Pillar

The moment I heard Estelle’s voice, I left the cafeteria without explaining anything to the club members.

Following the voice echoing in my head, I arrived at a secluded alley where Estelle, wearing a black cat mask, was waiting for me.

Estelle waved and greeted me, but I ignored her and immediately got to the point.

,What do you mean Bella is in danger?

,Just what it sounds like. The cult plans to attack Bella today. Bella has already left the capital in a carriage.

Usually, Roel-ssi was always by Bella’s side when she left the capital. If Roel-ssi is with her, there shouldn’t be any dangerous situations.

Estelle should know that too. But if she says Bella is in danger, it means something unexpected has happened.

Feeling the unease rising from the depths of my emotions, I asked Estelle.

,Is Roel-ssi with her?

,No, Roel-ssi left the academy with Ilia this morning through the portal. I think they went to find a spirit beast.

At Estelle’s words, I ran a hand over my face. Was I the cause of the problem?

Roel-ssi’s unplanned outing was because of me selling information about the spirit beast to Modiste.

In any case, saving Bella was the priority.

,We need to follow Bella immediately.

,Yeah, Ember prepared a carriage.

Feeling grateful to Ember for her thorough preparation, I immediately got into the carriage with Estelle.

,We’re departing!

The carriage started moving with the voice of Ember, our temporary coachman. It was the time when evening ended and night began, but today was the night of the full moon.

The bright moonlight pushed back the darkness, and the carriage started running smoothly along the road.

,The cult will have made thorough preparations. They’re planning to get their hands on Bella for sure this time. If you mess up, you might end up dying while trying to save Bella.

At Estelle’s warning, I stroked my chin. Estelle hadn’t heard the reason why I was so eager to save Bella.

So, Estelle’s reaction, as if questioning whether it was worth risking danger for Bella, was natural. Estelle knows what kind of person Bella is.

An evil person everyone wants to die. That was Bella’s setting.

Paradoxically, only such a Bella can defeat true evil that is beyond comparison.

,Because Bella is the only one who can kill the cult leader.

It was a short sentence, but there was no easier explanation than this.

,…What?

To the voice that seemed to be asking if what she heard was true, I added an explanation.

,The fragmentary future I saw. To save not only the cult leader but also this world, we need ‘Empress’ Bella.

She was the most important pillar needed for the ending for everyone. If she doesn’t become the Empress and end her story….

I can be sure. The continent will fall into the hands of the Demon King, and Roel-ssi’s hero party will fail.

That’s how much Bella’s character has a clear role as a heroine.

Bella was the heroine closest to the meaning of the title [The Hero’s Harem Can Only Win].

A heroine who doesn’t care about means or methods and can do anything for her goal. Therefore, she is the only one among the harem members who can make an evil decision.

Roel-ssi absolutely needs Bella. No, she must exist for an ending for everyone.

,Haa, if what you’re saying is true… things will get complicated.

I shrugged my shoulders at Estelle, who was sighing, and said.

,Wouldn’t the three of us be enough?

Although she hides her skills at the academy and acts like an ordinary student, Estelle is the successor to the strongest assassin group in this world, ‘Black Eyes’.

She was already a powerful figure who had reached the limit of her growth.

,No, we can’t help.

I frowned at Estelle’s words. Was my explanation not convincing enough?

When I was about to open my mouth to explain once again how important it was for Bella to be alive, Estelle suddenly stuck her tongue out and showed me the bottom of her tongue.

Not understanding her sudden action, I stared at her, and Estelle infused mana into her finger and stabbed her tongue.

Then, the blood vessels at the bottom of her tongue wriggled, and black rune letters emerged on top of them like a brand.

,Our clan can’t directly oppose the cult. There’s a restriction on us.

Estelle, who put her tongue back in, explained her actions.

,What is that….

,It means you’ll be fighting alone.

At first, I didn’t understand those words. There was no setting that Estelle and her clan couldn’t oppose the cult. But soon, I came up with one possibility to explain the variable.

,Since when has that restriction been in place….

,Since our clan knelt before the cult leader.

At Estelle’s answer, I sighed and pressed my palms against my eye sockets. I felt a headache from the unexpected variable.

Is the reason she wanted to cooperate with me because she couldn’t move on her own?

The reason why Estelle, who is strong enough to take down Roel-ssi in a mutual destruction and hates the cult, can’t refuse the cult’s orders.

I didn’t set that up. Estelle’s setting was discarded, so there was no need to create a backstory separately.

To make that flimsy setting plausible, this world has once again created something called [plausibility].

I, who thought Estelle would naturally cooperate, felt that things had become complicated as Estelle said.

If Confession appears at the place where Bella is attacked, will I be able to survive?

It’s not that I’m already worried about death.

If I was afraid of that, I would have turned the carriage around and ran away. I’m just calculating.

Even if I die today, can I save Bella?

,…Then I’ll have to try it alone.

Even if the chances are slim, I can’t give up. Because that’s the path for everyone.

***

Bella opened her eyes inside the carriage.

As befitting a carriage plastered with expensive artifacts, despite the coachman’s urging whip and the fast speed, not even a small vibration was felt inside.

Bella smiled bitterly at the listless energy that made her body feel heavy, which she felt after a long time.

Sometimes, looking down while being mindful of others is more effective than having eyes that seem to have something to say.

That’s how Claire, who was sitting in front of her and looking at the floor of the carriage, was.

,Claire.

When she called her name in a low voice, Claire’s shoulders twitched.

,You betrayed me.

The pocket inside her clothes where she put her staff felt empty. Claire must have taken care of it in advance while she was asleep from the sleeping pills.

