And now, Adlet Mayer has been selected as one of the Braves of the Six Flowers. And so, he sets forth on a journey to defeat the Evil God. He heads for the land where the dangerous creature once slept to find the other Braves, those similarly marked by fate.
But…
“You still won’t give up?”
The voice of his pursuer drew nearer on his heels. Blades continued to vex him from beneath. Adlet ran desperately to evade both. Blood loss clouded his eyes. His fingertips were frozen, and his feet stumbled. But he couldn’t stop. If she caught him, she would kill him.
What am I doing in a place like this? Adlet wondered. What he should have been doing right about then was attacking the lair of the Evil God. He should have been fighting the fiends that blocked his path, together with the others chosen by fate. But instead, this girl was chasing him down, and he was going to die.
“I’ll get you this time!” The girl fired off attacks in Adlet’s direction in rapid succession. Cold steel skimmed by his hair, slicing his armor.
“Ngh!” He threw himself to the ground to avoid the blade careening at his chest and then stood again immediately, breaking into a sprint. The next blade came from directly underneath. He dodged it with a leaping roll to the side. Her aim wasn’t precise, but her attacks were fierce. Out of every few dozen, one or two would come right at him. With each attack he dodged, little by little, the margin of error grew smaller.
“!” Two blades came at him from both sides. One of them gouged into his torso. It sliced through his ribs, the impact sending him tumbling to the earth. Blood spurted from his throat and mouth. Adlet pressed his injured side, curling up. He couldn’t even stand anymore.
His pursuer was already so close that Adlet could see her clearly. “I’ve finally caught you,” she said. The shape of a girl emerged from the shade and fog that hung beneath the trees. Her appearance was dazzling. She was clad in white armor, and the hilt of the slender sword she held was inlaid with jewels. On her head, she wore a helmet designed to resemble rabbit ears. Bright flaxen hair, large red eyes, full lips, beautiful, distinctive features—just seeing her standing there, he could sense her nobility and dignity. Everything about her was elegant.
Adlet called her name. “Nashetania.” Adlet knew—he knew that on her chest she bore a Crest of the Six Flowers, just like the one on Adlet’s right hand. He knew that she was also one of the six Braves chosen to defeat the Evil God. And now, he was about to be killed by one of his own, a comrade he was supposed to be fighting alongside.
“Listen, Nashetania.”
“To what?”
“I’m your ally.”
Nashetania giggled and then pointed her slim sword at Adlet. Its blade extended to pierce Adlet’s ear. “It’s far too late for that sort of nonsense.” Nashetania was smiling, but she regarded him as if he were vermin. “You’re a fool. If you had only surrendered and confessed, you could have had an easier death.”
“I’m not gonna confess to anything. I haven’t done a single thing wrong.”
“It’s no use. You won’t deceive me again.” Nashetania quietly sighed. “You hatched a plan to trick us. You fooled us all and even hurt us. It’s quite clear that you are the impostor.”
“I’m not lying. You’re the one getting tricked. The enemy is using you to try to kill me.” But she wasn’t listening. “I haven’t killed any of our allies. I’m not scheming to trap everyone, either.”
“I’ve told you, you shan’t fool me anymore.”
“I’m not lying to you! Listen to me, Nashetania! I’m not the seventh!”
The tip of Nashetania’s blade hovered over Adlet’s heart. “No. You are the seventh.”
The legends speak of a time when the Evil God will rouse from its deep sleep. It is then that the Spirit of Fate will choose six Braves. On the bodies of these six Braves will appear a crest in the shape of a flower. Only the Braves of the Six Flowers are capable of defeating the Evil God and protecting the world.
But…
When the time came, there appeared seven warriors bearing the Crest of the Six Flowers. All seven warriors bore crests that were genuine. Why was there one extra? Adlet knew why. One among those seven was the enemy—plotting the downfall of the true six, infiltrating their number in order to kill them. But among the seven Braves who had come forth, who among them was the enemy? Adlet still didn’t know the answer.
Chapter 1
A Departure and Two Meetings
Three months earlier, Adlet Mayer had been in the Land of Bountiful Fields, Piena, situated in the center of the continent. It was the greatest nation by every metric—in landmass, population, military strength, and also the prosperity of its inhabitants. Regardless of the category, no other country surpassed its grandeur. The royal family’s influence echoed throughout the entire continent, and it was fair to say that Piena was the preeminent power in the land, effectively reigning over all.
At that time, the annual Tournament Before the Divine was being held in the royal capital of Piena. Since the greatest country in the world was hosting this tournament, the scale was of course grand. Competitors included knights of Piena, tough-guy infantrymen, well-known representatives of every nearby nation, famous mercenaries, and finally, Saints bestowed with the power of Spirits. Even unaffiliated fighters and city dwellers with confidence in their abilities were participating. The tournament opened its doors to all sorts of people, with the number of competitors exceeding fifteen hundred.
However, Adlet Mayer’s name was not on the tournament list.
“And for the semifinals! On the western side, Batoal Rainhawk, captain of the royal guard of the Land of Bountiful
