Chapter 40 – Krebskulm Liberation Front – Broken Army (Part 3)
(Landlord’s Point of View)
“Hurry up and kill him!!”
With panic in my voice, I desperately railed against my pathetic subordinates.
“You are being ridiculous, my lord.”
“Yes, this is Ronove. It’s only because he is unable to go all out in the town that Yan and I can manage to attack him while surrounded by guards. If anything, we’re lucky to be able to keep him in check right now.”
“I know that! But isn’t it your job to do something about it!?”
Damn! I underestimated them, thinking that making an example of the slaves would mean we would have no trouble for some time!
And it was as we let our guard down, that they suddenly appeared all over the town. And now I was pushed into a corner where there were no secret passages or escape routes.
“Damn! Where were all these armed slaves hiding!?”
How was this possible?! Well, I had no choice but to believe that they had been hiding underground! And that speech that suddenly echoed around the town after the attack!! It was a girl’s voice, and it roused nearly all of the slaves in the town! How loathsome!!
“… Hmph. You seem very nervous?”
“Nonsense! And you haven’t been attacking enough! The remaining two will be here any minute now. And that will be the end of you!”
But weren’t they quite late!? I thought they were just showing the slaves off in the town square? Were they playing? Were their bad habits getting the best of them? At a time like this…
“… Now, what will happen…?”
“… What are you trying to say?”
“Hmph. I have nothing to say to a traitor.”
“I see.”
“Ah, your crime of selling my younger sister to that hideous man… you’ll pay for it.”
He’s still angry about that!? Way to hold a grudge!! Didn’t I give him back her bones!? I just played a little too hard!!
“In fact, you yourself…”
“Yan. You’re talking too much. Just kill him already. And it’s true that he chose Ronove, not you.”
“Wenen… tsk. Fine!”
“Yes! Hurry up and finish this!”
If we take too long here, the annoying slaves might start flowing in… Just the thought of it makes my skin crawl!!
“Don’t think badly of me, Ronove. Here, you will now be…”
“… You haven’t finished things yet?”
—Roll.
… Huh? What just happened? Where was Yan’s head? What is this thing that rolled towards my feet?
“That was quick…”
“Well, only slowpoke and blabbermouth were there.”
Who the hell was this woman? Did she kill Yan? But more importantly, when did she get in here?
“! Gu-guards! Seize her! You can do as you want as long as you capture her!”
“So, what do you think?”
“You can have the last person, I don’t mind.”
“… This is bad.”
Last person? Were slowpoke and blabbermouth…!?
“Alright, one… two… three…”
Thud, thud! Roll!
… Who is she? Why can’t she be stopped? How can someone so pretty just cut people’s heads off without a change in expression?
“… Ronove. What is that monster?”
“That’s what I want to know. More importantly, are you ready?”
“… I guess this is the end of me. There is no way that I can defeat you one on one.”
“That’s true. And so… just die.”
And like that, Wenen’s head was also destroyed by Ronove’s fist… Was this the end? To my glory… no, even my life was in danger!!
“I finished over here as well—what are you doing?”
“… I was bored, so I was experimenting with some new medicine. Is that a problem?”
… What a terrible thing I have just witnessed. The girl had poured a milky liquid onto the decapitated soldier. Smoke rose and his face disappeared… She called that an experiment? And without a change of expression? Even now, she was pouring liquid onto a different soldier, which melted his lips together.
“Hmmm. This one isn’t as effective? It barely melts the surface.”
“… Stop that. You’ve done enough.”
“Huh? Ah, yes. After all, you’re already finished. Now it’s just the landlord.”
“That’s not what I… no, nevermind. Yes, the landlord.”
Huh!? Do-don’t come any closer! You devil!!
“Wa-wait a minute! Spare me! I’ll give you anything! Money and titles! Please!!”
I abandoned my pride and reputation and begged for my life. Anyone would do the same if they saw someone cut off people’s head without hesitation as they counted, and then used the survivors for experiments. It wasn’t just me…!!
“It’s a bit late…”
“Pl-please! Please…!!”
I didn’t want to die yet, and if I had to die, I wanted to do it while retaining my human form!!
“… I don’t mind, as long as you give me the thing that is important to you.”
“Hey, you can’t just do that…!”
“But you can’t kill the landlord immediately, can you? So I don’t see what the problem is.”
“That’s true, but…”
“Re-really!?”
It was a miracle! The devil was going to have mercy on me. I would give her as much money as she wanted. It was all useless if I was dead, anyway.
“Gold? Titles? I’ll give you anything you want, but I want a guarantee!”
I knew what kind of things people asked for. And so I took out a contract scroll before she could change her mind.
“What’s that?”
“Once a contract is written and signed, the neutral god, the ‘colorless, transparent sky god’ will ensure that you cannot go against it.”
“Huh… Well, that’s quite useful, isn’t it?”
She said, and then signed it without hesitation. Yes! I did it! Fool!! I can do anything as long as I have my life! That means I just need to bide my time until I can get my revenge!
“So? What is it that you want?”
“Let me see. First, the people in the town square that have this mark on their left cheek…”
What? Scatter my gold? Did she want me to apologize and make up for all the torment I had inflicted on them?
That had already been in my future the moment that I lost. Bowing my head to mere tools… it’s the height of humiliation, but it’s nothing in exchange for my life…
“…You will bow with your head on the ground, naked. I want your dignity as a human being.”
… What? What did she just say?
“Yes. And since you are offering your dignity as a human being, you cannot apologize with something as lofty as the languages of humans, understand?”
Understand? What the hell is she talking about? I was unable to process it. And so I racked my brain in order to think of a way to escape…
“Oh? It’s pretty flashy when it takes effect, isn’t it?”
… In the corner of my vision, the contract scroll began to shine. And in despair, everything became dark…
