The Rainbow of Longing is Far Away
Wings of the rainbow soaring through the sky.
Their form, moving freely through the air under a single will, was as soft and graceful as a butterfly swaying in the wind.
The shimmering, multicolored light overflowing from Elimes' back.
A dazzling sight that would make one’s eyes involuntarily be drawn to it.
To someone like me, who can only crawl on the ground, those wings, which seemed as natural as could be, were even more dazzling.
Even if the one bearing them was an enemy to be defeated, I couldn't help but feel a kind of admiration... they were so free.
But I—――.
"Come on, come on, hurry up and try to defeat me, Christina! Do you think a slave like you can prove that you can beat me?"
A shadow, running high above, bathed in the dazzling sunlight from above.
The battlefield shifted from the barren wasteland trampled by the dragon to a forest still holding onto some of its trees.
To hide from the rainbow magic of Elimes released from above, I was fleeing behind large trees, using them as shields.
"Running into the forest is such a nuisance. But fine, whatever. This little obstacle isn't a big deal! I’ll pierce your pathetic little body now. Rainbow Band Beam Laser!"
Down poured beams of multicolored light.
The magic, with the power to scorch and gouge the ground, was capable of causing craters.
If hit directly, as she said, a large hole would likely form in the center of my body.
I narrowly dodged the beams, which rained down again and again.
This magic, too, had the characteristic of rejecting magic power.
...I can't afford to recklessly counterattack with magic.
"You're dodging so much! Then how about this? ——— Rainbow Band Beam Laser!"
"?! That one was...?!"
"Ahaha, did I catch you off guard? This beam can change its trajectory by my will! No matter where you run, it’s useless!"
As Elimes moved her hands, the beam changed direction at a right angle.
It came at me, skimming just above the ground.
"——— Water Lily Lotus Shield!"
"See? It’s pointless. Don't you get it?"
The water shield, resembling a lotus, was merely a magic that bought me a little time.
Even so, it was precious time for me.
I held my sword at an angle, bracing for the incoming threat, then, with a shout, deflected it backward.
"Tch... Ha!"
"Well, well, aren't you skilled? To deflect it with a sword covered in magic power. But even that magic will be rejected by my rainbow magic."
Magic enhancement.
A technique of manipulating magic power to increase the strength and sharpness of weapons and armor, different from the body enhancement that increases physical strength.
A new power I gained during my training journey.
But the moment my magic touched Elimes' rainbow magic, it dispersed and lost its power.
"...Water Lily Eagle."
"That's all you’ve got? ——— Rainbow Band Hoop."
That was just a diversion.
Still, it seemed to annoy Elimes, who wanted to corner me even further.
She visibly showed her frustration, then cast a spell toward the trees that were obstructing her view.
"...Seriously, so annoying. Rainbow Band Triple Hoop. Ugh, my seven-colored wings consume too much magic, so I had been avoiding using them, but I should have just cut down these trees from the start."
One after another, the large trees were felled.
The forest disappeared, and an open space in the sky was quickly revealed.
...There was nowhere left to escape.
"Ah, finally, I can see you properly. What's wrong, Christina? Why are you so covered in wounds? Did someone bully you?"
"............"
"Why are you ignoring me? At least answer me."
"............"
"...In the end, you can't defeat me. You thought you saved that muddy girl from me, but it was all in vain. The dragon is one thing, but Moritz is one of the cruelest people in the order. That girl will soon die in vain just like you."
"...I see."
"Wh-What!? What is with that calmness!? You're just a slave, aren't you!? A pitiful existence with no free will, unable to go against your master's orders. You were talking earlier about being her older sister or whatever, but in the end, you're fighting me because Vanitas ordered you to, right? Vanitas called that muddy girl, Hildegard, to his side. In your place! You were abandoned! You were discarded! So why are you so calm!?"
"You have your own beliefs, I suppose. ...Indeed, we slaves cannot go against our master's orders. No matter how unreasonable the command is, we cannot defy it, as the right to command is absolute."
"Right? Then—"
"But! My master said, 'Christina, I can entrust this to you.'"
"............"
"I believe in my master. Above all, I believe in the power my master entrusted to me. Elimes, you said I can't defeat you."
"Well, you can't! Christina, your magic can't reach me."
"That's wrong. I will defeat you. This is not something forced on me by anyone. It is my own will. If it doesn't reach... I will make it reach. That is the resolution I have made for myself."
Elimes, I will defeat you.
Not for anyone else.
For myself.
"...This is strange, isn't it? You and I are nothing alike. Our thoughts, our actions, everything is different. And yet... we think of similar things. Your magic has been very helpful to me. Yes, it’s been like the last piece of the puzzle that’s fallen into place."
"Similar things? Helpful? Christina, what the hell are you talking about...?"
"Thank you. For coming this close to me—――――Beautiful Water Lily Wings, Pulchra Floss Aqua Aera."
Even after seeing Elimes' rainbow wings, this magic was still incomplete.
It was difficult to control, and more importantly, it couldn't fly freely like Elimes' wings, which made her expression full of surprise.
It could only fly in a straight line.
There was no way to change speed or course along the way.
All it could do was fly in a straight line and maintain altitude for a short while.
And yet, this inefficient magic was taxing, and the acceleration caused my body to ache painfully.
Still... for me now, it was the only weapon that could oppose Elimes, the rainbow in the sky.
"W-What!? You... you're flying too!?"
"――――!"
But there was no need to explain everything to her.
What was needed right now was to silence her.
Elimes, even if your freedom in the sky made me feel admiration... I will not hesitate to defeat you.
You are not an unreachable illusion like a true rainbow.
"———Water Lily Pursuit Eagle, Pulchra Aqua, Pursuit Eagle!"
