I, Kurumi Tokisaki, Am a Wanderer

The youngest "Flower Crown Lady"?

From the highest point of the White Spire Tree, a pair of weary eyes gazed down upon the world.

Some nonsense about reckless expeditions or crushing defeats…

It was all just a cacophony of flies buzzing about.

The stubborn elders who had survived the calamity that obliterated their capital—did they still not understand who truly ruled the Elves?

It wasn't the Forest God, Kainath.

It wasn't those so-called ancestral elders.

It was her, the "Flower Crown Lady."

Didn't they have any brains?

And yet…

What right did a fraud like her have to claim any authority?

Nina curled herself up tightly, a bundle of self-loathing.

A once-in-a-generation prodigy who appeared twenty years ago?

The unparalleled leader who saved the Elves from catastrophe?

The youngest Eighth-Tier Magician?

She tugged at her ceremonial robes—an ill fit for someone of her petite, childlike figure.

All of this… all of it should have belonged to Lady Shinku (Think Nirvalen), not her.

Nina was deeply aware of her own role as nothing but a puppet.

But when she thought of her senior… Nina was willing to be that puppet.

"Let's destroy the world together."

Nina vividly remembered Lady Shinku's bold declaration, the transcendent determination in her gaze.

"With a super-magic that wipes everything clean, we'll give this world one grand sweep. When all is said and done, it'll just be you and me left standing. That's how we win, Nina."

"And when that time comes… Nina, marry me."

A detection spell unfolded, confirming no abnormalities in the area.

"I'm back… Senior." Dragging her exhausted body, Nina returned to her residence on the outskirts of Melvoille.

Carelessly tossing her ceremonial robes—garments of honor—to the floor, Nina, now dressed in a thin undershirt and barefoot, trudged toward the basement.

The food on the dining table had been cleared out, a promising start.

Although it had cost her being thoroughly beaten, it was still better than having her senior locked away in her basement sanctuary, refusing to come out.

Passing a multi-faceted magical crystal, Nina caught a glimpse of her youthful reflection—a perfect figure that once sparked a wave of infatuation among the Elves.

But who would know…

Nina… was a boy.

Even Lady Shinku didn't know.

The thought made Nina's expression darken.

She had tried to confess the truth to her senior countless times, only for fate—through endless coincidences—to interrupt.

Yes… pure coincidence.

It wasn't because she secretly wanted to serve her senior while cross-dressing, offering to bathe or massage her, or something like that~~ Absolutely not.

Nina instinctively tugged her hemline lower…

Being born with this appearance… I'm truly sorry.

If the truth ever came out, Lady Shinku might very well slice me to pieces. Or worse, alter my internal structure to make me a real girl.

Memories of that illusory nightmare from the royal capital flashed in Nina's mind, making her shudder.

She pushed open the basement door and was once again struck by the surreal, otherworldly atmosphere.

Through the crystalline, massive lotus and the thorn-covered throne, Nina gazed at a pair of restored, gleaming hexagonal eyes—

Her senior.

Her idol.

Her beloved.

"Ahhhh! Nina, why are you so late!" Clad in a near-transparent gossamer outfit, Lady Shinku sauntered over.

"I'm starving to death here!"

"W-wah—Senior! Could you show some decency as a civilized species!?" Nina whimpered, hurriedly covering her eyes with both hands, her cheeks flushing crimson.

Her mind was flooded with images of her senior's plump, snow-white figure, brimming with fullness and softness.

So stimulating…

Even though she had seen her senior in her natural state countless times, Nina couldn't stop herself from bowing and averting her gaze every time.

If Shinku ever noticed…

She'd be dead. Absolutely dead.

Nina sobbed inwardly, regretting her decision to remove her ceremonial robes.

Still, unable to resist, she slightly parted her fingers, peeking timidly through the cracks.

What met her eyes was a pair of piercing, cerulean hexagonal pupils.

"Eep!!!" Nina shrieked, stumbling backward.

"Ah~~~ Nina's grown up now, hasn't she?" That voice, captivating as a Siren's song, whispered in Nina's ears, warm yet wicked.

"Let's see… although still flat as a board~~~" Shinku's long, pale fingers gently lifted Nina's shoulder strap.

"This little apple… seems ripe enough to pick."

Lady Shinku pressed against Nina, her soft warmth rendering Nina completely immobile. Spiraling into dizziness, Nina felt her legs quivering uncontrollably.

