± I figured this would happen. That¡¯s about the same development that Vill guessed. I turned around, and whispered to her. ¡°What should we do about this? She¡¯s talking about a majority vote.¡± ¡°According to my , Komari-sama will lose 3 to 2.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t act like it doesn¡¯t concern you! What should we do about this!? At this rate, I¡¯ll¡ª¡± ¡°No whispering over there!¡± I faced Frete again. ¡°I¡¯m not doing anything! Just get that vote over already!¡± ¡°Very well. I¡¯d like to confirm something first, but after the exchange the two of us shared, is there still someone who thinks that Gandezblood-san is worthy of being a Seven Crimson Deva commander?¡± ¡°H-Here!¡± Sakuna raised one hand. Thank you, Sakuna. Your kindness really warms up my cold heart¡­But, that won¡¯t be enough. Is there nobody else? Another ally in the rows of the Devas¡­ ¡°¡ªI also believe her to be worthy of being a Seven Crimson Deva!¡± It was Heldeus Heaven. I was surprised to see that perverted priest on my side. After all¡­ ¡°¡­Heaven-sama? Have you forgotten that she is not a religious believer?¡± ¡°Do you judge people solely on that fact, Masquarelle-dono? That is what a savage would do.¡± ¡°That is something I do not want to hear from you.¡± ¡°It does seem like Gandezblood-dono is not a religious believer, but she appears to be faithful to our teachings. As she just stated, by talking more with the other person, you can understand how amazing they are. She chose to use words over her blade, which greatly resembles the teachings of our holy church. In the face of this, I cannot discard her.¡± ¡°We are holding a majority vote to decide if she is worthy of being a Seven Crimson Deva. Religious beliefs and whatnot have no importance here.¡± ¡°Indeed, they do not. However, it does not matter, as I have taken a liking to her!¡± ¡°My, isn¡¯t that wonderful. Anyway¡­¡± Frete showed an annoyed expression, and looked over at Sakuna next. ¡°What about you, Sakuna Memoire-san?¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­Because I think Terakomari-san is worthy of being a Seven Crimson Deva.¡± ¡°I am asking for the reason.¡± ¡°Eeek¡­I-I¡¯m sorry¡­Um, because I think that Terakomari-san is kind¡­reliable¡­and treats me normally¡­¡± ¡°Hah! So in the end, both Heaven-sama and Memoire-san have their own personal reasoning behind this! It seems like Gandezblood-san is quite popular with irregulars.¡± Frete glared at me, and showed a snicker. ¡°However, with this, Gandezblood-san¡¯s fate has been decided. Only two people have vouched for you. Do you understand what this means?¡± Her words tightly held onto my heart. Only two people¡­only two think that I deserve to be a Seven Crimson Deva. This is bad¡­this is exceptionally bad¡­! I often managed to avoid the worst-case scenario with pure luck, but this time, I¡¯ll definitely die! Wait, isn¡¯t it already decided? Vill, do something about this! ¡°Fufu¡­Gandezblood-san, you best be prepared. Very soon, you will be removed from your rank as a Seven Crimson Deva.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± ¡°My, what happened? Do you dislike the idea of that so much? Ahaha, this is what you deserve! A little brat like you should be working in the countryside!¡± I know that better than anybody. I¡¯m more than aware that I deserve to be removed from my position. I want to work at a cake shop, make delicious cakes everyday. ¡°Glaring at me like that won¡¯t do you any good! This has already been decided! Now then, Karen-sama, we have gathered the consensus of us Seven Crimson Devas, and we have decided that Terakomari Gandezblood is unbefitting of being a Deva! Please, give us your approval!¡± ¡°I see. If it¡¯s already decided, then it can¡¯t be helped.¡± I looked at the Empress in shock. I was hoping that she was my ally, but I guess I was expecting too much. ¡°After participating in this meeting, I¡¯ve come to the realization that Komari indeed has not been acting like a Seven Crimson Deva during actual combat. Indeed, I shall remove Terakomari Gandezblood from the position of a¡ª¡± Ahh, it¡¯s over. I¡¯m going to die. I at least want to leave behind my final words¡­ ¡®Soaring through the sky, Blooming like a flower, Is that Komari?¡¯¡­Yup, that poem turned out pretty great if you ask me. I will explode, and scatter through the sky like a blooming flower. ¡°¡ªObjection!¡± I heard a loud voice from behind my back. It was Vill, with a rarely serious expression. ¡°I have an objection, Your Majesty. The majority voting has not ended yet.¡± ¡°What right do you have to speak here, you maid!¡± ¡°Sit down, Frete. Villhaze, what exactly might you be referring to?¡± ¡°There are two people who wish for Komari-sama to stay as a Seven Crimson Deva. I fully understand that. However, we still do not know the number of people who are against this.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? It¡¯s three people!¡± ¡°Hm¡­Since not all of these three openly stated that they were against Komari, you can¡¯t exactly count them.¡± ¡°Karen-sama!? You cannot accept the words of that lowborn maid!¡± ¡°There is no social standing when it comes to opinion. And, there is nothing we can lose here, so why don¡¯t we hold another vote.¡± ¡°Karen-sama¡­if you say so.¡± Frete looked dissatisfied, but nodded along. ¡°Then, let us hold another vote. Those who support Terakomari Gandezblood, please raise your hand.¡± Two hands went up, belonging to Sakuna and Heldeus. ¡°Hmpf, the result does not change. Then, please raise your hand if you agree that Terakomari Gandezblood is not worthy of being a Seven Crimson Deva.¡± Right after, Frete raised her hand towards the sky. You don¡¯t need to stress it like that, okay. I know that the other two are going to join in any¡ªHm? Wait¡­ ¡°Please look at this, Your Majesty. It is 2 versus 2.¡± Vill spoke proudly. It really was 2 versus 2. The other person besides Frete who raised their hand was Odilon Metal. I figured that he would be against me, but¡­what does this mean? There are five Seven Crimson Devas here except me, so¡­ Everybody focussed their attention on a single person. Ever since the start of the meeting, this masked vampire had yet to speak a single word. ¡°¡­Del, raise your hand. You must be annoyed with Gandezblood-san, right?¡± That is some rude phrasing, punk. ¡°Del! You are not asleep, are you!?¡± Delpune showed no reaction. ¡°Del, give it a rest already¡ª¡± ¡°Wait, Masquarelle-dono.¡± Odilon stood up. He walked next to Delpune, and took the right wrist of Delpune with a ¡®Excuse me!¡¯. After a short ten seconds passed, Odilon roared. ¡°Delpune is dead!¡± ¡°¡°¡°¡°Huh?¡±¡±¡±¡± Several voices overlapped. He (She?) is dead? ¡°I can tell without having to check the pulse, Delpune is dead! The body is frozen stiff like a rock!¡± ¡°W-What did you say!?¡± Frete screamed. Even I was close to joining in. Sakuna next to me let out a shriek, as she grew pale. Odilon returned to his seat, whereas the Empress showed a grin. Rattle! Heldeus jumped up from his chair, screaming ¡®It¡¯s the devil!¡¯. ¡°Ahh, how could this happen! This must be the work of the devil! Delpune had been alive when the meeting started¡­I think¡­Yes, only the devil could have done this!¡± ¡°The devil does not exist! Is Delpune really dead!?¡± ¡°Are you doubting me, Masquarelle-dono!? Confirm it for yourself¡± ¡°I-If Delpune really has died, then I don¡¯t want to touch that corpse! It¡¯s disgusting! Sakuna Memoire-san, you confirm it!¡± ¡°Ehhh!? W-Why would I have to¡­¡± ¡°You fools! You can see from the magical flow that Delpune died! What¡¯s more important is to find out who the killer is!¡± ¡°The devil did this! This has the devil¡¯s fingerprint on it!¡± ¡°Cease your worthless blabbering! This has to be the terrorist¡¯s work!¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case¡­¡± ¡°What exactly do you understand!? Anyway, we have to find out who killed Dell! The first person who entered this room was¡ª¡± A rough battle of words started between the Seven Crimson Devas. The killer must be the terrorist, it must be the devil, it must be an assassin from another country¡ªcountless accusations were thrown around, as they started talking about the time of crime, what the victim did yesterday, asking for each other¡¯s alibis, emitting killing intent towards the other, until Frete announced ¡®The killer is amongst us!¡¯. The heck is going on. ¡°¡­What should we do, Vill, this is turning into some mystery novel.¡± ¡°How comical. They don¡¯t even know that I am the killer.¡± ¡°Eh? What did you just say?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t be using the word ¡®comical¡¯ towards the Seven Crimson Devas.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant! There was something more important in there!¡± ¡°About how I was the one who killed Delpune-dono?¡± ¡°Right, that¡­Wait, huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh!?¡± I screamed in disbelief, when Vill covered my lips with her index finger. ¡°Quiet. Things will turn difficult if they find out.¡± ¡°Of course! Why did you even kill them! I don¡¯t get it!¡± ¡°The reason is simple. Delpune-dono was against Komari-sama being a Seven Crimson Deva. Hence, by killing them, I could balance the voting from 3 versus 2 to 2 versus 2.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit too forceful!? And how did you even kill them! We¡¯re talking about a Seven Crimson Deva!¡± ¡°With deadly poison.¡± Vill showed me a wink. Heldeus was right, it really was the devil¡¯s work. ¡°Leaving aside the method, let me explain something else. I actually had left Delpune-dono¡¯s corpse here in the Blood-drenched Room after I killed them. Since this meeting would not have been accepted if two people were absent, I had to leave Delpune-dono here or we would not have reached that number.¡± ¡°You can have a corpse participate?¡± ¡°Nothing states against that.¡± ¡°But¡­wouldn¡¯t it have been even better if the meeting never took place? Then I wouldn¡¯t get killed¡­¡± ¡°Knowing Frete Masquarelle, she would postpone the meeting and hold it another day. And then, the captain of the 1st Corps, Petrose Calamalia would be back. She is a muscle brain like Odilon Metal, so she would surely vote against Komari-sama. In other words, this meeting had to happen during the time Petrose Calamalia was absent, otherwise you would have died for certain. Luckily, everything worked out.¡± Vill spoke with an arrogant grin. With all this sudden influx of information, my head could barely keep up. Apparently, I barely managed to come out of this alive, that¡¯s all I knew. That¡¯s the perverted maid for you, she¡¯s not just a pervert. ¡°Now then, Komari-sama, we cannot celebrate too quickly. There is one final step left.¡± ¡°So, what should I do?¡± ¡°You are the strongest ever, Komari-sama. But, during this pseudo-trial, you will be killed before you can show your strength. Hence, we have to use something else.¡± ¡°What are you even talking about?¡± ¡°Komari-sama, use this magic jewel.¡± Vill handed me a small stone. I¡¯m at a loss here, but I probably should just put faith in Vill for once. With light feelings, I activated the magic jewel, when a loud explosive sound rang out, almost bursting my eardrums. I thought I was going to die, but I didn¡¯t. It was just a loud sound. If I had to guess, that was probably low-tier noise magic . Explosive sounds rang out inside the Blood-drenched room. I was wondering what good this would do, when I saw all the Seven Crimson Devas glaring over at me, fully interrupted in their fierce verbal battle. ¡°¡­Gandezblood-san? What kind of joke is this supposed to be?¡± Frete asked. ¡°¡­Vill? What kind of joke is this supposed to be?¡± I asked. ¡°¡­Who knows?¡± Vill played dumb. In a panic, I faced Frete again, and just went for it. ¡°T-This is¡­Because you were all wasting my time, I thought of warning you like this!¡± ¡°Wasting your time? Wasting¡­your time!? A Seven Crimson Deva was just killed!¡± ¡°You are not wrong, but right now we¡¯re in the middle of a Seven Crimson Deva meeting! It¡¯s 2 versus 2!¡± ¡°Please wait a moment, Gandezblood-dono! I have to agree with Masquarelle-dono, we have to search for the killer of Delpune-dono! The terrorist might be nearby!¡± Heldeus howled, and he was right. But, Odilon joined in, saying ¡®Not quite!¡¯. ¡°The terrorist you are talking about has killed with their bare hands, correct? Sakuna Memoire-dono, can I have your opinion?¡± ¡°Y-Yes! I¡­probably had my stomach pierced by bare hands¡­¡± Sakuna panicked for some reason. Odilon nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Take a look at this, Delpune-dono has no exterior wounds. In other words, they must have been killed by poison. Hence, this cannot be the work of that terrorist.¡± ¡°Then who do you think did this?¡± ¡°I personally think Gandezblood-dono should know about that more than anybody.¡± The scary old man showed an arrogant smile. At the same time, I almost died because of the fear alone. Hey, Vill. What should I do about this? Should I just comment with ¡®I don¡¯t know¡¯? Or should I act like I do instead? Can I just go home? As I hesitated with my answer, Frete put one hand on her mouth, and grew pale. ¡°D-Don¡¯t tell me¡­you were you the one who killed Del!?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Why would things end up that way? ¡°You would have enough of a motive to kill! Without Del¡¯s opinion, you¡¯d be safe during the vote!¡± ¡°Hold on a second, that¡¯s just jumping a gun! Bang! Odilon Metal slammed his hand on the desk. ¡°Only you have a reason to kill Delpune-dono! Delpune-dono was probably objecting to your position of being a Seven Crimson Deva. That¡¯s why you killed! Since they normally rarely talk, and wear that mask all the time, we couldn¡¯t even tell between alive and dead! Thanks to that, the meeting took place after all!¡± Indeed, you are absolutely correct. Vill, they figured it out. That old man isn¡¯t just a muscle brain. ¡°That¡¯s right! There is no doubting it that you were the one who killed Del! You must have put poison in the food, so that even a weakling like you could kill a Seven Crimson Deva!¡± ¡°G-Give me some proof, then! These are just harsh accusations! Hey, Vill!?¡± ¡°My deepest apologies, Komari-sama. I left the bottle with the deadly poison inside Delpune-dono¡¯s room.¡± She whispered into my ear. ¡°That¡¯s enough proof, huh!¡± ¡°It says ¡®Komari¡¯ on there.¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing this on purpose, aren¡¯t you!?¡± ¡°I keep telling you not to whisper like that!¡± Frete screamed in rage, as she slammed her hand on the table. I know it doesn¡¯t really matter, but I¡¯m starting to feel bad for this table. ¡°Karen-sama, I still believe that Gandezblood-san is not worthy of being a Seven Crimson Deva! I have never heard of such reckless action!¡± ¡°I believe that Komari being the killer is just mere speculation, but¡­Let us assume that she was the one who killed Delpune, what would you do then?¡± ¡°I would do this!¡± She pulled off the glove on her hand, and threw it at me with full force. ¡°Bleh!¡± It hit me right in the face. If that was even a small stone, my nose probably would have been obliterated. However, I only had a brief second to think about something nonchalant like that. Looking down at the glove which landed on the table, I felt despair assault me. This was an all-too familiar situation. ¡°It was my mistake for trying to handle this situation with reason! This is the right way to deal with an insolent vampire such as you! This is the worst. ¡°H-Hey, Frete! Private battles between Seven Crimson Devas are not permitted, right! Didn¡¯t you say so yourself before?¡± ¡°This is private no longer. I propose an official ¡®battle¡¯. Karen-sama, the law doesn¡¯t prohibit two commanders fighting against the others, correct?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see any problem.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s fine!?¡± This is bad. Now I don¡¯t have any more escape out of this. Save me, Vill. ¡°Very well, Masquarelle-dono! Komari-sama, let us show that weakling of a noble who she¡¯s dealing with!¡± I was forced to accept that this perverted maid was my ally no longer. As for Frete, she showed a confident smile, and turned towards me. ¡°If I win, I will have you quit as a Seven Crimson Deva. If you win, I will listen to one request of yours.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°My, Gandezblood-san, you¡¯re not going to reject my challenge, after accepting these chimpanzees¡¯ all the time? There¡¯s no way you¡¯re going to disregard the declaration of battle from the heroic Seven Crimson Deva known as ¡®Black Flash¡¯, am I wrong?¡± I observed the people sitting at the round table. Vill behind me nodded. The Empress sipped on some tea like none of this was her business. Sakuna looked at me with an expression full of expectation. Heldeus looked at me as he was praying. Delpune was still dead. Hmm¡­I really don¡¯t have any way to get out of this. ¡°O-Of course! I am the strongest after all! I won¡¯t back down, no matter the enemy! I will accept this ba¡ª¡± ¡°Wait a moment, Masquarelle-dono!¡± A loud roar filled the room, coming from Odilon Metal. ¡°You gathered us for a Seven Crimson Deva meeting, and this is the result!? A one-on-one duel!? How lukewarm of you, Frete Masquarelle! You used our precious time, I won¡¯t accept a result like this!¡± ¡°What are you trying to say, Metal-sama.¡± ¡°Indeed, Metal-dono. Wouldn¡¯t everything be resolved fastest if Gandezblood-dono and Masquarelle-dono fought it out? Think first before you speak up, you savage!¡± ¡°Silence!¡± Odilon screamed like a demon. ¡°I have thought about this. Since we¡¯ve gathered the Seven Crimson Devas, why don¡¯t we use this chance to certify Terakomari Gandezblood¡¯s and Sakuna Memoire¡¯s true strength, and hold a ¡®Seven Crimson Deva War¡¯!¡± ¡°What did you say¡­?¡± Frete narrowed one eyebrow. Seven Crimson Deva War? I haven¡¯t heard about that before. ¡°I wholeheartedly agree with that!¡± Heldeus raised his hand. What do you mean, you shitty old man. ¡°I was worried a bit as to what such a savage could come up with, but I am pleasantly surprised. A war is the easiest way to solve this situation, and Sakuna Memoire can show her true strength in battle! What a truly wonderful idea!¡± ¡°Shut up you damned priest¡­Hey, Elvesias, you don¡¯t mind, right?¡± Called out by Odolin, the Empress let out a short ¡®Hm¡¯. ¡°Sounds interesting, so why not.