I’m the Main Villain but the Heroines Are Obsessed With Me

43 – 21. If You Can Bear It (2)

“Are you really going?”

Eri raised her voice as if she couldn’t understand.

She had been pleading for him not to go, but Ian couldn’t give her the answer she wanted.

“It’s unavoidable. I have to go.”

“It’s obvious. It’s probably a trap. There will surely be many savages waiting.”

Eri sighed as she looked at the map spread out on the floor.

A red circle located beneath the rugged Sisyphus Mountains, which seemed like a flat area.

Geographically, that’s where the savages’ main camp must be. Countless enemies would be waiting there.

“Of course, rescuing the hostages is important…”

But going alone, Ian might lose his life before rescuing the hostages. Eri couldn’t bear to see that happen.

“Please reconsider your decision… I understand your concerns, but they won’t treat the hostages harshly.”

In war, prisoners had significant value. In dire circumstances, they could use prisoners as bargaining chips to secure their own survival.

Unless they were heartless, they would surely provide an escape route for the hostages rather than randomly killing them, according to Eri’s understanding.

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“If we launch an all-out assault and put pressure on them, they’ll likely negotiate with the hostages themselves. Is it really necessary for you to go?”

“Kicolan won’t do that unless they are different from the others.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“Of course, there aren’t many who mistreat prisoners recklessly. They might starve them or torture them, but they haven’t killed them. But Kicolan is different. They have a history of killing hostages as soon as they capture them.”

Of course, just that wouldn’t make them certain they would kill the hostage. However, Ian was certain.

“When I was playing the original, there was a time when I obtained a scripture containing the beliefs of the Kikolan people.”

It was written there. Conquer those who do not believe in their religion and immediately take their lives as sacrifices.

“Now, the demons are restraining it, but if I don’t agree to the proposal, they won’t spare the captives.”

There is also a saying that they don’t negotiate with terrorists. But for Ian, there was no other choice.

Pressuring the barbarians is enough for Ariel. What Ian had to do was rescue the knights.

“It may be hard to accept, but please understand it’s unavoidable.”

“…I understand.”

Ariel finally nodded, although her mood hadn’t improved.

“So, should Igor and I… and Leia just wait and do nothing?”

“Not necessarily. You have things to do too.”

“Things to do?”

The message from the enemy probably said they would kill the hostages if she didn’t come alone.

Is there another way?

Approaching Ariel, who was deep in thought, Ian whispered.

“What you need to do is…”

“Alright, I’ll try to prepare as much as possible.”

After conveying what they needed to do in a hushed voice, Ariel nodded blankly.

***

After sending a note to Ian using an arrow.

Mamon and Baalzepub did nothing and just waited.

They had gathered the hostages by their side and had a tight security, so there was no need to consider escape.

They had already thought countless times about how to deal with Ian, so there was no need for separate preparations.

It was a perfectly fitting preparation.

“Darn.”

But Baalzepub wasn’t pleased with it.

“When is that guy coming? Waiting is getting tough.”

The anticipation for a fierce battle as he had stepped into the intermediate realm was unbearable because he didn’t know when it would end.

Was it because Mamon noticed that Baalzepub was not in a good mood? He looked at him with a knowing smile.

“It seems like your patience is wearing thin. But just wait a little longer. Your time to shine will come soon. And experiencing the aesthetics of waiting isn’t such a bad thing, is it?”

“The aesthetics of waiting are nonsense. I can’t fathom how you or Belphagor tolerate this boredom.”

“hahahahaha. Waiting is inevitable to conjure money. It’s likely to cause a lot of trouble if pursued passionately.”

Ba’alzepub decided to stop arguing with the laughing Mammon.

There’s nothing more foolish than asking someone so fundamentally different to empathize with your own thoughts.

It would be much better to talk about other topics at this time.

Taking his gaze away from Mammon, Ba’alzepub looked at the prisoners in the adjacent cells.

At first, they resisted, but the thought of not being able to escape from the prison created by the Demon Lord had made them despondent.

