kscans

Chapter 133 - The Sky-Blue Thread, a Faint Memory

"Muse! I’m here to save you!"

Ares’s cry echoed through the skies of the royal capital. Even as her voice was nearly drowned out by the destructive ice storm, she did not stop running.

Meanwhile, La Muse replied with machine-like expressionlessness.

"Dialogue invalid. Elimination action… continuing."

Her staff once again unleashed lightning. The ground split, and buildings crumbled.

But that blow was--!

"You idiot! I, a fine maiden, won’t forgive you for shooting lightning at a girl!!"

Zombie Count Robele dodged the lightning with an acrobatic evasion unbecoming of a zombie. From his embroidery bag, he secretly threw a spool of sky-blue embroidery thread.

The thread danced on the wind and gently brushed against Muse’s cheek.

"…"

Her blinking stopped for just a moment.

"Thread… Is this, what I…?"

Robele’s eyes grew moist.

"That’s right! That’s the sky-blue thread you used for your first embroidery! You sewed the bookmark for that book with me, remember!?"

"Bookmark… Robele…"

Her eyes wavered. Her fingertips trembled faintly.

"…Sky-blue thread…"

La Muse’s silver hair swayed in the wind. For an instant, a flicker of uncertainty crossed her eyes. But it was immediately extinguished.

"Memory interference, invalid. Target’s existence value--judgment: elimination target."

As she said this, an even colder aura emanated from Muse’s body, and the stone pavement at her feet froze over with a crackle.

"It’s no use… She’s not completely back yet."

Ares muttered as she backed away. Zombie Count Robele clutched the spool of thread to his chest, biting his lip in frustration.

At that moment, Mamoru spoke sharply.

"Her magical power is sealing her will. A powerful ‘core of control’ is being sent from somewhere."

Ares looked up with a start.

"Then, if we stop that…!"

Mamoru nodded.

"The source of the magical interference is on the top floor of the castle."

After a moment of silence, Ares gripped her sword tightly.

"Let’s go. We have to get her back!"

Robele also nodded firmly, then took a handkerchief from his embroidery bag and wiped his tears away.

"We’ll cry later! Let’s go find her ‘bookmark of the heart’ together!"

And so the three of them began to run toward the black, towering royal castle in the center of the capital, Roselia.

But.

From behind them, the quiet sound of iron footsteps echoed.

"Elimination target, escape confirmed. Pursuit mode, activate."

La Muse slowly turned around. With blades of ice in both hands, she began to follow them, her face expressionless.

A white mist spread around her. It was proof that the heart of the girl who once had "emotions" was now frozen solid.

The pursuer, La Muse. The fated confrontation had only just begun!