Chapter 43
Now that I think about it, I wonder why I wrote 'nails of ice/ice nails' instead of 'claws of ice/ice claws' for Setsuna… well, I can't be bothered to change the prior chapters so I'll just use claws of ice from now. Thanks for reading~
The mad cow race men are being hunted down by the Ironhead Cow, which Setsuna and I are watching while hiding in the forest. It's an extremely laughable show, so it's hard to hold in my laughter.
I am the cause of this. As a result of administering an aphrodisiac into the Ironhead Cow, it has been a.s.saulting demons as long as they are a bull. Demons have the power to manipulate monsters, but a demon's control can't get through to an Ironhead Cow which has completely lost its ego.
"That aphrodisiac has an effect on monsters as well huh." (Kearuga)
It's surprising that a gigantic Ironhead Cow would turn this mad. I see I can understand why that leopard demon broke so easily. I should use this aphrodisiac carefully, and I shouldn't use it unless I intend on breaking someone. That's unfortunate. I was thinking of using it on the sword saint Kureha next time and enjoy various plays, but she'll become disabled if I use this kind of thing. That has utility value and also has charm as a woman. It would be regrettable to break her. She's one of my favorites.
The Ironhead Cow is pus.h.i.+ng down mad cow race men and continuing to swing its back. However, those movements gradually grow sluggish until it finally faints with its eyes rolled back. It seems the drug circulated too much. The survivors of the mad cow race that were running from place to place earlier rushed up to the Ironhead Cow and swung their weapons to deal with it. I wonder why they are doing such horrible things to their important pet. Pets are family. Are those guys so heartless that they would raise their hands against their family?
"Setsuna, let's surprise attack the guys who are engrossed with getting rid of the Ironhead Cow. You attack from the left. Kill them without hesitation." (Kearuga)
"Understood. They will be quickly dealt with." (Setsuna)
There are only four unhurt mad cow race people. The remnants were either killed by the Ironhead Cow or received a fatal injury. Two of the four people will be killed by Setsuna, and having two of them as a source of information should be enough, and there's no problem to make them my revenge targets (toys) either.
Neutralizing them without killing them is harder than normally killing them, and because there's a risk, I can't entrust it to Setsuna. There's no way I could expose my important Setsuna to danger. Therefore, I will do it.
With this disturbance, they wouldn't think there would be an ambush. Right now, the things before the enemies' eyes should be everything to them. Setsuna clads her hand with claws of ice and enters combat readiness. Mutually nodding to each other, we jump out.
I am able to soundlessly walk by using an elite a.s.sa.s.sin's techniques that I obtained with【Recovery Heal】, but Setsuna has flexible muscles that are peculiar to the ice wolf race which allows her to soundlessly run. Setsuna is a natural hunter. She has a terrific apt.i.tude to these types of surprise attacks.
The mad cow race people that are occupied with the Ironhead Cow don't notice us soundlessly approaching them from their blind spot. Setsuna takes the first move by approaching the men's backs and flashes both hands with each hand targeting a different mad cow race male. Her claws of ice are as sharp as a blade built by an elite blacksmithing master. Slicing the carotid artery, their blood flowed out like a water fountain. Without even being able to scream, the two men from the mad cow race collapse; brilliant skill. There shouldn't be any method more efficient than that when you are killing someone in one hit. I feel like I should applaud her. I can't lose to her.
"Th-, the bloooooooood"
"You, who are you?"
The survivors who realized the blood fountain turned their gazes to Setsuna. They're full of openings. In my hands, I'm holding a cloth that has been soaked in a sleeping drug with immediate effectively. Although it's powerful enough to make them unable to wake up again with one small mistake, well, it doesn't really matter if I fail. It would be regrettable that I can't play with them, but that's all there is to it.
I actually wanted to experiment with it beforehand, but I didn't intend on testing something this dangerous on myself, and experimenting on the cute Setsuna or convenient Freya is also out of the question. Experimenting on a living person is limited to only be used on brutes that should be killed. I approach the mad cow race man's back while he's wary of Setsuna, and when I push the cloth against his mouth, he faints after spasming. With that same trick, I neutralize the other person.
"Yeah, it's a good drug. Capturing people alive will become much easier." (Kearuga)
Their hearts are more or less moving, so they aren't dead. All that's left is whether or not there's any serious damage to their brains.
