Published at 17th of August 2019 9:13 am

Volume 19, Chapter 1: Faraway Days

This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml

Part 1

Wednesday, September 15

Marina and Kai first met at their common workplace, which was the magical kingdom of Folsaria's regular army, Rainbow Heart. Marina was a new magical girl, and Kai was a soldier in charge of her guard. While magicians were strong, they required time to cast spells, so when used in squads it was common for guards to buy that time.

They were both young and of different gender, which lead to them often clashing after just becoming partners. However after completing many missions together, the sense of antagonism between them gradually lessened. Eventually the two fell in love and became partners in both public and private. After that, Marina decided that she would retire and marry Kai.

While she had decided to marry, her present mission was still ongoing. After completing it, she would retire and marry. Marina was ecstatic, but she was calm enough to not let that affect her mission. As expected of a magical girl who had been active for a long time.

The last time they would partner up for a job was a somewhat dangerous one. The mission was to infiltrate the mansion of someone suspected of being a necromancer, and obtaining evidence of illegal actions. In the magical kingdom of Folsaria, personal use of magic was strictly restricted. Necromancy-type magic in particular was often used for evil, so even when requested for, its use was often not permitted. The person in question was suspected of using necromancy, but there was no evidence and as such, impossible to make an arrest. There, Marina and Kai were given the mission to infiltrate the mansion and find evidence.

“To think we'd have to infiltrate despite this much evidence...”

Kai looked up at the mansion in the dark and let out an exaggerated sigh. The mansion was far from the city and left a cruel and lonely impression. Marina called out to Kai. Kai was large, so Marina was looked up at him, who was looking up at the mansion.

“Don't complain. We can only prove that they have bought prohibited goods from their account book. It's no where near as heavy of a crime as necromancy”

Before coming here, the two had made a preliminary investigation. Being a public institution, they couldn't enter someone's house without a well-grounded reason. From their preliminary investigation they found that the owner of this mansion had purchased materials required for necromancy. However, the weight of the crime would greatly differ depending on if that type of spell had been used or not. Thus they had no choice but to infiltrate the mansion to get a closer look.

“I know that too”

“Fufufu, now that I think about it, you weren't so good with ghosts and zombies, were you?”

“You're the strange one being fine with them”

“Aha, doesn't that make you just as strange, seeing as you're taking that kind of woman as your wife?”

“I'm aware”

“How rude”

”You said it yourself!”

The two casually chatted as they worked together to climb over the wall around the mansion. The large Kai served as a stepping stone to allow for Marina to climb over first. Marina then pulled Kai over from the top. Their teamwork was perfect, showing their experience as partners and the depth of their trust.

“You're a bit heavy. Why don't you diet a little for your new partner?”

While Marina would retire, Kai would continue serving as a guard for Rainbow Heart's magicians. Of course, Kai would partner with a new magician. Marina was a little worried about that new partner.

“I'll think about it if it's a cute girl”

“Geez!”

”Haha, nobody is cuter than you though”

“It's always just flattery!”

It looked like there was no reason to worry. Marina felt relief as she looked at Kai's cheerful smile. However that was as long as Marina and Kai could enjoy themselves. The two wordlessly nodded at each other and jumped down from the wall, landing without sound inside of the premise.

“...The problems start here”

”Let's just go at it like normal”

”Yeah”

Having entered the premise, the witty atmosphere from seconds before vanished. It was time for them to act as members of Rainbow Heart.

Part 2

When using large-scale magic, a magic circle and a ritual was required. Magic circles were like storehouses that stored a large amount of magical power, while at the same time being a circuit capable of creating specific effects. For that sake, a secure surrounding was a necessity, such as a basement made of stone. The basement also had the benefit of being out of the public eye. This time was the same, and a magic circle had been prepared underground.

“It seems like the magic circle isn't complete yet... is this smaller magic circle for experimenting?”

“Just what were they planning on doing with a magic circle this large...?”

Marina and Kai found magic circles in the basement. This confirmed the suspicions of necromancy, but the size of the circle was strange. The magic circle they found was so large, that it could be used to summon hundreds of departed souls. It was a dangerous formation that could destroy an entire city.

“...I want to revive my granddaughter, young lady from Rainbow Heart”

Suddenly, a voice came from behind Kai and Marina. When they hurriedly turned around, they saw an elderly person.

“Who are you!?”

”That's my line, young one”

”You're...”

