Blood on the Scales
Greetings are important. Even the Kojiki says so.
The moment I stepped into the temple, the first thing that caught my eye was the stained-glass depiction of the scales. Rays of red, blue, and green light cascaded like a rainbow across the sanctuary. Tiny specks of dust danced in the beams, sparkling as they collided with the glow. It was profoundly sacred and reverent.
"Nosferatu Duke, kneel before the god of Scales and Contracts."
"Understood."
At the center, the priestess's voice called to me. Protocol demanded I kneel on one knee at the heart of the temple—but—
—Haa...
—Pretend you didn't notice. My legs hurt a bit.
Instead of kneeling myself, I projected an illusion of doing so, then sat comfortably cross-legged. The priestess noticed nothing and proceeded with the divine oath. Only the Scales Maiden, who could read minds, knew what I was up to and let out a sigh.
I planned to substitute the entire oath with illusions.
"Duke, do you swear to uphold fairness and fidelity as virtues, never shaming the name bestowed by the god?"
"I swear."
To avert doom, I had to use unjust, unrighteous means. Virtues become vices. In this world of Endless, both heroes and demon kings destroy everything. There are no eternal virtues or eternal vices.
"Duke, do you swear to honor promises, fulfill contracts, and remain faithful to your duties?"
"I swear."
So if needed, I'd betray without hesitation, break contracts freely. I'd lie, deceive, scheme, and plot in shadows. Stab heroes in the back from their side, bludgeon demon kings from theirs.
"At this moment, we declare that the Duke inherits the divine name of Nosferatu. Under the fairness of the Scales, fulfill your contracts."
Compared to the world's end... getting duped by a con artist is no big deal, right?
"That is your calling."
The priestess handed me a small set of scales and a dagger. This time, I didn't substitute with illusion—I raised my hand and pricked my finger with the dagger, letting my blood drip onto the scales.
The scales tipped to one side. Blood weighed so heavy.
"Never forget that your scales will always tip toward yourself. Beware injustice."
"Yes."
"Duke, rise."
With that, the divine oath ceremony ended. I'd successfully skipped the vows.
—...You're truly dishonest.
—I'll take that as a compliment.
Escorted by the maiden and the witch on the way home. Inside the rocking carriage, Canaria tilted her head curiously and asked,
"By the way, did the previous Nosferatu Duke go through that divine oath too?"
"Yeah."
"I can't understand how someone who swore like that before the god could kill so many people."
"He killed without hesitation because he was fair."
"Pardon?"
"The first person the Duke killed was his own lover. The one person he truly loved—he killed with his own hands."
Canaria fell silent at the secret history of "Nosferatu" spilling from my lips. Her pupils trembled. Priscilla, sitting quietly beside her, perked up with interest.
"Doing good and avoiding evil are different things, right? Fairness and kindness are different too."
The previous Nosferatu Duke was undoubtedly trash. But he was trash equally to everyone. That alone was enough to earn the Scales' favor.
"Honestly, calling it an 'assassination noble family' is ridiculous. Assassins who are famous—what's the point?"
Greetings are important. Even the Kojiki says so.
Nosferatu doesn't hide its own evil deeds. That's why it earned the absurd nickname "assassination noble family."
Every house ruined by Nosferatu has the right to resent us. Just like Canaria did.
"The previous Nosferatu Duke was a horrific piece of trash, but he was fair about contracts, at least. Killer, but not a scammer."
And that was a method I couldn't employ. Because I'm a con artist.
What I'm doing isn't assassination or murder. It's a kind of con to trick the Doomsday Buttons into changing themselves.
So my name absolutely cannot get out.
"...Stupid."
Priscilla's mouth opened quietly—she'd been eavesdropping. It slipped out unconsciously; she herself flinched at her own words.
I chuckled and looked at her.
"Right? He was my father, but pretty stupid."
"...I'm sorry. That was a slip."
"That's why he ended up betrayed and killed by his own son."
"Pardon?"
Right now, I'm roleplaying as "Nosferatu," who takes fairness as a virtue... So a real Nosferatu would definitely say this.
"You didn't know? You must've guessed something when his young son suddenly showed up at the temple to inherit the house."
"......"
"I killed him. My father."
In that instant, Priscilla's expression hardened. Thick disgust filled her face. Killing family for the house must've sounded pretty gruesome.
It was an un-witchlike reaction—but she wasn't a witch anymore.
To this small, pitiful girl who'd sacrificed so much to save her mother, I must seem like a real bastard.
"Well, that's Nosferatu's fate too. Kill the one you love most with your own hands, only to be killed by the one you love most in turn."
"......"
Great reaction. Holding back the laugh made my gums ache. Ah, so this is the face Priscilla makes now that she's no longer a Doomsday Button.
If this were a game, I'd screenshot it for the community!
"A fitting end for that trash—urk."
Suddenly, a bug bit the back of my hand. A pitch-black one, like a shadow. I shook my hand lightly to flick it off.
"Must be the forest path—bugs keep getting into the carriage."
"......"
"Your expression isn't good. Does the seed of the Scales think I made the wrong choice?"
"......"
Priscilla stayed silent. That silence was the clearest affirmation.
Canaria broke the quiet.
"Priscilla."
Canaria's eyes held pity as she gazed at her. She'd helped me pull off the con, so it was natural she'd feel some... affection for Priscilla.
"Please don't think too badly of the Duke."
"...Yes. I feel nothing. He's unrelated to me anyway."
"That's..."
"I'm here only as Lord Heinrich's seed. I'm sorry for my rude words. I overstepped."
Priscilla replied with utmost politeness, as if she wanted no more conversation.
Canaria tapped the back of my hand. A signal to connect telepathy.
—Why go out of your way to leave a bad impression?
—Just acting like a Nosferatu. That's the public image.
Nosferatu doesn't hide its evil deeds. Being resented by victims is Nosferatu's virtue.
Only when the whole world curses Nosferatu can it truly say it fulfilled its duty.
—...Couldn't you just honestly tell her you saved her? She's not a Doomsday Button anymore. Even if she learns the truth, she won't doom the world.
—It'd risk someone else learning the plan.
What if Priscilla, feeling betrayed upon learning Gigachad's identity, blabbed about what I'd done? The object of her attachment is the ideal illusion called "Gigachad." How she'd react to it being Nosferatu's wastrel—who knows? No need to take the risk.
—...You're saving the world, saving her life, and asking for no reward or acknowledgment?
—If that's all I wanted, I wouldn't have picked this stupid plan.
What a ridiculous, annoying world. The funniest part is me, sinking thousands of hours into a game like this.
Temple of Scales and Contracts. Baptism chamber.
Priscilla, clad in a thin white gown, stood before the massive bathtub. Only the maiden and Priscilla were present.
"Priscilla."
"Yes."
"Today, you receive the baptism of Scales and Contracts."
"Am I becoming a hero now?"
"No."
"Pardon?"
The maiden shook her head in denial. Priscilla looked flustered. Wasn't she summoned to this temple because she had the makings of a hero?
"...Then, a priestess?"
"Something more glorious. He truly cherishes you."
"Pardon?"
"Priscilla. You were the great witch who grasped immortality. And you gave it up yourself."
"......"
Her face drained of color at the maiden's words revealing her witch past. But the words that followed were even more shocking.
"You will become His maiden. And learn all truths."
"......"
"Including the truth about that 'Gigachad' you've so desired."
Priscilla's face twisted in shock.