Night.
　At sunset, the castle was surrounded by a circle.

　The second prince's soldiers rushed into the castle and controlled the interior one by one.

　Their targets were the Prime Minister, the Third Knight Commander, the First Queen and the First Prince.

　However, it was not going to be a simple matter. Even though it was reversal after reversal after reversal, the opponents were also taking further measures.

　After dropping about fifty percent of the castle, the first prince faction dispatched a decisive force. They would stall for time until they risked their lives. That was the Vizier's instruction, however, there was no point in buying time now. The Imperial reinforcements could not come, no matter how long they waited.

　Even so, the desperate resistance by the First Prince Faction continued, and the battle inside the castle lasted longer than expected.

　Silvia, Eco, and the Mithril Alloy Armed Soldiers were able to break through each of them carefully and steadily.

　Unlike their abandoned opponents, this one was still full of those whose lives were in danger. The slightest bit of carelessness can be fatal. There was no need to rush. The soldiers of the second prince's faction are surrounding the outside of the castle, and the way out of the castle has been investigated and blocked, so no matter how much time it takes, the top priority is to suppress it without causing any damage.

　How much time was spent on controlling the situation? The night had deepened completely.

　There was still no sign of the Prime Ministers. Probably in the farthest reaches of the room, the throne room.


We've found a way in. Let's move forward into the throne room. The Prime Ministers must be in there.
Yes, sir.
I'm sorry.

　Winfiled takes advantage of the break in the enemy's ranks and directs Sylvia and Eco, the largest force, to sprint to the throne room together.

　Why are they acting together? It was because of her own concerns.


''I found it!

　Sylvia speaks up. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Prime Minister Baru and the Third Knight Commander of Jarmu. And another ......


"...... is not good.

　The moment she sees that person's face, Silvia shows a strong face.


　Garam, Vice Commander of the Second Knights - the greatest of all the knights of the kingdom, who is no stranger to his name.

　Garam quietly holds a large sword nearly two meters tall and stands in front of Bal and Jarm as his bodyguard. This meant that Garam was the "other side.


The other side is the other side.　Has a man as good as you sold his soul to evil!
............

　Garam ignored Sylvia's words. His face was so youthful that it was hard to believe he was forty years old, yet he had a somewhat tired look on his face.

　Why did it come out now? That too, on the side of the Prime Minister. As if to answer the question raised by Sylvia, Winfiled opens his mouth.

''Maybe a hostage, I guess. Family and all. He hasn't been in the kingdom for a while now, has he? 'Expedition?　Didn't they get it while you were away?
I see. ...... How far out there is out there!

　A sober point. Sylvia's anger is directed at the viziers.

　....... If possible, Sylvia wanted to avoid engaging Garam. Because.


''I knew he had a title shot, a competitor, right?

　Seeing Sylvia on her two feet, Winfiled noticed.

　It was true. Garam had participated in several [Sword Art] title fights in the past.

　That is, that is. The [Sword Art] skills, from infantry to the Dragon King, are all nine levels.

　He was an undeniably fierce fighter.


''So. Win, so?
No problem.
"Hang in there.

　The three of them have been in agreement since yesterday. If the title contender showed up as their bodyguard - two against one - they could win.

　It's a good thing that you're able to get the most out of this. Both Sylvia and Eco's main skills were mostly 9-dan. Furthermore, they were an excellent combination of vanguard and rearguard, a combination that was very compatible. There was no element of defeat.

　...... Just one point. "Except for one extremely small, but surprisingly large point: 'experience in interpersonal combat'.


'All right. Sylvia and Eco, neutralize them. Never let your guard down.

　Sylvia and Eco leapt out of the air, as if they didn't have to be told.

　That's when Garam finally spoke up.


'Sylvia Virginia. I know your father well. Have you given up your knightly pride, such as two against one?'
......!

　It is a very clever stunt indeed.
　Anticipating Sylvia's character, which would have a strong sense of justice and admiration for a knight, he cited his father and then poked at his pride. It was a skilled off-the-board tactic.

''No, dude. Be cool,''
"Mm. I know. I know, but there are times when I can't back away from .......
...... ahhh.

　Winfiled stopped once, and when he saw Sylvia, who still wouldn't stop, he gave up early.