Claire slowly raised her head and met Bella’s eyes. Bella accepted the clear anger and hatred in those eyes with a calm gaze.

,No. I’ve never betrayed you….

Gritting her teeth, Claire glared at Bella with fierce eyes.

,Because I have never sworn allegiance to someone like you.

Bella didn’t say anything.

It’s not because she was shocked. It was just because she already knew Claire’s true feelings. No one in the academy, including the capital, except for Roel-ssi, was sincere to her.

,Just being by your side was hell for me. I had to just watch you kill people, tear them down, and commit evil. Before being a knight, as a person, I don’t think you should ever become the Empress. If that happens… everyone will be unhappy.

,…….

,Do you remember the face of the child you killed? I still hear that child’s screams when I close my eyes. What you did under the excuse of doing it for Roel-ssi. In the end, that’s why even Roel-ssi, who is the only one who loves you, couldn’t stand you and left. Because no one in this world can understand a monster like you.

,I see…. Maybe so.

Bella looked out the window of the carriage with a faint smile. Whether it was because it was a full moon today, the moonlight was driving away the darkness. It was not a day suitable for an evil person to meet their end.

If it was a gloomy, dark cloud and heavy rain, it would have been suitable for the end. Wouldn’t it have been a decent end for an evil person for her head to fall to the ground and roll in the mud?

,It’s too bright a day to die.

Bella, who muttered to herself, felt the wind flowing in through the window and turned her gaze to Claire.

,But why are you still keeping me alive?

At the sudden question, Claire bit her lip and avoided her gaze, saying.

,Because I’m not the only one who wants your death.

Is she going to have a public execution? Or, after dropping her into painful despair. Does she want her to beg to be killed?

The speed of the carriage decreased. Soon, someone covered in a robe approached the completely stopped carriage and knocked on the door. Claire, who opened the door of the carriage, bowed her head and said to Bella.

,This is your execution site. A field with nothing. A place where no one will remember your death.

Bella, who was grabbed by the arm and dragged out of the carriage, fell to the cold ground. How much sleeping pills did she put in, she couldn’t put any strength into her body.

,You brought her.

A woman’s voice was heard. A voice she had heard somewhere, when she recalled her memories, Bella realized that the owner of that voice was a professor at the academy.

,Professor Dwin.

,That’s right, I can’t believe I was able to kidnap student Bella so easily. I even brought my followers just in case…. I’m even feeling a bit empty.

Dwin, who gave a hollow laugh, took off her robe and approached Bella, who was collapsed.

,Or did you easily give up on life due to the pain of unrequited love?

Dwin smiled as she gently stroked Bella’s cheek. Bella met Dwin’s gaze and gave a faint smile.

Maybe that was the case. The moment she saw Roel-ssi come to her, kneel down, and beg her while crying, please don’t do anything anymore. She had once again lost the driving force of her life.

Bella, who wouldn’t eat anything unless it was the tea she made herself, drank the tea Claire gave her without thinking, maybe that’s why.

,As promised, I’ll leave killing Bella to you, Claire. I just need to make sure the corpse doesn’t rot.

Dwin took out a staff from her arms and swung it at Bella, who was kneeling on the ground.

Ice picks created in the air pierced Bella’s hands and feet and were embedded in the ground.

Bella let out a small groan and raised her head to look at Claire, who was taking out her sword.

Claire, who met her gaze, frowned and spat out her emotions of anger as if vomiting.

,Don’t say you want to live now. You don’t deserve it. The evil deeds you’ve committed, you’ll never be forgiven even in death. I’ll pray hard that you go to the most terrible hell.

Bella smiled bitterly.

,I hope so.

If there really is a hell that judges evil people, she was looking forward to reuniting with the people who would be there in advance.

Claire, who received Dwin’s urging gaze, bit her lip and asked.

,…Any last words?

Feeling the presence of the cold sword on her shoulder, Bella looked at the moon high in the sky.

The moon, which always hides its appearance when the sun rises and reappears when night comes.

Even though it’s there, even though it’s looking down at her. Something she can’t reach even if she reaches out her hand.

,I really hate the moon.

Has she gone crazy in the face of death, Claire gritted her teeth and raised her sword high.

When she looked down, she saw the shadow of the raised sword. Bella, who was looking at it, suddenly felt curious rather than afraid.

Will Roel-ssi be sad if he finds out she’s gone? Or will he breathe a sigh of relief that he’s relieved of a burden?

She hoped it was the latter. She didn’t want to see Roel-ssi shed tears because of her anymore.

The shadow moved. Bella closed her eyes as she watched it. She thought she would feel pain. But what she felt was a strong wind and the damp sensation of blood.

And a roar that seemed to follow belatedly.

Kwaaaaaang――!

Bella opened her closed eyes at the noisy voice. She saw someone’s back. When she met the blue eyes looking at her over her shoulder. Bella couldn’t help but ask in a dumb voice.

,Why…?

He wasn’t supposed to be here. Even if he was really nearby by chance, he wasn’t the kind of person who would swing a spear to save her.

A short answer was heard to that question.

,Don’t die.

Bella felt like she had been kicked in the chest by the sincerity in that voice. What’s wrong with her head?

Was it some kind of hallucination she was seeing after she died? In fact, that was more convincing.

If that wasn’t the case, she didn’t know what kind of expression she should make.

But the moment she saw Ross, who turned to face her, knelt down, and met her gaze. She realized that this was not a hallucination.

,Survive no matter what. I’ll help you.

Because she couldn’t avoid the sincerity in that voice and eyes.