The two had seen that person before. When they had observed the mansion earlier on, they had confirmed all of the residents. This was the master of the house, Gazan.

“I am Gazan Saiga, the master of this mansion”

”Gazan-san, stop this at once!”

The elderly man wanted to revive his granddaughter. While his objective was understandable, the cost was too high. All kinds of things could be done with magic, but reviving someone who had once lost their life was difficult. The required magical power was all too great, an enormous investment in a magical power generation device, or a great deal of sacrifices was required. Based on the type of magic circle, the elderly man had chosen the latter. Sooner or later, many would be sacrificed here. Marina couldn't accept that, and reviving the dead was forbidden in Folsaria. That's why Marina tried her best to get him to stop.

“...Young lady, you still haven't experienced what its like to lose something truly precious, have you?”

“Eh?”

Marina was puzzled by the elderly man's unexpected words. He looked at her with pity in his glance, or it might be that the glance was directed at his past self.

“After losing my granddaughter... after losing something truly important, what do you think remains?”

“That's...”

Marina couldn't answer the elderly man's question. Like he had said, Marina hadn't experienced losing something truly important.

“Desire. The kind of desire you would feel when you're dying for water in a scorching desert. Why is there no water nearby... why is my granddaughter not here, the thirst is all on your mind”

At that moment, Marina saw insanity within the elderly man's eyes. The elderly man grieved the absence of that important to him, and in his desire, he touched upon the taboo. He wanted to recover that important to him even if he had to go against the laws of nature. As it were, his thirst grew to such lengths that he would kill his companions to rob them of their water. He no longer had any hesitation to sacrifice the lives of others.

“Marina, it's no use talking to him”

Kai drew his weapon after listening to the elderly man. Seeing that, Marina's eyes shot open wide.

“Kai! You can't! Gazan-san will understand if we talk to him!”

“We don't have enough water to satisfy his thirst. It's very regrettable...”

Marina didn't understand, but Kai did. He had experienced the loss the elderly man was talking about, he had lost his little sister. That's why he understood the elderly man's determination. In this situation, Marina's kindness could invite a fatal outcome. Kai simply couldn't let that happen, as she would become his wife.

“Young one, you're right. Your lives aren't enough to revive my granddaughter! Not at all!”

That was when four ornament armors, one in each corner of the room, began moving. The armors smoothly unsheathed their swords, as if there were people inside and attacked Marina and Kai from all sides.

“You only have two futures! Quietly becoming sacrifices, or dying right now!”

The elderly man was controlling the four living armors. He would capture Marina and Kai and use them as sacrifices. Marina in particular was a magician, and had a high aptitude as a sacrifice. And if that wasn't possible, they would disposed of so that they couldn't get in the way. The elderly man had let the two walk freely all the way to his basement just for this.

“Gazan-san, please listen!”

“It's not possible! Nobody will be able to reach that old man now!”

Getting attacked from all sides was bad. Kai pulled on Marina's hand as she was still trying to talk to the elderly man and headed towards one of the living armors. Whether they could destroy one of the armors before they could group up would determine the outcome. By doing that, they could keep their backs clear.

“But Kai, doing something this sad for the person they love is―”

“You can still talk to him after destroying the armors!”

“O-Okay!”

Marina felt reluctant, but she would indeed be able to talk with the elderly man after the living armors had been destroyed and things had calmed down. That's why the living armor would be destroyed first, having decided on that she began her incantation with her cane in hand.

“Enhance Weapon!”

Marina cast a spell to enhance the power of Kai's sword. When the two fought together, having Kai use his sword skills and Marina add her magical power on it gave them the most attack power. When it came to destroying the living armor swiftly, this method was the best.

“Marina, slow down the other armors!”

Leaving those words behind, Kai charged at the armor in front of him. The combined power of the two easily cut through the living armor's sword and right arm.

“Leave it to me! Magnetic Field!”

Marina created a powerful magnetic field around the area where the other three armors were. The steel armors were caught in the field and stopped moving.

However, the restraints using this method was not perfect. While they were caught in the magnetic field, they slowly crawled forward. The magical power within them was greater than expected.

“Kai! They're stronger than I thought! Hurry!”

There was a limit to how long Marina could stop the armors from moving. It was vital that Kai defeated one of the living armor's as quickly as possible.

“Leave it to me!”

