[FGO]: 209

"What!? This is impossible! That year, the clown and Betty both saw with our own eyes how our master... This can't be!"

Shocked by the news, Beatrice was thrown into disarray.

It was precisely because Beatrice had confirmed Echidna's death that the contract she had signed with her fell into an endless loop. But today, Ryou told her that her creator, the Witch of Greed, Echidna, was not dead. Her more than 400 years of waiting had become one big joke.

"I'm not lying to you. Your creator, Echidna, is currently in the Sanctuary. Moreover, the Book of Wisdom that you and Roswaal possess is likely under her manipulation, too. After all, she holds the original Book of Wisdom, so achieving that would be quite easy for her."

"How could this happen!?"

Beatrice's thoughts were in complete chaos.

If it were confirmed that her creator, the Witch of Greed, Echidna, was still alive, Beatrice was 200% certain that the selfish, twisted creator would indeed, as Ryou said, manipulate everything from the shadows, watching her handiwork unfold with glee. The Witch of Greed was exactly that kind of woman. To satisfy her infinite thirst for knowledge, she would do anything.

As an artificial spirit created by Echidna, Beatrice knew this all too well. Thus, her 400-year wait, her 400-year persistence, had turned out to be nothing more than a farce—a puppet show controlled by the witch, with her and Roswaal as mere puppets on strings. And now, Ryou had become the victor, holding her life and death in his hands, leaving little room for deceit.

Understanding all this, Beatrice's face twisted into a bitter smile.

"Then what am I, I suppose?"

"Beatrice…"

Emilia gazed at her with deep concern.

Even though Beatrice had always been cold toward Emilia because of her contract with Puck, now that she had learned of Beatrice's tragic fate, Emilia's first reaction was not to kick her while she was down, but to show concern.

Ryou, observing from the side, took in all the changes in their expressions.

Indeed, only someone with Emilia's personality could truly wield the power of the Witch of Envy, Satella, without losing herself. And as for those who criticized Emilia for being too saintly? So what if she's saintly? With the right guidance, she could become a merciful saint to the world, but to him…

No, no, he almost exposed his dark desires again. Ryou quickly suppressed the thoughts swirling in his mind and shifted his focus back to the drill-haired loli. Seeing that she was falling into despair, Ryou cleared his throat.

"Ahem! You don't need to be so pessimistic. What's most important for you now is to break the contract and regain your freedom. As for the 400 years you wasted—well since you're an artificial spirit with an almost infinite lifespan… So, what do you think? Will you keep waiting aimlessly, or will you choose to fight for your freedom?"

Beatrice clenched and unclenched the hem of her skirt, her small hands trembling, revealing the intense struggle within her heart. After a long silence, she raised her head, her eyes clear and resolute.

"What should I do, I suppose?"

But to her surprise, Ryou shook his head.

"You don't have to do anything."

"Huh!? Are you messing with Betty, I suppose!?"

Beatrice's forehead immediately sprouted several veins of anger.

"To be precise, all you need to do is trust me. Leave everything to me, and I'll naturally break the contract for you…"

At first, Beatrice was deeply moved by his words, but then Ryou's next sentence nearly made her explode on the spot.

"… After all, you're my pet, and as your master, it's only natural for me to run a few errands for my pet."

Smack!

Beatrice immediately felt a string snap in her mind.

"Go die, I suppose!!!"

...

Meanwhile, as this lively drama unfolded at Roswaal's mansion, deep in the Mathers territory, in the forest near the nearest village, a pack of dog-shaped beasts surrounded two tall figures. These beasts resembled Dobermans, but their eyes glowed with terrifying red light. They had gill-like slits on their necks like sharks, razor-sharp claws, protruding fangs, and were much larger and more menacing than their distant relatives.

At the edge of the encirclement was a strange little white dog, its eyes shining like searchlights. With its barking, more dog-shaped beasts continued to emerge from the forest, joining the encirclement.

Beside the little dog stood a brown-haired girl with a ponytail, her face full of tension as she gazed at the figures in the middle of the encirclement.

Perhaps the constant flow of beasts from the forest gave her confidence, for she shouted at one of the figures in the middle.

"You evil woman! Let Elsa go! Or I'll have the dogs bite you to death!"

One of the surrounding figures was a woman in a luxurious black gown, with a lazy expression and a decadent aura. In each hand, she held a stiletto-like weapon. She was the Empress—Semiramis.

The other was an assassin, Elsa, wrapped tightly in a cloak.

Semiramis ignored the little girl and teasingly lifted Elsa's chin with her hand, her actions and expression exuding the aura of a domineering CEO.

"Dear, your companion is calling you back~ What's your answer?"

The once ferocious and bloodthirsty assassin, Elsa, now looked like a timid wife. She glanced fearfully at Semiramis and lowered her head, replying softly,

"I only want to stay by my mistress's side…"

Semiramis's smile deepened.

"I'm glad I gave you a good time last night."

Hearing her mention last night, Elsa's body trembled, recalling the fear of being dominated by the Empress. She quickly lowered her head in submission.

Only then did Semiramis turn her attention to the angry little girl.

"Little one, it seems your companion finds it more... 'comfortable' to stay with me~"

The brown-haired girl puffed her cheeks in response.

"I don't care! You must have threatened her! You have to release Elsa today, or I'll have the dogs bite you to death!"

Sensing the girl's resolve, the little white dog next to her barked twice.

The dog-shaped beasts, their eyes full of malice, growled and slowly tightened their encirclement.

"So these dogs are your trump card."

Even as the beasts closed in, Semiramis remained calm, smiling without a trace of fear.

"Then how about this?"

