Inside the academy’s dessert cafe.

Agent C of the Imperial Defense Bureau responded to the request of Yuna Yurensto Violetiris, the purple tower master. She placed a cup of coffee on the table and began her story.

“What happened in the year 440?” she asked.

“Yes. Even if it’s a story from outside the year 440, as long as it’s related to Yuri, it’s fine.”

“I heard she was in a coma… What exactly is her condition?”

“Session… Ugh. She’s swallowed up in a nightmare of reconstructed memories. That’s why I’m asking for information. It helps to break the nightmare.”

C seemed convinced. Her eyes momentarily clouded over as if sifting through long memories. Observing her tone and expressionless face, Yuna suddenly felt that Yuri and C were very much alike.

Even their commitment to formal attire.

Though their hair color, eye color, and physique were different, making a blood relation unlikely…

When Yuna’s round, violet eyes had scanned C’s appearance about three times, she opened her mouth to begin her story.

“That was back when… I was living with Yuri.”

“Living together?!”

“Should I say the lead investigator? An important witness to uncover the true nature of the Succubus Queen, and out of pitiable circumstances, we ended up living together for protective surveillance. At my mansion.”

“Aha…”

Is that so, is that so!

I thought it was strange. Yuri, a fledgling who couldn’t adapt to the Annihilation Squad, how could she afford to live in a mansion?

The village was gone, so she wouldn’t have had any property left, and she didn’t seduce men to steal their money.

After all, the Annihilation Squad doesn’t seem like the kind of organization that pays well. The avengers work for relatively low wages because they have a clear purpose.

Just as the Self Tower remains populated despite being strapped for research funds compared to other Magic Towers.

So, they wouldn’t have paid enough to afford a mansion!

Before entering, Yuna and the Mad Magician had detected ‘a person’s absence.’ Data of one person deliberately erased by the Queen. That must have been C.

If C was Yuri’s guardian figure, then erasing her was akin to removing her emotional support.

Thankfully, it seems the Mad Magician has neatly taken over that role…

Could it be that the stiff speech and suit fashion were also influenced by living with her? Tracing back through someone’s childhood is fascinating. Yuna asked, resting her chin on her hands.

“Yuri, you didn’t adapt well to the Annihilation Squad, did you…?”

“Yes. They’re like stray dogs; if they think you’re weak, they’ll bite. There was significant bullying, I understand.”

“Oh dear…”

From noble mtl dot come

“I put a lot of effort into her mental care and repeatedly suggested other places besides the Annihilation Squad. But she couldn’t deny the saying, ‘The department with the highest probability of achieving revenge with one’s own hands is the Annihilation Squad.'”

The side with a higher probability of achieving revenge would be climbing the ranks to a high position. Like C, commanding several people.

But it’s difficult to do it with one’s own hands. If C asked to go on an expedition to tear the Succubus Queen apart herself, Irid would stop her. They can’t afford to lose such a valuable human resource.

However, the Annihilation Squad, as much as they command people with their vengeful spirit, respects each individual’s revenge quite a bit. You could drive a spear through that heart yourself…

Yuri seemed to be drawn to such a catchphrase, C said.

“She came back badly hurt. Trying to make those dog-like b*stards acknowledge her, she’d swing at adults and get beaten and carried back.”

“…Oh, she was rougher than I thought?”

Indeed. Even now, after quite some time, her vengeful spirit flares up fiercely when triggered. It’s not hard to imagine how intense it was in her youth.

Just looking at the events at the Benston Mansion with Magical Girl Pure Knight.

Yuri Lannister had to take deep breaths for a while to calm down, enraged by just the traces of the Succubus Queen.

She gets hurt. She hates the b*stards of the Annihilation Squad. But she can endure it because she has to tear the Queen apart with these hands. That’s understandable.

“Hmm.”

According to the Mad Magician, young Yuri had quite a fragile impression. Perhaps the Queen had suppressed her aggressiveness a bit…

Yuna tilted her head this way and that, a nagging unease settling in, when C continued speaking.

“However, when you think about it, it was thanks to that torment that she blossomed into a metamorphosis. Should we call it a blessing in disguise?”

“Ah, you mean the chain-wrapped one…? When did she blossom? The Glass in the dream is still unusable.”

“Chain-wrapped… Yes. If I remember correctly, it was while pursuing the group of dark sorcerers known as ‘The Red Rebirth’ that she made a mistake. Or should I say, she acted out of character for the Annihilation Squad.”

Compassion.

She had shown compassion to a child suspected of being associated with ‘The Red Rebirth.’ The child turned out to be indeed involved, and as a price for her kindness, Glass received a blade and underwent metamorphosis right then and there.

A metamorphosis that bound her tightly with chains, sinking her down, a sight so sorrowful it could make anyone weep.

“But that timing was, in fact, fortunate.”

“Fortunate…?”

