Swamp (2)

Squeak.

In the silence where no conversation took place, the wheelchair slowly climbed up the hill.

Beyond it stood the Imperial Palace in the Capital.

"..."

Perhaps Ferzen intended to proceed today with the task that was postponed because she had failed to respond to the draft that day.

"Welcome!"

"Thank you for your hard work."

As if to prove that her guess was correct, when Ferzen, who had passed the gate of the palace, led her towards the underground dungeon, Lizzy naturally gripped the hand-rest of the wheelchair with both hands.

It was only natural that she showed repulsion, as it was a place where traces of her deceased brothers remained in a negative sense.

Creak...

As they descended underground, the air became so suffocating that it was uncomfortable.

In the darkness illuminated by the torches on the wall, the fact that she and Ferzen were walking down this long road alone also mentally exhausted Lizzy.

"Er…! Will you identify yourself?"

But not long after, when the jailer standing in front of the thick iron gate rose from his seat and questioned in a loud voice, Lizzy could feel her trauma, which was binding her, fade a little.

"Count Louerg."

"What is the purpose of your visit?"

"I've brought a soldier who couldn't attend the draft a few days ago due to certain circumstances."

"Yes! Understood! It has been confirmed!"

Squeak.

The jailer, having completed all the verification processes, opens the thick iron gate with the key hanging on his waist.

Then, confronted by the strong smell of blood wafting from beyond, Lizzy unknowingly flinched.

Clearly, each of the cells they passed was impeccably clean…

Rather, that contradictory point made her shudder terribly.

Creak...

When her wheelchair came to a halt after a long journey, Lizzy slowly lifted her head.

Beyond the iron bars in front of her, she could see a single prisoner lying on the floor, completely bound.

"Ugh… Uh!"

The man, thrashing hideously, let out a groan mixed with fear.

"His name is Ceres, age 35. He is guilty of raping and murdering six young girls, so please don't feel guilty."

The following jailer recited detailed information about the prisoner in front of her, then took a few steps back.

Because the notice she received also stated what would be happening, Lizzy too was aware that she would have to kill this prisoner here today.

However, it would be a lie to say that she felt no repulsion.

She had never had the experience of killing someone. But that feeling of repulsion was not based on psychological factors. It was just the repulsion gifted by the morality she was taught throughout her life.

Realizing this, Lizzy suddenly laughed with a hint of self-mockery. The morality that people learn as they grow up is a social agreement that is not defined by law is to treat others as humans.

Did they keep that promise?

That's right, it was funny that she herself felt a sense of repulsion in this situation in the first place.

There was no longer any emotion to spare for the beasts of the world who were deaf to the truth and praised distorted justice.

"..."

So Lizzy stroked her altar and opened her subspace.

Pulling out a candle, she commanded her corpse and...

"Kuh… Kuh!"

She committed the act of murder without hesitation.

Sizzle!

The sound of human skin melting and burning in the rising flames.

The jailer, who had been standing a few steps back, naturally scrunched his nose at the foul smell of burning flesh that was spreading.

However, Lizzy, who had been watching the spectacle without blinking an eye, launched a solid flame with altered properties that tore a small hole in the prisoner's abdomen.

Immediately after, covering that small hole, burning him from the inside as the flame expanded.

"Put it… Put it out──!"

The prisoner's stomach swelled increasingly.

The pain of his internal organs seemingly being consumed by the flames was indescribable.

Even the jailer who had been watching the spectacle turned his head away.

The execution method in front of them was cruel enough to evoke pity, even if he was a vicious prisoner. 

Boom──!

But before long, when the inflated stomach burst and the prisoner in front of them died instantly, Lizzy instinctively squeezed her eyes shut.

Spat!

Thud...!

Bones, whose part couldn't be identified, hit the iron bars and fell to the ground, producing a loud noise.

And the chunks of flesh and blood splattering in between clung to Lizzy's body, making her wet and sticky.

"..."

When she dumbly opened her eyes and felt those pieces of flesh with her hand, it seemed like she could still feel them squirming.

No, maybe it felt that way because her hands were shaking.

Lifting her head to look straight, the body displayed on the ground took on a form similar to that of chewed food.

The unpleasant smell of overcooked flesh wafting from there seemed to induce instant nausea, but Lizzy painstakingly held it back and slowly peeled the chunks of flesh clinging to her cheek.

Drip.

"..."

Why?

Why did things become like this?

Tears streaming down.

She doesn't even feel scared, afraid, or terrified.

Tears flowed from her eyes, mixed with the prisoner's hot blood and dripped down her cheeks.

