A Masochist's Bargain
I was so flustered that I forgot how critical the situation was. Wait, what? A loop? What did she just say? Did something go wrong with my ears when my head got chopped off? Or did the lack of blood flow damage my brain? No... even if that were the case, it would have healed by now. Don't underestimate Super Regeneration. It's Lucia's bread and butter.
"It seems like the me from the last loop died... and the me from the loop before that, and the loop before that... I'm not some running gag character who always dies, so why does it keep happening? That's why I thought of this. If I gather a bunch of useful lackeys, maybe I won't die this time? Yes, gathering strong people like you. Well... if I still die, there's nothing I can do, but I should at least try."
Words that made it impossible to deny reality any longer followed. Hiding behind a tree that was on the verge of collapsing, its roots exposed from the aftermath of the battle, I tried to steady my ragged breathing. Cold sweat drenched my back. My mind was already a tangled mess, but now I felt downright dizzy.
A loop? The last loop? And she died? But Astaroth is standing right there, perfectly fine. She died every time...? She doesn't mean she died just once; she means she has died countless times.
...Oh my god. I wanted to dismiss it as a joke. Astaroth was a playful girl, so I wanted to believe she was lying on purpose just to mock us. But if everything she said was true, then the current situation finally made sense. I had thought it was strange all along. Why had Astaroth appeared before the protagonist so early?
Originally, it was supposed to be winter. A day when white snow fell. Dyeing a world blanketed in pure white with crimson, Astaroth was supposed to make her grand debut. The first Main. A transcendent being ranking above the Magic Beasts, which were living disasters themselves. Her appearance was the catalyst that sent the story of Dawn Swordsman into a rapid spiral.
It was months too early. Summer hadn't even arrived yet; the chilly air of spring still lingered. The reason she began her activities so much earlier than in the novel... was because she knew the future? Did she attack Class 1-A to change the demise she met in her previous loop? But even if that were the case, there was something fishy about—
"I'll ask again. Do you like masks?"
My train of thought was cut short. Startled, I peeked out from behind the tree. In Astaroth's hand was the Red Fox Mask. Her pulling that out made her intentions crystal clear. She had taken a liking to Angelica. The mask was a symbol of her malicious possessiveness. Disregarding the other party's will entirely, she collected the people she liked as if they were mere items.
In the 'original work,' she tried to use that to control Yujin, and she had successfully controlled Aris, that cute little chick. Fortunately, Aris had split personalities, allowing her to exploit a loophole in the brainwashing and escape, but Angelica didn't have that luxury. Since she was an Awakened, she might be able to resist. She could probably hold out for a few days. But eventually, she would degenerate into Astaroth's plaything.
I can't let that happen! Angelica was an excellent mentor who protected the students of Class 1-A from external threats and guided them so they wouldn't stray from the right path. It was thanks to her help that the Golden Generation could blossom their talents and achieve revolutionary growth. I couldn't let her be taken by Astaroth like this...
"Oh? We have a little rat here."
My arm was severed. The tilting tree, on the verge of falling, was cleanly sliced in half as if cut by a saw, and my forearm was sliced right along with it. If a shiver hadn't run down my spine, prompting me to hastily duck, it wouldn't have been my arm—my head would have been chopped off again. Isn't she a bit too obsessed with decapitation? Though I guess I'm not one to talk!
"Lucia?"
Angelica recognized me, her eyes widening in shock. Unable to answer, I furrowed my brows and snatched my severed arm. For someone like me, whose hobby was self-dismemberment, reattaching an arm was a piece of cake. I quickly fused the arm back on with Super Regeneration.
"I wondered who it was, and it's you! You're still alive."
Astaroth spoke, twirling the parasol she had just swung. She leaned her head forward slightly and stared at me. It was hard to tell where her gaze was directed because of the mask, but she seemed to be looking at my severed arm.
"Regeneration. I see. So that was your ability. That's why you're still... alive even after having your head cut off? Most regenerators usually die when their heads are severed...? How are you still breathing?"
Lucia's ability isn't just regeneration. It's Super Regeneration. Do you think they put 'Super' in front of it for no reason? It's one of the absolute best among all healing abilities.
"It's a decent ability. A good power. You're still young, with plenty of room to grow. Quite tempting."
She toyed with the mask in her hand, looking back and forth between Angelica and me. Letting out a thoughtful hum as if contemplating, Astaroth sighed and said, "What a shame. I only have one mask left right now. If I'd known, I would have saved a few more."
"...What happens if someone puts on that mask?"
