* * *
The moon that had been hidden behind the clouds gradually revealed itself, beginning to illuminate the pitch-black forest.
Leaning against the trunk of a massive fallen tree in the shade, I absentmindedly gazed at the beautiful moonlight.
It’s a quiet night.
Not a single beast’s cry can be heard.
<Of course.>
Well, that’s true.
<Everyone, every single one of them, was hunted down and devoured by Emi.>
With the clouds completely cleared, my surroundings exposed under the moonlight are stained reddish-black.
Scattered here and there are the remains of what were once living creatures.
I myself am drenched in blood too.
The night forest reeks of death.
Guuuu…
The growling sound of my stomach echoes.
Honestly, what’s with that ‘guuuu‘ anymore?
I’ve hunted down and devoured every living thing in sight, yet my body still isn’t satisfied.
That chattering black lizard really did something unnecessary to me.
Thanks to its blood, I certainly achieved mana distortion, skipping many stages to become incredibly powerful.
But the price is this lingering starvation that won’t subside.
It’s as if I’m cursed.
“……..”
I pick up a branch lying nearby and bring it to my mouth.
It’s not particularly delicious, but it’s better than nothing.
But once I crunch and swallow it, it’s quickly digested and converted into mana, not satiating my hunger at all.
I’m still hungry……
The only reason I could live normally in that village up until now was thanks to the “blessed bread.”
That bread contained a tremendous amount of mana, allowing me to intake mana far more efficiently than hunting monsters.
<However, as evidenced by your lingering starvation even now, that “blessed bread” was likely insufficient to supplement the mana your body truly requires.>
That seems to be the case.
So why wasn’t I suffering from starvation while in that village…?
<The “blessed bread” had a brainwashing effect that masked your hunger. It seems that bread contained a magical effect to guide the thoughts and restrict the actions of those who ate it.>
Brainwashing bread, huh.
……What a terrifying thing.
Well, I had assumed it was made from wheat harvested in the village, but it turns out it was summoned from somewhere by sacrificing massive piles of corpses.
No wonder the bread was beyond human comprehension in flavor.
Calmly reflecting now, those white-robed figures were likely the “bakers” of that village.
What bakers they were.
And as a side effect of that brainwashing, my will couldn’t connect with Extra-sama’s, preventing her words from reaching me.
<……I should have realized that bread was dangerous when you first ate it. Emi, I’m sorry……>
Oh, don’t apologize, Extra-sama!
It’s me who should apologize to you.
You’ve been helping me all this time, yet because of the bread, I ended up forgetting about you.
<No, it was my fault……>
No no, it was mine……
<It was mine……>
It was mine……
<…………>
…………
<This is getting us nowhere.>
Yeah, it’s a fruitless conversation.
<Then let’s say neither of us are to blame. How about that?>
That’s a good idea.
<Let’s pin all the blame on a third party, say…Zosspanpicky?>
Who?! Who is Zosspanpicky?!
Randomly assigning all the responsibility to this mysterious third party Zosspanpicky?!
<………..Fufu>
……….Fufufu!
<This is fun, isn’t it, Emi?>
Yeah, Extra-sama.
Having this conversation with you again, I’m reminded of how much I missed this.
It’s far more enjoyable than my time in that village!
I really did cherish you, Extra-sama.
<P-Please stop. You’re embarrassing me……>
Ehehe.
Guuuu…………
Ugh! That gluttonous stomach ruining the mood!
I’m so huuuuungryyyy!
Haah, I don’t want to keep dwelling on these thoughts.
I wonder when this starvation will ever subside?
<Since the cause of this mana distortion was the blood of a mythological being, it likely won’t go away so easily.>
You know what I really dislike? My thoughts getting pushed to such extremes.
<Yet you seem relatively calm about it.>
I’m just used to enduring hardship!
In my previous and current life, I diligently learned to plaster a smile over my troubles on the surface level.
It might not show on my face or outward appearance, but still.
Anyway, I’m just so dreadfully hungry.
Ah, maybe I should have just eaten Ronte-san earlier without hesitation?
<N-No way! Don’t do that!>
Yeah, you’re right……
Even I don’t want to resort to cannibalism……
<Those villagers are constantly eating that bread, so their flesh is likely saturated with concentrated brainwashing magic like biological accumulation. If you ate that, you’d just get brainwashed again. If you want to eat humans, we should find another village to raid instead?>
Eeh?!
So you have zero aversion to cannibalism?!
