The First Target (3)

"W-Wait!" Rose shouted, but I ignored her.

My sword moved quickly, easily cutting through the flesh of this monster.

But I did not kill it. Instead, I just cut its leg.

"ROOOAAAAAARRRRR!!!" The monster roared in pain. It collapsed on the ground and gazed at me with fearful eyes.

When it saw my sword dripping with blood, it trembled and tried to used its mutilated body to drag itself away.

Rose stared at that scene horrified and her eyes shook.

To her, this monster was also a human.

I sighed. "Rose, I understand your compassion. However, is this monster worthy of your compassion? I told you it before, didn't I? This guy is the culprit behind two murders, perhaps even more."

Rose's eyes were filled with sadness.

"… Even so, he did it under the influence of the seeds, right? I…. I don't think he deserves to die… I can't kill him."

"Is it so? Rose, do you forget that your unnecessary compassion almost caused the death of several children?���

"… But even so, I can't kill him."

I sighed inwardly. This girl's hero complex is even worse than I thought.

"I'll ask you a question then. If instead of the children, it would have been Katherine or me in their place… What would you have done?"

Rose froze.

Once more, Katherine tried to speak and stop me. She thought I was being too harsh with Rose.

But I stopped her with my gaze.

Rose is not the first hero I know. Thus, I'm aware of how she is going to end if she continues like this.

Countless heroes have suffered an unfortunate fate due to their excessive mercy.

That is the reason I'm being so harsh right no.

"Rose, if it would have been us instead of the children, would have you let us die? What about your parents? Will you let them die too?"

Rose bit her lips. Several complicated emotions appeared on her face at the same time, culminating in a bitter look.

Then, she spat out cryingly.

"… I don't know."

My gaze turned complex.

On one hand, I could not help but admire Rose's pureness.

And on the other hand, I could not help but pity her.

Because the world is not so merciful as to allow someone like her to keep her ideals for long.

If she continues like this, I fear she will eventually have to face utmost despair brought by her unnecessary mercy.

"… I'll tell you my answer then, Rose." I said and walked towards the pitiful mutilated monster.

"I will not allow the existence of anything that harms my happiness."

Even if it's human, even if it's a god.

Even if it's an immortal like me.

I thought about Ysnay. Although I'm not sure about her intentions yet, I can't bring myself to trust her.

Even now, I'm getting ready to kill her if it's necessary.

The same with Emilia, the girl who was once my daughter.

The same with that unknown Immortal.

As for this pitiful once-human before me…

I put my sword on its forehead.

"This monster dared to hurt you, Rose. And to me, that is something deserving death."

"W-Wai–"

Without waiting for her words, I pushed my sword forward.

Smoothly, my sword cut through its forehead, piercing its skull and destroying its brain.

In an instant, the monster's soul was snuffled out.

Rose's gaze was frozen and her hand was extended. She then looked at me with a complex look.

I met her gaze with a firm one. As though showing her my determination.

Finally, Rose looked away. She then forced herself to stand up and walked away, as though she was a lifeless corpse.

Katherine stared at that scene with a complicated expression. She then turned towards me and sighed.

"You were too harsh, Claus."

I shrugged.

"But it's necessary. If she doesn't learn about this now, she will eventually be met with despair."

Katherine sighed again. She was not sure if what I did was right or wrong, but she agreed with me.

However–

"Are you not afraid she will hate you after this?"

"… Oh? I think you should be happy about it, right? You will have a love rival less after all."

"Bah! Why should I care about the girls you are fooling!?"

I chuckled and walked towards Katherine. Before she could escape, I caught her and hugged her waist.

"Even if she hates me, you will console me, right?"

"Hey! Let me go!" Katherine struggled in my arms fiercely.

Unfortunately for her, I kept my hug shamelessly and even put my head on her chest.

"… I'm depressed… What am I going to do if Rose hates me? I wonder where I can find another beautiful girl like her."

"H-Hey! Pervert, let go!"

"Sigh… If only this beautiful girl on my arms gives me a kiss, I will feel much better…"

"Claus!"

"… What should I do…"

"H-Hey, stop no–Hmph!"

With a smile, I stole Katherine's lips.

For several seconds, I kept like that, savoring the sweet savor of her saliva and slowly invading her mouth.

Katherine resisted at the start, but she soon gave in and relaxed her body, putting her weigh on my chest.

After almost half a minute, we finally separated.

Katherine looked at me and blushed, unable to look into my eyes due to the embarrassment.

"… Let go of me already."

I smiled and released the hug. But before she could run away, I grabbed her hand.

Then, I intertwined her fingers with mine.

"… Just for a while. Don't worry, I'll release you if someone else sees us."

"… Okay."

With a blush, Katherine walked beside me shyly.

Like that, the two of us went to find Rose.

…

At the same time, in the sky.

Evelyn was looking towards the figures of Katherine and Claus while clenching her teeth.

"That bastard!"

"Evelyn? What is wrong?" One of the beyond-twelfth-layer practitioners asked.

Evelyn ignored him and instead continue glaring at Claus, who was holding her student's hand, as though she wanted to eat him alive.

To think that womanizer dared to put his hands on her student!

She even warned Katherine to keep away from him! How could she be so naïve as to fall for his claws!?

Moreover, she could see that the bastard had already put his eyes on her other student. At this rate, Rose was going to fall on his hands too.

She could not allow that!

"Bastard!" Evelyn growled.

Strangely, she ignored the fact that herself ended falling into Claus's hands too, even before her students moreover.

In the end, neither the master nor her two disciples could escape this fate.

....

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