In a small village at the southernmost end, a young knight visited a bustling traveling circus late into the night.
"Excuse me, I don't have a place to stay tonight. Could you let me stay for just one night?"
His tattered cloak and bloodstained armor, still reeking of battle, made it clear he had recently fought. Had it been an inn or tavern frequented by adventurers, he would never have been welcomed. Anyone arriving in such a state late at night was likely being pursued.
However, the circus members warmly welcomed him.
"It's just a shabby tent, but if you don't mind, sir knight," the ringmaster said, smiling brightly as he gestured toward his tent. He mentioned how it would be exciting to hear tales of the knight's adventures.
Thanks to the ringmaster's generosity, the knight experienced a night of lively fun, something he hadn't had since starting his journey. He spent the night joyfully, temporarily forgetting the fatigue from his continuous battles. Here, he also met someone unexpected.
'...She's beautiful.'
With short blue hair and a tight outfit, the woman was stretching against a wooden pole. Noticing the knight's gaze, she smiled lightly. To her, it was a meaningless courtesy smile, but the knight thought she showed interest in him.
The knight couldn't take his eyes off her; she was more beautiful than anyone he had ever met. Unconsciously, he approached her.
"Hello, my name is Lois de Strange. It's an honor to meet you."
The woman with blue hair looked at him in surprise before giving a shy smile and lightly taking his hand.
"Flora."
"Flora, a name as beautiful as the smile on your lips."
"Smile?"
"Yes, it's the most beautiful smile I've ever seen, so enchanting it makes my heart race."
"Is that a compliment?"
"Of course. I would give everything I have to see that smile again."
"..."
Flora playfully tugged at his cheek before bursting into laughter and asking, "Really?"
"I mean it."
They exchanged glances and began to talk, learning about each other through brief but meaningful conversations. That night, they spent time together until the morning dew.
The next day, as the knight prepared to leave the circus, he gave Flora a pendant with his picture inside.
"I'll come back someday."
"I'll wait for you."
A year passed, and the circus was filled with the cries of a newborn baby.
-Waaa! Waaa!
A baby with blue hair and golden eyes was born. Flora cradled the baby, showing the happiest smile she could muster.
"Ehehe, Hysteria, try to smile like mommy. Your father will be here soon, so how can you just cry?"
-Waaa!
The circus members took turns performing tricks to make Hysteria laugh, but the baby kept crying. The more they tried, the sharper the baby's eyes became, filled with discontent. Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. Even after three months, the baby did not stop crying.
Nevertheless, Flora gazed lovingly at her baby every day and whispered, "Someday, my dear, you will smile for me, making my heart race with the most beautiful smile in the world."
"...Mama!"
Though it wasn't immediate, she held onto the hope that her baby would one day smile for her. Soon, word spread about a baby with golden eyes born to the southern circus. Upon hearing this, Lois sought out the circus.
"Lois is finally coming..."
-Hyah!
The sound of horses' hooves echoed outside the tent. At least a dozen horses seemed to be approaching, shaking the ground. Flora thought Lois had returned and ran outside the tent. But life didn't unfold as she hoped.
"Kill them all!"
The men who came were not knights but bandits, wrapped in black cloth from head to toe.
"P-please spare us!"
Screams echoed from all sides. The circus tents blazed, and members fell one by one.
"Flora! Run with the baby!"
The ringmaster tried to put Flora and her baby in a carriage to escape, but the skilled bandits didn't let them go. One emerged from the shadows, killing the ringmaster and knocking Flora to the ground.
-Waaa!
The baby wailed loudly. Flora, terrified, clutched her baby and backed away.
"D-don't cry, Hysteria. Your father will be here soon."
The bandit laughed at her.
"Stupid woman."
The bandit stabbed Flora in the abdomen with a dagger, a painful moan escaping her lips.
"Hah!"
Her face twisted in pain, but she forced a smile for her baby and pleaded with the bandit.
"P-please, spare my baby..."
The bandit withdrew the dagger from her abdomen.
"Ugh!"
He raised the dagger to strike again, laughing at her plea.
"No way."
Flora thought this was the end. She prayed to the gods as the bandit swung the dagger again. Miraculously, at that moment, a knight appeared and struck down the bandit with a single blow.
"Whoosh."
The knight leaped from his horse and cradled Flora in his arms.
"F-Flora, I'm sorry I'm so late."
A familiar voice she longed to hear. Through her blurry vision, she recognized the knight.
"Flora! Flora!! Open your eyes!"
"...Lois."
Flora looked between her baby and Lois, smiling despite the pain. With her last strength, she whispered, "The baby's name is Hysteria... Take care of him."
With those final words, her head fell lifelessly. Lois clutched her body tightly and shouted in agony.
"Flora!!!"
His roar of anger echoed to the sky. The terrified bandits tried to flee, but the knights of Strange caught every one of them and beheaded them.
"...Hysteria."
