The Corpse’s Relief, the Girl’s Smile…and the Angel’s Descent

I was complete.

That girl granted me what my heart had been missing.

Something I thought I would never have again.

Her smile was so precious, so radiant, that…

I wanted those days to go on forever.

However, I should have known…

Fate would never allow that to happen.

Normally, after breakfast, Alice had a short break before heading to the

basement to train. The day after a job, however, was a rest day.

But that didn't mean that the girl was able to roll around in bed doing

nothing. A day spent idle was anathema to the mind and body, or so Leon

said.

And so Alice was spending her day off cleaning the mansion.

"Mas-ter's room! ♪ Mas-ter's room! ♪"

She swung open the door and waltzed right into her teacher's private

space. It was shockingly barren, furnished with only a small round table and

a bed. Alice quickly got to work. She began by sweeping away the dust from

the floor. Then she scrubbed down the little table. Finally, she moved to the

bed.

"What's this?"

Alice picked up a photograph near the pillow. It depicted the Hero of

Salvation and her disciples. A young boy smiled, lifting the corners of

Leon's mouth with his fingers. Rheinhardt. He possessed a beauty that

seemed to transcend gender, with delicate features and long, silver hair that

fell about his waist. In the photo, Leon gloomily scowled back at the boy,

and standing off to one side, arms folded, was a pretty, smiling woman. This

was Claire, the previous Hero of Salvation and Leon's master. She was tall

for a woman, with burning red eyes and hair.

She was the very model of womanly charm, but one thing in particular

drew Alice's envious eye most of all.

"Y-you can tell the size even under those loose-fitting clothes! There's

no doubt about it—this woman is the source of Leon's fondness for boobs!"

Claire Redheart was a formidable woman in more ways than one. Two

more ways, in fact.

"Mmmrgh! W-well, mine will be as big as that one day! Just wait and

see! Hmph!"

Time to double the milk intake, Alice thought. And a little breast

massage couldn't hurt, either.

"…Still, why does she look so familiar all of a sudden…?"

Alice had never noticed it before, but now that she studied the picture in

detail, she couldn't help but feel that Claire reminded her of someone. But

who? Alice pondered it for a minute, until a clinking noise broke her

concentration. She turned to the source of the sound to see Leon's sword,

resting against the wall.

"Hmm, what was its name again? Calit Gelius?"

For a moment, Alice scrutinized it where it was stored in its jet-black

scabbard.

"Is it…talking to me?"

Alice didn't know why she thought that, but she began walking over, as

though it were drawing her in.

"What am I doing? I can't touch Master's things without asking…"

Alice knew it was rude. She knew she shouldn't be doing it, but for

some reason, she just had to touch the sword, to pick it up in her hands.

"It feels…like my mother is here, stroking my head…"

She couldn't explain why she felt that way. At that moment, she

snapped out of her trance when she heard her Master's voice.

"It's chosen you, then. That sword."

Alice squealed and turned around.

"M-Master! I'm sorry!"

"Sorry? What for?"

"F-for touching your things without asking…"

"I don't mind. There's nothing here you're not allowed to touch."

It sounded curt, but Alice could tell there was kindness in his words.

"…It seems that you have what it takes to be the next Hero of

Salvation."

"Huh?"

"The sword chooses its bearer. If it deems a person unworthy, it won't

even let them touch it."

Leon ran his eyes over the sword, then looked at Alice.

"…Do you want to try?"

"Huh? T-try what?"

"Try to see if the sword will let you draw it."

"N-no, no, no! I'm sure it won't!"

If Leon couldn't draw it, there was no way Alice could, she thought. But

just then, she heard a voice in her mind.

"Try it."

A voice like a kind old lady to her grandchild. That was what it sounded

like to Alice. She felt a sensation difficult to put into words as she gripped

the hilt and focused.

Then.

"Ah."

The sword drew so smoothly, she let out a cry of surprise. Soon the

blade was free.

"Wow…it's so pretty…"

It was devilishly enchanting, so much so that even a total weapon

novice like Alice was taken by it. The blade, decorated in black and gold,

seemed like it could snatch away the very souls of those it slew.

"I see," said Leon, deep in contemplation. "Meeting you was no

coincidence."

His voice snapped Alice out of her trance, and she realized how

disrespectful her behavior was, showing up her master by unsheathing the

sword he failed to draw.

"I…er… Th-this must be some kind of mistake!"

"There's no mistake. The holy sword is never wrong. Calit Gelius has

chosen you."

His gentle crimson eyes were filled with emotion.

"I can rest easy knowing that you will continue on after me."

Alice felt a little worried by his words. They sounded like those of an

old man on his deathbed, bequeathing his legacy to a favored son. Pure and

sweet and yet deeply melancholic.

"Master…?"

What thoughts moved beyond those crimson eyes? Leon did not answer.

Instead, he closed his eyes softly and began to speak.

"Back when Rheina and Master still lived, I was obsessed with the

sword. I always wanted to catch up to them, to be accepted as one of them,

and I thought to do that, I had to be able to draw the sword. However, I

never could… No matter how hard I worked, it refused to recognize me… I

was so unreasonably angry. But now…" Leon gently placed his hand atop

Alice's head. "…I feel nothing. Despite how easily you succeeded where I

failed, I feel no jealousy at all. If you can do it, then that means I don't need

to."

Alice couldn't help but feel it again. Like Leon was speaking as if he

might go away at any moment.

"…I don't think this answer is the one the sword wanted to hear."

Those final words from Leon's lips, whispered so softly, her ears almost

failed to catch them, made her realize at last what the sword was after. It had

allowed Alice to draw it free of its sheath, not because it accepted her, but

because it was trying to tell Leon something.

Like a master showing their pupil the right way.

But even though Leon knew that, he couldn't do what the sword

wanted.

There was a long silence before Leon said, "It's almost time for lunch.

Let's eat, then head into town."

"We're going out? Where to?"

"To the blacksmith."

Alice's heart leaped in her chest.

"We need to go pick up your custom equipment, Alice."

"…Humanity should just perish."

At the forge connected with Unbreakable, the weapon shop, one woman

lay sprawled on the floor, muttering maledictions under her breath. Her eyes

looked like those of a dead fish.

"Just when I thought I could finally get a good night's sleep, man, fuck

this and fuck all those bullshitters who wouldn't recognize good

craftsmanship if it bit them in the fucking ass. Fuck their deadlines; fuck

them just going ahead with shit without asking me. Are they trying to

fucking kill me? Is that what they want? They want me to fucking die? Well,

fuck them. They should all fucking die, those fucking pigs. I swear to

God…"

Anyone could see she was about one tactless comment away from

burning down the entire building and everyone in it. Still, Leon walked right

up to her without reservation.

