Novem drove her family's heirloom staff into the giant Agrissa.
She was naked, her trademark side ponytail undone, her long hair swaying in the wind. Her fox-colored hair seemed to shimmer. It was no trick of the light that her violet eyes appeared to glow.
Agrissa's arm had been blown off, unable to regenerate. Her mouth was sealed, unable to say a single word.
But she was still struggling, and Novem
found it
annoying. She twisted the staff.
"Be quiet. I'm having an important conversation."
Agrissa's body lurched violently. From the tip of the staff, silver metal extended, devouring Agrissa's body from the inside out.
Agrissa descended slowly, unable to move so much as a finger. Novem swept her hair behind her ear and looked toward me.
"— Both the Evil God and the Goddess were originally the same being. Though I suppose what's here now is nothing more than an imitation."
Novem smiled as she declared Agrissa to be an imitation.
I steadied my breathing and slowly descended on Porter as well, then turned to Novem. I needed to know.
"Novem... What did you mean — that by defeating you, I'll be complete?"
Novem was laughing. Looking right at me.
"As I thought, Lord Raier suits you far better. I loved you after you grew, of course, but there's so much to appreciate about the real you as well."
"Answer me!"
Novem lowered her gaze briefly, then looked up again. Her expression was serious.
"Because that is Novem's will. What Novem sought was a strong human being. And Lord Raier is precisely that. Now that I've confirmed it — my role, and that of my family, is at an end."
Novem's will — that must be her will as the Evil God. And her family — that must mean House Foxes.
"So you're dragging your whole family along with you, whether they like it or not?"
"Hardly. There are other ways for the rest of them to live going forward. But I wish to complete Lord Raier through my own death. To have him cast aside his attachment to me, and learn to cut away what he clings to — to prove to me that he possesses the strength to achieve his goals, even if it means severing those close to him."
He couldn't understand what Novem was saying. No — he understood the content.
She was telling him to kill her. That doing so would make him stronger.
Was that really true?
Aria, held in the Valkyries' arms, lashed out at Novem.
"You — do you enjoy wounding Raier's heart like this?! Cut it out! Always, always... you walk around with that know-it-all look on your face and never say a word, and that's exactly why people can't stand you!"
Novem looked at Aria. But her expression was nothing like his had been — utterly detached.
"What disadvantage is there for me if you all despise me? The one who matters to me is Lord Raier. As for you, you exist solely to bear his children. It took considerable effort to find you, but replacements can be found easily enough from now on."
Aria was struck speechless. That kind of line was nearly unthinkable coming from the Novem they had known. After all, Aria and the others had known her for a long time. They had watched her getting along with them on numerous occasions. And toward that Aria, Novem was completely indifferent.
He turned toward Novem.
"Do you really think that way?! Hey — Novem!"
"If you were to summarize my statements, I think you'd find it isn't at all unreasonable to assume so."
Novem turned a smile toward him.
Eva spoke to Novem.
"Why...? You were so kind to us!"
"There was a benefit to being so. Otherwise, I wouldn't have bothered. My kindness belongs entirely to Lord Raier. Please don't get the wrong idea."
Clara opened the hatch on the front of Porter's torso and poked her head out, her hair whipped about by the fierce wind.
"Novem, what you're trying to do is wrong! Do you want to place a burden on Raier's shoulders?! He cares about you so deeply — and you —"
Novem pressed her hand to her chest.
"If it's Master Raier, he will overcome my death. There's no need to worry."
I actually wanted to ask her the opposite — how could she have such a high opinion of me? I never thought of myself as anything that special. If I were truly that strong-willed, I'd like to think I would have handled things better.
Monica, still carrying me, slowed our descent even further as the ground came into view.
"As I expected, I don't like you."
Novem turned her gaze to Monica as well.
"I don't like you either. You're a machine that corrupts people, after all. But you're also a necessary tool for Master Raier, who will soon become Emperor. That's why I've kept you close."
Goddesses who began with Nihil and ended with Novem. Novem seemed to possess no human sense of values whatsoever.
