Inside the Einhorn’s ship.
Marie kept her mouth open, watching the scene outside.
The roots of the Holy Tree, swung down like whips, stretched far away. The shock they generated sent clouds of dust swirling up from the ground.
When the impact reached the Einhorn, the ship shook.
And she remembered—wasn’t that where the town used to be?
It was exactly the view she’d seen in the game, but this time it was real.
“How many victims could one swing take down?”
A terrifying monster.
It should have been Albérk, lying down inside the ship, as the final boss, but it was tearing through everything, swallowing Emil and Ideal.
“How the hell are we supposed to defeat this thing!?”
Erik called out to Marie, who had dropped to her knees in despair.
“Sis, pull yourself together!”
Even the trump card Luxion was in tatters, looking like there was no way left to strike.
Meanwhile, Libya was treating Noel and speaking up.
“Hang in there. It’ll be fine. Lux will heal you.”
Noel managed a weak smile.
“Enough already. You’re just going to wear yourself out.”
Tears fell as Libya continued Noel’s treatment.
Angel approached the weeping Libya.
“Libya, if you need anything, just say. I’ll have it ready right away.”
“—Thank you. Then, a clean towel and some hot water, please.”
Does Luxion even have the luxury to spare anything while fighting?
In the first place, can Leon even beat this monster? How long will it take to bring it down?
Marie wondered, but when she got close to Libya, she offered to take over.
“Step aside. I’ll do it instead.”
“But—”
“I’m telling you to rest while I’m doing it! Even if one person can’t manage it, alternating two might just make it in time!”
Libya nodded and swapped places with Marie.
Marie placed her hand on the wound, checking on Noel.
(Weak response. I can’t do anything about this—brother, hurry up already.)
Levia stood by Noel’s side.
Cremon was also there.
“Sis— I, I—”
Noel stared at Levia.
Her lips were blue, her complexion terrible. Dark circles under her eyes, she forced herself to speak.
Marie tried to stop her, but Noel insisted, “I have to tell you something,” so she let her speak.
“Levia, listen carefully to what I’m about to say.”
“Huh?”
Noel began to recount the Respinus family’s domestic situation.
◇
The Respinus family that Noel remembered wasn’t exactly a happy one.
Noel was born as the older twin.
Her sister Levia.
They looked alike, but their personalities were completely different.
“How cute, Levia.”
“Levia’s smart.”
“Hehe.”
Their parents adored the clever Levia.
Even as a child, they knew the secret to being favored.
In contrast, Noel was the clumsy older sister—she was treated differently around the manor.
Because of that, when it came time to choose the head of the Respinus house, Levia’s name kept coming up.
It should have been Noel.
But the voice that Levia, bright and liked by everyone, should be the head grew louder each day.
Even the young knights started shouting that Levia was the right one.
Soon, the shadows, newcomers, and youths of the Respinus house gathered, forming a large faction in no time.
One day, Noel was called by her mother.
Her father was also present.
“Noel, you have the aptitude. You’ll be the next head.”
“Yes, yes!”
Recognized by the Holy Tree.
It was a joy for Noel.
She’d never been acknowledged by anyone, so being recognized as the head felt wonderful.
But—.
“This way we can protect Levia. If we say she lacks aptitude, no one will try to take her burden.”
Noel muttered “Huh?” at her father’s words.
Her mother bowed her head.
“Yes. We don’t want to give her unnecessary hardship. Even without a crest, she’ll carry on our will properly.”
“Right. If she never looks down on the Holy Tree, she’ll surely trust what we do.”
Young Noel, hearing her parents, thought:
(So I’m just a substitute for Levia.)
Even though she’d been recognized by the Holy Tree, she still believed that…
—Yet on that day.
When the Fevel family attacked, Noel’s mother told her:
“Good. You must protect Levia at all costs. You’re the older sister, after all!”
“Yes.”
“That kid will understand. Even if the Respinus house falls, our will will live on. Now, go!”
That day, they fled the burning manor.
—Their parents only worried about Levia.
◇
Noel finished the painful story with a grimace.
