Alice.
Jabberwock.
Lion.
Unicorn.
Cheshire Cat.
Deus Ex Machine—Ashcroft Series.
This was a plan that anyone would sneer at after hearing it.
It was not for eliminating Spirits, nor was it to protect the world from disaster. It was rely for human infighting: to take a certain kind hearted Wizard apart like a toy, then use those parts to trap another Wizard, letting those below overthrow the one above.
In the end, the owner was devoured by his toys and brought destruction upon himself. Yet the plan itself did not seem to end along with that story.
"Leonora! Don't you recognize ?"
While dodging Lion's shots in midair, Artemisia shouted loudly, trying to awaken her close friend.
However, Leonora turned a deaf ear to Artemisia's call. Like a cold machine, she continued attacking Artemisia without pause.
"Haha, save your strength. Artemisia, don't tell you think you can wake her up with boring things like bonds or friendship?"
Minerva once again flew in front of her and mocked her.
"Minerva! What did you do to Leonora? Why are both you and she equipped with Ashcroft?"
Facing Minerva's amused expression, Artemisia gritted her teeth, and surging anger burned in her eyes.
"Oh? I didn't expect you to still rember that plan."
Hearing Artemisia ntion that na, surprise appeared in Minerva's eyes. But very quickly, a delighted smile blood at the corner of her mouth. Perhaps Artemisia's anger made her extrely happy.
"The truth is very simple. Back then, the Ashcroft plan never truly ended. Director Westcott inherited the research results and improved them into a brand new Ashcroft. And we, who had actual experience operating them, naturally beca the new combat personnel. I agreed quite readily. However—"
At this point, Minerva paused aningfully.
"The other three seed to hold so prejudice against DEM. The director had no choice but to use a few small thods to help them forget those unpleasant mories."
(Brainwashing.)
Artemisia's pupils contracted slightly. Just a few days ago, Ryougi Yutsuki had told her about this. If she had not witnessed the truth with her own eyes today, Artemisia would still have been half doubtful.
(Then Ashley and Cecile are also…)
Anger surged uncontrollably to her head, and Artemisia's killing intent toward Minerva grew even stronger. Her sword followed her heart. Although rage made her strikes sharper and fiercer, they also lost their usual speed and agility.
"Oh, right, let tell you one more thing."
Seeing Artemisia provoked, Minerva seed deeply pleased and added fuel to the fire.
"It's not only Leonora and the others. The Wizards attacking the shelters right now—all of them were once SSS Wizard soldiers."
"Wha—kuh—"
The instant she heard that, Artemisia was shaken once more, and her Territory weakened along with the fluctuation of her emotions.
Aiming for that instant, Minerva decisively activated Jabberwock and broke down the remaining defense. At the sa ti, Leonora's Leon also aid at Artemisia without hesitation.
One shot, one sword.
Although Artemisia instinctively avoided her vitals, two bloody wounds were still left on her delicate body.
"What a sha. I originally wanted to wait until you tore off that hypocritical mask before telling you."
Looking at the blood flowing along her blade, Minerva licked her lips, excitent rising in her eyes.
"How does it feel to realize you have nowhere left to return to?"
A burning pain ca from her wounds, and the tallic sll of blood spread into her nose and throat. After using her Territory to stop the bleeding, Artemisia silently continued evading.
Strangely enough, after feeling the pain from her wounds, her originally chaotic thoughts instead cald down.
Since Leonora, who should have been in London, had appeared in Japan, then it was not strange for the other SSS mbers to have co here as well. With DEM's thods, they could have transferred the others into DEM beforehand, just as they had once transferred Artemisia.
No, judging from Minerva's words, SSS had likely been swallowed by DEM long ago.
Then why had she not recognized the SSS mbers?
Another doubt surfaced in Artemisia's mind. Although she could not claim to know every SSS Wizard, she had still had a wide circle of acquaintances within SSS. Yet when she actually tried to recall the faces of the SSS mbers, aside from Leonora and the other three, everything was completely blurred.
In the next second, Artemisia realized it.
This was also part of Westcott's trap. He had deliberately erased her mories of her comrades's appearances so that she would unknowingly kill her forr comrades with her own hands.
After understanding his intention, Artemisia could not help feeling a chill at the viciousness buried beneath Westcott's gentle expression.
(Calm down! You need to calm down, Artemisia! Things haven't reached the point where they can't be salvaged.)
Constantly reminding herself of that inwardly, Artemisia's mind worked at high speed.
The citizens were being protected by AST. The Wizards she had knocked down had not died. She herself had not fallen into DEM's trap.
Brainwashing was not impossible to undo. After eting Ryougi Yutsuki at the cafe, aside from the docunts on the Ashcroft plan, the other party had also given her another set of materials—the research on brainwashing technology.
On the surface, it used brain developnt to enhance a Wizard's talent for magical power and Territory. But partway through the experints, it gradually deteriorated into research on using Territory interference to apply suggestions to Wizards with hazy consciousness and rewrite others's mories.
After carefully reading the principles behind that technology, Artemisia discovered that her ability could potentially undo the brainwashing. Because of that, after realizing Westcott could not be trusted, she had vaguely sensed the possibility of such a situation occurring and had already morized the relevant knowledge and thods.
Ignoring the risk of the shelter collapsing and her wounds worsening, Artemisia continued dealing with Minerva and Leonora while waiting for an opportunity.
(Now!)
The instant Minerva circled behind her, Leonora stood in front of her, and the positions of the three ford a straight line, Artemisia poured all her remaining magical power into her Realizer.
"Unicorn!"
Holding Arondight like a lance under her arm, Artemisia used Minerva's Territory as a foothold and kicked off with both legs. The powerful shock forced Minerva to uncontrollably retreat several dozen ters, while Artemisia used the opportunity to accelerate to her limit. Her beloved sword stabbed straight toward Leonora.
"Alice!"
At the instant she was about to pierce through Leonora's chest, Artemisia activated another of her armants.
A Territory with extrely powerful defense appeared in front of Leonora, blocking Unicorn's unstoppable strike.
Like the story of spear and shield, after Artemisia's sword collided with the Territory, it inevitably shattered. The violent deceleration and recoil made her cough up a mouthful of blood.
Seeing Artemisia's self destructive action, Leonora seed unable to understand the situation and froze in place.
"Please co back… my dear friend."
Gently pulling Leonora into her arms, Artemisia whispered,
"Jabberwock."
This was Artemisia's trump card, the original version of the armant Minerva was using—the Territory interfering Jabberwock. In truth, DEM's brainwashing technology had been invented based on the principles behind its operation.
As if responding to Artemisia's call, the six wings behind Lancelot flashed with pale-blue, lightning-like energy. After being enveloped by electric arcs, the Territory around Leonora flickered between light and dark. Leonora's expression also changed from its original absent mindedness to pain and confusion.
Finally, Leonora's expression gradually eased. Looking at the woman tightly holding her, she said uncertainly,
"Are you… Arti?"
"Yes! It's !"
Hearing Leonora call her na, Artemisia's eyes unconsciously grew moist.
However, before Artemisia could recover from her joy, a sharp blade suddenly pierced through her abdon.
"Leon… ora?"
Staring blankly at the girl before her, Artemisia's eyes were filled with shock and confusion.
Leonora gripped the hilt of the sword tightly. The eyes she turned toward Artemisia were filled with eerie hatred and disgust.
"Die, traitor!"
Original Author's PS: I suddenly feel like I might have gone too hard on her…
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