I was still fine on the first day.
I felt liberated, even. Now I didn't have to put up with the sicko maid's perverted advances. But that same night, I felt like something was wrong. My room was eerily quiet. Was it always like that? I grew restless. But this was how things had always been back during my days as a shut-in. I'd just regained the silence from before I became commander. So why not take full advantage of this opportunity and get to work in the quiet, like the scholarly intellectual I was?
So I grabbed my pen, though I was sure I was just putting up a front by that point.
Things started to go amiss, little by little, from the second day on.
First, I overslept. Vill would always wake me up every morning, so I wasn't used to getting out of bed by myself. Then I realized I had no breakfast. She would have made me some tasty toast if she were around. I gave in and went to the dining room on the first floor to have some salad with Lolo. She looked at me funny and asked, "What's up? Did you get your heart broken? Hmm?" with the biggest grin on her face, but I didn't have the mental energy to fight back.
Things only got worse once I showed up for work. I had no idea what I was supposed to do. Only then did it strike me that Vill was always bringing me assignments to take care of. I only followed her orders to do this and do that. I was helpless on my own.
The one thing that I knew had to be done was supervising my subordinates' training. But I couldn't communicate with them properly. I had no idea how to answer their questions. I mean, I never did, but at the very least, their eyes hadn't turned into question marks when I spoke to them before like they were now. I couldn't stop infighting from breaking out, either, and by the end of the day, they blew up the roof of the Crimson Tower. I was sure Vill could've done something to reduce the damage. Bellius found my behavior strange and asked me if I was tired. I couldn't keep worrying my troops or putting my ignorance and powerlessness on full display for everybody, so I excused myself early by claiming I had stuff to do. It was bizarre that I even could excuse myself early.
To my shock, I received a paid day off on the third day after Vill's departure.
Still, I couldn't just enjoy it. The shut-in lifestyle I had yearned for was in my grasp, yet it didn't feel right. I tried writing to clear my mind, but the words came out all wrong. I tried reading, but I didn't process anything.
What was to become of me? The loneliness I so craved was in my hands, and I couldn't stand it. I had just lost one maid—I had only gone back to being the way I was before. So why did my chest ache?
I wasted the whole day until dinner time came. I ate separately from everyone else in the Gandesblood house, a vestige of my time as a shut-in. I opened the fridge and found some eggs in there. Had Vill bought them? I needed to eat them before they went bad. I decided to make omelet rice.
I followed the recipe Vill had left behind, but the finished product was unlike the delicious dish she prepared. It was ugly even on the outside. I grabbed a spoonful of it, nothing but the noise of my cutlery in the room, and tears came running down my cheeks as I tasted it.
Damn it. Keep it together, Terakomari Gandesblood.
You're the brightest mind of the generation. Why are you getting so mopey just because you lost one (1) sicko maid? You've got more time to invest in your art now! Shouldn't you be dancing for joy?
I went to sleep right after and had a dream wherein Vill made me omelet rice.
On the fourth day, Sunday, I achieved nirvana.
I felt like I understood why people turned to religion. They were all lonely. It was isolation that made us pray to God. Furthermore, it was their desire to break away from their unchangeable reality that made people follow His light. Gosh, what am I thinking? I'm falling for Spica's trap!
But I really was just that desperate. I had been lying on my bed the whole time, staring at the ceiling. That spot there sure looks like an elephant and a giraffe, huh? Man, I wanna go to the zoo now. Maybe I could ask Vill? Wait, she's not here. Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha.
Just as I felt like I couldn't tell fantasy from reality anymore, I heard a voice:
"Ms. Komari? Are you awake?"
"Huh?!" I got up like a speeding bullet.
The silver girl was standing by the door to my room. Sakuna Memoir stared at me with worry.
"Um… Are you okay? Lieutenant Cerberus told me you were acting strange… Are you unwell? Should I make you something to eat?"
"Sa…"
"Hmm? Oh, here, I brought some snacks. How about we have these fi—"
"SAKUNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!"
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA?!"
I threw myself into her arms.
The tears wouldn't stop. I'd finally gotten human contact for the first time in a while. I buried my face in her chest and threw away my shame and dignity and sobbed.
"Sakunaaa!! Vill…Vill is goooone!!"
"Bwuh?! Erm… Right! She went away…"
"She did! How heartless could she be?! She left me just because Spica threatened us! I've been paying her! I've been treating her right! I even forgave her for eating my pudding! And she… Bwaaaaaah!!"
"Um… May I… hug you back…?"
"BWAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!"
"E-excuse me, then! Here I go… Hee-hee…," Sakuna said as she brought her arms around my back.
Vill has a thing or two to learn from her. She noticed I wasn't okay and came here for me. She's hugging me to comfort me. Her breathing's getting strangely fast, but unlike you, traitor, she didn't abandon me! I yelled at my maid in my mind and wept for a while, letting out everything I'd bunched up inside.
"…I'm sorry, I lost my marbles."
"Not at all! Don't worry about it."
About five minutes later, Sakuna and I were sitting across from each other in my room.
She had come straight to me after hearing of my state from Bellius, snacks and books in hand. I had to thank him as much as her. That good boy was capable of concern, unlike the rest of the lot.
"I must say… I'm surprised the Pope would take Ms. Villhaze away."
"Right? What's she plotting? What good is it for her to kidnap my maid? She smashes public morals just by existing."
"What does she get out of it?" Sakuna muttered as she munched some chocolate. "I don't think it's about getting something out of it. I'm guessing she just wanted to annoy you… Though, s-sorry, I'm just speculating."
That was probable enough. Spica wanted Vill as compensation for the Seventh Unit's insolence, after all. As much as it pained me, I had to admit her scheme was effective—taking my maid away had left my personal life in shambles.
But even then, I didn't point my grudge at Spica.
It was Vill who said she would "always be by my side." Always going on about how her dream was to marry me. Liar. I should've known. She had been deceiving me from the start.
