With pain going through the side of his head, Roppu groaned.

  At the back-alley of the royal capital, the silent battle was unfolding. Running at full speed, behind Roppu, Rook was pursuing him while holding a bow. From time to time, Rook would draw an arrow and shoot it, aiming for Roppu.

  Rook′s accuracy rate was definitely not bad.

  He received guidance from Selestinna, and so exceeded the skill of the average soldiers by far.

  However, unfortunately to him, Rook was shooting while running. And so, with him without being able to properly aim most of the arrows, it was possible to avoid them. However, maybe because his ability was still very good, the arrows would often times graze at Roppu′s cheeks, head and ears.

  “You should give up, Rabbit demon!!”


  While hearing Rook shouting behind him, Roppu kept running.

  There was no demon that would stop just because someone said to them they should give up. At the risk of his life, moving his feet that, as a messenger, had been trained, he kept running away from the water fountain plaza even if it is for only a little bit more.

  “You, say something, Rabbit!! Rather, be hit and drop dead already!!”


  While yelling some random complaints, Rook kept shooting arrows at Roppu. Although Rook was able to keep the pursue despite not really knowing whether to focus on moving or shooting, the naivety of this tactic made Roppu end up being surprised.

  There were times the objectives in the strategies of lieutenant colonel he served were off. However, as expected, there wouldn′t be things as stupid as that in those plans.

  Then, unconsciously…


  “…Really, you are completely different than your elder sister.”


  Roppu ended up muttering.

  Those words that leaked out of his mouth echoed at the dark back-alley so loudly to the point of it being unnatural.

  However, he didn′t have the spare time to be worrying about that. Continuing to run, by the time Roppu turned into corner, he suddenly noticed that there were no more arrows being shot at him. Rather, when he turned back, he couldn′t see Rook′s figure anywhere.

  “This… Did I bait him far enough?”


  For Rook to leave him was the opposite of the point of his mission.

  While thinking he might have planned an ambush, Roppu discretely peeked from the edge of the corner of the back-alley.

  After doing that, he saw Rook was still there. With about ten steps away from Roppu, he was standing there dumbfounded without even having an arrow prepared at his bow. With how he was in some kind of absentminded state, it looked as if his soul had left his body.

  “…”


  He kept standing there without looking like he was going to go after Roppu, and he also wasn′t showing signs that he was going to pull back.

  Without shooting any arrows, he kept standing at the same place. Even after a few minutes passing, he absolutely didn′t do even the slight movement. Because of how weird Rook was acting, Roppu walked up to a distance where the arrows wouldn′t necessarily hit him easily.

  “Hey.”


  Lifelessly, Rook finally opened his mouth.

  Roppu became on guard, but Rook wasn′t in a state to be caring about something like that. Rather, perhaps he might have forgot Roppu was the enemy.

  With a mood that felt as if something had collapsed hanging in the air, somewhat hesitantly, Rook asked Roppu.

  “…When you said elder sister… Who would you be talking about?”


  —–


  “Shut up, you animal!”


  Drowning out the next words with that shout, with all her strength, Riku shook off her arm from the restraint.

  Riku′s right arm was restrained by the sword Raimon had transformed into a handcuff.

  In order words, if she were to move even a bit, the blade of the sword would bite into her arm, and perhaps it would even cut it off. As to be expected, in that instant, Raimon′s sword cut into Riku′s right arm. The sword that was sharp even when transformed into a handcuff brutally cut Riku′s arm off.

  “!”


  From the cut, fresh blood gushed out exactly like the water fountain behind her.

  At the next instant, an intense pain that even felt it would make her brain go numb went through her arm. During her life, Riku had suffered many injuries, but as to be expected, the pain of having her arm amputated went beyond her imagination. Together with the pain, a chill assaulted her because of the great amount of blood lost. Her legs started to falter. However, if she was to fall down at a place like this, there wouldn′t be any meaning to her sacrificing her arm.

  While clenching her teeth, she took distance from Raimon.

  “As if I would follow the commands of someone like you!”


  Together with her rough breathing, those words were spit out.

  A pool of blood was spreading at the surface of the pavement. In that pool, Riku′s right arm and silver sword were lying there.

  She could only honestly nod that losing her dominant army was regrettable. However, more than that, she wouldn′t be able to forgive herself if she followed the words of the man in front of her eyes and bared her fangs to Leivein.

  The true name binds the soul.

  Those words were definite and could not be resisted against.

  “…You are foolish, Riku.”


  Raimon snorted at Riku.

  “Do you want to take the spiritualists down so much to the point of sacrificing your arm? The defeat of the demons had already been decided since the old days.”


  Making his blood covered sword go back to normal, he once again started to approach Riku.

  “Who knows? Is it really so?”


  Riku tried to seem strong as much as she could.

  For the distance Raimon was approaching her, she was calmly stepping back. While covering what was left from her right arm with her left hand, she waited for the opportunity to escape.

  She must have bought enough time for her subordinates to pull back. Soon, this place was going to become crowded with humans. It was annoying, but she could not keep fighting anymore.

  …And at the same time, she wasn′t able to imagine herself safely retreating.

  “I might have a hidden trump.”


  Riku bluffed.

  Because of her severe bleeding, her view started to blurry.

  Because of the pain, she felt her consciousness was becoming distant. Her feet started to feel numb. Even though all that happened was only having one arm being cut off, Riku became like that. How miserable; why was herself so weak? However, except for that, there was no other way to avoid the true name.

  Riku was not going to point her blade to Leivein because of the binding of such a thing as unreasonable as the true name. That, even if she were to die.

  If that was so, then perhaps it would be better for her to do a suicidal attack as her last struggle. Perhaps it would still be possible for her to fight back by biting into his throat.

  If she lose her arms, she would kick him to death.

  If she had her legs stolen, she would bite him to death.

  If her teeth were broken, then she would use her body weight and press him down to death.

  Using her body, she would kill the enemy in front of her eyes.

  This was Riku′s single remaining means of survival right now.

  “If that is the case, Rinkus Barusak.”


  However, her hope quickly crumbled.

  Raimon spoke Riku′s true name in a loud voice to the point of it echoing through the plaza.

  “Then, annihilate the demons and kill yourself after that.”


  “Sorry, but this is something that one can′t do.”


  A comfortable and strong voice went inside Riku′s ears.

  His rough hand was gently put at her shoulder. And at instant, all coldness was cleared away and a feeling of warmth spread from her shoulders to her whole body.

  What was in front of Riku protecting her was a dragon wing of deep dark color.

  Already half-knowing who it was by seeing the dragon wings, Riku eyes became wide-open. Although she opened her mouth to speak, because of how surprised she was, she couldn′t utter a single word.

  Raimon was not able to hide his surprise over the appearance of that demon.

  “…What are you talking about?”


  Raimon spoke in a tone that slightly bore perplexity.

  He had definitely ordered Riku to kill the demons by using her true name. Those words had definitely reached Riku′s ears. However, there were no signs of Riku acting like she would attack the demon.

  “It′s simple, Raimon Barusak.”


  While spreading his black dragon wings, the demon laughed in triumph. Following that, it was Riku′s subordinates and demons from the Dragon Demon Division appearing at the plaza one after another. Each of them, with the weapons they specialized at, were glaring not at Riku, but at Raimon and the other spiritualists.

  “It is because Riku is my subordinate.”


  Leivein drew his rough sword.