episode_0200

000

The light of Mistilteinn engulfs the surrounding darkness and seems to grow ever larger.

Later, this holy sword, which would gain the alias of “the sword that shines in the darkest place,” greatly exerts its power the greater the difference in capabilities between the owner and the opponent.

The source of that power is “filling the gaps.”

Becoming a needle-like form, it fills the gaps in dimensions and the gap in skill between the owner and the one opposing them.

Thanks to that, even if Eustace’s power has weakened due to her body changing into that of a woman, if she borrows that power, it is possible to destroy the “black magic magic stones” sealed within the bodies of the brainwashed soldiers by using sacred magic power waves.

“Amazing, Ms. Eustace! You’re like a true hero!”

As Liza shouts that, Eustace looks around with a serious face.

Most of the brainwashed soldiers who had been blocking their path had fallen to the ground.

“Okay, with this, we’ve opened the path, so—”

Just as Eustace was about to say that she would head to the basement as is, in the next moment, the two’s bodies were moved to the garden.

The two, feeling the surrounding scenery suddenly change, turned their heads in surprise.

There, Rosaria was standing with her hand outstretched.

“…Rosaria!? Why—”

Empty eyes, a pattern that can be seen emitting light through her clothes. No matter how you look at it, she didn’t seem normal, but when Eustace spoke to her.

“Hehe… You surprised me, Eustace. To think you would restore the holy sword using the power of the crystal.”

What was heard from her mouth was not Rosaria’s voice, but Ishtar’s voice that had been heard earlier.

It seemed that dominating the body through the mark was possible even without the power of the “magic stone.”

“That voice— Ishtar! Even Rosaria…! And crystal…? What are you talking about…!”

While feeling anger at her actions, she, who does not know what the “crystal” is, aims Mistilteinn and pays attention to her actions.

Just like before, it felt like there was no way to respond to the technique of suddenly transferring bodies.

“Hehe. It seems you haven’t heard from Cleon. Well, even if you knew, there’s nothing you could do… Because I really need that thing.”

Rosaria said that and reached out her hand again.

In the next moment, Eustace’s body was engulfed in a sensation of floating—and then her body had been transferred to above Rosaria’s crown.

The problem was that the height was several meters.

“Ugh!?”

Eustace’s body, pulled by gravity, began a free fall in the moonlight.

“Since what I need is inside the body, I guess the other parts aren’t really necessary.”

The voice of Ishtar saying that was chilling.

`This is bad…!`

No matter how much she had regained the power of the holy sword, Eustace’s own skills were still a little lacking to be called one person’s worth.

If she fell from this height, there was a high possibility that it wouldn’t end at the level of shattering all the bones in her body.

`I, I haven’t learned how to use sacred magic power for defense yet…!`

In the first place, it was a pointless training for Eustace, who didn’t have enough sacred magic power to spare for defense, so she had been trying to increase her swordsmanship even a little, but.

Now that things had turned out this way, she squeezed her eyes shut, regretting that she should have at least learned the theory, even if it was unnecessary training.

“Nora!”

“Yes!”

From the sudden voice that was heard from the side, it felt like her body had become as light as a feather.

No, to be exact, it was a strange sensation of her waist being grabbed by something and held tightly, then floating into the sky for a moment before falling back to the ground.

Instead, unlike before, it didn’t feel like her bones would break even if she fell to the ground.

When Eustace slightly opened her tightly closed eyes—

There, she could see a woman, several heads taller than herself, gently landing on the ground with Eustace’s body held around her waist.

And what she was wearing was a pure white apron dress.

“I, I survived…”

Eustace’s sigh of relief and the woman holding her shouting in a booming voice happened almost simultaneously.

“Luberra! You seem safe!”

It was a loud and healthy shout that hurt Eustace’s ears.

“Well done, Nora.”

Appearing in front of Eustace with light footsteps was, as expected, the owner of the familiar voice.

