Cecilus was sitting alone inside the tent as the sounds of explosions came from outside. His foot was propped up on the table, and as he shook his knee, the table shook and made a harsh noise, keeping Cecilus occupied.

“Tch... Sons of bitches...”

It would have been so much easier if the two incompetents, Sorrow and Joy, had done their job properly. He pounded his fist on the table, his own hand hurt, but his anger made him ignore his own pain.

“If they'd killed Rie's asshole child, she wouldn't have come to support my whore sister's right! Fucking Virgo Cathedral!”

All the Zodyanists should have abandoned them, why was the Virgo Cathedral suddenly showing up and supporting them? On top of that, her sister had suddenly become involved with the Virgo Cathedral.

“Turn around!” he shouted to the guards outside the tent. At the sound of Cecilus's voice, the shadows of the guards moved and he saw them turn their heads toward the tent.

“When I get what's rightfully mine, I'll avenge them all! All of them! That bitch, the puppy, and everyone who ever looked down on me!”

If his sister did not die, he had such torture plans for her that she would beg Cecilus to take her life.

“Yes, I will use her to entertain those who are loyal to me! There were beautiful girls in that Virgo Cathedral too, all of them will reward those who are loyal to me. After all, I am a just man.”

Laughing to himself, he saw new shadows outside the tent. They came on horses. They stopped in front of the tent and someone dismounted and walked towards the tent.

“Your Royal Highness,” Shimey von Bishory said, clasping his hand to his chest. “Although they had divided our troops, my men are still loyal to you. We can move at any time as the royal forces push the walls.”

Cecilus considered him his loyal dog. Shimey was one of the people who most wanted Cecilus to be duke, and for his loyalty he would reward him with new lands.

“Let's do it right now!” Cecilus cried. He couldn't wait to see their faces when the Bishory soldiers stabbed them in the back.

“Yes, sir.” Shimey curtsied to him and stepped out of the way.

“Yes, Your Excellency - what's going on?”

The shadows outside the tent were falling silently to the ground, but two of them screaming made them both realize that something was happening outside.

Shimey grabbed his sword and took a few steps towards the exit, but before he did he stopped and turned around. “Wait here.”

Cecilus shut his mouth and nodded as he merged into the chair. Whatever was going on outside the tent, Shimey was not to be trifled with. He had never seen him fight, but as a lord he must be able to fight.

“AAH!” Cecilus screamed, merging with the chair out of fear.

Shimey had just turned to face the tent when a black sword pierced his plate armor and protruded from his chest.

“Sivina was right,” said the man who had pierced his chest. He pushed Shimey with his foot and drew his sword as he fell to the ground. Red blood dripped from the black steel and fell to the ground. "It's easy to kill someone when their back is turned."

***

When the sounds of explosions came from the eastern region, Yu slowed down and then stopped Virgo. The others stopped with them.

“I should have realized there would be wizards, it's all my fault.” They were on top of the hill so they could see the collapsed part of the wall. “But we look good. I wish we didn't have to use the special arrows, but we've recovered.”

In front of the collapsed part of the wall, the soldiers were in turtle formation and covered themselves with their shields. Many of them were still alive, even though their shields had been shattered by magic stones.

And the enemy soldiers, who had not anticipated the explosion of arrows, were devastated by the force of the attack.

As their corpses blocked the gap in the wall, the enemy tried to attack again, but Cornelia had built a new wall with soldiers who still had shields, and arrows rained down from the hill, causing the enemy attack to fail before it got close to the shield wall.

“I still don't understand why we used the archers late,” Jaime said.

“I wanted the enemy to be concentrated in certain areas, then I thought we could kill more of them with fewer arrows, and that's what happened,” Yu replied.

Other troops were also in good shape, especially in the western sector, where they had received news of the enemy's withdrawal.

“I don't want to speak too soon, but it looks like we made it through the night. So...” Yu turned his horse towards Jaime von Salamon. “Go to your uncle and tell him I told him to get ready.”

Jaime smiled widely as Yu gave him an order. “Yes!”

Yurine still couldn't understand this boy's fascination with Yu, but since he was a boy, there was no way he could walk to Yu. So she could be comfortable.

“Finally,” Yurine said. She was excited and couldn't wait to see him die.

Even if he wasn't going to die the way she wanted to, he was going to die somehow, and that was enough to make her feel better about this world. They would do much worse things to him in the next world.

“Let's go.” Yu turned his horse to the top of the hill and they started to go up with the roarons following him. When they reached the top of the hill and went down a bit, they came across Cecilus's tent.

After making battle plans today, Yu talked to Cornelia, told her that Cecilus had killed Rie and said that he did not want Cecilus to be duke and that he should be tried.

Of course, this meant that they wanted to make Cornelia a duchess. Cornelia was horrified by what her brother had done, but Cecilus was still her brother and he was cold to the plan. But thanks to Yu's warm persuasive skills which made Yurine uncomfortable, Cornelia agreed to it.

They then went to one of Cornelia's supporters, Mark von Salamon, the Salamons' representative here, and told him the rest of their plan.

