Episode 2: I feel betrayed, so I'm going to fight back

　Escorted by five soldiers, we are now heading to the castle town.

"Wow, what a view."

　When I left the castle, it seemed like I was standing on top of a high hill.

　Looking down, there was a large town surrounded by green plants.

　Furthermore, the blue sea was visible at the edge of the horizon.

　It is a natural landscape with no roads or power lines, and no technological development whatsoever.

　I'm sure the stars will be beautiful at night.

"That's the castle town, right? How many people live there?"

"…………"

"Also... I was wondering, why did five people accompany me on my tour? Even as guards, isn't that a bit too many?"

"...Shut up and walk."

　One of the soldiers said calmly.

　Apparently, Uta is disliked.

　Even though I didn't do anything, they responded coldly.

"Hmm..."

　Although frowning slightly, Uta followed the soldier as he was told.

　However, once they got a certain distance away from the castle, the soldiers stopped.

"...Is this area okay?"

"O-O..picture?"

"Don't take it personally. It's His Majesty's order."

　The soldier turns around and draws his sword from his belt.

　He swung the dull metal blade down at Uta, who was frozen in shock.

"a……"

　Uta's chest is deeply slashed.

　Bright red blood splattered everywhere and Uta fell onto his back.

"Okay, with this, His Majesty's orders are complete."

"...Um, was it really okay?"

　asked another soldier, holding a bloody sword.

"It's true that the boy was unfit to be a hero... but that doesn't mean there's any need to kill him..."

"There's no other way. It's to have the heroes fight the Demon King."

　He kills Uta and makes it look like the Demon King's minions did it.

　That was the king's order. That was the soldiers' goal.

　The King was trying to somehow get the four other than Uta to fight the Demon King.

　He gave the motivation of returning to his original world, but...the more carrots you dangle in front of your nose, the better.

　Uta is killed. The soldiers testify that it was done by the Demon King's minions.

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　And then... he sends Uta's four friends, the heroes, against the Demon King.

"This is the king's order. Accept it."

"Yes... I understand."

　The soldiers reluctantly accepted the situation.

"Even so... I thought he'd stick around a little longer since he's the hero's friend, but I was disappointed. I guess he's just 'unemployed' after all."

　The soldier kicked the fallen Uta with his toe and pursed his lips sarcastically.

"There was no need to bring five of us here. Even one person would be enough..."

"It might have been a good thing. Fewer people would have died."

"Hk...!"

　A chilling, frightening voice rang out.

　The soldiers frantically looked towards the place where the voice had come from, namely, towards Uta's fallen body.

"It only hurt a little bit. Just like a vaccination injection. Next time, I want to be prepared, so please tell me you're going to kill me before you kill me."

　Uta said in a non-tension-free voice as he got up.

　He stood up as if nothing had happened and brushed the sand off his clothes.

"You bastard...why are you still alive!?"

　The soldier yells.

　He definitely should have killed him.

　I know this because I've killed a lot of people in the past.

　The deep slash gave the feeling of a sure kill.

"Well? I'm not going to explain."

　Looking closely, the wound that was there a moment ago has disappeared.

　There were no more bloodstains, and even his blazer, which had been torn apart, was back to normal.

"You didn't explain anything to me, so I don't have any obligation to explain anything to you. Did I say something wrong?"

"You bastard... weren't you 'unemployed'?"

"I'm a student, so I'm unemployed, right? I don't even have a part-time job."

「Don't mess with me! There's no way an 『Unemployed』 person could use a skill like healing injuries!」

　The soldier roared, raising his sword again.

　This time, I'll definitely kill you.

　After killing them, I will cut off their heads and dismember their limbs.

　The soldier was thinking about such things when Uta gently placed his hand on his chest.

"Hk...!"

"You're quite talkative, even though you're a corpse."

"a……"

　The soldier let out a weak cry, and in the next moment he was blown to pieces.

　Skin, flesh, bones, blood... everything that makes up the body is decomposed to the utmost extent dust falls to the ground.

　Metal equipment lay empty in a pile of dust.

"Whaaat!?"

"You're kidding! What happened?"

　The soldiers were stunned.

