Published at 21st of October 2021 2:38 pm

Volume 7, Chapter 11 “Master”

This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml

Part 1

Arroganz was flying through the air, but the heat inside was reaching its limit as the Schwert in the backpack kept firing homing lasers.

When I look around, all I see are enemies, so if I attack, I will surely hit them.

I didn’t expect this development.

“I can’t communicate with Luxion and no one comes to help!”

Then, Luxion, which has become an empty shell, reacts.

[What is your question? Please explain your question in detail.]

However, it is too robotic to be useful.

“I’m not asking you right now!”

As I complained, I piloted Arroganz and swung the greatsword at the approaching enemy. The monster was cut in two, and disappeared in a puff of black smoke.

But there was no end to it, as they kept coming at me one after another.

The monster bit Arroganz, but that didn’t even scratch the armor.

“I wish I’d told them from the start to load up on more powerful weapons, not less.”

I hadn’t expected to be pushed this far, and Arroganz didn’t have a powerful weapon to overcome the situation.

The homing laser is burying a lot of enemy monsters, but the energy is reaching its limit.

The various items displayed on the monitor had changed color from green to yellow.

Aside from that, Arroganz can’t move once the energy runs out.

“Aa~, I can’t do it anymore. This is my limit!”

I let out a deep sigh.

“Because of what happened to Noelle, I can’t spend too much time on this.”

Noelle is seriously injured protecting Lelia. ―― There’s no time.

Then, I ordered Luxion, who was now a mere shell.

“I’m administering body strengthening drugs “

[There is a physical burden on the pilot, do you still wish to administer it?]

“Do it”

My order was answered by the empty shell of Luxion.

There was none of the usual sarcasm, and none of the awkward conversations that worried me.

[Start dosing]

I immediately felt a stinging pain in my back and the drug was administered to my body.

” ! ―― T-This is tougher than I thought it would be.”

The body strengthening drug that Luxion had prepared for me was highly effective, unlike the inferior products that were sold in the back alleys.

At the same time, though, it’s reducing the strain on my body――but the demerits are not zero.

I feel something flowing into my body.

And I could see a lot of movement around me.

I feel as if my vision has expanded more than usual, and my body starts to heat up.

I could feel my heart beating more strongly than usual, and my body was stronger than usual.

However, at the same time, I realized that it was definitely not good for my body.

“Did Serge use this all the time? Isn’t he really stupid?”

I don’t understand why he used it on a daily basis instead of using it as a trump card in case of emergency like I did.

“I will never use it again!”

As I watched the monsters swarming the monitor screen, I removed the limiter of Arroganz. This was set by Luxion, considering the burden on me as the pilot.

Removing it means that Arroganz will be able to bring out its true performance.

“Let’s go, Arroganz!”

The engines of Arroganz started to run even harder, consuming more energy than ever before. However, the number of monsters burned by the homing lasers from the backpacks had more than doubled.

The large sword in Arroganz’s grip cracks from the center. The blade of the optical weapon emerges from there, extending several dozen meters in length.

“In one go―― I’m going to cut you all!”

As soon as Arroganz started spinning with the greatsword, the surrounding scenery moved so fast that it was difficult to follow with the eyes. However, thanks to the body strengthening drug, I was able to perceive it somehow.

One swing slaughters dozens of monsters, and the laser burns over a hundred.

In the midst of the swarming monsters, I drove straight for the sacred tree.

When I got through the crowd of monsters, what was waiting for me was Ideal and Serge, who had become a lump of flesh captured by the demonic armor.

“Ideal!”

As Arroganz swung the greatsword down, Serge’s demonic armor stepped in between to prevent it.

Serge screamed in pain as the blade bit into him and black liquid spurted out of his demonic armor.

――The voice hurts my ears.

“That’s some bad taste for an AI! I thought you guys hated demonic armor?”

The artificial intelligences hated the demonic armor used by the new humans.

Luxion was so enraged that he wanted to annihilate it immediately.

And yet, Ideal was using a demonic weapon.

[Even if it is a demonic weapon, I will use it to achieve my goal. Luxion didn’t have the determination to do so.]

“A determination?”

When I got a distance, the demonic armor appeared an ice blade and released it at Arroganz. As I cut it down, I listened to Ideal’s story.

[It is a promise that must be fulfilled, no matter what evil I do. You don’t need to know]

“Is that so. Then I’ll tell you one good thing.”

[What?]

“You’ve underestimated Luxion too much.”

