Chapter 158: A Show Worth a Life

A Show Worth a Life

* * *

“Well, no need to stand on ceremony! Have a seat! I regret being unable to prepare tea, but I hope you’ll forgive me.”

With a smile, the thin woman Nare gestured for me to sit on the parlor chair.

Her demeanor filled me with a profound sense of dissonance.

“…..Aren’t you afraid of me?”

Karashia, Keranko, Fateu, Sarelka, Doj, the other servants – everyone cowered in fear upon seeing me.

Yet Nare showed no such signs at all.

She addressed me casually, like greeting an old friend after a long time.

“Hahaha! Afraid of you? Why? You’re just an adorable little furball, aren’t you?”

Ah, this one’s a good one.

Lowering my guard, I took Nare up on her offered seat in the parlor chair.

“Ah, that’s right. Little Furball, won’t you tell me your name first?”

“Emi.”

“So Emi, is it? What a wonderful name!”

Ah! That’s true!

I let my guard down after being called adorable and complimented.

So this is the true head’s ability to sway people’s hearts…!?

Scolded by Extra-sama, I became wary again.

While seated in the chair, I enhanced my 【Body Strengthening】 beyond usual and laced my surroundings with 【Magic Slash Threads】.

Seeing my actions, Nare couldn’t help but let out a wry laugh.

“Now now, no need to be so tense. Don’t worry, I won’t do anything to you. No, I have zero combat ability in the first place. It would be more accurate to say I can’t do anything at all. What incredible physical abilities you have? How can you destroy a magic sword barehanded?”

“……You saw that? From where? Answer me.”

“Fufufu, from this room… You see, I can ‘grasp everything’ happening within this manor. I’ve been observing your actions ever since you first jumped in here. I wanted to know what kind of existence you are, so I watched.”

……What does this mean!?

“When did it start… At some point, I gained this ability, you see. In any case, I’ve been observing your actions in an impolite manner. Actually, there was one time I went to meet you in person, but I wonder if you noticed?”

“Eh?”

“When you ‘first’ entered this manor.”

“‘First’? You mean during the loop? The very first loop?”

“Around when Karashia had her magic power drained by the sword and died, I’d say.”

That was right at the very end of that loop!

“Well, it had been hundreds of years since a guest last arrived… I’d been waiting for an Irregular like you, you see. I wanted to see what kind of human you were in the flesh, not just your abilities! That furball outfit was quite the impact, I was surprised!”

Saying that, Nare shook her shoulders in apparent amusement before broaching the topic:

“Well then, Emi. What did you think of the show being held in this manor? Did you enjoy it at least a little bit?”

“….A show?”

“Yes! The slaughter show spun from these sordid family relations! Quite the stimulating spectacle, wouldn’t you agree? It’s been running for over hundreds of years now, a real ultra-long run! The admission fee is just one of my lives per show. You got to view it for free, so you’re quite fortunate.”

With those words, Nare took out a knife and gently pressed the blade against her throat.

……This girl.

This woman Nare Luclees.

She’s self-aware that she’s trapped in the repeating loop.

She understands her death triggers the loop, yet chose to keep repeating this time period.

“Well now, let me hear your impressions.”

Nare smiled.

The knife nicked her throat, causing a trickle of red blood to flow.

“….Distasteful and boring.”

I answered honestly.

“Oh, really? I found it quite exhilarating at first! I really enjoyed watching it over and over! But I see, I see. It seems I’m not cut out to be a playwright after all! A self-indulgent work incapable of evoking empathy is truly bottom of the barrel! I can’t help but say as much!”

Showing no signs of taking offense, Nare continued smiling audaciously as she said that.

“Nare, stop dying.”

“Hm?”

“If you die, time will loop again, right?”

“That’s right! You’re so quick to understand! You’re very smart, aren’t you? Well done!”

“I’m sick of these loops. Let me out of this manor.”

“….I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

“….Ah?”

I inadvertently leaked my murderous aura in all seriousness.

The pitch-black magic power radiating from me caused the room to tremble.

The parlor table rattled noisily.

A single crack formed in the window glass with a creaking sound.

“Hahahahaha!!”

Yet despite being directly exposed to that murderous aura, Nare’s demeanor didn’t change as she laughed in apparent delight, clapping her hands.

“What an absurd amount of magic power, Emi! Are you really even human!? Magnificent, you’re truly magnificent Emi! You really are wonderful!!”

“Don’t screw with me!! Let me out of here right now!!!”

Losing my composure, I instinctively grabbed Nare by the collar and pulled her toward me.

“Hahaha, sorry sorry. My apologies, Emi, calm down? Even if you kill me, time will just rewind again, you know?”

“……..”

….While glaring at her, I released my grip that had pulled Nare closer.

Nare casually smoothed out her rumpled clothes with a nonchalant expression.

“My my, I apologize Emi. For teasing you like that. Hahaha… Well, you’re my first guest, so I got a bit too excited, you see.”

“……..”

“Say, Emi. You want to leave this manor, don’t you?”

She’s been saying that from earlier.

Without hiding my foul mood as I continued leaking 【Intimidation】, I gave a curt nod.

“But as I mentioned earlier, that’s not possible.”

“……..”

“No… I thought it wasn’t possible.”

“….What do you mean?”

When I noticed, the smile had faded from Nare’s face, replaced by an utterly serious expression.

Nare rose from where she had been sinking into the soft parlor chair and leaned her body forward.

“I can’t do it alone. But Emi, with your power added… perhaps it may become possible.”

After saying that, Nare stood from the chair and began walking toward the door leading to the hallway.

“….What?”

“Follow me, Emi. You want to leave here, don’t you? Let’s cooperate… For it would also lead to fulfilling my wish.”

Flustered, I hurried after Nare.

“Your wish? What is it?”

“……..”

Nare walked with a smile affixed to her face.

Pushing open the door I had slashed apart, she exited and proceeded down the hallway with a clacking of leather shoes against the eerily quiet floor.

“Before telling you that, Emi… Let me share a bit about my personal circumstances first.”