Flashback (Loop 3)
I sat up in bed, a violent spasm running through my body. Cold sweat streamed down my face, mixing with the persistent nausea that always accompanied waking.
The memory. The horror. The failure.
The previous loop ended in a symphony of ice. I died frozen, my breath shattered by the biting cold of Puck, the Great Spirit transformed into a beast of rage. Beatrice, frozen by my side, her small body disintegrating in a burst of mana. My death was a crushing, useless failure.
Trizz: (Internal: Damn my instinct. I just wanted him to grow up, to let him die alone so he would understand his weakness like in the anime. But no! I had to stay. I had to protect them. And I died with them, both a hero and a corpse!)
My anger soared. I clenched my fists, my knuckles turning white. I stared at the light wood ceiling.
Trizz: (Internal: Damn these chains. Damn this contract with Roswaal. Damn the inhabitants of this mansion. I'm forced to play! The cynical businessman with Anastasia. The arrogant rival with Priscilla. The Suicidal Genius with the Knight Order and Crusch. The indispensable friend, the emotional anchor, and the secret strategist with the Emilia Camp!)
I hated this role, hated these people. They were all disgusting. Manipulators, hypocrites, naive people awaiting sacrifice. I was forced to die again and again for people who had betrayed me and for potential enemies.
I got up from the bed. My hatred, my fuel, found a single target, the sole culprit of this torture.
The one who involves me in every problem. The idiot who put me in the political spotlight. The idiot who forces me to self-destruct. The idiot who forced me to accept Roswaal's contract. The idiot who threw me into the pack of Mabeasts. The idiot that the Witch loves.
Natsuki Subaru.
I got out of bed, my legs regaining their strength thanks to the post-Return by Death regeneration. I walked the luxurious hallway. Daylight filtered through the large windows. My mind was on fire, but the urgency took precedence.
Trizz: (Internal: I need more information. I need to know the Cult's weaknesses. My knowledge of the anime is too vague. I must act. My face must be that of the calm friend, the one who always has a backup plan to save everyone.)
As I approached the living room entrance, I saw my jailer and my protected one.
Emilia...
A woman with amethyst eyes, long silver hair, dressed in her usual pink nightgown. She wore a radiant smile. The cause of my death by Puck, but also the main ingredient of my problems and my reputation as a suicidal genius. Roswaal had forced me to sign a soul contract for her to be queen.
I had to maintain a friendly smile, a perfect mask to hide my hatred and keep it under my control.
She noticed me, and her smile widened, mixed with sincere surprise.
Emilia: "Trizz! You're up! I'm so relieved! Rem and I were so worried about your duel with Julius! You seemed so unwell last night."
My body was in perfect condition, but she was in shock because she remembered my mortal injuries from the day before.
Trizz: (My smile was wide, but completely artificial. My voice was light and honeyed.) "Yo! Emilia! What a surprise! You're even more beautiful than yesterday! You'll make me fall in love with you if your beauty keeps blossoming like this!"
I had to disarm her, reassure her. If she panicked, everything would collapse.
Emilia: (She blushed slightly) "Stop your nonsense, Trizz! I'm serious! How are you? How did you recover so quickly?"
Trizz: (I shrugged, playing the card of careless mystery.) "I had a good sleep, that's all. My regeneration is complete. I'm indestructible, you already knew that. But enough about me, I'm going to see Beatrice so we can take a walk in the garden. Are you coming with me? For a snac-"
Before I could finish the word "snack," the little fairy of the Mansion, my "Mistress," appeared in a flash of pink light, materialized by the gate's magic.
Beatrice: "No! I refuse to be ignored, I suppose! If Betty's Apprentice is preparing a snack, Betty must be the first to taste it, in fact! You promised to serve me. Let's go, I suppose!"
Trizz: (Internal: Perfect. The two biggest targets of the Cult are together. I have to keep them where I can watch them and distract them while I prepare my move. My role as an emotional anchor is a straitjacket.)
Trizz: (A forced, cheerful laugh) "Mistress! What an appearance! It's an honor. Of course! So, settle yourselves in the garden. I'll go prepare sweets worthy of you both. It's the least I can do after my little accident yesterday."
Emilia: (Her face lit up) "That's lovely, Trizz! Come on, Beatrice. Let's wait in the lounge chairs."
Emilia and Beatrice headed towards the garden doors. I watched them walk away, my smile fading to be replaced by an expression of fatigue and intense disgust.
Trizz: (Internal: I hate this game. I hate the way they take my sacrifice for granted. Roswaal tied me to her. You must keep her alive. You must play the amiable friend, the devoted Apprentice, until you have time to save them, and save yourself from Oblivion.)
I headed towards the kitchen. The light and warmth of the room contrasted with the coldness of my inner rage.
Ram was there, focused on polishing a set of silver tableware, her posture always impeccable. She didn't look up when she heard me enter, but her tone was as sharp as a blade of wind.
Ram: "Well, frizz. I see your divine regeneration worked wonderfully, didn't it? It looks like you enjoy accumulating injuries, only to boast about your speed of recovery later."
Trizz: (Internal: That bitch sees right through me. She hates me, but she understands me. She's the only intelligent asset in this mansion.)
Trizz: (My tone became cold and slightly arrogant again, the only way to endure her.) "Ram. You should rejoice. My recovery means your little barbaric boyfriend can continue to live in his illusion of tranquility. And that you can continue to serve your mistress without worry."
Ram: "A servant does not rejoice in the fate of a worn-out crutch. You are merely a disposable tool, frizz. And you failed again."
The word "failed" struck my hatred to the core.
Trizz: (Internal: You don't even know what I've seen, Ram. You don't know what I've done. You don't know what Sloth and the Whale will do. I will save them, all of them. And I won't let you tell me I failed. Never. I will manipulate them until success is guaranteed, even if I have to die a dozen more times.)
I grabbed some cookie dough, eggs, and sugar. My hands worked mechanically on the preparation, but my mind was boiling.
Trizz: (A low voice, full of contained anger) "Stop violating your face, without my presence the manor is just a sandcastle.Just apply your master's lessons, Ram. Manipulation and sacrifice are the tools of great men. You should know that. And don't worry, the fate of 'frizz' is already written. I only have one way to die."
Ram: (She let out a dry laugh) "Your only destiny is to serve as an anchor for Barusu. That's not a destiny, it's servitude."
I ignored her provocation. I had to think. The death of the last loop had given me a glimpse of the scale of the disaster. I needed to find a simple, yet radical solution to neutralize the Cult and the Whale in a single loop. I wouldn't get another chance.
The snack in the garden was a perfect masquerade. I played the role of the teasing friend with Emilia, avoiding all serious questions. I made Beatrice laugh with stories of stupid knights, earning her forced loyalty for a few more hours.
Trizz: (Internal: Every minute spent distracting them is a minute gained for my plan.)
As the sun set, painting the sky with warm colors, I escorted Emilia and Beatrice to their quarters.
Trizz: "Good night, Emilia. Be careful. I'll see you in the morning, don't worry."
Emilia: "Good night, Trizz. Thank you for the snack. And... and promise me not to fight like that again."
Trizz: "Promise." (Internal: Liar.)
Then, I went up to my own room. Once the door was closed, the mask dropped. My face was drawn with fatigue and intense disgust.
My hand squeezed the pen's handle, then let go. I had spent several hours drafting an insane rescue plan for an unstable Barusu, a plan that required my own sacrifice to guarantee his victory in this loop.
But why?
Why endure the suffering of death again and again? Why this servitude to idiots who deserved only betrayal? Why continue to fuel this farce of the "Suicidal Genius"? Roswaal's contract demanded that I make Emilia dependent on me. It didn't ask me to protect her at the peril of my life. On the contrary, the more she was in danger, the more dependent she became.
