Priscilla Route: War of Attrition, Priscilla's Compromise
「The contest between Hikigaya Hachiman and Priscilla began.」
「Scenes like the one where they returned to the castle were reenacted day after day. Every single day, there were verbal clashes and physical blows.」
「Unknowingly, this was no longer about Hachiman wanting to advise her or Priscilla wanting to break him; it had become a duel of wills between two people living in the present. Neither would change; both were determined to be stubborn.」
「Even if they already knew their mistakes, even if they were already shaken—if they didn't persist in their stubbornness here, they would lose. They would lose the "self" they had built throughout their lives up to this point. It had evolved into a war of that scale.」
「Time flew by. The war spanned until the start of the Royal Selection, and even more than a year after it had begun.」
「Hikigaya Hachiman was gentle to everyone else, but in the year-plus spent fighting Priscilla, his temperament had actually been altered by her. He had been quietly tainted by her abusive vocabulary.」
「Consequently, while he was kind to everyone else, he was the only one who would bluntly refute Priscilla—even hurl insults at her.」
「The first time he lost his patience and cursed at Priscilla, his body was nearly cleaved in two instantly; he was almost beyond saving. Had they not been in the Royal Capital at the time, allowing them to summon Ferris immediately, he would have died then and there.」
「On that occasion, when he woke up after recovering, he learned from Al that a whole day had passed.」
「Even so, when he and Priscilla met again, her face was still livid. She clearly harbored a deep grudge over his insults. Her eyes were so dark they looked ready to kill, and she even felt a hint of regret—regret for saving him.」
「"That's right... exactly as I said a year ago. You can take my life whenever you want because I owe you one. But until you kill me, I won't change my mind, you big-chested bastard, you arrogant, narcissistic, self-centered egoist!"」
「Crunch!」
「"—This mistress!!"」
「With a raised leg, she kicked and shattered Hikigaya Hachiman's jaw. Priscilla trembled with rage. Her fan pointed at Hachiman, who lay on the ground with zero intention of reflecting on his actions. For the first time, she was speechless.」
「By now, Hikigaya Hachiman was no longer one to hold back... if she called him a "dog's mouth," he would surely shoot back, "What kind of thing bites back at a dog? An idiot!"」
「If it went on like that, she might truly be unable to stop herself from killing this bastard.」
「"But why doesn't Lady Priscilla just beat him to death?"」
「A red-haired young child—the person who admired and worshipped Priscilla most in the world, her steward Schult—was the person who hated Hikigaya Hachiman most in the world.」
「"I can do it for you! As long as Lady Priscilla gives the word, I will definitely do it! Lady Priscilla, don't keep this bastard who defiles you any longer. Let me do it, Lady Priscilla!"」
「Young as he was, he spoke such terrifying words. But it was all for his Lady Priscilla.」
「Priscilla's gaze suddenly became very deep. "Schult, you are a cute child."」
「"A child who is not cute has no value in staying by this mistress's side to serve."」
「...Schult was devastated. From that day on, his Lady Priscilla no longer praised him as often, no longer took him along as often, and no longer gave him orders as often.」
「He was a cute child, but he was no longer "cute."」
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"Wha—"
In the mansion, Schult was dumbfounded. He looked at Lady Priscilla at a loss, but Priscilla only stared deeply at the future, her brow furrowing slightly without her realizing it.
If someone was valuable, worthy of commendation, or praiseworthy, she indeed had more patience and grace... but to reach this point... more than a year's time, progressing step by step...
The "idiot's" attitude had worsened gradually, marked by years and months. Had the length of time blurred her judgment?
"—So that's how it is! As expected of my Prime Minister, he's got a firm grip on this bastard with the princess complex!"
At the Hoshin Trading Company, Anastasia clapped her hands in admiration. Smiling with her pale blue eyes wide, she applauded cutely, feeling immensely happy for her Prime Minister's counterattack.
"If he had insulted that arrogant, egoistic princess-bastard from the start, he definitely would've been killed. But now his attitude is worsening step by step—which means he's breaking her threshold of tolerance bit by bit.
By the time she realizes she's being treated with insults, she's already used to the days of bickering with my Prime Minister. No matter how angry she gets, she can't bear to kill him.
But what's the use of hitting him to vent? My Prime Minister has never been afraid of that little bit of pain or injury... she's been completely handled. What a fool, falling into a trap like that."
Anastasia wore a smile, but like her Prime Minister in this future, she let the insults fly: "Calling others 'muddle-headed fools' when she's not even fit to be one herself. What an idiot~"
At the Karsten mansion, Crusch pondered for a moment and concluded: "The key is 'worthy of commendation.'"
She understood. Just as she was obsessed with her own virtues, although Priscilla was reckless, arrogant, and self-centered, she was willing to grant so-called grace and mercy to those she recognized.
"If Sir Hachiman admitted defeat, he would likely be beneath Priscilla's notice. But he is so stubborn. The more stubborn he is, the more Priscilla feels he is something 'worthy of commendation,' and simultaneously, the more she hungers to see the moment he finally gives in."
"Therefore, no matter how angry she gets, as long as Sir Hachiman hasn't surrendered, she definitely won't kill him."
"In other words, Hikigaya-senpai can do whatever he wants to Priscilla now? Insult her, hit her, or even... that to her, and he won't die?"
Facing his sister's question, Kyousuke Kousaka nodded. "I'm afraid that's really the case, though torture is certainly unavoidable."
Kirino's attention was fixed only on the first half of the sentence. After hearing it, her eyes nearly popped out.
"So, that means Hikigaya-senpai is already, in a sense, riding on top of this bad woman and lording over her?"
Kyousuke weighed his words but eventually nodded with a wry smile. "Your perspective is certainly... while the description is inappropriate, if you insist, it can mean that."
"Which means... Hikigaya-senpai is already getting his revenge? Hell yeah!!"
As more and more people realized this, a tidal wave of cheers erupted in many places across both worlds.
A Hikigaya Hachiman with a foul mouth is great! When dealing with such a poisonous woman, if Hachiman continued to be gentle, they would find it repulsive and boring!
Priscilla Route: The Beating of Priscilla
「A dead pig does not fear boiling water—when Hikigaya Hachiman began to hurl insults back and Priscilla found herself unable to bring herself to kill him, they entered a cycle. Priscilla, trembling with rage, actually slightly decreased the frequency of her foul language.」
「Hachiman, who had originally intended to persuade and talk sense into her, never imagined that his goal would finally show signs of progress a year later through a method of "meeting violence with violence."」
「However, after suppressing herself for a short period, Priscilla realized this was a form of compromise. Feeling that she had fallen into a disadvantage and was close to admitting defeat, she quickly reverted to her style of wanton, overbearing insults toward others.」
「If Hachiman were to curse back, she would simply beat him until he clutched his stomach, too pained to speak, and then she would leave—this was the countermeasure Priscilla adopted.」
「But after more than a year of one-sided beatings, Hikigaya Hachiman had developed a conditioned reflex toward her movements.」
「While his physical skills could not compare to someone like Al, when facing Priscilla's attacks specifically, Hachiman could anticipate them as if possessed by foresight. He moved his body swiftly, calmly and repeatedly succeeding in evading her blows.」
「In contrast, Priscilla, who was supposed to be the aggressor, appeared increasingly pathetic as she struck at empty air in stunned disbelief and tried to follow up with more attacks.」
「"Flee—"」
「"Fleeing is meaningless. It's time you became self-aware. How piteous it is to jump around like a male dog in heat. This mistress's kind treatment and this mistress's punishments are both blessings~ Correct, isn't it?"」
「Pinching his throat and using a mimicry of her tone, Hachiman spoke the words rapidly before Priscilla could finish her thought. He got every word exactly right; he had long since figured her out. This preemptive answering made the pale-faced Priscilla even more infuriated.」
「Hearing these words come out of Hachiman's mouth was inexplicably comical. Though it wasn't a direct insult, to Priscilla, it was infinitely more disgusting than a curse—it was nauseating.」
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"Tsk, tsk, tsk. It's like she swallowed a fly. She totally deserves it."
