The Monster’s Room - Chapter 35

Crack.

The CCTV screens shattered. Marie herself had asked for them to be destroyed, but she hadn’t expected the knight to act before Spiegel or J.

“…Thank you.”

In response to Marie’s gratitude, the knight gently brushed her cheek with his fingertips. It was such a light, almost ticklish touch. As she shivered, a heavy, warm coat was draped over her shoulders.

The marionette troupe leader had removed his coat and given it to her. Marie noticed her clothes were in tatters and thanked him again. The man removed his hat and bowed gracefully. Marie saw his face for the first time, but it wasn’t surprising.

– I thought his face would be to your taste.

“….”

Now, she had a magic mirror that would tell her anything she wanted to know. The power of the mirror was extraordinary, enough to understand why it was classified as Keter, unlike other SCPs that were dangerous but remained Euclid.

Just moments ago, she had been able to see and even converse with people beyond the CCTV screens. Although she couldn’t hear them, she could understand their words by watching their lips move. This, too, was a result of the enhanced power, a capability beyond imagination.

“I’d like to make a suggestion as well.”

“Kevin.”

“If you wish for John Doe’s downfall, then at least our mission will be half successful.”

Kevin, leaning against the wall, sighed. Judging by his abdomen and legs, he seemed unable to move much.

“Which means you and your, um.”

He hesitated briefly, then murmured a word beyond imagination.

“…we are no longer obligated to attack your lovers.”

“Lovers? What are you talking about?”

“Lovers.”

Marie was dumbfounded, unable to speak. Kevin continued with the same relaxed demeanor he had when they first met.

“So, if it’s alright with you, can the surviving members of my team and I leave? We’ll handle the rest ourselves.”

“Leaving is fine, but…”

“What about the lovers’ opinions? After all, we were the ones who attacked.”

“Um, that…”

SCPs didn’t listen to humans. It was surprising enough that they listened to Marie, but how would they listen to Kevin’s request?

Clink.

“…?”

<There’s no reason to stop someone who’s uninvited to leave.>

The iron horse knight sheathed his sword, and the marionette troupe leader began directing the marionettes to escort Kevin and the surviving members out. J didn’t intervene either. As Marie watched them leave in a daze, she soon realized there was still an unresolved issue.

What about them?

How do she send them back?

The monsters that had emerged from the containment area didn’t seem interested in returning. Spiegel, noticing Marie’s agitation, asked if she needed help. Marie asked about how to send the monsters back.

– Why do you think they wouldn’t listen to you?

Spiegel’s question sounded like he was genuinely puzzled.

– Command them, my queen. We cannot defy your words.

“Because you love me?”

– Yes, because we love you.

Marie narrowed her eyes as she conversed with Spiegel through the mirror. She could no longer trust either love or herself. It was a power that drove both humans and monsters to madness, which had isolated her and would likely continue to do so.

“…Lies.”

– Marie.

“Will they really obey any command I give? Anything?”

– Anything. If you wish it.

Spiegel’s response twisted Marie’s face into an even more anguished expression. You can’t disobey. Marie whispered to herself and then sank helplessly into a sitting position. The cotton doll she had been holding was squished, but it didn’t hug her back with the same force it had been pressed with, as if it knew that this would hurt her.

– My queen. What do you desire?

“…”

– Tell me. Then we will grant any request.

“Because you love me?”

– Because we love you.

“Then.”

Marie recalled the emotions that had tormented her for so long.

From when she was a child in Korea. Her parents were working parents, always busy. They frequently left her alone, and had they been in America, they would have faced countless child abuse reports.

At that time, Marie was too young to understand the word ‘lonely.’

So.

She made a wish.

“Love me.”

“More. Much more.”

Back then, she believed that if her parents loved her more, they would stay by her side. Even if she said she missed them, they wouldn’t listen.

She thought they should want to see her.

When those two people died, Marie was left alone. Because of this, she followed the American couple who had agreed to adopt her. She thought that having a new family might mean she wouldn’t be lonely anymore.

However, her adoptive parents were as busy as her biological parents had been, and her adopted older brother went off to a boarding school, making it hard to see him. Later, her adopted younger sister, Susan, also struggled to forget her previous family and felt like an outsider.

So, even in America, Marie was essentially alone.

That’s why.

“I wish you’d love me more.”

Marie made the wish without even realizing it. Over and over again.

After that endless repetition, Marie, who had lost yet another family, found herself with nothing. She bit back the tears that were about to spill and opened her mouth.

“Can you love me for the rest of my life?”