Chapter 134: A Friendly Meeting with the President
[Imagine Breaker, activate]
Aeron stepped forward, shielding Carlotta, and used his left hand to block the incoming crimson light screen.
The light dissipated along with the smoke—only a violently vibrating frequency remained in its wake.
Whoosh!
Without a moment's delay, Aeron charged forward, instantly closing the distance to the person who had suddenly appeared in the Holy Spire of Confluence.
Thud!
His left hand raised a blade, thrusting upward to pierce through the opponent's skull.
Thump!
A swift kick followed, rapidly putting distance between himself and the filthy thing before him.
Bang bang bang bang bang!
Raising his gun, his finger continuously pulled the trigger, rapidly emptying the magazine into the figure lying on the ground.
From the moment Aeron used Imagine Breaker to shield Carlotta until now, less than five seconds had passed.
Carlotta had not yet recovered from the shock. When she saw what Aeron had just killed, her horror intensified further.
The person lying on the ground wore the loose robes of a presiding officer, and their face... was a golden half-mask?
"This... this is..."
"Just someone's twisted sense of humor. Anyway, for now, just stay safely behind me, Second Young Lady."
As he spoke, Aeron swiftly reloaded his firearm.
"I was wondering why something like this would happen while Avinoleum is currently resonating with Fleurdelys's frequency. If it's your doing, then it's no surprise."
"My, oh my, you found me out."
By the time Carlotta processed this, the "Fenrico" lying on the ground had vanished.
In his place was a voice dripping with sickly-sweet sweetness, the complete opposite.
Looking in the direction of Aeron's gun, they saw a girl with pale golden hair slowly emerge from behind a pillar of the Holy Spire of Confluence. Her light green eyes held unconcealed amusement.
"Father, isn't it quite rude to carry so many weapons on a date with a lady?"
"Knowing a pervert has been stalking me, even recording videos without anyone noticing, I'm not so carefree as to miss something so obvious."
"Wow, so impressive~ Here's a little red flower for you~"
As she finished speaking, crimson flower buds sprouted beneath Aeron and Carlotta's feet.
"Second Young Lady!"
"I know!"
Just before the flowers could bloom, Carlotta's Resonance Power instantly materialized into a crystalline spear in her hand, aimed at the ground beneath them.
Boom!
At the moment the flowers blossomed, Carlotta's crystals enveloped them both, barely shielding them from the surrounding explosion.
As the ice crystals shattered, Aeron swept Carlotta into his arms, and the two dashed through the lingering crimson frequency, dodging to the side.
Once they regained their footing, the girl in the distance had vanished once more.
"Although I personally quite liked that previous form, when facing you two, this appearance is definitely better."
In her place was—
"...?"
Seeing her uncle, who should have been dead, reappear, Carlotta couldn't believe her eyes.
"Tch."
Aeron clicked his tongue, steadied himself, set Carlotta down, and resumed his fighting stance.
"Gotta say, you guys are really persistent, aren't you?"
"Oh? Sounds like you know where I stand."
"I've certainly pissed off a lot of people in Ragunna, but only one group would pull something this disgusting. Want me to name names?"
Aeron had sensed it long before.
Regardless of how the online drama unfolded or escalated, Aeron couldn't care less about how things played out.
In fact, it was strange that amid such a massive uproar, public opinion hadn't targeted Ciaccona at all—instead, the focus remained entirely on Aeron.
And the video Carlotta had shown him earlier grew more suspicious with each passing day.
Are you telling me someone could record them entering and leaving Aeron's mansion without Zani, Cantarella, or even Rover noticing?
Give me a break.
So, after thinking it over, only one group would bother with such trivial nonsense.
"Though I'm just an ordinary person, I'm not foolish enough to be fooled by superficial disguises."
"Haha, just as Cristoforo said, you're an interesting—"
Bang!
Before "Capollo" could finish, Carlotta, standing behind Aeron, pulled the trigger. He stood there, letting the ice-crystal bullet pierce through his head.
"No need for more words. You're our enemy—that won't change."
Though she didn't know the true identity of the intruder, Carlotta had only one goal now:
Protect Aeron.
The "Capollo" lying on the ground slowly rose. The wound where he'd been shot gradually filled with frequency, restoring itself to its original state.
"Enemy? That term... I think it's still up for debate, especially for the gentleman beside you."
The other party's intent was clear. Even though he had attacked Carlotta earlier, his focus remained squarely on Aeron.
"I remember turning down your playwright not long ago. What, back for more?"
"Last time was just because you broke the rules of my game, so I decided to exact a little revenge. But that's already done."