In the Concert Band club, Kumiko Oumae clicked her tongue, making no effort to hide her disgust and aversion toward Priscilla.
On the male side, perhaps a significant portion of people might side with Priscilla because of her appearance. But men understand men best, and those who hate women most are always other women. Just as normal women hate "Green Tea Bitches," other normal women who couldn't stand her would be the ones to loathe a self-righteous, high-and-mighty egocentric like Priscilla most.
"But thinking about it, while it's great that Hikigaya is fighting back strongly, doesn't this have a bit of a 'bickering lovers' vibe to it?"
Shirogane Miyuki shook his head. "I don't think she's qualified to share that term with Hikigaya... it would be better if Hikigaya could physically wound her seriously... but, well, it's Hikigaya after all."
Even if he had been driven to the point of cursing and being mercilessly ungentle, Hikigaya Hachiman was still Hikigaya Hachiman. As long as Priscilla hadn't killed him, in his eyes, he still owed her a life. Therefore, he would never view her as an enemy. If she wasn't an enemy, no matter how far she went, he wouldn't use lethal force. However, not using lethal force didn't mean he wouldn't counterattack.
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「"You've gone far enough! Give it a rest!!"」
「"—"」
「A sharp pain hit her wrist as the fiery red fan dropped to the floor. Priscilla's eyes widened in disbelief, staring at the frowning Hikigaya Hachiman.」
「Hachiman's hand was like an iron shackle, firmly pinning Priscilla's wrist. His eyes flared with long-accumulated fury.」
「"I..."」
「I am Komachi's brother.」
「He didn't say these words aloud. With Priscilla's personality, she would surely insult Komachi if he did. In that case, he couldn't guarantee he wouldn't develop the urge to strangle this woman in the middle of the night.」
「But he was Komachi's brother... and Komachi loved him. How could this body, loved by Komachi, be ceaselessly and endlessly destroyed? If Komachi knew, how sad would she be? Hachiman didn't even dare to imagine it.」
「He had wanted to do this for a long time... but only after mastering her movements did he have the foundation to act.」
「"Presumptuous!"」
「"The presumptuous one is you! Stop treating human life so lightly as if it's only natural!"」
「He was imposing... which was only natural. Hachiman was no masochist. He remembered every ounce of pain Priscilla had inflicted on him so far.」
「Thud!!」
「In the blink of an eye, Hachiman was flipped and swung through the air, his back slamming violently against the floor.」
「"Hmph..."」
「Before the triumphant smile could bloom on Priscilla's lips, Hachiman—who hadn't let go of her wrist even in that state—gave a sudden, violent yank.」
「Priscilla stumbled downward. A fist full of fury filled her entire vision, occupying her whole world.」
「WHACK!!」
「The symphony of a fist meeting a cheek echoed through the hall. Priscilla staggered back, one hand clutching her face, feeling the stinging heat of the pain on her right cheek in pure shock.」
「"—!!"」
「Her expression changed drastically, twisting into a mask of rage so absolute she no longer had the composure to refer to herself as 'This Mistress.'」
「"You've had this 'Princess Disease' for too long; it's time you woke up!"」
「Shouting, Hachiman lunged forward, interrupting Priscilla's attempt to pull the Yang Sword from the air. He tackled her to the ground.」
「The two, harboring a year's worth of resentment, became a tangled mess, rolling across the floor. Every punch and kick was merciless, an outpouring of violent rage.」
「It was seven in the evening—the time when the Divine Protection of the Sun receded.」
「It didn't matter if he touched Priscilla's chest; it didn't matter if her skirt hiked up to reveal her thighs. Hachiman didn't view this arrogant, egoistic bastard as a woman at all.」
「Every one of his punches was aimed straight for Priscilla's face.」
「Hachiman couldn't bring himself to do something as vicious as killing her... he only hoped that when Priscilla looked in the mirror and saw a bruised and swollen face, she would reflect on the fact that she could be this ugly. In such an ugly moment, she was not more noble than anyone else.」
「Priscilla, meanwhile, aimed every punch and kick at Hachiman's vitals.」
「As time passed, Hachiman clearly fell into a dangerous predicament.」
「When Al, who had been sent out on an errand, returned and saw Priscilla mounted on top of a dying Hikigaya Hachiman, landing punch after punch with a distorted, hideous expression, he could hardly believe his eyes.」
Priscilla Route: Priscilla's Day of Humiliation
「—」
Back in her mansion, Priscilla stood up instinctively. Her eyes widened and her body leaned forward like a cat with its fur standing on end, entering a state of unbelievable stress-induced shock.
With a wave of her right hand, the brilliant Yang Sword appeared from thin air. She swung a heavy arc of sword-light toward the sky, but even so, it was to no avail.
The images of her being beaten black and blue in a low-class brawl continued to appear incessantly on the light screen, projected before every living creature in the entire world.
"So you, who considers yourself above the whole world, also have moments where you fall into such a pathetic state? Bullying my Prime Minister—you've truly brought this upon yourself, Priscilla."
At the Hoshin Trading Company, an exhilarated Anastasia clapped her hands. She looked adorable cheering for her Prime Minister, yet her eyes held a fox-like cunning.
"To have such a disgraceful sight seen by the entire world... for someone like you, it must be a fate worse than death. Serves you right."
She felt a surge of vindication.
Among the five candidates, she was the one who had been teased the most by her Prime Minister, which used to make her feel quite depressed. Now, seeing Priscilla in an even more pitiful state, the contrast made her feel incredibly refreshed!
"Good! Hit her like that! Sir Hachiman, that's exactly how you should hit her!"
Unlike Crusch at the Karsten mansion, Felt—at the Sword Saint's estate—scratched her head and curled her lip.
"What is this? In the end, he still pulled his punches... It would have been better to just beat her to death. This 'cheap' adoptive brother of mine is still far too gentle." She sighed with dissatisfaction.
"...Eh, um, well..."
On the streets of the Royal Capital, Emilia instinctively clenched her fists, wanting to cheer for her knight. But seeing Priscilla's appearance in such disarray—becoming so comical and losing her composed face—she shrank back slightly, feeling a bit of pity.
However, after a moment of conflict, she bit her lower lip lightly and finally shouted out:
"—Go for it, Hachiman!"
She wasn't the only one shouting. In every street and alley, there were far too many people who found Priscilla unpleasant.
"Keep going!!"
Ram and Rem, heading toward the capital, saw it too. People on the road were supporting Hikigaya Hachiman. In the Sanctuary, Garfiel, the demi-human residents, and the Ryuzus were all shouting loudly, their faces lit with joy. Back on Earth, the momentum was even more earth-shaking; Hiratsuka Shizuka had one foot on her desk, dominantly punching the air and laughing out loud.
Even a gentle girl like Chitanda Eru couldn't help but smile slightly, feeling happy that Priscilla was receiving punishment.
At this moment, across both worlds, it seemed those standing on Priscilla's side were few—so few they could be counted on one hand.
The merchants around Otto kept their mouths tightly shut.
Although they also found it satisfying, Priscilla was different from the Witch Cult; even if she mistreated Hachiman, her status in this country remained... As merchants, they had to be careful with their words and actions. If they supported Hachiman now and someone reported it to Priscilla later, they would be finished.
Otto understood their thoughts, so he alone shouted with the spirit of ten thousand men, clearly supporting the man he considered his friend and boss.
