The Sub-Protagonist Is Retiring

16 – 016. The land knows the answer

What I need to do this time is divided into two main parts.

The first is to remove the queen ant, and the second is to clean up the trash.

Garbage has feet these days, so it’s not an easy job to deal with, but someone has to do it.

To make a cleaner world for future generations.

“I guess that happened while I wasn’t there.”

“While the number of villages in need of help increased day by day, as the knights fell into suppressing the rebellion in the south, the prestige of the guild and adventurers rose. That made the adventurers even more arrogant.”

“I don’t think it’s good to come out like that when people’s lives are at stake.”

“I agree, but what can I do? Except for a few adventurers, money is more important than life.”

A situation was created that gave power to those who lacked humanity.

The problem of the relationship between the power and the family, which was often mentioned in the original world, has festered here as well.

A year later, as the rebellion is suppressed, the problem is naturally resolved, but the perception of adventurers falls into abyss.

In the meantime, the academy issued a suspension and a guild support service to Vern, who was guilty on behalf of the protagonist.

Having had to live as an adventurer, he became a body that could not be welcomed wherever he went.

I remember that this was the time when the artist’s Verne Eokka reached its peak.

‘I dropped out so I didn’t have to worry about that future… … .’

Still, I felt dirty when I thought that my favorite dog was suffering because of that quartet of bastards.

It is said that even the vicious adventurers who earned a fortune retired after a year and lived well.

To think that the pups were happy during the time when Bern was enduring like a tenacious pain in the infinitely enjoyable pain.

I can’t stand it because my stomach is full.

“So what are you going to do with them?”

“I want to destroy it like a chimney, but I have no idea what to do right now.”

“Then you are being merciful!”

“It’s not? Rather, give them a chance. If they have even the slightest bit of conscience left, I plan to stop at the line of scolding them a little.”

“What if they cross the line?”

“then… … I have to show you what hell is.”

I’m not particularly worried.

Because I believe in them Enough to bet my wrist on being stabbed in the back of the head in the mine.

***

The entrance to the Fistal Mine in Lookbranton.

The place that should have been noisy with the miners’ spirits and the sound of pickaxes was infinitely quiet.

Miners fell out due to the Mineral Ent crisis, and now it has become close to an abandoned mine.

On the other hand, there was a woman who was venting her anger in such a place.

“What the hell is that bastard! A bastard who isn’t even an adventurer is talking like he’s good at something!”

“You endure. It’s the way guys who don’t have much to do usually try to show off more.”

“Still, the face was pretty smooth. I feel a strangely decadent beauty, so I want to touch it a lot?”

“Correct that habit of trying to seduce any man.”

“… … .”

“By the way, why didn’t you say something earlier?”

A tall man tying a red scarf with his head down.

Sensing that attention was being drawn to him, he lowered his rhyme.

“I care about the sword he was wearing.”

“knife? Come to think of it, did you say you got it from the lord? That’s why I said I wouldn’t take the request fee.”

“Certainly, everything else was a lousy bastard, but that black sword looked expensive!”

“It looks like it will sell for a high price at the auction house in the royal capital. A black sword is a rare weapon.”

Adventurers huddled together to evaluate the sword Bern possessed.

The corners of their mouths began to rise little by little at the common opinion.

Soon, a smile filled with greed settled on their lips.

“Kill him and let us have it!”

“Not bad. You don’t even look like a competent person, so you can just say he died from being eaten by ants!”

“I will take care of the assassination and disposal of the body. I want to dismember the skin of a living person after a long time.”

“Oh, I am afraid! But I think it would be beneficial for someone else to use such a valuable item better than others.”

Good deeds could not exist in an adventurer’s party made up of people full of worldly desires.

Even if it’s someone else’s property, if you want something, you’re crazy about money.

As expected by Vern, they were showing their enthusiasm for the backlash plan.

Without even thinking that it would be their end.

***

“Keeek!”

“This area has been roughly cleared.”

“Thanks for your efforts. Are you hurt anywhere?”

“doesn’t exist. It wasn’t a difficult opponent to deal with.”

The main resource of the Pistal Mine, where the Mineral Ents are located, is iron.

There were no minerals with high hardness such as diamond or mithril.

Maybe that’s why, with one swing of the sword, it was cut off like tofu and died.

“Even so, there are a lot of them.”

“Ant is a creature originally like that. The queen ant must be giving birth to as many breaths as I killed?”