“From there— you know it too, right? We escaped the burning manor and have lived peacefully ever since— ha, ha— I told you everything about dad and mom— I told you—”
Inside the Einhorn.
Albérk, who’d been listening, closed his eyes and whispered, “My child, to that extent,” mourning. He must have had parental feelings.
Levia’s legs trembled.
(No, that’s not it. I only acted for my future, to avoid being hated. I never meant to push my sister down. I— I never intended to act like a “big sister”!)
The facts Noel told overlapped with the sister she’d despised.
She realized she and the sister she hated the most were the same.
“If they find out I have the aptitude— people will try to use you. So be careful. From now on— ha, ha— I won’t be able to protect you.”
“W-why, sis! You’ve always protected me! If you do that, I’d normally resent you!”
Levia’s words made Noel sweat as she smiled.
“Foolish. I’m your sister, after all. But it looks like I can’t do it anymore— from now on, you’ll have to do it alone.”
Levia stood stunned by Noel’s answer she’d never have imagined.
She realized the Noel she’d mocked was actually kinder—more adult—than she thought.
When Noel started coughing up blood, Marie intervened.
“That’s enough. Stop talking, conserve your strength. Your brother will sort something out.”
Noel smiled.
“Your brother’s kind, huh? I wish— I wish I had a brother too.”
While continuing treatment, Marie said,
“Envy, huh? When you get better, I’ll teach you how to be spoiled. As long as you don’t make me angry, I’ll be easy to pamper. So hang in there.”
Noel fell silent, possibly losing consciousness.
Looking outside, huge insects spread across the Republic.
Julius, the masked knight, was issuing orders one after another.
“Monsters? So the Holy Tree was just a name. Deploy armor! Focus on defending the airship!”
Erik sprinted outside.
“I’m going too. Sis, I’m counting on you— on Noel!”
“You better come back! If you don’t, I won’t forgive you!”
Seeing Erik leave with a wry smile, Serge called out to the masked knight.
“Lend me some armor too. I can’t just stand here watching.”
The masked knight was cold.
“Sorry, we have no spares. Stay put.”
Bound by restraints, Serge hung his head.
Albérk spoke.
“Just watch silently. This is the result of what you did.”
“I— I was tricked by that guy.”
No one heard Serge’s excuse.
◇
I cleared the roots and vines tangled around Luxion, then stood on the hull, looking up at the Holy Tree—the final boss.
“This doesn’t feel like a ‘holy tree’ at all.”
‘Same here.’
Luxion burned the surrounding insects one after another while attacking the tree’s base.
The tree’s ankle was cut, it fell, but it began regenerating and trying to stand again.
“I wonder how Noel took this thing down.”
She should have handled it, but now she’s gravely wounded.
I don’t want to waste time; I want to help fast.
“Use that thing.”
At my suggestion, Luxion immediately replied in a firm tone.
‘—Not approved.’
“No, this is an order. Just do it.”
When I ordered Luxion, a syringe filled with liquid appeared from a tube. The needle was hidden; once set into the pilot suit’s port, a “psh” sound was heard.
“—!”
The liquid entering my body was, in game terms, a status‑boost item.
My body heated up, veins popped, muscles swelled, breathing grew ragged.
My heart hammered wildly.
In short, it’s doping.
Luxion mixed a drug that enhances stats, tailoring the perfect formula for my body.
The result was a superb performance‑boosting medicine.
Physically and magically, my abilities rose. Reflexes, judgment, and other perks improved for piloting.
It’s one of my secret tricks.
But there’s a downside.
‘Physical and magical abilities increase, but the strain on the body is high. After use, enter a medical pod.’
“Once I clean this up, I’ll hop in.”
Power surged through me, muscles ballooned, and the surrounding motion seemed to slow.
My reflexes apparently improved too.
“Status‑boosts are basically doping—this world really is like that.”
Gripping the controls, I fired the Alogantz; insects kept gathering.
“Too slow!”
Swinging my greatsword, I sliced through, turning the insects into black smoke that vanished. The blade glowed with fiery magical light.
“It’s like a monster. This isn’t a Holy Tree at all, more like a Magic Tree or something.”
‘We predicted the magic stone generation, after all.’
