Chapter 48: The Aesthetics of Severing and Destruction
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 48: The Aesthetics of Severing and Destruction
The place called a “salon” was essentially a type of room cafe.
It was a fairly large and flashy building. Upon entering, I saw long tables, similar to those in cafes where the men of Lukart usually spent their time, placed in every room. Every single table was made of marble, looking quite expensive.
“So, the Serpent snatched a woman?”
“I pulled the net, and the woman holding onto it got dragged in too.”
“And you went and rescued her?”
“By the time I realized what was happening, I was already charging in.”
“That’s incredible!”
Gus, a man with short hair, gave me a thumbs-up after hearing the story of how I saved Eris.
“I heard you actually dove into the sea and hacked the thing to pieces?”
“I didn’t dive in. The bastard hid in the sea because I was clinging to it.”
“You clung to the Serpent’s body?”
Juive, who had one eye covered, also expressed his admiration.
Benjamin and Fran were listening to my story with great interest as well. From the moment we arrived at the salon, these guys had been genuinely enjoying themselves while listening to me.
They didn’t seem like such bad guys after all.
Thinking back, the incident where they hit on the Young Lady was unpleasant, but I suppose they were just trying to be brave like other men because she was a beauty. Still, I’d have to warn them not to do it again since she’s a noble.
“Here is your appetizer.”
The Serpent hunt had been so chaotic, and since that Hunting Dog bastard was the one who actually went wild, there wasn’t much for me to explain in detail, so the story ended sooner than expected.
Right on cue, the dinner course began.
“What? This is Dinner Course B? I thought we ordered A?”
To my eyes, it looked like a luxurious feast, but Juive looked visibly displeased. Gus also pouted and did nothing but stir his soup.
“Don’t be like that. If you eat only top-quality food every day, your palate gets spoiled. It’s fine to be like this for one day for the sake of tomorrow’s gourmet meal,” Benjamin consoled them, but Juive and Gus didn’t stop.
“Didn’t you say your lover gave you some money she earned? And yet, only Course B?”
“Fran, be honest. Did you go gambling behind our backs again?”
At the word ‘gambling,’ even Benjamin stopped eating and looked at Fran.
“Just a little. Only a little.”
“You bastard, again?!”
“Stop it, Gus. You were the one who first took Fran to the gambling den, weren’t you?”
“Even so, there’s a limit. This guy Fran is too much. You should have left enough money to enjoy the salon comfortably!”
“I-I’m sorry…”
While it was right to scold him for going to a gambling den, the reasoning seemed a bit off. Fran apologized, his shoulders slumped. He was good-looking, but for some reason, he seemed to lack self-esteem.
If I had a face like that, I would have been happy every day.
What? You’re telling me to get along with him since we both have low self-esteem?
Hey, do I usually give off that kind of vibe?
This makes me want to reflect on myself a bit. It’s not that Fran is bad, but I’ve realized how low self-esteem can appear to others. It radiates an energy that strangely makes people want to bully or get annoyed by him.
Was I like that back in Lukart?
And even after arriving in Hus with those scars, was I still showing that same shadow?
I’m reflecting on many things right now.
“Now, now, let’s leave it at that. We didn’t gather here today just for a meal, but to welcome Alto.”
“T-That’s right. It’s Alto’s first time at a salon, so he might find it hard to adjust if we went too high-end.”
“Fran… those are very kind words.”
“Hehe…”
When Benjamin praised him, Fran didn’t know what to do with himself, unable to hide his rising smile.
“Now! We’ve finished the appetizers, and the en~tree will be out soon, so let’s get started in earnest!”
Huh? Get started with what?
Clap, clap!
“Bring them in!”
As Benjamin clapped and shouted toward the door, it opened, and a line of women walked in.
Every one of them was wearing thin, revealing clothing that exposed their midriffs, shoulders, and cleavage. Moreover, the parts that were covered were so sheer that it was blatantly obvious they weren’t wearing any underwear.
“Haha! Benjamin, Alto is looking only at the floor!”
Startled, I lowered my gaze, and Fran excitedly nudged Benjamin.
Benjamin, who had frowned for a split second, cleared his throat and spoke to the other men.
“It seems young Alto isn’t used to this, as it’s his first time at a salon. Why don’t we choose for him? Juive, you go first.”
“Then I’ll take Exy. Her body is great, but the feel of her inner thighs is really… firm.”
The cat-like woman Juive pointed out came and sat next to me.
“I’m Exy. You’re the Alto who caught the Serpent, right?”
“Uh… uh… yes.”
She smiled with her eyes and placed her hand on my leg. I was too flustered to brush her off. If I swung my arm wrong, this woman would literally die.
“I’ll take Sorin. She’s got a big chest.”
“Good choice, Gus. I’ll go with Theodora. Nothing makes conversation more pleasant than an educated woman.”
“I’ll take Yasmin!”
One by one, the women the men designated came toward me. The ones Juive and Gus chose sat on either side of me, and Benjamin’s choice came behind me, hugging my neck so that her chest pressed against my back.
Finally, Fran’s choice…
“Up we go~.”
A girl even shorter than Fran, yet well-developed in the right places, sat on my lap as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“Serve him with all your heart.”
“Benjamin, let’s pick ours too!”
