Antagonized Bachelorette Enjoying a Simple Life - 80
'...Wait a second.'
Was I really dying? For real? This pathetically? I still hadn't even spent all the blank checks Chezare gave me.
「Oh dear.」
At that moment, the voice she'd missed most over the past few days tickled Catherine's ear. The dark world brightened, and someone lifted her body upright. Hot blood began coursing through her ice-cold limbs.
Catherine slowly opened her eyes.
The Abyss again.
「Aren't you back a bit too soon? We gave you a fortnight—you should've at least made it ten days.」
The rat-headed demon, Dantalion, brushed off her shoulders with a regretful sigh.
Standing there in a daze for a moment, she suddenly lunged at him and grabbed his throat.
"You rat bastard!"
「Gack!」
"Send me home right now!"
Dantalion's form writhed in agony before turning into black smoke that slipped through her fingers. He reappeared at a safe distance, hands raised toward her.
「Whoa, whoa. Calm down. Do you think I want to put you through all this? I'm just a puppet too, you know.」
"Not my problem. How do I get sent back? Oh, maybe if I smash this ring?"
Catherine yanked the silver ring off her finger and hurled it to the ground. She stomped on it demonstratively, but not even a scratch appeared.
「Two left now.」
She eyed Dantalion suspiciously. He continued with a sly grin.
「Your lives, Lady Catherine. When that flower's color turns snow-white, your current life ends. It's a very precious magic tool, you see.」
Catherine picked up the ring she'd been stomping. Unlike its initial pitch-black shine, it was now a murky grayish-brown.
So that's what this ring was—a magic tool that extended a person's life three times over. Items from an archdemon were on another level, indeed.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
「Then you would've thrown your life away recklessly. See? You died in less than a week. But that's the result of your own trials and errors, right? The more desperate you got, the more info you gathered.」
What nonsense. All Catherine had learned was that Mars wasn't just nasty—he was a total scumbag.
Unaware of her inner thoughts, Dantalion chuckled and prodded further.
「If the remaining lives run out, oh well. Wrap up this life and move on to the next.」
Coldly speaking, Dantalion was right. She had no power to break this situation, so following the rules of the game was the way.
Catherine stomped hard on Dantalion's shoe and demanded, "Give me a hint, at least."
Ow, ow. Dantalion stuck out his long tongue with a groan.
「Sorry, but I'm under restrictions too. I want to tell you, but I can't.」
A black padlock pattern marked his tongue, proof he wasn't lying about the binding spell.
What a useless demon—not even a speck of help.
"You're really worthless. From now on, I'll call you Trash."
「Can't argue with that.」
Suddenly, Catherine's body was enveloped in white light. She floated into the air as her sight and hearing faded—a sensation just like when Mars's sword killed her.
「Ah, looks like you're reviving now!」
Dantalion clapped, then pumped his fist at her.
「Go, Lady Catherine! Fighting!」
So he really saw this as a game.
'When I get back to reality, I'll make him regret it for sure.'
To achieve that dream, she had to meet Lilith this time, no matter what.
When Catherine opened her eyes again, her body was pinned under a pile of small stones. Pushing herself up, she saw the spot where she'd lain neatly arranged like a tiny grave.
"It's not restarting from the beginning—it's dying and coming back to life?"
Did that mean she had to return to the subjugation party after reviving? Her suspiciousness level had just skyrocketed.
After confirming her bag's contents were intact, she headed toward the smoke rising in the sky.
It seemed to be early morning the day after her death. The subjugation party was bustling with breakfast preparations.
The laborers who recognized her stepped back, eyes wide like they'd seen a ghost.
"Catherine...?"
"I heard you died?"
So everyone knew she'd died.
Catherine launched her prepared Plan A.
"Died? Nah. I was running an experiment for the captain on 'reactions and reflections from comrades when a spy is exposed and executed on the road back from demon king subjugation.' I played dead all night, and now I'm starving."
