Her moonlit scythe trailing behind her golden hair, Coppelia wore an expression of undiluted enthusiasm as she violently swung her weapon in a brilliant crescent. Once again, Marina was forced to defend herself against the sudden assault.
“[Conflagration Nova]!”
And just like that—
Coppelia was sent hurtling into a second hole, right beside the one she'd just created. The wall welcomed her back to an explosion of stone before the scene was completely engulfed in dust yet again.
My mouth still hadn't closed yet.
What … What was that?!
What was anything?!
Coppelia … ! She had a scythe! A scythe!
A tool for harvesting crops! A companion of peasants! A sigil of poverty!
Except this was not some farming apparatus for harvesting wheat! It was … It was huge! And glowing! And she'd … summoned it into existence!
And now she was stuck in a wall! … Again!
“C … Coppelia?!”
I called out towards the thick cloud of debris, my head only now catching up with the fact that our opponent, Marina Lainsfont, was also equally ridiculous. So much so that I could now remember her name!
I only remembered the names of the wealthy or the influential!
Yet even if I knew she was responsible for the Withering, little could have prepared me for the magic she wielded. To witness her immaculate spellcasting was to witness my first split end. That same sense of astonishment and disgust welled up inside me as I realised the mage before me sought to end my carefree lifestyle.
If Marina's fire magic damaged even a single hair on my head, then it'd be hours before I could laugh at anyone again!
This opponent … was dangerous!
[Fiery Absolution], [Molten Barrier], [Conflagration Nova]. I had no idea where these spells stood among a mage's repertoire, but I knew the Mage's Guild adored ranking their abilities based solely on what sounded the most impressive.
Anything with names like these could only be exceptionally high level abilities, capable of ruining hours of torturous hairstyling in moments!
And Coppelia had just received Marina's attacks in full! … Twice!
“H … How dare you strike back at my future attendant!” I called out to Marina, her hands enveloped with fire once again. “Not only is her fluffy hair one of her best features, but if a member of my personal entourage attacks you, it is illegal to defend yourself!”
The mage frowned, her heavy breathing evident as her eyes looked between the second cloud of dust and the sword I held in my hand.
“Ugh, two pests in a closed space,” she said, her palms raised in a cauldron of flame. “[Flight], [Cloud Step] and [Portal] restricted. If that ridiculous scythe suddenly appears in front of me again, I won't be able to—”
“Understood! ... [Moonlit Flutter]!”
The dust was still falling off her shoulders when Coppelia's form flashed in front of Marina again. Neither her enthusiastic smile had faded, nor the keenness of her scythe as it trailed behind while cleaving the air.
Marina, however, simply smirked.
“Moron.”
She clicked her fingers.
Suddenly, every loose shard of rock in the chamber shot towards the mage—including the larger chunks resulting from the two craters behind Coppelia.
They zipped past the clockwork doll as well as into her, slamming into her back and sending her hurtling over Marina's head. The scythe twisted in the air, slicing at a strand of hazelnut hair as the mage tilted her head.
“[Inferno Tornado]!”
As Coppelia acrobatically flipped in the air and landed gracefully on her feet, she turned to witness the ribbons of stone shards now enveloping the mage.
Stone shards which then burst into flame.
In moments, the temperature of the chamber rapidly rose. And then Marina disappeared.
In her place stood a vortex of fire. A twisting tornado which caused the edge of the basin of water to literally melt away. Bubbles of boiling water were sighted before being hidden by a plume of steam. The air whistled with the sound of lashing flames as a tornado of burning shards sharper than daggers stood between Coppelia and I.
And it wasn't content to merely stand for long.
That tornado—headed straight towards Coppelia.
Such a deadly whirlwind of primal earth and magic! If Coppelia was swept up in it, she'd surely be torn to pieces! Even thinking about it caused my stomach to lurch!
Why, if her workshop demanded reparations from me, I'd be bankrupt for life!
I had to act … if not to save her, then at least take advantage of her heroic death!
“Don't worry, Coppelia! I won't let your sacrifice be in vain!”
“Hey! I'm not sacrificing myself, okay? Look at me, I'm fine!”
