Brigitta: "○○ Is an Accomplice in League with the Bomb-Witch"
The night had grown deep.
Leah was heading for the bedroom where I lay sleeping.
"No, no, that's not it!! What the hell is the me of that timeline doing?! The kid's taking it THAT far!! Why is she doing that, huh!?!"
No matter how loudly she screamed, it would never reach that world. And even knowing that, this was a situation where cursing was the only outlet left.
In both hands, held in a reverse grip, gleamed a top-grade knife forged by Brigitta herself—a blade honed so flawlessly that even an amateur could tell its quality at a glance. And it was now clutched in the hands of a child who had steeled herself to 'kill a person'...
"I'm sorry."
"I know it isn't your fault, Mister."
"But I can't have you staying in the guild any longer..."
"...so please die."
"HYAAAAAAAH!!!!"
The blade came down. Blood sprayed in every direction, and Brigitta was shrieking. A heartbeat later, the screen washed red—apparently the feed had been deliberately censored.
[Paste Operation Progress]
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"...Huaah? Ah, aaah, ugh!! He's dead!?"
I knew, because I had watched that final scene head-on. That was how good the weapon was—in those small hands, my neck had been skewered like tofu in one clean stroke.
"Looks like it was an instant kill."
"How can you be so calm about this!? You're the one who died!!"
"Oh, quit fussing. I died during the memory session with Seres too, so I'd say we're even."
Jokes aside, though, being killed by Leah of all people did land as a genuine shock. That child is brilliant, but she has a dangerously extreme streak. That's why she falls into misunderstandings like Mom doesn't love me and even runs away from home, as she did this time. Had that temperament of hers been at work in that timeline as well...?
"Oh. Here comes the rest."
"...There's more!?"
The screen shifted.
Leah stood atop the Skyscraper, a large contingent of guild members arrayed behind her. Facing her were, naturally, the old rulers of the Tower of Lust—along with the two representatives of Guild OP, who had taken heavy losses in this affair.
"Thank you all sincerely for attending on such short notice."
"Since everyone here is a busy person, I'll come straight to the point."
"As of today, we have decided to remove Brigitta Bailey from her post as Guild Master."
"This measure was approved by every master craftsman and executive who leads this guild, and..."
"...as of today, it has been unanimously decided that I, Leah Bailey, will lead the Mechanic guild."
"I look forward to working with all of you."
A crisp bow—Leah's greeting was impeccably polite. Despite that composure, the hall was in an uproar. Summoned out of nowhere only to be handed this story, the attendees looked like they could hardly believe their ears.
"...Hold on a moment."
"Brigitta's been removed, you say?"
"You call a sudden assembly and spout this nonsense—what is the meaning of this?"
"Allow me to explain briefly."
"In consideration of the damage done to the Tower's order and to OP, the former Guild Master, Brigitta, has been banished from the Tower."
"She has already been transported to a hospital, and..."
"...she will have no further involvement with the guild whatsoever."
"And after carting her off to a hospital, you send out her own daughter?"
"An elementary schooler as Guild Master?"
"What kind of farce is this?"
"Auntie Dalgui."
"I am perfectly serious."
"This is neither a farce nor a show."
"My mother's beloved paramour has passed away."
"And by all accounts, he was hurt in the wake of her own rampage—the wound turned grave, and he died."
"Just a moment..."
"Changki... is dead...?"
"I will say it once more. He is dead."
"I have come to clean up the mess my mother made."
"Might you be willing to speak with me?"
"Especially you, Auntie Dalgui."
"If not my mother, then me—you could at least grant me a conversation, couldn't you?"
"........."
"Ha..."
"I know exactly what you're getting at..."
"Trying to patch things up before it blows up any bigger, hmm?"
"Yes."
"I wish to prevent any further condemnation of our guild, and to keep our principal clientele—the top rankers—from walking out."
"With the culprit, my mother, gone from the guild, further condemnation serves no purpose."
"It would only wound the craftsmen of this guild who had nothing to do with what happened."
"........."
"...Haah."
"Whether that's the truth or a load of garbage, I'll judge later."
"For now... fine."
"She's an elementary schooler, after all, and I've no wish to bare my fangs, y'knooow?"
"If Brigitta really has been removed... and really is lying in a hospital..."
"...then once I've judged it true, I'll stand down on the spot..."
"Thank you."
"And... Madam."
"...Yes."
"Please take this card."
"It is his birth family's number."
"If you intend to pay your respects, contact them first."
