Hearing Lonis’s question, Elucia’s expression didn’t so much as waver. She simply replied calmly:
“You could say it was created virtually, or you could say it really exists… And don’t try to be clever—that counts as two questions.”
“Huh?”
“Only their bodies lie sleeping beneath the gravestones. I brought their souls back to the Land of the End and fused them together.”
“W-what does that mean?”
“It means those NPCs you saw are all living people. The system erased some of their memories and let them live in a world of dreams as they were in life, until their wishes were fulfilled.”
“!”
“And their wish was to drive back the demons and restore peace to the world.”
As she spoke, the black-haired girl suddenly fixed her gaze on Lonis. Some emotion seemed to be stirring in her eyes:
“So once you completed your mission to save the world and drive back the demons, their wish had been fulfilled. Naturally, that world had no reason to continue.”
“So that’s… how it was? Then, when I became the Hero, the demons I drove back…”
“Of course not. In fact, many of the fallen demons who once invaded the Snowrealm Kingdom are still alive and well. The Trickster Demon Lord, for example…”
At the mention of the Trickster Demon Lord, Elucia’s voice turned several degrees colder. “Still, the dream world was created as a training ground to strengthen humanity, so one day you’ll make use of everything you learned there.”
“I understand!”
Lonis drew in a sharp breath. “So the dream world was like a rehearsal, and our real mission is to save the world and defeat the Trickster Demon Lord and the other forces of darkness?”
“Wrong.”
“Huh?”
“My mission is to save the world. Your mission is to help me save it, warm my bed, and act cute. That’s all.”
“H-how can you say that…”
At the words “act cute” and “warm my bed,” Lonis’s cheeks turned bright red.
“And let me warn you: you’d better not try to go against those duties. They’re written into the contract, and they last until death.”
“C-contract… What does that mean?”
“You can think of it as a magical contract. If you break it, you’ll suffer a terrifying punishment. And the contract is based on the principle of equivalent exchange I just mentioned.”
“Could you… explain equivalent exchange to me?”
Back when Lonis was the Hero, they’d felt pretty smart. But now, they felt like a ditzy, soft-spoken girl, led around by the nose by Elucia.
“In other words, to let the souls of the Snowrealm Kingdom rest in peace—and get their revenge—I have to take on the responsibility of saving the world. And as the price of your rebirth, you have to become my partner.”
“!”
“Originally, you were supposed to be a peerless Hero and fight alongside me to wipe out our enemies. But I never expected you to be so fond of playing the girl—a masochistic maid in a light white dress and thigh-high stockings, no less. So I have no choice but to be your mistress and keep bullying you~”
“I-I’m not fond of it! I told you, it was a misunderstanding. I was going to…”
“You were going to make me like that? Heh heh~~”
Lonis had been about to protest, but at Elucia’s cold snort, they instinctively curled in on themselves. They didn’t dare say they wanted to “be the master” again.
“Th-then what exactly do we have to do to save the world?”
“There’s plenty to do, but for now, collecting the seven weapons is the most important thing.”
“Seven weapons…?”
“Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. There are seven Rainbow Temples in this world, and Flame Abyss, which we just visited, is one of them. Each temple has a different power. Some are still worshipped, while others, like Flame Abyss, have been sealed away.”
“Oh, so there are seven weapons like the Red Lotus Hammer! The Yellow Lotus Hammer and the Green Lotus Hammer?”
“You’re so silly. There are knives, swords, spears, and bows, too! Have you ever seen anyone take seven hammers into battle?”
“Ah, I guess that makes sense. Hehe…”
Lonis gave a silly laugh. By then, most of the questions on their mind had been answered.
Only one remained—the one about themself.
But seeing Lonis’s curious expression, Elucia smiled. “You masochistic maid. Are you really that eager for me to bully you?”
“Huh…?”
“You’ve already asked me
nine questions, so you have to let your mistress tease and bully you nine times, too.”
“Wait! D-do the ones I asked later count too?”
Lonis froze. They’d been so caught up asking questions that they’d completely forgotten the price of getting teased.
“Of course they count. Then, shall we begin the first one right here?”
“Right now?!”
“Heh heh. I’ve wanted to see this for ages.”
The black-haired girl approached Lonis step by step, wearing a strange smile.
…
…
…
And so…
“Y-you who came before us, please… please rest in peace? I, the Hero of the past, have now… h-have safely returned as Lonis.”
Standing at the highest point in the cemetery, Lonis held a sheet of paper and read aloud.
Taken on its own, the scene made Lonis look like a devout priest offering comfort to the dead. But their outfit told a different story.
Their legs were tightly bound with rope, and a collar circled their neck. Their light white dress and chest trembling with each breath made the whole thing look like some strange, shameful roleplay.
The rest of the speech was no different:
“P-please don’t worry. Her Highness is in very good health… And I-I’ve become her personal… slave maid, and will serve her forever just like this. W-wearing a little dress, for her…”
Each of those words drove into Lonis’s heart like a nail.
It was unbearably embarrassing. If there really were souls inside the gravestones, what would they think if they saw Lonis like this?
(Look at that! The Hero from back then is actually willing to be a slave maid!)
(And wearing such a shameful little dress, with white thigh-highs! How embarrassing!)
(Could this person be trying to act like a girl on purpose, just so the princess will bully them?)
…
Lonis couldn’t help imagining those words in their mind.
But Elucia showed no pity. She tugged on the collar around Lonis’s neck. “You idiot, what were you reading just now?”
“Huh…”
“It’s ‘personal slave maid,’ not ‘personal maid.’ Did you swallow the word ‘slave’ or what?”
“Mmm…”
“Read it again.”
“D-do I have to?”
“Keep stalling and I’ll make you read it twice.”
“Mmm!”
When you’re caught up in things, you don’t always get a choice. No matter how embarrassed Lonis was, they could only keep reading at Elucia’s command.
…
…
