The Escape Begins

When she stepped off the train onto the platform, her first thought was It’s smoky, but she was mistaken.

The black-haired young woman clutched a train-transfer ticket in her hand as she looked around the multiline station, tilting her head in confusion at the curious sights.

She was a lovely girl, with youthful features better described as “cute” than “beautiful.” Her bustline drew the eye toward her blouse, but her overall outfit was elegant and refined, and she wore it entirely naturally.

Akari Tokitou: a lost one summoned from another world, with a frightful power called a Pure Concept attached to her soul.

Her dark eyes, usually full of energy, presently appeared rather gloomy. The hair band that often kept her mussy hair in place was nowhere to be seen, for she had left it in the care of the friend she trusted most in this world.

Akari had insisted on leaving a small token from her possessions with Menou, so that she would know that Akari had departed of her own free will.

With her head slightly lighter than before, Akari peered around through the strange smog.

The floor paved with cobblestones made a satisfying sound at every step. Small but carefully crafted, the platform seemed to be covered in some kind of haze.

But if it were smoke, there would be a smell. And if it were mist, Akari ought to have felt the moisture on her skin. As she looked around for an explanation, she soon realized what it was.

It wasn’t any kind of vapor, but tiny, luminous motes.

Guiding Light.

This was the manifestation of the “power” used to create conjurings in this world. Akari searched for the source and quickly found it.

The Guiding trains stopped in the station produced Guiding Light as their steam whistles blared. This phosphorescent glow came from the Guiding engines, which were used to carry passengers. Enough was coming from the train that it made the platform look hazy.

Akari smiled a little at the sight. It was so unlike anything she’d seen in Japan.

She remembered a moment from two months earlier when her traveling companion produced luminous bubbles from a five-in coin to make a child happy.

“I wonder what Menou’s doing right now…”

Menou was Akari’s dear friend. One she’d met in this world. That girl was more important to Akari than anyone or anything else. She’d always been at Akari’s side protecting her, but now she was nowhere to be seen.

Akari sighed.

Her nostalgia had shifted into sadness. Trying to shake off the solemn mood, she reached out and grasped the air to see if she could catch the light.

There was no sensation in her palm. The glowing particles displaced by the movement of Akari’s hand scattered, fading away like the drifting passage of time.

As she watched the Guiding Light dancing before her eyes, a question arose in the back of her mind.

What exactly was Guiding Force anyway?

While the foundation of civilization in Akari’s old world was science, the root of most developments in this world was conjuring.

Guiding Force, an energy that didn’t exist back on Earth, was such a fundamental aspect of this world that it was part of the definition of life itself. It was the most significant difference between this world and Akari’s, and right now, it was floating right in front of her eyes.

A force that leads everything… How did an enigmatic power with such a name become the basis of magic-like conjurings?

Akari was lost in intellectual curiosity for a moment. Then something struck her lightly on the back.

“Bwah?!”

“What are you, a child?”

A small girl two or three years Akari’s junior had rudely shoulder charged her. She wore a white priestess robe and snorted when Akari screeched in surprise.

Adorable would undoubtedly be the first word to come to mind upon seeing this girl.

She had shortened the normally ankle-length skirt of her robe significantly and added plenty of frills for good measure. Her graceful legs were protected from the elements by black tights.

“Unless you’re secretly ten years old, please don’t play with the Guiding Light. If it’s not being used to produce a conjuring of some kind, it doesn’t have much physical presence.”

The girl’s tone was sharp as she scolded Akari for her immature behavior.

Despite her innocent eyes and short stature, her attitude was so openly rude that it made her seem more annoying than endearing. As it happened, her nature was far more aggressive than any initial impression suggested.

“Momo…”

Akari only said her companion’s name, but it was enough to make Momo’s eyes narrow in annoyance.

Though she was well aware of Momo’s real personality, it was still frustrating to be faced with such blatant irritation. Akari’s lips twisted into a pout.

Sensing the other girl’s anger, Momo glared right up at her from about half a head’s length below her line of sight.

“What’s that ridiculously babyish expression for, hmm? If you have any complaints, I’d be happy to listen.”

“Oh, reeeeally?”

Momo was obviously trying to push her buttons, but Akari had no intention of concealing her animosity, either. She sat down on a bench, folded her arms, and pointedly raised her inflection at the end of her sentences.

“What’s the problem? We’ve still got plenty of time before our connecting train arrives. Why shouldn’t I be free to do whatever I want, huh? Besides, it’s pretty annoying of you to pick on every little thing I do, Momo. What’s the deal? Are you a bitter sister-in-law? Perhaps you’re jealous that I’m Menou’s favorite?”

“Would you mind keeping your fantasies to yourself? After all my hard work planning this trip and making arrangements, the last thing I want to hear is whining from some useless lump. If you can’t take responsibility for your own actions, then you obviously aren’t free to do as you please, you ridiculous fool. Besides, I don’t even want to talk to you, understand?”

“Oh yeeeahhh?”

The exchange grew heated, marking the start of an all-out verbal war.

Akari and Momo scowled at each other with open hostility, the air practically crackling with tension where their gazes met.

The bright and friendly side Akari showed with Menou was nowhere to be seen as she held the sleeve of her billowing white blouse to her mouth and gave a forced giggle.

“Ah-ha-ha! Oh, dear Momo, you’re so funny. If you don’t want to talk to me, why are you the one who started this conversation in the first place? Forgetting your own actions so quickly suggests that maybe your brain is just as tiny as your body. Oh, sorry. You’re sensitive about being short, aren’t you?”

“Why, you…”

Akari’s uncharacteristic gesture made her insult all the more biting. She’d struck a nerve. Momo’s lips thinned, although she didn’t drop her adorable smile.

She took a seat on the bench as far from Akari as possible, crossing her legs in their black tights. Meeting Akari’s eyes with a sideways glare, Momo smilingly tapped the side of her head with a white-gloved finger.

“I’m surprised a Human Error that loses her memories every time she uses her power is worried about my mind. I’d be more concerned about your own brain… Although, I suppose you never had much to work with. Maybe your personality will be a bit more bearable once it goes blank. Then I won’t have to worry about my darling quite so much.”

“Hah! I pity you, my dear Momo. There’s no fixing that nasty disposition of yours. I can’t imagine how awful it would be to have to spend your whole life with such a twisted mind in your poor little head. It’s silly to worry about Menou when you’re the one causing problems for her.”

“Take care not to talk about my darling when all you have going for you is your ability and those absurd boobs, you useless twit.”

“That’s rich, coming from a sly little vixen like you. You do realize that Menou doesn’t think you’re cute the way you really are, right? That’s why you always put on the innocent act when you talk to her, huh?”

“Pardon me? I don’t want to hear that from a two-faced harlot who would even go so far as to reverse her own memories just to continue acting like a damsel in distress. You little coward!”

The clash of words raged like two blades clanging together. A stormy mood gathered around the pair, darkening the otherwise peaceful platform. Passersby gave the two girls a wide berth.

Momo’s tongue was even sharper than usual, honed from sheer animosity. Still, Akari refused to give in.

“You’re the real coward, aren’t you, Momo? You’ve known Menou since you were little, but you still can’t even hold a natural conversation with her unless you put on a cutesy act… Is your self-confidence really that low?”

“Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha, better than being an airhead who can’t win my darling’s heart no matter how many times you repeat the same events over and over!”

A common goal had brought Momo and Akari together, but they were neither friends nor comrades. To call them natural enemies would be an understatement. Their traveling together meant near-constant disaster.

“Whew. You’ve got a big stock of insults for someone so small, Momo.”

“And you must store them in that chubby stomach of yours, I assume.”

With that, a cease-fire was called so both sides could catch their breath.

Perhaps the pair had realized the futility of their fighting? The nearby crowd waiting for the same train felt a collective sense of hope, but it proved to be a fleeting one. After a bit, the girls began glaring daggers at each other again, sparks flying like a wool sweater being rubbed in the dry winter air.