In the Sacred Vollachian Empire, Emperor Vincent frowned deeply. His fingers tapped the armrest of his throne, his face grim.
Elsewhere in the Empire, Arakiyia, one of the Nine Divine Generals, was even more furious. She wished she could make Hachiman appear before her this instant so she could slash him to death with a single strike.
On Earth, noble "princesses" like Shinomiya Kaguya were a bit wavering... They had detested Priscilla at first, but seeing her pathetically reduced to a joke, they projected themselves onto her and felt a bit uncomfortable.
After all, their status and positions were closer to Priscilla's.
"Priscilla's tolerance for someone she considers 'worthy of commendation' is unexpectedly high."
In Class D, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka saw through it clearly. "If she used magic or drew her sword, she could make Hikigaya Hachiman die in an instant. Yet she preferred to be beaten black and blue and limited herself to fists and feet... she certainly has personality."
Hachiman, who had no intention of pleasing Priscilla, had instead deeply pleased her by not trying to please her.
Over time, he had left such a strong impression that she didn't intend to take his life even at this stage.
"Emotions and luck are both very important, mhm."
Ayanokouji muttered to himself. He rubbed his chin, considering another possibility: "Or, perhaps while Priscilla is a sadist, she subconsciously has masochistic tendencies as well?"
It wasn't impossible. But even with such tendencies, given her personality, she would surely only enjoy being "mistreated" by someone she herself praised.
Regardless, Ayanokouji had no real interest in such things; the thought was merely a passing flash.
Currently, his intense interest was reserved only for Hikigaya Hachiman. Women were far too much of a distraction.
Regarding the realization that Priscilla was holding back, Hachiman himself—back in the convenience store—saw through it just as clearly as Ayanokouji. He looked at Yukino in his arms, who was beaming with delight, and opened his mouth to speak, but decided against it. He didn't tell her.
But in his heart, more or less, he had a more three-dimensional view of Priscilla now, and his loathing for her had decreased.
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「A shocked Al instinctively reached for his sword. His view of Hachiman was subtle; he had a favorable impression, but ultimately, he was more loyal to Priscilla.」
「Just as he was thinking of slashing Hachiman to death, Hachiman had already stopped. Immediately after, he was kicked in the stomach by Priscilla, sent flying backward with a violent force, seriously injured.」
「"Get out!" she barked at Al, while simultaneously picking up her fan to shield her face.」
「Al wanted to turn back to check her condition, but before he could even move, a burst of flame shot toward him as a warning.」
「A helpless Al closed the door and left. He stood right outside, staying on guard in case Hachiman and Priscilla started fighting again.」
「"Puh... cough, cough..."」
「In terms of skill, stamina, and strength, Priscilla was far superior to Hachiman. By now, Hachiman could no longer get up, while Priscilla remained seemingly unfazed... aside from her disheveled state.」
「And this dishevelment, in her eyes, was more unbearable than death. It was an unprecedented humiliation, more insulting than any insult, the ultimate degradation.」
「"You dog... muddle-headed fool, presumptuous thing!"」
「Priscilla gritted her teeth. She moved to Hachiman's side, and it was clear that she had finally developed a true intent to kill.」
Priscilla Route: Hikigaya's Compromise
「A strained groan accompanied the crack of breaking bone. Pain-induced cold sweat dripped from Hikigaya Hachiman's forehead. After his limbs were damaged, the fiery red fan came to rest against his neck, slicing the skin.」
「One step further, and his life would be lost.」
「Priscilla hesitated for a long time, a rare occurrence. She stroked her cheek, which stung with burning pain, let out a cold snort, and finally retracted the fan with a furrowed brow.」
「"So you too can fall into such a state... Priscilla. Cough, cough."」
「Hikigaya Hachiman forced a smile. His breathing was heavy; if his injuries were left untreated, he might not survive the night.」
「"Do you truly wish to die—you insolent fool! This mistress can fulfill your wish at any time; that, too, is a merciful gift!"」
「Priscilla barked, trembling with rage, her eyes crimson.」
「"Since coming to this world and learning about it, do you know what I hate most? It's slave traders, Priscilla."」
「Hikigaya Hachiman lay flat on the floor, talking to himself: "While the legendary Sin Archbishops have killed many, at least in death, a human remains a human. Slave traders humiliate people both physically and mentally, making them cease to be human... That is why I hate you too, Priscilla."」
「"You curse me with your mouth, but you also constantly praise me and treat me as a human. For someone with your personality, that's already quite good. My resistance isn't because of your insults... it's that toward others, you don't consider them human at all. That is unbearable to me."」
「"Unless they earn your praise, you don't see them as human beings... I hate that about you."」
「In response, Priscilla's fan struck his left leg with a snap, causing more fractures.」
「Hikigaya Hachiman's meaning was clear: even if Priscilla spared him today, as long as she did not change this trait, he might still launch another violent and sudden counterattack in the future.」
「His message was delivered... however, Priscilla did not say another word. She merely gave him a frigid glance before turning and walking out.」
「Arrangements were made three or four minutes later. The little steward, Schult, slipped in with medical supplies. His eyes held a sense of disdain alongside his usual hostility and jealousy toward Hikigaya. Despite this, he proceeded with the treatment obediently.」
「Schult only follows Priscilla's orders; he lives for her sake... His arrival to provide treatment was clearly by Priscilla's command, and it was certainly Al who delivered the verbal message.」
「Because if Schult had seen Priscilla in that state, he would have surely gone mad and tried to kill Hikigaya.」
「"—"」
「Realizing this, Hikigaya Hachiman was stunned for several seconds. His eyes grew misty, and he let out a few bitter chuckles.」
「"Priscilla..."」
「His tone was thick with emotion, filled with far too many complexities.」
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"The Hikigaya-kun in this future has a significant deviation."
In the convenience store, Yukinoshita noticed it immediately.
Hikigaya Hachiman shook his head.
"People are meant to change, after all. The me before joining the Service Club and the me after joining changed quite a bit. One is influenced by the people and events they encounter and makes corresponding changes. That is what it means to be human."
"It's not just Priscilla's threshold of tolerance that is lowering; Hikigaya's threshold is lowering as well."
Kousaka Kyousuke pondered for a moment and reached this conclusion: "The Hikigaya of over a year ago believed that verbal abuse was something to be addressed—it was disrespectful and wrong. But a year later, he has become accustomed to Priscilla's verbal slights and lack of respect. His standards have lowered; he only hopes that Priscilla will treat others as human beings.
In their clash, as time passed, both sides have actually been compromising and influencing each other without realizing it."
No one but the two involved could say whether this was good or bad.
In her mansion, Priscilla held the Yang Sword, staring icily up at this future. Her expression was grim, so terrifying it made it difficult to breathe.
Al and Schult dared not speak, even going so far as to lower their presence. Judging by her expression alone, they could tell how enraged the current Priscilla was.
If she had only been beaten as she was in the future, she might have restrained her killing intent. But now, there was the added "ultimate humiliation" of having her disgrace witnessed by the entire world.
Al could guarantee that if Hikigaya Hachiman were here right now, Priscilla would slice his head off with her sword without hesitation.
"The current Princess doesn't have the foundation of a year's worth of feelings, brother... Heh, but I suppose everyone else is prepared to protect him. The Princess likely won't be able to kill him even if she wants to... That being said, the current Princess hasn't just been disgraced; she must have drawn a lot of hatred, right?"
Al offered a silent prayer for his fellow countryman for two seconds, then suddenly realized his own faction's situation was dire to the extreme. Al's face collapsed into a look of extreme bitterness.
