***READ THIS AFTER THE MAIN STORY AND EPILOGUES***
[These are the translated portions of light novel exclusive content. This takes place 20 years after the war ends. The light novel is framed as someone discovering Touri's diary and reading it. There are major spoilers in the first few volumes of the light novel for events that occur in future arcs.]
Part 1
[Start of Volume]
"Good evening, mister."
────In the dead of night, in a back alley.
The cold gleam of a gun barrel pressed against my throat.
I couldn't see the attacker's face.
Only the swaying black cloak and a pair of tightly pursed lips, faintly illuminated by the starlight, peeked out from under the hood.
Those were the words addressed to me, and I couldn't make out anything other than that it was a girl's voice.
However, I knew that the murderous intent directed towards me was genuine.
***
I was utterly exhausted that day.
The tasks dumped on me by the department head had kept me working late into the night.
…The "scoop" I had uncovered in Pashen was shelved by his decision.
A secret pact between the Sabbath and Austin. It's too dangerous a topic to expose.
Moreover, the sole source of this information is the testimony of a restaurant owner who had been murdered.
If it's true, it can't be reported and its credibility is low.
My interview in Paschen was a complete waste of time.
"Sedol, you really are useless!"
"…But it was you, boss, who ordered me to Paschen for the interview—"
"Don't talk back to me! You just needed to ask a few questions! Staying overnight was unnecessary!"
The boss was furious about the outcome.
He publicly berated me and increased my workload out of spite.
"I don't expect anything from you! At least do what you're told!"
"…"
"I marked you as absent without leave yesterday. Don't expect to get paid for it!"
Utterly drained by the boss' tirade, I stumbled back to the employee dormitory.
The only thing I enjoy doing these days is reading Touri Noel's diary before bed.
Reliving her wartime experiences and reflecting on them had become my reason for living.
This grueling daily grind is like heaven in comparison to what she endured. That mindset helped me carry on.
However, all things come to an end. I had already read 90% of her diary.
When I lose the purpose her diary gave me, will I still be able to endure these hard days?
***
"…Don't move."
"Huh?"
Lost in thought as I walked, I failed to notice the small assailant.
By the time I realized it, someone had already pressed a cold hunk of metal against my throat.
"Good evening, mister."
"…!"
"Could you give me a moment of your time?"
It was a cute, girlish voice.
Looking closer, a small figure cloaked in a hood was holding a dark, glinting iron object against me.
"…A gun?"
"Yeah, it's a gun."
The starlight of the dark night faintly illuminated the girl's eyes.
Never in my life had I been the target of an attempt on my life.
There's no way I could remain calm when a gun is suddenly pointed at my throat.
"Who… who are you?"
"And if I told you, what would you do after hearing that?"
Cold sweat broke out, dripping down my jaw. My voice cracked as I questioned the girl.
There's no one else around. There's no guarantee help will come even if I scream at the top of my lungs.
I decided to remain quiet and composed, observing the attacker's next move.
"I-I guess I'd beg for my life."
"Haa."
After a brief silence, the girl sighed in exasperation, still holding the gun to my throat.
"Begging won't help you, mister. If you want to survive, just be honest."
"Okay, got it. I've never once lied in my entire life."
"That's promising."
Though she spoke lightly, the muzzle of her gun didn't waver at all.
Keeping the barrel pointed at my throat, she continued in a tone that felt more like an interrogation.
"Now then, mister. Did you tell anyone about what you heard from Rove in Paschen?"
"Rove… the owner of that restaurant who was killed?"
"Yeah."
Everything became clear to me the moment she mentioned his name.
What I had heard from Rove—about the secret non-aggression pact between the Sabbath and Austin—was nothing less than a state secret.
That alone is reason enough for someone to want me dead.
"W-What are you talking about? The only thing Rove told me was how to make delicious soup."
"If you want to live, be honest. Didn't I already explain that to you?"
