Revenge against Margarida and Yukiko

I stood still for a moment, staring at the silently stained floor. The sound of voices had ceased; the courtyard seemed to have shrunk until it was filled with the heavy air of decision. It was then that my eyes fell on Wobo , the wolf-man who had been smiling that predatory smile from his cell until then.

Wobo still looked as if he were saying it had all been a calculated game. But something was different now, too much calculation in his eyes, and I couldn't tolerate it anymore. I approached the bars with firm steps. Ryn tried to intervene, his throat tight, but I gestured coolly for him to stay still. Kalea fell to her knees, her hands covering her face, unable to watch.

“You played with my life and the lives of others,” I said, my voice sharp, as empty as the courtyard around it.

Wobo growled, part surprise, part disdain. But there was no more time. Just as I had done with Oliver, I had done with Wobo ; I drew the short blade I had kept hidden. It was quick . A sharp, unspectacular movement, and Wobo fell, the smile fading from his face like someone who had lost a bet he thought was a sure thing.

The impact was immediate and profound. Some prisoners let out broken screams; others were petrified. Ryn staggered, clutching the wall, Kalea sobbed softly. The cell where Wobo had fallen became a silent epitaph to the price they had paid for their crooked alliances.

Then, silence. I stood still for a few seconds, feeling the weight of what I had done. I had killed Oliver, ordered the massacre, and now I had taken Wobo 's life . Revenge was advancing, but the one commanding it was no longer the same me; something was irreversibly broken within me.

That night, when Margarida confirmed she'd kept her end of the bargain and said the brooch would be ready, I received the news with dismay. The symbol of success had arrived in his hands, but it was caked with a crust of blood and guilt. Ryn and Kalea didn't speak, looking at me with a mixture of fear, hatred, and a loyalty I no longer knew was right.

The silence in the barracks seemed to scream. The massacre, the deaths of Oliver and Wobo , still hung heavy in the air, as if the echoes were embedded in the walls.

Ryn took a few steps back, her arms crossed, her gaze lost somewhere in the distance. Kalea sat on the floor, hugging her knees and breathing rapidly, as if still trying to believe what she had seen.

— Araya … after what you did, I don't know if I can look at you the same way. — he began Ryn's voice was low but firm.

I kept my gaze cool, but my hand was shaking slightly.

— I know. But now is not the time to divide forces. — I replied.

Kalea looked up, her eyes brimming with tears.

— You killed everyone, Araya . Even Wobo … even after everything, you didn't have to go that far. — he said Kalea crying.

— I needed it. — I said without hesitation.

— Margarida demanded. And if she didn't accept, we would lose the chance to finish off Yukiko and the others. — I finished

Ryn sighed heavily and took a step forward.

“I’m not going to abandon you now. But I need space. Kalea and I… we need to hide, at least for now,” he said. Ryn .

I had already thought about that.

—The Zairos ' house . — I said, my voice controlled.

"No one in the nobility cares about who lives in the commoners' quarters. They don't remember faces, only coins. You two can take refuge there," I finished .

Kalea lowered her head, silent. Ryn looked at me again, her eyes warring with warring distrust and loyalty.

— Before I go into hiding, I'll help you execute this plan against Yukiko . Then… I'll go back to the Zairos ' house . — he said Ryn

Araya took a deep breath, the weight of the promise burning in her chest.

— Thank you, Ryn . Thank you, Kalea . — I thanked them.

Minutes later, Margarida returned. Unlike before, she wore simple traveling clothes, but her aura of authority left no doubt as to who she was. She entered the room that was now mine alone, and with a mischievous smile, she held out a small wooden box.

—The gift you wanted so much. — Margarida said almost singing.

I opened the box. Inside, the red brooch glowed like a cut ruby, radiating a subtle energy. Just by looking at it, he felt the connection, as if he could pull at the strings of whoever wore the blue.

—And the tunic? — I asked.

"It's already ready and delivered." Yukiko couldn't resist accepting the gift. She can't wait to go on stage dressed in it, replied Margarida triumphantly.

