The Heroines All Want to Kill Me

"Master, why are you looking at me so blankly?" Lying on the bed, I was staring blankly at the ceiling. Kania, with a puzzled expression, threw a question at me.

"Take a guess."

"...What?" Facing such Kania, I posed a riddle in a dull voice. She gave a speechless look and retorted.

"How am I supposed to guess that?"

"...Serena can guess just by looking into my eyes." But when I provocatively made a playful expression, she furrowed her brows and started approaching the bedside where I was lying.

"Um... So, are you looking at the system?" Then, she sat on the bedside, stared straight into my eyes, and gave such an answer.

"...As expected, Kania is also amazing." Seeing Kania's expression so serious, I thought it was time to stop teasing her. So, I slowly sat up from the bed and began to explain.

"Well, I was looking at the system."

"...But why were you just staring at it blankly? I remember when you used to look at the system, your pupils would move left and right."

"...Oh?" Facing Kania's sharp questioning of my words, I once again realized her intelligence and couldn't help but show a gratified smile and continue.

"There were many things that could be done with the system originally, but unfortunately, now I can only look at it."

"What do you mean?" Facing Kania's question with a puzzled expression again, I looked at the floating system window in front of me and replied in a low voice.

[System Updating]

"...Because the system is under maintenance." Due to the astonishing actions I committed at the ball yesterday, when I got on the carriage after parting with Serena, I suddenly gained 3000 pseudo - evil points. Since then, the system has been showing this message and has completely crashed. Therefore, the 'Mind - Reading' skill and 'Information Search' skill that I usually use are no longer available. According to the prophecy book, when the system is 'updating', all abilities except the punishment and mission systems will be temporarily disabled... It seems that the 'Intuition of the Pseudo - Evildoer' can't be activated either.

'Originally, the system becomes quite unfriendly after an update... This is really too much.' However, the system only helps with doing bad things and should be of no help for this main - line mission. Even so, it's quite a pity that useful skills like information search can't be used.

"...Master."

"Hmm?" Just as I clicked my tongue in regret, Kania suddenly lowered her voice and said.

"Miss Serena is right outside the door."

"...How do you know?"

"You know that my dark magic is incompatible with sunlight magic, starlight magic, and moonlight magic, right? Sensing a presence is a piece of cake for me."

"...So impressive." Seeing that Kania, whose curse had only been partially neutralized, was already showing her talent, I smiled gratifyingly. After taking a deep breath, I opened the door.

"...It seems you already knew I was here?"

"What?"

"I can tell from the speed and expression when you opened the door. However, this isn't some profound reasoning... May I come in?"

"What's the matter?" As Serena tried to squeeze in, I hurriedly grabbed her and asked. She replied as a matter of course, "Do I need a reason to enter my fiancé's room?"

"But..."

"...Didn't I say? Within a year, I will definitely make you change your mind. So, I will always do my best." After saying that, Serena forcefully squeezed in and started looking around the room.

"Hmm... The room is quite clean?"

"...Because of various things, there are more cleaners."

"It seems the cleaners are quite skilled. Not a single speck of dust can be seen." Serena gently ran her finger across the windowsill, murmured to herself, and suddenly saw Kania sitting uneasily on the bedside and asked.

"So, why are you here?"

"I'm the master's servant..."

"Miss Kania, that's not what I'm asking." Serena decisively interrupted Kania's words, sat on the bedside, and started asking with a cold face.

"Do you want to harm Mr. Frey or help him?"

"...The latter."

"Yeah, just as I thought. Thank you for your answer." After Kania nervously finished speaking, seeing that Serena accepted it so easily, she couldn't help showing a momentary flustered expression and then started shaking her head repeatedly. Serena glanced at her and said to me with a smile.

[Mr. Frey, is this also part of your usual lies and flirtatiousness?]

[I've never flirted with lies.]

