Chapter 39 The Ballad Of The Monster To You, Part Three
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
[Forte・Connect・Ability・Yellow]
”Ah!!!!?”
”Lute!!!!”
We were shocked when the display changed,
[Frau・Disability・Reconnecting]
We saw the display change again,
[Reconnecting・Error]
”―――――――――!?”
[Frau・Disability]
Lute and Fiine ran out, and I yelled at them to take me too.
* * *
I got to the old castle’s yard, and it was awful.
The soldiers that Quintet controlled were like dead leaves, and there was blood everywhere.
I didn’t know who did it, but the old castle’s walls were broken, and the plants were on fire from the magic heat even in the rain.
”Quintet!!!”
”Ugh……Quartet!! Help me!!!”
In the middle of the yard.
Quintet was fighting with Beth, who had purple hair in two parts.
She only held her greatsword with her right hand.
I wondered what happened and saw her left hand, where her fingers were gone and blood came out.
Her hand was like mine. But now it was very bad.
In the middle of feeling very angry about that,
――――――Boom!!
Quintet looked towards a loud noise from a different direction.
”Huh!?”
As I tried to run towards Quintet and Beth after the loud sound, I saw several soldiers being thrown into the air. Standing there with a calm face beyond the scene where they were being thrown to the ground was not Aria, whom I had expected to come someday, but…
”Träumerei…!”
It became even more difficult.
”Ugh…!”
There were only about ten soldiers around them now. We had to defeat either Beth or Träumerei quickly.
While I couldn’t imagine Quintet and I losing in a 2v2 situation, Aria hadn’t shown herself yet. If we didn’t reduce their numbers while the situation was still good, it would become hard to escape from here.
Thinking so, the one who started running was,
”Quintet!”
I run fast to my sister who I love very much. Beth makes a sound with her mouth and moves away from Quintet quickly. She does everything well and fast. She is much better than when I saw her before.
”Quartet!! Go after her!!”
This means we have to fight her directly. It is good to do that now and not go around.
We want to be far from Träumerei too.
Beth knows this too. She tries to go to Träumerei in a different way, but…
”…!”
I will not let her do that this time.
I see Beth’s face look angry. I keep hitting with my sword, working with Quintet. I move my sword from one side to the other. Beth goes under it. I pull back my sword. Quintet pushes from my side. Beth’s body turns and we hit her away.
”This…!!”
Even though we repeated these attacks and defenses several times in just a few seconds, none of us were able to seriously hurt Beth.
”Quartet! Don’t get too close!! She’s much stronger than we thought!!”
”I understand!!”
Beth, who only wore leather armor over her clothes, moved unusually fast. Even attacks that seemed to hit her were dodged at the last moment, and the attacks that did hit her didn’t do much damage. When I looked closely, I noticed intricate patterns engraved on her armor, giving off a faint glow.
”This girl is using a magic tool…”
”Ah, it’s frustrating!!”
If things continue like this, Träumerei will come charging at us.
At that moment, a feeling of danger flashed through my mind.
”――――――”
Just for a moment.
Beth’s eyes briefly lost focus and wandered.
Her face, which had been filled with intense anger, suddenly twisted as if she was experiencing some kind of pain and she instinctively held her head.
”――――――!”
Quintet and I moved at the same time.
There’s no need to make a sound.
There is no need to check how your opponent will move.
I just need to believe in my sister.
My sister just needs to believe in me.
”――――――!”
I attacked from the left, while Quartet attacked from the right using only her right hand. We made slashing movements, adjusting the height and angle, to get closer. Whether jumping, bending, jumping back, bouncing, intercepting, or dodging, she couldn’t avoid serious injuries.
But something happened.
At that moment, a divine Princess moved towards me with terrifying speed. Her shiny black hair flowed, and her pupils contracted like a wild animal’s.
”――――――!”
As Aria, bent over, started to rotate and accelerate quickly, her arm, like a whip, followed. The flash of my sword was forcefully deflected by her flexible arm.
”Ouch…!!”
At that moment, something sudden happened and Quintet got hurt on her right shoulder.
”Quintet!!”
”!!”
”Phew…, did I arrive on time?”
”You didn’t arrive on time, and neither did I, Aria-sama.”