She had inherited memories, inherited power, and then watched over the long passage of time. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say it would be strange if she hadn't gone mad.
Even so —
"I refuse! I won't kill you!"
At that, Novem made a troubled expression. Agrissa, lying still on the ground, was torn to shreds by silver blades that erupted from within the moment Novem touched her staff. Agrissa faded away.
Novem landed on the ground, and red light emerged from her body, enveloping her. Clothed in something like a dress — something like armor — Novem transformed her staff into a great scythe and turned to face me.
She extended her left hand straight out to the side.
"There's no helping it. Master Raier is too kind, after all. But that kindness of yours — it will be the death of you."
Where the smiling Novem pointed her left hand, space itself tore open. Shannon's figure appeared within.
"Shannon!"
"Wha—?!"
Shannon's voice rang out as she caught sight of the rift in space. And then, Novem grinned.
"By the standards of House Walt's family creed, Shannon has essentially failed the test. Well, she'll be the first to die, I suppose. ...Master Raier, if you don't kill me, they'll all die."
From Novem's left hand, the light of magical energy converged into a high-density sphere. That was bad. I could tell just by looking at it. Worse than Agrissa.
"W-Wait—"
"Look,
if you hesitate,
someone dies."
A bullet of magical energy was fired into the rift in space. A sphere of high-density, compressed magic power was shot and vanished into the rift.
I hurried to use my Skills, but Novem raised her staff.
"The ability I took from Septem is quite useful. Agrissa never managed to wield it properly. Honestly, she was utterly useless."
The staff, now a giant scythe, emitted a powerful interference.
"My Skills are—"
—they wouldn't work. I imagined the worst possible scene, but then I heard a voice. It was Mireia's voice.
"—Just what do you think you're doing to my dear Shannon?"
Perched on the shoulder of the giant lion warrior Golem were Miranda, Shannon, and Mireia.
Cheers rose from below as Agrissa, who had fallen near the palace, vanished.
Furthermore, the sight of the Golem trampling and sweeping aside the skeletal soldiers boosted the allies' morale. Miranda was manipulating the Golem with threads from both her hands.
"There's just too many of them. And even though Agrissa's gone, why haven't these ones disappeared?"
Shannon raised her right fist.
"Go for it! Get 'em!!!"
Shannon was feeling uplifted as the Golem advanced, sweeping aside enemies one after another. Mireia watched the scene and shot a skeletal soldier that had climbed onto the Golem.
"Don't let your guard down. They can't feel pain. Undead soldiers with no fear are such a nuisance, aren't they?"
Pulling pistols one after another from her sleeves, Mireia shot down the enemies. Then, suddenly, Lyle's voice came from the sky.
"Shannon!"
"Huh!?"
Shannon looked up to see space itself torn open, a rift carved right through the air. On the other side, Novem was standing there in a dress, channeling magic. And it was aimed straight at Shannon.
Miranda immediately tried to maneuver the Golem out of the way, but the spell that had been launched was homing in.
The magic flying straight toward Shannon—.
Mireia kicked it away. In her dress, she kicked it clean aside, then landed gracefully on the lion warrior figure.
The spell struck the ground and exploded, blasting the skeletal soldiers into the air. A crater formed in its wake.
"Oh my. And just what do you think you're doing to my precious Shannon? Novem dear, you're being awfully naughty."
Through the rift in space, Novem's smiling face appeared. She was laughing as she looked at Mireia. As the rift gradually began to close, Novem kept her eyes on Mireia.
"Oh my, what a failure. But I suppose it can't be helped if you're standing there. I'll just have to aim for someone else instead. That way, Master Lyle will also awaken and—"
Before she could finish, the rift snapped shut, leaving both Shannon and Miranda utterly dumbfounded.
"Why is Novem…?"
"Hey, what is going on? The Connection has been useless this whole time… there's noise all over the line."
They should have been connected, but static had crept in and communication had been impossible. Mireia looked up at the sky, gripped her guns tight, and shot clean through a skeletal soldier that had been climbing up.
"…Both of you, we're heading to Central. That girl needs a good, hard punishment. Well, I probably can't handle it on my own… but everyone's here anyway."
