Arc 5, Chapter 61 – ”Victim of the Territory”

Translated by:

• Nanashi

Proofread by:

• PaperLightning
• u/IceOccultism
• u/Ringo_17
• u/GracedHarperd
• u/Nobidexx
• SSCaide

Realigned by:

• SSCaide, based on the comp by Phantaminum

Art Source:

• Owari

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ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO TAPPEI NAGATSUKI, THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR OF RE:ZERO STARTING A LIFE IN A DIFFERENT WORLD FROM ZERO, THIS IS A TRANSLATION OF THE FREE JAPANESE WEB NOVEL INTO ENGLISH

JAPANESE WEB NOVEL SOURCE

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Capella lightly tilted her head towards the man chattering without rest, dao wielded in his one hand. [1]

A braid composed of three strands of hair, long and dark, spilled upon her white shoulder. With arms folded as if to emphasize her plump chest she bent forward, casting a mesmerizing gaze towards the helmeted man. Using that bewitching gaze to tempt a man’s eyes, it would drive a man’s instincts wild, even if he knew it was a trap.

However, whether such a demonic scheme would be effective would depend on the opponent.

Al: [That erotic pose is indeed quite something, but if your goal is to seduce me, it’s useless, ya know. For a hardcore virgin… making  me thirst after a passerby onee-chan’s got such a high difficulty that I’m practically laughing.]

Capella: [Demeaning your own frivolous words and having moderate restraint… Setting aside whether this lovely lady’s goals apply for you, you are a man who gives the impression of not gobbling this up. After putting on that harlequin act to catch me off-guard, just what are you going to do with that thick thing?]

Al: [Women shouldn’t go spouting dirty jokes like that. It’s a real turn-off.]

Capella: [————]

Capella’s seemingly provocative gaze turned into an expression of speechlessness after the man’s response. The aura of surprise quickly dissipated, however, and Capella laughed as if happy from the bottom of her heart.

Capella: [Kyahahahaha! What is that, that remark at that age, with that demeanor? The maiden of your dreams lives on only within your chest. You’re without doubt a flower in a greenhouse, with an entirely different perspective of things, aren’t you? Kya~a, how dirty.]

Al: [Though I apologize for interrupting your show, don’t make me say it over and over. I’m not in the mood today. Even if you asked, I couldn’t really tell you when it is that I’m in the mood, especially today, so.]

Capella tapped her feet with an attitude not befitting her appearance towards the posturing man―― at that, Al’s attitude became extremely complex and irritated.

Rather than posturing, it seemed to be that he was dissatisfied with this task from the bottom of his heart. Being rather different from the two people from above on this point, this led Capella to become increasingly intrigued.

Capella: [Not in the mood, finding this a bother, and yet not clearing the way. Your words are truly full of contradictions. In that case, why the hell are you still in the company of a raucous maniac like myself?]

Al: [The nerve of you to say it yourself, you raucous maniac.]

Capella: [Of course I’d say it. In any case, from this lovely lady’s perspective, absolutely everything that exists in this world is just a way to pass time. You’re all, in entirety, ultimately, objects of this lovely lady. The lovely lady’s love is boundless, filled with mercy, because everything aside from seeking love from this lovely lady is unnecessary… Anything else, do with it as you like.]

Spreading her arms, Capella smiled with the sweet expression of a poisonous flower.

Al, looking at this smile, lowered his dao with a whoosh. Twisting his neck so that his bones made a crack, he spat out a long sigh, “Ah—―”.

Al: [That’s it. You’re rather different from the other sins I’ve known.]

Capella: [Oh my, you’ve seen other meats rotted beyond rot? That perverted female meat who resents her own longing? That virgin bastard with miniscule ability? That low-life brat of Bizarre Eating with vile character? Or was it that sick in the head, sick in consciousness, sick in thought, self-entitled Spirit? No matter which, for companions, they’re the absolute worst choices! Haven’t your parents taught you? Choose your companions carefully.]

Al: […Unfortunately, my current friends are the type my parents warned me about.]

Capella: [That still deserves condolences. Even if you’re like that, will you embrace this lovely lady’s august love? Remove that helmet and reveal your face, embrace and devote love to this lovely lady!]

No matter how contemned or rebuffed, Capella, who carried out the gestures of seeking love, was the epitome of a mind which sought love. Except that referring to her most extreme, forcefully plundering, one-sided love with no regard of others as “Love”, was a misnomer.

Of course, not a single person would answer to her love, which rather than being called awkward, would be better described as completely disparate from human nature.

Al raised the dao that he had just lowered, slowly shaking his head.

Al: [Apologies. I’m happy you feel that way, but the two of us are still unfamiliar with each other, and it’d be embarrassing if any odd rumors spread amongst my friends. Please accept my refusal.]

