Now then, what should I do with her?
The Phantom residing within the Treasure Hall—the Star God's Box Garden—a symbol of fear against young women, the "Sobbing Lady," watched the intruders' movements while deep in thought.
This Treasure Hall was the Lady's territory. Observing the situation from a distance was easy. She could also do all sorts of things to instill fear.
Saya and Lucia moved carefully through the Zebuldia Academy of Magic at night.
This Treasure Hall contained various areas designed to instill fear in humans, starting with the prison that had detained Hugh. But for these two, the area modeled after the Zebuldia Academy of Magic would be most fitting. It was at the moment an everyday space transformed into an otherworldly realm that the strongest fear was born.
And the moment fear—or rather, dread—was acquired, the Ladies gained power that was no mere pretense.
"First, Saya is in the way…"
Lucia was fine. She was a model target who properly feared the Lady. But Saya was different.
Perhaps because she commanded that dangerous aberration, not a trace of fear, dread, or even respect toward the Lady could be felt from that woman. Hugh had at least felt a minuscule amount of fear, but Saya was far worse.
But it was too late to drive just Saya out of this Treasure Hall. As long as she remained inside, she was already prey of the Lady.
Driving someone out because they were troublesome, rather than because they might flee, would amount not merely to a declaration of defeat for a Lady whose very reason for existence was to instill fear in others—it would be equivalent to denying her right to exist.
Just as Monster Diggy, whose confidence and power were waning after being intercepted by Hugh, if she continued such behavior, the Lady would eventually lose her power and ultimately vanish.
But fear was a natural emotion for humans. Surely even Saya had something she feared.
For now, she would test everything she could.
Saya and the others walked along a corridor. It was the fifth floor of the Zebuldia Academy of Magic's research wing.
As a start, the Lady sent a white figure dashing past the window on the outer side of the corridor.
A cliché trick, but one that had been tested on numerous humans, and a not-insignificant number had been terrified by it.
"!?"
Lucia noticed the silent figure in an instant and gasped.
The power was unquestionably the greatest among all she had collected, and yet she was shaken this much—what a fine guest.
"What's wrong?"
"There's a figure outside—"
"…………"
Saya opened the window without hesitation or a word.
No good! She mustn't do things like that without her emotions being stirred in the slightest!
Lucia's observational skills were superior. The Mana Material concentration she was absorbing shouldn't have been that different, so why was her behavior so drastically different?
As a test, the Lady placed a white-robed woman behind Lucia's back. A gaunt-cheeked woman with hollow voids where her eyeballs should have been—an undeniably terrifying appearance.
Against this far too cliché trick, Saya kicked off the floor, grabbed Lucia's shoulder, and leaped into the air, thrusting her baton at the Lady's phantom.
"Wh-what is that!?"
"Nothing… Just a bug."
There was no method of winning—none came to mind at all.
And it was a mystery what kind of life one had to live to become this kind of person. When something with a terrifying appearance emerged from the darkness, even if it was an illusion, shouldn't one at least be on guard?
No… perhaps she was accustomed to this kind of visual. That thing she commanded also had a thoroughly grotesque appearance…
As a test, the Lady made footstep sounds behind her. Lucia turned around first, of course, with Saya following close behind. Naturally, there was nothing there.
Unknown identity was the foundation of fear.
"Wh-what was that… just now?"
"There's no need to worry. There's nothing there. It seems that phantom is trying to scare us."
Was it those eyes? Those blood-red eyes? Or was it that she was accustomed to these kinds of supernatural occurrences?
Certainly, compared to the aberrations Saya commanded, things like white figures reflected in windows or footsteps heard from behind might not seem like much.
But then, it was time to bring out the big guns.
Lucia was clearly tense, while Saya still wore a composed expression.
She would tear off that mask of composure!
The Lady closed her eyes and teleported to the corridor where Saya and the others stood, just outside.
This was where she showed her true ability.
The Lady accelerated through the air and, in rapid succession, slammed her palms against the windows.
"!?"
Bloodstains in the shape of palms stuck to the windows with violent sound.
The color drained from Lucia's face in an instant.
No one could remain even a shred fearless in the face of this!
The Lady smiled with full confidence. But Saya's response was cold.
"…I can do this too."
"!?"
That's impossible… this woman Saya, is she really even human?
Saya drew her baton and began smashing the window where the handprints remained.
With loud cracking and shattering sounds, the glass was ruthlessly broken. Lucia, who had been showing fear at the Lady's threats, now stared wide-eyed in astonishment.