"…"
My heart won't stop pounding. The girl standing before me is a direct threat to my life.
She's here to silence me—to ensure my lips are sealed.
"Is this about the pact with the Sabbath?"
"Yeah. Did you tell anyone about that?"
"…Actually, I prepared a report and submitted it to the newspaper."
"I see. Who saw that report?"
"I think only the department head. He said, 'It's too troublesome to publish', and shelved it."
"A wise decision."
This girl is here to eliminate me because I knew about the secret pact.
That's why Rove was killed, and why a gun is now being pointed at me.
"Did you tell anyone else?"
"Well, uh…"
I might be killed when this conversation ends.
Considering that Rove was murdered, there's no reason for her to keep me alive.
What should I do?
How can I survive?
"There's one more person I told…"
"And who is that?"
"I-I don't know."
I desperately wracked my brain.
The only person I had shared Rove's information with was the boss.
But if I admitted that, she'd see me as useless and kill me on the spot.
"I vented about the whole failed investigation to another customer at a bar."
"…Which bar?"
"You know, the one near the station. I was drunk and ended up complaining to some random old guy."
I fabricated a person to try to buy some time.
I don't want to die in a place like this.
"He was a muscular man. His hair was a bit thin, but he had a full beard—"
"Hmm."
But before I could finish spinning my lie…
"I'm sorry, mister. You see, I'm very good at detecting lies."
"…"
"Why are you spouting such nonsense?"
She pressed the gun barrel against my jaw, her voice dropping to a menacing tone.
"The only person you talked to was your boss at Monthly Heart. Is that correct?"
"T-That's…"
"Now there's no doubt about it."
Her voice is cold.
A chilling voice devoid of hesitation, one capable of taking a life.
Overwhelmed by fear, my legs gave out and I collapsed to the ground.
"In that case, I have nothing more to say to you."
"W-Wait, please! Spare me—"
Still seated on the ground, I scrambled backward in a desperate attempt to escape.
The assailant showed no emotion. Her lips remained sealed as she nonchalantly aimed at my chest.
"Eh…?"
In the dim light, I looked up at the girl pointing the gun at me.
I caught a clear view of her face through the gap in her hood.
"Goodbye, mister—"
"…Touri?"
Shock, confusion, disbelief.
The one pointing a gun at me, preparing to end my life, is the one I have been searching for all this time.
"…What?"
"You… aren't you Touri Noel?"
From beneath the hood that had hidden her face, I saw the visage I had seen countless times in photographs.
A medic who was caught up in the war and is officially considered dead.
A girl with an expressionless face like a doll.
Touri Noel is standing in front of me, looking like she had stepped straight out of a photograph.
"Hey, mister…"
"What is it, Touri?"
Her gaze sharpened the moment she heard that name.
Eyes suddenly ablaze with fiery intensity fixated on me.
Her trembling voice carried an urgent question.
"Where did you hear that name?"
Part 2
[The structure is different in the LN. The volume opens with the start of WN chapter 64.]
[No date and time stated]
There is a term called "war crimes."
Its meaning slightly changes depending on the era and country in which it is used.
I remember that in my previous life in Japan, it was used to mean "an inhumane crime against peace that violates international law during wartime."
I have always felt a sense of discomfort with this term ever since my previous life.
Certainly, massacres and inhumane acts during war are unacceptable.
However, this way of saying it makes me feel like it gives the misleading impression that "war itself is not a crime."
In this world I was reborn into, the concept of wartime international law does not yet exist.
Just 10 years ago, both Austin and the Sabbath were riding horses and brandishing swords or spears as if it were normal.
In a war with that level of technology, it would have been impossible to massacre all of the enemy's citizens.
Therefore, the victors of the war were satisfied with just seizing the enemy's territories and treasures.
However, the widespread use of firearms has dramatically changed that assumption.
Humanity has now acquired the lethal power to easily massacre entire populations.
If no brakes are set on that lethal power, soldiers consumed by madness will mercilessly wipe out the enemy.
