Meer Grandine 

Extreme violence, flesh melting, complete loss of bodily autonomy, imprisonment.

I was probably not even ten yet when I understood the logic of this world.
From the moment we are born into this world, we are prisoners with many heavy iron shackles.
We prisoners are born with sins on our shoulders, and must do good deeds during our short lives.
As we accumulate good deeds that benefit others, one by one, the shackles on our hands and feet are removed.
Eventually, they are all are removed, and life comes to an end.
And so, a human is redeemed and can go to an utopia filled with happiness.
This also means that happiness will never come to those who have not been able to break all their shackles.

After I understood the essence of life, I began to discipline my own behavior toward salvation.
I began to live my life by reaching out to those whose hearts were hurt, healing those whose bodies were hurt, and putting the highest priority on being useful to others.
All in order to go to a utopia.
To be saved from this hard and painful world.
And I believe that I am qualified to do so.

However, there were times when people complained to me about my way of life.
“You had no intention of solving the problem from the beginning,” ”You are taking advantage of your position as a bystander,” and so on.
Perhaps that is true.
I am not good at conflict, so I have unwittingly distanced myself from disputes.

This personality was somewhat unsuitable for fighting as a mage infantry in this academy.
Although I was called to the front line because I am a Sibyl, I was met with nothing but ridicule and contempt.
Even so, I will go to the battlefield again.
As a Water Sibyl.
To fulfill my mission, to accumulate good deeds.
To get closer to my salvation.

“Grandine! What are you doing? Treat those who were brought in first!”

Inside the large, simply constructed military tent where the combat support corps were stationed, the head of the medical squad called out to Meer.

“I-It’s hard to tell from the outside, but this one may have severely damaged internal organs…”
“You have no right to choose lives! Just think about maintaining discipline!”
“Y… Yes…”

One after another, wounded infantry mages were brought into this military tent, far from the front line.
The ones who dug their claws into their bodies were a horde of Scourges, strange monsters with jet-black bodies.
They were the sole reason for the existence of the Academy and the infantry mages, and they mercilessly bare their fangs at the girls who were still inexperienced.
Among the members of the combat support corps, the medical squad to which Meer belonged was accompanying these girls on the battlefield to treat them.
The squad leader’s stern reprimand was not just for the sake of harshly scolding her.
In this place, where countless moans, cries, and roars were flying about as if to mask the intense pain, it was difficult to convey anything without a loud voice.
It would not be an exaggeration to call this place a second battlefield.

“It hurts… it hurts…!! My arm… Where is my arm?!”
“Please calm down. I’ll treat you now…”

Saying this, Meer held both hands over the injured girl, and although the girl continued to wear a look of agony on her face, she gradually began to regulate her breathing.
Meer was a Sibyl who controlled the power of water.
Different Sibyls used their power in different ways, but Meer, who did not like conflict, specialized in using it to heal.
Healing living things whose bodies are mostly made up of water is also something a Water Sibyl excels at.

(But… this girl will never be able to return…)

Even as she healed, Meer was disheartened by the undeniable fact.
No matter how powerful the water elemental is, what’s lost cannot be healed.
The girl’s arm had been torn off around her left elbow, and will never return to its original state.
The academy has no place for those who cannot fight.
As soon as her injuries have healed, the girl will likely leave.
To her hometown? Or perhaps to an unfamiliar roadside.

Meer was no exception.
Despite this, she has been able to remain at the academy without going to the front lines because the elemental power she wielded was so strong.
It was a privilege given to a girl of exceptional talent.
At first glance, it may seem like something to be envied, but that was not the case at the academy.
Meer’s actions of abandoning the fight despite her outstanding talent were seen by others as self-preservation or even escape.
And since these are people who literally risk their lives every day in battle, many despised such behavior.

“Ah…?!”
“Oh, sorry, sorry. You’re like a ghost, so I didn’t notice you.”

Looking down at Meer, who had been hit with force and collapsed, the girl from the medical team spat out this comment.

“Um, um… Could you be a bit more careful…?”
“Huh? Your voice is too quiet, I can’t hear you. It’s a hellish scene, so we’re going to bump into each other, right?”

