He somehow sneaked in — but it was too late to ask how. They had been invited as Guests of Honor of [Salamandra] for 2 years and it would be simple enough to grasp the structure of the palace with that amount of time.
Izayoi, still holding Kuro Usagi, laughed sarcastically.
"Ha. Though they call you Your Highness, it would seem that peeping on others is still not below you."
"Hm? Am I interrupting your tryst?"
"Of course. Kuro Usagi and I were scheduled to have a little meeting in the room after this where I can do DingNingKluankDong[10] to her to my heart’s content……"
"We weren’t!"
"We weren’t going to do DingNingKluankDong?"
"We weren’t!!"
"We will do DingNingKluankDong."
"We, we won’t…!!!"
Kuro Usagi protested in his arms while struggling with flushed cheeks, but she lacked her typical strength and harisen[11]. It seems she had lost the strength of her typical verbal retorts.
His Highness laughed seeing the exchange and spoke again in seriousness.
"Well, let’s set the joking aside. You were speaking about the [Creator ], Canaria, right? I’m also quite interested in her. Would you mind if I listen while you speak?"
His Highness leaned against the wall with joyful eyes.
However, as soon as she heard his words, Kuro Usagi’s expression suddenly changed.
"Please wait. That… um, what do you mean? Wasn’t Canaria-sama captured by you?"
— What? His Highness frowned as he looked at Izayoi.
Izayoi clicked his tongue and said "Shit."
Kuro Usagi had not yet thought of the possibility that the old [No Name]s were banished to other worlds.
Though he knew that the time to speak of it would come eventually, but it just shouldn’t be discussed now. He did not want to give the current mentally vulnerable Kuro Usagi any further uneasiness.
Izayoi noticed his mistake and pushed Kuro Usagi into the room.
"Sorry, but the small talk ends here. Kuro Usagi, run to the 5th Right Wing of the palace right now. Mandra said that place is the safest."
"B, but, if I don’t check to see if Canaria-sama is safe…!"
"It’s good enough if you leave that to me! Hurry and go!!!"
Bikuri, her body shook in fright. Izayoi was speaking and acting different from normal.
His Highness was taken aback by Izayoi’s sudden change, but he understood the situation immediately. At that moment, he laughed loudly to the sky.
"I understand… Ah, I see. So that is how it is! In other words, you… No, all of you! So they have heard nothing of how it all began 3 years ago!"
"Wha…?"
Though Kuro Usagi disliked his suggestive words and grew angry, His Highness ignored her interruption.
His Highness was bursting with laughter, as if he had just seen a comedic masterpiece.
Though His Highness laughed for some time, there was no child-like quality in his expression when he recovered to look at them once more. He captured the two people with the gaze of his golden eyes that reeked of violence and raised his right hand.
"Telling it to you guys might just be interesting but I guess leaving things as they are, is interesting in itself. It was worthwhile seeing your reaction."
As he spoke, a magic tome appeared in his hand — which originally belonged to the Titan tribes and also the book that destroyed [Underwood].
"That book… Could it be…!?"
Just then, a violent wind that accompanied the movement had whipped up the into the air like confetti which rained over the city.
Standing in the eye of the violent storm calmly, His Highness laughed ferociously as he stared at Sakamaki Izayoi.
"Look closely, Sakamaki Izayoi. We are Candidates for the Origin, this is but a fraction of our power…!!!"
Piece by piece, the dancing pieces of parchment were dyed black, forming jet-black sealed scrolls.
· Leader of the Participants: “Sakamaki Izayoi”:
· Host Side Game Leader: “ ”:
· Game Territory: A 2 km radius from the [City of Brilliant Flames]’s center.:
· Game Outline:
*※ This is a plunder[12] type Game enforced on the Players by the Host
All crimes will be forgiven within this Gift Game so long as the following conditions are met:
*Condition I: The Game Leaders will have a decisive one on one duel
*Condition II: While the Game Leaders are duelling, all crimes of plundering are allowed (including death and casualties)
*Condition III: The men on the Player Side will consume double their stamina so long as the duel continues (there exist exceptions)
*Condition IV: Should the Game Leader of the Host side be defeated, the conditions are reversed
*Condition V: Should the Game Leader of the Player side be defeated, it will be impossible to lift the conditions.
*Condition VI: A Game Leader will have a forced defeat should he leave the Game Territory
Conditions to End: The war will end when Game Leaders of both camps mutually agree on the end conditions:
*Should a Game Leader die, the war will only end if the remaining Game Leader allows it to end.
Oath: Respecting the above, under the pride of its Emblem, the [Ouroboros] Alliance will hold a Gift Game.
“[Ouroboros]” Seal
Kuro Usagi and Izayoi took one of the fluttering pieces of paper in their hands. Her hand and voice shook as she shouted.
"I, Impossible! The should be usable only by those of the Celtic Giant race! How is it possible for you to use its Authority of [Host Master]…!!?"
"Who knows? That is not something you need to know, o’deity of the Moon[13]."
The color on Kuro Usagi’s face drained out in her state of shock, but His Highness did not answer.
The situation had become worse with every passing moment.
The earth beneath the [Capital of Brilliant Flames] trembled as the entire palace was intensely shaken. Simultaneously, a war cry was heard which reached deep to the VIP room.
"UOOOOOOOOOooooooooo—!!!"
The ferocious roar was unforgettable. Several months ago, the same group attacked the underground city. Now, the looming group of Giants approached the “Capital of Glittering Lights.”
"Giants!! There are still remnants!?"
"Yes. But they are different from before. We have bestowed a new Gift on those guys. Also, the male Fire Dragons of [Salamandra] are going to feel unwell under these Game Rules… Now, what will you do, Sakamaki Izayoi?"
The ferocious cry pierced the heavens as they approached the “Capital of Glittering Lights” with a series of tremors and clouds of dust.
This was no longer an issue of pros and cons. Izayoi quickly took action. He closed the distance with His Highness to the extent that the scaffolding exploded, his fist aimed toward His Highness’ torso from beneath.
Though His Highness caught it in both hands, the balcony quickly dropped down from their collision.
"I, Izayoi-san!!"
"I told you already, GO!! You’re being a nuisance!!"
All the words that she wanted to say were stopped by Izayoi’s angry yell. Though it was mortifying, Kuro Usagi had no combat potential now. It was clear she would be seriously injured just by getting caught in the fall.
Good luck, Kuro Usagi shouted in regret as she disappeared into the palace interior.
Izayoi and His Highness jumped down using the remains of the balcony as footholds and landed on the grass beyond the moat. Neither had gone full throttle yet. If they had fought with full force, the palace would suffer a devastating blow.
The palace backyard was the least populated area where few people would pass through; hence, even if it were that level of collapse and explosion to occur, it would still require some time for the soldiers to arrive. Though the sounds of the guards calling out in the distance travelled to their ears, it would take time for them to gather and arrive here.
His Highness stared at Izayoi with his golden eyes while smiling.