Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Unconscious Flag Planting
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The oath was simple.
I'd thought it would require paper like a guild contract, but Prostia drew a magic circle directly on the ground instead.
"Will this do? Doesn't it need any special materials?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [What?! Comparing that shoddy junk to my magic...? Well... fine... My oath is far superior anyway, so don't worry...] I'd only glanced at her casually, but her voice trailed off midway.
She's intimidated.
Is this really an ancient dragon? She seems like such a kid.
The dragon and I each cut our fingers and dripped blood onto the magic circle.
Then we recited the contract terms to each other.
My conditions.
Do not attack humans, including me.
Also, quiet the monsters that suddenly appeared around Milf Village and send them back.
The dragon's conditions.
If humans attack her first, she can counterattack.
Something about handling causality, so she wants to stick around the human world a bit longer.
I didn't know what causality meant, but I set that aside and asked if she was confident she wouldn't harm humans first.
I couldn't just stand by if innocent people got hurt.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [After swearing an oath, how could I harm humans...?! Ah... well... humph. Of course. I'm just staying to adjust my body...] Adjust what?
But I didn't dig deeper.
This kid dragon didn't seem capable of explaining properly, and honestly, I was fucking exhausted.
After getting pummeled and fighting all day, I was on the verge of collapsing.
Anyway, this sudden massive event had come to a close, more or less.
I could leave the cleanup to the Ten Great Families now.
Still, how often do you get to meet a being like this?
Ignoring my fatigue, I decided to ask one last question before parting.
"So, what did you plan to do after coming to the world? World conquest?"
She was this strong and arrogant.
Even at 30% power, she could wipe out a few countries in seconds.
She must have some grand purpose.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Hm? Why bother with something so troublesome?] "...Pardon?"
An unexpected answer.
"Then what did you come here for?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [The extinction of humanity!] ...That's basically the same as world conquest, you lizard bastard.
Prostia groaned and spoke, perhaps misreading my glare.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Do you think humans are the only race in this world? Even without them, life will abound. I'm just targeting humans because that's where most of those detestable weapons are concentrated.] Those detestable weapons...
I had a rough idea. Probably something related to the gods.
Weapons meaning skills or perks.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Demons and humans have always targeted each other. Don't humans invade demon territory and take countless lives? This is retribution.] "You're not a demon race yourself. We humans have mostly revered dragons as guardian deities. Doesn't that make this poor retribution?"
Prostia's eyes glowed red as Gold chimed in.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Quiet, lightning bolt! You want to die...? Nah, seems not. I'll let it slide this once.] Why's she checking with me?
But Gold's words were surprising.
This lizard isn't a demon?
I wasn't sure what "demon" exactly referred to, but she didn't seem like a total bad guy.
Eh, whatever.
We'd agreed not to mess with each other, so that was fine.
Whether it was the Eight Monster Kings or causality or whatever her goal was, it was none of my business now.
Better to let someone knowledgeable like Gold ask her questions and fill me in later.
"Gold, feel free to ask Prostia anything you're curious about."
"Is that okay?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [What! A puny human! One of those infuriating Ten's descendants daring to ask me...?!! ......It could be asked. Hm.] This time she backed down without even a glare.
At this point, she was starting to seem kinda cute.
"I'll only ask within reason. Feel free not to answer if you don't like it."
Gold's eyes sparkled with interest toward Prostia.
His subordinates stood by anxiously, their worry plain on their faces.
That's when Repelt, catching my eye, approached and draped his cloak over me.
I wondered why, but then I noticed my clothes—perfectly fine earlier—were now in tatters.
Of course. After taking those hits defenselessly, it'd be weirder if they were intact.
"Thank you."
"Ah, no problem..."
Repelt's gaze flicked to my crotch, then up, repeating.
That area's torn too.
Even so, I'm confident in my impressive size and girth.
I puffed out my chest proudly.
I bowed once more in thanks, then headed to Asita.
She sat dazed on the ground, staring at her hands even as I approached, oblivious.
"Asita?"
No response, so I lightly tapped her shoulder. She yelped in surprise.
"Sorry for startling you."
"Ah, no, it's fine!"
Her flustered cuteness was adorable.
I smiled without showing it.
"As I said earlier, this is all thanks to you."
"Eek, no wayyy."
"No, really. Without you, I couldn't have used Flame Sword, couldn't have damaged Prostia, and couldn't have made this contract. We'd have been wiped out."
You were amazing.
Her eyes welled up at my words.
After all those insults earlier, hearing her help was crucial must've hit hard.
Somehow, my tongue was smoother than usual. Maybe the daze from it all.
