Ouroboros Record ~Circus of Oubeniel~

“...My apologies, comrade. Looks like I dealt with him earlier than expected.”

“No matters, comrade. As long as the end result does not differ from what we had planned.”

As the two engaged in an incomprehensible talk, the person who was not in charge of holding the girl, took off the tailor’s clothes.

Perplexed by their actions, the young girl gulped and asked.

“W-What are you doing to father...”

“Put his naked dead body on the streets for display.”

The young girl still could not understand why and only realised how terrifying they were. While in a confused state, she continued to ask.

“Huh? Why?”

“I told you, didn’t I? Your family have sinned by selling clothes and conning people of their money. That is why we will have your sins be on full display after you all die. Though we were originally planning to take away your clothes one by one to fully embarrass before executing.”

The man looked coldly at the young girl. The young girl could vaguely sense the vulgar desires emitting from his gaze.

“Since you are still young, there is still room for you to change. If you try your best to serve us, then we will consider sparing your life.”

The young girl let out a small shriek. It was clear what the man meant.

“First, strip her. Then take her outside and do whatever you want with her. If she refuses to atone for her sins, execute her.”

The leader of the two instructed his comrade without hesitation.

“Noooooooooooooo!!!”

The young girl screamed asher clothes were torn to shreds.

At some other place, unlike others, this group of rioters were met with resistance.

“Damn small fry. Trying to gang up on me to steal my money? Huh!”

An unkempt man wielding a bloodied sword roared. He was protecting the stout and fat middle-aged merchant behind him. The merchant tightened his fleshy cheeks and smiled.

“Fuhahaha! As expected of a professional, your skills are worth your price! So what can you paupers do against my money? Hahahaha!”

“D-Damn bodyguard!”

“So strong…! A former adventurer?”

They were tasked to attack this money-lending company and crashed into the front gate in high morale but could not get past the bodyguard. They have already lost 5 comrades to the blade of the bodyguard and their front were exposed. The bodyguard leading the front appeared to be the chief bodyguard and there seemed to be 8 other hired bodyguards. On the other hand, there were only 6 rioters left. The aggressors were forced to accept their unfavourable position.

“Retreat! Quick, retreat!”

“Ugh, dammit!”

The leader of the rioters bit his tongue as he called for the rest to retreat. The other surviving members were equally anguished as they escaped.

While wiping off the blood from his sword with a cloth, the bodyguard looked towards his employer.

“So, what about the survivors? Shall we keep chase and kill them all?”

“Wait, master. That would be problematic.”

The money-lending merchant put his cowardice on full display.

“From what I have heard, there are countless men like them in the city. If master left my side, there is a chance more will come over. Right?”

“Hmph, reasonable.”

The bodyguard hid his sword into the sheath. He could roughly guess what the merchant was considering. His agreement with the merchant was to act as a bodyguard and if he was to pursue the assailants previously, the merchant might have to pay an additional fee. The merchant probably was reluctant to pay further expenses.

In any case, this was perfect for the bodyguard. He was tired of the dangerous adventurer life, that was why he chose to be hired by the moneylender. He was not the least interested in killing all of them. It would be a different story if he was paid extra though.

In the end, that decision was a fatal one. He should have pursued and killed every one of them. Or at the very least, move to a different location away from the company. The rioters that escaped regrouped with another party.

“My apologies, we met with some difficulties, comrade. We had to escape even though there was a bloodsucker that had to be exterminated.”

“What?”

“There was a skilled bodyguard. He personally slew 5 of our comrades.”

“That is a problem. We had planned to kill the merchant and make use of his company’s ill gotten funds to support our revolution.”

“If we idle here, they would be able to run away. And our revolution would lack this final piece.”

“There’s no way around it?”

As they conversed, the leader rioter noticed something behind. One of his subordinates had taken something from a shop. It was a jar being carried on a wagon. It was rigourously wrapped in thick cloth.

Inside it was oil.

“Let’s burn the building. No matter how skilled the bodyguard is, he would not be able to escape a burning building.”

“Then the money of the company...”

“Hmph, we are talking about the miserliness of a money-lender. If his priorities are on money, then he would have kept them in a safe. We just have to dig the safe out after the burning and help ourselves to it later.”

“I see.”

The other rioters who listened in nodded. The plan was put together with mostly unproven opinions but they were determined. Rather than this being what they had to do, it was probably what they wanted to do. They wanted to see the scene of hell when the hated money-lender burns spectacularly.

Despite the short amount of time they took to put together a plan to burn the company, they were disproportionately disciplined during the execution.

They filled the wagon that had been carrying the oil-filled jar with wood instead and charged into the company’s front gates. They could use it to make a barricade if necessary and could use it as a fire starter too.

“OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! GET OUT! GET THE FUCK OUT!”

Inside the blazing building made out of bricks, the bodyguard yelled. Immediately after, the sound of barricades breaking from within could be heard. They were likely taking it easy and put the minimum level of vigilance. As a result, the rioters did not have to protect themselves from retaliation.

Still, it looked like the former adventurer was not a pushover. The rioters had planted blockades at the gates and the bodyguard was cutting them apart them with incredible precision and speed with his sword. Unlike his current job, he had to face inhuman abilities of monsters as an adventurer. If they allowed the bodyguard to continue breaking apart the blockade, it was certain that it would fall apart.

“How’s that! I’m gonna tear it apart! Piece of shit!”

After tearing apart the wooden blockade violently, the bodyguard jumped out. There were burnt marks on his clothing. His eyes burned with revenge. He had to get them to payback for putting him into harm’s way and for putting his reputation in question.

This time, he would slay every one of them. He took a cursory glance around him and immediately, the assailants pounced into action.

“He is out! Now!”

Splish. He was drenched in water. No. The unusual smell and the stickiness of the liquid means it was not water. The bodyguard realised what the liquid was and went pale.

“D-Don’t tell me... This is oi―”

Unfortunately, before he could finish, a stray ember caught onto him and he was set ablaze. He had already been surrounded by the rioters carrying torches so the outcome was the same though.

“Arhhhhhhhh! H-HOOOOOOOOOOT!”

The bodyguard had been drenched in the leftover oil they had. The moment he ignited, the hellish temperatures of the flames were transferred to his body.

(Hot! Hot! HOOOOOOOOOT!!)

He only had time to raise his voice when it just caught fire. He could not scream as he wanted  in his last moments. He could only dance in the enveloping flames as his vision became overwhelmed by red.

At long last, the former adventurer bodyguard had been reduced to ashes.

One of the rioters sneered and then glanced into the interior of the building. Beyond the opening created by the bodyguard, a merchant stood frozen at being surrounded. The rioter could not help but laugh.

“There goes your last bit of hope. So, which would you choose? Stand where you are and burn to death or step out and get beaten to death. That’s all the mercy we can offer you. Decide. We will respect your choice.”

“Eeeeek!”

The merchant fell flat on his bottoms. The building would soon be consumed by the flames but he could not step out. He remained indecisive and died without making a choice.