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「When he woke the next day, Hikigaya Hachiman's injuries remained. Schult was no Felix; he didn't know convenient healing magic, and he didn't seem to have any intention of calling a professional doctor.」
「This indicated that Priscilla's command was simply to keep him alive. As long as it wasn't fatal, it didn't matter—there was an intent to leave him a cripple, bedridden for life. This was a truly terrifying punishment.」
「From that day on, Hikigaya Hachiman never saw Al or Priscilla again. Initially, he thought they were busy with Royal Selection matters. Despite Priscilla's haughty exterior, she actually worked intensely on her campaign.」
「With Crusch and Anastasia as opponents, even she did not believe victory would come easily.」
「But after several consecutive days without seeing those two, Hikigaya Hachiman sensed something was wrong. He called for Schult through the maid caring for him.」
「Though he hated him, Schult told him—since Priscilla hadn't ordered him to keep it a secret—that Priscilla and Al had long since departed for the Sacred Vollachian Empire. The
reason was that Al had received secret intelligence that the Emperor, Vincent, had been schemed against and ousted, his whereabouts unknown.
「Priscilla had never mentioned her past to Hikigaya Hachiman, so it was difficult for him to analyze much. He could only infer that Priscilla likely had a connection to Vincent and was going to aid him.」
「...Thinking this, he felt a faint sense of unease.」
「And that unease was validated one night several days later.」
「That night, screams rang out one after another through Priscilla's mansion. Finally, a woman appeared before the struggling, barely mobile Hikigaya Hachiman.」
「"Second of the Nine Divine Generals of the Sacred Vollachian Empire, Arakiyia."」
「The woman, covered in wounds and nearing death, introduced herself with that title.」
」
Priscilla Route: Priscilla, Withering
「The woman calling herself Arakiyia was covered in scars across her entire body. It seemed she had recently undergone a continuous series of tragic battles—so tragic that the mere fact she was still alive was a testament to how stubborn her will to survive was.」
「The title the other party announced made Hikigaya Hachiman's face turn pale instantly. He asked with desperate urgency: "The Nine Divine Generals of the Sacred Vollachian Empire... What about Priscilla and Al? Are they still alive?"」
「"Princess, ha... hahahaha... Princess, ah, uwaaaaa—Princess! Princess!!"」
「Arakiyia's expression was manic. The moment she heard Priscilla's name, tears choked her and fell instantly. Her body swayed as she wailed piercingly, her voice filled with self-condemnation and remorse for her own incompetence.」
「Even though she explained nothing, this wailing alone was enough for Hikigaya Hachiman to understand: Arakiyia was absolutely a follower of Priscilla. More importantly, he understood... Priscilla and Al were dead.」
「"Come with me, and apologize to the Princess in the world after death!!"」
「The wailing Arakiyia swayed as she approached Hikigaya Hachiman. There wasn't a single spark of light in her eyes; she laughed miserably like a walking corpse.」
「Hikigaya Hachiman slowly closed his eyes... Immediately after, he felt a bone-chilling pain as his body was destroyed. Amidst a booming sound, he and Arakiyia were both reduced to ashes.」
「"—"」
「The next moment, feeling his life suddenly vibrant again, Hachiman snapped his eyes open and sat up violently. He stared in disbelief as he lifted his agonizingly painful hands. Though they hurt terribly, he was alive.」
「"This is..."」
「He looked around. This was the familiar hall. Beside him, Schult was crouched down, using medical tools to treat him with a sour face: "What are you doing? Even though this is Lady Priscilla's command, if you don't want to live yourself, then there's nothing I can do—actually, that would be for the best. Go hit your head against a pillar and kill yourself right now."」
「Hachiman's head buzzed, filled with confusion in an instant.」
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This bizarre development left not only Hikigaya Hachiman, but also the people of both worlds in reality, completely bewildered. The difference was that they were only confused about the Arakiyia part.
"It's back, that feeling of the official history," Futaro Uesugi muttered to himself, shivering. "Dying without explanation, a sudden appearance of death, a world full of mysteries, and people we don't know. Out of all the timelines, only this one has shown this kind of 'official history' situation."
"Wait, wait! Isn't Priscilla's Divine Protection supposed to make her fearless and invincible? How could she die?" Nakano Itsuki asked, dumbfounded.
Ichika, being sharper, quickly thought of it: "Priscilla's protection only works during the day. Maybe she was killed at night. Besides, Hachiman mentioned before that her 'great luck' isn't omnipotent.
For example, if Reinhard wanted to kill her, she might get a whim to run away days in advance. But if she actively goes to challenge Reinhard or tries to kill him, it's only natural she would lose or even die. If Priscilla stayed safely in her mansion, she'd be fine, but now she's actively running to the Empire to participate in an Emperor's rebellion. When you seek out danger, encountering it is entirely possible.
I'm more concerned about that Arakiyia... If she follows Priscilla, why did she specifically smuggle herself into Lugunica to slaughter everyone in Priscilla's mansion?" After Kei Shirogane asked this, Miyuki Shirogane shrugged and answered immediately:
"Two possibilities. First: Priscilla held a grudge against Hachiman for hitting her before she died, and her final order to Arakiyia was to kill him. Second: Arakiyia worshipped Priscilla to such an extent that she felt if Priscilla died, no follower should live on; they should all go to the grave with her."
Kei gasped. "That kind of thing—"
"In my opinion, it's likely the second one. Many people in this parallel world are obsessive. They might be smart, but they aren't exactly sane."
By now, Shirogane Miyuki had improved; he was analyzing based on the reality of that world. Thinking back on the various "obsessives" Hikigaya-senpai had met along the way, Kei realized it probably was the second possibility.
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"...Send an urgent order. Tell the Nine Divine Generals to speed up."
In the Sacred Vollachian Empire, the moment Vincent saw that Priscilla was dead, he knew that the 'him' in that timeline was already doomed.
When he had detected rebel intelligence in Anastasia's previous timeline, he had already ordered the Generals to gather in the Royal Capital. For the rebels to be strong enough to oust him, it meant some of the Generals were definitely involved.
Now it was proven that quite a few were involved. To be able to kill Priscilla, the danger was unimaginable—his imperial sister, aside from her luck during the day, was a top-tier fighter herself! Vincent glanced at the restless courtiers in the hall; the pressure in his heart was heavy.
"Mistress—"
Priscilla was surrounded by a dark, ominous aura.
First she lost three times, then she was scolded to her face, then beaten in the face, and now she actually died—even Arakiyia died.
In all her years, she had never felt a rage as explosive as the one she felt now.
At this moment, Anastasia, Crusch, Emilia, and Rem all felt equally terrible. If it were just Priscilla dying, it would be a cause for celebration, but taking one of Hikigaya Hachiman's lives on the way out was painful.
Knowing how soft-hearted Hachiman is, and seeing him begin to grasp the "Return by Death" ability in this timeline, they knew exactly what would happen next.
