Chapter 180-4

Chapter 180-4

[Part 4/4]

The outlaw exorcist's words were an enticement, a request for a deal. He was a casual man, but dedicated to his work. He intended to get to the bottom of things... yes, to the very bottom. He needed to extract everything from the woman in front of him.

"...My daughter has been confined to the house all this time."

"Uh-huh. And then?"

"I haven't let her do anything bad. So, please, do whatever you want to me, but spare my daughter's life..."

"I see. But no."

The outlaw exorcist's immediate refusal to Ine's plea for her daughter's life came as she confessed.

"W-what...! Please, just..."

Ine, crawling, prostrating herself, desperately pleading for her daughter's survival. The villagers looked down on her, and the outlaw exorcist explained with his usual expression.

"Impossible. There's no way we'll let her live. It's a monster, after all. The authorities have issued a decree for its extermination. Showing mercy would be putting it out of its misery right here."

The outlaw exorcist's words were truly merciful. His plan was to use this captured fox as bait to lure out her kin. He would cut off her limbs and make her cry out for help... the foxes were monsters with concepts of "family" and "sisters." Cruel and sadistic, yet this kind of trap was effective. Perhaps because, unlike the social youkai, they had clear emotions and self-awareness.

"W-what...!?"

Ine was speechless at the treatment her daughter would endure. The outlaw exorcist replied cheerfully.

"I understand that you love your child, having borne it with your own body. The foxes are even more beautiful and skilled at sweet talk. But it's still a monster."

Some youkai would impr*gnate humans and then use various methods to increase the chances of their offspring's survival. Of course, they would win people's goodwill with their appearance, but they would also manipulate their minds and make them dependent on substances like drugs. The outlaw exorcist was accustomed to dealing with women like this.

"You can always make another child. I could even impregnate you myself if you like. If a child with spirit power is born, we could use it as a bodyguard!"

Ine, despairing at the outlaw exorcist's words, which were neither a joke nor serious, twisted her face in anguish. Some villagers scowled at his gluttony, thunderstruck. No one wanted to question the fox-possession woman who had mated with a monster. However, a few men were intrigued by the outlaw exorcist's words....

"So, were you into bestiality? Did you like the guy's face so much?"

"No...! That's impossible!!"

This time, Ine reflexively answered the outlaw exorcist's words. That's right. It was impossible. It was never love.

...That winter was particularly harsh. Feeding the son she had taken in was a struggle, and no one offered help. She had to venture into the mountains for food, injuring her leg and becoming helpless. It was then that the giant shadow made her an offer she couldn't refuse.

After a few humiliating days, she received treatment and food in exchange. It was essential for survival. The pain was so intense it felt like dying, ending as abruptly as it began. The memory of her sobbing... the outlaw exorcist's words were a deep insult to Ine.

"I see. This thing is just a piece of shit, a remnant of its mother's shameful memory."

"W-what!?"

And it was the outlaw exorcist's goal to make Ine express her raw disgust.

"U-uh..."

This was good. The mother would no longer plead for her daughter. She wouldn't even be able to speak to her. With a little more questioning, she would start talking non-stop. And the daughter would also lose the will to escape. She would accept her fate as bait out of self-loathing.

This was the thought manipulation the outlaw exorcist had cultivated while dealing with monsters in the countryside, where ignorance and tradition prevailed.

"Hey, take this piece of shit over there and bring it to the master. ...I'll take good care of it later."

The outlaw exorcist commanded, smiling violently and cracking his knuckles. The villagers, intimidated by the man's aura, reluctantly took the white fox away. Her resistance was weak. The mother tried to say something, but she couldn't.

She could only continue to look at her daughter with a tormented expression, her gaze full of misery....

"She's still young, right? Don't worry, it's common for children to die. They say children under seven are God's children, right? ...By the way, how old is that fox?"

The outlaw exorcist roughly comforted Ine, who was despondent. The last words he muttered about trivial things revealed his true feelings. In any case, Ine's heart was broken, so she wouldn't care. For better or for worse. And the same went for the outlaw exorcist.

If she talked honestly, it would be good. If she didn't, he would read her memories and turn her into a vegetable. Breaking her heart was also intended to shatter her mental barriers and make it easier to read her memories.

"Well, I guess it doesn't matter. Young lady, let's start with your husband in detail..."

And then he intended to make the mother spill all the information she knew about the monsters....

"Ah?"

That was the outlaw exorcist's voice of suspicion as something fell nearby. He looked up at the sky. A shadow fell. Everyone present then noticed the figure rolling in the snowfield. They noticed, and recognized its true nature....

"What!? This is...!?

"Is it Isuke? Isuke, is that you!?"

"W-what the hell is going on here!?"

Panic ensued as screams echoed throughout the village. The men stood in shock, their eyes wide as they stared at the beleaguered, dying hunter. The sight of the young man brought chaos and terror, bringing about a shroud of dread over the crowd.

"Calm down!! Where did he come from..."

The outlaw exorcist tried to scold the panicking villagers. However, that never happened. His raised voice was drowned out by a roar that was even louder.

It was like a terrifying sound made by countless Mōryō (youkai) combined...

"...This is no cute snake in the bushes."

Feeling a presence and clicking his tongue at the unexpected situation, the outlaw exorcist stood ready with his weapon. There was no time for warnings. With a rumble, it was already getting close.

In an instant, the trees in the forest were blown away. The snow was scattered. From the snow dust, a giant shadow emerged.

''''''◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️!!!!''''''

A monster, literally a mass of flesh with countless eyes, tentacles, and legs, opened its gaping mouth and let out a strange cry...

Fan-art Princess Aoi: Here