The bird that brings happiness in the cage broke free on its own and spread its wings wide.
Because it realized that no one was extending a helping hand.
The more I leaned on vague hopes, the deeper disappointment and anger piled up in my heart.
Soon, hatred and resentment whispered in my ear and pointed toward the spectators seated before me.
The deeper the despair of a girl, the happier the people around her.
That ugliness is cursed.
In front of people’s ugliness, the goodness I had been holding back until now felt truly trivial and insignificant.
I no longer needed to endure or try.
Even my poor conscience, which hesitated in critical moments, was torn to shreds, and it became increasingly difficult to suppress the swirling emotions within me.
In the end, swallowed by dark feelings, I gained a powerful strength that could not be bound by anything.
Human wickedness awakened the Grim Reaper.
Freedom.
I am not that person anymore.
I am no longer weak.
Even if I am locked away in a golden cage that looks much sturdier than before, I can escape with just a little effort.
I hate this cage. It reminds me of unpleasant memories.
I am annoyed by the unpleasant feelings that make me recall the joy I felt during the festival.
I moved my hands to break the cage and escape from this place.
‘Can’t be late for the play.’
No one comes to rescue me.
That’s the kind of world it is.
The moment I resolved to burn everything on my own, just like that day.
‘!!!’
Unlike that day when no one extended a hand, this time, she came.
I widened my eyes and trembled slightly, seeing someone familiar below.
There is only one reason I can think of for Red to be in such a place.
‘…….’
When I stopped the magic power I had gathered, the hot heat cooled down.
I removed my hand from the bars and lowered myself down.
My gaze turned to Red.
I was quite surprised by the unexpected situation.
Someone came to save me.
No, thinking back, Red also came to save me when it was Isaac.
She comes to rescue children when they are in danger. She never abandons anyone.
That’s the kind of person she is.
Now that it has come to this, should I leave it to her? After all, I can’t use my strength in front of her.
Like a princess trapped in a tower waiting for the hero to come save her.
I cheer for Red from within.
I never thought there would come a day when I could rely on someone and hold onto vague beliefs.
It’s a strange feeling since it has been such a long time.
But I smiled at that unfamiliar feeling.
*
Red arrived at the place written on the stationery.
A shabby abandoned building.
When she opened the door and entered, a vast space that could never come out given the size of the building lay before her.
An arena.
It had been swiftly transported to another place by special means. The place Red arrived at was a space in a completely different dimension from reality.
Unless one poured money into preparing it, it was difficult to set up.
Red was not flustered.
Of course, the man who invited her was more than well-prepared.
Inside the arena waited a familiar face from the past.
A dapperly dressed man in a fine suit.
His curly green hair and distinct facial features gave him an overall sharp impression, making him look impressive.
He must have drawn the attention of many women with his handsome appearance.
Yet Red was indifferent. Instead, her gaze was filled with deep enmity.
That man symbolizes greed among the Seven Great Transgressions—Midas.
His golden eyes smiled as they looked at Red.
“I knew you would respond to my invitation. Welcome. I’ve really wanted to see you since that day, my Garnet.”
“Garnet? Don’t speak like that, it disgusts me. Your face must have been completely wrecked.”
“Hahaha, indeed, your punches were quite spicy. But I couldn’t welcome you with such a face, so I spent some money to fix it. I really had a hard time restoring it.”
Even at Red’s fierce tone, Midas did not seem intimidated.
Instead, he responded with a friendly smile, as if he were indulging a friend’s joke.
No matter how friendly he acted, there was absolutely no friendship between them.
There was no need for trivial small talk between them.
Red spoke directly.
“Where is the child?”
“Up there. She’s doing quite well in a distant place.”
Where Midas pointed, high above, was a large golden cage.
Inside the cage was a silver-haired girl, Lily.
Red looked down, narrowing her eyes and glaring at Midas.
“There’s no need to glare so ominously. Even so, I took care to prepare so you wouldn’t get caught up in our fight. This may be the safest place in this location. In other words, the cage will definitely not open until you defeat me.”
Without being fazed by Red’s chilly gaze, Midas raised his hand.
He clenched his fist tightly.
With an aggressive voice, he shouted.
“So if you want to rescue the child and get out of here, you’ll have to defeat me!”
Red pulled on her leather gloves.
She had no intention of solving this through conversation from the very beginning.
