Freaks had just returned to one of the Phantom Troupe's hideouts.
Only Ghost and Skull were there, listening to his report of what had happened. Although their expressions could not be seen behind their masks, their fingers clenching into fists indicated the degree of fury that possessed them.
"Are you telling me that three of our executives were defeated by a single man?" asked Ghost, his voice growing louder each time.
"That's right, leader. I saw it with my own eyes. Even when I threatened him to make him afraid, he just laughed at us and called us trash."
"I see."
Ghost remained silent for a long while. After nearly ten minutes of silence, he spoke in a gloomy tone:
"Do it. If he wants to die so badly, I'll grant his wish. Send all the executives and members of the Phantom Troupe after him. I want him dead before the end of the week."
Skull was surprised that he had fallen for such a childish provocation.
"Wait, Ghost. Aren't you rushing things? He's just a brat. Those three were no big deal. I'm sorry about Void, but he was just another experiment."
"It doesn't matter, Skull. That brat not only defeated part of the Thirteen, he also mocked me and said I should go kiss his ass."
(He didn't say that, Ghost. You're making it up.)
"What about our plans? We're making great progress with 'that'. Doing something like this would be very problematic."
"The progress on your research will continue as agreed, but the others must go after him. It's an insult to me that someone like him remains alive."
"Are you suggesting we send 'Justice' after him?"
"No. We can't move him, nor Bermuda or Ripper. Send those from the fifth seat downward."
Ghost focused on Freaks, who reacted with panic.
"Tell Jaeger to prepare. And the others too. We cannot underestimate him. From now on, our priority will be to achieve our goal and kill that brat. All of that must be done within this same month!"
"I heard what happened," said Bermuda, appearing behind Freaks. "It seems there's a little lamb causing trouble."
"This doesn't concern you, Bermuda," Ghost expressed, showing his displeasure at being overheard.
"I know. I have things to do. But I think I can give you a little help using my true identity, fufu."
"Don't do anything unnecessary."
"I won't."
"And you, Skull, find out all the information about that brat. I want to know who he is, where he comes from, who his parents are, and what his goals are."
Skull nodded.
"You don't need to say it. Just because he touched my experiment, he has also become my target for elimination."
"Freaks, you'll have to work hard from now on."
"Yes, sir!"
The Phantom Troupe began to move to eliminate Razel once and for all.
◇◇◇
Kimberly Academy was in chaos because of what had happened. The city was also a disaster.
Entire houses and neighborhoods lay destroyed, and enormous dry remains of roots were scattered throughout almost the entire city. The knights cut the roots to burn them. Everyone helped as best they could.
Razel carried three cups of coffee on a tray, intended for three dejected men who still had their heads bowed at the academy.
"Cheer up. I brought you coffee."
Zack, Gilbert, and Professor Connor did not lift their heads out of shame.
Razel understood that the knights, at least, were depressed because they had been manipulated, defeated, and then defeated again. He made no jokes about it.
"I-I can't believe it. Those guys were very strong, especially the last two. I was in trouble and it was a miracle I could defeat them."
"…"
There was no response. They remained dejected. Razel noticed that their swords lay broken beside them.
"After my declaration, it's obvious they won't sit idly by. They'll come for me and I'll need help, so we just have to get stronger, right?"
He tried to cheer them up by avoiding the subject, but they remained sunk.
Everyone understood that the executives of the Phantom Troupe must be very strong if they had been chosen to protect the leader.
"That's not it," said Zack at last, though he didn't lift his head. Gilbert seconded him:
"That's right. We're not depressed because they were stronger than us. We're like this because you are a monster compared to them."
"Huh? Sorry?"
Razel didn't understand why they were dejected because of him.
"You defeated, by your own words, three of them."
"We saw with our own eyes how you defeated the tentacle guy."
"To make everything worse, you defeated us after we were manipulated."
"As knights, we have failed completely if we let a civilian like you humiliate us like that."
"I see…" he finally understood the problem. They were so proud that their ego had been shattered by the night's events.
That gave him an idea to cheer them up.
"What if you defeat them next time?"
"What do you mean?"
Both finally lifted their faces.
"It's true that I did it, but I needed help in each of those fights. The help could have been as little as the wind. But that doesn't mean I defeated them all because I'm strong."
"I just got lucky. Fights are won with luck."
"Really?"
They reacted more and more to his words.
