two completely different things.

But even so, Layfon could feel around for some action that he could take.

The powers of these two weren't comparable. Though right now wasn't a leisurely time, he did have time to think.

He had to use this time as well as possible.

A long battle would be useless to them, and regardless of what they did they had to find a way to finish the opponent in one strike.

But in that case, they would have to prepare a huge Kei technique.

And they really didn't want to use that kind of destructive force in this underground facility so close to the Mechanical Department.

"What should we do...."

Just as Layfon was still thinking about these things.

"Haha, Grendan!"

The joyful Alsheyra called out a name.

As if responding to the call, a four-footed beast appeared not far from Layfon.

A mysterious beast whose entire body was covered with glowing light.... the Electronic Fairy Grendan.

The Electronic Fairy responding to the Queen's call made a bestial howl, and then a ball of light appeared on its head.

By the time that Layfon saw the light before him was being compressed, it had already suddenly flown out.

Flying towards Alsheyra.

The Queen deftly caught the rapidly-flying light, revealing its shape.

A spear.

Though its external appearance seemed very plain, the energy of an Electronic Fairy indeed composed this spear.

As the Queen flowed her own Kei into it, waves of Kei spread outwards with the Queen as the center.

Every time, the spear became even sturdier than before. The originally light-blue colored spear slowly became red.

The battle didn't stop as the spear continuously changed. Sweeping with the spear point, striking with the spear haft, and then using her feet to kick to widen the distance, and finally casting the spear out towards L?vateinn from far away.

Layfon had felt this kind of Kei color and vibration before.

This light had ended the battle in Grendan before.

The destructive light that stimulated Layfon's memories was drawn towards L?vateinn's body.

....One moment before, L?vateinn who was still flying through the air reached her hand out to the light.

She opened her fingers, as if she wanted to grab the spear.

Regardless of the speed or her posture, L?vateinn couldn't possibly succeed at what she was doing. Layfon had felt in the battle before that the attack this time contained enough might to be called certain death.

But, L?vateinn grabbed the spear.

Starting from the moment it had been cast out, the spear had abandoned maintaining its form, and after L?vateinn touched it, the energy contained inside was released in the form of explosions, making the light swell up.

But, it still needed some time before it reached full capacity.

In that short moment, L?vateinn didn't completely catch the spear, but changed its trajectory, letting it continue to fly out.

"What!"

Facing that kind of unexpected development, Layfon couldn't help but gape.

In this case, then this side would be involved.

"Ugh!"

Layfon quickly moved to a position where he could block it for Leerin, pouring all of his Kei into defense.

But, this time Layfon was worried more than necessary.

The light of the explosion was bounced back before Layfon's eyes.

"....What?"

An invisible wall had blocked the explosions.

"It's Saya's power."

As the chaotic explosions blocked Layfon's vision, Leerin spoke from behind him.

"She has the power to create boundaries in this world."

"Boundaries?"

"Yes."

Layfon turned his head to look at the nodding Leerin, and he didn't really understand the meaning of 'boundaries'.

She pretty much understood this by just looking at Layfon's expression.

"Nn.... Roughly speaking, it's a very strong defensive technique?"

"....I see."

Spoken this way, it was easy to understand.

"We only have this world because that power became great."

"R, really...."

As expected, that aspect of things was still hard to understand.

It was hard to understand, and even more difficult to accept.

"I was created in an emergency shelter as a human, to be thrown into the Zero Territory."

A new voice suddenly broke into the conversation of the two of them.

It was Saya who had been silent up to now.

"Because of chance, I met Airen, and then became as I am now, but originally I was only a machine."

On the other side of the invisible wall, the force of the explosions slowly weakened.

A great hole had been opened in the city, and the outside world could be seen at a glance. The earth hidden underneath the night and the city's shadow was quickly covered by walls made of vine-like objects. The city's emergency defense system had activated, and machinery proliferated and formed walls afterwards.

"A machine...."

Hearing Saya's words, Layfon turned backwards.

On the other side of the invisible wall, the battle between Alsheyra and L?vateinn still continued.

L?vateinn was also a machine.

She had the form of a human, and had lived with Layfon and others, but she was still a machine.

