Novel Bin Chapter 11: If You Don't Answer, Will You Do It?
Chapter 11: If You Don't Answer, Will You Do It?
Many often overlook the story, but prosperous cities dont just attract the wealthy.
In fact, those who are lacking are more likely to be drawn to affluent areas, hoping to make a life for themselves there.
This was clearly the case in Seoul, the capital of South Korea, where I lived; even the high demand for cramped attics and closets evidenced it.
No matter how little one possesses, simply being in such a city allows access to its infrastructure, markets, and job opportunities, even without a fortune.
Thus, the slums on the outskirts of the empire became a bustling hub for those drawn by such prospects.
As these places attracted people, rules, and morals diminished, and due to poor governance, no forces like guards were deployed to maintain order.
In other words, this area was essentially lawless, with only remnants of civilization.
In some respects, it might even be considered more fraught with evil than the lands overrun by demon armies.
Its starting to rain.
Was it a sign that I shouldnt take Vivian to such a place?
Despite it being broad daylight, dark clouds gathered, and the cold rain began soaking through the hood I was wearing.
Fortunately, I had prepared sturdy, waterproof materials for our long journey, but only I reaped the benefits.
Vivian, having been rushed to leave, had only her usual home pajamas on.
Are you okay?
Uh, yeah. Im fine.
Despite her claim, Vivian hugged herself, pretending to be unaffected.
Her wet clothes, clinging to her skin, must have chilled her, but her shivers were likely not solely from the cold.
If its to see my mother, I can endure this. The housekeeper said that I have to do this to meet her again
Mother.
For some reason, she had begun research with the Mage Towers support.
I had brought her here to help her reclaim what she cherished so much.
If I hadnt provided a satisfactory answer back then, my life might have been in jeopardy.
Here, wear this.
But aside from that, I couldnt bear to leave this vulnerable-looking woman alone.
Especially since I had succeeded in suppressing a madness that could devastate the city by making her simply remember my existence.
Are you okay?
Yes, I have an extra one for emergencies.
I handed her the hood I was wearing and wrapped myself in a cloak from my portable kit.
This one wasnt waterproof, so it would get quite wet, but it was better than nothing.
Hehe. Its warm.
Trying to appear fine, she wrapped the cloth around herself and smiled, holding the hood in her hand.
She even brought her face close to its surface, as if feeling its texture.
I can feel Mr. Housekeepers warmth.
Is that so?
Mm-hmm. Its warm and nice.
Did she feel better, enjoying that warmth?
It was a bit uncomfortable that she felt my warmth without hesitation, but it was fortunate that she felt better.
Were almost there, so please be ready.
Hiding those feelings, I led the way to a shabby alleyway.
Beyond it lay a conspicuously large building, probably where the criminal organization we were targeting was located.
There was no need to inquire further.
This slum was a place even the empire had given up on managing, to the extent that even large criminal organizations could operate without hindrance.
Is this the place where the criminals are?
Yes, this is where the Blood River is.
The question was whether the person behind me could handle such an organization.
Even though she was a scholar from the Mage Tower, where the empires best mages gathered, the opponent was a criminal group that even the empire had given up controlling.
Even if she were strong, the sheer number of their members, including the lower ranks, would rival a considerable army.
Miss Vivian.
And I was not one to pretend or boast, even falsely.
I had seen too many people attempt things they couldnt handle and cross irrevocable rivers since I came to this world.
Im unfortunately not good at fighting. The most I can do is guide you
Its its okay.
Despite my self-reproach, she didnt mind and reassured me, clutching the hood I had given her.
Housekeeper, ah, you dont have to do anything. Just tell me one thing.
Her voice trembled, but she displayed a disconnect, feeling no hesitation.
What do you mean?
Who who should I take care of?
Ah, right.
She had no ethical boundaries either, considering she was also from the Mage Tower.
Can can I ask you?
Vivian looked up at me, her eyes brimming with anxious vulnerability.
Confronted with her pitiable gaze, I began to feel tempted.
Perhaps because of my ability, she was showing dependence on me as she slipped into madness.
Maybe, using this power, I could manipulate hera strong person from the Mage Towerinto my control.
With just a bit of lying, sweet-talking, and comforting.
Yes. Leave it to me.
As soon as I realized this, I suppressed the thought, and self-loathing started to swarm in.
She was genuinely reliant on me, but I had contemplated exploiting her.
Was it because I was such a greedy person? Or because this world has pushed me to such extremes?
Whats this? Someones here?
Caught in my internal conflict, I heard a voice and quickly shielded Vivian behind me, alert to the approaching footsteps.
Men with fierce expressions patrolled the rain-drenched streets.
The fact that they openly carried daggers and studded clubs in the middle of the road was evidence of the lawlessness here.
But even more alarming was the symbol of the Blood River on their chests.
Who are you? Do you know whose territory this is?
If youre here, youve got to pay a toll. Hey, hand over everything youve got Wait a minute.
Blood River.
The low-ranked members of the criminal organization soon noticed Vivian hiding behind me, gripping my coat, and their smiles turned wickedly.
Kekeke, is that a woman there?
She doesnt look like just some streetwalker Kekeke. Well, lets strip her and see if shes fun.
I had already anticipated such a reaction.
To villains devoid of ethics, a powerless woman was nothing but a target.
Housekeeper, Housekeeper.
