Hey, can I help you?

　Mia looks at the big man uneasily.

"You're pretty cute. And you know what?

　The big man turned his sticky gaze to Mia's chest.

You have a nice body, huh?

　Mia quickly hides her own chest with her arms.

'If you don't need me, please return to your seat, oh, please.

　Once, the big man turned to face his minions with a grin.

'Hey girl, why don't you stay with us tonight?　All you have to do is pour me a drink and give me a little service. Simple as that, right?

　The big man says with a smirk on his face.
　Mia looks up at the big man with a slightly frightened look on her face.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I have to decline...

　I returned with a shaky voice.
　Even so, the intention of refusal was firmly holed up in his mind.

"'I refuse'?　Hmmm........does he think he has veto power.......even though I'm the one asking him to do it...............it's a bit odd. ........huh?

　The big man asks his minions to agree.
　His minions insisted that the big man was right.

'................

　I look down at the table.
　A disgusting sweat gushes out of my body.
　I'm not a person with much guts.
　And moreover, the other party is a big, strong man like that.
　But now--.
　I clench my fists tightly.
　....Good.
　I stand up.
　And...

Sorry, sir!　Check, please!

　And then he shouted out loud enough to be heard throughout the store.
　For a moment, the store went silent.
　The gazes of the big man and his minions also turned to me.
　.........I honestly didn't know if 'check' would pass for 'check' or not, but anyway, right now, it makes sense to shout out loud.
　As long as I can get the eyes of the people in the store to come over here.
　It was a good thing this was a crowded place.
　Because if we were to get tangled up outside the store, the effect would be pretty uncertain.
　I held out my hand towards Mia-san as it was.

'Let's get going now. It's almost time for our appointment.
"Oh--

　Mia seemed to catch on to the intent right away.

'Yeah, right!　Um, check, oh, please!

　I called out to the waiter.
　but

I'll pick up the tab. I'll pay the tab.

　The big man's arm came between Mia and the waiter.

'I know. That was all just a play to escape, right?　d*mn it, you're being clever.

　Makina-san's set curfew--it's true that the appointed time is near, but........
　...........
　Right now, it doesn't matter.
　What do we do?
　How do we get out of here?
　Do you want to try to give me the name of Mr. Machina?
　Well, it's unknown how effective that school headmaster's name will be.......
　If it's done poorly, it could cause Machina-san unnecessary trouble.
　However, it's better than not doing it--

..........

　No, no.
　There's a better way.
　There's a better way to find out.
　You know what?
　There is a way to get things done in an emergency.

　Caveat emptor.

　If we use that thing in here, all hell breaks loose.
　Or worse, the guards will catch you.
　Machina-san also told me to hide it as much as possible.
　It's best not to use it.
　But if I think I should use it here - if it's to protect Mia-san, I'll use it.
　Of course there is a risk of using a forbidden curse here.　
　But--
　I take one look at Mia.

　It's a dozen times better than her getting hurt.

　I catch the big man with my eyes.
　And the image.
　Targeting.....
　Yes, it's like aligning the cursor with the mouse.

"I am the forbidden curse--

　And that's when it happened.

'Hey, why don't we stop?'

　A bearded uncle stepped forward decisively from the crowd of customers that surrounded him.

''Ah?　What are you?
This is a bar.　It's a place where everyone has a good time drinking and eating.
I know about it.
You can't say a word of vulgarity in a place like that, and you're a fragile girl. Aren't you ashamed of yourself? You may be drunk and overzealous, but you should have some sense of humor.

　The big man spun away from us and turned to his uncle.
　He scratched his short hair.

I don't know, but I'm losing interest. You've got some guts, old man. I'm grateful for your courage and I'll leave you alone.
You get it? I thought you were just a ruffian, but you'd be surprised what you find out.

　There was a dull thud, and my uncle fell backwards.

　The guests around him were stunned.
　What had happened?
　The big man's huge fist struck the uncle mercilessly in the face.
　The uncle is still on his buttocks, fear and astonishment on his face.
　His nose seemed to be bleeding and blood was dripping from his hands.

