《Magical Fraulein and the World Euphonics》 Prologue -- You Did Good, Moon Voice Prologue You Did Good, Moon Voice Part 1 "Wake up." I hear a voice. An awfully nostalgic voice, muzzled by the annoying engine sound and that country music I could only describe as "bad taste". I can feel my surroundings shaking, and there''s this thick haze in my skull that I just can''t shake away. Ah, my head hurts. It really hurts. That''s right, I have to switch that radio off. Because it''s annoying. I reach my hand out to nowhere in particular, hoping that I somehow press the right button. "What are you doing? Hey, don''t poke my eyes like that! I''ll blame you if we crash on a tree!" Ah, I remember this voice. How could I not remember this voice? "... Brother dear, where is this? And what''s this shaking? An earthquake? Is it time to evacuate? Carry me." I feel a knock on my forehead. Did he just hit me? Me, his cute little sister? This is practically child abuse. In the name of the law, I must deliver justice! "Are you still dreaming? Hey, that''s dangerous! Don''t swing your fists like that!" "... No! Don''t wanna! Brother dear, I won''t allow them to send you to jail! I''ll deliver your sentence here and now!" "What are you talking about? Geez, calm down, calm down." W¡ªwhat''s this? I feel someone softly patting my fluffy hair! Shameless, truly shameless! Seriously, if it wasn''t brother dear, I would''ve drove a sucker punch straight to his abdomen. Breath in, breath out. Okay, I''m calming down. My sights haven''t cleared, but at least my mind has. A bit. So, what should I do at these moments? That''s right, first I have to assess the situation. Although that''s kind of hard with that annoying booming from the radio. "... So, where are we?" "Oh, just a thousand miles away from the city, here in a tin can blazing through the c¡ª" "We''re in space!?" My adventure-loving spirit awakens, and I snap out of my stupor. In this moment, my mind sharpens to its utmost limits, and my eyes become the eyes of a predator. I quickly plaster my face on the windowpane. This is it. This is truly it. Finally, the final frontier! Sp¡ªace... space. Huh? Something''s wrong. "Brother dear, where are the beautiful stars? The big blue crystal called earth? Where?" "¡ªcountry road. Blazing through the country road. Fr?ulein, stop acting like a sugar junkie." Trees. Nothing but trees. Trees passing by us. What? Oh, we''re the ones who are moving. I get it, but I don''t get it at the same time. We''re not in space, and we''re not in the city. The familiar concrete jungle is gone, and is replaced with a literal jungle. Could it be? "Brother dear, I hope it isn''t true, but perhaps our beloved city has been overrun by mother nature, all because we awakened her wrath by not sorting out our garbage?" Brother dear heavily sighs, like he''s fed up with me. Now that my eyes are open, I realize an important fact I''ve been unaware until now: We''re in a car. Then it hits me, and everything suddenly fits. "Maybe, just maybe, we''re on our way to that lone mansion in the village, because out parents told us so?" Brother makes a face as if saying, "Finally, this idiot gets it!" How rude, I''m not an idiot. I''m can proudly say I''m smart. Without warning, I sense something swift being thrown my way. Whoa, fast! Although I unflinchingly catch it, my eyes weren''t even able to follow! If my reflexes were even a bit duller, it would''ve hit me square in the head. Scary! "What was that for? Are you trying to kill me, brother dear?" "Nah, it was just something to wake you up." Wake me up? Rather, that shook me up, you know? Stupid brother! But since it''s him, I''ll forgive it. I stare at my hands, and there a can of iced coffee awaits me. Brother dear! I gaze at him with wonder and affection, happy that he remembers my super favorite drink and how I love drinking it in the mornings. "I love you!" "Yeah, yeah." We remain silent for a while. Brother dear is focusing on the road, while here I am here merrily sipping my iced coffee. It''s great, you know? It really helps loosen my nerves, you know? This is one of my greatest pleasures, you know? Anyways. This businesslike silence between us siblings is something I''ve grown accustomed to. I don''t hate it. Rather, it''s proof of our deep connection. Something like a ''we don''t need words to communicate'' type of feeling, I think? Well, it''s normal in our weird family. I''m not bothered. But I''m bored. Terribly bored. Gah, why does that village have to be so far away? What can I do on the road? Did I even pack my portable games? I want to finish that adventure RPG I was playing. But I bet it''s in the trunk. Well, there''s nothing else to do except maintain my¡ª "Fr?ulein." My brother mutters my name, his focus is still stuck on the road. For some reason, I can feel the uneasiness in his voice. "Yes?" "I''m not sure about bringing you with me." "What are you talking, brother dear? No matter where, no matter when, this Fr?ulein Floret will always stand together with her dearest brother, Stein." "But¡ª" "No buts! No hesitation! No regrets! Push forward and stand firm! Learn from the past, learn for the future, but apply in the present!" "What are you suddenly shouting about?" "What I want to say is, we are family! We are chains that bind each other, in happiness and in fall!" Hey, why is brother dear laughing? I actually poured my heart and soul into that, you know? Stupid brother, why are you laughing at my super cool speech? I¡ªI''m starting to feel embarrassed here. "Ha ha! So, from what game did you take those words from?" "... Adventure Magic Spirit, the Second Chronicle: Treasure of the World Euphonics." "Ha, that game you''ve been playing, huh? How nostalgic. Did you know, the princess dies at the last event?" "THE HECK!?" "But really, thank you. You''ve helped me calm my nerves. I guess there''s nothing to worry about." "Grrr..." I want to punch him! But how can I do so in this situation? You''re so unfair, brother dear. Unfair! I''m sulking here. Yeah, the atmosphere between us lightened a bit. I should be glad about that, right? "We''re almost there. Ah, that''s right, I almost forgot. Listen well!" "Hmm?" For the first time, brother dear took his eyes off the road, and stared at me with those deep blue eyes filled with conviction. What''s wrong? If you drive carelessly, we''re going to crash on a tree, you know? But before I could even warn him, that smile of his froze me to place. That sad, cruel smile. W¡ªwhat''s wrong? "Remember, Fr?ulein. Believe in all that can be." At that moment¡ª Explosions blast beneath us, and the world goes black. Part 2 AHHH! THAT HURTS! DAMN! Fu¡ª gah, what happened? What on earth was that? A landmine? Really now? Damn it, IT HU¡ª wait, it doesn''t hurt. Calm down, me. Calm down. I first confirm the state of my body. Fine. Fine? Everything''s fine. Not a single scorch mark on my clothes. If fact, my white shirt is as white as ever, and my black skirt is intact. A dream? Or is this the dream? Am I dead? "Yes, you are." Whoa, who''s that? No no no, firstly, where''s this? I''m standing here, all alone, on an endless gray desert. Grayness stretched as far as the eye can see. What once was day is suddenly night. Yep, above was a deep darkness, similar to the starless city sky. I can''t even feel the faintest of winds. So where am I? "You are on the moon." Well, thank you. Tha... nk you? You? I''m... on the moon? Huh? So that big blue crystal ball above isn''t my delusion, but is really earth? Huh? Wait, so that means... "Whoa, I mean, I meant it as a joke, you know? The whole space thing. I really went to space?" "Yes, you did." But what''s that voice I keep hearing? "It is I." You can read minds? Cool. Are you dead too? I mean, I never thought dead people go to the moon. It''s my first time dying after all. But dying because of a landmine, huh? I really thought I would die of old age. Wait. Wait wait wait. Oh no. Oh please no. I¡ªit can''t be. Hey, moon voice, what about my brother! My dearest brother! What happened to him? Did he survive? "He was here before you, do not worry." Oh, so he died too. Wow. Yeah, humans are kind of fragile. A sudden explosion would kill one, after all. Hah. So brother dear... died. I should accept it, right? At least we died together, or something like that. Till death do us part. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. "Do not cry, child. There is nothing to fear." I am not a child, I am already thirteen. Ah, this is bad. Color is draining from the world. I have to keep it together. But how can I keep it together when my body isn''t? Ha, that was a good one. Laugh with me, moon voice. "Ha ha ha." Damn. "Let me confirm. You are Fr?ulein Floret, right?" Yep, that''s right. The one and only. "Connection confirmed. Euphonical ports, online. Stabilization, loading... complete. System startup, confirmed. Mana capacity, check. Break drive, functional..." Hey, what are you doing? I''m feeling goosebumps here. I''m the ghost, so shouldn''t I be doing the scaring? Stupid moon voice. "All systems, clear. The World Euphonics is online. Now, Fr?ulein Floret, I shall be sending you to another world." Huh? Another world? Why not send me to my world? "You soul connection has been destabilized here. If you want to live, then accept." I accept, then. There''s nothing left to do, after all. I''m dead. Like my brother dear. "Your brother has been sent to the same world as well. If luck is with you, you may see him again." ... What? That''s not a lie now, isn''t it? Really? Really? "Yes." Color suddenly floods the world¡ªer, the moon. Moon voice, aren''t you awesome? I mean, I can see my brother again? Well, what do you know, not even death can tear our family apart! Ha ha! So moon voice, what''s your name? "I am called the World Euphonics." Moon voice for short. Got it. Well then, send me to that world where my brother awaits! What kind of world is it? As expected, it should be a fantasy one, right? Filled with adventure! I am the protagonist of my own story! Adventure! But wait, I''m already in space. I see, space isn''t the final frontier, it''s death! How lucky can I be? "Not much." Don''t sully my mood, moon voice. Wow, my body''s glowing. I kind of feel... lighter. Ah, what''s this, it''s warm. How kind. "Good tidings. You may be young, but your spirit is strong. Believe in all that can be, and discover the truth." Why does everyone keep spamming that phrase? Oh well... I want to sleep... I''m very excited... thanks for the help, moon voice... "No worries. Have you ever played an RPG game?" I played Adventure Magic Spirit, the Second Chronicle: Treasure of the World Euphonics... what''s this foreboding feeling... well, I hope the world I''m going to is fun... "I have played that game as well. If I remember correctly, your best friend betrays you in the end and joins the demon lord army." "DAMN IT STOP SPOILING ME ON THAT GAME!" I use the last of my strength to shout at that cruel voice, and I drift off to the abyss. Part 3 Ouch! I am suddenly jolted out of my stupor, and crazy pain slams on my head. Ahh! I think I hit my head on the ground. Please don''t waste my precious brain cells. Stupid moon voice! At least properly land me! First, assess the situation. I am in a dark alley. Good. It''s night. There are barrels scattered around, and the obnoxious stench of alcohol lingers. Where is this? The other world? "R¡ªrun away!" Behind me? I turn around, and the sight of a hooded figure greets me. Ah, she just stumbled. A¡ªam I that scary? But I''m a cute little girl. Or am I? Soft milky-white skin? Check. Fluffy blonde hair? Check. Body size? Slightly taller than an average thirteen-year old. Check. Oh, maybe I scared her? I suddenly appeared out of nowhere, after all. I''m sorry! "I''m not scary, not at all!" I smile at her, although it feels a little cramp. Nah, it''s fine. "N¡ªno, someone''s chasing me!" Behind her? O¡ªoh. I instinctively tense up. There''s a guy running towards us, brandishing a humongous sword. What''s with that sword? That''s kind of dangerous to drag around in the open. Who approaches us is a bald man with bulging muscles, wearing some sort of leather armor. Huh? I''m getting more confused. He''s staring angrily... at me? What did I do? "You''re not running away, slave!" "Huh? But slavery has been abolished since long ago, you know!" "Only death awaits a slave who runs. Gotta make an example for the others, heh." That look on his face, drunk on the ecstasy of killing. This guy... I see. Evil. I declare this guy as evil! Shouting about death just like that, how crude! "... before justice is done, let me ask: why are you angry at me? It''s this hooded girl who was running. Or... are you going to make me a slave?" "Shut the excuses, here comes the bruises!" Woah woah woah, he''s really planning to kill me! He''s the kind of brute that would kill a young girl like me! But I just died! Can I respawn again? He raises that gigantic sword above his head¡ª and smashes it to the ground where I just was moments ago. "Huh?" Without hesitation, I duck, then kick the ground beneath me to avoid his swing, and brought myself closer. A huge sword like that is not efficient enough for killing young girls. I draw the double edged knife hidden beneath my skirt with practiced movement¡ªand drive it into his heart. Before he tries to move back, I twist the knife, ensuring his death. I think he shouted, but he stops after a while. I guess that''s enough? I pull back, and a large thud echoes throughout the dark alley. He''s not moving anymore. Ah! I spilled some blood on my shirt! Why did I even wear white? What a messy job. I mean, yeah, knives are messy, but I could''ve done a better. If only it was brother dear. Ah, yes, confirmation. With vigilant steps, I draw closer to the body while avoiding the pool of blood, and check both his wrists and neck for a pulse. Nothing. The power of surprise is really terrifying, huh? May the moon voice have mercy on you. So I actually did a good job? Nah, I got blood spilt on my only shirt. And I did the whole act without any gloves. Forensics would have a field day with this. I hope this world isn''t that advanced. "A¡ªah... you killed him..." The hooded girl was still here? Crap, witness. I keep making mistakes. I don''t want to increase the body count. Will I have to live hiding from the law my whole life? No wait, I still have a card to play! "I¡ªit was self-defense, okay? Is there a law about that in this place?" "H¡ªhuh? Me? But... how?" "You? Yes, you. Understand? Me, self-defense. You, silent. Understand?" Does this person even understand? I hope so. Maybe she''s from a different country. Then, maybe I can ask her for help, build a rapport, and keep her silent? Then I can gather information, then build connections to search for brother dear. Okay, my plan is set. "You, me, amigo. Comprehendo?" She backs away from me while still crawling on the ground. Hey, I was trying to be friendly! Ah, right, I just killed a guy in front of her. Is that it? If it was me, I would be scared stiff too. Slowly, ever so slowly, she lifts her hood. And at that moment, I understand. Why she was so scared. Why I should be scared. Stupid moon voice, at least do your job right. Facing below me is a mirror. A mirror. How clever. Yes, a mirror. The same blue eyes I have known ever since. The same fluffy blonde hair I took care for years. The same face. We probably have the same body type. I instinctively understand. Who she is. And what she is. My self from this world. A painful contrast. One was a frail girl, a pitiful existence who dragged herself on the ground. One was me, who stood above, with hands carrying a blood-stained knife. It''s a sight that makes me wonder, for some reason, if we were both born in the wrong world. Nah, it''s the right world. I have brother dear after all. You did good, moon voice. Part 4 And thus, the curtain of this stage has opened. But really, why choose her? She is the sister of the great hero, after all. I can expect things. She''s normal, unlike him. I don''t sense any abnormal mana capacity. Not even a shred of any hidden ability! That is not her charm. She is normal, so she will struggle for the truth. And against the truth. That''s all? Anyone can struggle. Come on, you should''ve chosen that other guy in the mansion! That potential he held was something I have never seen before! He could''ve been even greater than the hero. But Fr?ulein is cuter. You know what? I give up. I don''t care anymore. I''ll find a way to bring him myself. Farewell, World Euphonics. Farewell, human. Prologue 2 -- Under the Moonlight Prologue 2 Under the Moonlight Part 1 My name is Fraulein Floret. I am thirteen years old. I live here, together with my big sister, in my prided country, the Floating Island of Eli. Its official name is The Magical Floating Island of Elia Seli Da Coruscanta Lara. But no one ever calls it that. Everyone just calls it the Floating Island of Eli. We float above an eternal cloud that blankets the whole world. We call it the Great Barrier Cloud. What lies below it, we could only guess. We have been floating up above the cloud for a thousand years, after all But what we do know is that down there, danger lurks. Occasionally, deformed beasts would pop out from it, creatures similar to animals, but not quite. I''ve heard there was this winged dog, twice as tall as a human adult. Once I heard there was this winged lizard that spitted fire. Once I heard there was this bird-like creature, with wings of steel that would easily slice a human in two. Humans are frail individuals. We cannot wish to stand up against these monstrosities ourselves. So we, as the weak, would forge tools to reject the tyranny of the strong. A tool called magic. Magic is a miraculous science humanity has given itself. I''ve read that magic is the ability to rewrite the world using various tools and procedures. I don''t really know how it works though. I''m still thirteen. But! But I''m going to the Magical Academy when I turn fifteen! It''s my dream to be a full-fledge magician, and protect my beloved country from the monsters. I can''t wait! "Geez, Fraulein, stop reading those stuffy books and help your big sister out." "Coming!" This is my peaceful everyday life. My sister and I, all alone in our humble abode at the edge of Dust Town. Our parents... our parents lost their lives protecting their beloved country. I am proud of them! I will not cry again! "What''s wrong, Fraulein? You look a bit sad." "Nothing! I am fine, sister dear!" "If you say so... Please set up the table, dinner''s about to be served." "Yes, ma''am!" My older sister, Teana Floret. She''s very kind, and has this soft atmosphere around here. I love my big sister! She''s very, very good at cooking. Although I still don''t know why she doesn''t want me to be a magician. I quickly set everything up on top of the wooden table like the good kid I am. I am proud of my speed, you know? None of the town kids can catch me when we play at the meadows. And before I know it, I''m done setting everything up. "Oh, that was quick. You''re quite a fast worker, aren''t you?" "Ehehe, praise me more!" "Good girl, good girl." I love it when she pats my fluffy hair. The warmth of her hand feels like sunshine. "And today''s meal is¡ª tada! Cheap vegetable soup and leftover bread!" "Hooray!" "... Actually, I''m sorry our meals are a bit... lackluster. I''m no good, huh? What kind of big sister makes her little sister eat this trash." "N¡ªno! No no no! Sister, I really like your food, you know? No matter what you make, it''s great, you know? I love both sister dear and her wonderful creations, you know? And when I become the greatest magician ever, I''ll make sure to buy lots of top-quality ingredients for sister''s cooking to flourish more!" "Ah, I don''t deserve such a cute little sister! Come here and give me a hug." "Hug~ Hug~" "Happiness~ Ah, I''m satisfied. No, I''m not, but if we don''t eat quickly, the soup will get cold." "Ahaha, that''s right." This is my precious everyday life with my sister dear. This is something I will protect in the future. And so, I must push myself to the limits when that time comes, all to become the greatest magician ever. Part 2 My name is Fraulein Floret. I am thirteen years old, I think. I''m not sure. Who am I? I am Fraulein. What else? I''m thirteen years old. What else? Nothing. Blank. I don''t remember