"Yes! I didn't win because I'm strong, but because it was pure luck."
(I wasn't lying: they helped me in all those fights. I really am getting weaker if I need help.)
"That's why you just need to train more. Now more than ever you must become stronger, because they'll come with everything."
The young men began to lose their depression and cheer up. They looked at each other and then stood up.
"Next time we won't let you save us," said Zack.
"We'll become stronger so we can rescue you instead," Gilbert pointed out.
Their spirits were better than before.
"That's the spirit."
Now it remained to cheer up Professor Connor, but Razel didn't know what to say because their relationship was very bad. Before he could say a word, the professor spoke first.
"Just so you know, I'm not depressed. I'm just melancholic."
"Huh? Why?"
Professor Connor pointed at the academy.
"Much of the academy is destroyed."
Razel scratched his head because he still didn't understand the problem.
"It's just a building. It can be repaired."
"That's not it!"
Connor raised his voice and looked at him with tears in his eyes.
"It's not the fact that it's a building, it's what it represents. A school is a center of learning, and this country only has two of them for the upper and wealthy class."
"Those with low or no resources can only hope to win a scholarship to enter. Because this place has been destroyed, several years of education have been set back."
"That's what saddens me. The loss of knowledge that many will not be able to access because there are no teachers or a place to study."
Razel remembered a teacher from his past life. He was a very annoying man when it came to homework, but one day, when he died and Razel went to his funeral, he saw on a wall a huge number of photographs full of people of different ages smiling with a diploma in their hands.
Back then he didn't understand why he had all that, until he met Connor.
"It hurts you a lot that education has been lost, doesn't it?"
"Education is what frees us from ignorance. A book is worth more than gold. Knowledge matters more than a glass of water, because when you have that knowledge you can generate more of it."
Razel sat down next to him, and Connor told him details of his life.
"I'm the youngest son of a family of noble merchants."
"My older brothers hoarded everything, and my parents just spent the money because they had no idea how to save it."
"In the end we lost everything because of their arrogance, but that didn't matter to me."
"My grandfather had founded a school in our territory so that the local children could go to study. As you can imagine, due to lack of resources it had to close."
"Those children were left without a future只是因为 ignorant people decided to spend all their money on themselves."
"If they had had a minimum of intelligence, they would have gotten more money and wouldn't have had to close that school."
"The territory even lost its wealth and now it's an area occupied by another noble who charges them low taxes, but since they don't know how to use their money, they end up giving him more than necessary and he doesn't return it."
"That's what saddens me: that ignorance keeps growing and others take advantage of it."
"You are the best example of that!" exclaimed Connor.
"Huh? Why me?"
"Because you look like a lazy person who has never learned to read in your life."
Razel felt offended, but that was the impression he gave.
"B-but I do know how to read and write!"
"But you fall asleep in my classes."
"Because I'm not a student."
"Even if you're not, would you turn down the opportunity for a free education just because you're not one?"
"Did I ever tell the other maids who paid attention to leave my class?"
"Did I ever tell you to ignore me and not pay attention?"
"All I did was try to help you so you could receive an education too. Now I see it was a waste of time and not everyone wants to be educated."
Razel felt very bad because he had given the wrong impression of being an ignorant country bumpkin. He hated that, but if he had given that impression, there was nothing he could do but change it.
"I'm very sorry," he said to Professor Connor. "I was never interested in studying too much. Even at home they told me, but I'm more useful as a warrior than for reading books."
"I understand that you are one, but your brain is a muscle. You must use it, since it's the best tool of your body. What good is being strong if you can't behave decently?"
Razel was being lectured and shame covered his face. He really didn't want to keep listening because the professor was right.
"In a few years, when you grow up, your body will age and you won't be able to live as a warrior any longer. You'll have to live off what you can use of your knowledge."
"Sorry."
"I'm not criticizing you, I just want to help you become a better version of yourself."
(I tried to help him and now I'm the one getting depressed. The worst part is that it's more effective than when Eli yelled at me for not studying.)
"There's also the problem of your behavior," added Connor.
"But I don't misbehave to have bad behavior."
"I'm talking about what you do in the academy secretly. It's very wrong."
He showed him a nearly destroyed photo of him and Alicia kissing.
"How do you have this?"
"It's a long story, but in short: doing things like that at school or in places outside your room is wrong. You were being a bad influence on all of them."
"Aren't you going to reproach me for being with several women?"
