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kurishiri · 4 months ago

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23 . . . alfons main story — mad love (with letter)

꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ @ notice ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱ this translation may not be 100% accurate or contain creative liberties due to characterization or narrative flow purposes. if you enjoy, please consider reblogging, but don’t repost these or claim these as your own!

— cw: depiction or mention of death, corpses, child labor; a ‘spiraling’ scene… if you know what i mean-

—— Alfons’ POV ——

At the promised time——Lord Goa appeared with the invitation from the fake Privy Council.

Or, he appeared before me, a ‘guard.’

Alfons: Welcome, we are most glad to have you.

Lord Goa: Mm.

Humans normally did not pay much attention to those they deemed less important or influential.

(And as proof of that, however shrewd and cunning he may be,)

(just donning several accessories that a guard would wear was more than enough)

(to deceive the eye of the one before us.)

Alfons: This way, if you please.

He opened the door for the House of Lords member, he passed by me as if it were the most natural thing to do.

As he did, Alfons reached out toward the back of his neck, causing Lord Goa to turn back.

Lord Goa: ...Was there something?

Alfons: My apologies... I found that there was a bug on you, so if you could allow me the honor?

Lord Goa: Alright... go ahead.

And so, he stroked the back of his neck that peeked through his high-end suit, as though he were brushing away a bug.

Alfons: “The most esteemed members of the Privy Council await your presence.”

A: ——Alright, I got it.

A: Now then, in celebration of your ‘purification’ efforts, do partake in the many entrees in this wonderful party tonight.

Lord Goa: Haha, I do look forward to it.

The truth and whatnot no longer reflected in this man’s eyes.

That was——until the curtain of his life drew to a close.

—— Kate’s POV ——

Tonight, the only ones in the castle were the members of Crown.

That included not only close aides and nobles, but also the guards who were protecting this place.

And all that was thanks to Victor, who pulled some strings such that nobody could enter nor exit until dawn broke.

(It’s so silent here, it’s almost a bit scary...)

In fact, the palace was filled to the brim with silence, so much so that it was hard to imagine this was happening for the first time ever——

And within that, the footsteps of two people approached.

(Oh, there they are...)

Alfons: This way, if you please.

Lord Goa seemed to think nothing of this silence as he showed up in the dining room.

(Thank whoever’s up above that Alfons doesn’t seem injured anywhere...)

At least for now, seeing he had managed to guide Lord Goa here without getting into too much trouble, relief filled my chest.

Seated at the dining table were William and Victor,

along with Lord Elbert, all of them donning a dignified posture, and I took my seat as well, albeit nervous.

They had said that it would be alright for me to wait in the adjacent room... but unable to simply observe at the happenings here from above on my own, I turned down their offer.

Victor: Thank you for coming, Lord Goa.

Lord Goa: And I am grateful for your invitation.

He dipped his head politely before he took the seat dedicated to the guest of honor.

(In his eyes, all the members of Crown here are esteemed members of the Privy Council, I take it...)

Although I felt somewhat bad for him in light of the fact that his life was now at the mercy of Crown, the one who he had considered his enemy,

and how, in this very place, he was the only one who couldn’t truly grasp the situation he was in——

But then there were all those children’s corpses, piled atop one another like a black mountain.

And the way the people from the East End fell from the knives that indiscriminately slashed them down.

And how they would even go as far as using young children to set fire to the Docklands.

When I thought of all the barbaric things that have been spreading under his orders,

there was not an ounce of sympathy left in me.

Elbert: ...We apologize for being unable to respond to your requests.

Lord Goa: No, I do understand where you come from. I am aware that everyone here must be quite busy.

William: We are holding this banquet tonight in hopes of deepening our ties with one another.

W: So, by all means, do enjoy yourself.

Lord Goa: I will indulge in your words then.

Alfons: ...

Alfons stood by the door, much like a guard would, as the curtains of the ‘banquet’ rose.

William: Then first, a toast to you.

His voice serving as the signal, Ellis, who was posing as a waiter, came in with drinks before the entree.

Ellis: ——Here you are.

Lord Goa: Thank you, I will partake then.

