Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu web novel

　--Steel and steel collide, sparks flying, like a chain reaction of women's screams.

"GAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"

"Ahahaha! Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!"

　The curved blade slashes, swinging around like a dance, aiming for vital points from any direction, up, down, left or right.

　It was a feat of some kind of physical ability, but each seemingly casual slash was so powerful and accurate that it threatened to inflict fatal damage, threatening to carve into Garfiel's body.

　The tip of the blade broke into a U shape and cut through the wind, surpassing sound and being swung away with lightning speed.

　Garfiel slid the shields equipped on both hands along the trajectory, and rather than blocking the attack directly, he deflected it by sliding it along its surface, concentrating on his defense.

　Without losing momentum, the woman's body was thrown wide by the skill of deflecting the swing. Garfiel took advantage of the gap and aimed his toe at the woman's exposed torso.

　Garfiel's direct kick is as powerful as a cannonball, easily smashing through stone walls.

　If it hits directly without being dampened by the impact, it will easily penetrate the defenses of soft human flesh and demonstrate more than enough power to destroy the internal organs inside.

　In fact, when Garfiel used his full power to strike, he was able to crush the woman's body down to the bone, producing results that were enough to make her feel the impact of a sure-kill blow time and time again.

　However,

"I saw that just now."

"Don't make fun of me!!"

　As the toes of the bird leap up, the woman turns her back and moves out of the way. Her foot brushes against the woman's back as it swings in the air, and her foot gets entangled in the jet black cloak she is wearing.

　It was only for a moment, but for the woman and Garfiel, it was a fatal stagnation.

"death--"

　Letting out a short exhale, the woman put her arm behind her back and wrapped Garfiel's legs in the cloak, completely covering them with more fabric. Her other hand swung upwards from behind in a half-turn, sending the blade running.

　The trajectory of the slash cut off his right thigh, but before he could even think about it, Garfiel took a small leap with his left foot, which was still on the ground, and thrust the sole of his left shoe directly underneath his entangled right foot.

　Garfiel's left foot slammed into the side of the blade that leapt up from below.

　The sounds of steel bending and wrists breaking echoed, and with a lascivious shriek the woman dropped the knife. The woman stepped back, but Garfiel, whose legs were still entangled, fell to the floor, unable to pursue. The impact of the kick and the hands on the ground caused him to spin backwards, creating some distance before freeing his legs from the cloak.

"I got your wrist and your knife, dude."

"It'll be fine. I still have a replacement knife, and I'll be able to move my left hand soon. And the cloak...it's just a hindrance in a fight with you."

"Don't be so tough."

"You'll have to check your gut to see if this is a bluff or not."

　Garfiel wiped his sweat with the cloak he had stolen and tossed it to the end of the corridor.

　Without even looking at the discarded cloak, Elsa lightly rubbed her twisted left hand with her right and called out to the giant shadow standing behind her.

"Meili. Don't just stand there and watch, give me a replacement knife."

"Oh, Erza, you're so selfish. I'm not a baggage carrier or a knife handler. I just want to fight all the time, where Rock Pig can't get in the way."

　The shadow that called out to her - a girl riding on the back of a giant magical beast, puffed out her cheeks at Elsa's call and threw something at her.

　It was a holder that contained the curved blades that Erza used. She pulled out two new blades from it and looked up at the girl while checking how they felt in her hand.

"I guess it's your fault for bringing such a big monster along just to show your affection. I'm actually happy that I can dance with her without any obstacles in the way."

"If you get too caught up in that and the real target escapes, then it's all a mess. If mom finds out about what's going on, she'll be in big trouble. It's Elsa's fault, and I'll tell her."

"If you're afraid of being told on, you can't sneak around or get a bite to eat. Let Meili or the others be the good kids. I don't mind being treated like a troublesome child."

　As she spoke, Erza threw the blade she was holding into the air and juggled both blades in one hand.

　Due to the large width of the blade, it was a high-speed spinning juggle that could easily cause her arm to fall if she made a mistake, but Elsa turned around without any trouble and took the knives with her right hand and then her left hand.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. Your left hand should be fine if you're just holding it."

"Don't worry about it. I want to buy some time too, and it's so rude of me to interrupt a discussion between sisters. Family matters are important, you know."

"Oh. How can you say that my child is your sister?"

"We're all calling the same person our mother. The fact that we have similar hair color, eye color, and facial features doesn't really matter. We can talk about family without blood."

