alliance of the golden witch; chapter 18 (ushiromiya ange)

[endlesswitch]

The world whitened......

It wasn't white.
...It was a gold color as bright as can be.
There, ......was the beautiful Ushiromiya family rose garden.
However, the flowers on the roses were all gold.

......The nectar was also gold-colored. The butterflies that gathered there were gold as well.
............This is...the Golden Land.........

The promised land that the witches of Mariage Sorciere had finally been guided to...

There, all wishes are granted, and all magic and dreams are born.
...........In that garden of gold roses, ......were two...and only two...witches.

I, the uninvited guest, appeared, making that atmosphere tremble with unrest.
.........What was to them a wind of misfortune shook the golden roses.

The incredibly beautiful scene formed from the golden rose petals scattered by the wind was without a doubt something not of this world......
The two who had been taking a walk on a path of golden roses noticed me, and were surprised.
"......Ange......? .........Beato, it's Ange......!!"
"............How did you get here...? .........Leave us alone. I shall no longer invite anyone here."
Beato spoke coldly.
.........She seemed like a completely different person from the boldly sneering woman she had once been.

She had closed off her heart, and shut herself up in a world where she was alone with Maria onee-chan.
A world where she could always be alone with a friendly Maria onee-chan, lecturing about magic while drinking tea.
......No one to hurry them, and nothing to hold them back.

A world where not a single person who might hurt them existed.

Yes, to the two of them, that was a small, perfect universe......
".........Sorry. ......I can't have you shutting yourself up in here. ......We can't continue the game unless you come back."
"I said I stopped because I was tired of it. I will not return to the game anymore."
"............Beato will always be here with Maria. Here we'll drink tea together, and think of lots of ways to play...! You can play with us too, Ange."
"......MARIA. I believe I said that must not happen. I am satisfied as long as I have you alone.
Say that you too are satisfied as long as you have me."
"........................Yeah. ......Thank you. The only person who needs Maria that much is you, Beato. So, I'll be with you. Just us is enough."
".........MARIA......, ......thanks..................I am grateful........."
Beato held Maria tight, even creating a small, warm universe between their joined arms...

.........It was probably the birth of the smallest universe in the world.
...The smallest universe in the world, which a pair who needed each other could give birth to...
No matter how small it was, it was a complete world.
.........But, I had to tear it apart.............
"......Sorry, .........but I can't let it happen that way. I came to smash this Golden Land of Mariage Sorciere."
"............Why, ......will you break, ......my world.........? A, are you saying that this world is causing anyone other than Maria and me trouble......?!"
"You've left Onii-chan waiting all this time, in a game that you started, and then walked away from without finishing! If you don't return to your seat, the contest won't end for all eternity...!!"
".........Hahahahaha, ha...! There is no longer a single player in that game. Battler vanished, and I did as well, coming here. That game is already over."
"It isn't over! You started the game, right?!! Take responsibility and see it through to the very end! Will you defeat Battler, and give birth to the world you truly wished for?! Or will you be defeated and everything swallowed up by your magic released?!! Take responsibility until the very end!!"
"............Don't, Ange. Beato will spend her time in this world, alone with Maria for eternity. ......And Maria too, as long as she has Beato, doesn't need anything else. ......Here, all wishes are granted. Everything is here."
............This Golden Land is made up of nothing more than the crystallization of Maria onee-chan and Beatrice's thoughts.

......To drag Beato out of this world, ......I would have to, ......destroy it.........
...............I will destroy this Golden Land, .........which must be the final peaceful world in Beatrice's eyes......
"Onee-chan. That's wrong. This Golden Land is a liar. It won't grant the one wish you truly want granted, Onee-chan."
".........That's not true!! Anything can be granted here! Look, there's even a nice Mama here!!"
Gold butterflies gathered behind Maria, forming into a kindly smiling Rosa oba-san.

.........And after smiling sweetly at me, it became golden petals and crumbled.
"Here, anything can be created. Even Ange, even Battler, even George onii-chan, even Jessica onee-chan...!!
You can summon as many as you want, and everyone is nice...!! You come too, Ange, and let's play together......!!"

............Sorry, Onee-chan............
"And what about Sakutarou......?"
".........ah."

Upon hearing Sakutarou's name, Onee-chan looked like she was choking.
"Stop it...... Do not speak that name......"

Beato's expression changed as well.
And she hugged Maria, guarding her shoulders.