When they arrived at Cecilus's tent, they found that he was surrounded by more soldiers than he should have been. These were Bishory soldiers.

“Hmm, what are they doing here?” Yu asked. “Anyway, kill them all. No witnesses.”

At Yu's word, Yurine raised her hands and sent out wind blades that decapitated seven of them. The roarons also jumped on the enemies and started to kill them with their sudden attacks, but first two of them realized what was happening and screamed, then the others drew their swords.

But their efforts were in vain, as each of them was being slaughtered by demi-lions, Yu came to the front of the tent and dismounted from his horse Virgo and took Yurine down.

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They could see the shadows inside, and when Yu opened the entrance to the tent they saw Shimey von Bishory with his back turned. Cecilus was in front of him.

Cecilus was about to raise his hand and point behind Shimey when Yu thrust the black sword that had once belonged to a demon into Shimey's back, behind the dark blue cloak embroidered with a white falcon, and it slid out of his chest.

“Sivina was right,” Yu said. She pushed Shimey with her foot and he fell face down on the ground. “It's easy to kill someone when their back is turned.”

Normally Shimey wore plate armor, but Yu's rapier-like sword was made specifically for stabbing, so it wasn't too difficult to pierce the armor.

“Why weren't you at your post?” Yu asked to Shimey. Shimey was not yet dead, he was dying, but vomiting blood, he could not answer. “Soldiers who abandon their post must be executed. So I had another reason to kill you, among other crimes.”

Yu pressed down on Shimey's head and made him moan as he squeezed his face between the floor and his feet.

“I'd like to kill you more painfully for your part in Rie's death, but I don't have time, so for now you get away with it.” After crushing Shimey a little more, he pulled his foot away. “But don't expect us to be so merciful next time.”

All the while Cecilus was screaming as loud as he could.

“How pathetic...” Yurine thought. “There shouldn't be an absurd world where someone like that can hurt someone as great as my mother.”

Cecilus was out of his chair, backing away with every slow step Yu took. Yu raised his black sword and swung it at Cecilus.

When Shimey von Bishory's blood splattered on Cecilus's face, Cecilus screamed once more and fell to the ground, his knees buckling with fear. He crawled backwards on his haunches.

“Save your breath,” Yu said. “There is no one to hear your voice except our loyal roarons.”

All Yurine could see from here was Yu's brown hair and golden cloak. She stepped on Shimey to get a better view and walked over to Yu.

Cecilus had nowhere to go and had to stop when his back hit the bed.

“Please, please, please... I will reward you, don't kill me.” He tried to stop Yu, who kept walking towards him, with pitiful words spilling from lips trembling with fear.

Yu didn't answer him, but when he was in front of him, he raised his foot and hit Cecilus on the chin with the inside of his foot, just like kicking a ball.

Yu had a steel boot on his foot, so the kick hurt Cecilus more than any kick ever could. Cecilus fell to the ground and spat out his broken teeth as he cried.

“I'd like to torture you to death, but I can't explain that to Cornelia, so we'll use a different method.”

“Pul-pil-please...”

Cecilus swallowed his snot and cried with his magenta colored eyes. She wasn't sure if Cecilus could see anything because of the tears, but he was looking at Yu's face.

“Uh-oh, I slipped.”

Cecilus spat blood when the steel toe of Yu's boot hit Cecilus's abdominal cavity. Yurine wanted to do it too, but if she got involved, she would kill Cecilus on the spot.

“I beg you, why are you doing this?” Cecilus assumed the fetal position as Yu hit him once more in the stomach. “I will give you whatever you want... Please don't hurt me...”

“Hmm? Can you really give me whatever I want?” Yu asked.

As Cecilus shook his head, Yu sheathed his sword, bent down, grabbed Cecilus by the chin with his right hand and pulled him to his feet.

“Really? Will you give me whatever I ask for? Will you even forget what I did to you, Your Excellency?”

“Yes, yes...” Cecilus sniffled and shook his head as much as he could. “It will be whatever you want it to be. You're a smart man, aren't you? You wouldn't miss an opportunity like this. Land, money, women, whatever you want.”

“You are very generous.”

Yu kept holding Cecilus by the chin. He threw Cecilus and the boy fell on the bed. “Sit up.”

Cecilus held his chin with one hand and wiped the tears from his eyes with the other. He was far more pathetic than Yurine had expected. She had thought he would try to fight back, but he was like a chameleon trying to shape-shift to survive.

“I love to reward my servants, whatever you wish, I will do it...” He tried to shout as he spoke, but he was in pain from the blow to his jaw and his words were barely intelligible.

“Hmm... You really are a generous duke, how lucky your people are.” Yu was smiling. His smile was so sincere that Cecilus, seeing the shining violet eyes, believed he was saved. “Very well, Your Highness. You can start by telling me what Bishory is doing here.”

Cecilus nodded and spoke as quickly and clearly as he could.

“He was here for our plan, to help me become a duke.”