The people of enemy countries are to be violated and killed. That was the common sense of war until now.
***
I was dragged into a deserted alleyway where everything was pried out of me.
How I came across Touri Noel's diary in a border town.
How, for some reason, I had been named the recipient of her belongings.
And how I had been slowly reading through her diary.
"…Where is Touri Noel's diary?"
"Oh, it's in my room."
The assailant… or rather, the girl who I thought was Touri Noel, listened quietly as I spoke.
She seemed conflicted about pointing a gun at me.
"Mister. Your name is Sedol Weber, correct?"
"Eh? Y-Yeah."
"…I see. That explains it."
And what does that explain?
She let out a small sigh and muttered:
"So you're 'Sedol-kun?'"
She narrowed his eyes and said regretfully.
"That's the first time anyone's called me that since I was a child. Have we met before?"
"Well, who's to say?"
She spoke as though she knew me.
Could she really be Touri Noel?
If she is, then I have so many questions I want to ask.
Why had she entrusted her belongings to me?
What were those fragments of childhood memories where she had doted on me?
And why have I forgotten about her?
The answers to the mysteries that had consumed me were standing right before me.
"P-Please. Tell me, what kind of relationship did you have with me…?"
I pleaded with the girl who I believed to be Touri.
I was overwhelmed by emotions that refused to be held back.
"Haa…"
But she didn't respond. Instead, she raised the gun toward me again.
Her eyes are cold and emotionless.
"W-Wait! Please don't shoot!"
"I'm sorry. I'm afraid I can't let you live."
There's no hesitation in her eyes.
However, she had a sad look on her face.
"…As a public servant, I must eliminate those who know the secret. Especially someone in the media. Letting you go would be unforgivable."
"I-I swear I won't tell anyone. I'll take it to my grave. Please—"
"This is for the future of Austin. …We must erase the humiliation of 20 years ago."
The assailant muttered that as if to make an excuse.
"I never imagined that I'd have to kill a relative at this age. Even though we're not related by blood."
She made the sign of the cross in the air toward me.
"Touri, please…"
"I have nothing to talk to you about."
Looking into her eyes, I knew my fate.
I'm not going to make it out of this.
It's clear. Her decision to shoot me is final.
"Then before the end, could you at least tell me… what is my relationship with you, Touri Noel?"
"…Hmm?"
So, I decided to ask her again.
I had always wanted to know the truth about my relationship with Touri.
It felt like something important, something I shouldn't have forgotten.
After all, even though I was about to be killed, just looking at her face made me feel an overwhelming sense of nostalgia—
"That's strange, you really don't remember? This isn't some kind of trick, is it?"
"I'm embarrassed to say that I don't remember anything. It's like there's a fog in my mind, and I can't recall anything."
"…It doesn't feel like you're stalling. It really looks like you've forgotten. …It can't be helped."
The girl who seemed to be Touri Noel hesitated for a moment.
Then, her face softened just slightly.
"Alright then, I'll tell you a story from the past. As a keepsake for the afterlife."
Still pointing the gun at me, she began to speak about what I wanted to know.
"Yes, Sedol-kun. Do you know someone named Bern Valou?"
Bern Valou.
That name is written in her diary.
Part 3
[Starts after WN Chapter 64. Also, Touri calls Sedol, "Sedol-kun" in the WN.]
Bern Valou.
A name known to every Austin citizen.
He rose to prominence after the Sylph Offensive, becoming a brilliant strategist who supported Austin during the war with his ingenious tactics.
Many hailed him as a national hero, but there are also records showing that he was involved in various war crimes, including the massacre of civilians, looting, and water source contamination.
At the time, the concept of war crimes didn't exist, which is why he was never held accountable.
However, Bern did have the awareness that his actions were "evil."
[This section is the second part of the start of WN chapter 64]
"I am a villain. But I was the villain that Austin needed."
These are the words of Bern Valou, published in a certain newspaper article.
