An Unbridgeable Chasm

Standing before the first princess of the realm, Claudette, who remained trembling on the cold ground, the young knight princess looked upon her sister in silence.

"Run... You still have time. Don't come back to a place like this. Pretend I'm dead... Leave the kingdom... Hide and live like a normal person. Please... Don't end up like me..."

Directing her exhausted gaze toward her younger sister, the resigned first princess pleaded with her to flee, begging her to leave everything behind if only it meant she could save herself.

"No. I flatly refuse to leave behind my sister, my master, and everyone else who risked themselves just so I can be happy alone."

In response to her desperate pleas, the young princess shook her head, gently squeezing her older sister's hand while casting a glance at the bowed postures of all the other women who had suffered the same fate.

"Please, understand... I can't... We can't turn back. The most powerful person in the kingdom is gone. Now I'm just a pathetic loser who finds comfort in the coldness of the dirt. Please, don't get involved with us anymore... Don't get involved with me..."

Hearing those final words, the young princess remained quiet as she stood up, biting her lip before turning away, unable to keep watching the tragic scene.

(Sister... I will put an end to this humiliation. ...The reign of my father, the Demon King... I will take revenge on everyone who has brought this upon us!)

She began to march forward once more as a dark flame ignited within her eyes—a twisted determination fueled by hatred, a yearning for vengeance, and an obsession with saving the victims.

"...Sister, I have something to tell you. Something important."

With every step she took, memories of the past replayed in her mind, back before the Demon King's invasion had become common knowledge...

"What is it? You look so flustered... Are you sure nothing happened at the castle again?"

Back then, the younger girl could not understand why her older sister looked so alarmed, her body trembling faintly that day...

"No, it's nothing so trivial. ...I am going to challenge the Demon Lord today. I'm going to kill him right now."

Only when Claudette informed her of her intention did she realize the true gravity of the situation.

"...What... what are you talking about?"

At the time, almost no one took the threat that entity posed seriously, save for the very few who had actually witnessed his true power.

"Don't worry, I know I can win."

Naively, her past self had believed those words coming from the older sister she so admired, completely unaware that it would be the last time she would ever see her reliable back.

"No! Absolutely not! Please, listen to me! Sister... That person... The Demon King is a monster beyond our wild imagination! Even I, who was called the strongest, even after multiplying my unique magic ten times over to challenge him, was reduced to this... this miserable state without even being able to touch him with the tip of my finger!"

In the present, burdened by the guilt of having done nothing to stop her back then and feeling responsible for what her sister had become, the young princess pressed on, ignoring Claudette's desperate shrieks behind her.

"I already know. But even so, I cannot forgive him..."

Hearing the commotion, the other magic-swordswomen lined up nearby reacted to her voice, their shoulders trembling slightly in response.

"...That guy who caused all of this... I can't stand him. If I just run away, I know I'll spend the rest of my life cursing everything... To be free, I have no choice but to defeat the Demon King and break this curse."

Without stopping, the young woman continued her advance, casting a glare of intense hatred toward the royal palace as she entered, leaving the pleas of the others behind.

"He deliberately kept the defeated alive to display them and brag about his own strength."

Walking through the castle halls alone, the young knight princess muttered to herself, analyzing how the enemy had operated.

"That was his biggest mistake."

Though she had not shown it, she had carefully devised a strategy against the Demon King. By slowly inspecting each defeated magic-swordswoman, she had utilized her unique ability of "Copy" to analyze the lingering residual magic left behind by the Demon King, gathering vital data regarding his capabilities and engineering counter-measures.

"For me, that plaza was a 'textbook' for defeating the Demon King."

Pushing open the heavy doors, the young woman stepped into the heart of the fortress, advancing toward the figure seated upon the throne.

"...So, you have arrived."

There sat the Demon King.

"The last magic-swordswoman of the realm... or rather, my final 'representative figure'."

Wrapped in abyssal darkness, the Demon King leaned back casually on his throne, resting his chin on his hand with a bored expression.

"..."

The magical aura surrounding him swirled so densely that merely looking at him pressed heavily against her chest and clouded her thoughts.

"Demon King... I have a request."

Despite the overwhelming pressure, the young woman took a step forward, clenching her trembling fists as she forced her voice out.

"I request permission for our duel—which will take place under the magic bound to this castle—to be broadcast to the entire kingdom."

Having gained a certain level of insight into his personality, she chose to set the board in her favor. By appealing to his arrogance, she aimed to restrict his tactical options, forcing him to lower his guard to put on a grand display of power for the realm.

"Oh? Is that so? So you want to taste despair before ending up crawling on the floor like the rest? How interesting. I grant it. Either way, you'll soon be rubbing your forehead against the ground."

Her strategy proved effective, goading the Demon King into facing her directly without relying on automated passive spells to secure a cheap victory.

"Now, Demon King! I am going to wipe that bored look off your face so you can never wear it again!"

Through her detailed analysis, the young knight princess had concluded that the Demon King was primarily a magic caster who relied heavily on spells. Therefore, her path to victory lay in closing the distance and dragging him into close-quarters combat, where her "Copy" ability would give her the decisive upper hand.

"Prepare yourself!"

She launched herself forward with an explosive kick, letting out a deafening roar as the stone floor shattered beneath her feet. Her body transformed into a streak of light, blitzing straight toward the Demon King.

(Whoosh—!!)

The immense magical pressure released from her body filled the entire hall. The young woman's eyes widened with confidence as she delivered an overwhelming strike—a blow so fast and heavy that both she and anyone watching felt certain of her victory.

"...Too slow."

In the very next instant, all sound vanished from the world.

(Snap!)

With the dry sound of a finger snap, the dense magic wrapping around her body dissolved into nothingness, and her momentum was unnaturally halted mid-air.

"Gah, h-huh...!? What... what...!?"

Stunned and in total shock, the young princess froze, unable to comprehend what had just happened—especially since she had not detected a single trace of magical energy behind his action.

"A battle is no place for a superior to show mercy to an inferior, woman. ...Kneel."

Before she could regain her composure or reorganize her stance, an invisible, immense weight crashed down upon her body. With a quiet crack, her joints were forcibly bent, driving her to her knees against her will.

(Thud!)

Her forehead slammed hard against the stone floor, her hands were pinned flat against the ground, and her knees were violently folded under her, pressing her generous bust tightly against her legs and stifling her breath.

"Ah, ah... ah... guh, uh...!"

Her strategy had been meticulous and fully viable on paper, yet she had overlooked one fundamental fact that led to her catastrophic mistake.

"Where is that defiant smile now? What happened to your warrior's pride? Right now, you are nothing more than a loser, licking the floor and apologizing with your body for your disrespect toward me."

Between the two of them lay an unbridgeable chasm that transcended raw combat strength.

"N-No way... This can't be... I... I couldn't do anything..."

That difference lay in the sheer weight and authority of their very existences.