Being subjected to a supernatural phenomenon and then suddenly breaking windows—even delinquents wouldn't do that!
From the broken window, Saya leaned out to look in the Lady's direction.
"Saya!?"
"I found you… How dare you frighten my Lucia. I won't forgive you."
"!?"
A chill ran through the Lady at that intensity. Those blazing eyes—it was impossible to tell anymore which of them was the symbol of fear. She'd probably appear in her dreams.
Saya deftly grabbed the windowsill and leaped outside.
This was the fifth floor!
The Lady was dumbfounded.
Saya didn't fall. She kicked off thin air itself, closing in on the Lady.
"!?"
The Lady reflexively fled, but Saya pursued her with pinpoint accuracy.
Impossible, impossible, impossible. Toward the Lady, who was thrown into confusion by a situation she had never anticipated, Saya raised her baton high.
But before it could come crashing down, thick arms reaching from inside the school building seized Saya.
"Diggy! Well done!"
"Aa… aa… AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Muscular arms with scorched, peeling skin.
Monster Diggy let out something like a growl and hurled Saya hard against the wall.
The killing monster Diggy was, in a sense, the polar opposite of the Lady, who inflicted psychological terror. Though they were fellow inhabitants of the same Treasure Hall and it was somewhat frustrating to borrow its power, if she couldn't win through psychological fear, she had no choice but to overwhelm through physical ability.
Monster Diggy was formerly human, but its physical abilities far surpassed those of any human.
In the era when it had once existed, it had plunged countless citizens into the depths of terror, and even when the military was dispatched, its attacks could not be stopped—a bona fide monster of fear.
Yes—in the era when it had once existed.
"…What are you?"
"Aa… aa…?"
The monster Diggy boasted monstrous strength capable of crushing a delicate woman with a single blow. Yet Saya, who should have been smashed against the wall by those powerful arms, didn't have so much as a scratch—let alone be killed.
In that instant before being hurled against the wall, she had rotated her body midair and landed on the wall with both feet.
A truly acrobatic feat. The monster Diggy, its crimson eyes fixed on Saya and certain it was about to deliver a killing blow, took a step back.
It was the Mana Material. The Mana Material was to blame for everything!
Its power had resurrected the Ladies in this world, and it was also—drastically strengthening all living creatures in this world.
According to the information the Lady possessed, human females were supposed to be physically smaller and less capable than males. But in this world, it was different.
In this world, there were women stronger than adult men. Women far stronger than Hugh Legrand, that member of the knight order who had faced Monster Diggy.
Moreover, the current Saya wasn't even using that aberration.
As Monster Diggy faltered in confusion, Saya closed in. Her movements held no fear or hesitation whatsoever.
These were not the movements one would expect against a monster that stank of decay and dangled multiple severed heads from chains around its neck.
Monster Diggy hastily picked up the axe it had set down and swung it down at Saya.
Saya caught the axe, swung with enough force to cleave her in two, with a single baton.
For an instant, black-purple lightning scattered.
No, to be precise, it wasn't purple lightning.
It was likely energy. The mysterious power that had moments ago inflicted devastating damage on the Lady.
Monster Diggy's enormous axe was deflected by Saya's tiny baton.
In that split second, the Lady clearly saw Saya's eyes go wide.
"Don't tell me… you're going to say it was unexpected?"
That meant Saya had charged at Monster Diggy without taking that mysterious power into account.
Saya's baton struck Monster Diggy's exposed torso.
Black lightning flashed, and the monster's body, covered in thick muscle, burst apart. A scream echoed through the corridor.
The Lady hastily withdrew Monster Diggy. It dissolved away, melting into black liquid.
But the damage was already severe. Despite taking only a single blow, it was a fatal wound. It wasn't quite dead yet, but it would be unable to move for some time.
Saya lightly swung her baton and clicked her tongue.
"Got away again."
How dare she talk about Monster Diggy like that!
The Lady barely held back those words.
No. Those were not the words of someone who inflicted fear. They were the words someone facing a monster should shout. And the battle against the terrifying Monster Diggy should have been exactly that—where one fought desperately and was helplessly slaughtered in the end.
No—being slaughtered wasn't necessary. The monster side could lose after a fierce battle. As long as there was fear present, Monster Diggy could face its defeat with pride. That was why, when the opponent had been Hugh, there had still been some leeway.
But this was too much. At this point, it was impossible to tell who the real monster was.
Saya, having overwhelmed Monster Diggy, stared down the Lady without satisfaction. But she didn't approach.
