Chapter 46

"Remember this!!"

The moment he laid eyes on Rex—

The demon who had called himself Kazenagi spat blood and turned tail, fleeing without a trace of pride. He must’ve figured that if even Flatche alone had proven too much, then with Rex back on the field, he didn’t stand a chance.

And this spineless, shameless about-face? Fitting, in its own way. It was just like Kazenagi back in his adventuring days.

“Ah…”

Flatche started to give chase—then stopped.

Her body, after all, was just that of a girl with a bit of training. There was no way she could catch a fleeing demon, even one injured.

—She was a mediocre girl. Her only edge lay in taking hits better than most.

“...He got away. Sorry.”

She tilted her head slightly, looking up at Rex with a faintly sorrowful expression.

“Y-yeah. Guess we let him go.”

Her demeanor was different. So was her voice—quiet, tinged with regret, as if blaming herself. It was so calm, so uncharacteristically subdued for the Flatche he knew, it caught Rex off guard.

He’d been ready to speak to the usual dumbass Flatche of the team—and now he was left thinking: Who the hell is this?

“I’ll finish this one off. Lend me your blade.”

“...Here.”

At the very least, they couldn’t let the unconscious Demon Sword King go. Taking her short sword, Rex swung with one arm and cleanly severed the demon’s neck.

Flatche watched him with something like envy in her eyes. Normally, she'd be raising a fuss—yelling not to steal her glory, teasing Rex as her lapdog or whatever. But now she just silently watched him strike.

“...Well, it is what it is. Let’s go, Rex.”

“Hm?”

Her eyes were a pure, clear blue—like crystal, like still water. They looked eastward, unwavering.

“Flatche?”

“...It’s been almost half a day. We might not make it in time for Clarise.”

“Ah—right, she’s the one who got her head chopped off!”

“Yeah.”

Her voice was oddly flat as she pointed east. Then, without hesitation, she clung to Rex’s shoulder—his only shoulder. Her steady breathing warmed the chest of a certain virgin swordsman.

“Wha—?”

“...Carry me. No need to push yourself, Rex. I’ll handle any fighting.”

“Ah—got it. Right. Hang on tight.”

She hugged him tightly, her slender arms wrapping around the Sword Saint. Looking up at him, she murmured a quiet plea.

Her frame was so soft, so delicate—it was almost hard to believe she was the same tomboyish girl as always.

“All right! Let’s gooo!”

“...Sorry, for making you fight while you’re still injured.”

“Don’t worry about iiiit!!”

It might’ve been the first time Rex ever heard those words—actual concern—from Flatche.

He had no idea what happened here, or who this girl even was anymore. But pushing down every question in his chest, he clutched that soft, warm thing in his arm, and bolted east—toward the fortress.

Flatche clung to his neck, sitting sideways in his arm like a princess. She had no intention of seducing anyone. But no one could blame a virgin for needing to yell just to keep his sanity.

---

The land ahead was pocked with craters, as if some great calamity had struck. And at its heart, rising on a hill that overlooked the desolate plain, stood a building of weathered stone—ancient, grim, towering.

It was far more than a small outpost. Though compact, it could be called a fortress—or even a castle.

Likely, it had already fallen to the demons. Nonhuman shapes loomed along the top of the walls, patrolling with erratic motion.

“…All right. Rex, stay here.”

“W-wait, I—”

“No need to push yourself. If things get dicey, I’ll fall back here. Just make sure we’ve got a way out.”

Hidden in the distance, the two of them peered toward the fortress.

Flatche smiled gently, a kindness in her eyes as she spoke to the Sword Saint. Then, she rose to her feet—slowly, soundlessly—and drifted forward like a breeze toward the fortress overrun with demons.

Soon, she reached the front gate. And at last, the demons noticed the presence that had until then gone unseen.

A few seconds after one let out a shrill cry—

The demons scrambled into formation. Stones rained down like hail in every direction. The fortress must’ve been rigged with preset defense protocols.

And when the barrage stopped, the gate opened—and the demons surged out.

“...Now, where would Clarise be?”

No matter how many stones pelted her, no matter how many demons lunged at her with claws bared—nothing touched her. Not a scratch marked her skin.

“...A headless little girl should stand out. I’ll find her. I’m sure of it.”

Swaying, drifting—like river grass caught in a torrent—Flatche moved through the swarm.

No hand reached her. No blood stained her.

Only a trail of corpses marked her passing.

---

After successfully retrieving Clarise’s body—

Rex and I returned to the plains where the Mino forces had been stationed.

“R-R-Rex-samaaa!! You’re alive! You’re really alive!”

“Flatche, you made it too! …I see. Both of you are safe. Thank god.”

Karin and Mei were already there. It looked like they’d managed to regroup with the royal army without issue.

