Chapter 44

Chapter 44: Night Raid Milano had resolved to set out on a journey with Selene, and several days had quickly passed by; however, Selene herself showed no signs of excitement. She reduced her already few words even further and spent much time resting her cheek on her hand, gazing outside. 『Princess, I empathize with what's in your heart. It's natural to feel anxious when embarking on a journey to a new world. However, the world is not as cruel as you might imagine. Often, when you muster the courage to take that first step, you're greeted with a vista of breathtaking beauty.』 "Mmm..." Butler kindly spoke to Selene, yet she just listened absently, her mind clearly somewhere else, engrossed in thoughts, nowhere near this conversation. 『(The princess is completely in a daze... I suppose it can't be helped.)』 In recent days, Selene had been preoccupied, seemingly pondering over something, and appeared to be lacking mental leeway. As her butler, I am overjoyed that Selene can travel with Prince Milano. Nevertheless, I am also well aware of the harsh life she has led thus far. That's why I could understand the turmoil in my master's heart. Reflecting on Selene's life thus far, she had spent nearly half of it imprisoned, and immediately after being set free, she had to move to the royal palace of the great nation of Helifarthe. What followed was her life in the Elven village, taken there by dragons. In other words, the environments in which Selene has lived are completely different from those of ordinary people. This is indeed a sign that she is a chosen one of the heavens; yet, I pity her for her solitude caused by her genius, for she cannot conceive the happiness enjoyed by the common folk. 『Perhaps the notion of modest happiness is unfathomable to you, Princess, but have you seen the citizens of Helifarte? Good people like them can be found everywhere. There is nothing to fear.』 "............" Butler gently advised, trying to relieve his master's anxiety, but Selene remained unresponsive. It was best to leave her be for now and stay close by, like a shadow. That's what Butler thought as he hopped onto Selene's shoulder and tenderly stroked her soft cheek with his paw before returning to his own little abode. When his master grieves and struggles, he would quietly stay by her side until she seeks him out. This has been, and will continue to be, Butler's most astute manner of support. "Sigh..." Selene, who had hardly reacted to Butler's words, finally relaxed her stiff pose and let out a sigh. Just when she thought Prince Milano would finally disappear from her sight, he embarked on the bizarre venture of taking her along on his travels. Selene frequently indulged in odd behavior herself, yet she hypocritically analyzed Milano's puzzling actions from a distance. Over the past few days, she had pondered over his motives, and had finally settled on a satisfactory conclusion. "I'm a substitute." Selene got up from her chair and stood in front of the large mirror that adorned her room. Her previous life's image flickered in her mind, making self-recognition difficult, but it seemed she could be considered fairly cute. She wasn't just fairly cute, but Selene favored ample bosoms and was not quite satisfied with her own childish physique. Setting aside such preferences, Prince Milano’s true interest lay unwaveringly with Alue. Even if she were merely treated as a hostage, there was no denying she was the blood-related sister to Alue. On closer inspection, there did seem to be a few resemblances between them. While Alue, being a guest of honor, couldn't be taken on the journey, there was no issue with Selene, who had been cast aside as a defective product. She surmised that she was intended to be a consolation for Milano—a plaything in place of Alue. It was the only conclusion Selene, with her suspicious mind, could come to. "It's too horrifying!" Images of herself dressed as a maid with a collar on, which she had fantasized about when abducted to Helifarthe, tormented her in various ways. Though she loved dressing someone else, particularly young girls, in maid attire and potentially stripping them, it was not an inclination she had for herself. Above all, she absolutely did not want to entertain a man. If push came to shove, she might muster a shred of sympathy for Kumahachi, who reminded her a bit of her past life. However, being used as Prince Milano's plaything was categorically out of the question. Besieged by gruesome fantasies, Selene hugged herself. The prince had mentioned that he could only return home once every few months and that the journey could span several years. Although