　It didn't look like Uta had done anything in particular.

　There was no sign of any magic being cast, nor any special tools known as magic items being used.

　And yet... a fellow soldier was killed.

　Shattered. Disintegrated into dust.

　This can't be happening. It shouldn't have happened.

"He doesn't run away. He's a caring friend."

　Giving the stunned soldiers a misguided interpretation, Uta moves on to his next move.

　He quickly moved behind another soldier and lightly tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hk...!"

　Before he even had time to scream, the second soldier was reduced to dust.

　At this point, the soldiers finally realized.

　That they were about to be killed.

"Kill him! Kill him!"

"You've done it... you bastard!"

　Two soldiers attacked.

　They were indeed well-trained soldiers. With coordinated movements, they tried to slam their swords at Uta from both sides.

"Wow, that's scary."

　However, when the sword is swung, Uta is nowhere to be seen.

　One of the swordsmen who had swung his sword... was standing behind him and touching his back.

"So if you're going to kill me, then say so. I'd be surprised if you suddenly started swinging your sword at me."

"Shit..."

"I'll kill you. Yes, I said it properly."

　The third soldier turned to dust.

　The other soldier who attacked Uta roared angrily, his eyes bloodshot.

"How dare you, how dare you...that's my friendeeeeeeeeeee!"

"Oh right."

"Hk...!"

　In a fit of rage, the soldier tried to attack again, but before he could raise his sword, Uta touched him.

　The fourth soldier turns to dust and falls to the ground, mixing with the remains of his best friend.

"Uh, uh... no way..."

　The last remaining soldier fell to his bottom and stepped back.

　The mission given to them was simply to kill the ``unemployed'' boy.

　And yet... why were they the ones being killed?

"This is a dream... This is a bad dream, of course..."

"Yeah, unfortunately it seems like reality, doesn't it?"

"Eeek!"

　Once again, Uta moves in an instant.

　It was right in front of the soldier who had fallen to the ground, so close he could reach out and touch it.

"I want it to be a nightmare for me too. Getting summoned to another world... but there's a TV show I want to watch tonight."

"Y-you... what are you doing, how could you do something like this...!"

"Why?... well, because it's me?"

"That's not an answer!"

　The soldier's face was a mess with tears and snot, and he cried out desperately.

"Help me! Don't kill me!"

"Isn't it unfair that I don't kill you?"

"I was against it... I didn't want to do it. But I was forced to do it...! I have a wife and a newborn child... I can't die in a place like this...!"

"Hmm... I'm troubled when you say that. I hope you don't say such unpleasant things."

　Uta ponders.

　Come to think of it... the soldier in front of me was asking the other soldiers if they should have really killed Uta.

　It may be true that the opposite was true.

"Hmm, well... this is difficult. I wonder what Tatsuya would do in a situation like this?"

　Uta thought deeply and held his head.

　The negative effects of being suddenly separated from my childhood friend started to appear.

　That being said, since I'd already said I was going to find a way to return to my original world, it would be uncool to go back and ask for advice on what to do.

"Hmm, hmm..."

"......!"

　Seeing Uta's struggle, the soldier saw a chance to live.

　I gently reach out for the fallen sword... and grasp it tightly.

"Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

"Huh?"

"Die, die...!"

　The sword pierces Uta's chest.

　A large amount of fresh blood was spilling down from his chest, and blood bubbles were coming out of his mouth.

　It definitely pierces the heart.

　This time. Absolutely. Surely... he'd kill him.

"I... must live. I cannot die... my children, my wife...!"

"Oh, good. So that wasn't a lie."

"wha……?"

　The soldier's shoulder is grabbed.

　When I looked up, there was the face of a boy with a gentle smile like that of a bodhisattva.

"If I had lied about my wife and kids, I would have ended up being just a complete idiot... I'm glad I didn't lie."

"Ah, yeah..."

"Well then, goodbye."

　He activated his power and the last soldier turned to dust.

　The road is deserted except for Uta, and all that remains are the soldiers' belongings and piles of dust.

"Well then... let's go."

　I could go down to the castle town straight away, but... before that, I had already managed to do something.

　Uta snapped his fingers, and the figure vanished without a trace.