The Well with the Frog (2)

<Side : Anidiat Silverlight>

Does the frog in the well, believing itself omniscient, truly know the future where the well is filled?

The frog, crying out while clinging to vain hope, has only one end.

To wither and die.

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『Martyr’s Moon – Day 7 (Morning)』

“……I approve Francesca Zero Wing’s promotion to Garrison Commander.”

Suppressing my trembling hands, I pin the medal on Ranche… Francesca.

For her contribution in defeating the enemies threatening the Territory before her inauguration as Commander…

Come to think of it, Ranche’s name is also Francesca… How ironic.

Next, I place the Commander’s armband on her, officially inaugurating Francesca as the Commander of the Garrison from this moment forward.

“It seems the Aides have no particular objections to the change in Commander, so we will conclude the Commander Inauguration Ceremony. Is that alright?”

The Aides merely nodded in silence. A dry, emotionless response.

The same reaction as the maids corrupted by Beth. As expected.

“Alright, then, dismissed. The Aides are free to leave as well. If you have any complaints about the Commander’s appointment or change your minds, feel free to come to me. I am confident.”

Hoping that some humanity might remain, I spoke in a probing manner, but without so much as a blink, the Aides immediately left their seats.

Their attitude, which would normally involve spitting at each other while fighting over the Garrison Commander’s authority, had completely changed.

The old men, who wouldn’t hesitate to engage in ugly power struggles for their own benefit, stood and left like Dolls.

They must have been corrupted as well. Their minds crushed, Brainwashed, merely puppets following the words of the strong…

–Creak…

With all the Aides gone, only Francesca and I remained in the room.

Francesca, wearing a triumphant expression as she looked down at me, was about to turn and leave the office.

“Wait a moment, Francesca.”

[Oh my… Are you going to make me work overtime on my first day? Anidiat♥]

“No. I’m not that cruel. Of course, given the situation, I’d be happy if you did…”

I make a lame excuse, but seeing her, the wounds on my bitten fingernails throb again.

“First, I want to express my gratitude on behalf of everyone in the Garrison. From the disposal of Francis Wing, who stole the Territory’s secrets and fled, to the exposure of the informant planted within. Every single one of those cases was beneficial to the Territory.”

Appeasement through rewards… A very basic method. It’s uncertain whether it will work on that child…

Is she laughing at me in her heart? I was even afraid to attempt a conversation with the monster who looks down on me and can crush me at any time…

“But I’m still uneasy… My Sixth Sense is screaming to an eerie degree. I’ve never experienced this before… It’s hard to put into words… It feels like there’s something terrible and awful.”

Ah… What am I even saying? We’re the only two here anyway. It wouldn’t matter if I spoke openly, but my already weakened mind hasn’t recovered to that extent.

“So, have you thought about the story of the contract?”

Therefore, I indirectly brought up a word to Francesca. ‘Contract’. I don’t know if she remembers it…

“Money, honor, status… I’m willing to pay anything. You know the legend of the Avian race, right? So…”

[Indeed. ‘At the end of the journey, they will regain what they have lost’… I’m sure Anidiat, who has done so much research, knows that this one phrase is the reason why the Avian race is stained with futile fatigue, right?]

Francesca retorted harshly. How much killing her race has suffered because of the legend surrounding the Avian race…

Far from forgetting about the contract, she clearly remembered it and even questioned me.

“Th, that’s…!”

[And I’m sure you know what the end of the journey means, right♥]

The end of the journey. An abstract expression, but there is one assumption that specifically changes this. That is…

[Death… There’s no other way to explain the ambiguous phrase ‘the end of the journey’.]

Yes… Death. The end of the Avian race’s journey is the Avian race’s death. Only then can they finally find what they have lost. No one takes ‘the end of the journey’ at face value.

Like me, many people aiming to find something have forcibly fulfilled the conditions by tearing off the wings, cutting off the necks, and stabbing the hearts of the Avian race.

[But isn’t that a good thing? Since the ‘Francis’ you kept by your side is dead… Anidiat might get some good news soon♥]

“Kuh…!”

Francesca, who knew that fact inside and out, pierced my heart with just a few words.

[But I’ll read the contract conditions you offered carefully and consider them positively♥ Then, I’ll be on my way♥ Oh, please assign my office to the Garrison dormitory… How could a mere Garrison Commander dare to live in the same place as the Lord~]

After saying everything she wanted to say, Francesca gracefully opened the door to the office and left, leaving only me and the maid in the room.