anything. No... I remember. Sister. My sister, Teana Floret. That''s right, I have a sister. Teana Floret. That''s right. What else...? I don''t know. Who am I? Fraulein Floret. I am thirteen years old. I have a sister, Teana Floret. My thoughts have been circling, circling, circling without end. My head hurts! My eyes are blurry. Where am I? Who am I? Sister dear? Sister dear, where are you? I was... having dinner with my sister? Yes, then... I don''t remember anything else. I don''t remember! What am I doing? I''m wearing something like a cloak. For some reason, I''m wearing a hood. Huh? Was I running away? No, I was having dinner with my sister... Remember! Remember! I smash my head on the hard stone pathway, a desperate attempt to regain something, anything. What is this uneasiness I feel? Big sister? Where are you? Help me... please help me... My body feels hot and lethargic, like I''ve been running non-stop. I have to find her... sister dear. What if she''s in trouble? I can''t be the one to ask for help... that''s right. Our parents entrusted me to protect my delicate older sister. So I have to be the one, to save her. Stolen story; please report. I bite my lips to shake away the pain swarming in my head. Ahhh! Sister, dear sister. Wait for me. Ah, I remember. I remember something. I feel, I feel I mustn''t let go of this memory. That''s right. Sister''s last words. Her smile, unlike her usual sunny smile, was as cold as the moon. Those words. Believe in all that can be. What does that mean? I don''t know, but it''s the last words I heard from my sister. Surely, this must be a clue. It''s enough. Now, one step at a time, one step closer to my dear sister. Walking with nothing but these fragmented memories. "You, that getup, are you an escaped slave!?" Huh? I lethargically look up, and I cower. I''m being glared at by a bald soldier with a scary look on his face? I''m more scared of that big sword on his back, though. What... did I do wrong? Who is he? Slave? I''m not a slave, I am the prided daughter of my parents... "That silence confirms it! Only death awaits a slave who runs away!" D¡ªdeath? There is no such thing as a death sentence for slaves. Huh? H¡ªhe''s reaching for me! I can''t die here! If I die, who''ll protect my sister? That deadly glare of this bald soldier, the apathetic looks of the crowd¡ªthis isn''t the kind country that I know. I run. I run for my life. I pass through alleyways, pushing aside those who block me. I run. Faster, ever faster. I can''t die. I must protect my sister. I must become the greatest magician. Those thoughts swirl inside my head, as I keep running away for my life. I can hear it, those footsteps catching up on me, those footsteps of death. I feel the fatigue catch up on me, as my steps become wobbly and my mind turns to mush. He''ll surely catch up like this. Then I''ll die. Why... why didn''t I work harder? Protect sister dear in the future? What use is that when I can''t even protect her now? My life, my frail life, is nothing compared to the whims of that soldier''s sword. If only... if only I had magic. The tool of the weak. I kept pushing it away, saying I''ll learn it in the future. Na?ve. How na?ve can I be! Now, it''s too late. My legs are wilting, and my sight is blurred. But... I can''t die here after all! Until the end, please let me struggle, to help my sister! At the very least, let me die fighting for something! Please... I somehow arrive in a dark alley, but, someone is block my path. A... young girl, girl as young as me. We even have the same hair... She looks lost. Oh no, if that soldier, that monster catches up, he may kill her too. I don''t want that. At the very least, let me use my life to protect someone, to protect her... Gathering the last of my strength, I shout, "R¡ªrun away!" And finally, my legs give up on me, and I fall. I can''t... keep running away anymore. But it''s fine. At least I saved a life. At least my life had a purpose. At least I lived with dignity. Whoever you are, be proud of me... "I''m not scary, not at all!" But for some reason, this na?ve girl gives me a stiff smile. Wha... what are you doing? Why are you just standing there, looking confused? Don''t waste my life like this. Run away! There''s something scary headed towards us! "N¡ªno, someone''s chasing me!" Gah, it''s too late. He... he caught up. The monster caught up. That na?ve girl, all she did was looked startled, then stiffened up in shock when she finally realized that unfair existence. Ha. Ha ha! In the end, I couldn''t even save someone my age? Protect my sister? What a joke. I can''t even protect this person. All I''ve been doing is playing around, huh? Well, whatever. I finally understand. For someone like me, a dog''s death is enough. But still... it''s a cruel joke. The girl with the same hair as mine, is she dead? No... If I squint my eyes, I can faintly see her talking with the monster. For some reason, she''s not even tense. A na?ve girl until the end. I feel... I feel a sense of camaraderie with here. The foolish girls who knew not of how this world worked. To die with a comrade... is an honor too much for me. Ah, there goes his sword. He raises it up above his head, ready to strike. What a cruel end. To honor this one-sided friendship, let me at least witness... your... death? "Huh?" Surely, the sword has been swung. Yeah. But instead of her splattered remains, there was... nothing. Nothing but air. What? Before I even noticed, she leans towards him, and... blood? Deep red blood oozed from that monster, forming a crimson pool beneath them. It''s too fast. How...? Did she teleport? I don''t understand anything anymore. She pulls out a knife from his heart, and he goes down with a thud. The monster, the existence I proclaimed as strong, was killed just like that. Is this a joke? And the one who easily ended him was a frail girl my age. "A¡ªah... you killed him..." I was... bewitched, by that hallowed visage. Stained with the blood of the weak, bathing under the cold moonlight. She is an existence I could not hope to reach, not with the weak me right now. She is... huh? "I¡ªit was self-defense, okay? Is there a law about that in this place?" She''s saying something, but I ignore it. I recognize her. I recognize that fluffy blonde hair. I recognize that deep blue eyes. The face I admired, was the same pathetic face I have been staring at every morning. Her looks were exactly the same as mine, but¡ª I could see nothing but a painful contrast. One was a lofty being who stood above, with her hand gripping a knife that slew the weak. One was me, a pitiful nobody who could do nothing but drag herself on the ground. It''s a sight that makes me wonder why I was even born. Instinct drives me to run away from her, although my jellied legs could only make me crawl on the ground like an insect. Ah, how unsightly. She stares at me, as if I''m some sort of fascinating creature. Of course I am. Then observe, the pitiful me, the bug who dared to protect others with her nonexistent strength! The last image I remember is that startled look on her beloved face. [Opening Arc] Chapter 1 -- Two Years After: Love Blooms!? Chapter 1 Two Years After: Love Blooms!? Part 1 "Big..." "Quite extravagant, indeed." Standing in front of the imposing iron gate were a pair of peculiar twins. One wore a dark cloak over a high-collared military uniform, while the other a sloppily-worn black suit paired with a frayed skirt. Behind them were a stack of heavy-looking luggage. Neither knew how to enter the premises legally, so they simply stood and waited for someone else to enter before them. "Isn''t this too excessive? I don''t see why they have to make a gate this big." "Na?ve, sister. It''s to show the grandeur and prestige of the Academy, so new students like us wouldn''t treat them lightly." "What show-offs. Right?" "Indeed." "So this is the Magical Academy... Wow, that gate actually works. It''s giving me the chills." "Leave it all to me. If you have any trouble with your lessons, don''t hesitate to break my door." "I might actually do that, you know? Who''ll pay for the repairs?" "The assailant, of course." "Cheapskate! At least pay half of it!" "So you really do plan on breaking my door...? Please spare me the inconvenience." The teacher listening on the other side of the gate sighed. Lila Mirillia was tasked with the all-important duty to attend to the special students who arrive and exhibit the many facilities the academy had to offer. But she wasn''t motivated at all. Special students were special for a reason; many of them had weird personalities that were troublesome to deal with. And the person behind this gate was the most troublesome of them all: Fraulein Floret, the once-in-a-century prodigy who dominated even that special class. "So how long are we waiting again?" "We already agreed on waiting. We don''t have to rush anyways." "Hey, hey, you have that, right? Just blast this door with lasers! Use that magic you''re so proud of to blast this door to smithereens!" "Can we please stop talking about breaking doors? And I don''t have these ''lasers'' you speak of. But I may have other spells that have the same effect..." Dangerous! Before any of those two could seriously do anything bad, Lila hurriedly pushed the huge gate from the inside, slowly opening it with a creak. "Ha... ha... welcome... Welcome! Welcome to the Fe Safire School of Magical Arts, ha... or more widely known as the Magical Academy. I''m Lila, and I will be your guide in showing you, ha... our prided facilities... ha..." She was out of breath. Lila was a frail woman, and pushing that heavy iron gate was more that she could take. But as soon as she lifted her head, it was as if all that fatigue was blown away. Beautiful... It was the most honest impression she could give. Deep sapphire eyes that captivated her very soul. Fluffy blonde hair without even a single strand out of place. And that smile... that warm loving smile directed at her easily made the innocent teacher''s cheeks blush. "Good morning. I presume you are a teacher here, if I''m not mistaken. I''m Fraulein Floret, pleased to meet your acquaintances, Miss Lila." "Y¡ªy¡ªyou too! Please take care of me!" "... I believe it is I who is in need of care." "S¡ªsorry!" "And I''m Fr?ulein Floret! I''m also an upcoming student here! Wow, so this is high class service, huh... Nice to meet you, Lila." There was another one...? Oh yes, they''re twins. Lila almost forgot the other twin thanks to Fraulein''s sublime presence. What to say, she was frankly disappointing. They had the same features, but their difference was like heaven and earth. Blue eyes. Messy hair. A stiff smile that was borderline smirking. She was someone who could go the marketplace and wouldn''t garner an ounce of attention. How dare she have the same name as someone as grand as her twin? "Yeah, nice meeting you too, Fraulein." She couldn''t help but answer in a flat tone incomparable to her previous fervent attitude. Lila was troubled. She was only tasked to guide students from the special class, and she wasn''t told that her twin sister was part of that. And obviously, it was the prim and proper Fraulein who she had to guide. But they both seemed close, so Lila was thinking about the most polite way to shoo the distraction away. "But really, personal guides are awesome!" "... The only place I''m guiding you to is hell." "What?" "Nothing." She faces the goddess, and her attitude does a one hundred eighty degree turn. "Forgive me, but I am only tasked to guide people from the Special Class. You see, we simply don''t have enough personnel to deal with the multitude of students who apply here every year. So if you please, sho¡ª kindly tell your sister to head for the student dorms." "He he he, you''d be surprised. Actually, it is I who is in need of guiding!" "EEHHH!?" The elegant Fraulein promptly knocked her sister in the head. "Hey, what was that for?" "I''m so very sorry, my twin sister isn''t one for jokes. Indeed, I am the one from the Special Class." Lila sighed in relied. That almost gave her a heart attack. She wouldn''t know what to do if she was separated from this goddess and was made to guide that... whatever that is. For once, she was glad that all was right with the world. "But doesn''t that how it usually goes? Shouldn''t I be the unexpected dark horse in this school? Shouldn¡¯t I be the special one?" "Apparently not. Well then, Miss Lila, shall we?" "Y¡ªyes! Let''s go! This is my first date, so please be gentle with me!" "Ha... Well then. I''ll come visit you in your room when I''m done, Fr?ulein. Until then." "Yeah, yeah, see you then. You''ll see, I''ll make a hundred friends and successfully pin you down one day." Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Both Lila and Fraulein went inside while dragging her luggage, leaving the sulking Fr?ulein alone in her thoughts. Part 2 "I was supposed to be special..." Fr?ulein Floret had a big secret that only she knew: She was from another world. Fr?ulein came from a world where science was the greatest weapon humanity held, not magic. She arrived here two years ago, when she was still at the young age of thirteen, thanks to her accidental (or was it?) death together with her brother back at her original world. It was then when she met her alternate universe self. Her twin sister, Fraulein, wasn''t really her twin ''sister'', but rather her twin ''self''. It''s the truth. "So why? Why is she the only one with overflowing talent?" It was unfair. Two years ago, that Fraulein was a lost kid who was as weak as a stick, looking for her older sister who was supposedly lost as well. But after a few days, that Fraulein came looking for her, bawling her eyes out. Ever since Fr?ulein took her to her care, she began to bury herself in a mountain of magic books, studying everything with suicide-like diligence, muttering how she would the greatest to protect her ''twin sister''. Fr?ulein wanted a companion anyways, so she didn''t mind it. But in just two years... in just two years, she grew up to be a monster. She had Mana Potential unlike ever seen before. That bundle of talent would cast spells even graduates of the Magical Academy couldn''t. "So why? Why? Why did you abandon me, moon voice?" The problem was with her. Her Mana Potential¡ªthe amount of Mana she could process at a time¡ªwas even lower than an average person. If the average was one hundred, she was somewhere around sixty. Her twin sister? Probably around three thousand. That cheat! "Stupid world! Stupid twin! Stupid academy! Stupid... whoever you are staring at me!" "H¡ªho!? You noticed me? I was sure I had an Invisibility spell in effect..." Ever since her twin sister and that teacher left, Fr?ulein has never moved from her spot, frozen in place from the unfairness of this world. It was then when she noticed some mass of invisibility creeping up behind her, thanks to the movement of the dust on the pathway. Fr?ulein was good at noticing her surroundings, but it was probably just an occupational disease. And as if visibility paint was thrown on her, she appeared. A girl around her age stood proudly in front of her, regality overflowing from her stance, donning the same uniform-cloak combo her sister wore. But that most blatant thing about her was her hair... Hahaha! She tied her red hair in a... in a twin tail. A twin tail! Who does that at her age? "Ha ha ha! What a riot! Really, a twin tail? Are you lost? Want me to lead you to pre-school? What''s with that childish hairstyle? HAHAHA! Ha... thanks. I was kind of depresses back there. Thanks for bringing me out of the dumps." "You... you did NOT just mock my hair style, did you?" "Oh yes I did! I mean, seriously, are you a kid? Even my little sister can''t top you!" The twin tail girl was visibly shaken, but Fr?ulein was too busy laughing to even notice anything. Maybe, just maybe, if she did, she would''ve stopped, and fate might''ve been kind to her. But no, she just had to laugh. To forget the fact that her own situation was more laughable. "... duel me." "Ha ha ha ha... ha?" "Duel me." "W¡ªwhat''s that dangerous-sounding word?" "Duel me! You... I don''t know who you are, but I will not allow you to mock the royal hairstyle of Elia Seli Da Coruscanta Lara! This Princess Clementine da Coruscanta Lara hereby challenges you to a duel, and I will not take no for an answer!" "... Crap." Part 3 It has been a while since Lila presented Fraulein the many facilities the academy boasted, all while talking with her about many things. It was almost as if she forgot her position as a teacher, and acted like a young girl experiencing her first love all along the way. Now they were just walking idly around the academy grounds, as Lila wanted to spill everything she had in her mind to her poor ward. Fraulein, being the exemplary student she was, went along with her wiles. After Lila said everything she could, there was still something lingering on her mind. "Fraulein, it may be rude to ask, but... was that really your twin sister? She seemed so different from you." On Fraulein''s face bloomed a smile, brighter than the many others she has given. "Yes, we get that a lot. But truly, she is my twin sister in every sense. And I love her so much that I''m willing to drag myself to the top, to attain the power to protect her." "I''m jealous... I mean, how noble! In order to protect your weak sister from the great dangers of this country, you''ll even aim to be an Arch Mage! This Lila shall support you in every step along the way!" "Weak sister...? Ah, there seems to be a misunderstanding." "Eh?" "Rather, I''m gathering enough strength to surpass her, and the only way to do that is to be on the top." What? Lila couldn''t accept such a weak-looking twin sister defeating this goddess. "Eehhh!? No way, no way. She''s not even in the Special Class, probably not even in the A Class!" "Of course, she somehow landed in the F Class, luckily. If I remember correctly, she took the second to the last place in the examinations the academy gave." "See? Aren''t you the one on top? And, and even she said she''d need a hundred friends just to pin you down. But even before that, I bet she wouldn''t get a single friend." "True, true. Well, when it comes to a duel, I''m sure to win a hundred times out of a hundred. But..." "But?" "Nothing. Oh, Miss Lila, can you please guide me to the cafeteria? Worry not, I''ll be sure to treat you." "Treat me well... Ma''am, yes ma''am! Right these way please. Treat me well~ treat me well~" And with that, Fr?ulein became the last of Lila''s worries. But Fraulein knew. When it came to a duel, she was sure to win a hundred times out of a hundred. She had unparalleled magic, after all. But when it was a fight to the death, Fraulein would never stand against her crazy twin sister, against that lofty being who bathed in moonlight two years ago. Because her twin sister was an assassin. [Opening Arc] Chapter 2 -- Iced Coffee is the Best!? Chapter 2 Iced Coffee is the Best!? Part 1 Princess Clementine wasn''t even sure how it all came to this. She remembered seeing someone blocking the Magical Academy''s gate, looking all dejected by herself. She remembered trying to give that girl a scare. Although she was a princess, she had a playful side to her, and maybe an innocent prank like that would be the way to finally make the friends she so dearly wished for. She remembered how her Invisibility spell was seen through, maybe because she missed a spot or two. She remembered how that girl... that girl laughed at her hair style, even if it was the same hairstyle her older brother praised. She remembered how she let the steam get to her head, and rashly challenged that very girl whose name she didn''t even know to a duel. And that''s where it all went wrong. "H¡ªhey, sorry about your hair. Next time, I''ll do better at hiding my thoughts about your funn¡ª hairstyle." "Are you even regretting it? No matter. Royalty must never take back their words." "Come on, I''ll even treat you to lunch... half of it, anyways." A chance to make a friend! "N¡ªno. Well then, I shall begin my introductions. I am Princess Clementine da Coruscanta Lara, second daughter to the throne, and a future student of the Special Class. You?" "I''m sorry! Please forgive me! I don''t wanna fight! The only magic I know is ice magic, so I can have my beloved iced coffee every day! See, I''m weak, right? No point fighting me, right? Please don''t break