Extra Story: Mariel’s Resolve
Lady Kaoru has left...
But there was nothing that could be done to prevent this. She has
fulfilled her duty here and departed to take on her next task to
destroy the enemies of the Goddess. I could never attempt to make
Lady Kaoru stay here just for my sake when she was on her way to
save so many others. She was the one who had saved me from being
deceived into marrying my uncle Aragorn after he murdered my
family, after all.
Lady Kaoru is a Goddess herself, not an Angel, as the world believes,
and the only ones who know of this fact, other than her five
companions, were my household and Baron Dorivell, who seemed to
be somewhat aware of it after being saved by her, though he hasn’t
said so in any official capacity.
Not only did she save me at the cost of revealing such an important
secret, she once again saved me when those with power sought to
put me on a pedestal as the beloved child of the Goddess and take
advantage of me. Even though I should have handled these incidents
personally...
Normally, the Goddess will only bring salvation once. Once the
Goddess departs after helping someone, it’s up to them to seize
happiness. But I... I am still able to continue using this ability to talk
to animals.
...I won! No, that wasn’t right. This wasn’t about winning or losing.
In any case, my position and safety were secured thanks to the
precautions Lady Kaoru had taken afterward. Those who heard about
a “little incident” at a certain count’s household and in the royal
palace wouldn’t dare demand I provide proof of being the beloved
child of the Goddess. Those events may have been concealed from
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the common people, but they were well known among aristocrats
and royalty. After all, since there was a possibility that one idiot’s
folly could destroy the entire country, it would have been pointless
to worry about the king losing face.
And everyone would surely think that the Goddess’s power is not
something one should seek to use, but rather is something to avoid
in order to prevent one’s own ruin. That certainly wasn’t incorrect.
Lady Kaoru has clearly said she would show no mercy to anyone who
means her or her loved ones harm...and she said to me, “Of course,
you’re one of those people who are dear to me, Mariel!”
Kyaaaaaa~!!! Haah... Haah...
But setting that aside. The Goddess of this world is, of course, Lady
Celestine. She is our protector and has warned us of great
catastrophes and defended us from impurities. ...She may not be one
who minds the details, and doesn’t seem to think too much about
each individual human, b-but she can be considered a benevolent
goddess. Yes, I think so...
But Lady Kaoru, a Goddess who descended to this world from
another realm, has shown her mercy and brought salvation to a
lowly girl like me, even though I surely must have looked like a
pathetic wretch among lower beings. The Goddess of this world,
Lady Celestine, sometimes saved humans on a whim, but was
completely uninterested in individual humans, so at times, she would
mass murde— I mean, deal with them somewhat harshly.
Comparatively, Lady Kaoru reaches out her hand to those who
struggle as living creatures desperately trying to survive. Since I was
no divinity but a mere human girl, I wished to— no, had to become
bold and benevolent like Lady Kaoru, so I could at least protect and
love those around me, such as my retainers and residents of my
domain. This was my duty and my own way to express gratitude as
someone who was saved by the Goddess.
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Yes, I will be just like Lady Kaoru!
And just like Lady Kaoru, I would have a little girl like Layette, a
gallant young woman like Lady Francette, and a handsome
gentleman like Sir Roland serving me...
...Hehe. Hehehe. Heheheheh...
“My lady...” The butler spoke with a frown, eyebrows furrowed.
This butler was a trustworthy man who had served my family since
my father’s generation. He was a truly loyal retainer who didn’t fear
saying difficult things or giving words of caution out of fear of
upsetting his master. And whenever he spoke with that expression,
he was always about to mention something that was difficult to say. I
had to make sure to listen well.
“Yes, what is it?”
The butler pieced together his words carefully as if truly struggling to
get them out.
“...Has the look in your eyes gotten harsher as of late, my lady?”
What? Huh? Whaaat?
“G...”
“‘G,’ my lady?”
“Gyaaaaaaaaagh!!!”
I...I didn’t want to be like her in that regard!!!
I-In any case, the Goddess of the other world, Lady Kaoru, had given
me her favor and the ability to speak to animals, and I would use it to
protect and advance my people and domain to live up to her
expectations! In order to do that, I would overcome, crush, and
trample any hardship or ordeal...
I’ll do it! I, Mariel, will surely see it through!
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So that one day, when I see Lady Kaoru again, I can stand tall and
proud. Whether that will be in this world or the heavenly realm
where goddesses reside...
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Extra Story: Farewell Black Ops!
“We are destroying the Black Ops.”
“What...?”
The old butler looked shocked by Mariel’s sudden statement. He had
served this household since the previous generation and had sworn
his absolute loyalty to Mariel. That was exactly why he worried for
her safety and was determined to stop her from undertaking such a
dangerous course of action.
And now, at this moment! Out of his desire to repay the kindness the
previous head of the house had given him, he would stop the young
mistress even if he had to put his own life on the line! As he resolved
to do just that...
