Cutting Out the Rotten Flesh - 2
"Even like this... is it really okay?"
Seohee's subordinates couldn't adapt to the excessively laid-back work environment.
"If it's comfortable, that's a good thing, right?"
"No, but still, it's weird. Don't we have stuff to do in a base like this? Construction or farming or something."
There was a small vegetable patch where a bit of farming was going on, but it was woefully insufficient to supplement food for all these people.
The base residents didn't even think about fetching food from the supply points. They showed no signs of starting any construction either. They'd just pitched some tents moderately to accommodate the 'new guests' who came in with Seohee.
"Isn't Seohee the big boss here in her own way? The other women seem to defer to her pretty well."
"No, it would be fine if it was just us not working... but everyone else is just lounging around doing nothing too."
"Hmm..."
"Shouldn't we at least reinforce the barricades in case those bastards attack, or pull out some weapons or something?"
"Doesn't seem like there are any weapons to pull from the warehouses though?"
"Yeah, true."
These were people who had learned through their entire bodies, while surviving in this world, that there was no such thing as unmotivated kindness.
"Does the man plan to offer us all up as slaves when he gets back?"
"I asked some of Soi's girls, and they all seem to be slaves to the owner here? Surprisingly decent living?"
"Nah, that's gotta be bravado. With this many slaves, they'd all have missing limbs or something."
"Well, yeah, that's true too..."
Unable to contain their curiosity any longer, they grabbed a nearby woman and cautiously asked.
"Um... is it really okay for us to just be sitting around like this?"
"Pardon?"
"Aside from moving some waste, there's nothing to do here... so we're wondering if this is right. Shouldn't we at least stand guard or something..."
"You haven't officially joined our settlement yet, have you? It'd be hard to slot you into the patrol schedule right away..."
"Still, what about construction or..."
The settler shook her head with a smile.
"Oh, the tents are a bit cramped, right? Uncomfortable too. Don't worry. As soon as Master returns, we'll build you houses right away."
"Houses?"
"Honestly, it's inefficient, so we don't do it. When Master touches something once, construction shoots ahead, but if we do it ourselves, it might get burdensome."
"Hmm..."
Seohee's subordinates couldn't understand them. Especially since they hadn't seen him fight with their own eyes.
They couldn't wrap their heads around how these people could so calmly and peacefully say 'Master will return,' even if they understood it logically—it was hard to accept emotionally. And it was even harder to believe that such a strong person, a man no less, would casually handle rough construction work.
"Y-Yes... alright. Got it."
But it wasn't wise to nitpick when they were being told they could rest right now. As they talked, the sound of a cow mooing came from afar.
"Shouldn't we feed it hay or something? I think I've heard merchants treasure their oxen..."
Sua tilted her head. The merchant gave a faint smile.
"Thank you for your consideration, but our ox eats grass just fine. Right, Song-song?"
The ox lifted its head, mooed softly, and rubbed its face against the merchant, acting cute.
"Well, that's a relief then. Rest easy until Master returns."
"...Thank you. I never expected... to receive help like this."
"No problem. When you head out later, bring back lots of supplies. We have plenty of money but nothing to buy..."
"Of course."
The merchant smiled faintly. But worry and anxiety mixed into her expression.
"But whatever we do, if the man doesn't return safely... I don't think we can do anything."
"He's fine, so don't worry."
"...I want to believe that too."
He was someone who had taken their side. Even after boldly digging into the thing they most wanted to hide and making them admit with their own mouths that they were criminals.
He was the one who had gone with them to Seven Seed so they could apologize to the bereaved families harmed by their murder. In the end, to protect the others, he hadn't resisted or fled—he had walked right into their hands of his own accord.
It was scary. Unsettling. If something happened to him because of them, it would be pretty horrific.
He was practically the only person in the world who had sided with this merchant without calculating gains or conditions—and for that good deed, he might come to harm.
And then, someone tapped her shoulder from behind.
"I'm glad you think that way."
It was a man's voice. The merchant whipped around in surprise.
"M-Master...?"
The merchants who had been in the tent came rushing out at the sound.
"Wh-When did you get back! Are you safe? No injuries anywhere?"
"Ah, yeah. I'm fine."
He called the women over with a bright smile.
"Let's talk first."
I had gathered Seohee, Sua, her subordinates, and the merchants.
"From now on... for convenience, let's speak casually."
I hung the rough map I'd sketched while moving around the area on a portable whiteboard I'd scavenged from the 'academy ruins.'
"First off, we've established friendly relations with Seven Seed. Three of the Responsibility Council stepped down taking blame for this incident, and we got a pledge to work together solving problems going forward."
Seohee shot her hand up.
"Fuck the details—tell us how you wrecked them."
"Fought like hell. Without killing anyone. Happy? Next."
"No, why!"
"What, should I describe it like, 'My fist, like the wind itself, struck the woman's sturdy shoulder blade with a thunderous crack...' and so on?"
"No, even that sounds fun... Damn, I should've seen it."
Seohee's subordinates and the merchants tilted their heads, unable to believe my words.
"D-Did you... really take them all down?"
"Yeah."
"How?"
"I said so. Explaining would take forever—next!"
I looked at the women in front of me.
"You all need to admit your crimes and apologize to the bereaved families."
"I-Isn't it over?"
"I said we made friendly relations, right? As part of that, we pledged to handle things 'righteously and justly.'"
I gave a wry smile.
"Even if they deserved death, people still died. Even if we won, glossing over it feels wrong."
A person's death must be treated as grave. Dangerous. People should recoil from murder as a given and view any killing with horror. Even in a world swarming with dozens or hundreds of wall-munching, people-eating monsters outside, I didn't want that principle broken.
"Still, they won't come grab and kill you right away. But if you half-ass the apology... well, I'd get pissed."
"We'll apologize sincerely!"
The merchant bowed her head.
"Anyway... since we're set for moderate exchanges going forward, think ahead about resources we can mass-produce here and what they can give us. That's it for the Seven Seed issue."
Sua shot her hand up.
"What about reparations? Not your type, but shouldn't we take some slaves... or weapons at least?"
"We won, but it was all 'for good relations.' Giving the impression I conquered them... wouldn't be good."
Seohee shook her head.
"Kinda wasteful. If we drop control over those Seven Seed fuckers like this, they won't stay quiet."
"Even after seeing Master fight firsthand, I doubt they'd resist—"
"They won't resist. But they could play word games slyly, frame someone and bitch about it. Plenty of options."
I shook my head with a laugh.
"I'm not dumb enough to miss that."
"Really? No way you'd— Aaaack!"
I zipped over at light speed and gave Seohee's forehead a very light flick before continuing.
"In the contract with Seven Seed, there's a clause to strive for 'righteous deeds.'"
"What?"
"And a sub-clause allowing mutual oversight of that."
Seohee let out a hollow laugh.
"Crazy. Come to think of it, you said some Responsibility Council members changed..."
I nodded with a grin.
"Yeah."
Simply having them offer their resources and manpower to us isn't efficient long-term. They need to do the right things themselves—wearing the Responsibility Council's mask, doing slightly helpful stuff for us.
"Seohee. You gotta take responsibility for your words too."
"Hah..."
"You said someone got framed unjustly, right?"
I looked at her subordinates.
"Let's investigate. Righteous deed. Sounds good, yeah?"
Seohee and I exchanged glances, grinning like villains.