she currently looked like a toddler and thus was obviously ill-suited for nighttime activities, her body would eventually develop into a more typically feminine one with time. If the journey did not conclude by then, she would be compelled to serve as an authentic substitute for Alue. Should she become redundant, Alue might then fall prey to his venomous fangs. Either way, damnation awaited her. Selene had spent the past few days earnestly trying to navigate this grave peril, her mind preoccupied with no other thought. Despite there being more pressing matters to attend to, her mental bandwidth was limited. "...Violence it is." Having marshaled all her intellect, Selene resorted to the idea of resolving her dilemma through violence. She was someone who would consider not turning on a computer to prevent virus infections, so perhaps it was inevitable. There was no time for elaborate schemes like poisoning or inciting others. She would launch a kamikaze attack on the prince and eliminate the obstacle. For Selene, that was the single, brilliant solution at her disposal. "Ugh..." Yet even Selene hesitated at executing this strategy. Despite her roughness, she was squeamish at the sight of blood and had avoided direct confrontation thus far. However, the situation was critical. Once taken out of the country, it would be impossible for her to return alone at her young age. She had already crossed several ethical lines, but even Selene had moral boundaries she was not prepared to cross. For her, a person who lived in modern Japan, taking another's life directly was one such line. But at the same time, Selene reminisced about recent events. She had been living a peaceful life in a rural paradise (a prison) with her kind sister, and she had believed that such a life would continue indefinitely. Suddenly, a prince who roamed the continent preying upon women burst forth, forcibly dragging her from her complacency and summoning even Alue, her dearest sister, to his own country. It felt as though a cruel hand had snatched a little rabbit from its burrow and set a trap for its concerned parent—a despicably vile tactic. The prince never let the extent of his duplicity show to others. Beneath that sweet facade churned something deeply sinister. "I have to do it..." Selene realized she was the only one privy to the prince’s true nature. If she didn't muster the courage to fight now, beautiful maidens across the continent would lose their innocence, and countless victims like her would emerge. "...I'll do it!" Selene clenched her fist, psyching herself up in front of the mirror. The time had come to bring down the sword of judgment on that prince. As a result, she too might be executed as a criminal. Yet, if I, who was once a garlic stalker in my previous life, can fight and die for Alue and all the beautiful princesses, it would be the ultimate fulfillment of a man's purpose. Selene thought determinedly: I won't die in vain. The nefarious prince shall be my companion to hell. Fortunately, tonight was the new moon—a perfect opportunity for a night raid. "Ugh, I'm scared..." The image of the prince stained with his own blood made Selene shiver with fear. She burrowed into her bed in an attempt to conserve strength and perhaps escape from her daunting fantasies, but, unusually for her, she couldn't fall asleep at all. And thus, Selene, with somber determination in her heart, resolved herself to confront the prince in battle—even though her approach was entirely misguided. ◆◇◆◇◆ "Readiness, complete." It was a moonless night, as if everything had been painted over by darkness. Selene crawled out of bed. Confirming that Butler was asleep in his cage, she began preparing for the prince's assassination. "Let's see, weapon, weapon..." Though Selene wasn't adept with bright light, she was accustomed to moving in the dark. Without much trouble, she retrieved the desired object from a drawer in her clothes closet—a divine wood flute given to her by Gee. "Fire up!" When Selene concentrated, a blue glow emanated from the tip of the divine wood, revealing a blade about 5 centimeters long. It was still frustratingly small and seemed unreliable, but Selene had once gone completely during her captivity in Archila, and news of the incident had reached Helifarthe. Because of that, she couldn’t have sharp objects like scissors or knives in her room. This blade of magical energy was her only concealed weapon. "Ah, shoot!" But then, Selene realized a significant oversight. How was she supposed to conceal the flute? Her supposedly meticulous plans were often described in common parlance as carelessly slipshod, typically