Capella: [Something like giving regard to the gazes of outsiders, don’t you still have quite the cute aspects. Is this lovely lady that lacking here—— I didn’t think this would be outside the sexual preferences of a garbage, masochistic male meat who enjoys being ordered about by women.]

Al: […Huh?]

Capella: [Disregarding of others, harsh eyes. A body which could even be said to be filled with both sensuality and violence. A stature shorter than this lovely lady currently is, showing plenty of lovely skin. One whose words changed along with mood, yet never grew meaninglessly arrogant. An inner character always held up with logic and self-confidence. One who handed many tasks over to subordinates, but rarely became reliant on them. Not likable but not dislikable, the position and the woman both.]

While chattering on endlessly, Capella’s figure metamorphosed.

Still maintaining her plump body, she shortened her height and transformed her clothing into a dress which boldly revealed her shoulders and back. Her eyes shifted from sleepy to sharp, and from her keen gaze overflowed an atmosphere of confidence. What appeared was a beautiful woman with long golden hair hanging loose.

Although not the appearance of any particular person among his associates in the city—— to some extent, she resembled a woman whom Al associated with.

Al: [————]

Capella: [Oops, not blonde? If it’s someone from Lugunica, this should be most likely… In that case, hmmhmmhmm, red—— Hm, orange it is.]

Observing Al’s subtle reactions, Capella’s hair color changed bit-by-bit. Testing black, brown, green, blue, hesitating for a moment when it became red, then becoming orange.

With just this, she had assumed an impression ridiculously similar to a very familiar woman.

Al: [How hair-raising… Where have you met Princess?]

Capella: [Never seen her, never spoken to her, never even realized her existence? I merely deducted the type of woman you like from your reactions. This lovely lady is a woman who will give her all, you know? I want you to like it, so it’s a matter of course I’d do my best to be liked by the party I want to like me.]

Al: [Speaking of reactions, my face is…]

Capella: [Voice, movements, speech patterns. Angle of neck and line of sight, attitude. From chatting, understanding your attitude, nature, preferences.]

Al: [————]

Capella: [One twitch or one movement, not missing a single one. Putting in the entirety of her heart and soul to be loved, this is the way this lovely lady utterly devotes her all. This lovely lady has already utterly devoted her all like this so… Look at this lovely lady. Look only at this lovely lady. Don’t look at anyone else. This lovely lady’s face, body, voice, attitude, gestures, all of it, all of it! They should all be totally completely in line with your preferences!]

As she spoke, the voice of Capella―― rather, of Capella who had assumed Priscilla’s appearance, gradually grew rough. Her claims were a straight line of desire to please, but a line too straight would become a love that would pierce right through its target.

Al could not respond with a shake of his head or with words, instead only able to ready his entire body’s will to fight as a response to Capella. At this silent answer, on Capella’s face grew discouragement and contempt.

Capella: [You, a selfish scum male meat… which aspect of this lovely lady are you dissatisifed with?]

Al: [Don’t misunderstand. I neither like you nor dislike you, either way is fine… Sorry, that’s a lie. As expected, you’re disgusting, so I really don’t like you.]

Capella: [——Hk! You adulterous, rotting male meat!!]

Stomping her feet, Capella’s right arm began to transform into the huge head of a wolf, starting from her shoulder. The ferociously howling, beastly head flew towards Al, who was frozen in place, at speeds beyond what the eye could process. In a moment, the fangs of that head, sharp as blades, gnawed on the entirety of Al’s upper body with a single bite—— the instant before that could transpire, Al’s body flew forward into the gap of the approaching canine fangs, flying horizontally to escape by a hair.

Capella: [Don’t think you can escape with just that!]

Al: [Like I’d think that! The side! And next, the back!]

Over Al’s head as he rolled on, a powerful attack from a hand slammed down. It was a giant hand, each of its five fingers comparable in size to a human torso. Being caught in its grip would be akin to being caught by a snake.

However, this attack too was evaded by Al with a backstep. And then the wolf’s head returned, its fangs looking to crush Al’s waist, but it was stopped by the dao, wielded behind his back.

Al: [Whoa, whoaaaa, Dona!]

Without completely dispelling the momentum of the attacking beast, and all the while maintaining his blocking stance with the dao, Al’s body slid forward. Midway through the canto, a wall of earth rose from the ground, slamming directly from below into the right arm that had become a beast.

The wolf whose lower jaw had been struck let out a wail, and the shift in mass of her right arm led Capella’s entire posture to collapse. Seeing this, Al, having dodged the left arm’s onslaught as well, rushed forward.

Al: [Dona! This side too, Dona!]

Capella: [——Hk.]

