301 - Chapter 16: Epilogue
――Central, Kingdom of Banseime.
In a room within the royal palace—though it was too large to be called just a room—Celes was choosing her attire. She held her favorite dresses in both hands, preparing to welcome her father, Maisel, upon his arrival in Central.
However, Celes froze at the words of the maid who entered the room. Her mother, Claire, who had been helping her choose dresses, also gasped, pressing both hands to her mouth in shock.
Celes remained there, dresses still in her hands.
"...What did you say? What did you just say!"
Tearing the clothes she had liked, she snatched her cane—which concealed her rapier—from Bart, the automaton standing nearby. The yellow jewel embedded in the hilt glowed faintly.
The maid spoke.
"T-the report says the Walt family's forces have invaded Beime. However... Count Maisel, the head of the Walt family, has been killed in action. The army has surrendered... and they have been defeated!"
Looking down at the kneeling maid, Celes trembled violently.
(No way... why... because Father is strong. There's no way he'd lose to those dregs. There's no way he'd lose to such small fry... Novem. I see, Novem did it. That damn woman!)
She grit her teeth, her grip on the cane tightening. Then, the voice of Agrissa echoed.
"...Poor Celes. You've lost the father you love so much. But you mustn't do nothing but rage. Shall I guess what you're thinking? Let's see... you think Novem did it, don't you?"
Celes struck the maid—the one who had delivered the news she hated—with her cane, sending her flying. The maid was swept up in the clothes scattered across the room and slammed into the wall.
She barely survived, but she was on the verge of death. Celes's breathing was ragged, her eyes wide.
"No... Maisel... for that man to die..."
Seeing her mother collapse to her knees and begin to sob, hiding her face in her hands, Celes clung to her.
"Mother. I... I..."
"Celes!"
Her mother, Claire, hugged Celes back. Together, the two of them wept. Watching this scene, Bart was issuing orders to those around him.
"Carry the injured away and treat them. Also, clear the room."
The maids moved as told, leaving only Lumel the Kirin sitting on the floor, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Agrissa spoke to Celes.
"It's unfortunate, but Novem likely didn't lay a hand on Maisel. She might have been indirectly involved, but she wouldn't do that. In that case, the one who defeated Maisel was—"
The light vanished from Celes's blue eyes, and a frown creased her brow.
"That piece of shit. I let him live because Novem told me to. And yet he killed Father... despite being mere dregs... just a piece of waste!"
Suppressing the urge to laugh, Agrissa continued to speak to Celes.
"Does it gall you, Celes? Then let us bestow every pain in this world upon him. But before that... you must hold a funeral for your precious father. Let us prepare a magnificent grave for the father you love so much. Yes... so that Father won't be lonely, let's bury many with him. Let's bury ten thousand people together. Then, your father won't be lonely."
Celes snapped back to her senses at the insane suggestion.
"Y-yes. I must mourn Father. I have to pull myself together... Mother?"
"Wait a little, Celes. Just a little. Let me cry for now."
Seeing her mother like that, Celes acted in a way that would shock any observer.
"I-I understand. I'll wait. Celes will wait."
If anyone other than her parents told Celes to wait, it would have ended in disaster. Yet, Celes felt no discomfort at being told to wait by her mother.
――Why?
It was simple. Those of the Septem tended to become obsessed with their parents. The same was true for Agrissa. However, Agrissa and Celes were stained with madness. Their thoughts were beyond those of ordinary people.
"...Celes, would you like to be with your mother forever?"
"Of course. I need the two of them by my side forever... I, I..."
Agrissa laughed within the orb. With a twisted smile, Agrissa spoke to Celes.
"Then, you should just have her by your side forever. Maisel was too late, but there's no problem if you recover the body. Now, you can already fully control 'that skill.' If you do, you'll be with your mother forever. I'm envious, Celes."
Agrissa, who truly felt envious, had also been obsessed with parents. It wasn't just the Septem who were abnormally obsessed.
Celes looked at her mother, who was hugging her.
"...I see. Yes! Mother, now we'll be together forever! And Father will be back soon too!"
"Celes, what on earth are you—"
To ensure her mother did not suffer, Celes drew her rapier and beheaded her. Hugging her mother's head, Celes looked happy as she was drenched in the blood spurting from her mother's body.
"We're together forever. Forever... Ah, that's right. I have to recover Father's remains as well."
"Does that mean the funeral is cancelled? No, I'd like to see one for the first time in a while. Celes, recovering Maisel's body is important, but you'll proceed with the funeral preparations too, right? I... I want to see more than ten thousand humans suffering."
Drenched in her mother's blood, Celes pouted. She wanted to complain to Agrissa, but Agrissa was an opponent she couldn't be strong against.
"Yes, yes, I understand. I'll make them do it. Well, recovering part of Father's remains comes first. I want the three of us to have a party soon."
"A party, huh. You never tire of those."
Celes hugged her mother's head dearly and activated her skill.
"Mother... now, please wake up."
Her mother's head floated in the air, and then it began to regenerate, reusing the nearby body and blood. No, it wasn't regeneration. She was no longer alive.
However, once Claire regained her original form...
"Celes, why are you so dirty? Honestly, you're such a handful. Let's go to the bath together and get you clean."
There stood her mother, looking exactly as she did in life. Celes smiled.
"I'm sorry, Mother. But now you can see Father soon, so you can be at ease."
Claire also smiled.
"You're right. I'm at ease, Celes."
Agrissa's voice came from the orb.
