Carving A Smile On Her Face

Inside a private room.

"Please... Don't... I don't want to experience it anymore!"

Lyra's tears flowed freely as Saber pushed her onto the bed. She struggled to free herself, but her body proved too weak against his firm grasp. The memories of what Maximus had done to her added to her emotional turmoil, rendering her powerless as she turned her head away.

"I really thought that you were supposed to be so great, Archmage Lyra... And yet, you cannot even save yourself," Saber taunted, forcing her to meet his gaze.

"Even with all your power, with all your fame... You were still reduced to this pathetic state."

Lyra continued to cry, her appearance growing more disheveled, her lips hinting at traces of blood from her hard bites.

Feeling annoyed, Saber raised his hand, ready to strike. But before he could deliver the blow—

Riiiing-!

The sound of the ringing interrupted the tension in the room.

"It seems like your special guest has arrived."

***

The most potent way to inflict pain isn't through physical torture but rather by dismantling one's mental fortitude.

In the intricate dance of emotional healing, there exist seven stages:

1. Awareness: Acknowledging the existence of pain.

2. Acceptance: Embracing the reality of the situation.

3. Processing: Working through the emotions attached to the pain.

4. Release: Letting go of the emotional burden.

5. Growth: Finding strength through the healing journey.

6. Integration: Harmonizing the experience into one's life.

7. Transformation: Evolving into a new, resilient self.

Saber, well-versed in psychological tactics, understood that if Lyra became aware of his intentions, her sanity might begin to mend. To prevent this, he opted for a relentless emotional assault, trapping her in an incessant loop.

The strategy began with diverting her awareness:

- Instead of abruptly thrusting her into the depths of her trauma, one must opt for a gradual approach. It involved subtly redirecting Lyra's focus, preventing her from gaining full cognizance of the impending emotional onslaught.

"No... Please, stop...."

"Why don't you watch properly? Your friend seems to be enjoying getting hit from behind.... Right?"

With her face flat on the bed, the woman let out muffled noises in response as I pounded her from behind.

Forcing her acceptance:

- To cement the feeling of inevitability, you have to make her to think that the situation is inevitable; something that is beyond her to control.

As the woman's noise reverberated in the whole room, Lyra's pleas echoed through the room as she clutched her ears, tears streaming down her face.

"Make it stop... Please... Stop, I can't... Ah...."

Never give her enough time to process her thoughts:

- Just like what's suggested, you have to overwhelm her mind with trauma until she eventually break down.

"Make it stop...!!"

Lyra's scream fractured as the relentless assault left her voice raw and jagged.

Release her pent-up emotions:

-As she crumbles, persist in intensifying the emotional onslaught.

Thud—!

Muted cries now echoed as Lyra pounded her head against the wall painting it red.

Increase the growth level of the trauma:

-Inflict additional elements, further entrenching her in the traumatic lo—

Gritting her teeth, Lyra weakly raised her hands, attempting to cast a spell with her dwindling mana.

Oh my... It seems like I went overboard than what I originally planned in mind, Saber thought to himself as he stared at the incoming ice coming towards him.

Yet, before the icy attack could reach his neck, it was abruptly extinguished by an unseen force.

"Do you honestly believe you can end me with that?"

Lyra, feeling bewildered, questioned in a hushed tone, "...How... How can you use...?"

"Like I said, I'm not the same Saber you knew."

"...."

"Saber is dead."

***

(Saber POV)

"You... You killed him!"

With a fragile voice, Lyra accused me, her expression twisted in pain.

"Me...? Blaming me for it?"

Rather than anger, I found myself laughing at her reaction. Shaking my head, I ceased laughing and retorted in a mocking tone.

"Didn't you all abandon him? Now, you point fingers at me for his demise...? How repulsive."

"All because of you, he met a pathetic end. Do you have any idea how agonizing it is to dangle from the ceiling, neck bound by a rope? The pain is excruciating!" I mimicked strangling myself, my hands gripping an imaginary rope around my neck.

Being good at lying is really useful~ I thought to myself in silent. Removing my dick inside the woman, I pushed her aside and approached Lyra fully naked.

"Don't... Don't touch me... I..."

Ignoring her plea, I seized both of her hands, forcefully pressing her against the cold wall. Our eyes locked in with each other, I leaned in, whispering into her ear.

"You've always been a FAILURE."

A tremor ran through her body, her struggles momentarily ceasing.

"You abandoned one of your comrades, and now you expect help? That's the result of your choices... You can't even save anyone."

Adding a final twist to the knife, I murmured, "How disappointing."

Releasing her hands, I yanked her by the hair, hurling her to the floor.