Trizz: (Internal: "If I have to make her dependent, there's no better way than to leave her facing despair. And if I have to die, it won't be for nothing".)
A crazy idea, of pure and absolute arrogance, took hold. My Authority of Pride, the one that slept within me, awakened in a chilling shiver. I shouldn't fight the Cult. I should join it.
Trizz: (Internal: "Become the Sin Archbishop of Pride. Obtain Petelgeuse's secrets, understand their logistics. Sacrifice this loop. Let everyone die, including the idiot Barusu, so his 'save point' is reset and I have all the information needed to guarantee total victory in the next one".)
It was the ultimate betrayal, the perfect circumvention of Roswaal's contract.
I got up, my mind clear and my inner hatred perfectly controlled.
I left the room and went down the Mansion's stairs. I knew my departure wouldn't go unnoticed. I had already leaked information about the Cult to Ram and Beatrice, just enough for them to stay on guard.
At the foot of the stairs, as expected, stood Ram.
Her red gaze, usually cold, was bloodshot with icy hatred and suspicion.
Ram: "Where are you going, frizz? You seem far too recovered for a man who was at death's door yesterday. And you seem too rushed for a man who is supposed to be our strategist."
I ignored her and approached her, my gaze tinged with superior contempt.
Trizz: "I'm going to the Capital. The idiot Barusu left to ask Crusch for help. He failed. I will do the job. I will form a real alliance against the Cult and return with a plan that even you won't be able to understand."
Ram: "A suicide plan, as usual? You're not leaving, you're running away. You're running away from your duty and your contract!"
I stopped in front of her. I had to leave her a message, a psychological line of defense for Barusu, so he wouldn't completely self-destruct when he returned.
Trizz: (My tone was dry, authoritative, without the slightest hint of warmth.) "Listen to me carefully, Ram. This is a direct order. If I have to be absent, the idiot who serves as my friend must remain safe, and must not make political decisions in my name. He is more useful alive and traumatized than dead and forgotten."
I looked her straight in the eyes.
Trizz: "Pass this message to Barusu if he returns before me. Tell him to stay at the mansion and await my instructions. If that cretin tries to sell me out for military aid, you tie him up if necessary. Is that clear?"
Ram didn't respond verbally, but her hateful gaze changed into a chilling comprehension. She had received the order and accepted it.
I walked past her without a backward glance.
(Time skip...)
I crossed the Mansion and went out through the gardens, heading towards Arlam Village. The village was empty. The villagers must already be asleep. Only the old village chief was dozing on a stone bench, his face serene.
Trizz: (Internal: An empty village. Perfect. Less collateral damage.)
As I rounded a hut, a sharp pain shot through my flank. I still had the bruises and cracked ribs from the duel against Julius. The Authority of Pride wouldn't heal me without stealing my vital resources.
Trizz: (Internal: I must hurry. I'm too weak for a real fight. But I'm perfect for a takeover.)
I entered the forest. After several minutes of painful walking, I arrived at the entrance to the abandoned old mines-the perfect destination for a Sin Archbishop of Sloth. An ideal place to hide a cult of fanatics.
The Witch's Miasma became thicker, stinging my eyes, but drawing me in. I needed that information. I had to understand the enemy.
At the bottom of the tunnel, the light of a few torches revealed a gathering of shadows. Black robes.
Trizz: (Internally) Petelgeuse Romanee-Conti. My new teammate.
I straightened my head, the blood returned to my cheeks, and my smile became one of the purest arrogance. I did not kneel. I advanced, arms crossed, towards the man who symbolized madness.
Trizz: "Congratulations, Sloth. I have a message for you. Love is here. And he wants to take your place."
The loop wasn't a failure. It was reconnaissance. Preparation. The sacrifice would be complete. And the victory of the next loop would be absolute.
I plunged into the abandoned mines. The air, saturated with the Witch's Miasma, grew heavier and heavier. The madness was palpable.
In front of me, in the gloom, Cultists appeared. They were dressed in dirty black robes, their eyes bloodshot and their expressions empty, but fanatical. They surrounded me, but did not raise a hand. They stared at me, a strange, mechanical obedience floating in their gaze.
Trizz: (Internal: My Authority. It dominates them. I am Pride, the mother of all sins. They recognize me.)
The silence was broken by a high-pitched, manic cry from the back of the tunnel.
Petelgeuse: (His voice was trembling, full of a frenzied ecstasy.) "THE SMELL! The smell of Sin! I feel it! An ancient, noble smell, full of love! The original Sin!"
Petelgeuse Romanee-Conti staggered out of the shadows, his body contorting in a grotesque and nervous dance. He held a giant bean in his hand, which he bit frantically. His bulging eyes fixed on me, and he stopped dead.
Shock crossed his face, replacing the madness with a quasi-religious disbelief.
Petelgeuse: (He rushed towards me, his body trembling, as if I were a myth incarnate.) "It's... it's true! Pride! The Witch of Envy... she would never abandon the dearest Sin!"
He straightened up, his mad eyes examining me from head to toe.
Petelgeuse: "I was right all along! The Sin of Pride exists! He is among us! It's a test from Satella-sama, isn't it?"
He pinched his face with his deformed fingers.
Petelgeuse: "My brain is diligent! I must... I must be diligent! Tell me, my dear equal... where is your Evangelist? What book guided you to this humble servant of Envy?"
Trizz: (Internal: He sees me as an equal. It's the arrogance of Pride speaking to him.)
I allowed myself an arrogant smile, the one that felt most natural to me.
Trizz: (My voice was calm, powerful, contrasting with his hysteria.) "The Evangelist is of no use to me. I am the new Sin Bearer of Pride. I have come to register as your new Archbishop. I have no book to guide me, Sloth. My body and mind are my Evangelist."
Petelgeuse let out a cry of hysterical joy.
Petelgeuse: "Ah! SUBLIME! Pride! The original Sin of Envy! This is the best news my diligently working brain has ever processed! Glory to Satella-sama! Glory to you, my dear Archbishop!"
He turned to the Cultists surrounding me.
Petelgeuse: "Look! Pride has arrived! Your new master! Obey his every command! Diligence is the virtue of those who love!"
The Cultists, about a dozen of them, knelt, heads bowed, awaiting my orders.
Trizz: (Internal: I have Cultists at my service. They are disposable pawns. Perfect.)
Trizz: (I needed to confirm the attack plan.) "So, Sloth. What is your current plan?"
Petelgeuse: "Our initial plan was to attack Roswaal's Mansion tomorrow night. To purify the villagers who have been in contact with heresy, and to recover the Half-Elf. She is the vessel for Satella's reincarnation!"
He began wringing his fingers.
Petelgeuse: "But! But your arrival changes everything! Pride! We cannot attack tomorrow! We must revise our plan to honor your presence and your Sin!"
Trizz: (Internal: Bingo. He's delaying the attack. I'm gaining time. My sacrifice will be more effective in the next loop.)
Trizz: "What is your proposal, Archbishop of Sloth?"
Petelgeuse: "We will attack the day after! We need time to integrate you, to show you the Fingers! This will give us time to be diligent in the Love you represent!"
Petelgeuse saw me as an equal, or even a superior, because Pride is the original Sin. My plan for reconnaissance and sabotage was off to a good start. This way, I ensured the attack would take place in forty-eight hours, not twenty-four.
Trizz: (My arrogant smile widened. I had the information on the date, method, and target. This loop was a sacrifice, but the next one would be a total victory.) "I agree, Sloth. Show me the extent of your diligence. Show me how you intend to purge this kingdom in my name."
(Time skip...)
Two days had passed. I had spent this time dissecting the Cult's logistics and ensuring the forced loyalty of Petelgeuse and his followers. I had detailed plans from the fanatics, as well as knowledge of their arsenal and infiltration methods.
The cultists obeyed me like dogs, a dozen of them following me like faithful shadows. My Authority of Pride, now fully accepted by Petelgeuse's hysteria, was a source of arrogance and power.
