134 - Forwarding Backwards
Inside the Jewel Orb.
The conference room where the round table usually exists and where the successive heads of the family gather.
There, the round table has been removed, and a circular ring has appeared in its place.
Around the perimeter, the weapons of the First and Second Generations floated against the walls.
The successive heads had retreated into their own rooms of memory. It seemed they had postponed explaining the situation.
"Hmph, it would have been easier to just get it over with. But I can't be the only one rushing ahead. Still... what a sight!"
As I spun around once to take in the surroundings, the women, including Novem, had stepped onto the ring.
Novem spoke.
"L-Liel-sama? Um, what on earth are we doing here... no, I can understand what you want to say, but where is this place to begin with?"
She likely had a mountain of questions, but I could explain those small details as much as she wanted later.
"Don't worry about the details. Look, for now, you just need to talk it out with your fists. Simple, right?"
Novem wore a subtle expression as she glanced around.
The one doing warm-up exercises was Monica.
"I don't know for what reason you've brought our consciousness to such a place... but if told to do so, I, Monica, will participate, even if reluctantly!"
She seemed quite motivated, though she claimed to be reluctant. I beamed a smile at the cute Monica, who was giving her all to challenge my orders.
"That's the spirit! You all have things you want to say, and frustrations. But if there are circumstances that prevent you from speaking... why not just fight!"
Clara, her face bright red, held her staff as if hugging it and asked me.
"No, um... if Novem-san and the others clash seriously, it'll be catastrophic."
I smiled at Clara, raised my right hand to shoulder height, and manifested my weapon.
Novem saw it.
"That is Liel-sama's... I heard it was destroyed?"
"This space is convenient. That's why it's fine to do this."
I cut my left arm deeply, and blood flowed from the wound. The pain was less than usual.
Seeing this, Aria spoke.
"What are you doing! I mean, about earlier—"
Aria, who had only put up a superficial resistance, was still protesting, unable to forgive the kiss. She had been confused until a moment ago, but it seemed she had recovered.
"No problem. It'll heal instantly. See."
As the wound and blood vanished, Mei looked at the door leading to the Fifth Generation's room of memory.
"Hmm, so this space can do that. It must be convenient. But still, why bring us to a place like this and tell us to beat each other up?"
Mei still didn't seem convinced.
Eva, for some reason, had a dazed expression and was swaying unsteadily.
"All that built-up frustration needs to be vented somewhere. Besides, I can't bring myself to punish Novem and Miranda, who are acting for my sake. However, if you have frustrations with each other, you can just beat each other up in this space. You can go at it, ignoring the rules, until you feel refreshed."
Miranda, while staying wary of Novem, turned toward me and put her hands on her hips.
"Then, is it business as usual for me and Novem? I'm telling you now, I don't trust Novem. If anything, my distrust has grown even more than before."
At those words, I smiled.
"What of it? As long as I believe in you, there's no problem. Rest assured, I trust Miranda, but I also trust Novem. So, Miranda, you just need to trust me. I will definitely make you happy."
When I said I'd make her happy, Miranda let out a sigh as if her rhythm had been thrown off. But seeing her cheeks flush slightly, I thought.
Amazing, I... no matter what I say, the other person falls for me all over again. I'm starting to be afraid of myself.
Novem asked me, looking a bit sad.
"...There should have been a message from Octo. My name was mentioned, wasn't it? Liel-sama, do you still believe me? Even without having met Octo, can you trust me based on a single word?"
It was likely a fact that he had met Novem's brother, but from my perspective, it was nothing more than a meeting between siblings. In the first place, Celes wouldn't do something so roundabout.
Because she gets bored easily. She can't endure things coolly like I do. Even without thinking hard about it, if Novem wants to hide it, that's fine by me.
However, there was something I had to tell Novem.
"Octo-san has nothing to do with it. I am saying that I trust you. Besides, unfortunately, I have no intention of meeting Octo-san."
"...Eh? U-um."
As Novem panicked, I brushed back my hair and looked at the ceiling.
"A labyrinth with over a hundred floors... such a thing would only exist if it were managed by a city or something similar. In other words, the moment we break through the innermost chamber, we become wanted fugitives. For that matter, my goal is to strike down Vanseim, who holds Celes aloft. I don't have time, so I have no intention of meeting him. It's a shame. I wanted to meet him at least once."
