Chapter 50: The Girl Who Absolutely Won’t Forgive the Fall into Darkness
“Ugh, wha!? What is this… I wasn’t told—gah!”
A small vial slipped from Duke Lecherie’s hand, shattering with a loud crash. The duke grimaced, clutching his chest and bending over in agony.
Is he in pain…!? Prince Lucas had mentioned it was probably an aphrodisiac or a stamina booster, but this doesn’t seem like something trivial…!?
“Could it be that he drank poison…!?”
“No way, there’s no way I’d commit suicide…! Be careful, Lily. Something’s off…!”
My senses, heightened by the «Ninja» Skill, screamed at me that something was wrong. Duke Lecherie’s body was visibly starting to swell.
His fingernails elongated and turned black, while a layer of fur resembling that of a monkey began to cover his entire body. His previously plump physique was now grotesquely muscular, growing more than three times its original size.
“W-What… A human, turning into a monster…?”
The transformed Duke Lecherie bore a striking resemblance to the monsters that had appeared at the ball. The only difference was that this mutated version of the duke was nearly twice as large.
That liquid he drank… Was it something that transforms people into monsters…? If that’s the case, then all the monsters we’ve encountered until now…!
“GUGYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!”
A deafening roar echoed through the air. My enhanced hearing from the «Ninja» Skill almost made me lose consciousness. I managed to hold on, quickly pulling Lily close and leaping back. The mutated duke charged toward us.
The massive, fur-covered body barreled through the spot where we had just been standing, crashing into the wall with a thunderous impact. A sound like a massive explosion reverberated, shaking the building and showering us with debris and dust.
There was no time to feel relieved that we had narrowly avoided it. I immediately adjusted my hold on Lily and dashed toward the balcony. The monster that had once been Duke Lecherie was right behind us.
“I’m going to jump! Hold on tight!”
“J-Jump!? Aah!?”
I placed my foot on the balcony railing and leaped outside. As I landed and quickly turned around, I saw Duke Lecherie leaping after us from the balcony.
The duke, now resembling a gigantic monkey, landed in a position that blocked our escape route, grinning down at us with a sinister smile.
Whether he was aware of us or simply acting on instinct as a predator, one thing was clear: he was relentlessly targeting us.
“We need to run, Hugh! If we get back to the venue, Roan and Alissa will be there. They should be able to take down this monster…!”
“I want to, but the problem is how to escape…”
Duke Lecherie’s original «Physical Enhancement» Skill was likely still active. The movements of the monster before us were overwhelmingly fast compared to other monsters. Winning a simple sprint while carrying Lily would be tough, even with my max-level «Ninja» Skill.
But facing him head-on was equally daunting. The «Ninja» Skill specializes in stealth; it’s not designed for direct confrontation with a massive monster.
If only Roan or Alissa—or even that idiot—could take the brunt of the attack, we might have a chance…
“Lily, do you think anyone can come to help us…?”
“…It doesn’t seem like it. The venue is still engaged in battle with monsters. That idiot is fighting one while having already taken down another.”
“I see…”
No reinforcements, huh?
Then it falls to me to deal with what was once Duke Lecherie. That itself shouldn’t be particularly difficult…
…But it requires resolve.
“Lily, just wait a moment.”
“Hugh…?”
“I’ll be back soon.”
I gently set Lily down and faced the transformed Duke Lecherie. The gigantic monkey beast wore a feral grin, panting heavily as if ready to pounce on me at any moment.
I would reveal this power to Lily.
Suppressing my fear with all my might,
“Brainwash Release!”
I took out a hand mirror from my tailcoat pocket to release my own brainwashing.
And then,
“Skill: Brainwashing!”
The «Brainwashing» Skill effortlessly took control of the monster that had once been Duke Lecherie.
Confirming the words «Under Brainwashing» floating above him, I exhaled. This was my first time using this skill against a monster.
The skill description in my status read:
Skill: Brainwashing Lv.1… Manipulate the target at will upon making eye contact (maximum target count: 1).
Since the brainwashing target wasn’t limited to humans, I thought it would work on monsters too, but I was still nervous. If it didn’t work, I would undoubtedly be killed…
“Do you understand my words, Duke Lecherie?”
『…………』
The monster that had once been Duke Lecherie showed no reaction.
“Who gave you the drug you drank…? If you’re a man, raise your right hand; if you’re a woman, raise your left.”
『…………』
…Nothing.
The «Brainwashing» Skill was definitely functioning, so it seemed he simply couldn’t understand my words.
“Raise your right arm.”
The monster slowly lifted its right arm. It seemed that while it couldn’t comprehend my words, it could still follow commands. It felt like manipulating a puppet. It couldn’t move on its own, but I could control it.
