Marionette

Chapter 19

When I returned to them, I saw something I half-expected. 

The Marionette Legion was in formation, their swords and bows pointing at me. 

Yui was nowhere to be seen. 

The captain stared at me, uneasy behind his shield. 

"If you wish to attack me, do so..." I said, throwing my sword away. 

The captain remained silent. In fact, everyone was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. 

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Someone started slow clapping ironically. 

"Good job, dog," said a voice I remembered very well, even though it had been months since I last heard it. "You made mummy proud..." 

Pushing her way through the Legionnaires, the queen herself stood before me.
No way! I could not believe my eyes! Where had she come from? Did she teleport here? 

I stared at her dumbfounded. 

The sword I had thrown on the ground was mid-way between us. 

In hindsight, I shouldn't have done that, as I was now unarmed. 

It was fine. I would kill her barehanded. 

The veins in my temples popped out. I was grinding my teeth; my blood was boiling. 

The queen smiled. 

"Excited to see me?" she said sarcastically. 

"Lady, you can't even begin to imagine..." I said, then took a step forward and clenched my fist. 

"Easy there, puppy..." she said, smiling like a devil. "Bring her." 

I was wondering where these pigs hid. 

Captain Arne's twenty Knights, who had not participated in the first assault, came forward, dragging someone in chains. Yui. 

Without even asking the Demon's Shield for permission, black smoke poured out of my skin.
My eyes were sparkling death-blue. 

Since I had no sword, I brought out my claws. 

The Knight that held Yui's chains pulled her harshly into his arms and placed a dagger in her throat. 

Yui stared at her feet, her silver hair covering her face. 

He grabbed her by the chin and forced her to look at me. 

Yui's left eye was black and swollen shut. Her nose was broken, blood dripping down.
A single tear ran from her right eye. 

While I was slaughtering the Guardsmen, they had beaten her to a pulp. 

There was indeed no bottom these people could not reach. 

"Do you still wish to attack me?" asked the queen, pleased with herself. 

I had never felt pain like this. Seeing Yui's battered face was gut-wrenching. 

"Leave her alone, and I'll do whatever you want..." I said, my eyes fixed on Yui. 

"You already did, though," replied the queen, crossing her arms. "You single-handedly secured my position on the throne. Hmm, what should I ask of you next?" 

The queen was scratching her chin in thought. 

It was just a play; she knew exactly what she wanted of me, but she decided to toy with her meal. 

"I got it!" she said, snapping her fingers theatrically. "First, I'll redo the spell on your heart, and then you'll annihilate every other nation in the continent. After that, I'll consider giving your little bird back. Didn't I make her beautiful for you?"