Regression #3
Las hated handsome men.
To be precise, she hated handsome men who brimmed with confidence.
It was only natural that Loras’s skull burst and he died.
Tsk—.
Even so, she had tried to spare him once, only for the bastard to grab little Paulo as a hostage and make a complete spectacle of himself.
Anyway.
With that, I somehow managed to save Paulo and Galatea’s lives.
Paulo’s role was to be released with the clear message: You’ve lived through something this horrific, so every day ahead of you will be hell itself. Live the rest of your life trembling in fear. And while you tremble, spread the word— that the Great Sin Seats have arrived—.
And Galatea was….
“Auuugh, m-my body has writing on iiiit….”
In that moment Galatea became a living book.
More precisely, a living erotic novel.
Las loved the ‘books’ I wrote, so she would never try to kill Galatea now that the girl had become a book herself.
Thus Paulo and Galatea.
I had saved the lives of two innocent people.
In exchange for my own sins!
This fucking— I swore I’d never wear the mask again!
I swore I’d never write another erotic novel!
But what choice did I have?
This was the only way to stop a furious Las.
The fact that she even listened to me and cooled her rage enough for conversation was a miracle among miracles.
Time to wrap this up roughly and head back—.
Just as I thought that, a far bigger problem appeared.
“You people— just what in the world do you think you’re doing!”
She was a woman whose red hair streamed like living flame.
Her blue eyes were wide with shock, yet the fierce light of justice still burned in them.
Psyche!
How could I ever forget the face I woke up beside every morning!
Why on earth was Psyche here?
In this hellish place.
And alone, no less.
Truthfully, Psyche was exactly that kind of woman.
A woman who could never ignore injustice, who would charge into hell itself if she had to, alone.
That was why I had fallen for her.
The problem was that Las, who had only just calmed down, took one look at Psyche and started getting angry all over again.
“Who the hell is that bitch? Perfect. I was a little short on people to vent on anyway.”
Crack—.
The sound of Las cracking her knuckles sent a chill down my spine.
If Psyche died by Las’s hand here, I would—
This fucking— no choice.
“Las. Leave that woman to me.”
“Oh? You? And how exactly are you going to handle her?”
How, she asks—
I actually knew how to handle Psyche better than Las ever could.
Just as Psyche had cornered me time and again—
I had cornered Psyche just as many times.
I stepped between them so Las couldn’t charge and snap that slender neck with those monstrous hands.
Then, toward Psyche, in a voice I had modulated as far from my own as possible, choosing words and a tone the sincere, devout believer Hyde would never in a lifetime use, I spoke!
“Psyche, you cunt bitch! Why the hell are you here? This isn’t a place for a two-faced slut like you. Get the fuck out!”
“What? Wh-what did you just say? Cunt… bitch? What does that even mean? I don’t know the meaning, but it’s clearly horribly blasphemous language…!”
That was right.
In this world the words ‘cunt’ and ‘dick’ did not yet exist.
The church that preached piety had been so strong that every vulgar term for male and female genitalia had been burned out of existence.
Just then Psyche’s eyes locked on something in my hand and she flinched hard.
“Th-that’s the wedding anniversary gift I gave my husband Hyde! That quill pen! Why do you have it…!? You people— what did you do to my husband Hyde!”
The quill pen.
It was the very one from the day Psyche had asked, “How many angels can dance on the tip of a quill?” She had given it to me as a wedding gift.
Seeing it in the hand of a masked man clearly shocked her.
“I’m asking what you did to my husband Hyde! Hyde! Hyde, where are you! It’s me, Psyche! Hyde! If you’re here, shout!”
Shing—.
Psyche drew her sword.
I answered her calmly.
“Your husband Hyde can’t answer. That bastard is dead. Psyche, isn’t that better for you too? He was nothing but a bothersome political-marriage husband anyway.”
“That’s not true! Hyde is my precious family!”
“Lies just pour out the second you open your mouth! You say that, but you never even spent the wedding night with him, did you? Can two people who’ve never mixed their bodies really call themselves husband and wife!? Be honest. Do you even love that man?”
“Hyde and I love each other deeply— spiritually! That makes us husband and wife! And my husband Hyde is nothing like a lewd, blasphemous man like you—! Don’t you dare insult him with your filthy standards! Hyde! Where are you!”
“No. Men are all the same in the end. The ones who wrap themselves up as pious, sincere believers are always the ones with the filthiest secrets. Your husband Hyde was probably the same. In the end he must have watched those lewd breasts of yours jiggle and thought about grabbing them. That thought must have been the only thing in his head! I know. Hahahaha!”
