Chapter 102
Chapter 102
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Beating is the Best Medicine. (1)
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My blackened hair and eyes had returned to normal. I barely managed to compose myself and stand up from my seat.
"Agh."
As expected, starving Requiem for so long had caused this. I got lucky this time, but there was no guarantee it wouldn't happen again.
"I need to be more careful."
I brushed the grass off my body and turned around.
"Come here, Blackstar."
I beckoned with my finger, and Blackstar hesitated.
"Hii, hiiing."
It had kicked me with its hoof just moments ago, but now it cowered as if expecting punishment.
"I won't scold you, so come here."
I beckoned more quickly.
Only then did Blackstar slowly approach me. As my hand rose into the air, it squeezed its eyes shut.
Stroking it gently.
"Good job."
I softly scratched the bridge of its nose.
"Prung?"
Blackstar's eyes widened.
"Thank you. Thanks to you, I snapped out of it."
I whispered softly, and Blackstar let out an excited snort!
"Prung! Prurung!"
It shoved its head against me, acting cute. I barely managed to block it from licking me with my tongue.
"You're dirty, so don't."
"Prung......"
Though reluctant, it wagged its tail and backed off.
Come to think of it, the buzzing insect sounds I'd been hearing were probably Blackstar's cries.
It must have tried everything to wake me before resorting to kicking me as a last measure.
'Good boy. Better than humans.'
On top of that, it had thoroughly demolished the building as I'd ordered. I decided to forget about its earlier dawdling.
"Good job."
I even scratched its mane, which it loved. Then, suddenly, I noticed something odd.
"......Did you gain weight?"
"Prung?"
Its body felt subtly larger. Its skin glistened more smoothly, and its fur looked even glossier.
This guy must have eaten well and lived comfortably while I was out.
"You didn't go around eating humans, did you?"
"Prung rung, pung!"
Blackstar shook its head as if to say absolutely not. It didn't look particularly trustworthy.
'I'll ask Elice about it later.'
Whether there were rumors of a man-eating monster prowling near the capital.
"Yeah, I get it."
Finally, I brushed off its mane with a pat and said,
"Now move. I have business."
"-!"
Blackstar rolled its eyes. It suddenly blocked my path and neighed desperately.
"Prung, prung. Prurrung!"
"What?"
"Prung, prurrung!"
For some reason, the creature that had communicated its intentions perfectly until now acted strangely.
It neighed a lot, but I couldn't understand a word. From its expression and frantic gestures, I could tell it was extremely flustered right now.
"What are you saying?"
I roughly pushed Blackstar aside and approached the human collapsed on the ground. Seeing his face brought a name to mind that hadn't occurred to me before.
"Philip."
Why was this guy here?
At the astonishing coincidence, I could only click my tongue.
"You look a mess."
From afar at first, I'd mistaken him for a beggar. He must have gone through quite an ordeal after being captured by the bandits.
"Looks like you were on your way to the capital to meet me."
As expected, that Lord Diego wouldn't come in person. I'd figured he'd send Philip, and sure enough.
"Let me see......"
I rummaged through Philip's pockets, but there was nothing. His possessions must have been stripped when he was thrown in prison.
After a moment's thought, I figured it out.
"Guess the boss has them."
That reminded me—I hadn't seen a single hair of the boss. Excluding Philip, the one remaining life was probably him.
I expanded my Absolute Domain and sensed a life form below my feet.
"Basement or tunnel, huh."
The corner of my mouth twisted upward.
For a gang leader, he was awfully cowardly.
It irked me that he hadn't shown his face once while his men were dying.
"Time to see that mug of his."
I planned to kill them all anyway, but this one deserved a particularly painful death.
"Blackstar."
I stood up and called it.
"Pu, prung?"
For some reason, Blackstar looked terrified. It tucked its tail and watched me cautiously.
"Make sure this guy doesn't go anywhere."
I pointed at Philip, and Blackstar blinked slowly.
"Prung......?"
"I'm going down below for a bit, so keep watch."
Finally understanding, Blackstar nodded vigorously.
"Prung!"
It looked immensely relieved for some reason.
Leaving Blackstar and Philip behind, I exited the prison. Among the dilapidated buildings scattered around, I sought the largest one.
"That one."
The leader's quarters were always in the biggest building.
Thanks to Blackstar smashing the center, the door was completely shattered. I shoved aside the door fragments and entered.
I walked down the hallway to the largest room. It was a total mess, as if they'd fled in a hurry.
No valuable items or treasures caught my eye. That further confirmed the basement below.
"Hm?"
I clicked my tongue at the plate on the table.
"Why's the meal so meager?"
On the plate were vegetable porridge with few chunks, potatoes, and bread.
