Research Tower.
　The deepest grimoire workshop--

　Footsteps sounded from the entrance and a young man with a pigtailed head, Parrington, appeared.

"....Lebrahard has arrived. He is ahead of schedule....

　It hadn't been an hour yet.
　But the hurry wouldn't change the ship's speed of travel all that much.

　In other words--.

He must have deliberately given them a late arrival time.

'Does this mean that you have a hunch that the one who gave the guide to the Two Pretenders is inside Pablo Hetara?'

　If the Two-Way Pretender has access to those inside Pablo Hetara, he can be disturbed by giving them false information.

'They don't seem to have noticed us. If someone gets ahead of us and shows their tail, they'll make a fortune.

　In other words, he's just trying to shake things up.
　Not that Lebrahard has any proof.

'But the time is running out,'

　As he says it, Parrington walks over to us.

　For a moment he turns his gaze to the icicle where Isak the Woe is sleeping.
　He stops and quickly asks me.

''It looks like the silver-water pecking order battle has been settled.　It doesn't look like they slipped up, at least not to my evil eye. The only thing that worked was the strategy of the Ginjo Sosei to get down and dirty, and without that, the Naga would have killed two or three of them.

　Sasha was on the verge of running out of magic, and Eldmead and Naya were dying, that's for sure.

'But as your man, Eldmead, has discovered, it's possible that the woman could assume that the lies she tells herself are the truth. If that happens, though, the premise changes.

It was a lie.

　For a moment, Parrington was silent.

''What do you mean ... lie ...?　Which one is it?

No one can tell if they were sloppy or not.

　He gave me a quizzical look.

''Well why would you lie like that?''

'I wanted to make sure of three things. The possibility that the person who attacked your mother with the Rational Sword was someone other than Dominic. And the possibility that Naga lied about it even though she made the Contract (Zekt).

　Pointing to Parrington, I said, "And the possibility that you're in touch with the Nagas.

'And the possibility that you're in touch with the Nagas.

　He returned the words with suspicion, but with conviction.

'I see. To you, it's a plausible doubt.

"I told you there's a way to find out if they can cut corners. "I told you that there is a way to find out if the lion of death of Arzenon is on board with you, so you can't afford to lose the silver-water pecking order. We'll have to pretend we don't know that Dominic is dead.

　Killing Dominic and removing his collar and chains is the ostensible goal of Naga and the others.

　Regardless of the truth, if they are going to act as they do, they must wait for an opportunity to eliminate the Demon King Academy in the Silver Water Ranked Battle and take advantage of Dominic's gaping holes in the ground, no matter what.

''They fought as hard as they could, forcing Kostoria to show both eyes of the lion and Naga to show that she has a propensity for falsehoods. The fact that we took it to a rules defeat was a good way to fend off our probing.

　Parrington listens calmly, unmoved by my words.

But if Naga can lie on the contract, then she can't rely on what she told me.

Probably a mixture of lies and truth.

'I agree. It's which words are true and which are lies, but it's the chains and collars that are suspicious.

　There was no particular change in Parrington's expression.
　I continued.

'Naga explained that Dominic had put a chain and a collar on him and was controlling his craving. I told Bobonga to show it to him, but he was silent.

　I thought it was a matter of pride, but it didn't add up.

I'm sure he was told not to talk too much so that he wouldn't get ripped off. Even if Naga can believe her fantasies to be true, she can't be fooled if her explanations are inconsistent.

　'I see,' said Parrington, nodding.

Only then did you interrupt me. The collar and chains can only be seen by the person to whom they are bound, or by Dominique, the Princess of the Abyss. Naga can lie, but lies have no proof. And when it is a substitute for binding the doomed lion of Arthrenon, even more so.

　Their plans will fail if the collar is destroyed by me.
　That's why I prepared a collar that can never be destroyed, a collar that doesn't exist.

　But to make me believe in it, I needed a substitute for physical evidence.

'Parrington. You said you could see it vaguely. Chains and collars. Do you really have a collar on Naga, Bobonga and Kostoria?

"Of course. If need be, I will comply with the
Well, you can overwrite your memory with a red thread, even if you make a contract with Zekt.

