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Chapter 49 Part 6 – A memory from the previous「108 times」. The conclusion. They are dying, but their feelings transcend time. And the loop begins again.

「…… This time for sure? Did you make a mistake? You meant to say that ‘This time as well I can’t protect you,’ right?」

Alisa snickered and quickly made a cleaving motion with one hand to the side. Her good mood was blown away when she heard Scarlet’s name. She was once again covered in anger. The long red wings on her back spread out to the left and right side of the chapel. The pressure was so great that the walls began to move. The upper part of the chapel wobbled and wavered, as if a great wave had stopped just before it fell down. It was like the tongues of hellfire.

「…… That desperate look on your face, it’s hilarious. Do you think that if you think strongly enough about the one you love, you can make a miracle happen? Ahaha, I’ll give you zero points for that because the miracle of love is a woman’s privilege. I would never hand that over to a man. …… But Bradd, I’ll commend you for choosing the Heartless Autumn Leaves as your trump card. 80 points for that. It’s a technique that uses the opponent’s life force to crush them from the inside. The difference in strength doesn’t matter. If I were to be hit with this, even I would not be able to escape unscathed.」

Alisa raised the ends of her mouth. She slowly walked toward Bradd.
Her red wings fluttered like a long scarlet cloak.
The atmosphere was solemn, reminiscent of a coronation ceremony.

「…… Love rivals fight with their lives over a single woman. It’s a romantic truth shared by animals and gods alike. People kill each other for the sake of love. …… Fufu, you know what? Scarlet is still a virgin. I won’t hand it over to someone else. My wings are the only aisle that is suitable for her. I will defeat you guys who are standing in my way and carry Scarlet in my arms. The blood of my love rivals is the appropriate color for our wedding. Now, come at me.」

Alisa, whose voltage went up as she spoke, looked as happy as a bride on her way to her groom. Her light steps were like a blooming flower. The difference was that her demonic spirit was also rising at the same time.
Her eyes were a chaotic mixture of joy, lust, and killing intent. It was like a red bottomless swamp.
The words that spilled from her lovely lips as she walked were cruel.

「…… Ahaha, Bradd. You’re so pitiful. Even if you were to lay down your life and take a shot at me, this Scarlet is not the Scarlet of the『True History』. She’s not the one who loved you. You’re just an acquaintance to her. She will not understand why you risked your life for her and will soon forget about you. Ahh, at the end of your noble self-sacrifice is a futile death with nothing left!! What a tragedy, or perhaps a comedy. Ahaha, what a pity. I really feel sorry for you!!」

Alisa was still bewitching even when sneering. Cruel, but fascinating.
A wicked presence that crushes the heart overflowed from her.
If there is such a thing as a cannibalistic flower that attracts people, she would be it.
She is full of malice, but you can’t take your eyes off her.

But then Bradd was startled, as if he had noticed something.
He glanced at the sleeping Scarlet. The look in his eyes that had been sharpened to the point of breaking were softened.

「…… You’re as detestable as ever …… But for once, you said something good. Thanks to that I regained my senses ……」

The atmosphere that was on the verge of an explosion that had been surrounding him was now gone.

Alisa frowned her beautiful eyebrows.
Bradd looked up and smiled back at her like a refreshing cool breeze.
The wind crossed quickly and lightly, even under Alisa’s intimidation.

「…… Let me tell you, Alisa. It’s not regrettable. It’s the opposite. I can risk my life for the woman I love. And when I’m dead, she doesn’t have to grieve for me. It’s the best situation. …… Now I can fight without any regrets.」

Bradd spoke quietly and calmly. He took a stance and pulled his right fist in a wide arc for the Heartless Autumn Leaves.
His body glowed white.

The unexpected response made Alisa tilt her head slightly, as if wondering what was going on.

「…… The power of the blessing …… is also activated in such a way …… hmm.」 She glanced at Bradd sharply and muttered a small, quiet mutter. 「…… Since it’s already interrupted, let’s try ……」 So the only thing Bradd heard was Alisa’s words from that point forward.

「…… I’m disappointed. I almost liked you a little, but I hate you after all. You gave an enlightened smile and dared to unabashedly speak of your love for Scarlet to me ……」

Alisa shook her head in annoyance.
Over and over again. Like a child throwing a tantrum and trying to be obnoxious.
Arnold was taken aback, but Bradd was not surprised. He was used to seeing Alisa’s eccentricities.

「…… I hope you don’t interrupt the story of me and Scarlet with the facade that you’re her partner. The cast for this story is already set. There is no room for you next to her. Don’t overreach …….」

Her untied blond hair was disheveled.
Her crimson eyes looked at Bradd as if they were shining and piercing.
The corners of Alisa’s mouth hung up. Murderous intent swirled through the air.
It was to a point that it’s a wonder that she didn’t have fangs.
It was as if she had turned into a horned demoness with a golden mane.

「…… Let’s see how long you can keep that clear smile on your face. I wonder what you would look like when you learn how your loved one died. …… Ahh, I’m looking forward to it. Listen to this. Listen to the ending of the『True History』. Hear what happened in the castle of flames after you died.」

Alisa’s hair swayed in the hot wind of the flames. As if to reenact the moment.

「…… Scarlet and I simultaneously striked each other. We pierced each other with our swords. That’s unbelievable right, to think that she can do that against me …… She used the 「Blood Atonement」 that you entrusted to her so that she can escape to settle the score with me.」

Alisa laughed loudly.
She remembered that she had laughed in the same way when she and Scarlet had settled their fight in 「True History」.
At that time, Alisa recognized Scarlet as her rival for the first time.
This was an unknown feeling for Alisa as she had always been self-centered.
Shocked as if struck by lightning, she could do nothing but laugh.
From there, she seriously fell in love. Her heart still throbbed at the memory.

「…… When I close my eyes, I can still see her holding her sword in the midst of the flames. It is a precious memory for me. Love and sword pierced through me like a flash of lightning.」

At Alisa’s words, Bradd’s eyes widened in surprise.
His lips trembled. He clenched his fists so hard they bled.

「…… You’re lying ……」

He was so shocked that all that came out of his mouth was a mumbled mutter.

「…… It’s not a lie. She kept crying and apologizing to you while fighting against me with a sword in a one-on-one battle. It was absolutely infuriating …… I’ve just truly fallen in love with someone and all I hear from her is the name of another man …… It was really irritating.」

「…… Is that so …… Did my activation of the 「Blood Atonement」 drive Scarlet to her death? I only thought of letting her escape …… What am I doing …… Considering her strong sense of responsibility, it’s not hard to see why she’d do that ……」

Alisa said unpleasantly to the petrified Bradd.

「Of her own volition, Scarlet decided to give her life to settle the battle against me. That was the battle of just the two of us. Even gods won’t come between us. The way you talk about her as if you decide her path, it is an insult to her and I will never forgive you for that. Apologize to her.」

At Alisa’s words, Bradd glanced at Scarlet lying behind him and a large tear fell from his eyes.
He remembered the smile on her face in the 「True History」, when she had been so strong but lonely. She was not good with people because of her sorrowful adolescence. But, attracted by her efforts, she gradually made more and more friends, and Scarlet opened her heart and became surrounded by many smiling faces ……
And then she lost all her friends.

During the last battle, she cried all the way. Still, she did not stop walking. She bit her lip and kept going until the end.