The sword swung using both hands sliced the living armor in half. Marina's magical power was powerful, but Kai's skill with the sword was quite impressive as well. Not satisfied with having destroyed one of the armors, he headed towards a second. Seeing that, Marina changed the shape of the magnetic field. She couldn't allow Kai to get caught up in the magnetic field.

“I won't let you interfere! She will soon be revived!”

However, the elderly man wasn't about to just let that happen. Brandishing the cane in his hand, he began incanting. He himself was responsible for the magic circle and the creation of the living armors. He himself was a powerful magician.

“Deadly Cloud!”

The elderly man unleashed a cursed cloud that drained life force. It was an evil necromancy spell that could only be used for murder. The pitch black cloud enveloped Kai along the three living armors. His allies were armors moving by the power of magic, so this spell didn't affect them. It was a clever attack that would only defeat Kai.

“Kai!”

”Don't worry!”

Kai held his breath before the cloud surrounded him. This cursed cloud took effect after being inhaled. Since Kai was knowledgeable in magic, he didn't receive the curse of death.

“I'll dispel it right away! Just hang in there for a moment!”

“...”

Instead of replying to Marina, Kai defeated one of the nearby armors. Marina felt some relief upon seeing that, and calmly incanted her spell. She had to do something about the black cloud first of all.

“Greater Dispelling!”

“...”

Hearing Marina cast her spell, Kai defeated yet another armor, leaving only one left. Wanting to finish this before Marina's spell took effect, Kai swung his sword back towards the final armor.

The last armor fell down as the parts scratched against each other and made a shrill noise. The next moment, Marina's spell activated, erasing the black cloud. It was exactly the outcome the two had aimed for.

“I've got you!”

However, that was the exact opening the elderly man had waited for. By creating the black cloud, the elderly man had concealed what he himself was doing. Their view was limited and they couldn't see past the armors. Moreover, the lethal cloud was useful for distracting the two. As a result, the two hadn't been able to see through what the elderly man was planning. Kai was focused on the living armors, and Marina was too busy erasing the cloud. The elderly man used that opening to prepare another spell. And just as Marina used her own spell to erase the cloud.

“Die, damned Rainbow Heart!!”

As the black cloud vanished, Kai showed his defenseless side to the elderly man. After casting a spell, Marina couldn't do anything. The spell the elderly man had prepared, the arrow made from negative life force, was fired at Kai. Unlike Marina, Kai was a normal human. There were countless others that were just as good as sacrifices as him. The elderly man's plan was to kill Kai first.

“Oh no!?”

The dark purple colored magical arrow hit Kai just where the elderly man aimed. Kai couldn't dodge it, and Marina couldn't cast a spell to protect him.

“KAIIIII!!”

Like that, Marina lost something truly important. And at the same time, she understood what the elderly man meant by desire.

Part 3

Dark Purple woke up from her own scream. Looking at her hand reached up towards the ceiling, she realized that she had been dreaming.

Ever since she lost her lover, Kai, she had seen this dream several times over, and lost her lover every time. For each time, the desire the elderly man spoke of grew stronger. Right now, she fully understood how the elderly man felt. She believed her past self, that wanted to convince the elderly man, was nothing but a fool.

“...Just a while longer, just a little longer... once Rainbow Heart is defeated, I can revive Kai... I can go back to those past days...”

Having lost Kai, Marina killed the elderly man. Entrusting herself to the rage of having lost her lover, she easily ended the man's life. She then inherited the elderly man's research in order to revive Kai. Just like with the elderly man, her desire made her do that.

However, her experience as a member of Rainbow Heart warned her. At this rate, Rainbow Heart would get in the way. That's why she turned to Darkness Rainbow. With her talent, attachment and desire, it didn't take long for her to become one of the leaders.

Like that, Marina became Dark Purple, and began moving to defeat Rainbow Heart. In order to move her research to an even greater scale, Rainbow Heart had to be destroyed first. She didn't care, even if she had to go up against her past allies. She was no longer Marina, but Dark Purple, a magical girl of Darkness Rainbow.

“...Just wait a little longer, Kai... my beloved... I'll take care of Rainbow Heart and pull you out from there...”

Purple looked up at a nearby glass, cylinder-shaped tank. Inside was the corpse of man, floating in preservation fluid. It was the corpse of Purple's lover who she wanted to revive more than anything. Purple stared at his corpse for a while, with her eyes full of deep love, insanity and desire, while repeating to herself that the decisive battle was close, and so was her reunion with her lover.

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