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「"Cough, cough... Schult, go find Priscilla. I have something to say to her."」
「"It is Lady Priscilla!!" Schult looked with disgust at the Hachiman who showed no respect to his mistress. He really wanted this guy to stay far away from her, but knowing she valued this person, he had to deliver the message.」
「Minutes ticked by. After shivering in the cold wind of the living room for about an hour, the half-dead Hachiman finally heard that familiar, incredibly arrogant, rhythmic sound of footsteps.」
「He looked up. Priscilla, dressed impeccably, had a face that had completely returned to normal. There were no bruises or swelling; she must have used some special method.」
「Priscilla looked down at him with a cold expression, her eyes filled with contempt and disdain.」
「"Bark, you dog."」
「Her shoe stepped directly onto the fractured part of Hachiman's foot as she spoke.」
Priscilla Route: A Unique Persuasion
「The returning Priscilla appeared to believe that Hikigaya Hachiman was about to surrender and soften his stance. Her posture was extremely rampant, her face flush with a visible, refreshing joy. Simultaneously, her treatment of Hachiman took a sharp turn for the worse.」
「"What is your relationship with the Emperor of the Sacred Vollachian Empire?"」
「"—"」
「Hachiman's sudden inquiry caught her completely off guard. Priscilla was momentarily stunned; she immediately glanced toward the hall entrance, where Al stood. Al shrugged and said innocently, "The first-hand intelligence I received was only shared with you just now, Princess."」
「"Is it that you don't want to say, or simply that you still don't want me to know? Cough, cough..."」
「Hachiman's questioning pulled Priscilla's attention back. She kicked the injured, pathetic wretch with displeasure, sneering in disparagement: "A domesticated dog should obediently eat filth. To presume to dine on human cuisine—it's a miracle a piece of trash with no self-awareness like you has lived this long. Perhaps this mistress has indeed been too merciful."」
「The relationships and past stories of others were "dog food" to her; only hers were human delicacies. All things are equal, but Priscilla stands above them—to this day, she still clung to this haughty, arrogant worldview.」
「The intensity of her insults was far more severe than before... The incident where he beat her black and blue hadn't just caused the atmosphere between them to drop to freezing point; the faint, ephemeral connection built over a year of cohabitation had been shattered and annihilated in an instant.」
「In this state, if any word further displeased Priscilla, she would surely strike to kill.」
「Despite this, the options of remaining silent, escaping alone, or watching her die never entered Hachiman's mind.」
「"It's your freedom whether you want to tell me about your relationship with the Emperor. But... I hope you won't get involved in the muddy waters of the Empire's rebellion. If it's not absolutely necessary for you to go."」
「Seeing Priscilla's "watching a clown" expression and her air of utter indifference, Hachiman fell silent for a moment. As if exhausting all his strength, struggling, he resolutely added one more sentence: "This is my... request."」
「These words were like a bolt from the blue. Priscilla's hand paused; her fan slipped with a clack. Her eyes widened slightly, and her entire being froze for two seconds, displaying an
expression of pure disbelief—back when Hachiman had suddenly punched her in the face, she hadn't frozen for even a second before accepting the reality.
「"A clown talking nonsense..."」
「Priscilla leaned down, her slender, white fingers resting on Hachiman's chin, lifting his head to meet her gaze. "To be so pathetic, to use alarmist talk, to try so hard to please this mistress—none of this can ever atone for your sins. However, the merciful mistress shall allow you a limit of three sentences."」
「"Don't go."」
「To his first sentence, Priscilla showed no reaction.」
「Seeing this, Hachiman let out an incredibly weary, deep sigh. He found an unshakeable resolve within Priscilla, so he immediately changed the content of his second intended sentence.」
「"I'm going with you."」
「"A quadriplegic clown—do you have the face to make such a shameless, hideous, pig-like request before this mistress?"」
「"Have Felix come to treat me tomorrow morning."」
「If Priscilla willed it, Felix would arrive nearby tomorrow due to some random whim; her "Great Luck" was capable of such feats.」
「With the three sentences spent, the hall fell into silence. Hachiman and Priscilla stared at each other for a long, long time.」
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"Um... Puck, why didn't Hachiman just tell Priscilla directly that she'll die if she goes?"
On the streets of the Royal Capital, Emilia tilted her head in confusion. "Even if the source of information is hard to explain, since it's Priscilla, it shouldn't matter. She should be the person who cares about that the least. As long as she sees Hachiman's intensity, she should know it's the truth."
"That's why you're too naive, Lia."
Puck lay atop his daughter's hair, analyzing: "By speaking that way, Hachiman's subtext—that she will die if she goes—was already picked up by someone as sharp as Priscilla. So Hachiman actually did say it."
」
"The reason he used such an indirect method is that Priscilla arrogantly believes nothing can happen to her no matter what she faces. These kinds of people are the hardest to persuade; the moment you tell her she 'can't' do something, she absolutely won't listen."
"By just hinting, there's still room. If he truly said she would die, Priscilla would definitely turn and leave on the spot, refusing to hear another word. Arrogant, egocentric people are just that headstrong."
"In terms of negotiation, Hachiman knows much more than you, Lia. You can learn from him."
"Oh? ...Okay."
At the Hoshin Trading Company, Anastasia shook her head with great disdain. "As expected, he's going to save her."
Her Prime Minister was simply far too kind. On this point alone, Anastasia was very, very dissatisfied—gloomy and pouting. "Once he comes over, I'm definitely going to change that trait of his."
"The familiar Hikigaya-senpai... no matter how different his experiences are, his core thinking won't change. Repaying a grudge with kindness... how should I put it? Seeing Hikigaya-senpai like this makes me feel relieved. Even though I hate Priscilla and think it would be fine if she died."
In the Shirogane household, Kei's words made Miyuki Shirogane nod repeatedly. The siblings' views were identical.
Compared to his somewhat confused sister, Miyuki could point to the essence:
"Because someone as ideal as Hikigaya is incredibly rare. If the torturous reality had erased the parts of him we admire, it would be the greatest tragedy. When a beautiful thing loses its beauty, it's a pity for anyone who loves beauty."
Miyuki clenched his fist. "I think it's fine for Priscilla to die, but for the sake of Hachiman's 'beauty' remaining intact, I'm willing to pray for her to live—because that is Hachiman's wish."
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"..."
In the mansion, Priscilla's Yang Sword had been hidden away at some point. Her face was expressionless, her mood something neither Al nor Schult could fathom.
"Hmph... a muddle-headed fool who knows nothing."
Her low whisper contained contempt and anger, but to Al's ears, this could by no means be called pure insult or a mere venting of displeasure... though that part was certainly present.
What she was thinking, Al couldn't imagine, but he was certain of at least one thing:
Watching Hachiman save others is one thing, but watching Hachiman step up to save you specifically—that feeling of being moved is magnified several times over. That stirring of emotion and sense of closeness would naturally explode and grow in an instant.
"Right, brother?"
Priscilla Route: Intertwining Arrogance
「"Lick this mistress's feet, scent this mistress's fragrance, and sacrifice everything just for the privilege of remaining by this mistress's side to behold this visage. You backward dog, in the end, you still have to crawl obediently before me."」
「Leaving behind such a contemptuous insult, Priscilla left the heavily injured Hikigaya Hachiman lying in the hall, exposed to the night wind for the entire night. By the next morning, when Al brought Felix over for treatment, Hachiman was in a daze, his limbs paralyzed, burning with a high fever and mumbles incoherently—looking like the most pathetic of beggars.」
「That state was Priscilla's deliberate retaliation; a revenge for the loss of face Hikigaya Hachiman had caused her.」
「After the healing was complete, Felix gave the restored Hachiman a warm hug before leaving, feeling a sense of pity for him for being repeatedly abused by his "monarch."」
「"She's not my monarch."」
「Hachiman said with absolute certainty: "I am not assisting Priscilla. I haven't in the past, I'm not now, and I won't in the future."」
「"This mistress does not accept just any trash. A muddle-headed dog need only display its comical, pathetic antics to please me with all its might; you have no right to stand by my side."」
「Priscilla, stepping into the hall, countered with a sharp tongue. Hachiman shot her a glance but, not wanting to make things difficult for Felix—who was caught in the middle and knew he'd spoken out of turn—he didn't fire back a fierce retort that would have ignited a more pungent scent of gunpowder.」
「After Felix departed, Al immediately brought out the prepared ground dragon carriage. Priscilla was about to imperiously dismiss Hachiman to the position of coachman, but Hachiman, reading her expression and knowing exactly what she was thinking, beat her to the punch with a sarcastic remark: "On some matters, it's best to use your brain before you speak."」
「Though he had been in this world for over a year, he had mostly stayed within Priscilla's domain and hadn't spent much time around ground dragons. While he could technically drive one, his proficiency was nowhere near Al's. Since they needed to travel day and night to reach the Sacred Vollachian Empire, Al was the only choice.」
「Priscilla, who had only wanted to satisfy her urge for verbal dominance and never actually intended to replace Al, was left with a belly full of fire and nowhere to vent it, forcing her to spit out bitter insults like "incompetent dog."」
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"A Hikigaya with such high aggression is surprising no matter how long you watch... it gives a constant illusion of his character collapsing. But living beside someone like Priscilla, it's only natural he'd turn out this way."