¡± ¡°K-Karen-sama¡­? I don¡¯t think we need to create such a hassle because of a mere duel¡­¡± ¡°The hassle is what makes it more interesting. In this day and age where the Seven Crimson Deva commanders are always changing, it might be a great idea to show the public just what kind of beings these Seven Crimson Devas are, and gain greater reputation. Very well, it sounds wonderful indeed, Odilon Metal!¡± The Empress stood up as she let out a roar of laughter. She didn¡¯t even care about the other Seven Crimson Devas staring at her in disbelief. ¡°Very well! I will give permission to the Seven Crimson Deva War! Additionally¡­Frete! Since this is supposed to be a form of entertainment, you will take care of the rules!¡± ¡°Y-Yes!¡± The Empress showed a rare fierce smile. ¡°The weak prey upon the strong in this Mulnight Empire. The weak get stepped on¡­so why don¡¯t we arrange it so that the one with the lowest rank after this Seven Crimson Deva War will get removed from their position. But, no need to worry. As long as you show your strength, you won¡¯t lose. And, by doing so, we can accomplish the original goal of ¡®Having the most unworthy Seven Crimson Deva explode¡¯¡­Komari, you are okay with that, correct?¡± There, the Empress suddenly asked for my opinion. Since I was asked, I had to respond no matter what. Honestly speaking, I was absolutely lost, but in the heat of the moment, I nodded. ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Seven Crimson Deva War¡­I really don¡¯t get what that¡¯s about, but it seems to be another type of entertainment. If I had to guess, everyone probably will gather for some quiz show or cat¡¯s cradle tournament. There, I won¡¯t get killed, and it¡¯s better than killing each other one-on-one. ¡ªOh how naive I was to think that. Volume 2 - CH 3 Looking down at someone else¡¯s memories can be compared to looking up at the starry sky. The smallest unit comprising one¡¯s memories has the size of a mere speck. This very speck is the knowledge or certain episode that is engraved in the brain, of which exist an endless number, combining together like a phone number to create star constellations. Hence, looking at someone¡¯s memories can be compared to observing the constellations in the sky. Formerly, Sakuna enjoyed observing the sky like that. But, what about now? She certainly didn¡¯t hate it, but by constantly observing someone else¡¯s memories, the stars started to have a more vulgar, disgusting meaning to it. ¡°¡ªBut, you might be able to see something else if you went with your family again.¡± Her father said with a worried tone. After Sakuna finished her work as a Seven Crimson Deva and returned to her dorm, her father arrived shortly after. He would sometimes arrive without previously contacting Sakuna, saying that ¡®I¡¯m going to make you dinner¡¯, and leave again. It¡¯s the same as always. Her father was better at cooking than her mother. ¡°Watching the stars, huh. I wonder when I can go again.¡± Sakuna snuggled up to the Komari plush toy she made herself, and observed the figure of his father standing in the kitchen. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that just depend on your efforts, Sakuna? I¡¯d love to help, but I don¡¯t really understand much about that sort of stuff.¡± ¡°Yeah, I have to work hard¡­¡± The sound of the knife hitting the cutting board was comfortable. Her father turned around, flashing a kind smile. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. I think you¡¯re doing a great job. You¡¯re a Seven Crimson Deva with your own corps to take care of, and you even control the area late at night because of this terrorist.¡± ¡°But, we did no patrol tonight. Villhaze-san said that the terrorist probably won¡¯t appear for a while now¡­¡± ¡°I see. Then take a good rest today.¡± In reality, Sakuna can¡¯t rest. Because she has a different job from being a Seven Crimson Deva¡ªNamely, as a member of the terrorist organization ¡®Inverted Moon¡¯. After waiting for a brief moment, Sakuna¡¯s father brought the food. Today he made some delicious curry rice. Her father¡¯s curry was always delicious, she loved it ever since she was little. The two sat together with a ¡®Thanks for the food¡¯, and started eating. It really was delicious. While eating, the two talked about all sorts of things. ¡ªAbout her favorite books, her favorite music, her favorite constellation, about their family, and her older sister. During these days where her heart was slowly destroyed because of her work at Inverted Moon, spending time with her family was her one saving grace. So many times she wished for this time to continue endlessly. If possible, not just with her father, but her mother, and older sister as well¡­ ¡°It was delicious.¡± Time always flies whenever you enjoy yourself. Having finished his curry, Sakuna¡¯s father stood up, and went home with a brief ¡®I¡¯ll stop by again another time¡¯. Sakuna was forced back into reality. Her heart immediately started to feel heavy. ¡°Father¡­¡± Sakuna thought over her father in her mind. The composition of his memories, or in other words, the constellation of his psyche resembled ¡®Aquila¡¯. Everyone of Sakuna¡¯s family held a beautiful constellation of memories. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best¡­to protect my family.¡± Sakuna glanced up at the picture of Terakomari Gandezblood hanging up on the ceiling, as she forced the corners of her mouth up into a smile. ¡°Oh right, I have to read the novel I borrowed from Terakomari-san.¡± * This is a nightmare. This Seven Crimson Deva War turned out to be a battle to the death. How could anyone refer to this as entertainment? That Empress must be beyond help¡­Then again, not like I didn¡¯t already know about that. Another day arrived after yesterday¡¯s Seven Crimson Deva Meeting. What greeted me right away was this notice of the ¡®Seven Crimson Deva War¡¯. Of course, finding out about Odilon Metal and Frete Masquerelle¡¯s plan, I was filled with despair. Unable to muster up any motivation to work, I just leaned against the chair inside my office, not even bothering with my perverted maid sexually harassing me (or in other words, fondling every part of my body), and just went home when it was time to do so. Normally I¡¯d have to patrol the surrounding area with Sakuna, but Vill said that ¡®We aren¡¯t seeing any results as of right now, so let us put patrol on hold¡¯, which is why I didn¡¯t have to work overtime anymore. I guess this was her way of acting considerate. And, once I came home, I fell down on my bed, looking up at the ceiling. I¡¯m done for. I¡¯m going to die. No, I am already dead. I was hit by a wave of despair, leaving me unable to move any longer. ¡°Komari-sama, please get up. I¡¯ve finished preparing dinner.¡± ¡°I lost my emotions. I don¡¯t care anymore.¡± ¡°I made hamburgers for you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± After thinking about it for a bit, I lifted up my body. They say that you can¡¯t sleep with an empty stomach after all, and I didn¡¯t want to let Vill¡¯s cooking go to waste. When I sat in front of my room¡¯s table, Vill brought the food: Hamburgers. The scent they gave off tickled my nose, and when I carried a piece of them into my mouth, a rush of happiness filled me. I knew it, Vill¡¯s cooking is the best in the world. ¡°How is the taste, Komari-sama.¡± ¡°It¡¯s delicious!¡± ¡°Will you be able to give it your all during the Seven Crimson Deva War?¡± ¡°Yup, I will¡­Wait, it¡¯s not that simple, okay!?¡± All my happiness got blown away again. Don¡¯t pull me back to reality like that. ¡°What should we do about this! I¡¯ll definitely get killed for sure this time!¡± ¡°I will die with you, so do not worry.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t help in any way!¡± ¡°Whenever you¡¯re about to die, I will act as a shield, Komari-sama.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to go that far!¡± What should I do? Feign illness? No, that won¡¯t work. Vill will pull me outside either way. Then should I bribe the other Seven Crimson Devas? That won¡¯t work either. Vill will stop me¡ªWait, isn¡¯t Vill trying to get me killed the most? ¡°Ugh¡­I can¡¯t be a Seven Crimson Deva after all¡­Maybe I can ask someone else to take over for me.¡± ¡°Then you will explode as well, Komari-sama. And, you don¡¯t have to go that far. Komari-sama, do you remember what I have been doing all this time?¡± ¡°Sexually harassing me, right?¡± ¡°Not quite, I was showing you my love. And that is not what I meant. Did I ever let you die once, Komari-sama?¡± If she tells me that, then I can¡¯t say anything. She did save me several times until now. I survived the Seven Crimson Deva Meeting solely because of her help. But, that¡¯s not a guarantee that I will be saved this time around. ¡°¡­Why do I have to suffer like this? I don¡¯t want to work as a Seven Crimson Deva.¡± ¡°Then, what other work would you be willing to do, Komari-sama?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t plan on working anywhere.¡± ¡°What about permanent employment?¡± Permanent employment¡­? Ah, becoming a wife? That might be a nice idea. Sadly I don¡¯t have anybody in mind to marry. ¡°I am free, you know?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°If you were searching for permanent employment, I would be more than willing¡­¡± ¡°What are you talking about? You¡¯re a girl, Vill. We can¡¯t get married.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± For some reason, Vill¡¯s expression suddenly was distorted in despair. I really cannot tell what she¡¯s thinking. I just put another piece of hamburger in my mouth, and drank some tea before speaking up. ¡°¡­Well, I do have a dream. I want to become a novelist.¡± ¡°I am aware of that. However, no matter how well-received or not your novel may be, you will still explode since you ignore your work as a Seven Crimson Deva.¡± ¡°Yeah yeah, I know. I plan to use a pen-name. I¡¯d be embarrassed to use my real name.¡± ¡°What kind of pen-name?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t decided on it yet. For now, I¡¯m using my real name¡­¡± ¡°I see. So you did that for ¡®Orange Season of Love¡¯ as well?¡± ¡°Yup. On the backside of the manuscript¡¯s first page, I wrote my real name.¡± ¡°So then, Sakuna Memoire should find out.¡± ¡°Come again?¡± ¡°She is going to read the manuscript, is she not?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Huh? Wait, hold on a second. That¡¯s¡­ ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°That is?¡± ¡°That is terribly bad!¡± I held my head as I jumped up from my seat. This is a nightmare. To think the legendary sage that I am would make such a mistake! I planned to use an anonymous name, but I wrote my actual one! I wrote this with all my soul¡­and Sakuna will read that¡­knowing that I¡¯m the author¡­Waaaaaaaaaah!!! ¡°I-I¡¯m going over to Sakuna¡¯s place right now!¡± ¡°What would you do then? She most likely already figured it out.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a small chance that she hasn¡¯t! That¡¯s why, we have to rush over there! If she finds out that I wrote that novel, my pride as a Senpai will be shattered!¡± ¡°Did you ever have any pride like¡ªWait, Komari-sama! This is no time to be strolling the night streets alone! It¡¯s too dangerous!¡± I ran out of my home while still wearing my personal clothes. I ignored the screaming maid, and just rushed to retrieve my manuscript from Sakuna. And then, after I remove the part where I wrote ¡®Terakomari Gandezblood¡¯, I will let her read it. This isn¡¯t the time to be shutting myself in¡­! * My stamina did not hold for a mere minute. I was forcefully reminded of my severe lack in exercise. ¡°¡­Ugh¡­D-Damn it¡­I definitely¡­Huff¡­can¡¯t let her¡­Phew¡­read that¡­¡± My legs hurt. My chest felt tight. But, I couldn¡¯t stop. From the outside, I might have looked like a soldier dashing along the battlefield. My breath ran out, but my feet kept running. Because¡­that book has¡­some depictions that a child should not be reading about¡­O-Of course, it¡¯s not that I like these types of scenes, but they were merely necessary to push forward the story. ¡­Whatever the reason may be, Sakuna definitely will be disappointed if she reads this. And, I don¡¯t want her to be disappointed. I don¡¯t want to lose a potential friend, who understands my worries¡­! I kept running like my life depended on it, when I could finally see the bridge. The bridge that lets me cross the Whatever River (I forgot the name), letting me onto the palace grounds. Once I make it across there, I¡¯ll be right at Sakuna¡¯s home¡ªthe Imperial Army¡¯s Girls Dorm. ¡°A-Alright. Just you wait for me, Saku¡ªWah?¡± My feet slipped on the stairs. If I kept falling, I would have slammed my face into the guard rail, so I tried to twist my body, but I failed. My body wouldn¡¯t move because of the accumulated exhaustion. When I realized what was going on, I was slipping down the bank, and landed in the river. And then, fear assaulted my body. Was this river always so deep¡­? ¡°S-Someone¡­save¡­me¡­¡± I flapped my feet in a desperate attempt to get back to the river bank, but I failed. Only water splattered up around me, but I made no progress. I just continued to sink, as the water entered my mouth, and ran down to my lungs. I can¡¯t breathe. To think I would die at such a place, completely unrelated to the Seven Crimson Deva War. I should have practiced my swimming¡ªI gave up on my life, when¡­ ¡°Are you okay!?¡± I heard someone¡¯s voice, and felt something pull on my arm. When I realized what was going on, I was already out of the air, soaring through the sky towards the land. Then, I gently landed on my behind. If I had to guess, this was thanks to magic that could control the impact. I coughed up the air that had infiltrated my lungs, and confirmed that I was still alive. Finally, I could focus my attention on something else. Who had saved me? Judging from the voice, it couldn¡¯t have been Vill¡­ ¡°That was too close for comfort, was it not! I am quite surprised to find out that you cannot swim, Gandezblood-dono!¡± I saw a man wearing religious clothing. It was the weirdo who always preached his faith, Heldeus Heaven. ¡°W-Why are you here¡­?¡± ¡°Ha ha ha, I had some unrefined work to attend to, see.¡± There¡¯s only the girls dorm around here. I¡¯m getting really bad Chaostell vibes from this, but he saved my life, so I won¡¯t butt in his business. If anything, I need to thank him. Slightly flustered, I turned towards Heldeus, and lowered my head. ¡°Thank you¡­very much¡­you saved me.¡± ¡°No need to thank me! I only did my duty! By the way, how are you feeling? Should I send you home?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m okay. I thank you for worrying about me. I¡¯m in a rush right now. I¡¯ll definitely repay you later, so please forgive me with that.¡± ¡°I do not need any thanks. Saving someone in trouble is what a follower of God would do. If anything, I recommend getting a new change of clothes. You might catch a cold at this rate.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, so I¡¯ll be¡ª¡± ¡°Why would you be in such a rush, I wonder?¡± I froze up. I hoped he wouldn¡¯t bring that up. I calmed down as best as possible. ¡°It¡¯s Sakuna. I have some business with her.¡± Heldeus¡¯ eyes narrowed. Hm? Did the atmosphere around him change? ¡°Oh? Business with Memoire-dono, huh. What might that be?¡± ¡°We planned to meet up and play twister together.¡± ¡°Oho? I¡¯d love to join in on that.¡± Don¡¯t. I¡¯ll get you arrested, you Chaostell wannabe. ¡°I was only joking! Please do not look at me with such gaze. However, I am happy to see that Memoire-dono is blessed with such a great friend. It truly is a wonderful thing. She has been alone almost all her life, so I was quite worried.¡± ¡°Really¡­?¡± Oh yeah, Sakuna was an orphan at the orphanage Heldeus is responsible for. I guess that this perverted priest was something like a father figure for Sakuna. Maybe I shouldn*t be calling him a pervert after all. But, I would really love to see Sakuna now, so can I go? ¡°Anyway, thanks a lot, Heldeus. I¡¯ll properly thank you another time, but I¡¯m in a rush here¡­¡± ¡°Understood. Please take care of Memoire-dono¡­No, Sakuna.¡± ¡°I-Indeed, I will.¡± I lowered my head one last time, and started walking again as my muscles were screaming in pain. He¡¯s an unexpectedly honest person, that Heldeus. Well, leaving that aside, I have to hurry¡­! It¡¯s probably because I was hurrying like this that I could not pick up on the priest¡¯s cold words. ¡°¡­Farewell, Gandezblood-dono. I hope that you can find happiness in God¡¯s land.¡± * I arrived at the dorm. However, I did not know her room number, which led me to panic for a second, but thankfully her name was written on the mailbox. I made my way to Sakuna¡¯s room, and pressed the doorbell after slight hesitation. ¡°Eeeek!?¡± A shriek came from the inside. Following that, I heard the sounds of something rummaging and falling over. I think Sakuna hit her foot on the table as well, as a painful-sounding ¡®Ugh!¡¯ reached my ears. And it didn¡¯t end there, as I heard footsteps approaching the door, only to separate away with yet another scream. If I had to guess, she probably saw me through the peephole. ¡°Sakuna, sorry that I suddenly came here¡­Did I bother you during something?¡± ¡°Not at all! That is definitely not the case!¡± The door slowly opened. But, the door was still additionally locked with a chain. I guess she¡¯s just extra careful. Through the small opening, I could see that Sakuna was still wearing her military uniform. I¡¯m a bit disappointed that I didn¡¯t get to see her clothes at home. ¡°Um¡­Terakomari-san? Do you have some business with me?¡± ¡°Not exactly business, I just wanted to talk with you about that novel from before¡­¡± ¡°Wait, what happened to you!? You¡¯re drenched!¡± ¡°Hm? Oh right, I fell into the river a few minutes ago.¡± ¡°River!? ¡­C-Come in and change into some dry clothes. I don¡¯t want you to catch a cold.¡± ¡°No, the novel is more important right now¡­¡± Slam! The door closed in front of me. I heard rummaging sounds inside again. After waiting for a brief moment, Sakuna returned, and slightly opened the door. ¡°Um¡­I do¡­have a change of clothes, but¡­they¡¯re a bit weird.¡± Sakuna said, only to shake her head right after. ¡°No, it¡¯s rude of me to call them weird!¡± ¡°Weird? Do they have pictures of capybaras on them or something?