The other Kannagi, who also called herself Kannagi, said so.

We had a suspicious look on our faces at her words, but she didn't lose her serious expression.

 

"To put it simply, the person who contacted you in the form of a dream is a fake imitation of me."

「…… That's right."

 

Normally, I should have been suspicious, but now I feel comfortable with what Kannagi said.

In the dream, she felt somewhat theatrical and uncomfortable.

However, the kannagi in front of me now is a natural body, and it has a human smell that is out of nowhere.

 

"And it was the work of a fake that fueled the anxiety of a demon child named Kira and lured him to this ruin, although he really wanted to stop it...... I was locked up so that I could hardly move.'

"So, the dense magic in the ruins is gone, and you can now move?"

"Yes, that's right."

 

So, is it the work of the fake Kannagi that transferred Usato and the others to another place?

 

"And what is that fake?"

"He...... No, she is the sword of ——— brave."

 

The sword of the brave?

When he wonders why there aren't even living things in the first place, Leona, who has a close relationship with the hero's armor, asks Kannagi a question.

 

「…… Does it mean that inorganic matter has come to life?"

"She wasn't even alive originally, she was just a weapon made from a part of the body of the god dragon Falga. It was supposed to be just that......

 

Kannagi pauses, but soon speaks the rest of the words.

 

"Influenced by the other sword thrust into the heart of the Evil Dragon, the ego as a fragment of the power of the Divine Dragon Farga was awakened."

"Evil Dragon!? …… See you then......!"

 

In order to seal the soul of the evil dragon, the previous hero pierced its heart with a small sword.

Right now, Usato has it as a gauntlet——— but if the sword was influenced by the evil dragon, it wouldn't be a good thing ......!

 

"No, when she woke up, her mentality was like that of a child."

"What?"

"But she woke up in my sealed consciousness, unable to talk to anyone, unable to see anything. The only thing I could do was the memory of a part of the divine dragon Farga engraved in my soul and my sleeping memory...... And it was only a memory of the sword before the ego was awakened......

「……」

"But that wasn't enough to distract her from hundreds of years of loneliness, and she was forced to endure a long period of loneliness without even being allowed to break."

 

Hundreds of years of loneliness.

Since gaining the ego, he has only seen the memories of others, and he does not know anything else.

 

"That's why when she saw Usato for the first time, she was quite shocked."

「…… Why is Usat coming out here?"

"It was because he was the one who pulled out the hero's sword from the heart of the evil dragon, and from that moment on, the two swords were connected."

"Connected?"

 

Kannagi responds to my muttering.

 

"Through the small sword and gauntlet that Usato held in her hand, she was finally able to see the scenery outside of her memory...... What's more, the seal has loosened and you can interfere with the outside world......

 

Until now, I've only seen Kannagi's own memories and Farga's memories, but does it mean that Usato has given him the opportunity to learn about the outside world?

 

"Since then, she's been watching you, Samariar, Miarak, Hinomoto, Ringle, and the Demon Lord's army—and the trajectory you took to get to this ruin."

"You said you were watching, huh? And our interactions so far?"

"Yes, I was watching it too. Ahh Don't pull! No, I thought it was bad, but I was also frankly lonely ......! I didn't get tired of watching your journey ......!"

 

Kannagi is glared at by Nea and immediately warms up.

I feel a little bad that I've been able to see what I've been through, but I don't blame them.

 

"When did you wake up?"

"As for me, it was when Usato pulled out the sword of the Evil Dragon's heart, and until that time, I didn't even know that the sword of the hero had awakened my ego. I was really surprised when I found out......

 

In the meantime, that's .......

I feel a little sympathy for the guy I talked to in my dream.

 

"So, after all, is it okay that the fake is someone who has developed an ego in the sword of the hero?"

 

Nea puts her hand to her forehead as if to endure the headache.

To her, Kannagi's story must have sounded far-fetched.

Certainly, even if there is such a thing as witchcraft, it is absurd.

 

"——— what is my fake...... It's Farga, it's me, it's somebody who isn't anyone. What is her purpose...... It was to have the existence of Usato save him."

「「……」」

"She's been watching you on your journey for a long time, and she's starting to want you to save her from her loneliness."

 

Perhaps Nea and I feel the same way.

I knew it, but I think Usato has a constitution that keeps people at bay in a really weird way.

 

"Then you shouldn't have done all this crazy stuff and just asked for help normally."

"Yes, he's simple, and if he asks for help, he'll act immediately. It's simple."

 

I nod my head at Ferm and Nea's point.

Basically, Usato is ...... Rather, both Suzune and Kazuki fall into the category of good-natured people.

If you ask them for help, they will go to help without hesitation.

