Episode 28
"...What should I do?"
They say there's a mountain beyond every mountain.
There couldn't be a more accurate expression for my current situation.
Actually, thinking about it, I haven't even crossed a mountain yet but a mountain has appeared, so perhaps it's not that accurate after all.
I don't even know how the match's outcome was decided, yet here I am, dropped alone with Irina in the middle of 'Ashen Forest,' a dungeon that shouldn't appear until the mid-to-late stages of the scenario.
[Wicked Points 500pt acquired! (Third-rate Villain Battle)]
"Mmm..."
Just as I pushed away the Wicked Point acquisition window floating before my eyes with such thoughts, Irina began to groan. It seems she'll regain consciousness before long.
"..........."
Thanks to that, my brain froze for a moment, but if I really did nothing, the situation would spiral out of control, so I started hitting my head with my fist to forcibly kickstart my brain.
'...Should I disguise myself?'
Disguise would be the most effective method in this situation. Right now, I have a Deception Mask and black robe that I always carry for emergencies.
The Deception Mask, though its stealth effect cooldown hasn't returned yet, will at least cover my face, and the black robe will hide my build and hair.
In other words, wearing those two and protecting her as we exit the forest, I could deceive Irina for now and escape this dungeon.
However...
'...No, the probability of being caught is too high.'
Irina and I were both caught in a spatial teleportation magic. And that sight was witnessed by quite a few people.
So... if we safely escape from here and Irina learns what happened, she would naturally suspect that the masked man who went on a rampage is me.
'...Then, should I just openly use my power?'
If I openly use my power, it would be easier.
Of course, by the time we exit this forest, I'll be near death... but I could escape safely.
However, then Irina would naturally suspect me.
Of course, since Irina currently mistakes me for a minion who received the Demon King's power, I could deceive her about the source of my power, but to escape this dungeon, I need to protect her as much as possible while getting out.
And if I protect her, even Irina who hates me would start to become suspicious.
"...Damn it, should have at least given me an item that lets me go on a rampage. Fucking system."
If I could go on a rampage it would be nice, but unfortunately, this place is a dungeon teeming with the Demon King's combat executives and upper-to-highest rank monsters that rival their strength.
Moreover, putting aside individual strength, the overwhelming numbers are quite a headache... and to make matters worse, my condition is nothing to speak of right now.
If this was before my vitality and stamina were greatly reduced, I might have been able to hold out somehow, but I'm in a state where my stamina and combat power are greatly reduced due to penalties, and I've even been hit by 6 consecutive Fireballs from Irina.
'The weapons I have are just a practice sword and the Villain's Whip... what should I do...'
To go on a rampage with a practice sword and a whip that deals 0 damage with this hopeless physical condition is absurd.
Then what on earth should I do about this situation?
"............"
After pondering for a while, I took out the whip from my pocket and began approaching Irina.
"...It can't be helped."
From now on, I am a kidnapper who kidnapped Irina.
.
"Irina..."
"Ari, Arianne...?"
A familiar scene appears.
The scene I experienced in my previous life, the one I desperately want to forget but absolutely must not forget.
"R, run... I'll... somehow hold them..."
Arianne, held in my arms, is muttering with fading eyes as she looks at me.
"...Stop playing the tragic hero and hurry up and attack. I'm tired of playing with these small fry."
Meanwhile, the Demon King is yawning from afar, provoking me with a languid voice.
"Kill, I'll kill you... I'll kill you!!"
"...Oh?"
Watching such a Demon King, I began preparing an ultimate magic, pouring all my magical knowledge, all my mana, and... all my anger.
Even that invincible Demon King... would definitely have to take damage from this ultimate magic.
"N, no Irina... you, you have to live..."
Arianne, who realized what magic I was trying to use, gathered her last strength to grab my arm and try to stop me, but...
"Those who must live..."
She ultimately couldn't finish her words and went limp in my arms.
- Bzzzzzt!!
And at the same time, a great magic that no one had been able to reproduce for the past 1000 years materialized in my hands.
"...Interesting, that should be able to wound this body."
However, the Demon King merely analyzed the magic circle with an interested expression.
Is even the ultimate magic said to be used by the Great Mage who fought alongside the Hero 1000 years ago merely entertainment to her?
"...Shut up."
But even if it's merely entertainment to her... even if it can only leave a pathetic wound... I decided to feed this magic to the Demon King.
"..........."
Because my childhood friend's family growing cold, the imperial citizens, and hope still remains behind me.
"Haaaaaaaap!!!"