A shadow of a smile played on Ellis’ lips as Lord Goa took the glass from the silver tray he brought in.

(That glass...)

There was a poison mixed in that could circulate quickly in the body.

William wore a smile that sent shivers down my spine as he proposed assassination by poison, seeing as they couldn’t afford to stain the castle with blood.

——I couldn’t tell if that was borne from sensibility or a lapse from morality.

But, if I was certain of one thing, it was that their ‘evil,’ which drove their resolve to not let him leave this place alive,

was prominent in the dining room.

(A person is going to be killed before my eyes.)

At this thought, a familiar fear bubbled up within me.

But even so, I stood my ground without averting my eyes.

(And Alfons, who would laugh while saying something like reality can dig itself in a ditch,)

(would surely get rid of the roots that bore tragedy, as a member of Crown...)

...because such a thing held the same meaning as the things he did in the city at night. I was sure of that.

William: Well then——cheers.

Lord Goa drank the champagne that was spiked with poison in front of us, before he expired like that.

Victor and William seemingly handled the body of Lord Goa behind the scenes, having stayed behind at the castle,

while Ellis disappeared in the darkness, saying he had some things he needed to finish up that Jude had asked him to do.

And then——

Alfons: And that’s one more mission done and over with...

I walked out of the castle with Lord Elbert and Alfons,

and those ashy gray eyes shone with a bewitching light, as though inviting me.

Alfons: ...so how about you and I go on a date, Kate?

[1] What are you saying?

[2] That sounds so like you, Alfons. (+4 / +4)

[3] Is it alright to?

(We literally had just gone through such a mission, and yet, how to say...)

Kate: That sounds so like you, Alfons.

Alfons: Oh my, you say that as though I am the only one so eager for this date... were you not, perhaps?

Kate: Well, that, umm...

Just now, I had witnessed a person being killed before my eyes.

At the same time, that also meant the string of ‘purification’ incidents had come to a close.

(I do want to say ‘thank goodness’ at that, but I can’t seem to,)

(and it’s a bit hard to take in that feeling, so to go on a date...)

Elbert: ...I suppose I will return to the castle then.

E: Have fun, you two.

Lord Elbert softly murmured, looking on at us with a heartwarming look.

Kate: N-not you too, Lord Elbert...

Alfons: Alright now, off we go, time’s a-wasting.

His arms wrapped around my shoulder a bit forcefully——and I finally came to the realization.

(Wait a minute, could this be...)

(Is he going to the almost absurd length to ask me on a date out of the blue so I wouldn’t feel so down again...?)

I stole a small look at Alfons, who was standing beside me.

Alfons: ...? Yes, what is it?

(...Goodness.)

(You troublemaker, you.)

Kate: I will always say yes to a wholesome date.

Alfons: Ahha! Do you truly think there is such a thing as a ‘wholesome’ date when we are well into the night?

Indeed, right now, dawn had yet to break, so this would mark the time for his night frolics——his ‘indulgent lifestyle,’ so to speak.

(But...)

Kate: But didn’t you want me to teach you how to love to the fullest?

K: If that’s so, I’ll be the one to decide where we go and what we do for tonight.

Alfons: So I see, color me piqued.

Elbert: Be careful, you two... and Al, be sure to return, safe and sound.

Kate: Leave it to me, Lord Elbert. He will most definitely be coming back, seeing as I’ll drag him here if need be.

Elbert: ...Mm, thank you.

Alfons: Golly, since when has all of you guys’ trauma become trouble for me, colluding together against me like this?

A: Come now, Kate, let’s go.

Alfons extended his hand in an invitation to what would be a long night.

With the mission having gone swimmingly, Alfons wouldn’t go off trying to die again——

Kate: Yes, let’s!

And with a smile, we linked hands.

——But, I failed to realize the footsteps that snuck up on us from behind.

—— Alfons’ POV ——

Having talked big about a ‘wholesome date,’ she stayed true to her words, taking me to a park, simply to take a stroll side by side.

She had proclaimed with pride that she knew of a sweets shop that was open late at night.

Kate: I’ll go and buy some, so wait here a minute.

Alfons: Yes, will do.

