"—No, you're going to listen. This is a deal worth your time."
I caught the strike of Shizel’s whip with my right hand and kept talking.
"Oh? You caught my strike, did you?"
Because it was a whip, I could read the trajectory from the angle of her backswing. I’d reached out on a hunch and somehow managed to pin it down, but—
God, it hurt.
Even with my right hand bolstered by a massive amount of mana, her strike carried that much force?
The whip’s movement didn't stop there. The length beyond my grip slithered like a serpent—no, it extended, coiling around my throat.
Ugh—!
Sensing my internal panic, a sadistic smile played across Shizel’s lips.
"Now, now. Time is running out, you know?"
"...I know well enough how difficult it is to enter this world. It’s not a realm an ordinary human can reach! And yet, Luna reached it!"
I used my left hand to desperately hold back the tip of the whip coiling around me.
"Don't you want to see where madness that profound leads? Is this really where you want to end it!?"
Gah!
The moment the words left my mouth, Shizel’s whip tightened around my neck, pinning my left hand against my throat.
I had nothing left to say.
The rest depended on which way the whims of the madwoman before me shifted. My vision started to swim. I couldn't breathe. My consciousness was actually beginning to fade—
Then, Shizel snapped her wrist.
The pressure on my neck vanished instantly. Having reached my absolute limit, I slumped to my knees and gasped for air, my lungs burning as I sucked in greedy, ragged breaths.
Was I... saved?
"It is indeed an intriguing proposal. I am interested."
"It’s a good deal, isn't it?"
"To see where her twisted ambition leads, how it shatters, how it collapses into a ruin of despair and sadness—and then finally rots away. Oh, how wonderful! Her very life will be like the exquisite pleasure of a long-term torture!"
What the hell was 'the pleasure of torture'?
Go ahead and get excited on your own, you freak.
"I will accept your cruel proposal. I shall overlook the both of you for now."
"Calling it cruel is a bit much."
"The future of one who harbors such stagnant emotions can only be miserable. Mark my words: this girl will undoubtedly die a horrific death."
"Heh—!"
Even so, it was better than dying here as a plaything for a pervert.
If I were the Hero, I’d probably have looked at her with sparkling eyes and shouted, "I’ll protect Luna! I’ll never give up on her!" but unfortunately, I was a Villainous Noble.
I wasn't about to take that much responsibility for her.
She could seize her own shining future with her own hands. Personally, I thought she should be grateful just to be alive.
"Who knows? That’s for her to decide."
"Fufu, then I shall look forward to seeing where she ends up as well."
Shizel snapped her fingers.
With a sharp metallic click, the shackles binding Luna’s wrists fell away. Deprived of support, her limp body collapsed onto the floor.
"Now then, please return home. Before my mood changes."
The scenery of the torture chamber began to warp.
The world was collapsing.
Phew... Looks like we're getting out of here.
"Oh, by the way. I shall close off the girl’s memories of this place."
Close them off? Meaning she was going to wipe them?
Her specialty was Memory Manipulation and Mental Attacks. It was her area of expertise, but—
"...Why?"
"I will not have my presence interfering with her maddeningly lovely emotions. I want her to fall into despair exactly as she is, in her rawest state."
"You’ve got a twisted set of hobbies, don't you?"
"I will leave your memories intact so we can stay in contact, but do not give her any hints. If you interfere with my pleasure, you won’t escape unscathed, understood?"
As she spoke, the world shifted.
Before I knew it, the suffocating atmosphere of the torture chamber was gone, replaced by the familiar sight of the central library.
The books I’d spread out, my stationery, and the figure of Luna still slumped over the desk—everything was exactly as it had been moments before.
...Phew. I actually made it back alive.
For that matter, was Luna even alive?
"U-uu..."
As if answering my concern, Luna slowly pushed herself up. She looked around with a dazed expression until her eyes locked onto mine.
"A-a-a-a!"
Luna’s mouth fell open, her entire body trembling.
"Lord Albert...!"
Well, yeah, she was bound to be surprised. She’d been trying to sneak a peek at my research while I was away, only for me to suddenly be standing right next to her.
Since Shizel had wiped her memories of that other space—
I tried to steal a look at his notes while he was gone, and the next second, he was standing right there!
That was probably how it felt to her. Like a horror movie.
"I-I am so sorry! T-this was just a momentary impulse...!"
"I don't particularly care—just move."
"Y-yes! I'm sorry!"
Luna scrambled to her feet and took a hurried step back.
She didn't leave immediately, though. She stood there with a face on the verge of tears, waiting for me to speak as I took my seat.
...Now, what should I do with her?
Normally, I would have barked at her and kicked her out. She’d done something incredibly stupid and nearly cost me my life, after all.
But was that really the best move?
I’d learned something vital from this incident: Luna’s true nature.
This girl was dangerous.
She possessed a level of obsession—or perhaps madness—that allowed her to reach the 'Ancient Magic Will,' a place not easily accessed by anyone.
And she was fixated on my power.
That fixation had grown so intense she’d 'accidentally' peeked at my notes.
That was a problem.
She’d had plenty of sinister lines in the original game, but she’d never spiraled this far out of control. Why was this happening?
In any case, I should probably avoid provoking her too much.
"I don't necessarily intend to punish you for your shallow behavior. It’s only natural for one’s eyes to be drawn to an existence so dazzling it blinds. However, it is a fact that I am not in a good mood. For now, get out of my sight."
"I-I understand...!"
Bowing deeply and stammering out apologies, Luna vanished from the library.
I watched her go, my thoughts deepening.
What was the best play here?
Distancing myself from a walking Death Flag like Luna had been my go-to strategy, but that wasn't necessarily the right move anymore.
That freak Shizel had taken an interest in her.
It was irritating that Luna had touched the Ancient Magic Will before I did, but the sheer uniqueness of her talent was undeniable.
If I wanted to eventually subjugate Shizel and form a contract with her, keeping Luna close might actually be an advantage.
In that sense, Luna had utility.
Her true feelings, which Shizel had exposed, could be interpreted in many ways. If she was truly that enamored with my power, she might not be a threat if I brought her into the fold.
Then again, there was the opposite interpretation.
Her delusions and her actions were honestly terrifying. Was it really safe to keep someone like that nearby? I just needed her to stay a loyal dog.
"The game's plot is definitely changing."
There was no doubt about it.
As long as the situation remained fluid, I couldn't ignore the possibility that my 'best moves' from before were now obsolete.
I needed to adjust my positioning.
First, I had to decide what to do with Luna.
It was a headache to think about, but not a bad one. Either way, I was the one holding all the cards.