EP.37 The Depressing Coin
The coin was depressing. Nothing was going right, to the point where she wondered if she should just give up on everything.
After barely cleaning up the vomit before the hero arrived, Lobelia felt her strength drain away again. She draped the cloak she'd taken off earlier back over her body and fastened the buttons and ties. Only then could she finally rest—but it wasn't real rest. The moment she stayed still, the foul taste spreading in her mouth brought on waves of nausea that made her stomach churn. Even furrowing her brow and trying to forget it all, curling up on the floor didn't let her relax. No, she knew the reason. It was because she knew this was her last sanctuary.
Tomorrow, the hero would check out and head to Bellante, the city bordering the Demon Realm, to deal with the remnants of the magic beasts. After that, she'd be left without a room—tossed out somewhere in this village, and the hero would leave. She took a deep breath to calm herself, then let it out slowly. Thinking it through, this was Luplettas. Why was it famous for dried foods? The answer came quickly. Not too far from the capital, not too far from the border, and one of the waypoints to Bellante—it was a stopover for adventurers heading out to subjugate magic beasts, a place to restock food and catch a brief respite.
So who were the ones fighting to subjugate those magic beasts? People filled with rage, grabbing spears and swords. People sickened by the Demon King, demons, and magic beasts, overflowing with hatred. Maybe even more than the hero. If an abandoned demon like her showed her face to those people, wandering Luplettas without a master and getting caught by humans? Just imagining it sent chills down her spine. She felt like she might puke again.
"Ugh... uuuugh."
Clutching the hem of her cloak tightly to ease her suffocating breaths, she let out a groan. She had no idea what to do. It was just agony. Save me. Someone help me. But no one would help a demon like her. She was alone here, powerless to do anything—not even run away—so tears burst from her eyes. Damn it, damn it, damn it. Why only me...?
Exhausted, she stared blankly into space, passing the time. She didn't even have the energy to retch anymore; her body just twitched now and then. How long had it been like that? The door opened again. Looking up at him wearily, she saw the hero sigh. But he didn't seem inclined to say anything, sitting on the bed and rummaging through his bag without a word.
After a moment, a clink sounded right in front of her. Lifting her head to trace the noise, her gaze shifted—and there was a single coin. As she stared at it, the hero's voice came.
"Living expenses."
It was a curt phrase, but she understood its meaning instantly. Realizing that, she clamped her mouth shut and picked it up. She hated herself for grasping it so quickly, but if she was going to be abandoned anyway without understanding, better to just accept it. But could she even use living expenses? It was human currency, not for demons. The moment she tried to spend it in a shop, wouldn't she get beaten to death?
"......"
Without a word, she pocketed the coin and stared at it. Her troubled heart wouldn't settle, so she gripped it hard enough to make her hand ache. Glancing up at the hero, she wondered if he was doing this on purpose.
"Not enough?"
Misreading her glance as complaint about the amount, he said something ridiculous. If it were too little, she could just ask for more. But that wasn't it.
"......Do you think I can even use this?"
She pondered how to phrase it without offending him, but thinking of tomorrow—wandering the streets in torment—she decided to just speak her mind and opened her mouth. Hearing her, the hero fell silent and looked at her.
"You know what it means to leave me here like this."
Getting beaten outside was inevitable anyway; one more from the hero didn't matter. If they were going to keep up this master-slave play, this shouldn't happen, but maybe now it didn't matter. She decided to say what she wanted. But even so, she couldn't fully give up or curse him out. She hadn't been abandoned yet, and desperately, she had one request.
"Just take me to the Demon Realm..."
"I don't need anything from you."
His tone was still cold. "I said I'd serve you... I can't even use coins like this."
She clutched the coin tightly in both hands and glanced at him with sad eyes. He must have decided there was no gain in escorting someone useless like her all the way there, so his reaction made sense. Still, she was desperate. Her mouth reeked from having his cock in it earlier, but she endured, pleading earnestly. But the hero had already made up his mind, clamping his mouth shut. He lay on the bed and turned away sharply, as if he didn't want to see her. He had no intention of talking more. They seemed set to leave at dawn tomorrow, so she thought to beg a little longer.
But to appeal to her usefulness, she had nothing but her role as a sex slave—and she was useless otherwise. Climbing onto the bed disgusted her, sucking a man's cock disgusted her, but she couldn't not do it. Her pathetic situation was miserable. Confirming he'd fallen asleep while she rested her eyes just a bit, she dozed off briefly.
*
Adventuring required a lot. Living at home just needed food and taxes—not much money. Maybe clothes if you stretched it. But adventuring was different. Leaving home meant inn fees, buying weapons—you needed multiples—and extra rations. Even if using abilities got you there fast, saving mana made carriages essential, and they cost money too. So big expenses per quest or adventure were inevitable.