I was crossing the forest with my entourage when I encountered the Gut Hunter and the Mabeast Tamer.
Elsa was waiting for me, her usual predatory and icy smile floating on her lips. Meili, at her side, wore a sulky expression.
Trizz: (My tone was dry, authoritarian.) "The mission is canceled. You can keep the money."
Elsa: (Her smile didn't waver, but her eyes narrowed with a barely veiled threat.) "Canceled, my dear? After so much effort? I believe you don't understand the extent of my hunger."
Trizz: "You don't understand the extent of mine, Elsa. The target is no longer profitable. You must leave. If you stay, you will face the Witch's Cult, and I will not save you from Sloth."
She understood the warning. The Cult was an unpredictable force she wasn't mad enough to confront without reason.
Elsa: (She bowed slightly, disappointment mixed with intrigue.) "Very well. A new debt is added to your account, my dear Trizz-kun."
She walked away, dragging a disappointed Meili behind her, who complained about not being able to test her new Mabeasts. The double threat was neutralized.
(Time skip...)
I rejoined Petelgeuse, who was contorting with nervousness.
Petelgeuse: "Archbishop of Pride! The reports! The villagers have been transferred to the Mansion! The Half-Elf is at the Mansion! Our plan must be perfect!"
Trizz: (Internal: Subaru managed to evacuate them, probably by selling my life to another camp.) "So they sent allies here. But at what cost?"
I didn't seek the answer. It no longer mattered to me. The plan was in motion.
I climbed a hill overlooking Roswaal's Mansion. I sat down and observed the spectacle of my betrayal.
At night, the attack was brutal. I watched the Mansion catch fire. The cultists, acting in an orderly frenzy, set fires and massacred everyone they found. It was the inevitable death of this loop.
A few hours later, as the flames reached their climax, a supernatural cold spread through the valley
A few hours later, as the flames reached their climax, a supernatural cold spread through the valley. The temperature suddenly dropped, the fire being extinguished under a wave of ice.
Trizz: (Internal: This is the end.)
Puck's coldness meant Emilia was dead. Subaru was going to die in the following minutes, crushed by the rage of the Great Spirit. Return by Death was imminent.
A wave of guilt washed over me at the sight of the destruction. It was my fault. I had chosen not to intervene.
But I rejected it, driving it out through the hypocrisy of those I had sacrificed.
Trizz: (Internal, a cold, calculated hatred) "Emilia would never see me as a friend. I never sacrificed myself for her and her damned camp. Beatrice would never have loved me if she didn't believe I was that person. Ram and Rem would have killed me if they knew I had an Authority. Subaru would betray me again if I didn't control him."
The guilt was submerged by a new, liberating hatred.
Trizz: (Internal Hysteria) They all deserve to die. They are all traitors. Idiots. Naive people who just want someone to carry their burden for them. I hate them. They deserve to die!
This total hatred, the very essence of Pride, was the price of knowledge. I had secured a place for myself in the next loop, with perfect information, free from any illusion of friendship. The sacrifice of this loop was complete.
Subaru's death must be close. The mansion was in ruins. I had my plan and my information.
I fell asleep on the hill, the smile of arrogance and madness on my face, awaiting the awakening in Emilia's Mansion bed. Victory was now guaranteed in the next loop.
(Time skip...)
POV in time Loop 4 (One and a half days before the Cult's attack)
(3rd Person POV...)
The sky was heavy, saturated with the oppressive humidity of the forest. Inside the old mine, hysterical screams echoed.
Petelgeuse Romanee-Conti was jubilating, his eyes bloodshot and his fingers contorted. He had just been warned by a letter, transmitted by one of his Cultists infiltrated in the village, that the Knights' attack was imminent-within a few hours-catching the cult by surprise during the supposed "purification" of the villagers.
Petelgeuse: (He writhed with pleasure, hitting his head against a stone wall.) "Love is so brutal! A trick so magnificent! They think Diligence is slow! They think Love does not see everything! Impudence!"
The Cult's army was heading north to ambush the Knights. At the rear of the convoy, three figures walked, Petelgeuse and his two Cultists, both hooded in black. One was a mere member, the other a trusted Finger.
Petelgeuse suddenly veered away from the convoy and headed towards an isolated clearing to meet a "messenger" from the Archbishop of Lust
Petelgeuse suddenly veered away from the convoy and headed towards an isolated clearing to meet a "messenger" from the Archbishop of Lust.
Petelgeuse: (His voice hissed with impatience.) "We have no time for distractions! But Capella would not be an idiot! The messenger must hold an essential truth for Love! Come, my faithful ones!"
Upon reaching the meeting point, a small figure waited for them, clutching a puppy in her arms. It was Meili, in her usual mission outfit. Her innocent appearance was perfectly deceiving.
Petelgeuse: (He sniffed the air, his nose wrinkling in disgust and fascination.) "The smell of Lust! An odor of degeneracy! Are you Capella's messenger, little girl? What is the reason for this unexpected visit? Diligence does not tolerate unnecessary distractions!"
Meili: (She pouted with the air of an innocent child, her voice sweet as honey, contrasting with her cold gaze.) "Why are you asking me that, Sloth? Shouldn't you rather ask the person behind you?"
Petelgeuse did not have time to turn around, nor even for the madness to fully set in.
The Cultist on his right, the Finger, drew his sword with deadly silence and speed. The blade plunged deeply into the chest of the Sin Archbishop of Sloth.
Petelgeuse: (He collapsed heavily, blood spurting from his mouth with a choking sound. Ecstasy was instantly replaced by a glacial, incomprehensible fury.) "TR-TRAITOR! Traitor to Love! The treaty! YOU STABBED ME! Pride... Gah..."
The Cultist sharply pulled back his black hood. Beneath the mask of shadow, the face of Trizz was revealed. His crimson eyes were deceptively calm, sharp as a blade, and profoundly devoid of emotion, contrasting with the chaos of the scene.
Trizz: (He looked down at Petelgeuse's convulsing body, his tone cold and pragmatic.) "Nice work, Meili. I am truly grateful for your acting as a helpless little girl."
Meili: (She dropped the puppy, the disguise falling away, her expression admiring.) "That was fun! But Onii-san, what are you planning? Why did you send Sloth here and the rest of the Cult North?"
Trizz: "Hmm... Good question. I'll give you a summary. See that guy on the ground..."
Petelgeuse: (Despite the mortal wound, he screamed, his will making him resilient.) "Traitor! Traitor! Be cursed, Pri-"
Trizz: (He calmly cut off the hysteria.) "Elsa."
The hooded Cultist who had remained behind Trizz-none other than the assassin Elsa Granhiert-stepped forward. She pulled back her hood, her dark violet eyes fixing on Petelgeuse. She used one of her daggers to strike Petelgeuse's jaw, displacing it to prevent him from screaming.
Trizz took a wooden branch and drew a schematic plan on the ground.
Trizz: "Silence at last... As I was explaining, this guy can possess people. I brought him here to keep him immobilized while the other Cultists head towards the fire crystals to the Northeast (a bomb). My traps will destroy one-third of the army following them. You and Elsa will clean up the survivors."
He pointed to a distant direction.
Trizz: "Half of the Cult is miles away from the village and the Mansion. The Knights, who are in the middle of fighting the White Whale, will come after the battle to easily cut down the Cultist army I sent Northwest. When I kill Sloth, he will likely possess one of the four Fingers in the Northwest."
Meili: (She was speechless, her admiration clear on her face.) "You planned everything! You used the Cult to destroy the Cult, and us to destroy the survivors. You really are a genius, Onii-san! This is even better than using Mabeasts!"
Trizz: (A cold smile stretched his lips.) "Chaos, Meili, is a symphony. And I am the conductor. I create a threat in one direction (the Knights), I send a bomb in the other (the Cultists with the crystals), and I leave you the pleasure of eliminating the debris."