......Sakutarou's name was still taboo for Onee-chan.
"Why can't I say it? It's the name of Maria onee-chan's best friend. ......Why won't you invite that close friend to this wonderful Golden Land? Why, in this Golden Land where any wish can be granted, is Sakutarou the only one who you cannot summon?"
"Th, ...that is............It's alright, MARIA. You don't have to remember Sakutarou-"
"............Sakutaro was killed by Mama!!!!"
Maria onee-chan flew into a rage with a terrible expression on her face.

Surprised by that voice, the butterflies throughout the garden flew up, ......blowing around like a typhoon of flower petals.
"Yes, I know. Rosa oba-san, ......took your precious stuffed animal Sakutarou, and tore him apart......!!"
"Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!"
Maria's scream became a storm and violently scattered the golden petals and leaves.
It was truly a storm of gold.
"Stop...!! Stop stop stop...!!! Why are you trying to reopen the wound in MARIA's heart...?! Don't defile the sleep of this precious friend to both Maria and myself...!!"
"In that case, why don't you revive that precious friend for her with your magic?"
"I'd do it if I could...!! But that stuffed animal was an article Rosa created herself! The magical meaning of that individual object being torn apart is-"
"Don't try to fool anyone. Why can't you revive Sakutarou? There's only one answer. It's because you aren't a real witch!"
".........I can revive him...!! With my magic, I can revive him as often as I want, like this!! I could even bury this garden in Sakutarous...!!"
"Yeah, I'll bet you could, with your magic! But Onee-chan definitely wouldn't be able to see the Sakutarous you create!
............You know why, right? I'll say it again. It's because you aren't a real witch...!!"
"Stop iiiiiiiiiit!! Why do you keep saying such mean things, Ange...?! Beato can use a lot of magic...! She's a very wonderful witch...!!
She couldn't revive just Sakutaro, ......but she can do anything else...!! So, I can at least......do without, ...Sakutaro......"
"No, Onee-chan, that's wrong. .........There's nothing a witch can't do. As soon as she couldn't do that, Beatrice was not a real witch."
"Th, that's wrong......!! It's because Sakutaro's stuffed animal vessel was something Mama made especially herself, and-"
"And that's why she can't revive him? Is Beatrice's...your magic so inconvenient?"
"Gah, .........i, ......in that case, ......are you saying that you can revive Sakutarou?! Are you saying that you can do that with your magic?!"
"I can."".........What did you........."
"Maria onee-chan!! I'll show you some real magic. I'll revive Sakutarou for you!!"
"......R, .........really......? Even Beatrice couldn't do it, right......? ...R, .........really......?!"
"Yes, I can! In exchange, promise me. Once I've revived Sakutarou..."
"Yes...!"
"...Leave this Golden Land."
"............ah-"
"I, I will not permit that...!! This world is MARIA's and mine!! If MARIA leaves, ......it will break...!!"

The minimum amount of humans it takes to create a universe is two.

If that breaks down, the world is destroyed.

To drag out the witch shut away in the Golden Land, I'll have to destroy this world...!
"......Yes, that is the proof that you are not a witch. ......A real witch can create a universe alone. The Mariage Sorciere Alliance of Witches! ......The very existence of this alliance proves that you are not a witch...!!"
"N, no...!! I won't hand MARIA over...!! I hate you, leave right now...!! Get out of heeeeeeeeeeeere!!"
"Dragging everyone into a game of your own accord, then getting bored and chasing them out when your mood changes!! How selfish can you be? Take a look, Beatrice!! And you, Maria onee-chan!! This...is true magic.........!!!"
"W, ......will you really revive Sakutaro...?!"
"There's no way you can!! This is a Golden Land for Maria and me alone...! There is not a single magic that an outsider like you could use! As you are now, you couldn't even create a single butterfly!!"
"Be quiet, Beato!! Don't get in Ange's way...!!"
When Maria yelled, ......the storm suddenly stopped, and the area returned to silence.

.........The scene as a massive amount of golden petals that had been blown upwards quietly drifted downward, ......was fantastical, as though a golden snow was falling......
Maria, thinking about this unlikely, if-only miracle, had unconsciously joined her hands together as though praying.
......Beato watched Maria do this, her heart racing.

.........If the extremely unlikely were to happen..., Maria would, ......this world would......
But, ......it's unthinkable......!
A certain impossibility...
That stuffed animal, which had been the only one in the world, was torn apart and thrown away, and not a thread remained.

