Mushoku Tensei — Chapter 166 - If9 — Heartbreak

Another five years.

A lot happened in those five years.

I helped Ariel become queen. Once that was done, she gave me control over the criminals and the slave traders.

Most of the criminals died in the experiments. As for the slaves...

From the Demon Race and Beastmen to humans, I've lost count of how many died.

The experiments didn't go smoothly, though.

No matter what I tried, it always felt like something was just slightly off.

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Somewhere in those five years, Sylphiette and I became intimate.

Just physically intimate. We never defined anything more than that.

Sylphiette knew where my head was, and I...

Wasn't in the right place for it, honestly. It happened on the road to Ariel's side.

We encountered a Succubus.

I fell under its spell.

Sylphiette took care of me then.

But I never took responsibility for it.

She accepted that. She never brought it up.

Only later, when the nights got lonely, she would come to my room.

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Aisha has grown up. She's fifteen now.

I catch myself watching her sometimes, trying to picture what Aisha would look like.

If Aisha were still alive, she'd probably look exactly like this by now...

"Lord Rudeus! Today's experiment..."

"Let's stop here. We're out of slaves."

Right. No other choice.

I'd have to go capture some innocent members of the Demon Race for the next round.

Ariel had been confirmed as the next ruler, but she hadn't ascended the throne yet. It was a headache — she didn't have the spare funds to buy slaves for me right now.

"Lord Rudeus... what do you plan to do?"

"Hm?"

"Are you planning to... target innocent people?"

"Were the slaves not innocent?"

"Slaves are your property. But if you truly go after innocent people, Lord Rudeus..."

I frowned.

To me, those slaves had been innocent people too.

I just hadn't felt it. Not really.

It was like taking lives in a game.

I was a little curious what Aisha would say next, so I waited.

She spoke.

"If you truly intend to target innocent people... I'll go with you."

That feeling of déjà vu again.

If Aisha were here, she'd have said exactly the same thing.

I shook my head.

No. I couldn't keep doing this.

Projecting fantasies of Aisha onto Aisha — that wasn't fair to either of them.

"You were always going to stay by my side. You didn't need to say it."

"Yes! Lord Rudeus!"

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Nanahoshi.

In those five years, Nanahoshi and I became intimate as well.

It happened once after drinking. Nothing dramatic about it.

Neither of us was drunk. It just happened.

Afterward, Nanahoshi acted completely indifferent about the whole thing.

I was fine with that. I didn't have time to manage a woman's feelings...

No time for feelings, but time for that.

I almost laughed at myself.

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Another ten years. The same cycle, over and over.

Captured Demon Race. Experimented. Died.

Captured Beastmen. Experimented. Died.

On and on, until it worked.

And today, I healed Zenith.

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Zenith woke up and looked around.

The first thing out of her mouth:

"Where's Paul...?"

"Dead."

In my current state, would Zenith even recognize me?

She did. She pulled me into a hug.

Then Norn. Then Lilia.

Sylphiette was the last one she held.

➤ Next: If10 — What Was Lost