ARML 155(S:S:5 -1)

Side Story 5-1

The words spoken by the woman he loved still echoed in his ears.

[You call me Layla, but did you know? Even that name was given to me by him.]

After saying that, Layla abandoned Theodore.

[Goodbye, Theo.]

After that, Theodore began a new life—just as if he had been cursed.

A world where he could never meet her again.

And now, he was imprisoned.

The prison holding Theodore stood on a remote island.

It was a place where the most infamous criminals were locked away. Even those who could use magic would find escape nearly impossible.

Once you entered, you would never leave.

Oddly enough, despite being such a hellish place, they were strangely careful about “human rights.” Prisoners were given regular mental counseling sessions.

How considerate, Theodore thought sarcastically.

He was sick to death of the people of this world.

For the record, every time a counselor came, Theodore toyed with them using his sharp tongue. Watching them leave utterly broken was almost entertaining.

Idiots…

If anything, Justinianus or Adrian would have been more fun. At least breaking them had been satisfying.

But this counselor was a little strange.

Q: Have you ever regretted what you’ve done?

Theodore stared down at the paper in his hand with disbelief.

The question itself was ridiculous—and there was only one.

“…What is this?”

He clicked his tongue.

Across from him, the “counselor” smiled faintly.

“That’s today’s counseling topic.”

“So you’re the new counselor? You’re doing something stupid.”

Theodore narrowed his eyes at them.

Their behavior was odd—but so was their appearance.

A pale, slender face with no clear gender.

Black hair, black eyes, and a thin build.

An eerily beautiful appearance, almost unsettling.

…In a place like this?

It was a biased thought, but Theodore let it go.

The “counselor” clicked their pen.

“Shall we review what you’ve done, Theodore?”

In a pleasant, gentle voice, they listed his crimes.

One shocking charge followed another.

Theodore had preferred planning crimes rather than dirtying his own hands.

Still, the crimes traced back to him had caused massive public outrage.

Theodore listened halfheartedly.

After all, he already knew what he’d done.

“Many people could have been seriously harmed.”

“……”

“And the reason you did it isn’t very clear either. Why did you do it?”

“Hm. Who knows?”

He had been born into a fairly wealthy family.

Compared to the hardships before becoming emperor, this life had been much easier.

If he had chosen to live normally, he could have lived comfortably until death.

But a world without Layla has no value.

So he decided to spend his life casually shaking this rotten world for his own amusement.

He thought it wouldn’t be difficult.

He was confident he could destroy the world.

Yet everything had been exposed, and here he was, imprisoned.

Because of absurd coincidences.

A capable subordinate’s strange mistake.

Unseasonal, abnormal weather.

An investigation network smarter than expected.

And even a perfectly timed tip-off.

It’s like someone knew everything I was going to do and blocked it.

So much so that he almost believed a god existed.

Click.

The “counselor” clicked the pen again.

That faint smile was irritating.

“So I’ll ask again. Do you regret what you’ve done? Do you wish to atone?”

“Haha.”

Theodore smiled gently.

It was the familiar smile of the kind, harmless “Theodore Wordsworth”—a smile that really meant don’t talk nonsense.

Everyone always fell for it. People in this world were that easy.

“Sir, for someone to repent, something bad actually has to happen.”

“Hm.”

“I admit my intentions weren’t good, but everything failed in the end. No one was hurt.”

“So you’re saying there’s nothing to repent for?”

“You’re the most efficient person I’ve met. I like that.”

“Oh dear. You truly have no room for improvement.”

Theodore shrugged one shoulder.

It meant you should give up and leave—for your own mental health.

But then, the “counselor’s” tone changed.

“Alright. Then shall we move on to the real point, Theodore?”

“…?”

“Do you really feel no regret at all for hurting Layla?”

The prison warden glanced through the small window in the interrogation room door.

Then he shook his head.

What a terrifying man.

When he’d first seen Theodore, he’d thought no one could possibly look like that.

An arrogant face overflowing with overwhelming charisma—yet sometimes softened by a gentle smile.

If you fell for that contrast, you’d soon find yourself being manipulated exactly as he wanted.

It would have been disastrous if that man had remained free.

It’s a miracle we caught him at all.

Something people would call “divine intervention.”

The warden looked inside again.

The black-haired counselor looked young but unusually calm.

This one’s holding up well.

And disturbingly beautiful, too.

Then someone came running down the opposite hallway.

“I—I’m so sorry I’m late!”

“Huh…?”

The warden’s eyes widened.

It was the real counselor assigned to Theodore.

“Why are you coming from there?”

“Pardon?”

The real counselor looked confused, sweating nervously.

“Um, I just finished my previous session. I sent a notice saying I’d be late—did you not see it?”

“What?”

“May I go in now? This session is for inmate Theodore, correct?”

“W-Wait, no—!”

A chill ran down the warden’s spine.

Now that he thought about it—

The counselor meant to face that monster was supposed to be this one!

Then who was currently counseling Theodore?

Theodore’s face slowly twisted.

Layla.

Since being born into this magicless world, he had never once heard that name from another person.

Yet from this “counselor’s” mouth came not only her name, but many others.

“Not just Layla. The Archduke of long ago. The High Priest. The people caught in your crimes. Those who suffered because of black magic. The countless innocent imperial citizens who died before time was reversed.”

The counselor’s black eyes gleamed coldly.

“What do you think about that time?”

“…How do you know those names?”

Theodore straightened his posture.

The pleasant, harmless expression vanished.

“Who are you?”

His face twisted into that of the former emperor as he growled.

The “counselor,” however, smiled brightly.

“I am the one who came to give you true punishment.”