Two hours had already passed since Shea's departure.

You're a little late.

　I let out a small sigh.
　My anxiety was growing.

It's a long way from here, and it might take longer.
"He's got the [Acceleration] skill. He should have reached the village in no time.

　I answered Yurin's question.

"If it's just an ordinary enemy, you can kick it out with your [Disconnect] skill. Are you having trouble with Mayka, or...

　It's also possible that she's being held captive.
　But if I go, I'm putting Yurin in danger.

　It's a frustrating situation.

You know, ...... if you want to leave me here and go to the village by myself ......?
You can't do that. If you are attacked by a demon alone, you will not survive.

　I shook my head left and right.

　Maybe it was a mistake to let Shea go alone.
　I bite down on my bitterness.

　My skin suddenly felt warm.
　Suddenly, my skin flushed.

"What's this feeling, ......?

　The first thing that came to mind was a chill.

　But that's not all.
　I felt a strange sense of nostalgia and comfort at the same time.

　Yes, that was two years ago...

　Two years ago... when I was sacrificed to the Dark Chain.
　And the time when I gained the darkness after losing everything.

　It was very similar to the feeling I experienced at that time.

　　　　SIDE

　SIDE Mayka

　Let's go back in time a little...

　The sorceress Micah was visiting a village near the institute.

　The people of this village had been taken as test subjects several times before.
　Of course, he hadn't screwed up in any way that would reveal his true identity.

　To them, I am the apprentice of the world's greatest wizard.
　The villagers welcomed Micah's visit with the eyes of a hero.

(Congratulations, indeed.)

　Micah sneers inwardly.

　In order to defeat Chrom, the fearsome wielder of the Darkness, you will need the opposite power, the Light.
　The way to obtain that power was recorded in the orb.

　Apparently, the master once sacrificed Chrom to strengthen the hero Yuno.
　He cut off the man who had been his apprentice, but that didn't matter.

　Valerie said in her conversation with Chrom that his apprentice was a disposable tool.

　But I'm not like that.

　The other disciples are just a game to Valerie.
　She believed that she was the only one he truly loved.

　That's what she believed.

So I'll beat him. Watch me, Valerie.

　Mayka turns her thoughts back to the ritual.

　Valerie's Chain of Darkness was about creating light from a man's deepest despair.
　She had done this because she was Chrom's apprentice, someone he had spent years with, someone who knew what made him despair the most.

　But the villagers here had only just met.
　No matter who they sacrifice, it may be difficult to create despair as deep as Krom's.

(Then we'll have to make up for it with numbers.)

　Mayka's thought was simple.
　The idea was simple: collect the same amount of strong, deep hatred and despair from as many people as you extracted from one person.

(Yes, like... sacrificing all the people in this village.)

What can I do for you, Mr. Mycah?
What's wrong, Myka?" "It's just an empty village, but please take your time.

　The village girls come up to Micah's side.
　I wondered if it was intentional that they were pressing their soft breasts against her.

　It was a situation that most men would enjoy, but for Micah it was rather uncomfortable.

(You're getting too familiar, you know.)

　She inwardly curses.

　There was only one person in the world who could touch his body so carelessly.
　Valerie, his beloved master.

　Yes, her pretty girl-like figure, her flowery lips, her bright red hair, her smooth white skin...
　Valerie is the only one.

(Oh, Valerie, ......)

　Myka's cheeks blushed as she looked at the girls who were still pressing their bodies against hers and talking to her.
　The excitement is building.

　The excitement of taste...

It's time to start...

　Myka's mouth hangs open in a smile.

"Prison.

　The villagers are all bound by invisible energy.
　I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one who has a problem with this.

I'm not sure what ......?


"Mr. Micah, ......?
"Now, I want you to unleash your negative emotions. Your fear, hatred, and despair will make this ritual a success.

　"Now, unleash plenty of negative emotions.

"Gee, oh, ......?

　The villager dies, charred.

　The next villager gets flames.
　The next villager is killed by fire, the next by ice, the next by wind, the next by earth, and so on.

　Screams and cries of anguish echoed throughout the village.

　But Mycah's Prison prevented them from escaping.
　The rest of us can only watch as they are killed one by one.

　They can only watch in horror and despair, knowing that they may be next.

　Micah's slaughter continued.

　He drained every drop of blood from them and left them to dry; he killed them by slowly tightening his grip on their heads; he crushed their limbs one by one.
　One by one, Micah disposes of the villagers, trying to incite as much fear in them as possible.

　The despair materialized in the form of a black blur that began to drift around him.

　At the same time, a dazzling light appeared in the sky.

I see, the embodiment of the darkness caused by fear and despair ...... and the simultaneous appearance of the light .......

　Mayka murmured with satisfaction.
　It's just as the orb recorded.

I'm not sure what to say, but I'm going to say it. Give me the power to clear the grudge of my beloved Valerie-sama.

　At the same time, a yellowish-white glow enveloped Mycah.

"Oh, ...... oh, ...... oh, ......!

　Myka let out a moan of joy.

It was then that she realized that the light had come to her.

　And then it happened.

What a horrible thing to ......!

　With a voice, someone was approaching from ahead.
　A beautiful girl with flame-red hair in a two-sided updo.

"You...

　I believe you are the girl who was with that man who gave Valerie such a bad time.

"You saved me the trouble of looking for you. I'll make sure to kill each and every one of you .......

　Mayka looked at the girl knight.

It's not going to happen. I'll stop you.

　She held up an unorthodox sword, colored black and red.