But since capturing a demon to extract Demon King info, money had been draining fast. Too stingy to feed her properly, she'd collapsed, forcing him to pay hospital bills. Revived, she claimed ignorance, boiling his blood. Seeing her useless face made him regret saving her. Too frail for porter work with those skinny limbs, forcing sex as a "slave" just led to puking and suffering—useless even as a sex slave.
Amid his irritation, a thought crept in: Why bother paying carriage fees to haul this worthless thing around? The conclusion was easy: no reason. So he decided to ditch her. He considered killing her himself but couldn't. These past days, even as a demon, her suffering, crying, and whimpering weakened his resolve—then turned back to annoyance, hastening his decision. If useless, discard. It was rational.
Better than a week of displeasure watching her writhe in the carriage. Leaving her here might even boost passersby's morale. More upsides to ditching than dragging her along, so he said it.
"Rather than haul you in a carriage for a week, I'll just leave you here."
The demon recoiled in horror and despair. Her expression showed she knew what happened to abandoned demons here. No sign she'd report it or cause trouble. She'd hidden her mana, probably. But demons were cunning; maybe joy lurked behind that face. He'd watch for it.
The groaning demon suddenly clamped her mouth shut. Yeah, show your true colors. Plot something sneaky. The moment you think I've left and execute it, I'll lead the charge to kill you.
But reality mocked him.
"Forget today. Tomorrow when I check out, just..."
About to say he'd ditch her tomorrow, his words caught—not pity or mercy, not dreading her death. Just shock at her undoing her only cover, the cloak, baring herself completely.
"What are you doing?"
Despite his icy question, the demon crawled forward trembling. He swallowed hard, staring blankly. As he hardened his expression and looked down, she begged.
"I-I'll do it. I don't know anything, can't carry loads, but I'll do something else. Please."
Her desperate voice made him doubt this was the vile demon. But it could be calculated, so he shouted.
"Bullshit! Who'd embrace a slave who pukes right after fucking?!"
It was nonsense. An ignorant wretch who knew nothing of the Demon King or demons, too weak and short to carry properly, begging not to be abandoned because she'd "do something else"? It meant fulfilling her sex slave duties. She couldn't even climb the bed without shaking after one night— what could she do? But undeterred, pride in the gutter, she begged.
"I'll try hard, so don't abandon me... Please, if you do, I'll die. Better to serve you—abandon me in the Demon Realm..."
Suspecting a ploy to leech a ride to the Demon Realm planless, he watched. But it was too generous. Why do that for a demon? No reason. Yet she insisted no embrace needed—some change of heart? To test sincerity from scheme, he said,
"Do it with your mouth right now, and I'll think about it."
Predictably, she hesitated, pondered long, even tried compromising. He shook his head firmly, so she dragged on. Impatient, he yanked her onto the bed. If truly desperate, she'd never refuse. But regret hit instantly. Thud—her small body hit like someone unable to breathe, gasping raggedly. Her eyes spun, unsure where to look, chest heaving in hyperventilation. He wondered if she was broken, sweat beading. Soon, scratching her breasts itchily, she screamed. He grabbed her arm, slapped her cheek to stop it. Only then did she calm, exhaling wearily with a dazed look.
See? Useless everywhere. Brainless, can't even escape. He knew she lacked cunning, but it proved her worthlessness. Yet calming, she teared up again, crawling forward. Pushed once, no pride left, forcing a smile, reaching for his cock. Insisting between his legs. Fine, try it. Watching, he saw her body heave like retching midway. Enduring, but repeatedly—his near-softening leniency hardened to irritation, brows furrowing. He tried not snapping. Yeah, begging desperately not to be left—if she ends up skinned on display, it'll haunt my sleep. He placed a hand on her head. She flinched—then gripped his cock hard. Weak, not breaking, but painful enough. This bitch didn't aim for that, did she? Her panicked face said no. She begged another chance, but suspicion and annoyance filled him—no more patience. He pulled up his pants. Her face might weaken him again, so he clicked his tongue and stormed out.
Sighing outside the inn, looking skyward as he walked, unwanted thoughts flooded. If truly too inept to escape and terrified of human capture, it made sense. But did that mean spare this demon? No. She'd tried killing him once—attempt alone was bad, even if failed. Free her, she'd devour lives as evil someday. Don't release. Her bed-shaking was deserved. Punishment for trying to kill him: forced embrace, birthing trauma. But it annoyed him. Why pity self-inflicted trauma? Her agonized screams lingered vividly.
"...Fuck."
Tormented, he finally concluded after long thought. One more test.