EPILOGUE 1
Darkest Before Dawn
At the same time as the rematch was unfolding between Iska the Successor of the Black Steel and Alice the Ice Calamity Witch…
“Don’t you know? As the sun hides during the night, the moon keeps watch.”
On the palace grounds…was a forest where gunfire shot by the Imperial forces did not reach. At the outskirts where the wind rustled, an old man in a wheelchair was illuminated by the moonlight.
His wheelchair creaked as he moved forward. “That’s odd. Why would an imprisoned young lady get out of jail at the same time as an Imperial raid?”
“……”
“And why would you have the youngest princess on your back?”
The head of the Zoa, Growley. The strapping old man still sported the wound inflicted by the Saint Disciple Nameless on his shoulder before he had slipped out of the Moon Spire.
“Now, girl. I believe your name was Vichyssoise, was it?”
“Uh-oh. Busted.”
The redhead in a coat stuck out her tongue like this was all a joke. Sisbell, the youngest princess of the House of Lou, was on her back, not showing any signs of waking up during their conversation, almost like she had been drugged.
“This wasn’t part of the plan, Gramps. I thought you would be hyped about the Imperial raid.”
“Sort of.” Behind him, flames raged over the palace grounds.
There were signs of the Imperial troops withdrawing, but the man showed no interest.
“Vice is pursuing the Saint Disciple. As the head of household, I must act the part.”
“Oh? So that means…”
“Did you think you could deceive my eyes?” he jeered hoarsely at her. There were probably five yards between them. He pointed at the redhead standing in front of him.
“Wasn’t it your master who invited the Imperial army here?” he asked. “And you were responsible for the plot to kill the queen. The Hydra are moving below the surface. You wouldn’t reveal yourselves, so I pretended not to notice. But now that you’re trying to take the youngest princess, that’s proof enough. I’m glad I followed the evening wind where it took me.”
“Oh? You have a good head on your shoulders, Gramps, even in your old age.”
Vichyssoise arched an eyebrow. She had been seen attempting to bring Sisbell to the Solar Spire. She had no way of talking herself out of the situation. If anything, she should have been nervous, at least.
“And does the House of Zoa know about this?”
“Needless conjecture only breeds chaos. I knew to wait until the time came.”
“I see. Then you sniffed out this scheme on your own. I have to admit that this makes me think better of you, but the irony is that some things in the world are better left unknown.”
“Like your mutant form?”
“……”
“I heard during the inquisition. You transformed into something inhuman when you attacked Sisbell in the eighth state.”
At that moment, Vichyssoise was wearing a dark overcoat. Her bare feet that peeked out from under it were white and fascinating but clearly human.
The old man still had no idea what kind of monster she could become.
—How about you show me? Growley seemed to be challenging her.
“I think my age has made me skeptical. I can’t believe things unless I have a gander at them with my own eyes, you see. Of course, I don’t mind if you stay as you are, but don’t think you can escape from me.”
“Poor Grandpa.” The witch snickered. “Do you want to retire? I hate to let you know that I’m busy delivering Sisbell. So I’ll have to give you somebody else to fight.”
“Hmm?”
“A witch even more terrifying than me.”
Zoosh. A lukewarm gust of wind clung to his skin. Trees rustled. Miasma, an ominous zephyr—in the old tradition, it was believed to be noxious air, impure and poisonous. It sent goose bumps on Growley’s skin.
“What?” He turned around.
“Ha-ha. Ha-ha.” He heard a beguiling cackle come from someone—or several people—echoing past the trees.
“Bye, Gramps. See you never.” Vichyssoise leaped, Sisbell still on her back.
She fled as though she weren’t carrying another body on her. All the old man could do was curse her under his breath. He couldn’t go after her. The whole place was blasted by the devilish wind, echoing with beguiling laughter. He couldn’t help but shudder all over.
Something was coming.
Over seventy, the purebred felt a strange threat like nothing he had ever experienced before.
“Unearthly presence—name yourself!”
He sensed something leap. From behind him? He forced his wheelchair to turn and looked above. The moonlight shining down on him had been blocked.
So was the thing above him?
He looked up. It was floating in the air, as if to block the moon.
Conformism: Divine Mutant Star, lle (Code name: Test Subject E).
She wore a jet-black dress. Raven-black astral light stretched out in the sky, blocking the moonlight. He looked at her dreadfully bewitching figure but couldn’t make out who she was. That was because her skin was jet-black, as though she had been blotted out by shadow. Only her eyes were twinkling like stars. All Growley could do was hold his breath as he looked up at her, a monster that surpassed human knowledge.
“…Are you…a witch?”
He didn’t mean an astral mage but the malice that brought calamity to the world.
Yes. The youngest princess, Sisbell, had seen this in the past, and after that, she had lost the ability to take a step out of her room due to fear. This unknown monster was…
“Oh, this is unfortunate. It seems Voice still won’t behave.”
“…What?”
“I’m far from stellar perfection. I’m not used to this astral power.”
Her voice was doubled up. The feminine voice that captivated those who heard it was layered with the voice of an immeasurable monster, creating a perplexing reverberation.
“Hark, the glad sound.”
The dark witch floated in the air, blocking the moon and spreading both her arms. She sounded like the singer of an opera hall.
“Hear the requiem of the stars.”
Several hours later, the astral corps who passed only managed to recover Growley’s wheelchair.
Dawn broke. All the retainers and soldiers shivered upon sight of the bulletin plastered on the palace.
One person was out of commission:
—Queen Mirabella Lou Nebulis IIX: Alive.
Three were missing:
—House of Lou, Eldest Princess Elletear: Captured by Imperial army.
—House of Lou, Youngest Princess Sisbell: Captured by Imperial army at the villa.
—Head of the Zoa, Growley: MIA. Witnesses wanted.
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