He reportedly spoke proudly with a smile as follows:
"It was extremely enjoyable to deceive and kill people. The immense sacrifices caused by my strategies gave me the greatest pleasure."
"…Are you saying you enjoyed killing people?"
"Exactly. No, I know that without you telling me. That's a very evil thing."
He confessed without any remorse that he enjoyed killing people to the newspaper reporter.
"But no matter how much of a villain I am, the people of Austin cannot blame me. Because the Austin military wanted an excellent commander, and I just happened to meet that need."
"…What does that have to do with you enjoying killing people?"
"Don't you get it? Let me give you a sports analogy. Who do you think makes a better player: someone who hates football or someone who loves it?"
Bern himself was aware of his abnormality: "If there had been no war, I would have hidden my abnormality and lived the rest of my life as an ordinary person who was just a little bit smart," he said on another occasion.
But, in reality, war occurred, and he entered a military academy and became a staff officer.
The times and war led Bern to act as an abnormal person.
"I had the talent to be a villain. The war, and the country, demanded that I be a villain."
"…"
"This is the reason why war must be avoided. War is something that glorifies villains like me."
He had common sense. He had the judgment to know right from wrong.
But, even knowing all of that, he chose to become a villain.
Because he realized that otherwise, he could not save the country of Austin.
There is no doubt that Bern Valou was a patriot who cared deeply for his country.
His actions were always for the good of his country, and at times he undertook daring operations even at the risk of his own life.
From this, later generations believe Bern is not someone who was initially a psychopath with a broken personality, but rather someone who broke and became a psychopath.
He is seen as a tragic hero who bore the evils of the era due to his war achievements and words.
***
"That's the Bern Valou I know."
"I see. So that's how you see him."
I love history, especially modern history, which I majored in when I was a student.
But when it comes to Bern Valou, most citizens of Austin would likely answer the same.
That's how well-known he is. The people of Austin have Bern Valou to thank.
"I'm disgusted."
"Eh?"
However, the girl who appeared to be Touri clicked her tongue in disgust upon hearing my answer.
"He's not that kind of noble person."
"…"
"You're saying he was burdened with the evil of the times? Took the blame for the sake of his country? Don't be stupid. He is an extremely evil man who used the war as an excuse to indulge in massacres and pleasure."
She spat those words out, denouncing the hero Bern Valou.
It's rare to hear an Austinite speak so ill of him, a man who had saved our country.
…And yet, she spoke as if she had met him personally.
"Then… What do you know about Bern Valou?"
"Well, a lot of things."
She placed a finger to her lips and hesitated for a moment before saying:
"Let me tell you, Sedol-kun. The reason you're going to be killed is because of that Bern Valou."
"What?"
"He's an evil person. A staunch patriot who loves war, a sadistic murderer with no humanity. If his actions appeared noble, it was only the preparation for even more depraved acts."
"…"
"To Bern, his comrades and subordinates were nothing more than pawns who helped him kill more people. Day and night, he sought out people to satisfy his desires."
The tone of the girl's voice lowered a notch as she spoke.
Her eyes were staring into the distance, filled with a deep resentment.
"…Touri Noel's diary also said Bern Valou is a bad person."
"Hmm?"
"So you really are…"
With a look of intense hatred, the girl aimed her gun at me.
Her disgust towards Bern Valou is shared with Touri Noel.
"You… who are you?"
"…"
But for me…
I don't want to believe that the girl before me, with that distorted smile of madness, is Touri Noel.
"Do you hate Bern Valou?"
"Yeah."
Is she really Touri?
If so, why had she become so twisted?
What is the relationship between her and Bern Valou?
─────From memory, I recalled Touri's mention of Bern in her diary.
Part 4
[Starts after WN Chapter 66]
"Bern Valou's malice has not yet disappeared. It continues to smolder and is about to unleash a great disaster."
Hatred. What flashed in her eyes was a fiery passion filled with anger.
