It Is a Tool of Humanity

I am certainly a rare creature.  

In fact, I was a little surprised when I saw Ratna.  

I wondered where she had found one of my kind.  

It is not unreasonable for the Hero to be seeing a dragonkin for the first time.  

Now, a new character has appeared on this stage.  

That would be me.  

Unlike the defeated wolf kneeling over there, I have no intention of attacking the Hero.  

However, if they want me to attack first, I can certainly oblige.  

But the Hero’s eyes only sparkle with curiosity.  

That inquisitive gaze is commendable.  

In my past life, I had comrades who enjoyed dissecting other species.  

There was even someone who believed that the three greatest delicacies in the world were all made from inferior species and would cook and savor their meat.  

Curiosity can take many forms.  

"What species are you?"  

They step closer and ask.  

"Dragonkin..."  

"What? Then this isn't the first time I've seen your kind. I thought you were a different species because of the horns."  

Is that so?  

So they have seen others like me before.  

"Where did the other horn go?"  

"...It was cut off... Used for crafting cups..."  

Some of it must have been processed into medicine.  

"Oh, so this was made from your horn."  

They nod in understanding.  

Everyone's eyes are now on me and the Hero.  

All the inferior-species servants are watching anxiously.  

"Then, if I break this, will you be sad?"  

They snatch the cup away.  

"......"  

Should I be... sad?  

In some sense, I suppose it is sad.  

A craftsman’s carefully made work is about to be destroyed.  

What a waste.  

And it was expensive, too.  

Not to boast, but Dragonkin horns are incredibly valuable.  

"Seems like you would. Well then, here."  

Thunk.  

They drop the cup to the floor and nudge it with their foot, making it roll.  

The cup comes to a stop at my feet.  

"Step on it."  

They order me to step on it.  

I see.  

I understand what they want.  

In times like these, I must think from their perspective.  

I must consider what the audience desires to see.  

They are here to witness the humiliation and suffering of inferior species.  

This is a celebration of humanity’s victory.  

If I were one of those nobles seated at the table, what kind of scene would I want to witness?  

What would I expect an animal with horns to do?  

The thought of the Demon King of my past life being reduced to this, stripped of his horns and suffering such disgrace, is quite amusing.  

"That's right, just like that."  

I place my foot on the cup.  

Horns are generally considered a source of pride for inferior species.  

They symbolize something precious.  

And now, not only has that precious thing been forcibly taken and processed, but I must personally destroy it.  

But isn't this expensive?  

Is it really okay to break it so carelessly?  

Perhaps the Hero’s authority allows for such indulgences.  

"Crush it."  

I will hesitate for a moment here.  

That will make it look better.  

Do you understand what I mean?  

I must appear reluctant, as if I am being forced into something I do not wish to do.  

"Why are you hesitating?"  

Because I believe that’s what you want to see.  

If I shatter it without a second thought, the entertainment value would diminish.  

I have no real reason to be sad, but I will act as if I am.  

Or maybe... I actually do feel a little sad.  

Why is it me in this position instead of the Demon King?  

Reincarnating as this lowly species is truly depressing.  

"Did you, by any chance, hope that your horn could be reattached?"  

It would be foolish to cling to a horn that has already been processed into tableware.  

But if another of my kind were in my position, they might secretly harbor such a hope.  

That somehow, there might be a way to restore it.  

"How?"  

Laughter echoes from all around.  

Some mockingly suggest using glue.  

"Is your horn really that important?"  

The Hero smiles as if they find this amusing.  

"Can you not return home without it? I heard your kind are extremely attached to their horns."  

They whisper close to my ear.  

"Do you want to go home?"  

Home?  

If they mean the place where my people live, then of course I want to go.  

I am curious about where they have hidden themselves.  

I assume they are clinging to whatever remains of the Demon King’s former domain.  

"Yes..."  

Though I do not even know where home is.  

"Then step on it. I'll let you meet your family."  

"...Family..."  

Are they saying they will reunite me with my family?  

It reminds me of Mr. Richard’s attempt to help me escape the city, claiming I should see my family.  

But this person is the Hero.  

Their words carry a different weight.  

"At the very least, you’ll see your own kind. I swear on the Hero’s name."  

An unexpected gift.  

I have no reason to refuse.  

I may as well shatter this cup completely.  

"Now, give a round of applause."  

Clap, clap, clap.  

Some nobles seem especially entertained.  

A few appear to be here just to observe the Hero, but most are thoroughly enjoying the situation.  

My eyes meet those of the wolf beastkin.  

Is it my turn to ask for help now?  

Some of the inferior species avert their gaze, unable to watch.  

How amusing.  

This is nothing more than breaking a cup.  

So I do it gladly.  

Crunch.  

A strange sound echoes as I stomp on it.  

The cup crumbles, losing its shape.  

Crack.  

Its remains are crushed beneath my foot.  

In truth, a horn from an inferior species has little value.  

I hope my kind experience this as well—tossing their own horns into the trash.  

If only they weren’t such valuable materials, I might have witnessed such a sight already.  

"Well done."  

They praise me.  

I stare blankly at the shattered pieces beneath my foot.  

Somewhere in there are fragments of my severed horn.  

Does this mean I will now get to see my family?  

I am truly curious how they intend to show them to me.  

They will most likely ensure they are in the same condition as I am.  

"...Then... family..."  

I am truly grateful.  