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­I¡¯m sorry, this is all that I had¡­¡± She handed me a shirt through the gap. I opened it up, and my face (half-smiling) greeted me. Well, this indeed is weird. ¡°¡­Where did you¡­?¡± ¡°I bought it at a store! S-Since it was someone I knew, I thought I might as well¡­¡± So the fact that these shirts were sold publicly was the truth, I see. How troublesome, I can¡¯t wear something like¡ª ¡°Achoo!¡± I sneezed. Sakuna grew pale, screaming ¡®Are you okay!?¡¯. I just showed a smile with ¡®I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m fine¡¯. ¡°More importantly, the novel¡ª¡± ¡°I-I still am worried! Please, take a shower first! You can use mine, so¡­Ah, my room is a bit messy, so I would be happy if you didn¡¯t pay much attention¡­No, if you could not look at the living room by any means¡­A-Anyway, I will take you there. Please, come in.¡± I don¡¯t really get what she was asking from me, but for now, I followed her inside the room. Honestly speaking, I really didn¡¯t care about taking a shower. I wanted to take care of the novel before anything else. That being said, Sakuna seemed like she wanted me to take a shower and change into some fresh clothes before listening to anything I say. Can¡¯t be helped, I¡¯ll listen to Sakuna this time. ¡°Here you go. I will prepare some underwear in a moment.¡± ¡°¡­Underwear? Yours?¡± ¡°Ah, no¡­I have underwear with a perfect size that I put on the puppets¡­Ah, no, I didn¡¯t say anything, please forget about that!¡± ¡°R-Really? Well, if you say so.¡± ¡°Take your time!¡± Sakuna ran away. Having been left behind in the changing room, I took off my clothes. There, I thought to myself. So in the end, I¡¯ll have to wear that shirt, huh. What rotten luck. Maybe I should ask Sakuna for other clothes instead? I put on my clothes again, and left the changing room. Walking down the dimly-lit hallway, I found the door to what probably led to the living room. ¡°Sakuna. Sorry to be this picky, but do you have any other clothes? I feel a bit uncomfortable wearing clothes with my own face on¡ª¡± At first, I thought I waltzed into some weird store. These ¡®things¡¯ were everywhere. But, I realized the oddity right away. Wherever I looked, I saw myself. Puppets that looked like me, plush toys that depicted me, a hugging pillow with my face printed on it, posters of me, pictures of me, the shirts with my face on it, drawings of me¡ªNo matter where I looked, I saw Terakomari Gandezblood. It¡¯s like I entered a me-themed room at an amusement park. I was baffled at this scenery. What the heck is this. Am I dreaming? ¡°¡­Terakomari¡­san¡­¡± A silver white girl stood in the middle of this absurd scenery, looking at me with a face like she was close to breaking out in tears. It¡¯s like her secret was found out, by the worst person possible. Well, I figure that that¡¯s what¡¯s going on here anyway. ¡°Y-You¡¯re wrong. This is not what you think it is¡­¡± I wonder what I am wrong about? She gave no detailed explanation. She probably can¡¯t even. All I could do was stand there in silence, and forget about the novel. I guess that this girl was hiding something even more tremendous than me. I feel like an idiot for panicking about these three kissing scenes in my novel. ¡°T-Terakomari-san¡­¡± She looked at me with a pleading gaze. I didn¡¯t know what to do. That being the case, I chose the easy way out. ¡°I¡¯ll go take a shower.¡± * Twenty minutes later, I sat inside the living room filled with myself, facing Sakuna. On a side note, since I really couldn¡¯t ask for different clothes in that situation, so I wore the shirt with my face on it. It was embarrassing as all hell. But, it couldn¡¯t even compare to the shame I felt just sitting in this room. Just what did Sakuna feel while decorating the room like this? ¡°¡­Sakuna.¡± ¡°Yesh!¡± Just by having her name called out, Sakuna froze up. I tried to call out to her with as much of a gentle voice I could muster. ¡°This room sure is amazing. There¡¯s so much of me.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize! And don¡¯t cry like that, I¡¯m not angry! ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­I just¡­I just like Terakomari-san so much¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± What kind of confession is that? I could tell that much. But, Sakuna kept going. ¡°Terakomari-san is¡­strong¡­beautiful¡­cool¡­someone I always admired, so when I decided to become more like you, I subconsciously gathered all these goods, made these puppets myself, and the room ended up this way¡­¡± ¡°You made some stuff yourself?¡± ¡°Yes. I made these 15 life-sized puppets myself, and I think they turned out pretty great. I greet them every day, talk with them, and act like they are the real Terakomari-san¡­¡± I looked around the room. All these different Komaris stared at me without any expression. ¡°I-I see. Well, everyone has their own hobbies, and I have a few secrets as well, so¡­¡± ¡°Do you mean the fact that you write novels?¡± She knewwwwwwwwww!? ¡°¡­Yeah¡­how did you find out?¡± ¡°Villhaze-san previously told me.¡± It¡¯s that perverted maid¡¯s doing again¡­I will definitely kill her for this¡­Then again, I don¡¯t feel like this is such a big problem. The second I saw this room, I started to think of these kiss scenes as something trivial and cute in comparison. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, you must be disgusted¡­I understand¡­¡± Sakuna said with a voice about to disappear. I really wasn¡¯t angry or anything. Gathering goods of someone you like is something normal, and I didn¡¯t want to risk the relationship we have right now. ¡°I really don¡¯t mind at all. You are free to like what you want.¡± ¡°Really¡­? Then, can I make more goods?¡± ¡°Well, keep it at an acceptable level.¡± Sakuna showed me a blooming smile. ¡°Terakomari-san, you really are kind. Any normal person would be disgusted at me.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha. I am the strongest Seven Crimson Deva after all, so I won¡¯t be shocked by something like this. If anything, I¡¯m happy to know that you feel like this about me, Sakuna.¡± ¡°R-Really¡­Ehehehe¡­¡± ¡°Hahahahaha..¡± ¡­¡­ ¡­What should I even talk about now. My head won¡¯t work because of this absurd scenery. I¡¯m acting tough right now, but in reality, this would be enough to keep me perplexed for days. I feel like I¡¯ll have a nightmare about this. Now that I think about it, I don¡¯t have any business with Sakuna anymore, do I? The case with the novel has been cleared up as well, so we should be able to talk freely then¡­Yeah, I want to talk about her hobbies. ¡°Terakomari-san, how do you feel about the Seven Crimson Deva War?¡± Or so I thought, but my hopes and dreams were cut off mercilessly. Not to mention that it had to be about work again. ¡°I¡­am worried. Everyone is really strong, so a weakling like me clearly does not fit in there¡­At this rate, I will get killed immediately.¡± ¡­No worries, I¡¯ll be the first one to get slaughtered. ¡°That¡¯s not the case. You can use magic, can you not?¡± ¡°I can, but it¡¯s not anything amazing¡­Even if I can use magic¡­or Nucleus Liberation, as long as I can¡¯t kill the enemy, there¡¯s no meaning to it.¡± ¡°Eh, kill?¡± Sakuna seemed to be hung up on this. I guess I didn¡¯t mishear her then¡­Did she really just say ¡®Kill¡¯? I mean, she is a Seven Crimson Deva, and the goal of the War is to kill other Devas, but I didn¡¯t expect the fragile Sakuna to use such vocabulary. Suddenly, the girl spoke up, saying ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡¯. ¡°I misspoke. I meant to say ¡®As long as I get killed by the enemy, there¡¯s no meaning to it¡¯¡­I am a useless vampire after all, so if I get killed before being able to use magic, then it¡¯s over. I¡¯m scared of being killed¡­¡± ¡°I see¡­Nobody wants to be killed after all.¡± ¡°And¡­I don¡¯t want to fight Terakomari-san¡­¡± She looked at me, tears building up in her eyes. As the name suggests, the Seven Crimson Deva War is an event where us Seven Crimson Devas fight against each other. Normally, Sakuna and I would have to fight to the death. However, I had an idea of my own. ¡°We just have to form an alliance.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no rule that¡¯s against us grouping up. If we work together, we have one less enemy to worry about, and we gain an important ally. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a great idea?¡± ¡°Is that really okay? I¡¯m worried that I will just pull you down, Terakomari-san.¡± ¡°Of course it is. If anything, I¡¯m worried that I¡¯m a liability.¡± ¡°B-But¡­¡± Sakuna started fidgeting. ¡°Why are you treating me this kindly? Strictly speaking¡­I am your¡­stalker after all¡­¡± I really don¡¯t care too much about that. There¡¯s plenty of people like that around me anyway. More simply, if I work together with Sakuna, the chances of me making it out of this alive are much greater, and I personally couldn¡¯t cast aside this girl either. Watching this expression of hers, I want to save her¡­Man, I really sound arrogant thinking this. Sakuna is much stronger than me¡­I just¡­ ¡°B-Because we¡¯re friends.¡± I accidentally blurted out. ¡°Because we¡¯re friends, we¡¯ll work together. That¡¯s why I offered.¡± ¡°Friends¡­¡± ¡°¡­Um, do you dislike the idea of being friends with me¡­¡± ¡°N-No, not at all! It would be an honor! If anything, I should be the one to ask you!¡± ¡°I-I see¡­! Then, we¡¯re friends.¡± We both looked at each other, and smiled. I was relieved. I said ¡®Friends¡¯ in the heat of the moment, so if Sakuna went and reacted with ¡®Friends? We? Gross¡¯, I probably would have hanged myself. Now¡­we¡¯re friends, huh? She¡¯s my first friend. I¡¯ve never been happier¡­! ¡°I understand. The 7th Corps and 6th Corps will be working together then.¡± ¡°Indeed. I will let everyone know.¡± ¡°Ah, I know.¡± Sakuna clapped her hands together. ¡°Let us ask Heldeus-san as well. Knowing him, he should probably understand.¡± ¡°Heldeus¡­? Are you sure about this?¡± ¡°He might be a bit special at times, but I trust him.¡± Well, he did save me from drowning, and stood up for me during the Seven Crimson Deva Meeting. He might be more of a proper person than I previously assumed him to be. ¡°Then, let¡¯s ask Heldeus as well. Oh right, you grew up at his orphanage, right?¡± ¡°Yes. After my family had been killed, he took me in.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± That took a dark turn really quick. I don¡¯t even know how to respond. ¡°Ah, well, I do have a family.¡± ¡°So they revived thanks to the magic nucleus? But then, why did you start living in the orphanage¡­?¡± ¡°Fufu~¡± Sakuna showed a mysterious smile. So she can even make an expression like that¡­I felt a bit of a chill. A weird atmosphere was trapped in her eyes, as she looked at me. However, that was only the case for a brief moment, as the weak atmosphere came back to her. ¡°That is my family.¡± Sakuna pointed at a picture frame on a shelf. There, I saw a gleeful family of four. A young Sakuna, another girl with her hand on Sakuna¡¯s head¡ªprobably her older sister, watched over by their parents behind them. ¡°My Onee-chan¡¯s name was also Komari.¡± ¡°Really? What a coincidence.¡± ¡°Yes. She had very beautiful memories, looking like ¡®Delphinus¡¯¡­¡± ¡°¡­Hm? What do you mean?¡± ¡°I can tell the shape of other people¡¯s souls.¡± Sakuna suddenly took my hand. Her hand was cold. ¡°Are you freezing? Your hand is cold.¡± ¡°No, we from the Sougykoku Race just have a cold body temperature to begin with. Since the place where we live, the Hakkyoku Federation, is a cold area, we can¡¯t love without this kind of physique.¡± ¡°I-I see.¡± ¡°My blood must be really cold. Would you like to have a taste?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hold off of that.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Sakuna said as she smiled. ¡°Should we go have a look at the stars? They say that you should look at something beautiful during your last breath after all. And, the room will get dirty at this rate.¡± ¡°Sakuna¡­?¡± She forcefully grabbed my arm, pulling me outside the room. A bat flew past my face, almost making me shriek in the process. Sakuna however ignored me, until we arrived at the backyard. It was your average backyard. I heard a distant owl. There were some beautiful hydrangea blooming in the yard. If we came here during the day, it might have been even better to look at. ¡°Terakomari-san, please look up.¡± I did as I was told. What opened up in front of me was a starry sky. It didn¡¯t look any different from always, and yet it was beautiful nonetheless. ¡°That is ¡®Delphinus¡¯. It is a dolphin ridden by a God as they dive through the sea of stars. And over there is ¡®Aquila¡¯, next to it¡ª¡± Sakuna pointed at one constellation after the other, but I could not tell at all. All I could see that the stars were shining bright¡­maybe I lacked the knowledge and taste to understand the beauty of it. ¡°It sure is calming to look up at the stars.¡± ¡°Right. The star constellations are a beauty to look at.¡± Though I didn¡¯t know what constellation I was looking at. ¡°Your memories have the shape of a beautiful constellation as well, Terakomari-san.¡± I snuck a glance at Sakuna¡¯s profile. She looked up at the stars in full admiration. ¡°¡­Terakomari-san, why do you think the terrorist is killing?¡± ¡°Fueh?¡± I was baffled at this sudden switch of subject. ¡°Well¡­I mean, maybe it¡¯s his hobby? There¡¯s lots of people who enjoy killing around me.¡± ¡°I highly doubt that. If I had to guess, they probably are forced to kil..¡± ¡°That might be true, but¡­¡± ¡°Terakomari-san, can I ask you two questions.¡± ¡°S-Sure?¡± ¡°Thank you very much. Let us assume that a terrorist took your family hostage, and they threaten you to kill them if you don¡¯t kill who they order you to, what would you do? Would you obey them? Or¡­would you run away and abandon your family?¡± What kind of question is that? Some part of a psychological test? Well, Sakuna looked awfully serious, so I don¡¯t think she¡¯s just joking around. That¡¯s why I told her my answer. ¡°I would defeat the terrorist.¡± ¡°Eh¡­¡± ¡°The wrong person in this case is the terrorist who took your family hostage. If they¡¯re gone, everything will be resolved.¡± I don¡¯t want to kill people. I also don¡¯t want my family to be killed. That¡¯s why that is the only option for me¡­Then again, saying it is one thing, but being able to execute that in reality is an entirely different matter. The chances of me running away might be pretty high. At the same time, I can¡¯t discard my family either¡­Hm, how troublesome. ¡°That is what I expected to hear. If it was me, I would not be able to¡­¡± Sakuna showed admiration towards my response. I wonder why, but this doesn¡¯t feel like a funsies psychology test after all. It¡¯s not actually true, right¡­? I was thinking that, when Sakuna suddenly turned towards me. Tears filled her eyes. ¡°Please, look up at the sky. It¡¯s going to be over soon.¡± ¡°Hold on, you¡¯ve been acting weird for a while now¡­Um, are you crying? Are you hurt anywhere? If so, then¡ª¡± Sakuna slowly reached for me with her hands. My body wouldn¡¯t move. I can¡¯t take my eyes off of her. I felt like something horrible was about to happen, but the way Sakuna looked at me made me feel like a snake had me in its aim. And then, I realized that someone was casting magic on me: Beginner-tier restriction magic . Maybe Sakuna was angry at me. Yeah, that had to be it. She must be furious because I practically invited myself into her room, finding out about her secret obsession with me. She must be planning on taking me down to hell in revenge. Her fingertips touched my stomach. ¡°W-Wait, Sakuna! I¡¯m bad with getting tickled! I tend to run out of breath right away, and I might just die in the process. I¡¯ll apologize for finding out your secret, so¡­¡± ¡°Komari-sama, it is time for us to head home.¡± The next moment, Sakuna moved her body back like she touched a hot surface. In a shock, I turned around, as the perverted maid appeared from the darkness. Since when have you been there? This ain¡¯t some horror movie. ¡°You have to work tomorrow. Staying up too late will leave you unable to get up early in the morning.¡± ¡°Work!? Tomorrow is a Saturday, right!?¡± ¡°What are you saying? We have to prepare for the Seven Crimson Deva War, and observe your subordinates during their practice. Now, let us head home. You have yet to eat your dinner.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± My stomach grumbled right as she said that. I want to eat more of Vill¡¯s hamburgers. Though they probably got cold by now. ¡°Memoire-dono, if you would excuse us.¡± ¡°Y-Yes.¡± Vill turned towards Sakuna, and gave a slight bow. In response, Sakuna looked awfully panicky and flustered, yet equally relieved. I felt like something was off, but I failed to grasp its identity. ¡°Sakuna, we¡¯ll be going home now. Let¡¯s do our best during the Seven Crimson Deva War.¡± ¡°Yes. Good night, Terakomari-san.¡± ¡°Yup, night.¡± With these words, Vill and I left the girls¡¯ dorm. When I turned around, Sakuna looked up at the night sky. I was about to go back in worry, but Vill forcefully pulled my arm along, not allowing me to stop. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You¡¯re hurting me.¡± ¡°My deepest apologies. However, Sakuna Memoire is dangerous.¡± Dangerous? I don¡¯t get it. Also, let go of my arm already. Don¡¯t just link your fingers with mine. Ouch¡­! Were you always this strong¡­!? ¡°What are you talking about? I think you¡¯re much more dangerous.¡± ¡°I felt killing intent. It was very weak, but I¡¯m sure¡­¡± ¡°Of course you did. Sakuna was going to tickle me to death. Also, can we stop holding hands? I¡¯m not some small child.¡± ¡°It would be troublesome if you got lost, so I am not letting go of you, Komari-sama.¡± ¡°Stop already, this is embarrassing!¡± ¡°You say that, as you wear a shirt with your own face on it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t argue back. Vill however continued with a serious tone. ¡°We have to be more careful of Sakuna Memoire¡¯s actions. I say that you should stay away from her, Komari-sama. Watching the stars like that cannot ever happen again. I should not have allowed such a situation. That¡¯s why, let us watch the stars now together, Komari-sama.