“Onii-san, I think it’s in here.”

The heavy metal gate blocked with wooden planks. Although neither of them could see anything inside, the siblings knew that it led to the courtyard right in front of the Clocktower where the giant snake rested.

“The Snake Dew….” Takuto muttered. “So close….”

It had been the reason why they were here. An old Noble wanted the Dew produced by a Great Devourer for his Alchemical experiments. And although Takuto didn’t know what he was planning to do with it, he couldn’t say no upon seeing the amount of money offered for it.

He thought it was going to be an easy job—in and out. Goddess of the Shrines, Tsukihime, who also gave him a second chance at life, had graciously provided him with its location, after all.

“When I find that bald bastard, I’m gonna slap him….” Takuto clenched his fists. He just couldn’t believe that he was fooled by a scammer.

Pate had introduced himself as someone who knew the in-and-out of the ruins and Takuto believed it. In the end, not only did he trap them in that forsaken hole, he also learned of the information about the Snake Dew.

“Onii-san.” Violette hugged Takuto’s arms. She let out a soft sigh as her head was patted. “Do you think he already stole it?”

“No. Cowards like him won’t make it this far. Do you remember how many traps and puzzles we had to solve to get here?”

“As expected of Onii-san!”

“Haha.” Takuto scratched the back of his head and pecked Violette’s lips. Then, he slowly pushed the iron door open.

What awaited him was a courtyard plated with crooked stone tiles. Unlike the rest of the city the wild vegetation here was neat and out of the way, as if someone had trimmed it recently.

Although it was suspicious, Takuto was glad that he didn’t need to look carefully at his feet for traps.

Situated on the other side of the courtyard was the Devourer’s giant head. Its mouth was gaped and its split tongue rolled out.

But right in front of the snake was a suit of armor on a chair. It stayed unmoving with its head pointed toward the snake as if looking over it.

Takuto and Violette carefully crossed the courtyard. But halfway through, they noticed a straight line of red that stood between the armor and them.

Takuto crouched down and wiped his finger on it. “Paint?”

Immediately, a loud and rusty creaking noise echoed through the enclosed city. It came from no other than the suit of armor. Its helm slowly creaked toward Takuto while its gauntlets stroked the snake’s head affectionately.

A metallic voice echoed from the helm.

“My dear Ryk, bear alone for but a moment. Swiftly shall be the intruders’ fall.”

The suit of armor stood up. Loud echoes of metallic footsteps resounded in the space as it took five steps forward.

“Thou who approacheth the Snake Dew, do not cross the red line. I will not have it stolen from me again.”

The armor unsheathed the sword on its waist—a katana with a pitch-black blade dotted with white stars.

Suddenly, an Aura of intense Fear burst out from the armor as two glowing red orbs appeared inside the slit of its helm. Dread was all everyone could feel.

Its bulky armor contrasted with its slender katana. But somehow, that only made it more imposing.

“One choice,” it said.

One simple choice. Anyone could do it. Even the ex office worker Takuto could.

“You or the girl. Choose which one to stay.”

It slammed his sword on the ground, shaking even the foundation of this place. Dust collected for thousands of years on the ceiling fell down, obscuring Takuto’s sight even more. Though continuous wind that came from somewhere cleared the dust up, it just kept falling.

Takuto gulped. T-This…. It might be his end! He was just reincarnated two years ago—he wasn’t ready for this at all!

He took a cautious step backward. However, this didn’t go unseen by the armor.

“Your choice is made. As Defender of the Snake Dew, I shall permit the boy to leave.”

“H-Huh?” Violette quickly turned around; her eyes almost bursting into tears. “O-Onii-san! I-It’s mistaken, r-right? You wouldn’t abandon me, right?”

In response, Takuto shoved Violette forward before rushing for the exit.

The armor just stood there. As soon as Takuto left the courtyard, the metal doors closed shut on him.

Left with no choice, Violette could only stand up and readied the kitchen knife she had for self-defense.

“N-Not a step closer!”