"Damn Vill… She felt nothing when she left me for Spica… Couldn't she have been at least a little bit sad? I guess not…considering how I never did anything for her… I should've given her a bonus on top of her pay… She liked poison, so…maybe some nasty mushrooms and plants...…"
"P-please don't cry! Here, have another biscuit!"
"Awww…" I ate the biscuit right out of Sakuna's hand.
Such a shameful display. And I dared call myself the brightest mind of the generation? If my sister saw me right now, she'd go on about how childish I was and that this was why I'd stay so short forever. Just thinking about it brought me to tears.
"It's okay," Sakuna said calmly all of a sudden. "I can't think Ms. Villhaze would want to be away from you. I mean, she… I'm sorry for saying this, but she's pretty much your stalker."
"You think?"
"Yes. There must be something going on. She's too smart for me to take a guess at what, but I'm certain of it…"
I couldn't deny the possibility. But still, bonds between people were quick to break. It could just as well be that she simply had gotten over me. You know what they say—even a hundred-year-old love is fast to cool off. Perhaps she was fed up with how big of a crybaby I was.
Then Sakuna grabbed my hand. For some reason, it set my heart racing.
"Ms. Komari, why don't you try believing in her?"
"But…who knows what she's thinking?"
"I could find out, if I killed her."
"Don't even suggest it."
"I-I'm sorry. But…even if Ms. Villhaze is gone, you're not alone."
"What do you mean…?"
"Um…I'm here for you. You can always count on me," she said shyly.
That was when it hit me. Sakuna was right. That maid wasn't my whole world. I had been blessed with many encounters over the course of the year. Too many to imagine back when I had been a shut-in. So many people had supported me throughout that time, and first among them was the very girl before my eyes. What was the point in brooding?
"…Y-you're right! You came here for me."
"Yes. Please tell me if you have any trouble. I'll do anything."
"Then…could you replace Vill?"
"Huh?" A question mark popped above her head.
I'm pretty sure I was already long gone by this time.
I pointed at my closet and said, "There's a change of her maid clothes over there."
"…Huh??"
"You said you'd do anything, didn't you?"
"...…"
I hadn't become a maid fanatic like Nelia, but y'know, having one in my room made me feel at ease. Not that the uniform really mattered! I was ready to take it back if Sakuna so much as hinted to not wanting to do it. I stared intently at her.
She thought my request over in silence for a while and then, finally, she made up her mind. Sakuna looked me straight in the eyes and exclaimed:
"Got it! I would be v-very glad to do so! Hee-hee-hee."
She smiled (or rather, grinned) before walking up to the closet.
***
Crimson Lord Flöte Mascarail was at her wits' end.
Between Mulnite's friction with the Holy City of Lehysia and the ever-increasing power of the Holy Church, things were spiraling into an undesirable direction. The doomsday clock was still far from reaching midnight, but it was inching toward there without rest. She needed to revise the situation with the Empress, but Lady Karen was still nowhere to be found.
"The weather isn't looking good. The color of the sky reflects doom," masked vampire Delphyne muttered.
They were at the Fruits of the Land, a restaurant in the Mulnite Imperial Palace.
"They say it will snow again."
"That's not it. I'm worried about Mulnite's future. Even Terakomari Gandesblood is down after losing her maid, isn't she? What are we to do with our secret weapon in that state?"
"You overestimate her."
"I'm just telling it like it is. I don't respect her, but I can't deny her strength."
Delphyne raised a forkful of pasta, then remembered the mask on her face, and put it back down.
Terakomari Gandesblood was certainly unpredictable.
Flöte didn't like that insolent little girl one bit, but the power she'd displayed during the Six Nations War and the Heavenly Ball was too great to ignore. That was the very same Core Implosion the Empress talked about. Why did that girl possess such might? And what annoyed Flöte the most was that she seemed unaware of her own abilities.
"The Empress is a bit of a dictator in here, after all," Delphyne said while taking off her mask. "It's only natural the organization would weaken the moment she's gone."
"But we have the brilliant Seven Crimson Lords to support it."
"You and me aside, who else in the Crimson Lords can we trust?"
"What do you mean?"
"Have you forgotten? One of our veterans, Odilon Metal, turned out to be an Inverse Moon assassin. The crafty bastards were able to infiltrate even the iron walls of the Crimson Lords."
Delphyne became talkative when speaking with Flöte and Flöte alone. The latter had heard the former didn't say a word in the presence of the Empress the other day.
"Sakuna Memoir came from Inverse Moon. Helldeus Heaven is a follower of the Holy Church. I'm not saying they're plotting rebellion…" Delphyne smashed a tomato with her fork, sending red juice flowing all over her dish. "…but the enemy might be right around the corner. We should be careful."
"You're right." Flöte nodded, then lapsed into thought.
Everything ought to resolve itself once Her Majesty came back. Their mission was to protect the nation. Whether they were up against terrorists or religious forces, the Crimson Lords had to give their hearts and souls to the fight.
Just as Flöte steeled her resolve, the doors of the restaurant opened with a swing.
"Lady Flöte! There's trouble!"
Bachelard, subcommander of the Third Unit, rushed inside. Though this third son of an Empire aristocrat was quite the capable man, he always lost his cool whenever "trouble" arose.
"What happened? Keep calm, we're having lunch."
"I'm sorry, but I must report: The Church is causing strife at the outskirts of the Imperial Capital."
Flöte shot up out of her chair.
"…What?"
"They've declared they're 'purifying the Empire.' It's only a matter of time before they reach the capital… What should we do?"
***
The silver maid stood bashfully by the wall.
She was too pretty to look straight at her. Vill's maid uniform fit Sakuna too well. I had this perverted image of maids on my mind because of that sicko, so having someone as pure as Sakuna (she was pure, right?) put it on made for quite the refreshing experience.