"If they didn't care about that —since we talked when we were locked up—, do you think that matters when you owe them an explanation?"
"I know."
(I got involved with several women while away from home. It's normal for me to take responsibility, but I have to say it anyway.)
"This is the worst thing that's happened to me."
"And I'm not done reprimanding you yet."
"Are you going to keep doing it? Give me a break, please!"
◇◇◇
After about two days of cleaning up all the remains, a party was organized at the Redford house. Food and water were sent from the capital to help.
Many people slept on the street and others slept on the floors of some houses whose owners had let them in.
Briana stood at the front of the balcony in a low-cut dress and spoke to everyone.
"I understand that the situation in the city is horrible. But do not fear: if we overcome this, we will overcome everything. As head of the Redford house, I guarantee that you will recover your jobs, homes, and the lives you lost in this accident."
"No one will have to pay taxes until a gram of normality has returned to this city."
Cheers were immediate. Many feared that taxes would rise, but she had temporarily eliminated them.
The problem was that without taxes, nothing could be rebuilt. Briana was using her family's fortune to rebuild the city.
The princesses wanted to help and asked their mother for aid. They received a letter saying that part of the collected taxes would go to the Redford territory because of this crisis.
The queen, in the public eye, gained favor and affection from the citizens, but this move left a bad taste among the nobles because it showed her weakness. The queen had to choose which side to support, and she chose humanism over appearances.
But Briana's speech did not end there.
"We know that the person responsible for this tragedy belonged to an organization called the Phantom Troupe."
Murmurs arose immediately.
"I know you've heard the stories, but this event made it clear to us that they exist. But do not fear. Here I show you the one responsible for defeating them and saving our city."
Razel entered the balcony in a suit. The princesses and the others cheered him from inside.
"Thanks to him, we are alive. Therefore, there is no more reliable man in this country than him, since he swore to eliminate them. For that reason, I want to announce before everyone that…"
Then she did something no one expected: she grabbed Razel's arm and clung to him like a woman in love.
"I have chosen him as my future husband. There is no stronger or more reliable man than him. Therefore, the Redford family will be safe if such a man takes the position as head of the family. What do you think? Daa~rling~."
Briana looked at him with loving eyes. The girls inside could not believe what was happening, not even Erica, her younger sister.
"He not only saved the academy, he also defeated three executives of the Phantom Troupe. This is an achievement worthy of being one of the 'Three Knights'!"
Erica ran onto the balcony.
"That's not fair, onee-sama! I wanted him for myself and you're taking him!"
"Really?"
Briana thought for a moment and then turned again to face the public.
"I have decided. My little sister will be my concubine. The Redford house has a bright future if both daughters are impregnated by the same strong man."
Everyone cheered for some reason, but most of those voices came from the survivors.
"Finally the eldest daughter will marry!"
"She'll stop being called 'wild horse' or worse."
"I thought she would stay single, but I'm glad she's going to have a husband."
The servants were happy that Briana was going to get married. Razel remained in shock. Erica grabbed her hair.
"Well, if you put it that way, I can't refuse. I-I can't help it, I suppose I can share him with you."
"No way!" shouted the women from the back.
Briana turned to them.
"The headmistress and the others can also be his concubines if they wish. Ah, but the princesses and the duke's daughter probably won't, right?"
"You are a man without scruples, darling. I like that!" Briana congratulated him for conquering several women of different statuses.
Iris watched as everyone, even Liddy, went to fight Briana. She left the place and looked at the night sky.
(He's really popular. It's been barely two months since we met him and he's already conquered even Their Highnesses.)
(I have many rivals, but I wonder if I'll even have a chance to compete.)
◇◇◇
The royal palace was in chaos because of what had happened.
"The city of Redford territory is completely destroyed!"
"This is bad for the country's economy! That place alone generated 10% of the kingdom's taxes."
"And now we have to exempt them from paying taxes and give them royal money to support them? This country will collapse!"
The day had barely begun and Queen Rosemary was already on her third cup of relaxing herbal tea. She rubbed her temple while thinking about everything that had happened.
Beside her was Iris, who informed her of the events while the ministers shouted like madmen.
"That's everything that happened there, Your Majesty."
"My head hurt just from halfway through, and now it hurts worse."
"Is it too much information to process?"
"No. It's too many nuisances to solve. I can't think about anything. I need a break!"
