As a child, Cintia had a dream.
She wanted to become a noble and beautiful imperial princess like her older sister Lapis.
Her sister looked as if a princess from a fairy tale had stepped into reality.
Cintia admired her deeply.
However, public opinion of Lapis was not very favorable.
Cintia believed that Lapis was simply a pure and kind person.
It was just that the imperial family was a place where that purity and kindness became sins.
On her birthday, the moment she instinctively blocked the knife thrown by the father she had trusted, her dream was shattered. Her admiration for Lapis disappeared as well.
Only then did she truly realize it. Maintaining purity within the imperial family—
That itself was not a sin.
It was simply something unsettling.
“Lobelia, how many younger siblings do you have under you right now?”
“…None.”
“Guess they’re all dead.”
The imperial family was horrifying.
Cintia was the second princess, and Lobelia was the third. But before Cintia ran away from the imperial palace, there had been five more siblings between them.
Siblings who died and vanished without even leaving behind their names.
“To be honest, I should have driven you all away. Just having a connection like this is basically an infringement on my freedom.”
“……”
“Lobelia, I left the imperial palace and became free. I was happy, and I found things I wanted to do. And not just that. I achieved quite a lot too. I’ve already made a name for myself as a Meister, and you could say I’ve accomplished everything worth accomplishing.”
She had no regrets.
She had earned both wealth and fame through her own abilities.
But even for her, there was something she couldn’t avoid.
“Still… being lonely is unavoidable.”
“Big sister Cintia…”
She had cut ties with the imperial family.
The process wasn’t easy, and there were many things she had to give up because of it.
She must not be known.
There must not be anyone who remembers that she ever existed.
That was why she had to minimize contact with the outside world as much as possible.
She couldn’t even engrave her own name on the works she had proudly created, and whenever she went out to sell her items under a false name and identity, she had to keep her face completely covered.
Of course, when things felt too stifling, she would sometimes go out after dyeing her hair a different color.
But once she stood before the forge and started hammering metal, everything returned to how it was.
“What’s even more annoying is that the only person I can somewhat speak openly with is that thing over there.”
Cintia frowned as she pointed at Theseus, who was just standing there blankly.
Lobelia nodded.
“It feels like I’m talking to a textbook or some kind of educational manual.”
“…I can’t really argue with that.”
It was an accurate assessment.
“So lately, the only thing I enjoy is looking up gossip.”
She didn’t read newspapers much.
No matter what paper she opened, it was always filled with stories about wars or terrorism.
How could she enjoy reading about her younger sister Lobelia getting caught up in all that?
So she turned her eyes away from such things.
“You know, stuff like the weather, or how Happy the Pomeranian pulled off a miraculous comeback win at a pet dog race.”
“…Honestly, I’m not familiar with those topics, so it’s hard for me to respond.”
“It’s just trivial, everyday stuff. For the record, I was rooting for a promising poodle named Mephi, who was a dark horse in the pet race. But for some reason, it dropped out midway…”
Smack!
At that moment, a noise came from outside.
Cintia frowned and looked toward the source, where Johan Damus was seen flicking the forehead of a kid he must have brought along at some point.
“How on earth did you end up liking someone that violent and ugly? What, is he at least competent? Or maybe he’s good in bed?”
“That’s all just baseless rumors. And as for Johan’s skills, um… ahem! How would I know that?”
“Really? Guess rumors can’t be trusted. I was actually kind of interested.”
For Cintia, who had turned away from newspapers and instead sought out gossip, news about Lobelia was bound to be interesting.
Lobelia had always been associated with bitter stories like fighting terrorist groups and ending up covered in blood…but at some point, she started appearing in the magazines Cintia read.
It was only natural to be surprised.
And since it was someone she knew, it was easy for her imagination to fill in the gaps.
It gave her a rush of excitement.
But reality was like this.
“Ahem, and to defend him a bit, he’s not that ugly.”
“……?”
“W-Well, he is quite capable. It’s not widely known, but he’s a strategist who has taken down four leaders of terrorist organizations.”
“……”
Cintia stared at Lobelia for a moment.
“My mood just improved. Should I start working right away?”
“Huh? Ah, yes…”
Thinking that the rumors might not have been entirely false, Cintia beamed as she moved toward the forge.
“Since you’re guests, I’ll make something incredible. I’ll get bored while working, so keep me company.”
“Thank you, Cintia.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Cintia craved human interaction.
That was why she was willing to work even for this group of uninvited guests who had shown up all at once.
Of course, the biggest reason was the scandal involving the younger sibling she had been separated from since childhood.
“Oh, and you there. The one with pink hair. Want to come over too?”
“Me? Yes, okay.”
The two at the center of the rumors.
Just seeing them standing side by side was enough to make Cintia happy.
***
“Why did I get hit?”
“The fact that you don’t know is even more surprising.”
“I don’t get it… Please stop targeting me unfairly, Johan Damus.”
Shouldn’t a so-called demon feel embarrassed about entering a pet dog race in the first place?
More importantly, whose name did you even use to enter? How do you join a pet competition without an owner?
Seriously, what has this guy been doing behind my back?
“What exactly have you been up to without me knowing?”
“I merely demonstrated the difference in class to those fools. It was nothing more than a fleeting amusement.”
