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I’d studied how to use one of these guns before. I unlocked the main mechanism, opened the magazine, and inspected the interior… The mechanism showed no obvious faults or damage. For an ordinary firearm, shooting it after thousands of years with no maintenance would be ridiculous, but this one seemed usable.

The rounds too… when I pressed the button at the center of the transparent crystal, a red light began to spiral inside. It appeared to be functioning normally; no problems.

I loaded a round, shut the magazine, and disengaged the safety. The rifle made a soft humming sound and a red line traced along the metallic barrel.

“All right.”
“Ooh!”

Sufi, watching from the side, let out an awed sound.

“Can it be used, nya?”
“Yeah, probably. This should work.”
“…Then give it to us, nya—we’ll use it.”
“No. I’ll use it. I can handle it better.”
“Huh?”

I finished the sentence fast before Noche could snatch it. I’d fired one of these a few times in my previous life, and I’d seen others use them.

You can’t just hand this over and expect anyone to be able to use it right away. And if I gave it to them, Sufi and Noche would do something reckless. There’s no way I’ll let anyone be left behind to run.

Sufi and Noche aren’t my guards. They’re my friends, and I’m determined we’ll fight together no matter what.

“Alice, don’t be selfish…”
“I don’t know exactly what kind of weapon it is, nya, but just leave it to us while you and Filia run, nya. It’s a powerful weapon, right, nya? It’ll be fine, nya.”

She isn’t saying that because she believes me—she’s playing along, using it as an excuse to get me away if there’s even the slightest chance of our survival.

They’re both not even ten years old, and they shouldn’t be this clever.

“Maybe there’s something else here too. Wait.”
“Just hand it over, nya—or I’ll take it by force, nya.”
“No.”

I held the gun to my chest, clutching it desperately as they tried to take it. I didn’t find it for them to go die on me, I wouldn’t give it up.

“N-Noche…”
“Filia, once I take that, you grab younger-wolf and run, nya. We’ll make a huge noise, so get to the surface…one way or another, nya.”
“U-uh—?”

I stamp my feet and sit down, clutching the gun like a sulking child. Noche is strong enough that if I don’t hold on like this she’d take it from me easily. Sufi looks awkward and avoids meeting my eyes—she won’t help.

“Younger wolf! For goodness’ sake, listen to me, nya!”
“No.”
“Alice…”
“Wait.”

Filia’s voice makes Noche loosen her grip. I roll across the floor clutching the gun and put some distance between us in a hurry.

Ugh—moving so suddenly makes me dizzy…

“What’s wrong, nya?”
“I thought I heard a sound just now.”

Filia’s words snapped me to attention; the shock of being found and the scuffle with Noche had made me forget to listen.

I focus and strain my ears to pick up nearby noises.

“…It’s here!”

This is the worst. I can hear it. It’s coming from the cracked area, likely it entered from where the fissure is—basically blocking our exit.

It’s cautious and careful, but hearing how it moved around as if trying beckon us—there’s no doubt it’s located us.

“Damn, when did it get here nya!?”
“Filia! Take Alice and run!”
“Alice, come!”
“—!”

I couldn’t make a sound. Damn it—is this all I ever am?

Filia scooped me up together with the gun, and we dashed out of the room with Noche and Sufi.

“Eeek.”

The monstrous weasel that had been just peeking its head out and watching made eye contact with me. Its wrinkled face twisted into a grin.

“You won’t lay a hand on my friends, nya!”
“You won’t touch Alice!”

Noche snarled, brandishing the stone sword I’d made from the rubble. She must’ve picked it up without me noticing. Sufi held a battered gun like it was a club and glared at the monster. Both of them were trembling in their legs, tails tucked between their legs.

The monster wore a sadistic smile as it watched them.

We’re cornered… No, none of that. Think, remember what you’re holding, use your head and look at your opponent closely.

Its attention was fixed on the two of them—standing in the straight corridor, weapons ready, waiting just for them.