　Hearing Garfiel's theory, Elsa's eyes widen for a moment, her face blank, then she puts her hand over her mouth and bursts out in great amusement.

"Huh?"

"Hehe... Ah, no, I'm sorry. I was so surprised to hear those words that I couldn't help but go crazy... Yes, you seem like a very good girl."

"Don't treat me like a kid. I'm a fine man."

"Really? It seems to me that he hasn't quite matured into a man."

　With a smirk on her face, Elsa responded to the displeased Garfiel.

　Garfiel frowned suspiciously at her words, but Elsa's smile only grew even more amused.

"Elsa, Elsa. This person with a scary face is actually really cute, isn't he?"

"You're right, Meili. I'm just starting to think the same. It's been a while since I've seen a child that I want to keep alive even after pulling out their intestines."

"Stop making such a fuss. You two will all end up getting punched by me and put to bed."

　Garfiel stated decisively, twisting his wrist.

　The true meaning of the conversation between Elsa and the girl - Meili - is unclear, but there is no doubt that it is a disregard for Garfiel's wishes.

　If he understood that much, Garfiel wouldn't have any kind words to offer.

　If they don't cry, apologize, and beg for forgiveness, then he'll crush them, immobilize them, and give them a fitting punishment. That's Garfiel's role.

"Come on soon. Of course I'm buying time for the generals to escape. I'll try to earn myself a win by running away as much as I can. I'll beat you down until you're completely worn out, and teach you a lesson. I'm the strongest shield both inside and outside of the Sanctuary."

　Garfiel yells, clashing the shields on his arms together.

　A high-pitched sound echoed through the corridor, and Garfiel unleashed his spirit on the two enemies in the moonlit passage.

"--Hehe! Erza, did you hear that? It's the strongest shield! The strongest shield... *fufu*! You really are a cute girl!"

　However, upon hearing that speech, Meili actually burst out laughing, and Elsa's smile only deepened, so there was no longer any sense of threat.

"What are you laughing at, eh?"

"Yes, that's strange. It makes me laugh when it's funny. It's strange that you think you're strong, but it's also really strange that your brothers ran away."

"Are you guys having a problem with that, generals?"

"Yes, that's right. Isn't that right? I surrounded the mansion with my pets, so there was only one place for them to escape. That was actually Erza's place, but she moved on her own, so I left someone else in her place."

"――――"

　Elsa showed no remorse or even met Meili's accusing gaze.

　Her murderous eyes were wet as she watched Garfiel closely, making it extremely difficult for him to move.

　As Garfiel's gaze sharpened, Meili slapped the back of the beast carrying her,

"In addition to this little rock pig, I've brought another special one with me today. I've got him blocking the way. So your efforts to stall for time are actually having the opposite effect."

"..."

"I could help you if you could easily defeat Erza and me and go after your brothers, but that's not the case, is it? So, everyone thinks it's weird when they see you trying your best to buy time without realizing that."

　Unable to contain her laughter, Meili innocently mocked our ridiculousness.

　Garfiel sighed deeply at this childish malice.

　It was true that a number of uncertain conditions had piled up on our side. As Meili had said, there was no doubt that we were facing a situation that exceeded our expectations.

　However,

"Hah. How pathetic."

"...picture?"

"You're the one who doesn't understand. Is that monster still there? Isn't it me who's having my head held down? Do you think that kind of convenience will work for me or the general?"

　Garfiel takes a step forward, feeling pleased as Meili's smile fades.

　He watched as Elsa reacted and leaned slightly towards him.

"They are the generals who beat me to a pulp. --Of course they'd just laugh at someone getting in their way and blow them away!"

※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※

「No way, no way, no way, no way, no way, seriously, what is going on…!」

　Subaru was almost out of breath and collapsed, whimpering.

　On the third floor of the main building of Roswaal Mansion, on the staircase landing just before arriving at the top floor, Subaru and his party - Subaru, Otto, Frederica, Petra, and Rem - stood frozen in place, holding their breath.

　They all sat down on the floor, clearly exhausted, and their bodies were covered in serious wounds.

　especially,

"Frederica, are you okay?"

"…Yes, this is no big deal. I apologize to Subaru-sama for showing you my pathetic side."

"We can't do anything without you. The ones who are pathetic are me and Otto, the two men. Sorry. We're so weak."