"Um," she timidly said. "Was Ms. Villhaze never embarrassed about wearing this…?"
"No idea. She's weird anyway, so I don't think her feelings would serve as a reference."
"Right… Oh, should I do some maid work?"
"Huh? Right… I mean, you don't have to force yourself…"
"Don't worry! I just want to be of use to you. I'll show you I am capable of handling Ms. Villhaze's duties."
"Hmm…"
Sakuna doing Vill's work, huh? There was this kind of immoral quality about the idea…but it also seemed just right. I felt like her endless kindness could heal all of my wounds. Finally, the void in my heart would be filled.
"Y-yeah… I'd be glad if you could do some of her work."
"Hee-hee… I'm on it, my mistress."
"Vill doesn't say that."
"I'm sorry!! Lady Komari!!"
Sakuna began working in a flurry. First, she cleaned my room. It had turned into a unsightly mess over these past few days. She moved from here to there briskly and orderly, just like Vill did. I merely stared in wonder as the room became squeaky clean in the blink of an eye.
Next, she said it was time to make lunch. I'd had no idea Sakuna could cook. She went into the kitchen right away and prepared the ingredients she had brought with her. A tasty-looking serving of omelet rice came out just like that.
"Here you go. What do you think?"
"It looks nice. Let me take a bite."
I grabbed a spoonful and chomped down on it.
It was so tasty it seemed as though my cheeks would fall out. Sweet and soft and creamy. My sense of taste had finally been revived after a few days in the desert.
What the heck? Has Sakuna always been this good at cooking? And not just that. Her cleaning skills are impeccable. Could she be any more perfect?!
"So? Is it good?"
"S-super good! I had no idea you could make omelet rice this good!"
"I've been practicing. For you."
"Wow. You could sell this at a restaurant."
"Hee-hee. Is it better than Ms. Villhaze's?"
"...…Mm."
"Curses," she whispered. Am I imagining things, or did I just feel shivers run down my spine?
But after that thought, I lost myself again to the taste of the omelet rice. Sakuna wore a grin the whole time as she watched me scarf it down. Once I was finished, she told me to relax, then got to cleaning up after me.
"I've finished doing the dishes. Is there anything else I can do?"
"No… I think that's it…"
"I see. Well then, tell me if you need anything," she said before sitting down beside me.
She was too good at this maid stuff; a harder-worker than Vill, even. She would be the only thing I need to keep my life in order. And best of all, she didn't force me to work like the other maid had.
"Um, Ms. Komari. Is it impossible for me to replace Ms. Villhaze?" she asked abruptly.
I crossed my arms and pondered. Objectively speaking, Sakuna was doing a perfect job as replacement. Perfect cleaning, perfect cooking; she was a perfect maid.
But… But, I felt she lacked a certain je ne sais quoi. Something important to cover all the bases of what made that sicko maid special.
"It's not enough…" The words came out of my mouth.
Sakuna looked like her world was ending.
"Erm… Was the dish not savory enough?"
"It's not that. You're lacking…in sicko factor…"
Sakuna's eyes turned into dots.
I had no idea what I was talking about myself. But there was this sense of dissatisfaction within me. I clenched my fist and shook it as I stated:
"You can't be Vill, Sakuna… You're too pure and unperverted to be her!"
"?!?!?!"
It's not that I wanted Vill's sexual harassment. But you couldn't deny that the way Vill turned her perverted behavior onto me at every turn was what made her, her. Sakuna wouldn't do that. Ergo, she could not heal this grave sense of loss in my heart.
Before I knew it, tears were spilling from my eyes.
Why must I go through this? Is it normal to yearn for what you found vexing when it disappears all of a sudden? Not that I'm yearning for her! I just feel empty. My life story as a Crimson Lord isn't complete without her deviancy.
"U-um… Ms. Komari…" Sakuna's voice trembled. She was a bundle of nerves. "I… I'm not the vampire you think I am. So, I think I could replace Ms. Villhaze…really."
"Don't worry about it. No need to force yourself. You're not a pervert…"
"Ms. Komari…!" She widened her eyes in shock.
I know—anyone would be creeped out after hearing that. But I was totally serious. I was entirely sincere in my bizarre thoughts. Completely earnest as I told the cook of such great omelet rice that she wasn't good enough because she was lacking in debauchery. Of course she would be disappointed in me after that…or so I'd thought.
"Very well. I'll become perverted for your sake." Sakuna shot me a passionate stare.
"Huh? What'd you mean…?"
"I mean I can replace Ms. Villhaze. So please don't cry anymore. My chest aches when I see you sad."
"Sakuna…"
She looked right at me, red in the face.
Normally, I should've loathed having Sakuna chase after Vill's phantom; anyone could have realized that she could only be herself. But her genuine desire to try and emulate Vill made my heart skip a beat. So against my best judgment, I ended up accepting her proposal.
"…All right. Become perverted for my sake."
"Yes!" Sakuna smiled like a flower in full bloom. "B-but what should I do, exactly?"
"She usually tries touching me without reserve. So…perhaps that's what you should do to imitate her…"
I felt I was going crazy as the words left my mouth. I couldn't even look straight at her.
"Very well." She nodded solemnly. "…May I touch you, then?"
I froze up for a second before nodding.
Slowly, she brought her tender hand toward me.
I glanced at her face. She was red as a tomato.
Sakuna's so pretty, now that I take a closer look at her… I thought, impressed, while gazing into her glowing, asterism-like eyes. It was then that the sudden suspicion that I was setting foot into lunatic territory crept into mind.
Hold on. Was it ever like this with Vill? This feels even more depraved than what that sicko maid ever did…
"Stay still, Ms. Komari…"
"Uh… Where are you gonna touch me?"
"In the most perverted spot."
"S-Stop! Hold the phone! I know I instigated the whole thing, but let's calm down for a second!"
I came to my senses in the last moment and scooched back.
