I’m sorry Ben, but you need to get a sledgehammer to your dome so you can actually realize that Bianca is giving huge glaringly obvious hints that she likes you, and that means we are choosing 1.
I’m sorry Ben, but you need to get a sledgehammer to your dome so you can actually realize that Bianca is giving huge glaringly obvious hints that she likes you, and that means we are choosing 1.
1)
6 - get a souvenir for my wife and Alisha, emphasize that this is the goal to Bianca.
If we have started the route of self-destruction, let's do it in a crazy and showy way.
Though I would like to vote 1 I just can't see a way where it doesn't end poorly so I'm choosing 2.
2. Would prefer 4, but eh.
Year: 2018
Location: Bianca’s Mansion, Fairyland
“Um, maybe we could just… hang out, today.”
With a little trepidation, I give Bianca my suggestion for today’s itinerary.
Today, I came here for Bianca’s sake, so I should spend the day for Bianca. At least, that’s what I’m thinking. Though I did hope for some inspiration or something, I should prioritize my main objective here and just make some memories with her, as she would want me to. I think that’s only fair.
“Hmm? You don’t have anything you want to do?” Bianca asks, a little surprised.
“No, that’s not it. I’m saying that I want to spend time with your more than anything else.” I quickly correct her.
“Oh.”
Bianca’s eyes widen and she brings her hand up to her puckered mouth for a moment. Then, all of a sudden, she bursts into a light chuckle.
“Geez, Ben. When did you become such a smooth talker? Hehe~” She giggles, apparently amused.
“Huh? How so?” I wonder, not understanding her reaction.
I don’t get an answer, though, as Bianca pulls herself together and smoothly brushes some strands of hair that had fallen loose from her bangs back.
“Well, in that case, what shall we do? How shall we hang out, as you say?” Bianca asks, still quite bemused.
“Uhhh… how about some art? I kind of want to see you paint something live, if that’s okay.” I propose, defaulting to the most obvious answer.
“Hehe, all right, that sounds good to me.” Bianca readily agrees. “Oh, I know. How about you model for me? I’ll paint you a portrait you can take home!”
“Oh, that’s… fine by me.” I accept after some thought.
Though I’m not really enthusiastic about being drawn, it seems like Bianca would like it, so I’ll go along with her. How hard can posing for a portrait be anyways?
With our plans decided upon, the two of us have a quick lunch and then begin our little arts & crafts session, moving to a suitable place in the house. Bianca brings out a easel, canvas, and all her other materials from her workshop, and we’re both settled in soon enough.
“So, I have to stay still, right?” I ask her as I plop down on the stool opposite the easel.
“Hehe, there’s no need to be so stiff. You can move about as you please.” Bianca tells me from behind the canvas. “To be honest, I could probably draw you from memory.”
“Oh? Your memory’s that good, huh. Is it photographic?” I contemplate.
“Hmm, I wonder why~” Bianca hums, suggestively.
Time marches on and the shadows begin to move with the Sun. Bianca begins her process, taking a pencil to the canvas and seemingly starting with a sketch. To be honest, I half-expected her to do some crazy super art technique where she just starts painting with her eyes closed while doing a handstand or something, but I guess her methods are pretty orthodox. In the end, the standard way is the best, huh.
Though I’m personally not against being still and quiet for a long time, it is a little dull to not do anything with Bianca right in front of me, so I decide to chat with her a little.
“Umm… if it’s okay with you, there’s something I’m curious about, Bianca. What is art to you?” I ask her out of the blue.
“Hm? That’s an odd question. I’m not sure how to respond.” She replies without stopping her busy hands.
“Sorry, I guess that’s a weird way to put it. Umm, what I meant was, why do you like art? You seem pretty passionate about it, beyond just a magus and their craft, so I was curious how you felt about it.” I rephrase.
“Ah, in that case… I guess I think of my art as… power.” She answers after some silent contemplation.
“Power?” I raise a brow, rather surprised.
