Chapter 358 (Self Edited) – Nightmares Right Nearby
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A voice echoed in the room. It sounded somewhat painful, yet at the same time, it contained pleasure. No, perhaps pleasure was the predominant feeling. It resembled a moan. Amidst that, the sound of gritted teeth resounded.
“Why… why is this happening…!” (Cecilia)
Cecilia muttered with a groan, but the relentless voice continued to reach her ears. Buried under the sticky mixed sounds, Cecilia could only lament. It was a large room. Beyond where Cecilia laid, slightly elevated from the ground, there was something at the back of the room, upon which a luxurious chair rested. However, the person who should have rightfully occupied it was absent. Near Cecilia, someone moved their arms with a joyful smile on their face. Simultaneously, a voice resembling a moan echoed, and Cecilia clenched her fists tightly.
Then…
“What’s the problem now?” (Isaac)
Cecilia glared fiercely at Isaac, who spoke these words without ceasing the movement of his arms. However, Isaac, shrugging his shoulders as if scared, continued moving his arms, knowing well that Cecilia couldn’t do anything. After all, her hands and feet were bound. Not only could she not strike Isaac, but she could barely move from her spot. Though, even if her hands and feet were free, whether she could strike Isaac is a different matter altogether.
“This… this is clearly wrong…! Why are you doing this…!” (Cecilia)
“No matter what you say. Can’t you see for yourself? We’re just entertaining each other.” (Isaac)
As Isaac spoke, he forcefully struck his arm, causing a loud noise to resound. Watching the sticky dark red blood splatter around, Cecilia clenched her teeth tightly.
“Entertaining each other… how could you say such a thing…!” (Cecilia)
“Heh… well, I guess I’ll stop teasing my little sister too much. It wouldn’t do any good if you ended up hating me.” (Isaac)
“What are you doing now…!” (Cecilia)
“Hmm? Why now? Funny, I’ve only done things to please you. I don’t recall doing anything to make you hate me…?” (Isaac)
The tilted head could be interpreted as either feigned ignorance or genuine sincerity. But regardless, Cecilia had only one thing to say.
“After doing such things to everyone, what are you saying…!” (Cecilia)
In that room, the Throne Room, besides Cecilia and Isaac, several other women lay sprawled out. Moreover, all of them were bleeding from various parts of their bodies, not a single one of them was uninjured. Some had even lost all their limbs… but the biggest issue was that Cecilia knew them, her comrades whom she thought had been killed or starved to death in various hideouts.
“To say things like that… Even after being reunited with you, and moreover, seeing you happy like this? What exactly are you dissatisfied with?” (Isaac)
“Happy… where… is that…!” (Cecilia)
“Hey hey, as much as you want to deny it, isn’t lying a bit too much? You’re clearly happy, even drooling shamelessly. Truly, this is a man’s dream come true, isn’t it!” (Isaac)
Certainly, at a glance, it might seem like she was happy. The fact that a smile adorned the girl’s face was also true. But…
“That’s because you’re showing them a convenient illusion, isn’t it…!” (Cecilia)
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At Cecilia’s outcry, Isaac curled up the corners of his mouth. Indeed, the reason they didn’t seem to care about Cecilia and why they seemed to enjoy being mutilated by Isaac, it was all because Isaac was showing them such an illusion. Among those girls, the one in front of them right now was someone they loved dearly, and they believed they were being treated with something that made them happy. That kind of thing —
“It’s unforgivable…!” (Cecilia)
“Hah… where’s that? They’re happy, and I’m having a good time too. It’s fun to torment those who resist, but honestly, it gets boring quickly. But by doing this, everyone can be equally happy. There’s no problem with that, right?” (Isaac)
Perhaps there was some truth to those words. However, the essence of it was just presenting convenient words to oneself. And ultimately, the illusion he was casting over the people of the city was the same. At first glance, it might seem like everyone was happy, but that was only how it appeared. Unconsciously, everyone was escaping from reality. What I felt at that moment was indeed correct. This kind of thing is clearly wrong, no matter how you look at it.
“Geez… You’re as stubborn as ever, my little sister. Everyone is happy. Isn’t that enough?” (Isaac)
“…You say everyone is happy, but what about our other brother… the Crown Prince? What happened to him…?” (Cecilia)
“Nah, he could have been happy too, you know? He seemed to be having a blast. Well, he was able to keep dreaming of a scenario where he didn’t realize he was being hit, didn’t feel any pain, and just kept on hitting me. He was probably happy right up until the end.”
“I see… It appears I was right after all.” (Cecilia)
“Huh? What do you mean?” (Isaac)
“I mean, the person standing before me is a b.a.s.t.a.r.d…!” (Cecilia)
“Hah, a b.a.s.t.a.r.d, huh… Well, well, to be called that by my little sister. But oh well. If you can finally feel happiness directly, then maybe you’ll understand what I’m saying.” (Isaac)
As Isaac spoke, he slowly stood up. The girl had slumped over without her noticing, repeatedly convulsing. But her face did indeed seem happy. And that’s precisely why Cecilia glared fiercely at the b.a.s.t.a.r.d before her.
“Heh, don’t make such a scary face. Well, if I think about how that face will look when it melts, it’s kind of exciting.” (Isaac)
“…I will absolutely not let that happen. Besides, knowing that I’m about to be shown an illusion, whatever I see is meaningless.” (Cecilia)
“Hah… That’s such shallow thinking, isn’t it? Have you forgotten what my power relies on, or are you deceiving even yourself? It’s because I could trick even that perception that they were enjoying themselves, right?” (Isaac)
“Even so, I will never become like that!” (Cecilia)
“I look forward to it. I got annoyed with that guy halfway and killed him… I’m really looking forward to what you’ll become.” (Isaac)
Isaac curled up the corners of his lips, expressing genuine antic.i.p.ation. But no matter what was said, Cecilia’s feelings remained unchanged, and they were not going to change in the future. She controlled her slightly trembling body by clenching her fists and continued to glare.
As Isaac slowly approached, reaching out toward Cecilia’s body—
“Heh… I’m curious to see how long you can keep up this act. Well, anyway—” (Isaac)
At the moment Isaac’s hand was about to touch Cecilia, he suddenly leaped backward with great force. Before one could even question why, the outcome was evident. With a thunderous roar, a pillar of fire erupted right where Isaac had been standing moments before.
This meant that the fire was right next to Cecilia, yet strangely, it didn’t feel hot at all.
And then…
“Don’t you dare lay your filthy hands on her, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d.” (Aina)
“Hmm, I won’t let this b.a.s.t.a.r.d have his way any longer.” (Sheila)
With those words, as if blocking his path, two familiar girls appeared in front of Cecilia.
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