[Part 4/5]
There was anger and ridicule in his cold words, but it seed like the most emotional thing I'd ever seen.
It was a straightforward, directed malice.
"Gah, Higa!? Kuh...!!?"
Desperately, I try to release the arms that are squeezing . But I am no match. It doesn't move an inch. It's futile. If it continues like this...
(If it continues like this... what will happen?)
I imagine. What will happen after I'm killed? What will happen to Aoi? What will happen to my master? No, it surely won't end with just that.
The question tainted with delusions of being asked by Yuusei just now, the worst case would be harm coming to the servant group or my hotown family...
"That, no!!?"
'Ghhh, haa!?'
I grab the woman's neck almost as if compelled to do so. Just protecting won't ensure survival. If I'm to be killed, I'll kill before that—simple logic. I reflexively executed it.
'Gah, ugh...!?'
The face showed surprise at the unexpected counterattack. The hand strangling my neck slightly loosened. I tightened my grip even more. With both arms and one arm, moreover, in a straddling position, there's no question as to who has the advantage.
"H-haha...!!"
I snarled ferociously, displaying a triumphant grin. I delight in the fact that the deranged life is within my grasp. Intoxicated with a sense of superiority. Haha!! Just a little more, a bit more, a bit more, just a little more...!!
"Tomo, be..."
"!!?"
And then, I froze at the words escaping from her lips. A cold shower doused my thoughts that were heated by the mont. Understanding my own actions, I trembled. About to release my arm instinctively... In the next mont, she murmured.
"Please... kill ."
She pleaded.
"I beg you, within , inside of , I plead...!!
'If you loathe !! Then just disappear already!!'
"!!?"
The interrupted voice of my master is an infuriating man's angry voice. Catching a glimpse of the tragic battle unfolding in my eyes... I instinctively tightened the strength in my slackened arm. Squeezing with all my might, squeezing my master.
"You b*stard! You damn son of a b*tch!! You moth*rfucker!!!?"
'Ghhhhhhh!!!!'
I scread. I scread like a madman. Screaming while strangling, being strangled, strangling each other, thrusting our murderous intent at one another. Cursing. Hexing.
"Aaaaoooooo!!!"
'Aaaaaaa!!!!'
Shouting, roaring, crying out, the situation was evenly matched, but the scales gradually tipped, resistance weakening little by little, yet still not letting my guard down, continuing to squeeze, to squeeze, to squeeze...
'If it has co to this!! There is no other way!!'
The arm squeezing loosened. But then, my head was grabbed and pulled closer. My eyes locked with those clouded, deranged eyes.
Confronting the madness and obsession that lurked deep within those eyes.
'That body, if it's makes Hina pleased...!!'
"!!?"
Understanding what he was planning to do, I couldn't afford to hesitate anymore. Sensing the worst, my nails dug into the flesh of the neck. Blood gushed out, twisting, twisting, and twisting. I had to make it in ti, so I carried out my murderous intent.
At the sa ti, a discomfort perated my mind. It's invading but I suppressing them. I spat them out. I exerted force in my arms and I sobbed.
In the final mont, I looked directly into the sorrowful eyes of the woman in front of ....
And then. And then. And then....
* * *
"And what did you say just now, sir?"
"...!?"
A questioning voice that sounded soft and gentle brought back to reality. While still on one knee, I glanced upwards for a mont. A bluish-purple color ca into view.
"Hehehe..."
I locked eyes with the Lady of the Onitsuki family, Onitsuki Sumire, who was looking down on . Her gaze seed carefree, gentle, cold, and cruel. In other words, her emotions were unreadable.
One of the skills of stealth techniques. A technique that deceives the skill of mind reading... I made an effort to act expressionless and answered the question.
"... I am not interested."
"Oh?"
She let out a small sigh. She narrowed her eyes with great interest.
"Is that all?"
"If I have received favors from the Honorable Onitsuki family and have no complaints, then there is no reason to go against that."
I recalled the scene from that ti and answered. Kneeling in the pouring rain, bowing deeply, pushing my fist into the muddy ground, I solemnly and hesitantly spoke with a calm and composed tone, repeating the contents without any falsehood...
"...Is that so. Is that really all?"
It was a gentle and gentle questioning, or rather, interrogation. And it continued...
"I calmly pacified and advised. Taking into account our position, it is appropriate to make statents, although I am of an insignificant status, I offered my advice."
I answered in a calm and composed manner. It was not a lie. There was no point in lying. There was a possibility of being monitored by surveillance, and if mories were peeked at, everything would be exposed under the daylight in an instant. Therefore, I spoke ticulously and cautiously, speaking only the truth.
"...Hehe."
The lady fell silent for a mont, then adorned a much clearer smile than before. It was reminiscent of a sadistic carnivore.
And she chuckled. Hehehehe. Kusukusukusu. Concealing her charming, glossy lips painted with vibrant red with her sleeve, she laughed, laughed, and laughed.
"Poor thing, having your once-in-a-lifeti confession ignored... As the lady of the house, it's a different matter, but as a mother, it feels like my heart is about to burst with pride."
The lady closed her eyes and spoke in a truly solemn tone. It was so deeply sincere, absurdity reached its peak.
"I understand. No more questions. ...Was it tough for you? This mission, I an."
"...Thanks to the Dagger bestowed upon by the lady, I was able to successfully purify the target."
I expressed gratitude indifferently to the blatant words of encouragent. In the first place, it was abnormal for , alone, to be tasked with exterminating the pseudo-evil god that would supposedly resurrect in the mountain depths during a ritual. Especially considering the nature of the bestowed Dagger (tantō), a curse-tool... It was truly excessive makeup. Beneath it, the swirling malice, enmity, and murderous intent were unfathomable.
"It's quite. ...Let's report to that person that things have been resolved safely. And this..."
And then, the lady placed it in front of my eyes. A bug cage sealed with countless charms. At the sa ti, she quickly took a step and approached.
"...!?"
Suddenly, a cold palm touched my cheek. Soft fingertips gently stroked. Wrapped around my jaw, my head was forcibly lifted upwards.
Right in front of my eyes and nose was the face of a woman. Eyes filled with indescribable emotions gazed into my eyes, the depths of my eyes, and even deeper.
It was as if peering into an abyss.
"..."
"..."
Our breaths mingled. The breaths blended together. A freezing silence dominated. I tried to maintain the calmness of my heart. But ti felt endlessly long.
"Well, then."
...Suddenly, it ended. The lady released her hand from my cheek and moved away. I remained frozen in place, listening to the next words.
"To report the details to that person, I will be out of the room for about half 2 hours. ...Until I return, please wait quietly here."
"...Yes"
I released my breath and bowed my head, suppressing the fear, tension, and anger that gnawed at . I endured it. I endured it by lowering my head deeply.
After that, I heard footsteps. The sound of sandals sliding on the tatami mats. The shoji paper door closed, and silence fell... After a few beats, I let out a deep exhale. My posture, slightly faltering, loosened the tension. Sweat poured down my face.
"Haa, haa, haa..."
I composed myself and cald my racing heart. Then, I reached out towards the bug cage.
...Before that woman returned, I had to release the beastly instinct swirling within .
"Ku... it hurts..."
My fingertips touched the talisman. I carefully peeled off one talisman after another. They were seals designed to hinder the release of my inner self, weak against external interference. Touching them caused numbness, nothing more.
That's right. It should be just that... So why does this emptiness of guilt fill my chest every ti I remove a talisman?
"..."
Despite my confusion, my hand didn't stop. I kept peeling, peeling, and peeling. And when I peeled off the final talisman, I released the bug cage and opened the lid.
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