However, Kannagi's expression remains gloomy.

 

『…… She's distorted.'

"Is it distorted? What do you mean?"

"Mission as a weapon made, a grudge against the Demon Lord. Hatred for the demon race that has been chopped up and sucked blood with its body. Even after gaining feelings, they did not disappear. That's why I didn't want to ask for help, but chose to force you to become stronger in order to defeat the Demon Lord.'

"Maybe it was Usato...... who was sucked into the vortex."

"Amako, it's just as you imagined."

 

Usato, Suzune, and Kazuki were sucked in because they were trying to get them to do something to make them stronger to fight the Demon Lord?

And that golem was also prepared by a fake.

What a hassle.

 

"She is trying to make Usato and the Heroes stronger with good intentions, but she doesn't have a heart in her ways...... And to Usato, ......."

"Are you trying to do something to Usato?"

"I will give you the sword of the brave who is my own, and in addition to that...... I'm trying to give you the magic of the light of the brave.'

 

Nea was the first to react to his words.

She held her head in her hands in an agitated manner, her expression turning pale.

　

「…… Lies, healing magic, even if it's just light magic? What, are you going to turn any more monsters into monsters......?"

 

I'm kind of shocked by Nea, but I'm through now.

 

"And there's something there, isn't there?"

"She mixes her desire for Usato to use her as a weapon with her desire to destroy the Demon King and the Demon Tribe, and she doesn't even realize that it's a mixture of desires that are broken."

"What would happen if Usato accepted light magic?"

 

Kannagi answers Nea's question.

 

"The original magic is overwritten and replaced by something else."

"Wait, what's more......... Usato's healing magic is ......."

"Yes, it will be overwritten by light magic and will disappear."

「「!?」」

 

Usato is a healing wizard...... Will it go away?

When he was so astonished that he couldn't speak, Kannagi in front of him crossed his arms.

 

"But I'm worried about something else."

"Is there anything more than that?"

"The tainted power of the evil dragon transmitted through the small sword has a strong effect on the child's psyche, of course, but in a bad way."

 

What else is there besides the possibility of losing Usato's magic?

Listening to her words, understanding that things are worse than she imagined.

 

"She is now barely holding on to her ego with a strong desire for Usato's salvation as a pillar, if she realizes that her wish will not come ......."

"Does that mean your ego is going to collapse?"

"No, it's going to be worse, if you lose your strongest desire, all you will be left with is a murderous impulse against the demon race...... It's also something more vicious, inspired by the Evil Dragon.'

 

Will the case of the evil dragon come to a tail end here?

Even if we are freed from the seal, how much will it affect our journey ...... we will be able to feel better?

 

"Honestly, I don't know what will happen to me if that happens, so I need to join up with Usato's as soon as possible."

"Do you know where it is?"

"Yes, but it's time to go to this room--"

 

At that moment, the wall on our side was broken, and someone entered with an electric shock.

I didn't need to foresee it any longer, but I understood who was coming, and I couldn't help but press my forehead when I saw the weirdo who had spread his arms wide and jumped at the cannail.

 

"Hey, Chemomimi! I won't let you go!!"

"Woahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

Suzune rushes into a serious screaming kannagi that is not acting, but she goes through it as it is.

She lands on the floor with a click of her tongue before finally noticing our presence and tilting her head.

 

「…… It means that we have joined up safely!"

"I think Suzune should be a little sore."

"Encounters and bitterness in the head!?"

"Senior! What's the matter, I ...... suddenly start running."

 

Kazuki comes from behind Suzune.

Seeing this, Kannagi, who has regained his composure, puts his hand on his chest as if to suppress his palpitations and calls out to us.

 

"Alright, now that you've joined up with Suzune and Kazuki, let's head to Usato!"

 

I don't know what to do, but I'm getting anxious when I look at this person.

Is Usato really okay?

 

●

 

The power that flows from the sword of the hero.

I had a clear chill as he ran up my arm, and I immediately tried to let go of the sword, but for some reason the gauntlet that grabbed the sword wouldn't move.

It sticks together like a magnet! No, it's not supposed to be moved!

If this continues, something irreversible will happen to me--I feel like it!

 

"Then! Hmmm!"

 

He swings his left fist around and slams it into his right shoulder.

When the fist hits the joint, the arm loses its strength and the hand is forcibly opened.

Aiming for that moment, I pulled out my sword from Kannagi at once and threw the hero's sword to the ground.

When I saw it stuck in the ground, I patted my chest with relief.

 

"——— was dangerous."

 

I didn't want to believe it, but I guess I had something on my sleeve.

 

"Why did this person suddenly hit me ......?"

