Chapter 157 : Ugliness - 2
Chapter 157: Ugliness - 2
I remained silent.
Edgar continued, his tone as if he were grinding his words between his teeth.
“If you don’t at least do that much, I won’t feel satisfied. I’ll say it one last time. Release the Beramut thread.”
Aina urgently spoke.
“Don’t believe him. It’s a bluff.”
“……”
“Even if it’s true, Magireta will do something about it. That demon wouldn’t want the world to be destroyed either.”
“Magireta can’t interfere with anything an MVP does. You know that.”
“Ghk.”
I looked at Benjamin and nodded.
It meant to release the thread.
But he couldn’t decide easily.
I spoke through a Secret Conversation.
[It’s alright. We prepared insurance in case something like this happened.]
[No matter how I think about it, the chances are slim.]
[The world might be destroyed. We have no choice but to gamble.]
[Hoo.]
In the end, he released the Beramut thread.
And the next moment—
B’s face twisted into something utterly ferocious.
“How dare you… how dare you do this to me!”
Craaaack.
B’s mouth opened endlessly.
It was a grotesque sight, like something out of a cruel fairy tale illustration.
Before we could even react, B’s sharp teeth lunged to bite down on Benjamin, who stood right in front of her.
At that moment—
Thud.
B’s mouth did not close.
“Calm down.”
Magireta had grabbed her jaws with both hands.
In that gap, our companions quickly retreated away from B.
After confirming we had backed off enough, Magireta released B’s jaw.
“Lady Magireta. Why are you stopping me!”
“Why? Why were you trying to devour them?”
“You saw it just now! They controlled me. My body wasn’t mine. Do you know how disgusting that felt?”
“No. How would I know?”
“I’m going to chew them all up. I don’t care about the quest anymore!”
Trembling with rage, B kicked off her chair and stood up.
But she couldn’t approach us.
“...What did you just say?”
Because Magireta’s voice rang out.
More precisely, it was a voice so cold it felt like the surrounding temperature had plunged below freezing.
“M-Magireta…”
“Say that again.”
“……”
“You don’t care about the quest anymore?”
“N-No. I just…”
“You’re not even an MVP. So how dare you say something like that to me?”
Tremble.
B shook like a child being harshly scolded by a parent.
She collapsed to the ground and said,
“Sniff… I’m sorry. I’m really sorry, Lady Magireta.”
“You did wrong, didn’t you?”
“Yes. I must have lost my mind for a moment. I got too excited…”
“I understand. They did do something rather harsh to you. But trying to ruin my game is something I cannot forgive.”
Hic.
B even started hiccuping.
That terrifying monster who had just tried to devour us was now trembling in fear, sobbing.
‘Magireta really is something else…’
Anyway, Magireta patted B on the back as she spoke.
“There’s only one younger sibling left now. I’ll overlook what you just said, so fulfill your role as Judge until the end.”
“Sniff… Yes, I will. I’m sorry.”
“It’s alright now. Don’t cry.”
Step.
Magireta stepped away from B.
Then she spoke toward Edgar.
More precisely, toward Odline inside Edgar’s arms.
“Odline.”
—Yes, Lady Magireta.
“Is what Edgar said earlier true? Were you really going to destroy the world if B’s control wasn’t released?”
—Hmm… There should be no secrets between lovers, so I’ll answer honestly. It’s true.
A chilling aura spread from Magireta’s face.
“If the world is destroyed during the quest, I won’t be able to properly carry out my remaining games. Were you planning to destroy it even considering that?”
—Yes.
“You know how much I value the quest.”
—That’s exactly what I don’t like.
“What?”
—For you, Lady Magireta, first place should be me, Odline Ragna. The quest and Mason should all come after me.
Magireta said nothing more.
But I instinctively realized.
‘Ah… she’s really made up her mind.’
She truly intended to annihilate Odline.
Well, she had been telling me all along things like “Kill that bastard for me,” but this felt different.
Then Magireta spoke to us.
“Continue.”
We didn’t move for a moment.
Then Edgar chuckled.
“It’s useless. B already harbors ill will toward you.”
“Edgar.”
“Even if she didn’t, there’s no way she’d put a price on something like a mere stone. Give up and come to hell with me.”
“……”
“There was a Revival Round in hell, right? How about it, Mr. Mason? Let’s keep enjoying the game together there.”
I let out a small laugh.
Edgar frowned.
“Why are you laughing?”
“I think you’re misunderstanding something.”
“What…?”
At that moment, Magireta spoke.
“Yes. You’re definitely mistaken.”
“Sister?”
“Hearing you call me that will end today.”
“What exactly am I misunderstanding?”
“Oh my. Pretending not to know?”
She smiled faintly.
“You brought in the Shoes reward, didn’t you?”
“……”
“But if you’re eliminated in this quest, you won’t be able to take first place in the quest that gives the Shoes, right?”
“That means…”
“Yes. You’re confirmed as my toy. And naturally, toys don’t get to participate in the Revival Round.”
In that instant—
Edgar collapsed.
He dropped to his knees with a thud.
His face turned pale, as if he had lost everything.
“I… won’t be able to play the game anymore?”
“……”
“Why? Why? No… no. That can’t be. That’s impossible. It’s a lie. It makes no sense. Hrk…”
Soon, he clawed at his hair and screamed.
‘Is that really something to suffer over that much?’
