“…This place is… no, it doesn’t matter.  We’ve been betrayed again.”

Hades looked down at the harbor below, at the people holding weapons, and he gave a snort of laughter. Yet, contrary to that smile, the depths of his golden eyes were dark and clouded.

“…It’s because of all of you.”

Magic power ran through the Heavenly Sword in his right hand with a sharp crackle.  Sensing danger, Jill instinctively shouted out.

“Everyone, evacuate!  Immediately!”
“Because of all of you, Rave disappeared!”

She caught the swing of the Heavenly Sword with her longsword, but it snapped in an instant. The surface of the sea, struck by the shockwave, sunk in and sent up a wave of water.  That the sea was below them was a small blessing.

A strike like that could vaporize both the people and the city.

“Don’t interfere, Daughter of the War God!”

That Hades had directed his gaze onto her might have actually been the better outcome.  While barely dodging a blow that looked powerful enough to split her body in two, Jill moved as far away from the harbor and into the sea as she could.  Then, upon glancing upward, she discovered that the magic circle glowing in the sky had begun to fade.

However, before Jill could ponder what that meant, Hades overtook her and blocked her way.

“Die.”

He radiated pure, unclouded killing intent.  Clenching her teeth, Jill transformed the Dragon Empress’ divine treasure into a sword.  The Dragon Empress existed to protect the Dragon Emperor. Thus, pointing the Dragon Empress’ divine treasure at the Dragon Emperor, probably, went against reason.

But if it’s to return him to his senses, it should be allowed, it must be allowed!

“I am your Dragon Empress, Your Majesty!”

The Dragon Empress’ divine treasure caught the Heavenly Sword. Beyond the crackling clash of magic, Hades roared with laughter.

“My Dragon Empress!?  What sort of joke is that, Daughter of the War God!?”
“Unfortunately for you, it’s true.  Can’t you see the weapon before your very own eyes?  It’s the Dragon Empress’ divine treasure!”
“Don’t mess with me!  If such a thing existed, then I… Rave would…”

The twisted expression Hades wore behind the Heavenly Sword made Jill gasp.

“…Come back to me.  I… it’s already… enough.  I don’t need love, I don’t need anyone.  Not a Dragon Empress or family.  Rave… having you, that’s all I need…”

Hades muttered vacantly with unfocused eyes.  The pressure pushing down on Jill from above was gradually weakening.  The magic circle in the sky began to contract.  The rewriting of reason was coming to an end.

“…It’s the… goddess’ fault.  If I defeat the goddess, then surely…”

Gritting her teeth hard, Jill held back the Heavenly Sword with the Dragon Empress’ divine treasure.

This is a Hades who has already moved on, a Hades who will disappear soon.  There’s no need to deal with him seriously.  But still.

“I’ll destroy it, everything!  If I do that, then Rave will surely return to me—!!”

Before the Heavenly Sword that was shinning with growing radiance, Jill released the Dragon Empress’ divine treasure. 

Hades’ eyes widened as he lost his balance, startled by his opponent suddenly releasing her weapon.

Jill spread her arms and caught his head. The Heavenly Sword dug into her shoulder, but she didn’t care.  More than that, her chest ached.

I’m… such an idiot.  I should have just left him alone.

She found herself laughing at her own thoughts.

“It’s all right, Your Majesty. You are a man who is stronger than me.”
“…Why, Daughter of the War God… I… I… I’m…”
“Which is why I… will spend my whole life making you happy.”

She didn’t know if her words would reach him, but that much, at least, she wanted to promise.

The light in the sky vanished.

At the same time, the strength drained from Hades’ body as though he were falling asleep.  Still held by Jill, he fell into the sea.

Jill, not having released Hades from her embrace, looked up at the water’s surface.

The light was visible, she had reached him.  However, it wasn’t time to cry yet.

He said he was entrusting this to her, after all.

“—Jill-sensei!  Are you safe!?  What about Hades!?”
“His Majesty and I are both all right! What’s happening at the harbor!?”

Roger and Lutiya approached Jill in a small boat as she breeched the surface of the sea.

“The dragons returned to their lairs without any trouble. The people, too, have begun to surrender and lay down their weapons.  Gunther has been tied up and is being watched over by Sauté-sensei.”

First the unconscious Rho was placed onto the boat.  Then Roger pulled Hades up. Lutiya held out his hand, which Jill gratefully accepted.

“Although, the radicals who can’t back down anymore are still making trouble.  The students are somehow keeping them from entering the city, but some of them are trying to load their weapons onto the warships and flee.”
“Understood.  Then, I’ll be heading off.  I entrust His Majesty to you.”

Roger, while restraining the surprised Lutiya, confirmed a worry in a low voice.

“Are you alright?  Haven’t you… used up a lot of energy?  And your shoulder… it’s bleeding.”
“Regardless, the Dragon Empress’ duties start now.”

Jill wrang out her skirt as she looked up.  A red dragon was descending as if it had been waiting.  It was the same red dragon who had looked after them during the training camp.  Startled, Jill asked a question.

“You’ll let me ride you?”

The golden eyed dragon answered with a nod.

Rho was unconscious— or rather, snoring softly in his sleep.  Hades’ hair had returned to its original length, but he wasn’t budging in the slightest.  Rave most likely was also inside him at the moment.

Which means, this dragon came by its own will.

Jill’s cheeks almost relaxed into a smile, but first she had to do something about their situation.

Taking care not to jolt the small boat, Jill leapt onto the red dragon who had chosen her. Then, as if sensing Jill’s resolve, the dragon flew off toward the harbor.  Peering down from the sky, she saw that under Noin’s command, the students were holding back the rioters trying to storm the city from the harbor.  At the same time, she spotted people packing weapons onto the warships.  They clearly intended to flee.

Jill’s eyes narrowed as she stood atop the dragon.  Then, she shouted.

“I am the Dragon Empress!  The wife of Hades Theos Rave!”

She raised the Dragon Empress’ divine treasure, now a sword, high into the sky.  There, its golden radiance could shine like the sun.

“I have been fully entrusted by the Dragon Emperor with this rebellion! Rebel forces, if you lay down your weapons now, you will not be treated harshly. Surrender peacefully!”
“Ha! As if a kid like that could be the Dragon Empress!”
“Shoot her down!”
“—in that case, it can’t be helped.”

A bombardment came rushing in.  Jill sighed and swept her sword to the side.  The shells exploded and a fleeing warship was cleaved cleanly in two.

“Time for a mop-up operation.”

I’ll clean this up quickly.  This way, I can be by my husband’s side when he awakens.

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