Chapter 23

An old, weather-beaten cottage stood lonely on a quiet meadow, just beyond the forest. Through the window, we caught sight of a pig anxiously pacing around inside. The youngest pig was frantically moving about as if searching for something.

[That little brat’s really in there!]

“Kkehehehe, doesn’t even know his own mama’s dead and he’s over here fooling around!”

Elise casually dropped the sow’s body she’d been carrying onto the floor. She didn’t care one bit about getting covered in the sow’s blood.

Looking at the pig’s face, I could see a mix of sorrow and boiling anger. I strode forward and stood in front of the cottage door. When I tried to open it, finding it locked from the inside as expected, I forcefully banged on it.

“You pigs that tried to sell us out! Open up!”

“Huh, huuuuh!”

There was a loud commotion from inside. The pig stumbled over to the window, then turned pale at the sight of us waiting by the door. He must have thought we were long gone, swallowed by the wolf’s belly by now.

[Open up! Or we’re breaking in!]

“Eh, how did you guys get here, honey?”

“Kkehehehe! You tried to sell us out to the wolf and planned to relax here?”

The pig nervously swallowed, then suddenly disappeared from view. Inside, there was the sound of heavy furniture being dragged across the floor. The windows were shuttered closed.

“I, I’m never opening this, honey!”

“Hmph, look at this.”

I couldn’t help but let out an exasperated laugh. So this guy thinks hiding out in the house will work? Never thought I’d be in the position of breaking into a pig’s house. Turning to Elise, I said:

“Please, Elise.”

“Hmm~ Anything for my darling~”

Ariel and I stepped back while Elise whistled a tune and swung her staff around. With a powerful strike, the heavy staff slammed into the door.

BOOM! The entire house shook violently. Where the staff hit, the door shattered completely, revealing the interior – though it was blocked by heavy furniture piled up tightly.

“Hey, get lost! Don’t come here! You’ll never get in, honey!”

From behind the furniture came the pig’s panicked shouts. Elise grinned mischievously.

“You think that measly blockade can stop me?”

CRASH! BOOM! CRUNCH! Elise’s manic laughter echoed as she mercilessly swung her staff around. Each impact sent splinters flying everywhere. As the furniture blocking the entrance broke apart, we could see the pig sweating bullets.

“Peekaboo!”

“EEEEEEK!!!”

The pig desperately dragged sofas and wardrobes to block the entrance again. Watching Elise effortlessly smash through everything, I couldn’t help but marvel at her strength. Quietly observing the situation, I whispered to Ariel.

[Trust me! For my prince, I’ll do anything!]

Ariel confidently went to the window, created a large water droplet in her hand, then hurled it at the window.

KA-BOOM!

The water bomb exploded, shattering the window. The impact knocked over a wardrobe placed in front of it, creating a clear path into the house. Taking advantage of this, I leaped inside successfully.

“Aaaaaaah!!!”

The pig, who had been moving furniture, saw me and froze in terror, falling flat on his rear. His face deathly pale, he trembled violently, nostrils flaring.

“How dare you try to sell us out so shamelessly?”

“N-no! I, I didn’t mean to, honey!”

“What didn’t you mean to??!!”

I kicked him squarely in that disgusting face.

“OIIIIGGGHHH!”

With a menacing expression, I drew my scythe.

“AAAAAAHHHH! P-please spare me! Spare me, honey!!!”

The pig cried tears and snot as he awkwardly backed away until his back hit the wall, cutting off any escape route. Just then, Ariel climbed through the window and Elise smashed the remaining furniture to enter.

“Oh~ Darling, you’re already having fun without me?”

[You’re done for now.]

The pig, drenched in sweat, looked fearfully between Ariel and Elise, then practically shook like a leaf at the sight of my scythe aimed at his neck.

“UUUURRRGH, P-please don’t do this! I didn’t want to do this, honey!”