<I don’t care about the life or death of any being other than Emi. Everything in this world is meant to be nourishment for you.>
Sigh……
That’s right, you do have this side to you.
It seems I won’t be able to live among human society for a while longer.
Well, I am the cursed child, so ordinary villagers would just drive me out anyway.
Sigh……
For now, I scan my surroundings for anything edible.
Finding nothing in particular, I start gnawing on the giant tree trunk behind me.
Bori bori bori……
<Still, I’m glad the brainwashing was broken before it was too late. If that state had continued, eventually you would have been completely brainwashed into becoming a pawn for that village’s god……the Harvest God.>
Eh, that’s scary.
Speaking of which, why was my bread brainwashing broken?
Bori bori.
<First, the premise is that compared to ordinary people, Emi has exceptionally high resistance to brainwashing and mental contamination.>
Why is that?
Bori bori.
<Not only is your physical body robust, but the strength of your soul is on another level entirely.>
……Huh? ‘Strength of soul’?
Bori bori.
<Umm……..well, in any case, you have an innate resilience against mental attacks. Still, you had been continuously ingesting massive amounts of that bread. The contamination was gradually progressing. However, a crack formed in that brainwashing.>
Because I witnessed that “ritual” and was shocked?
<Yes, that’s right. Originally, you must have felt an indescribable sense of dissonance from living in that village. That dissonance itself was too small to be considered a crack in the brainwashing, but the shock greatly widened it, finally allowing me to reach you with my voice again.>
Ahh…..I see……
<The fact that you did a considerable amount of ‘snacking’ while hunting also worked in our favor. Ingesting things other than the bread and intaking that mana helped slow the erosion from the bread’s brainwashing magic.>
Bori bori bori bori……
My conversation with Extra-sama continued.
Bori bori bori bori……
Mishi……mishishishi……zuzuzu……zuuu……n……
The tree trunk I kept gnawing on had thinned to the point it could no longer support its own weight, collapsing to the ground.
The small ants (or ant-like creatures) nesting inside scurried about frantically on the exposed cross-section.
These have a pleasant sour and sweet taste, so delicious.
I devour the entire trunk along with them. Bori bori.
* * *
This and that.
Extra-sama and I chatted aimlessly about all sorts of meaningful and meaningless topics.
I was delighted.
Delighted and enjoying our reunion after so long apart.
……Which is why I let my guard down.
Absorbed in our chitchat while gnawing on the tree trunk, I completely failed to notice the approaching footsteps.
“I’ve finally found you.”
“?!”
That voice was addressed to me around the time I had devoured all the surrounding trees, creating an empty clearing in the forest.
I paused gnawing on the trunk and looked up.
Brushing aside the remaining bushes to reveal themselves before my gaze was……a deep green-haired boy with his hair tied back in a ponytail.
It was Prough, the son whose home I had been staying at.
“Geez! What are you doing out in the forest this late, Emi?! Everyone’s worried about you!”
Prough fumed with puffed cheeks.
“Come on, let’s head back to the village already? Your delicious dinner made by Mother is waiting!”
“……..”
Saying that, he extended his hand towards me with a smile.
I remained silent while regarding Prough with caution.
<Be careful, Emi. This boy is likely brainwashed by the power of that “blessed bread” as well.>
It would be unthinkable for an ordinary, unbrainwashed boy to wander into the forest alone at night searching for me.
He shows no signs of fear despite my blood-drenched appearance either.
<I’m unsure what the Harvest God intends by brainwashing the villagers……but you must never return to that village under any circumstances. You should not go back. Gods never do anything good anyway……>
“Hey Emi, don’t stay quiet, say something?…..Ah, are you too hungry to move?”
Prough paid no heed to my wariness, casually approaching with a carefree smile as he reached into the pouch hanging from his shoulder.
What he took out from inside was……the golden glowing “blessed bread.”
“I figured this might happen, so I made sure to bring bread too! Ehehe, you’re such a glutton after all, Emi! ……Here, have some!”
The “blessed bread” was presented before me.
Its fragrant aroma.
Its beautiful color.
The abundant mana kneaded within.
It looked so delicious, as if it couldn’t possibly be of this world.
I inadvertently gulped, reaching my hand towards that bread when……
<Emiiii!!!>
“!!!”
Thanks to Extra-sama’s shout, I barely regained my senses in the nick of time and swatted the bread from Prough’s hand!
“Ahh—! Geez, why did you do that, Emi?! What a waste!”
