A Champion of Rats - Chapter 1

Her

First of all, before we jump into the full story, let me clarify one thing.

I wasn’t always a ratling. Instead of being a half-man half-rat monster living in a sewer, I was a human like you. A very average one.

… Hmm, no, let me correct that. Come to think of it, my life was actually below average.

It wasn’t my family or my parents who were to blame. The problem was me.

Lacking any semblance of motivation, dreams, or passion, I studied randomly, entered the first university that had a spot open, and lived a colourless life.

I had no drive to go out and get a job, and I had no ambition.

As I spent time like that, I was nearing thirty before I knew it.

The job market was tough, so I still lived at my mother’s, earning some pocket money from playing video games.

Ah, now that I’m remembering it again, my life sure was pathetic.

It was after my mother collapsed that I came face-to-face with reality.

A woman who raised her son by herself, had to keep supporting him even after he became an adult, was it any wonder that she’d fall ill?

Because she didn’t have any money saved up, she didn’t even go to the hospital at the start.

I was able to put a lid on the fire somehow thanks to the help of my kind-hearted relatives, but still, it was at that time that I finally saw myself properly in the mirror.

A useless human being who couldn’t even take care of his sick mother.

The only thing he knew how to do was to earn some money from playing games.

I was drowning in self-loathing, and the fear of living all alone in the world hounded my every breath.

That was when I met ‘her’.

◆◆◆

She was a beauty that would turn any man’s head, and it was my luck that she was a fan of mine.

I’d once uploaded a let’s play video with a camera view of my face. This was when I had a delusion of becoming a famous streamer. Of course, I didn’t have the kind of guts that required, so I’d quickly dropped the matter, but she said she recognized me from that. She was one of the few subscribers to my channel, apparently.

“Your taste is really unique.”

Exhausted in both body and mind, that was the only way I could respond.

It was nothing but the truth. Because I always chose to play as monsters or villain characters in games, and as all sorts of perverts, too, my subscribers often left malicious comments under my videos. For example –

‘He always makes the games feel weird. I bet this bastard’s some kind of a NEET shut-in.’

But she only laughed.

“Well, everyone has their own preferences, don’t they? Anyway, nice to meet you. What’re you doing here at the hospital?”

Then, as if possessed by something, I started telling her my life story.

About my sick mother. About my uselessness, belated regrets, self-loathing, fear of the future, and above all, about my anger at the world.

“Why are you angry?”

“That’s…”

I was reluctant to say it, but in the end my words poured out. Now that I think about it, I really must’ve been possessed.

“Because this world neglected me, and abandoned me.”

“This world?”

“I know. I’m talking nonsense. But I can’t help but be angry, y’know? This world never gave me any attention, and thanks to that, I’ve lived my life without paying any attention to myself. If anyone had found my talent or had enough interest in me to give some guidance, I wouldn’t have ended up like this.”

“Oh? Bullshit as that is, it sounds quite novel.”

“I know. I know already how ugly it all sounds. You don’t have to remind me.”

“But it is impressive. In a way. It’s not easy to open up like that, even to your friends. I think I have an inkling of how hard it is, and how desperate you feel.”

“How desperate I feel? Just the hospital bills – no, if I could get even a single chance to be a good son or a useful human being once again, I could trade my soul to a demon for it. I’m serious.”

“Oh, is that enough? Then would you like to work for my company?”

My head went blank for a moment at the suggestion that popped out without any sense of reality.

“Are you a demon?”

“Oh dear me. Have you ever heard of a demon this pretty? And honestly, your soul isn’t even worth trading, right? Ah, sorry. I didn’t mean to insult you. I was just telling the truth.”

Harsh words. However, they happened to be true.

“Fffuck… then are you some kind of an organ trafficker? A dating scammer? Or a con artist?”

“Aren’t you just imagining things?”

“But it fits. A job offer out of the blue… let me be clear, I’m poor as dirt, so stop thinking about scamming me. I already have enough problems on my plate right now.”

She giggled and said something incomprehensible.

“Ah, you guys really have overactive imaginations. Well, that’s what we live for, though. But anyway, don’t worry, it’s not what you think.”

“Even if you say so…”

“Then let me show you something you can believe.”

As she said that, she started tapping at her phone.

After a while, a text message came to my phone. It was a notification of money being deposited. A ridiculous amount of money.

“What is this… how many zeroes are there?”

“Now do you believe me? Isn’t that enough money to blow all your worries away?”

I suddenly had a bunch of stuff I wanted to ask, but because of my shallow vocabulary, I could only ask something stupid.

“How did you get my account number?”

Hee hee hee! She laughed.

“I sent that much money, but that’s what you’re curious about? Something so trivial?”

“Uh, no, sorry.”

“Then, would you like to come with me for a bit? I know the director of this hospital. You can stop worrying about your mother for a while.”

Gripped by an unknown fear, I hesitated for a moment. She urged me once more.

“Maybe I’m the last one in this world who can help you. Shouldn’t you take it? It’s a rare opportunity.”

At those words, I moved like someone possessed.

◆◆◆

When I came to my senses, I was sitting with her in her car. It was a luxury sports car you’d only ever see in movies.

I thought I wouldn’t be able to buy a single doorframe even if I sold all my organs, but then I felt relieved. At least she wasn’t someone who’d cheat somebody like me.

Right? Somebody driving a car like that would look for bigger prey.

Instead, a new question arose.

“Who are you, really?”

She’d introduced herself as an employee of a foreign game company.

When I asked her the name of the company, or their flagship game, she said it wasn’t important.

