──Novem was hurrying.
Novem who was heading to the warehouse district had no composure at all. She was rushing in full speed.
(I've to hurry.)
However she suddenly stopped.
She stopped after sliding just for a bit on the snow and held up her silver staff.
「……Can I ask you to not get in my way, father.」
Standing there was Gerard Forxus──Novem's father.
「Long time no see, Novem.」
Novem who pointed her weapon to her actual father wanted to move right away.
But, Gerard told Novem.
「There's something that I should let you know.」
In front of her father who said that and started to talk, Novem lowered down her weapon──.
I never thought we would meet here.
「I didn't think that an useless garbage like you is still alive. As I thought, it's no good unless I properly dispose of you.」
My legs were shaking and my breathing was disordered.
I recalled my terror toward Celes.
Even though I wanted to take a stance, my body wouldn't move like I wanted.
『Lyle, what's wrong!? Move quickly! This is hopeless. Absolutely don't fight her!』
The Fifth's voice came from the Jewel.
The other ancestors were also telling me 「Run」.
Celes stood in front of me and smiled.
「Disappear.」
I was sent flying when I noticed.
I rolled on the ground and my right hand let go of my saber on the snow.
「Lyle!」
Evsan and Shannon ran toward me and tried to help me stand.
When I looked at Celes, she was telling the soldiers around her to pick up the saber I dropped.
Celes held the two sabers of good quality with her hand──and crushed the blades with her bare hand.
「What's this. It's just blunt swords. Even though I thought you will be able to make me enjoy myself for a bit, you're really just a small fry.」
Evsan talked to me who was trembling.
「Lyle, stand. We need to run away quickly.」
Celes was looking at me.
「I won't let you escape. Oh? Could it be that's an elf? That's right, I remember. I heard that elf is good at singing. I'll cut off her limbs and make her into a singing instrument for me alone.」
I didn't understand what she was saying. I could only think that her mind was screwed up.
The surrounding was giving nothing but praise to the laughing Celes.
「Wonderful idea.」
「That elf is really fortunate to become Celes-sama's belonging.」
「Then, let's quickly prepare──」
Celes looked at Shannon this time.
「Oh? The one over there is the rubbish isn't it? That's right, the rubbish of Circry House……eeh? Could it be, you now can see with your eyes?」
Shannon was scared.
She was unable to move with Celes in front of her.
「What, so fellow trashes are joining each other. Ah, come to think of it, where is your big sister? I don't need rubbish like you but, I really want that big sister of yours.」
Hearing that Shannon was,
「I, I'm not rubbish. We are──not rubbish!」
The Seventh talked from inside the Jewel.
『Lyle, stop her! Don't provoke Celes needlessly!』
Even though Celes looked like she was enjoying herself before, she turned expressionless.
「……What? A rubbish like you is arguing with me?」
Her voice was extremely cold.
Her gaze toward us was also the same.
Those were eyes as though she was looking at trash.
「My mood worsened. I'll kill the three of you here. How should I kill you three I wonder? Ah, that's right! It has been quite long so let's use fire! It's cold recently so surely it will make me warm. Let's burn you three with a big fire, just like that time I burned that old gardener!」
──My trembling stopped.
I lifted my face, and then I asked Celes who started to dance in that place innocently.
「──What did you do?」
Celes stopped still. She showed displeasure at my voice and looked my way.
「Aa?」
「Gardener old man you said? You can't mean Zel-ojiisan.」
I slowly stood up and pulled out a short sword from its sheath. I handed it to Evsan. I placed Rondo-san's short sword into the sheath.
And then, I tightly grasped the Jewel.
「Who did you burn!?」
Celes laughed at my angry voice.
「The gardener……was his name Zel? That shitty old man. He was going to kick the bucket, so I burned him along with his eyesore hut. Eh? Could it be you're angry?」
Celes laughed, in contrast the Seventh made a sad voice.
『……Doing such thing to Zel……Celes, you're really』
I tightly grasped the Jewel with my left hand and changed its shape into bow. The silver bow showed up but, the Third was yelling.
