Chapter 564: The Chaos Arena

“Aah… W-what in the world…”

From the VIP room, King Milliard Julius Elrod of Avalon stared down at the arena, muttering words of despair in disbelief.

Just a moment ago, his beloved daughter, Nell, someone he cherished deeply, was valiantly fighting in the final round of the knight selection tournament. She was unrecognizable in her bravery. But now, that glorious stage had been completely destroyed by a sudden intruder.

It all started with a blinding light that crossed the sky over the city of Selene. What could have caused such a powerful light or lightning-based attack spell? The world was briefly engulfed in a radiant white light, followed by a massive roar that shook the earth.

The phenomenon was more than enough to suspect that some kind of abnormal event, or an attack by someone, had occurred. The announcement to halt the match and begin evacuation was made immediately. The audience inside the arena was thrown into confusion, but it wasn’t enough to cause outright panic yet.

The arena’s guards followed protocol, calmly guiding the spectators to evacuate and urging them to remain composed.

At the same time, Milliard, who had been seated in the VIP room, was about to follow his escorting knights who had secured a safe route. He was just about to rise and begin his evacuation when—

“Gaaaoooo!!”

It appeared with a horrifying roar, so terrifying that Milliard’s very soul trembled, his body freezing with primal fear.

A massive black shadow flew in through the partially open roof.

A towering, jet-black body. A mechanical right arm crackling with purple electricity. A fiery red right eye filled with rage, and a purple left eye oozing hatred. It was a terrifying beast like none he had ever seen before, but Milliard knew exactly what it was.

Its name was Chaotic Rim. Recently, this monster had become infamous, appearing in Spada and rampaging through various city-states.

It was supposed to have been cornered at the Great Lighthouse of Selene by our nation’s best knights and met its end there.

Why was it here now? How? Why? His mind was filled with questions, but Milliard had no answers.

There was no time for Milliard, nor anyone else present, to calmly gather their thoughts.

Chaotic Rim made its move, striking first.

Luckily, the monster didn’t land in the middle of the arena or in the audience seats. It descended onto the outermost part of the arena, right where the scoreboard was located.

The enormous scoreboard, spanning several dozen meters, was a magical device that projected words and images using light magic, displaying match statuses, schedules, and announcements for the audience. Though its appearance, resembling a black stone slab, was reminiscent of the monument The Beginning of History: Zero Chronicle, its material was apparently different.

Currently, it was displaying a message urging evacuation, yet for some reason, Chaotic Rim slammed its right arm into it. Ignoring the over fifty thousand potential victims it could have attacked, why did it choose to strike this glowing stone slab first?

The reason became clear in the next instant, as its right arm crackled violently with purple lightning.

“—Wait! Hold off on the evacuation of His Majesty! The escape route has been cut off!”

“The doors have closed by themselves! We can’t unlock them from this side!”

The words of the knights filled Milliard’s ears. And from the chaos unfolding before his eyes, the situation was obvious.

Apparently, all the doors inside the arena had been sealed shut.

The passageways leading from the spectator seats to the outside were automatically blocked by thick barriers, the likes of which had never been seen before. The large, artistically adorned main gate, the rear gate, and even the service entrances—all the gates and doors originally part of the arena were closed.

To make matters worse, the ceiling, which had seemed incomplete, slowly began to move, gradually but steadily closing.

If the ceiling were to shut completely, even the dragon knights wouldn’t be able to fly in as reinforcements. The arena would be entirely isolated from the outside world.

Milliard had never heard of a way to control all the doors at once, let alone manipulate the ceiling. Even the arena’s managers likely had no knowledge of such a system.

It was unbelievable, but somehow, Chaotic Rim, the monster, knew a method that no one else was aware of. Using its right arm that had struck the scoreboard, it accessed an ancient magical system that controlled the arena’s equipment, though the mechanism behind it remained unclear.

In other words, within less than ten seconds, the Selene Colosseum had been completely taken over by a single monster.

Chaotic Rim had now sealed off all escape routes for its prey and, at last, began extending its vile claws toward them.

“Aaah! Uwaaahhh!!”

