Chapter 131. The Truth of That Year, Scaramouche's Madness!
Rage. Hatred.
Scaramouche's expression twisted into something unrecognizable. What he had just seen was enough to ignite a killing intent so fierce it nearly consumed him.
"This… These memories…!!!"
He didn't question whether these memories were fake. He understood Dottore's nature too well.
He… was absolutely capable of such things.
Moreover, there had always been suspicious points in the events of that year. Scaramouche had once wondered whether his friend had truly betrayed him—or whether he had simply been framed.
Back then, all the human and material evidence had pointed to Niwa Hisahide having defected and betrayed them all.
But now, through Dottore's memories, Scaramouche saw… his friend being murdered. He saw his fervent heart thrown to the ground like trash—by Scaramouche's own hands.
"DOTTORE!!! DOTTORE!!!!!!!!"
Words of unimaginable hatred tore from Scaramouche's throat. Never before had he wanted to kill someone so desperately.
"You don't doubt whether these memories are true or false?"
Yae Miko was no longer smiling. She looked at Scaramouche and spoke calmly.
"Honestly, I thought you would question the authenticity of these memories. It seems now that you also harbored doubts about what happened that year."
Futsu Mitama remained silent. He, too, had seen these memories. To be honest, what Dottore had done was, in a sense, a true psychological blow.
When Scaramouche was ignorant and knew nothing of the world, he had met a group of kind Inazumans.
They treated him with kindness, and he repaid them with kindness. He never thought about how different he was from others. He simply lived, happily.
At that time, Scaramouche was not as arrogant and condescending as he is now.
He had made his own friends.
If not for what happened next, Scaramouche would probably have taken root in Inazuma and become a true "human."
He might even have become a guardian of Inazuma, received Raiden Shogun's inheritance from Yae Miko, and walked a path entirely different from the one he now treads.
Unfortunately, Dottore, under Pierro's orders, had sent a segment disguised as the Fontaine mechanic Escher to Inazuma—to create an opening, allowing the Fatui to embed themselves in Inazuma's operations.
He intentionally befriended Akame and jointly developed a technique to optimize forging methods.
Later, Akame sold the technology to Niwa Hisahide, the chief of the Tatarasuna armory. From then on, the core of the Tatarasuna furnace rotated with ores smelted using the new technology.
Dottore also stayed there as one of Tatarasuna's advisors, accompanying the craftsmen.
But his arrival was not well-intentioned. The new technology he brought could maximize the effect of crystal marrow, improving the quality of weapons forged from it.
But the cost was the resentment of the Electro Archon within it would also be stimulated.
The Tatarasuna furnace subsequently produced strange defilement, causing the workers' physical exhaustion and casualty rates to continuously rise.
Niwa Hisahide hastily sealed off the news and sent people to Narukami Island for help, but none of them returned.
Because these people might have been intercepted by Dottore and his subordinates, preventing anyone from reporting the news to Narukami Island.
Fear spread among the people of Tatarasuna.
Finally, Scaramouche set off. He knew his friend needed Raiden Shogun's help and resolutely went to the Tenshukaku on Narukami Island, intending to meet Raiden Shogun.
But, Raiden Ei at that time had long since retreated into the Plane of Euthymia, and the Shogun, who had just been created, was insensitive and did everything according to "rules."
How could Scaramouche, who was anxious at the time, accept this?
So he took out the golden feather to show, and instead requested an audience with Yae Miko.
Yae Miko, upon hearing this, rushed over. After learning the truth of the matter, she promised to send someone to deal with it immediately.
But Scaramouche, having lost all patience, believed this was a delaying tactic—that she had no intention of saving him and others—and returned to where he came from with the despair that the Shogunate had abandoned Tatarasuna.
During this period, Dottore created a device for evil spirits (resentment). This device was not fake; it could indeed absorb evil spirits.
Upon learning of this, Niwa Hisahide naturally resolutely took the device provided by Dottore to absorb evil spirits and entered the furnace core to solve the problem.
But although this thing wasn't fake, it wasn't prepared for Niwa Hisahide.
Dottore attacked Hisahide from behind, removed his heart, placed it in the device, and gave it to the returning Kabukimono (Kunikuzushi), telling him to enter the furnace core and absorb all the defilement caused by smelting.
The load far exceeded expectations, but Scaramouche survived under the protection of the device.
