That night....
　I was alone on the plains, watching the full moon.

　Behind me was a forest.

　It was still a big moon.
　Bigger ... than the moon back home.

　But ... for me, a full moon of this size is normal now.
　It's not that this world's full moon is bigger, but that my home moon is smaller.

　...and I can't help but think that.
　I've gotten used to this world.

　I am proud to say that I am an inhabitant of this world.

　And when I do....

　Suddenly, I felt a presence behind me.
　I turned around and ... there was a woman standing there.

　It was Merlin.

　"There she is...
　By the looks of it, you've already heard from the fairies.

　Merlin grinned.
　He held a wand with a blade attached to it in his hand.

　''Moreover........you even created a magic against me. This is why I don't like fairies.
　I'm... sorry about that.

　I apologize for that and...
　I turned to Merlin.

　Merlin stepped a little closer to us...
　Finally, they were within a hundred meters of each other.

　Her magic would no longer work from here.

　'Three things, can I ask you?'
　What is it?
　'First of all why did you attack me that time?　Two ... and then you didn't do anything until we were ready for it?　Three ... are you glad you didn't take any hostages?

　I asked Merlin.
　Particularly with regard to the third one I left Yulia, Tetra, Alice and the children in the care of Master Gryphon, and I also alerted Ron and the others.

　And yet they didn't take any hostages.
　He wasn't supposed to be the type to start talking about chivalry or bushido.

　'To answer the first one I thought I could kill you. I was going to take your sword. And yet..........haha, you were much stronger than I imagined. Secondly you can't do magic over and over again. Plus I needed to maintain my new body. And three........well.......

　Merlin thought for a moment and then....

　Why is that?

　I don't understand myself.
　He said, as if to say.

　'On the contrary, I ask you, how did you end up here all alone?'
　If I had an escort you wouldn't have attacked me. I've decided that it's safer to wait for you than it is to let you slip through the cracks.

　Merlin can move at a moment's notice.
　As long as I'm wearing a sword, he can't move within a hundred meter radius of it, but........
　Even so, it's a threat to be able to exploit an opening.
　Right now, there's enough of a difference in ability to win one-on-one.......and all magic can be neutralized.

　This is better.
　When I replied that...............................Merlin countered with an understanding.

　 Is that it?　We're from the same town, after all.

　Merlin said that and then....　
　I looked up at the moon.

　'Hey, that moon ... do you like it?'
　I think I'm beautiful, but...
　Well I hate it.

　Merlin frowned.

　''It's all........because of that moon. I didn't even come here to like this world........ It's the worst thing that could happen to you if you destroy all the happiness you've had. That's why I want to get it back. Give me that sword and let the people of North Adelnia die.

　In Merlin's words....
　I shook my head widely.

　'The former, but not the latter. I'm a king, a monarch. I can't sacrifice so many men for you alone.
　Well, you're not gonna get it.

　Merlin frowned uncomfortably.

　''Hey, do we really need magic? If you're just looking for your sisters, you don't have to do your magic alone, there are other ways to find them. And I will help you if you like. I'll tell my children I'll tell my grandchildren to help you too.
　''I don't even know if he's in this time period. He may have died a long time ago. They may have died in a much worse way than I did. I have to help them.

　I offered to help, but....
　I was refused.
　Well it's true I can't deny that possibility when I'm told of it.

　'And besides I'm going to bring Etzel back to life. Since I killed him it's my duty to bring him back to life. I've killed a lot of people to get to this point. I can't let it go to waste. This is my duty!

　Merlin said in a strong tone.　
　''Duty........

　''........Is there an option to live in the future?''
　The future?　Don't be silly I don't have a future. There is only the past. I'll take the past back.

　Oh, I see.
　I see.
　Well now I see why her situation is the way it is and why she hasn't taken a hostage.

　I don't think there's anything left to negotiate...
　He readied his sword.

　'I have a past but it is only the past. For the sake of the future I will kill you for the sake of the future of my children, my children's children, my children's children.
　'Well then I will kill you for my past!

