Septem

"I won't let you!"

When I heard Monica's voice, she descended from above Ceres, spinning as she came down.

Gripping a mace in both hands, Monica was delivering a blow at Ceres — one that would bring a tragic end to anyone it struck.

The snow piled on the ground was stained red in places, which meant I hadn't met my final moment after all.

Or perhaps time had merely been extended.

Ceres caught the descending mace with her rapier.

The impact and wind pressure sent snow flying from around Ceres, and when Monica halted her spin midair, both their hair drifted softly.

It was an utterly unbelievable sight.

Monica's strike was truly heavy.

For a person — especially with a thin rapier — to catch it was normally impossible.

And yet, part of me had taken it for granted that Ceres could pull it off.

"You're the second person to have provoked my hostility."

Leaping away from Ceres, Monica readied the mace in both hands.

The next moment, I saw Aria's back in front of me.

Aria had appeared as if sliding between Ceres and us, and she was breathing hard.

"This is the first time I've used it so many times in a row... but it seems I made it in time."

Looking around, Aria seemed to grasp how dangerous the situation was. She didn't have her spear, but she had drawn the short sword hanging at her waist and taken a stance.

Ceres glanced down at the yellow Jewel on her rapier, then slowly turned her gaze toward Monica and Aria.

"One Skill user and one ancient Automaton... How interesting. I'd love to add you both to my collection."

Ceres looked over at me.

My body wouldn't respond the way I wanted, and I stayed on my knees on the ground, glaring at Ceres.

Aria seemed to have noticed the change as well.

"What the hell are you..."

Ceres had been staring at Aria, but let out a small sigh.

She looked troubled.

"No good, is it. Normally, just looking should be enough. Hey, that mechanical doll over there — how about becoming mine? I'll take better care of you than Lyle."

Monica hurled a mace at Ceres, then pulled a fresh mace out from under her skirt.

Ceres deflected one with her rapier and cleaved the other in two.

The deflected mace rolled toward me.

"Oh well, what a shame."

Ceres said nothing more, but Monica retorted.

"It's an Automaton, not a mechanical doll, if you don't mind. I'd appreciate it if you called me a maid. And as for me bearing hostility toward you... Are you even human?"

The way Ceres spoke made it sound like she was anything but human, and I was convinced she was right.

I had the distinct impression that Ceres was already in the process of becoming something beyond human.

With a soft giggle, Ceres addressed Monica.

"For a fake that crawled out of the Dungeon, you're awfully particular."

Ceres spoke as though she knew something, but Monica scoffed at her.

"The fact that I exist and that Chicken is my master hasn't changed, fake or not! Whether I'm a fake or the real deal is the least of my concerns!"

The Fourth Generation gave me a quick rundown of the current situation.

"Even with two more, the situation's still unfavorable. Laiel, check whether anyone else is heading this way. And... make absolutely sure whether Novem's here or not."

The Fourth Generation spoke with tension, sounding as though she suspected Novem.

But there also seemed to be self-loathing mixed into her voice.

I didn't want to suspect her, but Ceres had brought up Novem's name.

"...Aria, where are the rest of them?"

I asked Aria in a low voice.

Aria kept her voice down too.

"They'll all be here soon. It's just me and Monica who came ahead."

Hearing that, I said:

"Did Novem say anything?"

"She seemed pretty frantic? Coming all the way here — Novem? She rushed over in a hurry. But seriously, why isn't anyone else moving?"

Following Aria's gaze as she looked around, I surveyed the surroundings myself.

Knights, soldiers, onlookers — every last one of them was staring at Ceres.

Among them, some onlookers were even shedding tears.

I summoned what little strength I had and gripped a mace that had rolled nearby.

The Fifth Generation spoke.

"Laiel... why do you go this far? Are you upset because you lost? Or are you just too stubborn? Getting made fun of is one thing — there's no point getting angry over it!"

The Fifth Generation seemed worried about me.

(It had been over half a year since we'd known each other... and I was starting to understand all sorts of things.)

The Third Generation, who always kept a carefree demeanor, had offered me advice.

'Lail, can you hold out until Novem gets here?'

The Sixth Generation didn't particularly like Novem.