Even though he wasn’t the one being attacked, Milliard screamed in terror. There was no royal dignity left, only pure human fear.

Chaotic Rim leapt into the crowd of spectators, who were on the verge of panic, and with its jaws wide open, it began devouring people with such force that it tore away entire sections of seating. It dove in headfirst, feasting on the fleeing humans like some grotesque, writhing banquet.

It continued its repulsive, barbaric feeding, tearing through people like a ravenous dog, while its free hands reached out for more prey. The mechanical right arm grabbed a group of boys and girls from the Imperial Academy who had come to cheer, while its left hand seized a family with a small child.

In the next moment, both groups were equally consumed by the monster’s maw. Rows of knife-like fangs shredded the young and old alike into mere chunks of meat, which it chewed and swallowed, blood dripping down as it gulped its meal.

“H-hii… ugh, uuuurgh!”

“Your Majesty!”

The sight of the gruesome feeding frenzy was too much for Milliard’s mind to handle.

“Ugh… I… I’m fine… I’ll be fine,”

He barely managed to suppress the urge to vomit, but his face was pale, drenched in cold sweat. The expression on his haggard, middle-aged face was far from what one would expect of a king.

And yet, no matter his appearance, Milliard was still a true king. Though even among the nobility and commoners, he was often called “mediocre”—a far cry from a great ruler—he had inherited the throne from his father decades ago. He understood, at the very least, the weight of a king’s duty.

“Send out the royal guards… Protect the people.”

“You mustn’t! That would be far too dangerous, Your Majesty!”

The voice of dissent did not come from the captain of the royal guards.

“It’s fine, Lord Arclight.”

Milliard said, raising a trembling hand in a calming gesture.

He was addressing Duke Heine von Arclight, the head of the Twelve Noble Families of Avalon. Like Milliard, the duke had come to watch the competition to see his child, Celis, perform.

“Your safety is paramount, Your Majesty. In this ambush-like situation, some sacrifices are inevitable. I believe we should consolidate our defenses with the forces we have on hand and await reinforcements from the knights.”

Duke Arclight advised.

The forces they currently had were the arena guards, King Milliard’s royal bodyguards, and the few personal guards that various nobles, including Duke Arclight, had brought with them. Though few in number, the royal and noble guards were elite soldiers. They were far from helpless.

Given this, there was a glimmer of hope that by committing all available forces, they might be able to swiftly defeat Chaotic Rim.

“I understand the danger. However, I can no longer stand by and watch my people being slaughtered before my eyes—”

But it was precisely this noble resolve, despite the risk, that Chaotic Rim, the monster, mocked.

After finishing off the spectators within reach, Chaotic Rim opened its mouth wide and let out a bellow. From its gaping maw, it spewed something out.

What it expelled wasn’t a mere breath attack. The substance was flung in all directions, splattering across the arena. It was not vomit, but a clear, jelly-like material. It moved like a slime—no, it was exactly like slime.

The translucent slimes scattered across the arena started to shift and crawl. And in the next moment, they took on a larger, humanoid form.

These new creatures had skull-like faces twisted in rage, resembling knights. Their bodies were encased in jagged, spiked armor, with designs resembling ribs across their chest that gave them a menacing appearance.

Though their bodies seemed to be made of soft, slime-like material, black mist began swirling around them, quickly solidifying into jet-black metal armor.

In their right hands, they wielded massive, machete-like greatswords. Chains rattled from various parts of their armor, writhing like tentacles.

What country could possibly harbor knights with such a grotesque appearance? Or was it merely a creature conjured from Chaotic Rim’s twisted imagination?

Regardless, these black knights, radiating malevolence so strong it made one nauseous, were clearly minions or familiars controlled by Chaotic Rim. There were ten, twenty, maybe even more.

With such numbers, the black knights began their grim hunt, targeting the helpless spectators who had nowhere left to flee.

“…Your Majesty, now that the enemy has unleashed its forces, we must consolidate our defenses here.”

The captain advised.

If, by some slim chance, they left only a bare minimum of guards and sent the rest to take down Chaotic Rim, it was far more likely that the black knights would reach them first, killing them before they could slay the monster.