There were plenty of wild animals around here—didn't they hunt? How did they rob people on this slop?
As I puzzled over it, a hypothesis flashed through my mind.
"......Nah, no way."
I shook my head dismissively. But the hypothesis didn't fade; it grew clearer.
"No way it's because of Blackstar."
Maybe it had devoured all the local wildlife, leaving the bandits nothing to hunt. Nah.
"......"
Recalling Blackstar's body, the hypothesis gained even more weight.
"No wonder it bulked up so plumply."
I briefly mourned the bandits. Now that I thought about it, their movements had seemed particularly sluggish.
Even Elice knew of them, so they must have been a notorious band, yet they fell so easily.
And so, Blackstar's achievements(?) increased by one more.
"Probably around here on the floor."
I probed the floor with my foot and found a spot under the carpet with a different sound.
Whoosh!
Lifting the animal hide carpet revealed a wooden door.
"Oh ho."
I smirked faintly.
There's a thrill in uncovering someone else's secret space. Even more so when you know what's inside.
I grabbed the round ring above the door and pulled.
Clunk!
It didn't budge.
"Locked it after going down, huh."
Well, if it won't open, just rip it off.
Gripping the ring with both hands, I applied force.
Crack!
The door tore off with a loud noise. A wooden ladder appeared below.
"Pretty deep."
I whistled, then simply jumped down. I'd already leaped from a three-story building height—this was nothing.
The inside wasn't as dark as expected. Candles were sporadically placed on the floor.
A tunnel stretched ahead, just wide enough for one person.
Casting my gaze far, I saw it bent sideways midway, so the end wasn't visible.
'Bigger than I thought.'
The musty human stench, metallic scent of coins and jewelry—faint particles lingered in the air.
Proof the boss had passed recently.
Expanding my Absolute Domain confirmed one life, now at the same level, not below.
'No way he dug this size tunnel alone.'
He must have found an existing one and used it secretly, keeping it from his men.
The boss's presence was fixed in one spot, intensely focused on something.
'Time to go.'
I deliberately made my footsteps loud as I walked.
Thud, thud.
As expected, the narrow tunnel amplified them. The eerie echoes grew larger, spreading far.
At some point while advancing,
[Eek!]
The boss's sharp intake of breath grazed my ears. He'd heard me.
Then came clattering as he grabbed something, frantic scuffling to hide.
'Fun.'
He couldn't see me, but I knew exactly what he was doing.
Thud, thud.
I kept walking without muffling my steps.
The bend grew closer. The entire scene unfolded in my mind.
[Huff, huff.]
Shallow nasal exhales to stay quiet.
[Thump, thump.]
Heart racing from tension.
[Squelch.]
Adjusting grip on his sweat-slick weapon.
Imagining the boss suffocating in tension inside, I chuckled.
His presence drew nearer. I pretended ignorance and maintained pace.
My shadow stretched, engulfing the tunnel. Just as I rounded the corner,
"Raaagh!"
A booming shout accompanied a massive mace flying at me.
'Tsk tsk.'
How predictably true to form.
Sneering at the boss, I easily dodged. Simultaneously tripping his foot.
"Urk?!"
Thud!
He let out a ridiculous yelp and face-planted in his charging stance.
"Y-You bastard!"
He sprang up and charged again. But options were limited in this narrow tunnel.
Subduing him charging identically was far easier than the previous surprise attack.
Smack!
An enormous sound for a mere slap.
Crash!
His body slammed into the wall with a racket.
"Oink!"
Sounded just like slaughtering a pig. Big build, fierce face—he resembled a wild boar.
I thought so leisurely while he squealed.
"N-Not bad."
He wiped his mouth and staggered up.
"B-But this much is......"
Still refusing defeat, he muttered bravely.
But his trembling legs and wobbling head betrayed him utterly.
Above all, the struck cheek was already swelling red.
"Tired of this—kneel already."
I beckoned, and his face flushed purple.
"Shut up!"
Enraged, he charged again. Like a wild boar rampaging after a slap.
Swish!
More accustomed to swinging in tight spaces, his attack sharpened.
Faster than expected from bandits, but
"Yawn."
Pathetically slow to me. Instead of dodging, I stepped forward into his guard.
"What the......!"
His eyes bulged the instant—
Smack!
My palm struck his other cheek. His body flew again.
Crash!
"Gr, grrr......"
Collapsed, he groaned. Now both cheeks swelled red.
"There, nice and fair."
I giggled, shaking my hand.
"There's an old saying: offer the other cheek too."
"What bullshit is that!"
He exploded in fury and charged. Seems he became boss through simple brutality.
Slap!
"Y-You......"
Slap!
"W-What the......"
Slap!
"......I was wrong."
Indeed, no one stands before the rod.