Because that was reality.

Indeed, her body had changed.

But, Layfon didn't doubt that Vati who had lived with them wasn't a human.

"....Machines will only complete their mission. They have no other doubts. They originally don't have anything like thinking ability, and opposing their original mission is like opposing their reason for existence."

Saya shouldn't be able to tell what Layfon was thinking.

But Saya still watched the battle while speaking.

"If she was something like me with a single function, then her worries should probably be easily eliminated? The functions she possesses should be 'use the abilities you have been given to serve your master'. Because of that kind of mixed and vague function, she feels worried about her own existence."

"........Is that how it is?"

Saya seemed to understand what she was talking about, but she also seemed to be a bit unclear.

"She has wanted to become closer to human emotions since the beginning, those thoughts are hidden inside her. I can tell from her outward appearance."

"Emotions?'

"I mean the emotions of her creator. His desires were all mixed into the plan. That sort of lack of unity made her a bit unbalanced, I think that's the reason."

"........"

The battle still continued. Layfon's eyes were trying to catch the two fighters.

But, Saya's words caught his attention.

"Though it's groundless, that outward appearance is probably according to the person the designer was thinking of."

Though Layfon thought about the words 'the person he was thinking of' for a moment, he understood in a moment.

"Being a machine whose one function being pursued is completely different from the other tormented her until now. So, she has always been searching."

"Searching for what?"

"Love."

"Love....?"

"My love has never betrayed my function. But, her function leads to chaos in her love, that is why."

The battle.... still continued. The sounds of battle rocked the underground, probably shaking the entire city.

All of the people in Grendan could probably hear these shocks.

The sounds of the Queen fighting with the one who wanted to destroy the world.

But, in those sounds, Layfon couldn't help but feel a bit of sadness from a different perspective.

"She endlessly betrays herself."

"........"

The battle continued.

Alsheyra and L?vateinn used the underground as an arena, jumping and fighting back and forth. Shockwaves distorted the surrounding darkness, and the waves of Kei that spread out tormented the surrounding metal foundations.

The battle between the two of them was indeed in a blind spot of the city.

If it were above ground, then the current situation might be insignificant, but a battle so close to an important place like the Mechanical Department gave one a strange tension.

"Layfon...."

As Layfon lost the optimal chance to act, Leerin's voice came over.

"Regardless of what that person hides...."

"I know. I understand as well."

If they didn't defeat L?vateinn, then the world would be destroyed. Layfon was very clear on that.

After hearing Saya's words, Layfon had indeed lost a chance to act.

The black-clothed girl's words made him think of Vati who had once lived with him in Zuellni, that had not been a lie.

'She wants to become closer to human?'

He finally understood the meaning of 'Vati B's words that he had heard from Felli.

If he hadn't understood anything, if L?vateinn stayed a simple enemy, then this would have been a much easier thing.

But, things obviously wouldn't become like that.

"I know that she's a being we must defeat."

If he wanted to save Leerin who was caught in a whirlpool, that meant he would have to go fight.

In order to be able to protect his family members, he could only do this.

It was impossible for everyone to be able to obtain their desired outcome, he had known this for a long time. Clashes would happen all the time regardless of the stakes. Happiness wasn't the same to everyone, and these things couldn't fit together like a puzzle. In order for one person to be happy other people had to be discontent - that was a common thing.

Layfon's world was an obstacle to L?vateinn reaching her goal, so wanting to protect the world could only mean eliminating L?vateinn.

Layfon wouldn't know any method that could avoid battle.

"I'll go. I didn't come here to run away."

The labors he had undertaken before weren't so he could experience a setback here.

He hadn't gotten Felli involved in this on purpose.

Though she had said he didn't need to concern himself with that, Layfon still felt guilty that he had involved her in these dangers, and pain seeped into his heart.

Of course there was also warmth.

He couldn't ignore the throb he felt in his heart.

It was something he couldn't deceive himself about.

Layfon's focused his will into the solid sword hilt he grasped in his hand. Kei was already rushing through his body.

The battle had already begun.

"I can start at any time."

"....Really, then it's about time to start moving."

Lintence said this.

