Standing at the balcony, Izayoi’s gaze unconsciously drifted and focused on Kuro Usagi’s hair.
"Hmm… Perhaps it’s because your rabbit ears have disappeared, and your hair seems darker than before."
"That’s right. Kuro Usagi’s hair had been imbued with divine powers and carried the luster of the moonlight. But given some time, it will become darker."
Hohou. He stood behind Kuro Usagi and let out a sound of admiration. Perhaps he liked darker hair, since he began to knit Kuro Usagi’s braid her hair wordlessly.
Though Kuro Usagi was amazed by Izayoi’s random actions, he was not one to stop, even if scolded. Kuro Usagi sat down on the balcony chair and sighed before speaking again.
"You’re quite good at braiding hair. But, don’t you need the time to prepare for the fight?"
"More or less. After all, my role is to knock out that white-haired brat. The ones who need to prepare to welcome those guys would be Kasukabe and Ojou-sama."
"… Is there a chance for victory?"
Her words were filled with her uneasiness. The next time the Demon Lord Alliance strikes would definitely be an all-out battle.
There was the Demon Lord of Confusion, the Demon Lord Maxwell, and the white-haired boy they called ‘His Highness’.[5]
They had not shown everything they had.
The Demon Lord’s greatest ability was in imposing a Trial by force— [Authority of Host Master].
They could choose the Game Rules in their Gift Game, which could make them peerless.
Just like the ‘spiriting away’[6] and the power of the Black Plague belonging to Pest, the compulsory penalties forced by Leticia, there was an infinite variety difficulties.
Challenging a Gift Game that is still unknown to them would be equivalent to betting their lives in the battle.
Furthermore, this next battle could not be interrupted with the jurisdiction of [Judge Master]. Izayoi and the others would have to bear the brunt of the enemy’s attacks while aiming for a Game Clear.
However, in spite of the situation, Izayoi simply shrugged his shoulder and laughed.
"Well, it’s a fifty-fifty percent chance. After all, we’re in a race for time already. Victory and defeat would then be decided with our level of preparation. I can’t guarantee we’ll win, but at the very least — I think we need to get rid of that Rin in this battle and chase the others away to win."
The dark-haired girl who serves His Highness as an attendant.
She uses a mysterious Gift, [Achilles High] which could manipulate distance, and he heard from Pest that her Game Make would essentially be impossible to surpass. Kuro Usagi, who had fought against Rin personally, still had no means of opposing her ability.
"That’s right… if we want to get rid of that girl, we can only make use of an [Astral Gate] that can reduce the distance to zero instantly or prepare a unique gift that has activation requirements."
On this point, they had gathered all the required talented individuals for this battle.
Willa the Ignis Fatuus. The [Demon of the Azure Flames] who governs the boundary of life and death. Pairing off Willa and Rin in a fight, they had a chance of victory.
If there was no other way, Willa would be Rin’s opponent—
"— No. Leave her to Ochibi-sama."[7]
Eh? Kuro Usagi let out a sound in surprise.
Izayoi shook his head and laughed smugly.
"Though we have no plan for it, the person in question wants to give it a go. Well, the chances of victory is roughly fifty-fifty at this point."
"Th, that’s, will he be okay?"
"Who knows. But if there’s no other choice, I’ll go help him. I can’t let him do the unreasonable."
He seriously declared that he would help in an emergency.
Kuro Usagi quietly watched him from the side.[8]
(… Izayoi-san really doesn’t show his real self.)
When Izayoi was summoned to Little Garden.
When the reconstruction of the Community hung in the balance and the news was broken to him.
When she was cornered in her fight against a Demon Lord.
He would always be standing before the frontline of the battle, think more than anyone else about the solutions and see further than anyone else about future possibilities.
There was no need for her to know of his hidden past. Kuro Usagi, who had fought by Izayoi’s side, could already see his beliefs and values.
“Justice stands with me.” — He sincerely believed that, he lived with pride and was not ashamed of it.
He did not dismiss the justice of the world, yet he moved forward with his own.
The shadow of his back overlapped with that of her beloved benefactor.
"… Like I thought, you’re similar to her."
"Hm?"
He stopped from her sudden words.
The typical innocence in Kuro Usagi’s eyes were lost as they were clouded with anxiety. She gazed at the night sky covered in dark clouds; her mind already drifting away from the balcony.
However, her gaze soon resumed its strong edge.
Even during this cloudy night sky without moonlight or starlight, a desire which could not be defiled shined within Kuro Usagi’s eyes.
Her strong gaze which tore through the nightmare which was about to lay siege to the “Capital of Moonlight.” Her tender voice. She was a woman with unshakable faith and ideals who carried the Emblem of 「 」proudly in the air.
"Canaria-sama… she was the founder of the old [No Name]. When Kuro Usagi’s parents were lost, she was someone who adopted Kuro Usagi who had not a single relative left alive. You are very much like her, Izayoi-san."
"… Hmm. How so?"
"Your soul."
Kuro Usagi responded promptly as she looked at him, eye to eye.
Even that sort of fearless direct eye contact that he currently held was a reminder of her benefactor’s face.
However, that could not be possible. Izayoi was a boy summoned from another world. He had no connection to Canaria who was born in Little Garden. Kuro Usagi shook her head as if ridiculing herself.
"I apologize for saying something strange so suddenly."
"That’s not the case. I’m interested. What kind of person was she, this Canaria-sama?"
Izayoi, who had completed braiding her hair, smiled in satisfaction and asked.
Unexpectedly, instead of Kuro Usagi’s rabbit ears perking up — her eyes shined and a bright smile lit her face.
However, that smile did not last long.
"— I’m also a bit anxious to know the answer too. What kind of woman was she?"
A boy’s voice came from above the balcony.
Izayoi’s smile disappeared in a moment as he held Kuro Usagi close to back off with a hasty kick. Even though her thoughts had been slow by a beat due to the sudden change in situation that stiffened her body, she had also understood who the voice belonged to.
The boy with white hair and golden irises, known as “His Highness” calmly spoke from the roof — and looked down curiously at the two of them.
(It can’t be… He’s too early…!)
Not even half a day had passed since the Demon Lord Alliance had declared war.
Still, it was not so mysterious when thinking about it.
With just another day, the other [Floor Master]s would be arriving in this city.
From the East, the [Great Sage of Maelstroms] the Saurian Demon Lord. [9]
From the South, the [Draco Greif] Alliance.
From the North, the [Onihime] Alliance.
If all of these powers gathered, even if it were the Demon Lord Alliance, they would not be able to do anything then.
Since His Highness had planned to have [Salamandra] annihilated from the get-go, they would have already prepared in advance for their attack.
Most likely, his attack earlier that day was to have Sandra ‘spirited away’.
Despite the commotion in the Kouen, City of Brilliant Flames during the day that made the security around the palace tighten many folds, they were still able to come up with such an immediate and suprising comeback that showed their boldness.
(I figured he would appear tomorrow morning at the earliest……It would seem that he’s more skilled than I thought.)