¡± Vill tightly held my hand. Stop it already. If you go any further, you¡¯re going to break my hand. Don¡¯t underestimate how weak I am. In the end, we continued for a while, but Vill would not let go of my hand. Deep inside of me, I couldn¡¯t forget about Sakuna¡¯s face, and her pained expression. Just what was she thinking at that time? Since I could not use any magic to read someone else¡¯s heart, I had no way of knowing. * Sakuna Memoire¡¯s Nucleus Liberation is a superpower which allows you to look inside people¡¯s memories, and meddle with their mind. The terrorist organization ¡®Inverted Moon¡¯ is using this power to try and figure out the location of the magic nucleus. This magic nucleus is a special-grade heavenly toll that possesses endless magical power, and gives an unlimited supply of life force. However, even if every person knows of its existence, nobody has ever seen it. And that¡¯s the logical conclusion. The magic nucleus is the greatest secret kept of every country. It¡¯s location, shape, and other details are under the secrecy of the government. On a side note, through offering blood to the magic nucleus during a ritual, you gain this endless supply of magical power and life force, which is common sense, but the said ritual does not happen in front of this magical nucleus. Rather, by infusing this blood with the ¡®magic lines¡¯, this blood will be carried to the main body¡ªIn other words, even the specialist in charge of this ritual does not know the real identity of the magic nucleus. This was the reason why Sakuna was forced to loiter around the imperial palace night after night, killing government officials. However, no results followed. Not even the prime minister of the Empire, Alman Gandezblood, knew the location of the magic nucleus. Most likely, only the Empress knew of this, but with Sakuna¡¯s current abilities, defeating her would be suicide. That is why Inverted Moon gave Sakuna the following order. ¡°For now, kill the Seven Crimson Devas and gather information.¡± Until now, Sakuna was only given easy targets. Inverted Moon figured that only the strongest people in the Empire held information to the magic nucleus. ¡°Thank god¡­Or, should I really be happy about that¡­¡± Sakuna muttered, as she looked up at the starry sky. She couldn¡¯t kill Terakomari Gandezblood. She could not kill her own heart to defile their new-found friendship. That is why Sakuna was relieved when she missed the timing to kill, and Vill interrupted them. At the very least, she didn¡¯t have to kill today. ¡­Then again, Sakuna did not have the confidence that she could create such a situation again. How strong was Terakomari Gandezblood? Sakuna wasn¡¯t as doubtful as Frete Masquarelle, but the girl¡¯s battle power was still unknown. She should have gathered more intel when she killed Alman Gandezblood, but regretting it won¡¯t do anything. She sighed, wondering what she was even doing. On the outside, she was a Seven Crimson Deva, doing work that did not fit her any any means, and hidden beneath that, she was committing murder as a terrorist. Something she hated more than anything. Is there even any meaning to a life such as this? With these thoughts, she returned to her room. A comfortable breeze hit her, leading Sakuna to close one eye. In doing so, she saw a window open that should not have been. The curtains swayed left and right, creating an odd shadow. Just when Sakuna wondered what was going on, a transmission crystal put on her table started to glow. Sakuna wanted to run away, but she was forced to answer. ¡°¡ªYou really are useless, Sakuna Memoire.¡± Sakuna¡¯s shoulders froze up. ¡°You can¡¯t even kill a small animal trapped by your fangs? Can you even do anything?¡± ¡°Wha¡­¡± Sakuna moved stiff like a robot, as she observed her surroundings. She was seen. Her exchange with Terakomari Gandezblood, and her hesitation had been witnessed. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry! I wanted to do it, but Villhaze-san interrupted us¡­!¡± ¡°Then you should have killed the maid as well. For what reason do you have your Nucleus Liberation if you¡¯re not going to use it?¡± ¡°S-So that they can forget my face¡­?¡± ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you kill? Do it when the time comes, that is the motto of us of Inverted Moon.¡± Sakuna hadn¡¯t heard of that motto before. The man however ignored Sakuna¡¯s doubts, and continued. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t find the magic nucleus, the main corps won¡¯t move. A single mistake can lead to the destruction of the organization. That cannot be allowed.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°¡­Alright. As long as you kill everyone during the Seven Crimson Deva War, everything will be fine. You cannot fail at any means. I have been acting as a spy in the Empire for the past seven years. You know who we¡¯re aiming for, right?¡± ¡°P-Petro¡ª¡± ¡°Petrose Calamalia. She has been the Seven Crimson Deva for the longest time out of everyone. Following that was Frete Masquarelle. She has been introduced by the current Empress, so the chances of her knowing of the magic nucleus¡¯ location is very likely. Next we have to look at Terakomari Gandezblood. She seems to receive all the affection from the Empress. We could have known that if you would have just killed her though.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°In the worst case, you don¡¯t have to kill any other Seven Crimson Devas. But, you might as well if you get the chance. Making sure for every case is yet another motto of Inverted Moon. If you don¡¯t kill them, your family will suffer instead.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Sakuna did not know how to argue back. Because of this hostage situation, she had no means of retaliating. Just by being threatened that her family would be killed, her body stopped working, and the trauma came back. Losing her family again was not an option. Ending up alone yet again was something she would not be able to handle. That is why she hard to hard¡ª ¡ªThe wrong person in this case is the terrorist who took your family hostage. If they¡¯re gone, everything will be resolved. Komari¡¯s words blinked up in the back of her head. What luxurious words. Sakuna would have done so if she had the ability. She didn¡¯t want to be scared, to be hurt, but if she were to give any further resistance¡ªHell would await her, and Sakuna knew that. ¡°Why are you keeping quiet now? Do you understand the position you are in? Or is your head completely rotten now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Sakuna responded. She could tell just how much her voice was shaking. ¡°As weak and fragile as ever, aren¡¯t you. Nothing will change if you stay like this¡­Well, enough about that. I brought you a present, so have a look at one of the statues of this Terakomari Gandezblood you love so much.¡± Sakuna felt a bad premonition creep up her back. And there, she realized. A Komari puppet located on the bed held a small vial, filled with a poisonous-looking liquid. ¡°It¡¯s Cornelius¡¯ secret medicine. You must have heard of it, correct?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Sakuna swallowed her breath. Cornelius¡¯ secret medicine¡­It was a strengthening potion of sorts, created by Rone Cornelius, a member of Inverted Moon, and one of the few who belong to the upper brass called ¡®Crescent Moon1¡¯. By taking this medicine, you can achieve magical power an average person could only hope to possess. However, this has immense side effects, reaching up to a level where you will be unable to move any longer in the distant future, or that your mental state breaks down, turning you into a cripple. In the worst case, you can die from vomiting up too much blood. A colleague of Sakuna had taken this medicine, ended up bedridden, and eventually was removed because ¡®They can¡¯t be of use anymore¡¯. ¡°Sakuna Memoire, dealing with the other five Seven Crimson Devas all on your own will prove difficult. Hence, this medicine has been prepared for you. Taste it, and kill as much as you want.¡± ¡°But¡­the side effects¡­¡± ¡°Side effects? There might be some¡­what about it?¡± ¡°I might¡­die, you know¡­?¡± ¡°Again, what about it? You might die, yeah¡­but, you are offering yourself to the organization, correct? You¡¯re not going to say that you¡¯re scared of dying, right? Or do you have anything to complain about? Huh? Say it, I dare you.¡± Sakuna didn¡¯t dare say it. She could merely quiver in silence, which led the man to click his tongue again. ¡°No need to worry. I will give you a reward after we managed to destroy the magic nucleus of the Mulnight Empire. I¡¯ll gather everyone at the hideout, and we¡¯ll hold a banquet. That is, if you¡¯re still alive then.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­very much¡­¡± ¡°And also.¡± The man spoke with barely any interest. ¡°Talking about the hideout, you frequently visit your home, right?¡± Sakuna froze up. She felt her blood turn ice cold. Hideout¡ªof course, this referred to the hideout of Inverted Moon. However, that did not mean the main base of Inverted Moon, where ¡®Crescent Moon¡¯ and the Boss gathered, but rather a single branch Sakuna had been assigned to, found in the southern forests of the Republic of Gela Arca. The person currently contacting her is the leader of this branch. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you to return home, but if you try anything weird, you¡¯ll be removed right away.¡± ¡°¡­I will bear it in mind.¡± ¡°Very well. I have high expectations of you, Sakuna Memoire! Do not repeat the same mistake like Millicent Bluenight. You will get captured by them, and killed.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± ¡°I pray for your success in battle.¡± There, the transmission was cut. ¡ªThank god, he didn¡¯t find out. However, her relief only lasted for a second. Not a single problem had been taken care of. Sakuna looked down at the vial in the puppet¡¯s hands. It was filled with an ominous liquid. It is a type of heavenly tool created by Rone Cornelius¡¯ Nucleus Liberation. These side effects could cause you to die, and not be revived. Sakuna didn¡¯t realize that she started crying. Everything was too much. ¡°¡­¡± The magic nucleus could heal all wounds. However, the wounds deep inside Sakuna¡¯s heart will never heal. Not even a heavenly tool can heal psychological pain like this. That¡¯s why Sakuna thought it was a defective product. ¡°I can¡¯t anymore¡­¡± Nobody heard Sakuna¡¯s words, as they vanished into the darkness. Sakuna couldn¡¯t take this any longer. Maybe she should just die already. But, she didn¡¯t want to. Because there must be people who go through the same hell that she is. ¡ªDo not repeat the same mistake as Millicent Bluenight. Sakuna remembered those words. What might that blue-haired girl be doing right now. She had been a candidate for a next ¡®Crescent Moon¡¯, but she lost herself in the rage and revenge. ¡°Millicent¡­¡± Sakuna felt an odd connection with her. However, besides Nucleus Liberation, Millient excelled in almost everything, making Sakuna really admire her. Now, she even felt like meeting her, talking to her. * Millicent Bluenight was currently locked up in the prison outside the imperial capital, according to what Sakuna had hearts. She washed off the dirt on her body in the bath, put on another Her Excellency Shirt, went to the cafeteria outside and left again, but the girl was nowhere to be seen. The prison guard told her ¡®She is not here¡¯ as well. Maybe she had been executed? Sakuna hadn¡¯t heard of this. ¡°Guess it can¡¯t be helped.¡± Sakuna told herself, and walked away. At the Mulnight Empire, there is never night. Even as the sun sinks below the horizon, the capital was always filled with vampires. Someone even pointed at Sakuna, saying ¡®Isn¡¯t that the Seven Crimson Deva Memoire-sama?¡¯. Sakuna felt the troubles of the famous, and quickly returned home. Sakuna was forced to give up on meeting Millicent. Not like she knew what to talk about with her anyway. As she was thinking that, she walked along the street as if to hide from the onlookers, and turned around after finding a certain name written on a door plate. Bluenight. Then, Sakuna remembered. This was the nobles¡¯ living area. It wouldn¡¯t be weird for the Bluenight Family to be living here. Though it was weird for the home to remain even after the family had been exiled. Out of a whim, Sakuna headed over to the gate. Before, the garden had been taken care of dearly, but now weed was growing everywhere, showing no signs that anybody was still living there. Yet, it held a certain amount of magical power, like a ghost was living there. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Sakuna subconsciously set foot towards the abandoned building. Her desire towards seeing Millicent, and adventurous heart, moved her feet. She stood in front of the door. It wasn¡¯t locked. When Sakuna put strength into her arms, the door opened with a scary creaking sound. The inside of the building was dimly-lit, as only the moonlight illuminated the darkness. The floor was riddled with dust everywhere, as spiderwebs filled the corners of the walls and roof. No mistaking it, this place had been forgotten by humanity. Sakuna¡¯s reason was telling her to not waste her time investigating this place. Yet, her feet did not stop. Instead, they were moving up the stairs. Relying on a small white flame of magic on her fingertips, she moved forward. Was Millicent happy to be removed from Inverted Moon? Sakuna did not know the answer to that. Then again, unlike Sakuna herself, Millicent seemingly found no displeasure in working for Inverted Moon. She might regret having things come this far. ¡ªSakuna felt something move at her back. She turned around, and found the old picture of a noble lady hanging on the wall. Sakuna felt a chill, but since nothing out of the ordinary could be seen, she turned around again. And then, she saw light burning deep into the hallway. Nobody should have been there. Carefully, Sakuna made her way forward. A burglar? If so, then Sakuna might actually be killed here¡ªWith these timid thoughts unbefitting of a Seven Crimson Deva, Sakuna still won against the fear, and arrived in front of the room. The door was half-open, allowing Sakuna to take a glance inside. To her surprise, the inside looked like someone was using it as a living space. No dust, dirt, or trash to see. The room was equipped with a bookshelf, a bed, a small kitchen, and even a washing room deeper in the back. At the wall stood decorative plants and other flower arrangements, giving the room a natural sensation. Sakuna felt like she was looking at a different world. Now that she had come this far, there was no way to turn back. She carefully pressed her body through the opening of the door, when she caught on to something. A table stood in the center of the room, which carried a certain, familiar knife. ¡ªEh, isn¡¯t this Millicent¡¯s¡­ ¡°What are you doing, Sakuna Memoire.¡± ¡°Hyaaaaaaaaaa?!¡± Out of shock, Sakuna¡¯s body flew forwards. She hit her head on the corner of the table, making her vision spin. She even bit her tongue. It hurt¡­in all sorts of places, actually. Yet, Sakuna had no time to bother with that, as someone stood in front of her. When Sakuna looked up, she was greeted by a familiar blue-haired girl¡ªMillicent Bluenight. But, how could she be here¡­? ¡°W-Why¡­?¡± ¡°Did you come here to assassinate me? You¡¯re not doing a great job at that.¡± ¡°N-No¡­I didn¡¯t come here for that¡­¡± ¡°Figures. Inverted Moon wouldn¡¯t be as stupid to send such a weak assassin.¡± They actually are. Inverted Moon is pretty stupid¡ªSakuna swallowed her thoughts. ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to be in jail?¡± ¡°Only until a while ago. Not anymore. Can you stand?¡± Millicent offered a hand. Sakuna saw this, glanced up at Millicent¡¯s face, looked down again, and accepted the hand. She felt the warmth coming from the skin. This wasn¡¯t a ghost. ¡°Would you like some tea, Sakuna Memoire?¡± ¡°¡­You know about me?¡± ¡°Of course I do. I kept my eyes on people with talent.¡± Millicent spoke with an arrogant smile. ¡°Have a seat. You want to talk with me, right?¡± Like this, Sakuna ended up having a tea party with her former colleague. Millicent brewed some black tea in a silver teapot, which gave off a delicious scent. Sakuna watched the skilled movement of Millicent, yet again reminding her that she was dealing with a noble. Sakuna just took a sip from her tea, when Millicent spoke up. ¡°How is Inverted Moon doing? Did they tell you something about me?¡± Sakuna almost dropped her cup in response. ¡°N-No, not exactly¡­I don¡¯t get in contact with other people¡­¡± ¡°Is that so. You see, countless people already tried to kill me. They¡¯re probably afraid that I would leak information. I did kill all of them though.¡± The fact that they didn¡¯t even bother to try and save their captured comrade is what makes Inverted Moon so terrifying. More important than that however, Sakuna needed to ask something. ¡°¡­Why are you here?¡± ¡°Because a lot of stuff happened.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t escape the prison or anything. I received permission to leave. That¡¯s why I¡¯ll be staying here for a while.¡± ¡°Then, shouldn¡¯t you be cleaning some more¡­?¡± ¡°Huh? I will do that after this.¡± ¡®You got a problem with that?¡¯ told the expression on Millicent¡¯s face, forcefully shutting Sakuna¡¯s mouth close. ¡°Still, I¡¯m shocked they actually let me almost go anywhere inside the imperial capital¡­even back to a place like this.¡± Millicent let out a sigh. ¡°Can I ask for the reason why you received permission¡­¡± ¡°A lot happened, as I said.¡± ¡°And I want to know about that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill you.¡± Sakuna¡¯s back stretched naturally, moved by fear. She was scared, yes, but the urge to find out was even stronger. Did she escape after all? Or did she bribe the guard? A lot of possible ideas filled Sakuna¡¯s head, when Millicent glared at her again. She probably shouldn¡¯t think about it that much, since she wasn¡¯t related in any shape or form. ¡°So, you became a Seven Crimson Deva?¡± ¡°Yes¡­Only by chance, though.¡± ¡°Not because the organization ordered you to?¡± ¡°No. I had received a different order from them¡­¡± Sakuna explained her circumstances: About how she was killing high-ranking government officials to find the location of the Mulnight¡¯s magic nucleus, how her next mission was to kill the Seven Crimson Devas¡ªand about how she was forced to fight Terakomari Gandezblood now. The second that name came up, Millicent¡¯s expression changed ever so slightly. ¡°I have to find the magic nucleus¡­Do you have any idea where it might be?