Story Reader / Floating Record / ER10 Deceivers' Rapture / Story
She constantly disguises herself as a servant, disguises herself as a tailor; in front of the madam and the girl, she pretends to be a decorative dog shorter than the bar counter, threatening no one.
Good morning, Eleanor.
She walks into Eleanor's bedroom and, with practiced ease, spreads a snow-white napkin on the table before neatly arranging the utensils.
Every motion executed with her free left hand, precise and economical, like a master tailor's shears through silk.
Aren't you eating?
Eleanor nods her chin toward the cutlery set for one.
This is not within Madam Monzano's instructions.
She sets down the tray in her right hand, where honey pancakes, scrambled eggs, and crispy bacon rest quietly in the center of a perfectly round, gold-rimmed plate.
As per your preference, I haven't prepared any coffee.
Only someone who has lived with her would recognize such habits for what they truly are.
What if I ordered you to eat it?
...
She stands by the coffee table, nervously running her tongue over the fine hairs on her upper lip, but ultimately doesn't answer.
I understand now. It seems not only me, but you too must obediently follow Auntie's orders.
The maid freezes, as if the thorny comment had pinned her against the wall.
The spacious room leaves no room for evasion.
Lady Eleanor, it's not like that...!
Lady?
...How would you like to be addressed?
First, get rid of that disgusting apron.
The cruel questioner deflects with an irrelevant answer, while the subordinate reflexively carries out the command like a trained response.
As the disguise comes off, a figure clad in a fitted tactical uniform stands in front of Eleanor.
Would the young miss like to dine now?
So now I'm your mission target? What comes next, serving me poisoned wine?
Eleanor, you know I had no choice.
After a moment of silence, she raises her head to respond.
My mission from Kurono was supposed to be monitoring Madam Monzano's movements... but that's meaningless now.
If she is an exile of Kurono, then her situation and mine... aren't really that different.
So you're going to join her on her revenge mission?
The girl poses her question with a carefree smile, as if she were merely listening to a story.
I have no grudge against Kurono.
Is that so? You expect me to believe that the owner of a shop known throughout the city died in a hearth fire during Christmas?
She precisely targets the vulnerable spot of the person before her.
...This life is good. It really is good.
If I tell the truth, Eleanor gets dragged into this mess.
Catching her misstep, she hastily tacks on an apology.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way. About your parents... please accept my condolences.
Hmm? Hehehe... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
The girl erupts into laughter completely at odds with her elegant appearance, causing the maid's tense demeanor to relax slightly.
What is there to apologize for? Fill an empty wine glass and you'll keep the card players hooked. A simple trick can make them willingly empty their pockets. As long as I desire it, there's no magic I can't perform.
Do you think I'd rather be a wind-up doll than enjoy such pleasures?
That laugh comes from her core, unveiling her true self without any pretense.
Eleanor's happiness is my happiness.
She seems to hope that flattery will dissolve the resistance of the person before her.
Changing the subject? Kurono taught you well how to hide things... yet getting you to learn even one more word from me is like pulling teeth.
The light surrounding Eleanor extinguishes.
...I do want to ask for Eleanor's help with something.
The maid's expression remains unchanged, but her tone has softened slightly.
She wants to hear Eleanor share the little moments from these years, to build through words the world Eleanor has lived in. She doesn't want... to let this rekindled flame go out.
She still cherishes their friendship.
That afternoon, I received an urgent package. Inside was a letter.
She takes a gentle deep breath, as if about to make a difficult decision. Then, she pulls out a piece of printed paper from her bag, folded four times.
Further instructions following the confirmation of mission abortion or significant situational changes will be issued via physical means.
Dead drops will be disguised to match the recipient's circumstances for security measures. Destroy after reading is a must.
Eleanor suddenly recites the exact text of some regulation, enunciating each word deliberately.
...You shouldn't remember those things. That's not your life anymore.
Discord freezes mid-motion while unfolding the printed paper, casting a startled glance at Eleanor.
How could I possibly forget after everything I've been through?
The two exchange a wordless gaze.
The maid breaks the silence first, her questioning far from over.
Seeing the gold-stamped tailor shop mark on the document case and the organizational label on the letterhead, I understood most of what was happening.