The Dona that Al so incessantly launched was the lowest tier of Earth Magic.

Whether in power or durability as a wall, both were perfectly aligned with its nature as the lowest tier of magic. Even so, Al still relied on this magic as his best tactic in life-threatening combat.

Forming obstacles, blocking field of vision, forming a foothold—— exactly like he was doing in this moment.

Al: [DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!]

A solidly formed wall of soil hindered the movements of Capella’s distant right and left arms. In addition, Capella’s body itself was assaulted by a wall of dirt that obscured her frontal vision. Then, with the preparations in place, Al rose into the air—— using the speed and momentum from the earth rising from the floor, he launched forward as if he had been ejected by a spring.

The moment she heard these shouts, Capella glanced overhead, and a flash appeared upon her slender neck, her head flying away.

A face similar to Priscilla’s own danced through the air, a tremendous amount of blood spurting from the wound. Capella’s blood seemingly possessed an unidentified poisonous effect, the very reason for Crusch’s suffering.

Of course, even having been warned to not brush the excess of blood——

Al: [Who do you think you’re fooling, you damn liar!]

Stepping into this pool of blood without mercy, Al stuck out his dao.

The tip of the blade did not hesitate in the slightest to reach through the back of Capella’s headless body, penetrating through her body and coming out through her cleavage, adding another fatal injury to an opponent who was supposed to have died. However, it could not stop at this.

Al: [Take this! El Dona!]

Sweeping up the pierced body, Al flew forward and incanted with momentum—— one level higher than Dona, El-tier magic using the dao as a pivot was activated within Capella’s body.

Of course, Capella’s body was unable to suppress the mass that swelled from inside, and scattered in an explosion.

“Bang”, with a foolish sound as if it were a joke, Capella’s body turned to shreds. Hands and feet scattered and flew away, pink viscera and bright red staining the entire underground space. In that frigid air, those pieces of meat even seemed to give off warmth, finally resulting in a result that one could walk away from.

Al: […How’s, that! Hah, hah, this much should…]

Shoulders heaving as he caught his breath, Al spoke to Capella, who had become pieces of meat.

After this, after something like this, a creature able to survive after being destroyed to this point simply could not exist. Towards Al’s declaration of victory, an existence that could respond did not exist. Or at least, that was how it should have been.

Capella: [Ah, how excessive—— Ah. No matter what, ordinarily things wouldn’t go so far.]

Al: [Fuck.]

The one that had received Al’s insults of disgust, responded in that airy, yet wicked voice.

The voice came not from the dismembered flesh, but from the direction of the head that had been severed at the start—— In other words, it came from the place where Capella’s head had landed. Capella’s head remained on the ground it had rolled to, joyously witnessing Al’s reaction.

Al: [Sending your head flying and destroying your heart isn’t enough. Isn’t that breaking too many rules…]

Capella: [Head flying and heart destroyed would pose no problem to this lovely lady… But it is rare that you’ve suddenly become so devoid of a trace of tolerance. This lovely lady, right now, should be tempting you with your favorite face, could it have been a slip of the eye? Or could it be that you’re the type who expresses love by inflicting pain?]

Before Al, who was revealing his feelings of helplessness, Capella’s head righted itself.

The severed head moved sluggishly, black flesh that could not possibly have been present gushing out. Forming a neck as a pedestal, quivering flesh became limbs, the black surface hidden from sight by white skin, turning back to—— No, completely transforming into a golden-haired maiden.

Al: […And the pieces of meat scattered here?]

Capella: [Since they’re unnecessary, they can dissolve.]

Al looked on with amazement, as the scattered pieces of flesh that had formed Capella’s body started dissolving with a noise. The organs and limbs became a substance like black mud, bubbling as they disappeared. Even their method of disappearing inspired disgust to the point of aesthetic fatigue.

Capella: [Anyway, no hesitation in severing my head, hmm? The one from above… seems to have been a fake, but wasn’t there someone whose comrade couldn’t fight anymore, after taking this lovely lady’s blood? Soaking in it like that, wasn’t it scary?]

Al: [It wasn’t some kind of bluff. Though I didn’t know what conditions needed to be filled, the knowledge that being dripped on wouldn’t be my end is something I’ve already tested. It was a waste of time to dodge it.]

Capella: [——? But you haven’t shown even a trace of an attempt to avoid it.]

Al: [It’s something you couldn’t know about. Head, heart, if both don’t work, next time, that severed head will be crushed. No matter how many tries it takes.]

Al’s extraordinarily tired sigh was even more pained than it had been before the battle had begun. This should have been due to the effect of Capella’s tricks, but it seemed that further burden had been placed upon his shoulders after this exchange.