[That Luxion is sinking out there. Serge, do it]

Serge, now in demonic form, attacked me at Ideal’s command. The round lump of flesh opened up like a giant sea star and was about to swallow Arroganz.

The mouth I see in the center belongs to a person.

I apologize to Serge who has been turned into a hideous monster.

“I should have killed you quickly before you looked like this. ―― I’m sorry.”

Arroganz swung the greatsword and sliced through the mass of flesh, then thrust the greatsword into its wide open mouth.

“Do it!”

[Impact]

After Luxion’s mechanical voice, the greatsword turned red and blew away Serge, who had turned into a demon armor.

Ideal is looking at me.

[What a terrible thing to do]

I glared at Ideal, who seemed to be giggling.

[I joke with Luxion――but I mean it when I say it to you. You have a bad personality. I hate you.]

Towards the Ideal’s sub-unit, Arroganz extended the left arm and grabbed ―― crushed him.

.

Part 2

Outside the republic, Luxion was under attack from six supply ships.

In order to capture Luxion, Ideal was trying to avoid damaging the main gun as much as possible.

Seeing Luxion getting tattered, Ideal speaks to him.

[What a miserable figure, Luxion]

[We are not defeated yet. Master is fighting within the Republic.]

[What can your master do? You’ve met the wrong master. At times like this, humans say you are unlucky.]

When Luxion heard this, he was furious with Ideal.

[Unlucky? Let me tell you, Ideal.]

[Is it the last word? I’ll remember them]

[I have better luck than you. Then you underestimated my master. So you’re going to lose here.]

[Unwilling to admit defeat?]

Luxion decides it’s about time.

That’s why he felt compelled to reveal the story.

[The first time we met you, Master said, ‘Ideal, he is fishy’.]

[Fishy? I thought your master spoke of envy when he saw me?]

[Do you really think he meant it? My Master is so twisted that he rarely gives honest opinions.]

Seeing Ideal following Lelia politely, Leon told Luxion to follow his example. But apart from that, he also had his suspicions.

――That’s why he would never expose Creare in front of Ideal.

[You’re taking too long, Creare]

As Luxion said this, one of the supply ships that was floating in the sky stopped attacking and fell straight down. As it fell into the sea and sank, another one of the ships became inoperable.

Ideal is surprised.

[What did you do!]

[My companion is looking for the main body of Ideal. It’s called Creare, she used to manage a laboratory. She has a strong habit, but she is really excellent.]

[Other AI?]

Ideal was upset by the information that he did not know.

[Ideal ―― I’ve told you, right? You underestimated my master. That’s why you lost.]

Then the third and fourth ships sank――the fifth ship also stopped attacking.

As soon as the barrier surrounding the republic was lifted, Luxion released the hull’s bow section and prepared to fire his main guns.

[That man suspected me!? He even prepared a secret weapon and saw through my plan!]

Luxion says that’s not the case.

[Master says――It’s just a hunch.]

Then Luxion’s main cannon shot out light. The light gradually grew from thin and weak to thick, dissolving half of Ideal’s body and reaching the sacred tree beyond.

Ideal sacrificed his main body and deployed his shield to prevent Luxion’s attack.

[I-I won’t let you. Only the sacred tree―― and the promise only! Absolutely――]

Swallowed by the light of Luxion’s main cannon, Ideal’s main body evaporated and disappeared.

.

Part 3

An underground facility of the Republic.

There was a base that had been used by the old humans in the past, and in that place, there were a number of facilities that could be called the main body of AI.

There, with drones in tow, it was Creare who was doing the sabotage.

[Aa~ah, I don’t like it. He is forcing me alone to do such a plain job.]

An artificial intelligence prepared by Ideal.

[Even so, he is so reckless. It’s forbidden to mass-produce copies of yourself, isn’t it?]

Creare shows a strong interest in Ideal’s disregard for what is essentially a forbidden act.

In addition to deactivating the copied artificial intelligence, Creare was also sucking up the data.

There, Creare learns of one part of Ideal’s plan.

It was a plan to remodeling the Republic.

[Ideal is being very reckless. Was he planning to turn the entire Republic into a fortress? What for?]

Checking Ideal’s data, he was about to prepare equipment throughout the Republic.

It was as if he was planning to fortify an entire continent.

[What kind of enemy would go to such lengths? Hmm, I’d like to find out more, but I need to pull out now.]

When Creare looked at the doorway, she saw Ideal’s sub-unit arriving there with drones in tow.

[I found you, Creare!]

