episode_0018

“As expected, Lloyd is the suspicious kid.”

Duchess Grey’s office.

The Duchess covered her mouth with her fan as she listened to her confidant’s report.

“How far has the encroachment of loneliness progressed?”

“Judging by the thickness of the tattoo on the forearm, it’s at least 80%. But.”

“But?”

“… No matter how I look at it, the child doesn’t seem to be affected by loneliness. His eyes are normal, without any madness, and his behavior is as cold as ever. ”

Loneliness originally disrupts the reasoning of those who consume it. Their self-control weakens, they fight when they don’t like something, and when they have a desire, they constantly try to relieve it. They become no different from animals.

And the blood cult’s magic penetrates the gap created like that. It expands the mental gap to control and manage the followers. A doll that obeys the leaders is born. That is how the blood cult brainwashes its followers.

“Is it clear that loneliness is being fed properly?”

“Yes. In the first place, if you don’t eat loneliness, there’s no way you’ll get a sign.”

Loneliness leaves traces.

That is the symbol of the Blood Transfusion Church tattooed on the arm.

The darker it gets, the more deeply it has been eroded.

It is said that they turn red depending on the amount of blood they have absorbed from others, and that in the case of cult leaders, they have a bright red mark, but no one has seen it.

The Duchess’s mark was quite red.

At this point, he would have recovered his blurred self and lived as a member of the Blood Reform Cult, but at least Lloyd wasn’t like that.

“Of course, there are exceptions.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“It’s a bowl. Not only yourself, but also the servants of the blood demon. If you include the ranks of those servants, won’t the mark be engraved? ”

Duchess Grey shook her head.

That doesn’t make sense.

“At best, he’s a boy of twelve or thirteen. You’re saying that the boy is enduring loneliness and the bloodthirsty demon with only his mental strength.”

“…….”

“That’s not possible. No. It’s impossible to even contain the servants of the Blood Demon. Do you think you can withstand their power?”

The subordinate lowered his head with his mouth closed.

There was no way that that could be possible.

“Of course, Lloyd looks suspicious to her too. He’s definitely hiding something.”

“Shall we force it open once?”

The confidant pointed to a bright red box.

It looked like a box filled with loneliness, but thump. thump. Its lid opened and closed repeatedly as if something had hit it.

“No. If by any chance there are servants of the Blood Demon inside that child, you must wake him up more carefully. The bowl might break.”

Falak.

The Duchess continued, fanning herself a few times.

“Let’s try to stimulate other children as planned. The servant of the Blood Demon, or if the Blood Demon himself is asleep, he won’t be able to hold back the blood.”

Just as the Duchess was about to finish speaking.

“Hmm?”

Her delicate eyebrows furrowed.

The exterior of the mansion.

A strange sight was captured in the ‘eyes’ planted in the Black Forest.

It seemed like Lloyd was fighting someone.

Quite a dangerous situation.

A flash of anger appeared in Duchess Grey’s eyes.

“Who is trying to break my toy?”

Swish.

She got up from the sofa and gestured.

The space was split.

“I’ll be back shortly.”

Her hand entered the crack first.

Creak.

Her hands filled with red liquid, accompanied by a stinging sound.

◆

Torn space.

Lloyd stared blankly at the hand protruding from the black crack.

— Flick, flick.

The heart beating on that hand.

It is extremely alien, with blood spurting into the air.

Soon the space will be torn apart into a new long strip.

A purple dress popped out along with pure white legs, and her gray hair swayed in the wind just in time.

She, with a few drops of blood hanging from her face, is the Duchess of Grey.

Swish.

As she raised the corners of her lips, drops of blood rolled down.

With a red smile, the Duchess asked.

“What were you whispering to this guy?”

shit.

How much of the conversation with Arno did you hear?

Any stories involving mind control?

The Duke’s Secret?

Or revelation?

Lloyd, racking his brain, realized that there was only one answer that fit this situation.

Hesitation, hesitation.

Lloyd took a few steps back and pretended to be scared.

“Ah… I didn’t mean anything.”

“Oh, I surprised you. No, I don’t blame you.”

The Duchess smiled and took her hand away from Arno.

Thud. His body falls over.

She approached Lloyd over Arno.

A hand, red with blood, touches Lloyd’s face.

“I was worried. I was worried that you might get hurt.”

The scent of blood wafts to the tip of your nose.

— Blood, blood! And human blood!

