Chapter 74
“Ugh…”
Cheshire, her body refusing to move properly, painfully dragged herself forward, narrowly escaping with her life.
She had stepped forward in the last battle to protect her master.
Her endurance was beyond that of a normal human, surpassing the limits of an ordinary person.
However…
Even with such strength, taking the blow from the Pirate King was nothing but a reckless move.
As a result, Cheshire was now paying the price for that reckless act.
Crack…
Shards falling from her face, one arm so close to breaking off that it seemed ready to fall at any moment, and one of her legs shattered into pieces.
And scattered across her body were countless large and small cracks.
Her body resembled a broken doll she had made herself, now in a state of total destruction.
The feeling was more one of grotesqueness than sympathy, and her physical state was as bad as her appearance.
Even when standing still, her magic was leaking, and her consciousness was blurry, as if it could fade at any moment.
However…
Despite all of this, Cheshire didn’t feel any regret.
Thanks to her efforts, her mother had safely escaped.
She had successfully completed her mission to protect her mother, so these injuries meant nothing to her.
Most importantly, a broken body like this would be quickly fixed by her mother.
Having survived and being able to deliver the good news to her, Cheshire finally arrived at the “rendezvous point” her mother had mentioned.
It was an old building located quite a distance from the harbor.
Inside, the White Shark Pirates, who had been heavily exhausted from the last battle, were scattered across the floor, all sound asleep.
Even the guards, worn out by injuries and fatigue, were nodding off, but Cheshire didn’t have the energy to care about them.
As she moved, her body continued to deteriorate, cracking and falling apart more with every step.
If she didn’t get treated soon, she would lose the ability to move altogether, so all she focused on was getting to her mother.
“Ah…”
Finally, after struggling, Cheshire reached the room where her mother was.
Thinking her mother must be worried about her disappearance, she hastily opened the door.
“Mother… I… I’m back…”
At that moment…
“…Hm? You’re still moving?”
Her mother, who turned to look at her, expressed mild surprise.
But in that moment, what Cheshire saw wasn’t the image of her mother she had longed for.
What caught her attention, standing in front of her mother, was…
“Mother…?”
In front of her mother, Alice, was something that looked like a statue made of clay.
Seeing it, Cheshire’s face immediately reflected shock and a feeling that could only be described as ‘fear.’
The statue, with a human shape, was almost finished…
And it looked exactly like her.
“This… what is this…?”
“Pretty, right? This is my finest masterpiece.”
“!”
Her mother’s finest masterpiece—was referring to her.
It was the best creation her mother had ever made, her only child.
But in that moment, Cheshire felt as if the pride she had always carried with her had been stolen away.
The feeling of losing the very thing that had allowed her to exist as herself.
With a trembling voice, she asked her mother.
“W-what do you mean… ‘the finest masterpiece’? Isn’t that me…?”
“…Yes. It was indeed you…”
As her mother slowly stood up, she wore a smile that was as gentle as always.
“You were certainly my pride and my precious daughter. But…”
Her mother raised a finger.
Then, she pointed at Cheshire’s body.
With an impossibly gentle voice, she said,
“But look at what’s become of you. The body I carefully fixed has become a mess. And you couldn’t even protect me… you couldn’t protect us properly during the last battle.”
“!”
“Didn’t you see on your way here? How many of your subordinates died because you couldn’t protect them properly, because you were weak? Even though recruiting more people is easy, losing forces like this is unacceptable. If you had been stronger, you could have reduced the damage.”
“Th-that’s true, but… even so, I tried my best to protect you…”
“Does that really matter?”
“N… No?”
For a moment, her mother’s face grew cold.
Cheshire felt a chilling sensation as if ice had lodged itself into her spine.
“After all, you were made for me. No matter how much you try your best, if you don’t achieve the results I expected, it means nothing.”
“B-but… I… I still—”
“I only create things that are useful. I don’t need a defective product like you, one who couldn’t even defend against the enemy’s attack properly.”
“B-but… I made a mistake! Please, give me just a little time. If… if necessary, I’ll train and become stronger…”
“Yeah, it’s fine. There’s no need to struggle with that. It’s faster and more certain to just make a new one.”
“W…What?”
Her mother’s words struck deep into Cheshire’s chest.
Like a dagger, sharp and unbearably painful, Cheshire was left speechless by them.
And then…
Seeing Cheshire like that, her mother…
Alice smiled once again, gently stroking the new Cheshire that was being created and said,
“So, this time, I’m thinking of making you stronger. I’ll pour more magic into it and mix in adamantium for better durability. Technology improves by learning from past failures, after all.”
“…Mother.”
It felt as though her mother was gently comforting her past self.
However, Cheshire soon realized something.
Her mother’s gentle touch, her so-called ‘love,’ was no longer directed toward her.
“That’s how it is. Now, you can go. As far away as possible.”
“…”
“Not answering?”
“…Yes… Mother…”
Alice spoke with a gentle smile.
That was… the last command her mother gave to Cheshire.
And,
To fulfill that command…
Cheshire left that place with a hollow expression.
She left behind her mother, who was humming as she went about her work.
Cheshire wandered aimlessly, leaving the White Shark Pirates behind.
She didn’t know where to go, or what to do.
She had been abandoned by her mother.
Her purpose for existing, her reason for life, had completely disappeared.
And,
For a doll abandoned by its master, there was only one thing left.
“…”
Her mind wandered as she arrived at a cliff.
Looking at the sharp rocks below, Cheshire slowly began to move forward.
To carry out her mother’s last command.
To fulfill her reason for existence…
Thud
Her body began to fall from the cliff.
Drawn by gravity, which applies equally to everything, her body fell quickly.
This was it.
She had followed her mother’s instructions until the very end.
That was… the reason for her existence as Cheshire Jabberwock…
There was nothing else in her life…
At that moment,
“…Ah…”
For a brief moment, Cheshire saw something as she fell.
It was a bright, shining round moon floating above the sea.
Seeing it, Cheshire’s mind suddenly recalled a person who had a similar color.
“F…Friend…”
Now that everything had disappeared with her mother,
The only person left for her was…
The one who reached out their hand toward her,
The one who smiled so beautifully at her.
And… the one who had shared such beautiful sounds with her…
As she remembered that person, Cheshire smiled for the last time.
Even though she had lost something huge,
Even though she had lost her reason for life and the people she had to protect,
She realized that there was still something precious left.
If there was a next life,
Then, she thought, she would live for her friend, not as her mother’s daughter.
Bang!
***
For the first time, she opened her eyes.
What she saw first was…
A woman.
Dressed in snow-white clothes.
With a black skull drawn on her hat.
Her hair, like a purple carpet.
And… beautiful blue eyes.
The first light she had ever seen, she asked her first question.
“Who… are you?”
Her first words.
In response, the woman answered.
“I’m your mother. And…”
With that, she slowly extended her hand.
As warmth was conveyed through her touch, she said,
“You are my… greatest masterpiece.”
—
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