Sakuna wasn't listening, though. Her face, scarlet like an honest-to-goodness pervert's, inched ever closer. She's really losing it to the pits of debauchery! This isn't how Sakuna should be! She should be so pure and graceful that she even puts flowers to shame! This isn't you, girl! Stay away! Listen to me, please! And just as I was about to run away like a small animal sensing danger…
"Huh?"
…Sakuna stopped, noticing something. She looked out the window.
A chain of explosions went off. Echoes of the clashes of magic against magic. Sakuna stood right up, as though she'd cooled down with a cold-water shower.
"What is happening?"
"I dunno…"
Things were getting more and more cacophonous outside. Gandesblood manor servants ran every which way asking what was going on. It was a full-on state of emergency.
Just then, Sakuna's Correspondence Crystal lit up. She stepped away from me and poured mana into it to answer the call. She only listened for a while, her expression turning darker and darker.
"Ms. Komari…" Her voice trembled after the call. "We've been summoned for a Crimson Council. We must go."
"Huh? Wh-what happened?"
"The Imperial Capital is under attack. We're sharing intel and prepping a strategy at the Council."
I couldn't believe what I'd just heard. The idea was ridiculous. And the ludicrousness didn't end there.
"We're going up against…the Holy Church."
***
Sakuna pulled me by the hand all the way to the Mulnite Imperial Palace.
Vill being gone didn't change the fact I was a Crimson Lord. No matter how depressed I was, it was my duty to attend the emergency meeting. Obviously, I didn't want to, but thinking about how Flöte would react made me go, albeit reluctantly.
We wound up in the same place where we'd quarreled with the Pope the other day: the Bloody Hall.
All the other Crimson Lords were already there.
"You're late!" Flöte scolded us the moment we entered. "You must gather immediately if you want to be considered proper Crimson Lords! Time is of the essence, and the Mulnite Empire is in peril at the wicked hands of those scoun—"
"I'm sorry."
"…Getting such an earnest apology from you actually feels revolting. Are you still feeling down?"
"No, I…"
I didn't have the energy to rebut her in Commander mode. My subordinates weren't there anyway, so I decided to just be myself for now.
I sat down in an empty chair, and Delphyne immediately shot me a weird look from my side.
"Hey, that's the Fifth Unit commander's place."
"Oh, right. Mine's over there."
I sluggishly stood up and moved to the other chair. It seemed like everyone was staring at me, but I couldn't care less. My goal here was surviving the council so I could hole myself back up in my room.
"Ahem." Flöte cleared her throat. "Let's set aside Ms. Gandesblood's low spirits and begin the meeting. According to the garrison's reports, riots are taking place in the Mulnite Imperial Capital."
"Do you want some water?" Sakuna, sitting beside me, offered me a cup.
I thanked her and grabbed it. I was like a houseplant, only drinking when I was watered. There was no point in me taking part in the conversation without Vill. Terakomari Gandesblood without her maid was no commander, merely a useless vampire.
"A mob of people are shooting spells to destroy the buildings. There's about a hundred of them. Most of them seem to be followers of the Church from the lower wards, and their demands are simple: Believe in God. It's a religiously-motivated attack. Lord Heaven, what do you make of this?"
"What do I make of this? I make that we put them down immediately!"
"I've already mobilized the Fifth Unit against them, but that is not what I mean to ask. I want your opinion on this as a priest of the Holy Church."
"Hmm." Helldeus nodded, then stared into nothingness. "The Mulnite Empire has always been a secular state. The number of churches in the Empire is one-tenth that of Aruka, for example. Vampires compose only five percent of the total clergy in the Holy City. So to be quite honest, I'm shocked that there's a religious uprising happening here. Even God must be amazed."
"Who are these people? Are you involved with this group, Lord Heaven?"
"Not at all. Churches in the Imperial Capital are horizontally connected, but the other clerics have persecuted me since the excommunication."
"So you really were kicked out."
"On the contrary! I excommunicated the Pope!" Helldeus complained in a shrill voice. "The current leader of the Holy Church, Julius VI, aka Spica La Gemini, is a barbarian. She knows naught about God! She won't shy away from any method to spread her faith; it's deplorable. She has forgotten the base atop which the Holy Church is built—love."
"The teachings of the Holy Church aside… Why would someone like her become Pope?"
"I don't know. I really have no interest in their power struggle."
"Figures." Flöte sighed. "Lord Heaven, is it possible these riots are connected to the Holy City?"
"Very much so. First of all, it was the Pope's order to evangelize Mulnite in such a coercive manner. She's created a troop of unyielding followers by stooping to what amounts to brainwashing!"
"I've gotten a report from the Fourth Unit. The ringleader has declared this is the Pope's will," Delphyne said with crossed arms.
"Outrageous! Foolish!" Helldeus yelled. "That evil Pope wants to turn Mulnite into the Kingdom of God from the inside!"
"I have no idea what you mean by 'the Kingdom of God,' but you're saying this is retribution? Revenge for what Mulnite—the Seventh Unit, in particular—did to her the other day?"
"I don't know! I couldn't begin to understand what goes through a barbarian's mind. But I cannot allow this! She must be stopped! Don't you think so, Lady Gandesblood?!"
I was startled at the sudden address.
Helldeus stared at me with eyes clouded in zeal.
"I heard Julius VI robbed you of what you loved. It's this loss perpetrated by that pretender that's got you in unusually low spirits, isn't it?"
"…"
It looked like there was no hiding it from him.
Before I could say anything, Flöte stood up.
"Who cares about her? Let's focus on the matter at hand. So Julius VI is cunningly trying to crush the Mulnite Empire from within, and the riots are only part of her attempts. We must prepare for more revolts of this nature. There is but one thing we must do." Flöte looked at each of our faces before making a declaration. "Take control of the Church's forces within the Imperial Capital. That ought to take care of it."
