Chapter Forty: Betrayal Begets More Betrayal

There are things you can expect in this world… and things you could never foresee. How in the world did it come to this? It was supposed to be a precious, unforgettable moment. My first kiss… my first kiss was short, barely lasting ten seconds.Being alone in that room with Etis, I let my lust get the best of me. At first i just wanted to experience what kissing her would feel like buy her shirt came undone in the process. As innocent as she was she casually tried to cover up. The mood was good and the accident happened when I tried to kiss her. As soon as our lips touched and a bit of my saliva mixed in with hers, she lost all reasoning as if possessed. That was when she grabbed my shoulders with monstrous strength pushing me down with all she had. I could clearly see waves of energy building up. 
Now I lay sprawled on the first floor, my body refusing to move. The impact had been so strong, I was certain my spine had cracked against the wooden boards.
What power… no, that was definitely inhuman strength. The force destroyed the second floor. 
Where did I go wrong? Was I not supposed to kiss her? Or did I mess up somewhere else?
My eyes stayed fixed on the stairs as I lay helpless. The others crowded around me, forming a circle and asking what happened, while some went to check the source of that scream.
Every single piece of glass on the first floor had shattered—from the windows to the kitchenware.
How did it turn out like this…?
I prayed they wouldn’t find her in that state. Even if she wasn’t dead, just finding her unconscious in my room without a shirt would be enough of a crime to have me sentenced.
Wake up… Please wake up, Etis…
Wake up!!Don’t let them find you like that!
I hoped with all my heart that Etis would be safe. That no one would discover her like that. Just like I’ve always hoped for certain things since coming to this world.
A minute later, noise erupted from upstairs. They must have entered my room.
Bad-ump! Bad-ump!
My life is over…
“Hey! What happened here!?” shouted some guys as they looked down through the gaping hole into the first floor.
….……..!!?? Did they not… see her?
“I can’t see anyone here, who screamed!?”“Why are the glasses destroyed?”
They all threw questions at me one after another.
Thank you…!! Thank you!!
I lay there for about ten minutes until the blood stopped flowing from my wounds. Most of the crowd dispersed to check upstairs.
That was when someone remembered, “A healer! Is there a healer here!?”
Fools… I would’ve died long ago if I had waited for one.
When the pain faded completely, I raised my head and forced myself to stand.
“Hey, you should wait for a healer!”“Yes, lie back down!” they stupidly rushed to help me—after everything was already over.
“It’s alright. I’m a healer. I healed myself.”
The blood had stopped, the pain gone. One of them asked me to remove my shirt to prove it. I did. They stared in admiration at my magical prowess.
“I-I have a son who’s sick. Can you help him?” a demi-human asked desperately.
“Sorry. I have very little magic left. I won’t be able to use it for another week.”
“Tch! Is that so?” He hissed and left.
“Young boy, may I have a word with you in my office?” spoke an old man—must be the inn’s owner.
His office was on the first floor, next to the kitchen.
Shirtless, with bloodstained shoulders, I followed him.
Inside, he sat in his chair beside a small table with a cup of milk and scattered documents. He gestured politely: “Please, sit down…”
I sat, still thinking of Etis. What happened to her?
“That scream just now… I don’t know how else to say this, but it sounded like my granddaughter.”
Bad-ump!
“What happened in that room?”
That’s right. If he adopted her, he knows her voice.
What do I do? Silence will only bring us trouble.
“I-I was practicing a new kind of magic. It backfired…”
“I see… and the scream I heard?” His eyes sharpened. He didn’t believe me.
“T-The voice was mine. The pain was too much, so I screamed. I… must’ve sounded like someone else… ha-ha…”
“Alright then. But your room’s floor is ruined. I thought the walls and floors of this inn were unbreakable, yet you destroyed them. All the glasses in the building shattered as well. Even the neighbors are complaining. The repairs will cost you about twenty gold coins. I don’t know how long it’ll take you to pay, but we need an agreement soon. My case aside, the neighbors won’t wait long.”
Before he could conclude, I pulled out the Dauka from my pocket and handed it over. “Please, take twenty gold coins from this.”
“Hmm…?” His eyes widened in shock.
In this world, a hard worker earns about fifty silver coins a day—five gold coins every ten days. Twenty gold coins in under two months is something only a monster hunter could pull off.
“Are you sure? Shouldn’t you count them yourself?”
“It’s fine! I trust you.”
He counted one by one until he reached twenty.
“I guess that’s it… but will you be alright without your savings?”
He was worried about me?
“Don’t worry. I still have enough.”
