Chapter 19
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Chain of Hatred
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『Gob's Perspective』
I held the bowl filled with fried chicken and faced Sera.
"Why."
One word slipped from her lips.
Not even a full sentence—just a single word.
It was so unlike the voice I knew that for a moment, I thought someone else had spoken.
The warm, cozy voice like a soft blanket had turned ice-cold, like a midwinter gale.
I'd only heard that one word. She hadn't even cursed at me.
Yet her chilling gaze, her hostile aura—it choked me, leaving me speechless.
"Why'd you come here? Deaf or something?"
I saw my wife's image overlapping with Sera's.
That woman's eyes brimmed with vicious hatred and murderous intent.
Impossible to believe it was directed at her own husband.
"…."
My throat tightened so much I could barely breathe, let alone speak.
I barely managed to lift the tray of chicken to convey my intent.
"To eat?"
-Nod.
I forced my stiff neck muscles to loosen and nodded.
"Lucy's doing?"
-Shake.
"Then you made it?"
-Nod.
"Ha."
She let out a scoff, as if utterly exasperated.
Cold sweat dripped down my back, like a snake coiling around my neck.
"Thanks. I'll eat well."
She took the tray—then hurled it to the floor.
Crash! The plate shattered, its scream echoing down the hall.
Silence descended over the vast corridor.
Her cold gaze looking down at me made my entire body tremble.
"I ate well. Clean it up."
With that, as if she had no more business with me, she turned away.
Bam! She slammed the door with enough force to break it and vanished inside.
I stood there dazed, trying to calm my racing heart.
It pounded like it was broken—as if it might stop at any moment.
As I stood there blankly, something smacked the back of my head.
"Hey, what are you doing here?"
Turning to the sharp voice, I saw Kasha.
"What's all this? Everything's spilled on the floor. Did you do it?"
I shook my head once.
"Then Sera did? You were bringing that to her?"
-Nod.
I nodded blankly.
"Why her out of nowhere? Oh~ You like Sera?"
Kasha grinned as if she'd figured it out.
"You don't know how much she hates monsters? She can't even stand looking at them, and you'd bring food with your filthy hands? Think she'd eat it?"
Bullshit. Then what about all the time we've spent together? Was that all a dream?
"A goblin should just mate with goblins and live like that~."
Clear mockery curled at Kasha's lips. I glared at her smirking face.
"Oh? What're you gonna do, glare at me? Huh? Huh?"
Irritated by my glare, she jabbed my forehead with her index finger.
Even the strength from that slender finger overpowered me, making my head wobble.
My fists clenched. I knew I couldn't win, but I wanted to land one punch.
"Hey, you gonna hit me? Go on, try it. Let's see what happens."
Kasha showed no fear. Nor was there anger in her tone.
Just pure contempt. Looking down, mocking, toying with me.
Demon bitch.
I gave up confronting the demon and took a step back.
"Running away? Scared? Chicken?"
I ignored the obvious taunts and headed for the stairs.
To find a rag to clean the floor.
『Sera's Perspective』
Sera sat on the edge of the bed, lost in thought.
'…Why does my head hurt so much?'
Her chest felt tight, like a rock sat on her stomach.
'From not sleeping a wink because of nightmares?'
She considered it, but it didn't match the fatigue she knew.
'Or because I was so harsh to that monster?'
Just moments ago, when the goblin had come with food, she'd treated him brutally enough to never return.
Was she feeling guilty for chasing the goblin away so coldly?
'No. Impossible.'
Feeling guilt toward a monster made no sense.
She'd killed tens of thousands of them by now—guilt wasn't coming on suddenly.
Letting it live was mercy enough.
'Must be fatigue.'
That was the clear conclusion. But even thinking so didn't ease her stuffy chest.
Knock knock. A knock at the door.
The sound pulled Sera from her reverie.
For a split second, she frowned, thinking the goblin was knocking again.
"…Who is it?"
It might be someone else, so she spoke calmly.
-It's me, Kasha.
"Come in."
The door creaked open, and Kasha strode inside.
"Sera!"
Kasha beamed at her and approached.
Whoosh! She dove into Sera's arms like a puppy to its owner.
Kasha's face buried into Sera's ample cleavage.
"Sniiiiff, haaah."
Kasha inhaled the scent from her cleavage like a pervert.
