The Cruel Angel's Interrogation

“…So, you say I am Celestia, a daughter of the Duke Inkfield, and the ex-fiancée of King Enrique VI? And five years ago, I was executed for attempting murder of my own half-sister, Alice, who later married Enrique VI? I can’t believe I had such a cliché villainess backstory.” I sneered.

“You don’t even remember your sin? Did you sell your memories along with your soul to the demon, you villain? Even if your appearance has changed, your wickedness has remained!” The swordsman, or combat mage, Benjamin von Altos, replied in the strongest terms possible.

“I was about to ask, actually. Why did you and that veteran keep saying I am a ghost, a demon and the sorts? If I had that much resources as a daughter of the Duchess, then surely I could have faked my death and escaped with my life back then. You even say I look different now. Did I climb out of my own tomb or something?”

“YOU DID!!!”

I looked closely at where I was standing. In front of a beautifully crafted, marble tombstone was a giant hole in the ground. The ornate coffin inside, suitable for a high-ranking noble, was wide open.

…Let’s pretend I didn’t see that.

“That aside, your familiarity towards the Royal Family and hostility towards me are suspicious. You are a count’s son, aren’t you? The affairs of the Royal Family should be way out of your reach, but you talked about Alice not as ‘the Queen’ or ‘the Princess-Consort’ but as ‘Lady Alice’. Not to mention that irrational fear that old man had for me. A veteran like him should not be afraid of a little girl, ghost or not. Perhaps we were acquainted?”

“…I have no more words for Gerold’s murderer! Go back to hell, you ghost!” Benjamin declared.

He was clearly hiding something. I stabbed his left leg in response, but the young man, though visibly in pain, refused to speak another word. Torture wouldn’t make him say more, I felt. Another method was necessary. Maybe I could extract some information from his words and use that against him.

“…ah, I remember now. You were one of Alice’s followers back then.” I pretended I knew everything. “You were so smitten by her, so you played a hand in the conspiracy that ultimately led to my death. You were just as guilty as those two. I guess I will have to judge you with my sword.”

“?!” Benjamin suddenly flinched. My speculation was correct, then.

“…Or so I would say, if I was still a human. You know, I am a vengeful spirit now. You know what vengeful spirits do? They possess people. Now, to raise a spoiled brat like you, you must have quite a happy family? The Count Altos, being the excellent man he is, must have sired a few more cute little brothers and sisters besides you…”

“…What are you planning?!”

“I mean, wouldn’t it be a bit of a trouble for you, if the gallant knight like the famed Benjamin von Altos was to brutally murder each and every one of his family. His cute little sister, who unconditionally loves his big brother, included. Oh, look, what is your right hand doing?” Under the control of my psychokinesis skill, his right arm grabbed his sword and pointed it at his own heart.

“…You!!!”

“Maybe I will kill the homewrecker while I am at it. A member of the Royal Guard can get close to her easily.”

“Leave Lady Alice and my sister alone!” Benjamin yelled. Yet no matter how much he screamed, no one but the howling wind listened.

“I will. If you tell me everything about me, Alice and that incident, I will leave them alone and set you free. I swear to the Inkfield name.”

“…Fine. You might be I swear to the Altos name, I will tell you everything I know.”

Under an unbreakable oath, the rude knight revealed all his secrets.

————————

“…That was all. Now, keep your end of the bargain and put down your spear and release my me, you insolent criminal.” Benjamin von Altos, in his signature arrogant voice, demanded.

“Even if we are enemies, I have to admire your courage.” I sighed. And pride, I thought.

I put down my — more precisely, Gerold’s, spear, and released his right arm from psychokinesis. I turned around and signalled Benjamin to leave. But instead of running away, Benjamin lunged at me with his remaining might; he must have sensed an opening.

…as I thought he would.

The young knight’s sword stopped just before it reached my face. Under the control of an unseen force, the young knight slowly walked towards Gerold’s body and stabbed it frantically.

“What… are… you… doing…?” Even as he was forced to defile his comrade’s body by psychokinesis, he still had enough strength to speak. He was a true knight, defiant to the very end.

…But a that is why he would die on a battlefield.

“Oh no! Look at what you are doing? The son of Count Altos killed Gerold out of some minor disputes! Who would have thought. But luckily, the gallant Royal Guard Gerold got his revenge before he died.” I whispered, a warm smile on my face.

“You!! You’ve… planned to do this… from the very beginning, didn’t you? You… set me up…”

“Of course. It will be problematic if people find out I am alive by the looks of things. But if there are no witnesses, that won’t be a problem. Just need to make sure the corpses are staged correctly, like what the Yuzukis used to do…”

“You… mon…ster…”

I’ve been called that countless times. By my enemies, by my allies, by my best friend, even. Perhaps I am one. That’s why I chose death, but the world seems to deny even that. Even now, I was taking lives with a smile. Perhaps, just by being around, the people besides me will suffer…

I shook my head to refocus my mind.

“In any case, I suppose it is the time to say goodbye.” I raised Gerold’s spear. “…Fate has us as enemies. Maybe in our next lives, we can be comrades. …Farewell, Mr. Gallant Knight.”

Gerold’s spear ran through the knight’s heart, his hot blood entangling with the silver light of the cold iron, forming crimson threads leading the man’s soul to the realm beyond.

Author's note:

Sorry for not updating this for a while. I just finished my competition entry earlier this month, and after that I was a bit burnt out and had to deal with some IRL issues too.

I will resume updating this novel, hopefully putting out at least one chapter per week. Now that the competition is over and I am not under time pressure any more, I might expand this novel a bit more than what I originally planned.