The plastic bag from the convenience store rustled in the night wind.
Inside, there was a ginger pork bento, a cream puff, and a cola.
I only eat one meal a day, not three.
Because I have no parents, I can only afford this much while living on the small allowance I get from my grandpa.
I quit my part-time job because I became afraid of people after being bullied.
Afraid of running into Tetsuya and his group, I started shopping at the convenience store late at night.
“Sigh… how long will this kind of life continue…”
While sighing, I tried to cross the familiar intersection—it was at that moment.
“Watch out!!”
Along with a high-pitched scream, I heard the sound of a car braking suddenly nearby.
Reflexively, I looked toward the sound and saw a small girl frozen in the middle of the crosswalk, shivering with fear.
Approaching from behind her was a large truck that had lost control and was rushing in at high speed.
My body moved faster than my thoughts.
Before I could think, I kicked the ground and jumped toward the girl.
“Oh no—”
I managed to push the girl’s small body onto the sidewalk with all my might.
But my field of vision was filled with intense headlights.
—CRASH!!!
I felt a terrible impact on my body, my vision flipped upside down, and my body was blown to an unbelievable height, dancing in the air.
I felt my life coming to an end.
I am glad that the girl was saved…
As my consciousness faded rapidly, the thought that popped into my head was… now I can go to be with my parents.
That was what I felt.
◆◆◆
“Ren Kurokawa, I have summoned you as the ‘savior’ for the other world, Ten-Cute.”
A pure white temple. A peerless beauty with light blue hair who appeared with dazzling light behind her—a being who called herself a goddess—was looking down at me with a smile full of mercy.
“Ahhh…”
“You have been reading too many light novels! Ren. It is wiser not to say that name. My name is Alshe. I am the goddess of the other world, Ten-Cute. I will grant you cheat abilities. And, I will allow you to bring ‘only one thing’ you wish for to the other world. A computer, a pet, or a close friend… Now, what do you wish for?”
At the goddess’s words, I kept my head bowed and twisted the corner of my mouth slightly.
‘What I wish for… can it be a person?’
What flashed back in my mind was the hellish days at school.
Tetsuya Fujisaki.
Even though he is rich, he trampled on me like an insect and drove me into becoming a shut-in.
He is probably still smiling and living happily in that world.
Even if I get cheat abilities and become a savior in another world, if I cannot take direct action against him, I feel like I have unfinished business.
Is there no way to cast him into hell with this chance…?
‘There is.’
If I can choose a friend, a person should be okay.
“—I have decided.”
I raised my head and stared straight at the goddess Alshe.
“What I want to take to this world is not a thing, but a person. Misako Fujisaki… I want to take the mother of the guy who bullied me.”
“…Eh?”
Goddess Alshe’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Th-that is not a close friend or a lover, but just the mother of an acquaintance?”
“The mother of the guy who bullied me. Summon her here right now! It is possible, right?”
“That is… summoning her here is possible, but if the person herself refuses, you cannot take her to the other world. If she refuses, please give up gracefully.”
When Goddess Alshe waved her staff, the floor of the temple began to glow.
On the temple floor where the light had settled, sat Misako, a woman in her thirties, a beauty with a white blouse and a black tight skirt with a slit, showing off her full chest and plump body—Tetsuya’s mother.
“Huh…!? I was at the office just a moment ago… wait, you are Tetsuya’s classmate… Ren Kurokawa!?”
As soon as she found me, Ms. Misako was surprised.
It is frustrating, but she is truly beautiful.
Even though she is Fujisaki’s mother—the mother of the guy I hate—I fell in love with her at first sight.
Ms. Misako is not a bad person.
This is misplaced resentment.
However, every time Fujisaki did something, she went around bowing her head.
Because the female president of a large local company bowed and begged, pressure was applied to the school without anyone knowing, and Tetsuya’s bullying became permitted.
Because Ms. Misako paid a huge settlement, Tetsuya became arrogant.
Until she came to apologize the other day, I had misunderstood.
‘A woman who uses pressure on the school to cover up her son’s bullying. A shitty woman who thinks she is the center of the world.’
I thought she was that kind of woman, just like the rumors.
But actually, it was different.
She was a good mother with common sense.
Once I thought that, I “fell in love.”
But I hide that feeling.
For the sake of revenge and to possess Ms. Misako.
I looked down at Ms. Misako and smiled cruelly.
“Hey, lady! When are you going to bring Tetsuya to apologize? That apology back then was just lip service, wasn’t it?”
“That’s not true… I told Tetsuya we should go apologize together but he said, ‘I didn’t do anything wrong’ and wouldn’t listen to me… I am really sorry.”
There is no way that Tetsuya would listen to her if she spoke gently.
He is a much worse person than Ms. Misako thinks.
I truly feel sorry for Ms. Misako.
“Ah, geez, I am disappointed in you, lady. I thought you really apologized from your heart, but it was a lie. After that, it seems Tetsuya came to my place. Coincidentally, I was away…”
“Is that so… I’m glad. He went to apologize properly. Next time, I will go with—”
“Wrong! He wrote ‘You snitched, remember this’ in paint on the door of my apartment… It probably won’t come off easily. What are you going to do about it? I was a fool to believe you, lady.”
Ms. Misako knelt on the floor on both knees, just like before, and started to bow, pressing her forehead against the ground.
“I asked you before, Ms. Misako… Do you really think you are at fault? Do you have the intention to make up for your son’s crimes?”
Tears spilled down from Ms. Misako’s face.
She really thinks she is at fault.
I know these are tears from her heart.
‘I am sorry.’ She apologizes in her heart.
I want you.
And I hate Tetsuya…
“Yes, then this time, make up for it properly…”
“I understand.”
“Now, the person herself has admitted it… with this, you can take her to the other world, right?”
Goddess Alshe looked at me with cold eyes.
“Yes, she admitted it… then, I am taking Fujisaki Misako to the other world… sigh, I am using this for the first time as a goddess. In the name of Goddess Alshe, I recognize Fujisaki Misako as Ren Kurokawa’s property… Activating ‘Sacred Slave Magic’.”
“Kyaaaaaa—my butt… it’s burning hot… nooooo—”
“It is natural for it to hurt since I carved the slave mark… you are noisy, so, Silence. Also, I will restrain you… Bind. Now, next, I will grant you a cheat ability. This is random, so you cannot choose. But even if it’s a dud, you will be eight times stronger than the knights over there, so don’t worry… ‘Goddess Alshe bestows a blessing upon Ren Kurokawa.’ Now, it is done.”
Ms. Misako is gasping like a goldfish, sweating, and writhing while holding the right side of her hip with her hand.
‘I’m sorry for making you feel pain.’ I apologize in my heart.
When she rolled toward Goddess Alshe, an invisible shockwave blasted Ms. Misako away and rolled her onto the temple floor.
“You are in the way to think I would use a part of my precious power for something like this.”
Ms. Misako looks up at Goddess Alshe with frightened eyes.
Unlike before, there was clear fear in her eyes.
I slowly walked up to Ms. Misako and whispered coldly in her ear.
“You are going to the other world with me from now on. You can never go back to this world—in a dangerous world where monsters roam and demons exist, you will live as my slave… That is your atonement, lady! I will have you dedicate your whole life to redeeming yourself to me.”
“…”
I suppose she is terrified.
Her makeup is a mess from her tears and runny nose.
‘I wonder if this is acceptable as a human… but it’s over… get out of here quickly.’
When Goddess Alshe tapped her staff, a gate appeared.
“Now, let’s go to the other world, Ten-Cute.”
Thus, the curtain rose on my other-world adventure story of “revenge” and distorted “love.”