The Second Town

I drew the magic circle. The one on Risha and Mira’s dresses.

Not making another one—no, the scorpion itself holds the material for it.

The arrow pointing from the magic circle points outward, toward the town’s edge.

“Risha, Mira. Come with me. Just in case, bring extra universal remedy.”

“Yes.”

“On it.”

Waiting for Mira to fetch it, we set off.

Three of us, moving through the wasteland.

“Still, just walking’s a drag.”

“Shall I carry you? Master?”

Risha suggests it.

She and Mira both look thrilled. …They really want to be carried.

“No, that won’t suit me.”

“Is that so?”

“Too bad.”

They say it exactly like scripted—both look genuinely disappointed.

But this one’s non-negotiable. I feel the same way. It’s just wrong.

A master being carried by a slave? Looks terrible. Absolutely terrible.

"Could probably manage a palanquin, I suppose."

"A palanquin? Really?"

"Like this."

He stops, drawing a quick sketch in the dirt with the tip of his boot.

Four people carrying a palanquin, one person sitting on top.

Naturally, the one on top is me. That at least makes it look less ridiculous.

"Wow..."

Mira lets out a breath, her eyes shining brighter than ever before.

She really wants that, doesn't she.

"I'll make one when I can."

"Y-yes!"

Not just Mira—Risha shouts it too, loud and clear.

Well, assuming I actually can.

"Still, just walking’s a drag. Once I can build something better, I’ll get one made."

"Of course you will, my master!"

Walking alongside the two slaves, chatting idly.

Morning turns to afternoon. Then dusk.

A town appears in the sunset. A distant one, with outer walls—pointed out by the arrow.

The first town I’ve seen since arriving in this world.

“Do you think people live here?”

“Let’s go check it out!”

Nodding, I set off with the two slaves.

I stopped mid-step.

“Help! Someone, please help me—”

A voice crying out for help reached my ears.

Exchanging a glance with the slaves, I dashed toward the town.

☆

Beisk.

About a thousand residents. The largest town in the world after the fall of the Demon God.

Protected by Ilya's Spring, it had survived—barely—through this ruined world.

There was a kind of peace. A quiet stability.

Then, all at once, it shattered.

It started when Ilya's Spring suddenly stopped working. Monsters came.

One monster.

At first, the townsfolk thought it was nothing. They grabbed weapons and charged forward bravely—only to fall, one by one, wounded and broken.

The girls scatter, driven into the town’s church.

"Everyone alright?"

All nod in response to the middle-aged woman, Iya.

Five people are here—five women, including Iya.

"What *was* that thing? Anyone seen anything like it before?"

"Did... everyone get taken by that?"

"Father... Mother..."

All wear heavy expressions.

"Hey, did anyone see someone get taken by that monster?"

"I did."

A girl in her late teens raises her hand.

"What happened after?"

"Yeah... they turned into apes."

"Figures."

The two women exchange a grim nod.

"The people the monster took... they became monsters themselves."

"So... we might turn into monsters too?"

"Looks like it."

"But that’s—"

Despair spreads through the church.

Not just dying—being turned into a monster and forced to live on after death. That reality drove a deeper despair through them.

"Maybe this town’s beyond saving. We should leave—"

Before Iya even finished speaking, it came.

Bursting through the church door.

"Aaaah..."

"It’s here."

"That demon..."

Despair and resignation spread like a sickness.

It stood before them. The small demon that had destroyed the entire town of Beesuk.

In the dusk, a scorpion glowing faintly green.

The very one responsible for the town’s ruin.

"I’ll stop it. You all get out from behind."

Iya lifted her long bench and braced it.

"But—"

"Shut up."

The scorpion lunged at her.

Eya tried to fight back— but she was just a common townsfolk. Stung by the scorpion, her flesh swelled in an instant, then melted away.

After fully dissolving, it writhed, reshaping itself like clay.

A monkey with a vicious face, long claws.

Eiya changed after meeting the monster called Shreivju.

"Ahh... even you, Iya-san..."

The women left behind had no strength left to run.

She collapsed to her knees, face etched with despair, waiting for that moment (……).

Demons were demons.

She doesn’t rush in right away, not even a little. Just steps forward slow, like she’s got all the time in the world.

The scorpion, having destroyed Beesque single-handedly, seemed to be savoring the despair.