『Lyle, why won't you escape!?』
Zel-jiisan was my life savior.
「You, only you, right here I'll!」
And then Rondo-san and others were my friends──there was no way I could forgive her.
Besides……the current me couldn't escape from Celes if I had to take along the other two.
I understood because I had fought her once.
The current Celes was different from the previous Celes. She was becoming even stronger.
「Hee, you have an interesting thing.」
When I readied the bow, an arrow of light appeared. It wasn't just one.
I materialized around ten simultaneously and fired the arrows without hesitation.
The power was too strong so I didn't use it at the battle before this. But, I couldn't hold back anything with Celes as my opponent.
When the arrows of light assaulted Celes, it collided on something invisible and exploded.
The Sixth clicked his tongue.
『An Art that specialize in defense huh.』
The Fourth couldn't believe it.
『Then, Celes wasn't using Art to lead people astray? That child having multiple Arts is──』
The Seventh was flustered.
『Don't tell me……what Celes has is』
At that timing, Celes showed herself from inside the smoke that was caused by the explosion.
She was unharmed and grinning broadly.
「The attack just now is only flashy in appearance. Then, next is my turn.」
When Celes swung her rapier, cold air gathered right above her. White smoke was produced and ice appeared. The ice was rapidly growing bigger and obtaining shape.
It became the shape of a spear. A spear that even had detailed ornament was reproduced like a work of art.
From a glance I thought that thing was dangerous and pulled the bowstring of light as much as I could.
Celes pointed her rapier's tip toward me.
「I won't be able to have fun if you die just from this much but, that too will be interesting in its own way.」
The ice spear pointed at me and it was launched.
I fired an arrow in order to shoot it down. The spear and arrow collided and exploded. However, it seemed the spear was more powerful. The blast and cold air were blown my way powerfully.
The temperature of the surrounding drastically decreased.
I covered my face with my left arm, but when I moved the ice that was created on my body's surface made cracking sound. I became like this just from receiving the cold air.
It would be dangerous to get hit directly.
The road of the warehouse district was covered by white smoke. The scene that entered my eyes when it cleared up was──.
『Oi oi, this is a joke right?』
The scene that the Fifth didn't want to believe was the ice spears floating in the sky.
It wasn't just ten or something, spears in the number that surpassed a hundred were floating in the air with their tip pointed toward us.
I went to the position of Evsan who was hugging Shannon. There the spears were coming down in succession from the sky.
「Come on, you will be skewered and frozen in ice if you don't run!」
The laughing voice of Celes sounded extremely unpleasant.
Each time a spear hit the ground, squall and chilling air would blow violently, worsening the field of vision.
I who came until the two's side took Rondo-san's short sword in my hand.
The two of them were trembling from the cold and couldn't even run away.
「Rondo-san……let me use this!」
The voices from the Jewel suddenly got disturbed.
A dome shaped wall of light was generated to envelop us three.
『Ly──run……away!』
I couldn't distinguish who was making the disordered voice from the Jewel.
I had heard that the affinity of Jewel and magic tool in general was bad, but this was certainly bad. The silver bow I was gripping was returning into a necklace.
A pattern was surfacing on the short sword's blade and shined. It was a magic tool containing an Art that specialized in defense.
The ice spears that were attacking one after another were continuously getting blocked by the wall of light protecting us.
Thanks to Rondo-san talking to me about the short sword, I could defend Celes's attack like this.
Evsan talked to my back.
「Lyle, I'm sorry. Because we're here──」
「──It doesn't matter.」
「Eh?」
「It doesn't matter. It's meaningless in front of Celes. Whether the two of you're here or not, I'll still be in disadvantage. Even escaping from here is──then, there's no other way but to fight!」
I fired up myself.
Killing Rondo-san and others, burning Zel-jiisan……I couldn't forgive her.
The wall of light enveloping us was gradually weakening.
The short sword was cracked. The magic tool went over its limit.
「Both of you. I'll buy you time so──during that time!」
Shannon yelled.