The girl snorted at Meer, who couldn’t say anything back, and ran off in a hurry.
Although Meer had more power than anyone else, she was not good at expressing herself. Her attitude tickled the sadistic tendencies of some, and this kind of childish harassment was not uncommon.
Meer sighed softly and stood up.
Perhaps she was trying not to mind, or perhaps she was used to it, but there was no trace of sadness on her face.

“I will only fulfill my mission… as long as I have these shackles…”

As Meer quietly muttered this and looked into the distance, she saw the girls still fighting Scourges.
Archers, sword users and spear users, lined up in ranks. Each one was on the brink of death, exercising their elemental powers.
From her vantage point atop a small hill with military tents, Meer watched them fight, shifting formations with dizzying speed. To her, they resembled water flowing down a stream.
Water that quietly flowed down from the mountain and continued to flow along paths formed by earth and rocks.
Except for unusual cases such as flooding caused by wind, storms, or rain, this was a predetermined law.
However, whenever a commander on the front lines issued an order, the flow of the water would instantly become distorted as if it had been dammed up, and in response, injured people could be seen falling.

“Why… We are fully capable of fighting back…”

In truth, the commander’s tactics were immature, and were a major factor in the stalemate.
Even without knowing this, Meer could tell that the flow of the battle was awkward.

“Grandine! No time for distractions! Return to medical treatment!!”

The squad leader shouted again, and Meer hurried back to healing the injured.
Her elemental power was not the only natural talent she had been given.
She had outstanding insight that allowed her to analyze the state of battle like the flow of a river.
No one at the academy – not even Meer herself – was aware of this.

Inside the academy there was a first aid room.
In this clean, white room with stone walls, a young man sat across from Meer, who was sitting relaxed in a wooden chair.

“Has anything changed physically or emotionally?”
“No… Nothing in particular.”
“Do you have nightmares?”
“No. No nightmares.”

The man looked into Meer’s face and asked her a few questions, then took note of her answers.
He was a doctor working full-time at the academy.

Many of the academy’s mage infantrymen, whose lives were at stake every day, were young girls.
Of course they were wounded in the brutal battles, but another problem was surfacing day by day.
Said problem was emotional wounds.
Some were unable to set foot on the battlefield even without injuries.
Some went insane and were unable to live a normal life.
Some were so consumed by madness that they became unable to tell friend from foe.
The number of people whose minds were being eaten away by the pressure has been increasing along with the history of the Academy.

The girls were by no means disposable.
Although the world was once destroyed and has been restored to the point where facilities like the Academy have been created, the majority of it was still untouched.
The wealth and population was far from what was described in the few remaining documents.
That was why young people – mainly girls who had an aptitude for the power of elementals – were invaluable.
So, as a countermeasure, the Academy hired a Heart Doctor.
Although he had all the skills of a doctor, his specialty was clinical psychology.
His job was to prevent abnormalities before they occurred by talking to people regularly, and to help those who showed signs of abnormalities.

“Meer, it seems you don’t participate in the front lines, but is that still the case?”
“Yes. Because it’s not for me. Even if I fight, I’ll just cause trouble to everyone…”
“Hmm… You say so…”

The doctor scratches his head as he looked over the documents in front of him.

“Your Sibyl powers are very excellent. Your physical abilities are not particularly poorly evaluated. In that case…”
“Yes…”
“Oh, sorry. I’m not blaming you. This is my job. I just want to give you advice if have any pain in your heart.”
“My heart…”

Meer put her hand to her cheek and acted as if she was thinking, but the answer had already been decided.
“There’s no pain in it.”
Classroom lessons, training, and harsh battles. It was not an environment that could be called easy, but that was the same for everyone.
There was harassment from the others, but in truth, it didn’t affect Meer at all.
There was an unshakable pillar of belief in her heart.
However, if she answered the question right away, it could be taken as a rejection or abandonment.
Meer knew this, so she pretended to be troubled just enough to not give any hint of ambiguity before answering.

“…There’s nothing in particular.”
“I see. That’s fine.”

