327 - Lyell and Celes
"Breaking through!"
Clara's voice reached me.
The porter's tires spun, tearing up the floor and carpets as it surged forward. Gripping the cargo bed, I nodded.
Now that we were linked by my skill [Connection], we could communicate through will alone. The porter plowed ahead, swinging its arms to blow away the monsters and knights in its path.
Aiming for the stairs, it smashed through everything in its way until a large door appeared at the top.
The Audience Chamber—the place where Celes was waiting.
"Clara, blow it away!"
The cannons mounted on the porter spat fire. They were single-use weapons, and two had been placed on the porter's shoulders.
The fired shells blew the door apart.
"Novem!"
The porter was enveloped in a shield of light. Protected by the magic shield, the porter charged in, revealing the Audience Chamber, designed to showcase the dignity of the Kingdom of Vanseim, which had once been the largest nation on the continent.
I thought the vast room would be teeming with dead soldiers, but...
"Heh, what an interesting toy."
"...I've finally made it here, Celes!"
I glared at Celes, who was giving a half-hearted applause.
Finally... I had come this far.
"Hmm, did you want to see me that badly? I didn't want to see you at all, but thinking that I can erase you from this world... maybe it was good that we met after all. Do you want me to praise you? To say you worked really hard? But I hate you so much that I won't."
Reunited, Celes was as she always was. I thought my determination might waver if she seemed to be controlled by Agrissa, but that wasn't the case. Looking ahead, Celes sat slumped sideways on a luxurious throne in an insolent manner.
Despite the intrusion, she didn't seem surprised. If anything, she seemed to be enjoying it.
Looking around, the high-ranking officials of the Kingdom of Vanseim stood lined up. Behind them were monsters I had never seen before...
And behind the throne, the King, the Queen, and Crown Prince Rufus were trembling as if trying to hide. They were likely shocked by the sight of the porter.
Then, I spotted familiar figures. Two existences that did not react to my skill—they were flanking Celes.
I glared at Celes and gripped the hilt of the Blade-less Sword.
"...I knew you created a doll of Father. But why is a doll of Mother here?"
Celes straightened her upper body slightly. She looked at me, her mood souring.
"Coming in here and asking rude questions? Well, fine. Mother is always with me. That's why I had her die temporarily. By doing that, we can be together forever."
I was appalled by Celes's smiling answer. A doll-like mother smiled beside her. However, her eyes were dead.
"That's right, Celes. We'll be together forever."
The surrounding enemies showed no sign of moving. I jumped down from the porter's cargo bed and walked through the Audience Chamber toward Celes.
"You killed Mother!"
Celes furrowed her brow, looking at me with irritation.
"Do you know the meaning of the word 'temporarily'? More importantly, looking at your face irritates me. Father, Mother... I want to play by kicking that thing's head."
Genuinely believing this, Celes ordered her parents to take my life. The controlled parents lunged at me.
Father—.
"I see. Then let's play by kicking this thing's head together, Celes."
Mother—.
"Let's play as a family. I'm looking forward to it, dear, Celes."
As the two of them lunged at me while laughing, I swung the Blade-less Sword horizontally and slashed them. Because it was a weapon that made it difficult to read the range, my parents were easily cut down.
However, Celes was laughing.
"That's not enough to stop them."
But I knew. I knew.
Raising my left hand slightly, I snapped my fingers.
"So what? Glacia."
The Seventh Head's third-stage skill [Shuffle]—this is a skill that swaps the positions of oneself and the opponent. I swapped positions with Glacia, who had stepped down from the cargo bed.
"...Even if they are by marriage, they are my parents. I'll end this quickly."
As Glacia swung her left hand horizontally, pale blue flames incinerated the two. No death screams were heard. It was merely dolls being burned. They had simply been mimicking the appearance of my parents.
Yet, Celes remained unfazed.
"How cruel. Killing your own parents. You monster."
Laughing, Celes stood up from the throne. She raised a staff that concealed a rapier in her right hand. A yellow orb was clearly set in the hilt.
"I can just resurrect them later. You people are in the way. It's mealtime, you lot."
The monsters standing behind the officials began to move. They let out roars and grew larger by devouring the officials in front of them.
"Ahahaha, amazing, isn't it? I made them specially. They're so ferocious they'll even eat their own kind, so be careful."
