Chapter 16

Chapter 16

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ -----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 16

Chapter Title: Vengeful Ghost and Beastification

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I'm not the type to cry easily.

And obviously, getting hugged by a guy fills me with disgust.

But, but still.

Damn it... Getting cornered everywhere, betrayed, used... And in the midst of all that, receiving this kindness? My nose is stinging.

How long had it been since I'd experienced in real life something I'd only ever seen in games?

...No. This could be a trick too.

It might be to let my guard down and betray me later!

"Mr. Blan. I still don't understand what's going on here."

"Bro... How much hell have you been through for a lively kid like you to change your voice in just a few days?"

His voice sounded genuinely sympathetic, making my nose sting again, but I barely held it back.

"M-Mr. Blan. What the hell is this?!"

I'd forgotten the warrior punk was there.

Bentler. He looked incredibly flustered, fidgeting nervously.

"Isn't she too nice?! That guy sold the subjugation team to monsters and ran away alone! If it weren't for Lady Yulis...!"

"So... Lady Yuli said that, huh?"

The muscle daddy finally let me go and let out a deep sigh.

"Said that...? Harley, Brown, Fenri... So many guys I knew died there!!"

"Those friends died before you could sell us out, bro. It wasn't your fault."

"No! That's not what I'm talking about! This bastard...!!"

"And the selling ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠us out part was probably Lady Yuli's lie."

"Uh..."

The warrior punk was speechless. Hell, so was I.

How many seconds—or minutes—passed? I couldn't tell.

I finally opened my mouth. I tried to sound calm, but my voice cracked.

"Why do you think that?"

"You had a chance to run."

The muscle daddy—Mr. Blan—smiled.

"Even without selling us out, with your sword skills, you could've escaped alone from the start. But when Lady Yuli and I were surrounded by tentacles, you came to save us anyway?"

"That was..."

Mr. Blan scratched his chin and looked up, recalling the moment.

"Plus, I was suspicious, but you put on that betrayal act, right? I saw you shout something and then slash the female slime."

He'd seen that too.

But.

"That's not solid proof, is it?"

"I trust my eyes. We've only known each other a few days, but the bro I saw wasn't the type to betray others and live easy."

"......"

Damn it.

I am that kind of guy...

My nose is stinging like hell.

"Ah~ It's not just my gut. I know ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Lady Yuli's skills well. I know how strong she is, but I know her limits too."

Yulis's limits?

"Her sword's power is near infinite, so she could've kept summoning ice. But she couldn't have escaped the female slime. That monster... the info was wrong. It's a total freak."

Mr. Blan shuddered but grinned.

"Anyway, neither my axe nor Lady Yuli's ice worked at all. Unless it was someone who could chop through those tough tentacles in chunks, we'd have been done for."

He'd also asked others from the subjugation team about it, cross-checking statements to find inconsistencies that made him suspicious.

So once he recovered enough to move, he came to the guild to investigate me—and there I was.

"Whew. Clothes make the man, huh? I couldn't even recognize you at first, bro!"

So that's why he frowned earlier—he didn't recognize me.

Mr. Blan laughed heartily, then suddenly turned serious.

Honestly, even when he smiled or looked doubtful, he was scary as hell. But when he got dead serious? Terrifying.

"So, what really happened?"

"Well..."

I glanced at the warrior punk, who flinched and avoided my eyes.

He looked torn about whether to believe this or not.

"Bentler can hear too. He's a bit simple, but he doesn't go blabbing other people's stories. And..."

I could guess the unspoken part: the more people who know, the better for me later.

"What'll it be, Bentler? Stay if you wanna hear, or go if not."

"I... uh... I'll l-listen."

Curiosity won over his fear, apparently.

Whatever, I didn't care if he stayed.

I started recounting what happened.

Right from suppressing the female slime briefly with her sword... that's where I got interrupted.

"You used Lady Yuli's sword? You?"

"What's wrong with that?"

"No... it's just..."

Mr. Blan thought for a moment, then spoke.

"My memory's fuzzy, but it fits. Still, better not tell anyone else about that."

"Why?"

"I'll explain later. If you get a chance to clear things up, just say you suppressed it briefly with your own sword skills."

"Fine by me. I actually did that later anyway."

Mr. Blan looked surprised at my words.

I continued the story.

I was running with our employer on my back when Yulis suddenly threw me as bait to the female slime Yuna.

She put up an ice wall so I couldn't escape.

I got dragged to Yuna's nest but barely escaped with my life.

When I got back to the village, I was public enemy number one.

After hearing it all, Mr. Blan stroked his chin with his thick hand, deep in thought.

The warrior punk looked confused. Probably couldn't make heads or tails of it.

But spilling it out felt good.

Just saying it lifted a weight off my chest.

"...I see."

Mr. Blan stood, patted my back hard, then gently comforted me.

"You went through a lot, bro."

"...No."

My throat tightened.

I tried not to show it.

Mr. Blan placed a hand on my back with an understanding look.

Maybe he stopped patting so I wouldn't burst into tears. What a considerate guy.

"So, what do you wanna do, bro?"

His voice mixed with regret—I could sense his feelings.

"...What do you want me to do, Mr. Blan?"

He looked taken aback by my response.

"Sharp one, aren't ya? Hiding my intentions ain't my style anyway."

Mr. Blan scratched his head and met my eyes.

"I want you to give up."

"Why?"

"Honestly... I'm friends with Lady Yuli. That's part of it. At least, she's a great person to the guild and citizens..."