He, who survived, asked Dottore what was inside the device, but was told that it was a gift from Hisahide—a heart taken from an innocent servant.
Scaramouche at that time never imagined that what he longed for would appear before him in such a cruel form. He believed that he had been completely betrayed by Hisahide, yet this betrayal had allowed him to live.
Angry and sad, he violently threw the heart to the ground and resolutely left Tatarasuna.
After he left, Dottore revealed a very happy smile, then contacted Pierro, asking him to bring Scaramouche back.
And so—Scaramouche successfully joined the Fatui, becoming Dottore's experimental subject.
As for the truth of that year, it was buried in the past.
If Nahida hadn't infiltrated Dottore's unique "Chat Group," and obtained a large amount of his memories, the truth could very likely have been completely buried, and Scaramouche, who most wanted to know the truth, would forever be kept in the dark.
To be honest, when Futsu Mitama saw this scene, on the one hand, he marveled at the swiftness of the Fatui's actions, and on the other hand, he felt that Dottore's methods were extremely ruthless.
He killed the other party's friend, successfully framed him, and even abducted Scaramouche to make him his experimental subject.
For Dottore, this was a win-win situation.
He completed the task given by Pierro.
And found an excellent experimental material for himself.
Yes, winning twice is a win-win.
And this operation was all too familiar to Futsu Mitama; Black Aila had almost become one of the Fatui Harbingers.
If her memory hadn't been unsealed by an unknown in the Abyss, she would also have been toyed with by Dottore.
"GOOD!!! VERY GOOD!!!!!!!!"
Scaramouche clenched his fists, an unimaginable killing intent erupting from him. His mind kept replaying what he had done that year.
He had violently thrown that heart, which he considered a betrayal, to the ground, yet he never thought that it was his friend's fervent heart, filled with beautiful wishes, secretly protecting him.
"LET GO OF ME!!! I WANT TO GO TO SNEZHNAYA!!! I WANT TO… KILL DOTTORE!!!!!!!!"
Scaramouche roared in fury. He wanted Dottore to pay a bloody price; how dared he fool him!
He had not been betrayed that year; all his so-called "hatred" had been false, and all of it was Dottore's conspiracy.
Thinking of this, Scaramouche wished he could grind Dottore to dust; he deserved to die!!!!
"You now know the truth."
Facing Scaramouche's rage, Raiden Ei was very calm. She said indifferently, "Since that is the case, the time for judgment—has come."
Purple lightning flashed in Raiden Ei's eyes. Scaramouche's reflection appeared in her eyes as she slowly said,
"Attempting to destroy the Raiden Gokaden, subverting the Inazuma Shogunate, and as a Fatui Harbinger, opposing Yae Miko and Futsu Mitama."
"These sins, I will personally judge them. All these crimes combined constitute a death sentence."
As soon as she finished speaking, Raiden Ei took out the Musou Isshin from her hand, her gaze cold as she looked at Scaramouche.
She declared his final death sentence.
Although Scaramouche had been fooled in the past, the crimes he committed were real.
Whether it was destroying the Raiden Gokaden or colluding with the Kanjou Commission and the Tenryou Commission.
Or as a Fatui Harbinger, attempting to seize the Gnosis from Yae Miko and trying to kill Futsu Mitama, these crimes.
He had committed them all himself. These crimes could not be erased.
"!!!!!!!!"
Scaramouche's pupils slightly contracted. His body couldn't help but tremble, because he could feel that Beelzebub was serious.
Because of what happened that year, she felt guilty and told him the truth.
But at the same time—as Raiden Shogun, she could not tolerate what Scaramouche had done in Inazuma.
Out of guilt, Raiden Ei told Scaramouche the truth.
At the same time, the sins he had committed needed someone to judge them.
"No, I can't!!! I can't die yet!!!!"
If he hadn't known about this before, Scaramouche would have willingly accepted judgment.
Because he had lived his life without regrets. Accepting judgment and dying by Beelzebub's blade would have been a satisfactory end.
But now, knowing that everything he had experienced was a scheme orchestrated by Dottore, and that his friend had also died at Dottore's hands.
He had successfully joined the Fatui Harbinger ranks due to Dottore's appreciation, and he had gained sealed power through Dottore's experiments.