I gripped the hilt of the Blade-less Sword and returned it to my necklace. Hanging it around my neck, I drew the katana at my waist.
"Celes, as I thought, you must not be allowed to live. I'll end it here."
At my words, Celes's face distorted.
"Don't you dare call my name so casually!!"
Her tone became rough, and as she shouted loudly, the surrounding monsters lunged. Watching the enraged Celes, I steeled myself for battle. There was fear somewhere. But now, I was not facing her alone.
"...Is everyone ready?"
I confirmed their will.
Novem replied.
"Yes. Anytime."
Aria also readied her spear.
"We have to end it here, right? Then let's just get it over with. Let's settle this and put an end to it."
Miranda drew her dagger and created a golem. It took the form of a large feline animal, and Shannon rode on its back.
"I'm ready whenever. That's why I've been preparing."
"...Why am I forced to participate? I want to go home soon, so finish this quickly. I'm scared. I'm scared because the opponent is glaring at me!"
Eliza flustered at the teary-eyed Shannon.
"I-It's okay, Shannon. I'll support you. Um, I'm ready."
Eliza put her staff on her shoulder with a sharp expression at the very end, but it didn't quite land. Celes, looking at Shannon, seemed disgusted.
Clara spoke from inside the porter.
"We are also ready. The porter is in top condition."
Eva spoke excitedly.
"I'm almost happy to be part of such a peak moment. I'll definitely win and write a hero's song for you."
Mei was not here. But I knew she was fighting Marina somewhere in Central. Vera was fighting while giving orders outside. Monica was also stalling the automatons.
Glacia readied a lance with a shield on the hilt.
"One look is enough. That one is troublesome. I see why we had to gather everyone. I shall meet your expectations."
Finally, Ludmila drew her longsword and pointed the thin red blade at Celes.
"With this many people, there's no way we'll lose. Let's finish this quickly and move forward with various discussions."
I didn't want to move forward with those "various discussions," but once this ended, things would likely move forward forcibly.
Switching my mindset, I told everyone.
"Let's go!"
――In the streets of Central.
Fighting while destroying buildings were Mei and Marina—and the black kirin, Lumel.
Marina had entered Lumel's wide-open mouth and was blocking the upper and lower jaws with both hands.
"Just how tough is this thing!"
Even if she slashed it, crushed it, or charred it with magic, it regenerated immediately. When it ate the nearby dead soldiers, it seemed to replenish its magical power, quickly restoring its missing parts.
Mei spun through the air to build momentum and delivered a sharp, overly powerful kick to the area around Lumel's neck, but—.
"It's hard."
Feeling a tingling pain, Mei distanced herself from Lumel. The impact also threw Marina out of the mouth; she landed as if sliding across the ground and looked at Lumel.
Lumel forced its body, which had been embedded in the ground, back up with its limbs. It seemed some parts were broken or blown away.
It looked around and called the dead soldiers. Then, the dead soldiers swarmed Lumel and were eaten.
Eating with loud cracking sounds and regenerating, Lumel let out a roar.
"Tch, and here I thought I'd reduced the number of dead soldiers around here to some extent."
Marina clicked her tongue, but the area was overflowing with dead soldiers. Just defeating those nearby wasn't enough; they gathered immediately.
Mei shook her kicked leg and stepped firmly on the ground.
"Rare metals are even kneaded into it. It really is a doll."
Lumel lunged at Mei, swinging a massive hand from top to bottom.
Mei leaped back to avoid it, and then, from her head—the deer-like horns extending backward from above her ears glowed, and she slammed magic into Lumel.
Purple lightning struck Lumel, but it only charred the surface and didn't seem very effective. Being a kirin as well, it seemed to have resistance.
"The surroundings are full of bait, and its stamina is inexhaustible... this really is troublesome. You, why did you get caught by Celes? Give me a break."
Lumel had a massive mouth. But it did not respond to Mei's words—.
――Monica, along with Valkyries Unit One, Unit Two, and Unit Three, were facing an automaton named Bart.
They were running away from the dual-wielded gatlings. They were optical weapons; while not impossible to deal with if hit, they could melt and pierce even custom-made armor.
