“This, ugh, this is the last, supper. Hehe.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“In this room, ugh! No one thinks about choosing a sacrifice. Even without saying anything, everyone, ugh! knows that you’re prepared for death.”

The leisurely atmosphere that had been maintained until now was an illusion. Everyone was reminded of the imminent threat of death at the young man’s single remark.

While everyone’s expressions were hard, the young man pounded his chest.

It was unclear whether it was to get the potatoes he had swallowed in a hurry or because of the frustration of the situation at hand.

“I know now. I see, hehe! I see! The prisoners at Walbritz Prison are notorious, but they’re not all murderers.”

The young man looked around at the prisoners with dazzling eyes.

“I just realized that the color of the prison uniforms worn by the ladies is a little different from the prison uniforms worn by the vicious criminals. It’s lighter. I don’t even have to check the branding, now I know.”

“.......”

“There are no death row inmates among the ladies, right?”

“......That’s true.”

“That, oh, look at that. I knew that!”

The young man sniffled, thinking that such kind people couldn’t possibly be murderers, and then turned to Reed and the young woman.

“I’m not surprised. Oh, you knew that, right?”

The long years Reed had {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} lived had forced him to accumulate a lot of knowledge. However, he didn’t have the kindness to talk to him.

Instead of Reed’s indifferent attitude, the young woman bowed her head and confessed.

“Yes....... I happened to...... know.”

“Oh! As expected, I was the only one who didn’t know! I’m the only one who was slow to notice, so I said things like choosing a sacrifice....... That’s enough. I, sob, I’m going to prepare myself for death now.......”

If there is no sacrifice, everyone dies. However, it is too late to give up humanity and forcefully make a sacrifice.

Since they sat around the campfire and shared light, warmth, and food.

The young man’s fear was contagious. As time passed, the young woman holding the child began to tremble noticeably. The child, too, seemed about to burst into tears, oppressed by the ominous atmosphere.

At that moment, the middle-aged female prisoner who had first given the young man the potatoes stepped forward.

“Young man, what is your name?”

“Pe, Pelog.”

“Pelok....... Yes, you are young Pelog. I......had a son just like you.”

The distant eyes did not last long as they were lost in reminiscence.

“Don’t worry too much. There is nothing wrong.”

“......Yes?”

She assured him with a bright smile. The young man, Pelog, looked puzzled, not understanding.

Before long, there was only one torch left. There was no more time.

A young woman was trembling, her teeth chattering, a child kept looking for his mother, a young man was sobbing with his face buried in his knees, and Reed was watching.

“Oh, I can’t let this go any longer.”

A leisurely and calm voice brightened the mood. Soon, the prisoners, including her, nodded and began talking.

“I’ll go.”

“No. I’ll go, Sister.”

“Everyone, stay still. If I have to go, I’ll go since I’m older.”

“Oh, my older sister and younger sister have families. I’ll go, so everyone, sit down.”

“......Oh, Sister.”

The one who had made up his mind slowly got up.

Even the most clueless person could not have failed to understand the meaning of the situation.

Pelok opened his eyes wide and looked at the prisoner who had climbed up to the center of the altar. She was a middle-aged woman who had a son as big as Pelok, smiling bitterly.

“Did you kill me......?”

Not all murderers were sentenced to death.

“......My son had an incurable disease. He had been sick for too long. He was a tough guy, but he was really sick that day. He looked at me and begged.”

The middle-aged woman’s face became hazy and miserable. Her voice was still clear.

Mom, please kill me.

I want to be free from the pain.

The middle-aged woman looked down at her two hands that had been wrapped around her son’s neck. She clenched them tightly, shaking and trembling uncomfortably, and looked up at the ceiling of the altar. As if heaven were there.

She saw an angel coming out to greet her.

“Now I can finally go see my son.”

The pure white blade of the sickle struck the altar.

“......Madam?”

She couldn’t hear the answer. The only sound that could be heard was the sound of the body, which had turned to dust in an instant, falling to the floor.

Sobbing poured out. Crying until your throat was hoarse was the only way to pay tribute to the middle-aged woman whose name you didn’t even know.

The dungeon mercilessly moved them to the next room.

