The Protagonist's Party is Too Diligent

It seemed that the ceremonial robes didn’t fit properly.

The Emperor stood lost in thought, still holding his bag.

It was because of those robes that Lucas had been able to escape. From what we saw of him blocking the Emperor’s sword energy and the Sword Saint’s blade, it was clear the robes themselves were incredibly powerful.

However, even the ceremonial robes have their limits.

If the wearer isn’t numb to pain, or if they don’t have the ability to escape in certain situations, they will eventually be overwhelmed by continuous attacks. Considering how much pain Sylvia endured from a single shot, it might not be as worrying by the Empire’s standards.

After all, not everyone who wears those robes is like Lucas.

“Your skill is clearly not on Lucas’s level.”

“...I apologize.”

Jaiden lowered his head deeply as he responded.

“No need to apologize. What else could you do? It was an impossible task from the start.”

“...”

The Emperor’s words were meant to be kind, but it seemed Jaiden didn’t hear it that way.

The Empire’s strongest knight. He probably takes pride in his title.

Come to think of it, there was never a time when they fought for real, at least not sincerely. He had always thought there was camaraderie between them, especially since they were both children of the same family.

“Verati isn’t dead, then?”

“Yes. He’s recovering. His life isn’t in danger, but we’re unsure when he’ll wake up...”

“And Sylvia?”

Jaiden’s face grimaced. He probably thought it was all Lucas’s fault.

Half of it was true.

But the other half...

“I see. For now, return to your duties.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Jaiden had been injured, but it didn’t seem too severe. Lucas had been running for his life, after all. If it had truly been a fair duel, Jaiden wouldn’t have escaped unscathed.

Jaiden snapped to attention before turning and leaving the royal audience chamber.

Alice remained by Sylvia’s side after that. Even though she had been told that Sylvia’s injuries weren’t life-threatening, it seemed Alice couldn’t relax. Though there were attendants in the room, Alice wanted to help Sylvia herself.

It was odd how their bond had grown so strong.

...It was probably because of Sylvia. From the moment Sylvia had arrived here, she had always considered Alice’s well-being.

“Hm.”

The Emperor opened the bag he had been holding.

Inside was a piece of *jibo*.

It wasn’t completely unexpected. After all, there was no way they went all the way to the law country and caused such a commotion without bringing anything back.

But what he hadn’t anticipated was the power this *jibo* would have.

“I’ve never encountered a human of this kind before...”

Muttering to himself as though answering his own question, the Emperor continued.

“No, can we even call this 'human'?”

Most nations, especially those with myths related to the Goddess Church, know that *jibo* is something of great importance. Even just looking at the amount of mana it holds, it’s clear that it is a key to something important, though only a few truly understand its exact role.

Indeed, only a few knew.

The Emperor was one of those rare individuals.

There is a legend passed down only to those who inherit the throne of the Empire, a story tied to the *Fangryphon* and the Goddess.

But according to that tale, *jibo* couldn’t be used until it was whole.

It might be best to gather them all one day, but there was no need for the Empire to be the one to collect them. In the end, the place that needed *jibo* was the Holy Land. War with the law country would be inevitable at the end.

Even if the Empire only secured a single fragment of *jibo*, they could conquer it with sheer force when the time came.

The gears of the world were turning.

The unfinished machine of the *Fangryphon* that had once sought to usurp the Goddess’s power.

The broken cog of that machine was this *jibo*.

“I never imagined that a single piece could have such power.”

A fragment of a crucial device. Logically, a single piece alone shouldn’t have value. Even if it did, it wouldn’t be able to activate the machine.

But— 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Does this mean that, even broken, it carries the power of the Goddess?

The masked woman wasn’t the key. What mattered was the *jibo* she possessed, which blocked Sylvia’s powers.

This *jibo* blocked the power of the masked woman. Thinking of it this way, everything falls into place.

