Iris and Aria have begun to engage Adil.
　I am me, facing the woman in front of me - Fis.

"Are you sure?

　Fiss suddenly asked me.

What are you talking about?
"There's only one thing. The Sword Saint Princess and that girl will die.

　I didn't expect that Fiss would say that to me.
　She's also one of the Swordsmen. She's definitely an enemy.
　--I also understand that Fis is not saying this out of concern for the two of us.

As a bodyguard, my primary role is to protect Iris.
If that's the case, you should head over. If you say you can cut wards...
That's true. But as the Princess of the Sword, that's what she said.

　I know Iris has been struggling with her own strength. What people expected from her words was too much.
　As a famous noblewoman, she was expected to become a king, and people thought that Iris was stronger than anyone else, that she was different from ordinary girls.
　But in reality, she is still the same. She is a hard worker who worries a lot and still tries to live up to the expectations of those around her.
　This Iris calls herself the "Saint Princess of Swords" and goes into battle.

I'm a swordsman before I'm a knight. I'm not going to stop someone who is ready to fight.
"Ruthless, isn't it?
Of course, I won't force you to fight recklessly. Of course, I won't make you fight recklessly. At the very least, you're good enough to be here. So my role is to defeat you. After that, I'll go to Iris and Aria.
What if you don't make it in time after fighting ...... me?
I will make it. I'm not going to take the time to fight you for that.
I was hoping that you would show me an opening.

　With a swoosh, Fiss lifts her sword.
　She's been focused on killing me from the beginning. She has no interest in the fight over there either.
　Her words of concern for Iris and Aria were meant to sway me.
　Fis is probably more ruthless than anyone else in this situation.
　After a moment of silence, Fiss moved.

"So, shall we meet our deaths?

He pulls out his "sword without a blade".
　At the same time, I saw a thread begin to move around the area. I already knew this from the previous information from Remyll.
　The thread she uses is no ordinary thread - each strand is like a blade.
　I lower myself and start running. Her attacks from a distance are similar to the faults of the swordsmen I've fought before.
　The threads dance around Phis, spreading out to the surrounding area. When the thread snatches the wall, dust flies as if to shave it off.
　It's not easy to get close -- so we'll have to wait and see.

"--
!

　With a wave of his right hand, he unleashed Invisible. The invisible wind blade was sent out to Fiss.
　I had expected that it would either bind the threads or prevent them from being passed through the magic strongly.
　But Fiss did neither of these things.
　He moved his body almost at the same time as I attacked, and avoided the approaching blade.

(That's way beyond the realm of normal people. ...... Let's check it out.)

　The second attack. The second strike. I ducked under the strings, closed the distance slightly, and fired.
　But the result is the same.
　Phis moves his body as if he has a premonition, and evades the attack.
　He leaps backward and once again distances himself.

"That reaction time - it's not very human. It's like predicting the future.
"Hmm, that's rude of you. "Hmmm, you're being rude. Predicting the future. ...... Do I look like a god or a demon to you?
"No, you're a human being. The only difference is that you don't see anything. Or, to be more precise, we don't see anything.
"...... You notice that? I'm sure you've killed Azuma and Fault.

　Fiss smiles.
　She's not squinting, she's meditating.
　It's not that she's not looking, it's that she can't see anything - she's blind.

Of course you need to rely on visual information, but at your level, you'll know. What you need more than anything is to feel the presence. I'm just many times better at it than others.

The sixth sense-- that's what I expected from Iris.
　The sixth sense is what I expected from Iris. Phis is blind, but her senses are light years ahead of normal people.

"As long as you have sound and skin sensation, you don't need eyes. In fact, I feel much better this way because I don't have to look at anything.


Did you destroy ...... yourself?
No, not that either. There was a time when ...... I was called "Saint". I was tortured a bit at that time, and I've been blind ever since.

　It's easy for Fiss to say that.
　Fis Maiden - we've learned a little more about her over the past week.
　Originally from a small village, she was given the task of being called a saint.
　The role was to ward off demons, but even with Fiss, the number of demons was increasing, not decreasing.
　That's true--she was never gifted to be called a saint. It's just that some villagers made her that way and made an ordinary girl take on that role.