After the incident, Lois took Hysteria to his castle, cherishing the baby so much that he allowed no one but himself and a nursemaid near him until he awakened. Until the age of five, Hysteria never smiled.
Until he met the Puppeteer, who could change his destiny.
The clown Puppeteer was performing tricks atop a jar, trying to catch the children's attention.
"Can you make me laugh?"
He tilted his head at Hysteria, then burst into laughter at the question's absurdity.
"Of course, if that's what you want."
* * *
"If you wanted to live, you should never have attached the Strange name to such lowly blood."
The moment Gunther turned his back to leave the underground prison.
Thud!
"…!"
The supposedly dead Hysteria came back to life, plunging a sword into Gunther's back.
"…Really? I think that's your mistake."
"Ugh!"
Despite successfully attacking, Hysteria wasn't smiling.
Instead, he glared at Gunther with an unprecedentedly cold expression.
"I confirmed you were dead."
"Yes, I was dead. But you see, my Puppeteer has a special technique that can activate even after death."
The clown Puppeteer, with a maniacal grin, danced and showed the threads tied to his hands.
"Did you… use yourself as a puppet?"
"Oh? You're quicker than I thought."
"But that technique… isn't it only usable on the dead?"
"Yes, that's why I died. For this very moment."
"What?"
"I preemptively killed myself. So that you wouldn't notice the technique during the fight."
Hysteria stretched leisurely and confidently walked toward Gunther.
Step, step, step.
"I told you, didn't I? You would lose this fight."
"…Damn it."
Gunther reached out and pulled the sword from his body.
Thud!
As the blade came out, blood spurted. Gunther picked up his sword with a grimace, exhaling deeply.
Hoo-
"The fight isn't over yet."
"No, it's over. In your condition, you can't beat me. You'll die from blood loss just standing there. Well, I'll die soon too, but."
"…You madman."
"Hah, hahah… Were you sane when you slaughtered the circus troupe before you turned ten?"
"Shut up!"
Swing-!
Gunther swung his two-handed sword wildly.
Hysteria quickly picked up a fallen sword to block the attack.
Clang!
"Hah, the knight's sword feels too light?"
"Even if I die, I'll kill you first."
Hysteria glanced at the pendant around his neck and smiled.
'Mother, it's almost over.'
Clang! Clang-clang! Clang-!
Their deadly dance was beautiful.
The sound of the swords slicing through the air seemed like a song, and the blood that spurted with each slash scattered like petals in the aura.
Dozens, hundreds, thousands of sword strikes exchanged. And then the moment to end the fight arrived.
Thud!
Gunther's final strike severed Hysteria's right arm.
"Oh! Impressive."
"I'll tear you to pieces, Hysteria…!"
Hysteria laughed, glancing at his severed arm.
"What are you saying? I'm already dead, so you can't kill me, hah!"
Ssss-!
Behind Gunther, Hysteria's severed arm floated in the air. As the clown Puppeteer moved his fingers, the arm stabbed Gunther's heart.
Crunch!
"Ugh!"
Gunther collapsed, coughing blood. The wound was fatal.
"God…"
"God? You? God?"
Hysteria grabbed Gunther's throat with his remaining arm, cutting off his air.
Thud.
"Ugh!"
"How amusing, Gunther. You seek God at the end!"
"Ugh…"
"But there is no God! I searched, so I know well!"
Thud.
Gunther's body convulsed briefly before he fell, signaling his death.
'…It's over.'
Hysteria looked at Gunther's corpse and sat down.
The clown Puppeteer frantically moved his threads, but Hysteria's body didn't respond.
The time had come for the afterlife skill's restriction to end, and for Hysteria to enter the door of death.
'Thankfully.'
I achieved my goal within the time limit.
Now, I don't care if I die.
With that thought, Hysteria mustered his remaining strength to pull out the pendant around his neck.
"…Mother."
Hysteria smiled.
'I know how to smile now.'
He slowly closed his eyes.
'I will come to you soon. To show you the most beautiful smile in the world.'
* * *
Tap, tap, tap.
I stopped walking at the deepest part of the Strange Castle's underground prison.
'It's over.'
I confirmed Gunther and Hysteria's deaths.
Both had long stopped breathing. The blood had started to coagulate, indicating they died well before I arrived.
Hoo-
Siegfried wore a bitter expression.
"Verdin, everything happened just as you said."
If the two faced each other, neither would survive; both would end up dead.
I had no doubt about this outcome.
I knew the capabilities of their Puppeteers and their skill levels.
Gunther and Hysteria.
From beginning to end, they moved according to my plan. Like actors in a scripted play.
"Yes, Master."
The end of this play was a comedy for me, a tragedy for the two.
I don't know how others would see it, but one thing is certain.
'The age will run amok.'
An unstoppable storm will engulf the continent, and at its center, it will be my turn to show the world who I am.
"Rox."
"Yes?"
"Begin. Before the others arrive."
Rox glanced at me and nodded.
Swish!
He leaped toward Hysteria's Puppeteer still lingering in the underground prison.