“Impossible…… impossible, impossible, impossible……!”
Pinned to the ground, I couldn’t believe the scene before me.
A brat defeated that Chris Lagnica!?
No — more than that! My [Mind-Manipulation Brainwashing] — into which I’d poured all my mana — released……?
The mana volume to control dozens of commoners simultaneously! A mana volume that surpasses it…… I’ve only seen one such — Lady Floné.
What is going on……!
Am I seeing a bad dream?
“Heh…… looks like this match goes to my son.”
“Gordon Veretttt……!!”
“Normally I’d march you to prison directly, but…… my son and his companions have something to say first. Honoring that is the small repayment a pathetic me can offer. Get up.”
“Ugh!”
He locked my arm-joint and brought me down the stairs step by step.
Damn……! If only my mana hadn’t run out……!?
A killing intent so strong it cut my thoughts.
…… This feeling. Familiar.
I’ll never forget. The same as when I met Lady Floné on the battlefield.
The brat in front of me is releasing equivalent killing intent……!
“You don’t understand what happened, do you, Juke Andrews?”
“Hii!?”
Called by name in a low, pressing voice, I shrieked.
…… Aah…… I understand. My instinct just understood.
This brat is also of Lady Floné’s side, a god-loved man like her……!
I immediately bowed my head, pressed it to the floor.
“P-please forgive me! I, I only did what Lady Floné instructed……”
”…… Do you mean that?”
“Gueh……!”
The brat closed in, grabbed me by the collar, lifted me.
“S-suffocating……! My neck……!”
“Suffocating, you say. The suffering you’ve inflicted is many times worse.”
The pressure tightened; my eyes flashed.
S-suffocating…… breathe…… let me breathe……
“If you won’t treat people as human, I won’t treat you as human.”
Released from the choking — a sense of floating.
When I looked down — my body floated.
…… No. I’d been thrown skyward — by the time I understood, I was falling.
”—— Bite down, trash.”
“Fubelaaa!?”
A fierce blow to the face.
The sensation of my nose and teeth crunching; I was flung into the wall.
“Hurts……! It hurtsss……!”
Why, why, why must I suffer this much!
Only the taste of blood in my mouth. Broken teeth tumbled onto my tongue.
This strength…… n-no, of course…… not human.
I was trying to defy another god……!
I’ll be killed…… killed like this……!
“Forgivff me…… please forgive me……”
Seeing the approaching god, I begged for mercy with everything.
Bowed again and again, squeezed out broken words to apologize.
But the killing intent before me showed no sign of subsiding.
”…… Whether I forgive you…… that’s not for me to decide. ——My blade (Alice) does.”
A sword drew with a kin.
In that instant, tears poured as if a screw had come loose.
I-I’ll die…… definitely killed……!
“Look at me.”
“Agafu!?”
A kick to the jaw forced my face up.
”…… What I want from you is one thing.”
There stood a real demon.
“Ogh…… booh…… ueeee……!”
Continuous agony and terror sent my stomach acid splattering on the floor.
Consciousness receding.
E-enough…… kill me quickly……
I hate suffering…… I hate pain……
…… That one. If only I hadn’t met that one…… if I’d never met Floné, I could have lived peacefully……!
Cool metal touched my neck.
Through pain and confusion, I knew what would happen next.
The cold left my neck; the dim silhouette in my view moved.
My body, understanding what came next, trembled, and warm liquid leaked from my loosened groin.
“Repent your sins in hell.”
Forming a yellow puddle, I understood my end.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
A puddle of yellow spread across the floor.
There — Andrews lay collapsed, unconscious.
”…… Are you sure, Alice?”
”…… Yes. He wasn’t worth the cost of soiling this sword.”
The smile she wore was somehow soft, as if a ghost had been exorcised.
“Thank you, Lord Ouga. I was able to fulfill the goal of my long years.”
“I see…… that’s good.”
If that’s her choice, I won’t say more.
…… From what she said while brainwashed…… Captain Lily met her end manipulated by Andrews.
That’s why Alice rushed in alone when she learned of him.
To be brainwashed by him as her admired Captain was — the deepest humiliation she could have suffered.
After being brainwashed by the very man she came to revenge, taking his life would have been a natural right.
But I respect her decision.
Twisting her opinion would make me the same as Andrews, treating her as a puppet.
…… But here, the talk changes.
Normally the affair would be settled here…… but no.
I have one more critical mission.
”…… Topic change, Alice. You know what you should do.”
“Yes. ——With my life, atone for all my sins.”
The most difficult mission: persuading and bringing this brain-fried-resolved maid back.
“No. That’s not it.”
“No, this is all. I acted alone behind your back, caused trouble, and turned my blade on you. As a servant, beyond disqualification.”
Why do you sprint in weird directions.
I will not allow your death when Andrews is still alive.
“All of it was action to keep us out of trouble.”
”…… No, all of it brought about by acting on private feelings.”
She continued.
“And having quit being your maid, despite the debt of being saved by you — I cannot allow myself this much selfishness.”
“You quit being my maid? What does that mean, Alice?”
”…… I left a resignation letter on the desk in my room at the servant quarters.”
“Resignation letter…… you mean this?”
I pulled the letter I’d tucked into my pocket.
“I see…… I hereby take my leave…… I see……”
I tossed it into the air. To make her choose, I called sharply.
“Cut it, my blade (Alice).”
”!”
Reacting, she drew without hesitation.
A single sword-flash.
Shredded, it scattered, fluttering into the puddle. The letters illegible.
The proof of the resignation gone.
“Heh heh heh…… seems your heart says you don’t want to quit.”
Alice’s eyes widened.
“You don’t get it, so let me tell you. ……What Alice should do now is answer my letter-exchange question with your real feelings. That’s all.”
”…… Lord Ouga.”
“Don’t say you’ve forgotten the question.”
”…… Never. Words I’ve never forgotten and never will.”
“Then just honestly tell me how you feel.”
”…… Is it all right? An unworthy person like me?”
“Only you. The blade capable of carving open my royal road.”
I patted her head.
”…… I…… I……”
Drops of tears fell from her.
A scene reminding me of the day we met and made our contract.
A trembling voice. I waited for the continuation.
“For all eternity, until this life ends —— I swear to swing my sword for you, Lord Ouga.”