Chapter 67
Chapter 67
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: The Story Left by the Witch☆ (8)
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Several tens of minutes before the appearance of [The Serpent of Wisdom and Cycle].
Alvitt and her group were being pursued by the dark elf students of .
The chase had lasted from midnight until morning.
Dozens of menacing ether-armored weapons and hundreds of dark elf students were on their tail. They would narrowly escape capture, put some distance between them, only for the pursuers to relentlessly catch up and surround them again.
In the process, their vehicle was finally destroyed.
Alvitt's group was forced to flee on foot to the city district before the gate.
The escape was anything but smooth.
No matter how they tried to slip through the side streets, their path was always blocked by pursuers. Whenever they ran, the subordinates of Andrea, the student council president of , would invariably appear. This cursed chase, which had lasted all night, was now beyond tiresome.
Before long, they were still being chased in the district just before the final gate leading to the Golden Street.
The pursuers had followed them even up a side path with a steep staircase.
“There they are!! Over there!!”
“…Tch!”
“Secretary Vel!! I’ll cover our rear—!!”
Vel, who was always at the forefront using her Ether Skills, was now too exhausted to even whine. She silently manipulated her flying daggers with a frown, while Sigrun provided cover fire in sync with their movements.
Even as she drew her bowstring, Sigrun loudly persisted in her attempts to persuade the dark elf students.
“Fellow students of —!! Must we not put an end to this meaningless fight—!! What is more important than money and power is the stability of the Academy City…!”
But the pursuing dark elves shouted back, their faces twisted in disgust.
“Shut up! If you’re a dark elf who left to suck up to <aesir girls'="" high="" school="">, then just shut up and become our bounty!”
“Stability of the Academy City, my ass! You’re just clinging to the powerful ones yourself! Money is meant to be earned through fighting!”
“You talk about justice and all that, but in the end, you’re just sniffing out money like the rest of us…!”
“…This misunderstanding is saddening. Not all dark elves love only power and money.”
Sigrun muttered bitterly before finally firing an ether arrow.
*Swoosh!*
*Fwoosh—!*
The crimson daggers and ether arrows flew, disrupting the enemy ranks. But after fighting all night, they were now unable to even use their Ether Skills properly, making it difficult to shake off their pursuers.
“Ugh…?!”
Her vision blurred from the severe ether drain.
As Vel struggled to control her daggers, the ether connection snapped from exhaustion. The daggers, their ether threads severed in mid-air, fell with a sharp clang.
*Clang—!*
The sound startled both Vel and Sigrun.
“Aah—?! I lost them…!”
“Vel, Secretary Vel, are you alright?!”
A sudden opening was created.
In the gap left by the daggers and arrows.
Three pursuers in armor pushed their way up the narrow side-street staircase.
“Charge! Push through!!”
“Just ram them with the armor—!!”
“They’re exhausted! They’re practically in our grasp!!”
Alvitt dashed out from between Vel and Sigrun.
“Vel-senpai! I’ll block them!”
“Alvitt, sorry…! I’ll definitely repay this debt later!”
“What’s there to repay between friends!”
“I’m your senior—”
“Secretary Vel… insisting on that now is just pathetic…! The truly strong have the grace to know when to yield—”
“Shut up—!”
Leaving that banter behind.
Alvitt used her Ether Skill on the armored students. After the prolonged battle, the only one who could still use Ether Skills was Alvitt, who consumed very little ether.
Alvitt swung her sword at the charging students.
“Haaah—!! [Flash Sword]—!!”
“What the hell…?! She can still use Ether Skills—?!”
The sword strike exploded.
*Booooom!*
The attack erupted like a red volcano, letting out a deafening roar and a blast of hot air. Alvitt then charged through the armored students, who were stunned by the attack, and shoved them with her shoulder.
*Thwack—!*
“Whoa?!”
“Aargh!!”
The two students struck by Alvitt’s shove had their armor’s defense functions activated, rendering them unable to move a muscle as they tumbled down the steep staircase.
The two armored students teetered at the top of the steep stairs.
“Daaaamn—!!”
“Son of a—!!”
But one student had dodged Alvitt’s charge.
