Chapter 482. Killing the Heart
The army had already been mobilized and was ready to march, but now, everything had been exposed.
Norn fell silent... She looked at the troops; though the soldiers didn't dare revolt, they were in an uproar. Could such soldiers still be used?
Regardless of whether they were usable, she could no longer deceive them as she did in the future by saying, "The residents have been bewitched by demons, so do not show mercy."
Because as the soldiers watched Ayanokouji Kiyotaka spend his days in Buranikka, it was clear to everyone that the residents weren't bewitched—the demons were actually good people.
So... what was to be done?
Norn was out of options. She could only look up at the sky, hoping her future self could crush Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. That way, with a record of victory to back her up, the soldiers would obey her even if she were cruel and heartless.
An army respects strength above all else; soldiers care less about kindness and more about power and status.
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「Instantly killed.」
「The soldiers guarding Second Princess Norn were effortlessly cut down by Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, clad in his armor. In an instant, only Eagle Eye, one of the Three Heroes, remained by Norn's side.」
「Ayanokouji Kiyotaka engaged him in a sublime, fierce struggle. Eagle Eye's raw stats weren't overwhelming; his strength lay in his combat techniques and vast experience. But... what a coincidence.」
「Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, having undergone long-term combat training in the White Room, was also an expert at utilizing every advantage through refined technique and experience.」
「Dead.」
「Eagle Eye's death shocked Norn. She held her ground and looked outside, only to see the massacre of the Kingdom's army at the hands of Setsuna, Kureha, and the Ultimate Four.」
「Norn fell silent, thinking for a few seconds. She didn't utter a single threat; instead, she immediately knelt and kowtowed in humiliation, begging Ayanokouji to spare her. To that end, she was willing to offer everything.」
「"Haha, exactly. You are a smart person, Norn. I gave your sister the time of three sentences, yet she still couldn't recognize reality and acted reluctant."」
「Ayanokouji Kiyotaka smiled as he stroked Norn's hair. "However, your acting needs work. You see, you've already exposed yourself. You say you want to surrender, but it's only because you know you must survive to slip back to the Royal Capital. Only there can you lead an army again and avenge your sister."」
「Norn's expression flickered between light and dark... Ayanokouji didn't care. After humiliating her, he said: "The flaws I deliberately left—how many did you see?"」
「Unsure of his intent, Norn spoke truthfully. She had seen through half of them but had planned to settle things in Buranikka first, which is why she hadn't sent assassins after the city or Ayanokouji yet.」
「Ayanokouji expressed moderate satisfaction. Since Norn's level was acceptable, he decided to let her go back.」
「"Are you joking!?"」
「"The entire Kingdom is full of stupid pigs; steamrolling them is quite boring. If a self-aware version of you helps the Kingdom a bit, perhaps there will be some interest in it, haha."」
「After hearing Ayanokouji's reasoning, Norn felt he was simply a madman.」
「However, before letting Norn leave, Ayanokouji said there were two things left to do.」
「The first was that after the Kingdom's army was wiped out, Ayanokouji had the Ultimate Four drag Blade out from the basement.」
「"Y-you're... Blade!?" Norn was surprised once more. She guessed Blade might have been dealt with by Ayanokouji, but she hadn't expected it to be this tragic.」
「Blade closed her eyes at first, waiting to adjust to the sun before looking up. When she saw the shocked Norn, her face stiffened. Despite being under the hot sun, she felt freezing cold. "Your Highness the Second Princess!?"」
「She shook her head frantically, trying to crawl away, but her strength had long been drained by the Ultimate Four. Unable to move, she screamed hysterically: "Don't look at me! Don't look at me! It's not like this! I'm not like this!!"」
「"Heh, killing the heart... killing the heart indeed~ How do you feel? How does it feel, Blade Hero? Haha!"」
「Ayanokouji Kiyotaka laughed loudly. He ordered the Ultimate Four to grab Blade and force her eyes open. Then he said: "Today, I shall let your beloved, your dearest Second Princess Norn, see your wretched state—and let you see hers as well! Haha!"」
「In broad daylight, under the gaze of many, Ayanokouji was not gentle. It was very painful for Norn, but she endured it all... for the sake of survival, for the sake of avenging her sister.」
「"WAAAAGH!! DON'T TOUCH HER! PRINCESS NORN! NORN, NORN, NORN, NORN, MY NORN, AHHHHH!!"」
「Blade's eyes were bloodshot with rage, but she was powerless. She had no way out; she could only watch as she was "NTR'd" by this man, becoming the ultimate cuckold.」
「And it was twice in a row!」
「The First Princess Flare and the Second Princess Norn—the two girls she loved—were both crudely and violently toyed with by Ayanokouji Kiyotaka!」
「"Ah... AHHHHHHH—pfft!!"」
「Vomiting blood, her face distorted and her eyes rolled back. Blade died—she was literally provoked to death by Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's psychological warfare.」
「Ayanokouji's spirits rose as a result, and he grew even more forceful with Norn. Once finished, he told Norn to get lost and return to the Capital immediately, refusing to let the pained and humiliated princess linger for even a moment.」
「This treatment made Norn hate him even more, fueling her desire to become stronger. The future games between her and Ayanokouji would escalate to the point of breaking her limits.」
「This was exactly what Ayanokouji Kiyotaka wanted.」
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"..."
Norn said nothing and returned to the palace.
She knew that, as she was now, she could absolutely not command the army. She would have to ask her father to personally lead the campaign.
As for Norn's un-blurred fate on the screen, her sister—who had already gone completely insane—actually clapped and cheered, causing the defeated Norn's mental state to crumble further.
"I was going to avenge you, Sister!"
"Heehee, what does that have to do with me? You're just a bitch coveting my throne, haha, hahahaha!"
The rift between the sisters grew wider; with dark eyes, Norn began to despise her own sister.
Regarding Norn's fate, everyone who had seen her smilingly order the massacre of the city cheered. No one felt pity for her; she was truly wicked, a mirror image of her sister.
Saving Buranikka and killing the Three Heroes and Three Braves—Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's achievements were magnificent. In this world, the number of people supporting him grew daily.
Because Ayanokouji Kiyotaka was strong—undeniably strong—and strength possesses its own charm.
"I want to follow you! I want to be your dog, waaah, Earth Emperor!"
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