It Is a Tool of Humanity

Do you know?  

I died fighting for humanity.  

Not now, but in my past life.  

There was a great invasion led by the Demon King’s army.  

The Hero fought and won.  

And I was part of the Hero’s party.  

I was entrusted with an important mission.  

A mission to neutralize the Demon King's ultimate skill.  

I tried to block the Demon King’s final strike.  

By using my secret technique—Magic Plunder.  

And I succeeded.  

I literally plundered the spell the Demon King was about to cast.  

I took it and used it for myself.  

When my Magic Plunder succeeded, the Demon King's expression was indescribable.  

For someone facing death, his expression was truly strange.  

It wasn't despair but pure curiosity—I can never forget that look.  

Now I understand why he looked that way.  

Reincarnation magic.  

The Demon King must have planned to reincarnate as a young dragonkin girl.  

He was going to rebuild his army from scratch after reincarnation.  

So if it weren’t for me, this body would have been the next Demon King’s vessel.  

Who could have predicted that my Magic Plunder would steal his reincarnation magic?  

If not for that, I wouldn’t have been born into this wretched form.  

But isn't this better than letting the Demon King be reborn?  

Serves you right, Demon King.  

Instead of rebuilding your army, you're trapped in this underground prison, your horns cut off.  

I wish I could say those words to you.  

But the problem is, this is me.  

I'm the one who was born as an inferior species, not the Demon King.  

Still, I find satisfaction in my own humiliation.  

Do you know how delightful it is to see the Demon King's seed trampled so mercilessly?  

The sight of me, forced to lap up spilled soup from the ground, is utterly ridiculous.  

"...They'll come to save me..."  

Ah, there's still soup on my lips.  

It's more pathetic if I don’t wipe it off, so I leave it there.  

When I get hungry, I just lick it off.  

"Because..."  

Because we're family?  

I suppose I must have a family somewhere.  

But they would never come looking for me.  

I don’t even know if they know I exist.  

There were humans who pretended to be my family.  

Thanks to them, I actually believed I was human—at least until my horns started growing.  

"Brother..."  

It would be nice if I really had siblings.  

It would be an honor if my entire bloodline could serve humanity.  

"Brother is a Hero..."  

What?  

A Hero?  

Ratna just said something strange.  

Brother, a Hero?  

That’s nonsense.  

"He's definitely coming to save me."  

Is she delusional?  

Does she really believe the Hero is her brother?  

That’s impossible.  

It makes no sense.  

Like I said, the Hero exists to kill the Demon King.  

A Hero is a champion of humanity, exterminating other races for the sake of peace.  

That’s what a Hero is.  

How could a Hero possibly have an inferior species as a sibling?  

Heroes are human.  

"He’ll be here soon..."  

He’s not coming.  

How did she even fall into such a ridiculous delusion?  

Even if a Hero did come, there’s no reason to rescue Ratna from this place.  

A Hero’s duty is to subjugate the inferior species.  

Of course, it wouldn’t be the same Hero from my past life.  

Too much time has passed for that.  

But the essence of a Hero never changes.  

Only an inferior species like her would get lost in such absurd fantasies—how pathetic.  

Do you even know what a Hero is?  

A Hero has only one duty.  

To bring prosperity to humanity.  

Purge the inferior species and lock them up in zoos or livestock pens.  

This land and sky belong to humans alone.  

All those parasites leeching off them must pay the price.  

I understand this better than anyone.  

This world is vast, far beyond what I once imagined.  

And yet, all of it belongs to humanity.  

The earth, the seas, even the stars above the sky—everything.  

***  

Richard is here again.  

He hasn’t given me any food for the past few days.  

But today, it looks like I have a portion.  

Does he still feel pity for trash like me?  

That would be troublesome.  

This time, I need to show my hostility.  

He needs to hate me.  

Inferior species should be despised without needing to be taught.  

Thud.  

He sets down Ratna’s food first.  

"Show respect."  

Richard speaks sternly.  

"What? Respect?"  

I should thank him.  

But I don’t.  

Richard steps toward me.  

Thud!  

He kicks me.  

Why me?  

I haven’t eaten anything, but I feel like throwing up.  

"Ah, what the hell—!"  

"Shut up."  

Thud.  

Another kick.  

Is he doing this because he knows Ratna reacts sensitively when her kind is harmed?  

Or does he simply consider me even less valuable?  

"Pl-please, stop..."  

Ratna looks at Richard with a fearful expression.  

Thud.  

It hurts.  

Just say it already.  

"Stop..."  

Thud.  

Not 'stop.' Say 'thank you.'  

He’s even teaching me properly, yet I still refuse to say it—what am I thinking?  

"...Th-thank you."  

Yes, I should thank him.  

That’s the most basic rule.  

But with this hateful expression, it’s obvious I’m not really grateful.  

