The Butler of the Villainess Has Returned

Chapter 25

Right after Kali joined Moonlight.

- Want to grab a meal together?

- ...Sorry, Asha.

- Is something troubling you?

- ...No.

- Sh-should I show you a magic trick!?

- ...Thanks, but I'm fine, Claudia.

She was always alone.

- It's fine, so don't worry.

To be precise, she chose to be alone.

Later, the reason for that became clear.

It was the day the Demon God Cult raided Academy Sion, and Kali was pierced in the abdomen in my stead.

- Captain!!

- It's okay. It feels like my insides have been blown open.

- It's really pierced through!

- Damn it, no wonder it hurts....

- Why did you step in!?

Kali, who was desperately trying to stop my wound from bleeding, eventually burst into tears.

- Everyone dies because of me....

That's why she avoided us.

- My mother, the village people.... Everyone died because of me....

Those she loved all died for her, and she was afraid we would too.

Back then, I....

What did I say?

2.

Undead.

A magic that breathes life force into the body of the dead and controls it according to the caster's will.

Although it was defined differently in each country, in the Hyperion Empire, it was classified as general magic.

Undead are merely corpses.

They only move according to the caster's will, and their self-awareness from life disappears, making necromancy akin to moving objects.

The Five-Colored Magic Towers defined magic related to the undead as follows.

A highly inefficient magic that consumes a lot of mana.

Among the Five-Colored Magic Tower Masters, the Black Magic Tower Lord was particularly regretful about it.

- If only the undead created could gain even a little intelligence.

However, it was an impossible task.

Corpses are merely corpses.

The dead are naturally silent.

"...Kal...li."

No, it was supposed to be that way.

"...Beautiful...my daughter...."

I couldn't comprehend the situation in front of me.

Though not decayed, it was blackened and dried up like a lifeless tree.

Every movement caused its hardened body to break, and black light flickered instead of eyes.

"Mother... will... surely... wake... you... up...."

At that moment, I realized.

- Mother woke me up.

The one who had pulled Kali out of her previous life was the undead moving before my eyes.

Thud.

The undead pushed Yuri aside and placed both hands on Kali's body.

"Kal...li...,"

Crack, crumble....

Due to the divine power lingering on Kali's body, its body crumbled even faster.

"You... must... wake...."

The undead shed tears.

To be precise, black flickering energy stretched out like tears.

It shook and pleaded for a long time.

"...Wake...up...."

Carefully, as if handling a small child, ensuring its withered body wouldn't harm Kali, treating her with utmost care.

Kali showed no response.

As if she were dreaming a good dream, she occasionally smiled faintly.

Click, clack.

The undead's jaw trembled.

"Ah.... Ahhh...!"

Lying on Kali's body, it began wailing with strange sounds.

"Please...!"

The undead knew as well.

The deeper one falls into false happiness, the easier it is to crumble when facing the truth.

It had to wake her up as quickly as possible and help her find genuine happiness.

However, it was impossible.

Because it was already dead.

Even though it had become an undead, for some reason, fragments of memories from its life remained.

It had been deceived by those Salvation Church bastards and had lost its entire home.

Because of the unknown medicine they threw into the well, everyone in the village fell ill.

In the end, I was the first to die.

The village people slowly followed, and the survivors were taken by the Salvation Church.

- Sub-Bishop! Could this be...?

- Contact the upper echelons immediately!

Fortunately, Kali was unharmed.

- There really are people with such constitutions....

- Shut your mouth.

- Yes! Should we confine her for now?

- The order is to persuade her.

- Ah.... How troublesome.

The Salvation Church approached Kali.

They tried desperately to take her, but Kali just hugged me and cried.

One of them asked.

- Is that your mother?

- ...Yes.

- But she's dead?

- No!!

Black smoke poured out.

- My mother is not dead.

Only then did I realize.

That the Salvation Church bastards had annihilated the village to obtain that.

While everyone was marveling, one of them smirked sinisterly.

- You know it too, right? She's dead.

- No...! She's not...!

Energy burst forth as if exploding.

He trembled in ecstasy at the energy, then widened his eyes and thrust his head forward.

- Want me to tell you how to save her?

That's how I became an undead.

- Mother...!

It was because of my daughter.

The joy of reunion was brief.

From then on, it was a chain of tragedies.

- Can you hear me, Mother?

- ....

- Please, hug me first....

- ....

When Kali, the caster, was awake, I couldn't move on my own.

I couldn't wipe her tears, stroke her hair, or even hug her as she liked.

- ...Ah....

Only when Kali fell asleep, intoxicated by false dreams, could I move on my own.

Even then, there were severe restrictions.

The moment she woke up, my body would freeze immediately, making it impossible to wake her properly.

If I somehow left a letter, the Salvation Church bastards would take it and tear it apart, and if I tried to escape to cause a shock, I was similarly blocked.

In the end, it was all because of me.

If I hadn't given birth to Kali with such a constitution, or at least if I had died without becoming an undead.

Kali would have escaped this place long ago.

- Just sleep for a while. I'll definitely save your mother. In the meantime, meet her in your dreams.

- ...Okay.

A promise without guarantee of salvation, and false dreams shown daily.

I am Kali's shackle.