Shannon trembled and turned pale at the sight of Mireia's furious expression—.
—Watching Novem attack Shannon were the First Generation and the others as well.
The First Generation and the Second Generation could not hide their shock at the scene. But the ones who scolded them were none other than their own wives. The First Generation's wife smacked him on the head.
"Stop gawking and do something about that girl!"
"B-but—! Novem is the daughter of House Foxes! She's the boss's granddaughter! And she's a brave girl who sold off her dowry!"
The Second Generation stepped in to explain for the First Generation, who wasn't making any sense.
"Just hold on. She's a good kid. She really is. But right now, she must have her reasons—"
The Second Generation's wife tilted her head.
"So she has reasons, and that means we let her get away with killing someone? Honestly, I couldn't care less about her reasons. From our perspective, having Laiel killed here or having a bride die is completely unacceptable. Do you have any idea what we've been fighting for all this time?"
The First Generation and his group had been surrounded by their own soldiers. Everyone around them was waiting for the First Generation's decision. But the soldiers muttered among themselves.
"...That girl is the bride of House Walt, isn't she?"
"Yeah."
"She gives off the same vibe as when our wives first came to marry into the family."
When those words slipped out, the First Generation's wife shot the soldiers a glare that could cut glass.
"Who are you calling a crazy woman?! Look me in the eye and say that!"
Every one of them took a step back with a frightened yelp. The First Generation muttered under his breath, "That right there is exactly the problem."
However, the Second Generation addressed the two of them.
"Wh-whatever the case! We've accepted that girl!"
Just then, the Fifth Generation and the Sixth Generation, who had just arrived on the scene, approached the First Generation's group.
"We're the first ones here. I see Novem's already causing a scene. Well, I figured this would happen."
"Indeed. Well, there were plenty of suspicious elements to begin with."
The First Generation looked at the two of them and pointed his greatsword in their direction.
"What do you two want?! Do you have a problem with Novem?!"
The Fifth Generation hoisted his serpent-sword onto his shoulder.
"I'm rooting for Aria, you know."
And then, the First and Second Generations were stunned.
"Huh? Really? Why?"
"What happened while we were gone?"
The Sixth Generation glanced at Novem, Laiel, and the others.
"I'm rooting for Miranda and Shannon, though."
That was when the Third Generation arrived, bladeless sword in hand, having captured the Banseim royal family and brought them along from behind. He looked at Laiel and the others with a carefree air, smiling.
"So Novem ends up standing before Laiel at last, huh? Well, I expected as much. Oh, I'm rooting for Clara. Speaking of which, hasn't Marks shown up yet?"
Every gaze converged on the Third Generation as he looked around. The First Generation clearly wanted to ask all sorts of things, but—
"Listen! Either way, Novem is precious to us! There's no way we can just let things stay like this! We have to do something to stop it!"
When he declared that to everyone, the Third Generation made an expression of obvious distaste.
"Besides, isn't this something the people involved should sort out themselves? Even if we lend a hand, I don't think it'll end well. Just leave this to Laiel and—"
"Slay!"
At the sound of Dewey's voice, the Third Generation dropped the bladeless sword from his hand. The invisible blade plunged into the ground, and the Third Generation looked toward it.
"Bro...ther."
Even though he understood, the existence of his older brother was something special to the Third Generation. He couldn't maintain his usual carefree demeanor.
"Let's help her. This is wrong. I'm small, so there's a lot I don't understand... but even I can tell this is wrong. I can't do anything, though. I can't do anything—but maybe Slay could help?"
At his brother Dewey's words, the Third Generation averted his gaze. His guilt, and the past he never wanted to remember—that was his brother in a nutshell.
The Fifth Generation looked at Laiel and Novem.
"I don't think it's right for us to meddle in other people's love lives. If Laiel can't resolve this, then even if we solve it for her, it won't mean anything. I think this is Laiel's problem to handle."
Dewey hung his head. Then, from behind the Fifth Generation, a bitter voice rang out. It was the Sixth Generation's wife.
