The 'god' in the heavens finally began to gaze upon the humans below.
Once the wishes in one's heart stagnate, they're inevitably overtaken by cold, hard reality.
Like a dream on the verge of fading, the fairy tale was beginning to be replaced by the waking world.
On the distant horizon, the massive silhouette of a ship appeared. The rulers of this land seemed to have noticed the anomaly as well.
Upon that colossal, pitch-black hull, long cannon barrels slowly elevated.
Beneath the enormous aerial warship, the Daedalus, a vast army surged forth, charging from afar.
Perched atop the Daedalus, the Crown Prince of Britain, Edmund, narrowed his eyes at the meteor streaking across the sky and the figure of a girl floating in the air.
Seeing that sudden meteor, his sixth sense screamed at him.
Even if he activated the Daedalus immediately, was he still a step too late?
The inexplicable dread emanating from that figure could only mean one thing: the Divine Machine.
Edmund frowned deeply. Had someone summoned the Divine Machine before him?
His hands trembled involuntarily, yet a wild, arrogant smile spread across his face.
This feeling of fear... he was actually enjoying it. If gods truly existed, perhaps this was how a human felt upon witnessing one.
A beam of light shot forth.
The torrent of brilliance illuminated the night sky, snapping him back to his senses.
A 'spear' from nowhere pierced through the arm of the Divine Machine.
"Soldiers, stop them."
Edmund glanced in the direction the 'spear' had come from. He wouldn't allow anyone to obstruct his dream.
That absolute power capable of overwhelming all things... it rightfully belonged to him.
His eyes fixed intently on the figure in the air, he issued a passionate call. "Come, Divine Machine! I am your master! Obey me!"
His voice, wrapped in magical energy, carried towards the divine automaton. But the girl showed no reaction, not even deigning to glance at Edmund.
Undeterred, he pushed through the raging magical storm, gradually closing in on the pale girl.
"Swear your loyalty to me. That is the one and only answer."
Edmund smiled, striking his own chest forcefully. "Because I am correct! I am the one who will reign as king of the world!"
The Divine Machine finally turned her gaze upon Edmund. Her arm, which had somehow regenerated, lifted slightly.
Astonishing magical energy erupted from her, sweeping the warship from the sky.
Like the great flood meant to end the world, crimson blood spread across the land, accompanied by an eerie, echoing laughter.
The charging army was swallowed by the blood, and a white mist drifting atop the scarlet tide violently tore the Daedalus apart.
The world fell silent once more. The spears of light also ceased their flickering, for now.
'Our attacks can't keep up with her regeneration.'
An endless source of magical energy... the materialization of the soul is truly troublesome.
And on our side, only the Holy Lance can pierce her defenses.
Alice Kuonji glanced at the others who had been attacking fruitlessly, then rubbed her palm wearily.
While Yumina wasn't causing trouble inside her, the repeated releases of the Holy Lance were taking their toll.
Small mercury boats floated on the bloody water, using gravity to lift the submerged students from the depths.
On the rooftop of a distant lecture hall, the academy professors were organizing rescue efforts.
Magnus and his new battalion were 'fishing' students out of the bloody water one by one.
The air was torn asunder by a beam. A blinding platinum light filled their vision as the 'Cursed Sword' dragon unleashed a ray of absolute destruction towards the Divine Machine.
Simultaneously, an identical beam shot towards the divine automaton from another direction.
A small crimson dragon opened its jaws in the sky. Beneath it stood a girl with golden hair similar to Charlotte's.
The radiance aimed at the Divine Machine silently vanished into thin air. The 'Cursed Sword' didn't even earn a glance from her.
"Is she an Elementalist too?"
"Yes."
Charlotte, herself an Elementalist, immediately recognized the other girl's nature. She turned back to answer Alice, who had asked the question.
"And that Divine Machine... what do we do about her?"
"Killing her... is probably impossible."
Various monsters were now taking form within the white mist. A claw, similar to that of the Wander Snatch, appeared before Alice.
In the next moment, a horde of vengeful spirits swarmed over the giant claw. A noble queen stood by Edward's side.
This was a puppet summoned by the 'Key of Solomon': Queen Ishtar.
Charlotte coated her arm in mercury, blocking a monster lunging at Alice. Her arm bent slightly at the elbow, then forcefully slammed the creature away.
A move she'd conceptualized earlier was now being realized.
'Can the Divine Machine use monsters similar to the Wander Snatch?'
Alice slowly opened her palm, and a similar white mist began to emanate from her, spreading outwards.
Her Magic Circuits trembled faintly, as if sneering contemptuously at the Divine Machine.
Beasts with sharp fangs and crimson claws surged into the thick fog, momentarily suppressing the monsters of the Divine Machine.
"Does Miss Kuonji have any ideas?"
Edward asked softly. The 19th century's strongest magician found himself unable to play a major role in a direct confrontation with the Divine Machine.
The puppets summoned by the 'Key of Solomon' were primarily tasked with rescuing students and residents.
"..." Alice didn't reply, instead looking towards the girl at the edge of the sky.
The earlier whisper seemed to have reminded her of something. She parted her lips slightly and murmured softly, "Irori?"