“In the subsequent ‘Red Rebirth’ suppression battle, she played a significant role, shattering the enemies’ illusion magic. After reviewing the battle records, it was concluded that without Glass’s metamorphosis, victory would have been impossible.”

“Isn’t it better to bear emotional scars than to die? C said with a smile. Yuna neither affirmed nor denied, offering only an ambiguous smile.

The rate of the mad sorcerer’s information bomb planting is steadily increasing.

The moment they are all detonated simultaneously, the session is forcibly cleared. Without the need for keys or trumpets, the sorcerer can advance to the second floor.

So… even if the Queen drags out the time, the story ends around the ‘Red Rebirth’ suppression battle. There will be no journey beyond that.

The Queen must be aware of this fact. Then, clinging and holding us back like this. Could it be an intention to use the suppression battle as the main event? To throw a curveball at that moment?

If so, perhaps it’s better for the Glass in the dream to suffer a little more.

A battle that couldn’t have been won without Glass’s metamorphosis. With the mad sorcerer inside, he would lead the fight to victory with his innate physical prowess and wit… but the expenditure is inevitable.

However, if it’s a battle meant to be won, the expenditure can be minimized.

The Glass in the dream has not yet metamorphosed. We must wait until she makes a ‘mistake,’ or perhaps provoke her emotions a bit earlier to induce the metamorphosis.

There is guilt.

After all, it’s as if we’re pushing Glass to suffer for our sake. Even if it’s a strategy to save her—pain is pain, and wounds are wounds.

But.

It was such a strategy. As long as the mad sorcerer’s resources are preserved until a certain point, it’s a battle that can definitely be won.

Yuna conveyed this content to the sorcerer.

—

I’ve pondered a lot.

Even after receiving the information from Yuna, I deliberated considerably.

Logically, I’ve reached a conclusion. The Queen’s intentions are clear.

Consider this.

The Queen and I are sitting at the same table, playing chess. I read her expression, hidden beyond the shadows. It’s faintly visible.

The queen consistently longed for ‘Yuri’s wounds.’

Yes.

From trying to trap me in the body of a pig sorcerer, to weaving misunderstandings, choosing the year 440 as the stage, and when I tried to join Yuri at the festival, she seemed to dangle bait to block me.

Moreover, she even excluded Kirby, who was supposed to be an ally, from the story.

She acts as if she wants young Yuri to be hurt. Is she trying to extract magical power by causing her pain? Or is she trying to make her hate me, to provoke an attack?

I can’t know her exact intentions.

But as a result, it turns out that my attempt to help Yuri was the right answer.

I was moving completely opposite to the queen’s intentions. Talking with her, participating in the festival, laughing and chatting.

However, the reason I can’t purely rejoice in this fortune is that it was a result chosen more by emotion than rational judgment.

It was… greed.

Yuri’s unfortunate past grips my heart and shakes it. When I see someone precious to me suffering like this before my eyes, emotions inevitably surge.

So.

I wished that Yuri could at least experience a happy moment in her dreams. Since this is a dream, not time travel, the past won’t change as if it were a lie.

But the memories will remain after everything is over. I hoped she would think of me when she looks back on these memories. Even if it wasn’t true, I wished that ‘Mima,’ an imaginary friend, had been by her side.

Thus, I hope she can quell the bubbling anger enough to leave my side, to put down the impulse to go it alone and pluck the wool.

I think I had the thought, ‘Won’t you walk with me?’

Then why am I still pondering?

It’s good. I’m doggedly following what the queen is trying to prevent. After scoffing at that bait, I just need to go enjoy the festival with Yuri.

Make her happy until the end of the story, get the key from Yuri, go down, and start the second battle.

But… something keeps nagging at me.

I must check. I have to check this part. That’s the intuition I have.

So, I chose to go after the queen’s exposed neck.

…

The sky collapses and attacks me. It’s dizzying to look at the texture, but if I adjust my vision to only see the distribution of information.

It’s a wave of information crashing over me. It becomes much easier to perceive.

I make contact with a passing NPC. It seems to be just a shell, but it’s enough material. I fold the information and contaminate it sharply.

Filled with arithmetic problems, when it contacts the opponent’s processing unit, it forces computation… a problem bomb. I make three of them and throw them all at once.

Crackle. Crackle-crackle.

The wave lags and stutters.

I’ve bought some time, so it’s time for a counterattack. I turn the finely torn magic into mice and release them in all directions. They burrow into nearby buildings, the ground, and the sky, eating away from the inside.

The magic that burrowed in contaminates the internal data, causing replication. It’s akin to a virus and its cunning. It temporarily exerts dominion over the tainted information.

I clench my fist.

Boom-!!

It bursts forth from within, scattering in all directions. The building’s texture empties out, leaving behind a pitch-black void, and cracks spiderweb across it.

I felt like a demon lord destined to destroy the world. In a way, it was similar to shattering a nightmare.

I was overwhelming.

Despite the unfavorable situation, the queen showed no signs of retreat. The veil of information shielding her was slowly breaking away, revealing her silhouette. It was oddly familiar.

