Interrogating Toy

I secretly rang the [Divine Alarm Clock] as a countermeasure against brainwashing and spoke to Toy.

"Hey, Toy. How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling terrible, Keima-sama. Please go ahead and execute me."

She was blindfolded, but she probably knews it was me from my voice. Toy answers smoothly, not hesitating at all.

"After all, there are 101 of us in the Toy series, as the name implies—100 and 1. It wouldn't be a problem if one of us disappeared."

"… Is that a lie?"

"Who knows? I'm not currently forbidden from lying, so it might be true. But it might be clever joke? Hehe."

The soldier next to me tilted his head in confusion… Ah, I see. When translated into this world's language, the part about Toy being 100 and 1 didn't make sense. And besides, the 101 dogs thing was from a movie.

"Was that joke taught to you by Leona?"

"Yes, that's correct… By the way, could you please explain the meaning of this clever joke to me? Leona-sama wouldn't tell me when I asked. I'd like to know the meaning of the words I spoke before I die, you know?"

"Well, that's too bad. I don't know either."

"Yay! How mysterious! For not even someone such as Kehma-sama to know Japanese! Hahaha!"

I don't know what she found so amusing, but Toy was laughing. Maybe she gave up on herself?

Still, I couldn't read her expression. Although she should be more expressive than Niku, her expression is even more hidden. It's probably not because of the blindfold but rather because her ears and tail aren't moving at all.

"Now, let's start the interrogation. If you lie, your collar will tighten."

"Oh my, is that so? Let's give it a try then. Sugar is spicy, salt is sweet, and I am the real deal… Huh? That's odd, isn't it? It doesn't seem to be tightening. Did I get a defective one?"

"…"

This girl… she's disabled the slave collar.

"You're a criminal trying to overthrow the nation, so I'd say it's probably fine cutting off your arms at least."

"Oh my, how extreme! Please enjoy yourself to your heart's content. We are toys designed to accommodate such preferences, so if you wish to cut off two or three arms… Ah, would you prefer it if I shivered pathetically, wet myself, and screamed in tears? I heard gentlemen prefer that."

She was really throwing me off my game. She seemed so composed, but why?

It was hard to figure out she was lying or telling the truth since she'd already disabled the collar… Oh, that reminds me.

"Hey, do you have a magic tool to detect lies? There should be one in the nation's interrogation room."

"Ah, yes, we do have one… But if that collar doesn't work, I doubt it'd work either."

The soldier's response convinces me. The collar is a magic tool, after all.

So now the question is, how was she disabling it…?

"Toy, is the you right here a fake?"

"Oh hoh hoh? So that's your first question? Yes I'm real? It's just that I've made up my mind. After all, I am a toy… It's only natural for a toy to be broken once it has served its purpose, isn't it? To be discarded and destroyed is the life of a toy."

"Is that the nature of beastkin? To be so devoted to Leona?"

"The beastkin are a race created by Leona-sama. It's only natural."

What was that first bit?

… Leona really did it. She probably saw a world without beastkin and went [A world without beastkin? I'll just have to create them myself!]… That's so like her.

With her blindfold still on, Toy answered in a playful tone.

… I've also used the [Divine Alarm Clock] on her, so maybe I could remove the blindfold? I need to gather as much information as possible… Hmm.

Oh, right.

 

＊ ＊ ＊

 

Toy's PoV

"It looks like we're not making any progress, let's take a break while I think about what to do."

After saying that, Keima left the room with the soldiers. A while later, someone appeared again in the interrogation room where Toy was.

"Oh? Is the break over alre—!?"

"Hey Toy. You seem to be doing well, aren'tcha?"

"Leona-sama…! Ah, Leona-sama, Leona-sama…!"

The smell, the heartbeat, the weight carried by those footsteps, the trembling air, and the voice. Even with her eyes covered by the blindfold, Toy could tell that the person was Leona. A strong, indescribable emotion mixed with joy and apology. Tears overflowed, wetting the inside of the blindfold. She might have even wet herself a little.

Her legs trembled, and the chair she was tied to rattled. If it weren't for these annoying restraints, she would have immediately begged for mercy, clung to Leona's feet, flirted, and shown her belly to be spoiled.

"But why, why did you come to me? Wasn't I already useless? Wasn't I, the one who let Kehma destroy this country, just useless trash? Was I not discarded yet!?"

"Huh? I did discard you. You understand that much, don't you?"

"Ah… uh…"

"But I came up with a great way to recycle you!"

Leona's voice was cheerful as she laughed. Toy didn't understand the meaning of the word [Recycle], but it didn't matter. She waited for Leona's words.

"… Toy, could you betray me?"

"Yes, I understand, Leona-sama!"

Betrayal. Defiance. Ah, that's it. A contradiction of obeying the order to [Not Obey]. What a painful command, a punishment given to her, and a new mission.

Being toyed with by her master's whims, how sweet it was. This was indeed the raison d'être of a toy!

"The method is simple. Listen to everything Kehma and Haku say, and share my information too—well, everything you know at least, without hiding anything, and cooperate with them. Oppose me with all your might, thoroughly. Come up with other ways to hinder me on your own, okay?"

"I understand, Leona-sama!"

"Good girl. That's what makes you my toy."

With that, she gently stroked Toy's cheek. Ahhh, such happiness. Her brain lit up brightly. Her vision, covered by the blindfold, flickered. Drool overflowed. She couldn't stop her tail from wagging. Was it okay for a toy to be this happy?

"Hehe, hnn…!"

"Well, I'm going now."

"Ah…"

The hand left her. Toy felt a tinge of sadness as her warmth drifted away.

"From now on, recognize me not as your master but as your enemy. You don't have to obey my words anymore, okay? It's a recycling, after all… You can choose your next master, someone other than me, as you please. Hehe, I'm looking forward to seeing how you'll get in my way."

"Yes…! Yes!"

She's looking forward to it…! Ah, Leona is enjoying me, using me! I must oppose her with all my might!

Toy engraved the seemingly contradictory, yet not contradictory, mission of [Betray and Entertain Me] in her heart.

 

 

"Heeey, we're resuming the interrogation."

After a while, Kehma returned.

"I'll tell you anything. I'll cooperate however you want. Will you play with me? Please, do whatever you like to me."

With a heartfelt smile, Toy said that to Keima.