Become a Stone (1)

After incinerating the approaching swarm of rats without so much as a gesture, I performed a simple body reconstruction and rose from the spot.

I leaned against the sewer wall, my body swaying. A whitish, viscous fluid poured profusely from my soiled lower abdomen. I felt dazed. As if hit by a potent drug, my eyes couldn’t focus. A faint breath spread very slowly, irregularly.

I slumped down, leaning against the wall. The relatively clean skin of my back was scraped and bloodied by the stone fragments embedded in the wall, but I didn’t care. I covered my face with my remaining left arm and crouched like a child.

“Ah, ha…”

I was violated. My masculinity was disregarded, treated as less than human, and brutally violated. Even though I brought it upon myself, the fear and despair I felt in the process were real.

Tears flowed, yet laughter wouldn’t stop. I felt disgusted with myself, yet also a sense of satisfaction. My body and mind were playing separately.

I’m a man.

A human.

Is it okay to live like this?

The ‘line’ that protected me had been torn long ago when a man’s thick phallus headed for my lower abdomen. I might have done something irreversible. But I was too happy. Struggling in pain was several times more satisfying than living like a corpse, devoid of any will to live.

The only clear thing was that I could never go back to the way I was before.

I got up and completely reconstructed my body.

An arm sprouted. My body, covered in wounds, regained its fair and soft skin. The damaged internal organs returned to their places, and the torn clothes returned with the reconstruction.

How many hours had passed?

A flawless, immaculate girl’s body, without a single blemish.

A beautiful young woman, unimaginable to have been raped just moments ago, stood in the underground sewer.

“Haa….”

Steadying my confused mind, I walked towards the sewer exit.

I’ll probably get tired of life soon and start looking for this kind of stimulation again. Thinking about it made me sigh involuntarily, but since I had no intention of stopping, I could only pray not to die.

‘Being treated as less than human like this… isn’t so bad.’

Wait, what?

Just a moment.

I was startled and surprised even by my own thoughts.

Well, certainly… even though it might feel bad, I couldn’t deny that it provided a level of stimulation that couldn’t compare to my usual self-harm.

‘Shibal. No way.’

Feeling like I was falling too deep, I stabbed a knife into my thigh and started moving again.

As I composed my body and mind, one problem I had forgotten came to mind.

‘That’s right, my money.’

I clicked my tongue softly.

Well, I remember their Mana signatures, so I can track them down anytime. I’ll have to meet them, kill them, and take it back. I just hope they don’t spend all the money before I get there.

Another few hours to reach the exit.

Outside, it was just entering dawn, and the stars in the night sky were shining. I took a deep breath of the dawn air and stretched. Heueut- A bewitching voice that captivates men echoed around.

The soldier guarding the entrance was snoring loudly. I carefully passed by the soldier and spread Mana around. Blue magic flowed from my fingertips. The widely spread Mana would soon cover the empire and find their locations.

‘One of them is in a brothel….’

The guy in the red-light district is highly likely to be the hairy one.

‘One of them is sleeping in an inn.’

I could feel Hood-nam’s Mana signature not far away.

Thinking of Hood-nam made my legs tremble involuntarily. The relentless choking and the arm being cut off alive just before death… even thinking about it again, it was hard to find that level of stimulation. I might sound like a pervert saying this. Honestly, if he had just subdued me and tried to rape me, I might have killed him in reverse.

I decided to find the hairy guy first. Even if they split the money, that guy probably took much more. Hood-nam didn’t seem very interested in money. Above all, that hairy bastard is spending the money in real time. Money can be earned again, but thinking about it being spent in a place like that made me feel annoyed.

“Haa….”

Another sigh escaped.

My reaction was surprisingly calm, considering my arm had been cut off and I had been brutally raped.

It was thanks to the Archmage’s strong mental fortitude.

I don’t think there’s anyone who can be more composed than I am right now.

Come to think of it, I wonder if the hymen also regenerates when reconstructing.

…Shibal.

Is this how someone who’s been raped reacts?

For a moment, suicidal impulses surged, but I managed to hold back.

The hairy guy was located in a red-light district about 40 minutes away from here. I cut my wrist to clear my head and moved towards the red-light district.

* * *

Bridonia.

A city of adventure and magic located in the southernmost part of the empire. The Red Magic Tower is located not far away, and there are so many unexplored areas around that it was a convenient place for adventurers and magicians to operate. But adventurers can’t just live by adventuring. Tired of constant fighting and exploration, they craved alcohol-soaked entertainment. Thus, I approached Bridonia’s most secretive place.

If someone were to ask where the night begins, everyone would unanimously say the western streets of Bridonia.

It was as they said.

