Chapter 207: The Revived Scream |
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How many times do I have to be surprised today?
Ever since I came to this campsite, I’ve been constantly surprised.
I mean, I heard it wrong, right?
“……? What’s wrong?”
Aiba is still smiling as calmly as before.
Yeah, that’s right. I must have misheard. I must have.
“Um, I’m sorry. I think I misheard you. Can you repeat what you said?”
“No problem. The reason I came to this world is to kill all the humans in this world.”
What? You’re joking, right? Why? What do you mean?
But Rebel, who was sitting next to me, nodded her head as if she believed him.
“Well, that’s expected. You were the biggest idiot among all those idiots after all.”
“That’s harsh.”
“Idiots are idiots, aren’t they? They don’t recognize anyone but themselves as human, they look down on the people of the other world as a lower race, and they try to take their land and occupy it. They are nothing but stupid and foolish invaders, aren’t they? Am I wrong?”
“It hurts my ears to hear you say that. But there was no way for us to survive except to merge with this world. Isn’t that right?”
“Fusion and invasion are two very different things. Don’t distort Master’s wishes.”
At Aiba’s argument, Rebel snickered.
“But our king and parliament saw it that way. So it is only logical that we, his subjects, should follow suit, isn’t that true?”
“If our liege is wrong, it is our duty, as his true vassals, to advise and guide him in the right direction. You shouldn’t stop thinking, you fucking idiot.”
“…… If you talk too much, people will question your upbringing and dignity.”
“That’s your country’s style, isn’t it? Oh? I wonder what country it is. I wish someone would tell me.”
“You really don’t shut up, do you?”
Aiba sighed.
“Well, I guess that’s why you were able to become his disciple..”
“That’s right. Hmmm, could it be, are you jealous?”
“……”
Are you a child?
You’re trying to get the upper hand.
It doesn’t matter how trivial it is, she just wants to get the upper hand on her opponent.
Aiba also has a very complex look on his face.
What is it?
I can’t help but feel sorry for him, even though Rebel is on my side.
“……”
“……”
Aiba turned to look at me.
I averted my eyes unconsciously.
“Uh, well, Miss Rebel, is it okay if we go back to the story?”
“Yes, of course. I’ll kill him after I hear what he has to say.”
“No, I’d rather you didn’t……”
“Why do we need to keep the man who wants to kill all the people in this world alive? Ah well, once I’ve squeezed as much information out of him as I can, I’ll kill him, don’t worry.”
A tyrant.
No, it’s reliable as an ally.
“No, that’s why–“
Aiba was about to say something, but the next moment, his expression changed.
The next thing he knew, the twig that Rebel was holding in her hand was pressed against his neck.
“Huh……?”
“Wha… what is the meaning of this?”
It was terrifyingly fast. I couldn’t even follow it with my eyes.
It must have been the same for Aiba. He broke out in a cold sweat and was astonished.
“You know….. don’t you? Even an undead will die if you cut off their heads with a weapon that has been infused with the power to exterminate demons.”
“…….”
I gulped.
The mere twig in Rebel’s hand looked like a sharp blade.
I’m sure it’s not just an illusion.
Without a doubt, she can cut off Aiba’s head with that twig.
“Do you want to try to resist? I don’t think you can though.”
“If you want to kill me…… I don’t have a choice. But, I have one request.”
“What is it?”
“There are two women at the campsite, Midori Goshogawara and Satsuki Goshogawara. Could you please take them to your base? It seems that their father is still alive and I would like them to reunite with him.”
“…… Worrying about others at this point? Or are you just trying to buy some time?”
“I have no such intentions. It’s just that Satsuki and the others have taken care of me. I just wanted to return the favor one last time.”
“……”
Rebel stood still and stared at Aiba silently.
“……Sounds like you’re not lying.”
“I wouldn’t lie to you. At least not to you or him.”
“……haah.”
In the midst of this strained atmosphere, Rebel raised her hand with the twig – and threw it away with a snap.
“Oh, my. So much for joking with each other, huh?”
“Huh……?”
Saying that, Rebel’s expression collapsed.
All at once, the tense air from earlier relaxed as if it was just an illusion.
“Eh? Re, Rebel…?”
“…… What’s with that face? Did you really think I was going to kill him?”
“No, I didn’t?”
Perhaps amused by my reaction, Rebel chuckled.
“You’re going to kill all the humans in this world, you say. I can tell by looking at this that you don’t mean it. If you were serious, the people around here would have been exterminated long ago. This is the best proof that you are not truly hostile to them.”