「What about you!?」
「It's no good if someone doesn't stay behind!」
And then, the last ice spear crashed on the wall of light and blew it away.
The short sword broke into pieces. I held the Jewel with my right hand and summoned the silver great sword.
Due to the chilly air, the scenery around us was changed completely. No matter where I looked, there was only ice spreading through the street──Celes was waiting ahead.
「Celes!」
「Oh, this time it's a large sword?」
Bluish white flame burst out from my body. The First's Art strengthened my body to the limit, then I used all the other Arts except the Seventh's.
I lifted up the Great Sword and leaped toward Celes. When I swung down, the shockwave broke the surrounding ice and blew them away.
Celes was standing on my great sword.
「Slo~w. You're really a trash.」
Immediately Celes's spinning kick hit me and I crashed on a warehouse's wall. I stood up right away and slashed with the great sword.
Celes avoided everything, and then she stabbed me with her rapier.
「Your wound is healing. Is that the power of your Jewel?」
The Sixth was surprised.
『This girl, just now──』
The Fourth muttered in frustration.
『I can't believe that even the current Lyle isn't her match.』
When I slashed up with the great sword, the generated impact destroyed the surrounding ice. The ice fragments were sparkling in the air.
Celes approached me.
「Well, you're just trash in the end. Even if you have the Arts of Walt House's ancestors, it's not a big deal. The ancestors too, they're just trash anyway because they side with you.」
Celes knew about the Jewel. And then, she spoke as though she also knew that the memory of the ancestors was revived.
But, what I couldn't forgive was──how she insulted the Jewel as trash.
Celes declared that even the ancestors were trash.
「YOUUUUUUU!」
「Ahahaha! You angry?」
『Lyle, calm down! More importantly, Celes knowing about the Jewel means that the yellow Gem that Celes has is──』
I ignored the Fifth's voice and slashed at Celes, even so it was dodged. Even when I slashed back, Celes blocked it with her bare hand. The great sword couldn't even twitch.
The Seventh yelled.
『Lyle, that's Zenoa's yellow Gem! I don't know where in the world she obtained it but, that thing is bad. If that's also a Jewel like yours──it has been existing since before Bahnseim Kingdom was founded!』
I poured my strength, but the great sword couldn't move at all.
「So yours is also a Jewel huh.」
Celes raised an eyebrow and showed her displeasure hearing the words I muttered.
「The same? Don't make fun of it. Unlike the failure over there, this Jewel is the real deal. The fake that you have seems to be a defective goods though.」
My anger was welling up even further at Celes mocking the Jewel as fake. It felt like she was making fun of the First and the Second who believed in me and disappeared.
「There is only one person in my Jewel.」
Celes kicked up the great sword. She closed the distance while my body greatly bent back. When I forcefully swung down the great sword, this time she swung her rapier.
The rapier's blade emitted heat. It was dyed red.
That blade hacked my great sword into pieces, destroying it apart.
「Do you think you will manage somehow with a weapon of that level!?」
Celes grabbed my head with her left hand, then she smacked my body on the wall before starting to run along the wall.
「Here, try enduring this!」
She greatly scraped the wall horizontally using me.
Even though I tried to resist Celes's strength, nothing could be done with my strength.
「Even though I'm suing the First's Art」
And then Celes threw me to the wall of a different warehouse.
I who hit the wall got rebounded and fell on the ground.
The ground that was mixed with snow and ice was cold and sharp.
When I tried to crawl and stand up, Celes stepped on my head.
She was grinding her foot on my head, but I couldn't push her away.
「How wretched! It's fitting for you.」
The Jewel was tumbling nearby. The great sword had already vanished. I couldn't even stand up or brush her away, but suddenly I was let go──.
「Here, fly away!」
Celes pointed her left hand toward me. She was going to emit flame from there.
I picked up the Jewel and grasped it tightly.
When I half gave up thinking that this was it, magic attacked Celes.
Celes stopped from firing magic at me and deflected the magic attacking her, erasing it.