Coppelia wore an expression of unmatched optimism, waving her arms and flicking her feet despite the extensive smattering of dust and grime to her face.
I was deeply moved. What valour, to pretend to be perfectly fine even as she was so clearly offering her life to give me an opening!
Brandishing my sword, I stepped towards the cyclone.
Powerful though it may be, what was a tornado, but a gust of wind? Compared to the gale which slammed against my tower as I slept, this was but a parlour trick. I was a child of winter, and I was born beneath a thunderstorm. Neither the wind nor anything it carried could daunt me … or the fragile dresses I braved in the name of high fashion!
Whether rain or stone, I would disperse anything that tried!
My dignity depended on it!
“I'll avenge you, fair clockwork maiden!” I solemnly vowed, raising my sword over my head. “A whisper woven in spring, comes the butterf—”
“Nooope!” said Coppelia, startling me by suddenly appearing by my side. Her hand lowered my arm. “I definitely don't need to tag you in today!”
“C-Coppelia! You're alive!”
“I've barely done anything! Stop trying to kill me off already!”
With an assured look, she readied her scythe behind her, then lowered her posture like a cat ready to pounce.
The tornado had now turned towards us, and was no longer merely swirling death, but spitting it too. Two jets of flame spread out like the wings of a phoenix, carrying it forward as it swept directly over … no, through the basin of water.
The water bubbled as it parted, a deep, boiling fissure lying in the tornado's wake as steam filled up the chamber.
That's when Coppelia wore her zaniest smirk yet.
“Time for another plunge, I think.”
She leapt off, that moonlit blade almost seeming to scatter stardust behind it as she twisted fully in the air, before landing on the chamber's ceiling.
It ... It was ridiculous!
Shards of molten rock shot after her as she dashed, her scythe dragging into the ceiling to keep her anchored. Huge chunks of flaming rock the size of small boulders hurled themselves at her. She turned and twisted past them all, skipping deftly as she propelled herself onwards.
As Coppelia neared the inferno tornado, a sheer wall of molten stone was formed using every rock and shard available. Encompassing more space than the clockwork doll could possibly avoid, the burning mass was launched at the girl whose eyes glittered from the flames approaching her.
“Wrong choice!”
Releasing her scythe, she twisted her body as she pushed off the ceiling, bearing down on the oncoming wall with her fashionable, rosy shoes.
“Aahahhahaahaha!!”
Far from looking to escape, Coppelia gave a girlish, if slightly villainous laugh as she met the molten wall with all her might.
For a single instant, the flaming barrier halted.
“[Coppelia Kick]!”
And then went backwards as Coppelia punted it back towards the direction it came.
The force of her kick cracked it into separate chunks. Flaming pieces whizzed into the basin of water, causing jets of water to erupt over the tornado. For a moment, the mage's flames were doused just enough for Coppelia to follow through on her ridiculous strike.
Riding the largest chunk of flaming wall, she smashed it directly into the whirling tornado. The fiery gale slowed upon impact, and the clear silhouette of a shocked figure could be seen buckling underneath the force of Coppelia's driving kick.
Not allowing this chance to pass, Coppelia hopped off the wall she'd cannoned back into the mage and rotated in the air. The blade of her scythe gleamed, overpowering the diminished flames as she brought the tip down onto the tornado like a headman's axe.
The figure beneath crumpled as Coppelia drove her scythe down. Steam overtook my entire vision. The flaming tornado disappeared into the water, utterly engulfed by the vengeful tide. The entire basin shook as it swallowed both its victims whole.
Darkness eclipsed the chamber once again.
All except where my sword's light attempted to pierce the steam.
“Owowowowowow!! Hot, hot, hot, hot!!”
And also where Coppelia landed beside me, stamping the flames from her shoes as she attempted to swipe the steam around us away.
“[Spring Breeze!]”
The clockwork doll gave a sigh of relief as the flames were blown away—as was the steam as it whipped up from the ground and bundled against the cavern ceiling like a thick, marshmallow-like cloud.
