Ch.12742. None Other Than You Created Us.

The City-Kingdom of Pheisran.

Officially known as the Pheisran Magic Kingdom, most people simply called it the City-Kingdom.

This was because it was one of the three major metropolises representing the eastern continent.

The fact that its reputation as a city-state outweighed its fame as a magic kingdom was, in a way, quite contradictory.

In other words, it meant that the city focused more on its fundamental role.

This was possible because the nation’s governance, based on the city, was operated more progressively compared to many other countries in the east.

A hub of commerce and trade.

The development of various industries based on this foundation.

Unique specialty products—magical tools infused with the magic kingdom’s distinctive techniques and visions.

The concentration of these production sites naturally strengthened the foundation for commercial development.

Additionally, the scale of the elite central army and security forces was appropriate, and where they fell short, there was immense influence and wealth to immediately mobilize mercenaries.

The distinctive magic corps was a military system that required high maintenance costs that ordinary nations couldn’t even contemplate.

And.

Due to the limitations of being a city-state, there was a reverse concentration of merchants and trading company branches.

The resulting population density contributed to skyrocketing land prices within the city-state.

The Magic King bestowed these lands upon his retainers. Though they weren’t granted their own territories like feudal lords, they received treatment comparable to central nobles.

Moreover, since they were magicians who typically required astronomical expenses, the state provided for them through institutional means… As magicians, they probably couldn’t ask for better compensation.

It was only natural that magicians flocked to this place, both a magic kingdom and a city-kingdom.

That’s why here, magicians enjoyed blatant privileges compared to other countries, to the extent that they were said to stand above the nobility.

In other words, there was conflict between magicians and nobles.

And mediating this was the role of the Magic King.

A delicate balance of state affairs resulted from this.

However, currently, that balance had completely collapsed, leading to widespread collusion.

This was also the fundamental reason why the poor were proliferating in the City-Kingdom.

With a myopic view squeezing the present dry, even those who could pay taxes eventually fell into poverty, inevitably causing tax revenues to plummet.

“In this Pheisran, only two types of humans exist. One is a magician, and the other is incompetent.”

For instance, magicians despised those who couldn’t handle magic, regardless of whether they were nobles or not.

A sense of privilege, a sense of being chosen.

It provides endless satisfaction and contentment to those who enjoy it.

I am different from them.

I am different from that.

I am distinctly different from such things.

Arrogance and haughtiness bring joy simply by breathing.

A sense of superiority, in a way, brings greater joy with less effort than a sense of achievement.

But in a sense, it’s an utterly empty self-satisfaction.

So it requires constant confirmation and validation.

“Even more incompetent than the incompetent, livestock, rats, vermin like flies that swarm around garbage and filth—you’ve been ridiculed by them and still show no remorse. By that alone, you’ve proven yourself not just incompetent but useless. While humans grow, you’re regressing. Is this truly a human offspring? Try making a plausible excuse with that tongue of yours.”

The sharp-featured man cast a blatant look of disgust at the trembling young man before him.

“……”

The one-armed young man could only tremble weakly like a frightened rabbit, his face turning pale blue.

All the men who had been accompanying him had either been burned alive or had their skin and leather exposed to acidic substances, melting away, leaving only traces.

The corpses and the terrible stench still vividly filled the large stone chamber.

Servants were emotionlessly cleaning up the mess.

…But for the young man, the situation unfolding before his eyes felt more terrifying than the phantom pain from his missing arm.

“What am I to do with you?”

The man asked the young man with a sigh.

It was more like half a soliloquy than a question.

“If this news spreads, what kind of disgrace would it be? What would others think of us?”

In the end.

“All witnesses will be disposed of.”

Aren’t they just parasites who can’t even pay their taxes properly?

At least rats could be caught and used for experiments or as food.

…Of course, humans were also good tools for experiments.

But since the founding of the Magic Kingdom, there was a clear prohibition against using one’s own citizens as experimental subjects—this was a taboo among taboos.

…In reality, everyone was secretly breaking this rule, but if caught, the very foundation could crumble.