Anyway, there was a guy trying to slip away in the chaos.
Couldn't let him escape.
For me, rescuing the Ten Great Families' heirs or the random Prostia were side gigs; that one was the main event.
I grinned.
"By the way, Asita, doesn't Sor seem like a real coward and idiot?"
"Y-Yes?"
I caught her flinch but pretended not to notice and continued.
"Doing nothing herself, leaving everything to minions and contractors, yet calling someone like you incompetent... What a moron."
"Ha! That's ridiculous...!"
With a rustle, Sor revealed herself, having crawled away in stealth.
Unlike Asita's magic, hers was so obvious it was comical.
She tried sneaking off but couldn't hold her temper. How pathetic can she get?
Anyway... time for the main course.
"Asita."
"Y-Yes?"
Her cheeks seemed a bit flushed.
Maybe the skill effect from that kiss lingered.
Whatever her state, I had things to say.
"From now on, this might be uncomfortable."
"Uh, y-yes?"
"Sorry, but I have no intention of stopping. So, bear with me."
I turned and approached the woman who'd just yapped—the culprit, Sor.
She was covered in dirt, who knows when she'd fallen. Crawled through it? Or abandoned her pride?
Her once-pretty face looked dull with her messy hair.
No stamina left; she didn't even try to get up from her prone position.
"You...!"
Impressive.
Still grinding her teeth and glaring in this situation.
Or maybe she just hadn't grasped reality yet.
"Sor, one question."
"Question? The only thing I can give you is one."
Sor snickered and flipped me off.
"Eat shit, you loser fuck."
"......"
I knelt to meet her eyes.
She made a disgusted face.
"What the hell are you showing off for, you pathetic virgin?! Wanna get beat—"
Her words cut off.
I'd reached out and grabbed her middle finger.
Ahh. Perfect.
Terror was slowly creeping into her eyes.
"...What are you doing? Let go."
"......"
"Ha. Look at this crazy bastard bluffing. For real?"
Sor sneered maniacally.
"Don't talk big if you won't follow through, you virgin! Think you're hot shit with some outsider perk? Bet you'll be crying in days! I'll make sure of it!"
Her shout carried a hint of fear.
Memories of getting beaten must be flooding back.
"How exactly?"
"How? With my power. Connections. Used right..."
"Your power? Lies, manipulation, crime?"
"...Ha. What, wanna say that's not power, virgin?"
Sor laughed, insisting it was real power and ability.
"That's why you're a pathetic virgin, fucker. Ugly bastard...! Eyes like rotten fish...!"
What??
Fish eyes???
This bitch comes at me with fabrications forever, then suddenly hits with facts?
Can't tolerate that.
Crack.
I snapped her middle finger.
It broke so easily, like a twig.
"...A, AAAAAAAAAAAH?!"
Sor stared dumbly at her broken finger, then thrashed and screamed.
Now. Happy time begins.
"Shh."
I pressed my index finger to my lips for silence. She glared venomously, tears welling.
Still keeping that attitude? Mentally tougher than Yulis?
Or just clueless about her situation?
More will tell.
"Bastard! I'll kill you! I'll tell everyone what you did! This is a crime!! You scum...! You scum...!"
"How will you kill me? How will you tell?"
"What?!"
"The one you trusted most just contracted with me—no harm either way. So... what now?"
"......"
She blanked for a second, then regained her smug grin.
"If I use all my connections, someone like you..."
Sure, she has some backing.
Prostia's strong but dumb.
Not the type to run a human crime syndicate.
Forces awed by the Eight Monster Kings' power allied with Sor to exploit it.
Kiss Merchant Group couldn't handle nationwide trafficking alone.
But... so what?
"Luckily, I'm not weak. I can protect myself, so I'll continue."
Sor flinched but forced a laugh.
"So full of confidence, huh?! Yeah?!"
Adrenaline? Still feisty despite the broken finger.
Before proper torture, a question.
"Sor."
"What, you fuck?!"
"Why do this? I don't get it."
"What?!"
"Why trap innocent classmates, girls, in despair?"
"Ha! That's your big question!"
Her pain-twisted face grinned again.
I hated seeing it.
But curious what she'd say, so I held back.
Sor shouted.
"It's all you men's fault!"
"......Pardon?"
Huh? What?
......
......?
Out of nowhere, men?
Did she say something while I wasn't listening?
Or did I spout some sexist crap?
"My trafficking? Your fault! You can't control your dicks, fooling around everywhere, creating demand!"
"......?"
I looked genuinely puzzled, and Sor pretended to puke.
