Standing in the gray hallway, Nicolai continues to stare at the girl in front of him.
He had an ironic grin as the disturbing air flowed.
Give the girl in front of you a grin at yourself for not being able to find a gap.
"What's up? I'll tell you what, I'm not much of a caretaker. If you're not coming, we're going this way.
"Don't rush it like that. We're going to have to move as much as we don't like."
"You seem very confident.... No, or a vanity"
She's right, his attitude is a vanity.
Strength, too, is a long way off in him and her.
Does Nikolai also know that, I can only stand and act like I just don't show any gaps.
As it was, it was certain that it would be on the side of the war.
"I tell you, the other nuclei of the world are already in my body. Don't expect backup."
"I don't expect that from you. Besides, you think you're gonna break my heart by telling me that?
"No, I don't. But I just wanted to tell you that it's better for me to surrender."
"Yes."
When he says so, he throws at her the dagger he had in his pocket.
It is prevented by something like a black stained hand growing out of the walls, but there was already no Nicolai in her sight, distracted by it.
"Wow. It's an interesting game. Okay, how do we get out next?
The girl smiles lusciously and just stands still.
His hand reached out from the shadow behind him toward his back, which looked like that gap was everywhere.
But I can take the wrist in the hand that's been stretched out of her back.
"Too bad. A few more centimeters, no, a few millimeters, you could have killed me"
"... make a joke"
"Well, it's our turn next."
When she says so, dozens of arms wrap around his body, trying to draw him to her body.
The force is very strong, and the pull is not easy to leave even if it does.
He lurked in the shadows, disappeared from his hand, and now left to a place beyond his reach.
"You're a small-timer, that ability. Did you just say that you could lurk in the shadows?
"You'd think so, wouldn't you? That's what I thought at first."
"What?"
"Let me show you. The true power of my spell."
When he blends into the hallway, the light of the moon that was illuminating the hallway and the lamp provided in the hallway disappears from time to time, instantly turning into a world of darkness, and the girl's vision narrows to the extreme.
"So much so that I can no longer see the light source, you think I flinch?
No response.
The moment she began to indulge in the possibility that she had escaped, she sensed that there was a hand stretching out from behind her back and caught her as earlier.
"Is that it in the end? You think there's a gap behind it?
Like a wake-up call, she exhales.
At that moment, she had a moment, but she did have a gap.
I followed there and (...) let (...) one (...) of (...) hands (...) stretched out of her front and kept her chest... pierced the part of her heart.
"Nah... but ah...!
She opens her eyes to sudden events.
As Nicolai's hand squeezed what was in the heart area as it was, the girl's body fell on her back as it was.
After a while, the moonlight and lamp light reverted, and in the hallway, there was a girl bleeding red.
"... dead, or"
Confirming that, Nicolai knelt.
Nicolai's original spell is "The ability to manipulate shadows". I manipulated my own doll made of shadows and pierced her heart where I caught her off guard.
But this is a severe drain on consideration, his vision is already blurred, and even the girl in front of him cannot be clearly ascertained.
"Will you die once tomorrow and ask the Pope to rebuild your body another time"
Having difficulty even walking back to his room anymore, he sits straight in the hallway and begins to wait for someone to pass by.
After a while, about two footsteps were walking toward us.
"I'm sorry, you two, but I need to take care of the old man."
No reply.
I should have known then.
There is no way that a human being who comes to a straight line without responding can be decent.
When one of those two took his hand, the other... pierced his body with a sword.
"Huh...?
He even figured out what happened.
Who are the two people in front of you, even to him for losing his sight?
But I know exactly who the next word is.
"Glad to hear it. Well done. You've entertained me so far. I didn't think you could kill one of me."
"... hey"
"'Why are you alive?', or. I took in a few demon nuclei...... my heart. You think that's where we're gathered in one place?
When I hear the words, his consciousness gradually fades.
"I don't know if you realize it, but now you're mine. If magic loses itself, replacing it with mine is easy. Let me use that power."
