Project GB is an official initiative by Re:Library.

By the way, Colin and Maria Lou haven’t moved at all since earlier, but their surroundings are like the calm eye of a typhoon—an empty zone no one dares to approach.

Where’s the “evenly matched” part supposed to be?! I’m at an overwhelming disadvantage here! Especially mentally!

If I had the luxury, I’d have shouted back, but since I’m already at my limit dealing with Eliza. I instead lodged my protest directly at my opponent.

“You liar! You said you wouldn’t get mad!”
“I said I wouldn’t get mad, but I never said I wouldn’t hit you!!”

What came back, alongside her fists, was pure sophistry.

“You are clearly angry! Why?! I told you I don’t need the name ‘Clara,’ or the title of ‘ Shrine Maiden Princess,’ or the epithet of ‘Cattleya’—not even a little! I said I’d gladly wrap them all up with a bow and hand them over! Ah, well, I can’t say the same for Coppelia, since I’m respecting her own wishes.”

“Hmph. My master is none other than Lady Clara. Even if someone wore Clara-sama’s skin, what matters is the inside—the inside!” Coppelia declared, while single-handedly mowing down stone golems with her rocket punch and blunt weapons.

Those were heartening words, but—

“Besides, Lady Clara, you’re the only one who can come up with ideas that surpass my calculation capacity. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if you told me you came from another world!”

…Could it be that Coppelia has actually figured out my true identity?

I tilted my head slightly at the thought—

“How far do you plan to mock and trample all over my life before you’re satisfied, you vile woman!!”

For some reason, Eliza, now seething with rage like a thundercloud bursting, cranked her gears up another notch and unleashed a storm of attacks.

Thanks to layering defensive magic with constant “auto-healing,” I looked completely unharmed, but in truth, each one of those blows was strong enough that if I had taken them with just a flesh-and-blood body, it would have been instant death.

Whether my body’s potential exceeded even my own expectations, or Lady Eliza’s powers were being added into the mix—I didn’t know.
But one thing was certain: this situation was very bad.

“…The biggest problem here is that I just can’t find any motivation to retaliate.”

At the very least, I’ve realized now that Eliza truly despises me—but even so, I don’t think I could ever bring myself to despise her in return.

Her methods and direction aside, she has a resilient spirit, dramatic highs and lows in her emotions, and the brazenness to live exactly as she pleases. The polar opposite of me, who values peace and quiet above all else—but maybe because she’s my opposite, I can’t help but find something compelling about her.

“…Haah. Far from feeling insulted, I actually hold a kind of affection for you, you know.”

I sighed as I dodged yet another flurry of blows aimed insistently at my face.

“You and your ies!!”

Eliza screeched from about a meter away, glaring at me.

“I am not lying. In a sense, I even envy your vivid, uncompromising way of life. Of course, I also think your small-mindedness, your tendency to exclude others for the sake of your goal, is intolerable. But if you could correct that part, I believe you could truly become a fine ‘Shrine Maiden Princess’…”
“Who asked for your charity?! Who ever said I wanted you to hand over that title out of pity?! Don’t you dare look down on me!!”

Before I could even finish speaking, a stinging slap cracked across my cheek. I hadn’t expected a slap at this point, so I ended up taking it cleanly.

“Are you going to throw tantrums forever?”

Before I knew it, a cold, detached voice slipped from my own lips. At the same instant, my right hand flashed—and now it was Eliza’s left cheek that resounded.

“If it’s necessary, I’ll take anything. Even if it’s out of pity, even if it’s something lying in the dirt—I’ll crawl and pick it up if I must. I’ve never lived a life so comfortable that I could waste time clinging to something as trivial as pride.”

Just what is this woman so miserable about? If becoming ‘Shrine Maiden Princess’ is her ultimate goal, then fine—she can have it. I don’t need it, so I’ll give it all away. Where’s the problem in that? Doesn’t she realize she’s mixing up the means with the end?

“It’s that arrogant attitude of yours that I can’t stand!!”

Both of us, still with pink handprints stamped on our cheeks, glared at each other—then Eliza came at me again with another punch.

Expecting it, I released Ari di Luce from my hands—a hindrance in close combat—dropped low to evade, and drove a counterstrike into her jaw.

Eliza nearly went flying, but even from that staggered position, she snatched the ends of my long hair, trying to drag me down with her.

Thrown off balance, I caught sight of her knee shooting up toward my solar plexus.

“Kh—!”

I barely managed to guard with both arms, only to take a solid fist to my unprotected face.

Our unstable positions left us both tumbling to the ground, grappling, twisting, and rolling—each of us scrambling for dominance, trading punches whenever an opening appeared.

“…This has gotten awfully grubby,” muttered Cestlavie in a thoroughly disgusted tone, sparing a sidelong glance our way even as he fought off the corrupted beasts.

Regulus, on the other hand, sounded pained and anxious.

“Ah… ahh… she’s hurting My Princess’ peerless beauty…”

“Yeah, it’s brutal. Honestly, even if that were Eliza in disguise, I still couldn’t bring myself to bash that face in like that. They’re just wailing on each other without restraint. Maybe since they’ve got the same face, there’s no need to hold back…?”

The peanut gallery, it seemed, had taken it upon themselves to run commentary.

Author’s Note:

I’m sorry the plot isn’t making any progress.