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57. Human Wisdom

–Same time, Kinui Street

The battle with the Knight’s Order can be said to be “human-like”. If so, what is the biggest difference between humans and demi-humans?

The Knights Order have defined that what separates the two is “goodwill.” Humans can act with good intentions, create value with good intentions, and grow with good intentions. That’s what makes a human, and what demi-humans can’t do, they say.

「You werewolves thoughtlessly talk about pride, but all of that is related to harming others. You are a race to be despised.」

In front of the knight were injured werewolf warriors. Even though their ancestors were brave warriors, they were forced to live in seclusion for a long time, and they started learning how to use a weapon just a few months ago. Faced against an expert in demihuman hunting, protecting their life was all they could do.

Shizuku, who had a particularly noticeable fresh wound, still glared at the knight defiantly.

「My, my… For someone who kills humans as well, you sure talk a lot about harming others.」

「Do not speak of normalization due to good intentions. It is disgusting coming from your mouth.」

「Good intentions? So, is the poison on your spear also good intentions? There sure are many kinds of good intentions.」

[Mana activity: 1,6\1,jl5-0]

There were 36 knights and 18 werewolves, including Shizuku. In addition to the numbers disadvantage, the weapons used by the knights made Shizuku hesitate.

The golden mana of Garou wrapped around Shizuku was causing something strange.

The claws on her right arm, which were injured by the spear, were twisted into a distorted shape and were no longer of any use as a weapon. Mana continued to be active, but it was not being converted into offensive power. The knight smiled crookedly and traced his fingers over the wet tip of the spear in his hand.

「This drug is mainly distributed as a painkiller. Although, it often comes in pill form.」

The knight scooped up the dark green drug in the spear with his fingers. Shizuku understood that the mechanism was such that the liquid drug that oozed from the handle dripped down the tip of the spear, ensuring that it would infect the wound.

「Painkiller?」

「Therefore, those who are injured by our weapons will die without feeling any pain.」

「…I guess that’s why Guran was strangely energetic even though his arm was cut off. That’s a lot of good intentions.」

「But if you administer too much, it will have the side effect of disrupting the flow of mana.」

The knight pointed to Shizuku’s distorted right claw with the tip of his spear. He was trying to say that this was the result of human wisdom.

「Is it because of that drug that my claws turned out like this?」

「If you have physical strengthening or weapon-type skills, your mana will be disrupted, causing a kind of confusion or out-of-control state. You wouldn’t understand it, though.」

The werewolf’s [Garou] is a type of skill that is used as both physical strengthening and a weapon. It is hard to think that it was a coincidence that the knight had prepared such a drug to disrupt it.

「Naturally, we have investigated that the demi-humans that appeared in town were werewolves. If that’s the case, it would be “human wisdom” to look at past documents and take countermeasures.」

「You’re proudly boasting to the enemy you’re fighting. That’s what a third-rate guy would do.」

「Laughable. We are different from the villains who take advantage of the darkness of the night and call it “honor” to repeatedly carry out sneaky and cowardly attacks in the dark.」

「Don’t make fun of our ancestors, you lowlife!」

Shizuku barked, but didn’t try to rush in carelessly. Now that the physical strengthening on the right side of her body has been disrupted and she can’t move as freely, doing something like that would lead directly to death.

Above all, Shizuku is in charge of an important unit. If she becomes even more incapacitated by the drug, then all the werewolves will be in danger. The eyes of her king flashed across her mind, not allowing her to take such a foolish step.

「…I cannot betray his trust. It cannot be betrayed.」

While Shizuke was pondering whether to run or fight, the knight shouted in a particularly loud voice, perhaps so that the townspeople could hear him.

「What’s the matter, come on! That’s how your ancestors died! What’s the matter? It’s your honor, right? Your pride, right?」

「Kuh……!」

「Demi-humans are dangerous because they have no sense of morality and only add unnecessary wisdom! Listen, we have never once told you to “die” or “get out”. We only ever told you, “Don’t interfere with other people’s good intentions”.」

“What?”, Shizuku couldn’t even get those words out of her mouth, as the knight continued.

「We treated you with goodwill. You refused. That’s why we fought and you lost. That’s how history was created. You don’t understand that to this day, that is why you are crawling on the ground right now.」

What are you saying?

That was a war over territory. It was a fight to leave a place for their children and grandchildren to live. That’s why our forefathers fought and died proudly.

And you say it’s a battle between people with good intentions and beasts that don’t even understand it.

Words tried to pass through Shizuku’s throat but came to a dead end. Faced with so many different values and perceptions, Shizuku couldn’t utter a word.

「Why are you guys…!」

As a future ruler, as someone who should become a strong warrior and become the leader of the werewolves, Shizuku tried to say something for the sake of her race, but her chest just got tight and she was unable to say anything.

The knight slowly walked towards Shizuku who just glared at him.

「You can’t refute anything. If you had that intelligence, this wouldn’t have happened.」

He readied his short spear. The steel tip dripped with a dark green chemical solution pointed towards Shizuku. Shizuku does not avert her eyes.

「Try it. I’ll rip off your throat.」

「As expected, you can’t comprehend the current situation. How foolish.」

The knight sighed and tried to swing his spear, but something hit him on the head.

「…Mmm!?」

The jar-like thing broke with a clunking sound, and the liquor it was filled with spilled all over the place.

Two, then three more came flying at him, but the knight was unfazed and defended them with his armor. There was a woman at the end of his line of sight. Leaning out of the liquor store and throwing bottles of liquor was Rinono.

「Blablablablablabla! You’re being too insidious, Mr. Silver Bastard!」