I Became the Son of a Corrupt Lord, so I’ll Enjoy an Easy Life in Another World ~but Please Stop Revering Me as a “Saint”!~

Stage 3-23. My Sword, Alice

“…That’s right. The Commander was being controlled… and to defeat them… I, I…”

“That’s right, Alice! You swore to become the sword of Ouga Vellet and vanquish evil, didn’t you!?”

“…I, I… Ouga-sama… sword… name…”

Chris mutters, repeating my words like a delirium.

The [Brainwash] begins to weaken, and Alice and Chris’s consciousness start to blur together…!

If it’s like this, I can push through to the end—

“—’Face me, Chris Ragnika!'”

“!? Damn…!”

Chris’s head snaps toward Andraus with a sharp motion.

That bastard…! He still had enough magic left to use dark-element spells…!

I desperately reach out, trying to keep her gaze from meeting Andraus’s.

Looking over, I see Father and Reina leaping at Andraus to restrain him.

“I’ll discard the other pawns and give you all of my magic! ‘Kill Ouga Vellet, Chris Ragnika!'”

Please…! Let it fail somehow…!

But my desperate wish was cruelly ignored.

“――――”

A flash.

A sharp, upper-level slash cuts into the arm I had stretched out to block her vision.

“Ugh… aaaah!”

Enduring the searing pain, I focus all my nerves on manipulating my magic.

Her sword stops moving halfway through slicing my arm.

That was close…! If I had been even a moment slower in activating [Limit Break · Steel], it would’ve been severed.

But now, I’ve fixed the sword in place!

Alright, let’s take a gamble here…!

“I’m taking this sword from you!”

“…………!”

I pull my arm with force, dragging her body along with the sword.

At this range, her long-reach sword becomes a disadvantage in close-quarters combat.

However, she doesn’t choose to let go of her sword.

“Ha! Finally, you’re facing me properly!”

I place my other hand on top of hers, gripping the hilt.

Still, Chris neither shakes me off nor lets go of the sword.

She’s desperately, single-mindedly trying to pull the sword from my arm.

“…Even under brainwashing, this sword must be important to you.”

When the brainwashing faltered earlier, she mentioned a name—Commander Lily. This must be the superior officer she once spoke of with such respect.

And this sword must have been handed down to her by Commander Lily.

That’s why she argued back when I mocked it.

Then, as Chris Lagnica and as Alice, this sword must be something precious to her.

My guess hit the mark perfectly.

“My bad. Even under brainwashing, your core hasn’t changed.”

“…………”

“…What’s wrong? Why so silent all of a sudden?”

“…………”

No matter how much I ask, she doesn’t answer.

She just desperately tries to pull out the sword.