was already in place, but... Kaito." A bead of sweat ran down Kaito's chin. The next moment, a high-pitched noise like something scraping against glass rang out. Everyone there jumped when they heard the screech. Something white was soaring over the treetops and letting out a grating whine as it flew toward the throne room. Upon further inspection, it was a milky-white orb, remaining airborne by rapidly flapping its wings. Whatever it was, it wasn't any sort of respectable life-form. Immediately, Hina leaped off. The hem of her apron dress fluttered as she held her halberd aloft. As she did, Elisabeth called out to stop her. "Hina, halt! That thing is a device containing urgent communications from the Church!" Hina, lowering her weapon, fell straight down and landed. The orb stopped in front of Elisabeth. Then its wings fell out, it returned to being an ordinary jewel, and it plopped into Elisabeth's palm. Throngs of runes whizzed across its surface. Elisabeth, having deciphered the torrent of glowing magical runes, opened her eyes wide. "Demons are attacking a port town to the south? The Grand Earl and the Grand Duke have joined forces?" "What?" Kaito let out a surprised exclamation. As he understood it, ever since the Torture Princess and the Kaiser had their falling-out and struck each other down, the demons had avoided conducting large-scale attacks and instead preferred to amass power individually. Furthermore, after Vlad, their mediator, had been captured, none of the demons had worked together with one another. Yet, after all this time, two demons were coordinating and attacking a human town. Narrowing her emerald eyes, Hina spoke in a strained voice. "This is clearly the work of the Grand King... Is it not, Lady Elisabeth?" "To be sure. Either that wench revealed my weakened state to them or is controlling them both directly...but in either case, we've no choice but to go. The Church has given me direct orders to subjugate them." "Wait, what? No! What are you talking about?!" Kaito shouted. Seeing the anger in his face, Hina closed her half-open mouth and took a step backward. Kaito glared hard at Elisabeth. Until just a moment ago, she'd been stuck sick in bed. Even though her condition was somewhat better, she was a long way off from being fully recovered. Regardless, though, she rose from her throne. "Have you forgotten, Kaito? Should I defy the Church's orders, I'll meet my death at the stake." "Even so, they can't just expect you to run at full throttle twenty-four seven! We can contact the Church and tell themâ€”" "What are you, a dunce? They'd not excuse me over a matter as trifling as that. The Church cares little for my condition. Their God sits idle, saving no one. In the name of that God, they brandish their whips at their restrained hounds and, in doing so, make the world go round. In the name of their God, all is well." "Well, that's screwed up! You know, I've been thinking this for a while, but now I'm gonna come out and say it." Kaito's breathing was ragged. Due to his fierce anger, his mind was conversely starting to clear up. As he calmly put his thoughts in order, he gave voice to the sense of discomfort that had been growing within him for some time. "You're eventually gonna get executed. After you kill the fourteen demons, they're gonna kill you at the stake. That's your obligation, and that's your atonement. But even so, your sins won't be forgiven. And sorry, but I agree. You've left too many corpses in your wake." "I have no rebuttal; everything you say is as it is. But what of it?" "But it's messed up that you're the only one fighting." *** Elisabeth elected to remain silent. Kaito took that as affirmation. She herself should have noticed just how unreasonable it was. Between the demons' countless tragic victims and him having watched their battles, Kaito, for one, had had doubts and frustration pile up inside him. "I get that other people can't match up against demons. After having left so many corpses in your wake in order to gain power, you're the only one who can face off against them. But why is nobody else shedding their blood? Why aren't they laying down their lives to protect others? How can they leave all the fighting to someone who knows they're going to be killedâ€”how can they keep their own hands clean while they leave cleaning up the swine to the sow? That's fucked up! How can they get away with that shit?!" "Kaito." "How can they just sit up in their box seats? It's one thing when things are normal, but when you're as weak as you are nowâ€”" "Mind your tongue." Her voice, sharp as a knife, stopped Kaito in his tracks. Feeling as though he'd just been stabbed in the throat, he closed his mouth. But overpowered and silenced as he was, he still glared at Elisabeth. On the receiving end of his gaze, she wore a coldâ€”yet somehow gentleâ€”expression. "I am the Torture Princess, Elisabeth Le Fanu. I have tortured and killed more than any other, been captured by the Church, and been tasked with slaying fourteen demons. And once I've executed them all, I myself will be put to the stake. I have harmed, oppressed, and killed mercilessly, brutally, and arrogantly. And now the feast and feaster have switched places. Mankind has the right to use me up and slay me as they please. That is what I decided." The Torture Princess, a woman who had tyrannized and stolen from many, spoke with a serenity that evoked the image of a martyr. Her crimson gaze pierced through Kaito. She had the eyes of a solitary wolf. The peerless sinner, prouder than any other, pressed