We sat in awkward silence as Akito looked at us, his gaze flickering from Akahime, then back to me, while his gun mimicked the movements of his eyes perfectly.
So much for wanting to recruit Akito as a member of my organization. I was really looking forward to having a male subordinate. Sometimes you just want a friend to hang out with, you know?
“No, I do not know, Master.” That was a redundant question, X.
“Then I propose that you be more clear about your redundancy the next time it occurs to you, Master.” I nearly rolled my eyes, tired of the man standing in front of me.
“Joshua, I have a plan.” Akahime sent me the message in my UI, and I dismissed it with a quick thought.
Judgment, send the following message: Princess, you have no idea what this lunatic wants. “Message sent.”
“I believe that it is the return of the properties that you seized from Gedo. Akito was the one who killed her, after all. I recognize the gun from Gedo’s security camera footage. I’ve sent a message to my father. It will take him a couple minutes to reroute the cannon to this location, so just keep your chauffeur busy enough to keep from firing and killing us.”
What if he doesn’t want the properties. People usually don’t want things that make sense. Or if they do, it’s usually an excuse to do something else as a byproduct.
“He will. We’re in the middle of Tengu’s territory right now, and I’d be hard pressed to believe they’d just let anyone land a palanquin in their territory. He must have been hired by them to bring us here.”
And you expect me to just leave it all to you? He took off his Judgment Panel, so I can't force him into submission remotely if things go wrong.
"Don't worry, I have a backup plan just in case things go sideways. Even if it looks like I might die, I have a plan. Just keep him busy, keep talking to him, and stall. Understood?
It's hard for me to believe you have that under control. He even has more soldiers lying in wait. They don't have panels either, but they're making too much noise for it to just be the wind. I'll be fine because of time dilation, but-
"I told you, don't worry. You just stay still and trust me. You'll have to learn to trust other people eventually, why not start now?"
I gave her a reluctant sigh before sending, Alright, I just have one more question then: do I even want to know what your father has a cannon in the Steel Palace for?
Akahime paused for a few moments before sending a response. “Probably better if you don’t dig any further.”
I could only sigh at her response.
---
Akito looked the Faceless Demon in the eyes and scratched the spot on his head where his Judgment panel had been removed that morning. He had wondered what it would be like to take the diplomat hostage, but it turned out not to feel special. Not when compared to killing Gedo, at least.
No matter, though. He’d make a great hostage when negotiating with Emperor Goto, and the fact that the Emperor’s beloved daughter was here too was a bonus to boot. In fact, she'd make the perfect example to get this hard-headed diplomat to listen to him and acquiesce to his demands.
Imperial Princess Akahime opened her mouth to speak, and it was at that moment that Akito pulled the trigger on his gun, shooting Akahime in the chest. The bullet ricocheted out into the trunk, and bounced around for a few seconds before things went dead silent again.
Akito turned to look at the demon's shocked expression, and began to laugh. It was a sick, demented laugh that Akito had perfected after hearing the same sound come from his foster father, Gedo. He turned to look the Faceless Demon in the eyes, and that was the last thing he saw before the world melted out from under him.
Akito straightened up with a start, and realized that he was inside his own subspace. Pale blues and vivid greens swirled around the ancient temple that Gedo had used as their home for a long while. Akito's face paled as a figure coalesced in front of him, wearing that same mask that he hated.
"Faceless!" Akito sneered, and staggered to his feet. "How did you drag me in here!? I took all the precautions, used all the data that Gedo had gathered on you! I don't have my Judgment panel attached anymore either! How the hell did you get me!?"
His captor's gaze merely glazed over Akito with a thousand yard stare, and Akito found himself shivering despite there being no temperature in subspace. "Do not speak unless spoken to, maggot."
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"Maggot!?" Akito screamed. "I'll have you know that I am Gedo's successor! I've carried on his will so that generatoins may prosper!" Suddenly, the man standing in front of Akito gave him a back handed slap, and Akito looked up at his captor, stunned.
"I told you once before. Do not speak unless spoken to." Enraged, Akito felt the blood rush to his face as he screamed at the demon, only no sound came out. Confused, Akito tried to utter a sound, but nothing escaped his mouth save for useless air.
"Now, because I'm such a nice person, and because you won't make it out of here alive, I'll tell you how I've, as you put it, 'dragged you in here.'"
"I believe you just want to flaunt your knowledge, Master." A gorgeous woman who closely resembled one of the Metronian Princesses winked into existence next to the man, who removed his mask.
Akito felt hatred smoulder in his heart. The famed demon who had curried favor with the emperor and climbed his way to the rank of Paladin in the Metron kingdom appeared to be little older than a high school student! If he were that blessed...
