Cissel Urensto had often thought about her end. Like everyone else, she too would eventually encounter eternal sleep.

She could meet death on a fierce battlefield, collapse while swinging a sword in her backyard, or perhaps one morning, she might not awaken at all.

At times, such thoughts had appeared in her dreams. It was the night she received her conditional terminal diagnosis from the priest.

In her dream, Cissel discovered multiple versions of her dead self, all reflecting in a mirror, each wearing a common expression of relief and emptiness.

As she gazed at her corpse, she suddenly woke up.

When she shared that dream with Princess Elaine, the first princess, she pointed out something other than the death in the dream.

“Were you young or old in your death?”

They were all the same young version of Cissel. It felt like looking in a mirror.

“Have you ever thought of a blessed and natural death where you grow old, give birth, create a family, and happily meet your end surrounded by your children…?”

No. Cissel could not imagine her old age.

She only felt a vague sense of uncertainty about the fact that she might still be alive by then. It was overwhelming. Life felt too long…

After that, she forgot about thoughts of death. It didn’t come up in her dreams, and she could easily brush off the topic if someone brought it up, as if she hadn’t heard it.

There was nothing that could be done simply by thinking, and to establish her reputation as Sir Urensto on the battlefield, using fables was not an option but a necessity.

Going out to the battlefield, training, falling asleep, and going back to the battlefield.

Continuously turning like cogs until she was pushed into the Hero Selection Tournament. She had no thoughts about her death. She thought she had become indifferent…

Perhaps all of this was a facade.

She might have locked away her heart, preventing unnecessary thoughts from overflowing.

However, last night, after receiving the three-fold restriction from the strange physician.

It keeps coming to mind.

I thought I had become indifferent to death.

“『Courage』 Tournament Group A Round of 32! The one coming from the left… is there even a need for words? With just a single swing, he has already defeated his opponent! Vice Captain of the 『Order of the Wind Knight』, Cissel Urensto──!!”

Creak, creak.

The iron boots that now feel like my own skin made a clanking sound. I advance toward the brightly lit arena. That brilliance looks radiant, but for Cissel, it is no different from the light of death.

Cissel squinted against the glare, using the gauntlet to shield his eyes. Once the shadow covered his eyelids, it was a bit better.

Round of 32.

Three times.

If I write a fable once in each match, Cissel will die in the quarterfinals.

“From the right, we have… one of the favorites to win Group A, able to manipulate the earth freely with his fable abilities, from 『Bankruptcy』, Kargan──!!”

He steps onto the stage.

A stage of ‘glory’ that has continued since childhood.

He lifts the zweihänder with both hands. It feels heavier than usual. Three times left. Thinking that one of the three will be broken with this swing seems ridiculously insufficient.

When all the leaves fall from the bare branches…

…

The one opposing him is a man resembling a bear. A famous mercenary, his earth manipulation skills are said to rival the elite wizards of the Golden Tower.

He is an opponent I must face. I cannot win with swordsmanship alone.

“You’re the knight who has made quite a name for herself on the Eastern Front. I’ve heard stories about the East going back and forth. Thanks to the support of the First Princess, you’ve hoarded those expensive priests and rotate them in shifts? How extravagant.”

“……..”

“I can tell how your skills as a knight would fare in such a cushy environment, crying like a child to your priests for healing at the slightest scratch. Let me expose your shortcomings. The battlefield where life and death intertwines is different── What, are you ignoring me?!”

“Ah, I’m sorry. I was… thinking about something else.”

Handling two thoughts at once is overwhelming. My head is a mess. I couldn’t hear his words clearly. Cissel apologized for his carelessness.

Did that come off as ignoring him? Kargan shouted fiercely, pulling up his fable with all his might.

“The name of my fable is 『Earth Subjugation』! It is the ability to manipulate the earth within a 3-meter radius. I won’t stop shooting rock bullets until you acknowledge your defeat, knight of the Eastern Front──!”

Thud, thud, thud!

Boom, bang!

From noble mtl dot come

“Has it risen?! Around Kargan, the arena floor is breaking and rising into the air! The size is human-sized, and there are well over ten of them! Moreover, suddenly, dust is flying?!”

“Come and take it──!!”

Rumbling──!!

Dust swirls like waves, obscuring my vision. It’s as if a severe sandstorm has arrived, and in an instant, everything is painted in earthy tones.

And then, a sound comes from somewhere, the sound of a large object flying through the air. It must be the massive rock just pulled from the earth. Any ordinary person would find no way to cope and would be crushed beneath it.