If it were me, I would keep stomping until I got the right expression.  

But Richard seems to think this is enough.  

Has he not shed his weakness?  

Richard picks up my food.  

Then he sets it down.  

I bite down.  

"Argh!"  

I bit him.  

Isn’t this familiar?  

Richard, why do you keep letting yourself get bitten?

I bit down hard enough to draw blood.  

And in an instant, my vision spun.  

Crash!  

My mind went blank.  

My face was buried into the plate.  

Richard is strong.  

He had been holding back when he kicked me earlier.  

Now, filled with hatred, his strike was much harsher—far better.  

"...Don't do anything useless."  

I could hear the anger in his voice.  

That's it, Richard.  

Keep going with that feeling.  

Thank you.  

Thud.  

I hear the sound of the door closing.  

Richard has left.  

I... I can’t lift my head.  

It’s exhausting.  

"Uh... Sister, are you okay?"  

I’m not okay.  

But I am happy.  

"I’m sorry... because of me..."  

So watch and learn.  

Your turn will come too.  

Once they’ve cut off all my horns...  

"...I... I'll get out of here. Soon... just hold on a little longer... I'm sorry..."  

I’m not doing this to escape.  

It’s the opposite.  

I wonder when Ratna will realize that.  

I licked the soup off my lips.  

The soup tastes good.  

Yes.  

"I'm sorry..."  

Ah.  

The plate is broken.  

That’s good.  

With my shackled hands, I reach out and pick up a shard.  

If Richard shows weakness again, I'll use this to cut him.  

Sometimes, harsh measures are necessary.  

He needs to learn that demi-humans have no place in this world.  

So I’ll put on a show.  

A performance of a pathetic inferior being.  

This is my fault.  

Because I followed Richard too well, he ended up feeling sympathy for an inferior species.  

That must be corrected.  

I need to teach him what happens when one shows mercy to the likes of me.  

Please, become the nobleman the Count will be proud of.  

A noble like you must be the pillar of humanity.  

"Sister... Wh-what are you doing?"  

I was gathering the sharp pieces of the broken plate.  

"Don’t do that. If you do, you’ll just get beaten more."  

She’s caught on to what I intend to do.  

But that’s exactly my goal.  

"You can hear me, right?"  

Why would I listen to an inferior being?  

Watch.  

The opportunity will come soon.  

Yes, the chance to stab him.  

A chance to teach Richard a lesson.  

And I don’t have to wait long before I hear the sound I wanted.  

Bang!  

The door bursts open violently.  

So soon?  

"Richard, this is unacceptable."  

It’s the Count.  

Richard follows behind him.  

"This method is problematic. Unacceptable."  

"Count, I was just—"  

"If you don’t punish them properly, these demons will only grow bolder. You’ve already been injured to the point of bleeding—just kicking them a few times isn’t enough."  

Exactly!  

You are absolutely right, Count.  

I’m relieved that someone understands my thoughts.  

So you were watching all along.  

Guiding Richard onto the right path.  

I had faith in you.  

"Hiiik..."  

Ratna is trembling in fear.  

She must have realized what’s coming.  

"Mercy is not an option, Richard."  

The Count steps closer.  

Nearer, even closer.  

Now, I pull out the sharp shard I had prepared.  

Now!  

Swish!  

I swung my arm with the intent to kill.  

But the Count was not struck.  

Instead, he caught my wrist and twisted it.  

Clatter.  

The shard falls to the ground.  

I was subdued instantly.  

The Count picks up the broken shard.  

He holds it up to Richard’s face.  

"Look at this. It was prepared to kill you. How many times must I warn you? This is a demon."  

"...I didn’t expect her to have something like that prepared."  

"Rid yourself of your complacency. Bring me a saw."  

Ratna looks like she wants to say something.  

But she says nothing.  

She’s too afraid.  

"Yes, this reminds me of the old days. Back then, we punished demons like this."  

The saw touches my horn.  

Scrape.  

The sound of teeth grinding against bone.  

The saw’s teeth scrape against my nerves.  

"This should do."  

Stab.  

He drives the broken shard into the exposed gap in my horn.  

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.  

So for a shard, a shard it is.  

Pain floods my entire nervous system.  

I see nothing.  

I hear nothing.  

This is perfect torture.  

I would give it a 12 out of 10.  

If my kind dares to resist in the future, please discipline them in this way.  

This is the proper treatment.  

Pure ecstasy.  

Tears of joy leak from beneath my mask.  

I’m happy, but it hurts.  

That doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.  

This is all because I was born an inferior being.  

If I weren’t, I wouldn’t have to feel this pain.  

I hate pain.  

But even now, gratitude is important.  

Even in suffering, pledging loyalty to humanity is a noble act.  

That’s why, even in this situation, I can still smile.  

Even though it hurts.  

I am happy.  

Even though it hurts like death.