The queen stood up and left the place accompanied by Iris and Sharon, who had returned to serve her.
"I can't believe all that happened in a single day. Too many things! Where are the others?"
Sharon answered immediately.
"Your Highnesses and the other witnesses are in their rooms. They refuse to come out because they are afraid of you."
"And they have every reason to fear me."
The queen had learned of their adventures with Razel, but she left that topic for another day.
"The academy will be closed for a while for remodeling."
"Please omit that, Sharon."
"Yes. The head of the Redford house also came to the capital to give her report."
"I'll listen to her later."
The queen looked at Iris, who was downcast.
"What's wrong, Iris-chan?"
"I was thinking about that little man's words. He said they would leave me alone to make Razel-kun their priority."
The queen was able to officially confirm the existence of the Phantom Troupe.
Thanks to this misfortune, they had already been classified as a national threat.
The entire country would learn of them and would hunt them down at all costs.
Even the underworld and other criminals would think twice before helping them.
"I'd say it's good because now we know they'll come for him and we can catch them."
"The problem is that we've put too much pressure on his shoulders."
"After all, he's still just a seventeen-year-old boy and a human being. He'll collapse sooner or later from stress."
The queen added what she had so wanted to discuss with him.
"He not only caused me stress, he also kissed my daughters and other women."
"He's very bold, despite how he looks."
"That's right. Although he seems to refuse, in the end he's a scoundrel who kissed us all."
"That's nothing to brag about, Sharon."
"I'm sorry, but I remembered his caresses and got sentimental."
"…"
The queen watched how Sharon changed.
(Can you really change your personality just because of that? My daughters did everything together and now they're fighting over a man and won't talk to each other.)
(Of all of you, I'm the one with the most experience here, and I can't believe you changed just because of a kiss.)
The queen's eyes dropped to Sharon's lower part.
(I'll check if that's still intact there. These girls are very frightening. At their age, I was thinking about studying, not about bringing a man into my room and closing the door.)
She let out a sigh.
"The new generations are frightening. Where has the modesty for doing obscene things gone?"
Iris scratched her head.
"I'd like to know that too."
Queen Rosemary looked again at Iris, who was still sad.
"Are you sad because he is now their target… or because you're the only one who didn't get involved with him?"
"Eh? I…"
Iris covered her face in shame.
"Is it that obvious?"
"My sister-in-law made the same face when my younger brother flirted with other girls except her."
"Eh? You have a brother, Your Majesty?"
"I had. He died years ago with his family."
"I-I see. I'm so sorry."
"As I said, it was years ago and the pain has faded. More importantly, Iris-chan: you must bring out what you have locked inside. It will be worse in the future."
"Like Princess Alicia's declaration, Your Majesty," said Sharon.
"Don't remind me."
When Alicia arrived at the palace, the first thing she did was say in front of everyone:
"I'm telling you once and for all that this man is my husband, therefore treat him as such."
"What are you talking about, onee-chan?! He's my husband, not yours!"
"Lillie, you must respect your older sister's decision."
"No way!"
The queen covered her face with both hands.
"It's not just one, but both of them who said that. I can't process it yet. I'll sort it out later."
"Excuse me, Your Majesty," Iris intervened.
"What is it?" said the queen, still with her face covered.
"Do you really think it's right to express my feelings? After what happened with His Highness Karlheinz, I've lost a lot of confidence in myself."
"Nonsense. That boy is just an idiot by his own decisions. You're a good girl; any man would want to marry you."
"Th-thank you," said Iris before turning around and running off. "I'll be back with news!"
She waved as she left.
The queen and Sharon entered her room, which no one else could access. The queen looked at her intently.
"Tell me the important details I asked for."
"Yes. It's just as Your Majesty told me: if he really is strong, I had to make sure of it. He defeated three executives alone and declared war on them."
"Someone without self-confidence wouldn't do that. Therefore I confirm that Razel-sama is, without a doubt, a necessary asset for the country and we must have him on our side regardless of the cost."
The queen had sent Sharon to serve Razel, but she had a secret mission: to find out if what he said was true.
Everything she heard were things only Iris knew, but she needed someone trustworthy who wasn't easily impressed.
"I could only see one of his fights, but it was amazing. He defeated him with a single technique."
"Was it really like that?"
"It was. If we bring him into the royal family, without a doubt the palace would have a powerful ally, as well as a prosperous future by begetting a warrior who will protect us from within."
