Chapter 6: You are responsible

On the night of the full moon, two young people found themselves alone in a room.

What would they do? Why, play chess, of course! I was locked in an intense battle of wits with Seraphina.

“Checkmate, mistress.”
“Argh! I lost again!”

Seraphina clutched her head in her hands, analyzing her defeat.

“…You were hiding your true skills, weren’t you? You’re secretly a chess master!”

It would be a great twist if Isabel turned out to be a grandmaster in disguise, but that wasn’t his role.

He was a Mediator, a redeemer of villainesses. His skills came solely from the system shop.

“Not at all, ha ha. I just got lucky.”
“Lucky…? You’re rubbing it in…”

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. Normally, she would have drawn her sword, but her malice had significantly decreased.

[Seraphina Fires’s Malice Gauge is decreasing!]
[Malice Gauge has decreased by 25%.]
[Seraphina Fires’s current Malice Gauge is at 35%.]

She was no longer in the danger zone.

At worst, she might resort to verbal abuse, but no physical violence. The chess matches were working.

“Get out. You’re annoying me.”
“What? No more games?”
“Why would I play with a cheater?”

Cheater… Well, she wasn’t wrong.

The “Guaranteed Win” item ensured my victory.

I only had 500 points left, but it was an investment I had to make.

“Very well. But…what about your wish?”
“Oh, right…”

I had won, and I intended to claim my prize, including a special request.

She was wearing the “Lingerie Slip See-Through Dress,” after all.

“…Well?”
“I want to sleep with you tonight.”

I stated my wish plainly, a small smile on my face.

A brief silence followed, then a soft “…Huh?” Seraphina’s expression slowly morphed into one of pure menace.

“You pervert! What did you just say?!”

Her cold fury was palpable.

She looked ready to kill me.

As expected, she summoned her sword.

“You little…”

Shink!

The blade glinted in the moonlight.

“Ha ha, mistress, it’s your wish. Those are the terms.”

Her expression darkened.

“…You’ve lost your mind, haven’t you, Trainee Butler? Don’t you want to live?”
“Everyone wants to live, ha ha ha.”

But I wouldn’t back down.

Think about it: a beautiful woman in a see-through lingerie dress.

Who could resist? Holding hands and sleeping together was the bare minimum! No LilTy player would pass up this opportunity.

…Or so I told myself, justifying my desires internally.

“What do you have to eat to be this bold?”
“Hmm, I don’t think I’m particularly bold. But if I had to say…it’s because I want to be with you, mistress.”
“You’re insane…”

Insane? Maybe.

But I had a valid reason: reducing her malice gauge.

This one act was worth a 10% decrease.

I was so close to the good ending.

“So, will you grant my wish, mistress?”
“…Just wait until after the Nobles’ Conference.”

She stood up and tossed me a blanket.

“But sleep over there.”
“No, we have to sleep together.”
“Do you really want to die?”
“It’s the wager.”

The magic word: wager.

The terms were clear: sleeping together, not just in the same room.

Seraphina sighed deeply, realizing she was trapped.

“I’m never playing chess with you again.”
“…Ha ha, I’ll take that as a yes. Thank you.”

I happily grabbed my pillow.

The moonlight filtered through the window, carrying the faint scent of cherries.

Even with our backs turned, being near Seraphina was intoxicating.

I longed to hold her close, but that would have to wait until her affection increased.

“Mistress, are you asleep?”

She stirred slightly.

My presence was clearly disturbing her sleep.

She didn’t respond, so I closed my eyes…

“You…you’re strange, you know?”

Huh? I thought she was asleep.

“…What?”
“What kind of servant asks to sleep with their mistress? Even for the Black Hound, that’s pretty bold for a Trainee Butler.”
“Is…is that so?”
“Ha… really…”

She turned to face me, frowning.

“You’re completely fearless. Aren’t you scared of me? You’ve seen how I treat my servants…”
“But you haven’t done anything to me. You’re a kind Countess.”

I smiled.

“Kind…? Who said I was kind? You’re even stranger than I thought. Sleeping next to someone as terrifying as me… Do you…do you find it exciting to be near dangerous people…?”

What?! I’m not a masochist!

“Mistress, I’ve never found you terrifying.”
“Then…you’re just a pervert?”
“No! You’re not terrifying! You’re…captivating!”

Her eyes widened slightly, surprised. Why isn’t he afraid of me?

“I’m the one who’s confused. Who would be afraid of someone as beautiful and accomplished as you? You should be praised, not feared.”
“…Are you serious?”
“Of course.”
“Ha… you’re amusing… Then…”

She sat up.

“…”

She stared at me intently.

“…Mistress?”
“…”

Why was she staring? I started to get up, but…

She pulled aside the fabric of her dress, revealing the tattoo on her cleavage.

“W-wait! Mistress! What are you doing?!”
“Do you…do you know what this is?”

The tattoo, her trademark, her symbol.

“…It’s the Fires family crest.”
“No. It’s a mark of sin… A witch’s mark. It brings misfortune to everyone around me, including myself.”

Her voice was filled with sadness.

The tattoo had a painful history.

Her father had forced it upon her when she was a child, insisting she always carry a weapon.

It was a symbol of the Fires family, but also a mark of otherness, a source of fear and prejudice.

Her exceptional fighting abilities, considered unfeminine by some, only fueled the rumors.

The tattoo was a constant reminder of the negative perceptions and discrimination she faced.

“…The villagers always called it the mark of an ominous witch. You must have heard the rumors.”
“I think it’s a beautiful tattoo.”
“Beautiful? What are you talking about?”

I gently covered the tattoo with her dress.

“It’s a symbol of your protection. You’ve sacrificed so much for Grace Field.”
“Don’t be absurd. I’m a villainess. I killed my father, my mother, and my brother.”

It was true, but not entirely by her own volition.

Unraveling her past was a crucial part of her redemption.

“I know.”
“And you still want to sleep with me?”
“Yes. It doesn’t bother me.”
“…You’re truly amusing.”

I shrugged.

“Am I? The people of Grace Field should be grateful.”

Grace Field’s prosperity was due in part to Seraphina’s strength and the protection she provided.

With a sword summoned from her very being, she was a goddess of war.

If she chose to use her powers for good, she would become Grace Field’s guardian deity.

And it was my job to guide her down that path.

“It’s not a symbol of misfortune. It’s a symbol of the peace you bring to this village. You’re not a villainess. You’re a benevolent ruler.”
“…Benevolent ruler?”
“Yes. I believe Countess Seraphina Fires is a good person.”
“…”

Seraphina let out a soft chuckle, then sighed.

“You’re…strange. Unique. Everyone fears me, but you…you don’t. It’s fascinating.”

Well, you do have a terrible personality… I almost agreed with her assessment, but instead, I simply said,

“…Is that so?”

“Just wait until after the Nobles’ Conference.”
“Wait? Why…?”

Was she going to threaten me again?

“…Don’t you know why? You’re…”

She blushed and pointed at me.

“…sleeping with me.”
“Yes?”
“…You have to take responsibility.”
“…What?”
“This is…the first time I’ve slept with a man. So you have to take responsibility!”

I was stunned. This was a misunderstanding.

While LilTy did have…intimate scenes, they were purely for plot progression. We hadn’t even held hands!

“Just go to sleep!”

She turned her back to me and pulled the covers over her head.

This isn’t how it’s supposed to go…

[Malice Gauge has decreased by 10%.]
[Malice Gauge: 25%]

At least her malice was decreasing.