Paradigm Parasite - Chapter 170: "Pulsation"

After passing through a busy part of town, the kids gave up and disappeared.

After confirming this, I returned my attention to exploring the country.

I heard that although there are a lot of kids like that, the country is relatively safe.

Naturally, there is a gap between the rich and the poor, so there are surprisingly many stories of people making a living from crime like that, or being forced to do so by a mastermind.

In this country, criminals are sold as slaves.

The country also has a laughable negative chain of events in which children who have committed crimes and become slaves are forced to commit crimes by their masters.

Basically, it is not so different from the human country of Urs Laguna, but this one is more risky in that if you fail, you are almost always doomed unless you get a very good master.

According to the knowledge I took away, the number of cases where people have risen from slavery is astonishingly small.

There are some who have amassed enough money to buy themselves back, but in many cases they are caught committing crimes and become slaves again afterwards, when they are in need of food.

…It’s not important, is it?

Next is industry, which seems to have all the basic necessities, with food, clothing and shelter at the top of the list.

Another interesting point is that instead of a trial, the winner is decided in an arena.

The point is that if you can’t decide which side is right, you have to fight to decide.

Frankly, I think it’s stupid, but it’s crazy because this is the way it’s done.

If you think about it calmly, a country that decides its king in a tournament, should this be considered natural?

Trouble is, the inhabitants here seem to love the sight of blood, and killing each other in the arena is one of the most popular content among the many events.

The parallel betting is probably another factor that heats up the popularity of these events.

The country itself is currently in a good state of excitement, as the King’s Election fighting tournament is about to take place.

The event period could not have come at a better time.

The gold was given to me by the kind people who gave me their memories, so I won’t have to worry about food for a while.

The shape of the coins here is like a plate, similar to a koban.

The material is …… what is it? Blackish metal?

It has a picture of the arena engraved on the surface.

The name is Blackboard.

…a name that some people associate with something else.

This is the most valuable coin, followed by a white board and an ash board.

In my waist pouch I have a few blackboards, a white board and an ash board there.

…Those guys earlier, they had quite a lot.

They had a habit of having money, but they were ridiculous guys, like muggers.

Looking at the surrounding stalls, there are many shops selling weapons and armour. Well, it’s only natural because the tournament is coming up.

I had a quick look around, but I didn’t see anything that interesting in the way of weapons.

If I had to pick one, I would say that there are many thick weapons that are difficult to break even with the physical capabilities of a beastman.

There are even swords that are so thick it is doubtful they can be used to cut.

In contrast to the elven villages, most of the food sold was meat, and the delicious smell tickled my nose.

It looked so good I couldn’t resist buying some.

I walked around, gnawing on the mystery meat skewers I’d bought.

But still…

I’m walking around without any particular disguise, but I don’t particularly get blamed for it.

It’s good that there’s no hassle.

As I walk for a while towards the arena, the feel of the ground suddenly changes.

I look down and see that the ground has turned black.

No, is the ground paved with this black stuff?

I wonder if this is…

I remember the feeling of it touching my feet.

Not here, but in Japan.

And then there’s the distinctive smell.

“Is it asphalt?”

It is definitely something that was commonly used in Japan for paving roads.

Why is there such a ………… ah, that’s it.

This one’s here.

Oh, no, reincarnated people.

How many are there?

Mr Furudo, the old man with the head, the spider monster, the ant man, the bat woman, and that’s just the ones I know of.

How can they come out one after another like this?

Is this world some sort of reception point for the Japanese who have gone down the drain?

When I glanced around, dozens of beastmen were sweating as they worked on paving the ground.

I can see them levelling the ground with roller-like tools.

From the looks of it, this is state-sponsored construction work.

If so, the reincarnated person must be in the upper echelons of the country.

…The most suspicious thing is the king, who was replaced a few years ago.

I’m curious, so I check my memory. I’ve been thinking only about the country and not about the king.

When I looked him up, he came up easily. He’s the king of his own country and he’s well known.

When I confirm his name and appearance from memory, it all becomes clear.

I see.