¡± ¡°Why not ask the Empress?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I would get an answer from her¡­¡± ¡°Probably not.¡± Millicent crossed her legs as she continued. ¡°Since Inverted Moon has yet to find it after all their efforts, there¡¯s no way you could find it on your own¡­Well, I guess that things like these might be more close than we assume.¡± ¡°But, I have to find it¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re probably fed up from working for Inverted Moon, right?¡± ¡°Why do you¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s written all over your face.¡± Millicent showed a snicker. Sakuna was surprised to see her laugh like that. ¡°That¡¯s why you came to meet me, someone who has succeeded to escape from Inverted Moon¡¯s grasp¡­correct?¡± ¡°Yes¡­Millicent-san, what should I¡­¡± Sakuna¡¯s words got stuck in her throat. She assumed their environments were fairly similar, but that was a foolish thought. Sakuna wanted to escape Inverted Moon, but she could not do so. Millicent was removed from the organization through an unfortunate (?) event, although she did not want to. ¡°If there¡¯s something you want to say, then do it.¡± Millicent clicked her tongue. ¡°I hate this half-hearted attitude.¡± ¡°Eek¡­I-I¡¯m sorry¡­Then, I will say it¡­Millicent, what should I do to escape Inverted Moon¡­?¡± ¡°Just escape them?¡± ¡°I am asking for the method right now¡­¡± ¡°Did you not listen to me?¡± Sakuna was glared at, and silenced. ¡°Well, there¡¯s countless methods you could use to escape. Act like you died, and go into hiding. Or get kicked out after failing like I did¡ªOh wait, in your case, your family is being kept hostage, right?¡± Sakuna nodded. ¡°I see.¡± Millicent¡¯s face tightened up. ¡°In the past, I was told ¡®Love what you love, and kill what you want to kill¡¯. I¡¯ve been living after this principle ever since, but I have the strength to do that. For those who don¡¯t, that might prove impossible.¡± ¡°That does make sense¡­I am weak, after all.¡± ¡°Your heart is what¡¯s weak.¡± Sakuna¡¯s face shot up. ¡°Not like I¡¯m one to talk.¡± Millicent let out a sigh. ¡°You lack courage.¡± ¡°¡­I know that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not talking about courage to face any difficulty. I¡¯m talking about courage to use whatever method necessary.¡± Sakuna was at a loss. ¡°There should be countless other methods. For example¡­I know, you¡¯re close with Terakomari, right? Why not ask her for help?¡± ¡°I-I can¡¯t¡­! I don¡¯t want her to get wrapped up in this.¡± ¡°Are you a moron? She is already being targeted.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°And also, she possesses enough strength to destroy Inverted Moon with a mere pinky¡­Although it pains me to say it.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe that.¡± ¡°Neither can I.¡± Millicent grit her teeth, as her hand holding the tea cup quivered. ¡°What¡¯s even more unbelievable is the fact that Terakomari is unaware of her strength. She believes that she¡¯s weak. Yet, she came to fight me¡­I guess that strong heart of hers allowed her to win.¡± ¡°¡­Um, do you actually hate Terakomari-san¡­?¡± ¡°I loathe her to the part of wanting to kill her.¡± Sakuna was glared at again, and forced to keep quiet. ¡°I hate those who worship her just as much. Sakuna Memoire, what exactly is that god awful shirt about? Are you making fun of me?¡± Sakuna looked down at her own clothes, and found a smiling Komari. ¡°¡­I-I¡¯m not making fun of you! I really like these clothes. I have around ten of these at home, so would you like one?¡± ¡°Like hell I do.¡± She really sounded disgusted at that. ¡°For crying out loud, I can only see this country doomed to fail with all these fanatics. They all judge Terakomari based on her appearance. The same goes for you, of course.¡± ¡°Terakomari-san is very kind, so it¡¯s not just her outer appearance.¡± ¡°Heh. Just to let you know, she¡¯s not just kind.¡± Sakuna was surprised, and looked at Millicent¡¯s face. She cleared her throat, and changed the subject. ¡°My goal is to kill Terakomari, and to revive the Bluenight Family. My family is filled with useless folks, but¡­they might be out there somewhere¡­Though I don¡¯t know if they¡¯re still alive or not¡­They are still my family. That¡¯s why I will defeat the Gandezblood Family, and bring glory to the Bluenight Family again.¡± ¡°Are you done with Inverted Moon?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Millicent put her mouth to the tea cup. It was a gesture as if to cover a slip-up. ¡°Enough about me. If you want to be saved, then you have to ask someone for help. Talk to Terakomari, her ridiculous sense of justice will make her help you. There¡¯s no other way for you, is there?¡± ¡°Do I¡­even have the right to take such a path?¡± ¡°You¡¯re still complaining even now? Also, if there¡¯s no way, then just open up a path of your own. Those with a heart of steel like that will be the ones to win in the end.¡± ¡°I wonder¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s just how it is.¡± Millicent¡¯s words stay with Sakuna. The two couldn¡¯t be more different. ¡®Open up a path of your own¡¯ is a phrase only the strong are allowed to use. Sakuna can¡¯t become someone like Millicent. I have to save my family in my own way. Sakuna continued her conversation with Millicent. Although she couldn¡¯t find out the reason why Millicent was staying in this place, she apparently planned to hide herself and sharpen her fangs. These were preparations to one day kill Terakomari. But, all she revealed was that she kept training herself. ¡°I¡¯m doing some other things on the side. Gathering information, reading lots of books.¡± ¡°O-Okay¡­for what sake?¡± ¡°I will use the knowledge of this entire world as my nourishment. Even knowledge can become a blade to defeat the enemy.¡± Sakuna looked over at the bookshelf, and spotted literary magazines aimed at girls. Since Sakuna reads those as well, she could tell that there was even the newest issue. Millicent probably went out before to buy this. How will literature aimed at girls become a blade? Well, not like that mattered. Millicent was a girl her age. There¡¯s plush toys on her bed even, so she might be quite girlish. Sakuna acted like she didn¡¯t see anything. ¡ªIf Sakuna had looked around more deeply, she might have spotted the possible reason why Millicent was allowed such an extensive amount of freedom. A single envelope laid on the bed. The imperial crest was on the back of this luxurious letter. Yet, Sakuna did not see it. She didn¡¯t even try to. All that filled Sakuna¡¯s head was a headache, and the fear of what was about to come. ¡°Thank you very much for today.¡± She left her thanks, and stepped out of the room. At the very last, Millicent gave Sakuna the following words. ¡°If push comes to shove, let Terakomari drink your blood. If you do, she will be able to save you even if you die.¡± Sakuna didn¡¯t understand the meaning behind those words. She felt that Millicent had changed from before. How she was more calm, and how she was living more straightforward. In the end, she was completely different from Sakuna. She can¡¯t become a good reference for her. In the end, the only way to save herself is to do something about it with her own strength. 1 The original speaks of a ¡®New Moon¡¯, as it refers to the first visible crescent of the Moon after conjunction with the Sun Volume 2 - CH 4 When I woke up, I found myself inside the Nucleus Domain. For a second, I thought I was dreaming. However, that wasn¡¯t the case. While I was sleeping, that damned perverted maid actually had the nerve to teleport my sleeping body here. How unfair can you get! ¡ªAlas, as I was grumbling to myself, that wench put the military uniform on me, and had me stand at the battlefield. That is why, give me the right to at least complain once. ¡°¡ªCan I not even mentally prepare myself!?¡± The location of this battle was the old battlefield at the Metrio River inside the Nucleus Domain. This time, I wasn¡¯t fighting at the usual grass plains against the chimpanzees, but rather at the ruins of an ancient country¡¯s capital. This center of the town looked more like destroyed debris than anything, as the old classic castle stood tall. Our 7th Corps was currently lined up to the South of this castle, the ruins of an old fountain plaza. Naturally, there was no need for you to tell me that I had no motivation to fight whatsoever. Today¡¯s event was the ridiculous Seven Crimson Deva War, an irregular entertainment (my ass). I don¡¯t even know what will happen. Worse even, the opposing Frete Masquarelle is brimming with desire to kill me, so as soon as that gong resounds, she¡¯ll most likely leap at me. I can already see the future of myself dying. Even more clearly than back at the Seven Crimson Deva meeting. Oh right, I almost forgot to mention it. When we entered this old battlefield, we were asked to put on a metal wristband, which registers whenever you kill someone, or get killed, through magic. In all honesty, it just feels like I¡¯m a criminal with handcuffs on me. ¡°Vill, can I go home?¡± ¡°If you were to go home, that would be taken as an abandonment of your duties as a Crimson Deva, and you will explode.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± I wanted to scream, honestly. However, I had my subordinates around me, so holding back was a must. That being said, I can¡¯t just accept this situation. If I had known this would happen, I should have escaped last night. Not like I have any place to run off to though! ¡°Haaaaaa¡­¡± A long sigh escaped my lips. The one who caught on to my sigh was Chaostell. ¡°Your Excellency, you seem to be in distress. Did something happen by any chance?¡± ¡°N-Nothing. Everything¡¯s okay. I was just bored, since nobody here can hope to compete with me!¡± ¡°That¡¯s your Excellency I know! However, I have to agree. Even the considered ¡®strongest¡¯ of the Seven Crimson Devas, Petrose Calamalia, is absent.¡± ¡°Really? That Petrowhatever person didn¡¯t participate in the meeting either, right?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Vill responded. ¡°She has been ordered to deal with the terrorist, by the Empress herself. She most likely has no time to participate in this Seven Crimson Deva War.¡± ¡°Hm¡­Well, not like she could hope to win against me even if she participated.¡± ¡°Ohhhh¡­!¡± A happy smile flashed up on Chaostell¡¯s face. Even my other subordinates were giving comments such as ¡®Wow¡¯ or ¡®Amazing!¡¯. I felt like sighing yet again, when I realized. Shouldn¡¯t there be more subordinates of mine around? The rules said that I can bring a squad of 100 with me, but I can barely count 30. And, they¡¯re all riddled with wounds. ¡°Hey, Vill. What happened with our guys? Did they oversleep?¡± ¡°They did not, actually.¡± Vill spoke with a deadpan expression. ¡°According to the rules of this War, only 100 subordinates are allowed to participate. Hence, we had to hold a selection. For this, I had gathered everyone from the 7th Corps, and told them the following¡ª¡¯Her Excellency Gandezblood is aiming to only select the strongest 100 out of you. Everyone who is strong, please name yourself¡¯.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember saying that, but that does make sense. The strong should be chosen¡­So then, what happened?¡± ¡°Everyone stepped forth.¡± ¡°W-Well, that¡¯s about what I expected.¡± ¡°And then, they started killing each other.¡± ¡°Why!?¡± ¡°They planned to show their strength by defeating others. And then, out of the 500 people, roughly 470 had died.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me!?¡± ¡°The ones here are the surviving 30. However, a great number of them are wounded.¡± ¡°How stupid can you be!?¡± How can you kill your own allies before getting to the main event!? Also, there¡¯s seriously only 30 people here!? The enemy has a solid 100! There couldn¡¯t be a worse disadvantage! ¡°Do not worry, Komari-sama. The ones standing here with you have survived a trip to hell and back. They are the strongest we have to offer.¡± ¡°This ain¡¯t the problem here!¡± How could this happen¡­I glanced over at my subordinates. There were those holding their wounds as they cowered on the ground. They seemed like they were about to die. Go take a rest, will you. This isn¡¯t some black company. As for the upper brass of the 7th Corps¡­Chaostell, Belius, and Melaconcy¡­Alright, they seem to be fine¡­Oh? I don¡¯t see Johan around. I guess he died as well. ¡°This is bad, this is really bad¡­Things are just getting worse¡­¡± Suddenly, it happened. From the summit of the old castle, the bell started to ring. Since it only happened once, the War would begin in roughly five minutes. In other words, I had barely five more minutes to live. ¡°Your Excellency, let us confirm the rules again.¡± I looked up at the sky in despair, when Chaostell spoke up with the face of a convicted pedophile. ¡°As you surely are aware of, the War this time consists of stealing the ¡®Crimson Orb¡¯ from each other. Mindless slaughter will not win you the game. We need to land a coordinated attack on the old castle.¡± ¡°The old castle¡­you mean that over there, right?¡± ¡°Indeed. According to the details we have received, this ¡®Crimson Orb¡¯ is a red orb with the size of a soccer ball, and you should be able to figure it out by looking at it.¡± ¡°Oh~¡± ¡°The other corps are most likely aiming for the same. With simple calculations, the number of enemies should be around 500. We have to defeat all of them.¡± With these numbers we¡¯re having? Are you stupid? ¡°Wait a second¡­Sakuna and I are working together. Maybe Heldeus even, if things work out. You know about that, right?¡± ¡°My deepest apologies, I had forgotten. Her Excellency has shown grace towards her junior, I see! How kind of you! That being said, this Seven Crimson Deva War is a survival. We most likely will have to battle Sakuna Memoire as well.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­I-I know that.¡± ¡°I say that we prioritize holding onto the ¡®Crimson Orb¡¯, rather than killing. Your Excellency, are we proceeding with the same plan as always?¡± ¡°Right. Same as always.¡± Not like I know what that means. ¡°Understood!¡± Chaostell turned towards my subordinates. ¡°Everyone! Her Excellency Gandezblood will be giving us a few final words before the battle! Listen carefully!¡± In response, my subordinates all stared at me. Basically, they¡¯re waiting for the usual words I would give them before a battle¡ªI was thinking that, and stood up from my chair. ¡°Please wait a moment, Komari-sama.¡± The perverted maid spoke up behind my back. ¡°You have an incoming transmission from Frete Masquarelle. Please respond to that first.¡± Vill said, and handed me a magica crystal. I was confused for a second, but gave up on thinking and put in my own magical power (I might not have much, but that is something even I can do), when a high voice responded. ¡°My, Terakomari Gandezblood-san! How are you feeling?¡± Ah, not good. It¡¯s on speaker mode, so everybody around me can hear it as well. I don¡¯t know how to fix that. Vill, help me! ¡°I praise you for not running away! However, today marks the end of your history of lies! Terakomari Gandezblood, you will go down in the records of this world as its greatest imposter!¡± Shing! I heard a metallic sound. My subordinates had readied their weapons. They were all glaring at the magic crystal. ¡°Oh my? Oh my oh my? Why are you not responding, I wonder? Have you gotten scared now? Are you quivering so much that you cannot even respond? Ahahaha! If you were to bow down to me and swear eternal allegiance, I might be willing to hold back a bit, you know!?¡± Boom! Something exploded. A subordinate of mine had destroyed the fountain with their bare hands. His face was beet red from rage. ¡°You can¡¯t do that? Well, that makes sense! You are weak after all, but your pride is unnecessarily high! Then, come at me! Push around your subordinates, nothing good will happen! I will slaughter them all! Ahahaha! Ahahahahahaha!¡± Click. I couldn¡¯t listen to that high-pitch laugh any longer, and cut the call. Terrified, I looked at my subordinates. Oddly enough, they were acting rather peaceful, almost as if this was the calm before the storm. There, the bell rang again, signalizing the beginning of the War. Following that, fireworks soared through the sky, as I could hear screams from everywhere. They must belong to the other corps. ¡°¡­Your Excellency, your order to depart?¡± Chaostell¡¯s eyes were blood-shot. And he wasn¡¯t the only one. Just when I thought to myself ¡®Oh, this is bad¡¯, I only had the option to nod along after all. ¡°Yeah, do your best.¡± Only a fragment of a second passed, as the place turned wild. ¡°¡°¡°¡°¡°Kill Frete Masquarelleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!¡±¡±¡±¡±¡± You could call them an angry mob. They completely ignored the old battlefield, and instead ran towards the opposite direction¡ªnamely the location where Frete¡¯s 3rd Corps was located. No doubting it, they had completely forgotten about the goal of securing the Crimson Orb. I was left behind in this fountain plaza, and sat down on my chair. ¡°Can I get a different corps? One that maybe listens to me¡­?¡± * ¡°She dared to hang up on me, that brat!¡± Frete Masquarelle was filled with rage, as she smashed the transmission magic crystal on the ground. The old castle was in the middle between this place, and the location of the Komari Squad. It was a shame that Frete had lost the lottery, since she had wanted to end up right next to Terakomari Gandezblood¡¯s army, but she instead decided to keep her as a final taste before her flawless victory. That is why Frete at least wanted to greet her enemy before the battle, but this is what happened. Not to mention that she had been hung up on. Frete could not stand such insolence. At the same time as she was boiling, the beginning of the Seven Crimson Deva War was signalized, followed by a grandiose firework. ¡°Frete-sama, what should we do.¡± A vampire standing next to Frete spoke up. He was a tall man, constantly worried about the smallest things. He was the vice captain of the 3rd Corps, and Frete¡¯s right-hand, Bashlar. ¡°I¡¯ve decided! We go for that small wench right away¡ªor so I would like to say, but we have to stay calm and go along with our plan. We¡¯ll conquer this old castle!