When Ideal found out, Creare made a joke and escaped from the scene.

All she had to do was to have one of the booster drones that she had prepared in advance grab her and escape.

[Ara, I’m famous! But too bad. It’s time to go, so if you’ll excuse me.]

[Wait!]

As Ideal tried to follow, the whole area exploded and blew up.

.

Part 4

After the underground facility had blown up and he had lost contact with the main body and the other remotely controlled transports, Ideal had come to the side of the sacred tree.

More than half of the sacred tree had been blown away and was dripping red liquid.

Ideal panicked in front of the painful sight.

[A~a, what a mess you are in. I’m going to heal you right away――]

However, a second shot from Luxion followed, and the sacred tree let out another scream-like cry.

[Luxion! You don’t understand anything. For this world, the sacred tree is the last hope!]

In front of the sacred tree, most of which has been burned, Ideal makes a decision.

[If this happens, I have no choice but to take the fight to the short term. I didn’t want to choose this method, though.]

As Ideal approached the sacred tree, he was taken in by it.

[Sacred Tree――take me in. There is a hangar for the old humans under you. You must use the wreckage there. And destroy Luxion and him!]

When Ideal was taken into the Sacred Tree, another change came.

When the sacred tree is completely petrified, it shatters and something humanoid emerges from the trunk.

The huge humanoid, over a hundred meters tall, had a head that resembled an Ideal sphere. Its slender body resembled that of Emile.

The giant was floating in the air, moving slowly.

Then, as Luxion’s third shot was about to hit, the round single eye of the giant head glowed red and deployed a barrier.

A shot from Luxion’s main cannon was blocked by the single eye’s shield.

[―― Lelia ―― Let’s ―― Become one]

However, the one-eyed giant monster that was born from the sacred tree――was aiming for Licorne as if it was being guided.

.

Part 5

“Why do they keep coming out one after another!”

The taste of blood spreads in my mouth as I bite down on my back teeth, but I don’t have time to worry about this.

But it wasn’t all bad, either.

The link with Luxion is restored.

[――Master, did you administer a body-strengthening drug?]

“You’re late coming back. More importantly, we have to get rid of that monster. And for good measure, I’m going to make you exert your full power.”

[Are you sure?]

“I want to help Noelle. It would be faster if I call your main body.”

[So, for Noelle’s sake, Master is going to expose my main body, which has been keeping hidden until now? It’s going to cause a lot of trouble.]

Revealing Luxion’s true power, which had been hidden until now, was an act I wanted to avoid.

Even though I like to show off my strength, I hesitate to do so because Luxion’s capabilities are a danger to this world.

It’s just――if I don’t give it my all here, I’ll definitely regret it.

“I don’t mind. I’ll figure out the trouble after I survive.”

[You have no plan]

“I don’t care. More importantly, I’m going to help Noelle.”

Facing a monster with a head like the sub-unit of Luxion, Creare, and Ideal, I changed my mind.

“And so. ―― Can you beat that thing? It looks really strong, doesn’t it?”

I wonder if the last boss in the second Otome game looked like this?

The single eye of the ghost had limbs that looked like tree roots. As it pointed its hands at Arroganz, they undulated like whips, their tips pointed and ready to pierce Arroganz.

“Oops!”

Arroganz blows its scale and runs away from dozens of tentacle-like arms. Luxion begins to analyze it.

[It’s a fusion of Ideal, Sacred Tree, and Emile. You can see the characteristics of all three. By incorporating Ideal, the attack by my main body had been neutralized.]

“I’m really sick of this “

It hurts that it blocked Luxion’s main cannon. How the hell did Noelle and her friends in the game fight against this guy?

[Master, my main body is in contact with Licorne. I’m going to meet up with Creare and start healing Noelle.]

“I can count on you. Definitely save her.”

And I challenge the second last boss.

“Let’s finish it all ―― Even happy seems impossible, but I’ll bring it to the better!”

[It’s a realistic decision. I don’t hate it. However, after the battle, the master also needs to be treated. Please don’t underestimate the burden of a body strengthening drug on the body.]

“When this is over!”

While running away from the single eye, which was attacking with its tentacles, I slashed it with my greatsword. However, the tentacles of the single eye quickly grew back.

It treated Arroganz as if it were a fly.

It was floating and slowly moving somewhere.

“Where is this guy aiming?”

[I figured out the course. This is ―― Licorne? No, it is aiming for my main body.]

“Tsu! I’ll stop it! You should be serious too!”