Reviving it was a certainly certain impossibility......!!
This is my Golden Land...!
A world where magic that isn't mine certainly cannot exist!!!
"I, ......if you can do it, ......give it a tryyyyyyyyy, Ushiromiya Angeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!"
At Beato's scream-like cry, the world lost its sound.
I slowly...recited the incantation...for true magic......
"............Come, try to remember. Maria's close friend Sakutarou.
......Try and remember what form you had.
.........Try and remember what a lovable stuffed animal you were."
"Eh, ..................ah, ...ah............"
".........................oh-"
......Expressions of shock rose to both of their faces.
Then, ......pushing Beato's elbow aside, Maria dashed forward......
".........kutaro........., .........Sakutaro.........!!"
Then, ............she clung to us.
"......It's alright. Sakutarou...won't disappear.............『Uryu, Maria. I'm back.』"
"Sakutaro, ......Sakutaro......, ......uuuuuuuuuuuuuuu, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaauuuuu!! Sakutarooooooo......, I wanted to see you......, ...so much............"
It was without a doubt, .........that lion......Sakutarou stuffed animal.

Its softness, its texture, its stitches, its everything, .........Maria had forgotten.

But, .........the instant she hugged the stuffed animal, everything came back to her vividly......
『Uryu. Maria, ......I'm back.』
"Sakutaro, Sakutaro...!! Is your body alright? Does it hurt anywhere? Even though, ......something so horrible was done to you, are you alright everywhere......?!"
『Uryu...! Ange revived me with magic, so I'm perfectly fine...!』
"I'm so glad......, I'm so glad...... Welcome back Sakutaro......, uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!"
『From now on, I'll always be with you, Maria. Together for eternity. ......So, don't let go of me, okay.........?』
"Yeah, ......won't let go............for all eternity.................."
Then, still hugging Sakutarou, she looked up at me with tear-filled eyes...
"......Thank you, Ange...! .........Ange's magic is amazing............Why? Why can you revive Sakutarou?! When Beato couldn't do it...!"
"............Impossible.........Impossible............Why? ......Why can a human other than me use magic in my Golden Land?!?! This is, .........completely impossible.........!"
"What are you so flustered about, Beatrice? ..................This is...magic, right?"
"There's no way that's magic...!! This is my Golden Land!! A world where magic that isn't mine certainly cannot exist!! And my magic was not able to revive Sakutarou...!!
There's no way it could!! That stuffed animal is a special stuffed animal! Made by Rosa for her daughter's birthday, and in the entire world, the only,
.........ah, ...............u, ...............ah......"
"................See, ...it's magic, right?"
"Uu, ......oh......, ......ah, .........aaahhh, .........aaaaaaaaaahhhh......"
With this miracle that she could not possibly accept, .........Beato...understood all of my magic......

Then, she looked at Maria and Sakutarou, innocently frolicking around, ......looked at me, .........and then, .........fell to her knees, ......with even her hands pressed to the ground, ............and cried.
"Beatrice...! This is really magic, right...?! It's magic, right?! Beatrice...!!!"
"............Hmmm...............It is magic............That is, .........true, .........magic........."
"Why can Ange use a magic that even Beato can't do?! Why?! Why?! Ange's awesome, Ange's an awesome witch! A real witch who's much, much more awesome than Maria......!!!"
"Yeah, that's right, Onee-chan. ...............I am the Witch of Resurrection ANGE. ......There is nothing that cannot be revived by me."
"Awesome, awesome!! Even Beato said that the magic of resurrection was the hardest!! ANGE's awesome!! A true true Great Witch......!!!"
At that time, Maria's and Sakutarou's forms flashed gold, ......and the forms of the two became golden flower petals, and crumbled away......

As the two became a golden wind and swirled together, .........they left for some other peaceful place, not here.

Beato had, ......as promised, banished Maria from the Golden Land.
"......Goodbye, ...Maria onee-chan. And...be happy forever. ............It's alright, in Onee-chan's world as well, 'you' surely exist.

But that is not referring to you・・・・・・・・."
"............Isn't that great, ......Maria............As your close friend, .........I celebrate this reunion...from the bottom of my heart........."
On Beato's face, ......was a mixture of what was probably every expression a human could muster.

There was joy, anger, and sadness.
".........That is, the source of magic, isn't it. ............Without love, without sadness, without anger, ............magic cannot be seen."
The ground shook. ......An earthquake.