"Just so you are aware—there will be no chance of crossing paths with my mother that day."
"Please go with peace of mind."
"........."
"Shameless..."
"You took Changki in, and then..."
"...to kill him off like this... what exactly are you playing at...?"
"I'm afraid taking it up with me will accomplish nothing."
"If you still have the heart to fight, direct it at my mother."
"Or shall I tell you where the hospital is?"
"...Forget it."
"If I heard it, I'd find myself marching over there to kill her before I knew what I was doing."
"Even if I beg you for it, don't tell me."
"Understood."
"Then, Auntie Dalgui—I will call on you another day."
"...Sure."
"Long as the kid backs off, that's all I need."
"I'd better get ready for my stream, too."
"Haaaah..."
With Dalgui's sigh as the final note, this timeline's footage wrapped up in a hurry. It had begun with Brigitta going off the rails, and it ended with her daughter Leah going off the rails just the same. They weren't truly mother and daughter, but the same blood ran in the family, so perhaps the two really were alike after all.
"What the hell kind of story even is this! I get locked up in a psycho ward, and Leah pulls THAT... you son of a... son of a...??"
[Paste Operation Progress]
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"...Agk! Shut it offffff!!!"
The black barrier crumpled with a dry rustle, and Brigitta clutched at her head as well. She had now tasted a full timeline from start to finish; next came the reclaiming of her memories.
"Ugh... uurk... UOOOORRGGH~!! UOOOORRGGGHHH!!!!"
"Good grief."
Brigitta's reaction was violent, even measured against Seres's earlier. She pressed the crown of her head into my side and howled like a woman violently dry-heaving.
"Lady Brigitta?"
Through the outer shell of the barrier—the part not yet collapsed, like a cracked eggshell—Seres poked her head out first. One look said something was seriously wrong, and she shook the older woman with worried eyes.
"Gitta? Lady Brigitta? Are you quite alright?"
"Hold on, just wait! Uuurgh!! Ah, hic, haaah... why do I have so many goddamn memories!? Why does it have to be like thiiis!!! Uuurrrrggh~!?"
What on earth were these memories? As I watched on, she began to murmur in a low voice.
"It's just like Seres saaaaid...! Aaaagh!! Ahak, ak, ah... I was living happily with Changki...! Then that rotten bitch Suni butts in, and... my head keeps getting blown off...! There's even a memory of me and Ian and even Seongyeon getting roped into staging a military coup!!!"
Retching, she shuddered with her back hunched over.
"A coup??"
"You're saying she toppled a country?"
Stone-cold sober, none of it made a lick of sense. Curious what manner of timeline could end in a situation like that, Seres and I eased Brigitta upright into a sitting position.
"You bastard, we toppled a whole country...! There's a timeline where the hunters rose in revolt and wiped out the entire army...! And one where Leah and Changki start dating! And, and... gwaah, what the hell? Why am I grinding on Sis?! Why am I doing lesbian play with Sis!! Why is my shameful past this extensive!? Why would I ever do that... HIIIK~!? This pervert—what the hell is he trying to turn me into~~~!!!"
She stopped retching and gulped down air, still trembling. We had been worried at first, but...
"...Ah. It seems she's entered the stabilization phase."
"What stabilization phase?"
"Among the memories being returned to her, there are plenty that even I find blood-curdling. Because of that, the mind starts out addled, but once the flood of shameful old memories comes crashing in, it steadies itself again."
At Seres's explanation, I relaxed. Brigitta, for her part, kept raging against her own past.
"UOOOORGH~~!! Changki's head keeps bursting like a melon! There are far too many memories stained with blood and gore! And on top of that, the sex scenes never stop coming...! Hurk, urk, ghurk! The play is way too hardcore! What the hell—why did the me of the other timelines live like such a raving pervert!?"
"And what sort of play was the mainstay for you, Lady Brigitta?"
"Play that smashed Auntie's pride to bits and pulped what was left of my dignity—that was most of it!!! The sex I got up to this time around would look like a little kid's coy flirting next to the vile stuff I've been pulling off!!!"
Brigitta was a masochist too—had that streak of hers finally been given room to shine...?
"Urk~!? Hic, haaah... huaah... it keeps coming back! Just when I think it's nearly over, a whole new play...! Aaagh~! Agh! Urk! Someone who's already got low self-esteem... and you're dragging them... straight down into the abyssoooo...!? OOOOORGH~~!! H-how far do you take this!? Just how stupid do you have to make Auntie before you're satisfied, hurk! Uuurk!! And what's wrong with me for being happy to be treated like thaaat!!!"
