Tilea's Worries

“I understand most of the situation now. But why did Gil-san’s team storm in here and create such a ruckus?”

I urged him to continue the explanation, and Gil-san picked up where he left off.

After receiving my distress signal, Ortissio and his team had stormed the mansion. Up to that point, everything went according to plan. Though I can’t recall everything clearly, I probably increased my mana sharply during the battle. When they entered, Darf’s team was already fighting Elizabeth’s forces. After hearing the situation from Darf, Ortissio immediately decided to switch the plan, changing from a stealth mission to a full-on frontal assault.

“Ortissio-san, isn’t that just your own broad interpretation of orders? The command to repel was given specifically to Darf and his team. That doesn’t mean your team can go on a rampage.”

“Doll, what are you talking about! Our forces were under attack. Should we just stand around twiddling our thumbs? If Edim’s unit were to get crushed, wouldn’t that make us look like weaklings in the eyes of the enemy?”

I was at a loss for words against Ortissio’s counterargument. Despite his apparent foolishness, he was still a seasoned soldier with knowledge of the field. His words carried weight. But even so, is such wanton destruction really justified? I don’t believe Tilea-san would have wanted this.

“Ortissio-san does have a point. But isn’t this different from what Tilea-sama ordered?”

“Doll, listen well. Tilea-sama gave us a command for situations like this: ‘Maintain high flexibility and adapt as needed.’ You understand what that means, right?”

No, I don’t. It just sounds like an excuse to act however he pleases. And, more importantly, it’s the last thing someone like Ortissio should be allowed to hear. Tilea-san… it sounds impressive, sure. Probably another one of her “net” phrases. I should remind her to avoid using it too much.

“Miless, it seems you’re not convinced,” Gil-san observed, noticing my hesitation.

Gil-san then began to provide additional context to Ortissio’s explanation.

“Miless, understand that when allied forces are under attack, passively standing by is itself a form of disloyalty. In the field, real-time decisions are often required. Simply waiting for orders can lead to irreparable outcomes. Even if there had been a command to refrain from attacking, we would still need to assess and act accordingly. That’s what the captain is saying.”

Hearing Gil-san’s explanation, a light bulb went off. I realized I’d still been thinking too much like a student. Gil-san was right. When your comrades are in danger, you can’t just stand by idly. If Tilea-san knew Ortissio’s team was there, she’d certainly have commanded them to join the fight.

“I apologize. I was wrong.”

“You learned something useful, didn’t you, doll?” Ortissio said with a smug grin. 

I couldn’t argue with Ortissio, though it was somewhat irksome. Darf’s team was indeed under attack and could’ve suffered casualties against Elizabeth’s elite forces. It only made sense for Ortissio’s team to intervene.

“What happened to Darf’s team?”

“They disbanded after we wiped out the enemy.”

“What?! You wiped out Elizabeth’s elite forces?”

“Yes,” Gil-san replied as if it were no big deal.

This was incredible. Even the royal army struggled to deal with Elizabeth’s elite, yet… they really did it? There was no sound of fighting anymore, and no sign of the enemy. It appeared they’d truly been defeated.

Gil-san and Darf were truly remarkable. When heroes like Gaderio and a powerhouse like Gil-san team up, there’s nothing they can’t achieve.

But wait! Elizabeth’s elite forces may be gone, but what about Elizabeth herself?

“What about Elizabeth?”

“Oh, you mean that arrogant insect? Hmm, where did we put her? She was lying around here somewhere…”

Ortissio made this shocking statement as though it was nothing.

Elizabeth was lying around somewhere? What did he mean?

One of Ortissio’s men seemed to pick up on this and brought Elizabeth over, dragging her from under a table in the hall.

“Hahaha! Behold, doll. When we stormed in, we put this insolent insect in her place!”

Ortissio boasted.

Elizabeth lay there, limbs limp like a worm. Ortissio must have broken them, as her arms and legs were twisted in unnatural directions. She groaned in pain, her breathing heavy and labored, occasionally letting out a cough. She struggled to muster any magic power, probably due to her injuries. She dragged herself forward, her entire body inching along the ground until she looked up at me.

Our eyes met, and in that moment, the memories of the torture chamber flashed back.

The horrifying sight of the young girl’s corpse… The cruel abuse she’d endured, reduced to something less than human.

The memories flooded back in pieces, gradually merging into one. The girl’s face, filled with anguish… The fear and the hatred she must have felt…

My head was boiling over.

