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~3^rd Person Perspective~

　Sicily swims desperately.

　She hadn’t swum since she was a little girl, but her body seemed to remember, and she was better than she thought.

　When she reached the shore in about three minutes, she looked back. She saw that Leon was being attacked by the mechanical shark. She hurriedly tried to turn back, but Chloe prevented her from doing so spewing bubbles.

　Her mouth seemed to say, “Don’t waste Leon-sama’s efforts.” Now calmer, Sicily remembers that Leon is the best military strategist and the most powerful magician.

　She and Chloe went up to the shore.

　The shore where Sicily went up was a small shore.

　It only had a radius of about a dozen meters. It was not the other side of the river, but a small island in the middle.

“…Then we have to swim again.” (Sicily)

　She let out a sigh. It’s a long way to go. And in a lake where mechanical sharks roam. Though she was scared she told herself she had to keep going.

“This is the time Leon-sama has given us. We can’t afford to waste it. We’ll be out the lake soon, Chloe, are you okay?” (Sicily)

“It’s okay. Please leave it to me. Apparently, this Chloe’s previous life was an eastern youkai, a kappa.” (Chloe)

　Chloe jokes around driving the worry away from her lady. She was grateful for the help, so she immediately tried to enter the water, but then something unbelievable came to the surface.

　A red liquid emerged from the bottom of the lake.

　There are no living things in this lake. So what could have caused that red liquid to flow?

　The worst imaginable thought crossed her mind, but Sicily still jumped into the lake.

　Chloe looks at her and thinks.

“…she’s different.” (Chloe)

　Just before.

　The blood may be Leon’s, who could have been eaten by a mechanical shark. However, even considering that possibility, Sicily decided that there is only this moment as she jump in. If she missed it now, she won’t be able to escape from the shark. She decided that she won’t waste Leon’s death.

　This was not a decision that a mere princess could make. It was a decision made by a general of an army.

(You’ve become a great person, haven’t you? This is all thanks to Leon-sama.) (Chloe)

　Before she met Leon, Sicily was truly a just princess. She had great ambitions and noble aspirations, but she was just a princess without the ability of a general. However, she changed after she met Leon. She changed rapidly. She went from being a princess who only cared for people to a leader who could make proper decisions based on the situation.

　Chloe’s wish was to prepare a world where Sicily could live with a smile on her face.

　She knew she needed Leon’s intellect and military might to do so. That’s why she’s fully cooperating with him. Perhaps, though, he would be able to lead Sicily to great heights.

　So Chloe didn’t think he, Leon von Almarsh, would be defeated by a shark. He was not going to be eaten by a shark.

　He would make it back alive.

　There was never any doubt in her mind that they would meet again on the other side of the river. So she followed behind Sicily and kept swimming. It was a foolish look, and Leon would have made fun of her, but she wanted him to make fun of her as soon as possible. She wanted him to laugh at her shabby swimming style.

　As she struggled to swim forward, she looked back and saw a huge mechanical shark.

　She took out a pocket watch from her pocket and twirled it around.

　The magical watch struck the mechanical shark in the nose.

　The shark cowered and began to retreat.

　However, it seems that it has no intention of withdrawing. When it made some distance, she looked at the inorganic gaze.

(… It’s an undisciplined machine.) (Chloe)

　She then complains to its creator in her heart, her eyes landed on Sicily. When she goes to the surface of the lake to take a breath of air with Sicily who was watching the whole scene, she talks to her.

“Leon-sama seems to have moved somewhere due to unstoppable circumstances.” (Chloe)

“I don’t think Leon-sama will lose to something like that.” (Sicily)

“Yes.” (Chloe)

　They both agree, but Chloe noticed that there was “something” that happened. But she kept silent. She wouldn’t let her “Precious Princess” feel sad.

　Chloe said in her heart and she was determined to do so.

“Now, I’m the only one who has the fighting power here. Honestly, milady is in the way.” (Chloe)

“…………”

　Sicily already knows she is not a fighter. It’s not here that she should put her life. So she silently nodded and headed straight to the opposite bank.

　After confirming that, Chloe takes a deep breath and returns down to the lake.

(…I will avenge Leon-sama’s death!) (Chloe)

　While making such a vow.

　Yes, the court magician Leon von Almarsh was dead.

　He had been eaten by that ugly monster.

　Sicily didn’t seem to notice, but Chloe could see it. It was clearly visible to Chloe, who had much better eyes than humans.