The doctor said with a gentle smile, and once again rummaged through the messy desk as if searching for other documents.
In truth, he knew.
He knew about Meer’s grades, evaluations, and even her friendships since she entered the academy. Everything that was reported was compiled in the documents.
And of course, he knew how Meer was treated at the academy.

(This line really seems different… Her expressions and behavior are true… She’s an honor student who doesn’t give in to little things… She’s stronger than she looks… But then, why…?)

It would be easy to dismiss it as something she didn’t think.
But the doctor had a reason why he couldn’t just leave it as it was.
The sight of harassment becoming a daily occurrence would lead to a breakdown in discipline, and it would be a shame for the academy to let Meer’s elemental power go to waste.
There was only one answer to all of these problems: for Meer to fight on the front lines.
He was not here for charity. He had to act in the interests of the academy.

“I’ve seen many children since I came here, but I’ve never seen one as strong-willed as you.”
“Is that… a compliment…?”
“Yes, of course! Look, even now, you’re sitting up straight… You’re just like my older sister.”
“Hehe… Older sister. How old do you think I am?”
“Ah… That’s true. Damn… I said something rude.”
“Don’t worry about it. To be honest, I thought you were a bit childish too.”
“Eh, really? That’s a bit pathetic.”

When he made a playful, troubled face, Meer chuckled.
Looking at the face of the girl, who looked her age, the doctor couldn’t help but relax his eyes.

(Even a good, top student would laugh, right? No different from the ordinary girls in her hometown. But that’s why I can’t let it go unnoticed.)

The doctor watched over Meer kindly until she stopped laughing, and then asked, “This will be my last question.”

“Where does your strength come from? For example… what did your parents teach you?”
“No… I’m an orphan. There was nothing like that in the institution.”
“That’s… I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. But… my strength…”

Meer put her hand on her cheek again and thought deeply.
This time she was not pretending. Her gaze was fixed on a distant place, not looking anywhere. The color of her eyes was getting deeper and darker.
Then, as if she had thought of something, she slowly raised her head and began to speak timidly.

“It might come… from my desire to be saved.”
“To be saved?”
“Yes. To be reborn as my true self.”
“…So you’re not saved yet?”
“That’s right… I continue to struggle, searching for the light…”

Meer looked the doctor straight in the eye and said with a smile.

“That’s the fate of a prisoner.”

The Scourge annihilation was carried out in all areas.
The mission, which was given top priority by the Sibyls at the Academy, has been largely accomplished.
However, that only amounted to the result of annihilation.
The Sibyls’ elemental powers, and therefore their military strength, had clear merits and demerits, and this could be seen even on a unit-by-unit basis.
Some were elite units that had always won, while others were a rag-tag collection of dropouts who had been shunned here and there.
As a result, even if a mission was successful, there was a clear difference in the extent of the damage inflicted.
For example, in order to annihilate a dozen Scourges, sometimes twice as many people were killed.
Naturally, it was to this kind of battlefield that Meer, who belonged to the combat support corps, was dispatched as a medic.

The battlefield was extremely harsh.
Based on information that several Scourges had been sighted, the unit set out for a certain abandoned village.
After safely annihilating them, they were investigating the surroundings to hunt down any remaining one.
Deep inside the abandoned village, they entered a dilapidated coal mine that would have once been the village’s main resource, and found countless Scourges lying in wait there, as if they had made a nest.
They had taken the information at face value and formed a small group.
They had come into contact with the enemy inside the mine, which was narrow, dark, and with no way to escape.
Without any room for Meer to heal, the unit was mercilessly devoured – no one left.
In the end, the Scourges were annihilated by reinforcements that rushed to the scene thanks to a swift message from the combat support corps, and the battle record read as follows.
“Mission complete.”

After everything had been processed, the order to disband had been given.
As Meer walked down the corridor of the dormitory attached to the academy, she thought to herself.
The level of training of today’s unit was not low.
Though they were unfamiliar with the soldiers, from every movement they made before the operation, it was clear that they had experience and skill.
And yet, the results were horrific.
Meer grimaced as she remembered the pieces of meat that had been carelessly eaten.