After entering the shop, I didn't even bother looking for him... I just tore down the curtains and threw them into the fireplace.
The listening girl lets out a satisfied chuckle in her heart.
Kurono always despised me, didn't they? They knew I was the only recipient left, yet they still chose to communicate through text.
After all, in that institution where children were taught nothing beyond obedience, she never had the opportunity to acquire knowledge.
Her tone remained calm as always, but the light in her eyes dimmed—a detail the girl captured with keen awareness.
Come now, don't be so discouraged... That was just standard procedure when the organization abandoned the intelligence station, not your fault.
Eleanor's encouraging nod silently urges the other to continue.
I understand that Madam Monzano's project has long been defunct, and the intelligence station is nothing but a useless burden. Taking care of the aftermath was the final mission I completed according to instructions.
But do they really need to go this far...
If possible, I'd like to know exactly what's written on this.
I can't lose composure in front of Eleanor. How unsightly that would be. She's no longer that little shadow following me everywhere.
She unfolds the paper and hands it to Eleanor.
The girl scans it briefly, then begins reading aloud like she's pronouncing a judgment.
Cold Current inbound. Target sterilized. "Embroidery Scissors" disposable—send cleanup. Handle Attachment separately.
The voice the maid once relied on most now pierces through her soul with every word.
Could you explain the code to me?
Though she knows the truth all too well, she still speaks to maintain her flawless image.
"Cold Current": Project Winter.
"Embroidery Scissors": Rosewater.
"Attachment": Discord.
Kurono has decided to pour resources into Madam Monzano's opponent. Las Prados, the intelligence station, and... me—we're all disposable now.
The words halt with an unnatural swallowing of sound.
If that's the case, what's the point of tracking Monzano's moves?
I don't understand.
Discord... Care to explain?
All former arrogance shed, she closes the distance with calculated placation.
Monzano was right. I should return to Kurono.
I need answers.
The pancakes on the plate are thoroughly soaked in syrup, with brown-yellow liquid honey flowing from the edges toward the smoked meat, merging with the semi-solidified butter.
For the first time, the maid doesn't answer Eleanor's question. A wave of nausea washes over her.
The maid flees through the door.
Why does this heiress to a hundred-billion fortune live a life that looks no different from yours?
There was a time when Eleanor's joy was hers. But had Eleanor ever known what joy is?
When did things start to become like this?
Time loses meaning. She moves through the motions - serving the servant of her aunt, heeding the one who schooled her in cradle songs played with binding toys.
Las Prados
Two years later
...a city of arts and technology. Hmph, nothing but a respectable facade.
The woman scrolls through recent reports on her terminal, her lips curling with contempt as she speaks.
The attached image in the intelligence report shows a city gleaming with silver light, elegant in its simplicity, starkly different from the ostentatious and somewhat tacky entertainment metropolis.
But the accompanying text tears away this beautiful facade:
Constellia City Foundation Ceremony Opens, Four Major Economies' Investments in the City Secretly Diverted by Kurono to North Asian Experimental Facility
...just as the intelligence I gathered from my contact with Trout indicated, Kephart's operation is completely independent. Kurono has already diverted all resources to the follow-up project on death row inmate experimentation.
Yes, Discord disclosed the contents of those letters quite some time ago.
The figure standing respectfully to one side offers her affirmation with a deferential tone.
Which means... by eliminating Rosewater, we've actually done Kurono a favor by cleaning up their loose ends.
In that case, Discord could be useful to us as well. Turning her to our side won't be difficult.
The woman smirks coldly, relishing her firm grip on the current situation. She feels that razor-sharp instinct never left her, whether examining lab results or social chessboards.
Her project concerns the future of humanity. And the enemies of that future must be completely eradicated.
What could be Mr. Trout's motives for providing us with funding through Kephart?
The girl's probing question hides behind feigned naivety.
Do I need to remind you again? As long as the clients are still paying, keep your mouth shut and don't ruin things.
Prying too deeply is quite the bad habit at the gaming tables, the woman remarks, brushing off the subject with casual indifference.
You know our next target quite well—the North Asian Research Institute of Life Science and Evolution.
Remember to pack several warm coats. I wouldn't want my dear niece catching frostbite.
As you wish, Madam.
The graceful young woman curtsies as she speaks.