　Sylvia was very stubborn, to the point that she might have received some bad influence from Second. She was a person who would risk her life for the sake of justice and pride as a matter of course.

　Hence, he was going to be provoked by Garam. It was inevitable.


'Don't lick it, one on one.

　Sylvia readied her bow, nocked the arrow.


You're an idiot.

What?


　-- The next moment, Garam was right in front of Sylvia's eyes.


　And the great sword was swung down unceremoniously.


''Kuhn ......!''

　It was Eco who received it. With a pained expression, he managed to support the large shield.

''Oh, great, man. You can't believe you can take this.

　Garam suddenly became more talkative and praised Eco. But his movements do not stop.

　He takes two steps back and holds his great sword at the lower level.

　What's coming? Silvia can't make a decision and prepares the 《Silver General Archery》 while retreating.

''

　Sleekly, Garam starts to move with his sword parallel to the ground. ''Thrust!'' With this intuition, Silvia ducked to the side and used the Silver General's Bow Art--


You're too honest.

　Suddenly, Garam changed from a straight line movement to a curved movement. He cancelled the 《Katsura Horse Sword Technique》 in the middle and slashed at it with the 《Infantry Sword Technique》. That's all there was to it, but there were multiple layers of faking and guiding in between, and it had been sublimated into an aged technique that was impossible to avoid on first sight.

''Guh!''

　Sylvia receives a slash. Fresh blood danced from her shoulders, and she staggered backwards, falling to her knees about three meters behind.


''.............''

　However, as expected, he was holed up in a Grade B dungeon. He quickly stood up without regard to his shoulder wound and calmly drank the potion while keeping his distance from Garam and recovering all of his HP.

''Eeeeeeeeee!''
Whoa!

　Silvia isn't the only enemy of Garam's. Before I knew it, it was two against one, and Eco launched a rush against Garam. It's a skill 《Flying Car Shield Technique》 that was used to great effect in the siege. But ......

That's a pretty big window.

　If it doesn't hit, it's useless. Garam ducked just in time, and then he ducked, aiming at Eco's back as he passed by, with his "Infantry Swordsmanship"--


...... a dangerous place.


　I couldn't activate it. Aiming for that opening, Silvia unleashed the 《Infantry Archery》.

　Garam turned around and flicked the arrow with his large sword, and with his momentum, he closed the distance between him and Silvia.

''I've figured out most of the firepower of the Vice Commander-dono.

　Silvia muttered a word and prepared the 《Gold General Archery》. It's a rare skill to deal with proximity in [Archery] that has a range attack + knockback effect.

''----''

　Reading Sylvia's skills with keen eyesight, Garam stopped in his tracks. Then, he changed his battle strategy. He went from aiming to kill her with the 《Silver General Sword Technique》 by rapidly approaching her to aiming to kill her with the ...... Dragon King Sword Technique at a medium distance.

　The preparation time was about 4 seconds. The gap is large, but the range and power are also large.

''I've been waiting for that!

　Silvia cancelled the Golden General Archery and began to prepare the Flying Wheel Archery, just as Garam began to prepare the Dragon King Sword Art. He figured that even if he prepared later, he should be ready in time since the other side had four seconds to prepare.

''Well, not bad, but it's a burnout.

　Garam cancelled the Dragon King Sword Art with a spare look on his face. There, Silvia was sure of victory. As expected, she had stepped on a skill that was no longer able to respond to the 《Flying Car Archery》 in time.

''Hohoho!　That's it!

　As soon as Silvia was ready, she unleashed her "flying wheel archery". If it hits, even if you are an experienced title contender, heavy damage will be inevitable.


The only thing I can say is that if this was a silver general, I would have been able to get a shot in.


　But. Garam leisurely muttered something like that ...... and played Sylvia's Flying Car Archery with the Golden General Sword Art.


''What?!''
I can make it within inches of this distance.


　Differences in experience in interpersonal combat. The time it takes to prepare skills and how to respond to them. Garam's body remembers perfectly without thinking about every single thing. Silvia, on the other hand, thinks and acts sequentially. The difference was far too great.

''Phew!

　Immediately afterwards, Garam dealt with Eco, who was closing in behind him, with the Silver General Sword Art.

