Published at 20th of March 2024 8:56 am

Chapter 366: An Existence That Shouldn’t Be There

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

After the official party celebration, which had passed a month, Hyde, who had deepened his friendship with Doma and Kain even more, was working with them as usual on that day. Traveling through the forest infested with low-level monsters such as goblins and wolves—a place that posed no threat to Hyde originally—sandwiched between Doma and Kain, Hyde’s thoughts were focused on something entirely different from the surrounding vigilance.

(Though I managed to integrate smoothly… the real issue starts from here.)

Whether it was Doma or Kain, both had already firmly accepted Hyde as a comrade or friend. If that was the case, all he needed to do was sway their hearts and slip into the gap. However, the means to achieve that needed careful consideration.

(It’s a certainty that I’ll have them under my control, and if I could create a rift between Doma and Kain, and steer it in my direction, that would be ideal.)

There were several ways to fan the flames of discord between Doma and Kain. The easiest was to make an issue out of money and women. Inducing someone close to the core of the party, preferably tempting them with both personal funds and party resources, was the most straightforward and reliable method to manipulate people.

However, even Hyde, not particularly influential in a town of no significance, couldn’t extend his influence to the level of inconsequential prostitutes. While he could use money to request services, the foreseeable complications would increase exponentially.

If it were a place like the capital, he could have employed a well-established organization and moved high-class courtesans. However, summoning such individuals to a place like this, enticing novice adventurers with little earnings, would be unnatural. It would be a subpar strategy.

However, resorting to methods like blackmail with secrets, similar to the Demon Lord’s cohort, was not an option. A normal village-born boy like Hyde didn’t possess any significant secrets to guard with his life. There simply weren’t any grand secrets to begin with. Foolish would be the one who risked their life to protect secrets like “I once peeked at an older woman from the village bathing when I was a child.”

(Well, it’s fine. If there are no weaknesses, I’ll just have to create them… Hehehe.)

“Enemies ahead, a horde of goblins! Their number is… seven!?”

“A bit much, huh. What do we do? Circumvent and look for another route?”

In response to Doma’s report, Kain furrowed his brow and asked Hyde. However, Hyde, entrusted with decision-making authority along with trust, shook his head with a challenging smile.

“No, let’s go. With our current strength, we should be able to defeat them easily… Just to confirm, there are no ambushes, right?”

“Doesn’t seem like it. Though if it’s a separate unit led by a general or something, I can’t say for sure.”

“Haha, if there’s such a big shot, I’d like to meet them… Alright, let’s go! Kain!”

“Leave it to me! ‘Freeze Arrow’!”

As Hyde declared “let’s go,” Kain, who had been chanting since then, activated his magic, freezing the feet of two goblins. Seizing the opportunity, Hyde rushed in, swiftly cutting down the two from behind. Meanwhile, the three remaining goblins’ attacks were sequentially blocked by Doma with his shield.

“Gyagyagyagya!”

“Don’t let such sloppy attacks through!”

“Good job, Doma! Kain, I’ll take the left!”

“Understood! Assemble in the sky and burst into flames, annihilate my foes! ‘Fire Arrow’!”

“Gyaaah!?”

Breaking free from the ice on their legs, the goblins were met with Kain’s arrows of flame. As the goblin with burnt eyes screamed, Hyde’s sword delivered the finishing blow, and Doma skillfully intercepted a club swung towards the off-balance Hyde. In just about five minutes, Doma and his companions successfully defeated almost six goblins with minimal injuries.

“We did it! A great achievement!”

“Phew… We somehow won.”

“…Wait, the numbers don’t add up?”

While Doma and Kain celebrated, Hyde, without joining in, surveyed the surroundings. Prompted by his actions, Doma and the others also counted the fallen goblin bodies, confirming that there were indeed only six.

“Did one escape?”

“No, seems like it’s inside that.”

Hyde pointed the tip of his sword at a torn bag lying on the ground. Bulging from inside, something was wriggling, undoubtedly suspicious.

“Hmph, did it believe that by lurking somewhere hidden from us, we wouldn’t spot it? A typical goblin’s superficial cunning. Doma, put an end to it.”

“Huh, me?”

“It might burst out of the bag when you tear it open, right? Since it willingly positioned itself where it can’t move, just approach with your shield up and stab it with your sword.”

“…Well, yeah.”

In response to Hyde’s words, Doma nodded in agreement and approached the bag. At that moment, Hyde’s mouth contorted in an unnatural smile.

(Kukukukuku…!)

Suppressing his laughter, Hyde awaited that moment. Inside the bag was not a goblin that had failed to escape, as one would naturally assume. Instead, there was a miniature version of Hyde, mimicking the appearance of a human child.

(Now, kill him! Let your hands be stained with the blood of an innocent child, soaked in the wailing of resentment!)

Why was there a child in such a place? Why was the child inside a bag? If one had even a bit of thinking capacity, countless contradictions and questions would arise. Perhaps, even if by some bizarre coincidence they ended up killing an actual child, a seasoned adventurer might simply dismiss it as “something that didn’t happen” after downing a bitter drink.

However, Hyde knew that Doma and the others hadn’t yet experienced “killing a person.” He was well aware of the turmoil that could plague an inexperienced mind after committing their first murder, even if the victim was an undoubtedly villain.

So, how would Doma react to stabbing a frightened, hiding child? If he tilted the bag to confirm, and a child on the verge of death twitched and convulsed, if the tiny hand reached out from the bag and uttered the word “Mom” with blood spurting from its mouth—

(Oh no, this is bad. Just imagining it won’t stop the drool! Hurry up! Hurry up! Hurry up!)

Restless and unable to calm down, Hyde’s demeanor made Kain, who was standing behind him, tilt his head slightly. While Doma also sensed the uneasy atmosphere, when he glanced back, all he saw was Hyde maintaining a serious expression, sword at the ready.

“…?”

“What’s wrong, Doma? Even if it’s inside the bag, losing sight of the enemy is not commendable, you know?”

“Y-yeah. Right, my bad…?”

(Hurry up! Do it quickly! How long are you going to tease me! Naughty child… Kukukukuku…)

Hyde’s face remained motionless, having already reached a state where if he tried to change his expressions, his smile would crumble into an inhuman visage. Knowing this, Doma felt a slight discomfort, but the trust built between them prevented him from questioning or pursuing it.

Therefore, Doma, holding a sword and shield, with an unsettled feeling about Hyde’s fidgety state, redirected his attention to the bag that was once again wriggling. Prepared for anything that might leap out, he approached with his shield up, gripping the sword arm tightly—

“Gyaaaaaaaaaaah?!?!”

Suddenly, twin screams echoed through the forest. However, what surprised Doma wasn’t just the screams from both front and back, and what shocked Kain wasn’t Hyde, who had shaken and screamed, but—

“Jinku!?”

“Jinku-kun!?”

Piercing the bag with a sword glowing with golden light, there stood the figure of a friend who was supposed to have set out on a distant journey.

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