In any case, not a trace of damage was left on Capella’s freshly regenerated body.

In addition to variation and transformation, a regenerative ability to the point of immortality—— with even the typically most fatal attacks on head and heart rendered ineffective, this was truly a genuine monster.

However, difficult to kill was not synonymous to undefeatable.

Al: [There are also methods like freezing the entire body to seal it, or some method like tossing it into the Great Waterfall.]

Capella: [With an unkillable opponent, despair is only natural, but you don’t give up at all. Aren’t you truly an incorrigible trash meat? Being motivated is well and good, but can you actually do it? Seems like you’re good at petty tricks like dodging and escaping, but aren’t you lacking a way to actually kill this lovely lady?]

Al: [Indeed, even if I died a hundred times, I wouldn’t be able to kill you. In fact, I’ve already gone half of the way… But, aren’t you forgetting something?]

Al placed the dao over his shoulder and gave a knock, his helmet making a clunking noise. Capella’s head swiveled at that question, and in that moment, the tip of the sword was pointed overhead.

He was pointing at the City Hall—— somewhere outside of it.

Al: [You had originally intended to disrupt our home base, having deserted your control tower. Meaning that the ones who went to attack Lust’s control tower will rush back shortly. As long as I keep up these time-buying tactics, naturally you’ll be done with soon.]

Capella: [————]

Al: [For your information, my abilities are okay for buying time, no? I’ll try every means to keep you down, to trap you in here. So, if you’d like to run, your chance is now.]

Being locked in battle against Capella in solitude, Al used the imminent arrival of reinforcements to try to coerce his opponent into retreating. Upon hearing those words, Capella raised her eyebrow as if surprised, and towards her questioning attitude Al responded with a “Hmm?”.

Al: [What’s that, your reaction. Even if you have some complaint about my suggestion to withdraw from just now then…]

Capella: [Do you truly believe that this lovely lady, who bothered to come alone into enemy territory, wouldn’t have prepared measures against the troops you sent out?]

Al: […Huh?]

Capella: [The muscle daruma and the swordswoman were placed along the way. Even amongst our puppets, those two are unparalleled in quality… Can your reinforcements really get away so easily?]

Al: [Gah!]

The unforeseen development drew a sound from Al, who looked at the large hole overhead. As if reading his expression through his helmet, Capella continued with a “By the way”,

Capella: [The Conversation Mirror you had on you is sealed, you know? So even if you hurriedly tried to establish contact with anyone else, you wouldn’t be able to reach anyone.]

Al: [How did you do something like that!?]

Capella: [The creator of those magical devices seems to have been a Witch. Rumors about such legends have long been passed down in the Witch Cult. Including things like disrupting the wavelength of the Conversation Mirror.]

Due to the nature of this unorthodox annoyance, the strategy behind Al’s words had failed entirely.

Although Al had no way of ascertaining the truth of Capella’s words, in truth, the two who had been sent from the City Hall to take on Lust—— Wilhelm and Garfiel, would sooner or later clash with her minions. The possibility of returning from a battle between monster and man could only be said to be extremely low. Which was to say,

Capella: [If we’re stuck here with nothing to do, wouldn’t it be better to get it over with?]

Al: […A stalemate, well, I wouldn’t go so far as to call it that.]

At Al’s vague answer, Capella revealed a faint trace of a smile.

And in the moment immediately after, that faint smile melted. Once again, the form of the young girl became an amorphous piece of meat, and just like that, Capella’s mass grew exponentially.

With a gurgling sound, Capella’s form broke the limits of a human form, growing huge. Delicate maiden, seductive woman, dignified young man, stern warrior―― her flesh grew enormous with a momentum yet unseen, the underground space echoing with laughter.

And then, appearing after a moment was a dragon of black, whose body blended into the shadow.

Al: […I see, you could even turn into a dragon.]

Considering the fact that there were no divisions of rooms, the underground was much more spacious than the City Hall had been. However, even a space like this could not accommodate the black dragon’s huge body so easily.

Hearing Al’s low voice, the dragon narrowed its golden eyes, and Capella opened her mouth as if to respond to Al. From that mouth, came a merciless scorching breath.

Al: [―—Hk.]

The breath of flame seemed to ignite the very air of the underground, as a white light forced its way close to Al.

An incantation completely overpowered by the roaring sound created a wall of earth in the volume that breath occupied. However, faced with the overwhelming temperature, the wall failed to mount even a momentary defense before crumbling under the heat—— however, Al’s purpose did not lie there.

Al: [Kah, huu——]

The jaw of the black dragon, from which the breath was being released, was hit by a suddenly rising wall of earth. The mouth that generated the breath was forced shut, and instead the black dragon scorched its own throat with its flame.

