Nakimo woke up from the shaking of the cage he was in. He felt cold. Probably because he was naked on a chilly morning.

As he looked around, he saw Susan walking beside the cage.

“Oi… What the hell,” he shouted

“You have woken up? I was hoping that wont happen until we entered the castle town.”

“What’s going to happen to me?”

“The usual I guess.”

“Which is?”

“Execution…”

Nakimo went pale.

I am going to die? He thought to himself

“Why do I have to die? I didn’t do anything. You’re the ones who summoned me here.”

“That doesn’t matter.”

“Doesn’t matter? What is wrong with you people?”

“Are blind? Didn’t you see how our world looks like?” She yelled at him. “In a world where mana is everything we have basically have nothing in Atropine. It doesn’t matter which kingdom you go to, it is all the same. People are barely holding on to life. Our slums are no different from gravesites.”

“That has nothing to do with me.”

“True, but as long as you have Delphi’s protection, people will not just let you live in peace.”

I am not getting through to her. If I don’t do something then I am going to die. There must be some skill I can use…

“Ahhhh” Nakimo screamed in pain.

“Don’t try anything otherwise the slave choker will shock you. It is a waste of MP but we can’t have you do undesirable things.”

“Shit…”

Susan sighed. She fully understood that Nakimo was not at fault. If anything she felt guilty as the person who summoned him. The reason she was walking beside the cage and not ridding the carriage was as a result of that guilt.

The world of humans was on its knees. Looked down upon by the other races; poverty in every kingdom and town.

For the sake of stability, a villain was needed. The paintings and symbols of the goddess Delphi were all destroyed but that was not enough. Humanity couldn’t do anything against the goddess directly but someone who possessed her divine blessing was another matter.

The first five summoned heroes who had the goddess Delphi’s divine protection were not welcomed, but at the same time, they were not mistreated. Humanity at that point in time still had a bit of sanity left, but defeat after defeat changed all that.

The once most powerful human race was now crawling on its knees.

From that point onward, heroes from the goddess Delphi were seen as evil and used by nobles and royalties to relieve the people of their stress.

Execution by hanging.

Execution by stoning.

Execution by beheading.

The number of ways to end the life of the evil hero was countless.

Susan sighed again as Nakimo still struggled in vain to remove the slave choker.

“Enough. Even if you free yourself, your stats are too low to defeat anyone here. Furthermore, even if you managed to escape, there is no place to flee to. You are the symbol of humanity's greatest hatred; there is no one who will give you shelter.”

“Then…Then I will…”

“Runaway to another continent? The dwarfs would reject you and the elves would probably use you for magic practice.”

“Then I will go to the demons. I am sure they would treat me well.”

“No, they won't. They will kill you on the spot.”

“Why!? Am I not the hero of the goddess who gave them two orbs? They must at least have no hatred for me. You are lying to me, aren’t you bitch? …Ahhhhhhh”

Nakimo was stabbed in the back by a spear from a female knight that was walking with the carriage.

In fact, all the knights drew their weapons and pointed them at the cage where Nakimo was screaming in pain.

“Stand down.”

“But he!”

“Stand down…I will not repeat myself!”

“As you command.” The knight answered before standing down. Soon, all the other knights did the same.

“Is something wrong?” Her sister Sofia who had now left the carriage to check on the commotion asked.

“No, its fine… return to the carriage. We will continue.”

“You should return with me sister.” She pleaded

“No… I will walk along with the cage. Don’t worry about me.” She replied before patting her little sister’s head.

“If you insist.” She timidly said before returning to the carriage.

“Skill <<heal>>”

“Lady Susan. Wasting MP on that bastard is…”

“Oh... And how will you explain him dying before we reach the castle town?”

“uh… I understand. Forgive my foolishness.”

“Let us continue.”

“As you command.”

They continued towards the castle town.

Despite being healed, Nakimo was breathing heavily. The healing skill could heal the wound but it did nothing for the pain.

Susan couldn’t help but pity Nakimo as he laid there. However, there was nothing she could do for him.

