[Vol 0] Chapter 18

White Shigaraki ∇

My eyes opened up to a starry set of lights. It took me a bit of time before I could refocus my vision. When I came to, an unfamiliar ceiling greeted me.

After adjusting myself up to a sitting position, I realize that I am alone in this room. I had been lying on this bed until I woke up, and I couldn't see any of my belongings in this room. However, I wasn't in a condition to worry about that yet. The last thing I remember was when I was in the nest of the Horned Rabbits... and then...

"Ugh..."

Another wave of migraine struck me as my thoughts were cut off at a critical moment. But I soon felt a surge of urgency rise up within me again. That's right. The girl. That demihuman, she was still there! I scried through my memories, but I can't remember if she had also left that place safely. Wait, why am I here? How am I here? Where am I exactly? I tried to get up properly, but I felt a sting on my waist. The soreness forced me to fall back down to the bed, exhausted.

"...Should I call someone..." I thought to myself.

But first... I opened my Status Window as if on reflex. And immediately a string of notifications appeared on the translucent blue screen.

(What the...?)

White LV 6 [22.54%] ❙❙❙❙❙❙❙❙ ◈ /110 HP

Race: Human ◈ ♂ No class ◈

Recovering ◈ Strength 6 ◈ Dexterity 7 ◈ Luck 6 ◈ Intelligence 7

Why did I level up by so much? What happened while I was unconscious?

[!] Skill updated.

♦ Passive Skill:「Pain Reduction」has leveled up to 5.

♦ Passive Skill:「Dagger Proficiency」has leveled up to 4.

◤NEW◢ ♦ Passive Skill:「Disarmed Circuit」obtained.

⑆「Disarmed Circuit」▣ Lv 1 ▣ A body with a malfunctioning mana circuit. ⑆

Disarmed Circuit? What is this skill? Why did my status change so much over the course of one day, it didn't make any sense? I can't move well enough, so I just laid down on the bed thinking.

It was only after some time had passed that I could hear the distinct sound of heels clicking together. Someone was approaching. A moment later, the door opened wide. A woman in neat office-esque clothing entered the room. She scanned the room and for some reason, her gaze behind her specs locked onto mine and never left it.

The first thing I took notice of however, was her abundant spillage of breasts; a tightness that seemed to threaten the seams on her clothes, transforming her business casual into an indecent, sexy look. My eyes couldn't help but follow as every step made her bust rise and fall with an enticing bounce.

It felt a little rude, so I laid my eyes elsewhere. Brown, sienna-tinted hair, lips with a sensual gloss on her glowing face that captured youthfulness; the woman didn't appear to lack any physical features that would appeal to a man. The more I looked at her, the more I was captivated by this bespectacled beauty. Her sensually provocative figure stirred the darker desires in me, leaving me with the temptation to reach out and feel it.

"...!" It was only through a light cough from the woman that I had quickly understood my rudeness. But perhaps because of our acquaintance, she didn't seem to be too angry with me. That's right, I knew this person.

"Heinesia-san...?" I spoke meekly.

"I was quite concerned when I heard the news but... ...You seem... well, at least... White-sama."

Her eyes laid on the bulge in between my legs for a moment, before she turned to the side with a hint of redness on her ears.

"A-Ah, err, th-this is!"

"Stop," She held out a palm and smiled wryly. "I don't need to know more. Besides, you have other concerns you want to hear from me, don't you?"

"..."

That's right! I had been too caught up with this strangely pent-up mood ever since waking up from that. Blame it on an incident that happened in the past, my body now reacts to pressure differently from others, and that behavior was exhibited shamefully here as well. In short, I become terribly aroused when my stress levels are high. Admittedly, this was truly a weird constitution to have.

"...Y-Yeah... Heinesia-san... where is this place?" I decided to go along with her and cut off the unnecessary thoughts in my head for now.

"You are in a guild facility." Heinesia explained patiently.

"A soldier brought White-sama to us in the middle of his patrol around the city walls, it was good that you had the guild plate around your neck when he found you so they identified you easily. After that it was our responsibility to handle the welfare of our adventurers in this city involving monsters, so we moved you here to recuperate before you sustained even greater injuries."