To be honest, if he hadn't known this, Scaramouche might even have had a trace of respect for Dottore in his heart.
But now, there was only killing intent!!! Scaramouche's heart was filled with towering killing intent!!!
He wished he could leave this place and kill Dottore.
He couldn't die now, at least not before witnessing Dottore's demise!
"Can't die?"
Raiden Ei narrowed her eyes, looking at Scaramouche and saying calmly,
"Those people you killed in the past, they also didn't want to die."
"You designed and killed them out of hatred, destroying the heritage they cherished."
"And you attempted to subvert the Inazuma Shogunate, causing countless Inazuman citizens to become displaced and die because of you."
"Now that you say you don't want to die, how can I let you go?"
Raiden Ei's words were calm. No matter how great Scaramouche's grievances were, the sins he committed could not be so easily written off.
"I… I… I!!!!"
Scaramouche wanted to say something, but at this point, he couldn't utter a single word.
Raiden Ei's killing intent was real, and the things he had done were also real.
If he were to put himself in her shoes, he wouldn't let such a "great villain" go either.
But Scaramouche desperately wanted to live at this moment.
He would live by any means necessary, to kill Dottore! To avenge his friend!
He must live! He absolutely must live!
Scaramouche looked towards Yae Miko and Futsu Mitama not far away. He knew that if they both spoke up to plead for him, Beelzebub would surely show mercy, but he had already offended both of them.
What price would he have to pay to survive?
Scaramouche's mind began to race. For survival, his brain was already working at extreme speed.
Any intelligent creature, when facing death, will have their thoughts quicken.
Scaramouche was no different now. He asked himself, in such a "certain death" situation, how could he survive?
Finally, Scaramouche came up with an answer, one full of humiliation, but one that would absolutely allow him to live and avenge his friend.
But the price was… complete deprivation of freedom.
"I am willing to atone."
Scaramouche lowered his head. He had thought he could calmly accept judgment, but after learning the truth of the past, the flames of revenge burned fiercely within him. He refused to die like this.
If he died like this, no one would avenge Niwa.
He had to live; only by living could there be a possibility of revenge.
"How will you atone?"
Yae Miko spoke with a smile at this moment. She looked at Scaramouche and said,
"Even without me saying it, you should know how grave the sins you have committed are, right? And even if you atone, you will still only face death in the future. You should be very clear about this."
No matter how he atoned, Scaramouche's future was already predetermined; it was just a matter of dying sooner or later.
Inazuma now had Raiden Ei and Futsu Mitama, two Archon-level combatants.
Not even the Tsaritsa would confront Raiden Ei and Futsu Mitama, two Archon-level combatants, just for Scaramouche.
"Even so, I will cling to life."
Scaramouche was firm. He looked at Raiden Ei, Futsu Mitama, and Yae Miko seriously and said,
"I am willing to use everything I have to atone for what I have done. I will abandon my freedom and consciousness, becoming a true tool and weapon, to be wielded by Inazuma."
"But my request is simple: if one day in the future you are going to kill Dottore, please take me with you."
Scaramouche looked at Futsu Mitama, his eyes filled with madness. To kill Dottore, he sold himself to Inazuma.
Or rather, he sold everything he had to Inazuma, sacrificing his freedom to become a tool and weapon, solely to avenge his friend.
Similarly, Scaramouche knew very well that Futsu Mitama would definitely kill Dottore; there was an irreconcilable blood feud between them.
Because Dottore would not let go of the maid beside Futsu Mitama, as a former experimental subject.
Scaramouche was very clear about how tempting Aila and Black Aila were to Dottore.
So, only one of Dottore and Futsu Mitama could live. Scaramouche didn't know who would win, but he would assist Futsu Mitama in killing that damned Dottore!
"Oh?"
Futsu Mitama looked at Scaramouche with some surprise, not expecting him to make such a great sacrifice.
He would rather sacrifice his freedom and consciousness to kill Dottore.
Freedom and consciousness were not simple matters. As a divine puppet, Scaramouche possessing emotions was a very rare thing.
Raiden Ei wanted to erase his consciousness, but she couldn't force it. If he was unwilling, then Scaramouche would be completely destroyed.
But once he willingly allowed his consciousness to be erased, the situation would be different. As long as Raiden Ei was willing—
A Scaramouche willing to act for the interests of Inazuma would be born.