Houtarou Oreki couldn't help but sigh. "If you don't engage in a war of words with Priscilla, you're just subjected to one-sided abuse."
"Being cursed once or twice isn't a big deal; Hikigaya can endure that. But being insulted for years without ever talking back would cause a terrifying abnormality."
"An abnormality?" Eru Chitanda tilted her head in confusion.
"Yes," Oreki gave an example. "Just as a child who grows up being domestic abused by parents becomes timid, if someone is long-term insulted and belittled without ever responding, no matter how clear-headed their will is, they will eventually develop a subconscious sense of inferiority.
Therefore, Hikigaya isn't resisting out of anger... though that's a factor, it's a small part. More importantly, he doesn't want to let himself become excessively self-loathing."
Beside them, Mayaka Ibara curled her lip. "But wasn't he already self-deprecating to begin with?"
"That's different," Oreki shook his head. "His voluntary self-deprecation is a form of humility, a way to prevent himself from bloating and to remind himself to remain cautious. But forced inferiority is a force that is difficult to control; therefore, it must be cleared away."
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「The news that the Imperial Emperor, Vincent, had been ousted by rebels was extremely well-hidden. The people of the entire Sacred Vollachian Empire seemed completely unaware that such an event had occurred; they believed their Emperor was still sitting securely on the Dragon Throne.」
「This was a secret rebellion limited only to the upper echelons.」
「But before Hikigaya Hachiman could organize any more intelligence, he arrived at the destination along with Al and Priscilla.」
「It was a forest said to be inhabited by a powerful warrior tribe known as the People of Shudrak. According to Al's information, Emperor Vincent had fled here, hoping to win them over as the foundation for his comeback.」
「However, what met their eyes was a landscape of charcoal.」
「That night, before the hurried dragon carriage could even reach the forest's perimeter, the three of them had already seen the soaring flames from afar. Accompanied by the roaring cheers of soldiers celebrating their mission's completion with drunken revelry, they were blissfully unaware that they had quietly burned the Emperor of their own country to death.」
「Hikigaya Hachiman didn't offer any advice... he simply watched as a livid Priscilla drew her Yang Sword and slaughtered the entire army, leaving bifurcated corpses scattered across the fields.」
「From the moment he stepped into the Empire, he had been receiving various signals about this nation. Thus, he understood one thing clearly—compared to the virtuous knights of Lugunica, the moral standards of the Vollachian Empire's soldiers were more akin to the bandit-soldiers of Earth's ancient history; they weren't worth seeking justice for.」
「On the other hand... Hachiman didn't think he could persuade Priscilla even if he tried.」
「"The Imperial Emperor, Vincent—that is the Princess's elder brother." This was what Al had told him.」
「If Komachi were burned to death, what actions would he take? Putting himself in her shoes, Hachiman could completely understand the current Priscilla—he even felt a deep sense of sympathy.」
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"Vincent is Priscilla's brother? That means Priscilla... is actually a Princess of the Sacred Vollachian Empire?!"
This revealed identity left many people caught between laughter and tears. It turned out Al hadn't been using "Princess" as a special nickname; he was simply stating a fact.
At this point, many people couldn't help but wonder: Does Priscilla count as a person of Lugunica, or a person of the Sacred Vollachian Empire?
If Priscilla were to win among the five candidates, it would mean the new monarch of Lugunica was a former Princess of the Sacred Vollachian Empire.
"The Divine Dragon..."
Crusch grew increasingly dissatisfied with the seemingly senile Divine Dragon.
However, the members of the Council of Sages had no intention of changing their minds; since the Divine Dragon had chosen Priscilla, she had the right. This was etiquette, and respect for the Dragon.
Far away in the Sacred Vollachian Empire, Vincent's eyes lit up. He had found a crucial point: "The common people don't know about my ousting, which means—"
His body double had replaced him. His body double was part of the rebellion!
A joyful Vincent exhaled; after all this time, the mystery of the rebellion finally had a breakthrough.
Now, he would immediately order the arrest of the double!
Priscilla Route: Enemy, The Blue Lightning
「The army dispatched by the Empire was entirely and brutally slaughtered. In the dozen or so days following that, an enraged Priscilla traveled across various regions of the Sacred Vollachian Empire, single-handedly defeating and killing several of the Nine Divine Generals stationed in different cities.」
「The Empire was on high alert; notices were posted, and large detachments of troops were urgently sent to surround and suppress her. Yet, through one "coincidence" after another, the massive forces missed her tracks by mere hairsbreadths, being led around in circles and achieving absolutely nothing.」
「During this period, Arakiyia, one of the Nine Divine Generals, even defected outright, placing herself under Priscilla's command. With tears streaming down her face, she wished to bow and kiss Priscilla's feet, but she was heartlessly rejected.」
「Just how terrifying Priscilla could be when she was fully unleashed and driven toward a goal was something Hikigaya Hachiman experienced firsthand. With strength superior to any of the Divine Generals seen thus far, coupled with her heaven-defying Divine Protection of Great Luck, she actually managed to pit herself against an entire nation single-handedly in a short span of time!」
「...However, these formidable achievements vanished into ash the moment they encountered that man.」
「It was an ordinary night in the forest, as they were evading the Empire's main army. A man paced closer out of the darkness. Two swords hung at his waist; his appearance, attire, and temperament were as elegant and unrestrained as a legendary Grand Swordmaster, carrying a chilling deterrent within that dash of style.」
「"Hey now... I had already made up my mind not to get involved in the power struggle between the former Princess and the new Emperor, so how did I end up running into you? Honestly, it's a real pain. But it'd be even more of a pain to pretend I didn't see you. Just blame your own bad luck, Princess-sama."」
「His boastful declaration symbolized the arrogance of certain victory. Priscilla, clad in red, curled her lips in disdain. She was more arrogant than he; she didn't even look at him properly. With a light squeeze of her hand, the radiant brilliance of the Yang Sword immediately illuminated the dim world.」
「"Oh—"」
「The lazy man's eyes lit up, his gaze becoming sharp in an instant. "You should have said so earlier. It would've been better if you'd just said you were a sword user from the start. Are those remnant troops so useless they couldn't even bring back that much intel?"」
「"Because the soldiers who witnessed the Princess use the Yang Sword were all wiped out," Al sighed, tapping his helmet. Then, his single arm tensed as he gripped his hilt. "Though I'd love to say something that intimidating... you might actually be the first survivor to walk away from the Princess's Yang Sword."」
「This was hyperbole... an exaggeration of their own combat power.」
「Hikigaya Hachiman could feel the heavy pressure in Al's words. It was night; Priscilla had no boost from her Great Luck. More importantly, she had been running rampant across the Empire recently and had nearly exhausted the Yang Sword's reserves. Once the Yang Sword disappeared, it was truly hard to imagine how they would face this enemy who radiated the overwhelming pressure of a supreme powerhouse.」
「"One of the Nine Divine Generals of the Sacred Vollachian Empire, The Blue Lightning, Cecilus Segmunt."」
「Slowly drawing his two swords, Cecilus introduced himself with a smile.」
「"Princess-sama, I will buy time! Use that gap to leave quickly!"」
「Arakiyia immediately shielded Priscilla. Considering the Princess's personality, she avoided using words like "escape," but even so, Priscilla remained where she stood.」