It looks like he’s going to be at the tournament, so I’ll have a look at his face while I’m watching the game.

But still…

How did they make the asphalt?

Watching the prey leave our territory, I–Keem watches it with chattering teeth.

“What do we do now?”

Dern, his companion, gently approaches and asks with a wiggle of his canine-dog ears.

I shake my head.

“Let’s stop. There’s an arena ahead. There will be patrols, and it would be dangerous if they found us.”

“But he’s got quite a lot. If you have that much, even if you subtract today’s amount, you’ll still get …….”

I understand what Dern is saying.

The prey that escaped earlier had quite a lot of money.

With that much, I can eat for a while.

“But still. If we fail, who’s going to look after them?”

But we can’t risk it.

If we fail, there will be no one to look after my sisters who are on watch on a nearby building.

They are not fit for this kind of work.

We have to earn our keep.

“…maybe he’s a drifter. He won’t know much about the area, so we’ll let Peelie and the others follow him and wait for an opening.”

“But, but… It’s past noon. If we don’t get it from him, we’ll lose the day’s pay…”

“I know.”

Dern interrupts.

“I’m going for the purse at his waist. I saw him put it away when he was shopping in the stalls.”

It’s a pickpocket’s basic principle to target without unnecessary greed.

At least a few blackboards.

With that much, I’ll be able to eat for a while and get much closer to my savings target.

I touch the collar around my neck.

…money. If I have money, I can take off this collar and be free.

I’ll do anything for that.

“That’s the move of someone who’s not used to this town. Maybe he’ll come back here to look for a place to stay. That’s where we’ll go.”

You’ve got a lot of money, and you’re a good man to be wandering around with it.

I recall my earlier prey, who was shopping at a stall in a carefree manner.

We want so much money, but you seem to have so much and still be able to afford it.

I’m doing this.

You can tell a lot about a person’s financial situation by looking at their face.

At least, he’s one of the five most generous people I’ve ever seen – he looks like he has no worries about tomorrow.

Anger wells up.

If he’s got that much room, why doesn’t he share some of it with us?

I remember the man’s features and make a mental calculation to take it from him.

I can do it.

Judging from experience, I’m sure of it.

He was of good build and, although I couldn’t see it through his cloak, the hilt peeking out from his back indicated a long-handled weapon of some kind, like a spear or something.

The thickness of his limbs shows that he is quite well trained.

On the other hand, the legs are probably not that fast. Long-armed weapons are basically heavy.

It would be easy to outrun them if only they could be taken away.

The most likely reason is that he is a mercenary or something and has done some work and is warming up his pockets.

…I’ll do it.

We need money, money, money, money.

“Let’s go.”

I set that man as my prey, and I take my first step…

“…?”

What?

The ground shook?

“Is it …… my imagination?”

Pulsation. He feels the presence of life in his own body.

For the first time in a long time, “he” could feel his own heartbeat – proof of life.

He checks what is currently happening to him.

He only knows that his whole body is completely buried under something, but the rest is unknown.

The last thing he remembers is fighting the ‘enemy’.

Those abominable people who destroyed their paradise.

As soon as they realise this, their memories come back one after another.

The ‘enemy’, the invaders who appeared in our home.

Compatriots and dependents dying one after another, their bodies being wounded.

And the dwelling place that is perishing.

In the end, they were able to avenge their defeat, but they were defeated and exposed in a state of disrepair.

The question arose as to why.

I wondered why I had regained consciousness.

The seal they had placed on me was so strong that I would never be able to wake up on my own.

What does it matter?

Has enough time passed to cause a tear in the seal?

Someone has damaged this seal.

Or…

Did someone destroy them?

Impossible.

They are part of a world that will appear again and again as long as there is a world.

They cannot be destroyed.

Then …….

Then he realised.

Something that has a similar sign to himself.

Precisely something similar but different. The exact number is unknown, but it is more than one.

Perhaps the proximity of the master of this presence has had some effect on them…?

Although there are only a few, I can feel that the dependents are trying to move.

Whatever he does, he must first be able to move.

He decided so and started to act.