Paradigm Parasite

erything…or maybe I have too many illusions about beautiful women?

　I felt sad.

 

　”Ugh…
you let a bunch of people like that into my house…
you are nothing to me!”

　”Oh?　Father, how can you say such a terrible thing about your daughter?”

　”Shut up, you bastard!　You killed Nyssa, too, didn't you?　I didn't want to doubt you because I thought you were my daughter, but…”

　”Oh?　Oh, my God.
Wasn't mother killed in an accident?　Has your mind deteriorated already?”

 

　Ah.
Is she the right daughter?

　Let me guess, the soul-hunter's boss is that girl?

　I had wondered why Mrs.
Hoffer wasn't there, but…
a mother murderer?

 

　”Oh.
Sorry for ignoring you.　Mr.
Rothfeldt.
Is it Mr.
Ro now?”

 

　The daughter kicked Hoffer in the stomach, slammed his head against the desk a couple of additional times, and then let go.

　Hoffer crumpled to the floor, nose bleeding from the pain.

　He seemed to be alive, judging by the way he was moaning.

 

'I haven't introduced myself yet.
I am the eldest daughter of the Acothern family.
I am Lilynette Christina Eldo Acothern.
How did you find me, anyway?　I didn't expect you to sniff me out.”

　”There's a man with a big mouth.”

　”Oh.
That's interesting.
I didn't think anyone had any information that could be traced back this far.”

 

　Lilynette nodded in agreement.

 

“Choudhury…that trashy son of a bitch screwed up, didn't he?”

“I'm sorry to interrupt your excitement, but are you really the head of the soul-hunters?”

 

　Lilynette turns to me and smiles.

　Wow.
Wow, what a face.

　Even a beautiful woman can look this bad when she smiles vulgarly.

 

It's often said that you can't hide it, so it's your true nature.

 

　”Yeah, that's right.
I didn't expect you to come.
I'm afraid all the entertainment I prepared for you has gone to waste.”

“While you're confirming, I'd appreciate it if you'd tell me about your client.”

　”Oops.
I can't tell you that.
You will die here if you find out.”

 

　A magic circle suddenly appeared in front of me.

　Magic!　No preliminary move?

　I quickly jump back and cross my hands to defend myself.

 

　My vision is filled with flames.

　It's the same kind of explosion II that was used yesterday.

　I was blown to the hallway by the explosion.

 

　This pattern again.

　This time, I had all three elements in place: one direction, defense in time, and good armor, so I was able to avoid the sudden loss of limbs.

　However, the cloak and mask were no good.
They started to burn, so I took them off.

 

　”Oh.
You're a nice guy.
If you were under my command, I'd let you have a piece of me, you know?”

 

　Shut up.
I don't want a vile woman like you.

　Knives were flying at me from both sides.

One was flicked with the back of my hand and the other with the hilt of my sword.

 

　Before I knew it, two men were standing soundlessly in the hallway like shadows.

Was it these guys with the magic?

　Lilynette stared at the man on her left.

 

　”Hey! Hey, Choudhury!　You're the one!　You're the one who told about this place!”

 

Choudhury shakes his head loosely.

 

　”I don't think it was me…
but I do know the guy who was in charge of last night's raid.
But I find it hard to believe that he's the one who let it slip.”

“Hmmm.
How could he know where to find us, then?

 

　The man on the left and the man on the right look like mirror reflections of each other.
Twins.

　Dark skin and clean-shaven heads.
They look like they could be from the Middle East or something.

　In both hands are large knives.
The blade is carved with grooves.

 

　Is it poison?

 

　”I don't know.
Given the circumstances, he couldn't have afforded to torture him.”

 

　…But these guys can afford it, can't they?

 

　They're not breaking eye contact with me, but they're talking normally.

I had no obligation to go along with them, so I first aimed at the Lilynette in front of me.

 

　I aim for the flank with the makana.

　I'm going to have to avoid the head.

 

　”Oops.”

 

　Lilynette drew back and then just stepped back a little to avoid it.

To be honest, it was such a last minute decision that I could only think that I missed it.

　And with a souvenir….

 

　I have a knife in my shoulder.

　Thanks to the mail, it's not digging into my body, but….

　This woman throws it at me while dodging.

　I pull it out and throw it back.

 

　”Oh, no?　Is that mail?　You're a lucky guy, aren't you?　Too bad I wanted to see you weakened by the poison.”

 

She smiles a lopsided smile as she dodges.

She understimated me…
or was it a provocation?

 

　”And you know what? It's not good to keep your eyes only on me, is it?”

 

My back is slashed.

　Twins.

With my free hand, I pull out my sword and swing it horizontally.

 

　The two of them, like the woman, just ducked a little.

Choudhury swings and gets into my chest, slashing me in the cheek with a knife.

　I try to fight back, but the other twists my arm up, pinning me to the floor at the joint.

 

“Oh, well.
It's all over now.”

 

Lilynette stomps on my head, unable to move due to my locked joints.

 

“I'm wondering what kind of a guy he is, since I heard that he beat up almost 50 guys yesterday, and this is what he's got?”

 

　She stomps on my head.

Oh, man.
These guys are strong.

　Especially this Lilynette.

 

　She's a bit of a goofball, but she's not letting her guard down at all.

　And she works well with the twins.

　The roles of distraction, attack, and defense are well divided.

 

At a glance, Lilynette stirs things up and draws attention, while Choudhury attacks with projectiles, etc. 

　The rest would deal with counterattacks.

　In this case, the role is to restrain….

 

The restraints can be removed quickly, but how do I finish these guys off?

If I cast magic over a wide area, I might be able to win, but I would have no clue where to go next.

Worst case scenario, if only one of them has a head intact, I can manage.

 

　”If so….
Is there a double or a friend?　Hey.
You see this?”

 

A small bag is swinging in front of me.

 

　”The knife that cut you.
It was powdered with the venom of a certain monster.
After a while, your body will gradually become numb and you won't be able to move…
and then intense pain will strike your entire body, leading to death.
So here is the antidote.
Don't you want it?”

 

　No, I don't want it.

 

　”If you answer my question honestly.
I'll give it to you.”

 

　I'm thinking right now, so will you please shut up?

 

　”Hey, hey, hey.
Why don't you say something?”

 

　Hmm.

　I've got some things I want to try, so let's go with this.

　I look up and see Lilynette's eyes.

 

　They are confident eyes.

The eyes of a strong person who looks down on others, who doesn't think she can lose.

It's the eyes that I wanted to be like before, but couldn't reach them.

 

　And the eyes I hated the most.

　A black flame burns deep in my chest.

I want to break that high nose of hers.

 

　I felt the flames in my chest gain momentum.

 

I want to kill her.