ISEKAI? More like I See Crap!-Chapter 175: Tough Love and Trouble ( )

Hazuki turned his glare back toward the woman.

"And you, lady!!" he barked.

"Y-Yes!!" she jumped, nearly dropping the coin pouch.

Hazuki jabbed a finger toward the kitchen door.

"Cook. Now. Or I’ll cook you instead for my dinner!!"

The kids screamed again, rushing even faster to carry the groceries inside like their lives depended on it.

The woman stumbled to her feet, tripping on her own skirt as she dashed toward the kitchen.

"R-right away, sir!!"

Hazuki stood there, arms crossed, eyes narrowed.

Ridan floated beside him, grinning like a demon.

"You really know how to motivate people," he said.

Hazuki sniffed. "Yeah. Nothing works better than the fear of being turned into stew."

"Spoken like a true psychopath."

"Shut it, spirit."

Hazuki wandered through the house, checking each room with his hands in his pockets. Some areas looked clean enough, but most of the furniture was worn down, patched together, or barely standing.

He stepped outside next and spotted a small, humble farm behind the building. Rows of uneven crops, a broken tool rack, and a wooden fence that looked like it would fall apart if the wind sneezed.

Ridan floated along the fence line, scanning it with narrowed eyes.

"Hmm... this fence is starting to rot."

"Yeah..." Hazuki agreed.

"Hazuki."

"Hmm?"

"Channel your mana into this fence."

Hazuki blinked. "For what?"

"Just do it, dumbass."

"Ugh... fine."

Hazuki stepped forward, placed both hands on the old wood, and began to push a stream of his mana into it.

Ridan hovered just above, muttering quietly in a language Hazuki couldn’t understand.

In seconds, the fence began to glow faintly, cracks closing, wood hardening, and gaps sealing shut.

The old, decaying line of planks stood taller now, solid and whole.

"There," Ridan said, brushing his cloudy hands. "This should repel monsters nearby. Low and mid-level at least."

Hazuki raised an eyebrow. "What were you mumbling back there?"

"Ancient spell. One I used a lot back when you were snoring in the forest like a dying bear."

"Oh..." Hazuki scratched his cheek. "Well, thanks."

"Heh. Just doing the heavy lifting while you play terrifying soup chef."

Hazuki rolled his eyes and walked back toward the house.

Hazuki stepped back inside and looked around the main room again.

The couch was patched with mismatched fabric. The table had uneven legs and a piece of wood wedged underneath to keep it level. Even the curtains were faded and frayed.

He stood there, frowning slightly.

"Ridan."

"What now?"

"This world doesn’t have... I dunno, some kind of system to take care of people? Like this orphanage?"

Ridan floated down slowly, quiet for a second.

"I think they do," he said. "At least on paper. Some churches run orphan care, noble houses fund them for reputation points..."

Hazuki crossed his arms.

"But this one?"

"Probably no permit. No license. No backing from any guild or noble."

"So what, it’s unofficial?"

"Maybe." Ridan shrugged. "Or maybe the lady here just started letting kids stay. Maybe she was lonely. Or maybe she used to run one properly... and something happened."

Hazuki said nothing.

He looked at the half-broken chair, then at the kids trying to hide their excitement while unloading the food into a small pantry.

Then he sighed.

"Still feels stupid."

Ridan nodded once, arms crossed.

"Yeah. A lotta things in this world are."

Hazuki stepped outside again, stretching his arms with a grunt. He paused when he spotted someone standing alone near the side of the house.

An elven girl. Small, barefoot, with dirt on her skirt. She had a basket in her hand, frozen in place.

She looked up at Hazuki—and froze completely.

His face wasn’t angry, just naturally sharp, tired, and half-shadowed under his bangs. But to the girl, it might as well have been a monster looming.

Her eyes shimmered with tears, but she didn’t dare cry aloud. Her lips quivered.

Hazuki stared at her for a second.

"I’m not going to eat you."

The girl blinked, nodded shakily, and slowly turned around to go back inside.

But before she could slip through the doorway.

"Elf girl." Hazuki called.

She stopped immediately. Shoulders tense, eyes staring at the ground.

"Call the others," Hazuki said flatly. "And follow me now."

The girl’s hands clenched.

"If not..." Hazuki added with a cold tone, "...I’m going to eat your caretaker."

The girl’s eyes widened. She nodded fast—then sprinted inside like she was on fire.

Ridan floated down next to Hazuki, arms crossed.

"You know, if you keep threatening to eat people, someone’s gonna serve you to the guards on a plate one day."

Hazuki shrugged.

"At least they listen."

The elven girl burst into the main room, eyes full of tears.

"T-The human said... if we don’t follow him, he’ll eat Miss Kisha!"

Gasps echoed across the room. The children started to sob.

One of the older girl grabbed the edge of the caretaker’s dress.

"Miss Kisha!! He’s serious!! He’s scary!!"

Kisha—her hands still smelling of grilled meat—dropped her cooking spoon and ran toward the door.

Outside, Hazuki stood with his arms crossed, talking casually to thin air.

"What else would I do with them? Sell them? Ugh, they’re not even old enough for—" He stopped, cringing. "Whatever. I’m not into that messed up stuff."

Kisha froze in place.

"Mister human... please..." she said, voice trembling. "Don’t do anything to the children. I... I’ll do whatever it takes, just don’t hurt them..."

Hazuki blinked, confused. Then frowned.

"Huh!? What can I even do with them anyway? You think I’m gonna kidnap a bunch of half-starved kids?"

Kisha flinched, still shielding the doorway.

Hazuki sighed and pointed toward the town behind him.

"I’m going to buy some stuff. I need help carrying it. That’s it. Use them as workers." ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom

Kisha stared, blinking.

"You... what?"

"I said, they’re gonna help carry bags. I bought too much earlier and nearly dislocated my spine."

Ridan floated beside Hazuki, grinning ear to ear.

"Yep, hard labor. Real evil, right?"

Kisha just stood there, still frozen.

Hazuki groaned.

"I’m not going to eat anyone, alright!? Just tell them to bring their hands, not tears."

Hazuki let out a low sigh, scratching his cheek as Kisha still stood frozen in fear.

"And if you’re scared I’ll sell them... or do anything naughty" he gave a pointed look, clearly meaning the adult kind. "then maybe you should come along too."

Kisha’s eyes widened.

"B-but... the food, the house, then..."

Hazuki tilted his head slightly and gave the elven girl beside him a long stare.

"Hmm... on second thought, maybe I should sell this elf kid to a slave trader. Could fetch a good price, even if she’s scrawny." His voice was calm. Too calm.

The elven girl gasped and immediately grabbed Kisha’s leg.

"No! Please! I’ll follow! I’ll behave!!"

Kisha stepped forward quickly, shielding the girl.

"I-I’ll come too!! Please don’t take her!"

Hazuki raised an eyebrow, then smirked.

"Good. Bring a cart if you have one. I’m not carrying it all again."

Ridan floated behind him, struggling to hold in his laugh. He whispered with glee:

"Oh man, you are the villain in this town."

( End Of Chapter )