.........It gradually summoned greater and greater fissures, and began to tear Beatrice's final paradise apart.
Golden butterflies fluttered about trying to escape, but there was nowhere to escape to.
...And, Beatrice did too.
The Golden Land began to crumble away.

The earth crumbled downwards like a floor falling through, .........and Beatrice was sucked into the depths of a jet-black darkness.
Then, she was mercilessly slammed against a jet-black floor.
......It was a very dimly-lit...smoking room.

There was no door to exit by, and while there was a window, it let no light, ......into Beatrice's dimly-lit smoking room.
Even though Beato was moaning from the pain of being slammed against that cold hard floor, she shakily rose to her feet......
The seat over there...

......The game table, ......still just as it had been when she had left it.

The game board also remained in the same state that Beato had left it in.
"That is your seat. Sit."
"............So, this is the only seat, .........for me to sit in........."
Beato put a hand against her own seat, ......and laughed sadly.
"Win, or lose. That is all you are given. A tie during the process of reaching that point will probably be permitted.
.........However, you won't be allowed to suspend the game and throw it away! Will you win and survive, or lose and disappear? Until one of those two things happens, you will not be permitted to rise from that chair!! That should be your only duty as the host of a witch's game, as the Golden Witch Beatrice...!!"
Laughing weakly, Beato, ......sat in that seat.

......Then she rested her elbows and covered her face with both hands, .........showing off a smile with nothing but her mouth.
".........Not permitted to escape an unwinnable game.........Then, very well. ......Why don't I repeat this, ......until I lose......"
"How fainthearted! Win. Use the best moves you have...!! You started this game! You have a duty to make the best moves possible!! Give all this indecisive fooling around a rest!"
At that time, there was a violent sound.
......Beato felt a cold, pathetic sensation in her legs.
"......Gotcha...! I finally got you, eh, Beato~?"
"Oh, Great Lady Lambdadelta is it............To think that you were still here."
Beato's foot was caught in an ice-cold steel shackle, ......tying her to the chair she sat in.

......She would no longer be able to escape from this seat.
"Ho-hhohhohoho! You won't be able to escape anymore, alright? I'm more persistent than I look. Surprised?"
"............It'd have been more surprising if you hadn't realized it yourself."
"You are not permitted to leave early or suspend the game. You'll fight for all eternity, in order to win, right? .........You don't want to lose, do you? You wanna little peek at the kind of wonderful world you'll be thrown into if you lose?
DON'T WORRY. You can win, because I, the Great Lady Lambdadelta, will be watching you

constantly until you win・・・・・・, looking after you for all eternity...!!"
"..............................Hmph, ......hahahahaha. .........But even if I wish to fight, I have no opponent across from me, correct......?"
".........Don't worry, I've found Battler."
When Bernkastel appeared and clapped her hands, Battler appeared from the sky and plopped into the opposite chair.
Battler's eyes were slightly opened, but there was no sparkle in them, almost like a doll's.
Without the one pillar that established his soul, ...........he had fallen into the depths of the depths of darkness, and had been drifting about all this time.

......He had then supposedly scattered and disappeared like mist.
Bernkastel had managed to scrape him together.
It's surprising that she even managed to bring him back into a human form.
However, even though his flesh had returned, his soul had not.
......It had been blown away by Beatrice after having its existence denied.
It wouldn't come back easily.
"............You will not run from this fight either, Battler. Not until you win. ......Just having your chance of winning disappear won't mean that you'll be permitted the inelegance of throwing everything away and running. He doesn't want that himself. ............Right, Ushiromiya Battler...?"
Battler didn't answer.
......His heart was still...dead.

His eyes wavered slightly at the question, but he couldn't answer.
"Battler...! Get ahold of yourself! You are here. And the enemy is before your eyes...! Fight! Fight to win!!"
Battler lazily repeated that, speaking incoherently.

.........He'd come back.
The wound he bore on his soul was no small thing.

That was only natural.
Beatrice had woven her red, and he had been denied.

He had learned that the mother he had respected was not his birth mother, ......and he didn't know who he was.
......He was not, ......Ushiromiya Battler............
"Don't talk stupid! You are Ushiromiya Battler, no one else! No matter who acknowledges that or denies that, make sure you believe it yourself...!! You know, you are the only one who can create your own world. Don't lose the world where you are Ushiromiya Battler!"
"...............Then, ............who, ......am I.........? I'm not Mom's child, right......? Where was I born from......?"
As Battler's eyes, which still hadn't regained their sparkle, stared lazily up at the ceiling, he asked that question.

