Was that the sound of my Achilles’ heel breaking? Extreme pain washed through both of my legs as they stopped working. I fell to the ground with a thunk and screeched as I endured the agony.
“Gaaaaaah!”
“Go on. Crawl away.”
You don’t have to tell me that! I’ll struggle until the end! Just you watch, Tsukuyomi... When the tables turn, I’ll tear your limbs off and throw you to a horde of orcs in heat! I won’t forgive you, no matter how much you scream and cry! I’ll make you regret doing this to me!
“Hee hee,” she giggled. “That door over there is the only place you can run. Go on, go to hell of your own accord.”
I felt something chilling come from those words. “Wh-Where...are you taking me...?”
“I told you to go.”
Her soccer ball kick didn’t have even an ounce of mercy, striking right into the side of my stomach.
“Aaagh!”
I kept trying to crawl toward the door as I yelped. This is humiliating. To be closed in on by such a little girl and made to crawl like a worm... And I’m headed toward hell? The fear I felt only expanded.
“Stop right there,” Tsukuyomi said lazily. “This is the last window.”
The last thing I saw was her lightly raising her hand before the window shattered. I felt an excruciating pain and half of my vision went dark.
“Wha—?!”
Tsukuyomi raised her hand yet again. The other half of my vision blackened, and I couldn’t see anything but darkness anymore.
“Gaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
The only thing I could do was scream through the agony. Was that magic? A status effect? Blindness? Could it be healed? I had so many questions as I was consumed by the darkness. My heart was dyed with anxiety and despair.
“Alice really has become a useful girl. I like it when they have no mercy.” Tsukuyomi sounded like she was laughing.
“S-Stop... Stop... Stop... Please...” That was probably the first time in my life that I begged, but I would only get denied with the iciest voice possible.
“No.”
“Please... You have to...”
“This is the end.”
Pain struck my wrists. The tendons must have been cut, because I couldn’t move them immediately after. Despair consumed me as I realized what was happening.
Forget running. I couldn’t see. Couldn’t move.
“Looks like you can’t move anymore. I’ll leave the rest to you, Cerberus.”
I could feel moist, warm breaths on my skin. The next moment, I was covered in saliva. Something tough, like a giant fang, hit me as I felt a rough tongue on me.
The feeling of being hoisted into the air.
The feeling of my body shuddering like an earthquake as stomping sounds hit the ground.
The sound of a door opening. Right after, I could feel myself going down what felt like a staircase. After a while, there was the sound of a door opening.
Where...? Where are they taking me...?
At our destination, mass cheering hit my ears.
†
The same day, at the same time.
Gabriel
The royal family’s treasure vault had been remodeled into a new room, serving as a place for slave auctions.
“Hello,” I greeted the black-clad official that stood in front of the reception desk, then handed them the written invitation I’d received from Ms. Kaori.
“Oh,” he mused as he looked it over. “Invited by one of the Gods, were you?”
The unscrupulous man leered at me grossly with carnal desires. While I admit that my appearance is beautiful, this made me most uncomfortable.
“Are you headed to the auction venue?” he asked with a sly smile.
I didn’t answer.
“You’re a perverted one yourself.” He chuckled with a lowbrow grin that instantly revealed his intentions.
I’ll say it again, but I was veritably uncomfortable.
“Do you enjoy torturing them? Or are you just a plain homosexual? You probably already know how it works, but I’ll go ahead and explain the proceedings anyway.”
I didn’t respond, letting him continue.
“You are not allowed to taste test them directly, and touching their chests, pelvises, and buttocks is strictly prohibited. The items for this auction are of the highest quality, so please comply and treat them as you would works of art.”
Another pause.
“Note that we have also prepared a playroom for the guests, so please partake in such activities only after purchasing the items.”
Silence.
“And, of course, every possible action toward your purchased slaves is allowed, including murder.”
Eye contact.
“At present, we have all of the products on display beyond this entrance. That is all. Please follow the rules and enjoy the auction!”
He bowed his head low to me. When he lifted it, his expression immediately changed to one of wild bewilderment.
Of course it did. The intensity was that of a cannonball being fired.
I’d whipped my body around and swung my fist at him with every fiber of my being. However, I made sure to indicate the bare minimum of politeness to him, bidding him farewell as my fist collided with him.
“Goodbye, sir.”
A right hook with my heart and soul poured into it, like that of an arrow being pulled back as far as it could go before being fired.