Genocide Reality

After defeating the Mustard Dragon, I found a treasure chest.

When I asked if everyone else was going to do anything about it, they said they were afraid of the traps.

Well, I guess the fuzzy hasn’t told them about the ‘Trap Disarm’ skill yet.

If you have that thief skill, you can safely remove traps. Also, some of the magic can find out what kind of trap it is.

But Fuzzy who was in the party that escaped back to the town, was not here.

The Mustard Dragon’s treasure chest is not much of a trap if you open it on the ground floor.

While everyone was away, I hit the treasure chest with a pebble.

There’s a dry thud, and the chest opens. As I said before, the traps in the treasure chests on the first floor have a certain pattern, so as long as you’re careful, even without the “Trap Disarm” skill, there’s no danger.

“Huh, it looks like there wasn’t even a trap.”

When I looked inside, I found a bundle of gold coins in a bag and a “Black Steel Sword”. It might be a magic sword because of the bluish effect on it.

Although the monster was from the sixth floor, the treasure chest appeared from the first floor. It’s probably not much of a weapon, even if we don’t go into detail.

It’s a better weapon than my katana, but double-edged swords aren’t really my thing, so I’ll pass.

“Hey, Shinjo Wataru-kun. Did you open the treasure chest?”

“Nah, it seems like it just happened to open.”

I tell a white lie shamelessly. Once they knew it contained cash, the group led by Shuichi Nanami gathered around.

I don’t need money or items, so I was thinking of giving it to them, and it seems that the “Black Steel Sword” (with some kind of magic) will be used by the leader, Shuichi Nanami.

I laugh as he hands me ten gold coins, but I accept them, thinking that I can give them to Seki.

They’re not worth much to me, but for the students trying to survive in the city, gold is the most important thing next to life, so the more the merrier.

I wanted to go exploring the dungeon as soon as possible, but I knew that if I left the group too soon, they might get suspicious.

Nanami and the others nursed and cared for the dying students until the end, even though they knew it was hopeless.

Monsters might come back again. Being delayed in a place like this is a bit frustrating, but I can’t tell them to hurry up, even though I’m not one to usually care about others.

Due to being cornered by the Mustard Dragon, there are bodies piled up in the back corridor. There’s no way to cremate them, and we can’t bury them in the stone floor of the dungeon.

Nevertheless, under Nanami’s guidance, they set up an impromptu morgue in the classroom of Class A, with plastic sheets brought from somewhere.

The students who died from the poison breath had their faces congested and turned purple.

A female student had been savagely attacked, losing half of her face.

A boy was pulverized by a dragon’s tail and crushed to death with every bone in his body in pieces.

The faces of the bodies were all distorted with fear and pain. Some boys clung to the remains laid out in the morgue, calling out their names over and over again, while some girls silently made up the distorted faces of the dead.

Many of the students may have had close friends among the dead, and it is natural for people to offer condolences and mourning.

Having no one to mourn their deaths, I decided to look around outside to make sure no monsters were coming.

The Mustard Dragon’s rampage has kept the orcs out for a while, but it’s not completely free of danger.

“Um…”

I was in the previous hall at the end of the classroom, training my acrobat skills by bouncing pebbles against the walls as I watched, when a girl with long hair tied up in a scrunchie approached me.

I thought she was walking very slowly, but she was using a mop as a walking stick and dragging her left leg a little.

“What’s the matter, you’re hurt?”

“Oh, um… no. It’s always been like this,” 

When I asked her if she had a limp from the start, she said she had a problem with her ankle joint and could walk but not run.

I was shocked to learn that there were students like that.

There were students who couldn’t fight or run away when a monster came.

So even in the face of the Mustard Dragon, Nanami, and the others could not just abandon them and run away.

When I was depressed because of my lack of thinking, the girl said in a cheerful tone, “That’s not important,” and offered me her school bag, which she was carrying like a backpack.

The bag she offered was filled with empty flasks.

“…Did you pick up the empty bottles?”