“……..”
As Prough flustered about, he said:
“But it’s okay! I still have more bread in my pouch!”
Saying that with a smile, he took out another “blessed bread.”
……Only for me to swat that one away too without hesitation.
“I have more, you know?”
I swatted away the next one he took out.
“I have plenty more?”
Swatted away.
……Just how much bread is stuffed in that pouch?!
With no end in sight, I used 【Grasshopper】 to leap back, creating distance between Prough and myself.
Prough looked uneasy.
His brows furrowed as he gazed at me with moist eyes.
“Hey, hey? Did I do something to make Emi hate me? Could it be you’re mad because I overslept and made you deliver the schedules?”
“……..”
He stared at me with pure, innocent eyes.
Memories of the past few months with Prough and the others resurfaced in my mind.
The villagers were all so kind to me, called me their fellow, I was truly happy……
<No, Emi. All of that was an illusion. A ‘puppet show’ the people were made to act out while controlled by the Harvest God.>
…………
I know, Extra-sama……
The idea of me being loved and accepted by so many is unthinkable.
In my previous life and this one.
I’m the scorned, unwanted cursed child.
“I won’t go back.”
“Eh……..”
“I won’t return to the village.”
Prough froze, his eyes widening in shock.
I’m sorry.
“Farewell, Prough……Give my regards to everyone.”
Clutching my tight, aching chest, I somehow managed to force out those parting words before turning my back on Prough.
Turning my back on Grounoddka Village.
Turning my back on that happy time.
Stretching out before me is the night’s darkness.
A world that hates me, scorns me, won’t accept me.
Days plagued by constant starvation.
And yet, I……
“Ah, I see. So it was as you said after all.”
However, at that moment.
Prough muttered those words in an unexpectedly cold voice.
Emanating a terrifying magical power……an 【Intimidation】.
“……?!”
I whirled around in shock, tensing up.
Standing there with the moon at his back was the same deep green-haired boy with his hair tied back that I saw moments ago.
Yet the aura he exuded had completely changed.
The expression on his face was not the pure, innocent smile of the village boy from before.
But a cold, mechanical blankness.
“So your eyes have been opened, huh?”
While leaking an immense golden magical power from his small body, the boy formed a slight smile.
* * *
The moon that had been hidden behind the clouds gradually revealed itself, beginning to illuminate the pitch-black forest.
Leaning against the trunk of a massive fallen tree in the shade, I absentmindedly gazed at the beautiful moonlight.
It’s a quiet night.
Not a single beast’s cry can be heard.
<Of course.>
Well, that’s true.
<Everyone, every single one of them, was hunted down and devoured by Emi.>
With the clouds completely cleared, my surroundings exposed under the moonlight are stained reddish-black.
Scattered here and there are the remains of what were once living creatures.
I myself am drenched in blood too.
The night forest reeks of death.
Guuuu…
The growling sound of my stomach echoes.
Honestly, what’s with that ‘guuuu‘ anymore?
I’ve hunted down and devoured every living thing in sight, yet my body still isn’t satisfied.
That chattering black lizard really did something unnecessary to me.
Thanks to its blood, I certainly achieved mana distortion, skipping many stages to become incredibly powerful.
But the price is this lingering starvation that won’t subside.
It’s as if I’m cursed.
“……..”
I pick up a branch lying nearby and bring it to my mouth.
It’s not particularly delicious, but it’s better than nothing.
But once I crunch and swallow it, it’s quickly digested and converted into mana, not satiating my hunger at all.
I’m still hungry……
The only reason I could live normally in that village up until now was thanks to the “blessed bread.”
That bread contained a tremendous amount of mana, allowing me to intake mana far more efficiently than hunting monsters.
<However, as evidenced by your lingering starvation even now, that “blessed bread” was likely insufficient to supplement the mana your body truly requires.>
That seems to be the case.
So why wasn’t I suffering from starvation while in that village…?
<The “blessed bread” had a brainwashing effect that masked your hunger. It seems that bread contained a magical effect to guide the thoughts and restrict the actions of those who ate it.>
Brainwashing bread, huh.
……What a terrifying thing.
Well, I had assumed it was made from wheat harvested in the village, but it turns out it was summoned from somewhere by sacrificing massive piles of corpses.
No wonder the bread was beyond human comprehension in flavor.
Calmly reflecting now, those white-robed figures were likely the “bakers” of that village.
What bakers they were.