[Lying again. Although you've become quite outstanding when I wasn't paying attention, that level isn't enough to deceive me, probably.] Perhaps influenced by the Absolute Obedience Magic, Serena unconsciously added "probably" at the end of her words. She suddenly put away her smile and said coldly.

"However, I don't know if it's on purpose... or a coincidence, but you've chosen a pretty good opponent this time, haven't you?"

"What?"

"Well, a cat that steals fish is still a cat that steals fish after all." Serena said some puzzling things. As I was looking at her blankly, Kania suddenly spoke softly.

"...Come to think of it, Miss Serena seems to dislike cats, right?"

"Yes, I dislike cats. Very much." Kania smiled slightly and said, "That's really a pity. The master likes cats very much."

"Yeah, just likes them as 'pets'. I don't quite understand either." With a faint smile on her face, Serena and Kania, with a sharp smile, their eyes met in the air. I watched this scene with great interest. Suddenly, I saw Serena frown and slump heavily into the chair. I raised my eyebrows and asked.

"...Is it that old problem again?"

"Ah, were you worried about me just now? Probably."

"All right, leave this room quickly. I don't want to see you trembling pitifully."

"Yes, I understand."

"Wait, don't go yet." I roughly guessed the reason why she suddenly slumped into the chair. Just as I was about to let her leave, I still called out to her and gave an order.

"If there's any abnormality in the commoner dormitory, contact me immediately."

"Understood."

"For this order, don't act too naturally. Pretend that I'm pleading for your help."

"Okay." After giving the order, Serena showed a faint smile. Instead of saying goodbye, she said the words she often said.

"I love you, probably." After saying this, she turned around and walked out of the dormitory.

"...Master, I have a question."

"What?" I sighed, looking at Serena's back. At this time, Kania beside me threw a question at me.

"Last night in the carriage, you explained to me that Miss Serena can't be completely certain about everything about you currently."

"That's right, isn't it?" I nodded. Kania furrowed her brows and asked, "Then why don't you tell Miss Serena everything?"

"....."

"Anyway, even if you confess everything to Miss Serena, she will keep 'doubting', so the 'punishment' won't be triggered. But why..."

"...There are reasons." I slowly explained the reasons to her.

"First of all, the first point... is because of the 'trial of the system'."

"The trial of the system?"

"Yeah, because of that trial, except for you, who is a dark magician... all those who 'worry' about me will be cursed."

"...I see." Kania nodded with a solemn expression. I sighed and continued, "Now, only my sister, Aria, and my fiancée, Serena, 'worry' about me. So, I have to make them stop worrying about me."

"So, you don't plan to confess everything to Miss Serena?"

"Yeah, even if I confess everything, she may still doubt to the end because of my order... But the possibility of the feelings of 'love' and 'worry' disappearing will be greatly reduced." I tried to remain calm and finish speaking. Kania furrowed her brows and said, "However... After the curse ends, you can still tell her everything..."

"No, the second reason is her family problem."

"...Ah." Seeing my firm attitude, Kania began to show an understanding expression.

"You saw how painful she was just now, right? Judging from this, the curse of 'Family Bondage' has indeed taken effect."

"...How terrifying."

"In the previous timeline, the high - level members of the Moonlight Family were all eliminated by the Demon King before they decided to get rid of me... But this time, because I proposed to the imperial princess, they seem to have made the decision to eliminate me earlier than expected." Having said this, I paused slightly, took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and continued, "So, if she doesn't really want to kill me, the pain she will endure will be far more intense than it originally was, beyond comparison. Therefore, for Serena's sake, I have to make her hate me."

"...If Miss Serena really wants to kill you, you'll probably have a really hard time, right?"

"Before catching the Demon King, there will always be a way to hold on." I said with a bitter smile. Kania sighed and muttered in a low voice, "It always feels like the whole world is designed to shape the master into a villain."

"Yeah, what a damned world." Just like this, I wearily lowered my head and stared at the ground. After a while, Kania threw another question.

