Chapter 6
"Haha~ Why are you acting like this? I'm just trying to send you all off comfortably!"
=I came to save you. I'll protect you in a safe place.
I speak kindly.
"Don't worry. It won't hurt."
=I really don't plan on hurting you.
I was gesturing gently with a soft smile.
But despite such kindness, the foxes showed no intention of approaching.
Were they scared?
Clang...!
Irene even drops the rusty sword she was holding.
She seemed to be resisting with all her might, but eventually her legs give out and she sits down.
"Si-sister...!"
"Sniff, Irene sis...!"
The little foxes tear up in confusion.
Children who look to be elementary school age at most.
They were just trembling, hiding behind Irene's back, perhaps afraid of the situation.
"Oh my, did I burden you too much?"
I tilted my head alone.
As if I couldn't understand their reaction at all.
'Well... I actually do know.'
As I said before, everything happening in this space right now is in the palm of my hand.
A stage I designed from start to finish.
The current situation is also included in the thorough design.
In other words, it's all an act.
I appeared like a villain.
Just before the foxes escaped. I blocked their way and deliberately revealed killing intent to create tension.
I also increased their anxiety by delivering meaningful lines.
'Of course they're trembling in fear.'
The foxes must see me as a hunter now.
The worst hunter who could annihilate everyone here with a single gesture.
"Huhu."
I giggle with joy.
Perhaps because it's been a while since I've caused such mischief, it felt twice as fun.
The corners of my mouth curve unnaturally.
My already lecherous smile becomes even stickier.
The perfect appearance of a slit-eyed villain.
"......"
Irene was looking this way while kneeling.
Her transparent eyes were trembling madly.
Was it because my acting was too perfect? The girl seemed to have fallen for it completely.
'It feels like I've really become the villain.'
I had that thought for a moment, but I shook it off.
How kind and considerate a person am I.
Even in putting on this act now, I had my own hidden circumstances.
-Ding!
[Current remaining output: 21.5%]
I overused lies too much.
The output wasn't enough to return safely.
If it was just me, it would have been plenty possible, but unfortunately I had taken on a group of foxes, so it wasn't easy.
In other words, I needed to recover lies.
I simply decided to use them for that purpose.
"Mercy would be a luxury for slaves who have already caused a disturbance once."
Judah's unique ability, Liar.
The more perfect the lie, the greater emotional change it causes in the listener, the more effectively it charges.
I use others' hearts.
The fear of death.
It's one of the most intense emotions that binds living beings.
The foxes who were rejoicing in the hope of escape until just now.
Now that those children were facing death, the emotional change to come would be...
-Ding!
[The target's emotions fluctuate dramatically.]
(Hope -> Despair)
[Due to the dramatic emotional change, a large amount of lies have been recovered.]
[Current remaining output: 47.4%]
The output of lies rises rapidly.
It charges instantly with just a few words.
Normally it would take muttering all day to fill such a gap.
'...This method really is good after all.'
I felt a bit guilty about making young children cry, but I inwardly asked for forgiveness.
Still, it's a process to save you all.
I believed they would understand.
"How pathetic."
I murmur in a cold voice.
The smile had disappeared from my face by now.
Clap-!
I clap my hands lightly once.
Following that, all the lights illuminating the corridor turn off simultaneously.
A world where only thick darkness remains.
I spoke while gathering the rippling fog.
"I will dispose of these worthless items... right here."
I release a bit more of the killing intent I was suppressing.
The tension that seems to cut into flesh forms frost, and sticky darkness weighs down the surroundings.
The children finally burst into tears one by one.
-Ding!
[The target's emotions fluctuate dramatically.]
(Hope -> Despair)
[Due to the dramatic emotional change, a large amount of lies have been recovered.]
[Current remaining output: 54.9%]
The output of lies was recovering smoothly.
At this rate, it would take about 5 minutes.
As I was gauging the remaining time, the vermilion-haired girl catches my eye.
"......"
Irene sitting blankly.
Had she lost her mind from extreme fear?
Despite the commotion of the other children, the girl sat with her head bowed.
'Has she given up?'
If so, it was a bit disappointing.
The 'Fox' I remember from the original work wouldn't fall to just this much.
Is it because her awakening hasn't happened yet?
The stubborn sword star I had been looking forward to meeting didn't seem to be present.
I felt my interest cooling a bit.
I thought I might have some fun, but to see such a miserable state.
"Hmm."
Well, shall I let it slide for now?
Since I've come this far, I should help out.
As long as the world flows following the original work. Her awakening will happen someday.
"It's not the appearance I expected, but I'll be satisfied with this much today..."
"Kids."
Just as I was about to dismiss it with disappointment. A short word brushes my ears.
"Listen carefully to what I'm about to say."
A voice trembling in tatters.
However, the content that followed that sentence was by no means weak.
"Run away without looking back."
Shing-.
She grabs the rusty sword that had fallen to the floor again.
Shoulders trembling as if about to crumble.
But even in such despair, the girl rises, using the sword to prop herself up.
"I'll hold him off here."
Black eyes shining fiercely.
The girl's pupils were glaring this way, filled with vicious light.
"Oho."
An exclamation escapes involuntarily.
Feeling my fading interest ignite again, I smiled broadly.
'Yes, that's more like it.'
I almost got disappointed there.
A thrill that electrifies my fingertips.
I burst into refreshing laughter while spreading the lies I had been gathering in all directions.
"Hahaha! What an arrogant delusion!"
"Everyone run!"
