28 The Dolls' Counterattack
— 2X minutes after the operations meeting ended, Control Tower of the First District —
Ferris froze in place looking at the women before him. As the strongest healer, he could immediately tell that the women in front of him essentially had no desire to live.
In fact, even without Ferris's skill, this conclusion would be easily reached, as their eyes were still empty even after hearing Crush's speech, which was under the influence of the [Wrath] Archbishop's empathy ability.
"Why are you all alive?"
The communication mirror in Ferris's hand transmitted the voice of Shilphi, who was originally Regulus's 148th wife: "For us, living is a way of fighting. I used to live in a small mountain village with my family, just an ordinary girl.
To marry me, my husband killed my parents, siblings, neighbors, and even the villagers whose faces and names he merely knew. —His wives, every one of them, share the same experience."
Hearing this voice, the women who were standing blankly in place, staring at Ferris with empty eyes, showed a slight change. It was a glimmer of hatred, but even with the hatred that wished to slice Regulus into a thousand pieces, they still followed Regulus's will, remaining motionless in place.
"Everything in our lives was stripped away from us. If even the only life we have left is taken away, then our lives will truly be completely dominated by my husband."
Ferris noticed that even though she had been rescued, even though she had reclaimed her own name, and despite the distance, Shilphi still referred to Regulus as "my husband" in a trembling voice.
"That's so awful!"
Ferris voiced the thought in his heart. The behavior of Regulus's wives was heartbreaking, especially after knowing that their struggle ironically resulted in the invincibility of the Regulus they most hated.
—If they knew the truth, they would commit suicide without hesitation. Subaru has given me quite the challenge.
Ferris looked at the women before him. He could hear the huge sounds of battle outside, confirmed that none of the women in front of him wished to live, and understood the severe crisis the Water Gate City was facing.
"I leave this to you, Shilphi. I need to prepare first."
Ferris ultimately chose not to act forcefully, because Ferris had also lived in a terrifying hell, imprisoned and abused by his parents since birth. When he was rescued by Crush at the age of nine, he couldn't even speak normally with people.
Ferris was immensely grateful to Crush for saving him, and so, Ferris chose to follow the intention of Crush, who had sent him here. Of course, Ferris knew his words wouldn't be heard by them, but there was one person who could change their fate, and that person was Shilphi.
Ferris placed the communication mirror in front of the women, then walked to the woman on the far right who was still like a doll. Seeing the woman remain motionless even when Ferris used water magic, Ferris's expression grew even gloomier.
"Why did you come back? It would have been better if only you had escaped."
Looking at the familiar figure in the communication mirror, the tall red-haired woman closest to the mirror finally spoke up and asked.
"To defeat my husband."
"Defeat? Please don't make us laugh. You should know it makes no difference who comes. No one is a match for my husband."
The women showed expressions of confusion for the first time. It was because Shilphi was one of them that they were confused. Throughout the long time, there were bound to be heroes who wished to save them, but even Kurgan, once the Empire's strongest God of War, was easily defeated by Regulus. So they believed in Regulus's strength.
"Because we are in his [Kingdom], he is invincible."
"What does that mean?"
"My husband put his heart in the heart of the person he deems his wife!"
The women, who had been like statues, turned ashen. They began checking their heartbeats, and one woman fell to the floor and started dry heaving.
"I tried very hard, terrified of angering that man. I watched him run riot, constantly taking new women as wives... I protected the girls in the same situation as much as I could. All I could do for them was what the wives before me had done."
Shilphi showed a pained expression. Inheriting the will of the former wives to protect Regulus's later wives, to save their lives, she ultimately became Regulus's greatest accomplice.
This is why Shilphi, despite being extremely fearful and utterly disgusted, mustered her courage once again to persuade everyone. However, because Regulus could sense the condition of his wives within the [Kingdom], she could only use the communication mirror to persuade them now.
"No, it's not your fault. But I see. How ironic. If we were to use his words, it would be, 'Not even death can separate us,' wouldn't it?"
The wife lying on the floor finally recovered. She then picked up a shard from the Control Tower that Reinhardt had shattered with a trembling hand.
"I don't know how many times I thought of dying. Living like this can't even be called living. Rather than this, I'd rather see my deceased family... But if I die, his heart will probably just transfer to the next person, right? Because that man doesn't favor or obsess over any one person; he only loves himself.
Yes, that's right. Although I don't want to die... if this life can cause that man even a little pain... then my death won't be in vain... Please. Be sure to convey our wrath to that man."
The tall red-haired woman nodded, and then she too began searching for shards on the floor. All the women began searching for shards.
"Wait a moment."
—Use their own lives to get revenge on Regulus.
Shilphi understood their conclusion. If it were her past self, she would have come to the same conclusion, but she knew that the benefactor who saved her would definitely not want them to die alongside Regulus.
The action of risking their lives was halted by Shilphi's words. The women looked at Shilphi, and because she was once the shield that protected the wives, they chose to wait for Shilphi's next sentence. Shilphi also knew that this one sentence would determine the fate of 51 miserable women sharing the same plight.
"Don't you want to witness his downfall with your own eyes?"
The women's expressions twisted. Shilphi had accurately articulated their deepest desire.
"But..."
"Don't run away. To die is just fear, isn't it? Fear that your death will be meaningless to Regulus. Fear that the hope you finally gained will be shattered again. If you don't expect anything, you won't be disappointed. That's how we have always survived."
Every one of Shilphi's words struck the women's hearts. The women looked at her in silence.
"But is that truly okay? Is it really okay to die content in your own fantasy? That man trampled and violated our souls, and he hasn't even spared what's inside our bodies! Is running away like this truly okay?"
"Then what should we do? This isn't a fairy tale; there's no such good thing. Our hearts have become one; there can't possibly be a way to stop just one of them."
"It's okay! Ferris will help you, nya! Anyway, the worst outcome is better than suicide, nya!"