"It feels good after doing something nice. But I already miss the death screams of humans, Celes. Besides... Lariel, huh. To crawl back up from there, he really is worth watching."
Agrissa's voice did not reach Celes's ears――.
"Has your resolve not changed?"
In the dungeons of Lufence Royal Castle, I stood facing Bale. He was a man I had admired as a knight, but he looked somewhat haggard now.
Still, he sat upright in the cell, kneeling before me.
"...I am no longer in a position to serve. I cannot forget everything and serve Lariel-sama with a blank face. However, I will devote my loyalty to the Landburg family for the rest of my life. Baldor will surely support Lariel-sama."
His determination seemed unchanged.
Bale had spilled everything about the internal affairs of Banseime and left me with a wealth of information. I had suggested he serve me under a different name, but he had refused.
"Baldor is serving me well. I can show some mercy to the Landburg family—"
"It is unnecessary! Furthermore, in Lariel-sama's current position, if the person responsible is not judged, it will become a seed of discord. I cannot cause Lariel-sama any more trouble. I beg of you!"
Why is he so eager to die?
Can't he live a bit more lightheartedly?
The Third Head spoke from within the orb.
"...Honestly, the Landburg family is far too serious. They should live a bit more lightheartedly."
His voice sounded sadder than usual.
"...I have no personal grudge. It just shows how much of a threat Celes was. She's my sister too. She's a human of the Walt family. I feel I've caused you trouble."
Bale spoke to me.
"Your words are too kind. I am prepared. Whether it be torture or a gruesome execution—"
"I hate torture. I am... different from Celes."
I want to believe I'm different, but in the end, aren't we the same? I always have such doubts. Even so, I intend to challenge Celes.
"...I'm sorry I couldn't save you. It's my responsibility."
I wasn't the only one whose life was ruined by Celes. Many people, starting with Bale before me, had their lives shattered.
"I am truly, deeply sorry, Lariel-sama!"
Bale shed tears, letting out a sob.
I stepped out onto the terrace of my room and looked up at the sky.
It was still cold in the mornings and evenings, but right now, I wanted a pain that pierced the skin. Normally I would have shivered, but now I felt nothing.
Then, I felt warmth on my back. A coat had been draped over me.
"What, is it you, Monica?"
When I said that without looking back, Monica spoke haughtily.
"Trying to look cool while indulging in sentimentality doesn't suit a chicken coward. You could say some more loving words to Monica, who prevented you from catching a cold and exposing your pathetic side to everyone again. You could say 'I love you.' I'll respond with everything I've got! This Monica will respond with all her might to the chicken coward's love!"
"...You're noisy. The reason I can't say it is because you're always trying to force me to say I love you. Learn a bit more about the subtleties of these things."
Then, Monica's twin-tails swayed in the wind as she looked at me with a deadpan expression.
"He's acting sweet. The chicken coward finally acted sweet to this Monica! I won! As expected, this Monica is the ultimate winner!"
Raising both hands, Monica ran around the terrace, looking delighted. However, I tilted my head.
"Winner? What are you talking about?"
Then, Monica said bashfully.
"How rude. I'm talking about the Little Chick-sama. Who will be loved the most, and who will be granted the first Little Chick-sama. A factional struggle has broken out among the Valkyries, and a fierce battle is raging over who gets to take care of the Little Chick-sama."
The Third Head in the orb was surprised, and I covered my face with my left hand.
"Eh~, do automatons have factional struggles too? How tedious."
"...You people, stop calling my children Little Chick-sama. I mean, why is that even a topic of conversation? If I touch that subject poorly, it'll be the worst possible conversation."
Monica told me while doing a little dance.
"Unfortunately, it's a path that cannot be avoided. Well, since I'm the chicken coward's number one, it's only natural that I'll be the partner for the first night and take care of the Little Chick-sama—"
I snapped to attention at Monica's words, but it was indeed a path that could not be avoided. However, I wanted to avoid a bloodbath. I gripped the orb.
The Third Head seemed to sense my feelings, but he spoke while laughing.
"Sorry, but I have no advice. I just realized it myself. ...Lariel's harem has exceeded Lariel's capacity."
...Isn't it pretty cruel to only realize that now? I'm already feeling like I've reached my limit; the sense of 'too little, too late' is overwhelming.
The Third Head spoke as if enlightened.
"I've woken up. After all, I'd rather love one woman than have a harem. I think it's heresy to lay hands on multiple women at once."
You're the ones who pushed for the harem!
Suppressing the urge to scream that, I calmed my heart.
Calm down. There's no turning back now. This flow cannot be changed. Inis-san said it too. Avoiding the bloodbath is impossible. What matters is how small you can keep it.
...Damn it! To think that no matter what, only a bloodbath awaits me, what a life!
It was then.
I felt a strangely unpleasant sensation. A feeling of loss, like what I felt when it happened to my father...
"What is this?"
I felt nothing when I looked around. There was no response even when I checked with my skill. Monica looked at me.
"What's wrong? Ah! If you're anxious about the first night, don't worry. This Monica will give you various pointers—"
"Stop joking. No, it's just... a sense of loss. Maybe I'm feeling a bit depressed after killing Father. I'll go rest."
As I tried to return to my room, Monica hung her head.
"...Treating it as a joke. This attitude of brushing me aside without feeling lust for this Monica. Truly, it's the best."
While admiring Monica's unwavering spirit, I looked out from the terrace. What on earth did I just feel?