Chapter 5 Part 3 – Those who take over

Shout out to Greed for the Kofi! This one’s for you! I will try to at least post another 2 parts for Chapter 6 because of you 😉 thanks for supporting me!!!

Everyone we passed looked at me in surprise as I was carried away limping, but when they heard the shouts of joy coming from behind, they were convinced and ran to where we came from as if they were no longer interested in me.
As he said earlier, the people who protested and wanted for me to keep my life, are no longer here. Now no one will object to me dying.
There was no one to stop Keika’s steps.
Step by step, Keika and I were traversing the grounds of Luzille, and made a beeline to the back gate.
Once I leave these gates, I will no longer be―――【Olga・Emelda・Luzille】
It will be my――the villainess’s death.

From the beginning.
Everything, it was all a set-up from the beginning.
His goal was to drag me down from that position, by pretending to heed the wishes of the faction who wished to keep me alive.
I tried to gather strength in my legs to resist, but my battered and burnt body would not move as I wanted them to.

「…wh….y」

Why?
Why did you do this?
Why did you drag me down from being the clan head?

Keika, who remained silent despite all what happened, slowly exhaled and slowly let her words out.
“It was me who set this all up.”
Her words made me forget my pain for a moment and my gaze fell on her face.
She was the one who fed the idea of making me bear a child to the pro-life faction, she was the one who arranged Otou-sama to visit me, and she was the one who convinced him to take back the clan head position.

「I know that with everything I have done, Olga-sama will never forgive me.」

As we move forward on this snowy path, I alone, can hear her small voice. Such a small voice, confessing her sins and everything that had transpired.

The snow danced as it fell from the sky, and muffled all the sounds we were making.
The shallow breaths I exhaled continuously turned white.

「At first, I thought I was too young and naive and kept making mistakes. I was depressed because of that. However, I thought, “If I can’t gain your trust, I’ll just serve you wholeheartedly until you can see my sincerity towards you”. That’s what I thought, really. But… I realized. Olga-sama, you don’t let anyone inside your heart, not even Atlas-sama.」

“Master, you were that kind of person”, Keika smiled gently.
Seeing as there was no one else around us, Keika stopped for a moment to lean my body on her properly, and walked slowly to lessen our swaying.

「My lady does not hold anyone trustworthy, you treat everyone equally. That’s why you don’t trust me either, the same way my lady doesn’t trust anyone in the clan. I just couldn’t bear it anymore.」

Keika. Keika Luzille. A person who had betrayed Otou-sama, the former clan head in order to reap the benefits, has also devoted her life to me.
No matter how much merit a person has gained all through his life, no one would welcome him if he is a traitor.
This is the reason why, no matter how highly honorable she may have been seen outside, Keika was still isolated inside the clan.
I used her more than anyone else as a handy pawn. I have allowed her near me and the secret of my so called【future】more than anyone else.
And yet, I never trusted her.
I have never allowed her to get close to the crux of it all.

After all, a supporting character like her does not need to know everything.

「I am a greedy person. I don’t care if I get slandered or mocked. But I feel remorseful at the thought of not being valued or trusted more than anyone else by the master I am serving. That’s why, ever since I pledged my loyalty towards you, my lady, I wanted to be the best for you, the best. And I couldn’t help it.」

“But” with a trembling voice, Keika spoke.

「It’s also a wise decision to not trust me. After all, I have betrayed my lady, and switched sides with my lady’s father.」

When she saw my face, she gave me a smile; a smile so crooked that her lips were trembling and resembled someone whose tears are on the verge of bursting.

「He said he would make use of me. He’s the type of person who will use one to their full potential. And unlike you, I’m sure he will see my true worth, he will give me what you can’t. He will trust me, and lay his back on mine, and….won’t carry everything on his shoulders, alone…..」

Tears gradually painted her face as her voice trembled.
――Who is….this person?
This character, whose name has never even been mentioned in that story.
This character who spills her tears while uttering she wants to be my best (tool), who wants me to put my faith in her, who wants me to entrust my back to her.
“I didn’t want to be a burden to anyone, not even you” 【I】cried.
The stabbing pain in my back made my thoughts jumbled up and disorganised.
But I don’t know this person, I don’t understand.
Someone like this 【person】――this character, who cries for Olga.

Controlling the sobs that came out of her throat with a deep breath, Keika once again spun her words in a dignified manner.

「…..The Luzilles don’t need someone as useless as my lady anymore. From now on, this clan will prosper under my lord」

Lies.

Being the so called head of this damned Luzille is not just about prospering.
It’s about being called the most powerful magus in this time; at the same time, the title given to a magus who slaughters countless people.
That’s why, even though I have been deposed of my position because of my continued sins, and the names “Olga” and “the infernal princess” disappear from this world, hatred will continue to pour towards the head of Luzille.
Anyone who shuns the mages, even the king, will continue to fan (the hatred) it.
Otherwise, treason and rebellion will be the only excuse they can give if the daughter of the king’s sister is exiled.
With the threat called Olga, who is the strongest magus of the Luzilles, disappearing in this way, this declining clan will never rise again.

What awaits them is――

「My lady’s duties, your responsibilities, everything you were supposed to take on, I shall humbly take them as my own. I will take the honor that comes with leading the Luzilles together with my lord. My lady is no longer of any use to us. My lady is no longer the clan master of the Luzilles, nor do you have any right to call yourself as part of us. No, I’d rather hope you disappear from this country.」

She pushed open the metal gate with her hands and slowly lowered my body so I am leaning on the residence’s outer wall.
She took off her own black cloak and knelt down to drape it over my body, blocking my attempts to speak to her.
It blocked the cold air from seeping through, and I can still feel Keika’s warmth from it.
She restrained me with her eyes, and drew a vaguely familiar magic circle on her palm, and burned it on my hand――and there was no pain at all.

「I truly hope that we never cross paths again in the future, and that you will live somewhere far, far away from here.」

Slowly, I looked up and met her tear stricken eyes.
“Please, I beg you.” Keika laughed through her tears.
She stood up quickly, and her outstretched hand cut through the air.
This is not my death, I will be out of reach to someone who found value in my life.
Why does this sadness envelop me? Why do I feel this pain screaming in the bottom of my heart?

―――Don’t leave, I don’t want you to, even though the only thing beyond me is ruin.

「Kei…ka.. Wait. O…pen u…p.. Keik..a… Kei..ka!」
I shouted desperately and reached out for her, but I couldn’t reach Keika as she started to walk away.
As she continued to leave going to the mansion and even if the doors slammed shut, she didn’t look back at my voice until the end.
Even so, as the snow fluttered down in this twilight, I continue to cry for her, until I lost consciousness.