"This time... there's no room for argument with Natsuki-san's flippant remark."

　Otto sighed in frustration, while Subaru spat out the blood clot in his mouth.

　Ignoring the pain her whole body was groaning, Subaru picked up Rem's body again. --Subaru's current role was to take over from Frederica and carry Rem in her place.

　Otto held Petra's hand while Subaru carried Rem on his back, and Frederica, their only fighting force, stood at the front line, clearing the way for the five of them, which was the best course of action for them at the moment.

　Immediately after parting ways with Garfiel, Subaru and his companions were attacked by two hyena-like magical beasts.

　Although they managed to repel the hyenas thanks to Otto's magic ore and Frederica's valiant fighting, they continued to be at the mercy of the demonic beasts stationed throughout the mansion.

　A large number of bat-like black-winged rats were hiding in the passageway connecting the main building and the annex.

　The hyena-like Madarao dog roams the mansion and attacks at any opportunity.

　The rats have set up a net for Subaru and the others who have fled to the passenger cabin, waiting for the moment they let their guard down.

　Dealing with the double-headed snake, whose body was as thick as Subaru's arm, was a particularly difficult battle.

　The Black Winged Rat was smoked away, Frederica knocked down the Madarao Dog with her claws, the Bag Rat retreated while having its rear nibbled, Otto frantically negotiated to hold back the Two-Headed Snake, while Subaru used his opportunity to do his best to grapple with its body and Frederica cut off both its heads—and, that was the current landing spot.

"Now, this is completely... it was a mistake to be separated from Garfiel..."

"Don't be so weak-hearted. Right now Garfiel might be yelling with confidence that we'll be fine, so let's live up to the same expectations he has placed on us."

"Your sense of obligation really doesn't seem suited to a businessman..."

　Otto seemed to be the physically strongest among them. Subaru replied with a wry smile to his words and stood up with determination.

　To be honest, Rem's body on his back felt so light it was sad. He had heard that carrying an unconscious, sleeping person was heavy, but that wasn't the case with Rem.

　He could barely feel her warmth or weight. Her presence was weak. The only evidence that she was alive was the faint sound of her heartbeat and breathing, and Subaru shouldered her all the more firmly.

　It's as if they're afraid that they might shake it off and not notice, even though it's impossible for that to happen.

"Sister Frederica..."

"It's okay, Petra. There's no need to look so worried... we'll soon be at our destination."

　As Petra looked at her with a worried expression, Frederica gave her a brave smile.

　However, Frederica was not in a position to be as optimistic as her words suggested. Her left arm had been grappled during the fight with the hyena, and it was bleeding, so she could not lift it, and her movements lacked vitality.

　He cannot be expected to be in perfect fighting condition, and he needs immediate treatment and a place to rest.

"But we're definitely not far from our destination."

　Subaru muttered, staring at the top of the stairs - the top floor.

　Subaru and the others are heading for Roswaal's office. Needless to say, there is an escape route there that leads to the outside, and it is the same rough road that led to Elsa's intrusion in the previous loop.

　At first, when he had run out of options to escape, Subaru had almost ruled out the option of escaping this way - but after talking with Frederica, he changed his mind.

　The story takes place right after I parted ways with Garfiel and after fending off two hyenas.

"There is a secret passageway in my master's study that leads outside. From there you can escape to the outside of the mansion - to the cabin in the forest. If you use that path."

"I'm afraid not, Frederica. Things aren't going to be that simple. The secret passage has been discovered by those guys. It's the way that the Woman in Black came in through."

"――――"

　Subaru told the silent Frederica, knowing that the situation was hopeless.

　In the past loops, Subaru encounters Elsa when he is trying to check for a secret passage. Regardless of whether that stranger is actually coming in through that path each time, at the very least, his existence is known.

"From what I said earlier, Erza and the other girl... from what they said, it seems they have other allies. Putting aside the question of whether the one they called "Mom" is actually the mother of those two girls who don't look alike... if they have backup, then of course they'll go down that path too."

　It's natural to think that it's blocked.

　The mansion was surrounded by monsters, and the only escape route to the outside was in enemy hands. With no way out, Subaru's thoughts became heated.

　A desperate situation.

　With no escape route available, it was pathetic that he couldn't borrow Beatrice's help here.

　If Subaru had been successful in persuading Beatrice, he wouldn't have had to worry about this situation. With her 『Door Crossing』, it was so easy that there was no need to even think about running away.

