Chapter 62 - The Girl Wants to Be M*rdered

〈 Chapter 62 〉 Letter * * * ** A small letter written by someone for someone else. ** Rustling, the folded letter is opened. This black luxurious envelope appeared in this morning's mailbox, with nothing but Alice's name elegantly scribbled on it. No sender's name or address was included, yet the unnecessarily polite and archaic style instantaneously rendered any speculation about the author pointless. What could have been written that caused Alice, after reading it first, to direct such a tender gaze at me? In search of this answer, I awkwardly wiped away the cold sweat trickling down and faced the letter before me. I suppose the tightening in my throat was merely a reflexive reaction. I read each line, word by word. The content went as follows: ───────────── I send this letter with longing. As the small creatures hide away and crimson lycoris blooms in their stead, I wonder how you are faring. Are you maintaining regular meals, I hope? Is there perhaps nowhere that ails you? I am gravely worried if that little predator is taking good care of Alice. If you are harboring any resentment or grievance, please gather them kindly and pass them on to me. Unable to even bid a proper farewell to the disaster that reached my doorstep without a sound, my heart aches as well. Though she might be a troublesome woman with nothing fitting to appreciate, as the only one who knows, I have no choice but to leave her with tears in my eyes. Though I desperately wish not to part, unfavorable people have followed from the incident in the previous village, leaving no other choice but this difficult decision. I plan to return swiftly to Alice after shaking off these pursuers. It isn’t a task too arduous, so please, worry not. I promise to return before the first snowfall, so please wait a little patiently for me. The content below need not be read by Alice. With sincerity, Saeli. ∴P.S. To the esteemed predator, If anything happens to Alice in my absence, rest assured, I will not remain silent. You may be a predator, but can you at least manage this much? Predator or not, you haven’t started causing trouble already, have you? It isn’t a matter of whether you can or can’t. Just shut up and do it. ───────────── —Thud. “.........” A lone, beautiful bloom with glaring red petals atop a long stem cascades from the envelope and plummets to the floor. Despite its flamboyant form, the flower emanates a stark barrenness, likely due to the absence of any leaves that should typically serve to protect or accentuate it. The malevolent intent infused into this flower directed ominously at me was palpable. This flower, with its looming aura of death, certainly had its sight set on me. Like a frog under a snake's scrutiny or a Serengeti deer resigned to becoming a lion’s next meal, dread slithered through my spine, rendering me motionless, a pitiable insect surrendering to the encroaching doom. Whether aware or unaware of my dread, those occupying the space in my room merely chortled blissfully, beaming brightly. Who is to blame for this predicament? Frustration wells up within me. “Tessa~ hand Alice back, please~” “No, I won’t. I missed her greatly too. While I was toiling away, you and Alice must’ve been gleefully playing!!” ["Booo—!!"] A stark contrast to the situation two days prior. In Tessa's possession, Alice responded to her words with a pronounced trumpet sound. Bearing a large bump on the head and with stark red tinges radiating from beneath her white bandage, Remi Akaia could only look on with reproach as she watched Tessa embrace her sibling warmly. The trumpet sound erupting from Alice announced a triumphant victory. All rationale resided with Tessa; bereft of any viable defense but the title of “Princess of Teshilia”, Remi Akaia could do nothing but chew on a handkerchief, swallowing her indignation. The victor... is Tessa! “Yes~!” ["Boo~oo—!"] “...Alice—!!” “...They’re having fun.” Well. It might seem pitiable, but honestly, they brought it on themselves. From the moment she reunited with Alice, Remi Akaia had settled in my room without passing any word to Tessa and spent all her time with Alice. For Tessa, finding the princess, someone who already seemed uncomfortable, vanished without a trace, was a late-night ordeal filled with sleepless worry, only to find her clasping Alice in a delighted embrace upon discovery. Forgoing even a simple “Oh, sorry,” Remi Akaia, utterly absorbed in cuddling her sister together, merely asked to keep it down. Why. How. Those queries were veiled beneath surging indignation. The rage for vanishing without a trace: 1. The rage for leaving havoc in her wake: 9. And the rage for sneakily frolicking with the younger sister without notifying her: 990. Altogether, a justified fury, totaling 1000, descended upon Remi Akaia, shedding light on the incident's origins. The last reason being the highest is... well. It seemed she, though maybe not to Remi Akaia’s extent, fostered substantial emotions towards Alice too. “...Alice... don't you agree?” ["...Boo?"] “...Thank you, Alice.” Snuggled against Tessa with her back leaned comfortably into her embrace, Alice wore a bewildered expression at the abrupt gratitude. Alice tilted her head to the sides, curious but unable to look back at Tessa, whom she was nestled against. She couldn’t fathom why these unfamiliar people were suddenly being so kind to her, or what kind of expression the woman holding her wore. To Alice, it was all a puzzling mystery. The story of a sibling thought to be dead, returning to the embrace of family even with lost memories. A narrative filled with hardships and conflicts but ultimately culminating in happy smiles, a tale designed to bring tears of relief to any observer. 【If anything happens to Alice during this time, I will not remain silent.】 “........” So, it should be fine, right? ...It should be fine, right? Yet, no matter how I tried to reassure myself, how I attempted to cling to some positive notion, I couldn’t envision Saeli’s forgiving smile absolving my sins with her gentle embrace. In the end, I could only face the reality of it. I was in deep trouble. It didn't feel like it would be okay at all. “Oh, I’m doomed.” Have you ever seen anyone spare a silverfish just because it's a beneficial insect? The relief one might feel if a wriggling bug isn’t immediately crushed beneath a shoe is immense. Whether beneficial or harmful, to the human eyes, a bug is just that—a bug. Indeed. However moving or touching a story might be, to the ruthless demon lord who views people no better than insects, this affair may seem as trivial as ants swept away by a rain shower. “..........” With hands trembling uncontrollably, I carefully picked up the red flower that had fallen to the floor. The lycoris, also known as the red spider lily, held multiple meanings like most flowers, but one stood out the most: 【It’s not about whether you can or can’t. Just shut up and do it.】 —The flower’s meaning was death. A special language from Saeli, threatening to separate my body from my head if I dared to act foolishly. It signified a rare opportunity to view my heart with my very own eyes. I turned my head to the side. “In this situation, I should use my status to—” “—Do you want to be marked one more time?” “.........” ["......Boo, boo."] But I’ve already done it, haven’t I? “Oh no.” I was probably doomed. I climbed onto the bed. Stretching my legs out straight, I positioned myself at the edge of the bed and rolled myself in the blanket, cocooning my body. I was like a pitiful worm, reduced to a larva wrapped tightly like a cocoon. Would a butterfly emerge from this, or just the same old caterpillar? Wah, I’m just a baby pest. Sia knows nothing. Wrapped up in the blankets, I rolled around the bed, emitting pathetic cries as I did. Roll, roll. Roll, roll. ** * * *