Chapter 133: Great Escape (1)

By day, I received training under Bison Beastman, and by night, I met with the imps. The imps’ plan was simpler than I thought. To summon a Demon Commander to this land, a certain amount of magic power, human sacrifices, and a massive magic circle were needed.

Therefore, imps without work took turns storing magic power little by little in jars, while the imps working outside, keeping an eye on the beastmen, were drawing the magic circle bit by bit near the Imp settlement. They had cleverly hidden it with carts and jars, but if you looked closely, you could see the red liquid forming the magic circle, decorating the snowy field.

My role was to secure the human sacrifices. Since I had earned Baara’s trust, I could easily bring out the human prisoners the imps hesitated to handle. I asked the imps.

“So, a Demon Commander requires so much preparation to come here? Then did the others all arrive in the same way?”

An Imp answered my question.

“Because our magic skills are lacking. Powerful demons can freely travel between the Demon Realm and here. If only Krik-Sai-nim had been alive, we wouldn’t need to offer human sacrifices like this or draw massive magic circles.”

The imps recalled Krik-Sai’s miserable death again and sniffled back tears. The sight of the Imp with the hooked nose shedding tears like a puppy who lost its mother looked pitiful. I patted their backs and said.

“Don’t be too sad. We will definitely get out of here alive.”

“Sniff…! Oh, Incubus. You, you’re a good guy…! I heard that incubi and succubi love backstabbing others and are cruel beings, but now that I see, it seems like it was all a rumor! Sniff!”

“Right. Let’s do our best.”

I smiled and comforted them once more.

*****

Day by day, my skills grew. Bison Beastman was not only powerful individually, but also had an excellent talent for teaching others. He meticulously pointed out what was wrong with my movements and stances, and also created a detailed training schedule outlining the direction I should train further in.

“Evan. You must consistently follow the training method I’ve taught you now. I can’t always be by your side guiding you on how to fight.”

I wiped the sweat dripping down my face and said to Bison Beastman.

“Thanks to you, it’s been a great help. Did you used to teach people before?”

“Teaching someone is a first for me. Demon Realm beastmen have strong pride, so they don’t try to receive teachings from others. Even when enslaved, there are cases where they refuse to learn.”

“Their pride is damn strong. It’s something else if they refuse even when you make them your subordinate.”

“You too will soon receive the subjugation ritual from Baara-nim. But you, it’s good that your personality isn’t rough. Right now, all of Baara-nim’s subordinates are ill-tempered.”

Hearing the words ‘subjugation ritual,’ I couldn’t help but stiffen my face. Come to think of it, demons rarely took subordinates without a formal process. If I said I was joining Baara, it was obvious they would make me a subordinate in some way.

“How do the beastmen conduct the subjugation ritual?”

“It’s simple. Beat them up, and carve a brand onto their back.”

“How barbaric.”

The words ‘beat them up’ made me recall Baara’s heavy fist. Just his claws alone were as thick as an adult man’s forearm, and if he hit me with that fist, my body would surely be crushed like dough.

Bison Beastman said with a laugh.

“It can’t be helped. The process of carving the brand is extremely painful. If you don’t beat them unconscious beforehand, you can’t carve the brand properly. Want to see?”

Bison Beastman said that and lifted his shirt.

“Shit……”

Running across his bulging back muscles, deep scars where flesh was carved out were visible, like furrows plowed in a field. It looked like a river would form along the scars if water was poured, and the scars would fill with dirt if soil was dumped. Bison Beastman wore an indifferent expression, but that guy must have screamed like a little girl when getting that brand carved.

“You’re going to carve that onto my body? Without anesthesia?”

“Didn’t I say we beat you up? That’s the anesthesia.”

There was no reasoning with these beast brats. I let out a hollow laugh and nodded for now. Anyway, if the plan proceeded smoothly, I wouldn’t need to receive that anesthesia or get branded. There was no need to show my feelings now and create an uncomfortable relationship.

“I see. But… could we postpone the subjugation ritual just a little?”

“The date hasn’t even been set yet, but why do you want to postpone it? Are you scared?”