"...I'm too selfish."

　Knowing Beatrice's suffering and the reason behind it, he tries to cling to her powers.

　In this situation, bringing up Beatrice's power as the reason she couldn't be taken away was proof that he was unable to see Beatrice for herself.

　It was only natural that she would dislike him and throw him out.

"Natsuki-san."

"Subaru."

　As if thinking something about the look on Subaru's face as he looked so lost in thought, he slaps him on the shoulder and pulls his arm.

　Looking over, it was Otto on his right who had tapped him on the shoulder, and Petra on his left who had pulled his arm. They both brought Subaru back to reality in their own ways, then grimaced when they realized they had done the same thing.

　Seeing the state of the two of them, Subaru sighed in relief.

"Subaru-sama, this is just my opinion, but I still think you should choose that path."

　And then, as Subaru was catching his breath, Frederica asserted this.

　As Subaru looked up, Frederica held up a finger,

"Just as Subaru-sama says, at first glance, the current situation seems like a dead end. The mansion is surrounded by ferocious magical beasts, and the only escape route is known to the enemy. If you think about it logically, it's inevitable that we'll all be slowly massacred…"

"That's right. I think so too, so I was trying to rack my brains to see if I could at least find a weak spot in the encirclement of the magic beasts."

"By the way, Subaru-sama. Have you met that woman in black before?"

　Subaru's words were interrupted by a low-pitched question, and he held his breath.

　Unable to read the question, Subaru simply nodded, "Yes."

"He had targeted Emilia before, in the royal capital. At that time, he managed to escape unscathed thanks to the sword master who happened to be there. But this time, it's a bit too convenient to expect that handsome man to barge in."

"Is that so? Last time it was the current Sword Saint. No, in any case, it doesn't matter. What I wanted to know was not how she repelled us last time, but her personality."

"Personality?"

　Subaru tilts his head at Frederica's vague words.

"Even though I say personality, it's just as you'd expect from an abnormal fetish. He loves to cut open other people's stomachs and examine their contents, known as the 'Intestine Hunter'. When it comes to danger, he's one of the most dangerous in the world."

"And as you can tell from the way you were happily fighting with Garf, you do have a penchant for doing things with your own hands... isn't that right?"

"We're not close, but I guess that's just the kind of person he is. ...I can't follow what you're saying."

"That's simple, Subaru-sama. — Something unexpected has happened with this attack on their side as well."

　It was a powerful statement.

　Subaru's eyes widened in shock at Frederica's bold statement.

"Currently, the mansion is surrounded by magical beasts. The girl who was with us is most likely the beast's controller... we should call her a beastmaster. The original plan for the enemy to attack was for the magical beasts to close the gap and attack the mansion, attacking us inside."

"Why do you think that?"

"--The timing of the attack between the beastmaster and the intestine hunter was off."

　Subaru frowned for a moment in thought at Frederica's confident words, but he quickly realised what she was trying to say and made a move.

"I see, that's what it is! Shit, why didn't I notice that? Indeed, if that's the case, then Frederica is right! Given that abnormal person's personality, it's bound to be that way!"

"Wh-what do you mean? I don't understand the connection."

　Subaru kicks the floor in excitement and frustration. Otto, who is unable to keep up with the conversation, looks anxious, but Subaru nods in agreement.

"It's simple, Otto. The truth is, it was supposed to be an attack by magic beasts, and the people inside the building were cornered. And once we were cornered, we couldn't escape normally. So, let's head for the secret passage—this is the natural progression. Right?"

"That's exactly what's happening now, isn't it? But isn't it true that the enemy knows about the secret passage and so it can't be used?"

"That's right. If the attack had gone as planned, we would have been cornered and would have tried to use the secret passage to escape, only to be defeated by Erza, who was waiting for us there. That was their plan...But now that has been disrupted. Erza is not at the secret passage right now."

"――――"

　Why is that?

　Considering Elsa's character, that was obvious.

"Elsa didn't want the prey to decrease, so she acted on her own accord. That's why the timing of the attack was off with the beastmaster. On top of that, she left her post, which she was supposed to block. --So now there's no one in the secret passage!"

"Originally, that woman in black was supposed to be lying in wait there. Therefore, the current situation is unexpected, so the possibility of reinforcements being there is extremely low. Of course, as time passes, the other side will notice that the situation is different from plan. The possibility that additional personnel will be sent into the secret passage is also gradually increasing."

