The world has begun to move.
Tsugumi's entourage—the girls' rebuttal.
The infiltration of the residence of Duke Felix, the leading figure among the remaining nobles.
Tsugumi, who advocates for democracy while maintaining female superiority, would never ignore the opinions of her companions. Right about now, she's probably discussing how to deal with me and Duke Felix.
The backlash from the revolution had pushed this country close to Tsugumi's dictatorship, and now it seems to be caught in a massive wave.
And at the center of that flow is me. The reason for this debate is also because I've been suspected of plotting a rebellion.
The tide is coming. In a direction favorable to me.
I was aware of that.
But reality, as if mocking me… thrust a new move right before my eyes.
---
Breathing heavily, I ran through the streets.
Beside me, Duke Felix was running at the same pace.
"Duke, where is it? The exact location?"
"Reports say it's under a large oak tree on the eastern side of the royal castle's outer wall."
We were both in the middle of practicing our unique skills when we heard the news. Nao was also at that location, but I didn't bring her with me.
We arrived at the scene.
Several soldiers were keeping onlookers at bay as they secured the area. We stood at the very back of the crowd and quietly peered inside.
"...No way."
There, a young female soldier lay.
A saber clutched in her hands, thrust into her stomach—as if she had committed seppuku. She wasn't breathing, her skin devoid of color.
A corpse.
She wasn't my classmate. She was one of the girls Tsugumi had employed in this country, a former slave who had suffered discrimination.
That day, this girl had been among those who rebutted Tsugumi. She must have been one of the devoted followers in her entourage.
Even during the times Duke Felix and I were practicing Mind Manipulation, I'd seen her a few times when she came to monitor us.
As I stared at the cold, lifeless body of the young soldier from a distance, Duke Felix collapsed to his knees.
"Wh-what have I done…? This is my fault. It must be because I told her to cut her stomach open… She must have taken it to heart. It's because of me… because of me that this…"
"No, wait. It's too much to say it's your fault, Duke."
That's right. The Duke isn't to blame. He just complained to Tsugumi, didn't he?
But more importantly—was this really a suicide?
What if… Tsugumi did it?
Yesterday, Tsugumi and her entourage were arguing about how to deal with me. What if their debate turned ugly, creating an irreparable rift? And what if the outcome was… silencing the troublemakers?
No, no, that's too far-fetched. For one, the victim is a girl. Tsugumi has never killed a woman before.
But it's hard to believe she'd kill herself just because of the Duke's words. Those words were directed at Tsugumi, and frankly, the Duke's influence at this point is negligible, no matter how much he barks.
In other words, the truth must be this:
After parting ways with us yesterday, Tsugumi got into a heated argument with her complaining followers. In the process, she might have scolded or even threatened them. And this girl, taking it too seriously, ended up killing herself.
Given how Tsugumi has hurled abuse at me countless times, it's easy to imagine the kind of harsh words she might have used.
The method of cutting her stomach might have been inspired by the Duke's words, but at most, it's just copying what she saw in games or movies. His guilt is practically zero.
"......"
Either way, this isn't a pleasant thought.
What is Tsugumi thinking right now? This girl was supposed to be her comrade. No matter what happened, she can't be at peace.
Yes—this soldier's death benefits no one.
Maybe Duke Felix and I pushed Tsugumi a little too hard.
"I never imagined things would escalate this much because of me."
That was a genuine sentiment.
"I was happy that you protected me and Nao, Duke. But for it to come to this… I…"
"You've done nothing wrong, Takumi! If anything, it's that woman's—"
"...I don't know, Duke. Tsugumi… she's not a villain. Maybe this incident will make her reflect properly."
I turned away from the corpse and left as if fleeing.
---
The one who cornered her was Tsugumi.
The one who put the idea of death in her head was the Duke.
But the one who set the events in motion that led to her death… was me. My actions, in some way, led her to this end.
What good flow? What favorable direction?
I never expected things to turn out so bitter.
Aimlessly wandering, I eventually decided to return home.
I'm not at fault. I'm sure of that.
But then… what is this unease in my chest? If I hadn't been here, would she still be alive?
"...Shimojou."