Meili: (Her eyes sparkled with excitement.) "That's so cruel and clever! You saved the Mansion, the Alliance, and at the same time, you managed to get the Cult to do your work! Onii-san! You're the only one who truly knows how to have fun."
Elsa: (She observed the plan drawn on the ground. Her usually cold posture betrayed a slight tension. She completely removed her hood, her cheeks flushed with ambiguous excitement.) "This plan is worthy of the man you are. Using the enemy as a fuse... The level of cynicism is as perfect as the scent of fresh blood."
Trizz: "It's the only way to guarantee victory. The Alliance needs the White Whale, and the Cult needs to disappear. I'm just optimizing the equation."
Elsa: (She smiled, her predatory grin now directed at Trizz.) "Only one detail. You said I have to clean up the survivors. I hope that means I'll have plenty of blood to spill, Trizz-kun."
Trizz: (He shrugged, his gaze empty.) "You'll be busy enough. But remember: No survivors, no witnesses. That is the price of my 'secret mission.' Now, go. We only have a few hours before the Knights finish the Whale."
Elsa and Meili nodded. Meili picked up the puppy, while Elsa sheathed her daggers. They headed Northeast, leaving Trizz alone with the agonizing body of Petelgeuse.
Trizz: (Internal: The sacrifice is in place. The Cult is divided and condemned. The final step remains.)
He leaned over Petelgeuse, who was still trying to form words with his dislocated jaw.
Trizz: "This is the end, Sloth. My Pride is too great for this world."
He pierced his neck with his sword.
Flashback: Hours Before Petelgeuse's Death
The Cultists infiltrated in the village, alerted by a messenger from the Archbishop of Pride, had ventured into the forest. They walked with nervous excitement, but without fear. Behind them, a tall woman, 1m69, wrapped in the black hood of the Cult, accompanied them.
Arriving in front of a flat rock, they saw a man sitting, also dressed in the classic Cult hood. He didn't need to stand to command respect. His piercing crimson eyes were filled with an authority so menacing and intimidating that it took their breath away.
The crimson-eyed man-Trizz-looked down at them with an icy tone.
Trizz: "How slow you infiltrated trash are! You deserve death! You should be kneeling before the Sin of Pride, idiots!"
The Cultists, terrified by the power and contempt emanating from him, quickly fell to their knees, heads bowed, to avoid further arousing the Archbishop of Pride's wrath.
With a nonchalant wave of his hand, the woman behind the Cultists half-revealed herself. It was Elsa. She drew one of her daggers and, without a word, decapitated one of the kneeling Cultists.
Blood spurted, flowing onto the ground and soaking the knees of the two remaining Cultists. Horror was visible in their eyes, but the fear of Trizz rooted them to the spot.
Trizz: (He feigned a bored look) "Well, I've seen faster. Now, who is the Cult's messenger?"
One of the two Cultists raised his hand, trembling with fear, but before he could open his mouth, his friend next to him was decapitated by Elsa in a shockingly fast movement.
The last Cultist, filled with horror and panic, pleaded with Trizz.
Cultist: "Mercy! Archbishop of Pride! I beg you, don't hurt me! I obey! I obey!"
Trizz: (A cruel smile stretched his lips.) "You obey? Good. I have a test for you. Write a letter to your dear Petelgeuse. Tell him the Knight attack will arrive sooner than expected, and that it will interrupt the purification. Tell him to direct the entire Cult army north to surprise them in the forest."
The Cultist, unable to disobey, quickly complied, scribbling the letter on a piece of parchment which he gave to Trizz.
Trizz: (He took the letter, inspected it, and nodded.) "Good work. You've earned the right to live. I'll let you continue your spy plan. You can leave now. I no longer need you, you dirty pup."
The Cultist, mad with gratitude, began thanking Trizz and turned to leave the forest.
Trizz: (His voice turned icy.) "Elsa. Don't kill him."
Elsa, who had approached, stopped. She recognized the order, and a predatory smile appeared on her lips. She advanced quickly and, instead of torturing him, she decapitated the walking Cultist, killing him instantly.
Trizz: (Internal: Elsa merely followed my orders-no torture, a quick death, no witnesses. She is worthy of her contract.)
The trap was set. Petelgeuse, who lived for Diligence and Love, would never question information from one of his Fingers, especially if he thought he could surprise the Knights. The Cult was heading straight North. Away from the Mansion. Away from Subaru.
Before leaving, a brown light appeared before him...
Return: After Petelgeuse's Death
Trizz headed toward the rendezvous point, his gaze empty and focused on finalizing his plan. He arrived at a small clearing. The scene was macabre but organized; dozens of drooling, enraged Mabeasts stood motionless, their red eyes fixed on him, restrained only by the presence of their tamer.
Meili was in the center of the pack, her puppy in her arms. She was waiting for him, looking excited.
On a low oak branch, Elsa was crouched. She was impatiently playing with the handle of her dagger, the anticipation evident in the tension of her body.
Trizz stopped beside Meili. He leaned against a tree trunk, closing his crimson eyes.
Trizz: (Internal: The Knights must be just barely locating the Whale. The timing is perfect. The explosion will confirm my plan.)
A few minutes later, the earth trembled. A multitude of muffled explosions followed one after another in the distance. It was the detonation of the fire crystals he had sent with half of the Cult army towards the Northeast. The traps were activated.
Silence returned. The remaining Cultists were wounded and disorganized.
Trizz opened his eyes.
Trizz: "Now."
That was the only signal. Meili released her pack of Mabeasts. The red, enraged beasts dashed through the forest with bestial screams. Elsa disappeared from the branch with superhuman speed, her daggers eager for blood. They were going to finish off the rest of the divided and weakened Cult army.
(Time Skip...)
After the massacre, Trizz remained leaning against the tree. The smell of powder and blood began to permeate the air.
Elsa returned first. Her revealing outfit, stained with fresh blood, gave her a look of macabre ecstasy. She stopped in front of him, face raised, a smile of insane intensity on her lips.
Meili arrived running a few seconds later, breathless but radiant with pride.
Meili: "Onii-sama! That was incredible! I counted! Six Fingers and one hundred thirty-two dead Cultists in total! Plus about forty that the explosions must have killed! The Cult is eradicated from this region!"
Elsa: (She bowed slightly, her gaze shining with rare admiration.) "It was magnificent... no, incredible, Pride-sama. The efficiency, the cruelty, the cunning."
Trizz: (He straightened up, fatigue visible in his features. He ignored the numbers, but not the new nickname.) "'Pride-sama'? Avoid calling me by that nickname when I need you in the future. And why 'sama' and not 'kun,' Elsa?"
Elsa: (Her smile stretched, her eyes crinkling with pleasure.) "Because you're not my friend, are you? You are the strategist, the leader, the one who orders my hunger. Kun is for friendship. Sama is for authority. And you have proven that your Authority surpasses Petelgeuse."
Meili: "I like Onii-sama! But I agree, you look stronger than just a kun!"
Trizz: (Internal: Perfect. They fear and respect me. Their silence is guaranteed.)
Trizz: "Very well. Your mission is complete. You have been paid 800 Holy Coins. Now, leave. Disperse. You have never seen me."
Elsa: (She put her hood back on, her smile fading to a professional expression.) "A pleasure doing business with you, Trizz-sama. I hope you will need my cleaning services from time to time. Especially for future betrayals."
Meili: "Goodbye, Onii-sama! I hope I can help you kill more bad guys!"
They disappeared into the forest. Trizz was alone, injured by exhaustion, but victorious.
Trizz: (He collapsed onto the grass, his body trembling.) The Cult is destroyed. The Whale is being destroyed. The next step will be Subaru's victory, guaranteed by my sacrifice in this loop.
