One month after the creation of the labyrinth.
The place closest to the Eastern Province of the Sharshar Kingdom.
A strange rumor is circulating in the large town.
It says that those who camp by the nearby stream encounter monsters.
The monsters drag half of the campers into the river.
If they were alone, and if it was an odd number.
The lone one was probably dragged into the river.
Once the odd number turned into an even number, the monster would disappear.
To prevent the damage from increasing due to resistance.
Those who are divisible are few.
Since the rumors of monsters started, people rarely approach the river, even during the day.
The children grumble that they can’t go to the stream where there’s no risk of drowning.
In a certain Brattish Leader’s child’s room.
“Let’s go today.”
“It’s dangerous…”
“Won’t you go to the woods to pick some nuts?”
The Brattish Leader is popular with the children.
More than ten subordinates.
Friendly with adults from the weapon shop and the general store.
Until the school closures, he used to visit with his parents to get advice on how to rank high in physical education classes.
His parents are away on a long business trip due to a rebellion in the capital and the north, so he gets no advice even when he goes to the weapon shop and the general store.
They don’t give information to those who aren’t customers.
“Look at this.”
“…”Ohh, it’s real…?”
Of course.
The Brattish Leader draws a dagger that couldn’t even be used as a spare weapon by his parents, from its sheath.
Although it’s chipped, most living things can be defeated if you can cut an artery.
The stream where the rumored monster appears.
Round pebbles sparkle beautifully, reflecting the sunlight.
Perhaps because no one has camped here recently, there is no trash in sight.
“We get to have it all to ourselves~”
“…”Ohh~”
The subordinates were anxious.
Being able to monopolize the beauty of the stream dispelled their anxiety, and they picked up round stones, threw them into the river, and competed to see who could skip them the most times.
The monsters appear at night.
Camping food, magic tools for light, and arms and armor for self-defense for children are prepared for everyone.
“Let’s set up the tents.”
“…”Yes.”
After finishing setting up the tents.
Someone’s stomach rumbled.
“Hahaha, shall we eat~?”
“……Yes///”
“Yes~”
Food that even children can make.
Put river water in a pot, and collect the evaporated water with the lid.
Cut the filling potatoes into bite-sized pieces.
Put them in a pot with the distilled water, and either boil into a soup or steam them, letting them absorb moisture.
Seasonings are salt and spices.
“Well then, shall we eat~? It’s hot.”
“…”Yes.”
Munch, munch.
Munch, munch.
Slurp.
Their stomachs full, sleepiness overcame them.
The threat here is the rumored monster.
Bandits don’t even come to the water to refill their supplies since the monsters appeared.
The monsters are small. Even the medium-sized ones are mostly small breeds.
With this number of people, they pose no threat.
Their sleepiness faded.
They dipped their ankles in the river and splashed each other with water.
The sun set.
A sudden sensation of the temperature dropping.
“All of you, get closer to the magic tools.”
“…”Yes.”
Hoo, hoo.
Gyaaa, gyaaa.
Basa, basa.
Sounds heard from the darkness of the night.
The Brattish Leader had everyone prepare for battle.
“Come on, monster~~!”
Pichan…
Pochan…
Drops hitting the water’s surface.
Thinking the monster had appeared, they moved the fire from the magic tool light to a branch.
The river’s surface was brightly illuminated.
“–!!”
“Monster~~~!”
In front of the Brattish Leader’s eyes, on the river’s surface.
They saw a monstrous form, confirming it was the rumored monster.
“Fushushuu, Wagaa”
“…”Hiii.”
“Don’t get scared!? The monster is only one? We have more numbers! We can beat it up as it comes out of the river!”
The Brattish Leader’s fierce challenge.
His subordinates, both male and female, aimed their respective weapons at the monster.
Pechaa, Jororoo.
The monster walked in the river towards the land at a steady speed, water dripping from it.
“Taaaaaa”
The Brattish Leader thrusts at the monster’s throat.
When the tip of the blade hit its throat.
A sharp metallic sound rang out.
“Fushuu”
“Aim for the joints–!”
“…”Ohhhhh.”
Gakiin!
Giririn!
The monster’s body was hard everywhere.
No one’s weapon was stained with the monster’s blood.
“…”Hiii.”
The attacks were completely ineffective.
The subordinates became timid.
With every step the monster took, they moved two steps back.
The Brattish Leader attacked bravely.
“Take this! Fall by my attack!”
“Waaaa, haaaa”
“Th-this!”
“…”Waaaaa, I’m caught!”
The moment the monster grabbed the Brattish Leader’s arm.
The subordinates, realizing they couldn’t win, fled to the town.
They followed those who were carrying lights.
“You guys~~”
“Uuu, waaaa”
“Stop it!? Don’t bring that stinky face near me!? Waaaaa–”
The Brattish Leader was dragged into the river.
The next day.
The subordinates who returned to town in the middle of the night reported the monster’s appearance.
The townspeople were filled with screams and fear.
“What a scary form…”
“This is… the monster…”
The voices on the main street, buzzing with talk of the monster, reached the back alleys.
“Is it over now~?”
The commotion with the monster in the river.
The reason I caused such a commotion was because I was looking for someone to confront the monster.
Finally, yesterday, I captured the boy who challenged me head-on.
The monster commotion is over now.
Nine has stopped interfering.
The monster in the river will no longer appear.
Only those who challenge the monster, like the Brattish Leader, will know this until another appears.
In the Royal Castle, the victims dragged into the river due to the monster commotion were imprisoned.
Living magic power generators.
Those who absorbed too much magic power and died were used as materials for Nine’s spare bodies.
Women always received better treatment.
Men were treated as disposable, with mistakes made in handling them, leading to their deaths.
The place of imprisonment.
“Let me go! Send me home!?”
“Hahaha, you’ve got spirit, kid~”
Nine warned the Brattish Leader.
He showed him the fate of those who died, saying that if he tried to escape, that’s what would happen.
“Monster!!? The King wouldn’t allow someone like you…”
“I am the King of this country~! Too bad for you, kid~!”
The Brattish Leader was shocked to see that the monster before him was.
His Majesty the King.
Why is the monster the King?
The Brattish Leader pondered this for half a day.
He stopped thinking when his stomach grumbled.
