I Became a Foreign Worker Loved by Transcendents

“Ah, look at the color of those eyes~ So pretty~”

With a smirk, the Hero, eyeing the minstrel, grabbed her chin.

There was no sense of care in that touch.

It was unlike the man who had thrown himself in to protect her, showing concern for her.

“Wait, this isn’t the time for this!”

But even such actions would feel frustrating to those who had barely survived.

Soon, the caravan leader, leading the group, urgently started speaking to the guards blocking the way in front of the Hero.

“We understand there’s a reason that you left the garrison, but we don’t have time to dawdle here! We must hurry and get out of here!”

“Sorry, but the Hero is currently attending to her duties. We recommend not leaving until the Hero decides to move.”

“Don’t you realize where we’ve just escaped from? The demon army could arrive here at any moment!”

“Wouldn’t it be better to stay by the Hero’s side for your own safety?”

The guards tried to calmly persuade the protesting adventurers.

Faced with their firm stance, the adventurers stiffened, but no one dared to speak out.

Yes, the existence of the Hero was enough to suppress the crisis they felt.

“Yeah~ If you’re scared for your lives because of the demon army or whatever, just stay by my side~ I need people to attend to various needs on my way back to the empire~”

In the tense atmosphere, the Hero, with a sly smile, casually draped her arm over the shoulder of the minstrel beside her.

It wasn’t just a mockery.

Meeting a merchant coming for supplies was a welcome encounter for the Hero, especially since they had left in a hurry without proper provisions.

“You understand what this means, right, sis?”

If there was also a woman of her taste there, there was even less reason to refuse.

The minstrel, realizing the greedy intentions extending towards her body, started to fix her gaze precisely on the Hero.

“Of course, it might be a bit scary at first, but don’t worry too much~ I’ll make you feel comfortable soon enough…”

Snap!

“…Huh?”

“Take your hands off.”

The Hero’s hand was pushed away by a rough shove.

Even the minstrel herself hadn’t realized it.

Before she even thought she should reject her advances, her own had moved first.

“Don’t touch me.”

Yes, she felt a shiver.

Unlike the time she held the hand of the man who came to mind even now.

She felt a severe repulsion toward the fact that she had to accept the desires of others aimed at her.

“Wow, look at those fierce eyes~”

The Hero was unfazed by her venomous gaze.

Soon, with a sardonic smile, she put strength into her left eye.

“So what about it?”

Ziiiing.

There was a strange light accompanied by a vibrating sound.

As her body froze in response to the exposure, the Hero started laughing and clapping.

“Ahaha~ How is it? Amazing, right? This is called the Petrifying Evil Eye~ Anyone I gaze at with this eye gets frozen in place~”

It wasn’t a physical petrification.

Rather, it was a power that affected the mind, specifically the ‘unconscious’, which one wasn’t aware of.

It was a power that could be called ‘absolute authority,’ applicable to any sentient being, regardless of their strength.

“There’s no use resisting, so don’t waste your strength. Just stay still. I’ll make you feel good from now on~♥”

Of course, she didn’t feel troubled.

Even if her physical movements were restrained, it wasn’t as if there was no way to kill her.

But…

‘But what’s the point?’

She still felt a chill from the desire to violate her body, but even that physiological fear seemed irrelevant now.

Even if she shook off this detestable vermin, there was no guarantee that the day her mission would be completed would come.

Thus, resisting seemed pointless for such meaningless matters, and she had lived considering them just part of the journey.

Yes, even leaving the man who tried to save her behind was for that reason…

“…Hyo-sung.”

It was just a one-day encounter, as he said.

No matter how much she felt drawn to him, it was odd to think there was something special in just a one-day encounter.

‘You must be dead, right?’

Such a hesitation, born of prejudice, led to an irreversible path, and now it has become regret.

Even though it would be easy for her just to forget and move on as before if it was bothersome.

‘Now, I won’t be able to see him again, will I?’

Why was her heart…

So tumultuously shaken by the fact that she couldn’t meet him again?

Thud, thump!

Caught in such a sentiment, the resignation broke at the sudden thrill.