Because of the distance created by Monster Diggy's surprise attack. She knew the Lady would escape before an attack could land, which was precisely why she didn't close in. Just like a predatory beast that knew its own attack range when hunting— And then, she sensed the Demon Shark approaching.
A vicious shark that tunneled through ground and walls to latch onto its prey. It seemed to have invaded this area on its own, without even listening to the Lady's orders.
A monster whose era of origin and circumstances of existence were unknown. All that was known was that it harbored intense anger and hunger toward humans.
At the sudden appearance of this unreasonable and ferocious hunter—different even from Monster Diggy—the Lady glanced behind her.
Perhaps that loathsome shark could take out Saya with a surprise attack.
Clutching at this slim hope, the Lady— —But the Demon Shark reversed course a dozen meters before reaching this location.
It then sped away from the area at breakneck speed. Until now, it had come uninvited to try to kill and eat them… Could it be that it had fled?
"That damn shark…"
She muttered under her breath. Saya looked delicate at first glance, but to think that even that shark could identify her as a threat—with that enormous body, truly useless. Take a lesson from Monster Diggy!
Whether she knew the Demon Shark had fled or not, Saya didn't come any closer.
No, she was probably biding her time. She had the ability to use that aberration, after all.
But that very thing was the opening.
The Lady still had a card to play. The tool left by the Star God in this Treasure Hall, designed to collect fear.
Using it in a situation like this was tantamount to a declaration of defeat, but this woman was surely immune to monsters, vengeful spirits, wild beasts, disasters, and threats alike. If left alone, the entire Treasure Hall might be taken down.
Saya furrowed her brow and glared at the Lady.
"What is your goal?"
"…………Fufu…"
There was no reason to converse with Saya. No matter what she said, this Saya would never feel fear toward the Lady.
If so, then she would read the fear hidden deep within her heart and reproduce it.
That was the tool the Star God had left in this Treasure Hall—the one she had used on Hugh as well— **The Nightmare Cage.** She raised both arms and laughed aloud. The air trembled—Mana Material accumulated over long ages within the Treasure Hall gathered together.
Now then, let us see what the natural enemy of this Treasure Hall feared.
Did this Saya truly have anything she feared? That worry was quickly dispelled.
Black mist gathered in one place and took form.
What could it be that Saya, who commanded that eerie aberration, feared?
Before the Lady, who held her breath in anticipation, a figure manifested—a black-haired woman.
Snow-white skin and long black hair.
Visible through the gap in her bangs, eyes of a blood-like crimson.
For the first time, Saya's expression showed agitation. The Lady herself felt as though she were dreaming.
To think—there existed in this world a human whose greatest fear was *herself*.
The manifested Saya silently drew and gripped a baton. Crimson eyes, identical to the original's, devoid of visible emotion—then baton collided with baton, and violent black-purple lightning scattered.
The real Saya's expression twisted for an instant. In that single exchange, she had realized it.
That the one standing before her was none other than her very self.
The real Saya and the false Saya retreated in the same motion.
Until now, the Lady had used the Nightmare Cage several times to learn the fears of brave targets, but never had one generated their own double.
What would happen when two beings with identical abilities clashed was unknown even to the Lady.
But if that was the case, she need only assist the false Saya. This Treasure Hall was under the Lady's control.
In what had moments ago seemed a hopeless situation, a chance for victory had appeared.
Furthermore, being defeated by an identical copy of oneself—wouldn't that make for a wonderfully fear-inducing story?
The two Sayas faced each other, cautiously probing for openings.
It was then that Lucia arrived late on the scene. Seeing the two Sayas, her pale face flickered with confusion.
"!?"
"Lucia, leave this to me and find the exit! That thing—only I can defeat it."
Saya immediately shouted. The two separating was convenient for the Lady as well. Until now, Saya had been in the way, preventing her from properly drawing out Lucia's fear, but once alone, she could do as she pleased.
Besides… the exit? She had been looking for the exit?
The Lady closed her eyes, manipulated the Treasure Hall, and temporarily removed the exit.
Now this Treasure Hall had become a sealed one. Without a connection to the outside world, Mana Material would not be supplied, and the Treasure Hall would gradually weaken over time—but beggars couldn't be choosers.
She would defeat Saya, this Treasure Hall's natural enemy. As long as Saya, who could force the entrance open, was gone, uninvited intruders would never appear again.
Now then, I'll let you go, Lucia. Scream and run away.
Before the Lady, who deliberately held back, Lucia pressed her lips tight and shouted.
"…Don't underestimate me, Saya! I'm not the kind of person who abandons her comrades and runs!"
