Volume 3 Chapter 57: Wrath

The Capital City of Elist, within its bustling commercial district, housed an unassuming tavern known as the “Charcoal Hearth.” At this very moment, the establishment was enveloped in an atmosphere so suffocatingly oppressive that even the most resilient souls would quiver with fear. A sharp, biting cold pierced the skin and hearts of those present, forcing most patrons to flee in terror. The weaker ones, incapable of escaping, had collapsed where they stood, unconscious.

The Manager and staff huddled together on the floor, trembling as though facing the apocalypse itself. Their expressions reflected utter despair as they prayed silently for the horrifying moment to pass.

The cause of this hellish scene, an aura so oppressive it made “hell” seem mild, was a single table—occupied by a group of breathtakingly beautiful women.

The Manager, unable to resist his curiosity despite being on the verge of collapse, risked a glance at the source of this overwhelming dread from behind the counter.

Until a moment ago, these women had been eating and conversing with faintly strained smiles. While their presence had been unsettling and the mood far from cheerful, it hadn’t yet reached the point where customers fainted or fled en masse in a blind panic.

However, the instant their smiles vanished and they rose from their seats in unison, the atmosphere transformed drastically.

Though the Manager had no connection to combat and no ability to sense killing intent, even he could unmistakably feel the chilling presence now filling the room. It stabbed through the air—an overwhelming killing intent.

And yet, this malice was not directed at anyone in the tavern. What the staff and customers were experiencing was merely the aftermath, the lingering ripple of their emotions. Even so, just being in its presence left the Manager trembling uncontrollably, his body refusing to stop shaking.

“Shall we kill them?”

A voice, icy enough to freeze the very soul, echoed through the tavern. The Manager immediately ducked back behind the counter, his teeth chattering uncontrollably. Tears streamed down his face as his body convulsed as if begging for forgiveness.

He dared not peek again. Should he lock eyes with those women, his heart might very well seize on the spot.

“Naturally, right? Garbage who dare to kidnap Senpai must be dealt with appropriately.”

“Well, we could ask them why… actually, no. There’s no need for that, is there?”

“Milis… she’s already gone ahead, hasn’t she? We need to hurry. She’ll end it before we get there. But I, too… want to make them regret being born.”

The Manager, clutching his hands over his mouth, desperately tried to suppress his ragged breathing. In front of him, the tavern’s liveliest staff member rolled their eyes and collapsed, foam spilling from their mouth.

The sound of several pairs of footsteps echoed through the tavern as they approached the exit. Relief swelled within the Manager, but just as he began to feel safe, something slammed down onto the counter, nearly causing his heart to burst from his chest.

Breathing shallowly and trembling as sweat poured from his face, the Manager heard a composed, emotionless voice.

“Apologies for the trouble. Please accept this as compensation.”

And with that, the suffocating presence vanished entirely, leaving the tavern eerily quiet, devoid of human warmth.

The Manager remained motionless for a while, his mind blank and his body frozen. When he finally managed to stand, his movements were sluggish, and his face looked as though he had aged several years in mere minutes.

He reached for the bag left on the counter. It was heavy, almost making him lose his balance. With trembling hands, he undid the string and peeked inside.

“…Should I just ban them from coming here?”

Muttering quietly, the Manager stared at the bag stuffed with an astonishing amount of gold coins.

◇

My little sister is a genuine genius—one incomparable to someone like me.

Her body houses an extraordinary amount of mana, so vast that it might even surpass that of the Majin race. But it’s not just about the sheer quantity of mana; her skill in controlling it is extraordinary. Noel managed to learn mana control with just some verbal guidance, but my sister? She operates on a completely different level.

Perhaps it’s what they call a throwback—a re-emergence of ancestral traits. Back when humans were known as the Armored People, it was normal for everyone to wield Magis Gear. I believe that ancient blood has awakened in her. In fact, even if she had been born in the age of the Armored People, she likely would’ve been someone extraordinary.

Even as a baby, she was already manipulating mana without being taught. When I was still living at home, she hadn’t manifested her Magis Gear yet, but I’m certain she could have done so at any time if she wanted. Honestly, even with my current abilities, I don’t think I could’ve beaten her when she was five years old—let alone before I started working for White Road.

The gap between us is overwhelming.

I developed Healer and Guardian for her sake, but she was the one who carried me home after I collapsed from overusing Healer. She was also the one who saved me when I misused Guardian and ended up almost getting attacked by a stray dog.

To begin with, my injuries were minor—barely a scratch—and didn’t even need treatment. And as for the stray dog, my sister could’ve taken it down effortlessly, so she didn’t need protecting in the first place.

