Elise’s Melancholy

<Elise>

A gray solitary cell. The window was set high on the wall, out of reach of sunlight. I had no idea how much time had passed since I was locked in here.

From time to time, I was taken out and tortured so they could extract magical intellectual property from me, only to be thrown back into my cell. To Edge Shadow Corporation, I might be something like a political dissident. I was treated as if I were serving a prison sentence.

I only had contact with other inmates once—when a troupe of traveling performers came to provide some kind of morale-boosting entertainment. Apparently, even we were deemed worthy of that much pity. The curse cast on me by Rabbid was temporarily lifted.

Of course, that was when I realized this was a women’s prison. I had somewhat suspected it already—both the guards and the torturers were all women. Still, it felt strangely surreal that I, once born with a male body, now found myself completely immersed in female society even as a prisoner.

I really have been living a woman’s life through and through. Even during torture, when they yanked my long hair, I was reminded again and again that I was now female.

During the visit, I got to hear the stories of the other inmates. I was surprised to learn that most of them were imprisoned due to crimes involving men. “If only I hadn’t gotten involved with that awful guy, I wouldn’t have ended up doing anything illegal…”—that kind of complaint was common.

At first, I thought, Maybe they just have bad taste in men. But then I realized—these women had done everything they could to survive, and in the end, had no choice but to end up with men like that. I couldn’t bring myself to blame them anymore.

There are perspectives you can only see after living a long life as a woman.

"You ended up here because you married a bad man, didn’t you? I can tell just by looking at your face. A woman with such a proper upbringing wouldn’t be in a place like this otherwise."

A slightly older woman, imprisoned for marriage fraud, peered into my face and said that.

If I hadn’t married Akira, maybe I wouldn’t be here. The man who captured my heart and never let go. The man who confessed his passionate love to me when I was desperately trying to turn back into a man, giving me the courage to live as a woman. The man who made me the mother of two children and taught me the joy of living as a mother. The man who loved me so much that he ultimately led me to walk the path of a woman’s life.

"You were tricked, you know. By a bad man."

"Maybe you’re right. I was tricked... by a bad man. Ufufu."

That exchange reminded me once again that I didn’t regret the life I’ve lived. And how deeply I loved him. I wonder how he and the children are doing now. My family is everything to me.

I had tried to guide our children into eliminating the Karma Points, but that was too heavy a burden for them. I’ve asked our friend Sonata to help, just in case something happens. Though she’s married to Allegro, a brilliant magician, it may still be unfair to rely on them—Sonata and the others don’t have a strong social backing.

The visit ended, and I was taken back to my cell. I expected the curse to be reapplied, but nothing of the sort happened.

“You have a visitor.”

I was called from inside my cell.

“Who? Sonata?”

The guard shook her head.

“A man named Hans.”

Hans? That name isn't particularly rare, even in this world—or on Earth.

“I’ve known a few people named Hans in the past… but which Hans is it?”

“He’s apparently the leader of Edge Shadow Corporation.”

At those words, my whole body tensed.

The mysterious leader of a sinister organization. The very heart of the evil axis that locked me in this place. I’d heard of the title ‘Shadow III’, but to think his real name was so plain… I guess the world is full of surprises.

“Shadow the Third, you say?”

“He’s the Fourth now.”

I chewed over those words. A succession? When did that happen?

The man standing in the visitation room looked more kind-hearted than I expected, and vaguely familiar.

“It’s been a while, Elise. I’d heard the rumors, but… you really have become a wonderful mother.”

He looked like someone I remembered from my school days. He’d gotten a bit rounder and his eyes had drooped a little, but I recognized the features. It was clear from his appearance that life had softened him.

“Ah! Akira’s roommate!”

“I’m glad you remembered. I’d heard you’d suffered terribly from torture, but you seem better than I feared. I’m truly sorry for locking you up in a place like this.”

He bowed deeply, making me feel awkward in return.

“Why the hell are you the head of some evil organization?!”

“Well… let’s just say I got lucky in the adult game of musical chairs. Thanks in part to the efforts of your daughters. I’m really just a transitional figure—playing the dirty role until a genuinely clean leader can be cultivated. I expect my name will go down in the company history as a villain. From now on, I’ll be running all over the place, trying to rebuild the organization. I’ve got study sessions lined up with historians and legal scholars from various schools, going over the successes and failures of bloodless revolutions—like the Glorious Revolution, the Arab Spring, and the August Revolution theory. Each with their own light and shadow. Human history has no shortage of case studies. We have to learn from the past, after all. But before all that, I felt it was my duty—my responsibility—to help you and your husband. Just a greeting for now. You won’t be released immediately, but the paperwork should be done in two or three days. I heard the only protein here is beans, so I’ll arrange for fish and meat, too. Ah—just to be sure, you’re not vegan, are you?”

The walls of the visitation room were covered in blue and white wallpaper designed to resemble clear skies and clouds. It felt like a daycare center. And yet, it seemed like a pathway to sunlight I hadn’t yet seen.

I can go back. I can return to being their mother again. To those happy days I had once given up on ever reclaiming.