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***
["Ghieuspe… You actually dared to contact me."]
"…Because I need your help."
At Ghieuspe’s words, a scoffing laugh came through the communication device.
With a rare look of irritation, Ghieuspe stared at the communication orb. He had reached out to the Tower Master to request assistance from the mages. It wasn’t a conversation he wanted to have, but he had no other choice.
"You’ll help me anyway, won’t you?"
["What makes you so sure?"]
"Because you don’t think highly of Princess Eva."
["Hmm… I suspected this had something to do with Princess Eva."]
Elisabetta spoke again, her tone full of discontent.
["So, have you figured out the cause of this mess?"]
Ghieuspe proceeded to explain Princess Eva’s true identity. And from the other side of the orb, her voice came, tinged with shock.
["Unbelievable… A human, devoured by her own creation?"]
"……"
["So humans can miscalculate…."]
"In a way, Princess Eva is a lot like you."
Ghieuspe’s tone was cold as he spoke.
"You and she both believed that only power and efficiency mattered."
["……"]
"And in the process, you both thoroughly discarded things like ethics."
His words struck a nerve. Elisabetta fell silent, unable to respond, as Ghieuspe’s mocking voice pressed on.
"So? Does it feel satisfying now? The world is unfolding exactly the way you envisioned it."
["Me?"]
"Isn’t this the world you wanted? One where useless people are discarded, where everyone is exploited in whatever way necessary to maximize utility, and where all are forced to give their all, no matter the cost."
["This… this isn’t what I wanted…."]
For the first time, Elisabetta’s confident voice faltered.
"So what will you do now? Will you side with Princess Eva, the one bringing your vision to life? Or will you stand with us?"
A moment of silence passed. Then her voice came through, resolute and firm.
["I’ll cooperate with you."]
"……"
["This… This isn’t the world I hoped for. Yes… I now see where the path I once pursued has led, to disaster. Maybe… I’ve been chasing something all wrong."]
"So now you understand."
["I thought… in a perfectly efficient world, everyone would be happy. I never imagined the world would turn out like this. Yes, I’ve made grave mistakes."]
And then, something utterly unexpected came through the orb.
["I’m sorry, Ghieuspe."]
"…!"
Ghieuspe’s eyes widened at the words he never thought he’d hear.
Though he had pushed her, expecting only that she might agree to cooperate with him… He never imagined she would go so far as to apologize to him.
Ghieuspe had always believed Elisabetta was someone who could never change. In his mind, she was a witch, one utterly devoid of blood or tears.
But now, for the first time in a long while, Ghieuspe realized once more. Elisabetta was human too.
["I’ll come to help you."]
"…Understood."
["Now… I must use my power for what is truly right."]
Hearing those words, Ghieuspe felt something strange stir within him. Someone he thought would never change… was beginning to do just that.
And somehow, just that alone gave him a flicker of hope.
[Breaking News
<The Kingdom of Boleno Royal Family Has Been Taken Over by an Artificial Human>
As the automatons malfunctioned and began attacking people, the Cassan Imperial Family finally announced that they had identified the root cause.
The Cassan court claimed they had received information from Boleno nobility, and, according to that intelligence, they declared that the monster controlling Boleno royal family must be eliminated.
Princess Eva Vivaldi of Boleno had created an artificial human, and was ultimately consumed by her own creation.
That artificial being killed the king and queen, then began impersonating Princess Eva and seizing control of the kingdom.
Now, wielding its power, it is throwing the continent into chaos.
To eliminate this corruption, the artificial human must be destroyed.
Accordingly, the Cassan Imperial Family has declared this creature, the one that overtook Boleno royal family, an enemy of the entire continent, and has called for everyone to unite in eradicating it for the sake of continental peace.]
Words appeared over the surface of the newspaper.
It was a magical newspaper, an item owned by every noble, that displayed daily updates from across the continent.
Seeing that the news he had been waiting for had appeared safely, Simone let out a sigh of relief. He turned his head and looked at the companions in front of him.
"So, how are things going for all of you?"
Ghieuspe was the first to answer Simone’s question.
"Elisabetta, the Tower Master, has agreed to cooperate. She also said she’d send the support of every mage in the tower."
"That’s a relief! After all, as an individual, the Tower Master is probably the strongest in the country."
Just as Aurora said, even though they had fought and defeated her together once before, as a single person, the Tower Master remained unmatched.
Her alliance was incredibly reassuring to them.
"Phew… Life in the military is no joke."
Raffaelo, having barely managed to steal a break, flopped onto the sofa in his uniform, utterly exhausted.
"Damn it… We’ve lost too many comrades. Each report of their deaths weighs heavily on me."
Running a hand through his hair, he continued.
"Still, we’re protecting those who were wandering without homes, and keeping patrols around the shantytowns in the slums. We should be able to prevent unnecessary deaths among the weak and innocent civilians."
Simone, too, reported on the progress he had made.
"I managed to get in contact with the Cassan Imperial Family and secure their cooperation. But… the problem is, they don’t know where Princess Angela is, either."
"Well, it’s not like she’s crucial for defeating Princess Eva… But if she doesn’t show up afterward, dealing with the aftermath could get complicated."
A shadow crossed Simone’s face.
He couldn’t stand how useless he felt. It had already been several days since Seraphina was taken, and yet he still hadn’t done a single thing to help her.