"!?"
A magical aura. Within that slender body, explosive mana surged and was immediately refined.
An icy wind blew. Frost descended upon the world. All of this took less than a second.
She had previously dispatched numerous mages. There had even been those who launched offensive magic.
Lucia Roje had not forgotten her fear. This was a difference in training.
She had been forged to use magic reflexively, at any time, under any circumstances.
The sound of breathing. A wavering fighting spirit. Waves of various emotions flowed from her.
Moreover, this girl—she was the type who could draw out power for the sake of others even more than for herself.
The false Saya retreated swiftly. She had judged the magic Lucia was about to unleash as a threat.
The same Saya who had barely flinched even at Monster Diggy's attack!
Troublesome. But magnificent.
Fear and courage. Sharpened power. In every sense, Lucia Roje was the ideal target.
If she could surpass her, then the Treasure Hall and the Phantom would make a tremendous leap forward.
The decision was instantaneous. She delivered a whispered voice to Lucia's ear.
"Bye-bye, Big Sister Lucia."
"!?"
"Lucia!!"
The Lady could freely manipulate this Treasure Hall, but she was not omnipotent.
Because the power accumulated within the Treasure Hall was finite. With the ley line connection currently severed, she had to minimize resource consumption as much as possible.
But they were worth separating, even at some cost.
Lucia looked down and let out a small scream.
"Ah!?"
At Lucia's feet, darkness had unfolded. Around her ankles, white things were coiling.
They were—hands. Countless hands growing from the darkness, swaying like flowers in the wind.
And the hands dragged Lucia into the darkness.
"Lucia!!"
The magic failed to activate, and the cold vanished.
Saya let out something like a scream and rushed toward where Lucia had been. In that unguarded moment, the false Saya attacked from behind.
Struck by the baton, Saya was sent flying. There was no sign of that aberration coming to help.
Well, even if it had come, the Saya generated by the Nightmare should have possessed the same abilities…
Saya rolled across the floor and immediately stood up. But from here on, she need only summon the phantom to bolster the false Saya.
Saya should fall before long. Of course, she wouldn't capture her. She was far too dangerous, and Lucia Roje alone was already a sufficient prize.
The false Saya held her baton at the ready. Hovering behind her, the Lady spoke to Saya with composure for the first time.
"Fufufu… Can you save Lucia before she breaks?"
"…"
Provoked by the Lady, those blood-red eyes blazed with fury.
For an instant, the Lady's consciousness wavered. This was—murderous intent. An icy murderous intent that seemed to freeze a heart that didn't exist.
But this was fine. If she lost her composure, she could be dealt with even more quickly.
Behind the teeth-clenched, rigidly standing Saya, the false Saya raised her baton. She sensed the phantoms she had summoned approaching this location.
There was no further need to watch Saya.
The Lady closed her eyes and teleported to where she had sent Lucia, to begin on the main course.
§ § § "Huh? Lucia's missing?"
"Yes… It seems she disappeared together with Saya-san during the investigation of the god-disappearance incident—"
Eva reported with a pale face.
I was stunned for a moment, but slowly leaned back in my chair with a composed air.
Lucia was an excellent Hunter. Unlike Luke, she didn't charge in recklessly, and unlike Liliz, she didn't hunger for combat with powerful enemies. She wasn't the type like Citry who needed advance preparation to perform at her best.
Well-versed in both martial and intellectual pursuits, sharp-witted, trained in every school of magic, and capable of adapting to any situation—she boasted a stability second only to the "Immovable and Unchanging" Anthem. In short, she was an extraordinarily capable sister, and there was no room for me to worry.
"I see, that's so like Lucia… What a hard worker. Even going so far as to disappear on her own."
"…Klye-san… Aren't you worried?"
Eva looked at me with a cold gaze.
It would be a lie to say I wasn't worried at all, but this time Saya was with her, and Lucia was far stronger than me, and there were plenty of other strong Hunters, and the nation was mobilizing too, and I'd gotten verbal assurance from the brother foxes that this time there were no divine phantoms— "Everyone's strong, so it'll be fine. It doesn't seem like there's any big threat this time…"
Rather than Lucia having gone missing, it was more natural to think she was in the midst of taking action to resolve the incident.
My words made Eva frown.
"…This is an unprecedented incident, you know? The nation is throwing everything it has into solving it."
"Lately, it seems like it's always like that."
"You're awfully calm about it."
"It's trust. I trust Lucia and the others. It's fine, it's fine."
Everything around me was nothing but accidents. I wished this world would become a little more peaceful.