The words that Gosetsu spoke were utterly horrible.
They seeped into the silence, chilling the very air around them.
Charlotte manages to lift her numb tongue and speaks in a trembling voice.
“Wh-why… why would you do such a thing…!?”
『Why, it’s simple. It’s nothing more than righteous indignation.』
Gosetsu slowly shook his head.
『I simply couldn’t stand it anymore. A world where someone like you suffers and is exploited should be corrected by force.』
“E-even so… even so, it’s wrong!”
Charlotte shouted with all her might.
There are times when she thinks about those who have oppressed her and taken everything from her. She didn’t feel any emotion, like resentment or anger, clearly but there was no doubt that her heart was unsettled.
But that didn't mean she could ignore something as terrible as destroying a country!
“I don’t want that! Please, stop!”
『Now that’s an odd thing to say. You are the victim here. Retribution is only natural.』
”Still, it's no good! Involving innocent people... Absolutely no good!“
『Such kindness… almost tragically so.』
Gosetsu sighed as he looked up at the sky.
『Perhaps it’s that mage’s influence.』
“Y-you mean Allen?”
『Indeed. That young man’s methods… from my perspective, they far too soft.』
Gosetsu shrugged his shoulders.
For the first time, a hint of irritation crept into his calm voice.
『I’ve observed him for some time now. That youth boasts about making you happy, and yet he makes no move to take revenge on that kingdom. He simply drifts through each day. I can only call it slothful.』
“Sloth…?”
『Is there another word for it? He's not saving you, he's just corrupting you.』
Charlotte's eyes widened at the harsh words. Her fingertips grew cold, and the back of her head tingled.
In the past, she wouldn't have been able to say anything back in such a situation. But the Charlotte of today was different.
She stared straight at Gosetsu and declared.
“That's not true.”
『...What?』
“Being with Allen… it’s the first time I’ve ever truly lived.”
Days of peace, free from fear.
Days that gently changed, little by little, where every moment felt precious.
She had laughed, cried, gotten angry. She never thought there would come a time when she could express feelings so openly.
It was all thanks to Allen that she was able to change.
"No matter what you say, Gosetsu, I can't forgive you for denying that!"
『…You say that only because you’ve been deceived by that boy. We are the ones who can truly save you.』
Gosetsu’s eyes held no doubt.
His lips curled into a faint smile.
『Soon, you will understand. Once you are separated from that boy, whether you want to be or not.』
“What did you do to Allen?!”
『No need to worry. He is unharmed. However, as he was interfering with my plans... I’ve had him and the Fenrir detained. I had Noble Dragon watches over them for now.』
“No…!”
Dragons immune to magic.
They would be the worst kind of enemy for Allen.
(Because of me… Allen and Luu-chan are in danger…!)
As despair threatened to overwhelm her, Gosetsu looked positively delighted.
『I had been pondering how best to separate you from that man, but it's a blessing that you’ve come right to me. Now I can advance my plan all at once.』
Saying this, Gosetsu respectfully extends his front paw.
『Now, come with me. Please, enjoy the hell I have prepared for your sake.』
“Eek…! Don’t come any closer…!”
Terrified, Charlotte stumbled back.
But the wall behind her blocked her escape. There was nowhere to run.
The magical beasts around her crept in silently, tightening the encirclement.
Her knees shook violently. Tears threatened to spill. But at that moment, words came to her mind.
‘Even if you are trapped in a nightmare, I will definitely come and save you. So there is nothing to worry about.’
Words Allen had once said on the night she’d had a terrible dream.
They gave Charlotte courage now.
With all her strength, she screamed.
"Save me...! Allen-san!"
Her voice echoed off the walls of the vertical shaft, shaking the distant blue sky.
The next moment...
“Of course I will!”
“...!”
That familiar voice, rained down from above.
She looked up in surprise... and Allen was standing on the edge of the vertical hole, a fearless smile on his face.