I asked, just in case, even though I already knew. I couldn't trust the information from the novel blindly anymore. Now that variables had popped up, blind faith was out of the question.
"Curious? Hehe, alright. I'll tell you."
Astaroth chuckled, showing off the mask. "It's woven from my own flesh and blood. A part of my body. If you wear this, you see, you'll grow to loooove me so much. You'll want to obey my every word and do absolutely anything for me."
"So you become your slave."
"That's a bit harsh. You become my friend."
At least the information about the mask was consistent. In that case... the way to break it would be the same as in the novel, right? Having a split personality, possessing a transcendentally strong will, or breaking the mask.
"I have a request."
I swallowed hard. My heart began to race. The story of Dawn Swordsman was still in its early stages. I had no idea what the future held now, but if there was one thing I was sure of, it was that I couldn't afford to lose Angelica yet.
"If you're going to use that mask, don't use it on Teacher. Use it on me."
"Lucia?!"
Angelica called my name in utter bewilderment. Please don't look at me like that, Teacher. I'm not just sacrificing myself blindly. I have a plan.
"Huh? Seriously?"
Astaroth scoffed. "You're interesting too, but right now, I like this big sister much more. If I'm going to gift a mask, I'd rather give it to her than to you."
Well, that made sense. It was only natural that she would covet Angelica, who was close to a god, over someone like me who only had regeneration. Moreover, Astaroth was currently trying to expand her forces to avoid her impending death in the future. She would definitely prefer someone with high combat power.
"You said to raise my hand if I had any complaints, right? That you'd exchange it for something else."
"Hmm?"
"I raised my hand. You saw it, didn't you?"
When she cut off my head as a 'gift,' Astaroth had told me to raise my hand if I didn't like it, and she would exchange it for something else. Of course, she hadn't said that expecting me to actually raise my hand. It was just to mock me. But I did raise my hand. So she had to exchange the gift. Right?
"The gift you're giving me. I want it to be that mask."
I wasn't exactly trying to sacrifice myself in her place. I couldn't lose Angelica, but I couldn't lose myself either. After all, I was the heroine, right? A key character. Maybe even more important than Angelica. Looking at the current situation, I figured this was the best option.
If Angelica wore the mask and ended up controlled, it would be a massive headache. She was strong—top-tier among the heroes. In other words, there weren't many heroes who could stand against her. On top of that, wearing the mask exponentially boosted one's abilities. If Angelica, an Awakened, became far stronger than she already was and fell to the level of a brainwashed minion obeying Astaroth's orders... the collateral damage would be catastrophic.
But I was different. I wasn't as strong as her. Even if the mask's power boosted me, I would still be weaker than Angelica. And the brainwashing would break once the mask was destroyed. Even if I got brainwashed, there were plenty of people who could break the mask for me. Active heroes could easily subdue me. And since I had Super Regeneration, they wouldn't even need to hold back. Yes, this was the best option. No, the second-best option. It's absolutely not because I want to become Astaroth's slave. I haven't thought about wanting to be her doormat even for a single second!
"Isn't a gift up to the giver's whim?"
"The recipient's feelings are important too."
There was no reason for Astaroth to grant my request. Since I wasn't as strong as Angelica, my priority was far lower. The only reason she showed any interest in me was because of my extraordinary regeneration. Nothing more, nothing less.
In the first place, the one holding the absolute upper hand here was none other than Astaroth. If she really wanted me too, she had plenty of ways to go about it. She could just put the mask on Angelica to enslave her, then chop off my head so I'd fit easily inside her parasol and take me along. She could always make more masks later. So she had absolutely no reason to listen to my request. Nobody wants to take a loss, right? If I wanted to ask for a concession in a situation like this, I had to show a corresponding level of sincerity.
"So..."
I bit my lip as if trying to hide my fear. I did my best to put on the most pitiful expression possible. Unable to look directly at Astaroth, I cast my gaze downward. My trembling knees gave out. Supporting my body with my hands, I slammed my head onto the ground with a dull thud. A sharp pain flared up, as if my forehead had split open.
"I... beg of you..."
My pathetic, shivering body wasn't entirely an act. Astaroth's overwhelming pressure felt like a noose tightening around my neck, and the current situation was genuinely terrifying. A scream threatened to burst from my throat at a turn of events that had completely derailed my expectations. Everything was a mess. There were too many things I didn't know, and too many things I couldn't do.
"Please... I'll... I'll become your s-slave... so..."
