Upon hearing the name of the Sage Nyau, I couldn't stand still any longer.
Before I knew it, I was heading to the scene where the second prince, Dilekka, was said to have been attacked, borrowing a horse.
If marching from the capital to the village of Katarov with many soldiers takes more than a day, so the plan was to stay overnight at a place called Riot Village on the way between Katarov Village and the capital.
According to what I heard, the village had been attacked.
So, I hurriedly headed to Riot Village.
Alone, and with a horse, it would take about five hours to arrive.
Nyau, please, please make it in time—!!
While wishing for that in my heart, I hurried as much as possible to arrive as soon as possible.
And the moment I arrived at the village, I was convinced that the wish wouldn't come true.
A scene of devastation spread before me, with tens of thousands of corpses neatly arranged like a morgue.
Such a terrible sight was unfolding before my eyes.
The bodies were lined up so that each face could be recognized. It seemed that someone meticulous had done this, as all the bodies were evenly spaced, and their heads were arranged in the same direction.
As if the battle had already ended, the surroundings were silent. Not even the chirping of birds could be heard.
"What's with you?"
A terribly hoarse and low voice.
Whether it had spotted me from a distance or not, it walked towards me at a slow pace.
As it approached, its appearance became clear.
It was a furry monster. The head resembled some kind of animal, while the lower half was vaguely human-like. It had four legs, but arms were also growing from its back.
This monster had single-handedly organized a large number of corpses.
"What are you doing?"
I asked in a dazed manner.
There should have been other priorities to inquire about, but my thoughts weren't moving as expected.
"Well, uh…"
The monster, for a moment appearing to contemplate, began to speak casually.
"I'm counting how many humans I've killed. It's easy to count when they're neatly lined up like this. Once, I explained this to someone else, and they said, 'Why bother counting, you idiot?' But it's not like that, right? What do you think?"
"I don't really mind…"
I said so, but my mind was blank. I merely agreed with the monster's words, and none of it registered in my head.
"I see. You're a good guy. So, what are you doing?"
The monster asked, pointing towards me with its front paw.
"I'm looking for Nyau…"
"Nyau? Nyau, where was she…? Wait a moment. I'll look for her."
With that said, the demon began to examine the arranged corpses.
"I think it was in this row… or maybe not…"
I could only stare in amazement as it mumbled while searching.
"Hey, isn't this it?!"
The monster called from afar.
There was a conflicting mix of feelings— the desire to confirm and the reluctance to do so. At the moment of confirmation, I was convinced I would despair.
Nevertheless, I moved my feet slowly towards where the monster was.
"Don't step on and move the corpses!"
The monster warned.
So, I carefully checked my surroundings, avoiding the corpses while moving forward. Although I had no obligation to heed the monster's words, for some reason, I earnestly tried to follow its advice.
"Hey, isn't this Nyau?"
As soon as I reached the monster, it casually lifted something lying at its feet.
It used to have a human form.
It was heavily damaged, making it difficult to distinguish its face. Still, the body shape was familiar.
Therefore, I easily accepted that it was Nyau.
"This one was the most troublesome in the fight. So, I remembered."
The monster explained dispassionately.
There was no malice in its words, and that's why no anger welled up. It seemed as if this creature had attacked the village like a natural disaster.
"What the hell are you?"
I desperately squeezed out my voice.
My head had been aching since a while ago. My vision swayed as if I were on a ship, and despite the supposed temperature being adequate, the tips of my limbs were freezing. Even standing up was a struggle.
"Demon Belphegor."
The monster bluntly declared.
"I'm called the lazy demon, but as you can see, I'm quite diligent."
A demon. I've heard of their existence, but I know nothing specific about demons. A very frightening existence. Is this all I know about demons?
"Huh? Doesn't ring a bell? In that case, it's quicker to explain this way. I'm Master Rank Third. I'm the third strongest being in this world. So, what the hell are you? I've explained myself enough. Now, tell me about yourself."
Saying that, Demon Belphegor pointed at me using its foot.
"…I'm Kiska. A adventurer, and my profession is a thief."
I inwardly wondered if there was any meaning in introducing myself.
"I see. If I don't ask properly and add you to the collection, I won't know what you are when the time comes."
"Collection…?"
"Yeah, a collection of corpses."
As soon as I heard those words to the end, a sound of explosion echoed.
Already, I had been killed by Demon Belphegor.
It happened so quickly that I didn't even have time to feel pain.
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"Ah…"
And at the same time, I realize.
"Kiska, what's with the blank stare?"
In front of me, Namia was standing with a worried expression.
Namia was a fake, and I had killed that fake Namia with my own hands. Yet, why is she smiling at me now?
"Oh, right…"
Come to think of it, I had a skill called "Save & Reset."
So, I come to accept the current situation.
It seems like the world has reset.
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