As the first princess, she was destined to be the next Queen, however, when her aunt died years ago, she by tradition had to take up the position of arc priest of the faith of the two goddesses.

Normally a priest would be sent from the Holy land but with all of them being male the royal family of Helena objected and demanded a woman be sent.

This started a tug of war between the two until it was agreed that a member of the royal family would take up the position.

To ensure the integrity of the temple was not looked down on by the other kingdoms, the member must be a direct relation to the current Queen.

Susan’s mother was lucky enough to avoid that fate by becoming Queenjust two months before her aunt died. As a result, her younger sister took the position.

Had she still been alive, Susan would have been first in line to the throne. Now that position fell to her timid younger sister. A great concern to her and her mother.

As the castle town came into view Susan once again spoke to Nakimo who had since calmed down.

“Listen Nakimo, Helena is a female dominant kingdom. Refrain from speaking anything that might seem offensive to women.”

“…” his eyes were dead. That stab in the back shook him to the call. He was clearly afraid and shocked at the realization he was going to die.

“Saying things like bitch, whore, or slut will get you in serious trouble. Also, make sure you obey anything a noblewoman says as well.”

“What is the point? I will be killed anyway. I die now… I die later… In the end I will still be dead.”

“I will try my best to make sure that doesn’t happen. Trust me and try not to do anything that will hinder that.”

In those words, a bit of hope came into his eyes.

“You will try to get me extradited to the demon continent?”

He is still holding on to that delusion?

“Listen Nakimo, I wasn’t lying earlier.”

“Eh…”

“In the era that humanity wanted to unite the races, there was opposition from the other races. The dwarfs had the smallest resistance towards it. They did look down on the smiting talents of half dwarfs but they simply were not that keen on fighting. The next were the elves. They who like perfection viewed all other races as ugly and a larger number of them opposed such a unity. However, there were some who viewed it as their next evolution and strongly welcomed it. In the end, those who opposed it went underground and started their own fascist group that now rules the elven race. Last and most importantly were the demons. Rather than say a group opposed it; It would be more accurate to say their entire race opposed it. Every male, female, and child demon hated humanity’s attempt to unify the races as a result they suffered the full wrath of our once-mighty army, led by the heroes of old. Demonic kingdoms, towns, and villages were burnt to the ground one after another. The demons were driven to such a state that the entire race went into hiding – popping up every now and again to do suicide attacks in human settlements. The heroes and armies were effective against other armies and warriors but were helpless against terror attacks and soon enough the whole world was up in flames until the goddess intervened.”

As he heard her story, Nakimo understood what she was trying to tell him.

“You mean the fact I am human is more than enough for them to kill me?”

“250 years ago, a hero escaped to the demon continent. He was killed on arrival and his body eaten. They even had one of their champion warriors wear his skull as a trophy to the goddess game.”

Nakimo couldn’t help but throw up when he heard that. Susan didn’t seem to be lying to him, in his opinion and she truly wasn’t, which meant.

I am all alone in this world… A world where everyone is an enemy….

***

“Did something like that happen 250 years ago?” (Selma)

“Sure did… It was really funny when the hero finally realized he was going to get killed. ‘Don’t kill me, don’t kill me’ he cried, only for the demons to say, ‘we are not going to kill you. We are going to eat you' hahaha, that made my century.” (Rania)

“Ah… I remember now. Wasn’t your beloved demon lord the one who had the first bite of the hero’s flesh, Delphi?” (Selma)

“He sure was. I remember it perfectly. You would think he would spare the hero of his beloved Delphi.” (Rania)

“How long are you going to taunt me Rania?” (Delphi)

“Ah… She speaks. I guess it to be expected. You were never one to overlook people badmouthing him. Even if it was the truth.” (Rania)

“Tch…” (Delphi)

“Now-now, we are not mortals. Let us not fight amongst ourselves. Look, Rania, they have finally arrived at the castle town. Let us see what fate awaits the hero.” (Selma)