“That’s not true! Don’t you insult my husband Hyde!”
“I’m not insulting him. Virgin Psyche. Every man wants your virginity. That Hyde bastard is no different. Inside his head all he ever thinks about is piercing your hymen—”
“You— I will never forgive you!”
Whoosh—!
At last Psyche charged at me with her sword.
She was hot-tempered in every way.
She took after Count Doban, no doubt.
I had expected her to lose her temper after the war of words, so I leisurely reached out.
Just like this I would use Rust’s Hell Punishment No. 22, 「Milk Jug Squeeze」, and firmly grab Psyche’s breasts—
Then Psyche, whose chest was her weak point, would as always cry “Kyaa!” in flustered panic—
And in that opening I would, as always, run for my life…!
I know!
Grabbing a woman’s breasts without permission is wrong!
But right now I’m her husband!
Who am I suffering all this for— can’t I touch my own wife’s chest a little? Huh!? Even the Lord would forgive this one, right!?
“Oops— as expected, your opponent is me!”
At that exact moment.
Swoosh—.
Grab.
Las shot forward and seized the blade of Psyche’s longsword with her bare hand.
Bare-handed!
“You— if you don’t let go of this sword right now, every one of your fingers will be cut off!”
“Try it.”
Griiiip—.
Las clamped the longsword like a mechanical vise.
Even Psyche looked thoroughly rattled.
“Th-this strength—”
“I am Las of Wrath!”
Crunch, crack, snap—!
At last the longsword shattered in Psyche’s grip.
Crushing an iron blade with raw hand strength alone.
Las, you monster of a woman.
The situation had turned completely against Psyche.
If this continued, Las’s fist would punch straight through her skull.
I could not simply stand by and watch my wife die.
I decided to cut a deal.
“Virgin Psyche, withdraw.”
“Hyde! I will never withdraw until I find him.”
Swoosh—.
I raised one finger.
And commanded again.
“Psyche, withdraw.”
“I will not withdraw! Hyde! You must be alive somewhere! You’re not the kind of man who dies like this! My husband Hyde! Where are you!”
Psyche was calling out desperately for a man she had only held hands with once, as if he were a lover of a thousand years.
I almost wanted to answer in his place.
But I could not answer.
If—
—If Psyche realized here that I was that ‘Hyde’?
—Hyde, I’m so disappointed in you! Go die outside!
She might cut my throat out of pure, extreme disappointment.
Absolutely not.
My identity must never, ever be discovered by Psyche!
“Hurry and hand over my husband Hyde, you Eros!”
What the hell is Eros supposed to mean.
An erotic man, I guess.
Even the daughter of a count family used swear words in a strangely antique way.
Just then—
Waaaaaah—!
A great roar rose and soldiers came pouring into the cult base.
The Agarpe family forces had arrived.
“Psyche! Where is my daughter Psyche!”
“Save the young lady!”
“Drive out the heretics and rescue the survivors!”
What perfect timing.
Battles with Psyche always ended up feeling like this.
“Good! Let’s fight until every last one of us is dead!”
Las clenched her fists—
I spoke to her.
“Las, retreat.”
“Why? Just when I finally get to go wild! Agarpe’s Psyche is right in front of my eyes and you tell me to retreat? Say one more boring thing and I’ll crush your balls too!”
Why retreat?
If this bitch didn’t pull back right now, more than half the Agarpe soldiers would be wiped out!
The family’s finances were already in bad shape.
Of course I couldn’t say that honestly, so I had to spin something with my head.
“Las, didn’t you say you wanted to see a great flame? If I get even a little injured or die here, my plan falls apart.”
“Plan?”
“Yes. I have a big plan. Don’t you want to see what becomes of this world? So save me. Break the encirclement so I can escape!”
First I have to get out of here!
Las looked back and forth between the oncoming soldiers and me, then nodded.
“If it’s a boring plan, you’ll die by my hand.”
I turned and fled.
Where did I go—
Straight to the sewage pipe in the garbage dump.
I tore off the mask and crawled hard through the filth.
“…This fucking— surviving is enough. I won. I won.”
“Did you hear? The knights who went to suppress the Crescent Moon Sisterhood all died.”
“Those knights? So the rumor that the Great Sin Seat of Wrath appeared was true after all.”
“Lady Psyche and the Agarpe soldiers barely managed to drive them off, they say.”
Two days after I had crawled through that sewage pipe.
Even though the stench of filth had finally left my body, people were still talking endlessly about that day.
I asked the servants.
“Has Oscar Archibold’s corpse been found?”