"Ahh~~~ Nina's so cute." Shinku breathed lightly into her ear, the tone both playful and predatory. "Now… my little Nina isn't getting away."

Nina finally realized something was wrong. Seven-layered magical restraints bound her tightly.

Even if Nina's status as an "Eighth-Tier Magician" was only a borrowed facade enabled by Shinku's power, she was still a bona fide half-step Sixth-Tier magician. Not to mention, her specialty was divination—a skill set particularly suited for escaping.

If my little Nina managed to run away mid-play, that'd be such a huge loss, wouldn't it?

As Nina let out a series of pained, high-pitched cries, vines suddenly sprouted from nowhere, ensnaring her.

There was no mistaking it—a high-level summoning spell, conjuring otherworldly entities.

The writhing tendrils wrapped around Nina's tiny frame, covering her mouth and binding her limbs, hoisting her high into the air.

Nina whimpered as the vines drew closer, her teary eyes trembling with fear.

Amid her fragmented cries and muffled sobs, Shinku leaned in closer.

"Go ahead, Nina. Go wild~~ After all, you're destined to become my wife." She blinked mischievously.

Absolutely not!!! Nina wailed internally.

If the vines noticed… if her senior discovered her true gender…

Nina's face turned ghostly pale, gasping in terror.

If Shinku got angry, not even Lord Kainath could save her.

Desperately counteracting the spells, Nina fought to suppress the newly awakened tendencies in her mind. Despair set in.

Someone… anyone… please… save me! I'm not ready for this!

"Someone's here."

The eight-layered restraints vanished instantly.

Lady Shinku gazed down at Nina, now curled into a trembling ball on the ground.

Her cheeks were flushed, her slender legs twitching oddly, utterly vulnerable.

After a few seconds of hesitation, Shinku sighed.

"I'll go."

It totally wasn't because she didn't want anyone to see her ace reduced to such an alluringly submissive state~~

With a snap of her fingers, Shinku's attire transformed into regal ceremonial robes, identical to the Feathered Attire of the Flower Crown Lady. Her demeanor and bearing instantly shifted.

Nina hugged her knees, looking up at Shinku.

This… this is the senior I admire.

She had returned.

The true "Flower Crown Lady."

The black enchantress leaned languidly against a dandelion-fluff-like couch at the center of the drawing room, her slender fingers tapping rhythmically on the magical core embedded within the estate's network.

If not for this, Shinku might not have even noticed her guest's arrival.

This Eighth-Tier Magician felt a deep apprehension.

Even when faced with Forest God Kainath or that defective Flügel weapon from twenty years ago, she had only felt an overwhelming, insurmountable presence.

But the figure before her? A complete void.

When her eyes were open, this otherworldly rose was dazzling and sinister.

When her eyes closed, the presence vanished entirely.

Golden clock-like eyes shifted playfully, brimming with teasing amusement.

The enchantress wore an exquisite black Gothic dress, adorned with layers of soft white feathers around the chest. The neckline plunged daringly but revealed only a delicate collarbone and a swath of pristine skin.

Her refined face was partially obscured by a mask resembling a spider lily, her black hair cascading to cover her right eye.

Only her left eye was visible—a golden clock dial that marked her as the wielder of [Zafkiel].

She was smiling.

Her sinister grin greeted Shinku with an air of mockery as she occupied the sofa that still carried Nina's scent.

"...Ah, it seems I've come at a bad time."

"But there was no helping it... I waited so long up there, yet you two still couldn't 'get to the point.'"

The notion that this woman had been spying on her and her dear Nina, utterly unnoticed, made Shinku's breath hitch.

Suppressing her fury, Shinku held back the urge to chant a deadly incantation.

"May I ask... who you are?"

A crystalline lotus wrapped itself around Shinku's right hand. Her arched brow radiated menace.

It was understandable. After all, anyone would be enraged if someone barged in and interrupted at the worst possible moment.

"You didn't come here just to indulge in something as tasteless as voyeurism, did you?"

"Oh, relax. I have no interest in your... steel plate," said Kurumi with a sly smile, delivering words that instantly made Shinku see red.

Flat-chested figures are a rare treasure, you know?!

In a forest full of generously endowed beings, finding a perfectly flat 'tablet' was like unearthing a relic.

"I'm here to play a simple game," Kurumi continued, extending her hand with an inviting smile.

