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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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The dungeon’s first floor.
A foul stench emanated from within the dungeon, which had a structure similar to a sewer.
The other children might not have noticed, but a pungent smell of food waste permeated the air.
Luna, oblivious to the hallucinations and auditory illusions, seemed unaware of the situation and was exploring her surroundings.
It appeared she was immune to status ailments, just like in the various media she had seen.
“Sniff, sniff, I know this smell from somewhere! Where have I smelled this before…?”
“…You don’t need to sniff it, Luna.”
“It doesn’t smell like Mister… Anyway, got it!”
Should I call her carefree or clueless?
Black magic flowed through the dungeon, using the smell as a conduit to induce auditory and visual hallucinations.
That was probably why Aina appeared before me.
Truly a disgusting ability.
Just as I was about to take a step forward, wanting to eliminate the Demon Lord immediately…
Tap-
Hare clutched my sleeve tightly and asked,
“M-Mister… I keep hearing strange voices… They keep telling me to stab Luna… I, I’m hearing strange things…”
“Huh? H-Hare… You want to stab me…? I, I thought we were friends!!”
“They’re… ordering me to stab Luna…”
“It’s an auditory illusion, so don’t worry. They’ll keep telling us to stab the things that make us uncomfortable.”
Perhaps that was why the Demon Lord kept showing me Aina.
Poking at the most painful spot in my heart, trying to make me lose my reason.
I patted Hare’s head gently and walked forward.
“It seems today’s tour will be a bit difficult, Hare. Try to ignore those voices as much as possible and follow me. Never give in to the whispers.”
“O-Okay… Mister… But the voice that said you’ll abandon me… Hic, it… hurts so much… Hic…”
“…I never said such a thing.”
A fragile 14-year-old in the midst of puberty.
Hare wiped away her tears and followed behind me.
Perhaps Hare would be the one most affected by this incident once it was over.
I had a gut feeling, thinking that as I looked at Saten walking next to me.
She wore a relaxed, emotionless expression.
“…Saten, are you alright?”
“It’s noisy.”
“Huh?”
“The auditory illusions are a bit noisy.”
…I thought she was talking to me.
Just like her expression suggested, Saten seemed unaffected by the auditory and visual hallucinations.
Since it was just a disembodied voice, it was probably no different from a dog barking to her.
‘Perhaps the most reliable one in the Hero’s party is Saten.’
The moment I thought Saten was the most capable…
Estia suddenly darted forward, calling out the name of the friend she had seen in her memories.
“Uh, uh…? R-Rachel…! Wait for me…!! Don’t, don’t leave me behind-!!”
“…Damn it.”
It was what I had seen in the future, but I couldn’t help but feel heartbroken.
I grabbed Estia as she lunged forward.
She struggled in my arms.
“L-Let go of me-!! R-Rachel-!! Don’t, don’t go-! If, if you go there, you’ll die-!! Pl-Please don’t go-!!”
“…Estia. Please calm down.”
Close your eyes.
It will get better.
I covered Estia’s struggling eyes with my hand, and her thrashing gradually subsided.
When she had calmed down to a certain extent, I whispered into her ear,
“It’s an illusion, Estia. Don’t believe what you see.”
She replied to my voice, shouting,
“H-How can you say that-!! It, it might not be an illusion-!! R-Rachel could be alive-!!”
…No.
Rachel was dead.
There was no way she survived in that prison.
I wanted to tell her to face reality, but…
Even I kept thinking, ‘Maybe Aina, who is smiling at me in that darkness, is alive?’
So, I spoke to Estia as gently as I could.
“Estia. You’re saying there’s a girl named Rachel up ahead?”
“I saw her-! R-Rachel was there-!!”
“…Then, let’s go check it out.”
It would be better to show her firsthand.
We walked in the direction Estia pointed.
It didn’t really matter since Aina was smiling at me in the direction we were heading anyway.
“R-Rachel! R-Rachel is over there! M-Mister, hurry up!”