Even so, the flame that the black dragon had spat out before its interruption continued to burn. Towards his back as he tried to escape the range of the heat, green flame approached——

Al: [Damn it! Dona! Guh!?]

Issuing a canto alongside the stench of burning, a wall of earth suddenly slammed into Al’s side. Using the momentum, Al was launched into a nearby waterway as he was scorched by the flames. Then, the instant that his back brushed the bottom surface of the waterway, another incantation summoned a wall of earth that sent him flying out of the water.

Al: [——Shiii!]

Completely soaked, Al flew from the waterway. In an instant, the razor claws of the black dragon had swept across the waterway’s bottom. Splashing up water, the wall which had carried Al out of the water burst into pieces. Although an evasive maneuver, the ferocious attack on Al continued, as he endlessly avoided, avoided, avoided.

Using miraculous movements to evade in such an extremely small space, withstanding attacks from behind that should have been unforeseen, his body’s lack of ability was supplemented by his own magic, as he continually avoided fatal injuries.

Capella: [Gyiiiiiiii!]

Al: [D-D-D-D-Donaaaaa!]

The now-impatient dragon rotated its enormous body, mowing down with its tail.

Faced with this arcing blow that battered up a storm, Al used multiple incantations to create five earthen walls simultaneously in front of him—— reducing the threat of this attack as much as possible, and using his dao to block it while jumping backwards, then hitting the ground to roll several times before staying down.

The dramatic rolling movements lessened the burden on his body, and Al stood with the dao as a crutch. However, the damage had not been completely offset.

Hurriedly, through the gap at the bottom of his slanted helmet, a large quantity of vomit spilled.

Al: [Kuh, kuh… Damn it, on the victim’s side this time… really outta luck here…!]

Capella: [Doesn’t seem that way though. Considering your abilities, there’s a kind of incomprehensible foolishness in staunchly standing with allies…]

Towards Al who sighed over his current predicament, the black dragon Capella gave a rather uncomprehending praise.

Even from her perspective, Al’s desperate defensive battle held an inexplicable sense of incongruity. Attacks that should not have been seen through, pursuits that should not have been imagined, Al had all along been using his own ability to survive as long as possible―― As if he’d long known all those choices.

However, neither had the leisure to pursue those idle thoughts for now. As for why,

Capella: […Has this been a bit too much?]

The reason why Capella who raised her head would say so, were the faint vibrations transmitted from the surface of the ground—— and then, there were fatal sounds coming from the City Hall that had continually suffered damage.

The foundation of the structure which had seen too many large battles had already suffered a great deal of damage, and then the battle that had taken place underground had given the foundation one final blow. The result was the gradual widening of the hole that had served as the trap to send Capella down, and the cracks spread not only on that floor, but through the entire building.

The development after this, even a small child would understand—— Collapse.

Al: [Stop kidding around! If this Territory comes undone I’ll actually die!]

Seeing part of the floor fall away from above, Al pushed through the pain, and with labored steps leapt into the flowing waterway.

Along with the sound of water, his body disappeared in the stream of water that flowed under the city. Seeing him off, as she maintained the form of a black dragon, Capella gazed upon the gradually collapsing ceiling.

Capella: [Yep, my interest is wilting. I’m tired from playing, so forget it.]

With murmured words that seemed listless, the black dragon yawned.

Like this, that unusual sight went unseen by anyone, being buried under the rubble of the collapsing architecture, pouring down like a landslide.

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???: [——Uh.]

At the scene of the collapse, echoed a low moaning sound.

The sound accompanied the sound of rubble being shoved aside, with several slightly larger stones rolling down from a mountain of rubble. Thanks to this impact, the mountain collapsed, and from an opening created by the collapse a white hand protruded.

As if searching for something, that slender arm hurriedly attacked the mountain of rubble and made it cascade bit-by-bit.

And then, several minutes later, having finally succeeded in breaking free of the mountain of ruin, Ferris crawled out of the pile of scrap wood, his clothing having become ragged.

Ferris: [Kuh, kuh.]

As he coughed, Ferris spat out vast quantities of soil and blood.

Was it sand or was it blood, that remained in the gap between his tongue and teeth? No matter which, it did not matter at all to Ferris. Right now, he just wanted to rinse his mouth.

Ferris: [Didn’t expect the City Hall to collapse. Isn’t this another death for nothing…!?]

Ferris used the inside of his dirtied clothing to scrub the blood from his face. Wiping away what dirtied it, like that he would return his face its usual neatness and cuteness.

It was nigh unimaginable that a human being could be in this condition, just a few minutes after being caught up in the collapse of a five-story building, having been crushed, unable to do anything.

Ferris: [Something like that is… that’s right, Anastasia-sama!]

