Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: No Match for Sweetness
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‘Hmm, I suppose this should be good enough.’
I check my face in the severely cracked full-length mirror.
A worn-out hood and mask meticulously cover my face.
No one should be able to recognize me like this.
Satisfied with my work, I nod my head.
The reason I'm doing this is because I plan to go down to the village today.
When I'm not operating as the Grim Reaper, I go about my business without hiding my identity.
However, I deliberately cover my face when I go where people are. If I walk around with my face exposed, I draw an excessive amount of attention.
People constantly hit on me, and in worse cases, many approach me with ill intentions.
‘Not that I can't understand why.’
Even by objective standards, my face is so cute and lovely it's almost burdensome.
My youth might be a flaw, if you can call it that. But perhaps because my looks are on par with a national treasure, people flock to me in strange ways.
Still, no matter what, I don't think they should approach me with dark intentions.
It's gotten to the point where I'm not sure if this world is just full of dangerous perverts, or if this body turns people into them.
‘Sometimes, I think it's a relief my growth has stopped.’
Right now, this body's growth is halted at childhood.
Ten years have passed in this world, yet I haven't grown at all.
Eating healthy food and doing stretching exercises every morning was useless. I don't know why.
But sometimes, I wonder if the god who sent me here stopped this body's growth for the sake of world peace and safety.
Even now, I'm beautiful enough to capture everyone's gaze.
I can clearly see what would happen if I grew into an adult. Countless people would surely wage bloody battles to claim the last remaining flower in the desolate plains.
A beauty that could topple nations. I never understood that phrase before, but now I understand it deep in my heart.
Pure beauty is, in itself, pure evil.
In a peaceful world, it would surely be a tremendous advantage.
Unfortunately, in this brutal world, this face is no different from a brand.
Anyway, once all preparations are done, it's time to go.
After one last check, I stepped out of my base.
And to loosen my stiff body, I stretched my arms high toward the sky.
I gave my dainty hands a little shake, lowered my arms, and took a deep breath.
‘The morning air is so refreshing... or not. Not here.’
A musty, nauseating smell stung my nostrils.
And a deep shadow was cast over everything, making it as dark as evening. Though it was broad daylight, not a single ray of sunshine broke through.
The reason is simple.
All around, collapsed debris and various kinds of waste were mixed together, forming high mountains.
And it wasn't just one mountain.
True to its name, the Trash Heap, all sorts of filthy mountains were scattered everywhere.
All the trash from the surrounding area gathers here.
Even now, if I cup my ear, I can hear a faint noise in the distance. It seems someone is dumping another truckload of garbage.
Honestly, it's not a great environment for a person to live in. But because of that, people don't come snooping around, so I don't get caught up in annoying situations.
And if you go treasure hunting here, you can sometimes find useful items.
Well, I'm sure some people would argue that no one should live in a place like this.
But I've lived in this world for so long that I've gotten used to minor inconveniences, so it's not a problem.
As long as I'm okay with it, it doesn't matter what others say.
After lightly stretching my body,
I hopped and skipped over the debris piles, heading for the entrance to the village.
◆
Exiting the Trash Heap, I immediately found myself in the village.
It was packed with tall, slender buildings built one on top of another. These buildings were so densely packed that the streets were as complex and sprawling as a maze.
People call this place the northern outer city, Labyrinthos.
Even the people who live here get lost all the time.
I don't know all the paths either. But I never forget a place I've been.
I walked toward my destination with short, quick steps.
The deeper I went, the more complex the paths became, and I could feel several pairs of eyes on me.
It wasn't because of my face; it was properly covered. It was simply because a small person was wandering around alone.
All sorts of people flock to the outer city.
Losers who have lost everything, dropouts who lack ability, fugitives who have committed crimes, and so on.
It's a sanctuary for those who have been cast out by this world but still seek to survive somehow.
It would be nice if everyone could join hands and live together happily, laughing and getting along.