They will allow me to witness the subjugation of my own kind.  

"Yes, yes. But I have a question—does this part still hurt?"  

They run their fingers over the cut surface of my horn.  

My body flinches instinctively.  

"So, it does."  

Yes, it hurts.  

It hurts quite a lot.  

The more my horn is cut, the more sensitive I become to pain.  

"If I press it, it must hurt a lot."  

What exactly are they trying to say?  

Press.  

They push down on the cut surface.  

Ah, my consciousness...  

It’s slipping away.  

I barely manage to hold on.  

The ringing in my ears burrows deep into my brain.  

I can feel my legs giving out.  

The only reason I haven’t collapsed to the floor is simple.  

The Hero is holding onto my horn.  

The Hero boy is smiling.  

Through my blurry vision, I see his burning red hair.  

The same color as the Hero from my past life.  

I wonder if he inherited the blood of the previous Hero.  

"I’ll catch a lot more like this one!"  

I begin to hear voices.  

"It’s nice to have our next destination set. I was planning to take a break and think about what to do next..."  

Destination.  

A Hero is supposed to embark on adventures.  

A Hero is meant to slay the Demon King.  

That’s why a Hero should keep advancing without rest until the Demon King is dead.  

But talking about taking a break and thinking about what to do is strange.  

The Demon King must be slain.  

There’s no time to rest.  

The goal is already clear.  

Oh, right.

The Demon King is dead.  

Because of me, he’s gone forever, unable to resurrect.  

That’s why they have the luxury of leisure.  

Come to think of it, I haven’t heard anyone mention the Demon King until now.  

Tears well up and drip down.  

Because I am happy.  

Because I am glad my efforts weren’t in vain.  

Am I drooling with my mouth hanging open out of happiness, too?  

I just failed to swallow my saliva.  

I think my facial nerves are slightly paralyzed.  

"By the way, I’ll let this one meet their family, too."  

Are they talking about me?  

It seems so.  

***  

The wolf beastkin looks around.  

His name is Lima.  

Soon, he will regain his freedom.  

"I shall die here with honor! For my family and my house! For my people!"  

The reason he didn’t declare his name—"My name is Lima!"—was simple.  

If he had to live in disgrace instead of dying with honor, it would be even more humiliating for his name to be known.  

Lima was relieved that he had not revealed his name.  

There is a chance of survival.  

Just a little longer, just a little more patience.  

The Hero’s goal is clear.  

To break Lima’s spirit through humiliation.  

To make his life unbearable.  

To turn him into a joke and disgrace his entire race.  

Lima understands.  

He knows that there are those who are horrified by the Hero’s actions.  

Not just the demi-human servants, but also some nobles who dislike the atmosphere of this banquet.  

"Wow, she just went limp right away."  

A dragonkin girl has become a laughingstock.  

Her black horns stand out starkly against her white hair.  

Her body trembles faintly, held up only by the Hero gripping her horn.  

"This is fun. Maybe because she’s valuable."  

The Hero taps the girl’s horn a few more times before speaking again.  

"Alright, everyone. I’ve decided on my next destination!"  

Some attendees had come to the banquet just to hear where the Hero was headed next.  

The movements of the Hero’s party dictate the flow of money.  

They generate news.  

They create political upheaval.  

The Hero’s actions determine the battles over wealth and power.  

To build suspense, he deliberately pauses.  

"...Our destination is the Southern Great Mountain Range. Our goal—killing the Elder Dragon."  

Applause and cheers erupt.  

It is a declaration that he will claim the title of Elder Dragon Slayer.  

An Elder Dragon that has survived in the Great Mountain Range for hundreds of years.  

The last Elder Dragon subjugation took place ten years ago.  

Every army that ventured into those mountains perished.  

If the Hero succeeds in securing the range, the Empire will reap unimaginable benefits.  

"And while we’re at it..."  

The Hero looks at the Dragonkin girl.  

"I’ll capture a lot more like this one!"  

Laughter and applause mix together.  

Some whisper, "Do Dragonkins even live in the Great Mountain Range?"  

But no one answers, because no one knows where the Dragonkins live.  

"It’s nice to have a destination set. I was planning to take a break and think about what to do next..."  

The Dragonkin girl hangs limp, only able to shed tears and drool.  

She looks so utterly miserable that a few beastkin avert their gaze.  

No one here knows her name.  

All they know is that she has lost her mind.  

Lima found it strange.  

Among the demi-human races, she was the only one smiling.  

Perhaps she didn’t understand the situation.  

Even when the Hero stepped closer, she didn’t seem particularly tense.  

At least, not until he ordered her to crush the cup.  

Lima had heard the Hero whisper to her.  

He had told her to step on it if she wanted to go home.  

He had asked if she wanted to see her family.  

And so, she had smiled happily as she crushed the cup made from her own horn.  

"By the way, I’ll let this one meet their family, too."  

She must not be allowed to meet her family.  

The faint smile on her face had appeared at the thought of her family.  

But she must not see them.  

Lima remembers what the Hero has done before.  

He recalls how the Hero once dragged a beastkin child with a leash, promising to return them home.  

Not only did he brutally slaughter those who had come to rescue the child, but he also burned the entire territory ruled by their family.  

Lima remembers how the Hero laughed, mocking those who tried to escape.  

The Empire’s Hero is a monster among monsters.  

His atrocities must be stopped.