Alice Tale in Phantasmagoria Chapter 149

Sakura, comes fluttering down from the sky.

「――?」

With my hand stretched out from on horseback, I catch a petal in my palm.
While I can't sense the softness of a flower petal, it's strangely warm.
It vanished as if melting away, while I absentmindedly gazed at it.
I turned my head about when a realization struck me and, there was a blizzard of sakura fluttering down like stars were falling around us.

「Oneechan?」

I turn about taking a quick look behind me and, as always I can't see anything except the pursuing commonwealth cavalry unit and a cloud of dust.
I used my hand to subdue the annoying hairs flowing in the wind and, silver threads that seem to s.h.i.+ne tickled the palm of my hand.
Whether I want it or not, it makes me aware of the existence called the Fairy of Silver Lightning.

――If we strike down the Fairy of Silver Lightning here, we'll win.
――The war will end.

Like I could hear voiceless voices coming.
The opponent is also desperate.
The appearance of those coming to give chase as their eyes turn bloodshot can be seen as cowardly like a rabbit, it can also be seen as brave like a lion.
Not wanting to die but, with no way to run away.

「Even though our feelings are the same……people really are difficult.」

I reach the hand that had been holding my hair in place out toward the blizzard of sakura.
An upward sort of wind, pushes my silver hair and the sakura petals up into the sky.
Aah, it's that sort of thing then.
This is a wish isn't it.

「……Become a ray to split the heavens and strike my enemy―――Thunder!」

I release my magic, with full confidence.
Silver colored vivid lightning tore apart the pursuit unit.
Screams and bellows that make me want to grimace against my intentions reverberates.
Even so I have to do this, even if no one forgives it, even if the end never comes.

「――Oh ray of light, blade descended from heaven, become my sword and rend darkness! ――Lightning!」

One more artillery like lightning attack, broke through the enemy encirclement that had already sealed the route of retreat.
That overly strong lightning creates a magnetic field, while gouging the earth, people were simply blown away almost like they were bowling pins.

「tsu………………If it's like that, it's too strong!」

Standing up in front of the dust cloud, I was astonished.
I unintentionally look at my left hand and,『Sylv・Faeria』is glowing faintly.
Wait.
It's not the case that I shot that with my left hand just now.

「What! What is this……my body is!」

I understand that Sitra's skill has been undone.
Perhaps because of the recoil from that from within my body, no from the atmosphere, I'm taking in infinite magic power so it's like that infinite power is overflowing――hot!!!
It's no good, if I leave this be, it's like I'll become strange.
As if holding it back, I embrace my body with both hands.

「Ojousama!? Does it feel bad somewhere!?」
「U, nn……it's alright, it is alright.」

Rather it's the reverse.
I'm in such an optimal condition that it's scary.
Whether my feelings or body they're high strung.
As if I were drunk on the battlefield's smell of blood and iron or something, I'm exalted.
At this rate, I will――it's to the extent that I'll perpetrate an unthinkably huge slaughter!

「Myan! Plunge into the gap I opened with the magic just now and, return to the fort!」
「Ha! Affirmative! Everyone! a.s.semble a formation like ojousama's s.h.i.+eld! You won't be saved even if you fall out!」
「「「Acknowledged.」」」

While hearing the maid-sans brave voices, I curled my body enough to give my cheek over to the horse's mane.
Contain it, contain it!
The magic power is too strong.

『Skill:Lunaria's Divine Protection』

That has familiarized itself to my body.
And I suppose there's also the recoil from having my magic power suppressed up until now.
At first my instinct was that that was the final ordeal, due to the transient fevered pain like that of measles but, there's no way I can answer my body's desires by letting this out as it pleases.
The pride of the name inherited from my esteemed teacher won't allow, having such rumours like that the 7th generation is a psychopath ma.s.s slaughterer circulate.
That's, even if it's something unsuited to this current situation called war.

「It's just a little longer, ojousama!」

The circ.u.mstances of Myan's battle was conveyed to my s.p.a.ced out head.
The severity of the sense of fantasy has increased beyond that of close combat with the ban of skills and magic lifted.
The shrill cry from the sound of exploding flames strikes my ears.
Should I suppose the unit is alright……?
Everyone's faces and ane's face flicker and, I strongly shut my eyes.

――Nay, what am I doing?

It's not, should I suppose they're alright.
I'll see them be protected.

「In, my left hand is the governance of numerous threads of lightning, heaven's eye of wisdom, resides within my right hand.」

Magic power rampages.
Bringing it together is a big deal in more than a few ways but, it's all the more difficult when it's overly large.
Even so, I want to graduate from immaturity already.
Grinding my teeth, I put my hands together in front of my b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

「――Manifest, phantasmal magic! Lightning G.o.d Barrier!」

I deployed a large barrier, to the extent that it enveloped the entire battlefield.

