“Hey! Ish anyone there?!”
He shouted in a loud voice. One of the employees should be coming soon.
However, he realized that his thoughts were betrayed after stepping out into the hallway.
It was quiet.
Quiet enough to feel as if the place was empty.
While naked, Stafan nervously looked around his surroundings.
The silence that lingered over the hallway— the strange atmosphere instilled fear into Stafan.
Looking to either side of him, there were many doors. It went without saying that no one would come out of them. A shop where people with special fetishes— even dangerous ones, visited often would be perfectly soundproof.
But there was no way that the employees could not hear him.
He had seen several employees back when he was ushered to his room. All of them had been rough-looking men and had splendid builds that an old man like Sebas could not compare with.
“Why ishn’t anyone coming?!”
“—because they are either dead or unconscious.”
A low voice responded to Stafan’s shouting. He hastily turned around and saw Sebas standing quietly.
“It seems there are a few inside… most of them are asleep.”
“T-thatsh’s not posshible! Just how many do you shink are here?!”
“…Three people who look to be employees, ten below. And there are seven people like you.”
What was he saying?
Stafan stared at Sebas with that kind of expression.
“For the time being, there is no one here who will come running to your aid. Even if they should regain consciousness, I destroyed their legs and broke their arms. They will have to crawl here like maggots.”
An expression of shock surfaced from Stafan’s face. He thought that it was impossible, but the strange atmosphere within the brothel made him realize that Sebas was speaking the truth.
“However, I do not feel the need to keep you alive. I will have you die here.”
He made no move to draw a blade or a weapon and merely approached in silence, seemingly unconcerned. Stafan feared that incredibly normal movement. He realized that Sebas was really going to kill him.
“Wait! Wait! I half a gooh proposhishon for you!”
“…It is difficult for me to understand you. Do you mean to say that you have a good proposition for me? Let me think… I am not interested.”
“Shen why are you shoing shomshing like thish!”
There was no reason for him to end up in a situation like this. Just what reason could there be for him to die? For the first time, Sebas was able to understand his thoughts.
“…Even when you think of everything that you have done thus far, you still do not know?”
Stafan tried to remember. Did he do something that he shouldn’t have?
Sebas sighed.
“…I see.”
At the same speed as his words, Sebas’ delivered a powerful front kick to Stafan’s stomach.
“So this is what it means for someone to not deserve to live.”
Stafan was assaulted by the unbelievable pain of several of his internal organs exploding. Although it wouldn’t have been strange for him to fall unconscious from the pain and die, he only felt faint while his consciousness still remained.
It hurts!
It hurts!
It hurts!
Even though he wanted to scream and thrash about, the pain was so intense that he could not even move.
“Die as you are.”
Stafan heard a chilling voice. Although he wanted to beg for his life, his throat did not move.
Sweat entered his eyes and his vision grew murky. Within it, he saw Sebas’ back as he walked away.
Save me!
Save me!
I’ll give you as much money as you want so save me!
The one who could respond to the silent voice begging for help was already gone.
In the end, Stafan died slowly with excruciating pain flaring from his abdomen.
Part 2
Lower Fire Month (9th Month), Day 3, 12:12
“Climb, I’m going to kill all of the guys upstairs. We don’t have anything to tie them up with and it’ll be bad if something goes wrong and they scream for help. Even if I knock them unconscious, it’ll be dangerous if they wake up when we’re going in blin… what, what’s wrong?”
“N-No, it’s nothing.”
Climb shook his head to rid himself of his unease. Although his heart was beating loudly like when he ran with all his might, he ignored it.
“My apologies, I’m fine now. I am ready to begin whenever.”
“Is that so? …Hmm, it seems you’ve changed the way you think. You’ve been different since we got here. Right now, you have the face of a warrior. I know you’re anxious. After all, there are a lot of people here that you can’t beat. But relax, I’m here and Sebas-sama is here as well. Just focus on staying alive for the person who supports you.”
He patted Climb on the shoulder and with his katana already drawn, Brain knocked four times on the door.
Climb also gripped his sword.
They could hear footsteps approaching from the other side of the door and the sound of it being unlocked rang out three times.
Like they planned, Climb threw the door open.
Before they could even hear any panicked voices, Brain charged. The sound of flesh being cut could be heard, soon followed by the sound of something dropping to the floor with a thud.
Climb followed him inside.
Brain who had gone ahead of him was already cutting down a second man. Other than that, Climb saw a man in leather armor holding a short sword. Climb closed the distance between them in an instant.
“Wha! Who are you?!”
In a panic, the man swung his short sword but it was easily deflected by Climb’s blade.
He then brought down his overhead swing in a single breath.
The man tried to block it with his short sword but it was just not enough to stop the slash that had Climb’s entire body weight behind it. Climb’s sword knocked away his opponent’s weapon and slashed through the man’s shoulder and through the nape of his neck.