my bones!" D¡ªdid this person even know the meaning of pride? Seeing this unknown person groveling on the ground, pleading to be relieved from any pain, fueled the anger inside her heart to a scary level. How could such a coward like this even dare step inside the Magical Academy¡ªno, her country? This person was shaming the many brave heroes who once attended the very same grounds. Princess Clementine was set on delivering justice to the coward. Luckily, there was a curious crowd of onlookers, so public humiliation should be enough to teach this girl a thing or two. "There is no escape. Run away, and I shall use my authority as a princess to off your head!" "Mercy! Mercy, oh grand and majestic princess!" "By my authority as a princess, I order you to present your name, so we may begin this duel in justice!" "What justice..." In truth, Clementine never had the authority to do any of those things she just said, but there was no turning back. Royalty must see things until the very end. "Hurry!" "Y¡ªyes! I''m Fr?ulein Floret! I have nothing to back my name! I''m gonna be dropped to the F Class! I''m trash! So please, mercy!" Infuriating. She still begged like a dog even with everyone looking. She was a stain to this country. But that name, it felt like she had heard them before. No matter, it must''ve been the name of some petty person. "We have introduced ourselves. In the name of the Coruscant Royalty, let the duel begin!" The coward was a timid person, so Clementine planned to scare her a bit with some small explosions. It was also good to inflict enough pain to teach her a lesson. Since she was a scaredy cat, she would probably run around to avoid the explosions, so an Area of Effect spell would be best. As soon as she sketched up her perfect plan, the princess began her spell. "Spellcast: Spread Explosion!" And with that, she was connected to the World Euphonics, and her mind was filled heavy pressure and complex equations she had to balance out for her spell to successfully take place. The World Euphonics. A mysterious phenomenon that governed the very laws of the universe. In order to tap its limitless potential, magicians used the stray Mana particles that spread out everywhere as a medium. And Princess Clementine had almost three times the amount of Mana Potential compared to the average person. More Mana Potential meant that spell equations were easier, more complicated spells could be attempted and it even became possible to cast two spells at the same time. As for why it was called the World Euphonics, the forerunners of the Magical Theory allegedly heard a ''voice'' the first time they successfully connected to it. Now, only those at top of the magical community could catch whispers of that ''voice''. Finally, Clementine has finally finished balancing the equation in her mind, and the pressure on her mind disappeared without a trace. This was the only hole in her plan, she was weak when it came to Area of Effect spells, so it took time to ready one. But she also predicted that that coward wasn''t brave enough to attack. And she was right. Fr?ulein hasn''t even moved a single step away. All she did was rummage her suit''s pockets, maybe hoping to pull out something to defend herself. Laughable. Unforgivable. Without further ado, she fired the explosion spells she gathered around her hands, ordering them to hit Fr?ulein and the area around her. She wasn''t even thinking of holding back. An ear-splitting explosion reverberated throughout the open field, forcing the onlookers to cover their ears in pain. Large amounts of dust were thrown in the air, bringing the visibility of the field to an absolute zero. With that, it was over. Princess Clementine was confident in her victory. Her enemy''s safety was the last thing on her mind. She has done something to be proud of in the name of justice. Totally. That''s why, she didn''t mind that prick-like sting she felt on her neck. It must''ve been a stray debris. Yes... it must be... and this heavy drowsiness that suddenly came over her... was surely just her being tired... she has done a lot of things today, after all... And the last thing on her mind was regret that she didn''t get to see that coward''s dead body. Part 2 "Hey Fr?ulein, did you know? The punishment for killing royalty is the genocide of your entire family tree. What will you do if they come for me?" "You can fend them off yourself anyways. A¡ªand I didn''t kill her! I know princesses are dangerous people! I even had a leftover tranquilizer dart stashed in my pocket! Look, she''s waking up! See?" "Indeed." Princess Clementine''s head was in a haze. She was lying down on a soft bed. Above was a white ceiling. She could hear muddled voices talking in the background. She vaguely recognized that voice. And that''s when she remembered. "That coward!" She shot herself straight up, and her body quickly entered into battle mode. The only reason she calmed down the next moment was thanks to that warm hand, warm as sunshine, placed on her forehead. After snapping out of her confusion, she realized she was still confused. Because, look, she was still seeing doubles. There were two of the cowards. No, only one. The person who held her palm on her forehead, the one with the same visage as that coward, was anything but that. She emitted an aura of regality, and her smile was fit for a queen. Maybe she must be dreaming. Somehow, she used the face of that coward to create her ideal self. The irony. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. When that person drew her hand away, Clementine was brought back to reality. She blinked several times to confirm whether what she was seeing was an illusion or not. It wasn''t an illusion. After all, the coward''s suit was tattered, and her hair was a mess. But she could not see a single wound on her skin. How did she come out from that explosion unscathed? "Good afternoon, your highness. I am so sorry about the commotion my twin sister caused. Is everything in place?" "Y¡ªyes, thank you very much." Thanks to that warm smile of the other Fr?ulein, she managed to compose herself enough to maintain her dignity as a princess. "Thank you very much for attending to my needs. As you may have heard, I am Princess Clementine da Coruscanta Lara, the second daughter to the throne. May I ask for your name?" "I am Fraulein Floret, twin sister of Fr?ulein Floret. Pleased to meet your acquaintances. If I''m not mistaken, we will be comrades in the same class." Everything clicked. Fraulein Floret. The prodigy who took the number one spot in the entrance examinations. Someone who held vast magic, and had great character. How did such a noble have a cowardly twin sister? "Anyways, in the end, what happened to our duel?" "Hah? Oh, you suddenly slept in the middle of it. So I dragged you to my room." Princess Clementine must''ve been tired. It was luck that saved the coward. She convinced herself of these two facts, because she knew there was no way she could be defeated when she was on the side of justice. Looking around, she found herself in a small vacant room with two beds. She realized that this must be the student dorms. A room that housed two. A room fit for a plebian. "Also, sorry. That I laughed at your hairstyle, I mean. Really. Yeah." "It is fine. In deference to your sister''s position, I shall overlook it. I also believe I was acting a bit childish back then." "Good! We''re good, right?" "Yes, everything has been forgiven. But I hope you change your cowardly ways one day." Just for a moment, Princess Clementine thought she saw the prodigy Fraulein''s smile twitch. But it must have be her imagination. "Yeah, next time I''ll try a different approach." "Fr?ulein, I believe her highness wants to rest both her mind and body. She did collapse in the middle of a duel, after all. We should give her time to rest. Come, let us leave the room." "Thank you very much for your consideration. I shall leave by my own as soon as I regain enough strength to walk to my own dorm." The twins gave a short respectful bow, and silently left the room. Princess Clementine sighed. What an eventful day it was. Princess Clementine wasn''t even sure how it all came to this. "AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" She howled. From her mouth came screams from the very depths of her soul. Her eyes became bloodshot, and blood began to trickle from her eyes. "H¡ªHELLPPP ME! AAHHHHH! SOMEONE, HE¡ª AAHHHHHHHHHH!" What was once a princess was reduced to a rag as her whole body convulsed on top of the bed as if possessed, it was a sight that made her former dignity seemed like a joke. Unbelievable pain struck her head, her hands, her stomach, every single part of her body. It felt like a thousand needles thrashed around every part of her body inside out. It was pain that made her seek death. "K¡ªkill me... someone kill me... stop this pain... AAAHHHHHH! STOP ITTT!" Although she was in that state for only a minute, but surely, it was pain that would scar the princess'' life forever. Part 3 As soon as the twins left the room, Fraulein casted a weird spell on the door that made Fr?ulein curious. "Hey, what''s that spell you casted? Is that some sort of locking spell? Why do you want to lock the princess inside? You''re planning something evil, aren''t you?" "Please don''t jump to hasty conclusions like that, Fr?ulein. It was simply a silence spell. We wouldn¡¯t want the princess to be disturbed by the students moving in, would we?" "I guess. But what about my roommate? She''s supposed to be the one who took last place in the examination, you know? I plan on teaching her as someone who scored higher." "Really now? As long as you don''t overdo it. Worry not about your roommate. I''ve heard from Miss Lila that she''ll arrive tomorrow at the earliest. And please stop causing trouble for me, picking a fight with a princess like that. And I heard she even casted a spread explosion without holding back. If you weren''t careful, you would''ve died." "Yeah, sorry. I''ll try to make it up to her." "I have some business to attend to, so if you excuse me. How about you wander around the academy grounds for a bit? There are many wonderful sights here to behold. At least until the princess wakes up." "... I''ll do that. Well then, see you tomorrow, Fraulein." "Until then, Fr?ulein." After wandering around for a bit, Fr?ulein found herself under an apple tree in the academy garden. There were many things she had to think about. She stared up, up above the sky, and was reminded of a very crucial fact: It really was another world. Above was the eternally blue sky, without a trace of any clouds nearby. It was always like this. It couldn''t be helped. This country was high above the world, floating freely up above the clouds, after all. For Fr?ulein who grew up in the modern world, this country was weird. No, it''s not about the place itself. The architectures in this country was strikingly similar to eighteenth century France back in her own. Trains were the main transportation between towns. Even the Magical Academy had a big clock tower similar to the Big Ben. That part was fine. Rather, it was kind of cool. But the problem was the existence of magic. Everyone was dependent on magic. From the crops they harvested to the air they breathed, everything depended on magic. The country would literally collapse without it. It''s been two years, yet she never got used to the uncanny feeling she had about magic. And from the day after tomorrow, she was to learn more about it. Fr?ulein wished from the bottom of her heart that she would understand the magic her twin sister so dearly loved. It was one of the reasons she attended the Magical Academy in the first place. "Spellcast: Small Ice." As she said those words, a warm and welcoming feeling enveloped her mind, and an ice cube promptly landed on her open palms. This was the only magic allowed for Fr?ulein Floret. It was magic she gave it her all, similar to the devotion her twin sister had, or even more. Fraulein would say that casting spells without equations were impossible, a contradiction to the laws of magic. But how would she know? Magic in itself was already a contradictory existence that ignored the very laws of physics. Maybe that was why she was wary of it. She, who lived her life subjected to the very laws that bounded her, was now given a chance to destroy them. It was a scary thought. Magic was scary. But she would learn magic nevertheless, for the sake of the betterment of her iced coffee. And her sister too, of course. [Opening Arc] Chapter 3 -- I Took a Princess First!? Chapter 3 I Took a Princess'' First!? Part 1 In the dark of the night, terror lurked. As soon as the door of her room softly creaked, Fr?ulein opened her eyes while pretending to sleep. She knew it was dangerous to do any sudden movements. As for who it could be... there were two such candidates. There was her twin sister, Fraulein. Two years ago, on the first few days of their cohabitation, she would suddenly sneak inside Fr?ulein''s room and stare at her all night long. After a few discussions about privacy, Fraulein conceded, granted that she allowed her to sleep on the same bed from time to time. Nah, Fraulein would''ve used some looking spell that she wouldn''t notice instead. That cheat. There was also Princess Clementine. Maybe she realized that Fr?ulein used sneaky methods to defeat her, instead of going at it fair and square? Nah, Princess Clementine was, well, she was too proud (noisy) to do a night ambush. The footsteps were barely audible. Breathing was almost non-existent. Whoever this was, he or she was good. It was probably a she. A male wouldn''t be shameless enough to enter the female dormitory, right? Right? Fr?ulein promptly swung herself out of the bed, avoiding the knife aimed for her neck within a hair''s breadth. After soundlessly landing on the floor, she drew the knife hidden under her skirt in a flash and focused on the unwelcomed assailant. Silver hair reminiscent of the moon. A dark robe that hid her clothes well. Soulless black eyes. She was just a kid, maybe thirteen, but Fr?ulein knew better than to underestimate the enemy. She instinctively knew that if she wanted to live, she had to fight to kill. Fr?ulein took a deep breath. Her mind sharpened to its utmost limits, and her eyes became the eyes of a predator. This was the mindset she had when she took a job, no matter what world she was in. No words were needed between them. The silver-haired girl flung seven knives from under her cloak her way. Fr?ulein sidestepped to avoid them, and parried the ones that changed direction halfway with her knife. She was composed. And before she knew it, Fr?ulein was surrounded by all kinds of knives floating in midair. There were kitchen knives, butcher''s knives, scalpels and even razors. It was a surreal sight to behold. "... What''s with this freak show?" They all drew close at once. The flying knives'' assault were relentless. It felt like each one of them had lives on their own. They hacked, they slashed, and they thrust¡ª all to bury themselves under her skin. But to the silver-haired girl''s surprise, her knives were no match to Fr?ulein''s inhuman instincts. She gracefully danced along with them, parrying and avoiding those silver blurs with ease. Fr?ulein led the knives to an otherworldly waltz, captivating even the silver-haired girl. After catching a small opening between the attacks, Fr?ulein flung three poison darts aimed at her chest. The darts froze still in midair. The silver-haired girl''s eyebrow twitched from that sudden attack. Of course, Fr?ulein didn''t miss that girl''s lapse in concentration and took a bold step forward, slipping through the floating knives around. She thrust her knife and aimed for her throat. The young girl hurriedly parried the attack with the knife on her hand, staggering backwards. Fr?ulein didn''t stop there and pursued. Sparks and the sound of blades colliding filled the room. The silver-haired girl¡ªAlice¡ªknew she would die if she showed even a sliver of an opening. She desperately countered the mad woman''s attacks. Some attacks slipped through Alice''s defense and grazed her cheeks, her hands and her torso. She was wounded all over. Alice purposely showed openings in an attempt to turn the situation around, but the blonde beast took none of them. Fr?ulein was a grim reaper, a girl who knew no other way of living. A defective person. No matter how strong, no matter how weak, for her, all were equal in the eyes of death. The moment Alice met those sapphire blue eyes, she faltered. It was back, that emotion she thought was long gone: fear. Fear for her life. Fear from this monster who unrelentingly barraged her with knife techniques she has never seen before. That fear gave birth to hesitation. Her stance broke and her grip loosened. Fr?ulein didn''t miss that moment of opportunity. She hurled a kick to her wrist that flung her knife away. Before she could recover from the shock, Fr?ulein connected a heavy uppercut straight to her jaw. Alice wasn''t even able to have any final thoughts. Part 2 Morning. Soft sunlight filtering from the window roused Alice from her unconsciousness. Her head was throbbing in pain and she was desperately holding back the urge to vomit. She tried to move, but noticed her wrists were firmly tied behind her back. She was gagged. She was also buck naked with only a thin blanket to cover her body. But all of that paled to the silver glint of the knife that was dangerously close to her neck. "Morning, sleepyhead. Just a reminder, if I see something move by itself here in this room, I''ll make sure it never moves again. Along with you." Fr?ulein pushed the knife closer to her carotid artery, and a slow trickle of blood began. She was serious, and Alice got the message. She desperately nodded, clinging for her dear life. "But really, you''re good. And that telekinesis power, it''s the first time I''ve seen it. Your freaky knives were zigzagging through the air! Was that a circus performance? Also, what''s with your godly knife skills? I was scared for a second there, you know? ... Anyways, on to the questions! Nod your head for yes, shake for no. If you don''t know or want to answer, just say so. That is, if you can." Alice couldn''t stop her shaking. She knew her death would come once after she spilled everything. She knew, because she would do so if their roles were reversed. And the freak in front of her was anything but merciful. "Y¡ªyou''re crying!? You still look cute, though... Crap, I hope I haven''t awakened some weird fetish. First question, do you know magic?" Alice meekly shook her head. "Ho? Second question, were you ordered to kill me?" She shook her head again. "Oh my! Then, did I do something to earn your grudge?" She frantically shook her head. "The horror! You infiltrated the Magical Academy and sneaked inside the dorms just to kill me for no reason?" She shook her head like there was no tomorrow. "Electrifying! I''m getting confused here... Okay, let''s do it like this. I''ll take off your gag, but you can''t speak unless I tell you so. Okay?" Alice nodded. She couldn''t oppose, nor would she want too. "Good! Now don''t suddenly shout and alert my peacefully sleeping dorm mates." Fr?ulein took away her gag with vigilance. It was set on her mind that once the girl did something suspicious, she would cut her neck. But surprisingly, she was cooperative, and desperately held back her cries. "Now, introductions! I¡ªI''m not copying that twin tail princess, am I? You first, maus." "A... *hic*, A¡ªlice... Frey... *hic*" "That sounds awfully familiar... I''m Fr?ulein Floret, and welcome to my room. Now for the main question: Why kill me?" "I *hic* I thought... I thought you would be a bother... *hic*" "Ha? What? I''m getting more confused." "I''ll be living here, so, I want to be alone..." "You''ll be living here.... here... here... Y¡ªyou''re my roommate!?" "Hiii! Y¡ªyes..." "Why didn''t you say so?" Fr?ulein pulled away the knife she held at Alice''s neck and returned it to its rightful place under her skirt. Alice was bewildered. Not only was the dangerous atmosphere around Fr?ulein gone, she even untied the binds on her wrists and returned the clothes she hid under the bed. Fr?ulein was completely defenseless now. But attacking her never entered Alice''s mind. Rather, she wondered why she hasn''t been killed yet. "... You won''t kill me?" "What purpose would that serve? Anyways, quick, wear your clothes! Right, I''m sure I had a first-aid kit here somewhere under the bed..." Alice quietly wore her clothes and cloak. She could feel the weight of her knives under it, but for the first time in her life, she held no desire to use them. "You''re clothed? Good. Now stay still as I apply antiseptic. It''ll hurt a bit, but endure! Finally, I feel like an older sister again! Take that, Fraulein!" Fr?ulein happily hummed while tending to Alice''s wound. "... Why won''t you kill me?" Alice could not think of any reason not to. She tried to kill her. Alice remembered the looks of disgust people held at the sight of her blood-stained knives. She was evil, or so the people around her proclaimed. She was evil because she killed in cold blood. She was evil because they never understood her or her actions. She was evil because she never understood normality. The right to declare evil belonged to the strong. Because she was strong, she had the right to declare normality as evil. Now that she was defeated, she became the evil. And evil must be killed. So why was this person acting amiably all of a sudden? "Like I said, what purpose would that serve? I''m a professional, not a kill-happy freak. I''m pretty normal, you know? And I so want a little sister! My idiot of a twin sister is too capable, it makes me feel like I''m useless! That cheat!" "... *hic* *hic*" "H¡ªhey, you''re crying again!? Sheesh, calm down, calm down. What a troublesome roommate." Fr?ulein gently patted Alice''s back, like a mother would to calm her child. Alice realized her grave mistake. In her mind, she thought of Fr?ulein as part of the ''others'' who declared her as evil. It was her against the world, after all. But Fr?ulein was an existence even further to normality than herself. For the first time in her life, Alice felt a sense of connection with another person. She did not wish to be understood. All she wanted was someone who could hold her madness. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. "Have you finally calmed down? Really, I don''t want to awaken my sadistic urges like this." "... Am I evil?" "Of course you are, you knife freak! You tried to kill me without reason. That''s not normal, you know? But it''s okay, because I didn''t die. So all''s fine! As long as I''m alive, I''ll forgive you!" "... he he." "Finally, you laughed! We''re roommates! But, you placed last in the examination, so I''m superior. But don''t worry, I''ll teach you! And from now on, you are an honorary member of the Floret Family!" "... I''m family?" "Well, we''re roommates, and we shared a night of passion together, so of course we are. A¡ªam I being too forceful? I just wanted a little sister... Sorry." "N¡ªno! Family is good! Family~" "Really? Great! Sorry I tried to kill you back then. Good thing I just punched you, huh?" "It''s fine. I''m not dead. Like you~" "We''re both still alive, right?" "Right~" For the first time in her life, Alice had someone she could call family. She has experienced many firsts today, but this was the greatest yet. She would greatly treasure the only connection she had. Finally, Alice had something to work for. She wished that one day, she would be a person strong enough hold Fr?ulein''s madness. And thus, Fr?ulein earned another sister. Part 3 "I¡ªit''s Santa! You were the headmaster of this school? Is this what Santa does when he''s not giving me presents?" "Ho ho ho, it''s the bastard. You''re still in one piece, so she hasn''t arrived yet, huh? What a lucky bastard, ho ho ho! While she was playing knife darts with Alice, a letter suddenly materialize in front of her, asking for her presence in the headmaster''s office. Of course she ignored it and continued the game, but when the next letter that came said that her life may be in danger, she complied. If it was nothing, she could always make Fraulein deal with the troublesome things. After following the map included in the letter, Fr?ulein found herself in a large gaudy room filled with trophies and certificates of all kind. In the middle of the room was a huge mahogany table. Seated behind that was a jolly old man with a white beard and a red cloak. Fr?ulein knew this man. Of course, there was the fact that he looked exactly like Santa Claus. But not only that. He was a client who has ordered Fr?ulein''s services many times in these past two years. She never bothered to know his name and just called him Santa. "So what''s this about my life being in danger, Santa? Did you mess up and gave someone my identity?" "I''m not that careless, no no no. I just have a new job for you, ho ho ho!" "... That laugh''s getting annoying. And a new job? Coming from you, it must be someone absurd again. What a cruel thing to ask from a super cute girl like me." "Unlike your genius and upright twin sister, you''re just a bastard who''ll die a lonely death. And this job''s a bit different. I know you have dealt with a lot of dangerous people, but this is on a whole new level. Ho ho ho!" "That sounds scary, both your request and your laugh. I hope it''s not someone who can fly again. Please be someone who can''t fly!" "What an unlucky bastard, she can fly! But worry not, this headmaster is kind. All you have to do is to watch her! Ho ho ho! "Watch her? Do you mean ''watch'' watch, or the normal watch? And when will you ever stop that annoying laugh of yours, Santa?" "The normal watch. More specifically, I need you to observe her actions and report to me if she does anything detrimental to the Academy. And I''m laughing to annoy a bastard, ho ho ho!" "Are you serious? I''m a professional, not a daycare center! ... is what I want to say, but I''ll need the money. I wanna show off to my newest family member after all! But if you laugh like an idiot again, I''ll change my mind." "Ho ho... hokay, I''ll stop. Like I mentioned earlier, this target is dangerous. Crazy dangerous. That''s why I''m not asking for her elimination." "Someone so dangerous that I can''t possibly kill? I''m starting to regret this decision. Tell me a bit more about her without revealing her identity. At least give me a lifeline so I can reject. "Fine, fine. I can''t blame you for being careful. To make it short, she''s a psychopath even I couldn''t handle." "H¡ªhey, aren''t you, like, the most powerful guy here in this academy?" "I told you this job''s dangerous." "C¡ªcontinue. I can do this, for my cute little sister!" "Her first kills were her family. Heard that she killed them because they served her vegetables. Since then, she became deranged and went on a killing spree. Young or old, she would cut them up for the pettiest of reasons. The pile of requests to subjugate her shot up. The problem is, all the elite soldiers we sent were chopped to pieces. Even our best assassins were useless. All these in the young age of twelve" "W¡ªw¡ªwhat''s with that freak? Are you even sure it''s human?" "I don''t see it as one. The moment I met that monster''s eyes, I knew it wasn''t human. Those cold soulless eyes... they won''t go away from my mind." "W¡ªwhy didn''t you send me back then?" "I''m not senile enough to send a young girl to her death. Even if she is an idiot." "So you''re senile enough now?" "No I am not! Continuing. You see, that calamity had a rare and troublesome ability. Ever heard of telekinesis?" "Yeah, I''m pretty familiar with it." "Ho? That''s good, then. We thought it was her ability of telekinesis that made her into that powerful killing machine. So we High Magicians gathered around and thought of a way to seal it. We''re geniuses, so we found a way. We made a spell that disrupted telekinesis for a minute. Know what she did?" "W¡ªwhat?" "Killed all the magicians and elite soldiers we sent under that minute using nothing but a knife. That monster. We were mistaken. She was a natural-born prodigy when it came to handling knives, telekinesis or not. Ever since, she got the title of ''Princess of Knives''. The country''s already considering sending in an army to stop her." "Princess of Knives!? What the heck is that? You want ME to go on a suicide mission? I kill people, not freaks of nature that needs an army just to be stopped!" "Calm down. I''m not done yet. Here''s the thing. We got that monster to attend the Magical Academy." "... Ha? How?" "She somehow picked up a pamphlet of the academy on the ground, and she thought it was interesting." "... I don''t even know what to say anymore." "We couldn''t reject her. If we dealt with her wrongly, she may vent her anger on the academy itself. We don''t want that. And that leads us back here." "Let me get this straight. You want me to... watch over that freak?" "Exactly. The faster we know of her actions, the better countermeasures we can make. Simple enough?" "And you chose me for this job because...?" "You''re the only one available I know who has the ability to run away safely from her. I believe you''re an expert when it comes to running, right, bastard? Plus you''re a girl, so she may be a lot more comfortable with you around." "Hmmm... I''m conflicted. How much for this job?" "Ten thousand gold." "... Come again?" "Ten thousand gold." "Deal! So all I have to do it watch out for this freak, right? Then report if something happens, right?" "Even after all that I''ve said, you''ll still accept it, huh?" "Shut it, I''ll show my new little sister just how dependable her big sister is. How long will I be doing it?" "We want to observe her for a month." "Yeah! Thanks for the early present, Santa! Ten thousand gold! I''m filthy rich! Hahaha!" "*Sigh* It''s like you''ve forgotten about the danger level of this job." "No, no, I''m a professional. I do my job earnestly. It''s just that... TEN. THOUSAND. GOLD. I can buy my own land with that! This may even the last job I''ll ever take!" "You know that means more than one way, right? Well, I already knew you''d accept the job once I mentioned the pay, so I''ve already made various arrangements ahead of time." "... Do I really look like a moneygrubbing idiot?" "You aren''t?" "Can''t deny that. If it''s for the sake of my sisters, I''ll be a moneygrubbing idiot!" "Ho ho ho! The bastard knows her place! Anyways, since you have officially accepted this job, I take it that it''s safe to divulge her identity?" "Yep, hit me with any name you''ve got. I''ll be sure to do a perfect job worthy of my record!" "I expect many great things from you. Her name is Alice Fray, the Princess of Knives. She''s got silver hair, and her looks are deceivingly cute. She''s thirteen this year. I''ve already arranged the both of you to live in the same room. If it''s you, you should be able to escape if she starts being dangerous. Good luck then, and don''t be killed! Ho ho ho!" "..." "Ho? What''s wrong? You can''t back down like a coward now, you know?" "... Hey, Santa, when I asked you to hit me with any name you''ve got, I didn''t mean that literally, you know?"
Alice vs. Fraulein: A battle between two sisters! The end of the Opening Arc! The conclusion chapter is actually another arc ;) And a new enemy!? Find out in the next chapter of Magical Fraulein and the Quest to Gather her Yandere Harem! [Opening Arc] Chapter 4 -- My Stalker is a Magical Girl!? Chapter 4 My Stalker is a Magical Girl!? Part 1 It was a perfectly normal morning in her everyday life. Fr?ulein Floret finally awoke from her deep slumber. She took back all the sleep she lost thanks to Alice''s attack the night before. Her own body was a weapon she had to maintain, so she couldn''t afford to be careless. So why? It was the same barren dormitory room from last night. The same two beds, the same two wardrobes. Nothing has changed. So why were the warning bells inside her head being thrown into chaos? Nothing has changed. The bed beside her own was too neat and tidy ¡ª as if no one has ever used it in the first place. "Ah, I''m late." That was right, she almost forgot. It was her first day at the Magical Academy. She and her sisters were supposed to officially begin learning magic today. That explained it, the uncanny tidiness of her little sister''s bed. That must be it. She learned yesterday that Alice was surprisingly a neat freak ¡ª she polished her knives with fervent diligence, missing not a single stain. Just remembering that surreal scene lifted the corners of her mouth. "Right. Hurry, gotta hurry." She messed up. Being late was bad impression and would surely minus her brownie points with her other classmates like this. Looking at the spotless blue sky outside her window, she learned it was a little past noon. She made like lightning and slipped into a new suit that gave her the usual mafia look. There was no time to comb her hair ¡ª its fluffiness made it an eternal bed hair, anyways. "Okay, everything''s set. Nothing forgotten...? Crap, I forgot to borrow a grimoire from Fraulein! Idiot me! I¡ªI''ll just share with Alice. But if it''s her, she wouldn''t bother bringing anything but her knives... Ah, my brownie points, don''t go any lower!" There was no time to loiter around. Making sure she had everything set within her suit, she headed for the door and into a new chapter of her life... ... That is, if her hand didn''t falter before it could even touch the doorknob. "W¡ªwhat''s this? Me? Hesitating?" Indeed. Her hands were shaking, and she could feel beads of sweat forming on her eyebrows. The warning bells in her head still wouldn''t settle down. She tried taking a step forward, but her body immediately took over and made two steps back. "Geh. I''m just learning magic here, no need to be a wimp. I already know ice cube magic, it''s too late to regret! Now... move!" But no matter what she did, her body refused to listen. She tried crawling on the ground, but her feet dragged her back to the bed. She tried using her knife by stabbing it on the floor and slowly creeping up to the door like a horizontal mountain climber, but her free hand would not let go of the bedpost. "Ha... ha... oh, you want to do this the hard way, Fr?ulein Floret? Let''s do this the hard way then. Literally!" She took a deep breath, and connected to her inner mind. Far beyond the murky darkness was a soft glowing light she likened to the moon. It was the world inside her. She reached, reached, reached for that glow, pushing away the darkness in her path. As soon as her fingertip stirred the figure of that cold light, her mind opened to endless possibilities. This was a forbidden spell that lay waste on all it lands upon. A spell that broke the already broken common sense of the world. "Heed my prayers, spirits of the north! Heed to the cold darkness that resides in my soul. I call upon thee who brings chaos! Thee who brings despair! Thee who brings the madness inside our minds! Thee who... makes people sad! Heed and obey my words! SPELLCAST: ICE CUBE ¡ª TIMES THREE HUNDRED!" A short silence. Then it came ¡ª an overwhelming shower of ice cubes rained on the pathetic girl. It was a gruesome scene, similar to a lone soldier bathing in the bullets of his country''s enemies. Similar, because Fr?ulein was literally bathing in ice cubes. Her once unkempt suit was doused in the cold sweat of those hardened cubic water, her hair glistening with morning dew-like beads. "... What am I even doing?" Sense finally returned to Fr?ulein''s mind, thanks to that cold hard splash in her face. She also noticed that the warning bells in her head has calmed down to a manageable level. Rather than tension, she was now shaking from the cold. "Ha, I''ll just go like this then." Her brownie points with her classmates were already in the negatives, so there was no point in trying to give a good impression anymore. Ignoring the feeling of her suit that stuck on her skin, she headed for the door and into a new chapter of her life. ¡ª or that was how it was supposed to go. As soon as she took the first step outside her room, the world changed ¡ª literally. The dormitory disappeared, and was replaced by an endless gray desert that stretched as far as the eye could see. What once was the spotless blue sky was now a starless night, dyed in deep darkness. A place where no wind blew, or flowers bloomed ¡ª a nostalgic place. "... Not again." She was once more on the moon. Part 2 The moon. Yes, the moon, where the dead people go, or so Fr?ulein thought. She stood there like a statue, dazed at the sudden development. After a few blinks and a pinch on her cheek, she finally accepted that unbelievable fact. "I died... from ice cubes?" It was the only explanation she could think of. Somehow, her spell made so many ice cubes that she died from the cold without noticing it...? That sounded wrong. But it was the only reasonable one she could find right now. She looked back and found the door she came from disappeared, replaced by an endless field of gray rock. She tried kicking the ground to hurl some dust into the air, and watched it as it settled down. Gravity was the same as earth. Her clothes were also magically dried, and was at its pristine state just minutes ago. The air wasn''t too hot, nor was it too cold. The air... yes, she was breathing air on the moon. When she looked above the endless dark sky, what greeted her was not the familiar blue crystal she has seen two years ago, but a dull orb covered in clouds. She could also see pieces of land floating around that white blanket. She was on the alternate earth''s moon. "Hey, moon voice, did I die again? Did I really die from my own spell? But it makes sense! That''s why I was so scared of magic. It was foreshadowing! Right? Right?" Nothing but dead silence answered her. "Hey... moon voice? Hello? This is the part where you answer." This was a place were no wind blew, nor flowers bloomed. And in that place, she was alone. "Hello? Anyone?" Not even a small echo. In that endless tundra, she was alone. "... Anyone?" At that moment, something broke inside of her. Her breathing became rough, and tears formed in her eyes. Her posture wavered. She was tightly grasping her wrist, desperately holding the urge to grab the knife and slash her neck. It was such a sudden change you wouldn''t expect from the cheerful Fr?ulein just moments ago. She couldn''t die yet. Maybe, just maybe, there was someone else in this empty world, someone lost like her. She had to convince herself that she wasn''t alone. "Someone... please be here..." She began her first step in this never-ending colorless world. Part 3 It has been an hour ¡ª or perhaps even a year ¡ª ever since. Time was a concept long gone in this unchanging gray Sahara. Every step felt heavier than the last. There were faint traces of tears at the edge of her eyes. Her complexion was paler than normal, and her suit was tattered to bits. Her breath was short. Her eyes were bloodshot, her pinpoint irises darted all over the place. She was shivering, hugging herself from the nonexistent cold. A step and another, Fr?ulein Floret did not why she was walking, where she was walking, or anything at all. A step and another, she was desperately searching for someone ¡ª anyone ¡ª who could fill the emptiness of this gray world. A step and another, she could not help but laugh at the thought of her pathetic state, and how moments ago was happily imagining her life along with her family, her treasured everyday life. A step and another, a step and another, a step and another, yet nothing changed. It was the same gray desert, the same starless night sky. No sound could be heard from this tundra, not even a peep, but such was not true for Fr?ulein Floret. In her mind, two words echoed themselves over and over again, not giving her even a moment of comfort. ''I''m Alone. I''m Alone. I''m Alone. I''m Alone. I''m Alone. I''m Alone. I''m Alone. I''m Alone. I''m Alone...'' No matter how much Fr?ulein closed her ears, it would not go away and give her the rest she desperately needed. She was alone, in a world devoid of love. A simple, yet terrifying fact. A world devoid of love. As soon as she entertained those thoughts, her frail figure finally crumbled. Her tears were long gone, so the thick wetness she felt welling up at the edges of her eyes must''ve been blood. She clutched her frayed hair and pulled out a bundle of strands. With the last of her strength, she tightly grasped the handle of the knife, pointing its blade to her neck. A soft stream of crimson flowed, but it was nothing compared to the many rivers her eyes cried out. Out of all her love-filled memories that flashed in her mind, one particularly stood out. A memory from her childhood days. A gaudy bedroom littered with gold. A king-sized canopy bed fit for royalty. Sleeping on it were two figures. A man and a woman. A king and a queen. A father and a mother. Blonde hair, a peaceful smile. That fated night on Christmas Eve, where she was judged and sentenced to a life of loneliness. Her judge was the suited man beside the bed, his hammer of justice ¡ª the ebony gun he gripped in his hand. That fateful night where she learned that all were equal in the eyes of death ¡ª no matter how weak, no matter how strong. That fateful day when the hammer struck. There was no rising action, nor was there any premonition of this event. She was happily heading to school the other, and killing herself the next. But Fr?ulein knew, that fate was outside those concepts. Fate was cruel. Fate was unjust. It trashed the world without reason or rhyme. She was not in a perfect fairy tale story where everything happened for a reason. This was the lesson ¡ª the sentenced she earned that fateful night seven years ago. Fr?ulein Floret was not a hero who could fight cruel fate. As hesitation left her shaking hands ¡ª she dug the knife deep within her neck. "Uwaa~ Do humans really kill themselves when they''re alone? Aren''t you weird? Are you human, or a rabbit? Hey, hey, which is it?" Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. "..." "But Ms. Rabbit, you can''t die in this place~ He he, welcome, to a place where even death has died!" "..." As the voice said, even if she felt the sensation of the cold blade slipping through her neck, she hasn''t lost her a bit of her consciousness yet. Things were happening too fast. There were too many questions. But that didn''t register in Fr?ulein''s mind at all. The three words that reverberated in her mind ¡ª the clanging bells of hope ¡ª made her forget all the pain she felt. ''I''m not alone, I''m not alone, I''m not alone, I''m not alone, I''m not alone, I''m not alone, I''m not alone...'' Colors flooded once more in her monotone world. Finally, it was again a world filled with love. "T¡ªthanks..." "Thanks for what?" "... I don''t know. Just wanted to say it." Fr?ulein drew the bloody knife from her neck with a wince, and returned it under her skirt. The dull pain in her neck was persistent, but she ignored it. Rather, it was more important to introduce herself, to face her new family. She had to do it properly, after all. "G¡ªgah... Sorry, I looked pathetic back there. My name''s... ha, Fr?ulein Floret. Nice to meet... you... eh?" "Uwaa~ you''re not scared at all. Guten Morgen! I am Frau Klein, the magical girl sealed on the moon, ehe!" What surprised Fr?ulein was not her sudden appearance. It was that moonlight-silver hair she was so very familiar with. The girl was young, maybe thirteen. Instead of a heavy cloak, she wore a weird gaudy dark-themed dress overfilled with laces and frills. Fr?ulein remembered seeing a dress like that once. It was the same as the girls in one of her brother dear''s games, Gothloli Panic. "Will you call me onii-chan too like those games?" "... Ha?" Part 4 "Well, once again, I''m Fr?ulein Floret, fifteen years old!" "I know~ I''ve been watching you after all. I''m the forsaken magical girl of chaos and depravity, Magical Frau Klein! Infinity years old!" "You''ve been watching me... A stalker!?" "Nein!" "... Why are you stealing my German-speaking character trait?" Fr?ulein was finally back to her usual cheery self ¡ª as if her previous breakdown was nothing but a dream. The wound on her neck was full recovered thanks to Frau''s magic. Although the dark miasma she used was intimidating, Fr?ulein didn''t want to look like a soldier of the undead. Unfortunately, nothing could be done to her tattered suit. The both of them were sitting on their own expensive-looking cushiony chair that Frau materialized out of nowhere. As if that wasn''t enough, she also pulled out a table made from high-class mahogany, a tea set and a platter of cookies. Of course, Fr?ulein clapped her hands as if watching a magic show, and Frau returned it with a respectful bow. The tea party on the moon opens its curtains. "But really, you look similar, too similar. Hey, do you know anyone called Alice Frey?" "Alice Frey...? Alice, Alice... Frey... Nope! Not a clue!" "Well, can''t be helped. The both of you look the same, but you''re completely different." "Just like that, that! You know, your twin sister. Even you don''t really know her, because you''re from another world!" Fr?ulein couldn''t help but widen her eyes. This was the first time meeting someone who knew the existence of the ''other world''. A small sip of her warm chamomile tea calmed her nerves. "So you''re some sort of super-powerful magical girl of evil that knows the existence of other worlds? Aren''t you like, the perfect last boss character?" "Nein, the only reason I know other worlds was because I''ve heard them all from World Euphonics onee-sama!" "World Euphonics ''onee-sama'', huh? I''ve only heard that phrase in games... World Euphonics, that sounds kind of familiar." "Ha? You don''t know about World Euphonics onee-sama? She was the one who sent you here, though..." "The one who sent me here was... m¡ªmoon voice! Yeah, I remember, two years ago, on the moon! She didn''t even show up after all these years! That idiot! You can talk to her here?" "Ja, but only when she visits. She''s super scary! But that''s why I love her! Kyaa, onee-sama~" "H¡ªhey, Frau, you wanna call me ''onee-sama'' too? I don''t know what it means, but it sounds cool! ''Onii-chan'' works well, too." "Hmm... but I''m older than you by infinity years!" "You can''t fool me, kid. Infinity is not a number! Which means you don''t have an age, which can be considered as zero. Which means I''m older than you! Checkmate!" "!? YOU''RE RIGHT! But since I still have my German character, I shall call you grobe schwester!" "Grobe? W¡ªwhy don''t we stop with the German and just call me onii-chan?" Then, I shall call you onee-chan! Fr?ulein onee-chan!" "T¡ªthis piercing in my heart, could it be your dark magic? But it''s okay, ''cause you''re cute!" "I know, I know!" They both took a small sip from their warm cup. "... So, onee-chan, don''t you have any questions for me? You''ve got a lot, right? Ask away!" "Hmm, let me think... ah, that''s right. What''s a freaky evil kid like you doing on the moon? Shouldn''t you be heading your skeleton army to conquer the floating islands or something?" "Eh, that''s your question!? If you only read history books back in the world, you''d know, though. I wonder what cheat you used to pass that Eli Magical Academy...." "S¡ªshut it, if you''re not caught, it''s fine! Anyways, continue with your story." "Ha... okay. Umm, it went like this. You see, onee-chan, this Frau Klein was so super-powerful that everyone got scared when they saw me! So, so my other six sisters, the magical girls of ''light'' and stupid stuff like that, joined forces with some hero that came from your world, and tried to kill me! This cute little me! Evil, right?" "I agree, I agree! What was that idiot hero thinking when she wanted to hurt such a cute little girl like you?" "Yep. Then, since I''m super-strong, they couldn''t do it, and instead sealed me here on the moon! The end." "Whoa... what a cool backstory! If only mine was as cool... I''m here because I got buried in tons of ice cubes. Ha." As if to prove the point, Fr?ulein summoned an ice cube with a ''Spellcast: Ice Cube'' and dropped the newly-made ice to her cup of tea. "... Onee-chan, don''t you want to return back to the world?" "Hmm? Why? I''m dead, right?" "Why? I mean, aren''t you sad? Aren''t you lonely? Don''t you have a family back in that world? Don''t you love them?" "Of course I do! I really do! Even little Alice who I just met yesterday. But I''m already dead, as fate dictates, so what can I do?" "... Aren''t you angry about that stupid fate? Why won''t you fight it?" "Tsk tsk, you really are a kid, Frau. Did you know? All are equal in the eyes of fate ¡ª No matter how weak, no matter how strong. So even if I become the most powerful girl around, it''s useless to fight against it. Whatever happens, happens. And besides, I''m not lonely anymore, because you''re here!" "... ''A girl who yearns for nothing but love'', huh. Uwaa~ That human was right! You really are a boring character! A freak! You aren''t even upset at your fate, only living to feel the emotion of love! Ah ha ha!" "W¡ªwhat''s freaky about that? It''s normal, normal!" "Hypocrite onee-chan, you really are a hypocrite! Saying things at your own convenience! Ah ha ha! That human was right when he said you should just have been left dead! Ah ha ha!" "H¡ªhypocrite? Y our words are getting scarier, you know?" "Ha... ha... I wonder what World Euphonics onee-sama had in mind when she sent you to this world. Well, it''s fine! I was lonely too because Euphonics onee-sama hasn''t visited me lately, so I welcome you to an eternity to the moon! I shall love you, and you shall love me, in this unchanging barren world! Your dream has been granted, onee-chan!" "Well, it can''t be helped. Thanks for having me, Frau! Let''s have a good time here in the moon!" And thus began Fr?ulein Floret''s eternal life on the moon with no one but the Magical Girl of Chaos and Depravity to sustain her with love. Part 5 It has been aeons¡ª or perhaps even a second ¡ª ever since. Time was a concept long gone in this unchanging gray Sahara. Fr?ulein Floret was touring the dark side of the moon for the 3,478,302nd time. It has been long since Frau Klein has left, and she was eagerly waiting for her return. Maybe out of boredom ¡ª maybe out of fate ¡ª that young blonde girl decided to dig a hole on the moon, wondering if she could dig, dig and dig to the other side. She had all the time in the world to do it, after all. With the dull knife she always hid under her skirt, she dug. She dug to nowhere in particular. A random spot on the gray ground. She dug, dug and dug. Dug, and dug. Dug, dug, dug, dug, dug, dug, dug, dug, dug, dug, dug, dug, dug, dug, dug, dug, dug, du¡ª Clink. "...Hmm?" Her knife hit something metallic. It was a wonderful surprise for Fr?ulein, a welcoming addition to the unchanging world. A treasure box to reward her fervent digging, like the many story books about treasure hunting she has read ages ago. She pulled the metallic silver box out from the ground. It was a box as big as a large book. It was a strange box with no inscriptions on it. It was a mystery how it got on the moon in the first place. Without further ado, she opened the lid and discovered a bundle of papers bounded by metal rings. It piqued her interest as to what it may be. A grimoire, a story book, or even a text book ¡ª anything was fine. It would serve as a great refreshing topic for Frau. She turned the bundle over to see what it was. The cover was nothing but a plain cardboard cut to serve as a cover. It was getting more interesting. She opened the cover, and read the words she could not believe she was reading. "... Fraulein''s Diary ¡ª dedicated to her dear sister Fr?ulein." --- The contents of the diary and the events after Fr?ulein''s moon adventure! Stuff about the magical girls... yeah. Believe it! And Frau''s secret!? Find out in the next chapter of Magical "Fr?ulein is such poor character that she isn''t even the name in the title of her own story" and the Moon Fun Times with Frau the Evil Magical Girl! ... What am I even writing? [Opening Arc] Chapter 5 -- My Dear Sister Fr?ulein (A.N.: 5000 words. All hail iced coffee.) Chapter 5 My Dear Sister Fr?ulein Fraulein''s Diary ¡ª dedicated to her dear sister Fr?ulein. July 28, 1613 I am writing a diary. Fraulein gave me papers today to draw, but I don''t want to. July 29, 1613 Her name is written as Fr?ulein. The ? is important, she said. July 30, 1613 I had a nightmare last night. I went to Fraulein''s bed, but got scolded. She told me that privacy is important. But she let me sleep with her in the end. I don''t understand her. July 31, 1613 She read my diary. The ? is super important, she said. I will try to hide this diary better next time. August 1, 1613 Today Fr?ulein brought me to the market to buy food. She didn''t like the inn''s meals. We bumped into a big man along the way. He laughed at her clothes. I thought she would kill him, but she let it slide and even laughed with him. The lofty Fr?ulein from that night is gone. I only see a weak coward. I don''t understand her. August 2, 1613 Fr?ulein won''t come home tonight. She said she found a good-paying job. We look the same and our ages are the same, but she works harder than me. I''m also a coward. August 3, 1613 Fr?ulein came home tonight with food from Coruscant City. She said that she bought it because she did not like the food from the inn. But I think she was trying to cheer me up. She''s always like this. She doesn''t throw me out even if I am useless. She acts like my big sister. I don''t like it. I''m sorry. August 4, 1613 She doesn''t ask what happened to me. I''m thankful for that. But all I do is cause her trouble. I''m sorry. August 5, 1613 I''m sorry. August 6, 1613 I''m sorry. August 7, 1613 Today I tried going outside by myself. I thought that if Fr?ulein could find a job, so can I. I went to the market and asked around, but nobody took me. Then a man in armor pulled my arm and tried to tie my hands, but Fr?ulein came in time and made that man''s head fly. I asked her why she killed him, and she said that it was shameless for a man to hold a girl''s arm. I don''t understand her. We came home late because it took a long time to dispose the body. I''m always useless. I''m sorry. August 8, 1613 Today Fr?ulein brought me to the park to make friends. She said I won''t be sad if I had many friends. When Fr?ulein went away to buy some snacks, I met a kid named Alice. She was here with her family. We played tag for a bit, but I always lost to her. I''m even weaker than someone younger than me. When she had to go, I found Fr?ulein and boasted about making a friend. She looked sad and said I was unfair. I don''t understand her. But I know she brought me here to cheer me up again because of yesterday. August 9, 1613 She still won''t ask why I was crying that day. I want to tell her, but I don''t have the courage to. I really am weak. August 10, 1613 Today Fr?ulein brought me a gift. It was a grimoire that her friend gave her. She has a lot of friends. She said that if I was going to be a shut-in, I might as well learn ice magic. Finally, I can start learning magic. I can stop being weak and useless. Fr?ulein was happy because I finally smiled, and bought more books for me. I thought it was too much, but I couldn¡¯t say anything because she was jumping all over the place. August 15, 1613 She dragged me out of the house because I was studying too much, she said. But I think it was too little. If I don''t learn faster, I won''t catch up to her, and I won''t be able to protect her. When I said that to her, she laughed. She said there was no point in getting stronger. I remember her face being sad when she said something about death and fate. I don''t want to see her sad. I know Fr?ulein was wrong. There is a point in getting stronger. If I was strong, I can protect the things I love. August 18, 1613 Today, we moved out of the inn. Fr?ulein was able to buy a small house in the residential area of this town. How did she find the money to buy one? August 19, 1613 The house burned. I was lucky I haven''t moved my books yet. But I was very sad and I almost cried. We moved back at the inn. I think the innkeeper didn''t like Fr?ulein. She made a sour face as soon as she saw her. But the innkeeper is very kind. She sneaks me food every time there were left overs. Today she gave me extra potatoes. I felt better because of that. August 28, 1613 It''s been a month since I met that girl with the same face as mine. Ever since I started learning magic, I have greatly improved. I am able to cast most of the natural spells. The innkeeper said I was amazing because I was learning magic on my own, but it was not enough. If I wanted to reach Fr?ulein, I have to aim higher. Speaking of her, she kept pestering me to learn ice magic. Did she not know that ice spells are known as the hardest magic to cast out of all the Natural Spells? When I told her that, she sulked and buried herself straight to advanced natural magic, skipping everything else. I don''t understand her. August 30, 1613 Today, I was in charge of the shopping, because Fr?ulein has her usual job and wouldn''t be able to go home tonight. I don''t know what I had in me, but as usual I was targeted again by a group of seedy-looking people in the alleyway. I wasted no time and shocked them all with a Jolt Spellcast. That moment, I finally felt the fruits of my labor. It was the first time I saw people weaker than me. I was so happy I went back to the market to buy the finest meat I could find. I was disappointed when no other people attacked me when I returned. I wonder where my luck went. September 2, 1613 I saw Alice again today at the park, sweeping the scattered leaves that littered around to a pile. Alice said that I became livelier since the last time we met, but I don''t think so. Although I smiled from time to time, I couldn''t do it naturally. Today, I still lost to Alice at tag. Even my magic didn''t help. I''m really upset. I don''t want to lose to a kid! September 3, 1613 Today, I asked Fr?ulein how to run faster. She happily agreed and told me to join her in her morning jogs. In the meantime, she taught me the proper form needed to throw a dart. I might need it in my eventual rematch. September 5, 1613 I found Alice in the park again. I told her to fight me in five days. She said I was taking it too seriously, but I don''t think so. I will show her that even I can be strong too. September 6, 1613 Fr?ulein''s morning jog was abnormal. Every morning, she said she circled the whole town ten times. She was surely joking about that. I tried to keep up with her, but collapsed on the way. I was very embarrassed, even if she told me not to worry about it. To make up for that blunder, I began learning Over Spells, the next branch of magic after Natural Spells. The equations for Over Spells were more abstract and complex, so it was good punishment. September 8, 1613 I successfully finished a lap today. As usual, Fr?ulein overreacted and wanted to bring me to the best restaurant in town, but I reminded her that there was no time to be complacent. She insisted at least on buying me a sweet potato on the way back. I agreed. The potato was really sweet. September 9, 1613 Tomorrow was my fated battle with Alice. My stamina has gone up, and my dart-throwing was perfect. This night, I asked Fr?ulein to help me in building a good strategy, but I quickly learned it was a mistake. The only thing she suggested was freezing the whole ground with ice magic. Did she not know I would also be affected by it? But I could not turn her away because of how eager she was to help me. I don''t know how the battle will unfold tomorrow, but I must believe in all the work I''ve done. I''m not weak anymore. But if I get desperate, maybe I''ll really freeze the ground? September 10, 1613 She never arrived. I waited and waited and waited but she never arrived. She must''ve been scared. If she forfeits our battle, it means I won, right? September 11, 1613 I went to the park again. She wasn''t there. September 12, 1613. She wasn''t there. September 13, 1613 She wasn''t there. September 14, 1613 The scattered leaves around the park annoyed me, so I used a Jolt spell to fry them all. I almost burned the park. I felt I would''ve felt better if I just swept it normally. September 15, 1613 She wasn''t there. Why am I even waiting for that coward? September 16, 1613 Today I had a fight with Fr?ulein. How dare her! She acted as if she cared about me, trying to cheer me up these days. It''s no use waiting for her? I should just find a new friend? Cheer up? Does she think that it''s that easy? I almost hit her with magic when she seriously said those words. I hate her I hate her I hate her! Alice is my first friend, and she treats her like an object? Idiot Fr?ulein! I''m not talking with her ever again. September 23, 1613 Fr?ulein tried bringing fruits from Coruscant, but I won''t forgive her until she understands. September 28, 1613 Finished Over Spells. On to