"Good work Setsuna. Your skill increased again." (Kearuga)
"Because Setsuna's level increased, Setsuna's body is light. Besides, by teaching Freya, Setsuna was able to go over the basics again." (Setsuna)
"It's because you're diligently teaching her. If you aren't seriously teaching her, that won't happen. You're admirable Setsuna." (Kearuga)
"Nn." (Setsuna)
I come closer to Setsuna and stroke her head. Thereupon, her face dyes and she nods. As usual, Setsuna's a cute one. I separate from her, and quickly get rid of the people that received a fatal injury from the Ironhead Cow.
"Well, I guess we should hurry up and extract information from them. We have to find out if
Living in the deserted house is quite inconvenient. Although I bought blankets, as expected, I would like to comfortably have s.e.x on top of a futon.
"Setsuna will help with the torture." (Setsuna)
"Thanks. It'll help. If there's anyone away from home, they might come back so we should change our location right now. Setsuna, can you find out if any people from this race approach us with their smell?" (Kearuga)
"The mad cow race has a characteristic smell. Because it is almost windless right now, Setsuna can tell from quite far away. At the very least, they aren't within a few hundred meters and Setsuna can tell if they approach." (Setsuna)
I'll be relying on her. Even if I use【Imitation Heal】, I can't copy this kind of excellent sense of smell. As I thought, it has be a demi-human or demon if I'm making a comrade. Since Eve who's from the kokuyoku race might have some kind of special skill, I'll try asking her various things. Well then, we should immediately start the torture.
As far as what their appearances show, the people from the mad cow race are about to wake up. However, it was quite close. If the concentration was increased anymore, I would have killed them. I should properly dilute the sleeping drug I made this time. This much happens to the mad cow race that is stupidly durable. If I use it on a human, they would get crippled with one shot. As expected, experimenting on a living person is important. From now on, if I ever meet trash that I don't mind killing, I should a.s.sertively administer the suspicious potion I'm making as part of my hobby to gather data. It's a way to enjoy myself which combines my hobby and actual profit.
We move deeper inside the forest. Well, it's time for a fun, fun revenge. I'll summarize their charges. They shot ritual fire magic at Eve, and obviously, I was in range as well, but the cute Setsuna and convenient Freya were also in a position that was dragged into it. They weren't aiming to kill me, but as a result, we received heavy damage. Next, they destroyed the shop that made the delicious bear pot. The bear pot was amazingly delicious, but the level of the side dishes themselves were high, and the taste of the town's local alcohol was enough to make me deeply moved emotionally. Even though I had decided to visit every day, thanks to these guys, it finished with only one time. I still remember it in my dream. In the menu, appetizing things that I had never seen before were lined up, but because of these guys, I can't eat any of them again. In other words, these guys are scoundrels that should obviously die. I absolutely cannot forgive anyone who steals from me.
"Kearuga-sama, is this much fine?" (Setsuna)
"Yeah, thanks." (Kearuga)
I got Setsuna to dig deeply into the ground. Ice magic is convenient. Setsuna dexterously produced a shovel out of ice and made full use of her tremendous physical ability to dig a five meter deep hole in one go.
Then, I threw the mad cow race man into that hole. As the st.u.r.dy guys they are, they probably won't die. So that they can't escape, I cut the Achilles tendon of both their legs and smashed both their arms. Even for the mad cow race that have a high self-recovery power, spontaneous recovery is hopeless. Furthermore, I made the hole hard and slippery with alchemy magic so that they can't hang their fingers anywhere.
"Well, it should be about time for them to wake up." (Kearuga)
Since I'm kind, I used【Recovery Heal】on them. I moderately neutralized the sleeping drug, so according to my calculations, they should wake up in thirty seconds. Good, they woke up.
"Where is this place!?"
"We were attacked, stoooooop"
"What the, both my legs and arrrrrrms"
After regaining their awareness, they feel the pain of both their legs and arms and suffer in agony. I look through the hole once I wait for a certain extent of time. To think they are able to calm down in such a short time in spite of this situation; as expected of people who received an imperfect demon king's orders and attacked Eve.
"Good evening gentlemen of the mad cow race." (Kearuga)
"You're the b.a.s.t.a.r.d that saved her"
"Yeah, I'm the knight of justice Kearuga who protects frail young ladies." (Kearuga) (TL Note: I was tempted to write little girls and make him sound like a lolicon knight… but I chose not to.)