When I grasped the Alogantz, it cracked open from the center, spreading light.
A light‑formed greatsword sliced the massive Holy Tree’s arm.
‘AAAHHHHH!!’
The tree’s voice was Ideal’s voice, wailing in pain.
Dodging the roots and vines it sent at me, I flew, aiming for its head.
“If I cut the neck, maybe it’ll work.”
The notebook Marie gave me said that’s how to defeat the Holy Tree. If Noel and the others managed that, it’s impressive.
Even with Luxion’s power and the doping, I was still struggling.
Then a huge single eye on the tree stared at me.
‘Guardian of a separate entity—if only you weren’t here! If only you vanished! Defeat you, and I’ll… defeat that thing!’
‘That thing?’
I couldn’t tell what it was saying.
The eye flashed, and the whole area rose as a beam shot past where I stood.
I call it a beam, but what the heck is this?
I know it’s dangerous if it hits.
“Just die already! You can’t even help Noel!”
I lunged, but roots and vines blocked my path.
◇
Floating around Luxion, Chris, who was fighting insects, watched the Alogantz’s movements.
“What’s that move?”
Greg speared insects with a lance, then shouted at Chris.
‘Stop watching and fight!’
“Y-yeah, I get it. I get it—but is that a human’s move?”
From a distance I could see the Alogantz’s motions, but up close they’d become a mess.
Even now I sometimes lose track.
“That kind of piloting would kill your body. Is this your real power, Bartfeld?”
He knew the Alogantz was high‑performance, but the strain on the pilot was huge, Chris thought.
He was amazed at Leon’s handling of the Alogantz.
◇
Meanwhile, Julius, commanding from the Einhorn, was yelling at Leon’s friends who were crying and screaming.
‘How can you expect to win against that!’
“Don’t whine!”
‘It’s the Republic’s problem! We could just run!’
Sure, that’s true—but.
‘Leaving a monster like that and then expecting the Kingdom to deal with it? If we don’t kill it now, the Kingdom will end up a scorched plain just like the Republic!’
Just Luxion and Ideal fighting turned the surroundings into a wasteland.
Just thinking about the Kingdom being invaded gave him a headache.
You can’t just leave a monster that spreads insects everywhere. Even now, countless monsters are spreading across the Republic.
The sheer number was eerie.
‘We have to kill it now. This is also a battle to protect the Kingdom! I need your help!’
To that, someone shouted,
‘We don’t care! We won’t sacrifice ourselves for the Kingdom that’s always oppressed us!’
Hearing Leon’s friends’ voices, Julius himself faltered.
(…Dammit! Even coming here, the Kingdom’s sins turn against us.)
The Kingdom’s fleet fell into disarray.
At that moment, Marie, who had swapped with Libya to treat Noel, grabbed a microphone.
“You all know what happens if you defy Leon, right? Even if the airship we just got is lost, fine!”
‘U-um, that’s a problem, but…!’
“Then fight! Not for the country or anyone else—fight for yourself! If you leave that thing, you won’t be able to sleep soundly ever again!”
Marie’s words confused Leon’s friends, who wavered.
‘B-But, uh… It’s still scary. We don’t know if that thing will come to the Kingdom, so maybe we should keep our distance—’
Those who wanted to run away.
To rally them, Angel snatched the mic from Marie.
“This woman is right. And— is it okay to run now?”
After a pause, Angel continued her speech.
“My fiancé never fights a losing battle. Why is he fighting that monster?”
‘—Ah!’
Someone shouted, as if they’d realized something.
‘Is there a hidden agenda?’
‘It’s Leon. That Leon is definitely up to something!’
‘He’s riding a winning horse, that’s for sure. So this time too—’
Angel raised her voice.
“Follow my husband! The promised victory is right before us! Those who fight here will earn glory for generations!”
‘If you hang out with him, it’s all the same!’
‘We’ll get the reward! Absolutely!’
‘I’ll turn this battle into a legend and never go to war again!’
Mentioning Leon’s name brought the group together, and Julius gave a wry smile beneath his mask.
(Barthofort, you’re something. Just hearing the name made the allies confident of victory.)