Where Self-Love Leads

Despite all this fire burning through the mansion, no one from the city came to check.

Normally, if a fire broke out, people would at least come to investigate.

Could it be that this entire city was under Princess Yupe's control?

Thanks to Elza's barrier and Orleans's Fire Elemental, the fire's damage hadn't reached us.

With Elza's blessing and Alexia's magic, it seemed Azu and the others fighting wouldn't take damage from ordinary fire.

If there was a problem, it was that the oxygen and the building wouldn't last.

For now, I opened all the nearby windows to secure oxygen.

Outside, Finn was protecting Princess Tianis while staying alert to their surroundings.

Apparently the Royal Shadows that had been in the mansion were targeting them, making it difficult to come here.

"I'm leaving that to you!"

"Got it. Are you all okay over there?"

"We'll manage somehow!"

We called out loudly to each other.

With Finn there, things should be fine on that side.

As for how the battle here was going, Azu and the others had the advantage.

Princess Yupe's swordsmanship was so amateurish and clumsy that even Yohane could read her movements.

Having lost her composure, all her attacks were wide swings.

For Alexia, who had received proper training, and Azu, who had been honing her blade against Alexia and Finn, it must have been like taking candy from a baby.

But they couldn't finish her off because of Princess Yupe's abnormal abilities.

Even Alexia was being blown away when she blocked a sword strike, and Princess Yupe moved faster than Azu.

She was overcoming her disadvantages entirely through raw specs alone.

Princess Yupe raised her sword high overhead and swung it down at Alexia.

Alexia chose not to dodge and received the sword with the shaft of her battle-axe.

There was a dull sound of metal colliding, and Alexia couldn't stay standing, dropping to her knees.

The sword slowly inched closer to Alexia's face.

"Looking closely, you have quite a beautiful face. Inferior to mine, of course, but I wonder what kind of screams I'd hear if I burned your face. Let me hear them."

"Even worse than I'd heard, you torture-lover…! Unfortunately for you, unlike you, I have a man to show my face to, so no thanks!"

"I-I have that person too!"

Having flown into a rage, muscles bulged in Princess Yupe's arms.

Alexia was being pressed down with such force that she couldn't help but let out a pained groan.

"You certainly are short-tempered. Were you really able to function as royalty like that?"

"Of course! Until that attack came, I was the rightful heir to the royal…"

Princess Yupe's voice cut off.

A sword was protruding from her chest.

Azu had stabbed her from behind.

"Gah… You… insolent…"

Princess Yupe coughed up blood.

Alexia blocked the burning blood with her arm guard.

Her face twisted from the heat.

"Good. It seems she's not immortal after all. This means we can kill her."

The colors in Azu's right eye began to shimmer.

The Sealed Sword Grungaus responded, magic power filling the blade.

"S-Stop."

"Did you ever stop when someone said that to you?"

As soon as Azu finished speaking, she pulled out the sword and activated the Sealed Sword Grungaus's effect.

Multiple lacerations appeared centered on where she had stabbed.

The instant Princess Yupe's strength left her, Alexia deflected the sword to the side and kicked Princess Yupe's knee with all her might.

There was the sound of bone breaking.

It seemed she had destroyed the knee joint.

"The outside looks nice but the inside is quite fragile. It broke so easily."

"M-My beautiful leg… How dare you. You traitor. You deserve ten thousand deaths."

"That's the first time I've been called a traitor. Even when the Empire betrayed me, no one said that."

Alexia gave a wry smile and raised both hands to shoulder height, shaking her head.

Princess Yupe's body was forcibly trying to regenerate.

But before she could stand again, Alexia crushed her legs.

The pain was such that tears flowed from Princess Yupe's eyes.

I never thought the day would come when I'd feel absolutely nothing upon seeing a woman's tears.

Not a shred of sympathy welled up.

"Will she die if we take off her head?"

"Try it and see… If you had remained human, we wouldn't have had to go this far, but you're too dangerous as you are now. I've decided that I won't allow anyone who would harm Master. You can resent me if you want. I'm prepared for that much."

"No, you're lying, right? You wouldn't really do that, right? O-Okay, I understand. I was wrong. I'll do anything. I'll give you money, and if you want this body, I'll let you touch it. I can be useful to you."

Having decided that I held the power in this situation, Princess Yupe tried to crawl toward me using just her hands.

Her expression had shifted from mockery to one designed to elicit pity and curry favor with men.

… It was an expression that Princess Tianis or Lady Anatia would absolutely never make, even if their lives were in danger.

"If Tianis wants the throne, I'll acknowledge it. See, I'm beautiful, aren't I?"

"Please don't come any closer. You reek of vulgarity."

Elza raised her mace and swung it down at Princess Yupe.

She screamed and was pulled back toward Azu.

Elza was merciless in her own way.

Perhaps because the Sun God was involved.

Of course, this was an opponent dangerous enough that the slightest carelessness could wipe us all out, so this level of force was necessary.

That was a monster in human form.

Nothing she said was sincere.

It was transparent that she only wanted to survive for now and would definitely seek revenge afterward.

Azu drew on the power of the fire and Water Elementals and cut through her neck with all her strength.

The blade advanced slowly, as if cutting through thick, hard rubber, and finally severed the head.

"My face, my neck!"

Astonishingly, even with her head and body separated, Princess Yupe spoke.

Not only that, she picked up her fallen head and tried to reattach it to its original position.

"Aaaaah! Reconnect, reconnect! I'm a princess. I'm destined to receive that person's favor and become the light of this kingdom. There's no way I should be toyed with by people whose blood color I don't even know."

Holding her neck, deranged, she walked unsteadily while scattering burning blood.

When Azu readied her sword for a coup de grace, Princess Yupe screamed and ran for the window.

She leaped outside.