Chapter 53 – Elixir System

“nhihihi, you’re looking pale, you know?”
Shoot, thought Mist, covering her mouth.
Having her desires seen through, she trembled slightly.
The one who quickly sensed it, Phinegar, made a mean smile.
“Look at this, Mailles. Seems like it’s a love triangle just like I thought,” said Phinegar.
“As expected of milady,” said the butler coming from the counter to pour some liquor.
Seems his name was Mailles.
“Say say, Mist-chan. Let’s work together. You steal him from Rosé-chan and I’ll pay you, then all will be OK!”
Princess Rosé was a powerful love rival. However, even if she knew her secret there were only few things that Mist, being a commoner, could do.
“Come on, I’m still a noble after all, you know? I have informants and connections. I’m Phinegar-chan whose face is known here and there. Praise me”
If it’s Phinegar, then she might be able to put in a word through, maybe.

—— This might just be the chance to crush her.

Mist was assaulted by a great temptation.
If she could disturb Rosé with a threat, even though there’s still Arina, Mist could shorten the distance between herself and Yuuki.
And then the time she could live a sweet life with just Yuuki will slowly come — maybe.
It was a once in a lifetime chance to defeat the Princess —
“Looks like we’re coming to a conclusion, aren’t we?”
At Phinegar’s prompting, Mist answered.

“Unfortunately, I don’t have the information you’re looking for”

— Mist threw away her card.
That person said:
‘There’s somebody I can’t betray’
In the face of temptation and danger, he said that and found his own path.
… Even though it hurt my chest that it wasn’t me ….
Mist has one too.
Though she wanted to brush aside everyone else and win him, she doesn’t want to cause him sadness.
There’s no guarantee that Phinegar won’t make it public.
If he saw Rosé lose her standing, he would certainly be sad.
She doesn’t want to see him like that.
“— … hmm?”
Phinegar disinterestedly snorted.
“Even though you finally have a chance to win against Rosé-chan”
“If, for the sake of argument, I do have something that could corner the princess. I will not win his heart if I defeated her with that. I can’t call that ‘winning'”
Phinegar showed a surprised look, somehow not expecting this.
“Thank you for the precious information that Yuuki is being targeted. I will warn him to protect himself”
Mist bowed her head and quickly left the establishment.
This district meant for the nightlife business was sparse in people right now that the sun was still up, it was quiet. Mist hurried towards where Yuuki was to tell him of the danger. However,
“Hold on there”
Phinegar came out of the establishment and told her to stop.
“I suppose I can tell you the name of the noble who wanted Yuuki dead?”
“Eh —, really?”
Even though the negotiation failed …?
“I think I like you, Mist-chan, so I’ll give you this as a special freebie♪”
Phinegar looked to her right and left to see if it’s safe, then,
“— Lend me your ear, this is a secret. The criminal is … ”
Mist nodded, and Phinegar said in a small voice.

“Me”
“Eh?”

[ready]

There was a familiar voice.
It was the same voice as Yuuki’s item that he called the E:ID.
Mist’s body moved backwards on its own, and her feet left the ground.
She was floating in the air.
Bound by either by magic or some other inexplicable power.
Turn to mist … no, without Yuuki here she couldn’t transform … !!
“If I can’t make you talk, then I’ll ask your body directly, I suppose♪”
Phinegar unfastened the hairpin on her forehead, and it quickly turned into a staff that’s as long as she was tall. At the end of it was a bewitchingly purple glowing orb.
“Or rather, let’s ask the ‘bugs’ inside of Mist-chan”
“There are no ‘bugs’ in me!”
Mist had resistance to the bugs.
That was why she successfully spat it out earlier than anyone else.
“Kyahaa☆ Sheesh, don’t you know that you forgot?”
… What’s she talking about.
“Milady, of course she didn’t know, she forgot”
Mailles appeared.
“Ah, I suppose you’re right”

This is bad. Not that she gets what was going on, but this is bad.
Phinegar was not just any runaway noble!
There’s definitely something different about her!
Being tortured by the threat of danger, a strange déjàvu appeared in Mist’s mind.
… there was one time that she let her guard down against an enemy and was tricked …
“Get ready – ☆”
Phinegar then thrusted her staff at Mist.

“— GAA! HAA!”

A terrible discomfort, like her body was being gouged out.
Mist was taken aback by the sensation of sewing needles running through her blood vessels.
Then those needles raced towards the center of her body and pierced it.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA——!!”
Mist screamed.
The needles ran freely around in her body, gnawing it as if searching for something. It hurt — it hurt … !
“Now then, let’s check everything out, shall we. What is Shimoyama Yuuki? What did he do to Rosé?”
No, stop … Don’t look —!
Don’t just do whatever you please with this body that belongs to Yuu-kun!!
“What the hell, I can’t see anything! Ah, whatever, Ei!”
“GUUUH!!”
The needles became bigger.
It hurt so much she felt she’d faint.
It hurt. It hurt. Tears spilled out because of her frustration.
“H, help … me …”
“Yeees, no use no use. No–body’s coming to help”
“Help me —, Yuu-kuuuun!!”

[Emulator set up!]
“nuclear missILLLEEEEEE!!”
— The voice reverberated from afar, and immediately drew near.
The thing that launched itself like a cannonball
“PUUUUUUUNCH!!”
[Action!!]
Impacted next to Mist.

A shock wave shook the sky.

Dust covered Mist, robbing her vision away.
Having been released, Mist could not prop herself up and collapsed — but, someone lightly caught her.
“Sorry for leaving you behind”
Was the first thing he said.
“You made it in time, so I’ll forgive you”
Mist answered, and Yuuki nodded.

— and then.

[Ready]
“Clench your teeth. I’m really really angry right now!”
Readying his sword, he glared at the enemy.
“Hee, aren’t you the cool guy. You’re a nicer guy than I’ve heard!”
Phinegar said relaxedly.
Perhaps because she took a distance right away, but there was a large gap between her and Yuuki.
“But you know, it may be a bit impossible to win against me?”
Phinegar readied her staff, and then.

” ‘Salamander Cannon’ ”
[Ready]

“— eh?”
Hearing the same voice like his own weapon, Yuuki let out a surprised sound.
Hehem, Phinegar smiled as she swung her staff and chanted.

” ‘Mount Weapons’ ☆”
[Make it to equip!]

Phinegar transformed.
On her two shoulders there appeared a pair of miniaturized battleship gunports.
A vividly colored metal breastplate over her suggestive dancer clothes.
Seeing that, Yuuki …
“M, Magical … Girl?”
Uttered an incomprehensible word.

“That replica of yours can’t possibly win against my Elixir, right? Or do you want to try a shot?”
Phinegar readied her pose.