Demon Cosplay (4)
Demon Cosplay (4)
Olivia looked down at Rebekah, who was nestled in her arms.
[Rebekah]
- Level: 93
- Favorability: 72
- Class: Saintess
- Titles: The Faithful, The Miracle Worker, The Light in Darkness.
Those few words had just raised her Favorability by a full twenty points.
'...It worked.'
The calculation had paid off.
If she had offered something too big from the start, Rebekah would have refused.
But all Olivia had offered was a single word: "little sister."
To some, it might be nothing more than a device to flaunt a connection, but to Rebekah, who longed for family, that word held an exceptionally special meaning.
This was the result.
Rebekah was nuzzling her face into Olivia's chest as if hugging a new blanket, and Olivia carefully opened her mouth.
"Rebekah."
"...Yes."
Instead of speaking, Olivia gestured with her eyes at their surroundings.
Countless paupers were staring openly at Rebekah.
"...Ah!"
Startled, Rebekah ducked her flushed face low.
The situation was a little awkward, but fortunately no one had realized Rebekah's identity.
If they had, they wouldn't have been staring so blankly.
"Will you let go of me now?"
"Oh, I'm... I'm sorry."
Rebekah looked as if her soul had left her.
"I-It's just. I'm not normally like this..."
"I know. I know what kind of person my little sister is."
At the reappearance of the word "little sister," Rebekah's face brightened. But her eyes quickly clouded with confusion.
Her heart was probably racing.
The resonance of that word "little sister" must have struck her far deeper than she had expected.
After all, the only family left to her was a goddess she could not see.
From here, Olivia's path diverged from the Genocide Run.
Even in the Genocide Run, Rebekah had often used the word "older sister." But "Olivia" had never called Rebekah her little sister.
There had simply been no reason to.
So Rebekah had liked Olivia, but only as an object of respect.
But if Olivia changed her approach like this?
'She'll become more than just an object of respect.'
Of course, this was only possible because Rebekah was young. No matter how heavy the burden she carried, no matter how noble her ideals, in the end she was still just a child.
A child who had never truly felt a family's love, at that.
By nature, once a human being's deprivation is satisfied, they cannot muster the courage to go back.
If even full-grown adults are like that, could Rebekah possibly endure it?
Until now, she had never experienced it, so she could hold out well enough...
'But from now on, that won't be so easy, will it?'
Because she would be the only one who called her little sister.
A certain demon suddenly came to mind.
The Great Demon who ruled the northern Demon World, Asmodeus.
What Olivia was doing was exactly like Asmodeus's method.
First, Asmodeus satisfied what was missing.
Without asking for anything in return.
She also hid the fact that she was a demon. People who met Asmodeus for the first time, when she appeared disguised as a nun, could never refuse her offer.
Even knowing there had to be some hidden scheme, they accepted it anyway since there was nothing to lose.
'Though the acceptance itself is the trap.'
Asmodeus endlessly satisfied whatever the other person wanted.
She did not grow impatient even if it took months or years. She was a Great Demon who could endure an eternity for a fleeting moment of pleasure.
As one deprived part after another was fulfilled, Asmodeus became an irreplaceable person to them.
Once they were so happy they could not possibly be any happier, Asmodeus revealed her true self as a demon.
And then she took away everything she had given them.
Of course, it was closer to "reclaiming" than taking, but most humans could not withstand it and broke.
Just as tycoons worth hundreds of billions choose suicide when they fall into homelessness.
It was exactly then that Asmodeus revealed herself and offered a [Contract].
A deeply unfair contract demanding they hand over their souls in exchange for returning what had been "taken."
No one was unaware how absurd the contract was. Yet there was also no one who could refuse it.
What Olivia intended to do was not much different from Asmodeus's method.
That was exactly why she had called it "passing for a demon."
[Remaining Time: 6:20]
With about six minutes left, Olivia switched to Spectator Mode.
[Currently spectating 'Saintess Rebekah'.]
- Remaining switches: 4
Her vision floated upward.
'Olivia' stared blankly into the air for a few seconds, then continued what she had been doing as if nothing had happened.