Who are these tears for?

And, what do they mean?

Startled!

The moment she was about to be swallowed up by her thoughts, Ferzen's large hand grabbed her chin causing Lizzy to lightly shiver.

Swipe...

His touch tenderly wiped her tears.

Then the emotions that hadn't reacted to killing a man... belatedly screamed that it was scary, fearful, and terrifying.

"Ah... haha..."

I wonder….Didn't you enjoy seeing me struggle?

This dreadful stage, no different from hell, was definitely prepared by your hands.

Why do you dislike watching me dance on this stage so much?

Even so, if you dislike it, it might be okay to go through with this unwanted role on this stage until the end.

Tormenting your eyes with my broken, trampled, and crumbling figure unable to move.

And tormenting your ears with my gloomy, miserable, and screaming cries...

A miserable stage only for you.

"..."

And whether your hypocritical kindness can cover all these...

"I'm… hungry..."

Now, I'm a little curious.

"That's right... Let's move."

Ferzen Von Schweig Brutein, the hideous nightmare tormenting me.

So I too will become the thorn of sin that torments you, till the end.

* * * * *

"..."

After a bath with the assistance of the court maids and changing into the appropriate rank uniform, Lizzy gazed at her reflection in the mirror with her lifeless purple eyes.

Certainly, the reflection was her own.

Nevertheless, the sight of herself, seated in a wheelchair, preparing for the impending war, appeared incredibly ridiculous.

Whether it was the Ernes Empire or the Elmark Empire, in their eyes, she would be seen as a knight stepping onto the battlefield without wielding a sword.

Creak.

After this brief moment of self-mockery, she left the dressing room. Ferzen, waiting with his arms crossed, turned his head.

"Let's go."

Blegh!

Just thinking about the meal she would have with him made her feel nauseous.

But Lizzy endured it, controlling her corpse servant to move the wheelchair.

"Is there something you want to eat?"

"..."

As they descended the hill after leaving the palace, Lizzy quietly looked up at Ferzen, who incongruously asked for her opinion.

Since when has this man cared about her wishes?

Whenever he shows hypocritical kindness and contradictory consideration, she feels an excruciating pain, as if her body is twisting.

"...Let's eat steak."

"Your stomach won't be able to handle it."

Due to severe inflammation, all she had while confined to her bed was warm soup.

So, as Ferzen said, suddenly eating oily food would certainly upset her stomach.

But what of it?

It wouldn't be so bad to vomit right there, unable to suppress the overwhelming nausea.

The pathetic sight of her unable to even eat properly would undoubtedly be a sight he wouldn't want to see.

"I don't want an unwanted companion either."

"..."

"But since I have nothing… I guess I need to make money for food..."

"What do you mean?"

"The mansion, the items in the mansion. No one wants to buy anything that belongs to a rebel."

"..."

"With the money left in the mansion, it's impossible to afford a luxurious meal, so the only valuable thing left is this body of mine..."

"Lizzy."

"Why? Ah… How about it? If it's okay, would you like to buy me, Count?"

Her lifeless purple eyes contrasted sharply with Lizzy's forced smile, her red lips looking pitiful.

"Because I'm the blood of a rebel. There will be many people who won't want to give me a penny even if I offer my body… But you, you wouldn't do that, would you?"

"..."

"No response, huh."

Lizzy, continuing to speak alone, began to unbutton her uniform as she fixed her hair fluttering in the wind. 

Then she opened her loosened uniform, blatantly revealing her breasts, swollen with pride, to Ferzen.

"They're… less pitiful than that day, aren't they?"

Shush.

Lizzy, reaching out herself, grabbed Ferzen's large hand and placed it on her chest. 

However, Ferzen's hand never touched her pale skin. His hand, changing direction midway, grabbed the loosened uniform instead.

"..."

Thump.

Thump.

His quietly moving fingers buttoned up her uniform one by one, neatly fixing the indecently exposed attire.

Ferzen, who still didn't say anything, looked down at her with a faint contempt mixed in his eyes, as if he thought even struggling was pathetic.

"..."

This terrible scar that cannot be erased or hidden was undoubtedly engraved by Ferzen himself.

 Why, then, does he scorn her after facing it?

 Could it be that he expected her to overcome this ordeal and bloom into a beautiful flower?

'I…'

You should know better than anyone that I'm not that strong.

 If you harbor such expectations, they will be nothing more than a futile hope.

'What you have to face…'

It's not a woman trying to rise after overcoming adversity.

But a grotesque, miserable woman who screams in agony and gradually withers away.