Cicel is no different. With her natural physical abilities, she cannot escape that attack. She lacks the agility to close the distance in an instant, the focus to exploit the gaps in the assault, and the strength to deflect the rock.

She doesn’t have the charm and intuition of Juel.

Nor the genius of Yuna.

Yet, somehow, she must, without fail, achieve it. Because it’s something that can only be accomplished by sacrificing herself. She doesn’t want to face that relentless gaze of disappointment.

She must, she must.

Cicel’s fingers hesitated slightly, trembling. It was a hesitation she had never felt before. But soon, she activated the trigger.

Wuuu──.

She starts the engine. She colors her soul.

As she pours in the pervasive, murky gray emotions, her soul begins to writhe and pulse in agony. You shall become a knight worthy of your lineage. As that curse tightly squeezes her soul.

With an indescribable, sharp pain.

The soul, stained in ash gray, spills forth a special magical power like a crumbling apple, flowing down through the cracks. The magic spreads throughout her body like paint.

What manifests from this is the ‘Weight.’

Her entire body feels heavy. It seems as if the world is pressing down with its weight. The hand gripping the zweihänder trembles slightly. However, as Cicel barely swings the great sword, tracing a semicircle in the air──.

Suuu.

Kwaaa──!!

Because something so heavy brushed past, a tremendous gravitational force erupted from the空間 where the zweihänder had passed. A hazy black gap remained, sucking in dust, air, and the massive boulders that had been flying through the air.

It looked as if a curved black hole had opened above her head. Everything in the vicinity was drawn in, sticking to the trajectory, and a crescent moon made of rock rose into the sky.

The manifestation of gravitational manipulation, resulting from the simple concept of weight accumulation.

Metamorphosis, ‘Obligation of Duty.’

“Ah, no…?!”

Kargan, having lost her entire attack, gaped in shock at the sight. She couldn’t even think of continuing her next offensive.

If the trajectory of that great sword had been aimed not at her but forward, Kargan might have been crushed beneath her own rock.

Or perhaps caught in the direct influence of the strike, crumpled without leaving even a corpse. If that were the case, it would be the mercy of the knight.

Knowing the above and below, granting an early opportunity to acknowledge defeat.

“………”

“I will not take your head. Naturally, it’s a festival after all.”

Thud.

The zweihänder rested upon Kargan’s shoulder. She was sweating profusely, raising her hands. It was a sign of surrender.

“The match was decided in an instant! I’m not quite sure what happened, but… with Kargan’s surrender, the victor is Cicel Yurensto──!! Once again, she has incapacitated her opponent in a single blow and advances to the next round!”

Kuwung—!

As if to celebrate her victory, the rock that had been suspended in the air finally broke free from the gravitational pull and fell to the ground with a thud.

The crowd erupted in cheers. Cissel Yurensto turned her back on the applause and headed toward the exit passage from the stage.

The rough pressure of magic that had been squeezing her ceased, and the color drained from her soul. A sense of fatigue and weakness washed over her, as if she had just run a long-distance sprint.

…This is it, just once.

Now, there are two times left.

Her body seemed to suggest it could hold on a little longer, but that was probably an illusion. The person she met through Karen had understood the intricate and deep aspects of her soul and had pinpointed the symptoms she was experiencing with precision.

In a state where she couldn’t even sense the death looming right before her… it made sense. Those who are seriously injured often forget the pain.

Two times…

The emotions filling Cissel Yurensto’s heart were dual-edged. Was it anxiety over how far she had come, or was it a sense of liberation that the end was finally approaching? She couldn’t distinguish between the two.

Perhaps she didn’t want to.

——–

“Khahaha! This is the end for you, the mysterious smiling sorceress X! As for me, I’m a tremendous rich person, a Gold Fighter aiming to seize the hero’s position with my vast wealth. I shall grant you a 30-day unlimited use voucher for the Mima-hugging pillow, surrender now!”

“Hmph—are you trying to bribe me? But I’m sorry. The cheers and expectations of the crowd are weighing on my shoulders. I’ll eliminate you painlessly with my ultimate move, the X Kick. Gold Fighter.”

“…You won’t even fall for this bribe? Have you somehow come to enjoy the fame you’ve gained in this thoughtless tournament—Ouch, that hurts! You said it wouldn’t hurt!”

“Stay still, you fool! If you move, you’ll miss! Nangapungpung-kwon!”

——–

The red-haired girl followed Cissel with her arms crossed.

“That match was so cool! While we were clashing with swords, you had rocks flying around and storms brewing… But are you feeling tired or anything? Shall we go grab a meal? Of course, you’ve probably had a lot of good food, but there are quite a few decent restaurants in this city too.”

