The Women Who Abandoned Me
The long war between the Osiris Empire, humanity’s domain, and the monstrous beasts had finally ended. That endless conflict had drained the land of its men, and as a natural consequence, polygamy became the established norm. No one could say when the next monster invasion might come. Anyone with even the slightest talent was given the chance to enter the academy, regardless of status. Strangely, admission wasn’t granted to individuals. Only parties consisting of one man and four women were allowed to take the entrance exam. These groups of five would either become one through shared trials or break apart and reform again and again, growing stronger in the process.
“Sorry. We talked it over, and… you’re just too weak.”
The female swordsman, her body wrapped in tight-fitting clothes and light plate armor that accentuated her figure, clapped a hand heavily on my shoulder. It was Kate.
“A really handsome oppa asked us to join his party. He’s aiming for the academy too. Sorry, oppa.”
The beautiful archer with light blue hair tied in a ponytail and dressed in light leather armor smiled sweetly as she apologized. That was Arona.
“Where there is meeting, there must be parting. And this moment is exactly what parting means. So… farewell.”
The mage with wavy golden-blonde hair, beautiful and refined like a noble lady, gave a graceful nod. Becky.
“I-I’m sorry! Really sorry…! But a better man showed up…? Ah… I hope you meet an even better party in the future!”
The pure-looking girl with short silver bobbed hair kept bowing her head, hands clasped together in apology. Liris.
These four women had promised to form a party with me and enter the academy together. Yet now they were abandoning me, claiming a better man had appeared. They had no idea that every step of growth, every ability I had awakened so far, was the result of my own utmost effort and talent.
I stood there silently, watching their retreating backs. The academy entrance test was only a few days away. Without a party, I couldn’t even take the exam. They knew that. They knew it perfectly well, yet they still chose to stab me in the back the moment someone stronger appeared.
My fists clenched until my nails dug into my palms. A cold, dark emotion began to coil deep inside my chest.
This is how the world works. Strength is everything. Loyalty? Friendship? They’re nothing but pretty lies that shatter the moment a better offer comes along.
I turned away from the direction they had gone. The wind felt colder than usual. Somewhere in the distance, the faint roar of a monster echoed across the frontier. The war might have ended, but the world was still cruel.
Fine. If that’s how it is…
I would become the kind of monster they could never ignore. I would rise higher than any of them could dream. And when the time came, I would make sure they remembered this moment—the moment they threw me away like garbage.
With that vow burning in my heart, I walked alone into the gathering dusk of the Osiris Empire.