She was more like a daughter from a family they were acquainted with.

'Third Generation, do you have something in mind?'

The Seventh Generation worried about me.

'Something to get Lail out of this alive?'

But the Third Generation denied it.

'It's more troublesome than you'd think. She's temperamental and hostile toward Lail. Novem's name came up, so if he can hold out that long, something might shift. Whether that turns out good or bad for us, I can't say.'

I should have just run.

I still don't think that, even now.

I fought, and I came to understand.

I couldn't escape from Ceres. She would have caught up with me, and it would have turned into a fight regardless.

The Fifth Generation seemed to understand that as well.

'The gap in ability is too great. I didn't expect it to be this bad... I was naive. With the way Lail is now, I thought he could at least manage to flee, based on what I'd heard about him.'

The Fourth Generation spoke to me.

'You might be able to buy some time, but how much can Monica and Aria really do?'

I took a deep, deep breath, looked at Ceres, and smiled.

'...What's so funny?'

'Nothing, really.'

With that, I grinned from ear to ear as I looked at Ceres.

Ceres's eyebrows twitched as she stepped in between me and Aria.

Aria, having been maneuvered behind us, turned around with wide eyes.

When Ceres grabbed me by the collar, I was still smiling.

Monica, with a mace in both hands, charged at Ceres, and Aria thrust her dagger forward—only to be blown against the wall.

When the two of them were sent flying into the wall in an instant, Aria apparently blocked with her Skills and got back up.

Monica, meanwhile, burst out from a different section of wall—one that hadn't been the spot she'd been knocked through.

I was the more surprised one, but Ceres kicked Monica away.

Monica rolled along the ground and was sent flying a considerable distance, but once she got back on her feet, she charged straight at Ceres.

"Enough!"

When I called for a halt, Ceres looked up at me.

"You Chicken..."

I knew Monica was trying to do something about the situation, but she'd picked the wrong opponent.

"Stay there and watch."

The next instant, my back slammed hard into the wall.

Ceres had grabbed me and hurled me into the wall without letting go.

With an expressionless face, Ceres looked at me and spoke.

"Quite the composure. Have you given up already?"

Blood was trickling from my mouth, and while enduring both the pain and the sensation of my consciousness about to slip away, I looked at Ceres with a smile.

She apparently didn't like being made fun of—that was a childish trait I noticed in her.

"Are you satisfied?"

"Huh?"

Ceres wasn't wearing her usual confident smile—instead, she was glaring at me.

"I asked if you're satisfied. Is it fun, crushing the weak with overwhelming power? Good for you... it suits you."

As she said that, Ceres drove her rapier through my left arm and pinned me to the wall. She twisted it back and forth, and I let out a scream.

"Aaahh!!"

I let out a sound that barely qualified as a voice, yet still looked at Ceres and smiled.

(That's right, you love roughing people up, don't you! I knew you'd do something like this... damn it, that hurts!!)

The Third Generation spoke.

"Lyle, you should know when to ease up on the provocation. But I'll give you credit for not sacrificing the two of them. It really was a gamble, but it seems you made it in time. Well, what matters now is how you move from here."

Just then, Novem rushed to the scene.

"Lord Lyle!"

—Novem had her eyes fixed on Ceres, who was hastily pulling her rapier out of Lyle's left arm and stepping back to create distance.

She had followed Lyle when he left House Walt. It had been over half a year since they last saw each other face to face.

She had grown even more than before, her aura now carrying an even more bewitching allure.

Possessing a beauty far beyond her years, Ceres watched Novem rush toward Lyle, breathless, and neither said a word nor launched an attack.

Novem immediately began treating Lyle on the spot, still showing her back to Ceres.

Lyle, on the verge of losing consciousness, spoke to Novem.

"Monica's probably beyond help, but treat Aria, Shannon, and Eva first..."

As he spoke those words and his body went limp, Novem held him close.

Gently laying him down on the snow, Novem turned to face Ceres.

Miranda rushed over to Aria's side.

Clara headed toward Monica.

She stood protectively over Laiel, who had finished administering first aid, and pointed her staff at Ceres.

"...This wasn't the deal. You said you wouldn't get involved, didn't you?"

