55: My Master Is Insane
She’s so small.
Having received permission, I bent down slightly and gently hugged Rebecca. Her body was incredibly delicate.
While Liz was also a bit shorter than me, she had curves, and her toned physique gave her a surprisingly solid feel.
Rebecca felt… fragile. Even as she stiffened in my arms, surprised by the sudden embrace, she felt soft, her slightly higher body temperature, typical of children… nostalgic.
“…Um… what are you…?”
“Master, your playfulness…”
“I got permission.”
“That wasn’t permission. She’s a highly skilled necromancer, one of the best in the undead army. …Please be respectful.”
“Alright, Liz.” I nodded and released Rebecca.
“Rebecca, how well do you understand my work?”
“…His Majesty gave me a brief overview before my arrival. You are a human summoned from another world, and you utilize that perspective to command the assassination and disinformation units, targeting the domestic infrastructure of the human nations.”
A concise and accurate summary. Nearly perfect. I’m so glad to have another competent and cute subordinate.
“Do you understand the importance and the heavy responsibility of this position?”
“I believe so.”
“Then this will be quick.” I smiled.
“This position is constantly lacking in comfort and emotional support, and I require both. Therefore, I expect the same from you.”
“Master… I just said please be respectful…” Liz glared at me. I chuckled.
“You have been assigned to my unit. That makes you my subordinate, and I have full authority and responsibility over how my subordinates are treated. Am I wrong, Lizlit Finis?”
“…No, Lord of Disease.” Liz looked down, defeated.
“…Um…?”
“That’s enough for now. Liz, please show Rebecca around. Provide her with anything she needs, within reason.”
“Yes, Master.” Liz and Samarkand left the audience chamber.
“See you later.”
“—S-see you, Rebecca.”
“Y-yes…”
“…Liz, may I ask you something?”
“Yes.”
Alone in the room after the Lord of Disease had left, Rebecca voiced a natural question.
“Was that really the Lord of Disease I just met?”
“Yes, that was definitely the Lord of Disease herself.” Liz wore the same defeated expression she’d had in the audience chamber.
“That’s a supreme commander?”
“She is.” Liz nodded, then averted her gaze slightly.
“…Well, what she says is… strange sometimes.”
“I can certainly attest to that. …Why did she hug me? I mean, I suppose it’s my fault for agreeing, but…”
“No, it’s Master’s fault. Who would say something like that in such a serious setting?” Liz sighed.
“Please be aware of her… tendencies towards sexual harassment.”
“Sexual… harassment?”
Liz explained the unfamiliar term to Rebecca.
“It’s unwanted sexual advances. I don’t think Master has any malicious intent. None at all, really.”
“…What was that?”
“Well, I said ‘sexual,’ but we’re both women, and all she’ll ask for is physical affection, sleeping together, and bathing together. As I said, she doesn’t seem to have any malicious intent, and she is under a lot of pressure as a supreme commander. So, please be patient and… indulge her… within reason.”
“I am a woman.”
“Master doesn’t dislike men, but she’s said several times that she ‘likes cute girls.’”
“…What?”
“I’ve been told that myself, several times.”
“Ah… so you’re lovers?”
“No. …She’s just… joking.”
“…And… me? Do I look like… that to her?”
“She did say something about ‘everyone being older than me, so it’s perfectly legal in my world, and I find it more exciting when they look younger than me.’”
“What?”
“That’s just how she is…”
“…She’s insane! Your supreme commander is absolutely insane!!”
“I wouldn’t deny that.”
“—I’d really appreciate it if you would deny that.”
Hearing Rebecca’s outburst, I entered the room.
“…Master, how long have you been listening?”
“Since Rebecca called me insane twice.”
“I see. It’s true, isn’t it?”
“I told you, I don’t lie to you, Liz.”
“Yes, yes… So, what can I do for you? I was just giving Rebecca a brief explanation.”
“How can a simple explanation lead to someone calling me insane?”
“You should know that better than anyone, Master.” Touché. She had a point.
“Well, I won’t dwell on that. —There’s something I forgot to ask Rebecca.”
“What is it?”
“What did you mean by ‘one, or perhaps one’?”
That ‘perhaps’… An oddly vague phrasing for an official document.
“Is someone else coming besides Rebecca? The explanation only mentioned one person.”
The documents included an order to accept the transfer, a brief summary of Rebecca’s previous assignment, and a request for a room in the basement to be prepared as a laboratory. That was all that was in His Majesty’s letter. I had no idea what the ‘perhaps’ referred to.
“…Ah, my apologies. My mistake. With everything that’s been happening, I forgot.”
“It’s partly my fault, too, so don’t worry about it.”
“That’s… reassuring… but you’re right.” Rebecca gave me an intense look. If she weren’t so cute, that kind of stare would be incredibly unnerving, especially directed at a new superior.
“Let’s just forget about it.”
“I was also at fault… so let me make amends. …Here.”
Rebecca retrieved a cloth-wrapped bundle from an old-fashioned, square leather trunk and placed it on the desk by the wall. She unwrapped it, revealing a long, yellowish-white object.
“…What is this? A bone?”
It was intricately structured, curving gently.
It resembled… a human spine.
Leave a Reply