Abduction 35. Beasts (7)
#A35
“Hey, but you are really a waste. If I had just been lucky, I would have succeeded. “Vesper, how did you seduce that thorn?”
Blanta asked, but Varen did not answer.
I wasn’t in the mood and had no reason to answer.
Lethe said.
“It must have been written in the style of handsome men. Vesper reveals his face.”
“Wow, do you think Lethe looks good to you? “I really don’t know what to pay.”
Blanta laughed.
It was something I didn’t even know about human aesthetic standards.
Varen, who was listening to the two people chatting, gritted his teeth.
“Keuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!”
No matter how hard I tried, it wasn’t enough.
The soles of my feet pressing down on the back of my neck were as heavy as a rock.
He was lying at Blanta’s feet, his entire body bound with chains.
Even after turning into a human, he was close to 2 meters tall, but he could not win a physical fight against a beastman without using aurors.
It wasn’t even a situation that could be solved by shaking off this leopard.
“I did something because there was a lot of noise outside. “I was caught in a fly.”
“But isn’t this the first time Paris has come here?”
In addition to Blanta, there were two other prisoners in the room.
A werewolf and a werebear were sitting on the guest sofa, smoking cigarettes.
They were dressed in elegant attire, just like Blanta.
The gown draped over the body was made of the finest silk.
The werebear exhaled smoke and opened its mouth.
“Hehe…then I’ll go back soon. “I’ve made too many excuses about being dragged around and beaten up for being inconvenient, but is there anything I can make up for it?”
“I think it would be okay to give you carrots after a long time. I’ll give you a bundle of dried cod, so share it with the workers. “He said he received a special meal in recognition of his hard work.”
“I don’t like fish because it smells fishy, but… Well, let’s do that. “It would be nice to save face.”
Werebear stood up.
He took off his gown and changed into shabby work clothes.
Judging by the fact that it was covered in soot, it looked like clothes worn in a mine.
Sure enough, a werebear walked out of the room, holding a pickaxe larger than most humans.
“See you again then. “Lethe Boss.”
“okay. “If you want to take a breather, come anytime.”
“I’ve had a long rest, so I’ll go back. “Please rest assured that we will do our best to meet the quota.”
“Thank you. “I always believe in you.”
The werewolf followed and exited.
Judging by the smell of the sea coming from its fur, it looked like it was working on a fishing boat or in a salt farm.
He went out through a different door than Werebear’s, but since there were only five visible entrances, it seemed like this place was functioning as a plaza of some kind.
Varen, who saw the world’s cooperative attitude, was completely dumbfounded.
‘why?’
I couldn’t figure out what the hell was going on.
The prisoners who were captured because they were not enough for the Jaipa Guard were also in the same boat.
Lethe laughed.
“Are you surprised? You look like you don’t know what’s going on. For your information, those friends report reactionary elements and problems to me without me asking them to do so. When dissatisfaction arises in the group, they resolve it on their own.”
“Why did you do that…”
“You don’t have to think too hard. They just cooperate because they are good to them. If you show the sweetness of heaven to those who have been rolling in hell just once, they will never forget it. “You do whatever it takes because you want to continue to be treated well.”
In short, it meant that a stooge was selected to deal with the slaves efficiently.
Lethe said, looking at the door where the prisoners left.
“It’s a little disgusting, but I don’t mind. Even when training animals, you use both carrots and sticks, right? “It is said that managing an organization becomes easier when we have people on our side even among slaves.”
“Beastmen… are not beasts.”
“I know. But in many ways, it is better to treat them as animals. The subordinates’ feelings of guilt become less severe. “If you don’t consider them animals, how can you do that to people?”
Lethe smiled, stroking her beard.
Funny enough, his appearance was very calm and gentlemanly.
The face of a middle-aged man with his hair combed back looked more like the head of a bank or a diplomat than the leader of an evil organization.
Varen felt the hair on the back of his neck, exactly where his mane was, stand up.
