The full-face mask that wraps around its entire head seems to resemble a human skull.

　However, the mouth is like a beast that bares a myriad of sharp teeth.

　Two horns, twisted from the forehead, extended towards the back of the head.

　The flickering candlelight illuminated the deformed face.

'What? .....

　Julius noticed, too, and spilled his fears and doubts.

　But Saeki stilled quietly and quietly with one small hand, as if to say "wait".

　The variant muttered to them.

'A family reunion is a very harmonious time.

Who do you think you are?

　Saeki stood up vigorously and pointed the knife in his hand at the xenomorph.

''Well that's not very well behaved, is it, daughter?

　The deformity said dubiously, "That's what you use to cut up meat, isn't it?

That's what you use to carve the meat, isn't it?　Don't make a fool of yourself in front of my daughter.

Ggh.....

　Saeki's expression faintly weakens.
　It's as if he's being held down by an unseen force.

''Lower--''

　Saeki's hand clutched the knife and shook in small increments with a clink.
　With a shake, the knife is lowered, and with a shuddering body, Saeki takes his seat.
　His expression was strained, as if he had bitten down hard on his back teeth, and he rattled and shuddered as he took his seat.

'What's wrong with you?'

　Julius stares at his husband in horror.

"...stay still.

　Saeki told him in anguish, as if he was being strangled.
　Sweat was running down his forehead.

'Yes, that's it. Continue to enjoy your meal.'

　Saeki did as he was told.
　He positioned the napkin around his neck and supported the meat with his fork, then dexterously cut it into pieces with his knife.

　But the expression on his face was so strong that veins rose in his eyes, and his whole body was tense.
　His body, or even his face, seemed unable to move, and his gaze was fixed on the meat.

　-- Saeki's body was being moved by a deformity.

''........Dad?''

　Aria also began to notice something strange.
　She began to see an uneasy look on her father's face.

　Saeki stabbed the carved meat with his fork and brought it to his mouth, waving his arms in the air.

'Yes, chew. That's what meals are for, right?'

　The deformity stared at Saeki for a moment as he slowly chewed his meat.

　The servants couldn't move in that tense atmosphere, they couldn't even breathe, they could only stand there.

　When Saeki had swallowed the meat, the variant opened his mouth.

'The wise man who was summoned without knowing his right or left and wandered into this world - Saeki. Such a seventeen year old boy is now a great holy knight chieftain. He has a nobleman's wife and one lovely, lovely daughter. What a glorious life of heroism, full of glorious beauty and glory. All the people who pass by you smile at your appearance and bow deeply to you - "Hello, Saeki-sama," they say. And then, without being conceited, you return the words without discrimination - "Hello, please take care of yourself" - and so on. I'm going to have to add a few words of humanity.

　The deformed figure took a few seconds and then suddenly smiled high in the air.

　Aria's expression tightened suddenly at the sight of it.
　Every muscle in her body contracted.
　She got up from her seat and attached herself to her mother Julius, who sat next to her as if to escape.
　Her mother grabbed her daughter's hand and held it close.

'A mere child who can't even use magic properly is a duke in six years. Greiberg seems to be playing house as usual. Nothing has changed since the days of Aries. You know?　The blood of Greyberg is tainted without end. The former prince of this country once told me so. He said that they are a people who will oppress and use anyone to sip their sweet juice without hesitation. He is a Machiavellian. And you are part of it, Saeki.

　The wine bottle on the table floated softly into the air.

　When you reach the white xenomorph, the cork squeaks and the seal is opened.
　When you take the wine in your hand, the xenomorph poured it into your mouth from the top of the mask and gulped down a delicious gulp.

　Then the door of the room opens and Alicia appears.

''Alicia........''

　Julius turned around and called out his name.
　He asked for help.
　But Alicia stood there in silence.

'You're lucky to have passed this guy in the hallway. Julius Finegold. No, his current last name was Saeki. With Alicia's encouragement and overcoming her parents' objections, she spent the night with a commoner, a commoner of unknown origin, fathered a child, and made a pact with him. A daughter was born, her husband became a holy knight a short time later, and now he is the chief holy knight. It's been a smooth ride for her, and she's been recognized by her relatives. But all that is too bad luck. It's all just the way to ruin.

　Julius didn't understand the story right away.
　He was too scared to get into the story.

　But the long list of words spoken slowly flowed into Julius.

　Suddenly Julius was struck by the discomfort of those words.

'How did you know that...'

It is your unavoidable downfall. Because there's not a shred of your will in there.

　Words that flow in.

　Understanding.

　Silence.