"But you see..."
As I activated the magic circle, the Demon King raised the corner of her mouth and began gathering demonic energy in her finger.
"...Did you think I'd just take that hit?"
- Whiiiing!!
And, the next moment, a pitch-black dark beam flew toward me.
Numerous knights and heroes had fallen vainly to that attack.
And that would be no different for me.
- Kwoooong...!
"...Hmm?"
However, the attack ended in failure.
Because the most perfect barrier of her life, created by my childhood friend pouring out her life just before death, was protecting me.
"...Oh, my."
As the magic circle began to emit light, the Demon King started making a troubled expression.
Is even the great magic that put the Demon King from 1000 years ago in a near-death state merely a trouble to her?
"Take this!!!"
But still, I didn't withdraw the magic.
Because I hoped this magic would delay the Demon King's advance even a little, so that even one more imperial citizen could live, and... so that the Empire's hope could survive.
- Kwagwagwagwang!!!
The great magic I activated with such will began devastating the surrounding area within seconds of activation, and just before the aftermath swallowed me and the Demon King, I quietly muttered.
"If I knew this would happen..."
Thinking of him, who I thought was different from the rotten and corrupt nobles, but who ultimately became a worse existence than them and ruined the Empire.
"...I shouldn't have helped that bastard back then."
As that hollow muttering ended, darkness arrived.
Standing blankly in that darkness, I soon realized that all of this was a dream that recreated the last moment of my previous life.
"...Fuck."
For some reason, the scar I got from saving him when I was young seemed to throb, so I frowned and glared.
Because I wanted to escape from this fucking dream quickly.
"...Huh?"
But something is strange.
For some reason, the dream won't break.
Usually, if I glare like this, I would have woken from the dream... what is going on?
".....!?"
Moreover, for some reason my body won't move. No matter how much I struggle, my body won't budge.
"Mmm, mmm...!"
And when I noticed that no sound was coming from my mouth, only then did I grasp my current situation.
'N, no way... kidnapping...?'
That I have been kidnapped.
.
"Mmph...! Mmm...!"
"...Seems she's awake."
Irina started twitching and making groaning sounds. It seems she's regained consciousness.
"Mmmmmph!! Mmph!!"
Seeing Irina with her whole body tightly bound with whip, a gag in her mouth, and her eyes covered with a makeshift blindfold made from my torn clothes... I felt like I was doing something terrible and my heart ached.
"Grrrr..."
However, now is not the time for such guilt.
"...Damn it."
Because a pack of Ashen Fenrirs is surrounding us, licking their lips.
Those guys are monsters that rank quite high even in this dungeon.
"Mmph...!?"
Hearing the chilling howl of the Fenrirs, Irina stopped struggling and shrank.
"Awooooo...!"
Then, the Ashen Fenrirs watching her all began to pounce on her at once.
"Hah!!"
And at the same time, I drew my practice sword and swung it widely.
"...Kyaang!"
Then the pack of Fenrirs that had reached right before her nose were all sent flying, making unsightly screams.
"Kugh..."
However, at the same time, my body reached its limit.
It seems the penalty and the effect of the Fireballs I took from Irina were quite severe.
"...Ah!"
While I was sitting on the ground catching my breath, a Fenrir hiding in the bushes suddenly jumped out from behind Irina and pounced on her.
"Kang!"
"Ugh...!"
I urgently ran to hold her and barely avoided the worst situation, but thanks to that, my shoulder was being mercilessly bitten by the Fenrir.
"Haap!!"
Urgently gathering Star Mana in my fist, I threw an uppercut at the Fenrir, and before it was too late, I executed a tactic I used quite often in my previous life.
"Kaaaaang...!"
"Grrrrrr...!"
'...They've tasted human blood once? They're chasing us to death.'
It was running away.
.
"Hah... Hah..."
After running here and there being chased by the Fenrir pack for a while, I was able to find a cave suitable for hiding.
So I quickly ran into the cave, carefully blocked the entrance, and held my breath, and the Fenrir pack lingered around the cave for a while before eventually hiding their presence.
Thanks to that, Irina was safe, but having been chased by Fenrirs and encountering many strong monsters, my body's wounds had increased quite a bit.
By the way, while running away, I encountered monsters that would soon attack the Academy.
I thought about killing them beforehand to eliminate future trouble, but I was worried the scenario might go awry, and I was being chased in the first place, so I let it go.
"Mmph...! Mmmmmmmph...!!!"
While desperately trying to endure the pain in my shoulder and catching my breath, suddenly Irina started struggling in my arms.