Coppelia hadn't sacrificed herself. And yet I had no time to instruct her on the proper etiquette of dying heroically. Because all I could feel was horror.
The receding of the white mist revealed a lone figure rising from the now much shallower pool of water. Marina was still standing. And that wasn't the only source of my ire.
I realised with a groan that the mage's flames weren't the only light that had been extinguished from this chamber.
It was the starflower, which now lay smouldering in a black, wilted heap.
“Gosh, I forgot how much fire hurts,” said Coppelia, puffing her cheeks as she blew at her shoes. “Mostly since I'm fireproof. But I could feel my cogs getting hotter. Hey, try touching my key. How warm is it?”
“I'm not touching your key,” I replied, comforted at least in the knowledge that I could argue against any minor repair fees billed towards me. “Are you whole?”
“Almost. I think I lost a strand of hair.”
I carefully took her in, covered as she was like some seasoned chimney sweeper, then took a step away.
“In that case, you'll need to seek reparations from our assailant,” I said, nodding at the woman yet again drenched from head to toe. “As do I, if she's now responsible for the loss of an immensely rare flower.”
Coppelia smiled, her absurdly large scythe resting against her shoulder. Yet even as she relaxed, her eyes never left the figure rising from the diminished water basin.
Marina Lainsfont flicked out her hands. No jets of flames dispersed from them. Only droplets of water as she made a half-hearted attempt at shaking the water away.
“Really. I'd hoped that the key sticking from your back was a toy piece,” she said, her snapping tone easily carrying through the chamber. “A clockwork doll. A fascinating combatant to test myself against, were the conditions not wholly in your favour. Which of the workshops are you from?”
“The best one,” replied Coppelia with an unnecessary twirl of her scythe. Especially as it was near me. “How did I fare?”
“Above expectations.”
Marina opened the satchel by her belt. I felt Coppelia tense.
Then, the young woman pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed her brows.
“You,” I said, illuminating her form with my raised sword. “Explain yourself. Why have you sought to bring ruin to this kingdom's fields? What goal do you hope to achieve by wishing famine on the people, and consequently, a wholly undeserved revolution on the innocent royal family?”
Marina dried her hands.
“Oh my. Such a grand tone. It's almost as if you believe you have me at your mercy.”
“Ohhohoho …” I placed my hand to my cheek. “Your magic has been spent and your flames doused. Your fate is no longer your own. The extent of your cooperation, however, will determine the number of soap bars you'll be required to create with your prodigious talents.”
Marina burst into laughter. Echoing within this chamber, it was like the cackling of a coven of witches. I frowned. Her laugh was drowning out mine.
“Spent? You believe my magic to be spent?”
And then, her eyes took on a deep, violet hue, so stunning that for a moment, my arm lowered Starlight Grace to better see them framed against the darkness.
I … I wanted to do that too!
Chastising the servants was unnecessary if I could simply have my eyes ominously glow in anger instead! Was this magic? Alchemy? How was this wonderfully convenient tool accessible?
“Girl,” she hissed. “The fire that was quenched is the only thing that was holding my magic in check.”
She raised her hands. And out poured magic.
Not the crimson of flames. But something deadlier. And older. Magic the colour of her eyes, crackling into the shape of a warping, twisting globe of pure energy. Violet arcs lashed around the orb as it expanded between her hands, the steam surrounding it being visibly absorbed.
“You have my congratulations,” said Marina, her tone booming, as though even her voice had been empowered. “To have dulled my flames which burn mightier than dragonfire, you have achieved a feat worthy of commemoration. And in your honour, I will now incinerate the two of you until even the earth cannot weep for your ashes. The magic you have unwittingly unleashed will now not only spell your demise, but those of the fools above as well. In your haste to prove yourselves worthy, you have sentenced the innocent to die. Speak now, for I am adjudicator of your doom, and I will hear your last words!”
I looked at the basin of water as it began to glow.
“Duck,” I replied.
Marina frowned.
“'Duck'? What do you mean—”
Coppelia ducked. As did I.
A moment later, all the arcana crystals which were hidden at the bottom of the basin lit up.
And then everything exploded.
