Kuro no Maou

d, which is still crowded with people, Fiona raises the whip to strike Marie with all her strength, fully intent on proceeding at maximum speed.
Lily does not stop her; in fact, she is cheering Fiona on.

If they are not careful, they will be arrested for reckless driving, but they are already past the state where they are capable of showing concern over such matters.
They have exceeded their limits of being able to hold themselves back.

And as they are about to begin moving at a rocket-like speed –

「Hey, that’s dangerous!」

「You morons! How fast do you think you’re going!」

The voices of the angry citizens of Spada rise from in front of them.

「Jeez, to think that someone would have their horse run at full speed on such a crowded road.
I suppose there are troublesome people like that out there, after all.」

「There are, aren’t there?」

Ignoring their original intention to do the exact same thing, Lily and Fiona make dry remarks about this reckless person.

The main road is divided into a road for carriages and such and a footpath for pedestrians, but at night, the traffic consists almost entirely of people on foot.

Therefore, a horse or carriage moving at full speed would create a situation such as this one, where they are barely managing to avoid a collision.

Lily and Fiona are not interested enough to try to see the face of this reckless person who is either in a big hurry or simply a fool.
It appears that their destination is the great main gates behind Lily and Fiona.

The black body of a horse emerges from the crowd, somehow not running down a single pedestrian, either through incredible horse-handling technique or pure luck.

But as it draws close, Lily and Fiona glance in its direction.

The horse, moving like a gust of black wind, passes within several meters of their side.
As their paths cross –

「We’re going to get through the main gates in one movement, hold tight, Nell!」

「Yes, Kurono-san!」

The two of them hear that unmistakable voice, the figure of the one spurring on the large black horse.

「Eh…?」

「…
Kurono?」

The fluttering black clothes, black hair and the single shining, crimson eye.

The two of them would normally be overjoyed at this unexpected meeting with Kurono, but what they feel instead is a seething discomfort from the pits of their stomachs.

「Just who might that woman be?」

「Who is that woman?」

As the two of them confirmed that the person they saw was Kurono, they saw her.
Even if they didn’t want to see her, they did.
Unfortunately, they have seen her.

The woman clinging to Kurono’s sturdy back with a spellbound, happy expression.

Everyone’s ideal princess, with her sweet, tidy appearance and a pair of pure-white wings protruding from her back.

「We shouldn’t have left Kurono’s side for so long, after all.」

Yes, that was –

「See, there was an undesirable insect attached to him.」

An enemy.

An enemy, even more unforgivable than the Crusaders or Apostles.

But simply killing her would not solve the problem.
She as the most difficult kind of enemy in this world – a romantic rival.

「Yes, you are right.」

As if reflecting the black, muddy emotions swirling around inside their hearts, the light in their eyes begin to dim.

Their feelings of discomfort have already proceeded to become unpleasant feelings of hatred.

They only saw her, Nell Julius Elroad, for a single moment.
But that image of her is burned into their eyes.

Nell, who was wrapping her arms around Kurono’s waist as if hugging him, and pressing her large chest against Kurono’s back with an enchanted look in her eyes.

That was not the pure look of a princess, but that of a vulgar woman with a sexual urge –

「…
She is my enemy, isn’t she?」

On the day of her date with Kurono, the unforgettable 13th of the Month of Red Flame (Kouen), Fiona had sat in that exact spot.

But there is no way she can realize that at that time, she had the exact same expression that Nell was wearing.

「– Fiona.」

As Fiona’s anger was reaching the point that her vision was about to become completely red with rage, Lily calls her name in a cold voice.

「Yes, I know, Lily-san.」

Fiona is calm only on the outside as she pulls the reins, knowing what must be done next.

Marie’s body shudders, as if she can sense the dangerous aura floating from her master.
And then she turns around hastily, as if her life depended on it.

With a 180-degree turn, they rotate away from the royal palace of Spada looming in the distance to face the great main gates that they just passed through.

「Go after Kurono, right now!」