In short, all my efforts were completely unnecessary.

Despite knowing how talented my sister was, I was overly protective of her because, of course, she was my precious little sister. Even if I knew she was better than me, I was her brother. If her brother couldn’t help her, who would? And besides, she wasn’t perfect.

She was reserved, always expressionless, with little emotional fluctuation. Though she wasn’t shy, she lacked social skills, and apart from family, no one could pick up on her subtle emotional cues. That’s why, back then, I worked hard. I aimed to be a good brother, her confidant, even if I ended up being a burden most of the time. From a young age, I’ve always been kind of useless.

But despite all that, I think my sister was fond of me. She clung to me wherever I went, and if I paid attention to anyone else, she’d pout immediately. Admittedly, this left me friendless, but even without familial bias, having the world’s cutest little sister glued to my side was more than enough for me.

Let me be honest: I love my sister. Not in the same way I care for Mar-chan, but enough that I can safely say she’s just as important to me. Before entering the Magic Academy, I seriously thought about living a peaceful life, fishing with her and taking it easy.

So why did I leave my beloved sister behind for seven years? It’s because when we parted ways, my sister, who rarely showed any emotion, cried and wailed uncontrollably. In that moment, I made her a promise.

That I would return as someone she could be proud of.

And now? Look at me.

Proud? Ha, what a joke. I’m nothing but a failure.

While I may wield the Corruption Attribute, I could never bring myself to lie to my sister. I have to keep my promise to her.

But truthfully, I’ve been avoiding her. I was too ashamed to face her. I ran away. I kept postponing the inevitable, unable to even write her a letter out of guilt. Recently, I finally gathered the courage to start preparing one, but I’m sorry—I failed even at that.

Well… to be fair, it wasn’t entirely due to my incompetence. There were other reasons. Not that they’re anything more than excuses at this point.

Before I left, our father told me that my sister was overly dependent on me and suggested that putting some distance between us might help her grow. That’s why he sent me to the Magic Academy.

At the time, I agreed. I thought she needed to broaden her horizons a bit.

I’ve always been a failure, so living a quiet life with her wouldn’t have been so bad. Though, back then, I was slightly more optimistic about my potential. Now? I’ve come to accept how useless I really am.

But my sister is different.

She has the talent to become anything she wants.

A life tied to someone like me isn’t what she deserves.

That’s why I decided to keep my distance for a while, refraining from even writing to her. It was lonely, but I told myself it was for her sake.

In the end, I became a coward who never went home after graduating from the Magic Academy, betraying the sister who had been waiting for me all along.

And now, this situation is entirely my fault. No matter what happens next, I have no right to complain.

As I was being carried by the enormous armored figure—my sister—through the desolate plain, I looked up at her helmeted head.

“…What is it, Nii-san?”

The massive suit of armor, which had apparently noticed my gaze, turned its single red eye toward me.

Her voice, muffled and tinged with a cold edge, might have sounded angry to someone else, but I knew better. This wasn’t her being upset. If anything, it was the voice she used when she was excited.

Even in this form, she seemed genuinely happy about our reunion. That realization brought both guilt and relief washing over me.

Finally, after throwing up several times and regaining some composure, I managed to apologize to my sister—my towering, armored sister.

“Uh… um… sorry.”

“…It’s fine. It can’t be helped. You’re my brother, after all. But from now on, we’ll always be together.”

“Wait… your sister?”

Mina, who was still being carried alongside me by the giant armored figure (my sister), whispered in disbelief. Even now, she kept her hand on me, as if to ensure my safety. As expected of my best friend—though I felt deeply apologetic for dragging her into this mess.

Since we were cradled by the massive hands of the giant armor (my sister), Mina’s face was very close to mine. Though her complexion had improved slightly compared to earlier, she still seemed to be dealing with nausea and a headache—likely the same symptoms I was struggling with.

Fortunately, the vibrations from the giant armor (my sister) were minimal, perhaps out of consideration for us. Had we been jostled around with every step, I doubt either of us would’ve stopped vomiting by now.

“Yeah… she’s my sister.”

“Then tell her to take us back to the capital already!”

“Uh… I don’t think that’s gonna work…”

“…Well, I didn’t really expect much anyway.”

“Sorry.”

“Sigh… You’re so hopeless…”

“But—this is different.”

As Mina and I exchanged whispers, the giant armor (my sister) suddenly interjected with a sharp voice. Unlike her usual slow, deliberate speech, her tone was laced with undeniable irritation.

Mina and I flinched in unison.

“Brother, what’s with that… cat?”

