Chapter 17 - First Murder

English is not my first language. If there is any error, comment. thank you

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I simply stare at the knife with a distant look on my face, the runes on my left hand still glowing as their effect persists... However, my momentary daze is interrupted when the coachman makes himself known by stepping on a poorly placed stick.

My eyes shoot towards the man, and before I can fully process the information, a silver streak surges from my hand. My body has thrown the knife.

The coachman has the chance to try to run, but his attempt was always destined to fail. The knife flies through the air and pierces the base of his skull, ending his life instantly by severing his brainstem.

However, with the loss of my weapon, the Gandalfr runes fade away, allowing me to fall to my knees and start writhing, spewing saliva and stomach acid onto the dirt road as I process what I've just done.

The warmth of the thief's blood remains on my face and hands, making me wish to cut them to rid myself of it... Even now, I can feel the sensation of cutting his throat. As if I had become infinitely familiar with it. And I wouldn't be far from the truth, as the clarity provided by the runes almost forcefully embedded the memories into my psyche. I would joke about the runes being a 'Sharingan knock-off' if I weren't so distressed by what I've just done.

Sure, I accidentally cut Guiche's hand just two days ago, but there's a big difference between accidentally doing so from a distance and cutting someone's throat while facing them. Damn, I should've used magic, but I was too close to safely perform that move.

A few minutes passed, and I finally let out a shaky sigh. My hands were sweaty and trembling as I surveyed the area. I did my best to ignore the three corpses lying nearby as I sat on a nearby rock, trying to compose myself.

I knew I'd probably have to kill again, but that didn't make this any easier. My previous thoughts of decimating armies now seemed foolish and incredibly arrogant. And the reality of what I had just done, the act of taking another human being's life, weighed heavily on me with an overwhelming burden. I didn't harbor a deep contempt for human life, even if these people were despicable criminals.

The only thing that truly comforted me was the fact that these guys were awful people. Thieves, kidnappers... one of them even had the look of a rapist. Though I didn't know their personal stories, I could guess where they came from and where they were headed. And I didn't want to imagine how many people they would have hurt before I showed up.

I spat on the ground in an attempt to clear my mouth, but only managed to aggravate my already overloaded gag reflex. Shaking my head to push those thoughts away, I got up shakily and walked towards the thief whose throat I had slit, ignoring the blood pooling beneath him. I picked up the dagger I had been holding, preparing to face what would come next.

Upon making contact with the weapon, the runes came to life once more, providing me with a sense of calm and control over my turbulent emotions. With clarity invading my mind, I surveyed the area and quickly determined the most efficient path to take.

First on the agenda was looting the corpses. I knew, thanks to documentaries I had watched, that the smell of blood would soon attract predators, or at the very least, I didn't want to be seen standing beside three lifeless bodies.

The runes kept me distant from the fact that I had ended these men's lives, so I began to search their pockets, clothes, and any other hiding place on their bodies. I found three bags of coins and two more daggers, one of which I had to extract from the coachman's skull. The action alone threatened to undo the calm the runes provided me, but I managed to keep myself in check for the moment. I would have considered taking their clothes if they weren't stained with blood and too large for me. It was better to leave them there than to risk someone discovering them.

And what to do with the loot sacks the thieves had already stored in the carriage? Upon opening them, I found several rings, necklaces, and luxurious-looking garments. I wasn't sure how currency worked in this country, or how much a loaf of bread was worth, so the chances of getting a good deal with these things were slim. Plus, there was the risk that the original owners would come to reclaim them. Judging by the delicate engravings inside some of the rings, they must have held some importance at one time or another.

I looked through the clothing that was part of the button, but most of it didn't even come close enough to my new body. Although he was already of average height before, having Satoru Gojo's body strictly changed that. I curse my body's apparent inability to be a more normal height, although I admit it was fun to see Louise looking down at me from her small height.

I shake my head to clear my thoughts about Louise while I entertain myself by trying on some clothes. I want to see if any would look natural when worn. Even if they didn't, I don't want to be sitting outside on a cold night like this, dressed in rags.

After some failed attempts, I finally manage to find something. I'm not quite sure if it belongs to a man or a woman, but it's close enough to my size to be wearable. Though it's not exactly what I had envisioned, at least it provides me with some comfort and warmth on this challenging night.