"Maybe that's it, I couldn't open my hands, so I hit him in the joint and forced him to loosen up."

"How do you know?"

 

He shifts his attention to combat and turns back to Kannagi, who has drawn his sword.

She had been asleep sealed until earlier, and her upper body was awake.

 

「…… This is the human body."

 

She stared at her own hands in a daze, and touched her cheeks and body.

As soon as he noticed that his left eye did not reflect light, he tore the sleeve of the kimono he was wearing and covered his eye with it like a bandage.

Perhaps noticing my gaze, she turned her blue eyes to me, the same as Amako, and smiled appropriately for her age.

 

"Thank you Usato! I'm finally awake!"

「……」

「…… Usato?"

 

What do I look like now?

I really should be suspicious of this person, but I'm not sure if I should do so.

She tilts her head at my reaction, and comes out of the sarcophagus with a puzzled expression at the sight of the sword stuck in the ground.

Then, with an unsteady step, he pulls his sword off the ground and holds it out to me.

 

"Yes, this!"

「…… No, this is ......."

"It's yours!"

 

But if I touch it, it will be the same thing again, ......?

The resonance of the gauntlet is still ongoing.

 

"Kannagi"

"Hmm? What?"

"Tell me the truth, what will happen to me if I receive this?"

 

When I ask her that, her expression is blatantly distorted.

However, he soon turned apologetic and explained the side effects of receiving the "spark of light" and the like—or rather, the kind of compensation.

Apparently, when I receive this sword, I gain light magic, and in exchange for it, I lose my healing magic.

 

"So, you see, you lose your healing magic, but you can get stronger magic, right......?"

「……」

"Sure, healing magic is important to you, but if you have light magic and a hero's sword, you can fight the Demon Lord. That's why the Demon Clan isn't even an enemy."

「……」

"Oh, you're angry, aren't you? I'm sorry...... I'm trying to get you to do it without saying anything......"

 

- Kannagi suddenly becomes weak to me who is silent.

Perhaps because she was looking down, her blue eyes seemed to turn dark and stagnant.

As he was worrying about such changes, Kannagi, whose shoulders shook greatly, suddenly changed.

 

"Wow, if you take me, you can defeat the Demon King!"

「……!」

「He・・・left me, so I couldn't kill the Demon Lord! If you didn't leave me behind, you could surely kill me and destroy the demon tribe!"

"Kannagi, you're ......."

"So, take me this time!" As a hero, to kill the Demon Lord! Me!"

 

The situation is strange.

Her emotionally unstable words make not only me but also Koga and the others feel something strange.

Her painful, even painful, hesitant and in some ways decisive questions are posed to her.

 

"You're not Kannagi himself."

"....... What? That's not right? I'm a kannagi, right?"

"You don't have to lie."

"I'm not lying, I have a good memory. There are also memories of the brave."

 

Her words couldn't have been colder.

The question was there from the beginning.

Looking at her past words and actions and her current reaction, I could predict who she was.

I stretch out my left hand to Kannagi, who is desperately trying to hold out his sword to me. He looked at her left hand, her expression brightening, and his heart ached, as he pushed the sword back as if to reject it.

 

"I can't take that sword."

"——— huh?"

"I need healing magic, so I don't need that power."

 

If Kannagi's words are true, then if I receive this sword, I will have the magic of light and the armor of the two heroes like the previous hero.

Honestly, losing healing magic isn't that important.

More than that, I felt a strong sense of rejection at the word "destroying the demon tribe."

There are people like Mr./Ms. Gref who live peacefully, and children like Kira who are desperately trying to live while experiencing a difficult upbringing.

It seemed wrong to just try to destroy it without understanding it.

 

"I can't take the place of a hero, so I can't take you as a weapon."

 

This kid was a combination of me and the previous hero.

I wanted him to have light magic, a hero sword that was probably his own, and defeat the Demon Lord.

But that's impossible.

At my words, Kannagi stepped back as if to lose his mind, and looked down with his sword still in his hand.

 

"yes...... yes, I'm sorry. I get it. Yes, you would do that. I knew it from the beginning."

「…… I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize, if you think about it, I'm already saved. That's how I finally got into the form of a person...... Huh?"

 

Kannagi holds his head while looking down.

I wondered what was going on, and when I tried to approach her, she started muttering something softly.

 

"What does it mean to be saved?" Am I saved yet?"

「…… Kannagi?"

"——— what is my true wish?"

 

Just as her right eye turned purple——— she jumped out with tremendous speed and crossed my side.

Then, in a fluid manner, he pulled out the sword and plunged it into Koga, who was behind me.

 

「…… Gofu ......!?"

"———What?"

 

…… Huh?

