Sara woke up in a room with toys. It was hers from ten years ago.

She looked around wondering what this meant.

Her eyes focused on a figure coming out of the room.

She went after that mysterious figure.

She ran as fast as she could, but she couldn't catch up.

She screamed at the top of her lungs at that figure who could only her back.

"Hold on please!"

Since she knew who it was.

"Rudeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeel!"

She shouted, but he paid no attention to her.

They reached the garden, where a field of red roses like the color of the Rosenberg family crest.

There in front of her, a young man in armor stopped, he didn't turn around.

Sara placed her hand on her chest, she was going to express her feelings.

"You know Rudel, since that day, many things have happened."

"I met a lot of people, I got engaged to Tom and then the engagement was cancelled."

"I met the daughters of Vermillion Household, I was a long time annoying the eldest daughter so Jude nor Derrick would touch her, I must not do that anymore as she became the priestess of the sapling."

Sara told him all about her life, the good times and the bad ones.

Tears streamed down her rosy cheeks, but Rudel still paid no attention to her.

Then Sara said.

"You know Rudel, I'm all woman now."

Sara slowly removed her nightgown, revealing her well-proportioned curves.

Her shapely breasts and ass.

"Turn around so you can see me. I promised you, didn't I?"

"One day when I grow up I was going to have the same body as the women you liked to see. It was hard to get it, but here it is."

"Now we can be together. Rudel, for a long time now I have always─"

Sara's happiness was interrupted by one word.

"Geez~, Sara-chan really is a very rash child. Saying she's an adult when you're just a little kid."

"... Huh?"

She didn't understand what he was saying. Rudel turned around at last.

She could see him, he was an average looking young man with a badly trimmed beard.

He smiled at her in a too boyish way.

Then he walked towards her, he was happy but then...

"You see? You're still small."

He put his hand on her head and as if she were a little girl, patted her.

Sara didn't understand why he did this, but she realized some time later that her heights were no longer the same.

She was an eight-year-old girl again.

"But what?"

Her body was small like her hands and feet.

Sara didn't understand why she went back to being a little girl.

Rudel was telling her with a smile.

"You see? Don't talk about you being a woman when your body is a little girl's, stop thinking you're a woman."

"No, you're wrong!"

Sara removed his hand from her head, she was really upset, not with him, she was upset with her body.

"I really am a grown woman! Everyone has recognized it, I... I... I want you to look at me like a woman worthy of you!"

"Bubu~, that's a mistake."

"... Why?"

Rudel knelt down to be at her level height.

"I have always seen you as a lady of high nobility. I know how much you've grown."

"In that case!"

The joy she felt was dampened by the words of a smiling Rudel."

"I always saw you as a child to protect. As if you were my little sister."

"... Huh?"

Sara couldn't believe her ears, she was being rejected.

"To me, you'll always be that little girl who bragged about her manners and her toys."

"You're wrong, I'm not a girl anymore. I'm all grown up woman."

"Grown women don't cry over such superficial things."

Sara wiped away her tears, she didn't want to accept. Rudel smiled at her and gave her a hug.

"Your feelings are the reason I couldn't leave in peace."

"For so many years you have been suffering, I wanted to tell you all this time.'Forget me and go on with your life' also 'You shouldn't hate someone who has done nothing to you'."

Sara was still crying as she hugged Rudel.

"Sara, you and I never could end up together."

That simple word destroyed her heart.

Sara couldn't take the rejection anymore and her pained cry echoed through the place.

Rudel smiled at her to cheer her up.

"But there is someone who does love you. Someone who is not only the same age as you, it's also someone you know well."

*Crying*

"You?"

"Haha, no. Someone who has the same name as me."

"But Rudel is Rudel, you'll always be like that."

"No. Rudel is dead. The one you knew is no longer here."

"There is someone who has the same name as me. Unlike me, you know that person."

"I know you too! I know the women you like, the food you prefer and the alcohol you drink!"