But productive work is almost nonexistent in the outer city. Naturally, to survive even in a place like this, many people choose the easy way.
Selling their bodies, stealing from others, and the like.
They kneel before the strong and wield their power against the weak.
As a city built by the abandoned, the influence of law enforcement is minimal, creating an environment where crime thrives. It's essentially a lawless zone where might and schemes are everything.
In a place like this, someone who looks weak is nothing but good prey.
And right now, I...
am like a piece of meat doused in spices, radiating an enticing aroma.
-Heheheh. Walking alone, are they? Hope they're worth some money.
-Even if they have nothing, we can just sell the body.
-No, wait. If they're walking alone, they must have something to rely on.
-Right. What if we mess with the wrong person?
I can feel their malice, but they aren't showing themselves.
Normally, it wouldn't be strange for them to have already attacked. Seeing them stay put, I know what they are.
Just as all sorts of people gather here, there are many different types.
Those guys are like rats hiding in their holes, waiting for scraps of food to fall.
Rats are cowards, so they act cautiously and don't rush into things.
They're probably watching me, waiting for an opportunity.
I don't bother people unless they deliberately pick a fight with me. So, if they don't attack first, I won't teach them a lesson.
But they keep lurking around me, and it's getting on my nerves.
Usually, these types follow for a bit and then disappear. Why are they so persistent today?
It feels like I'm being stalked, and I don't like it.
I'd rather they just attack. At least then I could use a little bit of my skill and knock them out easily.
I guess I have no choice.
I stopped in my tracks and looked around.
Just then, I spotted some abandoned metal debris. I walked over and rummaged through it.
Found it.
I picked up a long, sharp piece of metal.
I spun around and threw it toward where I felt the gazes.
The metal flew at an incredible speed and slipped into a gap between buildings. What followed was...
“Aaaaaaaargh!”
a loud scream.
I could sense the panic from here, and the presences that had been lingering around me scattered in an instant.
No need to use real strength on guys like that.
A simple scare like this is enough to make them run for their lives.
I dusted off my hands.
And started walking again.
*
A person's actions have consequences, and those consequences affect them in turn. That's why one must think carefully before acting.
The reason I'm thinking this is...
“You the one? The one who messed with my boy?”
because an orc four or five times my size was blocking my path.
His face was incredibly grim, as if he was extremely angry about something.
Around him, what looked like the orc's lackeys surrounded me, cutting off any escape route.
I didn't understand what the orc was saying, so I tilted my head.
But one of the lackeys flew into a rage at my action and started tattling.
“That's him, boss! That's the one! He suddenly attacked us!”
Ah. I see.
I get it now. I know who these guys are. They're the rats who were secretly following me just now.
Usually, a good scare is enough to keep them away.
But these guys didn't give up and went to tattle to their boss.
“To dare mess with a member of the Iron Hand... you've got some serious nerve.”
What's with that unheard-of name?
“Hand over everything you have and come with us quietly, and we'll spare your life.”
The orc showed me his right arm. A loud noise echoed from the mechanical limb.
“So, what's it gonna be?”
Whatever. This is really annoying.
No one would know if someone died here, and even if they did, they wouldn't care.
There don't seem to be any witnesses, so maybe I'll use a bit of strength and teach them a quick lesson.
I was just about to use my power when...
“A bunch of big guys ganging up on one little kid. Don't you think that's pathetic?”
A voice cut into the tense situation.
Everyone turned their gaze to the same spot.
Someone was standing on the railing of a four-story building's rooftop.
The person fearlessly leaped off and landed lightly on the ground.
She looked to be about 167 cm tall. A beautiful woman wearing a black coat.
A bright red pigtail rested on her shoulder.
Her face was delicate and youthful, but her rather unusual eyes with concentric circles and sharp gaze gave off an eerie feeling.
Her teeth were also pointed, giving her an overall ferocious impression.
The woman was coming this way.
“Who are you? Outsiders, stay out of this!”