When I looked toward the direction the magic was coming from, Evsan was there with her right arm pointed this way.
「Why!?」
Evsan was smiling.
「I've properly let Shannon escape.」
That wasn't really an answer. Even though I wanted her to escape.
Celes pointed her left hand at Evsan.
「I'll kill you by burning you slowly. I wonder what kind of voice an elf will cry with when they burn.」
Although she was expressionless, there was anger oozing into her voice. Celes was going to fire her magic. Even though I had to stand up right away, because I used the great sword my body wouldn't move like I wanted.
「At this kind of time!」
Then the situation changed.
*Pokon*──Such sound resounded to the surrounding. The knights who were observing from a distance yelled.
「Celes-sama!」
Celes glared at the agitated knights.
「Don't move! Don't get in my way!」
「Ye, yes!」
A palm sized ice was tumbling in front of me.
It hit Celes's head, denting her fur head before falling in front of my eyes.
Celes couldn't dodge it.
The silent Celes started to tremble in rage.
She opened her bloodshot eyes and searched the surrounding. There Shannon was standing.
She was further behind Evsan. Her breathing was slightly disordered.
Apparently she was using the power of her mystic eyes. Shannon's eyes were shining gold.
「Shannon, why didn't you run!?」
Shannon who was smaller than me and powerless answered brazenly.
「I! I swore that I'll absolutely take revenge toward this woman! I don't want to run away! Because if I run away leaving you two behind, I'll regret it for my whole life!」
The ice she threw wasn't really that big.
The damage to Celes was zero.
Even so, Shannon showed how she landed an attack on Celes.
Seeing that, I exerted my strength and stood up.
It was in order to hold down Celes whose attention was taken by Shannon. But, just before I could touch her body, Celes vanished from that spot. I lost my target and tumbled on the ground.
Celes instantly moved until right beside Shannon.
「Shannon run!」
I didn't think that something would happen from me yelling, but I couldn't help myself from yelling.
Frustrating. ……I didn't think that being helpless was this frustrating.
I couldn't protect anyone.
「I won't let you!」
When Evsan tried to fire magic, Celes turned her left hand at her.
「Kyah!」
Evsan was blown away from there and crashed on a wall. She fell and fainted.
「Evsan!」
I couldn't move.
The Sixth was yelling.
『Shannon!』
The Fifth turned toward Celes,
『This monster. No one could predict that she would be this monstrous.』
The strength of Celes that greatly exceeded their expectation made even the ancestors unable to do anything except feeling bewildered.
Celes grabbed Shannon's neck with her left hand and raised her up.
「Those eyes, they seem special.」
「Le, let go!」
Celes was smiling ominously while watching the pained Shannon.
「That's too good for a rubbish like you. That's why, I'll torture you after gouging out your eyeballs. I'll take my time slowly to kill you.」
What should I do? What should I do to be able to save Shannon!?
I thought, and immediately arrived to an answer.
A smile naturally formed.
「──What, you're angry?」
The Third was losing his calm at my action.
『Lyle, provoking her here is──. I see, so you've resolved yourself.』
In order to answer the Third who understood, I strongly grasped the Jewel.
I looked at Evsan, after that my gaze turned toward Celes and I mocked her.
「Letting your head be defenseless after acting so composed like that, that's really a total joke! How do you feel after getting hit by Shannon who you treated as rubbish huh!?」
I laughed at Celes and made fun of her.
Celes turned toward me. She tossed Shannon away and faced this way.
Even though she possessed overwhelming power, her inside was a selfish child. She changed her target frequently and prioritized her own feeling. Because of that I thought that she absolutely would turn her attention at me if I did this.
Celes took a stance and thrust her rapier. I immediately guarded with my left hand──and got blown away toward a warehouse's wall.
Celes's rapier pierced my left hand, pinning it on the wall.
「Guhha!」
The blade was moved grindingly. Intense pain ran through my left arm. Celes kicked me over and over as though to step on me.
