Chapter 129
Chapter 129
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Pushing and Pulling to Get What I Want (9)
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"You!"
Rachel screamed and charged at me. Unable to contain her rage, she swung her fist.
"Whoa there."
I effortlessly dodged the attack that I could avoid even with my eyes closed,
"My apologies."
then grabbed both of her wrists and pushed her back.
"Urk!"
Her frail body flew back in an instant and slammed into the wall. Rachel, pinned and unable to move, glared daggers at me.
"You... you crazy bastard! Whose body do you think you're touching right now?"
"Well, you were about to slap me. Should I just stand there and take it?"
"Eek...!"
Rachel's nape flushed bright red.
"Let go of me! You damn bastard!"
Oh, there it was.
Rachel's signature was the thick stream of curses that poured from that innocent-looking face, impossible to believe.
"I'll kill you! Let go right now, you punk!"
Her face twisted into a demonic snarl as the profanities flew. Her spitting voice was so sharp and vicious it sent chills down the spine.
"How exactly are you gonna kill me? I'm curious."
"You son of a bitch!"
Rachel thrashed her whole body.
Her strength was woefully insufficient to push me away. Her firmly gripped wrists didn't budge an inch.
"I said let go! Keep this up, and you think I'll just sit here?!"
Rachel yelled fiercely, flashing a menacing glare.
"Oh ho."
I could guess what she meant and let out a chuckle.
"What're you gonna do? Oh, that?"
I leaned in close to her face and whispered.
"Stimulate Requiem and make it go berserk?"
"-!"
Rachel flinched, her secret laid bare. She quickly masked it with a stubborn expression.
"Go ahead."
I spoke to her in a smooth, teasing tone.
"You think I came to see you without preparing for that much?"
"......"
"Too naive, Rachel. You saw what happened yesterday, didn't you?"
I released her wrists and stepped back.
"If you're so curious, give it a try."
I shoved my hands into my pockets and stood casually askew, showing no hint of tension.
'......Damn, I'm scared.'
But inside, that wasn't the case.
If Serenade's power engulfed me at such close range, I wasn't sure I could withstand it.
If it reached a level beyond what Guardian's Power could handle, Requiem might just burst out of me in the end.
"......"
But my attitude worked on Rachel, cornered as she was.
She gritted her teeth but made no move.
Yesterday's failed attempt was making her hesitate.
Above all, my nonchalance, the air that I knew everything, would sow seeds of doubt.
What else was she hiding? What gave her such confidence?
"......So, what do you want me to do?"
Rachel hung her head low.
"What am I supposed to do? I can't do anything."
Her voice, tinged with sorrow, spread across the floor like a wetting stain.
"Why did you come here? To make me suffer more?!"
Rachel jerked her head up and shouted.
"To tell me there's no hope left anymore?!"
"......"
"I already know that plenty well without you saying it! I know it so damn well it's making me sick!"
Her cascading green hair shook, and through it, eyes stained with fury boiled over.
"Tell me, Abel Kindriel! Why the hell did you come here?"
Rachel glared at me, unleashing decades of pent-up resentment that had lost its direction and now targeted me.
"Oy vey."
Tap.
I lightly flicked her forehead.
"Grandma, don't get so worked up. You might collapse."
"Wh-what? G-grandma?"
Rachel let out a shrill scream, as if she'd never heard anything more absurd.
"Are you blind?! Where do I look like a grandma?"
"You look like a kid on the outside, but you're a grandma inside, right? Or since you've lived hundreds of years, should I call you a skeleton?"
"What?!"
Rachel bellowed. The anger vanished from her face, replaced entirely by bewilderment.
"You dare... to me... me..."
"And why are you venting your rage in the wrong direction?"
I stared steadily at Rachel and drove the point home.
"This isn't my fault, is it? It's Theodore's."
"......"
Rachel's momentum deflated rapidly. The fists she'd clenched tightly slowly loosened.
"......Who doesn't know that? I know. I know, but... I can't do anything."
"Because of that contract?"
Rachel's drooping head snapped up with renewed vigor. She stared at me in shock.
"How do you even know about the contract?"
"I told you, I know everything."
I crossed my arms and looked down at her arrogantly.
"So, still think you can swing me around like that? Ridiculous."
Rachel wasn't in a position to think that. Unless I was the one using her.
"......"
Rachel looked at me with eyes unable to hide her turmoil. Like a field caught in a gale, her green eyes swirled and subsided repeatedly.
'Busy weighing her options, huh.'
I hid my smile as I watched Rachel deep in thought.
She wanted to die now because she hated being a puppet dancing to Theodore's whims.
But what if she could escape Theodore's influence? What if that damned 'contract' could be nullified?
'Or......'
What if she could be free from Serenade?
Various plans spiderwebbed through my mind. But I didn't reveal this information yet.
'I can't trust Rachel yet.'
She was the type who could sacrifice others for herself at any moment.
Just look at her trying to make Requiem rampage in a crowd—that showed her ruthlessness.
