Chapter 283 – And Thus, You Are Free.

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Regina must have suffered a lot.

At first, she choked back sobs, only letting out sounds as if she was struggling to breathe.

She bit her lip and twitched her shoulders as if she didn’t even deserve to cry.

But the resistance didn’t last long. As the droplets flowing down her cheeks hung from her chin, Regina finally burst into a sorrowful cry. I couldn’t hide the pity I felt at the sight. I gently hugged Regina, who was crying so hard that her eyes turned red, and patted her back.

If I had known it would be like this, I would have come sooner.

I put it off, prioritizing more urgent matters.

If Yoo-seong hadn’t come today, I would have postponed it even further.

A bitter smile came to my face. To make up for my mistake, I diligently patted Regina’s back until she calmed down, sobbing like a child who had lost their parents.

The pent-up resentment didn’t subside easily, and it was only after a long time that Regina’s tears could stop.

“Okay, are you calm now?”

I used the handkerchief to stop the bleeding. Her school uniform was also stained with blood and a mess. Fortunately, the school uniform tie was relatively intact, so I used it as a substitute for a handkerchief. I carefully wiped Regina’s face, which was covered in tears, snot, and blood.

“…Yeah.”

Did shame come in place of sadness?

Regina blushed as if she had shown me an unsightly sight. Her ears were bright red, like a ripe peach. It was the first time I saw Regina’s face without makeup. Her bare face, hidden under heavy makeup, looked much younger than usual. Maybe it was because I had just seen her crying like a child.

“I have a favor to ask.”

Her voice was hoarse from crying so much. But it was clearer than before she cried. It seemed like she had shed her hesitation along with her tears. Finally, she’s willing to talk to me? Ehehe, don’t worry. I won’t take up too much of your time, since you must be tired.

“I’m being controlled by Astaroth. You already know that, right?”

“Yeah, I knew.”

“I’m the one who committed that terrible act against you that day, the one I can’t even bring myself to say. You said you would forgive me, but it was an unforgivable atrocity. Even if I didn’t do it of my own will, it’s just an excuse. It’s still something I did. So, what I’m saying is…”

I could see a firm resolve in her purple eyes.

Regina paused for a moment and took a deep breath.

Then, she said calmly, putting strength into each word.

“Lucia, please kill me.”

Huh.

Excuse me?

What did you say?

Kill? Who? You? Me?

Hey, I said I forgive you for everything, okay? I told you that you don’t need to feel guilty. I’ve told you so many times that it’s not your fault. Was it still not enough? Was my sincerity not enough to reach you? If that’s the case, then so be it. I’ll keep telling you until it becomes ingrained in your ears!

“I’m Astaroth’s ‘friend’… no, a slave. I can’t disobey orders. If Astaroth gives me another order, I don’t know what I’ll do. Fortunately, the intensity of the ‘brainwashing’ is weaker now. This is the only chance. Later, I won’t even be able to think, ‘I want to die.’”

…So that’s what she meant.

Regina wasn’t just trying to die because of guilt.

She was afraid of the evil deeds she had committed so far, and the fact that she would have to commit them in the future.

She wanted to stop before she committed any more sins. But there was no way to stop. Death was the only way out. At least, that’s how it was for Regina.

“I can’t let anyone find out about my true identity… I received a ‘request’ that no one should know that I’m a slave to the ‘Mask’. If anyone finds out, I have to eliminate them. I’m still suppressing the urge to fulfill the ‘request’… but I don’t think it will last long.”

I was speechless.

I could feel Regina’s determination.

She was genuinely thinking of dying.

In fact, while comforting Regina, I didn’t bring up the story of the ‘Mask’. I just said that I knew about it.

Language is like an earring, you can hang it on your ear, or you can hang it on your nose. Depending on how you interpret it, it can have completely different meanings. It was a method often used by the Devil Gods who couldn’t lie, to manipulate the truth.

I knew that Regina was the one who tortured me, but I didn’t know that Regina was a slave to the ‘Mask’. My words could be interpreted that way. Even if she realized the true meaning, she could deceive herself.

Nevertheless, Regina directly mentioned the ‘Mask’.

She deliberately touched the restrictions that Astaroth had placed on her.

If that happens, Regina will have to eliminate me, who knows the truth.

I don’t want that. I had no intention of doing that. But the coercive power of the ‘Mask’ will make her carry out the order. So she’s going to die before that.

She created a situation where she had no choice but to die. This was Regina’s resolve. She was genuinely planning to end her life here.

“I’m going to write down all the information I know… I’ll leave it as a will, so first…”

“Regina.”

I cut her off and smiled brightly.

