I Favor the Villainess

Lady Claire's rejection had made me a living corpse.

I don't know how I lived until that day, but when I realized I was in a room I didn't know.

"You've apparently regained your sanity."

It was Master Manaria who said that with a stern face.

"Dear Manaria...? Why are you here?

"When I heard there was a revolution in Bauer, I flew in. What happened to Claire?

"... Lady Claire..."

I explained the fate of the devil.

That you tried to separate Master Claire from the noble forces.

That was generally a success.

But that Master Claire didn't make it good herself.

My persuasion is vain, too, that Master Claire has chosen his own path of doom as a nobleman.

"Right. That's why you looked so heartless."

"... sorry"

I don't feel anything for Master Manaria's provocation either.

Everything didn't matter.

He looks like he clapped out of response, and Master Manaria continues.

"You're giving up? Tell Claire not to give up, but do I just get desperate?

"Because... there's nothing more you can do."

Lady Claire doesn't want to survive on her own.

If that's mean or pride or something like that, it's still fine.

It's Claire's way of life.

I don't see how others can do this.

"Oh man...... If this is the case, you shouldn't have left Claire to me. I could have done better."

"I guess so, I'm sure"

I see this too. Taunt.

I don't care anymore.

Seeing me like that, Master Manaria sighed one big time.

"... I've asked before, shall I ask again? Is that what you think?

Now it wasn't a provocative tone.

Instead, there was even a voice color that would work this one out.

I was a little confused, but that's a little something too.

"No matter how much I think about it, I'm sure it won't arrive."

That's what I said, as if it were rotten.

"Well, then you can forget about Claire, can't you? Then..."

Master Manaria looked at me as she held me.

The face of a boyish but unpleasant beauty slowly approaches.

I was blurry to recognize the fact that I was about to be spoken to.

(... with that said, I also did with Master Claire)

There was no emotion, it was a nightmare kiss.

Oh no - such a kiss...

(My last memories with Master Claire......?

The moment I thought that, I realized, I was poking at Master Manaria.

"... I have to come."

Master Manaria laughed at the grin of the Cheshire cat.

"Excuse me, Master Manaria"

"Fine. I'm a surprise to you."

Out of the way, you must be thinking of me.

"If this is about someone else, I might have just told you to give it up. But I believe that Claire and you can understand each other if you use all your words."

"Why, no..."

"These are the two people I lost."

Master Manaria smiled when he said so with a great deal of tea.

"There is no such thing as an insurmountable wall for you as I have acknowledged. That doesn't make any difference to this dilemma."

"But in fact, Master Claire and I..."

Did you tell Claire what you thought? Did you tell them everything in your heart?

"I told him... it should be"

"Really? You said you did this for Claire, but did you ask for her in your own words?

What do you think?

I was obsessed then, so I don't remember very well.

"As you know, Claire doesn't stop at reason anymore. If I could stop her, it would be nothing more than your wagamama."

"My... wagamama?

I don't know.

Can that move Master Claire's mind?

"Ray, you're a big shot. Even I don't think I could have come up with a way to save Claire. But..."

Listen carefully, Master Manaria said.

"You should hit Claire's emotions once or so"

It's not too late to give up everything, Master Manaria said.

"You're a rational person, though I'm always kidding. Sometimes Claire can be emotionally prone, and I guess she's been trying so hard to act calm. But, hey, why don't you just once flirt, not take care of it, and expose your raw emotions?

"Emotions... in the open..."

Will that bring Master Claire back?

I don't know.

But if there's even one possibility left.

"Well, what about you? If you're gonna go rescue Claire, why don't you cooperate?

"I..."

"What about you?

A mind that was paralyzed moves out.

"I... want to help Master Claire"

If there's any possibility left, I'd like to bet on it.

To my answer, Master Manaria laughed satisfactorily.

"I was waiting for that word. That's my Ray."

Master Manaria stroked my head.

"Master Manaria's, it's not. All mine belongs to Lady Claire."

"Heh heh, if you slap that much hatred, you'll be fine now"

The last time you hugged me, Master Manaria said.

"Well, let's get started. I'll get the princess back."

To Manaria, who said that with a Cheshire cat grin, I knew I was no match for this man.

◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆

The newspaper reported that Lady Claire can be hung for a public trial with Lady Dollar.

A trial is just a public execution in the name of.

Master Claire's figure was tightly guarded and he had no other chance that day.

The public trial seemed to take place in a summary court that put a fence over the square in front of the capitol.

I was in the front row of the crowd surrounding it.

"He's out!

That's what someone in the crowd said.

Seeing it, two nobles connected by rope were brought in from across the fence.

"... Dear Claire"

The nobles were Master Claire and Master Dollar.

The two wore courtesy clothes.

I'm not wearing a borough, supposedly to show the crowd that the two are aristocrats.

Both Claire and Dollar were resolute.

It seemed to me that the attitude was stirring up the crowd's aversion again.

"Your Majesty, come!

It was Lady Sein, who officially took office the other day, who appeared on the scene with the words.

The royal family once restored its authority.

However, the rule of the Kingdom of Bauer has been lost.

It is a political form similar to that of some country on earth that none of the kings reign.

Master Sein is on the top of the Buddha.

As usual in his case, I can't read anything from that look.

"Begin the People's Trial with this!

It was Suras who professed to be so in high spirits.

Inside the fence, other appearances of Ara and Irvine were also seen.

Suras looked around at the crowd and went on further.

"Dollar-François and Clare-François here have been exploiting the people by wielding their status as nobles!

I thought I'd put myself on the shelf and say it often.

"Not only did I try to roam the royal family and move this country with my own personal lust! This is an unforgivable criminal activity!

The crowd was easily put on the slam of Suras.

Regardless of the dollar, I couldn't hide my outrage at the lightness of the folks' asses trying to cut off even Master Claire, who had lifted it up to this point with the hero of the Redemption.

The trial continues.

Suras read the charges against Dollar and Claire and found all of them guilty.

And I asked Master Dollar if he had any objections.

"Nothing. This body is dedicated to the kingdom. If the kingdom were to perish, it would be a decree that we would disappear with the kingdom again."

That's all Master Dollar said, his eyes closed.

"The sinner pleaded guilty! Therefore, executions will be carried out more than this!

On the signal of Suras, the soldiers came in.

Put a sword in that hand.

Dear Dollar and Claire were knelt down and offered their necks to the crowd.

A soldier standing beside him waves up his sword.

At that time...

"That trial, objectionable!

A voice still stood up to the currents that I couldn't resist echoed into the court.