[Part 3/3]
My mind spins in circles. Something keeps shooting through my brain, quick flashes, bits of something. Words──out of reach, too hazy to hear.
Light. Blinding. What is──what──IS this...!!?
"Master...! Are you alright!? Master!? Please, hang in there!!"
"Master, please stay calm!! Don't think about anything! Focus on your breathing! Take it slow...!!"
"We'll take you to the healer! Everyone, help me out here...!!"
My chin drops; I slump over, thrashing like I'm drowning.
Everyone rushes in, desperate, and starts carrying me.
Voices call out to me──shaky, near tears──making sure I'm still here.
I just nod, small, helpless.
No idea what they're asking. No idea what's happening.
I just surrender──trust them, beg them to save me.
And they answer my silent plea.
"Get a bed ready! Let's lay him down!!"
"Where's the bucket and a change of clothes!? Move it, fast!!"
"Bring the healer──quick, we need first aid...!!"
Quick footsteps echoed through the hall, racing past several rooms before finally stopping. The feel of soft futons being laid out beside me.
"Ah, ka...!?"
In my blurry consciousness, I caught glimpses of a shadow looking down at me. Our eyes met almost at once.
"Ah, you're delirious. Everyone, hold him down. Feel free to use those chains and cuffs over there."
"Drug him to sleep. Force his mouth open. Roughly is fine."
Through the hazy vision, I felt our gaze lock, and I thought I saw a smile returned. A voice seemed to reach me from somewhere near the shadow. Amidst the commotion, I felt no malice, only confusion. It felt like it shouldn't be there.
"Master, forgive us!"
The maids' apologies. Their obedience was immediate. Restrained, I couldn't move. Fingers pinched my nose, gripped my chin, delve into my mouth. Instinctively, I tried to bite down. I thrashed my head, tasting blood... excited, but I held back. It wasn't allowed to go further.
"The medicine must go in through the mouth, right?"
"Ngh, go, gaa...!!?"
The gruff command. The bitter taste overwhelmed the blood. They say good medicine tastes bitter, but this felt like too much. It was sheer violence on the taste buds. I was forced to swallow, my throat prodded, the liquid pushed to the depths.
Then, with a splitting headache, I let go of consciousness...
"Master...? Have you awakened?"
"...Where am I?"
I asked, peering at the figure of Madoka who had entered my vision. I scanned my surroundings. A normal room in the 'yashiki estate'... What on earth is going on?
"How much do you remember?"
"Changing clothes... yes, suddenly a headache... I feel strange."
"Strange, you say?"
As I tried to sit up and recall recent memories, I muttered to myself. Madoka, with her innocent and demure demeanor, responded to my murmur while assisting me.
"Don't you remember? When I woke up after that injury, wasn't it just like this?"
"Was it... really?"
...?
Madoka puts her hand to her mouth, tilting her head with a puzzled look at what I said. Am I the one misremembering? Or is it her? Maybe she wasn't even around back then. Hm...?
"Anyway──how are you feeling?"
"Oh, yeah...I'm fine. Really. Just──my body still feels stiff."
Ever since I woke up from that wound, I've been trying to get back in shape──now it's like I'm right back where I started. Every limb weighed down, like I'm covered in lead. Everything aches. Even moving is a chore. Feels like I'm wearing 3 layers of thick winter clothes.
"Please, take care of yourself. Your body's not all better yet. You should rest, and eat well. That's what I think."
"Yeah... sorry to worry you. Say──this is a spare room, right?"
I scan the empty, plain room. The futon and furniture look like they were grabbed in a hurry. Doesn't seem like anyone uses this room for anything, ever.
"Yes, it was quite sudden...so we had to borrow the nearest empty room. It's a bit cramped, but please forgive us."
"That's fine. ...Yeah, I remember. There was one near here."
I remember seeing a spare room near the porch, watching everyone try on their outfits. This yashiki estate has more maids living here than you'd think, but there are still way too many rooms. Right──this whole wing is just lines of empty kids' rooms, planned out long ago.
...Maybe they're planning to bring in more apprentice maids like Shii and Fuumi someday?
"You can never have too many kids' rooms."
"? Is that how it works?"