¡± Frete pointed at the castle ahead of them. The Seven Crimson Deva War is a slaughter between Crimson Devas. However, that would be boring, and not a piece of art, at least according to Frete¡¯s thoughts. Not relying on raw strength, instead fighting with knowledge and wits¡­that was what would make you a worthy Crimson Deva. That is why Frete decided on these rules, and introduced a point system. ¡°Understood.¡± Bashlar said, nodding. ¡°¡­What should we do about Terakomeri Gandezblood?¡± ¡°If I had to guess, she probably is not too fixated with the Crimson Orb. She is only securing her safety.¡± ¡°In other words, she will not take a single step from her own army.¡± ¡°The chance of that is fairly high, indeed. At the same time, it is hard to assume she will even send them out. If her formation breaks, the danger of being killed is much higher after all.¡± ¡°But, if she doesn¡¯t get enough points, she will be dismissed from her position as a Crimson Deva¡­¡± ¡°Correct. She is at a dead end. For her own safety, she cannot move her army. At the same time, she can¡¯t win if her army does not act. And, if she doesn¡¯t win, she is forced to quit as a Crimson Deva. On top of that, this entire War is shown to everyone. If she does not fight on her own, everyone will be disillusioned about her. Really, what a wonderful plan this is.¡± ¡°I see. As for our corps¡­¡± ¡°First is to conquer the old castle. Then, retrieve the Crimson Orb. Once that is done, I, Frete Masquarelle, will have Terakomari Gandezblood beg for her life. To end it all, I will kill her in front of everyone¡­Perfect, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°It indeed is flawless. I expected just as much from Frete-sama.¡± Frete felt supported by Bashlar¡¯s praise. Since her vice captain showed no objections, Frete planned to move her army, and stood up¡ªwhen. ¡°Masquarelle-sama! Important news!¡± A scout ran towards Frete with a pale expression. The members of the 3rd Corps all glanced at him in confusion. ¡°What happened? Did Gandezblood-san die before the battle?¡± ¡°No, the thing is¡­the 7th Corps only consists of roughly 30 men¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand it, but these 30 men are running towards here! They won¡¯t even bother with the old castle! I assume they are aiming for Masquarelle-sama directly!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± * I could hear distant explosive sounds. The other Corps must be fighting by now, or it¡¯s just my own Corps causing a ruckus again. Either way, it¡¯s all over. I have no way to fight back. ¡°It¡¯s over¡­Everything is over¡­¡± ¡°It will be fine. Me and Bucephalus will protect you, Komari-sama.¡± Vill stood next to the snow-white mizuchi. He¡¯s Bucephalus, my beloved hose¡ªor dragon, I guess. Normally, you wouldn¡¯t take them to the battlefield, but this being a special battle, they are allowed to participate. I¡¯m more than happy to have one more ally. I gently rubbed the chin of Bucephalus, who let out a pleasant neigh. Ahh, I¡¯m getting healed just by being with him. I¡¯d love to hop on his back and just ride home. ¡°Bucephalus, if you dare to let Komari-sama die, I will use you as an ingredient for tonight¡¯s stew.¡± ¡°Can you not!?¡± What kind of decision-making is that. Do you not have a human heart!? ¡°I was joking. Either way, you will not die, Komari-sama.¡± Vill said, and took out a paper from her chest pocket. Just when I wondered what she was going to show me, it turned out to be a map. If I had to guess, it probably showed the local area here. ¡°In order for you to survive, we need to get together with the 6th Corps.¡± ¡°R-Right! Let¡¯s hurry and meet Sakuna!¡± ¡°That will prove difficult. The 6th Corps and 7th Corps are quite a distance apart from each other. In order for us to arrive there, we need to break through the Delpune Army, who is located in the town area next to this.¡± ¡°Then we should go meet Heldeus¡­¡± ¡°Ah, please wait a moment.¡± Vill stopped her movement, putting one hand on her right ear, and faced me. ¡°Captain Melaconcy has found out that the Heldeus Army ran into the Odilon Army on their way to the old castle. If we go there, you will get wrapped up, and most likely die.¡± ¡°Then what else should we do?¡± ¡°The best we can do is try and group up with the 6th Corps. Thankfully, the winning condition for this Seven Crimson Deva War is not to kill the other commanders, but rather to gain control of the Crimson Orb. Hence, if we anticipate that the Delpune Army will make its way to the old castle, and pass them later, then¡­¡± There, Vill stopped herself mid-sentence, and looked up. Right when I wanted to ask what had happened, she kicked off the ground, jumping on top of an old dome, and glared into the distance, using binoculars. ¡°Vill, what¡¯s wrong!?¡± ¡°¡­This is bad.¡± ¡°What is bad?¡± ¡°The Delpune Army is on their way here.¡± ¡°Huuuuuuh!?¡± Why!? Shouldn¡¯t she be aiming for the Crimson Orb rather than me!? ¡°I figure they are raring to kill you, Komari-sama. I can sense their thirst for revenge through their mask.¡± ¡°Thirst for revenge? I don¡¯t get it.¡± ¡°Do you not remember? Because of you, Delpune-dono has been killed before the meeting.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Ain¡¯t these false charges? I didn¡¯t do anything wrong, did I? Vill was the mastermind. ¡°Anyway, we have to move ourselves.¡± Vill jumped down again. Can you pull down your skirt? I don¡¯t need to see what¡¯s beneath there¡­ ¡°Let us hurry, Komari-sama. If we stay here for too long, you will die.¡± ¡°Where are we heading then!? There¡¯s no place to run away! Let¡¯s explain this to that Delpune! Maybe they¡¯ll understand that I wasn¡¯t the one who killed them!¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the place to hope for such naive feelings. You should be aware of that yourself, Komari-sama.¡± Vill said, and jumped up on Bucephalus. With her left hand, she took the reins, and offered me her right one, saying ¡®Hop on, Komari-sama¡¯. Nothing will happen if I continue to complain. Seeing no other option, I took Vill¡¯s hand, and joined her on Bucephalus. Vill sat in the front, me in the back. ¡°Komari-sama, hug me please.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Excuse me, I meant to say cling to me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You will die if you fall off.¡± I feel some ulterior motives there. Just when I thought so, I heard raging voices behind me. ¡°There she is! It¡¯s Terakomari Gandezblood!¡± ¡°Die!¡± ¡°How dare you kill Delpune-dono!¡± ¡°You are an embarrassment as a Crimson Deva!¡± ¡°I cannot let you live!¡± ¡°Fall down to hell!¡± Flame magic was thrown at me, burning down nearby trees. The second I saw that, I realized that I had no choice. I clung to Vill, wrapping my hands around her stomach. For some reason, her body twitched. ¡°K-Komari-sama¡­you cannot¡­touch me there¡­¡± ¡°So annoying! Just get us out of here, perverted maid!¡± Bucephalus accelerated, and I became like the wind. * ¡ªI have to win at all costs. Sakuna Memoire¡¯s determination was stronger than never. However, this was not towards the idea of earning glory and fame for herself. Rather, she had determination to fight against Odilon Metal¡¯s threat. ¡°Sakuna-sama! The Heaven Corps and Metal Corps have restarted their battle at the West gate. The Masquarelle Corps and Gandezblood Corps have started fighting at the Northern gate!¡± ¡°Terakomari-san did¡­?¡± ¡°No! Commander Gandezblood seems to have been intercepted by the Delpune Corps at the south-east end! Only her 30 subordinates are currently fighting Masquarelle-sama¡¯s!¡± Sakuna let out a sigh of admiration. Letting your subordinates fight a different corps while you have a certain target¡ªSakuna wouldn¡¯t have been able to come up with that. Terakomari Gandezblood really is a skilled Crimson Deva. But now, Sakuna was at a loss. As of right now, only her 6th Corps was still left out. She wanted to help Komari in some way, because they had formed an alliance. However, Inverted Moon would not allow such. On top of that, she was worried that she might just drag Komari down. Lost, she decided to contact a certain man. The magical crystal responded immediately. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. What should I do?¡± Sakuna asked with a quivering voice. ¡°So annoying!¡± Sakuna¡¯s body froze up. A voice as fierce as a storm came back from the crystal. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for that! Think about it yourself! Ugh, that man is so impudent! Hey, what are you doing! Don¡¯t die there! Get up, bastard! Get up and take that man¡¯s head!¡± He sounded busy, so Sakuna cut the call. Her subordinates listened to Sakuna, and showed doubtful expressions. ¡°Um¡­who were you talking with? Heldeus Heaven? Or Odilon Metal? Weren¡¯t we supposed to have an alliance with Terakomari Gandezblood?¡± ¡°¡­Correct. But, that doesn¡¯t matter right now.¡± Sakuna¡¯s right eye turned crimson red. Immediately after, the expressions on her subordinates¡¯ faces disappeared. Any tone in their voices vanished, as they just gave a faint ¡®Excuse me¡¯, apologizing. From an outsider¡¯s perspective, it must have been an odd sight. In reality, the people watching this War through the giant screen started whispering to themselves. However, Sakuna wasn¡¯t bothered by this. All that filled her head was the desire to save her family. ¡ªNo, there was something else. At the same time, Sakuna wanted to be of help for Komari. ¡°The one aiming for Terakomari-san¡­¡± It was Delpune. However, Komari herself should be able to handle them, so Sakuna had to worry about anybody who could bother the battle. In other words¡ªher target was Frete Masquarelle. She was unsure if killing her was possible, but she had to. Sakuna took a deep breath, and then gave an order to her reckless soldiers. ¡°Our target is Frete Masquarelle. Capture, and deliver her to me.¡± * ¡°¡ªOur target is Frete Masquarelle. Capture, and deliver her to me.¡± These words resounded inside the Mulnight Imperial Palace, specifically the Empress¡¯ room. A crystal ball laid on top of the table in the center of the room. Shown on there with farsight magic was the current situation at the Nucleus Domain. The Empress of the Mulnight Empire, Karen Elvesias, grinned to herself, as she ate some madeleines. ¡°I figured. Seems like we had a treacherous friend in our army. Did you see that, Alman? Sakuna Memoire undoubtedly used Nucleus Liberation there.¡± ¡°I can tell! Let us capture her right away!¡± Alman Gandezblood quickly responded to the Empress¡¯ words. He was forced to watch this distant Seven Crimson Deva War together with the Empress, otherwise she might have participated. ¡°Heh.¡± The Empress led out a snort, and looked at Alman. ¡°What would happen then? We¡¯re in the middle of the Seven Crimson Deva War right now.¡± ¡°Then stop this war. At this rate, Sakuna Memoire has all the freedom she wants, and she might try something dangerous. I can¡¯t allow such danger to befall Komari.¡± ¡°Not yet, not yet. We have to observe this a bit longer. If we step in there, we won¡¯t be able to grab the tail of the lizard.¡± ¡°¡­? Your majesty, what are you talking about?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying that Sakuna Memoire is currently getting controlled by someone.¡± What was she talking about? Alman¡¯s head started to hurt because of the stress. Thinking about it, he had been busy to death these past few days. Right after he had been killed by this terrorist, he was tasked to search for them, when suddenly his beloved daughter Komari was insulted greatly by a fellow Crimson Deva, and now even this Seven Crimson Deva War began. Her daughter¡¯s safety and the terrorist, these two things led Alman to spend several sleepless nights. However, the identity of the terrorist luckily had just been confirmed. ¡°This Nucleus Liberation clearly is a psychological control type. She has brainwashed the 6th Corps. I can¡¯t think of anybody else who could do such a thing. The one who has gone around killing government officials and removed their memories has to have been Sakuna Memoire!¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Alman was baffled to hear such a short response. ¡°Then, why are you not acting, your Majesty!?¡± ¡°Because this isn¡¯t the time yet. Also, I don¡¯t have any right to appear on this stage. We have Komari at the scene.¡± ¡°¡­Do you plan on letting Komari handle everything?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not letting her do anything. I just moved fate into her favor.¡± That damned old lady is acting like she¡¯s kind and considerate¡ªAlman thought to himself, barely holding back those words. If he started a fight now, he¡¯d be the one losing by a mile. ¡°¡­Why did you make Sakuna Memoire a Crimson Deva to begin with? I looked into her records, and I hardly believe she has shown achievements befitting her of such a position. She just happened to kill her predecessor.¡± ¡°I have six reasons.¡± ¡°Why do you have so many.¡± ¡°The first reason is because another overthrow finally happened after such a long time. The second is because Heldeus recommended her. The third reason is because she¡¯s cute. The fourth reason¡ªis because she became Komari¡¯s friend.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Both their hobbies and personalities lineup by quite a bit. Left in such an environment, they were bound to become friends. Although I have to say, Sakuna¡¯s respect for Komari made them turn more into a Senior-Junior relationship, rather than friends.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°That girl needs friends around her own age.When it comes to Vill, they are more like master and servant, so Sakuna was the perfect person.¡± Alman had no words. When it comes to Komari¡¯s happiness, he always was on the losing end. But, just this once, he had to argue. ¡°How outrageous to make a terrorist Komari¡¯s friend.¡± ¡°It¡¯s exactly because she¡¯s a terrorist. The fifth reason I made Sakuna a Crimson Deva is because she¡¯s a member of Inverted Moon. And finally, the 6th reason is simply because she can use Nucleus Liberation.¡± ¡°Huuuh!?¡± Alman doubted his ears, but the Empress continued. ¡°I secretly looked into her. She has been a member of this terrorist organization, and possesses her own Nucleus Liberation. The 6th Corps turned into a bunch of devoted followers¡ªThat kind of story has been making rounds outside the imperial court, you know? As you expected, the one going around killing government officials was Sakuna. She¡¯s been looking into something, apparently.¡± ¡°If you knew, then why¡­!¡± ¡°If I make that girl my ally, I can gather information concerning Inverted Moon. Don¡¯t you think this is a chance like none before?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think we will be able to persuade a member of Inverted moon.¡± ¡°No, Sakuna is not a member of that terrorist organization out of her own free will. There¡¯s a definite chance.¡± ¡°But, I still don¡¯t see the reason to make her a Crimson Deva¡­¡± ¡°I told you it was for Komari¡¯s sake. You really are not listening to me.¡± The Empress crossed her arms, and looked up at the ceiling. ¡°Basically, I just have to remove an obstacle in order for Sakuna to become our ally. There is no way an introverted girl such as her would kill out of her own free will. I said it before, but she is controlled by someone, and I need to find out who that is.¡± ¡°I cannot follow. Where is this ¡®mastermind¡¯ supposed to be?¡± ¡°Most likely on that battlefield.¡± ¡°So then¡­you won¡¯t do anything until that person shows itself?¡± ¡°Indeed¡­Who do you think is the most suspicious?¡± ¡°Probably Heldeus Heaven? He is the manager of the orphanage Sakuna Memoire came from, and he was the one who recommended her as a Crimson Deva.¡± ¡°That makes sense¡­Oh!¡± The Empress¡¯ eyes started sparkling, as she pushed her face closer to the crystal ball. ¡°Look, Alman! Komari is getting attacked by Delpune!¡± ¡°What did you say!?¡± Alman glared at the crystal ball. Villhaze was riding the mizuchi with Komari at her back, trying to get away from Delpune¡¯s army. Alman was about to lose consciousness from the shock. The Empress however watched this in joy, grinning to herself. * Every single member of the Delpune Army wore an ominous mask. They couldn¡¯t look any more suspicious. And now, every single one of them was chasing after me. The arrows of fire burned holes into my clothes, stabbing into the ground. The best I could do was cling to Vill. ¡°Vill¡­I can¡¯t anymore¡­I don¡¯t want to die¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let you die. That being said, breaking through such an army will prove impossible. We should probably run to the opposite direction, and get wrapped up in the battle of the Heldeus and Odilon Army. And then, we¡¯ll head over to the Frete Army, group up with the rest of the 7th Corps and Memoire-dono.¡± Vill said, suddenly pulling on the reins, changing direction. Right after, the place where Bucephalus just stood at exploded because of strong flame magic. This is the worst, I can¡¯t take this anymore. ¡°Please, let me go home. Let¡¯s get the Crimson Orb, and destroy it. Then the winning condition will vanish.¡± ¡°Perhaps. However, we need to defeat the other commanders in order to achieve this.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s run away! Outside this battlefield!¡± ¡°Would you like to explode?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t wannaaaaa!!¡± I screamed. This situation was the worst. ¡°Don¡¯t wannaaaa! I don¡¯t wanna do this work anymore! Why do I have to go through this!? How unfair! Let me retire from work! Let¡¯s retire together, Vill!¡± ¡°That does sound like a wonderful idea¡­Komari-sama, stay calm¡­wah, where are you touching me!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t stay calm in a situation like this!¡± That¡¯s when it happened. I could feel a gigantic magic reaction at my back. When I turned around, I saw a single vampire dashing after me. Seeing the foreign mask, and the military uniform, the ¡®Full Moon¡¯s Crest¡¯, I knew that it had to be Crimson Deva Delpune. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit unfair they can keep up with Bucephalus running at full speed? ¡°S-Something¡¯s coming, Vill!¡± ¡°I am well aware. However, we cannot accelerate any further.