“You there, stop where you are.”
“…!”
I left the concert hall through its back door to find that the alleyway, only meant to be used by the hall staff and authorized parties, had already gone dark.
The individual I called out to was likely one of the musicians that performed for the festival, he was wearing a tailcoat. At first glance, he didn’t seem particularly suspicious, but then why would he feel the need to restrain his breathing and quietly leave from the back door? I just found it to be a little curious.
“Hm, do you need something?”
“Pardon me, there are just two or three things I’d like to confirm. Could you spare a little of your time?”
“Unfortunately I’m in a bit of a hurry. Well then, I’ll be―”
“Move an inch and I’ll shoot.”
“!”
Drawing the wand I had reclaimed upon leaving the hall, I pointed it straight at the man. I couldn’t quite place it, but something just felt out of place. Perhaps it was a sense of deja vu.
“What is the meaning of this?”
“Your hand―let me have a look at your hand.”
“Go ahead.”
The man openly did as I said. I approached him and took a close look at his hand. On the stage, he performed the violin. That meant that, like Pipi, he too should have calluses from the violin’s bow. And even though his hand did have them, for some reason I still had my doubts.
“Look at the bracelet~, Claire-chan!’
“…! It’s a magic artifact that’s used for disguise!”
“Tch…!”
The man clicked his tongue with obvious frustration before making a break for it.
“Milord, this is as far as you go.”
“!? Ema, you… Do you intend to betray me!?”
“Lady Catherine is the only one that I serve. I have no recollection of ever serving you, Milord.”
“Let me go! Let me go…!”
The one who had subdued the man was none other than Ema. The technique she used to pin him down was definitely not one that you’d expect from a regular maid.
“Ema… And Catherine too. Milord… Wait, does that mean this man is…?”
“Yup. Ema, the bracelet~”
“Right away.”
When Ema tore the bracelet off of the man, his appearance rapidly changed―
“Clément Achard… How, just how is this possible…?”
“There was a mage that House Achard had made arrangements with at the festival~ He can use a spell to swap people’s paces~ I believe the magic was called Castling~?”
Catherine gave her explanation from her wheelchair. She skillfully used her hands to operate the wheels and approached me.
“Catherine! You… ungrateful… Have you no regard for how much trouble I’ve gone through to raise you!”
“I truly am grateful for that, really, from the bottom of my heart, father~ But don’t you think it’s time we put an end to this~? Don’t do anything that would further sully the Achard name.”
Even while still pinned firmly to the ground, Clément continued his struggle to break free.
“I myself AM the Achard legacy! So long as I live, the Achard lineage continues!”
“But it’s already long over, father~ It’s been over ever since that day ten years ago…”
“Ten years ago…? Catherine, what are you saying…?”
I suddenly felt uneasy, a sinking feeling, like something terrible was about to happen.
“Claire-chan, I need to apologize to you.”
“Catherine…?”
“Ten years ago, the one who killed your mother, Milia-sama―was me.”
“ー!?”
For a split second, I couldn’t at all parse what she was saying. No, I’m sure that my ears heard what she said, it’s just, my heart had rejected it. I mean, it sounded so ridiculous, just how could something like that!?
“Catherine, what do you mean? My mother passed away in an accident…”
“And that accident… Was not an accident. My father sent me out to the François manor as an assassin.”
“What… Just what are you saying, I don’t understand any of it!”
Unable to comprehend what was happening, my body instinctively held my wand at the ready. Catherine showed no sign that she’d move out of the way, she simply sat on her wheelchair smiling.
― That very same smile she always put on.
“On that day, I, along with three skilled assassins, were all riding the carriage that crashed into House François’ personal carriage. We feigned an accident to stop the carriage, and the four of us were to attack Dor-sama and any others there.
As though she had entered a soliloquy, Catherine’s words continued on.
“The one who fought us off was Milia-sama.”
“My mother did…?”