"I don't think Karen would take such a roundabout path," the person sitting next to me said.
Everyone turned to look at a woman munching on sweet bean jelly as she hugged her knees on the chair. Her blond hair was in disarray, and her eyes looked tired.
Who's she? I thought, since this was my first time meeting her, but I could tell her identity from her place at the table. She was the strongest of the Crimson Lords—the Reckless Bomber.
"What do you mean, Lady Calamaria?"
"Don't you get it? We know who the enemy is; let's just blow them the hell up."
The First Unit commander, Petrose Calamaria, got off her chair with an "Upsy-daisy."
She padded over to the window (she was barefoot, for whatever reason) and stared outside as she yawned.
"Taking control of the Church would take all day. What're you and I here for? To kill. We Crimson Lords simply have to kill the Pope."
"Wh-what?!" Flöte stood up, her eyes round. "We'd be cutting off relationships with the Holy City forever! It'd bring about real war!"
"Real conflict is already afoot. It started the moment Karen disappeared."
"Wha…?"
I looked at Petrose in shock. You mean…they killed the Empress?
"That can't be! Lady Karen would never…"
"Don't misunderstand me. I don't know if she's dead or not, but she disappeared without saying a word. That alone is proof of something being up."
"We know that something's up! Gosh. We will not assassinate the Pope. We're cracking down on the Church forces. Mobilize the army all over the Imperial Capital and—"
"You're too naive," Petrose said with a sleepy tone.
I couldn't believe this lethargic vampire had been behind blowing up the Aruka Executive Office.
"Mulnite is under attack. We must move now, or we won't even get a chance to enjoy dinner by tomorrow. How can you not understand?"
"What should we do, then? Give us your valuable opinion."
"Fight back, full force. Don't you agree, little Komari?"
My heart jumped out of my chest at the mention of my name. And…little?
No one ever called me that.
Petrose hastily walked up to me.
"You've been doing a great job as the Seventh Unit's slaughter champion. Why not go berserk right back at them like always?"
"…I, uh…"
She knows who I am?
I didn't have the energy to bluff. And I had only come out alive after telling all those lies because of Vill to begin with. There was no point in going commander mode on them now; they'd only end up glimpsing my true self.
"Excuse me!" Sakuna butted in. "She's…missing Ms. Villhaze now, so…"
"I don't get it. I thought you were super strong."
Sporadic explosions went off in the distance. The riots were still underway. Would the Unit who'd been sent out to suppress them be okay?
Petrose took out another sweet bean jelly. Upon closer inspection of the wrapping, I realized it was from the Fuuzen.
"You have an amazing Core Implosion, which means you're stronger of heart than anyone else. All the military officers in Mulnite are soft as jelly, but I recognize your strength, and yours alone. When the terrorist attacked right after you were appointed, you went to that church downtown all by yourself. Karen and I smiled at that back then. It was like we were looking at a younger Yulinne."
I glanced up at her face on reflex.
Her listless stare pierced my eyes.
"But now you're like a wilted flower. If you don't like reality, change it. That's what your mother would've done."
"…"
I was stumped.
If you don't like reality, change it. The plain platitude rubbed salt on my wound. I'd known that from the very beginning. Spica and the Holy Church were at fault for taking my life away. It was they who were behind the riots at the Imperial Capital. It was their fault Vill wasn't here with me. And it was most likely their fault the Empress wasn't here, too.
But there was nothing I could do.
I had only been able to scrape by as a commander thanks to the assistance of my maid.
Change reality? What could this pathetic excuse of a vampire do? I couldn't think of anything within my power but praying to God. And that wouldn't solve anything.
I had but one choice—quit being a commander and go back to being a shut-in.
Then another, bigger explosion went off.
The doors opened with a blast an instant later. One of Flöte's subordinates rushed inside.
"Lady Flöte! The riots are expanding! Yet another church is rebelling!"
"Tsk… So the Fifth Unit isn't enough?"
"I'll go." Delphyne ran like the wind.
Everything got noisier. Real war was approaching.
Petrose sighed all of a sudden.
"Look, this doesn't mean anything to me, but she'll blow her stack if she catches you like this. She'll get disappointed when she sees her rival's turned into a husk of her former self."
"Who…?"
"Oh, speak of the devil."
Petrose spoke in riddles, but at least she wasn't as cryptic as the Empress or the Goddess.
Still, it didn't matter what she said to me. I would be less useful than a watermelon seed in cracking down on the riots. Just as I was about to throw in the towel…
"Wh-what're you doing here?"
…Delphyne exclaimed behind me. She was frozen in place near the door.
I felt someone approach.
"My." Helldeus furrowed his brow. Sakuna stood up and widened her eyes. I took a sip of water, ignoring their reactions, but the moment it fell on the table, I shrieked.
A corpse. A dead body in cleric vestments.
I was about to turn around to check what in the world was going on, when…
"Don't worry. I killed the ringleader."
…my heart escaped my chest.
I could never forget that cold voice; it was seared into my memory. Just recalling it made me feel stinging pain. I forced my trembling body to turn around.
And there she was. The vampire who had turned me into a shut-in— Millicent Bluenight.
"The riots should blow over soon. The Fifth Unit is wiping them out as we speak."
"Commander Bluenight… How grave are the losses of the Imperial Capital?"
"There are none. Everyone can come back to life, remember?" Millicent gave a cynical smile.
My jaw was on the floor. Flöte had just called her Commander Bluenight. There was only one possible explanation for this: None other than the blue terrorist herself had taken over Odilon Metal's commandership of the Fifth Unit.
The events from this past spring came to mind. Millicent had seriously injured Vill and me—and I ended up taking a step toward a new life because of it.
"Lady Bluenight!" Helldeus screamed. "What's with the body? This is a Holy Church cleric. And judging by his emblem, he's the same rank in the priesthood as I am."
