015. What To Offer
「Gain-san. I am so sorry about last night. As an apology, I will take you to an ideal world, so please forgive me♪」
Yume said with a smiling face, but
「Oh no. As expected, the moment I come, I don't want you to make me ascend, even in a physical sense.」
I'm only 16 and I don't want to die here.
「Besides, my real name is "Yuuto". It's my fault for using a fake name. There's no need to apologize or worry about it.」
「Is that so? But it's the same for me ― my real name is "Lilith". Lilith Nightmare ― that's what I was named.」
Her charming smile, reminiscent of a woman of a certain age, sent a shiver down my spine.
(Is this really the girl I had sex with yesterday?)
She looks so different that it is hard to believe she is the same person. ...... Even if this is her true form, it is not so easy to accept.
「I knew there must be a reason for it, but forcible suicide is a bit much, don't you think? Besides, would Yume be happy if she died with someone like me?」
I dared to call her by her fake name, but she said, "Yes, of course". She replied with a clear voice and expression.
「I like you, Yuuto-san, you know? It's the first time I've had someone be so kind to me, and it made me feel so peaceful ...... and Yuuto-san is pretty cool, I even felt like I was destined to be with him♪」
「Oh man. It's a man's ultimate happiness to be told that, even if it's a lie. I've never been popular with the ladies before, you see」
In fact, I've never had a girlfriend in my life.
「In any case, I don't intend to die here. I'm going to fight to the bitter end.」
「I don't mind, but ...... what are you going to do? There are "followers" around, and Yuuto-san's neck has a restraining ring (Agria) attached to it. The moment you escape, your head will be blown off, you know?」
「That's what I heard. But ......」
I glanced at the situation around me, and I offer one hypothesis.
「While I was being held captive, I thought about a lot of things. In particular, "Why did they go to the trouble of doing this?" "Why didn't they just kill me?" I kept wondering......and I understand that the reason for it was "to offer a sacrifice".」
「Yes. The sacred ceremony in which we, the "Haikimono (Scrapters)", offer literally "everything" to the evil god "Orr-Go-Gruesus"-sama that we worship ― That's what this "Orgia"」
「Thank you very much for your thoughtful explanation――That's what I would like to say, but」
As quickly as I could, I forced my left index and middle fingers between the collar and my throat, then fled.
The next moment. The ring shrank back with a tremendous force, but
(Gah! ......Gughh. Gaghhh!)
The bone was broken, but thanks to the sacrifice of my finger, I was barely able to secure the airway.
Of course, the entire finger is tightened, so it won't last long as it is.
It's only a comforting thought.
(...... Heh. Just as I thought!)
I could see that it stopped at a certain point, though the ring could have tightened it with more force if It wanted to kill me.
Furthermore, so far, I haven't felt any sign that the ring is about to explode. In other words.
「They don't intend to kill me ― it seems that their priority is to offer me up to the evil god after raising my "force" to the limit through sexual intercourse.」
If that's the case, then I was right in assuming that they wouldn't kill me so easily.
I wandered through the dimly lit tunnels in search of a way out.
「Damn it! It seems like I've been going the same way since a while agooooooooo!!」
No matter how I kept going and going, I could not get the feeling that I was heading for the exit at all. And, I couldn't understand why.
「Why? Why aren't the pursuers coming?」
Normally, the dark elves would have come any minute.
「One possibility is that this ring has a "transmitter" like function so that they can easily locate me.」
If I were the developer of this ring and could include various functions, I would certainly do so.
「The other is - because there is a certain evidence that 'you'll never get away from here,' huh?」
Come to think of it, I remember that there used to be a dungeon in a game that my dad used to like called "Infinite Corridor," where the path loops endlessly.
I don't know where this place is, but I wouldn't be surprised if it had such a trap/structure if it was some kind of crazy facility where evil gods are worshipped.
A truly ant lion's den......, and the more I struggled, the more my power was being taken away from me, and that thought came to mind.
