Chapter 42: Full Moon Bazaar ②

Wof thought this was a good opportunity to return to Heizen.

Eventually, he would have to go back. He had to see Ruma.

So he returned. And he made it back.

Ruma hadn’t changed from before.

She was just as beautiful as she had always been. Exactly the same as back then.

Surprised at himself for being able to talk with her properly, Wof carried on the conversation.

“…Ah… actually— I’m getting married.”

“Eh… ah, ah, th-that’s… congratulations.”

I see… it had been a long time since then.

“The person… is Barrow. Barrow Jinryu.”

“Jinryu… that’s a big name…”

Barrow? I didn’t recognize the name. Had such a person existed?

“By the way… I’ll be his ninth wife.”

“Eh… ah, I see.”

Ninth wife? Why not first?

“It’s more like a concubine.”

“…If you love him, then…”

If she loved him… if Ruma could be happy…

“I don’t love him.”

“…Huh?”

Ruma’s voice pierced calmly, without hesitation.

She didn’t love him.

What the hell…

Ignoring Ruma’s protests, I met with an old-time information broker.

I handed over money and asked for information about Ruma.

“To put it bluntly, Ruma will die if things continue like this.”

“…What are you saying?”

The broker wore a grim expression.

“Barrow is dangerous. The Jinryu family is finished.”

“What do you mean?”

“The Jinryu head Hagan is dead, eldest son Jingi is dead, second son Galad is dead. Only the third son, Barrow, remains. Barrow gathers women in Heizen indiscriminately, calls them his wives, curses them, toys with them, and when bored… kills them.”

“Is… that really true?”

I couldn’t believe it. Such a thing.

“It’s not just outside victims. Those tied to Zensera or Gouro have suffered as well. Even the Jinryu family itself is responsible.”

“…That’s insane.”

“Yes, utterly insane. The Zensera and Gouro families are taking revenge in secret. Some left the Jinryu family in disgust; traitors appeared too.”
“Wh-why is Barrow doing this? He was quiet and unremarkable when I knew him.”

I vaguely remembered a small, thin young man standing beside Galad.

Not memorable. They were called a “failure” behind their back.

“…I don’t know. He’s walking the path to self-destruction. The Jinryu family is finished. One of the three great families is crumbling. Hyzen will descend into chaos.”

“What about Ruma? What should I do?”

Why… why can’t Ruma be happy?

The broker, Karvy, said quietly:

“If you had taken her with you back then… this wouldn’t have happened.”

“Th-that… I…”

Why… why can’t Ruma be happy? Back then, now… why, why, why?

“Ruma waited. She waited all that time at that cafeteria.”

Karvy’s words were accusatory.

I realized… perhaps I should have gone with her back then.

So even now…

“…I want to save Ruma. No matter what. Help me.”

“Then I’ll introduce someone.”

The person introduced was the scar-faced man who ended his sentences with “-gesu.”

Suspicious as he seemed, he told me everything.

Ruma was cursed.

The curse prevented her from resisting Barrow.

She had no freedom. No choice but to marry him.

To lift the curse, Barrow had to be killed.

There was no other way—he would not lift it himself. Killing him was certain.

“Then I’ll kill him.”

The target: the Full Moon Bazaar.

The only day Barrow would leave his fortress-like mansion.

The plan: kill him inside the VIP area of the moving palace during the Full Moon Bazaar.

I couldn’t tell Wof’s companions. Not Axe, not Rell… I was sorry.

But I wanted Ruma to be happy. This time for sure.

Upper floors – Moving Palace
VIP Area – Jinryu Family Section

The master’s private bedroom.

Near a lavish canopy bed, the sounds of smashing and breaking echoed.

“Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!”

A large, obese man was destroying expensive furnishings one after another.

Three naked, bloodied female bodies lay sprawled on the bed.

Nearby lay a blood-stained sword. White, beautiful, slender, gleaming as if soaked in blood.

The Sword Goddess’s daughter had wielded it, then thrown it on the floor carelessly.

Barrow didn’t know. The sword had been given to her.

She—the Sword Goddess’s daughter—had appeared at the home of the Jinryu family’s “failure” Barrow months ago.

In those months, Barrow changed completely.

He assassinated his father, Jingi, and indirectly killed his brother, Galad.

The old Barrow could never have done this.

His physique changed too.

From short and thin to a bloated, pregnant-like belly, his face resembling a pig.

Even calling him a pale-skinned orc wouldn’t seem off.

“Lord Barrow, why are you so furious?”

She appeared. Her deep hood revealed shining purple eyes.

Even through the hood, her beauty was extraordinary.

