The process of luring the bastard back to the clocktower was so cringy that I’d blocked most of them from my mind. It involved acting coy and shy and I refused to remember anything beyond that.

But the result was clear. Takuto was in a deep pit with me, fighting…. [Blight Worm].

I had no idea why that creature from fucking hell managed to survive but it was here. And although I wanted to obliterate it once and for all, killing Takuto was top priority.

“Esther, lend me a hand here!”

Ah, my cue. I cowered in the corner and desperately tried to claw the dirt to get up.

“G-Get me outta here! Wahhh! I don’t wanna dieee!”

Takuto clicked his tongue at my uselessness and continued to fight.

Beneath my teary eyes, I smirked. I could see him slowly accumulating wounds. Much as it would please me to see him get killed, the worm was sadly losing.

Once it was on the verge of death, I dropped my act. I gripped Requiem, which had changed its form to a scimitar, and sliced it to death.

Bathed in blood once more, I turned around to meet Takuto’s face.

“Thank you, Es—”

My sword cut through his sentence and the air. Unfortunately, the bastard managed to block it just in time.

“What the hell! What are you doing!?”

“What I should’ve done a long time ago.”

One slash.

“This is for Edward!”

Two slashes.

“This is for Violette!”

Three slashes and a kick.

“And this is for charming mee!!!!”

Takuto’s sword was knocked out of his hand. Just as I was about to deliver the killing blow, a wave of fear washed over me.

[Eyes of Fear]

I was petrified. I could feel my pants getting a bit wet. But the blood covered it so it was fine. What wasn’t fine, however, was Takuto leisurely picking his sword up and approaching me with a long sigh.

“Haaah, so you knew. Kitsunes are so cute but they’re needlessly sharp…. Do you know what I’m gonna do to you?”

[Oooh, what is he gonna do?]

Shut the fuck up or free me!

[Oof, can’t do the latter. Your world would literally break]

Tch, useless.

“I don’t fear death.” I hissed at the bastard like a snake, ignoring Theodore, who was observing the situation with annoying interest. Death? Heh, I’d already experienced it once.

“Oh, no, a beauty like you dying would be a waste.” The bastard approached me and raised his katana up. “But you’re too… feral. Maybe losing all your limbs will pacify you.”

My face went pale as I whimpered, “Y-You wouldn’t dare….”

“Oh, would I?” He laughed and placed his sword right above my right arm. “Imagine it. I can make fake arms and legs for you, and they’ll be under my control. I can already see your face as your mind breaks from the pleasure I’m going to give you.”

I tried desperately to move, but it was all futile. All I could do was beg. “P-Please! I-I’ll be good! Just don’t cut my arm! Not my left one!”

“Haha, too late!”

Takuto changed target and sliced my left arm off decisively. However, he visibly froze in confusion at the absence of blood.

“H-Huh?”

“Heh.” His Gift was dispelled. Unlike the bastard, I knew the in-and-out of Edward’s Gift. I immediately slashed at him, but he parried it just in time.

“Y-You! How are you not screaming in pain?”

“Like hell I’m gonna explain that!”

One slash, two slashes, three slashes. I would imbue electricity into my attacks and he would be paralyzed for a moment but he always regained control just in time to deflect everything. Even after a flurry of slashes, the bastard was still going strong.

I knew I was no match for a 4-star, but damn, wasn’t he supposed to be injured!?

“Mistress!” Out of nowhere, Violette jumped in.

“Oh thank Goddess!” Takuto sighed in relief. He jumped three paces back and opened his arms wide at Violette. “Help your onii-san ou—”

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

“DIEE!!”

Violette stabbed her knife right into his stomach.

Takuto, in confused fury, kicked her away and pulled the knife out.

Heh, big mistake.

He was going to bleed out, no doubt. But I wanted to end him now just to make sure.

However, Takuto’s target wasn’t me. He made a mad dash for Violette, intent on killing her or keeping her hostage.

I panicked. No no no no no! How the fuck was I still conceited!? I won’t make it in time!

Violette also panicked. She raised her knife up in an attempt to block. But it was useless. She was no match for his power.

But a miracle happened.

His katana… simply broke. Maybe from the pressure it withstood in the clashes with me earlier, maybe because Theodore intervened somehow.

But it wasn’t enough. The broken part of the sword was still able to seriously harm Violette. As the attack was about to land, Takuto….stopped.

His hand trembled as he bled from his eyes.

“You…don’t…hurt….sister!”

I furrowed my brows but soon ignored his strange behavior. Now’s the chance! I arrived before them and kicked Takuto away. Stomping on his stomach, I plunged Requiem into his heart.

But… was that a smile I saw? Was this guy so crazy as to laugh even in death?

