24 - Rui and Cecil
A week in this world consists of six days. Sunday through Wednesday are the same, but Wind-day takes the place of Thursday, and there is no Friday. The sun, the moon, and the four attributes of fire, water, wind, and earth form the basis of the days of the week.
When Ray first learned this, he panicked. He thought that a period of six months might be different from six months in his original world. However, since a month in this world consists of five weeks, the result was one hundred and eighty days, which was the same as his original assumption.
Four months had already passed since he arrived in the royal capital. The time remaining for Ray was two months at most, meaning more than two-thirds of the period had elapsed.
Today was Wednesday, the day Ray was permitted to visit Rui. To prevent Rui from noticing the impatience in his heart, he continued a meaningless conversation.
"I think I've been trained quite a bit this past month."
"Can you really change that much in a month?"
"Yeah, honestly, I'm surprised myself. I might even be stronger than you now, Rui."
"That can't be right, can it?"
"If you think so, want to try?"
"Alright, fine—wait, I'm at a disadvantage since I'm chained up, right?"
"Ah, you noticed? I thought I could win if it was a Rui who was chained up."
"Don't think of such unfair things."
"I need at least that much of a handicap."
Ray said this out of consideration for Rui, but in reality, he could probably beat Rui even without the chains.
For the first few days, he had only been taught how to train, but after that, it was beyond Ray's imagination.
He was required to complete all his strength training outside of his time at the training ground, and he spent almost all his time with Geel in sparring sessions.
Of course, they weren't serious bouts where lives were on the line. It was training where he simply focused on matching and defending his sword against the rain of strikes Geel rained down upon him. Or training where he let go of his sword and avoided attacks using only body movement.
However, if he lost his balance even slightly or attempted a clumsy dodge, the sword was driven into his body without mercy. Even if Geel wasn't serious, the content was enough for Ray to feel a genuine danger to his life.
Amidst such harsh training, Ray's impression of Geel had changed significantly. Beyond the sparring, there were various training regimens designed specifically for Ray. Precise advice. Geel showed a level of enthusiastic instruction that was unfitting for the nickname "Mad Sword."
Thanks to this, Ray's movements had changed recognizably in a month. Ray didn't realize that the one most surprised by this abnormal growth was Geel, the one teaching him.
"But if Ray says that much, then that master of yours must be strong."
"Yeah, those around him recognize him as one of the top three strongest in the kingdom. He probably actually is. Honestly, I can't even imagine how many years of training it would take to catch up to him."
"Is he stronger than Mother?"
"I've only seen Kamiira-san's seriousness once."
"Don't be considerate of me. Is he strong?"
"To be honest, my impression is that he's far stronger. He'd win against a Murder Wolf without question."
"Eh, then could he possibly be stronger than the Hero?"
"I think he's stronger now. I don't know about the future, though."
"...So the Hero is also strong."
"I don't know the details. But for now, it's the same as my master. I'm being taught by the knight said to be the strongest in the kingdom."
"That means the strength of the instructors is equal, right?"
"Ah, you noticed something unpleasant."
"Do you think you can win someday?"
"...Do you want me to win?"
Ray thought that Rui's question referred to the fact that she had been told to seek revenge someday.
"You don't have to push yourself. It would be a problem if you died."
And Rui's answer affirmed that. Revenge against the Hero. Ray hadn't been thinking about such a thing, but if that was Rui's wish, he wanted to make it come true.
"Even if it's impossible alone, we might win if the two of us work hard together."
"It's impossible for me."
"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?"
"Not really. I'm fine."
"I see... Ah, shall I wipe your body for you?"
"I suppose so."
"Huh? Are you okay? I don't mind if you really want me to wipe you, but..."
"Eh? Ah, no. I meant for you to prepare things so I can do it myself."
"Right. Ah, you surprised me."
Standing up and stepping out into the outer corridor, Ray began preparing to wipe Rui's body as usual. By now, he was completely used to it.
He took a tub out of Shadow Storage and filled it with magical water. Then, he lined up several pebbles on the floor, heated them with fire attribute magic, and put them into the tub. With that, the hot water was ready.
Carrying the tub, which had a faint steam, Ray returned to Rui.
"Here, I'll wipe your face, so turn this way."
"Mm."
Wringing out a towel soaked in the hot water from the tub, he carefully wiped Rui's face. Rui, too, had lost the shyness from the beginning and left herself in Ray's hands, looking comfortable.