“Don’t make me laugh. After selling out your own family, what do you mean you didn’t want to? You even tried to sell us out just to save yourself!”

“H-how did you… Could it be you heard it from the wolf, honey?! L-listen to me, honey! I’m the victim here, honey! The wolf forced me into debt and threatened my life, honey!!!”

The pig fell flat on his stomach to avoid the scythe blade, then suddenly grabbed my ankle and pleaded.

“P-please, honey! Don’t do this! There’s no point in doing this, honey! C-come on, let’s talk this out, honey!”

[What insolence! How dare you touch my precious prince with your filthy hands!!!]

Ariel grabbed the pig by the collar and tossed him to Elise.

“EEEEEEEK!!!”

Elise easily grabbed the thick-necked pig with one hand. Struggling to breathe, the pig let out weak groans.

“Your meat looks quite well-fed. You’d probably taste great roasted, now I understand why the wolf wanted to eat you.”

“KEECK! P-please, my l-life, honey.”

“Kkehehehe! Not a chance! Now tell us quickly before you end up as roast pig.”

Elise’s eyes gleamed red as she lightly placed her mace on the pig’s head.

“Where did the black rabbit go?”

“Honey, f-first put that down…”

“Do you really think your words hold any weight? Would removing one of your eyeballs make you more cooperative?”

At the sight of Elise’s serious expression, the pig hastily shouted in a trembling voice.

“KEECK!! I’ll talk!! I’ll talk, honey!!”

Only then did Elise release her grip on the pig’s neck. Gasping for air, he raised his tear-streaked face.

“Ugh, uh! T-the black rabbit went towards the cursed kingdom, honey…”

“Hmm~”

Elise squatted down and grabbed the pig’s plump hand. Then she applied a little pressure.

“EEEEEEEEEEK!!!!”

The hand crumpled like paper, causing the pig to scream in agony as he struggled to escape Elise’s grasp. Despite his violent thrashing, she didn’t let go. Saliva flew as he shouted.

“EEEEK! S-spare me! I talked! I already talked, honey!!! Why are you doing this, honey!!!”

“How are we supposed to know where that is, huh.”

“HONEY!!! M-map! I have a map, honey!!”

“Hmm~ Bring it over.”

When Elise released him, the pig tumbled backward several times from the momentum of trying to escape, finally crashing into the wall. Despite the excruciating pain from his crushed hand, he quickly searched a nearby cabinet and pulled out an old map.

I took the map, which showed the approximate geography of the continent we were on. The cursed kingdom wasn’t too far from here.

The pig clutched his crushed hand and knelt down, beginning his pitiful pleas for mercy.

“S-seriously sorry, honey. I never meant for this to happen, honey. I-I just accidentally got hooked on gambling after wandering into a casino, honey. The debts kept piling up endlessly once I started borrowing money to gamble, and it ended up like this, honey.”

[You talk too much for someone who sold their family because of gambling.]

Ariel glared at the pig with disgust. The pig hung his head low.

“Yeah, you’re all right, honey. I sold my brothers, honey. And I planned to sell you instead of mom, honey. I’ve done terrible things to you all, so I can’t complain if you kill me, honey. B-but… ugh…”

The pig began sobbing heavily, tears streaming down his face.

“M-mom, honey! Mom’s still alive, honey! If I die, how will mom survive, honey? She’ll be all alone, honey. P-please, honey!!! Spare my life for our poor mom’s sake, honey!! I’ll beg you, honey!!”

The pig prostrated himself and pleaded desperately. I watched him silently for a moment before speaking.

“She’s dead.”

“Wh-what? Honey. Mom was still communicating with me just yesterday, honey.”

I pointed my thumb outside.

“While looking for the brothers you sold off, she tripped, hit her head on a rock, and died.”

“Wh-what…?”

The pig’s eyes followed where I pointed. Then they stopped. On the meadow lay the neatly arranged body of the mother pig.