Set Spells. October 5, 1613 Finished Set Spells. On to Conceptual Spells. October 10, 1613 There was a warm blanket the covered me when I slept at the sofa. October 19, 1613 I could hear her cry under her blanket. I''m an idiot. October 20, 1613 I''m having a hard time understanding neurology. Being a magician is hard. October 24, 1613 She''s gone. She left a small letter saying she''ll be gone for a few days to try and change her thinking. I don''t know what she means by that. I hope she won''t leave me. I''ve decided to forgive her once she came back, no matter what she thinks. I don''t like this loneliness. October 27, 1613 I skipped studying for today and lazed around the inn. I never knew our room was so big. I feel thankful to the innkeeper for bringing me meals in my room. I don''t deserve it. Not me. October 28, 1613 I tried making the cold stale coffee Fr?ulein always made me when I was tired. I could never get the right temperature, freezing the whole cup no matter what I tried. See, sister? Ice magic is hard, you know? I always hated the taste of your coffee, but now I need it more than ever. I can''t make it without you. So please come back. Please. Don''t leave me. I''m sorry. I''m sorry. I''m sorry. I''m sorry. I''m sorry. I''m sorry. I''m sorry. I''m sorry. I''m sorry... October 29, 1613 I haven''t touched my books today. That''s bad. I must study, so I could be someone she''ll be proud of when she returns. October 30, 1613 There''s a festival outside. They''re noisy. I want to strike them all with lightning, but sister dear wouldn''t like that. I hope they stop soon. November 1, 1613 Dies Irae. The day of wrath. Today I''ve learned about the absurd existence called Fr?ulein Floret. No, that''s wrong. I learned that fact three months ago. Today I remembered. That hallowed visage, stained in blood. That immaculate figure that bathed under the moonlight. The feelings I felt. The feeling of madness. The feeling of my existence turned to a pitiful bug. I must''ve forgotten after seeing her live her everyday life in happiness. That day, a hail of fire rained upon the town I have lived in for three months. Everything those flaming hailstones touched burned to ashes. Buildings, trees, cattle, humans ¡ª in did not discriminate and burned all to a crisp. I knew the magic I have desperately learned for months was overturned by those flames in a moment. It was laughable. From the sky, it descended ¡ª a being that lay waste on the world, a being I have only read in fairy tales and history books. Garbed in the holy garments of pink, blazing red hair tied on both sides ¡ª was the dreaded existence of a Magical Girl ¡ª a goddess ¡ª that broke the minds of those who tried to comprehend its wrath. Everyone who saw the Magical Girl lost themselves. Many bashed their heads on the walls, seeking peaceful death the creature would not give. Some slashed their throats, others gouged their eyes out ¡ª it was a disgusting scene of self-carnage everywhere. Only I remained sane. Although my legs back then wouldn''t support me, I was still sane. All because the madness that Magical Girl gave out could not hope to compare to the madness I felt three months ago. As soon as she saw me, she drew closer, maybe thinking that I was some brave soul that could not be broken by simply existing. I will never know. Because never reached me. Standing ever bravely between human and goddess was a single immaculate figure. Although I only saw her back, I could not be mistaken at that time ¡ª it was her. She did not falter, nor did she fall. Rather, she stood against an impossible foe, gripping nothing but a lone silver knife in her hand. Humans cannot hope to fight against the Magical Girls. That was the moment I realized ¡ª Fr?ulein was a being who disregarded such concepts. No matter how weak, no matter how strong ¡ª all were equal in her eyes. Such was the being called Fr?ulein Floret. With speed that was borderline teleportation, she did not even hesitate to approach that flaming goddess. It was crazy. No matter how much flames the Magical Girl spewed out, Fr?ulein avoided it all with inhuman precision. The silver blurs of her knife were too fast for even the goddess to follow. She tried escaping, up in the air to launch a wide attack. But there was no escape for that cornered rat. Fr?ulein catapulted herself with a catapult ¡ª and shot herself straight to the Magical Girl. I could not see what happened back then. But what seared in my mind was the falling red figure that consumed itself in blood and flames. I could not believe it. An impossibility. Magical Girls were said to be the most absolute existences that personified the world''s wrath. And Fr?ulein ¡ª that lofty being ¡ª killed it. But what frightened me the most this day were her actions after defeating such an impossibility. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡ª She cried. In front of me, a lowly human, her figure crumbled, and she bawled her eyes out. She kept crying, asking for forgiveness, saying that she was too weak to fight against fate, and she could not change the way she thought no matter how hard she tried. She cried out hypocritical words. A being like her, could not fight against fate? Even when the goddess she slew was something even beyond that? This day I realized, that Fr?ulein Floret is a defective person. This day I realized the heavy burden placed on my shoulders. If I were to protect this fragile existence, I had to surpass the unsurpassable. I had to defeat the undefeatable. All to show her that even humans can struggle against the absolute fate that bounded this world. But back then, the only thing I could give her was a hug, and forgiveness I myself will never deserve in my whole life. November 2, 1613 More than two thirds of the town''s population died. Fr?ulein said we should move to a new town. I saw the innkeeper''s charred remains on the street. I felt sick. I hope Alice is okay. November 3, 1613 Fr?ulein decided to throw a party between the two of us to celebrate our long-awaited reunion. It was hard to do so when I thought about all the people who died just two days ago, but I smiled for her. For my hopeless dear sister. I should remind myself to practice smiling. November 5, 1613 We found a new residence at Siliva Town two days away from the place that was now called the "Town of Wrath". Of course, we stayed at an inn. When will we ever have our own permanent address? I think Fr?ulein couldn''t get over the first house she bought that burned to the ground. November 6, 1613 Fr?ulein procured two suspicious-looking papers ¡ª our new identities. But our names were still perfectly the same. Fraulein and Fr?ulein Floret. The only thing different was that we were now officially twin sisters. Today is a happy day. November 7, 1613 Today I greeted everyone in the neighborhood with some homemade stew. We had to announce ourselves properly if we were to live in this place. My twin sister is a forgetful one who doesn''t bother with the complicated things. I feel I had to fill in the gaps she left. November 29, 1613 After saving enough money from the part-time jobs I took all over Siliva town, I managed to snag a cheap and sturdy house close to the edge of town. I immediately placed fire-detecting Set Spells that sprayed water when activated. Fr?ulein agreed in moving, but she was rather sad I did things all by myself. December 12, 1613 Today was our birthday. It seems we even had the same birthday. Fr?ulein ended up spending all her money buying an all-you-can-eat banquet from a restaurant only nobles could afford. Fr?ulein was actually rich. Was. Now she''s penniless. Of course, the both of us couldn''t even finish a quarter of the food on the table, so I was forced to call our neighbors to help us. That may have earned us points from them, but I''m worried about how Fr?ulein easily spends her money like that. I''ll try to lecture her tomorrow. December 25, 1613 Fr?ulein celebrated something today she called "Christmas" by cutting a tree and placing it inside the house. I got mad at her for making such a mess inside. But I calmed down after she made her iced coffee. It always calmed me down. January 1, 1614 It''s been 1614 years since the Floating Island of Eli reached for the sky. Fr?ulein begged me to launch explosion spells in the air, so I did. I admit it was fun, mostly thanks to watching her reactions. One more year to go until we were qualified to take the Fe Safire School of Magical Arts ¡ª or more widely known as the Magical Academy ¡ª Entrance Examination. I decided to drag Fr?ulein along with me together. I know she hates magic (except for her ice magic), but maybe she''ll learn a thing or two about changing fate. February 14, 1614 Today Fr?ulein guarded me all day, watching my every move. She followed me everywhere. Especially in the market, she was giving off a dangerous aura, like a guard dog ready to bite anytime. She would growl at every man who wanted to greet me. If she''s like this, not even a god or a goddess could hope to come near me. April 1, 1614 Today I woke up with my face painted in black. I got back at her by dumping her whole body in the bathtub repeatedly using a telekinetic spell. I wonder where that god-slayer went. July 28, 1614 It''s been one year since we''ve met. All this time, I have never known where she came from, but it didn''t matter to me. She is my twin sister ¡ª nothing more, nothing less. Since today was a special day, I asked Fr?ulein to spar with me in a battle, in order to see how far I''ve grown. It was a complete victory ¡ª by me. She could not even escape from the absolute barrier spell I surrounded her with. But I won''t grow complacent. I could see she was going easy on me. No, rather than going easy, it was simply that I wasn''t strong enough to trigger her instincts. How weak can I be? November 1, 1614 Today, I decided to go deeper on my understanding of Magical Girls. There may ¡ª no, shall ¡ª come a time when I have to battle one. And knowledge is an essential tool of the weak like me. To summarize what I''ve learned: There were once seven Magical Girls that were worshiped as goddesses back when humanity lived down below. One had the authority of fire; one had the authority of water; one had the authority of corruption; one had the authority of darkness; one had the authority of the swarm; one had the authority of war; and the last had the authority of both destruction and creation. Everything was supposed to be in balance ¡ª until the strongest of them waged a terrible war against the world: The Magical Girl of Creation and Destruction, Frau Klein. Her reasons were unknown. But none of the other Magical Girls could stand up against her absolute power. So humanity used its greatest hidden trump card and pointed its blade towards the rouge goddess. The summoning of a Hero. Together with the other six goddesses, the Hero confronted the Magical Frau Klein''s vile creations ¡ª beasts of all shapes and sizes. I realize this Magical Girl was the reason humanity today had to guard the borders from stray monsters that popped out of the great white cloud. Frau Klein was the indirect perpetrator of my parent''s death. I hope one day she gets to meet Fr?ulein. Anyways, the Hero and the six Magical Girls managed to seal the evil Magical Girl in an eternal prison where no wind blew, or flowers bloomed. As for where that place was, it was never mentioned. The end. Most of the important information I need ¡ª like their powers and weaknesses, or reasons for attacking humanity now ¡ª were never revealed. At most, it was just an entertaining bedtime story. When I told Fr?ulein this story, she really slept. She was an absurd existence, in more ways than one. December 12, 1614 It was our birthday today. I managed to stop Fr?ulein from rushing to a restaurant this year, and instead suggested a peaceful night alone together drinking nothing but iced coffee. We didn''t need an extravagant celebration. As long as were together, it''s enough. December 25, 1614 Fr?ulein''s Christmas celebration was again at a full swing this year, as she brought TWO trees inside our house. I burned them all with a controlled fire spell. She was dejected at first, but came back to life when I shot "fireworks" up in the air. She was such a simple twin sister. January 1, 1615 Five months remained until the Magical Academy''s Entrance Examination. It was an exam that tested a person''s ability in science, math and general magic. Only the competent ones could hope to pass. And I knew my twin sister wasn''t one of them. She was an idiot, after all. I tried convincing her to pass the exam with me, but as expected, she was reluctant in learning any magic except ice magic. I may know why. She finally relented when I begged her to learn the magic I so dearly love. Good. I don''t want to spend my five years in the Magical Academy alone. February 14, 1615 It''s that time of the year again where she growls at every man that approaches me. I wonder why she does that. It''s not like I would follow some strange man and leave her side. April 1, 1615 Today, I thought I was fully prepared. I set several Set Spells around me to shock her if she tried to do a prank while I was sleeping. She cheatingly used her inhuman instincts to dodge them all, and painted "Idiot" on my forehead. I got so mad I gave her the bathtub treatment once again. June 20, 1615 Today was the day of the Magical Academy''s Entrance Examination. Fr?ulein and I had to ride the train to reach Coruscant City, the place where the examination took place. During the testing phase, I accidentally broke their Mana Potential calculator. Because of that, I had to limit my Mana Potential to the highest possible number they could register: three thousand. Thirty times more than the average MP. It was fine. I wasn''t here to be humble. I was here to learn. But there was something that surprised me today. Under the suit that Fr?ulein wore were traces of magical equations she was supposed to memorize. June 28, 1615 The results came via a letter from the Academy. I got first place in every part of the Examination. But there was no point in celebrating. I aim for an impossible height, after all. This much was a given. But Fr?ulein surprisingly passed. Not only that, she wasn''t last ¡ª she was the second last place. I wonder who that poor person is to be surpassed by even Fr?ulein in academics. July 15, 1615 Today we leave this house after almost two years. Students of the Magical Academy were required to live in the dorms, and it seemed that Fr?ulein and I would be separated. How sad. I added several life-threatening Set Spells like Max Jolt and Mist Poison all over the house, so nobody would have the audacity to mess with our memory-filled home. July 16, 1615 We have finally arrived in the Magical Academy with all our luggage. I think Fr?ulein was sad she didn''t get a personal escort. She may have wanted to go with me, but I did not allow it. I never understood why she didn''t bother wearing the official uniform and instead went for her usual suit. But there was something today that got on my nerves. That princess, Clementine. I was quickly notified of a duel that took place on the open field, a duel between my "failure" of a sister and the Princess. Maybe that was where my irritation began. Everywhere I turned, they mocked my sister as a failure. Someone who should be ashamed to have the same name as me. A laughingstock. I desperately ignored the urge to fry their brains and headed for Fr?ulein''s dormitory room. I knew the battle would be quickly over. That mockery of a princess who dared challenge my lofty twin sister wouldn''t last long. And I was right. I tried to be friendly with her, so she wouldn''t bother us any longer. But the moment she called my sister''s way as cowardly ¡ª I snapped. I silently placed a Set Spell that triggered her pain receptors to the maximum the moment we left the room. I also placed a Silence Spell so she wouldn''t disturb anyone in her suffering. My twin sister was eager in entertaining her new roommate, so I had to lie and make her feel like I was worried about her to lessen her guard and shoo her away from the room. Of course it worked. As soon as she was far away, I dragged the princess'' body from the bed and threw her out of the window, not before casting an Amnesia Spell that made her forget the whole day. But the sensation of pain should remain. That was enough of a lesson for her. I''m not sure how much I can last in this place if they kept belittling my sister. Even if I can''t really blame them. July 17, 1615 One more day until the start of school. I didn''t feel like heading anywhere today, after those series of stressful events yesterday. I wanted to visit Fr?ulein in her room, but Miss Lila said she was summoned by the Headmaster. There was no point in visiting an empty room, so I obediently went back to my own. I wonder what the Headmaster needed her for. I can always ask Fr?ulein tomorrow. I just hope she hasn''t caused any trouble. July 18, 1615 ============================== These pages were forcefully ripped. ============================== July 28, 1615 To my dear sister Fr?ulein, I never thought I would be writing a letter to a non-existent person. But I have to. This is the final selfishness allowed for the one called Fraulein Floret. Humanity has lost. We were never a match against six Magical Girls. I was never strong to begin with. Now the end of the world has come. Today is a day of wrath. We shall all crumble and fall. But you know, sister dear, even in the last of days, I kept reading and reading this diary. As an assurance, that a person called Fr?ulein Floret really did exist, and was not just some fairy tale of mine. I kept reading, and reading, and reading, all the fun times we had. All the sad times we had. Every treasured moment. Many has given up. But I will fight until the end. Because there was once a person who could. I will struggle. Because I know of an existence that gave me hope. Hope I received from someone who held none. I will fall. But at the very least, I did not want the measly existence of those Magical Girls to erase the proof that you have lived in this world. I shall cast the greatest spell I have on this notebook, and seal it in a place where no wind blew, or flowers bloomed. This is the final selfishness allowed for the one called Fraulein Floret. And if fate guides this notebook to you, all I wanted to say was, I''m sorry. --- Frau Klein vs. Fr?ulein!? The two strongest existence clash their ideals! A visit from World Euphonics onee-sama!? The last chapter of the opening arc? Find out in the next chapter of Magical Fraulein (is the true heroine of this story) and World Euphonics onee-sama! ... I bet you guys won''t reread the first three chapters again. ... I feel I''m missing some tags. [Opening Arc] Chapter 6 -- ENAQBZFUBHGF!? (A.N.: This is Part 1 of the final chapter.) Chapter 6 ENAQBZFUBHGF!? Part 1 It has been a day ¡ª or perhaps even an eternity ¡ª ever since Fr?ulein Floret read the diary she found buried deep within the ground. Time was a concept long gone in this unchanging gray Sahara. "... Onee-chan, I''m back." "Welcome, welcome..." An unimaginable sight unfolded in the tea party on the moon. Many talks were had on this tea table, whether they be serious, silly, or simple idle chats, but definitely all of them were filled with smiles and laughter ¡ª a clear reflection on their bubbly personalities. Now, neither of them could see any ''party'' in this tea party. Fr?ulein was stirring her cup of iced coffee with a finger, sighing repeatedly while occasionally looking up above the cloud-coated planet. Frau on the other hand sunk her small frame deep within the cushiony chair, a look so displeased you could see the dark miasma oozing all around her. "... You first. You look kind of dangerous right now." "Thank you, onee-chan. Then..." She casually lifted the table with one arm, and threw it up the air. As soon as it was high enough, from her hands erupted lightning and an ear-splitting thunder. She shouted her rage. "STUPID! MAGICAL! GIRLS!! What the hell are you guys DOIIIING? If onee-sama doesn''t kill you first, I''LL PERSONALY HANDLE YOU WITH CARE! AAAAHHHHH!!" She threw her own chair to the distance and gave it the same shock treatment. Of the chair''s fate, not even splinters remained. "FGHCVQSHPXVATCVRPRFBSFUVGF!!" She began shouting something in a strange