I quickly left without asking if we were done. He must have laughed at my impatience.
That’s youth for you, old man!
Etis! Etis!!
I dashed upstairs. My door was wide open. The room was wrecked—aside from the gaping hole, the floor looked ready to collapse. Lanterns had fallen, the windows were completely bare of glass shards.
There, on the same spot where she collapsed, Etis lay motionless.
“No…” I rushed to her side.
Kneeling, I checked her pulse with trembling fingers. Nothing. I pressed my ear to her nose, holding my breath. After a long minute, I felt it—faint, but still there. She was breathing. Weakly.
Her chest was still exposed. I quickly covered her, dressed her as best I could. Her skirt was soaked, the floor around her wet and slippery. Shock must have caused it.
I dragged her carefully to the window, away from the weakened boards. Sitting against the wall, I placed her head on my lap and stroked her hair gently, like a mother lulling her child.
Please… please wake up.
Time passed. She didn’t stir. But her breathing steadied. Relief washed over me. Exhausted, I leaned back against the wall and drifted into uneasy sleep.
When I awoke, silence ruled the night.
A warmth rested on my shoulder. Silver hair caught my eye.
Bad-ump! Bad-ump!
“Leila…”
Her head lay on my shoulder, as though asleep.
How did it go?I had completely forgotten.
Then I saw what she held.
“No…” It was the Dauka with the bag of coins.
Don’t tell me…
The room was dark, but I could tell from her uneven breathing—she had cried hard before coming. “Unhu…” She whimpered in her sleep.
The lanterns flickered to life on the floor, glowing faintly.
Why… why didn’t it work out?
Leila awoke in tears, clinging to me.
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry… after you did all that for me…”
The money wasn’t accepted.
With Etis on my lap, Leila hugged my shoulders, blind to her presence.
This isn’t how it was supposed to happen. Not like this. I wished for her freedom—why didn’t it come true?
The truth hit me hard as Leila’s words poured out.
She had gone to the noble’s manor with Rart, just as we planned. The hero was welcomed, treated with respect. Leila, too, was warmly received—because she was with him. They ate dinner. Rart discussed security with the noble. Then, at last, he made his move.
He told the noble he came to pay Leila’s debt. The noble considered it for a long five minutes before saying:
“Fine. But I won’t give her up for less than five hundred.”
It was extortion. An insult. He assumed they couldn’t pay.
But Rart… he did not falter. He placed the bag of gold before him.
The noble counted it himself, coin by coin, nearing five hundred. And that was when he entered.
A tall man, carrying the air of a shadow—an underling. With a smirk, he leaned close and whispered in the noble’s ear.
The noble exhaled, slowly.
Leila and Rart thought the deal secured. But the noble’s eyes hardened.
“I’ve changed my mind. You two are not truly acquainted. There’s a third party involved. That boy with the aura… I warned you there would be consequences if you associated with him. Leila—you disobeyed your master. As such, I refuse this deal.”
Just like that. He crushed everything.
Rart tried to reason with him, but the noble silenced him with threats—exposing him, dragging his name into disgrace.
To push further would have been ruin. Leila wouldn’t be freed. Rart’s name destroyed.
And so, defeated, they returned. When Rart saw me asleep, he asked Leila to apologize for him… and left.
That bastard. The same who sold her off weeks ago. He’ll pay. I’ll make sure of it.
If only I had sent Meila along with her. With her deception magic, she could have tricked the noble when he changed his mind. Why didn’t I think of it sooner!?

---
The rest of the night spiraled downward—Etis waking weakly, Leila leaving broken, Orthin’s sudden appearance, and the storm that followed…
But the weight of that moment, of Rart standing before the noble with five hundred gold in hand—only to have everything stolen away by a whisper—stayed etched into my soul. It wasn’t just betrayal. It was the shattering of hope.
And betrayal… only ever gives birth to more betrayal.“I’m going back…” After the tears on her cheeks dried, Leila stood up.
“Wait… shouldn’t you stay here for now? We should think of some other way.” I tried to stop her from going back.
“No… I… I need some time alone today. I’ll see you…” She didn’t say when she’d see me as she left.
The Dauka she brought back was left in my hands.
Damn it! All that hard work—for what!?
“Uh~n!” That was when I heard someone moan, stirring awake from sleep.
“Etis…?” This time around, I had completely forgotten about her as well.
She opened her eyes and quietly stared at me. Her eyes glowed like a cat’s in the night.
I’d never seen anyone’s eyes glow like that.
“It felt… good… so good… I thought I was going to die. When you kissed me, my whole body felt like it was going to explode. At the same time, I had this burst of energy inside me… I thought I could defeat the demon queen. What was all that?”
