Stealing is Unforgivable!!
Stealing is unforgivable!!
A vast plain stretched out beneath the scorching sun. Countless people trudged forward, each carrying a heavy load on their backs. The crowd was a patchwork of ages and genders—men, women, young and old alike. Though the blazing heat beat down on them without mercy, no one stopped. Their clothes were ragged, their steps weak from hunger. The march dragged on at a painfully slow pace.
“Haa…… haa…… agh!”
An elderly man suddenly collapsed, his bundle tumbling to the ground. The relentless march had finally taken its toll on the oldest among them. He struggled to rise, but his legs refused to obey. A young man hurried over.
“Elder…… are you all right?”
“Rosen…… I’m fine, lad.”
“……Please, let me carry you on my back.”
“No, no. I can’t burden you with an old man like me. Just…… give me a moment to rest……”
“You can’t rest here. Please…… get on.”
Rosen offered his back despite his own exhaustion. His broad shoulders seemed capable of shouldering any burden. The old man’s eyes filled with tears as he climbed on.
“I’m sorry. Because of me, you’re……”
“Hahaha, it’s nothing. I’m still young, aren’t I? This much is fine.”
“We’ll share his load.”
Others who still had strength took portions of the old man’s bundle.
“Thank you…… truly, thank you……”
The endless march resumed.
“Really…… is this the right way……?”
A woman asked Hansen, who walked at the front, her voice faint with fatigue.
“This leads toward Monster Land. Isn’t it too dangerous?”
“That’s right. They say it’s a paradise for monsters.”
“There’s supposedly a territory nearby. But even if we reach it, will they take us in?”
“Would nobles even accept the likes of us……? Sigh……”
These were refugees who had suffered greatly at the hands of nobles. In any territory, the lord wielded power equal to a king, and many abused it without restraint. Exorbitant taxes were only the beginning; countless additional levies were extracted under various pretexts. Some lords even revived the barbaric “first night” law. The guards who should have protected the people were no better—they accepted bribes from criminals and turned a blind eye. Corruption flowed from the top down.
That was why these people had fled in the dead of night, carrying whatever they could. For a week now, they had been marching desperately just to survive.
“No matter where we go, it’ll be the same…… Is there really any point in heading somewhere so dangerous?”
“And it’s so far.”
As complaints and doubts spread, Hansen, who had been listening in silence, finally spoke.
“It’ll be all right. I heard from a merchant I know that the Legrian family treats its people exceptionally well. They provide free housing, and new settlers receive a relocation stipend plus several months of tax exemption.”
The crowd stirred in surprise.
“Does such a territory really exist?”
“I only heard it secondhand……”
His voice lacked certainty. It was merely a rumor from a merchant, after all. Still, he chose to believe.
‘This time will be different……’
“So let’s keep going. Just a little more. Once we arrive, we can rest.”
Hansen encouraged the group and took the lead, a steady guide shining like a beacon for ships lost at sea.
Then, a man in a black robe appeared silently before them.
“Who…… are you?”
The hood concealed his face, but the visible lower half showed he was smiling. A chilling red glint flashed in his eyes.
“……!”
The moment Hansen saw that smile, a wave of revulsion crawled over his skin. His body trembled as if a snake had coiled around him. The man grinned like a serpent.
“So many test subjects…… I’m truly blessed.”
Taverns and restaurants had opened, and with a measure of mental relief, the territory’s reconstruction was progressing rapidly.
“You lot! Move faster!”
“Hey! You useless bastards! Can’t you even stack that properly!?”
“That’s going to be your house, you know! If you build it sloppy just because it’s new, what then!?”
The dwarves, who would normally have hidden to avoid such work, were now actively participating.
‘Beer.’
‘Beer after work.’
‘Drink beer, then more beer!’
Their minds were completely occupied by thoughts of beer. Since arriving in Legrian territory, they had been forced into an unintended dry spell—there had been nowhere to buy it. Now that taverns existed and discounts were available, motivation surged. Albert had even offered a special 80% discount exclusively for dwarves. Of course, they still had to work.
“Let’s go drink after this! Hurry up, you idiots!!”
“Agh! You still haven’t finished that? Move! I’ll do it myself rather than leave it to you!”
“Out of the way! We need to finish quickly so we can drink! Because of you lot, we can’t have beer!!”
Unable to contain themselves any longer, the hot-blooded dwarves began shoving workers aside and taking over the tasks themselves. The 80% discount effect was tremendous. Their heads were filled with the single desire to finish fast and drink.
“Whew, this territory’s overflowing with work. Tch, how did I end up like this?”
Hote wiped the sweat from his brow. Ever since coming to Legrian territory, there had been far too much to do. Countless items needed forging, and now there was construction work as well.
‘We can’t handle all the repairs with just us. Maybe I should bring more over?’
He thought of the dwarves still idling back in their hidden village. It didn’t seem like a bad idea. The reason dwarves hid was to avoid humans, but here that wasn’t necessary. There were two dragons, and above all, Albert stood as their shield.
‘Besides, those long-eared folks came here too. No reason we can’t.’
“Yeah! I’ll just drag them all over! I’m not suffering alone!”
Hardship should be shared, after all. Burning with the resolve of a water ghost determined not to die alone, he set off to find Albert.
However—
“What’s this guy?”
He discovered a man collapsed at the territory’s entrance.
“Never seen him before.”
The stranger was covered in blood and covered in wounds. Hote stared for a moment, wondering how to handle him.
“Doesn’t look dead……”
If he were dead, burying him would suffice, but since he was alive, treatment was necessary. Still, he was an outsider. Hote couldn’t act carelessly. Not all humans were bad, but not all were good either.