　The attack hit the large shield with a thud and Eco staggered. Even though it is the "Silver General Swordsmanship", his opponent is a fierce competitor at the title level. Each shot was tremendously heavy.

''How about it!''

　Furthermore, the chase. Eco couldn't get his skills in time and could only simply receive Garam's "Silver General Sword Art" with his large shield.

''Ah, u......''

　He staggered backwards and fell on his ass. It was too much of a shock to give him a concussion.


............

　A silence flowed through the throne room.

　At this rate, we're going to lose - Sylvia had a hunch. Despite the fact that she and Eco were two against one, they would lose. It was humiliating, and .


'Don't burn,'

　It's been a while since she's had a "strong opponent". As a member of Team First Test, there was no way her fighting spirit wouldn't burn.

''No!　It's the only way to go. Let's step aside, Sylvia. There's no need to rush into anything. There's nowhere for them to go.
No. If the deputy commander runs around out in the open like a puppet. It may take more than a hundred to do our damage.
I don't think so. I don't think that's a good idea.
Winfilled: "Winfilled: ...... I'm sorry.

　After telling her just one word, Sylvia turned away. She also had an uncompromising justice to give.

'Prime Minister Baru, Commander of the Third Order of Jarmu. While you're at it, make your sins count.'
"Ha, what's a knight in shining armor to say?　You have no hands or feet on the ground.
I will condemn you and your--transfiguration!
!

　Silvia performs a 6-dan "transformation". No matter what, she intends to settle this here.

　The mask of fire and the cloak of fire. The light armor she wears gushes with burning flames, and her appearance is just like the incarnation of a flame.

''Tch ......!''

　Garam prepared a single click of his tongue and the 《Long King Sword Art》. In this split second, he saw that "transformation takes time" and made good use of that time.


　...... Each other, it was a gamble.

　If you can withstand the 《Long King Sword Art》, Silvia will win. If he could push through with the 《Long King Sword Art》, Garam would win.


''Come!''
Let's go, lass!

　As if he had seen it coming, the timing was right.

　Silvia activated the maximum skill she could prepare within the 2 seconds of invincibility time from the completion of her transformation, 《Flying Car Archery》. At the same time, Garam's 《Long King Sword Art》 was activated.

　Their skills clashed with each other, canceled each other out, and then--.






　-- Sylvia fainted and fell to the ground.


　The damage wasn't much. But it could not be offset. I'm not going to be able to get a good idea of what I'm talking about. They are not the only ones who have the ability to do this.


"Hahahahahaha!　Well done, Garam!
'Great!　Keep up the good work and bury them all here, and even the second prince!

　Val and Jarm squealed with joy. They had stunned the one they thought was the biggest threat. No wonder they thought the wind was now blowing in their direction, when they had been in an untenable predicament before.


'Woo-hoo ......!'

　At the sight of Sylvia being knocked unconscious, Eco stood up and snarled menacingly.

　The relative Garam re-carried his greatsword and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. He realized that the reason he was able to defeat Silvia in her transformed state was because he was lucky, seeing that she was still not damaged at all after falling down.

　And then he realizes. No way, this little girl is also .......


'Hen, shin!


　I knew it. Garam raises the alert level dramatically.

'I'm done playing .......'

　This is the stage for a title fight. By believing that, Garam's concentration increases many times over.

　His opponent is not just a little girl. He was one of the fiercest of the fiercest of the fiercest, aiming to win the title with her. And so Garam concentrated deeper and deeper, and gradually, all his carelessness, all his distractions vanished.

Hey family, we're safe. You don't have to take the Prime Minister's side.

　Winfiled confused Garam. But Garam did not look at such words. He didn't hear them. His extraordinary concentration, it could be said that he was in a state of immersion.

''Kuh!

　They clash with a loud clang. Eco's Gui Ma Shijutsu catches Garam's Flying Car Sword Art. 《Katsuma Shield Art》 has a defense + knockback effect. However, Garam wasn't the only one who knocked back. Eco was also unable to catch the power of the Flying Wheel Sword Technique and was sent flying away.

''I won't let that happen!
"Yikes!

