The ‘Shadow’ At Work

“Why did the god who created this world, despite loving people, give humanity discrimination, famine, hatred, and the threat of monsters?”

In the deepest depths of a certain dungeon.

The dungeon’s lord, the Boss, had already become a corpse, and in the quiet inner chamber’s depths――a black-haired, black-eyed man sitting on a brought-in throne muttered to himself.

“Because it’s a trial the god gave humanity? No――the god is merely enjoying watching humanity face threats (……). Like how one would force slave gladiators to fight each other and enjoy them as spectacle, like locking prey inside a cage and observing the insects that devour them――the god is taking pleasure in it. In watching us humans suffer.”

Resting his elbow on the throne’s armrest and supporting his cheek with his fist, the man continued to speak into the void.

“It’s truly laughable, isn’t it? To see humanity begging the god for a helping hand. The very god we beg for salvation is the root cause of every threat to our lives.”

Or perhaps now he is speaking to the god he mentions――addressing the god.

“If I could recreate the world, I would surely swear to make a peaceful world without discrimination, famine, or strife. Like a mother who struggled raising her child in her youth vows to spare her own children the same hardship.”

――Clop clop clop.

At that moment, footsteps approached the inner chamber.

The man watched the chamber door without caution—rather, as if to say “I’ve been waiting”.

――Creak.

“……..”

Sure enough――what entered was a girl whose face was concealed by a mage’s robe.

She was the adventurer Sid had saved during the large-scale dungeon collapse.

“Welcome back. I’ve been waiting. Show me that cute face of yours――Ru.”

“……..”

The girl removed her hood.

Revealing tanned skin, purple hair, and cold eyes.

She was the former Hero party’s Assassin――Ruru.

“Has he been marked with the ‘Sign’, I wonder?”

“……..”

She nodded once――her head moving up and down.

“Wonderful. Now come, Ru.”

“……..”

Ruru knelt before the throne, placed her hand on the Shikai Tribe man’s foot, and leaned against it.

The man placed his coarse, large hand on Ruru’s head and slowly stroked it.

“……..”

Ruru’s usual ice-like expression melted, and like a kitten nuzzling a mother cat, she narrowed her eyes in apparent pleasure.

“So wait. This world you (god) created—this ‘game’――I will be the first to rise.”

〈Volume 2――KNT’s of the Sword and Balance――End〉

〈Volume 3――In the Abyssal Depths of the Boundless SHADOW――to be continued〉