"I just said he's the ringleader. The believers attacked government buildings, but that's not what's important. Look at his right arm."
Everyone focused on it. His clothes were torn, exposing his skin. Etched into his arm was an emblem in the form of a moon. I had seen it before. Sakuna had the same one on her belly.
Millicent's voice overflowed with hatred.
"They're with Inverse Moon. The organization is behind the riots."
Unrest erupted. Helldeus and Flöte began noisily arguing about the revelation, but I couldn't concentrate on that. The blue girl's presence alone had my stomach shrinking.
Then Millicent turned to glare at me. I felt as though I was a frog staring down a snake.
"Terakomari. Long time no see."
"Y-yeah…" I could barely speak. "…You been doing well?"
"Yeah, right. I've been through hell because of you."
No more words came out of my mouth. Telling her my condolences or something would get me killed.
I had practiced for the moment I would meet her again, of course. But why did it have to be now? She could've at least waited until I was better, mentally and physically. I had been hoping our conversation would be more relaxed, so we could slowly get to understand each other. So much for that.
"So are you thinking of doing something about this, or what?" Millicent asked.
"E-excuse me?"
"Inverse Moon's plotting something. Where's the slaughter champion? Weren't you going to turn the whole world into omelet rice? Or are you fed up with being a commander already?"
Millicent's barbed words tore my heart to shreds.
Sakuna hurriedly got between us.
"Ms. Millicent! Komari's tired. Would you mind bringing that up to her later?"
"Step aside, Sakuna Memoir."
"Ah…"
Millicent shoved her away and stood right before me.
Sakuna panicked. All the other Crimson Lords turned to look at us, too. The blue girl looked down on me with genuine disappointment.
"I heard they kidnapped Villhaze. So what're you doing moping around?"
"I… I… I don't have any power…"
"You have no power? What're you talking about?"
"I can't do anything without her! I'm a sorry excuse of a vampire without her! What can I do but mope around?! I'm…"
"Stop your damn pity party!"
I saw sparks.
Sakuna screamed.
I bent backward from the sheer shock. My forehead hurt.
A moment later, I realized that Millicent had flicked me above my eyes. I was paralyzed. Then she yelled at me loud enough to smash stones.
"You have power! So why don't you use it?! Don't pretend you don't know you have it! You won the Six Nations War and the Heavenly Ball!"
"…wa."
"This country's heading straight to ruin. Are you okay with that?"
"...wwa."
"Say something, Terakomari Gandesblood! Looking at you mope makes me sick!"
"Uwaaaaaahhh!!"
"Stop crying!"
"How can I not cry?! You hit meee!!"
"Shut it!!"
She grabbed me by the collar, and my tears drew back in.
Helldeus rose to his feet. Petrose curled her lips into a smile. Delphyne was paralyzed. Even Flöte seemed worried. "Ms. Bluenight, you're taking it too far…," Sakuna said, pale in the face and trembling. But Millicent didn't care about any of them.
"When I kidnapped Villhaze, you knew you were powerless, but you still came for her!"
"…"
"That quality of yours is why you can use Core Implosion! That's why people follow you! What happened to the vampire I knew?! Don't you want to get Villhaze back?! Answer me, Terakomari Gandesblood!"
My mind was blank. The look on Millicent's face was terrifying.
But then I felt the haze clouding my heart clear up, little by little.
Millicent was right. I just had to take back what was mine. The same thing I had always done up until now. Never alone, of course—with the help of my friends. I had done that against Millicent; during the Crimson Match; during the Six Nations War; during the Heavenly Ball. Every time, I'd fought against being unjustly sucked dry.
"Have you finally opened your eyes, Terakomari?"
"…"
I felt like I was in a nightmare, to be quite honest.
But this was no different from the Six Nations War or the Heavenly Ball. Spica had stolen Vill from me. And sure, Mulnite was partly to blame for being blasphemous and spilling tea on her clothes and wrecking her statue, but that was no reason to allow her to take my precious subordinate away from me.
"Erm… Are you okay… Ms. Komari…?"
I was not okay. But I wiped my tears and looked Millicent straight in the eyes.
I'd been losing it the past few days. Nearly crushed under the weight of my despair. But that wasn't right. I just had to knock my hopelessness right back in the face. Vill was essential to getting the peaceful shut-in life I so desperately craved. I had to take her back.
And besides, there's no way she wanted to be away from me.
I should've realized from how devoted she'd been up until now. She was up to something. Maybe she'd gone to the Holy City as a spy. Whatever the case, I needed to go meet her and ask her. My mind made up, I was about to get to my feet, when…
"Good afternoon, people of the Mulnite Empire."
…I heard a familiar voice echo.
At first, I thought the corpse on the table was speaking, but no, the voice was coming from the Correspondence Crystal in his pocket.
"This is Julius VI, from the Holy City of Lehysia. How are you all doing? Have you finally opened your eyes to the greatness of God?"
"Julius VI?! What is this?!" Flöte stood up in a panic.
Spica giggled.
"I planted the Correspondence Crystal on him in anticipation of this. I assume it's about time the riots are getting suppressed… It seems you've all overcome the ordeal safely and soundly. Congratulations."
My jaw dropped. She was implying that everything was done on her orders.
"They're listening, right? Everything okay? Okay, good," she said to someone behind her before continuing, "The Mulnite Empire must be punished for its slights against God. That is why we have passed holy judgment on you barbaric vampires."
"Wha?!" I yelled and stood up. "What're you saying! You took Vill with you! Isn't that apology enough?!"
"Apology? When did you apologize?" Spica played dumb.
I was at a loss for words. Flöte yelled back in my place.
"Pope Julius VI! So you're behind the riots?!"
"I ordered no riots. The judgment the Holy City passed on the Mulnite Empire is but a simple one: We prayed to God for divine punishment. If your people rebelled as a result, then it is no act of mine, but the will of God. You have no reason to be mad at me."