　When Eco tried to prepare the Golden General Shield Technique, Garam didn't take the time to approach and follow up with the Incense Car Blade Technique. The Incense Car is given a penetrating effect. Despite the fact that Eco had his shield ready, the damage went through to the main body.


　...... From then on, it was one-sided.

　Basically, 【Shield Technique】 is a skill that mainly focuses on defense. It is not suitable for one-on-one.

　Eco could only desperately continue to receive Garam's attacks. Garaam slowly chipped away at Eco's HP, mixing in penetrating attacks such as the Incense Car Sword Technique and the Angular Gyroscope Technique.


''Sylvia-san!　Miss Sylvia!

　Winfiled struggles to wake Sylvia up somehow. However, Sylvia does not wake up. Because she is a spirit, she has no inventory, so she can't use any state recovery potions.

　Eco's HP is steadily draining away. As expected of a "muscle monk", it seems to be able to recover and endure on its own for the current situation, but even so, once the Transformation is lifted, it will be very difficult to endure.

　There is not much time left. Should I go get someone to get a state recovery potion ...... As she was thinking about this, an unexpected person visited the throne room.



''...... First Prince, Klaus .......

　Winfiled muttered quietly and bit his lower lip. As for the timing, it was bad.


'Good timing, Your Highness!　You must kill the woman who lies there and that gray-haired woman!

　Vizier Val joyfully instructed him.

　Klaus silently drew his sword from his waist and held it up to Winfiled.

You're good at swordsmanship, what is it? It's a shame.

　The First Prince Klaus was so skilled in [Swordsmanship] that he served as the First Knight Commander at a young age. His skill is said to be such that he is said to be the best in the kingdom, except for the title fight.

　Winfiled stood in front of Klaus as if she was protecting Silvia. Even though she's a mixed spirit, she's also the edge of a spirit. She is stronger than a mere human. However, if it was as strong as Klaus, that was not the case.

''Huh. ...... We'll just have to do it, I guess.''

　She's thinking about playing her trump card. The ultimate trump card that can only be used by a spirit, that I haven't told anyone about.

　That's what she had in mind, and she was expecting the worst possible scenario.
　Now, it just happened to be that worst pattern.

　If the attack on the royal castle was prolonged, and a fierce man like the one who had participated in the title fight appeared as the vizier's bodyguard, Sylvia and Eco went out of control, and the two of them were no match for each other. Miraculously, if the pattern was that bad, I would use ...... "trump card". I've decided that since yesterday, I'm going to use my trump card.

　I'm not going to be able to get the best out of it.

　As usual, it was nothing special, just the best move of the situation.

　All that was left was her resolve.


'...... Garam. I thought you were on an expedition?

　Then, Klaus started to speak uncontrollably. Unexpectedly, it was a word directed to the Deputy Commander of the Second Order of Garam.
　I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to find out what's going on.

''Ha ...... I have returned today.

　Garam couldn't ignore the first prince's words, so he replied while keeping Eco in check.

'Funny. It is strange, after all.'
'What's so funny, Your Highness!　If you don't kill that woman soon, your highness will be killed!

　Baru Vizier, who was numb to Klaus muttering to himself, shouted. However, Klaus's condition did not change.

''You've been called back suddenly, haven't you?　Didn't you receive that call after there was a lot of talk in the kingdom about the Knights' breach of the agreement?
Ha, that's...
So it is.
is .......
Enough!　Garam, you're not talking!　Focus on the battle!

'Prime Minister!　You shut up!

　Klaus is furious. It was the moment when his previous doubts were replaced by certainty.

'I know your wife. You were the handmaiden of the Second Queen of Huron.'
Ha!
'Yesterday, I saw Queen Huron leave the royal castle. I didn't see your wife next to her.
So what?
'I saw Queen Huron on the balcony once, when I was being beaten by the people. At the time, your wife was still her maid. Afterwards, a call was sent for you to come back. Taking all this into account, the reason why you have to return alone from your expedition in this short period of time is ...... repugnant. It's easy to imagine.
'Your Highness!　You are mistaken, sir.　Her handmaiden was dismissed for roughing it up.

"You are a foreigner to ....... You played me, didn't you? You used me. All this time, all this time, I've been f*cked!