You could… have defeated her in that state…
I couldn’t bring myself to speak. I simply gazed back at her. My heart and mind were torn apart from what had just happened with Leila.
“What’s wrong? You look even more worried than you were before.”
“D-Do I…?”
“Tell me, what happened to you? What happened to the room? I want to know if I can help you.”
Help me? I don’t need any help right now. Leila… she’s the one who needs it.
Something inside me had shifted since a few hours ago. I didn’t feel like talking to anyone. I was glad Etis had woken, but that was all. I wanted her to leave me alone.
“Etis… your grandpa, he’s worried about you. It’s been a few hours since he saw you…” I tried to force a smile as I gently sent her away.
I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to smile at her if the feelings inside me kept swelling.
“My grandpa… oh right. I have to go.” She stood up straight. “Please tell me what’s bothering you, okay? You never know… I might be of some use to you~” She acted cute to cheer me up.
I couldn’t get an ounce of sleep that night. My mind burned with too much thinking.
When morning came, I left the inn after the sun had risen a little. I waited for the light so I could go to the diner where Leila worked. But I had to change my clothes. Unlike back then, I now had multiple sets of clothes. 
Before heading to the diner, I stopped at Wrok’s shop. He had just opened when I arrived.
I wanted to collect the remainder of the money from the stones I’d sold him. Apparently, he’d returned from the capital yesterday.
After collecting, I quickly left for the diner. Once there, I opened the door and stepped inside. The diner wasn’t open yet.
I searched the room, but there was no sign of Leila. I spotted a fat human woman and asked her about her.
“Mind your business, kid. Can’t you see I’m busy?” she snapped, ignoring me.
I wasn’t in the mood to be ignored. The diner was being cleaned—no customers around.
I moved to the stairs without paying attention to her.
“Hey! Come back here!” she yelled as I went up.
There were three rooms on the second floor. I opened each one, but found no one inside. Even the toilets were empty.
“…Can’t you hear me!? I’m going to call someone to get rid of you! Are you a thief!?” the woman shouted as she followed me.
“Woman! Where is Leila!?” I glared at her, unleashing all the anger bottled inside me.
“I… I don’t know! She didn’t return last night! You should check the manor!” she stammered.
I left the diner immediately.
The noble’s manor stood just a hundred meters behind the diner, the largest house in town.
Going around, I faced it directly. It loomed tall, walls of red brick enclosing it, the iron-barred gate revealing a garden within.
All this time, I’d cowered in fear because I was weak. But not now. Now, I wasn’t weak. I could take on anything if it meant freeing Leila.
I stopped a few meters from the gate, hand on the hilt of my sword. Four adventurers guarded it, too busy with their card game to notice me.
They didn’t look like much. The same greedy faces as those scavengers who always snatched food from Leila. Taking them out would be child’s play.
The sun was high enough to cast them clearly in view. I began unsheathing my sword, walking casually toward them. I didn’t plan to kill—but whoever stood in my way would suffer.
Just as half my blade cleared the sheath, a figure appeared before me, arms wide open, blocking my path.
“So you’re the first one, huh?”
I whipped the blade free, about to strike for the neck when—
“No, wait! It’s me! Orthin…!” he shouted loudly.
The sword felt different than usual when I drew it. Almost new.
The guards turned at the shout, eyes fixing on us, weapons now in hand.
“Orthin… what do you want?” I snarled, my rage boiling. The tip of my sword hovered centimeters from his throat.
“Listen to me…” he whispered. “It’s about that girl, right? Leila, isn’t it?”
His words stopped me cold. I pressed the blade against his neck until blood beaded along the cut.
But he didn’t flinch.
“I’m your ally,” he said firmly. His eyes never wavered.
“What do you mean, my ally?” I demanded.
“You want to save that girl, right? So do I. A few of us know her situation. We all agree she shouldn’t be treated like this. Yesterday, a butler in that house witnessed what happened between the lord, the hero, and Leila. He told me she tried to pay off her debt, but the lord refused to reason. That’s against the law, if you ask me. And how dare he insult the hero’s name?”
“So you knew…?”
“Yes. That’s why I wanted to reach you before you did something reckless. I heard stories about you and her. People think you two are… involved. They’re jealous.”
“Who said that?”
“That’s not important now. We should talk somewhere else.”
Behind him, the guards had returned to their game.
I wanted to hear his plan. To know if he truly meant to save Leila.
I led him to the resting spot by the third rock. He leaned against it, and I faced him as he explained.