Since they didn't want to take too many hits, and after confirming that Bart didn't attack the pillars much out of concern for the floors above, Monica and the others used the pillars to launch attacks.
Monica's clothes were in tatters.
"Even if we deal damage, it recovers with the magic ore it carries. Even after continuing those attacks, it recovers with magic ore. What a despicable fellow."
Looking at another pillar, Unit Two had lost an arm. On the other side, Unit Three had been using a binder as a shield, so she had already lost the binder and her whole body was battered.
Unit One, who was near Monica, also had parts of her armor's surface melted. Unit One spoke to Monica.
"...At this rate, we'll let that thing through to the Master."
Bart circled around to attack Monica and the others hiding behind the pillars. Facing Bart, who attacked with overwhelming firepower, Monica calculated that the situation was indeed dire.
"I cannot allow that. If we let this thing through to the chicken coward, even if he manages to get through, there will certainly be casualties. I absolutely cannot allow that."
Lyell would be saddened if there were sacrifices.
Monica immediately predicted this and calculated the best choice.
"We were artificial beings from the start. In that case, there is only one option."
As Monica moved to escape the circling Bart, Unit One followed.
"The Master will be sad even if you are gone."
"Hmph, Monica will live in his heart forever, so it's fine. Besides, my aesthetics do not allow me to sacrifice others."
Unit One chuckled.
"Something wrong?"
"No, what a grand aesthetic. A selfish aesthetic that allows others to be sacrificed, but refuses to let those around oneself be sacrificed."
Bart, closing in from behind, looked at Monica and the others.
"You have quite a bit of leeway to be chatting. I'll end this for you quickly!"
He crushed another piece of magic ore, increasing the power of his attacks. Holes opened in parts of the floor, and Monica and Unit One leaped over the melted sections to move.
Monica spoke to Unit One.
"I'm sorry, but I'll need you to join me. I cannot take that thing down with me alone. ...My apologies."
Then, Unit One shook her head. The same face as Monica, and the same twin-tails, swayed.
"I don't mind. This is far better than spending time aimlessly. Because you taught us that we had a meaning."
Monica stopped and turned back to Bart.
"Now, here I come!"
Taking out the last test tube and drinking it down, Monica produced weapons in both hands. Bart laughed upon seeing them. They were far too primitive hammers. Toy-like weapons with jet engines attached.
Seeing that, he must have been certain of victory.
"A condescending attitude until the very end, but if you stick to it, it's a kind of aesthetic. Now, vanish."
As he aimed the gatlings of both arms at Monica and Unit One, the battered Unit Two and Unit Three leaped out in front of them.
"Self-destruction? As expected, the actions of a perverted nation are all the same. A suicide attack!"
The triggers were pulled without mercy, and Unit Two and Unit Three were pierced by the optical weapons and began to melt. Along with the cores hidden in their bodies—without cores, the Valkyries cannot be resurrected.
However, both Unit Two and Unit Three grabbed Bart's gatlings with their hands.
"I wish you'd stop. Can you not confirm your own value without belittling others?"
"Complaining just because you want attention... well, it's not like there's a country left now anyway."
At the words of Unit Two and Unit Three, Bart let out a loud shout. His expression showed pure rage.
"Don't you dare!!"
Laughing, Unit Two and Unit Three used the magic ore hidden in their chests... and exploded.
Bart was also blown away, losing both arms. He lost the gatlings as well, but he took a piece of magic ore from his inner pocket with his mouth and crushed it, regenerating his arms.
But this time, Monica and Unit One ran toward Bart. They dashed through the smoke created by the explosion of Unit Two and Unit Three and closed in on Bart.
"If Unit One and I self-destruct, we can at least erase you!"
As Monica approached, Bart produced a rifle that exceeded his own height. It seemed to be a rifle-type optical weapon.
"Vanish, you fakes!"
As Bart pulled the trigger, Monica intended to use that attack to trigger an explosion. However, Unit One pushed Monica aside with her left hand and took the optical weapon hit. She blocked it with her binder, but it had more single-hit power than the gatlings, and Unit One's lower body melted away.
"What are you..."
As Monica was surprised, Bart was producing magic ore to fire the next shot. It seemed he consumed one per shot.
Unit One reached into her own chest, took out a piece of magic ore, and threw it to Monica.