“No need to be so hasty, Fran.”
After that, I don’t even know what happened.
“Now, say ah~.”
“No, I can cut it myself.”
“Fufu, this is all part of the salon’s service.”
With a knife in her right hand and a fork in her left, she cut the steak and brought it to my mouth.
“Your shoulders are very tense. It might hurt a bit if I press this pressure point, but you’ll feel better soon.”
Is the woman behind me really pressing a pressure point, or is she just rubbing her chest against me?
“Fufu?”
And the little one was subtly trying to unbutton my shirt, so I lightly pressed her hand to stop her.
“Hey, Benjamin. I didn’t expect the salon to be this kind of place at all.”
“It’s a whole new world, isn’t it? I was lost for words the first time I visited shortly after this place opened.”
It is a new world, but it’s not the kind of new world I was expecting!
Their mouths were smiling and their movements were gentle, but there was no sincerity in the women’s eyes. They were doing this for money.
Money.
I’ve seen countless lies because of it. Even back in Lukart.
“Benjamin, I appreciate the hospitality, but I don’t think this suits me.”
I tried to speak as politely as possible to avoid offending them, but I couldn’t help my voice turning stiff. However, these guys actually seemed to welcome it.
“Gentlemen, was I right? I knew young Alto would be different.”
“But would he understand the aesthetics of sharing like we do?”
“We’ll have to find out. Personally, I’m looking forward to it.”
What is this Gus guy talking about? The aesthetics of sharing?
An ominous feeling began to crawl up my spine.
“Young Alto. We are the Four Handsome Heavenly Kings, the very center of the Dakuren social circle. Any connections in Hus centered around Dakuren must go through us. As such, we wish to form a deep friendship with you.”
“Right, I get that you want to be friends, but how about we find a more… amicable way to get close?”
“Ah~ an amicable way is good. That’s what we want too.”
Thank goodness. It seems we can communicate.
“To strengthen our bond, we share some of our women with each other.”
“What…?”
What the hell are these bastards saying?
“By sharing, I don’t mean we do as we please. At special gatherings on fixed dates, we bring our women and everyone becomes one. Only on that day. Having limits makes it all the more flavorful.”
“I’m sorry, but I’m single. And even if I weren’t, I wouldn’t do something like that.”
“Now, there might be some conflict, but if you listen to me…”
“Stop lying!”
Fran cut off Benjamin, who was about to spout more nonsense.
“Do you think we don’t know you’re dating the adventurer Rene?”
“Fran.”
“You just want to keep Rene all to yourself, don’t you?! We said we’d bring our women too!”
“Fran?”
“Without going through us, life in Hus, let alone Dakuren, won’t be easy. Benjamin here even knows Lady Narupa!”
“Fran. Wasn’t I speaking?”
“I-I’m sorry…”
“And since Miss Rene is young Alto’s woman, it’s only natural to want her for yourself. However, it’s about occasionally sharing that joy with one another. What do you think? We’ll bring only our most cherished concubines. Of course, Miss Rene is the best, but they are no less…”
I couldn’t hear their words anymore.
A human can only hear the words of another human. A human cannot understand the language of a beast lower than livestock.
“Give it to me.”
I snatched the knife from the woman on my right. Then, holding it in a reverse grip, I slammed it into the marble table.
CRACK!
“Eek?!”
“Alto, what on earth are you…!”
The marble table shattered into pieces, and the center collapsed. At my sudden action, the women screamed and fled to a corner, while the men froze with their eyes wide open.
“I won’t say it twice.”
I raised the knife and pointed it at them one by one.
“If you ever utter such blasphemy or have such disgusting delusions about the Young Lady again, I’ll show you just how much this dull knife can mince your flesh and bone.”
Just to be clear, this isn’t your place to step in. If you interfere, I won’t forgive even you.
You have no intention of doing so? Hmph, good.
“Young Alto… this is truly a rare opportunity…”
“I said.”
This piece of trash just had to keep flapping his mouth. I released my killing intent. Not as the Bloodhound, but as Alto himself.
“When I speak,”
Gus, who had been acting all high and mighty, took a submissive posture.
“Listen carefully,”
Juive peeked at me with his one eye.
“And obey.”
Fran turned pale and began to tremble.
“This isn’t a request. It’s an order.”
Benjamin stood frozen in place.
“Don’t ever act like you know me again.”
I brushed off the dust and stood up. Then, I sneered at them.
“What kind of men are you, needing a woman to cut your food because you don’t even have the strength to hold a knife?”
“Urgh…! You bastard, Alto!”
KABOOOOM!
It happened in an instant. Just as Benjamin was about to lung at me in a fit of rage at my provocation, the room door exploded inward, and the fragments showered over him.
While Benjamin lay pinned under the thick door, unable to even groan, I heard a voice that made my skin crawl.
“ALTO—!!!”
A voice filled with rage that made even the peach fuzz I’d shaved today stand on end.
Turning around with a sense of dread, I saw the Young Lady, Airune, standing there in her adventurer’s gear—armored up, no less. She was huffing and puffing with fury.
“Young Lady, this is a misunderstanding…”
“Come here. Come here right now—!!!”
Looking at her face, which seemed to be barely holding back tears of disappointment, I couldn’t say a single word.