Could Rachel really be there?
Luna seemed to have the same question as she looked at me with a suspicious expression.
And when we reached the spot where Estia had pointed…
I looked up at the ceiling.
Huge thorns were descending, aiming to impale us.
Clang-!
“It’s a trap.”
“R-Rachel…? W-Where are you-”
“It’s an illusion, Estia. Do you understand now? Rachel isn’t here.”
“She left me again… Rachel…”
Estia seemed shocked.
Luna didn’t seem to care about her as she shouted at me at the top of her lungs.
It was deafening.
“Ah, ahhhh-!! W-we’re going to die…!!”
“M-Mister…! I-I just want to convey my feelings one last time-”
“I’m not going to die. Don’t make a fuss.”
I sliced through the descending thorns in an instant, sending them scattering to the side.
Crash-!
Zero casualties.
There was no way we’d die from such a low-level trap.
No matter how dangerous the dungeon traps were, this was the lower floors.
The traps weren’t particularly lethal.
So…
“Hare, come here. I’ll explain how the trap works.”
“Y-Yes…!”
I taught Hare about the traps as I walked toward Aina, who was waving at me from afar.
And like Estia, who had become certain that Rachel wasn’t there…
I also became certain.
That the woman with long red hair, waving at me from afar…
Aina was not there either.
However, for some reason…
‘I don’t feel very good.’
Perhaps it was me, not Estia, who didn’t want to believe that the illusion was fake…
As we descended the stairs to the dungeon’s third floor, a cave-like structure made of bricks unfolded before us.
We were getting closer to the source of the stench, and as we did, the children’s auditory and visual hallucinations worsened.
“Ah, ah… D-Don’t…! The, the injection… I-I’m sorry… St-Stop, stop it…!”
“Mister, what’s wrong with Estia…?”
“…She’s in pain.”
Estia trembled, taking a defensive stance as if she saw an injection in front of her.
Her pitiful pleas, begging them to stop, echoed through the dungeon, and Estia seemed to be on the verge of a mental breakdown.
It was probably due to her trauma.
‘…But to eliminate the Demon Lord, I need Estia’s power.’
There was a reason the Hero’s party consisted of four members.
No matter how addicted to holy water the Saintess was, her power was necessary to defeat the Demon Lord.
So, there was no other choice but to administer the medicine.
I took out a bottle of holy water from my subspace.
“I-I’m sorry, guys… I-I was the only one who survived… I miss everyone… He-Help me… I-I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”
“…Estia, open your mouth.”
“Sorry… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry… I’m sorry I couldn’t save you… I’m sorry…”
…Judging by her state, I’d have to force-feed her.
I pried open Estia’s mouth, which kept uttering apologies, and poured the holy water inside.
As soon as it entered her mouth, Estia shuddered, her body trembling as if pleasure washed over her.
She began to drool.
The children were horrified at the sight.
“I-Is, is that… h-holy water…?! That’s practically a drug!”
“I don’t want to keep watching this. Honestly, it’s a bit disturbing.”
“It’s medicine for Estia. Please understand.”
“He, hehe… Heh… Heuuu…”
Umph-
I carried Estia on my back as she mumbled incoherently.
I felt her drool dripping onto my hood, but I wanted to escape this place as quickly as possible, so it didn’t matter.
More importantly…
“Hare.”
“Y-Yes…? Mister…?”
“Put the dagger in your hand back in your pocket. It’s an auditory and visual illusion.”
“Y-Yes… S-Sorry, Mister… I’m not in my right mind… I’m sorry…”
…Perhaps she was aware of her own situation as she apologized and put the dagger away.
However, her mumbling didn’t stop.
“What…? Luna, you and Mister… are… in… that… kind of relationship…? And… you told me to get… lost…?”
“Huh? What are you talking about, Hare! I didn’t say that!”