“De, dead?”
That’s not a very nice thing to say, is it?
“…..I really am no match for you.”
Aiba raised his hand in agreement.
“You’re right. I have no intention of killing the people of this world. There is a lot more to it than that…. No, I guess it’s more accurate to say that I no longer intend to.”
“What do you mean……? You make it sound like you were going to kill us in the beginning.”
“You’re right. That’s exactly what I came to this world for.”
I was horrified to hear Aiba admit that so simply.
Like Rebel, how can these people say such disturbing things in a tone as if what they are saying is no different from everyday conversation?
It’s bad for my heart.
“That was the plan… But after coming to…… this world and meeting Satsuki and the others, I changed my mind. They weren’t the lowly race that the king and the higher-ups said they were. They were human beings just like us……”
Aiba’s face turned grim, as if he was remembering something.
“……I didn’t know anything about it. I was a retired knight, but I was indebted to the royal family. In the hope of reducing the burden on the advance team as much as possible, I agreed to Randall’s suggestion of using a ‘loophole’…… Now that I think about it, he must have approached me in the hope that I would be able to help him.”
“Randall…..Yes, it was him……”
Randall?
Come to think of it, Aiba had mentioned that name a while ago.
“Rebel, who is Randall?”
“He’s one of the leaders of the Knights. He’s quite skilled, and he’s probably been chosen as a member of the advance team.”
A member of the advance team?
“But why did he tell Aiba……? He certainly was an odd one, but…… no, more importantly, how did he find a loophole in the system?”
“I don’t know that either. But he was talking to some other people besides me. However, I don’t think there was anyone like me who wanted to abandon their humanity and slip into this world…….”
“There are no benefits. It’s also a big risk…… However, there are exceptions, such as you, and we should consider searching for them while preparing for their arrival……”
In the midst of this feeling of being left behind, I raised my hand nervously.
“So, in other words, you’re not planning to be our enemy, is that correct?”
“Yes, of course.”
Aiba held out his hand to me.
I tried to shake his hand, but…
“Well, for now, I believe you. Be grateful, Iver.”
Rebel, who had interrupted from the side, took his hand instead.
“”………””
“What? Why are you both looking so sensitive?”
Read the room.
I think Aiba and I were probably thinking the same thing.
“Haah, but I’m relieved. To be honest, I was prepared to be killed the moment I met you.”
“So you wanted to meet Rebel even though you could have been killed…..?”
“Yes, I did. My actions were also an insult to her and to that person. I had to fulfill my responsibility.”
“……”
He said he was going to kill all the people in this world, but then he easily turned around and wanted to see Rebel, even though she might have killed him.
–Basically, his actions are full of contradictions.
I somehow felt that I understood the true nature of this person’s unpredictability.
“Then, Kudou, take the girls to your base—!”
Suddenly, Aiba clutched his chest and began to struggle for breath.
“Hey, are you okay?”
“It’s no problem. It will go away soon. Ever since I turned into this, my body has been in bad shape…..”
“Is it possible for an undead person to be in bad shape?”
I turned to Rebel, she nodded her head as well.
Then, this time, an explosion sounded from the campsite.
“……!? What, what is it?”
When I turned my eyes towards the campsite, I saw that a monster was charging towards the campsite, tearing down the trees.
“Shaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”
Was that a Metal Lizard?
Wasn’t there just one?
No, more importantly, why did it appear so suddenly?
There was no response from the ‘Danger Perception’.
“Rebel!”
“Yeah, no problem. I can take care of that little fish in a second. Kazuto, dodge!”
“What?”
She shouted frantically.
I felt a chill run down my spine.
“!!”
I reflexively guarded my face with my right arm.
The next moment, I was blown away.
I was slammed into a tree and felt a sharp pain in my back.
“Ugh……”
What a tremendous impact.
If I hadn’t guarded myself with my right arm – or more accurately, with my clothes-mimicking Aka, I might have been in trouble.
What the hell happened?
It’s as if I was ‘hit’ by something…….
I look at the place where I was a moment ago.
There was the thing that had punched me.
“………..Huh?”
For a moment, I was stunned beyond reason.
It’s impossible.
Why are ‘you’ there?
You should have been dead a long time ago.
“This is a joke, right……?”
I wo
uld never forget it.
It was my first trauma, the symbol of my fear.
“……High Orc.”
When he saw me, he laughed.
He seemed to be truly enjoying himself.
It was as if he was happy to see me again.
“Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!”
The ‘scream’, reverberated through the air.
*****