"See? No self-awareness. I'm a victim of pervy losers like you."
"Hm..."
Didn't make sense.
I racked my brain.
I'd heard Sor was from a fallen noble house.
Fallen due to the noble's womanizing, Sor an illegitimate child abused since childhood... But still didn't click.
Just to check my hypothesis.
"Are you perhaps an illegitimate child, not the official heir?"
"What? Wanna spout bullshit, fucker? Why not write a novel? I was the official heir."
......Then why's she like this?
I couldn't comprehend.
Even the onlookers, who thought breaking her finger was too much, now looked baffled.
For example, Kaisir, who'd eyed me like "here we go again," now stared at Sor like "what the actual fuck."
"I don't quite get it. Have men ever harmed you greatly?"
"If so, he'd be dead! But plenty of women suffer without me! Even Yulis, who you beat, got royally screwed by an outsider man!"
Her triumphant tone.
Fuck, this conversation's going nowhere.
"If you're a male victim, why victimize women? The girls you sold and crushed did nothing wrong. They could've married normally, had kids. But..."
"Why? Those bitches flirt with such men! They're idiots too!"
"......"
Ah, got it. Understood.
Actually, no need to understand.
Realizing that was enough.
Fuck it.
Fantasy feminist warrior, huh.
Sor just thought the others were equally insane.
"I'm the one fixing and taming those idiots. Making the world right. I deserve thanks..."
Thwack!
Plink. Plop.
"...Huh?"
Something hit the ground.
Sor's teeth.
Realizing it, pain hit; she grabbed her cheek, trembling—too late, I slapped it again.
Smack!
"Aaaah!! Y-You bast... Aaaah!"
Every time she lifted her head, glared venomously, or cursed, I slapped her cheek.
After fewer than ten, she trembled in terror, head down, unwilling to look up.
Even curled up, she muttered "kill... I'll kill..." so I smacked the back of her head. She yelped and shut up.
"Sor, one thing to tell you."
"Wh-What?!"
Smack!
"Aaaah!"
"I'm older than you. Use respect."
"F-Fuck. Ridicul... Kyaaak?!"
Slapped her cheek again, but she was pissed enough not to break easily this time.
No choice. Bend somewhere else.
I pinned her back with my foot, yanked her right arm up, and crushed her wrist.
Realizing her vulnerability, she screamed.
"W-Wait! Stop! What are you—don't! Don't do i—Kiyaaaaaaaaa!"
Broke her index finger first. Nice scream.
"I-I'll kill you, kill—hic! Don't! Stop! If you stop now, I'll pretend it never happened! So... AAAAAAAAAH!!"
Broke her ring finger next. Thumb and pinky left.
Grabbed the pinky; she sniffled.
"S-Sorry...! Sob, hic...! Hurts! It hurts, you fuck!! AAAAAAAAAH!!"
Then the thumb.
Finally, Sor spoke.
"I-I won't! I won't try to kill you anymore! Please stop... st-stop..."
"Finally grasping proper speech."
I smiled wide at her tear-streaked face; she shuddered violently.
And I crushed the thumb.
"AAAAAAAAH! AHH! UAAAAAAAAH!!"
Couldn't even thrash with my grip.
Tears and snot flying as she writhed—quite the sight.
Yes.
Reminded me even more of that high school bitch than Yulis.
My shitty high school days.
Sor was just like her.
Convinced her views were absolute, no doubt whatsoever.
If others suffered, it was inevitable fate.
No, that one was at least smart; this one's got nothing.
Convinced. Her organization was run by backers; she got treatment solely as Prostia's contractor.
Just a delusionally lucky victim complex girl.
I didn't know her exact backstory, but fallen noble status, Miaphe Academy student, or inferiority complex—something fueled it.
Thus hating men or successful women, committing crimes.
A girl who'd normally crash into reality and despair luckily gained power and reached this point. The true story.
Pathetic, really.
"Wh-Why... are you doing this... I've already surrendered... Even criminals... this interrogation's illegal... too... too much..."
Was gonna break the other hand if no respect, but... good she learned.
"First, punishment for trying to frame me, you wretch."
"M-Men are petty... Ah, no! Sorry! I'm sorry!"
She shrieked as I twisted her wrist. But that's not the issue, Sor.
"You still don't get your place."
"Wh-What?"
"You called Asita incompetent."
"......"
Ambiguous expression, but I knew her thought: trying to impress Asita.
Bullshit. No girl with a boyfriend wants that.
Plus, women hate men using extreme violence to look tough.
Source: some manga.
"Asita's a stunning beauty, as you said. That's talent. She can survive in society on looks alone."