Cat ears pointing upward, Ferris shouted that name as he looked around him.

Anastasia had volunteered to appear in Crusch’s stead, assisting in this dangerous battle by acting as bait. Having successfully met Lust’s ambush as anticipated, the results could only be described as a tragedy. But a collaborator was still a collaborator.

And in the necessity of determining whether she lived or died, there also resided a level of emotional obligation to Julius.

Ferris: [If like me, she’d been directly crushed to death…]

Looking around, he started the search in the nearby rubble. In the moment that the building had begun to collapse, Anastasia and Ferris had been in the same room.

As it had been a sudden collapse originating from beneath their feet, she would end up the same way provided she had been caught up in it without any preparation. At the very least, if she had not died instantaneously, as long as she could be subject to Ferris’s healing magic, she would be safe and sound.

Ferris: [This search would be much simpler with a single reply!]

Ferris’s slender arms were ill-suited for anything of the sort of search and rescue.

Even if helping the injured was Ferris’s very own specialty, the same did not go for the work that lay before healing. Because of the lack of information received from Lust too, Ferris felt an unprecedented sense of frustration. And it was precisely at that moment――

???: [Ah, Ferris, you too are safe and sound.]

Ferris: [――!]

Hearing the approaching sound of footsteps kicking away rubble, Ferris, having jumped as if startled, turned to see a solitary figure. Tugging on the hair that had been dyed green and straightened, smiling slightly, was the Anastasia he had been searching for all along.

The hem of her kimono which seemed difficult to move in swaying, she approached Ferris with careful steps.

Ferris: [Anastasia-sama, are you unhurt?]

Anastasia: [It’s as ya can see. In fact, we here should be saying that. Ferris, thank goodness you’re unhurt from that collapse.]

Ferris: [That’s…]

Although strictly speaking, he had not been unhurt, Ferris suppressed his instinctive reply. There was no obligation to reply, and it would not merit a pleasant topic. Seeing Ferris closing his mouth without reply, Anastasia surveyed the rubble and scene of collapse of the City Hall.

Anastasia: [Tellin’ everyone to leave for the shelters in advance truly was a correct decision. This was quite the grand happenin’.]

Ferris: [A grand happening…]

Anastasia frowned as if incredibly troubled, and Ferris surveyed his surroundings as well.

Anastasia calling this a grand happening, but could this circumstance be called such with peace of mind? Although calling it a grand happening was not incorrect, it seemed to be missing a touch of seriousness.

Not to mention that the cause of this collapse was precisely——

Anastasia: [Seems to me, that the cause’d be the underground battle between Al and Lust…]

Ferris: [————]

Anastasia: [Bein’ completely buried, diggin’ them out like this’d be a bit difficult. If they successfully entered the waterways underground, seems to me there’d be a possibility of escapin’ alive…]

Of course, in that case, the possibility of Capella’s survival also needed to be considered.

As Ferris had observed, Capella’s capacity for regeneration surpassed human imagination. Having had half her face destroyed by Anastasia’s magic, she had not given any regards to that. It was truly beyond strange. Just like the outburst of Ferris’s lifeforce, it should not have been the result of some unnatural constitution.

Ferris: [Speaking of which, where did Anastasia-sama learn such magic?]

Anastasia: […That, has it got anythin’ to do with this?]

Ferris: [Since I had heard you couldn’t fight, a little bit of surprise can’t be helped.]

During the discussion on how to distribute the combat forces, she herself had been the one who had said she did not possess any combat ability. Neither Anastasia herself nor the Artificial Spirit accompanying her had such powers.

However, if that was the case, what had been that magic, that which had ruined Capella’s face?

???: [——This topic, I’d also like to hear a bit about it.]

Anastasia: [————]

Anastasia kept silent in response to Ferris’s question, and just at that moment, the voice of a third person chimed in.

Before the eyes of the two who turned their heads, stood Al, soaked and kicking away at rubble. Twisting his head so that water poured from the opening in his helmet, he approached.

Anastasia: [Seeing ya safe and sound’s nice. A successful leap into the waterway?]

Al: [On three  attempts, I felt I was gonna be crushed. Eh, not like it matters. More importantly, we’ve got something more important to talk about.]

Anastasia faced forward to welcome the laborer’s meritorious return, but Al unsheathed his dao as he spoke. Pointing the tip of the blade to Anastasia as well, she frowned.

Al and Anastasia stood facing each other, and Ferris was caught in between the two. The places where the three stood formed an exact triangle.

Anastasia: [What in the world are you doin’, exactly? If this a joke, then I ain’t laughin’.]