Following that sharp cry, the children start to flee.
I glanced at those little foxes for a moment, but soon had to look straight ahead.
The future sword star, Irene.
Because she was charging at me with her vermilion hair flying.
I erased my playful atmosphere and snapped my fingers in the hazy darkness.
"Well then~ Shall we play for a bit?"
Snap-!
The world flips upside down.
***
A long tunnel-like corridor.
Only thick darkness falls.
The lights that should have been illuminating the surroundings are all off, and only primordial blackness flows down.
A gloomy atmosphere permeates heavily.
Screech-!
A sharp noise cuts through the silence.
In the pitch-black space, only two figures moving violently exist.
"Haa, haa...!"
Rough breathing echoes.
Irene swung her sword roughly while catching her breath rising to her chin.
Clang-!
The sword is blocked with an intense impact.
There stands the blonde boy, blocking her attack with his bare hand.
"Is this all you've got?"
An expression smiling with joy.
In contrast to the girl's miserable state, he looked full of composure.
As if viewing this whole situation as a joke.
'Damn it...!'
Is he really human?
To block a sword strike unleashed with all her might with just two fingers.
'Are his fingers made of steel or something...!'
Irene clicked her tongue and took her stance again.
Right after, she stamps the ground.
Clang! Clang!! Crack...! Boom!!
The sound of metal bursting continues fiercely.
Sparks fly each time the sword and fingers collide.
The flashes that momentarily light up remove the surrounding darkness for brief instants.
"Ugh...!"
"Please try a bit harder. You seem to be getting pushed back more and more."
"Shut, up...!"
A cry filled with anger stretches out.
Irene glares with wide eyes.
She pushes the sword that was in a power struggle. Then immediately follows with a strike.
Whoosh-!
The sword path moves horizontally. A surprise attack aiming for an opening.
Irene sensed success.
The angle, distance, timing, everything is perfect. It can't possibly be blocked.
'I've got him...!'
But.
"Oops."
Clang-!
He blocks it as if it's only natural.
Again with his index and middle fingers.
The boy deflected Irene's sword with just two fingers.
"...Ha."
What kind of monster is this?
A bitter laugh escapes involuntarily.
But there was no leisure to chew on idle thoughts.
Because this time the boy's fist was flying towards her.
Irene quickly defends with the sword's flat side.
The next moment.
Boom-!
The fist hits the sword's surface, and a heavy impact strikes the girl.
"Kuh...!"
She's pushed back quite a distance despite taking a defensive stance.
Her fingertips tingle and tremble.
She barely manages to hold on as her legs threaten to give out.
As she steadies her staggering body for a moment, the boy approaches her.
Tap tap.
The shoe heels are particularly noisy.
Facing those terrifying footsteps, Irene bit her lip.
"Are you tired already? I'm just starting to get excited."
Thud-.
A light step on the ground.
It was just one step, but the boy was already standing in front of Irene.
As if he had teleported.
"Ta-da."
"You son of a...!"
Even her hasty reaction was too late.
His fist had already reached Irene's abdomen.
Thud-!
A heavy blow strikes. Her body flies again.
The body that had floated up soon rolls on the floor.
Irene lay face down in place, letting out a painful groan.
"Ugh... huff, gasp..."
Consciousness fading.
The girl tried to regain her senses.
As if mocking such an Irene, the boy muttered in surprise.
"Oh? Did that hurt so much? I thought I had controlled my strength..."
"......"
Irene quietly bowed her head.
Her body no longer moved.
She had only allowed one hit, but it felt like her insides were turning over just from that.
'Am I going to die here?'
The fox sensed death.
If she had known it would be like this, she should have just obediently been sold as a slave.
A bland regret ripples.
The boy was toying with her.
If he used his full strength, he could probably kill her with a single gesture.
'How empty.'
A feeling of her past life being denied.
The sword she had honed and polished doesn't reach. She can't even follow his movements.
A sense of powerlessness stemming from lamentation heavily weighs down her shoulders.
It hurts. It's scary. It's sad. It's lonely.
However, what comes to mind before those emotions is...
'I wonder if everyone escaped safely.'
Thoughts for others.
She bought quite a bit of time. That was at least some consolation.
The fox smiles faintly.
She didn't want to die.
Because death is frightening.
It's just that what she feared more than that was becoming cowardly.
The girl quietly raised her head.
"I guess we should stop here for now. I don't want our characters getting hurt."
"......"
The golden-haired snake, no, monster.
He's looking this way with a shamelessly worried face.
She felt like giving him a good punch.
If more time was needed for the children to escape this hellish slave trade, the girl had to pick up her sword.
It was a path walked solely on conviction.
She would hold on for even a little longer.
Even if it meant burning up to her very last breath.
"Hey... you snake bastard."
Irene raised her body that felt like it would crumble.
Though her balance wavered, the girl pointed her sword tip and muttered.
"We have to see this through."
The next moment.
Light flashes from the rusted sword blade.
A faint radiance spreading in the darkness.
It was so feeble that even Irene herself didn't notice, but the snake didn't miss that streak of light.
The boy unconsciously mutters.
"...Could that be?"
A question that strays for a moment. It soon concludes in exclamation.
"This really is interesting."
His eyes narrow slightly.
The golden snake feels a thrilling interest and shows a bright smile.
It's a clearly shining fragment of talent.
"I didn't originally plan to go this far... but shall we enjoy it a bit more?"
With anticipation beating in his heart, the boy gathered his lies.