Aria’s body was already wet and covered in mud, and she was breathing heavily. As Quintet and I moved away, Aria took a deep breath and looked at Beth from the corner of her eye.
”It’s Frau’s signal…”
”!!”
Looking at the rectangular object hanging from her waist, Beth’s words suggested that it might be a new magic tool made by Lute-sama. When I looked up from that object, Aria’s eyes showed the same intense anger as Beth’s.
”…Beth, I will capture her.”
”No, I will kill her.”
I’m curious about what that magic tool is, but now is not the right time. If I were to slightly turn around, I could sense a faint presence slowly approaching from behind.
”Quartet… Quintet… Will you give up…?”
”Träumerei…”
There stood Träumerei, almost untouched, holding a sword that hung casually. We were surrounded, facing the two Divine Princesses, one of whom used to be the main candidate for the position of Divine Princess. Also, the Divine Princesses included the fast Aria and the charming Träumerei.
It’s time. Time to run away. Together with Quintet.
At least I’ve got the information. It’s a little worrying, but I can’t do anything about it. I really wanted to get one more important piece of information and then go to another country quickly, but I can’t risk Quintet’s life.
”Please don’t get involved. I will kill them.”
—Clang…
As Beth, with a clear, determined voice, prepared her dagger and glared at me and Quintet with a strong expression of anger, almost at the same time, three things changed.
One change was the sound of singing.
The song was very sad.
There was another change. Lute-sama appeared above the shining Draconia girl, like a beam of light in the dark night. A beautiful woman with silver hair, held by Lute-sama, also appeared.
And there was a third change.
[Frau・Connect・Ability Unknown]
Their magical tools, like panels, started making warning sounds at the same time.
* * *
Suddenly, I felt my mana rapidly decreasing.
”Ah… gu…”
The world started spinning, and all my senses gave me warnings at the same time.
”What… is…”
The first change was the song.
At first, I thought it was just a ringing in my ears, but it gradually turned into a clear melody, directly resonating in my head. That’s when I started feeling uncomfortable in my body.
My heart started racing, my breathing became shallow, and sweat started pouring from my forehead.
In that moment, I thought Frau-san’s nerves were going haywire due to the shock of her death.
”Frau-san…”
Frau-san, who is no longer alive, started to give off a bright light.
I’m feeling very confused.
I am overwhelmed with sadness, to the point where I feel like my nerves are being burned.
The fact that she was born, that I have lived, grown, learned, eaten, fallen in love, fought, killed…
All of these things make me very sad.
’I want to die.’
This thought suddenly comes to me and it overwhelms me.
”Haaaa… Haaaa… Ugh… Ugh… Blerghh”
I vomit on the floor of the underground room and desperately wipe my mouth while looking at Frau-san.
”Haaaa… Haaaa…”
As the music gets louder, Frau-san’s lifeless body, which is now floating above my knees, emits an even stronger light. It lights up the dark walls of the underground room, and its radiant presence is like that of an angel. The sight is so powerful that tears uncontrollably run down my face.
”Frau-san….”
I know about Frau-san.
She’s known as the Holy Kingdom’s human weapon.
”Please… Frau-san… let’s stop… everyone will die…”
I try hard to gather mana from around me, but the mana in the space is being canceled out. I attempt to gather the remaining mana in my body, but the restraints on my neck, wrists, and ankles stop me from controlling it.
”Ugh… Gehh… Cough…!”
I vomit stomach acid again, and with chains connected to the restraints on my wrists and ankles, I put my hands on my knees. I feel so weak. Despite that, I use all my strength to lift my body, managing to look down at Frau-san’s body at chest height.
”Haah… Aah…”
Each strand of her hair floats gently, her skin glows like an angel, and I can’t stop looking at her figure, which I shouldn’t be gazing upon.
From what I’ve heard, people who don’t resist are said to quickly die when they hear the song. I wonder if I’m okay because of the total mana I have.
”Ah………… Ahhhhhhhhhhh……”
Feeling down.
Everything feels sad.
The fact that I’m breathing,
that my heart is beating,
that I have eyes,
that my hands can move,
that I can stand up,
I know it’s all because of attacks from Frau-san.
”Frau-san……”
I didn’t realize at that time that not having a sword was a good thing.
