Chapitre 24: 4.5 Service

*CLANG!*

Sparks flew from our blades as my katana made contact with Aria's rapier, anger and disbelief fueling me as our swords ground at each other.

"How could you?!" I yelled out.

*CLANG! CLANG!*

"R-Rouge, dear," the bvtch cooed, the blue-haired maniac having the audacity to look horrified as she tried her best to disengage. "Please, understand-"

"Oh, I understand, alright," I ground out as pursued the backpedaling Zahler, my arms poised for a downward slash. "You manipulated me!"

I aimed my downward strike with the same ferocity as the one that Mother taught me all those years ago. With my right foot forward, my arms moved in quick succession, delivering a flurry of slashes that wouldn't look out of place from a samurai game.

*CLANG!*

A pause... Let the opponent breathe...

*CLANG!....CLANG! CLANG!*

A series of four consecutive strikes; all deftly rebuffed by the skilled rapier user in front of me. She didn't even look all that winded after the fact either. She simply brushing aside a stray blue lock from her forehead like it was just a windy day outside. Damn it!

"V-Very good, Dear~" Aria praised me as she stood by the room's entrance; her rapier lackadaisically hanging from her left hand as her annoyingly beautiful face addressed me with the same childish expression that she always used. "I see that you've been practicing, the both of you~"

I denied her a response as I reset my position in the room, making sure that I had ample space between me and my opponent. My stance lowered as I kept my body close to the ground, just like Mother taught me.

"That form..." a flux of emotions briefly crossed my target's face before settling back to its usual, teasing self. "That takes me back~"

"Brother..." Lise almost whispered behind me. How injured was she? "Let's... do this...."

I kept my face calm as I tried to assess the situation once more. Time seemed to slow down for me as the adrenaline finally started kicking in. Behind me, Lise was still at the ready, her sword still firmly in her hand despite her obviously labored breathing. There was no way that she was able to continue fighting like this. Damn, now the guilt was kicking in as well.

"You know, it's not easy being a part of the Empire," Aria began as she placed the thin blade of her rapier on her right palm, her fingers gently caressing the sword as her eyes glinted with nostalgia. "Always having to play by the rules... Always doing the Emperor's bidding..."

Great. Now she was monologuing. Did I really want to listen to this?

"I know you must hate my guts," she chuckled. Understatement of the century, bvtch. "But please, at least hear me out?~"

She was bafflingly dumb. That was the first thought that came to my head as I heard her nonsensical plea. "Why should I?" I asked in equal parts curiosity and disbelief. "You messed with my head, bastard."

"You... You have no right!" A shout echoed behind me, Lise giving out a response of her own. "Making my... brother...."

*thud*

I grimaced as a meaty thud echoed from Lise's location. I should really check up on her, but I couldn't afford let this blue bvtch out of my sight for even a second. Who knew what this murderer might do to us if she saw an opening?

Another flash of emotions appeared on the bvtch's face before quickly reverting back to her usual expression. "Well, at least she won't see what I'm about to do to you, Dear~"

*drip...*

"Urgh..."

I doubled over as I held onto my hurting head. A throb of pain streaked from the back of my skull all the way to my forehead. In my mind's eye, a fleeting sensation of heat and sweat disappeared just as fast as it appeared. A memory? I didn't recall being naked-

Oh... Oh fvck.

"Don't you remember?~" the blue-haired beauty in front of me cooed as she slowly walked towards me; her rapier still in hand as her shapely legs flashed through my mind one too many times. "We love each other~"

No, I didn't. "Y-yes..." What... What the hell?! "I do..."

I felt my body move on its own; standing up from my previously ready stance in favor of confronting my sexy opponent in my full height. Despite being a woman, Aria towered a full head over me, my eyes struggling to stray from her chest as I felt my anger slowly dissipate. So this was what being brainwashed felt like.

Aria dropped her rapier on the floor in favor of using both of her hands to cup my face. Her breath was sickeningly sweet; intoxicating to anyone that might not have all of their mental faculties at their disposal. I tried once more to take control of my body, to at least get away from my assuredly crazy patron...

"Let's continue where we left off, Dear~"

But I couldn't.

I was helpless as she led me towards our bed, stepping over my little sister's unconscious form as my captor let her armor fall loose from her admittedly shapely body. I couldn't look away. In my mind, I was screaming. I was a prisoner in my own body.

And in some part inside me, I couldn't deny the fact that I was enjoying this.

"Yes, Madame."

Empty words come out of my mouth as I felt my own clothes leave my body, leaving my bare skin to brave the open air. In front of me, Aria was in the same state of undress. Oh my god....

Was... Was this actually happening?

My patron laid herself down onto the bed, both of her arms splayed on her sides as she exposed her all in front of me. If it was any normal situation, I would've maybe celebrated this momentous occasion of losing my virginity... But not like this.

Not while I wasn't even in control of my actions.

"Do it, Dear~" she eagerly stated. Her body glistened in the sun's morning rays, sweat dripping down her chest as she eyed me with unbridled want and... acceptance? "You've been waiting for this moment, haven't you?~"

A click... It was like a switch had flipped inside my head. I felt the familiar grip of my katana in my right hand as I wiggled my fingers. I was free from whatever it was that she was doing...

But why?

"What're you waiting for?~" she smiled.

I gripped the sword with both hands, still finding that some of my movements were still out of my control. There was something wrong here, but...

*SCHLICK!*

There wasn't any sort of fanfare as I did it. Blood spewed forth in front of me like an open geyser as I stabbed Aria right through her chest, my body now once more falling under my control as I shakily left the katana buried into her heart. And in all of this, Aria was still smiling at me.

"W-Well... d-done~" she sputtered in between each blood-filled cough. "Y-You're... ready, dear."

Shock filled me as I stumbled back naked down on the ground. What should've been relief was now an uncomfortable mix of dread and confusion. This was supposed to be my revenge. I was angry at this chick, right?!

"Ready for what?" I couldn't help but ask.

"F-for your r-revenge..."

Blood continued to erupt from Aria's body, staining the pristine blue sheets of the bed as she slowly bled out in front of me. I should be happy... But it almost felt like this had been the wrong thing to do.

"Go..." she weakly chuckled, her voice barely a whisper now. What was once a teasing and easily hateable face was now pale and hauntingly at peace.

I shakily put on my clothes as I pondered on what the hell just happened. All the while, I kept glancing towards my once-patron's still body. I shouldn't be this shaken up with her death. Hell, I even did the deed myself. But that final look she gave me in her final moments...

I shook my head as I stealthily left the room. There was no time for me to think about hidden meanings now. We were still in the middle of enemy territory, and with the burden of having to carry my Lise around, getting caught was the last thing that we needed if we wanted to get out of here.

Carrying the unconscious Lise on my back, I strapped my katana onto my side before quickly exiting the scene of the crime. I just committed a murder on a member of the Primzahl Dreizehn. It shouldn't have been this easy, but the fact that it happened would paint a massive target on my back once the body was discovered. And no matter what she said, I was still far from ready to bear the full might of even a single properly trained Zahler. So I needed to get out and consolidate.

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