Defying the World's Law

No, it's higher up. What the hell are you? You're a complete stranger to me. We've only known each other for a few hours. If you just close your eyes and stab me once, you could get out of here safely. You could return to the people who love you, the ones waiting for you. So why... why...

— "Because Ciel is incredibly precious to me."

How can you say something like that so easily, that you cherish me?

In the kingdom Ciel once ruled, Kraheim, there's a saying: "Beware especially the silver-tongued man. If you don't keep your wits about you, you'll fall for him in an instant."

Only now did the girl fully understand its meaning!

—Thump thump!

'Locked away in magic school without ever dating... I didn't know it'd be this fatal...!'

His large hands hugging her tight. His broad chest softly enveloping her small body. And his promise to protect her.

To Ciel, who had zero dating experience, every action and word from Si-hyun was overwhelmingly stimulating.

"Ciel."

"H-Hic...!"

Just calling her name once made her hiccup— that said it all.

While Ciel was lost in Si-hyun's embrace, unable to collect herself.

Crack! Riiip!

The culprit who had imprisoned her in the Cradle of Oblivion, the 'Law of the World', tore through the spatial walls and revealed itself.

"S-Si-hyun...! That thing is the one who locked this lady in here...!"

"The Law of the World or whatever— it sure has a unique look."

To sum it up in one phrase: a golden pocket watch fused with clockwork gears.

A physique towering over an adult man at around 5 meters. Tick-tock— clank-clank— its jaw structured like interlocking steel beams with metallic teeth, and every joint and bone formed from intricate clockwork pins.

'It's like Iron Man from America merged with a clock.'

Honestly, Si-hyun thought it looked cool. Mecha types had that inexplicable allure that stirred a man's heart.

The Law of the World slowly approached Ciel and Si-hyun with heavy footsteps, then opened its gear-filled mouth to convey its will.

Archronos's declaration boomed like the voice of a god.

Shiver shiver.

"Ah, aaa... N-No...!"

Ciel began trembling the moment she heard its voice. It was only natural. From the instant she broke the taboo, she'd tried every method imaginable to escape this place.

Combat had naturally been one of them.

Ciel was a genius among grand archmages, one of the rare few who had mastered time magic to great perfection. She believed that time magic, which directly defied the world, could overcome this mechanical pile prattling about laws.

But that arrogant notion was shattered after the 30th battle. No matter what spells she unleashed, she couldn't inflict even a speck of damage on Archronos.

"S-Si-hyun. W-We must flee... You cannot resist Archronos!"

"No, we can't do that."

"Why are you so stubborn! There's no need to risk your life for a woman like this lady!"

"Ciel, you say that because you don't know how precious you are to me. Just stay quiet and stick with the others."

Si-hyun flashed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠his signature sly grin as he patted Ciel, Emilia, and Victoria.

"O-Oppa... Don't go... If oppa goes, I'll go too..."

"Si-hyunni! Even if you're confident in your swordsmanship, you can't beat something like that...?"

"Victoria, and Emilia. Didn't I say it upstairs—"

Si-hyun gripped the massive clock hand Ciel had given him like a sword and advanced toward Archronos.

"As long as I have a sword in my hand, I won't lose to anyone."

Ah, I'm gonna piss myself.

What? As long as I have a sword, I won't lose to anyone?

Why am I striking this dogshit pose again?

Honestly, it's not baseless confidence. I really believe I can beat anyone with just a stick.

But purely with swordsmanship!

When I blocked those toys earlier, it was pure luck. No matter how overwhelmingly they swarmed, they were just creaky playthings in the end. They couldn't move flexibly like humans, and they weren't even that big.

That's why I handled them easily.

But going toe-to-toe with magic users or awakeners with superpowers? I can't guarantee a win there.

'Even the Hulk in hero movies gets wrecked by superpowered folks.'

Wrecked might be too harsh? Anyway.

I'm not some sword master from fantasy tales. Just a regular lolicon guy who swings a sword decently.