“Yes, I did. They are all Shinjo-san’s, aren’t they?”

It seems she gathered up all the flasks I had thrown at everyone else.

I could have just thrown them away since they were inexpensive items sold at the store, but I didn’t want to ruin the girl’s goodwill, so I took the whole bag and put it in my backpack.

“Um, thank you so much for your help.”

She thanked me and bowed her head.

What a friendly girl.

Picking up usable items and carrying them in storage are all the right things to do.

Even if she can’t fight because of her leg disability, she’s doing what she can, and I think she’s a great girl.

“No, it’s okay. I only came later, and it’s really Nanami and the others who saved you.”

“But if you hadn’t come, we would have died.”

“Not really. Vice President Nanami would have done something about it even as it was.”

I didn’t want to be noticed and depended on, so I kept my modesty for the time being.

If Nanami had seen what I was doing and responded immediately, I think he really could have done something about it.

The reason why Nanami had to stay in the back of the classroom in the first place was because he was trying to protect the students who could not escape.

If they had fought seriously without hesitation, they might have managed somehow.

However, in that case, the girls who would have been a burden might have died. I didn’t say that, of course, because it would be cruel.

Anyway, how did this girl know my name? Perhaps such a question was on her face, but the girl looks a little flustered and says.

“Um, I’m Kazuha Rindou. We were in class F together, don’t you remember?”

“Uh, yes, I do. Sorry.”

I thought I recognized her face when she said that. But I’m worse at remembering the faces of girls than boys.

I don’t know if I’m in the same class as them, because I intentionally ignored them since I entered high school, for the most stupid reason that it makes me less of a human being.

Seki was the only one who tried to make friends with me, even though I was so stubborn.

Kazuha blushed and spoke a bit faster.

“Oh, I see. You probably don’t care about me at all, right, Shinjou? But, you see, I’ve actually been helped by you once before!”

“Oh, did that happen?”

“Yes, during the homeroom to decide the class officers for the first semester, I was almost forced to become the class representative, and Shinjou-san got mad and said, ‘Don’t decide without considering the person in question!’ I was so happy at that time….”

“Was that a thing? I had no idea. Well, thanks to me, you didn’t have to be the class representative, right?”

I don’t remember at all, but nice Me!

I’m usually quiet, but being a cool guy who helps distressed girls, isn’t that awesome? I’m a guy who does things when he has to.

“No, you really don’t remember me, huh? That’s a bit shocking. In the end, I was the class representative the whole time….”

“Uwaa, I didn’t really help then. I’m sorry.”

I’m useless, aren’t I? If I’m going to help, I should do it properly.

It was probably an insignificant story since I didn’t remember it, but objectively speaking, I’m really heartless.

“But, what you said for my sake was true, Shinjou-san, and I’ve been meaning to thank you for a long time. I didn’t get a chance to talk to you, and before I knew it, there was always a pretty girl sitting at your desk….”

Oh, that’s Kumiko, right? She got a bit stalkerish after that confession incident.

A well-known girl from class A would often come to class F, creating a strange atmosphere.

“When she wasn’t, it was hard to talk to you because you were sleeping all the time. After a while, I didn’t know what to say….”

“It wasn’t a big deal, but I’m sorry.”

“Please don’t apologize! Before I died, that was bothering me, so I’m really relieved to be able to thank you.”

“Died? You just got saved now.”

Given the situation, it’s a somewhat concerning choice of words.

“Because after what happened, I couldn’t move much, I was just a burden, I couldn’t do anything, and I was probably already going to die. I’m sure I was just lucky that Shinjou-san came and saved me just now.”

“Don’t say just lucky… You.”

Right after witnessing so many people being killed, I was a little overwhelmed by her casual use of the word ‘death.’

She’s smiling with such a sad expression. I wondered if this Kazuha girl had accepted her death.

Normal people always think that no matter how many people around them die, they are the only ones who will not die.

This foolish misconception will not be cleared up until the moment when you are really dead. I am no exception. I am the only one who thinks I will not die.

