Blood Princess, Kill them All

Blooming Memories

A few years back, Cassy used to visit the Pulcherrima family mansion in the capital city on multiple occasions. She attended the same school as Francis, whom she viewed as her rival, albeit a one-sided rivalry.

Francis, being two years older, had the reputation for being a genius. People would say things like, “Her intellect can foresee the future!” And it made Cassy feel a bit inadequate, despite her own impressive grades.

Everyone just assumed that with Francis in the picture, the future of the Orvis Kingdom was in safe hands. Francis received all the praises and appraisals, but Cassy was irked by her modesty.

“Francis, I happened to stumble upon the grades from two years ago, and guess what? I actually topped you in this subject, remember?”

“Well, that was ages ago. Here, have some tea.”

Gulps “Huff! Are you insinuating that I should’ve surpassed you by now?”

“I wonder. Here, grab a snack.”

Munches “Alright, pour me another cup of tea.” Gulps gulps “Phew… Anyway, I emerged victorious back then!”

“Congratulations, Cassy.”

“Thanks… But seriously, Francis, how come you’re not feeling even a tiny bit frustrated?”

“Why should I be frustrated when my talented junior is giving her best?”

“Always playing the wise senior role… Ugh, mark my words, next time I’ll definitely bring you down!”

That’s how the story went. It seemed that Francis considered Cassy a friend, and in her own quirky way, Cassy had grown quite fond of Francis—or at least that’s how Mary saw it.

Through their connection, Mary had also gotten to know Cassy.

“Mary, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask,” Cassy piped up through the monitor.

“What is it?”

“I’m curious, when did you figure out that Mr. K was actually me?” Cassy asked, looking a bit dissatisfied as she propped her chin on her hand.

“Right from the beginning, you were a strong candidate. Marjoram Technology could definitely pull off building a facility like this.”

“Well, I suppose that makes sense.”

“The weapons and equipment being used are top-notch, and I noticed subtle design elements from Marjoram. I’m guessing you want to gather real combat data from all this, right?”

“Correct. The recent border skirmishes with the kingdom’s army have calmed down, and it’s turned into a staring contest. Simply handing the tech over to the military wouldn’t provide the data I need, so I need people like them.”

“I see… Also, the name Mr. K is quite conspicuous. You’ve made deliberate efforts to conceal your gender, even using a voice changer. I have to say, the deep voice doesn’t really suit you. But, Cassy, it seems like you’re not exactly putting in much effort into hiding your identity either.”

“Well, Jasam already figured it out too.”

“You know that, and yet you’re still going along with all of this?”

“They understand that without funding, they can’t carry out their operations. They know they’re being used, but they’re also determined to make the most out of me.”

After hearing Cassy’s words, Mary’s expression darkened. If emotions could solve everything, the gaping divide between nobility and commoners would have disappeared long ago. No matter how they struggled, it was precisely because they were powerless that this organization had come to be.

Cassy understands that they can never rise above being mere pawns of Marjoram. Well, Jasam might have realized it too, to some extent.

Still, in a desperate bid to hold on to hope, they seem to convince themselves that as long as they have the right mindset, they can escape. Or perhaps they willingly play along to preserve their “home” for the members.

“Do you despise me?” Cassy asked.

“Absolutely.”

“Wow, that’s pretty harsh. But it is what it is. Even if I were to stop, no one would be happy.”

Breaking free from Marjoram’s influence also meant the collapse of the Riverta Liberation Front. The members would be left adrift, with no place to call their own.

“That might sound like a reasonable argument, but—”

“Mary, I know it’s just a convenient excuse, but all we’ll end up with is more pointless arguing if we keep going.”

“Alright, I get it. Let’s drop it for now.”

“Yeah, that’s wise. Anyway, Mary, let me ask you someting,” Cassy said.

“Is it about… my sister?”

Mary’s somber tone confirmed Cassy’s suspicions. Nevertheless, she wanted to hear the truth directly. “Is it true that Francis is dead?”