The moment we met, Mei threw herself into Rex’s chest while Karin quietly patted my head. From the looks of it, none of our party had suffered any losses in this battle.

“I really thought… it was over. If we lost you too, Rex-sama, I… I…”

“She was a wreck after hearing from Mino,” Karin said. “Didn’t say anything once she found out Flatche was safe, but… seriously, Rex, take better care of yourself.”

“Yeah, sorry. Might’ve lost my cool a bit, this time.”

Mei sobbed loudly into Rex’s chest, pounding her fists against him. Rex had come running without even putting armor on—just wrapped in bandages.

“Hic… hic…”

“My bad.”

From what Mei told us, Rex had barely escaped with his life—barely alive—and had rushed off from Mino’s place with only the barest treatment to search for his comrades.

“…You’re always calling me an idiot, but who’s the real idiot now?”

“Can’t argue with you today, not this time.”

“She’s right. …But you did it all just to find us, didn’t you? Thanks, Rex.”

And so, even that reckless idiot had made it back alive. The four of us embraced, tears falling as we shared in the joy of survival.

“By the way… about Clarise—”

“It’s alright. I’m okay, Flatche-san.”

“…Mei?”

“I already said my goodbye.”

And when I tried to tell Mei that we should hurry and return Clarise’s head to her body, just in case we were too late—the little black mage’s voice hitched as tears welled in the corners of her eyes.

“Honestly, I thought I wouldn’t even get to talk to her again. Sis is amazing, isn’t she? Staying alive for half a day with just her head. I was really lucky to be Clarise’s little sister.”

“Ah, uh…”

“And I… I got to say it. At the very end, I got to tell her. Thank you for raising me all this time.”

“…”

“I was selfish and stubborn, but even so… she stood in for our parents. She always watched over me. So I told her thank you.”

Voice trembling, she clutched the blonde girl’s head tightly in her arms, her tears falling onto it.

…No way. Don’t tell me we’re already too late. No—there might still be time.

Thud.

I unwrapped the “package” and pulled out what was inside. Carrying around a headless little girl as she was had felt wrong, so I’d wrapped her in what looked like a demon cloak I found back in the castle.

From under the cloak I’d opened, Clarise’s body was folded up, sitting in a tucked position. I placed my hand on her neck—and felt a pulse. I let out a breath of relief.

“…No, we’re still in time. Give me the head.”

“Huh? Wh-What? Wait, why do you have Clarise’s—?”

“Picked it up on the way back.”

“Sorry, what?”

Ignoring Mei’s confused blinking, I took Clarise’s head and attached it to her neck.

“Alright! I’m back and better than ever!!”

Suddenly, Clarise—silent until now—shouted energetically. Steam hissed out with a pssshh as she started glowing, and with a bright flash, her head and body successfully reattached.

“…”

But even someone like Clarise had her limits. Right after reconnecting, she muttered “I’m out of mana… can’t move…” and passed out.

Yeah… best not to overthink how these monsters work. It’s a good way to lose your grip on reality.

“…”

Just like Mei, standing there with tears in her eyes, relieved yet hollow-eyed, wearing an expression far too complicated for a kid her age.

---

"Sorry, Rex-kun. Can you report that one more time?"

"Yeah."

...Now I could finally breathe. If the others and Clarise were safe, then there was nothing left to panic about.

───Well, except maybe the fact that everything still looked tinted blue.

It was a strange feeling. Ever since my vision turned like this, my body had been moving completely differently. I mean, I found Clarise inside that demon-infested fort without a single struggle.

The only time I panicked even a little was when I saw the pile of charred corpses on the side of the road.

Seriously, I didn’t expect Clarise’s torso to be in the middle of getting burned. Demons burn corpses too, huh? That was close.

"So when you got back, Flatche was standing there unharmed like nothing happened, and the two demons were barely clinging to life?"

"Yeah. I finished off the Demon Sword King myself. His buddy got away though."

"And then you headed straight to the northeast fort and recovered Clarise’s body?"

"…Yeah. I cut down most of the demons on the way too. We could probably retake the fort easily now."

"That’s the report."

"I see, I see… makes sense."

The Grand General gave me that sketchy smile of hers and nodded as she stared at me.

Then she started trembling for a few seconds, and suddenly shouted with a serious face:

"Nobody told me Flatche-san was that strong!?"

What the hell was the intel division doing!? If she was that capable, we wouldn’t have needed to retreat! Mino raised her voice in rare confusion and clutched her head like she was having a breakdown.

"……!? Wait, is Flatche-san one of those superhuman types now too…?"

"Nah, ain’t no way there’s more monsters like Rex just walkin’ around. It had to be him, right? Even with one arm, Rex could pull that off."

"I’ve got no reason to lie. …Besides, even with both arms, going up against those two without a scratch would’ve been rough."