She was about to bring her black greatsword down on Alvitt.
“You little…! How dare you!!”
“...!”
A voice cut through the air.
“I can’t let you do that!”
“Greta!”
Just before the greatsword could swing.
A white-haired student who had emerged from the building’s shadow… Greta, tripped the armored student. A sudden display of unarmed combat was her specialty.
“Righteous low kick—!”
“Aargh, hey!! That’s not a low ki—?!”
*Stumble—!*
“Wh-what…?!”
It wasn’t exactly a low kick, but it was enough to make her lose her balance.
The armored student’s body swayed and tumbled down the slope next to the staircase. They all fell, making a sound like rolling tin cans.
The voices of the armored students echoed from far below.
“Daaaamn—!!”
“Daaaamn—!!”
“Daaaamn—!!”
“…”
“…”
Alvitt and Greta watched them go, then let out sighs of relief.
“…Phew, thank you, Greta.”
“Don’t mention it! Everyone’s too tired to fight properly… If it weren’t for you, Alvitt, we wouldn't have even made it this far! We’re almost there!”
“…!”
Where Greta’s slender finger pointed.
There, they could see the place they had so desperately tried to reach all night… the west gate to the Golden Street. Through the slightly ajar gate, they could faintly see red ether flashing back and forth as a battle raged.
The group stared in the same direction, silent for a moment.
“…”
“…”
“…”
They should have arrived long ago and joined forces with the , but they never imagined the pursuit would be this relentless.
Vel, having arduously retrieved her daggers, returned and spoke in a dazed voice.
“How did it come to this… Nothing is going according to plan… Don’t tell me Clara and [The Violet Spindle] are still being chased too…?”
Kara rummaged through her completely depleted ether conductor pouch for summoning her [Revolutionary Comrades] and replied bitterly.
“Indeed… It is quite worrying. Our vehicle was destroyed, and everywhere we turn, there’s an endless flood of pointy-ears… Hah.”
“I will not forgive racist remarks… but…! I must vehemently admit that my old school does have a somewhat materialistic and sleazy side…!”
“Ah, Commander…! It seems like more than ‘somewhat’… but your grace in embracing the flaws of your alma mater…!”
“…”
Alvitt watched the exchange between Sigrun and Greta with a peculiar expression.
She climbed the steep stairs to take the lead and spoke to the group.
“Everyone, I know you’re exhausted, but let’s get moving. Just as our plan went awry, ’s plan must have gone awry too. So the situation might not be all bad.”
“…Yes.”
“I sometimes wonder if you’re really a first-year, Alvitt.”
“I agree. Comrade Alvitt is as dependable as Comrade Clara-senpai.”
“…Is that a compliment?”
Alvitt chuckled at Vel’s question and replied. Her face was covered in dust and her hair was a mess, but her smile was filled with pride.
“Yes, to me, it is.”
“…I see.”
And so, they all dragged their weary feet,
climbing the stairs and heading towards the main street.
*Whirrrrr—!!*
Multiple automated weapons were waiting, their motors humming.
The very things that had forced the group into the side streets to evade their massive bodies were waiting for them.
“…?!”
“They were already here waiting for us?!”
“Oh, yeah. Welcome. I ordered my kids to herd you this way.”
“What…?!”
“If they catch you, great. If not, I’ll catch you myself. Yep. That’s how it works, isn’t it?”
The owner of the leisurely voice answered the shocked group.
Light glinted off the luxurious sunglasses she wore.
Seeing her, Vel cried out in a shrill voice.
“Andrea…!”
“Wow, my kids will chase you to hell and back if you offer them money… To think you evaded them all… Say, are you guys interested in working for me?”
Andrea, the student council president of .
The dark elf girl, wearing a coat of black and gold, was perched atop the shoulder of an automated weapon. The brilliant gold of her flashy accessories and high-quality uniform was striking.
Despite having been in pursuit all night, she somehow seemed completely at ease. The smile visible beneath her sunglasses was like that of a salesperson.
*Whirrrrr—!*
*Whirrrrr—!*
…And the ominous hum of the countless armored puppets surrounding the street seemed to be the source of her confidence.
