The two tilted their heads.
"Specifically? Are you going to kill her?"
"Yes, I'll kill her."
"Hmm."
The pair seemed unsure of what to do.
The monk announced the reward amount.
The two of them suddenly changed their expressions.
"I'm in."
"However, if that woman begs for her life and I determine that she sincerely regrets her attitude toward me, I won't kill her immediately."
"I can have some fun before I kill her, right?"
"Of course. If you capture her alive, rape her to pieces."
"So, it's okay to do it?!"
"Of course! She humiliated my pride! She tore my pride to shreds twice! I'm going to make her take full responsibility for both of us here! I'm going to tear her to shreds!"
The bald man wiped the drool that had started dripping down his face with his sleeve.
"Heh heh, I'm suddenly feeling really motivated… She really was a hell of a catch."
"Even through her clothes, you could tell she had an irresistible body, right? I definitely want to capture her alive. Ahh, I want to see it… I want to see that woman's face twist and hear her scream and cry♪"
The bald man tilted his head.
"But she's at least a traveling warrior, right? How are her skills?"
"She seemed capable enough. But that woman is exhausted. If you look closely, she even has dark circles under her eyes. When I saw her on the upper floor earlier, she was staggering from time to time. Still—I think I could easily beat her—but just in case, I called you guys. I want to make sure we take her down."
Whoosh!
The bald man swings his axe with a display of pride.
"Either way, there's no way a woman could beat us! It's not like we're fighting the goddess Vysis or anything!"
In some passages, an axe might be easier to wield than a sword.
At this ruin, the length of a sword's blade can sometimes be a problem.
But—I can't believe the name of that damn goddess has come up here too.
Is she really that famous?
The monk speaks with conviction:
"That woman… she looked tired, yet she was in a hurry. She's probably after the Dragon-Eye Goblet. That woman just seems desperate for money."
"She's probably greedy and filthy at heart. She'd do anything for money."
"What do you think? We find the Dragon-Eye Goblet first, pretend to willingly hand it over, then catch her off guard?"
"Oh, that's great! You're a genius!"
"So, if she begs for her life—we just make her our slave!"
"And finally, we sell her to a brothel! Even if she's a little worn out, she'll definitely fetch a good price!"
The pair gets excited.
"Hey, hey!"
The monk interrupts, looking displeased.
"The top priority is definitely killing that woman, got it?"
"Heh heh, you're really pissed at her, huh?"
"What a stupid question! It really pisses me off… Just thinking that that woman who made a fool of me is still breathing and living in this world… And the thought that she'll forget all about me and keep living like nothing happened… It makes my guts boil—I want to rip my chest open!!"
The monk spews twisted rage.
"Ah, I won't be able to sleep peacefully until I see that smug face twist in despair and die! She brushed me off so easily twice! Me, of all people!? Twice! Once I kill her, I'll feed her… Let the monsters eat that beautiful face and body…"
The pair seems slightly hesitant.
"I-I don't mind what happens to the woman, but… at least let the two of us have a go at her, okay? It'd be a waste to just kill her."
"Then after we rape her, that woman becomes monster food… bait… bait, bait, baaait!!"
The pair's smiles start to twitch.
Their expressions say "this is no good."
The monk points to the corridor opposite where I am.
"Listen. We ambush that woman at the bottom of those stairs. From the looks of it, there's a good spot for a surprise attack."
The monk said he saw Mist on the upper floors.
Mist will probably come down to this level soon.
I had been silently watching the situation, and now I step out from behind cover.
The bald man notices me.
"Huh…? Who the hell are you? Were you eavesdropping on what we were just talking about?"
"You guys are hopeless."
The monk glares at me with bloodshot eyes.
"Ha—haaaah!? What the hell did you just say to me, brat!? I'll fucking kill you!! Ah, I get it, I get it now!! Fine! I'll crush your dignity as a human too, then feed you to the monsters!!"
He snaps way too easily.
The pair also raise their weapons.
"Tch! Another goody-two-shoes brat shows up! Let's just kill him—he's in the way."
"Kukiki! People dying in ruins is normal, right!? Oh! I just got a great idea! Let's cut off his limbs first, then feed him alive to a monster!!"
I thrust out my palm.
"Wait a second."
"Ah, what is it!?"
"I was wrong. Please, help me."
"Pfft!? The moment you realize your opponent is stronger, you start begging for your life!? What a pathetic kid! But once you spit something out, you can't take it back—"
"[Paralyze]"
Snap,
Snap—
"Yeah, that's right, uh… hm?"
"What…? I can't move…?"
Now that I've faced these guys, I understand.
There's a huge difference in strength between those four and these guys.
These guys are full of openings.
There was no need for a surprise attack.
"Why…?"
The monk looks bewildered, eyes wide open.
"What… did you do?"
"Who knows. But more importantly—"
I move in front of the monk.
I whisper in his ear.
"Who·are·you·going·to·kill?"
"Hii—"
A short scream from the monk.
Fear is evident.
"Wh-what… are you…? Suddenly… you seem like a completely different person…"
"Heh heh, sorry about that."
I feel disgusted by how pathetic I am, in a good way.
Because it reminds me of them.
"When I 'exterminate' people like you—strangely enough, I feel good. It's not so bad after all."
"Eh?"
That's not all.
Naturally, I also have a preference for Mist.
I'm human too.
These guys and Mist.
It goes without saying which side I'm on.
It's not about right or wrong.
Which side will I take?
That's something I decide on my own, based on my own judgment.
Touka Mimori's choice of sides is mine alone to decide.
Therefore, I do as I please.
"You said people dying in ruins is normal, right?"
Multiple target designation.
"[Poison]"
The three of them become poisoned.
"Ugh, ugh… what!? What is this…"
"It hurts…"
"Help meeee—"
The monk glares at me with hatred.
"Remember this… I'll definitely… make you regret it later…"
"Hahaha, are you an idiot? That's exactly why—"
I sneer with a twisted smile.
"I'll crush you here and now."
You tried to kill me.
So I'll kill you too.
"Guh!? Gu, u, u…"
I notice something.
Multiple monster presences are approaching.
"In the end—"
As I leave, I throw the words over my shoulder.
"You're the ones who became monster bait."