Chapter 132

3 Those Who Loved The room was red. It was dyed all over with the color of fresh blood, and it was the kind of room that burrowed its way into your eyeballs and chipped away at your brain. A chessboard sat atop its plain desk. Of its pieces, several were wriggling and squirming in a most peculiar way. Not only was the horrible process of death and birth from before continuing to take place, several groups of pawns were also beginning to march. In the remote corners of the board, some of them were even rioting. However, there were also two pieces holding the board in check. Each belonged to a different side, and the two were standing face-to-face. Both were women. One’s head was human; the other had the head of a lizard. Kaito and Hina watched the two pieces intently. However, neither of the women moved. They merely began having a conversation. However, the pieces’ voices weren’t audible from down on the board. And Kaito and Hina both knew that. The pieces appeared close to them, but they were actually farther away than the World’s End. Trying to hear them was a fool’s errand. Yet even so, Kaito and Hina continued straining their ears. The two of them were silent. And the room was silent as well. Totally utterly silent. “You say that I’m suffering, but…the term suits you better than it does me, don’t you think?” Aguina’s wife’s voice was gentle. Elisabeth narrowed her gaze. It was difficult to tell a demi-human’s age at a glance, but even so, the woman was clearly no spring chicken. Each and every one of her vermilion scales gleamed in the light, but several of them had grown much harder than they normally should have. It resembled the change that the Sand Queen’s corpse had undergone. That was proof that her blood was exceptionally pure, even among the highest-grade pureblood demi-humans. After committing his betrayal, Aguina had left her completely in the dark. But despite her lack of involvement, she still refused to be questioned. However, forcing her to testify wasn’t exactly an option. The thing was, her pedigree and status were even higher than her husband’s. In short, she was a blue blood the likes of which were rare even for demi-human nobility. Despite the woman’s position, though, Elisabeth made no efforts this time to hold her sarcasm in check. “Nay, I relinquish it to you without reservations. Your husband betrayed the beastfolk and humans and sided with the mixed-race people. Now he is an enemy of the world. All for the sake of a reckless, ill-conceived gamble. His obsession with blood purity blinded him to the idiocy of his own plan.” “Insolent words coming from a lowly human like yourself.” The lizard-headed woman’s voice was gentle and calm. So much so, in fact, it took a moment for Elisabeth to register what she’d said. Such was the depth of the soft dignity her words exuded. Aguina’s wife then continued, never once losing the characteristic elegance of one who stood above others. “For surely you’re aware, Torture Princess—weapon of the Church, pitiful sinner, and consort of the Mad King that you are.” “…Hmm? I’ve some objections I’d like to voice. But go on.” “How humanity is a group of exclusionary elitists unable to see just how deeply human-centric their worldviews are. And what’s more, you’re as numerous as rats. In time, you will eradicate the other races, whether they took part in the rebellion or not. Knowing that, he chose to save the hostages. To prioritize blood purity so that our race might be saved. For a human, of all people, to deride that decision as ‘idiocy’ is an act worthy of contempt.” The demi-human woman smiled. Her tone was as warm as a hand gently stroking one’s head and as biting as a knife to the gut. She narrowed her golden eyes and spoke with her head held high. “That’s right—I take great pride in what my husband did.” And with that description of her husband, the enemy of the world, she brought her speech to a close. That was all she had to say. That and nothing more. She turned away from Elisabeth once more. Elisabeth shook her head, her expression quietly changing. Suddenly, the Torture Princess spoke. “See, I can scarce think of anything further beneath my interest.” “—!” Elisabeth was well aware how careless her statement was. It was the height of impropriety. Aguina’s wife turned back toward her. When she did, Elisabeth reached out, grabbing the woman by her scaly throat before she had so much as a chance to scream. It was only a light pressure. She didn’t squeeze down. Instead, though, she deployed a wave of flower petals in a circle around them. Aguina’s wife’s eyes went wide. The demi-humans were no experts in magic, but even she knew. She knew that the Torture Princess was a sinner clad in flower petals, a wielder of blood and chains. To her, severing an artery or lopping off a head would be child’s play. Still pressing on the demi-human woman’s vitals, Elisabeth nodded. “Your fear and concern are valid. The end of days and the rebellion both had their roots in human religious fanaticism. But your people were just as exclusionary toward those of mixed race. You refused to shelter them. Everyone believed that justice lay solely on their side, and the mess we’re now in is the result of that.” “You—” “Standing by and watching is a sin in and of itself. However, I shall admit that mankind is entirely unworthy of trust.” “Oh, then we are in agreement there. So why not—?” “But that, too, is of little import.” Elisabeth smiled amiably, and for the first time, Aguina’s wife’s expression froze. It was hard to say if her intuition was sharp or dull, but in either case, she’d finally realized something. She had realized just how utterly furious the Torture Princess was. Her expression still as mild as could be, Elisabeth spoke with firm conviction. “I take great pride in what Kaito Sena did.” Aguina’s wife gave her a confused look. His was a name that was completely unrelated to what they were talking about. To Elisabeth, however, nothing could possibly have been more important. After all, the basis for her sense of justice had long since transcended such pedestrian concepts as morality and logic. “I mean, has it ever even crossed your mind?” “Has…what?” “Who was it that fought for this world? Who was it that rescued all the stupid sheep? Who was it that sacrificed himself to make all that possible? Was it your husband? No. Of course not. You and all the others…you’re full of it, you know that?” Elisabeth’s rage caused her fingertips to tremble ever so slightly. However, she didn’t squeeze down with the hand itself. Taking great care not to wound Aguina’s wife, the Torture Princess went on. “You, your husband, your people’s obsession with blood purity, the mixed-race people’s lament, the three races’ various designs…to me, such things are worth less than nothing. I have but one intention—to save this world, and as many of the mindless fools who live in it as possible, by whatever methods I can muster.” “…That’s a very contradictory ideology, is it not?” “Oh, it is—make no mistake. But you see, there was once a person who saw the world’s hideous face and accepted it for what it was. And so I must do the same—for I take great pride in that fool, and I love him from the bottom of my heart.” The words cascaded from her mouth, one after another. Elisabeth cocked her head to the side. Hmm? She pondered for a moment, ruminating on what she had just said. And in the end, she arrived at a quiet realization. It was true. It was as one would their confidante, or their brother, or their savior. As one would a kind, incorrigible fool— As one would any whom they ought to love— “I, Elisabeth Le Fanu, love Kaito Sena.” In that moment, a warm tear slid down Elisabeth’s cheek. However, she ignored it. For such a thing was completely and utterly unbefitting the Torture Princess. “Now, speak.” Elisabeth gave her order as though nothing had happened. The noblewoman looked at her with her golden eyes. Of all the demi-humans who’d remained, she was the sole one who’d persisted in refusing to testify. The Torture Princess spoke dispassionately as she faced her. “Wife of Aguina Elephabred. If your love compels you to remain silent, then so be it. For the sake of my love, I shall flay the truth out of you.” “…You would threaten me, knowing who I am?”