(They were from different countries, different ages, and different backgrounds… They must have come to the academy with great ambitions… But now, halfway through their journey… It must have been frustrating…)

They had the skills, but they were unable to demonstrate them.
The environment, teamwork, or overconfidence. There could be many reasons for this.
However, there was one thing that was clear about this mission.
That was command.

(The mission did not originally include an investigation of the surrounding area… But it was carried out because the commander, who was not satisfied with the small number of kills, wanted to take credit for more… And those two archers… They must have been experts, but in such a small space…)

No matter how excellent one’s body or talent is, it is meaningless if they cannot use it well.
In order to highlight each individual’s abilities, the academy drilled in them a fitting education.
Some were specialized in combat, others in support, and so on.
Of course, Meer didn’t study tactics, but her insight had made her realize.
What if she were in charge?

“Hey, did you hear about the plan to defeat the Blue Knight?”
“I heard, I heard. The daughter of the Olscura family wasn’t much of a deal.”
“Stop that for a second. It’s already been a while…”

As they passed each other, she overheard the girls gossiping.
If someone famous Meer knew was in charge, it must have been an elite group.

(To die while leaving behind shackles… is to be left behind in the midst of evil… No one will be rewarded like this… I… may have to fulfill my mission… if only to save myself…)

Meer gripped her staff tightly.
As if to hold down her slightly trembling hands.

“You look very tired. Is there something bothering you?”
“Ah… No… nothing in particular…”
“Hahaha, I don’t want you to underestimate me. Even though I look like this, I’m a doctor. I can tell to a certain extent by looking at your expression.”
“That’s right… I’ve been on a lot of missions lately that have ended badly… some of them got seriously injured, and others… never came back… that might be why…”
“I see… that’s what it is.”

The doctor nodded deeply several times, then suddenly stood up and held out his hand in front of Meer, who was looking down.
Meer saw the hand out of the corner of her eye, looked up without thinking, and said with a smile.

“Let’s have today’s interview outside. That’s right… how about the courtyard?”

The doctor took her to a small courtyard with a high ceiling, surrounded by a U-shaped wall of the research building.
Perhaps healing was necessary even in the brutal atmosphere of the academy, as there was a simple flower bed maintained by hand.

“Ah… flowers…”
“Huh? Do you like flowers, Meer?”
“It’s not that I particularly like them… I just thought it’d been a while since I’d seen flowers…”
“Now that you mention it, you’re right. Hahaha, I’m not used to them, so I didn’t even notice.”
“I see… Sorry for saying something weird…”
“That’s not true! It was the first time I’d seen you interested in something, so I’m actually glad.”
“Doctor…”

Like a balloon about to deflate, Meer let out a sigh of relief. It was then that she realized for the first time how tense she had been.
She didn’t know if it was feelings of admiration or love for an older man.
But in front of this man, who was happily telling her trivial stories as if Sibyls had never existed in this world to begin with, she felt her heart calm down.

“The truth is, the words you told me before… I’ve always wondered what they meant.”
“Words?”
“You told me, right? The driving force behind your strength is your desire to be saved. It struck me as being rather philosophical.”
“Yeah…”

That was the foundation of Meer. It shaped who she was, and was her guide to life.
It was something precious that she has never told anyone before, so that no one would carelessly reveal her true self.
However, perhaps weakened by the string of gruesome missions, she began to timidly open herself, thinking that it would only be for this man.

“…The people who live in this world haven’t really been born yet… That’s what I think.”
“I see…”
“There is another world. A true world, an utopia of happiness, and we are in the process of being selected… to see if we are suitable to be its residents.”
“You mean the ‘prisoners’ you mentioned before?”
“Yes. The heavy shackles that bind a prisoner’s body are gradually removed by ‘service to others’. Eventually, when all the shackles are removed and their temporary lives are over… they can be reborn in the utopia.”
“So that’s… your view of life and death.”
“You can take it that way.”

Meer’s eyes were crystal clear as she said this.
She wasn’t being forced by anyone, and she wasn’t having any doubts.
Just like a thrown stone that parabolically falls to the ground, or the setting sun rising again to shine, she recognized this as a natural providence.
The man felt both danger and beauty in her purity at the same time.