Never in my life had I felt such intense rage. I was beyond controlling my emotions.

I may be magically depleted now, unable to cast spells. But so what! Magic or not, I can still strike physically.

Elizabeth was injured, barely able to move. But so what! Even if she’s defenseless, it doesn’t matter. When the enemy is a demon, even ungentlemanly attacks are justified.

“Aaaaargh!”

I shouted and charged at Elizabeth, grabbing her by the collar and punching her with all my might.

“Gah!”

My punch landed on her right cheek, sending her sprawling to the ground again.

“Die, die! This is for everyone’s suffering!”

I straddled her, punching her repeatedly. When my right hand began to hurt, I switched to my left, hitting her again and again. Elizabeth twisted, trying to dodge, but I didn’t let her escape. I hit her, over and over, forgetting even to breathe.

“Hah… hah… you… how dare you do this to me!” she gasped.

“Shut up! Die!”

After throwing ten or so punches, Ortissio grabbed my arm to stop me.

“Hah… hah… let go! Let me go! I can’t forgive this woman. I can’t let her live!”

“No.”

“Why not?!”

I glared at Ortissio, hating him for stopping me, even protecting such a monster.

“To keep your hands clean.”

I froze, caught off guard by Ortissio’s unexpected words. Did he mean to say I shouldn't kill anyone? Was that it? For the first time, I glimpsed a different side of Ortissio, whom I’d always thought of as a simple-minded brute.

So Ortissio was thinking of me, not wanting me to descend into such depravity because of someone like her. I wanted to respect his sentiments. But… this person, Elizabeth, had crossed every conceivable line as a human. I couldn’t, no, *shouldn’t* let her live.

"Ortissio-san, I’m sorry, but this is something I can’t compromise on. I don’t care if it stains me. I’ve already steeled myself for this."

"How many times must I tell you to uphold your dignity as a doll? You are Camilla-sama’s doll. Remain unsullied. Striking with bare hands is unthinkable. Look at yourself! You’ve dirtied yourself with blood!"

Muttering about “unacceptable” and “unforgivable,” Ortissio pulled out a cloth from his pocket and started wiping my hands.

…This man is truly, unfailingly consistent.

Watching him, I cooled down a little.

"…All right. Then, Ortissio-san, please, you take care of her. Kill her."

"No."

"Why not? Don’t tell me you’re worried about breaking the law or something… I mean, it's not like ethics or law have ever bothered you before. What’s your issue now?"

"Don’t make me repeat myself. Elizabeth is Camilla-sama’s prey. A vassal doesn’t take their lord’s trophy without permission."

"Come on, that’s ridiculous! You know what Elizabeth is. You know how despicable, how evil she is. Just seizing her funds isn’t enough. We have to kill her, or she’ll come back to haunt us. Do you want to risk the lives of Tilea-sama and Camilla-sama?"

"Doll, understand this already. Elizabeth is a mere insect, no threat to Tilea-sama or Camilla-sama. Just a plaything. I’ve told you many times. Honestly, it’s rare to meet someone as slow to understand as you."

Of all people, I didn’t want to hear that from Ortissio.

As I struggled to think of a way to convince this stubborn man, Elizabeth, who had been lying on the ground, suddenly let out a furious scream.

"ORTISSIO! How dare you do this to ME! You traitor, I’ll tear out each one of your teeth and nails and kill you slowly! And Miless! I’ll flay every inch of your skin and feed you alive to the orcs! As for those little silver and gold-haired girls, I’ll fill every last hole in their bodies with all manner of beast—!”

Elizabeth’s swollen, deranged face twisted in a hideous smile as she cackled.

That was it—I had to kill her! If I let her live, Tilea-san, Timu-chan, and everyone else I hold dear would be in grave danger.

"Silence!"

"Aaaargh!"

"You insolent fiend! Know your place!"

"Gah! Ngh!"

Ortissio grabbed Elizabeth’s already broken arm and twisted it further, bending it into a grotesque shape.

"Hmm. Doll, I understand your point. Such arrogance and disrespect toward Tilea-sama and Camilla-sama. Even killing her seven times wouldn’t be enough."

"Then let’s kill her."

"Indeed, I share your desire, doll. I’d love to smash her face in, but with my strength, I’d kill her instantly."

"Then let’s just do it."

"However… it’s still problematic to kill her."

"Ortissio-san! She’s insulted the people most precious to us. We can’t leave her like this!"

"Hmm, you have a point. Very well, such insolent words against my lord demand a severe punishment. Doll, hold out your hand."

