The sky brightened up.

　Yukari, who had cried herself to sleep, woke up along with the morning sun.

“Here, drink up.”

　Saying that, I gave her an abnormal status recovery potion. In a sense, this was similar to an energy drink. Thanks to it, I was able to endure being awake all night. It failed last night though…

“……I am sorry.”

　I lowered my head to Yukari.

　I got her into a dangerous situation. All because I was careless.

“…………”

　Yukari just silently stared at me.

　Then, after hesitating for a while, she finally opened her mouth.

“Me too, I'm very sorry.”

“For your att.i.tude up until now? “

“Yes. The truth is.”

“Ah, I already know. Brainwas.h.i.+ng, right?"

“……! “

“Probably ‘brainwashed to be wary of that who becomes your master'. It's a skill possessed by d.u.c.h.ess Lucia.”

　In response to my words, Yukari's eyes rounded in surprise. Those eyes that were still red and swollen.

“……How do you……?”

　She tried to say something, but it seemed like she hadn't yet sorted out her emotions.

　Although it was because of the brainwas.h.i.+ng, up until now I was considered an enemy after all. She might still be a little cautious.

“It's okay to take it slow. Here, let's talk while we walk.”

　Standing up, I took out a banana and an apple from my inventory and handed them over to her.

　After she received them, Yukari too began to walk a little behind.

　We walked while eating.

　We continued walking after finis.h.i.+ng eating.

　Then, we just kept walking.

　After around two hours of walking, Yukari began to speak.

—————————-

“I've spent all my life as an a.s.sa.s.sin, as a p.a.w.n of d.u.c.h.ess Lucia Icene.”

“p.a.w.n? “

“Yeah. Lucisama picked me up as an orphan, she didn't even give me a name, and just raised me as a p.a.w.n for a.s.sa.s.sination.”

“……I see.”

　Although I have a reb.u.t.tal, I'll keep silent for now.

“Most likely, I was brainwashed to believe that I was happy. So that I could be a good a.s.sa.s.sin serving under Lucisama. Truth is, until the moment when I was captured by the thieves and had fallen into despair, all my days as a ‘shadow' were beautiful.”

“Is that so?”

“……It was all a foolish misunderstanding. No, it was all because of a cruel brainwas.h.i.+ng. Then, I got to taste real despair after the brainwas.h.i.+ng was undone.”

　Yukari's voice trembled.

“I was… not loved by Lucisama. I was being deceived all this time. A false love was forced into this heart of mine. A respected master, a kind mother, there never was such a thing……”

　Maybe sadness, maybe frustration, or maybe something else.

　Yukari continued speaking while shedding tears.

“Let's talk about why I was silent… no, about why I was made to remain silent by the brainwas.h.i.+ng.”

“That's the reason why d.u.c.h.ess Lucia was executed, right? “

“Yeah. Lucisama was executed under the crime of rebellion, but that was a blatant lie. It was all a scheme plotted by the opposite faction. Her enemy was the Queen Consort, White Castall… That I know.”

“How do you know? “

“I was a shadow. My role was to dirty my hands in place of Lucisama. There is no way I wouldn't know. But……”

“Huh? “

“The fact that I was brainwashed and kept from revealing this information to my new master means, this was probably inconvenient to Lucisama.”

　Yukari had a troubled look.

　The master that had taken care of her until now, and whom she felt indebted to, did not love her. From there, doubts began to sprout and finally, she revealed this information to me. But even then, she still had a sense of remorse. I wonder if the roots of the brainwas.h.i.+ng were so deep.

“…………! “

　I suddenly had a good idea.

　I was planning to ‘use something' after the brainwas.h.i.+ng was undone to earn her trust.

　A deal, so to speak. I remembered about Silvia's time.

　Although I'm not sure if she'll accept. Therefore, in order to raise the certainty of it, let's start by telling her my ‘thoughts'.

　Only those who know of Mobius as a game would be able to do it, these little ‘thoughts'.

“Can you listen to me for a bit? “

　I asked, looking into Yukari's eyes.

　After a little silence, she simply nodded.

“Your thoughts are certainly on target. But, Lucia Icene―― She certainly loved you, Yukari.”

“No way……That can't be. I was just being brainwashed, remember? “

“What if that brainwas.h.i.+ng was made in order to protect you?”

“……No, that's impossible. If so, then why didn't she give me a name instead of just raising me as an a.s.sa.s.sin?”

“In order to protect you, that's why she didn't give you a name, and that's also why she brainwashed you so that you wouldn't leak any information. That's how she created the front of 『A poor slave who was forced to a.s.sa.s.sinate by orders of the d.u.c.h.ess' brainwas.h.i.+ng』.”

“That was not a front. I actually spent truly harsh days as an a.s.sa.s.sin.”

“But you were happy, right?　You thought it was good to be the d.u.c.h.ess' slave, right? “

“Like I said, that was because of the brainwas.h.i.+ng.”

“Here, listen closely―― Brainwas.h.i.+ng Magic only works once per person.”

　That was a restriction of Mobius' 《Brainwas.h.i.+ng Magic》. It might be the same in this world. That's why I felt a sense of discomfort and then noticed this possibility.

“……Eh……? “

“In your case, the one brainwas.h.i.+ng was the one to keep you alert against me. In other words, you truly thought you were happy in your days as a shadow.”

“But, that……”

　Is hard to believe―― she might think. Yukari's expressions are really easy to understand.

　Half of those thoughts were my true feelings, and the other half, a ‘sweet bait'.

　A sweet bait you really want to take, that she really wants to believe.

　Yukari was troubled.

　There's no way. No. But, what if……she was troubled because she gradually ‘wanted to believe'. Something like ‘How happy would I be if this was really the case'.

　And then, as I waited for the right moment.

　I brought that ‘something' I had prepared to the table in order to earn her ‘trust'.

“Yukari. Do you want to break out from slavery? “

＜Status Details＞

Named after shogi pieces (The word in bold is the one being used in this translation). From easier to acquire to harder.

Swordsmans.h.i.+p

s.h.i.+eldmans.h.i.+p

Archery

They use the “Form” or “step” system of martial arts. From lower to higher.

From lower to higher, then it changes to the “Dan” system of martial arts, which means Grade.