Chapter 91
Chapter 91
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Translator: Mod7
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: Chapter 9 - The Cruelty of Civilization
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I thought I had grown accustomed to pain, but the sensation of a limb being severed was a different matter altogether.
My left hand, a part of me for my entire life, flew through the air, tumbling end over end,
And my mind, still processing the information, simply refused to accept it.
“Aagh…!”
But then, the searing pain, the raw, exposed nerves of the wound, jolted me back to reality.
Alraune’s presence had always mitigated the pain, accelerating the healing process, or even weakening the attacks,
But this sharp, curved sword had bypassed our combined defenses, severing muscle and bone.
“You impudent wretches…!”
Nefer, enraged, lashed out with her daggers, trying to subdue the two attackers, but
Outnumbered, she couldn't deliver a decisive blow, the fight dragging on longer than anticipated.
The attackers took advantage of the distraction, pulling a small, black, spherical object from their clothes,
And threw it on the ground, releasing a thick cloud of smoke.
…A smoke grenade.
Their goal wasn't to kill Nefer and me, but to separate us, to create confusion.
“Ugh!”
Before I could even stop the bleeding from my severed wrist, they grabbed me and ran. Two of them stayed behind to hold off Nefer, while the other two dragged me away.
The thick smoke obscured my vision, but I could feel myself being carried, their movements swift and sure.
After what seemed like an eternity, we emerged from the smoke. I could finally see my captors.
They all wore opaque veils or masks, and they communicated silently, using hand gestures, their left hands moving in a strange, almost sign language-like manner.
I could see their tails and pointed ears, partially visible beneath their veils. They resembled the guards in Aaptukemen, but they were more agile, their movements quicker.
Perhaps they possessed the traits of desert foxes. The women here often exhibited the physical characteristics of animals, so it was a reasonable assumption.
Even in this chaotic situation, my mind continued to analyze and observe,
Partly because, Alraune’s roots and vines had already begun to stem the bleeding from my wrist,
And partly because, I was looking for an opportunity to escape.
The woman carrying me assumed I was securely bound and wouldn't be able to resist,
But I wasn't going to be dragged across the desert and die a pathetic death.
Nefer would come for me, and I just had to buy some time.
It wouldn't be difficult.
I examined the ropes binding me, then carefully inserted a thin vine, loosening the knots.
Then, using my vines and roots, I would bind the woman’s ankles.
Even the most agile creature would be momentarily stunned by such an unexpected and absurd attack.
So, as my vines tangled around her feet, disrupting her stride,
“!”
Thud-
She stumbled, falling forward, rolling three times across the sand.
She was surprisingly resilient… she managed to regain her footing, using the momentum of her fall,
But I had gained a precious moment of freedom.
Thump- thump- thump-
“Nefer…! Here! I’m here!”
While the attackers were still disoriented, surprised that I had escaped so easily, I ran towards Nefer, yelling her name.
She would have been able to hold her own against the two attackers. The question was, how long could I survive on my own, and how quickly could Nefer reach me?
“I’m here!”
I ran up a steep sand dune, yelling, waving my arms,
And activated the glowing rod I always carried, its light a beacon in the darkness.
“…!”
The sudden, bright light stopped the attackers in their tracks. Unaware of what I possessed, they had to proceed with caution.
“Stay back! I’ll detonate this…!”
It didn't have a detonation function,
But I bluffed anyway.
I was buying time.
Just a little longer-
Thud-
“Huh?”
But,
Their caution was far more brutal than I had anticipated…
“Ugh… huh…? Aaaaagh!”
A sharp, metal projectile, thrown with deadly accuracy, struck my wrist, shattering the bone.
I couldn't believe it. Even with Alraune’s protection, my hand, half-severed, dangled uselessly.
“W-wait…! Wait…!”
I had made a terrible mistake.
Having experienced the brutality of the natural world, I had assumed that the civilized women would be more reasonable, more humane…
“Hic, sob… th-these crazy…”
But they were even more ruthless, severing my limbs to prevent any further escape attempts.
If they were simply taking me back, they didn't need my limbs. They could just chop them off, cauterize the wounds, and drag me along.
“S-stay back! Get away! Get-”
Slice-
My left leg, below the knee, was gone. They were eliminating every possibility of escape.
“Aaaaaaaaagh! Groan-…! Agh!”
They cautiously approached me, deactivated the glowing rod, and severed my remaining hand.
Then, they carefully collected my severed limbs, placing them in a leather pouch…
“Hic, sob… agh…! Aaaaagh!”
And so,
I was once again, separated from Nefer.
How far could civilized beings fall? Wasn’t the wild, driven by the simple need to survive, more merciful than this twisted, corrupted civilization?
“W-wait… hic… j-just a moment…”
This wasn't some barbaric ritual, where they forced males to mate on an altar. There was a reason why His Majesty and the other males lived in quiet desperation.
I had been worried about Homunculus sending assassins, but I hadn't been truly afraid. Alraune’s healing abilities would protect me.
And Jenny and Amy would eventually find me. And Nefer was on my side.
But,
All those assumptions,
Were based on the painful truth that I had to endure until they arrived.
A primal fear, unlike anything I had ever experienced, washed over me. I almost wet myself.
My body trembled uncontrollably. With my limbs gone, my mind, its imagination unfettered, conjured horrific images of torture and mutilation.
And what was even more terrifying,
Was that Alraune’s presence prevented me from dying.
I was terrified of my own immortality.
“Hic, sob…”
I shed tears, my face pressed against the hot sand, as they dragged me back towards Aaptukemen. Not into the city itself, but towards some hidden facility nearby.
The citizens of Aaptukemen weren't allowed to see me. Homunculus, wary of their gaze, their judgment, had brought me here in secret, but she had also made it clear that a quick death wasn't an option.
“Hmm. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
Thud-
I landed at Homunculus’s feet, my body a mangled mess, only one leg remaining. I tried to maintain my dignity, to meet her gaze,
But it wasn’t easy. My lips trembled, my fear undeniable, despite my efforts to appear brave.
A thousand thoughts,
Images of torture and mutilation from books and historical accounts, flashed through my mind.
I just had to endure until someone came for me, but knowing that didn't dispel the fear.
This was real. There was no escape from the pain.
“Hic, sob… p-please…”
I had to give up, to surrender, to embrace humiliation and subservience if I wanted to survive.
So, I swallowed,
Prepared myself…
“P-ple…”
Please, save me,
That's what I wanted to say.
“…”
His Majesty was there, standing beside Homunculus.
He still seemed nervous, his gaze darting around, his face contorted in disgust as he looked at my mangled body.
He was afraid.
Yes, this was Aaptukemen.
If you defied the women,
They would unleash a torrent of pain and suffering, far worse than anything in the wild.
…Was this civilization?
Truly?
“Sob-, sniff-…”
I bit my lip, my mind reeling. Even groveling wouldn't guarantee my safety.
“P-pro… pro…”
“Pro?”
Homunculus smiled, enjoying my fear, my desperation.
And I, my eyes squeezed shut, screamed at her,
“…You pathetic coward! You were too afraid to face me, so you had to cut off my limbs?! Hmm?!”
I was glad there were no mirrors here.
I didn't want to see my face.
It would be too ugly, too pathetic.