There, in a maid outfit, stood Nao.
I'd left her at Duke Felix's residence, but she must have come back here on her own.
She was wearing the maid outfit because she wanted to.
I would've bought her new clothes if she'd asked, but she refused, saying she didn't want me spending too much money on her. In the end, I only bought her one outfit. The rest were hand-me-downs—maid uniforms owned by Duke Felix that had been left unused after the revolution.
"One of Tsugumi's comrades is dead."
Nao was also one of those oppressed by Tsugumi, so I figured I Takumild tell her.
I sat on a nearby chair and slowly laid bare my thoughts.
"Saying it's my fault is going too far. But I'm definitely not unrelated to her death…"
"Are you… sad?"
Nao placed a hand on her chest, looking pained. Maybe my depressed expression had affected her.
"Yeah… I am. I never thought it'd come to this."
"You're not at fault, Shimojou… Neither is the Duke. It's all Akaishi-san's—"
"Yeah, I'm probably not at fault. If I asked anyone, they'd say the same… But still."
If words alone could settle this, I wouldn't be feeling like this.
A long silence followed.
Both Nao and I let the time pass as if searching for something.
Then, I noticed Nao moving closer to me.
"I… I like you, Shimojou."
"N-Nao?"
She… likes me?
What are you saying, Nao?
"I want you… to be happy."
Our lips met.
Hot.
It felt like downing a strong shot of liquor. My mouth, my throat, my entire body burned. My mind went blank, as if all thought had been wiped away.
We pulled apart almost immediately. Nao's face was close. I could feel her scent, her breath, the gaze of her jewel-like eyes.
"N-Nao, what's gotten into you?!"
"You've taken care of me… I love you, Shimojou. You've helped me so, so much. So now… I want to take care of you…"
Nao pulled away from me. A thin strand of saliva—whether hers or mine—stretched between our lips.
Then, as if inviting me, Nao lifted the hem of her maid dress. Her slightly flushed, pale thighs. Black thigh-high socks and a garter belt. And beyond that—her underwear, now exposed.
I had to steel myself too.
"I… I've liked you too, Nao."
Truthfully, I'd known this feeling for a while.
"Back in the classroom, when we talked sometimes… I always noticed you. You're cute, kind… Seeing you in a maid outfit, that garter belt… it excited me a little. So I kissed you because I wanted to. And I want to do more than that. You don't have to frame it as gratitude or anything."
"Shimojou!"
Tears welling in her eyes, Nao kissed me again.
"Mmm… Shimo… no, Takumi-kun. I love you… I love you so much!"
"You can drop the honorifics. I love you too!"
"N-No… i-it's too embarrassing… to call you without honorifics…"
The only thing that could wash away this unease was her warmth.
We tumbled onto the bed. Me on top, Nao beneath.
Nao stretched out her arms and gently wrapped them around my neck.
"—I want you… to take me."
I was about to give in to desire and embrace her when—
Thud. Something hit my stomach.
"Guh…!"
A sword.
In my excitement, I'd forgotten—I was still fully dressed, sword and all. The blade had caught on the bedframe and swung back like a pendulum, slamming into my pelvis.
It hurt like hell.
"T-Takumi-kun, are you okay?!"
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine… I'm fine, so…"
The pain killed the mood instantly.
And then, I remembered the girl who had stabbed herself.
…Ah.
Is it really okay for me to be doing this?
Tsugumi was the one who cornered her. The Duke was the one who put the idea in her head. So I bear no guilt. But even so, ignoring her death to indulge in this… is that really…?
…Huh?
Something nagged at my mind.
"…!"
The interruption had thrown me into a sort of post-clarity state. My brain, sharper than expected, had stumbled upon a realization.
This spark of insight presented me with a possibility.
I needed to confirm it. Right now.
"Nao."
"Eh? Um, Shimojou… Did I do something wrong? Is my body too plain… so you're not excited? Um, I… I want you to—"
"Sorry."
I struck the back of her neck with the hilt of my sword, knocking her out. For all my mediocrity, I was still an adventurer. I'd done this a few times against thieves.
"I'll be back soon."
Whispering to her unconscious form, I dashed out.
=====================
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