They remember my face. It seems my reading about them having lookouts other than the a.s.sailants was right.
"Don't mess with me! What do you mean a knight of justice, you, are you a re●rd!?"
"How rude. I am exceedingly normal. Rather, you could say that my normality is top cla.s.s for humanity. Now, do you guys understand your current situation? I think it would be wiser to base what you say on that though." (Kearuga)
The men keep silent. And then, they arrive at one conclusion; the culprit who made the Ironhead Cow run wild is in front of their eyes and has killed everyone apart from themselves. Also, both their arms and legs have been broken and they are in a location that's impossible to escape from. The point is, their lives are in my hands.
"Oi, you said your name was Kearuga right? They must be a reason you kept us alive."
Smart. It seems they properly understand.
"There's something I want to hear. Is it just your group that's aiming for Eve in this town?" (Kearuga)
"Are you going to let us out of here if we answer you?"
"Yeah, I promise you. I don't tell any lies." (Kearuga)
Since my motto is to be modest and sincere, I try to not tell any lies. I tell lies to protect myself or please a cute girl, but that's just how it is.
"… We are the only ones aiming for the demon king candidate in this town. If you are going to let us out of here, I swear that I will never attack the demon king candidate or you guys again."
Further increase to their revenge points. Bad luck, because their points saved up to a fixed value, their murder method has cla.s.s upped one rank crueler. This guy told a lie. Now he has no choice but to fall down to h.e.l.l. I'm just questioning them as a hobby, and I have already drawn out his information with【Recovery Heal】.
Apart from them, the night dog race outlaws who are under the demon king's patronage are here and the mad cow race is only here as backup. While knowing that, he still didn't say it.
"That's weird, one of your comrades spewed information about a night dog race spy. … Even though I could have saved you if you said the truth. Well, what is it. I guess you reap what you sow. You should just die in there." (Kearuga)
I laugh. The mad cow race's faces dye with despair. People are mysterious things, so rather than irrational deaths, their despair intensifies when they invited their own death with their own actions. Just for that reason, I specially acted for them. Well, to be frank, even if they said the truth or didn't, I had already planned to kill them, but I'll have these guys die in regret.
"Be-, because we are terminals, we didn't know. It's the truth. I don't have any ill intent."
How unsightly. This is also a lie. This guy is a vice leader and knows everything. I take offence in him thinking that this kind of lie would work against me.
"Okay. I'll believe you. However, a penalty is necessary." (Kearuga)
Ordering Setsuna, I make her shoot plenty of ice rain from this height. It seems to have hurt quite a lot as I could hear a scream from inside the hole. After a while, ice acc.u.mulates in the hole. Since I made the hole slippery with my alchemy magic, it has a design that will properly collect water once the ice melts.
"Well, this is the punishment for trying to deceive me. I'll let you out of the whole, but that will be in two weeks' time. As long as you survive until then, it's okay. Since I've prepared plenty of water, you should be able to survive some way or another." (Kearuga)
I pretend not to see them.
"Wai-, wait. Even if we have water, we can't do anything without food-"
"For you guys who attacked a tavern that serves delicious food, it's necessary to learn the value of food. Learn about it inside there." (Kearuga)
I performed this punishment to make them understand the value of food. If they accurately knew the value of food, they would have properly waited until she left the shop without attacking a tavern that serves such splendid cuisine. In a sense, these guys are a pitiful lot. Therefore, I'll show them the way so that they can understand the value of food. I feel good after doing something good.
"I don't want to; I will definitely die of starvation!"
I hear a yell. Fumu, what a mysterious thing. Isn't there proper food? Splendid beef, that is.
"If one of you two turn into food, you guys might survive two weeks. Well, work hard. … Setsuna, let's go. U~n, I feel refreshed. I was able to dispel my food grudge." (Kearuga) (TL Note: I think the U~n is the sound you make when you stretch like "nnnnnnnn" kind of noise. … please tell me you guys understand it so that I don't sound weird)
"Nn. Today was tiring." (Setsuna)
Far away, I can hear the sound of dispute. The one who stayed silent during my negotiations seems to be quite angry, and is yelling that the other guy should become the sacrifice because it's that guy's fault it became like this. Uwaa, is he seriously planning on heating him? That's disgusting. I don't plan on saving them in two weeks' time, so it's a useless action. While lightly laughing, I left the forest behind me. As I thought, this revenge (game) is extremely enjoyable.