The Magi Shibley broke into pieces that now lay scattered on the ground .
We could only look on in shock .
“With this, you’ve lost your trump card . ”
Rates laughed menacingly .
Though frustrating, it was just as he said .
If we didn’t have the Magi Shibley, we had no way of breaking the Demon Queen’s magic barrier .
“Now then, you really did a number on me, perhaps I should have you depart . ”
“Quite the line coming from you . Weren’t you the one pulling us around?”
“Was that the case…? In my old age, I can’t seem to remember . ”
“Hah, get real . ”
Rodd-sama’s attitude suddenly worsened .
Rates had really pulled a fast one on us, so it was understandable .
In retrospect, the guy had regenerated repeatedly during the Pope’s failed assassination attempt .
This was an error on our part .
“Mei, Alea, lend me your ears . ”
““…?””
Rodd-sama whispered something directly into their ears .
The two nodded in response .
“Having a strategy meeting are we? I don’t mind . Struggle as much as you’d like . ”
It seems that Rates was feeling quite good now that he had completed his task .
Without even trying to interfere, he calmly waited .
“You got it?”
“Yup . ”
“I understand . ”
Finishing their discussion, they promptly took formation . Rodd-sama and Alea in front, with Mei in the back .
“Have you finished?”
“Yeah, sorry to keep you waiting . ”
“I don’t mind . After all, you will all soon die . ”
“Too bad for you, I’m a bit of a sore loser . ”
“You sure do talk . But well, seeing guys like you lose heart is one of the things that brings me joy in my old age . ”
“He’s coming!”
Rates again rushed forward for a heavy strike .
He was heading toward―Alea!
“―!”
Though Alea momentarily tensed up, she quickly moved her body to dodge Rates’ rush .
“There!”
As his attack was avoided, Rates needed time to recover his stance . Alea took the opportunity to land a sharp slash .
The sword, a magic artifact inherited from Dorothea, left a deep scar in Rates’ tough skin .
“Mm . That stung just a bit . ”
“It’s my teacher’s sword . Of course it would!”
“Alea, don’t! It’s a trap!”
“!?”
“It hurts . ”
Alea tried to run, but it seemed that her sword had cut too deep and couldn’t be pulled out .
Rates harshly whipped his arm, bouncing Alea off like a rubber ball .
“Alea!”
“I-I’m okay…”
Claire’s expression soured, but it seems that Alea hadn’t sustained any major injuries .
“Hm?”
“You really saved me, Mei!”
“Leave it to me!”
It seems Mei had cast some sort of magic to form a cushion between Alea and Rates’ arm .
For my daughter, she had displayed wonderful tact .
“Hmph, how bothersome . ”
“Don’t you think you’re giving them too much attention?”
As Rates sighed, Rodd-sama slashed at him from behind .
Though his sword was broken, fire filled out the broken part of the blade .
“You should just sleep . ”
“!?”
Though Rates looked vulnerable, he had actually read Rodd-sama’s actions .
Dodging Rodd-sama’s sword by bending his upper body backward in a way that would be impossible for human joints, he quickly corrected his stance and brought his sickles down on Rodd-sama .
“Gahaahh…!”
Rodd-sama was sent flying .
He narrowly managed to put his sword between himself and the sickles, but was unable to get into a proper position and brace the fall . His body slammed into the Magi Shibley’s debris .
It seems Mei’s defense did not make it in time .
““Rodd-sama!””
“Hmm, this boy has quite the head on him . If it were just you girls, I doubt you would’ve been able to make that last call . ”
So that’s what had happened .
Mei had likely formed a telepathy channel . Using that channel, Rodd-sama was giving instructions to Mei and Alea in real time .
That’s why she made it in Alea’s case, but couldn’t do the same for Rodd-sama .
“It looks like I’ll need to dispose of you first after all . ”
“…”
Rates once again charged forward, this time at Rodd-sama who was struggling to get up .
“Stop!”
“I won’t allow it!”
Mei launched magic and Alea swung her sword, but neither were enough to stop Rates’ momentum .
“It’s over . ”
Along with the sound of a car crash, Rodd-sama’s body flew up into the air .
“Rodd-sama!”
Claire-sama screamed .
As Rodd-sama’s body slammed into the ground, a heavy noise could be heard .
“There’s one . Well then, girls, it’s your―”
“… Heh… heheh…”
This weak laugh had come from Rodd-sama .
“… Your stubbornness is quite astounding . You’re still alive?”
“Didn’t I say…? I couldn’t bear… to show the woman I love… such a pitiful sight . ”
Though he was putting up a brave front, Rodd-sama could no longer stand .
