Eternally Regressing in Another World

Sunlight filtering through the trees stung my eyes. I reached for the bag beside me. Lighting a cigarette slowly, I let the smoke sink deep into my lungs.

"Save both of them, huh. But how?"

The moment those two got captured, I had no chance of winning. But flip that around, if I could keep them properly hidden, a real chance might open up. There had to be some method. Turning it over in my head while staring at the water flowing through the channel, my eyes were drawn to a spot on a tree branch swaying in the wind.

"...A spider? Guess this world has ordinary bugs too, not just monsters."

A large grasshopper-like insect was caught in a spider’s web, swaying in the breeze. By itself, that wouldn’t be anything unusual. But on that transparent web, two small lives were locked in a fight to the death. The spider trying to finish off its prey, the grasshopper struggling desperately to escape. Neither giving an inch, biting into each other.

"...Wait a second!"

My mouth opened without meaning to, and the cigarette butt dropped onto the bench. It was a small idea. But if it worked, this fight might actually be winnable. I clenched my fist lightly, muttering to myself as if to lock it in.

"Right, let’s do this. I’m not letting Shiran or Flaut die, and I don’t intend to die either. This time... this time I’ll save them both."

Stubbing out the cigarette right down to the filter into my portable ashtray, I quietly stood up and walked toward the shopping district.

"Lost in thought? You’re making quite a face."

Elizabeth’s voice snapped me back to reality.

"Ah, no, I’m fine. Just tense, given who we’re dealing with."

After that, things had proceeded as usual, contact with Nest, showing Elizabeth the footage, and now we were in the carriage heading to Yu’s house. But the real problem started from here. Not once had I ever managed to beat Nest cleanly. No matter how many times I tried this again, that part probably wasn’t going to get any easier.

"Ohhohohohoho, being tense is pointless. With me here, you can rest easy, as if you were on a great ship."

That confidence, backed by real strength. If Elizabeth cooperated, saving Shiran and Flaut should be easy enough. If only the summit hadn’t landed at that exact timing... Something snagged in my mind as I thought that. The timing really did feel too convenient to be coincidence.

"Don’t tell me there’s still an enemy out there. Someone pulling strings behind the scenes..."

"Hm? What was that?"

Elizabeth leaned in, peering at my face.

"...Nothing. Just talking to myself."

That’s a problem for later. Right now, focus entirely on Nest. Actually, I had a small plan in mind. Low odds of success, but I’d never fully beaten Nest before anyway. Worth trying different approaches.

"Ah, turn right up ahead."

"Understood."

Under Tender’s handling, the two horses carved a clean turn. Checking my watch, it was a little past 11:00. Unlike before, we’d be arriving somewhat earlier than usual.

"Stop around here."

The carriage came to a halt in a corner of the residential neighborhood. If I waited here, Nest would show up without fail. Confirming we still had some time to spare, I stepped down from the carriage.

"Where are you going? Perhaps it’s best not to wander too much."

"The house right over there is the target. I’m going to evacuate the civilians."

Even if I beat Nest, it would mean nothing if Yu and her family got caught in the crossfire. Better to get them out now.

"In that case, I’ll come too. Wouldn’t that be faster?"

"Yeah, that helps."

"Tender, please keep watch for the enemy."

"Understood!"

No time to take this slow. I knocked firmly on the front door, hurrying things along.

"Excuse me, is anyone home?"

"Ah, yes, coming right now."

The door opened right away, so she must have been nearby. And this voice, I recognized it.

"Um, who might yo—Miss Elizabeth!?"

The one who poked her head through the door was Yu. But the fact of me saving her, and the memory of it, existed nowhere anymore. I crouched down, meeting her eye level, and spoke to Yu.

"Sorry to bother you, but are your parents home? Something important to discuss."

"Ah, yes, I’ll go get them!"

She turned and ran off toward the inner door right away. Hearing her call out "Dad," carrying such a peaceful tone, felt oddly reassuring.

"Sorry, mind handling the explanation?"

"That’s fine. It’ll be more convincing coming from me, don’t you think?"

"Fair point. Alright, I’ll leave it to you."

Leaving that to Elizabeth, I stood near the carriage, jotting notes in my notebook. By the time I finished, Elizabeth had already finished explaining the situation. Through the window, I could see Yu’s family hurriedly preparing to leave the house.

"Lady Elizabeth!"

Tender called out, voice slightly lowered but clearly urgent. Seeing that, both Elizabeth and I understood immediately. She’d arrived. Nest.

"There she is. I’ll buy time. Tender, use that window to get the family out in the carriage."

"I’ll come too. It’d be too much for you alone."

Realistically, I’d only be a liability. I knew that better than anyone. But I’d also seen, across all these repeated worlds, just how dangerous it was for Elizabeth to face Nest alone.

"Quite the thing to say. But concern for a lady is appreciated."

Saying that, Elizabeth started running, ready to charge straight in. I called out to stop her immediately.

"Hey, wait a second!"

"Hm? What is it? Keep talking and they’ll notice us."

In the distance, Nest and her group hadn’t taken a combat stance yet. Whether they hadn’t noticed us or were just confident, either way, there wasn’t much time to talk. But even in that situation, I gave Elizabeth one instruction.

"Mind clearing out the small fry on either side of her?"

"...What do you mean by that?"

I took a deep breath and declared it with firm resolve.

"Nest, ...I’ll take her on."

"I don’t quite follow, but for you to say that in a situation like this, you must have some real confidence in a plan. ...Still, don’t push yourself too far."

"Of course. That’s exactly why I need you to keep those two off me."

Elizabeth laughed lightly.

"Who do you think you’re talking to? I am the eldest daughter of the Beyonetta family, Elizabeth Beyonetta! Opponents like that are no different from insects to me! Ohhohohohohohoho!"

With that high-pitched laugh, Elizabeth broke into a run. Charging in a straight line like a bullet, she closed the distance in an instant. Nest quickly shifted into a counter stance, but Elizabeth never even looked at her directly. With a small leap, she threw her parasol forward, spun her body, and deflected Nest’s blade in the same motion.

"Your opponent isn’t me."

Nest’s eyes went wide, a smile breaking across her face. Whether that was excitement or intimidation, hard to say. Slipping past Nest’s unhinged grin, Elizabeth landed a strike on the slim man beside her!

"Guhh!"

An elbow driven deep into his stomach, leaving him no way to withstand it. At the same moment, the thrown parasol struck the fat man square in the face. Both men were sent flying backward at the exact same instant. Taking advantage of the opening Elizabeth created with that elbow strike, Nest swung her blade. As if she’d anticipated the attack, Elizabeth leapt high into the air. Landing on the rooftop of a nearby building, she pursued the two men who’d been sent flying. Nest reset her stance and took a step forward, intending to chase after Elizabeth.

"Your opponent is me."

Nest’s feet stopped. Her eyes, glaring out from the gap in her hood, brimmed with hostility.

"You’re my opponent? Ufufu. Quite the nerve, standing there without a weapon."

Calling out to Elizabeth now wouldn’t bring help, not in this situation. Alone, with no trap set this time, I stood to face Nest once again.