“…I’m sorry… I’m sorry… Eurushia… for being such a terrible sister…”
Ataline apologizes to Eurushia with a trembling voice.
Because she was lonely, because she didn’t know, because there was no other way… No matter the reason, Ataline’s sins cannot be erased. The fact that her mother wasn’t there to stop her is no excuse.
Perhaps the possibility of dying here is her punishment.
But what fills her with regret is the fact that she has dragged her sister, the saint, into her own punishment.
“It’s alright.”
“…Eurushia.”
But her sister forgave her. Even if there had been jealousy before, Ataline no longer understood why she had hated her so much.
Perhaps it was because of the perfect beauty bestowed upon her by the gods above.
As Eurushia, who had been holding her, quietly raised her face, Ataline peered into her sister’s features…
“──!?”
Those lovely lips bared fangs like a hungry beast, her beautiful eyes dyed crimson, and just as Ataline was about to scream at the sight of the “demon’s” visage, fangs sank into her throat.
What’s happening? What is being done to her? As Ataline tried to shake off the instinctive terror of her soul being drained, golden bat wings gently restrained her arms, embracing her as if to envelop her.
She didn’t understand anything. As her heart was consumed by despair, Ataline thought one last thing.
──Her intuition had not been wrong──
“…ah…”
A small voice escaped Ataline’s lips as a single tear fell from her eyes.
Eurushia licked the tear away with her crimson tongue, then gently laid the motionless Ataline down.
“My dear, dear Ataline… You won’t suffer anymore. From now on, you’ll be with our beloved father, where you can forget everything and indulge yourself.”
Eurushia gently stroked Ataline’s warm cheek, smiling tenderly as if cherishing her.
…………I ended up doing it.
But… it was truly… the best, Ataline, my dear sister.
Like a heavenly sweetness, smooth and without aftertaste, with a faint hint of bitterness that added depth to the despair, it rivaled that beautiful woman I tasted before—like the finest chocolate.
I pulled out a pitch-black handkerchief and elegantly wiped the blood from my lips, like a princess.
What kind of princess am I? (Self-deprecating remark.)
Though I didn’t make a “contract” with Ataline, it’s not a mistake. That’s right… I realized halfway through, but it’s not a mistake. (Important.)
It would be a waste to consume such a delicacy I’ve spent so much time cultivating in one go. So, I deliberately left her alive, not draining her soul completely, but leaving half behind.
It’s like an experiment, but I thought that if the remaining half of her soul recovers, I could taste it again.
It’s also for Father’s sake, you know? He’s been deeply troubled by my sisters, so if a daughter who has lost half her soul’s “experience” and has become childlike returns, he’ll be overjoyed.
Will she repeat the same thing again? That’s up to Ataline herself.
I deliberately avoided making a contract because I didn’t want to sow distrust and taint the flavor, and if I had made a contract, other demons would know, so I wanted to avoid drawing their attention.
This time, I barely drank any blood, so it won’t affect her body, and she won’t turn into a vampire, so there’s no need to worry.
“…I’ll have to erase her memories of this place too. Fanny could do it easily, but… even I…”
Like this… huh? Yeah, it’s fine… probably.
“…Fanny-chaaaan, are you still there~?”
When I called out to the grand door, after a while, a reply came back.
〝What’s up~? I’m almost done finding the route to get there!〟
“That’s good. Anyway, I’ll send my sister over there. I can’t return, but since her soul has shrunk, I think you can pull her over using the residual traces.”
〝Hmm~? I’ll try~〟
I tossed my sister toward the grand door, and it seems she was found on the other side, as she was smoothly swallowed up.
〝It’s all good~〟
“Thank you~. Then, sorry to trouble you, but could you take her outside and hand her over to Ludrick? Also, I messed with her memories a bit, so could you fix them?”
〝Hmm~? …Got it.〟
……What was that just now?
Well, anyway, my wish didn’t come true, but I’ll make one more effort.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
“Now, Geass. No one will disturb us here.”
Those “two pillars” were truly a nuisance. Especially Eurushia, who Hiraines could never figure out,and unconsciously felt uneasy around.
But now that they’ve reached the deepest part of the sub-space, Hiraines’ [Laboratory] where he interacts with various dimensions, no one will disturb us.