“I understand your view on life and death. Can you tell me how it connects to your strength?”
“…Because my meaning in life is to do good deeds for others. That’s why I would never do anything to offend or hurt others. It would make my utopia even more distant.”
“I understand a little more. That’s why you ‘don’t fight’.”
“Yeah… I guess so.”

Reports on almost all the students at the academy, especially on Meer, were delivered to the man as materials.
From the instructors’ evaluations to the casual remarks made by other Sibyls.
Everyone acknowledged that her Sibyl powers were great, but many despised Meer for not making use of them.
All of this was the result of Meer’s view on life and death, and a contradiction had arisen.
No one was happy about actions that were thought to be for the sake of others.
The man felt dizzy at the twisted belief that it can be called service.

“What if you lose your life before your shackles are removed?”

The moment he started to ask that question, his words were drowned out by Meer’s, who, illuminated by the sunlight streaming in from the atrium, looked even more innocent than ever.

“After talking with you, I feel a little better. Thank you, Doctor.”

Revealing herself for the first time in her interview with the doctor was a rare experience for Meer.
It was confidence born from recognition.
Although it was merely another person accepting the ideals she believed to be correct, she took it as affirmation.
It was an emotion she had never experienced before.
An indescribable sense of euphoria that could not be replaced by anything else.
Like the taste of the first candy they ever licked, humans cannot suppress their desire for more.
The impatience to get closer to utopia as soon as possible in order to prove that she was right… actually destroyed the way of life that Meer had maintained up until then.
The gears began to creak.

“Excuse me… May I offer my opinion?”

Inside the military tent where all the Sibyls on duty were gathered.
Meer’s voice rang out loud and clear.
Around 100 people were lined up facing the commander, and a tactical meeting was in the middle of it.
It wasn’t because a medic had interrupted. The silence was due to surprise that it had come from Meer of all people.

“…Meer Grandine. Please say it.”
“Thank you. With the tactics you have set, this mission will definitely end in failure.”

This time, a murmur spread.
Some glared at her, wondering what she was talking about, while others wondered if she had gone mad.
The commander, with veins already bulging at her temples, pretended to be calm and asked.

“I see… What’s the problem?”
“It’s dangerous to go straight through the water gate. Even though it’s long since decayed, there is a slope that follows the original flow of the water. We’re on low ground, so in case we’re lying in wait…”

Mace was a small country located exactly between the Academy and the Water Country, where Meer came from.
It has been four days since there was any regular contact from the special forces stationed in that country.
If there was no disaster or internal conflict, there was no doubt that they had been attacked by Scourges.
However, even though it was a small country, they had some defense facilities in place. They were in a situation where they needed to rush to provide support while they endured the attack.
The commander decided that they would not have enough time to use the regular roads, and was thinking of going up the artificial river that had dried up long ago.

“So what do you want us to do?”
“Even if it’s a bit of a hindrance, let’s go through the forest along the river. Right now, our first priority is to make sure we get to Mace.”

The commander took a deep breath, then replied with a smile, trying to suppress her anger.

“…I understand what you’re saying. But don’t worry. The spearhead of this operation will be my direct command. Even if they’re waiting on the other side of the floodgate, we can just brush them off.”

In response to the crisis facing the small country, many troops were gathered together to form a combined arms alliance.
Perhaps due to personal feelings, the unit directly under the commander was leading the way.
The commander was very confident, but her expression changed when Meer said something back to her.

“Thank you for your kind words… But I think it might be impossible…”
“What… did you say…?”
“I watched the training exercise the other day… and to be honest, I think there wasn’t enough coordination… If the front line collapses, the rear will fall like an avalanche…”
“As if a medic like you… knows about fighting…”
“I… I know… but I don’t know how to explain it…”
“You think it’s your intuition?! How dare you insult me ​​with such nonsense?!”