Her moonlit scythe trailing behind her golden hair, Coppelia wore an expression of undiluted enthusiasm as she violently swung her weapon in a brilliant crescent. Once again, Marina was forced to defend herself against the sudden assault.
“[Conflagration Nova]!”
And just like that—
Coppelia was sent hurtling into a second hole, right beside the one she'd just created. The wall welcomed her back to an explosion of stone before the scene was completely engulfed in dust yet again.
My mouth still hadn't closed yet.
What … What was that?!
What was anything?!
Coppelia … ! She had a scythe! A scythe!
A tool for harvesting crops! A companion of peasants! A sigil of poverty!
Except this was not some farming apparatus for harvesting wheat! It was … It was huge! And glowing! And she'd … summoned it into existence!
And now she was stuck in a wall! … Again!
“C … Coppelia?!”
I called out towards the thick cloud of debris, my head only now catching up with the fact that our opponent, Marina Lainsfont, was also equally ridiculous. So much so that I could now remember her name!
I only remembered the names of the wealthy or the influential!
Yet even if I knew she was responsible for the Withering, little could have prepared me for the magic she wielded. To witness her immaculate spellcasting was to witness my first split end. That same sense of astonishment and disgust welled up inside me as I realised the mage before me sought to end my carefree lifestyle.
If Marina's fire magic damaged even a single hair on my head, then it'd be hours before I could laugh at anyone again!
This opponent … was dangerous!
[Fiery Absolution], [Molten Barrier], [Conflagration Nova]. I had no idea where these spells stood among a mage's repertoire, but I knew the Mage's Guild adored ranking their abilities based solely on what sounded the most impressive.
Anything with names like these could only be exceptionally high level abilities, capable of ruining hours of torturous hairstyling in moments!
And Coppelia had just received Marina's attacks in full! … Twice!
“H … How dare you strike back at my future attendant!” I called out to Marina, her hands enveloped with fire once again. “Not only is her fluffy hair one of her best features, but if a member of my personal entourage attacks you, it is illegal to defend yourself!”
The mage frowned, her heavy breathing evident as her eyes looked between the second cloud of dust and the sword I held in my hand.
“Ugh, two pests in a closed space,” she said, her palms raised in a cauldron of flame. “[Flight], [Cloud Step] and [Portal] restricted. If that ridiculous scythe suddenly appears in front of me again, I won't be able to—”
“Understood! ... [Moonlit Flutter]!”
The dust was still falling off her shoulders when Coppelia's form flashed in front of Marina again. Neither her enthusiastic smile had faded, nor the keenness of her scythe as it trailed behind while cleaving the air.
Marina, however, simply smirked.
“Moron.”
She clicked her fingers.
Suddenly, every loose shard of rock in the chamber shot towards the mage—including the larger chunks resulting from the two craters behind Coppelia.
They zipped past the clockwork doll as well as into her, slamming into her back and sending her hurtling over Marina's head. The scythe twisted in the air, slicing at a strand of hazelnut hair as the mage tilted her head.
“[Inferno Tornado]!”
As Coppelia acrobatically flipped in the air and landed gracefully on her feet, she turned to witness the ribbons of stone shards now enveloping the mage.
Stone shards which then burst into flame.
In moments, the temperature of the chamber rapidly rose. And then Marina disappeared.
In her place stood a vortex of fire. A twisting tornado which caused the edge of the basin of water to literally melt away. Bubbles of boiling water were sighted before being hidden by a plume of steam. The air whistled with the sound of lashing flames as a tornado of burning shards sharper than daggers stood between Coppelia and I.
And it wasn't content to merely stand for long.
That tornado—headed straight towards Coppelia.
Such a deadly whirlwind of primal earth and magic! If Coppelia was swept up in it, she'd surely be torn to pieces! Even thinking about it caused my stomach to lurch!
Why, if her workshop demanded reparations from me, I'd be bankrupt for life!
I had to act … if not to save her, then at least take advantage of her heroic death!
“Don't worry, Coppelia! I won't let your sacrifice be in vain!”
“Hey! I'm not sacrificing myself, okay? Look at me, I'm fine!”