More than dying.
More than falling into hell.
More than becoming a monster.
What Edgar feared most—
was being unable to play the game.
“I truly don’t understand…”
“Now isn’t the time to be at ease, Mason.”
“Your Highness.”
“Your Intermediary Trade still remains. Stay focused until the end.”
“Understood. Thank you.”
It was time for the insurance I prepared in advance to shine.
Step.
I approached Edgar.
10 meters. 7 meters.
5 meters.
In the Hide-and-Seek Quest, I had learned that the Teleportation bead had a range of 5 meters.
“Sniff… Waaah… No, no…”
Edgar didn’t even notice me approaching.
Slowly, I took out the Teleportation bead.
Then I spoke quietly.
“I want to move Odline, who is inside Edgar’s arms, onto my palm.”
“What?”
Edgar snapped his head up.
But it was too late.
The Odline maggot was already in my hand.
—W-What is this? What are you thinking?
Odline was only dangerous when inside a monster’s body.
Its true form was nothing more than a weak, filthy worm.
I grabbed it and slowly approached B.
“W-What is that?”
“I plan to put this on the table.”
“……Don’t tell me that’s—”
“Oh, you recognize it? It’s the Third MVP of Hell.”
At that moment, B’s eyes changed.
Drip. Drip, drip.
Even when humans were placed on the table, B had drooled.
But now, it was on a completely different level.
Saliva poured down like a waterfall.
The murderous intent she had shown me earlier seemed completely gone.
Soon, however, she wiped her mouth and said,
“By the rules, only ‘items obtained from the human world’ can be used. That maggot was obtained just now.”
“Whether it fits the rules or not isn’t your concern. If there’s a problem, I’ll bear it. Don’t worry about it.”
“…Fine. Put it on the table.”
I was about to place Odline on the table.
But just before it touched—
I stopped.
“Before that, Ms. B. I have a proposal.”
“Slurp. What is it?”
“This will sell for quite a high price, right? It’s Living livestock with high Intelligence of the food.”
“I wonder. If you want to know, put it on the table.”
“No. I need to confirm something first.”
I checked my Mini Bulletin Board.
■ Mason Gear’s Profit
* Revenue: 374 Gold coins 66 Silver coins
* Cost: 6 Gold coins 97 Silver coins
* Profit: +367 Gold coins 69 Silver coins
Let’s see. To make it 10,000 Gold coins…
“Please buy it for 9,632 Gold coins 31 Silver coins.”
“……”
“That way it’ll be exactly 10,000 Gold coins.”
B’s expression turned absurd.
“Why should I listen to you?”
“Won’t you?”
“Of course not! You controlled me. You should be grateful I’m even paying properly, and yet you—”
“Well, I’m sorry about that. But if you won’t agree, it can’t be helped.”
I turned around.
From behind me, B’s voice came.
Somewhat flustered.
“What are you doing?”
“If you won’t buy it, I’ll give up.”
“I never said I wouldn’t buy it. I said I wouldn’t buy it at your price!”
“I see. Then let me correct that. I have no intention of selling.”
Then killing intent seeped into B’s voice.
“If you’re joking…”
“Well, just wait.”
I brought the maggot closer to my face.
“Hey. Odline.”
—What.
“I want to make a deal with you.”
—What nonsense—
“Listen. This is what I want to sell.”
I whispered so quietly that even I could barely hear it.
The maggot wriggled in my palm.
It seemed extremely excited.
—Really? Truly? If you’re lying, I’ll kill you. And destroy the world too.
“It’s real, so don’t say that. But I have a few conditions.”
—Say it. I’ll accept anything.
“First, drop the whole ‘destroy the world’ threat. Not just now, but never do that again.”
—Of course. Why would I destroy the world?
Like master, like servant?
He flipped his attitude as easily as Kaid.
‘Well, I can’t fully trust him…’
So I added,
“If you leave the world alone, deals like this might happen again in the future.”
—I see. I understand.
“But for that to happen, I need to survive this game. Help me.”
—What do you want me to do?
“So…”
I whispered my plan.
Soon, the maggot replied as if it understood.
—Alright. I’ll do it.
“Can you handle it? Your true body is pretty weak.”
—Don’t worry. The power of love overcomes all trials.
Crazy.
I wanted to say that, but held it in.
Anyway, preparations were complete.
I turned back.
B was staring at me with a sulky expression.
“Changed your mind?”
“Yes. But I have two conditions.”
“Hah. Are you really in a position to set conditions?”
“Don’t worry. I’m not asking you to set the price I want.”
“…Go on.”
As she answered, B glanced at the maggot.
To her, this maggot was something beyond a human—
like the most exquisite delicacy imaginable.
‘If possible, she’d want to devour it immediately.’
So I had to persuade her carefully.
“First. I won’t place the maggot on the table. I’ll hand it directly to you.”
“…?”
“Second. You will declare whether you will buy it and operate the Number pad on the armrest only after you finish eating.”
“Those are your conditions?”
“Yes. That’s all.”
B quietly looked up at Magireta.
“Lady Magireta…”
“Do as you wish.”
“Is that alright?”
“……”
“Lady Magireta?”
Magireta didn’t answer right away.
She covered her mouth with one sleeve.
Judging by her trembling shoulders—
‘She’s holding back laughter.’
As expected, she had figured it out.
What my plan was.