-2331- Definitely not right

"Crack…"

At some point, the rose-shaped magic circle in the sky suddenly fractured, with a visible crack spreading across it.

That single fissure marked the beginning, as more and more cracks emerged one after another, pushing the Rose Magic Circle to the brink of collapse.

"Roar…"

"Awoo…"

Throughout Itogami City, numerous Rose Beast Vassals were rampaging and destroying everything, setting fires everywhere as though turning the entire island into a sea of flames. But after a chorus of howls, they all began disappearing one by one.

"Roar!"

Because of that, the multitude of familiars that had been charging out from the gate-like magic circles on the ground were suddenly invigorated, becoming even more ferocious in their assault as they desperately fought to annihilate the Rose Beast Vassals.

As a result, the number of Rose Beast Vassals in Itogami City began to dwindle, and the magic circle in the sky fragmented even further, covered in cracks, drastically reducing the number of summoned Rose Beast Vassals.

Rozen retracted his own summoned Beast Vassals and walked toward December, who lay in a pool of blood.

Avrora followed.

After sweeping away the last attacking Beast Vassal with her Alrescha Glacies, Avrora dismissed her own summoned beast vessel and stood beside Rozen, grasping his clothes with both hands, her eyes fixed on December lying in the blood. Her expression was incredibly complicated.

December was naturally aware of Rozen and Avrora's arrival.

At this moment, lying in her own blood, December appeared heavily injured. But as a vampire, her undead body was gradually regenerating her wounds, allowing her to recover.

Yet December didn't make any attempt to stand up. She merely looked at Rozen and Avrora with a powerless smile.

"It seems we underestimated things." December seemed to be muttering to herself. "I thought that with the power of my Beast Vassal, I'd be able to control even yours. And with the assistance of Dabih Kryastalos, at worst, we'd succeed in destroying Itogami Island, killing Akatsuki Kojou, and retreating safely. I didn't expect us to lose so miserably."

No one had anticipated such an outcome.

Even Avrora hadn't expected the final of her Matrices—who had always made her feel uneasy and afraid—to be lying here like this, barely clinging to life.

This final Blazing Banquet hadn't turned out to be as perilous as expected.

Because Rozen was here, the dire situation was overturned.

However, the cost was the large-scale destruction of Itogami Island, which now teetered on the edge of ruin.

Thankfully, Itogami Island hadn't sunk into the sea. There was still hope for salvation.

"You shouldn't have come, No. 10."

That was all Rozen said to December, his voice calm.

Had December not come to Itogami Island, with the Fourth Primogenitor now destroyed, she could've survived in this world with her Beast Vassal. She never would have ended up like this.

"Maybe so." December didn't show any resentment. On the contrary, she looked relieved as she said, "Still, I stand by what I said. Can you really say that what we did was wrong?"

December posed the question.

"Carly was once persecuted in a Demon Sanctuary, nearly starving to death on the streets."

"Rogi was subjected to illegal experimentation in a Demon Sanctuary, nearly discarded like trash."

"Rahn became undead—neither human nor ghost—because of Demon Sanctuary research."

"We destroyed these Demon Sanctuaries, struck back at those who continuously persecuted people. Was that truly wrong?"

Each of December's statements struck at the core of human conscience, unanswerable and haunting.

And only now did her eyes regain a glimmer of light, no longer carrying that previous air of indifference.

In the end, these Matrices were no different from those in Tartarus Lapse—victims of persecution.

In Tartarus Lapse, there was Carly, bullied due to her weakness; Rogi and Rahn, who endured inhumane experimentation. Likewise, December was an artificial vampire created from the Fourth Primogenitor's rib to seal the Fourth Primogenitor's Beast Vassals. Her fate was either eternal imprisonment or sacrificing herself in the Blazing Banquet upon release—undoubtedly cruel.

Under such circumstances, it was only natural for these Matrices to lose the will to live, treated as tools.

All the Matrices except Avrora had accepted their fate without resistance, ultimately offering themselves to return to Beast Vassal form and submitting to Rozen.

Even Avrora's desire to keep living stemmed from the short time since her awakening—barely a year—and the fortunate encounter with Rozen, who treated her sincerely and equally. It was this kindness that showed her the beauty of life and gave her the will to go on.

As for December, who had awoken in a distant, forgotten past and lived ever since, she undoubtedly experienced much inhuman suffering. Like the others, she had long abandoned the will to continue.

The only difference was that December met the people of Tartarus Lapse, those with similar fates and backgrounds. This gave her the motivation to do something meaningful.

She simply wanted to erase the darkness of the world—to prevent more people like her from being born.

Thus, she joined Tartarus Lapse, even becoming its leader. While they sacrificed many innocent lives, they also saved countless others.

Unfortunately…

"Even if you're not wrong, your methods were absolutely not right."

Rozen did not hold back in his rebuke.

"Perhaps many innocent people were saved, but just as many suffered persecution they never should have because of your actions."

"In the end, your attempt to prevent people like you from emerging only resulted in the creation of even more."

"Fighting destruction with destruction, oppression with oppression, only breeds more destruction and more oppression."

"You should be grateful that no one you've harmed has yet chosen to retaliate in the same way you did—losing family, losing purpose, becoming consumed by vengeance."

"If they had… you'd be the greatest sinners of all."

Rozen's words made December's expression freeze.

Then, the light in her eyes faded.

"You're right," December said with a bitter smile. "Even if we weren't wrong, we were definitely not right. Not at all."

In the end, December finally admitted it.

"I understand now why my fellow Matrices chose to submit to you. Because even though you're human, you never denied their existence. Even when we, as tools, did what we did—regardless of right or wrong—you always judged us honestly. For those of us who believed ourselves meaningless, that's a kind of salvation."

December's words rang true.

Back then, Rozen had gained the Beast Vassals' recognition because he acknowledged Avrora's existence and respected No. 6's actions. That led to their submission.

What they wanted was simple—someone to recognize them, to see them as they are.

"Well then, as promised, I will now offer myself to you."

December smiled softly.

"Representing myself and the power of the Beast Vassal I sealed—Dabih Kryastalos, I now give it to you."

With that, December's entire body began to glow.