“Yup. To me, one of the greatest things about art is its ability to elicit emotions and thoughts. When you see something that’s truly amazing, it really touches you and you can’t help but feel certain ways or think certain things, right? That kind of evocative art that creates a strong response in people… that’s what I like the most. Seeing others respond the way I want them to really makes me smile.” She says casually, her melodic voice ringing with sincerity.
“Huh.”
I see. I actually think I get it.
It’s just like how they say the greatest honor for a creator is for your work to move someone so much that it changes their life. Whether they cry or laugh, whether it causes them to reevaluate themselves or gives them the confidence to continue fighting, their response is proof of your efforts and skill. Having that kind of powerful effect on others must be some sort of profound ecstasy for some creators.
In the end, it’s a rather simple and common motivation.
“What about you, Ben? Do you have some power that you’re proud of?” Bianca smoothly returns.
“M-me? That’s…” I pause for the briefest moment as a certain thought crosses my mind, but I shake it off immediately. “N-no, not really. Unfortunately, I’m incompetent, so there’s nothing I’m really good at.”
“Is that so? Well I think, if you work hard, you’ll find something. Everyone has some sort of natural talent.” She encourages me, naturally.
“Y-yeah… I’ll do my best…” I meekly nod.
A power I’m proud of, huh? Of course, I don’t have anything like that. How the hell could I possible be proud of this power of mine…?
“By the way, Ben. You’re being really talkative today.” Bianca suddenly mentions.
“Huh? Really? This is talkative?” I cock a brow in doubt. I’m pretty sure I’ve been doing nothing but grunting and nodding for the past few hours.
“Hehe, for you, it is. Do you remember when we first met?” She giggles.
“Uh… nope, not really. I can’t remember anything memorable happening.” I reply.
“Exactly. When I found out we were teammates, I went to go greet you, but you just shrugged once, kind of scowled a bit, and then walked away. It was so rude that it left a big impression on me.” She laughs.
“O-oh. That… does sound accurate. S-sorry about that…” I bow my head in shame.
I reflected on it back during the thing with Alisha, but I really was unjustly bitter towards the other Masters back in the day. I can’t deny I was being a bit of an asshole.
“Well, more than anything, I’m glad that you seem to be opening up more now. I think it’s a good thing.” Bianca remarks warmly. “Did something happen?”
“Mnn… I don’t know if it’s something happening but… I guess you could say that I’ve met people who made me want to open up more.” I admit, scratching my head bashfully.
“Oho? Do tell, do tell~” Bianca hums, full of curiosity.
“I dunno what to say. It’s just… I think I’m starting to see the world differently thanks to some encounters. I’ve been… thinking a lot about certain things and they’ve made me want to certain other things differently. Sorry, I can’t really explain it.” I mumble.
“It’s fine. What’s important is that you feel like it’s a good thing, right? Then, I’m glad to hear it~” She hums happily.
With that sort of slightly awkward but slightly upbeat mood, the two of us continue just chatting the day away. For the most part, we end up just talking about me, but Bianca was either decently interested or was really good at faking it.
How should I put it? After having a lengthy conversation with her for perhaps the first time, I came to realize she’s really easy to talk to. It’s a bit different from Yingying who’s a really great listener and makes you feel like you can really tell her anything seriously. Bianca’s the type who really leads the conversation at her own pace and drags words out of you. You just start talking and enter a good mood, before you know it. They’re both different types of good conversationalists.
I’ve always sort of shrugged off Bianca’s friendliness in the past due to my own attitude, but I think I can find myself really enjoying chatting with her now.
Wise-up! Bianca's Status
Before I know it, the two of us have talked our heads off and the sun has dropped considerably in the sky. Then, all of a sudden, Bianca’s hand finally stops, and she gets up.
“There. I’m done!” She cheers at last, throwing her arms into the air.
“Oh, that was pretty fast. It didn’t take you that long at all.” I remark as I also get up, stretching out my stiff joints.
I guess that’s a top-class artist for you.
“Here, Ben. Take a long and tell me what you think.”
With a grin, Bianca turns the painting to me so that I can get a good luck.