I was just feeling sad, wondering why I didn’t have a sword, and that there was nothing in this narrow underground cell to end it.
”Ah…………”
It’s sad that I noticed the chains tied to my hands and feet.
The coldness when I held those chains is sad.
It’s sad to wrap the chains around my neck.
”Haa……… Ahh………”
It’s sad that I have to pull on those chains with all my might.
I’m feeling sad because it’s getting hard for me to breathe. And even though my vision is getting blurry, I’m still sad because I can’t let go of the strength in my arms. Being alive… it’s sad.
But…
”Forte!!!!”
I feel happy.
When I heard his voice, I felt that way. Were those really my own emotions? And who were those words directed towards, the emotions that seemed to come in?
”Ah… gu… “
”L-Lute… Frau-san… it’s… just as I thought… Holy Kingdom’s…”
”Stop, Forte!!! Damn it…!! Fiine!! Break the prison!!!”
I’m happy that he’s here.
Just hearing his voice makes me happy.
Just thinking of him makes me happy.
I’m happy that he’s trying his best.
”Gu… ugu… “
”Lute!! Match Frau’s wavelength!! Otherwise, everything else will be erased!! Forte too!! Are you listening?! You remember, right?! She has drained a lot of mana!!!” (Viola)
I’m happy I’m alive.
I’m happy I was born.
I’m happy that I breathe, feel joy, feel sadness, grow, and work hard for someone’s sake.
”Haa… ugu…”
”~~~!!”
”Viola… Lute, What’s the matter?”
”There’s too much mana! I can’t rewrite it as quickly as I can!” (Lute)
”Fiine is okay, though?”
”Yours is different! Can’t you hear the song too?”
”A song?”
”It’s a cursed song! It’s getting stronger and stronger! I’ll explain later, so Fiine, hold Forte back!”
It’s fine if you can’t do anything.
It’s fine if you can’t achieve anything.
Live your life with all your strength, laugh with all your strength.
That’s all that matters.
”Viola… F-Frau…”
”~~~~… I, I don’t know… What’s happening to the vital signs!”
”They’re normal…”
”Then stop the song! People in the holy city will die like this!”
”H, how do we do that!”
”Ah, I’ll do it! Let Frau touch me! Lute, give me mana! Quickly! It’s okay if it’s not converted yet!”
Endure the suffering.
It’s alright to fail.
It’s alright not to do well.
Surely, all of it is necessary.
”Ugh… Uuuu…!!”
”Vi, Viola…!”
”Just let it all out… Let it all be erased by me… Disappear more and more…!”
So,
Let’s live.
Don’t talk about dying, alright?
”More…! I can’t put it into the spell…!”
”Understood!”
”Should Fiine break it?”
”If you release your mana, Frau will break!”
The hardships of childhood…
The painful things now… will surely become funny stories someday.
”I’m telling you to do more!!!”
”If she release more, Viola will…”
”Hurry up! I’m used to chaotic situations!!!”
”~~~~~!!”
”Do not say things about killing!
Let’s live together.
”Frau!!! Can you hear me? Frau!!!!”
”Ugh…”
”Lute is trying his best, Frau!!! Please, you too, try your best! Come back!!!”
Everyone is just like you.
Everyone is suffering, worried, feeling powerless, and lonely.
”Ouch…”
”Lute!!! Call Frau!!!”
”F-Frau!!!”
”More!!!!”
”Frau!!!!”
It’s okay if it doesn’t help.
It’s okay if you don’t have the energy.
It’s okay if you’re not beautiful.
”Frau!!! Please!!! Come back!!! Without Frau――――――I am!!!”
Let’s laugh at silly things.
Let’s laugh at boring things.
If you live with laughter, surely someday it will truly become enjoyable.
”Wait!!! Lute!!! Frau!!!”
”Frau!!! Frau!!! Please wake up!!!”
Sometimes, it’s scary to think that we might become anxious again.
That’s just how we are.
”Frau!!!”
But you know,
Even if we get covered in mud,
Even if we’re covered in dirt,
Even if we try our best but things don’t go well,
Even if we feel anxious, it’s okay,
Because,
”Lute………sama……………”
That’s what makes you cool.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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