Even Kannagi, who is the person in question, looks at his own hand that has been pierced by Koga with a surprised expression.

Completely caught by surprise, Koga vomited blood and fell backwards.

Kannagi looks down at him with a distorted smile that is a mixture of bewilderment and anguish.

 

"Teme......"

"Uh, uh, I'm sorry? But you're a demon, so you can die, right? You guys over there, too."

"Hey, Keira!"

 

Kannagi tries to swing a sword with Koga's blood on it at Kira.

Seeing this, Mr./Ms. hugs her as if to protect her.

Seeing this, I don't hesitate to deliver a roundhouse kick with all my might to Kannagi, but she dodges it as if she knew it.

 

「…… Shhhhhhh

 

Did you foresee my movement in this way of avoiding?

I made sure she kept her distance from us before approaching Koga.

 

"Koga was wondering if I should help, is he okay?!"

"No, I ...... help you there."

"Oh, thank you very much......"

 

Koga and I are enemies, but we can't help but heal ......!

Mr./Ms. Ciel, who rushed over in a hurry, was talking to him while holding Koga's wound, which was relatively serious.

 

"Mr./Ms. Koga! Isn't it embarrassing to be helped by an enemy healing wizard?! In the meantime, please comment!!"

"You're so excited...... Oh my God, ......."

 

While undergoing treatment, Koga stares at his hand in amazement.

 

"You ...... have been robbed of your magic!"

"What......?"

 

As I was pouring healing magic into the wound and trying to heal it, Kannagi looked at me in amazement.

His eyes remain purple, almost black.

 

"——— Usato, why are you attacking me!? I don't know what that means!"

"What are you talking about......?"

 

The blood-soaked sword doesn't seem to have turned into a kannagi who appeals to you without even looking at it.

Do you really not know why you ...... attacked?

 

"Do you know what you've done?! Koga is fine, but Kira is an irrelevant child!?"

"Hey, don't whip the injured ......."

"Is Koga Mr./Ms.the type of person who gets nervous when he gets bearish......

 

The back is through!!

At my cry, Kannagi looks terribly confused.

 

"But it shouldn't be a bad thing to get rid of the demon tribe...... Sorry for the time being. I apologize."

"Really, don't you understand......?"

"You know what? That's what I'm going to do...... Me? No, it's me, isn't it? Yes, I was created to destroy the demon tribe and kill the demon king. That's why I have to kill the demon tribe in front of me."

 

After saying that, the color of her eyes changed from purple to blue.

 

"Hmm? I don't have to do that anymore, do I? But the Demon King is still alive, and there are Demon Tribes. That? No, that's not what I want. You don't want to do this, do you......?"

 

She holds her head with a heartbroken face.

Normally, I would run up to her, but it's too dangerous to get close to her now.

 

"I wanted you to help me...... It's just that."

「…… To me?"

"Because you were the first real person I had ever seen, like Eva, Leona, Charon, Amako, Kanoko, Kazuki, Suzune, and Kira, I wanted you to help me."

 

The color of her eyes flickers blue and purple.

As if her personality were switched, she brushes the blood off her sword while completely changing her words and emotions as if she were swapping her personality.

 

"But I have to destroy the Demon Tribe, I have to kill the Demon King. I wanted you to use me as a weapon until the end. But that wish will not come true. So you can't help it, right?"

 

Her dark, stagnant, purple eyes turned into a vicious one reminiscent of an evil dragon, and she pointed the tip of her sword at Mr./Ms. Kira and Ciel behind me.

 

"I have a kannagi body, and I have to do it on my own, right? Because you're going to refuse."

 

From the blade of the sword, black magic similar to Koga's dark magic overflows.

It spills out and travels down Kannagi's arms, dyeing her clothes black.

 

"Kill the Demon King, destroy the Demon Tribe. All monsters in the form of humans will disappear from this world. That's why I was born."

 

I made the wrong choice.

I jumped off her hand as she called for help.

Although I was overwhelmed by this fact, I raised my fist to protect Kira and the others behind me.

_________________________________________

Kannagi (False): Anthropomorphic Evil Fallen Kemomimi Eyepatch Priestess

Farga, Kannagi, someone who is nothing.

Its true identity is the will that sprouted in the sword of the brave.

Because it is a life with an imperfect will, its mind is young and severely distorted.

Being left behind by a hero is strongly engraved in our memories as a trauma that does not go away even after gaining an ego.

A kid who just wanted Usato, who was always helping someone in need, to help him too.

 

Due to the defilement of the evil dragon, the hatred of the Demon King and the Demon Clan has been amplified, and it has become a dangerous existence that can bare its fangs even to mere humans.