"I wish they would spare us the trouble. It's not a pleasant thing to pass judgment on others."
The Sage's voice, tinged with bitterness, echoed inside the Temple. Multiple magical lights shone, pushing back the night's darkness.
The Temple, situated in the center of town and quite spacious, was currently filled with over a hundred people. They were not there for dungeon conquest, but to discuss the fate of Takuma and his fellow 'culprits.' The attendees included many of this year's transfer students—their classmates. Knowing them made their glares all the more frigid.
"Why did you have to cause so much trouble?"
"You guys are the worst. What do you think girls are?"
Takuma and his two companions were seated near the center, literally bound hand and foot. Although their mouths weren't covered, all they spoke were excuses and grudges.
"It's all your fault. None of this would have happened if you had just done what we said."
The main targets of their hostility were the victims, Ren and Fuuri. It had been less than a day since Mariabel joined them. She had returned earlier than expected from work, saying, "They've been apprehended." While surprised, it was more an astonishment at the speed; their reaction to Takuma's actions was "Yeah, that sounds like something they'd do." Of course, they were not entirely unconnected to the incident, so they came to the gathering with Iris and Mariabel.
Several people stood nearby, serving as guards and a deterrent to Takuma's group, so they were safe, but being targeted by malice was not a pleasant feeling.
"The nerve of a succubus."
"If you live with a man, you should expect that much."
The selfish remarks thrown at them made Fuuri's expression grow increasingly dark. Before she could say anything, Ren answered Takuma's group.
"You're right. Teaming up with you was definitely a mistake. I was an idiot to think that as fellow guys, you would understand what it's like for me now."
"See? I told you! …Hey, he admitted it too! He admitted he was wrong!"
A triumphant shout rang out.
"I think it's time for you to be quiet. …Silence."
"Guh…! Hmph! Muff, muff! Muff, muff!?"
The Sage's magic, likely intended for sealing magic or something similar, literally silenced the noisy culprits. The thin man, whose attire suggested he had rushed here, lifted his glasses slightly and sighed.
"Those who become mentally distressed by sudden changes in life, or those who become arrogant upon gaining power, appear from time to time. Strict enforcement is difficult due to resource limitations, and there are concerns about the pioneers interfering too much. We've provided minimal guidance and respected individual will, but… it seems that doesn't always work out."
The intervention of the elders was likely also influenced by the issue of the World Fragments acquired by the Native Generation. This was an example of the clear negative effects of power-leveling. Even if not as extreme, it was debatable whether those whose levels had only been raised by being pulled along by stronger people could eventually become independent.
"Now. Your behavior has been egregious. Your tyrannical conduct towards your comrades. Your persistent harassment of those you had a falling out with. Your refusal to heed the warnings of your elders, and your looking down upon specific genders and classes. You show no remorse even after a painful lesson. I do not believe that a half-hearted punishment will serve any purpose. You are only a nuisance to the maintenance of peace in this town."
The Sage continued, "However." His next words were addressed to everyone present.
"…As all of you know, this is a town built by transfer students and their children. When we arrived, most of us were children. The only adults who accompanied us were the teachers, and most of us do not fully grasp the laws of Japan or the responsibility of enforcing them."
If Takuma and his group were immature, it was also true that the people judging them were not fully mature.
"Therefore, capital punishment does not exist in this town. The decision to inflict such a grave penalty on another is simply too heavy a burden for us to bear."
Some voices called out, "That's too lenient!"
While the direct victims of Takuma's actions were Ren's party and the women at the brothel, this was not something other people could ignore. If Takuma's group were let loose, similar incidents might occur. In fact, people spoke more strongly precisely because they were not the victims this time.
The Sage returned their sentiment with a heavy nod.
"Your opinion is reasonable. Even if we impose imprisonment, it requires manpower for surveillance. That, too, is quite challenging."
If all they had to do was provide three simple meals a day, it wouldn't be much trouble, but those who are confined unwillingly tend to want to escape. There was even the thought that eliminating them might be easier.
"Therefore, I suggest we allow the victims to administer 'private justice.' What do you think?"
For a moment, the room fell silent.
"Excuse me."