As I shook my head with a "good grief" feeling, Novem put her hand to her cheek and looked down slightly. Apparently, she had thought I intended to meet Octo-san.
It wouldn't be impossible, but it would take time.
Preparations would likely take over ten years. That's why I won't meet Octo-san.
Looking around, I saw Shannon acting flustered. Since she had suggested kissing at the very last second, I did, but she was now looking around in confusion.
Miranda, her face slightly red, looked at Shannon.
"Why are you looking around so much? If you're not going to get hurt, do you want to participate too?"
Looking at Miranda's face, Shannon spoke.
"...This is the first time I've seen Big Sister's face. No, until now, I had a feeling it was probably like this, but..."
Miranda, surprised, grabbed Shannon's shoulders and looked closely at her face.
"Shannon, you can see!?"
"I-it's not so much that I can see, but rather that visual information is coming in, unlike before... also, there are people beyond the door? Who on earth—"
I approached Shannon and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"That's great, Shannon. That you can see. Also... don't you think it's okay to have things you don't know in this world? Otherwise, next time, instead of a 'tongue-kiss', I'll give you a deep kiss."
As Shannon's face turned red, I laughed and tried to return to the center of the ring. Miranda called out to my back.
"It seems Liel is hiding things too."
I looked back only with my face.
"Everyone has secrets. When the time comes, I'll tell you everything in bed. Let me know when you've made up your mind."
Miranda, looking at me, took a step back, hid her face, and fell silent.
Laughing, I returned to the center of the ring and declared with open arms.
"Now, let's decide on a time before we start. Let's make it until noon. Please beat each other up to your heart's content. However, I'll be stepping away to watch everyone's bodies from outside the Jewel Orb, so this is where we part. It'll be awkward to do it with me around. Well then."
Aria reached out to me.
"W-wait!"
Waving my hand, I returned my consciousness from the Jewel Orb to my own body.
――Inside the Jewel Orb. Room of memory.
Slay, the Third Generation, watched Liel, who had left the Jewel Orb a step ahead of the others.
...Liel-san escaped with a smile.
The doors were locked and would not open, but the state of the conference room could be seen even from the room of memory.
Right now, it was less of a conference room and more of an arena.
Marks, the Fourth Generation, had also come to the Third Generation Slay's room of memory.
If he's doing this on purpose, I could praise him... eh? Do you mean we have to watch Novem-chan and the others fight until the very end?
The bewildered Fourth Generation looked at the arena, where tension had tightened now that Liel was gone.
Feeling as if his stomach were twisting, the women were silently sizing each other up on the circular ring.
The first to move was Monica, who had been warming up.
The Third Generation spoke.
That automaton just made a move on Novem-chan!
In the image they saw, Monica had produced a large hammer from her skirt and was swinging it down upon Novem with glee.
"The first strike wins! Under the permission of that chicken coward, I shall not be sanctioned, you vixen!!"
Novem also turned toward Monica, extending her right hand to manifest a staff. It was the heirloom staff of the Foxuz family.
"Monica-san... I thought I'd see your full strength for once."
Smiling, Novem changed the staff's shape into a great scythe and used magic.
"Freeze, and block."
Using magic with words alone, a wall of ice and rock emerged from the ground in front of Monica.
Seeing this, Monica shouted.
"As expected. But too naive! Before this Monica Full-Option Version, that level of defense is nothing more than a sponge!"
Fire erupted from the large hammer, increasing its momentum and destroying the wall of ice and rock. Monica swung the hammer down toward the floor, but Novem was no longer there.
The hammer stopped in mid-air without touching the ground.
"What! You beast, you've interfered!"
Looking closely, Mei was holding the hammer back with one hand.
"I won't let you target Novem. As for me, I like your cooking, but Novem is my number one."
Hearing that, Monica yelled.
"Correct yourself! For this Monica to lose to that vixen... oops."
As Monica clashed with Mei, Eva fired an arrow. The arrow struck the arena wall and vanished into light.
"I missed. Even though I aimed from a blind spot!"
Seeing the frustrated Eva, Monica held the hammer with both hands and moved to the edge of the ring.
As she shifted her gaze to stay wary of the three, Novem stepped forward.
"I heard that damage here doesn't affect our real-world bodies. In that case, I can push myself a little."
