My Wife is a Dead Villainess, and I'm Her Living Weapon-Chapter 51: Murderer

"Wait wait. This doesn’t make sense. Didn’t the schools and even the government call the dungeons time-bombs? That was the whole point to the Breakers. We only fought because they attacked first!"

Even without meaning to, Elian could feel his body tremble. While he personally massacred his opponents, his thinking till now was that he was doing the world a service.

That was what I told myself. I was doing this for the greater good.

It was what he chose to believe to make the deed bearable. Adamant bled the emotions out of him on occasion. But it wasn’t something that could control his negative thoughts.

Elian already knew that the dungeon occupants were just like them.

They were not mindless beasts. He was for all intents and purposes committing murder.

Seeing Fluffy’s sorrow meant that each being he killed, could have had families waiting for them.

"Elian, calm down. It’s not like that."

And I killed them all for what?

"No...This can’t..."

He’d grown smarter. Sharper. But emotionally, he was still just a teenager. All this time he believed his actions were necessary, to help Bianca, his parents, even humanity as a whole.

But if you stripped away the justification...

I am nothing more than a murderer.

"No..."

Bianca and Fluffy grew surprised as Elian began to shake. Him. An armored behemoth who had committed genocide against the Red Swarm. The same one that massacred scores of Snow Wolves in the most inhumane ways possible.

"Sir Elian, you are misunderstanding..."

He then turned his head towards the remains of those he ended. Corpses he was still in the process of devouring. Somehow Elian began to see shadows and voices come from them.

"No... I-I..."

[Talent: Adamant – activated. Elian Reed is now immune to fear and psychological effects so long as the Talent remains active.]

In an instant, Elian’s body stopped shaking. The voices stopped. The shadows disappeared. Yet he felt horrible. Like someone took a sword and jammed it into his heart.

"T-This..."

Suddenly, the sound of heavy metal crashing echoed all around. The serpents and waters dismantling the battlefield all melted into black puddles.

His negative emotions left his body, yet his mind scream in anguish. As if it could endure no longer. Elian then felt his legs buckle.

"Elian!" "Sir Elian!"

Bianca and Fluffy’s voices sounded distant. Like there was a wall between them and all Elian heard were echoes. He fell on one knee and closed his eyes.

He then wept.

Molten ore came instead of tears. Fiery hot streaks of orange ran down his cheeks.

They burned and scorched his metallic skin. Although his skin was incredibly hard, it still felt pain. The boy did not wipe them away and accepted the torture. As if he was a criminal receiving penance, he allowed his tears to hurt him.

In the silence, Elian came to terms with his sins.

I am not a hero. I am just a murderer.

Yet as his sorrow continued, a sudden comforting cold began to take away the pain. It was a sensation he could never mistake for anything else.

It was the presence of his master.

Opening his eyes he murmured deliriously, "Bianca?"

He then saw his master place her forehead against his.

"Yes, Elian it is I," Bianca said gently.

Her soft cool touch felt extremely pleasant. Like a soft breeze during a hot day. Regaining his presence of mind, Elian tried to explain.

"I am sorry, Bianca. I..."

But then his master cradled his head into her bosom. Although she had no flesh, he could feel her body’s chill wrap around his neck. His heart grew full from the affectionate gesture.

"Let it all out, Elian. I am sorry for not noticing. You have been pushing yourself really hard, haven’t you?"

"...No, I-I..."

"Hush. I am here. You can cry as much as you want. I will neither fault you nor think of you any less. I am your family. And you are mine."

Hearing her words, Elian lost his composure and will to resist.

[Talent: Adamant – deactivated.]

And he cried.

In an instant, all his weaponry and armor fell to the ground. His gear crashed like heavy boulders. The sound spoke volumes—about their weight, and the burden he’d carried.

Longing for comfort, Elian wanted to hug his master, but hesitated.

"It is alright, do as you wish."

at her command, he gently wrapped his arms around Bianca’s waist and wept. She did not resist nor push him away, instead she held him tighter.

"Bianca, I killed them all..."