Well, being held by a stranger with her whole body bound, that's understandable.
"Mmph... Mmmmmph..."
"...You're noisy."
"Puwaaaa...! Haa... Haa..."
I carefully set Irina down on the cave floor and removed the gag blocking her mouth.
"W, who are you...! Where is this place...!"
"........"
Then Irina asked with a trembling voice.
"You're asking who I am...?"
I, though her eyes were covered, put on the mask and black robe in case the blindfold came off while she struggled, and began speaking with my voice altered using Star Mana.
"...Well, why don't you try guessing."
Then Irina thought for a moment, then asked in a sunken voice.
"...First, I understand that you're the kidnapper who kidnapped me."
"Yes, that's correct."
"By any chance, did the Demon King order... no, that woman wouldn't know about me now..."
After asking that and muttering to herself for a moment, Irina twisted her expression fiercely and spoke again.
"...Then, it's Frey's doing after all."
"........"
Looking at her, I fell into thought for a moment.
'...I don't know for sure, but this incident was probably caused by Arianne. Of course, not intentionally.'
Seeing Arianne muttering about a 'recovery scroll' before losing consciousness, the magic scroll she tore was likely the cause of this incident.
Then why was a recovery scroll replaced with a spatial teleportation scroll?
I don't know that well either.
However, what's important is that I can use this situation in reverse.
I will become the mastermind behind this spatial teleportation incident.
If I do that, I can hide my identity and earn Wicked Points.
"Do not casually speak that person's name."
"Bullshit."
When I spoke in an angry tone, Irina twisted her body and cursed.
"Frey... this son of a bitch... cough...!"
"...I told you not to casually speak that person's name."
I grabbed Irina's throat and began whispering in her ear.
"I'm late in introducing myself. I am a shadow servant in charge of the Starlight family's dark affairs."
"Shadow... servant...?"
"Yes, I'm in charge of bringing you, who has become the young master's possession, to this secret hideout, and educating you. Ah, for reference, this secret hideout is in quite a remote area, so monsters are teeming here, so I suggest you don't think about escaping."
"What... does that..."
"If you're going to dedicate your body and mind to the young master... you'll need education, won't you? Here, you'll receive such education professionally."
As I said that and gently stroked her cheek, she trembled all over and shouted.
"I, I'd rather quit the Academy...! The oath I made with him..."
"...If you quit the Academy, we can't guarantee the safety of your cute friend and sister, but is that still fine with you?"
"You... I don't know who you are... but I'll definitely kill you... definitely..."
"As expected, you're quite a fierce person as the young master said."
I stroked Irina's head as she muttered with tears and whispered once more.
"I and our young master... actually enjoy subjugating people like that the most."
Hearing my chilling altered voice, Irina eventually dropped her head powerlessly, and I looked at her for a moment before suddenly turning my head.
"Hic... hicc..."
Because groaning sounds started coming from inside the cave.
Frozen at the sudden situation and staring inside the cave, the groaning sounds began to change into screams.
"W, what...? That sound...?"
Then Irina also heard the sound and started to panic, and eventually I started carefully heading into the cave leaving Irina behind.
And, the interior of the cave I arrived at after not long was...
"...Fuck."
Literally, a living hell.
"Kruk?"
"Kiek?"
The vast interior of the cave was filled with human skulls with no room to step, and goblins, spider-type monsters, black slimes, and various other monsters and creatures were gathered together eating human bones and flesh pieces.
"Over there..."
".....!"
And as I was blankly staring at that sight, I heard someone's voice from my feet and flinched back.
"Please..."
"...Damn."
"Please help me..."
But soon realizing the person who made that sound was a half-dying woman, I caught my breath.
"Kruk?"
"Kiek?"
On the woman's body, numerous insect-type monsters and goblins were clinging and eating her flesh.
Urgently tearing off those monsters, I reached out my hand to give her vitality with my eyes tightly shut, but soon stopped my action.
"Please kill me..."
".........."
Because she started begging earnestly for me to kill her.
"If I give emergency treatment..."
"The village I lived in burned down... my friend too... my husband and children too... and the neighbors too... all died..."
"........."
"So... just kill me... adventurer... I don't want to live anymore..."
Quietly looking down at her, I began to persuade her in a low voice.
"Even so, if you survive, you might be able to start a new life somewhere else. Even so..."
But soon, I stopped speaking.
Right now, the entire Empire is in this state.