"Do we have any tactics?"

"Incinerate her after stopping her movements. Other than this, do we need anything else?"

"....Understood."

In truth, there was only one way.

Though he had originally thought that there could be some other way, he could only rely on Lintence if he had to catch up to the speed of the battle between Alsheyra and L?vateinn.

"The Queen is even less fitting for the word cooperation than I am, so we can only think of some way to coordinate with her."

"....Understood."

If he made a wrong step, he could be killed by the Queen's fist.

After making that kind of determination, Layfon jumped out.

Passing through the invisible wall that Saya had created, he didn't encounter any resistance. So, Layfon wasn't clear whether he had actually passed through it or not.

But, he was sure that he had crossed it.

The Kei pressure permeating the battlefield almost blew away Layfon as he was leaping through the air. The surrounding airflow was chaotic because of the shockwaves produced in the battle of the two.

With sometimes tailwind, sometimes a headwind, and sometimes wind blowing in opposite directions, Layfon searched for a way to jump closer to the two of them.

But, the obstruction that the chaotic wind produced was more than Layfon had thought.

"Damn."

Layfon restored the Sapphire Dite to steel threads, and then created a surface to run on by spreading the steel threads out.

As he got closer and closer to the battle, the pressure became greater, and he felt a sharp momentum from the shockwaves. Just trying to get closer was already risking his life.

Layfon clenched his teeth, jumping in.

"You're in the way!"

Alsheyra didn't seem very pleased with Layfon and Lintence getting involved.

But, that had nothing to do with Layfon and Lintence. After evading the Queen's fist, his blade attacked L?vateinn in a flash.

But the slash hadn't hit L?vateinn, but rather flew through the empty air.

However, Layfon wasn't the only one who had entered the battle.

Passing through the Kei pressure of the battle, countless soundless and presenceless spikes formed of steel threads attacked L?vateinn.

Different from Alsheyra's storm and Layfon who was pushed around by the strength chaotic airflow, it was a strike of another intruder who had quietly gotten close.

They hadn't expected the opponent to make any response.

But, it still didn't work, and their expectations were cleanly betrayed.

Moreover the one who destroyed them wasn't the enemy.

As if trying to push Layfon away, Alsheyra ran out before him and unleashed an attack. The pressure produced from that attack wiped out the power of the steel threads, blowing them away.

L?vateinn received the Queen's fist with a braced posture, and was sent flying.

"Don't get in the way!"

Alsheyra glared at Layfon as she leaped out chasing L?vateinn.

"Uh."

That kind of serious look from her who usually always wore a leisurely smile couldn't help but make Layfon stop his feet.

"Don't stop."

Lintence's voice was very low, coming from behind his back.

"Ah, sorry."

"Don't get intimidated. If you care about that woman's capriciousness we won't be able to accomplish anything."

"Y, yes!"

Capriciousness.... It was probably only Lintence who could say that after seeing the Queen's look. Layfon reclaimed his momentum, once again chasing after them.

Once he got close, a wordless roar battered Layfon's entire body. It was Alsheyra's anger.

"Urraaaaaaaaah!"

But, just like Lintence had said, in order not to get intimidated by that imposing manner, Layfon roared back.

Though his roar didn't have any meaning, by letting out his voice, Layfon who was about to be intimidated by her imposing manner once again reclaimed the courage to return to the battle.

A fistfight still continued between the two. Alsheyra released Kei power, and no weapon existed that could endure that kind of destructive force.

Their speed was extremely surprising, and just clearly seeing their movements already used all of his power.

But, since he could see their movements, then he would be able to make predictions about their next moves.

He could find a gap to attack from his predictions, and release a slash.

Lintence's steel threads would also find a matching attack.

Alsheyra didn't roar this time. Though he could feel that she was displeased, she didn't deflect their attacks.

It couldn't be told from one or two moves whether the participation of the two had a favorable effect on the battle for their side or not.

On the third and fourth move they checked their opponent.

On the fifth and sixth move they released moves more smoothly.

On the seventh and eighth move they overcame the distance.

On the tenth move they had already transcended the problems, and the battle still continued.

The battle had been successfully maintained.