"How does that make any sense?!"
"Oh, it does. And if Mulnite insists on behaving like this, then God's believers all over your empire will rise up in revolution soon enough."
"Quit prattling on! What is it that you want?!"
"I've already told you, from the very beginning." She smiled coldly as she said, "Allow the Mulnite Empire to come under God's wing. That is all."
"You little…"
"Please, don't embarrass yourself." Petrose stopped Flöte from drawing her sword. She munched on jelly with annoyance on her face and said, "What are you really after, Julius VI? You should realize it's ridiculous to ask a whole nation to convert to your religion. Anyone sane person should."
"Whatever could you mean? I'm very serious."
"I agree, indeed! So Spica La Gemini is not sane. See, barbarian, faith isn't something you push onto people, but something they must feel from within. You only resort to violence because you can't understand that."
"Helldeus Heaven…you still pretend to be a clergyman after being excommunicated?"
"It was you getting excommunicated. You still pretend to be Pope?"
"In any case! We're not accepting those terms! Let's discuss this again once Lady Karen gets back! We can talk this out!" Flöte insisted.
"There is no need to talk, for…"
"Lady Spica, I brought you another lollipop."
"Oh, thank you."
I felt like I was getting slapped. That was totally Vill's voice. I shouted at the corpse:
"Vill! What're you doing over there?!"
"Commander Gandesblood? What do you want?"
"I'm not talking to you! I'm talking to Vill! Put her on!"
Silence fell for a while. Maybe they'd gone on mute and were discussing it. Before long, the sound came back on, and my maid's familiar voice graced my ears:
"…Yes? This is Villhaze speaking."
"Vi…" Tears welled in my eyes. I clenched my fists to hold them in. "…Vill! Are you okay?! Did she do anything weird to you?!"
"I'm doing fine. Lady Spica is very good to me."
"Of course, for I am benevolent. I would never mistreat my maid. I'm taking very good care of Villhaze, so don't worry."
"Wha…"
"She tells me you didn't treat her very well, Commander Gandesblood. She's always complaining about you, aren't you, Villhaze?"
"What're you talking about…? Say it isn't so, Vill…"
"It's true. You never listened to my requests. No matter how affectionate I tried to be, you were always cold. The other day, you chased me out of the bath while I was still enjoying it. Oh, you were terrible, Lady Komari."
"No, no, no! I chased you out because I was still in it, you peeping tom!"
"But that's not all. You push me off the bed and rouse me from my peaceful slumber, forcing me to pass out on the cold floor without a blanket. Even though I give you my all…you let my body and soul freeze."
"That's not right, either! That's because you hug me out of nowhere while I'm sleeping!"
"Poor Villhaze. But how about now?"
"I've healed, body and soul. Lady Spica is truly kind."
"Yup, we bathed together yesterday."
"I'm looking forward to rinsing your back once again."
"As many times as you want. Oh, and the dinner you made last night was scrumptious. Your omelet rice is above what the bests chefs in the world can do."
"I am honored. I made it specially to your tastes, Lady Spica."
"Is that so? You really are the perfect maid. Good thing you got away from Commander Gandesblood. Now you get to make full use of your talents."
....
…
…Hold the phone.
What're the two of them doing having fun?
Why's Vill making omelet rice for someone other than me?
"Oh, we've strayed from the point. Our requests are the same as before."
"Y-y-y-y…"
"Refuse to accept and the divine judgment will continue. We will begin by calling all churches in Mulnite to…"
"YOU'VE GOT TO BE FUCKING KIDDING ME!!"
I hit the table.
Sakuna shrieked and stepped back.
I didn't care about how everyone was looking at me. I leaned over the table and screamed at the corpse.
"Vill! Is this the thanks I get after how clingy you've been with me?! This is coming completely out of nowhere! I've never seen a betrayal of this magnitude! I always thought you were a liar, but I didn't imagine you were this heartless, and I had no idea how much you leaving would end up affecting my life, and I don't even know what I'm saying anymore! Point is, this is all your fault, so make up for it, sicko maid!!"
"Lady Komari, I…"
"I don't want to hear excuses!! It was you who made me into the invincible Crimson Lord I am today!! And now you just up and leave?! I'm not letting that happen! God might forgive you, but you can be sure that Terakomari Gandesblood never will!"
"Calm down, Commander Gandesblood. God welcomes Villhaze's conver—"
"I'm going to flick God in the freaking forehead!!"
Spica shut her mouth.
I paid no attention to her and kept talking, going on to declare war, for all intents and purposes.
"Just you wait, Vill! I'm going there to get you! I'm gonna take care of the religious forces pestering Mulnite! I'm gonna wipe out the Holy City's army!"
"Ms. Gandesblood, please shut up. Don't just start war of your own accord."
"It's fine, Flöte. Let's let her take care of this."
I paid no mind to Flöte and Petrose's argument.
I just stated what came to mind without holding anything back.
"And you'll be waiting there in silence!! Stay put!! Don't make Spica any more omelet rice!! Got it?! I'll take that as a yes!!"
"..."
The other end of the line was quiet for a while.
So was the Bloody Hall.
Sakuna was staring at the ceiling in astonishment; Delphyne was as quiet as ever; Flöte was shaking, pale in the face; Helldeus was nodding in satisfaction; Petrose was calmly eating her jelly; and Millicent had turned her back on me for some reason, so I couldn't see her expression.
Then my head started to cool off.
Wait… Did I just declare war of my own will?
Just as I started to feel like the anxiety would crush me, I heard muffled chuckling.
It was Spica. She was cackling heartily. I had no idea what was so funny, but she stopped right away anyway. Then, with enough pressure in her voice to kill an insect, she said:
"So you choose your own demise. Pitiful. Very well. The divine retribution will continue. The Holy Knights shall act according to God's will."
"…!"
Now my fate was sealed.
