Glutton of Demise Part 4

Yuuki’s tension reached a critical point.

―Ever since I came into this world, I’ve been lucky enough to have women approach me.

Well, there people like that succubus prostitute, or that low-class magician girl, but they seemed to be only strange people who liked him for odd reasons.

But, before his eyes was a large-breasted loli.

Like one those people though, she might demand payment after intercourse, and then he’d be forced to support her, no…such a deplorable idea likely wouldn’t happen.

“Um, I’m okay with…”

With those words, Yuuki pushed down Momo.

Then, the area between her eyebrows wrinkled.

“Saitou…you’re already going to do those things?”

“Huh…?”

“Like with Yakumo…you’re also…a beast?”

Oh crap!ー …thought Yuuki

Because of Igarashi’s abuse, Momo’s heart seems to have been terribly damaged.

It seems she was really just asking to sleep together.

“Why, am I a such a person? Of course not.”

With disappointment, his nether region that was ready to ascend had backed down.

Just like that, the two of them lied down. Both of their backs were facing each other.

Soon after, the fatigue from his traveling had caught up to him, he was possibly still a bit drunk even now…a drowsy sleepiness had stuck him.

At that moment, Momo’s voice echoed in the dark.

“…I’m scared of the dark…please…can you just hold my hand?”

“…Sure.”

It seems like Momo had really fallen into a serious condition.

This was extent that he could do for her― to support her just for today, that was what Yuuki thought as he fell into a deep sleep.

 

 

The next day arrived.

Yuuki had woken up to the sound of knocking on the door.

*knock* *knock* *knock*

It was not at the level of mere knocking. It was a knock that must have been half-way there to a loud pound.

Towards the heavy atmosphere emitted across that door, Yuuki immediately jumped out of bed wondering what was going on.

“Hey, Momo! You should probably wake up! …Hmm?”

Yuuki then fell into a panic. Momo, who was supposed to be sleeping across from him, was not there.

Though he was surprised, it seems that whoever was out there had no plans to keep on waiting.

*knock* *knock* *knock* *knock* *knock* *knock* *knock* *knock*

The sound of the door hitting was getting more intense. Along with that, angry voices started reverberating,

“It looks like you’re shutting yourself in there!”

“No matter! We’ll break this door open!”

The bloodlust of the men yelling was apparent.

―I don’t really understand this situation, but it seems like it’d be a good idea of flee.

He quickly put on his outfit.

That wasn’t a problem since he was already sleeping with his amethyst necklace on. He put on his the slightly dirty mantle. The mask was on the bedside.

The trunks were never off to begin with, or rather, he never got the chance to take them off.

And…when he picked up his small bag of gems, he noticed that something was amiss.

―There’s only a single gem inside.

He was sure that were 9 remaining yesterday.

“What happened…?”

While muttering that, the door was kicked open.

A chip of wood flew, and a large explosion rang throughout the room.

Immediately, several soldiers adorned in armor rushed inside.

“What are you guys doing?!”

The chief soldier shouted it as if it would be useless to argue against him,

“Hold your tongue, you thief!”

“No really, I’m asking what’s going on!”

“In this country, those who steal from nobles are fated to pay the price of being beheaded! Be still while we restrain you!”

There was no use trying to talk to him.

Furthermore, that man had muscle for brains…it could be said that he seemed like a giant…one had to be careful not to let a vein pop up on his forehead.

Yuuki began thinking,

―I don’t understand this situation.

However, there was one thing he understood. At this rate, if he got caught by these guys―there would be no chance for him to explain himself and he would then be beheaded.

And then, Yuuki made an expression of relief.

From behind the soldiers, he could see the figures of Igarashi and Momo.

“Igarashi! What’s with these guys?! Why am I labeled as supposedly stealing from a noble?!”

“You’re a disgrace as fellow Japanese person. Such an expensive jewel…stealing it from someone…do you really think you have an excuse? You’re a thief!”

“…Huh?”

Come to think of it, he felt like he recalled there being talks about a noble’s stolen jewel yesterday.

Remembering that much―Yuuki grasped the situation perfectly.

“Igarashi…you…reported something about me to the guards, didn’t you?! Momo, do something!”

When facing towards Momo, he had almost been screaming.

Igarashi was already beyond salvation after hearing about him yesterday.

But―she at least must be right in the head.

There was no evidence, this false accusation was a misunderstanding―it was sure to be straightened out.

At the very least, his ally would be on his side.

However, she glared coldly at him like he was trash and gave her reply,

“Your despicable…Saitou. You petty thief…to think that there was such a use for your abnormal agility…”

“…Huh? Hey, what are you saying…Momo…?!”

The chief soldier slowly approaches towards Yuuki.

“Accept your fate, you worthless trash!”

“Wait, you guys―what evidence do you have towards me being a thief…! There’s no evidence for me to be beheaded either! So this is how things go in this country!”

Then, Momo made a ruthlessly declared,

“Guards, please arrest this man at once! I definitely saw it! From that noble’s house―this man emerged after committing the act of stealing!

“Hey…when you say that you saw it…what are you talking about…”

At that moment…the chief soldier snatched the small bag from Yuuki’s right hand.

“There’s the testimony of hero. And―this jewel itself is evidence. It’s such a ridiculously expensive jewel…it’d be peculiar for a degenerate like you to have it.”

“Hey, like I said―wait a minute! Look here…there should have been 9 jewels…why is there only one left?”

The cold words of Igarashi echoed throughout the room,

“Now then, you’ll obediently let them tie you up, right? Actually, there were a large amount of jewels stolen from that powerful noble.”

And…he continued,

“With the deed of Momo and me, although we’ve only recovered one of them…we also managed to apprehend the criminal. Well―since that noble has hundreds to thousands of jewels, he’ll probably say ‘I can’t judge whether it’s my jewel or not.'”

While Momo was trying not to break in to laughter, she said with distorted lips,

“Though it looks like we’re selling out a fellow Japanese man…sorry Saitou. With this, our treatment in this country will improve a bit. You’ve got to break a few eggs to make an omelette…right?”

Approaching Yuuki, she continued to whisper in a low voice,

“We need funds for the sake of the traveling expenses as heroes. Besides, there’s no reason for you to have such expensive items. Anyhow, it doesn’t change the fact that you probably did steal them ‘somewhere’, right?”

Perfectly, with no misunderstandings, and at last―Yuuki realized the entirety of the circumstances.

There were many strange oddities when thinking about it carefully.

First, there was that ordeal where he was made to drink an absurd amount of alcohol.

And then, next thing he knows, Momo was sleeping next to him. Moreover, they didn’t engage in anything.

Furthermore, when he woke up―Momo had disappeared along with the gems.

To add on to that, those two had financial troubles.

And there’s more―if they caught the supposed criminal who stole the jewels, they would gain connections with one of the country’s nobles and also receive better treatment.

And, to be considered as having done a worthy deed…it wasn’t necessary to catch the actual culprit, so it was good enough to fabricate a scapegoat.

In the end, Yuuki fit the bill.

-These guys…sold me out without even knowing if I was criminal…I was conned out of my gems!

---

Author’s Note:

Next time, the Glutton of Demise will finally awaken.

---

[Previous] [TOC] [Next]

Follow 2Slow2Late MTL on WordPress.com