Kazuha is right. At this moment, you don’t know who will die next.

But it was hard for me to see a girl who could say it with a smile on her face.

“I’ll save you…” Such an irresponsible and utterly crappy thing to say almost slipped out of my mouth, so I bit down on my lower lip.

Hey, Wataru Shinjou!

What was a man who had selfishly left so many students of the same school to die going to say to this poor girl?

In this ‘Genocide Reality,’ there is no absolute safety. No one can guarantee that.

A simple mistake could trigger a trap, and arrows or fireballs could come flying, leading to death.

At this very moment, the next ‘invasion’ could occur, and demons or dragons might appear. It’s unlikely, but if an enemy stronger than the Mustard Dragon comes, I will run away without Kazuha and the others, because I don’t want to die.

My life is important, others’ lives are secondary. Of course, I’m ruthless like that.

But rather than being labeled heartless and shouted at, I’d been enduring Kazuha’s mutterings like “I’ll probably die anyway”.

Because there’s no need for that kind of talk.

I understand that she’s not blaming me.

On the contrary, Kazuha is expressing her heartfelt gratitude towards me, saying thank you for helping her.

Even though she knew she’d probably die, she genuinely meant it when she said thank you because she felt happy about it, not with irony.

I had completely forgotten, but it seems I once tried to help her and ended up not helping properly.

“Sigh… I’m really not worth much.”

I let out a deep sigh, picked up a bottle of the potion, and chanted “Low Health (Lis)” under my breath.

A blue liquid pooled at the bottom of the flask.

“Hey, Rindou-san. Would you try some of this?”

“This is a recovery potion, right? But I’m not injured.”

“Just drink it.”

“Yes….”

Saying that, Kazuha took the potion I made with both hands, put it in her mouth, and gulped it down.

I touched Kazuha’s left leg, which she had been dragging.

“Ah!”

“Try putting some strength into your leg and stand up for a moment.”

I ran my hand from her ankle to her thigh, feeling the muscles tensing up.

Her left leg, which had been crooked moments ago, straightened out smoothly.

“No way, I can stand… I can walk!”

“I knew it, Health Potions must be effective for congenital disorders.”

A little awkwardly, Kazuha is walking without the use of a cane.

I knew this would probably happen, in the dungeon, you can get sick or badly injured with terrible aftereffects.

If Health Potions couldn’t work on chronic conditions, they wouldn’t serve their purpose.

“The chant to make a Health Potion is ‘Low Health (Lis)’. As soon as you have enough mana, make your own health potion and keep drinking it. It may not cure you in one go, but after a few times you might even be able to run.”

“Shinjou-san. I…”

Kazuha’s eyes were moist and her voice was choked, and she was about to say something.

“What’s wrong, Kazuha? It’s dangerous to be here like this!”

“Nanami-kun….”

Shuichi Nanami came rushing toward us.

He seemed unusually agitated and stood in front of me, glaring at me as he approached Kazuha.

Well, Kazuha looks like she’s about to cry or something.

I didn’t bully her, you know.

“Nanami-kun, I’m fine. Shinjou-kun helped me.”

“Kazuha, stay by my side.”

I watched Nanami’s serious face and chuckled inwardly.

I think the girl he likes is Kazuha.

The timid-looking Rindou Kazuha is not much to look at.

She is a modest girl who doesn’t know how to adorn herself, but she is not a bad-looking girl.

She has a kind face with droopy eyes and a slightly innocent look, along with a touch of mysterious charm that adds to her appeal.

Her breasts and buttocks are well-developed for a sixteen-year-old, and if you look closely, you can see that she is cute.

Upon closer inspection, “Is she…? Could she actually be really cute?” She’s a background character you can only notice like this.

Even though we’re in the same class, she’s a girl I hadn’t noticed at all. She might be a hidden gem, you could say.

However, it is a little surprising that Nanami Shuichi, the most handsome boy in the school, has a crush on her.

