"Ugh…"
The female assassin wore a pained expression.
In her wounded state, facing a room full of undead servants exuding an aura of death, anyone would feel apprehensive.
If they had a core weakness, the female assassin might consider taking a gamble.
In fact, she knew of one.
These distorted demonic beasts were summoned by the Pale Rider. If she could defeat the Pale Rider, everything would be fine.
And the best way to defeat the Pale Rider was through the cruel truth that Jester had revealed to her when she was chasing him outside.
–Tsubaki Kuruoka is the source of the disaster.
–Only by killing her can the winds of calamity be dispelled from Snowfield City, and only then can the innocent be saved.
Even now, Jester was saying similar things:
"Assassin, do you really think they have a choice? Magi are the ultimate rationalists. In the end, they will choose to kill Tsubaki Kuruoka. After all, Assassin, that is the correct answer. Because this out-of-control bounded field will soon affect the area outside the bounded field…"
Jester's gaze swept over everyone present, his delight unmasked.
"Ah, the Executor you chose to cooperate with might kill Tsubaki Kuruoka before anyone else. That would be great! I would love to see you betrayed by your trusted companions, facing despair and anger!"
Unlike the female assassin, who glared at him with anger, Tsubaki looked bewildered.
Jester, whom she had considered a good friend, now wore a frightening and terrifying smile.
It was as if he had become a different person.
"Jester… what are you saying…? I don't understand… Big Sister and the others… why would they want to kill me…"
Tsubaki said in disbelief.
When she tried to run to Ciel and the others, the Kuruoka couple reached out and stopped her.
"Tsubaki, it's dangerous."
"That's right, it would be terrible if you got caught up in it."
The Kuruoka couple wore gentle expressions, as if the situation was the same as before, completely unaware that their gentle attitude was inappropriate for the occasion.
Moreover, they didn't care about Tsubaki's feelings.
The Kuruoka couple before her were just puppets.
They only had the thought of "protecting Tsubaki" in their minds, and there was no need to care about anything else.
But it was this incongruous situation that completely triggered the unease in Tsubaki's heart. She cried out with an expression that seemed about to burst into tears:
"Why! Aren't they Mr. Black's friends? Why are those monsters bullying Assassin Big Sister…"
Tsubaki's mind was in a whirl.
Her friend Jester's change, Assassin Big Sister's injury, and the rampaging skeletal monsters outside the window…
This massive amount of information made it difficult for her to think.
Especially hearing Jester say that Ciel and the others would kill her, Tsubaki couldn't accept it.
"Tsubaki, didn't I tell you? That Big Sister, they want to kill you. As long as you're alive, they'll be in trouble."
"Eh…?"
Jester wore that bright smile again.
However, the words that came out of his mouth were devoid of childish innocence, only the ugliness of a vampire tearing off his mask.
"You evil heretic! Shut up!"
Ciel couldn't help but take out her Black Keys.
However, the moment she made this move, the surrounding distorted demonic beasts also became agitated.
Looking at Tsubaki, who was on the verge of tears, a look of struggle flashed in Ciel's eyes. The current situation was one where moving one part would affect the whole.
Jester didn't mind making things worse: "Oh, right, right, whether it's Assassin Big Sister or this Ciel Big Sister, they're all doing it for their own good, planning to kill you, you bad girl."
"Kill me… why…?"
"You don't need to worry about it. You are the queen of this world, just do whatever you want. Don't you want to become a magician and have your mom and dad praise you? Don't worry, you can definitely do it, because I'm your companion."
Jester kept emphasizing the word "companion."
His purpose was to prevent the Pale Rider from seeing him as an enemy.
When Tsubaki wished to become a magician, the Pale Rider decided to defeat all the Masters and Servants.
The one providing magical energy to the female assassin now was Moran, not Jester. Precisely for this reason, the Pale Rider couldn't identify Jester's Master status.
Therefore, Jester wouldn't be seen as a target.
"I'm… a queen?"
"Yes, that's right. Those who have always envied you are planning to bully you. So Mr. Black has been protecting you so that you won't be bullied by those guys."
Jester was still using that set of deceptive methods.
However, this time he miscalculated.
It was true that Tsubaki Kuruoka was very young, and she could also be called a naive and romantic little girl.
But, there was one unfortunate thing.
Her naivety was built on her own pain.
Even if Jester emphasized that Tsubaki was omnipotent in this world and didn't need to worry about these things, Tsubaki still couldn't help but care.
Having suffered a lot of pain from her parents in the past, she could keenly sense the emotions of adults.
At this moment, she saw in Ciel and the others—
Worry, fear, apprehension, dread, anger…
These were all bad emotions.
The source of these seemed to be herself.
So, even if Tsubaki Kuruoka was naive and foolish, she vaguely realized one thing.
"So… I messed up again…"
Tsubaki lowered her head sadly.
She had seen these emotions on her parents' faces.
In the past, when she didn't meet her parents' expectations, they often showed such expressions on their faces.
Although this time her parents didn't blame her in any way.
But, seeing the injured female assassin, and Ciel and Father Hansa and others on guard.
She knew better than anyone that this was terrible.
Even Mr. Black's change was related to her. Tsubaki took all the blame on herself.
This child had become overly accustomed to bearing mistakes, even if the mistakes were not hers to bear.
She blamed herself more than anyone for the current situation.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry… Mom, Dad…"
Tsubaki kept suppressing the urge to cry.
She couldn't even lift her head.