Chapter 12
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: To the Person I Love Most in the World
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"To the person I love most in the world."
The first time the Commander and I stepped into the village, several unexpected faces caught my eye.
"Oh my, Lady Asrania! You've finally arrived."
The woman looked like she belonged on a glamorous stage rather than a battlefield.
She gave off a strong Arabian princess vibe. The sheer fabric of her outfit fluttered in the wind, flapping like butterfly wings with every step she took.
I could've believed it was stage attire.
"You're..."
The woman approached me lightly, like a real butterfly.
"Dancing Butterfly, Axiom's Naviera. Don't you think we'll make a pretty impressive ensemble?"
Dancing Butterfly.
A character I'd pulled from the gacha in the game.
Another member of Axiom.
This was our first meeting in this world, but her face was so familiar from all the times I'd seen it before—it felt anything but strange.
I had to admit it.
She was beautiful.
Behind Dancing Butterfly stood a woman trembling like jelly.
"H-Hic...! Y-You're really not going to kill me, right? Right? I can't die yet!"
Blackjack.
The woman I'd run into at the tavern not long ago.
I'd even taken her signature sword as a souvenir.
The moment she saw my face, she paled even more than she had back then.
'...What the hell is this lineup?'
Two rare Axiom members gathered in this tiny backwater village.
And their reactions couldn't have been more opposite.
'Why the hell are they even here?'
It was too perfectly timed to chalk up to mere coincidence.
"You must be tired from the long journey. You look just like a wanderer returning home after a long trek."
Every word flowed out like a well-rehearsed line.
"It's about time for an intermission, don't you think?"
"Intermissions are for the audience."
"...Oh my."
"Not when two uninvited guests have crashed the party."
I crossed my arms and stared Dancing Butterfly down directly.
I wasn't one for beating around the bush.
"Cut the crap and get to the point, Dancing Butterfly."
Why had two Axiom members slunk all the way out here?
"What brought you to this village?"
Dancing Butterfly didn't so much as blink.
Well, her eyes flickered for a split second, but she quickly regained her composed smile.
She clasped her hands behind her back and leaned forward slightly, looking up at me with an oddly affectionate gaze—like she was reuniting with a childhood friend.
"Hehe, you've... really changed, Lady Asrania."
Changed how?
A question mark popped up in my head.
Dancing Butterfly and I were strangers.
At least to the current me.
If she was saying I'd changed, that meant she knew the old Asrania.
Asrania was famous enough, and considering her past actions before I possessed her, it would've been weirder if she didn't.
I'd spoken aggressively on purpose.
But Dancing Butterfly just closed her eyes for a moment, then slowly lifted her long lashes.
"I heard the rumors."
Her red lips moved softly.
"About how you had a child."
"...A child?"
She must mean Esira.
"Ahem, ahem!"
The moment the word "child" came up, Blackjack let out a loud, choking cough from where she was hiding behind.
I got the picture.
I knew exactly where the intel had come from.
"So?"
"Oh my."
Dancing Butterfly's eyes narrowed into crescents.
"You're not denying it?"
"Do I need your permission to raise a kid?"
"Of course not. It's cause for celebration."
That's when the Commander chimed in.
"Wait, you're a mom?"
This guy's phrasing was deliberately weird.
Dancing Butterfly's gaze slid sideways.
"Don't tell me..."
Her eyes curved into half-moons.
"The pretty boy standing next to you is your husband?"
The Commander looked a little flustered.
Shing.
My hand reached for my back.
I gripped the hilt of my greatsword.
"...!"
The air shifted strangely.
Killing intent leaked out in waves.
You think this is a joke?
Even if he was this world's protagonist, calling him my husband crossed the line.
It was the most disgusting thing I'd heard lately.
"Take it back."
Dancing Butterfly threw both hands up high.
"I take it all back. My bad."
She bowed her head without a second's hesitation.
It was an apology at the speed of light, pride and face be damned.
"My mouth ran away with me. Please forgive me, Lady Asrania."
I slowly released the greatsword.
A bit of the tension deflated from me.
'What the...'
I'd figured someone of Axiom's caliber would stand on pride and clash swords at least once.
But the moment I touched my hilt, she tucked tail.
"Consider that a warning. Watch your mouth."
"I'll keep it in mind."
Dancing Butterfly wiped a bead of cold sweat from her forehead.
Meanwhile, the Commander standing beside her just opened and closed his mouth in indignation.
"Hey, hold on. Pretty boy?"
"Shut it, pretty boy."
"My name is Commander. Commander!"
I ignored him completely.
'This conversation's going off the rails.'
What mattered was why Axiom had come to this backwater.
And here I was wasting time on the Commander.
"Enough chit-chat."
I treated the Commander like he was invisible and turned back to Dancing Butterfly.
"So, why are you here in this village?"
One kid shows up.
Big deal.
"Oh, you really don't know?"
Dancing Butterfly whispered in a silky voice.
"Thanks to that child, the whole world's turned into a bad third-rate comedy stage right now."