Milliard had always cursed his lack of combat prowess since his student days, but never had he felt it so deeply as today. If only he had the strength of his reckless friend, Leonhart, King of Spada. If he had that power, he could lead the charge himself, confront the terrifying monster, and protect his people.

“Y-Yes… there’s no other choice…”

Milliard sighed.

But such thoughts were nothing more than the idle fantasies of a child who dreams of being a knight or an adventurer. His only power lay in his modest ability to use dark-attribute magic.

“At the very least, expand the defensive line as much as possible and protect as many as you can.”

Exhausted, Milliard slumped into his chair, utterly drained of energy.

“As you command.”

This time, it was the captain of the royal guards who responded. Specifically, the one selected for this day’s protection detail.

With a dangerous monster like Chaotic Rim lurking so close to Selene, the guard was chosen with care—someone capable of protecting the king from any threat. In other words, the strongest knight in Avalon. A quick glance to the side revealed a figure standing motionless, like an ancient statue.

Pale skin, white hair, and eyes of deep crimson. A tall, imposing figure clad in gleaming silver armor, exuding a cold, emotionless expression that didn’t waver, even in the face of the gruesome scene unfolding before him. He looked less like a person and more like a doll.

Being protected by such a dependable knight made Milliard feel utterly pathetic. He was on the verge of tears—until, in the blink of an eye, his gaze caught a white figure in the distance, and he could hardly believe his own eyes.

Despite the evacuation order, and the arena supposedly emptied, there stood a figure all too familiar to him.

“Nell… It can’t be… Nell, is that really you…?”

The Winged Priestess had returned to the battlefield of the final match.

“W-What on earth! Nell! Get out of there immediately! Nell!!”

In his panic, the king nearly dashed out of the VIP box, causing a momentary commotion among those present as they scrambled to hold him back.

“We have no choice but to defeat Chaotic Rim ourselves.”

Gathered in the waiting room, after temporarily retreating from the arena, were the contestants from both Imperial Academy and the Holy School. It was here that I made this declaration.

Everyone understood the situation.

All the arena’s doors had been sealed shut, and even the ceiling was about to close completely. Trapped inside were over fifty thousand Avalonian citizens, the king—my father—some nobles, and, of course, us.

Due to Chaotic Rim’s monstrous black knight minions, the royal guards left in the arena were forced to defend rather than launch any offensive against the monster. There was simply no way to directly attack it under these circumstances.

“Will you help me?”

I asked.

“You bet, leave it to me!”

Kai, as expected, was the first to volunteer enthusiastically. And just as predictably, Safi quickly stepped in to rein him in.

“Hold on a second, you idiot. Can’t you think things through a little more calmly?”

“Nell, are you serious? Neither Nero nor Sharl are here right now.”

Safi continued.

“But Kai and Safi are both here. And in place of my brother, we have Celis as well.”

I replied with resolve.

“Eh, me?”

Celis looked surprised.

Why would she be so shocked at a time like this? I consider her a valuable ally, and I want her to fight with pride.

“Do we have a chance?”

Safi asked.

“I don’t know. That Chaotic Rim is an extremely powerful monster that even knights from various nations struggled with.”

More than anything, just sensing its presence up close like this, I can tell. It’s stronger than any monster I’ve ever encountered.

If I had to compare, it might be similar to the time at Iskia’s ancient castle. Back then, there was a parasitic monster called Slothgill that latched onto the mighty earth dragon Greed Gore, turning it into a fearsome creature that wielded both earth and lightning attributes. The fact that it had underlings is similar too.

Back then, my abilities had a good synergy with the situation, and with Radiance Exile, I was able to completely wipe out the parasitized monster army.

We struggled with Greed Gore afterward, but we eventually defeated it… although, how did we defeat it? I vaguely remember there being an incredibly strong adventurer present.

Yes, that person must have been the one to take it down.

“Honestly, even with the full Wing Road team, this is a tough opponent. It’s way beyond the injured Larsprun we defeated.”

Safi remarked.

“True. And the right arm of the Ancient Golem you attached to it, Safi, has become a formidable weapon as well.”