The surrounding area was already filled with confusion that could hardly be called a murmur.
Meer was well-known, mostly in a bad way.
Despite possessing powerful elemental powers, she refused to fight. That privilege was granted to her.
Meer, who had shown so little initiative up until now that it was no wonder she was thought to be uninvolved, spoke up for once.
And it was no wonder that they took it as an insult.
There was no way that there was a single person here who thought Meer was right.

“Hey, what are you saying?!”
“How do you intend to take responsibility for causing chaos before the operation even begins!”
“You don’t know anything about tactics, do you?!”

These words were coming at her from all sides as if a dam had burst.
She tried to argue back, but no one could hear her now.

“You’ve always run away from the battle and watched from the sidelines!”

With these words, Meer never spoke again.
Even if she had provided concrete evidence to support her opinion, it would never have been accepted.

“STOP IT!!”

A shout rang out, and the confusion instantly quieted down like a drop of water.
The commander raised her hands as if to admonish the girls, but this time she spoke in an eerily calm tone.

“It’s time to sortie, so stay calm. There’s no change to the plan as before. We will depart as soon as everyone returns to their formation. Is that okay, Grandine?”
“Yes…”

Even if one has a heart for serving others, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good deed.
Having lived her life half-blindly protecting her own view of life and death, Meer believed she was doing the right thing more than anyone else.
Seeking salvation and being a good person, she has avoided conflict, dodged the flames of trouble, and kept herself far away from all quarrels.
But that was the most selfish and disregardful act.
Meer did not understand that those who try to escape their life and those who cling to hope cannot coexist.
In this place right now, she was the most evil person of all.

(Why don’t you understand…! If things continue like this… so many people will die…!!)

While Meer was still unaware of this, the great migration to Mace had already begun…

Meer’s prediction became reality, and the battle situation became even worse.
Just as they were about to reach the floodgates, a jet-black monster appeared: a Scourge.
With an incomplete form that seemed to imitate a creature from this world, the Scourge had at first glance the body of a beast running on all four limbs.
However, there was an ominousness that made it clear that it was a deformed being.
The head, placed on a body that looked like bristling fur, was similar to a human’s structure, and the eye sockets contained wriggling compound eyes.
Looking more closely, the limbs kicking the ground also seemed familiar, with five fingers.
Their arms and legs stretched out in all directions, up and down, left and right, ignoring any law or providence, and they attacked the large army with hideous movements.
The lead unit under the commander’s direct command, perhaps only too proud to do so, cut down about 10 of them at one point, but this is where hell began.
A black liquid began to overflow from the body of the Scourge, who had been slashed to the ground, and slowly trickled down the sloping old river.
Thinking it was blood, a girl stepped on it without a care, and screamed.

“AAAAAAH, MY FEET!!”

The liquid was an acid stronger than any she had known.
It melted the hard soles of her boots in an instant, and continued to eat away at the bare feet that it touched, raising smoke as it went.
Scourges do not normally have such properties. However, the swarm that attacked Mace seemed to have acquired a different property from the other individuals.
As the smell of burning meat began to waft through the air, further despair overwhelmed Meer and the others.
Just as Meer and the Sibyls at the Academy had organized a large force,
the beast-like Scourges were also a large swarm.
The first ten or so were perhaps scouts, so to speak.
Before they knew it, countless black masses were looking down on Meer and the others from the other side of the floodgate.

“Waah… Uwaaaaaaahhhhh!!”
“R-Retreat! Form a formation at the rear!”
“No! Several of them have already surrounded us!”

If they killed them to avoid being eaten, the acid would have instantly cover their footing.
If they jumped out of the formation to avoid the acid, they would have been mercilessly eaten.
In the blink of an eye, the battlefield turned into a scene of hell.

“Is this… Reality…?”

Meer and the other members of the combat support corps, who were following the formation of the large unit at a slight distance, were still unable to accept the devastation unfolding ahead.
The members of the unit were being brutally trampled on like bored wolves playing with the corpses of their prey after having had their fill.

“H-Help-“

At the moment that one of the medics came to her senses and was about to rush into the midst of the devastation,

“NO!!”