As she said, it is indeed a portrait of me from the chest up. Instead of my current clothes, I’m wearing my trademark tracksuit for some reason, but it’s undeniably me. It’s really detailed without being photo-realistic, instead being a little stylized to the point that I think that I look a bit too handsome. I know it’s for the sake of being aesthetically pleasing, but did Bianca really need to make me this good-looking? Well, I won’t really complain about that.
Instead, my eyes inevitably focus on the portrait’s expression. For some reason, the man on the canvas is smiling without a care in the world.
I hate it.
Year: 2018
Location: Hallow Lake, Fairyland
“Ahhhh, the breeze feels so good~”
Sunset. After dinner, Bianca and I sit at the lake’s dock, dangling our feet over the edging and skimming the cool water with our soles.
We ended up spending the rest of the day just chatting like we did earlier while doing some idle recreation at the same time. Walking through the forest, skipping stones across the lake, staring at the clouds, lounging in the living room… before we know it, the sun was already touching the horizon.
Dinner was also a simple affair. I kind of expected that we’d be eating with the Servants I met today, but it was just Bianca and I with Saber dropping in to bring us our food. The meal itself was extravagant but it felt a little quiet in the large dining room. Compared to the cramped but jam-packed dining table back at my place, it was rather… empty. Still, I guess it meant I could focus more on Bianca and our conversation was certainly pleasant.
Now, we were just resting, letting the full course meal take its time to digest.
“… okay. I should probably get going.” I remark after a bout of peaceful silence.
“Hm? Already?” Bianca responded, clearly disappointed.
“Yeah… the sun’s basically done. I said I’d be back by night, so I should go.” I explain coolly.
“That’s too bad. It feels like you just came.” Bianca comments with a frown.
“Well, I guess time flies by when you’re having fun… or so they say.” I affirm, a little upset that I can’t stay longer either.
Even I can’t deny that our conversation was rather pleasant. This world is definitely refreshing a change of pace. It’d be nice if we could continue it just a bit longer, but then we’d be here all night long.
Just as I’m thinking that, Bianca suddenly claps her hands together, as if she had an epiphany.
“Oh, I know! Why don’t you just stay here for the night?” She proposes jubilantly.
“Huh? That’s…”
“It won’t be too much trouble, right? I know you’re busy, but it’s only one night. You can leave first thing tomorrow morning, so there’s practically nothing lost.” She adds, really giving it her all to sell the idea.
“Mnn…” I clench my teeth as I think hard.
She has a point. I probably wouldn’t get much work done if I go back now, anyways. And the prospect of spending a little more time in this world is attractive, not only because I’ll actually be able to sleep in a bed for once.
“… okay, fine. You win. I’ll stay the night, if it’s not a bother.” I agree without too much resistance.
“Yay~ Tonight’s gonna be so much fun!” Bianca cheers, somewhat childishly.
“Oh, but I should still tell them I’ll be staying, else they’ll worry.” I realize.
Since I told Yingying I’d be back tonight, it’d obviously make a fuss if I don’t come home. I can already imagine Yingying staying up all night, wondering where I am.
“You should be able to call Alisha with your communicator, right?” Bianca brings up.
“Oh, good point. Guess I’ll do that.” I nod.
Still seated on the docks, I pull out the communicator from my pocket and call Alisha. I’ve used it before, but this special device is able to communicate between Lostbelts, making it an invaluable item for us Crypters.
After a few rings, the magical call is picked up and a hologram with Alisha’s face pops up.
“Yo, Ben. You almost home?” She greets casually. From the hologram, I can tell she’s in her lounge wear, so she’s probably also relaxing after dinner, maybe even after a bath.
“H-hey. How’s it going?” I return the greeting with a little awkward wave.
Shit, how should I explain it? Sorry, I’m not coming back tonight because I want to hang out with Bianca more? Work hard while I’m here playing in paradise! I get the feeling if I say it so bluntly, Alisha will be mad.
Just as I’m fretting over such things, I feel a finger poke me on the shoulder.
“Here, Ben. Pass me the communicator.” Bianca says.
“Huh? Oh, okay.” I just nod and leave it to her.
