Chapter 56 Something I Absolutely Don't Want to Happen

"Brother, big brother?" Alia stared blankly at Irina, who was disguised as Kania. Then, she noticed Frey in her arms and opened her mouth in surprise. "Kania... What on earth is going on?"

Irina looked at the bewildered Alia and quickly tried to unfreeze her shocked brain, attempting to sort out her thoughts. "Ah... Here's the thing. I hid the young master here."

"Hid him...?"

"Yes, you should know, right? It's about that thing reported in the newspapers recently." To protect Frey's life, Irina had no choice but to lie. She avoided Alia's shining eyes and continued, "The young master is somewhat involved in that matter, so he hid in a hideout on this mountain... He accidentally discovered this cave and came in."

"...Is that so?" After hearing this, Alia scrutinized Irina with suspicious eyes for a while and asked, "But why can't I sense the aura of dark magic on you?"

"Well... To rescue the young master from the incident..."

"Then, is my brother really the mastermind behind that incident?" Irina had been avoiding her gaze, and Alia, biting her lips tightly, murmured gloomily. "Is my brother really the mastermind behind the 'Divine Undead Knight' incident that threw the empire into chaos?"

"Sorry, I can't say anything." Although Irina knew the truth, if she told it as it was, Frey would only have one year and three months left to live, so she had to avoid Alia's question.

- Creak... Seeing Irina like this, Alia, gritting her teeth, then showed a determined expression and said, "I don't believe it."

"Ah?"

"Obviously, both you and my brother are lying. I can feel it."

"Um... Well..."

"As I said before, I will find out the truth no matter what. No matter what..." Hearing these words, Irina was a bit panicked. Just as she was hesitating whether to add more details to her lie, Alia muttered with her head down. "I must find out the truth, but the fatigue is inevitable."

"What do you mean?"

"Whether it's believing in my brother... or looking for the truth... Honestly, I'm really tired right now." As she spoke, Alia crouched down in front of Irina, looked at her with pleading eyes, and began to ask, "Kania, tell me the truth. All the truth you know. I'm ready to bear the truth..."

"No." Irina, who had been avoiding her gaze, interrupted Alia's words and pushed her away, saying, "I'm just a tool of the young master." Recalling what Kania had said to her in the previous cycle, Irina tried her best to imitate that look, and Alia began to stare at her quietly.

"Ugh... My head hurts so much..." Just as the tense atmosphere between the two continued to spread, Frey, who was being held in Irina's arms, let out a groan and slowly opened his eyes.

"...Huh." Frey smiled and was about to say something to Irina when he suddenly noticed Alia, who was staring coldly at him, and froze on the spot.

- Swish, swish. Worried that Frey still thought this was an illusion, Irina quickly wrote these words on Frey's back with her fingers.

- The real situation

When Irina's fingers stopped, Frey, who took a deep breath, immediately stood up with a straight face and said, "So, what's going on here? Alia?"

"That... Should be my question for you." Frey and Alia's eyes began to meet.

"Why did you come here? Frey?"

"Just as I said just now..."

"Be quiet, Kania." When Alia asked with a frown, Irina hurriedly wanted to chime in, but Alia covered her mouth and threw a question at Frey. "You tell me yourself. Why on earth did you come here?"

Frey rolled his eyes, looked at Irina's face, who had transformed into Kania, Alia's expression, and the current situation, then showed a cold smile and said, "I escaped."

"...Escaped from what?"

"Hmm? What do you think I escaped from?"

"Stop beating around the bush and be honest..." Alia angrily questioned Frey. Frey clenched his fist and suddenly reached out to choke Irina's neck beside him.

"Ugh...!"

"By the way... Kania, did you just say 'as I said just now'?"

"Y - Yes, I'm sorry...!"

"I clearly warned you not to reveal the truth to anyone... You useless thing..." Seeing this scene, Alia panicked and grabbed Frey's arm, shouting, "S - Stop! Sister Kania didn't say anything! I led her to say that just now...!"

"...What? 'Sister'?" Hearing Alia's shout, Frey showed an incredulous expression and said, "How did this bitch become your sister? You're from the noble Starlight family, not a street - wandering commoner."

"Don't say such disgusting things..."

"However, judging from her behavior, she seems to be a commoner who sneaked into our family? I'll check her with magic another day..."

"Shut up, shut up!!!" Frey's words were too much, and Alia finally erupted. With starlight magic condensed in her hand, she forcefully pushed Frey away.

"...Ugh!" At this moment, Frey, who had been choking Irina's neck, was suddenly pushed against the wall and let out a short groan.