Really, how precious is life that you’re trying to give it up so easily? I can’t allow that. If you’ve had a hard time so far, you should be thinking about how to be happy in the future!

“I told you, everything will be alright.”

“But…”

“I said I could say it again and again, right? I wasn’t just saying it to be nice, okay?”

I reached out and cupped Regina’s face.

I rubbed her cheeks like clay and smiled with my eyes.

Hmm, not a bad feeling. It’s a little haggard, but I’m not complaining. It’s quite soft, though not as much as Alice.

“Everything will be alright.”

“…”

She didn’t look convinced at all. Well, it’s just empty words if you keep saying it’s okay without any supporting evidence. Claims without solid evidence are just empty echoes.

“You asked me why I came, right?”

“Yeah…”

“And I said I came because I had something important to talk about.”

I took my hand off her face and straightened my kneeling knees.

I had been kneeling for a long time, but unfortunately, my legs didn’t go numb.

I turned my head and looked at the door. The doorknob was broken, but the door was closed. Someone had closed the door to prevent the conversation and crying from leaking outside. I cleared my throat and shouted.

“Can I ask you for a favor?”

“Is it my turn now?”

Yoo-seong, who had sensed the atmosphere and waited outside, came into the room. Yoo-seong’s expression was filled with pity, as if he had heard the whole conversation. But that was only for a moment. He closed and opened his blue eyes. 

The sky-like blue was replaced by a sun-like gold. The radiance illuminated the darkness. He stood here not as the hero Yoo-seong, but as the God of War, Mars.

Unlike Yoo-seong, the God of War is not swayed by personal emotions.

He had always been Yoo-seong in front of me, but the fact that he had become the God of War meant that he was taking this situation seriously.

“Y-You are…”

Regina’s pupils were filled with shock. It couldn’t be helped. The God of War was a famous figure whose picture was in textbooks. He was a living legend of this era. The commander of the Celestial Corps. 

Any student at the academy who would be assigned to the Celestial Corps after graduation knew his face. It was no different for the troublemakers in Class D. Wasn’t he the person who would become their highest-ranking superior? Of course, they would have memorized his face.

“Regina of Class D, first year.”

The God of War spoke. There was a calm dignity in his voice.

The lingering smell of perfume disappeared as if it had been washed away. The golden light dyed the room.

Even the bloodstains evaporated. It wasn’t hot, but it was cleanly erased.

“You have committed an act of treason by betraying humanity. Originally, it would be immediate execution, but…”

“Don’t scare her too much.”

“I’m just saying it because it’s important to make it clear.”

“Hey! Regina’s scared.”

“…Okay.”

The God of War briefly returned to Yoo-seong and became sullen, but it was only for a moment.

The golden eyes glared at Regina. A hand filled with light touched her forehead.

“Considering that there were unavoidable circumstances, I will not hold you accountable this time.”

In an instant, the light intensified. It was so bright that it was difficult to distinguish what was in front of you, as if a flare had gone off. But it didn’t hurt my eyes. It wasn’t hot either. Rather, it felt warm. As the fingers pressing on Regina’s forehead fell away, the golden light gradually faded. Soon, only a faint glow remained in the room as a trace.

“I have broken the Devil God’s control.”

The God of War turned away without hesitation. He glanced at me. There was no conversation, but his eyes conveyed his intention. Yoo-seong smiled bitterly and finished the sentence.

“You are free now.”

With those words, Yoo-seong left the room without hesitation.

He diligently closed the door with the broken doorknob.

‘My role is over.

You finish it.

That kid will feel uncomfortable if I’m here.’

The short look contained roughly that meaning. It was the body language that Lucille’s experience taught me. It couldn’t be wrong. Even if it was wrong, it didn’t matter much. As long as the meaning was similar.

“Lu-Lucia…? What is this, exactly…?”

“This was the important thing I wanted to talk about.”

To break your brainwashing.

To break the shackles on your neck.

I can’t do it, but my brother can.

“You’ve been through a lot.”

“Ah, ah…”

“How is it? I told you it would be alright, right?”

She had cried so much, but it seemed like there were still tears left to shed.

I wiped the tears welling up in Regina’s eyes with my fingers, and I smiled brightly.

“Congratulations.”

There’s nothing binding you now.

There’s no leash forcing you to obey orders.

You’re not a doll. You’re not a tool either.

You’re a person with your own will.

A human who acts according to their own beliefs.

And thus,

“You are free.”

Author Note

A/N (Author’s note):
Today’s author’s note is… end of service.

Uh…? Ah…?

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
I don’t get it either… but hey, Regina is free now.

Probably.