"In that case, we need to hurry and get out of there before anyone gets here!"

　Taking over from Subaru and Frederica, Petra answered with a bound of excitement.

　Subaru put his hand on Petra's light brown hair, roughly stroked it, and laughed, "Perfect marks."

"Considering the amount of information we have, this is the most likely possibility. Either way, it's more hopeful than breaking through the encirclement of the monsters outside. At worst, it'll be meaningful to just check the office… Let's do it. This is the only way we can get everyone out safely!"

　--With that momentum, everyone had arrived right in front of the office.

　All of us were physically and mentally exhausted. But the hope of reaching the finish line gave us the final strength to keep our exhausted bodies going.

　That flame of hope that she clung to――

"...Hey hey, you're kidding."

　Having reached the top floor, Subaru peered around a corner into the hallway and muttered to himself.

　Similarly, Otto, peeking his head out from above, and Petra, peeking in from below, were both speechless, as they had seen the same thing as Subaru and felt the same way.

"What happened? My lord, your office is..."

　Frederica sat down halfway down the steps and questioned the three scouts about their results. However, even she could tell from their reactions that the situation was bad.

　Hearing the somewhat anxious voice, Subaru and the others turned around, muffling their footsteps.

"There's a really dangerous looking thing stationed in front of the room."

　--To Subaru, it looked like a monster known as a "Chimera."

　It had the head of a lion-like feline and the slender, supple body of a horse or goat. Its long tail curled sharply like a writhing snake, and although its size was inferior to that of the hippopotamus beast the beastmaster rode, it was still gigantic enough to block the wide hallway of the mansion. It was a bizarre being that seemed to have jumped out of a myth - its fighting power was something you could imagine.

"That is... the magical beast 'Guiltilaw'. It lives in the depths of the miasma-filled forest, and is something like the boss of the wild beasts... but it shouldn't be the kind of magical beast that would be brought to a human settlement like this... and especially inside a mansion..."

"Is it possible that he's just a skinny guy with a good look? I think that despite his appearance, he may actually have a gentle temperament and would be satisfied if he just munched on dried bonito flakes…"

"I don't know what a bonito flake is, but would you like to go and give it some food? It'll probably just bite off about half of your body and that'll be it."

　Otto's words made Subaru think of the size of Guiltilaw's head.

　I see. With a mouth that big, it looks like Subaru could finish it in two bites.

"No, but Garfiel was much bigger when he turned into a beast. Okay, let's bring him over and see who's bigger. If we're bigger, he'll just retreat."

"And then you go back to calling her by her name, and now you're going to smack that black lady? That's no laughing matter, Natsuki-san. …Have you thought of anything?"

　Otto, who had been engaging in light-hearted banter, turned an expectant look towards Subaru.

　It was as if they had been expecting Subaru to come up with something during their recent exchange. That was quite an unreasonable expectation, Subaru thought as he turned to Frederica and Petra,

"Subaru."

"Subaru-sama."

　The two women looked at me with similar expectation.

"--Hey, what are you expecting from me?"

　Taking a deep breath, Subaru shivered at the amount of expectations being placed upon him. He then shifted Rem's body onto his back and closed his eyes.

　Our current situation and available forces.

　Frederica was injured, Otto had almost no magical power, Petra and Subaru had no real fighting power, and this was on the third floor of the main building of the mansion. There was no way they could summon Garfiel, and it would be presumptuous to even think about asking Beatrice for help.

　In that case, Subaru had no choice but to use his usual style of resistance, which was to use everything he had.

　Each person's abilities, what they could do, the materials, the opponent's situation, the conditions, after thinking about it all and thinking and thinking―― Subaru let out a sigh.

"If neither military nor magical power is of any use... then it's time to bet on my unrivaled modern knowledge."

※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※

　At first, it was a small sound that caught the Demonic Beast Guiltilaw's attention.

"――――"

　There was a continuous tapping sound of something light and hard hitting the floor, and Guiltilaw lifted his nose.

　The Silent King of the Forest - Guiltilaw, as he is sometimes called in some regions, differs from other magical beasts in that he does not like to roar or make unnecessary noise.

　Despite its large size and bizarre appearance, it flies nimbly across wastelands, silently approaching its prey and killing them with a single blow, striking their vital spots. It excels in such surprise attacks and assassination-like hunting.

