Chapter 166

“Persuasion and Reunion”

Translated by Dawn

 

“Persuasion and Reunion”

“Kuh… Just kill me already!”

“Even if you say that, I won’t do it, you know?”

The initial bravado had now subsided, and the creature showed a weak demeanor. Delighted by the unexpectedly high-quality meat of the Manticore, I used restorative magic to regenerate its limbs and establish an infinite mechanism similar to the Octopus.

However, it should be noted that my infinite mechanism was contingent upon my magical power lasting, so it was not a perpetual motion machine.

While the Manticore possessed high physical abilities, it lacked the skill of “Regeneration.” Therefore, I had to assist in regrowing its limbs.

Additionally, unlike the aquatic monster Octopus, the Manticore, being a beast-type monster, appeared to have pain receptors. Each time I severed its limbs, it emitted cries of pain.

Essentially, this became its punishment for attacking the village. However, the mental burden it bears seemed to be greater than the physical pain, as it had already given up on living.

“Furthermore, I’ve only obtained a mere ten tons of meat so far. I need at least ten times that amount. So, let’s continue.”

“Someone! Help me!”

The Manticore, unable to endure any longer, cried out for help. Unfortunately, there was no one to assist monsters in this world, and currently, there was only one confirmed being that could defeat me.

Since this being had been overly friendly toward me, if it were to be revealed that it attacked me, there would be a high probability of inflicting even greater pain upon me. In that sense, what I was doing was morally justifiable.

Moreover, the unfortunate aspect for the Manticore was that I had been continuously regrowing and severing its limbs until I remembered that by using alchemy, I could infinitely multiply the limbs as long as there was sufficient magical power.

No longer fleeing or attacking, the Manticore assumed a submissive posture like a dog, patiently awaiting its own demise.

“I no longer wish to suffer. Kill me already.”

“But I refuse! You attacked the village and killed innocent people. Do you think a sin like that can be absolved with this level of ‘ingredient’… I mean, atonement?”

Indeed, the sins committed by the Manticore were far from trivial. While it might be a world of survival of the fittest, the villagers killed by the Manticore had families. The remaining humans must carry the burden of the grief of losing their loved ones, a wound that would never heal.

Considered this: if a creature that killed one’s precious family were in a state of unbearable suffering, would one forgive it simply because its appearance is pitiful?

Most likely not. In fact, there would be many who would think, “Serves you right. Make it suffer even more.”

In other words, what I was trying to say was that the actions I’d taken against the Manticore might be contrary to human morality, but the Manticore, who committed acts contrary to the principles of not killing villagers, bear a greater guilt.

Furthermore, my cruel actions toward the Manticore serve as a means of condemning it, and the fact that I committed those acts would remain in the darkness. Quite an impressive plot, don’t you think?

“Now, let me ask you again. Do you have any intention of becoming my pet?”

“No. I am a proud Manticore. I have no intention of serving anyone. If I die in battle, so be it. It is my destiny. It is my wish.”

“I see. In that case…”

“Have you made up your mind to kill me?”

“Until you nod your head, I will repeat what I did earlier tens of thousands of times!”

“Why would it come to that!?”

And so, after repeating the process of producing exquisite meat infinitely 5,636 times, the Manticore finally nodded its head.

“I don’t care if it’s becoming your pet or anything, just don’t hurt me anymore…”

“Yeah, yeah, now you understand. I was really about to repeat the process tens of thousands of times.”

“Humans are scary, humans are scary, humans are scary…”

The initial impression of the Manticore being strong-willed had faded, and it seemed that I’d implanted some kind of trauma in it. Nevertheless, I’d successfully persuaded the Manticore for now.

Although things didn’t go as planned initially, the fact remained that as long as the cause of the problem, which was the Manticore, was gone, there wouldn’t be any difference. Even if I were to contract the Manticore as a summoning beast, there wouldn’t be much difference either.

“Alright, from now on, you will live as my summoning beast. However, there’s no specific task for you, so don’t worry.”

“Then why did you make a contract with a summoning beast?”

“Just because.”

…That’s a lie. The truth was, I initially wanted to make a contract with the Manticore for its meat, but I simply forgot about the infinite multiplication through alchemy. It couldn’t be helped, after all, I was only twelve years old. …Uuhh, it’s hard to pretend.

To dodge the Manticore’s suspicious gaze, which narrowed its eyes and looked doubtful at my vague answer, I decided to summon another beast to let it know that a new comrade had joined.

“[Summon]! Come out, Octopus.”

“Hmm? Where am I? It doesn’t seem to be a water environment.”

“It’s been a while. Today… I mean, were you this much smaller than I remember?”

Appearing before us was not the gigantic octopus I first encountered, but an octopus with a length of about two meters. I was a little worried that it had shrunk and become smaller because I hadn’t summoned it for a while, but my concerns turned out to be groundless.

“Actually, I can freely change my size. In the largest size, I become the size I was when I fought with Master. By the way, the smallest size is about the size of your head.”

“Well, whatever. I called you today to introduce you to a new comrade. It’s the Manticore, an SS-rank monster just like you.”

“…Long time no see, Octopus.”

“Yeah, it’s been about four hundred years, roughly.”

It seemed that they were familiar faces from the past, as both of them exchanged such greetings.

“I never expected to reunite with you in such a way…”

“The next time we meet, I planned to tear you to shreds with my fangs, but now I can’t do that anymore. It’s really a shame.”

“It’s the same for me. I had planned to tear off your mane and sink it to the bottom of the sea. It didn’t go as planned.”

Although their expressions weren’t as expressive as humans, it seemed that both of them were smiling. Apparently, they had thought that if they met again, they wouldn’t show any mercy to each other. Indeed, none of them could have imagined that they would reunite as summoning beasts for a human.

“For now, I’ll call you when I need you. Please cooperate then.”

“Understood.”

“Got it.”

And so, the problem caused by the Manticore, which had been plaguing the Saverdales Principality, was resolved surprisingly easily.