And as a side effect of that brainwashing, my will couldn’t connect with Extra-sama’s, preventing her words from reaching me.
<……I should have realized that bread was dangerous when you first ate it. Emi, I’m sorry……>
Oh, don’t apologize, Extra-sama!
It’s me who should apologize to you.
You’ve been helping me all this time, yet because of the bread, I ended up forgetting about you.
<No, it was my fault……>
No no, it was mine……
<It was mine……>
It was mine……
<…………>
…………
<This is getting us nowhere.>
Yeah, it’s a fruitless conversation.
<Then let’s say neither of us are to blame. How about that?>
That’s a good idea.
<Let’s pin all the blame on a third party, say…Zosspanpicky?>
Who?! Who is Zosspanpicky?!
Randomly assigning all the responsibility to this mysterious third party Zosspanpicky?!
<………..Fufu>
……….Fufufu!
<This is fun, isn’t it, Emi?>
Yeah, Extra-sama.
Having this conversation with you again, I’m reminded of how much I missed this.
It’s far more enjoyable than my time in that village!
I really did cherish you, Extra-sama.
<P-Please stop. You’re embarrassing me……>
Ehehe.
Guuuu…………
Ugh! That gluttonous stomach ruining the mood!
I’m so huuuuungryyyy!
Haah, I don’t want to keep dwelling on these thoughts.
I wonder when this starvation will ever subside?
<Since the cause of this mana distortion was the blood of a mythological being, it likely won’t go away so easily.>
You know what I really dislike? My thoughts getting pushed to such extremes.
<Yet you seem relatively calm about it.>
I’m just used to enduring hardship!
In my previous and current life, I diligently learned to plaster a smile over my troubles on the surface level.
It might not show on my face or outward appearance, but still.
Anyway, I’m just so dreadfully hungry.
Ah, maybe I should have just eaten Ronte-san earlier without hesitation?
<N-No way! Don’t do that!>
Yeah, you’re right……
Even I don’t want to resort to cannibalism……
<Those villagers are constantly eating that bread, so their flesh is likely saturated with concentrated brainwashing magic like biological accumulation. If you ate that, you’d just get brainwashed again. If you want to eat humans, we should find another village to raid instead?>
Eeh?!
So you have zero aversion to cannibalism?!
<I don’t care about the life or death of any being other than Emi. Everything in this world is meant to be nourishment for you.>
Sigh……
That’s right, you do have this side to you.
It seems I won’t be able to live among human society for a while longer.
Well, I am the cursed child, so ordinary villagers would just drive me out anyway.
Sigh……
For now, I scan my surroundings for anything edible.
Finding nothing in particular, I start gnawing on the giant tree trunk behind me.
Bori bori bori……
<Still, I’m glad the brainwashing was broken before it was too late. If that state had continued, eventually you would have been completely brainwashed into becoming a pawn for that village’s god……the Harvest God.>
Eh, that’s scary.
Speaking of which, why was my bread brainwashing broken?
Bori bori.
<First, the premise is that compared to ordinary people, Emi has exceptionally high resistance to brainwashing and mental contamination.>
Why is that?
Bori bori.
<Not only is your physical body robust, but the strength of your soul is on another level entirely.>
……Huh? ‘Strength of soul’?
Bori bori.
<Umm……..well, in any case, you have an innate resilience against mental attacks. Still, you had been continuously ingesting massive amounts of that bread. The contamination was gradually progressing. However, a crack formed in that brainwashing.>
Because I witnessed that “ritual” and was shocked?
<Yes, that’s right. Originally, you must have felt an indescribable sense of dissonance from living in that village. That dissonance itself was too small to be considered a crack in the brainwashing, but the shock greatly widened it, finally allowing me to reach you with my voice again.>
Ahh…..I see……
<The fact that you did a considerable amount of ‘snacking’ while hunting also worked in our favor. Ingesting things other than the bread and intaking that mana helped slow the erosion from the bread’s brainwashing magic.>
Bori bori bori bori……
My conversation with Extra-sama continued.
Bori bori bori bori……
Mishi……mishishishi……zuzuzu……zuuu……n……
The tree trunk I kept gnawing on had thinned to the point it could no longer support its own weight, collapsing to the ground.
The small ants (or ant-like creatures) nesting inside scurried about frantically on the exposed cross-section.
These have a pleasant sour and sweet taste, so delicious.
I devour the entire trunk along with them. Bori bori.
* * *
This and that.
Extra-sama and I chatted aimlessly about all sorts of meaningful and meaningless topics.
