Chapter 77

Was Duke Pose satisfied now that Calypse had been stabbed? The voice echoing inside my head vanished, and I regained control of my body.

“Father!”

I desperately burrowed into his arms, trying to stop the bleeding.

“Father, don’t move. It’ll hurt more if you move.”

Still on my knees, I wriggled closer and hurriedly pressed both hands against his blood-soaked abdomen.

But the hands of a five-year-old were far too small.

I felt this every time. No matter how clever I was inside, I became helpless in the face of a truly powerful adult.

“...Sob... Hic... Sob.”

Hot tears streamed down my cheeks. I was trying so hard to stop the bleeding. I was pressing down on the wound exactly as I had been taught during training.

If only my hands were a little bigger. If only I were a little stronger, I could have saved Father.

The wound had struck his abdomen with precision. It would not kill him immediately, but at this rate, he would undoubtedly die from blood loss.

“...Aisha. Get out.”

Even now, my foolish father was worried about me.

“Father, you’re bleeding!”

“Hurry. Your father won’t die from something like this.”

That was when Ariana spoke.

“How pathetic. Your own daughter is a spy for the Pose family, and you can still call yourself her father?”

She wiped the blood from her dagger, then tossed the handkerchief onto the floor.

“She was the one who lured you here. She was the one who suggested going to the private salon upstairs. And you still want to keep playing father?”

“...Ignore it. She is my daughter.”

“Calypse. Your daughter and your former wife are both spies.”

At those words—

“...We’re not divorced yet.”

Calypse muttered through ragged breaths.

Ariana’s eyes slowly widened at the unexpected answer.

“Former wife, she says... Even if your actions were only an act, to me, you were my beloved wife.”

He barely managed to raise his head, the corner of his mouth lifting.

“Now you’re my damned wife.”

Even as he said it, Calypse made no attempt to hide his feelings for Ariana.

There was a slight bitterness to him, but as he struggled to hold on to his fading consciousness, his gaze remained fixed on his wife with unmistakable affection.

Ariana stared at him as though utterly sick of the sight before finally pressing her lips into a flat line.

“...You’re going to die because you’re an idiot.”

“I’d rather not die at my wife’s hands.”

“Then kill me.”

“I’m not a violent man.”

“...Damn it! Why are you such an idiot?”

Her emotions finally boiling over, Ariana hurled the dagger she was holding onto the floor.

How troublesome.

Duke Pose, who had remained silent until then, sighed.

Only then did I realize that he had deliberately withheld his commands and watched the three of us.

The Duke clicked his tongue in displeasure.

Tsk. I should have disposed of her back then after all. One conversation with her husband, and she can no longer conceal her emotions. Aisha, you will have to take over.

No. I couldn’t hear him. I couldn’t hear anything.

I covered my ears with the hands that had been frantically trying to stop the bleeding.

Since your mother is incapable of doing her job, her daughter will have to step in for her, won’t she?

The damp, sinister voice continued to buzz inside my head like insects crawling through my skull, even with my ears covered.

This is an order, Aisha.

Please. Please.

Pick up the dagger Ariana threw away and stab your father—

Protect Aisha.

That was when it happened.

“...?”

Kyle’s voice rang out without warning, and my mind cleared as though I had swallowed a mouthful of cold water.

The dark magic had been broken.

There was no time to be confused. I had to use this chance to do something.

I hurriedly pulled the poison needle from my pocket. Ariana stared at me in alarm.

But I was faster.

I blew.

Fwoop.

The poison needle struck the side of her neck, and Ariana collapsed where she stood.

She was not dead. The needle was meant for defense, not killing. It had merely put her to sleep.

What? Why can’t I sense Aisha anymore? Aisha. Can you hear me?

Damn it. Duke Pose’s voice was back.

There was no time.

Pressing against Calypse’s abdomen again, I raised my head and looked at him.

“Father. We don’t have time. We have to run!”

Calypse slowly lowered his gaze to me, frowning.

“...Your mother—no, never mind. More importantly, is Duke Pose nearby? What exactly is going on—”

“Duke Pose is nearby, and I was being controlled through dark magic. The effects will return soon!”

“Dark magic? Forbidden magic? That bastard used forbidden magic on you?”

“That isn’t what matters right now!”

He really is hopeless.