"A game?" Shinku's voice grew cold. "Are you offering your life as the wager?"

"Yare yare, how terrifying~" Kurumi dramatically clutched her chest. "If you can manage it, go ahead and try."

The storm descended.

Vast spiritual energy began to swell and contract at an alarming rate.

The elemental tempest roared to life.

The Principle of Indeterminacy in World Line Convergence.

Harnessing the power of spirits, Shinku expanded the single concept of her existence, warping time itself.

In this instant, her cerulean, hexagonal eyes gleamed with crazed intensity, transcending her Elf origins.

Shinku had elevated herself to the Life tier of existence, a level reserved for the top six intelligent races. Her very being had almost become living magic itself.

The storm seemed poised to rip everything apart, and Kurumi finally found herself intrigued.

"Fascinating... Truly fascinating!" Kurumi clapped her hands with glee. Playing with time manipulation in front of her? How utterly delightful.

Her figure vanished.

The primeval phoenix soared high, blessed with divine favor. Although she had forsaken her identity as a Spirit, Kurumi was endowed with the adventurer's Prae's Grace—the Solar Disc that Descends into the Sea

(Translator Note: Possibly from Dungeon & Fighter, though its exact source remains uncertain. The author seems intent on making the story more confusing—did she travel to Dungeon & Fighter before? It was mentioned, and she did have titles like "Lord of the Dark Heavens" and "Crimson Rose." Anyway, if you're confused, it's supposedly something from Dungeon & Fighter series. Never played any game related to it, and I don't know anything about it.)

Swift and unstoppable, she closed the distance in an instant, chasing after Shinku like a radiant arrow.

The collision of two extraordinary forces uprooted the entire upper structure of the Flower Crown Lady's mansion.

Kurumi planted her left hand on the ground and spun, her legs slicing through the air toward Shinku like a lethal whirlwind.

Shinku was baffled.

Why does this lunatic maneuver through these temporal gaps better than I can?!

Something was terribly wrong with the world.

Shinku darted toward the multi-faceted magical crystal embedded in the estate, slamming her hand down.

Two spells were immediately cast; six more were almost ready.

The crystal sank underground, giving rise to a sprawling crystal forest, and from its depths emerged two enormous crystal giants.

Kurumi spun through the air, leaping toward her foe. Her legs, graceful as crescent moons, carved out a blood-red slash.

Blood Interception.

The two enormous crystal giants were obliterated in an instant.

Shinku felt an intense frustration.

Where were all these monsters coming from? First that scheming man from the Ex-Machina, then the rogue Flügel, and now this?

Good thing she hadn't put much faith in this particular spell.

Azure light flashed, transforming the shattered crystal shards into a resplendent gown draped over Kurumi's form.

The light surged again, the crystals spreading toward Kurumi's face. Soon, a perfectly shaped, crystalline humanoid figure would form.

Despite the escalating layers of complex, high-tier magic, Shinku felt no confidence.

Fortunately, they were still within Nina's estate.

Crack... crack... crack...

A slender arm tore through the crystalline seal.

Kurumi's hand grasped the air, conjuring a long, feathered blade. With one swift swing, the cerulean crystal shattered.

Kurumi emerged from the broken seal, her chin held high, exuding supreme confidence.

For added flair, she had swept her bangs to the side, adopting a mischievous, fairy-like appearance. She hadn't even bothered to draw her guns.

"Not bad at all~"

Her golden clock-eye sparkled with mockery, an infuriating grin spreading across her face.

The feathered blade in her hand gleamed like the fangs of a crescent moon. Kurumi moved leisurely, her every step like a dance, closing in on Shinku.

Had Shinku approached recklessly, she'd have found that Kurumi's sword wasn't all that threatening. In fact, kicking her with the blade's edge probably inflicted more damage.

The sword itself was vivid red and seemed to be sheathed in an invisible limiter.

But who would willingly walk into a strike to find out?

Elves were renowned for their mastery of magic, not melee combat. In a balanced fight, unprepared magic users always risked falling behind.

Could she lose?

If this continued, the answer was certain.

Kurumi's blade slashed down, and Shinku clasped her hands together, summoning a common combat spell. She flipped backward, escaping her original position.

The inflation of her magic triggered dual effects on time and space.

Staring at Kurumi, who now occupied her previous position, Shinku's face twisted into a vicious grin.

"Now then... it's my turn."

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