“S-Saten, you, you’re going to… kill Mister…? Th-That can’t be… I’d rather die… M-Mister, please spare him, Saten…”
“She’s crazy. I don’t want to use vulgar language, but that idiot is insane.”
She was right.
Hare was half-insane.
Perhaps her mind was weak, making her sensitive to auditory and visual hallucinations.
The key was to escape this dungeon before she went completely mad.
At least she was trying to control herself, apologizing and following my words.
“…Let’s speed up. We’ll move quickly.”
Luna, the only one unaffected by the hallucinations and auditory illusions… was in high spirits, like a fish in water, as she walked beside me.
Compared to Saten, who had started to break out in a cold sweat, she was in excellent condition.
As we picked up the pace, we were getting closer to the stench.
Smelling the garbage-like odor, I realized the Demon Lord of Lust was nearby.
And the moment I felt an unpleasant presence behind me…
“You finally made it~?”
A vulgar woman’s voice, laced with coquetry, reached my ears.
Her tone was 100% different from the one I knew, but the voice was all too familiar.
It was the voice of Aina, etched in my memories.
“You filthy thing. Who are you trying to imitate?”
Hearing those words, I turned around.
“You disgusting bitch.”
“Heehee, how is it? I thought you’d like to see the most important person in your heart~, so I gave it a try~. I was so happy you found your way here~. Shall we greet each other~? I’m the Demon Lord of Lust, Rust. Or should I say, Aina~?”
“Shut your mouth.”
Aina, with her red fox-like appearance and indifferent gray eyes…
But the Demon Lord of Lust, Rust, had horns on her head, a gaze consumed by pleasure, and a vulgarity ingrained in her entire being.
She was trampling and defiling the one who had been my teacher, my memory, and my past.
“You vulgar piece of shit. Don’t you dare speak.”
“Ooh, ooh…? U-Um, Mister?”
“Mmm, I’m so flattered you like it so much~. It makes me feel like I’m about to overflow. You have such amazing energy, big brother~!”
“Don’t you dare open your mouth in that form. I’ll tear you to shreds.”
The Demon Lord of Lust, Rust, replied with a vulgar smile.
“Such harsh words~. You’re really my type, big brother… Would you like to live with me~? I can make things fun for you every day… How about it~?”
Slurp-
Rust licked her lips, trying to seduce me.
However, my mind was already made up.
To kill this Demon Lord, no matter what.
As always, Minerva agreed with my heart.
Option 1 was probably given considering my emotions.
It would be mentally painful to kill a Demon Lord that looked like Aina.
Minerva must have offered it out of consideration.
But I was okay.
My anger towards the Demon Lord who looked like Aina was far greater than the sadness of killing her.
“The answer is number 2.”
“Hmm, what did you say, big brother?”
“Shut up.”
I didn’t want to hear her voice anymore.
It felt like the faint memory of Aina’s voice was fading away.
‘So now…’
I took out Aina’s staff from my subspace and grasped it tightly.
With suppressed rage, I declared to Rust,
“I will eliminate you.”
Before my memories faded completely.
I would get rid of this being that resembled Aina.
Rust smiled at me and replied,
“It would have been nice if you stayed with me~. Well, if that’s your choice, big brother, I can’t do anything about it~. It’s a shame, but I’ll invite you and the little ones behind you~!”
To the world of dreams.
Enjoy your sweet dreams.
With those last words that resembled Aina…
My vision went dark as if the lights had been switched off.
Thud-
Hare didn’t remember clearly what had happened after her vision suddenly went dark.
But she was happy.
“Today’s wedding! The groom, Jun, enters! The bride is Yuriana Hare!!”
Ta-da-da-dam- Ta-da-da-dam-
Trumpet sounds echoed through the wedding hall, and people applauded with joy.
Lee Jun-woo, looking neat and tidy, was approaching the bride in a suit.
Hare was deeply moved.
“Mister…”
I’m so happy…
To be married to Mister…
I’m so happy…
“Th-This can’t be a dream… This is real…”
Mister finally understands my feelings.
