ALL NOVEL Chapter 91 - I Wanted to Apologize Before Dying
Chapter 91: I Wanted to Apologize Before Dying
The attack on the Kitsune Family’s ballroom occurred exactly ten minutes after entering the map.
The culprits behind this incident were members of a fallen Hunter family in Japan.
Unlike them, who had lost their status even after the abolition of the class system and the end of the industrial revolution, the Kitsune Family had managed to maintain their wealth and power even in the 21st century. They resented the Kitsune Family for that.
There was a setup that stated various types of monsters were sealed underground in the Kitsune Family’s residence.
They staged the terrorist act to resemble a typical monster appearance at a gate by creating a dimensional rift and disguising it as an accident.
‘Well, they eventually got caught soon after, though.’
Unfortunately, in the original story, the characters from the fallen noble family who caused this incident did not appear.
Because by the time the truth of the incident was revealed later, they had already all been executed.
Therefore, it was impossible to skip the attack part itself, and I planned to end this disaster as soon as it started.
So, just as I was about to move to the location I had in mind.
“Kurumi Unnie.”
“…Asuna?”
“Asuna?!”
A name so familiar that it made me turn my head in surprise was spoken from Princess Kurumi’s mouth.
Kitsune Asuna.
One of the main heroines in
There stood a noble young lady with a graceful demeanor, just like the elegant image seen in the game graphics.
“Could we talk for a moment?”
“…With me?”
“Yes. I’d prefer it if we could talk in a place where there aren’t any people around.”
Asuna glanced at me and Yoo Shi-hyun, giving us a look as if we were in the way.
However, before the two of us, who were stunned, could step aside.
“Talk here.”
“…!”
“And don’t give my people that look, Asuna.”
Princess Kurumi firmly stood up as our shield.
“P-Princess…!”
Yoo Shi-hyun, who heard the phrase ‘my people,’ looked deeply moved.
“Ahem…”
Since I was familiar with the original Asuna, I tried to avoid making eye contact and just pricked up my ears out of curiosity.
‘Asuna became a heroine in the Japan route of the original story but was brutally killed, just like Riverine in the Monster Group route… What kind of relationship did she have with Princess Kurumi?’
“Do you have nothing to say? If not, I’d like you to move aside so my people aren’t uncomfortable.”
“…! Ah, fine! I’ll just say it here!”
Kurumi always thought better of Asuna compared to her other siblings.
While others tormented her, Asuna, at the very least, didn’t do anything and merely stood by.
However, even so, she didn’t care for Asuna as much as she did for Shin-woo or Shi-hyun, so she wanted a quick answer for Asuna’s own sake.
And then.
“Kurumi Unnie. You know there’s an upcoming selection for the next head of the family, right?”
“…!”
Asuna reluctantly began talking about family matters in front of an outsider.
“Are you planning to participate?”
“…I don’t know.”
“I’m planning to participate.”
“?! …What?”
“This time, only Katsuo Orabeoni and I are set to participate in the selection. But I was curious if you would be joining that fight as well, so I came to ask.”
“Asuna… Do you know what that means?”
It meant she would be engaging in a duel to the death with her eldest brother, Katsuo, for the position of head of the family.
In other words, it was a death match where only one could survive and become the head of the family.
“I know. If I lose in the selection, I’ll be killed along with my entire household, except for the child I give birth to.”
“You… Are you confident you can beat Katsuo Orabeoni?”
“No.”
“What…”
“But I have no choice. I have to do it. It’s the only way to show my resolve and end the dreadful legacy of the Kitsune Family.”
“What are you… Asuna…”
I already knew about this from the original story.
But hearing it directly from her was equally shocking.
“I will fight Katsuo Orabeoni with all my might. But if I lose, I intend to die right there. Even if I have to commit ‘seppuku’.”
“What do you mean by that?! What are you talking about?”
Kurumi Princess grabbed Asuna by the collar, her voice trembling.
However, the amethyst-like eyes of the younger sister she was facing shone with the resolve of someone prepared to die.
“Unnie… I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you when we were younger.”
“…What?”
“At that time, I was powerless. Even though the family tormented you, there was nothing I could do. But it’s different now. I’ve been recognized as a direct descendant and have the right to participate in the head selection ceremony.”
“Asuna…!”
“I’m going to show them. I’ll show those damn elder cousins who casually chat while watching newly-adult kids fight to the death.”
Asuna was laying down the same death flag as in the original story.
“We are not your puppets. There are things more important than the future of this family, and I’ll prove it with my life.”
“Asuna, you…”
Just as Asuna had said.
In the original
Even if you followed the Asuna route, all that would happen is that you’d spend the night with her the day before.
The ending never changed.
Because of this, Katsuo, the next head, who never intended to kill her, was greatly shocked and went into seclusion.
The elders, who were considered the family’s pillars, had no choice but to temporarily appoint Princess Sakura as the head, even though she lacked the talent for it.