"Emilia," he said. "Get up. We've come for our special order."

"…Huuuuurghhhhh…" Emilia let out a sigh that made it sound like she

was going to deflate. "…It's right over there. Take it and get the fuck out of

my sight."

She pointed to a bow resting on the worktop. It was ivory white, inlaid

with scarlet bands. Alice eagerly shuffled over to it and picked it up,

excitedly looking it over before asking, "Erm…why does the grip part have

blades coming out?"

"Hurghhhh… Hold it in both hands and try channeling Source energy

into it."

Emilia offered no further elucidation. Alice gave a puzzled look, then

did as the forge mistress suggested. When she did, the bowstring dissolved,

the grip split apart, and the weapon became two curved swords.

"Now you can fight at both close and long range with the same

weapon," Emilia explained. "By channeling Source into the scimitars, you

can make them sharp enough to cut through steel, and in bow mode, you can

summon phantom arrows that pack a real punch…That's it for the main

features. Figure the rest out yourself. Now go away."

Her explanation complete, Emilia heaved another big sigh and rolled

back onto her side. The girl almost looked like a corpse, but Alice's attention

was gripped by the weapon in her hands.

"This is really wonderfully made, Master! It almost seems to stick to my

hands!"

"That's Emilia for you. Best blacksmith in the land."

Emilia prickled a little as Leon sang her praises. "…Heh," she scoffed.

"Well, even the best weapon in the land's no good in the hands of an

incompetent girl like you."

"Hey! I might be new, but I am not incompetent!"

"Hah. Well, only time'll tell if you live up to your words or die like the

rest of 'em."

Emilia turned toward Alice and appraised her.

"…Wonder why it was you and not me," she muttered so quietly, it was

almost impossible to hear her. Then, in a louder voice, she declared, "Well,

whatever. I'll leave the task to you, then. The task of saving Leon, that is."

Emilia's words raised a cluster of questions in Alice's mind, but before

she could voice any of them, the fiery forge mistress went on.

"Do you know the name 'Regtelia Town'?"

"Isn't that…where the Martyrs are from?"

"Yes. That psycho cult with their own interpretations of the holy texts.

They set up a place they could impose all their masochistic rules. Anyway, a

few days ago, the Shroud got 'em."

In other words, mankind lost another settlement while a new dungeon

arose.

"As you know, newly created dungeons are a bit of a mystery. We don't

know what's goin' on in there, but the place is sure to be teemin' with

anomalies. Perfect if you want to go questin' for gold and fame."

Anomalies. These items had been touched by the general weirdness of

the dungeon, and some of it had rubbed off on them.

"Anomalies are unique items, only created when a dungeon springs into

existence," Emilia explained. "That means the more we let glory-seeking

blowhards loot the place, the less there'll be for us."

That said, few were foolhardy enough to go wandering into an

unexplored dungeon, even with such massive sums of money at stake.

Everyone from the most debt-laden wastrel to the most cloud-headed

optimist knew to stay well away from such a dangerous place.

Yet there was one breed of person who tossed aside common sense and

reveled in acts of sheer suicidal madness. Yes, heroes.

"The Risky Eagles. I assume you've heard of them?"

Leon nodded. One person in particular came to mind. A scar-ridden man

by the name of Velgo Zahaj. The man they called the Hawk and an old

acquaintance. The Risky Eagles were led by none other than him.

"As usual, they went into the place first. And they picked up a hefty

haul, too. Problem is, Velgo's the only one who made it back alive."

"…What?" said Leon. For once, it seemed he was actually concerned.

"Is he okay?"

"It was touch-and-go for a while, they say, but he's recovering now."

"…Thought so. That guy's impossible to kill."

Despite Leon's cold words, it wasn't hard to see the genuine relief on

his face. Emilia nodded in agreement before continuing.

"Anyway, like I said, Velgo brought something back with him. It

seemed like fruit of some kind, but…it was a fuckin' weird shape. Anyway,

when they took it down to the lab to have it examined…"

Here, Emilia paused, looking to Leon and Alice in turn.

As if to imply the story was only just getting started.

And sure enough, the next words out of her mouth blew any relief Leon

might have been feeling about the safety of his acquaintance right out of the

water.

"…They found out it could cure Blue-Eye and turn fiends back into

people. All with just one little bite."

Leon and Alice went wide-eyed with shock. They could barely move,

let alone speak.

"Yeah, that was basically how I reacted as well. It's like there's finally a

light at the end of the tunnel."

If the anomalous fruit could be analyzed, perhaps it could lead to a

medicine or vaccine against Blue-Eye. It would mark mankind's conquest

over the disease that had brought it to its knees. Perhaps there was even a

way to defend against the Shroud, to stop the mist from taking away people's

homes. And…if fiends could be turned back into people, then…

"…Do you think…we could turn Master back into a human as well?"

asked Alice.

Emilia was the first to answer. "Maybe, but there's somethin' more

pressing at stake. Leon, you know what I'm gettin' at, don't you?"

The ghoul was silent, staring at the ground.

"…My promise. This could be another way…"

The past must remain fixed. But the future was under no such

obligation.

"…Could I…keep some of that fruit? Even just one?"

"Yep. I already made 'em promise. You just gotta get it."

Alice could no longer follow the conversation. She was an outsider,

with no right to intrude upon their past. But that was okay. The three of them

were still of one mind. They all wanted to fight for a brighter future. Alice,

Emilia, and even Leon. And so…

"Will you take this job, Leon?"

When her master nodded, Alice said nothing to stop him.

"Your job this time is collecting the anomalies and also information."

"…Information?"

"Yeah. You see, the church sent in another team before you. Highly

trained specialists, the lot of them, but they went dark. If all went well,

they'd be back by now, and there's been no contact, either. The higher-ups

are assumin' they've all been wiped out."

"So now they're sending me?"

"You got it. The primary objective is to gather more of these fruits. Your

secondary objective is to find out what you can about the enemy. If you can

bring some samples back, great. If not, then let us know where to find 'em."

Emilia continued to brief Leon for some time. Although he was

expected to return alive, there would be no support or reinforcements from

the church. The scouting party that got wiped out consisted of the

organization's most highly skilled warriors. The church was wary of sending

any more valuable personnel into the meat grinder. Save Leon, of course.

"So they can't spare any more reserves?" Leon asked.

"'Fraid not. Even I couldn't wrangle you any backup this time," said

Emilia.

Alice smiled at the woman's pained look. "You really do look out for

him, don't you?" she said.

"…Shut up."

Emilia turned away, acting aloof. Her silence spoke volumes.

