One flower after another spread its petals, exposing fragrant stamens to the air.
Even Julis could smell the refreshing fragrance, as though she were about to lose herself in the scent of the flowers.
This was a new technique Orphelia had developed under Elise's guidance.
She used life energy to make the flowers grow at incredible speed, then guided their fragrance with Prana, turning it into a type capable of poisoning people and rendering them unconscious.
Although it possessed little offensive power, it was an area-of-effect control skill. Unless the opponent stopped breathing entirely, escaping from this technique was extremely difficult, and they could easily become lambs waiting for slaughter.
"Mm!"
The moment Julis smelled the fragrance, she immediately covered her nose and mouth with one hand. Clearly, she had already realized this.
The problem was that the flowers' effects weren't transmitted through smell alone. Physical contact could produce the same result!
And Julis was currently standing right in the middle of the flower garden. No matter how she looked at it, she was already trapped in a desperate situation.
"Julis, consider this a lesson."
The trunk of a nearby tree suddenly began to deform, and a new branch immediately grew from it. Like tentacles, the branches obeyed Orphelia's will, wrapping around Julis' wrists and hoisting her into the air.
Looking at her childhood friend before her, a trace of reluctance flashed through Orphelia's eyes, but in the end, her resolve remained firm.
"Don't speak badly of Lady Saintess again..."
Emerald energy gathered in Orphelia's hand and aimed directly at Julis' head.
Although it looked incomparably beautiful, the energy hidden within it was unimaginably terrifying!
However, perhaps Julis was lucky.
Just like in fairy tales, whenever a princess fell into danger, a brave knight would step forward and stand before her.
"Julis!"
The familiar voice reached her ears, instantly snapping Julis back to awareness. She looked in astonishment at the person who had come to save her.
But Julis quickly understood. She had made plans with Ayato, and this place wasn't far from where they had agreed to meet. It wasn't strange that Ayato would notice something was wrong and come looking.
If anything, his timing was perfect!
"Ayato, help me!"
Even Julis herself had never imagined that, as the princess of a nation, there would come a day when she asked a boy her own age for help...
But there was no time to care about that now. She had to keep Orphelia here!
"Okay!"
The two didn't say much. They merely exchanged a glance, but even that caught Orphelia's attention.
"A friend of Julis?"
Orphelia tilted her head, and Ayato, who was charging toward her, entered her field of vision.
"But it's useless. You're not my opponent."
With only a glance, Orphelia saw through Ayato's strength. Although enormous Prana lay hidden inside his body, something seemed to be locking it away, preventing him from using it.
Under those circumstances, this boy named Ayato was at most only slightly stronger than Julis.
And everyone had just seen what happened to Julis. She had been completely countered by Orphelia's newly acquired power, and her flames had been utterly useless.
So what use could this boy possibly be?
Not taking him very seriously, Orphelia casually waved a hand toward Ayato. Countless branches and vines immediately surged toward him, filling his entire field of vision in an instant.
Then she turned her attention back toward Julis.
"It's useless, Julis. No matter who comes, no one can save..."
Before Orphelia could finish speaking, the voice of the boy named Ayato came from behind the vines.
"With the secret blade within, sever the prison of the stars—"
"Release the might of my tiger!"
Even Orphelia rarely heard such chuunibyou lines, but the moment those words ended, the Prana inside Ayato's body surged by far more than a little!
That actually surprised Orphelia. He really could release the might of his tiger?
"Amagiri Shinmei Style, First Transmission—Twin Dragons!"
Although the name sounded impressive, the technique itself was essentially nothing more than a cross slash.
If the old Amagiri Ayato had used this technique, he definitely wouldn't have been able to cut through the plants Orphelia controlled. But one couldn't forget that he had recently obtained a powerful Orga Lux...
The Ser-Veresta!
It possessed the ability to slash and burn through anything, and could even cut through other Orga Luxes!
Naturally, the plants Orphelia controlled couldn't stop Amagiri Ayato.
"Hah!"
After spotting his target, Ayato held the Ser-Veresta and slashed without hesitation toward Orphelia's school crest, but Orphelia casually dodged the lightning-fast strike.