“If we don’t take care of it quickly, the mine will be full of ants.”

“yes.”

I plan to burn it all at once with fire.

However, since there may be explosive material in the mine, the chemist should be left as a last resort.

If you blow up a mine to catch ants, it’s a total turn of events.

“Um… … Is it sooner than that?”

“Is that the strategy you told me about before coming in?”

“huh. So from now on, I will go alone, so please bring the ingredients as I instructed.”

“all right!”

I cast a combination magic that mixed wind, cold, and hallucination magic on Renee.

Rene’s body slowly disappears. I couldn’t feel her look, smell, presence, or even her heat.

It uses magic to make Renee’s existence unrecognizable.

“Then I will ask you.”

Knock knock.

I felt a tap on my shoulder. Rene’s speech was inaudible, so they communicated through light touch.

A double tap on the shoulder means affirmation. You just have to trust her to do her job well.

While I wait, I just have to deal with the hungry hyenas.

“Come on, you bastards.”

“… … .”

“Isn’t it a lack of conscience to go overboard even though the presence is obvious? The ants will not hide like you.”

It was then.

As the wind passed, I felt a presence behind me at the same time.

I could tell the cool blades were moving closer to my neck.

“Is it obvious?”

Quick!

Without looking back, he sent his elbow towards the place where he felt a presence.

Along with the heavy touch, the sound of bones being crushed was heard.

Looking back later, I saw a tall man holding his chest and groaning. My elbow seems to have landed on my ribs.

“If you’re going to follow me, you should have hidden your presence until the very end.”

“Heuk!”

At a speed that the opponent couldn’t recognize, I went back and stamped his calf with my foot.

He pierced the bone in his leg and pricked his central blood with his finger.

Salsu, who jumped out with enthusiasm, collapsed while biting into bubbles.

“I never thought I would be able to speed up to par with Alex. You must have been able to trust that inspiration!”

“boiling? Do you have any flaws in your eyes? No matter how you look at it, I was overwhelmed.”

“But if you underestimate our cooperation, your nose will be seriously hurt!”

“f*ck, you bastards who don’t listen to people.”

A warrior charging with his shield raised, a wizard casting a spell, and a priest casting a buff on the party from behind the scenes.

It was not a bad formation, but there were many gaps at a terrible level.

“If the wizard is casting openly like that, use it.”

“oh! Suddenly… ?”

“Above all, you chose a very wrong outfit.”

The center of the magical power flowing through the human body is located on the chest between the collarbone and breastbone.

If a shock is applied to that part, the flow of mana will surely be disrupted, and in severe cases, the body will become unable to use mana.

In other words, it was a magician’s weakness, like the Dragon’s Rebellion.

“Poem, shield!”

“You shouldn’t rely on magic, you should’ve been properly equipped.”

“Damn it!”

Chaenggang-!

The powerfully controlled fist shattered the protective magic and hit the sorceress’ weakness.

I heard that he had skills, but when I looked at his magic level, there wasn’t much. Even the guild guys do their job sloppily.

“This bastard… !”

Did the fact that he ignored himself and touched the other guy first stimulated his pride?

The man in chain mail raised his ax with his brow furrowed.

It was a shameless posture. I grabbed his wrist holding the axe and pulled him back. He kicked his legs and knocked him to the floor.

“Sir… What?!”

He stamped the man’s back of the head with his foot and slammed his face into the ground. After that, I stamped my foot several times on the head, and the man became quiet.

From nob le mt l. co m

Now, only the lewd priestess is left, but her presence seems to be getting farther away, as if she had fled long ago.

If you thought you could run away from me, I’d laugh at you.

“Prach.”

[Did you call?]

“Aren’t there any skills you have that bring opponents in front of me?”

[there is. But wouldn’t a contractor be able to keep up with her?]

“That’s true, but isn’t it more fun to make people come on their own?”

[Not bad.]

“What is the price?”

[This body’s monumental first appearance, so I won’t accept it this time.]

The ancient runes engraved on Prach’s pitch-black blade began to glow red.

At the same time, black mist emanated from the runes and filled the surrounding area. The fog, initially gaseous, coalesced and took the form of a spear.

[Think of the target to designate.]

“It doesn’t kill you, does it?”

[It has no killing power, so don’t worry.]

“Then I’m glad.”

I pictured the image of the priestess I had seen at the inn in my head.