"Tell me about them."

"You love women with big breasts! You like fish with oyster sauce and a cold beer!"

"Wrong."

"I like well-proportioned women, but I'm more of an ass man, hehehe, I told you that for that time so you wouldn't think I saw the maids' asses or your mother's."

"That's cheating!"

"If you already thought badly of me, I didn't want you to make it worse."

"About the rest, I prefer squid dipped in its own ink and warm beer. What you mention is not something I like."

"I saw you eating and drinking that a long time ago!"

"I did it because it was what they served daily, I couldn't disparage the food they gave me for free. About the beer, you're a child so you'll never understand why an adult drinks a warm beer."

Sara was confused, she was supposed to know Rudel well, but he was telling her things that proved otherwise.

"Those are things that the Rudel you know likes. Sara, maybe you haven't realized it, but you're not in love with me. You're in love with the concept of a young girl and an older man."

At that moment, Sara's heart was destroyed.

Rudel was right, Sara since before she met him had read some stories centered on a romance of a young girl and an older man.

Sara always thought of acting and tried to behave like a young adult.

That's why she subconsciously fell in love with Rudel, a man older than her.

"No... it can't be..."

She broke down. Rudel gave her the final push to desist this impossible romance.

"Sara, you are in love."

"... Yes."

"With whom?"

"With Rudel..."

"Which Rudel?"

"..."

Before she answered, images flashed through her head. It was what she experienced and saw with Rudel of the Kingdom.

The fight against Derrick.

The intrusion to Lucy and Jude's wedding as his fight against Tom.

She also has memories of what happened recently.

Rudel tried to save her at the cost of his life. She could actually feel her heart beating for the man who risked his life when she tried to kill him.

With all the pain in her heart, and crying loudly, she responded in a painful way.

"From the Rudel who came from the Kingdom..."

Sara's heart accepted that she did not love the Rudel of Aster only the Rudel of the Kingdom.

Rudel comforted her, rubbing her back in a way similar to a father to his daughter.

"All this time I wanted to tell you. Live your life and don't think about the past."

"Sara, I want you to live without resentment, you have a life you couldn't have for ten years because you obsessed over a dead man."

"Rudel, I! ..."

Sara was silent, Rudel asked her to see him.

"This is goodbye forever. We'll never see each other again."

Rudel's warm smile hurt Sara more than the rejection she received.

"No! Don't go!"

"See? That's why you're a child. You don't want to let me go."

"Sara... you just have to say the sentence you could never say before."

She shook her head at him, Rudel was staring at her and it hurt her more.

After gritting her teeth hard and more mucous came out of her nose.

She, trying to show to be a big girl said with all the pain in her heart.

"... Good bye."

Rudel smiled at her after answering.

"I'm going. Thank you for saying so."

Rudel started to turn into a golden dust as Sara cried as she hugged him.

"Rudel! Rudel! Rudel!"

"Sara, be happy. Take care of your father, especially Romeo, he needs his sister more than ever."

"Rudeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeel!"

Rudel disappeared forever and Sara could accept both the death and the rejection of her first love.

◇

"What is this place?"

I was in a strange place, everything was white. I know I'm not dead because I can feel my heart beating.

I walked to look for a way out. I have no idea if I'm dead or asleep. get me out of here Ixion!

Then I could smell something.

It was a smell impossible to forget. A bottle of alcohol made of barley with a slight chocolate flavor.

It was a very strange taste, but I liked it a lot.

I walked to the source of that smell. There I found a strange landscape.

There was a field of flowers and a big tree there.

Someone was sitting near the tree.

After getting closer, I could see him.

I was shocked when he greeted me.

"Hello~, I wanted to see you."

It was a man just like me, but with a beard.

"... Ru... del?"

"That's right, I'm Aster's Rudel, your cousin."

I met my cousin who looked exactly like me.

He didn't seem to be hostile, so I went to sit next to him.