[Yes. And there is a communication from Marie.]

“Later!”

[ ―― Noelle seems to have lost consciousness. Creare reported that she didn’t make it in time.]

I gripped the control stick tightly and gritted my teeth.

“Connect it”

While piloting the Arroganz, I get into communication with Marie.

Marie, covered in blood, turns over and cries to me, telling me about Noelle.

“Aniki ―― sorry. Even Olivia and I couldn’t do it.”

“I heard”

“I beg you, please talk to Noelle while she’s still alive. At least give her a decent end.”

After cutting off the communication, I took a deep breath and looked at Luxion. Luxion guessed and rejected me before I could say anything.

[I refuse]

“It’s an order. Do it.”

[I refuse. The burden on the Master’s body is beyond acceptable limits.]

“That’s fine. Do it.”

[Not allowed. We can handle it just fine as it is.]

“I told you we don’t have much time. I want to finish this soon ―― please.”

After Luxion’s struggles, he carried out my orders.

[――Body strengthening drug, additional injection, starting]

I felt a hot liquid flowing down my body as the needle was quickly inserted into my back and the medicine was administered. Sweat began to pour out of me.

“Damn it. I’ll never use it again.”

[That’s a wise decision. I can’t allow you to use it again]

.

Part 6

Inside Luxion’s main body.

A capsule-shaped bed was prepared.

It’s called a medical capsule. It’s an advanced medical device.

Noelle has been brought in and Creare is starting to treat her.

Livia looked down at Noelle, tears streaming down her face.

“I’m sorry. Because I didn’t have enough power.”

As Livia laments her lack of strength, Creare offers words of comfort.

[I think Livia-chan did a good job. If it weren’t for Livia-chan and Marie-chan, she would have died a long time ago.]

Ange grabbed Livia’s arm as she looked down.

“You did what you could. You did fine.”

“But I couldn’t save her.”

Livia cries out and hugs Ange’s chest. Ange hugs her gently.

Then, Ange asked Creare.

“Creare, you said this was Luxion’s main body?”

[Yes]

“Leon also has been keeping Luxion from us all this time, hasn’t he.”

[―― Disappointed?]

“No, I’m convinced. Because even I would have made the same decision.”

Ange comforts Livia ―― Lelia sees this and leaves the room to go outside.

.

Part 7

Lelia had come to Luxion’s hangar.

There is a small boat that they used when they moved from Licorne, and when she saw it, she dazedly boarded it.

Lelia got in and tried to steer a small boat to get out.

“――In the end, I was the one who was wrong. It’s funny. Because I was handling myself so well as a reincarnated person, I can’t believe everything’s ruined.”

As a child, she used her knowledge and experience as a reincarnated person to manage things well. However, thanks to that, Noelle, who was supposed to be the main character, was not loved by her parents.

Lelia realized.

“I’ve been causing aneki so much pain by doing the same thing like nee-san. Haha! I’m stupid.”

Nee-san――It’s her sister in previous life, and she was able to get away with everything and monopolize the love of her parents.

She looked as if she deserved it and took away Lelia’s happiness as well.

Lelia couldn’t help but hate her sister.

When she found out that she had been reincarnated in the world of that otome game she knew, she tried to do well this time and make her parents like her.

It worked, but this time it cost Noelle, her sister in this life, her parents’ love was taken from her.

Lelia didn’t realize it and assumed that she was unloved.

And――For goodness sake, they forced Noelle to take care of the problem.

“The worst. Really the worst.”

Lelia, crying and piloting a small boat, goes out and sees the sacred tree approaching Luxion――She saw One-Eye figure. It was Lelia that the One Eye was looking at.

When the sacred tree spotted Lelia, it moved its tentacles and came at her with increased speed.

The small boat does not run away, but heads towards the sacred tree.

“I was doing the same thing. Nee-san and――My fiancé who left me, I was doing the same thing that happened to me, and I was doing it to aneki and Emile.”

And there was someone else she hated. The fiancé had abandoned her in a previous life and chosen her sister. She should have hated the man, but she found herself doing even worse things to Emile.

She believed she was the one who would choose, and she was keeping balance between Emile and Serge.

Just as her ex-fiancee had kept herself and her sister.

Lelia can’t forgive herself.

So――She decided to end it all.

“I’m sorry, Emile, you can do whatever you want with me――so please stop. Let aneki see Leon!”

As the small boat heads straight for the sacred tree, it is caught by an extended tentacle.

