Chapter 39
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 39. Witch's Delusion
Eris-nim's day is largely divided into three parts.
Labor. Reward. And gossip.
Labor is a necessary evil.
Processing documents, moving materials with magic, and sometimes being dragged to construction sites wearing a hard hat.
Reward is a natural right.
Snacks like honey candy and pudding. Praise, head patting.
Eris-nim is an existence worthy of receiving this level of treatment, and it is rather insufficient.
And gossip.
"That pitch-black bastard worked me like a slave again today."
Eris complained biting a cookie.
Crunch.
Cookie was chewed with anger.
Place is tea time space prepared in one corner of Lucia's office.
Eris sitting in the center of the sofa, Lucia on the left, Leona on the right.
Flowers in both hands.
Position where beautiful man and woman decorate left and right centering Eris. Optimal arrangement Eris designed carefully over several days.
"Today reinforced three material warehouses with thorn vines, then transported materials to logistics base, and then did paperwork again! Eri is a Magical Girl not a Civil Engineering Girl!"
They say labor is sacred.
Northern barbarians bark that only those who sweat and work deserve to eat.
But that is logic for ordinary people to the end.
Genius has genius's way, and beautiful girl must have beautiful girl's privilege.
"Right, Eri worked really hard."
Lucia put down teacup and agreed softly.
"Thanks to you construction schedule advanced by a week. Really thank you."
"Hmph! Thank me more! 100 times more than now!"
"Want to try this? Madeleines Knight-nim baked this morning."
"Aah."
Constitution weak to praise and snacks.
"By the way about Black Knight."
Eris lowered her voice. Moment entering main subject of gossip.
"Do you know what that pitch-black bastard said to Eri at the site today? 'Prove your worth'. Telling Eri to prove worth! To Eris-nim whose existence itself is value!"
Eris mumbled snacks and poured out complaints.
"Did you see this morning too? Dragging me to training ground calling it 'post-meal walk'? Said walk! Said walk but why release wolves to chase me! Pitch-black bastard is definitely a sadist! Pervert feeling joy bullying people!"
"That…… sounds a bit scary but……"
Lucia trailed off.
Eris didn't miss that nuance.
"'But'? Sister taking that pitch-black bastard's side right now?"
"Not taking side but……"
Lucia said looking at tea surface in teacup.
"Doesn't seem like…… that scary person."
Eris's eyes grew round.
"Not scary? That 2-meter pitch-black iron lump? Guy shooting red fire from eyes?"
"Scary is scary. That is correct. But……"
Lucia bit her lip.
Seemed to be choosing a word.
"Because Black Knight is Black Knight."
"……What does that mean."
"So…… Black Knight is Black Knight. Not something else. Just, Black Knight."
Sentence with zero information amount.
Eris tilted her head.
'Black Knight is Black Knight.'
But why is it strangely understandable.
Right.
Trying to compare that pitch-black existence to something else, comparison itself breaks.
Cooking meals to call him a villain, words too scary to call him a guardian, and apron suits surprisingly well to call him a monster.
Only word that can explain Black Knight is 'Black Knight'.
Proper noun-ization of Black Knight.
Eris understood that linguistic phenomenon intuitively.
"……Well, pitch-black bastard is pitch-black bastard. Admit that."
Leona put down teacup with a thud.
"That sound again?"
Leona narrowed sharp eyes further.
"Lucia. Every time you say that word I get goosebumps. Do you know that 'Because Black Knight is Black Knight', if flipped becomes 'Whatever Black Knight does is okay because he is Black Knight'?"
"Th, That isn't the meaning……"
"Typical symptom of Stockholm Syndrome. Rationalizing perpetrator's actions, granting unique identity, and gradually human bond──"
"Leona, please put away that notebook."
Lucia sighed with tired expression.
Scratch scratch.
Eris listened to their conversation going back and forth, then suddenly fell in thought.
Actually to Eris, there was a problem much more important than their argument.
Problem of who she is.
Memory still hasn't returned.
That name is Eri. That likes dessert. That can use magic. That is cutest in the world.
Certain information is only these four.
Rest is all fog.
But synthesizing experiences until today, something vaguely outlined.
Eris put down cookie and lifted chin.
Elegant pose.
Straightening back, directing gaze slightly upward, raising corners of mouth slightly.
That this posture is natural means body remembers.
"Hey."
Eris opened mouth.