“That wasn’t my fault.”

Safi retorted.

“I’m not blaming you for it now.”

After all, if Safi hadn’t turned Larsprun into her servant, it wouldn’t have been taken by Slothgill in Iskia, and we wouldn’t be facing this threat of Chaotic Rim now. If anyone is responsible for the birth of this monstrous threat, it would be none other than Safi.

However, the history of necromancers and summoners losing their minions to the enemy dates back to ancient times. The way this is handled varies depending on the era or region, but at least in Avalon and the city-states like Spada, minions like these are considered the same as weapons. In other words, even if they fall into the enemy’s hands, the owner isn’t held accountable.

When Larsprun’s minion fled during the Iskia incident and later reappeared as Chaotic Rim, Safi provided the Spada military with all the information she had, thereby fulfilling her legal responsibilities.

So, there’s no point in emotionally blaming her for what happened. And I personally have no intention of pursuing her responsibility further.

“In any case, we can’t just sit back and let this happen.”

“Exactly. It’s not like we’re safe just standing around here either, right?”

Kai chimed in.

As Kai pointed out, whether we fight or not, our lives are still in danger. In that case, it would be more constructive to choose to fight.

“Alright. But the people who can actually face Chaotic Rim head-on are pretty limited… Basically, just Nel, Celis, and this idiot here.”

Safi said, glancing at Kai.

“So I am included after all.”

Celis muttered.

Why does Celis always feel the need to confirm the obvious?

“And Safi, are you unable to fight?”

I asked.

“Unfortunately, this is a tournament, so I only brought minions suitable for the match. None of them are specialized enough to take on something like Chaotic Rim directly.”

Safi replied.

As skilled as Safi is, she can’t always carry all her minions with her. Although her spatial magic, Dimension, has a large capacity, the minions she can actually bring into play are still somewhat limited.

Just as weapons like the Virtual Arms have restrictions, necromancers and summoners like Safi also face limits when summoning and controlling their minions in battle. Safi, disliking these restrictions, often opts to bring non-lethal minions, like spiders that immobilize enemies with webs.

Her ability to create specific minions tailored to both serious quests and rule-bound matches is nothing short of genius. However, this time, it has turned into a disadvantage.

“At best, my minions are suited to dealing with those black clones. In hindsight, I should’ve pushed harder and packed Tar as well.”

Safi lamented.

“Looks like it’ll be just the three of us, then.”

Kai said with a sigh.

“…No, Kai, I’d like you to stay and protect Safi”

I responded.

“Eh?!”

“No way!”

Safi immediately protested.

“You’re the one saying that?!”

Despite her protests, Safi surely understands that this is the best course of action.

“With Safi’s minions, you can protect a large portion of the audience. That’s why I want you, Kai, to focus on guarding Safi and, if possible, protecting the others.”

Celis and I will face Chaotic Rim, while the rest of the contestants will guard the audience. They are all hand-picked students who competed in the knight selection, so they won’t be defeated easily, but the danger remains. While protecting the lives of the audience is crucial, it won’t mean much if the fighters themselves don’t survive.

“But if I don’t fight, who’s going to take down Chaotic Rim?”

Kai asked, clearly worried.

“Avalon’s army will surely come to our aid. Even if we can’t defeat Chaotic Rim ourselves, just stalling for time will be enough.”

I don’t know how long it will take for reinforcements to arrive, but right now, all we can do is gamble on that possibility. In battle, having even a slim chance to bet on is a rare blessing.

“Cheh, fine. I’ll let it go this time, Nell.”

Kai relented.

“Thank you, Kai.”

Kai’s willingness to listen like this is probably why he can still be close friends with my complicated older brother. In fact, he may be even more of a good person than I am.

“Fine, I’ll let you protect me.”

Safi said, though with a reluctant tone.

Safi’s cold attitude towards Kai never fails to show. It’s hard to imagine it’s a sign of affection, considering how icy she can be. Honestly, there’s probably no love there at all.

“Alright then, let’s get going. Is everyone ready?”

I asked, rallying the group.