Even amidst this, my ambition relentlessly spurs me on.

You’re dancing to the queen’s tune── more than that, Yuri’s expression keeps haunting me. Quite some time has passed. She must be waiting for me.

Yuri must be searching for the missing Mima.

“Sky Drill.”

Whirrrr-!!

A massive drilling machine emerges from the ground. At its tip is a vicious spike, ready to puncture the world with a few thrusts.

Creak. The drilling begins. As the veil of information crumbles, the queen’s figure is revealed with each explosive sound. I’ve almost caught her.

Once caught, it will be over.

Crack. Fragments scatter, and the queen’s left eye is exposed. It’s dull and hollow. She struggles desperately, but I can control everything.

She must have gone back.

Yuri would have returned. She wouldn’t be foolishly waiting. Seeing that I’m late, she must have realized something happened⋯⋯ and understood.

She would have gone home, stewing in complaints. Preparing to grill me on why I didn’t show up. That’s what she’ll do.

She won’t be waiting.

Creak. Crunch.

Filled with impatience and anxiety⋯⋯ I gather information and lash out like a whip. The trajectory distorts the existence of people and an inn, striking the void. The sky resounds.

The queen had her hair in a ponytail. It didn’t suit her at all.

In this vicinity, due to the information war, the sun and moon are chaotically intertwined, making it impossible to tell time. But outside, the moon must have risen.

“The shadow cast at your feet, peering through the gap in the wardrobe⋯⋯.”

As I prepare another strike to shatter the queen’s protective barrier.

A fractured plane of space, like a mirror, reflects the distant figure of Yuri. Clouds obscure the moon, darkening the night.

Yuri stands alone in a clearing where the campfire has died. Still.

I contemplate returning time and again, turning my feet to leave. But I can’t bring myself to step forward and turn back. Her face is a mess. That expression⋯⋯ intertwined with hope and disappointment, leaving dry trails of tears.

“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”

My heart felt like it was plummeting to the depths below. Thump.

I didn’t know it would hurt this much, I thought. Excuses won’t change anything. What’s done is done. But.

It’s not too late. She was still waiting. Even now.

I know it will take time to fully conclude things. During that time, I’m aware that Yuri will slowly wither away. She’s still getting hurt.

Monitoring the queen’s condition.

She’s drained of strength. Clinging only to the veil that protects her, gasping for breath. No more threatening counterattacks come flying. She’s just holding on.

I lost to my heart.

“Damn it, ‘Stepgate Ascension’!”

I bound her. Tightly wrapped the queen up with the veil. Delicately yet firmly. So that no one could untie her unless her royal grandfather came from outside.

I’ll finish it properly later.

And then I hastily folded space and ran. To where Yuri was waiting. To gather up the broken pieces of her heart.

—

And so… he firmly tied up the fake queen and ran off in search of love.

The seal was certainly solid. Really. So tough that no one who came looking could easily melt it away. He even set a trick so that if someone tampered with it, it would signal him, so that brief respite wasn’t a big problem.

But… because of that brief respite, he failed to ascertain the identity of the rival, the fake queen, who had been bickering throughout this story.

Perhaps, he could have realized it from the clues presented so far. He was truly astute and capable.

But he didn’t realize it. Because… he wasn’t interested. The queen’s appearance was that of a prowling wildcat, coveting his beloved Yuri.

It’s not surprising. Jealousy can turn even the smartest person into a fool.

A member of the Annihilation Squad, a pitiful child brainwashed by the evil deity statue, my living chair, and now the proxy queen of dreams. He amusingly called her, Blacklez. Isn’t that a vulgar term…?

As a character, ‘the queen’.

Her name is Seris.

—

In the midst of moving, Yuna whispered.

-Hey, was this… really okay?

“……”

Truthfully, it wasn’t okay. But that expression… made me think that it needed to be erased, no matter the risk or the cost.

It’s already too late. No, it’s not too late.

-Be, there…

The moment I arrived at the clearing, Yuna’s voice faded. Did she step aside for a moment, not to interrupt my conversation with Yuri?

She was still standing there, motionless.

I rustled the leaves on purpose, making a sound with my footsteps. Yuri’s petite frame trembled with anticipation, yet she did not turn around.

She must be afraid of being deceived again.

How many times has she been thrilled by the sound of the wind, the flutter of birds, only to be disappointed? Each time she turned, finding no one there but the leaves swaying… How much disappointment must she have felt?

I cannot stand by and watch this any longer, not when victory and efficiency are at stake.

So, I asked…

“…Have I come too late?”

With that single phrase announcing my arrival, I decided to make up for all the disappointments.

Yes, damn it, I will not miss a thing. I will gather it all up. This won’t be a story where the protagonist suffers only to grasp a happy ending; I will turn it into a slice-of-life where joy overflows every moment.

And so, I will conclude the story with laughter until the very end.