Chapter 59
Chapter 59
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Suspicious Guide (2)
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We fell right into their trap, turning into statues ourselves.
Our minds were still sharp, though, so we could hear every word they said.
"Hey, you dumb bastard. Can you hear me? Bet you have no clue what's going on, huh?"
Like hell I don't.
It was obvious we'd been backstabbed and petrified.
But did these guys even realize?
Even with the men restrained, the women left behind were top-tier powerhouses.
Mess with them, and they'd lose limbs real quick.
"Oh, what, you thinkin' we'll go after your remaining pals?"
"Heh, we know exactly how idiots like you think."
Eric and Lion chimed in, answering my thoughts as if this was routine for them.
As if the strength of the survivors didn't matter one bit...
Eric sauntered over, leaning in close to my face.
"You think we're nuts? Rushin' an S-rank and A-rank? Sorry, pal, but robbery ain't our goal."
He flashed a sleazy grin and flicked his tongue.
"You'll be petrified for about two weeks. Sight and hearing stay perfect, though."
Then the fat priest Bobbidi waddled up, smirking lewdly.
"Heh heh, I like that blue-haired one."
"Guess that leaves me the redhead. Her tits have been drivin' me crazy."
Bobbidi and Lion groped their crotches with perverted grins.
No way. These bastards...
"Hear that? That's the plan. Heh heh, we'll say you got hit by monsters. Gotta wait two weeks."
Eric stuck out his tongue, sneering like a viper.
"And watch. Watch your women fall one by one over those two weeks."
"Hahaha! Can't wait!"
"Hee hee hee! Nothin' beats stealin' another guy's girl!"
That's when it hit me.
This wasn't about robbery.
They targeted fresh adventurer parties, stealing their women right in front of the men.
An NTR party, straight up.
'These perverted fucks...!'
I wanted to curse at the three drooling creeps, but my petrified mouth stayed shut.
Damn it. They never cared about our strength to begin with.
All that mattered was if we had women.
'What if they use some weird magic tool like a petrification artifact...!'
I struggled, but my stone body wouldn't budge.
"Sit tight. We'll fetch your precious party members."
In the end, I was stuck frozen, helpless.
And just like that, the three slunk away.
A moment later.
"Th-this way!"
Footsteps echoed from the direction we'd come, along with Eric's Oscar-worthy acting.
They'd lured the remaining Rafne and crew here.
To show we were petrified by monsters.
"Ah... Ken!"
Rafne, Mary, and Emily spotted me and rushed over in a panic.
While they fretted over my state, Eric and his goons started spinning their tale.
"Ugh, we got careless. It was an easy monster, but that fat guy screwed up."
"Yeah, took the other two down with him. Petrification curse."
Lion backed Eric up.
'These sons of bitches...!'
Blame-shifting to my "mistake" to make the lie convincing.
The innocent victim couldn't even defend himself, frozen solid.
They'd wait two weeks because of "my" screw-up.
And plot something meanwhile...
Mary turned, her face darkening.
"Ken... messed up?"
"Yeah, guy's a klutz. Told him about the petrification curse ahead of time, and he still got hit. Damn it. Shoulda left him behind."
Eric poured it on thick.
Lion and Bobbidi nodded along.
But I couldn't argue back.
We'd all fall for the snakes' lies.
I wanted to bite my lip, but I couldn't move.
Just rage bubbled up in my stone prison at their bullshit.
Powerlessness surged.
Eric grinned and approached Mary.
"Hey, no need to worry too much. It was your buddy's fault, but we'll stick around. We're loyal types."
A friendly neighbor smile.
Whispering false warmth, assuring they meant no harm.
Winning them over.
'No! Don't trust them! Mary! Emily! Rafne!!'
I could picture the horror if they fell for it.
I screamed inside, but no sound escaped my stone shell.
I was helpless.
Just stand here for two weeks.
Watch myself painted as a fool by their silver tongues.
Watch the girls grow close to them...
BOOM!!
"Gyaaah!!"
Suddenly, icy pillars erupted from under Eric, courtesy of Mary.
The massive, hammer-like force slammed his gut.
Eric screamed, launched into the air.
"Wh-what the hell?!"
Shing!
Lion drew his sword, assuming stance. Bobbidi sweated, muttering "H-hee hee...!"
"What do you mean? Exactly what it sounds like—killing you for what you did to Ken."
"Knew it."
Shing.
Emily donned her shield and drew her sword.
A sharp, unfamiliar glare pierced the three men.
Lion ground his teeth, overwhelmed.
"Tch, h-how'd you know?"
Mary scoffed.
"Doesn't make sense Ken messed up and got monster-cursed."
"Yeah, the Ken I know wouldn't. If this happened, it was you guys, not him."
Emily nodded matter-of-factly.
Lion gaped at their confidence.
"Y-you're attackin' us on that flimsy evidence?!"
Honestly, his reaction matched mine.
Just blind faith in me calling out their lies.
