Malenia's gaze gradually cleared. She looked at Ansbach in disbelief. "...Cough, cough. He actually still..."
The options vanished from the player's screen. Did this mean Millicent no longer had to die?
No, the facts remained unchanged.
Now lucid, Malenia calmly stated that although she had been influenced earlier, all her judgments had been factual.
Millicent faced reality in silence-perhaps death was the only choice she had.
The player's emotions swung wildly. Ansbach's outburst had spared them from killing Millicent with their own hands, but misfortune had not disappeared. The Sword of Damocles still hung overhead.
As they struggled to find a solution, the "Duchess"-no, Hecate-borrowed the Duchess's voice to whisper in the player's ear:
"Are you hesitating? Don't worry. There are always more choices than you imagine."
Before her words had faded, a familiar and loathsome figure appeared out of thin air.
Shabriri controlled Vyke's body. He spread his arms as though welcoming a lost lamb:
"Look...that poor girl will sacrifice herself for you. What sort of lord does that make you? Embark upon that perilous path. Even if you face condemnation, walk the agonizing road of a lord! Resolve everything with the Flame of Chaos..."
The player did not let him finish. An option appeared, and their finger pressed it without hesitation: [Refuse].
Almost at the same instant, a golden sword pierced out through the back of Vyke's body.
At some point, Tracker had appeared behind Shabriri. His execution was clean and swift.
Vyke's body fell, dissolving into motes of light. Together with Shabriri's whispers, they scattered on the wind over this land of false abundance.
Everyone was startled by this sudden turn of events. The scene descended into chaos, and no one knew what had happened.
The "intruder," Tracker, sheathed his sword. Looking at the awkward scene before