'No way, numbnuts.

　The big man said lecherously in a dossy voice.
　Mia was pale, holding her hand over her mouth.
　However, she immediately gasped and tried to run towards her uncle.
　But he was blocked by his minions who came out from the side.
　The big man laughed and laughed loudly.

'Duh!　That's the dumbest thing I've ever seen, old man!　What is it?　Do you pretend to be a righteous man?
You're not... doing this to me...

　My uncle's expression is distorted and his voice is a mixture of anger and fear.

'Me?　Do you even know who I am?
What's the...?

　The big man pointed at himself.

"I'm from ... Doomsday Township.
Wha...

　The moment the big man said the word 'apocalypse', the air in the store froze.
　''What is it?''
　The big man continued.

"And I was-- I was in the Sixth House.
"--!

　The moment the big man said the word 'The Sixth Institute' - the air in the store drastically changed its quality.

　If the emotion of fear were to dwell in the air, this is what it would be called.
　The words 'apocalyptic land' as mentioned earlier were just a prelude - an overwhelming fear that made me think so.
　Such fear dominated the place at once.

''If I say this much.......you understand, right?''
Shh....

　The uncle didn't say anything else after that.
　The uncle, his gaze downcast, looked as if he was afraid to make eye contact with the big man.
　His shoulders were shaking slightly.

''I mean...''

　The big man turns to us again.
　And that gaze, which does not even try to hide its displeasure, turns to Mia.

You're a sub-race that doesn't even have a country, so why do you refuse to obey a human being's orders?　Huh?
"Oh--

　More blood drained from Mia's pale face.
　Hmm?
　Not having a country?
　What do you mean?
　Seeing me wondering, a large man with a hint of sadistic emotion turned to me and said, "What the hell?

'What the hell are you?　You didn't know that?　Ferril........I mean, these sub-humans, they don't have a country, you know. They are what is called a wandering people. So no matter which country they go to, they have no choice but to live flirtatiously. Isn't that right?

　The big man's threatening words are hurled at Ms. Mia.
　With a twitch, Mia's shoulders jumped up.

The big man said, "From what I've heard, most of the sub-race are treated as slaves in the Empire, or whatever it is they're used as lab animals in the Ruvel Argan!　That's why you're still living a flirtatious life in a Reno thread that still treats you more like a human than the rest of the world!　Hey!

　With a bang, the big man banged on the table.
　With a jolt, Mia shuddered.

'Then the sub-race should just act like a sub-race, flirt with the human-sama, and shut up and listen to him!　Foreign females should be wagging their tails at human-sama men!　Do you understand, b*tc*?

　I can't do it anymore.
　I can't take it anymore.

　I don't know if I'm scared or not, but I've been blown away.

"Hey.

　The big man's eyes catch me with a glazed look.

"Oh?　What did you say?

　As for the story the big man had just told me, I knew something about it.
　At the same time, I understood the man in front of me.
　Scum.
　He's a scum.

　Yeah.
　I guess I'm done learning.

　There are trash people in other worlds.
　There are people like this all over the world.

　I learned my lesson.

　I've seen people like this in my previous world a few times.
　But at the time, I couldn't do anything about it - or rather, I couldn't bring myself to do anything about it.
　I couldn't get angry for anyone.
　Why?
　Because there was no one I wanted to protect.
　So when these jerks came into view, I always just walked by, watching them with cold eyes.
　I didn't even care if I got involved.
　I wasn't interested.

　But now - why do I get so, so annoyed?

　I stare straight at the big man.

　That's obvious.

　It's because of the horrible things I said to the guy who said I was his friend.
　I need to say something to this guy to make him feel better.
　Right here, right now.

"Scumbag.

　I said, and the big man looked like he had found a new toy.

'Kid is that 'scumbag' now, by any chance, me?'
Oh, yeah, I'm talking about you--

　Once again, I'm gonna say.

"Scumbag.