I froze involuntarily from the sheer intensity of her words.
"I know that Bern Valou committed acts of cruelty during the war, but didn't the Sabbatian Army do the same?"
"No. His malice is not something so trivial."
She smiled slyly at my question.
Her smile was cold and eerie, like that of a fox's.
"Something very convenient for Austin happened during the war with Sabbath. A huge incident that made it impossible for the Sabbath to continue the war."
"…The Sabbatian Revolution?"
"Yes. The Sabbatian Revolution that involved most of the Sabbatian people and resulted in an unprecedented number of deaths."
She continued speaking while swinging the barrel of the gun playfully as if mocking me.
I couldn't help but feel anxious about the gun accidentally going off.
"The war dragged on and the people's dissatisfaction eventually exploded. As a result, the people of Sabbath split into the White Army and the Red Army, and a bloody civil war ensued."
"I heard it was the worst year in Sabbatian history."
"Bern Valou pulled the strings behind the scenes in that civil war."
I gasped at her words.
Bern Valou controlled the Sabbatian Revolution from behind the scenes. Is that possible?
The death toll from the Sabbatian Revolution exceeded several million. It wasn't some minor wartime atrocity.
"Bern Valou was connected to the leader of the Sabbath's Workers' Council and supported the revolution."
"If that's true, it would shake history to its core… How do you know such a thing?"
"I'm just in a position to know… Unfortunately, I can't provide any solid evidence, though."
There's no concrete proof to show a connection between Bern and the Sabbath's Workers' Council.
But it's entirely plausible. With someone like Bern Valou, who wasn't averse to "evil," it wouldn't be surprising if he were involved in such a thing.
"…Ah!"
At that moment, I remembered something from Touri's diary.
That's right. The mysterious woman Touri had been introduced to by Bern. The one Bern referred to as "Remi."
"What's wrong, Sedol-kun?"
"I see, the 'Remi' that was written in that diary is Remi Ulyakov, the leader of the Workers' Council!"
────Remi Ulyakov. The first leader of the Workers' Council, and the woman who led the Red Army during the Sabbatian Revolution.
However, her true nature is that of a broken, peace-obsessed fanatic who would not hesitate to commit murder for her cause.
She sought peace, loved equality, hated war, and would not hesitate to use terrorism to slaughter even women and children if her opponent was someone in power.
Her radical ideology gained support from the poor, and looting and murder became rampant under the guise of revolution.
As a result, the Sabbath rapidly lost power and became significantly weakened.
At the time, Remi was likely hiding in a village near the border to escape the eyes of the Sabbath's police.
She was pursued as a dangerous ideological criminal by the Sabbatian government due to her high level of influence.
It's believed that local nobles and merchants lent their power, but perhaps it was actually support from Austin.
Armed with weapons, Remi returned to the Sabbath, and she believed peace would never come as long as the bourgeoisie held power.
She attacked government officials, aristocrats, and merchants who supported the war.
Many people lent their strength to Remi's revolution.
Her voice was like a drug melting the minds of those who heard her speeches, and once they did, everyone became her captive.
She overthrew the nation of the Sabbath with her extraordinary charisma.
"It's in Touri's diary. There is a note in it that says that Remi Ulyakov and Bern Valou were on rather friendly terms."
"..."
In other words, what she said about Bern is not a lie, but the truth.
Touri had unknowingly become an accomplice in an unimaginable evil.
"Wait. Wait a moment, please. What exactly did it say in Touri Noel's diary?"
"Huh? Oh, right. It says that Remi Ulyakov had tea with Bern Valou and Touri herself."
"…What?"
"That's right, your story must be true—"
fell silent before I could finish my sentence.
The girl in front of me, who resembled Touri, appeared to be shaken.
"I-Is that true? That Remi Ulyakov and Bern Valou's connection is written in the diary?!"
"Ah, yeah."