They way she'd spoken and acted when Alice first met her had been

born of despair. She wanted to help Leon, but she knew she lacked the

strength to do so. Thus, she had given up and resigned herself to awaiting the

day he failed to return.

Still, there was no mistaking her drive to help Leon in whatever way she

could. And perhaps she'd have her opportunity this time. Thus, she

cautioned Leon carefully.

"Listen to me, Leon. Don't get yourself killed out there. Even if you

can't bring back any of the fruits, I'll get my hands on one somehow. You

just gather what info you can and come back, understand? …With that pretty

little lady of yours, too."

A few days' carriage ride later, Leon and Alice arrived at their

destination.

"So this is Regtelia Town…"

As the pure-white darkness parted, the town's front gates came into

view. Alice gulped. This was her third time ever in a dungeon, and she still

wasn't used to the heavy atmosphere.

Plus, this was a brand-new dungeon, and little was known about it. Who

knew what kinds of fearsome fiends roamed within or where the coveted

fruits could be found? And just how strong were the enemies in this place?

There were too many questions, and there was nothing for it but to get to

work and start feeling around.

It was terrifying. Alice feared this place from the bottom of her heart.

But just then…

"It'll be okay."

She felt her master's hand on her head and his calming voice in her ear.

"It's us. We'll be okay."

These were no mere platitudes; Leon was being honest. Alice felt pride

and courage welling up inside her.

"Absolutely!" she said. "When we're together, nothing can get in our

way!"

A cheerful voice and expression. Even Leon found the warmth

infectious.

Truly, it was the Lord's will that I met her. God has seen fit to grant this

foolish ghoul a second chance.

If Leon could find one of the fruits, that could mean salvation. Not for

Leon, but for him.

I thought the only salvation for him was death. But now I can bring him

back. It's a choice I never knew was there.

He had to obtain a fruit at any cost. And any fiends that stood in his way

would perish at the hands of him and his formidable disciple.

"Let's go, Alice."

"Yes, Master!"

The two stepped boldly forward into unknown lands, where the scent of

death wafted, ever present. Naturally, the two moved slowly, with Leon

always listening for foes so that he could get the drop on them. There

seemed to be no enemies or people around at all.

"I guess the elite team really did get wiped out…," he said, glancing at

Alice. She was cautiously eyeing her surroundings as well, casting a wary

gaze into every shadowy corner. "Are you curious about those buildings?"

he asked.

"Y-yes. I haven't been dungeon delving that long, so I'm not sure what

to expect…but are they usually all white like that?"

The buildings in the previous dungeons had usually been covered in

blood and gore, so it was understandably hard to tell.

"I believe the look of a dungeon is dictated by the types of people who

lived there before," Leon explained. "For example, Regtelia Town was the

seat of the Martyrs, a cult with their own interpretation of the teachings of

the Church of Cthul, as well as the writings of St. Augus. They tried to live

in strict adherence to what they saw as the will of the Lord and held pure

devotion above all else."

"I see. So that's why everything is white now."

"Probably, yes. The Martyrs used to fly white flags as a symbol of their

faith, so the color was certainly important to them. They'd love what the

place looks like now, I imagine."

If they hadn't all been reduced to mindless fiends, of course.

"The thing is, the more you try to impose a sense of purity on people,

the more corrupt you become. All that regulation turned into oppression, and

that clouded the hearts of the people. That's a big factor that leads to the

birth of fiends."

Just then, as Leon and Alice were starting to wonder what form those

fiends would take, a living example presented itself. Three, in fact, shrouded

by fog just a little down the road. They were a species of werewolf known as

Black Fangs. In contrast to their brown-furred brethren, these examples

sported fur as black as night and one other very important difference: their

eyes. Or rather, their complete lack thereof.

"They wanted to be pure so badly, they altered the very definition to

make themselves fit. They failed to see the corruption in their hearts, so now

they can't see anything at all."

Perhaps they were even happier now. They'd never have to see how

dark they'd truly become.

"…Alice. Take them out. It'll make the perfect chance to test your new

weapon."

"Just leave it to me, Master."

Alice lifted the bow from her back, pointed it, and summoned up her

Source energy. Immediately, a white arrow appeared in her hand,

automatically attaching itself to the crimson bowstring. She pulled it tight

and then, after a few seconds, released it, felling one of the three fiends

without even a sound.

A perfect shot. But what's truly impressive is her mental fortitude. When

it's time to fight, she completely erases her fear and goes into a trance. It's

courage unlike anything I've seen. We're both cowards, she and I, but that's

the crucial difference.

What was the reason? Why could she do it and he could not?

Leon could not find an answer in the few short moments it took Alice to

dispatch the rest of the pack.

"This bow is amazing, Master! It's like a part of my body!"

"It's your skill we have to thank, Alice. A weapon is only as good as

whoever wields it."

"O-oh, I…I guess you're right. Ehehehe…"

They way she reacted to a compliment was very charming. Leon

couldn't help but feel like an old man talking to his granddaughter.

"Let's keep moving, Alice."

"Yes, Master!"

Leon advanced into the heart of the darkness with his disciple at his

side. Then, soon, they came upon a strange sight.

"Wh-what's that, Master?"

"I can't tell if the scouting party did this or the fiends. Either way, stay

away from it."

In the center of the road, a black flame rose out of the ground.

"It's a Sacrament, so whoever cast it should still be nearby," said Leon.

"The effects don't last very long. However, I can't hear any trace of whoever

might be responsible. In which case, I think it's safe to assume it was a

fiend."

But what kind of fiend was capable of this? Leon didn't know. He gazed

into the jet-black flames, ruminating. And just then, as he consulted his

memories, another one came out of the darkness to join them.

My whole life, I just went wherever the road took me.

I lacked the faith the others had. Lacked the hate the others had.

I was afraid. Afraid to make a decision. Afraid to stand up for

something.

But that didn't mean there was nothing I wanted to protect.

"Eek!"

A wretched squeal emanated from the dingy church cellar. From my

own wretched lips.

"Get your filthy hands…off him!"

My companion Elise Zwelg stepped forward, taking the blade that

was meant for me. She had stunning blond hair and an impressive

shield. Her thick steel deflected the assailant's knife, and then…

"Raagh!"

She swung her great sword with a powerful yell. With the last of the

foes dealt with, she turned to me.

"Phew! Glad that's over."

Another of my companions wiped the sweat from his brow and

replaced his great sword on his back. Isaac Sturlson. My friend, my

mentor, my blood brother. He offered me a hand as I lay sprawled on

the floor.

"Can you stand, partner?"

I accepted his help and rose to my feet. Isaac smiled as he patted the

dust from my shoulders.