The first Magic King really did make things troublesome.

Even the incompetent have roles.

The clothes one wears, the houses, food, and various tools—the effort required varies tremendously depending on whether they exist or not.

Even the incompetent have roles.

So the incompetent are laborers dedicated to serving them.

So there is some semblance of respect due to them.

But vermin are a different story.

They eat the same and defecate the same, but they contribute nothing else while only producing waste.

…Why do such things live? For what reason? For what purpose?

They have none of that.

They just live to live.

…How useless and meaningless an existence.

If that’s the case, they should voluntarily dedicate their useless bodies to contribute to their great achievements.

But even that, they refuse.

…Why do these things live?

The man, the young head of one of the 13 noble magic families of the Magic Kingdom.

Beyrant couldn’t understand it at all.

“What would have happened if you weren’t my brother?”

If he hadn’t been a member of the family, he would have killed him immediately.

The miserable fate of those who had accompanied that fellow proved this.

Even as a magician, to experience such insult and desecration firsthand, and instead of taking one’s own life, to make irrational excuses…

Why plead about one’s incompetence?

If he had expressed his intention to make amends for his crime out of indignation and resentment.

Beyrant would have comforted and encouraged his brother instead.

Without pride or self-respect, mingling with vermin and sycophants.

“Piece of trash.”

The one-armed young man squeezed his eyes shut.

Doesn’t he look like a rat trembling helplessly before a cat?

‘How pathetic.’

As Beyrant snapped his fingers, a pale-skinned man approached him and leaned in to listen.

“Dispose of all suspected witnesses, leave none alive. And find out who did that to him. No matter how foolish my younger brother is, he wouldn’t have ended up like that from some youngster.”

I’ll admit it’s an unusual symptom.

His arm was severed, but there’s no bleeding.

It wasn’t cauterized or treated in any way.

…What kind of phenomenon is this?

It’s a phenomenon difficult to discern even through magical means.

So…

“If we can get assistance, there’s no need for hostility.”

“B-Brother! H-How could you…”

“Why are you wagging your tongue needlessly?”

Beyrant sternly rebuked him.

“Do you know why I tolerated you, who only tarnishes our family’s reputation? Because you are of our bloodline. They needed to realize that by that alone, we are special.”

No matter how much of a scoundrel, how ignorant, how foolish, how dull, how lacking, or how inappropriate one might be.

Those born with noble blood and talent deserve respect.

The good and righteousness spoken of in the world are, after all, privileges of the strong.

So even the pursuit of evil and injustice by the strong is solely up to us.

“But as a fellow noble and magician, you are more deficient than exceptionally incompetent.”

He continued to speak with contempt.

“Pretending to work without actually putting in effort. When things don’t go well, instead of making them work, you don’t find fault in your incompetence but make excuses. Hanging around with idiotic sycophants who whisper pleasing words, playing the king of a delinquent gang. Well, was it fun? Trampling on vermin weaker than yourself? In this world, such people are called the dregs of humanity. To think that the dregs despised even by vermin is my brother. It’s absurd.”

“B-Brother! No matter what, that’s too—too…”

“Do you have any pride? How pathetic.”

Even the anger he tried to express.

Subsided at Beyrant’s icy gaze.

“Tsk, tsk.”

Can’t he even express anger when provoked like this?

How incompetent and filthy a younger brother.

Beyrant waved his hand dismissively.

As if even conversing further was irritating.

====

As the sun set.

The incident spread simultaneously throughout the city.

It mainly occurred in areas designated as slums.

“Why! What wrong have we done?!”

Men armed with swords, knives, and clubs began beating people like they were hunting rats.

Someone who had been hit on the head was bleeding profusely, trying desperately to hold his head with both hands.

But even that effort was met with a kick from one of the men, causing him to dry heave.

“Kyaaah!”

“Stay still!”

“It’s noisy over there! Can’t you keep quiet?!”

“Should I rip out your tongue?”

“Ah, but that would kill them!”

“But it would still be warm for a while!”

“Look at this crazy bastard. Is that something to say right now?”