It could've been overwhelming, but Sera, used to it, gave a faint smile.
Sniffing was the wolf beastkin's unique greeting.
With their sensitive noses, they relied more on smell than sight—that's how it started.
Something Sera had learned spending long times with Kasha.
"Long time no see, Kasha."
Sera gently stroked Kasha's head like soothing a puppy.
"Yeah! It's been forever~ Still smells amazing as ever."
Kasha's voice dripped with affection.
"What brings you here so suddenly?"
"Do we need a reason to meet? That hurts my feelings. Hmph."
Kasha pouted, pretending to sulk.
She was faking it now, but ignore her and it'd turn real.
Another fact Sera knew from experience.
"Of course not. I'm happy to see you too after so long."
"I was hunting in the forest nearby and stopped by. Heard you were back to normal,"
"So just to see your face?"
"Not just that."
"Then?"
"Came to suck on these royal tits~!"
Kasha nuzzled wildly into Sera's breasts.
The large, soft mounds squished and changed shape.
"Hehe. That tickles."
Thanks to Kasha's playfulness, Sera laughed for the first time in a while.
Her mood had been awful, but seeing her friend helped.
"How's it feel lugging these around? Everyone stares, right? Especially the guys."
Kasha grabbed one breast in each hand and kneaded them.
Sera felt a subtle tingle at her nipples.
As if begging to be pinched.
For a moment, that goblin's face flashed in her mind.
'What am I thinking?'
She snapped to her senses and shook her head.
"Wait, don't manhandle them like that."
Deciding it had to stop, Sera restrained Kasha.
"Sorry, sorry. My hands moved on their own."
Kasha giggled and pulled her hands away.
"You look exhausted."
With her face still in Sera's chest, Kasha looked up slyly.
"Not at all. I'm totally fine?"
Sera reflexively lied at Kasha's casual remark.
"Liar. Your under-eyes are pitch black like charcoal. And you reek of exhaustion."
"…."
Sera was decent at lying, but Kasha was hard to fool.
Kasha had a knack for reading people.
She claimed it was all by scent—hard to tell truth from exaggeration.
"Nightmares again, huh."
"…."
Sera started to deny it but realized it was pointless and gave up.
"Sorry."
"No need to apologize. I've told you that forever."
"But because of me—"
"No."
She cut her off.
Interrupting was rude.
Sera rarely broke etiquette, but she had no choice now.
"It's not your fault."
"…."
Kasha buried her face deeper in the cleavage, hiding her sad expression.
Though her face was hidden, the tight embrace around Sera's waist conveyed her feelings.
"Kasha, murder is the murderer's fault. Not those who failed to protect."
You couldn't treat someone like a criminal for not stopping a crime.
"Sure, but if I hadn't stupidly fallen into that trap—"
"Please, drop it."
She interrupted again. Rare occurrences piling up.
"We all did our best. It wasn't anyone's mistake—it was unavoidable."
Sera truly believed that.
She'd harbored some resentment toward Kasha once, but not a grain remained now.
Resentment belonged to enemies, not comrades who'd shared life and death.
"Then why are you suffering?"
"…That's."
Sera's voice trembled faintly. A ringing in her ears mimicked a young girl's scream.
She squeezed her eyes shut. Hellish visions painted themselves.
Hands soaked in hot blood. The metallic stench invaded her nostrils.
Among them, young girls. Pregnant women carrying even younger lives.
Elderly too frail to stand, even former comrades.
All dead. By my hands.
I killed them.
"Sera!"
The urgent cry snapped her back.
When Sera came to, her face was buried in Kasha's chest.
She'd been holding Kasha, but their positions had reversed.
Her cheeks were wet. She'd been crying.
"Sorry, Sera. Sorry…"
Kasha's repeated apologies sounded distant.
She'd cried so much, yet her tears wouldn't stop. Sera thought blankly.
…
"I'll head out now."
Kasha said, pulling away from the bed.
"Just stirred up useless talk. Sorry."
"…."
Sera couldn't find words, so she offered a faint smile.
Forcing a smile in tough spots was her habit.
Kasha, interpreting the expression somehow, turned away with sad eyes.
Maybe Kasha knew her habit. She was perceptive.
Creeeak. Kasha opened the door.
She froze mid-step out.
"…Keruk?"
The goblin lay prone at the doorway, turning his head.
He gripped a rag, wiping the floor.