Sleep Deprivation
… Hyun.
With a faint sound of wind slicing through the air, I landed silently on the windowsill of my room.
Behind me, the indigo sky before dawn still stretched out.
I quickly slipped into the room, then closed and locked the window.
“… Phew. Mission complete…”
I muttered to no one in particular and let out a sigh of relief.
The moment I did, a lead-like heaviness crashed down over my entire body
Even for me, midnight long-distance travel and consecutive battles were far too much for the body of a little girl.
My eyelids felt physically heavy.
Staggering along with unsteady steps, I started removing the equipment I had been wearing.
I kicked off the UR Sky-Treading Leather Boots and tossed them together with the black cloak into the hidden shelf inside my closet.
Once I was back in my pajamas, without even a single drop of blood on them, ,I dove straight into my bed.
… Bof!
The finest feather duvet gently caught me.
Ahh, bliss.
It felt like such a peaceful world that it was hard to believe that just moments ago I had been in a warehouse filled with the smell of blood and guts, cutting off men’s heads.
I buried my face in the pillow and let my consciousness sink away like mud.
It was already a certainty that tomorrow this country would be thrown into chaos.
But I don’t care.
Right now, I’m just a “sleep-deprived six-year-old.”
◆◇◆
Chun, chun, chun…
The chirping of little birds could be heard somewhere far away.
Morning.
The detestable, equally distributed morning had arrived.
“… Nn…”
I raised a protesting groan and pulled the blanket over my head.
Still sleepy…
I wanted to sleep another five hours, no, maybe half a day. Yesterday’s activity time clearly exceeded the legal limits for child labor.
But the merciless “messenger of morning” arrived right on time as usual.
… Knock knock, click.
“Good morning, Alice Ojousama. It’s morning.”
The curtains were thrown open, and violently bright morning sunlight poured into the room.
So bright.
“Uuugh…”
I groaned and slowly crawled out of the blanket.
“… Faa… g’mornin’…”
Yawn.
With teary eyes, I rubbed them sleepily.
My hair was a messy explosion, and I might even have buttoned my pajamas wrong. There wasn’t the slightest trace of dignity befitting a duke’s daughter.
“…………!!”
For some reason, Sera, standing in front of me, was clutching her chest and trembling. Her face was bright red, and she looked like she was barely holding back a nosebleed.
“… Sera? What’s wrong?”
Tilting my head to the side, I asked with a tongue that still wasn’t working properly.
“Fuguu!”
Sera let out a strange noise and collapsed to the floor.
“A-Alice Ojousama…! Those sleepy, melting eyes…! That defenseless bedhead…! And that clumsy ‘g’mornin’…!!”
She placed her hands on the floor and looked up at me while breathing heavily.
“The destructive power is far too high…! This is the ultimate weapon known as defenselessness! Truly the pinnacle of art…!!”
Why is this person so high-energy first thing in the morning?
Well, I do understand that sleepy me is extremely adorable, though…
“Sera… clothes…”
I lifted both arms limply to request getting dressed.
“Y-Yes! Right away!”
Sera sprang to her feet as if launched by a spring and began preparing my dress with lightning speed.
Fuaaah… I can’t stop yawning.
While she dressed me, my head bobbed forward and back like I was nodding off on a boat.
Sera supported me while murmuring, “Ahh, how adorable…”
◆◇◆
After getting dressed, I washed my face to wake myself up a little before heading to the dining hall.
Normally, the whole mansion would be filled with an elegant atmosphere at this hour. But today, the servants walking through the corridors seemed unusually hurried.
As the maids passed by, I could hear them whispering anxiously.
“… An urgent message…”
“… from the royal palace…”
Oh? Keeping a perfectly innocent face as I walked, I made a small fist pump inside my heart.
Looks like the “present” I left behind last night arrived safely.
The heavy doors of the dining hall opened.
Inside was the long table lined with breakfast as usual.
But…
“… Huh?”
I stopped at the entrance.
There was no sign of anyone in the spacious dining hall.
Normally, the moment I entered the room, Father, completely overflowing with doting-parent energy, would rush over shouting “Alice! Good morning!” and hug me. Mother would be there too, smiling gently.
But now…
There were only two empty seats where their places should be.
“Where are Father and Mother?”
I turned around and asked Sera.
For a moment, Sera averted her gaze as if hesitating to speak, but she quickly composed herself, put on a professional smile, and knelt.
“It seems that the Master and Madam were called away on urgent business. Early this morning, there was an emergency summons from the royal palace…”
“From the royal palace?”
“Yes. So this morning you will be dining alone… will you feel lonely?”
Sera leaned closer, peering worriedly at my face.
Normally, this would probably be the correct moment for a six-year-old to throw a tantrum and say, “Nooo! I want to eat with Papa and Mama!”
There’s no need to even think about the reason for the royal summons.
The suspicious death of the Third Prince.
And the impudent message written in blood left at the scene.
Of course the great nobles across the country would be dragged out of bed and summoned to the royal castle first thing in the morning.
I could easily imagine Father running into the meeting room with a pale face.
Papa, you poor thing.
There’s no way he’d ever imagine that the true culprit is his beloved daughter casually nibbling bread back at home.
“Mm-hmm, I’m fine!”
I shook my head, playing the role of a brave little girl enduring loneliness.
“Father and Mother are working hard, right? Alice will be a good girl and eat her breakfast!”
“Ah… how admirable…!”
Sera’s eyes filled with emotion again.
I toddled over to my seat and sat down neatly.
Today’s menu was simple.
Thick-cut buttered toast, warm corn soup, and fresh milk. Since Father and Mother weren’t here, maybe they chose something quick to prepare.
“Thank you for the meal!”
Holding the toast with both hands, I took a crunchy bite.
The fragrant smell of butter and the salty richness soaking through.
Delicious.
It felt like the results of yesterday’s “work” were the perfect seasoning.
Chewing happily with my cheeks puffed out, I kicked my legs back and forth under the chair while thinking about yesterday.
Come to think of it.
Amid the chaos of all those level-ups yesterday, I felt like an important log message had scrolled by.
While Sera went to fetch another serving of soup, I secretly opened my window.
“… Status open.”
I whispered quietly.
A translucent blue screen floated above my soup bowl.
And then…
… Bachichichi!
“…!?”
Suddenly, the window was swallowed by red-black static.
It wasn’t the usual warning sound. Instead, a heavier, more dramatic fanfare echoed in my mind, like the beginning of some major event.
In the center of the screen, where it normally said [Blessing of the Murderer], a violently flickering message window had appeared.
[Condition fulfilled: A new authority can be unlocked] [Unlock it? YES / NO]“… Ohhh!”
With toast still in my mouth, I leaned forward without thinking.
Authority unlocked!
There are few words that excite a gamer’s heart more than that.
“Of course… the answer is YES, no questions asked!”
Without hesitation, I firmly tapped the floating YES button with my index finger.
… Gyuiiiiiiin…!
With a loud sound effect, the text on the screen twisted like a vortex, breaking apart into particles of light before reconstructing itself. The words “Murderer” flashed violently.
And then…
Beneath it, a new entry appeared. Sinister, yet strangely alluring.
“…Necro… Marionette?”
At the ominous name, I couldn’t help swallowing nervously
This is definitely something outrageous.
With trembling fingers, I reached out to open the detailed description screen.
What do you think about this chapter?