“Thank…you….Nova.”

Was…. Was that Edward?

What am I thinking? I shook my head. His soul was gone. Broken. Erased. That was why I had the courage to put an end to him instead of finding a way to bring him back.

I splashed the blood on my blade to the ground and slung it over my shoulder. I could see Violette rushing toward the corpse while yelling “Brother, brother!”

Wanting to give her some privacy, I turned around and simply waited.

But something was terribly wrong.

I didn’t have any concrete evidence. It just felt… wrong. I quickly turned around and found Violette pointed the tip of his knife at her own throat!

“Fuck! Don’t you dare!”

A slight current of Red Electricity fired off from my finger and paralyzed her. But it was for just a second. She soon regained control of her body and quickly thrust the tip into her neck.

Or, she would’ve, if it wasn’t for my hand blocking the knife. Ouchh…. At least I made it in time.

But my physical pain was probably nothing compared to Violette’s mental one. Still….

She needs a lesson.

I kneed her in the face. Not too hard, but not too light, either. Just enough to wake her up.

“What. The. Fuck. Are. You. Trying. To. Do?”

“Brother, brother, brother….” She muttered like a broken puppet. “I’ll be there with you soon. Wait for me….”

She tried to reach for the knife again, but I slapped her.

This simply wouldn’t do. I slapped her again, and again, and again, until she started to glare at me.

“Just let me die….”

“Fuck no.”

“You talk as if you wouldn’t do the same thing if Nowa died!”

My body stiffened. Okay, now I really began to get really, really mad. Another bitch slap and Violette was ready to listen to me.

“Do you think Edward would want this?”

“...”

“It’s only been two years since that bastard took over his body, right? What about all the years before? Did Edward work his ass off for you to do this!?”

“I….”

“Think about it carefully, Violette. Don’t make the wrong choice.”

Without even sparing another glance at her, I collected Pate and left the ruins with Violette following right behind.

Though, I had Pate keep watch on her in case she wanted to hurl herself off a cliff or something.

But…. Violette got me thinking. Would I…? Would I do the same if Nowa died?

Maybe. Maybe not. I could momentarily forget about the Tower and decided to end it all to make it not hurt anymore.

Or I could get even more determined to conquer the Tower.

But one thing for sure, I’d never be able to do it, for there was someone that wouldn’t let me.

[Yeah, I know. I’m that someone!]

Fuck no. And fuck off, you’re annoying. I need time to think.

Theodore shrugged with an irritating smile and shrank away with the screen.

The answer: there were many people. Before my death: the entire Hero’s party, especially my Ihwa.

For my childhood, Mom, Ria, and Hannah.

For the long stretch of time after I was exiled, Guildmaster Gilbert and maybe Clara and Joseph.

But now? Well, I hadn’t met them yet, but I was certain that I’d someday.

Heh, preferably a girl, but I don’t even know at this point.

…

Violette had enough of adventuring. It was understandable, at least to me. That meant she wasn’t going to follow me on my travels.

So, I booked her a carriage to Gilbert's town. It left on the same day, so I barely had time to wash off all the blood before I had to see Violette off.

When I arrived, the carriage was already getting ready to move. Luckily for me, Violette was sitting right at the edge, so I could talk to her.

“Feeling better now?”

Violette nodded. She looked down at her feet; unwilling to meet eyes with me. “...What if I decided to end it all on the trip?”

“Then, I’ve done everything I could.” I shrugged. “But Violette, just remember, even if you don’t, there’s always someone out there who cares about you.” I placed my hand on her chest. “Ah, of course that someone is me. Live for me, okay. I’ll be sad if you die. Extra sad if you die from your own hands.”

Violette chuckled. She finally found the courage to look me in the eyes and gave me a bright smile.

“If you say so, Mistress.”

At the same time, the carriage moved. I stood still and shouted, “Take care of Nowa for me!”

“Will do!” She shouted back while waving.

I also waved and waited until the carriage got out of sight. As soon as I turned around, I found Pate riding on his turtle toward me.

“What do you want?”

“Milady, I can smell your potential from miles away. My instincts are telling me to follow you.”

“...”

“A-And I-I’m pretty handy too! Y-You must’ve seen how I laid those traps, r-right?”

I was assaulted by both sides. One was from a grown man who was looking at me with begging eyes; the other from a turtle who knew nothing and was just happy to see anything.

“Well,” I murmured. “I can’t say working with you has been bad. But I won’t forgive you for dropping me in that hole.”

Then, I turned back and walked away.

“Hey! Does it mean I’m in?”

I stayed silent and continued walking. Whether I let him join or not would depend on my mood, actually. But if he still followed me regardless, well, I guessed I could do nothing about it.