「This trash, this garbage, this useless thing! Don't make fun of me! A waste of breath, a trash like you, don't you dare to laugh at me!」
Celes was enraged. Unlike before she was losing herself from her anger toward me.
……That was right. It was fine like that.
My right hand that blocked Celes's kick was broken. Celes's breathing became disordered and she stopped moving. She grinded her rapier and continued to watch my suffering figure.
「Being made fun by you is something that must never happened. It was for the sake of that I──」
「──tsu!」
I kept praying that Evsan and Shannon would get away during this time. In order to keep Celes's focus on me, I smiled even while in pain.
When I lifted my face, Celes's left hand was holding up a large blazing fire ball. The flame that was burning dark red was melting the surrounding snow and ice.
I couldn't even move anymore.
「Die, you trash! If only Novem isn't there, then someone like you──」
……Why did she mention Novem's name there?
The next moment, Celes turned her gaze to the yellow gem embedded in her rapier just once. And then, she pulled out the rapier from me and quickly got away from that spot.
「DON'T TOUCH CHICKEN DICKWAAAAAD!」
A large hammer was swung down at the spot where Celes was standing at just now.
The enraged Monica appeared in front of me.
「……Monica.」
「Please don't talk. Everyone will immediately arrive here. Just leave this place to Monica.」
Monica raised her large hammer and didn't take off her gaze from Celes.
「Automaton? Hee, this is the automatic puppet that the ancient people made. It'll be interesting to dismantle it.」
Monica charged toward Celes who was muttering to herself.
Although the hammer struck at Celes, she blocked it with her left arm.
I didn't know where was she hiding such power inside that thin arm, but I got the feeling this was the first time I saw Monica was losing in strength.
『So even Monica is no good. Lyle, can you move?』
I answered 「Doesn't seem like it」 to the Fourth's voice. I also ran out of mana, and my body was tattered that I couldn't move.
『It's really suspicious whether she is human. This is the child of evil god──the First was right. We were also underestimating Celes.』
The Third's voice was oozing with vexation.
Monica struck at Celes with her hammer while,
「Hostility is welling up when I look at you. Are you really human?」
「What a rude puppet. Well, I'll recognize that I'm an existence that surpass human!」
Celes kicked Monica flying until she crashed through a warehouse's wall.
「Monica!」
Blood got out from my mouth when I yelled. The situation was extremely bad.
Monica charged through a warehouse's wall from a different location. She circled behind Celes and struck horizontally with her hammer.
「You're tough. I got a little bit interest.」
「I'm not happy hearing that. You're the only one who I absolutely won't forgive after trying to kill chicken dickwad!」
Evsan who recovered her consciousness and Shannon ran toward me and gave me first aid.
「No good. Too much blood is flowing out.」
Evsan was flustered. Shannon was crying.
「You, why did you save me!?」
「Shut up. I told you I'll protect you.」
Even though it would be better if she just escaped……. But, to be truthful I was happy that the two of them were at my side.
When Celes fired magic, Monica was blown away. Monica who fell on the ground lost her right arm and her clothes was scorched.
A second later her hammer fell on the ground. It was intensely burned. The color turned black and it was smoking.
When I looked at Celes, snow and ice were gone only around Celes. The temperature drastically increased that it felt hot.
Monica stood up and held the hammer with her left hand.
「Monica, why aren't you regenerating!?」
Shannon looked at the battered Monica while crying.
Monica had self-repair function.
「I need chicken dickwad's mana for my repair. If I perform repair here, chicken dickwad will die. That's the only thing I absolutely refuse to accept. I decline!」
Even though she was always screwing around normally, why was at this kind of time…….
I forcefully used the First's Art. Limit Burst──it was an Art that ignored the body's burden in addition of strengthening the flesh. It also had the effect of healing wound when in use.
「Lyle, don't force yourself!」
Evsan was worrying for me, but I would only die if I didn't do anything.
「I have to stop that girl somehow.」
When Celes was about to attack Monica.
This time a battle axe attacked Celes. Celes deflected it with her rapier. Next Arisan's pear appeared. She stopped it by pinching it.
