#54 Servant Cedric (20) – Goodbye, my servant.

The Great Devil Lucifer was in a good mood lately.

If you asked how good, it was to the point where I could be standing or sitting alone, and laughter would just leak out, my lips twitching.

It wasn’t exactly fitting for the dignity of a great demon who, in the distant past, controlled countless people with a wave or a smile, and Lucidra was aware of this, but she still couldn’t help but laugh.

‘This time, my victory, for sure!’

It’s been several months since she awakened from a long seal and made a contract with Crown Prince Alond.

At first, she expected that it wouldn’t be too difficult to manipulate a precious young master who grew up knowing nothing of the world, but Crown Prince Alond was an extraordinary being in many ways.

No, to put it nicely, he was extraordinary, but to put it bluntly and honestly, he just wasn’t human.

His abilities were like a cheat code, and his personality was even weirder, so how much had she suffered and endured because of the Crown Prince?

But that humiliating time was over.

In Lucidra’s eyes, that noblewoman Claudia had no intention of letting go of Cedric, that is, the Crown Prince’s alter ego.

The Crown Prince himself seemed to think that he had given her everything she needed and that the contract period was over, so he could just leave, but people’s hearts don’t work that neatly.

‘Originally, there’s nothing more reckless and headstrong than a girl in love. No matter how great you are, you won’t have much of a chance this time.’

Whether she wields the power she gained as a noble to forcibly hold him back, or throws a tantrum saying he’ll go back to being a rogue if he disappears, either way, it’s a move that goes against the Crown Prince’s intention for Claudia to become independent as a lord even after he leaves.

And that also meant that Lucidra would win in the bet between the Crown Prince and Lucidra.

‘…Heh, heh heh. Heh heh heh heh! What should I demand? What should I demand to repay that shameless human for the humiliation I’ve felt all this time?’

Thanks to the contract drawn up with the Crown Prince’s meticulous personality, she can’t make unreasonable demands like demons often do when they rip off contractors.

It wouldn’t be possible to shake the Empire by using the Crown Prince as a puppet.

But it was enough to resolve her personal resentment and anger.

Lucidra, who continued to enjoy her happy worries, soon moved her consciousness from the Crown Prince’s shadow to Cedric’s shadow.

Now, then, let’s see what kind of chaos that cute, precious noble lady, who will bring her victory, is causing to torment Cedric, that is, the Crown Prince—

“…Okay. I’ll let you go.”

—Huh?

*

Claudia returned home after finishing her conversation with the Marquis.

A snake made entirely of blood was on her shoulder, part of the Marquis’s Blood Beast that he lent her because he couldn’t go himself.

Despite achieving her desired goal, her expression was dark.

‘Cedric is an agent of the Empire?’

The Marquis himself drew a line, saying it was just a ‘guess’, but Claudia felt a strange certainty in his tone.

More than anything, if his guess was right, it perfectly explained Cedric’s strange ability.

She wants to deny it, but she can’t.

That fact was burning Claudia’s heart.

“Lady?”

The moment Claudia saw Cedric, his round eyes fixed on her, she was struck dumb.

She’d had so many things she wanted to say to him, but facing him directly, her mind went blank, and she couldn’t utter a single word.

-Hsss.

But the crimson snake she’d brought with her was different.

Eager to return to its master’s side as soon as possible, the snake, regardless of Claudia’s daze, flicked its tongue, scrutinizing Cedric’s form.

-Hsss?

And then, it placed a question mark above its head.

The senses of the powerful predator, the snake, told it that the creature before it was undoubtedly dying.

And at the same time, it also knew that it was in an incredibly powerful and vigorous state.

Faced with the simultaneous feeling of these contradictory senses, the snake, if it were a human, would have tilted its head repeatedly. Instead, it simply conveyed its will to Claudia as it felt it – or rather, as the Main Snake felt it.

However, one point to keep in mind here is that blood magic beasts do not fully understand human language and speak accordingly.

They simply exchange ‘will’ with their parent and master, connected by blood.

Therefore, while it could communicate quite fluently with the Marquis, its original master, it had some trouble conveying its meaning to Claudia, who, although she inherited the Marquis’s blood, was a distinctly different person.

The Marquis was aware of this and had explained it to Claudia, but half-dazed, she heard it with one ear and let it out the other.

The Marquis noticed this, but didn’t bother to grab her and tell her to listen properly.

After all, if it was just expressing whether he was feeling ill or alright, even a slight distortion wouldn’t cause any major problems in understanding.

As a result.

-He’s definitely dying. But it seems like he’s connected to something big, so he might be okay?

became

-He’s already dead. But it seems like something big is holding onto him and forcing him to be okay?

Naturally, Claudia was horrified.

In a trembling voice, she inadvertently asked Cedric.