The medic squad leader’s voice rang out, stopping her.
It didn’t take much thought. If anyone who couldn’t compare to the Sibyls on the front lines of battle rushed to the scene, they would obviously be killed miserably.
It should have been obvious.
And yet, those here, big or small, had come to the Academy because of their talents.
To protect humanity and their homeland from the Scourges.
The chances of escaping were low, but ideally they should have abandoned their screaming comrades and tried to retreat.
But their beliefs would not allow it.
It wasn’t different from Meer’s – no, each held different beliefs, yet none would permit it.

“…Commander.”
“Is that so… You guys okay with that?”
“Let’s do it.”
“There’s still a chance!”

Before she knew it, the combat support corps, including the medics, had come together and started to march towards the front line, where the fighting was becoming extremely chaotic.
Meer, who had stayed behind by herself, tried to stop them, raising her voice.

“Wait! We’re all going to die!!”
“Meer…”

A girl from the medical squad who had been particularly hostile towards Meer turned around and spoke to her.
There was no usual contempt in her gaze, and she had a smile that seemed somewhat resigned.

“Run away. Run and report this. I’ve never seen such an evil Scourge before, but… I’m sure Lady Aurelia will do something about it.”
“No way! You can’t go and kill yourself! It’s too early to die!!”
“Just like you kept running away, there’s a reason why I can’t run away either.”
“But still…!”
“Oh my… I’ve thought so many times. I wish I had as much strength as you. So I’m asking you.”

“But,” Meer tried to stop her, but her voice was drowned out by the roars of the girls.
After a brief glimpse of them struggling, using their elemental power to hold them back and holding them down with their shields, the roars quickly turned into terrifying screams.

“Why…?”

Why do you have to die?
Why do you go and kill yourself?
Why?
Why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why?

“But still… The shackles have not been removed.”

Meer was saddened by the death of her comrades.
She was grieving. She was lamenting. She felt pity.
But the reason these emotions welled up within her was fundamentally different from that of her dying comrades.
Meer was sad. About the loss of others she should have cared about.
Meer was grieving. At herself, who was unable to complete her mission and protect them.
Meer was lamenting. At her comrades who disappeared without salvation.
Meer felt pity. At the fools who could not reach utopia.

“…It’s okay. It’s okay…”

Meer looked down and began to mutter to herself as if she was talking to someone.

“As long as you’re still alive, you can still do good deeds… If you serve until the end, you’ll surely reach the utopia… Yes… I’ll help you…”

Meer held her staff up high.
The jewel that adorned the staff emitted light in response to her elemental power.
The light was not the usual faint light, but a dazzling flash, and then a warm spring rain poured down on the hellish battlefield.

“It’s okay… it’s okay now…”

In contrast to the jewel, the light was fading from Meer’s eyes as she muttered absentmindedly.
By trying to draw out her elemental power to its fullest extent in an instant, Meer’s humanity was beginning to crumble.
Even as she was losing the elements that make a person human, such as reason and intelligence, Meer acted with only her remaining conviction as her sole support.

“I’m right… You’re the ones who are wr-wr-wr-wrong… I will teach youuuuuuuuuuuuu”

The rain that had been covering the battlefield stopped.
Some were in agony with their faces eaten, some were crying as they waited for their bodies to melt as they touched the ground, and some were still fighting desperately.
The bodies of the Sibyls all rose up at once, as if suspended by threads from the sky.
Forced against their will, they scattered blood and flesh fragments without regard for their mangled forms.

“If you do as I say, we’ll definitely win. So everyone, follow my commands.”

For a moment, Meer seemed to have regained her humanity, and the girls’ bodies began to move like marionettes. In stark contrast to the previous moments, they now fought against the swarm of Scourges, maintaining their formations with surgical precision.
When the swarm of Scourges spread out, they put their backs together and form a circle, and when the swarm gathered together, they immediately spread out like fans to pursue.
Like petals opening and closing, yet mechanical and eerily lifeless, they fought on relentlessly, enduring acid and fangs.
They were not allowed to give up – while still alive.

“It hurts, it hurts, IT HURTS!!”
“STOP IT ALREADY!!”
“Why!? MY BODY!!”