The silent standoff didn’t remain that way for long.

As the tension built rapidly in the air, Akari was the first one to fire another shot.

She opened with a jab, heaving a loud, deliberate sigh.

“Oh dear. Not getting along with your traveling companion ruins any enjoyment you might get out of the journey, doesn’t it, dear Momo?”

“What a coincidence. I was just thinking that a journey is far more taxing with someone absolutely awful.”

“Yeah, I totally get that! Finally, we agree on something!”

Although Akari’s tone was light, there was enough heat behind every word to singe the eyebrows of nearby listeners. She carried on the cheerful yet unnerving conversation, then suddenly dropped her voice low.

“No wonder Menou always makes sure to travel separately from you, Momo.”

At that, a vein popped in Momo’s forehead.

The attack had struck her right where it hurt. For a moment, the level of rage she couldn’t entirely hide reached a downright murderous level. Yet even as Momo let off an overwhelming air of “I’m going to tear her head off,” she maintained a shallow smile.

Akari’s calm expression remained firm, too, despite being on the receiving end of murderous intent from someone who had undergone intensive training to become an assistant Executioner.

There must have been an unspoken rule that whoever stopped smiling first was the loser. This was an absurdly meaningless battle of pride.

“The only reason I journey separately from my darling is because some nasty little insect got between us, understaaand? I’m sure every second she spent with me and away from you felt like a breath of fresh air for her.”

“You think sooo? It’s never once occurred to you that maybe Menou was trying to escape the annoying little stalker who uses her position as an assistant to take sneaky photos of her? Or perhaps you aren’t aware of how awful your personality is, Momo? You’ve got to be aware that you’re bothering other people!”

“I’d say you’re the one who needs to realize how terrible you are. I’m sure it must have been rough for my poor darling to travel with such a nasty, rotten woman.”

Unlike the grandiose exchange of insults from the first round, the pair was now using someone who wasn’t present to stab at each other. If the person in question could hear this argument, no doubt she would develop an instant headache at the sheer absurdity.

But sadly, there was no one here now to mediate between the two.

“By the way, regarding those so-called sneaky photos, I have an entire album of my darling when she was little. Would you like to see?”

“…?!”

The sudden curveball stunned Akari into silence for the first time since the war began.

A priestess’s scripture possessed the ability to record images in the form of a conjuring. Momo had made thorough use of this, as it was one of the few conjurings she excelled at, to create an extensive (and highly unauthorized) album of her beloved Menou from a young age.

Akari was aware of this, as well. Her eyes darted around, revealing her inner conflict about taking the bait.

She wanted desperately to see it, but the last thing she wanted to do was nicely ask Momo to show it to her. Akari had her pride, too. And yet…her feelings clashed, and she groaned in anguish.

Watching Akari’s obvious distress, Momo burst out laughing.

“Ah-ha-ha-ha, you are soooo stupiiid! Like I would ever show it to you even if you asked, you idioooot!”

“Whaaa—?! Y-you little…!”

While Momo snickered in a show of laughter that was fitting of her age in a way, Akari glared at her vengefully. Clearly feeling that she had the advantage, Momo shook her head and adopted a pitying tone.

“My darling collection is my most radiant treasure, the result of many years of hard work, you knooow? And besides… My darling herself erased it a little while ago, so it’s gone now.”

Recalling as much evidently wounded Momo. She suddenly slumped down heavily, covering her face with her hands. Menou had tempted her with the prize of a swimsuit photo, then mercilessly erased the entire collection with her own hand.

“W-wait, it’s gone?” Akari seemed equally shocked that she’d lost her chance to see photos of a young Menou.

Incidentally, Momo had yet to notice due to her distress at the time, but Menou only actually erased the photos that were taken without permission. She left any that had been captured normally, out of the goodness of her heart.

“Okay, but—ugh.”

As the pair attempted to recover from their mutual shock to resume exchanging insults again, a bell rang, indicating the arrival of a train.

It was the one they were scheduled to take next, gliding into the station with the heavy chugging of wheels. The boisterous sounds of its arrival forced Momo and Akari’s arguing to quiet.

Both of them were still grappling with regret over the insults they had yet to unleash. While each girl wore an expression that said I was just getting started, they weren’t foolish enough to risk missing their train over it.

“…Hey, Momo. The thing you said before we left the oasis was true, right?” Akari asked.

“Of course it was. I have no reason to lie about that. Why else would I bother bringing you along with me?”

Instead of fighting, they spoke about their next moves.

Akari had parted with Menou, her most precious friend in the world. Momo, too, had taken Akari away despite knowing it would upset the person dearer to her than any other.

The two girls stood to board the train. There was only one reason they were leaving Menou behind.

So that she would survive.

“As long as my darling is chasing us, she will never betray the Faust.”

That was why the pair was traveling together, even though they couldn’t get along by any stretch of the imagination. Getting far away from Menou was the most important goal.

“And you’re sure Menou isn’t going to catch up to us?”

“But of course. We have a three-day head start on my darling, after all.”

“Three days?”

“Did you think I left my darling’s side without taking any cautionary measures?” Momo clearly didn’t care to reassure Akari, but she explained anyway. “Before we departed the oasis, I stole all her travel funds. She’ll be too busy raising funds to come chasing after us.”

“…Yikes.” Akari looked taken aback by her heartless method. “You really are a nasty one, Momo.”

“Of course I am,” Momo responded coolly. “There’s no such thing as a nice Executioner, except for my darling.”

Akari had no response to that strangely convincing argument.

With each gust of wind, the sands of the Wild Frontier’s desert danced in the arid atmosphere. The sun constantly burned the skin in this harsh climate.

At the center of this unforgiving desert, the oasis was a crucial rest area that provided water and respite from the intense surroundings. In addition to quenching one’s thirst, the abundant water source fostered lush greenery that was otherwise scarce in the desert. People gathered there and made buildings. Before long, it became a valuable stopping point on any desert journey.

Presently, one lone girl stood in a tavern in this town.

Despite being in her midteens, she possessed mature beauty and was clad in the indigo robes that marked her as an official priestess. There was a generous slit in the right side of her skirt, but it wasn’t there to show off her long, slender legs; it was so she could easily access the dagger kept in a belt around her thighs.

Her name was Menou, also known as Flarette, and she was a taboo-hunting Executioner of the Faust.

The girl’s entire body was glowing with phosphorescent Guiding Light. Her spirit never wavered, even in the span of a single breath.

She drew out “power” from her soul, controlled it with her spirit, and circulated it through her entire body. While the Guiding Force was flowing into her flesh, it stagnated and stalled unnaturally in some areas. She focused on returning these problem areas to normal, slowly maintaining the distribution.

Menou had taken considerable damage in recent fights.

First, she’d battled the armed criminal group Iron Chain. Then Sahara, the nun with the artificial arm. And finally, she’d combated the wish-fulfillment puppet that Sahara’s hopes brought to life, the Primary Triad conjured soldier.

She’d managed to emerge victorious from the fearsome battles, but certainly not unharmed.

The injuries from the final conflict were particularly intense. Menou had recovered in the last moment from very near defeat. Now the priestess was concentrating on mending her wounds.

Guiding Enhancement strengthened the user’s physical capabilities. She was using it to focus on enhancing her body’s ability to heal, hastening the process of closing her wounds. This method could restore injuries swiftly, although it did have its limits.

After a while, Menou’s eyes flashed open.

The Guiding Light surrounding her body dissipated. With a short sigh, she stood up and shook out her limbs. As she stretched, her tawny-brown ponytail swayed along with the black scarf ribbon holding it in place.

After a series of movements to check whether there was any pain remaining, she determined there were no significant problems.

“Yes, that should do it.”