Ceres glanced repeatedly toward the yellow Jewel as she heard those words.

As though defying the Jewel's will, it seemed Ceres herself had been on the verge of cutting Novem down right then and there.

Novem understood that too.

Ceres sheathed her rapier and turned to face Novem.

And once Ceres put away her weapons, the knights gathered around her.

"Fine, fine, I'm sorry. My apologies! But you were the one who struck first."

Watching Ceres giggle, Novem shifted her gaze to the side and saw Alfred and the soldier lying in the snow that had begun to accumulate.

She understood that Ceres was responsible for both.

"That's a lie. Laiel would never do such a thing. Wasn't it Alfred who struck first?"

Novem knew all about Alfred's prior behavior. After all, she had originally been the daughter of House Foxes, which had deep ties to House Walt.

Ceres replied with feigned innocence.

"I have no idea~! When I got here, they were already fighting."

Still giggling, she turned to leave the spot.

Novem spoke to Ceres as she did.

"If Laiel had died... I would have fought you, Ceres, even knowing you were my opponent."

Ceres stopped in her tracks. The knights around her placed their hands on the hilts of their swords.

Among them were several knights that Novem recognized.

"A daughter of House Foxes dares to raise a blade against Lady Ceres?!"

"The worthless fiancée truly is worthless after all!"

"A mere second daughter of House Foxes—"

Novem ignored the knights.

She had no other choice.

The emotion Novem harbored was pity.

(For the knights of House Walt to have come to this...)

They had once been splendid knights who had celebrated Laiel's growth. Some had eagerly clamored over who would attend Laiel's first battle, drinking and reveling in excitement.

Alfred had once cherished Laiel like a younger brother.

And now—

"Will you not answer? Or... should I call you Septem instead?"

Novem tightened her grip on her staff, ready to cast a spell at any moment, when Ceres turned around with a fearsome expression.

"Don't call me by that name. I am Ceres... the daughter of House Walt — the very house you people of House Foxes have carefully protected all this time. Can you bring yourselves to lay a hand on me?"

By the latter half of her words, Ceres was looking at Novem with a triumphant expression.

Novem lowered her staff.

For House Foxes, House Walt held tremendous significance.

(As long as she is still Lady Ceres, I cannot act against her.)

That was why the family had supported House Walt from the shadows, generation after generation.

"...There was a promise that we would not lay a hand on Lord Laiel."

Ceres spoke with disinterest.

"Oh, I'd forgotten. My apologies. But... if I see you again, I really will carve you up. I'll make sure you see it too, so stay out of my sight from now on. Ah, but..."

Ceres leaned forward, pressing her right index finger to her lips.

The pose was cute and innocent.

"There's an important announcement in three days, so you're welcome to come to the square. Tell Laiel too... you'll get to see both parents, so just stand there and watch with your fingers in your mouth, will you?"

Ceres laughed and departed, surrounded by her knights.

She had glanced toward Miranda and Clara, but neither showed any interest, and she looked bored as she left.

Once the soldiers had collected Alfred and the other bodies, all that remained at the scene was a mountain of rubble and accumulating snow.

Miranda, lending Aria her shoulder, watched Ceres recede into the distance.

"...She's gotten worse than the last time I saw her."

Miranda, having met Ceres years ago, must have been able to see how much she had grown since then.

Aria stared after Ceres's retreating figure, frustration etched on her face.

"Not being able to do anything..."

It was Novem who spoke to Aria.

"No, you resisted splendidly, Lady Aria."

"I don't need comfort. The fact is I couldn't do anything."

Clara approached, accompanied by Monica.

*(Normally, even that would have been impossible.)*

Monica, who was not herself after Laiel had fallen, was on Clara's mind.

And Monica glared at Novem.

"You know something, don't you? Answer me. What are you after?"

Monica, having concluded that she might be an enemy to Laiel, pressed her hard.

Novem was briefly taken aback but managed a wry smile.

"Let's tend to Shannon and Eva first. It's freezing out here. And we need to move Laiel somewhere quickly too."

Not about to let Novem lay a hand on Laiel, Monica tried to lift him herself.

That was when a carriage came down the sparsely trafficked street and came to a halt right before all of them—