"I see. If you say so, it must be true. By the way, Sharon, what do you think of my daughters' decision?"
"Both are right. The princesses want a strong and reliable man to take care of them, and he is the best option. Without a doubt, if there is a crisis in the palace we could defend it thanks to him."
"Our enemies would be silenced and we would have no fear of any assassination."
"The problem lies in which of them should have him. Princess Lillie has a better chance as the second daughter, but Princess Alicia, as the heiress, could make better use of him."
"She earned the affection of the Redford city, so when he defeats the Phantom Troupe his popularity will skyrocket. Making him part of the royal family is the best option."
"Even the extra number of women he has would be excellent for us because we could have more children to protect the palace. We would only have to give their mothers a house and enjoy a prosperous future."
"You're very frightening, you know?"
"I learned from you, Your Majesty. My words represent yours; that's why you never told me to stop at any point."
Rosemary smiled, then lowered her gaze to her own cleavage.
"I have a pending promise with him, and after what you've told me, it seems he has freed himself from his moral restraints. But…"
In a tone of shame, she said very flushed.
"Do you really think a woman over thirty is okay? I mean, unlike my daughters who are his age, I'm twice his age and besides, I don't have a 'first time' to give him."
"In light of how the headmistress, the librarian, and I have kissed him, I can confirm that he doesn't care if a woman is older than him. Which could even be a good opportunity for 'that woman'."
"Celis, isn't that right?"
"It's very difficult for that to happen given her personality."
"By the way, Your Majesty, about that other matter. What do we do about him?"
"The assassin, right?" said Rosemary, looking at the wall.
◇◇◇
Deep in the underground prison, Leonora sat blindfolded and with her hands tied. She heard footsteps and spoke.
"Have you finally come to execute me, right?"
The queen and Sharon stood before her.
"I heard your story from Iris, and Briana will come later to inform me of what happened with you. But I want you to tell me your story yourself."
"There's nothing to tell. I'm a criminal. I deserve my punishment."
"Criminals don't ask for that."
"I'm one with a conscience."
It was just a report full of words that seemed empty, but seeing the real Leonora, the queen understood that she was someone awaiting her punishment.
She wasn't pretending, nor had Cyril. She knew what she had done and just waited there.
"I always thought I killed innocents, but they were rivals of politicians and merchants ruining other black businesses."
"I'd say I feel good about having killed no innocent people, but I can't say that after knowing that those were lives lost because of others' greed."
"What do you think your destiny is now?" asked the queen.
Leonora shrugged to indicate she didn't care.
"I have no idea, but I've accepted my fate."
"I have two options for you," said the queen as she approached. "The first is to fulfill your wish and die as the criminal you are. The second is—"
She reached out her hand and removed the blindfold from her eyes.
"—to live the rest of your life protecting this country under my command and thus atone for your sin."
Leonora stared at her and then burst out laughing.
"Are you stupid or something? I'm a criminal."
"You are a repentant human being above all. Your criminality is something that can be paid for in life."
Leonora stared at her intently.
"Won't you regret it later? I'm a criminal, I could run away."
"Criminals don't ask to be executed. Besides, if you escape, I can send him to catch you."
"That's low."
"What do you mean?"
Rosemary extended her hand. Leonora lowered her head.
"I accept. Please let me make amends for my mistakes."
"Good. Sharon, how did the investigation go?"
"I'm afraid the maid was discovered and imprisoned."
"I see. We'll have to rescue her later as well."
"Leonora, as your queen, I order you as your first command to infiltrate your employer's mansion, Baron Olston, to find any information linking him to the Phantom Troupe. Then you will free the hostage."
Leonora nodded after cutting the chains that bound her.
◇◇◇
Iris was running through the palace looking for Razel.
"I have to tell him today… no matter what."
That was her plan, and she had been searching the place for several minutes without finding him. She stopped in the garden to sit and rest.
"I can't believe I can't find him."
"Who are you looking for?" said a voice coming from behind her.
She was startled, but the voice calmed her as it poked its head out.
"Be quiet."
"Razel-kun?"
It was Razel, hiding and covered in mud.
"What are you doing there, and dirty too?"
He explained his situation in an ingenious way.
"Leila is looking for me. She's angry with me for abandoning her here. Be quiet, please. Here she comes!"
Razel hid again, and Iris watched the beast girl jumping around the place looking for him.
