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Chapter 86 Part 4 – Things that never change. And a promise. In order to protect the lives of the mother and the baby, Countess Rosenthal will put everything on the line to fight against Alisa.

As one would expect, Seraphy’s cheek was twitching. The Ruby of the True Emperor is known as the worst cursed item on the continent. It has killed countless people over the course of 500 years. Even if the curse has eased after I came to possess it, he’s quite amazing to be able to reach out his hand without hesitation. It must have taken as much courage as putting his hand in a lion’s mouth. Despite that, Seraphy forcibly intercepted his hand before Arnold’s hand that was extended first. He wanted to check the curse first with his own body.

The curse was not triggered.
Regaining his composure, Seraphy smiled bitterly.

「Shouldn’t you say ‘feelings’, instead of ‘fighting spirit’? As usual, Bradd’s argument is based on emotions. But it’s not bad. My intuition also tells me that what Bradd said is right, and above all, it is the duty of a gentleman to dispel the tears in a woman’s heart. We should try everything possible.」

I’m glad to hear that. Seraphy may look cool, but he is kind and compassionate. There is no way he would ignore Countess Rosenthal’s predicament.

Arnold looked at me and smiled with his teeth showing.

「That’s nice. I agree with Seraphy. A woman’s tears are a man’s disgrace. As expected of my best friend. Well, unlike Bradd and Seraphy, I haven’t known Scarlet that long. But you know what? I feel a tingle down my spine. It tells me that you’re certainly going to do something crazy. If Seraphy has a sailor’s intuition, I have a hunter’s intuition. I’ll entrust this to you, Scarlet. Take it with you. My feelings …… umm, yeah, I think the word ‘fighting spirit’ is more suitable.」

Unlike Seraphy, he is full of energy because he doesn’t know about the curse of the True Emperor’s Ruby.

「…… Besides, to think that I’d be able to touch the terribly cursed Ruby. I need to be fired up.」

Ehh!? You knew that!? Now that I look closely, I can see that his face is pale. He was forcing himself to act cheerful.

「I shouldn’t have been influenced by Seraphy to start studying. Thanks to that, I’m no longer like the past me that was not afraid of anything. And one more thing. Seraphy. The next time you do something like this, I’m going to hit you. I don’t want to use my best friend as a shield.」

Seraphy smiled bitterly and apologized.
Arnold did not hesitate to touch the Ruby.

If I take your wild fighting spirit, it feels like the ladylike me is going to turn beastly …… However, lend me your straightforward conviction and heroic kindness.

…… Truly, these boys are amazing.

Unlike Rona, who turned her back on happiness and walked alone in the darkness, I have so many friends I can rely on. I can feel their warm hearts through their breath and body temperature. They’re supporting me from the back. This is different from the time when I was a queen, when the people turned their backs on me no matter how hard I tried to protect the kingdom.

I held the ruby in both of my hands and touched everyone’s hands with my fingertips.

Bradd is right.
Fighting all by yourself is not a strength.
And now I am no longer alone.

I want to reach out to Rona just like how everyone has reached out to me. Departure should be done under the blue sky. I’ll blow away the rain of sorrow falling in your heart ……!!

When I sincerely wished this from the bottom of my heart, Bradd, Seraphy, and Arnold’s body shone with a faint white glow. I could feel some tremendous power awakening and slowly rising up. A rumbling foreboding shook the atmosphere.

「…… This is ……!?」

Seraphy and Arnold gasped in surprise, but Bradd smiled as if he had expected it and gave a thumbs up with his other hand.

「…… Just as I expected. I knew there was a strange connection between Scarlet and us. It’s coming. The door of power will soon open. Just like that time when I awakened the ‘Blood Atonement’ …… Go for it. Do whatever you want. No matter what happens, we’ll definitely support you.」

My gaze met with Seraphy and Arnold and they nodded.

「His」 words came back to my mind like a flash of lightning.