Sor wanted to argue but held back. Good girl.
"Her magic's excellent too. I couldn't detect her stealth sometimes, and she awakened my mana. But you... Calling you incompetent is tiresome; any objections?"
None, obviously. Her spirit broken, she trembled at the slightest finger twitch.
"What about incompetent wretch? You belittled Asita for relying on face and father. Without Prostia, what are you?"
"I-I still have..."
"Incompetent wretch, you have no forces left. Kiss Merchant Group? Big deal controlling a few cities including Milf Village... Think they'll stand against the Ten Great Families? They'll ditch you, not honor loyalty for trash like you."
"......"
"Connections? Your delinquent accomplices and parents are done. They'll badmouth you and sell each other out to survive. You knew, so you ditched them, betting everything on Prostia alone. Right?"
Yet now she clings to what she discarded after losing Prostia.
What an idiot.
Sor didn't answer.
It was the harsh reality she didn't want to face.
That she'd lost everything.
No... she probably thought not entirely.
"Or some hidden massive ally? No chance. With this exposed, hurting the Ten Great Families, no force will help you. They'll silence you instead."
So don't hold hope.
Her face clouding with despair thrilled me.
"No one sides with incompetent you... And soon, worse than death awaits. You know why?"
Thousands held grudges against her for her crimes.
"N-No way... If word spreads... even Ten Great Families... won't touch me... I'm a noble..."
Back to informal. Break the other hand?
But it seemed like mumbling to herself.
Unable to objectify, or lost her mind? Funny, so I'll spare her.
"Those you called connections, minions—they'll torment you to death out of resentment. You know that, right? People need something to lean on or blame."
Sor trembled. Pain? Fear?
"You told how you treated classmates. Bet on it: scum like you will get the same, worse. I'll even escort you with your 'connections'—enjoy."
Tired of "incompetent wretch." Just "you" now.
Sor shuddered. Wait, anger? Some grit?
"He."
He?
"Help..."
"......"
Oh damn. Nearly burst out laughing at the "Pl, pl."
Whoops, almost "Puhaha."
"Please... help me... If you do... I'll do anything I can..."
"What can you do? No money, no status, no talent—just a high schooler riding Prostia's coattails."
She had nothing now.
But she didn't think so, lips moving.
"I-I'll give you... my body..."
"Sor."
I whispered in her ear.
"I wouldn't take trash like you even if offered, you makeup-slathered bitch."
"......"
The bitch gagged.
"Don't worry. I won't kill you now. I'll keep you alive. No suicide. Guess what awaits?"
"Uh, ah..."
"Raped, beaten, covered in filth till no one touches you. Then sold as a slave somewhere."
This world has slaves.
Few legal countries; this one included, more like indentured servants per the setting book.
But Sor wouldn't get that.
"Sold to nobles or tycoons with twisted tastes, toyed with—lucky break. Bet your backers or Ten Great Families snatch you en route. And... you know?"
Even if limbs severed, tongue pulled, eyes gouged, sawed, bones crushed.
"No one will save you."
Crunch!
"Kyaaaaaaaaaah!!"
Bent her arm backward—great scream.
"Someone heal her. Lots to extract before escort."
"Aaaah! Aaaaah...!"
Knight approached the writhing Sor.
I'd avoided shock death, so she'd live.
Painfully so.
That scare might drive normals to suicide fearing the future.
But I doubted Sor would.
Endlessly self-justifying, rage-filled without logic... too cowardly, never imagining it'd happen to her.
So I sneered.
"I recommend ending it yourself, Sor. If you can't, ask someone."
Not just who I mentioned.
Her "minions" were amateurs.
Parents, siblings, friends of those sold by her enmity would kill her.
No lies.
High chance she'll suffer greatly before dying.
Sor's future was gone.
The bitch who'd cackled at the girls' porn-like plight now whimpered in terror like a child.
Now she's slated for the porn role.
Hm. Satisfied.
This was ample reward.
Repaid evil with evil.
Hey, Sor.
The world has women far worse off who face it honorably and push forward.
Yours is coming.
Anyway, wrapping up...
Rooooar!
As it seemed settled, crackle. An immense presence hit.
Energy trying to swallow me. Thought to slash, but familiar.
Like from Loveheart and the dream being... divine aura.
No, this was Loveheart herself.
I stopped and let the energy take me.
Rumble...
Suddenly, I stood in that light space from before.
"....."
"Long time no see."
Otherworldly radiant beauty.
El or Clarit might match her; only Asita surpasses.
But to me, just repulsive.
"Loveheart."
The goddess who'd probably screwed me was before my eyes.