But frailty is only skin-deep.
I knew she was from the Mage Tower and had indirectly experienced her power in the basement.
She possessed such immense power that she could crush her surroundings with just the turmoil of her emotions.
Can I kill these guys?
So, I knew.
The whisper behind me was neither a bluff nor a lie.
Th-theyre bothering us, right? Huh? Theyre annoying, so can I kill them?
She was entrusting me with that decision, gripping my cloak even tighter.
As the weight bore down on my shoulders and tension overwhelmed me, I steeled my breath, pondering what to answer.
In this world, I had long stopped considering things within the realm of morality, unless my heart compelled me.
So my top priority was always whether something would harm me.
In this situation, the next consideration was whether allowing her to deal with them would hinder her objectives.
Yes.
It didnt take long for me to decide.
Theyre no trouble to deal with.
After all, they were the ones who had lost their humanity while trying to adapt to a decaying world.
Even if they died here, I wouldnt feel any guilt, and if they could be easily dealt with, it was best to do so.
Hehehe.
At my decision, she chuckled and reached out from behind my shoulder.
Then, Ill start right away.
I didnt know what she intended to do, but soon they would be dead.
Unlike me, sweating coldly with this premonition, they confidently stepped toward us.
Kikiki, what are those guys saying?
Hey, enough. Hand over that woman right now and get lost. Or else
Thud.
The babbling mans mouth shut as he heard the sound of the man following him falling to the ground.
I also halted in my tracks, a chilling sensation washing over me.
The man felt a surge of confusion, turned around, and his eyes widened in shock.
His eyes bulged, unable to grasp the reality unfolding before him.
Uh?
I must have worn the same expression on my face.
Although I had braced myself for death, confusion rather than fear engulfed me.
After all, the head of the man she pointed at simply disappeared.
There was no cut, no burn, nothing.
In the blink of an eye, while my vision was blurred by rainwater, his head was gone, and his body collapsed.
Splat!
A geyser of blood erupted from the neck as if to fill the void left by the missing head.
But even that seemed too ordinary.
It was as though nature was rushing to occupy a suddenly empty space, one that had been previously obstructed.
Thud.
As the lifeless body hit the ground, twitching, the face of his companion twisted in horror.
What? What?! What the hell?
Splash!
Another head disappeared.
And another blood fountain followed.
Thud.
The lifeless bodies began to convulse, as if they didnt realize they were dead, their nerves and hearts still proving they were alive.
Heh.
She stood behind me, observing the carnage.
Hehe, killed them.
The mage, who had slain two with a mere gesture, began to chuckle softly in my ear.
What just happened?
Shouldnt there be visible distortions or some noise before casting a spell? Was that truly magic?
Is she even a mage?
N-now that the nuisances are dealt with, shall we proceed?
She gripped me from behind and whispered into my ear.
Housekeeper, answer me. Can we can we move on?
In that instant, she, who had claimed their lives through an unfathomable act, was whispering to me, urging me to respond.
In an instant, she took two lives.
And now shes urging me to respond.
If I dont, I might end up like those two men, my head disappearing suddenly
I dont want to end up just a twitching body in the rain.
There was just a commotion here!
Before I could answer, screams were heard, and people from outside the alley started to converge here.
They were probably members of the organization stationed nearby. All armed with menacing weapons, they began to grimace upon seeing the emblem of their organization on the two fallen bodies.
Did you kill these guys!?
Be prepared
Before their warning could finish, their bodies slump.
The heads of those next to them vanished before their eyes, and blood spurted out, leaving them with dumbfounded expressions.
They couldnt comprehend this phenomenon of heads disappearing without a trace.
Annoying, ah.
But she didnt give them a chance to understand.
Dealing with them is annoying.
Simply because they hindered her sole objective of completing her mission and returning.
Snap.
As she expressed that emotion with a snap of her fingers, the eye levels of those around us uniformly dropped.
They didnt bend their knees or bow their heads.
The ground where they had been standing disappeared.
And along with it were their legs that had been standing on that ground.
Aaaahhh!
The moment when all the legs disappeared at once, and blood spurted from the void, cries of agony echoed through the rain.
Ah, aah! What, what! Where are my legs?
Shut up.
Snap!
Again, her finger snapped, and the screams disappeared.
As if she were reaping and discarding sheaves of rice with a sickle.
The heads of all those who were raising their heads in pain where the ground had disappeared vanished along a single line.
Splash! Whoosh!
Jets of blood spurted where the screams had ceased.
All of it was washed away in the rain, dyeing the earth below.
In the puddles filled with bloodied mud, the headless, legless corpses began to twitch with post-mortem spasms.
Um, um, Housekeeper.
In the midst of a scene swarming with the horror of death, she showed no interest.
Her gaze had already moved from them to the large building beyond
The headquarters of the criminal organization we had originally targeted loomed in her sight.
Th-this is taking too long. I-I dont think its good Can I do it?nove(l)bi(n.)com
A soft voice spoke just as I became aware of it.
But the situation was unfolding so quickly that I couldnt grasp her words.
What did she mean by Do it?
I couldnt understand what had happened up to that point; what was she planning to do now?
If you dont answer, Ill do it
Seeming to take my silence as consent amid the confusion, she snapped her fingers again.
That was enough.
Both the people and the building in the place she targeted were gone.
Everything that had existed there was erased without a trace from this world.