"Fish, such a huge fish!"
"Holy crap, a whale!"
When Leviathan, in the form of an enormous whale, erged from the sea and charged toward Ragunna, panic swept through the entire square as people began scattering in all directions.
"As an ordinary person, you've managed to accomplish all this—truly unexpected. But this is where it ends."
Phrolova sat elegantly on her floating ring, arms crossed, watching Aeron with keen interest.
Initially, Fractsidus had indeed arranged for her to cooperate with the Order—creating chaos during Carnevale only for the Order to resolve it, thereby consolidating their rule.
In return, the Order would provide resources to assist her research on the "Other Shore."
But now, her perspective had shifted sowhat.
Here before her was a perfect specin who had returned from death. She wanted to see how this frail body, devoid of even Resonance Power, could possibly transcend the boundary between life and death, rewriting reality at will.
Of course, before that, she would first make this person who toyed with others' emotions and pain suffer repeatedly... right before that certain soone's eyes.
"Just hand him over to , and I'll make Leviathan stop. How about that?"
"To be honest, since he's already standing right here in front of , isn't this question rather pointless?"
"Tch... How noisy."
No sooner had Phrolova spoken than Hecate rushed forward beside her, ready to capture Aeron alive once more.
"Not happening!"
The Rover imdiately appeared before him, blocking Hecate's attack.
"This is Ragunna's stage! Unrelated parties should make their exit!"
Carlotta aid her crystallized gun at Phrolova, but the projectiles were sliced apart by aerial threads before they could reach her.
"Tch."
Sitting on her ring, Phrolova surveyed her surroundings. Carlotta's crystal gun was charged and ready, while the Rover stood firm with dual sickles—both firmly shielding Aeron behind them.
"We won't let you lay a hand on Mr. Aeron."
Pero!!
anwhile, Roccia and the Fool's Troupe had surrounded her completely, leaving no gaps.
"Such... unpleasant solidarity." Phrolova's voice grew colder as she watched the crowd gathered around Aeron.
"For a scher who calculated everyone into his plans, you're willing to go this far?"
"Who he is isn't for you to judge."
Carlotta stepped forward, decisively rejecting Phrolova's words.
"But Second Young Lady, you were the one who got serious earlier, weren't you...?"
"I'm speaking up for you, you idiot!"
During Carlotta and Aeron's brief exchange, the Rover stepped back until they were nearly pressed against Aeron, their golden pupils glancing sideways at him.
"What's your plan now?"
"Well..."
Aeron glanced at Phrolova nearby (though he was quickly glared back), then turned his gaze toward the colossal beast continuously charging toward Ragunna from the sea. Weighing the current situation, his mind raced before quickly reaching a conclusion.
"Honestly, I'm out of ideas. I'll leave the rest to you all."
"....What?"
Hearing Aeron's words, Carlotta stood frozen in disbelief.
"You make it sound so easy."
"I wasn't lying, Second Young Lady. My plan only extended to proving the Order and Fractsidus were involved... Did you expect to push it back with this disabled body while shouting 'it's just a whale'?"
"...It's too late to play the victim now."
Aeron's words made Carlotta's conscience sting slightly, but considering his earlier actions, anger was still the dominant emotion.
"I'd rather see your genuine reaction, Second Young Lady... Is that explanation acceptable?"
"Then it seems I'll have to teach you what happens to those who disrespect others later."
She knew she'd been led astray by him earlier, but now wasn't the ti to dwell on it.
Unlike Carlotta, the Rover felt sowhat relieved by Aeron's words.
Though his actions had been unexpected, at least they were still on the sa side.
"Next... proceed as planned?"
"Since you're the one who uncovered this... I need to prepare for what cos next."
When the Rover first arrived at Rinascita, they were attacked by Leviathan. Later, at Penitent's End, after defeating the Dragon of Dirge with the Fool's Troupe, they discovered signs of the creatures being controlled.
According to the original plan, these matters weren't ant to be disclosed directly... but unfortunately, Aeron needed to be more straightforward.
She actually took down the Dragon of Dirge... I hope I don't have to fight her later...
As Aeron marveled at the Rover's consistently overpowered strength while secretly slipping his remaining hand into his tattered clothes, the Rover spoke to him again.
"Let's be clear: no more dying."
"...Isn't it a bit late for that now?"
"Then from now on, I won't let you go."
"What's with this motherly line..."
Aeron t the Rover's gaze, pausing his movent to draw his gun. It seed he'd need to put more thought into dealing with Cartethyia later.
Looks like he'd have to create an opportunity for her himself.
"In that case... take this first."
"?"
The Rover looked puzzled but caught the small bottle Aeron tossed over.
"Alright, I've done all I can. The rest is up to you."
"Wow, this guy just cut himself off from the matter entirely."
"Now, now, Second Young Lady, why not have a little more trust in others?"
"If it's you, I'll have to reconsider."
After speaking with Carlotta, Aeron withdrew his hand from his clothes as if resigning himself to fate.
"Anyway... soone will handle that side. Please focus on the present? After all, I've drawn all her aggro."
"Mm, step back." / "Mr. Aeron, step back." / "Pero!"
"You're all just going along with him..."
Though she said this, Carlotta had no other options at the mont.
"It seems... you're determined to protect him to the very end?"
"I told you, that's what connections get you, Phrolova."
Ignoring Aeron's words, Phrolova's baton began gathering a crimson glow.
She had long resolved that even if that person stood in her way, she would never—
"?!"
But the mont she prepared to strike, she felt the Resonance Power within her body being obstructed by sothing.
Like suffocating, Phrolova only felt the Resonance Power within her suddenly stagnate. Had Hecate not supported her, she would have nearly collapsed to the ground.
"This is—!"
Similarly, the Rover and others nearby clearly felt their Resonance Power fading. Carlotta's firearm shattered mid-air, and the sickle in the Rover's hand
vanished as well, though they quickly drew a blade from their waist.
Pero sprang out from Roccia's box, slapped Aeron with a Pero!!! before darting back inside.
On the field, only those ordinary people without Resonance Power remained standing as if unaffected.
The entire Reality Marble projected through Phrolova's Resonance Power now began to destabilize.
When Phrolova looked up at the sky—
A giant jellyfish tore through the crimson veil over Ragunna, drifting toward the ocean.
[Projection Target Shift: Cantarella Fisalia]
"Sigh, I didn't expect the drug to take this long to work. Dragging this out has been quite exhausting."
Aeron spoke while stepping forward, pulling out a gun with their remaining hand and aiming it at Phrolova.
"Checkmate, Phrolova."
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