Chapter 266

Chapter 266. The End of the First Advance

He ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍took a faintly blue-glowing binding rope from subspace. It was the cord Tolan had used to bind Josephine when he came as a Pursuer of Wisdom in the past.

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍rope Pursuers used to capture criminals of their family was now, ironically, binding one of the West’s own blood relatives in the West.

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Second Daughter’s hands, still held by the youngest son, went straight into the binding rope.

“…A ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍mana-blocking artifact. Why do you have that?”

“I ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍have a great many things besides this. You shouldn’t be surprised already.”

“Even ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍if you bind me and take the mages prisoner, Sky Island will be recaptured soon. Do you think my family will just give it to you?”

“They will try to take it back. I also know that once our advance ends, Wisdom will send a follow-up force without even allowing a lull in the fighting.”

Pia gave a small laugh.

“You knew that and still planned to seize Sky Island and turn it into a base on your first advance? You didn’t look as though you had enough strength to stop the follow-up force.”

“True. If we had to fight that force as well without supplies or time to recover, we would have had to turn every living thing we saw along the way into undead.”

He continued as he carefully knotted the rope around the Second Daughter’s hands.

“But we did not.”

“What makes you so confident?”

“Hmm. As I said earlier, we cannot fight the next force without replenishing our supplies and strength.”

“That’s what I’m asking….”

Pia’s mouth opened and would not close.

The youngest son kept repeating the same thing. If they could not replenish themselves with supplies before fighting Wisdom’s follow-up force, it would be a hundred losses in a hundred battles.

What did it mean if she turned that statement around?

“…Don’t tell me you intend to use Sky Island’s teleportation magic circle?”

“Who knows? You can debate what I am thinking with my subordinates in the basement.”

CREAK—

Only after twisting the cord two or three times did he finish binding her.

“…Are you trying to drain all the blood from my hands?”

“Your blood is circulating well enough. Besides, who knows? You might call rats and birds with whistle magic and have them gnaw through the rope.”

“…….”

It did not take long for the Second Daughter’s face to crumple like a can on the street.

She looked at him as though he were less than an enemy, less than human, an insect. He had seen that look to the point of weariness in the East, too.

The people of the West wore their feelings so plainly on their faces that he was enjoying himself. He meant to tease her further until the person he was waiting for arrived.

“You appear to be enjoying yourself.”

That person arrived sooner than he had expected. With nothing more remarkable than its thickness, the rope in her hand dragged along a dozen or so people.

The Skeleton Soldiers following her helped keep the prisoners bound and made them easier to move.

“You’re late.”

“I know you think I arrived sooner than expected.”

“…How are you the only one who can read thoughts no one else can? Did you secretly learn a sorcery that reads minds?”

“If I had learned such a thing, I would have quit this job.”

“Liar.”

“Yes. That was a lie.”

For a moment, Pia forgot her hands were bound and tried to press both of them to her forehead.

Mind-reading sorcery, her ass. The two of them must have been using headache-inducing sorcery together.

“Take care of the prisoners. I’ll finish my work and return.”

“Safe travels.”

The youngest son mounted his griffin and flew up to the Black Ship, which had revealed itself.

With the Sphere of the Polar Night switched off and its barriers gone, the Black Ship would move several times faster than before.

RUMBLE—

Those on Sky Island watched the Black Ship recede almost faster than they could blink.

Pia could read not a trace of anxiety or tension in the Head Maid’s eyes.

“Aren’t you a little too relaxed? Even if the advantage shifted your way in this battle, nothing is over yet.”

“Did the Young Master promise to treat you humanely as a prisoner, my lady?”

“…Yes.”

“What a pity. Then please continue what you were saying.”

The Skeleton Soldiers transported the prisoners who were still unconscious. The Head Maid took charge of the Second Daughter, who was walking on her own feet.

Unfortunately, their master’s promise meant she had to restrain the Intelligence Department’s rougher methods.

The Second Daughter continued in a slightly gentler voice.

“The Black Ship has left Sky Island for now, but the next thing to return could be a blue flag. Then you’ll be stranded here alone.”

“Yes. That is possible.”

Her answer was calm. She seemed to have considered that worst outcome many times herself.

“Then our positions will merely be reversed, my lady. Naturally, you will give me the treatment due a prisoner as well.”

“…….”

“Please do not look as though you cannot promise that. Did our Young Master not give you his word without a moment’s hesitation?”

“…….”

The meaning of this silence was agreement. The Head Maid then let out a breath that Pia could not quite interpret.

“It is strange, is it not? You are a bluebird we will see only once anyway. If he wants to hear you sing, he could cut your belly open with a knife. Why does he coax you so gently with food?”

For an instant, Pia saw it: the pale blade concealed beneath the Head Maid’s sleeve.

It looked sharp enough to carve up the bluebird’s belly, wings, head, and neck without distinction.

“You and the prisoners here are very fortunate, my lady. If one of the other sons or daughters had been handling the captives instead of our Young Master….”

The Head Maid’s gaze, sharper even than the blade she had just shown, slowly traveled over Pia’s entire body.

Goose bumps rose along the Second Daughter’s arms. It felt as though the tongue of an enormous snake had slid over every part of her.

The Head Maid continued after leaving her with a sensation she would remember until the moment she died.

“Some of your fingers would already have been exchanged for those of the prisoners here.”

“…….”

The robe hid the outline of Pia’s body, but the former Intelligence Department agent caught it at once.

For the briefest instant, too small for Pia herself to notice, her shoulders trembled faintly. The Head Maid caught a strong scent from them.

It was the smell of prey with no future but to be caught and eaten by a snake. The smell of fear.

“My lady. In accordance with the words of the master I serve, I will do my utmost to keep you comfortable. But.”

