episode_0063

“Oh, it’s a misunderstanding! I absolutely never participated in a revolution… ah, no, I never participated in treason against the kingdom!” “There must be a mistake! It’s clearly a slander by someone who’s jealous of me! I would never participate in a rebellion—” “Please, please forgive me!” “This is unfair, truly unfair!” Each desperate excuse, born from their own circumstances, followed. But each time, their ending always converged into one. Regardless of guilt or innocence, everyone was equal. It was screams and death.

Around that time, a single word was enough to summarize the country known as the Holy Kingdom. Terror. Before the stakes erected throughout the capital, the impaled and hanging corpses, and the terror that blanketed the entire city, people could no longer even think of the word ‘revolution’. It was simply the terror of purges and death, or even the frequent act of accusing and pointing fingers at others out of hatred, without any just cause. I, and we, silently watched the landscape of such a hellish country. Without a shred of concern for any human lament or scream within it. Like indifferent observers who don’t care how much a lab mouse suffers.

In a certain mansion in the royal capital. Turning away from the scenes of slaughter and execution unfolding outside the window, I silently turned my head. As I turned my head, there were Aria and Alice, guarding my side as usual. They, who had protected me ever since I first fell into this world, through any wandering.

“…Lately, you haven’t been smoking.” At Aria’s question, I blinked my eyes unconsciously. Then, as if by habit, I reached for my pocket but stopped, realizing I hadn’t smoked in a long time. “…” Even so, I didn’t bother to answer. What would Aria think of this change in behavior? I realized that ever since I started acting as the ‘true Rain Grey’ at some point, I no longer paid much attention to their reactions or cared about their opinions in that way. “Just happened to be that way.” I realized that being overly conscious wasn’t good, but the opposite wasn’t good either. So I answered with feigned indifference. Hearing that reply, Alice laughed.

“Yup! Smoking is nothing but harmful! It’s bad for your body! It even makes things lose their flavor!” With a naive, innocent smile. “If you want to live a long, healthy life, it’s best to quit smoking!” Her voice completely oblivious to the countless deaths and sufferings of the common people unfolding outside the window.

“…Indeed, you are right. Health is precious.” Aria also smiled, agreeing with Alice’s words. Her two eyes were still hidden by bandages and couldn’t be seen. At the same time, like her hidden eyes, Aria was still filled with blind devotion towards me.

“Speaking of which, it seems a message has arrived from the Grand Duchy of Germania from Golden Mirror.” “What does it say?” “It states that they are ready to execute at any time, should you give the word.” As always, Aria, his right-hand, calmly reported. “If a hero does not manifest even now, we are ready to implement the next measure.” “…”

They were accustomed to making ‘heroes manifest’ even before I had such resolve. Even while those forgotten by the world were remembered by no one, they clearly remembered and carved their existence into their minds. And they called the appearance of such heroes a ‘manifestation’. So, who would be the hero to appear like a savior in this hellish country? Would it be a new protagonist from this latest work, someone I haven’t even played yet, separate from the heroes I’ve nurtured with my own hands so far? Furthermore, would the one controlling the hero be someone playing the game from beyond a monitor in the original world, just as I had been? I didn’t know. But I would know from now on. Without a doubt, we are a group that embraces the role of villains. Yet, there was still one thing I didn’t know. Every time a hero appeared in this chaotic world, I knew the outcome their actions would bring. An outcome where new heroes would emerge each time, and someone from the 《Black Snake》 would simply be killed. Just as always, the ‘villainous organization’ would plot, and the resulting era of turmoil would ultimately be resolved by the hero’s hand. Like a story set in stone.

“Is it enough?” “What are you referring to?” “The blood flowing in this country.” I asked back, as lightly as if making trivial conversation. “…Thinking is not my role.” Aria also smiled, her words vague. “However, it does seem a little less than usual.” That smile contained a chilling ruthlessness, not caring in the slightest about the sacrifice or death of innocent humans.

“…Is that so.” Now, I was no exception either. I would simply endure silently until the desired outcome was achieved. Regardless of the process. Even amidst that, I couldn’t help but ask myself. Since when had I become so indifferent to the deaths of others? Despite being so unconcerned about the deaths of others, I didn’t want any more of my subordinates to die. I knew how arbitrary and selfish that wish was. I knew, but I didn’t care. No longer did my will or actions require anyone’s forgiveness or permission.

“Execute Order 66.”

* A short while later, the Grand Duchy of Germania. “Sir Rain has approved Order 66.” After deciphering the received telegram, the man called Golden Mirror smiled silently. Towards the puppet with the face of a Fuhrer in front of him, towards the puppet containing the soul of his beloved son. “Understood, Father.” Ergo the Artificer nodded silently. “Indeed, how much blood will this world shed for the sake of one hero?” As always, to bring chaos to this world, they would not hesitate to do anything from the shadows.

* I remember when I first fell into this world. I remember when I opened my eyes, thrown into a world where everything was unfamiliar. In that landscape, the first thing I saw was Aria, who had always guarded my side. “…Captain.” That was the first word I heard in this world. Just as a baby bird hatching from an egg sees its mother and hears its mother’s words for the first time, so I saw Aria and heard her words. Upon hearing the word ‘Captain’, I somehow instinctively understood the entire situation. —The fact that I had become the Captain of a villainous organization. The fact that this was the world within a game I had only ever seen beyond a monitor.

Even amidst the breathtaking panic and agitation, my body wouldn’t obey, as if it were frozen. It was a relief, in a way. There was nothing good about showing panic and agitation. Looking back, I had been acting from that moment on. In front of her, who had guarded my side from the very beginning. Beside Alice, who smiled innocently as if it were only natural to be with me. Alice of Gluttony was a new recruit I hadn’t seen in previous works, the very first one to appear when I opened my eyes. And the day I first fell into this world, the day I realized that the phenomenon of ‘possession’ I’d only heard about had occurred—that was the day I first killed a person.

He was a nobleman, kneeling before Rain Grey and begging for forgiveness, just as countless others had done before him. It was impossible to know what wrongdoing he had committed. He simply desperately pleaded for his life, rubbing his hands together and kissing my boots. There was no reason he deserved to die, or any reason he had to die. There was simply enough misfortune to lead to his death. Therefore, in front of that man, to fulfill the demands of the women by my side who harbored no suspicion, I began to act as the Captain of the villainous organization. Everything was prepared as if on a script. As soon as I opened my eyes, it was as if everything was designed to make me realize who I was in the most certain and fastest way. —I acted to fulfill the will of those who called me Captain. I stretched out my arm, and silently chanted the name of a spell, and the man’s body caught fire as if it had spontaneously combusted. I watched as the flames, spontaneously igniting before my eyes, engulfed the man’s body, as fluids oozed, and as he writhed in agony.

Aria laughed. She watched the burning man from behind her invisible bandages, as if he were a delightful fireworks display. Along with that, I realized there was a cigarette in my coat pocket, and I put it in my mouth. The abstinence I had believed I had finally succeeded in maintaining over there had gone up in smoke, and every time I lit a cigarette with magic, that incident came to mind. There were countless reasons for me to start smoking again: to not forget, because of guilt. Just as an addict who has quit smoking or stopped drinking alcohol has countless excuses to resume. Then, at some point, I realized that I no longer thought about the cigarettes I used to smoke. It was around the time I realized that my actions—did not require anyone’s understanding or forgiveness.