"Seriously, friend. You have the luck of the devil himself."

Elise grinned in agreement. "If you hadn't fallen when you did,

you'd be dead."

"Sure wish the Lord looked out for me as he seems to do for you.

Ah, well."

…If I was really as blessed as Isaac seemed to think, then my life

should have gone a lot better than it did. I knew the pair of them were

trying to cheer me up, but I couldn't avoid hearing poison in their

words all the same.

"…I'm sorry," I said. "I've only been weighing you down."

"There you go again. Why can't you have a little confidence in

yourself?"

"I keep telling you, Lab. The only reason you're here with us now is

that we trust you."

"That's right! Otherwise, we'd get them to send us someone else

instead!"

The two smiled at each other, then Isaac clapped me on the

shoulder.

"We need you, pal. Your Sacrament that lets you see the future,

your blasted good luck, and your calm mind that neither of us possess.

We're a team; remember that."

…Despite his words, I couldn't allow myself to let go of the unease I

felt. My Sacrament was automatic and outside my control. And who

knew when my good luck would run out? Plus, I wouldn't have said I

had a calm mind. It was more like I was just a coward.

I wasn't qualified to fight alongside them, to be an Agent like them.

"…The only reason I have this job is that my father was a temple

knight," I said with a sigh.

The other two shrugged. "Whatever. If you're going to talk yourself

into a rut, we can at least do it over lunch," said Isaac.

"Yeah, I'm starving. Let's head back and give our report, then get

changed and head out into town. We'll listen to you complain as much

as you want there. Deal?"

I nodded awkwardly and made to leave the cellar…but I

immediately slipped on the blood-slicked floor and fell.

"What was that, vengeance from beyond?" I muttered.

I sat up and rubbed my head before looking around. Taking it all in

again, it was a horrifying scene. Sliced corpses littered the ground, and

the stench of death was everywhere.

When I thought about how we had done this, I began to feel sick,

even though it was nothing out of the ordinary for us.

"…Why do we have to kill, do you think?"

"Because it's our job," replied Isaac. "Our mission, our duty, our

pride… I know what you mean, though. It is a little off-putting."

"Exterminating darkness and corruption for the sake of a pure

world," pondered Elise. "To a Martyr, I suppose that's an obvious

good."

Those we had slain were heretics. Blots of darkness upon our pure

world that could not be suffered to exist. When I was young, it believed

it blindly, but now it just felt cruel.

"What we're doing isn't so different from heresy, is it?" I said.

"Isn't that exactly why we're saving money? So we can make a

fresh start in a more orthodox town?" said Elise, walking over to the

stairs leading out of the cellar. "Let's just do the job and get paid. It

might not be glamorous, but you can't say we're not making the world a

better place."

No, I couldn't. Heretics were determined to change society through

violent means. The ones in this cellar had been plotting something

atrocious, and if we hadn't stopped them, they might have hurt people I

knew.

"We're saving our fellow man. Isn't that motivation enough?"

I nodded and thought about my good neighbors. Lady Oralle at the

White Cloud Inn; she treated me like her own grandchild and gave me

fried potatoes even when I didn't ask. Villonser, who ran the old

bookshop on South Street; he was a great guy, and we had similar

interests. There was Arize from the tool shop, Morcus the street

performer, and Coral the merchant. By our acts today, we had saved

them all. We could be proud of what we'd done.

Still, it wasn't meant to last forever. We planned to leave town one

day and find somewhere we fit in. Isaac, Elise, and me. The three of us,

together.

"Right, well then. Let's get out of here."

"Quite. The smell is driving me nuts."

The pair of them headed up the stairs, and after a moment, I

followed. Elise and Isaac. The woman I fell in love with and my loyal

friend. I watched them walk ahead of me, and I thought maybe

someday, I wouldn't be a burden. Maybe someday I could protect them,

like they protected me now.

As the memory ended, Leon heaved a deep sigh.

"Why can't things ever be easy?"

Leon returned his gaze to the black fire, still burning.

"I know what's terrorizing Regtelia Town," he said. "An Agent. Or

something that used to be one, anyway."

"An Agent?" inquired Alice.

"Of the church," Leon replied. "Assassins, basically."

"A-assassins?!"

"Yes. The Agents are the peacemakers of a secret organization within

the church, called the Neighbors of Fear. They're charged with rooting out

heresy wherever they go."

Although their tenets differed, the hierarchies of the Martyrs and the

orthodox church were very similar. The same shadowy organization existed

in both branches.

"However, Agents of the main branch are rarely sent out on missions.

Orthodox religion is quite accepting of differing creeds and doesn't tend to

brand them as heresy. The Martyrs, on the other hand, are the precise

opposite. They're always searching for corruption, always busy rooting it

out."

Because of this, the Martyrs' Agents were highly trained in the arts of

assassination and devoted themselves to honing their skills. If one of them

became a fiend, Leon and Alice would find it difficult to take it down.

"However, in this case, the man in question is insecure. The memory I

saw just now painted a very sorry picture, and it wasn't of a trained and

devoted killer, that's for sure."

If anything, the man called "Lab" was a coward, an idealist, a burden to

his teammates… Just like Leon had been all those years ago.

"Do you think the memories you just saw could have been of a different

fiend?" asked Alice.

"…I'm not sure."

When a memory was as clear as the one Leon just faced, it usually

meant the resulting fiend was more powerful. Judging by his past

encounters, it could even mean a Class Two.

"But a single Class Two or even a Class One fiend couldn't overpower

Velgo's elite squad."

"Then…do you think it could be a Special Class fiend?!"

"No. Not based upon the memories I saw."

Something stank.

"…Ever since the goblin attack, things have been going…unusually."

Unfortunately, they had little choice but to press on. Surely the mystery

at the heart of it all would soon become clear. The most important thing right

now was…

"What was he burning here?"

Perhaps understanding that could lead to a breakthrough regarding the

fiend's weakness. A million possibilities flew through Leon's mind.

"…Hm. There's something shining inside it. Is that a Testament Stone?"

That implied the fire had been used to burn a fiend to death.

"But fiends don't kill each other without good reason. Does he hate the

other fiends for some reason, or is he just territorial?"

Leon looked over at a restaurant near the fire. The board out front

identified it as the White Cloud Inn, the very same eatery mentioned in the

vision.

"That's where those three went to have lunch," he said.

Could he have been protecting this place?

Just then, something happened.

"U…urgh…"

Leon heard a faint voice, almost imperceptible.

"Alice. There's a survivor. Let's go and help."

"Oh! Yes, Master!"

The pair headed over and came across the source of the voice. It was a

female adventurer, lying by the side of the road. Her shoulders rose and fell

as she gasped for breath.

