Volume 1 Chapter 85
It wasn't part of the assigned task, but once I found it, I couldn't just ignore it.
I think it's normal to want to clean something when you see it's dirty. And if it's something that also concerns me, even more so.
I saw a figure walking in the dark night street. A group of three. They were slowly coming towards me, supporting a man wearing a chest piece of metal armor. The reliable moonlight was blocked by buildings on both sides, so I stayed dark until they reached the main street. The road was just wide enough for a carriage to fit through, which made it perfect for the task.
There were only three people and myself in this place right now. Actually, there aren't many people wandering around town at this time. It's not like the residents are leading healthy lives, it's just that the security has failed, and there's nothing to be proud of.
I observed the men's appearance. They claimed to be A-Rank adventurers, but in reality, they were different. Most likely, they were just some random D or C Rank individuals. Their equipment could even be stolen goods.
Suddenly, I remembered a fairy tale I had read before. It was about a drake who believed he was a dragon and tried to eat the white elder worm living in Mount Zepart, but ended up being swallowed whole instead. It was based on an old legend that remains in the Metis Church.
"Ugh...why, why is this happening..."
The man on the left let out a sob.
"Shut up! Stop complaining and keep walking, quick!! Ugh..."
"Hey, hey! Don't you dare throw up...? If we get caught, who knows what they'll make us do..."
"I know! Dammit!"
The two of them, who had spent a long time cleaning the floor of the tavern, desperately tried to hold back their rising nausea.
It was all because of that cat girl's order. She had commanded them not to throw up what they had eaten. Even now, she and her companions might be hiding and watching. That's why they intended to endure at least until they reached the inn.
--Balzark's Party, an S-Rank adventurer.
They had come to Metis about a month ago and explored a dungeon in the mountains, known as the "Inferno Pathway" by only a few people. After returning to town, they enjoyed "playing" like this every night, extorting money from small-time crooks. The reason it didn't turn into a big incident was because the victims had obtained the money in a way they couldn't make public. Their actions were all carefully calculated. They were truly a bunch of no-good troublemakers.
But still, today's incident was particularly cruel. It seems like something must have really angered that girl named Io. She might be worse in quality than Balzark, who only knows pure violence.
--No. The real issue is that there are hardly any decent people in the S-Rank.
Allen the [Perfect].
Ryuin the [Magic Swordsman].
Balzark the [Terrible].
Recently, in the Cretia Kingdom, the talk of the town seems to be around this area. Among these, Ryuin is the only one who hasn't lost her humanity. However, it seems that her party left Voltana and suddenly disappeared after moving west for a while. It's unlikely that they noticed our presence, but it's no mistake to assume that it's related to the 'key'.
--Well, never mind. Right now, I should focus on the task at hand.
The men have come about halfway down the road. It's time to make a move soon.
As the two of them walked through the darkness, the armored man slipped away silently.
"...Huh? Did you wake up?"
Feeling the weight on his shoulder suddenly disappear, he assumed he had managed to stand up on his own. He turned around and wore a puzzled expression.
It was understandable, considering that the armored man's body was floating in mid-air. They were in the middle of the road, and it was obvious that there was nothing to support him since they had just passed through.
"Hmm?"
The two of them leaned in closer, and noticed two red lights above the floating man's head. They focused their attention on it.
"--Eep!"
The men gasped, as if they had figured out the secret to a magic trick.
It was because what they thought was light turned out to be the eyes of a beast. It was a large, dark wolf-like creature that appeared out of nowhere, with the armored man's head in its mouth.
"--Huh?"
As they began to understand the situation and feel a sense of confusion and fear, one of the men let out a foolish voice. The beast's sharp claws pierced through his chest, creating a pool of blood on the ground. Through the shared sensation, warmth was transmitted.
"Eek... Aah..."
The final man remaining collapsed, unable to stand. It was laughable that he claimed to be an A-Rank adventurer.
"Help... someone..."
His voice was as feeble as a mosquito's buzz. When fear seeped into the core of one's being, the body became paralyzed, rendering one unable to scream. It was a sight I had witnessed countless times before.
"It... it's my fault... please, I won't do it again..."
Tears streamed down his face as he desperately begged for forgiveness. I felt no emotions. All I had was a desire to complete the job at hand.
That's just the way I am. And that's why it frustrates me to see others slacking off.
Oswald was no different.
He had been boasting about how he would "take care" of those three individuals, but he hadn't made a single move. I knew he was lazy, but this was taking it to another level. Uncooperative and unpredictable, I couldn't grasp what he was thinking.
Could it be that he had suddenly developed feelings? How foolish. Eventually, divine punishment would befall him.
As I was walking through town, I looked at the man crawling on the ground. The man was supposed to be in pain, but he was laughing.
"H-hi hee hee...this must be a bad dream...when I wake up, I'll wake up in a bed in an inn. And then I'll live my life...and go back to my hometown..."
--Has he become unable to face reality and have finally taken refuge in his delusions?
"That can't be true."
The demon beast--the Netherwolf's paw, was placed directly above the man.
I slowly and quietly put my weight on it. I heard the sound of bones breaking.
There is no way to save a soul once it has fallen. Rotten fruit will never return to its original state.
When I finished work and went out onto the main street, a newly acquired griffon flew by. The Netherwolf grabbed the griffon's front legs, and the griffon soared high again into the night sky.
Tomorrow will also be busy, I think.
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