「Eh!? Thi, this is? Time slowed……no, our thoughts accelerated? Even the movements of our bodies!?」

My guards Myan and all of them raise surprised voices.
The effect is immediate.
The signals from the brain are also electric signals.
Given that, if that's amplified, doing the act of supplementing it is also doable.
If it's within this barrier, that's not limited to myself.

「Go! Given this, we will get out, ojousama!!」

These children, really had intended to discard their lives.
Seriously, each and every one of them are too serious.
That's a lecture, when we return.

「I'm relying on you, everyone-san.」
「「「Affirmative, ojousama!!」」」

While maintaining the barrier, I suppress the heat of my body.
If I lose my focus, it seems like my magic power will happily rampage, to the extent that it would end up totally frying the brains of everyone here within my barrier irregardless of friend or enemy.

――Like I'd lose.

It's not like I'm moving my body or anything but, time of the sort where you're just enduring is the most difficult.
I can't do anything but the act of contemplation but, I'm lost, as to what I could think of to distract my thoughts.
For that sort of time, for now I'll do the act of pa.s.sing it by thinking of fun things.
The times when I was messed with by Kran for example, Eclair's aspects where she turns pure red for example, Ilya's playful aspects for example, oneechan's cool aspects for example, Aim's relaxed aspects for example, Rin-chan's intrepid girl aspects for example.
Aah, when I think back to it this s.p.a.ce doesn't end.
I recognize that anew.

「We――we've arrived! Open gate!!!」

The normally quiet Myan raised a scream to such an extent as to dry the throat.
It was a situation that was pressed to that extent.
The dull note from the sound of the horse's hoof kicking the dirt, turned into the high pitch sound from running across the bridge.
We finally managed to retreat all the way across the bridge over the fort's moat.
We slip in as if we were diving into the gate that had been left open and, the sound from the gate closing behind us came soon after.

「――Haaa――Haaa」

The horse stopped with a whinny and, our surroundings became flurried.
Is it, alright now?
I released my barrier.
……My power left me.

「Ojousama!」
「Are you well, captain Myan!?」
「At the least I haven't sustained a life threatening injury, it hurts that Noa isn't here……Ilysama is!?」

The surroundings are being made to worry, because I'm not raising my face.

「The head maid appears to be terribly tired from the dragon transformation just now but……she has taken command of the battlefield.」
「Has she been sent out!?」
「Ha, hai. she said she would gather time……」

Ilya, that child……!
I won't forgive her, if she goes and gets herself killed――!

「I, will……aah」

As I try to forcibly raise my body, I'm dismounted from my horse.
I hear the voice of the people around me swallowing their breath but, strangely I didn't feel an impact with my body.
I'm softly caught.

「Don't push yourself.」
「Ah……Solt-san.」

Because how many times have I said not to do princess carries……No, such a thing is fine either way right now.

「Oneechan and, Ilya as well……I have to go.」
「It's fine so, rest.」

My eyes grow round, at the unusually forceful kurozuk.u.me.
He's holding me strongly so that I won't struggle and it's enough to be painful.
However, that feels like just the right seasoning to the me that's holding back her magic power that seems like it's going to explode so, I end up feeling rea.s.sured.
I'm exhausted.
The exhaustion from the fatigue of having fought in close combat and the sense of lethargy from the Lightning G.o.d Barrier, suddenly came closing in on me.
After taking a short rest, my adrenaline ran out.
This is bad, this is――falling asleep?
I turn pale while thinking back to my own feebleness.
Right now is bad.

「It's no good, while everyone is having a hard time……oneechan is also waiting! Ilya is doing her best!」

With me struggling in his arms, kurozuk.u.me's face comes near, after he puts even more power in.
I fall into confusion from this distance where I can feel his breath.

「But, you've already done your best. Therefore I will go next.」

Kurozuk.u.me let out heated words that didn't seem like him.
I ended up blankly looking up.

「……Don't look up at me like that, it makes me want to go seize everything.」
「Eh, ha?」

The surroundings have been quiet since a bit ago but, looking from the side the current me is being carried by kurozuk.u.me, we're being heatedly watched――something like that?
I tried pinching kurozuk.u.me's b.r.e.a.s.t.s with my full strength.

「……What is it?」
「……Nothing.」

The sort of things I was doing had begun to seem ridiculous even to me.
Somehow or other my power left me in a good sense and, sleepiness came along with that.
I couldn't endure it so, I entrusted my head to his chest.

