Chapter 55 - Volume 2 (2/2)

The words she speaks are endlessly disturbing, but the way she says them is so contradicting, utterly gentle and lovely. She’s cheerful as if she’s conversing at a tea party, and that’s why this situation is so strange.

「It was so difficult bringing you here. I received a report from my shadows that Sir Celves had failed. After that, all there was to do was wait until you were alone in the White Lily Court, until Sir Edi got up from his seat, and then the shadows brought you here. Thanks to Sir Edi’s magic rampage earlier, the castle’s magic-restricting architecture was in disarray, so I had them aim for the gaps in it using teleportation magic.」

‘His magic rampage’ are words I just can’t ignore. 「What the hell is that? I didn’t hear about that,」 the slightly calm part of me says in my head. But this isn’t the time to fuss over that.

「E-even so, Edi and everyone will realize right away and……」

「Don’t call him 『Edi』!」

I reflexively tremble at her sudden harsh voice. Lunamerie blinks her big eyes, pursing her lips as if ashamed.

「Ah, I’m sorry. But isn’t that impolite? Didn’t the Adina family teach you the proper manners of how to treat the gentleman who will become my husband… the future head of the Valentine family?」

‘If so, then the title of Governer of Magical Books really is just for decoration, isn’t it?’ Lunamerie continues in amazement.

「Let’s return to the topic. It’s alright, there’s no way Sir Edi and the others will realize it.」

「What… do you mean?」

「I left a substitute corpse. With its face and body all properly changed with magic. I’m sure at about this time, they’ll have decided your condition took a sudden change and died abruptly in the White Lily Court.」

「—!」

So they’ve prepared up to that point… That shocking truth, so unthinkable coming out of Lunamerie’s sweetly smiling mouth. ‘Just how did they get that corpse?’ That’s such a scary question, I can’t even ask her about it.

「Well now, you aren’t anxious anymore about how things will go, right? So please relax. After you die, I’ll make sure to comfort Sir Edi.」

Along with her words, several people wearing deep hoods enter from the door behind her. They wear masks, which hides their facial features, and cloaks to hide their bodies. I can’t tell their gender or their age.

That’s why this time for sure, my spine grows cold with fear. I twist my body away, trying to somehow escape, almost fainting at the pain that rips through my body. If I didn’t have these wounds, at least I could have…… No, even if these wounds weren’t there, I can’t get out of this situation with my strength. But despite that, I still can’t just give up.

「I really should have entrusted this to my shadows from the beginning. I’m sorry, Lady Filmina. I pointlessly prolonged your suffering.」

My vision is blurred by the instinctive tears from the pain. I look up at Lunamerie to see her lovely, innocent smile, really just the same as when I first met her.

「But this is the end.」

Cutting through the gap between me and Lunamerie, one of the shadows surrounding me takes a step forward. In its hand is a knife that it must have pulled out from somewhere. Even though it’s rather small, it would be easy for that knife to take a human being’s life. I can tell how sharp it is even without touching it, and my body shakes.

This can’t be. No. I can’t die in a place like this. I can’t die and leave that hopeless man behind. No matter who wants me dead, I can never allow that, at least. And yet.

「Save……」

My lips tremble. Facing me, the shining silver knife is swung downwards. I reflexively close my eyes and shout out that one and only name.