With a light laugh from Semiramis, it seemed as though something invisible had suddenly filled the air. Then, in an instant, the dog-like beasts collapsed in waves, their eyes rolling back and foaming at the mouth. Even the little white dog beside the girl began to stagger, transforming in a flash of white magic into its true form: a monstrous dog three times the size of the others.

But with a thunderous crash, the newly transformed dog king collapsed to the ground, perfectly illustrating the phrase "can't stay cool for more than three seconds."

The brown-haired girl's eyes widened in shock, her mouth agape, utterly dumbfounded.

At this moment, Semiramis gracefully walked up to the girl, crouched down, and smiled "kindly" at her.

"Little one, who did you say you wanted to bite to death?"

The brown-haired girl gulped nervously, carefully glancing around. By now, the dog army she had relied on was completely wiped out. Her face quickly rearranged itself into an ingratiating smile.

"Sorry..."

Before she could finish, Semiramis gave her a casual glare. The girl immediately corrected herself:

"... Big Sister, it's all Meili's fault. Can you forgive Meili~?"

Her cute little face was now full of tears, looking utterly pitiful. However, Meili's true thoughts were:

'Damn old woman! I'll pretend to be obedient for now, gain your trust, and then rescue Elsa when the time comes. I'll make sure you pay!'

But Semiramis was no fool. She was the Empress who had poisoned her husband to seize the throne.

Elsa, who had been thoroughly "educated" last night, desperately signaled Meili with her eyes. When Meili tried to act cute and innocent to get out of trouble, Elsa, standing nearby, looked utterly resigned.

Semiramis, still smiling, said, "Ara~ What an adorable child. Big Sister will forgive you..."

Meili's heart soared with joy.

'Stupid old hag, so easy to fool! I will turn the tables and save Elsa, then rise to the top of the assassin world!'

But then Semiramis's tone suddenly shifted.

"... But forgiveness comes with a condition."

"I'll agree to anything, Big Sister!"

Meili put on her most innocent expression.

"It's simple. All you have to do is swallow this pill."

Semiramis smiled as she pulled out a glowing purple pill.

As a beastmaster, Meili had sharp senses. She immediately felt the immense dark energy contained in the pill. It wasn't something good.

Meili's face paled as she looked up at Semiramis, who was gazing at her with a teasing smile. She hadn't been tricked; Semiramis had seen through everything from the start and was just waiting for Meili to fall into her trap.

Meili's face turned deathly pale as she shakily took the pill from Semiramis's hand.

As a beastmaster, Meili could control monsters by breaking their horns, and she had earned a fearsome reputation alongside Elsa as part of a deadly assassin duo. Meili, whose hands had been stained with blood, wasn't some clueless little girl; mentally, she was far more mature than her appearance suggested.

Having lived in the assassin organization, Meili knew the harsh truths of the world. She had seen countless assassins controlled by poison, curses, and other sinister means. Meili knew all too well that once she swallowed this mysterious purple pill, her fate would be sealed. Her future would be no different from the assassins in her organization—forever bound and enslaved, with no way out.

Meili tried several times to toss the pill into her mouth, but each time she hesitated, unable to bring herself to take that final step.

Seeing this, Elsa couldn't hold back any longer.

Having teamed up with Meili for several years, and having gone through so much together, Elsa had come to view the girl as a little sister, the one bright spot in her otherwise dark life.

Even though the very thought of Semiramis's methods sent shivers down her spine, Elsa gritted her teeth and spoke up.

"Mistress, she's just a child. Please, I beg you, spare her."

"Hmm~"

Semiramis turned to look at Elsa with cold eyes. Elsa trembled slightly but still forced herself to continue.

"Please, Mistress, spare Meili. Your slave, Elsa, is willing to pay any price..."

However, Semiramis's reply sent Elsa into a deep chill.

"Have you forgotten? Your life, your soul, every bone in your body, every hair, every drop of blood is already mine. And yet you want to offer what's already mine in exchange for a deal? Know your place!"

"That's enough! Stop making things hard for Elsa!"

Unable to bear it any longer, Meili shouted, her face filled with resolve. She threw her head back and swallowed the pill. Then, with a fierce look in her eyes, she glared at Semiramis.

"Is that enough for you!?"

"Meili! You..."

Elsa, too late to stop her, could only let out a long sigh.

Semiramis's smile grew even more radiant, her eyes narrowing into slits.

"What a good girl. I'll be sure to take very good care of you~"

The Empress's overwhelming aura made the little girl tremble in fear.

The crisis that had loomed over the Mathers territory's villagers had been quietly averted. But at the same time, an even greater catastrophe was heading their way.

...

The moment Ryou killed Satella, every Witch Cultist across the continent received the same message from their Gospel:

The darkest hour has come,

Bestow the half-demon with the final trial,

Offer blood and souls as sacrifices,

Summon the shadow of death,

The Witch King shall return,

The blood of the Divine Dragon will drench the earth,

All things shall return to the void!

The Witch Cult immediately erupted in frenzy. Centuries of waiting had finally borne fruit! Their master, the one they worshiped, was about to return! The rest of the world would be consumed and turned to nothingness!

The Witch Cult, originally chaotic and evil, suddenly found a unifying faith, shifting toward a more lawful form of evil. Any dissenting voices were ruthlessly silenced, and soon the entire Witch Cult was united under one voice, one will:

To welcome the return of the Witch of Envy and bring the world to nothingness!

Witch Cultists scattered across the world began converging on the Dragon Kingdom of Lugunica. The terrifying Archbishops of Sin, wielders of dreadful authority, also started heading toward the hidden Witch Cult stronghold in Lugunica.

Ryou had no idea that, because of his unintentional actions, the course of the world had shifted completely onto a new path. And this new path was a reckless one, racing at breakneck speed toward madness!