「……I understand. I'll leave it to you. Because I believe, at least in what comes next for everyone.」
「Fu, by everyone who do you mean?」
「Everyone is everyone.」
「Is it a thing of the sort where what's most important is to not believe?」
「Men who speak in sophisms are disliked you know.」
「……Being disliked by those besides you is fine either way.」
「……What is, that? Then, if you return safely with oneechan and Ilya, I won't dislike you for you.」
「An easy request.」

Fufu, and we laugh together.
I notice that it somehow seems I've developed a certain level of friends.h.i.+p with this man.
Maa such things as friends.h.i.+p can't be seen but, should I suppose we're relatively good friends?
Un, male friends are precious.

「My tense feelings have loosened, because of Solt-san. Please bring me to my room for a bit before sortieing.」
「Seriously……you're defenseless, no matter how much time pa.s.ses aren't you.」

The kurozuk.u.me with a face like a dog that had been given a task, shook his head and walked along while still carrying me.
I heard a somehow heated sigh come, from the surroundings.
The kurozuk.u.me making forceful long strides is truly manly, as his body is well trained, I strangely didn't mind the faint scent of his sweat.
It's a sensation I can empathize with that makes me able to feel safe like, aah, this is a man.

「……I'm praying for, Solt-san's safety as well you know.」
「Aah, I'll live, so that I can return to your side like this. I'm also, definitely your comrade after all.」
「It'd be good if there was some profit to such charisma though wouldn't it.」
「There is. At the least, there is to me.」

While making whimsical conversation, my conscious slowly fell into sleep.
I was left to sleep in bed and, by the time the sheets were put on me I was halfway a resident of dreams.
I got the sense that――After that in a corner of my awareness, the hair getting on my face was pushed off for me and, it seemed like a hand was placed on my cheek for a bit.

◇■◇■◇

I'm always sleeping at rather important times aren't I.
When my eyes opened, I thought that directly afterwards.
I awoke normally so, it seems we weren't occupied by the enemy or anything.

「Huh!? I changed? That can't be……」

I felt like I'd gone to sleep with my clothes on but, I felt that my body was somehow thoroughly clean and, above all I'm in a negligee.
Ku, kurozuk.u.me?
Did he, do something to me while I slept?

「It was me, ojousama.」

Ilya came to my side while bringing drinking water, from deep in the room.

「Ilya! You were safe then weren't you! Mou, doing the absurd!!」
「I don't want to be told that by ojousama but……fufu, what's important is that you seem well.」

The cup with water poured in it is handed over so, I wet my throat.
I gulp it down while letting it run down my throat and, I become wide awake like it's bringing me back to life.

「Thank you.」

I make a satisfied face and, Ilya expresses her normal content sort of smile to me.

「And so, everyone's situation is……?」

With my heart calmed, I await Ilya's words.

「The battle is still continuing. Certainly the decline in morale from the matter of losing Sitrsama is visible but, there has been a difference in our numbers from the beginning so, there's no change in this being a difficult situation.」
「Is, that so then……oneechan is? Solt-san is?」

I'm impatient.
Ilya averts her eyes a little.
My heart jumped.

「No, I'm sorry, I do not know. Following Solt-sama's departure, he has not yet returned. In regards to oneesama, that is the same.」

Basically, their death has not been reported『as of yet』, that sort of thing?

「Is that so……How long, was I asleep for?」
「It has been a full day.」
「……」

I had a feeling that that much time had pa.s.sed so, I made my resolve.
I suppose this can't wait for another moment, I have to end this battle as soon as I can.

「I understand, I will sortie again. Please come with me this time Ilya.」

If necessary, I'll use this power and take down however many people it takes.

「If there is a need for ojousama to kill 100 people, I shall kill 101 people. If it is 1000 people, 1001 people. I will guide the way ahead, to h.e.l.l.」

I suppose that's something truly lacking in discretion but, I ended up smiling when I heard that line.

「That so? To try and stand out more than your master like that, quite the awful child aren't you. A punishment is in order.」
「Thank you very much.」

A rude child issn't she.
I secretly trust and admire her and, Ilya showed a face like her specially prepared mischief was a success.

「Nn? Is something the matter?」
「The truth is, there is also good news, ojousama.」

Ilya's gaze moved toward the door.
Being pulled by that I also look toward the door and, the door opened as if this had been calculated out.

「――Ah」

Rejoicing from the bottom of my heart, I was surprised from the bottom of my heart.

「This may be discourteous when you are just waking up, Alice-dono.」

That voice was soft enough to unconditionally give people relief.
A mature loose side tail of light pink hair.
An expression in her eyes that calms and brings out kind feelings.
――Marianna・Houston, it's that person without a mistake!

「Marisann!!!」
「Hai, it has been a while.」

As I jumped up from my bed due to being overly happy, Maria caught me while, smiling with an ara ara.