Though it was at the same time an exhausting battle, he could already keep up with its rhythm.

He could participate in the fight.

(We can win!)

He began firmly believing in that kind of confidence somewhere inside his heart. While he guarded against his confidence becoming pride, he crossed the threshold of death and continued the fight.

Though Lintence's steel threads wanted to catch L?vateinn, they passed through her body.

Layfon's slashes also encountered a similar phenomenon. Like a sensation as if cutting through empty air, though Layfon was already used to it, the different feeling threw his plans afterwards into disarray the first time he felt it.

This wasn't a hallucination.

It was only that the moment the steel threads and the blade made contact, the contacted particles forming L?vateinn's body would momentarily separate.

In order to not get confused by that extraordinarily fast response, he didn't have the leisure to get arrogant.

However, why hadn't that strange phenomenon happened with Alsheyra's fist?

Was it because her speed was even faster than Layfon and Lintence? Was it because her destructive power was too strong?

If it were truly because of the two of them, then it would be difficult even if they wanted to find a way to resolve it. But if it had some other reason, then there might be the possibility of winning.

Could they find it?

Layfon put more of his focus into his eyes in order to find it. The sensation of Kei rushing under his skin stimulated him. Though Layfon couldn't see it, perhaps the nerves around his two eyes were glowing because of the high concentration of Kei.

Fists, blade, and steel threads wove a deadly dance preparing to pull that mechanical doll into the abyss of death.

But, the doll endured everything.

Endured.

Not only this, she also tried to override it.

"Tch."

Alsheyra clicked her tongue, but it wasn't towards Layfon and Lintence.

Layfon who was sticking to the battle searching for an opportunity for victory knew that their side was slowly turning passive.

Was it because the addition of him and Lintence only made Alsheyra unable to unleash her original power?

Layfon only thought this for a moment.

But, he was quickly negated.

It was purely that L?vateinn's speed and power had overcome their side's.

"Even now...."

Layfon unconsciously spoke to himself.

Receiving the assault from the Heaven's Blade successors aboveground, and sustaining Layfon and Lintence's attacks on the road here, and then having the Queen also enter the battle after coming underground, L?vateinn should clearly have been continuously destroyed in that period, but right now, at this stage, L?vateinn's strength was still stronger then theirs?

"Damn...."

Her overcoming their methods made him feel an abnormal sense of crisis.

That kind of feeling made Layfon decide to leave the battle for a moment.

It wasn't only Layfon who left the battle.

Almost at the same time, the other two also left L?vateinn's side.

The battle stopped.

With a silence as if trying to make one forget the intense battle up till now, they stood still. The attackers and the defender's gazes converged.

"It's truly tangled. But this is also my first time, please be gentle."

"........"

L?vateinn didn't make any response to Alsheyra's words.

But, Layfon felt that some change had happened.

Not to say that an expression emerged on her, nor that she made any small movement.

Then, what was it....?

"Ah...."

He understood.

It was L?vateinn's face.

Her crystal clear skin was dirtied by the dust of the battle, though that was a natural thing.

But up to before she arrived in this underground space, she hadn't had this dust on her body.

Because of her strong regenerative ability, she could restore herself the moment she suffered wounds, and that was definitely also linked with her clean skin that wasn't fitting for this extreme battlefield.

Was that relationship slowly crumbling?

"There's something that's very strange, which is your expression."

Watching the unmoving L?vateinn, Alsheyra spoke.

"Or perhaps, has the puzzle already been solved?"

"It's the special ability of the 'Thorn Princess'."

Seemingly interested by Alsheyra's words, L?vateinn also opened her mouth.

"'Thorn Princess'?"

"That's Saya."

Just as Layfon was feeling confused, Lintence told him from his side.

Ignoring Layfon, L?vateinn continued speaking.

"She is using her space manipulation abilities to remove the Aurora particles from this pace."

"Ah, that's true. Are they called Aurora particles? It's a different way of saying pollutants. Because we also know that those are the source of your strength, so we only have this kind of outcome after spending quite a bit of labor to remove them!"

"It was Saya who thought of and implemented all of this, it has nothing to do with Her Majesty."