Curling up like a snail, she shivered and quaked until the bed sheet beneath her had gone damp. Just as it had been with Seres, there were several timelines in which my kinks had been twisted thoroughly out of shape—and that influence was leaving its mark on them now.
"That sort of treatment... I find myself curious what exactly was done to you."
"What are you so curious about!?"
"The details of the play you endured at Oppa's hands. Might you share a hint about the especially hardcore items? Naturally, I will tell you mine in return."
"Trading memories of how we each got broken in—that's your plan~!?"
Her face twisted in open disgust as she tried to refuse, but Seres would not be stopped. Perhaps she had some other design in mind; she abruptly leaned in and whispered into the ear of the still-bewildered woman.
"First, I..."
whisper, whisper, whisper.
"Whips... posture correction... and a pig......"
"...HIIIIK!?"
Ominous words were brazenly mixed in—what in the world had been done to her? Curious myself, I strained my ears, but Seres, apparently with no intention of letting me listen, shot me a sidelong glare.
"...Well? Mine is quite extreme as well, wouldn't you say?"
"Y-you—a woman, doing things like that! Uuurgh~!?"
"Not just the me of now—the me of back then was in absolute submission to Oppa as well. And from the look of it, don't you have similar memories of your own, Lady Brigitta?"
"Hold on... maybe... Auntie might be remembering too...?"
After a moment's hesitation, she suddenly whispered back in a hurry, like a person who had just caught on to the game.
whisper, whisper, whisper.
"Naked... with a whip... between my thighs... and I was a pig too......"
More ominous words passed back and forth. What could it be? Had the women of my past timelines seriously been whipped or something? And yet, somehow, the two of them wore expressions that grew less disgusted and more composed by the moment. Brigitta especially, who had been screaming bloody murder until seconds ago, was now breathing slow and even.
Did the two of them have some kind of rapport going?
"........."
The two of them answered wordlessly with their eyes. Having confirmed each other's thoughts in that silent exchange, they asked again.
"Was there a Madam on your side too?"
"...Yes. There was one on my end as well."
"And Seongyeon herself... never appeared, right?"
"...She didn't."
"And Suni? She blew something up every single time she showed her face, right?"
"Yes. She caused an incident each time she appeared. However, I cannot recall the content of our conversations."
"Same here. It's only my memories of talking with Suni that are hazy and vague..."
"Just as I thought. The same on your end, I see."
They had brought up the Madam out of nowhere, then bonded over the Suni problem.
"What is this actually about? Quit talking just between yourselves and explain it so I can follow too."
"Master... no, Oppa. Please hear us out, and try not to be alarmed."
At Seres's words, I squared my posture and nodded with all the calm I could manage.
"The two of us share several timelines in which we were handled... roughly, by you, Oppa. And within them, we discovered a common thread."
"Every time Auntie and this Seres girl were being handled rough, the Madam was standing right there beside us."
"......?"
What was that supposed to mean?
"Hold on—where did the Suni talk go, and why are you suddenly dragging the Madam through the mud?"
"That one's a confirmed bomb-witch—no discussion required. Nothing more to say."
"I concur entirely."
When I pressed again for a concrete explanation, she laid it out plainly enough for even me to follow.
"There are stretches, immediately after speaking with Miss Suni, where I cannot remember what was said at all. And on every day a blank like that appeared, your head flew off without fail, Oppa."
A day with a memory blank = a day my head exploded.
"So Suni ratted out Seongyeon's true nature to the two of you?"
"No doubt about it. And she made us declare with our own mouths that 'Seongyeon is a woman,' deliberately engineering things so you would die. That fucking bitch! I don't know what she even is, but I'm telling you, she's filthily vicious!?"
Whenever Suni got tangled into things, my head flew off. And afterward, my memories of talking with her were gone.
"I don't know what trick she used, but from a certain 'point' onward, she kept moving to blow your head off."
"That's right. Everything unfolded exactly as Lady Seongyeon predicted. She would lie quiet as usual, then turn on us with open hostility out of nowhere."
Both of them began vouching that Seongyeon's read on things had been right all along.
.........
...With matters having come this far, I was starting to doubt whether Leah was truly on our side. Then what was the map about? Was Suni really not an enemy?
"Then what about the Madam?"
I asked why they had singled that person out. And the answer came.
"The Madam is an accomplice."
"A sneaky, slimy accomplice at that."
The two verdicts overlapped.
Things were sliding toward the worst possible outcome.