A fluttering servant’s attire with a beautiful magic sword hanging on her waist.

Black hair and black eyes shining in the moonlight.

“Luberra…!”

“You appeared sooner than I thought. Bitches of Tromaeia. I should have sent a few people to that girl you went to call— Ferdia, was it? —to tie her down.”

When Ishtar spoke that way with a feeling of contempt, Luberra replied with a blank face while placing her hand on the hilt of her sword.

“I’m sorry, but she’s not the only one who moved.”

At Luberra’s words, Ishtar frowned.

One by one, the maids who had subdued the soldiers in the monastery gathered in the garden, and Remilia, who had been fighting Anansi, also returned to Rosaria’s side.

“…The brainwashed soldiers have been annihilated. At this rate, it seems like the tables have turned.”

The maids surrounding them were aiming at Remilia and Rosaria with their weapons.

However, unlike Remilia’s worried voice, Rosaria wore a bitter smile.

“No… Just the fact that Cleon isn’t here is enough of an opportunity. With so many spectators gathered here, it wouldn’t be bad to kill them all here.”

“… …”

At Rosaria’s words, Remilia twitched her eyebrows and then nodded as if she had grasped her master’s intention.

“What a pathetic display of strength. I already know that there is a delay when there are many transfer targets. If you’re thinking of summoning something… I’ll cut you down on the spot.”

Perhaps she thought it was a bluff, Luberra, based on the information she had heard from Grey, was saying that if she was thinking of doing anything, she would stop Ishtar even if it meant killing Rosaria.

It was as if she was saying that it was her responsibility for rescuing Rosaria.

However, Ishtar listened to Luberra’s story and shook her head while chuckling.

“Haha. How scary, but I don’t really intend to summon a lot.”

“…What are you—”

“The reason for the delay in the ability is not the `quality`, but the `quantity`.”

In the next moment, what appeared in front of the maids was a purple crystal transferred onto Rosaria’s hand.

And, a `giant male demon with a goat’s head`.

“Everyone!! Close your eyes!”

It was the head of the monastery who shouted, having barely finished treating her own body and getting up.

People who reacted reflexively to the sudden shout closed their eyes. The head of the monastery deployed a barrier in preparation for Remilia or Rosaria, or the summoned demon, to launch additional attacks while their vision was blocked, and then a `tsk` sound was heard.

“What… was… what was that just now…?”

As Luberra muttered that, the head of the monastery slowly replied.

“It’s an incubus. Paired with a succubus, a `demon` that governs human lust. Just as a succubus dominates the minds of men and arouses desires, an `incubus` can do the same to women.”

“…That thing with the goat’s head? It didn’t look attractive though.”

Luberra said that and recalled the appearance of the demon called `incubus` that she had witnessed for a moment.

It had a muscular body, but its lower body was covered in fur with reversed joints like an animal, and it didn’t even have genitals.

Instead, it had wings similar to those of a dove on its back, its head was that of a goat, and its tail was that of a viper.

It had burning hooves on its feet and flippers on its hands.

It was an appearance that combined the characteristics of animals from the sky, land, and sea.

No woman here would find such a hideous appearance attractive.

However, the head of the monastery replied in a serious tone.

“It’s the `original form`.”

“…Original form?”

When Luberra replied that way to a term she had never heard before, the head of the monastery continued to explain.

“The `original form` of a demon summoned by offering a large number of sacrifices. Both succubi and incubi are called `yin demons` because their main purpose is to extract the essence of humans, so they `create` a beautiful appearance with the intention of mixing bodies.”

“…So, the original forms of the yin demons are closer to those hideous demons from before….”

“The original form is a demon that has brought the authority of hell, which is not restricted in this world. Its power is so strong that it can affect even the summoner’s allies. Only the summoner themselves is exempt from it. The purple crystal ball from before is a magical tool for controlling and maintaining the demon.”