But I feel strangely good. My heart is pounding, but in a completely different way than from fear. I shouldn't be like this... I know I shouldn't... He... He-het... I think my switch is about to be flipped.
"I'll do... absolutely anything... so please... let Teacher... go..."
The fresh scent of soil filled my nose. I couldn't see because my head was bowed, but I could tell. She was looking at me. She was looking at Lucia... groveling so abjectly. The back of my neck flushed hot. I could feel my earlobes burning red.
"Lucia... what on earth are you saying?!"
Unable to watch any longer, Angelica roared. Teacher, your body is in no condition to be shouting like that. Your blue tracksuit jacket has turned completely crimson. It'll be a disaster if your wounds reopen, you know? You don't have Super Regeneration like Lucia does, Teacher.
"Don't beg to a monster like this! Raise your head! Don't worry, I will protect you...!"
Eu-he, what a bluff. The match is clearly already over. A blood-drenched Teacher Angelica versus a perfectly unscathed Astaroth. The outcome is obvious, isn't it? Still, I expected you to say something like that. Since you care so deeply for your students, seeing your disciple perform a dogeza and beg for your life right in front of you would drive you crazy. Thank you for playing right into my hands.
"...Pfft."
It was a sweet, sing-song giggle. A tickling laugh that seemed to scratch gently at the ears. It sounded like pure mockery.
"How amusing."
Step. Footsteps echoed. A leisurely pace, neither fast nor slow, drawing closer.
"Stop!"
Angelica shouted. It seemed she tried to step in to block Astaroth from approaching me, but the footsteps didn't falter for a second. With my head bowed, I couldn't see what was happening in front of me at all. However, I could guess based on the sounds. Angelica had likely been blown away in a single blow. It was only natural. People get weaker when they're injured. Judging by the sheer volume of blood she had spilled, Angelica's injuries were incredibly severe. A normal person would have died long ago. There was no way she could fight Astaroth in that state.
"Ngh..."
My head was violently yanked upward by my hair. Ow... it feels like my scalp is going to tear. As I lifted my head with teary eyes, Astaroth was pulling my hair while looking down at Angelica, who lay collapsed on the ground.
"What a truly good child. Don't you think so?"
"Stop..."
Oh dear, Teacher. Your leg is broken. That must hurt. She definitely did it on purpose. Astaroth was someone who always chased interest and amusement. And that amusement naturally included a sadistic streak. Harming a disciple right before their master's eyes—what a delightful little game. I was worried what would happen if the roles were reversed, but Angelica's intense reaction saved the day. Thank you so much, Teacher. Yes, you're the best audience. You have to watch closely... as I get broken, okay?
"I surrender to your disciple's absolute devotion. Your name was Lucia, right?"
"Ugh... didn't you hear me... to stop?!"
Her dominion over the earth. Angelica poured her remaining soul into attacking Astaroth, but she couldn't win even at full strength; what difference would it make now? Astaroth threw her parasol. *Thud!* It pierced straight through the back of Angelica's outstretched hand, pinning it to the ground. At the same time, the earth, which had been shaking as if an earthquake had struck, lost its power and fell quiet.
"Watch closely, big sister. This is what happens when you're weak. You can't do anything. Even if there's something you want to protect, it gets snatched away... right before your eyes."
A hand caressed my cheek. When I flinched and shuddered, the girl burst into a fit of giggles.
"So if you hate this, get stronger. Make sure you've grown more the next time we meet."
That way, you'll taste much better when it's time to harvest. She whispered the last part into my ear, out of Angelica's hearing range.
I stared at Astaroth with wide eyes. What should I say here? "This isn't what we agreed on"? No... she didn't technically break any promise. I didn't ask her not to touch Teacher; I asked her to let her go. Then what line would make the biggest impact? Hmm, alright. Decided. I opened my mouth to deliver the line I had prepared.
"...Ah."
It was in vain. Before I could even speak, the Red Fox Mask was brought right before my face. Unlike its ordinary exterior, the inside of the mask was packed with squelching, writhing chunks of flesh. Just looking at it sent shivers down my spine. A horrific stench of blood filled the air.
"It might hurt a little."
Thump, thump. My heart pounded frantically.
"Hehe, just kidding."
Perhaps misinterpreting my pupils, which were trembling with anticipation, Astaroth spoke in a sweet, reassuring voice.
"Actually, it's going to hurt a lot."
The mask was pressed onto my face. The writhing flesh squirmed and crawled over my skin.
"Wha... wait, no, s-stop... please, ah, aaah, AAAAAHHHHHHHH...!!"
Yeah. This... hurts like hell.