Episode 39
"Gguuoo!!"
"...Alright, alright, I get it."
I am currently being dragged somewhere by an owl that has its beak clamped on my arm.
Even if it just let go and flew ahead, I would naturally follow on my own, but since it keeps holding on, my arm is starting to hurt.
"I'll follow on my own, so go ahead!"
"Gguuoo!!"
So I swung my arm vigorously in irritation, and the owl tightened its beak even more and started flapping its wings.
As expected, perhaps because it resembles its owner, it's smart enough to understand human speech, but it seems to have inherited that personality too—what a persistent creature.
"...You little brat."
"Ggu, gguu!"
But since it seemed like my arm would fall off at this rate, I started tickling inside the owl's feathers wildly.
"Ggu... Ggut...!"
Then the owl twisted its body, released my arm, and started glaring at me. As expected, this fellow's weakness seems to be tickling, whether in childhood or now.
"...I told you I'd go on my own?"
As I glared at the owl with those thoughts, it looked at me skeptically for a moment, then sat on my shoulder. It seems it intends to keep watch over me.
"...Want a cookie?"
"Gguu."
I rotated my freed arm once, then picked up a cookie lying on a nearby table and offered it to the owl.
Then it turned its head slightly with a sulky expression, but when I pushed the cookie to its beak, it started eating with a look that said it had no choice.
Since that appearance was quite cute, I gently stroked the owl's head and fell into thought.
'...Should I raise an owl too?'
I quite like animals.
My favorite animal is cats, but besides cats, I like most animals.
That's because it's okay to do good deeds toward animals.
The evil deeds I had to commit to make the hero's armaments go berserk in the previous iteration, and the 'evil acts' I'm committing now—'animals' don't apply to those.
Because of that, when I got tired of doing evil deeds, I would pet kittens or heal injured wild animals as good deeds, trying my best to comfort my heart.
Perhaps because of that, I have quite a strong desire for pets. Later, when everything ends, I plan to raise a black cat that looks just like the doll Kania gave me...
"Gguuoo!!"
"...Ow."
Since I stopped walking and fell into thought for a moment, the owl got irritated and bit my finger.
I glared at the owl for a moment, but since it was shaking its head and opening its beak wide, I hurriedly put my hands behind my back and started walking faster.
"...My, Mr. Frey! We meet here."
But someone grabbed my arm just as I was passing through the central hall.
"Ouch!"
"Eek?"
And of all places, it was the spot where the owl had bitten me.
I turned my head with slight annoyance, and Isabel was looking at me with a bright smile.
"But what is this owl?"
She, wearing an excessively gorgeous dress, tilted her head and started reaching toward the owl, and then it frowned and jumped to my opposite shoulder.
As expected of a fellow who's picky about people.
"...Sorry, I'm a bit busy right now."
Anyway, if I delayed, my arm might get completely torn apart by the owl, so I tried to hurry along, but Isabel blocked my path and spoke with a smile.
"I had no idea the silver-haired young master was such a romanticist."
"What?"
"To say he's been in love with you for a long time... With that face saying such romantic words, is there any woman who wouldn't fall for him?"
"What are you talking about..."
"It was like seeing a knight on a white horse appearing to save a princess in distress. Really amazing, Mr. Frey."
I looked at Isabel with a pathetic expression as she spoke with a entranced look, then turned around and tried to pass her by...
"Did you see the young ladies blushing earlier? Ah, of course they're still blushing now. Look over there."
She blocked my path again and pointed to the young ladies whispering in the distance.
"How is it? Does it feel real now?"
"Enough, move."
Since the owl on my shoulder was starting to glare at me, I was trying to slip away with cold sweat on my back, but Isabel suddenly wore a cold smile and spoke.
"But why the Princess, of all people?"
".....?"
"Why do you ignore me and choose the Princess who has nothing but a dirty personality and appearance?"
"...Ha."
Because she kept acting frustratingly, my patience reached its limit, and I finally snapped.
"Well, as I said last time, tastes can be peculiar. By the way, you asked to dance together last time, right? If it's alright, now..."
"Your personality and appearance are both inferior to the Princess, you know?"
"...What?"
So I said with a cold expression, and Isabel started looking shocked.
"No... I don't think you need to compare me to the Princess. Your personality is dirty, your looks are inferior, and you don't even have any sense of chastity, do you? Would you want to associate with someone like that?"
"Wh, what are you saying... My appearance is... enough to be mentioned as a candidate for princess consort..."
"...Ha."
Looking at her stammering in confusion, I added.
"...You can't even beat my butler in appearance."
When I finished speaking and turned my back, she started screaming.
"I knew it...! You're messing around with that lowly girl...? To propose to the Princess with that kind of background? I'll spread this fact to the family's intelligence network so all the imperial citizens will know...!"