The first to raise her hand was Ren's homeroom teacher. Although she was an adult, she was roughly half the Sage's age and appeared to be a junior.
"Does that mean you are letting them administer the punishment?"
"Precisely."
The Sage did not flinch at the tone of reprimand.
"It is difficult for a third party to determine the severity of a crime. However, the situation is different for the direct victims. They should entrust the determination of appropriate retaliation to their own hearts."
In other words, they were free to kill them if they wished.
In a sense, this was an evasion of responsibility. However, he had stated Takuma's crimes and decided to "entrust the matter to Ren's party," and the townspeople, of course, would bear the responsibility of accepting that decision.
"Now, what will you do?"
The question was directed at Ren's party and the women of the brothel. The latter, with their less intense grudge, spoke first.
"We leave it to our sister."
Mariabel nodded and answered as their representative.
"As for us, we request that they be permanently blacklisted from our establishment, and we demand compensation. Furthermore, we ask for the right to deal with them at our discretion if any future harassment is confirmed. That is sufficient for us."
"Hmm, that should be acceptable."
A vote was taken just in case, and the motion was passed with an overwhelming majority.
"Then, what about you?"
"…Even if you ask us that," Fuuri muttered in confusion.
While her emotional inclination was probably "What? Just die already?" she wasn't prepared to actually carry out the act. The feeling of why do we have to take responsibility for scum like this? was undeniable.
Ren looked at Fuuri, who was silently asking What should we do?, and then turned back to Takuma and his companions.
"Hey, Takuma. What would it take for you to accept your punishment?"
He had heard about their actions and words from Mariabel and the others. He didn't think they would genuinely repent with a half-hearted punishment. He was afraid he might incur an even greater grudge, but—
"Hah. We'll consider it if you beat us. You couldn't do it anyway."
As expected, once the Silence magic was dispelled, a provocative remark came back.
"Are you an idiot? Why should we have to do that?"
"Because you're afraid to lose after making such grand pronouncements. Just win."
Despite being thrashed by Mariabel, they still maintained this attitude. Did they think they could win against their peers, even if they couldn't beat their elders? They were utterly stubborn, unwilling to change their stance even after realizing there were stronger people around.
Indeed, they might not understand until they were soundly defeated. Ren thought for a moment before replying.
"Fine. Then, let's fight. You'll accept the result then, right?"
Takuma looked surprised for a moment, then beamed with delight.
"The winner is right, is that it?"
"Of course not. If we win, you have to admit you were wrong, and apologize sincerely. Winning won't grant you forgiveness. If you refuse, we'll do whatever we want to you while you're helpless."
"…You coward."
Ren wondered who the real coward was. In the end, Takuma and his companions accepted the condition.
"A serious match with the same number of people. No killing, right?"
"Yeah. Though I bet Fuuri and your girl won't fight, will they?"
Fuuri and Iris, who were directly addressed, blinked, and then their expressions hardened.
"No, I'll fight too. It means I won't feel bad about beating you up."
"Me too. I can't let Ren-san and Fuuri-san bear all the hardship."
The match was set as three against three. Iris was the most inexperienced among them in dungeon exploration. Since no pioneers were involved, if they lost, they would have no excuse.
Their opponents had three front-line fighters. Ren's party had an unusual composition of two back-line fighters and a thief, but—
"Hey, Ren. We just accepted a fight, but can we win?"
"Yeah. If we stick to the plan, probably."
Ren whispered back to Fuuri, who had leaned in to ask.
"Just 'probably'? That's vague."
"I can't help it. This is our first time fighting them, and their levels might have gone up too."
Still, he was confident of a victory. He opened his status window and used his remaining skill points. Fuuri, who saw what he did, looked surprised.
"You're serious now."
"Of course. …If I'm going to do it, I'm going to win."
The chosen location for the match was the first-floor boss room. Since everyone had cleared it, the room was free of obstacles. The Sage, Mariabel, and two other adults stood by as witnesses. Takuma and his companions, who had been brought in bound, were placed on one side of the room, and Ren's party stood on the other.
The witnesses moved to a position where they wouldn't interfere.
"Now, release the ropes."