"Not a good enough reason."

My voice stayed calm, but my heart turned ice-cold.

"I know. It's my selfishness. It's your call. I was just whining. But even setting aside my personal bias, I want you to drop the revenge."

I asked with my eyes, and he continued.

"The Hart Clan is too strong. You'll die."

His tone was filled with genuine worry for me. Like Flat's plea of truth, I nodded silently.

"Yeah. Going after that woman would be dangerous."

Mr. Blan hummed in agreement.

"Remember what I said before? The day the female slime appeared, I told you the Hart Clan was stronger than I thought. I didn't explain fully then—that was just talking about our employer, Hart Gold's forces."

Mr. Blan calmly said that wasn't the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠full strength of the Hart Clan.

Gold, the son, has near-absolute trust and favor from the current head, but not the full core forces.

"The Hart Clan's core includes Lady Yuli—no, way stronger folks. Even handling her is iffy, let alone turning them all against you..."

"I know."

Yeah, I know. No way I could win.

Maybe at high levels later. But now? If that powerhouse targets me, I'm dead.

Still, I couldn't give up.

"I still want to kill that bitch."

At my angry words, the warrior punk shrank back, and Mr. Blan broke into a cold sweat.

"Why, Mr. Blan? Why'd that damned woman use me as bait? And why spread that ridiculous rumor betting on the slim chance I'd survive—when I had a high chance of dying? Or was it even a bet? Wasn't it just to trash my name after I was probably dead?"

Despite my words, my tone was dry and accusatory. Mr. Blan paused, then spoke.

"I don't know either. I knew Lady Yuli hates Outsiders, but that's it."

Hates Outsiders...

Yeah, that bitch always acted like she hated me.

...Just for that, she ruined a person's life? Is that how nobles roll?

Then Mr. Blan bowed his head to me.

"It's my responsibility."

"No. It's not your fault..."

"If I hadn't talked to you, you'd have used your Outsider perks freely, lived easy and fun like the others. Even if I didn't mean it that way, this is on me."

Mr. Blan stared hard.

"I'll take responsibility and clear your name. I'll make Lady Yuli apologize. That good enough, bro?"

"No. It's not."

My quick, firm answer stunned him, then he burst out laughing.

"Haha! If that's how you feel, bro!"

"...Thanks."

"It was my fault from the start... I like Lady Yuli too. So I can't help with revenge, but I'll definitely clear your name. At least, I'll make sure you don't get dirty looks anytime soon."

"Your words are enough."

"Hear that, Bentler?"

"Huh? Me?"

"Yeah, you."

Mr. Blan grinned.

"Don't you have something to say to this bro? Sounds like you said some awful stuff to an innocent guy."

"No, I..."

The warrior punk glanced at me nervously, hemmed and hawed, then mumbled in a tiny voice.

"Sorry...?"

"Yeah."

It was soulless, uncertain apology, but hey, it was something.

Just yesterday, no one knew the truth.

I answered pleasantly.

I'd come to the guild to ask around or sign the oath, but with the ultra-VIP Mr. Blan here, I didn't need to bug the staff much.

The oath... I could do it later.

Not in the mood today.

After getting various tips from Mr. Blan, I just asked the guild for the Hart Clan's approximate location and headed back to the inn.

Lying in bed, lost in thought.

Planned to rest today, and I got more peace than expected.

Just having someone believe me gives more strength than I thought.

.....

Thinking of believers brought my original world to mind... Those guys. Hope they're doing okay.

What happened to my old world by now?

Did my whole body come here? Or is this a created body, and my real one's rotting back there?

Knock knock knock.

Really, why was I summoned here?

Even VIP Blan at the guild didn't know why Outsiders come. Just that they seem free, have special powers as perks, and come from beyond the World Tree...

World Tree, huh.

More questions.

Knock knock knock.

"Yes?"

I reluctantly answered the knocking that's been going on.

Whoever it was heard me but didn't speak.

...As expected.

I got up and opened the door. Sure enough, the innkeeper Nila stood there, hunched over.

Looking closer, her hands were between her thighs, squirming... and soaked.

Without even doing anything yet.

"O-Outsider...♡"

"What time is it? Why come to a strange man's room? If someone sees, you're the one in trouble."

"N-Nine... o'clock. No one's around at this hour, no guests on the second floor... it's f-fine...♡"

"Husband?"

"Out... Won't take more guests tonight, so from now on...♡"

She trailed off but looked up at me with eager expectation.

...Honestly, I planned to quit affairs like this.

But my enemy is too strong.

No amount of leveling up is enough.

Whatever it takes.

No holds barred. Even if it means stealing another man's wife.

I grabbed her shoulders firmly. Warmth and sweet scent hit me, my crotch throbbed up, poking her navel.

"Ah, ahh...♡"

Live righteously, my ass.

.....

But is this okay?

I said no holds barred, but does that mean hurting innocents?

Then how am I different from that bitch Yulis?

What did I mean by no holds barred before?

No mercy to enemies. Not hurting unrelated people to protect me.

Well, her husband the shota elf is kinda an enemy anyway.

I might hold back on reason and morals, but who knows what that damn Beastification skill will do.

Still, this felt wrong.

At least without a good reason...

...Why so complicated.

Keep it simple.

If I can't beat Beastification and end up pounding her pussy raw, fine.

But if I endure to the end... I'll keep holding the line from now on.

I pulled the innkeeper into the room and shut the door.

The night... is long.