‘They wouldn’t have known at that time…’
That Princess Sakura, aware of her inadequacy as head, would increasingly lose her mind over the evaluations of others and end up committing some insane acts.
In a way, this laid the groundwork for the Amaterasu Rampage incident that would occur later in the original story.
“I wanted to apologize to you before I died.”
“……”
“And I also came to ask you not to participate in the head selection ceremony. I want to end the evil practices of the Kitsune Family with my death.”
“……”
“Of course, it’s impossible for my insignificant life to achieve such a thing… But at the very least, I hope you can live as a normal woman, not as a family member, and be happy. That’s what I wanted to say.”
“Asuna, I…”
However, perhaps because I was too focused on their conversation.
Flick.
“Huh?”
“A blackout? At this timing?”
The sudden blackout that enveloped the entire ballroom.
With that, I realized that the first episode of the Kitsune Family was starting.
“…It’s coming.”
Flick.
When the lights came back on.
Just as expected, we were surrounded by a horde of monsters, screeching as if they were guests at the ballroom.
“M-Monsters?”
“Monsters?!”
“…! Asuna, Shi-hyun, both of you, please evacuate the people immediately.”
The ballroom quickly turned into a scene of screams, just like in the original story.
However, being a skilled professional hunter, Princess Kurumi wasted no time and sprang into action.
“Come out, Inari.”
Upon her command, a massive fox monster emerged from the shadows.
“Grrr…”
“So, this is the legendary Kitsune Family’s fourth guardian monster…!”
“Inari! Immediately split yourself and protect the people.”
“Growl!”
As her master commanded, Inari instantly split into dozens of fox-sized beings, hunting the monsters that were lunging at the humans.
Crunch!
Crack!
Smash! Smash!
“Incredible… It looks like it could easily be classified as an A-rank monster. To wield something like that without showing any signs of fatigue!”
“This isn’t the time to be amazed. Asuna, summon your monster and protect the people too.”
“Ah, yes! Understood, Unnie.”
Meanwhile, Princess Kurumi calmly gave orders to her younger sister, who was startled and inexperienced in real combat.
“Come forth! Tengen (てんげん).”
Following her sister’s command, Asuna summoned her monster from the shadows.
Tengen.
A monster classified as B+ in danger level, it resembled a samurai from Japan’s Sengoku period.
It had a rather grotesque appearance, like a corpse of a samurai that had been reanimated and tightly wrapped in bandages to preserve itself.
Although it was human-shaped, it couldn’t communicate or make any sound, like a true ghostly creature.
But.
“Tengen. Fight while protecting the people.”
Its combat ability was undeniable.
Upon hearing Asuna’s command, the ghostly samurai immediately drew its sword and began slashing through the surrounding monsters.
There were several monsters it couldn’t slice in one blow.
“Monsters~ Look at me~♥”
However, we had a Hunter with a natural charm ability from birth.
Condition Hunter Yoo Shi-hyun.
“Die for me~♥ Die~!♥”
As soon as the monsters locked eyes with her, they became infatuated with her and followed her commands, giving Tengen the opportunity to slice through the remaining monsters.
“Wow. You’re a Condition Hunter? I owe you one.”
“Hehe. Well then, Princess, no more talk of dying. Come and shoot an ad for our company with me later! I’ll count that as paying off your debt!”
“I’ll… consider
it.”
Thanks to that, it seemed like we had taken care of most of the monsters that had overrun the ballroom.
Specifically, the first wave of monsters out of the total five cycles.
Flick.
“Huh?”
“Another blackout?”
As the number of monsters decreased, it seemed like they were replenished, and the lights went out again.
Flick.
“Grrr!”
“Screech!”
A new wave of monsters appeared as the lights flickered back on.
“Again?!”
“Tch…!”
“Both of you, stay sharp!”
The three of them could tell that this wave of monsters was not only greater in number but also stronger in quality than the first.
Then.
“Ugh?!”
“…! Asuna!”
Unable to keep up with the increasing speed of the monsters, Asuna ended up getting attacked and fell to the ground.
Flick.
“…Huh?”
Before she could even react to her sister’s scream, the lights went out again.
The third cycle.
Flick.
When the lights came back on, Asuna was surrounded by monsters.
“Asuna!!”
“Kurumi Unnie…”
Should she call Tengen back?
But Tengen was already far away, busy protecting the people.
That meant calling him back would be too late.
“Am I going to die?”
Well, she had watched and done nothing as the family’s injustices played out before her, justifying it as unavoidable.
Perhaps this was the fitting end for a ‘villain’ like her.
And most of all, she had managed to apologize to Kurumi Unnie before the end.
“……”
Since death was approaching, Asuna closed her eyes and decided to accept it as it was.
The pain would only last a moment.
She would be at peace soon, she thought.
But instead of peace, she was met with an explosion.
Boom!
“Grrr…”
“…Huh?”
When she opened her eyes again, she found a black monster, drenched in blood, standing before her, having annihilated all the surrounding monsters as if it had come to rescue a princess.