Menou wasn’t back to her full strength, but she had recovered to the point where she felt prepared for a fight. Most of the damage she’d sustained had been skin-deep, which was easier to mend. It wouldn’t be so easy to heal if they were bone fractures, cuts that reached internal organs, or other more severe injuries.

“Now, that takes care of my health…,” Menou trailed off, then lowered her tone. “But I have to do something about the money.”

Her eyes were full of anguish as she gazed at the bed, where all her travel belongings lay.

The sturdy leather bag that usually hung off her belt was flat, starved of its usual contents. She had spread out everything she carried with her on the bed so she could look it all over with an objective eye.

As Menou stared at the neatly arranged personal effects, her expression soured further.

With everything out in the open, it was all the more apparent. The most important item she needed for her travels was missing.

In short, her money was gone.

“…Why in the world would this happen?”

Menou held the empty purse between her fingers. The nature of her sadness was strangely specific: that of one all too acquainted with the anxiety of living without funds.

She had saved up to pay for travel expenses by taking on missions—and at other times by undergoing outrageous tribulations—and now it was gone. Menou hadn’t wasted it all on an extravagant shopping spree. That much was certain. In fact, she was accustomed to a frugal and diligent lifestyle. Just the other day, she had taken down the criminal group Iron Chain in their desert hideout as part of her work for the Faust.

Yet while she was off getting caught up in all kinds of trouble, someone had broken into her room at the inn and stolen all her money.

As a priestess, Menou was familiar with honorable poverty, but she certainly didn’t enjoy it. Technically, she was an elite who had worked her way up the ranks in the clergy; why did she have to suffer so in the name of funds? Her thoughts wandered to such escapist musings because money was not the only thing she’d lost.

Something else had been snatched away.

Akari Tokitou, who she’d been traveling with all this time, was missing.

As Menou was forced to grapple with her dire straits again, she muttered darkly to herself, “I feel a headache coming on…”

This was an even bigger problem than the empty purse. In fact, the girl’s disappearance was so serious that being broke was trivial by comparison.

After all, Menou’s current role was to travel with Akari.

Akari Tokitou was a lost lamb summoned from a country called Japan in another world, and she was the holder of the Pure Concept Time. Menou’s job as an Executioner was to supervise and eventually deal with her. But now her target was gone.

Menou folded her arms, wondering what to do, when a voice suddenly rang out behind her.

“Wow, talk about pathetic.”

She turned around, but there was no one there, only two scriptures sitting on top of a table. Momo had left one behind, but the other was the source of the oddity.

Menou’s personal scripture was speaking in a human voice.

“How’s it feel to get outwitted by your own assistant?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Sahara.”

As soon as Menou coolly spoke the name of the voice’s owner, the scripture emitted Guiding Light that formed a holographic image.

A girl in a nun’s habit appeared floating in the air.

Her wavy silver hair came down to just above her shoulders, while her half-closed eyes gave her a permanently listless expression. She was undoubtedly a beautiful young girl, but her most eye-catching feature was definitely her size.

She was small enough to fit in the palm of one’s hand.

Although she originally belonged to the church, the girl harbored jealousy and envy toward Menou that had driven her to use taboos. She’d lost her body after a fight with Menou, yet somehow, her spirit had ended up within Menou’s scripture in a strange twist of fate.

Depressed over the awful surprise, Sahara had spent a while curled up in a ball muttering “I want to die” over and over, but she started getting livelier upon seeing what Momo had done to Menou.

“Momo took poor Akari away. Your trusted assistant has betrayed you, Menou.”

“…We still don’t know for sure that Momo’s responsible.”

“Yeah, right. I’m sure you’re fully aware it’s the most likely possibility.”

“……”

Menou fell into dejected silence.

Sahara was correct. The signs that Momo had absconded with Akari of her own free will were painfully apparent. Akari’s hair band and Momo’s scripture had been left behind. Throw in the note, and there was no doubt that the two girls had chosen to leave. Menou suggested otherwise only to cover for her friend.

“What are you going to do? This decision doesn’t make any sense for an Executioner’s assistant. If you ask me, you obviously have to report that violent little freak show as a traitor to the cause, y’know?”

“I’m not going to do that. I’m sure she has a good reason for her actions. Besides, she’s my assistant. I have to take responsibility for her.”

“…Ugh. It’s so typical of you to be soft on Momo; it gives me the chills.”

Menou coolly ignored Sahara’s jab. “Too bad. This development means I’ll have to deal with you later.”

Momo’s deed couldn’t be ignored. So for now, disposing of Sahara as a nun who had committed major taboos would have to wait.

Menou rapped on the scripture lightly with her knuckle.

“Sahara. Right now, you are a taboo. I’m sorry, but I have no way of saving you. Maybe you should be grateful to Momo for extending your life span?”

This time, it was Sahara who fell silent at the snide remark.

Even if the Mechanical Society had influenced her, her actions were unpardonable.

On top of trying to kill Menou, she was fused to her scripture due to taking on the characteristics of the Mechanical Society. Sahara’s very existence was now taboo.

She had transformed from a human into a Guiding Force life-form.

Losing one’s body while keeping their soul and spirit preserved was a rare phenomenon. Once Menou caught up with Momo and restrained her, she would have to take care of this situation with Sahara, too. She intended to offer the scripture containing Sahara as proof when she reported the incident.

“I was planning to hand you over at the church in the next town, but I have no time for that now. Once I get Momo back, I’ll just have to carry you with me all the way to the holy land.”

To reach her destination and the Sword of Salt, Menou would have to traverse the holy land, the central location of the Faust. Making that trip had become a necessity from the moment she had chosen the Sword of Salt as her means of slaying Akari, who was not killable by standard methods.

“Whatever they do with you after that is none of my business… I imagine you may want to prepare for the worst.”

Menou only refrained from burning her scripture to be rid of Sahara because she didn’t really understand what exactly the former nun had become.

All she knew was that Sahara’s presence in the scripture hindered Menou’s ability to use conjurings. For now, she would have to borrow the one Momo had left behind.

“I’ll need you to stay out of sight until then. No taking on a visible form with Guiding Light, obviously—and try not to talk at all, either.”

“…And if I refuse?”

“Then I may have to consider destroying you on the spot.”

It was rare for a human to transform into a Guiding Force life-form but not completely unheard of. Still, it was baffling that Sahara somehow existed within Menou’s scripture.

One of the main reasons Menou didn’t torch the book on the spot was that there was no telling whether it would worsen the situation. It might even cause the wish-fulfillment puppet to appear again.

That scenario seemed highly unlikely, however.

In truth, a small amount of sympathy for Sahara and reluctance to kill her a second time also helped to stay Menou’s hand.

“…I see.”

Sahara sounded unfazed by this threat of execution.

“Do whatever you want. I don’t intend to help you, and I certainly don’t want you to help me, either. I am a former nun who committed a taboo. You are an Executioner priestess who disposes of people like me. That’s all there is to it.”

“…True enough.”

If that was how Sahara felt, there was nothing more Menou could do. At most, she could offer her someone to talk to, and even that was only for the short time until Sahara was gone for good.

“Either way, I still have to go after Momo first. I need to know what she was thinking when she took Akari away, after all.”

“How? You don’t exactly seem like you’re in great shape to catch up to anyone right now.”

Sahara looked at Menou’s empty purse and smirked.

“I mean, you don’t have any money, right?”

“No, I suppose not…”

She was absolutely right. This fundamental problem had to be solved before Menou could take any further action.

Of course, she wasn’t without any plans to deal with that. Menou knelt down and slipped a hand into her calf-length boots.

The rustle of paper money brushed against her fingertips. She grabbed it and pulled out a ten-thousand-in banknote.

“…I guess you’re not totally broke, then.”

“Naturally. I’ve been traveling for a long time, you know.”

Sahara sounded disappointed, but Menou ignored that.

The priestess wasn’t foolish enough to put all her funds in a tiny purse. She still had the small amount she’d broken up and hidden on her person. It didn’t amount to much, but it should have been sufficient to buy food and water to get through the desert.

