CHAPTER 3
The Corrupted Land
1
The Imperial capital Yunmelngen.
Two military aircraft lifted off from the central base in Sector Three. Normally, they would have been seen off with a salute from a crowd of air force soldiers. But this time, only a dozen or so people from the upper brass were there, along with a few mechanics.
They were on special duty.
At the Lord’s orders, the secret Imperial dispatch mission had begun.
In the blink of an eye, everyone was nearly ten thousand meters in the air. They had a fine view of the horizon and the slowly darkening sky.
“Mei, do you understand what’s happening?! You’re approaching the truth of the world!”
“…”
“This is Katalisk we’re talking about! The forbidden land, where humankind hasn’t been allowed to set foot for years. I’m jealous you get to blaze a new trail through it!”
“Yeah, I don’t get it at all.”
“If I didn’t have patients to take care of, I would have done anything to get on that trip! Make sure to do a thorough investigation!”
“Newt, I’m not really all that jazzed about this place. I could take it or leave it.”
“But you should be jazzed!”
“All I can think about is keeping an eye on that witch. I don’t care about Katalisk or Catalyst or whatever it’s called. Anyway, we’re almost out of range. I’m hanging up.”
Mei sulked as she threw the comm behind her. She was sitting cross-legged on the floor instead of in a seat. The next moment, however, she tipped over and splayed out on her back.
“Ugh, he gets on my nerves! And I can’t even sleep or anything ’cause I’m so worked up!”
“Mei, don’t you feel dizzy from lying down while we’re in the air?”
“Hmm? Nope.”
Risya was next to her and reading. She was sitting in a chair like she was supposed to and even had her seat belt on.
“You’ve been in a bad mood for a while now.”
“It’s not that I’m in a bad mood. It’s just taking a while to sink in… Agh…” Mei stared at the ceiling. “The witch completely surrendered… Seriously…? What happened to my rematch…?”
“That won’t be happening. At this point, you should sheathe your weapons and start calling her Princess Kissing, as international law recommends.”
“Are you kidding me?!” Mei sighed like her soul was leaving her body. “If I can’t beat the hell out of a purebred witch who’s practically on top of me, then why am I even here?”
“Times are changing.” Risya turned a page of her book. “The conflict between the Empire and Sovereignty isn’t a priority anymore. We’ve got an even worse enemy on our hands.”
“Guess so…”
“The witch Elletear is extremely dangerous. She did a number on our central base. Not to mention headquarters and your subordinates.”
“Right…”
“Taking her down is our top priority. The lovely witches sitting in the back are Elletear’s own blood relatives, too.”
“So we’re pitting them against each other.” Mei smiled cynically, as though resigning herself to what was in store. “Fight witches with witches. And you’re all right with family being pitted against family?”
“Yes. As long as the princesses are willing, the Imperial forces just need to sit back and watch.”
While the members of the Imperial forces talked among themselves, the three astral mages listened quietly from the back seats.
“I can hardly believe they’d say that…,” Rin grumbled. As she looked out the reinforced glass window, she listened carefully to the conversation. “What a vulgar habit the forces have. Who would talk so loudly on purpose about others?”
“Very true.”
“Guh.” Rin whipped around when she heard Alice’s reply. “But, Lady Alice, please don’t let it bother you…”
“Even if she is family, we can’t ignore what Elletear’s done. That’s all this fight is. We can’t turn from the truth.”
She placed her hands on top of each other in her lap. Then she finally opened her eyes, which had been closed since takeoff.
……We’re not simply being pit against each other.
……It’s not just the Lou. Even the Zoa are involved now.
She was ready for it all. But Alice couldn’t help but feel shocked by Princess Kissing’s about-face.
“Please fight the witch Elletear alongside me.”
“Who will be upset if I bow to Iska?”
She was so pure of heart. She had surrendered to the Empire and pleaded with them for help. Even as a princess, she hadn’t shown any reservations. Kissing Zoa Nebulis IX had set her pride aside to do what she needed.
Alice found it shocking—almost chilling.
Kissing had abandoned everything for her cause. Thinking about her determination sent shivers down Alice’s spine.
……It’s no different from how Elletear abandoned her humanity.
……Kissing has abandoned the title of princess.
But what about Alice? Had she ever shown comparable determination to those two? No. She still hadn’t, not yet. She’d never had to sacrifice anything.
Was she truly ready to fight her sister?
“So, Alice. You’re facing something much more powerful than yourself.”
“Do you have a knight who would protect you?”
He wasn’t here now. Iska had boarded another aircraft, which was following behind them.
“My determination…”
She felt removed from him. Did she have the determination to accept him as a knight, instead of facing him as a rival?
“…”
“Lady Alice?”
“I’m going to rest for a while… Let me know if anything happens,” she told her attendant, who had been checking in on her. Then Alice closed her eyes again.
The flight was long. They had left at around one o’clock in the afternoon. They would spend all night in the aircraft and land the next afternoon in a neutral city with an airport.
……There’d be an uproar if anyone found out.
……That three Nebulis Sovereignty princesses are on an Imperial aircraft.
No one could know about it.
Or at least not anyone who didn’t know the circumstances. Especially not the Nebulis queen.
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