The Forsaken Hero - Volume 1 Chapter 6

Rigal Den Part 4

 

Katsuragi! Katsuragi! My stats are going up!

 

 

Shut up already. Nows not the time nor place.

 

 

Whats with you? Dont you have anything to say?

 

 

Yeah, yeah. Isnt it great? Now you can actually do something helpful for once.

 

 

Who would do anything for you!?

 

 

Shes still talking to me like that? You think shed have understood the pecking order by now.

 

 

Hey, Hamakaze. Theres something Id like to test out.

 

 

My stats didnt improve much, but I did manage to get more special abilities.

 

 

One of them was Absolute Command. According to its explanation, it looks like I have to be a higher level to use it.

 

 

So I assume thats why it didnt appear until now.

 

 

At any rate, for its condition to be that I need to be higher leveled is it saying that a ruler should be stronger than their subordinates?

 

 

Lets leave that alone for now.

 

 

Its effect is what anyone would be interested in.

 

 

Being able to make someone follow an order, no matter what it is. Teenage boys the world over would definitely envy me for it.

 

 

My gaze was pointed directly at a certain part of Hamakazes body.

 

 

Wha

 

 

Hamakaze turned around, hiding her two voluptuous hills from my view.

 

 

Perv! Rapist!!

 

 

Shaddup Like Id do it in a place like this? Ill wait to take you until after we clear this dungeon. You can calm down.

 

 

Th-Theres no way I could!! What about my rights!?

 

 

You dont have any.

 

 

I declared it outright.

 

 

You brute! You should just die!

 

 

Id just power up and revive if I did.

 

 

I dont get it!

 

 

She beat against my chest. I was thinking about groping her chest in return if she did it again, but she continued speaking.

 

 

You me everything, I dont get any of it. Why, why do we have to fight monsters like those why did we have to start being heroes!?

 

 

She put less and less strength into her fists as time went on.

 

 

I dont I dont get it!

 

 

Her voice losing its usual innocent and naive tone, it sounded feeble.

 

 

I cant take it anymore whats with this place why did this have to happen!?

 

 

She crouched down and began to cry.

 

 

Did her will break after coming this far?

 

 

With the reality of our situation thrust before her, the floodgates shed somehow managed to hold back burst open.

 

 

Its not like I dont understand how she feels. Im sure Id be crying just as miserably as her if I were in her shoes right now.

 

 

I can guess at her mental state to some degree.

 

 

Which is why I knew that now was my chance to make Hamakaze mine.

 

 

Im such a horrible person, only able to think about stuff like that

 

 

Hey, Hamakaze.

 

 

What?

 

 

Who do you think caused us to fall into this mess?

 

 

What good would answering that

 

 

Just answer me. Who do you think caused it?

 

 

The goddess, for summoning us?

 

 

Wrong.

 

 

Huh? Th-Then, who?

 

 

Samejima.

 

 

I immediately responded with the name of the person who was the target of my revenge.

 

 

Wh-Why? I mean, it was that woman who asked us to do all of this, right?

 

 

Yeah, she did.

 

 

Th-Then

 

 

But we had the right to refuse her. The one to take that right from us was who, exactly?

 

 

W-Well

 

 

She hesitated.

 

 

She knew exactly who the culprit was.

 

 

It was him. He, at his own convenience, accepted her request. He, at his own convenience, got carried away and

 

 

I whispered into Hamakazes ear.

 

 

abandoned you, betrayed you.

 

 

!!

 

 

I heard her clench her teeth.

 

 

Looks like shed been ignoring that truth, hiding herself from it. She bottled up the hatred that must have been there in her gut, letting it lay dormant.

 

 

Shed endured it. I dont know why and I dont want to know.

 

 

She just needs to drown herself in that anger now.

 

 

Why was I abandoned?

 

 

She barely managed to squeeze her voice out through her tears. Like a baby clinging onto their parent, Hamakaze grabbed my sleeve.

 

 

Because you were weak.

 

 

I shook my arm, causing her to let go.

 

 

You know I-I liked Samejima I was trying hard, giving it my all. Even if I was afraid, I would kill those demons I was trying to be strong

 

 

Theres a lot of people who like him. He wouldnt care about losing you.

 

 

I spoke in a piercing, cold tone.

 

 

R-Really?

 

 

Yeah. Really.

 

 

I didnt sympathize with her.

 

 

Uu uuu!

 

 

But that wasnt enough. I will make her my ally. I will shove myself into her heart.

 

 

Hamakaze.

 

 

Eh?

 

 

I moved my arm around Hamakazes waist, holding her as she cried.

 

 

K-Katsuragi? Wh-What are you

 

 

I wont abandon you.

 

 

Her small body, her shattered mind, overreacted to my comforting.

 

 

You wont abandon me?

 

 

Im different from Samejima. I want you. I want you to be by my side forever.

 

 

No way Katsuragi, even without me y-you could

 

 

Hamakaze!

 

 

I put more strength into my embrace, conveying my feelings.

 

 

Please come with me. I will never abandon you. Ill say it as many times as it takes. I want you.

 

 

Katsu ragi

 

 

There was only a faint glimmer of light left in her teary eyes as she gazed back into mine. If she was left alone now, left without anyone or anything to support her, she would likely die.

 

 

It was like looking at my past self.

 

 

Youll accept me?

 

 

She slowly lowered her eyelids and brought her teary face closer to mine.

 

 

I saw her her lips, bloody from being bitten down on so hard.

 

 

Im not sympathizing with her.

 

 

Im not comforting her.

 

 

Its fine. Im just making her my ally.

 

 

I dont need to overthink it.

 

 

I got an excellent subordinate.

 

 

Thats all.

 

 

Hamakaze

 

 

Mmm

 

 

My first kiss tasted like blood.

 

 

 

 

 

On that day, I obtained my first genuine slave.