Following the Sage's declaration, one of the witnesses—a high-level warrior—crouched beside Takuma. As the ropes fell away,
"Storage!"
Takuma sprang up and charged. He didn't even wait for the signal or for his companions to be freed, instead taking the initiative by pulling out his weapon from the dimensional space. If he had succeeded, he might have achieved a great result, but—
"Magic Arrow!"
Unfortunately, Ren's party was already on guard. Thirty glowing arrows rained down, hitting Takuma and his still-bound companions. The Sage's defense magic flew to protect the warrior who nearly got caught in the crossfire.
Facing the area-of-effect spell that had made the Goblins flinch, Takuma shouted,
"So what!"
He pushed forward, wincing in pain. Indeed, the power of each arrow wasn't lethal, so it wasn't impossible if he was prepared to endure the pain.
However,
"Firebolt!"
"What!?"
Iris's attack, aimed at the moment of opportunity, was unexpected for Takuma. He stopped, startled by the incoming flame, and frantically dodged. A real arrow, the main attack, pierced the man's shoulder. It wasn't fatal, but it hindered his movement and caused continuous pain.
"Damn it! What the hell is with this endless barrage!"
He cursed, adjusted his axe, and charged again, but was met with:
"Magic Arrow!"
"Firebolt!"
A barrage of magic and ranged attacks. Finally, when Takuma barely managed to close the distance, a knife was pressed against his neck.
"…Alright, are you ready to give up?"
Everyone, including the two boys who had just been freed from their ropes, accepted the result with expressions of shock.
--------------------
"That was far from honorable. You barely even fought."
The now-re-bound boys were still cursing. Ren frowned, wondering about their promise.
"You guys probably hate Mages even in RPGs, don't you?"
"Well, in those kinds of games, magic is just 'one form of attack.' It's just a different element, but it still deals damage. They probably didn't believe in the usefulness of ranged weapons."
"Sage-san, there are modern games where you attack from a distance too."
"Is that so?"
The Sage looked surprised. There must have been some old guy who threw fireballs even thirty years ago, but he let it slide.
"So? Can you admit you were wrong and swear you 'won't do it again'?"
"Like hell we will."
It was half-expected, but it was a complete failure to communicate. Ren sighed.
"What will you do, Ren-kun?"
"It can't be helped. I didn't want to use this…"
Saying this, Ren took off his robe. Although he was wearing clothes underneath, the delicate curves of his body, transitioning from male to female, were clearly visible. His wings and tail, exposed from his clothes, were also visible from certain angles.
Takuma and his companions gasped at the sudden action.
"Are you going to make us listen with some hot succubus sex?"
"Why would I waste something like that on trash like you?"
Ren squatted down in front of them and stared into their eyes. The skill was 'Hypnotic Gaze,' an advanced version of the Succubus's initial skill, 'Charm.' It was optional to activate and consumed MP, and required eye contact, but the effect was powerful. While he could have simply powered up 'Charm,' Ren chose this more reliable skill.
"Just shut up and admit defeat. You won't be popular with girls behaving like that."
"…What do you know?"
Takuma and his companions still talked back, but their tone was noticeably weaker. They looked somewhat flushed and even embarrassed. Simply charming them might have brought out aggressive desires, but having defeated them first allowed him to steer the effect toward a more favorable outcome.
"I know more than you do, at least. Being a girl is tough in many ways."
"What are you saying when you keep saying 'I'm a man'?"
"What are you saying when you look down on women but obsess over having sex with them?"
He shrugged.
"If you seriously try to be better, I might even forgive you a little."
At this, the two boys besides Takuma's eyes lit up. "Really!?" they asked joyfully. Takuma glared at them and hissed, "Shut up."
"I'll never admit it."
"Too bad. …Then it can't be helped."
Ren stood up and turned to the Sage.
"Um. Is there any way to turn these guys into Succubi too?"
"The means of race change are still few. We haven't found any items that cause succubus transformation or similar effects, but… if you wish for them to experience the hardships of women, there may be a way through a class change item."
"Then, could you use that on them?"
If they couldn't understand it, they could just experience it for themselves.
============
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