Identity Story |
Speaker | Dialogue |
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![]() | |
Clack, clack. | |
![]() Ryōshū |
You there, third from the right. Yes, the one who just wiped the window sill. |
![]() Timid Junior Butler |
Y-yes ma'am?! |
![]() Ryōshū |
Look at where the frames meet. Mold residue. |
![]() Ryōshū |
Remember. No second chances. |
![]() Timid Junior Butler |
A-apologies, ma'am!!! |
Clack, clack again. | |
![]() Ryōshū |
You there. Yes, the new hire from 23 days ago. Do you not see what's wrong with your broach? |
![]() Ryōshū |
I suppose it'll look proper once I S.Y.N.C. Is that what you want? |
![]() Scared Junior Butler |
I-I-I-I-I'll wear it right, ma'am… |
The child pays no mind to the fearful voices. | |
She leaves nothing behind but the sound of her low-heeled boots clacking against the wooden flooring. | |
There is less than a day to go until the wolven hunt begins. | |
Thus begins the morning of the Chief Butler. | |
She was never too nice to her subordinates to begin with, but… | |
… clearly, she was much more on edge than usual, and that was clear in her attitude. | |
![]() Ishmael |
Lady Ryōshū. |
![]() Ryōshū |
… What. |
Another child, one of her subordinates, walked up behind the Chief Butler. | |
Her expression is grim. She's obviously gearing up to bring up a rather serious subject. | |
![]() Ishmael |
The other Butlers are… rather anxious. They're saying that you are quite different from your usual self, that the upcoming— |
![]() Ryōshū |
"Quite different" from my usual self? Me? |
![]() Ishmael |
… This is not to say that you normally do a sloppy job of overseeing our work. But you're much less lax than usual as of late. |
![]() Ryōshū |
Hah, B.S.[1] I would never let such imperfections slide. |
![]() Ishmael |
Certainly. But usually, you often took it upon yourself to take care of such 'imperfections' because ordering someone else to do it for you was too bothersome. |
![]() Ryōshū |
… Tsk. |
The child was quite self-aware of her own behavior. | |
In fact, this newfound attitude was a deliberate one. | |
![]() Ishmael |
… I'll keep my guard up. I won't weigh you down once the hunt begins. |
![]() Ryōshū |
Hm. I don't appreciate you trying to read me. |
The child sighs as she leaves the hallway. Something didn't go according to plan. | |
She was merely trying to keep everyone on edge, so that… | |
… when the wolf would inevitably come to besiege the manor, they could at least save their own skin. | |
But her uncharacteristic actions were immediately obvious to those around her. | |
![]() Ryōshū |
Right… I suppose I'll stick to what I'm good at. |
![]() Ryōshū |
Because… |
![]() | |
![]() Ryōshū |
… I'm the best there is at housekeeping. |
A tenebrous night descends. | |
The 'Wolf', the target of this hunt… | |
… was much more powerful than anyone had anticipated. He emerged, imposing his intimidating strength before the child and the rest of her subordinates. | |
The child instinctively knew. | |
That no matter how much her subordinates mentally prepared themselves… there was no possible future in which they will survive this encounter. | |
So she had but one choice. There never was an alternative. | |
![]() Ryōshū |
All of you. Get out of here. |
![]() Ishmael |
Lady Ryōshū…? |
![]() Ryōshū |
He is beyond all of you. You and your pathetic skills won't even leave a scratch on him. |
![]() Ryōshū |
There's much work to be done back at the manor. You haven't even started your morning duties, have you? Run along, get to work. |
The child glared at the formidable wolf before her as she slowly drew her long knife. | |
And that was the end of discussion. | |
She didn't have any more words to impart to her subordinates. She needed every strength she could conserve… | |
… to even have a chance at defeating this foe. | |
![]() Ryōshū |
R.U.D.E.[2] |
![]() ??? |
Indeed. I am making a rather unfortunate, destructive entrance. |
The child's voice was as low and collected as it always was. | |
![]() Ryōshū |
I hardly imagined that such an encounter would lie in our future back when I raised you. |
![]() ??? |
……. |
But there was an odd shudder at the tip of the dagger she held. A little fear. Or perhaps, regret. | |
![]() ??? |
I see that you now have much you must protect, Ryōshū. |
![]() ??? |
While I, as always, bring nothing but ruination. I only see what I must maul and destroy. |
![]() Ryōshū |
… Hmph. |
The child fell silent. | |
She wondered, for a moment, if things could have been different. If she had done something differently then. | |
But they both knew very well that there was no point to such contemplations. | |
At this point of no return, when nothing could possibly change... there was only one option left for the child. | |
Hmph. I'm just taking care of an unfinished housekeeping chore. | |
![]() Ryōshū |
… To hunt the wolf that bares its teeth at the one who raised him. |
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