Of course, she answered right away.
"Yes, that's right. Beato proclaimed it with the red truth. ......So I'll proclaim it too. Ushiromiya Battler is not Ushiromiya Asumu's son."
".........Hmph, ......in that case, he is not qualified to be the opponent in my game, correct...?"
"Beatrice, repeat it. 'Ushiromiya Battler is not Ushiromiya Kinzo's grandchild'."
"........................"
As Beato wrinkled her forehead, ......a painful-looking smile rose to her face.
"So you refuse to repeat it. Beato proclaimed two red truths, 'Battler is not Asumu's son', and 'No one except Kinzo's grandchild Battler is qualified to be an opponent'. The following theory will have Battler be accepted as qualified without any contradictions. This is my blue truth, listen to it...!"
The one who is qualified to be Beato's opponent is 'Kinzo's grandchild Ushiromiya Battler', and whether you are 'Asumu's son' or not is no problem.

Thus, even if you are not Asumu's son, you can be Kinzo's grandchild.

As long as you are Rudolf's son!
"Hmph, isn't this just a foolish word game?"
"............Blue truth, effective. Beato, your counter-argument with the red truth? If you cannot counter it with the red truth, there is no problem with Battler's qualifications as an opponent."
"......................."
.........Battler was still out of it.
He still couldn't really understand what she was saying for him.

......But even so, his spirit was starting to come back bit by bit...
"............Then, ............who, .........am I......?"
"Get ahold of yourself! You are Ushiromiya Battler! Yeah, maybe Asumu okaa-san didn't give birth to you. But so what?! That doesn't change in the slightest the fact that she was a mother to you, right?!
.........For example, what is Ushiromiya Ange to you? You might not share the same blood, but she's still your little sister, right?! It's not about blood, it's about bonds, right?!"
"............That's...right............Even though we don't share the same blood, ......Ange is, .........my little sister."
"Say it in red! Say that Ange is your little sister!!"
".........Ange is, ......my little sister. ............ah, ............I could say it."
She hugged Battler, who was still out of it and slumped in his chair, strongly from behind.
So much that it hurt.
"I don't know why Asumu okaa-san wasn't your birth mother. But still, until today and even now, you believe that she is your mother, right?! In this world, there are plenty of people without even a mother, ......without even a family!!
Did Asumu okaa-san ever let you feel lonely? Never, right?! Don't throw your peaceful family away so easily!! Your family bonds have gotten too thin after leaving your family for six years!!
You have to feel those family bonds much, much more strongly! Remember!! For Asumu okaa-san's sake as well, don't lose your affection over a foolish witch's rant like this!"
"...........................You're right............Mom was, ......always on my side.....................Where is this place......? .....It's dark......, ......I want to go home...... Where's, all of my, ......family.........?"
The light still hadn't returned to Battler's eyes.
But, ......tears appeared.
"Your little sister is waiting at home for you to come back. If even you don't come back, ......she will be all alone forever...! For your little sister's sake, please win this witch's game...!!"
"............Ange......, my, ......little sister...............But still, .........I don't get it............Why, do I have to keep repeating this incomprehensible, cruel game with Beato......? .........I've, ......had enough........."
"In that case, settle this game quickly and go back home!! Ushiromiya Battler, how long are you going to play around in a place like this?! Your little sister is waiting for you to come home!!!"
.........That's right.

Battler was caught up in this strange game before he even knew it.

And, still unable to understand why he was fighting, he had been constantly sucked into the witch's pace, played with and made to fight.
That should have been the most simple and first question.

......Because he didn't understand that, he had lost his purpose in fighting...!!

That's why my voice won't reach Battler's ears...!
Instead of a vague purpose, like winning against the witch, or because he couldn't forgive her...