　Therefore, even though it was an order from his "Master," staying in one place and lying in wait to hunt like this was nothing less than a foolish tactic for Guiltilaw.

　Of course, he had no intention of being ungrateful and disobeying his master's orders.

　By breaking his "horn", Guiltilaw was able to escape the curse.

"――――"

　Guiltilaw's nose roams, searching for the direction of the sound, while he muses on his "master's" commands.

　Taking position in front of this door and hunting down any approaching hostiles - that was the duty commanded by Guiltilaw, and the wish of his "Master."

　The sound was clearly footsteps, continuing tapping and pounding, as if defenseless.

　Like the "Master", many creatures that walk on two legs make this kind of footstep noise. Among them, there are some strong creatures that make no footstep noise at all, but the owner of this footstep noise is different.

　Unguarded, careless, thoughtless, and blunt - without a shred of grace.

　To Guiltilaw, they were weaklings that he hated even eating them as food.

"――――"

　Without making a sound, Guiltilaw glided out from in front of the door.

　The footsteps came from the western stairs, which was the direction from which the sounds of a struggle had been heard several times in the past.

　Guiltilaw knew that his "master" had brought many other magical beasts with him. Many of the beasts, weaker in both strength and size than him, surrounded the building, while his "master" left him to guard the door, riding on the back of a particularly large, lumbering beast to hunt prey.

　There were many aspects of his decision to hunt such a large demonic beast and leave him behind to support the rear guard that he found frustrating. Still, if the enemy that appeared here was a strong one, then he would at least be able to justify the reason he was brought here and save face.

　For that very reason, Guiltilaw would stay put and not do the foolish thing of attacking any demonic beast until the enemy reached his post.

　If they're too weak to even reach you, then it's not worth fighting them.

　If they are weak and will be slaughtered by a magical beast weaker than themselves, then they are not worth hunting.

　However, his prey had overcome the obstacles of the other magical beasts and had made it all the way to this spot. When he sensed its presence, Guiltilaw even felt a secret surge of excitement.

　--So this is the result we've been waiting for.

　He doesn't even know how to hide his footsteps, and the fighting spirit he exudes is weak and fragile.

　A fleeting, inferior existence that would be dispersed with a single wave of claws or fangs.

"――――"

　The only emotion that arises is anger.

　It tears its prey apart with these fangs, scattering not even a morsel of flesh and blood in its stomach.

　It was the only way now to sublimate the burning emotion that was almost like humiliation.

　Following the footsteps, Guiltilaw moved without casting a shadow in the moonlight. His massive body gliding silently along was the stuff of nightmares to anyone who witnessed it.

　The jet-black assassin approached the sound of carefree footsteps, and as soon as his prey turned a corner, he stopped in its tracks and slashed it in half from its back with his claws.

"----!"

　Without even a moment's hesitation, Guiltilaw stretched his neck and leapt onto his prey's back - but...

"---?"

　The prey that had caught up with him and was within reach of his claws was nowhere to be seen.

　Losing track of where to bring his raised arm down, Guiltilaw stopped in his tracks, momentarily feeling something strange. His nostrils trembling, Guiltilaw turned his head.

　Where is the foolish, fragile, weak prey?

"----!"

　Once again, the sound of footsteps struck Guiltilaw's earlobes.

　I lowered my head and looked towards the sound, and it seemed to be coming from downstairs. It was the footsteps of my prey running down the uneven stairs to the floor below.

　It seemed that it had noticed our presence and had slightly quickened its pace to evade, but knowing this, Guiltilaw was not going to let its prey get away.

　He raised his head and looked behind him, at the door he had been ordered by his "master" to protect.

　Although it would mean leaving his post, this prey was surely the one ordered by his "master." If he could take the head, he would have practically obeyed his "master's" orders.

　Having decided this, Guiltilaw chases after his miserably fleeing prey.

　In fact, the moment he turned his back on her despite being within attack range, it was as if he was teaching her that she had no way of resisting him.

　For Guiltilaw, back when he roamed the fields and mountains and reigned as king of the forest, hunting down fleeing prey like this was an everyday occurrence for him as a form of entertainment.

　The only prey worth taking into this body are those with truly great power.

　Prey that turns its back and resists, its fangs removed, exists only to ensure that its claws and fangs do not forget the feel of blood and flesh - they too should know this.

　I go down the stairs and follow the footsteps.