Lucia and Leona's gazes gathered.
"Eri thought carefully."
Counted fingers one by one.
"One. Eri knows how to read and calculate. Extremely well at that."
"Two. Eri can use magic. Extremely strong magic at that."
"Three. Everyone treats Eri well. Proof of charisma and character."
"Four. Eris-nim is cute since birth."
"Synthesizing all these evidences!"
Eris bolted up from sofa.
"Eri must have been definitely a noble and elegant existence!"
"For example?"
Leona asked.
"For example… like a Princess?"
……
"This nobility!"
Eris put hand on small chest.
"This elegance!"
Lifted chin further.
"This natural charisma!"
Spread arms.
"Even natural attitude commanding people! This isn't a vibe that can come from a commoner. Eri must have been definitely Imperial Princess. Black Knight kidnapped Eri to demand ransom, or… Kuh, definitely holding ambition to make me his companion!"
Eris had expression intoxicated by perfect self-demonstration.
Meanwhile reaction of two people sitting on sofa.
Lucia's lips were trembling.
Eye corners twitching too.
Enduring. Desperately enduring laughter.
"Why laugh."
"Didn't laugh."
"Laughed."
"Really didn't lau──"
"Nose tip twitched! Saw everything?! Don't ignore Eri's observation!"
Lucia's defense line collapsed.
"Pfft."
Laughter leaked out.
Laughter is something unstoppable once leaked.
"Ahaha…… Sorry, sorry…… Not that…… Unfortunately that hypothesis is rejected."
"Why?!"
"Because."
Lucia continued words between laughter.
"I am a Princess."
"……Eh?"
Eris's movement stopped.
"I am Lucia Von Astellia. Empire's 1st Princess."
Lucia wiped tears and said.
"So… probability of Eri being Princess is a bit low I think…… a bit…… Sorry, really sorry……"
Laughter burst again.
Sister Lucia = Blonde = Pretty = Looks Noble = Real Princess
Eris = Pink Hair = Cute = Small = ???
Ordinary person takes minimum time to recover from embarrassment.
But Eris is not ordinary person.
Eris is Eris.
"Th, Then!"
Eris rebooted immediately.
"Means Eri is existence higher than Princess!"
Deduction orbit correction. Destination reset. Path search complete.
"Think about it. Sister Lucia who is Princess takes care of me like this too, that scary Black Knight offers me delicious food too, everyone adores me ogu ogu. Then──"
Eris's eyes flashed.
"Saintess!"
Eris gathered two hands. Praying posture. Pious expression. Pink twintails seem to shine like halo or maybe not.
"Right! Eri was Saintess! So kind! Merciful! Pure right! This is definitely qualification of Saintess! Eri's cuteness must be blessing Goddess bestowed!"
Eris's syllogism was like this.
Major Premise: Eris-nim is treated preciously. Minor Premise: Being treated preciously is because accumulated corresponding good deeds. Conclusion: Eris-nim is Saintess.
"Black Knight is trying to conquer the world using my power. So confining Eri, raising with delicious food trying to deprave! Ugh, scary guy! But absolutely won't submit! Because Eris-nim is noble Saintess!"
"Saintess?"
Leona made a strange expression.
Hero is from temple.
Grew up in Goddess Church temple, knows real Saintess.
So reaction to word 'Saintess' was different.
"Eri."
"Huh? Why, Leon Oppa?"
"Saintess isn't the kind of person you think."
Leona stopped speaking for a moment. Saintess's face surfaced in head.
Madness hidden behind pious smile.
Absolute certainty justifying everything with words 'Goddess's Will'.
That expression smiling while saying 'Mercy is not needed for non-believers'.
"Kind, merciful, and pure person doesn't become Saintess."
Swallowed word 'Fanatic'.
"……Passionate person."
It was diplomatic expression.
Eris tilted her head.
"Passionate? That is good thing! I am passionate too! Passion for dessert! Passion for sleep! Passion for self!"
"……Right, well, direction is different but passionate is correct."
Eris let Leona's subtle nuance flow out one ear.
"Right, Eri. You are our Saintess-nim."
Lucia stroked Eris's head containing laughter not yet gone.
"Right? Sister knows right? My value?"
"Of course. Our Saintess-nim, so eat one more Madeleine and help with afternoon work with strength right?"
"……."
Saintess doesn't know refusal.
"…Yeah."
