Chapter 117. Black Wedding (3)
Chapter 117. Black Wedding (3)
-O, Ox that Harvests Ruins....
Golden Thread Plum prayed in anguish.
-Grant me... grant me a new blessing, please!
Humans shrink when cornered. The scope of a person's mind and thoughts narrows rapidly. That is why humans can flee, or desperately cling to someone. Golden Thread Plum was no different.
-I-in return... that's right. In return, I'll offer my very existence! No, I'll turn this world into a complete wreck, just as you desire! Ruins! Smash! Destruction! Isn't that what you love, Mutia?! I'm good at it! That kind of thing!
Step. I took a step forward.
-Hik.
Golden Thread Plum grew more frantic at the sound of my footsteps. She stumbled backward. Backing away, she looked up at the crimson sunset as if salvation would descend at any moment.
-I'm good at it, Mutia! When it comes to smashing things, I really am......!
But there was no answer.
-This is.
Her prayer quickly soured into resentment.
-This is a breach of contract!
I took another step closer.
-You said you'd give me the power to forge a new destiny! Then why! Why is some crazy bitch inside my body?! Give it back! Give me back my body!
"Ah, your wording is incorrect."
Heretic Questioner said brightly.
"If you happen to be referring to me, I apologize, but my physical sex is male! Therefore, your statement is wrong! I should be called not a [crazy bitch] but a [crazy bastard]. Hmm. If I may recommend a healthier mode of speech, correcting it to [a person who has lost their senses] would be preferable! A healthy mind dwells in healthy language, Miss Evanail!"
-You fucking bastard!
Lady Golden Thread Plum, the baron's daughter—no. Sylvia Evanail screamed.
-It's wrong! Yes, it's wrong! It's a breach of contract... I have the right to become empress. I'm going to rise to a position greater than Raviel Ivansia. That's the plan! It's destiny. A destiny I made! So... so, it's a breach of contract, and... I.
One more step.
-Ugh!
Only then did Sylvia Evanail tear her eyes from the sky. Because I had drawn too close to ignore now.
-You monster!
Sylvia Evanail swung her hammer. Clang! The iron hammer clashed against the holy sword. Sylvia Evanail brought the hammer down wildly, and I deflected her attacks easily as I stepped forward. The more her attacks went astray, the more agitated Sylvia Evanail became.
An agitated mind was easy to break.
-Ah.
I seized the opening when Sylvia Evanail swung her hammer wide. I cut her wrist.
-Aaaaaaah!
Naturally, there was no wound. No bloodstains, no blood, no red of any kind to evidence pain, yet Sylvia Evanail screamed as if being torn apart.
She dropped the hammer. Thud! The iron hammer struck the ground with a heavy sound.
-Ah, uh... uhh.......
I met Sylvia Evanail's eyes. The dust that rose when the hammer fell clung to both our knees.
"Choose."
-Ch-choose......?
"You've already lost your place in this world. Even if you run away now, you are no longer [Lady Golden Thread Plum, the baron's daughter]. You're nothing but an apostle of a Constellation."
-.......
"I'll give you a chance."
Sylvia Evanail glared at me, clutching her wrist.
"If you want to remain a Constellation's pawn, do as you please. Run. I'll let you go. But if you still have lingering attachment to this world, if you want to stay here and do something more—then give up the Constellation's blessing you've wrapped around yourself."
-Why would I.......
"And die by my sword."
I leveled my blade.
"You saw the battle just now. I can summon those who die by my hand. With their memories from life fully intact. Sylvia Evanail. If you surrender willingly, I will summon you into this world so that you can live once more as [Lady Golden Thread Plum, the baron's daughter]."
-.......
"Of course, it won't be exactly the same life as before. Any hostile action against my beloved, Raviel Ivansia, is forbidden. But that's all. The rest is up to you. Marry the crown prince or don't—live as you please."
-Why.......
"Because a life ought to be lived again."
The sunset was now adding violet to its red. In the Empire, a wedding lasted from when the sunset began to fall until it faded. I estimated there were no more than thirty minutes left.
-How... how can I trust you? What if you make me your summon and use me like a slave? I wouldn't be able to rebel or resist.
"Think."
I looked at Sylvia Evanail.
"Why, of all people, 'you' and 'your butler' were chosen as possession vessels."
-Huh?
"You offered everything to the Constellation. To have your wish granted. Your memories and your body—everything was handed over to the Constellation. And so the place you occupied in this world became a void."
A void that anyone could occupy, that anyone could fill.
That must be why [Shut-In Librarian] was able to possess Heretic Questioner and me.
"I can understand why your place became empty."
However.
"Have you ever thought about why your butler became a void?"
-.......
Sylvia Evanail's eyes widened.
"I don't know the full details either. But I have been a butler once. I immersed myself completely in the butler's life. What I realized then was that this man was utterly devoted to you. Sylvia Evanail."
I had inferred from that point.
"I guarantee you, even if you had become empress of the Empire, you would never have been happy."
-What......?
"You said it yourself. You don't want to become empress because you love the crown prince—you want it because you want to outshine Raviel. Do you think your life would have gone well if you'd become empress that way?"
I shook my head.
"You're quite capable. But not as capable as Raviel. You don't have the power and dignity of the house Raviel was born into. You don't have Raviel's ability to manipulate and command a crowd. Even if you'd become empress, people would have endlessly compared you to Raviel and torn you down."
-.......
"For the rest of your life."
Suppose.
Suppose there was a butler.
That butler watched his mistress suffer her entire life.
"The butler I know is a man who would gladly sacrifice everything to save you."
