Not What I Expected (3)

"Mom!" Jennifer-chan rushed over.

"Noel," Nine called out.

"Sorry. Change of plans. I'll be going with Liliath," I said.

'I guess something happened.'

'Split personality is the best I can describe it.'

I know it isn't 'split personality', but just the change in the demeanor in which she presents herself is damn scary.

"How's the other two doing?" Prune asked.

"Eh.. I don't know, let me check," Nine was probably going through [God's Eyes].

"Noel-sama, Prune-san, Rin-san, Nine-san. Thank you for everything," Miss Margrett bowed deeply.

"It's our fault to begin with.."

"As Noel said.. we didn't know this would happen," Prune added.

Our fault.. yeah. If only I paid closer attention to that damn fucking Regressor. Things wouldn't have turned out this way.

I won't take revenge on him. I swear. I don't wish to go down that route of endless suffering..

Liliath said something about killing Javiel, didn't she? In short, she wants revenge? She continued living so that she could get revenge? Why is revenge such a powerful force? That makes no crap sense. Revenge as a motivation is short term and barely lasts in reality.

Only in stories do you see revenge being used to drive someone to such an extent.

"Liliath-sama," Miss Margrett bowed to her..

Liliath came out wearing a black dress. It wasn't the gothic one she wore last night at the banquet, but the elegant laced one we found sifting through Rin's former life– Her Highness Reese's– luggage. For some reason this one fit Liliath just right.. or perhaps Liliath had adjustment magic. You know? Magic equipment that auto-adjusts to fit one's body size? Yeah.

"I'm glad to see you're well, Margrett-san.. and my apologies. It was our lack of prudence that brought about this misunderstanding," her hair had been braided with a few neat locks. But most of it remained loose, hanging past her shoulder.

"I was already aware of such risks."

"Right.. it has been proven in history that these things will happen when you mingle with a hero or Irregular," Jennifer-chan said.

"If you're aware then I suppose we may very well call it a natural outcome. It doesn't mean we aren't at fault however. Dear, are you ready?"

I was already in some getup. I mean.. well.. I was prepared to talk to His Highness Kyoshi by myself if Liliath was still under the weather.

"You don't seem to be all that motivated," Liliath pouted.

"Hey, did you hear what I heard?"

Prune slapped Nine on the shoulder.

"But first and foremost, dear, how do you propose we evacuate Sid-san from the site? That's your objective, correct?"

"Miss Margrett, we'll have to leave this to you. Your husband isn't fond of us," I said.

"I know."

"So the plan, long story short.. you and Liliath will teleport over, pull Sid-san to the room and have your discussion?" Nine asked.

"I think that can do.. how about the two heroes?"

"They look to be alright.. for now. I'll get into contact with them."

"It seems like they're alright.. for now."

"They're advocating for us dear, isn't that wonderful," Liliath said with her eyes closed.

"Yeah.."

"Hm.. let's not wait any longer. Prune, Nine, Margrett-san, Jennifer-chan, we'll be off," Liliath hooked her arms around mine and dragged me towards the exit..

I turned around and met Rin's eyes..

I'm sorry.

We conveyed the exact same message to each other without sharing a word.

===

Liliath and I made a turn at a corridor. The place was dark besides the few magic lamps dangling around. The prisoners here were relocated it seems. They sure act fast.

Up front was a bright room.. or prison cell.

From the dark, a glint of a blade. He got up from leaning against the wall and saluted us.

"First and foremost let me express my apologies.."

"No need."

Liliath raised a hand to stop the light hero, Sasaki Ishida from speaking any further. Wow.. the authority in her voice is the real deal.

"Sorry," he said instead.

Rather than a prison, this place looks like a decked out drawing room. It wasn't like this the last time I looked into Sid's condition. Previously, Sid was just left to a lone single cell.

In a meagerly few hours, this place had already been furnished with all the items you need for a full blown banquet. That doesn't mean this isn't a dungeon.

Sid was standing behind a chair.. and in that chair sat 'him'.

His Highness Kyoshi. Curly brown hair, tall stature, a gentle smile hung on his face. Notably, his eyes were also brown.

"Kyoshi-niisan," Liliath called out.

Besides the light hero, here acting as his guard were Wada Haru, a shielder user, and Sakurai Reina, together with her entire Pigeon Pipe gang. Pigeon Pipe? That's the name of her party.

"Liliath.. It's been a while," Kyoshi said her name with traces of loneliness and hope.

"Yes. It has been a while. How have things been without me? My absence has caused much trouble has it?"

"Please take a seat first. I'm sure we both have a lot to say after being apart for so long. I take it that Noel-san is your fiance? Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too.."

The butler served us tea. A reddish tea with pieces of darkish cinnamon pieces? It smells like sour wild berry, but with a honey sweet fragrance.