Taking the communicator from my hands and bringing it up to her own face, Bianca smiles into the camera.
“Good evening, Alisha. Hello, ‘mellow~” She greets sweetly.
“Ah. Hi, Bianca. Hello, ‘mellow.” Alisha returns back, a little bit awkwardly. Yup, that kind of sweet, girly greeting doesn’t suit her at all.
“So, basically, Ben’s gonna be staying here for the night. Can you tell that to the others?” Bianca states without any pussy footing about. Naturally, Alisha’s surprised.
“Huh? W-wait, why’s he not coming back?” Alisha cocks her head in wonder.
“Sorry about that~ It seems that my Saber’s still tired from bringing him here. I don’t wanna push him, so I thought it’d be better to send Ben back after Saber gets a night of rest. Will that be okay?” Bianca answers smoothly, shooting me a knowing wink as she does so.
Oh man, how clever. Certainly, that is a convenient excuse. I never knew Bianca could be so sly.
“Well, if that’s the case, I guess it can’t be helped. Then, have fun you two. Tell that idiot not to get carried away.” Alisha agrees. She’s being surprisingly reasonable for once.
“Okay, then. See you soon, bye bye~” Bianca waves farewell.
“Bye.”
With everything settled, Bianca hangs up and puts the communicator away.
“All right then, looks like we have the rest of the night together. What should we talk about?” Bianca cheers.
That’s a good question. Now that I’ve bought some time to settle in and spend the night with Bianca, we can really talk about anything.
Now that we feel a little closer, perhaps we can even talk about something more personal.
The sun has set, and the moon begins to rise, its enchanting form reflected in the clear waters. Beside me is a girl for whom beauty is only natural, gazing at me as if touching my heart.
It is a scene out of a fairy tale.
So then, what magical secret shall I uncover tonight?
Choice!
3. Ask her about her supposed crush on you.
I sorry shonen, but in my eyes, it's the only possible option
1. Given Ben's reasons, and her previous position, this is actually interesting.
3. It’s been a constant question for Ben, something he’s been wondering since the start of the Lostbelt. He doesn’t know why Bianca is so interested in him, this is the perfect time to ask such a question. As much as learning about the Fairyland Lostbelt is, and as much as it’s possible that the Fairyland Lostbelt could be lost, in the end Ben just came to the Lostbelt for Bianca’s sake. If we wanted to know more about the Fairyland Lostbelt, we would of had a better chance of that if we chose that as the focus at the start of this story
Last edited by Alax1991; January 19th, 2021 at 11:59 AM.
1. Ask her why she became a Master.
hm, yeah, I'd like to learn more about her.
1. Ask her why she became a Master.
3. Ask about the crush!!!
1
The Act of dozing off in the afternoon is a luxury indeed.
Coffee would be nice, though.
[Collection of my Servant Sheets]
Now Revamped!
1.
3.
Obvious Otome flag is delightful~
Quest of Fate
Apocrypha Universe Fate Quest Project
---
Beast's Lair Discord Server For Fate Quests
Hermes Servant Collection Master Post
3. Just to see ben's reaction
3. I know what I'm here for. @_@
3
3.
You can discussThe OG RequiemConQUEST and other Quests in Discord (disc is much more active here).
Click the image to ConQUEST
Year: 2018
Location: Hallow Lake, Fairyland
It has always been at the back of my mind.
Though I’ve denied it numerous times, I could never fully erase it from my thoughts.
As absurd as it seems, the signs are there. Her overly affectionate friendliness, how she persistently shared her art with me, or how she invited me in particular to visit her. Not to mention the rumor about it, of course. When you start from the conclusion and examine the evidence, suddenly such things seem almost too obvious.
But I couldn’t accept it. How could I accept it? I mean, there’s no way it could be true.
Just think about it. She’s a super pretty, super popular, supremely renowned elite magus who practically had the world in her palms. With her spotless character and overwhelming status, there should be no small number of guys who are smitten with her. Compared to that, there’s the no-good, hopeless, bottom of the barrel loser that is me. There should be no number of girls who could possibly like me. The two of us are so ill-matched that it’s completely inconceivable. There’s no way it could possibly be true.
