Broken Gaslight
"Hey? How long are you going to sleep?"
"...Mm."
A sweet voice drifted into my hazy consciousness.
"Ugh..."
My eyes stung as I woke, so I covered them with my arm and sat up in bed. A sharp pain stabbed through my heart. My body's condition was clearly dire right now.
Not that there was much I could do about it. The only way to improve my state was the Blessing of the Stars, but that depended on my total life force. In a way, it was inevitable.
Still, there was some relief—at least the pain had eased a bit compared to before. Was that temporary?
"Hey."
As I forced my sluggish brain to turn, still groggy from just waking, the voice called again.
"...Huh?"
I turned my head and saw a very familiar face enter my vision.
Damn it.
The face of the woman I loathed as much as the Demon King—a name I didn't even want to utter.
"Looks like you're finally with it."
"........."
Her appearance meant the schemes against me were kicking into high gear.
Still, the past few weeks had been blissfully happy. Guess those days were over. I should've savored them more.
I hadn't expected her to move this fast.
"Remember that promise from back then?"
As I sat on the bed, scowling amid those thoughts, she whispered with a seductive smile.
"When you said we should join hands."
"What?"
"My alliance proposal."
Her words jogged a memory.
On my birthday during the first-semester break, after the second trial's influence made me declare defeat, I'd seen her satisfaction at Clana's trembling form. She'd extended her hand to me with that same enchanting smile.
"What did I say back then~?"
"You said I should become yours, that you'd back me to become emperor, and offer me the emperor's secretary position. I remember you listing all the reasons why recruiting me would be a huge gain for you."
"You remember well?"
I was sick of her tactic of asking questions she already knew the answers to, so I replied in detail. She raised an eyebrow.
"But, Frey."
And that's when her demeanor shifted.
"...That changes things, doesn't it?"
She shed the kind smile and expression she showed the public, the seductive beauty she showed me.
"Doesn't it?"
"Urk..."
Sneer, irritation, disgust, dominance, superiority. Her face twisted into a smile brimming with those emotions as she seized my chin.
"This leaves me looking like what?"
"........."
"Why so quiet?"
I stared silently into her golden eyes, chin gripped in her hand.
"I'm... sorry."
I opened my mouth in a low voice.
"Pfft."
She suddenly burst into laughter.
"You've got some sense? Or have you finally grasped your place?"
She slowly pushed me back down onto the bed.
"You're done for, Frey. Politically, socially."
She whispered in my ear.
"You're no longer that brilliant young master. Just a frail, sickly fallen noble."
With that, she yanked open the tightly drawn curtains of the room in one motion.
"Now, take a look."
"........."
Revealed was a mansion swarming with protesters, like an ant infestation. For some reason, my heart began to pound again at the sight.
"Hmm... I see. Just looking makes your heart race?"
As I stared blankly out the window, she pressed her hand to my chest and smirked coldly.
"No wonder. With the curtains tied shut like this... and soundproofing magic on top. You've already been worn down by all that."
Honestly, she was stunning in that moment. Her beauty rivaled her mother's, one of the empire's finest.
"...Tch."
But why did such a beautiful face smiling so beautifully fill me with such seething disgust?
"...Ha."
I lost control of my expression without realizing. She tightened her grip on my chin.
"Admit it, Frey. You're not that flashy playboy anymore. Just a rotting relic in a back room."
She eased her grip slightly, then casually straddled the bed beside me.
"Still don't get your place?"
She reached out and...
"...Urgh."
Slowly, ever so slowly, wrapped her hand around my throat.
"Simple. Right now, I could strangle you to death."
"Khek."
"No one would mourn. No one would console you. Officially, it'd be illness. The imperial press bent to the palace long ago."
Oxygen cut off to my brain, my vision blurred. Bubbles seemed to pop in my head.
"Ugh..."
I wanted to rise and subdue her, but I bit my lip and endured.
Things couldn't go wrong here. I just had to hold out.
"See? I'm about to take your life, and no one's coming to help."
I sensed Lulu's presence outside the door. Her Demon Eyes must have shown her this—she couldn't hold back.
"Kek... keh..."
"Struggling pathetically? Hilarious... like a wretched bug. Almost a shame only I get to see it."
I shook my head desperately, signaling Lulu not to intervene.
The Demon King was enough. She couldn't turn the imperial family against us too.
"Hmm... Should I just kill you? Starting to get annoying."
"...Urgh."
I barely stopped Lulu at the door. Now Rifaelle bore down with both hands, full weight on my throat.
"A........."
My mind went white.
"...Tch."
She clicked her tongue and released my neck.
"Puha... haaa... haa..."
Fresh air rushed into my nose and mouth.
"Filthy. Disgusting. I want to choke you out. I really hate you..."
As I gasped for breath, she glared at me with loathing and spat her words.
"Want to live, Frey?"
Seeing me drool, she asked.
"If you do, obey my commands."
