Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Heavenly Demon Divine Cult
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People glared at Carlson with resentment and hatred in their eyes, but not a single one dared to step forward.
Narrowing my eyes in puzzlement, I examined their behavior closely, and saw them trembling in their legs or chattering their teeth nonstop, clearly terrified of something.
"Huh..."
Terrified?
Behind the hatred in their eyes, the emotion of fear was deeply rooted.
Even though Carlson was as good as dismembered, they were still terrified.
To understand them as best I could, I kept thinking, and came up with a plausible hypothesis.
Like imprinting the concept of a master on a beast.
Carlson must have instilled a hierarchy into them through fear, to make them absolutely obey his commands and never dare bite their owner.
'They're this scared of him—no way he didn't.'
>
Propping my chin with my right hand, I tilted my head.
'What to do...'
I'd already steeled myself before coming here, so this wasn't some self-loathing dilemma.
It was just annoyance, like 'Do I really have to spoon-feed them everything?'
Bobbing my head this way and that as I watched them, Nameless—who had handed Carlson over to me earlier—tapped my shoulder.
"Why did you call?"
"Master, may I go down there?"
"Nameless, you?"
Did Nameless have a way to resolve this?
I gave him a slightly skeptical look.
"Yes. It's a rough method, but if Master permits it, I'll move things forward."
Hmm, rough method...
It nagged a bit, but figuring Nameless had his reasons, I nodded.
"Tch. Do as you like."
"Yes. Thank you."
Nameless gave a small nod and leaped down right into the center of the gathered crowd.
...
Carlson had been unconscious ever since I severed his meridians.
As if to wake him, Nameless—who'd gotten a bucket from who-knows-where—dumped its contents over Carlson.
Carlson's pristine suit was now covered in filth, making him indistinguishable from the slum dwellers here.
"Pfft—cough, cough! What the hell."
Hmm. Was the shock so great it wiped his memory? Or was it the sudden dousing in filth? Either way, Carlson hacked away while glaring around.
Nameless, displeased by the sight, furrowed his brow slightly, tossed the bucket aside carelessly, and slowly walked up to Carlson.
"Still haven't grasped the situation?"
Nameless crouched to match his half-collapsed eye level and grabbed his nape.
His hand rose, and Carlson's head snapped to the side.
Slap—
"What the—!"
Slap—
"Do you know who I—!"
Slap—
"W-Wait—!"
Slap—
Nameless swung his hand relentlessly with a cold gaze I'd never seen before.
Until the will in Carlson's eyes broke.
...
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
Carlson began rubbing his hands together in a pathetic, ashen state.
Only then did Nameless release his nape and turn to the slum residents.
"Do you know why you cowered and groveled before trash like this?"
"You have no power. No power to protect your loved ones."
"That's why you got exploited by something worse than a bug."
The slum residents showed varied reactions to Nameless's words.
Some grew angry at them; others nodded along.
"But!"
Nameless slowly looked around at them, then pointed at me on the rooftop before speaking.
...Me?
"If you follow my Master from now on."
"You'll never have to bow to scum like this again."
"You'll never suffer humiliation again."
"You'll never have to endure the horrific experience of watching a loved one in agony again."
Nameless pointed at Carlson.
"I'll give you the chance to unleash your hatred once more. This time, don't disappoint Master."
With that, Nameless turned and leaped back onto the rooftop.
"Master, it's done."
He sat beside me with a refreshed smile.
My expression, meanwhile, remained stiff.
How should I react to this aggressive side of Nameless?
...No idea.
I just nodded.
"...Yeah."
...
"Gaaahhh!!!"
Carlson screamed at the top of his lungs.
I'd orchestrated this situation and permitted Nameless's rough methods, but watching it firsthand still felt deeply uncomfortable.
I rubbed my face with my hand.
Observing this was far too mentally draining.
I'd need to rest until it was over.
"...Call me when it's done."
"Yes, Master."
I patted Nameless's shoulder—the one who'd have the hard work ahead—and entered an empty inn room, flopping onto the bed.
...
After lazing around on the bed for a good while, Nameless knocked.
"Master, everything's finished."
Already?!
I popped the strawberry in my hand straight into my mouth, chewed quickly, and swallowed.
Gulp—
"Come in."
"Yes."
Nameless entered, stared at the corner of my mouth for a long moment, then chuckled.
What? Why's he laughing?
Something about it seriously irritated me, and I furrowed my brow.
Anyway, not the point.
"So... what happened to Carlson?"
"As Master instructed, I buried his body in an inconspicuous spot. No marker."
I nodded.
"Good work. Are the people still there?"
"Yes. About three left, but the rest are holding position."
Fewer left than I'd expected, even after that spectacle.
Hmm. Lucky.
"Then let's go."
Heading outside the tavern, around ten people stared at me with resolute expressions.
Hmm. More intimidating than I thought...
Should I tell them to go home now?
As I seriously pondered sending them back while nibbling my lip, Nameless brought over a small wooden box and held it out in front of me.
Suddenly, what's this?
"...What is it?"
To my question, Nameless beamed proudly.
"Master seemed troubled not being able to see everyone's faces clearly, so I brought a platform."
What,
"...A platform?"
Did he think my troubled look was because of my height?
...I should be grateful for Nameless's consideration, but somehow it just pissed me off.
Still, I couldn't reject his sincerity, so with a sigh, I stepped onto the platform. A few people made deflating sounds.
I whipped my head around to glare at them, but they stared at the sky and whistled awkwardly.
This tactless Nameless kept grinning smugly, so I couldn't even scold him.
My face burned for no reason.
No, I'm the Master—the leader here, aren't I? Is this okay?
...Those thoughts filled my head, but I lacked the courage to voice them.
Fanning my flushed face, I opened my mouth.
Originally, I'd planned a really cool speech, but...
Nothing came to mind, so I settled for a Q&A.
"Ask any questions you have."
As I rolled my eyes around waiting for questions, that same red-haired young man raised his hand.
Hmm, he stands out a lot.
I gave a small nod to signal him to speak, and he hesitantly opened his mouth.
"Um, that... my sibling isn't here... Does that mean they're excluded?"
"I'll protect your families too, so no need to worry about that."
"Th-Thank you."
"No problem. Next question?"
Maybe because I'd taken one, a bunch of hands went up this time.
I slowly scanned them and nodded at the brown-haired woman who'd snickered when I stepped onto the platform earlier.
"If it's not rude... could we know what kind of place we're joining...?"
Unlike my expectation of a weird question, she hit the nail on the head.
But it was important enough that I'd planned to explain it later anyway, so I deferred.
"Hmm, I'll explain that at the end after all questions. Anything else?"
The woman scratched the back of her head with a sheepish "Hehe" and continued.
"Ah, yes! Um, what's your name?"
"Oh, I didn't introduce myself. I'm Heaven Cleaver."
"Aha... So we call you Heaven Cleaver-nim?"
As I opened my mouth to say yes, Nameless stepped forward and shouted loudly.
"How dare you call my Master by name? You're a hundred years too early."
Something about how he'd been emphasizing "my" lately felt oddly off, but it wasn't worth dwelling on, so I let it slide.
Nameless spoke again.
"Call her Heavenly Demon Lord."
?
"Nameless?"
What the hell?
Nameless tilted his head with a blank look.
"Huh? Wasn't it already decided?"
If there was a rat hole nearby, I'd crawl into it.