　Kicking the wall of the landing, he made his massive body dance like a dancer downstairs. Pursuing his prey to the second floor and then the first, Guiltilaw descended to the lowest level of the building.

　Far away, the scent of a struggle could be heard from a distant part of the building.

　The smell of my "master" and the stench of the lumbering beast my loathsome master had taken. Then there was the wafting scent of blood and steel, the scent of the strong.

"――――"

　If possible, I would like to go there too and be present at the battle.

　He wished he could use his claws and fangs as he pleased in front of his "Master," tearing the body of a strong man apart and leaving him drowning in a sea of ​​blood, and savoring the taste of victory.

　However, that is not desired now. An order has been given.

　--If I hunt down this prey quickly and catch up with it, will I be allowed to join in?

"----!"

　Guiltilaw felt his fangs throbbing even more, and shuddered.

　I heard footsteps again and following them, I heard the sound of a door closing, and at the end of the corridor, blended into the dark night, I saw a door that seemed to have just closed.

　Swiftly and silently, Guiltilaw stood in front of the door and deftly used his long tail to open it.

　This is not the first time that they have invaded the homes of these two-legged creatures and shown their fangs.

　Understanding the structure of this door, Guiltilaw twists his massive body and sneaks into the room. At this point he expects his prey to be waiting for him, but he doesn't see it inside the room, and is once again disappointed.

　But this time disappointment is not far away.

"――――"

　Turning his head, Guiltilaw's gaze headed towards the corner of the room - the wardrobe.

　The fabric of the prey's outerwear was sticking out and getting caught in the gap between the doors of the wardrobe. It must have jumped in and gotten its clothes caught in there in a panic. It was hilarious how the prey was so foolish that it didn't notice and thought it was hiding from Guiltilaw.

　Guiltilaw silenced his footsteps and crept closer to the wardrobe.

　With his tail raised and the tip sharpened, he had no hesitation whatsoever.

"----!"

　Like the tip of a spear, the tip of the tail easily pierced the wardrobe door.

　A round hole as if made with an awl - yet holes the size of coins continued to appear in the wardrobe one after another, skewering the bodies of the poor prey hiding within.

　Once the number of holes exceeded twenty, Guiltilaw stopped attacking with his tail.

　Then he stretched out his front legs and pulled down the wardrobe door to take in the pitiful sight of his prey, which had likely died. The door, now full of holes, opened easily, and the prey inside was――

"--Ruuh?!"

　Just as Guiltilaw was about to confirm the corpse of his prey, he recoiled from a blow that pierced his nostrils.

　An intense, pungent smell penetrated his sense of smell, enough to make him cry out in agony. He quickly turned his gaze to the inside of an open wardrobe, where a transparent bottle had broken, spilling a colorless liquid.

　The pungent smell was coming from there, and the prey was no longer in the wardrobe.

　The fabric that was sticking out was simply part of the outfit.

"----!"

　Once again, the sound of footsteps echoed from the corridor outside the room, and Guiltilaw turned around.

　His nose is impaired, but his ears and eyes are again intact. He sees a shadow running down the corridor, and Guiltilaw follows it, writhing with humiliation at having his sense of smell blocked.

　Guiltilaw had never been made fun of to this extent in his life.

　Up until now, Guiltilaw had overpowered all his opponents, but he had never encountered a pitiful being who neither faced him head-on in a fair and honorable manner, nor fled and was easily defeated by his fangs, but instead struggled to survive and refused to give up.

　I will definitely kill them. I will finish them off. I will chew them up, scatter them on the ground, and trample them underfoot.

"――――"

　Forgetting about even trying to silence the noise, Guiltilaw used his massive body to throw open the door to the room the footsteps had fled into.

　The double doors blew open with ease, welcoming Guiltilaw's large frame into a room that was vastly larger than any he'd been allowed into before.

　There was a huge table in the middle of the room, and a fireplace at the very back.

　There were lit candlesticks lined up on a table covered with a white cloth, and the flames cast an enchanting light on the room, where the only light source was moonlight.

"――――"

　The existence of fire is an abomination to Guiltilaw.

　Although he cannot extinguish the round white flames that float in the sky during the day, he feels a strong aversion to these flames that are so close to him. After all, the forest where Guiltilaw lived was engulfed in flames, and his safe haven was lost. At that time, his horns were broken and he was forced to obey his "master," so for Guiltilaw, flames bring back conflicting memories of liberation and shame.