Leerin muttered softly.

"....But this way, won't you Military Artists be unable to wield your latent abilities?'

"Yes, if we were normal Military Artists."

Layfon didn't really understand the conversation between the Queen and L?vateinn, so he listened while regulating his breathing.

Kei rushed through his body, and even so, nothing at all was irregular.

"The Kei vein that Military Artists possess originally had the function to convert Aurora particles into energy. So in a situation without Aurora particles, normal Military Artists would be unable to fight."

Layfon felt that 'normal Military Artists' had been stressed repeatedly.

"But, the Heaven's Blade successors here.... the original Heaven's Blade successors were people with that kind of power. To possess such a power, there had to be some kind of factor in the Kei vein. And that factor was Airen's factor."

"Airen's factor?"

He had heard that name inside Harpe.

It seemed to be the name of person who had imprisoned L?vateinn's master, Ignasis, inside the moon.

"Airen who was the origin of the Military Artists has a rare Kei vein with a certain factor, and possessing it meant possessing the possibility of becoming a Heaven's Blade successor."

"....Airen's factor was an abnormality. It could also be called crystallized Aurora particles."

"It seems like that was the case."

"So that's how it is, in that case battle would be possible even without Aurora particles."

"Yes, and so, I'm very sorry, but you've been destined to be killed after being slowly weakened."

L?vateinn's goal was to eliminate Saya, so she couldn't escape from her 'invisible wall'.

Considering that it had defended against the explosion just now, perhaps an attack from outside the 'invisible wall' was no use.

But....

"I apologize, but I will not accept that kind of ending."

L?vateinn's expressionless face didn't change at all.

Perhaps that was normal. Her expression had never changed when she was in Zuellni either. That expressionless appearance made one think of a Psychokinesist. Just like Felli, it made one unable to do anything but guess when they would be able to understand the movements of their hearts.

But things weren't like that.

It was impossible for him to understand her lack of expression.

Because L?vateinn was a true machine.

....Then, did her words right now contain emotions or not?

Were they only just recounting facts?

Even if they were only recounting facts, weren't there several meanings contained among them?

Because this was her goal so she refused to leave....

She didn't have any reason to leave so she refused to leave.

Because she couldn't lose so she refused to leave.

If it were the final meaning, then he had to keep alert.

If she overexerted herself, there could be a sliver of hope.

But, if she only said this because she was already confident....

"Your Majesty, please be careful."

"Hm. But being careless is my trademark!"

Alsheyra still made a silly response to Layfon's proposal.

At the same time as these words were being spoken, Alsheyra moved.

If he had paid less attention he probably wouldn't even have felt her disappear, but Layfon still saw her movement.

The fistfight began again.

He had thought so.

But, it was wrong.

"What!"

A surprised gasp and a shockwave came, passing through the area behind Alsheyra.

Her fist had been caught.

L?vateinn still stood still, using a single hand to catch the Queen's fist.

"You are indeed extremely strong, and that girl and Saya are also extremely strong. But...."

"....Ghh."

Alsheyra's body shook slightly as she let out broken words.

Could it be that she couldn't take her fist back?

"But, your lives will probably have burned out before I am exhausted completely."

Cold words seeped into Layfon's mind.

He heard words announcing their destruction without any hesitation.

No, that was the truth.

Complying with her mission, Saya had said.

Complying with her master's orders, she had said.

In order to rescue her master who had been imprisoned in the moon, it didn't even matter if L?vateinn's own body was destroyed. Layfon believed her words held that meaning.

◇

The underground battle still continued.

Then, what about aboveground?

A strange silence dominated everything.

It should be said that it was a silence that made one panic.

"........Ha."

The surrounding air was incredibly tense, and one had to be cautious at every breath, as if worrying that something would explode. As he breathed, Haia watched everything that was happening in the surroundings.

Only a few minutes had passed since the giant that L?vateinn had left aboveground had been defeated.

The sacrifices had not been small.

And that crazy laugh that Savaris had made at the end still lingered in Haia's ears even now.

There was a huge hole before him.

It was the place that the giant had originally occupied, forming a giant bowl-shaped hole. The center was a dark and deep hole.

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