His master didn’t offer words of comfort. But she stayed beside him as Elian saw how much blood was on his hands. freeweɓnøvel.com

Like beacon in the middle of a storm, the boy once again felt immense gratitude for her existence. But her silence made him understand that Bianca probably knew all along.

Sigh. Of course. I just didn’t want to see it.

As he felt his heart about to break from self-loathing, he then felt Bianca lift his face toward her. She forced their eyes to meet. Staring at each other’s soul.

In that moment, only one word bloomed in his mind.

Beautiful

Almond-shaped eyes, deep blue as ever. Lips so luscious, they seduced without even meaning to. She was like a goddess that descended to the world of men.

Bianca then smiled as she teased.

"Elian. Didn’t I tell you to get used to my face already?"

Hearing the nostalgic line. Both of them chuckled in bliss. Like magic, all the negative emotions in Elian’s soul were cleansed. Unlike with Adamant, he didn’t feel like his body suffocated it felt good. Bianca’s embrace and calming chill rejuvenated him.

I thought I was a hero. Even when I planned to kill. I told myself it was for Bianca. That line of thinking is wrong. If I am to kill, I must be accountable. That is what it means to have power.

As Elian contemplated a voice caused both Elian and Bianca to flinch.

"Look, I am glad to see you two being lovey-dovey but this isn’t exactly the place to do it in, you know?"

The Villainess and her Weapon quickly separated. Bianca awkwardly fidgeted with her ponytail, trying to appear nonchalant.

"We were not being lovey-dovey... I was just doing my duty as his master. What heartless lord can remain stoic when her most important servant fails into depression?"

"Ho? Hear that Sir Elian? She said most important! How bold!" Fluffy teased.

"W-Wha!"

"Isn’t that kind of expected? I am her only servant. I even carry her soulgem."

"Stop being stupid Sir Elian, then what am I?"

"You’re her pet," he answered curtly. Bianca nodded in the background.

"Ugh, you two are deluding yourselves."

"Before I forget." Bianca then approached Elian and touched his cheek. "Elian, there is something I want you to remember. I am your master, and you are my blade. Every sin you carry, every stain you bear—those are mine now. That’s what it means to belong to me."

Hearing her reasoning, Elian couldn’t accept it. "What? No. I may be your servant, but how does that make sense? I killed them all of my own choice. I even have the mark of a Tyrant according to Fluffy. The fault is mine alone."

"She is right though Sir Elian. Even with the wolves in this dungeon, you technically killed them all after I asked Master for her help. So, I am the one at fault."

Frustrated, Elian slammed his foot down. "No. I understand what you two are trying to do. I did not break down because I am afraid of responsibility. It was only because I deluded myself that I was fighting on the side of justice. That I was right."

The sounds of clicking came about the three of them. The once silent Living Metal all once again began to move. They even rippled.

"I now know that trying to justify your actions like that is wrong. Killing is killing. So giving either of you the guilt is nothing but sophistry. I am me. I am a weapon. And I kill because I chose to. Thus, they are my sins and no one else."

His words caused Fluffy’s eyebrows to furrow. Meanwhile Bianca’s eyes widened, and her cheeks grew flushed.

She’s proud. Maybe I was a teenager. But I died back there—and excuses died with me.

Elian saw the reaction but chalked it up to a mother being proud of her child. He took it as a sign that he was on the right track.

Blaming my lack of years is nothing but stupidity. From here on out, this is and always will be my choice moving forward.

Elian began picking up the armor and weapons he purged and put them back on. As he did, he felt it was fine to get back to the topic. Trying to forget his embarrassing actions, Elian tried to guess what the crucible was for because of the new information.

"Fluffy, if the Crucible doesn’t allow the occupants to invade until they are attacked first, then the qualification to join is either aggression, desire or morals. Is that why the kings are called Tyrants? Because it aims to bring warmongers together?"

At his words, Bianca and Fluffy froze. They didn’t answer. Just stared at each other—eyes wide, like he’d just named the truth they were afraid to say.