Immediately, everyone’s gaze, including hers, started shifting towards the source of the noise.

Crash!!

Yes, the middle of the forest was turned upside down.

From it, something poured out, like scattering among the splintered trees, and fear began to appear on the faces of those who saw it.

“What… what is this…?”

What fell among them were dismembered corpses.

They were their comrades stationed at the rear for reconnaissance to protect the group.

“Run, everyone, run…!!”

Following the corpses, the last survivor joined them, bleeding profusely.

“Run away from here. It’s dangerous! That creature is…”

“Dangerous? Creature? Did the demon army come?”

“It’s not the demons. It’s the Furry Tribe, the Furry Tribe…!!”

Furry Tribe.

A race with the physique of humans but the instincts of animals, a threat to humanity separate from the demon army.

Why would they reveal themselves in an area targeted by the demon army?

“…Grrrrrrr.”

A faint growling sound from the dark forest rendered such questions meaningless.

The presence pushing through the trees, coming towards them, overcame everyone with an intimidating aura, eventually revealing itself before them.

Its size was so immense that it could be compared to a house.

A being of origin so different from humans.

“…Oh, dear. Just when we were about to have a good time, why did the Furry Tribe have to show up?”

As if cooled off by the turn of events, the Hero detached from the minstrel and stared down the ominous shadow with narrowed eyes.

“Hey, bear, just stay there.”

A red light emanated from her narrowed eyes.

The light’s target would become frozen in place, swallowed by the unconscious command not to move.

Strength or size didn’t matter.

Even a dragon, if it existed, could not defy that gaze, so she was confident in her power.

“You think you’re something just because you’re big, but my ability doesn’t care about size or strength. If you have the sense to understand me, just stay still…”

“Grrrrrrrr!!!”

But the unconscious was the realm of instinct, not reason.

No sentient being could control its unconscious with will, but if the inherent instinct was active enough, it could block the intervention in the unconscious.

Indeed, the ferocious front paw rising at this moment was possible because of its intense hatred, which could push even the Hero’s authority aside…

“Wha– what? Why is this guy moving…?”

Thud!

Her upper body was mercilessly torn apart by the continued clawing.

As the blood splattered everywhere, the beastman started sniffing around with its black nose, seemingly irritated by the smell.

“…Disgusting.”

Then, a voice followed from its gaping mouth.

Just hearing it made one’s legs go numb, and soon, the beastman’s gaze started turning towards the survivors.

“There’s a disgusting smell boiling in this place.”

“Wh-White Bear…?”

The moment those who belatedly realized its identity all turned pale.

What flowed from their mouths then was an emotion that could be called utter despair.

“The White Bear Furry Tribe, if it’s… no, could it be?”

“Ah, um… If it’s the White Bear Furry Tribe we know, there’s only one.”

“Certainly, the assault team leader of the Anti-Humanity Alliance…”

Anti-Humanity Alliance.

The Furry Tribe, claiming to be a more advanced humanity transcending humans, united under the ideology of overthrowing everything built by primitive humanity to reign supreme.

Among them, the most feared beastman, the White Bear, known to be unmatched in strength, was right before them.

“You guys are the companions of that disgusting woman I just killed, right?”

Name: Phobia Homer.

Special note: has a severe hatred towards homosexuality.

“Kill all homosexuals!!!! Uwaaaahhhhh!!!!”

The moment that being’s hatred erupted.

The survivors, terrified by the display of ferocity, hurriedly turned and began to flee.

“Aaaaah! Everyone run!!!”

“Th-the Hero is dead! She couldn’t even fight back!!!”

There was no other option but to run.

How could they stand against the beastman, infamous even in the empire and with a bounty on its head, especially when the being that guaranteed their survival had been brutally killed?

“Giggle, that crazy bear! He’s lost it and is rampaging again.”

But what was more serious was that Phobia wasn’t the only one there.

Soon, one by one, beings in the shape of beasts, stirred up by the excited Phobia, began to emerge from behind him.

“Khihihi! What does it matter!? We came here to wipe out everyone anyway. If a guy who’s lost his motivation starts rampaging, that’s good for us!”