However, Nanami Shuichi is a very easy-to-understand guy. He always addresses people by their full names, yet he casually calls her by her first name, Kazuha.

That alone should tell you there’s something going on.

I don’t like to get involved with people because it’s too much trouble, but when it comes to love affairs, I’m as curious as anyone else.

Shuichi Nanami, a highly sought-after honor student, rejected Kumiko, a super beautiful girl (even though she’s a bitch on the inside), and then chose the plain Kazuha.

Why he chose the plain Kazuha suddenly piqued my interest.

“What, you two are so close….”

“No, Shinjou-kun, Nanami-kun has known me for a long time, that’s why he cares about me!”

Kazuha’s cheeks are blushing and she’s getting antsy. Nice, this initial reaction. I knew there was something going on between the two of them.

Nanami, who seemed to have regained his composure, added with a composed look on his face.

“Kazuha and I have been going to school together since kindergarten. I guess you could call us childhood friends.

Childhood friend. That’s one way to describe the strong bond between them.

Nanami Shuichi stood next to Kazuha and says to me.

“Shinjou Wataru, thank you for your concern for Kazuha. But Kazuha is my childhood friend, and I want to protect her.”

He was as cool as ever.

If someone as handsome as him said such lines to any girl, she’d likely be head over heels.

But this Rindou Kazuha is a strange girl.

Despite Nanami saying all this to her, she merely looks down with a somewhat apologetic expression. In a situation where a normal girl would be incredibly proud….

If Nanami has captured her heart, that might be the reason.

She didn’t get conceited or boastful even when she has such a strong and cool childhood friend to protect her. That is a rare quality.

She is modest in everything and never gets carried away.

For a girl of around sixteen to possess such composure, it’s quietly impressive.

She is quiet and gentle and has none of that nasty female tendency to get carried away and try to hold a man’s reins. She is not obsessed with winning or losing.

In contrast to the haughty young lady Kumiko, the hidden strengths of Kazuha become even more apparent.

Kumiko is the kind of woman who walks around dressed to win, but she is not the only one.

All women are generally bossy and brazen.

Kazuha on the other hand, is a girl who remembers even the smallest things and had been troubled for half a year because she couldn’t express her gratitude.

Nanami must have a soft spot for such a reserved girl. Kumiko must have taken the wrong approach.

“You guys might make a surprisingly good couple.”

“No, no, Shinjou-kun. Me and Nanami were just close to each other when we were kids, but we’re not a couple!”

Still with her head lowered, Kazuha vigorously shook her head from side to side. Her hair, tied up with the scrunchie, bounced wildly.

She seems to be desperately denying it, so maybe I shouldn’t press the issue too much. It was amusing, but there’s a bit of concern too.

Nanami’s girlfriend’s position may be a burden for this plain girl.

As I recall, Nanami is not supposed to have a girlfriend. There may be a reason, so let’s leave it alone.

I don’t want to step on any landmines, and I don’t want to get involved in other people’s troublesome situations.

“We’re not together yet, but I always wanted to be a man worthy of Kazuha….”

Nanami let out such a monologue even though I didn’t ask him. It’s almost a confession. It’s so cool it makes me laugh.

If anything, Kazuha might need to stretch herself a bit to match him.

“Vice President Nanami, it’s probably time for us to leave.”

I suggest.

Mourning the dead is good, but there’s not much time to spare.

The monsters that have been disappearing like a receding wave should be showing their faces by now.

Many of the stay-behind members are unfamiliar with combat, so it will be a painstaking task just to escort them back to the town.

“Shinjou Wataru-kun is right, I’ll go get everyone!”

Nanami Shuichi grabbed Kazuha’s hand firmly and pulled her along with him.

I was a little concerned that Kazuha was looking at me with a suspicious look in her eyes, but since Nanami had come all this way, I left the rest to him.

Relationships are complicated and troublesome.

I love solitude, so it’s none of my business.

I decided to go back to the city with Nanami’s group.