---

The state of my reason was utterly perplexed by the absurdity of this situation, even with the stream of consciousness technique.

The woman I had comforted in my dreams was actually a Hunter, and the reason she came after me wasn’t due to some misunderstanding about defending Outsiders, but for an entirely different reason.

I flinched at the Hunter’s seemingly agitated behavior and shouted, “No! Wait a second! Didn’t you hate me? Wasn’t that why you formed a rebel faction?!”

For now, I thought it would be better to understand the Hunter’s motivation for acting this way.

I concluded that conversing with this rational Hunter would definitely lead to an easier resolution of the situation.

“I do not appeal to emotions. However, looking at your actions thus far, it’s reasonable to think you might get swept away by such things. If you continue to be swayed by Outsiders’ appeals, you might lose your human identity and end up becoming an enemy of humanity instead.”

The Hunter merely cocked her head at my words, responding only with rational statements.

“At first, I thought you would manage just fine. Thanks to that, you dealt with the Interrogator perfectly. But now, you’ve crossed a line. Even the deranged Knights are encouraging you to use this situation to your advantage. Initially, they tried to threaten you into inaction, but now that things have come to this, a change of plan seems to be in order. It’s better to keep your attention away from Outsiders altogether, isn’t it?”

No, no, no!

What is this person babbling about?!

Sure, I owe something to those Elite Outsiders, but that’s entirely speculative!

At least the Outsiders I’m close with aren’t hostile towards humans at all!

In fact, they’re risking their lives to try and save me and even attacking other Outsiders on my behalf!

“Wait. That human is a woman?”

“Th-this is outrageous! This is impure! This is blasphemous! How dare she say anything in front of me, the noble one! I don’t have time for this. I should slit that woman’s throat this instant!”

It seemed I wasn’t the only one feeling flustered.

In fact, the Dragon Slayer had forcibly tried to widen the space using her powers, leading the Cook to intervene and grab the Dragon Slayer’s arms.

“Let go! I can never forgive that woman!”

Fortunately, the Dragon Slayer was led away by the Cook beyond the dimensions.

Wait, that’s not fortunate at all!

The situation is still completely out of control!

“Hold on, Hunter!”

I raised my hand to buy myself a little time as I saw the Hunter freeze at my words.

Relief washed over me as she seemed willing to listen.

“Okay, let’s assume that through some means, I could become someone who only cares for humans.”

It felt like I might bleed from my eyes saying such words.

This is all the Hunter’s fault!

Why does she frame everything so oddly and make such unfounded judgments?!

Taking a deep breath to steady my wavering rationality, I managed to continue speaking.

“Then what about you, Hunter?”

The Hunter tilted her head at my question.

“What do you mean?”

“You have your reasons for hiding your identity as a woman, right? But now, for my sake, you’re about to engage in the most extreme act possible, which could be traumatic for you? Why are you acting without considering your own preconceptions? And doing such things with someone you dislike for such a trivial reason?”

That’s strange.

If being a woman caused her trauma, upon this truth being revealed, she should either be trying to hide it or run away—one of the two should manifest.

Yet the Hunter stood confidently.

And she seemed intent on using this against me.

I couldn’t help but think it was a strange preference, but seeing how willingly she was using her body with me, it didn’t seem to be the case.

So I concluded she’d lost her cool and was acting recklessly, and in an attempt to fluster her, I chose my words carefully.

After a brief pause, I thought I had gotten through to her, seeing the empty look in her eyes.

So I slowly started to move away from her.

Thud.

Huh?

Why is she suddenly grabbing both my arms?

“You’re quite chatty. First off, I have no trauma regarding being a woman.”

Huh?

“Second, this isn’t something I’m doing out of dislike.”

…Huh?

“And third, I clearly said earlier that I need you. Do I need to be blunt for you to understand?”

No, no, no.

No matter how I think about it, this isn’t right.

What is the basis for this?

“It seems listening to you isn’t leading anywhere.”

“Wait! Doing this forcibly is a crime, you know!”

Argh! I’m seriously going crazy!

What should I do at a time like this?

What on Earth should I…!

Just then.

Whoosh!

I heard something tearing behind me, followed by pounding footsteps.

I…I’m saved!

Someone came to rescue me!

“Tanton! …Sir?”

And as expected, Agartha came sprinting in with a frantic voice, soon looking confused.

Asti and Hunter, who followed her, had their eyes wide with shock as well.

“Who… is that woman?”

Agartha began looking around, clearly stunned.

On the ground lay something black that had melted into a puddle. – Remnants of clothing.

Black hair.

A force strong enough to overpower me.

But a woman.

Agartha seemed to grasp who it was through the previous three phrases, but she looked bewildered and flabbergasted at the last sentence.

Then, she pointed and shouted loudly.

“Y-you’re the Hunter?!”

Agartha cried out as if she couldn’t believe it, and even Hunter beside her was taken aback.

Of course.

Who would think that a woman could so effortlessly overpower me while dressed head to toe in black?

“Tsk, why do they show up so quickly?”

The Hunter looked down at me with a voice filled with regret, staring off into space as if lost in thought.

I thought she was embarrassed that her nakedness was exposed.

But then she suddenly grabbed my clothes.

“We need to wrap this up quickly.”

“What… what are you saying, you crazy person!!! Aaaaaah!”

As I screamed in panic, the other three belatedly rushed over to restrain the Hunter.

…That moment was when she personally faced the terror that the Outsiders felt at the hands of ‘Leydan Tanton’.

#

The Hunter was indeed strong, but restrained by three people, she was ultimately bound by Agartha’s ropes.

Of course, I had a near scare when she almost broke free in an instant.

This must be what they mean by protagonist buffs being terrifying.

Agartha draped a large leather hide over the Hunter’s body, then sat in front of her.

“Are you really the Hunter?”

“Who else would I be?”

“…Then what do you call me?”

“Thief.”

“What’s the most common insult you use against me?”

“Please, just shut your mouth.”

“Ugh! I can smell the strong scent of the Hunter from your tone!”

Agartha seemed to be having a stress breakdown, clutching her head as she reacted to the usual insults.

Even amidst all this, her gaze was fixated on me, as if she felt a sense of regret for unfinished business.

…This is just insane.

“…It was odd from the start. How did you know so much about a woman’s feelings—sensitive yet delicate? For a man, that level is far too excessive.”

Agartha sighed with exasperation.

A few more questions followed.

Why did you hide it?

Why did I try to assault you?

Do you like me?

…The questions were veering increasingly odd, but the Hunter mostly refrained from answering them properly.

After all, the Hunter is still a person; wouldn’t one feel shy when faced with such direct questions?

After finishing several rounds of questioning, Agartha suddenly burst into laughter.

“W-what’s so funny?”

“No, aren’t we in a situation just like the one where you tried to rape an Outsider in the past? Thinking about it feels like karma… haha!”

…Y-you vile woman!

How can you laugh about that in front of the victim?!

Being a thief, it seems you’re also missing a screw.

Just then, a sound like dragging something made us all turn our attention.

Hunter was dragging the corpse of the Outsider he had killed.

Realizing all eyes were on him, Hunter blinked rapidly.

“First, it’s too cold here. Shouldn’t we return to Geren? We need to give the Hunter from Rondan some clothes.”

He spoke in such a perfectly normal tone that we were all left speechless.

Finding normalcy amidst the abnormal felt like discovering an oasis in the desert.

It was refreshing to the mind.

“…In that case, should we all board the train as Hunter suggested? I have a feeling the Hunter will catch a cold like this.”

Despite trying to assault me, she was still a person without any clothes on.

The priority was to keep her warm.

 

---