“…If we open our eyes—”

The head of the monastery paused for a moment before answering.

“At that moment, your soul and essence will be taken away by the incubus.”

As the head of the monastery’s story ended, the sound of clapping, presumed to be from Ishtar, echoed.

“Thanks for the explanation. I was quietly listening without realizing it. As she said, it’s better not to open your eyes. It’s annoying that even Remilia can’t open her eyes, so she can’t break through the barrier right away—”

In the next moment, the head of the monastery suddenly felt a burden on the barrier.

“Kuh…!”

“You don’t think the original form is just standing still and seducing women, do you?”

From that remark, it was clear what she was doing.

She was using the power of the summoned incubus to gradually melt the barrier that was protecting everyone.

She had barely recovered from having her internal organs torn to shreds by the destruction of the barrier by the magic spear a while ago, so her sacred magic power was lower than its original level.

In that situation, she wondered if she could withstand the black magic power of the original form demon, and whether the wound would reopen in the process.

The head of the monastery bit her lip but tried to maintain the barrier, but it was no longer possible to prevent the barrier wall from melting.

Luberra quietly placed her hand on the magic sword in that situation.

[Barisada…]

[Yeah… Even if I block your vision, I can roughly tell the location of surrounding objects.]

The fact is that Barisada, who is not originally human, can take on human form and senses, and is also female.

But the basis is a `magic sword`, that is, an object that is not human.

If she scatters magic power like radar, she can grasp the position through what is reflected back.

Accurate coordinate designation is required for distortion, so it would be impossible to use it while blocking the vision of the owner, Luberra, but.

At least, becoming her eyes—

[I think it would be good to cut the crystal ball.]

At Luberra’s words, Barisada gave an affirmative answer while emitting a faint light and vibration.

[But, there will definitely be a demon on the path I can designate… At least, I need help to remove the demon from that path…!]

At Barisada’s words, Luberra fell silent for a moment.

Somewhere, there was a sound of teeth grinding.

Perhaps all the battle maids were feeling frustrated with this frustrating situation.

If left like this, one of them— or all of them— might open their eyes and be brainwashed by the incubus.

The battle maids of the Tromaeia family are all women, have stories to tell, and have terrible personalities.

“You guys! If any of you open your eyes, I’ll report it directly to Lady Aurelia!”

When Luberra raised her voice like that, the boiling killing intent of the battle maids decreased a little.

“Okay, okay. The barrier is almost gone now. Disappearing? Thinner than a fingernail, a barrier like a wall made of paper…”

At that time, Luberra felt the sound of metal clattering next to her.

“…Did you hear what I just said? Don’t open your eyes without permission—”

“I’m sorry, but I’m not a servant, so I have no reason to be called by the lady.”

Luberra thought it was one of her fellow battle maids who was talking, but the answer and the owner of the voice were completely different people than expected.

“Y, Eustace… What are you—”

The period was too short to improve the impression of her. But, Eustace speaks.

“If I remove that demon, can you do something about it?”

“Don’t think of such foolish things. You are a `woman` now. You heard what the head of the monastery said, right.”

At Luberra’s cold words, Eustace closed her mouth for a moment.

And, she slowly opened her mouth again and spoke as if organizing her thoughts.

“Of course… I’m a woman now. But that’s just the story of the body. My soul and spirit are still directed towards only one person. As long as that doesn’t change— I don’t care whether I’m a man or a woman.”

“… …”

Luberra was a little overwhelmed by Eustace’s unwavering words and closed her mouth.

And then, Eustace slowly opened her eyes.

And the appearance of the original incubus form that came into view again.

Now that she saw it, its size was also huge, similar to or larger than Nora’s level.

“Ahahaha! To think you would open your eyes out of recklessness!”

The moment she thought Ishtar’s laughter echoed loudly—

The wave of charm, like a curse, that spewed out from the incubus’s body, covered Eustace.