The armor observed Violette for a second before it removed its helm, revealing a familiar silver-haired girl.

“M-Mistress?”

Esther stared down at Violette’s feet before she spoke.

“Not a step closer, Violette.”

*

*

*

*

I leaped through the air and landed right next to her. Grabbing her hand, I pulled her away from the red line.

“It’s dangerous.”

After all, if there was anything that guy Pate was good at, it was laying traps.

“M-Mistress! W-What were you doing!?”

I grabbed her cheeks and made her stare straight into my eyes. “Remember, Violette. Remember what the bastard just did. Not only did he abandon you, he shoved you over to escape by himself!”

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“I-It’s only fair! Everyone wants to live!”

“That’s the fucking problem.” I slapped her. Hard. A red mark was left on her cheek, but I healed it very discreetly. “Edward is not ‘everyone.’”

“He doesn’t go by that nam—”

I slapped her again.

“Don’t you get it? And here I thought you were supposed to be smart. Edward would gladly die for you.”

He never told anyone that he would, but I supposed everyone, even Violette, knew. And with… recent events, I knew better than anyone how an older sibling would do anything for their younger ones.

“Onii-san w—”

Another slap.

“But he—”

And another one.

“Takut—”

A kick in the gut this time.

“Oni— Bro…. Brother?”

I halted just before hitting her again. Violette seemed… more sane now? Her eyes weren’t cloudy anymore.

I slowly let go of her and put my hand on her stomach to heal her.

“Have you got it now?”

Violette looked down at her hands, shaking. She then, with bloodshot eyes, reached for the waterskin hoisted on her waist and tried to cleanse her mouth with it while gagging.

I crouched down and patted her back to help her, but Violette shook her head at me.

Well, guess she wanted to be alone.

That was the least I could do at the moment. I tapped Requiem on the floor beyond the red line and watched as it crumbled into the hole laid with sharp pikes below. Then, I snapped my fingers.

“Come out.”

From the few bushes on the side, Pate rode his turtle out. He then dismounted his mount and gulped while fiddling with his fingers.

The image of an adult man acting like a shy teenage girl almost made me sick.

“M-Milady, s-shouldn’t I get a reward for… helping you?”

This guy…. How shameless. I crouched down and picked a rock right beneath my feet. Then, I held it up to his face.

“Here’s your reward.”

“...A rock?”

“Not just any rock. A magical artifact named ‘Stone of Gravity Detection’!” I smirked and dropped the rock on Pate’s hand. “See? There’s gravity. The rock detected it.”

It was at this time that Violette finally recovered. She staggered toward me before slouching against my body; sobbing.

“M-Mistress, I—”

“Shhh, you don’t need to say anything.” I patted her back soothingly. “I know you have a lot of questions. I don’t have time to answer all of them, but just know that guy isn’t Edward, and….” It pained me to say this. “He’s not coming back. Edward…. He’s gone.”

“...”

“...”

“I….”

“...”

“I will….”

Violette was taking it better than I thought. Her eyes were blazing with flames of hatred. The glare was so intense that Pate almost jumped in his own trap in fright. He would’ve if it wasn’t for his turtle catching him by the hem of his trousers.

“That’s my girl.” I stroked her hair. Honestly, hatred was better than brooding. “Now, tell me. What’s this ‘Snake Dew’ that you were after?”

Violette wiped her eyes and pointed at Ryk’s head.

“‘Cut a hole right under its right eye. A crystallized tear will fall out. That is the Snake Dew.’”

“Uhuh….”

I left Violette and jumped to the other side again. I cut the hole in Ryk’s scale with no particular emotion other than pity and caught the teardrop crystal that fell out.

Hmmm, what does this—

Suddenly, a blue screen appeared with a familiar face on it.

[Holy shit is that a Snake Dew!?]

I turned around. Yep, it was Theodore.

“What is it?”

[Give me that!]