“It’s still not enough, though.”

Sahara was right again.

If Menou crossed the desert with so little, she would run out entirely by the time she reached the border. If Momo hoped to escape pursuit, she would probably ride a train, and if Menou took on a job to raise travel funds, she would miss her chance to catch up to Momo and Akari.

Generally, when Executioners like Menou needed to borrow money for their missions, they were tasked with resolving local difficulties. Since they were outsiders to the parish, it was accepted that they would have to work to earn their budget.

Even if Menou made it to the next town, there was no guarantee that the church there would simply hand over the capital she needed. She would definitely lose Momo and Akari’s trail if she wasted extra time negotiating.

Menou tapped the banknote against her chin in thought.

What was Momo’s reason for taking Akari away?

She had kidnapped Akari while Menou was fighting Iron Chain and even went so far as to steal Menou’s money to slow her chase. The sudden turn of events was like a bolt from the blue to the Executioner.

Menou and Momo were very close. They had known each other since their childhood in the monastery. Surely the kinship they’d built over the years wasn’t all in Menou’s mind.

Then why would Momo go against Menou’s orders and take Akari away?

Menou searched her memory for any moments that might explain the behavior, and she found them.

“Since this mission involves being with the target for an extended period, please let me do it instead… I don’t think this mission…suits you, darling.”

“…But that’s not exactly what I’m worried about, you knooow.”

The conversation was from when Menou first undertook the journey with Akari: in Grisarika Kingdom, when she first realized her role. At the time, Momo doubted whether Menou was suited for the job.

Two months had passed since then.

“…So that’s how Momo saw things,” Menou whispered to herself, so quietly that even Sahara couldn’t hear her.

She faintly understood why Momo had made an unauthorized judgment call, but it only made her frown deepen.

Momo was exceptionally skilled. However, her thought process could be a bit self-absorbed, likely because she could solve most problems simply by relying on her sheer strength and capability. Her fundamental approach was to rectify issues however she saw fit. The girl rarely considered methods that didn’t come naturally to her.

Consequently, this made her easy to predict.

Her work in the field was incredible, but she was far too picky when forming plans. While Momo obediently followed Menou’s orders when she was under her direct supervision, the fact that she struggled with sticking to those commands in any other circumstances was the reason she remained an assistant.

It was easy to guess why she’d stolen the travel money. It was to slow Menou down, plain and simple.

When traveling with someone as inexperienced as Akari, it naturally took much more time to get from one place to another. Momo had to buy time to prevent Menou from catching up to her.

There was an easy way to get around this, however.

“I’m guessing it would never even occur to Momo that I might ask that person for help.”

“What person?”

Sahara was unaware of who Menou was referring to.

“I happen to know someone with deep pockets, you see.”

“Money? But of course.”

The person Menou sought travel funds from readily agreed before a number was even mentioned.

This generous figure also happened to be a gorgeous one. She was quite tall for a woman, endowed with all the right curves and wearing a remarkably skimpy dress that accentuated them all. Even without any ornamentation, she was already strikingly beautiful. Few people could boast a noble upbringing, natural features, and personality that matched so well.

Her name was Ashuna Grisarika, the mighty young Princess Knight of Grisarika Kingdom.

She had fought alongside Menou during the operation to destroy the criminal group Iron Chain. Ashuna had taken no small amount of damage in the struggle, but there were no visible scars on her now. Most likely, she had used Guiding Enhancement to hasten her healing along just like Menou.

“Are you certain? I haven’t even said how much I need yet.”

“It does not matter.”

Ashuna crossed her legs and smiled elegantly, her blue eyes twinkling.

“If lending you money will put you in my debt, I could ask for nothing more. Go on, give me a number. The more digits, the better. Ideally, an amount you could never possibly pay back.”

“…I’d prefer to borrow the absolute minimum necessary, thank you very much. I will reimburse you as quickly as possible.”

“Really? Well, that’s too bad.”

Ashuna looked genuinely disappointed. She didn’t lend because she cared little for her fortune, but because she knew that Menou was an investment guaranteed to yield a good return. The debt would be settled by Ashuna collecting Menou herself, and this eagerness clearly made the priestess visibly uncomfortable.

Ashuna didn’t seem particularly bothered by this. She just tossed her purse casually over to Menou.

“Here, take as much as you want.”

“…Thank you.”

Menou was well aware of Ashuna’s gallant personality and that it was better not to protest. Thus, she simply took a few ten-thousand-in banknotes from the purse on the spot.

“If all you require is such a trivial amount that can be contained in one purse, simply borrowing and returning it would provide little entertainment. This is a rare chance. Perhaps I should attach some conditions?”

“I wasn’t borrowing money for your entertainment, but…all right. Will you require interest or something?”

“Interest? Where’s the fun in that?”

Charging interest was a standard tactic for lending money. While the ever-parsimonious Menou worried about whether it would be too excessive, a wicked grin spread across Ashuna’s face as she accepted the purse back.

“Hrm, so you only borrowed fifty thousand in or so? No need to reimburse me, then. Instead, I will have you do something amusing for me.”

In spite of being told she didn’t have to pay the money back, Menou’s fears only doubled.

She watched and listened with growing dread as Ashuna stood.

“As you may be aware, I have a fondness for clothes.”

“Yes, well, I suppose that makes sense.”

The dress Ashuna usually wore possessed a unique and innovative design. It was easy to surmise that the woman was particular about fashion.

But what did that have to do with her terms for lending money? As Menou struggled to see the connection, Ashuna strode over to a closet in one corner of the room.

The closet was full of all kinds of garments.

Ashuna’s dress was indeed remarkable, but the other ensembles in her wardrobe spoke to her fondness of finery, too. Ashuna picked one out with a wolfish smile.

“Here you are, Menou. I will ask you to wear this for a while. Ah, worry not, I shall have my tailor adjust it to your size.”

“…Excuse me? You want me to wear this?”

Looking at the outfit she’d been handed, Menou couldn’t stop a rare expression of being dumbfounded from crossing her face.

Few territories on this continent had a large enough population and area to be called a nation.

The environment made consistent survival difficult for humanity due to dangerous monsters, powerful conjured soldiers, and most of all, the aftermath of the Human Errors. Since every nation was surrounded on its borders by the Wild Frontier, most of the denizens of this world would never even consider traveling from one country to another.

If there was ever a reason for ordinary citizens to consider venturing through these perilous regions, it was to go on a pilgrimage to the holy land at the west of the continent. Since there was a great deal of risk involved in traversing the Wild Frontier, most people would only attempt the journey once in their lives, if even that.

This is why most humans in this world referred only to moving within their homeland when they spoke of traveling.

The Guiding trains were indispensable for transportation over any area that was at least relatively safe. Tracks were laid out within every country, making them humanity’s most popular form of voyaging.

The locomotive that ran across the plains past the desert at the continent’s center and toward the mountainous region was also used for domestic trips.

Its interior design was simplistic. There was an aisle through the middle of each car, with seats lining the left and right sides. The red cloth-covered chairs looked comfortable but actually did very little to protect the passengers from feeling the framework of the train. Since they were designed with only appearance in mind and no actual cushioning, sitting on them for a long time meant that one would feel the shaking of the train enough to leave their bottom sore. The seats were infamous for their discomfort.

Momo and Akari were in two such chairs, chatting about Menou to pass the time.

“I know Menou always wears her priestess robes, but she looks great in anything, don’t you think? It’s amazing how she can be that cool but still pull off cute clothes just as well. I still remember that maid outfit she was wearing when we first met. It was so frilly yet simple and adorable! …Have you ever seen Menou in attire like that, Momo?”

“You mean the one from Grisarika Kingdom? Obviously, I haaave. I’m the one who created that maid outfit, you knooow! Thanks ever so much for the compliment, you fooool!”