"However, what was the reason for you to give Miss Serena that kind of order just now?"

"That kind of order?"

"The one you said just now, to report immediately if something happens in the commoner dormitory." Kania tilted her head and asked. I smiled slightly and replied, "Didn't we agree to go out for a stroll? Don't you remember?"

"...Ah?"

"It's time to get ready to leave. You get ready quickly too." Hearing this, Kania showed a puzzled expression and then opened her mouth.

"B - but... The 'Attack on the Commoner Dormitory' isn't over yet, right? If both you and I are gone..."

"Actually, the reason we're going out is precisely for the 'Attack on the Commoner Dormitory'."

"Ah?" As I got up and put on my coat, I said, "I always feel that the 'attacker' seems to have noticed our surveillance, so they haven't made a move. So, if those of us who have been monitoring every day suddenly disappear, wouldn't they just take the opportunity to act?"

"But... What if something happens when we're not there..."

"That's why I asked Serena to contact us immediately as soon as she discovers any'suspicious signs'. With her intelligence, she shouldn't be discovered by the 'attacker' and can notify us before something happens."

"...I see." Seeing this, Kania also showed a somewhat understanding look, nodded, and stood up from her seat.

"However, where are you going?"

"If there's news, you must return to the academy immediately, so it's best to stay nearby..." I was about to say that we might as well go to a nearby clothing store. After all, Kania, who always wore formal clothes on weekdays, made me always want to buy her some clothes.

"Frey!!"

"Whoa!!" Suddenly, Serena pushed open my door and rushed in, scaring me into screaming.

"Serena, you didn't even knock. What are you doing..." I tried to calm my pounding heart, stared coldly at Serena, and was about to start scolding...

"I found some suspicious signs."

".....!" Her confident words made me freeze in place instantly.

"Did I do a good job?" I silently watched Serena with a bright smile, then gently sighed and said to Kania, "...Let's postpone the outing for now."

"Okay." It seemed that the main - line mission had begun.

.....

"What's going on?" We rushed to the commoner dormitory nervously, only to find a calm and normal - looking dormitory building waiting for us. Usually, when such an incident occurs, the dormitory is either burned down or destroyed... But now it's intact, and I really can't see anything abnormal.

"...Look, this is clearly something's wrong, right?" But Serena pointed at the dormitory with a confident face. As I was looking at her helplessly, Kania suddenly broke out in a cold sweat and said, "...I feel a terrifying magic power."

Only then did I show a frightened expression, spread my starlight magic around, and immediately felt a huge magic power starting to envelope the dormitory.

"So you can also use starlight magic? Why did you hide it..."

"...Forget that I used starlight magic just now." After roughly figuring out the situation, I quickly gave an order to Serena, who was beside me with bright eyes and trying to talk to me.

"...Huh?" Serena listened and showed a blank expression, then started tilting her head to think.

'...As expected, overusing memory erasure won't work.' After a while, Serena looked at me with a dazed look for some reason. I muttered silently in my heart. Although the 'Absolute Obedience Magic' can make the target follow the caster's orders without doubt, if I continue to delete memories like this, Serena, who is a genius among geniuses, is likely to notice the memory gaps and become suspicious. Isn't she looking at me out of the corner of her eye now? So, unless it's an emergency, it's better to avoid deleting her memories as much as possible in the future.

"Come, look." As I was thinking this, I calmly met her gaze. At this time, Serena picked up a stone on the ground and threw it forcefully towards the entrance of the dormitory.

- Smack!

However, the flying stone disappeared like a phantom the moment it touched the entrance of the dormitory.

"...It seems that the space inside and outside the dormitory is separated."

"Right, since the stone thrown in disappeared without a trace. Then let's wait at the entrance first." After listening to Serena's explanation, I calmly responded and gave an order. Kania beside me hurriedly interjected, "I think we should retreat first."

