Is it wrong for me to like seeing the villain suffer [44]
Martha looked at me from behind her glasses and said:
“I was about to summon you, His Majesty the Emperor has sent the Holy Relic.”
She told me that she had exchanged several letters with the Emperor, and that the reason for the pain he felt every night was the sacred relic of the Bennako tribe that he had brought as a spoil of war.
I suggested to him that if he handed over the relic, the curse would be nullified, and he finally agreed.
She also added that, according to my advice, while she was passing through Mount Krum, she was able, by chance, to arrest the magician of the Banaku tribe, and thus she created an excuse for herself to explain how she arrived at this truth.
She said:
“The relic is on the farm where the wizard is being held. I will need to rely on you again.”
I immediately understood what she meant:
It's my turn to use Laku and make him break the curse.
I smiled confidently and said:
“Leave it to me.”
“I trust you.”
Then she added as if she remembered something:
“By the way, do you have anything to say?”
I said hesitantly:
“At the party... I wanted to give an entertainment show...”
She said without any hesitation:
“Do it.”
“Huh?”
I blinked in amazement at this easy agreement.
I expected that she would ask me for details about the idea, the goal, the cost... and that she would grant me permission after much thought.
I was even thinking of preparing a written report or presentation.
But she simply said:
“I told you I trust you.”
She added in a reporting tone:
“It is true that I am very suspicious by nature, but not trusting when I should trust is worse than not doubting when I should doubt.”
I didn't expect her to have this side.
I thought she was rigid and purely calculating, but then she was more flexible and broad-minded than I had imagined.
'So whoever said: A person is only known by being with him is right.'
Then her words came to mind: 'Someone I trust...'
'You mean me?'
It is true that what I did, whether telling her how to treat the Emperor or going instead to Mount Crom, was out of interest, but hearing such words made me feel happier than I thought.
“But you have to prepare yourself, I can't be busy with that. I will provide you with what you need.”
“Of course! Thank you very much.”
“Okay, I'm counting on you.”
After I greeted her and left her office, I headed straight to the farm where Laco was being held.
'Let's see... how this new dog will serve me.'
❖ ❖ ❖
“Mrs. Lizzie.”
The knights standing before us bowed to me in greeting.
I met them with a slight smile, then looked into the cell.
Lako was in shackles as I had seen him a few days ago, and his mouth was gagged.
“……!!Mmm!!”
His eyes widened when he saw me as if he was pleased.
I smiled and waved my hand at him:
“And I'm glad to meet you, too.”
Then I asked the knights:
“Where is the holy relic?”
Someone pointed to a cart in front of us covered with a thick cloth.
'So he's here.'
I lifted the cloth a little, and a statue of a winged girl appeared in front of me.
'Yes, its appearance actually suggests that it is a holy relic.'
I approached the statue cautiously.
The knights were terrified and one of them shouted:
“Ah! Madam Lizzy!!”
Another said:
"You have to be careful! This thing...!"
Reassure them:
“It's okay, just touching it doesn't hurt.”
But they remained apprehensive. As for me, I approached the statue and said:
“Open the door, please.”
Since they had been informed in advance what was going to happen, one of the knights opened the door with the key and I entered.
As I approached, Lako's eyes lit up with joy.
“Hi, Lakko. How are you?”
He nodded his head in enthusiastic agreement.
'In this miserable state and he says he's fine? A strange question and an even stranger answer.
I thought smiling:
'I'm crazy and he's not in his right mind either.'
“Don’t you find this situation uncomfortable? I can make you comfortable… as long as you do my bidding. What do you think? Oh, right, you can’t talk.”
Then I gently removed his mask.
He started panting while looking at me with eyes full of joy:
“Huh... Governor...”
“Say Madam Governess.”
“O… Lady Governess.”
Then I showed him the statue in my hand:
“Do you know what this is?”
He opened his eyes in amazement:
“This… protector of the Bannako tribe… the messenger who serves the ruler of Bannako… how can he be with you, H… my lady ruler?!”
He looked between me and the statue in confusion.
So I said quietly:
“Did you know that this thing has a curse on it?”
“لعنة…؟ آه، تقصدين تعويذة الحماية.”
'A protection spell?' Yes, from their perspective it is called that.'
