In front of the Red Rouge Plains.
There is a lone figure standing before a small hill.

「…………」

With both hands in his pockets, his cold silver hair is fluttering above his shoulders.
That youth――Himuro Takahina turns towards the brand new gravestone.

His knees bend, and he kneels before the grave.
He pulls out his hands from the pockets and puts them in front of his face.

「Misha……」

Takahina closes his eyes while calling out the name of the sleeping girl.
In order to pray and wish.
He talks while remaining motionless.

「…… Thanks to you, I didn’t break that day. Thank you」

He whispers his grat.i.tude.
Even thousands of apologies wouldn’t be enough towards the girl Takahina was so proud of.
While thinking so, he continued to talk.

「…… I wasn’t able to make you into an Undead, turning you into my follower. I didn’t want to give you this coldness」

Misha could become an Undead just like me.
She would become my follower.
That way, we could be together again.

However, once that happened, Misha would no longer be Misha.
…… I surely wouldn’t be able to bear such a thing.
Therefore, I didn’t do it.
I wished for her to live until the end.
Therefore, for now, please sleep peacefully.
Takahina prays, wishing such.

「You have died. I was reminded just how fragile the life is. What the living wish to obtain above all is probably the『Eternal Life』Nee-san and I possess」

The price of『Eternal Life』is coldness.
However, that is something like a candle without fire.
To Takahina,『Eternal Life』is something unnecessary.

「But I…… No matter how fragile, no matter how short, I yearn for the fire of life. If by any chance I loose this wish of mine, your death would become meaningless」

Right.
Even after this Evolution…… he wasn’t able to obtain the living body he years for.

「I’m going to leave this place, Misha. Together with Nee-san」

I have the necessary power for that.
Takahina continues talking, while a reliable power flows inside his body.

「I will go to another place and search. For a method to revive both you and me」

For something so miraculous it can revive the dead.
In this world where magic and monsters run rampant, I’m certain something like that exists somewhere.
Takahina opens his eyes and stands up.

「Misha. You see, I had a sister」

Her name was Himuro Mayu.
She was my dearest imouto.
She was my family who died right in front of me.

「She died right before my eyes. The reason I wasn’t able to kill Pseudo-humans…… is because you resembled her a little」

The still not complete figure of his younger sister floats in his mind.
She always followed him everywhere innocently.

「I lost Mayu, and now I lost you. I, who was reminded of the life’s fragility, am not able to kill anymore」

Since the day Misha died, Takahina hadn’t killed any monsters.
No. Accurately, he wasn’t able to kill.
Whenever he swings his handsword, Misha’s and Mayu’s last moments flicker in his mind.
As result…… he is not able to kill monsters he was able to kill before.

「However, I don’t mind. I don’t need to kill in order to eat, nor I need to kill to possess. Even if they call me coward, even if I’m looked down upon, even if they scorn me for being broken. I will regain a living body without killing anything」

He extends one hand in front of him.
The previously razor-like claws disappeared.
The shark-like teeth also returned to their original shape.

「I will put your body into a coffin made from insoluble ice and return you to the soil. I’m sorry, but you will feel cold for a while. There is no other way」

After several seconds, he closes his eyes again.

「…… See you. I will definitely come here once again」

He turns on his heel and looks back.
Vermut was standing there.

「…… Did you say your goodbyes?」
「Yes. Let’s go, Nee-san」

Vermut nodded to Takahina’s frigid words.
She turns over her red mantle fluttering behind her.

That instant, the red mantle changes its form.
It turned into a pair of red wings.
The bat-shaped wings flap and the Vampire Princess jumps to the sky.

「…………」

Looking up at her figure, Takahina exhales lightly.
Immediately after that, a cold sound resounds.
As if receiving a signal, the temperature of the surroundings rapidly dropped.
The air as if freezing, began to take a shape behind his back.

In approximately 10 seconds, Takahina produced a pair of wings on his back.
There are countless of small ice crystals instead of feathers, they are very beautiful wings made of ice.
The shape of the wings is exactly the same as the Harpy’s who adored him dearly.

「I will borrow your wings」

Lastly, he mutters so.
Takahina soars in the sky chasing after Vermut.
The red moonlight reflects on the ice wings, making them look like a sparkling gla.s.s.

…… Is that sparkle one of a blessing?
Or one of a curse.
For now…… n.o.body knows.

『Immortal Ice Angel』(Undead Ice Angel) Himuro Takahina
145th Day.
Present Magic Power/Magic Power Containment Limit: 1659/9599
※The Evolution from Rank 2 『Freezing Undead』into Rank 4『Immortal Ice Angel』has been completed.