「"Sigh..." Al shrugged. "Honestly, let's just fight. Better to save some energy, don't waste your breath. The Princess doesn't like running away with her tail between her legs."」
「Hikigaya Hachiman sat to the side, burning crackling kindling, remaining indifferent. Facing an enemy of Cecilus's caliber, he wasn't even considered "combat power." Going up would only result in being killed instantly or becoming a hindrance. He could only watch.」
「—Until he threw the last few gathered logs into the fire. Under the firelight, Al was hacked into pieces; even his helmet was sliced in half, revealing his true face that he rarely showed.」
「The battered and dying Arakiyia tried to flee with Priscilla's corpse on her back, only to be pierced through the heart by a thrown sword. She was pinned to a large tree, linked together with the Princess she had dreamed of serving.」
「Even having lost her life and soul, leaving only a corpse, Priscilla remained clean and orderly, possessing a heart-stirring pride and charm—at the moment before she was about to be slain by Cecilus, she had ended her own life by her own hand.」
「Except for herself, no one in this world had the right to take her life. This pride and arrogance were vividly conveyed.」
「"That's why I said, I really didn't want to wade into these muddy waters."」
「Cecilus sighed. Compared to his nonchalance when he first appeared, he had now become like a second Al, left with only one arm... that was Priscilla's work.」
「"But, luckily the arm is still here and wasn't burned away by the former Princess's magic. In that case, I'll just find a skilled healer later."」
「He toyed with his severed arm. His performative sighing couldn't hide the surprise on his face. After the battle with Priscilla, he seemed to have gained some insight, climbing yet another step on the ladder of swordsmanship.」
「Throughout the entire process, he didn't pay any attention to Hikigaya Hachiman, as if he didn't even see the man. Hachiman didn't speak to him either, his eyelids lowered as his gaze swept over the three corpses.」
「Immediately after, Hachiman stood up and picked up Al's sword, which was covered in his own blood.」
「A sound like a kitchen knife hacking pork rang out continuously. Under Cecilus's interested gaze, that blade dismembered, slashed, cut, minced, and smashed the corpses of Arakiyia and Priscilla until they turned into a pile of mixed mincemeat. Nothing could be distinguished; not a single feature remained.」
「A pile of flesh—just a pile of flesh.」
「"I thought you were a self-aware coward who would bow and surrender after your master was defeated. But... to go this far just to prevent them from becoming the Empire's trophies, being stripped and paraded through the streets?"」
「Cecilus's sheathed sword was slowly drawn again. Zheng! The sound was one of acknowledgment. "It won't insult my blade, then."」
「Beneath the tree, looking at that pile of meat, Hachiman trembled as he vomited up stomach acid, then turned around panting. "Priscilla is my savior."」
「"Not your sovereign mistress? Well... forget it, no difference."」
「The leisurely Cecilus smiled.」
「Between the crossing of blade and sword, victory and defeat were decided along with life and death.」
「Hikigaya Hachiman, deceased.」
Priscilla Route: Digging One's Own Grave
"He—He's dead? Just like that?"
In Advanced Nurturing High School, Horikita Suzune was speechless.
Although she had already deduced from the results of the previous loop that Priscilla would die in the Sacred Vollachian Empire, she truly hadn't expected it to happen so abruptly.
"No siege by thousands of troops, no joint effort by the Nine Divine Generals, no ambush, no prophecy... Just because 'The Blue Lightning' didn't want to waste energy hunting her down, he was casually taking a stroll, and then—she just died?"
Not only Horikita, but even the likes of Koenji Rokusuke and Kushida Kikyo were dumbfounded. There was a sense of utter bewilderment; Priscilla's death was so unceremonious that it caught everyone off guard.
"Unceremonious? Heh."
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka glanced at them and shook his head slightly. His intent to pity their pathetic intelligence was so obvious that Horikita felt like slamming the table—if only she could actually beat him in a fight.
"Priscilla's 'Great Luck'—the more others target her, the more that luck manifests itself to the fullest. Whether it's a joint ambush by the Nine Divine Generals or a crushing force of tens of thousands, as long as it's a meticulously planned conspiracy, it cannot succeed."
"There is only one way to bypass her luck to the greatest extent: to have no intention of targeting her, to not plan on being her enemy. Therefore, the more 'unceremonious' it is, the more likely it is to succeed.
Hikigaya Hachiman already proposed this method back when he acted as Crusch's strategist. Now, the facts have once again proven him right, yet you stand here in disbelief—I am disappointed, Horikita."
Ayanokouji's expression and tone carried an unparalleled sense of pressure.
"To think I actually chose you as a pawn back then is truly unbelievable... To have misjudged someone to this extent, compared to his eye for people, it is an overwhelming defeat."
Horikita's face stiffened, turning red with frustration. Didn't this mean her IQ was so low she wasn't even qualified to be Ayanokouji's pawn?
She knew it—the unmasked Ayanokouji wouldn't provide a kind explanation for no reason. Every time he spoke, it was either to speculate about Hikigaya Hachiman or to compete with him.
Humiliation. Pure humiliation!
"But then again, the people Hikigaya-kun values—like Crusch, Emilia, Rem, and Anastasia—are indeed far beyond what you could ever compare to, right?"
Beside them, Kushida Kikyo continued to sneer and kick her while she was down. Horikita's eyes snapped toward her. "No matter how inferior I am to them, I'm still better than you!"
Her face was grim. Kushida was about to add more fuel to the fire when Ayanokouji suddenly swept his gaze over her. A cold, flat voice rang out: "Those who want to make noise can get the hell out. Interfering with my observation of Hikigaya Hachiman will cost you more than just a punch."
Class D fell instantly silent.
Regarding Priscilla's death, there were actually other factors involved, but Ayanokouji was too bothered to explain them.
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At the Hoshin Trading Company, Julius looked dazed. Feeling that the death was incredibly abrupt, he said blankly:
"Lady Priscilla's 'Great Luck' has truly opened my eyes. Based on the previous performance of that luck, even if 'The Blue Lightning' had no intention or malice, he shouldn't have been able to find her so easily."
Mimi also tilted her head. "Yeah, she should have had a whim or a warning during the day, right?"
"The Great Luck does indeed give warnings, but ultimately, the one making the choice is Priscilla herself, Mimi."
Holding the fluffy Mimi, Anastasia explained gently: "The brother she cares about was burned to death. Her rage has already made her lose her mind. Even though she received a warning, the combination of anger and arrogance meant she had no intention of acting according to her luck. She didn't flee in advance. Subjectivity and objectivity clashed, subjectivity won out, and the result is this tragedy."
At this, Anastasia curled her lip. "If she wants to die, she should just go die. But to involve my Prime Minister—how awful!"
She swung her small feet, pouting and muttering: "Hurry up and come over here, Mr. Prime Minister."
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Compared to the completely smitten Anastasia, Ricardo was more concerned with the strength of "The Blue Lightning"... He could see that Cecilus was stronger than Regulus (The Praiser).
And Regulus was stronger than the current Sword Devil, the Sword Devil was stronger than the current Julius, and Julius was stronger than him. In other words, if one didn't count the Sin Archbishops with their bizarre authorities, the Witches, or the Divine Dragon, Cecilus might be among the top three or even the second most terrifying existence in the world.
No wonder he could kill a Priscilla who lacked her luck.
"...Tsk." Ricardo clicked his tongue.
"Speaking of which, doesn't Al have a protection similar to 'Return by Death', nya? Why didn't we see him use it this time, nya? Hmm, should I call it a protection or an authority, nya?"