Was all he could do now just sit and wait for support from Cassan and the Magic Tower?
Was that really all he could offer… while the woman he loved was imprisoned?
Clenching his fists and bowing his head in frustration, Simone was suddenly pulled from his dark thoughts by Aurora’s bright voice.
"Come on, Simone. Don’t lose heart. You’re not the only one in pain. We all care about Seraphina too, even if not as much as you. It’s times like these when we have to stay strong."
"But how could you possibly understand what I’m feeling-?!"
As he raised his head to argue, Simone noticed something, Aurora’s bright pink eyes were filled with tears.
She always acted cheerful and optimistic, but she was just as worried and afraid as he was.
And when he realized that, Simone finally looked around and truly saw his companions’ faces. They were all just as concerned for Seraphina as he was.
"Hah… Simone, I’m having a hard time too, you know. But what choice do we have?"
Raffaelo, seated beside him, placed a hand firmly on his shoulder.
"We push through. Have we ever failed before?"
"Seraphina…"
"It’s not over yet. We keep going until it is. We fight Princess Eva again. As long as we’re alive, we still have chances."
"……"
"You’ve been through your share of terrible moments, haven’t you? But you always came out on top, didn’t you?"
"Yeah… I did."
Thinking back on everything he’d endured since being expelled from the Monteverdi Marquisate, Simone clenched his fists tighter.
Just as Raffaelo said, he still had chances left.
"Hmph. In any case, we’re on your side."
Arkhangelo, with his arms huffily crossed, chimed in.
"Though I may be weak in body, I’ll jump into the end with you."
"Arkhangelo…"
That he would say something like that, it was honestly shocking. Even Ghieuspe’s eyes widened in surprise.
"Simone. I hope you don’t lose heart."
Ghieuspe added his own voice.
"Just like we defeated the Tower Master by working together, we can defeat Princess Eva too."
"Yeah, Simone! Don’t give up!"
Only after hearing everyone’s words did a faint smile return to Simone’s face.
He had once believed he could never form lasting bonds with anyone. But now… he had come to care for Seraphina. He had come to love her.
And these people… they had truly become his friends.
"Thank you."
Simone responded in his usual tone. But after a moment, he added in a quiet voice...
"My friends."
"…What?!"
Aurora and Raffaelo’s eyes widened, and then they practically exploded with excitement.
"Simone just called us his friends!"
"Damn, it’s been five years since I met this guy and this is the first time!"
Raffaelo, who had known Simone the longest, looked ready to shed tears of joy.
"Hmph. I suppose I’ll consider you a special friend, too."
"How touching."
Arkhangelo and Ghieuspe each responded in ways that perfectly matched their personalities.
Simone, meanwhile, kept a faint smile on his face amid all their noise, thinking back to when he first met them.
Back when he’d kept everyone at a distance behind high emotional walls, it had been they who reached out to him first.
Looking back, he realized how grateful he was for that.
And now… it was time for him to repay them. He had to stay strong and find a way forward.
"Alright, let’s put our heads together and make a new plan."
As Simone took charge, Raffaelo let out a low whistle.
And just like that, they leaned in once more, joining forces to share ideas.
***
"Sera, you’re beautiful."
I stared blankly at my reflection in the mirror.
A blue dress, similar in tone to my eyes, was draped over my figure. And behind me, gently stroking my hair, stood none other than Princess Eva.
"Sera, I can give you anything you desire. Any jewel, any porcelain from the East, any silk from faraway lands, all of it, I would offer to you. Just say the word."
"Are you crazy? That’s never going to happen."
"Oh? My sweet Sera, you really are too good."
"You might be the only one who thinks that. Your taste is… certainly one of a kind."
Since I was imprisoned in the palace, just as I expected, Princess Eva hadn’t hurt me.
On the contrary, she pampered me with luxurious meals, dressed me in expensive clothes, and even applied makeup to my face like I was some kind of doll.
That’s exactly it, Princess Eva seemed to cherish me,
but it felt more like she was treating me as her precious plaything.
'Why does it feel like the genre is shifting?'
If I looked back on my life since reincarnating into this world, it had clearly been a romantic comedy. Chaotic adventures with handsome men? Check. Definitely a rom-com.
With Aurora randomly popping in to deliver comic relief, no one would argue there was a hefty splash of comedy in the mix, too.
Oh, and let’s not forget the thriller elements. Mostly thanks to Princess Eva, of course.
So yes, my life had been a full-age-appropriate romantic thriller comedy, perfect for that bright-yellow publisher’s brand…
'No, no! The genre of my life is changing!'
I was seriously starting to feel like this was heading toward the wrong kind of story. Was it really okay to let things unfold like this?
I began regretting all those dark, obsessive, kidnapping, psychological thrillers I used to read. I’d never considered how awful it must’ve been for the poor female leads. I’d only read for the drama and tension.
I’m sorry, female leads…
I’m sorry, original Aurora…
Back then, I used to get frustrated at heroines who were kidnapped and still tried to escape, even when their captors pampered them with luxury. "Why not just enjoy it and live in peace?" I’d think.
But now…
I understood completely.
Being treated kindly by someone who scared you? That was a nightmare.
"Ah, Sera, don’t you want to see my latest invention?"
Just then, Princess Eva clapped lightly and suddenly took my hand.
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