The moment a man tried to grab the woman's shoulder, he was sent flying into the adjacent building, crashing into the wall.
With a loud roar, the wall crumbled.
Heh.
The others looked terrified, as if they didn't know what had just happened.
But I saw it clearly.
She had slapped the man's cheek with incredible speed.
Their earlier bravado vanished as the woman approached, and the men surrounding me began to back away.
“Everyone, move!”
The orc forgot about me and stood before the woman.
Even in front of someone so much larger than her, the woman showed no fear.
The orc spoke.
“I don't know how you did that, but those cheap tricks won't work on me. If you want to live, you'd better get out of my sight right now.”
The woman didn't speak. She simply acted, raising her middle finger in response.
A vein popped on the orc's forehead, and his eyes widened.
The actions of someone consumed by rage become simple.
The orc threw a punch at her.
The orc's fist, said to be able to shatter boulders, flew toward her, its speed and power enhanced by his mechanical arm.
Yet the woman remained composed.
Just before it hit her face, she leaned back to easily dodge it. Then, she immediately snatched the orc's wrist with one hand and twisted his arm lightly.
*Snap.*
“Aaaaaaaargh!”
The mechanical arm was torn from his body.
The orc fell to his knees, letting out a high-pitched scream.
The orc had already lost his will to fight. The woman showed no mercy, grabbing his head and pulling it close to her own.
The woman smiled wickedly.
Faced with her murderous aura, the orc's face turned pale.
“Get out of my sight right now if you don't want a worse beating.”
The orc scrambled to his feet and fled in a pathetic, hurried manner. Once their boss was gone, the underlings naturally scattered.
Not bad.
The woman turned her head toward me.
“Hey kid, are you okay?”
I nodded.
“Good. Be more careful next time. I took care of the bad guys for you this time, but there's no guarantee I'll be around to save you again.”
After bowing my head in gratitude to the woman who had taken care of my troubles,
I was about to go on my way.
“But hey, kid.”
The woman called out, stopping me.
“Do you happen to know your way around here?”
I didn't know the intent behind her question, but I nodded anyway.
At that, the woman's face brightened.
“Really?! The thing is, it's been a while since I've been here, so I'm lost. So, could you help me out a little?”
I fell into thought, wondering if she was telling the truth or lying.
Of course, she did help me. But she might have done it with some ulterior motive.
Right. In this city, that's a definite possibility.
If that's really the case,
this could be a big problem.
This woman is far more troublesome than that orc.
My face was hidden by my hood and mask, but I must have been unable to hide my annoyance, because the woman hurriedly said,
“I'm really not a suspicious person. I'm just lost, that's all. Please believe me.”
A suspicious person never admits to being suspicious.
“What can I do to not seem suspicious... Right! I'll give you this.”
The woman took something out of her coat pocket.
It was white—a crumpled cigarette.
A cigarette for a kid? That made her look even more suspicious, so I took a few steps back. The woman panicked.
She put the cigarette away and took out something new.
“This,”
Wait, is that...?!
The one that's no longer in production and impossible to find now.
The Rainbow Lollipop, said to have eighteen different flavors!
How dare she try to lure me with food.
A trick like that wouldn't even work on a five-year-old. To think that I, who have been through thick and thin, would fall for such a tactic.
It was so pathetic I almost scoffed without realizing it.
“You like it, huh. But you need to be more careful. It's not my place to say, since I'm the one bribing you with food, but this world is teeming with people with truly evil intentions.”
Huh? I snapped back to my senses and found the lollipop in my hand.
Gasp. To think that I was lured by food.
But I can't help it.
Sweetness is the ultimate good that quells evil and brings happiness to all things.
Even as I scolded myself for my foolishness, my body was rejoicing, holding the lollipop up with my soft hand.
I was hopping up and down on the spot.
“Come to think of it, I haven't introduced myself yet.”
The woman placed a hand on her chest.
“My name is Red.”
What? Red?
Could it be *the* Red I know?
My body froze in shock at the unexpected encounter.