The capital and a few well-defended regions are barely holding out, but... underdeveloped rural areas and remote places being looted and annihilated by monsters like this is everyday life.
A terrible situation that won't end until the Demon King is killed, caused by nobles thinking only of their own safety.
So, in such a situation, telling her to live a new life somewhere else would be too cruel a statement.
But... if I defeat the Demon King... when I start reforming the Empire in earnest... perhaps...
"Adventurer... you seem badly hurt too... you don't need to help me... just give me a peaceful death..."
"...Ugh."
Thinking such thoughts, I reached out to the woman again, but she pointed out my tattered condition and refused my help once more.
Only then did I recall the fact that I lacked not only the vitality to give this woman but even the vitality to escape this place, and quietly straightened my sword.
"Thank... you..."
Seeing my expression change, the woman cried and thanked me, then tightly closed her eyes.
"...I'll ask just one thing."
"...Yes?"
But instead of immediately cutting down the woman, I asked in a cold voice.
"...Did those monsters kill your husband and children, and neighbors and bring you here?"
"........."
Then the woman nodded with difficulty.
"...Hup."
And the next moment, I raised my sword with a sad smile.
- Whiiiiing!!
Soon, when I swung the sword strongly, the woman sensed death and tightly closed her eyes.
".....?"
But when death didn't come no matter how long she waited, the woman trembled and carefully opened her eyes, then lost her words and began blankly staring at the scene unfolding before her.
"Grrrr..."
"Krr... krrk..."
All the numerous monsters and creatures occupying the cave interior were lying on the ground dying with painful expressions.
".........."
After watching that scene for a while, the woman began to shed tears, and I quietly opened my mouth looking at her.
"...Unlike those monsters, I'll send you off comfortably."
"Thank you... really thank you..."
Then the woman offered her neck to me with a relieved smile, and a few seconds later her body collapsed powerlessly.
".....Sigh."
After silently watching that figure for a moment, I let out a deep sigh and moved my heavy steps.
"...Cough."
Wiping the blood that had leaked from my mouth at some point.
.
"W, that voice just now was..."
"...Ah, are you talking about that?"
Returning to Irina after finishing my business, she started urgently questioning me.
"Surely... it was a woman's scream... what on earth..."
"You're not the only one here. There are quite a few women receiving education to be embraced by the young master."
"Crazy... crazy bastard..."
Hearing those words, Irina made an expression filled with disgust for a moment, then hardened her expression and questioned me again.
"Wait... but this is the smell of blood..."
"...You figured it out well."
"Y, you surely didn't..."
"Escaping from here... means there's a high possibility of betraying the young master. So I handled it at my discretion."
"Die!! Just die!!! You trash bastard!!!"
"Sigh..."
Looking at Irina who started struggling with all her might, I sighed and spoke in a cold voice.
"...Don't worry. The young master said to somehow not kill you and finish the education."
"Shut up! Whether it's Frey or you... I'll definitely kill you!!"
"The education will start from tomorrow."
Approaching her who was still struggling and screaming loudly, I whispered in a chilling voice by her ear.
"...Let's see how long that spirit lasts."
After saying that, I gagged her mouth again and quietly went to the corner of the cave and began meditating.
Now, it's time to get her out of here.
.
'I'll kill him... I'll definitely kill him... definitely...'
I don't know how much time has passed. If I could see the outside scenery, I could at least guess whether it's day or night, but my eyes are covered so I can't judge.
"...Mmph!"
I've already tried gathering mana several times to escape this desperate situation, but perhaps because I overdid it in the training ground, mana won't gather.
"Kwoooong!!"
"Awooooo...!"
"Kirok... kirok..."
'...Damn it.'
And even if I succeed in gathering mana and escape these bindings, I'd have to face that trash-like Frey's servant, and probably the numerous monsters outside.
'Still... I can never give up...'
But even in this hopeless situation, I gathered mana, and gathered it again.
Even if it means fighting that servant, even if it means being bitten by monsters... I had to escape this place and kill Frey.
Because by doing so, I could save the Empire, the imperial citizens, and Arianne.
"...Puhut?"
While feeling pain all over my body and barely gathering mana, suddenly the gag in my mouth was removed.
"W, what..."
"Shh.....!"
Confused by the sudden situation, suddenly someone covered my mouth.
"There's no time to explain...! We need to get out of here first...!"
Soon, the unidentified person who spoke to me urgently began leading me somewhere.
Being dragged along in that bewildered moment, I quietly muttered to myself.
'...Right, I can't die here after regressions.'
It seems the Sun God is helping me.