"Oh.. you remembered," Liliath

"Of course I do. Though it may offer enough to compensate for what has transpired, I hope that you accept this as a form of my sincerity."

"Thank you, Nii-san," a nice smile bloomed on her face.

"I'm glad you're safe." a nice smile bloomed on Kyoshi's face too.

Liliath took a sip of the tea. A nostalgic expression flashed across her face.

I felt my stomach churn at the sight. Nostalgic? There was a really murky emotion buried in that nostalgia.. I could feel it through the connection between us. It's really heavy.

"Nii-san, is it alright if I made a selfish request before anything?"

"What is it dear sister? If it's within my abilities?" I could see cold sweat run down his cheeks.

"It concerns the livelihood of the family you had used as bait. If it's alright, can we allow the Royal Knight Sid-dono to return to his wife's side?"

Sid raised his eyebrow, fully dressed, head to toe in his imposing armor.

"I allow. Sid-dono, do you know the location where your family is staying?"

"I am aware."

"Hero-dono, can I request you to escort him?"

"I will."

"Ah. I said nothing about the hero. She may pull back," Liliath said.

With a snap of a finger, a door manifested beside Sid.

"Only he may enter. Anyone who tried to do so without my permission will be killed on spot. Please abide by my words," Liliath's chilly voice permeated the space. I felt something wedge itself into my heart.

"Is.. Margrett safe?"

"She's well. Please discuss with her properly in regards to your future plans."

"Very well," Sid's response was delayed a beat, but I suppose he got what Liliath was trying to say.

Sid disappeared just as the door did. The heroes couldn't help be stunned by the sight. Ishida replaced Sid and stood behind His Highness Kyoshi.

"Thank you very much Nii-san. Now, how should we proceed? Should you go first?"

"I propose we make it simple by allowing each side to ask questions in alternation. What do you think?"

"Dear, is that alright with you?" Liliath nudged me.

"Y-Yes.."

"Very well," Liliath showed a cunning smile.

What the fuck is wrong with me..

Here I am in the discussion, but Liliath is pulling the strings. Isn't there anything I can do? Yeah, there is. I should stop trying to think that I have to do 'something'. I should solve this 'fear' I'm feeling, first and foremost.

"You can go first, dear sister."

"Thank you for the pleasure. Let's begin with this, where is Valentine-neesan currently?"

"Valentine-chan? Oh, she's doing well managing the eastern territories."

"Eastern territories? Would you care to explain? Or would this be considered the second question?"

"No, no. The alternation of questions has a simple role of sparking a topic. We need not to abide by it. Let's see.. explaining it would be slightly difficult. But in short, our kingdom is torn between the pro-demon lord faction and anti-demon lord faction."

"And Valentine-neesan supports.. the latter?"

"The former."

"And as for yourself?" Liliath's question came cutting like a blade.. I could sense the bloodlust in her words. The heroes grabbed onto their weapons almost instinctively.

"I'm neutral– as of current. I suppose I will choose a side depending on which faction proves to be more beneficial," politics.

Liliath nodded.

"My question for you… What happened? Where have you disappeared to all this time?" It was a question filled with concern.. the crinkles that formed on his forehead face.. his creased eyebrows.. I was taken aback.

"Y-You.. don't know?" Liliath's cold voice came out stiff. She wasn't able to properly connect her words.

"One day you suddenly disappeared from the castle. We were aware that an emergency search had been launched that night, which had lasted the whole season but.. you couldn't be found. Everyone was worried for you.. particularly Valentine-chan. The only reason why she joined the demon's front was because she thought through working there, she would be able to pick up traces of your disappearance. She was sure it had something to do with the demon."

Liliath's hands gripped into a fist.. she winced as tears poured from her eyes.

I held Liliath's hand..

"Noel.. Why.." she leaned buried her face into my shoulder.

"It's unexpected," I said.

"You think.. I'll be fooled twice?" Liliath raised her tear filled face with a smug towards her brother.

"We were concerned.."

"Do you know? All that pain I suffered through those seasons?! Having my innard ripped out and repaired, having my eyes torn out, my heart punctured and regenerated.. having my mind torn every day, having no food to eat for weeks, having to lick the floor for water, having to sleep on the cold hard floor of winter.. d-d-d-do you know?! How hard it was? Did you know? I was there? I waited.. I waited so long.. Nobody came to save me.. nobody.."

I caressed Liliath's head as she scathed those pent up feelings inside of her.

I learnt something new today.

Another knife was lodged into my heart.

Kyoshi had an expression I couldn't quite put into words. One moment he would try to speak.. open his mouth but no words formed. His eyes began to redden.. soon becoming watery.

He wiped his eyes with his sleeve and pressed his knuckles against his forehead.

In a quiet whisper.

"I should've known.. that damned demon.."