"...Please come with us for a moment."
"Wh, what?"
But soon the imperial knight squad appeared and grabbed both her arms, and Isabel looked around at the knights in confusion.
"Wh, what are you doing? Let go of this!"
"...It's the First Prince's orders. If you resist, we will use force."
Eventually she started struggling, but when the knights held her arms tighter and mentioned the prince, she turned pale as if something struck her.
"W, wait a moment! There seems to be some misunderstanding... Eek!"
But the knights didn't consider Isabel at all, and eventually she was dragged away by the knights with a soulless expression, screaming.
"Fr, Frey! You did this, didn't you? My stomach hurting for days last time, and this incident too! It's all your doing!"
I brushed off her tantrum roughly and walked on, and Isabel glared at me as if to kill me and screamed.
"I'll curse you!! I'll curse you!! I'll definitely teach you a lesson..."
"...What a noisy woman."
But she was soon struck in the back of the neck by the knights and fell unconscious, dragged away limply.
"..........."
And the people who had been glancing at her figure soon withdrew their gazes and started chattering among themselves again.
'...The image I've built up since long ago is really useful at times like this.'
There was quite a commotion, but the reason people don't take it seriously is because I'm involved in the incident.
No matter how much nobles love incidents, accidents, and gossip, romantic entanglements involving me and women, or violent incidents involving noble children happen so often like daily meals that they don't pay much attention.
Because of that, there are quite a few villainesses who have been secretly eliminated by me.
"Gguuoo!"
While I was thinking that, the owl tapped my face with its wings and made a solemn cry.
"...Is that a request for leniency?"
"Gguu!!"
When I asked, somehow understanding the fellow's words, it widened its eyes and started nodding.
"Mr. Frey? Just a moment."
Thanks to that, I chuckled and fed the owl another cookie and was about to go my way, but someone called me to a stop again.
"Sigh... really, who is it this time...!"
So I turned around with considerable irritation, and the Empire's real power holder was right in front of me.
"...I greet the other sun of the Empire."
"Yes, nice to meet you."
I hurriedly fixed my expression and greeted the Empress, and she accepted my greeting with a sharp smile and started waving her hand.
Then the attendants waiting behind approached me and handed me something.
"What is this?"
"It's a small token of my regard."
"...It doesn't seem that small."
What she handed me was a blank check.
"I heard the story from the children."
"Yes, I see."
Hiding my surprise as much as possible and answering calmly, the Empress began to speak with a smile on her face.
"Although I was a bit surprised at first, now that I know we're on the same side, I should help you with all my might, shouldn't I?"
"...Thank you."
"If there's anything else you need besides this, just say so. I'll provide as much convenience as possible."
"Yes."
I answered as briefly as possible, trying to end the conversation with her, but the Empress suddenly erased the smile from her face and spoke sternly.
"And next time, if something like this happens, I'd appreciate it if you'd consult with me beforehand."
"I'll keep that in mind."
Anyone else would have been trembling at the aura emitted by the Empire's real power holder, but since I had even perished together with the Demon King, I was able to answer with a calm expression.
"...Then, goodbye."
The Empress, who looked at me slightly dissatisfied, disappeared with her attendants.
"Sick of it."
I was already fed up with such political schemes and psychological warfare, so I was sighing and shaking my head when the owl started pecking my shoulder with an annoyed expression.
"Ow! I said it hurts!"
"Gguuuuuuu!!"
Eventually, having surrendered both hands and feet to the owl, I erased my presence using even the mana of the stars, and started heading toward where the owl pointed with its wings.
'...Surely I won't run into the Emperor this time, right?'
.
"Here?"
"Gguu."
Fortunately, I didn't run into the Emperor.
I heard later that when Serena barged in during a meeting, the Emperor burst into laughter again and burned all his passion for a whole year's worth, falling into a groggy state.
Thanks to that, it seems the Empress's era will continue for a while.
'...Typical Serena location choice.'
Anyway, I safely arrived at the place the owl led me to without being caught by the Emperor, the young ladies, or my drinking buddies, and before my eyes was a beautiful lake shining in the moonlight.
"...But where's Serena?"
"Gguu?"
However, Serena who should have been there wasn't visible, so I asked the owl on my shoulder, and it shrugged its wings and tilted its head too.
'Did she come out to find me directly?'
I was frowning, wondering if our paths had crossed, when suddenly something started twinkling in the grass far away.
Thanks to that, I tensed up and crouched, approaching the grass.
It might look like I'm being overly cautious over nothing... but at this point in time, when meeting Serena, I need to be this thoroughly guarded, if only because of her family.
"...Meow."
"What? It's just a cat?"
But what was in front of me was a black cat.
I was breathing a sigh of relief when suddenly I sensed a presence behind me.