"...Speak plainly."
Make it easy to understand.
Blackjack glanced at me nervously and chimed in with a shrinking voice.
"I-It means the whole world's in an uproar. It's flipped upside down, completely."
Did this world have zero news?
One kid shows up and it's world-shaking?
I wasn't some global idol with a massive fandom.
"You can see it just from the situation right now."
Dancing Butterfly gestured gracefully.
Her gaze landed on the Commander.
"You've got him by your side."
"He was passed out on the road."
"...What?!"
Dancing Butterfly's eyes widened even more.
Blackjack's mouth hung open, frozen.
Both their faces cracked at once.
Like a crucial premise had just shattered to pieces.
"Y-You just picked him up off the street? And saved him, too?"
Of course I saved him. Kill him?
The Commander scowled at me with an aggrieved look.
"Am I some cockroach crawling on the road? Why say it like that?"
Blackjack practically screamed.
"You just picked up a guy like that? Does that even make sense?"
Was Asrania some monster who chopped every man she saw?
Now even I was curious.
"What are you getting at?"
This time, Dancing Butterfly answered.
"If a man collapsed in front of you, you'd say, 'What is this trash?' and slice him up."
Trash like me, huh.
She said it outright—like he'd been swept away like garbage.
Next time I see someone passed out on the road, maybe I should actually chop them, Asrania-style.
The Commander looked up at me, pale as a ghost.
"...Thank you for saving me."
"..."
I couldn't even muster a "Sure" anymore.
Dancing Butterfly spoke.
"To think you'd change this much."
"..."
"It's truly astonishing. Who knew you had a maternal instinct in you?"
Was that sarcasm or admiration?
No point responding.
The moment I did, I'd be dragged into her theater.
"I've got a mountain of things to say, but let's put the main topic on hold for now."
Dancing Butterfly clapped once to shift the mood.
"Now that the main characters are all gathered, shouldn't we start with a meal? I've prepared some dishes with plenty of care."
At her gesture, Blackjack scurried over with a tray.
She'd become a full-on slave now.
Glossy meat dishes and desserts that looked sugar-packed filled the table.
"Hold on."
The Commander hesitated.
"I appreciate it, but my comrades are still in the forest. I need to find them first..."
"You mean the cute little miss and the blonde girl?"
"...You know them?"
Dancing Butterfly smiled widely, as if to say she got it.
"Don't worry. They're on their way here right now."
"...Really?"
"Yes, they'll arrive soon."
The Commander paused, then his stomach let out a perfectly timed growl.
He looked a bit embarrassed and rubbed his belly.
"In that case... I gratefully accept your hospitality."
"Hehe, wise choice."
The Commander speared a piece of meat with his fork and popped it in his mouth.
"Whoa! This is seriously good!"
Well, Dancing Butterfly's skills were top-notch, I'd give her that.
From physical work to smooth-talking to cooking—it was all flawless.
My appetite was starting to stir, too.
My stomach was empty after grinding through the Abyss and dragging the Commander along.
I picked up a piece of bread and took a bite.
The soft texture melted slowly in my mouth, a subtle sweetness spreading across my tongue.
"Is it to your taste?"
"...Not bad."
"Good. I put extra of my special sauce in it."
She emphasized "special sauce" with deliberate clarity.
Dancing Butterfly's gaze darted meaningfully between the Commander and me.
How much time passed?
The Commander, who had been eating heartily, suddenly furrowed his brow and touched his forehead.
"Ugh... Why is it so hot in here?"
His face flushed red like a ripe apple in seconds.
His eyes grew glassy.
He was the picture of drunken stupor.
"Did you drink?"
There was no alcohol on the table.
Had he snuck some in without me noticing?
"I've been thinking this the whole time..."
The Commander grinned sloppily, his words slurring.
His gaze drifted to somewhere around my lower half.
"Your legs... your legs..."
"..."
"They're not just pretty. They're art. Art. This angle, this proportion. The mystery of human anatomy. Ngh..."
This lunatic.
I knew the Commander had a thing for legs.
But I hadn't expected him to go off the rails like this right in front of me.
'Special sauce, huh...'
I shot Dancing Butterfly a glare.
She covered her mouth, grinning like she was having the time of her life.
'Wait, I ate the same stuff.'
Why am I fine?
Maybe my body was immune to most poisons and drugs—or perhaps she'd used something that wouldn't affect me specifically.
No way to tell which.
Dancing Butterfly whispered in her silky voice.
"Oh dear. To dare mock Lady Asrania's perfect form."
Her eyes curved like half-moons, her lips quirking higher.
"Are you going to kill that rude man?"
"..."
"He just spewed all sorts of awful things at you. Ah, how pitiful. He doesn't even know it's his last day."
Dancing Butterfly wanted the Commander dead.
It was obvious from how she'd set the stage.
She'd trick me into staining my hands with his blood, then stand back and watch as a bystander.
A cunning ploy.
'...It does piss me off, though.'