However, Eustace let out a slight moan and sent all the curses to the back.

“…What?”

It was Ishtar who made a dumbfounded voice at that.

But she soon narrowed her eyes and glared at Eustace.

“The creation conditions of the crystal… Acknowledging being a man, while simultaneously acknowledging being a woman… Because she is such an ambiguous being, the power of the incubus doesn’t work on her!”

“Whatever it is…! Mistilteinn! Move the demon!”

When she drew Mistilteinn, a brilliant silver light spread out.

Mistilteinn split into multiple copies, and only the blade, without a handle… Something like a giant needle appeared.

And that needle quickly rushed and removed the original form demon from Luberra’s path.

“Haaat!”

In the next moment, Luberra, perhaps having received a signal from Barisada, kicked off the ground and sprinted to where Ishtar was.

“Kuh… The transfer—”

“I won’t let you…!”

Before the situation could worsen again, she destroyed the crystal ball that Rosaria had.

“Sky Pillar…!”

A swordsmanship swung around while spinning with the moonlight on its back.

It would be a shame if only Eustace and Ishtar could see that beautiful form.

And— *swoosh*!

At the same time, the crystal ball, which had been cut in half and was falling to the ground, removed the incubus’s control and reversed its summoning.

“Tch…! Seriously annoying…! The power of the crystal, and the unexpected actions too…!”

Rosaria’s hair was messed up as if she was close to hurting herself, as Ishtar inside Rosaria was angry, and Eustace once again wrapped sacred magic power around Mistilteinn and swung it at Rosaria this time.

Then, Ishtar’s possession was released from her body, and Rosaria regained consciousness and collapsed on the spot.

Remilia also thought that there was no need to stay here any longer after seeing that.

She was about to hide in the shadows of the moonlight and escape from this place.

“Everyone! Chase her! If you follow her, maybe the starting point of Ishtarote—”

When Ravita shouted that and the battle maids started to move.

Luberra also opened her eyes and looked at Eustace.

Eustace sighed and returned Mistilteinn to her waist, and in the meantime, she made eye contact with Luberra.

“You… have changed. A lot.”

“It’s thanks to you and Cleon… This time too.”

If she hadn’t been able to accept Leona— Cleon’s feelings within herself, the original form demon would have broken through the barrier as is and endangered the group.

“…The trigger for change can be others. But, changing is yourself. At least I have to admit that you are a different kind of human than the `Marquis`.”

“…Thank you.”

How long has it been since she was recognized as being different from her father?

Eustace said that and clenched her fist tightly.

She didn’t know why, but Mistilteinn’s power had returned. Now she could help Cleon’s fight.

“… …”

And Luberra’s eyes looking at such Eustace were sharp like `hawk eyes`.

001

Somehow the incident was settled, and the monastery, including the fallen brainwashed soldiers, had suddenly increased in number.

However, the brainwashed soldiers did not regain consciousness no matter how much time passed.

The head of the monastery said that it was as if their souls had been sucked out and they had become empty shells.

“Could it be the demons?”

The biggest hint to reach the conclusion was already spreading around.

The head of the monastery, Liza, as well as the doctor Ferdia and the hero Eustace, clenched their fists and felt resentful.

In the midst of this, a servant of the Tromaeia family visited the monastery.

The one she was looking for was `Eustace`.

“Ms. Eustace. There is something the Tromaeia family would like to directly ask of you.”

“Me…? The Tromaeia family…? What on earth…”

Eustace was a noble family in the past, and even now, the status itself remained, but since she had never met a noble since then, this place seemed tense.

What is the purpose? Could it be that she has become the other party’s target and they are going to imprison her somewhere?

Or, just extract that from her body?

But, as if blowing away all of Eustace’s doubts, the servant of the Tromaeia family spoke.

“Ms. Eustace. Would you like to join the `Battle Maids`?”

“…Yes?”

She was being offered another path of hardship.