Chapter 15

「Just killing them is no good. Make them scream from suffering and torment, and when all they want to do is lie down and close their eyes—break, break, and break them some more, push them to the brink until they become completely useless. However, to simply kill them, wouldn't that be too good a fate for them?」

Tempted by the words of the girl who was laughing as though she was broken somewhere, the corners of my mouth edged upwards.

「Now then, what I have prepared before you are two separate paths that you may choose from. The first path ends with just me and you in a Master and Slave relations.h.i.+p. If you choose this path, after serving the purpose for which I am buying you, I will give you the power to live alone as well as some money, and I will free you from being a slave. If you are skillful enough, you might even be able to find a way to be happy with what remains of your life as well.」

「...」

「That well-worn lump of emotions, maybe you might become able to crush those painful memories and become able to bury it all deep in your chest and then seal it away. If you can come to do that, then there might be a future in which you might once again find laughter.」

It sounded like a ridiculous tripe.

It was a future neither I nor she wished for.

Still, I continued to say the words clearly and concisely.

I merely told her of one of the possible future outcomes.

What will happen to our future selves, I do not know.

Though the possibilities are good for revenge, one day, you might even be able to live without thinking about it.

It is for this reason that we were having this discussion.

From here on, I will talk about the other choice available because I could say with certainty that this choice will crush the other.

「Or there's the other path, which concerns us being comr-… all-…」

Comrade? Ally?

Regardless of the word, it stops before fully forming.

「Hah… I guess it would be different… with me.」

What came out there was an unconscious monologue.

A Partner? An Ally? What I am looking for is neither one of those things.

Such flimsy bonds; in no way are they adequate words to call this relations.h.i.+p.

I need a name to reflect the optimism of the relations.h.i.+p in which we will be bound by.

Therefore, I am sure of the appropriate name for our contract.

It is a name that a person who lives in the clean and just world would absolutely refuse to adopt.

The name of the person who accomplishes the sin of revenge is no doubt the most fitting.

「You and I are the same. Both of us obsessed with vengeance, so how would you like to become my "accomplice" and enjoy our revenge together?」

Saying this, I held my hand out in the air and the construction of the Heart Sword began.

Black lights flew together until the form of a sword took shape, a double-edged sword about 50 centimeters in length.

The edge of the blade got covered in blood, but also tied around it was something like flickering black flames along the whole length of the sword.

When peering into the gloom of the bottomless darkness surrounding the sword, there is only the feel of misfortune, yet it coexists with a divine judgment that can freeze you down to your very spine.

The only suitable purpose for it in battle is to change its form to that of a Long Sword, but for the necessary usage of it here, it needs to remain in this form.

This is the first manifestation of the [Holy Sword of Vengeance], and gripping the hilt, I cut away the chains shackling the girl's hands and then thrust the sword into the floor before the girl.

「If you choose the former, then just turn your back now. If you choose the latter, though, then you must take hold of this sword. However, you must be resolute in this decision! If you take hold of this sword, you will never be able to turn back. You can never again return to that clean world; instead, you will become forever bound to carry out revenge or die trying, no other avenues will remain.」

「...」

「Let this sword change the burning anger in the depths of your soul into undying flames of vengeance. Whatever happens, until you exact complete vengeance, you will never be able to stop seeking it out. After that, those you seek vengeance on, I shall as well, for we share our enmity. And as such, the targets of our revenge will increase. It shall come to be that those you hate, I too shall hate. And vice versa. Ah, afterwards, if things go well, you may also learn a peculiar skill that might synergize with you, if I remember correctly.」

「… Will you betray me?」

There, in all respects were eyes of the deepest, darkest gloom.

Ah, I understand that look.

I understand why she needs more than a shoddy verbal promise.

「If this contract is made, it will be impossible to harm each other. This isn't something as fragile as a verbal bond: if you die, I die. If I die, you die.」

The girl's eyes twitched in reaction.

As well as not betraying, the constraints of not being able to betray the counterpart are there.

Spare me from being betrayed twice.

Also, I am sorry that you became someone who was betrayed in the same way.

If not for this sword's ability, I would never have proposed this plan.

After I finished talking, my hand parted from the sword handle.

「Of course, there is also the path which allows you to take revenge by yourself. The number of those I seek revenge on is many. Furthermore, the number of those I hate is also many, and so it can be seen as a bit of a demerit. Well, I would only be happy to find that you would become my accomplice.」

「… Why do this?」

The slave girl voiced a question.

But I knew her thoughts were not of doubt.

It was just a confirmation.

Just further consideration as to whether the other party is also of like mind.

Therefore, I stopped hiding behind words. With a wide grin and looking as if afflicted by a touch of madness, I cackled evilly.

「Isn't it already decided? Rather than alone, wouldn't revenge be much more fun if you shared it with another person? Even if the number of people increases so much, to be able to torment, break, and destroy so many, would it really take up so much of your time? However, I have no need of someone who just wants to kill and not truly seek revenge… You aren't like that though, right?」

「Ku… Ahahahahahaha~!!」

And so, that girl, delighted to her core like myself, showed upon her face a smile similar to mine.

「It's good isn't it? That's right, that is indeed how an accomplice should be! Ah~ certainly, if it's you, it might be possible. Yes, with you I will definitely be able to have worthwhile revenge! Yes, rather than alone, they will be pushed down into the darkest depths of despair!」

When she finished laughing, a pure smile like that of the Holy Mother lit up her face, and the eyes which were crazy before now had a spark of light in them.

「Then, I don't need to think any further. Will my desire for revenge not fade away? That's for the best. To keep those flames burning, all I have to do is forget the pretense about ever returning to those days? It's impossible for me. When compared to the possibility of returning to those days, it makes me want to puke, and then the number of my enemies increase? I don't see a problem with that! There's no way that becoming an accomplice and being able to carry out an even greater revenge isn't already the best way to go!」

「Then, you should take the sword. The sword will teach you the way.」

Thus, after I said that, the girl put her hand on the hilt and pulled out the [Holy Sword of Vengeance] which had been thrust into the ground before her.

In an instant, the [Holy Sword of Vengeance], though covered in darkness, cast a flickering light that scorched the eyes.

It was proof that the sword recognized the girl's desire for revenge. The light that was for the sake of blessing the girl's revenge.

「Ah, come to think of it, I have yet to hear your name.」

「Name? My name is Minaris.」

「Is that so, my name is Ukei Kaito.」

「Ukei Kaito… Is this the name of my lord?」

As I said so to the girl, Minaris, for the first time without the madness, a light picturesque smile came across her face.

And doing so, she put the [Holy Sword of Vengeance] against the area around her chest.

「Please treat me well after this, my accomplice, Minaris.」

「Yes, I will be in your care as well, my lord accomplice.」

As Minaris tilted the sword so the point was against her chest…

She plunged it deeply into herself.