I saw her off as she flashed me a smile before turning around to head to the shop.

Alfons: ...‘Love was not something one should give while seeking something in return’... was that it, if I recall correctly?

All of a sudden, I remembered the words I had heard at some point in time at what could be — or not be — a sermon.

Alfons: I wonder... this thing called ‘true love’... would that be the love Kate has in her?

When I had tried to accept those feelings that I hardly thought was in me directly, it just seemed so dazzling, I wasn’t sure if I was ready.

???: ——Hey.

When I turned around, I saw a man standing there.

A stranger, at that.

But he held an expression of animosity, and that was enough for me to deduce his circumstances.

Man: The Privy Council should have invited Lord Goa to the castle... but the only ones who came out were you guys.

Man: And on top of that... some fellow members of the purification club have gone missing too.

It was exactly as I thought——and that bored me to no end.

Alfons: Ahh... would you happen to be one of Lord Goa’s followers?

Giving him a gentle smile, I took off my black gloves, pulling from the fingertips.

Alfons: I had thought that William had taken care of the small fry that had been lurking around the castle’s vicinity——

A: But perhaps one or two had slipped past him, no?

A: That, or perhaps they deemed you unable to harm us, and were thus spared?

Man: W-what in the world are you going on about... where did Lord Goa go? And just who are you guys...!

Man: Why do you target us like this?

Alfons: It’s just question after question with you, no?

The man’s eyes were bloodshot as a murderous intent mixed together with fear.

And his hands——they were in his pocket.

(A knife, perhaps? No, such a cowardly heart would opt for a gun, I’d say.)

Alfons: Why, you say... would you not agree that this is simply the things you guys have done coming back to bite your rear?

Man: All we did was rid this society of the slums to maintain social order!

Man: And what right do you guys have to say that... if you are going so far as to interfere with us and kill us, then are you guys not the same!?

Man: If that’s the case... you won’t have any complaints about being killed in the same way, now do you!?

At the same time he shouted this, he took out a gun from his pocket.

I had seen this coming long ago, and seeing everything play out exactly as I had predicted, I wanted to let out a yawn, bored to tears.

Alfons: Indeed, if the act of taking a life in general is regarded as evil, we are one and the same.

A: However——what does that matter?

A: We simply push our values of what is evil on each other, and then the victors live to define what ‘justice’ is.

A: Is that not what this world revolves around?

Man: Then I will kill you——and then we will become justice itself!

(Ahh, what an utter pain.)

I had seen this very scene countless times since I started working for Crown.

It was a scene one could find anywhere else.

I was in such a world where becoming the object of hate could get me killed tomorrow for all I knew, and it would hardly be strange at all.

And I had thought that was completely fine. In fact, I had thought about disappearing like this so many times, I had lost count.

(I’m starting to feel that someone who bore the fate of being forgotten upon death and had put themselves in such an environment...)

(...loving another to the fullest was a fool’s errand to begin with.)

Curses were meant to turn someone’s life into a tragedy,

so using that to add yet another tragedy would be the most unpleasant turn of events.

(A happiness that will someday turn into a tragedy...)

(Just what is the point of such a thing, I wonder?)

The more warm the memories, the more the despondent one will become when it’s lost.

It was exactly because of things like love that we despair at its loss.

(So, wouldn’t being killed here sooner rather than later be more so proof that I had ‘loved her to the fullest’?)

to be continued…

To think you would attend

I will have you know, Kate, that trying to show a brave face when- and wherever is hardly a good thing, you know.

Yes, I am talking about the mission this time. To say you want to be present at the site where Lord Goa will be assassinated... would you not say that is nothing short of crazy?

You are aware that doing so will mean you will have to witness a bloody grotesque scene, right before your very eyes, no?

I know you hold a soft heart that gets hurt so easily, so I am positively befuddled at why you would go to such lengths?

It’s always alright to turn away from things that make you suffer.

But, well, I am also equally as aware that you are a person who would always look forward without looking away, no matter the circumstances, so I won’t say anything more.

I suppose it just cannot be helped with you, so I will protect you, so you do not find yourself in more harm.

For you see, I find utterly no amusement in watching you getting hurt over anything other than myself.