Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – Lunatic

Just what gave him the confidence to act like this without any escorts?

Did he actually have that much faith in his dogs?

Or was it the fact that I was a teenage boy who hadn’t eaten properly?

Probably both.

It’s likely always been that way and hasn’t mattered until now.

But today would be different.

“Your filthy desires have shortened your life.”

“What?”

“I don’t sense anyone around here. You didn’t want to be seen waving your dirty meat around in order to preserve your image as the boss, did you?”

I’m sure he kept his minions away in the name of education.

“Y-You fool! Do you think I would’ve let you loose without any safety measures?”

Oh, maybe his head wasn’t just for decoration, after all?

He was a pig who shuddered in the face of killing intent, but said everything he had to say.

And he soon rubbed the ring on his finger.

Bzzt!

A strong electric current ran through my body.

“......Ugh!”

The sudden pain knocked me to my knees.

“You idiot! This is an artifact. A treasure that a bumpkin like you would never get to see in your lifetime!”

An artifact. Even the worst ones containing the one-circle magic ‘spark’ were worth at least hundreds of gold.

Normally, it should be far too valuable for a mere slave trader to possess.

How much of this bullshit did he do to accumulate such wealth?

......However, this pig seemed to be having a huge misunderstanding.

“......To survive on the battlefield.”

I muttered to myself as I stumbled on my feet.

Bzzzzztt!

At the same time, the electric current soared up to my hair and made it stand on ends.

“H-How are you moving? Th-The artifact’s definitely working!”

“To prepare for being captured by the enemy, a lot of training was done even on a regular basis. Especially for those in command since they knew a lot of sensitive information.”

Bzzt!

The current got stronger, but nothing more.

Unless the current is heart-stoppingly high, it’s ultimately a battle of wills.

“This much electricity? It’s just a slight sting.”

“M-Monster......!”

Bam! Thud!

Before he could react, I knocked the pig out.

One precise blow was enough for me to put a normal person to sleep.

However, that mere act had drained me of the miniscule amount of mana that I had.

“Let’s get some rest, too.”

Thud!

As soon as the pig fainted, I collapsed on the floor as well.

To be honest, despite putting on a strong front, I was actually gasping for air like I was on the verge of death.

I wasn’t used to my body being like this.

Woof! Woof! Grrrrrr!

Still, it seems that the dogs were better than their owner, seeing how they bared their teeth at me for hitting him.

“......Yeah, you guys are better than people.”

Even domesticated dogs bark for their lousy owners. What in the world did my subordinate lack that would make him stab me in the back?

Woof!

“Quiet.”

Shhhhhh.

The killing intent I emitted affected beasts, too.

In fact, animals, due to their instincts, reacted more strongly than humans.

This technique of materializing and maximizing killing intent was my own creation

I named it ‘true death’, the supposed end of killing intent.

The best part about this ability is that it doesn’t require mana.

The ‘intent’ in killing intent is literally one’s spirit.

I was unrivaled in my ability to manipulate it during my previous life.

I wasn’t called the grim reaper of the battlefield for nothing, was I?

Ordinary soldiers would shudder at the mere sight of me.

Like prey instinctively cowering at the roar of a predator.

Whimper! Whimper! whimper!

As expected, it wasn’t long before the barking dogs scattered.

They lay down in the corner with their bellies exposed, showing me their fear.

Then, I said,

“Let me think, you mutts.”

I began to go through my countless memories in earnest.

First up, of course, was the mana accumulation method.

Traveling the continent without any knowledge was no different than a death wish.

It’s not for nothing that the average life expectancy of a commoner was less than forty years.

Being born into poverty and starving to death. Being beheaded by a nobleman who happens to be in the wrong mood at the wrong time, or, like me, being kidnapped while walking down the street.

It’s a world where such things are as common as stones on the street.

I need to develop the strength to protect myself first.

‘And below him, the bastards they call the Eight Pillars of the Empire.’

They all possessed great skills.

Not all sword masters were equal in skill.

Swordmasters of smaller kingdoms stood no chance against the swordmasters of Swallow.

You could even divide swordmasters into ‘kingdom’ and ‘imperial’ classes.

For the record, every single one of the Eight Pillars was a swordmaster.

And that was over 20 years ago.

‘And...... the traitor.’

I circled this part in my head several times.

Come to think of it, what happened to my subordinates after I died?

Did they all die?

Like my child that day.......

“......Heh heh heh.”

The thought made me laugh again.

Should I say that it’s like a natural reaction of denial when a human doesn’t want to accept reality?

Every time I think about my dead Andy, I laugh like this.

It’s as if the heartbreak and mourning was being coated with a false smile.

“If you run away, you’re dead.”

Flinch!

At that moment, the pig, who had been moving bit by bit towards the entrance, jumped in surprise.

“I-It’s not that, I just have an appointment soon......”

“An appointment?”

“W-With my subordinates......”

Just then, I felt a presence outside.

Ahh, he was worried that I’d humiliate him in their presence.

This is why people need to be educated.

Since he didn’t raise his voice too high, he deserves some praise, right?

“Okay, you pass. You don’t need any more training. You’re free to go.”

A look of incredulity flashed across the pig’s face, but I ignored it and looked towards the tent entrance.

Because by then, the presence had been standing right outside it.

“Young master, are you done with the education? I’ve sent the boys outside to heat up the water!”

“... ‘Young master?’”

I stared at the pig in disbelief.

“Wh-What? Am I not allowed to be a young master or something?”

“What bullshit.”

The pig immediately shut up and muttered excuses.

This bald bastard was no ordinary pig.

I should add one more title to the list: ‘perverted lunatic.’

“Young master?”

“What are you doing? He’s desperately looking for you. Aren’t you going to answer him?”

I told him in silence, by means of a raised fist.

To show him what’d happen if he tried to pull any stunts.

“A-Alright! I’ll be out in a minute, so make sure you reheat the water.”

“......Young master, is something wrong? You sound a little strange.......”

“N-No. Nothing’s wrong! I-I’m just a little preoccupied. J-Just go get some more candles from the supply tent! Leave them by the door, and I’ll take care of it!”

“...... Yes, sir. As you wish.”

As he said that, I glanced at a corner of the room.

There was a whip, a candle, and a bunch of other things that I couldn’t figure out the use for.

“Just how much bullshit have you done in here?”

“......”

“You’re not going to answer?”

The pig stiffened and shook his head.

“I-I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“How am I supposed to remember all that? Do you remember what you had for dinner years ago? Even yesterday’s dinner is hazy to me!”

“Hey, you perverted bastard. You’re quite smug even when you’re saying something like that, huh?”

“S-Still, I’m better than most slave traders. At least I didn’t kill them!”

The corners of my mouth turned up in sarcasm.

“That’s because to you, those children were nothing more than ‘merchandise’. Killing them felt like too much of a waste, didn’t it?”

Flinch.

Look at this guy.

I could see right through this pig.

“Yeah, you won’t do.”

“What......?”

“While we’re at it, we should break your bad habits. Let’s beat you up just a bit more.”

“......!”

Just when the wide-eyed pig ducked in a hurry.

Flap! Woosh!

The tarp was lifted in one smooth motion.

“You bastard!”

“......!”

In an instant, a dozen men had rushed inside the tent.

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