“Filia!”
“Alice, please…!”
“Hold me up!”
“!?”

Right now, its prey was the two of them, still full of fight.

Thinking back, the first time we ran into it, the monster ignored us when we bolted and went after that man who had raised his weapon. For something that fixates on women and children as prey, its priorities were strangely skewed.

Bottomless malice. A sadistic way of toying with its victims.

So that’s it—it prefers tormenting those who fight back over chasing ones who only run.

I swallowed down the anger at that revolting instinct and quietly drew air into my lungs.

“Please, Filia. Just support my body, that’s all you need to do.”
“Eh—ah, u-um…”

When I pressed her firmly, Filia faltered and came to a stop.

Using her body as support against my back, I fixed my gaze forward.

Noche’s stone sword slashed out, but the monster knocked it aside with its arm. Then its hand struck her in the side, sending her staggering.

“Guhh!”

Noche hit the floor with a dull thud, rolling across it.

Not yet.

Sufi, using the battered gun like a club to protect Noche, struck at the monster’s hand—only to be backhanded in return and sent crashing into the wall. The twisted gun slipped from her weak grip, hitting the floor with a dry clatter.

Not yet.

I sent the shadow cast by the lantern flying over to Sufi and Noche.

The monster, a fixed sneer plastered across its face, glared down at the two trying to get back to their feet. It was as if it were choosing which one to eat first.

Not yet.

The taste of blood spread in my mouth.

“Ah, ah…” Captain had said, “Calmness is a weapon.”

In contrast to the anger rising inside me, my thoughts were chillingly clear. Even with people I care about getting hurt right before my eyes, I couldn’t just throw myself at it in rage. On the contrary, I found myself composed, waiting for the right opportunity.

I hated myself for this cold composure—but if it could be a weapon to protect them, I’d use it as much as I had to.

Apparently having decided which one to torment, the monster turned its face toward Sufi.

It leaned in, peering down at her, and deliberately stretched its hand out slowly. Tears welled up in Sufi’s frightened eyes. Noche’s voice cracked like her throat would tear as she reached out. Behind me, I could hear Filia’s scream.

“—『Forge.』”

Using the thin, threadlike shadow I’d sent out, I drew an alchemy circle. From where I placed it behind Sufi, my mana flowed through, and the wall jutted forward.

With force, a section of the wall shot out and struck the monster square in the face with a thud.

“Hey, you damn weasel.”

Its infuriating grin vanished as it turned to look at me. Yeah, must be pretty annoying, getting interrupted at the best part.

“Come on, noob. I’ll play with you.”

I forced my fear down and flashed a fearless grin. The image in my mind was of Captain—the strongest, most dependable man I know.

Provoke it, steal its thoughts, lure it into your pace.

I knew this thing was smart. No way it could just ignore the cocky little brat who ruined its perfect moment.

Leaning my weight on Filia, I slammed the lever into full burst, pulled the trigger, and with both arms lifted the gun to aim.

With a savage grin, it sprinted straight toward me. The hallway was only a few meters—within an instant that twisted, wrinkled face was right in front of me.

No escape now.

A click sounded by my hands.

A flash of red light tore across my vision. The weasel’s bewildered face sailed past overhead. A beat later, six severed arms and part of its lower body flew by us, striking the wall behind with a heavy crash.

In my sight was the front door, burned clean through with a hole big enough for a grown man to walk through. At the wall’s edge, Noche lay on the ground, eyes wide and tail fur puffed out in shock, while Sufi sat collapsed the same way, staring at me.

Even straining my ears behind me, I could sense no movement anymore.

“Fueh—”
“—Oof, my hands.”

Filia collapsed onto her rear, and I slumped down alongside her from the momentum. The gun slipped from my hands and clattered to the floor.

I waited until the two of them had moved out of the line of fire, drew the monster’s attention, focused its gaze on me, and then struck back with a single decisive blow.

It was a tautrope act—if any one part of it had gone wrong, the result would have been irreversible.

I never want to do that again.

But… I did it.