“Of course, I will have someone else take care of it, so I won’t be
stepping outside of this manor.”
“...I-I see...”
He had gotten worked up for nothing...
“First, we will gather the troops.”
“I see...”
Mariel currently lived in the capital of Count Maslias’s domain, which
was located near a mountainous region. Mariel had arrived there
with her butler and guards, wearing a top that had been specially
ordered for her. The top was made so the talons of birds of prey
wouldn’t pierce through, with a protrusion sticking out of the
shoulder area for them to perch on. And there perched a bird that
wasn’t considered a bird of prey.
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“Okay then, please take care of it.”
“Leave it to me, kaaaw!”
With that, the crow fluttered its wings energetically and flew away.
“And now, we wait.”
“I-I see...”
That was all the butler could say...
One hour later.
“I scouted all of them, kaaaw!”
Lined up next to the crow were a hawk, an eagle, a falcon, a robin, a
pigeon, a hummingbird, a parakeet, and many others...
“Splendid work! Please look forward to your special reward!”
“You mean that, Missy?! Ohh... I’ll be able to let the little ones eat
their fill for the first time in a while. Thanks, Missy... Kaaaw!”
Mariel cocked her head, wondering if the way the crow went out of
its way to add “kaw” to the ends of its sentences was some sort of
custom. She then left the crow to its emotional moment and went
straight to talking about business. This was, of course, the discussion
about the contracts of employment for the birds who had gathered
there.
“...So, are we all in agreement regarding the terms? You will be
getting food and treatment for injuries and illnesses for you and your
families while in our employ. Regarding your treatment, we will do
our best to accommodate your requests, but if it’s beyond our
capabilities, we must ask that you forgive us...”
“That’s fine. Only a god can save one who is destined to die from
their demise. If you will do what you can, and I can spend my final
moments without hunger and in a warm place, that is more than I
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could ever hope for. To ask for more is arrogance, and disrespectful
to the Goddess... Do you not agree?”
“Yes, I think so too.”
The hawk and eagle, which seemed to have the highest authority, or
rather, were positioned at the top of the pecking order out of all the
birds that had arrived, so the others all nodded in agreement. The
falcon, which seemed to be the strongest after the top two, stayed
silent during the exchange.
In any case, Mariel had come to an agreement with the
representatives of the birds. Now, each of those representatives
should spread the word to their friends and send any willing
participants to the manor.
“Thank you for coming. I am Mariel, the mistress of these children.”
Mariel had returned to her villa and begun talking business to the
stray dogs and pet dogs that her own canine soldiers had recruited.
The terms of employment were pretty much the same as the birds,
but some of the birds had an extra perk: they would get to send
messages to their human friends who had taken care of them and
fed them. Mariel had heard of this condition from her dogs after
Kaoru had offered it to them.
Some of the dogs among them had participated in the impeachment
of her uncle Aragorn, and thanks to them putting in a good word, the
discussion went smoothly, without any issues.
“Yes, the preparations for vengeance are now complete! This time,
we will have revenge, by our own hands, without troubling the
Goddess for her help! We have already eliminated the mastermind
behind the heinous crime, Aragorn. But I am not such a good person
that I would be satisfied by his demise alone. Those who killed my
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father, mother, and brother for money... They still live without a care
in the world. Did they really think I would turn a blind eye?”
Evil laughter.
Mariel had already finished crossing the river. The river that
separated the innocent, cheerful, and bubbly aristocrat girl from the
hardened, audacious seeker of revenge...
“These are the targets.”
With that, Mariel pointed at four men who stepped out of a tavern.
She had gathered information through judicious use of her money
and had thus finally tracked down the Black Ops contact men.
“Please find out where they live, trail any allies they come in contact
with, and take care of the other requested tasks. Big achievements
will be handsomely rewarded with bonuses on top of your normal
pay. For the bird troops, I will provide materials for your nests and
shiny, pretty objects. For the dog army: chicken breasts, potatoes, or
anything else you request. ...And if you wish, I can take you in under
our household’s exclusive employment.”
“Exclusive” in this case meant they would become her pet dogs. But
being her pet didn’t mean they would be leashed on a short chain all
day. They were basically allowed to run loose, and could spend their
free time however they wanted, as long as they patrolled the manor
during their shift. A stable life where food and a roof over their heads
was guaranteed... For the dogs who didn’t have owners yet, this was
a dream come true.
In fact, many of the dogs that already had owners were likely to
switch over. After all, they would be able to communicate with their
mistress if they moved in with Mariel. This meant they could tell her
about their desires and troubles, and they would become kin to one
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who had received the love of the Goddess herself. Of course, this not
only applied to the dogs, but the birds as well.
The groups of canine soldiers and bird troops let out cries of joy.