Her icy, piercing question made Mina and I exchange panicked glances, communicating wordlessly with our eyes and subtle head movements.

“You seem… close.”

Mina mouthed, “Fix this!”

I shook my head firmly, “I can’t.”

“…Later. I’ll hear everything. From you—and the cat.”

The giant armor (my sister) tightened her grip slightly, causing a bead of sweat to roll down both my and Mina’s faces. Realizing it would be best not to provoke her any further, we both nodded in silent agreement.

Still, if the giant armor (my sister) was heading back home, was she planning to walk the entire way? While her strides were far quicker than any ordinary pace, the journey to our family home was considerable—even running wouldn’t get us there quickly.

I couldn’t help but wonder how she intended to manage this.

And then—

“…We’re flying now. Be careful.”

With that statement, the giant armor (my sister) began transforming. Mina and I widened our eyes in shock.

The massive hands holding us lowered to the ground, rearranging into clawed legs. Her sturdy legs folded into her torso, replaced by two enormous sets of wings unfolding from her back. A fan-like tail extended, and her helmet reshaped into a sharp, beaked head.

The giant armor (my sister) had transformed into something resembling a massive predatory bird, her singular glowing red eye now fixed on the night sky.

With a powerful flap of her wings, we felt the sudden sensation of weightlessness.

Mina and I, now held by her clawed feet, were carried swiftly into the air.

“Woah… incredible…”

Mina gazed at the rapidly shrinking scenery below in awe, her voice a mere murmur. I wholeheartedly agreed.

I’d always known my sister was a genius, but to create a Magis Gear of this level…

“Wait—huh?”

The next moment, both Mina and I widened our eyes and gaped in shock.

Because we were—falling.

“What the hell!?”

“Huh!?”

“?!”

The legs that had been holding us were now severed halfway.

Before we could fully process what had happened, we were completely airborne, plummeting helplessly toward the ground.

The fierce wind slammed into us, the scenery blurred, and the ground rushed closer at an alarming speed.

My mind couldn’t comprehend the situation.

But one thing was clear: at this rate, we were going to die.

I felt Mina’s grip on me tighten. It seemed she intended to shield me as we landed. Unable to use mana, I had no choice but to trust her.

Closing my eyes in anticipation of the impact, I braced myself.

Then, suddenly, the rushing wind ceased.

Instead, I felt the gentle sensation of floating, accompanied by a soft breeze.

“Are you two okay?”

A calm, clear voice reached my ears. Hesitantly, I opened my eyes.

In front of me stood Elle, her golden-white hair billowing gracefully as she gazed upward, her back turned to us.

She was floating—and so were we.

“Elle!”

While I remained speechless in shock, Mina’s eyes lit up, and she let out an excited cheer.

“Hello, Mina. I see you protected Noil. You have my gratitude. But don’t you think it’s time to let go?”

“Ah, uh… yeah…”

Elle’s words immediately deflated Mina’s enthusiasm. Awkwardly, she released me, the admiration in her eyes replaced by a mix of exasperation and resignation.

Unfazed, Elle remained focused on the sky above.

Then, she murmured softly:

“…Impressive.”

As she spoke, a massive black bird plummeted past us, crashing into the ground below.

“So this is her full strength, huh… What a troublesome rival.”

“Elle! Get us down—quickly!”

“Noil? What are you—”

“Hurry!”

I desperately pleaded with Elle, who turned to me in confusion.

“That thing—it’s his sister!”

Mina explained on my behalf. Elle’s eyes widened in realization, then immediately sharpened. Without hesitation, we descended rapidly—but unlike the freefall earlier, the movement was smooth and controlled.

When we finally reached the ground, I rushed toward the crater-like impact site.

At its center lay my sister, motionless. My heart raced with fear, dreading the worst.

But as I drew closer and checked her breathing, I realized she was merely unconscious, with no visible injuries.

I let out a deep sigh of relief. My heart felt like it had aged several years, but at least she was safe.

“Don’t move her. Sophie—or rather, she—should examine her,” Elle said, still looking skyward.

“Step away from that fool, Noil.”

A voice, cold and commanding, sent a chill down my spine.

Turning to look, I saw her.

Bathed in moonlight, a pure white beauty hovered in the night sky, looking down at us.

Glowing, ethereal wings extended from either side of her legs, and in her right hand was a pristine white blade of extraordinary craftsmanship.

Her expression was terrifyingly cold, far beyond mere cruelty. The pressure emanating from her was so intense that it robbed me of speech.

Milis Albama—the Manager—was unmistakably furious.

And her rage was directed at my sister, Sierra Arlens.