The Divine Machine also opened her mouth. Her lips moved, forming a sound similar to "Irori."
The bizarre smile on her face faded a little, as if she was puzzled by her own strange reaction.
'She's still in there after all.'
A slight smile touched Alice's lips. A massive vine grew behind her.
Suiseiseki poured forth a new foothold from her watering can, while Souseiseki cut down the approaching monsters one by one.
Suigintou and Shinku returned from their distant assault; their attacks had been unable to harm the Divine Machine.
Pure white thorns coiled around the various buildings like spiderwebs. Kirakishou stood within them, looking somewhat displeased.
Kanaria floated down from above, holding a parasol. Hinaichigo walked over from Frey's side with a 'clip-clop' sound.
"The solution is to turn the 'god' back into a 'human'."
As these words fell, the Divine Machine clutched her face.
"No...! It's overflowing... Don't come out!" she cried out in a pained voice.
Alice blinked. 'Was that Irori struggling from within?'
The girl's head exploded violently, blood and gore spraying out.
Gasps of horror arose from those watching. The bloody water level rose again.
The oppressive deity had transformed into a sinister witch. She spread her arms wide, revealing a bloody smile.
"...Just kidding."A voice brimming with amusement rang out, as if this were all a game. The Divine Machine issued an invitation to Alice. "Let's play a proper game of hide-and-seek, my dear Alice."
The mist grew thicker. The very atmosphere cowered, and the whole world trembled before her.
The god who could no longer freely reshape the world decided to first crush the insects blocking her path.
A suffocating wave of magical energy surged forth, slicing through the dense fog that filled the world.
BOOM!
The shockwave slammed hard into a gigantic arm.
She summoned the Thames Troll. The arm, formed of concrete, intercepted the attack aimed at its master.
"The method for freeing her is no longer an option..."
Alice let out a soft sigh, her eyes lowering. The radiance of the Holy Lance once again flickered in her hand.
Yumina cheered internally, but then grew calm.
High above, the Flat Snark seemed to have discovered something. A smile appeared on its skull-like face as it joyfully spewed forth mist of magical energy.
Alice's fairy tale began to erode that of the Divine Machine. The world belonging to Alice was slowly overwriting the world of the Divine Machine.
Verdant plants sucked the blood and white mist covering the world into themselves, then exhaled Ether in return.
The fog-shrouded world began to clear. The dim moonlight gradually grew sharper and brighter.
Dark eyes opened once more under the night sky. The clear moonlight showed her the way.
It seemed as if something about Alice had changed, yet also as if nothing had changed at all.
She took a light step forward, onto the giant's arm.
The Thames Troll raised its massive limb, carrying its master up into the sky.
A black witch's hat and wide black robe appeared on the girl. The broad brim of the hat slightly shadowed her face, making her look like a witch straight out of a fairy tale.
Her black pupils fixed intently on the Divine Machine opposite her. Alice (Yumina) smiled.
Her hand lifted gently, and in an instant, a long spear materialized within it.
Ribbons of light coiled around a pillar of brilliance, forming the platinum Holy Lance.
An inexplicable sense of threat arose in the heart of the Divine Machine. Her outstretched arms tightened slightly, and a bitter cold emanated from them.
'Irori's winter?'
Alice (Yumina) raised an eyebrow slightly, and the Holy Lance in her hand thrust straight forward.
The torrent of light charged forth once more.
Frigid air spread around the Divine Machine. Magical energy coalesced in her hands, and the next moment, she fired it explosively.
Pure light and raging magical energy collided.
The ensuing explosion whipped up a violent gale, sweeping up everything in the vicinity.
Robin chirped frantically. The blue robin was carried away by the storm, falling into the spreading winter.
With a crack, like fruit trapped in jelly, Robin was frozen solid within a block of ice.
'She's not the true Yumina [the First Magician] yet. Her current output is still somewhat lacking against the Divine Machine [The Third Magic].'
Alice (Yumina) raised the imagined Holy Lance once more.
Alice had not obtained the First Magic. Yumina had not awakened within her. She was merely temporarily receiving support from the Magic Circuits, allowing her to use an incomplete version of the First Magic.
The earlier hurricane hadn't just swept away Robin; the Rozen Maidens had been caught in it too.
Struggling to steady herself, Suigintou watched the battle between Alice and the Divine Machine with bitter frustration.
That was a battlefield she couldn't intervene in. Entering it would only make her a burden.
Her black wings beat fiercely. Suigintou was furious—furious at her own powerlessness.
As if venting her master's anger, black feathers shot like blades straight towards the Divine Machine.
But they were helplessly swept away by the renewed storm.
Her attack didn't garner the attention of either party in the battle.
"Go help Alice, Suigintou."
A sister's voice sounded from behind. Suigintou frowned and turned her head displeased. "Of course I want to go..."
Her crimson eyes suddenly widened. The sight before her made her gasp in surprise.
Shinku had extended her hand towards Suigintou, as if to give her something.
Resting on that pale, tender palm was a small, irregularly shaped gem.
This was Shinku's Magic Circuit—The Rosa Mystica.
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T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
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If you guys wanna check it out.