Chapter 15: Civilization, at last.

Note: It may look like a hentai novel, but it is not, and it will not become one! Pay attention! It will not become a hentai!

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— One of the worst things that can happen to a man is to have his humanity denied.

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“There is the square. On the other side of it, there is the neighborhood of the wealthiest citizens. Over there, on the other side, is the outskirts. Here, there is a square too, but there it is the central square...”

The vampire woman was showing me and explaining the sights of the city. With every passing minute, I felt myself becoming more and more absorbed in thought.

Honestly, the situation I'm in is unbelievable; it simply doesn't make sense, but as Albert Camus would say: life is absurd! Nothing makes sense and nothing exists for any specific reason. Furthermore, life is not obliged to make sense, our rational mind just wants to give it a reason.

Well, it's not exactly the phrase he said, but rather a distorted interpretation, but it's my interpretation. So what? Even though I'm not outraged by the lack of meaning in life, I still partially agree with this phrase.

Here I am, following this vampire girl who offered me the job of security guard here. It's an inexplicable situation; even if it were written in a book, it would be a huge plot hole. And if I were to read a book like that, I would try to find out where the author lives so I could... have a polite conversation with him while holding a baseball bat.

Did the goddess warn this vampire in advance that I would come here, and that she wasn't to kill me? I have to get more information, but at the same time, in an indirect way so that it isn't too obvious.

“Look… I find this whole situation a bit strange… anyway, I’d like to get some information.”

“You can ask me anything.”

"What is your name?"

“Hello, Cecilia.”

What a difficult name…

“Why don’t people seem to see us?”

“Why am I using invisibility magic. Next”

I understand.

“Why did you treat me so well? Don’t you have any resentment? It can’t be just because of my blood. You know, I almost destroyed this city…?”

“This annoying question again? Well, let’s just be honest, I didn’t kill you because… capybaras are cute. Plus, your body looks sexy.”

“Hahaha… what?”

I couldn't help but laugh when I saw the vampire make a joke while keeping a serious expression, as if she was in a war. However, I laughed out of discomfort.

Sensing my discomfort, the vampire woman laughed loudly.

“I’m just kidding… haha… anyway, a goddess told me that if I helped you, I would get an enchanted jelly diamond. And guess what? I got it.”

I understand; although we both laughed, I understood her indirect message; know your place; she wasn't trying to improve the mood of the situation, but rather to show that because she is in a higher position than me, she can make jokes, even sexual ones, whenever she wants, even if we don't have any intimacy for that.

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Furthermore, I got important information; the goddess interferes in the scenarios! And although I find it strange how she got new information, what matters is that I got the information…

“Well, that’s life, right? Either way, it doesn’t matter.”

Such a situation would only happen in a web novel. I'm even getting tired of repeating the word 'absurd' in my mind.

“But how do you know I’m trustworthy?”

“Pff, this question has such a simple answer that it’s almost unworthy of my time.”

Hifume looked at me. This time, his right eye, which was once green, now turned bright blue with a geometric shape of a square and a triangle in the middle.

“With this eye, I can see your entire past, from your birth to even when you fought that giant ant. Because of this, I saw that you are not a bad person, just…”

"Just…?"

“Pathetic.”

The word respect doesn't exist in this woman's vocabulary?!

“With power like that, there’s practically no crime in your city, right?”

Hifume looked at me with a satisfied smile, as if he finally intended to stop playing with me.

“This is one of the main reasons why I spared your life; I need you; my power has limits. I cannot use it more than five times a day, and I also cannot use it on people who are more powerful than me, not even on people who have magical protection against it. Therefore, I intend to make a kind of deal with you.”

“I see. So you need someone competent to handle this, right?”

"Correct."

“Couldn’t you just kick them out?”

“That’s the main problem: a fight between me and them would result in the destruction of this entire city. I’m not some greedy, suicidal, psychopathic politician who doesn’t care about her own people. I hope you understand that I’m not just referring to common thugs. How can I put it… they’re like mini-states.”

Basically, she wants to use me as a biological weapon in a war of political factions.

“I see. Anyway, since I’m going to work for you, can I know in advance why especially me?”

“Simple; you are a weak person and my blood agreement with you will work.”

“Explain yourself.”

“Follow me.

I followed Hifume into an alley. There, she created a sort of mana barrier and bit my neck. I felt a burning sensation, and tried to push her away, but I couldn't because her strength was greater than mine. Then, she walked away.

“Just an addendum; if you refuse, I will kill you right here.”

“This… this isn’t a deal… at least, not a fair deal… Besides, the goddess..”

“ha… hahahahaha.”

Before I finished my sentence, Hifumi laughed arrogantly.

“Do you think the goddess cares about you? It seems I’ve overestimated you… Riley, you’re nothing more than mere entertainment for the goddess; she doesn’t care whether you live or die. Even I’m just a sort of test, and if you fail, you’ll get a screen with the words ‘gamer over’ written in the middle as a consolation prize, and after that, you’ll die.”

“Besides, are you saying that my contract is not fair? And does that matter? What matters is that if you don’t obey me, you will die right here, or was I not clear enough? What do you prefer? That I write, or that I draw? Maybe then, you will understand your place, no?”

Despite saying that, unlike Ruby, who humiliated me with a smile of pleasure, and Aria, who just pretended to be humble while keeping a smile on her face when at an advantage, but which turned into an expression of pure disgust and discomfort when she was at an advantage. In a disadvantaged situation, the only word that could describe Hifume's expression was the purest — and most beautiful — neutrality.

It seems like she doesn't feel anything.

At that moment, I realized that, unlike Ruby, who was absorbed in hatred, and Aria, who because of low self-esteem, sought refuge in narcissism and a superficial feeling of superiority, Hifumi Raito Cecília is a professional, born to exercise the office of a ruler.

She is the most dangerous of all I have encountered so far.