Even so, as long as the possibility exists, I can’t really be at ease around her. That’s why, treating it half like a joke, I ask her at last…
“Umm, actually Bianca, there’s something I wanted to ask you about…” I mention, scratching the back of my head and avoiding eye contact.
“Hmm? What is it, Ben?” Bianca replies innocently, smiling oh so casually.
“Well… y’know how the others always say that you have a c-crush on me, right? S-so… is that true…?” I finally ask with a timid voice that seems ready to burn out at any moment.
The moment those strained words come out, the wind gets caught in my throat. Holding my breath, I wait for the answer anxiously with my eyes closed. Not even sure what I want the answer to be, I quiver in fear of the judgement to come.
And…
“Pffftttt—”
A light-hearted chuckle.
“Ahahahahaha, no way~ You actually took that seriously, Ben? You’re so silly, hahaha~” Bianca laughs wholeheartedly, small tears welling in her eyes as she’s unable to restrain herself at all.
“E-eh? Huh?” I stammer in confusion. “S-so… you don’t?”
“Hahaha, no, silly. I told you before it’s not like that, right?” Bianca bubbles, fanning her hand in denial.
“I-I see…” I sigh in great relief.
Thank god. The moment everything is cleared up, it feels like something that had been tightened up for a long time was finally allowed to lax.
So, it was just dumb gossip after all. That’s what I thought, but I stupidly second guessed myself. What was I even thinking? Bianca likes me? Of course not, idiot. Don’t get conceited. There’s no way in heck any girl would be infatuated with you. God, I’m such an overconfident jerk if I can really fantasize about such lucky situations like that.
“Geez, you sure surprised me, Ben. What’s up? Could this be some elaborate, indirect confession?” Bianca asks suggestively with a wink.
“N-no, not at all! Sorry, I just wanted to make sure. I figured the answer was no too, but the others kept going on about it and you were so nice to me that I started to think maybe there was some truth to it and it just stuck in my mind so… I’m sorry!” I apologize, clapping my hands together and lightly bowing.
“Hehehe, there’s no need to apologize. Your flustered face was just so cute, I couldn’t help but tease you a bit more.” Bianca remarks happily, seeming to take great pleasure in my reaction.
Ah, now that she mentions it, I notice in the reflection of the lake that my face is burning red. Geez, how long have I been blushing like that? I’m really going out of my way to embarrass myself in front of Bianca today.
“Well, I wouldn’t call it a crush, but I guess I do treat you differently from the others, Ben. I guess that might’ve given you that wrong impression.” Bianca lightly adds with a hum.
“Y-yeah, I thought so too… So, um, could I ask you why?” I casually ask, sort of just happy that we’re moving on from my shameful faux pas.
“Oh, Ben, I told you before, right? You’re the only one who understands me. That’s why, hehe~” She giggles in her girly-like tone.
Oh, so that’s what it was. Speaking of which, she really did say such. Something about understanding her vision. She must’ve been talking about her art. I guess for someone as passionate as Bianca, that kind of stuff matters a lot.
Now that it’s being brought up, though, I feel a little guilty.
“Umm, about that… I’m not really sure about that.” I confess timidly. “I don’t think I’m the type of person you think I am…”
“Hm, what do you mean?” Bianca tilts her head in confusion.
“Well, the truth is I’m not actually that cultured when it comes to art and stuff. I am grateful for you showing me your fantastic art pieces all the time but… y’know, I don’t know if I can really appreciate it to its fullest extent. So, maybe it’d be better if you showed them to someone else…” I tell her as softly as I can.
It’s a bit awkward telling her at this point, after all this time, but I suppose it’s better late than never. If I kept stringing her on and pretending like I understand her art, that just wouldn’t be fair to her. Of course, if she gets angry at me for this, I can only accept it as she’s totally justified.
But instead, Bianca continues to smile pleasantly.
“Oh, don’t worry about that, Ben. That’s not what I meant. I show you my stuff because I want you to see it; I don’t really expect any expert feedback or anything.” She says, nonchalantly brushing off my shame.