I didn't need to cool my head. I didn't need to keep quiet while Spica did as she pleased. I turned around and took wide steps out to the hallway, ignoring Sakuna and Flöte's voices coming from the Bloody Hall as I left.
Snow fell on the Mulnite Imperial Palace gardens. I looked up at the cold sky and yelled:
"Caostel! Bellius! Mellaconcey! Are any of you here?!"
"I am."
The stripped-tree man appeared from the shadow of a pillar, like a stalker. That ought to get him arrested under the right circumstances.
Still, I had no time to waste being caught off guard. I walked up to him and, without hesitation, gave him the order:
"Gather everyone from the Seventh Unit. I want to talk."
***
They all showed up in less than five minutes.
I stood atop the remains of the idol (still there, yeah) and looked down upon the five hundred members of the Mulnite Imperial Army's Seventh Unit.
This bunch meant nothing but trouble and danger to my own life, but in times of need, they proved to be one reliable pack of wild animals.
Sakuna wasn't the only person in my corner—I also had them.
"Commander, what will you have us do today?" Caostel asked with unbridled enthusiasm.
The rest of my troops had the same look on their faces, too. Perhaps they were giddier—and more anxious—than need be since I never summoned them for anything.
"Good to have you all here," I spoke with the gravest solemnity I could muster. There was no room for failure. Not now. Not without my maid. "As you all know, the Imperial Capital was just rocked by a series of riots. We believe they were carried out under the direction of the Pope of the Holy Church—Julius VI, Spica La Gemini. Actually, we had her confess to it just a moment ago. And according to the Fifth Unit's intel, the church is collaborating with Inverse Moon to take down the Mulnite Empire."
Then, commotion.
"What?!" "Those bastards…" "Wait, who's the Fifth Unit commander?" "This is why I can't stand religion." "Those terrorists again?!" "They won't get away with this!"
I spoke louder to drown them out:
"They must be behind the Empress's disappearance, too. The Mulnite Empire is in unprecedented peril, and we need to do something about it. Do you understand?"
"Of course! We must be firm and act with determination!" Caostel responded.
"He's right!" the rest echoed.
Their affinity for battle went beyond the comprehension of any normal mind. They would gladly take up arms the moment I requested they do so—but I couldn't just put this on them entirely. After all, we'd be doing this entirely of my own accord.
I waited for silence to return and then, hesitantly, I said:
"Actually… There's something I must tell you…" The vampires looked up curiously at me. "I've been feeling down the last few days."
"What do you mean, Commander?"
"I—I mean, it's nothing, really! But I've been out of it, and I may have given you some weird orders because of that. I want to apologize."
I bowed, and they all looked troubled. "No, don't worry, please raise your head, Commander!" "You put on an even stronger display of power than usual, in fact!" They said, uncharacteristically concerned. I felt this weird warmth in my chest.
"Thanks… Some of you may realize already why I've been like this—our special lieutenant, Villhaze, is missing. The Pope took our comrade from us, and she's now working as a maid in the Holy City…"
I cast my gaze down. I felt guilty about focusing on my own problems when the whole Empire was at risk, but I had to tell them this.
"So…I want to take her back. And I can't do this alone. I—I might be the strongest Crimson Lord of them all, but there's a limit to how many people I can kill in one session. Which is why… I, um, it might be weird of me to ask this, but uh…"
I raised my head and looked at my subordinates, then mustered my courage.
"I want to solve this issue with the Holy City and bring Vill back. So…would you please come with me…?"
"""...…"""
Painful silence.
I exhaled white breath as snow fell and melted on my uniform.
Come to think of it, this was the first time I'd frankly communicated my feelings to my unit. And it was to ask a favor, to top it all off. It was weird that I was speaking in front of everybody to begin with—maybe this was a sign of the end of times. A meteorite could very well strike tomorrow.
What did they think of my request? Were they disappointed that the slaughter champion was getting so desperate for the sake of a single maid?
"Commander, you need not ask us. Simply give us your command," Caostel said out of nowhere. I didn't know what to say to that, and he continued, "But I will say, we can't let the Holy City get away with this. They're doing as they please and using religion as an excuse."
"Yes, they're making light of the Mulnite Empire."
"And they've abducted our precious comrade! Any of us would be mad at that! Isn't that right, fellow soldiers?!"
"You can say that again!" "They must pay for saddening our commander!" "The Holy Church is going down!" "I'm gonna kill them all." "I'm going to flip the bird at any mention of God from now on." "No one can replace our special lieutenant." "Check it! Seeing Caostel with the commander is wack. It should be Villhaze who has her back." "Our Unit's only a bunch of meatheads without her!" "The truth is, I've been in love with Villhaze this whole time." "God's not getting away with this!" "God's getting His own day of judgment!" "Time to kill!!"
Wait, hold on. I don't want you guys to put an end to the Church. I just want Vill back. And I'll be glad to be friends with Spica, actually… But they were beyond being reached with words.
"Commander! You have nothing to worry about! There is no enemy we can't snuff out when working together. Let us hand down judgment on that insolent clergy!"
"O-okay…"
They all looked at their commander with great expectations.
I felt courage budding from the pit of my gut. Despite the snowy weather, my body was warming up.
I had been sure they would ridicule me. "You want our help? Why can't Miss Slaughter Champion take care of it all by herself? Dunce!" Then they would kill me.
But that didn't happen. Bunch of murderous vampires though they were, they'd shown their support, and I couldn't be happier about it.
Now it was my turn to give it my all.
I took a deep breath and looked at their faces. I raised my right hand high and called out to them.
"Let's go, my dear soldiers! It is time to fight!"
After a single moment of silence:
"HAAAIIILLL!!!" their usual yell burst all the way up to the winter sky.
I felt like my eardrums would burst, too. The typical Komarin call followed, as well.
"Komarin! Komarin! Komarin!"
So it was decided that Mulnite would confront the Holy City.
War was right around the corner.