"Just like that, Father-in-law turned a blind eye to our relationship — I'm hurt."
"Hic!"
The Sixth Generation stumbled backward. Despite being a beautiful woman, the aura she gave off was truly dark. And she seemed to be carrying some kind of strange aura on her shoulders.
The Fifth Generation also wore a strained expression.
"That's exactly why they need to resolve it themselves —"
Just then, the Fifth Generation's wife and concubine showed their faces.
"No, you're wrong, dear. This isn't a love affair."
"Huh?"
"...This old hag. You went and allowed a concubine into the family, and now Laiel's gone and lost all restraint too, hasn't she? It's honestly so irritating."
The Sixth Generation's wife fixed the Fifth Generation's wife with a piercing glare. Attention from those around them converged on the Sixth Generation, but she silently averted her gaze.
The First Generation's wife spoke up.
"If it's not a love affair, then what is it?"
The Fifth Generation's wife straightened her posture. Then, placing her hand over her chest, she declared clearly:
"They're already family! They've kissed, they've fought together as husband and wife all this way! Just because they haven't shared a bed doesn't change the fact that their relationship is beyond that of lovers! This is a domestic matter! That is why we're intervening!"
The Fifth Generation rushed to stop his wife in a panic.
"Just shut up, will you! Your intervention is no laughing matter! Why don't you trust Laiel a bit more!"
Leaving the growing commotion behind, Laiel and the others set off —
"The surroundings sure are noisy. Still — the Seventh? Quite the skill. One that summons the Successive Heads of the past, along with the people who lived in their eras. You've really learned to make full use of the Jewel, Laiel-sama."
Novem, who had always affirmed me up until now. That same Novem was now telling me to kill myself. Otherwise, she would kill others.
When Shannon was targeted, I had panicked. But Mireia-san was there by my side, and that saved me.
But was that really true?
"Novem, why are you—"
"Shut up, will you! Your meddling isn't helping! You should have more faith in Laiel!"
The Fifth Generation's shout cut through. Having outsiders butt in like this was making it impossible to keep any tension.
I looked at Novem, and she seemed to think the same—she pressed a finger to her chin and nodded.
"Everyone, those are nothing more than dead soldiers Agrissa cobbled together. Hardly worth worrying about. Of course—I did acknowledge that family, after all."
Novem, looking delighted, planted her staff into the ground. A magic circle appeared beneath it, and a dragon emerged.
A colossal dragon with golden scales and magnificent red horns jutting skyward materialized behind Novem.
Novem touched the dragon's skin and closed her eyes.
"These are worthy opponents for you. Go ahead and fight them. You can kill them, if you wish. After all—they're nothing more than memories."
At those words, I lunged forward. I swung my katana at Novem. But even with both hands on my katana, Novem—wielding her staff with a single hand—was far stronger.
"Now you're finally getting serious, Laiel-sama. But that still won't be enough. Oh, I know! Let's make it a race—will this child, this Legend Dragon, burn everything else to ash first, or will you kill me first, Laiel-sama? This child is quite powerful, you know."
At the mention of Legend Dragon, I tried to confirm with Clara. The noise was terrible, but if she was close enough, maybe we could still communicate—
"I don't know. I've never heard of such a dragon."
Clara answered immediately. Novem nodded with a smug smile, as if to say "of course."
"It's the boss of a floor that humanity has never once reached. Call it a Guardian, or a Floor Ruler—whichever you prefer. Beyond the hundredth floor of the underground Dungeon lies the innermost chamber, and this is one of the strongest Monsters that guards it. Well, there are plenty of other troublesome Monsters too."
The golden dragon roared toward the heavens, and the force alone sent us flying. It nuzzled against Novem affectionately, then spread its massive wings and soared into the sky.
Novem smiled and raised her great scythe with both hands.
"Now, then—let's go, Laiel-sama. No—my beloved child. Show me your power, as your mother watches."
I tightened my grip on my katana and clenched my teeth.
"My mother is Claire Walt! You're not my mother, right?!"
Novem said.
"No, that's not quite right. — To me, all of humanity is practically my own children."