Was it a cruel coincidence? This time, Reed was assigned to the same room as Peloc and Levio.

They still couldn’t shake off their sadness. However, the situation didn’t give them the time to control their emotions.

This room was the worst.

“S-there are no prisoners!”

“T-what should I do in this situation......”

Reed had already experienced the same situation in the fourth room.

“If there is no murderer, then just create a murderer!”

As expected, humans are similar wherever they go, and make the same choices in the same situation.

The eyes of the old man who had expressed his opinion flashed. The conditions for the prey were clear. Since the thing that had to be given up was life, it had to be someone who had something more precious than life.

And here, there happened to be someone who met the conditions.

The savage gaze focused on one person.

“Madam, is this your child?”

✠

It was not the time to worry about Reed right now. The situation before his eyes was becoming urgent.

“Let’s make a murderer. Let the prisoners kill each other.”

“The prisoners won’t listen, what should we do?”

“Why don’t we give them sharp objects in their hands and have them stab them?”

“Good idea!”

The way they were discussing it so casually was unconventional. He couldn’t let everyone give up being human like this.

“Everyone, stop.”

Of course, he couldn’t hear it with words.

“Don’t bother me and get out of the way... ugh!”

“What, what! What is this woman doing?”

He used his binding skill. The white thorns he had grown with divine power enveloped the people and threw them far away.

Considering that the opponent was a normal person who hadn’t awakened the 3 great powers, I removed the thorns, but everyone was busy struggling. I waited for them to calm down a bit and then said.

“Calm down. Even though it’s an extreme situation, you’re trying to cross the line.”

It seemed to have backfired.

“Look, wife! Don’t you know that we don’t know that?!”

“Do you think we’re acting like this because we don’t know how to act nice? We’re acting like this because we have no other way!”

“That’s right! Stop acting hypocritical!”

The atmosphere was like someone would spit. After all, choosing a means because of old-fashioned beliefs even in a life-threatening situation is something that only a stuffy sweet potato would do.

‘This is what Tesilid is in charge of.’

Of course, I have no intention of taking over that role.

“What if there’s another way?”

“What?”

“What if I could leave this room, or rather the dungeon, without making any more sacrifices?”

“......!”

The malice that filled people’s eyes was pushed away, and a half-hearted hope filled its place. Much more humane.

“Really......, really?”

“Can you let us out of here?”

I can’t guarantee it.

This is a timeline outside the original.

The uncertainty of the future is fair to the possessed.

However, I know that what is needed now is not an honest answer. The best option is probably... ... .

“Yes. Definitely.”

I will shoulder all of their anxiety.

I met their earnest eyes with the most trustworthy and bright smile possible. Someone who was blankly looking at me asked.

“Who are you?”

It’s embarrassing to reveal it now.

“You’ll find out soon.”

I gathered the thorns and freed the people from their bonds. I put my hand into my inventory.

A long white body slowly pulled out, tearing through the space.

A weapon that would break the current situation. It was Livlily, which Reed had gifted to me, tied up nicely in a seal.

He said that in order to confront Moriel, I had to prove that I was above par. Livlily, the Holy Scythe, was a device that dichotomously distinguished between good and evil. If you were chosen as the master of Livlily, you would prove your goodness, and that was absolute.

You have to absolutely respond to absolutes.

I prepared myself and untied the chains wrapped around Livlily.

[<System> Warning. ‘Livlily’ is testing your qualifications.]

A whirlpool rose from beneath my feet and enveloped me. The wind swept like crazy and my vision swirled around, but it was nothing compared to the commotion of Livlily.

I injected aura to tame the scythe that was running wild, bursting with ferocious energy. Fortunately, the highest level of Aura Expert was enough to hold the reins.

After skill, what was tested was belief. Tempting whispers slithered into my ears like the tongue of a snake coated with honey-like poison.

<Are you sure? Can you always maintain goodness?>

<Once you have this, you can’t break it.>

<The standards of goodness that the Holy Scythe demands are very strict.>

<You will live your entire life walking on a narrow balance beam.>

<You never know when you will fall. You know that? That’s what Reed is after.>

<Give up. It’s not too late even now.>