Chapter 38: Elimination

Aino stood motionless, her gaze fixed on Xiningna, who seemed to want to say something.

Or rather, the butterfly monster.

Aino had been following Xiningna throughout her journey and had witnessed the entire exchange with the spider monster. By now, she had a general understanding of the situation.

With the confrontation nearing its end, Aino decided it was time to resolve things.

The spider monster was violent and bloodthirsty, particularly hostile toward humans. Aino had no intention of letting it leave. Xiningna, on the other hand, claimed in earlier conversations to dislike killing and seemed to have a fondness for humans.

Considering that Xiningna had lived in the village for several years and her relationship with Mosheler…

Well… Aino wasn’t entirely sure how to handle this. Perhaps it would be best to leave the decision to the villagers themselves.

For now, Aino’s sole objective was to help the villagers eliminate the twin threats of the green-skins and the spider monster.

Though she no longer considered herself human—or any kind of warrior of justice—Aino was willing to assist vulnerable communities like this one, living on the margins of society.

Even if it weren’t a human village, but one of a different species, her response would remain the same.

Having reached a tentative decision in her mind, Aino looked at Xiningna, who seemed eager to speak.

“Lady Aino…” Xiningna’s voice trembled with fear, yet she forced herself to speak.

“You’re not human, are you? Why would you make this choice?” Aino asked calmly.

“I… I don’t know. I just think humans are intelligent, fascinating… they shouldn’t be treated as food.” Xiningna’s initial response was halting, but she gradually gained confidence, as if finally expressing a long-buried conviction.

“I think being human is wonderful. They share close bonds with each other. And Mosheler—he takes care of me every day, buys me clothes… He even saved me, a complete stranger, back then…”

As she spoke, Xiningna’s gaze drifted toward the spider monster. Whenever she voiced such thoughts in the past, her sister would erupt in fury.

Naturally, the spider monster looked equally displeased now, though she refrained from acting out.

Ignoring her sister’s murderous glare, Xiningna continued, “Compared to living as a monster, hunting or being hunted every day, I’d much rather be human! Sister, do you know? Every day when I go out, the villagers greet me warmly. Sometimes, when I buy things, they say I’m cute and give me extra…”

Finally, the spider monster broke her silence, cutting her sister’s fantasy short with a mocking tone that dripped with malice.

“Cute? Hahaha! Have you shown them your real form? Would they still call you cute if they saw that?”

Her words struck a nerve. Xiningna’s impassioned speech faltered, her mouth opening and closing without producing sound.

The spider monster pressed on, mercilessly dismantling her sister’s illusions. “You’re nothing more than a monster wearing a disguise humans find charming! Do you really think you’re one of them? When I found you, do you remember what I fed you?”

“Hahaha, Xiningna, I raised you. You grew up eating the people of this village! Those villagers who greet you—some of them have lost loved ones because of you. Kekeke!”

The spider monster seemed to revel in Xiningna’s growing despair, each cruel word cutting her sister deeper.

Finally, Aino spoke, interrupting the spectacle. “That’s enough. The argument ends here. I promised the villagers I would eliminate the green-skins and the spider monster. It’s time I fulfilled that promise.”

The spider monster responded with a derisive snort, her body tensing as she silently prepared for battle. She clearly had no intention of surrendering.

Xiningna, however, was frantic. “No! Lady Aino, my sister won’t harm humans anymore—”

Aino silenced her with a single glance. “No, she will.”

Having lived in this world for a while, Aino had come to understand that some monsters were innately bloodthirsty, with an insatiable urge to prey on humans. The spider monster before her was undeniably one of them.

In truth, even her own body—Tananorn’s—was of the same ilk. As the Black Dragon King, Tananorn’s favorite food had been humans…

That primal desire was something Aino had struggled to suppress, even in Dante City.

If even a modern soul like hers could barely resist, how could a native-born, more bloodthirsty creature like the spider monster hope to?

Her judgment was unshakable.

The spider monster didn’t bother to deny it, bluntly admitting, “Hmph. It’s survival of the fittest. Humans are my prey. Why would I stop eating them?”

Xiningna tried to protest, “But—”

“Enough, you fool!” the spider monster roared, cutting her off mid-sentence.

“This one’s target is me. I’ve eaten so many humans; being killed by a stronger human or monster today is only natural.”

“You, on the other hand, have avoided attacking humans since you gained awareness. You’ve lived peacefully in the village for years. She probably won’t bother with you.”

Lowering her body like a drawn bowstring ready to snap, the spider monster exuded raw power and determination.

“Heh. If you had joined me in eating humans, you’d be dead now. Your foolish choices have saved your life, little butterfly…”

Xiningna froze, speechless.

Just then, her sister sent a telepathic message, using the secret language of their kind.

“Don’t you dare speak for me again.”

Xiningna knew this was her sister’s way of increasing her chances of survival, hoping Aino wouldn’t lose patience and kill them both.

The spider monster, by contrast, had chosen self-sacrifice.

Xiningna’s thoughts jumbled as she watched her sister’s final moments. “Little butterfly,” she’d called her. And then, with the same resolve as before, the spider monster lunged at Aino, just as she had once protected her sibling against predators.

The black-haired girl raised her pale hand and made a slight grasping motion.

In mid-air, the spider monster froze, the surrounding atmosphere thickening ominously. A massive surge of magical energy coalesced into a grand array, obliterating the spider monster completely.

Not a trace of her remained.

Expressionless, Aino watched as everything dissipated before turning toward Xiningna.

“Let’s go. I’ll tell them the truth.”

“...Okay.”

Xiningna felt a sting in her eyes—perhaps she had spent so much time imitating humans that even crying came naturally now.

How had it come to this? She had always thought she could…

But maybe it was inevitable. As her sister had said, survival of the fittest. A monster that had consumed so many humans would eventually meet its end at the hands of someone stronger, whether a monster or a human.

And as for her own existence, hiding among humans, pretending to be one of them—how long could such a charade last? Eventually, her true form would be exposed.

Even if today’s adventurers hadn’t come, others would have taken their place someday.

The day her illusions shattered had simply arrived sooner than expected.

Her sister was gone. What fate awaited her now? How would Mosheler react upon learning the truth about her?

Xiningna’s heart churned with anxiety, imagining the villagers’ warm and kind expressions replaced with fear and disgust.