full of holes. It would be too conspicuous to launch a night raid on the prince while holding the flute in her hand. "The string, where's the string!?" She needed something like a thread to hang it around her neck and conceal it under her clothes. However, Selene, who never sewed, had no reason to possess strings or threads. As usual, her plan was falling apart even before it got started. "...That's right!" In her desperation, Selene's mind worked differently today. She returned to the bed and gently flipped the pillow, revealing a golden ring made from Marie's hair she had received previously. To dream of frolicking with a blonde loli, Selene slept on it under her pillow every night, though she never actually had that dream. Feeling guilty yet resolute, Selene untwisted the ring, reverting it into a long beautiful bundle of golden hair. She awkwardly tied several strands together to fashion a single long thread of gold. She threaded the newly created string through the hole in the flute, made a loop, hung it around her neck, and pushed it inside her chest. This should hold for a short while. Now, she was ready. "Stealth strike!" Selene psyched herself up silently in her mouth to avoid waking Butler and quietly left the room. In the hallway, the lights that would usually shine brilliantly at night were now weakly illuminating the surroundings. The entire castle seemed shadowed, more invaded by darkness than usual—or perhaps it was just her imagination. Dismissing the thought, Selene moved towards Milano's room. "Prince, you up..." To her luck, she reached Milano's room undetected. Regrettably, judging by the light seeping through the gap under the door, Milano was still awake. She had intended to slip in while he was asleep and stab him with the blade of magical energy. Selene almost turned back to her room, but she likely wouldn't have another chance if she missed tonight. The preparations for the journey would be completed within a few days, and there would be no chance to attack under the cover of darkness again. She had already made up her mind. With an air of desperate resolve, Selene knocked on Milano's door. "Who is there?" "It's me." "That voice... Selene? I'll open it right away." Milano appeared from the room, not in his usual ceremonial garb, but in his casual white shirt. Given the piles of documents on his desk, he was likely putting together the necessary provisions and personnel for the journey. "It's rare for Selene to visit my room. What brings you here at such a late hour?" She had no intention of small talk. Selene silently pointed to the bed in the back of Milano's room. "Prince, sleep." "Sleep, as in, you're telling me to go to bed? I was planning to do so shortly, but I haven't quite finished organizing these documents. It might take a bit more time." "Sleep!" Selene urged Milano with such intensity that he could only lie back on the bed, confused. Indeed, something uneasy had been swirling inside him these past few days, and he couldn't shake off the fatigue, but he wanted to get things done before departure. "I appreciate your concern, but really, I'm alright..." "No." "Eh?" Milano tried to sit up, but Selene held him down. She then clambered onto his bed, straddling Milano, who was now lying on his back. "Alright, here we go." "Selene, what on earth do you plan to do?" "............" Without answering Milano's question, Selene gazed down at him, her red eyes intently fixed on his. Milano sensitively detected a determined glimmer in her eyes, different from her usual self. At the same time, he felt her light as a feather body trembling through his skin. "(Could she be attempting some sort of bedtime folly?)" That thought briefly crossed Milano's mind. Recently, Selene had been visiting the academy often. Seemingly eager to grow up, she wanted to be treated like a lady. Perhaps she had been misled by some bizarre knowledge from the students. However, no matter how precocious she was, a child is a child. She might have basic knowledge about the physical intimacy between men and women but lacks the specifics, hence her fear. She was merely sitting on top of him. Milano smiled wryly, attempting to soothe Selene. Unfortunately, her visit was not for amorous purposes; it was a night raid. "Selene, such things should wait until you're more grown-up..." "It's farewell." "...What?" "I've come to say farewell." Yes, tonight is your last night. Slowly, Selene reached into her bosom and drew out the divine wood flute. Instantly, she manifested the blade of magical energy. Milano's eyes widened at the sight of its phosphorescent light. "Is that an Elvish blade? Selene! What