Kalia's body felt strange to her.

　Just a moment ago, her beloved sword had been shattered and even her will had fallen. It was no exaggeration to say that her body was completely wounded, and she had never listened to a word she said.

　What about it? At the mere sight of the one person I love, my eyes regained their clarity and my fingertips acted as if they were burning.

　It's a very good thing," Kalia exhales, fed up with herself. It's not the cold, weak breath you had just now. I'm not sure what to say, but I'm going to say it.

　You look forward, with your silver eyes wide open. The trembling in my toes had stopped before I knew it.

　In front of me, Altius' blond hair is bouncing, and he is approaching me with another sound. The pressure on his entire body felt like it was about to tear his skin. My throat made a small sound.

　The divine spirit's lips rippled.

I wonder if I should praise him for being a knight-hero, or lament that my beloved child has been tainted by malice. Which is it?

　It's a voice that sounds as if it's truly lost in the depths of its soul. At the very least, it wasn't something that would be appropriate in this place of death. The tone of her voice was somewhat weightless.

　Kalia opened her lips and responded.

"You can call me whatever you want, you can talk to me whatever you want. I only need one person to truly know me.

　That's what Kalia really thinks from the bottom of her heart.

　Of course, I'm not saying he's not vain. Of course, I'm not saying there isn't a spirit of admiration. But even so, I'm willing to trample everything else if it gets me one heart. In fact, how happy would that be? Just thinking about it, Kalia's heart feels a numbing sweetness.

　At this moment, there is not a speck of stupor, not a grain of mud in her silver eyes. They were piercing straight through the gold.

　Altius met Caria's words and gaze, and for a moment his eyes flickered with a gentle smile.

　Then, after a beat, he said. Another step, and his body moved toward you.

"Excellent. You are, after all, the hero I saw in you, Kalia Vardnik.

　The words were spoken with overwhelming authority. Even though he was being praised, Karia felt as if her heart was being physically grabbed.

　A reflexive shiver ran down her spine. Then, wondering what to do, she snapped her fingers lightly.

　At any rate, no matter how vigorously she spat out her fever, it did not improve the situation in any way.

　His beloved sword was shattered and he was left with nothing. And so Lugis is in such a state that it is strange to stand still. There are no conditions under which the situation can improve.

　Still, he cannot just turn his back and run away. It was Rougis's arm that held back Kalia, who was about to step forward with such thoughts in her heart.

　I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one who has a problem with this.

"Kalia. I'm not going to let you get away with this.

　It seemed to her as if the words were said at the same time as the air exploded.

　In the darkness of the temple, the gold and the purple light made a strange sound as they engaged each other. A swarm of golden threads wriggling to conquer the scene, and a whirlwind of purple lightning chopping off their heads. That was all there was in the space.

　The gold, which seemed to be the silken thread that Altius emitted, undulated as if each one of them had a will of its own, and made strange noises as it tried to entangle Rougis and even Caria's bodies.

　At first glance, the threads looked so weak that even their breath would bounce off them. At first glance, the thread looked so weak that even her breath would have bounced off of it, but it didn't look like something that would harm anyone.

　But its true nature lay far from its appearance. Kalia bit the edge of her lip.

　It's something that can fatally destroy a man. Whether it's your body or your soul. Something that destroys it all and turns it white. Something that takes away the very thing that makes you human.

　It's coming at us, ripping through the hollow. It's unmistakable fear. It's not like facing a spearhead on the battlefield.

　Not the fear of your heart being pierced and death looming, but the fear of ruin, of losing your very core.

　Oh, it's a sight that makes even your fingertips tremble. I'm not sure what to make of it.

　I'm sure Lugis feels the same fear. I'm sure you'll be able to find something that works for you.

　Kalia felt her heart pounding as her silver eyes widened. Her guts were hard and heavy.

　--How could this man wield a sword so earnestly?

　No wonder his limbs went numb and he could not move on the spot. It would not be surprising if he collapsed his legs against the oncoming great power. And yet...

　Kalia felt a surfeit of frustration and a jealous rage take over her skull.

　What are you doing? I stood by his side and said I would never leave him, and now I've lost a sword and I'm this disgusting. I'm in no shape to be protected by him.

　I let out a breath. Silver eyes narrowed. I told you not to do anything dangerous, and now you're protecting me from danger. This is bullshit. It's not possible.



　Kalia bites down hard on her back teeth and shakes her shoulders. Then she mutters.

　--It's a shame.

　It's not just your own voice, it's another voice that seems to be overlapping.


　I'm not sure what to say.


　There, cut off from the Great Temple. High in the sky, the sky is endlessly blue. The other world, created by the Titans' power, was about to collapse with a crash.

　The hollow instantly began to carve black cracks in itself, and then crushed noisily as if it were laughing.

　It was a strange and inexplicable sight. The space was shattering like glass, grinding away at itself. It would not be a very pleasant spectacle.

　The crushing must now be decisive. The other world collapsing in on itself must mean that the one with the power had let go of the other world he held in his hands.

　It's a horrible thing to see a huge world die.

　The giants whose skulls were shattered roared and screamed as if a mountain were collapsing, and their huge bodies, which should not have fallen down, collapsed with the other world as their coffin.

　It can no longer stand. A giant is one that cannot fall. If it falls to the ground, it will never be able to get up again. That's why the bodies of these giants lie prone and sleep, forming a mountain range.

　This phantom image, created to fight its sworn enemy, is nothing more than a conscious body. It's just a phantom, created and refined over what seems like an eternity. Ephemeral, as if it would vanish in the blink of an eye.

　When I think of the former majesty of the founder, the giant Flimsulat, it is foolish to compare.

　Slowly the phantom trembles and fades from existence. It must have been a sign that his consciousness was about to fall asleep again.

　Flimsulat fell down and said in a voice that twisted the air.

　--What a pity.

　Now once again the giant must prostrate his mighty frame beneath a single gold. Even though the other man had just jumped into his bosom.

　I remember, I remember this humiliation, this defeat. I still remember the name of the woman who brought me to the ground, though she was small.

　Artius, leader of the humans. All his people died while he told them to curse that abominable name. Even I, the founder of the giants, was ordered to lie down on the ground and sleep for the rest of my life.

　And now, I must let my body decay once again. The demonic nature broke me down with a leisurely gait.

　The consciousness I finally created is now lost. What a pity! I've never known greater humiliation or rage. That a giant who respects power should be defeated again by the same man. The Titan made something that could not be called a sound or a voice.

　Oh, to be eaten up as the world's food under endless humiliation again! If we're just going to be overthrown by the powerlessness to do anything...

　The Titan opened his almost-crushed eyes. A shadow ran across his vision, and there he saw a girl. He opened his mouth with all his might.

　--You who stand against Artius. And so, my only little kindred. I now recognize you as a Titan.