Depraved Hero's Path: Enslaved Monster Girl Harem In The Apocalypse!-Chapter 19: The Military Is Here!

"Today's subject, Slavery."

'Is that really necessary?!' Marianne hid her face with a hand, feeling incredibly embarrassed.

A heavy silence ruled over the auditorium for a moment, before the whispers started again.

"Slavery? What's this guy talking about?"

"He said he was from the military..."

"He said he was the military..."

"What does Slavery have to do..."

Elijah clapped his hands together, silencing them at once.

"I'm sure you all have many questions. Worry not, I hold the answers!"

"...!"

"...!"

'This fucking liar!' Marianne thought to herself, fuming.

"But for now, we have more pressing matters on our hands. The military is spread thin, so only one person was sent to each area. Therefore, I will need your help so that we can all make it out of here alive!" Elijah spoke as he walked, just like their professor usually did. The professor in question had taken a seat amongst the students. "As some of you might have noticed, I have defeated one of the four Boss Monsters that are keeping us trapped. Usually, Boss Monsters are placed as an inevitable hurdle. It usually blocks the way. So one might expect them to stand at the entrances and exits of campus. That's not the case here. They're still inevitable hurdles, but they were placed in an interesting way. To get out, we need to seek them out. They're not standing in our way, but they stop us from leaving anyway. That's where you come into the equation."Elijah clapped. "I am currently forming a team of talented individuals to help."

"He wants us to help...?"

"What the hell? If he has already killed one then why can't he kill all of them?"

"The military should take care of this, no? Why are us, civilians, supposed to take part?"

"Now, now. I hear your complaints, and that's when today's subject comes into play!" Elijah turned in her direction. "Marianne."

She sighed and reluctantly raised her Marked wrist.

"Is that a tattoo?"

"Looks kinda cool..."

"This is a Slave Mark." Elijah explained. "Those on whom I place the Mark become part of the team I am currently forming. The name is more ominous than it really is. You'll have to obey my orders, but that's it really."

"That's it really?"

"Why should we accept?"

"That's right! You want us to fight AND obey your orders?"

"It does come with perks." Elijah nodded. "Marianne, if you could."

She sighed again and reached for the knife that he was extending in her direction.

'I need to understand how this Slave Mark works. I don't feel compelled to do as he says. Who gets to decide what's an order and what isn't? Is it about his tone? Or just his thoughts?'

Marianne took the knife, clenched her teeth, and drew a wound over her palm.

She raised her hand for all to see the wounded palm.

"What's this supposed to mean?"

"Why did she..."

"Hey! Is it healing? Is her palm already healing?"

"That's right!" Elijah shouted while pointing. "As an added benefit to you for putting in the work, you will enjoy the greatest perk of them all..." He smiled. "Safety. As long as you have this Mark, you will be safe. Not only will I protect you, but as you can see, your wounds will heal incredibly fast. As long as my Mark is on your body, it is near impossible for you to die, no matter how badly or how many times you get hurt!"

'Near impossible... Well, that's a fucking lie. Just my palm took a couple of seconds to heal, so something like...' Marianne sighed for a third time as she lowered her hand. 'Oh, why do I care? If they're dumb enough to fall for this, then they deserve it.'

"So, tell me. What do you think?" Elijah asked the public. "Will you choose safety over freedom? Will you stay locked in here or will you take this Mark that heals all wounds?"

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He stepped closer to the audience, extending a hand.

"Will you hand over your free will?"

Marianne scratched her head as she turned around.

'That's going too far. Mentioning free will is a sure way to-'

"F-Fine! I'll help!"

"Right! I will too!"

"Getting this Mark seems to be the safest option! I'll go with you!"

Marianne turned around at once, an expression of confusion and disgust on her face.

'SERIOUSLY? WHAT'S WRONG WITH ALL OF YOU?!' She shouted internally, seeing more than half of the students immediately leave their seats to approach Elijah!

"Now! In an orderly fashion! Make a line!" Elijah started walking towards the door from which Marianne had entered. "Marianne will let the candidates in."

"Huh? What do you mean, I'll let them in?"

"Isn't it obvious?" He smiled. "We're holding admission interviews."

"..." She scratched her head while Elijah walked out the door.

"Let me in!"

"Me first!"

"No, it's gotta be me!"

"NO, I GOT HERE FIRST!"

"IF HE'S HOLDING INTERVIEWS THAT MEANS THERE ARE LIMITED SPOTS! I'M GOING IN FIRST!"

At the mention of limited spots, every student got uneasy. Even those that hadn't left their seats ended up approaching.

"Wait... Wait... I said wait!" Marianne repeated as the students started pushing and shoving each other. "FOR FUCK'S SAKE, I SAID WAIT!!" She shouted, suddenly raising the knife in her hands. "Oh, wait, I didn't mean..."

Marianne could immediately see in their eyes a glitter of fear being born.

'I'm just a nearly eighteen-year-old girl... This isn't me... Shouting at people... Raising a weapon at people... No... No. This isn't me... It's his fault. Yes, yes. It's the Mark that's making me violent. Yes.' She nodded repeatedly to herself.

"Get the first one in!" Elijah shouted from beyond the closed doors.

She frowned.

"You know what..." Marianne whispered. "Fine."

She crossed her arms and stood in front of those doors.

'Marianne will let the candidates in, huh? Well, fine. I'll choose who the candidates are then!' Marianne stared at the students one by one. 'Those who got scared of me just because I raised a knife are the first ones out! Unacceptable!'