It was as easy as avoiding a child's toy sword.
Even Ayato was startled by his opponent's reaction speed, but that didn't matter. At least he had accomplished his objective.
"Amagiri Shinmei Style, Middle Transmission—Nine-Fang Blade!"
A series of extremely rapid slashes swept around Julis, cutting apart the vines wrapped around her and scattering them across the ground.
"Are you okay, Julis?"
Without looking back at Julis, Ayato immediately pointed the Ser-Veresta toward Orphelia in the distance after cutting through the vines.
Perhaps it was only his imagination, but Ayato felt that the white-haired girl before him was incredibly troublesome.
If he didn't have this Orga Lux in his hands, he probably wouldn't be her match either...
Orphelia, however, didn't care much about that. She had never intended to drag this confrontation out.
"So he's the one, Julis? He's what gives you confidence?"
Orphelia glanced at Julis, then at Ayato standing in front of her, and tilted her head.
"Is he your husband?"
"H-Hus... band?"
The battlefield had been completely serious until that moment, but the instant those words were spoken, Julis' face turned visibly red, and she immediately denied Orphelia's words.
"Of course not! He's just my partner! My partner, that's all!"
But her expression thoroughly betrayed her. Orphelia, who was exceptionally sensitive when it came to emotions, easily saw that Julis held considerable affection for this boy.
"Honestly, you're still as dishonest with yourself as ever, Julis."
As her childhood friend, Orphelia understood Julis' personality very well.
Although she was extremely strong-willed, she simply wasn't very honest with herself.
That's both your strength and your flaw, Julis.
Although Orphelia had been separated from Julis for so long, she certainly still held some affection in her heart for this strong girl.
So...
Let me give you a push, Julis!
This is the last thing I can do for you as your friend...
Waves of Prana gradually began manifesting around Orphelia, and the expressions of the two people opposite her grew increasingly tense.
Then, amid that solemn atmosphere, Orphelia moved. She extended her right hand and pointed toward Julis and Ayato.
"Wood Dragon Technique!"
Although Orphelia's voice was very quiet, none of the people present were ordinary, so naturally, they could hear exactly what she said.
But... a wood dragon?
Don't tell me it's the wood dragon I'm thinking of?
A great deal of Japanese culture originated from the continent, and dragons were naturally included, so the first thing Amagiri Ayato thought of was that legendary creature...
She can't actually summon one, can she?
Orphelia's gaze was extremely firm. Ayato couldn't detect the slightest hint of deception in her eyes.
There was no mistake...
"It's coming, Julis!"
The earth began to tremble. Something pitch-black suddenly burst from underground and charged straight toward the two of them.
So fast!
Although Ayato still couldn't clearly see what it was, he had to move. If he were struck by something moving at that speed, it would definitely hurt.
"Sorry, Julis..."
"Huh? What are you doing?!"
At that moment, Julis, who possessed the status of a princess, experienced the comfort of being carried like one.
Boom!
Almost the instant Ayato left their original position, the place where they had just been standing was completely destroyed.
"If you're going to do something like this, at least warn me first! This is... far too improper!"
Julis desperately held down her skirt, her face bright red as she refused to look at Ayato, who was carrying her.
"Sorry, Julis. We really didn't have time..."
But Ayato's attention wasn't on the beauty in his arms. Instead, he stared solemnly at the monsters behind them, or rather...
Wooden dragons!
"ROAR!"
Four enormous dragons formed entirely from wood surrounded Orphelia, opening their mouths and roaring furiously at Ayato.
"That's not ordinary wood. Even flames enhanced with Prana can't damage it..."
"If I hadn't obtained this Orga Lux a few days ago, we'd probably both be finished here, Julis."
"Can't we run away?"
To be honest, the easygoing Ayato really didn't want to face an enemy like this unless he had a reason he absolutely couldn't avoid.
But judging by everything he had heard just now, Julis might not choose to leave, so he handed the decision over to her.
Fight or flee?
That depended entirely on Julis' choice!
"..."