「Oh? What is it, you little perv brat? You haven't been killed yet?」
Suddenly, I heard the voice of an old man from behind me, and I let out a strange scream, "Uuhyiiiiiiiihhhhh!"
「Hey, hey. Don't be so shy♪ This old man is going to get in trouble, you know?」
「...... It's disgusting, so please don't talk like that.」
I thought so with all my heart, but...
「Old man――what's up with your restraining ring!? Besides.」
Unlike earlier, he is armed with a sword and armor. Then...
「Well, I've been through a lot myself. Like you, I escaped from that place, but on the way, I found a place where they were packed. I got back the keys and some of my belongings.」
「Haaah!? Then take off my restraints, too!」
「Why the hell should I do that for you? Don't be a spoiled brat. Wipe your own ass with your own hands.」
I clenched my teeth when he flatly refused.
「Besides, even if you do get rid of that ring, what are you going to do after that? You're not planning to run away with me, are you?」
「Th-that's...」
「I'll tell you, I only work for my own "profit," and I would never do anything that would not only not be worth one iron coin (one yen), but would even be negative if it were not done properly, even if it kills me. That's my principle.」
I was momentarily overwhelmed when I saw Iru, who was always cool-headedly sticking to his own point of view.
「In other words, if it's in your interest, you're willing to lend a hand, right?」
When I said it back to him, the old man in Iru said, "Hou?" He sounded a little impressed.
「But what kind of conditions are you going to offer? I'll have you know, I'm not interested in money. I'm not even interested in the life of the little erotic brat yourself. I don't need that.」
「Ugh!」
The old man is probably right.
I still don't know who the hell he is, and there are too many unknowns.
He said "similar to fixer," but I still have no idea what that is, and I doubt it's even true in the first place.
But ......
「I am a transmigrant from the world of "Earth". If you help me, I will offer you "knowledge of another world" in return.」
If there is anything I can pay for now, it's this.
The old man said, "Do you have any proof?", and I told him, "Not at the moment.," and "I was forcibly summoned the other day by the king of Hanaria."
「That's a load of crap. Do you think I'm going to be moved by such a swindler's words?」
As expected, he was skeptical. However
「I understand why you don't trust me, but―are you sure? In my world, there are no such things as "demonic beasts," and even if there were, humans alone have the "power" to exterminate them. You don't even need force, and if you apply that knowledge, you can even go to the moon in the night sky, you know?」
When I said this, Iru's expression hardened.
He gave me a probing look, but if I even slightly got scared or suspicious, I'd be out of the game. But, I'm not going to let that happen.
(I'm only telling the truth "so far".)
I don't know the details of rocket principles, but I am still a high school student.
I have regular science and chemistry classes, and my grades are not bad.
「In some cases, "knowledge" that can never be obtained with any amount of money ― If you can't judge the value of it, then that's the extent of the old man, eh?」
「 ......You have the guts to say that.」
He laughed, smiling like a predator.
「All right, fine. For now ...... "this" is the deal」.
As soon as he said that, he poked my forehead with his finger.
What on earth is he doing―that's what I was thinking
「One of the folia, I drove in a 【Wedge of a Contract】. Although it is not as effective as the "Divine Oath Contract," it cannot be lied to or unilaterally destroy it. This folia acts directly on the "soul". If you try to violate it, you will be attacked by severe pain to the point of death.」
I didn't know such folia existed―but I don't have a problem with it either.
「I guess I'm a little pettier than I thought. I don't have the guts to make an enemy of someone like an old man.」
「Maybe now, but who knows what the future holds? Anyway, I'll take off the restraining ring, and I'll help you at least until you get out of here. If you don't want to die, follow my instructions. Got it?」
「Okay, okay」
I heard a mutter of "This brat it ......" as I said that.
「But for now, follow me. I have a plan.」
I nodded silently and set off down the road after Iru.
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