Chapter 252

I Favor the Villainess . 252 Battle of Wits

The Magi Shibley broke into pieces that now lay scattered on the ground .

We could only look on in shock .

“With this, you’ve lost your trump card . ”

Rates laughed menacingly .

Though frustrating, it was just as he said .

If we didn’t have the Magi Shibley, we had no way of breaking the Demon Queen’s magic barrier .

“Now then, you really did a number on me, perhaps I should have you depart . ”

“Quite the line coming from you . Weren’t you the one pulling us around?”

“Was that the case…? In my old age, I can’t seem to remember . ”

“Hah, get real . ”

Rodd-sama’s attitude suddenly worsened .

Rates had really pulled a fast one on us, so it was understandable .

In retrospect, the guy had regenerated repeatedly during the Pope’s failed assassination attempt .

This was an error on our part .

“Mei, Alea, lend me your ears . ”

““…?””

Rodd-sama whispered something directly into their ears .

The two nodded in response .

“Having a strategy meeting are we? I don’t mind . Struggle as much as you’d like . ”

It seems that Rates was feeling quite good now that he had completed his task .

Without even trying to interfere, he calmly waited .

“You got it?”

“Yup . ”

“I understand . ”

Finishing their discussion, they promptly took formation . Rodd-sama and Alea in front, with Mei in the back .

“Have you finished?”

“Yeah, sorry to keep you waiting . ”

“I don’t mind . After all, you will all soon die . ”

“Too bad for you, I’m a bit of a sore loser . ”

“You sure do talk . But well, seeing guys like you lose heart is one of the things that brings me joy in my old age . ”

“He’s coming!”

Rates again rushed forward for a heavy strike .

He was heading toward―Alea!

“―!”

Though Alea momentarily tensed up, she quickly moved her body to dodge Rates’ rush .

“There!”

As his attack was avoided, Rates needed time to recover his stance . Alea took the opportunity to land a sharp slash .

The sword, a magic artifact inherited from Dorothea, left a deep scar in Rates’ tough skin .

“Mm . That stung just a bit . ”

“It’s my teacher’s sword . Of course it would!”

“Alea, don’t! It’s a trap!”

“!?”

“It hurts . ”

Alea tried to run, but it seemed that her sword had cut too deep and couldn’t be pulled out .

Rates harshly whipped his arm, bouncing Alea off like a rubber ball .

“Alea!”

“I-I’m okay…”

Claire’s expression soured, but it seems that Alea hadn’t sustained any major injuries .

“Hm?”

“You really saved me, Mei!”

“Leave it to me!”

It seems Mei had cast some sort of magic to form a cushion between Alea and Rates’ arm .

For my daughter, she had displayed wonderful tact .

“Hmph, how bothersome . ”

“Don’t you think you’re giving them too much attention?”

As Rates sighed, Rodd-sama slashed at him from behind .

Though his sword was broken, fire filled out the broken part of the blade .

“You should just sleep . ”

“!?”

Though Rates looked vulnerable, he had actually read Rodd-sama’s actions .

Dodging Rodd-sama’s sword by bending his upper body backward in a way that would be impossible for human joints, he quickly corrected his stance and brought his sickles down on Rodd-sama .

“Gahaahh…!”

Rodd-sama was sent flying .

He narrowly managed to put his sword between himself and the sickles, but was unable to get into a proper position and brace the fall . His body slammed into the Magi Shibley’s debris .

It seems Mei’s defense did not make it in time .

““Rodd-sama!””

“Hmm, this boy has quite the head on him . If it were just you girls, I doubt you would’ve been able to make that last call . ”

So that’s what had happened .

Mei had likely formed a telepathy channel . Using that channel, Rodd-sama was giving instructions to Mei and Alea in real time .

That’s why she made it in Alea’s case, but couldn’t do the same for Rodd-sama .

“It looks like I’ll need to dispose of you first after all . ”

“…”

Rates once again charged forward, this time at Rodd-sama who was struggling to get up .

“Stop!”

“I won’t allow it!”

Mei launched magic and Alea swung her sword, but neither were enough to stop Rates’ momentum .

“It’s over . ”

Along with the sound of a car crash, Rodd-sama’s body flew up into the air .

“Rodd-sama!”

Claire-sama screamed .

As Rodd-sama’s body slammed into the ground, a heavy noise could be heard .

“There’s one . Well then, girls, it’s your―”

“… Heh… heheh…”

This weak laugh had come from Rodd-sama .

“… Your stubbornness is quite astounding . You’re still alive?”

“Didn’t I say…? I couldn’t bear… to show the woman I love… such a pitiful sight . ”

Though he was putting up a brave front, Rodd-sama could no longer stand .

