Sola's shrill pleas echoed in the blood-scented air, carrying a heartbreaking despair.
Kanjuro tossed the ragdoll-like Diarmuid onto the floor with a dull thud.
He ignored Diarmuid's gaze, which was almost spitting fire, and instead slowly bent down. With a near-eerie gentleness, he gazed at Sola, who was kneeling at his feet and weeping.
"Don't... don't beg him... Sola... it's useless..." Diarmuid struggled to lift his head, squeezing out broken words of discouragement from his throat. He did not want to see his beloved (even if this love was already stained with too much filth) beg so humbly to his enemy.
Jeanne stood silently to the side like a mute observer. Deep within those eyes that had experienced fire and betrayal, there was a faint, indescribable flicker of expectation—she wanted to see where Kanjuro, this unfathomable and malicious chess piece, would make his next move.
"Sola," Kanjuro's voice was as soft as a lover's whisper, forming a cruel contrast with the bloody slaughterhouse he had just created.
"You don't seem to have recognized your position yet. You are already... my woman."
His fingertips lightly brushed Sola's tear-stained cheek with an unquestionable sense of possession. "Why is your heart, and your eyes, still filled with this... failure who can't even protect you? Why are you even defending him and pleading for him?"
Sola shuddered at his words and touch. She shook her head violently, tears flying. "No! I'm not defending him! I'm... I'm trying to save him! Lord Kanjuro, I beg you, let him go!"
Memories of her past life surged into her heart like a tide—those times with Diarmuid, filled with taboos and struggles. That brilliant knight had ultimately betrayed his lord for his love for her, enduring endless pain and infamy.
And even in such intense emotion, Diarmuid had always adhered to the final bottom line, never truly desecrating her purity as a princess... This 'purity' and'sacrifice' in her memory became her only spiritual pillar for saving Diarmuid in this moment.
Kanjuro looked at the flickering shadows of memories belonging to another man in her eyes and sighed softly. It was impossible to tell if that sigh contained pity or mockery.
"It's useless... Sola... he won't..." Diarmuid issued a weak and desperate warning once more.
However, Kanjuro did not react with the expected rage or sarcasm.
He made a move that surprised everyone—he reached out and gently, but with irresistible force, pulled the kneeling Sola into his arms, pressing her cheek firmly against his cold chest.
Sola was stunned by this sudden embrace, her body stiffening for a moment.
She could clearly hear the steady, powerful, yet temperature-less heartbeat within Kanjuro's chest. Forced to lean on this demon's shoulder, her gaze met the desperate eyes of the blood-stained Diarmuid lying on the floor.
In that instant, time and space seemed to freeze. The infatuation of their past lives, the humiliation of this life, the endless pain, and the hopeless despair collided and annihilated each other in their gazes.
At that very moment when her mind was unguarded!
Kanjuro's right hand, which had been gently stroking Sola's back, moved up quietly. His index finger, like a light touch on water, pressed gently yet with absolute precision onto the center of Sola's brow!
dark bible: Mind Control Incantation—Activate!
An icy, viscous dark energy carrying the will of absolute obedience, like an invisible venom, instantly penetrated Sola's skin and reached the deepest part of her soul!
Jeanne's pupils contracted slightly. She clearly felt Sola's entire aura undergo an earth-shattering change in an instant! That aura, which was originally filled with pain, struggle, pleading, and a trace of obsession with the past, was instantly wiped away and covered as if by an invisible hand!
Sola's body, leaning against Kanjuro's shoulder, paused for a moment. Then, she slowly and proactively adjusted to a more comfortable position, as if this embrace was her ultimate destination.
Then, under Diarmuid's unbelievable, eye-splitting gaze and Jeanne's cold, searching look, Sola slowly raised her head.
The tear stains on her face had not yet dried, but those eyes, which were originally filled with tears and pain, had now become hollow and... fanatical?
An abnormal fanaticism, as if she had been completely brainwashed.
Most hair-raising of all was that the corners of her mouth slowly curled into a smile.
It was no longer the smile of Sola Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri, who was crazed with love and struggling in pain.
That smile carried a hint of laziness, a hint of control, a hint of indifference toward the ants at her feet, and... a hint of demonic evil identical to Kanjuro's.
It was as if her inner core had been replaced in an instant, transforming her into a completely strange existence wearing Sola's skin.
Sola's consciousness was like being thrown into the deep sea, struggling and drifting in vain in the endless darkness. She could vaguely'see' and
'hear' everything happening outside, but it was as if she were separated by a layer of unbreakable, thick glass, only able to watch helplessly as her body was wantonly controlled by that demon.
Her right hand slowly rose uncontrollably, and the three bright red command spells stood out exceptionally against her pale skin.
She (or rather, Kanjuro, who was controlling her) gazed down at Diarmuid, who was trembling with fear and rage on the ground, with a gaze that was almost tender, yet hair-raisingly gentle.