The "Sword Saint Princess" was just a role expected by the people. It must be very hard for her to be burdened with such a thing. The least I can do is to free her from that role.
You think killing her is liberating?
...... Deep down, we all want to fight. I'm just trying to help. People who want to fight will go to the battlefield and I will clean it up and maybe one day there will be no more fighting.
You guys are crazy after all.

　That's the kind of people the Swordsmen are.
　If Iris is right and they are left unchecked, the damage will continue to increase.

I'm a normal person. All I do is judge and kill in a normal and honest way.

　Fiss begins to move again.
　The thread is coming down on me as Fiss wills it. Attacks from a distance are ineffective. Not all of this thread extends from her blade.
　Fiss is not a pure swordsman, but a mage who uses strings. The Swordsmen are a group of assassins, that much is clear.
　Pulling away again, I stopped moving.

"Huh, you can't beat me that far away!

　Fiss made a gesture as if she noticed something.
　I'm not sure if it's because I'm just standing there.
　Even though she was just standing there, she had lost sight of me.

It's amazing. It's amazing how you can be so invisible.

　I don't respond to Fiss's words.
　Not breathing. Not even a hint of killing. All you need to do now is close the distance to Fiss.
　Move to my side of the line, ducking through the many rippling threads of attack.
　It's not easy, but it's not impossible.
　Keep your body movements to a minimum. Even the slightest touch of the thread will alert Fis to my location.

"......

　There was no urgency in Fiss's expression.
　Rather than waving the thread randomly, she waited for me to come by draping the thread around her.
　All I can hear is the sound of Iris, Aria, and Adil fighting.
　I'm sure Fis isn't listening to those sounds.
　He's using all of his senses except sight to figure out where I am.
　In a matter of seconds, the moment arrived.

"I'm really surprised. The girl before me was very good at masking her presence, but you are even better. Who the hell are you?
I'm just a knight. Nothing more, nothing less.

　He replied to Phis's words.
　I'm no more or less than a knight.

"So your sword is faster than my thread from there?
"Yes, it is. I'm pretty confident about my sword speed.
I see. I'm also confident in my ability to control the string. Would you like to try it?
Yeah, let's do it.

　They started almost simultaneously.
　I wave my right hand and unleash the Invisible.
　The first shot is a diversion - she has enough reflex speed to dodge at this distance.
　The second blow is the real deal. A hidden blade that is released the moment the first strike is fired.
　By aiming slightly to the left of Fiss, I aim for her to avoid to the right.

"--Huh.
!

　But Fiss did not avoid the first blow.
　She didn't avoid it on purpose. I expected her to dodge and then counter, but that would make it easier for me to avoid the attack.
　In order not to give him the slightest opportunity, Fis deliberately decided to take the attack and turn it into an attack of his own.
　While being attacked by me, he smiled and waved his hand.
　Threads came at me, covering my surroundings.

My "Steel Thread Sword" - from here, you won't be able to avoid it. ......!
"No, you don't have to avoid it.

　No need to avoid it." With his left hand, he pulled out the blue armored sword on his waist.


　A flash of lightning--my sword clashed with a wall of looming thread. The sound of metal scraping echoed around me, and sparks flew.
　I take another step forward. I am undaunted by the looming threads.
　A loud bang echoes through the area.
　The threads fluttered around me. It was almost an instant in time.
　The severed threads cut the surrounding area with their own momentum. It was powerful enough to cause bleeding just by grazing the cheek.
　At the same time, the surrounding area was splattered with the fresh blood of Fis.

"You said it first. You said in the beginning that you could easily cut through my wall of thread.
"It's not easy. I used a lot of magic power.

　My Hekko sword is made of a hard material, but even so, it doesn't mean that it won't spill.
　It's hard enough to cut with a little extra magic.

I'm sure you'll be able to find something that works for you. I'm not sure if you've seen this before, but I'm sure you've.

　After saying all that, Fiss fell down on the spot.
　In a melee, her power could certainly be more threatening.
　I think Iris knew this and wanted me to fight her.

"...... Well, I'm used to risking my life. Now, there's only one left.

　The only remaining swordsman was Adil Gratz - I left the fallen Fis behind and ran off.