　Parrington could even change his own personality into that of a different person.
　He probably intended to keep his tail between his legs, no matter how deep his suspicions were.

　But there was a miscalculation.

　Coastoria is not tied to a collar.

　She said that if there was a leash that could bind me, I would want it on me.
　She wants to put a collar on me, discipline me severely, and be decent, she said.

　Her craving is to admire and envy others.
　I don't think there was a Naga-like lie in those words.

　Parrington doesn't know that I was in contact with Kostoria as a two-legged pretender.
　He doesn't realize that the explanation of the collar on Kostoria is fraught with contradictions.

If it's physical evidence that you need, this is the Abyss of Craving. If you go to that place, you will see it too.

'If you're lying, you won't have a leash and a collar when you get there. Then why take me there?

　At my question, Parrington returns a quizzical look.
　But he quickly opens his mouth.

'If I were your enemy, there would be a trap there. But it's also true that you can't be sure unless you know you're in a trap.

No. You're just trying to buy some time.

　He just stares at me silently.

"Parrington. When you made contact with your mother, a resonance occurred and the Womb of Misfortune began to awaken. I'm not sure if it's a coincidence that the unincarnated lion of perdition in the Abyss of Craving riots and worsens its condition. Are these two coincidences?

　It could happen only once.

"When you try to awaken your mother's memories with the Memory Stone, a flood of memories rush in from the Craving Abyss, making the situation even worse.

　Bad coincidences have come together.
　I can't say that it never happens.

　But--

You suggested a sure-fire way to trigger your mother's memories in the red thread. And she's having her memories overwritten by memories of her previous life.

　If you look not at his words, but at his actions and their consequences, he is always consistent.

I took care of Dominic because I was afraid that if he looked into the abyss with my evil eye, he would notice that he was being controlled by the . The reason why I stayed in the research tower and didn't leave Eavesino is because I didn't want the powerful people in the outside world to know that I was in control.

　There are many in Pablo Hetara who have excellent magical eyes.
　Parrington's plans will come to nothing if you're unconscious.

　It was only a matter of time before he tried to frame me.

"'Where is your always kind grandfather?　That's what Luna Artenon has said in the past. When was the last time you made a deal with your puppet Emperor Bez?　Either after Luna was cut by the Spirit Godman Sword or--

　I asked the 'red threaded idol', whose expression didn't falter as if he were a doll.

'Did you do that 18,000 years ago to override the personality of Dominic Arzenon?

　At that point in time, Parrington didn't have the body of an 'idol'.

　But he could have used the Red Thread with the help of the Puppet Emperor.
　Or in exchange, he could have made a deal to become the head of Luzendrfolt.

"Exclusive access to my sister. That's what you crave, Parrington. You manipulated Dominique with the Red Thread and turned Luna Arzenon, who was in love with you, into the Princess of the Abyss, trapped in a cage called the Abyss World. You are the only one who can keep her from losing her beloved sister to anyone.

　I drew the magic circle of the contract (Zekt) and thrust it at Parrington.

If you don't agree with me, then accept the Zekt. You will never come near my mother without my permission in the future. Then there is no way out of this, no matter how much you override your memories.

　There is also a way to get out of this situation by complying with the contract (Zekt).

　But if his actions come from a thirst for truth, it will be difficult to comply.
　The craving that the people of Eavesino have, such as Corstriar, is far from reason.

'....Anos. You are wrong. I don't have any monopoly........

　Quietly he says, "I believe that my sister has been reborn somewhere.

I've been searching for my sister, believing and hoping that she is reborn somewhere. I've been searching for my lost sister with the sole purpose of bringing her back.

　Without hesitation, Parrington stretched out his hand.

　And so, he shot through the magic circle of the that was thrust in front of him with the , the Disaster Flame Industrial Fire Scorching Cannon (Ziol Bezgum).

''--This feeling is love!

　＜He fired the to offset the black-green flame ball.

　Innumerable appeared from Parrington's hands and extended towards the void.
　There is my father and mother, who have turned invisible with kaelan.

Hmm. I guess it's true.

　Kicking the ground, he pulled out his two-rate sword and cut both of the .
　He sliced through 80% of them, but the remaining 20% of the that missed his aim got entangled in the demon sword.