Fortunately, the simple-hearted laborers bought it hook, line, and sinker.
"Ahh! That explains it. I was shocked when the captain said he killed a perfectly fine girl."
"Whew, you scared me! I really thought you were a spy."
"Our captain's doing tough experiments like 'demon king subjugation return path' like it's nothing!"
Plan A nailed it. She'd guessed how they'd package her death, and it matched perfectly. Framing an insider as a spy was the way to go.
While the laborers resumed breakfast, Catherine sat in a corner, fiddling with the gray ring and lost in thought.
Useful info gained from dying:
First. Mars wasn't Chezare. He was scarier and more ruthless.
Second. The people here were kind.
'End.'
Not good enough. No answers.
Catherine opened her notebook and called for Giovanni. She planned to summon Chezare and return to her original world.
30 minutes? Days had passed in this world, but only 30 minutes back home?
'Insane time dilation.'
With that gap, asking Chezare for help was impossible from the start.
Ah, damn. Time for a direction change. Plan B.
What the hell? 'No, better if he misunderstands like this. Easier on me.'
Catherine focused on Giovanni's lengthy reply.
An archdemon like Mars suffering from war wounds? Unthinkable.
'But his opponent was another archdemon.'
Wounds from a powerful foe didn't heal easily, apparently. That explained his foul temper.
Catherine snapped the notebook shut.
Two preferences from Giovanni: things good for mind and body health. And work.
Should she offer a full-body massage? As she pondered, cautious footsteps approached.
"You look lost in thought."
It was the ermine-masked woman who'd been absent lately. The mask sat beside Catherine, brimming with curiosity.
"Fascinating. Your breathing stopped completely—how'd you come back to life?"
Catherine sensed instinctively: Plan A wouldn't work on her.
She deflected vaguely. "Nothing special. I'm just hard to kill..."
"Funny joke."
Thankfully, the ermine mask didn't pry further. She approached with interest but seemed disinterested after asking.
A figure who blended into the background like mist—faint presence, yet persistently noticeable. Catherine knew this type well.
'High chance of being a hidden person of interest.'
Best to keep distance.
Catherine threw out the first topic that came to mind. "Mage. What happens to this subjugation party after executing the demon king?"
"No idea. It all depends on Captain Mars's decision. We just follow."
That decision must've been founding the Iterana Empire. This party was the empire's roots and ancestors. They'd expand from Iterana Fortress, becoming continental hegemons.
'So is this ermine mask a historical figure I know?'
Catherine scrutinized the woman's graceful jawline. The mask met her gaze nonchalantly and spoke.
"You joined with some purpose."
Person of interest confirmed. She saw right through her.
"Just personal reasons. Won't harm the party."
As if to reassure her, the ermine mask smiled softly. "Don't worry. I can tell you're not bad just by your eyes. Mars must be key to your goal?"
"Yes."
"He likes smart, hardworking people. To get his help, earn his trust first."
Workaholic, filling his circle with top performers.
The ermine mask rose as if that was her point, dusted off, and left.
Strange person. But Catherine had no time to uncover her identity.
To get help, be useful and trustworthy? Mars was heartless. Best to confront head-on.
'Can't blurt out my goal like last time. Show I'm useful first.'
No idea where she'd be useful, but worth trying. Catherine headed straight for the command tent.
The guard knight who recognized her gaped. "You..."
"How am I alive? Magic fake-death trick. Need to see the captain today. Going in."
Lies flowed easily now. Brushing past the stunned guard, she entered and dropped to her knees.
"I'm Catherine, Captain. Give me a chance to earn your trust."
No reply.
Piercing the silence, she spoke again. "If it earns your trust, I'll do anything you command."
Surprisingly, Mars didn't threaten her like before. Instead, a languid voice pierced the darkness.
"Anything?"
...Something felt off. But she couldn't kick away this hard-won chance, so Catherine nodded vigorously.