“Yes… After she freed me from the prison, she was killed by an Arcana user,” Mary replied with a sour look.

Cassy gritted her teeth, struggling to contain her overwhelming emotions. However, she couldn’t hold them back any longer, bowing her head and shaking it from side to side. “It’s unfair… running away like a coward…”

No tears escaped her eyes, only because she fought to hold them back. Mary looked at Cassy, her own eyes filled with sorrow as she watched Cassy’s grief-stricken expression.

“The one who killed her… you mentioned it was an Arcana user?” Cassy asked, a hint of curiosity in her voice.

“Yes, the Hermit Arcana user named Magrat. He’s a tall, lean man with a face covered in tattoos and piercings. It turns out, he was hired as an assassin by Dugan—”

“Oh, where is he now?”

“I killed and devoured him.”

“I-I see, you’re the Death God… Then Francis…?”

“Yes, she’s now a part of me,” Mary said, placing her hand on her chest and gripping her dress tightly.

“Together, we’re going to kill Dugan. He won’t get away with it, not under any circumstances. I’ll make sure he suffers, twists him up so much until he doesn’t even recognize himself anymore!” Mary’s eyes gleamed with madness as she declared.

Meanwhile, Cassy, appearing slightly calmer, responded in a flat tone after a brief pause, “Quite a frightening expression you’ve got there. You’ve changed, Mary. Could it be the Arcana’s influence?”

“I’ve no idea. I didn’t ask for this, but it’s proven convenient for seeking vengeance.”

“And that’s why you’re showing traces of Francis. Bloodlines can be quite intriguing.”

“Cassy, do you mind sharing what you know?”

“Well, it’s all about give and take, right? I’ll spill everything I can within the limits of what I can share.”

“Not everything, huh?”

“Don’t sweat the details.”

Cassy proceeded to recount the events leading up to Romeo’s demise.

“Two days before your engagement party, out of the blue, the King and Queen, along with Prince Edward, paid a secret visit to the Slaver territory.”

“The military wasn’t informed either?”

“No, they were left in the dark.”

“Which means Dugan willingly welcomed them.”

“That’s when the two parties struck some sort of secret deal. Killing you for the fabricated crimes was also part of the package,” Cassy revealed.

“I think the whole setup was pretty sloppy. It doesn’t seem like a meticulously planned operation.”

“And the involvement of an Arcana user was probably orchestrated by King Henry himself.”

“My father? But Lord Romeo said it was Dugan—”

“Heh, you still called Romeo ‘Lord.’ Your good upbringing is showing.”

“Ah… It’s just a habit.”

Romeo was already dead, and there was no point in correcting herself. But when it was pointed out, Mary felt a little embarrassed and quickly rectified, “Romeo said Dugan hired the assassin.”

“Haha, and you corrected yourself!”

“Don’t laugh!”

“Okay, okay. Yeah, you could say that Uncle Dugan hired that Magrat guy. But I don’t think it’s the whole story. I mean, if searching an Arcana user was a piece of cake for him, then every other big shot in the world would have an army of them. I reckon this whole ‘Arcana users at your beck and call’ situation was cooked up by your father, the king himself. And it seems like he’s got some shady connections.”

There were twenty known Arcana users in the world, with just two in the Orvis Kingdom’s military. The Slaver army had none.

Like Cassy said, if getting Arcana users on board was a breeze, they’d already be enlisted in the military. Even the royal army was dying to have them. So, how did they manage to summon Arcana users as if they were up for rent?

“Anyway, Marjoram and Duke Slaver have a business relationship, that’s for sure. However, without informing us, the Duke struck a secret deal with The King and even brought in an Arcana user from who-knows-where. And to make matters worse, they used poison gas that we had nothing to do with.”

“That poison gas?”

“Yeah, we did sell the power suits to Logan, but we had zero involvement in creating that poison gas. It’s probably the handy work of Pupa Industries—the small, insignificant company near the capital that the royal army seems to favor,” Cassy vented her frustration.

