#073 Collusion
#073 Collusion
Life is born.
Life dies.
Flowers bloom.
Birds chirp.
"Master, what are you thinking about?"
"I was looking at the bugs outside."
"...Bugs? Not the people passing by over there, right?"
"Of course not. Do you think I'd go around thinking of humans as bugs? I was just thinking about the bugs flying around over there."
"Bugs?"
"Yeah. Look at bugs. When bugs get out of hand, humans just kill them easily because they're annoying, right?"
"...That's a bit much."
Life being born and disappearing always repeats, but according to human selfishness, no one wants the life of someone connected to them to disappear quickly.
"In human life, bugs are very bad. So when bugs swarm, humans chase away and kill the bugs nearby."
Sometimes, there are cases where I have to do something a little excessive for my sake.
If I do it, it becomes a good deed and justice; if someone else does that same act, it becomes an ordinary act; and if I suffer harm from another's act, then it becomes an evil act.
No one can arbitrarily distinguish good and evil.
But if there is an existence that anyone would call evil, wouldn't the story be different then?
"Rosemas. What do you think makes someone truly bad?"
"Why are you suddenly asking that...?"
"I want to hear it from an elf's perspective."
"Again?"
As a Demon King, I wanted to hear the perspective of someone who is not human.
"I may be a High Elf, but thinking from a human perspective is.... I mean, looking at insects and humans from the same perspective is a little...."
"Really? I think there's no one who can give as definite an answer as you on this matter."
"Me?"
"Yeah. Because you, of all people, are the person directly involved."
Because on this matter, there was no one better than Rosemas to discuss it with.
"If I killed someone else to obtain the person I love, could that be called an evil act?"
"...Huh?"
See.
When people feel something isn't their business, they don't have much interest.
But when it is their business, especially when they feel they might suffer some loss, people react sensitively.
This is common regardless of species, whether human or elf.
"It's really just a hypothetical. Hypothetical."
I grabbed Rosemas's shoulders.
"If you had to kill someone to obtain the person you love, would you kill that someone?"
"Wha, why are you suddenly saying something so cruel...?"
"I'll ask clearly without beating around the bush. Listen carefully."
I lowered my voice and made my expression serious.
"There's someone who likes Lucius. If that woman stabbed and killed the other women around him to have Lucius for herself, could she be called bad?"
"Of course she'd be bad."
I felt a chill at Rosemas's assertion.
I hadn't expected Rosemas to condemn it so flatly as 'bad.'
Because....
'This one looks like she'd stab two or three people herself.'
Honestly, I had the feeling that Rosemas would also stab her comrades or anyone else for the person she loved.
Yet she flatly called it a 'bad deed'?
Did I misjudge her, or do I have a prejudice against High Elves?
"No matter how much you want to make the person you love yours, hurting or killing someone else is a bad deed."
"Hmm.... Then what if such a woman appeared?"
"If that actually happened? Then...."
Rosemas clenched her fists and steeled her resolve.
"I would deal with that woman."
"......."
"I, I don't mean kill her! It's just that if she tried to bind Lucius's feelings regardless of his will, I would handle her for Lucius's sake. Um, not kill her, but...."
"I understand your thoughts, Rosemas."
"Witch? You understood me correctly, right?"
"Yeah. If someone tries to claim Lucius for herself regardless of his feelings, then you'll step in."
"...Yes."
Rosemas's answer was clear.
I was inwardly pleased, thinking that all my hard work helping Rosemas's love life might finally be paying off.
"I asked suddenly, but thank you for answering honestly. The reason I brought this up is nothing other than that something like that actually seems likely to happen."
"...Actually?"
Rosemas's expression began to harden coldly.
"Yeah. Actually. I'm telling you this because I got permission from Lucius. You know the Black Knight called Black Lotus, right?"
"Yes. That woman?"
"Yeah. She's actually Lucius's childhood friend."
"...Oh?"
Rosemas licked her lips, her eyes sparkling.
It was a little frightening, like seeing a monster's eyes gleam in the cold, dark depths of an abyss.
...Honestly, it was a gaze that reminded me of Leviathan.
"According to Lucius, that woman seems to like him, and she also knows he's the Holy Sword Hero."
"...Then it's obvious. That woman is going to try to join the party."
"Right. The problem is that if this woman says she's joining the party, neither Lucius nor I have an excuse to stop her."
How could we stop an incredible powerhouse from joining the Hero Party?