Mephi smiled wickedly…
Honestly, hearing him brag about that so proudly is just sad.
“Aren’t you embarrassed, going up against puppies?”
“Don’t underestimate them just because they’re puppies.”
“This brat really has zero shame, huh? Fine, you win.”
“I don’t know what you mean, but if you’ve come to understand the difference in our levels, that’s good enough.”
“…Jeez.”
Whether she’s a dog or a human, her mental age hasn’t changed at all.
At this point, it’s almost a miracle that this girl ever managed to get under my skin.
“Mephi, let’s head out.”
“Are we going to play?”
“No, to work.”
“Then go by yourself.”
“Faust is probably targeting me. It’s scary to go alone.”
“That is truly a cowardly thing to say.”
I am a coward.
Even now, after getting somewhat stronger, that hasn’t changed.
It’s just who I am.
“Fine, I suppose I’ll accompany you. Just this once. Haha! You really can’t do anything without me.”
“……”
That smug grin makes me want to punch her, but I don’t have time to waste arguing any further.
I should get moving.
I’m not the one making the weapon anyway, so there’s no point in just sitting around here.
“Prince Theseus, I’ll step out for a bit. If the others ask, tell them I went to take care of some work.”
“Understood. Please be careful, Mr. Johan.”
“I will.”
At first, I considered bringing Theseus along but decided against it.
He’s finally spending time with his family after so long. I didn’t want to interfere.
And I also know that what I’m about to do isn’t something Theseus would be happy about.
After all, what I’m going to do is carry out an execution.
***
By order of the Emperor, Abraham Vicious von Miltonia, I set out to locate Count Python.
Well, even calling it a search is an exaggeration. I didn’t have to do any legwork myself.
“Found him.”
“Good work, Mephi. Here, have a candy.”
“You take me for a child. Offer pudding instead!”
“It’s hard to carry that around. I’ll buy you some later.”
“I will hold you to that.”
“Suit yourself. I’m about to work now, so keep quiet.”
“Understood.”
Mephi took the candy I gave her, ate it, and quietly shut her mouth.
Leaving her behind, I headed toward Count Python who was sitting atop the castle wall. What’s gotten into him, watching the sunset like that?
It’s honestly absurd. A man sentenced to death in a week is openly sitting on the very wall where soldiers patrol.
“Just for a day? Sir Johan, do you have some business with me?”
“Well, I’m here to do my job.”
“So you’ve come to capture me.”
“If that were the case, I would’ve brought others.”
I’m not brave enough to face Count Python alone just because he’s Count Python. After all, doesn’t he carry something like hydra poison on him?
I thought he was just as much of a coward, but seeing how he prepares for the worst, something about him is a bit off as well.
“His Majesty has ordered that you be executed within a week.”
“A week… that’s quite generous.”
“Indeed. Very generous of him.”
I calmly explained the execution date to Count Python.
Perhaps because he had expected it, he doesn’t look wronged at all.
“Why not try running away?”
“Do I look like I would? And even if I did, do you think I could escape?”
“You couldn’t. Still, your odds would be better than trying to defeat the Great Sage.”
“Well, that’s certainly true.”
A one-week reprieve.
But from my perspective, it’s no different from being used and discarded.
“It’s like throwing an egg at a rock.”
“In that case, all the better.”
Count Python smiled.
It was the classic sneer of a vile underhanded villain.
“I never believed I could kill him in the first place. But as you said, throwing an egg at a rock… that makes one thing certain.”
The villain sitting atop the wall, watching the sunset, stared straight at the sun as if he didn’t care even if it blinded him.
“As long as it means I can leave a stain on that pretentious man’s face, even if I’m the one who shatters.”
“How optimistic of you. It would’ve been nice if you’d lived your life that way.”
“It’s already too late. There are things in this world you can’t take back.”
“Well, of course.”
A man who has already lived as a villain can never return to an ordinary life. His end is already decided.
“It’s something I’ve already set in motion. Even if I shatter against the rock, I can’t stop now.”
A middle-aged man sat on top of the wall.
Having come too far to turn back, Count Python looked as though he might fall at any moment.
Like Humpty Dumpty from a fairy tale, an egg destined to one day fall onto the rocks.
“So then, Sir Johan. Is that all you came to say to me?”
Why did Humpty Dumpty sit on the wall, knowing it was dangerous? He must have known that once he fell, there would be no undoing it.
I realized the answer when I saw the eyes of a man challenging the impossible.
“Of course not.”
There are things in this world that cannot be undone. Just as the path he had walked in life, once the mark of a villain was carved into him, his ending was already set.
But Humpty Dumpty didn’t climb the wall because he wasn’t afraid of falling.
“I came to offer you a small gift.”
It was because there was a view you could only see from atop that wall.
Because there were things you had to throw your whole body into, even knowing you might break.
“Great Sage, shall we take him down together?”
I decided to give wings to the fragile man sitting on the wall.
Even if he were to fall, I would grant him the possibility to soar higher than anyone else.
“This little guy will help you.”
“What is that?”
“Oh, it’s nothing much.”
There are two conditions to defeating Faust.
One is to break through his poker face which was so blank like a corpse.
The other is to lay to rest the one who has transcended even death.
“It’s just a small blue bird with a rough twig in its beak.”
I decided to entrust those two conditions to the unimpressive man before me.
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