"Tch... I can't shake it off. A tracking-type magic!?"
A magic that tracks and follows the magic power previously recognized and designated as a target.
Unlike before, when I was fleeing through the sky, this magic was now meant to corner Elimes, who was evading and fleeing.
"Hah!"
"And you're challenging me to an aerial battle...!"
If my magic is repelled and rejected, then I have no choice but to attack without relying on magic.
Elimes, this is something you taught me.
And swordsmanship is my strongest skill.
Even in the unfamiliar sky, there are few problems for me.
"But this is something I can easily defend against! Rainbow Band Ring, Rainbow Circle!"
A rainbow shield formed in a disc shape.
Indeed, the magic's defense, combined with the rejection of the rainbow, was solid.
But what about from behind?
"Water Lily Thin Blade, Pulchra Aqua Slicer!"
Using the Water Lily Pursuit Eagle as a decoy, I swung my sword to cut through the pair of rainbow wings formed on Elimes' back.
But...
"?! What is this...?"
"Ahaha, my rainbow wings are my magic, so of course they reject magic!"
The magic surrounding my sword disappeared.
The slash was narrowly avoided.
"Rainbow Band Beam Laser!"
The beam's trajectory changed with Elimes' will.
But even this requires her to control it.
Because the rainbow beam only moves in sync with her hand movements and doesn’t act beyond that.
"Aqua Aera!"
"Ugh..."
"You're accelerating here!?"
I shook off the curved beams.
My body screamed from the repeated accelerations.
I can't keep accelerating like this... I'm at my limit.
"Elimes!"
I poured all the magic I had into this single strike.
Leaping high into the sky, I attacked from above.
"Here! I'll finish this! ——— Water Lily Beak Blue Blade, Pulchra Aqua, Blueish Sword!!"
"Such an attack! Rainbow Band Ring, Rainbow Circle!"
The clash.
The rainbow shield and the thrust of my blue, glowing sword, filled with an immense amount of magic, collided.
"Ahhhh!"
"Ugh... why... won't you give up?"
"Ahhhhhh!!!"
I pierced through.
Elimes, I will defeat you!
"Ugh... Ah...!"
She fell to the ground.
The shining rainbow wings were no longer on Elimes' back.
"Cough... W-Why... did I lose...?"
The trajectory of the sword had changed at the last moment.
The strike that was meant for her chest ended up piercing her side.
Blood spilled out, flowing like a river.
It was close... very close.
I could barely muster any strength in my body now.
My magic was nearly depleted.
However, the choice she made here was completely unexpected for me.
"Hah... Hah... Seven Rainbow Wings!"
"You still have the strength to get up!? Elimes! Could it be... you're trying to run away!?"
"Of course I'm running away. I... I'm not ending here. I won't let it end like this!"
"Elimes!"
I chased after Elimes, who was flying through the sky.
My magic was almost entirely used up.
I had no more strength left to move after continuously using the Reika Meisui Wings Plukura Fros Aqua Aera.
I arrived at the front of Graniph Fortress, where knights had fallen to the ground.
...A bad feeling washed over me.
Lapana and Lady Mayurelica were supposed to be here, rescuing the knights...
"Ahaha, I knew I made the right call. See? I figured if I ran toward the fortress, there would be plenty of people to shield me!"
"S-Sorry, Chris-nee..."
"Christina-san! I'm sorry! Lapana was suddenly attacked by that woman..."
Taking hostages...
Elimes had Lapana in a chokehold.
Blood was dripping from Lapana's side, her mouth stained with the blood she'd coughed up.
Her pale face showed the effects of the blood loss.
But still, she refused to give up on life.
"I could tell from the sky. You're wearing the same collar. And a weak rabbit beastman like you? Haha, you're practically offering yourself up as a shield!"
"Lapana..."
"Cough, cough... Christina! And the woman beside you! If you do anything stupid, I'll kill this rabbit beastman. If you don't want that, just let me go! I'll spare this girl’s life! I'll forget all about that battle, in exchange for the life of one slave! See... it's a fair deal, right?"
The determination of someone who has been cornered.
But...
"Lapana..."
"Christina!!"
"Yeah... Black Bondage Noir Restriction."
"---Huh? W-What is this!?"
Elimes, you underestimated Lapana.
You don't know how hard she has worked in the shadows.
How much she pushed herself, never resting, trying to catch up with us.
Even if you look down on her as a slave, her worth hasn't changed.
"Lapana's magic... 'Black' is her innate attribute."
"Color... Color type innate attribute!? That... rare attribute..."
"That's right. But... it's the perfect innate attribute for her."
The magic Black bound Elimes, rendering her immobile as I took a step closer.
In that brief moment, she must have realized the fate she was about to face.
She looked at me desperately, pleading with her eyes.
"Wait, wait! I’ll surrender! Surrender! No need to hurt me more, right? I’ll tell you everything! I’ll tell you about our organization! I’ll even tell you how many high-ranking members there are, and what our leader is like...!"
"...Indeed, the information you hold is valuable. My master would be pleased to hear about the three of you."
"Then!"
"However!"
"......"
"That doesn’t change the fact that I will neutralize you here."
"Huh?"
"If I slit your throat, you won't be able to cast magic unless it's an incantationless spell. If I sever the tendons in your legs, you won’t be able to move."
"Huh? Eh? You wouldn't do something so cruel... right? Hey... Christina—"
"No, what scares me more is if you resist. Prepare yourself. I’m going to neutralize you."
"Ah... Ahh... Ahhh~~~"
"Shouting is useless. There are no allies for you here. Don’t worry. Once it’s over, I might even use a healing potion... There’s a chance you’ll recover, you know?"
"Ahhh~~~~~!!"
——.