“Hah! Though we are still students, we fully understand our duty as knights. All students of the Imperial Academy will follow Princess Nell’s will!”

A bold cheer erupted from the crowd.

“That’s right! We’ll join in too! Let’s get fired up, everyone!!”

A fierce roar rose from the Spada competitors as well.

Everyone had already dismissed their Phantasm Armory and switched to real weapons.

To create a copy with the Phantasm Armory, you must store the original weapon in a specially enchanted space. So, having a copy means you already have the real weapon at hand.

After all, it’s impossible to replicate the abilities of a powerful magical weapon without the original.

In any case, thanks to this, we won’t have to worry about weapons. I’d feel terrible ordering everyone to fight barehanded.

“Celis, we’ll take the lead.”

I said.

“Understood, Your Highness.”

With Celis, clad in shimmering silver armor, next to me, I dashed out of the waiting room and headed back to the arena.

We bolted forward at full speed, swiftly racing through the corridors and back to the hellish battleground of the finals.

“…It’s terrible, isn’t it?”

I had a feeling it would be bad, but about a third of the audience seats were already stained with blood. Right now, fierce battles were erupting between the black knights and the defense line established by my father’s guard knights, but the number of casualties kept increasing by the moment.

“Is that monster using its clones to carry people away… How grotesque.”

The Chaotic Rim, our target, had settled in the center of the arena as if it had made this place its den, lying there boldly.

With a relaxed yawn, the Chaotic Rim, still reclining, had a dozen people ensnared by the black knight’s chain-like tentacles brought before it. It stretched its neck out and snapped at them.

In an instant, it devoured them almost whole, letting out a foul-smelling belch as it awaited its next meal.

I could understand why Celis gasped at the gruesome lethargy on display. Even in the act of predation—where wild monsters take their prey seriously—this one exhibited a laziness that seemed to embody a cruelty akin to that of a human rather than mere wild instinct.

Yes, this monster known as the Chaotic Rim was profoundly evil.

“We’re going in, Celis!”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

We charged forward. The black knight, having finished its meal, returned to hunting the audience, leaving only the Chaotic Rim in the arena. Despite the clear battle intent radiating from us, it lay there as if unaware of our presence.

Such negligence. Such arrogance. Perhaps this is a trait that comes from having a high intelligence.

Regardless, I held no mercy or leniency in my heart. Celis and I struck from both sides to launch our initial attacks on its massive, obsidian-like body.

“First Style: Penetrate!”

“Gale Flash: Sonic El Slash!”

We slammed our palms, infused with swirling, high-density magical energy, into its exposed flank. Its black body, covered in iron sand, resembled thick armor, but my attack, enhanced by First Style: Penetrate, could easily pierce through.

At the moment of impact, the iron sand armor burst apart, neutralizing the force of my palm strike. However, the released shockwave of magic was supposed to pass through the outer layer and muscles, destroying its internal organs.

“—!?”

It was blocked.

The destructive power meant to literally penetrate its body was deflected and scattered.

I immediately fell back, wary of a counterattack.

“Tch… It has fur equipped with Reflective Recoil.”

The iron sand armor that had burst apart began to repair itself with a raspy sound. What was revealed through the gaps was a dazzling, bright red metallic sheen, resembling fur.

The Reflective Recoil ability resided within my right gauntlet, Crimson Night, and I had encountered it before on the tower shield of the Royal Guard, a knight I defeated in Avalon. So, I had no doubt about this resistance.

The shockwave unleashed by First Style: Penetrate had been completely deflected by the fur possessing this Reflective Recoil.

While I might have been able to penetrate through either the sturdy iron sand armor or the reflective fur alone, facing a dual defense combining both physical and magical protection was undeniably unfavorable.

“I apologize, Your Highness. Our attacks were also blocked.”

“Both the black iron sand and the red fur seem to cover its entire body. We should refrain from indiscriminate attacks.”

Confident in its absolute defensive capabilities, the Chaotic Rim showed no signs of movement.

This is what it means to be underestimated.

Now that I’ve become a battle priestess who fights directly on the frontlines, I can somewhat understand the feelings of hot-blooded male warriors who might shout, “Don’t underestimate me!” in their rage.