In this place a light breeze was blowing, I could even see the sunset.

It was too bizarre.

Rudel said to me.

"Would you like a drink?"

"Thanks, it's been a long time since I've had a drink... but this body refuses it."

"Don't worry about it~, it won't bother you here."

He poured me in a small glass. The smell was very delicious.

I brought the glass to my mouth and...

"Yummy!"

I shouted in happiness. I hadn't tasted a good beer, no, I hadn't tasted alcohol and savored it as it should be since I came to this world.

"So... how does your first beer feel in your second life?"

"It's delicious! It's ice cold, the taste tastes like combining barley and chocolate and besides─! ... Huh? ... How do you know it's my second life?"

This scared me a lot, but he reassured me.

"You see, I know a lot more about you than you think. After all, the dead man know the truth."

Wait a minute, the truth... you mean he knows about the mysteries of this world like reincarnation and the war that destroyed ancient humankind.

I can make Ixion kiss my feet forever!

"Hey you could."

"I won't tell you anything."

This guy destroyed my chance of happiness by finding out the mysteries that cause me a lot of confusion.

"There are things you have to figure out on your own, trust me, it's better that you know it yourself and I don't tell you."

"I'll just tell you this. Your enemy is not here. It is always watching you, and... be very wary of what sleeps beneath the depths of the empire. That is partly your real enemy."

"Oh, and also..."

He brought his hand closer and made the sign of peace.

"In heaven there cannot be two eyes, one of them is an imposter. Always take care that heaven doesn't fall on your heads."

"Huh? What the hell does that mean?"

"Don't be a dirty bastard and tell me who's my real enemy! Come on, I hate that ambiguity and cliché of keeping things! I demand you tell meeeeeeeeeeeee!"

I shook this bastard to speak it. Tell me!

"Waah~ sorry. But she told me not to tell you guys anything, eventually you guys will prepare to defend yourselves."

"You already got the two maidens, only left the relics and that man's legacy are missing to be prepared. Waah!"

"Damn it, spit it out! I'll hit you real hard if you don't tell me now."

"Hahahaha, you really are just like him."

"Who the hell are you talking about!?"

"Ah. Time's up."

He grabbed my hands to stop me, but I didn't want to.

He looked at me with a sharpness that made me shudder.

"Promise me two things. The first is that you will make Sara happy."

"The second is that you take care of Aster from that thing."

"That thing?"

"The thing that sleeps in the sacred tree. Remember, the sacred tree is not your enemy, never was. Neither Randolf. Your enemy at this stage of the 'game' lies in the depths of the sacred tree."

"Huh? I don't understand you."

"Promise."

"All right. I promise to protect Sara and Aster from whatever it is you're referring to."

Rudel started to fade away.

"Ah, I forgot!"

Slowly he disappeared as my vision.

"Rudel, this is important about Ixion!"

"That guy plans─!"

Everything went dark and I couldn't hear him.

◇

Once again I woke up in a strange place.

Everything was dark. I couldn't see anything.

Somebody turn on the light!

In the background of my vision, a strange red light in the shape of a pile was growing.

I moved closer to see what it was.

It was running and there seemed to be no end to it.

Then, I froze because of something I saw.

Something terrifying.

"I-It can't be..."

"Hello, long time no see... you snotty little shit."

In front of me... stood a man who should be dead and under the deepest part of the sea.

Someone who generated so much fear in me that I wanted to run away and never fight him.

Someone... whom I could not defeat without help.

That black armor covered in blood, jagged hair, scar on the side of his mouth, sharp eyes and an unforgettable laugh.

"Guhahaha, that pathetic face is always fun to see."

It was... the bloody knight...

"Bandel!!!"

"The same one. Long time no see right?"

Bandel should be dead. I killed him, his remains were sent to the bottom in a stainless capsule.

"What's with that stupid face that says you can't believe what you see? Ah, you think this is a dream and I'm alive!"