Bodies forced to fight against their own will.
Facing the Scourges, they were required to move more than normal, and some were forced to reverse their joints in order to block attacks from blind spots with a sword.

“AAAAAAAHHHHH!!”

A beautiful footwork like a dance performance, and a swirl of screams that seemed inhuman.
As the battlefield turned into a poorly made stage, only Meer was waving her baton and writhing in joy.

Now everyone had not died in vain.
For the sake of the country, for the sake of humanity. I had helped to perform a good deed.
Everyone would surely… no, definitely make it to the utopia.
And then it would be proven.
That I was the one who was right.

Although Meer had given reasons such as her beliefs and her views on life and death, other people were insignificant to her from the beginning.
It was all for her own sake.
She had only seen them as prey.
Now that she had lost her humanity, the mask she had been wearing without even realizing it had fallen off.
Her desires were exposed and she continued to desecrate life.
After all, she had saved so many others.
After all, she has done so many good deeds.

Salvation will come down to me.

“…Unfortunately, there’s nothing we can do for her.”

The woman in silver armor said, not sounding too disappointed.

“I was too optimistic. I never thought it would come to this…”

A thin young man who seemed unaccustomed to fighting answered.
Laying at his feet was an unconscious Meer.

“No need to dwell on it. What happened here was unexpected, even for us. Still, her elemental had the power to control people at will… What a pity.”
“Um… I have an idea. I’m sure it will be beneficial for the Academy.”
“Then I’ll leave it to you. Use her as you like.”
“Thank you.”

With that, the woman in armor and her soldiers left.
Perhaps because literally nothing was left behind, no team came to collect the bodies or belongings, and the battlefield faded away, leaving only silence.
The figure of what had been Meer Grandine was carried away somewhere.

///////

Meer had a dream.
A dream of the orphanage where she had to live after losing her parents.

She had many friends who were in her same situation.
They ate, slept, and played together, and even though they were young, they would fantasize about what their future, adult selves would be like.
Meer loved the frail flowers that bloomed in the small flowerbed, even though they were simple, and she looked forward to taking care of them with her friends more than anything.

But then, one by one, those friends left.
Polka, who kept the toys all to himself.
Cory, who skipped cleaning duty.
Yuko, who tried to sneak out of the orphanage and go to town.
Unable to bear the loneliness of being left without saying goodbye, Meer asked the orphanage director one day, and he replied:

“They went to a happy place.”

Meer told herself that was a good thing.
At night, she pretended not to hear the screams of children that occasionally came from somewhere.
“It could be me next,” Meer thought as she slept. She didn’t know whether it was fear or anticipation that made her body tremble.
All Meer had left was to believe that she would surely go to a happy place.

Then the dream ended, and the line between dream and reality became blurred.
Meer felt relieved.
She can now finally reach the utopia.

///////

On the grounds of the academy. Deep underground lied a room known only to a select few.
In this forgotten space, believed to have been left by the academy’s predecessor organization over 100 years ago, there was equipment lined up that didn’t seem like it was from that era.
Several lamps fueled by distilled alcohol stood in a row, their flames swaying faintly in an unseen breeze.
A large piece of glass reflected the swaying lights and stood tall in the middle of the room.
The cylindrical glass was filled with water, and something could be seen floating in it.
Long, slender limbs, lustrous skin, and deep, bluish hair.
Fine air bubbles were covering the skin, swaying gently in time with a pulse.
Placed within the glass was the Sibyl Meer.

“Even if it’s on the verge of breaking, it still has its role as a vessel…”

The young man muttered, reaching his fingers towards the nozzle attached to the side of the glass.
He scooped up a drop of water that was dripping like distilled alcohol and licked it into his mouth.

“It’ll be completed soon… Miraculous water extracted from the power of a mighty elemental… If we drink this, any human will be able to fight, not just Sibyls… Hehehe… Meer, are you glad to help everyone?”

The ticket to an utopia was supposed to be issued upon death.
It hadn’t yet reached anyone’s hands.
Not permitted to live or die, Meer continued to have her long, long dream.
With shackles hanging from her hands and feet, she dreamed of a salvation that she will never reach.