Justice
A week had passed.
Elsez and the four heroes gathered in the drawing room after dinner.
Looking at the four seated around her, Elsez asked,
“Everyone ready?”
The four, who usually bickered whenever they were together, nodded with unusually serious faces.
For the past week, Elsez and the others had made thorough preparations to stand against Dike.
And tomorrow was the long-awaited day of confrontation.
“Once this is over, shall we all go out for a drink together?”
“Me too?”
Reti, who had found a new stuffed rabbit body, tilted her head curiously.
“Of course you’re coming too. Just—no alcohol.”
“That sounds good. A proper way to unwind.”
Astire agreed with Elsez’s plan. Cassian then chimed in.
“Don’t you dare back out later saying you can’t drink.”
“…Don’t you think your tolerance is downright inhuman?”
“When else am I supposed to drink myself silly with a happy heart if not now?”
Though Elsez scolded him, Cassian only grinned mischievously in return.
“Alright then. Looks like we’re ready. How about we seal it with a good old-fashioned cheer?”
Elsez stretched out her right hand.
It was a kind of ritual she always did before something important, back when she was Ruel.
“Sounds good.”
Recalling those days, Astire smiled and placed his hand over hers.
“Ugh, I really don’t want to hold hands with these shady types.”
Cassian grumbled, but obediently added his hand to the pile.
Rashiel, who had been watching their stacked hands with a blank look, eventually gave in to Elsez’s insistent gaze and put his hand on top.
Tezette’s expression all but screamed, Why are we doing this? But Elsez grabbed his hand and forced it onto the pile.
Finally, Reti hopped on top of the stack.
At last, six hands rested together.
Elsez looked at each of them in turn.
It was the same group that had joined hands before they defeated Rezantia three years ago—
with Reti as the only new addition.
Much had changed since then. Many trials had come and gone, yet here they were, once again with hands joined.
This time, we’ll fix the mistake from three years ago.
Back then, she had believed without doubt that Reti was evil.
But the true enemy had lain elsewhere.
“We have to win.”
Elsez’s voice was firm with resolve.
“Survive, fight, and this time—for real—we’ll protect this world.”
The four nodded.
Seeing them stand by her side, just as they had three years ago, filled her with a good feeling.
A hope that things would go well this time.
Maybe it’s just my own wishful thinking reflected back at me.
But it was that belief alone that would let her move forward.
Gathering both her unease and hope, Elsez spoke.
“One, two, three!”
“Fighting!”
Some shouted the word with her, others kept their mouths shut. But Elsez knew.
She knew that every heart in that room beat with the same determination.
As their hands were withdrawn one by one—
Knock, knock—
“Sir Rashiel, I have urgent news.”
It was the butler’s voice.
There was something ominous in the way he didn’t ask permission, but announced himself outright.
Entering the room, the butler delivered unexpected news.
“Just now, the Holy Nation’s temple was attacked by the Cult of Demon Resurrection.”
****
Ruel stared blankly at the sight outside the window.
The temple…
Explosions and screams rang out from all over the temple, flames rising high.
Amid the chaos, black-robed dark mages were mercilessly attacking the holy knights and priests.
Only then did Ruel realize.
“Don’t bother. Even if you don’t look for them, Ruel, they’ll come straight to me.”
So this was what Dike meant when she said Elsez would come of her own accord.
But there’s no way that girl would come here. If she showed up now, she’d be branded an enemy on the spot.
At the festival, she happened to be there, so she stepped in to save people. But this time, she was in hiding, concealing her power.
With the whole continent denouncing her as evil—an enemy—appearing here would be no different from suicide.
Who cares about her situation? I’m the one about to die here.
Watching the burning temple, Ruel felt it again.
Dike didn’t care who, or how many, had to die for her goals.
She had abandoned even those in the temple who supported her, and had been ready to use Astire’s death to ignite Elsez.
There was no guarantee Ruel wouldn’t be next.
Run.
The temple was in chaos, and Dike’s attention was focused entirely on Elsez. Now was the chance to escape her grasp.
Ruel didn’t care about being Ruel, or the demon lord, or peace in the world.
She only wanted to live.
I fought so hard for this body. I can’t just die like this.
Ruel quickly gathered what she needed from the room and slipped out into the corridor.
But at the end of the hall, she ran into the last person she wanted to see.
“Where are you going alone, Ruel, when the temple is in danger?”
Ruel froze, eyes wide in fear, staring at Dike.
“D… Dike…”
“You haven’t forgotten the duty of a hero, have you?”
Ruel couldn’t answer.
With explosions and screams echoing from outside, Dike stood there with her usual gentle smile—and it was terrifying.
“Ruel, you once asked me, didn’t you? What you should do now.”
“…”
“So I’ve been thinking. Whether or not you still have any use left.”
Dike slowly stepped closer as she spoke.
Ruel instinctively stepped back.
“And at last, I’ve found your value.”
Ruel didn’t need to hear it to know what that “value” was.
The face hailed as the most beautiful creation in this god-made world was, in this moment, so beautiful it was horrifying.
Even with nothing in Dike’s hands, Ruel felt like she would be killed at any second.
Terrified, she hastily cast magic at Dike.
Boom—! Bang!
Summoned elemental spirits rushed at Dike with a barrage of attacks.
The ceiling cracked, debris scattered, and dust filled the corridor, hiding her form.
But that wasn’t enough to reassure Ruel.
She wouldn’t die from something like that. At best, it’ll distract her for a moment.
Knowing Dike, Ruel immediately attempted a teleport spell.
But just before the magic circle activated, a blade of light cut through the dust and slashed Ruel’s shoulder deep.
“Ugh…!”
The pain shattered her focus, and the circle dissolved.
Clutching her bleeding shoulder, Ruel spun around.
Dike was nowhere to be seen through the settling dust.
Where did she go—?
Then a voice came from behind her.
“Ruel, your last worth is…”
With Dike’s soft words, the holy sword pierced through Ruel.
“…to die here today, with honor, as a hero.”
She pulled the sword free. Ruel’s body collapsed helplessly.
“I… I don’t want to die…”
“Did you think, after killing so many innocent people, you’d be spared?”
Ruel gasped, staring up at Dike.
It was this woman who had ordered her to sacrifice people to open the dimensional rift.
And now she was pinning all the blame squarely on her.
How hateful—yet Ruel no longer had the strength to resist.
Her bloodshot eyes glared at Dike until, at last, her breath ceased.
Dike watched without emotion, then let the holy sword fall.
As it touched the air, it vanished.
Then—crunch.
The sound of debris being stepped on echoed.
Turning, Dike saw Elsez.
Elsez looked back and forth between Ruel’s corpse and Dike, her eyes wide with shock, her brows furrowed.
Dike smiled gently at her.
“Perfect timing, Miss Elsez.”
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