Emotional appeals wouldn't work on someone like that. The best was to move her with thorough logic and evidence.
"Rachel, think it over carefully."
I softened my voice toward her.
Swish—
I brushed back the hair that had fallen over her forehead.
"......!"
At the unexpected gesture, Rachel's eyes widened as she stared at me.
"I know what you're thinking."
"......"
"How to stimulate Requiem, whether to tell the Emperor and pressure me—that sort of thing."
Rachel's eyes grew even wider. She tried to turn her head away in surprise, but I held it firmly.
"Ah."
"Don't look away."
I continued, staring straight into her wildly flickering green eyes.
"Think hard. This might be your last chance."
"Last... chance?"
"Yeah. A chance to be free."
The 'chance' from my lips was different from what others casually meant.
A chance holds greater power when it's singular.
"The Four Seasons Swords are truly vicious, aren't they?"
"......"
"They nag their owners at every chance, trying to wield them as they please. Like disobedient kids, like tyrannical despots."
Rachel said nothing, but her lips parted slightly, unable to hide her emotions.
"Yeah, really nasty things. But who understands this pain?"
With the hand that brushed her hair, I gently cupped her cheek. As if handling something precious, very carefully.
"You, Rachel."
With my other hand, I took hers and placed it on my chest. Her height wouldn't reach my cheek otherwise.
"And only me."
Rachel followed my lead in a daze, showing no sign of refusal.
A cornered rat will bite the cat. Before this little gray mouse Rachel made an extreme choice, I needed to give her some breathing room.
"Who else but me like this could help you?"
I whispered sweetly into her parted pink lips, like dripping poison.
"The temple? Their piety is like trash rolling on the ground. They'd lick your feet for money."
"......"
"The Archbishop? That guy's the Emperor's dog. Far from helping you, he'd run straight to the Emperor."
Rachel's face paled.
"The Emperor? That'd be your worst choice."
I wore a smile as deadly as poison.
"You think the Emperor would believe you? Even if he did, would he move the way you want?"
"......"
"Unlike you, bound by contract, he can't control me freely. He might even think pulling me to his side is more profitable."
Finally, I stabbed sharply at her heart.
"Who knows? The Emperor might offer conditions tempting enough for me."
"N-no."
A despairing sigh escaped Rachel's lips.
"Don't. That guy..."
"So, think it over properly."
I released the hand holding her face and stepped back.
"Join hands with me. That's your only option left."
I reminded her I held the overwhelming advantage and limited her thoughts with selective information.
Make her believe obeying me would benefit her.
When humans are backed into a dead end, they'll eat a poisoned apple even knowing what it is.
Just like Rachel now.
"Join hands... with you..."
Rachel murmured quietly, frozen like a statue. Her suddenly clouded eyes rippled complexly, as if foreseeing possibilities.
"...If I join hands with you,"
At last, Rachel spoke in a tiny voice.
"Will you grant my wish?"
Oh dear.
Rachel still delusionally thought I'd kill her nicely. But for now, I needed to use that delusion.
"Not now, but someday."
"......"
"I'll do as you wish then."
Rachel fell silent, lost in thought, mulling over my earlier words and this one.
Tick, tock.
The pocket watch in my breast pocket chimed.
"Time's almost up, it seems. That's plenty of time to think."
I turned from Rachel and walked back to my seat.
"I came here for two reasons today."
Confirming Rachel was listening, I continued.
"First, to meet you."
"......"
"So, your decision?"
I sat and stared at Rachel. She looked back, swallowing dryly.
"...Doesn't seem like I have much choice."
"Good thinking."
I grinned and raised my hand, pointing to the maid seated next to Princess Violet.
"Second, to cure that woman's illness."
I meant Elice, disguised as a maid to enter here.
"...That's unexpected."
Rachel's tightly shut lips parted.
"Humans usually use this power for themselves."
"It ends up benefiting me in the end."
"Hmm."
The corner of Rachel's mouth curved slyly.
"Trying to score points with Princess Violet, huh?"
"Think what you want."
I finished speaking and reopened the scripture I'd set aside.
"Ah, where was I?"
Rachel's lips twitched, and she reluctantly told me.
"Article 12, Clause 7. You were just about to start."
"Right."
"But how do you expect me to bless her? My blessings are only for those selected under the bishop's strict criteria."
"That's for you to figure out."
I chuckled at Rachel.
"You're the Saintess, aren't you? Just do like you did with me earlier. People will buy it."
"......"
Rachel shot me a displeased glance. I tapped my forehead at her.
"Don't forget the veil."
"Hmph. I was going to anyway."
Rachel pouted and lowered her veil, hiding the sulky girl's face in an instant.
"Remember, we never talked today."
"...Hmm."
"The Emperor finding out about our meeting benefits no one. You know that, right?"
"Got it."
Tick, tock, tick.
As Rachel nodded, the pocket watch's chime grew faster.
"Oh right, how do we meet next time?"
Rachel asked suddenly, as she opened the scripture.