49 – Ordinary Comedy Resident vs. The Strongest Inspector

Puhahaak -!

“..!”

Then, by chance, she witnessed it. A sharp blade piercing through Lian’s abdomen, ruthlessly tearing apart his upper body.

Iris lost her composure and immediately tried to rush into the training ground. If she hadn’t heard ‘that sound,’ she would have.

“Monster… monster!”

A terrified slave shouted “monster,” and simultaneously, as if Iris’s feet were bound by shackles, she froze.

Jiiing -.

A ringing sound echoed in her ears, and her vision was stained white.

Such an outstanding specimen, it’s the first time, there’s no other monster like this!

Get lost! If I stay with a monster like you, I’ll die too!

How are you still alive? Go away! Don’t come! No! Monster!

Monster!

Monster!

Monster!

A voice, whether female or male, child or adult, incessantly echoed in her mind.

From Noble mtl dot com

You are alone in this world.

You cannot be saved by anyone.

You are a monster – a monster.

You only use Lian, right?

You just don’t want to die.

You’re not qualified to wield a sword.

You are, you are, you are -…

Unconsciously, Iris found herself crouched, gasping for breath. The reason she snapped out of it amidst the squeaking and buzzing noises was the intensified scent of blood.

“Ah…”

Iris lifted her dazed face. At the edge of her gaze, she saw Lian, covered in blood, walking somewhere step by step. With a trembling body, Iris summoned the strength to stand up.

Iris knew how to suppress her instincts to survive. She may not have had power over the strong, but she could avoid the fearful gazes of the slaves.

Watching Lian enter and exit a slave’s room looking neat, Iris stood frozen in shock, her mouth agape.

“Since when…?”

Lian’s presence was always comforting and warm. It felt as if all the cruel experiences she had endured until now were merely a dream.

For Iris, who had always been treated as a toy, controlled by memories, Lian was a sanctuary she had never experienced before.

Like any child, Iris thought that Lian’s embrace was the safest place in the world, free of any problems. But she was foolish to think that.

The embrace that always held her tenderly carried hidden traces of injury that she was unaware of, suffered in places she didn’t know. And it was all too familiar.

Iris, with a blank face, stared at Lian, then turned and retreated to her room as Lian approached.

And now.

Iris continued to recall the scene she had just witnessed.

“I… can’t do anything.”

Because I am nothing.

Because I am a monster.

Because I am a useless existence.

Iris accepted the words she didn’t know when someone started whispering them to her. She no longer had the mental strength to deny that fact.

“Iris, uh… did you know that there’s a really scary friend at Bianca’s house? He bites and all that. But since that friend doesn’t wear a muzzle, you might get bitten if you go there, so-“

Iris quietly listened to Lian’s words and asked softly.

“How… do you know?”

“Huh?”

“How do you… know about biting?”

How could one know that there was something in Bianca’s house that was tearing things apart, and that she might get bitten? It was a fact that only someone who had been bitten could know.

“Oh, well…”

Trying to obscure the end of his words, Lian changed the subject.

“Today… why were you late?”

Iris’s trembling gaze turned towards Lian’s face. A momentary flash of surprise crossed Lian’s face. Although the emotion disappeared in an instant, Iris didn’t miss it.

“Um… while coming up, I saw some other gladiators between houses, so I stopped to greet them. You know, the ones that came before Bianca visited.”

Lian left out the fact that he had been severely injured or had to change his clothes messily, and simply continued with other words.

Iris clenched her fist tightly. Tears welled up at the base of her throat.

The fear of losing her sanctuary, the helplessness towards her own powerlessness, and the frustration towards Lian, who only hid the truth.

Various emotions swirled in Iris’s mind. In the confusion of not knowing how to resolve them, she ultimately chose to run away.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah? Of course, I’m fine.”

With Lian’s response, Iris nodded her head like a blind child. Her judgment didn’t matter. If Lian said he was okay, then he was okay. That was her way of escaping.

