The silver boy was not wary of Riku. Without holding any weapon, he defenselessly approached her.

  Riku thought that he would be looking at her with a look of disdain just like Raimon Barusak and Toudo Barusak. However, it didn′t seem that Rook held her in contempt.

  “Riku-ane… Such a thing, how?”


  Rook′s voice was very husky. The husky voice was filled with sorrow, and his handsome face was twisted in surprise. His eyes became as much wide-opened as possible, and his mouth became opened into a circle in a stupid way. As far as she could understand from seeing Rook acting like that, it felt as if he couldn′t comprehend the reality of Riku being alive.

  Although he hadn′t been told about this by Raimon, it was clearly a different reaction to Toudo Barusak, who adapted to the reality in front of his eyes immediately.

  There was also another point other than his expression that was weird from Riku′s perspective.

  If Riku hadn′t heard wrong, right now, she had been called [Riku-ane]. In other words, Rook recognized Riku not as [Anna], but properly like his [elder sister]. What meaning did this hold? The reason was clear even without thinking.

  Looking at Rook, Riku declared, spitting those words out of her mouth.

  “Ane? Can it be… that you really still think of yourself as my brother?”


  Together with those words, she directed to him her hatred and killing intent without hiding any of it. But even so, Rook′s face didn′t change. Rather, it became more puzzled about it. With his expression that seemed to be asking her why was she directing killing intent to him, something snapped inside Riku.

  “Yes, if you are not answering, them I will change my way of asking. Rook Barusak… How do you have the nerve to call me your [sister]?”


  “Eh… But, isn′t… Raku-ane my elder sister?”


  Rook′s voice was trembling, but even so, he declared that.

  With those words, he crossed Riku′s limit. Rook′s expression, tone of voice, behavior: all of it made Riku′s feelings stir up. While clenching her teeth and wielding her silver sword, she turned her eyes to Piguro.

  “Staff officer Piguro, I will be killing this one… No, I will be capturing it.”


  Riku licked her lips.

  All she had been supposed to do was to entrust the rest to Leivein and escape from the royal capital. Riku was extremely frustrated about that. This time, she had become a hindrance to Leivein, and could only run away. Until now, all this frustration was being vented in she tightly clenching her fist. However, she couldn′t have imagined that in such unexpected place a present would fall on her hands.

  Riku couldn′t endure that welling up feeling of excitement. A feeling that would be like she just having her stomach empty because she was not able to get to full herself with a gorgeous dinner, but then, receiving an extra-large dessert; a feeling of that sort was controlling Riku.

  “Capture? Are you planning on catching him alive?”


  “Of course, in other to make it easier to carry, I can cut off the hands and feet.”


  Inside Riku′s head, she had already started to think about methods to capture Rook.

  For instance, the thought of cutting his hands and feet and taking him home.

  And after that, she would spend her time enjoying herself. She would squash his eyes, block his nose and destroy his eardrums. Because his mouth seemed to be an annoying one, it would be nice to have his throat slit, although with that, she would end up not being able to hear the pleasant screams of suffering. That′s why perhaps it would be better to not steal his voice until his last moments.

  “Hm?”


  At that instant, Riku noticed that Rook had muttered something.

  While slightly trembling, Rook muttered something to himself as if he wanted to self-confirm it. Rook′s blank eyes felt as if they weren′t looking at her, but at somewhere else.

  Perhaps Rook was pretending he had lost his sanity and was contacting with someone hidden somewhere. Riku strained her ears and tried to listen to what he was saying, but she was completely unable to understand what it was about.

  “…. This must be the world of the sequel that was released after I died. Yes, it must be it. And there, Riku-ane would become the enemy. Having a heroine being an enemy is a very common development, yes. It must be it. That′s why, it is not my fault…”


  Riku frowned her eyebrows at Rook′s mutterings.

  Him, who was standing right in front of Riku was breathing somewhat roughly. Either way, him saying he had died, or that something was a development that happened often were things she didn′t understand the meaning.

  All she was able to understand was that Rook wanted to convince himself that [it wasn′t his fault].

  “…Rook Barusak.”


  “Ri-Riku-ane! You were alive!!”


  After Riku called out for him in a low voice, Rook answered back in a way that looked as if her previous words were repelled.

  And then, as if he was welcoming Riku, he extended both of his hands. The manner he came to her with his hands extended while even having his voice trembling was that either if this would be something considered comical, or if it would be considered strange, he was definitely not sane.

  “At the time when Riku-ane fell down, I thought about saving you, but… I′m sorry. I was not able to reach out my hand to you. Besides, father was even holding you by your nape… I-it was impossible to me!”


  While having his eyes bulged out, he spoke out those words.

  “I didn′t know Riku-ane was with the Demon Lord army, but it is really great you are still alive. It′s really, really great. That′s why, let′s go home together. You don′t need to suffer anymore by working at the Demon Lord army. I will somehow convince father!!”


  “Are you convincing father?”


  “That′s right. I will convince father, and then we can all live together in peace!”


  Riku was holding out not to laugh at the too good to be true words Rook was spouting. But then, he ended up spilling up those last few words. Without being able to hold herself back, she ended up laughing in a loud voice that echoed through the back alley. While holding her stomach while still having her sword at hands, and even a few tears appeared because of the laughing.

