Chapter 27: Save Me

“-…-?”

…Ah.

I’ve become slothful again.

To be precise, I’m not referring to the physical kind.

Since the contract with the Holy Sword, I haven’t particularly wasted time, except for when I fainted.

Rather, I’ve regained my former self to the point where I’m confident no one lives as busily as I do.

What I’m referring to is the mental kind.

My thoughts have finally lessened, and only emptiness remains in my heart.

“-? -?”

Perfect.

Subduing the surging emotions, emptying my mind to a state not much different from being dead, was a rather decent peace for me.

Emptying it was better than continuously suppressing it.

That’s why the only beloved part of my true nature was sloth.

At least, I could die as a human who had lost meaning in everything-

“-Sister!”

…My thoughts were broken.

“…Ah, were you calling me?”

“Should I call the physician? You don’t look well.”

My younger brother looks directly at me with wavering eyes and asks.

He was definitely sitting in that chair just a moment ago, but somehow he’s standing right in front of me now.

As a bonus, including an arm he grabbed at some unknown point.

“It’s alright. It’s just, I’m a little drowsy from the medicine.”

With my right hand, I slowly stroked down from the shoulder of my opposite arm, lightly touching my younger brother’s hand on my wrist.

As soon as my hand touched his, my younger brother quickly withdrew his hand, as if realizing he had carelessly grabbed his sister’s arm.

The fleeting inability to meet my gaze was a bonus.

“W-well, you weren’t responding even when I spoke to you earlier, so I thought you weren’t feeling well.”

“Is that so? It seems I didn’t hear you because of the medicine and being focused on work. If it’s alright, could you say it again?”

“Ah, according to the head servant, it seems some servants have gone missing within the mansion. They say they disappeared suddenly without a trace.”

Hmm.

‘I thought it would spread a little faster.’

‘Only now?’

“It’s not just one or two, but eight of them… The head butler seemed to be trying to handle it himself, but it seems the matter got bigger and reached my ears.”

Aha, come to think of it, that makes sense.

There’s no need to let it spread to the point where my younger brother and I would hear about it.

Especially from the perspective of the head butler, who is probably in charge of the spies in the mansion.

“Hmm, is that so?”

“Sister, haven’t you heard yet?”

‘Is there a need for me to hear it?’

‘I was the one who did it.’

Mi…halud? Anyway, I was a bit angry after talking with the Marquis, so I ground up a few spies.

It was nice to hear their screams, each one different.

Thanks to that, I succeeded in properly relieving my accumulated emotions and became slothful again.

Moderate stress relief was always helpful.

“…I haven’t particularly heard anything. Mary isn’t usually very talkative.”

‘It seems she’s become more talkative lately.’

‘Once she realized defiance wouldn’t work, she begged me to spare at least someone whenever she had a chance.’

‘So I think I tried to remember, but I forgot the names and just kept two alive randomly.’

‘Of course, I didn’t just keep them alive; I made them into a similar state as Mary.’

‘Since artifacts that have already been created can be made easily except in very special cases, all I needed was the blueprint.’

‘In the first place, matching the input is tricky; creating the artifact itself isn’t difficult.’

‘Of course, that’s also possible because I have Grace.’

“More importantly, little brother.”

“…By the way. What are your thoughts on that situation?”

‘He’s not saying the most important thing.’

‘Or, is he asking me for an answer?’

“Uh, yes?”

“You wouldn’t have brought up such a topic just to talk to me. You must have your own thoughts to bring it up to me. Go on, tell me.”

“Ah, well…”

‘…Apparently not.’

‘Even if he realizes he’s not entirely naive, the nature he primarily shows outwardly is like that.’

‘Thinking briefly, acting as if not delving deeply.’

‘So, should I say he has a strong impulsive tendency?’

My younger brother definitely has a coercive and dominant side.

But unfortunately, he doesn’t think of swallowing it and using it calculatively.

He’s the type to readily grab me when I try to do something alone, so it was just bewildering.

“Sh-shouldn’t we hire new people?”

“…That’s an appropriate thought, but not what I was hoping for.”

New people, yes, they are important.

But what’s more important is something else.

“The head butler didn’t report to us, did he? That’s a bit of a big problem.”

I know he’s a spy in the first place, but still, one must distinguish between public and private matters.

Shouldn’t he do his job properly?

“If it were a trivial matter, it would be different, but how can a disappearance be a trivial matter? Trying to handle such a matter alone without reporting it is a clear abuse of power.”

If it weren’t me, I would have rushed over like fire and thrown a fit.

A common characteristic of nobles was their strong aversion to having their authority diminished, more so than death.

I learned that from watching the nobles come and go when I was at Count Schwartz’s residence.

“Before solving the problem, shouldn’t we establish the resolution system properly? The former is a one-time thing, but the latter will continue to be wrong if not corrected.”

“…Ah, um. I’m sorry. My thoughts were too short-“

“There’s no need to blame yourself. You can just fix it going forward.”

‘Anyway, I’m not stressed enough to grind him up yet, so I should either correct him or something.’

‘But I don’t want to do it myself again.’

