Dark Warlock in the Apocalypse

Justin blinked blankly for a moment. He wondered if he had heard wrong. Give up the leadership position? A role so powerful that it was terrifying to give away, even if it offered little advantage?

"Are you joking?" Justin asked.

"Do you think I'd say this as a joke?" Zachary responded, his face showing a mix of pent-up frustration. It wasn't anger; rather, it was as if he could no longer hold back his resentment.

"I even asked Nox about it. He said the leadership position can be passed on at any time. The only mandatory vote is the initial one."

If desired, the next leader could be decided through a vote as well, but only if the current leader wanted it. In other words, if the leader didn't wish for it, there was no need. It was entirely up to the leader whether to pass it on or not.

"So, if I can pass it on, I want to give it to someone. And among everyone, you seemed like the best choice," Zachary said.

"Do you dislike being the leader?" Justin asked.

"To be specific, I dislike the people," Zachary replied, letting out a deep sigh before pointing to one side of the wall.

"Justin, have you seen the condition of the fields recently?"

"You mean the fields created from the daily labor quest?" Justin asked.

"Yes, that's exactly it."

After the leader election, a daily labor quest was indeed given to the civilians. To be precise, every labor quest was about "tilling the field." As a pioneer, Justin couldn't accept the quest, but once accepted, a plot of land appeared in a corner of the village specifically for the person who took on the quest. After working on the field for some time, a reward was given.

"I saw it. But I haven't seen anyone working there since the first day," Justin noted.

"To be precise, they worked for a short time until the second day, then quit altogether."

Since becoming the leader, Zachary had far less time for hunting. Unlike Justin, who spent most of his time hunting, Zachary was much more familiar with the inner workings of the village.

"At first, they were motivated. It was safe, and they even got mana stones from the system. But that motivation didn't last more than two days," Zachary explained.

"Why not?" Justin asked.

"They said it was too hard."

"..."

Of course, it would be hard. Tilling fields required a lot of physical labor. But if they were giving up even on such a safe quest, what did they plan to do?

As if answering Justin's thoughts, Zachary gritted his teeth.

"The moment they accepted the quest, they were also given farming tools. But those tools are all abandoned in the fields now. They didn't even take them home. And it's not like they come to us for help. They don't even hunt."

"Are you saying they do absolutely nothing?" Justin asked.

"They occasionally come to complain. They've asked if we could impose taxes—only on pioneers—and distribute the revenue to themselves."

Wow, that's extreme. They were outright saying they wanted to freeload.

Any remaining respect Justin had for them seemed to vanish.

Zachary's expression was equally cold, clearly feeling the same way as Justin.

"Do you know what they say amongst themselves?" Zachary continued. "They say that no one should step up and work. If they create an impression of working voluntarily, they might be expected to do it all the time, and eventually, taxes might be imposed on them. They claim it's time to resist firmly. Resist against whom?! Who's oppressing them?!"

Zachary slammed the table with enough force to make a loud noise. He seemed unable to control his emotions any longer. After panting for a while, he finally calmed down and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry. I got too heated."

"That's understandable," Justin said.

"Anyway, that's why I want to pass the leadership to you, Justin. I just can't do this anymore."

"Why me, of all people? We're not exactly close," Justin replied.

When Justin bluntly asked, Zachary gave a bitter smile.

"It's my last bit of conscience. Honestly, the only candidates left are Aaron and you, but handing it over to Aaron would be a disaster."

"And you think I'd coddle the civilians?" Justin asked.

"At least you'd stop at beating them with a stick. Aaron would tie them to a chair and start looking for pliers."

Justin nodded at the blunt assessment. If it was that guy, he really wouldn't hold back. Even if the civilians had lost all his goodwill, Zachary still felt some guilt.

However, Justin had a different perspective.

"They probably need to hit rock bottom before they come to their senses," he thought.

Would it work if he tried using both the carrot and the stick? He doubted it. They would likely dismiss the carrot as mere scraps and see the stick as a dictator's ambition. They needed to experience a true villain before they'd stop complaining.

"Fortunately, the timing is perfect," Justin considered.

At any other time, he would have taken the rotten pumpkin, knowing it was rotten. After all, CAaron bore a grudge against Justin as well. He would have taken on the leadership role just to avoid the disadvantages he'd face if Aaron took over.

But now, a third option had presented itself.

"Honestly, I don't want to take on the leadership role either," Justin said.

"Don't tell me you want to hand it over to Aaron ?" Zachary asked, alarmed.

"That wouldn't be a bad idea."

"Don't say such nonsense. Do you think he'd just stop at tormenting the civilians? He'd make sure we suffer too!"

"That's only if we stay here," Justin said.

"What?" Zachary stared at him in confusion.

Justin grinned at Zachary.

"Have you considered moving to another village?" Justin suggested.

"...!?"

"Haa..."

Rachel sighed as she approached the village. The safe zone where monsters couldn't approach—the place where her new home was, after relocating to this world.

But even though this was her home, she always felt uneasy when entering.

"I don't want to go in," she thought.

She knew exactly what kind of scene would greet her inside the village. But she couldn't just stay outside forever. After today's events, everyone, herself included, was exhausted. This was the only place where they could let their guard down and rest.

"Let's go in," Rachel said, and her companions nodded in agreement. They, too, seemed somewhat uncomfortable but tried not to show it.

The moment they stepped into the village—

Thud, thud!

"Aaagh! Aaah! Aaaagh!"

"Please forgive me! Please forgive me!"

They heard the sound of someone screaming in agony. Turning her head, Rachel saw a civilian being beaten to death by a pioneer.

"You think you can mock me, huh? Do I look like a joke to you?!"

"N-No! It's not like that!" the civilian pleaded.

"Then why couldn't you meet the quota? Did I ask for something unreasonable?!"

Smack!

"Ugh!"

The pioneer kicked the bloodied man's stomach. The man rolled on the ground, wheezing, while a woman, who appeared to be his wife, clung to the pioneer's pant leg.

Other pioneers nearby watched the scene, snickering.

"Please! He'll die if you keep going!"

"Oh, really? Should I just kill him quickly then, instead of wasting time beating him?"

"No! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" the woman cried.

The pioneer drew his sword, and the woman dropped her head to the ground, groveling.

"Spit! You two really know how to piss people off, huh? So why couldn't you meet the quota?" the pioneer asked, spitting on the woman's head.

"I-I suddenly felt ill this morning...!"

"Oh, you were feeling ill, were you? Our poor guy here was very sick, huh?" the pioneer said, smirking.

He bent over and tapped the man's body, pretending to examine him like a doctor.

"Where does it hurt, huh? Here? Here? Or maybe... right here?"

Press!

"Guaaagh!"

When he grabbed the man's lower abdomen, the man let out a terrible scream. It was precisely the area that had been kicked earlier. Even a light press would have hurt, but with the pioneer's superior strength stat and the depth of the pressure, it could have caused internal damage.

The man, unable even to groan, convulsed on the ground as the woman wailed and clung to the pioneer.

"Please, just this once! Please forgive us, just once! Pleease! Sob!"

"Hmm? What was that? You want me to kill him? Should I?" the pioneer taunted.

"No! No, please! That's not what I meant! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

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