　Julius rolled his eyes and looked at Alicia with a stunned expression.

'Alicia? .....

　The perceptive Julius realized.

　That it was Alicia who had been the guide to this intruder.

　Because Julius didn't tell the story of his meeting with Saeki to anyone but Alicia.
　He hadn't even told Saeki his thoughts at the time.

''Alicia.......say something? .....

　The candlelight illuminated Alicia's cold eyes.

　The expression on Julius's face was fixed in the dark eyes.
　Immediately after that there was resignation.
　Julius realized that he had been betrayed.
　He couldn't even say a word anymore.

　Alicia's body wriggled under her clothes.
　Her figure gradually transformed.

　The freckles scattered on her nasal pillar disappeared, and her short brown hair faded, revealing long, pure white hair.
　Two pointed ears on her head and her bountiful body returned, and her nine tails were fanning out from her back.

''.........Beast, man?''

　Julius was speechless.

　He had always treated him as a human.
　He hadn't been told that he was a beastman.

'Alicia is a subspecies of the fox race. Saeki, do you know who I am?

　Snickering at Julius' condition, the odd shape asks Saeki.

''........Amadeus.''

Not exactly. You're always so subtly wrong. An enlightened look and tone of voice. You don't have the slightest doubt about your own thoughts, and you are convinced of them out of ignorance. I'll tell you some of that from now on.

　Amadeus - Masamune sent his eyes to Alicia when Saeki recognized him.

　It was an instant.

　A moment so brief that not even a scream could be heard.

　The heads of the servants who had been standing around the table.
　It suddenly popped up, sprinkling blood.

　The fresh blood that sprayed up to the ceiling also splattered on the table's food.
　The space that should have been filled with happiness a few minutes ago has changed completely.

'If I tell the guards that a child played around with paint, will they be able to swallow it if I show them?

Master Amadeus, I'm afraid that's not possible.

Phew, that's impossible. More importantly, you'll ruin the dinner.

　Julius hugged Aria and tried not to show her.

　But Aria could understand the devastation.
　Her mouth, held by her mother, groaned with fear and grief.
　Sobbing began and hyperventilating breaths flowed through the silent living room.

　Saeki's entire body trembled with anger and glared sideways at her.

''You........''

I'm surprised. Can you understand that this is a tragedy, a cruelty?

　Saeki stared in silence.
　His eyes gaped open.

'In terms of misery, your deeds in the past were indeed cruel as well. But you can't distinguish between this pile of corpses and your past misdeeds. This is the same thing you used to do, isn't it?

What are you talking about?

'On the contrary, I ask you, Saeki, what are you doing?　You have a daughter, you have a family. You can't have that, can you?

Shut up.

'You are blind. You do not see blood. You only realize, but you do not understand. The cruelty you have brought is even more raw and vile than this pile of meat. Because now death was a moment and these guys don't feel the pain. The dead are not aware of death. But you will not understand when I explain it to you in this way. It's because you don't understand that you have built a family. How could someone like you be the parent of a man?　

Please don't!

　Julius raised his voice.
　Masamune stopped speaking.

''What in the world did you do this for...''

Julius, stop!

She's feisty.

　Masamune ignored Julius.

'You're the only one who matters. But you need to experience a lot of things.

　Saeki couldn't understand any of his words.
　Masamune looked at Aria, who was sobbing next, taking Saeki's anger elsewhere.

'Julius, and his daughter. You are nothing more than cattle that have been raised in a blubbering manner just for this situation. Without Alicia's support, a coward like you would be attached to a suitable nobleman and die in the politics of this country. It's lucky that Saeki is King Arthur's favorite brave man.

　Saeki was urged to a position along his back and tied up.
　Skill 《 Telekinesis》.

　Then Masamune snapped the fingers of his left hand.
　A light sound scattered in the living room--.
　And the doll of the bear tribe that Aria had clutched tightly with one hand - the doll she had let hang under the chair - suddenly exploded.

　Aria screamed, startled by the sound.
　Then she looked at her own right hand.
　There was no pain, but the palm of her hand was sticky and something was dripping down.

　What popped out of it - hard to tell with only the candlelight to rely on - was some kind of internal organs.

　Stuffed intestines.

　A chopped heart.

　Dead meat.

　The smell of dead flesh wafting from the back of the meat counter filled the living room.
　In addition, the smell of iron was filling the room.

　Then Masamune chanted.

Bloodletting and visceral rage.

　A reddish-black light shot out, and the half-empty guts and intestines that had been spilled on the floor began to dance, instantly restraining Aria and Julius.

