Chapter 64
We had repelled the calamity that was Yokomichi Hajime, and left the Rook Spider’s pit . Too bad there wasn’t a transfer circle there . But even if there was, we couldn’t activate it since we didn’t have the Rook spider’s core .
We continued our journey through the caves, in silence . Everyone, was silent .
“ . . . ”
I wanted to give them a piece of my mind, a big one . We couldn’t kill that piece of shit Yokomichi . No one even fucking helped . Only me and Mei-chan were fighting that psycho .
Like fuck, were these girls actually delusional? Especially that bitch Souma Sakura, doing unnecessary shit as always . If you got a problem, you can just go stick it up your… . . But of course, I wasn’t so stupid as to blow my top over something like this right now .
Talking about how shit they are would come later . At least, not here . Better if it’s at a Fairy Square .
“Ah, th, that…”
While our journey continued in this gloomy vibe, Natsukawa-san, who’d taken point, spoke up with a nuance of despair . Shit, looks like we ain’t outta the woods yet .
“What, the hell? . . . Another spider nest!”
At the end of the cave, there was a hole that seemed to be the entrance to another Rook Spider habitation . This one looked larger than the one earlier .
“Momokawa-kun, are you sure we should head in like this?”
“We have to pass through eventually, don’t we?”
“Well . . . It does seem unrealistic to go back to the previous fairy square at this point”
Right now, we seriously needed a fairy square to recuperate .
Our combat potential had been slashed in half . Although not entirely paralyzed, Natsukawa-san, Kenzaki-san, and Mei-chan, our vanguard team, were still afflicted with paralysis poison from that sleazebag, Yokomichi . My meds seemed to have alleviated most of the effect, but it’d be better if they recovered fully, and that took time .
Class rep was also afflicted, but the effect was light, probably because she had a mage class . I also got hit but . . . I still didn’t feel anything . Maybe because I’m a Shaman? Maybe there’s a hidden correction that grants me poison immunity?
Well, even so, I was sure as hell not gonna use poisons on myself to find out .
Rem was also gone . Which meant that I’d also lost a valuable asset . As soon as we arrive at the next fairy square, I gotta gather materials to resummon her .
“Alright, let’s stop here and get ready before we head in there”
“Yes, let’s do that”
No one was opposed . Well, not like they were enthralled by the idea either .
I mean, we were in a cave, with a fucking spider hole, and we were about to camp right in front of it . Ants or mantises could ambush us from the hole or from behind . We had no choice but to alternate between resting and keeping watch of both the front and back of the cave .
But honestly, I couldn’t rest . I couldn’t believe I was having such a hard time calming down .
“… Kotarou-kun, I’m sorry . ”
After finishing her shift as the first on watch duty, Mei-chan said that as she sat down next to my lonesome self .
“Why, are you apologizing?”
“I, let Yokomichi-kun escape . I was, so close to killing him too”
Man, our morals sure are turning to shit . She was calling him with a ‘-kun’ like normal, but apologizing for not being able to kill him?
Mei-chan seemed to be regretting it, but during that opportune moment, her arm was numbed from grabbing onto that tongue, so she couldn’t possibly follow up with any fierce attack . If she still had power in her arm, she could have pulled Yokomichi over to me, I’d bind him, and then she’d crush him with her halberd .
“It might’ve been for the best, since we didn’t become murderers”
“No, Yokomichi-kun will surely come back and attack Kotarou-kun”
I wanted to deny it, but when Mei-chan said it with that much confidence, even I started to feel the same way .
“It would’ve been for the best, to finish him then and there”
That’s right, since, this Skill Eater would get stronger the more he ate . When we meet him next time, he’ll definitely have newly plundered skills .
The first time was bad enough . If he got more nasty abilities . . . Shit, I don’t want to imagine how fucked we’ll be then .
“… Mei-chan, you deliberated on it too, right?”
“On what?”
She had questioned back in an expression that made me highly doubt her moral compass, but I’m gonna pretend I didn’t notice that, and elaborate .
“Killing someone I mean”
“I didn’t . If it’s to protect Kotarou-kun, I won’t hesitate to kill, even if it’s a fellow classmate”
Man, I’m pretty sure I’m an asshole for feeling relieved from her bold answer .
When Mei-chan went berserk, she seemed to lose any ability to settle things humanely . When she fought Yokomichi, she was surely attacking him with the intent to kill .
But, if she told me that it was in order to protect me, that she’d even be willing to kill others . . . As a human being, and as a man, It didn’t sit right with me to hear her say that . She could have just sugar-coated it like Souma Sakura .
Still, I was glad . Glad that I had someone like her to watch my back . After all, the only one I could depend on in this sorry excuse of a party was Mei-chan . In a way, I was actually really happy to have her protect me .
“I see . Thank you”
“Yeah, so, don’t worry so much, Kotarou-kun . ”
Ah, She saw through me huh . Now I feel stupid for worrying .
“Sorry”
“It’s okay . Yokomichi-kun has already killed Nagae-san . Murderer? No, he’s a cannibal, right? He’s pretty much no longer a human being . He’s like a Goma, an enemy that we have to defeat”
“You’re, right”
She was right . Yokomichi was a monster . A man-eating, blood-chugging monster . I don’t know which mad god changed his Job to ‘Cannibalizer’, but it was obvious that Yokomichi was no longer a human .
If you hesitate to kill a monster because of morals and ethics, then you’re the one whose gonna kick the bucket .
Even if I say that, will I be able to convince myself to carry out the deed?
“Don’t worry . . . . I won’t hesitate either . So next time, let’s kill that son of a bitch together . ”
“Mm, thanks, Kotarou-kun . ”
Once I did it, I’d probably still be conflicted . What if the things Souma Sakura said were right after all? Did I really have the resolve the kill others? Could I carry that weight? I didn’t know .
But, if someone had to bear the brand of murderer, it shouldn’t be only Mei-chan . I would bear it with her .
That, I was sure even I could do .
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