　— She could see the mechanical shark fangs and Leon’s prosthetic hand between them.

　The steel prosthetic hand between the huge iron fangs belonged to the same strategist who had been swimming with them earlier.

(This thing… to Leon-sama…) (Chloe)

　Chloe bites her lips.

　Leon’s smile comes to mind.

　The figure of the strategist who flips through a book comes to her mind.

　There is also the magician staring at the clouds looking bored.

　Everything about Leon’s past flashed through Chloe’s mind in a flutter of images.

　The mechanical shark that had taken her friend from her and her precious princesses’ beloved made her want to kill it in an indescribable way.

　Only the urge to destroy dominates Chloe’s heart.

(You decrepit small fry!) (Chloe)

　Chloe shouts in her heart and pours magic power into her pocket watch. She turns it around and swims away. On the way, Chloe realizes that she can gain propulsion by twirling her pocket watch.

　It seems that the same mechanism is used to propel the watch as a screw, but she didn’t care about the logic at this point. It is better to make contact with the monster as soon as possible. When Chloe approached the mechanical shark like a screw, she slammed her pocket watch into its body.

　The spine of a shark that bends sharply.

　It’s as if she’s struck a steel frame with her hand, but that’s not an incorrect description. The shark’s bones were some kind of metal. She doesn’t know how this thing works, but she’s glad to know that she can attack this monster.

(This way, I can avenge Leon-sama’s death) (Chloe)

　Chloe’s mouth twisted in thought.

　The moment she realized that she could fight underwater, it was not a wonder how she could even swim well.

　As she danced through the water, she struck out with her pocket watch.

　Chloe’s weapon was a pocket watch. A relic from an ancient magical civilization. It was said to be a special kind of watch that had magical effects, but she didn’t know the details. The only thing that matters to Chloe is that the watch is sturdy and flexible. The only thing that matters to Chloe is that the watch is sturdy and flexible, so she can convert her own ridiculous strength into offensive power.

　She thanked her “master” for giving her the watch and began to unleash a barrage of blows.

　The mechanical shark’s spine and abdomen cracked in a matter of seconds.

　The shark is no longer the same as it was when it was swimming around heroically.

　There was no doubt that Chloe would win if she kept up her attacks, but it wasn’t going to be that easy.

　The moment she landed her twenty-seventh blow, she noticed something strange.

(Well, it is no longer bending…)

　The shark’s bones, which had bent like candy earlier, no longer bent.

　For a moment, the shark has been strengthened. The true power of an ancient magical civilization had been unleashed. That’s what she thought, but then Chloe realized.

(… No, it’s not. I’m becoming weaker.) (Chloe)

　Chloe realizes that her arm swing is slowing down.

　Why?

　She doesn’t need to ask why. Chloe’s lungs had been screaming for a while now. She felt a tightening sensation in her lungs.

　Lack of oxygen.

　If Chloe’s status could be displayed, there was no doubt that it would have a negative status.

(It’s so painful being underwater…) (Chloe)

　With a pale face, Chloe climbed to the surface of the lake and took a breath, but only for a few seconds. If she took any more deep breaths, she was sure to be eaten by the mechanical shark.

　Chloe had no choice but to take short breaths as she attacked, but her attacks were steadily becoming weaker and weaker. The initial momentum is gone.

(—I miscalculated how difficult underwater combat can be. If I continue like this…) (Chloe)

　“I’m going to be eaten too”, she thought, but she didn’t let up her attack.

　She wanted to avenge Leon’s death, but more than that, she was thinking about her princess on the lake. Her princess might have been crying right at that moment. She must be wondering why her beloved hadn’t appeared on the water. Her keen intuition could be predicting Leon’s death. Then her face might already be filled with tears. Her fragile heart must be on the verge of shattering at any moment.

　She wanted to erase from the world any machine that could make her precious master feel that way.

　That was the reason why Chloe was fighting.

　Chloe would not run away. She fights on behalf of her princess. She was going to keep hitting until the very end, and then they would be even.

　That’s why she slowed down her attack and stopped moving in the water.

　After confirming that, the iron shark stops moving for a moment, but immediately resumes its movement. It is heading towards Chloe ready to eat her.

(Monster! Eat this Chloe. That will be your last moment. I’ll blow this pocket watch in your stomach.) (Chloe)

　One of the effects of Chloe’s magic pocket watch is to explode it. It’s a function that prevents the watch from falling into unwanted hands, but it can also be used in this way.