¡± In front of my eyes, I could see the town area. According to the map, it wasn¡¯t just any town. Rather, just as the name ¡®Labyrinth City¡¯ suggested, it was riddled with all sorts of special traits. Basically, the city had been built in a way to strengthen defense against sudden intruders. This meant that we could not keep up this current speed. ¡°Let us get off for now. We will hide inside the labyrinth.¡± ¡°As if we could¡ª¡± ¡°Like hell I would let you escape.¡± I heard a voice at my back. Since it sounded like a high-pitched girly voice, I was flustered for a second, but I didn¡¯t even have time to process anything. A large quantity of magical power started to build up, as a giant wall appeared in front of Bucepahlus. It must have been construction magic . Having lost his way forward, Bucephalus came to a quick halt. This happened at a speed I was worried to fall off head-first, and crush against the wall, but I somewhat managed to hold onto Vill to save myself. Following that, we both gently descended down to the earth, and I looked at the wall ahead. We were locked in. ¡°This is bad.¡± I could see a pearl of sweat on Vill¡¯s white neck. It¡¯s rare for her to show and express panic like this. In other words, things were mighty dangerous right now. I looked over at Delpune, who slowly closed in on us, together with the Delpune Army of around 100 men. I could feel that Delpune was staring at me (although I couldn¡¯t say for sure because of the mask). ¡°¡ªGandezblood. Were you the one who killed me?¡± It totally was a female voice. But, I didn¡¯t have time to be surprised. ¡°I-It wasn¡¯t me! The hone who killed you was¡ª¡± I hesitated for a second. ¡°You weren¡¯t killed! You probably died of food poisoning! You must have eaten some potatoes together with their buds!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Stop lying!¡± ¡°You stop lying first.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying!¡± I totally was. ¡°I can smell the scent of lies from you. And, it¡¯s not just once or twice. It feels like your entire life is a lie. I can tell why Frete would be out for your blood, your life so far is riddled with lies. Wherever I look, it¡¯s lies. Lies. Lies lies lies lies lies.¡± Wasn¡¯t she supposed to be the quiet type? Why is she talking this much now? I was a bit confused at this, when the masked girl took out a knife, and pointed it at me. I totally figured she¡¯d be sending some dark beam at me like Frete did, but to my surprise, she stabbed it into her left arm. ¡°Now, let us start this battle of life and death.¡± Can we not? ¡°Extraordinary-tier blood curdle magic .¡± A fountain of blood came gushing out of her arm, spraying high into the sky. A wavy river of blood hovered above her. I could smell the thick stench of blood all around me, making me feel like puking. Seriously, what is wrong with all the people who can drink this. ¡°Komari-sama, we have to run away.¡± ¡°Eh, wha¡ª¡± Vill grabbed my arm, and started running. Right after, the stream of blood above Delpune fired off something. It stabbed into the wall at my back¡ªA knife consisting of coagulated blood I was at a loss for words. If I get stabbed by this once, I¡¯m dead. However, Delpune wasn¡¯t quite done yet. I managed to avoid that one by luck, but she sent a rain of knives at me now. ¡°They¡¯re coming!¡± ¡°I can see that myself! What should we do about thi¡ªGyaaaah!¡± Vill pulled me along, as the knives of blood stabbed into the place I just stood at, dematerialized to liquid blood, and returned to the stream above Delpune¡¯s head. What wonderful economic thinking. ¡°Ouch!¡± I felt a sharp pain run down my right arm. A knife had scraped my skin as I dodged it. A red liquid ran down, as my eyes grew watery. ¡°It hurts, Vill¡­!¡± ¡°That damned perverted mask¡­! How dare she ruin Komari-sama¡¯s beautiful skin¡­!¡± Vill kept running, as she threw knives behind her. However, knives of blood intercepted this, as they dropped to the ground. In return, a storm of knives came flying at us, from all directions. There was no more place to run. ¡°Get down, Komari-sama!¡± Vill stepped in front of me, reading her knives. Hey, stop! You can¡¯t die just yet!¡ªBefore I could even open my mouth, the storm of knives flew towards Vill. She used her two knives to block off the ones flung at her. However, the amount was too great for her to handle, as they stung into her maid uniform, scraping the skin below there. Right when I wanted to let out a scream, a knife stabbed right into her flank. Vill¡¯s expression distorted in pain, as she had to crouch down on the ground. Blood¡­so much blood from her stomach¡­What should I do¡­because of me, Vill is¡­! ¡°¡­Komari-sama, please run away.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t leave you here! It¡¯s fine, I can lend you my shoulder¡ª¡± ¡°No need to worry. I won¡¯t kill her. Just restrain her.¡± Delpune slowly walked towards us. I could hear the sound of the blood streaming above her. It sounded like it was raging. ¡°I despise you.¡± The masked girl stepped in front of Vill and me. ¡°However, it¡¯s Frete¡¯s duty to kill you. The humiliation she went through is much bigger than my hate for you.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± I grit my teeth, and glared at the masked girl. ¡°Then, my anger is a hundred times bigger! How dare you hurt Vill like this! Also, you don¡¯t have any right to talk, you coward! Stop fighting from a distance!¡± ¡°Komari-sama, I understand your anger, but provoking her any further than this will be dangerous¡­¡± Vill said, out of breath. I can agree with her there, but that doesn¡¯t soothe my anger in the slightest. Not like provoking her any more would change anything. I can¡¯t be saved anyway. Then, I might as well resist until the bitter end. With these feelings, I glared at Delpune, who let out a tired sigh. ¡°Provocation won¡¯t work against me. However, being called a coward was outside my expectations. It makes me explode in rage. That is why I will hurt you to a level where you barely stay alive, you damned small fry.¡± I feel like the provocation worked just fine! ¡°Komari-sama, hurry and run¡­!¡± Vill said with a pale face. However, I didn¡¯t run. Delpune gathered the flow of blood at a single point. The ground around me sounded like it was screaming. It looked like it was enough to suck up everything in existence, a hellish pool of blood. Finally, Delpune moved but a single finger. ¡°Die.¡± Then, the star of blood¡ªA soul of blood in the shape of a gigantic star in the vast universe¡ªcame soaring down. Huh, I guess I really will die here. Right when I had given up, I felt a presence approaching us from behind. Vill looked like she mustered up the rest of her life force, and screamed. ¡°Bucephalus!¡± ¡°Eh? ¡ªGuhe!¡± I made a noise like a frog grabbed by its neck. My body was floating through the air because of Vill. When I even realized what just went down, I found myself sitting on Bucephalus, who started running with everything his legs had to offer. ¡°Feeling the danger of their master to come back¡­What an excellent Crimson Dragon.¡± Vill said, sitting in front of me. ¡°W-We¡¯re saved¡­!¡± I let out a deep sigh. Is there even any other Rider Beast like this around there? To convey my thanks, I gently rubbed Bucephalus behind, who apparently took joy in this, and accelerated. Wait a second, you¡¯re getting too fast here¡­! ¡°L-Look ahead! There¡¯s a wall!¡± ¡°Hold on tight, Komari-sama!¡± ¡°¡ªI won¡¯t let you escape, Gandezblood!¡± The giant star of blood was approaching us. Ahead was the wall, and behind us was Delpune. I thought everything was over, when Bucephalus jumped into the air, making me feel like I was floating. I desperately clung to Vill, trying my best not to fall off. I-Is he planning to jump over the wall!?¡ªI thought, when Bucephalus¡¯ face rammed right into the wall. Even his overwhelming speed was not enough to make it above the wall. Because of the impact, I thought my guts would come up out of my mouth. But then, the impossible happened. Bucephalus¡¯ body broke through the wall of earth, and ran through it, leaving me baffled. His body gently landed on the ground, and his tail started wagging as of to ridicule Delpune, as he picked up speed again. After us, the star of blood crashed into the stone wall, breaking it down entirely with a loud rumble, to which the debris soared down on the ground. The members of the Delpune Army got caught up in that, and I feel like a good number of them died in the process. ¡°¡­A-Are you okay, Bucephalus?¡± ¡°He should be fine. The scales of a Crimson Dragon can defend against an iron sword¡ªKyau!?¡± Vill let out an oddly cute voice, but I had no time to tease her, because Bucephalus once again leaped up, on top of a house¡¯s chimney, soaring from rooftop to rooftop. Like this, we headed over to the old castle. Now we wouldn¡¯t have to worry about the path being packed. ¡°Y-You¡¯re amazing, Bucephalus¡­!¡± ¡°Indeed! I might not turn you into stew after all!¡± ¡°I told you to not say that in front of him!¡± Right as I screamed, a blood-red cutlery flew past my face, silencing me. Of course, it was the perverted mask. She ran along the rooftops just like Bucephalus, chasing after us. I grew pale, and screamed. ¡°She¡¯s not human!¡± ¡°That is why we have to seek assistance from someone who is not human either. Can you see it, Komari-sama?¡± We made it through the town area. What opened up after this was a large area¡ªit was probably another town area, but after the war, it turned into a large grassy plain. Past this grassy plain was the Western gate of the old castle. I could see that a battle had opened up in front of this gate, between two corps. ¡°It¡¯s Heldeus Heaven and Odilon Metal. Let us break between them, directly entering the castle.¡± ¡°How is that supposed to work!? My head will fly off as we go past the¡ªBleh!¡± Bucephalus jumped off the roof, and landed on the ground. I bit my tongue as a result. ¡°Oufff! It hurffs!¡± ¡°I will console you later, so please put up with it for now! Bucephalus, we¡¯re on the last stretch!¡± Bucephalus neighed loudly, and accelerated. I heard Delpune curse me with ¡®Wait¡¯, ¡®Die¡¯, or ¡®Lying bastard¡¯, as she chased us. The knives of blood almost gave me a new haircut as they blew past me. I can¡¯t anymore. Can we just go home? ¡°Ohhh!! If it isn¡¯t Gandezblood-dono!¡± Heldeus spotted me. He turned a soldier¡¯s face into tomato juice with his bare hand, as he looked at me with a smile. The other members of his army all caused a ruckus at my appearance. That makes sense after all, since I brought more enemies with me! ¡°Gandezblood, you say!? You bastards, capture her at once!¡± Odilon Metal screamed as he turned the face of a soldier into squashed tomatoes. ¡°Kill her!¡± ¡°Give the Metal Army 50 points!¡± ¡°A blessing for this victory!¡± The members of the 5th Corps glared at me with bood-shot eyes, running towards me. ¡°We¡¯re done for, Vill¡­Let¡¯s just surrender¡­¡± ¡°You can¡¯t give up, Komari-sama! Leave it to me!¡± Vill took out an orb from her chest. It was a small, violet-colored orb. She tightly grabbed hold of this, and threw it towards the vampires of the Metal Corps. Following that, this orb exploded, spreading what looked like exceptionally poisonous smoke. My view grew violet, not ¡°A smoke orb!¡± ¡°So underhanded!¡± ¡°You will pay for¡ªBlergh!¡± Someone threw up. Another person coughed. Crowds of people collapsed on the ground. I immediately realized that this must have been Vill¡¯s poison magic. ¡°W-What are you doing! We¡¯re going to die as well!¡± ¡°It¡¯s poison that only works against men.¡± ¡°That sounds way too convenient!¡± Apparently, it doesn¡¯t work against Rider Beasts either, seeing that Bucephalus did not slow down in the slightest, dashing on ahead. I feel like I heard crushing sounds below his feet, but I chose to ignore that. Finally, the West gate of the old castle came in sight. Apparently, we made it past the enemy army¡ªRelieved, I looked around. The smoke had already cleared up. At least 50 people had collapsed on the ground, dead. Both the members of the Odilon Army and the ones wearing religious clothes, belonging to the Heldeus Army were coughing up blood. Isn¡¯t this going too far!? ¡°You¡¯re even killing our allies!¡± ¡°It cannot be helped.We have to hurry and find the Crimson Orb so that we can destroy it. Then the Seven Crimson Deva War should come to an end¡­!¡± ¡°Even if you say that, won¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Wait right there, Gandezblood!¡± ¡°I definitely will not forgive you!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill you! Get back here!¡± ¡°God, please give Gandezblood a heavenly punishment!¡± I heard various angry roars cursing me. They most likely belonged to the survivors. I guess that the Heldeus Army now turned into my enemy as well (although I don¡¯t know how Heldeus himself feels about it). On top of that, the lump of blood controlled by the perverted mask was closing in on me. Why are things not getting better after everything I went through!? ¡°Komari-sama! We cannot use the Rider Beast any further. We have to run!¡± ¡°Eh? Wha¡ª¡± Vill suddenly carried me like a princess, jumping off Bucephalus. Right after, the magic of the enemy troops created an explosion at the entrance of the old castle. However, Vill wasn¡¯t bothered too much, and just ran through the explosive smoke, sneaking inside the castle. There, I realized. Vill¡¯s breathing was getting out of control. Her expression was distorted in pain. That makes sense of course, since she was stabbed by Delpune. ¡°Vill! You need to rest, I can go ahead by myself!¡± ¡°No, I have the duty to stay with you until the very end, Komari-sama.¡± I could hear the vampires approaching us, as Vill started running up the stairs, still carrying me. The blood from her wound continued dropping to the ground. ¡°Eat this! Extraordinary-tier blood curdle magic !¡± The blood gushing out of Delpune¡¯s arm turned into a wip, attacking us. Vill tried to evade this attack, but barely did not make it in time, as her right leg got caught, leading her to fall down on the stairs. Fallen out of her hands, I quickly got up, and rushed towards her. A blood-red wip had locked down her right ankle, biting into the flesh. ¡°Kill her!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let this chance escape!¡± I heard the enemy soldiers¡¯ voices. I picked up a nearby stone and tried to break part the whip Delpune is using. But, nothing changed. ¡°Shit, what should I do about this¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, we still have a chance. You have to escape, Komari-sama.¡± ¡°Moron! I won¡¯t let you sacrifice yourself! You¡¯re coming with me!¡± ¡°I will not let you.¡± I felt a strong killing intent. I turned around, when a large sword of blood came soaring down towards me, fast as an arrow. Of course, with my lack of athletic abilities, I had no chance at avoiding this. Ah, I¡¯m dead (For the second time)¡ª ¡°High-tier magic jewel .¡± Vill took out a radiating jewel, and threw it at the sword, which caused a gigantic explosion. As a result, Delpune¡¯s magic had been erased, and the clodded blood turned into liquid shape. ¡°I-Imposs¡ª¡± Having lost its shape, the blood splattered everywhere. Since I was on the ground, I had no option of evading it. I could only look up at the sky, as the blood drenched my entire body. And then, the world turned crimson. * (A bit in the past) Around the same time, Frete Masquarelle was under the attack of the 7th Corps, as raging anger filled her entire body, turning into a driving force as she swung her sword. The 7th Corps couldn¡¯t be bothered with retrieving the Crimson Orb, merely trying its hardest to kill Frete. Not to mention that this squad was merely composed of 30 men. She couldn¡¯t take this seriously, which is why she relaxed. However, this turned into a fatal mistake¡ª ¡°Ahh, damn it¡­! How vexing!¡± They were tenacious. Way too tenacious for Frete¡¯s taste. Frete¡¯s attack directly hit one of the ruffians of the 7th Corps¡ªChaostell Cont, directly cutting off an arm. However, he didn¡¯t even blink. He fixed his posture, and used spatial magic. ¡°.¡± ¡°!?¡± Frete felt killing intent behind her back. She relied on her senses, and swung behind her. However, her attack was met with empty air, which led Frete to lose her balance, as another wave of killing intent¡ª ¡°Ugh!¡± A fist as heavy as iron slammed into Frete¡¯s abdomen, as a wave of dull pain assaulted her. She managed to protect herself with magic last second, but if that had been a direct hit, she might have been killed. She quickly took some distance, and glared at the man looking like a withered tree. ¡°What shrewd magic you are using. It seems like you know how to properly use it.¡± ¡°Indeed, indeed. I will use magic the most befitting of myself¡ªSpatial magic. And, in order to get my revenge, I practiced it even further. I will not lose again¡ªSo, how about you use some magic of your own? This grotesque dark magic of yours.¡± He must be planning to provoke Frete, so she carefully observed her surroundings. The others from the 7th Corps were busy fighting, coming back to life like zombies after they had been killed. Apparently, everyone else from the 3rd Corps had their hands full, unable to support Frete. ¡°It cannot be helped. I didn¡¯t plan on using this against a small fry such as yours, but this isn¡¯t the time to be holding back.¡± ¡°That is wise, indeed. It appears as if our allies just arrived.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Frete was taken by surprise, when she felt several types of distinct magical power approaching. Frete jumped backwards. Right away, a great amount of blinking arrows came soaring down. It was intermediate-tier magic . ¡°Reinforcements? Impossible¡ª¡± Frete used her sword to block off the rain of arrows. However, her subordinates around were not as lucky, as they had their hearts pierced, and collapsed to the ground. Finally, the magic stopped, and Frete glared over at the source of the magic. On a small hill a bit further away, she spotted an army of vampires. Standing in front of them was a single girl holding a gigantic ward¡ªSakuna Memoire. ¡°¡ªI-I¡¯m sorry! But, this is the Seven Crimson Deva War, so¡­I have to attack¡­that¡¯s why, one more time!¡± The members of the 6th Corps started chanting, to which Frete clicked her tongue in annoyance. There was no rule against two Crimson Devas working together. However, it was something Frete had miscalculated. Terakomari Gandezblood and Sakuna Memoire, to think the weaklings would work together like this. ¡°Fu¡­Fufufu¡­Very well. I will send your entire army into darkness.