"Alright. Turn around. I'm putting my hand on your back."
"Mm."
After wiping the nape of Rui's neck as she turned around, he put his hand on her back and wiped deep into the crevices.
"Hey. Don't just stay still, wipe yourself too."
"Mm, yeah."
Rui began to slowly wipe her arms with the towel Ray had handed her, but her movements were somehow sluggish.
"Hey, are you really not unwell anywhere?"
"I'm fine."
"But you have no energy."
"...Yeah, I feel a bit sluggish, maybe."
"Eh? Do you have a fever?"
Ray tried placing his hand on Rui's forehead, but he didn't feel any fever. However, Rui leaned back into Ray, who had his hand around her forehead from behind, as if collapsing.
"...Is it painful? Or does something hurt?"
"I'm fine. I'm just a bit sluggish, so let me stay like this for a while."
"That's fine, but..."
"You can wipe my body too."
"Eh?"
"Moving my hands is sluggish."
"...If you really insist, I'll do it."
"Then, I really insist."
Without Ray even having to move his hand, Rui took Ray's hand that was placed on her forehead and slid it inside her chest.
"W-wait. I'm not holding a towel."
"It's fine. A towel is unnecessary."
"Rui... what's happened to you? No, anyway, my hand is on your chest."
"Hey."
"What?"
"Could you just kill me already?"
"...What are you talking about?"
Surprised by the unexpected words, Ray peered at Rui's face from behind. But her face was expressionless. He couldn't tell what she was thinking. However, the emotion coming from Rui indicated that those words were serious.
"I just want to die."
Rui uttered words desiring death again.
"Don't say things like that. There are still two months. I asked you to wait until the very last minute, didn't I?"
"That's true... but during that time, I'm here."
"What? Is something wrong?"
"...Nothing."
"I understand that being locked up alone is lonely, but..."
She had been locked up alone in the dungeon for four months already. Ray thought that her patience against that solitude had reached its limit.
"Then, at least hold me."
"That's fine, but..."
Ray tried to tighten the arm he had wrapped around her from behind, but...
"Not like that. Hold me as a woman."
"Rui?"
"...Just kidding. It's a joke. I know you only see me as a little sister."
"That's not something to say even as a joke, right?"
"Because, when I thought about how I'd just keep dying like this... I thought it would be okay to want to be properly loved by someone at least once, right?"
"I..."
He knew that saying he didn't intend to let her die now would be no consolation at all.
"Do you still love Mother?"
"That... well, I guess so. But I love Rui too. Because Rui is precious family."
"I see. That's true."
"Enough with the fooling around, right? Let go of your hand."
"I don't want to. I'll make you realize that I'm a woman too."
"No, I've realized enough. It's embarrassing. This is the first time I've touched a woman's chest."
"Heh. I'm your first woman, then."
"Idiot. That's enough. Stay like this until you're satisfied. Look, it's warm like this, right?"
Having given up, Ray put strength into the arm he had wrapped around her and hugged Rui firmly from behind.
"Mm. It's warm."
"It must be painful, but please endure it a little longer. Once we can escape, the two of us can go back to the forest and live leisurely."
"Just the two of us this time. Don't attack me, okay?"
"You're the one saying that, Rui. This current situation is something Rui did."
"Fufu. That's true."
◇◇◇
After returning from the prison, Ray still couldn't help but worry about Rui.
She had been joking toward the end, but Ray knew very well that normally, Rui wasn't the type to do such things even as a joke.
Furthermore, the way Rui told him to "kill me" was very serious. Ray thought that the time spent alone in the prison was that painful for Rui.
He had been spending fulfilling days ever since leaving the prison. Even if it was for Rui's sake, Ray couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt about it.
In that state, Ray sat in a chair with a troubled expression. And Cecil, who was watching him, was also frowning.
"Um."
"Yes? What is it?"
"May I say something presumptuous?"
"Uh... yes."
"Wouldn't it be better if Kamui-sama stopped going to the prison?"
"No, I can't do that."
"But dealing with the demons was something the Hero desired. The Hero and Kamui-sama will likely have almost no further involvement. If that's the case, there's no need to force yourself to go meet the demon."
The current situation was the result of Ray manipulating things to be this way. Cecil didn't know that.
"No, I'm not forcing myself to go meet her."
"Then why do you look so pained?"
"That's..."
"It's not just today. Whenever you return from the prison, Kamui-sama always has a pained expression."
