“Move.”

“Kyah—”

In an effort to protect Shuri, my feet moved without me thinking at all.

I pushed Shuri out of the way and should have become that magic’s food.

However, Katsuragi was there instead.

“K-Katsuragi…!?”

Than man looked to me and spoke.

“Don’t get the wrong idea. Saving Shuri is my job.”

Why did he come to help? Why did Shuri decide to follow this man?

For a moment, I felt like I caught a glimpse of the answer why.

I’d thought that Shuri was being forced into interacting with him. It was the first time I’d ever seen Shuri so crazy about someone, after all.

However, Katsuragi endured the pain, even with that hole in his chest, even becoming tattered. All to save Shuri.

No hesitation could be seen in his face at all.

Ignoring the fact he’d die, he came to help Shuri.

Getting turned into an ice sculpture through ice-type magic means he wouldn’t feel pain until it melted or was destroyed, but that also meant he wouldn’t die. In other words, Katsuragi’s ability wouldn’t activate.

For Katsuragi to do that even while knowing that—he really did love Shuri.

Thinking that, my mouth moved on its own.

“Triple Guard!”

I deployed a layer of soul rank ice-type magic in front of Katsuragi’s upper half. I actually wanted to protect his entire body, but I knew that my magic wouldn’t hold a candle against Fantra’s. Therefore, I shrunk its area to increase its defense.

This way, Katsuragi would be able to kill himself and activate Revenge of the Grudgebearer.

Fantra’s magic covered Katsuragi. The area I put up the three-layered ice shield was safe.

“Katsuragi!”

I ran over to him. His lower half was frozen solid.

“Are you alright!?”

“… For you to worry about me, did some natural disaster happen?”

“Sh-shut up! … I was wrong.”

Katsuragi’s expression looked bewildered despite his current situation. Like he’d seen some rare animal.

“… Seriously, did you get hit on the head?”

“Is it really the time to make jokes like that? More importantly, now’s you chance to heal! It sucks to say it, but can you die?”

“No, my arms got frozen. I can’t.”

“I’ll kill you then.”

“A high grade slave can’t attack their master.”

“Oh come on! In that case, I’ll look through your pouch!”

I looked through Katsuragi’s pouch. There was a potion, three yanu leaves, and a map. No good. He didn’t have anything that could cure the frozen status!

“Katsuragi! Don’t you have anything else!?”

“… Wait a second…”

“Hey, stop ignoring… me!?”

All of a sudden, Katsuragi drew his face close to my ear and whispered into it.

“—!?”

I couldn’t hide my surprise at what he told me. Even I knew how fl.u.s.tered I looked. But it was true that this was the only thing that might work.

“I-I’ll just get Shuri and…”

“We don’t have the time for that. There’s also the possibility that he’ll get in the way. Besides, this is also better off for Shuri’s sake.”

“B-But, it’ll be my… my first…”

“Is this really the time?”

“D-Do I really have to…?”

“Yeah.”

Katsuragi was determined. I knew it too.

I knew that this was necessary.

I prepared myself for what was about to happen.

“I could use Absolute Command if you really don’t want to.”

“Th-That’s not it! At least, let me first…”

“Sorry, but there’s no time for that.”

“… I know! I know already!”

I put my lips onto Katsuragi’s, acting as though I was entrusting my weight to him. With an overbearingness unthinkable for Katsuragi, he unreservedly violated my mouth with his tongue, wrapping around mine.

Th-This guy…!

However, the fact that I didn’t find it so revolting was vexing.

“Puah…”

After the long kiss, he let me go.

“The rest is on you. I’m wagering it on your friendship with Shuri.”

Friendship. Something impossible to the Katsuragi that entered high school.

He’d entrusted my fate, Leadred’s fate, and Shuri’s fate to the emotion he put the least faith in, an emotion I’m sure he’d long forgotten about.

In that case, I’ll have to respond.

My feelings for Shuri as my best friend won’t lose to anyone.

“Leave it to me. After all, I treasure Shuri a hundred times more than you, even. I’ll definitely win—just watch.”

Hearing my confident declaration, Katsuragi smiled.

Following that, he fell unconscious inside the ice.