038. Jealousy
「Aside from General Jean, the fact that you are here ―― how long have you been suspicious?」
Rodl, the head of the Karguri branch of the Fixers' Guild, asked me with a surprised look on his face.
「From the very beginning.」
After I said that, "Hahaha. You're full of shit." he snickered at me. But
「I've known something was "strange" ever since I was in Han'aria, you know? Anyhow, as if to coincide with the abnormal proliferation of goblins, a large army of demonic beasts was also being generated in the "Great Sea of Trees" in the eastern part of the country. There was also the matter of the "Cultists" in which I was involved, and I knew that someone was pulling strings behind the scenes.」
No matter how much I wanted to know, the situation was too well arranged――perhaps Hannah-san had the same impression.
That's why she didn't deny my words, which were just a hunch.
「Furthermore, even though too much time has passed since the outbreak, the military has been reluctant to respond. Even though there are many G-rank goblins, a good number of of them have been dispatched, yet there is no sign of a decrease in the number of goblins. To top it off――when the people in charge in the area have no sense of crisis, it is only natural to think that they are 'behind the scenes,' don't you think?」
「...... Hmph. Fair enough.」
「If I may add one more thing, ...... You secretly disposed of the platoon I sent, didn't you? They were ostensibly new recruits, but they were all young men of ability who had sworn allegiance to me. They were not inexperienced enough to abandon their duties, much less fall behind the goblins. One possible explanation is that....」
「It would be the most clear-cut case that you, the person in charge of the field disposed of them by using false information.」
The title of branch manager alone would give him a reasonable amount of credibility, and he probably must have been reporting bullshit to the military as well.
When I deduced this, Rodl readily admitted it.
「As expected, I couldn't let the military get in the way. However, if I was to do something too obvious, there was a fear of being noticed. For that reason, I deliberately hinted at the existence of these ruins―and made them a sacrifice.」
「Sacrifice, huh?」
What a disgusting word.
「So? What is your purpose? Is it force?」
「You've got a good answer. And also―It's also true that I wanted a pawn to eventually gain supremacy. In that respect, the goblins were really capable at that! Plus, the impregnation bags were being sent here on their own! Even though we were almost there! Guuhh... ...... And yet! Aghhhhh, and yeeeet!」
Scratching his head with both hands, he stared at me with bloodshot eyes.
「I don't like it, I don't like it, I don't like it――why this me have to be driven off to the frontier branch? Even though I worked so hard,......, why ......, whyyyyyy!」
It seems that all the stress he has accumulated up to this point has exploded here.
「What is it about you, anyway!? Why are you being over-appreciated for merely having achieved a little success against goblins!? Isn't that strange!? Did you cheat in some way!? And to top it off, even the women are flirting with you――!」
It was a completely false accusation, but the whirlpool of "jealousy" raging within Rodl only grew more intense and did not seem to subside.
「Either way, "it's time to pay the tribute".」
I'm not going to let this crazy son of a bitch get away with it.
And this time, General Jean is here.
I don't know how powerful he is, but I don't intend to lose so easily. But...
「――! This is bad! Get away ――」
「Too late!」
Before Jean could finish her sentence, Rodl did "something".
The next moment. A strange reddish-black pattern appeared on the dirt floor, which had been perfectly normal until then, and then something like a weird tentacle began to entwine with my limbs. Immediately afterward
「GGgauuaaahhhhhh!!!」
「AAaaahhhhhhhh!!!」
I and Jean screamed in shock as if a high-voltage electric current had been passed through us. Furthermore,
(C-Crap! T-This is ......!)
The feeling of "power" being forcibly taken away ...... this is probably sucking up some of the force.
「Ahahahaha! Sucks to be you! It serves you right! Gyahahahahahahahaha!」
(Tsk, you fucker!)
Considering that Osada-kun's skills didn't catch on either, it seems that it wasn't just a trap ― but it was unexpected, indeed.
(W-We're screwed if we don't do something!)
What will happen to Mona and the girls, who were especially worn out? I can't predict.
What the hell should I do......!? While biting my back teeth, I was searching for a way out of this mess.
「Gguaahhhhhh!」
Suddenly, Rodl's body was pierced by countless knives.
Immediately, the tentacles disappeared. My body becomes lighter and――
「......Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!」
Jean destroyed the pattern on the floor with her fist.
「Guhh! W-why ...... why can you move!? You're just a haniwaaaaaaa!」
Yes ― while both Jean and I were unable to move, Osada-kun seemed to be the only one who was unaffected.
After confirming that Rodl consciousness was focused on me and Jean, Osada-kun spits out the knife that he usually keeps in his [S-Dimensional Stomach] ― and that was just the beginning.
「Heh heh heh ♪ I'm not proud of it, but we Dogu are extremely weak against physical attacks, but except force attacks, we are invincible!?」
I've never heard of such a thing! When I tried to ask him,
「I'm sorry. I simply lost the opportunity to tell you.」
Osada-kun said he was sorry, but it was no problem.
「Brace yourself, Rodl!」
Jean stood up and readied her sword again. At the same moment...
「......, You guys are all making fools of me! Fine. I've got just "the thing I want to try".」
Saying that, Rodl took out a reddish-black crystal stone the size of a clenched fist from his pocket.
「T-that was!?」
「Hehehe...... this is a gift I received from a certain person. It's a crystal of ordinary force, but with special workmanship.」
A chilling chill ran up my spine, and immediately after that,
「GGggoooooooohhhhhhhhhhh!!!!」
As soon as Rodl absorbed the crystal as if it were inside his own body, he became huge.
In no time at all, he was transformed into a hideous monster, perhaps three meters tall.
It looked like a――
「Goblin king, you might say? Isn't that a figure that suits you, whose roots are rotten?」
I said it as if I was mocking him.
「Osada-kun, take Mona and the other girls and get out of here!」
I urged him, "G-got it!" he replied, and with Mona's help, he and the other victims ran away from the place.
「Be on your guard! It certainly looks like a Goblin King, but it has a far greater and more dangerous force than the ones we have defeated on several occasions!」
General Jean exclaimed. Moreover,
「Hey, hey, hey. The Goblin King shouldn't be armed with a big sword and a rock shield!」
Perhaps he used his folia to summon his armor. I certainly witnessed the moment when they suddenly appeared in both hands.
And then――
「I"LL KILL ALL OF YOOUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!」
A roar that could no longer be considered a human voice was raised, and Rodl ― No. The Goblin King attacked.
Previous Chapter --- TOC --- Next Chapter
Tftc
ReplyDelete