"Where are you? Traitor master! Leila is very sad because you left her abandoned here!"
Although she said she was sad, she looked very angry. Once she left, Razel poked his head out.
"Thanks for not turning me in."
"Actually, I was looking for you, so I couldn't turn you in."
"For me? What for?"
"Before that, can you get that mud off? You stink a lot."
Iris quickly and stealthily took Razel to the bathroom and then hid him in her room.
Leila kept looking for him everywhere from her window. When she left, Iris closed the curtains. The room was dark, but a little light came through the blinds.
"So what did you want to talk to me about?" he asked while drying his hair.
She paused for a moment to think, playing with lifting and lowering her feet, until she finally spoke.
"You've become very popular, haven't you?"
"Eh? Ah, that…"
Razel remembered that Iris had not only seen the photos, but that Briana and the others had fought over him, including Liddy, her maid.
(She must be angry, right? I mean, instead of protecting her, I went off enjoying life with multiple women, including her maid, while she was alone.)
"W-well…"
"Something similar happened at home."
"Did you also hang around many women back home?"
(It's not a village but a country. And the answer is yes.)
"I-I mean, there were two of them, so yes."
"I see. There must be more if you only say that."
"I swear! There are two, no more!"
"If you add those two to the ones here, there are a total of fourteen women who have been seduced by you. As you would say: not bad, right?"
Razel thought she wanted to get revenge on him for flirting around instead of protecting her. He didn't know what to answer.
"I don't think I'm handsome enough to be that popular. Maybe it's the circumstances that made me popular."
"In that case, you forgot to add that you are a wonderful person who helps everyone, and surely that's why everyone has fallen in love with you."
"I'm not like that, you know? I'm not a good person who helps others out of altruism."
"You helped me for no reason more than once."
"I know. It's a special case. Very special."
"What matters is the intention."
"Hahaha."
They both laughed.
Iris kept looking at the floor while talking to him; she didn't look at his face. Razel wondered why.
"Even if you want to deny it, to me you are my hero."
"You saved me when no one else did. You were there when I only had Liddy and still couldn't escape that darkness."
"Since you arrived, I've regained the joy of laughing and even of living. So even if you deny it, to me you were a hopeful ray of light."
Finally she looked at his face. Iris's cheeks were as red as a tomato.
"That's why I thank you. My hero."
Razel felt very shy for some reason; he immediately looked away.
"I-I would naturally do that. We're friends, after all."
"Friends…" murmured Iris, remembering her situation.
(It's true. We're just friends. This conversation is just friends and nothing more.)
She finally understood that her words would always be misinterpreted if she continued like this in neutral mode.
She had to attack if she wanted her feelings to be recognized. She asked him a question:
"What are you going to do about all those declarations? Will you reject them or accept only one?"
Razel wanted to answer: "Never. A true man accepts all consequences. I'll take them all without repercussions."
That's what he would say if he were home. But in a foreign country with a time limit, his actions were very limited.
He had wanted to avoid getting involved with local women, but in the end he had. He sighed and told her with total honesty:
"I am a greedy and selfish man. I told you I left home to make a name for myself, but that's a lie. I left home to defeat the Phantom Troupe."
"I… had a dream where they destroyed this world with a disease. That's why I left there, leaving all my loved ones behind to achieve it."
"I'm going to defeat the Phantom Troupe before the time I swore I'd be away. And I'm so greedy that my reward will be a feast of multiple beauties that I will take as mine."
"That's right: I'm very womanizing, even if it doesn't seem like it, but I don't care if you hate me for it. There are actually eight women at home, so if I accept everyone including Briana, I would have twenty women."
"I'm sure they'll beat me up when they find out, but back home they already did: they gave me a good beating and I managed to get them all to accept my request."
"This case is the same. I wanted to avoid contact with you, but in the end it couldn't be helped. But I'm greedy and I'll accept their beatings as long as they accept my decision."
"If you feel disgusted by me after hearing my true reason, I wouldn't blame you. This determination is not for everyone."
He crossed his arms to shield his heart. He expected negative criticism from Iris, but time passed and none came.
He opened his eyes and saw how she looked at him. It wasn't a look of disgust, but a tender look accompanied by a smile. She smiled for some reason while looking at him.
"So… you say you'll take them all?"
"Y-yes. That's what I said."
(Huh? Aren't you angry? Aren't you going to insult me? You're a calmer girl than you seem.)
