Slave Harem Volume 4, Chapter 25

Chapter 25

　The group led by Georg, Sion's husband, was making good progress.

　Unbeknownst to them, they had come far enough that if they conquered one more area, they would reach the final floor.

　They advanced through the waterway, occasionally moving above ground and efficiently selecting the easiest route.

　They didn't always fight monsters and would escape from troublesome enemies.

　The squid monster that Mars and his group encountered was one they had bypassed.

　Although it had the fatal weakness to fire, it was extremely strong against physical attacks.

「It's warm. Did our ancestors struggle in a place like this?」

「It's different from our time. It seems easy because our ancestors passed down weapons, magic, and technology. We have thousands of years of accumulated knowledge that makes things easier for us. That's why it seems easy.」

　Georg's retainer answered his casual remark.

　Making disparaging comments about their ancestors were not appreciated by even mermaids.

　Georg Vasti was born into a prestigious warrior family.

　The weapons he carries were also passed down to him, as were his fighting skills.

　Because of his tendency to make sharp comments like this, Georg was not well-liked.

　Warriors are valued for their abilities, so people would follow them, but Georg didn't know that the respect gained through violence could easily be overturned by even greater violence.

　If he hadn't been effective in the dungeon, Georg would have been left behind by his companions.

　Georg truly believed that this dungeon was easy.

　Although there were some struggles, none of the monsters he had defeated so far had significantly stronger than him.

　However, he did not feel that this was due in the slightest to the power of his ancestors. He felt no sense of gratitude for the fact that the accumulation of thousands of years, including his own, had produced this result.

　He saw everything as the result of his own superiority, with no spiritual depth in his perception of the powers of others.

　He believed he was living on his own strength alone.

　Despite being an excellent warrior, his mentality was no different from that of a child.

　Within their group, he was regarded as someone who had become an adult but retained a child's wickedness.

　Even after marriage, he didn't feel any responsibility towards anyone other than himself and used all available resources for his own benefit.

　No matter how strong he is, a man who thinks only of himself is not respected.

　If it is not a sword to protect someone, it is just a weapon.

　He chose his wife, Sion, because she is a shrine maiden.

　Warriors were supposed to marry shrine maidens. Such was the custom.

　The task of the warrior is to corner the Sea God, but it is the task of the shrine maiden to seal the Sea God

　It was believed that only when both parties worked together could they confront the Sea God.

　He was interested not in Sion herself but only in the power of the shrine maiden.

　He was interested in the magic that only a shrine maiden could use.

　He wants the honor of defeating the Sea God.

「I will be the one to defeat it.」

　Defeating the Sea God brings the greatest honor to a warrior.

　First of all, it is without a doubt the highest glory among mermaids.

　No man who yearns to become the embodiment of strength could resist seeking it out

　――Soon, I will become someone who is envied by everyone.

　It's only a matter of time, at least that's what Georg's intuition tells him

　Feeling a certain sense of accomplishment, Georg moves forward.

　He does not realize it until the very end.

　Unlike the shrine maiden's magic, his own power, that of a warrior, can be replaced in any number of ways.

　Suddenly, a roaring sound echoes in the dungeon.

　It was the sound of the explosion that Mars and the others had also heard.

「What was that!?」

　He never expected that the explosive sound coming from above would easily shatter his ambition.

　It was unjustified, without reason, and lacking in any kindness toward others. 

　Now, Georg is paying the price for doing the same to others. It's karma.

「What in the world!?」

　The ceiling collapsed and something large and black pierced through it.

　The incoming object that had invaded the cave caused a massive explosion. 

　It was a huge flame that burned up the entire floor.

　Georg was sure that the warriors around him were probably dead, even though he had not seen them.

　A giant fragment had pierced his stomach, threatening to tear his upper and lower body apart.

　The blood that flowed out felt as hot as boiling water.

　Even though his surroundings were too hot that he could hardly breathe, it seemed as if the heat was being drained from his body.

　He couldn't maintain his magic on his legs, so his lower body became a fish that was unsuitable for moving on the ground. 

　Despite the large hole in the ceiling, no water came in. This made the situation even more difficult. If only there were water and temperature regulation, things might have been a little different.

　――In a place like this, to die without understanding the meaning of it...!

「At least, at least let me fight! Let me die in battle!」

　Amidst his vision shaking with heat and shock, Georg certainly saw it.

　He saw a figure in pitch-black armor walking through the raging flames as if taking a leisurely stroll.

「A merman, huh. When you actually see it, they are quite ugly. More like fish people than a mermaid.」

　Georg seemed to be the only merman still alive, and the figure approached him with interest.

「Do you want me to help you?」

「Please, I beg you! I haven't even fought the Sea God yet! ――I can't die in a place like this!」

　Squatting with his legs spread apart, the black-armored man asked.

　As Georg pleads for help, the black-armored man puts his hand on his chin and tilts his head as if in thought.

「I think there was a story that mermaids cause shipwrecks... something about luring sailors with their songs. Not the Little Mermaid by Andersen, but the other kind of monster. That's what this creature looks like, at least.」

　The man in black armor muttered unfamiliar words that Georg didn't know.

　Georg had no way of knowing.

　After all, there is no such story as "The Little Mermaid" by Andersen in this world.

「Do you want me to help you?」

　He asked the same question again.

　The pain is getting worse, and the environment is the worst. He wanted to be rescued and healed as soon as possible.

　He wasn't going to end in a place like this.

　After a few seconds, the man in black armor laughs loudly.

　What's so funny? Georg wanted to get angry, but the pain in his body wouldn't let him.

「――I don't like it. I don't need an ugly monster like you in the new world I'm creating.」

　"Kin", there was a metallic sound.

　The moment Georg realized that the sword at the man's waist was the source of the sound, his vision turned pitch black.

　For a man whose dream was to live through battle and die in battle, his final moments were a one-sided slaughter after an accident.

　A man who had never cared for anyone ended his life without being cared for by anyone.

　Georg Vasti's long life had no meaning.

◇ ◇ ◇

「Hee, this spear is a trident, huh. A spear that looks like a fork... seems useless. Don't need it. The weapons of the people in this world are all like trash. Don't they sell better things at the 100 yen shop?」

　Georg inherited the treasured spear, but 'Jet Black' snapped it in half and threw it away.

「Even so, the fighter plane I stole from Sky City is far more impressive than the American one. Who would have thought it had enough speed to dive into the deep sea?」

　The man in black armor――the real "Jet-Black"――laughed and disappeared into the flame.

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