"However... It's not that I'm upset. I expected this from the beginning."

With a sinister grin forming from my face, I crouched down, tilting my head.

"Do you believe in Fate, perhaps?"

Without granting her the chance to respond, I continued, "What if I were to tell you that everything that is happening now is all because it was written that way? You abandoning him, the death of the original Saber is all because it was meant to happen for the plot to continue."

Her eyes finally met mine. "That's right, this world is just a story... A written novel that was meant to steal some pocket money of their readers~."

"I foresaw Saber's demise, having read the novel to its conclusion... How everyone will end up being sold in this place, and about the secrets of the Calamity."

Upon scrutiny, I detected her expression morph from skepticism to a dark realization.

"Then... All of that.... I..." Her thoughts trailed off, head bowed in stunned silence.

Rising to my feet, I retrieved the concealed dagger hidden beneath my cloak.

"....?"

Am I hesitating...?

As the sharp blade quivered in my grasp, a realization washed over me.

I see... It must be because of you, Junior, isn't it?

The reason why I've been having this strange feelings stirring up inside me now must somehow be related to his emotions.

Am I starting to get affected by him?

...Why are you stopping me?

Although I was trying to have a conversation in my mind in silence, my eyes never left the Lyra, who was on the floor.

No... I think I've asked the wrong question.

Did you really think you can stop me?

Shaking my head, I cast the blade a mere couple of inches in front of her.

"You guys are born to become like this... Your honor, fame and title are inconsequential in this story."

"After all, I'm the main protagonist and you are a mere side character~"

A smirk emerged on my lips.

"Fate is really a bitch, ain't it?"

***

If he's telling the truth... All of it was already meant to happen...?

As the weight of his words settled in, Lyra's expression shifted to one of disbelief. Her gaze fell to the floor, her complexion draining like a ghost's. It seemed her entire existence had been fated to be a vessel of misery.

A surge of anger welled within her, but she felt powerless.

It was fated.

However—

If he knew this, then why didn't he changed....ah!

Suddenly, she began to realized why he was doing it.

It was because of him, the original Saber...

"...It's my fault... I'm sorry... I'm really sorry..."

Unable to bear the burgeoning burden of resentment and regret, her psyche began to fracture. Tears welled in Lyra's eyes as she repetitively begged forgiveness for her real and novel versions.

Clang—!

A dagger clattered beside her face. Observing her distorted reflection in the blade, she made a fateful choice.

"...Why did I have to live?"

She thrust the dagger into her throat.

The woman, witnessing her friend's slow descent into bloodied agony, extended a trembling hand. Sensing an opportunity, Saber grinned, flinging her to the ground to face Lyra.

She helplessly watched her friend perish before her eyes.

"Ah—"

"I don't know who you are, but... Since you've heard everything, you have to die... Before that, why don't you just sit back and watch the show," Saber chuckled.

***

Moments later, the door creaked open slowly, revealing a hesitant man in a suit who opened his mouth to call for someone behind the door.

However—

"...This?"

The man took a step back, his back hitting the wall as his eyes widened in horror at the gruesome scene before him. Saber, unfazed, noticed the man's shock and sighed.

Approaching the man, Saber handed him a pouch filled with gold.

"I'll pay double their original price, including the cleanup for this room."

The man's eyes lit up in sudden realization. Ignoring the disturbing mess surrounding him, he clapped his hands and presented a wide smile.

"Thank you for your patronage~!"

Saber continued walking past him, but he halted midway.

"...I'll also buy slave number #13. Please, prepare another room. I'll be resting here for the night."

"As you wish, my good sir~"

With that, Saber proceeded to execute his plan once again, leaving the man to attend to the aftermath of the gruesome display.

...

..

.

After leaving the room, Saber returned to face the others. Their eyes widened with anxiety upon seeing the blood on his clothes.

"What did you do to her!"

One of Junior's previous companions screamed out, desperation evident in their voice.

"Put some smile on her face, wanna see?"

Saber projected a mana-made screen, displaying a video of Lyra stabbing her own throat, followed by him carving a smile on her lifeless face with the dagger before flashing a peace sign to the screen with a cheerful smile.

[Peace~!]

As the video ended, all of them became speechless as Saber's other former companion looked at him with grim.

Suddenly, five heavily armored men entered the room behind Saber.

With a sigh, Saber addressed them, "You and your men can use them however you like. Just make sure to cut their throats after you guys are done, alright?"

The last time they've seen him, they were the once to turn around.

Now...

Letting out a exasperated sigh, Saber turned his back towards them in the same manner they did back then at the party.

"You don't deserve his goodbye."