"Recuperate...?" It came as a shock from what I was told. Sure I was a little anemic, but I didn't recall receiving an injury! Still, I didn't think that Heinesia was lying to me either.

I became even more confused when Heinesia further explained. "I wasn't there when it happened. But from what I've heard, you were in a seriously-injured state when they first found you unconscious. It wouldn't have been strange if you were to stop breathing at any given moment back then."

"S-Seriously?"

"Yes, do you not remember what you did to receive those grievous wounds? I honestly didn't count you as someone who was this reckless, it was... a surprise, for my heart. Did you know how worried I was when I learnt that you had returned in that kind of state?"

My face stiffened.

...What on earth happened? Why was she saying that as if I was still lucky to be alive? Did I do something reckless that I wasn't aware of?

I... don't remember anything like that. But... could she have...?

"W-Wait... did the soldier see another girl when he found me?"

"A girl...?" Heinesia raised an eyebrow at my statement.

"Y-Yeah... I... She was... a demihuman, I think. She had pale white hair, kind of like a fox, and her eyes are blue."

"A demihuman, you mean a beast-kin? No... I don't think he did. He only found you there alone. Why, did something happen?"

"...I... I don't know. She was the one who saved me." I muttered weakly. My mind was already trailing off as I thought about the girl. Did she escape after I broke the slave collar? Well it made sense. Since she was now free, there wasn't any reason sticking around anymore.

But unaware of what I was currently thinking, Heinesia seemed to be more concerned over what I had just said.

"Saved... ...Really?" It wasn't as if Heinesia was intentionally being hard, but it felt like her piercing glare behind her specs were showing a large amount of distrust towards me. I couldn't understand why she had taken such an attitude when I mentioned the girl.

Wait, was it because she was a demi... no, beast-kin? My feelings about the matter became even more complicated. It didn't seem like the conversation would steer into a strange direction however, as Heinesia suddenly turned a little more serious.

"Well... you can explain yourself later, it's not a good time for this, White-sama."

"Not a good time... f-for what?"

Without answering my question, Heinesia came even closer to me. And at this proximity, I could see the opening in between her clothes more clearly as she leaned forward. A sweet fragrance emanated from her body, leaving me delirious as I took in a light whiff of that musky scent.

"I came here to pick you up." She divulged as a matter-of-factly. That no-nonsense attitude of hers had also snapped me back from my daze.

I had always regarded Heinesia as a serious person, but her demeanor that she was showing me now made it feel like I had only seen the tip of an insurmountable iceberg----

"There is a swarm of Horned Rabbits approaching the city as we speak and because of that, your presence has been requested."

My eyes widened as I received this astonishing piece of information, not registering the latter half of what she had just said.

"A-A swarm...?! H-How many?!" I had a premonition, that this had probably something to do with the male adventurer who had died trying to take the rabbit eggs away from the nest. A swarm of monsters invading a city really did seem like something that would only happen in this kind of world.

"From our sources, MANY. We've sent as many adventurers as we could to handle it already, but no matter how many there are, it will take an impossible amount of Horned Rabbits to get through those walls."

...I...

"It wasn't me! It's not my fault!" I couldn't help but raise my voice in an agitated manner. Heinesia looked at me strangely and replied me, "What are you talking about?"

"Eh?"

"... It's... not your fault, right?"

"O-Of course! I'm not involved!"

"...Well, that's fine."

"..."

I was this close to fucking it up over nothing...! So when she dropped her suspicion, I felt my heart relax substantially. It would be bad if everything was pinned down to my fault, since I had a feeling that confessing to anything would merely pull me into another can of worms that I didn't care to open right now.

It wasn't as if returning the eggs now would solve anything. I wasn't even sure if the eggs were taken after I fell unconscious. It was safer to say that I had nothing to do with it.

I guess I was overthinking, but I was still a little restless.

"Y-You want me to participate... then? Protect the city or something..." I spoke cautiously. After all, I didn't think I wanted to see another Horned Rabbit in a long time after that. But Heinesia shook her head immediately.

"No." Her eyes glimmered with a strange vehemence as she scrutinized the puzzled expression on my face.

"...I already told you, White-sama, that I... the guild needs you to meet someone."

Before I could ask further, Heinesia added.

"The king wants to see you."

So it's the king huh.

...Wait, what?