"A-are you oka—?" Alice began.

"Wait," said Leon, holding out an arm. "Don't approach." He turned to

the woman and scrutinized her suspiciously. "Something's not right about

her. She might look human, but…"

"You think she might be about to turn into a fiend?"

"It's possible. We need to make sure. Be ready to fight at a moment's

notice."

Having said this, Leon took a few careful steps toward the woman and

called out, "You there. Did the church send you?"

The woman slowly turned…then gasped and covered her right eye.

There was only one reason she would do that.

"She's infected," said Leon. "With Blue-Eye."

This was the source of the strange feeling Leon had sensed earlier.

"Alice, you wait there. Don't let her touch you, or you could get it too."

Then Leon quickly approached the woman, calling out, "I was sent by

the church, like you… Can you talk?"

"…Water," the woman replied.

"That I can grant. Here."

"Oh…!"

With trembling hands, the woman accepted Leon's canteen and took

several deep swigs. While she was distracted, Leon took the opportunity to

look at something specific: her eye. In her haste to quench her thirst, she had

neglected to keep it concealed, exactly as Leon had hoped she would.

"You seem to have contracted it recently," he said.

The woman jumped. "You…aren't…afraid?"

"My name is Leon Crossheart. Leon the Devourer. Heard of me?"

"Devour…er…? …Yes… That explains…it…"

Leon waited a moment for the woman to catch her breath, and then

began his interrogation.

"Are you a member of the search team?"

"…Yes, I was."

"Anyone else still around?"

The woman silently shook her head.

"I see… What happened? Be specific."

The woman recounted her tale. For the first few hours, everything was

going swimmingly. She and the other four on her team were all veteran

adventurers, each the equal of ten lesser men. No ordinary dungeon should

have posed a challenge.

"We were to investigate every lead, leave no stone unturned. The church

wanted for information, as we didn't know where the fruit could be found.

However…it must have been about seven hours in, I suppose. We came to

the plaza on the east side of town, and there we found an enormous tree…"

"And that was where you found the anomalies?" Leon asked.

"Yes, exactly. We thought it would take us days, not hours. All we had

to do was pick the fruit and go home… But then, he arrived."

A fiend. One which even the adventurers' combined might could not

fell.

"An Ifrit," the woman said.

Ifrits were giants, clad in fire. They were Class One fiends, a highly

threatening foe but not invincible.

"And not only you, but Velgo's Risky Eagles also fell to this beast?"

"Yes. That was no ordinary Ifrit. I have slain many in the past, and I

would sooner face them all at once than battle that fiend again."

Then this fiend defied even a Class One categorization.

"I should have fled when the rest of us fell. But…I was stubborn. My

sister, you see. The infection feeds on her. I thought if I retrieved a sample, I

might use it to cure her…"

The woman looked straight into Leon's crimson eyes, her pale face

wretched with desperation.

As well as an adventurer, Leon was the Hero of Salvation. A warrior

charged with meting out peace and justice. There was only one thing to do in

a situation like this.

"I want to observe the Ifrit," he said. "It may be possible to defeat it."

It wasn't too late to save her. However, Leon couldn't make any

promises.

"I don't intend to abandon you or your sister," he said. "But if I decide

it's too much…"

"Yes. We'll head back to the city. I understand."

It wasn't hard to imagine what fate awaited her and her sister there.

Leon wanted to avoid that at all costs, but if he had to retreat, he would. This

woman wasn't the only one with something to protect.

Leon turned to Alice and waved her over. Then he helped the woman to

her feet.

"Do you have any idea as to the Ifrit's location?" he asked.

"Yes, I do. One moment, please."

The woman took out a pocket watch from her waist pouch and checked

the time.

"I've been watching how it behaves these past few days. Over the

course of the day, it travels between seven separate locations. It keeps a tight

schedule, too. Around now, it should be…below the big tree."

Leon listened to her directions, then prepared to set off. But before

that…

"Oh, I didn't catch your name."

"Huh? Oh…you're right."

The woman seemed hesitant to answer. Leon suspected she might have

her reasons.

"You don't have to tell me your real name if you don't want to. Just

something to call you."

"I see. In that case…Rayne. Call me Rayne."

Following her directions, the trio arrived at the destination: a huge tree

in the center of an open plaza. Just like the town buildings, the tree's bark

was as white as snow. Only the things growing on it were black as darkest

night. They were the very anomalies in question; a peculiar fruit shaped like

a downward-pointing triangle.

"As much as I want to bring one of these back right now…"

Leon suspected the fiend standing right next to it would have something

to say about that.

An Ifrit. A white-skinned giant clad in black flames…or perhaps

roasted by black flames was more accurate. On its face was a mixture of

sadness and pain, as if tortured by its very existence.

"There's no trace of what he looked like while alive. It's quite the

transformation."

The cowardly deadweight. The one Leon compared to himself was now

a fiend like him also.

"The flames, the skin color, the face. None of it is normal. Plus…"

No other Ifrit wielded the armaments this one had: an enormous sword

and shield.

"He's constructed them out of fire… Perhaps to be like his old

comrades."

What had he been thinking at the moment of his death? Just as Leon

pondered that question, the answer came to him in a vision.

The warmth we felt.

The promises we made.

My worsening regrets.

They're all still here.

Like dregs, even after I…

"Haah…haah…!"

We ran, even though it felt like my feet would come off. We hurried

down the main road in the black of night, our enemy drawing closer by

the second.

"Argh, damn, my feet are killing me!"

"I don't…wanna…hear it…! Now…you've got…me complaining!"

Isaac and Elise. They were coated in blood, running for their lives.

As was I. The events leading us to this predicament replayed in my

mind over and over again.

It was all because we tried to do the right thing.

An Agent's tasks were not just to kill. We were also supposed to

burn any heretical texts we came across. We were engaging in these

duties like any other day, when, by chance, we found it: a nefarious plot

penned by Macbeth, the Archbishop of Regtelia Town and its

surrounding parishes.

It spoke of danger. The whole town would meet with ruin, and those

we knew to be good people would perish. We needed to evacuate the

town before it was too late.

And the result of that was this. We could never hope to stand up to

such a deep and malicious evil. All we could do was run. But where to?

Nowhere was safe. Yet we had little choice.

"We…can't…die…! Not…here…!"

"Yeah… You got it…partner!"

"We…have…a dream!"

As we ran, we spoke of our hopes, praying for a miracle.

…But none came.

At that moment, I was struck with a vision. My Sacrament, which

offered me unsolicited views of the future. It showed the impossible

choice I would have to make mere seconds from now.

I watched as a dark hole appeared to the side of Isaac, and an arrow

flew out at him.

