Chapter 29: She Who Believes in Citrina’s Pure Heart

Bandoor Village was an abandoned settlement in the Holy Principality of Belluga. The scarlet light of sunset filtered through the rows of crumbling buildings, painting the area in a forlorn hue. It reminded Bel of home. Her real home. That alone seemed to herald the end of this wonderful dream.

In the center of the empty village was a clearing, likely a square where the people once gathered. A masked man stood there alone. Well, not completely alone. Laying obediently by him was a wolf.

Is that...a big dog? But I don’t remember dogs having such scary-looking faces...

Bel’s pondering was interrupted by a throaty chuckle.

“We do very much appreciate you keeping your word, Miss Bel. Your cooperation has allowed us to arrive here without any trouble,” said a gleeful Barbara from behind her.

It reminded her of Lynsha, left for dead in the forest.

“I hope Miss Lynsha is okay...”

Her quiet murmur surprised Barbara.

“Oh? Worried about your attendant? Why bother? You won’t ever see her again, so what happens to her shouldn’t matter to you anymore.”

Bel shook her head.

“It does matter to me. Even if I won’t ever see her again, if I’m worried, then I’m worried. Isn’t that how people should be?”

Her teacher, Ludwig, had told her to afford every courtesy to those who’d devoted themselves to her. Moreover...

That’s how Miss Mia would feel. I know it is.

Her swift and resolute response made Barbara wrinkle her nose in disgust.

“Ugh, spare me your platitudes. Honestly, it’s as if you were a princess too.”

Then, the old woman’s lips curled back into a grin, somehow even more sadistic than before, and she cupped Bel’s face in her palms. The way she stared gave Bel the impression of a snake about to descend on its prey.

“So noble... So righteous... You sicken me, cursed girl.”

Bel felt a sudden pressure on her shoulders. It took her a second to realize that Barbara had seized them. The force pushed her off balance and, with her hands tied behind her back, she fell painfully backward.

“Look at you,” hissed Barbara. “Where’s all your class now, hm?” Malicious sarcasm dripped from every word. “All the sublime dignity bestowed upon you by the order of this world? What a sorry sight you are. Or was all that regality an act? Are you...a fake princess?”

A cruel smile on her lips, Barbara pressed her face close to Bel’s. Then she lifted her hand, primed to strike.

“Stop it, Barbara.”

“Ah, Rina...”

Citrina stepped up to them, almost in defense of Bel, and glared straight up at Barbara.

“Don’t do anything to hurt her.”

“Oh? What’s this, milady?” Barbara lifted an eyebrow. “Are you intending to maintain this facade of friendship?”

The old woman put a hand to her mouth in feigned surprise before snickering.

“Do you mean to play her dear friend right to the very end? Even after bringing her here?”

Citrina’s shoulders twitched at the remark. Then, erasing all emotion from her countenance, Barbara brought her face close to Citrina’s. With wide, monstrous eyes, she observed the girl for some time before whispering in her ear.

“Of course, we still have some time before Princess Mia arrives. Until then, go ahead and enjoy your little game. But I believe in you, milady. I believe that you’re a splendid Serpent who won’t hesitate to kill even her ‘friends.’ So long as you remember that, you can amuse yourself in whatever fashion suits.”

She clapped her hands once, as if she’d just come upon an excellent idea.

“In fact, why don’t I give the two of you some alone time.”

“Huh?”

“I need to go discuss how we’re going to kill the princess. In the meantime, I think you’ll appreciate a chance to chat with your friend. After all, this will be your last chance. Then I think we’ll have you kill her yourself. That should make for a nice little memento.”

“W-Wait—”

Citrina reached out as Barbara turned to leave, but her little hand caught only empty air. Her attendant traded a few words with the wolf man before they walked away, leaving her alone with Bel. Her lips trembled, and she regarded Barbara’s departing form with the helpless expression of an abandoned kitten.

That is a very nasty person, thought Bel, who puffed out her cheeks at Barbara. I bet she’s doing this because she knows it’ll hurt Rina. She left us alone just to be mean to her.

Seeing this, Bel decided to speak in a perfectly casual manner.

“Mmm. Hey, Rina, is it just me or is it getting sort of cold this evening?”

She shuffled toward the small bonfire burning in the center of the square. After a moment of appreciating its crackling flames, she turned toward Citrina.

“Heh heh. I was looking forward to seeing the Holy Eve Festival’s bonfire, but this is a pretty good replacement,” she said with the same bright smile she always wore.

Her blithe tone shocked Citrina, who fumbled for a response.

“That’s...nice, I guess,” Citrina said with a confused nod.

Then she regathered herself and put on her own usual sweet smile.

“Say, Bel, how about some tea? I’ll go make some for us.”

“Oooh, that sounds perfect. Now that you mention it, we were supposed to come here for a picnic, weren’t we?” Bel gazed up at the night sky, before continuing with a depth of emotion that sounded like it belonged to someone much older. “The moon’s out...and it’s so very beautiful. You know what? Picnics at night might be more fun than I expected.”

For some time, she continued to gaze wordlessly at the cosmic canvas, turning only when Citrina returned.

“Hm? Rina?”

The young Yellowmoon stood beside her, a small knife in hand.

“Don’t move...” she said, crouching down behind Bel. “You can’t drink tea like this, after all.”

With a smile, Citrina cut the ropes binding Bel’s wrists.