‘In two days, it’ll be time to get out of bed, and then the enthronement ceremony.’

‘From then on, I’ll have to do intense emotional labor, so I didn’t want to get into a power struggle with a mere spy unnecessarily.’

‘I don’t want to put in that much effort for someone I’ll grind up later anyway.’

‘…Hmm.’

‘If that’s the case.’

“Th-then, I’ll call the head butler for now.”

“No, don’t call him here.”

“Ah, yes?”

“It would be better for you to handle it than for me to.”

My younger brother’s head tilted.

It was a reaction indicating that my decision wasn’t easily understood.

“Th-this may be presumptuous, but wouldn’t it be better if you handled it, Sister?”

“Hmm, why do you think so?”

“After all, aren’t you ascending to the position of Grand Duke soon? If I point out the head butler’s actions, I’m worried it might undermine your position, Sister.”

‘That’s reasonable.’

“…Given that not all the retainers in the Duchy are on your side, Sister, I don’t think my interfering in your affairs will be viewed favorably. Neither for me, nor for you, Sister.”

‘Still, he wasn’t the foolish type.’

‘He just hadn’t developed the experience or framework for thinking yet.’

‘Well, that’s something I can teach him from now on.’

“That’s good reasoning. Indeed, that would be so.”

It was similar to the physician’s case last time, but a much better answer.

“However, it’s not exactly an overreach of authority even if you do it. The management of the mansion’s interior is strictly the responsibility of the Grand Duke’s spouse.”

“Sp-spouse??”

“Of course, the former Grand Duke handled everything himself since we were young… but I don’t particularly want to do the same.”

I deliberately decided to avoid mentioning the Grand Duchess.

Since he was still a boy who hadn’t even come of age, there was no need to unnecessarily provoke him emotionally.

“This position alone is already more than I deserve. If I were to handle internal affairs on top of this, wouldn’t it be no different from me being greedy?”

‘In the first place, the biggest reason was that I didn’t want to feign emotions for the time being.’

“So, for now, as you said, aren’t you my heir? Under the pretext of teaching the heir about internal affairs on a small scale, there shouldn’t be much fuss even if you take charge.”

And, it’s also the best means for his education.

Managing the mansion itself involves small-scale financial management and governance, so it’s good for gaining good examples and experience, from dealing with people to solving problems.

For someone who prioritizes experience, it’s an opportunity that shouldn’t be missed.

“And… I’ve said this before, but. I don’t intend to hold this position for long. I plan to hold onto it only until you come of age, until you can capably inherit the title.”

‘This is the superficial reason.’

‘There’s the contract with the Holy Sword, but I can’t sit in this position for that long in the first place.’

‘The more I push my body, the more I struggle to forget the pain and live, the shorter my lifespan becomes.’

‘If I had stayed still like before, I would have lived for at least over four years.’

‘Grace was a disease that gnawed away at the lives of those who tried harder, more quickly.’

“So, from this matter onwards, you take charge. That seems better for the future.”

‘Well, it’s not particularly important, though.’

Anyway, this was the reason I had come up with.

A reason sufficient to convince him, yet one that my younger brother might dislike because of the implications.

Considering my younger brother’s disposition, he would probably either refute it at this point or endure it and move on.

Having already thought of a reason for that refutation, it was about time to speak…

‘…It should have been, so why the silence?’

Sensing a very quiet atmosphere, I looked up from the documents I was reading and saw my younger brother.

He was standing there, looking down at me with an expression that was… completely dazed? No, blank? I wasn’t sure how to define it, but he seemed lost in thought.

It was the first time I had seen my younger brother like this, and I couldn’t guess why he was suddenly acting this way.

When he talked to me, he either stared at me so intensely it was burdensome, or he would blush and turn his head away.

“Little brother?”

No answer even when I called.

‘What’s with this kid?’

“…Little brother?”

Wondering if something was wrong, I tapped his wrist with my left hand.

Only then did he seem to snap out of it, startling as if waking from a reverie.

“…Ah! Th-th, I’m s-sorry. I just, th-thought of something, n-no. Th-“

‘What’s with him.’

‘Why is he suddenly stuttering.’

“…Did you even hear everything I said?”

“O-of course… I did. Th-then, if that’s what you mean, I have nothing more to s-say.”

‘…I don’t think so.’

‘What on earth was this kid thinking?’

‘Where did he suddenly stray from the conversation and go off into la-la land?’

“I-I, um, have something to do, so I’ll t-take my leave first. The head butler, I’ll t-talk to him properly. Th-then.”

Perhaps afraid I would ask more questions, my younger brother clutched his reddened face and quickly left the room.

It was good that he agreed, but the process was strange, so I couldn’t help but express my doubt.

‘What got to him, that kid?’

‘I didn’t particularly dwell on his mother or father, so there shouldn’t have been anything to trigger him.’

‘…I don’t know.’
‘Let’s not think too deeply about it.’

Regardless, it’s about time for me to leave the mansion.

The recuperation period isn’t something that heals completely only after a specific amount of time, so a light outing should be fine.

In the first place, the main reason I couldn’t go out until now was my younger brother’s overprotectiveness.