Only if I disappear will everything end.

"Pre...tty. My daughter...."

I squeezed out a voice that wouldn't come out.

"Ple...ase. Be... happy."

The undead raised its fingernails.

Then scratched near the heart.

Tuk, tududuk....

My old, dried-up body slowly wore down, widening the hole.

If I destroyed the power near the heart that maintained my body, I would turn to ashes and scatter.

I already knew that the Salvation Church was watching this place.

From the day I realized that until now, I had been hiding and doing this secretly.

They wouldn't let me die.

Because then Kali wouldn't be able to escape either.

"...Hngh...."

Becoming an undead didn't mean I couldn't feel pain. The pain of digging into my flesh and the resulting fear were just as they were in life.

At such times, I lifted my head.

Because then I could see Kali's face.

The undead smiled.

"...My... belov...ed daughter...."

Mother might die today.

But in return, tomorrow you will wake up to truth, not lies.

Be sad.

And be in pain.

Use that pain as a nutrient to wake up sharply, and please escape this hell.

I'll bear the pain alone.

You live purely, just like when you were born.

The undead pushed its fingers deeply.

Tududuk, tududuk!

Even the bones that hadn't been ground broke, and the undead core beyond was felt.

It was almost over now.

It had been a grueling journey spanning years.

Now it was the end.

If I destroyed the falsehood that had replaced my heart, everything would end.

But my hand wouldn't move.

Please, please move.

If I stayed still like this, I would fail again because of the Salvation Church bastards.

There's nothing left to wish for.

You know this is the right thing to do.

But still, I couldn't move.

"...Hngh...."

A sob escaped.

Actually, I knew it too.

"...I don't... want to die."

I wanted to return to my original body.

I wanted to go back to when I was a 5th Circle Mage and escape this place with Kali.

I wanted to see Kali, who cried her eyes out even at the death of a small animal, grow up.

I wanted to help her find someone she loved, get married, and have a child who resembled her.

Someday, after organizing everything I had, I wanted to pass it all on to her, talk with her, and then close my eyes.

"Ha...ah...."

But it was impossible.

This body, which had become a low-rank undead, would soon face death.

Even if I had willpower left, I couldn't even have a simple conversation with Kali.

So this was right.

The undead's lips moved.

"...Be... happy."

The last words resembled a human voice more than an undead's.

Just as the undead was about to meet its end.

"I'm sorry."

A man's voice came from behind.

'Come to think of it....'

A memory of pushing someone away before Kali woke up and regained her senses came to mind.

Could it be the Salvation Church?

I turned my head in a hurry to face him.

It was Yuri.

He wore an expression as if he might cry any moment and bowed to the undead.

"...I'm really sorry for being late."

After finishing his apology, he lifted his head.

"I've come to save you."

This time, I hoped it wasn't too late.

3.

Kali fell asleep again.

Not in the bleak and dreary reality, but in a warm and cozy dream within a dream.

This place was a world promised with happiness.

Sweet scents, heavenly cloth gently wrapping her body, warmth spreading tenderly.

The dream within a dream was only a form, but it was several times happier than reality.

'When will you wake me?'

Kali hoped.

What kind of dish was made today?

After eating, will we take a walk around the village?

I hope I can be embraced in her arms again today.

It was the time I had been waiting for.

"Wake up, Kali."

Mother's voice woke Kali.

"Mmm..."

She rubbed her eyes and sat up.

"What's for breakfast today?"

"...."

"Mother?"

There was no response.

Immediately, anxiety swept over her.

"Mother!"

She hurriedly pulled off the blanket.

Jumping out of bed as if propelled, she walked toward the direction where the voice had come from.

"Huh...?"

Something was strange about the house too.

It wasn't the usual warm and bright house, but a dark one where hazy dust floated.

"Mother...!"

Tears burst out.

Wiping her eyes with her small hands, she wandered through the house endlessly, searching for Connie.

It was when she arrived at the room she had stayed in most often in reality.

"Kali...!"

Connie, who had approached unnoticed, hugged Kali.

"Ah... my pretty daughter...!"

At that moment, Kali realized.

"...Mother?"

That this wasn't a fake created by an illusion, but the real Connie left behind in reality.

The moment she realized that, Kali's appearance also grew into her real self.

"Are you really my mother...?"

Connie nodded.

Kali, as if she couldn't believe it, tugged at the hem of Connie's clothes.

"How...?"

"I'm sorry, daughter. I'm sorry for leaving you alone."

"Mother..."

The conversation ended there. The two of them hugged each other tightly and cried for a long time.

It was Kali who spoke again.

"Please... please, I hope this isn't a dream."

"It's still a dream for now."

Connie wiped Kali's tears.

"So let's wake up now."

"N-no!"

Then that would mean no one is here. Kali barely swallowed her words.

"No, I have to wake up."

But Connie was firm.

"It's time to wake up now."

Kali pleaded.

"Please, please, Mother...!"

She didn't want to be alone again. Even if it was a dream, she wanted to stay together forever.

"Don't worry, Kali."

Connie met Kali's gaze, who tried to avoid it, and somehow managed to smile.

"You won't be alone anymore."

The moment she faced the smile she had longed for.

Hwaak!

Kali woke up from the dream.