“If I had to guess, Dor-sama can’t really use offensive magic, right? Either way, Milia-sama was the one to intercept us. After casting some sort of defensive seal to protect the carriage, Milia-sama stepped out alone and empty handed to intercept us.”
As though to recall the events of that day within her mind, Catherine closed her eyes.
“… And then…?”
“I suppose you could say it ended in a draw. On my end, everyone but me was dead, and I had a grave injury to my leg leaving me immobile. Milia-sama―”
“And my mother…?”
“She died trying to protect me.”
“What… Do you mean by that…?”
When I asked for an explanation, Catherine opened her eyes. Her expression, filled to the brim with self hatred, was twisted and contorted to extremes that I had never seen from her before.
“There was another party keeping an eye on the situation. When they realized that we had failed, they moved in to erase the evidence. I and the other three assassins were about to be erased. But then, Milia-sama saved me.”
“Mother…”
“After it was all over, I used my magic to make it all as though it had never happened. I’m sure that to the people at the scene of the crime, it had all just looked like a simple accident.”
“Catherine… Just what are you…”
“That’s why, Claire-chan, I’m the one who killed Milia-sama. I’ve always felt that I needed to apologize properly. I’m sorry.”
From atop her wheelchair, Catherine gave me a deep bow.
“Even if… You tell me all this now… What do you want me to do about it…! That… There’s no way that…!”
“I won’t ask that you forgive me. I know the gravity of what I’ve done. However, I ask that you allow me to repent.”
“Repent…?”
When I asked, Catherine raised her head. And there, in her hand, was her wand.
“!?”
“Just relax. I’m not going to hurt you.”
Catherine then pointed her wand―at Clément.
“Wait, Catherine! What are you doing!”
“I’m sure you already know, father. After all, my magic is―”
“Wait, stop! I won’t end this way! After running to the Empire, I’ll wait for my next―!”
“Eraser.”
I sensed an incredibly strong magic force from Catherine’s wand. The invisible force traveled toward Clément, enveloping him.
“No! I don’t want to forget! I’ll no longer be me!”
“Someone…! Anyone… Help… Me…”
And then, as though he had lost all strength in his body, Clément dropped with a plop.
“… Did you kill him?
“Mn, no. But I just tampered with his spirit a bit.”
“Wasn’t your magic… The ability to turn invisible and conceal yourself?”
“I can use it to do that, but fundamentally, it’s entirely different.”
Catherine instructed Ema to take Clément away.
“My magic allows me to erase memories.”
“Erase memories?”
“Yup. To conceal myself, I just erase the specific memories people have of seeing me.”
“How clever.”
“Ehehe~ But you know, the way that this magic is really meant to be used is―”
“!?”
I had let my guard down. I had just blindly trusted her when she said that she wouldn’t harm me. Catherine had now pointed her wand at me.
“Catherine…!”
“Claire-chan, I’ll take it upon myself to erase your… No, everyone’s memories of me.”
“No…!”
“My sin is so grave, that even death would be too lenient. From now on, I’ll continue to live without ever allowing anyone to retain memories of me.”
“No… That’s… You’re practically going to be denying your very own existence!”
She won’t be seen by anyone, nor will she ever remain in their memory―such an existence can no longer be called living.
“That’s right. That cursed way of life―will be my punishment.”
“Please think this over!”
“I’m sorry, Claire-chan.”
As I felt my strength slipping out of my arms and my legs, I felt something very important vanishing from within my mind.
“I… I definitely won’t forget! No matter what it is that you’ve done, I won’t… I absolutely won’t!”
“Claire-chan…”
“Just watch Catherine…! Even if you try to act tough like this… Deep down I… Know…”
I could feel my consciousness drift away.
Just now, I… Who was I talking to, and what were we talking about…?”
“… I don’t want to do this… I really don’t… But… But!”
As my consciousness faded away, I heard someone’s words through their tears, but I no longer knew who those words belonged to.
“Goodbye… Claire-chan.”
Those last words were so wrought with so much sadness… Unable to hold back my tears from flooding down my cheeks, I dropped into a deep sleep.