“R-really?” I respond with quite a bit of surprise.
“Mhm. I just like to share stuff with you. Like how I want to spend time with you or talk with you a lot. I just… like having that sort of connection between us, I guess.” Bianca states with a voice overflowing with sweetness.
For perhaps the first time ever, Bianca seems a little bashful as she fidgets a bit and twirls a lock of hair around her finger. It’s such a rare motion that I can’t help but find it lovely.
“Since we’re on the topic, I guess there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you, something I should get off my chest.” Bianca says softly, turning to me with warm and gentle eyes. Her slightly blushing cheeks and affectionate look give off the romantic image of a girl about to confess her love.
“Hm? What is it?” I wonder, a little entranced by her rare expression.
"The truth is, back at Chaldea, I took a little teensy peek at your hidden files. Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.” She apologizes lightly, as nonchalant as ever. “But it’s because of that that I found out how similar we are, so I hope you don’t mind too much.”
… huh?
“Yours is called Mind Break, right? I like to call mine Reading Rainbow. Basically, anyone that sees my art falls under my control. Pretty cool, don’t you think?” Bianca gushes happily.
… wait, what? I don’t understand. What is she talking about?
“Ever since I found out, I’ve been really interested in you. I wanted to get close to you right off the bat, but you were so cold. It didn’t seem like it was a good idea to tell you yet.” She recounts. “But I still wanted to get to know you, so I approached you as gently as I could. I hope I wasn’t too overbearing. You’ll forgive me, right? Of course, you will. I mean, we’re the same after all~”
I freeze.
My body freezes. My mind freezes. Everything freezes as Bianca’s words finally catch up to me and I understand what she means.
Bianca… has mind control?
“But now you’ve finally begun opening up. So, I figured it was about time I told you. Tada! Are you surprised!?” She cheers, raising her arms in elated celebration.
Her smile is brighter than the sun. Right now, she must be happier than ever, relishing in finally revealing everything to me. As always, her warm vibes and little giggles are as contagious as ever. Yet, I can’t bring myself to smile back at all.
Stiff as stone, I can only stare at her beaming joy with wide, incredulous eyes. I still can’t believe what she just said.
To be honest, I’m not that surprised about Bianca reading my file. Though I didn’t think anyone knew about my past, I wouldn’t have been surprised if one or two of the Crypters had gotten their hands on it, since Chaldea itself knew. The thing that’s left me in shock is Bianca herself.
Bianca is the same as me. She has an ability that allows her to control other people. She has a power that’s similar to my Mind Break. Then… the reason she’s been so friendly to me is because we’re the same?
She knows what kind of twisted ability I have, and she’s not bothered by it? She knows what kind of person I am, what kind of things I’ve done, and it made her like me even more? She has the same power as me and she’s boasting about it as if it were something cool?
What the fuck!? What the hell is wrong with her!?
“What’s wrong, Ben? You’re completely stiff.”
Her bell-like voice rings me back into my senses. Only then do I realize how sick I feel. There’s a muddy, churning feeling in my gut as if I had eaten something foul. Gross sweat is pouring down my back and my entire arm is covered in goosebumps. I feel horrible.
Fighting back the urge to vomit, I double over and clutch myself as I lean towards the lake. In the reflection, I notice the girl next to me looking concerned before suddenly smiling again.
“Oh, I know. You must be overwhelmed by your emotions. I totally get it; you must be so happy~” She deduces, self-assuredly. “Don’t worry and take your time sorting things out. We have all night after all.”
Happy? I should be happy? What the hell is she talking about? How the hell can I be happy when I now know just what horror has been hiding beside me all this time!?
Bianca’s the same as me. Bianca’s a mind controller just like me. Which means… Bianca’s a murderer just like me.
No, there’s no happiness at all in that revelation. Only disgust… and fear.
So why the hell is she smiling so brightly? Why does she look like everything’s going so well? Why does her smile suddenly scare me so much!?