“Celis will distract it, and I will strike.”

Once I understood the setup, I knew we had a strategy. It shouldn’t underestimate humans.

“Understood!”

Celis immediately grasped my intent and charged forward without hesitation. I followed closely behind, a step later.

Foolishly, the Chaotic Rim lay there, showing no signs of wanting to move. It was as if it were merely a mountain of rock.

Celis leaped, aiming to chip away at the summit of that mountain. With the aid of Thousand Miles Dash: Sonic Walker and her proficiency in wind magic, she gracefully soared through the air, approaching the Chaotic Rim’s unprotected back.

“——Whirling Gale Burst: Sonic Burst!”

A master-level technique infused with wind attributes exploded forth. An incredible shockwave, seemingly unleashed from a slender saber, struck fiercely against the Chaotic Rim’s black back.

What I requested of Celis was to first scatter the iron sand armor responsible for its physical defense. Just as I intended, the iron sand reacted to the tremendous destructive force, erupting into a cloud of black mist.

Under normal circumstances, the pressure would have overwhelmed its body, dealing a fatal blow with countless razor-sharp vacuum blades bursting forth. However, the red fur, possessing magical reflection abilities, completely negated that damage.

Thus, my target was here.

Just before the iron sand armor could repair itself, while the crimson fur was still visible, I aimed to deliver a strike.

“Second Style: Penetrate!”

This time, I executed a thrust instead of a palm strike. My fingers were aligned like the tip of a spear. It transformed into a deadly blade imbued with sharp lethality and, like Penetrate, internal destructive magic.

Using my left hand, Azure Sky, which possessed absorption and drain capabilities, pierced through the fur’s Reflective Recoil, driving the white dragon claw into the beast’s back.

—Gwaaaaah!!

As I landed lightly, the agonized cry of the Chaotic Rim reached my ears.

“I apologize; that was too shallow.”

“No, just piercing it is impressive.”

Indeed, this was a Rank 5 large monster. Its natural physique boasted incredible toughness.

Thanks to Azure Sky, I managed to break through most of the Reflective Recoil, but my fingertips could only cause an explosion of compressed magic within its body, falling short of shattering its spine or rupturing its organs.

At this rate, even if I were to land proper techniques, it seemed unlikely I could defeat it without a considerable number of strikes. The resilience of monsters, unlike that of humans, was indeed a formidable threat.

Yet, even with just one blow, it seemed sufficient to rouse the Chaotic Rim from its slumber.

“Such an incredible killing intent… Your Highness, be cautious.”

“Yes, it seems the Chaotic Rim has finally gotten serious.”

With a feral growl, the Chaotic Rim sluggishly rose to its feet. The puncture wound from my thrust, which had forced it to bleed, began to close as the gathered iron sand filled the gash, returning it to its former state in no time.

Once standing, the Chaotic Rim placed its robust arms on the ground and turned its gaze toward us.

From the right arm attached by Safi, fierce purple sparks crackled violently. The left arm of the Larsprun blazed with a fiery red aura, resembling raging flames.

The red and purple odd-eyed gaze emitted a fierce, furious glare, piercing through us.

An overwhelming presence and killing intent filled the air. A normal person would likely faint from just being stared down. Even I felt my limbs trembling instinctively in the face of such a powerful and terrifying magical beast.

However, I would not fear. I would not retreat.

My name is Nell Julius Elrod, the first princess of Avalon, bearing the duty to protect my people.

“I will protect everyone.”

With unwavering resolve, just as the decisive battle with the evil magical beast, Chaotic Rim, was about to begin, something unexpected happened.

“——Waaaaaaah!?”

Suddenly, something black fell from the sky.

It narrowly slipped through the gap in the ceiling that was about to close completely and landed precisely at the midpoint between me and the Chaotic Rim.

It struck the ground with a tremendous noise and impact, akin to a meteor falling… but if I wasn’t mistaken, it seemed like this black meteor was emitting a human scream.

“Owww… Did I accelerate too recklessly…?”

From the billowing smoke, a pitch-black silhouette emerged.