I was very scared, but I didn’t give that answer. I pointed to my body and said.

“I’ve received the honor of becoming a subordinate to the martial arts demon, King Baara. Shouldn’t I receive it after building up a bit more muscle and strength? Once I get that brand, I won’t be able to move for a while, right?”

Bison Beastman nodded seriously and said.

“That’s right. Even by beastman standards, you need about a month to recover. Weak demons sometimes become disabled while getting that brand carved. Imps die from shock during the carving process, so they can’t even get it done.”

No wonder there were no Baara subordinates among the imps; it was because the method of making subordinates was too barbaric. I ran my hand over my back again, trying hard to act nonchalant.

“Lately, I feel like I’m getting the hang of my training, so it would be a shame if that flow is broken by receiving a brand like that. Could you wait just a little longer?”

“Anyway, after I report this, the date for carving the subjugation brand will be set. Don’t feel pressured, and train comfortably.”

“Thanks.”

I thanked Bison Beastman and turned away. As I left, I glanced back at the imps’ base; parts of the magic circle were faintly visible even through their carts and trash. The imps were doing their best to hide the magic circle by putting down brooms or planting grass nearby.

****

A few more days passed.

“How’s it going? Is it working out?”

Alice and Lorena were busy tearing apart large piles of discarded clothes again today. After Lorena tore apart the stuck-together bags and clothes, Alice would check the contents and throw them away. The area was already littered with clothes like a bomb had gone off, and despite it being winter, sweat was pouring down their faces.

“Is this really the place?”

“I don’t think the beastmen would lie to us about something like that.”

Alice answered Lorena’s question. Lorena nodded upon seeing Alice’s serious expression, then started tearing apart clothes again. I watched the two work, then rolled up my sleeves. While trying to tear open a stubborn bag, Alice saw me sticking to the pile of clothes and said.

“Need help? Isn’t it hard for you too, Dad?”

“Lately, things have been easy, so I have plenty of energy to spare.”

Saying that, I tore off the clothes. Lorena took the pile of clothes, which tore off like leather, and tore them apart in more detail. As we tore off the clothes one by one, Alice opened each bent, crumpled, and frozen item for the final inspection.

I tore off clothes in chunks, thinking about the remaining time. The imps’ magic circle was nearing completion, and the jars filled with magic power were full, just waiting to activate the circle. All that was left for us was an escape method and the secret documents to find in this mountain of clothes.

I thought we had plenty of time and relaxed a bit, but before I knew it, the time to escape was drawing near. The moment that Demon Commander arrives in this land, all the beastmen will flock to the battlefield. In the meantime, we had to pack our belongings as quickly as possible and leave, crossing through the forest.

I asked Alice.

“Have you thought about how we’ll cross the forest?”

Me carrying the two of them was a last resort, something I’d only consider as the very final option. Alice said.

“There were a few intact sleds in the shopping district. But, there are no horses or dogs here.”

“Really?”

I stopped tearing at the pile of clothes. If there are no horses or dogs, doesn’t that mean someone has to pull it? As I hesitated, Alice said.

“If you’re going to make Dad pull it, wouldn’t it be better to just ask him to carry us? Adding the weight of the sled for no reason would just make it harder.”

“That’s true.”

I briefly imagined myself pulling the sled like a dog, then erased the image from my mind. Seeing Lorena giggling, it seemed she had imagined it too. Alice scratched her head and said.

“Dad, what do we do? We can’t do anything with just the sled.”

I looked up at the sky. Then, resuming my work tearing clothes, I said.

“I don’t know. When the time comes, let’s just rough up some beastman. If we threaten them, surely there’ll be one who’ll listen, right?”

“…Where did love and justice go?”

“They all died.”

Alice nodded awkwardly, then immersed herself back into the work. I stopped tearing clothes and looked at Alice, saying.

“No, come to think of it, these guys are fundamentally a group of murderers and robbers who eat people and attack them, right? Isn’t threatening them a form of justice?”

“Ah, is that so?”

Alice looked at me with a look of realization, and Lorena nodded and smiled too.

Now, the escape date was just around the corner.