language Fr?ulein couldn''t comprehend. The blonde girl couldn''t do anything but wait until her anger subsided. "Fghcvqshpxf... lbhthlfnertbbqxabjvatguvfplcure... ha... ha... okay. I''m good. I''m good. I''m calm. I''m the forsaken magical girl of chaos and depravity, Magical Frau Klein. Being angry is not helping, Nein, nein." With a snap of a finger, the table and chair she blew to smithereens materialized to their previous places like new. The cups and plates that fell on the ground were replaced and refilled. Fr?ulein wasted no time in using her ice magic to summon an ice cube to her cup. "I''m always amazed at that energy of yours. Chamomile helps with the nerves, you know?" "Thanks, onee-chan. But I''m calm now. Yes, calm, calm as a clam~" "So, what''s this all about?" Frau heavily sighed and sunk deeper to her chair, hugging her legs, as if hiding from some invincible force out to get her. "... World Euphonics onee-sama''s angry." "World Euphonics onee-sama? You mean that moon voice? What evil did you do now?" "Not me! My stupid sisters!" She slammed the table with her fist, giving the tea cups and tea a jump. Just remembering the insanities the other Magical Girls did made Frau Klein''s nerves go haywire. "They''re... whatever they''re doing is making World Euphonics onee-sama super angry. I''ve never seen onee-sama that angry before. They even blocked the Akashic Central Computer from gathering data! Nein, it should be impossible without me... What the hell are they hiding...? Those traitors who turned their blades on onee-sama, I would''ve made them if I wasn''t sealed!" "... What are we talking about again?" "The world! They sealed ten days in that world so World Euphonics onee-sama wouldn''t be able to observe! Not only that, they killed off humanity at the same time!" "So, um, those other Magical Girls killed humanity... in those ten days?" "Yes! If onee-sama hasn''t noticed that small glitch in the data, it would''ve slipped from her sights! Onee-sama''s data can''t have holes in it. It''s going to wreck onee-sama''s project! To fool onee-sama like that, did they forget their gratitude? Wh¡ª" "There, there, it''s all right." Fr?ulein gave the shivering girl a hug. Frau''s eyes were bloodshot, and her breathing was ragged once more, so she couldn''t ignore the little girl''s state and tried patting her softly on the back. It worked for little Alice, it should work for her look-alike on the moon too. Frau tried to resist at first, but gradually gave up and left her body to the haughty girl''s pats. Slow, but kind pats. Slow, but sure. The warmth transmitted from her palm helped Frau regain composure once more. "... I don''t like seeing onee-sama angry. She''s someone who''ll bring us all to a great path. Why can''t my sisters understand that?" "Yes, yes. But don''t you worry, okay? If it''s that moon voice, then surely she can do something about it." "... That''s the problem, onee-chan. She can''t directly interfere with the world. I don''t know why but she doesn''t do that. She only observes. The only time I know she did stuff was with you, and that''s a special case. I''m the only one World Euphonics onee-sama can rely now." "Then it can''t be helped. It''s the will of fate that those ten days end up with humanity losing, after all. Now, smile, smile! There are many other things we can do other than worry about things we can''t do! I shouldn''t have worried about that diary, huh." "Fate? How can I accept that stupid fate? What of World Euphonics onee-sama''s goals? Her dreams? Her ambitions for us all? How can I¡ª ... eh? Diary?" Frau Klein''s eyes turned to dots. "See? If even moon voice, who can overturn my fate like that, can''t do anything, what more about us? Okay? Now that we''ve got that over, what game should we play today?" "Onee-chan? Diary?" "Oh yeah, I haven''t told you about that. Well, it''s a good topic anyways. See, my sister was such a cheat, she teleported a book from the world to the moon! Is that even possible?" Fr?ulein pulled out a peculiar object from her tattered suit. It was a bundle of papers with a cardboard cover, bound by several metal rings. "Tada! Fraulein''s Diary ¡ª dedicated to me! I found it under the ground while I was digging around the place." "... Eh? That a prank?" "Nope, it''s real! See here, not my handwr¡ª" "Gimme that!" Frau snatched the book from her hands without even a speck of care, and absorbed every single letter from its pages. The normally noisy tea party was now bathed in unbreakable silence, filled with nothing but the flick of pages. With every flick, Frau Klein''s expression grew darker and darker. She was reading an impossibility. Hopefully a prank. It was simply a record of past events Frau Klein has seen herself thanks to the Observatory above their heads. But the implications of such a record being here on this place, it just couldn''t be. Because this was a place where even death has died. "... No way." "Yes way! What do you think, Frau? I''m proud of my cheat of a twin sister! Ah, I kind of miss her." "Cheat...? Onee-chan, this isn''t just a mere cheat. Do you even know where we are?" Fr?ulein tilted her head at Frau''s obvious question. "The moon, right?" "Ja! So how do you think something like this could''ve gotten here?" "... Long-ranged teleportation?" Frau Klein realized. She didn''t want to believe it. She didn''t want to stare into the dark abyss that is Fr?ulein''s ignorance. "Onee-chan, when I say ''moon'', what kind of moon am I talking about?" "Heh? The world''s got only one moon, right? Wait, there were two? I¡ªI never noticed it!" Frau realized. Fr?ulein didn''t understand the impossibility of a lone human sending an object to this ''moon''. All this time, she though they were on the moon that circled around the world. She didn''t even question why she could breathe, or why gravity was the same as the world. She simply ignored all those facts and lived a careless life. It really was the same, whether the world, or here. As long as she had love, she didn''t care about anything else. "... Onee-chan, if it was only distance that separated us from the world, I could''ve easily escaped and smash those Magical Girls'' heads. Why do you think it took six goddesses and a hero to seal me here?" "Eh? So where are we?" "We''re in the Astral Plane! We''re far removed from that world''s reality! We''re in a place outside their time! You can''t just ''teleport'' from here to there. That''s just like saying you can travel between worlds!" "Really? What''s that cloud-covered planet up there then?" "An observation gift from onee-sama, so I wouldn''t get bored! I get data from World Euphonics onee-sama and feed it there so I can watch what I want! It''s a huge T.V. screen! Ha... ha... Uwaa~ the forsaken magical girl of chaos and depravity, Frau Klein, has been defeated. I give up trying to make you understand, onee-chan." "W¡ªwell, it''s fine, right? I don''t really care if we''re in this ''Astral Plane'' or whatever, but let''s skip the hard story and have fun! Um... want to play word chain again?" "Later, onee-chan. Maybe, maybe there''s a clue in this diary to interfere with the Dies Irae sequence that onee-sama hasn''t noticed... Uwaa~ I knew that Fraulein Floret was good, but sending an object here, she must''ve been seriously researching to kill me... scary, scary!" "I''m bored... Hey, Frau, while reading that, tell me what''s this ''Dies Irae'' thing you magical girls keep talking about. Two years ago ¡ª no, centuries ago? Geh, my sense of time really has been frayed. Well, some years ago, this twintail redhead fire girl kept shouting the same thing too." "The Dies Irae sequence... Super short story: it gives us ¡ª the Seven Magical Girls ¡ª absolute rights to the world. If all of us deem humanity dangerous to the World, we use ten days to purge them all. We''re like, the World''s defense mechanism? Even World Euphonics onee-sama''s observations can be fooled if we wanted to. But it''s impossible to do without me... hmmm... hmmm?" Something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong. Frau turned the pages left, then turned the pages right. She then stopped at the last page. The letter, July 28. The last entry, July 17. Fraulein Floret must''ve ripped the other ten entries to prevent a ''conflict'' with the Dies Irae and successfully send the diary to the Astral Plane. If onee-sama was right, and the Dies Irae sequence started on July 18, why was Fraulein Floret alive on the eleventh day? All of humanity should have died on those ten days. Even onee-sama''s data said so. A mistake? Did Fr?ulein Floret mistake the date on her part? Frau Klein assumed that at first. It should be. But if, and just an if, it was not mistake, but a clue, then it meant that the other Magical Girls were somehow able to extend the Dies Irae sequence and fool onee-sama for one more day. "... What are my sisters planning?" "You know, Frau, it''s useless worrying about that~ Give up, you can''t fight fate, you know? Come on, let''s play!" "Shut up, onee-chan. I''m not like you. If it''s for World Euphonics onee-sama, I''ll fight! Fight! Magical Frau Klein, go~" July 16, they arrive at that academy. July 17, onee-chan gets summoned by the headmaster. Ripped pages. July 28, the end. "... Ah, onee-chan, when were you sealed again? And by who?" "Heh? Sealed? Who?" "Lemme change that... When were you sent here again? Who ''killed'' you?" "Oh, the day I died? July 18, I guess? And as for who killed me... Me? I mean, I died from my ice cubes. Or do I blame the ice cubes? Can you blame the tool for the faults of its master? I bet you can! Yeah!" "... If it''s onee-chan''s soul who isn''t completely connected to the world, then I guess it''s possible to send you here during Dies Irae? But, you ''killed'' yourself? Tsk, I forgot onee-chan''s super stupid. Like this, onee-chan. Explain to me exactly what happened that day." "Uh... I woke up, I tried going to school, but my body didn''t want me to, so I forced it, I summoned ice cubes, I finally controlled my body, I stepped out of the door, then moon." "You step out of the door, then moon~ Ja, ja, so where''s the ''I died'' part?" "... The ice cubes?" "Uwaa~ Why so?" The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. "I mean, that''s the part where my shakiness disappeared. I must''ve been a ghost then." "Hhmmm... The time you made those weird ice cubes must be the turning point. If it''s just water, it must be Frau Kraus, but... Onee-chan, anything else? Anything specific? Anything weird?" "Let''s see, weird, huh? Alice''s bed was strangely clean, but I can explain that. Also, I tried that concentration technique Fraulein taught me, along with a chant I ma¡ª" "There. Fraulein''s concentration technique. What''s that?" "Ah, that. She said if I connected to my ''inner self'', Mana flows much better through you. So I did." "Ha... just the basic magic stuff... So you felt the Mana passing through you, right?" "Mana passing through me? It was more like... trying to swim through some muddy stream to reach that silver orb-thingy?" Frau Klein''s eyes just couldn''t stop turning to dots. "Y¡ªyou sent yourself here!? Nein, nein, silver orb... your soul is also connected to the Astral Plane? Just... I see. World Euphonics onee-sama was using the moon to keep your existence from fading! But in order to exist in that world too at the same time, you must be hooked up to... Oh, so that''s how she anchored your soul there without directly interfering with anything. Onee-sama''s a genius. Then that means..." "So are you done?" "Uwaa... this situation, too ironic. Ha ha..." Frau Klein rubbed her temples, laughing dejectedly. The cloud-covered world above looked like it was mocking her. She didn''t want to accept it was stupid fate that placed all these pieces in place. It was just unfair. "Frau? What''s wrong?" "... You." "Hah?" "You''re the answer, onee-chan. You''re the chink in their armor. You''re World Euphonics onee-sama''s back-up plan." "Hah?" "You ¡ª¡ª¡ª are the one who can change ''fate''." Part 2 Fr?ulein Floret did not understand this development. Separated by twenty meters were the two sole residents of the moon. One was a child, maybe thirteen, garbed in a dark-themed dress overstuffed with laces and frills. Her moonlight-silver hair perfectly complemented her deep dark irises. One wore a tattered suit and a frayed skirt. She was confused. Just moments ago, they were talking about humanity''s end, a fated event not even the moon voice could stop ¡ª and now they were here, face to face, her partner''s eyes filled with unmatched hostility. Dark miasma danced around Frau Klein''s figure, and even Fr?ulein could feel her choking magical energy flood the surroundings. "... Frau? This isn''t a game, right? Fighting is bad, you know?" "Onee-chan, whether this be a fight or not is on you. Although I already know the answer, I''ll still ask ¡ª¡ª If I told you to go back to the world and prevent my sisters from finishing the Dies Irae sequence, will you? If you do so, you can save everyone you love, especially your ''twin sister''." "Ha? But that''s impossible, I''m already dead. And she''s already dead. And besides, nobody can prevent fate. If the Dies Irae happened, then it happened! So let''s stop this pointless battle, Frau!" Fr?ulein tried her best to appeal to Frau. She wanted to go back to those laughter-filled days. She didn''t want to fight her family. She did not want Frau Klein to reject her. For she was her reason of existence right now. "... It''s not impossible. But even if I explain it, you still won''t listen. Then..." A chill ran up to Fr?ulein''s spine. Dangerous. That girl was dangerous. That was what her instincts were telling her. She readied her chipped silver knife and braced herself. Frau Klein reached her hand towards her enemy with a calm expression. It was the calm before the storm. "I shall reject your broken ways ¡ª¡ª¡ª Fr?ulein Floret!" "!?" Darkness gathered around that hand, condensing to a solid ball of pure Mana. There seemed to be no end to that overwhelming power. To that ball, she crushed it with her open hand as it burst like a bubble. She then proclaimed, "Come! Exert thy existence and fulfill my will ¡ª¡ª Ygris Laviena!" A massive humanoid form emerged from nowhere and filled the distance between them. A malevolent being about fifty meters tall tall towered above all, every part of it coated in jet-black scales. Its gaping mouth was a chaotic jumble of razor-sharp teeth. Black smoke poured from its nostrils and its eyes glowed like embers. "TBBQZBEAVATZLANZRVFLTEVFYNIVRAN!!" Something similar to a scream poured out from its mouth. This was a creature that laid waste on the world. No blade could hope to pierce its scales and no magic could hope to corrupt its cruel dominion. This was a creature capable of bringing humanity to its extinction ¡ª Ygris Laviena. "What now, Fr?ulein Floret? This is one of my greatest pride! What can ''fate'' do against my Ygris? You haughty being, daring to stand above all, proclaiming yourself as the deliverer of fate? Ha! Now show me, your stupidity!" Against that monster, Fr?ulein just stood there without worry or care, thinking deep and hard about something. After a moment of contemplation, she finally formed her words. "... Let''s stop this, Frau. I don''t want to kill you, because if I do, I''ll kill myself as well. So please... stop this..." "... Still saying stupid things? If it''s for World Euphonics onee-sama''s ambitions... I''ll bash your head to the ground as many times as it takes until you go back there and stop my sisters! You''re not human anyways!" Fr?ulein took a deep breath. There wasn''t even a speck of hesitation in Frau''s eyes. Why would she go this far just to prove the impossible? Fate cannot be fought. So was death. She learned that seven years ago, and more so ever since coming to this world. The absolute rules of the world were called absolute for a reason. Even moon voice, the only existence she knew who could fight against fate, could not do anything about it. Maybe it was fate too, that made Fr?ulein fight against Frau? If so, then she could accept this outcome. It was fate that their lives would end this day. It couldn''t be helped. The lights in her eyes faded away. In her mind, Frau Klein and Fr?ulein Floret''s death became fate. "... Then, I shall show you, Frau, here and now. The truth of this world." Fr?ulein discarded the silver knife to the ground. Against that giant right now, she couldn''t cut corners. From her skirt, she drew a knife she would only use on her job ¡ª a dull dark knife that that seemed to consume the light around it. It was a knife she believed that embodied the chilling tyranny of fate. "Ygris, destroy her! She won''t die in this place so go all out!" "JUNGFGUNGXAVSRYBBXFFPNEL!!" The humanoid giant raised its arm, charging to strike at the pitiful ant. Fr?ulein did not move from her spot. It was not bravery that made her face the giant demon. Bravery was something she never had. It was belief. Pure and simple belief of her creed. As long as she believed in it, she could assert to the world the ideals she has gained. It hurled its fist to the ground where she was. The colossal cannonball approached. In a split second, the blonde girl readied her dark knife, and whispered: "All are equal in the eyes of death." Right before the great destruction from heaven could strike her, ¡ª¡ª she disappeared. The ground shook, and a small crater formed beneath the giant''s fist. "W¡ªwha!?" "Aaaaaaaaahh...!" Fr?ulein shouted from her soul. She dashed like a whirlwind, dashing on the giant''s scaly arm, heading towards its neck where she could give it a fatal blow. "Give up, Fr?ulein Floret! Your knife won''t be enough to pierce through Ygris'' scales!" It didn''t matter for Fr?ulein. All she had to do was believe. Believe that all were equal in the eyes of death, the eyes of fate, and that this colossal monster was no exception. "CYRNFRTRGBSSZR!!" The giant screamed, and tried to use its other hand to swipe off the foreign invader. But she did not stop her sprint. She ran faster, faster, faster, and as the hand drew closer, she believed, and leapt up from its arm. Fr?ulein Floret believed she could jump high enough to avoid the monster''s hand ¡ª¡ª¡ª and she did. "... Impossible." Her body flew through the air. She flew at a distance impossible for a human. She was high enough to overlook even the black-scaled giant. Her grip tightened. From here, Frau Klein was just a small insignificant dot. But Fr?ulein wanted her to witness what she was about to do. The tyranny of fate. There were no need for words. Fr?ulein was but a grim reaper, a girl who knew no other way of living. She would show Frau Klein not through words, but through results. She shot herself down, blazing towards the giant''s neck. She was a meteor, and nothing could stop her advance. "FCNERZRBUCYRNFRFCNERZR!!" It was a scream similar to the grating of glass. The monster felt danger from that small body shooting down. Although Ygris Laviena wasn''t known for its speed, it boasted an impenetrable defense that could turn away even the strongest of attacks. Great heroes would give in to despair when their prided swords broke like toothpicks. A small knife wielded by a young girl''s hand would be nothing but straw. But it felt danger nevertheless. "Here I come ¡ª¡ª¡ª Ygris!" She twisted her body midair, and swung down her knife down with a roar. Fr?ulein Floret believed she could slash through the giant''s impenetrable scales and deliver death ¡ª¡ª¡ª and she did. "BHPUVGUHEGF...!!" An unholy howl of death. The grim reaper''s blade passed through those jet-black scales like butter. It was a small wound compared to its colossal stature, but it was enough for her. It was enough to assert death''s tyranny. After seconds of falling, Fr?ulein landed on the ground with a thud, skidding through the gray dessert until coming to a full stop. She was now just ten meters away from Frau Klein. Both of them could cover that small distance in one bound. But neither of them moved. Behind Fr?ulein Floret was the crumbling form of the giant who once lorded above all. Its scales came down like the leaves of fall, making for a surreal sight. Its body was now charcoal that has used its worth. In the place where even death has died ¡ª¡ª¡ª the eldritch has fallen. "... That power, it''s the same. But still..." The both glared at each other. There was no rising action, nor was there any premonition of this event. They were happily chatting about things over tea the other, and killing each other the next. But Fr?ulein knew, that fate was outside those concepts. Fate was cruel. Fate was unjust. It trashed the world without reason or rhyme. She was not in a perfect fairy tale story where everything happened for a reason. This was the lesson ¡ª the sentenced she earned that fateful night seven years ago. She pointed the dark knife at her family. "Now, Magical Girl Frau Klein ¡ª¡ª¡ª accept our fate."