The attitude of the shabby men was as natural as workers engaged in their tasks.

Despite humans assaulting and abusing other humans.

None of the perpetrators showed any remorse or treated their victims as fellow human beings.

Even when inflicting violence on livestock, the weak-hearted tend to feel uneasy.

But they seemed to enjoy it, filled only with pleasure and a sense of superiority.

Tattered rags.

For those who had to cherish even clothes stained with excrement and dust.

The current treatment felt like a cruel divine punishment.

But those administering this “divine punishment” were fellow humans, fellow citizens.

Perhaps they were once neighbors.

Perhaps…

“Aaaaargh!”

A magician setting a person on fire alive.

While boasting about their magical abilities.

In their eyes…

…there was no trace of the unnamed poor person writhing in the flames before dying.

“Hey! Since you’re here to watch, why don’t you handle a few of them?”

“M-Me?”

“This bastard. Did you just come here to watch?”

“Isn’t that what he’s doing?”

“Talking nonsense. When I was your age…”

A heavy knife was handed to him.

Since it was his first time, they said it would be hard to handle someone who was still fit, so he should stab the one lying over there.

…Suddenly, something like this?

The boy was pushed towards an old man sprawled on the ground.

“That idiot.”

Snickering.

People laughing and chattering as if at a festival.

But even they would mingle with others as if nothing had happened when the sun rose.

…These people, who casually committed insane slaughter and violation.

They would once again wear the mask of humanity and go about their lives.

What is the truth?

“P-Please… spare…”

The old man, with teeth knocked out in chunks, spitting blood from his mouth, prostrated himself before the boy holding the knife, pleading with tears and snot running down his face.

Though the sound was faint amidst the commotion.

…To the boy, it was as clear as if it had been etched into his ears.

‘This is…’

This is strange.

Something, something isn’t right?

“Hey! Aren’t you going to do it?! Why so sluggish!”

“There’s nothing difficult about it! Just stab! Come on! Do it quickly!”

“Hey, hey! Don’t rush him! You were also trembling and sniveling when you first did it.”

“Ah! Brother! Why bring up ancient history?”

Those words.

If I stab this old man.

…Will I become like them?

Suddenly, beyond disgust, his stomach turned.

“Urgh!”

“Ah, here we go again.”

“What’s so difficult about it?”

“The first time is always hard. Hey, he’s chickened out. Later…”

“What later? If you’re here, you have to do it. Are you the type who gets nervous with women and puts your pants back on saying ‘I’m sorry’?”

“Is that the same as this?”

“How is it different? Whether you poke with a knife or poke with your—”

KYAAAAK!

The scream that came amidst all this.

Somehow felt different.

As if the temperature had suddenly dropped, the boy felt a chill run down his spine.

“Huh?”

It wasn’t just the boy who felt it. Despite being out of his mind, the boy tried to look towards the alley where the sound came from.

And simultaneously.

“——.”

He signaled the old man to leave quickly.

But due to his crushed legs, the old man couldn’t respond nimbly.

He crawled so slowly, it was agonizing to watch.

The boy’s heart raced.

With attention diverted elsewhere, they might get away for now—

“What’s that? What—”

KYAAAK!

Something in tatters darted out.

And at the same time.

“KYAAAAK!”

The man who had dragged the woman into the alley ran out as if terrified of something.

But as if something suddenly grabbed his ankle, he fell and planted his face on the ground.

What happened next was the highlight.

The man’s body slid with a squelch.

Leaving a sticky trail of blood from his forehead and head, his body was dragged back into the alley.

“Are these guys playing around? Getting beaten by vermin because they have nothing better to do?”

Another man, chuckling and clearing his throat nervously, headed towards the alley with a knife in hand.

“KIEEEK!”

He stumbled backward as if hit by something rushing at him and landed on his backside.

“W-What—KYAAAAK!”

Something clung to the man’s face, with tiny hands and thin arms firmly attached.

It was biting around the man’s eyes while attached to his face.

It was…

For some reason, in the form of a naked child.