Confused, I extended my right hand as Ortissio requested. He fitted a gauntlet over it.

"With this, your hands will stay clean. Go ahead and punish this insect thoroughly. Don’t hold back; your feeble strength won’t be enough to kill her."

"This gauntlet… it’s incredible."

"It’s not special, just made of orichalcum. Compared to the grandeur of metals like deluxe adamantium, it’s a relic."

Orichalcum—a national treasure-level metal—dismissed as ordinary! This casual attitude was classic Ortissio.

Well, whatever. He lent me a rare weapon. Now, to finish Elizabeth.

I let my right hand dangle and mounted her again as she lay sprawled on the ground, picking up where I left off.

"Die!"

I punched Elizabeth hard in the ribs with my gauntleted fist.

"Aaaargh! Wh-what is this, aaah!"

Elizabeth’s screams echoed around us, louder than ever. The dull sensation in my fist told me I’d shattered several ribs. Despite my limited strength, the impact was incredible.

I didn’t feel any pain in my hand. The gauntlet was light and absorbed all the shock. It truly was a rare weapon.

I could keep hitting her for as long as I wanted.

"Hah… hah… I… I’ll… I’ll kill you… I swear… you’ll die."

"No. You’re the one who will die. May you regret your actions in the afterlife."

"Hah… hah… I swear by the name of Elizabeth, I’ll return it a hundredfold. You and that man, and your families… anyone who’s crossed paths with those little silver and gold-haired girls will know hell on earth."

Even with such grievous injuries, Elizabeth’s fighting spirit hadn’t dimmed. Her gaze bore into me, filled with malice.

"Still spouting such insolence! Doll, do not hold back! Thumb, use your thumb to jab her eyes while you strike!"

Ortissio, apparently enraged by Elizabeth’s words, was suggesting a rather brutal method. Truly the advice of a seasoned soldier. Unfortunately, the gauntlet fixed my thumb in place, so that wasn’t possible.

Ortissio kept insisting, “Use your thumb! Jab it in!” but it was challenging to execute in this situation.

But it didn’t matter. With this gauntlet, I could finish her off just by beating her to death.

Die!

I raised my right hand to strike the final blow when Gil-san, who had been quietly watching, intervened.

"Captain Ortissio, may I interject? We should consider retreating soon."

"Why? We can punish this insect and then retreat."

"Captain, with the commotion we’ve caused, the security forces may start moving soon."

He was right. We’d been here long enough. If we lingered, the security forces would surely arrive. There’d be no explaining our actions if we ran into them, and we’d be treated as top-class criminals. We had no choice but to retreat.

Elizabeth was left in a half-dead state. Hopefully, she’d stay quiet for a while. And I had a new respect for the strength of Ortissio’s unit. Having them around for a while would be reassuring for Tilea-san and Timu-chan’s protection.

With Gil-san’s suggestion, we left the Elizabeth estate promptly.

Sigh… what a day. Well, I suppose the mission was a success.

We had successfully looted a cartful of treasures. Elizabeth would be strapped for funds for the time being, and hiring assassins would be nearly impossible for her. My only regret was leaving her alive. Missing the chance to kill Elizabeth might lead to trouble later…

Ortissio and the others, however, seemed unfazed. In particular, Ortissio was being ridiculous, flipping through a magazine from the Nanae brand and humming to himself. He appeared to be contemplating the purchase of brand-name furniture.

"Doll, I suppose I should buy you some clothes as well."

What!? His words came out of nowhere.

The Nanae brand… I had seen the catalog and had my eye on a beautiful winter coat. But no, no! That’s not the point!

"Ortissio-san, I’m warning you for the last time—don’t spend funds on things outside the original mission’s purpose!"

"What nonsense are you spouting! This is absolutely aligned with the mission's intent. You are Camilla-sama’s doll, and you must be adorned appropriately," Ortissio declared.

“This money was amassed through Elizabeth’s corruption. We can’t use it for such frivolous reasons.”

“Doll, your mission is to keep yourself well-presented and adorned. Don’t think of anything else.”

In a way, it was the kind of statement that many women might envy. But this was wrong, totally wrong.

I was too exhausted to argue anymore. After all, these treasures would probably be confiscated by Nielsen-san or Gil-san eventually. Letting Ortissio have his way seemed easiest.

As we hurried along, Gil-san suddenly spoke up.

“Wait, hold on!”

Gil-san seemed to have noticed something. We stopped and prepared ourselves, scanning the surroundings cautiously.