After hearing Ayato's words, the clever Julis immediately understood what he meant, but she didn't answer right away. Instead, she gritted her teeth and thought.
"Sorry, Ayato. Can you help me?"
"She's my friend, but now she's working under a bad person. I have to keep her here!"
Julis' words revealed a determination that wouldn't give up no matter what difficulties she encountered.
"...I understand. But she can absorb flames?"
After putting Julis down, Ayato began observing Orphelia's surroundings.
There were plants everywhere, leaving almost no openings, and they could even absorb flames. This was an absolute disadvantage for Julis!
"Don't underestimate me!"
"I'm still the princess of a nation. Even without my Strega ability, my swordsmanship is definitely nothing to laugh at!"
Besides...
Who said that just because her flames could be absorbed, she couldn't use fire anymore?
Even if the flames couldn't harm the enemy, what they could accomplish still far exceeded everyone's imagination!
"So, Ayato, let's treat this as practice for the Phoenix Festa!"
"Using an opponent this powerful for practice? Are we training for the Phoenix finals or something?"
Although he complained aloud, Ayato focused ten times harder on observing the opponent before them.
"Finished whispering to each other? Then it's my turn!"
Clap! Clap!
Orphelia lightly clapped her hands, and the wooden dragons seemed to receive some kind of command. They began weaving unpredictably back and forth, but their target was unquestionably the two people before them.
"Ayato!"
Just like in the original story, Julis directly wrapped her arms around Ayato from behind, then spread her wings!
That's right. Julis could actually fly!
By the time the four wooden dragons attacked, Julis had already carried Ayato into the air.
"Plants growing from the ground can only reach so high. There's no way they can fly into the sky like this."
"So as long as we control the air, I can throw Ayato down at the critical moment and let you cut her school crest!"
"Um... do I get a say in this?"
"Weren't you the one who said you'd help me? Then help me like this!"
And so the two reached an agreement.
However...
"It's certainly a good idea. The plants I control really can't grow that far..."
The familiar voice sounded right beside their ears. Both Julis and Ayato froze.
"But I'm the Life Strega. Controlling plants is only one aspect of my ability."
"If there's one thing about me that's the strongest, it would definitely be this body."
"Go down, Julis."
A gentle gust brushed past Julis' ear, and her pupils abruptly contracted.
Because that wasn't natural wind at all. It was the gust created by Orphelia's fist!
This is bad! If that hits, it'll be disastrous!
That was Julis' judgment, and Ayato's as well.
So Ayato made a decision that would earn him a wife...
Still in midair, Ayato abruptly turned around and placed his own body between Julis and Orphelia, taking the punch head-on.
BOOM!
A tremendous impact erupted from the area, and the pavilion below was completely destroyed.
"Ayato! Ayato!"
Amid the ruins, Julis repeatedly called Ayato's name, trying to wake him, but all her efforts were useless.
The protagonist had completely lost consciousness.
Orphelia slowly descended to the ground at that moment as well.
Had she... gone a little too far just now?
Orphelia carefully examined her own hand. Ever since Lady Saintess had drawn and written something across her back some time ago, her physical abilities had grown stronger and stronger.
And now, she could actually knock out a fairly powerful member of the Starpulse Generation with a single punch... It was difficult to imagine!
"It's all thanks to Lady Saintess!"
Orphelia devoutly began praying to Elise, but those words sounded extremely grating in Julis' ears.
"What Lady Saintess...? How could someone like her possibly be a Saintess?"
Julis turned her head, tears already streaming uncontrollably from the corners of her eyes.
The moment those words left her mouth, Orphelia's gaze became sharp.
"I believe I already told you, Julis. Don't insult Lady Saintess like that again..."
The pressure surrounding Orphelia gradually became immense. Julis felt like a lone ant standing before an elephant, liable to be crushed to death by one careless step.
Green light once again gathered around Orphelia's fist, and she moved closer and closer to Julis.
However, just as the two were about to make contact, an enchanting voice sounded from behind Orphelia.
"That's enough, Orphelia. And..."
A golden figure stepped from a deep black passageway and placed one hand on Orphelia's shoulder.
"It's good to see you again, Julis!"