“Hm… while your efforts are praiseworthy, what can you do? You appear to be on death’s door . ”
“I’m not gonna do anything… it’s already over . ”
“?”
Rates’ face was filled with doubt, but he suddenly dropped to his knees .
“Mm? What’s this…?”
“Heh, still haven’t realized it…?”
“M-my strength is fading…!”
Rates’ large frame was visibly deflating, akin to a balloon .
“You, what did you…!?”
“The Magi Shibley you destroyed… I let it take its revenge . ”
“!?”
It appeared that the Magi Shibley’s sword-like protrusion was sticking out from Rates’ back .
“Wha!?”
“That part is a magic artifact . Its job is to release the collected magic energy . I have no idea how your regeneration works, but I’d bet it needs magic energy, yeah? Then I’ll just have this guy scatter it all . ”
“Gnnh…, I can’t pull it out…!”
Rates desperately tried to separate himself and the Magi Shibley’s part, but as though it had merged with his body, it wouldn’t move an inch .
“Remember this as your souvenir to hell . In a battle of wits amongst the weak, no one tops us humans . ”
“In this way… to something like this I’ll…!”
Rates’ body, which had shrunk to the size of a cow, continued to shrink .
“Pass on, old man . ”
“… Hmph . To think you had this up your sleeve . Luck is also part of skill, eh? This is why I despise humans . ”
Perhaps having given up, Rates spoke as though sighing in lament .
“So, in the end, how does your regeneration work?”
“Why do you want to know?”
“Ain’t it obvious? If someone likes you pops up again, I want to be able to kill them reliably . ”
“…Kufu… hahaha…!”
Rates’ shrinking body shook in laughter .
After laughing for some time, as though saying it’s fine as he’ll be dead either way, he continued .
“When cells are purged from this body, they momentarily become magic energy and decompose before rebinding in their original shape . However, if they are constantly decomposed and dispersed regardless of my will, the command to rebind won’t make it in time . Haha, I’ll finally die! What a good feeling!”
Unexpectedly, Rates seemed very cheerful as he laughed .
“My apologies, Demon Queen . I’ll take my leave here . I’ll be praying for your fortune in battle . ”
“You served me well . ”
Having exchanged his final words with the Demon Queen, Rates body became but a speck, this time disappearing without a trace .
The Magi Shibley’s part fell onto the ground with a clank .
Rates, who we had thought might’ve been immortal, truly vanished this time, leaving nothing .
“Ahh, that was rough…”
“Rodd-sama!”
“Mei, heal him!”
Mei and Alea rushed to Rodd-sama’s side and began healing him .
Though he was still breathing, his wounds were by no means shallow .
◆◇◆◇◆
“So Rates has passed too…”
The words seemed to spill out of the Demon Queen’s mouth .
I’m sure that the grief that tinged her voice was not something I imagined .
It seems that they were not simply throwaway pawns to her .
“That said, they’ve done me well . As long as that is gone, you all have no way to harm me . ”
“Khh…”
Claire-sama big her lip in frustration .
Claire-sama’s Magic Ray, my Absolute Zero, Manaria’s attack magic, Lily’s sword attacks… we had tried it all .
However, the barrier blocked all of them .
We had no options .
“I lost all of the Three Great Archdukes but… perhaps I’ll start by killing everyone except for Claire-sama and think about what to do after that . ”
The Demon Queen casually waved her hand horizontally .
I quickly brought up a bulwark composed of tungsten carbide, but the Demon Queen’s black shockwave easily cut it apart .
“Get down!”
I was pushed down onto the ground from behind .
“… You saved me, Claire-sama . ”
“That isn’t something we’re able to block . Concentrate on dodging . ”
Remaining cautious of follow up attacks, Claire-sama stood and stared at the Demon Queen .
“You’re really struggling . Am I that important to you?”
“It’s not you . Having lost sight of yourself and fallen to evil, I don’t find you attractive in the slightest . ”
“…”
“The Rei I loved is the one that never gave up, continued to love me, and lit my path forward . ”
“I’m doing the same… though it’s the path to destruction . ”
“I’m saying that I reject such a thing . ”
Claire-sama tried to take my hand―, however .
“Guh…!”
“I won’t allow you two to form a chorus, that’d be a bit dangerous after all . ”
The chorus was the one thing we had yet to try against the Demon Queen .
However, the Demon Queen had been wary, refusing to give us a chance .
“Regardless of what you may think, I will carry out the decision that I’ve made . ”
“You stubborn…!”
“Say what you like . ”
The Demon Queen shrugged before continuing .
“I have but one desire . To end everything… and disappear myself . ”
It seems that even Claire-sama’s words could no longer reach the Demon Queen .