Coppelia wore an expression of unmatched optimism, waving her arms and flicking her feet despite the extensive smattering of dust and grime to her face.
I was deeply moved. What valour, to pretend to be perfectly fine even as she was so clearly offering her life to give me an opening!
Brandishing my sword, I stepped towards the cyclone.
Powerful though it may be, what was a tornado, but a gust of wind? Compared to the gale which slammed against my tower as I slept, this was but a parlour trick. I was a child of winter, and I was born beneath a thunderstorm. Neither the wind nor anything it carried could daunt me … or the fragile dresses I braved in the name of high fashion!
Whether rain or stone, I would disperse anything that tried!
My dignity depended on it!
“I'll avenge you, fair clockwork maiden!” I solemnly vowed, raising my sword over my head. “A whisper woven in spring, comes the butterf—”
“Nooope!” said Coppelia, startling me by suddenly appearing by my side. Her hand lowered my arm. “I definitely don't need to tag you in today!”
“C-Coppelia! You're alive!”
“I've barely done anything! Stop trying to kill me off already!”
With an assured look, she readied her scythe behind her, then lowered her posture like a cat ready to pounce.
The tornado had now turned towards us, and was no longer merely swirling death, but spitting it too. Two jets of flame spread out like the wings of a phoenix, carrying it forward as it swept directly over … no, through the basin of water.
The water bubbled as it parted, a deep, boiling fissure lying in the tornado's wake as steam filled up the chamber.
That's when Coppelia wore her zaniest smirk yet.
“Time for another plunge, I think.”
She leapt off, that moonlit blade almost seeming to scatter stardust behind it as she twisted fully in the air, before landing on the chamber's ceiling.
It ... It was ridiculous!
Shards of molten rock shot after her as she dashed, her scythe dragging into the ceiling to keep her anchored. Huge chunks of flaming rock the size of small boulders hurled themselves at her. She turned and twisted past them all, skipping deftly as she propelled herself onwards.
As Coppelia neared the inferno tornado, a sheer wall of molten stone was formed using every rock and shard available. Encompassing more space than the clockwork doll could possibly avoid, the burning mass was launched at the girl whose eyes glittered from the flames approaching her.
“Wrong choice!”
Releasing her scythe, she twisted her body as she pushed off the ceiling, bearing down on the oncoming wall with her fashionable, rosy shoes.
“Aahahhahaahaha!!”
Far from looking to escape, Coppelia gave a girlish, if slightly villainous laugh as she met the molten wall with all her might.
For a single instant, the flaming barrier halted.
“[Coppelia Kick]!”
And then went backwards as Coppelia punted it back towards the direction it came.
The force of her kick cracked it into separate chunks. Flaming pieces whizzed into the basin of water, causing jets of water to erupt over the tornado. For a moment, the mage's flames were doused just enough for Coppelia to follow through on her ridiculous strike.
Riding the largest chunk of flaming wall, she smashed it directly into the whirling tornado. The fiery gale slowed upon impact, and the clear silhouette of a shocked figure could be seen buckling underneath the force of Coppelia's driving kick.
Not allowing this chance to pass, Coppelia hopped off the wall she'd cannoned back into the mage and rotated in the air. The blade of her scythe gleamed, overpowering the diminished flames as she brought the tip down onto the tornado like a headman's axe.
The figure beneath crumpled as Coppelia drove her scythe down. Steam overtook my entire vision. The flaming tornado disappeared into the water, utterly engulfed by the vengeful tide. The entire basin shook as it swallowed both its victims whole.
Darkness eclipsed the chamber once again.
All except where my sword's light attempted to pierce the steam.
“Owowowowowow!! Hot, hot, hot, hot!!”
And also where Coppelia landed beside me, stamping the flames from her shoes as she attempted to swipe the steam around us away.
“[Spring Breeze!]”
The clockwork doll gave a sigh of relief as the flames were blown away—as was the steam as it whipped up from the ground and bundled against the cavern ceiling like a thick, marshmallow-like cloud.