“Whaaat?! You can make stuff like that? Dang it, I don’t have those skills…”

“But of cooourse. I’ve been recording my darling’s growth and fashion since we were little, and I spare no effort for her sake. Unlike a certain someone who probably can’t even cook, or sew, or infiltrate and search a place, or take out small-fry in battle, hmmm?”

“Grrrr…!”

One was an assistant priestess raised in a monastery in the holy land; the other was a lost one from another world. With two vastly different personalities and sets of experience, the pair had nothing else in common to discuss except Menou. And as it happened, Menou was the topic both of them were interested in most.

Although they were reluctant to acknowledge it, the pair had plenty to converse on when it came to Menou.

“Speaking of Menou’s fashion, you mentioned before we got on the train that your records got deleted… Are you sure they’re all gone, though? Scriptures can record pictures and stuff, right? Menou is really nice deep down, so I doubt she would erase all your treasured memories. This means I still have a chance to see a young Menou! Am I wrong?”

“Now that you mention it, I suppose some of the usual pictures might still be intact…but I left my scripture with my darling. So either way, I have nothing to show you.”

“Aw, come on. Wait, why did you leave your scripture with her in the first place? Isn’t that thing a weapon?”

“I rarely use my scripture in battle. Besides, scriptures that are linked for communication can also locate one another if they’re in close enough range. Menou could use that to find us, so I had to leave it behind.”

“Hmph. Thanks for nothing, Momo!”

“Be quiet, you useless girl.” Looking satisfied with the silly advantage of being the only one who had known Menou as a child, Momo folded her arms smugly and changed the subject. “Now then, since we have time on our hands, let’s talk about something else.”

“C’mooon, what could be more important than pictures of Menou as a kid?”

“Give it up. Even if I had my scripture, I would never show them to you. We’re changing topics, okay? I have questions about your memories.”

A few other passengers were riding in the same car as the two young women. Momo glanced around to confirm that they had no unwanted listeners, then kept her voice low enough to be lost amid the sounds of the running train as she brought up the topic they discussed almost as often as insulting each other.

“You used your Pure Concept conjuring to Regress time for the entire world, with my darling’s death as the trigger. That’s correct, yes?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Akari Tokitou had the Pure Concept Time attached to her soul.

As the name implied, Pure Concepts were superhuman conjurings that enabled the user to control an entire concept. There were many other varieties besides Akari’s Time.

The people of this world sometimes summoned Otherworlders searching for this incredible power, although they occasionally wandered in naturally, too.

It was the role of Executioners like Momo and Menou to slay such taboos, but this time, the circumstances were different.

“And you said you’ve been turning back time over and over in search of a way to save my darling from dying on the journey to the Sword of Salt, yes?”

Akari nodded silently but intently.

Momo leaned back in her seat. It looked soft to the eye, but that was firmly limited to its appearance. Little more than a thin layer of cloth wrapped around hard wood, the seats directly conveyed every last rattle of the train to anyone unfortunate enough to be sitting in them.

As the locomotive rocked around, Momo gathered her thoughts again.

Turning back time for the entire world.

It was difficult to imagine just how this phenomenon functioned. The effect was massive, and there were no records of anything similar. Momo had no way of observing what happened to the time line when it was turned back, either, meaning there was little use theorizing about it.

Only one thing was for sure—the Regression always worked out in Akari’s favor.

She was the one with the Pure Concept, the person actually using it. The resulting occurrence was bound to obey her will.

“You are truly an absolute thorn in my side. Your entire existence is unbelievably inconvenient.”

“Right back at you. Besides, I’m only stuck turning back time because you can never protect Menou, got it?”

“Complaining about a version of me from a time I’ve never experienced means nothing to me, idiot.”

Until Momo heard Akari’s side of the story, she had been acting solely to support Menou, fully supporting her decision to use the Sword of Salt to kill Akari.

Yet as soon as she learned that Menou had betrayed the Faust to protect Akari in a previous time line, Momo’s goal changed.

Even before that, she’d had her concerns.

Menou was an incredibly skilled Executioner. She always killed her targets after a concise period of interaction. Her methods echoed those of Flare, the one who had taught her and Momo. Indeed, Menou was now known as Flarette in certain circles of the underworld.

But because Menou was so skilled, she invariably slew her targets shortly after making contact with them. Before Akari, she had never gotten to know her marks for long.

Thus, Momo wasn’t wholly caught by surprise upon discovering what might lead to Menou’s death.

“Darling…is far too kind.”

“Mm-hmm.” Akari nodded. “She’s been that way since I first met her. Menou’s really nice, at least to me… Hee-hee!”

“If only she could just abandon a nitwit like yooou…!”

As Akari giggled, Momo ground her teeth, wondering why Menou would risk everything to protect this awful person.

Menou’s betraying the Faust meant she would be killed by her Master, Flare. And if that was a real possibility, Momo decided there was no need for her darling to kill Akari at all. She simply took Akari away from Menou so the Human Error wouldn’t inspire her to do something foolish.

Momo had shifted her goal from a journey to take Akari’s life to one to save Menou’s instead.

“But, Momo, is Menou really going to be okay without us?”

If Menou and Akari’s closeness was what triggered the disaster, then Menou would survive so long as Akari stayed away. However, Akari stayed with the priestess, reasoning that there was no guarantee that Flare was the one who would actually take Menou’s life.

Akari had tried never meeting Menou at all, yet it resulted in her dying even sooner.

Momo rolled her eyes to express that Akari’s concerns were pointless.

“She’ll be fine. Listen, you may not have realized this because of how painfully stupid you are…”

“Momo, could you maybe zip your lips instead of insulting me again?”

“You may not have realized because you’re so dense…”

Momo completely ignored Akari’s pouty request, instead emphasizing the other girl’s idiocy as she continued.

“But from what you’ve told me, it seems like there are two main causes for my darling’s death. One, she’s killed by the red-haired priestess you mentioned—Master Flare. This happens when my darling rebels against the Faust. And two… When you’re not around, she doesn’t have the strength to survive certain dangerous fights. I imagine this is primarily when she gets captured by Archbishop Orwell in Grisarika Kingdom.”

This became clear when Akari decided to avoid meeting Menou.

Archbishop Orwell—a member of the Faust who stained her hands with extreme taboo. She was a powerful opponent. Individually, she far outclassed Menou, and she also strategically kept on the mask of a clergy member.

Menou had only survived her stronghold in the old capital of Garm because she’d managed to draw out Akari’s Pure Concept. Orwell was so powerful that even Menou couldn’t defeat her with an ace-in-the-hole source of strength.

Since Momo had assisted in that investigation, she was all too aware that Akari’s absence would have made it impossible for Menou to defeat Orwell.

“Since there were two ways for my darling to die, you chose to try to save her by traveling with her, correct?”

“Yeah.”

Akari nodded again.

Without Akari, Menou wouldn’t have escaped Orwell’s trap. This was essentially a confirmed fact. No matter how capable Menou was, she was poor sport for an enemy who stood at the top of the Faust.

“This time around, we’ve already overcome that trial. So what we need to worry about now is the possibility of my darling being killed by our teacher after crossing the center of the continent.”

In other words, around when she left the Balar Desert: the events that were happening even as they spoke.

Akari had explained the loop during their time in the oasis to Momo. On their journeys since then, Momo had learned virtually everything else that Akari remembered.

From her understanding, things differed from the situation with Orwell when they entered the western part of the continent. Master Flare only killed Menou when she had spent more than a certain amount of time with Akari.

“But most likely, my darling…”

Momo trailed off. She didn’t want to voice why Menou would betray the Faust, especially in front of Akari. She could imagine the other girl getting a big head about it all too quickly. If Momo spoke it aloud, she was going to regret it. Yet she reluctantly opened her mouth anyway.

“…I imagine her friendship with you will rob her of her will to take your life.”

As far as Momo could tell, Menou died to Master Flare when she betrayed the Faust to save Akari.