"If that's true, it's extremely valuable as evidence! No, but why was Touri Noel at such a meeting? She should have just been a medic…"
Seeing her panic, I realized that this girl isn't Touri.
She would surely know the contents of the diary if she were the real person.
They look almost identical, certainly a perfect match. But upon further thought, she's too young.
"…Sedol-kun, please take me to your room immediately."
"Why?"
"I need Touri Noel's diary. If what you've said is true, that diary holds immense value."
The girl, who resembled Touri, breathed heavily and ordered me to comply.
…She pointed the gun at me with trembling hands.
"There may no longer be any need to kill you depending on the circumstances."
"Really?"
"The diary could be the crucial evidence I've been searching for all along. Please."
Her attitude changed drastically after I told her about the content of Touri's diary.
She lost her composure, glaring at me with eyes full of intensity.
"Alright. I'll guide you and give you the diary."
"Okay."
This girl had said she would kill me "as a public servant."
But perhaps she had another, more important goal beyond her job.
"Then, can I turn around and pick up my bag? My house key is in it."
"…Fine. I don't mind."
I spoke to her while she still had the gun pointed at me and picked up my bag.
I don't know her situation, but maybe I can survive after all.
Let's just act obediently.
"By the way, can I ask you one more thing? How should I address you?"
"…Ah, I didn't introduce myself, did I?"
Still, she's emotionally unstable at the moment.
I don't want to be shot just because I said the wrong thing.
I asked for her name in a casual manner in an attempt to calm her down.
"That's right. Please call me Iris."
"Iris. Got it."
Iris thought about it for a few seconds before giving her name.
…It's probably a fake name.
***
I led Iris toward my room in the company dorm.
Fortunately or unfortunately, I didn't run into anyone along the way.
"…Isn't your room too dirty?"
"I'm so busy with work that I don't really have time to clean up…"
The gun remained aimed at me along the way.
But it felt like Iris's killing intent had dissipated.
It's like she's threatening me to prevent me from escaping.
"You should make a habit of keeping things tidy. You never know when you might have unexpected guests."
"My bad. I never expected that an attacker would be barging in.
"Fair enough."
Iris didn't react to my sarcasm. She just kept glaring at me expressionlessly.
"If you'd put down that gun, I'd treat you like a guest and offer you some wine and cheese."
"If I wanted wine and cheese, pointing the gun at you would be the quicker way to get it."
"That's just robbery."
Iris pressed the barrel of the gun firmly into my left side with cold eyes.
"Shut up and bring me that diary. I'll shoot you if you say anything else."
"Yes, yes."
Following her orders, I went to the back of the room and picked up the diary lying on the bed.
Iris stayed rooted at the entrance, never lowering the gun the entire time.
"Here. Touri's diary."
"…It's in poor condition. It's filthy with sand and dirt."
"It's an excavated item. Be careful not to tear the pages when you open it."
"Which page mentions Bern Valou?"
"Toward the very end. I just read it recently."
I handed the diary to Iris without resistance, keeping my hands raised as I backed away with a faint smile.
"…Do you have any other belongings left behind by Touri Noel?"
"Nope, that's all there is."
Her business should be done now.
I've cooperated this far. Surely there's no reason for her to harm me further. At least I hope so.
"…Since I've done what you asked, how about letting me off now?"
"…As promised, I'll hide you."
"Hide me?"
Iris, now holding the diary, seemed intent on keeping her promise not to kill me.
But "hide" is a rather unsettling word to hear right now.
"What exactly would you be hiding me from?"
"The state. You've been accused of violating Confidentiality Laws. There's an execution order on you. If I don't report that I've 'killed' you, the pursuit will never stop."
"H-Hey, hold on a second…"
After saying that, Iris made a mischievous face and continued.
"I'm part of that pursuit—the Special Police. Think of it as a state-run organization tasked with rooting out spies and carrying out executions."
"…Such an organization exists? Then I can't go back to my old life?"