He coughed, feeling blood rise. He had pushed regeneration beyond its limits. He had to rest.
Trizz: (Internal: Now, I have to wait for the end of the operation against the Whale so I can appear... The shock will be total.)
The price of victory was his own body. He closed his eyes, waiting for the moment of the staging.
The Present Moment
In shock and surprise, Crusch Karsten was the first to regain her composure. Despite her disgust for Trizz's tactics and her contempt for the Knight Order, she could not ignore the feat. She approached Trizz, her rigid posture bending into a sign of forced respect.
Crusch: (In a firm voice, but tinged with involuntary admiration) "Trizz-kun. As the head of the Alliance, I must congratulate you. Not only did you allow the victory against the White Whale, but you rid the Kingdom of its most immediate scourge. This is a feat that commands respect."
Trizz blinked, his expression of fatigue mingling with sincere confusion.
Trizz: "The Alliance? The White Whale? Why?"
Crusch: (Perplexed by this reaction) "Why? You are the mastermind behind this victory, Trizz-kun. You orchestrated the Alliance's presence, you negotiated Anastasia-sama's trade, and you concluded an agreement with Felt-sama through Reinhard-sama! You set everything up!"
Trizz: (He ran his hand over his face, an air of exasperated boredom) "Ah, you're talking about that. Crusch-sama, you are mistaken. I didn't orchestrate anything for the Alliance against the Whale."
Crusch: "What are you saying?"
Trizz: "I simply left a few notes and cryptic clues on a letter to..." (He pointed at Subaru before correcting himself, remembering he shouldn't reveal the letter's existence) "...to my idiot."
Trizz: "I gave him permission to sell the exploitation rights to a part of Roswaal's territory - because only an idiot would sell everything. I also made a small deal with Felt for the future of the slums. But the rest..."
Trizz made a vague gesture towards Subaru.
Trizz: "...he organized it all. He created the blackmail to force the Whale Alliance. He put all your heads together. My job was to kill the crazies. His was to manage the politicians and make sure he was brave enough to die if necessary."
The shock hit Crusch. She looked at Subaru, then Trizz. She had the Divine Protection of Discernment, which allowed her to know if people were lying. Trizz was not lying. He was sincerely confused to be credited for the diplomatic work.
Crusch: (Muttering, incredulous) "It was... Natsuki-kun who..."
At the same moment, a new group arrived on the battlefield. It was Julius, the Kingdom's most perfect Knight, accompanied by a part of the Iron Fangs mercenaries who had secured the perimeter and pushed back the carriages.
Julius, usually composed, stopped dead. He scanned the scene-the remains of the Whale, Petelgeuse's head, and finally looked at Trizz, wearing a Cult robe.
Julius: (His voice was choked with surprise and contempt) "Trizz-kun! It's... it's true then. You are healed..."
He approached, his gaze fixed on Trizz. Julius had left him severely wounded after their duel-broken ribs, internal contusions, and signs of pulmonary failure.
Julius: "Your body... your wounds. How is this possible? Just yesterday, you were..."
Trizz: (He shrugged, an air of unbearable weariness) "Ah, the duel. Yes, it was fun. I was a bit lucky, I suppose. A good rest. A quality sleep."
Julius: (His face hardened, contempt replaced by icy seriousness) "A 'quality sleep' doesn't heal broken ribs overnight, Trizz-kun. You're not fooling anyone. What kind of healing magic or divine protection are you using? Or is it your abnormal regeneration?"
Trizz didn't answer, merely smiling coldly. He had won the battle against the Cult, but he now had two of the most influential figures in the Kingdom, Crusch and Julius, who considered him an incredibly powerful political manipulator and a man with terrifying regeneration secrets.
Subaru, watching the scene, realized the new reality, he had involuntarily transferred all the credit for his courage and strategy to Trizz. The "Genius of Chaos" was now an Invincible Strategic Genius in the eyes of the Kingdom. And he could do nothing to refute it.
The victory against the White Whale was secured, but the atmosphere was electric, strained by the revelations of Subaru's and Trizz's roles.
Crusch was visibly in shock. She looked at Subaru, then Trizz, her sharp eyes assimilating the truth. Subaru, "the tactician and negotiator" who forced the hands of the other camps (Anastasia, Crusch); and Trizz, the "Genius of Chaos" who had destroyed half the Cult with two anonymous individuals (Elsa and Meili).
Before she could ask any questions about these "anonymous individuals," Trizz, exhausted, spoke.
Trizz: "Calm down. The rest of the Cult army is in an isolated area to the West. The Knights should normally block their path a few kilometers from the Mansion. I also hired Otto and his group to bring carts. Part of the convoy will head towards Roswaal's Sanctuary, and the other towards Crusch's camp."
He turned to Crusch, his tone that of a man who had just gone through hell.
Trizz: "I am really exhausted, guys. I think I'll follow Crusch and the others to the Capital. I won't be present to clean up the rest of the Cult."
This announcement was the breaking point. Subaru, who was reeling from the revelation of Trizz's role in the Cult's destruction, reacted impulsively.
Subaru: (He stepped forward, babbling nonsense, unable to believe Trizz couldn't come.) "What?! But... but you're the only one with a level head! We can't let you leave! You said they were numerous! You have to come with us!"
Subaru grabbed Trizz by the sleeve, trying to pull him toward the rest of the group. Trizz resisted. He abruptly pulled away and sent Subaru aside, leaving them alone.
Trizz: (His gaze was intense. He took advantage of the isolation to reveal the final danger, the true price of victory.) "Listen to me now, Barusu. When Petelgeuse's Fingers are dead, Petelgeuse himself, the Archbishop of Sloth, will try to possess you."
Subaru stopped dead, the shock of the revelation petrifying him.
Subaru: (His voice was an incredulous whisper.) "What?! Why me? He didn't possess you! Or... or are you Petelgeuse?"
Trizz gave him a menacing and icy look, charged with a nameless authority, which silenced Subaru. The message was clear ,there was no room for his usual foolishness.
Trizz: (His tone was low but sharp.) "I am not Sloth. He couldn't possess me because my body is already the receptacle for a stronger Authority, that of Pride. You, you are pure. You are the ideal candidate. He sees your weakness as a virtue."
Trizz: "When he tries to possess you, you will just say the forbidden word so Petelgeuse doesn't possess you. Understood?"
Subaru, though still in shock, nodded, absorbing the order.
Trizz: "I will send you my quasi-spirit (Styler) to protect you. It will give you mana to defend yourself and signal when the Archbishop is near. That is the price of my victory; I can no longer fight. You are the last defense, Barusu. Now, go find your Maid."
(Time Skip...)
A few minutes later, the group split in two. Subaru, Julius, Reinhard, and Anastasia's mercenaries headed toward Petelgeuse's territory for the final confrontation. The other group - Trizz, Rem, Crusch, and the rest of the Knights and mercenaries - took the road to the Capital with the colossal body of the White Whale.
As the convoy drove away, Trizz, exhausted, made one last strategic suggestion.
Trizz: "Crusch-sama. The Cult might interpret the killing of the White Whale as a declaration of war. They could very well attack this convoy to recover the body and take revenge. I suggest you take the second route, longer but more secure, to avoid an ambush."
Crusch, whose respect for Trizz's tactics continued to grow, accepted his logic without hesitation.
The sun was setting. Crimson clouds, strangely similar to Trizz's eyes, floated over the horizon.
Trizz was sleeping soundly in the cart, exhausted to the core. He was lying next to Crusch and Rem. Crusch, still confused by the complexity of Trizz's plan and his abnormal regeneration, stared at him. Rem, sitting, looked at him with a gentle smile and unwavering adoration.
Rem: "Trizz-sama always gave the impression of being someone who doesn't care about the lives of others, or even his own life. But inside, he does everything to save everyone, even at the cost of his body. Trizz-sama is a hero and a martyr who does not seek glory, just the protection of the people dear to him."