It was understandable why she felt that way. All this was happening behind the scenes, completely unbeknownst to the Marjoram family, despite Duke Slaver’s significant influence relying on Marjoram Technology.

“This… It’s Uncle Dugan’s betrayal against us, right?” Cassy’s voice turned icy and emotionless.

As Mary listened in through the speaker, a shiver ran down her spine. Yet, strangely enough, it brought her some sense of relief.

“If our goal is to crush Dugan, then I believe we can become allies,” Mary proposed.

“Hmm… Marjoram can’t make such a drastic move just yet, unfortunately. But I can offer my cooperation.”

“Why not?!” Mary’s frustration amplified her voice.

Cassy responded calmly, “Killing the Duke would create significant repercussions. It would require some coordination with the military and the nobility.”

“And once that’s sorted, it’s alright to kill him off anytime?”

“Sure, but give me a few more days.”

“You make it sound so simple. Cassy, do you even have a clue where Dugan is hiding?”

“What if I said I did?”

“Tell me then. I’ll go and take him out right away,” Mary’s words carried a commanding tone.

Cassy couldn’t help but chuckle. “Just as I thought.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!”

“That’s why I can’t disclose the information just yet. First things first, there might be some secret ‘escape routes’ that we’re unaware of. It seemed fishy how there were hardly any guards inside the facility.”

“Then we should act with even greater urgency!”

“Mary, calm down. Let’s start by cutting off any possible escape routes. Even if there are paths, if there’s nowhere to run, they’ll be trapped.”

“It’s frustrating to entertain the idea of taking the long way when there’s a golden opportunity to take him out like this…”

“You don’t even know how many Arcana users the enemy has. Mary, their plan to frame and kill you with the Hermit was sloppy. We should assume they’re prepared now, and there might be multiple Arcana users.”

“Even if a dozen more Arcana users appear, I’ll make minced meat out of them!”

“Even for you, it’s impossible to tackle multiple Arcana users at once. If you go down, it’s game over for us. Let’s play it smart and crush them one by one.”

“If we eliminate the escape routes, can I handle one Arcana user at a time?”

“Chances are slim that there’ll be a whole army of them. They’ve already lost the Hermit, so they’ll come at us with caution.”

“So while I’m fighting, you and the others will handle the arrangements after Dugan’s gone, is that it?”

“Exactly. You might not be as sharp as Francis, but you’re no slouch, Mary.”

“Of course! No one can surpass my sister!”

“Haha, you really have a sister complex,” Cassy couldn’t help but burst into laughter at Mary’s misplaced boast. However, a tinge of sadness washed over her as she realized that the person in question was long gone.

“I’ll send you the data on the hideouts that Dugan might be using,” Cassy said.

“Is there a possibility of interception?”

“Our facility is directly connected via a dedicated line, so there’s no need to worry about that. If there’s a leak, that means there’s a spy among us. Once you spot them, feel free to take them out and have a feast.”

“If they’re Dugan’s pawns, I won’t hesitate to do so.”

After concluding the meeting, Mary left the room. She approached Jasam, who was seated on a nearby bench, and discussed the details of the next operation. The team members gathered, and a meeting was held.

There were two targets for the assault: Dugan’s villa and the residence of Marquess Fidelis, who had a close association with him.

The team members was eager to team up with the princess, but considering the disparity in strength, Mary decided to infiltrate Marquess Fidelis’s residence alone. They felt a bit disheartened, but there was no time to dwell on it as the operation commenced immediately.

Before setting out, Mary checked on Ami’s condition and tenderly caressed her head. In response, Ami weakly opened her eyes and spoke in a feeble voice. “Princess… you’re heading out?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon.”

“Please be safe.”

“Thanks, Ami.”

Those words filled Mary with determination as she ventured outside.

Building up speed, she leaped high into the air, shooting out bone-like hooks from her wrists. She firmly latched onto the wall and swiftly raced through the city’s night landscape.