"...Why?"

"You know very well, don't you? The existence that can execute such a large - scale space magic..."

"...Besides the Demon King, it's only her right - hand man. I'm well aware of that." I said to her indifferently while secretly taking out something from my pocket.

"However, with this, there's no need to worry."

"...What?" Seeing the 'Stone of Domination' I took out, Kania showed a puzzled expression.

"Isn't that the 'Stone of Domination', a tool for mind control? I overheard the conversation between the master and the Demon King's confidant in the previous round, so I know about it very well."

"...Right, according to the original plot, this 'Stone of Domination' is a tool to wake up the brainwashed 'attacker'." Facing her, I showed a calm smile and slowly said, "However, actually, the'real power' of this tool isn't something like'mind domination'."

"What do you mean?" I ignored Kania, who was tilting her head in confusion, put the 'Stone of Domination' back into my pocket, and walked forward while saying, "Well, you'll see it with your own eyes later..."

However, the next moment, I noticed something and immediately grabbed Serena and Kania and pounced towards the nearby grass.

"Ma - Master? What are you doing?"

"What... What are you doing now?" Kania and Serena were startled by this sudden move and stared wide - eyed and started scolding me...

"...So, what's the problem?"

"Hurry up! If this continues, it'll be too late!"

"As expected, there are still variables." When Isollette, Pelosh, and Klana passed by the place where we were just now, the two of them quickly closed their mouths.

"Um, umm?" Of course, I covered Serena's mouth.

- Smack!

After a while, the three of them walked into the entrance of the commoner dormitory. At that moment, they disappeared from our sight instantly.

"Phew... Frey? What on earth is going on? Why are we hiding like this?" I looked at the scene, sweating coldly. Serena showed an unbearable expression and started asking.

"...Could it be that you're going to do something bad again?" She then stared at me with an incredulous expression. I tried to avoid her gaze and said to Kania, "Kania, cast a cognition - conversion magic around. Don't let anyone approach the commoner dormitory..."

"I can do that too." Serena interrupted me, stood up from her seat, and unfolded the fan in her hand with a swish.

"...All right, for a while from now, no one can get close here. Are you satisfied?"

"No... But..."

"Tell me. What on earth do you want to do there?" Serena kept asking. Kania, who had been watching me from behind in silence, showed a worried look. I gently closed my eyes and said, "It's nothing serious. Don't worry."

"...I trust you, probably." Serena tried to squeeze out a gentle expression, but her eyes were still full of unease.

"...As expected of Serena. Without the Absolute Obedience Magic, I'm afraid the game couldn't even proceed." The first reason Serena felt uneasy was probably because she couldn't be completely sure about everything about me; the second reason was that she could read lies from my eyes. That's right. Today, I will use the power of the Demon King to subdue the unknown attacker and seize his position.

"The reason is that, in order to clear this'main - line mission', I came up with a plan: Pretend to be brainwashed by the Demon King and become the final BOSS of the 'Attack on the Commoner Dormitory'. After being subdued, claim my innocence and expose the true face of the Demon King to the world. That is to say, this incident isn't the beginning of the empire's decline, nor is it the Demon King's first appearance... but a sharp blade to counter - attack the Demon King and the first step towards a happy ending."

Well, it's time for us to set out. Also, this is the first step to make Serena turn against me.

"Yeah, it seems I have to experience and deduce things on my own."

"Be careful, Master." With these thoughts in mind, I, together with Serena and Kania, walked towards the entrance of the commoner dormitory.

- Zzzz!!

"...Where is this?"

"Good heavens."

The next moment, what unfolded before my eyes was...

"Squeal - ahhhhh!!"

"Roar - ooooooh!!"

The interior of the commoner dormitory, which had transformed into a dungeon, and mid - level monsters charging towards us with all their might.

"...Is this the mission - failure punishment?"

It seems my luck isn't so good this time.