“Now, swear anew, Geass. Even if it takes years, you will reclaim your woman, and kill anyone who gets in your way.”
“…No… I can’t…”
“Is it fine for your wife to be taken by another man? Is it fine for her to open her heart to someone else? Can anyone but you make her happy? Can anyone but you make her happy? Is it fine for your place to be taken away?”
“…ahh…”
Both mentally and physically broken, Geass, who now looked like a corpse, covered his face and sobbed.
A soul strong enough to traverse the netherworld without losing any memory after death is rare. After fifty years of nurturing it, Hiraines thought it was time to harvest.
There are demons like Eurushia who would try to steal that black gem-like soul, so it’s all the more reason to act now.
For the final touch… Hiraines began to break Geass’ heart, tormenting his soul.
“If you can’t make up your mind, then watch this. This is ‘reality.'”
In the darkness of the sub-space, the scene of another world that Geass had been shown in his mind was projected.
A park on a hill overlooking the city’s nightscape… There, a man stood nervously facing Geass’ wife, his childhood friend.
“Ah… no…”
“Look. Right now, the man you don’t know is taking out a ring. Haha… your wife’s face is quite the sight.”
“She hasn’t completely let go, but she’s already wearing the face of someone looking to the future.”
“For that woman, your existence is already in the past. Is that fine with you? Can you still believe she’s waiting for you?”
“A woman’s heart and the autumn sky… You know that, right? People’s hearts are fickle.”
“That’s right. Human women are, after all…”
“…………”
“…………”
“…Huh!?”
Before Hiraines knew it, he leapt away to distance herself from the “Golden Girl” who had been tormenting Geass’s heart right beside her.
“Y-you, Eurushia! How did you get here!?”
“Sorry to intrude again. Hi… Hi… Hyacinth-san.”
“What kind of flower is that!?”
“Oh, my apologies. I find it difficult to remember the names of gentlemen I don’t fancy…”
As Hiraines’ angry voice shook the sub-space, Eurushia, who had been lowering her eyebrows in confusion, seemed to notice something and took out a black fan to cover her mouth.
“By the way, I can smell something like sludge coming from your mouth. Even from a distance, it’s quite strong. Is your stomach upset?”
“You…!”
If my stomach is upset, it’s definitely because of the stress you’re causing me, Hiraines wanted to say, but if he did, he felt he’d be drawn into this strange demon’s pace again, so he held back.
As if to prove his intuition correct, from the moment Hiraines noticed “her” presence, a strange “loose” atmosphere emerged, and Hiraines’ body swayed as if he were about to faint.
How did she even get to this [Laboratory]?
For anyone other than Hiraines to pass through that grand door, they would have to be his subordinate demons or “humans” who have committed crimes and harbor malice.
An ordinary human, even if they were a hero, would be defeated by the greater demons stationed along the way, and even if they were a demon or spirit, it would take considerable time and mana to reach this place.
Even the “The Devil,” who travels through countless dimensions, is no exception. Hiraines’ power, which manipulates space, is effective even against the “The Devil” and the “Beast.”
So, who is this “demon” standing before me?
“Hmph… To come alone to the heart of enemy territory, aren’t you overestimating your power, young ‘demon’?”
Playing with his bangs to calm himself, Hiraines assessed the situation.
Earlier, Hiraines retreated because there were two highest-ranking demons. Eurushia is, in a way, the most troublesome demon, but with the “Beast” absent, luck was on Hiraines’ side.
In the demon world, conflicts between highest-ranking demons rarely occur because even if you destroy your opponent, if your own power diminishes, another highest-ranking demon might take advantage and destroy you.
The only exception is the “Dark Beast,” whose ferocity is such that even Hiraines didn’t want to fight it.
If it had been Rinne who appeared in this deepest part with no escape, Hiraines would have had no choice but to prepare for death and fight, but it would take him several months to fend off the attacks of Hiraines’ greater demons and reach this place.
At Hiraines’ words, Eurushia narrowed her eyes slightly.
“Even if it’s just ‘me,’ you think you can handle it?”
“That’s what I’m saying, Eurushia.”
Slowly… the “aura” and “miasma” emanating from the two highest-ranking demons caused Geass’ soul, that of an ordinary human, to shrink, and his body began to convulse as if rejecting it.
“Wait a moment.”
“Are you backing out now?!”
TLNOTE:
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