The streetlights illuminating the streets were so numerous that it was as bright as day, and drunken adventurers were scattered everywhere, constantly chattering. Prostitutes enticing customers, adventurers secretly dying in secluded places, fools being kicked out after failing miserably at gambling, etc. Bridonia’s western streets declared that the empire’s night would never end.

‘The hairy guy is here, huh.’

And among them, the 「Black Rose」, boasting the largest building, was a dreamlike place for those walking the western streets.

The basic entrance fee alone was 3 silver, with a luxurious appearance that one couldn’t imagine for a red-light district, and wines and liquors that nobles would eat were sold casually. The prostitutes working here were prostitutes in name only, almost like quasi-nobles. Their prices were a basic 10 silver, and some women went for over 50 silver.

Roughly looking, it seemed to be over 8 floors. The architecture of this world was by no means inferior compared to modern times, but that was only the case for the noble world, and it hadn’t developed to the point where such a large building could be built in a red-light district. It meant that they were doing so well that they even had a special construction contract.

So…

That hairy bastard is spending money like crazy here.

It seemed like it would be difficult to recover the money.

“Little one. What brings you here?”

As I was wondering whether to go in or not, a woman with bright orange pigtails and a face heavily made up approached me.

She looked to be in her mid-twenties at the youngest and was wearing a negligee that was see-through except for her breasts and vulva. Her voluptuous breasts and large hips were drawing attention just by their presence. She was presumed to be a prostitute in charge of customer service.

“Did you perhaps come to work? Hmm, can I perhaps touch your skin?”

I tried to shake my head to refuse, but the hand that reached out without asking landed on my cheek. I frowned and showed a reaction of refusal, but she didn’t care and stroked here and there.

“Oh my, how can you be so soft? Your face is cute, which is just perfect… if you smile a little, you’ll make most men go crazy? There’s a lot of demand for small builds like you, so you don’t have to worry about-“

Unable to listen any longer, I pushed her lips away and said in an annoyed voice.

“I’m looking for someone.”

“Hmm~ I don’t think that’ll work.”

She said in a regretful voice.

“Our customers’ personal information is confidential~”

“What about waiting here?”

“That won’t work either.”

Her face changed abruptly.

The cozy and seductive smile disappeared, leaving only a cold, expressionless face.

“Why do you think the Black Rose is more expensive than other places? We don’t just sell our bodies. We sell trust. Absolute confidentiality, and high qualifications to match. Of course, that also applies to our customers. We respect each other.”

If she came out this strong, there was nothing I could do.

I could force my way through with strength, but there were gazes I felt the moment the woman in front of me changed her expression. Guards working at the Black Rose. There were more than five of them.

I had no choice but to close my eyes and turn around.

It seemed impossible to recover the money.

Even if I met the hairy guy later, he would surely be penniless.

“Hehe. Don’t be afraid. More than that, didn’t you really come to work? It’s all a misunderstanding that the Black Rose treats women harshly?”

“I have no intention of selling my body.”

“Others call us prostitutes, but that’s just nonsense spouted by stupid men who have no money or ability. We’re very satisfied with this job. You don’t have to worry about your crotch discoloring or your face getting damaged. The medicine provided every month prevents aging and discoloration.”

-This is a secret, but I’m actually over forty years old?

She tried to seduce me, saying it was a top secret that she couldn’t tell just anyone.

I wondered why they supported even a mere prostitute this much, but I shook my head.

She made a truly regretful expression and waved her hand at me.

“You can come anytime if you change your mind~”

I turned my back powerlessly.

If I had money, I would have entered as a customer-they even handle male prostitutes-but I had no money, and above all, what the shibal, a male prostitute? It was terrible.

Then the only place left is Hood-nam…

-gulp.

The events I experienced in the underground sewer flashed back.

My legs trembled.

* * *

I pulled my hood down deep and walked through the quiet night streets.

Unlike the flashy and noisy western streets, the eastern streets, densely packed with residential areas, were filled only with the sound of crickets chirping, with no sign of people, creating a somewhat eerie atmosphere.

Following Hood-nam’s Mana signature, I arrived at a small inn located in a somewhat remote area. I opened the door as quietly as possible and carefully went inside. The innkeeper had his feet up on the table and was snoring loudly. I didn’t bother waking him up. I could tell which room Hood-nam had checked into with the Mana signature flowing out.

I passed the innkeeper and went up the wooden stairs.

The creaking sound was particularly loud.

“…….”

Does that mean Hood-nam is sleeping in front of this door?

No key was needed. The lock turned to dust and flew away with a light gesture from me. All I had to do was grab the doorknob and turn it, and the door would open.

I stood in front of the dilapidated door for a long time.