on. "I, and none other, decided that. And I shan't let any criticize that decision. Not a soul." No matter what he said, he wouldn't be able to budge that resolve of hers. As he realized that, Kaito swallowed the rest of what he wanted to say. After all, he understood that he, too, was constantly protected by the Torture Princess. He was in no position to casually judge others. Yeah, I get it. I'm just a dim-witted servantâ€”I don't have the qualifications to get mad about that. As Kaito involuntarily turned his face away, Elisabeth began walking. Her lustrous black hair fluttered behind her as her heels clicked sharply on the stone floor. "We head for the town in question. Hina, Kaito, comeâ€”but be prepared to defend yourselves." Kaito nodded in ready assent and then tightly squeezed his blood-drenched hand. Then he tried to follow after Elisabeth. Suddenly, he felt a tug on his elbow. "Huh?" Kaito turned to check behind him, and he saw Hina standing there. She was looking directly at him with her beautiful, transparent emerald eyes. Right before he could ask her what was going on, she placed her halberd on the floor and abruptly extended her arms. "Pardon me, Master Kaito." "Hina, what areâ€”?" Then she pressed down on his cheeks. As she sandwiched his face between her hands, Hina wore a serious expression. Although her hands were those of a doll, they were just as warm as a human's. After a short silence, a question mark appeared over Kaito's head. "Hina, whuff thiff all of a fuffen?" "Have you settled down, Master Kaito? If you have, I have something I would like to say." Hina took a deep breath. Her eyes filled with worry and unease, she spoke eloquently and in a single breath. "The wound on your hand is not something you could have gotten by putting away knives. You are hiding somethingâ€”and furthermore, it appears to be something that you cannot tell myself or Lady Elisabeth about." *** "I have no intentions of defying your wishes and attempting to pry information out of you. But there is one thing I ask that you please remember. No matter what secret you may harbor, I will always be on your side. So no matter what happens, please do not hesitate to call on me. Do you understand?" It was like she was trying to etch her thoughts in Kaito's mind. The words shook him. Hearing her concern brought him nothing but happiness. During his life, not a single person had ever shown Kaito kindness or goodwill. And nobody, not even his parents, had once tried to protect him. But regardless of what he was hiding from her, Hina was telling him that she would defend him. Even so, he couldn't reveal his secret to her. If I told her, there's no doubt that she and Vlad would go for each other's throats. Keeping her in the dark was painful, but he didn't have any other options. As he remained silent, Hina loosened her grip on his face. Her expression seemed somewhat forlorn. Seeing that, Kaito opened his newly freed mouth and, as if to pile on to what she'd just said, suddenly brought up something he needed to tell her. "Hey, Hina...why do you go so far to protect me?" "Because I love you." "Yeah, I get that. You told me, right? That you may have the preconfigured heart of an automaton, but it's still yours and yours alone. That the moment you chose me as your master, and I chose you, that you decided to dedicate your love to me and none other... That made me really happy." "Master Kaito... Of all the things that have happened to me in this world, meeting you was the most... If not for that, none of the other good things would have happened. It was my sole moment of fortune and my supreme joy." "But why me?" "...Master Kaito?" "I don't have anything to offer you. I'm just an ordinary human. I can't understand why you picked me. I don't have nearly that much value, which means that... Or rather, even if that wasn't the case, even if I did have value, I can't let you get dragged down by how weak I am." Hina was about to open her mouth but then closed it. She prompted Kaito to continue. He nodded deeply. "From here on out, even more so than before, I could die at any moment. So I'll say it one more time. Even if I die, I want you to keep on living. That alone I refuse to give up on." Kaito made his declaration. She'd offered out her hand to him and told him to rely on her, but he couldn't take it. Hina inhaled deeply and then exhaled and pursed her lips tight. She then put a great deal of force into her hands. Kaito's cheeks were squished even flatter than before. "Ahain, why are you squiffing my sheekf?" "First of all, as to why I chose you... It would take an entire week to go over everything, is that all right?" "Why?" Kaito blinked, having not expected her response. Hina fixed her gaze on him, her eyes overflowing with warmth and affection. She smiled as if looking at someone incorrigible. "In time, I will explain why I chose you. Why it couldn't possibly have been anybody else. However, at the moment, we don't have the time. We must go together to where Elisabeth is." "...! Hina, about what I just said, I need your response." "I understand perfectly. These peaceful days that you hold so dear, that we all love, are on the verge of falling apart...and you're afraid. But don't worry, Master Kaito. You needn't make such assumptions." Hina kneaded Kaito's cheeks. As she pulled them horizontally, she smiled. "It is in predicaments such as these that it's most important to smile. It's going to be okay. I will absolutely protect the both of you. Even if you say you don't want me to, I will stand in the way of all your