Chapter 77 - The Girl Wants to Be M*rdered

〈 Chapter 77 〉 Chapter 77. Soap Bubbles. * * * ** Amidst the swirling confusion of my mind, the faint glimmer of truth screamed, growing increasingly distant from me. What unfolded before my eyes was too fleeting and sweet to be reality, but too wretched and bitter to be merely a dream. Was it a real entity of truth? Or just a deceitful illusion concocted by my memory? ["I don't want thiiiiiissss!!!"] Without a chance to verify the truth, all I could see was Aris's back as she dashed far away from me. It was as delicate as a soap bubble that could easily pop from the smallest shock. Though I knew I shouldn't, my hand instinctively reached out─ ─Swish The chilling sound echoed, leaving me with nothing but a cruel reality to grasp. "What... are you...?" "........." For a brief moment, I couldn't comprehend what had just occurred. All I could feel was an intense heat flowing down my arm. Once pristine and white, the robe was now slowly turning crimson, centered around the sliced fabric. Like a red flower blooming gracefully in the sunlight, the stain spread, fed by the blood seeping onto the cloth. ─Thump, Thump. ".........." My head spun with dizziness. Pulses raced, their rhythm growing stronger and demanding attention until they became a full symphony ringing in my ears. The sharp and stinging pain left me staring blankly at the ground, forgetting to pull my arm back. Drip, drop. Blood trickled down my fingertips, staining the road covered in white snow with splashes of crimson rain. "Why, why are you...! Why have you come back in front of us again──!!!" "...Ah." A soft sigh slipped out. Who had uttered the lament that drifted between us? The realization of an unwanted truth was met with Remi's sword, slicing through the air without any hesitation, heading straight for me. That sharp attack, which could easily claim my life, came flying at me while I stared blankly at my arm. Perhaps. "─Huff!?" ───Clang!!! If not for an intervention, Remi's attack, filled with her utmost strength and resembling a scream itself, would have reached me, had it not been blocked by a guard who inserted themselves between us at the last moment. Amidst the flurry of sparks flying in all directions, Remi's vibrating sword trembled as if it were a snake poised to devour me. A fresh and vibrant red liquid that hadn't yet dried clearly stained the blade in Remi's grip, revealing the source of the pain I'd been feeling. Soon, I realized that the lament was mine. "Your Highness!? Are you alright? Princess Remi! Even as a princess──" "─What are you going to do about it! So...! What are you going to do!!" "...What!?" ─Thunk With a somewhat dull thud, the guard was sent flying into the distance. As the guard traced a gentle arc through the air, I caught sight of Remi's eyes, coldly fixed on me with a fierce glint, as if she had locked onto her target. At the tip of her weapon, raised high as if demanding my life, there wasn't a single moment of wavering—only a singular focus on ending me. I, could do nothing but watch all of it unfold. The metallic rush slicing through the air, an almost surreal sound. Remi's angry shouts, as if urging me onward. Even the frantic cries of the guards around me. Enveloped in the chorus of it all─ "...Ah." That's right. Remi had cut my arm. As a sliver of reality finally dawned on me for the first time. ** If all the flesh across my body were to be ripped away, is this what it would feel like? The relentless snowfall, seemingly endless, finally ceased, and the sun previously hidden behind clouds started to peek through, yet... I remained trapped in the bottomless abyss, with no end in sight. ".........." It was excruciatingly painful. My heart felt as though it were being torn apart. Every time Remi's disdainful glare swept over me. Whenever the memory of Aris screaming and fleeing at the sight of me suddenly flashed in my mind. The sharp, searing pain was like saltwater poured into an open wound, akin to raging waves crashing over and over again. Waves, they say, reveal their true towering forms as they approach the shore. Even the heaviest stone or sharpest spire is but a mere pebble, washed away before the advancing tide. The suffocating torment gnawing at my soul grew more undeniable; no matter what remedies I applied, no matter how many bandages wrapped around the exposed skin, the torment only grew, like a wave swelling larger and larger. Only when the pain engulfed