‘Just in case…… can’t be helped.’
Hote grabbed the man’s collar and began dragging him toward Albert’s mansion. There, he found Albert in the reception room, conversing with Elena. The nanny was also present.
“Oh my, Sir Hote. What brings you here?”
The nanny noticed him first.
“Ah, I had something to discuss.”
“And…… what’s that in your hand?”
“Oh, this.”
The nanny pointed at the man Hote had been dragging. Hote casually tossed him aside and spoke with feigned indifference.
“Found him on the way.”
“Ehehehe, this is wonderful. So many test subjects.”
The man let out a sinister laugh as he gazed at the terrified, trembling people before him. His eyes were filled with insatiable greed, like a starving serpent eyeing prey. The mere sight of him sent chills through the body and nausea rising in the throat.
“H-Hiik……”
“P-Please spare us……”
“Sob, sob……”
The people wept in terror. The surroundings were grotesque beyond words. Corpses—including monsters—were displayed on the walls like noble art pieces. The stench of blood assaulted the nose, and the floor was slick with it. Bile rose in their throats.
‘Th-That guy isn’t normal……’
‘A-Are we…… going to die like this……?’
Despair filled their eyes. Anyone could see the man was far from sane.
“Still, it’s a shame. I lost the test subject that looked the most promising.”
He clicked his tongue regretfully. He had found Hansen quite appealing, but the man had escaped. He could have pursued, yet……
‘If I chase him, I might lose the others……’
“Well, for my experiments, quantity matters more than quality. It’s not bad. I was struggling with supply shortages, so this windfall is rather nice.”
He smiled pleasantly.
“W-What…… are you going to do to us……?”
One man squeezed out the last of his courage, his voice hoarse.
“Ahaha, no need to be so tense. It’s just a simple experiment.”
“E-Experiment……? What kind……”
“Heh, I’m quite fascinated by the human body. I love dissecting and observing the insides.”
He mimed cutting something with his hand, an ecstatic expression on his face. His long tongue licked his lips.
“Aaah…… And the sensation of slicing through flesh is thrilling. It’s addictive, you know…… Once you try it…… you can never stop……”
Whether from excitement or imagined lightning magic, his body shuddered.
“Ripping through the organs…… and that final expression when life fades…… It’s truly the greatest work of art.”
“Y-You’re…… insane……”
“Yes, I am mad. But what of it~? A little madness in this boring world isn’t so bad, is it?”
True madness radiated from him. His eyes, swirling with insanity, seemed capable of stealing one’s soul upon contact. Fear. Terror. They wanted to flee immediately, but none could defeat this man. Even Hansen, the strongest among them, had been powerless.
‘Red eyes……’
‘A Main……’
They knew. This man was a Main. Red eyes were a hallmark of their kind. To think they would be captured by a wicked Main while fleeing a tyrannical lord. They had escaped the orc only to meet an ogre.
“We’re finished……”
“We’re all going to die……”
“Aaaagh! I-I don’t want this! Save me!”
Unable to endure the terror, one man leapt up and tried to flee. The Main sighed softly.
“Tsk, what do you think you’re doing, letting a test subject escape?”
In an instant, the Main caught the fleeing man. No one could escape a Main. The captive trembled, tears streaming down his face.
“Sob…… P-Please spare me! I-I beg you…… I have a lover waiting for me…… I……”
“Ahaha, why are you so frightened? No need to cry. Humans die anyway. Whether now…… or later……”
A cold smile curved the Main’s lips. His eyes, steeped in madness, resembled a serpent eyeing its prey. The man felt his mind unravel under the crushing fear.
“It’s all the same in the end.”
“Kuhk……”
The Main’s fist pierced the man’s abdomen. Organs spilled out, followed by a flood of blood.
“……Cough…… I…… want…… to live……”
The man pleaded until the very end, but his eyes soon lost their light, and he died with a face full of despair. The Main laughed.
“Ahahaha! Truly, this moment never loses its thrill! That expression right before death!! This is it! Eyes filled with fear and despair…… I thought you were worthless, but you were better than expected!”
He discarded the corpse like trash. The foul stench of blood filled the air, yet to the Main it smelled like sweet flowers.
“The face at the moment of death never grows tiresome. Now, then……”
The Main slowly approached the remaining people, searching for his next prey. He reached out.
“Hiik!”
“No need to be so afraid. Humans die eventually. Whether now or later, it’s all the same, isn’t it? I merely elevate your death into art. So……”
“In that case, how about you become the artwork yourself?”
At that moment, a low voice sounded beside the Main. Before he could react, a fist struck him and sent him flying. The force was so great that he embedded into the wall like one of the grotesque displays.
[If you turn a Main into art……]
[Is that Main-craft?]
“How dare you.”
Albert clenched his fist, radiating fury like a raging storm. The people lifted their heads.
‘Who is that……?’
‘Did he come to save us……?’
‘But who……?’
Someone had arrived. And the fact that he had punched the Main meant he was on their side. A flicker of hope stirred in their broken hearts.
“C-Could it be…… you are……”
Albert, fist still clenched, shouted with overflowing rage.
“You trying to steal my slaves!? I already called dibs on these guys!!”
“……”
“……”
Slaves?
“……Or so I almost said.”
Feeling the crowd’s stares, Albert quickly corrected himself.
“How dare you kidnap my workers!? I’ll never forgive this!”
Though the switch was painfully obvious, it was already too late. Distrust filled the people’s eyes.
Regardless!
“I absolutely cannot tolerate anyone stealing what’s mine!”
Stealing was unforgivable.