I shrieked at him, then burst into tears.

“I was created to humiliate you!”

Calypse’s eyes slowly widened.

I had never wanted to say this. But I had to get Father out of here somehow.

“Duke Pose said he kept me alive so he could break you! Please come to your senses! I’m not worth being precious to you! I’m just a tool!”

Yes, Aisha. At last, you understand your place.

I could feel Duke Pose smiling in satisfaction.

Then—

Now drive the dagger into your father’s abdomen. Just as your mother did.

The command rang out with perfect clarity.

My hand moved on its own and seized the dagger.

And as I plunged the blade into Calypse’s abdomen—

I squeezed my eyes shut, unable to look at him.

“...Ghk.”

A short, strangled groan.

This time, the pain must have been real. His upper body folded so far over me that his head nearly touched the crown of mine.

I wailed like a baby, sobbing uncontrollably.

And then Mother, Father, and I, left behind in the private salon, quietly closed our eyes.

***

“It’s all right, my baby.”

No.

“Father told you, didn’t he?”

Not everyone had fallen asleep yet.

“...The adults are the ones at fault.”

The child who had driven a dagger into his stomach collapsed in tears.

Even while struggling for breath, Calypse comforted her.

I promised I would protect her. Instead, I made her witness something no child should ever have to see.

This was not an experience a five-year-old should have endured.

Aisha had always feared Duke Pose’s retaliation. Calypse had known that, yet he had still failed to rescue her properly.

He barely managed to exhale, then slowly opened his eyes.

Now that he had been reunited with his family, it was time to bring everything to an end.

***

At that same moment, on the third floor of Ritaisha’s Jewelry Shop—

“Aisha. Aisha?”

Duke Pose, who had been reclining arrogantly in his chair, straightened.

He could no longer sense Aisha’s response.

“...Did she collapse? In any case, she attacked Calypse. Psychologically, she must be in ruins.”

His goal had been achieved.

Even if Calypse did not die immediately, his corpse would be found tomorrow in the jewelry shop’s private salon.

And the cause of death?

Laughably enough, the papers would report that his wife and daughter had murdered him.

Aisha had lost consciousness immediately after stabbing Calypse. In his current condition, Calypse would not be capable of casting her aside either.

That would make Aisha the most wretched daughter imaginable—a girl who had stabbed her own father with a dagger.

The same would be true of Ariana.

“Ha... Hahahahahahaha!”

Duke Pose threw himself back in his chair and laughed like a madman.

Calypse, killed by the wife and daughter he trusted... What an idiotic, meaningless death!

He could hardly contain his joy that Calypse had died exactly as planned.

“Hahahahaha!”

Madness seeped into his laughter. The whites of his eyes were threaded with red veins.

How many years had he waited to kill Calypse?

Ariana had deliberately approached him nine years ago, so—

“Nearly ten years! Truly, truly, it has been such a long time!”

He suddenly craved strong whiskey.

It was a habit of his whenever a long-running project came to an end.

This operation had cost him countless spies, including rare assets such as Ariana and Aisha, but he was satisfied. The objective of Calypse’s death had been accomplished.

“Now that the matter is concluded, perhaps we should relocate.”

That was when the knight standing nearby like a shadow finally spoke.

“If someone were to enter the shop and discover not only Calypse but us as well, the situation could become inconvenient.”

“Enough. Inconvenient? I warned the staff in advance, so no one will come inside. There’s even a large sign at the entrance stating that the shop is closed.”

Ruining the mood at a time like this.

Duke Pose waved one hand dismissively and shook his head.

“Enough of that. Go down to the second floor and inspect the private salon. If he somehow isn’t dead, finish the job cleanly.”

“Yes. Understood.”

The knight left.

“Whew. It will not be long now before the Kingdom of Doctia becomes an empire.”

Instead of alcohol, Duke Pose gulped down water and roughly wiped his wet mouth with the back of his hand.

Then—

Click.

The door handle turned.

With a slow creak, the door opened.

“Back already? Well? Is Calypse completely dead—”

Duke Pose turned to look, then fell silent.

“Ah. The knight.”

A man far larger than the knight who had just left stood in the doorway, holding an unconscious child in his arms.

“If you mean the knight I just encountered, he is completely dead.”

It was Calypse.