Magic is something born from one's feelings.
That is a conclusion anyone who has undertaken a certain degree of research or deep study into magic will inevitably reach.
Naturally, no exception exists even for Bloodline Magic.
So, if that is the case—
The Bloodline Magic carved into one's own blood, the feelings that drive it, and the feelings one personally harbors—
What happens when those two don't align? No—when they've become so despairingly, irreconcilably misaligned?
"—"
Rose channels her Bloodline Magic to a level she has never reached before, focusing everything on evasion.
But the black lightning pursues her with snake-like relentlessness, as though mocking her every effort.
For Rose, whose ultimate defensive doctrine is "dodge all magic," this spell with its extraordinary homing capability represents the worst possible matchup. She dodges desperately, but there is no way to evade every one of the ever-multiplying black bolts—and so the result—
"Guh—ah—!"
A bolt of lightning grazes Rose, and the current surges through her from that point. With a vicious persistence so intense it seems to possess its own malice, it begins tearing Rose's body apart.
Evasion alone won't settle this. Instantly making that call, she endures the searing pain of the lightning and fires off her other Bloodline Magic—
The Meteor Throne—
—directly at Ortesia.
—But.
"Ahaha."
"!"
With an astonishing method, Ortesia had dealt with even that.
No, she hadn't dealt with it. What she did was simple — she merely fired black lightning at the beam. And the result.
The black lightning began homing in on the magic, destroying the beam itself.
"…Seriously?"
It was a terrifying result, but it was only then that Rose finally understood the mechanism behind the spell.
(This spell was made to kill me. It's been modified so it specifically targets me as an individual. That much I can grasp.)
However, it wasn't a vague condition like "deals damage to Roselia Kirsch von Yustia." Magic wasn't so lenient that it could produce pinpoint results this precise from such a fuzzy trigger.
There had to be some trick. This spell had been tampered with to react to something specific that Rose possessed.
What was that "something"? Rose had analyzed it through the exchange up to this point.
"…I see. That spell is—"
Now that she'd analyzed it, the conditions made sense.
"It reacts to two things: 'a person who carries royal blood,' and 'a person who possesses multiple Bloodline Magics.'"
"It's been designed to respond to both. The former targets the body of anyone who carries that blood through the blood itself, and the latter targets the magic of anyone with multiple affinities through their unique magic power — destroying them both, something along those lines?"
Ortesia laughed with admiration.
"Correct answer. As expected of you, Roselia."
"You're making the answer check awfully easy."
"Well, naturally, right? Because—"
Rose understood precisely what Ortesia was about to say next.
"Yeah. …You're saying it doesn't matter even if I figure it out."
Precisely because she'd analyzed it, she understood. Knowing the conditions changed nothing. It was utterly impossible to stop carrying royal blood at this very moment, and there was no undoing the fact that Rose possessed multiple affinities. The most straightforward countermeasure — exploiting a loophole in the conditions — was now effectively sealed off.
Therefore, against her, who wielded this overwhelmingly potent nemesis magic.
Rose had only one option.
"It's my turn to say this now."
As if seeing right through her, Ortesia declared.
"— When are you going to get serious?"
"..."
"You already know, don't you? At this rate, the matchup is far too unfavorable. If you want to change that — use it."
Rose answered, calm to the very last.
"...Use what?"
"
Magic Inscription Liberation.
You can use it, can't you?"
Without missing a beat, Ortesia spoke again.
"You seem to have been hiding it, but I know. There was a report in the Church's records that you used it once, long ago, when you fought the Church. It was officially removed as a dishonorable entry — but I don't overlook things. I would never overlook anything about you."
Her eyes held a quiet tenacity and a solemn madness.
"How generous. You'll actually wait for me?"
"Of course! I showed you everything, so come at me with everything — everything I once admired and thought I could never reach! There's no meaning unless you surpass it! If you can't surpass it, you'll never wake up!!"
After saying all that, she spoke one final time.
"So — use it, your true trump card.
"
Meteor Throne.
's
Magic Inscription Liberation
. I'll surpass everything you are and show you just how far you've fallen!!"
Having heard every word of that,
Rose, too, opens her mouth.
"...I understand."
"!"
At that response, Ortessia's face lights up with elation—but only for an instant. Because.
"So you've become that way too."
"—What?"
"Even you—the one who prided yourself on watching me more closely than anyone—turned out to be the same. ...It just goes to show you've never been looking at anything but the me of the past."
Those words, spoken in a voice so cold it felt like outright rejection, leave Ortessia bewildered. But Rose pays her no mind whatsoever.
"Fine. I'll show you. The full power I can bring to bear right now. The true worth of ancient magic—what the creators of Bloodline Magic in ages past sealed away when passing it on to humanity."
Those were, without question,
the words that signified
Magic Inscription Liberation.
And with that, Rose continues.
"But—
not that one.
"
She drew in a breath.
And sang.
"——[In the beginning of the world, there were giants — they shattered the towers, melted the wings, and with their arms, divided heaven from earth.]"
Sorry for the late update...!
Next time: Rose's Magic Inscription Liberation. Look forward to it!