and began to consume my entire being... Did I realize that this pain stemmed from a disease born from within my heart, one that nothing could heal. Yes, a disease. One that could easily lead a person to their demise. A truly fatal, incurable illness. "Let go....! I have to kill that bastard, I have to!!!" "Hey, are you insane!? Hold on a second!! Alice is also sleeping in the next room!!" "......." With a spine-chilling stretch, Remi's garment screamed in agony as it elongated. Within reach was Remi, who was oblivious to her stretching clothes, trying to aim her sword at me, while a woman, someone who had introduced herself as a mercenary named Sia, hindered Remi by tugging on her clothes. Caught up in someone else's family drama, this situation was likely anything but welcome for Sia. I was truly sorry for causing trouble for everyone involved. "Let goooo!! I’ll kill that bastard and meet Aris, no matter whaaaat!!!" "This crazy princess?! Ugh! Why is she so strong!? Hey, you over there, get moving! Stop wallowing and go somewhere!!" She certainly has a sharp tongue. The woman, wearing a self-deprecating smile, expertly maintained a delicate balance by grabbing hold of Remi's neck with surprisingly familiar motions. Her approach to interacting with royalty might have seemed somewhat irreverent, but as they say, the words and actions of a wise person can be as bitter as poison, while those of a benevolent one tend to feel sweet like honey. The kindness embedded within her actions would undoubtedly become a tremendous strength for Remi in the future. Remi must have subconsciously understood this too, hence why she only tried to push her away rather than brandishing her sword or resorting to violence. A steadfast friend ready to offer advice for the future without wavering beside her. Just the presence of such a precious person by her side gave worth to the two years Remi had spent differently than I'd managed to. We were inherently different from the start. "Forgiveness? Ha, I'll never forgive! You know... you know everything...!! So why, why are you trying to stop me!!" "...Oh god, this is driving me nuts!" Even as Remi attempted to shake off the mercenary's arm, her eyes were filled with unbridled hatred as she glared at me. Once praised by everyone as a witty and brilliant talent meant to lead the nation, catching everyone's expectations and interest, Remi was in stark contrast now. Even the officials of the royal palace, the tutors that taught her, and the maids that assisted her all spoke in unison of Remi's grace. Yet now, under the faint light piercing through red curtains, Remi's gaze had lost its original brightness and was engulfed in a blazing crimson. Fueled by the wood of hatred, it seemed like a hellfire prepped to consume me. ".........." I merely bowed my head silently, resigned to await the judgment time promised to come, like a prisoner offering their neck. Sigh. A deep inhale filled only with the metallic scent. ".....I'm sorry." I apologized. Even knowing full well that Remi, amidst her shouts, wouldn’t hear my quiet voice, I muttered nonetheless. An apology floating aimlessly without a target could be seen as insincere as a reply without genuine feeling. I knew my duplicitous attitude would only fan the flames of my younger sister's anger before me. I was acutely aware that the reason I was still alive was thanks to the woman appearing as Remi's friend. Yet, despite all this, I found myself unable to do anything but bow my head. I had a cause I couldn't back down from, even at the cost of my life. I never thought it possible to revert to a past where everyone lived with laughter and acted as though nothing ever happened. Nor did it mean I wanted to relinquish the burden of the world cast upon me by my mistakes. I merely wished to convey one single word. Just a single apology. As time passed─ ───Creak An eerie sound echoed. It was a displeasing sound produced by misaligned metals grating against each other. Amidst the roaring clamor of the living room, strangely, this sound rang out distinctly. ─Creak...! ".......Ah." "...See, I told you." Remi and the mercenary, caught up in their scuffle, halted their actions and held their breath. As I turned my head, creaking as it searched for the source of the sound, I saw a small gap in the door that had been closed just a moment ago. In that darkness. "......." "....Aris." Glimmering eyes, reminiscent of radiant jewels. Were quietly fixed on me. ** * * *