"…I didn’t do anything. All I did was run around like a coward."

"Who are you again?"

Everyone’s looking at me like I’m some kind of alien creature.

I was just dodging and luring them into self-destruction. Nothing to be surprised about. Rex’s swordsmanship is a hundred times more insane than anything I did.

"Is this really Flatche? I don’t know, she seems… weirdly calm. Like, she’s not doing her usual dumb stuff."

"Yeah, even her eyes look kinda different somehow."

"…Rude."

What do you mean, I’m not doing my usual dumb stuff? I’m always the picture of intelligence and composure.

"But seriously, something’s off. She’s definitely gotten stronger, and she’s… kind of expressionless? It’s like… she’s turning into Natal-chan. Flatche, what the hell happened to you?"

"I’m the same as always."

"Hmm… I can’t explain it well, but yeah, she’s different."

Even if you say that, I’ve got no idea what you’re expecting. I’m still me.

"Flatche. What’s 3 times 4?"

"…12?"

"WHAT!?"

…? Three groups of four makes twelve, doesn’t it?

"Unbelievable… are you really Flatche!?"

"Something’s definitely wrong!! That number’s too big to count on your fingers…!? She’s doing advanced math like it’s nothing, this is totally abnormal!!"

"A fake…? No, maybe she’s brainwashed. Stay sharp!"

"Huh!? Wait, you’re saying she can’t normally do that kind of math!?"

E-Excuse me. Even the usual me can do a calculation like that—probably.

"Let me check your head for a sec… If it’s brainwashing, there should be some kind of magical trace."

"How rude."

"It’s okay, we’re on your side, Flatche-san… So please, come back to your usual cute self."

"How rude."

"Wait a second… Was the whole thing staged just to slip a brainwashed Flatche into my squad!? But no, the Demon Sword King was definitely real… And using her as a spy would be pointless."

"If you don’t cut it out, I will get angry."

What the hell is with everyone treating me like an idiot?

Well, truly intelligent people are often misunderstood and seen as fools. Rex the meathead probably just can’t grasp my genius. Can’t be helped.

As Karin patted my head, I quietly mocked Rex’s dullness in my heart.

"Hmm… No signs of magic. But she does seem to be coming down with a cold?"

"…Huh? I don’t feel sick or anything."

Karin kept patting my head, wearing a slightly concerned expression as she thought it over.

"Feels like a slight fever."

"…? I’ve never caught a cold in my life."

"Ain’t no way that’s true. But, well… Yeah, no other issues with your body. Just feels a bit hot."

"So what does that mean, Karin?"

"……Could it be… a knowledge fever?"

A… what?

"Kids sometimes get a fever when they overwork their brains past their limit."

"Who are you calling a kid?"

"Well, uh… Mino General, what do you think from a healer’s perspective?"

"Ah, should I check too? She’s basically VIP now anyway. ───── No signs of common illness, body temperature normal, but intracranial temperature and pressure elevated. Increased glycolysis in the brain, showing signs of cognitive overload. Yep, I’d say it’s a knowledge fever."

"Knew it."

"This is absurd."

A knowledge fever. That’s such a childish thing to have…

Though, come to think of it, I was in really good form today. My vision felt wider, my reads were sharper too.

So I… got too into the sword and flipped some kind of switch?

"Sorry, Flatche-san. Let the flames of your mind grow still, let restful sleep be your peace, and cradle you in gentle silence."

"What are you──wait, General Mino, what kind of spell──zzz……"

"If we leave it like this, the strain on her brain’ll get worse. Let her sleep it off—she’ll be fine when she wakes up."

My head’s getting fuzzy… Can’t really think anymo────

"She just cast a sleep spell on her without a word!"

"It’s faster this way."

"…I still can’t deal with this woman."

…zzz.

---

After that.

I was asleep, so I only heard about it later, but apparently, Mino and the rest of the national army did an immediate turnaround and launched an assault on the fortress.

And from what I was told, Mino recaptured and reoccupied the fortress without sustaining a single injury.

Not that it’s surprising. The Demon King’s Army had already been reduced to less than half its numbers by Clarise’s area bombardment, and my solo charge had pushed them to near-annihilation.

Because of that, it seems the moment Mino and her troops showed up, the Demon King’s Army scattered like cockroaches in the light.

“Fufufu. Time to get to work, everyone.”

After securing the fortress, Mino immediately ordered her subordinates to collect the corpses of the demons. She even treated the ones that were still alive. Her reasoning?

“Good, good. We’ve got some excellent specimens for testing.”

That’s all.

Watching her smile with her mouth twisted into a grin as she patched up the wounded demons, not only Rex, but even her own troops reportedly recoiled in horror.

That woman called Mino… is exactly the Mino everyone says she is.