"You, you're not my brother! You're not my brother...!" At the same time, Alia, whose pent - up pressure finally exploded, with starlight magic condensed in her fist, stepped towards him step by step.

"W - Wait! Lady Alia!" Seeing this scene, Irina, who was actually not in pain because Frey was only pretending to strangle her hard, hurriedly shouted, "Stop! If this continues...!"

- Boom!!! However, with starlight magic condensed in her hand, Alia punched Frey's face with all her might. The force of the punch rolled up stone chips and dust, instantly enveloping the two of them. Irina, who was standing aside in a daze, quickly rushed towards the direction where they were.

"You're not my brother..."

"Cough! Cough!!" A moment later, Irina pushed aside the dust, and what came into view was Alia with tears streaming down her face - her fist was deeply embedded in the wall beside Frey's face, and Frey was coughing violently due to the flying stone chips and dust.

"So, stop..." Alia glared at Frey viciously, her blood - stained hand trembling, and said angrily. And for some reason, Frey was looking at her with expectant eyes...

"Cough! Cough!!"

"...Huh?" Frey kept coughing and suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood, which splashed onto Alia's clothes. For a moment, there was silence between the two.

"What on earth is going on?"

"Cough... Ah, it's nothing. This is just... Cough!!"

"Brother!?" Frey tried to answer Alia as if nothing had happened, but coughed up blood again and his body swayed. Seeing this scene, Alia's expression instantly darkened. She shook Frey and began to question him.

"Was it because I pushed you just now? Does it hurt somewhere? Or is it related to that matter?"

"No... Well..."

"Speak up. What on earth is this coughing up blood...!" Frey avoided her gaze and mumbled. Sensing something strange, Alia withdrew her fist from the wall and pressed forward step by step.

- Rumble!!!

"W - What's going on?"

"...Ah!?" Suddenly, the wall they were leaning against began to shake and then collapsed. The two who lost their balance fell backward at the same time.

'No matter how much he acts... he still can't hide his true nature after all.' Witnessing Frey subconsciously protecting Alia and taking all the impact for her in that situation, Irina smiled bitterly and walked towards them.

"Oh, brother... Now..."

"Get off." Seeing his sister straddling him, staring at him with wide eyes, Frey frowned and pushed her away. After standing up, he dusted off his clothes and asked, "So, what are you doing here? Alia?"

"...I'm investigating mother's accident."

"What?"

"You know it too, right? Mother died on this mountain." After Alia finished speaking, she stood up with the help of Irina, who had come to her side at some point, and continued, "That incident always felt a bit strange, so I've been secretly investigating it alone for a long time."

"...What's strange about it?"

"What's strange..." Frey asked impatiently, and Alia glared at him and replied, "...It was from that time that you changed, brother." Hearing this sentence, Frey was stunned for a moment, stared blankly at Alia, and then showed a cold smile and said, "Yes, since it was because of me that she died, it can be said to be an accident."

"No, something always feels off. You know it too, right? If it's said to be an accidental death, there are too many things that don't make sense..."

"Heh, the one who was accusing me of killing mom before, why is she suddenly playing detective now?" Hearing this sentence, Alia lowered her head weakly and said, "T - That time... I was just angry..."

"However, it's true. Mom died because of me. So you don't have to apologize."

"But..."

"Mom died because of me!!!" Finally, unable to hold back any longer, Frey erupted. He roughly pushed Alia against the wall and shouted, "So, let's end this farce...!"

"...I've never been here."

"What?"

"I said I've never been to this space." Alia showed a serious expression and began to say, "You should also know that the dark magic energy here is overflowing, right? So I come here every day to investigate, but I still can't find the source of the dark magic."

"You mean..."

"Right, there is dark magic surging at the end of this passage. That is to say, the source is there." Hearing this sentence, Frey closed his mouth with a complicated expression. Alia continued with an earnest look, "Brother... Please... The truth must be there... The truth about mother's death... must be there... So, if you find the truth... please stop doing those bad things."

"What do you mean by that?" Frey, who couldn't understand the logic of her words at all, asked in reply. Alia showed a somewhat frustrated expression and continued, "T - That... You changed because of mother's death, right? So... If we find the truth, you can return to the way you were before..."

"Don't misunderstand, Alia." Frey interrupted her words decisively and said with the corners of his mouth raised, "Even if a new truth is revealed... I won't change."

"Why...? Why?" Alia murmured with an incomprehensible expression. Hearing her whisper, Frey turned his back to her and replied softly, "Because this is my true nature." After saying this, Frey stepped into the passage. Alia stared blankly at his back, and after a long time, she lowered her head and silently followed.

