Over the past three years, Vyade had moved back from her secondary residence to her original home. The lighting throughout its entire audience chamber was dim. Furthermore, the room's daintily embroidered curtains cast whimsical shadows atop the stairs leading up to the throne. The curtains' large, floral design was gorgeous, yet they possessed the same solemnity as a large, aging beast. The room seemed undefended at first glance, but a number of skilled soldiers were hidden away in its nooks and crannies. Or at least, they were supposed to be. Now, though, not a single one of them seemed to be present. Lute and the others standing behind her hadn't noticed yet, but Elisabeth could tell. They've all been knocked out already. Earlier that day, Valisisa had come to visit Vyade. The first imperial princess had been busy pursuing a group of reconstruction-sect members who'd gotten their hands on some surviving transfigured paladins, but she'd gotten back a few days prior. The way Valisisa had ordered Elisabeth, Lute, and the others to come greet her as well had been haughty, yet friendly at the same time. That was what they'd been on their way to the audience chamber to do. However, the room they'd been heading toward was steeped in the scent of blood. Elisabeth glanced around the room with her crimson eyes. Within, the worst possible result was awaiting them. Two beastfolk lay toppled over. Sitting motionless in the throne was a white wolf with her head drooping low. Atop her was a red fox who was dressed in a military uniform and looked like she'd moved to cover the wolf. Their red and white fur was matted thick with blood. And standing before the two imperial princesses of the beastfolk were two humans. The lovely voice from before had come from one of them, and as for the otherâ€” "The true value of information lies in its ability to set people's minds in motion." The man began speaking in a detached tone. He was tall and possessed a distinct sort of melancholy. Although he was attractive, the bottom part of his face was concealed behind a crow mask. Wearing just half of a mask was a rather strange choice. The rest of his body was garbed in a thick, black outfit. Curiously, it made him look almost like a doctor or a researcher. For some reason, instead of fleeing, he chose to begin making a speech in the bloodstained room. "Moving, how the three races managed to come together for a common goal. But the information that was shared among them and subsequently leaked can be described as nothing but a gross error. The possibility of people appearing from other worlds and the details regarding demon flesh, in particular, should have been concealed. Now everyone knows that by summoning from another world a soul that's accustomed to pain, placing it in an immortal body, making it form a contract with a demon, and giving it the heart of an individual who's ingested demon flesh and accumulated a massive amount of pain, it's possible to artificially create an entity capable of revolutionizing the world." His voice was just as heavy and gloomy as his melancholy appearance would imply. Lute and the others were still stunned. The man's speech, which had been wholly inappropriate for the time and place, had only served to exacerbate that. However, Elisabeth knew exactly what he was talking about. She clicked her tongue. The possibility of people appearing from other worlds and the details regarding demon flesh. That was, without a doubt, one of the things she'd been afraid of. But how would someone arrive at that thought before the information faded from memory?! Only someone who reared hell within their mind the way Vlad did should have been able to notice that fact. Furthermore, Elisabeth had feared even that faint possibility and had taken steps to prevent it. However, the man spoke to no one in particular. "It may seem trivial, but in truth, the fact that this person comes from another world is surprisingly crucial. The people of this world don't realize it themselves, but their imaginations are narrow, causing their potential to be limited. One would have to destroy their very ego to escape the shackles they themselves are unaware of. However, people from other worlds are different. I died, but I got a second chance at life. This time, I'm going to accomplish everything I set out to do. That conception serves as an almighty justification. It gives them that magical quality that allows them to obtain limitless power." "But you need the First Demon's flesh for that, and I made certain to retrieve it all! It should no longer be possible to obtain meat from a demon that powerful!" Elisabeth let out a shout. The man nodded magnanimously, as though congratulating her. "An apt measure. That was what posed the largest problem for me. You all put down the reconstruction-sect members who'd carried off the meat before I could get to them. An impressive display. However, that was where another piece of information became crucial. Specifically, the records from the battle at the Capitalâ€”in particular, the ones regarding demon crossbreeding." Elisabeth's eyes shot open. That was a piece of information that not only she, but everyone had overlooked. After their egos were destroyed, two demonic contractors were able to have a powerful child within their fused mass of flesh. It had been exceedingly unprecedented. However, upon being faced with the end of days, nobody had paid it much heed any longer. Upon seeing Elisabeth's agitation, the man nodded to affirm her fears. Then as though lecturing a group of incompetents, he solemnly went on. "I summoned a pair of weaker demons into a man and