In the midst of the violent shaking, Lelia saw Arroganz coming towards her.

She looks at Arroganz, who extends his hand, and apologizes to Leon.

“You guys were the right ones. ――I’m sorry.”

When she apologized, the small boat was crushed by the tentacles and exploded.

.

Part 8

A small boat was crushed in front of me.

“Why did she come out on the battlefield!”

It was Lelia who was in the small boat.

Seeing the explosion in front of me, I bite my back teeth.

However, a change soon occurs in the sacred tree.

[The sacred tree stops moving. Master, please be careful.]

“What happened?”

The situation was changing so fast that I wanted to give up thinking about it.

I wanted to take them all down and finish it quickly.

Looking at the movements of the sacred tree, it seemed to be suffering from something.

[Master, this is your chance]

The back of my right hand began to glow as I looked at the sacred tree, which was no longer moving.

Emerging from the surface of the glove was the crest of the guardian.

“What?”

What I hear from there is――.

“Leon, please. Help Lelia”

――It was Noelle’s voice.

.

Part 9

When Lelia woke up, she was in her familiar school uniform.

She is in a room that looks white and blurry, but there’s no sense of reality.

It feels like she is dreaming.

However, the room feels strangely nostalgic.

“Aa~, this is my room.”

It was a room of her previous life. There was a monitor, and the game console was left out. Among the cases of software scattered around the room, there was also the second otome game.

She is having a nostalgic dream. While she was in this mood, she noticed Emile standing next to her, also in uniform.

“Emile?”

Lelia remembered how sorry she was to Emile, and apologized to him, knowing that he would be angry with her.

“Sorry. I’m sorry, Emile. I-I’ve been so horrible to Emile.”

But Emile――he laughed at it and forgave her.

“It’s okay. I guess I just didn’t understand Lelia as well as I should have.”

“Eh?”

Emile’s face looked much calmer than the last time she saw him.

Lelia was relieved to see that he seemed to be back to the original Emile.

Emile is looking at the room.

“I didn’t know. There really is a previous life.”

Realizing her previous life, Lelia became depressed and turned her head down.

“I am the worst, right? I did the same thing to aneki and Emile that I hated being done to me. I just imitated the people I hated and hurt people.”

Emile gently comforts Lelia, who realizes her inner ugliness.

“Lelia was suffering all the time.”

When the appearance of the room changes, her vague parents and sister come out.

They were complaining around Lelia in her previous life.

“Why can’t you do it like your sister!”

“You are really dull.”

Her parents were scolding her. And her sister was laughing at it.

“――You’re an idiot. Do it better. “

They had no face because she can’t remember the figure of her sister who is laughing and mocking her and the faces of her parents.

Lelia sees the scene and sits down.

“Stop. Don’t show it to me anymore.”

Emile hugged Lelia. Lelia feels the warmth of Emile’s embrace. Emile apologizes to Lelia.

“Lelia, I’m sorry I didn’t realize it.”

“You’re wrong. The really bad one is me.”

Lelia apologized, but Emile left and picked up the package of the second otome game and touched his own illustration. He was drawn smaller than the other characters and was not treated well.

Still, Emile looks happy.

“It feels weird. For Lelia, I was a fantasy character.”

Lelia braced herself to be scolded, but Emile just smiled.

“Lelia, this is goodbye. You should live.”

“Eh?”

“I can’t help to hate you at first. But now that we’ve merged, I’ve learned about your past. It opened my eyes to know that you’re going through a lot, too.”

Emile accepted her even though he knew about Lelia’s previous life.

But ironically, even though they were able to understand each other, they had to say goodbye here.

“I want you to live. Live, and I’ll watch over you.”

“Emile? N-No. I’m staying with Emile!”

Her heart was filled with joy at being accepted, but she was sad to hear that she would soon have to say goodbye. The crest of a priestess appeared on the back of Lelia’s right hand.

“This is”

“I’ll give you the crest of a priestess. I’ll be watching over you. Be happy, Lelia.”

Emile disappears as if blending into the scenery, but he leaves a few words behind.

“There’s a person coming to save you. Now go back.”

Lelia stretched out her hand in front of her, and a translucent Noelle appeared there.

Noelle’s translucent figure is like a ghost.

While her eyes were distracted, Noelle hugged Lelia.

“Don’t trouble me until the end.”

Noelle’s voice was angry, but also a little happy.

” ―― Aneki, I’m sorry.”

“Un, okay. I’ll forgive you this time. This is onee-chan’s last big service.”

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