“——! I see, if it’s the Holy Maiden Skill…!”
The Holy Maiden Skill’s status description reads, “Governs healing and purification, granting the power to dispel evil.” If the power that turned Rosalie into a monster is the “evil” that the Holy Maiden Skill refers to, then Lecty might be able to save Rosalie.
“You understand, Lecty…?”
“Yes! Do you believe in me, Hugh-san…?”
“Yeah, I believe you.”
If Lecty thinks she can do it, then it’s not impossible. It’s worth trying. I turned my gaze to Idiot, and he nodded in agreement.
“However, even if we say we’ll stop her movements… With her rampaging like this, there’s no way to safely get Lady Lecty close…”
“No, stopping her movements is easy. …I just need to use my real Skill.”
I answered Idiot while taking out a hand mirror from my chest pocket.
I’m afraid of Lecty and Idiot finding out about my Brainwashing Skill. They might not accept it like Lily did, and especially Idiot wouldn’t be able to help but be suspicious of me if he knew about the Brainwashing Skill.
…Even so.
“Brainwash Release.”
To save Rosalie, I throw away my hesitation.
“Skill—Brainwashing.”
The “Under Brainwashing” display appeared above my head, and the pink giant ape that was warping the iron bars stopped moving completely.
I felt Lecty and Idiot gasp behind me. It’s not the Ninja Skill, so there’s no way they could sense my presence.
I’m afraid to see their expressions.
But, I mustered my courage and turned around.
“Please, Lecty. Save Rosalie.”
“Yes! Leave it to me, Hugh-san!”
Lecty passed by my side and rushed towards Rosalie. She touched the face of the monstrous Rosalie with both hands, as if enveloping it, and activated her Skill.
“Rosalie-san, I’ll heal you now…! Cleanse!”
The pale blue light that lit up in Lecty’s hands enveloped Rosalie’s entire body.
Soon, sparkling particles of light floated up from the monster’s giant body and melted away. The sight was somewhat ephemeral, fantastical, and beautiful.
Little by little, Rosalie’s form, which had been growing larger in the pale blue light, became smaller as the light particles floated up and disappeared. It seems that the Holy Maiden Skill’s Cleanse really does have the power to return people who have turned into monsters back to normal.
I let out a sigh of relief and turned around once more, meeting Idiot’s eyes.
I made up my mind and decided to reveal the Brainwashing Skill myself.
“Listen, Idiot. …My real Skill is Brainwashing. It’s the power to manipulate anyone I make eye contact with as I please. If I use this on myself with a mirror, I can change my Skills as I wish. When I fought you, I had my Skill changed to Swordsmanship. …I’m sorry.”
If I hadn’t changed my Skill back then, I would have definitely lost to Idiot. Considering Lily and Lecty’s circumstances, I had no choice but to do that, but Idiot has the right to complain.
Besides, the Brainwashing Skill is a power that should be avoided. It’s only natural to be rejected, and I wouldn’t be surprised if I was despised. Even if Idiot were to kill me here and now, I wouldn’t question it.
Idiot closed his eyelids and exhaled.
Then, he opened his eyes and wore a gentle smile.
“There’s no need for you to apologize. In the first place, that duel was unfair in retrospect. A duel between me, who possesses Chevalier, and you, who doesn’t have a Swordsmanship Skill, wasn’t even a fair match to begin with. If you hadn’t changed your own Skill to fight, I would have remained a foolish man. I’m the one who should be sorry. I thank you, my Arch-Rival.”
“No, is that really okay…? My Skill is Brainwashing, you know…? Don’t you think that I might have brainwashed you and Lecty and manipulated you as I pleased?”
“What foolishness are you spouting? Go say such nonsense in your sleep, Hugh Pnosis. There’s no way that the Arch-Rival that this Idiot Hautness has acknowledged would be such a despicable man, is there?”
Idiot said it as if it were nothing, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, and I couldn’t help but collapse to my knees. He probably believes from the bottom of his heart that I’m not that kind of person.
Idiot, and Lecty, who rushed straight to Rosalie without mentioning the Brainwashing Skill at all, and then Lily and Prince Lucas too…
Being accepted so easily like this makes me wonder if I’m the only one who’s taking the Brainwashing Skill so seriously.
Of course, it’s not like I wanted to be rejected, but it’s anticlimactic, or rather, what should I say…
“Hmm. What’s wrong, Hugh? Suddenly sitting down… Could it be a stomach ache? I told you to keep your stomach warm and go to sleep.”
“No, it’s not that…”
I couldn’t help but laugh at Idiot, who seemed genuinely worried about me.
It’s too embarrassing to tell Idiot face-to-face that I’m happy he accepted my Brainwashing Skill, or that he’s the best Arch-Rival. But I wanted to express this feeling no matter what, so I said the most common words.
“Thank you, Idiot.”
“Hmm. I don’t quite understand, but you should be grateful until the end of time that you were able to become this Idiot Hautness’s Arch-Rival!”
“Where does that confidence of yours come from…”
You really are the best Arch-Rival (Idiot), you know.