"Guhahahahaha."

The wicked laughter ended at the same time as a strange red door appeared behind him.

The door was decorated with black graffiti in an unknown language, had several chains around it and... a skull as a lock.

Bandel flashed me the same smile he did when he became Diabolos.

"I am dead. This is not a dream..."

The door behind him began to be pounded on from the inside.

The pounding was similar to a group of people trying to force their way into a building.

"I don't know what you can call it, but I just wanted to tell you this."

The door opened slightly, and a bright red glow lit up the place.

"Rudel, don't you want to come to hell with me?"

An embracing heat emanated from that place, it felt like a high-pressure furnace.

"It's a wonderful place. I can kill, cut and slash as much as I can, ahh~ you don't know how I want to thank you for showing me paradise."

"For that..."

Bandel held out his hand to me. At the same time I could notice how strange shadows with red eyes equal to those of a feline were watching us.

The shadows opened their mouths and black teeth were visible, they stretched out their hands which had claws.

The claws approached Bandel, despite touching him, he was still smiling happily as he said.

"Die already. Hell is a place where murderers like us must go."

"Ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuudeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeel!"

◇

"Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

I woke up screaming, I found myself aboard Battler.

I could feel the soft chair where my head rested.

A white background was visible through the screen.

"Master."

Ixion's voice called out to me.

Really, what was that?

I felt like I was in my pants again as I bumped into that guy.

How terrifying it was.

"Master, wake up at once."

"Master."

Ixion's annoying voice kept telling me the same thing, this guy is really irritable when I go through a traumatic experience.

As a good teacher, I must sanction him.

Before I turned to look at him, I noticed something strange.

Ixion's electronic voice disappeared, and instead, a soft and gentle female voice was listening.

As I looked at that piece of junk at my side, I was shocked by what I saw.

In place of a metallic sphere was a woman in a short black dress that came down to her thighs.

Her skin was snow white.

Her long hair was jet black, with a fringe, she seemed to be looking up at the night sky as it was so beautiful.

Her cold, expressionless eyes were hypnotic and the same color as her red lips.

I unintentionally reached out my hand, and grabbed her breasts, which were huge like Lecia's.

The sensation felt real.

I said the word I didn't want to say so I wouldn't feel weirder than I already do.

"... Ixion...?"

"Yes, Master? Something's up."

The girl in front of me answered when I called her Ixion.

"Wake up at once and stop groping me."

Then, an electric shock I felt.

◇

“Giiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii~~!"

I made that strange sound after clearly observing a metallic sphere grabbed by my hand, it was sending electric shocks to me.

"Daaaaaaaamn yooooooooooou, Ixiiiiiiiiiiiiooooooon!"

"Looks like it's okay now."

Ixion stopped electrocuting me, smoke was coming out of my body.

It looked like I was convulsing.

After I recovered, I asked him what happened.

"Well, the scythe successfully severed the cocoon so Sara was rescued and it was all over."

Just as Ixion said, a naked Sara rested in Battler's hands.

There was no trace of the insects or tentacles either.

"By the way, my main body was withdrawn when the embassy forces arrived to retrieve the remains of the armor and airships, also to imprison the pirates."

"You must tell me in detail what the hell you did in my absence."

"Besides that, it seems the great nobles have discovered it was us, but they are not interested in that, only in blaming you for cutting a branch from the sacred tree."

I watched as a branch, which was huge, the size of a bridge, was cut off and lying on the ground.

"I guess they hate you so much that they would omit any offense against them just to blame it on you."

"Is that how those idiots thank me?"

"..."

"What's wrong?"

I stared at Ixion as I kept thinking about that strange hallucination where he was a beautiful woman.

Could it be that he was right when he said that I am a maniac? Because seeing in a sexual way Ixion is something that never crossed my mind.

"Nothing. Let's go back home."

"Alright, first I must─ what do you think you're doing?!"

Ixion was talking to someone who wasn't me.