"――――"

　There were no footsteps, but Guiltilaw heard a sound that didn't go unnoticed.

　In the large room, there was another door on the wall opposite the one I came in through. There wasn't much space behind the door, so I could sense a presence coming from behind it.

　Guiltilaw snorted, but his sense of smell had not yet returned.

　He couldn't sense the fear of his prey, nor the scent of it urinating. It was unfortunate that in this state, even if he tore his prey apart, he wouldn't be able to smell the blood or taste it properly.

　At least that sensation could be put off if he could tear his prey apart.

　Right now, the only thing that could save Guiltilaw was to wipe away the burning sense of humiliation in his chest, to make the prey he had mocked so much let out a death scream.

"――――"

　Guiltilaw steps forward with his massive body and heads straight for the room.

　Then, with his sharp, outstretched tail, he blew the door open. With his front paws he pushed down the door, which was now full of holes just like the wardrobe, then Guiltilaw took a breath and dived straight into the room.

"------ Ooooh!!"

　He rushes into the room and lets out a loud roar.

　It intimidates its prey with a roar, then sells the flesh of the cowering weak with its fangs and claws, blood and flesh.

　Swinging its tail, destruction raged through the room, smoke rising from the bags and boxes in the cupboards that were torn apart. Its front paws slammed into the floor, shattering it, tearing the cloth that was spread out on the ground, and white smoke erupted from there as well――no, smoke so thick it obscured the view, erupting one after the other.

"---!?"

　Everything around him was covered in white, and the moment he inhaled, Guiltilaw's respiratory system was invaded and he began coughing. An enormous amount of powder was flying around.

　There was so much powder that it took away his eyesight and even the breath to roar.

"It worked!"

　I heard someone or something's voice.

　And the voice wasn't coming from this room, but from the room in front.

"Take this, the essence of science - a dust explosion!!"

　Something was thrown into the white, smoking room with a loud noise.

　The bright, flickering light was one of the candlesticks lined up on the table in the room ahead.

　The candlestick hit the wall and the flickering flame fell to the floor, briefly increasing its flames.

"――――"

"Ah, what's that...?"

　But that's all.

　The candlestick fell to the floor and showed no further reaction. The speaker of the voice that had thrown it muttered something that sounded misguided, and I realized that he had stopped dead outside the room.

「――――!!」

　Guiltilaw instinctively realized that this was a golden opportunity.

　Something had happened that left the enemy in a disadvantage. And if that unforeseen event had not occurred, Guiltilaw would have been in danger.

　Understanding this, Guiltilaw turns around and chooses to escape from the room.

　Once he steps out into the open, where he can swing his massive limbs and tail to his heart's content, it doesn't matter what his prey is up to. He overpowers them with overwhelming strength and snatches victory.

　Now, nothing more is needed.

"Well, I told you so, it's better than saying something nonsensical!"

"It's usually quicker to do it this way!"

　Just as he was about to leap out, Guiltilaw heard the cries of two more prey.

　A low voice, then a high-pitched voice. The moment Guiltilaw realised it was the voice of a prey of a different gender, he felt the shelf behind him collapse onto him.

　A string extending from the entrance was tied to the leg of the shelf.

　The shelf was pulled with great force from outside and fell onto Guiltilaw's back. However, the shelf was only large enough to block Guiltilaw's rear end.

　The collision had gained some momentum, but the damage it caused to Guiltilaw was next to nothing.

　Guiltilaw calmly absorbed the impact and cut the rope with his claws.

　This time I tried to jump out of the room,

"---?"

　The cupboard opens and the liquid spills out, splattering all over half of his body.

　It felt different from water, slimy. Guiltilaw felt uncomfortable as the slightly yellowish liquid got his prized black fur wet.

　However, Guiltilaw's unpleasant feelings quickly disappeared.

"---!?"

"Otto Suen's private business, commercial oils with all his money poured into them -- take as much as you can!"

　The sound of prey came from outside the room.

　But at that moment, Guiltilaw had no time to pay any attention to the voice of his weak prey.

　--The oil that had covered his entire body caught fire in the flames of the candlestick, and his entire body was burned by the odious flames.

「――――!!」

　The King of Beasts, who had come down from the fields and clung to his throne in the sky of the forest until the very end, was consumed by flames the same color as the humiliation that burned his body, without even knowing what he had been defeated by.