"If it were a man, I could chase him off by saying I'm uncomfortable, but with a woman the situation is different."
"You could chase off a man?"
"Yeah. By saying I hate men."
"......Isn't that a contradiction? Lucius is there."
"It's fine. Because I don't see Lucius as a man."
"!!"
Rosemas suddenly grabbed my hand tightly.
"A, as expected...!!"
"Is it that surprising?"
"Th, that's.... Uh, um... It's truly a perfect scheme!"
"Right?"
Even I think it's so brilliant it brings tears to my eyes.
"If a man tries to join, I can say I'm uncomfortable and chase him off. But I can't do that with a woman. There are already women in the party."
"The opposite is also like that... Ah, no! That's right! As expected, Witch, your scheme is truly brilliant! I couldn't help but admire it the moment I heard it!"
"Right?"
Do you need a reason to hate someone?
If you hate them, you hate them.
There's no point trying to impose logic on hatred of humans.
"Honestly, I don't want to take in Black Lotus or whatever as a comrade either. But there's only one reason I'm deliberately trying to recruit her. She knows that 'Lucius is the Holy Sword Hero.'"
"Ah...."
"At first I didn't think that was much of a dangerous variable, but Lucius's village was massacred by Demonfolk. Right now, excluding Lucius, she's the only survivor from his hometown village."
"The only survivor...."
I whispered quietly into Rosemas's ear.
"And she's a childhood friend of ten years."
"......."
How should I describe Rosemas's expression? It was the kind of face that would make Leviathan want to take her as a successor based on her jealousy alone.
"First, listen. I'm going to accept her as a comrade. To protect Lucius, no one else. If that woman goes out and runs her mouth about Lucius being the Holy Sword Hero, it'll be troublesome, right? This is... our little secret."
"...That's right."
Our little secret.
Rosemas's eyes gradually filled with conviction.
"Now, Rosemas. You have two options."
"Tell me."
"One is to eliminate that woman."
The correct answer is to block variables.
"The problem is that to Lucius, she's the only childhood friend from his village, and when Lucius became the Holy Sword Hero, that village was massacred. Lucius doesn't want to kill her either."
"......."
"Then the story is simple. We just secretly eliminate her. Right?"
It is the most certain method.
"I won't be able to handle Black Lotus alone. I'll desperately need your help. So what would be the best way? We secretly bury her in some forest."
"Th, that's...."
"Forever. We just make it a secret only the two of us know. After I defeat the Demon King, I'm a body that must return to eternal rest, and you're a body that must live out this life. Right?"
"......."
What answer will Rosemas give?
"For reference, that woman Black Lotus seems to have feelings for Lucius."
"......."
"So?"
Would she consider the act of killing someone to win her love a 'bad deed'?
Like humans chasing bugs, is eliminating a troublesome bug a good deed for Rosemas?
"...Killing is not allowed."
What a shame.
Truly, regrettably, Rosemas rejected the first proposal.
"Tell me another way."
"The other way is simple. If you can't have him alone, then you share him together."
"...Huh?"
"I've already talked to Lucius. You and Black Lotus. You two can just have Lucius together, right?"
"...No, what do you mean...."
"You on the left, that woman on the right. It works perfectly. Do you know why humans have two arms? It's so they can hold one on each side."
"Th, that's...."
For a High Elf, she had surprisingly little tolerance for this kind of talk.
"Think carefully. This isn't a bad deal for you. Do you know why? Because if things go well, a Holy Sword Hero can enjoy a form of near-immortality."
"H, half-eternal...?"
"Yeah. As long as he isn't killed by someone or doesn't lay down the Holy Sword, he'll live at least a lifespan similar to a High Elf. Half-eternal means the Holy Sword can't extend the limits of a human soul and body either. Anyway, let's skip the complicated stuff!"
I spread three fingers toward Rosemas.
"If you and she can just reach an agreement, you two can share him for life. Having another woman besides me next to him might be unpleasant, but still, there's an opportunity, right?"
Rustle.
I folded one finger and whispered softly.
"If she tries to monopolize Lucius and ruins the party? Then I'll have justification. Justification."
"Justification to eliminate a risk factor."
"Right. And maybe then... Lucius might also pretend not to know for the greater good."
I'll guide it well like that.
"What will you do?"
"...If. Really, if. That woman likes Arthur, tries to monopolize Arthur, and... Arthur allows it."
Rosemas fiddled with her own hands.
"......I know the quietest forest in the world."
As expected, an elf is an elf.