My heart raced. The final piece of the game was in place.

Margarida walked to the window, looking beyond the walls.

"The stage is being set up in the center of the noble area. Huge curtains, flags, musicians. Yukiko believes it will be the consecration of her image as a saint. Little does she know it will be her downfall," said Margarida, smiling.

I closed the box and kept the brooch close to my chest.

"And I'll be behind the curtains, right?" I asked.

Margarida nodded.

" Ryn , with her Transform ability , will disguise you as a royal servant. You'll enter with me; no one will suspect anything. As soon as Yukiko starts talking, the red brooch will make the magic happen," Margarida replied .

I took a deep breath, feeling the tension build. That night wouldn't just be about Yukiko . It would be the first step in his revenge against everyone who betrayed him.

And deep down, I knew it would also be another step towards the darkness I was digging myself.

Ryn adjusted the fold in his hood with steady hands, his eyes calculating. At the eaves, Kaela gave a brief, all-clear signal. I took a deep breath and let him transform me. In a few moments, I was no longer the soul-scarred Araya ; I was a pale servant in a neutral tunic and a palace-hall accent. Ryn assumed the guise of a minor official, carrying false documents, and we blended into the small entourage Margarida had organized as cover.

The entrance to the noble sector was cold and precise: gates inspected papers, servants checked lists, curious glances scanned faces, no one noticed anything beyond another small casket of curiosities that the palace received from time to time. My breathing was controlled, my heart hammering beneath my chest where I kept the red brooch.

Behind the curtains, a maze of velvet and wood that hid the set—I found the agreed-upon spot. Ryn left a final instruction with her eyes: "When you open it, silence. Only you speak." Kaela , posted on a nearby rooftop, would send a signal if the guard approached. Margarida had come onto the stage earlier to check the lighting and space; her gaze moved up and down the audience like someone counting trophies.

The city was bustling outside. Lanterns lit, conversations leaning toward windows, spectators more for spectacle than devotion. The king wanted to be present, the only detail that made the plan even more explosive.

On stage, everything was positioned for effect. The blue fabric of the tunic Yukiko had received was carefully placed on a mannequin. I felt the weight of fate pressing down on the box hidden between the pleats of fabric.

The heavy curtains hid the stage from the audience. The crowd's murmur was intense, voices mingling between curious commoners and nobles eager for the spectacle. Margarida and I stood side by side, behind the curtain. She kept her gaze fixed on me, as if watching every movement. I, on the other hand, held tightly to the red brooch, feeling the energy pulsate with the promise of destruction.

Outside, Yukiko appeared. The audience erupted in applause and chants, as if they were before a saint. She raised her hands, with that impeccable smile, and began her speech: sweet words, thanks, promises of hope.

It was time.

I pressed the red brooch to my chest and spoke in a low voice, out of earshot of the audience, but Yukiko with the blue brooch repeated every word as if it were her own.

— I love money.

The audience laughed nervously. Yukiko flinched, surprised by her own words, but couldn't stop herself.

— And the filthy nobles… are a source of income.

The crowd's expressions began to shift. Murmurs arose among the pews, and the first cries of disapproval spread. Yukiko tried desperately to shut her mouth, but her own voice betrayed her.

I tightened my grip on the brooch, with a cold smile.

— I, Yukiko , along with the other two heroes and Princess Margarida, attacked the Copy Hero and sold him into slavery because we are greedy.

The silence lasted only a second. Soon after, the entire square erupted in chaos. Nobles rose in fury, shouting insults. Commoners who idolized Yukiko began to weep and curse her name. The king, rigid on his throne, clenched his fist tightly. Yukiko , on the stage, trembled, her eyes wide, as if the world had collapsed around her.

Behind the curtain, I felt Margarida move. I glanced sideways: her face was distorted with rage, her eyes burning with hatred. She opened her mouth to say something, perhaps to accuse me, perhaps to try to take control of the situation.

But I was faster.

Slime 's Pleasure inside her mouth. Margarida trembled, her body arching in surprise, her breath catching in her throat. Her eyes widened, but then the trembling stopped, and she lay still, trying to compose herself.