Then, the black spear made of fog flew towards somewhere. Seeing him go through the wall, I was sure he would hit it unconditionally.

Time passed, and the priestess, who ran away, returned to me. With a black spear stuck in his back.

The priestess’ eyes were lifeless, and saliva flowed from her mouth.

If you look at him breathing normally, it seems to be a force that affects the mind, not the body.

[Now that everyone is gathered in one place, it’s time for condemnation! If you intend to take your life, please use this body!]

“no. I’m going to do it my way this time.”

[Heeing.]

“Don’t be sorry. Instead, I’ll show you something amazing from now on.”

[What are you planning to show me?]

“You’ll find out soon, so look forward to it.”

I plan to show you what happens when you touch me right here.

***

dark.

When I opened my eyes, the surroundings were infinitely dark.

An unpleasant earthy smell lingers on the tip of the nose.

The space was so small that it was difficult to move properly, and the body and mouth were tied with ropes.

“town… ?”

Priestess Meria doesn’t understand what’s going on.

My last memory was of being pierced by a spear while running away from a monstrous man.

And yet, somehow, it was perfectly fine.

“Ahh! I guess everyone should be awake by now?”

It was then.

A familiar voice came through Meria’s head.

It was the man’s voice that made her struggle to escape.

“First of all, to understand the situation, you guys are currently buried in the ground.”

“town?”

“Assuming you are 10 meters underground from where you attacked me. Don’t worry about choking, though. Because I made a breathing hole.”

I found out why it smells so strong.

However, Meria couldn’t understand why they didn’t kill them and buried them in the ground.

If they were thinking of burying them alive, it could be seen as complacency.

Each adventurer has a mark. In the guild, if an adventurer does not return for a long time, they will be rescued using location tracking magic through a mark.

In other words, as painful as it must be, his plan to bury him alive was doomed to failure one day.

“By this point everyone is probably wondering what my intentions are. The answer can be found by looking about a meter from your abdomen.”

“Eh?”

Meria struggled and looked at the point Bern had mentioned.

There was an oval white ball there.

“That’s right! It’s a Mineral Ent’s egg.”

“town?!”

“Ahahahaha! Surprisingly, it’s still early. Don’t you know that there is a very special gift inside your body right now? While you guys were unconscious, I hand-fed them one by one.”

Unstable. I felt like I was going crazy with some kind of anxiety.

Vern’s cold and mad voice made Meria’s pupils tremble madly.

“The identity of the gift is a magic stone that Mineral Ents love so much that they go crazy!”

“Eup… ?!”

“It is said that Mineral Ents instinctively sense the location of an ore from an early age and start mining with their pointed jaws. Oh my, but do you have a magic stone inside your stomach? It is blocked by skin and flesh, so from the ant’s point of view, it should be dug out, right?”

“town! Ugh!!”

“town… !!”

“Ugh!! Whoops!!”

Countless moans came from the mud wall next to Meria.

He realized that besides himself, other colleagues were in it and were in the same situation as himself.

Buried in the ground, he must be living an uncomfortable life with ant eggs.

“Sometimes there are eggs that die without hatching. Some of you ants may hatch and some may not, or… … There will be cases where the power hatches, right?”

A groan of despair filled the surroundings.

The creature’s instinct to save lives screamed madly, and tears began to flow from its eyes.

The ants hadn’t even hatched yet, but as they imagined the future, the psychological damage was pouring in.

“Good luck! If you’re lucky, you might even survive.”

Pop!

After that, the man’s words were no longer heard.

However, the surroundings became more noisy than before the man’s story began.

There was no hope in the land where they were.

***

“With this, the landfill plan is over! All that remains is to kill the queen ant.”

[…] … Don’t you think it’s too harsh?]

“What? Considering the feelings of the people who must have suffered because of them, I think this level is weak. And since Mineral Ents hatch after 7 days, they’ll probably be rescued before their stomachs are eaten? Until then, though, I’ll be on a sh*t line.”

[In short, you’re ending it by instilling fear and despair in them?]

“On top of that, having to live in an enclosed space can lead to severe depression and even claustrophobia.”

[Right… … .]

“why? Are you disappointed that I didn’t kill anyone?”

[no. I admired the way he inflicted pain on his opponent to the end in an ingenious way.]

“This is basic.”

[To think that there are humans who are more sophisticated and vicious than demons! Aah, the contractor for this body is truly wonderful… ♡]

uh huh What’s wrong with this kid?