"Yes. If we ever have babies, we'll need even more rooms."
"So──are we getting more people at the yashiki soon?"
"Well...that depends on you, Master."
"On me, huh."
Yeah, they all came here from 'outside.' In other words, whether we bring in more live-in maids is my call. Guess that's what they want... out of some kind of kinship?
(Honestly, we've got more than enough people as it is. Even having extra hands feels pointless... especially with kids, they'd just slow everyone down. Unless──wait, is that the reason?)
Maybe they're just bored. Babysitting probably seems like something to do, a way to kill time. Yeah, I could see it. Sure, maybe there's some sympathy, maybe a sense of kinship, wanting to take someone in... No, hold on a sec.
"..."
"Master? What's wrong? Is it your body again...?"
"No, I'm fine. Seriously... I'm okay."
"But..."
"More importantly... right, could I get something light to drink? My stomach's still off, need to wash out the taste. And give me a book──I want to rest and read."
"...Understood."
There's no universe where Madoka can refuse me──never has been. She doesn't look thrilled, but stands up, polite as always. The faint ring of her bells makes me wince. I open my mouth again, tacking on another request.
"About the kid..."
"Yes?"
"I'll think about it. Seriously."
"..."
She bows, way cheerier than before, then heads out. I wait till her presence is gone, check the room──nobody else. I let myself sink into the futon, staring at the ceiling. And then...
"Doesn't any of this seem weird...?"
That nagging doubt──so obvious, so ordinary. I just rolled along, didn't even notice. It's embarrassing how I skipped over it, like some clueless rich kid──or worse. Because, seriously... isn't it?
"Master, your tea. And... I brought some sweets too. If you want, you can have a little."
"I'm glad to find you awake. You asked for some books──I picked out a few. ...If you like, I could read aloud for you?"
My thoughts keep spinning in circles until Madoka comes back, Meguru in tow. On the tray: green tea with just a touch of honey, warabi mochi. Meguru hugs a stack of books, offering them. That deep jangle from Madoka's bells is grating to hear.
"I'm not a kid, I can read by myself."
I give a fake smile, sip the warm tea, something gentle on my stomach. I keep my doubts to myself. Some things shouldn't be said...
"'A Tale of Power and Slavery in the Horse Stable (Umaya Reitan)'? Never heard that one."
I pick up one of the books someone brought in, mumbling to myself as I check the title. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot the two maids waiting──then flop dramatically, waving the book around to open it at the headline.
"Oh, come now, that's hardly proper."
"This is my estate, remember? I can do what I want. You got a problem with that?"
"Really now!"
Meguru nags, but I brush her off. I start reading just the way I like── except it's just a cover. Beneath the book's shadow, I let my thoughts wander. No one can see my face like this. Exactly as planned.
...
So? Where does all this stuff in the estate come from, anyway? The tea, the snacks... where are they even getting the ingredients? When do they sneak this stuff in?
Actually──hold on. Where even is the front door to this estate?
"...Heh. What is this thing──a horse monster? Is this supposed to be some kind of ghost story?"
A ghost story... I really, really hoped this estate wasn't one.
"...Master's acting weird again."
"Suspicious again, huh? Seriously, how many times is this now...?"
"Calm down, everyone. We know the drill by now. Besides, they're slow to catch on this time... so we've got plenty of time."
"Right. It's fine. Really. This time for sure... it'll be okay...!!"
"I don't want to go. Don't make me leave──I hate it out there. I don't want to go outside... I can't do it..."
"Hey, it'll be okay. They promised! Said we never have to go. We can stay forever!"
"Yeah... yeah, that's right. So it'll be fine. This time for sure... this time..."
"Stick to the plan. Careful, no mistakes──don't let your guard down. We're safe. Remember how we handled it before. Besides, time's on our side."
"Let's make it work this time. For us. All of us."
"Yeah. For our peace. For everyone's──salvation."
"Right. We have to make it until the next full moon, no matter what."
So...
"Within the cage, fold it, hold it tight, keep packing it in... until everything's mixed together. Everyone. Everything. All of it."
Sweet and sweet, the witch sang her spell...
Smiling Botan -> Smiling Botan
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