Damn. Got hit again.
That night. Eris's room.
Since assigned to guest room, Eris's favorite time is before sleep.
Precious self-reflection time digging into blanket, ruminating day, reconfirming own greatness, and planning tomorrow.
Today's Reflection Topic: Reconfirmation of Eris-nim's Identity
"Ughhhhhh! This is somehow wrong!"
Muttered covering blanket.
Pink twintails stick out of blanket.
"Can use magic, good at administration, animals follow too. Smart as Sister Lucia who is Princess, more merciful than Saintess."
Beckoned finger, small vine wriggle at fingertip then withered.
"With this much, governing this world is not insufficient."
Tossed and turned in blanket.
"But reality?"
Rustle rustle.
"Always document slave."
Eris kicked blanket.
"Manual labor with magic."
Hugged pillow.
"Husky raid."
Threw pillow.
"Trembling at Cooking Roulette."
Hugged pillow again.
"Eris-nim is super super super beautiful girl! World is wrong!"
Eris bolted up.
Blanket slid down, small physique in pajamas stood tall on bed.
Magenta pupils shone in darkness.
"Can't live like this!"
It was declaration.
"Eris-nim is not existence to receive such treatment! Deserves to live more… more fluffy, sweet, and lazy life!"
Finding solution to problem wasn't difficult.
Frostgard's hierarchy.
Nominal Head: Sister Lucia. But limited exercise of real power buried in documents. Actual Powerholder: Black Knight. Existence ruling everything with martial power.
Eventually flattery to Sister Lucia has limits.
Honey candy and head pats are good, but to achieve labor liberation, must target higher place.
In other words, must conquer Black Knight.
……But that pitch-black thing?
Scary.
Instinct declares surrender every time encounter. Legs give way just by meeting eyes.
But as result of observing Black Knight for few days with world best level observation power, discovered few strange facts.
One. Black Knight doesn't hit Eris.
Strange. Words are scary, but doesn't touch.
Two. Black Knight cooks for Eris.
Every meal. Without fail.
And balancing nutrition too.
If simply 'keeping alive', a piece of bread is enough. Need to season soup, manage steak resting time?
Three. Black Knight doesn't assault Eris.
This is most questionable.
Scary monster got powerless beautiful girl in hand. No memory, no place to run, no power to resist.
If ordinary villain, no way to miss this opportunity.
But Black Knight didn't knock on Eris's door.
Doesn't hit. Cooks. Doesn't assault.
Even ran first to save when Eris in danger…!
"……!"
Eris's brain started rotating.
Combining these three facts, conclusion derived is one.
Eris bolted up.
"Don't tell me."
Magenta pupils flashed receiving moonlight.
"Pitch-black bastard…… fell for Eris?"
Eris stood in front of mirror.
Checked own figure reflected in moonlight.
Pink hair. Magenta pupils. Small and cute physique.
'Indeed… for super-duper beautiful girl like Eris-nim anyone would fall. Pitch-black bastard was pitiful monster who fell deeply for Eris's charm but didn't know how to express!'
Then only finishing left for Eris.
Just smile slightly, lean occasionally, whine moderately.
Pitch-black bastard won't be able to refuse that.
Why? Already fell for Eris-nim.
Groundless certainty.
But in Eris's worldview, it was self-evident truth needing no ground.
Of course, misunderstanding is forbidden.
Absolutely not having feelings for pitch-black bastard or something.
Absolutely. Assertively. Swear to Goddess.
Guy wearing helmet every day in the first place.
24 hours.
When eating, cooking, sleeping.
Never saw him taking it off.
Why not take off.
Can't take off.
How terrible inside helmet must be to live hiding behind iron plate lifetime.
Red fire coming out of eyes is already not human category, don't even want to imagine face under that.
Probably bones sticking out, or no nose, or three eyes attached.
"Or maybe no face at all???"
Ugh. Goosebumps.
So Black Knight has no use beyond that.
Absolutely.
Controlling properly the pitiful monster fallen for Eris's celestial beauty to achieve comfortable life.
That is all.
"Operation start from tomorrow."
Operation Name: Operation Pitch-black Bastard Conquest.
Operation Goal: Black Knight's complete submission. Labor liberation. And unlimited dessert supply.
Eris is cute. Cuteness is invincible. Therefore Eris-nim is invincible.
Eris gaining full confidence dug into blanket again.