The man before Gloria truly didn't deserve to breathe the same air she was breathing.
He was the most despicable, heretical, and vile creature she had ever met. Enough to form conclusive murderous thoughts in her mind.
And the result of this resolve of hers was...
'Die!'
... Her [Absolute Doom] ability.
She sent a single thought to him, and stared very intensely at his head, hoping his brain would explode for her to see.
However...
"E-eh?"
Nothing happened.
'What's going on?' She didn't understand why it didn't work.
Her [Absolute Doom] was perfect. It lacked any weaknesses, and the only one who could really resist it was her older brother.
Even the Emperor admitted he had no defensive measure against it, though his power still surpassed hers.
So why?
How could it not affect him?
"[The Absolute Empress] Effect... though I'm sure you wouldn't understand."
'What in the world is he talking about?!' Gloria's thoughts echoed.
She was beyond baffled. Perhaps too baffled to notice that her body had stopped responding to her as well.
"Welp... I suppose this is goodbye, Princess. In the end, you couldn't have damaged me no matter how hard you tried."
Gloria could sense it... the fact that her end had already come.
It was scary, but she felt too weak and powerless to stop it.
In the end... this was how she was going to go?!
>WHOOOOOOOOOOSSSHHHH!!!<
Her vision went blank for a moment, expecting pain to arrive, and then the bitter pang of death.
However, none of them arrived.
"Open your eyes, Gloria." A familiar voice called her.
Before she realized it, the paralysis on her body had completely faded away. She also felt like she was being cradled by someone.
His muscular arms seemed to indicate security, and the warmth of his touch informed her of safety.
And then there was the deep baritone voice. Gloria could not forget it, even if she tried.
"O-older brother!" Her gasp echoed as she opened her eyes.
Holding her in his arm, like a knight would hold his damsel, was the First Prince himself.
His long golden hair fluttered with the wind, and his brilliant smile matched his well-chiseled face.
He was the epitome of beauty and handsomeness—the perfect crossbreed of the two.
Golden energy flowed around him, granting strength and warmth to the worn-out Gloria.
"You're so cold. I called you by your name, and yet..." He sniffed slightly, a playful smirk forming on his face.
"B-bro, can't you be serious for a minute?" Her voice emerged, from being low and weak to quickly take on a defiant quality.
"Haha... well..."
Gloria, now blushing in embarrassment, quickly detached herself from her brother's embrace and floated on her own.
"W-what about the enemy?" She asked, looking around to notice that he was nowhere in sight.
"I teleported us away from him."
That's right. The First Prince was the only Royal, other then the Emperor himself, who could use Teleportation Magic freely.
Though, he could only teleport himself and those who were in physical contact with him.
"He's probably hot on our tail right now, so we don't have much time." The First Prince maintained his smile.
Gloria looked at him with a somewhat conflicted expression. Joy and relief were definitely present.
After all, he was here now. However, she couldn't help but feel shameful for herself, and also a little angry that her brother hadn't come sooner.
'If he was here... then none of this could have happened.'
"I've been around for some time now. I was watching your fight with that man." He suddenly interrupted her thoughts.
"R-really?! How long have you been present?!"
"Relax. I arrived not too long ago. Even though I can teleport, it's not like I can travel far distances in one stretch."
That was true. Teleportation Magic cast by a person, and not their specialized machine, could only go so far.
The First Prince was the most skilled in Teleportation Magic in the Empire, and even he could only teleport a couple of miles per try.
Teleportation Magic was also extremely draining, so it must have taken a freakish amount of energy to have traveled from his far location back to the Empire.
Could anyone besides the First Prince even achieve something so amazing?
"I only arrived when you started using the 3rd Gear. I watched your battle intently while concealing myself."
Gloria's cheeks instantly reddened I'm embarrassment. The fact that her older brother had been watching something so shameful as her losing her patience and attacking so violently... made her feel extremely flustered.
"It seems my little sister has yet to lose her easy temper. Though, I suppose in a way... it is cute."
"S-stop it, big bro!"
"Haha. Relax. I'm teasing. I also know about the death of some of our siblings and family members..." His voice trailed.
Though his smile remained, Gloria could tell how her brother was really feeling.
"Y-yeah..." She could only whisper, hanging her head in shame. "If only I arrived sooner—"
"It's not your fault, Gloria. I also came late, didn't I? Don't worry, though..."
His countenance suddenly darkened, and a serious demeanor greeted his lively personality.
The switch was instant, almost impossible to pinpoint when it actually occured.
"... I'll be sure to defeat him."
*
*
*
'Hmmm...' Kuzon's thoughts trailed as he looked into the far distance.
His mind flowed to what had just occured. How someone had just swept in to save the First Princess while he was about to kill her.
'The First Prince, huh?'
His narrowed gaze detected them, a little over two miles from his current location.
'Should I leave this place to intercept them?' He thought to himself.
He knew someone had been spying on them all along. It was one of the reasons he hadn't really been serious with Gloria despite being bored for some time.
Who would have thought it would be the First Prince.
'Seems they're pretty close.' After observing their conversation for a while, that was his conclusion.
There was one thing he didn't account for, though. It was why he was till frozen in his tracks despite his naturally proactive disposition.
"That First Prince..." His eyes focused on the man's face.
"He used Aether."
*
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[A/N]
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