"Eh, really?"
"Yes."
Ray hadn't been aware of this. The impatience of not finding a way to escape had been unconsciously making him depressed.
"I see. Not just today, but always. I hadn't noticed that."
"If it causes you pain, you should just stop."
"I can't do that. Meeting her is something I desire."
"Why is that?"
"...Well, I suppose I can tell Cecil-san. But will you keep it a secret?"
Ray decided to trust the affection he felt from Cecil. That said, he didn't intend to tell her everything. He intended to tell her only the things that were okay to know, and the things he wanted her to know.
"Of course. I will never tell Julius-sama, nor anyone else."
"It's not quite to that extent. It's just that it would be more helpful if it weren't known."
"Even so, I will not speak of it."
"Alright. Then, I'll trust you. As a result, I'm grateful to the demon who saved my life. That's how it's framed."
"Yes."
"But that's half a lie."
"A lie? What do you mean by that?"
"I mean it's more than gratitude."
"Eh? More than...?"
Cecil's complexion changed. It wasn't that she felt Ray's statement was a problem, but a reaction born of worry that he might be captured by Charm.
"I'll start from the beginning. Having lost my memories, I had no knowledge of demons. Therefore, when I met demons in the forest, I didn't feel that much fear. To put it another way, I had no preconceptions about demons. So, the demon people I met in the forest are everything to me."
"That is..."
"It would be more correct to say I didn't even have the consciousness that they were demons. It's not that I direct affection toward all demons. Only toward the people I spent time with in the forest."
"Not gratitude, but affection. That's what it is, then?"
"Yes. I have affection for the people I lived with in the forest. They welcomed me into their home when I was at a loss in the forest. They did everything they could to help me when I had nothing to eat. In the end, they sincerely worried for and supported me when I was suffering because I could only eat poison. What other emotion could I possibly hold for such people other than affection?"
"...That demons did such a thing."
Not just actions no different from humans, but goodwill that would make one wonder if even humans would go that far. To Cecil, who believed only that demons were evil, this was unexpected.
"A mother and three children. They were an ordinary family. A family that lived peacefully, albeit in a harsh environment, in a place where they wouldn't be spotted by humans. And I was a member of that family. That's how I feel."
"To that extent... then, the demon in the prison is?"
"To me, she is like a little sister. Therefore, just as she supported me in the forest, I want to support her too."
"But... it's hard to say, but..."
Cecil knew what would happen to Rui if things continued like this. Not just Rui, but the end for any demon captured by humans was death.
"Yes. She will be killed someday. And not in the distant future."
"You know that much?"
"That's natural. Because the one who will kill her is me."
"What!?"
"That is the promise. In exchange for that, I have been given my current life."
"............"
Cecil's eyes wavered with agitation after hearing Ray's story. She couldn't believe Ray would do such a thing. She didn't want to believe it.
"I don't mind if you hate me, but I'll offer an excuse for now. I don't particularly care about this kind of life. In truth, I wished to spend my time in the prison until that day."
"...I've lost track of the story. Why would you kill a demon you consider family—no, why kill her?"
"Because it's for her sake. Fortunately, for now, she can be said to be spending her time safely, even if it is life in a cell. But that's because the Hero is acting crazy, and because it's already decided that I will kill her eventually. Without that, imagine what she would be subjected to."
"...What is that?"
Cecil didn't know what there was other than death. It wasn't something that would be publicly told, especially to a woman like Cecil.
"She is a woman of the Vampio race. What they fear is not death, but having their pride as demons and as women trampled upon. That's how it is."
"...Could it be that the reason Kamui-sama killed demons in the forest was also..."
"You're quick to catch on. It's what the opponent desired. That's why I... I... that person who is more precious than anyone..."
Ray had been speaking calmly, but that was the limit. When the topic turned to Kamiira's death, a pain that felt like his chest was being clawed at still attacked him.
"Kamui-sama?"
"She was a wonderful person. Noble, beautiful, and kind. I..."
"That's enough. I've heard enough."
"Even though I loved her. Even though she was a person I could clearly say that about. With these hands, I..."
"Please stop already!"
The first time he spoke his true feelings. It was something filled with great anguish and sadness. Seeing Ray like that, Cecil couldn't stay still. While still in her chair, she rushed toward Ray, who was repeating words of regret as if he had lost his sanity, and hugged his head tightly.
"Please stop. Please don't look so pained."