“…”
Alvitt groaned inwardly, stepping to the very front to address Andrea.
“…Please step aside.”
“Oh, trying to negotiate when you realize force won’t work? Now that’s the mark of a natural talent for our school. How about you get a tan and come work for me?”
“You must realize it by now too. This was a losing battle for the Eastern Federation from the start. While you were chasing us, the aristocrat faction students were isolated on the Golden Street, fighting against [The Violet Spindle], [The Azure-White Lightning Spear]… and [The Pink Spiral].”
“Hmm, is she [The Faded Spiral] now? It’s been a while, nice to hear that title again. But so what? Two of the Five Colors and a has-been who used to be the strongest in the Academy City are there, so I should just piss my pants and run away?”
“…”
At that moment, a voice boomed from a distant loudspeaker.
—Attention, students of who are approaching! This area is now under the operational control of the <gjallarhorn> main force. If you do not vacate the premises immediately, you will be designated as a hostile force—!
“…”
The sound of hundreds of people approaching.
Yet Andrea’s expression didn’t change one bit. Watching her, Alvitt desperately tried to hide her own churning anxiety.
“To put it in terms you’ll understand, it’s no longer profitable, is it? Reinforcements from will be here soon to join us. In that situation, do you think Prau from <public vana="" boarding="" school=""> will come to your aid? In the first place… do you really believe she can rule this Academy City?”
“Hoh, you called for reinforcements while being chased? This is getting tricky. You’re resourceful. Yep. But you see…”
“…”
*Sliiide—*
Andrea slowly took off her sunglasses as she spoke.
“I don’t really think of Prau as my real employer.”
“…What?”
“The one who really paid me told me to be sure to capture the brown-haired girl from .”
As she removed her large sunglasses, her eyes were revealed.
A ‘serpent’ shaped tattoo was writhing there.
The moment Alvitt saw that ‘serpent’, she felt a powerful sense of unease.
“…?!”
A voice echoed in Alvitt’s head.
The cry of a giant bird.
*Screeeeeee—!*
[…Fight against the beast god of chaos.]
[…The balance of the World Tree, and its order.]
‘What… is this…?’
A strange scene flashed through her mind.
The image that crossed Alvitt’s mind was… the wing of a giant hawk.
‘A giant hawk…?’
Unaware of Alvitt’s confusion.
Andrea’s serpent tattoo seemed to squirm as she spoke in her relaxed voice.
“Prau was a big spender, sure. But the real master of the Academy City from now on… isn’t some incompetent fool like Prau.”
“Wh-what are you…!”
Andrea quietly pointed at the ground.
“Our new master is below.”
“A new… master…?”
And then, the hundreds of arriving main force troops clashed with the armored weapons. Andrea, still perched on the weapon’s shoulder, continued her pursuit of Alvitt’s group.
“What on earth… are you talking about…?”
It was only a few minutes later that Alvitt understood Andrea’s words.
From beneath the ground… a giant serpent burst forth, and on its massive head rode a priest from , transformed into a dragon.
The colossal serpent, wreathed in ominous black ether, roared towards the World Tree. And the great barrier surrounding the World Tree crumbled with a deafening crash.
The barrier of the Golden Street… was collapsing.
*Kra-booooooom—!!*
While being pursued by Andrea, Alvitt’s group, along with the merged main force, rushed frantically towards the Golden Street.
‘Clara-senpai…! Lotha…!’
***
[The Golden Witch] approached [The Serpent of Wisdom and Cycle] just before it died. Both beings were grievously wounded, their breaths labored.
[The Golden Witch] spoke to the ‘Serpent’.
“…”
“In the end… I couldn't find the ‘story’ with my friends.”
“…”
“All I ever knew… was how to ‘fight’.”
“…”
“But… someday… someone will surely find it. The true meaning… hidden within the magic I left behind… they truly will…”
“…”
“My friends… the ‘Prophet’… they will carry on my will…”
“…”
The ‘Serpent’, which erases the personal [Fates] of apostles and engraves the cycling truth, slowly closed its eyes, thinking that one day, it wanted to see its rival’s wish come true.
[The Golden Witch] also coughed up blood and slowly closed her eyes.
“Someday… surely.”