The butler must have thought:
[If only Lady Golden Thread Plum hadn't become empress, she would have been happy.]
"That is what I believe."
-The butler... my butler, he regressed?
"No."
The butler was not a regressor.
"You made a wish for yourself. But the butler didn't. The butler made a wish for you. He didn't wish to turn back his own life—he only wished for you to go back."
-What are you talking about......?
"Do you remember the butler's name?"
-Haah?
Sylvia Evanail furrowed her brow.
-Of course I do. My butler's name is.......
However.
-...Huh?
Sylvia Evanail could not say the name. She furrowed her brow further. A moment later, the furrow relaxed. Sylvia Evanail stared into empty air, flustered.
-W-wait. This can't be. Ah? ...Ah? Uhh......?
I watched Sylvia Evanail calmly.
That's right.
In this world, the butler had never once been called by name.
Sylvia Evanail had never called the butler by name either. He was her only attendant and childhood friend, yet she had only ever called him 'butler.' Even in moments when they were alone in a room, when there was no need for formality.
『Butler.』
Raviel Ivansia had never called the butler by name either. Even though she held all the Empire's information in her grasp, and therefore could not possibly be ignorant of the close aide to Lady Golden Thread Plum, the baron's daughter.
『Butler.』
The one I had possessed.
The baron's daughter's servant had had his name erased from this world.
Because he had truly offered everything to the Constellation.
I, too.
Even I, who had fully immersed myself in the butler, did not know his name.
I could not remember it, could not recall it.
-.......
Sylvia Evanail's expression crumbled.
-Then, what......?
Like a solidly built tower collapsing from the top.
-The butler... just disappeared entirely?
"Yes."
Most likely.
This world had regressed three times.
First, Sylvia Evanail wished upon a Constellation for regression.
The Constellation that granted her wish was [Ox that Harvests Ruins].
This Constellation, said to preside over destruction and re-creation, granted Sylvia Evanail one more life.
Sylvia Evanail surpassed Raviel and became empress.
Next, the 'butler' wished upon another Constellation for regression.
The Constellation that granted his wish was... unknown.
The butler offered everything he had for Golden Thread Plum, and as a result, this world returned to the past once more. To a time before Lady Golden Thread Plum, the baron's daughter, married the crown prince. To a past where nothing had yet been decided.
Lastly, Raviel caused a regression.
The Constellation that granted her wish was a fragment of [Goddess of Protection].
As a result of this regression, the world was trapped in ten endlessly repeating days.
And so we arrive at the present.
"We can never know the butler's name. Forever."
-.......
"What was in the butler's heart as he served at your side through your life? What thoughts drove him to pray for regression while sacrificing everything he had? We cannot know. Because he is gone."
But.
"The butler would have wanted you to live a different life."
And therefore.
"I want to grant the butler's wish."
-.......
"Sylvia Evanail. Somewhere you don't know, someone whose name you can never know sacrificed himself for you alone. The person who loved you more than anyone, who wanted to be with you more than anyone, gave up everything."
That was how a nameless butler loved.
"Live again."
It probably wasn't too late.
"Live again, as that person wished."
Sylvia Evanail said nothing.
Her hands trembled. Her lips quivered. Her throat worked. A life was convulsing there. A cursed life. And yet—how cruel it was that someone wished for you to live, that someone once had.
-.......
Sylvia Evanail slowly lowered her head. She no longer had the strength to look straight ahead.
Slowly, light began to seep from her entire body.
The Constellation's blessing was being released.
"Good."
I raised my sword high.
I released the Sword of Compassion and called forth the Sword of Idolatry once more.
The sunset blazed red.
My sword's shadow stretched long across the ground.
The shadow swung the sword.
[The apostle of 'Ox that Harvests Ruins' is annihilated.]
The sun set.
All the apostles of the other world had been subjugated.
The beings that had threatened this world were gone.
[Stage clear.]
A voice announcing it rang out.
A voice that, in this place, only Heretic Questioner and I could probably hear.
[Today.]
[The 25th-floor stage has been cleared.]
It was the Tower's voice.
[Announcing to everyone once more.]
[Today, the 25th-floor stage has been cleared.]
[Measuring clear participants.]
[Measurement complete.]
[Announcing the 3 clearers.]
People began to stir awake. Agwi, the cultists, the wedding guests. Those who had been caught in the apostle's song and fallen into dreams rose one by one.
"Ugh......."
"What in the world happened......?"
Text floated above those people.
+
[Clear Contribution Rankings]
1st. Death King (死王)
2nd. Heretic Questioner (異端審問官)
3rd. None
+
"......."
I stared at the text without a word.
The number of people deployed to this stage was two.
The hunters sent by [Shut-In Librarian] were Heretic Questioner and me—that was all.
But the Tower listed three clearers.
'None.'
The third clearer, who could not possibly exist, had no name displayed.
I gazed up at the empty air for a long while.
"Hmm."
Raviel came to my side and took my hand. We leaned against each other's shoulders. Then Raviel slowly looked around at the guests.
"He is my husband and the consort of the Ivansia Ducal House."
The guests, just waking from their dreams, stared blankly at Raviel and me.
"Is there anyone who opposes this marriage?"
No one could speak.
There must have been those who harbored discontent. There must have been those who would have objected. But all of it had become a thing of the past.
The mere appearance of beings from another world was earth-shattering. Moreover, the guests had witnessed me defeating those beings with their own eyes.
The guests kept their mouths shut and, by their silence, consented to Raviel's words.
"Good."
The very person who had chosen today as the wedding day precisely for this.
Raviel, my bride, nodded deeply.
"I declare that the marriage between this man and me has been duly solemnized."