“!?”

The moment I heard the voice of a man murmuring somewhat pathetically, a shock like lightning struck through my entire body. My heartbeat quickened rapidly, and my breath became ragged.

Who is this person? Why, how—

“Who are you?!”

Celis’s sharp voice of inquiry snapped me back to reality. However, my pounding heart wouldn’t settle down, and my body felt as if it were being consumed by an intense heat.

What in the world is happening to me?

“Wait! I’m an adventurer! I rushed here after the Chaotic Rim!”

“That appearance… I see, so it seems they created that doppelgänger based on you.”

Thanks to Celis’s observation, I finally realized the truth. The adventurer who had appeared was dressed exactly like the black knight currently rampaging in the audience. Clad in ominous full plate armor, his face was concealed by a horned skull helmet. The color was black, making it easy to mistake him for a mere doppelgänger.

But what intrigued me the most, almost obsessively, was what lay hidden beneath that armored helmet.

I want to see.

An overwhelming desire surged from the depths of my chest.

I want to see his face—his true face.

“I am—”

“Watch out!”

I had been so lost in thought that I completely missed the movement.

In that instant, the enraged Chaotic Rim lunged at the back of the black knight adventurer.

It wouldn’t be fair to call it cowardice. We were the ones at fault for leisurely chatting in front of such a monster.

The Chaotic Rim lunged forward with an unbelievable speed for its massive size, its gigantic arms closing in on the defenseless figure of the black knight. It was too fast. There was no time to react and intervene.

“Flame Demon Overdrive—Void Calm!”

An overwhelming aura of curse surged through the air. An evil energy, drenched in red and black, roared in front of us.

—Gaaah!

I couldn’t believe my eyes. The colossal form of the Chaotic Rim was sent flying through the air.

The black knight, enveloped in a fiery aura similar to that of the Chaotic Rim’s left arm, swung the massive, machete-like great sword he held in his right hand in a fierce counterattack as he turned.

The impact of that counter was evident as the giant beast tumbled several dozen meters away.

“…Impressive skills. You must be a well-known adventurer.”

I commented.

“Not really. I can’t take that thing down by myself. I hate to ask, but can you lend me your strength?”

I felt an immediate urge to reply “yes” as if I were a willing slave to his command. However, just as the words almost escaped my throat, I caught myself, becoming aware of my own absurdity.

Something was off. I was not myself.

Thud, thud—my heartbeat was deafening. My gaze was fixed solely on his face, concealed beneath the skull helmet.

“Thank you for your assistance. I am Celis, from the Royal Academy. May I ask for your name?”

“Ah, my name is—”

I know it. I know that name.

But why… can’t I remember?

“—Kurono.”

“Kurono-san…”

As I whispered that name, I was enveloped in an indescribable, mysterious sensation. What is this feeling?

An excitement so intense it felt like my heart would burst. A sense of relief that could lull me into a peaceful sleep. These contradictory emotions, so distinct yet intertwined, filled my heart.

Because that name felt so familiar, so comforting, so nostalgic… and, oh, why, why was it so dear to me?

“—Your Highness!”

“Eh, yes… Celis?”

I must have sunk too deep into my thoughts. Celis’s loud call brought me back to my senses.

“In this situation, we have no choice. We will cooperate with the adventurer Kurono to defeat the Chaotic Rim. Is that acceptable?”

Though I stumbled over my words, I managed to respond. There was no reason to refuse. Even if there were, I knew I wouldn’t be able to.

What filled my chest was an innocent and pure sense of anticipation, like when I was a shy child, still overwhelmed by social anxiety. I approached the adventurer Kurono, ready to be his willing ally.

“Um… Kurono-san…”

His gaze slowly turned toward me, quiet and patient, waiting for my words without saying a thing.

The tension surged within me. Just exchanging a simple greeting—that should be easy, yet I felt no confidence. My mind went blank.

But I had to say something. I needed to speak, and quickly.

“I—I’m not much to speak of, but I look forward to working with you!!”

Even I didn’t quite understand what I had just said.

“Ah, nice to meet you, Nell.”