I split this chapter ''cause it''s too long. Next chapter contains the true ''goal'' of this story. Also, yep, it''s Rot13. I hope you guys pronounce Fr?ulein''s name right in your heads. It''ll be important in the final arc of this story ;) Next up on Magical Fr(?)ulein and the World Euphonics'' Final FINAL chapter (Serious this time) for this arc: OP character vs. Cheat Powers. Lots of confusing stuff this chapter, but it''ll be explained in the next. But if you have questions, ask away. Random Cat Fact: A female cat is called a queen or a molly. Molly isn''t methylenedioxymethamphetamine, okay? [Opening Arc End] Chapter 7 -- Magische M?dchen!?(1) Chapter 7 Magische M?dchen!? Part 1 Part 1 Frau Klein glared at the figure standing ten meters away from her, showered by a rain of dark scales and crumbling charcoal. "... That power, it''s the same. But still..." There was only one explanation left. Frau Klein waged many wars, clashed blades with many warriors, triumphed most of them ¡ª but she has only seen that power Fr?ulein wielded once. It must be the same power the helped her sisters seal her on the moon. The power of that hero from the previous war. The corruption of reality ¡ª a chaotic power that forced the user''s own ''beliefs'' over the World. An extreme form of humanity''s magic that overwrote the rules without limits. A power the ancients called the ''Magical Constant''. But the hero''s Magical Constant wasn''t at this level. No, to even compare the two would be an insult to Fr?ulein''s absolute dominion. Although the hero was scary strong, rewriting his weapons and surroundings to his liking ¡ª it would never be enough to easily kill an Extinction-class monster in one hit. No matter how much you believed, it was impossible to remove every single creeping uncertainty from your mind. Even a pinch of doubt from your subconsciousness was enough to break apart the Magical Constant. Such a power was in the hands of someone like Fr?ulein, who believed in the supremacy of fate with every part of her soul. The dark knife was pointed at her. "Now, Magical Girl Frau Klein ¡ª¡ª¡ª accept our fate." The Fr?ulein Floret of now was a being equal to the Phenomenon of Death. "Aren''t you crazy powerful? Hey, it''s powerful enough to change fate~ Stop being stupid and save the world!" "... What are you talking about? Me, powerful?" "Hey, hey, you killed my Ygris in one strike!" "Isn''t that the quality of this knife? Brother dear said this knife was so good, it can kill anything alive in one slash. He even sold it to me for cheap. Its true name is the ''Dagger of Darkness and Fate Realization''." "... Ha. Haha. That sounds just like my stupid onee-chan." Although they were having an idle chat, neither were letting their guards down. Their hole-riddled stances were but enticing honey that tempted the other to strike first. But Frau was still uneasy. There was no enmity nor bloodlust from that blonde grim reaper. Nothing but pure unadulterated belief of her fate. Frau would be killed in every sense if she was careless. "Uwaa~ This is a first for me. I fought lots of strong people back then in the world. Everyone had courage and super strong spirit that just wouldn''t die down no matter how much I hit them! Like zombies! ... But I never thought I''d really fight a coward. It''s normally impossible, ''cause normal cowards run away from me. Why can''t that be always the case? Ha..." "I don''t understand." "Just wanted to say that this''ll be a super tasteless battle. Haa... and I wanted a hot-blooded battle after so long." "Hot-blooded...? Fights to kill each other aren''t hot-blooded. They''re cold-blooded, right?" "True! But, it''s the first fight where I''m risking my life here! Is this how everyone felt when they faced me? Kinda eye-opening. But I wanted my first, to be a little more exciting?" "This''ll also be the last, so don''t worry." "Uwaa~ Scary, super scary!" It wouldn''t go away. No matter how much Frau tried to ease her shaking hands through casual talk, it still wouldn''t go away. Her body felt chillingly cold. Her breathing was heavy. If she did not hold herself up, her stance would break and she would fall down on the ground crying. It was back, that emotion she thought was long gone: fear. Fear for her life. Fear from the ''fate'' the monster in front of her wanted to enact. Frau Klein could not see how she could win against such a cheat power. One scratch was all it would take to kill her. Because Fr?ulein Floret truly believed so. No matter how much she struggled here, to the World, it was fate that she would die today. "... So what?" One step forward. There was no hesitation in that step. "... For World Euphonics onee-sama, and myself ¡ª¡ª I shall fight." She reached out her hand to nowhere in particular. Fr?ulein readied her dark dagger. There was something wrong with Frau Klein. That hand of hers, unlike before, did not hold any magical energy. It was simply the act of holding out her hand. "... Ha. Haha. Uwaa, what''s wrong with me? I don''t make sense. Just like all those heroes... Ironic." A funny thought. Magical Girls were supposed to be logical beings who did the biddings of the World. Before they were egos, they were phenomenon, after all. Her other sisters were like that. They prioritized their and the World''s life more than anything else. They would unhesitatingly pick the option that gave them the greatest chance of survival, like a cold machine. But Frau Klein knew. If she took a single step back now, she would not remain herself. She would simply be another Fr?ulein Floret, a coward who allowed fate to do as it pleased. She would just be another Magical Girl, another goddess who followed the whims of the world. She didn''t want that. Another step forward. It was firmer than the last. Her hand was still in the air, reaching for that non-existent hope. "Onee-chan, if I defeat you right now, will you listen to any request of mine?" "... How many times do I have to say it, you can''t fight fate." "Heh? Really? Then, let me show you... the way to be a hero." Sparks gathered around that hand. The air around them froze. Dangerous. In one bound, Fr?ulein crossed the distance between them. Her grip tightened. There was no hesitation in that slash meant to take the little girl''s neck. Fr?ulein Floret believed she could kill Frau in that strike ¡ª¡ª¡ª but she could not. The echo of steel hitting steel rang throughout the empty moon. "Eh...!?" In the space between her knife and Frau''s fragile neck was an elegant sword of silver. It was unnaturally bent, unable to take the full brunt of the knife''s slash, but a simple fact still stood ¡ª ¡ª¡ª¡ª Frau Klein was alive. "G¡ªgeh. To even bend Justilica''s Holy Sword with a cheap knife... uwaa. But I guess ¡ª it was enough to stop you?" Frau Klein smiled. What did that Grim Reaper think of this unexpected party trick? Did she expect flashy magic to stop her? Magical Girls should be the pinnacle of magic, after all. They were ''Magical'' for a reason. A Magical Girl wielding a brutish sword should be the last to expect ¡ª that is, if she never read history. Using force unexpected for her small frame, Frau Klein pushed back the assailant and once more brought the previous distance between them. Fr?ulein stood there with a perplexed expression. Although the sword was surprising, there was something else bothering her mind. "H¡ªhow... my knife got blocked?" Frau Klein pierced the crooked sword to the ground. It was the first grave marker on this desolate gray land. "Justilica''s Holy Sword, forged by the Faeries of the North for the Hero Lent Ashfelt ¡ª a magical sword that will never be broken as long as the World exists. Ha, they never said it couldn''t bend. Those faeries were smart." She reached out once more to nowhere in particular, sparked her hand, and pulled out a new sword from thin air. It was a majestic sword of gold, with bolts of lightning swirling around the blade. Its overwhelming presence made Fr?ulein take a step back. Frau Klein readied her stance and pointed the sword''s tip to the dazed girl. "... That''s right. I''m not that good at stuffy magic anyways." What made Frau Klein the strongest among the Seven Magical Girls? Her vast knowledge of magic? Her unfair ability of creation and destruction? Her masterful skill in leading armies? No. In each of them, one or two of her sisters would surely defeat her. Magical Girls were beings that weren''t bound by common sense. Her abilities would not last against all of the other Magical Girls at the same time. "My specialty were always swords. Swords of all kinds, from all places, taken from heroes who dared challenge the gods." It was her unparalleled skill in swordsmanship. That was all it took to oppose even the great Magical Girls. She was one who broke her duty as a goddess, becoming a Demon Lord who used all kinds of swords to bring down everyone who fought against her. The heretical goddess who used humanity''s weapons. She was the Forsaken Magical Girl of Chaos and Depravity ¡ª The Princess of Swords, Frau Klein. "Now, Fr?ulein Floret ¡ª¡ª¡ª Let me do the honors to fix your cowardly ways." Part 2 "HAAAAAA!!" Frau Klein launched herself to the Grim Reaper, tightly gripping the golden sword with a hand. She swung the lightning blade without hesitation. This was a place where death has died. Fr?ulein wouldn''t die even if her head was cut off. "Guh¡ª¡ª!" A strained voice escaped Fr?ulein''s lips as their blades clashed. That slash was a flash of light. She would''ve been hit if her reflexes were even a bit slower. "Heh, you caught it? As expected from you, Fr?ulein! This sword is the Lightning Sword Liveria, renowned for its god-like speed and the ability to cut through anything!" "Aaaaahh!" Fr?ulein twisted her body to avoid the next flash and attacked Frau''s side. That black blur was parried by a dull silver blade in her other hand. Sparks flew, and the iron blade broke into two. "¡ª!? That just now was the Sigfi''s Sword. That was used by the Hero Sigfi as he fought against me and lost!" Fr?ulein paid Frau''s explanations no heed and fired a volley of slashes. Her knife''s range was shorter than Frau''s swords, but it didn''t matter at their short distance right now. A trail of lightning parried every single one of her attacks. With every clash, the golden sword chipped away, shedding its previous majesty. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. "Haaa!" A heavy slash broke through that golden sword and aimed for Frau. "Tsk!" Frau immediately used a sword with a fire-red blade to meet that dark knife. It broke, but it managed to shift the blade''s path. A chill. Strands of white hair fluttered in the air. Frau tilted her head in time to avoid the silver knife Fr?ulein flung out of nowhere. She must''ve had some spare knives under her skirt. The magical girl leapt back to increase the distance between them. "... Uwaa, your instincts are really crazy. Is that really just innate? It''s been long since someone matched me in swords. You''re really unfair!" Fr?ulein kept her silence and readied her knife for another round. The troubled look on her face made it clear that she didn''t expect her attacks to be avoided. Frau Klein flashed her a cocky smile. "What''s wrong, Fr?ulein Floret? Feeling confident just because you killed Ygris in one strike? No matter how strong your Magical Constant is, it''s not enough to easily kill the strongest Magical Girl! Where''s this ''fate'' you keep talking about, huh?" Frau Klein bluffed. It was clear she was on the losing side. If she even let a single attack graze her, she would die. She got by right now thanks to her sword skills and the plethora of phantasmal swords she pulled out one by one. There was only one way she could win. This was never meant to be a battle of strength in the first place. The only reason Fr?ulein was strong right now was because of her cowardice and her knife. If she could put even a single seed of doubt in her mind, that dark knife wouldn''t last a bit against her swords. This wasn''t a battle of strength. It was a battle of beliefs. If she died first, she would prove Fr?ulein right. If Frau made her change her mind, it meant that fate could be fought. Frau Klein had to give it her all in this one moment to prove herself right. Without wasting another second, she whispered the words, "... Break drive, function." The next sword Frau pulled out was something Fr?ulein never expected ¡ª¡ª¡ª a perfectly ordinary iron sword. Compared to the previous legendary swords she swung around that were fit for heroic beings, that iron sword was something you could find dangling at the waist of an average soldier. "!?" But it didn''t stop there. Iron swords began popping out of nowhere, floating still in midair. Hundreds more of that shabby sword swarmed behind Frau''s back. Each of them were almost the same, with minute differences you wouldn''t discern in a glance. "... Here I go, Fr?ulein Floret! After quality, let''s see you taste quantity!" Frau closed in. The first sword she swung were blocked and destroyed. A stray sword from the air slithered in and defended the magical girl from Fr?ulein''s next slash. It broke as well, but it served its purpose to deter that dark blade. This exchange continued for a time. A hundred swords clashed with that knife. None of them remained intact. A new set of swords. None of them remained intact. A new set of swords. None of them remained intact. A new set of swords ¡ª one of them remained, albeit crooked and in the point of breaking down. Frau used it as the base to create new swords. She clashed every single one of her newborn swords with that unbreakable knife. Two remained. She used them as the base to create new swords, and clashed every single one with that unbreakable knife. Four remained. "¡ª¡ª¡ª!" Faster, sharper, stronger ¡ª with every new generation of swords, she began forging original ones geared for the sole purpose of meeting with the unbreakable knife ¡ª no, belief of that absurd existence called Fr?ulein Floret. Frau Klein''s mind was cleared of everything else. The fear, the uneasiness, the anger ¡ª all were flushed out for the sake of creating that single sword. She kept burying Fr?ulein in a volley of throwaway rejects she had in thousands. The moon was filled with nothing but the sounds of metal clashing. The sounds of a forge. Faster, sharper, stronger. Finally, at the six hundred sixty seventh generation¡ª¡ª¡ª She reached out for the final sword. A clear ring echoed throughout the world filled with the graves of broken swords. "¡ª¡ª¡ª!!" "Ha¡ª ha¡ª ha¡ª uwaa... found it. I actually found it. There really was one... I won the bet." What opposed Fr?ulein''s dark knife was a sword with the same tinge of darkness in it. No, it wouldn''t be weird to say it was the ''sword version'' of Fr?ulein''s knife. A slender blade of dull darkness that seemed to consume the light around it. Even when clashing with that Magical Constant-infused knife, it could not even chip the dark sword. "W¡ªwha...?" "I''ll call it ¡ª¡ª¡ª the Sword of Darkness and Fate Rejection." Darkness clashed with darkness and the two figures showered in a rain of sparks. No matter how much Fr?ulein''s trusty knife met with that sword, it would not break or even chip. At this point, all of Frau Klein''s fears were blown away. There was no point in being scared of a knife that would not reach her. Fr?ulein''s superiority was partly due to that unfair knife. Now its superiority was gone, this became a fight between Fr?ulein''s innate instincts and Frau''s extensive experience in battles. But she was a Magical Girl who specialized in direct swordfights while Fr?ulein specialized in sneak attacks. She wouldn''t lose anytime soon. Frau Klein flashed another grin. "Heh? What''s wrong, Fr?ulein Floret? Can''t cut through this sword?" "...Haaaa!" Frau suddenly twisted her body to avoid Fr?ulein''s slash and aimed for her neck. The grim reaper''s knife slithered to protect her. Their blades locked. "Guh¡ª!" "There is something you lack, something that''s essential to humans!" They sprung away from each other. Frau followed up and rained Fr?ulein with heavy slashes. Fr?ulein stepped in and slipped through her attacks. She thrust her knife, but it was parried with another copy of the dark sword on Frau''s other hand. "Yes, that thing you lack is ¡ª¡ª¡ª love!" Was it her imagination? She thought she saw Fr?ulein''s face cramp for a second. This was it, the chink in her armor...! Frau discarded one of the swords and held the other tightly with her two hands. It was now or never. "That''s right, Fr?ulein Floret! You have been loved by those around you, but you never loved them back!" "¡ª¡ª!" Sparks. The dull ring of irons clashing. More sparks. Their blades locked once more. With their face close to each other, Frau could tell the troubled look on Fr?ulein''s face. As if she was fighting something inside of her. Yes! Frau turned around and lashed a kick to Fr?ulein''s side. "Gah¡ª¡ª!" Fr?ulein''s body was flung dozens of meters away, plowing through the hard silver ground. "Let me tell you, the moment you know you''re human is when you have something you love so much that you''ll even fight fate for it!" Frau didn''t wait for her to stand up and crossed the distance between them in one bound. Fr?ulein immediately shot up and blocked it with her knife. Although Frau had a smaller frame, she was now pushing down the kneeling Fr?ulein. "True love ¡ª¡ª¡ª that is what you lack, and something you''ll never find!" Frau raised her sword once more and brought down a heavier swing. Fr?ulein threw herself to the side, but was still grazed by that unbreakable dark sword. "Ha... ha... true... love...?" "That''s right. The truest, purest of love. I''ve seen you live your life in the world, but all you ever did was accept love. You never gave anything in return! Look, your twin sister is about to die, and you decide to stay here and live? I don''t see any love in that!" "¡ª¡ªKah!" Another swing smacked Fr?ulein''s battered body away. Frau noticed it. The impossible. That dark knife Fr?ulein wielded ¡ª¡ª¡ª chipped away. "... Yes! I hate you! You have the power to change fate! Cowards can be cowards because they are weak! What about a strong coward? What excuse do you have?" "Ha... Haaaaa!" A scream from her soul. Fr?ulein threw herself to Frau, frantically swinging her knife. There was no elegance in them. Just pure, simple rejection. Like this, Frau Klein didn''t even have to see her blade to parry them. Compared to the Grim Reaper from before, this was laughable. "If you continue on that path, you''ll end up on a land of vast loneliness!" Their blades clashed, and the dark knife chipped away. "If you continue on that loveless path, you''ll end up on the moon!" A crack. A small, but obvious crack formed on that once peerless blade. "If you continue on that cowardly path, you''ll end up to where I am right now!" Finally, the Sword of Darkness and Fate Rejection ¡ª¡ª¡ª shattered the Dagger of Darkness and Fate Realization. "Wha¡ª¡ª!?" A cold, chilling sensation pierced through her chest. On the edge of her mouth was a trickle of blood. Frau Klein ¡ª pierced that dark sword through the grim reaper''s heart. "Accept it, Fr?ulein Floret ¡ª¡ª¡ª fate can be fought. Through love."
... Okay. This chapter was supposed to be 7000+ words, but I didn''t want to give a rushed work. I''ve got some exams to finish, so I posted this part for now. I know, the pacing''s weird, but please endure this opening arc. This is a prologue arc, after all, and the story starts on the next arc. See you all in two weeks! Next up on Fraulein Floret and the World Euphonics: A glimpse of Fr?ulein''s love-filled past, and her being badass for once. All in First Person POV. I hope you understood the power fluctuations that happened. I''ll post a glossary after the arc to explain things a bit clearer.