on earth—?" "No questions!" Closing her eyes, Selene brought down the magical blade towards Milano's chest with all her might! Despite the height difference between Milano and the petite Selene, her position straddling him allowed her to aim right at his heart. "GGyAAAAAAAHHH!!" As Selene overcame her terror and thrust the magical blade into Milano's chest, an unearthly scream resounded throughout the room. "Did I do it!?" I've killed him. I've truly killed him. Ah, now I am a criminal too. But even if I stain my hands with guilt, if it can protect Alue and all the princesses of the world—. "Huh?" Selene then noticed something wrong. Milano seemed to have lost consciousness, but not a single scratch was on his chest. Instead, some unidentifiable, oily black object emerged from Milano’s back, spilling clumsily over the bed. "GuuuaaaaaAAAAAHH!!" "Eeek!?" Selene's heart nearly stopped at the bestial death cry. She lost her balance and tumbled off Milano, landing on the carpet with a thud. "Ugah! Gaaah!? Gagyaaaah!" "What? What?" While enduring the pain on her bottom, Selene tried to retreat. The shadowy enigma thrashed about, taking on grotesque shapes and screaming in earsplitting agony. "What is it!? Whatwhatwhat? What's going on!?" Selene's eyes widened at the paranormal scene before her. Expecting the prince to have been stabbed, he was unharmed, and instead, a horrifying beast was writhing in pain. As she tried to make sense of what had just happened, it confounded her. Nevertheless, she instinctively understood that she had somehow stumbled upon a terrible calamity. "Uu, Ugigi... GiGii!!" "Yeek!" Completely panicked, Selene was too terror-stricken to run. The creature she had struck, the Hizuyojimu, was far beyond panic. It had suffered a fatal blow. It frantically scratched at the wound inflicted by the blade, convulsing in torment. The Hizuyojimu, which lurked in darkness, fed on humans and grew by consuming them, could not be dealt with unless it was a dragon once it fully matured. Conversely, if it was still weak, it could, theoretically, be managed by a human with magical abilities. Easier said than done, since it was extraordinarily difficult. Sensitive to negative feelings, the Hizuyojimu could sense the slightest bit of hostility and would immediately flee into the shadows, erasing its presence. If Selene had aimed directly at it, it would have promptly escaped from inside Milano. Yet, she harbored no hostility, from which the creature perceived no threat. Therefore, the Hizuyojimu remained blissfully unaware of its danger, contentedly slumbering inside its host, Milano. Selene delivered it a devastating, unsuspecting blow. Impervious to physical attacks and exceedingly difficult to detect, the Hizuyojimu seemed invincible. However, it had one weakness. —The Hizuyojimu(Sun-Blocking Parasite) itself was a functional spell called "Hizuyojimu." This insidious worm had been crafted with magical power from curses, interwoven by a unique method. Its manufacture was highly specialized, but it was essentially a variant of a magical tool. There is a method to neutralize magic by erasing the inscribed seals, patterns, or magic circles they contain. If even one element is damaged, like a canteen with a hole, the magical power would leak out, rendering it useless! The creature's appearance, where the face would be, boasted a single gash emanating a pure shine. Black vapor seeped from the cut, and the wicked worm rapidly shrunk in size. Had it been more matured, Selene's magic would have been easily deflected, but it couldn't fend off the holy magic of the divine wood, the Elven treasure, having just awakened in an incomplete state and recently molted. "GiGii!" In agony and rage, the Hizuyojimu prioritized its survival. It needed to feed immediately or would perish. Heightening its senses, it searched for the most vulnerable soul nearby—a prey ripe for hunting... Selene! Prostrate with fear and unable to act, the Hizuyojimu lunged into Selene's shadow with its last bit of strength and invaded her body. "Hiuu!?" Selene was overwhelmed as if shocked by an electric current, letting out a brief cry before collapsing on the floor. ◆◇◆◇◆ "Ouch!" Feeling a sharp pain in his cheek, Milano stirred back to consciousness. When he opened his eyes, he saw a black and white mouse with a red ribbon looking down at him—it was Selene's pet mouse. It seemed as if the mouse had bitten him awake. "What in the world..." Milano sat up, trying to recall the memories just before he lost consciousness. Certainly, Selene had swung a blade at him with a terrifying expression, after which a tremendous shock