While feeling humiliation and fear from Francesca, who was mocking me, I endured it all with the single-minded determination to find my brother.

It would have been difficult if Francesca had revealed her true colors, but fortunately, that didn’t happen.

“I feel like I’m going to throw up…”

–Creak…

The tension released, I leaned back in my chair and replayed the situation once more.

The Commander Inauguration Ceremony proceeded smoothly. It was the first time since meeting them that a meeting with the Aides ended peacefully without any objections or rebuttals.

It wasn’t because their feelings had changed. Brainwashing, Depravity… Beth and Francesca’s Demonic Beast hands must have reached those old men as well.

“Even though there’s been animosity, I’ll at least offer my condolences… You damned old men. ………Hmm?”

–Thump… Thump…

Then, the earth shook. To be precise, it was a vibration coming from a distant place. It was a distance that wouldn’t be heard at this distance, but I could catch it with my developed hearing.

“Something in the forest…?”

I got up from my chair and looked at the forest beyond the window. The reverberation still didn’t stop. If I were to classify it, it was a striking sound. It was the sound of strongly striking a tree, but…

“This is strange… So many strange things have been happening since yesterday…!”

After realizing the identity of the sound, I couldn’t help but be shocked. If a striking sound of this magnitude could be heard, the tree should have already been broken and fallen, but… The tree didn’t budge.

That’s right. There was no movement whatsoever. The trunk didn’t shake, the branches were fixed straight, and… The leaves were firmly attached without swaying in the wind.

It’s as if the tree has a will, resisting the impact and holding on…? Don’t lie. This isn’t the forest of the Elves, there’s no way that’s possible in an ordinary forest…?

The anomaly is becoming clearer and clearer. It’s as if it’s not even trying to hide it, as if the time has come.

“Beth… Francesca…! What are you plotting…”

The fact that not only the Territory but also the surrounding forest is affected means that even the escape route has been blocked.

Have I become prey caught in a spider’s web…?

[Anni]

“U, ugh…!! What is it? What’s wrong…!”

While I couldn’t take my eyes and ears off the strange forest situation, the maid came up to me and spoke.

[Elizabeth has come to see you. She ordered you to go to the lounge immediately…]

“L, lounge…? No, more than that, Beth came?”

I didn’t see her come in… When did she come in? Crap… No. This is already cliché. Those guys transcend perception and trample on and erode human dignity.

You can’t approach them with common sense…

“If I don’t go…”

[Elizabeth said that if you don’t come, she will immediately begin attacking the Territory from that point on. And she said that she will make Anni submit in the most miserable and vile way.]

“Ah, haha… I guess so.”

I’ve been here all along, so where did that child hear and say such things? Telepathy or something… Hmph, well, they probably have that much ability. They’re such monsters…

More than anything, submission… By my standards, I’ve already tasted enough terrible humiliation, so there’s something even worse than that?

Trying to drag me out by holding the lives and safety of the Territory’s people hostage… That’s not like you, Beth…

“Tell her I’ll be right there…”

Without even having time to wrap up the events so far, my destination was forcibly decided.

Normally, if a guest comes, I should guide them to the reception room, but Beth, who barged in without permission, went to the lounge.

The lounge is… A place prepared for the rest of the maids and other servants.

When I wondered why it had to be that place, the image of the maid I had encountered earlier flashed through my mind.

Wearing an Indulgence reeking of semen, her behavior and attire had become poor, and she had become honest about her pleasure.

“Hoo…”

My sigh doesn’t end.

–Pitter… Patter… Pitter…

The footsteps heading to the lounge were not comfortable at all.

In addition, I couldn’t hear the footsteps of the maid walking behind me at all, so it felt like I was walking alone.

Moreover, I didn’t see a single maid along the way.

“Haaang♥♥]

“Ohooooot……]

–Thwack♥ Thwack♥ Thwack♥

[More… Give me more Dick♥♥]

[Long live Goddess♥♥♥]

“So everyone’s there…”

I was able to find the voices of the missing maids before long.

The moans and intense bursting sounds coming from the entrance of the lounge in the distance. They didn’t even try to hide it.

This walk alone… To put it metaphorically, it was like a death row inmate walking to the execution ground.

“Master… Ed…”

Standing in front of the lounge door, with only my hand on the doorknob, I recall the images of my husband and younger brother.

Although I haven’t seen them yet, believing that my two loved ones will protect me, I opened the door to the den of evil where the sounds of panting pleasure echoed.

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