Iris's lips moved to say a word that began to warm Razel's heart to the point that his pounding could be heard.
"In that case, would you mind adding one more?"
"One more?" said Razel, thinking about who she meant.
After thinking, he didn't know who she was referring to. Then Iris took his chin and turned his face toward hers. Her moist eyes were half-closed.
She timidly brought her mouth close and placed her lips on his. It was a clumsy, shy, inexperienced kiss. But it was a kiss that expressed her feelings.
Iris stopped kissing him and looked into his eyes. Her gaze indicated that her wish would come true, so he heard:
"Yes. Me. I'd like you to include me in that group of women, if you can. At least on my part, I'd like to accompany you to your home when you achieve your goal."
"Because I… I'm in love with you. You gave me back my life. Nothing would make me happier than to spend the time I have left by your side."
He looked at her amazed. He had not expected this outcome.
"That was unexpected. Iris, you are a very wonderful girl. Are you sure you want to be with me?"
She gave him a light pinch without letting go of his face. She rubbed her fingers on his face to keep feeling his skin.
"I already told you: I want to be with you, the man I love, all the time in the world before my time runs out."
Razel frowned after hearing that.
"What do you mean by 'your time runs out'?"
Iris stood up and began to unbutton her shirt, button by button. Razel's eyes turned bloodshot.
"Wait, Iris. It's still too early for this. It makes me happy, but I think you're rushing."
After removing her blouse, she turned around and Razel could see something he never imagined.
"Th-that is…"
He had never seen it before, but something inside him imagined what it was.
"This is the disease called 'Iris's Tear'. Everyone who suffers from it will die without fail. There is no cure. So, Razel-kun" —Iris sat on his lap and hugged him tightly—, "would you let me experience love by your side until I die? I will not survive this year, for sure."
"So I want to experience all the happiness in this world before I leave."
Iris was pouring out both her feelings and her true desire: to live everything a person should experience before dying. Razel returned the hug, signifying that he accepted her feelings.
"It makes me happy to be able to love you from today until the last day of my life."
But Razel squeezed Iris tightly, or at least his arms tried to.
(She has the disease that will spread throughout the empire in four years.)
(I must defeat the Phantom Troupe as soon as possible to save Iris. If they spread it throughout the world, that means they have the cure, right?)
Even though Iris had made her wish come true, Razel's mind was thinking about how to avoid not only the end of everyone after a while, but also Iris's end at some point during this year.
◇◇◇
The leader of the Phantom Troupe, Ghost, walked through one of the tunnels of the underworld.
"I can't believe a brat declared war on us. In my entire life I have never experienced such shame. But it doesn't matter. I will crush any obstacle that interferes with my desires."
He left the underworld and entered a secret passage. He turned a knob and a wall opened. It was daytime and the light illuminated the well-decorated room. He opened the closet, full of elegant suits. He quickly took off his clothes and hid them behind the wardrobe in a secret compartment.
Once changed, someone knocked on the door.
"My lord, the others are present."
"I'll come now."
His distorted voice disappeared and the voice of a thirty-year-old man spoke. He left the room and a young man in a suit waited for him.
"How is your headache?"
"Much better, thank you for asking."
"I'm sorry to bother you, but the meeting is starting and we'll be late."
Ghost walked with the young man and entered a chamber. Inside, many suited men waited for something to begin.
They were all ministers, politicians, and feudal lords. Ghost took his usual position.
(That's right. I won't let that brat or anyone stop me.)
No one could identify him because he had the same blond hair as everyone else.
(I have longed for that day for many years.)
No one could identify him because he had the same blue eyes as everyone else.
(The moment of my revenge against this country, its people, and its rulers. Pay for what you did to me.)
No one could identify him because all his life he had been a clean member of this society and this chamber.
He clenched his fist tightly. Then a man entered and focused on the empty throne.
It was the king. Ghost looked at the king and could only think:
(I will change this country because only I can save it with my master plan. That's right. I will save this country with you, Iris.)
The Phantom Troupe had its claws sunk into every social class of this nation.
Their objectives were eighty percent complete, whatever their plan might be. Within this very month, they would achieve all their ambitions.
___________________
"The background character goes to the academy again" arc, finished.
Reincarnated in an Otome game as the ugly background character, end of Volume 2.
________________
The final fanservice is for Leonora.
https://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/10820565