“So, can you break this spell for me?”
His eyes trembled and he hesitated:
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“If I do... the wrath of the ruler of Bennako may fall upon me.”
He muttered in fear, so I threw my trump card at him:
“If you carry out my request... I will release you from here.”
I threw to the hesitant Lako the trump card I had prepared in advance:
“If you accept this request of mine, I will release you from here.”
“…….”
“Not only that, I will allow you to live close to me.”
“Madam Governor, does this mean…?”
“Yes, you will have the honor of serving me closely.”
Lako's golden eyes sparkled:
“To serve you... beside you...”
“True. Don’t you want to be rewarded in the afterlife?”
“I want... I want so bad!!”
He shouted, his voice full of hope and his eyes burning.
So I extended my hand and lightly stroked his white hair:
“I promised you before, as long as you obey me, I will save you. Trust me, I will not let anyone harm you, even if it is a ruler.”
“Ah... Madam Ruler... you have truly come to save me...”
So I got closer to him and whispered:
“Between the anger of the ruler of Bennako... and my love, which will you choose?”
I smiled sideways, there was no need to talk anymore.
He said, asking:
“Let me serve you, my lady ruler. I will banish the evil magic of heresy for you.”
All the hesitation he had shown a moment ago disappeared, as if the ruler whom his people had worshiped until yesterday had turned into a heretic in his eyes.
In the sparkle of his eyes, only my image was reflected.
I smiled thankfully:
“Thank you.”
Then I turned to the knights and said:
“فكّوا قيوده.”
But their faces grew more worried the moment I touched the statue.
So I realized:
“At least they freed his hands for a while.”
They exchanged glances, then reluctantly complied, removing the handcuffs from his wrists with a stern warning:
“Don’t think foolishly!”
But Lako did not pay any attention to them, and kept looking at me alone, muttering absently:
“Thank you... Madam Governor, for giving me the opportunity to serve you.”
The knights frowned in dissatisfaction at his words, but he did not turn to them.
He told me:
“Bring the statue closer to me, please.”
I placed the statue in front of him as he requested.
He looked at him and said:
“I hope that peace prevails, and that no one interrupts my chanting.”
Two of the knights trembled upon hearing his words.
Then he announced:
“I will begin now, Madam Governess.”
Even though his neck and ankles were still tied, he began to form strange symbols with his free hands, and chanted:
“ɵʞØß, ɵʞđ…! ɵʞØß, ɵʞđ…!”
A strange language came out of his mouth that I had heard before in Mount Krum, but this time it came out in a rhythm similar to a singing chant.
I felt a mysterious energy flowing through the place.
One of the knights said terrified:
“Isn't it getting darker...?”
"Be quiet!" The other rebuked him.
Their faces looked tense, trying to hide their fear, but their trembling gave them away.
The strange sounds, disturbing rhythms, and increasing temperature made the scene more terrifying.
'Wow... it's like I'm watching a mysterious 4D movie!'
While I was enjoying the scene, drops of sweat gathered on Laku's forehead as he continued his incantations without stopping:
“ɵʞØß, ɵʞØß, ɵʞđ…!”
Then suddenly, he pushed the statue forcefully, causing it to fall to the ground.
There was a heavy silence.
“…It is over, Madam Governor, as you ordered.”
He said smiling while panting.
The knights moved quickly to re-tie him, but he soon fell unconscious.
“Hey!”
One of them rushed over, checked his breathing and said reassuringly:
“He's still breathing... he just fainted.”
I said quietly:
“Call a doctor.”
Then I approached, brushed his wet white hair away from his face, and held the statue in my hands.
Before I left, I addressed the knight who was about to return the handcuffs to Lako’s hands:
“There's no need to, just release him. I won't keep him here anymore.”
“What?! But, Madam Lizzy...this man is dangerous.”
I smiled sarcastically:
“Maybe he is the strangest pervert I have ever seen in my life...but I chose to trust him. I have learned that not trusting when we should trust is worse than not doubting when we should doubt.”
“Huh…?”
I left the knight confused, and walked out of the farm with confident steps.
The Emperor's curse has ended.
'Now... it's time to seriously prepare for the ceremony. I will present an entertaining show the likes of which no one has ever seen before.'
*****
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