They were brought here by Mammon to lure Ian in.

“Is he really coming to save these people? I’ve heard he’s a man of great discernment…”

“Do you doubt it?”

“Isn’t it obvious? It’s clear that it’s a trap. If he had any sense, he wouldn’t step foot in it. He even knows the location, so isn’t it possible that he’ll launch an attack.”

There’s no better means to draw the other party in than using hostages, but it’s equally dangerous if it goes wrong.

If the other party is a compassionate person, they might not launch a ruthless, indiscriminate attack on this side while shouting the same things.

“Furthermore, aren’t there warriors on their side? If they have the power of the Holy Sword, it won’t be a difficult task to turn the area into a wasteland.”

Although brief, Ian, the human Ba’alzepub had been observing until now, possessed remarkably keen judgment.

Given that his location had been exposed, it was only natural to be concerned. But Mammon didn’t seem to care and smiled.

“You don’t need to worry about that. He has a goal of reviving his fallen family. However, to manage the family properly, he needs the support of the Order of Knights.”

Handling the food supply and capital reserves that had crumbled was important, but Bolcanov’s first priority was to maintain the Order of Knights, as that was why Bolcanov had recruited soldiers to protect the empire.

Would he make the choice to abandon the knights in such a situation?

“In that case, there will be severe resentment among the knights. They won’t openly show it, but they might complain silently.”

Losing trust in each other was something that should never be underestimated. Ian Bolcanov would undoubtedly be aware of this fact.

The reason Mammon was relieved about the bombing was not solely because of that.

“Moreover, they say that there are those who fought for Bolcanov in the past buried beneath where we are now. It would be sheer madness to bomb a place like that.”

The most likely candidate for the next head of the family and those who fought for the family are buried there. Would they commit such a crazy act as bombing a place like that?

Mammon knew well what kind of creatures humans were.

Vile people who keep worthless traditions and maintain them as if they were important.

That was the judgment that Mammon made about the human race. Ian thought that it would be no different for him.

“Of course, he has an exceptional personality. He is not someone who acts without thinking…”

Ian Volkanov would come here.

As if affirming that thought, a savage man kicked the door of the barracks and entered.

“He has arrived. What should we do?”

Mammon stood up from his seat as if the timing was right, watching the savage who delivered the news with a vague expression on his face.

“What should we do? Let him clear the way.”

And then, a few minutes later, when he came out of the barracks, a familiar figure of a man started to appear in the distance.

“Finally…”

Mammon smiled subtly as he watched Ian Volkanov entering the outpost with an expressionless face.

“Isn’t this the first time seeing you like this? I suppose we should formally greet each other.”

“We are not on friendly terms, are we? And if you are going to say that, it would be better to hide your expression.”

“hehehehe… Did my expression give it away? Understandable. I need to be patient since the chance to get rid of this thorn in my side has arrived.”

Mammon lifted the corner of his mouth, revealing his lively gaze.

Since the objective has already been uncovered… There is no need to put on a mask and respond…

“Then, let’s see you put up a good fight. I’m looking forward to it.”

Clank!

Swoosh!

As Mammon finished speaking, the savages hiding within the outpost began to reveal themselves.

“Hmm…”

Even a quick glance revealed that there were over 100 of them. Each wearing an expression of frustration.

“They must think I’m the demon king of greed… They were corrupted by greed to this extent. They must be longing for my death.”

It seemed that they were not only motivated by their mindset. Since magic was emitting from them, they must have given up their humanity.

“I have prepared myself, but it seems that I can’t avoid a fight,”

Eventually, Ian clenched his fist.

“aaah!”

The screams of the savages resonated as if their eardrums were about to burst.

As he assumed his stance, the status window appeared in his mind.

[An emergency quest has occurred.]

[The owner of the Abyss is targeting you. Survive their threats and defeat the owners of the Abyss!]

[Success Reward: Some Hidden Secrets / Failure: Eternal Death]

“Ugh!”

“Kill him! Splash his blood here!”

Ian gripped it tightly as he watched the barbarians rushing toward him.