To be honest, I want to run away. The desire to flee rushes over me like a tidal wave. I want to just get up and run. Run away from this girl. Run all the way into the past where this hasn’t happened. Run until I wake up from this nightmare.
I mean, this has to be a dream, right? There’s no way any of this can be real. That’s… what I’d like to believe, but even I know that’s not the case.
So, I stay seated, unable to flee. Although I’m scared of learning more, I’m even more scared of staying in the dark – of the blissful ignorance I’ve held until now.
Still unable to grasp the reality of the situation, I pull myself together and address the cheerful girl once more.
“… I have questions.” I tell her in shallow breaths.
“Ah, I figured. Go ahead, I’m happy to answer.” She chimes eagerly.
“… you called it Reading Rainbow, right? How does it work?” I ask her, lacking no hesitation.
“Hehe~ You know how colors are said to affect one’s emotions and behavior, right? It seems that normal people have done a lot of studies on the relation between color and psychology. But I was born with such knowledge. I just intuitively understand how different colors affect people and I can use that knowledge to manipulate people however I want. By arranging colors in specific ways, I can create powerful and complex suggestions that insert certain emotions and thoughts into anyone who sees my ‘art’. Of course, it’s way stronger than the petty little manipulations the normal people use for marketing and propaganda. Any normal person who sees my art will 100% certainly feel and think however I want them to. Pretty awesome, don’t you think?” Bianca explains proudly.
Just hearing about it makes me sick, but I hang in there and try to remove myself from the information.
“… so they have to see one of your painting for the effect to work on them?” I question.
“Oh, silly, it wouldn’t be that useful if that’s all I could do, would it? Colors aren’t limited solely to my paintings, you know? For example… my hair. I dyed it myself so it would have the exact color combination I wanted.” She shows me, running her hand through said beautiful hair. “The feelings I put into this hair are Adoration and Obedience. So, the moment someone sees it, they automatically venerate me and want to do whatever I say. Well, that’s only natural for normal people to know their place, don’t you think? Hehe~”
… scary. Absolutely terrifying. It’s different from Mind Break, but no less horrible. While Mind Break overwrites one’s psyche, Reading Rainbow inserts whatever Bianca wants. Nothing about you changes, but you feel and think whatever she wants you to.
So, the moment you look at her, you’ve already become her puppet. Her power forces you to feel affection for her and you unconsciously start wanting to do whatever she says. Of course, how could you attack her or argue against her when your own heart and body want to love her? There’s no way to fight it. It’s just as if… you were born just to be her slave.
“… how many? Just how many people have you used it on?” I force out through my clenched teeth.
“Hm? How many…?” She ponders it for a moment, but quickly shakes her head. “How should I know that, silly? Why would I bother counting? I mean… technically, everyone who’s ever seen me is under my control, right? There’s no way I could count them all.”
My fist clenches. The desire to punch her builds within me. But before I can even raise it—
“Gosh, you’re so silly, Ben~ I mean, you don’t know how many people you’ve mind broken either, right?” She remarks.
… no. I can’t disagree. She’s right. I don’t know exactly how many people I’ve killed either; there are far too many to count.
Recognizing that fact makes me more furious than ever, yet it also calms me down, just enough to push through my final question.
“… why? Why on earth are you telling me all this?” I pose my final question, glaring at her through the water’s reflection.
“Ehh? I don’t really know what to say? I guess I’m just telling you because I want you to know?” She answers half-seriously. “Frankly, I’m just happy being able to finally talk to you about all this stuff.”
“You’re… happy?”
I lift my head up and look at her directly. No longer blurred by the ripples of the water, I see her warm countenance as clear as day.
“Yeah. I’m happy. I mean… We don’t have to be alone anymore.” She says, with the faintest hint of melancholy in her voice.
Waddling her feet a little over the edge of the docks, she stares out into the spacious lake with a wry smile, as if seeing her own grandiose reflection in the water.
“How should I put it? Before I found you, things were… a little dull. It was like playing one of those single-player game, a world filled with NPCs. And I wish the devs would;'ve hidden the coding better. I mean, it’s so obvious what response they’ll have to which button you press. It’s nice and all that they’re so simple to command, but… I guess it was starting to get tedious. I guess I just wanted someone real to play with. And then… I finally found another player.”