...As a side note, those were the names of the animal forces that
Mariel had given them in order to differentiate them from House
Raphael’s own military forces. Among them were names like Crow
Battalion and Falcon Squad.
“Falcons look strong, so they will be combat units. They seem like
they would win no matter what, so they are the Let’s Win Falcon
Forces,” Mariel said happily as she saw the cool-and-reliable-looking
falcons.
The dogs and birds were ecstatic at her words, but she pressed a
finger to her lips and signaled for silence, then gave out her
command with her sharp voice.
“Our enemy is a criminal organization that murdered my family,
known as Black Ops. Your mission is to crush them completely. I look
forward to your success... Begin Operation Trash Cleanup!!!”
And so, the dogs and birds began tracking the men from a distance.
Since it would soon become dark, the nocturnal birds like owls,
nightjars, night herons, and snipes took the lead. Surprisingly, there
weren’t very many birds that couldn’t see in the dark (besides
chickens), and the majority of them could see pretty well even at
night. It was just that not many of them flew during the night...
But this was just like how not many woodcutters and farmers worked
at night, and it wasn’t in any way strange for them to not do so. Who
spread such a false rumor, anyway...? Regardless, it was best to let
the specialists do what they were good at, so the nocturnal birds
would take on the work at night.
One week later...
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“The time has come...”
After trailing after the Black Ops members, the rest of their members
and structure within the organization became clear, one after
another. Normally, this would have been impossible. Everyone was
cautious of people following them.
But who could have imagined this? The little birds resting on a tree
branch and the dogs lying on the ground next to a shop were actually
trailing their every step... They could slip through crowds, or escape
through back doors, but it was impossible to shake off the birds
watching from above or the dogs following their scent.
The members of Black Ops didn’t necessarily know everyone else in
the organization, and most of them only knew who they directly
worked with, like their superiors, subordinates, or a couple of
colleagues, other than the contact men who coordinated things.
Those who had normal lives outside of the organization tried to
avoid direct contact with other Black Ops members, and only met
with the contact men.
...And one day, the contact men disappeared. All at once. Their
throats were ripped out by wild dogs. They were poisoned by birds
that had slipped something into their food. Their eyes were clawed
out by hawks.
They couldn’t reach their superiors. They couldn’t reach their
subordinates. They gradually lost contact with the rest of the
organization, too... And one day, they were suddenly attacked by
dogs and birds.
“What the hell is going on?! Why can’t I reach my men?” shouted a
man alone in his manor: The boss of Black Ops...or at least, he had
been the boss.
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He must have realized it too. He just didn’t want to admit it. Indeed,
the organization known as Black Ops no longer existed...
Most of those who had died lived in the criminal underworld, and
nobody seemed to care if they suddenly went missing or if their
bodies turned up. Because of this, they were often left where they
had died, or thrown into garbage dumps or rivers, and treated as
missing otherwise. After all, they had all suddenly died of causes like
“attacked by a dog or wolf, or some sort of monster of that type,” or
“seemingly attacked by a bird-type monster.”
Nobody cared about the strange deaths of the dregs of society. If
anyone was moved by them, it may have been out of happiness. But
sometimes, their deaths were reported to someone in Black Ops.
Therefore, the fact that they were dying one after another had been
relayed to the upper levels of the organization...but by that time, it
was already too late. And at this point, the man who used to be the
boss of Black Ops seemed to realize something.
“Dog or wolf-type monsters. Bird-type monsters. Only Black Ops
members are attacked and killed...”
Those three words appeared in his head.
“B-Bitch Viscount. B-Bird Aristocrat... The request to attack House
Raphael... D-Don’t tell me...”
“...You wish to see me? No thank you, I have no desire to meet with
a criminal...”
“...You resent being called a criminal when there’s no proof? Then I
will do my best not to leave any evidence, so I surely won’t have to
worry about being called a criminal myself.”
“...You want me to stop? What in the world do you mean? Are you
calling me a criminal without proof?”
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“...Do you have any reason to believe I would do something to you?
You don’t? Then I obviously have no reason to do anything. Why did
you come to me when you can’t think of any such reason?”
Each time an emissary came to deliver a message, she made them
return with simple replies.
Mariel didn’t worry about the emissaries trying anything with her. No
one could even think of laying a hand on her with dozens of dogs
baring their fangs and dozens of birds of prey aiming to rip their eyes
out.
And one day...
“Let us end this...”
The killer of her parents and brother had suffered long enough, living
in constant fear of getting attacked at any moment.
“Tonight, we settle this.”
“Awooooooooo!!!”
“Scraaaaaaaaaw!!!”
That night, a single shadow stood in front of a certain criminal’s
manor.
“Thank you, everyone. It’s now time for the final battle!”
“Woof, woof, woof! I’ll stop that nasty smell once and for all!”
“Craaaw!”
And so, the girl stepped into enemy territory. Surrounded by dozens
of dogs and dozens of birds flying overhead.
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