Crusch: (She looked at Trizz, his face distorted by exhaustion, then looked at Rem.) "A martyr who does not seek glory... That's a strange description, Rem. He is the only one in your camp to have the intelligence and cruelty necessary to conceive such a plan. But why do it without seeking reward?"
Rem: "Because it's his burden, Crusch-sama. He carries the weight of the truth that others cannot see. He sees failure before it happens and does the impossible to prevent it. He doesn't need glory. He needs the people he protects to be happy. That is his only payment."
Crusch: (She frowned, her gaze turning to Trizz.) "He is a dangerous man, Rem. Someone who sacrifices himself with such precision is capable of manipulating the entire world. And his ability to recover..." (She paused.) "What is his secret, Rem? Why can he ignore pain and death?"
Rem: (Her smile did not waver, but a cold glint crossed her eyes.) "That is a secret that only Trizz-sama can share, Crusch-sama. But you have nothing to fear. He will never harm those he has chosen to protect. He would rather die."
Crusch fell silent. She had a clear vision of Trizz-the ruthless strategist, the cynic, but also the man who had risked his body and soul to save two political camps and a village, without ever asking for credit. She could neither trust him nor let him go.
Crusch: (Internal: He created the chaos, but he solved it. He is the most dangerous variable in this election, and the only one who seems to guarantee the population's survival. He will have to be watched closely.)
The convoy continued its journey under the red sky, carrying the exhausted man who had manipulated fate, life, and death for the survival of his "friends."
(Time Skip...)
The sun was rising. The gentle warmth of the morning caressed Trizz's face. He opened his eyes, gently sat up in the cart, and greeted his two companions.
Trizz: "Good morning, Ladies. Waking up is pleasant after so much turmoil."
Rem: (She greeted him back, a soft smile on her lips.) "Good morning, Trizz-sama. We are happy to see you rested."
Crusch did not reply. She remained frozen, staring at the cart window, deliberately ignoring Trizz's presence. Her distrust was palpable, sharper than ever after the events of the previous day.
Trizz: (He ignored Crusch's hostility and turned to Rem, with his artificial, sugary smile.) "You see, Rem, Barusu is right. When you smile, you are even more beautiful. It's a shame you don't do it more often."
Rem blushed slightly, but Trizz immediately noticed that it wasn't his compliment that caused this reaction. Something Subaru had told her, probably, continued to make her blush. A cold hatred crossed Trizz, but he instantly masked it under his smile.
Crusch: (She finally turned to Trizz, her tone sharp, without preamble.) "Enough flattery, Mr. Genius of Chaos. Yesterday, you proved an intelligence and planning ability that no general in this kingdom, or that I have known, possesses."
She stared at him, her eagle eyes trying to pierce his facade.
Crusch: "Answer me. Where do you come from? Why don't you have a last name? How do you manage to regenerate? Who were the two anonymous people who helped you destroy the Cult, and how did you kill the Archbishop of Sloth with your own hands?"
Trizz gave her a cold look, his crimson eyes expressing superior boredom.
Trizz: (A sarcastic smile stretched his lips.) "Wow. So many questions for such a beautiful morning. Allow me to say, Crusch-sama. That's none of your business."
Crusch: "It is a matter of security for my camp! You are too valuable an asset, or too great a danger, to remain in the shadows!"
Trizz: (His tone became icy and slightly arrogant.) "My origin? My name? My abnormal regeneration rate? That is my private life, Crusch-sama. I fulfilled my part of the deal-the Whale is dead and the Cult is eradicated from Roswaal's territory. I didn't ask who you sleep with, I won't ask you to dig into my past."
Trizz: "As for the two people who helped me... Let's just say they are two very competent mercenaries who love blood and Mabeasts. They have no title, no loyalty, and are not your problem. I resorted to brute force, not an army. A method that the elegance of your Knights would never understand."
Trizz: "I killed Sloth as I had to kill him. That's all there is to it."
Rem: (She intervened gently, knowing the situation was about to escalate.) "Crusch-sama, I assure you that Trizz-sama has no intention of harming your camp. He is only... very protective of his past."
Trizz: (He scoffed.) "Protective? No, Rem. I'm just tired of the hypocrisy of the powerful who cannot accept that a simple commoner did what their generals could not do. Accept that I saved your lives, and leave me in peace."
Crusch straightened up, her jaw clenched, but she couldn't force an answer. The commoner had just given her a lesson in pride, and she had to accept it. It was clear she would get nothing from him.
A few seconds after the tense exchange, a violent explosion resonated. A cart at the front of the convoy had just been pulverized.
Trizz, Crusch, and Rem rushed forward to assess the situation.
Strangely, Trizz was the most shocked. He placed his hand on his nose, as if smelling a foul odor.
Trizz: (He shouted, his crimson eyes widening in horror.) "You shouldn't attack! This is suicide! Stop, immediately!"
Crusch looked at him as if he had gone mad. Rem, however, instinctively obeyed and jumped out of the cart with Crusch.
In front of them, blocking the road, stood two figures. A man with simple features, white hair, and immaculate clothes, exuding an aura of suppressed anger - Regulus Corneas, the Archbishop of Greed. Beside him, a lanky boy - Lye Batenkaitos, the Archbishop of Gluttony.
Crusch: (She drew her sword, her voice firm.) "Who are you? By what right do you attack this convoy?"
Regulus was clearly angry, but his gaze suddenly fell on Trizz
Regulus was clearly angry, but his gaze suddenly fell on Trizz. The same look, incredulous and confused, fell on Lye Batenkaitos.
Lye: (He licked his lips, his emerald eyes blinking.) "Hmm? Pride... the smell is there! Why didn't she say the Archbishop of Pride was present? I thought it was a myth!"
Crusch shot a suspicious look at Trizz, who was now beside her. She had heard what Lye said.
Crusch: (An accusatory whisper.) "Archbishop of Pride...?"
Rem was in shock but instinctively positioned herself next to Trizz, awaiting explanations.
Trizz: (He took a deep breath, anger rising at the forced revelation.) "Calm down! I admit I have the Authority of Pride, but I am not an Archbishop! I don't even know how this Authority entered me or why it chose me!"
He withdrew the sword he had used to kill Sloth from his belt and pointed it at the Archbishop of Gluttony.
Trizz: "Listen to me now! If you want to survive, call me Pride, and don't say your name in front of this guy! Otherwise, he might devour your identity and memory!"
As he spoke, two small lights appeared in front of Trizz , a brown light (his Earth Quasi-Spirit) and a black light (his Yin Quasi-Spirit, Nini).
Then, an intense red light briefly enveloped Trizz's silhouette and that of Rem, who was standing beside him. Rem was shocked, not understanding the source of the light enveloping her.
Trizz: (He explained in a low voice, keeping his gaze on the Archbishops.) "That faint red light on you, Rem, is an effect of my Authority. People who have great respect for me and who are willing to die for my cause are buffed by my Authority. It will allow you to increase your strength and speed up your regeneration."
Trizz: (He added with an embarrassed smile, arrogance tinged with pragmatism.) "But you will be forced to use your resources (mana or stamina) to maintain the effects of my Authority. Don't worry, I will reduce the cost by 50%. I will carry half the burden for you."
Rem, worried, wanted to refuse, but Trizz insisted with a look. Crusch, seized by the horror of this revelation and this new Authority, nevertheless agreed to fight alongside Trizz.
Regulus: (He placed his hand on his head, his tone shifting from anger to exasperation.) "Why! Why is Pride defending these idiots who constantly violate my rights! This is intolerable! You are Pride! You should be offended by their mere existence!"
Trizz: (A dark smile crossed his face.) "I am. That's why I killed Sloth. He was the most ignoble Archbishop after Capella."