Al: [Not like I’m in a kidding mood. Setting aside that cat-eared bro for now, it really doesn’t make sense that you survived this destruction. In addition…]

Anastasia: [It’s merely that there were backup plans. Hiding those was indeed my fault, but as for that I can’t exactly explain it forthrightly…]

Al: [Sure, you can gimme that answer, but the problem here’s your attitude. Barely managing to escape from the collapsed building, then chatting idly with a familiar face atop the ruins… From your attitude, it feels like your expressions and feelings are completely out of place. Do you know what we call people who can chat like that?]

Anastasia: [————]

Regarding Al, who persisted with his hail of questions, Anastasia stopped replying. However, her expression now froze into a sly smile.

And then, as Ferris witnessed it, Al spoke a definitive, clarifying line.

Al: [Those kinda people, we call them Witches.]

Anastasia: […Really now, that word is a little excessive.]

An incredibly philosophical tone of response, which gave the impression of being devoid of emotion.

Sly smile falling away, what emerged afterward was an empty smile, a smile only in appearance. As if that movement of skin was directed not toward another person, but toward one’s self in a self-deprecating manner.

Anastasia: [In my experience, Witch is by no means a term used in good conscience.]

Al: [Could it be that you’re under the impression that I’m lightheartedly dropping a greeting? Your first impression is right, swindler fox.]

Ferris: [What do you mean?]

Looking at the two people who had reached an understanding——Anastasia, who had changed her tone, and Al——Ferris sought an opportunity to interject. In response to Ferris’s attitude, Al shrugged with his armless left shoulder, his gaze still fixed in Anastasia’s direction.

Al: [It’s something like, the miss still looks like the miss, but she’s different on the inside. That fox with wicked character dangling from her neck… Echidna is inside her.]

“Anastasia”: [This is something that prioritizes Ana’s survival, it is just that the result ended up like this. It is really rather distressing that this affair is being spoken of as if I have some malicious intent.]

At Al’s hostile words, Anastasia—— Echidna revealed a troubled expression as she replied. Then Al harrumphed into his helmet with a “Hah!”

Al: [Someone replacing another shouldn’t speak with such a righteous tone.]

“Anastasia”: [Replacing or whatnot is really quite the misunderstanding. From where did such a notion come from?]

Al: [Everything right down to that fake Kararagi accent of yours should serve as evidence. Unfortunately enough, I can see through the nature of a Witch that can’t comprehend humans.]

Ferris: [Act a bit more properly! Like this, the topic won’t progress no matter how long you talk!]

After Al’s systematically detailed response to Echidna, Ferris finally exploded.

Although it seemed that Al’s information did have a degree of reliability, what mattered most right now was the affair of Anastasia’s body. Her body right now, had indeed been taken control of by Echidna.

Ferris: [First of all, is Anastasia-sama alright? It isn’t something like merely protecting her body, but her consciousness flew off somewhere?]

“Anastasia”: [That is not the case indeed. It would not do to not have Ana healthy in body and soul. Because if that were the case, there would not be a need to use a forbidden technique.]

Ferris: [Forbidden technique?]

“Anastasia”: [It refers to this condition here. Since Ana’s Gate is a little bit complex, it cannot be used by itself. Even with me acting as a proxy, the burden is still incredibly heavy. It is something like that.]

Stroking her meager chest, Echidna made Anastasia’s expression turn gloomy.

Although Al still propped up his sword with a demeanor of intolerance, Felix forcibly stepped in front of the tip of the blade as he continued discourse with Echidna.

Ferris: [Then why did you pretend to be Anastasia-sama, to converse with us?]

“Anastasia”: [Would it not be more unnatural to abstain from a greeting upon seeing your ally safe and sound? Pretending to be Ana herself, was to keep you from spotting our weaknesses. Exactly as I just said, Ana’s body is quite unstable. So I wished to hide the fact that she had become one with me… and then was seen through too.]

Ferris: [Julius is also… unaware of this ability. After all, he had not even known about your existence before this. What do you intend to do about this?]

“Anastasia”: [That is an issue between Ana and Julius, and the Iron Fang as well. For your questions, I do not feel as if I have an obligation to offer speculation.]

Everything made sense. The sense of incongruity that Felix had felt from Anastasia atop the mountain of rubble as well, all stemmed because he was dealing with Echidna. The contents were different.

In addition to the fact that her magic had been her protection, was the fact that Anastasia’s body had indeed been protected from the collapsing building―― with these two points, Ferris’s previous doubts had come undone.

Ferris: [Although, that person over there still gives an impression of being unwilling to lower their weapon?]

Al: […Tch.]

As Ferris had asked, Al clicked his tongue as he reluctantly placed the dao within its sheath. Upon seeing this, Ferris once again looked at his bruised and battered body.

Burns and scrapes, his body looked like it was truly injured.