‘It’s evil. ‘How can humans be so evil?’
Displeasure arising from instinct soared.
It was similar to when I encountered the poachers in Caribolo. If I had encountered him in his original body, I would have had his head blown off before he could even say a word.
‘We need to gather more strength. ‘It’s still not enough.’
Varen suppressed his killing intent with superhuman patience.
Although he could use aurors, it was difficult to turn the situation around.
Even if you kill Lethe, it was meaningless if you couldn’t rescue Secret and escape safely.
“Cluck, cluck!”
“professor… !”
Even Secret’s condition was much worse than Varen had expected.
It looked like he had been beaten up, with bruises here and there and a few teeth knocked out.
Lethe, who was watching this, snorted.
“Don’t be harsh, witch doctor. “You beasts don’t die like that.”
“Keuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu…
“”Hermologist, you need to rebuild the stake. It’s much stronger than what Barca Turgen used. “I’m warning you, you’d better cooperate.”
Rathe warned.
His arrogant tone conveyed a strong confidence that no matter how hard you brains, you prisoners would never be able to escape his grasp.
He, who was stroking Secret’s head, stood up.
“Follow me first. “I have something to show you.”
****
The sky was white.
The clouds, which were spread like a carpet, were shedding large snowflakes.
Varen and Secret were chained side by side and being taken somewhere.
It had already been about 30 minutes since we left the fortress, and I was wondering how much longer we could go.
Blanta, who was leading the two, spoke nervously.
“Miss, won’t you come soon? “It’s really slow.”
“Blanta. Why are you doing this? “You, a member of the glorious SS…!”
Varen said in a whisper.
This was possible because the distance between them and Lethe was quite far and the wind was blowing strongly.
In fact, what Varen truly did not understand was Blanta, not Lethe.
I couldn’t figure out why he, a warrior among warriors whose skills were recognized by Zaipa, was joining such an organization of miscellaneous thugs.
“Ha, it’s an honor… I used to think that too. “It was extremely difficult, but my form was definitely better then.”
“It’s still not too late. Even now…”
“no. “I like it now.”
Blanta cut off the sentence like a knife.
The tail, with its colorful flower-like patterns, was fluttering as usual.
In other words, it meant that it was not a lie.
“Why?”
“I realized this. Living according to your instincts is true happiness. I eat when I want to eat, and sleep when I want to sleep. Of course, if you want it to be cheap, you can do it. There is no need to endure it. “Is this happiness or what?”
“But that’s the life of an animal, not a man!”
Varen lamented.
It was an incredibly selfish thought.
But Blanta just smiled, showing his fangs.
“What if it’s an animal? It’s so fun. Rather than falling under that crazy tiger again, I’d rather live by killing off at least three assholes a week… “But why are you sneaking up on me?”
Suddenly Blanta tugged on the chain.
The two people rolled around on the floor without any resistance.
The beastman’s strength was not something he could withstand.
“Gagging!”
“If you say anything presumptuous again, you’ll get caught by me.”
“Gyo, professor. Are you okay?”
“Ba…Ren.”
Varen got up first and supported Secret.
Although Lethe told her not to be harsh, the Wearfox’s delicate body was shaking as if she was going to die at any moment.
Varen, whose name was called, widened his eyes and asked back.
“Why, why are you doing this, Professor?!”
“You… you’ve lost a lot of weight.”
“···yes?”
“Cough, as expected, it was a good job to bring him in… I told you… that he would fall out when he turns into a human…”
Secret smiled with satisfaction.
Varen was just dumbfounded.
Even if I got hit on the head by a shooting star while taking a walk, I thought it would be less embarrassing than this.
“Oh my god, do you really have to say that now?”
“Hehe… Hahaha…”
Secret responded with a heartbroken laugh.
It seemed like I got hit on the head more than I thought.
Just as Varen was about to say something, Lethe, who was leading, stopped.
“They’re all here.”