「Oh, how fast.」
「No way!」
Arisan accelerated herself using her Art and thrust with a speed that the eye couldn't follow. Such an attack was easily blocked by Celes.
Celes then lifted up her rapier above her head. There Sophisan was swinging down her battle axe.
The thin rapier that was specialized for thrust was blocking the battle axe.
「Impossible!」
Sophisan was also in disbelief.
Celes pinched Arisan's spear and then she threw her at Sophisan. The two crashed and fell.
「Weak. There is really nothing but small fry. To come in order to save this garbage, could it be they are your comrades? They're comrades fitting for small fry like you.」
The two of them stood up and took their stance.
Celes wasn't interested.
「All of you, be their opponent. I'm going to burn the trash now.」
The knights and soldiers surrounded the two while being armed.
Arisan readied her spear.
「Sophia, stop everyone's movement.」
Sophisan shook her head.
「I'm doing it since just now. I'm doing it but」
There wasn't any effect. The movement of the soldiers was dull but, they were moving even then. The knight wasn't affected. The Seventh was vexed.
『The knights who originally should protect Lyle are becoming enemy.』
Then, a huge black tiger came running wile scattering the knights and soldiers. Mirandsan and Clarsan who were riding on its back collected the two.
『Miranda!』
The Sixth raised his voice. His voice was praising her for coming──.
The Fifth was gradually calming down.
『With this the possibility of survival increased slightly.』
He didn't mention winning because there was how much the difference of strength was.
Mirandsan came this way and leaped down from the tiger's back. She took her weapon in front of Celes.
「Clara, run away with Lyle and others.」
Shannon looked at Mirandsan,
「Onee-sama!」
「Go! ──I don't know if I'll be able to even buy time.」
Celes was looking fed up.
「……Do you understand the meaning of allying yourself to that side?」
「I understand it well.」
「Unfortunate. Even though you were my favorite.」
Mirandsan glanced at the crying Shannon before,
「I hate you though.」
「I see. Then disappear.」
The large black tiger Mirandsan created was a golem. When she set it after Celes, it was instantly cut apart and returned into soil.
Mirandsan threw knives one after another during that opening. The throwing knives with the shape like arrowhead had blade made from clay.
It was scattered around Celes and exploded in succession. There Mirandsan prepared a golem for our sake.
The spider with adorable deformed appearance had large back.
「Put Lyle on it and run──」
That golem was crushed under the foot of Celes who swooped down from the sky.
「That's unfortunate. I won't let you esca~pe!」
Arisan and Sophisan attacked Celes, but they were kicked away.
Monica tried to capture Celes, but she was cut apart with the rapier. Her left arm and left foot were severed and she fell on the ground with a slide.
Clarsan pointed her artificial arm toward Celes, and from there flame was spouted out.
「……This is, Lyle-san's little sister?」
It couldn't be helped that Clarsan was surprised.
Celes was walking within the flame without even getting any burn. And then she grabbed Clarsan's left arm before crushing it within her grip.
「Hee, this is an artificial arm.」
「Tsu!」
Clarsan couldn't move from fear. The one who moved to save her was Evsan. She got between Celes and Clarsan before stabbing with the short sword she received from me.
「Youu!」
But, Celes easily handled her and Evsan fell on the ground.
「Evsan!」
Clarsan tried to help Evsan, but Celes's hand reached toward her. Mirandsan's string entangled around that hand.
「You all, quickly──」
──Before she could say run, Celes forcefully pulled Mirandsan's string. She swung around Mirandsan and smashed her on a wall. Then she cut the strong with her rapier.
「Onee-sama!」
Mirandsan fell after hitting the wall. Shannon rushed toward her and desperately called out to her.
「Don't touch me. Haa, even so I got dirty. Even though this coat is my favorite……that's right! There is a knight who is married. I'll present this to him. He'll hug this coat every night when he sleep while ignoring his wife. That'll be funny.」
It was an extremely bad hobby. I found it hard to understand how this kind of little sister came to be.