I was delighted.
Delighted and enjoying our reunion after so long apart.
……Which is why I let my guard down.
Absorbed in our chitchat while gnawing on the tree trunk, I completely failed to notice the approaching footsteps.
“I’ve finally found you.”
“?!”
That voice was addressed to me around the time I had devoured all the surrounding trees, creating an empty clearing in the forest.
I paused gnawing on the trunk and looked up.
Brushing aside the remaining bushes to reveal themselves before my gaze was……a deep green-haired boy with his hair tied back in a ponytail.
It was Prough, the son whose home I had been staying at.
“Geez! What are you doing out in the forest this late, Emi?! Everyone’s worried about you!”
Prough fumed with puffed cheeks.
“Come on, let’s head back to the village already? Your delicious dinner made by Mother is waiting!”
“……..”
Saying that, he extended his hand towards me with a smile.
I remained silent while regarding Prough with caution.
<Be careful, Emi. This boy is likely brainwashed by the power of that “blessed bread” as well.>
It would be unthinkable for an ordinary, unbrainwashed boy to wander into the forest alone at night searching for me.
He shows no signs of fear despite my blood-drenched appearance either.
<I’m unsure what the Harvest God intends by brainwashing the villagers……but you must never return to that village under any circumstances. You should not go back. Gods never do anything good anyway……>
“Hey Emi, don’t stay quiet, say something?…..Ah, are you too hungry to move?”
Prough paid no heed to my wariness, casually approaching with a carefree smile as he reached into the pouch hanging from his shoulder.
What he took out from inside was……the golden glowing “blessed bread.”
“I figured this might happen, so I made sure to bring bread too! Ehehe, you’re such a glutton after all, Emi! ……Here, have some!”
The “blessed bread” was presented before me.
Its fragrant aroma.
Its beautiful color.
The abundant mana kneaded within.
It looked so delicious, as if it couldn’t possibly be of this world.
I inadvertently gulped, reaching my hand towards that bread when……
<Emiiii!!!>
“!!!”
Thanks to Extra-sama’s shout, I barely regained my senses in the nick of time and swatted the bread from Prough’s hand!
“Ahh—! Geez, why did you do that, Emi?! What a waste!”
“……..”
As Prough flustered about, he said:
“But it’s okay! I still have more bread in my pouch!”
Saying that with a smile, he took out another “blessed bread.”
……Only for me to swat that one away too without hesitation.
“I have more, you know?”
I swatted away the next one he took out.
“I have plenty more?”
Swatted away.
……Just how much bread is stuffed in that pouch?!
With no end in sight, I used 【Grasshopper】 to leap back, creating distance between Prough and myself.
Prough looked uneasy.
His brows furrowed as he gazed at me with moist eyes.
“Hey, hey? Did I do something to make Emi hate me? Could it be you’re mad because I overslept and made you deliver the schedules?”
“……..”
He stared at me with pure, innocent eyes.
Memories of the past few months with Prough and the others resurfaced in my mind.
The villagers were all so kind to me, called me their fellow, I was truly happy……
<No, Emi. All of that was an illusion. A ‘puppet show’ the people were made to act out while controlled by the Harvest God.>
…………
I know, Extra-sama……
The idea of me being loved and accepted by so many is unthinkable.
In my previous life and this one.
I’m the scorned, unwanted cursed child.
“I won’t go back.”
“Eh……..”
“I won’t return to the village.”
Prough froze, his eyes widening in shock.
I’m sorry.
“Farewell, Prough……Give my regards to everyone.”
Clutching my tight, aching chest, I somehow managed to force out those parting words before turning my back on Prough.
Turning my back on Grounoddka Village.
Turning my back on that happy time.
Stretching out before me is the night’s darkness.
A world that hates me, scorns me, won’t accept me.
Days plagued by constant starvation.
And yet, I……
“Ah, I see. So it was as you said after all.”
However, at that moment.
Prough muttered those words in an unexpectedly cold voice.
Emanating a terrifying magical power……an 【Intimidation】.
“……?!”
I whirled around in shock, tensing up.
Standing there with the moon at his back was the same deep green-haired boy with his hair tied back that I saw moments ago.
Yet the aura he exuded had completely changed.
The expression on his face was not the pure, innocent smile of the village boy from before.
But a cold, mechanical blankness.
“So your eyes have been opened, huh?”
While leaking an immense golden magical power from his small body, the boy formed a slight smile.