My mind immediately began racing. I needed to take the hit to save

him. But…what would happen to me if I did? There was little doubt; I

would surely die.

My life or the life of my friend?

Perhaps if I had possessed the courage to make that choice, things

would have been different, but in the end, I was unable to do anything

but watch. Watch as my prediction came true before my very eyes.

"Guh?!"

The arrow pierced his back. He collapsed, and Elise and I stopped

and turned.

And then another dark hole appeared above him.

I had to do something. I had to save him.

But I couldn't.

"Rgh…!"

All I could do was watch as Elise ran back for him. All I could do

was shake, unable to take a single step. All I could do was listen to my

friend's dying voice.

"H-help…me… Partner…"

Still, I could not move. When I finally took a step, it was far too late.

The arrow ended my friend's life, and Elise dropped to her knees.

Before we could recover, our foe caught up to us, and we were captured.

…A short while later, he came. The venerable Archbishop Macbeth.

Perhaps it was just to see us tied up. He stroked his long white beard

and furrowed his wrinkled brow.

"I thought I said to capture them all alive?"

"Yes, sire… However, one of them was exceedingly troublesome,

and so…"

Macbeth gave a deploring sigh.

"This is not enough," he said, appearing to lose interest in us. His

shoulders slumped, and he turned to leave. The man, his minion, called

after him.

"What should I do with these two?"

Macbeth did not break stride to answer. "Teach them a lesson…

Spare them no reprieve."

And then, our seven days of torture began. All of Macbeth's crimes

were pinned on us. We were painted as monsters and punished.

The Martyrs had a ceremony they used to deal with agents of

corruption like us. To ensure that our hearts would be blackened, and

we would end up in hell. They would hand us over to the beasts. A

people living in the levels beneath the city. They looked human, but

their hearts were anything but.

For seven days, they treated Elise and I like their playthings.

And afterward, our day of execution arrived.

We were dragged out into the town square in the center of Regtelia

Town.

"A fitting end for ungrateful villains like you."

"Serves you right, ya bastards!"

The crowd slung insults and stones. Among them, the very same

innocents we had fought to protect. I was tied to a post and left to await

my fate. I averted my gaze from the horrible ends of my beloved friends

below me.

Isaac's body had been left in the street to rot. The townspeople had

been free to defile it as they saw fit, tearing his clothes and flesh.

And Elise…

"Ah… Ugh… Ahhh…"

She was broken. Completely broken. Such was the treatment we

had received at the hands of those who lived beneath. Her pretty blonde

hair had been torn out. Half of her teeth were missing, pulled for the

enjoyment of our captors. Her basic human dignity had been sullied.

And then, she was fed to ravenous wolves while still alive.

"Why…?"

It was agonizing to even speak. But I had to.

Why had this happened? Why had God chosen this for us? And

why…hadn't I done something when I had the choice?

"We shall now commence the burning of the villain Labresca

Vidyasson."

The speaker cast his torch onto the pile of kindling at my feet, and

the pyre swiftly became a roaring blaze. The pain I felt as the flesh

melted off my bones was nothing compared to the pain in my heart. My

last, dying sentiment was…

"Isaac…"

If I had sacrificed myself back then, Isaac would still be alive. The

two of them would have been able to escape. They would have saved the

town, and lived happily in my stead.

That was the fate I should have chosen. I was a coward. I shied

from virtue at the last moment, and for that, I hated myself. That was

the moment everything fell apart.

"I was wrong… I was wrong…"

The tears fell from my eyes as I voiced my final sentiments.

Back then, it should have been me.

It should have been me that died, and not him.

The memory ended. A few seconds passed. Leon clenched his fists with

a heavy heart.

"It's like looking in a mirror," he muttered.

It should have been me. It was the same thing Leon had been thinking

for the past four years. They shared a sin, one no amount of regret could

erase. And so Leon knew…

"…I will defeat him. He can be beaten. I know he can."

Alice trusted the ghoul, and listened carefully without a word. Rayne,

on the other hand, piped up.

"I'd love to agree," she said, "but…how? How can a being like that be

defeated?"

Leon answered without hesitation. He explained his thoughts, as well as

how he planned to save the lost soul. After Rayne finished listening, she

said, "…I see. Well, it's certainly convincing enough to stake my life on."

"It's settled, then. All that's left is to put the plan into action."

With that, Leon slowly turned and walked away.

And so, the time came to confront the Ifrit. Leon stood atop a clock

tower, looking over the town, and engaged the mechanism that caused the

bell to toll. Its chimes rang out, signaling the start of battle.

Meanwhile, down in the streets, Alice opened her mouth and yelled.

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!"

Her voice attracted fiends, drawn to the noise.

"Wh…wh…white…"

"Wh-wh…wh-wh-wh…wh-wh-wh-wh…"

A crowd of Black Fangs began closing in. Alice tried not to let their

rapidly approaching forms throw her off as she led them through the streets.

Right up to that restaurant in the main square, the White Cloud Inn,

whereupon she launched herself through the glass window and into the

building.

A few seconds later, the Ifrit let out a wail of anger and charged over.

"That's got his attention," Leon noted. "Even after becoming a fiend, he

still wants to protect his memories… Or maybe that's exactly why he's so

obsessed."

Bound by the shackles of his past, the Ifrit swung his sword like a gale.

His deadly attack instantly liquefied many of the Black Fangs.

"DEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAATHHH!"

"…I guess it's time."

Leon rang the bell once more, signaling for Alice to retreat…and for

Rayne to take the stage.

"Wraaaaaaaagh!"

The fiends immediately began descending on her. She stood at another

of the Ifrit's memorable locations.

"DEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAATHHH!"

Leon didn't exactly feel happy tearing down the Ifrit's reminders of the

past, but it had to be done. He needed the fiend to run out of Source. No

matter how mighty it seemed now, the giant would lose its inhuman powers

once the wellspring of holy energy ran dry. After all, it was once a human,

and that fact would never change.

And soon came the moment that proved that fact beyond all doubt.

"DEAA—?!"

His weapons, the mementos of his fallen friends, crafted from jet-black

flame. They vanished. For a moment, the colossus didn't seem to know how

to react.

"Ahh… Ahhh… AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

It wailed in lamentation. Leon understood its feelings very well.

"My holy sword is a reminder of my old friends. If I lost it, I think I'd

feel the same way."

Leon knew its sadness, and the fate they both shared, but that didn't stop

him. He climbed up onto the railing, leaped into the air—and flew.

Channeling the Source into his mechanical leg, he released a burst of

superheated propellant that temporarily launched him upward before gravity

took over and directed him down toward the sympathetic soul standing in the

middle of the street.