“Tremble in fear, humans! We, the new humanity, have come to conquer these primitive savages!!”

In the dark forest, beasts with the instincts of wild animals and bodies surpassing those of humans began to run wild.

The armed adventurers quickly engaged them, but their claws and teeth mercilessly tore through their armor and ravaged their vital spots.

“D-damn it!! The demon army was already too much. Why did these beast bastards suddenly show up and go crazy?”

“R-run! With the Hero dead, how can we face– Cough!”

In that moment of despair, the body of the fleeing guard was mercilessly sliced apart.

The ones who approached, trampling the dismembered corpse, were beings that could be called monsters, embodying hideous desires.

“Oh, look, there are humans here?”

“It was boring and suffocating behind the barricades, but if they come out like this, we’re thankful!”

The demon army.

The demons aiming to siege the garrison area, upon hearing the turmoil, came to block their path.

“But what’s this? There are Furry Tribe members here, too?”

“So what? Just kill them all!”

“Hahaha! It was boring with just humans, but this is great! Let’s have some fun rampaging!!”

Their sole purpose was invasion, destruction, and massacre.

This was a concept incompatible with the Anti-Humanity Alliance’s value of conquering the inferior human race and ruling over them.

“How dare these filthy demons target our prey?!”

“Actually, this is good! We had to prove someday that the demon bastards are below us anyway!”

“Eat the flesh of those demons! Their blood and flesh will quench our thirst and prove our superiority!”

As both sides, driven by different motives, reached the same conclusion and clashed, the weak humans caught in the ensuing battlefield could only try to suppress their fear and find a way to survive.

“Ah, aah. It’s all over.”

“D-don’t give up. We can escape while they are fighting each other!”

“Th-there is a chance. A chance to survive….”

The beasts were driven by instinct, and the demons were led by desire.

In the swirling scene where the fear of weak humans gathered, the lone minstrel, standing amidst them all, placed her hand on the lute she held and whispered forlornly.

“…Really.”

Starting to strum the strings, she turned her pumpkin-colored eyes away from the scene.

Then, in the ensuing darkness, she took time to herself to reflect on the current story.

“Such a cliché story, really.”

The story of heroes, intoxicated with power and victory, blinded by arrogance, thrusting their heads into the jaws of beasts.

The ugly demons, lured by the scent, and humans caught in the resistance against the beasts, dying like trash while yearning for life.

“But can this really be called a tragedy?”

She aimed to sublimate all these stories into one through her performance.

And when even despair mixed with wailing, and sorrow filled with pain, become stories less than cheap jokes…

“It’s just that you are not the protagonists. For those who are not the main characters, this world is too cruel.”

Even though she deemed the story unworthy of further attention, she still desired to play her part in this banquet of madness.

Not out of a sense of duty or with any expectation for the future.

Just as she habitually repeated what she always did…

“Don’t worry too much, even if you make a lonely exit from the stage…”

As she continued to play, uttering words she had repeated countless times, the desires of all those beings where the sound reached began to bristle.

“To ensure that your last moments are not lonely, this humble minstrel will accompany you until the very end.”

The aftermath of a fierce festival, fierce enough to stir waves in a river made of blood, seemed poised to carry over the forest and far into the distant valleys.

-Ding-a-ling, ding♪

Yes, the music…

At this moment, I could hear faint sounds of music coming from beyond the valley.

It was a timbre I had heard before.

I couldn’t remember when, but the familiarity I felt at this moment was enough to awaken my submerged consciousness…

Creak, crack!

As my consciousness awoke and my body moved reflexively, I felt my joints creaking and sending signals of discomfort to my brain.

Just one blow.

My body, which had desperately survived so far, was horribly broken by just one punch from a monster that transcended humanity.

If it weren’t for the armor made by Tachia, it wouldn’t have been surprising if I had died right then and there.

Creak, snap.

But even in such a desperate situation, my body was straining to move from where I was.

It happened before I could even think about it.

If I could move even just a little, it couldn’t be said that there was no hope.

Yes, just a little bit was enough. Just a little.

Whoong, whoong.

The spear vibrated in the distance and responded to my will.

If I were just given the chance to hold it in my hand once again…