'By the way, this evil aura is really disturbing...' Irina quietly watched this sad scene, feeling the surging evil dark magic fluctuations from a distance with her hand, and thought to herself. '...However, with Alia here, it should be okay, right?'

The dark magic that can erode all magic power and life, its weakness is exactly 'light'. Of course, ordinary sunlight or firelight cannot dispel it. Otherwise, people wouldn't have to reject dark mages and be afraid of them. The only special magic powers containing light that can confront the terrifying dark magic are'solar magic power','moonlight magic power','starlight magic power', and the 'divine power' used by saints and paladins. Besides, there are hardly any other forces that can directly confront the evil dark magic. Therefore, judging from the intensity of the dark magic emanating from the end of the passage, it would be wise for ordinary people to choose to escape. However, now there is magic power that can confront dark magic, and with Alia, who was once called the 'Starlight Mage' in the previous cycle, present... Continuing to move forward shouldn't be a problem.

"...Oh, my goodness." Just as he thought this, Frey, who was walking in the front, suddenly let out a sigh. Wondering what had happened, I looked forward and saw a death knight exuding a fierce aura blocking the passage.

"Fortunately, it didn't attack when it saw us." Frey watched the death knight warily. After a while, he breathed a sigh of relief and said to Alia and Irina behind him, "It doesn't seem to attack actively. Let's go back."

"What are you talking about?" Seeing Frey turn to leave, Alia frowned and said, "A mere death knight is nothing to be afraid of." As she spoke, a dazzling magic power began to burst out around her.

"Sigh..." Seeing this, Frey let out a deep sigh, walked beside Irina, and silently watched everything.

"...Are you worried about your sister?"

"No, not at all." Irina asked him carefully. After Frey sneered and answered, she tilted her head with a puzzled expression.

"A mere death knight... How could Alia not be able to defeat it?"

"That's true." But hearing Frey's confident murmur, she also began to nod in agreement. When a death knight appears, the capital will be blockade, and the Royal Knight Order will immediately be fully armed and dispatched. Such a powerful existence doesn't pose any threat to them who possess the strongest power in the world view...

- Bang!!

"Ah ah!!" Alia had already chopped off the death knight's left arm, which also proved her strength as a powerful star - mage.

"At this level, she should be more outstanding than Irina of the same age, right?"

"Not really... Maybe it's possible." Frey looked at her with relief. But when he compared himself with her, Irina tried to echo his words, and then showed a confused expression and asked, "But... Why are you so uneasy?"

Hearing this, Frey, who had a relieved smile on his face, froze his expression and murmured in a low voice, "...Because I'm afraid to confirm the truth."

"What?" Irina frowned in confusion and asked again, but Frey just closed his lips tightly and silently watched the battle going on in front of him.

- Bang!!

The battle that lasted for a few minutes like this ended with a flash shot by Alia directly hitting the death knight's head.

"Let's go." Alia looked down at the headless corpse of Desrat, calmly said these words, and then urged them to continue on their way.

"Phew."

"Seeing you sigh, you seem to be a bit worried, right?"

"Yes, the starlight magic power was just exhausted. I can't sense the dark magic, and I can't use magic power either. It would be troublesome if there's a sudden situation." Frey replied to Irina's words, let out a deep sigh, and began to follow her. Irina was also about to catch up with Frey when she suddenly felt something strange and looked back.

'...Was it an illusion?' For some reason, the aura of dark magic seemed to come not from the front, but from behind. But this feeling disappeared in an instant. Irina just thought it was an illusion and then quickened her pace to catch up with Frey, who had already walked a long way.

"Here. There is a strong dark magic fluctuation ahead." After walking for a while like this, Frey and Irina stopped at Alia's reminder and looked forward.

"What on earth is there here...?" In front of them, a huge door stood.

"...Kania, what's wrong with you?" Irina trembled uneasily and unconsciously murmured to herself. Frey looked at her with a worried expression and asked softly, "A terrifying dark magic aura is coming from the front. Such a powerful dark magic... I've only felt it once."

"When was that?"

"During the previous cycle... Kani, no, when I lost control."

"W - What...?" Frey, who couldn't accurately sense the dark magic power due to the exhaustion of starlight magic power, said in shock after hearing this sentence. "Impossible. If such a large amount of dark magic power really erupted... this mountain should have rotted and collapsed long ago." Hearing this sentence, Irina swallowed and nodded. Frey hurriedly walked towards Alia, who was about to open the door and enter, and shouted, "Alia! Don't open that door!!"

