This really hurts.
She felt something rising from her stomach, and by the time it reached her mouth, it was already too late.
Her taste buds were invaded by something very bitter.
It tasted like she had just consumed a whole cup of liquid metal, salt, and probably copper as well. All mixed in together to create a disgusting drink.
Even when she tried to block it with her right hand, it still spilled forth onto the washbasin, dyeing its white surface red.
It was blood.
A clump of her blood!
She had vomited up large quantities of her lifeblood. It would have been better if it were just normal vomit, such as the one made up of digested food. That would have set her mind at ease, however this had her in full panic mode.
" —ah!"
She let out a scream. It wasn't loud enough to disturb the party happening outside the room, but it did fill the entire bathroom. Nobody had been around to see her in such a state.
But wait, this was her party! A party held in her honor! The people outside were celebrating her! Wouldn't anything bad happening to her be considered a foul?
Her strength was rapidly fading, even maintaining her current posture felt like a chore. The blood turned sticky in her palm, her vision blurred, and a burning sensation seared her stomach.
"—dizzy, what's happening..? could this…be poison?"
That confirmed it. She was in mortal danger.
To add to that, the reflection of her face didn't seem to be faring quite well either. Staring back at her from the bathroom's mirror reflection was a woman —a real beauty with long silky black hair and golden eyes. She wore a sleek white suit, a fitting attire for today's celebration.
It was herself—Kobayashi Yuzuriha. A woman in her early 30s and the newly appointed Chairman of Ichimonji International.
She had worked for this company for ten years straight, climbed the corporate ladder, became its CEO, and it was only in the last that she was finally going to secure her future.
As a fresh graduate from the prestigious Kyoto University, this was her very first and, by the looks of it, her last company. Admittedly, it wasn't exactly a cake walk to work for this company either, so if she were to die here tonight, it wouldn't bother her in the slightest.
However, a memory of her family flashed across her mind, and her heart tightened. Yuzuriha was married to a kind and loving husband. As a symbol of their union, she bore him two adorable twins. A girl—Hana, and a boy—Haru.
'—I…I don't want to die like this!'
Having found her resolve, she decided to break down the effects the poison had on her. The symptoms she was feeling right now were dizziness, severe abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting blood.
'This is arsenic.'
Yuzuriha knew her poisons quite well, and this was no doubt arsenic, but how did she consume it exactly? Or better yet, who had fed it to her?
She recalled the champagne toasts she had exchanged with a handful of colleagues, but who would be so envious of her to the point of wanting to kill her?
Nobody came to mind.
"Hel—"
She attempted to yell for help, but immediately bit her tongue, this was accompanied by the bitter taste of blood filling up her mouth again.
The reason for this was tied to her earlier questions. The person who fed her this poison might be lurking outside, waiting to finish the job should she show any sign of weakness.
Her legs wobbled like jelly as she turned from the mirror and staggered towards the door, it was just a couple of steps from where she was. Maybe three or five more might do it.
But she didn't get far.
Realization hit when she felt the cold, hard surface against her cheek. She had collapsed to the tiled floor. The bright, sterile bathroom lights felt glaringly indifferent to her condition as they reflected off the cold white tiles that were now streaked with crimson blood.
⟨⟨ Congratulations. You have been offered a fragment of a Legacy. Will you accept? ⟩⟩
Her strength was completely gone, and she had lost sensation in her legs.
"Anyone, please help..! I need help!"
Left with no choice, Yuzuriha gurgled at the top of her lungs. As if on command, the wooden door creaked open, and from it, a black suit rushed to her side.
"—Yuzu!"
At that point, her vision was blurred to only being able to make out the shapes of colors. But that deep voice was unmistakable.
"J-Jun…?!"
It was Kobayashi Junichiro —her loving husband. He immediately cradled her limp body in his arms. Brushing a strand of hair, he spoke in a rather calm, steady voice.
"Are you ok? What happened? Wait, hold on, I'll get some help—"
Using whatever strength she had left, Yuzuriha gripped the fabric of Junichiro's suit. That warmth of his care, the safety in his arms, she didn't want to let that go just yet.
⟨⟨ Will you accept? ⟩⟩
It had been for a selfish and risky reason, but she was too afraid, confused, and in pain to think properly.
"Please…don't leave, Jun"
"Yuzu, be reasonable. If I don't get the help you need, you might die. Please let me go call someone"
Junichiro had heeded to her selfish request and brought her closer to his chest.
Preventing him from seeking help was indeed a very stupid thing to do.
However…
"Like hell you were"
…Yuzuriha was going to die here tonight, her fate had been sealed the moment Junichiro walked through that door first. As much as she wanted to live, there was no way around the trap he had ensnared her in.
This was checkmate
Junichiro said nothing. He didn't need to. His silence spoke louder than any confession.
⟨⟨ This is your last chance. Will you accept? ⟩⟩
Last chance? Accept what? Was her treacherous husband saying something she couldn't understand? That voice didn't sound like him though. She blinked up at him, fighting against the fog clouding her mind.
"What's…the cover story, Jun?"
She asked. Since he had gone through the trouble of killing her at her own party, he must have had a convincing plan. There was a moment of silence before Junichiro moved his hand on her cheek, his thumb brushing away a streak of blood.
"It doesn't matter, it's ruined now"
He brought his face closer to her forehead, and she could feel the warmth of his breath on her skin.
"We had our fun, Yuzu. Honestly, I never thought we'd get this far, but we clawed our way to the top—and left plenty of bodies behind. However, now that you got what you wanted, how sure was I you weren't going to kill me next?"
Oh right. She was a killer. Not a contracted killer, just a woman who was just really good at killing people to get what she wanted. On her climb to the top, she had used her skills to remove anyone who got in her way. And now, look where that has gotten her.
Honestly, she had planned to get rid of Junichiro eventually. But her love for him had blinded her from striking sooner, and now she was paying the price.
"Heh, Jun, take care of our kids… for me"
Yuzuriha wanted those to be her final words.
Betrayed by her husband, she felt no animosity, no resentment, no anger toward him.
Facing death, she felt no fear. She who had caused the deaths of many, had no right to cower at her own.
At that moment, Kobayashi Yuzuriha peacefully lost her life in the warm embrace of her husband.
⟨⟨ Success! ⟩⟩
⟨⟨ Unknown requirements have been met. The subject has been offered the fragment of a Legacy⟩
⟨⟨ In losing your life, the right to reject this offer is forfeit ⟩⟩
⟨⟨ The subject will now be granted a suitable vessel ⟩⟩