She pulled a handkerchief from her bosom, meticulously wiping her hands as she began.
"Be my puppet for a while."
Her words matched my predictions exactly, word for word. I nearly laughed, but kept my blank stare, clinging to reason.
"That old promise? Broken. You're useless now."
"........."
"Secretary? Don't dream. The thought of sleeping with you disgusts me. No interest in a politically dead man."
Her lines deviated not an inch from expectation. I just wished she'd finish and leave quickly. I desperately needed rest...
"Surprised? Of course you are. You think you're the best."
But no such luck. Misreading my face, she rambled on alone.
"Honestly, you're handsome. Perfect arm candy. Neighboring princes are all meh. Even a fake husband has to match my looks, right?"
"........."
"But you're such a spineless worm. And you hit on me a few times. I wanted to choke you or humiliate you... but this opportunity is golden."
As I stayed silent,
"Still clinging to Starlight and Moonlight prestige? Hard to give up that merit... but you made me. Congrats."
She crossed her legs and continued.
"...Still, I want to see you ruined."
"What do you... urk!"
I muttered unwittingly.
"Insolent. Know your place..."
"I... I'm sorry..."
She punched my stomach, whispering coldly.
"I want to see the great Frey crash to rock bottom, broken, shattered, dying."
"Ugh..."
"Then toy with your dead eyes, give false hope, and discard you. That's my dream."
She withdrew her fist with a scowl.
"Anyway, time to be my puppet."
She grabbed my hand, pulling me from the bed.
"Declare your loyalty to the reporters outside. Give off a scandalous vibe too. Stir up some gossip."
"A... scandal?"
"Need to bury one incident. Then move to the palace."
"........."
Her eyes sparkled.
"I know Clana likes you. If I act like I've claimed you, she'll lose it."
"......"
"Shower her with affection whenever she appears. Cross the line a bit. That'll be fun. Right?"
"That's..."
"...You won't refuse, will you?"
Of course I wanted to. But this event was unavoidable. I had to endure her torment through the break.
Only then could I create the trigger for Clana's awakening.
To make her empress, to kill the Demon King—her awakening was essential.
"Don't want to?"
Of course not. Utterly repulsive. A villainess, not a heroine—future third-year final boss on the main route. Why would I want to be her puppet? Sure, on the Villain's Path, we might not reach third year, but still—no.
I'd kept it from the heroines because it was mandatory; better they not know, handle it quietly.
Didn't expect her at my home.
"...I pledge my loyalty."
"Good."
As I squeezed my eyes shut and said it, she smiled ecstatically, leading me.
"...Tch."
Looking at her darkened my mood.
Rifaelle was targeting me with the gaslight effect. Chipping away at my pride to make me dependent.
I knew it, so it repulsed me—but what could I do?
"Not following?"
For now, grit my teeth and endure.
.........
"M-Master..."
"........."
As Rifaelle exited Frey's room, she tilted her head at Lulu and Miho waiting right outside the door.
- Scratch, scratch, scratch...
Tears streamed from Lulu's eyes as her nails raked the faint Misfortune Mark on her arm.
"My fault... my fault... me..."
"Lulu."
Frey gently took her arm, smiling softly.
"I'll be right back."
"U-Ugh..."
"Guard the house."
With that, Frey let Rifaelle lead him down the hall.
"No..."
"Pfft, hehe..."
Rifaelle glanced back at Lulu collapsing like her world had ended, stifling laughter.
Finally... finally, Frey is mine...
Her face lit up with excitement, a stark contrast to her earlier disgust.
Since that day, I've wanted you somehow... Never dreamed of a chance like this...
"Urgh..."
"Ha, walk faster, you trash."
"...Yes."
"Useless bastard."
She berated Frey as he clutched his heart and paused, then muttered inwardly.
Don't make that face, Frey... This is saving you.
In Rifaelle's mind, she was the hero.
The world hates you anyway, wants you dead. From now on, look only to me.
Of course, to anyone else, it was utterly twisted heroism.
Of course, I'll have to train you well for that.
Brimming with the greatest joy of her life, she exited the mansion.
"...Hm?"
She scowled, tilting her head.
"What's this? You lot?"
Her guards were in tense standoff with the imperial ones.
"What the hell is—"
She was about to explode, eager to whisk her newly acquired Frey to her room.
- Rumble...
"Hah?"
But the sky and earth shook with a massive wave, making her step back instinctively.
"U-Ugh..."
Everyone else did too.
- Hummm...
An overwhelming, indescribable aura of dread and mystery—like facing a tiger or dragon—swept over them all. Rifaelle, caught in it with the others, finally...
"...Huh?"
Her eyes widened at the figure emerging from the split guards.
"Eh?"
Frey, still blank-faced, reacted the same.
"...Clana?"
Clana, somehow fully awakened, blocked their path with a terrifying glare.
- Whoosh...!
The next instant, Clana's handkerchief flew straight at Rifaelle's face.