Chapter 7
The Weight of Subjugation
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The village at dusk was completely still.
Yet beneath the silence, a tension lingered sharp enough to cut through the chest like a blade.
The villagers stood in neat lines, holding down the captured bandits, not a single one moving.
Everyone was waiting for my command.
“…So this is…”
I bit my lip.
Whether they were good people or evil ones, everyone I met became subjugated to me.
It was no longer a coincidence — this was the true nature of my power.
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“Master… your command…”
One of the restrained bandits spoke in a trembling voice.
His eyes, too, were vacant, gazing up at me with hollow submission.
If I ordered, “Kill them,” every person in this village would obey without hesitation.
But—
Takamiya Yuto: “…There’s no way I could ever do that.”
The words slipped from my lips, shaking more than I expected.
◇
At that moment, Riene gently tugged at my sleeve.
“Yuto…”
When I turned to her, uncertainty and fear clouded her face.
“Your power is something no one can resist… That’s why, only you can decide how it’s used.”
Her gaze was steady and unwavering. I couldn’t look away.
◇
“For now… tie the bandits up and lock them away.”
The villagers immediately obeyed.
They bound the men with rope and shoved them into the barn.
None of the bandits resisted — they moved with docile obedience.
(With just one word from me, they live or die as I choose…)
The realization terrified me to the core.
◇
Night fell.
Riene and I sat side by side before the flickering campfire.
“…Are you afraid?”
At my question, Riene was silent for a moment, then slowly shook her head.
“I am… but I also feel relieved.”
“Relieved?”
“Because… you didn’t give the order to kill.
If you were the kind of person who drowned in power, you would have done it easily.
But you didn’t.”
Her words made my chest tighten with warmth.
Riene smiled softly and went on.
“Maybe… I was just forced to obey you. But still, I want to believe in you.
I want to see how you’ll choose to use this power.”
◇
Sparks from the fire scattered into the darkness.
Riene’s profile was lit by a gentle red glow, her eyes meeting mine with quiet resolve.
I clenched my fists and exhaled deeply.
“…Thank you. I’ll make sure… I never use this power the wrong way.”
As I spoke, the turmoil in my heart seemed to calm — just a little.
◇
But the peace didn’t last long.
A dull thud echoed from deep within the forest.
“…What was that?”
Riene flinched, and I stood up immediately.
The wolf growled low, glaring toward the thicket.
It wasn’t over yet.
Something ominous was drawing near — unmistakably so.
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Author’s Note
Thank you for reading this far!
In Episode 7, I wanted to portray Yuto’s inner conflict about how to deal with the bandits he subjugated.
He refuses to give the order to kill, and begins to face the true weight of his power.
But the strange presence that appears at the end—
In the next episode, an even greater threat will shake the village.
Please look forward to it!