There was one thing Pia must not mistake amid that kindness.

“If you stand before the other blood relatives, there is nothing I can do. You must humble yourself as much as you can, prepared even to bark like a dog if they order it.”

“…He said he would treat me as a prisoner should be treated.”

“That is the Young Master’s promise. He has the support of his other siblings, and they respect his opinions, but even that requires grounds.”

And Pia, who had to provide those grounds, could not keep her neck as stiff as it was now.

“It all depends on you, my lady. From this moment, I advise you to speak respectfully before every member of the Eastern bloodline.”

“The East’s idea of respectful treatment differs greatly from mine.”

“If you cannot speak respectfully, the next sounds to come from your mouth will not be human speech.”

“Haa….”

The Second Daughter sighed, and the Head Maid finished her advice.

“Our Young Master is the kindest member of the ‘Eastern’ bloodline I have ever seen. Being taken prisoner by him is good fortune for you, my lady, and no one else.”

“…I understand. You’re telling me not to trample a four-leaf clover beneath my own feet.”

“In Eastern terms, we would say, ‘Do not do dumbass things.’”

“Whatever the wording, I understand. I will show the Eastern blood relatives… as much courtesy as I can.”

“I hope you will.”

By the time the warnings and advice ended, the unconscious prisoners and the Second Daughter had been placed in separate rooms.

“Please remain here quietly. I will have a meal prepared for you later.”

The Second Daughter sat in a chair as still as death, without answering.

There was no need or reason to speak further to someone in that state, so the Head Maid left.

Then, as always, she cleaned the youngest son’s quarters and the space around them.

It seemed this place had been the residence of the Master of the Tower of the Sky, but it would now be called something else.

The first base of the Millesdusk Western Vanguard.

***

“You look rather exhausted, First Daughter.”

“So do you, First Son.”

First Son Hiler readjusted his grip on his sword atop the Bone Dragon’s head.

Afraid he might let it slip without noticing under the force of that woman’s wind, he gripped it hard enough to crush it.

Again and again, he poured out immense sword strikes, clothing the Bone Dragon in them like a garment.

Each time, the First Daughter defended herself with the spirit Jean and blocked them all.

But she could not keep doing it much longer.

The wind forming Jean, all but the substance of the spirit himself, grew weaker little by little.

Cracks were forming in the First Daughter’s shield. Of course, the sword striking that shield was losing strength, too.

‘One more. I can manage just one more. After that strike, even moving my body will be difficult.’

The effects of the Dark Elixirs he had drunk one after another had been nearly spent for some time.

Neither mana nor stamina kept his body moving now. It was pride.

‘Even if I collapse from exhaustion, I will never ask for help.’

That was a taboo without a sorcerer. No one had laid a curse, yet the words ‘help me’ would never pass the siblings’ lips, even if it killed them.

He would sooner bite down on a blade. Asking might save him for the moment, but what came afterward would be the problem.

His siblings would mock him so relentlessly and bring it up for the rest of his life that he would wish to die soon after being saved.

‘I absolutely can’t let that happen.’

Imagining that bleak future put fresh strength into the hand gripping his sword’s hilt.

His body screamed from every part of it, as though it might twist and snap at any moment, but he gritted his teeth.

‘At worst, I’ll die.’

He drew his arm back. By now, that movement alone told the First Daughter what he meant to do.

“If I block that, I win.”

“If you fail to block it, I win.”

“Go ahead and try.”

The First Daughter floated in the air and spread her arms to either side. The wyvern that had served as her wings had long since been dismembered into five pieces by the sword strikes.

A shield on the verge of breaking, and a spear on the verge of snapping.

Both had displayed dazzling strength at first, but each clash had worn that strength away.

They had become absurdly weak compared with how they had begun, and that was why this moment was the hardest.

The first whose knees touched the ground would lose. They both knew it, yet neither had ever wanted to lie down so badly in their life.

Even so, the First Son raised his spear, and the First Daughter raised her shield.

“Excuse me.”

But the hand from another that the First Son hated more than death came from someone he had never expected.

The one in Millesdusk whose swordsmanship most resembled his own, whose swordsmanship he most wished to emulate, delivered a single sword stroke.

Its path was an overhead cut from above to below, a blow that could use the weight of the sword, the swordsman’s strength, and gravity itself.

The first strike anyone learned on taking up the sword hit the First Daughter’s shield.

CLAAANG—!!

A ringing sound spread over the battlefield as the First Daughter gritted her teeth. Cracks ran through both her arms, and the spirit Jean was forcibly unsummoned.

With the shield protecting her body gone, the flow of mana inside her, now in disarray, could no longer keep her aloft.

SHHHHH—

The First Daughter fell helplessly after that one blow from the Gatekeeper of the Fifth Son’s camp, who had intruded on the fight.

The First Son was about to send a Bone Wyvern to catch her when another dragon moved faster.

WHOOSH—!!

The Wind Dragon, his white body drenched in blood, caught the falling First Daughter and the nearby Third Son, then disappeared.

It reached the horizon at a speed that made ‘disappeared’ the only fitting word; no one could even think of catching up.

The one responsible for leaving blood all over a dragon that fast arrived belatedly.

[…He got away.]

“I lost mine too, Fire Dragon.”

The First Son replied quietly and sheathed his chipped gray sword.

Through a tired gaze that threatened to close at any moment, he could see both his hands shaking uncontrollably.

They spoke of the hardship of the fight just ended. Thankfully, it had been worth it.

“…You succeeded, youngest.”

Millesdusk’s Black Ship was sailing behind the Tower of the Sky.

It was time to bring the first advance to a close.

RelatedRelatedRelated