episode_0014

To set the plan in motion, I returned to the ballroom after leaving a message with Ayla and headed straight for Karla, who was seated.

Karla looked somewhat puzzled as I suddenly appeared before her, smiling broadly.

Sheryl and Lulu… Well, fortunately, they were right at the center of the ballroom.

I must have escaped from the center at some point, but when did I end up there again?

Well, that’s not important now. To complete my plan, I need to buy time by getting Karla out of here.

Putting on my best friendly face for Karla, I spoke to her while looking directly at her.

“Karla, do you know if Ayla is outside near the back door?”

-Thunk!

“What, what did you say?! Ayla?! Is it true?!”

Upon hearing about Ayla’s presence, Karla quickly stood up from her seat.

Karla’s purpose in coming to this ballroom was clearly to resolve the conflict that had arisen between her and Ayla. However, Ayla’s feelings towards Karla had already cooled off, so there was no misunderstanding. Ayla simply disliked Karla and ran away on her own.

Unaware of this, Karla probably thinks Ayla is avoiding her because she did something wrong. Karla is quite foolish. Ayla is just like a herbivorous animal caught in my trap.

While inwardly mocking Karla’s ignorance, I maintained a hypocritical smile and said to her.

“Oh, really? If you’re curious, why don’t you go see for yourself. I’ll inform Lulu.”

“Oh, okay. Thanks for finding Ayla for me!”

“Don’t mention it.”

With a fake smile, I saw Karla off and waited until she left through the back door.

-Creak! Thud!

The sounds of the door closing quickly reached my ears.

The nobles, who were focused on their conversations, looked uncomfortable and glanced over, but all they saw was a closed door.

I wonder if Karla will be scolded if she comes back in now?

With that thought in mind, I checked the positions of the nobles and Lulu and Sheryl, deciding to send Sheryl out as well.

No matter what I do, Sheryl doesn’t seem like she’ll leave on her own.

Moving towards the center of the ballroom where Lulu and Sheryl were, I placed my hand on Sheryl’s shoulder.

“Eek!”

Startled by someone touching her shoulder, Sheryl let out a strange squeal.

Sheryl, who is awkward in social situations, tends to react like this when touched by a stranger.

I enjoy these pranks, so I often play them.

“Whoa… Was it you, Sirine?”

“Yes, it’s Sirine, the one who’s staying in the dormitory you manage for free.”

After crossing her arms and hugging her shoulders as if protecting herself, Sheryl crouched down.

Whenever I do something like this, Sheryl always assumes this defensive posture.

I find it amusing how she gets embarrassed on her own even though I’m not going to do anything.

I apologized to Sheryl for the prank and, leaving Lulu curious about what happened, I said to Sheryl.

“Senior Sheryl, would you like to step outside for a moment? The fresh air outside is nice.”

“Outside…?”

“Yes.”

“…You come too.”

“I’ve been outside already. When you come back, let’s go to the academy or take a walk together next time.”

“Sounds good! I’ll be back soon!”

Initially thinking of accompanying her, I changed my mind since we’ll walk together next time and watched Sheryl happily leave through the front door.

Sheryl was the most challenging, but it was resolved well. Honestly, I didn’t expect Sheryl to agree.

Watching Sheryl leave, I checked to see if anyone else was nearby. Most nobles were chatting on the outskirts, while their retainers danced, leaving the center almost empty.

Even Prince Eustatia was absentmindedly gazing down at the scene from the second floor.

Seeing this, I smirked.

“Perfect!”

Activating my engraving, I triggered it.

“Fwoosh!”

Setting the curtains ablaze in an instant, a massive flame engulfed the ballroom, feeding off the fabric to grow even larger.

As the huge flames covered the ballroom, all the nobles panicked and fled the scene.

Thinking logically about using water magic was out of the question. Seeing such a sudden massive blaze and considering water magic first would be like having foresight as a firefighter.

Although there were no firefighters in this world.

“S-Shirin…! Fire…! It’s fire…! Water magic…! We need to use water magic…!”

“Lulu, calm down. Even if you were to attempt water magic recklessly, the fire has grown too large to be extinguished easily. Isn’t it true that there isn’t a mage here capable of extinguishing such a massive blaze in one go? While Lulu possesses exceptional magical talent, she cannot extinguish a blaze of this magnitude all at once.”

Despite feeling a sense of urgency about what would happen if Lulu managed to put out the fire, the truth in my words remained unchanged.

Even Lulu couldn’t extinguish a blaze that had grown so immense.

If she foolishly tried to put out the fire and ended up with burns, we would all suffer losses. Lulu, who was well aware of this, followed the nobles who were already escaping.