¡± ¡°Likewise. Why don¡¯t I repay the debt for the other day?¡± Chaostell Cont showed a mischievous smile. Frete readied her sword. She decided to aim for the enemy¡¯s heart, gathering darkness on the tip of her sword, when¡ª ¡°¡°¡ª!?¡±¡± A cold atmosphere attacked Frete¡¯s body. It wasn¡¯t only her. Chaostell, and everyone around them, including the berserkers of the 7th Corps, stopped fighting. ¡°What¡­was that¡­?¡± Frete felt an immeasurable magical power. A torrent of despair able to grasp the heart of everyone in the area. Frete realized that her entire body was quivering, and looked over at the source of this magical power¡ªthe old castle. ¡°Her Excellency¡­Her Excellency, she finally became serious¡­!¡± Chaostell screamed in ecstasy. Following that, the others of the 7th Corps chimed in. Frete only knew one person that was known as ¡®Her Excellency¡¯. But, that should be impossible. * Delpune was at a loss for words. She understood that the maid stood at death¡¯s door, and threw that magic jewel. This magic jewel was quite the rare item, as it could easily erase Delpune¡¯s magic. What however was incomprehensible to her was Terakomari Gandezblood. She had been showered by the blood, and the irregularity began. With a void expression, she stood up, glaring at Delpune with crimson-red eyes. ¡°You¡­what did you do.¡± Delpune¡¯s voice shook. The amount of magical power was entirely different from before. Delpune understood right away¡ªthat the person in front of her was ¡®the powerful¡¯, and that she had no chance to win against her. Terakomari looked down at the maid at her feet. She must be out of strength, since Delpune had hit a vital spot. ¡°Were you the one who did this?¡± The voice held no emotion. The vampires that had leaped at the girl all passed away. Because of this oppressing magical power, Delpune could not move. ¡°Did you¡­do this?¡± Another deep voice came out from ¡®that thing¡¯. Delpune realized too late that this question was directed at her. ¡®This¡¯ must be referring to the maid¡¯s wounds. Deplune hesitated for a second, and gave a response. ¡°Yeah¡­what about it?¡± ¡°I see.¡± Terakomari held the maid¡¯s body. Then, her feet were lifted into the air. She was using flight-type magic with no incitation whatsoever. The vampires around watched the blood-drenched girl in fear. And then, she held up her right hand. A magic circle appeared. However, it wasn¡¯t just any average magic circle. The quality and amount of magical power is not something that should be possible to exist in this world. The air around Delpune vibrated, as the walls and floor started to crack. There were even vampires unable to bear this atmosphere, and collapsed. It wasn¡¯t your average high-tier magic, or even extraordinary-tear magic. It had to be star2-tier magic, the highest type of secret technique lost from the ancient times. ¡°Wai¡ª¡± Delpune tried to stop her, but she was too late. The magical power exploded. A deep red flash was fired from the magical circle, burning down everything in its surroundings. * ¡°¡ªHahahaha! Did you see that! That was star2-tier magic ¡®The dawn burning down hell¡¯! To think I would be able to see this with my own eyes!¡± The Empress clapped her hands as she laughed. However, Alman Gandezblood was panicking. His daughter yet again was forced to use her Nucleus Liberation. ¡°Have a look at this. The crystal broke. She used magic strong enough to destroy my farsight magic from such a distance. That old castle must be overflowing with magical power right now!¡± ¡°What are you going to do about this!? At this rate, Komari will¡­¡± Alman panicked, but the Empress said ¡®No need to worry¡¯ with full confidence. ¡°She won¡¯t start another mindless and indiscriminate slaughter. She is no longer a shut-in.¡± ¡°She already started slaughtering though.¡± ¡°Only those who deserve it. From how I see it, the Komari during her Nucleus Liberation moves half-according to the normal Komari. She is angry at Delpune, who hurt Vill. That is why she killed her. That¡¯s all there is to it.¡± ¡°I still feel like there¡¯s too many victims in there.¡± ¡°I guess that Delpune received a deep wound from this. I should probably talk with her about this later.¡± ¡°¡­What will Komari do after this?¡± The Empress showed a technical smile. ¡°Who knows? She already fulfilled her goal of killing Delpune, so I have no clue myself. Why don¡¯t we head over there to watch it live?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be suffering this much if I could do that.¡± ¡° You probably would either way. Hey! Someone, bring me a new crystal ball!¡± In response to the nonchalant attitude of the Empress, Alman could only pray for his daughter¡¯s safety. * It looked like the end of the world had arrived. The earthquake hitting the old castle shook the ground ready for it to almost burst open. Everything was wrapped up in crimson-red light, and the best you could do was wait for the catastrophe to arrive at your own two feet. The heavens were split, the ground shook, and the screams made your eardrums burst. Following that, silence returned. Frete Masquarelle opened her eyes wide. The old castle turned into a mountain of debris. The outer walls had disappeared entirely, and the inside was visible even from this far away. Even the town area and the grassy plains around turned into flat land. Frete felt a shiver, wondering who could have used such magic. ¡°F-Frete-sama!¡± Bashlar screamed, terrified. Apparently he made it through that attack. However, this relief only lasted for a second, as all the color drained from her face when she heard the news. ¡°As I have confirmed, the Delpune Army, the Heaven Army, and the Metal Army have all been decimated! As for the Memoire Army¡­Please take a look at this.¡± Bashlar pointed at a mountain of corpses. They must have gotten wrapped up in the explosion, and killed in the process. Though, Sakuna Memoire herself was nowhere to be found. However, more importantly¡ª ¡°What about Gandezblood-san¡­What happened with her!?¡± ¡°According to our scout, the one who caused this explosion had been Terakomari Gandezblood. Her current location is unknown.¡± What? That didn¡¯t make sense. Hence, Frete had to ask the person the most knowledgeable close to her. ¡°Chaostell Cont! What is this about!?¡± However, the man built like a withered tree gave no response. He was crushed by rubble flying at him. What a useless fellow. ¡°Frete-sama, what should we do about this?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± This wasn¡¯t the time to worry about the Seven Crimson Deva War anymore. What is there even to do¡ª ¡°¡­That¡¯s¡­¡± There, Frete spotted it. Standing in the middle of the old castle was none other than Terakomari Gandezblood. Before Frete even realized it, she started running, her teeth gritting. That explosion just now could never have been from the girl herself. She must have used some trickery as always. It could have been a normal explosion without any magical power involved. To confirm this, Frete had to quickly go meet the girl. * Sakuna Memoire was still alive. When that crimson flash swallowed everything whole, the vice captain of her 6th Corps used himself as a shield to protect her. Sakuna was lucky to fall between a wall, only giving her a few grazes, but everyone from the 6th Corps including the vice captain had been rendered killed or turned ashes. How ironic, really. The members of the 6th Corps had always been rebelling against Sakuna. Who could blame them, after she became a Crimson Deva because of luck and connections. Worried that she might be overthrown as a result, Sakuna had to use this final escape. She killed everyone from the 6th Corps, and altered their memories. She turned their rebellious attitude into deep faith. This was the result. They protected Sakuna, and died in the process. ¡°¡­But, they had to have been happy, at least.¡± Sakuna had to tell herself that, or she would break down from the guilt. Your true desire is to protect Sakuna¡ªthat is the setting she implemented into them. That¡¯s why, there¡¯s no need for her to feel guilty. More importantly, she was worried about Terakomari Gandezblood. That flash of light just now must have been her doing. Honestly speaking, this was outside of her expectations. There¡¯s no way she could kill a monster like that. ¡°¡­¡­¡± No, there is. She still had the secret medicine from Odilon. If she were to drink this, she could obtain strength to even defeat the gods. However, as a result, she might lose her own life. With quivering fingers, Sakuna took out that vial, looking at the poison inside of it. Drink it, or not. Right as she was wondering, she saw Frete Masquarelle running at high speed. She must have been heading over to the old castle. ¡°I have to stop her¡­Terakomari-san is in danger.¡± ¡ªShe is in danger? What am I thinking? Sakuna realized what nonsense she was thinking, and shook her head. How ridiculous. She should just have Frete and Terakomari battle things out, and finish off the weakened survivor. Yet, she continued to think things through like this. She failed to understand her own feelings. Sakuna excelled at understanding the feelings of others because of her ability, but not with her own. Should she go save Terakomari, or kill her? Finding the answer was impossible. However, Sakuna had to head over to the old castle either way. Right as she was thinking that, the transmission crystal lit up. ¡°¡­Yes, Sakuna here.¡± ¡°Perfect timing. Go ahead and kill Terakomari Gandezblood.¡± Sakuna swallowed her breath. It was just as she anticipated. ¡°I don¡¯t care how flashy you do it. Luckily, the farsight magic has been obstructed. Because of that explosion, the entire old castle is overflowing with magical power. Show her how dangerous Inverted Moon can be! If you succeed, I will let your family live.¡± With that, the conversation was cut. Sakuna grit her teeth. ¡ªIn the end, she was nothing but a tool for Sakuna Memoire. * When I came to my senses, I stood in the middle of debris and rubble. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± I have a hole in my memories. What was I doing until now? I was forced to participate in this Seven Crimson Deva War, suddenly attacked by Delpune, ran away together with Vill, and then¡­No, I can¡¯t remember. I looked down at my body. It felt like I just took a blood shower, my entire body was red¡­No, it¡¯s actual blood. Why did this happen? Did I get killed? No, I don¡¯t feel any pain anywhere¡­There, I spotted maid clothes in the corner of my view. A girl was sleeping on top of the rubble, pulling me back to reality immediately. ¡°Vill!¡± I ran towards the girl¡ªVillhaze. That¡¯s right, I remember. She sacrificed herself to protect me. If my memories are correct, her stomach was stabbed by Delpune¡¯s knife of blood. I quickly confirmed her status. Her wound was fairly deep, but the blood had stopped¡ªShe¡¯s breathing, albeit barely. She should make it. Out of relief, a sigh escaped my lips. Even if she¡¯d revive through the magic nucleus, I don¡¯t want someone precious to me to die, because that would make me sad. I took out a magic jewel out of my pocket. I¡¯ve held on to it in case things get really bad, but I couldn¡¯t use it for myself. I used magical power to fill the jewel, and Vill¡¯s body disappeared. I sent her to the Imperial Capital¡¯s hospital. It should be more safe than on a battlefield like this. However, thinking this far, I found doubts with my own situation. This is a battlefield, right? I observed my surroundings. To my surprise, nothing was there. I could see the distant battlefield, but around 100 meters around me, there was merely plain land. ¡°What is this¡­a dream?¡± There, I heard the ominous sound of breaking glass. I must have stepped on some broken glass. In a panic, I pulled away from there. At my feet, I had deep-red glass fragments, and half of a crimson ball or globe. It probably got split in two during that attack before. ¡­Hm? Wait a second, is this possibly¡­ ¡°The Crimson¡­Orb?¡± Right when I arrived at that conclusion, it happened. I heard footsteps behind me. It felt like someone grabbed hold of my heart. If I were to encounter an enemy now, I¡¯m done for. Please, let it be an ally¡­ I prayed to the gods I didn¡¯t believe in. ¡°Gandezblood-san, good day to you.¡± A woman glared at me. This is the worst, it¡¯s over. I¡¯m dead. The self-proclaimed heroic Crimson Deva ¡®Black Flash¡¯ Frete Masquarelle flashed a smile. ¡°What wonderful destruction this is. What have you done? This wasn¡¯t magic, was it? Some sort of explosive? What unbefitting strategies of a Crimson Deva.¡± What is she even on about? ¡°¡­Frete? What happened with the others? Are you alone?¡± ¡°Alone¡­? Indeed, I am alone. Every single one has been killed by you after all¡­Even Heaven-sama, Metal-sama, Memoire-san¡­and Delpune!¡± ¡°T-That makes no sense! I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about!¡± ¡°That is because you are playing dumb, is it not!? I won¡¯t tell you to only use magic, but there has to be a limit! Because of you, this Seven Crimson Deva War¡ª¡± There, Frete looked down at her feet, spotting the broken fragments of the Crimson Orb. Right after that, her own face turned beet red. ¡°Is that¡­the Crimson Orb!? Did you destroy it!? Is that your idea of bringing an end to the Seven Crimson Deva War!?¡± ¡°Well, I thought it¡¯d be fine if it got destroyed, but it wasn¡¯t me, okay!?¡± ¡°Fooling around again!¡± She gathered magical power, gathering a dark light. A black mist started to build around Frete. Even I could tell she was brimming with rage. ¡°Why do you keep fooling around! I prepared this stage of the Seven Crimson Deva War¡­and you ruined it because of such a selfish reason as to save yourself! Do you have no conscience of being one of the strongest seven this Empire has to offer!?¡± ¡°Again, you¡¯re wrong! When I came to my senses, this is what happened!¡± ¡°Futile excuses!¡± Boom! The atmosphere started shaking. It was like a black hole, swallowing everything whole. The small grains of sand and rubble were sucked towards Frete. I tried my best to find solid ground, but I couldn¡¯t. I was slowly sucked into the darkness. ¡°You are the cancer of this Empire. I cannot let you do as you please any longer. That is why I will take care of you here. I will give you a wonderful end with my dark magic, worthy of a swindler such as yours.¡± ¡°Why! I didn¡¯t do anything!¡± ¡°Then, try to resist, will you? Extraordinary-tier dark magic . I heard the sound of bones being crushed. Frete tried battling against the rock for a moment, but eventually stopped moving. ¡°¡­¡­¡­Wha¡­¡± Met with this unbelievable development, I couldn¡¯t even say a word. That heroic Crimson Deva had been killed with such simplicity. Not to mention in the most gruesome method. Yet, that wasn¡¯t even the biggest revelation. Standing above Frete¡¯s corpse was an individual I knew all too well. White hair, white skin, and beautiful facial features¡­she looked like something out of a dream. ¡°Terakomari-san! You¡¯re still alive¡­¡± It was Sakuna Memoire. Her right arm was drenched in Frete¡¯s blood, and yet she showed me an innocent smile which did not match up with this situation at all, as she came running towards me. Through this, I realized. Her right eye was crimson-red, like it was filled with blood. It reminded me of Vill during her Nucleus Liberation. ¡°I¡¯m so glad¡­I finally got to meet you.¡± She truly looked ¡®glad¡¯ from the bottom of her heart. Yet, I felt scared for some reason, and took half a step backwards. ¡°Y-Yeah, I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re safe. More importantly though¡­Sakuna, um, were you always this strong?¡± The girl glanced down at her blood-riddled arm. ¡°I¡¯m not strong at all. Frete-san just let down her guard. That is why I could defeat her.¡± ¡°But¡­weren¡¯t you a sorcerer? Killing someone with your bare hands like this¡­¡± ¡°Everybody could do this. We¡¯re vampires after all.¡± ¡°I-Is that so.¡± ¡°Yes. With this, almost everyone from the Seven Crimson Deva War has died.¡± She gave off an odd atmosphere. Her tone gave me chills. ¡°Do you remember?¡± She muttered, with her back to me. ¡°Do you remember what I asked you that night we watched the stars together?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­Something about a terrorist and hostages¡­¡± ¡°Correct. Back then, you said that you would defeat the terrorist, did you not? I thought you were amazing. And, seeing the situation here at this castle, I feel so even stronger now. I realized you weren¡¯t just saying this for your own good or pride, but rather that you truly felt that way.¡± ¡°Sorry, Sakuna, I can¡¯t really follow you¡­¡± ¡°However, I cannot become someone like you. I cannot fight Inverted Moon with my own strength. No matter how hard I work, how much blood I cough up, face the organization, they are going to kill the people important to me. Even if I beg them, there is nothing I can do. Because I am weak. Because I don¡¯t have any courage. Because I don¡¯t want to be killed. That is why I only have one choice to take¡­¡± Sakuna kept talking on and on, as if she held back all this time. I was overwhelmed by the air she gave off. And not just the air around her, from her own body emitted a large amount of magical power. I was unable to comprehend what was going on. ¡°Hey, Sakuna¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, there is only one path for me. In the past, and in the future¡ªI have to work as Inverted Moon¡¯s pawn, be pushed around, and hope that they leave me alive.¡± ¡°Sakuna! What¡¯s wrong!?¡± ¡°Terakomari-san, I¡¯m sorry. I was the terrorist all along.¡± She turned around. A breeze passing us by shook her white hair. Her red eye had vanished, leaving behind the usual blue color. ¡°Sakuna¡­are you crying¡­? Are you hurt anywhere¡­?¡± ¡°I am just fine.¡± Sakuna smiled, as she shed tears. ¡°¡­You really are kind, Terakomari-san. You are worried about me even in such a situation¡­Did you not hear me? I am a terrorist belonging to Inverted Moon.¡± ¡°Enough with the jokes! If you want to go home, then let¡¯s do that! I wanna go home myself!¡± ¡°Even if I wanted to, I can¡¯t. I want you to understand the circumstances. Because I don¡¯t want us to kill each other without knowing anything.¡± The girl slowly lifted her blood right arm, and put her white, slender index finger on my forehead. ¡°Spirit magic.¡± There, my consciousness was cut. 1 Originally 2 Originally written as ¡®Glitter/Sparkling-tier¡¯