Ferris: [Alright, let me take a look and it’ll be healed soon. Uwah, this place’s been gouged…! Hya, this slash, it’s miraculous you didn’t die from it…?]

Al: [With my ability, turning a fatal injury to a serious injury is the limit. Though it’d be better if I hadn’t lost the gamble… well, whatever.]

Ferris: [——?]

The palm of Ferris, who tilted his head, healed all of Al’s wounds.

All that could be said was that, thanks to the healing properties of that pale blue light, in the blink of an eye, the numerous injuries on Al’s body had been healed. Having confirmed this, Al gave Ferris his thanks.

Al: [Like me, the miss ended up surviving. Without a doubt, that Lust bastard also’s got to be alive. I can’t rest easy even if she’s been buried by rubble.]

“Anastasia”: [About that.]

At Al’s voice which raised a warning, Echidna lifted her hand. The Conversation Mirror was held in its palm, and with her other hand she gently knocked on its surface.

“Anastasia”: [As a matter of fact, since before the building collapsed, the Conversation Mirror hasn’t made a single sound.]

Al: [I’d heard. Lust… or rather the Witch Cult? Within the Witch Cult there seems to be some way of crippling magical devices. Presumably that suppressed communications with anyone on the outside…]

“Anastasia”: [That’s what I had thought. However, if it was due to the Sin Archbishop that that happened, it means we should have escaped that problem by now.]

Al: […Talking in circles.]

“Anastasia”: [Apologies, it is a habit of mine. That is to say, the function of the Conversation Mirror has been restored.]

Hearing those words, Al and Felix were simultaneously shocked.

Al was surprised that the Conversation Mirror could reach others with a Mirror. But Felix was surprised at the cause of the Conversation Mirror’s malfunction and the possibility that the cause had been eliminated.

Ferris: [What do you mean? Lust’s interference ended… which is to say she’s dead?]

Truly, it was unbelievable that the monster who had ceaselessly boasted of her regenerative ability would have died from being buried by rubble. After all, just as Al had said, the three people present were all still alive.

Believing that the undying monster with extraordinary vitality would die like this was truly too difficult. If any possibilities aside from this could be considered——

“Anastasia”: [She received a wound to the point that her sabotage could not continue, or perhaps the interruption itself is meant to induce carelessness in us, and they’re lurking, awaiting for an opportunity…”

Ferris: [That… doesn’t feel like it fits with that awful character…]

“Anastasia”: [Indeed, I think so as well. It should be more daring than just hiding… Something such as taking the form of one of the three people here? With the original having already died, completely replacing that existence. That is precisely a tactic that Lust would enjoy.]

This speculation of Echidna’s caused Felix to shiver.

He recalled that, before the collapse, the monster had assumed a form identical to Crusch. Having witnessed that transformation with his very eyes, there was no room for doubt that she had been a fake. Of course, even if she had become Crusch, Ferris was confident he would be able to see through her, but these two were another matter entirely.

This possibility made Ferris feel ill. However,

Al: [Don’t get your kicks from spouting such disorienting stuff, what a wicked nature. The lack of reaction makes it a quick deal. She turned tail and ran, that’s clear. Leaving after becoming bored of playing, that one is just like that.]

“Anastasia”: [To say that without basis or reason…]

Al: [Before being crushed, the monster wore a completely disinterested expression. That would be the reason.]

The one who had faced off against Capella all the way to the end had been Al.

If the opponent had been another human, such a conclusion would have been astounding, but if their opponent were a Sin Archbishop, common sense could not be upheld. Of course, even assuming that, vigilance should not be dropped.

Al: [More importantly, if the Conversation Mirror is functional, couldn’t contact with the Princess be established? That’s what’s most important. Hurry up and help me connect.]

The teams that had left the City Hall with Conversation Mirrors had been team Wilhelm-Garfiel and team Priscilla-Liliana. Originally, Al should have been part of Priscilla’s squad, but at his master’s order, he had reluctantly remained with the team left behind. The desire of wanting to confirm his master’s safety was painfully understood.

“Anastasia”: [I see. You do not need to be in such a hurry… Hmm?]

Placating Al like this, Echidna who held the Conversation Mirror in her hands frowned.

Just as Ferris glanced over, intending to ask what had happened upon seeing that reaction, the Conversation Mirror in Echidna’s hand gradually began to radiate a faint glow—— This was an indication that a connection with another Conversation Mirror had been established.

And that which was reflected on the surface of the Conversation Mirror was——

Translation Notes:

[1] – This sword is called a “青竜刀”, literally translated as “Blue/Azure Dragon Sword”, but a more accurate and neutral name would be a “Chinese dao”. The literal name could perhaps have certain implications, however.