“You there, stop where you are.”
“…!”
I left the concert hall through its back door to find that the alleyway, only meant to be used by the hall staff and authorized parties, had already gone dark.
The individual I called out to was likely one of the musicians that performed for the festival, he was wearing a tailcoat. At first glance, he didn’t seem particularly suspicious, but then why would he feel the need to restrain his breathing and quietly leave from the back door? I just found it to be a little curious.
“Hm, do you need something?”
“Pardon me, there are just two or three things I’d like to confirm. Could you spare a little of your time?”
“Unfortunately I’m in a bit of a hurry. Well then, I’ll be―”
“Move an inch and I’ll shoot.”
“!”
Drawing the wand I had reclaimed upon leaving the hall, I pointed it straight at the man. I couldn’t quite place it, but something just felt out of place. Perhaps it was a sense of deja vu.
“What is the meaning of this?”
“Your hand―let me have a look at your hand.”
“Go ahead.”
The man openly did as I said. I approached him and took a close look at his hand. On the stage, he performed the violin. That meant that, like Pipi, he too should have calluses from the violin’s bow. And even though his hand did have them, for some reason I still had my doubts.
“Look at the bracelet~, Claire-chan!’
“…! It’s a magic artifact that’s used for disguise!”
“Tch…!”
The man clicked his tongue with obvious frustration before making a break for it.
“Milord, this is as far as you go.”
“!? Ema, you… Do you intend to betray me!?”
“Lady Catherine is the only one that I serve. I have no recollection of ever serving you, Milord.”
“Let me go! Let me go…!”
The one who had subdued the man was none other than Ema. The technique she used to pin him down was definitely not one that you’d expect from a regular maid.
“Ema… And Catherine too. Milord… Wait, does that mean this man is…?”
“Yup. Ema, the bracelet~”
“Right away.”
When Ema tore the bracelet off of the man, his appearance rapidly changed―
“Clément Achard… How, just how is this possible…?”
“There was a mage that House Achard had made arrangements with at the festival~ He can use a spell to swap people’s paces~ I believe the magic was called Castling~?”
Catherine gave her explanation from her wheelchair. She skillfully used her hands to operate the wheels and approached me.
“Catherine! You… ungrateful… Have you no regard for how much trouble I’ve gone through to raise you!”
“I truly am grateful for that, really, from the bottom of my heart, father~ But don’t you think it’s time we put an end to this~? Don’t do anything that would further sully the Achard name.”
Even while still pinned firmly to the ground, Clément continued his struggle to break free.
“I myself AM the Achard legacy! So long as I live, the Achard lineage continues!”
“But it’s already long over, father~ It’s been over ever since that day ten years ago…”
“Ten years ago…? Catherine, what are you saying…?”
I suddenly felt uneasy, a sinking feeling, like something terrible was about to happen.
“Claire-chan, I need to apologize to you.”
“Catherine…?”
“Ten years ago, the one who killed your mother, Milia-sama―was me.”
“ー!?”
For a split second, I couldn’t at all parse what she was saying. No, I’m sure that my ears heard what she said, it’s just, my heart had rejected it. I mean, it sounded so ridiculous, just how could something like that!?
“Catherine, what do you mean? My mother passed away in an accident…”
“And that accident… Was not an accident. My father sent me out to the François manor as an assassin.”
“What… Just what are you saying, I don’t understand any of it!”
Unable to comprehend what was happening, my body instinctively held my wand at the ready. Catherine showed no sign that she’d move out of the way, she simply sat on her wheelchair smiling.
― That very same smile she always put on.
“On that day, I, along with three skilled assassins, were all riding the carriage that crashed into House François’ personal carriage. We feigned an accident to stop the carriage, and the four of us were to attack Dor-sama and any others there.
As though she had entered a soliloquy, Catherine’s words continued on.
“The one who fought us off was Milia-sama.”
“My mother did…?”