In that moment, time seemed to be pulled and frozen by an invisible force. The air grew heavy, becoming suffocating.
This was precisely the effect of Kanjuro utilizing the authority of the "Thousand Faces Garment"—his consciousness had donned her body like a well-fitting robe, completely overlaying and taking over Sola's physical form, perfectly controlling every inch of her muscles, every expression, and even the vibration of her vocal cords.
He immersed himself in the pleasure of this absolute control, a silent, cruel sneer echoing from the depths of his soul.
The instant Diarmuid's eyes met "Sola's," his heart felt as if it had been pierced by an icicle.
In those eyes he once loved so dearly, which were now hollow and sinister, he could not see the slightest trace of Sola. He saw only a demon from the abyss who took pleasure in the pain of others!
"No... don't... I beg you... Kanjuro... please don't..." Sola's suppressed consciousness let out a faint, desperate wail from the depths of her soul, like a candle flickering in the wind.
Kanjuro (through Sola's vocal cords) let out a voice so gentle it made one's skin crawl. This voice echoed directly within Sola's sea of consciousness, and it also seemed to be a final mockery directed at Diarmuid: "My dear Sola, if your will is strong enough, bright enough, why don't you try... to expel this dark soul of mine from your body?"
He paused, feeling the faint yet stubborn resistance of Sola's consciousness, as if admiring a trapped beast's struggle. His voice grew even colder: "Look, every time your will—as beautiful as the dawn—struggles to bloom, it only allows my endless darkness to swallow it deeper and more thoroughly..."
Before he could finish, a blinding red light suddenly erupted from the command spells on "Sola's" raised arm!
That light carried absolute compulsion, like invisible shackles, instantly binding Diarmuid's soul and body!
"By the power of this command spell, I order you—" "Sola's" lips moved, spitting out a cold and heartless judgment:
"Lancer (Diarmuid Ua Duibhne), immediately—kill! Yourself!!"
"Aaaargh—!!!"
The moment the order was given, Diarmuid let out a heart-wrenching roar of pain! His arms were completely beyond his control, as if manipulated by invisible puppet strings. He violently grabbed one of the two swords lying on the ground—beag-alltach!
The blade reversed, its cold tip pointing directly at his own chest! A large amount of blood overflowed from the corners of his mouth due to extreme resistance and the pain of his soul being torn apart. His eyes were filled with endless compassion, resentment, and a final, inseparable concern for "Sola."
"Sola!!!"
He let out a deafening roar, one that contained his supreme will which transcended life, death, contracts, and all rules! In this critical moment, his twisted yet incredibly fiery "love" for Sola, combined with his sky-high hatred for Kanjuro, actually produced a miracle—his arms trembled violently as he forced them to defy the absolute command of the command spell. Instead of stabbing himself, he gathered all his remaining strength with a determination to perish together and violently turned the blade toward—Kanjuro, who was controlling Sola's body!
The sword light was like blood-red lightning, thrusting straight toward "Sola's" face!
However, facing this counterattack that contained all of Diarmuid's will and life, Kanjuro, possessing Sola, didn't even blink.
He merely tilted his head slightly, that demonic smile on his lips deepening. Through Sola's lips, he lightly uttered a single sentence, like a final sentence:
"Truly touching willpower, Diarmuid. But, look closely..."
The sword tip abruptly stopped just an inch from "Sola's" brow! It trembled violently, yet could not advance another fraction!
"...The one you are about to kill now is your most beloved Sola."
These words were like the most vicious curse, instantly shattering all of Diarmuid's courage and strength.
He froze, looking at the face before him that belonged to Sola yet bore Kanjuro's expression. The massive contradiction and pain almost tore his soul in two.
How could he... how could he swing his sword at Sola?
In that ten-thousandth of a second when his mind faltered and his will cracked, the absolute compulsion of the command spell flooded back like a bursting dam, instantly reclaiming dominance over his body!
"Puchi—!"
The dull sound of a blade piercing flesh echoed clearly in the deathly silent room.
Diarmuid lowered his head, looking at his hands in disbelief—they were firmly gripping the hilt of beag-alltach, and the narrow blade had already accurately and completely transfixed his own abdomen!
Intense pain instantly swept through his entire body. His life force, along with warm blood, surged out from the horrific wound.
He looked up, taking one last look at the body of his lover possessed by a demon. His eyes were filled with endless sorrow, relief, and a hint of eternal regret for failing to protect the one he loved.
"So... la..."
He murmured the name as his body lost all strength. He slumped forward, crashing heavily onto the floor. Blood spread rapidly beneath him, like a beautiful and desperate red lotus.
Until death, his gaze never left the face that belonged to Sola. Time seemed to freeze completely at this moment.
Jeanne stood quietly, like a silver statue forgotten by time. Her deep gaze swept over Diarmuid lying on the floor, his blood still flowing. Those golden eyes, which once sparkled with loyalty and fervor, remained wide open even in death, frozen with a final trace of deep affection, compassion, and endless questioning, staring fixedly and desperately toward Sola. This frozen gaze became the most striking footnote to this bloody room.
