"Aarggh!!!"
[Silent]
Hearing that disgusting human scream, I decided to activate [Silent] magic, magic without elements.
"Even if you're dead, you're still troublesome."
I then squatted down and looked at the head that was still screaming.
"Are you in pain?"
Even though I asked, it seemed like the head couldn't process thoughts anymore and only processed pain.
"Die in agony."
I wanted to make this person suffer more but it seemed like I was running out of time, if I stalled any longer I would be found by Kate, and I would also be late for my own birthday party.
I then stood up and put my foot on that head and used magic.
[Ice Step]
[Fire Step]
By combining fire and ice into my foot, I then stepped on that foot and ended the story of the slave market leader.
"..."
Calmly, I released my [Silent] magic and went to a place.
"You guys can come out, I've defeated that bad guy."
The moment I said that, children's heads popped out of a barrel.
They looked to the right and then to the left to find out, but after realizing that it was just me. They immediately calmed down.
After that, the children started to come out of their hiding places.
"One, two... Seven... Wait, there's one missing."
Just as I was becoming panicked, one of the kids raised his hand.
"If you're looking for Karie, she's still there."
The boy then pointed to the barrel.
I approached the barrel and saw a girl who seemed to be cowering in fear.
As I touched the girl's shoulder, the girl gasped and then freaked out as if she was about to be hit.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'll never run away again, please don't hit me again..."
Seeing that, I immediately realized what that bastard was doing.
At that moment, seeing the girl's terrified trembling body, I unconsciously hugged her.
"Eh?"
The girl looked surprised by my hug, I then started giving warm words to the girl and all the children here.
"Take it easy, I've finished off everyone who hurt you. So you can rest easy, no one will ever hurt you again. You deserve freedom."
When the children were first brought by the girl named Esie, they thought that their day of being sold was near.
At that time, the children's eyes had no desire to live. They already knew what would happen to them in the future, some would become illegal experiments, some would become disabled due to someone's satisfaction, some would have their organs removed.
They are sure that their future is doomed.
But when they were brought out, they were confused even though they were told they were being released. They were still unsure of the situation, were they really free?
Then at the appearance of the slave market owner, the children were sure that they were not free and then the person they thought was terrible took them against the slave market owner.
Even after that person defeated the slave market owner, they still couldn't believe it until that person hugged the girl named Karie.
It was then that the person's warm words made them realize that they were truly free. When they realized that, their tears couldn't stop coming out.
And the person calmly waited for them to stop crying.
(How long will you cry?)
It's been a few minutes since the children started crying. I originally let them cry because they had gone through a difficult thing but it would be dangerous if we were still here.
I even felt like I felt someone looking at me, but it seemed to be just a feeling because suddenly that existence disappeared.
After that I managed to put the children into Umbra Vitae headquarters safely.
"Is the boss going to leave right away?"
"Yes."
Just then suddenly the girl I hugged earlier came over to me and hugged me.
"Thank you..."
With that small voice, the girl shyly walked away.
Seeing that I could only smile, so I stepped outside.
And at that moment there suddenly came a voice that was confusing whether it came from a woman or a man.
"So you're the hero of darkness that people always talk about?"
At that moment, I felt tremendous goosebumps at the appearance of a mysterious creature.
I turned around and saw a creature that I couldn't recognize as if the existence of that creature was something absurd.
Despite feeling scared, I stood in front of the children to protect them.
"..."
(Take it easy, you don't need to worry, I'm not an evil entity that will hurt you.)
The entity then started transmitting the entity's thoughts to my brain.
Then the entity smiled a little.
"But I'm not a good entity either."
Then the entity's hand touched my heart, that's right, its hand penetrated my body and directly held my heart.
(What?)
I could only be surprised by what happened.
(I came here to collect the payment that I should have gotten.)
Then instantly, my body felt very hot and I immediately fell down, at that moment, my mask also fell down.
Even so, it seems that the children cannot see my face at this time, even if the entity sees my face. It didn't seem like the entity was surprised and there wasn't any notification from the system.
As I was confused, my hot body turned into a very strong pain.
"Gakh..."
At that moment, I vomited a red-colored liquid.
Yes, my own blood. I vomited blood.
"What?"
I stared at the blood coming out of my mouth in confusion. Why did I vomit blood? Thoughts like that filled my mind.
Then I started to feel weak and my vision became blurry as if my soul was being absorbed.
(Thank you for the delicious meal just now, what a delicious soul.)
The entity sounded very happy when it said that.
(What did you do to me?)
With blurred vision, I asked the entity very cautiously.
(I just took the fee you promised me.)
(Fee? What fee? I don't know you...)
(It's true that you don't know me in this life. Well, what can I say since 'He' sealed your memory. I don't care about you and The Heaven's quarrel either since I'm an entity that's always neutral.)
(Life? What exactly are you talking about.)
(I don't know? I wonder why I'm talking about this, too. Maybe I was just bored by your boring story so I came down to this world to directly spice up the story.)
The entity's talk is getting harder and harder for me to understand, life? What is an episode?
Just as I was getting confused, the entity started speaking using a voice again.
"Are you alright, sir?"
(Huh?)
I was confused by the changes that happened to the entity, as if the entity was acting, no, this was really acting. But for what?
"No, I'm fine."
(What? Why is my mouth talking to itself.)
"But you just vomited blood."
"It's okay, that's normal."
"Common?"
"Yes, actually I have a history of illness."
"Disease?"
(What! Why am I saying that! Stop it!)
Even if I thought to stop talking, my mouth and expression kept saying nothing else.
(Damn it, what's really going on.)
"Yes, a mysterious disease where my body becomes very weak and my life becomes very short."
"Poor you."
"It's okay, I've accepted that fate. Although I have a short time, I want to spend this time well."
"Is that why you became a hero of darkness?"
"That's so."
"Then why did you hide your identity? Wouldn't it be better to reveal your identity?"
"No, because I want to create a hero that will continue to live long even if I die, by passing down this mask, the hero of darkness will always live."
"Is that why you're doing this?"
"Yes, that's my biggest reason. But the truth is I just don't want others to know what I did."
"Why? Is it a bad right to get caught?"
"Well, I have a mission to do. Besides, I have to make my fiancé hate me.
"Fiancé? Do you have a fiancee?"
"Yes, a beautiful but troublesome fiancée."
(...)
For some reason I started to feel embarrassed by this conversation.
"Then why do you want to make your fiancé hate you?"
"Didn't I tell you that I have a short lifespan. I just don't want to give that girl bad memories. I want her to be happy."
"I see..."
(This way, the story will get more interesting.)
The entity was then seen smiling as it fed its thoughts into my brain.
(Give me back my body, what did you do to it!)
(I'm just making you speak the truth.)
(Huh? Don't joke, I wouldn't say such a thing.)
(That's why I said. .... No, I'm right. It's not like you.)
Even so it seems that the entity still hasn't returned my body.
"Ouch, I should get going. Are you really okay."
"Yes, I'm fine. You can go, no need to worry about me."
"...May fortune bless your path, Loki."
Then the entity left, and at that moment I was finally able to actually control my mouth again.
(What the hell was that? What were you guys thinking Nifl? Muspel?)
When I asked, Nifl and Muspel did not answer.
(Are they asleep?)
After confirming that they were asleep, I looked up at the sky.
(What exactly just now?)
Previous life? What does episode 1 mean?
Then what was also meant by what the entity said just now.
Also, who is Loki? What did that entity mean to me?
Although there are many questions, I feel confident that one day I will find the answers to these questions.