“If I had to guess, Dor-sama can’t really use offensive magic, right? Either way, Milia-sama was the one to intercept us. After casting some sort of defensive seal to protect the carriage, Milia-sama stepped out alone and empty handed to intercept us.”
As though to recall the events of that day within her mind, Catherine closed her eyes.
“… And then…?”
“I suppose you could say it ended in a draw. On my end, everyone but me was dead, and I had a grave injury to my leg leaving me immobile. Milia-sama―”
“And my mother…?”
“She died trying to protect me.”
“What… Do you mean by that…?”
When I asked for an explanation, Catherine opened her eyes. Her expression, filled to the brim with self hatred, was twisted and contorted to extremes that I had never seen from her before.
“There was another party keeping an eye on the situation. When they realized that we had failed, they moved in to erase the evidence. I and the other three assassins were about to be erased. But then, Milia-sama saved me.”
“Mother…”
“After it was all over, I used my magic to make it all as though it had never happened. I’m sure that to the people at the scene of the crime, it had all just looked like a simple accident.”
“Catherine… Just what are you…”
“That’s why, Claire-chan, I’m the one who killed Milia-sama. I’ve always felt that I needed to apologize properly. I’m sorry.”
From atop her wheelchair, Catherine gave me a deep bow.
“Even if… You tell me all this now… What do you want me to do about it…! That… There’s no way that…!”
“I won’t ask that you forgive me. I know the gravity of what I’ve done. However, I ask that you allow me to repent.”
“Repent…?”
When I asked, Catherine raised her head. And there, in her hand, was her wand.
“!?”
“Just relax. I’m not going to hurt you.”
Catherine then pointed her wand―at Clément.
“Wait, Catherine! What are you doing!”
“I’m sure you already know, father. After all, my magic is―”
“Wait, stop! I won’t end this way! After running to the Empire, I’ll wait for my next―!”
“Eraser.”
I sensed an incredibly strong magic force from Catherine’s wand. The invisible force traveled toward Clément, enveloping him.
“No! I don’t want to forget! I’ll no longer be me!”
“Someone…! Anyone… Help… Me…”
And then, as though he had lost all strength in his body, Clément dropped with a plop.
“… Did you kill him?
“Mn, no. But I just tampered with his spirit a bit.”
“Wasn’t your magic… The ability to turn invisible and conceal yourself?”
“I can use it to do that, but fundamentally, it’s entirely different.”
Catherine instructed Ema to take Clément away.
“My magic allows me to erase memories.”
“Erase memories?”
“Yup. To conceal myself, I just erase the specific memories people have of seeing me.”
“How clever.”
“Ehehe~ But you know, the way that this magic is really meant to be used is―”
“!?”
I had let my guard down. I had just blindly trusted her when she said that she wouldn’t harm me. Catherine had now pointed her wand at me.
“Catherine…!”
“Claire-chan, I’ll take it upon myself to erase your… No, everyone’s memories of me.”
“No…!”
“My sin is so grave, that even death would be too lenient. From now on, I’ll continue to live without ever allowing anyone to retain memories of me.”
“No… That’s… You’re practically going to be denying your very own existence!”
She won’t be seen by anyone, nor will she ever remain in their memory―such an existence can no longer be called living.
“That’s right. That cursed way of life―will be my punishment.”
“Please think this over!”
“I’m sorry, Claire-chan.”
As I felt my strength slipping out of my arms and my legs, I felt something very important vanishing from within my mind.
“I… I definitely won’t forget! No matter what it is that you’ve done, I won’t… I absolutely won’t!”
“Claire-chan…”
“Just watch Catherine…! Even if you try to act tough like this… Deep down I… Know…”
I could feel my consciousness drift away.
Just now, I… Who was I talking to, and what were we talking about…?”
“… I don’t want to do this… I really don’t… But… But!”
As my consciousness faded away, I heard someone’s words through their tears, but I no longer knew who those words belonged to.
“Goodbye… Claire-chan.”
Those last words were so wrought with so much sadness… Unable to hold back my tears from flooding down my cheeks, I dropped into a deep sleep.
