“What… was that just now…?”
Even after being mowed down by the flash of death, Diana was still alive.
However, it was merely being alive in the barest sense. Lying on her back, her priestly robes were tattered, her entire body covered in burn-like wounds, and a gaping hole in her abdomen. The silver whip was blackened and shattered, no longer harboring its holy radiance.
Beside her lay Hugh’s bones, decayed as if exposed to a thousand years of wind and rain.
“…The ‘Rose Princess of Hellrage’ isn’t a Dullahan.”
Renée, who had walked over to Diana, placed a hand on the skeletal head. Grabbing the hair, she detached the head.
As her body regained the weight of flesh, the magic staff reverted to its red blade, and Renée returned to her Dullahan style.
“Its true form is a spirit, its body can be anything, it doesn’t matter what… As. Long. As. It’s. Undead.”
‘The strongest undead’ might be a fitting description. Her true form is the highest-ranking spirit-type undead, an Abyss Spirit, but at the same time, Renée is also every undead.
If she wanted to, she could become a zombie or a skeleton, and if she somehow managed to supplement what was missing, she could even transform into a dragon zombie. For the time being, the most convenient forms to create from a human body were the strongest in close combat, the Dullahan, and the strongest in magic, the Lich.
It’s a bit of a mystery where her flesh disappeared to while she was in Lich form, but it’s probably due to some kind of storage-type magic principle.
She performed a magical attack while in Dullahan form, which restricts magical power, making it seem like that was her maximum output, then she transformed into a Lich in a surprise attack and shattered Diana’s defenses.
Conversely, in Lich form, her close combat abilities are reduced, and she becomes as weak as a human child, as her appearance suggests, so it was a gamble that could have resulted in a painful counterattack if Diana had endured.
“Damn it… I lost from the start, didn’t I?”
“That’s not true. I was a little… scared that this might be the end of everything.”
Renée felt awkward at being overestimated and spoke modestly.
–Wait. Why am I complimenting Diana in this situation?
“Are you… going to destroy this country?”
“Yes. And it won’t end with just this country. I’ll make them all pay.”
“Even if I tell you to stop, you won’t listen anymore, will you…?”
Diana, though barely breathing, was still the same Diana as always.
Somewhat aloof, her voice gentle like a spring breeze.
“Before I die, could I have a moment to pray with my companions… and for you, Princess?”
Diana said with a quiet smile.
–Pray? For me?
“Unfortunately, I’m in a state where praying to some god won’t save me.”
“No, no. If God doesn’t want it, that’s fine. It’s just… I can’t help but wish that your soul will find peace someday… Even if God doesn’t hear this prayer… I wonder if my prayer might change your destiny… It’s a selfish thought, isn’t it…?”
Renée felt as though her heart, which shouldn’t be moving, pulsed strongly.
Renée, who could read emotions, knew that Diana’s words were her true feelings, not some lie or deception. But she didn’t understand the process that led to that thought.
“Tell me, Diana. What were you thinking while you were fighting?”
“Didn’t I tell you? You looked like you were in pain, so I wanted to stop you. Of course, there was also the need to help Benedict… and I wanted to return Iris’s body to the earth…”
Her languid words sounded as sweet as the scent of ripe fruit falling from the tree. With a painful sigh, Diana moved her head to look at Renée.
“Because… you’re pitiful, aren’t you…?”
It was a look of affection and compassion for the weak. It was definitely not something that should be directed at a disaster-like undead.
“I… wanted you to live a normal life as a girl. Not to be killed by some stupid adult squabble… Or, even now… would you like to try something like that? What… it’s just a severed head. It’s fine to go out and play… or study. If you could dress up… you might even be able to fall in love. Eating delicious food and drinking alcohol… it might come out of your neck… When you’re free or tired… look for something you want to do besides revenge. Anything is fine… I’d be happy if you could find a happiness that makes you think, ‘I don’t need revenge anymore.’”
Renée felt the illusion that her body, which shouldn’t have any temperature, was burning up. She didn’t need to breathe, but her breath was ragged.
“Why? I killed Iris, and I killed Benedict too, so why…!”
“Haha… you’re lonely, aren’t you? Of course, I also thought, ‘What have you done?’ If you ask me if I hate you, I do hate you. But. That being said, you’re pitiful, and I wanted to do what I could for you. Because, you wanted me to care for you, didn’t you…?”
–You remember those words…!
It was a conversation from when the four of them were escorting the carriage. Diana remembered Renée’s childish, tantrum-like question. And she tried to reach out to Renée just because Renée asked for it.
That’s right. There’s no way to deny it at this point. Renée was seeking salvation from Diana. As if trying to make up for something lost in life, she sought Diana.
But, it was too late for Renée to be saved.
There’s also the saying that spilt water cannot be returned to the bowl. Renée’s heart, which had long been broken and shattered, could not be filled with something like love. Pouring water into a cracked vessel will not fill it.
Revenge. Revenge is all that remains for Renée. So, for that reason… Diana must be killed.
–Not yet. The “Rose Princess of Hellrage” still needs to act secretly. Just a little more. One more step. Until then, I can’t be caught off guard.
I’ve already rampaged quite a bit. Someone in the city might notice the magic light or the impact of the trees falling. I have to quickly destroy the evidence and escape so that someone can come and check. It should be a mystery at the level of ‘maybe a monster was rampaging’. At least I can buy some time until Renée starts moving.
Renée pointed the red blade at Diana. She just pointed it. She could kill her in a split second, but Renée was still looking for a reason not to kill Diana.
–Should I imprison her? Drag her around? That’s absurd. Killing her is the quickest. It’s the most certain and safe. I don’t have the luxury to capture such a dangerous enemy. If I let Diana live, she’ll curse me. Besides, if I don’t finish her off now, she’ll recover…!
It’s surprising that she’s even alive in this situation, but even more so, Diana’s wounds are slowly starting to heal. Even the large hole that opened from her navel to her left side seems to have gotten a little smaller.
“Stop it… Revenge…”
As if seeing through Renée’s hesitation, Diana muttered. It wasn’t a plea for her life.
“Stop it even now… You look so pained, well…”
Renée thinks, how can I be in pain? Renée has already killed at least a thousand people. She took over and killed Iris, and she brutally murdered Benedict and Hugh. Cutting down Diana would only add one more to that number. Just one more. What’s so special about it?
Letting Diana live here is the same as giving up on revenge. I don’t have a grudge against Diana, but killing her is a step towards revenge. So I should kill her. I have no choice but to kill her. That’s how it should be. I’m sure I’m hesitating now, but if I actually kill her, I won’t feel anything. That’s how it should be.
–The strongest undead revived by the protection of an evil god for revenge…
To take more than what was taken, to hurt more than what was hurt. The targets of revenge include parents, siblings, innocent children, and even descendants, all cursed and killed. Kill them irrationally. Kill them cruelly. If there are those who resent Renée and plot revenge for revenge, trample and ridicule them.
…If necessary, even the innocent will be used as nourishment.
Such actions cannot be justice. But right and wrong, good and evil, no longer matter. Renée will not stop until the black flame of resentment burning within her chest burns everything away.
But.
But.
“Ah, are you still going? Poor thing. I… hate the people who made you like this.”
The red blade sunk shallowly into Diana’s neck. Diana didn’t move. There was no pain in her heart, no fear.
“…Good luck. I’ll always… be watching you.”
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!”
Renée swung the red blade. Diana’s head flew.