Celes was hateful.
She stole everything from me, and obtained everything that I couldn't obtain──and then, she destroyed even the things I finally obtained.
I was shedding tears seeing my comrades getting felled one after another before me.
Celes showed a sunny smile seeing me like that. That very happy face looked unbelievably ugly to me.
「That face, it's nice! I wanted to see that face! It's just the best. I'll kill you last. Until then, I'll slowly torture them to death in front of your eyes. Aa, I'm really looking forward to it I can't stand it.」
Seeing Celes's ecstatic expression, I──.
「YOUUUUUU!! SOMEONE LIKE YOU!」
The moment I stood up and moved to step forward──.
Celes leaped backward from that spot as though fearing something. Her composure from before was gone. She was glancing repeatedly to the yellow Gem embedded in her rapier.
Until now, she never showed such behavior to us──ahead of her gaze was,
「──Novem[
Novem was slowly walking this way with a staff in her left hand.
Her face wasn't her usual kind expression, it was expressionless──and then when she glanced at us, she frowned just for a bit.
Novem passed us and stood in front of Celes. She opened her mouth.
「……This is different from the promise, Celes-sama.」
Celes turned her gaze to the yellow Gem, and then she began conversing with Novem.
「Is that so? I forgot.」
「I had said it. I won't forgive you if you lay your hand on Lyle-sama.」
「……Hee, then what're you going to do? I am Celes Walt. The successor of Walt House that all of you treasured. You're going to lay your hand on me?」
「I'll do just that if it's necessary. What's important for me is Lyle-sama. Your order of priority is below that.」
Novem's words were terribly cold. I could feel the anger inside her voice.
I also understood she was trying to protect me.
But──however!
「Novem, what is the meaning of this!?」
Novem didn't turn around hearing my voice.
It looked like Celes was hesitating to fight Novem. Celes who was showing an overwhelming difference when fighting us was falling into thought.
「……The current me is strong you know? Do you think I'll lose against the like of you?」
「I won't be able to win. But, do you want to test it? Perhaps I won't be able to win, but Celes-sama also won't get away unscathed.」
Celes's face changed into a loathing expression, but she didn't let herself get driven by anger and attacked. She was frequently looking at the yellow Gem.
I was curious just who in the world was inside there. Then Celes bit her lower lip once before sheathing her rapier.
「……I'll withdraw for now. There is no problem with this right?」
「Yes, I won't pursue. Also, I have one question though.」
「What?」
Celes turned her back toward us to return, but she looked back to see Novem's face.
「Are you Celes-sama, or are you 『Septem』?」
Celes instantly let out her anger.
「Don't call me with that name!」
I wondered if the battle would start again, but Celes frequently paid attention to the yellow Gem──Jewel, and then she headed to her carriage.
After seeing Celes leaving along with the soldiers and knights of Walt House, Novem came to here.
Relieve and various emotions assaulted me.
「Lyle-sama, I'll heal you right away.」
Novem came beside me.
When I was opening my mouth, my consciousness was receding.
I then fell on the ground. There a horse carriage came to our side.
It wasn't Walt House, that crest──belonged to Faunbeux royal family.
──Inside the carriage of Walt House.
Celes was really irritated.
But. Her current figure only looked like she was staring at the yellow Gem embedded in the rapier while talking to herself.
「Annoying. Yes yes, I understand. Sheesh, just why do I have to follow her words.」
That Celes noticed that the carriage was getting slower.
The coachman said something, then the knights and soldiers around were responding.
A knight came reporting.
「Celes-sama, that's──」
「What?」
「A man called Lionel Walt ask to be allowed to meet with Celes-sama.」
The knight who was normally getting his act together was perplexed. Celes pondered just for a bit. She was curious about the man's name.
「Walt?」
When she turned her gaze toward the yellow Jewel, she said 「Hee」 with interest.
Celes smiled and,
「That sounds interesting. Bring him to me.」
「Yes-!」
When the knight brought that man, Celes was surprised for an instant, but she then pressed her stomach and started laughing──.