"Don't worry. Your execution order will likely be revoked once Bern's evil deeds are exposed. You just need to endure until then."
Iris happily tucked Touri's diary into her bag.
She finally lowered the gun she'd kept aimed at me and slid it into the holster at her hip.
"It's good that you were cooperative. Even though you're that woman's adopted child, I didn't want to kill my brother."
"Wait, what?"
"You probably didn't know this, but I'm your sister-in-law."
"Whaaaaat!?"
"As a gesture of sibling goodwill, I'll take care of you for a while."
Iris said this with a smile as she grabbed my hand.
"Be sure to carefully decide what you want to take with you. You won't be coming back."
After that, we started going through my room together.
Iris decided to take most of the valuables in my room as "compensation for the trouble I'd caused."
According to her, "minor theft under the guise of evidence collection can be overlooked."
The Special Police are nothing but a gang of rogues.
"Still, Iris being my sister…"
"Are you surprised?"
I'm an adopted child. When I was young, my current mother picked me up and we became part of the family.
There's no contradiction in Iris being my sister.
That said, I had never heard anything about having a sister from my adoptive mother until now.
"At least let me take this replica gun from the World War era."
"No. It would be highly suspicious if something so distinct disappeared after an attack. If it's something valuable, I can claim I confiscated it, but not this."
"What about my favorite set of historical novels?"
"Leave them behind."
Every time I tried to take something precious to me, Iris shot me down with a disapproving glare.
…According to her, I had to leave anything behind that would seem strange to be missing.
I feel like crying.
"What about my letters?"
"What would you do with them? The dead don't write back."
Fair point, but I at least wanted to take my cherished letters with me.
I opened the mailbox with a feeling of giving up.
"Hey, don't touch today's delivery or your survival will be compromised."
"Just say you were the one who rummaged through it."
I don't have a lover, but I have important friends and family.
If I can't go outside for a while, I want to take letters like these as comfort.
That's why I decided to take out the mail.
"…Hey, Iris."
"What is it?"
─────I suddenly felt dizzy.
Why is this letter here?
"Is it okay to open this envelope? It arrived this morning, but I haven't read it yet."
The sender's name is written on the back of the plain envelope.
It's small, rounded, and humble handwriting.
"Can't be helped. Fine, I'll just say I went through it."
"Oh, thank you."
My heart skipped a beat the moment I saw the sender's name.
I forgot that my life was being targeted and instinctively grabbed the letter.
"…What are you so excited about?"
"Look, see for yourself."
Iris looked suspicious at how elated I was.
I held up the envelope that had arrived this morning as if to show it off to her.
"A letter from Touri Noel."
The sender's name on the envelope is written as Touri Noel.
"What?"
"I'm not lying. Look."
I showed Iris the envelope.
I was so excited and shaken that I felt like I might lose my mind.
"…Are you an idiot?"
"Huh?"
"Touri Noel is surely dead."
However, in contrast to my heart racing uncontrollably,
Iris sighed and gave me a cold look.
"She… I heard that Touri Noel was killed in the World War."
"That's not true. It might be recorded that way, but she's still alive."
"That can't be the case."
No matter how hard I try to convince her, Iris doesn't believe me.
She looked at me with an expression of disbelief.
"You seriously believe this is a letter from Touri, Sedol-kun?"
"Yeah, I'm not lying."
"Then why don't you hurry up and open the envelope?"
I opened the envelope with trembling hands at Iris' urging.
Inside, there was a letterhead and several old, worn-out photographs.
"Hey, Iris. Look at this."
"What now?"
I showed Iris the photos with shaking hands.
In the photo, Touri Noel is wearing a pure white dress and holding a bouquet of flowers in her arms.
She's smiling happily and waving her hand towards the camera.
It's a heartfelt smile that I've never seen in any of the previous photos.
"This is Touri after the war…"
And behind her, there was a clear image of a victory parade held in Winn after the end of the war.
"Look, Touri wasn't killed in battle."
