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「Lady Ripple?」

Ripple’s attitude was not like the usual, thought Silva. She usually showed a cheerful face when nothing was going on, and she often kept her head down and listened quietly when the topic of Ripple’s own protection and measures against Magic Stone Beasts came up.

She must have felt chagrined at the fact that she was putting the country and the people was supposed to protect as a Hyrule Menace in danger, while instead she had to be protected by everyone. Silva understood her feelings. If he were in her shoes, he might feel the same too.

That was why Ripple couldn’t say anything herself. The only thing she could do was to accept everything that happened to her in silence. Even if she was to be returned to the Highland and they discarded her like an old toy.

However, from Silva’s standpoint, that was but a foolish subject to go after. Just how much work Ripple had done for this country up until now? How many people she had saved and in turn adored her for it?

All those meritorious deeds, all that she accumulated, they didn’t take them into account at all. She wasn’t something that could be simply replaced like that. Silva definitely couldn’t agree to it at all.

「Miss Ripple……What’s the matter?」

Asked Principal Miliera. She, too, had seemed to have noticed that Ripple’s demeanor was a little off than usual.

「Y’see……until recently, I thought I could only accept everything that happened to me. I mean, a Hyrule Menace who can’t protect everyone isn’t a Hyrule Menace, right? But… everyone is trying so hard to help me, right? Well, there’s that one exception who’s doing it for fun……」
「Hahaha, there is that one. I won’t say who, though.」

The principal laughed dryly.

「I’m sure she’s sneezing right now.」
「Oh, she must be.」

Leone and Liselotte also nodded accordingly. There wasn’t the need to say the name, as it was already obvious who this exception was.

「But, even with her being like that, when I look at everyone doing all that for me… Even though my birthplace has long gone, I begin to feel like this country is my own hometown. I realized my own feelings, you see.」

Ripple showed a refreshing smile.

「That’s why… I don’t know if it’s okay for a Hyrule Menace to think like this, and I’m sure I will cause everyone so much trouble, but……I still want to be with everyone in this country. That’s why, it’s normal to ask for help in times like this, right?」
「Lady Ripple…」

For some reason, Silva felt a sensation of contentment after hearing her words. Perhaps because it was the first time Ripple had fully relied on him. She of course wasn’t talking only to him. She spoke that to everyone, but it was still a joy for Silva nevertheless.

「That’s why, Yua…」
「Miss Yua, it’s for Miss Ripple’s sake too!」
「Yua. Lady Ripple has asked you so sincerely like this!」

When everyone’s attention returned to Yua…

「Zzz」

Yua was blissfully asleep in her chair.

「HEEEEYYYY!!!!」

Unable to keep watching her, Silva went and used his red rifle Artifact to bash Yua’s head, but…

Plop!

She brilliantly reacted and caught it.

「…Violence bad.」
「It’s all about the attitude! Your attitude deserves it, is what I’m saying!」
「……Scary. Save me, Lady Beast Ear.」

Yua trotted and hid behind Ripple’s back.

「N-, now now……Yua, will you help to defeat the Magic Stone Beasts?」
「That’s what I’ve been doing.」
「There will be more of them this time, and they’ll be stronger too. Can I depend on you? If you did well, I’ll treat you to something, okay?」
「I’d rather you introduce me to someone than food.」
「EH? Hmm……What kind of person do you want?」
「Someone cool like four-eyes.」
「……Wh-, what are you saying!? Buttering up to me after all this time won’t get you anywhere……」

Silva couldn’t help but feel a little flustered.

「But not someone with a short temper like four-eyes.」
「…………」

Nah, it was just him. The very concept of buttering up didn’t exist within Yua’s books.

「And not someone who’s weak like four eyes too.」
「B̲A̲S̲S̲T̲A̲A̲R̲R̲D̲D̲D̲!! You’re just making a fool out of me!」

He knew it, he couldn’t get along with Yua. The chemistry between them was just the worst.

「Aah—aah—aaah—! Let’s just get this operation started before it gets any messier! Miss Leone, please pull out the isolation space! Let’s just do it!」

Principal Miliera raised her voice then gave Leone her instruction.

「Y-, yes! Understood. Then, I’ll do it!」

Although she was confused by the sudden turn of events, Leone immediately snapped to focus her mind. With the new Gift of her new black greatsword Artifact, she isolated everyone in an empty, pitch-black subspace.

「Yep. You’re doing it more smoothly than before! You’ve improved so much in no time at all, Miss Leone. Wonderful!」
「Thank you very much.」

Leone was a bit flattered by the Principal’s praise. It was the truth that she had gotten used to the Gift, and the speed of its deployment also increased along with the durability and the size of the subspace that had grown more stable.

「Let’s begin, everyone! Please lend us your strength to save Miss Ripple! Your action will surely be for the good of the country and its people!」
「「「YES!!」」」

The students shouted in unison.

「The Principal and I are going to pour our mana to Lady Ripple in order to summon the Magic Stone Beasts! I’ll leave the subjugation to all of you! Now, Lady Ripple, if you please!」

Silva held out the barrel of his gun Artifact that had his power within it towards Ripple. At the same time, Principal Miliera also held out her staff artifact to her.

「Just count on them, Miss Ripple! My students are all excellent, it’ll be fine!」
「Yeah……Everyone, thank you. Best of luck!」

Ripple nodded strongly before touching the artifacts they held out to her. Then, the glow that emanated from both artifacts disappeared with a discernible sound. This was a sign that ripple had absorbed the mana from both of them.

VWOOooom!

Ripple’s body was then enveloped in a black sphere, it was the advance warning of the appearance of the Magic Stone Beast.