A being that was maybe many times more powerful than the three Goddesses of this world. Honestly, it was a risky gamble, but if this guy wanted me to give him it instead of taking it by force, then it meant he couldn’t really harm me.

R-Right?

“Nuh uh. If you want it so bad, trade me something for it.”

Theodore gritted his teeth but soon regained his calm. He sat back down on his desk and reached an arm out through the Status screen and into reality.

Oh shit…. He can hurt me.

His hand then crackled with red electricity.

[Snake Dew for my power]

“Your… what?”

D-Did I hear it right?

[Power. Well, that’s a bit misleading. More like my ability. You’ll be able to wield Red Lightning in return for your Fire, Ice, and the Snake Dew]

I frowned and hugged the Dew closer to me. “Why would you want my Fire and Ice?”

[Believe me-] He gritted his teeth- [Snake Dew alone is not enough for how great my ability is. I’m honestly giving you a good bargai— Owww!]

A hand off-frame and struck Theodore’s head. It then pushed Theodore aside as a woman slid in to take his place.

“Eria?”

[I believe you’re mistaken. I’m Sylvia.]

“B-But….” They looked completely identical! It wasn’t like the case of Theodore and Ast. They were like twins if twins were even more twins than twins were supposed to be!

Theodore slowly rose again. He stood next to Sylvia but still tried to squeeze on frame.

[It would take hours to explain—actually, it’ll take two sentences. But you’re better off not knowing]

Sylvia then took a jab at Theodore’s side.

[What he means is ‘I’m sorry for lying to you, the Snake Dew is just as valuable as my ability. Maybe even more since I gave it to another one in your world practically free of charge’]

“E-Eh?”

The conversation was evolving so fast that my pupils became swirls as I reveled in confusion.

This time, Theodore raised his hands in defeat. [Fine, fine, you got me. But Esther is a special case. Her mind is so weak that Red Lighting must be her only Affinity or else her brain will fry]

[...Are you certain? You’re not just bullying her?]

[Hey! Just because I scammed that guy one time….]

[One time is too many]

Theodore carefully pushed Sylvia off frame again. [Just have faith in me]

[If you say so….]

The sound of a door being closed could be heard. Theodore sighed again as he took his seat. [You heard me. Lightning or keep Ice and Fire and Snake Dew. Your choice; I’m not forcing you]

Now this was a conversation I could understand. It was a tough choice, honestly. To receive the ability of a great being like Theodore or continue to hone the elements that I’d been using for years….

But one single fact became the tie-breaker.

My Ihwa mastered Lightning.

No, even that description was a disservice. She was obsessed with Lightning. Lightning this, Lightning that, in every fight, her first opening move would always be [Lightning Spear].

And her ending move was mostly, surprise surprise, another Lightning spell.

The simple fact that I could copy what the Greatest Archmage did since I used to glue myself to her was enough. I would miss my Swordsmanship’s synergy with Ice, sure, but I could figure out new ways to incorporate the new Affinity.

“Fine. Here’s your Snake Dew.” I threw the Dew through the screen.

Theodore caught it with ease and instantly, a jolt of electricity coursed through my body.

I could feel it. My Aura. My Mana. All changed. Frustratingly, I could tell my weakness of delayed spells still remained.

Theodore inspected the Snake Dew in awe. He then set it on his table and laughed.

[Heh, you have a knack for accidentally collecting precious things. I’ll hit you up with a trade whenever you find another one]

“...Okay.”

I didn’t really mean it. Next time, I would research carefully what the item can do before even talking with this guy.

The screen disappeared, and what laid before me was Pate and Violette looking at me; the former amusingly and the latter with great concern.

“See? I told you, she’s crazy.”

“Mistress…. Look at what the years have done to you….”

My face flushed red. Fuck! I’ll tell him to talk telepathically next time! Jumping over the hole again, I patted Pate’s shoulder.

“Go lay more traps with Violette outside the courtyard.”

“What for, milady?”

A devious grin crossed my face.

“I can’t let that guy continue walking in Edward’s skin. 4-star or not, he’s going down today.”