coursed through his body, followed by a black creature—. "That's right! Selene?!" His senses sharply returning, Milano leapt from the bed. He saw Selene, lying face down beside the bed. "Selene!? Stay with me!" Milano surged from the bed like a bullet, cradling the fallen Selene in his arms. Her body was cold as ice, the normally soft peach of her skin now ashen like that of a corpse. "...Auuh." "Selene! Are you alright? Selene!" Milano called out desperately, but Selene only groaned in pain. Undoubtedly, she must have been afflicted by that black monster. Yet, there was no sign of it anywhere, and curiously, despite the fact it emerged from his body, Milano himself was unscathed. As Milano tried to grasp the situation, he noticed a cracked divine wood flute hanging around Selene's neck. "Could it be... Selene took it down?" Milano remembered, just before losing consciousness, the creature let out a terrible scream. Finally, he understood. Selene hadn't aimed to stab him; she attacked the creature to save him, braving her fear to do so. "Hang on! I'll get the doctor...!" Just as Milano was about to rush with Selene to the castle’s on-call physician, the door was flung open violently. "Prince! What on earth is the matter!?" "Kumahachi!? Why are you here!?" "This mouse informed us of the anomaly! The other guards will be here shortly as well!" Kumahachi had Selene's mouse perched on his shoulder, clutching a piece of Selene's dress in its mouth. Remarkably, the intelligent mouse had been circulating, alerting others to its master's crisis while Milano, in distress, cradled Selene. "Prince, where is the villain?" "There is no villain. Its nature is unclear, but it was some fearsome monster. However, it seems to be taken care of now. Selene protected me." "What do you mean? ...Wait, Selene!?" Kumahachi noticed the distress in Selene, held in Milano's arms. He had initially assumed it was some nefarious thief, but it appeared the situation was more serious than he had thought. Kumahachi couldn’t fully grasp the situation, but it was clear that Selene was in grave danger. "Selene! Keep holding on!" "Ku...mah..." Selene attempted to turn her weak head toward Kumahachi, but her voice was raspy, barely audible, fading fast. Soon after, a physician arrived with the guards. The same mouse that had disappeared from Kumahachi's shoulder earlier had apparently alerted the doctor to the emergency as well. Despite his advanced age, the doctor was exceedingly capable. He laid Selene on Milano's bed and began a physical examination after removing her clothes. His expression was serious. He couldn't identify the cause at all. All he knew was that Selene's vitality was slipping away by the second, and time was just passing by. "Selene, hold on tight. It's going to be okay, this doctor is one of the best. You'll be back to normal in no time! Ah, yes! Next spring, let's go to the lily garden again! We'll invite all the Elven folks, and Princess Alue too. It will surely become a wonderful memory." Milano had a sinking feeling that Selene might not make it, yet he suppressed his urge to cry, trying to comfort her with a smile. Whether it made a difference or not, there was a faint response from Selene. "Sister...?" Within the darkening haze of her consciousness, Selene latched onto the word "Alue." She could scarcely see anything, and the surrounding sounds seemed far away. In her murky awareness, only the image of the prince looking down at her with a forced smile, muttering "Alue," was vaguely registered. "Damn it..." Selene tried to swear, but her words were lost. As her consciousness dimmed, her thoughts raced. —Damn it, why did things turn out this way? She was supposed to die enveloped in the bosom of Alue, surrounded by countless beautiful girls—a graceful and beautiful death. But what was the reality? Held in the arms of a grinning prince, with a burly man resembling a bear and grim-faced soldiers peering at her, being prodded by an old doctor. An old men's carnival was in full swing. This wasn't right; it wasn't meant to be this way. "With... sister... together..." Her only wish in life was to live with her beloved sister. Selene, steeped in her base desires to the end, couldn't utter her final words, and her eyes closed. Following this, the doctor shook his head. "Please... don't leave! Selene... Seleneee!" Milano, no longer able to contain his emotions, wept bitterly as he clutched the tiny lifeless body. However, the lovely lips of Selene would no longer weave any words. Thus, Selene Aquila concluded her life, aged 8 years (+38 years) — a life ambiguously short or long, in its abrupt completeness.