Strangely, the two Archbishops agreed on this point.
Regulus: "Sloth was a mad, weak fanatic who prayed to the Witch of Envy like a goddess. It was an insult to the very concept of Sin."
Trizz: (He ignored the exhaustion, the excitement of the fight taking over.) "Exactly. Now, let's end this conversation and fight."
The two Archbishops introduced themselves before the fight, a macabre ritual.
Regulus: "I am Regulus Corneas, the Archbishop of Greed. Prepare to be offended, Pride."
Lye: "And I, Lye Batenkaitos, the Archbishop of Gluttony! I will devour your Pride!"
Lye: "And I, Lye Batenkaitos, the Archbishop of Gluttony! I will devour your Pride!"
Lye: "And I, Lye Batenkaitos, the Archbishop of Gluttony! I will devour your Pride!"
Trizz: (A dark gleam crossed his eyes. He pointed his sword at them.) "I introduce myself as Pride, representing Determination. And I will show you that determination can conquer any Sin."
Trizz stood facing the two Archbishops, his posture betraying a cold calm despite the horror of the situation. His crimson eyes lingered on Regulus.
Trizz: (His smile was dark, calculated. His sarcastic tone targeted the very essence of the Sin.) "Tell me, Greed. Why are you fighting?"
Regulus, who was tapping his foot, raised his eyebrows, outraged by the insolence.
Regulus: "What an outrageous question! I fight for my rights! These heretics attacked a convoy! They defiled the tranquility of the public road! My patience and my peace are rights that I must diligently defend!"
Trizz: "Your rights? Greed protects his rights and his quasi-divine place in the Cult. You should be watching the show, protecting yourself from dust and damage. Why soil your immaculate image and clothes by fighting like a barbarian against these insignificant heretics?"
Trizz took a step back, pointing to the space behind Regulus.
Trizz: "Stay there, in your right not to participate in this unworthy and ignoble fight. Let us, the impure, take care of the cleanup. Isn't it Greed's right to maintain his purity?"
Regulus stopped. Trizz's argument, touching on his fanatical essence of purity and his "rights," struck home.
Regulus: (He removed his hand from his head, smoothing his white garment.) "That's true. It's absolutely scandalous to lower myself to violence for these impurities. My rights will not be trampled by these idiots. I'm staying. But if dirt touches me, I will reduce you to dust, Pride."
Regulus stepped back, positioning himself at a respectable distance, arms crossed, ready to observe.
Crusch and Rem were shocked by the ease with which Trizz had neutralized one of the Archbishops. They now focused on Lye, the Archbishop of Gluttony, with redoubled concentration.
Trizz: "The least dangerous one remains. He only seeks memory and identity."
Trizz, without losing a moment, raised the sword he held. His body was enveloped in a red glow, and the Yin Quasi-Spirit (Nini) as well as the Earth Quasi-Spirit hovered at his sides.
Trizz: "Let the feast begin."
He channeled his Yang Magic into the sword.
Trizz: "El Jiwald!"
A concentrated, warm blade of light burst from his sword, heading directly toward Lye. The fight had begun.
Lye dodged the beam with unexpected agility, his eyes glowing with an unhealthy hunger.
Lye: "Yes, yes! Pride attacks! What flavor!"
Trizz: (Shouting to the women.) "Now! Defense!"
Rem, enveloped by Trizz's red buff, charged forward.
Rem: (She wielded her flail, the chain whistling.) "My loyalty to Pride will never weaken!"
Crusch, recovering, joined her sword.
Crusch: "So be it! One more Archbishop, one less!"
Trizz concentrated his magic on Lye, alternating between Yang blades of light and Yin illusions to disrupt the Archbishop of Gluttony's senses. The battle raged.
Trizz: "Shamak!"
Lye was briefly enveloped in a blurring darkness, but he moved on instinct.
Trizz: (Internal: He is fast. Too fast. I need to force him to use his Authority.)
Rem, with strength amplified by Trizz's buff, managed to strike Lye. The impact was brutal, but Lye immediately stood up, seemingly unhurt.
Lye: "Ah! Such a good flavor! You are delicious! Let me devour your name!"
Trizz: "No! Don't let him say his name!"
Crusch and Rem fought fiercely, while Trizz fired one "Jiwald" after another, trying to corner the Archbishop of Gluttony between physical attacks and magic.
Rem: (She dodged a slashing attack from Lye.) "He's elusive! His ability to avoid blows is too..."
Trizz: "It's the Authority of Gluttony!"
Trizz ordered his Earth Quasi-Spirit to create a stone wall between Lye and Crusch, offering them a moment of respite.
The fight resumed with fury. Trizz maintained his position at the back, the two Quasi-Spirits hovering at his sides. The Earth Quasi-Spirit intermittently activated to erect walls or raise mounds, while the Yin Quasi-Spirit (Nini) amplified his spells.
Trizz: "El Jiwald!" Cover the front!"
A powerful column of golden-yellow light burst from Trizz's sword, striking the ground where Lye had just been. Lye was incredibly agile, his movements borrowing the martial techniques of the individuals he had consumed.
Lye: "You are wasting your meal! Concentrated energy is wasted on the earth!"
Rem, thanks to the red buff of Pride, was of a speed and strength that Crusch had never seen in her. She changed to her Oni Form, her single horn rising. Her flail transformed into a deadly weapon, sweeping wide areas to prevent Lye from approaching.
Rem: "I won't let you touch Pride!"
Crusch, using her Divine Protection of Wind Indication, could follow Lye's erratic movements. The Archbishop did not see her, but the wind revealed Lye to her as a chaotic disturbance in the flow of mana.
Crusch: "He's using mixed techniques! There's Huma in his movements! Pride, he's combining water magic with combat!"
Trizz: (Internal: Rem is faster than before, thanks to the buff. But Lye can still touch her.)
Trizz: "El Shamak!"
A vast area of distorted shadow enveloped Lye. For an instant, the Archbishop of Gluttony was totally disoriented. This was the moment.
Rem: (She charged, her flail crashing down.) "Die!"
Lye managed to block the blow, then countered with demonic agility, aiming for Rem's vital points.
Lye: "You are truly succulent! The taste of demon and loyalty! I will eat what makes you a..."
He was stopped short by Trizz's cry.
Trizz: "Now!"
Crusch did not need a second invitation.
Crusch: "OneBlow A Hundred Felled!"
She combined her swordsmanship with her Wind Magic, creating an invisible blade of air that lacerated the space between her and Lye. Lye, distracted by Rem and the Yin spell, could not completely dodge it. Crusch's attack struck his flank, violently throwing him against a tree.
Regulus: (From afar, observing.) "Oh! This is absolutely scandalous! Gluttony is being beaten by mortals! What an insult to my rights as a spectator!"
Lye, though visibly injured, got up with a high-pitched laugh.
Lye: "A slashing blow! Very good! I can taste its flavor! But it's not enough!"
Trizz: (He panted slightly, the cost of sharing the buff making itself felt.) "Rem, don't get tired! Use your heal! Crusch, keep harassing him!"
Rem: "Understood, Pride!"
Rem backed away to quickly cast a Water Magic spell to heal her minor injuries. The red buff amplified the healing speed, confirming Trizz's assertion.
Lye then charged Trizz, considering him the true mastermind of the operation.
Lye: "The arrogant one! You are the most delicious! I will take your Authority!"
Trizz: "El Aka!"
He buffed himself to increase his own speed and dodge. He then channeled his Earth Quasi-Spirit to create a landslide under Lye's feet, slowing him down just enough for Crusch to catch up.
Crusch: "You won't get Pride!"
The duel became a struggle of attrition, Trizz orchestrating the defense and attack, using Crusch as a lure and Rem as an amplified spearhead. Pride was defending his own against Gluttony.