◇◇◇

Near the sacred tree lay the burned remains of the black armored unit that was split in half.

Drones approached to retrieve the remains and analyze them, then destroy them.

Just as they were about to pick them up, they were lifted by a magnetic force and raised.

Through the drones, Ixion shouted to the one responsible.

"What are you doing, Zero!"

Zero's main body, which was hidden under a stealth ability, had come after everything was over.

Zero said to Ixion in a calm tone as the remains of the black armor came inside.

"Ixion, don't overreact" I'm just picking up the remains.

"That's precisely why I say so! We defeated them, so it's our trophy! I'll analyze it and destroy it later.

"I'll do that too, the military equipment inside me is more advanced and sophisticated than that of a refugee ship."

"I'll send you the data when I've finished analyzing it."

"Ah, it finally arrived."

Drones were carrying Grappler who was badly bruised.

"I'm glad you rescued Rudel-sama and Sara-sama, until next time Ixion."

"Zeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerooooooooooooooooo!"

Ixion was really annoyed.

◇◇◇

Two days have passed since that event.

Sara slowly opened her eyes to find herself in her room.

Looking around, she found Rudel leaving some flowers.

"Good morning."

He said to her after waking up.

Sara's body was still weak.

She tried to get up, but Rudel told her to rest.

"... What happened?"

"Well... I think I'll start from that day.

Rudel told Sara what happened, she told him that they would die together. A black rose on the sacred tree, a sacrifice."

After that, there was a strange attack and he saved her.

Thereafter he told her that he beat up Romeo, who still doesn't wake up.

About Zack, neither Zero nor Diana have given an answer on how he is.

The great nobles filed a complaint to the Kingdom about Rudel, the responsible ones were Randy, Linus and Cliff.

Randolf silenced them with sanctions for wanting to sacrifice his daughter.

The black roses on the sacred tree withered right after saving Sara. So there is no problem at all.

Sara was sad about everything that happened because of her.

She told him about Rudel.

Rudel told her about seeing his cousin too.

She lowered her gaze.

"I'm sorry, this was all my fault. I'm sure your fiancés must be very angry with me."

"... About that."

"Say it."

Rudel in a sad tone told her...

"Because of what happened, Alisa protested against Randolf, our engagement is broken since she notified that you were dangerous."

Sara clasped her hands on her sheet. A tear wanted to come down.

"I see, I'm not surprised she did. It seems like the right thing to do after trying to kill you."

She looked up, but didn't see Rudel.

"I guess it's my punishment for everything that happened."

"It's okay, you can go now and leave me."

Rudel hugged her.

"... Rudel?"

"Even if you can't be my second wife. Alisa said you can be my concubine."

"Sara, despite what happened, I want to be with you."

She gently touched his hand and shed tears of happiness.

"Despite what I did, despite it being my fault, despite the fact that you already know I am a hideous woman. Do you still want me by your side?"

Rudel took her chin.

"Yes. I said I would make you happy, I do it of my own free will and not because he told me to."

As he was about to kiss her, she put her finger in the middle.

"No. Right now, I'm happy. But my head is spinning because of what happened."

Rudel was quizzical, she smiled at him.

"If you don't mind, could you give me some time to think about it? I'm not saying it for you, only because I want to understand if I'm not a horrid woman who uses you, I'm sorry. I just need time, then I'll give you my answer."

"I understand."

Rudel approached the door.

"I'll let you rest, but first there's someone who wants to talk to you."

Opening the door, Lucy was there, listening to them.

She was so surprised that her cheeks flushed.

She entered Sara's room, the heroine and the villainess were going to have their final duel.

◇◇◇

Lucy was in front of Sara, she averted her gaze but not before noticing that she no longer had the necklace around her neck.

Sara remembered what happened in her inner world. She didn´t know what to say.

She knew Lucy could see her memories as Lucy herself told Rudel, he was frightened as they could know things they shouldn't have.