I couldn't deny his nonsense was grating on my nerves.
It was the first time since arriving in this world that I'd heard that kind of talk.
No one had openly ogled and critiqued my body up and down since possession.
This was the first guy with the guts to do it.
I looked down coldly at the Commander and slowly reached for my back.
Where my greatsword was.
Anticipation flashed in Dancing Butterfly's eyes.
"Wait!"
A scream-like shout rang out.
A woman's voice.
Me, Dancing Butterfly—even Blackjack, who had been holding her breath.
All three of us whipped our heads toward the sound in unison.
Two figures rushing over.
I recognized them instantly.
'So those are the Commander's comrades.'
Janet, standing there with a chainsaw revving menacingly in one hand, ready to charge.
And a refined girl in a neat academy uniform.
Shing.
Reina adjusted her grip on her sword, and motes of light trickled down the blade.
A pristine white longsword gleaming like it held moonlight.
Crystal clear, yet radiating a razor-sharp aura that could cleave any darkness.
The holy sword symbolizing the title heroine, Reina.
A unique weapon only she could wield.
'Didn't expect to run into them here.'
"Get away from the Commander!"
Janet yelled, hoisting her chainsaw high.
With the Commander's face flushed beet red, she must've looked like a hostage victim.
"...Put that hand away."
Reina stepped forward.
Pure white aura flowed from her holy sword, spreading through the air.
'Ho.'
Impressive.
Her face still had a youthful innocence, but her sword stance was polished to perfection.
True to her main heroine status—born different from the start.
'Nice to see the protagonist's party up close, but...'
Honestly, I didn't want to get involved.
I hadn't done anything wrong, and neither had the Commander.
If getting drugged and overly honest was a crime, maybe.
'Dancing Butterfly set this up.'
The fox-like woman had stepped back, watching with sparkling eyes.
Me clashing swords with the protagonist's party?
Perfect entertainment for her—the exact picture she wanted.
Only one choice.
Play it like Dancing Butterfly.
I turned to the woman who'd been cowering silently in the corner until now.
"Blackjack."
"Y-Yes? M-Me? Did you call me?"
"You handle them."
"Whaaat?! M-Me?!"
Janet's eyes flashed in the standoff.
"Blackjack? You mean Axiom's Blackjack?"
The chainsaw's whine ramped up. Her guard went with it.
Even a rotten fish from Axiom carried weight.
Though the person in question looked half-ready to cry.
I'd deal with Dancing Butterfly later.
"W-Wait! I don't even have my sword right now! You know my situation better than anyone!"
"..."
"N-No, sorry. I didn't mean to yell... But please, hear me out."
"Speak."
"How am I supposed to fight those scary people without a weapon? I'm just a bit tougher than a normal person right now!"
Blackjack's sword—practically her other self—was with Esira right now.
She was a tiger without fangs. Or closer to a declawed cat.
Did she even have options?
"I know."
"Then please...!"
"That's why you're doing it."
"Huh?"
"Step up now, or you'll get sliced by my blade first, not them."
"H-Hiiik!"
Blackjack's face drained white in an instant.
Damned if she did, damned if she didn't.
One conclusion.
"Handle it. Unless you want to die."
Fight, beg, talk her way out—whatever.
If she bore Axiom's name, she could manage this much on her own.
Blackjack threw her hands up high.
She shuffled awkwardly toward Reina and Janet, palms open wide in surrender.
"L-Let's all calm down first! We can talk this out, talk it out! Talking. Okay?"
Janet snorted derisively.
"Trying to lower our guard and backstab us, huh?"
"I'm a total punching bag right now, I swear! No weapon, no hostility—just my mouth and these innocent eyes. Look how kind they are!"
"Kind, my ass. Think we don't know you?"
Blackjack had indeed betrayed plenty in the past for her sword absorption ability.
"...!"
The white holy sword flashed, intercepting something arcing in diagonally with perfect precision.
Boom!
The clash of blades rang out.
A storm of dust swallowed the view.
"Ngh...!"
A groan slipped from Reina's lips. She'd barely blocked it.
Just barely.
Her hand gripping the holy sword throbbed like it might split. She even felt herself getting pushed back.
"Reina!"
Janet screamed, raising her chainsaw.
In the center stood a petite girl.
Familiar silver hair fluttering in the wind.
The aura pouring off her wasn't that of a clumsy beast—it was a predator honed for the hunt.
"...Esira?"
I bolted up from my seat without thinking.
Why was the kid, who should be waiting quietly inside, here?
And what was with that insane speed and power?
Esira gripped the sword tighter with trembling hands.
Not from nerves, but from barely contained rage.
She glared at Reina with her sword, Janet with her chainsaw—without a hint of waver.
Her eyes said she could cut them down right here.
"...How dare you."
The gentle, obedient child she showed me was nowhere to be seen.
"How dare you point a blade."
Thick killing intent poured from her childlike voice—hard to believe it came from a kid.
"At the person I love most in the world."