The movements felt distinctly mechanical. That was not strange.
'I was like that during the Genocide Run too.'
Because without moving mechanically, the Genocide was absolutely impossible.
'Olivia' spoke.
- It hasn't even been a week, and you're hurt again?
Relieving the poor was not her role.
- Here, where does it hurt?
Taking on enough good deeds to earn Rebekah's respect was also not something she was meant to do.
However.
[Spectator Mode will now end.]
[Remaining Time: 6:19]
Her vision returned to normal.
She stopped Rebekah, who was about to stand up after finishing her volunteer work.
"Wh-why? What is it?"
"Stay like that for a moment."
Olivia knelt down and met Rebekah's eyes. Unlike just before, this time there were no watching eyes. So she could stroke her hair a little more.
"..."
"You worked hard."
Rebekah's eyes went wide, like someone whose breath had stopped.
"Doing this kind of work every single day without any reward is truly remarkable."
"...Th-thank you. Lady Olivia."
"You may call me Big Sis."
The moment she heard that voice, Rebekah thought to herself.
"...Yes, Big Sis."
If this was a dream, she hoped she would never wake.
Watching the storm of emotions swirling in Rebekah's eyes, Olivia murmured inwardly.
Her vision immediately floated upward again.
[Switching to Spectator Mode.]
[Remaining spectating switches: 3]
She called Rebekah her "little sister."
[Remaining spectating switches: 2]
She gently stroked Rebekah's hair.
[Remaining spectating switches: 1]
She hugged Rebekah as if she were precious and praised her with pure affection.
[Remaining spectating switches: 0]
Every act that raised the threshold of Rebekah's happiness—all of it had to originate from her and her alone.
[Remaining Time: 0:54]
None of Olivia's actions caused Rebekah any harm.
At least, not yet.
[Time limit has expired.]
Olivia spent another day in the Repentance Cave.
*****
This was already the third memory.
[Clue #3]
[Memory of January, Imperial Year 993]
[Time Limit: 20 minutes 00 seconds]
"..."
She was gauging her reaction.
The Rebekah she met again was watching her every move.
This time it was not the slums. They seemed to be in the dining hall inside the Cathedral.
'Is it lunchtime?'
On Rebekah's plate there was nothing but salted bread, a little water, and some dates.
She was apparently in a period of fasting.
As she tore at her bread, she cautiously averted her eyes whenever her gaze met Olivia's.
Olivia quickly realized the reason.
Six days had simply been far too long for a young girl.
Olivia smiled inwardly.
'Yet she can fast for a whole week without a problem.'
She did not need to see how 'Olivia' had treated Rebekah over the past six days.
"Lady Olivia. Yesterday I offered a prayer to Aether..."
Wanting praise was no sin.
Wanting to be called little sister was also no sin.
Since there was nothing wrong with longing for it at all, Rebekah was now revealing her desires openly like this.
And 'Olivia' must have responded to Rebekah's words appropriately.
Yes, merely "responded."
She would not have used the intimate title of little sister, nor given affectionate praise.
How did she know that?
'Because that's how I played her.'
Olivia leaned her upper body forward and whispered quietly, so only Rebekah could hear.
"Would you like me to praise you, by any chance?"
"..."
Rebekah could not answer right away.
It must have been because she was embarrassed, as if her innermost thoughts had been exposed.
Rebekah's lips parted only after several seconds.
"...Yes."
A tranquil smile bloomed at the corner of Olivia's mouth.
Good.
This was a very good sign. It meant Rebekah was already depending on her this much.
'Two more times? Or maybe one?'
Olivia's long fingers cut the bread with demure precision.
It was to drag out the time and make Rebekah even more desperate.
Watching Rebekah swallow dryly, Olivia sank into thought.
About exactly when to reveal the "demon" for maximum effect.
'Or maybe... right now?'
Olivia speared a piece of bread with her fork and put it in her mouth.
It should have been nothing more than a salty taste, so why did it feel so sweet?
The calculation was complete.
"Rebekah."
Olivia licked her lips and continued.
"Shall we... meet once tonight, later?"