“It was in a truly wretched state, they say. Only the face was barely recognizable. More than that, Hyde— is it true that while everyone was dying you were hiding like a coward inside a shit barrel?”
“I wouldn’t call it cowardice—. There was a Great Sin Seat who tears plate armor like paper. Just surviving is remarkable enough. The smell is a bit foul, though.”
Even after scrubbing myself clean with soap, the sewage-pipe stench still clung to me.
Anyway.
The Agarpe territory was reeling in shock and terror at the appearance of a new Great Sin Seat.
And my beloved Psyche?
“……”
I somehow felt too ashamed to look her in the face.
That was why I had suggested separate rooms under the excuse of the lingering sewage smell.
Psyche was at the soldiers’ training ground with Doban, deep in serious conversation.
“Great Sin Seat Las was a terrifying woman. The strength to crush my sword as if it were hardened sugar…. Father, I need a bigger weapon. Give me the family treasured sword 「Agarpe」.”
“Daughter, isn’t that weapon too large for you? Your body still hasn’t fully recovered from the aftereffects of two years of illness.”
“I need that much. The problem isn’t only Great Sin Seat Las. The truly terrifying one was the man wearing a mask with a cross painted in red blood. Even now, when I think of him—”
Psyche trembled as if the memory alone filled her with dread.
Doban sighed at the sight of his daughter.
“A man more terrifying than the one who calls herself Great Sin Seat Las. It’s frightening that such beings are near our Agarpe territory. More than that— your husband is coming this way.”
“Hyde!”
Psyche ran straight toward me.
Her F-cup breasts bounced heavily with every step.
No— why am I even noticing that?
Anyway.
“Hyde, is your body fully recovered? I’m so happy you’re alive! That place was hell itself. It wouldn’t have been strange if anyone had died…!”
“Thanks to your worry and your prayers, my condition has improved greatly. More than that— you were speaking of a strange man. There was no such person until the moment I hid.”
Me, the one who had worn the mask.
I asked carefully, afraid she might somehow connect him to me.
I needed to know how much she had already pieced together.
Psyche answered at once.
“His height was similar to yours.”
“To mine?”
Chilling goosebumps rose along my skin.
My six-foot frame was quite tall in this world— unique enough to stand out.
Was she going to identify me by height alone?
Just as my legs began to weaken with dread, Psyche frowned and raised her voice.
“Except for the height, he was the worst man imaginable— nothing like you, Hyde! Especially that lower body… and how vulgar his speech was! He— he called me a cu… bitch!”
“A cu-bitch?”
“An extremely filthy word! It’s a word that appears in the evil story written on Galatea’s body. I want to wash my ears out! I’ve never met such a terrible man!”
Galatea.
The Gwichukdo written across her skin.
The moment it came to mind, my vision swam.
“Where is Galatea now?”
“She’s currently under our family’s care for treatment. I don’t know if it’s because the cultists’ brainwashing is too strong, but she isn’t improving at all. Hyde, would you come look at her with me?”
I followed her to where Galatea was being kept.
It was the underground dungeon of the Agarpe mansion.
Why lock a patient in a dungeon?
I soon understood the reason.
“You damn bastards! How dare you erase the scripture He wrote upon my body as you please! I curse you all! Lord Rust— He who is the protagonist of the Gwichukdo is my true Lord—! Lord Ruuuust!”
I’m going to lose my mind.
Heavenly Punishment Knight Galatea was completely broken.
Utterly. These wicked cultist bastards!
As my vision spun at the sight, Psyche spoke.
“Before we erased the blood tattoos, I examined every word. A man named Rust— Lust— born after killing his own parents. That must be the name of the man who commits beastly acts too foul to speak of.”
“Lust….”
“Yes…! The name of the beast who hid behind that mask and insulted and desecrated both you and me is certain…! And if my prediction is correct, this entire Crescent Moon Sisterhood incident was all his plan…!”
“……”
“I must capture that Rust and deliver him to the Inquisition. Hyde— I swear it upon the honor of you, my husband. So please support me…!”
Psyche tightly clasped my hand.
“Hyde, while I was searching for you in the sisterhood’s base, I felt it. If you’re with me… I think I can push myself a little harder.”
It was more proactive skinship than she had ever shown before, and my heart pounded unusually hard.
Asking me for support so she could catch me!
Just then the entire Agarpe territory grew noisy.
“What’s happening?”
Psyche asked.
Doban answered.
“It seems people from the Archibold family have arrived to recover Oscar’s corpse. Milione Archibold herself has come in person.”