"…"
"She's alive. She survived the hardships of the war and lived happily ever after!"
I was so excited that I grabbed the photo and rejoiced.
I forgot that I was about to be killed and burst into tears of joy.
"Right, the letter. The letter says, what does it say…"
I quickly moved on to the next page and checked the contents of the letter, which appeared to be from Touri Noel.
The letter is short.
It's written in a rounded, somewhat familiar handwriting:
────Come back home once you've finished reading the diary. I'll tell you everything.
"Whoa…!!"
I read the letter and trembled in awe.
She, Touri Noel, is alive and wants to meet me.
How could something this amazing be happening?
"…You're an idiot."
"…!"
I was so excited that my mind went blank.
When I regained my senses, I saw Iris—the assailant—directing murderous intent at me.
"There's no way that woman is alive. If she is, she must be killed."
"Iris…?"
"She's a woman who can't be left alive. An enemy of Austin."
Her attitude is strange. The confidence she had earlier was gone, and her face is pale with beads of sweat dripping down.
"────My mother is supposed to be dead!"
She screamed that with a voice full of hatred.
***
The next day.
"Heya. Did you wait, darling?"
"…"
Iris, the girl who claims to be Touri Noel's daughter, is clinging to my left arm as we walk.
"Come on, let's go quickly."
"Ah. Right, honey."
At the same time, I felt a cold metallic sensation.
A handgun is hidden in her handbag.
────She would be able to shoot me at any time if I tried to run.
"…You look very stylish today. That black hat suits you well."
"I'm finally going to say hello to Darling's parents' house. It's something to get excited about."
Today, Iris is wearing a black hat with a floral corsage and a sexy outfit with an open neckline.
…But the only sexy thing about it is the clothing, which I feel doesn't suit her petite body.
Of course, I didn't say this out loud because I might get shot.
"Our train leaves from Platform 5, right? It's almost time to depart."
"Then let's hurry."
I am now walking on the train station platform.
It felt like I was walking with a cute fiancée to greet my family.
"That's right. We'll be in big trouble if we miss the train."
Of course, that was Iris's order. She had taken control of my life and death.
***
After learning that Touri is still alive, Iris dragged me into a house (hideout?) I didn't recognize.
"The situation has changed. Take me to your family home."
"…"
"If Touri Noel is alive, I must kill her. …If you don't comply, I will kill you as originally planned."
Iris smiled at me.
…Her eyes were harsh, dark, and cloudy. I felt a clear murderous intent towards Touri.
────If Touri Noel is alive, I can't let her be killed.
I must escape from Iris somehow. I need to return to my family home first and warn my adoptive mother and Touri to run away.
I continued looking for an opportunity to escape after being dragged into the hideout.
But then…
"…What's this room?"
"This is the playroom. Sounds like a fun room, right?"
The basement room she gave me is apparently a place for interrogating prisoners. It was filled with torture devices.
"Please don't try to escape. Tonight, I'll be putting my best efforts into cooking a homemade meal for you."
"Thank you, I'm looking forward to it, Iris. By the way, what's that… jagged metal item?"
"I can let you try it if you're curious. I'll use it if you try to escape."
As she said that, she clacked something that looked like scissors with blood stains on them.
…The rebellious spirit inside me disappeared in an instant.
***
With no chance to escape, I ended up traveling with her by train.
It's my first time traveling with a girl. If possible, I would have preferred a more enjoyable trip.
"I've got reserved seats for two."
"Thanks."
Iris had secured a private compartment for nobles.
She placed her bags on the empty seats and sat next to me.
"…It's amazing you were able to get such a seat so soon after yesterday."
"It's because I have money and power."
Saying that, Iris pulled out Touri's diary.
She also seems to be planning to read the diary.
"My right hand is occupied with the gun. You'll have to turn the pages for me, darling."
"Alright, alright."
Iris continued pressing the gun against me beneath her coat.
Unable to resist, I carefully turned the pages of the diary.