It felt forced, sure.
But their trust moved me deeply.
I'd figured they'd buy the lies.
"Hey, Rafne. What do we do with these guys? Lift the petrification first...? Rafne?"
With Mary's preemptive strike, it was over. Emily turned to Rafne for cleanup.
But unlike the others, Rafne ignored them.
She just stood before me, staring blankly.
'Wh-what's wrong?'
She pulled surprises often, so I tensed up despite being stone.
"Hey, Rafne?"
Emily called, confused, but no response.
Then.
"Hmph."
She yanked off her pendant.
"Kyaaah! R-Rafneee!! Warn us before stripping!!"
"Ugh, m-my head... Hic."
The pendant off, her curse hit instantly. Emily and Mary reacted.
The three men, new to Curse of Fear?
"Blughhh! Hiiik! Wh-what is this?!"
"Buoooh! M-my head! It's splitting!!"
"S-save me!! Please!! Sorry, we were wrong!! Mercy!!"
Vomiting, clutching heads, terrified—they freaked.
Rafne ignored their agony, smiling as she hung the pendant on my neck.
Then.
Crack, crumble.
Stone flaked off. Petrification lifted.
"Yay! Ken! As expected from your pendant! ...Phew, thank goodness."
Free, Rafne glomped me, rubbing her face in my chest happily.
'Right... it blocks curses.'
Rafne's quick thinking freed me easy.
If they'd dangled "Obey us to save them!" without spilling the release method, it'd be trouble.
But smooth sailing thanks to her.
I patted her head proudly, hugging back.
"Ehehe."
She giggled contentedly.
"K-Ken! P-put the pendant on Rafne first!!"
"Oh, right."
Seeing them relieved but forgetting, I whipped it off quick.
"Ugh, hate this curse..."
"R-Rafne... warn us next time."
Pendant back on Rafne, everyone calmed.
Curse eased; the sufferers staggered up.
"Ugh... Wh-what the hell was that."
Eric clutched his head, glaring.
But no time for his bullshit.
I'd heard their plans for the girls crystal clear.
I was pissed.
'Swift Creation: Iron Bludgeon.'
Copied from some adventurer's club.
Mana drained; metal bat in hand.
I kicked off, charging Eric.
"W-wait, aaah!!"
Crunch.
"Gaaaaah━!!"
Bat nailed his right knee perfectly. Leg dangled useless.
Eric collapsed screaming.
"You bastard!!"
Lion charged, sword raised.
Best fighter of the three, but daily spars with Siegfried made him look novice-level to me.
Swift Creation again.
'...Hydra Knife.'
Stun-effect Hydra Knife.
Splat!
"...Guh! U-Ugh."
Thrown knife hit his shoulder dead-on.
No warning; he crumpled pathetically.
Stun kept him quiet.
"H-Hee hee...!!"
Bobbidi crawled, trembling.
I strolled over, tapping the bat on my palm.
"Saw what happened to your buddies. Now spill: curse release and shortcut."
Siegfried and Adrian could use Rafne's pendant too.
But good to know ahead.
That petrification tool? Exactly what I needed.
"H-Hee hee hee!!"
No answer, just weird yells? Bat massage time.
。 。 。
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Ken, why'd you take that magic tool?"
We got the curse release and shortcut info from them, hit the road again.
Rafne beside me asked.
"Oh, that..."
Couldn't say straight-up.
Needed it for future plans.
Was gonna hunt in Tarros Tower's magic shops otherwise.
"Can't let 'em pull crap again. So I took it."
Best cover.
"Hmm, but they're half-dead already. Doubt they can do much."
"Ah... yeah, true."
We made them pay dearly.
Didn't kill 'em. Murder's a no-go.
Just shattered Eric's legs, arms too while at it.
Others did similar.
Gagged priest Bobbidi, obvs.
Could chant heals otherwise.
Dumped 'em in the woods.
Probably screaming their lungs out now.
Rescue? Lucky. Monsters? Dead.
God's will.
"What? Thought you were thinkin' like me."
"Huh? Like what?"
Rafne grinned disappointedly.
Petrification for that...? What?
"Research the curse, petrify everyone but us. Then it's just you and me."
She beamed at me.
Then hopped, clinging to my arm.
Her soft body wrapped around; heart skipped.
But.
"Romantic, right? Hehe, thought you felt the same."
Her vacant, lightless eyes chilled the beat into dread.
Rafne, plotting demon-lord stuff.
Adrian flinched behind us.
I karate-chopped her head lightly.
"Ow!"
"No weird thoughts. Don't need that to stay by your side."
"Ugh, just a fantasy! Gotta dream sometimes!"
She pouted, clutching her head.
Dreams are free, but she seemed ready to act—scary.
Feeling bad, I stroked her hair.
"Keeen~!"
Meanwhile, Emily and Mary ahead waved.
"Tower's in sight! Almost there!"
Excited, they'd surged forward.
Spotted the goal.
Finally.
Tarros Tower.