The place he arrived was on a cliff.
The field of view was wide open, so I was able to see the surrounding scenery at a glance.
A fairly large village was built along the dark blue coastline.
“here is… ?”
“It is the hometown of our Bukpungdan. A place to prove that your efforts are meaningless. Look down there.”
Lethe’s finger was pointing to a village by the sea.
He continued speaking in a mocking voice.
“I heard you were carrying out a northern reconstruction movement with Secret? “Something that resolves the ill will between races and lifts a curse.”
“······!”
“It’s all pointless. “Nothing changes.”
Varen couldn’t say anything.
To be exact, I was so shocked that I didn’t even hear what Lethe said.
On the shore in front of the village, a row of human children were stabbing a scarecrow with spear swords.
“Let’s all repeat it together! “What about the prisoner?”
“It’s a beast!”
“What about the North?”
“It’s human!!”
At first glance, it was ordinary training, but the content was the problem.
The scarecrows, which had been made with unnecessary care, were each covered with different skins.
Werewolves, werebears, and even tiny werefoxes.
A lot of malevolence was felt as the scarecrows were sized differently to fit the size of each race.
“You think the North can change. “I do such things because I believe that one day, beastmen and humans will be able to reunite again.”
“Ah…ah…”
“But most of the nosebleeds in that village hate beastmen. Let alone being harmed, they treat them as if they are their parents’ enemies, even though they have never even seen them properly. Perhaps, even if the conquest of the North fails in our generation, those children will accomplish it in our stead.”
“How can someone do this!”
Varen couldn’t control his emotions and roared.
The evil deeds so far were terrible, but this was on a different level.
Lethe, who saw the reaction, was smiling as if she was satisfied with the world.
“Whoa… Take note. Varen. “This is a curse.”
“… professor?”
“This chain of hatred is the true curse. Descendants wash away the blood of their ancestors, and the descendants’ enemies call for blood again. “Compared to this curse, which causes people to hate others and causes unreasonable hatred to be passed on to them, the stakes left behind by Barka are nothing.”
The dying Secret suddenly opened his mouth.
The fact that my pronunciation was not leaking at all made me feel like I had become a different person than before.
He continued speaking with his eyes focused on the village.
“It’s a problem we have to solve. No matter how cold the north wind is, it must not freeze people’s hearts. “Children born in a blizzard must be taught the warmth of fur before they grow up.”
“…You’ve suddenly become very talkative, Curseologist. “It was definitely a trick, right?”
“It wasn’t really a trick. “It really hurt when I got hit.”
“That’s called faking it. But wouldn’t it have been better to just keep complaining and buy sympathy votes? “What kind of trick are you planning to come out here now?”
“There’s nothing to do now. Although I did it in advance. “It’s almost time to arrive.”
“arrive?”
Lethe frowned.
Did this fox get hit so hard that he turned around?
Suddenly, Blanta, who had been scrunching up his nose, flinched.
“Use… Lethe. “I think we’re just screwed.”
“Why are you doing that?”
“It smells like our captain.”
“what?”
Lethe was shocked.
There was only one person whom Blanta called captain.
He felt an indescribable feeling of despair and was about to say something.
-Quaaaaa!!
Suddenly, a loud noise sounded like a thousand lightning strikes.
Everyone present turned their heads in the direction of the sound.
One of the spires of the North Wind Dan Fortress was falling down, with its slant cut off.
“what···!”
Lethe’s eyes widened.
For the first time, wrinkles appeared on my always relaxed face.
A crack as black as space was drawn across the cross section of the spire.
I had seen traces of the space itself being cut off several times while wandering the northern part of my childhood.
“Aaaah! What, what?!”
“surprise attack! “It’s a surprise attack!”
The fortress was in chaos.
Screams and screams were heard sporadically.
Suddenly, a heavy shadow landed on the spire.
The shadow that had adjusted the scimitar looked at the secret and said.
“Drinking buddy, is he still alive?”