Since he left on his own like that, it was a good thing for me.

‘Well then, where to.’

‘…Shall I go check how well it has dried?’

***

“…That one’s quieted down now too.”

“Well, everyone’s like that when they come here. If they can keep making noise, they’re not human, they’re demons.”

The gazes of the two guards, speaking calmly and quietly, were fixed on one spot.

The red-haired woman, imprisoned for a time that was short if short, long if long, no longer even mumbled.

She merely stared blankly into the air in her bound position, remaining silent.

The place where she was confined was too dark for her to continuously express emotions and sob.

Except for a sliver of light seeping in from the entrance, complete darkness enveloped the space.

A bright disposition could only emerge in a bright place.

Not in a dark space and a dark situation.

A bright and cheerful disposition could only emerge in a bright training ground.

Not in a dark place where death row inmates were confined just before execution, and a dark situation where no one visited.

Sonia was dying.

Her arm, unable to move properly; the bland gruel and water lowered from the coffin.

The light she hadn’t experienced while confined; the occasional sensation of something crawling on her body.

The situation of being confined alone for nearly a month in a place awaiting execution; the faint figures of fellow inmates who had screamed while being dragged to the execution ground.

In the place where she waited to die, she was clearly dying.

In the place where she was temporarily confined to have her neck cut, she was already hanging herself with loneliness.

At first, when she was dragged here, Sonia had struggled with a sense of injustice.

Yet, she was still bright.

She wasn’t the type to commit the audacious act of assassinating the Grand Duchess, and her teacher would surely clear her of this injustice.

She had closed her eyes, held her breath, and repeated that her teacher would surely, surely come.

But the walls remained silent, and the door did not open.

That, along with this dark space, drove Sonia mad.

Next, she banged her head against the wall and wailed.

She pleaded to be saved, to be let out of here, banging her body, her head against the door until her throat was hoarse and her head bled.

Yet, still, that door did not open.

As time passed, Sonia’s cries turned into murmurs.

In an increasingly faint voice, she called the name of her teacher, whom she revered beyond measure.

Even when she heard something rustling and crawling in the darkness, even when a strange smell emanated from the damp, water-dripping walls, she considered them traces of her teacher and opened her eyes wide in the darkness.

Yet, still, that door did not open.

Now, Sonia no longer murmured.

Her gaze fixed, she only stared into the void, her raised head slowly, powerlessly slumping.

She no longer called Oksana’s name.

She realized that even if someone came here now, she could not return to where she originally belonged.

The door still does not open.

No, now she knew what it meant for that door to open.

Oksana would not come; her respected, great teacher would never open that door and come to help her.

Only murderers like herself were confined in this shabby, hopeless prison.

That door does not open to welcome someone; it only opens briefly to swallow, and then briefly to spit out.

She had been swallowed, and now only being spat out remained.

As a murderer, as an attempted murderer.

‘…I don’t remember.’

She didn’t even know if she had really tried to kill the Grand Duchess.

She just remembered holding a sword, and when she came to her senses, she was here.

That’s why she felt so wronged, why she had struggled so much.

Now, she just thought she had killed her.

If she hadn’t tried to kill her, if she wasn’t the culprit, then she would have her neck cut unjustly.

At least she didn’t want to die unjustly.

If she was going to die anyway-

Clang- Creeaak-

‘…Ah.’

‘It seemed the time to be spat out had come.’

The door opens; the once longed-for door opens.

Her body trembles; the once anticipated body trembles.

However, it wouldn’t be opening for the same reason.

However, it wouldn’t be trembling for the same reason.

‘…Even as the light brightened, Sonia closed her eyes.’

‘No longer, what she anticipated was, just-’

“Hmm, you’re in a sorry state. Don’t they clean this place separately?”

“Yes, yes! We don’t do it separately!”

“At least clean it after it’s empty. Wouldn’t that be better?”

“I’ll tell the chief guard as soon as you leave!!”

‘…Huh?’

At the unfamiliar voice, and the guard’s voice, unusually loud for some reason, Sonia opens her eyes.

It wasn’t the same attitude as when they silently dragged away the pleading prisoners.

Rather, it was like how the knights used to act when they saw her teacher, that kind of.

The way one treats a person of high rank, that sort of appearance-

“…Ah?”

“Ah, are you awake? I’m sorry if you were sleeping. You might not know, but it’s lunchtime outside. I thought you were awake.”

At the familiar, not mentally but physically remembered pair of eyes, the sense of powerlessness automatically disappears.

Her body, which she thought had lost all strength, trembles violently, and a white, clean fear makes her teeth chatter.

A little bit of memory returns, a little bit of memory comes back through her body.

The two eyes, one blue and one violet, that had smiled as if enjoying themselves while severing her arm, awaken the memory.

“If I had the time, I’d start slowly from the top… but I don’t have time.”

The survival instinct she thought had died revives; that chilling beauty awakens her will once more.

“…Do you want to live?”

Her mind was still contemplating how to die.

But before she even understood the words, Sonia’s mouth automatically uttered the words.

“S-save, m-me. P-please.”