　Merlin declared that....
　All at once, they came into the flesh.

　That was fast!

　I hurriedly block that attack with my sword.
　

　'I'm sorry, but this body is custom made!

　Merlin shouts and waves his wand at me.
　I'm forced into a defensive position.

　'It's a disposable body, it's been doped and forcibly altered... and I'm not going to let your blessings get in the way of that!
　"Godd*mn it, that's...

　Merlin's metal staff and my sword make a fierce metallic sound.

　If it's ordinary metal........no, no matter what kind of metal it is, there shouldn't be an object that can't be cut by my sword.
　But Merlin's staff will never cut.

　Perhaps, but it has a pretty strong spell on it.
　My sword can incapacitate magic, but it can't incapacitate spellcraft.

　''Haaaaah!
　Stupid force...

　I exert my strength and pop Merlin back.
　Merlin takes a moment to distance himself from me.

　I can't miss this opportunity.

　''Kuu.......eat this one too!

　I took out a ball from my pocket and threw it at Merlin.
　The magician's circle inside the ball is activated and an explosion is triggered.

　This is the weapon Tetra made for me.

　An expanse of smoke covers the area.
　Just to get us ready for the....

　BOOM!

　That's when something snatched my ear.

　'I can get the general location from a spell. ....and you can't see it either. You sucked.

　Merlin waves his wand at me with considerable accuracy through the smoke.
　The blade attached to the tip of the wand snatches my body repeatedly.

　'I got it!
　Geho!

　Merlin's wand hits me in the gut.
　I'm flung backwards wide.

　'Watch out it's Alice's string that's doing it.

　I cough and manage to get up.
　Thanks to the cloth woven with Alice's yarn and wrapped around my kryptonite, it wasn't a fatal wound.

　However.........
　The current blow has done quite a bit of damage to the cloth.
　There won't be a next time.

　I take the potion Yulia gave me from my pocket and throw it into my mouth....
　I chewed it up.

　Doping.

　I didn't really want to take this stuff because it's not really good for you, but...
　You can't turn your back on them.

　'You're going to do it ... but hey, I'm going to win!

　Merlin shouted that and....
　He closes the distance again.

　Metal wands and swords collide repeatedly, sending sparks flying.
　Thanks to the doping, I can manage to fight, but....

　Still, I'm pushed into it.

　'Tu, strong....'
　'I'm unloading Etzel's skills with a séance, you know!　I'm not as good as you!

　Little by little, I was shoved in.
　We get closer to the forest behind us.

　And .....

　Now!

　When I scream...
　An arrow flew out of the forest and lodged in Merlin's shoulder.

　'Shit!　I was aiming for the heart but it was deflected!

　I can hear Gram clucking his tongue from inside the forest.
　At the same time, Ron and Rosward jumped out of the forest and slashed at Merlin.

　''Haaah!
　Toryaah!
　"Huh.

　Merlin waved his wand and popped them both.
　As expected, I'm not going to die at this level.

　But..........I'm not stupid enough to miss this decisive gap.

　''Guhaha........Hi, coward.......''
　I'm sorry but I can't afford to lose.

　My sword pierced Merlin's heart.
　Yet she will not die.

　It's because she has the blessing of immortality.

　Merlin tries to keep his distance, but....
　But before that, Ron and Roseward were faster to pierce Merlin with their swords from both sides.　
　In this situation, I can't move anymore.

　I drew my sword and........

　He raised it.
　A golden light from the great full moon shines on the sword.

　"Now ... relax. You are under no obligation to me. You deserve to die.

　I said that and....
　He cut off Merlin's head.

　''Oh this is ... the end.''

　The head that still wouldn't die.........whispered in a small voice.

　''Yeah, it's over.''

　I said that and then I thrust my sword into Merlin's head.

　Merlin Marlin is ... dead, Mari Kurosaki is dead.
　She's definitely dead.

　And now she doesn't have to live any longer.