“Cedric… are you connected to someone with some kind of magic?”

Cedric’s expression froze for a moment.

It was the most shocked reaction Claudia had ever seen from him.

Cedric’s gaze shifted between Claudia and the crimson snake on her shoulder, and then, a bitter smile spread across his face, as if he had realized everything.

“I was worried when you left the mansion without a word, but you went to ask the Marquis for help, I see.”

“Now’s not the time to worry about that! So? Is that why you said you were okay? Because of that magic?”

Some powerful magic was holding Cedric, keeping his life going.

This wasn’t exactly a foreign concept to Claudia.

Even the blood-magic beasts she controlled could recover from any injury as long as they returned to her alive.

And Cedric sighed softly.

He could have kept it hidden if he’d managed to, but denying the truth to someone who already saw through him (?) would just be ugly.

“Yes. As long as this magic (clone) exists, I cannot truly die.”

“Don’t tell me, you were bound by magic (subjugation)…!”

Claudia couldn’t help but be shocked.

Not only dispatching agents but controlling their very lives, holding them in the palm of their hand.

Just how powerful, how vicious, was the Empire?

As Claudia, speechless, just gaped at him, Cedric continued his confession.

“Everything I’ve done here was not entirely pure. No, in some ways it could even be called an evil act. I deceived and used you, Lady.”

“That’s… not your fault…”

As Claudia saw it, Cedric was simply following orders from above, his life held hostage.

How could she call that Cedric’s sin?

“No, it is my fault. I acted of my own will.”

But Cedric flatly denied it.

He was simply stating the truth, with no lies whatsoever, but to Claudia, even that seemed like a noble refusal to shirk responsibility.

“To cause my master such distress… I may be unfit to be a servant.”

“N-Now’s not the time to worry about me.”

“No, you, Lady, are what matters.”

Cedric stared straight into Claudia’s tearful eyes.

“Did you know, Lady? If you look at it coldly, a servant is simply someone who works for a master in exchange for money. There’s no warmth or affection there.”

“But when the master they serve is someone they truly believe is worthy of loyalty, servants feel pride in their hearts. They are happy when their master is recognized by those around them, and they feel a sense of pride in following a master who walks the right path.”

“When I first met you, Lady, you had locked yourself in a narrow cage, constantly hurting yourself and those around you. You were not a master worthy of respect, not even in the slightest.”

“But you have changed. You no longer treat people carelessly, you use your power to help them, and you strive to learn if you lack the ability. The servants who used to tremble in fear at the sight of your face now feel pride in working under you.”

Cedric paused, as if gathering his breath.

And then, proudly, without the slightest hesitation, he declared.

“I am the same.”

Claudia’s eyes widened.

“Name, status, everything is a lie. But I can swear the joy I felt watching you grow was genuine. The me here is just a fleeting shimmer, but if you continue to be a magnificent ruler, ‘Servant Cedric’ will remain immortal in that shadow. Therefore, you are the most important person of all.”

Claudia didn’t answer.

For a long time, a long time, she just kept her head down in silence.

Cedric didn’t press her.

And finally, Claudia’s lips parted.

“…Okay. I’ll let you go.”

Cedric bowed, even though he knew she couldn’t see him.

“Thank you for your consideration until the very end, Miss.”

“Consideration? Don’t make me laugh.”

Claudia finally lifted her head.

Her eyes were still wet, but her gaze no longer wavered.

The fierce determination of someone certain of their path made her pink eyes shine like jewels.

“This is just temporary. I lack the ability and power right now, but… just you wait. Someday I’ll boldly go to the one behind you and declare that I want my servant back.”

Cedric looked blank for a moment, then gave a wry smile.

‘To say she’ll take back a servant (me) from the one (me) behind it all… that’s quite poetic.’

Even he, who could scoff at most honey traps, couldn’t help but feel a stir of interest at such resolve.

But admiration was admiration, and he had to say what needed to be said.

“That is an incredibly thorny path, Miss.”

“It’s no use trying to stop me. I’ll definitely do it.”

“You really should reconsider.”

“I’m going to do it because *I* want to! You have no right to stop me!”

“Hmph.”

Cedric sighed.

Whatever she felt from that sigh, Claudia forced the corners of her lips up, trying to force a confident smile.

“So, stay healthy and wait. Someday, I’ll definitely find you.”

“…I won’t agree to that. I still think you should stop.”

“Hah! Good! You need to get a taste of being tricked sometimes too!”

“Well, now.”

After that, it was just noisy chatter as usual.

Sometimes Claudia’s voice would go thick, like she was on the verge of tears, but she never actually cried.

Like insisting that even though parting was sad and hard, it wasn’t the end.

And so, the Master and Servant’s last day flowed by.

And the Great Demon wept in the shadows.