Suddenly, her hand gently wraps around my clenched fist and she scoots a little closer to me. She smiles as she always had, and I come to realize how pure of a smile it is. There isn’t any deceit or manipulation in her expression. Nothing but pure, genuine joy.
“You understand what I mean, right, Ben? Of course, you understand. You have to understand. Because… we’re the same.” She whispers to me with a voice filled with hope.
Like a spotlight carving through the darkness, that voice suddenly pierces my anger and repulsion. The breath I was holding in comes out as everything within me loosens. The heavy pain in my stomach turns into comforting warmth.
At last, I see the true Bianca behind her perfect honor student appearance.
This woman is insane. She’s absolutely bonkers. Just listening to the way she talks, I know exactly who she is. She thinks of other people as literal NPCs, just objects to manipulate and use as she pleases. She thinks her power means she’s different from everyone else, and that that means the rules of normal people don’t apply to her. She assumes everything will go her way because she’s never had anyone reject her before. Yeah, I know it all. I know her like the back of my hand… because it’s all too familiar.
Do I understand her? Of course, I do. I know her just as well as I know myself. I know her better than anyone and she knows me better than anyone else. Because she’s right. We are the same.
Living in a world of empty puppets that do everything you say, feeling like you’re not even a part of the same race as them, that there’s no one in the world you can confide in… I know it so well that it makes my burn.
“Hey, Ben. Say something.” Bianca suddenly commands, breaking my speechless stupor. “I know you’re too happy to form words, but I’d like a little something. I mean, I’ve been waiting for this day for so long. Just a word or a nod would be enough, so c’mon.”
“I-I…” I stammer without meaning to, searching for a response I don’t have.
“Ben… you are happy… right?” She asks as doubt clouds her tone for the first time.
“Uh-uhhh…” I mutter once more, unable to even think, to process all the conflicting thoughts within me.
“Hey… c’mon, Ben. You should be smiling. This should be the happiest moment of your life. There’s nothing to worry about. I’m here for you.” She urges me, practically pleading.
Suddenly yet slowly, her arms raise and wrap around my neck, like slithering serpents. They pull me towards her as sweet, poisoned honey spews from her lips.
“We finally have each other. We don’t have to settle for the NPCs anymore. We don’t have to pretend like we’re not special. We don’t have to hide anything from each other. We can finally have real conversations. This dull, tedious game will finally have meaning!” She cheers, reveling in her selfish delight.
Pulling me in so close that our lips almost touch, she stares longingly into my eyes as if expecting something tender. A look so girly, so lovely, that it captures every ounce of my heart. I only need to lean a bit closer and I can take hers too.
My body feels weak from her touch. My mind turns to mush from her words. And the thought crosses my mind.
… isn’t this what I want? Isn’t this what I’ve always wanted?
The reason I’ve worked so hard these past ten years, the reason I wanted to be a hero… wasn’t it because I wanted to be acknowledged? I wanted to be seen as more than just a monster. I wanted someone who understood me… who accepted me despite everything I’ve done.
Isn’t she right here? Someone with the same power as me will understand me better than anyone. Someone who’s even worse than I am will accept me no matter how many bad things I do. Isn’t Bianca the person I’ve been looking for my whole life? Isn’t this beautiful, perfect girl the woman of my dreams?
… I just have to say yes. I just have to close my eyes and lean a little closer and everything will be fine. Once I do so, I’m sure all the pain will go away. I won’t have to think about anything anymore. I can do whatever I want. I can be happy!
We don’t need anyone else. We only need each other. As long as we’re together, nothing can stop us. No NPC could ever possibly oppose us.
That’s the way it is. That’s the best possible outcome. That’s the life we’ll lead. Two wolves in a world of sheep. The only two players in a world of NPCs. The king and the queen taking their rightful place above everyone else.
That is our happy ending.
That’s…
Choice!Wise-up! Bianca's Status
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