The dining room, where children crowd around a single long table. It was in this room, dimly lit to save light, that Panira (Rene) was having a dinner of thin soup and bread.

Panila, come to my room before you go to bed today.

　The director of the orphanage passed behind her and said, "Panila, come to my room today before you go to bed.

　Panira did not know the Director's name. Nor did she know his history. At least he was already the Director when "Panira" came to the orphanage, and he was still the Director.
　He was an old man with a bald head like a meatball.
　Perhaps because the orphanage was attached to a temple, the director always wore a monk's uniform. Perhaps he had worked at the temple when he was young. But he does not have access to sacred magic. However, it is said that the majority of clergy cannot use sacred magic, so it is not unusual.

"Yes, Abbot.

　Panira (Rene) replied as if it was nothing, but she was reading the Abbot's mind with her ability to perceive emotions.
　Perhaps this is what the Thames was like during the Industrial Revolution, Panila (René) thought.

　Panira (Rene) ate her meal quickly and sighed.
　It's a small thing before a big thing, but I didn't expect such an unnecessary event to occur.

　--I'm sorry you had to go through all this trouble.

　Panira (Rene) was rechecking the plan she had prepared in advance in her mind.

　The Director's office was a poor place.

　The director's office was still barely presentable in the poor orphanage.
　However, there were only a few simple pieces of furniture such as bookshelves and a desk for office work. The next room was the Director's bedroom, where he lived.

"Welcome, Panira. Sit down there.

　When Panira (René) entered the room, the Director greeted her affectionately.
　He offered her a chair and she sat down in it.

The Viscount MacGregor will be here tomorrow. You know the Viscount, don't you?
Yes, I do. He donates money so that we can eat and live every day.
That's right. You know him well.

　The Director nodded in agreement with Panira's exemplary answer.

　The orphanage is funded by the temple, but it's hard to make ends meet on that alone.
　It was common practice to ask for donations from knights, wealthy individuals, and the general public.

　This orphanage received a modest donation from Viscount MacGregor.
　The orphans occasionally met Viscount McGregor, who visited the orphanage, and ceremoniously expressed their gratitude.
　However, there is a rumor ...... that most of the money has gone into the Director's pockets, and Tracy is almost certain that this is the case.

　Of course, the orphans, including Panira, don't know what's going on behind the scenes.

We have to pay our respects to the Viscount. This time, we'd like to leave that big job to you.
　Therefore, I'm going to instruct you on ...... to make sure you don't misbehave with the Viscount.
"Guidance ......?

　The Director smiled.
　I'm not sure what to make of that.

　--...... I never thought I'd be called in at this time.

　She had no idea what was going on behind the scenes at the orphanage, even though she searched her memory for Panilla.
　I was hoping that I wouldn't be targeted like this, but of all things.

　She knew what was going on at the orphanage from the well-informed Tracy before she went undercover.
　I also knew why Viscount MacGregor supported the orphanage and visited it often.

　The price is the children's bodies.

　--It's good to know we have a plan just in case.

　The prick in front of me has zero fighting skills.
　Well, he has the size and strength of a grown man, which would be hard for the children to resist, but for the Rose Princess of Hell, he's as weak as a baby.

　But I can't kill her here.
　If the Abbot, who is supposed to greet the Viscount, disappears, the Viscount will be lost.
　We can't turn him into the Revenant. The city's holy beast surveillance network is watching for signs of the undead.

　The first thing to do is to manipulate the Director's memory and falsely implant the memory that he has finished teaching Panira.
　If he doesn't, the aftereffects of the memory manipulation will make him look suspicious, but I'll also have the Director catch an appropriate cold. A cold that is neither worthy of a visit nor worthy of being shown to a priest.

　The plagues that exist in this world belong to the evil gods.
　Rene, who specializes in curse magic, can make others sick at will.
　All you have to do is keep her away from people for a few days. If you meet someone and say something strange, they will think it is because of the fever.

　Don't worry about the possibility that Viscount MacGregor will not visit ....... He looks down on the common people, and he's paying for the orphanage. I don't think he would cancel his visit just because the director was sick.

　At the very least, it would buy him some time to kill Viscount MacGregor and get Rene to retreat.
　That should be enough.

　The Director approached with a brusque gait.

"Take off your clothes, Panira.

　His hand grabbed my shoulder.

　At that moment, a bolt of lightning rushed through Panira's body. It sent a horrible sensation to his brain.
　Several memories came back to René as if he were vividly reliving them.

　The core of his head and body felt white, numb, and cold.
　Her hands trembled.


　Rapid heartbeat.
　Hard to breathe.

　Something is stabbing and tightening in my chest.
　I know this feeling.
　It's...

　--It's ...... fear.

"Oh, ......!

　Panira (Rene) let out a hiccup-like scream.
　The Director is holding her firmly by the shoulders.

　Panira (Rene) was terrified.
　A mere scumbag who didn't even have the strength to fight.
　Panira was terrified.
　Panira was terrified.

"Oh?　You seem to know what I'm going to do. You ...... are a bad boy.

　The Director's smile deepened. A black glint of desire flashed in his eyes.
　Panira (René) was terrified.

　--Manipulate memories ...... Make people sick ...... Camouflage it like it never happened... ...

　In my head, I repeat what I have to do next. Repeat as if you were clinging to it.
　Panira (Rene) was terrified.
　I can't stand in the way. What could this man do?
　Panira was terrified.

"Is this your first time?　Or have you done this before?
　Just relax. There's nothing to be afraid of. Yes, there's nothing to be afraid of.
　Just relax and let it happen. You'll feel better soon. ......

　Something was buzzing.
　It was my back tooth. It was my back tooth. It was shaking and the roots didn't fit.
　Panira (Rene) was terrified.

"I'll teach you how to be a proper companion to the Viscount. Everything.

　A world of cold stone.
　A naked man with a glare in his eyes.
　Hands grasping.
　The memory of torture.

"No, no, no, no, no, no!

　The next moment.

　The next moment, the magic of the "shock ball" that Panira (Rene) unleashed without chanting hit the Director, turning his body into an organic stain on the wall.