「The Ruby of the True Emperor breaks down the boundary walls of the world. Your true power can even connect the feelings of the living and the dead. It’s a jewel worthy of being a protector.」

The encounter with 「him」 at that time took place in the world of my mind. Probably because of that, I had forgotten most of the contents of the conversation until now. No, perhaps 「he」 had activated his power that had broken free from the limiter and manipulated my memory in some way so that I wouldn’t be overloaded.

But, if, if I really have that kind of power. For now, just for now.

「…… Please, Ruby of the True Emperor. Lend me your strength ……!! In order to end the sad night of a woman who has been tossed about by tragedy ……!!」

I prayed.

‘…… That’s right. When you pray for someone, there is nothing you can’t do. Because that is the source of your power. That is why you are the successor of the Ruby of the True Emperor …… And now, in this place, three of the five heroes are gathered. Let it turn. With them, once again, the stars of destiny ……’

「That girl’s」 voice whispered gently in my ear.

As all of our hands overlapped on the Ruby, a mass of power swelled up and avalanched down toward me.

「…… The eye of the Ruby …… is open ……!!」

Arnold, who was witnessing it for the first time, shouted in surprise.

The closed eye of the True Emperor’s Ruby slowly opened.

The impact of the heavy lock being released pierced my spine and made me throw my head backward. A door opened and the tremendous power turned into a dragon and swirled around. It was the same as that time when Bradd used the ‘Blood Atonement’ for the first time and I shared his senses.

「It’s coming!! Everyone, protect Sca-chibi!! Don’t let go of her!!」

「Yeah!! Leave it to me!! I won’t let go even if I die!!」

「……!!」

My hair stood on end as if electrified.

A strong light and violent winds occurred. I was about to be blown away, but Bradd and the others supported me by clasping their hands that were overlapping on top of the Ruby around mine. Sensing that that wasn’t enough, Bradd and Seraphy put their free hand around my back to protect me. Gyaaahhhh!! Idiot Arnold!! Don’t grab my hair just because there was nowhere else to grab!! Let go of it!! My hair is going to get pulled out and fly away in the wind!!

The strong winds quickly subsided, but the glow of the Ruby remained the same. It didn’t change even when Bradd and the others took their hands off me.

…… The storm-like shock passed in an instant, and a kaleidoscopic light, a path, was connected to me. The Ruby overflowed with a rain of brilliance pouring down on us and penetrating our chests. It was the same as what happened that time with the three old warriors.

It was too heartbreaking. The falling cherry blossoms in the memories of Rona, Countess Rosenthal.

Arnold gasped in surprise.

「…… Wow. It looks like a bunch of feathers of light falling down. Is this what Scarlet wanted to do?」

「No. Although it’s kind of similar, what I really wanted to do was ……」

In the middle of the sentence, I became at a loss for words because I got overwhelmed by the onrushing tragedy. In just a few moments, we relived and shared Rona’s life.

…… A happy, carefree childhood. An unreasonable downfall due to her father’s debt. Reduced to poverty, the family drifted to the slums. The violence of a father who became addicted to alcohol. Even so, in those poor but affectionate days, she lived with her mother who gave them all the love and education she could muster and her twin younger brothers as they supported each other. Rona’s warm feelings for her mother and brothers are conveyed to us.

「……!!」

As Seraphy has a deep emotional attachment with his mother, he was already pursing his lips with a pained expression. He, too, had suffered the bitterness of downfall. Although he was left all alone without a single relative in this world, he was blessed with great friends and comrades. With their help, he crawled up from rock bottom. He also avenged his parents by defeating the demon dog.

However, for Rona, the only adult with a conscience was her mother. After her mother’s death from overwork, there was no adult that would help her. After losing his sanity due to alcohol, their father didn’t think of Rona and her younger brothers as his own children and treated them as mere tools. The young Rona was forced to engage in prostitution.