After my friendly little chat with Borguk and Thalia... It is the next day. I have learned that this town has a very convenient carriage rental shop located on the outskirts. People often rent carriages and horses for a day to go into the main city for shopping and supplies, or for a week to go on a trip across the continent.

And thanks to Francis being here with me, an average human face nobody will remember, I’ve been able to obtain a carriage of my own. With our new horse and carriage, we set out and ride around Bellatrix aimlessly for a while.

He’s confused why we are doing this.

“I’m confused why we are doing this,” he says.

“No matter. I’m about to show you.”

I spot a pink-haired fool walking into the Adventurer’s Guild branch office, ready to accept his rewards.

And I know what I must do.

We circle back around to a back road and then turn around. I park the carriage, and turn to my boyfriend.

“What I am about to do is incredibly immoral, hugely unethical, and downright nasty,” I say. “But it is vitally important to be done. Do you understand?”

“Yeah, sort of. I’m not totally sure what your plan is here, and your emotions aren’t really clear on it, but whatever, it’s fine.”

“You seem not to have put two and two together. So I may need to spell this out more explicitly: I am about to commit murder, Francis.”

“...Of a bad guy?”

“To some, yes.”

“So it’s a good thing?”

“No. It’s merely a necessary thing.”

“You should be a little more explicit, dude.”

“I’m about to incite the moment that led me to meeting you.”

“...Woah.”

I had tried to puzzle together for years and years what brought that carriage to me. Rare implied it was hidden rival forces in the burgeoning New Slayers. The Goddess implied it was mere random chance. I knew there was something deeper than bad luck, but I couldn’t figure out who or why.

Now I know.

It’s me. It’s always been me.

The horse picks up speed. The carriage zooms down the road.

Far too fast for any wheeled vehicle without an engine to be going.

Past Eryk runs out in the road to protect some stupid kids.

and I make the carriage go even faster.

Bump, thud, crash.

The carriage keeps on going without even stopping.

I look back at myself.

Dying, or already dead, I’m not sure.

All I know is that I have done an extremely significant thing here. And I will never be able to forget it. Seeing my own body that I myself killed.

This was the easiest part of my plan, and yet in some ways it was the hardest. Facing this pivotal moment in my life from the other direction... I can’t believe I was able to accomplish it and keep my head on straight.

Now, then, it is time for the next stage of my master plan.