The fight was turning in favor of Trizz's team, but their effort was palpable. The combination of Pride's intelligence, Rem's amplified strength, and Crusch's precision kept Lye at bay. Suddenly, a strange, nasal voice resonated from afar.
A new figure stopped on the horizon, another famished-looking young boy.
Trizz: (His smile completely vanished. He felt the air with one hand, his Instinct screaming danger.) "No. It's not possible."
He immediately recognized the newcomer , it was Roy Alphard, the second Archbishop of Gluttony. His presence was abnormal and unexpected. In the anime, he was not there.
Trizz: (He shouted, his tone one of icy authority.) "Immediate retreat! Change of plan! The fight is paused!"
Crusch and Rem, although astonished by the sudden order, obeyed Pride without hesitation, backing up to position themselves alongside Trizz.
Roy arrived, addressing his brother, Lye, but his gaze was fixed on Trizz.
Roy arrived, addressing his brother, Lye, but his gaze was fixed on Trizz
Roy: "Lye, our contact was right then. These heretics killed our pet, the Whale, and... he gave us information on these two." (He pointed to Rem and Crusch.) "And on the other one, the one who smells like the Witch."
Roy turned to Trizz, a look of morbid curiosity on his face.
Roy: "He said your name was Trizz. But that wasn't your original name."
Silence fell. Rem was the most affected by this revelation. Was the name she revered false? She kept her questions to herself, her gaze fixed on Trizz, waiting.
Roy: (He pointed his finger at Crusch.) "She is Crusch Karsten, the pretender to the throne. A good thing to consume." (He pointed to Rem.) "And she, she is Rem, the demon servant. A taste of loyalty and devotion."
Roy: (He scoffed at Trizz.) "And you. You are Trizz. Pride. But don't worry. I can't devour your identity or your memory. You don't have a name, do you?"
Trizz remained impassive, but inwardly, he was panicking.
Trizz: (Sarcasm.) "Greed was right then. My rights are trampled by two more lunatics."
Regulus: (From the back.) "I've been saying it since the beginning!"
Roy: "It's thanks to me that we found you. You should have taken the main road as our evangelist instructed. But you changed to the secondary road, didn't you, Pride? A stratagem for the vile!"
He became serious, his eyes widening with mad devotion.
Roy: "Our Pandora-sama was impressed by your determination to destroy the impurities of Sloth. She gave us a message for you, Pride."
He bowed theatrically.
Roy: "Pandora-sama asked if you want to become an official Archbishop of the Witch's Cult. But if you refuse..."
Roy's smile widened, full of anticipated hunger.
Roy: "... We will have to kill you on the spot. She will not tolerate uncontrolled Pride. So, what is your answer?"
Trizz felt the weight of two Authorities staring at him, awaiting his decision. The trap from the previous loop had just closed in on him.
Trizz: (His voice was calm, but his determination trembled.) "My only sin is being too proud to obey another."
The tension was at its peak. Trizz had just defied Pandora. The silence was broken by Rem.
Rem: (She spoke softly to Trizz.) "Pride. I cannot accept this buff any longer."
The red halo around her faded. Trizz looked at her, shocked. Rem's sacrifice was a blow to his plan.
Trizz: "What? Why did you break the buff? You are our spearhead!"
Rem: (Her gaze expressed unwavering loyalty and affection.) "You must keep that energy for yourself. If the fight is against two of them... you will need it. I can still fight. I trained to be strong."
Trizz understood. Rem was protecting him, at the expense of her own survival.
Crusch: (She drew her sword, her face becoming serious. She had understood the difficulty of the fight.) "One more Archbishop... This is a fight we shouldn't win." (She turned to Trizz.) "However, I am honored to fight alongside you, Pride. Even with this demonic energy dwelling in you. Your determination is our greatest weapon."
Trizz: (He felt sincere respect for Crusch's dignity. He replied with the same honor, his sarcastic smile replaced by an expression of resolve.) "The honor is shared, Crusch-sama. I will never ask you to apologize for your conviction."
Trizz was less exhausted than the others; he was the only one capable of managing two Archbishops simultaneously. He focused, activating his Authority for an extreme effort. The red glow of his aura intensified, combined with the incantation of the Yang buff.
Trizz: "El Aka!"
He channeled the Yang magic into himself, increasing his own speed and strength.
Trizz: "Revised plan! Crusch, Rem! Take care of the brother! I'll take Gluttony!"
He pointed at Lye.
Trizz: "Lye! Come fight, one against one!"
Lye: "Ah, Pride is calling me! What flavor!"
Lye charged Trizz, eager for his identity.
Trizz: "Jiwald!"
Trizz fired a beam of light from his sword, forcing Lye to dodge and engage the fight away from his allies.
Meanwhile, Roy Alphard turned to Rem and Crusch.
Roy: "I will savor the arrogance of that one, and the loyalty of the demon."
The second fight began. Rem, without Trizz's buff, immediately had to revert to Oni Form to compensate for the lack of power. Crusch fought alongside her, using her Divine Protection of Wind Indication to anticipate the unpredictable movements of Roy and his Accrued Skill.
Crusch: "Stay vigilant! Any of your techniques could be in his arsenal!"
Rem: (Her flail whirred.) "We will not retreat!"
Apart from them, Regulus remained motionless, observing the fight with the air of an opera critic.
Regulus: "Yes. That's good. Let them get dirty. As long as the dust doesn't reach me, my right to tranquility is respected."
The combat continued, now divided into two fierce duels, one for identity, the other for survival. Trizz, alone, had to defeat one Archbishop to ensure the victory of the two women.
(Time Skip...)
Dozens of minutes passed, each second weighing like a ton. Trizz was beyond exhaustion. His mana was almost empty, and the prolonged use of the Authority of Pride (mixed with the effect of El Aka) to sustain himself in combat was devouring him from within. Yet, his pride forced him to continue. He knew that if he died here, Subaru's Return by Death would not save him; his role in the story was already fulfilled.
His face was drenched in sweat and blood. A part of his left chest was reddened and lacerated by a blade.
Lye stopped for a moment, enjoying his prey's distress.
Lye: "Why insist, Pride? You are so delicious when you fight, but the taste of broken determination is even better. You can change your mind and join the Cult, you know? We will welcome you!"
Trizz didn't answer. He attacked.
Trizz: "El Jiwald!"
He fired a new blade of light from his sword, but the glow was weak and flickering, much less powerful than usual. Lye dodged with ease.
Lye: (His smile widened, full of mocking pity.) "It's not a meal anymore, it's mush!"
Lye pointed disdainfully at the battlefield. Trizz turned to look.
Crusch was on the ground, her armor cracked. She was unconscious, severely injured.
Rem was injured in the arm, blood flowing profusely, but she held firm. In Oni Form, she fought with her flail against Roy Alphard, her loyalty preventing her from collapsing.
Trizz: (In shock at seeing Crusch defeated.) "No..."
That second of distraction was fatal.
Lye moved with lightning speed, taking advantage of his Accrued Skills. Trizz did not have time to react. Lye struck him with a precise and brutal kick.
The commoner was violently thrown against an overturned cart, his body bleeding from the impact. He coughed, spitting a gush of blood.
Lye leaned over him, pulling a small dagger from the rags of his clothing.
Lye: "It's time for dessert. I wonder what the Pride of the nameless man tastes like."
Rem's scream of horror reached Trizz's ears, but he was too weak to move. Lye smiled, then pierced Trizz's heart.
The pain was total, consuming.
Trizz's last vision was of Rem, her face twisted with sadness and horror, mixed with pure anger in her demon eyes. She screamed, breaking away from Roy to rush towards him.
Then, everything went black.
Silence fell back over the battlefield, broken only by the whistling wind, observing the end of the supposed Archbishop of Pride.
fin de l'arc 3 : chapitre VII
Regulus: (He shook his head.) "Absolutely scandalous. An unworthy death. It was his right to live."