“Why, thank you. They kept rubbing my skin and were starting to be a bit of a nuisance. You’re so thoughtful, Rina,” said Bel as she massaged her reddened skin.

Citrina gave a curt nod.

“That’s good. The water’s heating up right now, so why don’t we chat for a bit?”

She lowered herself beside the bonfire and tossed the knife onto the ground nearby.

“Hey, Rina,” Bel said with a frown, “you can’t just leave knives lying around like that. It’s dangerous.”

Despite this admonishment, Citrina made no attempt to retrieve the knife. With a resigned shrug, Bel walked over and picked it up instead, holding it out for Citrina to take.

“Listen, Bel...” Citrina said, still refusing to even look at the small blade. “I want to give you...a chance. Because you’re my friend. Go ahead and use that knife.”

“...Eh?” Bel blinked, puzzled. “Use it how?”

“Like this, for example...”

There was a bewitching, almost feverish, glitter in Citrina’s eyes as she turned toward Bel. She closed her hands around Bel’s—around the hand that held the knife—and brought the blade to her own neck.

“You can take Rina hostage...and run away.”

With doll-like charm, she tilted her head in a wordless Well? What are you waiting for?

“Um, you’re joking, right?” asked Bel, stiffening at the proposal.

“Not at all. It’s a long shot, but it’s better than twiddling your thumbs and waiting, isn’t it? Or maybe you’d rather just push it into my chest. I did something terrible to your attendant, after all. It’d be fair payback.”

The eyes that looked up at Bel were large, endearing, and entirely serious.

“Either way could work. Better than nothing, anyway. So, what’ll it be?”

“Hmm...”

Bel looked from her friend’s face to the knife. With her other hand, she carefully pinched the flat of the blade between her fingers and held the handle out to Citrina.

“No thanks.”

“Oh? Why is that? Didn’t Her Highness tell you to hold tight the things you cherish? Should you be letting go so easily then? Giving up just like that? You do realize you’ll be dead long before Her Highness gets here to save you.”

However slim, it was still Bel’s only chance to survive. To refuse the opportunity, then, was to surrender her life. Or so it seemed to Citrina. Bel only shook her head.

“It’s not giving up.” She closed her eyes. “And I’m not letting go.”

There was no deception in her voice. No bitterness. Her words were honest and pure. She knew that she had not given up, for Citrina’s palm remained clasped in hers. She still held tight to that which she cherished.

“Then why won’t you take arms and fight back?” asked Citrina, still puzzled. “If you take Rina hostage, you might be able to escape.”

“Because I feel like if I do that, I won’t ever get you back.”

“...What?” Citrina all but froze. “Get...Rina back?”

She stared blankly, confused by the statement’s meaning. Bel looked her in the eyes.

“I’ve been thinking, Rina. For a long time now. About how best to hold on to the things that are important to me. Because you’re my friend, Rina, I’ve been thinking about how I can get you back... Get our friendship back. I thought really hard, but...” Bel let out a bashful laugh and scratched her head. “I’m not very smart, so I still don’t know. If I were Miss Mia, she’d probably figure it out in a snap, but I still have no idea.”

Citrina’s expression faded, her face becoming an unreadable mask.

“Friendship... Seriously, Bel? Do you even understand what is happening? I was just pretending to be your friend. To get close to you. To manipulate you.”

“You say that, but I know it’s a lie.”

“Why? What makes you so sure?”

Bel, not breaking her gaze, placed her hand on Citrina’s chest.

“Because of this, Rina. You’re still wearing the charm I gave you.”

The troya Bel had given her as a gift did indeed still dangle from her neck.

“...That’s it? Are you really that dense, Bel? This was just a trick to get you to trust me.”

Citrina smiled her best villainous smile. It was a pale imitation of both. It was betrayed by the tightness with which her fingers wrapped themselves around the charm. The protective motion was subconscious, urgent, and revealing.

“Even so, it still makes me happy.”

Bel continued to speak. With the determination of someone trying to retrieve something dear, she kept trying, hoping her words would reach Citrina’s heart.

“I was so glad, Rina. You’re the first friend I ever made, and I got to give you a gift I made with my own hands. And you kept it. And even wore it. It made me so happy. I’m still happy...” She gently took Citrina’s hands in hers. “That’s why I decided to hold on as tightly as I can. Because I cherish our friendship. And I won’t ever let go.”

Citrina’s face twitched. For a moment, it looked as if she were about to cry, but her ubiquitous smile won again. She wore it like a shield, keeping both others’ and her own feelings at bay.

“Tell me, Bel... Do you understand what I was doing? I was trying to kill you, you get that? Because I’m a Serpent. That’s what I do. I kill people. Even my friends. Even your beloved Miss Mia.”

Bel, unfazed by this admission, smiled playfully.

“In that case, I’ll let you in on a secret. It’s a very secret secret, but I’ll tell you because you’re my friend.” She lowered her voice to a dramatic whisper. “The truth...is that I’ve come this close to being killed before. Actually, I probably still am this close. Once I wake up from this dream, I’m going to be killed by a bunch of terrifying men I’ve never met before.”

“...What?”

“That’s why...I don’t really mind all that much. If I have to point a weapon at my friend to survive, then I’d rather let my friend kill me...because I don’t want to give up. I’d rather die...still true to the things that matter to me. Besides...”

And that was when her earnest passion gave way to levity.

“This is Grandmother Mia we’re talking about. I’m pretty sure she won’t die quite so easily. She’s the Great Sage of the Empire, after all,” she said with immense pride.