"...Ah?" Sensing something from Frey's voice and tone, Alia unconsciously remembered her brother who always sternly stopped her whenever she did something dangerous in the past, and hurriedly withdrew her hand...

- Creak...

"E, eh!? I clearly didn't touch the door?" For some reason, the huge door began to slowly open by itself without anyone touching it. Facing this sudden scene, Frey was surprised and reached for the sword at his waist, while Irina hurriedly stretched out her arm and assumed an attacking posture...

「...What's going on? There's no one here at all?」When the door was fully opened, what came into their sight was a spacious room with a faint light shining faintly.「What's going on? Why is there nothing here, yet there's such a powerful dark magic aura...」Irina, who walked into the room with Frey, began to carefully check the surroundings with confusion.「It seems to be a place for researching dark magic?」「Judging from these relics and materials related to dark magic, it should be right.」Not long after, Alia and Irina speculated that this was a place for researching dark magic and began to discuss the doubts that suddenly emerged in their minds.

"However, it always feels a bit strange. Even if this is a place for researching dark magic... It's too unnatural to be able to feel such a strong dark magic power."

"Right. If it's the remaining dark magic power, this aura is too strong." Just as they were discussing this space for a long time, Irina raised a question. "Wait a minute, why is there light in this room?"

"Ah? Right? This is a cave where not even a single ray of sunlight can shine in." After Alia took over the words, the two fell into a brief silence, and then they both looked up at the ceiling at the same time.

"...Wait a minute, don't move first." Alia looked up at the bottomless ceiling. To see it more clearly, she launched several beams of light into the air...

「...Oh my god.」

「This is impossible.」

The two were immediately filled with shock. Because the bottomless ceiling was completely covered by dark magic.

「That kind of scale... How is it possible?」

Irina stared blankly for a long time. Then, feeling something strange, she began to look around.

「Ugh...」

「Y - Young master?」

At that moment, Irina noticed Frey, who was crouching on the ground with his head in his hands, and quickly ran over to ask, 「What's wrong with you? Why are you like this all of a sudden?」

「I... I've been here...」

「What?」

「Memories... Memories... I must hide... Playing hide - and - seek...」

At this time, Frey suddenly started talking incoherently.

"Werewolf... Mother's death..."

"Frey?"

"Kania's..."

Just like this, Frey babbled a lot of confusing words, as if trying to express something, but finally lost consciousness.

"Ah!?"

"... A, Alia?"

Irina panicked and shook him. Then, suddenly, a scream came from behind. She quickly turned around to look.

——Whoosh...

"The damned thing!!"

The dark magic surging on the ceiling was fiercely pouncing towards Alia.

"This is way too much..."

Alia frantically tried to release starlight magic from her hands, but in the face of such a huge amount of dark magic, her power was clearly not enough to dispel it all. In the end, she was completely engulfed by the dark magic, slowly closed her eyes, and fell to the ground.

"Who is it! Come out!!"

From that moment on, flames ignited in Irina's hands and began to crackle.

"Come out right now!!"

"...I see."

Although Irina tried to bluff with the crackling flames, when she saw the door in front of her being pushed open and someone entering the room, she feebly extinguished the flames and murmured blankly.

"You, you are..."

"Did you find my performance interesting?" Kania looked at her calmly and began to guide the dark magic energy pervading around upwards.

"You, how could you...?"

"This is a place I found a long time ago after learning the truth from the master's subconscious. Moreover, this place was originally managed by Abraham, the head of the Starlight family."

"W, what...?"

"Of course, since that lord has fallen now... So currently, I'm in charge of casting the detection magic to prevent intruders from entering this space." After saying this, Kania carefully helped up Alia, who had fallen at her feet. Then, looking at Irina, who was still looking dazed, she continued, "All along, the only intruder detected has been Miss Alia... But this time, there are two more people. So I came to check on the off chance, and it turned out to be true."

"Er... What about the disguise in the dormitory?"

"I temporarily entrusted it to the smartest person on the entire continent to manage instead, so there's no need to worry."

Kania let out a sigh and gently placed Alia and Frey on the bed beside them. Irina, with a trembling voice, asked her a question.

"So... What exactly is this place?"

Hearing this, Kania sighed and replied, "This is the place where my parents brutally killed the young master's mother and turned her into a werewolf."

"...What!"

Hearing these words, Irina, just like Frey before, hugged her head and murmured in a lost voice, "W, wait a minute... Does that mean that the wolf... No, that werewolf is...?"

"Sigh..."

Kania looked at Irina with pity in her eyes. Then, she quietly looked up at the dark magic blooming above her head and whispered, "...There's one more companion that I least want to see."