Fighting this Law proxy head-on? Ninety-nine percent I'd get squashed instantly.

"That's why I'm saying, you're Archronos, right? How about we talk first? Haha."

One word can repay a thousand nyang debts, they say. Who knows? This Law of the World might be a good guy after all.

"I'm just an innocent citizen who stumbled in by accident. Can't you show some mercy?"

"Come on, can't you bend the rules a bit~? Good is good, right? What did Ciel even do wrong? She used time magic to save everyone. For the public good! The Law of the World can't even forgive that?"

"Aw~ Why you gotta be like this? We're both lolicon bros— let's get along~~"

Twitch!

At the word "lolicon," Archronos's body froze for a moment.

"Huuung~~? Come on, come on, you really think I buy that? No need to hide from a fellow bro~"

"Sheesh, it's nothing to be ashamed of."

I patted its body a few times with an all-knowing expression. Lolicon recognizes lolicon. Time to explain exactly why you're my kin!

"First reason you're a lolicon: Turning humans who enter Kraheim into SD form—that's your power, right?"

"The SD ability blankets all of Kraheim. It's a constant law. But Ciel's mana was so depleted from blocking our fall once that she couldn't sustain a wide-area spell like SD transformation."

If she could, she wouldn't have plummeted so pathetically.

—Clank clank.

Archronos tilted its head slightly and looked down at me.

Yeah, you're biting now, huh?

"Here's a slam dunk. Remember when you hesitated twice calling Emilia and Victoria earlier? You said 'prin... cesses' or whatever and trailed off."

"You were gonna say 'little princesses,' right?"

After hearing both pieces ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of evidence, Archronos seemed lost in thought.

Of course, I wouldn't care if it wasn't a lolicon. I was just glad it felt like a kindred spirit—no big expectations.

Though, yeah, I did want to use that bond to smooth-talk my way into a better negotiation.

"Archronos, whether you're a lolicon or not doesn't matter to me. I just want you to forgive Ciel now—"

Then, it cut me off with a low, gravelly voice.

"Huh...?"

Hey, hey, you gonna silence me for exposing your lolicon secret or what?

"Wait! Hear me out. Archronos, being a lolicon isn't shameful. Own it proudly! What's wrong with liking cute things? What's wrong with soft-cheeked girls? Dude, be more confident!"

But it ignored me completely.

—Whirr!

Archronos conjured golden letters and magic circles in the air, just like when Ciel cast spells. But the scale was incomparable. A grand array vast enough to envelop the clock tower and the entire Cradle of Oblivion.

Going this far just for me? That's overkill, seriously.

"Hey hey hey! Timeout! Who pulls out an ultimate move right away—"

—KABOOOM!!

The magic's light engulfed my entire body and exploded.

It happened so fast I didn't even think to use the beginner package—I took the hit head-on.

'Fuck, so this is how I die...'

I haven't even lost my virginity yet! And all I've done with Luna is kiss! We were supposed to go further, not die like this?! This is so unfair!! If there's a next life, I'll live like a total slut!

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But why do I feel nothing?

Did I vaporize so instantly I didn't feel pain and went straight to heaven?

Keeping my terrified expression, I cracked one eye open to check.

The moment I opened my eyes, I saw Archronos—ever stoic—gaping in shock.

"Huh...? I'm alive?"

—Pat pat.

I checked my body for injuries, but not even a scratch. Perfectly fine.

Archronos muttered "Impossible!" and unleashed several more grand attacks.

But.

"Hey, can we stop now? It's just flashing lights."

"Beats me~."

Archronos's attacks did zero damage to me.

This is impossible. An attack embodying the Law of the World—ineffective?

My attacks aren't mere magic or swordsmanship; they are the law and providence itself. Even grand archmages or sword masters—beings beyond human limits—struggle to resist...

For a mere ordinary human to nullify it?

Then, as it denied reality, Archronos saw it.

No, it locked eyes with it.

With the entity floating behind Si-hyun's back.

With that existence, far above law and providence.

With those final words from that existence, Archronos vanished from this world entirely.