The lord of this town had gone too far. Suspicion clung to him even before he was appointed years ago.
Orthin told me his brother knew how to bypass the lord’s threats. He had gathered every one of the lord’s secrets, and because of that, he could do anything he wished with him.
Orthin suggested we let his brother handle it. A direct fight with the lord might endanger both me and Leila, but with his brother’s leverage, the lord would have no choice but to release her.
“Consider it my thanks for helping me back then.”
He also revealed why no adventurers had taken his quest before. “The lord banned anyone from helping me because of my brother. I only built my house because he stood in for me.”
That explained why his home was so far from town.
“I’ve already sent word. He’ll arrive by dusk. By tomorrow, I can guarantee Leila will be freed.”
I stayed silent. My rage demanded I storm the manor, but his reasoning gnawed at me. Barging in might free her, but only for a while. With his brother’s intervention, the lord might never dare touch her again.
Maybe… just maybe… she could be saved without bloodshed.
He invited me to his home. “Since there’s still time before he arrives, why don’t we wait at my place? You’ll feel calmer.”
I should have been grateful. But my mind was fixed only on Leila. Waiting wasn’t part of me.
To barge in or not to barge in? To wait or not to wait?
In the end, I chose to wait.
I returned to the mountains with Duddul, trying to nap my worries away until dusk. Before leaving again, I brought the Dauka with the five hundred gold coins, hiding the rest in my room.
That way, even if payment was demanded, I could hand it over.
At Orthin’s house, his family welcomed me warmly. His daughter clung to me with innocent affection, staying by my side in the living room.
But his brother was late. Dinner was served before a knock finally came at the door.
Relief flooded me. My savior had arrived.
Orthin went to answer. From where I sat, the door was in plain view.
I smiled for the first time all day. Behind that door was the man who would free Leila.
But when the door opened—
Crash!
A heavy force slammed Orthin across the room. His body smashed through the dining wall, leaving a gaping hole.
“KYAAA!!!” His wife and daughter screamed.
Orthin groaned, half-conscious in the rubble. Dust filled the air.
My head froze. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.
Then I saw boots crossing the threshold. Six in total. Three figures entered.
Bad-ump! Bad-ump!
This wasn’t his brother. It was Kervas.
The man who always stood between me and Leila.
“You bastard!!” I roared, leaping with my sword.
But something was wrong. My body barely carried me two meters. My strength… was gone.
Before I could understand, a kick smashed my face. In an instant, I was hurled backwards, bursting through walls until I crashed outside the house.
Pain didn’t register—but humiliation did.
What’s happening to me!? Why am I so weak!?
I staggered back inside through the hole, just in time to see Orthin crawling, begging.
Two beast-men stood before him, brown-furred werewolves with jagged fangs glistening. One clutched Orthin’s wife by the throat, dangling her off the ground. She gasped, legs flailing.
“Please, stop! Don’t do it!” Orthin begged.
“Mama!!” the girl screamed—Kervas’ hand gripping her head, ready to snap it.
“You bastards! What are you doing!?” I shouted.
“The Dauka in your pocket,” Kervas said calmly. “If you want to save the girl, hand it over.”
The Dauka!? How does he know!?
He twisted her head. I dropped the Dauka instantly, unable to think.
“Good.” He dragged her closer, kicking the Dauka to himself.
“Now then… I said I’d spare her. I never said I’d let her go.”
“Coward!!”
The beast-men laughed. One dropped the wife to the floor, gasping. The other struck me hard, sending me crashing into the ceiling beams before slamming down again.
My movements… my strength… everything was back to the level I had when I first entered this world.
“Boss Kervas, should I finish him?” one asked.
“Do it,” Kervas replied lazily.
I was lifted by my skull, forced to stare into glowing red eyes. My body froze as a strange power engulfed me. But when the light faded—nothing.
Shock filled the beast-man’s face. His magic had failed.
Another tried. The same result.
“Why isn’t my Insiga working!?” he roared.
“Forget magic. Kill him with brute force,” Kervas ordered.
“Stop!” Orthin shouted desperately.
But then Kervas’ words froze me cold:
“Stop the acting, Orthin. You did your job. Now let us do ours. And you two—enough pretending.”
Acting?
My eyes turned to Orthin. He rose calmly, stretching.
“Wow… that was fun. Maybe I should become an actor. Suits me, doesn’t it? Demon.”
Demon? Me…?
The wife stood, annoyed. “Make sure to pay me extra for choking my neck.”
Extra…?
The daughter, unharmed, returned to her meal as if nothing had happened.
My mind shattered.
I had been deceived. Again.