Then, Unit One launched both arms toward Bart's arms. Wires extended from her upper arms, and her hands gripped Bart's both arms.
"What are you doing—"
As Monica received the magic ore—a peridot—Unit One looked at Monica and smiled.
"You stay. The Master will be happier that way. Also, I want you to tell him this—"
As Unit One restrained Bart, Monica crushed the magic ore. A sparkling light occurred, recovering Monica's damage.
Bart shook off Unit One and grabbed her head.
"You piece of trash!!"
Unit One, whose core was crushed along with her head, shattered just like that. Seeing this, Monica remembered the sister holding the shattered core of Unit One in the labyrinth—in the room where Octo had summoned Lyell.
In the end, she felt that Unit One had been smiling.
"...Beginning cleanup."
Monica's clothes glowed, turning white and no longer being a maid outfit. It took a shape like a wedding dress, and white wings appeared from Monica's back. The wings were metal. Each single feather was a weapon.
Bart shot Monica with the rifle, but she avoided it easily. Then, floating in the air with her wings spread, Monica opened both hands.
"Full Cross—the wedding dress of my dreams. Well, to you, I probably look like the messenger announcing your end."
As Bart produced magic ore, light was fired one after another from the spread wings. They shot through and melted Bart's rifle and his arms.
"I had no intention of showing this to someone like you. But I can't win without using it. And it was one of my trump cards..."
The light continued to shoot through the regenerating Bart. However, Bart spoke.
"High-purity magic ore... but even so, you'll hit your limit soon!"
Bart was right. Soon, Full Cross vanished, and Monica returned to her usual maid appearance. As Bart stood up, he tried to produce a weapon.
Monica pinned Bart to the wall with the drill attached to her arm. Pierced in the abdomen by the tip of the drill, Bart struggled to escape.
"Y-You!"
"It's true that this was only possible because my sisters created an opening for me. The time I can use it is also limited. But this is enough."
The drill began to rotate, continuing to destroy Bart. Magic ore was consumed to regenerate him.
"S-Stop! Stop it!!"
If he had been in perfect condition, Bart could have escaped, but in his current state, he couldn't. Moreover, the number of magic ores was now low. The vast amount of magic ore he had was being consumed in huge quantities.
Monica remained expressionless.
"I forgot to mention. You were proud of the country you were produced in. So let me tell you. Every one of my parts is purely domestic, but you... less than twenty percent of your parts are from your homeland, aren't they? To think you could talk so big when eighty percent are foreign-made."
Bart's face distorted, and he tried to stop the rotating drill with both hands, but his hands were only ground away.
Monica continued.
"Most of your insides are foreign products. Moreover, your important parts are the same as ours. In other words, you're running on the same parts as the ones you looked down upon... is that embarrassing? Or is this some high-level self-deprecation where you belittle yourself?"
As the drill's momentum increased, Bart screamed because he had run out of magic ore.
"Celes-sama! Magical power—give this butler magical power!!"
Bart thought he could regenerate if he had Celes's magical power, but the drill sank in and completely destroyed Bart's abdomen.
Amidst flying sparks, Bart's expression turned pale.
Monica remained expressionless.
"Even that richness of expression is reproduced by parts that are the same as mine. Honestly, from my perspective... the fake is you, who used foreign products mixed with defective ones."
Bart tried to open his mouth, but the drill finished grinding his body. As his head rolled on the ground, Bart tried to look up at Monica.
Monica simply crushed Bart's face under her foot.
"The only one allowed to peek under my skirt is the chicken coward. Vanish."
Then, Bart emitted a mechanical voice. His mouth was not moving.
"N-No. I finally gained a master... I don't want to vanish in a place like this... n—"
Finding the core, Monica crushed Bart's core without hesitation.
"Please don't make me go to too much trouble. The chicken coward shares his magical power with me, so it makes me uneasy. Well, it seems my Master is the one who was wonderful."
At the end, while using the drill, Monica felt magical power flowing in from Lyell.
Smoke was coming from the drill. Monica released her hand from the drill and looked around at the remains of her sisters.
Walking toward Unit One's parts, Monica sat down.
"...I'll make sure to tell them. 'I'm glad I could serve a person. Thank you for giving us a meaning to exist.'"
Monica closed her eyes, then immediately opened them and ran back to Lyell's side—.