Chapter 3: What It Means to Kill

Kobolds weren’t uncommon sights in large towns; some were even well-trained enough to work as waiters. Occasionally you saw fairies beside maintained flowerbeds searching for nectar or clean water. Messenger pigeons were positively commonplace, trained to deliver letters at high speed. Weak monsters like these, that required little mana to survive and posed a low threat, could exist in human settlements. Andyet...

“Hey, mister, can I have one red and one white, please? Do you want any, Hakura? I’ll pay.”

It was morning and we’d just left the inn. As soon as Leen had spotted a food stall by the side of the road, she’d dashed right over to it and spoke to the man running it.

“I’m fine,” I replied after a pause.

“You sure? You better not ask for something later.”

“Wejust ate breakfast. I swear, Leen...”

“Yes?”

She stared at me with a puzzled expression. I looked back, unable to accept what I was seeing. The reason was plainly evident.

“