“Hm… while your efforts are praiseworthy, what can you do? You appear to be on death’s door . ”

“I’m not gonna do anything… it’s already over . ”

“?”

Rates’ face was filled with doubt, but he suddenly dropped to his knees .

“Mm? What’s this…?”

“Heh, still haven’t realized it…?”

“M-my strength is fading…!”

Rates’ large frame was visibly deflating, akin to a balloon .

“You, what did you…!?”

“The Magi Shibley you destroyed… I let it take its revenge . ”

“!?”

It appeared that the Magi Shibley’s sword-like protrusion was sticking out from Rates’ back .

“Wha!?”

“That part is a magic artifact . Its job is to release the collected magic energy . I have no idea how your regeneration works, but I’d bet it needs magic energy, yeah? Then I’ll just have this guy scatter it all . ”

“Gnnh…, I can’t pull it out…!”

Rates desperately tried to separate himself and the Magi Shibley’s part, but as though it had merged with his body, it wouldn’t move an inch .

“Remember this as your souvenir to hell . In a battle of wits amongst the weak, no one tops us humans . ”

“In this way… to something like this I’ll…!”

Rates’ body, which had shrunk to the size of a cow, continued to shrink .

“Pass on, old man . ”

“… Hmph . To think you had this up your sleeve . Luck is also part of skill, eh? This is why I despise humans . ”

Perhaps having given up, Rates spoke as though sighing in lament .

“So, in the end, how does your regeneration work?”

“Why do you want to know?”

“Ain’t it obvious? If someone likes you pops up again, I want to be able to kill them reliably . ”

“…Kufu… hahaha…!”

Rates’ shrinking body shook in laughter .

After laughing for some time, as though saying it’s fine as he’ll be dead either way, he continued .

“When cells are purged from this body, they momentarily become magic energy and decompose before rebinding in their original shape . However, if they are constantly decomposed and dispersed regardless of my will, the command to rebind won’t make it in time . Haha, I’ll finally die! What a good feeling!”

Unexpectedly, Rates seemed very cheerful as he laughed .

“My apologies, Demon Queen . I’ll take my leave here . I’ll be praying for your fortune in battle . ”

“You served me well . ”

Having exchanged his final words with the Demon Queen, Rates body became but a speck, this time disappearing without a trace .

The Magi Shibley’s part fell onto the ground with a clank .

Rates, who we had thought might’ve been immortal, truly vanished this time, leaving nothing .

“Ahh, that was rough…”

“Rodd-sama!”

“Mei, heal him!”

Mei and Alea rushed to Rodd-sama’s side and began healing him .

Though he was still breathing, his wounds were by no means shallow .

　◆◇◆◇◆

“So Rates has passed too…”

The words seemed to spill out of the Demon Queen’s mouth .

I’m sure that the grief that tinged her voice was not something I imagined .

It seems that they were not simply throwaway pawns to her .

“That said, they’ve done me well . As long as that is gone, you all have no way to harm me . ”

“Khh…”

Claire-sama big her lip in frustration .

Claire-sama’s Magic Ray, my Absolute Zero, Manaria’s attack magic, Lily’s sword attacks… we had tried it all .

However, the barrier blocked all of them .

We had no options .

“I lost all of the Three Great Archdukes but… perhaps I’ll start by killing everyone except for Claire-sama and think about what to do after that . ”

The Demon Queen casually waved her hand horizontally .

I quickly brought up a bulwark composed of tungsten carbide, but the Demon Queen’s black shockwave easily cut it apart .

“Get down!”

I was pushed down onto the ground from behind .

“… You saved me, Claire-sama . ”

“That isn’t something we’re able to block . Concentrate on dodging . ”

Remaining cautious of follow up attacks, Claire-sama stood and stared at the Demon Queen .

“You’re really struggling . Am I that important to you?”

“It’s not you . Having lost sight of yourself and fallen to evil, I don’t find you attractive in the slightest . ”

“…”

“The Rei I loved is the one that never gave up, continued to love me, and lit my path forward . ”

“I’m doing the same… though it’s the path to destruction . ”

“I’m saying that I reject such a thing . ”

Claire-sama tried to take my hand―, however .

“Guh…!”

“I won’t allow you two to form a chorus, that’d be a bit dangerous after all . ”

The chorus was the one thing we had yet to try against the Demon Queen .

However, the Demon Queen had been wary, refusing to give us a chance .

“Regardless of what you may think, I will carry out the decision that I’ve made . ”

“You stubborn…!”

“Say what you like . ”

The Demon Queen shrugged before continuing .

“I have but one desire . To end everything… and disappear myself . ”

It seems that even Claire-sama’s words could no longer reach the Demon Queen .