Or did she? She intended to escape.

“Lulu! Look over there!”

That is until I stopped Lulu in her tracks.

With a puzzled expression as she glanced at where my finger pointed, she saw it.

What my finger indicated was none other than the ‘red moon’ visible through the window, obscured by burnt curtains.

“…!!! Shirin…!!”

Upon seeing it, Lulu recoiled in horror, as if trying to say something to me.

*Thud!*

She pushed me away so forcefully that I was sent flying helplessly.

However, not even such a forceful push could send me flying far, and even if I turned my head back in an instant, I couldn’t unsee the red moon.

Lulu had already seen the red moon.

“Grrrrrr…”

Drooling, her eyes turning red as if starved, ‘berserk mode’ had been triggered long ago.

To think going berserk after merely looking at the red moon for a second… Truly, now I understood why Lulu was confined to the dormitory during the red moon phase.

Even a brief glance caused her to go berserk; naturally, she should stay hidden.

But Lulu didn’t know. She must have forgotten that today was the red moon phase.

Focusing solely on advancing her relationship with Karla, Lulu must have lost her sense of time, forgetting when the red moon would appear.

Forgetting the most crucial thing… Even the heroines of this world, following the protagonist, can be quite foolish. Blinded by love… That’s the most pitiful part.

From the start, Lulu’s feelings for Ayla weren’t as strong as they were for Karla.

It was more of a slight liking than genuine love. She mistook that for love. If I were to drive a wedge between them, love would come to me.

I just see her as a friend. If I were to focus on inserting myself into the equation, love would come my way.

Love has its own ways. If you obsess only over love, you’re bound to lose something.

Karla became blinded by love, losing sight of Lulu’s safety, while Lulu, blinded by love, neglected the safety of others.

Truly, they were a perfect match.

Watching Lulu, who began to rampage while lost in thought.

Seeing Lulu’s rampage escalate, I kept my distance and waited until she harmed someone else.

“Screaaam!!!”

“Squeeeal!!!”

Lulu, in a state of rampage, rushing towards a noblewoman with her mouth wide open.

Yet, whether Lulu still retained her sanity, she didn’t bite the noblewoman but simply punched her to knock her out.

Is this the minimum level of violence reduced… Indeed, a rampage is a rampage.

However, maintaining sanity is not that easy.

Preserving sanity during a rampage is something only berserkers can manage. With just the talent for magic, Lulu had no way to overcome the penalties of her rampage.

Still, Lulu continued to knock out other nobles while reducing her violence.

Perhaps it was her belief in not wanting to kill people that stopped Lulu’s attacks.

But not anymore.

“Grrrrr…”

Lulu’s eyes changed.

It seems she has now lost even the remaining speck of sanity.

Hmm… Let’s see… There are about 10 fainted nobles. Alright, that’s enough.

Confirming that the number of attacked nobles was sufficient, I swiftly intervened when Lulu tried to harm another noble, using Instant Capture to block her punch.

-Thunk!

“Huh?!”

A confused Lulu, with green ears perked up, in a state of rampage.

It seemed like Lulu noticed my intent to fight as she raised her tail sharply and extended her hand with claws bared towards me.

Clearly meaning to kill me.

Hmm, look at those elongated claws. Is that also due to the rampage’s influence? Not the time for such thoughts.

[Skill: Instant Capture]

-Swish!!

Swiftly drawing my dagger to block Lulu’s attack, filled with flesh, I immediately pushed her away.

-Thud!!

“Ughh…!!!”

In pain, clutching her stomach, Lulu began writhing on the ground in a state of rampage.

Actually, this attack wasn’t part of the plan; it was driven by personal motives.

I just wanted to give Lulu a taste of her own medicine.

Enough of games now. Let’s proceed with the real plan.

Confirming that all the other nobles had left, except for one witness, Yustetia, who remained, I smirked from where she couldn’t see me.

Yustetia being present is a variable, but this could potentially aid the plan.

Yustetia is a woman full of curiosity.

Therefore, no matter how dangerous it is here, she would want to watch our fight.

Not normal, right?

But that’s Yustetia for you.

I’ll use that to deal with Lulu first, then make Yustetia the witness.

A false witness.

I knocked out all the nobles, but the arsonist remains unknown. It’s all lies.

Yustetia, curious about why I’m doing this, will likely accept my proposal willingly, allowing me to proceed with the plan smoothly.

Well, the most crucial role belongs to “Karla,” the one who reports.

By now, Karla must be engaging in a deep conversation with Ayla.

After giving Ayla some trouble, I instructed her to send Karla back here a few minutes later.

Shall we begin now?

-Swish!

“Ugh…?!”

Let the bloodbath begin.