No sooner did the assistant Executioner admit as much than a shameless grin spread across Akari’s face.

“Oh yeah? Heh-heh… You think so, too? Really? I knew it! Menou must really, really like m—”

“It’s all your fault, so diiiie!”

“Bwuh?!”

Her reaction was even more annoying than Momo had expected.

Momo swung a right hook at Akari as if to punish her for the sin of getting too full of herself. It was a very exaggerated, obvious move, so Akari quickly slid out of her seat and narrowly avoided Momo’s fist colliding with her face.

“That was close! What the heck was that for?!”

“Ooh, I’m sooo sorry. You just got so ridiculously happy despite being the root of the problem, and I couldn’t control my desire to destroy yooou.”

“You’re just jealous! Don’t be mad just ’cause Menou obviously cares about me more than you!”

“Excuuuuse meee?! Aaas ifffff! Who do you think you aaaare?!”

Momo glared at Akari but lowered her fist. Even if she punched the other girl’s head in, Regression would just bring her back. It wouldn’t be fatal.

“Well, I certainly have a lot of doubts. But that hypothesis will do for now.”

Among the most immediate of the many oddities that stuck out to Momo was that Master Flare, who was supposedly going to kill Menou, was not a currently active Executioner.

Flare was known as a living legend, but at present, her role was to supervise a monastery that trained future Executioners. Revered though she was, the woman would typically never be sent out into the field in her position.

Why would their Master come out of her retirement from the front lines, even to execute Menou for treason?

Menou was incredibly skilled, but she wasn’t so strong that no one but their Master could possibly kill her. Even Momo’s biased judgment had to concede that a squad of sufficiently skilled priestesses from the holy land could most likely defeat Menou.

While Flare had made Menou her successor, she wasn’t such a sentimental person that she would insist on being the one to take her old pupil out.

Coldhearted and ruthless.

An emotionless killer.

Such was Momo’s impression of their Master. Flare never let any feelings affect her mission. She didn’t even place that much value on her own life. So why would she do something like this?

However, based on what Akari described from her multiple encounters with their Master, it was no coincidence. During the first time in particular, there was no doubt that Menou had betrayed the Faust to save Akari.

They didn’t have enough pieces to put the puzzle together, though. So Momo set aside the pointless speculation and moved on to the next subject.

“So the biggest difference between this time and all the others is Pandæmonium, right?”

“Yeah, for sure. That was a shocker.”

Pandæmonium was the Human Error they had encountered in the port city of Libelle. Known as the worst and most horrifying of the Human Errors, she had been sealed away in a fog, until a hole unexpectedly formed in the barrier. It was thought to be caused by a thousand years of deterioration, but as it turned out, Akari’s repeated Regression of the time line was the real cause.

Momo couldn’t help but scowl at this.

“Really, what a horrible thing to cause for all of us. Are you trying to destroy the world indirectly?”

“No, I didn’t mean to…”

Akari pouted, clearly unhappy with the situation.

She genuinely hadn’t known that her conjurings could potentially release one of the Four Major Human Errors.

“Although, I mean… If Menou’s going to die anyway, who cares if the world gets destroyed?” Akari said.

“I know what you mean,” Momo agreed with a perfectly serious expression.

Menou was that much more dear to both of them than anything else.

“I can’t blame you for being willing to annihilate the world to save my darling. But if you put her in danger in the process, then that’s another story. I don’t care what Pandæmonium does when my darling’s not around, but what if they end up in the same place?”

“Argh, you’re right…!”

The pair of Menou-loving extremists carried on their discussion without caring for any other casualties.

“At any rate, there are several ways to ensure my darling’s safety. First and foremost is your death. If an Otherworlder like you dies, it’s not like you have any family who will complain. And the sooner you perish, the faster my darling’s reason for betraying the Faust will disappear. Unfortunately, we’ll still be left with Pandæmonium’s pinky finger, but that isn’t so bad assuming there will be no other damage.”

“…Listen, Momo.” Akari looked grave as she regarded the other girl’s blunt observation. “I hate you, so I don’t want you to be the one to kill me. If you ask me, there’s a level of trust required to forfeit your life to another.”

“What in the world are you saying?”

It was indeed a bizarre sense of values.

Clearly, this girl had gone completely mad in the process of rewinding time over and over. Momo looked at her with an expression bordering on pity for a pathetic fool.

“I can’t kill you anyway, which renders this plan moot.”

“Why exactly can’t you do it, by the way? Even you should be able to end me with the Sword of Salt, right?”

“I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to get permission to use it. From what I’m told, you need to pass through the holy land to reach where the Sword of Salt is kept. Since I’m an assistant on the run from my own superior at the moment, going to the holy land would be akin to surrendering myself.”

“Oooh, I see.” Akari nodded thoughtfully. “So you really can’t kill me, then. I’m kinda relieved.”

“If I could, I would have done it already… Meddling little pest.”

“Oh-ho-hooo? Well, since you can’t, I guess that just makes you some really cheap pesticide, huh? Sticks and stones may break my bones, but at least Momo can’t hurt me!”

It was true that Momo possessed no means of slaying Akari. If the lost lamb died by any standard means, the Pure Concept of Time would bring her back.

“At any rate, we’re agreed that the reason for my darling’s death is different from the first part of the journey to the middle stages and beyond, correct?”

“Correct.”

“Good. Then once she’s crossed the Balar Desert, my darling won’t get caught up in any incidents she can’t deal with, even without you there. So please get that idea through your thick skull already.”

“…Gotcha.”

Under normal circumstances, Menou shouldn’t encounter severe trouble like the archbishop resorting to taboo too often.

“You’ve never once tested to see if you could leave her side at some point without her dying?”

“…I was scared, okay?” Akari’s voice quivered. “I think it was the third time around…when Menou died while I was gone. So I thought it’d be better if I stayed with her forever to make sure she didn’t die.”

That was the main reason Akari never left Menou’s side.

The person she was trying to save had perished in some totally unrelated event, nowhere near her, and it wounded Akari deeply.

“Even if Menou dies, I can turn back time. Start over again. But if I don’t even know that she’s dead, I can’t rewind time. Not knowing what’s happening to her is unbearable.”

After repeating things a few times, Akari had once tried escaping from the castle in Grisarika as soon as she was rescued—making it so she never met Menou at all.

Ultimately, she had wandered aimlessly on her own until she was caught by Flare and learned of Menou’s death. Until then, she had assumed Menou was alive, and she hadn’t been able to use the conjuring that rewound time for the entire world.

Akari was always far more emotional than logical by nature. Her obsessive desire to be with Menou made it impossible to analyze the situation objectively.

Momo crossed her arms as she listened to Akari’s confession.

Much to her own annoyance, she understood exactly how the other girl felt. She couldn’t help but sympathize with the sentiment of putting Menou’s life above all else.

“Well, we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us. I hope you’re prepared.”

“I know, but still, Momo…” Akari sighed. “My heart’s just not in it, traveling with you, I mean. There’s no excitement about sharing things together, no thrill. A journey in another world should be fun, you know?”

“Excitement, hmm?”

Momo narrowed her eyes. If Akari had already lived through the same trip multiple times, she was undoubtedly used to it by now. Surely she was only complaining to pick a fight.

Momo wasn’t one to turn down such an offer, however.

“Well, this is your first time coming to these mountains, isn’t it?”

“Huh? Yeah, I guess so.”

“I see. You’ve only ever taken the trains across flatlands before, I imagine. If my darling took you to the Sword of Salt, she would go by way of the holy land instead of taking a detour like this. In which case…”

Momo turned her attention to what lay beyond the window. Since the train had entered this mountainous region, the tracks had become more winding, slowing its overall speed. And since the two girls were passing by the peaks…Momo spotted exactly what she was hoping to.

“Five…four…”

The assistant Executioner began a countdown. Confused by the sudden turn of events, Akari watched with a puzzled expression.

“Three…two…one…zero.”