***

Whether it was thanks to my convincing or not, Iris’s mood returned to normal afterward. However, she spoke less than before. Of course, she would answer if I asked a question or spoke to her, but she rarely initiated conversation.

“Isn’t it more comfortable living here than you thought?”

I had somehow grown accustomed to the life in the arena. There weren’t many matches since there were so many slaves. In my free time, I would either play around or eat delicious food.

The gladiator slaves usually wandered around with nothing to do, but they all seemed busy with their training. Since I didn’t have to, I laid on the bed and stuck a knife into my thigh.

At first, I pierced my stomach…but soon, the Devil Sword begged to be removed with a disgusted expression. As the time it was stuck grew longer, the organs seemed to complain.

In the middle, Iris also participated in a match twice. She skillfully defeated her opponents. Through Guisuin, I heard that they only match her with demons she can overpower in order to raise her value.

We spent our time leisurely like that for a few days until a new match was scheduled.

“If you don’t want to die, you have to work hard.”

Guisuin smiled meaningfully and spoke. I didn’t know what he meant, so I tilted my head and silently called out to Gar Gandoa.

Then, blood spurted out from the back of my hand. The blood, flowing in a beautiful line as if controlling it with magic, quickly gathered in my hand.

When the red silhouette was squeezed in my hand, it flowed down like water, and the Devil Sword appeared.

Recalling how it transformed from a pile of debt into a Devil Sword, I realized that its appearance had become quite flashy.

[Hehe, this is it. Respect the great me! Look at me with eyes filled with fear!]

Gar Gandoa…seemed like a clown. It had lost its serious attitude a long time ago.

“It’s noisy, but this is better.”

Discussing how to make a more impressive entrance rather than meaningless talk about opening a blood festival was more fun.

Shhh.

The Devil Sword had transformed into a flashy game item-like appearance. The red light that flickered slightly as it moved was enchanting to the point of admiration.

[Hmm, if I gain more power, I should make clothes for my partner too.]

While discussing how to make a more impressive entrance, the intoxicated Devil Sword suddenly started calling me its partner. It sounded familiar, like a contractee or partner, but “partner” seemed to have a more friendly meaning to the Devil Sword.

“Why clothes?”

[Isn’t it cool?]

Indeed, compared to the Devil Sword, the clothes I was wearing were dull.

“If I make them in a strange design, they won’t give us dinner.”

[Hehe, the aesthetic ability of this Gar Gandoa is undeniably “the strongest” that no one can deny.]

Where did it learn those words anyway? I thought while looking at the iron bars that made a squeaky sound as they were raised.

“This match is unprecedented! A battle between gladiators!”

“…?”

I thought I would be fighting monsters as usual, but it seemed different this time. Instead of walking towards the demons in the arena, I looked up at the announcer. The announcer rambled on with unnecessary words and then uttered the name of the person I had to face.

” – …The genius among geniuses who left countless achievements! Bianca!”

“Kraaaah!”

“Kyaaaah!”

“Hweeeeek -.”

“Wooooooh!”

The cheers, resonating as if the ground itself was shaking, spread throughout the arena. I scratched my head with the sword in hand.

“Ugh, it’s uncomfortable when you know the person…”

Thinking so, I glanced at the open gate. Bianca, swaying her hips as if emphasizing her figure, was making her way into the arena. She looked much better than the last time I saw her.

“Fortunately, she seems to be doing better.”

Thinking that, I smiled at Bianca with joy. However, as she confidently walked into the arena, our eyes met, and she abruptly stopped.

“Huh? Did Bianca not know either?”

It would be surprising for her to come out for a match without knowing who the opponent is. In the moment I extended my hand for a friendly shake, Bianca hesitated and stepped back.

***

“C-Crazy… W-Why is that monster here?”

Bianca’s face turned pale, and she began to tremble.

“Just a simple match!”

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