  “Aha, ahahahahaha!! Hey, are you planning you killing me by having me laugh?”


  “Wh-what are you talking…”


  “It′s just comical. Why do girls wager their tails to a guy like this?”


  At the back of Riku′s mind, the images of the face of the girls she had confronted until now surfaced.

  The little girl that held her sword for Rook′s sake while falteringly speaking.

  The spy that had even betrayed the Demon Lord army and lent her strength to Rook.

  The eccentric maid that believed Rook would be the one to guide the Barusak household.

  And the provisory demon lord that wagered her tail after exchanging only two or three words with him.

  The Rook those girls portrayed was someone full of compassion that would be the one to lead people to the future. He was gentler than anyone, was blessed with an exceptional talent, and looked for a solution for the peace with the demons, who were reproached by everyone.

  If completely believing how those girls had portrayed Rook, he would be someone that would have given a favorable impression.

  However, from all Riku could see… She couldn′t imagine Rook as someone fascinating.

  His eyes were bulging out and his words were trembled. He wanted to run away from the reality of him had leaving Riku to die, and by some unknown logic, he tried to justify himself.

  “You are really empty. You can′t even reach at the feet of captain Leivein.”


  Except for Rook′s only good point, which was his handsome face that looked as if it had been made by god which was unsightly stiff at the moment, there were absolutely no other points that one could be attracted to. All that battalion of females that had fallen for Rook until now must have very bad eyes for men. Either that, or that he was using some kind of love potion smoke on them.

  “Empty… Colonel Riku, isn′t this someone very similar to you?”


  ” …Did you say something, staff officer?”


  “No, nothing. If you are going to take care of this, then please do it fast. We don′t have time.”


  Muttering only that, he crossed his arms and said nothing else. This was as if he was expressing that he would leave the rest to Riku to deal with.

  Muttering “understood” in a small voice, she unsheathed the silver sword. Before she could hear the sound of the scabbard falling down, Riku had already kicked the ground. In an instant, she jumped right to the front of Rook′s eyes and nose, and full of strength, she swung down her sword. However, even if Rook had declined, he was still the next head of the Barusak house. Rook hurriedly bent his body, and all that happened was only having the sword grazing at his cheek. (TL note: I guess Riku was holding it while it was still at the scabbard.)

  “Ca-calm down, Riku-ane!!”


  With his voice trembling, Rook spoke.

  However, there was no way Riku would stop her attacks. He didn′t draw his sword, and also didn′t show any signs he would use his bow. All he did was saying unreasonable words one after another while barely avoiding Riku′s attacks. It wasn′t even a defensive battle, but only stupid actions.

  “..Riku-ane, please hear me out!!”


  “Shut up.”


  In the end, Riku felt she might end up killing him.

  This wicked thought crossed through her mind. This feeling also was reflected in her sword fighting. The point of the sword that was being aimed for Rook′s shoulder or feet was now being aimed to his neck. Without being able to react to the attack that was suddenly aimed at the neck, he jumped back. While dodging the attacks by jumping back, he took distance from Riku.

  “Riku-ane, why… Why must this happen… This… Ah……!”


  His eyes that were looking at Riku′s face a few moments ago finally became fixed at the sword Riku was holding.

  Rook′s eyes that trembled in confusion started to show signs of anger. The reason for that was not something difficult to notice. While happily smiling, Riku lightly swung the sword in the air.

  “Could it be that this sword seems familiar to you?”


  The silver sword Riku was using used to be Selestinna Bistolru′s sword.

  Selestinna was someone that couldn′t really be considered acquaintances to Riku, and was a small fry girl that Riku had buried before Selestinna could notice she was Riku Barusak. Riku remembered that despite she being a small fry, she was the head that leaded one of the spiritualist families, and was Rook′s childhood friend.

  “Ri-riku-ane… Thi-this. Why…… Do you have this?”


  Rook′s face started to change.

  His face was still in the same perplexed way, but signs of anger started to become more apparent. That was exactly the face Riku had been wishing for. There was no meaning to defeating an opponent that wouldn′t resist and finishing it by torturing him later. If she didn′t completely repel all of his attacks and defeat him after that, she wouldn′t be able to immerse herself in feeling superior.

  That′s why Riku decided to increase Rook′s anger even more.

  “Ah… It was the sword some spiritualist girl that was fighting at Myuuz was using. After she died, I picked it up. It must really be an honor to her for me to be using this sword. The previous owner was really weak. I had easily cut her head off in just a few seconds.”


  “Cut… her head?”


  The instant Riku said those words, Rook drew his sword.

  Rook behavior of a few moments ago completely changed, and he glared at Riku with a violent gaze. Because of Rook′s anger, it felt as if the air started to tremble.

  “Selestinna-chan… How dare you have killed her!!!”


  That roar made the back-alley tremble.

  While glaring at Riku as if he was about to get revenge for the death of his parents, he charged at her maddened. Riku trembled at the blow that didn′t have even a slight of hesitation. Of course, it wasn′t because of fear. The feeling that was welling up in her was delight. With the joy whirling inside her body, her trembling increased, and her mind started to shout at her, saying to eliminate the enemy in front of her eyes.

  Wielding her sword and preparing herself to meet the enemy, Riku said those provocative words.

  “Stupid. The one that killed Selestinna Bistolru was you… Rook Barusak.”