Just as Momo finished, the train entered a tunnel.

Then the inside of the train filled with light.

The glow emitted by the Guiding engines filled the underpass and flooded in through the windows. Akari and Momo’s car was no exception, of course. The Guiding Light poured in through the window Momo had opened.

Akari’s eyes widened at the misty glow of the unnatural radiance. The locomotive exited the tunnel before too long, though.

The sunlight shone in and canceled out the faint glow of the Guiding Light.

“…Well?”

Since Akari was accustomed to traveling across plains, she’d never encountered a tunnel before. As the girl gaped in the aftermath of the wondrous sight, Momo looked at her with a straight face.

“Exciting enough for you?”

“…Hrmmph!”

Akari’s mouth twisted up into a scowl. She puffed her cheeks and turned away, trying to hide her obvious emotions out of spite for Momo.

“Not at all!”

Momo grinned smugly.

She’d won this round.

Far behind Momo and Akari’s scheduled train, another locomotive was running on the same track.

It had a total of ten cars, from the engine at the front to the observation car at the rear. Its wheels clacked against the tracks, pushing it ever forward. It must have looked far more powerful than any ordinary train to an outside observer.

Three luxurious sleeper cars were hitched to it. A pleasant aroma wafted through one compartment of the first sleeper car.

The interior couldn’t have been more different from what Momo and Akari were riding in. This was no ordinary train that one could board simply by purchasing a single cheap ticket at the platform counter. Were it not for the scenery flying by the window beside the table, the inside could easily have been mistaken for a room in a first-class hotel.

The passenger in this particular chamber was even enjoying a decadent multicourse meal.

Usually, this food would only be served in the dining car adjacent to the kitchen car, but this person had instructed an attendant to bring the food to them, with the table entirely laid out for a restaurant-style dinner.

The one enjoying this extravagant service and cuisine was none other than Ashuna Grisarika. As she finished the seafood course and took a break, the next plate arrived.

“Here is the next dish, Your Highness.”

“What’s the main course?”

“A steak filet poele, I am told. Then there will be a rose champagne gelatin dessert, and, finally, black tea. Will that be acceptable?”

“Perfect. You know your stuff.”

Nodding at the attendant’s polite report, Ashuna stifled a snicker.

The person bringing her food was dressed in a butler’s uniform. However, the wearer wasn’t a man. The servant delivering Ashuna’s meal was a woman young enough to be considered a girl.

Ashuna called to her again, mirth plain in her tone.

“You know, I’m surprised. As absurd as it may sound coming from the one who forced you to do this, you’re actually pulling it off quite well.”

“I certainly don’t want to hear that from the party who put me up to this, but…yes, I have trained in anticipation of all kinds of situations, so I am confident I can carry out most tasks with relative ease.”

“Waiting tables falls within the scope of your duties, then? Perhaps you truly are prepared to fit in just about anywhere.”

Ashuna nodded thoughtfully, then pointed at the seat across from her with her fork. It was a rude gesture unbefitting a lady of her status, but she made it look perfectly acceptable with her absurdly high level of sheer confidence.

“Why don’t you have a seat? You can give me someone to talk to while I’m eating.”

“…I’m afraid I must decline. I still have duties to attend to.”

The butler girl bluntly rejected the invitation and turned briskly on her heel. She had to go back and forth from the kitchen many times to deliver the needlessly elaborate multicourse meal. Ashuna’s gaze on her back was decidedly teasing as she left the compartment and entered the hallway.

The interior design of a train car this resplendent extended to its halls. The floor was laid out with a soft carpet underfoot, while the ceiling was engraved with delicate patterns. Dried flowers decorated the walls and filled the air with a pleasant, gentle scent that paired well with other equally elegant decorations designed and arranged to soothe the soul.

In the otherwise empty corridor, the girl in the butler costume heaved a sigh and tugged resentfully at the hem of her tailored shirt.

“Borrowing money really is the worst.”

For indeed, the girl being made to wear a butler’s outfit and wait on Ashuna was none other than Menou, a proud member of the Faust.

The reason a priestess like Menou was playing dress-up and serving Ashuna dinner was quite simple: She was indebted to her.

Ashuna had handed her a butler’s outfit with the borrowed in. Her condition for the loan was that Menou act as a servant.

“Having me become a butler temporarily is such an absurd condition for lending funds. Not that it’s entirely unexpected for Her Highness Ashuna to do something ridiculous, but still…,” Menou grumbled to herself as she headed for the kitchen car.

She was dressed as a girl in a butler’s costume, not outright disguised as a man. The suit did nothing to hide her feminine curves—if anything, it was designed to accentuate them.

Incidentally, Sahara’s reaction to Menou’s present circumstance was downright horrible. She kept cackling and suggesting that Menou should just become a permanent employee of Ashuna’s until Menou finally silenced her by shoving her scripture to the bottom of her luggage. She didn’t intend to take it out again for some time.

Sahara’s bizarre situation still weighed heavily on Menou’s mind. She couldn’t help feeling like she was missing something important, despite not being able to put her finger on it.

“Is it because the Mechanical Society was involved? No… Perhaps because it was a conjuring that transforms the soul? Or is it something else…?”

Menou continued theorizing to herself as she made several more round trips through the empty hallway until the full-course meal was finally complete.

Ashuna wore a satisfied grin as she sipped on the black tea after her meal. She looked like a spoiled cat who was thoroughly accustomed to being waited on hand and foot.

“Who knew that having such an excellent butler could be this pleasant? I am utterly satisfied.”

Menou, still dressed in servant’s attire, poured Ashuna another cup of tea.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself.”

“Indeed, I am.”

Clearly, Ashuna really was relishing every moment. Menou didn’t know anyone else who got such a deep enjoyment out of life. And yet Menou was so unlike Ashuna that she didn’t feel the slightest bit of envy.

Instead, Menou was very uncomfortable on this train. There was a live performer on a grand piano in the dining car, for crying out loud. Riding first class on this luxurious train while not on an infiltration mission seemed wrong to her.

“At any rate, Your Highness. I should think it would suit you better to simply travel with a regular servant than have me pretend to be one, would it not?”

“The problem with regular servants is that they can only perform regular jobs.”

“I’m not sure how such an obvious fact is an issue…”

“Can you blame me? I am fully aware of my habit of sticking my nose into danger wherever I go. It would be cruel to let a servant get dragged into battle because of my hobbies.”

“…But you have no intent to restrain yourself and behave like a normal princess, I see.”

“If I did, would I still be myself? Besides, I do not stand to gain anything by restraining my nature. I would much rather enjoy the journey my way.” This was typically egotistical logic for the willful and self-conceited Ashuna. She inhaled the scent of her black tea before continuing. “In this particular case, I get to have you indebted to me, of course, but I’m also pleased to chase Momo.”

Menou had been reluctant to let Ashuna join her. After all, she was in the middle of pursuing Momo. Bringing Ashuna along seemed like nothing if not a headache.

Yet since she was borrowing money from the woman, she was in no position to refuse. It was still better than pathetically losing Momo’s trail because she didn’t have the funds to keep up. Thus, she had elected to become Ashuna’s attendant temporarily.

“Now, I’ve become your patron to cover the costs of finding Momo, but do you have any idea where she might be?”

“Of course I do. The actual act of following her won’t be that difficult. Excuse me…” Menou paused and produced a map. “Once they leave the central desert, Momo’s first stop will be the same town we’re headed for.”

“Hmm? How can you be sure? If we don’t know Momo’s intent, surely we lack enough information to determine where she might travel.”

“No, I can predict most of Momo’s moves.”

Wandering around and searching blindly was a waste of time. The continent was enormous. Under usual circumstances, gathering information about the two runaways would require a significant amount of time.

However, Menou knew exactly how Momo’s mind worked.

“Momo is undoubtedly traveling by train. We’re currently following them in a locomotive on the same track… Fortunately, since this train is faster than ordinary ones, we should already be closing the distance.”