The smiling Novem readied her staff-turned-scythe, but threads entangled her right arm.
Having her right arm seized, Novem looked toward the end of the threads, where Miranda stood.
"Three against one is cowardly. Besides, if there's no need to hold back—"
Seeing this scene, the Third and Fourth Generations stood agape in astonishment.
The sight in the arena was far from something as mild as a catfight—.
Having returned consciousness to my body, I was brewing and drinking tea for the first time in a while.
I had carried the eight of them onto the Porter's wagon and laid them down to sleep.
Since the previous earnings were good, I could relax, knowing that this trip would be in the black even if I did nothing.
"It's a pain that you can't leave a party you've been formally requested to join halfway through. Well, there probably won't be any movement for a while, so I'll take it easy."
I brought a table and chair behind the Porter and spent my time elegantly while drinking tea.
However, the screams of the successive heads could be heard from within the Jewel Orb.
The Third Generation, unlike his usual aloof attitude.
My arm!! Wait a minute, that's going too far... Gyaaaa!!
The Fourth Generation muttered.
Blood... an arm flying... getting beaten down in a mount... girls shouldn't do that...
The Fifth Generation was excited.
What is that piece of junk doing to Mei... I'm going in there to break her right now!
The Sixth Generation seemed to remember something.
Stop it already. Such merciless attacks... Dammit!! Mireia was so gentle, so why is Miranda like this!
The Seventh Generation let out a dry laugh.
Haha, ahahaha... Fifth, don't get so excited. You know, a serious battle like this is necessary once in a while. Probably... surely...
The successive heads were noisy.
The wagon door was open, and from there, voices like sleep-talking could be heard from the women.
Aria's voice.
"I want to beat that face in just once..."
Clara.
"...Even as a support, there are plenty of ways to fight..."
Eva.
"At close range, I have my dagger... with this, the vitals..."
Mei.
"...I'll burn everything... to a crisp."
Monica.
"...To think I couldn't push through even with Full-Option... in that case, my trump card..."
Miranda.
"Next, the legs..."
Novem.
"...This is nothing... I'll get a bit more serious now..."
Listening to the sleep-talking, I smiled and reached for the tea sweets I had brought while drinking my tea.
Looking up at the sky, the weather was fine.
"...Lovely weather."
Then, accusing voices of the successive heads could be heard from the Jewel Orb. Starting from the Third.
What do you mean, weather! It's raining blood over here!
Why did you run away! Come back, Liel! No, please come back, Liel-san!
Stop that piece of junk! And the inside of the Jewel Orb is becoming a disaster... Aaaa!!
Liel, did you run away knowing full well what would happen?
Answer us, Liel! No, Liel-san!
Listening to the noisy voices of the successive heads, I finished the tea in my cup and smiled. There were probably a few dozen minutes left until the time limit.
I felt a bit relieved that they seemed to be fighting seriously.
"They should clash their frustrations violently at least once. Well, if I were there, both Novem and Miranda would hold back."
Who would want to see the women they love fighting in a bloodbath?
I simply executed it because it was necessary.
"Well, it'll clear their heads a bit. This time, we also discovered the effect of Shannon being able to see, so I have no complaints. Besides, the greatest treasure this time is completing the kiss collection for everyone."
As I said that with a smile, the Third Generation's voice came from the Jewel Orb. His tone was as if he had seen something terrifying.
Knowing everything... how terrifying Liel-san is... If only Liel had this much courage back then... no, that's no good. The gap with his usual self is what makes it interesting. But this time... Gyaaaa, now it's the neck! The neck!!
While spending an elegant time before lunch, I listened to the voices from the Jewel Orb.
Shannon's voice could be heard from the wagon.
"...Remember this, Liel... getting dragged into this and having a miserable time... I'll definitely get my revenge..."
It was a grudge.
I responded to it with amusement. I knew she couldn't hear me, but it just slipped out.
"Yeah, I'll remember it forever. Including the sight of you hiding your face, stretching up, and closing your eyes to kiss me."
I wondered why I hadn't thought of such a simple solution until now, my past self was a complete mystery to me.
"Honestly, why was I moping over something as simple as a kiss? It's truly ridiculous."
While growing to hate my previous introverted personality, I resolved that from today, a new me would lead everyone.