'Mom!'

　Crying out, Aria reaches out to her mother.

'Aria!'

　I struggled to reach out to grab my child's hand. But I couldn't reach it.

　Saeki was groaning on the chair, closing his lips tightly together as if he had duct tape over his mouth, as if he were stepping on the ground.
　The legs of the chair rattled. I can't move from the spot.

　Across the table, they float in the air in front of Saeki's eyes - his daughter and his wife.

　Masamune rose from his seat and stroked the chin of his mask with the forefinger and thumb of his right hand as he stared at them.

'There's a reason for the situation,'

　Similarly, he forced Aria and Julius' lips to close with 《 Telekinetic》 and began to speak.
　This was so that they wouldn't be disturbed by the summoning voice.

''Before being summoned to this world, Saeki.......this man......did the same thing to me......that I am doing to you guys right now.

　Masamune's tone changed.

　Saeki's movements stopped in a flash, flailing in his chair.

'I've been abused many times. The routine abuse went on for nearly two years. Sometimes I was punched and kicked in the stomach with one hand. This guy enjoyed laughing at it with his friends. I guess that was a fulfilling time for this guy. But for me, it was like licking the bitter juice off the floor.

　Masamune walked up to them and turned his attention to Julius.

'That's what the man you love is like. You grow a nose beard and pretend to be an aristocrat...hmmm, but inside you are the most despicable of all. He's the kind of man who feels rich in the fullness of his days while watching others suffer and grieve. There's no way a man like that can be a parent.

　Masamune got up from his chair.
　He then took out the 《Executor's Axe》 from the different space storage.

''........Wait. What are you going to do?

　Saeki opens his mouth as Masamune unleashes the 《 Telekinetic》.

''It's what you did to me, you don't need to ask, do you?''

Wait....

　Saeki was able to let the thought pass through his voice and tone that it was Masamune.

　Saeki was stunned, but he appealed to him.
　Because he could gradually imagine it.
　If the white deformity in front of him was Hidaka Masamune, then what would happen next?

''Enough pretending to be an aristocrat, you've practiced frantically, haven't you?　You're losing your fake dignity.

You're kidding me!

　Saeki was furious.
　The great axe visible in Masamune's right hand fueled Saeki's fear.

''You were ... dead then ... you should have died.



You were sent there by Mr. Aries.

That's true. I'm pretty sure Hidaka Masamune is dead.

..........

"I could die without knowing my father's horrible side. But you should be grateful for your attitude, because I don't know what it is.

'Don't ... please, don't. Is it Hidaka, then I'm sorry, I'm sorry for what happened.

It's not your fault. It's no one's fault.

....

'It was just me being incompetent, it wasn't your fault, it was me being incompetent. That's what you said.

'No it's not ... it's not. It's not like that. Hidaka I'm.........

This situation is no different.

...................

It's your turn to be incompetent...

　A moment later, Masamune turned around and the great axe drew a flash.

　And--.

　Aria and Julius, the two heads were cut off.

　When the two heads fell to the floor, red water flew out from the tips of the remaining heads.
　The blood drenched the floor.

　Saeki watches the scene, frozen like a statue.
　Time stopped, and the past days with the two men flashed through his mind like a running light.
　His intoxicated consciousness wandered through his escape.

　Tears flowed from my eyes and down my cheeks.

Alicia, wait outside. I'll be right there.

　Alicia bowed to Masamune.

''Alicia you.........''

　Saeki turned a look of moist despair on Alicia, who was about to leave the room.
　He was in a state of abandonment and his words were cut off.

''Thank you ... for your help.''

　Alicia left the room with a blank expression on her face as she also bowed to Saeki and left the room.

''Thank you for your help.......you're very polite.

　Saeki turned his red, swollen gaze to the odd shape.
　He clenched his teeth and gradually directed his unreliable anger at it.

''You're still a powerful guy, you know. Right now, you already have the energy to direct your hostility at me. Surprisingly rational. That the bodies lying there are only corpses and not family anymore?　I just thought it would be devastating and demoralizing.

　Saeki breathed on his shoulder, but still glared at him.
　Masamune discarded the wine bottle and faced Saeki.

'You will continue to wander through this moment more than you do now. Time has stopped.....

　Masamune settled into his left ear as the mask became a particle of light and shaped into a gold ring earring.

　His face as Hidaka Masamune was exposed.
　It was the face of someone who had turned twenty-three, a little more mature than before.

''Hidaka..........''

　Like a breath, Saeki called out his name.

''It's been a long time.........Saeki-kun....

　Masamune looked like a proof photo.