As he fell, he spoke a prayer of salvation.

"Let mercy be my guide. Needle of Aspharas. The daemons' plot.

The wicked serpent's tongue."

As he plummeted out of the sky, Leon's arm wriggled like a colony of

insects and transformed, the forearm taking the shape of an enormous spear,

while several pipes emerged from the upper arm and inserted themselves

into Leon's neck before draining blood from his arteries—so much that any

ordinary person would pass out and die from blood loss immediately.

The blood flowed into the spear, and…

"Arts of Steel, Deploy. Abominable Armament Number Four: The

Despicable Assassin's Stabbing Strike, Sadistic Trancer."

And then, Leon thrust. His spear, imparted momentum by gravity,

pierced the Ifrit's skull. That should have been the end of the fight, but it

seemed the giant still had a small amount of Source remaining. It began to

regenerate its shattered bone, and the black fire crept along Leon's arm.

Yet Leon had predicted this. Number Four was no ordinary spear. The

internal machinery of his prosthetic arm served to intensify the natural

virulence of Leon's blood. The strike injected it into his foe, and now it tore

the colossus apart from the inside.

"Ne…e…a…"

The poison slowly broke down everything that gave the fiend life. And

then…

"…Ah, you've come at last."

His soul, the very same as Leon's own, ascended to heaven, to be

greeted by his old comrades once more.

"…May your rest be eternal salvation."

Leon drew his four-pointed shape in the air and prayed. That the Lord's

grace might now see their shattered dream realized.

"Ah! Maaasteeer!"

Leon turned to see his disciple running over to him.

"This battle," said Rayne, appearing suddenly alongside them, "was

about courage. We won thanks to your bravery. If you had seized up at the

crucial moment, we would have all died. You truly are a brave man."

At last, Leon realized. The truth was, he had been fearful all along. But

what led him to victory was his compassion, his desire to help…and his trust

in those around him.

"Now that's what I call a job well done, Master!"

Alice. As long as she was around, Leon had nothing to fear. But where

did that feeling come from?

"Is this…what courage really is?"

This was the answer Leon had been searching for all these years.

Alice turned to him. "Now all we have to do is pick the fruit!" she

beamed.

"…Yes, that's right. Let's head back to the big tree."

The three of them walked over to the courtyard in the eastern quarter of

Regtelia Town.

"I wonder if this can really cure Blue-Eye, like they say," said Rayne as

she picked one off the boughs. She brought it to her lips…and took a bite.

Immediately, the blue glow in her right eye vanished without a trace. It was

proof the disease really had been eradicated from her body and also inspired

hope that the fruit might have another effect.

"Master. Maybe if you eat one…"

Perhaps the same fruit could cure Red-Eye as well and make Leon

human again.

"Using this…can I save myself? And him, too?"

Even as he thought it, Leon felt a sense of self-loathing. The only one he

could possibly save was himself. He knew that. Becoming human again

wouldn't erase the past. It wouldn't bring the dead back to life. Because of

that…that man could never be saved.

Leon had turned his back on them. He'd abandoned his fate, his

promise. And now, because of that, he was the only one offered happiness?

How was that possible? How was that…right?

"Master."

It was Alice's voice that brought Leon back to reality.

"When I was wandering around, searching for you, I never thought

about others. I lost everything…but I didn't want to die. I wanted to be

happy, the happiest girl in the world, so I went after you, thinking you would

be able to save me."

The regret was clear in her voice. She wasn't as selfish as she claimed.

"It was…really difficult meeting you again," she went on. "You had

changed so much. The more I got to know you, the more I felt it was true.

Eventually, I realized it wasn't just me I wanted to save, but you. And so…

well…"

A sudden shyness seemed to come over her.

"I…I want…to fix you, Leon."

Was she completely oblivious? Had the girl not realized how much of a

saving grace her presence had already been?

Perhaps that was what made her next words so powerful.

"I want us both to be happy, Leon. So there's only one way to save me,

and that's to save yourself as well."

Leon Crossheart had a duty. A duty to make Alice happy. Was it really

so bad to make that a priority? The more Leon considered it, the more he

started to come around.

Perhaps I've been looking at this the wrong way all along. If I was

strong like him, I wouldn't have to let this guilt weigh me down… No, that's

not it. I don't have to bear the weight alone at all.

Together, they could make it happen. Together, they could bring back

the dream of salvation. Leon could save Alice at the same time he saved

himself.

"…I…can do it. I can live that dream."

The murky dregs on Leon's heart were washed away like melting snow,

and Leon faced a new future—one filled with happiness at Alice's—

"Ah, you really haven't changed. You're still the same spoiled kid you

always were, partner."

…A voice. Not in Leon's mind, but in reality. He had finally come,

directed by fate, to correct Leon's wavering path.

"…Rghh!"

Just then, the black fruit of revival changed form, into a swarm of redhot beetles. Leon, spotting them, grabbed Alice and leaped backward,

seconds before the beetles swelled and burst.

"Haha! So you can save people! Too bad you couldn't do that for me!"

Without breaking Leon's gaze, Rayne spat something onto the floor. It

was the piece of the mysterious fruit she had just bitten.

"Phew. I nearly fell for my own trap there."

Faced with the figure's masochistic smile, Leon spoke, as though his

heart would burst with grief at any moment.

"…The power to save the world, and you do this."

"Yeah? Why would I want to save the world?"

Saying this, he revealed his true form. His female body slowly changed,

acquiring a devilish charm. His violet eyes stared fixedly at Leon, and his

smile was one of unrivaled beauty.

"…It's been four years, partner."

A dream of the past, reborn as a nightmare.

Leon's happy thoughts completely vanished. He could only stare at the

figure, his entire being reflected in the ghoul's crimson eyes.

Then he spoke their name.

"Rheina…!"

The use of that familiar nickname had little connection to the feelings

swirling in his mind. Alice stood beside him, stunned with amazement and

unable to utter a word.

For the man was none other than Rheinhardt Crossline.

"…Uh?"

Alice's mind was full of questions. It had all happened so fast, her

brain couldn't keep up. Leon, however, barely even noticed his disciple's

confusion. All that mattered to him was the damned friend before him—the

friend he had damned by his own actions.

"Ah, that was fun, partner. Almost forgot the feeling of fighting sideby-side again. It really was worth luring you out here."

Those black fruits must have been created by Rheinhardt's newfound

power. When Alice realized that, she yelled.

"Why?! Why would you do that? That fruit could have saved the

world!"

"Oh? But you weren't interested in saving the world, were you? Only

yourselves."