Coppelia hadn't sacrificed herself. And yet I had no time to instruct her on the proper etiquette of dying heroically. Because all I could feel was horror.
The receding of the white mist revealed a lone figure rising from the now much shallower pool of water. Marina was still standing. And that wasn't the only source of my ire.
I realised with a groan that the mage's flames weren't the only light that had been extinguished from this chamber.
It was the starflower, which now lay smouldering in a black, wilted heap.
“Gosh, I forgot how much fire hurts,” said Coppelia, puffing her cheeks as she blew at her shoes. “Mostly since I'm fireproof. But I could feel my cogs getting hotter. Hey, try touching my key. How warm is it?”
“I'm not touching your key,” I replied, comforted at least in the knowledge that I could argue against any minor repair fees billed towards me. “Are you whole?”
“Almost. I think I lost a strand of hair.”
I carefully took her in, covered as she was like some seasoned chimney sweeper, then took a step away.
“In that case, you'll need to seek reparations from our assailant,” I said, nodding at the woman yet again drenched from head to toe. “As do I, if she's now responsible for the loss of an immensely rare flower.”
Coppelia smiled, her absurdly large scythe resting against her shoulder. Yet even as she relaxed, her eyes never left the figure rising from the diminished water basin.
Marina Lainsfont flicked out her hands. No jets of flames dispersed from them. Only droplets of water as she made a half-hearted attempt at shaking the water away.
“Really. I'd hoped that the key sticking from your back was a toy piece,” she said, her snapping tone easily carrying through the chamber. “A clockwork doll. A fascinating combatant to test myself against, were the conditions not wholly in your favour. Which of the workshops are you from?”
“The best one,” replied Coppelia with an unnecessary twirl of her scythe. Especially as it was near me. “How did I fare?”
“Above expectations.”
Marina opened the satchel by her belt. I felt Coppelia tense.
Then, the young woman pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed her brows.
“You,” I said, illuminating her form with my raised sword. “Explain yourself. Why have you sought to bring ruin to this kingdom's fields? What goal do you hope to achieve by wishing famine on the people, and consequently, a wholly undeserved revolution on the innocent royal family?”
Marina dried her hands.
“Oh my. Such a grand tone. It's almost as if you believe you have me at your mercy.”
“Ohhohoho …” I placed my hand to my cheek. “Your magic has been spent and your flames doused. Your fate is no longer your own. The extent of your cooperation, however, will determine the number of soap bars you'll be required to create with your prodigious talents.”
Marina burst into laughter. Echoing within this chamber, it was like the cackling of a coven of witches. I frowned. Her laugh was drowning out mine.
“Spent? You believe my magic to be spent?”
And then, her eyes took on a deep, violet hue, so stunning that for a moment, my arm lowered Starlight Grace to better see them framed against the darkness.
I … I wanted to do that too!
Chastising the servants was unnecessary if I could simply have my eyes ominously glow in anger instead! Was this magic? Alchemy? How was this wonderfully convenient tool accessible?
“Girl,” she hissed. “The fire that was quenched is the only thing that was holding my magic in check.”
She raised her hands. And out poured magic.
Not the crimson of flames. But something deadlier. And older. Magic the colour of her eyes, crackling into the shape of a warping, twisting globe of pure energy. Violet arcs lashed around the orb as it expanded between her hands, the steam surrounding it being visibly absorbed.
“You have my congratulations,” said Marina, her tone booming, as though even her voice had been empowered. “To have dulled my flames which burn mightier than dragonfire, you have achieved a feat worthy of commemoration. And in your honour, I will now incinerate the two of you until even the earth cannot weep for your ashes. The magic you have unwittingly unleashed will now not only spell your demise, but those of the fools above as well. In your haste to prove yourselves worthy, you have sentenced the innocent to die. Speak now, for I am adjudicator of your doom, and I will hear your last words!”
I looked at the basin of water as it began to glow.
“Duck,” I replied.
Marina frowned.
“'Duck'? What do you mean—”
Coppelia ducked. As did I.
A moment later, all the arcana crystals which were hidden at the bottom of the basin lit up.
And then everything exploded.