I suppressed the voices that were making a fuss in my head. The hand that was stroking my cheek. The stickiness of blood and such things didn’t even enter my head.

Lloyd swallowed.

It was an effective expression of fear.

Actually, if the Duchess had wanted to, Lloyd would have died. Lloyd was already exhausted, and she had used a special magic that no one could have guessed.

The space that was being torn apart was definitely not magic. Was it the magic of the Blood Cult? Lloyd was also well aware of the existence of black magic. In addition, the crack clearly had a scent similar to Ortega.

“So what were you whispering about?”

The Duchess’s breath brushed against Lloyd’s ear. A hot exhalation. Only after their bodies were pressed together like this did he realize how dangerous and treacherous the Duchess was.

“Try to recall your memories slowly. I will wait as long as you want. My Lloyd.”

Sticky breath. It was definitely possessiveness. This woman probably thinks of me as a toy right now. A toy worth 100 million kroner to put in a display case. I know very well how worthless 100 million kroner is to her.

“He suddenly tried to kill me.”

As Lloyd opened his mouth, the Duchess nodded happily, her hair tickling Lloyd’s collarbone.

“Yeah. So?”

“I had to figure out what was going on. Turns out he was a knight of the White Knights.”

“I see. He was a spy for the Empire. I thought he was a trustworthy butler.”

Are you not satisfied with this answer?

When I looked up at her, she was the one who smiled quietly and stroked my cheek.

I can’t get the hang of it. How much should I say?

Lloyd made a bold move.

“What other answers would you like?”

Swish.

Her hand, which had been stroking the ball, suddenly stops.

Then he extends his thumb.

Lloyd had to just stare at his wife’s red fingertips passing by below his vision.

” I like a kid with a lot of mouth.”

“…….”

“But you shouldn’t be tight-lipped even to me.”

Swish.

Her fingertips trail down Lloyd’s cheek.

It touches Lloyd’s lips, which are cracked with fatigue.

As if applying moisturizer, the Duchess slowly stained Lloyd’s lips with blood.

— Pfft pfft! Pure white blood! Ahh! Lick it! Lick that child’s finger!

Ortega’s voice echoing in my head.

Lloyd was looking only ahead.

The Duchess’s charming smile.

She touches Lloyd’s lips, then presses harder.

Lloyd’s mouth opens.

“I like your heavy lips. But.”

Her long fingers grazing my lips.

The pungent scent of blood spreads in my mouth.

Ortega’s mad cheers echo in my head.

“Open your mouth a little more in front of the owner.”

The Duchess’s laugh was like an ashen snake.

The sharp eyes. The eerie hot breath. Ortega’s cheers. The applause. The confused vision. The smell of blood.

Lloyd’s body staggers.

The mark carved into his arm glows infinitely black.

The Duchess smiled at that.

“Congratulations on entering our school. Are you feeling very dizzy?”

“…Yes.”

Prison.

The Duchess hugged Lloyd.

Lloyd buried his head in her chest, dumbfounded.

“I guess I should be the one who gives it to her.”

◆

“The test results will be announced.”

After the magic bead collection test is over.

The new recruits of the Blood Reformation Church who returned to the vacant lot were evaluated on the number of mana orbs they had collected.

Hector, who brought a handful of beads, naturally received a card with [Reward] written on it.

Still, the executive asked him as he looked around.

“What is it?”

“Where did Lloyd go?”

Normally, questions to executives are prohibited.

Hector, who has been hit and rolled around several times, will know this fact well.

Still, he asked a question.

It was impulsive.

‘This guy has completed his fairy tale of loneliness.’

The officer answered Hector, raising his hat as he spoke, unable to control his impulses.

“The child is injured. He has already found two magic beads, so he has received a high score. He is the same [prize] as you.”

“Only two?”

“I took it into consideration because time was limited.”

“It’s special treatment. It’s unfair.”

“Are there any complaints?”

The executive’s eyes glowed red.

Hector bows his head.

“No.”

Hector returned quietly to join the new recruits.

But the [Sang] Fe he was holding in his hand had already been shattered in his fist.

He looked around at his colleagues.

“I don’t like it.”

“Lloyd, right?”

“Yeah.”

Swish.

Hector checked the executives’ reactions and nodded to those around him.

His eyes flickered between the sword and Lloyd’s quarters.

“Everyone, focus! You all worked hard! Everyone except those who were eliminated, rest. We have a precious guest coming to the mansion today! Everyone, stay put in your quarters. That’s it! ”

It was an opportunity.