That was her last word, I heard before my consciousness broke off.
――――
"I appreciate your cooperation. Now all immigrants."
He...... Zahr bows his head deeply to the Mactorian soldiers in front of him.
When he saw it, he was satisfied in front of him, and left this place without saying anything.
Seeing her figure get smaller afterwards, Zahr speaks to the person behind her.
"Ren, tell the captains of each unit to take a break."
"Ha!"
The boy, called Ren, rushes straight to the other troops.
But consciousness was in the woman standing near the next wall...... Sofia.
"So is it true that you made the choice to turn Lazareth over to a man named that wolf?
"Yes. They've got the approval of Mactoria, Isel, and both kings. The factual confirmation of both kings is over without delay."
"I don't know what he's up to, but why Lasalles..."
"It's okay."
Sophia smiles and says so in a way that she doesn't believe in it.
Seeing how it went, Zahr revealed what he thought.
"... you have a good look on your face. What happened? What happened?
"I met him and talked to him. That's all."
"That's it, you say?
"Yep, because his eyes felt so straight, even compared to those of someone who was determined to do something at that time, that it didn't feel any less pale"
"Determined..."
"He chose. I don't know what that is, but I can assure you it's never in a bad direction"
'He chose'.
Hearing the words, Zahr felt somewhere... that he had become a distant being.
That growth should please me as a friend, but the position of the Knights of a country hostile to him really holds it back.
"Zahr. From now on, it's time to think about how you'll face him."
"... right"
"I'm going to ask you once now. What do you want to do now?
"I must make him pay for his sins. We can't let him carry any more load of heart."
"... that's the will of the 'Zahr of the Knights of Isel', isn't it? I don't even want to hear that."
Zahr opens his eyes to something strong about her.
She would never have said anything like this before.
So, finally, he gets to one conclusion.
She had a better understanding of him than she had of herself.
"Tell me, 'Zahr'. As your will, do you really want to kill Lasalles?
"Many of them were killed by his actions. You want me to forgive that bloodthirsty guy?
"I don't want to hear what you have to say as a knight captain. Don't make me say the same thing twice."
"Then what would satisfy me?
"... Are you sure you don't know?
That can't be right.
He understands how to answer.
For him, however, it was never easy to say the word against Lazareth, who had ever said no to the existence to be defeated.
"Zahr. I did not tell you to take Lazareth's side. If you feel sincerely hating him, that's fine too. No, that would be better. I get revulsions, such as opinions that twist and twist people's minds."
……
"That's why I wholeheartedly despise you for giving my opinion as the Knights Commander. You just have to step on the spot for the rest of your life."
"... shut up"
"He's a criminal. But... you must have been friends more than that."
"Shut up."
"I won't shut up. If I hadn't asked your opinion here and now, you'd never face your own heart again, would you?
"Bullshit......!
"Say anything. I don't want to get along with you."
Her words were honest.
It's like a straight knife.
Just pure, piercing Zahr's heart.
"... just as a zar, huh?"
He noticed, unknowingly, that he had fallen zero out of his mouth.
There is no distortion whatsoever, pure his thoughts pushed into his chest.
"I want to see what he accomplishes."
"... Finally, you've spoken"
"But as the Knights Commander, I must plead not guilty to him. That fact doesn't change."
"Really?"
"... but if you are forgiven, there is only one thing you are forgiven."
As a friend, he closes his eyes.
"I want him to pray so that his journey ends at least peacefully"
Neither did she make any profound reference to the act.
Opening his eyes after a while, he said the continuation of the words.
"The break is over. I'm going back to work. Do you have a pile of paperwork?
"Yeah. Well, shall we do our best? Each other."
"Oh. And... well, thank you"
"Huh? The last one, what did you say?
"Nothing. Just go."
Zahr walks to where each unit stands waiting as he drives her away with his hands.
She also went back to her desk because of what she had to do.