Drip, drip-
Hare shed tears, accepting this situation as reality.
Lee Jun-woo, looking refined, approached Hare…
He knelt before her, meeting her gaze.
“Ah, the groom kneels before the bride, Hare! And…! He takes out a box from his pocket…!!”
Click-
Lee Jun-woo opened the box with a shy expression and exchanged glances with Hare.
Inside, there was a small ring, seemingly the perfect size for Hare’s finger.
It was as if the ring had been made just for her.
“Sob… M-Mister… Am, am I allowed to be this happy…?”
“Don’t cry on such a wonderful day, Hare. I only have you.”
Though Lee Jun-woo’s tone was mechanical…
“I-I’m happy, Mister… Hehe…”
Hare loved it even more.
She vaguely knew it was a dream, but she never wanted to let go of this happiness.
“I-I only have Mister too… I love you, Mister…”
“Yes, Hare. Give me your hand. This ring is for you.”
“O-Okay… Mister… We’re… getting married… We’re going to spend our lives together…!”
Hare extended her hand, her voice filled with emotion.
Lee Jun-woo slipped the ring onto her finger, as if he were a machine.
Hare cried tears of joy.
Her happiness had reached its peak.
“M-Mister… Sob, I love you… Thank you for… loving me…”
“Yes, Hare. I’m glad you’re happy. But you know…”
Do you really think this is real?
“…Huh?”
“You’re so foolish, Hare. You’re truly foolish. I almost want to abandon you.”
“M-Mister…? You, you just said you loved me…?”
“I didn’t know you’d fall for such simple words, Hare. Face reality.”
“Y-Yes…?”
Hare, sensing the chilling atmosphere, looked around.
The people who had been clapping had all turned to stare at her with emotionless expressions, devoid of any feeling.
The music that had filled the wedding hall began to clash in discord.
Goosebumps erupted all over Hare’s body.
“Th-This… Wh-What… is going on…? M-Mister…?”
“You still don’t understand, Hare? I’m abandoning you.”
“Huh…?”
Lee Jun-woo scoffed at Hare and beckoned someone to approach.
She followed his gesture to see the red-haired woman, who had been talking with Mister earlier, embracing him tightly.
Shatter-
It was the moment Hare’s mentality shattered.
“Th-This… Wh-What is… th-this…? Mister is… abandoning me… and… w-with another woman…?”
“I like this woman much more than a child like you, Hare. You’re just a nuisance.”
“N-No…! Th-That’s a lie…! M-Mister wouldn’t abandon me-“
“You still think that after seeing this?”
Lee Jun-woo smirked and made eye contact with Aina.
It was a sticky exchange of adult gazes.
As if they were certain of what they were about to do, they leaned in towards each other.
And then…
“Slurp- Slurp- Ah, I love you, Aina.”
“I love you too, Slurp- Jun. Slurp-”
“Ah, a-ah… Th-This is a dream… Hic… It’s a dream…”
Hare, who had been shedding tears of joy…
Now shed tears of sorrow.
Show them a dream of ultimate happiness, then plunge them into a nightmare.
Make them feel like they’re falling from the highest peak.
That was the power of the succubus, the Demon Lord of Lust.
‘Dream Amusement Park.’
Rust, who was enjoying this situation, absorbing Hare’s despairing emotions… murmured with amusement,
“Heehee, this is nice~. If that man hadn’t put up a barrier at the last moment, I could have cut off the heads of all those kids trapped in their dreams~. What a shame~.”
The moment the children’s heads fell…
Would be the moment this man succumbed to her dream.
She couldn’t wait to see that.
With that curiosity, Rust decided to peek into another person’s dream.
“This time… I think I’ll try… this one…?”
The blonde girl.
Luna.
She was Rust’s next target.
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[bro i aint gonna lie i read a lot of harem but this gotta be the most yandere yandere i ever seen what about yall?]
Saten is gonna be the most crazy one later on I bet