"I... I..."
"I won't tell you to forget everything. But for now. Just for this moment."
"............"
"Please look at me."
Releasing the arms that had been hugging him, Cecil cupped Ray's cheeks with both hands and slowly brought her face closer. Eventually, lips overlapped with lips.
"...Eh?"
Ray returned to his senses due to the sheer unexpectedness of the event. And because Ray returned to his senses, Cecil also realized what she had done.
"Ah."
"............"
"............"
"Um, what was that just now?"
"Y-yes. Uh, I wonder what it was?"
"F-for now, it seems my feelings have calmed down."
He wasn't calmed. His heart was shaking violently in a different sense.
"Ah, is that so. That's good."
"But I'm confused by something else."
"M-me too."
"It's better to forget, right? This was, uh, a bit of an accident."
"...Yes. Ah, no."
"Eh?"
"I don't want to make it an accident. I kissed Kamui-sama of my own will."
"Does that mean..."
Cecil's feelings weren't just simple affection. It was affection for the opposite sex as a woman. Ray finally realized that.
"I've decided. Now is not the time to force my feelings to be suppressed."
Saying so, Cecil began to remove her clothes one by one.
"Huh? Um, Cecil-san? What are you doing?"
"I beg of you. Could you please be quiet? If you make too much noise, people will come."
Cecil had already removed her maid uniform and was down to her underwear. Translucent white skin. Her slender limbs were now completely exposed.
"...But."
"Please don't think about anything. Don't think about anything and just look at me."
Discarding even the remaining underwear, Cecil approached Ray.
"Um, Cecil-san. I am a man, after all."
He couldn't remain normal in front of a beautiful naked woman.
"I know."
"Cecil-san, you're, uh, very beautiful."
"I'm happy to hear you say that."
"My reason is..."
"Please throw away your reason."
"That means..."
"Please hold me."
"H-how did it come to this? Rui was strange, and now even Cecil-san."
"Rui?"
"Ah, the demon. Rui was also somewhat provocative today. Well, I was fine since it was Rui, though."
"I see... so her name is Rui-san. And Rui-san surely... I can't back down any further now."
Cecil immediately understood Rui's feelings. Both were people who thought of Ray. A small sense of rivalry made Cecil even more determined.
Cecil's hand reached for the buttons of Ray's clothes.
"...Um, I'm younger than you, Cecil-san."
Ray wavered between desire and reason. He didn't stop Cecil's actions, but his reason showed a final resistance through his words.
"Is that some kind of problem?"
"I'm not in a position to, you know, take responsibility."
"I'm not seeking such a thing."
"A-and besides, I'm someone who will be leaving this castle soon."
"Please forget that for now as well."
"While Rui is suffering, for me to do this..."
By putting this into words, Ray was able to become a bit more calm, but...
"Please forget about her too. I believe Kamui-sama needs time to forget everything."
Conversely, this only added fuel to Cecil's fire. While continuing the conversation with Ray, she didn't stop her hands, continuing to undress him.
(S-someone do something. I can't go any further than this.)
Facing an uncontrollable desire, Ray sought help from his other self.
(............)
(Hey, what's wrong?)
(Think of it as doing it to save Rui, and hold her.)
But instead of helping, the other Ray encouraged him to have a relationship with Cecil.
(What do you mean?)
(Perhaps she might lend a hand in Rui's escape. No, she might not help Rui's escape, but if you make her believe that, there's a possibility you can utilize her.)
(Even so, Cecil-san...)
Rui's escape was the top priority. He understood that, but he felt resistance toward acting in a way that deceived and utilized Cecil, who directed affection toward him.
(It's what she desired. You have someone else you like, and you can't be together forever. Knowing that, she desired a relationship.)
(That may be true, but...)
(Look at her properly. She's enduring her embarrassment and taking this action for your sake. Any further resistance will only shame her. Isn't accepting her the kind thing to do?)
(............)
Cecil had been repeating words to seduce Ray, but looking closely, her skin was dyed red with shame, and her body was trembling slightly. Indeed, as his other self said, rejecting Cecil now seemed like a cold act. Though half of it was an excuse to justify his desire.
"...I beg of you. Please don't make me feel any more shame than this."
"Cecil-san..."
And this line was the finishing blow. Cecil whispered softly in his ear with a trembling voice. An affection for such a Cecil was born in Ray's heart.
Gently embracing Cecil, Ray fell back onto the bed.