His gaze was callous and cold, his violet eyes devoid of any malice,

hostility, or hate. Yet Alice feared for her life, like a frog transfixed by a

snake.

They were on two different levels of being. That was what it felt like.

And the thought made Alice shudder.

"Doesn't it remind you of how you used to be, partner? Back when

Master had just taken you in and all you used to do was shiver in fright and

hide behind other people… Anyway, to answer your question, missy, why

did I do it? Well, there's a lot to unpack, see…"

Rheinhardt gave a playful shrug and continued.

"Why did I set a trap for you guys specifically? Why don't I save the

world even though I have the power to? Why has the man once known as

Shining Rheinhardt become such a despicable villain? It's all too much to

address in a single answer… So instead of speaking, I'll let my actions do

the talking."

Rheinhardt grinned. "In other words, missy, my answer to your

question…is this."

Suddenly, his entire body went blurry, and by the time Alice figured

out if what she was seeing was real or not, it was already over.

He was standing before Leon, his right arm embedded in the ghoul's

chest.

"Gh…ah…"

"Master!"

Leon's and Alice's cries overlapped as Rheinhardt pulled his arm free.

"Think you got all that?" he said. "This is my true objective and always

has been."

His angelic smile was so graceful, so bewitching, that it made Alice

feel sick.

"I want to kill. I want to destroy. Him…and the world."

Rheinhardt moved. It was beyond Alice's ability to say anything more

than that. All she could see was Leon falling to the ground. She was

powerless, even to tell what had been done to him, and that realization filled

her with rage.

This was the man she had sworn to protect. This was the man she had

sworn to make happy—with whom she swore to be happy.

"Haah…haah…"

Panting hard, she suppressed her rising fear and despair. She had to

fight, even if it was an impossible one. She couldn't just stand by and let

him be taken from her.

"O…OAAAAAAAARGHH!"

She screamed and launched herself forward. She drew her weapon;

Emilia's gift, Leon's pride.

"You're a brave young lady, I'll grant you that."

Rheinhardt disabled her without even breaking his confident smile, and

Alice was lying flat on her stomach before she could even tell what had

happened. She was terrified. She wondered if this was the end, but as she

thought about losing the one she loved…

"Ur…gh…!"

Newfound courage flowed into her, and she tried to get back up.

"Very good, missy. Leon could learn a thing or two from you."

As soon as she pushed up from the ground, she felt a heel on her back,

like a boulder pressing her into the dirt once more. She flailed, trying to

extricate herself…but to no avail.

"Now, then," said Rheinhardt, looking down at her. "That's enough

preamble. You're going to listen to what I say."

With this, he pointed his gaze at Leon. The ghoul didn't move.

That's right, not couldn't, didn't. Unlike Alice, he had the ability to

move but failed to do so.

"Today I'm going to talk about…courage," Rheinhardt went on, never

breaking Leon's gaze. "Now, partner. After defeating the Ifrit, did you feel

like you finally realized what courage is? That wasn't wrong. The courage

really has been inside of you all this time. It comes from your love and trust

for this girl… However…"

Rheinhardt pressed down with his foot, grinding Alice into the dirt.

"Ugh…Gah…!"

Her pained grunts reached Leon's ear. But…

"Stop it, Rheina!"

They still didn't spur him to action. Leon was afraid of the absolute

power his old friend possessed. All the self-hatred and determination he had

built up over the past four years crumbled to dust when faced with that

inescapable fear.

What remained was an all-encompassing desire to live. Rheinhardt

smirked at him before continuing.

"There are different kinds of courage, and that which relies upon

another is the weakest of all. It's nothing but the wishful thinking of a child

who wants someone else to save them. You can't help others with courage

like that."

So, how could you help others? Rheinhardt had the answer to that.

"The mind to live for someone else, and not just yourself, and the

willingness to die for them. That's what she has, and you don't. The spirit

of self-sacrifice."

Leon heard a sickening crack from Alice.

"Aargh! M-Master…"

It was starting to dawn on her that she was going to die. The fear and

agony were plain to see in the tears that streamed down her face. But even

so…

"Run…run away!"

She didn't ask for help. All she wanted was for Leon to be safe.

"But you still won't do anything about it, will you, partner? That's just

who you are."

"…You're wrong."

"You see, the problem with you is that there's nobody you love more

than yourself."

"You're wrong!"

Leon leaped forward. He didn't know why or how he could suddenly

act. His mind and heart were a mess. He was driven by emotion, not cold

calculation…but was that something that could be called courage? No, it

was not courage that fueled Leon's actions.

"Courage is the power to stand against fear, partner. But just now, you

let the fear control you. That's not courage; that's self-abandonment."

Rheinhardt raised his arm and pointed. In the next moment…dozens of

slice marks appeared all over Leon.

"Grh…!"

"Master?!"

He fell over again, unable to move. Rheinhardt spoke without emotion.

"Still," he said, "being willing to sacrifice yourself is part of what

courage is all about. Depending on how it goes, that could be your strength.

After all, it made you act when before you could only stand still. What are

self-abandonment and self-sacrifice if not two sides of the same coin? …

What I'm trying to say, partner, is if you want to be rid of me, you're going

to have to throw it all away. Only then will your promise be fulfilled."

He smiled, like a big brother chiding his naughty younger sibling. A

trickle of tears streamed down his face.

"Right, partner? You didn't…forget…our promise…did you? …Huh?

What am I talking about? That's…strange, I…was going to end it all here…

No, I wasn't… I wasn't, was I?"

He wiped his eyes and lifted his foot from Alice's back.

"Forget it, forget it! The mood's all ruined! Besides, what fun would it

be to kill you both now? No…that's right, it's too early. Too early…"

Rheinhardt kept muttering like a madman before finally opening his

three sets of dovelike wings.

"…It has to be bigger than this. More spectacular. That's the only way

I'll accept your death."

It was almost like he was angry at himself for entertaining the thought

in the first place.

"I need to prepare some things," he said. "In the meantime, you'd

better remake yourself, partner, or else…"

Rheinhardt didn't finish that thought. He just looked Leon in the eye.

Violet reflected in crimson. Even now, Leon could see the emotions he once

felt. They hadn't gone anywhere.

"…See you then, partner."

He looked strangely subdued. He spread his wings and departed into

the ashen sky.

"Rheina…"

Leon looked to where the figure of his friend had vanished and

pondered.

"There's still something there…"

The reminiscence brought with it weariness, and Leon found it difficult

to string together a single coherent thought. Instead, he closed his eyes.

Next, a figure emerged from the darkness. His fellow apprentice, calling out

for help. Leon heard his voice. A promise…but also a curse through which

their souls were inextricably linked.

"Hey, partner. The next time we meet, please…"