“Gil, what is it?” Ortissio asked.

“A unit of approximately several thousand is approaching us.”

A unit is approaching us!?

“Could it be the security forces?” I asked.

“No, it’s not the security forces. The flags are different. I don’t see the Arcdas royal family crest on their equipment either. It’s not the royal army.”

Wow… Gil-san could make out such fine details from here?

I squinted in the direction Gil indicated, and sure enough, I could just barely see a cloud of dust rising in the distance. Some kind of group was definitely heading our way. But it was such a subtle shift in the landscape that if Gil hadn’t pointed it out, I would have missed it entirely. And yet, he could even make out the flags and emblems from here. Not only did he have incredible eyesight, but he was also the only one in the group maintaining caution while the others relaxed. Truly impressive.

“But who could command such a large force?” I asked.

“The flag’s symbol… It’s a collection, a blend of various tribal emblems.”

Wait—what did he just say!?

A chill ran down my spine. An overwhelming sense of dread washed over me.

“A-among those symbols, is there a reversed cross in the center?”

“Yes, as you said. Hm? Ah, I see. That cross symbol represents the number of annihilations they’ve carried out, doesn’t it? They’ve cleverly arranged the tribal emblems in a cross pattern.”

That’s right; the meaning behind that flag is genocide.

This was a force that had eradicated countless tribes, stitching their emblems into their flag as trophies—a proud symbol of their brutality. There was only one group that carried such a horrifying banner.

I was certain of it.

"The Baccio Special Forces!"

I couldn’t help but shout it out.

No way! Had they already returned from the Abyssmo frontline? It was far too soon. It was said that even retreating from that powder keg of a battlefield would take years…

Elizabeth’s ultimate weapon. In the Battle of Shisenshi, with only 5,000 soldiers, they massacred over 100,000, earning them the terrifying reputation of a demon army. They had destroyed countless tribes and contributed significantly to the Arcdas royal family’s expansion. Despite their atrocities, they were hailed as guardians of the capital.

This was a nightmare. And now Baccio’s forces were returning to Elizabeth.

“Hurry, let’s go!” I urged.

“Doll, what’s gotten into you?”

“Just hurry! If we stay here, we’ll end up running into them!”

“Hmph. So it’s this Baccio force, is it? We’ll crush that little insect army with ease.”

“Listen! Let me explain it clearly. Elizabeth’s elite troops we’ve been fighting so far are nothing compared to the Baccio Special Forces. It’s like comparing ants to giants. Even the unruly lot here would shrink away, like cats with their tails between their legs, when Baccio showed up. That’s her true final weapon.”

“I see… no wonder the ones in the estate seemed so weak. Perhaps this could actually be fun.”

“This isn’t the time to be saying such things! We have to escape quickly, even if it means leaving the treasure behind!”

“Why on earth would we leave behind the spoils of victory?” Ortissio slammed his fist on the handle of the cart, and a clatter of coins spilled onto the ground from the impact.

“Ah, see what you’ve done, Doll! All this fuss you’re making caused us to spill the treasure. All of you, pick it up. Don’t miss a single gold coin.”

“Yes, sir!” his subordinates responded.

This isn’t the time for that! But Ortissio’s men were busy reloading the scattered treasure into the cart. We needed to abandon the loot and retreat immediately, but they just didn’t understand. They had no idea how fearsome Baccio truly was.

Finally, they finished reloading the treasure… yet they weren’t moving. They were even picking up every last one-gold coin that had spilled.

“Ortissio-san, why are you suddenly so fixated on loose change? That’s not like you!” I exclaimed, exasperated.

I vividly remembered how carelessly he tossed around bags of money in his room, with platinum coins rolling onto the floor.

“Hah, Doll, your ignorance is showing again. Very well, I shall share Tilea-sama’s wise words with you. ‘He who laughs at a single gold coin will one day weep for a single gold coin.’ Understand the meaning?”

No, I don’t.

Actually, I do understand. It’s a reminder not to belittle even a small amount of money. It’s a good phrase, and it made me admire Tilea-san. Under normal circumstances, I’d completely agree.

But now is not the time to be putting that into practice! A single gold coin is the difference between life and death right now! Why can’t they see that?

No matter how hard I tried to convey the terror of the Baccio Special Forces, they continued to pick up every coin, even opening drainage grates to retrieve them from every nook and cranny.

I… I think we might be doomed. The cloud of dust raised by the advancing cavalry was now close enough for me to see clearly with my own eyes.