“Return to your original form.”
『…………』
No response… Even with the coercive power of the «Brainwashing» Skill, it seemed I couldn’t revert the monster’s mutated body back to its original state…
Communication was impossible. At this point, gathering information would be difficult too. I might be able to glean something by switching skills, but…
“Sleep!”
『…………』
This too…!? It didn’t even show a hint of a yawn…
To switch skills, I would need to release the brainwashing. If I did that now, the monster would undoubtedly go on a rampage. That would be far too risky.
I couldn’t revert its body, and if I released the brainwashing, it would go berserk. I could maintain the brainwashing until Prince Lucas and Roan arrived, but that might expose my skill to Prince Slay and the other nobles.
Should I keep the brainwashing active and leave it be until Roan and the others arrive…? No, if I ran into another monster, that would be the end.
What should I do…?
The thought of just killing it crossed my mind, but I couldn’t cross that line. As long as I maintained the «Brainwashing», I was safe. Unless there was an imminent crisis, killing it was simply…
Yet, I was at a dead end… I might have to wait for Prince Lucas to arrive, knowing the risk of exposing my «Brainwashing» Skill…
If that’s the case, I should at least move this monster to a less conspicuous location. Just as I was about to give instructions to the monster that had once been Duke Lecherie…
—Thud. The monster’s raised right arm suddenly fell.
“……..What?”
Before my eyes, the monster’s body began to dissolve into a gooey mass. Both its right and left arms dropped, and as the ground became a mess, the massive body toppled forward.
The words «Under Brainwashing» had long since disappeared.
Wait, hold on. I didn’t tell it to self-destruct or anything…!?
As I stood there, dumbfounded by the sight, the monster that had once been Duke Lecherie melted away completely, leaving not even a single bone behind.
What the hell is happening…?
“Hugh…?”
“—!”
Lily called my name.
At the sound of her voice, my heart nearly stopped.
“Did you just do that, Hugh…?”
“N-No, I don’t think so…”
I had no awareness of it. But it was possible that my skill had gone off without me realizing it. I couldn’t completely dismiss that possibility. I knew far too little about this power…
“Then, who stopped Duke Lecherie’s movements and made him obey…?”
“…That is…”
I had resolved to confess everything to Lily the moment I decided to use my skill in front of her… or at least I thought I had.
But I couldn’t find the words.
It was terrifying to put it into words.
It was terrifying to look back at Lily’s face.
Just thinking about how she might be looking at me made my legs tremble.
Would she be scared of me? Would she be frightened?
Or perhaps…
“Is that your true skill…?”
“Y-Yeah… My true skill is the «Brainwashing» Skill. The power to manipulate those I make eye contact with at will.”
“Please, I want you to accept this. I want you to understand. Don’t be afraid…!”
Such a selfish wish was something I couldn’t put into words.
I heard footsteps approaching from behind.
“Look this way, Hugh.”
“It’s better if you don’t make eye contact.”
“Just turn around already.”
“N-No way… What if you use your Brainwashing on me…?”
“I’ll do this.”
“Whoa!?”
Lily grabbed the nape of my neck and pulled me forcefully.
As I stumbled, her refined face appeared right in front of me. I instinctively tried to look away, but she held my face in place with both hands.
Her emerald eyes were fixed on me, piercing through my defenses.
“W-What are you doing…!? Aren’t you scared of being Brainwashed…?”
“Don’t underestimate me too much. I can tell you don’t have the guts to do anything while we’re together. Right? You cowardly Backwater Poor Noble?”
“Y-You…!”
I was about to retort at Lily’s provocative smile when she continued,
“Or perhaps—”
I was enveloped in a sweet, peach-like fragrance as her soft lips pressed against mine.
“—is this feeling something implanted by your Brainwashing Skill?”
Her wet eyes questioned me directly.
Her flushed cheeks made her look even more delicate.
“…No, absolutely not.”
“Then I can relax. There’s no reason for you to use your Brainwashing Skill on me anymore.”
“Well, that’s not necessarily true. There might be… different ways to use it.”
“Different ways? I’d do anything you ask, you know? Even naughty things or embarrassing ones. I’m quite the devoted woman, despite how I look.”
“Cut the unfunny jokes…”
“Hehe, from the looks of it, you seem to be struggling quite a bit with your Brainwashing Skill, huh?”
“…Yeah, I guess. If I could, I’d want to throw it away. …Can you let go of me already? This is getting a bit embarrassing.”
“No way, I feel like I want to look at you more.”
“Give me a break…”
It was a while later that Lily, with her enchanting smile, finally released me.