At that moment, an invisible ripple flashed, and Kanjuro's consciousness withdrew from Sola's shell like a receding tide, returning to his own original body leaning against the window.
He appeared somewhat disinterested, even carrying a hint of inexplicable "loneliness," as he silently turned toward the city outside, which was being painted pale gold by the dawn, as if the cruel drama that had just occurred had nothing to do with him.
He pulled a pack of cigarettes from the pocket of his black trench coat, elegantly shook one out, and held it between his thin lips. A flicker of dark flame ignited at his fingertip to light it. He took a slight puff, then exhaled a wisp of ethereal and twisted blue-gray smoke, blurring his handsome yet cold profile.
"Ugh..."
A suppressed sob, seemingly from the depths of the soul, broke the silence.
Sola's body gave a violent jolt. Like a marionette whose strings had been cut, her knees buckled, and she collapsed heavily to the floor with a thud. The departure of Kanjuro's consciousness took away the strength that had forcibly supported her, as well as that layer of demonic disguise, slamming the naked, cruel reality back onto her.
She looked at her empty hands, then slowly raised them. Her gaze fell upon Diarmuid's not-yet-cold corpse on the floor and his eyes that stared at her even in death.
"Ah... Aaaaaah—!!!"
The pain, regret, fear, and despair that had accumulated to their peak erupted like a volcano!
She let out a tuneless, heart-wrenching wail, her voice so shrill it seemed she would tear her own vocal cords, echoing frantically in the blood-scented room.
Kanjuro did not look back, merely "admiring" the scene through the reflection in the window. His voice, calm to the point of cruelty, pierced through Sola's howling and rang out clearly:
"Do you want to die with him?"
The question was devoid of emotion, as if he were merely asking about the weather, yet it contained the deepest malice and testing.
Jeanne's gaze also fell upon Sola. In those eyes that had experienced fire and betrayal, a faint, elusive trace of curiosity flashed. She also wanted to know what kind of end this woman would reach after experiencing her lover dying by her own (controlled) hand and having her soul thoroughly trampled.
However, Sola's reaction exceeded everyone's expectations.
Her wailing stopped abruptly.
In its place came a burst of hair-raising, broken, and frenzied laughter!
"Haha... Hahaha... Hahahaha!!!"
She laughed until she doubled over, laughed until tears streamed down her face, laughed until her whole body shook, as if she had heard the most ridiculous joke in the world.
She snapped her head up, her eyes red and swollen from crying yet burning with a twisted flame, staring fixedly at Kanjuro's back. Her gaze was filled with a bone-deep hatred, as if she wanted to swallow him alive.
But in the next moment, this hatred turned into an even more shocking action!
She suddenly stood up and rushed to Diarmuid's corpse. Under Jeanne's narrowing pupils, she actually raised her foot high and, with all her strength, stomped insultingly on Diarmuid's head, which still bore that look of deep affection!
"If... if his strength had been sufficient! If he were strong enough! Why would I have fallen to this point?! Why would I need to endure all this?!!" she shrieked, her voice sharp and distorted by extreme agitation, every word soaked in crazed spite and the pathetic deflection of responsibility.
"It's all because he's useless! It's all his fault!!"
Then, she spun around, no longer looking at the corpse she had trampled, as if discarding a piece of trash.
She stumbled and threw herself at Mr. Kanjuro's feet, kneeling heavily once more. Her hands tightly gripped his pant legs as she looked up, her face a mess of tears and snot yet contorted into a fawning smile. In a voice that was almost melodic, she cried out:
"It's all because he was too weak! Dear master Kanjuro... You are... You are the truly strong one! Only following you... is the right thing to do..."
She, Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri, had ultimately been completely... broken, under this continuous mental devastation that exceeded all limits.
Her mental world had collapsed, her sense of self crushed. All that remained was a twisted worship of absolute power and a pathological attachment to the one who had inflicted her pain.
Kanjuro finally turned around slowly, looking down at the utterly deformed soul at his feet.
He let out a soft sigh, though it was impossible to tell if it was from disappointment or satisfaction.
He reached out his hand, not touching her body, but hovering it over her head. His invisible perception probed deep into Sola's chaotic consciousness like tentacles.
He was searching, savoring.
There was no longer any fear of death, no lingering attachment to the past, not even pure hatred. There was only a mess of ruins, and atop these ruins, a complete "resolve" of surrender—giving up thought, giving up struggle, giving up self, wanting only to cling to a powerful existence like a vine.
---------------------------------
I hope you're enjoying the fanfiction so far! If the story has you hooked and you can't wait to see what happens next, you can unlock 30 chapters in advance over on my Patreon: patreon.com/TLHimejima1
Every bit of support means the world to me so if you're loving the ride, don't forget to drop a Power Stone and let me know.