Yet Barrow couldn’t touch her. He couldn’t.

“Raada. Do you know who that woman we captured with Ruma was?”

“No… I thought she was just a girl.”

“Duchess Tasan.”

Raada’s face changed.

“Tasaan duchess? You didn’t… touch her?”

She saw the bodies. She didn’t know them personally but was visibly unsettled.

“No… I realized just before playing with them. What to do… what should we do?”

“…Absolutely do not kill them. Even an accident… no killing.”

Her purple eyes glinted sharply. Any resistance would be futile. Only ruin awaited.

“I know! If we do that, it will be ruin! But… we brought them here.”

“Then comply with all her demands.”

“…She’s asking for Ruma’s release.”

“You can only release her.”

“Ggh… ughhh… aaahhh!!”

Barrow picked up a fallen sword and began slashing the corpses on the bed.

Three bodies… they were Hydrangea explorers.

They had come to Heizen for Forest Wave participation, to test their strength and earn money.

Because they were beautiful, they became Barrow’s playthings.

“However, releasing them should wait until after the Full Moon Bazaar.”

“What do you mean?”

“Releasing them now is unwise. She assumes she won’t be killed and her demands will be met. But don’t release her yet. Buy time.”

“Time for what?”

“To prepare for escape.”

Hearing that, Barrow cried out in disbelief.

“What!? Escape? Escape!? Impossible! I finally gained the Jinryu family! Status, honor, power—all of it! I will crush other families and become the king of Hyzen!!”

“If things continue, you’ll lose everything.”

“Don’t mock me! Ugh… uuuu…”

Suddenly, Barrow collapsed to his knees. Raada watched silently.

“Ugaaaaahhhh!”

“….”

He writhed in pain, and then stood again as if nothing had happened.

Sighing at Raada:

“It went well, but honestly, I hate this pig.”

“I understand. Just a little longer, Jumi.”

“Hmm… Raada. Couldn’t you have done it better?”

She gave Raada a critical look. Raada smiled faintly.

“It can’t be helped. The Twilight Relic [Seduction] doesn’t charm. Twilight can only draw out the heart. Lord Barrow’s acts were his own desires realized. The result was more extreme than expected.”

Raada gave a bitter, self-deprecating smile.

She caused the Jinryu family’s downfall.

The Sword Goddess’s daughter and Raada, with [Seduction], had wandered the human world for ages.

Sometimes, they were invited to noble families as guests.

Her beauty, her purple eyes—a mark of Edda—made her naturally noble.

Using the Relic [Seduction], it was effortless.

This time, however… it failed. A catastrophic failure rarely seen in recent years.

By the time she noticed, it was too late to stop. Excuses were meaningless.

She thought: [Seduction] only brings tragedy and ruin.

“Disgusting. A daughter of a god, but as a woman, it makes me sick. No wonder Gwene left.”

She had been furious, attacking Barrow and Raada.

Raada sighed.

“I wronged Gwene. The ruin had already been approaching. It just came a bit sooner.”

She had kept Zensera and Gouro families’ involvement hidden.

The Jinryu family had no future. Staying was unnecessary.

She hadn’t planned to linger.

“All that was left was to use Barrow as a scapegoat. But he brought the daughter of the Tasan duchy. The countdown to the end accelerated.”

“What about Ruma and Samaniya?”

“They’ll be confined until the Full Moon Bazaar. Handle them carefully. This won’t atone for anything, but I want the only surviving ones to remain safe.”

“Understood.”

“Act according to plan.”

“I will.”

“Afterward, you’ll be extracted.”

“Understood.”

“Beware of the Unknown.”

“The ones who destroyed Vinu and Lube.”

“…Be careful.”

“Now, let’s mourn the girls.”

Raada’s words were acknowledged by Jumi—the one acting as the vessel.

Tomorrow, the Full Moon Bazaar would open.

The largest street market from evening until dawn.

This year too, countless encounters and events would begin.

At the same time – Hideout
Wof’s room

“Aaaahhh!?”

I screamed involuntarily. A knife I was sharpening snapped.

It was an ordinary-looking knife from my spoils.

The blade was rusty. I thought a little care would fix it.

I sharpened it carefully with a new whetstone.

But the rust was stubborn, and applying pressure… it snapped.

I shouted in shock.

Then, the other sea knives I’d been soaking in saltwater stirred.

Four octopus-like tentacles shot out, snapping the broken knife into pieces and absorbing it.

“Ehhh…?”

Had there been an extra one all along…?

After absorption, the four tentacles faced me.

They moved like bowing heads and returned the knife to its original form.

“…”

Time to sleep.