“How do you know they aren’t journeying on foot or by carriage? Then we might very well pass them.”

“I seriously doubt it. A pair of girls trekking on foot would draw far too much attention, and Momo currently has someone slowing her down.”

Momo was with Akari. She would never choose to go on foot knowing that Menou was tailing her. Compared to Menou and Momo, who had been trained as Executioners, Akari was far slower.

Most of all, two young women traveling together were bound to stand out. Momo might be able to roam without catching anyone’s eye, but not with Akari in tow. Menou openly wore her priestess’s robes while with Akari to make it clear to everyone around them that she was a member of the Faust, thus avoiding suspicion.

“I see. The girl I saw on the beach at the oasis, eh?”

Ashuna had probably guessed that Akari was an Otherworlder. She didn’t press the matter further, but her eyes narrowed for a moment.

“But even if we know they’re riding a train, how are we going to follow their trail? Guiding trains must follow tracks, but there are plenty of stops where they could disembark. The two could transfer to another line, as well. What do you plan to do about that?”

“I don’t need to do anything. So long as I know their first hideout, I don’t need to follow their trail any farther.”

“Oh-ho?”

A note of delight entered Ashuna’s tone, her interest piqued.

With a sidelong glance at her, Menou traced her finger across the map as she followed Momo’s thought process.

“Momo can’t keep moving for long with Akari in tow. Once she thinks she’s bought herself enough distance, she’ll choose a town with frequent traffic and hide out there. Momo is likely operating under the assumption that she’s succeeded in slowing me down, so she won’t choose a route that’s too reckless. All of which narrows down where she’d choose to hole up for a few days.”

Menou was familiar with the features of most of the major towns and cities on the continent. As she explained her logic, she pointed at one spot on the map.

“In which case, she will likely head to this mountain town first.”

Ashuna clapped lightly, applauding Menou’s detective work.

“Oh, you really are good. What do you think? I wouldn’t mind taking you on as my attendant permanently.”

“I’m honored by the invitation, but I’m afraid I must humbly decline.”

Menou maintained the polite attitude of a servant as she calmly shot down the offer.

Ashuna grinned mischievously, unfazed by the girl’s cool reply.

“Well, if anything ever changes your mind, the offer is always open. I’d be happy to have you. Especially since Momo would be bound to come along as well if I get my hands on you.”

“The answer is still no, regardless.”

Clearly, that was what Ashuna was really after, but it didn’t change Menou’s response. The position of a priestess was not so cheap that she would leave it for a small sum of borrowed funds, not to mention dragging Momo along with her.

“You seem quite fixated on Momo, Your Highness. May I ask the reason?”

“I wouldn’t say I’m fixated, but…aside from her strength, of course, Momo is very entertaining to watch—and all the more so to tease.”

“…She despises you because you mock her so much, you know.”

“Are you giving me a word of advice as her ‘darling’? It’s equally amusing if she hates me, though. As long as she isn’t indifferent about me, it means I stick in her mind.”

Menou’s comment didn’t seem to have bothered Ashuna in the least. From her response, Menou had to wonder if the word brazen was invented solely to describe the Princess Knight. She pinched at her butler uniform, her lips turning downward.

“And is this ensemble a part of your ‘teasing’ as well?”

“Perhaps, but it is a precaution, too. I can’t very well have you waiting on me dressed as you usually are. It could cause no small amount of trouble if people noticed that a priestess of the Faust was waiting on a member of the Noblesse like me.”

“That logic makes sense in itself, but your particular choice of clothing baffles me.”

“Well, there are only two options for a servant to wear: a butler’s outfit or a maid’s one. Out of those two, I thought the butler’s would be more entertaining.”

Her motivations were so openly selfish it was almost impressive.

Ashuna clearly looked amused as she looked Menou up and down. For her part, Menou had long since abandoned any semblance of a sensitive soul that would make her feel embarrassed by a mere change of attire, but she still didn’t enjoy being toyed with.

“No matter, just think of it as a disguise. Although, I suppose I could have lent you something from my personal wardrobe…”

“I’ll stick with the butler outfit, thank you very much.”

Ashuna’s garments wouldn’t suit anyone but Ashuna herself. Menou was confident that she did not want to don anything in the princess’s skimpy repertoire.

“Honestly. You really do get a lot of enjoyment out of life, don’t you, Your Highness?”

“I wouldn’t say that. Even this journey is just a way of staving off boredom.”

“Oh?” Menou raised an eyebrow.

There was more emotion in Ashuna’s voice than she had expected—or indeed than the princess herself likely intended to convey.

And so Menou found herself posing a question she hadn’t meant to.

“Why did you leave the Grisarika Kingdom, Your Highness?”

“I am sure you know. I did not want to get involved in the scuffle over the line of succession following my father’s death. That is the biggest reason.”

“You had other reasons, too, then?”

Ashuna looked up, peering into Menou’s face curiously.

“You’re surprisingly inquisitive. What’s gotten into you, hmm?”

“Revenge, I suppose. Since you forced me to wear these clothes, it seems my tongue is now more prone to slipping.”

“I see.” Ashuna chuckled at the barbed comment. “Well, to be frank, I hate my elder sister, you see.”

Her admission brought a hush over the room.

Only the rumbling of the train filled the silence.

Despite her claim, there was no hatred in Ashuna’s voice, nor anger, nor fear. If anything, the emotion seemed closest to sorrow. It was a “hate” filled with complex feelings, uncharacteristic of the normally straightforward princess.

“By your sister, you must mean…”

There was only one other girl in the Grisarika royal family besides Ashuna: the king’s eldest daughter.

She possessed far less presence when compared to the widely famous Ashuna. Few people even knew her name. Menou did, but nothing else. From her point of view as an Executioner, the elder princess had no records that made her worth noting, for good or for ill.

“She was always sickly—a frail person. So much so that a passing breeze might knock her to the ground. She spends most of her day in bed and can’t even walk without help. It’s been that way ever since her birth.”

What did that mean?

Ashuna’s description seemed like it should inspire sympathy, not disgust. The other princess sounded like the polar opposite of Ashuna, but that didn’t explain Ashuna’s hatred. While the ostentatious Noblesse valued strength above all else, she didn’t seem the type to despise the weak.

Perhaps it was the other way around, then?

“So did your elder sister detest you for being such a natural prodigy, then?”

“No, she adored me to a terrifying degree… Ah, I suppose that’s one way to put it. In all the world, she’s the only thing that scares me. I am terrified of her love.”

Was her feeble elder sister using her position to persecute Ashuna somehow? The princess did not answer, content to shrug.

“If I had stayed there any longer, she would likely have used her influence to put me on the throne. Even if I went back now, she might still. To be honest, I don’t want to return at all. But I will have to, one of these days.” Ashuna’s voice dripped with bitterness. “This journey is a way of killing time, but it is also an escape, a method of enjoying my final grace period. I still have no answer as to what I should actually do.”

“That’s surprising, given your penchant for snap decisions.”

“Yes, that is part of the problem.”

Although Ashuna appeared to live according to her whims, she still possessed a sense of responsibility. She was not liable to cast off her position.

“And if I may complain to you a little more, there’s the matter of my father being executed over the Otherworlder summoning. That was a serious inconvenience to me, you know. Putting him in the firing line advanced the question of his successor significantly.”

Akari had been brought to this world by the Otherworlder summoning incident in Grisarika Kingdom. If Menou recalled correctly, Ashuna had fled the royal castle immediately after.

“…Who is your sister, Your Highness?”

“Who can say? I thought you might know her, but it seems not.” Ashuna paused to flash a grin. “I would be pleased if you found the answer somewhere on your trip.”

“Is that right…?”

Feeling mocked again, Menou shook her head, and as the two continued to chat, the train rumbled on.

With Ashuna’s help, Menou was on track to catch up to the others much sooner than Momo was expecting.