D-don’t leave me… help me…

The voice calling for help was weak.

The scorpion’s face shifted—just slightly. Like it was mocking a woman.

And lunged forward.

Death—didn’t come.

A metallic clang echoed. The scorpion’s tiny body was flung aside.

Looking down, a single sword was embedded in the ground.

An unusual blade, set with two gemstones.

“Made it in time?”

A man’s silhouette appeared at the church entrance.

Against the sunset glow, backlit, he looked like a savior to the women.

☆

Slowly pulling the Eternal Slave from the ground.

The scorpion, flung away, now stared at me—creeping closer, wary.

I came looking for it. Never thought I’d find a scene like this.

“Ah, you’re…?”

A girl who looked like a survivor asked.

“Not worth naming. Run. I’ll handle this.”

“B-but…”

She started to say something. The scorpion lunged—deflected with the Eternal Slave.

The scorpion slammed into the wall and stopped.

“Go. Now.”

“B-but…”

“Yuria’s…”

“Yuria?”

“That…”

The women all pointed together.

There was a monkey there. A shrew-ju, returned to human form.

“…That… is that your acquaintance?”

“Yes, turned into this by a monster… but it’s really her…”

“It’s really Yuria! I swear!”

“Huh. So that scorpion turned her into a monkey. No townspeople around, no bodies to be found… that’s why.”

They’d all been killed, one after another, turned into monkeys.

“Risha.”

“Yes.”

Under my command, Risha nocked an arrow and aimed at the monkey.

“Stop!”

The girl tried to intervene, but Risha, loyal to my order, didn’t hesitate—she loosed the arrow.

It pierced the monkey’s skull.

The monkey fell backward.

“Aaaah…”

“Yuria…”

The women wailed. Then, change came.

The change I’d grown utterly familiar with.

Miraculously, the monkey had turned back into a human—middle-aged woman again.

"Yuria-san!"

The women rushed toward Yuria.

"Good enough. Run—quickly."

"Yes!"

The women fled.

"Risha, keep watch on all sides. I’ll handle the monkey."

"Yes!"

"Mira, stay here."

"Yes."

She touched the aquamarine gem of the Eternal Slave. Mira was drawn into the sword, the blade shifting, transforming.

Holding the enchanted blade of the reformed Eternal Slave, she advanced toward the scorpion.

The scorpion edged back. Like it was afraid.

Then—leapt sideways, barreling straight for the exit.

It was escaping!

"Not today!"

I caught up, swung down from above.

And then—my own surprise.

The scorpion’s pincers split clean through, like butter under a knife.

The scorpion, which had fought so hard just moments before, now felt like trash.

(You’re amazing, Master!)

Mira, now a sword, thrilled with excitement.

You’re the amazing one, I thought, swinging the blade down to finish off the scorpion.

☆

Night. The town of Beisk. Before the ruined Ilya’s Spring.

Using DORECA to repair it, the entire town regained a sense of calm.

Cheers echoed from behind.

Hundreds of townspeople erupted in cheers all at once.

I turned. Saw them, roaring with joy.

"Thank you!"

A middle-aged man stepped forward in front of me.

"Who are you?"

"I’m Agafon, son of the town’s mayor."

"Ah, the mayor?"

"I can’t see my father… not just him—many others are missing too."

"Sure, they’re somewhere. You’ve heard the story, right?"

"Yes. If you’re attacked by a monster, you turn into that monkey."

"Yeah, and once you knock 'em down, they turn back into humans. From now on, just keep taking 'em down whenever you see one of those monkeys."

Understood. Thank you.

Agafon bowed his head once more, then spoke again.

"So, Akito, I have a matter to discuss with you."

“What?”

Could you become the mayor of this town?

"Mayor, me?"

A bit surprised.

It was decided after talking with everyone. That power to defeat the monster, the power to repair Ilya's Spring as if it were nothing. We really want you to become mayor, to lead us... Of course, only if Akito-san agrees.

"Fine, whatever... I'm already the mayor of another town, though. You still okay with that?"

Yes

"Please..."

The townspeople behind the man spoke in unison.

I could feel it—this desperate need to become me.

If that’s the case, no need to refuse.

Got it. I’ll do it.

The moment I answered, a roar went up from the townspeople.

And then—

——Level Up! The Fronds Card evolves into a Silver Card.