“Ah, I, um…”

“Oh! Are you really tired…? Then there’s a place nearby that offers aromatherapy and massages; wouldn’t it help to sweat it out there for your health? Or…”

“Thank you for the suggestion, but…”

Since the shocking terminal diagnosis, Karen had been very attentive to Cissel. Although she didn’t know the specific name of the illness related to her soul, it seemed she had heard from the doctor that ‘there isn’t much time left to live.’

Perhaps that’s why she was taking care of her in various ways. Even when Cissel felt overwhelmed and tried to refuse, she was pressed by Karen’s enthusiasm. It was the first time she had received this much attention, and it felt strange.

But…

“Shall we go sing a song?”

“………”

She didn’t dislike it.

As she stumbled along, she found herself on stage. Karen stood in the same spot and began her performance, while Cissel swayed among the audience, enjoying her dance and song. Her heart felt light.

Cissel watched the audience, who were cheering and dancing in their own ways, and, feeling a bit shy, she moved her arms awkwardly, trying to join in.

It was a dance of its own.

This was the first time I had ever played like this. My family had been too busy filling the ‘Wall of Glory,’ and Princess Elaine’s military was occupied with battles.

Even though the atmosphere on the Eastern Front had slightly improved after Elaine’s fable changed, it was still a battlefield where life and death hung in the balance. The concept of ‘play’ was exceedingly rare. No one was around to draw me into it.

So perhaps, for the first time in my life, I was truly playing.

After the performance ended, Karen came down from the stage, fluttering the hem of her clothing to cool off.

“How was it?”

“It was good. It was wonderful… truly wonderful.”

“Then after the break, would you like to stand on stage with me?”

“…What?”

At the sudden invitation, I widened my eyes. From that expression, the part of Karen that recalled the face of some great magician couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

Karen waved her hand dismissively.

“Ninety percent of those who enjoy a performance savor it for itself, but the remaining ten percent think, ‘I want to be like that too.’ You want to, don’t you? The stage.”

“But…”

I wasn’t sure if it was something I truly wanted or not. The sensors in Cecile’s brain, long atrophied, could not properly discern my likes and dislikes. Still, it felt like I was leaning more towards wanting to.

However, a multitude of worries surged up. I hadn’t properly learned, nor had I practiced, so I might end up putting on a disgraceful performance. If others saw me and were disappointed, I would be very disheartened.

Wouldn’t it be better to step out only after practicing for at least a day, no, ten days, or perhaps a month?

But by then, I would likely be long dead.

Amidst my contemplation, I came up with a plausible excuse to suppress my desires.

Singing in the streets as a knight would be inappropriate. It was behavior unbecoming of a knight, and if rumors spread, wouldn’t my reputation suffer?

Seizing on that remark, Karen tightly grasped my hand.

“They say there are knights who fight while singing… But if you’re really that worried! As long as there’s no risk of your identity being revealed, we could have fun together, right?”

“Huh? Yes, um…”

“I know a great place, so follow me! There are all kinds of artists in the world, and among them are those who want to be judged purely on their music, free from the constraints of their status──.”

With a strangely fitting narration, the place Karen led me to was a space in the basement of a tavern. Under slightly dim lighting, there was a stage, with tables and chairs scattered around it haphazardly.

And everyone present here was wearing masks to conceal their faces.

If there had only been a pole in the center of the stage, I might have thought it was one of those shady establishments, but this was certainly not such a place. It was a concept for an entertainment program where identities were hidden behind masks, competing against one another.

A mad magician had identified a suitable location through prior research, persuaded the owner of the tavern, lured in the wandering bards flooding the city, and filled in the missing personnel with holograms to create this stage.

Karen and I also wore rabbit masks.

By concealing our identities and singing from behind anonymous masks, it would not be an issue if the dignity of Sir Yurensoto were to be compromised.

Sicel spoke hesitantly.

“⋯⋯But, what does this outfit mean?”

“This is a magical move that brings the risk of being caught down to zero!”

A mask alone is not enough. If that’s the case, then disguising oneself with a costume will do the trick. With that in mind, Karen prepared a secret outfit.

It was a bunny girl.

Sicel pointed to her chest, unsure of what to do. She had never felt so lost, not even when she had fallen alone at the large gate on the Eastern Front. Her heart raced like crazy, and her face felt like it was about to catch fire.

Such an overt outfit. While this might hide her identity…

“⋯⋯It will be visible!”

“Sicel’s is a bit loose, especially around the chest.”

“That doesn’t need to be mentioned…?!”

By day, a knight; by night, a rabbit. Sicel’s double life had begun.