"Damn, that's a quick change of face."
As he spoke, "Capollo" retreated into the shadows of the Holy Spire of Confluence. Then, a deeper, older voice echoed from the opposite side.
This time, he reverted to his previous appearance. "Fenrico," leaning on a cane, slowly approached the two.
"Now, Father Aeron, I believe we share some common ground. Perhaps we could have a little chat."
"Chat about your mother."
Aeron delivered a cultured reply without hesitation. "Fenrico" wasn't angered—he'd anticipated this outcome.
"Really? Even though we're of the same kind, I thought we could have a pleasant exchange."
"Same kind? As long as you don't bother me, I'm content to live my quiet little life. But unfortunately—since you've chosen to appear before me, that means such a scenario never existed from the start, right, Chairman?"
"Oh?"
Upon hearing Aeron give his name, the corners of "Fenrico's" mouth lifted slightly, as if he had found an interesting toy.
"President... Huh, this guy?!"
Meanwhile, Carlotta, standing beside him, was even more bewildered upon hearing Aeron so casually reveal such a significant truth.
"You truly are more interesting than I imagined. No wonder that one is so intrigued by you."
"Who the hell are you talking about again? Would it kill you to speak clearly?"
"Don't rush. You'll find out soon enough."
"Fenrico" glanced around the Holy Spire of Confluence, his gaze sweeping over this battlefield from Aeron's past, and naturally tapped the ground with his cane.
"Although you've turned everything upside down... I quite admire you. So, how about we make a deal?"
Just get lost if you're not offering anything.
Aeron wanted to snap back exactly like that, but if it were just him, it might be fine. However, with Carlotta by his side now, outright hostility was clearly an unwise decision.
Besides, the others outside probably still needed some time. He had to stall this guy.
"...Tch."
"It's simple. I'm also very curious about you. As long as you come to my side, I'll help you avoid the covetous gaze of 'that thing.' How about it?"
"How kind of you. But as you know, I'm the least afraid of death."
"Heh, so what I'm helping you escape is naturally something even more terrifying than death."
With a snap of his fingers from the "Fenrico" before them, the entire Holy Spire of Confluence suddenly transformed into the state it had been in when corrupted by the Leviathan.
"The Leviathan, as a Threnodian, indeed possesses formidable power, but it ultimately fell to you. But think about it—what about a Threnodian that has successfully destroyed a civilization?"
"Then the Rover will handle it. What does that have to do with me?"
"Because it has already taken an interest in you. Previously, it only acted to feed, yet now it has developed thoughts about a single individual. Don't you find that fascinating?"
"Fascinating my ass. Talking to yourself, arbitrarily twisting others' affairs—is this the negotiation method of Fractsidus?"
"And how is what you've done any different? Unwilling to cooperate with others, yet pretending to be a fool and blending in with them."
"Nothing I've done warrants commentary from a split personality who refuses to show their true face."
Aeron had been growing increasingly irritated since earlier.
How could this person speak in such riddles? Was there any logical connection between anything he said?
This was truly the first time Aeron had felt what it meant to be exhausted just from listening.
"...President of Fractsidus, please understand one thing."
At that moment, Carlotta stepped between the two, interrupting their conversation.
"He already has a standing. As long as we don't relent, he won't be going anywhere."
Carlotta's meaning was clear: no matter what the president wanted to do with Aeron, he would have to get through her first.
"Gotta say, isn't that phrasing a bit odd?"
"Shut up, you idiot."
Aeron had no intention of agreeing in the first place. Now that Carlotta had spoken up, he had even less reason to continue the conversation.
"You heard it too, Grand Architect. The Second Young Lady here refuses to release the person. If you came all this way just for something like this, you might as well turn back early!"
"...Hah, using others as your own excuse—you really are rotten to the core."
"I think I'm as pure as ice and jade myself!"
With that, Aeron immediately drew his gun, aimed it at the Grand Architect not far away, and pulled the trigger—
"...?"
But at that moment, the bullet did not fire from the barrel.
First, it definitely wasn't because Aeron hadn't loaded the gun—he couldn't possibly make such a basic mistake.
And it wasn't just the gun; even his body was frozen in place.
Did I fall into a trap? No, this feeling...
Just as Aeron was desperately trying to figure out what was happening, a faint golden phantom appeared beside "Fenrico" in the distance.
"...?"
At first, Aeron couldn't believe his eyes.
Bulging muscles, a golden color scheme, gray skin, and golden pupils.
As unbelievable as it was, something that shouldn't exist was now undeniably right before his eyes.
...A Stand?!