Under the night sky where the moon floated, Krulcifer was standing.
The church site designated as the place of the duel was located in the outskirts of the Fort City third block.
A desolated abandoned building which was destroyed after becoming the battlefield against an Abyss which appeared about two years ago.
That site, where numerous debris were scattered about and the outer wall destroyed in every direction remained, was at least 1km away from a town where there were signs of people.
Moreover, there was stage where Drag-Knights were deployed for lookout and dispersing unrelated people.
Standing there were Barzeride and Alterize.
“I came at the agreed time, my future wife. I believed that you would safely finish the mission of ruins investigation and return.”
As Barzeride exaggeratedly said so, Krulcifer, face to him, slightly frowned.
“By the way –– what about that man whom you said about being your lover? I heard that he safely returned from the ruins, but did he fall from fatigue? Or –– did he get scared and run away?”
“I had him go back.”
Krulcifer was not shaken at his entwining-like provocation.
She said so as to brush it away and turned her cold piercing eyes towards the two people.
“I cannot let him get involved with such worthless farce any more than this––”
Then, she calmly unsheathed her Sword Device that was hung to her waist.
Barzeride seeing that smiled and loudly spoke.
“The start time is from now on. The conclusion will be until either, when the worn Machine Dragon is cancelled or when the two opponents of the duel accept to surrender.”
As to follow, Alterize, a servant of the Einvolk House also drew her Sword Device.
“Intentional escape from this church site which is the stage of the duel will be considered a defeat. Other than that, the rules are conformed to those used in the tournament held in the Capital of this country. You’re fine with that, right? Miss.”
“Yes, I have made up my mind. Since a long time ago––”
“…………”
Krulcifer’s words which somehow had a hidden meaning.
Repressing her faint unrest, Alterize inhaled.
“––Come forth, dragon symbolizing immortality. Turn into the fangs of the linking Earth. !”
Countless particles of light danced at the same time she said the pass code, and the which was a reinforced ground-type Machine Dragon was summoned.
The greatest military power given to a skillful Drag-Knight not possessing a Divine Drag-Ride.
Barzeride turned a look of admiration to Alterize’s Drag-Ride.
“As expected of the Einvolk House. To think that even a butler Drag-Knight has the skill of EX-class. I look forward more and more to my engagement with you. Krulcifer.”
“Could you please stop acting familiar with me? It is a waste of time.”
Krulcifer returned a cold voice to Barzeride’s praise.
“I am an orphan. When you are living in the house of other people for a long time, you can understand certain things. Such as what others really think of you.”
“Hou…?”
Soon after Barzeride muttered so, Krulcifer set up her sword.
“––Reincarnate. The Giant Dragon of calamity imprisoned by worldly treasures. Become the equivalence of an endless desire, .”
Immediately after, the surrounding space was distorted and countless particles of light gathered.
Having been formed was a huge silver Machine Dragon reminiscent of an ice statue.
When it opened from the inside, it instantly changed into armor which wrapped Krulcifer’s body.
Barzeride, who saw the summon, grinned.
Then, he himself also equipped his body with , glanced at Alterize and urged her to give the start signal.
“Then duel, start!”
Soon after Alterize shouted, Krulcifer’s flew.
She threw a Dagger aiming at Barzeride and swiftly set up her special armament –– the .
Long-range high speed precise shooting which was Krulcifer’s battle style.
The moment when Barzeride strengthened his barrier in order to flip the Dagger, Krulcifer immediately pulled the trigger.
She aimed her attacks towards the direction where he dodged and at the opening when he blocked.
A blue flash tinged with cold pierced the dark night and impacted Barzeride.
pakin*! A sound of freezing instantly resounded and Krulcifer confirmed the hit.
But––,
“For a surprise attack, it lacks in appeal, but I praise your judgment and skill. Krulcifer.”
Krulcifer shuddered at Barzeride’s calm voice.
“……!?”
What had been frozen was a lump of debris that threw out in front of itself.
A piece of a collapsed building that fell into this place which was the church site.
He smashed it with his halberd and defended against the by rolling it up as another shield.
The mass was not being enough being just dug-up debris, so it was usually difficult to implement this countermeasure.
So having chosen this church site for the duel was within Barzeride’s plan.