......He had to be aware of a purpose for which he must win.
".........That's right............I want to go home......, ......I want to go home to Dad and Mom, ......and Ange...............I've had enough, ......enough of this place............I've had enough of witches, I've had enough of games and murders......, ......enough, enough......"
"Battler's soul, ...is starting to come back."
"............But it can't quite reach."
"You've had enough, right?! Then fight so that you can return to your family!! Destroy Beatrice and go home!!"
"No, ......I've had enough of witches...! Enough of Beato, ...enough of everything...and you too, you're probably just another one of the witch's allies... I could be betrayed again at any time...!!
You can't trust anything, you can't trust any words that aren't red...!!
Don't bother me, don't bother meeeeeeeeeeee!!"
Battler's soul howled.
She hugged his head from behind, strong enough that it hurt.
"Come home quickly, Onii-chan!! Don't leave me all alone!!!"
"...............Huh, ...............who, ........., ......are you......?"
"It's me, it's Ange...!! Dad and Mom and Onii-chan...no one comes home!! I'm lonely!! I beg you, come home quickly!"
"......A, .........Ange...............You were, .........Ange............?"
"That's right, I'm Ange!! The Ushiromiya Ange of a world where no one comes home...!! .........My entire family...never came home from Rokkenjima that day...!!
The witch before your eyes stole away my whole family, even you, Onii-chan...! .........Only you can finish her, Onii-chan!! Finish her...!!
Then, take your family back!! And then, .........come home to me......!!!"
"............Beato did, ......to my family........."
"......Hmph, ............as she says. I will not run away or hide from it. ......I stole Ushiromiya Ange's family away from her.
Battler is my toy! His father and mother are both my toys. ......I won't give them back to you. ......You may continue to wander all alone forever, awaiting the return of your family that will not return......!"
From Ange's arms that held him, ............the very painful, sad, and lonely days, ......that his little sister, who had been left all alone, had gone through...flowed into Battler......
......Because he had been playing around in a place like this, .........his little sister who had been left all alone, .........had lived through such, ............painful days............!!
"...Ange, .........Ange.........!! Damn, ......I, .........what am I doing.........?!! Thanks a bunch, Ange... Onii-chan, ......has been forgetting something important this whole time......!"
Battler tried to turn around, but Ange was hanging onto Battler's head with an incredible force, so he couldn't turn back.
......Sweat?

Hot drops were splashing the nape of Battler's neck.
......What they were...he knew from holding Ange's arm that clung to him.

.........Because it stained Battler's hand...his fingers...red.
".........Blood..., ......A, Ange?! A, are you alright?! H, hey......?!"
It dripped and splashed.

He didn't know what was going on.

Battler didn't know because he couldn't turn around, but the hot drops that stained his entire back were surely, ......blood.
"............In order to save you, Onii-chan, in order to come here, there was a single rule, ......that I had to keep............This, ............is it. ......Letting you, Onii-chan, .........know, .........that I was, ......Ange........."
......It was tough.........

To think that even though Onii-chan was right before my eyes, ......I couldn't even say that.........
As long as I followed this rule, ......I should have been able to stay by Onii-chan's side for all eternity.

.........I should have been able, ...to play in the game against the witch, ......for eternity with Onii-chan......
"But, .........that's no good. ............Onii, ......ah, .........chan, ......unless you come back............At your house, ......your sister will be waiting...............That person isn't me, ............but this way, your sister, ...will be saved........."
"Ange?! Ange!! There's so much blood...!! So much, so much!!"
He wanted to turn around, but Ange gripped his head tightly so he couldn't.

However, judging by the blood that was pouring out and Ange's pained breathing, he realized that something seriously wrong was happening to her right now.
"............Don't...worry...............I am just, ......a piece...............You know, in chess, ......they have this thing called a sacrifice......"
"Sacri, ......what the?! Who cares about that!! Let's get you some first-aid quickly!! Let go for a second, Ange...!!"
"............A sacrifice...is a thrown piece. For a tactical prospect, you intentionally acknowledge the loss and let a piece go..."
In chess, the ultimate goal is victory.
......So, if it can bring you to victory in the end, there is no problem with sacrificing a few individual pieces.
Ange had cooly made a decision.

.........She had been taught over and over again that she was a piece, not a player.
......In order to act like a piece and save Battler, right now, she would have to become a sacrificial piece herself.
............Battler had to know.

His purpose in this witch's game couldn't be something as abstract as finishing off the witch.
He had to win the game, release himself, and take his family back home.
Why? .........Because he had family, a little sister, who was waiting for him to come home.
A being who was created so that Ushiromiya Ange's voice could reach.

That is me, ANGE Beatrice...!!
Use the piece I am as a sacrifice for Onii-chan's fighting spirit, for his purpose!

My purpose is not to play with Onii-chan in a witch's game for all eternity!