　Klaus raised his voice and glared at Prime Minister Baru. There was no way to fool him at the earliest.


''Queen Huron is not the kind of person to dismiss a maid just because she has a rough time. Garam is not the kind of man who would abandon a royal expedition and come back alone without his men. I am ...... I am not the kind of man who can sit back and let your father be killed!


　Klaus holds his sword at the ready and makes his way to the vizier.

'You are the pus of the kingdom. The dog of the empire. You are the dog of the empire.


Forgive me, Your Highness. I have something to protect, as well.


　It was Garam who stood in the way of his progress.


　Eco was ......《Transformation》untied and beaten like a rag, lying on the floor.


''Retreat. You'll suffer too.
I cannot. It is no longer possible for me to oppose you.

　It's like a hostage taker, or so they declare. But there's nothing they can do about it.

　Then Garam and Klaus confronted him.

'Why don't you retreat. Why don't you just kill those two?
Their men will be working on it.
You have no choice.
Yes. I just can't watch my family's painful face anymore.

　Garam's attitude towards Klaus was very respectful, unlike that towards Sylvia and the others.


'...... to be confronted with you, my master, in this way.
I wish I could repay you in a different way. That's what I was thinking.
"Phew, you tell me.

　The two men were slowly closing in on each other. Their sword stances were very similar.

''Garam!　I can't use that thing anymore!　Let's get rid of it!

　Baru Vizier is ranting and raving about something. However, such voices are not heard by the two people who are concentrating.


　At the moment - the two men's "Silver General Sword Art" flashes.


　How much skill was packed into that moment? It was a world that only the two of them could understand.



''Guh......U''

　Klaus is on his knees. A deep laceration on his thigh. It was a wound that would not allow him to stand unless he recovered.

　Garam looks at him with a sad face. Even if it was for the sake of his wife and child, he had hurt the prince of a country and his own apprentice. The fact that he had done so had etched an irreparable wound in his heart.


'Good job, Garam!　Put a stop to it!　Kill him!　And kill Mein, Hi-Rai, and everything else!　Kill them all!　I'm going to ruin your kingdom and everything else!

　Prime Minister Baru laughed like a madman. No, he was already mad. The kingdom's puppet system had failed, the empire had abandoned him, and he had nowhere to turn to. He has become a revenge-mad man who only wishes for destruction.


............

　Garam approached Silvia, who was silent and unconscious. He figured that Sylvia was the biggest threat in all of this, and decided to be the first to finish her off.



"I'll do ......, huh? I said I'll take care of it, you know.

　Just in time.

　Winfiled began to move quietly. Without any hesitation, he walked towards Garam.

　'I'm ready,' he said.

'What.'

　Garam was alarmed and stopped walking. A woman approaching him unarmed and unprotected. It was beyond suspicious.

'No, it's not that. It's just that I'm feeling a bit lonely. I would have liked to at least say my last words, maybe.
......?

　He smiled and said something like that. Garam was confused, not quite sure what it meant.


'Spirits, you know, by burning their very existence, they can become invincible for a little bit, maybe a minute, I don't know.　In the meantime, I'm going to kill the three of you and rescue Ms. Silvia and Mr. Eco. That's my responsibility.


　Unfortunately, Winfiled's fears were correct. Therefore, she will naturally use her "trump card" to take the blame.

　There were many other ways to go about this, but this was the best for the moment.

　Is it the difference in values? Is it a difference in values or is it a difference in views of life and death?
　If that one life would solve everything, I would gladly offer it. Winfiled was such a spirit.


"This is the solution. Well done. I'm going to be gone for good, and nothing else. A good ending.


　He muttered with a slurred expression and held his hand over his own chest.


　In the position of the human heart, the source of the spirit's life exists.


　Destroy it. It was an extremely simple and very frightening method.



''Baibai--''



　............




　Next moment.


　In a way that even the Second, let alone Winfiled, could not have known.


　Darkness abounded, darkness boiled over, with an intimidation that made everyone want to give up on life.


　The presence of fear, which was not supposed to be here, shifted from the shadows.



　From the prostrate Silvia's shadow.




　--And then.




And then... "Wherever the shadow remembers, it goes... Of course not. I didn't think I could transfer into a human shadow.