Part 2 Chapter 62
* * *
What the heck is going on?
Thud, thud, thud.
I was being carried in Ratan’s hand, leaving the battlefield behind.
Heading south.
In other words…
I was being kidnapped!
“You—what do you think you’re doing?!”
I calmed my panic enough to shout, but Ratan just kept running without answering.
At first, when he grabbed me, I thought maybe he realized I was weakened and wanted to kill me.
But no—that didn’t seem to be the case.
The way he held me told me everything. His grip wasn’t crushing at all. Careful, almost gentle. Like he was worried I’d pop if he squeezed too hard.
So, here I was, tucked neatly in the hands of a monster.
Stay calm.
At least he didn’t plan to kill me immediately. That didn’t mean I could let him notice I was powerless, though.
“You’d better stop right now! Do you want me to hurt you?”
Finally, those glowing yellow eyes flicked toward me.
And then—he grinned.
—“Can you? I doubt it.”
…Crap. He knew.
—“Didn’t you say I was precious to you~?”
???
When did I ever—
Oh.
Right. That time in the east. When I couldn’t subdue him and had to fake-cry, I’d blurted something like that.
And he believed it?!
So gullible!
Fine. Time to switch tactics.
“You horrible thing! So you’re using my kind heart against me, huh? How dare you threaten me like this?”
—“Threaten? I’m saving you.”
“What part of this is saving?! This is kidnapping!”
—“If you stayed there, you’d die. The humans can’t stop that horde. They’re stronger than usual.”
“What?”
My mind jumped instantly.
Nike’s unease.
The sudden, unforeseen events.
The new sentient beast.
Could it all be…
“You set this up, didn’t you?”
Ratan only smiled wider.
Oh, great. Of course.
This was exactly why letting this damn monster roam free had been a mistake. I should’ve burned him to ash every chance I got.
<Mirror Eye – Fountain of Purification>
<Mirror Eye – Fountain of Purification>
<Mirror Eye – Fountain of Purification>
I cursed my father under my breath.
Still… if the battlefield was that dangerous, maybe being dragged away was better than dying there.
At least I could always rewind if people were killed.
But still—
“Where are you even going?!”
The scenery blurred past with every long stride of the five-meter beast.
—“To my homeland! The southern continent, Farnecheda!”
“What? No way! Stop—Ratan, let’s just talk for a second. You must’ve had complaints, right? That’s why you did this?”
I tried coaxing him.
“I’ll listen. Maybe I was too careless about your… wellbeing. Tell me what you want.”
Of course, I had no intention of actually granting it.
“And also—I’m dizzy. Really dizzy. I think I’m gonna—bleghh. I’m gonna throw up…”
Ratan stared at me.
Then, slowly, he eased his pace and stopped near a small stream.
Boom.
He sat heavily on the ground and lifted me up in front of his face.
—“Five-minute break. But then we move. The black-haired one might be chasing us.”
He meant Nike.
—“Not that it matters. If he shows up, I’ll just crush him.”
You son of a—!
I swallowed my fury and asked evenly:
“What do you want, exactly?”
—“Hmm… not to live as a human slave anymore?”
“Well, sure. But then why bring me along?”
That part really didn’t make sense.
If he pitied me enough to save me back there, fine. But afterward? Why not ditch me and run?
—“Oh, I plan to live with you.”
“WHAT?!”
—“Seems I’ve grown attached. And you said I became precious to you too.”
“Th-that’s… true, but… I have a family. I’m married, you know.”
—“Oh…”
“Yeah! So how could I abandon my husband to live with you?”
—“Humans are so troublesome. You need a mate just to reproduce.”
“…Marriage isn’t just about reproduction, it’s—ugh!”
I clenched my teeth.
At least he seemed thrown off. He paused, then suggested:
—“Well, my host is male. You could reproduce with him.”
WHAT?!
Even if he was… strangely friendly, his entire worldview was completely alien.
—“But I’ll need more than twelve hours a day to act freely. That’s non-negotiable.”
Unbelievable. He was even negotiating work conditions now.
—“What? Don’t like that? Or is it the host?”
“…”
—“Been so long since I saw his face, I barely remember. But he’s probably not bad-looking.”
“…”
—“That’s why I picked him as my host in the first place. Humans respond well to attractive shells.”
…So Nike’s entire tragic fate was decided because of—his face?!
“I swear, I want to kill you…”
<Mirror Eye – Fountain of Purification>
<Mirror Eye – Fountain of Purification>
—“What was that?”
“I said… you’re so precious I want to kill you.”
—“Hah! Hahaha!”
Then Ratan suddenly stiffened, turning back the way we’d come.
In the distance, a black horse thundered toward us.
Nike.
—“Persistent bastard, isn’t he?”
But instead of fleeing, Ratan just stood and waited, oddly nervous.
The horse skidded to a halt in front of us.
My eyes welled up with relief.
Stretching out my hand like a kidnapped princess, I cried, “Your Highness~!”
Nike dismounted, furious, and crooked a finger at Ratan.
“Put her down.”
Ratan smirked.
—“Nope~!”
***
Meanwhile…
“Don’t kill too many! The more we slay, the faster stronger ones appear. Stall them as long as possible!”
Ryan shouted orders, recalling Nike’s warning.
“The sentient beast said it clearly—their goal is hunting humans. That means they won’t leave the field until they’ve tried!”
So far, the Belzer army was holding, drawing the beasts inward to keep them from spilling out.
They couldn’t chase after Nike and Bania.
But seriously… why the hell did that insane monster run off with the bunny?
Ryan clenched his teeth, baffled.
It made no sense at all.