I came to bring you Ushiromiya Ange's mourning and sadness! That is my unshakable purpose!
".........Ange!! Ange!! Aaaaaaaaaarrrghhh!!!"
The white, thin arm that held Battler, ......became pale and transparent, almost like wax.

...And even so, the fresh blood...stained it so cruelly......
"...I will........., ...disappear now, but............Onii-chan, fight with all you've got, .........and I'm sure, you will.........come back to me..................I'll be waiting, ............always........................I had planned on helping you out a lot more than this, ......but I couldn't do anything. ......Sorry....................."
"D, don't worry about that......!! You, ......taught me, didn't you......?! You taught me why I must win...! And that, ...I have to win for certain, and come back to you......!!
What, .........am I doing, lazing about in a place like this......?!! Yeah, I won't be playing in a place like this anymore...!! 'Cause I'll come back, I'll come back!! I'll definitely come back, bringing a souvenir, I promise......!!!"
"............I don't need one, .........so promise me one thing......"
"What? I'll promise anything...!!"
"......In a second, I'm going to let go of this hand...... It hurt, didn't it......? I held it so tightly, .........sorry..................I'm alright, ......so you don't have to turn around............So in the end, ......show me the coolest part of you, ......Onii-chan...............Rise from your seat, ......point at the witch before your eyes, ......and proclaim that the game will reconvene........."
Ange's hand, ......slid, .........and disappeared behind me.

There were bloody fingerprints left behind, blurred by her fingernails...
But I turned around right away.
To take care of Ange's wounds...!
"Angeeeeeeeee, eeee...ee........., ...........................Ange...?"
"Aa~ah, and you even promised that you wouldn't turn around..."
"......A, ......Ange............ah, ooh, ...wh, where......"
Behind my chair, .........as though, ......about ten watermelons packed with blood, ......had been smashed,
......there was a sticky, pulpy, ......mountain...

And around that mountain of blood and minced meat, ......the clothes and shoes Ange had been wearing, ......lay crumpled as though they had been taken off and thrown away...
......As though, just a human's insides had been pulverized and thrown away.

......As though Ange, who had been standing there until a second ago, had been crushed.........
"Ange......? Wh, ......where is Ange......? Where did Ange disappear to......? H, hey! Where did Ange disappear to?!"
The two young-looking witches said nothing, .........and just silently looked at the mountain of blood and meat and clothes.
But, ......I didn't want to accept it.
......I definitely didn't want to accept it!!!
"...............I was right in front of you. .........I was watching the whole time. Watching what happened, .........to Ange behind you."
"......D, ......do you know......? .........Where, ...did Ange go.........?"
".........While she still lived, pinch by pinch, massive, red-hot pincers, ......tore chunks of flesh the size of a thumb off of her, ......and threw them away. .........I was watching. I saw as countless cruel tools burned red-hot in the witch's furnace approached Ange from behind, and one bit at a time, ......pecked at her, twisted, ripped chunks off her, ......and tore her to pieces.
............Ange should be proud. In order to exchange her last words with her brother, ......she withstood the gasping of that pain until the very end, ......so she should be proud."
......As if something like that could have happened......

But, ......on top of that mountain of flesh and clothes, ......what had fallen there, ............was without a doubt, what she had been wearing on her head, those pink-jeweled...hair ornaments.
To be honest, I'd actually thought they were a bit too childish for her and didn't suit her...

......So I remembered them well.
............Why had Ange worn such cheap hair ornaments all the time......?

No, no, ......the thought that this is Ange, ......couldn't be, ......, uu, uuuuuuuuuu...!
"..................Beato's pretty frank."
"Battler didn't see it, so you could have just said that she turned into butterflies and flew away, or something."
"......Y, ...you guys also, .........s, ......saw, .........that happen......? Y, ......you saw, ......Ange, ......get torn into little bits...? You were watching, .........and yet, ......you wore, ......such calm faces.........?!"
Without answering, Bernkastel, Lambdadelta, and Beatrice stared at me, ......some in pity, ...others in derision, ......watching me.........
Since she'd called herself Gretel, and after what had happened with Virgilia in the last game, ......until now, I had thought that she might be Beato's underling, and I'd been wary of her, not trusting her even though she was an ally...
And now, .........after I learn that it truly was Ange, ......without even being allowed to see her face, .........I turn around, ......and find, .........something, .........like this, ............uuuuuuoohhhhh.........!
"Isn't it good? .........This about your little sister."
"......What, ......did you say............?"
"After all, you will never return from this place for all eternity anyways. .........Whatever happens to your little sister in a world where you don't come home has nothing to do with you. As long as you play here, the Anges of countless worlds will live in isolation, and the same pain of her final moments just now will be forced upon her, diluted over a period of more than a decade.
.........However, that is of no importance, correct? It cannot be seen by you from here. You cannot observe it. An unobservable fact cannot be established except by the red truth.
Therefore, your anxiety over Ange's misfortune after this might be needless. ............She might, surprisingly, be able to live a casual life without having to work thanks to Rudolf's inheritance, right? *cackle*cackle*cackle*cackle*...!"
......That's, ...a lie.
From Ange's arm, every part of the sad world that comes later had poured into me in an instant.