If Akito were that blessed, there would be nothing that he wouldn't be able to accomplish. Akito roared silently as he grabbed a ceremonial sword from the temple's walls before lunging at the man.
"I'm trying to be rational here." The man said, snapping his fingers. Pitch-black chains shot out from the tatami floors of the temple, and from the ceilings. Even a painting on the wall shot out a black chain, and soon enough, Akito had his arms, legs, and chest restrained.
"Before you depart to wherever you believe humans go when they die, I'll tell you why you were bound to fail, even with all this preparation." The man leaned in closer, and sank a knife into Akito's back, using it as a sheath.
Akito soundlessly cried out, and slumped over in exhaustion, before a kick to his jaw sent his gaze straight back up at the man. "First, no matter how many people you prepared, even if I can't sense their exact location, I'll still be able to manipulate them, just like I did with you. Do you know why?"
Akito's vision started to flicker, and a hard slap brought him back to reality. "Fuck, he's weaker than I thought. Keep him alive." The man ordered, and the woman held out her hand before Akito felt a rush of adrenaline enter his system.
"It's because, Akito, you can take off everything on the outside as much as you please. After all, that is how I know where you are. Can you remove everything on the inside though? Can you remove the millions of nanites that occupy your body? The nanites that were constantly being pumped into your body from years of wearing a Judgment Panel?"
Akito finally realized that he had fucked up by not killing this person. Somehow, he had to find a way out of here. He had to warn his men that-
"Ah, I see that it finally clicked for you. Good, I suppose you had a brain hidden somewhere in your head after all. It would be such a shame to kill someone who is the mental equivalent of a lobotomy victim."
Akito tried to open his Judgment menu, to do anything to access his UI, but the woman merely scoffed at him. "Please, you'd have better luck surviving this scenario than actually unlocking your interface again."
Akito's gaze switched from her, back to the Faceless Demon. This time, however, it was truly the last sight that he saw.
---
"Charge!" I heard the goons outside run through the junkyard toward us, and breathed deeply. X, immobilize them. I want them to suffer as they see the volley incoming from the castle, and aren't able to do anything to stop their own demise.
"As you wish, Master." X said, and I could see a wave of pure, raw data wash over the goons in my AR vision. They saw the wave coming, but couldn't retreat in time, and soon, all of them were immobilized.
I heard their concerned cries from the outside, but ignored them immediately as I quickly turned to face Akahime, or, her body. Her wound was horrible, and I knew she wouldn't make it.
Pain begain to blossom in my chest, and I bit down tightly on my own lip to keep it from quivering. Suddenly, I felt gentle fingers wrap around my own.
Her breathing was strained and her gaze was unfocused. “Joshua…” I heard her make a noise, and leaned in closer to her
“Joshua…” I grabbed her hand in both of mine, bringing a smile to her face. “Thank you… I’m sorry… we couldn’t… explore our relationship… further.” I took a shaky breath, and realized in horror that I was crying.
I let go of her hands and wiped at my face. “This isn’t right! We’ve only known each other for two days. Why… Why am I so sad to see you go!?”
She smiled as tears rolled down her cheeks. “I don’t know… but I’m also sad. Please make sure to become the bridge between our kingdoms.”
I can’t do that! I… why does it hurt so much!? “I propose a theory, Master. Perhaps your sense of time has been damaged by how much you dilute it for yourself. Perhaps, even though two days have passed, it feels that much longer for you.”
I grabbed the Imperial Princess’ hands again. “Hold on Akahime!” I’m sure the desperation was clear in my voice, but I didn’t care. “We can save you. I- I know! We just need to get you back to the palace! I’m sure your dad has a…” I trailed off as her hands went limp. They slipped out of my own, and fell next to her body.
“Akahime?” I felt for a pulse, and touched her just in time to feel it fading. “No, no, no, no!” I lifted her in my arms. Her blood stained my suit, but I couldn’t have given less of a shit at that point.
X! “Yes, Master?” Since Lilian can survive as a program without a body, can Akahime do the same as well?”
“That is unknown, Master. My initial theory as to why it is possible for Lilian is because she has the assistance of Three to keep her data protected when she transfers her consciousness over from reality into subspace.”
So is it impossible for Akahime, then!? “Not impossible, per se, but the effects of a lingering will after the body has died haven’t been researched in detail by the scientists of this world. It is unknown what effect separating a consciousness from a dead body will have on it after the consciousness has experienced death. She very well may become something unrecognizable to another human.”
“Even so…” I grit my teeth as Asahi Police cars encircled the junkyard, likely at the behest of Emperor Gedo. “Even so, it doesn’t have to end like this.” The wails of the sirens saw me off, and remained in my head even after I entered a police vehicle.