I smiled, satisfied, and thought silently

— Now, I move on to the next step.

The square was in chaos, Yukiko was destroyed in front of everyone, and Margarida, who believed she was manipulating me, had just tested my control.

Behind the curtain, I couldn't help but smile. The chaos in the square was music to my ears. Yukiko trembling, the crowd enraged, and now… now it was Margarida's turn.

I leaned towards her.

"Now it's your turn. Go out there… and confess everything," I whispered , my voice thick with malice.

For a moment, her eyes burned with hatred, but soon the effect of Slime 's Pleasure took over. Margarida's body relaxed, and, like a well-trained dog, she simply nodded.

— I'll do it.

My chest swelled with satisfaction.

Margarida opened the curtain a crack and, without hesitation, entered the scene alongside Yukiko , drawing the attention of the entire square. The crowd, already furious, fell silent for a few moments upon seeing the princess of Argarill expose herself in such a way.

“Listen to me!” Margarida shouted in a clear, firm voice.

"Don't be fooled. The nobles… we're all full of rot. Just like me. Just like my father," Margarida continued .

King Albert, seated on the makeshift throne, widened his eyes in shock. The murmur of the crowd erupted into shouts, some of surprise, others of indignation.

Ayano and Masahiko , who were standing next to the king, immediately exchanged glances. Their expressions weren't just of surprise, but of suspicion. Something was wrong. Something reeked of manipulation.

Margarida, however, continued, leaving no room for doubt:

"It was my father who ordered the Copy Hero's death. But I… I disobeyed. Not because I wanted to save him… but because I saw an opportunity for profit. So I sold him into slavery," Margarida said.

The crowd went wild. The noise filled the square—insults, shouts, even objects being thrown at the stage. Yukiko stood motionless, her eyes glazed, unmoving. King Albert stood, fury burning in his expression, while Ayano and Masahiko clenched their fists, increasingly aware of the strangeness of the confession.

Behind the curtain, I watched the scene with a huge smile. Everything was going as planned. Yukiko was destroyed, Margarita was exposed, and King Albert was weakened before his own people.

And deep down , a certainty burned within me that this was just the beginning.

Chaos engulfed the square. Nobles screamed, commoners wept, cries of revolt echoed like thunder through the crowd. Yukiko trembled in the center of the stage, her blue tunic now a burden of shame. Margarida, still under my control, stood firm, pouring out the words I made her say.

It was then that King Albert rose from his makeshift throne. Silence didn't return immediately, but his presence was strong enough to impose some control. With his fist clenched, he raised his voice, thick and charged with authority:

"Silence!" shouted King Albert.

the command reverberated like a divine order. Gradually, the screams subsided, but the people's looks of fury remained.

Albert looked at Yukiko , then at Margarida, and finally at the crowd.

"You're hearing manipulated lies!" King Albert said, trying to regain ground.

"Don't be fooled by twisted words and forced confessions!" King Albert continued .

Yukiko 's confession echoed too loudly in their heads, and now the princess herself had confirmed the royals' corruption.

Albert raised his hands theatrically, as if trying to hug everyone.

" Yukiko is a saint! She has healed thousands! And my daughter, Marguerite, is being manipulated at this very moment! Do you truly believe the Princess of Argarill would stoop to such words?" King Albert asked .

Ayano took a step forward, looking around suspiciously.

— Your Majesty… perhaps it would be best to remove Yukiko and Margarida from the stage. Something here isn't right. — he said Ayano in a low but noticeable tone

Masahiko , beside her, agreed.

—It's like they're under… the influence. — he said. Masahiko .

King Albert clenched his fist again, anger nearly boiling over, but he held it in. He looked at the royal guards and shouted,

"Bring Yukiko and Marguerite into the palace! Now!" said King Albert.

The order rang out loud and clear. Guards rushed to the stage to carry out the command, while the crowd erupted again in boos and protests. The king tried to save face, but I, behind the curtain, saw the fear in his eyes. The power Albert so often displayed was beginning to crack.

And I smiled.