The Bitter Cup
I drank. And drank again. Before long, one entire bottle of wine had been emptied, and even the fresh one I had the maid bring out was drained to the bottom. Yet our cups never rested; they were filled once more, passed again. I drank, and drank still more.
In truth, I had already confirmed beforehand that my body would not become intoxicated no matter how much I consumed, so there was no issue on my end. The problem was Gini Luxury.
Even if she felt she could drink no more, she could not possibly refuse the wine offered by me, the Cezar. Whether she wanted it or not, she had no choice but to keep accepting and keep drinking. Was this what they called abuse of authority? It had once been wrong, but now it was only right. A sweet taste for me, a bitter one for her? So what? I was in a position where I could do exactly that.
And so the cups were filled and emptied, emptied and filled again, in a seat that was sweet to me and bitter to Gini Luxury. In the end, it was she who collapsed.
“C-Cezar… any more than this…”
“I-I am truly sorry, but… urp—!”
Gini Luxury could not even finish the words she wished to speak. She clutched the cumbersome hem of her skirt with one hand, lifting it high, and hurried off toward somewhere. That was probably the last scrap of her pride, or perhaps the last remnant of her courtesy—the desire not to show me her disgraceful state. Whatever it was, it was a truly pathetic pride and a laughably shallow courtesy.
If she had vomited right in front of me, that too would have given me another leash with which to bind her. Still, that did not mean I viewed her current behavior any more favorably.
Thinking that the plan I had obtained from Anima was proceeding rather successfully, I strolled leisurely toward the place Gini Luxury had fled. There I found a bathroom I had not even known existed in this palace. It was impeccably clean and gave off a scent so pleasant one could hardly believe it was a restroom.
Inside, Gini Luxury was on her knees before the pure-white toilet, clutching its rim and retching violently—“Urrk… urk!”—emptying everything within her. I quietly approached from behind, gently stroking the exposed skin of her back where her dress dipped low, and spoke.
“Urrk… C-Cezar? T-that is… urk!”
It was clear she wanted to repeat over and over that it was not so, that it was absolutely not the case. Yet her body refused to allow such words; another wave of nausea silenced even her excuses.
“C-Cezar… I beg your mercy, I beg your mercy.”
“That is…”
“No, no, that is not it at all. It is absolutely not.”
“That is… that is…”
Gini Luxury could not continue. Her trembling eyes betrayed her completely as she stammered in helpless confusion. I seized her pallid face with one hand, lifted it, and forced her gaze to meet mine before continuing.
“N-no! Please have mercy. How could this humble subject ever harbor such a thought?”
“That is correct. My respect for the Cezar is sincere. It is not that I found the wine you bestowed repulsive and vomited it out—only that this subject is so lacking she could not properly receive your grace.”
“……”
It was a slightly spiteful remark. But as the saying goes, an idle stone can kill a frog. Gini Luxury looked like a death-row prisoner awaiting execution, her face drained of all hope. She seemed as though the slightest touch would make her burst into tears.
“C-Cezar… Your mercy is boundless. I am overwhelmed with gratitude.”
“Y-yes? T-that is correct. This subject… this subject has committed a crime worthy of death.”
“Ah… aah… Your mercy is truly boundless.”
But now it was time to reach the main point. Anima had not said I needed to go this far, yet in my opinion, this degree of thoroughness would be perfect.
“Your words are most just. Whatever this subject can do, whatever this subject can offer, I would never be ashamed to present it all to the Cezar.”
I lowered myself once more, crouching to meet her eyes at the same level, then gave her a faint, crooked smile and continued.
“Yes, Cezar.”
“It was truly presumptuous of me.”
“Those words… do they mean you desire this subject’s body?”
“However… Cezar, though this subject’s body is lowly, it has been reserved for a husband someday. Therefore I cannot offer it lightly… If the Cezar desires, I shall select children of exceptional beauty and—”
“…Cezar.”
“……”
There was clear information I had gained through our conversation. First: Gini Luxury had been desperately hoping I would treat her with care and value; she had never intended to test me. Her desire for the position of concubine meant she wished to be cherished by me at least as much as Anima, if not more. Why? For what reason?
The answer was simple. And that led to the second point.
Why had Gula Quebello surrendered so easily yesterday? I had pondered the question all night, yet no satisfactory answer had come. But now that Gini Luxury was showing this exact attitude, the reason became impossible to miss.
“Cezar…”
The Legion Commanders had already fractured completely. No, calling it a fracture felt insufficient. Their pursued interests were simply too different. The Gini Luxury and Gula Quebello whom Anima had recommended had not been chosen simply because they were favorably disposed toward me. They had merely been driven to the edge of a cliff.
Gula had packaged himself as prettily as possible and been swallowed whole. Gini Luxury, even in that desperate moment, had tried to reveal her own greed and ended up with her tail stepped on.
“That is not it. How could this subject possibly…”
I now roughly understood the flow of the situation. The memory of Anima casually warning me to “beware the 4th Legion” had been crucial. The Legion of Envy. Though smaller in scale than the others, it was a legion capable of performing every role the rest could. Gathering internal information and threatening other legions—yes, the 4th Legion alone would be sufficient. To Nobel Highness, humanity was probably no longer an enemy.
“……”
Gini Luxury shot to her feet, lightly rinsed her mouth, then immediately knelt before me once more. She lowered her head and pressed her lips to my shoe.
6th Legion Commander Gini Luxury swears upon the Oath of Tenebris's Black Blessing.
I shall offer everything I possess to the great Cezar who will cover the entire world with his black skies.
This, too, was something that could not have been accomplished without Anima’s help.