At first, I thought it was some small indie game company, but that didn’t track with her extravagant car.

‘Maybe she was born into money? Ah! I bet that’s it!’

However, such expectations were shattered the moment I saw the company building.

The building she worked at was a splendid high-rise nestled in the middle of a forest of concrete.

She took me into the building and started explaining the job.

“First of all, I’m serious when I say that I’m your fan. I’ve never seen such perverted gameplay anywhere else. Instead of hunting monsters or completing quests, you were kidnapping village NPCs or trafficking player characters… it was really fun. Why did you do that? Because you were angry, like you said?”

“Don’t get me wrong. It was just an experiment to see how high the degree of freedom was. I don’t have some kind of mental illness if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“How unfortunate. Personally speaking, I wouldn’t mind a mental illness or two.”

“Haha. You’re kidding, right?”

“Of course, of course. Anyway, I said I was offering you a job, right?”

“Yes.”

“There’s a game at the testing stage, and I want you to play test it.”

We stopped in front of a room. When I opened the door, there was only an armchair and a game console inside.

“Can I ask a question?”

“Of course.”

“What do you mean specifically by play testing?”

“There’s this product that our company is developing. It’s a virtual reality game, but there’s a twist. You can eat and sleep in the game, or even do something a little naughtier if you want. To sum it up, you could say that another reality has been made into a game.”

“What, really? That’s amazing. Incredible. Is something like that possible already?”

“Yes. Technology keeps marching on, after all. But there’s one problem. The game is too realistic. So the users have been experiencing some side effects.”

“Side effects?”

“Yes, side effects. Like inability to distinguish between the game and reality due to excessive immersion. Symptoms of PTSD and the like. If you can’t spot one from the other, is there any difference between a war game and a real war?”

“Then, I…”

“Yes, your job is to be a kind of an experimental subject to obtain data on the side effects. Think of it like a part-time job in a clinical trial at a pharmaceutical company.”

She pulled out a document from somewhere and handed it to me.

“Of course, I won’t lie to you and say that it’s safe. But there’s no free lunch in the world, right? Read here. These are the provisions for compensation – wages, welfare, and unforeseen circumstances.”

To be honest, I’d never laid eyes on an employment contract before, so I had no idea what was what.

But even at a glance, the conditions looked excellent.

All the more so for somebody like me, who had no relevant prior job experience or related skills. A question came to mind.

“I remember from the elevator, that this is the 66th floor.”

“Yes. Are you uncomfortable with heights?”

“I noticed quite a few foreigners along the way.”

“This is the era of globalization. Are you a racist, by any chance?”

“Everyone greeted you politely.”

“I might be a woman, but I’m a high-ranking executive. What, are you a male chauvinist?”

“No. No… I’m just curious. You’re a high-ranking executive at such a great company, why the hell would you offer a job like this to someone like me?

“I’ll be honest. I don’t deserve this. Honestly speaking, this is all so unrealistic that it feels like you’re setting me up for a joke.”

She smiled. It was a smile that could bewitch anyone who saw it.

“I told you. I’m your fan, so I’m here to help. Also, I need you, too.”

It wasn’t a convincing answer, but I couldn’t ask any more questions because of that bright smile.

Her pure charisma was hard to resist.

“Well, then what do you want to do now? Would you like to try it? Or would you like to quit? You’re free to choose. Just in case you’re wondering, the money I gave you is yours, so don’t worry about it. Even if you refuse, I won’t ask for it back.”

I hesitated. Would I go back like this? Or would I give it a try?

Common sense was telling me to just go back.

Didn’t this whole setup smell dodgy? But I couldn’t.

Because she needed me. Because someone acknowledged me, and expected something from me. It wasn’t an offer I could refuse.

Because I yearned to be needed. By somebody. Anybody.

“No, I’ll do it. But I have a question about this part here, about the character. It’s been decided by… this ‘A’. The provision that the character must be a ‘ratling’. What does that mean?”

“Just as it sounds. You literally have to play the game as a ‘ratling’.”

“And? What’s a ‘ratling’?”

“Let’s just say that they’re monster rats that live in the sewers. A mutant race created by the goddess Derubo, who loves the cursed and the marginalized.”

“Is this a game setting?”

“Ah… of course. Do you have any concerns?”

“No, no, it sounds a bit disgusting, but that’s just fine with me. Hmm. By the way, can you tell me why I have to play as a ‘ratling’ character?”

“It’s a race I designed. So I guess I’m fond of them? Anyway, right. Make sure to also check out the main storyline.”

“Hmm, I see. Then, how should I play the game?”

“Just go as hardcore as you want.”

Her words sounded like a riddle. But I just nodded and signed the contract.

“Then, shall we try it right now?”

“Right Now?”

“No time like the present, as they say. Or, you don’t want to?”

“No. No, I’m ready.”

“As expected! I have a good eye for people, you know. Just sit on that chair over there and relax. It should be pretty comfy, it certainly costs enough.”

It was true. As I sat on the chair, my body relaxed as if I was lying on a fluffy cloud.

“Now then, wear this.”

As I was about to put on the VR console that looked just like sunglasses, I paused as a question suddenly came to my mind.

“By the way, what’s the name of this game?”

“Oh, the name of the game? I haven’t decided yet… how about ‘M&A’?”

“… Like, merger/acquisition?”

“Yes, or rather a hostile takeover, to be precise.”

“What do you –”

I tried to ask, but she forcibly put the console on me. She was so strong that I couldn’t even resist.

After a while, I managed to open my eyes… and there was a goblin standing right in front of me.

Editor’s Notes:

None for this chapter.