"Gguuoo!"
I froze for a moment, but when the owl on my shoulder flew behind with a happy expression, I was able to realize the identity of the person behind me.
"You made me wait quite long."
"...Serena."
I was looking at her with cold sweat running down, when Serena suddenly started emitting soft moon mana from her entire body.
"Meow!"
Then the cat behind her scurried up a tree with its tail between its legs, and seeing that, Serena smiled and spoke.
"...I chased away the stray cat. I did well, right?"
"Yeah..."
Since there was dark mana remaining where the cat had disappeared, I roughly figured out what had happened, and I turned my head, trying to avoid her gaze.
"Are you being childish?"
"What?"
"I'm asking why you're acting so childishly. No matter how much you show me scenes like this, I know you're not sincere."
"........."
Hearing Serena's continued words, I started recalling the hypothesis I had been thinking about earlier.
'...Surely, were her memories erased?'
Serena is definitely one of the 'main heroines.'
In other words, she inherited memories from the previous iteration through an unknown penalty.
So in a normal situation, she should be plotting to kill me right now, or already killed me, or at least hating me.
Even she, who tried to reform me until the very end, ended up hating me and hurling curses in the final moment.
But she's not hating me—rather, she's trying to reform me somehow, just like in the past.
"...Let's walk for now."
"Yes, let's walk."
She's even under the 'Absolute Obedience Magic.' Isn't she walking with me by the lake right now, without any doubt about my words?
"...Serena, look at me for a moment."
"Yes."
Eventually, unable to bear the frustration, I looked at her and used the 'Mind Reading' skill.
"...Ah."
And the next moment, I realized what it means for my mind to go completely blank.
[Serena Luna Moonlight's current emotions: Love/Worry/Hatred/Anxiety]
It seems she really has had her memories erased.
And...
'You really did love me sincerely all along.'
"...Frey? Is there something floating in the air?"
I was gritting my teeth, holding back surging emotions, when suddenly Serena widened her eyes and started reaching toward the air.
"It looks like you're looking at a rectangular panel formed roughly from here to here... Judging by the trembling of your pupils, probably something opaque with letters written..."
"...N, no."
Since she was trying to deduce my system window with a curious expression, I hurriedly took my eyes off the system window and shook my head, and she sighed and asked.
"So what new scheme are you using this time?"
"...What?"
"I'm asking what evil deed you're planning to commit again."
When I frowned at those words, she looked at me with a worried expression and continued.
"You have to share it with me so I can hide it for you or make arrangements behind the scenes. Go on, tell me."
"...Forget it."
I brushed off her words and started walking slowly, and she followed me chattering away.
"Frey, you're acting strange. Somehow you look decades more tired than when I last saw you."
"It must be your imagination."
"No, it's not your imagination. The subtle trembling of muscles, the change in eyebrows, and the somehow changed facial expressions and way of speaking..."
"Stop doubting that."
Since she was digging dangerously deep, I urgently commanded, and she nodded and started walking quietly with me.
"...Look, isn't the moonlight beautiful?"
Eventually, stopping in the middle of the lakeside, she pointed to the moon shining in the distant sky and spoke.
"...I hate the moon."
"Don't lie. When you were young, you said you liked the moon the best among the sun, moon, and stars."
I spoke in a low voice to such Serena, but she immediately raised a rebuttal.
My favorite memories are from childhood, but this is really unfortunate at times like this.
"...And, you said you hated the sun the most."
I was smiling bitterly when suddenly Serena sharpened her eyes and started pressing me.
"But this incident, what exactly is going on?"
"That's..."
"Proposing to the Princess publicly using a blood oath at a gathering of the Empire's finest nobles—this time you've really gone too far beyond the line."
"........."
She, who had been looking angry, slightly softened her expression when I couldn't say anything and spoke.
"...If the Moonlight family didn't also have a blood oath, it really would have been a disaster."
"Serena."
"You said one year, right? The grace period?"
I tried to say something, but she cut off my words and spoke with a sad smile.
"For one year, I will do my utmost to make you change your mind."
"I..."
"I will try and try again, so that before the year passes, you'll look at me again... And I'll make your nature return to how it was."
Having said that, Serena approached me without giving me a chance to say anything...
- Chu.
She kissed me.
"Though for someone as experienced as you, this might be a meaningless action..."
After quite some time passed, Serena slowly pulled away and spoke with a soft smile.
"...This is my first time, so remember it for the rest of your life."
I looked at her, gritting my teeth, and eventually squeezed my eyes shut and gave her the command I absolutely had to give.
"Serena..."
"Yes?"
"...Don't love me."
Giving the command while feeling heart-tearing pain, I received a completely unexpected answer from her.
"I don't want to."
"What?"
