"We, the Dawn Alliance, are descendants of those who once sided with the Divine Beast."
Lena said it with a faint air of pride.
They hadn’t joined hands with traitors.
They had sided with a Divine Beast who had the rightful claim to vengeance.
Perhaps that was the conviction she carried.
"That’s why we know the true history. We know the unfulfilled regret of the Divine Beast—twisted, discarded, and buried away. It’s been passed down to us."
"…"
"And… we’re the ones who have to set that regret to rest."
She said it with a cold expression.
Like a naked blade…
Carrying a dangerous edge that seemed as if it would cut anything it touched.
But the reason Lena wore such an expression… was because of those who came before her.
Their foolish deeds had let that black emotion drift down into the present.
"The world humans have now is built on the sacrifice of the Divine Beast, right? That’s not something we can forgive, is it? Then we need to destroy it all once and reset it. Don’t you think that would be fair?"
"That’s…"
"We’ll clear away the Divine Beast’s regret from the past. And return the world to the right course… That’s the purpose of the Dawn Alliance."
Lena might have her slightly airheaded moments, but she was a serious girl.
She wasn’t the type to join in wrongdoing for a half-baked reason.
There had to be something truly significant behind it.
That’s what I’d believed…
But I never imagined the reason would be this much.
The weight of what she’d just told me left me momentarily speechless.
"…Something like that."
Her demeanor flipped in an instant, and Lena smiled.
She’d probably changed her tone to ease my shrinking away.
"Hey, hey, Fate—why don’t you join us? I really want to fight alongside you."
"That’s not…"
"You can’t? You’re going to side with the humans who did such horrible things?"
"That’s…"
My thoughts couldn’t keep up.
What…
What was I supposed to do?
"Even if you can’t join us right away, I’d like at least a little help from you."
"Help… with what?"
"That girl… Snow, was it? Give me the Divine Beast’s reincarnation."
"Huh?"
The words were so casually spoken that my mind went blank again.
"If we use her as material, we can forge an even stronger cursed sword. Then our revenge will be much easier."
"You… plan to sacrifice Snow?"
"Yeah."
No evasions.
No hesitation.
Lena simply nodded.
"We’re strong, but there aren’t many of us. We’ve chosen quality over quantity in battle, but it’s still not enough. That’s why we want more and more powerful cursed swords. If the sword’s made from a Divine Beast or a beastman, you can get something top-class."
"That’s why you made Snow lose control… and targeted Aisha…"
"Before a great cause, a small sacrifice is inevitable."
Lena declared it without a trace of doubt.
…And because of that, my own heart finally hardened.
"…There’s no such thing as a great cause."
"Huh?"
"I’m still inexperienced. I don’t have enough strength, and there’s a lot I don’t know. But this much I can say—Lena… the Dawn Alliance has no such thing as a great cause."
Lena’s eyes narrowed, as if to say oh really…
Had I just angered her?
Opposing Lena here wouldn’t be wise.
She was stronger, and if it came to a real fight, there’s no doubt I’d lose.
Even so—
I felt this was something I had to say, so I forced the words out.
"What the Divine Beast suffered in the past was terrible, and I understand wanting revenge. But the way you and your group go about it is wrong."
"And what makes you think you can say that? Hm? Hm?"
"Calling it a small matter and then killing someone… I can never accept that."
If it were a normal revenge, perhaps it could have been called just.
But Lena and her people didn’t choose their means.
They dragged in people who had nothing to do with it.
They were even willing to kill beastmen and Divine Beasts—those who should have been their allies.
They said it was all to achieve their goal…
But killing your comrades in the name of avenging them—
That’s a contradiction.
It’s absurd.
And more than that…
"To be honest, I have no intention of fighting for the sake of the world or the people. I don’t have that kind of grand resolve."
"Then why?"
"For my family."
Aisha and Snow were precious family to me.
And there was a real chance harm could come to them.
If that was the case, then I’d fight with everything I had.
Even if Lena’s side truly had a great cause, even if it made me a rebel against the world… I’d fight for my family to the very end, without regret.
"That’s why…"
I stood up.
Then drew my sword and pointed it at Lena.
"You are my enemy."
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