a woman, then destroyed both their egos. They had two children. Then I bred the children together. By repeating that process, it was possible to create a pure, powerful demon. Eventually, I created a demon powerful enough to meet my needs. Of course, the whole process was a little more involved than merely breeding mice. As you can see, it took me three whole years to reach this point." The man hung his head sadly, his heart apparently filled with grief. However, someone stroked his arm to console him. It was the owner of the first voice, the one standing beside the throne. "It's okay, Father. Please don't be sad. We made it, didn't we? That's what matters. All's well that ends well! And really, we're just getting started!" The voice belonged to a young girl. She was wearing a blue bondage dress, but it was so covered in ribbons and frills that it was difficult to recognize it as such. In Elisabeth's opinion, it was a bit much. However, she was certainly cute and girly. Her hair was white, and her eyes were red. It was unclear if it was innate or not, but she seemed somewhat lacking in pigmentation. Her voice matched her lovely appearance, and her tone was practically singsong. "I heard your story, Elisabeth. It's a very sad story. That's what I think. I'm thinking about you, even if no one in the world is. And you know, I think it would be better if your story didn't end like that. After all, sad things are sad. No matter how much you patch them up, they still make you want to cry. That's why you'll be able to see them!" Although the girl was surrounded by the smell of blood, the smile that spread across her face didn't have a hint of malice in it. She extended her pale hand in front of her, then called out to Elisabeth in a gentle voice. "I'll help you! I'll help you, Elisabeth! I'll help you meet the people you care about!" "...Who the hell are you?" Elisabeth growled out that lone question. The girl stared blankly at her. After she blinked, though, she suddenly grabbed the hem of her skirt. She performed an awkward, yet adorable bow. "That's right; I have to introduce myself first. That's what you did. So I should do the same. My name is Alice Carroll. I am the ideal girl of men and the sinful harlot who deserves to be stoned. However, that's the name Father gave me, and the words I thought up. My real name, the one I lost, is Sara Yuuki." "Sara Yuuki? Wait... That strange pronunciation... That self-introduction... No, you can't beâ€”" "You're the Torture Princess, so... Yes, it would be strange to be the same. Being the exact same would be odd. So as someone who was reincarnated, I suppose I should say it like this: I am..." The girl let out an amused chuckle. And with purity in her voice, the girlâ€”the one unburdened by that world's original sinâ€”made her proclamation. "...the Torture Princess from Another World. The Fremd Torturchen, if you will." Thus, the curtain rose on a new stage. On a cruel story, one that may or may not eventually be told as a tale from long, long ago. It's time for a story. A story of repentance, dreamsâ€” â€”and hatred. An Oath of Rebellion Hear ye, ladies and gentlemen! Let my words be a record of our subservience. Let them be heard as a lamentation of the humiliating lives you've forced us into. Let them be heard as a cry of rage at the cruelty of the fates you've subjected us to. And let them be heard as a hymn of joy. We have wept, and we have wept, and we have wept, and we have no tears left to shed. What choice do we have, then, but to rejoice in your tyranny? We have surpassed resignation, we have transcended despair, and at long last, we have found our answer. But reaching it cost more lives than you will ever know. You people cannot even begin to imagine the cruelties we have suffered. You see, most people are nothing more than ignorant, stupid animals. And why wouldn't they be? After all, anyone unfortunate enough to be saddled with wisdom and reason would inevitably be forced to confront this world's contradictions and inconsistencies. And without ignorance to shield them, the discord would cause their hearts to shatter. So in order to protect themselves, the living reduce themselves to base animals. When it comes to your own pain, you people are as sensitive as fledgling birds. But when it comes to the pain of others, you're as dull and senseless as swine. You only see what you want to see, only hear what you want to hear. And it's because you're all weak. For most of you, your only crime is cowardiceâ€”but I don't give a damn. You don't get my sympathy, we're never going to see eye to eye, and I find the thought of acknowledging you repulsive. True, each tragedy was born from the weakness of individuals. But you people don't deserve my pity. For it is in weakness that people have room to grow. Surely, there was something to be learned from all those horrors you witnessed. Yet you persisted in your ignorance. So, so many of you insisted on maintaining your inane foolishness. Who allowed you to be so stupid? So cruel? Why should we have to forgive you? Make no mistakeâ€”we have been called on to forgive you time and again. A thought crossed my mind onceâ€”if the end of days truly had been upon us, maybe it would have all been fine. On the brink of annihilation, I could greet even your malice with a smile. All your atrocities could be forgiven, written off as isolated incidents of fear-induced derangement. But God and Diablo failed to bring down the hammerâ€” â€”so I must do it in their stead. I'll take this world, I'll make it my own, and I'll kill every last fool who walks upon it. I don't need a reason. After all, justice