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Chapter 48 Part 6 – A memory from the previous「108 times」. For the sake of the people we love. And for our friends.

Arnold bit his lip and looked at the Queen.
The Queen had done her best to serve her kingdom, but she had been misunderstood and hated by her people, including himself, and had ended her life in loneliness. He can no longer make amends or apologize to her. He also could not fulfill his promise to Matzo to protect the Queen. Regret burned in his heart. Bradd must have felt the same way. No, it must be a feeling that is incomparable to his own, because he had directly put his hands on her. There would be no end to his feelings of regret.
And Bradd was in love with the Queen.
Arnold could no longer refuse Bradd’s request.
For the sake of the love of his life, who will never open her eyes again, Bradd is about to challenge a battle that he will never win.
It was heartbreaking. At least if the Queen was still alive, there would still be salvation.

「…… I understand!! You made a request to this Arnold!! I will protect her even if it costs me my life!! Although it’s her remains, I will not let anyone hurt the Queen’s body …… Sorry about this Queen, please excuse me for carrying Your Highness like this, I’ll carry you with my arms for a bit.」

Arnold hit his chest and promised that he would take responsibility for protecting Scarlet. He kneeled down to show his respect to Scarlet on the bench. Regrets filled his heart as he looked at Scarlet’s beautiful face that did not look as if she had passed away.

「…… She looks like she’s just sleeping. I feel sorry for such a beautiful woman. I’m sorry for everything I’ve done to you, Queen. Thank you for crying for my family …… Please excuse me ……」

He tried to put his hands gently behind her back.

「…… No, I’ll carry the queen. What are you going to do without your bow? Arnold, you’ll have to cover for us.」

Seraphy picked up the queen as if to take her away from him and Arnold’s hands gripped the air as it had nowhere to go. Unable to refute Seraphy’s argument because it was a fair one, Arnold picked up his bow in a sulking manner, saying, 「But the flow of the conversation is what it is all about.」 Seraphy ignored him and looked at Bradd.

「…… Say your farewells to the Queen. …… You really won’t regret this ending?」

Bradd looked at Seraphy, then nodded.

「…… This is fine. Thank you. Even though I can’t converse with her, her smile is burned in my memory …… She has a really cute smile. I wish you guys could have seen it …… Ahh, how I miss her. I used to pat her on the head like this when she was little ……」

Bradd gently touched Scarlet’s head and muttered.
He noticed that his palm was covered in blood and lightly stroked her head with his fingertips.

「She got mad at me for treating her like a child and chased me around …… then I teased her for doing that …… I thought of her like a younger sister, but I wonder when it started. Since when did I start liking this girl so much …… The human heart is a strange thing. But there’s one feeling that hasn’t changed since she was little ……」

Bradd took his hand away from Scarlet with regret.
He smiled gently as he took a few steps backward.

「…… Goodbye, Scarlet …… I love your smile. I’d gladly risk my life for that. I’m always praying for your happiness …… I’ll go now ……」

Then Bradd turned to Alisa and walked away.
Seraphy spoke in a quiet, clear voice at his back that showed no hesitation.

「… The two of us have certainly undertaken the responsibility of protecting the Queen. We will keep this promise, even if we have to give up our lives.」

Bradd did not look back, but raised one hand to thank them.
Alisa had been silently listening to their conversation and sneered.

「…… Praying for her happiness? After you killed poor Scarlet with your own hands? That’s funny. Are you going to brazenly wish for her happiness in the next world?」

「…… Well, that’s about it. Don’t worry about it. Don’t be jealous, Alisa. …… From now on, I’m only going to think about you. As you wished, I’ll only think about killing you ……!!」

Alisa swayed and listened ecstatically to Bradd’s dialogue as she contemplated what to do with her immobilized left arm.

「…… What a heavenly pick-up line. But I wonder if it’s true. Men have a hard time forgetting the women they loved. Women are skeptical creatures. …… After all, your eyebrows did not move in the slightest, even after seeing me in an exposed state like this. It’s not fair. I wish you would expose yourself to me more and more ……」

Although they were just having a conversation, it gave off an illusion as if they were whispering to each other sweetly in the bed. It is frighteningly lascivious. The white skin peeking out from the torn clothes seemed to be suspiciously inviting. The solemn chapel is distorted by the misty atmosphere of sexuality and sensuality that makes one lose one’s sense of judgment, making it seem like an indecent whorehouse.

No, in fact, there was a sweet, tantalizing aroma in the air. The lustful Alisa released a fragrance that has the effect of an aphrodisiac. An ordinary man would have forgotten himself and would have sucked on Alisa’s body in a trance.

In addition to the Sky Dance, the Thorn Princesses were skilled in the art of mixing body odors with the combination of foods they ingest. Alisa had revived this technique and applied it to herself.

「…… Seductive techniques won’t work on me. I’m not that much of a stranger to you that you wouldn’t know about this. You’re probably just stalling for time to plan a stupid scheme.」

Alisa smiled in a weirdly beautiful way at Bradd, who frowned and shrugged off the temptation.

「…… Fufu, you’re still so stubborn in the weirdest parts. I wish you could become harder in a different place …… You got it right. I was wondering if I should cut off this left hand that was messed up by you. But even if it’s useless, I can’t seem to find balance without it hanging around. By the way, did you sleep with Scarlet in「True History」?」

When Bradd noticed Alisa’s meaningfully dropped gaze, he looked truly displeased.

「…… I don’t have any reason to answer that question nor to engage in indecent conversation.」

For Alisa, it was equivalent to being told the answer.
Alisa laughed amusedly at Bradd’s grimace.

「…… Ahaha, what’s with that disgruntled expression? Scarlet is a sinful girl, isn’t she? She could make a man that she hasn’t even allowed to get physical with her to put his life on the line for her. I think she has more of the qualities of a bad girl than I do. …… Why is she so grateful for the grace of having bread, but turn away from the pleasures of sex? Both are the grace of God. Every bird, beast, and fish does it, it is the truth, not a sin. …… Well, it’s fine. Let’s resume the sublime human activity, the mind-blowing killing ……」

Alisa’s mouth was still carved in a sneer, but the lewdness had disappeared, and a freezing killing intent and madness whirled around her.

「…… Instead of taking off your clothes, I’ll skin you. I will pierce your bones as well as your flesh. I hate both when someone is unwilling or when someone makes me unwilling. Don’t take your eyes off of me for even a second …… Yes, look at me like you would look at your beloved lover. Otherwise, you will die soon ……」

Alisa’s figure vanished after finishing her words.
The wind rumbled sharply at Bradd’s back.

「…… Step technique, 「Setsuna」. I warned you to stare at me like you would stare at your lover ……」

Blood splattered as Bradd’s flank was sliced wide open.
Alisa didn’t wave a hand or a leg.
She merely passed by and it sliced through people like a blade.

「……!!」
Bradd’s elbow strike was lightning fast, but Alisa was even faster than that.

「Ahahaha!! Love and hate are still not enough for you to reach me ……!!」

Her figure already jumped backwards. It was as if Bradd was fighting against a phantom.

「 「Setsuna」 will show its true value in evading, not in attacking. And moreover, women like to play the game of love. Women are natural born experts in evading ……!! If you want to catch me, bare your fangs even more. Go ahead and beat me with all your desires, your killing intent, your love, your hate, your beliefs, without any shame or guilt ……!!」