A piercing scream tore through the private chambers of the king.
"W-WHAT ARE YOU?! WHAT IN THE SEVEN HELLS IS THIS?!"
The hysterical cries came from the very ruler of this castle—the one referred to as the King.
The location was none other than the grand fortress where Uta and his friends had been summoned not long ago. Now, Uta stood calmly in the royal chambers, surrounded by small piles of ash—grim remnants of what had once been the king's royal guards.
"I'm sorry," Uta said with an innocent tilt of his head. "You've already forgotten me? We just met earlier."
The king trembled as his wide eyes darted from Uta to the heaps of ash, then back again. The boy had returned to confront him about the attack on his life, but upon entering the chamber, the guards had immediately labeled him an intruder and attacked. Left with no choice, Uta reduced them to nothingness. The king, now alone, seemed on the verge of losing his mind.
"GUARDS! INTRUDER! SOMEONE—ANYONE, HELP ME!" the king screamed, his voice cracking under the strain of desperation.
"No one's coming," Uta replied casually. "I've sealed this space."
"S-Sealed?"
The king's voice wavered. Sealing magic—interfering with the fabric of space itself—was a power reserved for legendary sages of old. That this boy, labeled as "Unemployed," could wield such magic was unthinkable.
"Y-You must have disguised your job with some kind of magic! Such deceit! Such cowardice!" the king sputtered.
"Cowardice? Coming from someone who ordered my death?" Uta's words were soft, but they carried an edge that made the king flinch.
"I-I know nothing of such an order!" the king protested, his hands flailing in panicked denial.
"Hmm," Uta murmured, watching the king with an impassive gaze. His calm demeanor was far more unsettling than anger. "You're lying."
"No, no! Please, let's talk! Surely we can resolve this misunderstanding!" the king pleaded, sweat dripping down his face.
Uta sighed. "You're lucky. I came to talk, not kill. Killing would've been quicker, though."
"Y-You're serious? You'll spare me?" The king's face lit with desperate hope.
"That depends. But first…" Uta's hand shot out, gently resting on the king's neck. The touch was light, but the implication behind it made the king freeze.
"I'll ask some questions. Answer truthfully, or I'll end you. No lies, understand?"
The king nodded frantically. "I-I swear!"
"Good. First question: Why did you summon us?"
"To defeat the Demon King! The invasion threatens to destroy my kingdom. We had no choice!" the king answered, his words spilling out in a torrent.
"Not a lie. Alright, next question: How do we get back to our world?"
The king hesitated, his face twisting in anguish.
"Well?" Uta pressed.
"I… I don't know," the king admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Hmm. So when you said defeating the Demon King would let us return… that was a lie?"
The king looked away, unable to meet Uta's gaze.
"That's what I thought," Uta said, his tone cooling. His hand tightened slightly on the king's neck, enough to make the older man flinch. "You lied to us. You manipulated my friends into risking their lives for your kingdom, and you tried to kill me. Am I wrong?"
"I… I had no choice!" the king cried. "If the heroes don't fight, my kingdom will fall! As ruler, I am duty-bound to protect my people, even if it means resorting to… extreme measures!"
"Extreme measures," Uta repeated, his voice devoid of emotion. "So sacrificing me and deceiving my friends was necessary, huh? For the good of your people?"
The king said nothing, his shame and fear preventing any reply.
Uta stared at him for a long moment, then let out a small sigh. "Fine. I won't kill you."
"You won't…?" The king blinked, disbelief etched across his face.
"Killing you would be too much trouble. But let me make one thing clear," Uta said, his voice dropping to an icy whisper. "If you do anything—anything—to harm my friends, I'll kill you. And I won't stop there. I'll kill your advisors, your guards, your family, and every last one of your precious citizens. Do you understand?"
The king's face went pale. He nodded weakly, his lips trembling.
"Good. Then we're done here," Uta said, withdrawing his hand. "Consider yourself lucky."
Withdrawing his touch didn't end the king's torment. His body suddenly trembled, his once-robust frame withering as if twenty years had been drained from him in mere moments. Deep wrinkles creased his face, and his back hunched with age.
"You… what are you?" the king rasped, collapsing onto the floor.
"Me?" Uta said with a faint smile. "Hanasaki Uta. A student, an 'Unemployed,' and… oh yeah, a god."