Epilogue II: Farewell, those distant days

I want all the girls here to be happy.

Fanfan is slowly but surely getting better and even Cassandra and Hebi-san who are in the process of getting punished, shouldn’t feel too miserable about their predicament. In fact, while neither of the girls is aware of that, they both have an order to inform me immediately if they ever reached their limit mentally or physically.

Unfortunately, Beatrice has reached that point a long time ago.

From the way she acted immediately after the tournament was over I deluded myself into thinking she handled Femto’s passing relatively well. But this was just the emotional muting routine working overtime.

I will never forget Beatrice’s reaction when we removed the safety orders from her. The girl was in a state of catatonic shock and spend the first week curled up in bed.

It was so bad that I even contemplated muting her emotions again. Even without the safety orders active, this was something I could do.

But emotions aren’t something we should mess with. I have no right to deprive Beatrice of her grief. No matter how painful it is.

Just like every day, the witch stood in front of the small shrine that serves as Femto’s grave. Well, it was less a grave and more an acknowledgment of her existence. Devil’s don’t leave behind a body when they expire.

It has been two months since Femto’s passing and Beatrice still spend hours here every day.

Her crying had stopped, the best description for her state I could make is that she was suffering from depression.

I waited a bit in silence before I approached her.

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

“Dinner is just about ready. Are you coming?”

“Mm.”

This is how most discussions with her panned out these days.

“Zachs went to Zeth, you know? For the location ritual”, I smiled. “It was hopeless. The magician told him that Ceri no longer exists.”

She didn’t even look at me. “Told you it was a sham.”

“My brother will come visit us soon. I plan to invite him to life with us here. He makes dumb jokes and loves wordplays. You will like him.”

Beatrice didn’t respond. For a brief moment we just stood there in silence.

“Hey Mari…”

“Yes?”

“Have you figured it out?”

Ah…

It was a vague statement but she could only refer to one thing.

“Yeah…”, I responded, trying to hold back my tears. “I held out hope until the news from Zachs, but now...I have no more doubts.”

Perhaps, I knew the truth ever since the finals.

“Hm...”

After that, silence descended again. We both just stared at the shrine.

“Beatrice...do you hate me?”

On that, the girl took a long breath. It was the first time I asked the question. Because I dreaded the response.

“Femto...she used me. From the beginning, for all this time, all she wanted was my soul. But that was fine, it was when I learned about that contract she made with you. That was when for the first time I truly hated her. For a brief moment at least.”

…

Beatrice stared at the shrine. “It would be easier if I could hate you. Or her. But I can’t. This, all of it, is my fault.”

“No. Beatrice...”

“It was my operation. My Divide et impera. Without it, none of that would have happened.”

“That’s not true, Beatrice. Without it, we would have never defeated Minerva.”

“But Femto would still be alive!”

…

There was nothing I could say to her. Nothing that wouldn’t sound hollow.

...

Except, there was one thing. Something I held back for two months.

...

Is it time?

“Beatrice, the truth is...She gave me one last message for you”, I started reluctantly. “I...I decided to keep it from you but...”

And for the first time in forever, Beatrice faced me. There was, for the first time, since the end of the tournament a look of genuine curiosity on her face. “A message? And you tell me this now? What was it?”

I hesitated. “Listen...I...don’t take this the wrong way. This message...it’s...a bit...”

“Out with it”, commanded Beatrice sharply.

I took a deep breath and steeled myself. “Slap yourself, Bea. Hard. And get one hell of a triple orgasm while you’re at it.”

For a few moments, Beatrice just blinked at me confused. Then she raised both of her hands and...

SLAP!

I winced. That looked very painful.

Then her body started to convulse, Beatrice moaned loudly and collapsed to her knees.

“I-I’m so sorry!”, I said quickly and prevented her from collapsing completely. “Are you alright?”

Obviously she was not as her body **** her to obey the order. The ex-witch moaned and shuddered as her juices flat out squirted out under her skirt with enough **** to defile Femto’s grave.

It was vile, uncalled for and utterly gross.

And yet, for the first time in months, I heard the cackling again.

“My!”, Beatrice began through heavy and labored breathing. “Forcing the great witch of Miracles to slap and debase herself? In front of her grave no less? How insolently impudent of that ingrate familiar of mine!”

“I’m sorry”, I repeated myself. “But she really said that.”

“Of course that mephistophelean hellion did!”, the ex-witch agreed. “Femto probably even estimated how long it would take you to muster up the courage to say it and that I was staying in front of her grave when you do it.”

“T-that’s a bit much, isn’t it?”

“For Femto?” Beatrice cackled some more. “Know your place! This is my familiar you are talking about! Playing you like a fiddle is the most simplest of affairs for her!”

Uh...right.”

Beatrice had calmed herself down a little. Her cheeks still flush from the afterglow, she smiled at me.“But above all else, that is her way of telling me to get on with it. And you.”

Me…

I almost lost it there. No, I can’t...not now.

For a brief moment, Beatrice’s expression softened. “If you wish to cry, I allow it.”

I swallowed back my tears. This fool. This complete and utter fool. “No”, I finally pressed out. “She wouldn’t want that.”

And just like that, it was back to cackling. “Well said, my Amber Dominator! Mourning the dead is a waste of time! I will not waste a single further second grieving that useless familiar! Neither will you!”

I could only stare at the witch dumbfounded. This can’t be healthy, right? Isn’t that just denial?

Regardless of what it was however, Beatrice seemed to be highly amused by it as she quickly rose to her feet.

“Well? What are you moping around for? Come, my Amber Dominator. Let us see what that rambunctious maid of yours has cooked for us. I am starving!”

Please don’t call me that.

As I walked back to the mansion together with the cackling witch, I looked up at the bright late summer afternoon sky.

Are you watching us?

That life you saved.

I promise I will not throw it away.