　As much as she didn’t like the idea of going toe-to-toe with a machine, she knew that if she didn’t kill this thing now, Sicily might die. If either Leon or Chloe or both of them, died, she would not hesitate to avenge them. That was the only thing she wanted to avoid.

　That’s why she chose to go toe-to-toe with the machine that could be the root of all evil, but that option was not carried out until the end.

　At the moment when she was prepared for everything, a familiar voice reached her ears.

“You are Her Highness’ most loyal servant. But you don’t have to die here.”

　Chloe knew immediately that the voice belonged to Leon. But from where? No way, heaven?

　She looked up at the surface of the lake, but Chloe shook her head and looked at the bottom of the lake.

　If he was around, it was hell, she thought.

　Leon chuckled at the sight of her.

“Well, I’ll admit to having a bad day. I’m over here though.”

　As Leon said this, she saw that he was there, behind the iron shark. He was still alive and well in the ball of air, albeit a bit battered.

(Leon-sama!) (Chloe)

“Yo, Chloe!”

　He said, replying casually.

“It’s just as you see. I screwed up and almost got eaten by it. But I’m still alive.”

　He smiled when he saw Chloe’s relief.

“Well, I’m safe, but I can’t fight for a while. So I’ll use the spell [Telepathy] to talk to you, so can you follow my instructions?”

　Chloe nodded deeply, for who would not obey a military strategist of the Libra Division?

“Thank you. Right now, that iron shark rushing in, my arm is caught in his teeth, right?”

　She nodded numbly.

“ You can avoid it by a hair’s breadth and attack the prosthetic hand. Right, I need you to twist the angle at about sixty degrees.”

　Chloe nodded instantly, but Leon’s true intentions were lost on her.

　She wanted to ask him why he would do such a thing in this time of crisis, but there was no time for that.

　For now, she could only trust in the wisdom of the Strategist of the Libra Division, the Shadow Court Magician.

　Believe in the warrior with a good stomach.

　Once that was decided, the rest was easy.

　Reading the movements of the fish rushing towards her, she was able to avoid them.　

　The shark’s movements were incredibly fast, but monotonous. Since she had already read the pattern of the shark’s movements in the previous battle, she was able to avoid it easily, if only once. The problem was to avoid it and strike a blow to its teeth, but that was extremely difficult. It took a bullfighter’s touch.

　But Chloe managed to do it.

　She had to do it.

　Chloe’s face was already purple, and she was close to oxygen deprivation. She didn’t think there would be a second time. Then she would have to settle it the first time. That was her attitude as she took on the challenge, and it worked.

　Chloe dodged the shark’s thrusts and attacked the shark’s teeth, where Leon’s prosthetic hand was lodged. The shark’s teeth didn’t bend, but Leon’s prosthetic hand went about 60 degrees into the shark’s mouth.

　As soon as Chloe saw it, she said.

(This is it!) (Chloe)

　She thought.

　Leon, who confirmed the scene from a distance,

“That’s good.”

　He muttered.

　At that moment, Leon’s prosthesis roared.

　It burst into flames.

　The wrist of Leon’s prosthetic hand opened, and a cannon flew out of it.

　Yes, Leon had remotely controlled his prosthetic hand.

　Leon’s prosthetic hand was made by a master dwarven craftsman. It was also waterproof. The gunpowder would not get damp in the water for a short time. And Leon had the magical power to use the magic of [Ignition] both underwater and from a distance.

　The magician Leon von Almarsh used this power to fire his prosthetic cannon from a distance.

　The iron shark probably never dreamed that what was lodged in his teeth was such a dangerous thing. The shark was hit directly in the unprotected stomach with an explosive shell.

　Kaboom!!!

　She thought she couldn’t hear the sound because she was underwater, but water has a tendency to carry sound better than air. Chloe’s ears felt as if they were going to burst, but she managed to endure the roar and watched as the mechanical shark was destroyed.

　The steel monster explodes. It loses its buoyancy and sinks to the bottom of the lake.

　Chloe did not observe it until the end. Instead, she wanted to see the hero who had defeated this monster. Chloe waved her hand at Leon, who was supposed to be behind the monster.

　He was smiling wryly in a ball of air and sticking his thumb up in the air.

　He seems to be saying something, but it’s probably

“I’ll be back.”

　She had a feeling he was saying that.

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