At the Karsten mansion, Felix raised a hand to ask. The observant and experienced Wilhelm offered his guess:
"Are you referring to the performance where he or the opponent returns to ten-odd seconds ago? By my deduction, that is vastly different from Lord Hachiman's 'Return by Death.' It requires active use and has certain conditions—when fighting the Imperial army, Sir Al encountered severe danger several times but didn't use it. It's likely the conditions weren't met here."
"Furthermore, given the gap in strength between him and 'The Blue Lightning,' even continuous looping would make victory impossible."
"If there was any possibility of Cecilus losing, that dawn of victory—the key to a turnaround—could only have been Lady Priscilla herself."
Crusch heard their exchange but didn't participate. One reason was that her thoughts matched Sir Wilhelm's. On the other hand, she was currently too happy to speak—if she opened her mouth, the joy in her heart would surely overflow.
Though it was for the other person's sake, seeing Lord Hachiman chop Priscilla's corpse into mincemeat... she truly almost burst out laughing.
Moreover, in this timeline, the internal situation and general strength of the Sacred Vollachian Empire were shown clearly. This was a great boon.
"It's just hard on Lord Hachiman... doing such a thing personally must have made him feel nauseous to the point of extreme revulsion."
Only this heartfelt lament could slightly dispel her joy.
Crusch didn't consider the current Priscilla's psychological trauma. Disliking Priscilla was one reason, but more so... watching yourself get beaten black and blue, then defeated, killed,
minced into meat, and broadcast to the entire world—such humiliation, for someone as haughty and arrogant as Priscilla, would be utterly unbearable.
Crusch didn't even dare to imagine that level of awkwardness; just thinking about it made her scalp tingle.
She was happy to see Priscilla suffer, but being embarrassed to this extent? That was perhaps a bit too much stimulation.
Priscilla Route: The Merits of a Bad Woman
As arrogant as Priscilla was before, she was now equally ashamed.
Vincent could imagine this shame, but he had no time to dwell on it.
Sitting on the Imperial throne, Vincent rubbed the space between his eyebrows, his feelings beyond description. It was certainly a good thing to see that the Empire's strongest, "The Blue Lightning," was not a traitor and had no interest in political power struggles, but the Imperial sister who had come to avenge him had indeed been cut down by that very same man.
This truly left him not knowing what to say for a moment.
After thinking it over, Vincent ultimately decided to act as if nothing had happened.
As an Emperor, the priority of defending his power far outweighed blood ties; he could not afford to hold a grudge against Cecilus for this. However, no matter how much he pretended nothing was wrong, the two siblings had more or less become laughingstocks, which was Vincent's greatest source of distress.
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「One hand clutching his heart, a suddenly awakened Hikigaya Hachiman saw the beautiful sunset on the horizon. Beside him were Priscilla, Al, Arakiyia, and the familiar forest.」
「The previous Return by Death had sent him back nearly twenty days, but this time it had only rewound half a day. Hikigaya Hachiman could not immediately understand how these rules were determined.」
"Two possibilities: a sense of security, or a safe environment."
In the convenience store, Hikigaya Hachiman stated with certainty. Having seen so many instances of Return by Death in the "official history," he had figured it out. However, for the 'him' in this timeline, it was indeed a mystery.
...But if possible, Hachiman hoped his future self would never figure it out, because that would mean Return by Death had been triggered far too many times.
「"—Gah, urgh... cough, cough... blegh!!"」
「Following the confusion was the relief of having a chance to save three lives, followed by an overwhelming surge of nausea that made Hachiman's head spin, leaving him in extreme distress.」
「The moment his gaze fell upon Priscilla, he immediately associated her with the pile of minced meat he had personally chopped. Forget concentrating on how to persuade Priscilla to move and avoid Cecilus; even a normal glance at her was a luxury.」
「This retching immediately drew Priscilla's displeasure. She furrowed her brows and kicked a piece of firewood; the wood whistled through the air, the wind it kicked up stinging the skin.」
「"If you dare disturb this mistress's mood for rest again, you'd best check if your head is still attached to your shoulders."」
「Priscilla's cold and arrogant voice warned Hachiman. This tone and content were once things he hated intensely, but hearing that voice now, the vomiting Hachiman surprisingly and gradually began to calm down.」
「 'Minced meat doesn't talk...' Clinging to this thought of salvation, Hachiman cautiously opened his eyes to look at Priscilla once more. This time, what he saw in his eyes was no longer a collection of nauseating mush he had created with his own hands, but a stunningly beautiful young widow.」
「"Priscilla..." he called out.」
「"Hmm?" Priscilla arched an eyebrow.」
「Hachiman looked around. He saw those three living faces and murmured softly, "Priscilla... Al... Arakiyia..."」
「Priscilla became increasingly annoyed; Hachiman's call sounded like he was addressing a dead person. "What madness has seized you? Being a dog does not mean you may bark at will. No matter how merciful this mistress is, I will not grant you such blessings indiscriminately!"」
「Uncharacteristically, Hachiman did not talk back at all.」
「But he wasn't bowing his head. Hachiman's attitude was as if he had already given her so many counterattacks—so many that he could ignore her sarcasm. In his eyes, compared to the "counterattacks" he had already dealt her, this sarcasm was of a negligible level.」
「...Priscilla could not understand this at all.」
「To understand it, she let out a cold snort and walked with contemptuous steps toward a large tree where Hachiman had invited her.」
「"Let's head this way tonight. How about it? We'll rest here." Pulling out a map, Hachiman pointed in a direction. "I think it's safer this way. Besides, your Yang Sword is almost depleted, right? It's better to hide these next few days. There's no shame in being a coward; it's better than being dead. The world is large; there will always be someone you can't beat."」
「His words didn't sound like advice at all; they sounded more like he was trying to trigger Priscilla's reverse psychology... and in fact, that was exactly what he was doing.」
「Hachiman knew exactly what kind of person Priscilla was. His direct persuasion would never work, so he decided not to persuade her at all.」
「The direction he pointed was exactly where "The Blue Lightning" Cecilus was located. Priscilla would absolutely not take his suggestion, which would allow her to reject the wrong option herself. However, this reverse psychology was too obvious, and so—」
「"This mistress's itinerary has no room for a clown's interference."」
「Priscilla was clear-headed; she did not change her decision under provocation and chose the same spot as the previous loop, ignoring his suggestion and remaining unaffected.」
「Hachiman wasn't disappointed at all. Given Priscilla's arrogant and egoistic personality, he never expected the reverse psychology to succeed... at the end of the day, someone like Priscilla simply cannot accept the suggestions of others.」
「If she ever does what someone else suggests, it can only be because she already intended to do so before the suggestion was even made.」
「 'All things are equal, but Priscilla stands above them.' In terms of stubbornness, Hachiman acknowledged this phrase. The world might be large, but he didn't think anyone could change Priscilla's mind.」
「This was merely an attempt. If the attempt failed, it didn't matter; he would simply use another method to save Priscilla and repay his debt. Before that—」
「"Priscilla," Hachiman earnestly proposed a hypothetical. "If one day you die and I'm still alive... before you die, would you order Arakiyia to make me accompany you in death?"」
「Priscilla glanced at Hachiman several times. Suddenly, her fan swung, striking his shoulder. She then grabbed his collar, her expression terrifying.」
「"To insult this mistress with such contempt... your bad habit of not knowing restraint seems to be worsening. If a clown's ridiculous speech does not learn where to stop, there will come a day when you lose this mistress's blessings."」
「She gripped Hachiman's shoulder and gave a sudden push. Hachiman stumbled and fell to the ground, his thigh seemingly hitting a rock that was half-buried in the soil, but a look of relief appeared on his face.」
「Although he had already deduced the answer... in the previous loop, until the very, very end, no such order had been given. But he wanted to hear it with his own ears.」
「And then, he would go and save her.」