I stared blankly at her answering sternly, and urgently gave the command again.
"I said don't love me."
"How do I do that?"
"Then don't worry about me."
"I don't know such a method."
I was sweating cold sweat at her continued rejection, and Serena narrowed her eyes and started asking questions.
"What is the reason you're saying these things in command form? Am I under brainwashing or something? And what do you mean by not loving me? Is there perhaps a reason I shouldn't be loved..."
"Forget everything I said in command form until now."
Feeling the system window wavering before my eyes, I urgently gave the command, and Serena nodded and started looking at me blankly.
"...Explain everything you know about the 'weakness' of the Absolute Obedience Magic. I only know roughly."
When I asked about what I was curious about, Serena nodded again and began to speak.
"The weakness of the Absolute Obedience Magic is that you cannot give orders that would harm the one who obeys. The reason is that the Demon King who created this magic 1000 years ago intentionally placed such a restriction to exclude things that would threaten his own safety... The related magic formula is..."
"...That's enough."
Having figured out why this phenomenon occurred, I sighed deeply and gave her a command.
"Don't be certain about anything related to me from now on."
"...Understood."
This way, Serena won't be threatened by penalties. Because the system penalty only activates when there's 'certainty.'
However, having committed such a grand act today, I will soon be threatened with death by her in 'another way.' Of course, not by her will, but by the will of the 'family' she belongs to.
The 'Absolute Obedience Magic' placed on her—if my conjecture that all this was Serena's doing is correct—probably takes into account not only the system but also that will.
Therefore, from now on, I need to survive from Serena on one hand... and on the other hand, I need to come up with a way to save her from the Moonlight family that oppresses her, and from the system's curse that curses those who worry about me...
"...I'll give you the love letter next time. I crumpled it earlier because I was furious to the top of my head."
While I was thinking for a while, Serena spoke with an embarrassed expression, then waved her hand in farewell.
"Then, goodbye."
Having said that, Serena turned with a light smile toward the carriage waiting for her in the distance, and I too turned toward the carriage waiting for me in the opposite direction...
"Ah, right."
Hearing Serena's voice from behind, I stopped walking and cautiously looked back.
"I love you."
Then Serena, bathed in soft moonlight, smiled brightly and spoke the words she always said to me.
I chuckled looking at her, then turned my head and started walking again...
"...Maybe?"
Soon I stopped dead hearing the sound from behind, and pulled out the letter I had been carrying.
- I'll visit you soon.
Ps. I love you. (Maybe?)
[Serena Luna Moonlight]
Using the soft moonlight illuminating us as a spotlight, I read the contents once more, then made an expression of disbelief and muttered.
"...Surely, she calculated even this far?"
Thinking about it again, my fiancée seems to be a genius among geniuses.
.
- Serena. Do you know what you've done now?
"I'm sorry, but..."
Thus the long, long day passed, and at the break of dawn.
- To dare use the blood oath of the Imperial family and Moonlight family without consultation, and for Frey at that...
"But that was the only method..."
Serena, riding in the carriage, was speaking with someone using a communication crystal with a painful expression.
- The Sunrise Imperial family is the sun that brightly illuminates the Empire's morning, the Moonlight ducal family is the moon that softly illuminates the Empire's night, and the Starlight ducal family is the stars that protect those who fail to receive that light.
"Yes, I know well."
- This balance has been maintained for 1000 years. But the evil direct descendant who appeared in the Starlight family after 1000 years is trying to break that balance.
Hearing those words, Serena started speaking urgently with cold sweat running down.
"B, but... Today I made a new promise with him, Lord. So just one year, please give me just one year...
- Today Frey abandoned you and proposed to the Third Princess. At that point, the opportunity given to you was already over.
"...Ugh."
But when the lord's cold words flowed from the crystal, Serena squeezed her eyes shut, and to her, the lord gave the cruelest command of all.
- Kill Frey Leon Starlight as soon as possible.
"...What!?"
- This is something all the leaders of the Moonlight family, who secretly protect the Empire's night, have agreed upon.
"But I...!"
Serena started screaming in agitation at those words, but at that moment, magic circles started rising all over her body, and Serena started trembling with fear-filled eyes.
"Aaaaaaah!!!"
Soon when the magic circle glowed, Serena started screaming in terrible pain, and from the crystal, the lord's cold voice was heard again.
- Don't forget that you are under the 'Family Subjugation' curse.
When those words ended, the crystal went dark, and Serena, who had been trembling for a while, soon quietly muttered.
"Even so I... can't give up on him..."
Holding on to her fading consciousness and speaking as calmly as she could, she barely added just before collapsing.
"...Maybe."
Having said that, Serena finally lost consciousness and collapsed, and the Moonlight family's carriage, carrying her, began heading toward Sunrise Academy.