“Your plan? To prevent this from happening, I disbanded the troops and put one of Cornelia's supporters next to every lord who supported you...”

Apparently his supporters did not see this order as a problem.

“General Azil Zao Long promised you that you would be the future Duke of Vermia and you handed over the city to him, is that what happened?”

Cecilus nodded. “Yes.”

“Then you came with Cornelia to the siege, Bishory and the others were part of the plan from the beginning... When the enemy attacked, you were to betray Cornelia and destroy her entire army with her.”

Cecilus nodded again.

“What a brilliant plan, Your Excellency. I must take my hat off to you.”

Cecilus smiled. “Yes, yes, it is. And you're a clever man, so you recognized it right away. You'd really be useful to me, and I reward people like you in the way they deserve.”

Yu burst out laughing. His laughter sunk so deep into the darkness that not even the demons Yurine had encountered could imitate it.

Cecilus tried to keep smiling as if everything was fine, while Yurine tried to understand why Yu was suddenly so scary.

“Then let's move on to our plan,” Yu said. “I will make you a duke, and in return you will give me the Bishory lands, and I want Cornelia, agreed?”

“Yes, as you wish.” Cecilus sniffed once more.

“So...” Yu whistled and a roaron entered. He was holding a suit of armor belonging to the soldiers of the Virgo Cathedral. “Put these on, Your Highness.”

Yu grabbed Cecilus by the chin and pulled him to his feet, pushing him towards the roaron. As Cecilus passed in front of Yurine, Yurine tripped him and knocked him to the ground.

“I slipped too,” Yurine said.

“It's okay, these things happen all the time.” Yu grabbed Cecilus by the neck and lifted him up like a cat. “Your Highness?”

“Yes,” Cecilus said. “But why should I wear this?”

“Cornelia's soldiers want to kill you. You will hide from them by wearing this armor.”

After Yu's logical explanation, Cecilus put on the armor without question. The armor was a little too big for him and the helmet covered half of his eyes.

“Good,” Yu said and whistled again. Kigaro came in, holding one of the enemy troops' arrows.

“What's that?” Cecilus asked when he saw the arrow. He had his back to Yu.

“You're filled with hope, aren't you?”

Yu didn't answer Cecilus and approached him from behind. Cecilus felt Yu's chest against his back and wanted to turn away, but Yu wouldn't let him.

He took the arrow Kigaro had brought and put the point to Cecilus's throat.

“Wh-what... What are you doing?”

“You wanted Rie to hope, to rejoice, didn't you?” Yu spoke again without answering him. “You wanted her to think that she had found what she wanted in that tower in the first place, that she would rejoice in it and be one step closer to her dream...”

“What are you saying? Let go of me!”

Cecilus was trying to get away from Yu, but his arms were too weak to push him away. Yu put his left arm across his stomach and rested his head against his head.

“She would realize that what she came to get in the tower wasn't really there and her dreams would be shattered... And then she would die for nothing... Wouldn't she?” Yu stuck the arrow in his right hand into Cecilus's throat. It was bleeding. “Isn't it, Your Excellency!”

Cecilus couldn't answer, but he began to take deep breaths. Yurine was sure there was sweat among the blood dripping from his chin.

“When I put myself in your shoes, it wasn't hard to understand.” Cecilus was crying again, but this time no words escaped his lips. “I wanted to make you feel the way you wanted to make her feel. It's merciful and you don't deserve such mercy, but after I turn back time I'll make sure you die like a dog.”

“If you kill me...” Cecilus tried to whisper.

“If I kill you, what?” Yu stopped stabbing the pointed end of the arrow. Any further and Cecilus would die sooner than he should have. “I'm not going to kill you... Even though your sister doesn't like you, what will she think of me if I tell her I killed you? No, Cecilus, I'm not going to kill you. You will somehow escape from the pit where we are holding you prisoner, and as you run for help you will be hit by an enemy arrow.”

That was their plan. They told Cornelia that they would capture Cecilus, dress him in soldier's clothes so that people wouldn't recognize him and put him in a pit. After the war, Cecilus would be tried and Cornelia would become a duchess.

Cecilus's easy loss of Vermia was a clear indication of his potential for treachery, which is why they acted so early.

Cornelia agreed to this plan when she heard about his crimes and then Yu went and told Mark von Salamon about his actual plan.

He told Mark that they were siblings and that there was a possibility that Cornelia would not let Cecilus die, told him that they would kill Cecilus without Cornelia knowing, and kept the plan secret with a magical pact.

The special soldiers he and Mark had arranged with Cecilus in the area where they were to take him would not tell them that the body of a dead soldier had been brought to their front line by Yu.

Most of them wouldn't even realize it, but it was always better to take precautions.

“Well, Your Excellency? How was your disappointment? How does it feel to have your hopes dashed? If you ask me, I am enjoying all your negative emotions.”

Yu prepared himself to kill Cecilus.

“You're a monster,” Cecilus said. He was crying, but even a pathetic creature like him understood that begging was useless at this point.

Yu replied. “As much as you.”