　If it was killed, even the power of the Rational Sword could be suppressed.

''.

　＜Stepping on the shadow of the .
　Instantly, the thread wrapped around the two-rate sword shattered.

"It is too late. The Red Thread has already wired the Memory Stone to my sister's source. I don't care what you do, you'll be the sister you once were. If you're my sister's son, stay out of my way, lion of death.

　Parrington raises his right arm and grabs it.
　Then, a light that seems to be sprinkled with gold leaf begins to spill out from my dad and the others.

　＜The Kaelal is deactivated, revealing the two of them.

'My mother wished for a peaceful home. Is it your love to destroy it?

What can you love about a man so fragile that he can perish at the snap of a finger?　How do you expect me to keep my family in peace?

　Parrington and I kicked the ground at the same time.

　He raised his right arm, and I slashed at it with my two-rate sword.
　Blood poured out, but the blade stopped at the bone. Hard.

I'm not going to let you know that you are the Abyssal Princess of Misfortune and that you are the Lion of Perdition. If he knew, everyone would run for cover!　It's not a weight that can be borne by the weak, even when they are up against it!　Love because you don't know. Rest because we don't know. The happiness of treading on such thin ice cannot be true happiness!

　The overflowed from the wound on Parrington's arm and tried to wrap around the Two Rite Sword.

　＜The moment he used the Dagdara, he jumped back and fired wildly with the Raibyon Black Hell Repellent Demon Bullet (Rail Freel).

　A black-green light filled the room and the shadows disappeared.
　 wrapped around the two-ruled sword.

"Frightened and cowardly by the winds of cowardice, that man will hurt my sister. He will push her into the depths of hell. For he has no true love.

　＜Pulling the , Parrington tries to snatch the two-ruled sword from him.

''My true love is stunned to hear it. You're the one who turned my mother into an abyssal princess of disaster in the first place.

Gentle love is a weak thing. How weak is the love of a soft man in a lukewarm peace!　The one who is still with you when you fall into the depths of hell is the one who shines with the radiance of untrue love!

　Spreading magic power like gold dust from his entire body, Parrington pulled the with all his might.

''Don't interfere, don't interfere.......!　I will get my sister back!

I'm sorry, but I can't give you a prize for this.

　Black particles spiraled on my arm.
　I stomped my foot and pulled as hard as I could, and Parrington's body swooped off and rose into the air.

''Yah.........''

　A blue stellar star loomed over Parrington, who was stabbed into the ceiling with great force.

　＜The hit him, and the flaming Parrington, however, had a thin smile on his face.

''It was a cuckoo.

　Gold leaf dances.

　In the present moment, my father and mother are bound with .

　If you follow that, you will find Dominic, who should have perished, standing there.
　The red thread is forcing the dead body to move.

''Sister, please receive this memory.

　The red thread from Dominic is through Parrington's chest.
　He'll use its source's memories to overwrite my mother's even more than they already are.

　He wants Luna Arzenon back.
　The golden light runs through the red thread.

"You don't know anything about it.

　A voice sounded indifferent.
　A voice that was inorganic, yet warm and gentle.

''Nuh...!

　Like a crumbling ball, my father and mother disappeared and turned to snow.
　＜The red thread bound the snowflake to the ground.

　＜It was a counterfeit, created by the magical eye of creation.

No matter how deep into hell we went, our bond was unchanged.

　A snow and moonflower flutters up from a distance and Misha appears there.
　Behind her is my dad with my mom in his arms.

'That's the proof.'

　Misha points to a finger.
　A minuscule blue star emerged from the snow. It's the Sousei Erial.

'We've been waiting for you, Misha. Well done.

"Hm.

　Misha smiles slightly.

　I had moved to Erial's side, taking advantage of Parrington's distraction.

'Let's see, Parrington,'

　I'm going to grab the Genesis of Eyreal.
　＜The red thread runs from Eyal to Dominic's corpse, then to Parrington.

　My roots are connected to my father and mother by a red thread.

"My father, Cerise Voldigord, who you dismissed as a coward and a weakling, who knew nothing of the battle.

　Misha blinks twice.
　As her divine eye shines, the founding star Aerial emits a light, and images of the past begin to flow to everyone in this place--