Gauss adjusted my landing.
Activating [Gear Change], I immediately recognized the combatants as my searched-for women.
Among them, an enemy lunged toward Karen——
“Don’t put filthy hands on Karen.”
—— Landing between them, I tackled the man.
I grabbed his hair, punched his face three times, kicked his abdomen.
Distance unwanted, but I needed to confirm safety.
”!! Ouga!”
“Karen, all right!? Others……!?”
Looking around, enemy pair vs Reina and Alice.
Yueli was moving to me to avoid interfering.
…… Wait? Mashiro……? Not seen anywhere.
”…… Mashiro?”
“Sorry, Ouga! While we were stunned by the first lightning, Mashiro was caught——”
“——Is this the one you sought, Ouga Veret.”
Words I didn’t want to hear.
I turned reflexively.
Above — Floné Milfonti, grinning hideously, holding Mashiro’s ankle.
“Floné Milfontiii!!”
“Better expression than last time, brat.”
Composed, she looked down.
She was also on a demon dragon — likely Gauss’s kin, [Mind-Manipulation Brainwashing]-controlled.
“GURAAAAAA!”
“Oh, you’re here too. Don’t interrupt the good part.”
She dodged Gauss easily.
“Nebula! It’s me! Wake up!”
“Useless. My dark magic far exceeds Juke’s. No release.”
Sensing my plan, Floné spiked it.
I’d considered it; even Juke’s required huge sacrifice.
Hers — one life might not suffice.
“How pitiful, Ouga Veret. Your precious Mashiro is in my hand.”
She swung the unconscious Mashiro like an object.
“Hey……! Enough, I’ll kill you……!”
“Sorry, low voices don’t reach. Come up here to speak.”
The dragon ascended.
“Don’t you usually rescue?”
Obvious bait.
Her only obstacle is me — the magic-canceller.
She wants to eliminate me even if [Reincarnation] has 1% failure.
That she took Mashiro and didn’t immediately leave proves it.
“Ouga-kun! Leave it to us — go!”
“No issue! Lord Ouga, rescue Miss Liche first!”
“Smile and reach the wedding together!”
“Lord Ouga…… I believe you’ll succeed!”
The two still fighting pushed me.
To chase Floné, I must trust them.
”…… Got it. Gauss!”
“GAAAAAAAA!”
Gauss dove. I prepared to leap on — three shadows closed in.
The two Alice and Reina had fought, plus the supposedly-defeated man, timed my airborne defenseless moment.
Beautiful combo. Without showing me as target, they moved fast — admirable for foes.
…… If their opponents weren’t Alice and Reina, that is.
“That easily”
“——won’t touch our master.”
The two received all three attacks, blew them back.
If those two said leave it, I don’t worry.
I landed on Gauss, extended hands to Karen and Yueli.
“Both, climb! We chase Mashiro!”
Yueli touched my hand first.
But she fiddled with my palm, didn’t board.
“Yueli?”
“Sorry, finishing fast…… done. I installed a small mana-stone in your palm, non-obstructive. Emergency fix, but the gimmick you wanted from the start works now.”
“Truly!? Saved, Yueli!”
“You need it for this fight. As your engineer, just doing my job. Rescue Mashiro.”
She didn’t board, stepped back beside Karen.
“What are you doing? Both, with me——”
“I’ll stay, help Karen. ……You too plan to stay, right?”
Asked, Karen deep-breathed, nodded firmly.
Her eyes held strong resolve.
“Ouga. I’ll stay, heal the wounded.”
”…… Sure?”
”…… Mn. I’ve been training healing magic…… and I don’t want to be deadweight rescuing Mashiro.”
“That’s not——”
“It is. ……Sorry, Ouga. I wanted to fight too…… but unlike Father, I have no battle talent.”
She approached, tapped my chest with a fist.
“But my soul is with you always. So don’t lose to her.”
”…… Of course. End it all; smiling wedding together.”
”…… Mn!”
“Go, kid! You’ll become the hero who saves the world!”
Karen, Yueli, Reina, Alice — each doing what they can.
I must reward their effort.
“Gauss! Can you catch up!?”
“Don’t underestimate my speed!”
He flapped, generated violent thrust.
I gripped his neck, glared at Floné ahead.
Mashiro at her feet.
“Phew……”
I suppressed bubbling-magma anger.
Anger is fine — don’t let it sway thought.
Heart hot, head cool. Otherwise, an opponent who could kill me.
Sworn-vowed, I ascended with Gauss, caught Floné’s figure.
“Give Mashiro back, Floné!”
“Let me teach you — there are things even you can’t do, brat.”
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