All because, .........I keep on, ......lazing about forever, .........and playing in a place like this.........!!
......I...never thought about anyone but myself......
I must defeat this person! I'll take back my family, ......back to where Ange is waiting, .........and return as soon as possible.........!

Because even as I hang around with the witch like this, Ange's heart continues to be torn to bits by sadness...!!
"............Ange, ...is this, .........what you wanted to see......?"
......Towards the cruel witch who had indifferently spoken of Ange's brutal last moments, I slowly, ......and yet. ......with all my might, ......pointed......
".........Beatrice......"
"Hmm."
"............Resume this game. .........I won't run away anymore, ......and I won't let you get away."
"Just what I was hoping for. I can no longer escape or hide. .........Let us decide this between you and me for certain.
.........One will win. One will lose, and be destroyed. No other resolution exists."
".........I will win. No matter how long it takes, I will definitely smash you...!! In this contest there will no longer be any compromise, interruptions or losing by default!! I won't run away! I won't let you get away!!
Come seriously to defeat me...!! There's absolutely no need for stupid tricks and deceit, or intermingling and acting friendly!! You and I are enemies...!!! I have to settle this as soon as possible, .........and take my family back to Ange!!!"
......Unwavering resolve.
...Certain willpower.

A human's certain willpower becomes certain magical power.
......That acts as a miracle, and makes a promise.

Yes, it's the promised certain miracle・・・・・・・.

..................Is my victory impossible, without a single chance, no.........,

even a fragment of a chance at a miracle・・・・・・・・・・・・・・?
Before I knew it, a cold, stiff chain had bound my other leg without a sound, tying me to the chair...
............All that is left to me is either to be killed and lose to Battler, or resist that, and repeat an endless tie for all eternity.

......No, is it a mistake to repeatedly tie until I prepare my heart for death?
Either way, I...

.........Must fight to lose.
I have already been bound by the chains of eternity.
And Battler won't let me escape either.
......Should I pathetically ask his forgiveness...?
Should I ask for compassion by appealing to his pitying heart...?

Should I forget appearances and prostrate myself?
Because of the chains, even that will not be granted me.
......Checkmate.

This is a perfect stranglehold.
........................However.

I am the Golden Witch...Beatrice.
The demon lord of gold who reigns in the Golden Land.

Even in a fight to lose, there is an attitude fitting for me.

And I have the right to decorate my death in a manner fitting for me.
".........It is the same with me. I will make you accept the existence of my magic and the door to the Golden Land will open on this island. You shall probably become the guest of honor at that first tea party.
Everyone besides you has gathered already, you see? Because the honored guest's arrival has been delayed, the tea party cannot begin.
Your father, mother, cousins and everyone else are getting tired of waiting for your arrival."
"Sure, that's perfect, that's just perfect!! What the hell is magic, what the hell are witches...!! I'm done playing with you!! Here we go, Beatrice...!!!"
"Come as hard as you can, for there will be no compromise, interruptions or losing by default. One will win, and one will be destroyed. If you have no desire to lose, then you must defeat me, kill me. However, I won't be killed so easily. Until you can prepare a fitting end for me, I can resist repeatedly.
Can you do that? ......No, you probably can. You surely can. Come on, come to kill me. ............
...............Is it that hard? Then let's go with the usual flow. ..................
Hyahhaha!! As if I'd be killed, even if I can't win, I can at least harass you enough so that I don't hand victory over to you, riiiiiiiiiiiight?!
Hoh, that's a good look on your face! ......*cackle*cackle*cackle*, uhhyahhahahahahahahahaha, aaakkyakkyakkyakkyakkyakkya!!
Try and kill me, try and kill me, Ushiromiya Battleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeroooooooooooooooooooohhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!"