Lucy denied that they saw his mind, but Alisa and Airi glared at him.

Lucy approached Sara. She gave her a big slap.

*Slap*

Sara didn't say anything, she accepted it. This was her punishment.

"Are you satisfied?"

Then came another.

*Slap*

Sara thought.

(I deserve it.)

Lucy knew Sara hated it because her family sent Knight Rudel to die.

She wasn't aware of that, but she didn't like that Sara hated her for it.

Before she could say something, there came another slap, and another, another one.

Sara's cheeks were red, she couldn't take it anymore.

"Aah, you fucking idiot! Leave me alone!"

Sara lost her temper and stood up to stop Lucy's arms.

She used force to try to give her another slap.

They were fighting for real.

"I've always hated you, Sara!"

They inadvertently pushed their bodies together, making their chests squash in the process. It was ultimately the duel of breasts between the heroine and the villainess.

"What the hell is this about hating me for something my family did!!!?"

"I apologize on their behalf. But you hate my parents not me! I had nothing to do with it!"

Sara in response said.

"I know! I just couldn't help it! Seeing you so happy, knowing that because of the Vermillion I lost Rudel!"

"How can I not despise you guys for that!"

Lucy took her hands off Sara, she punched her hard in the stomach.

Sara felt that punch very badly, it was the first time in her life she had ever been hit.

"And what do I care about that! Don't try to justify your actions based on excuses!

Sara hit back at her cheek.

Lucy grabbed Sara's hair and pulled it to the side.

Sara grabbed Lucy's hair as well, they threw a flurry of punches at each other.

"How can you call it an excuse when your family was the cause of all this!

"That's what I say! Your father murdered mine! How do you think I feel knowing that I'm in his house and that you were going to be Rudel's wife!

"In that case I should be the second wife because of my rank! But I don't want that since it would mean being tied to the sacred tree!"

"You damned fool! Fake blonde! I hate you and your sister so much!"

"You hateful bitch! You lying princess! You raging madwoman!"

They exchanged their fists for pillows.

"Rudel loves me more! I have a better body! My breasts are firm and asthmatic!"

"Rudel prefers me more than his fiancés! Those two are crazy! Their heads don't work properly!

"What's that got to do with it?"

"Nothing at all! I just wanted to say it!"

"Besides. Rudel and I did it! He asked me to use my tongue in a place I won't mention! I wouldn't mind doing it again either!"

"You're a common slut! You cheap slut!"

"Frustrated virgin! Jealous idiot!"

After an hour, they stopped for lack of energy, their throats sore too.

They both lay down on the bed perspiring precipitously.

"There... I can't take it anymore. I give up." (Lucy)

"So do I. I don't have the strength." (Sara)

Lucy started to laugh.

"Hahaha, that was all I wanted to tell you, I have no more regrets."

"Shut up. If it wasn't for me, either Derrick or Jude or any other guy would have used you. An idiot like you whose brain mass was sucked up by those breasts has no right to complain."

"Shut your mouth, you nasty princess..."

"I... I wouldn't mind if you were with Rudel. I accepted that he only has weird women around him."

"Does that include you?"

"... I think it does. In any case, I'd feel bad if you're not happy with him. So hurry up and sleep with him, so you won't be jealous and frustrated."

"Damn slut... Lucy."

"Yes?"

"... Do you want to start over?"

"Are you talking about being friends?"

"... I don't think you and I are that. But we can be acquaintances."

"I think so, okay, hahaha."

"And that laugh?"

Lucy started laughing, Sara stood watching her who was making funny faces.

"It took this for us to finally have this talk."

"Haha... whatever. Tell me about 'it'."

"It hurt. That idiot doesn't know what it means to be gentle. He was just thinking about going after my breasts. He has no gentleness at all!"

Lucy and Sara began to strike up a connection of people who are neither the heroine nor the villainess, just two girls of the same age. Two friends starting from scratch.