As he said, to rescue Lily, she had to defeat him.
It’s really simple.
“You kidnapped the child to lure me, didn’t you? I missed my chance last time, but it’s best to abandon any thoughts of luck coming my way this time.”
“Hehe, it will be different this time.”
Midas raised his eyes.
As if reminiscing about the past, his gaze darkened.
With a somewhat detached face, he continued to speak.
“At that time, I had no will to live. I was bored with this world. I had everything I wanted easily, but the more I filled myself, the more emptiness grew. But!”
And with those words, his darkened eyes regained color and shone like gold as if discovering something.
“Since that day, my world has started to move again.”
The gaze of Midas, who had been chasing the past, turned toward Red.
“At first, it was mere curiosity. I thought you were just one of the jewels lying around. But I was wrong. You shine more beautifully than any gem. So beautiful.”
Midas’s mouth spread into a grin, twisted into a grotesque and eerie smile.
Red frowned at that smile, which seemed unpleasant.
“If I desire something, I will definitely obtain it. That is greed!”
With a slight gesture from Midas, the air in the arena became coated with his magic power.
As if announcing his presence, the atmosphere became chillingly eerie.
The air grew heavy.
Red’s eyes widened in surprise.
‘This guy!? He’s different from before! He’s much stronger!’
The magic power was far more enormous than when she first faced him.
Midas proudly unleashed a dark magic power and declared in a loud voice.
“After defeating you, I will have you! I will take you—this beautiful gem—into my hands! To do so, I have grown even more!”
An enormous spirit and determination spread throughout the arena.
The oppressive force was so heavy and powerful that even strong Solvers would kneel.
Yet Red endured.
Without a hint of fear, she readied her stance.
Midas was all the more pleased by her composed appearance because the more she resisted, the more brightly she shone as a gem.
“Now, become mine!!”
As Midas snapped his fingers, an array of brightly colored jewels appeared above him.
The jewels absorbed magic power and grew larger.
Greed, which sometimes hurts others, manifested as jewels that became sharper and more pointed, eventually transforming into thorn-like shapes.
Midas swung his hand vigorously, and they rained down toward one spot.
As Red adeptly dodged, she sometimes shifted her leg to redirect the trajectory of the jewels back towards Midas.
Bang!
Of course, once Midas summoned the jewels before him, he solidified them into a shield and easily blocked them.
The ground shook violently, and dust and beautiful powder swirled together chaotically.
“Haha, not bad. Then how about this!”
After raising his right hand high, Midas clenched his fist tightly.
At that moment, hundreds of golden hands appeared in the air.
“Become gold when touched by my cursed hands!”
As Midas’s gaze fixed on Red, the golden hands charged toward her fiercely.
Red grimaced.
Hands that turn everything into gold upon contact.
She could not afford to be touched.
Gathering strength in her legs, Red stomped the ground.
With incredible speed, she broke through the golden hands and reached Midas in an instant.
Clenching her fist tightly, Red thrust it toward his chest with all her might.
At the same time, Midas clicked his tongue, gathered the magic power from the golden hands, and concentrated it into his right hand. Then he spread his palm and shot forth a burst of black magic power.
As the fist and black magic collided, a massive explosion occurred.
The impact made the ground scream, and the dense air surged.
Both fighters jumped back to widen the gap between them.
Red was relatively unscathed, while Midas’s right hand was charred black and completely tattered.
Yet his now seemingly unusable right hand seemed to rewind time.
It quickly healed and returned to normal.
Red narrowed her eyes.
“Indeed, you are stronger than before.”
“What are you so surprised about? You know very well where my power comes from.”
Midas lightly moved his healed right hand, gazing at her with a fierce grin.
“Those who seek me out do so because they want. I make contracts with them and take their greed as my magic power.”
After fighting for a while, his fighting spirit burned even brighter.
The magic power emanating from him was much rougher and more terrifying than before.
Due to the influence of his magic power, a cold wind swirled around him.
“I gathered the scattered desires. And after you defeat the one who seeks to take my place, people will reach out to me even more.”
A chilling magic power gathered around Midas’s right hand.
As the magic solidified, a golden gauntlet was donned upon his arm.
“What you are facing is the emotion of greed shared by all humanity! You will definitely not be able to defeat me!”
Midas stomped the ground.
Red, instead of running away, charged toward him.
Their fists clashed.