Of course, questions remain. If Sylvia were truly the Goddess, or her avatar, why would she be helping the *Fangryphon*, her mortal enemy? Why was she trying to make Alice the Emperor instead of herself?

Maybe she’s thinking the same thing I am, the Emperor thought.

If I wait to gather all the *jibo* and finally steal them at the end...

Even so, the *jibo* is necessary.

Despite having the *jibo*, Sylvia could still use her abilities. The aftereffects were devastating, but...

And if the masked woman’s *jibo* isn’t nearby, Sylvia will be free to use her powers when she wakes up.

To prepare for any similar entities that might emerge, the *jibo* must be collected.

“This will be useful,” the Emperor said, smiling as he looked down at the bag once again.

---

**A Failure Again**

She had failed again.

Her body creaked as she moved, lost in thought.

Click, click. The sound of machinery moving echoed with every flick of her fingers. In truth, it wasn’t just when she moved her fingers that the noise could be heard.

It was there when she walked, when she shifted her gaze, and even when she tried to think.

She wanted the sound to stop, but she couldn’t. It was the only proof that she existed, the only sign that she was alive.

Her body had blood and flesh, but—

Everywhere she looked, the same sensation lingered: it felt as though her body was floating inside a kaleidoscope. She had become something infinitely small.

Every time she saw Sylvia, the sound clicked in her chest. What she felt was warmth. Longing. Joy and sorrow.

But in this body, she couldn’t even speak properly. She couldn’t laugh.

Alice—am I Alice?

She remembered. If she could remember, then those feelings she felt when seeing Sylvia must be hers.

Sylvia had a sad expression on her face. Sylvia had shot the “Alice” that she was, but the shot missed.

Then, Alice’s wings...

Endlessly, endlessly, she regretted it.

But is ‘regretted’ even the right word? Could I have really regretted it? It must be wrong. Alice hadn’t even existed back then. More precisely, it hadn’t happened yet.

Click, click. The sound grew louder as her thoughts became more tangled. Her head vibrated, trembling.

In fact, what surrounded her body, what made her flesh and blood, might just be for show.

If the devices in her head were the only proof of her existence...

Who created this body? Who placed these memories inside her?

Why were they dropped here without explanation, without teaching her anything? What were they thinking when they made this piece on the chessboard—me?

At least, there was one thing she could still do.

Maybe she could at least tell what she knew.

---

**A Long-Awaited Visit**

In the student council room, she met someone who made her uncomfortable.

Or should it be said, they weren’t on the best terms? From Mia Crowfield’s perspective, it was even worse.

“Lady Crowfield.”

As I spoke first, Crowfield raised her head to look at me. Dark circles were visible under her eyes.

“...What happened over the break?”

Before Charlotte could greet her, Mia Crowfield had already asked that question, indicating that Mia was in a bad state.

Looking at her dry eyes, it was clear she had been crying a lot.

It was understandable. She had just learned face-to-face that her beloved family... were not the people she had thought them to be. That moment, Mia had collapsed, crying on the floor.

She probably didn’t know who to blame. It’s easy to blame a single thing, but when there are many reasons stacked together...

Still, I thought there was hope.

She hadn’t quit the academy, nor had she locked herself away in the dorms. She hadn’t made it to the opening ceremony, but here she was in the student council room.

It seemed she still wanted to talk.

“...”

I knew I had to say something, but when I tried to think of the right words, I didn’t know what to say.

Saying “hello” didn’t feel right. Mia Crowfield was definitely not in a “hello” state. Similarly, “well” didn’t feel appropriate either.

Alice glanced at me, and Charlotte, Claire, and Leo seemed to notice that this conversation was connected to me. All four of them stood a little apart, sensing the tension.

“From now on...”

I took a moment to organize my thoughts, then slowly opened my mouth.

“Let’s try to get along, alright?”

The words I came up with weren’t very impressive.

I waited nervously, not knowing how Mia would respond, and she nodded ever so slightly.

That was enough to let me breathe a little easier.