I looked at Katsuki and she knew what I wanted to know without me saying anything.
She bowed deeply, “I apologise Mistress… The story about the state of my slavery was indeed a lie…”
I felt a little disappointed at that but I noticed the man getting closer so I shot out a [Laser] in front of him, making him pause.
I then turned back to Katsuki, “Explain.”
Katsuki looked surprised, “Is… Is Mistress not going to abandon me?”
“Not until I hear your explanation at least.”
She fidgeted with her fingers but relented, “I was… I was focused on my mission at first… But I did not account for the fact that Linette would be betrayed by her own guards and left to be killed by the goblins. Because I did let myself go through the slavery process, I would be unable to escape until she was dead, but that would mean the possibility of me being used by the goblins before being freed was also high… I had already resigned myself to such a fate but Mistress came in to save us…”
I frowned, “And how did you plan to kill her anyway? The collar wouldn’t have let you hurt her in the first place.”
“The plan was for me to kill her the moment my ownership was transferred away from her before making my escape… Since only she knew about the circumstances of my sale, they would have thought that this murder was nothing more than a slave who broke free and killed her owner… Then the person who they were trying to transfer the slave to would get into trouble because of the Tiara company seeking accountability.”
“And you abandoned that idea because…”
“Because… It would inconvenient Mistress…” She admitted.
Her father scoffed, “Bah! That is obviously all a lie. She realised that if she were to latch onto you instead, she would no longer need to live as a third rate within the family and would be able to live a better life by serving as the maid of a rich lady!”
I scowled at him, “I’m sorry, but did I ask you? No? Then how about you shut up?”
He was about to say more when he noticed that a few of my shadow summons had moved closer to him so he wisely shut his mouth.
I turned back to Katsuki and she continued, “As… Ummm… As I said… I… I did intend to complete my mission at first… I was grateful to Mistress for saving me from my fate with the goblins but… I… When Mistress said you would give me a name and take me in… I decided I would cast my past away right then and live for Mistress…”
Her father spat on the ground, “Hmph, you’d cast away your own family just for a name? I knew you were worthless from the start. Now just imagine what else she would betray you for, lady. You are really naive if you think she actually has any true feelings of respect for you, she’s merely just using you for her own interests.”
This time Katsuki didn’t take the insult silently and stepped in front of me, “You can insult me, ridicule me and even hurt me, but disrespecting my Mistress is something I cannot accept. I have always been treated as trash by everyone back at home, it was Mistress who showed me that I was more than just a weapon to be used!”
“Listen to yourself, Hisei. You were born a weapon and you will always be a weapon. A weapon that doesn’t cut what its masters want to cut is useless!”
“My name is Katsuki!!”
Damn, that’s some really toxic family she has there, no wonder she was so eager to leave that place.
The man brandished his knife at her, “Do you really think I will let you off after spending this much time, resources and effort on you? If you don’t have the decency to return back home, then at least have the decency to end your life!”
“I do not live by your principles anymore, father,” Katsuki spat out the last word like venom. “The only person I obey now is Mistress.”
“Ha! So if she told you to die, you would do so?”
“My life belongs to Mistress. If Mistress deems that I should die, then I will,” She declared with absolute conviction.
Damn, that’s heavy, Katsuki…
You need to remember that she’s barely twelve years old, you know? Yet she’s already dealing with all these things at her age.
Sure, I’m younger than her but that’s only physically. Even I didn’t need to deal with this level of family drama in the other World.
I at least know that children her age should not need to worry about these kinds of things normally and yet here she was being made to kill people while also being gaslighted by her father.
I’m not even mad she lied to me anymore, I might have done the same in her stead after all and I could tell she meant it when she said she was devoting herself to me.
“So you would really die for her, huh?” The man asked.
Katsuki did not hesitate, “Yes.”
He then turned to me, “And do you still accept her even after knowing what she has done?”
Katsuki turned to me as well, giving me a look that told me she was expecting me to cast her aside right there.
Now I’m a little hurt that she would think I would abandon her like that after saying I wouldn’t.
“I do,” I said simply.
So caught up I was in the look of shock and relief on Katsuki’s face that I failed to see the man had been using this moment to cast a spell.
At that moment, my vision turned black, blocking me from seeing anything.
On instinct, I leapt back to create distance between us, only to feel something hit the back of my hand.
I heard Katsuki scream out something unintelligible but before I knew it, I could no longer move.
“Mistress! Mistress!!” I heard Katsuki cry out.
It seems like I have been paralysed somehow but I can still hear and feel what is going on around me, especially when I can feel the cold hard ground that was pressing against my face.
I was trying to figure out a way to counter this when Katsuki spoke again.
“Mistress is the young Mistress of the Nilm family! Do you understand what kind of enemy you have just made?!”
Oh dear… I didn’t really want to drag my family name into this since I don’t want to rely on borrowed power, but I suppose at this point it’s either that or we die to him.
There was a pause and I wondered if there was a spell that would allow me to see through the eyes of my summons?
The man finally spoke after a while, “You’re serious? Then I suppose you’re not in any better position are you? Having failed to defend your Mistress, they will put the blame on you as well.”
“Then I deserve to die here with my Mistress! You will not hurt her any further without first killing me!”
There was the shuffle of footsteps and I realised Katsuki had positioned herself in front of me, guarding me with her body.
The man snorted, “I don’t need to do anything anymore. The poison is already seeping through her body as we speak. First is the paralysis of the body, then next would be the paralysis of her heart. In just ten more minutes, her body will shut down and she will die.”
Oh… I err… That doesn’t sound good… I think I should be worried, shouldn’t I?
“Where is the antidote?” Katsuki growled.
There was the sound of cloth coming from his direction, “Right here.”
He really showed it to her? That’s surprising. Maybe he’s trying to make her think she has a chance for some reason?
There was another period of silence before he spoke again, “Are you really expecting me to hand it over just like that?”
“If Mistress does not live past today, your entire family will be wiped from existence. Madam will definitely not stop at just taking your life.”
“Hmmm… But who will tell them what happened here? You? Do you think you can live past tonight, little Hisei? But if you want this so much, how about a trade?”
I don’t like the sound of that.
“What do you want?” She asked.
“Your life. Kill yourself and I will administer the antidote to her.”
No! Don’t do it Katsuki! He’s obviously lying!
“Are you… Are you speaking the truth?” I heard her ask, a distinct quiver in her voice.
“Of course! Now what will it be, Hisei?”
“My name is Katsuki!” She cried out before the sound of her leaping off the ground could be heard.
I’m guessing she had lunged towards him to try and take the antidote from her father.
But what followed right after that was the soft cry of pain from her before a thud that came from her hitting the ground.
Ok, no. You do not hurt my Inugami maid!
I gave the command to my summons to take the antidote from him.
There was another shout coming from him before the sound of blades clashing could be heard.
Right then, his spell that blinded me finally lifted, allowing me to see what was happening in front of me.
It looks like he was already prepared for my summons to attack him as he easily danced through the crowd while cutting down my shadows like paper, aiming only for the vitals.
His experience was definitely nothing to scoff at.
Right then, I saw Katsuki give another cry and leapt at her father, her hand reaching out for the vial of liquid he was holding in his left hand.
I wanted to tell her to stop but my mouth could not move, thus I could only watch helplessly as the man spun around and buried his dagger into Katsuki’s abdomen.
YOU BASTARD!!!