“I was careless. To come up with a countermeasure so early. Is this your doing? Alterize.”
A countermeasure which was the only weak point of the .
There was also the possibility that Barzeride himself, who saw it once in the battle of the ruins investigation, came up with it, but if someone who knew of it beforehand suggested the plan––
“What might you mean?”
Alterize’s jumped towards Krulcifer flying in mid-air.
When Krulcifer barely dodged the twin swords sharply swung, Alterize showed a smile.
“Your skills grew dull. Miss.”
“––––!”
Rotating the Machine Dragon’s airframe in the air, she further came slashing with the other blade.
But,
“The naïve one is you.”
The blade’s slash was blocked by the automatic special armament which activated regardless of the user’s will –– the .
But at that moment, the which extended from both shoulders of Barzeride’s had set up its aim on Krulcifer.
“With that special armament, can you also defend against this?”
doun*!, two lines of shelling attacked .
This attack itself could be blocked with the .
But, in that case, it would cause her posture to collapse and Alterize would probably follow after.
At this rate, it would gradually turn into a defensive battle.
(As expected –– I have no other choice but to gamble.)
Krulcifer judged so while grasping the two people’s movements.
With a body in which injury and fatigue by the ruins investigation remained, she would be the one at a disadvantage in a drawn-out battle.
Therefore, she activated ’s Divine Raiment .
The foresight ability which perceived the future within a radius of a dozen of Mel several seconds ahead.
When she dodged the attacks with that Divine Raiment, Krulcifer perceived her path to victory line.
“I see –– you’re strong. You’re indeed strong.”
From a remote location, Barzeride repeated that as he was impressed.
“But you know, Krulcifer? You should quietly become my wife after all. That way, you can be happy. I don’t want to hurt you even by any chance. Could you please surrender now?”
To Barzeride who uttered an ingratiating voice, Krulcifer leaked a sigh.
“Sorry but –– I am not fond of talkative men.”
And at the same time she replied, she began to move.
“……!? Fast!”
Leaving Alterize who was in front of her in a lurch, accelerated.
With the flight device of the back wings at max power, she charged at Barzeride at a speed which the eyes couldn’t catch.
“Are you actually challenging the ground-typed Machine Dragon as the opponent to close-range combat? Interesting.”
Barzeride set up his halberd with a fearless smile.
In contrast, Krulcifer brandished a medium-sized blade and slashed at him.
Without any fear to the halberd which was let out as to flip her blade up, Krulcifer charged.
“In the case of a simultaneous and mutual clash, it’ll be my victory, you know?”
Krulcifer was aware of the fact that the armor and barrier possessed by boasted of a unmatched defensive power.
The moment when each other’s weapon was about to cross––,
“I wonder about that.”
Krulcifer suddenly smiled.
“What…!?”
Soon after, Barzeride opened his eyes wide.
The canon of the special armament installed on the right shoulder of the Divine Drag-Ride shattered.
She was aiming at the special armament on the shoulder and the Force Core from the start.
Then, she dodged the blow of Barzeride who should have the advantage in close-range combat by a hairbreadth.
“The ability to read the future, it’s your Divine Raiment…”
Future foresight by .
While dodging Barzeride’s attack using it, she set up a counterattack.
“Nicely done, Krulcifer. Though there are some flaws, I will praise your skill for having broken my right shoulder as splendid.”
“It’s good and all that you praise me, but I have not done anything special yet.”
“Lord Kreutzer! Please, step back! It is dangerous at that range!”
From far behind, Alterize’s shout could be heard.
However, it was too late.
By ’s future foresight, Krulcifer would be able to predict all of the offense and defense in close-range combat.
And in this land where debris were buried here and there, it would take at least three seconds until Alterize’s could catch up with them.
Even a long-range shelling would be blocked by the .
All was according to Krulcifer’s calculation.
“Well then, goodbye.”
She did not let her guard down until the end.
When Krulcifer’s blade was about to break the Force Core which was under the battery of the shattered shoulder––
“Do you really think that you can beat me?”
“––Eh?”
Suddenly, the image of future foresight disappeared from Krulcifer’s field of vision.
Barzeride’s attack which she foresaw swayed like haze, and from the special armament of