DanMachi: Cheat? What's a Cheat?

Chapter 44 - The Perfect Victim

More hands reached for me. I dodged, blocked, backed away as much as I could.

But no matter what, 2 hands can't fight dozens of hands.

But no one wanted to listen.

An adventurer with a short sword was already charging at me.

"People like you don't deserve to breathe!"

I drew my sword reluctantly, just to survive.

clang!

Our swords clashed. I was forced to parry attack after attack, but I didn't dare strike back.

Attacking them would only strengthen the accusation that I was dangerous.

"Please! You're misunderstanding! I didn't—"

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH, RAPIST!"

That word again.

Like a whip that kept beating my soul.

Another punch. This time to my ribs.

I grimaced in pain but still didn't fight back.

Tears started flowing down my cheeks without me being able to stop them.

Strangely at this moment I'm not worried about myself but about Goddess Hestia.

In the middle of the chaos, I caught a glimpse of Syr still crying and sobbing.

There was something about the way she cried—too perfect, too dramatic that made me sure she was enjoying this.

bugh!

Someone kicked my stomach from the side. I fell to the ground, my sword thrown away.

"BEAT HIM UP!"

"DON'T SHOW MERCY TO THIS ANIMAL!"

Kicks and punches started raining down from all directions.

I curled up, trying to protect my head and vital parts, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the pain in my heart.

Rapist.

Kicks and punches started raining down from all directions.

That word would stick to me forever in Orario.

No matter what actually happened.

No matter what explanation.

In everyone's eyes, I'd always be the guy who once "tried" to do something to an innocent girl.

Goddess Hestia would hear about it.

Everyone would talk about it.

"That rapist from Hestia Familia..."

"The one who attacked that innocent girl..."

My reputation.

Goddess Hestia's reputation. Everything would be destroyed.

"Goddess Hestia..." I whispered between groans of pain while enduring the hurt.

"How am I gonna explain this to her?"

She'd hear that her Familia's only member got caught as a rapist.

She'd be ashamed.

She'd be disappointed.

And when she smiled at me... that smile would disappear. Replaced by a look of disbelief.

A look that would hurt way more than all these curses.

Maybe she'd kick me out of the familia.

No... worse, she'd be looked down on by other goddesses for having a member like me.

Tears started flowing, mixing with blood dripping from my nose.

Not from physical pain, but from endless regret.

Why did I have to be paranoid? Why did I have to suspect everyone? Why did I have to reflexively attack without thinking?

All because of the trauma from Ryuu Lion's beating a week ago. That trauma made me lose control and ended up destroying my life.

Suddenly

The image of Goddess Hestia's face panicking, crying, angry at me entered my mind.

"No, I have to get out of here. Somehow, I have to—"

"STOP!!!"

A loud voice broke through the raging crowd.

"GANESHA FAMILIA! EVERYONE DISPERSE!"

That booming bass voice made everyone fall silent instantly.

Through eyes that were starting to swell, I saw three figures in Ganesha Familia uniforms breaking through the crowd with heavy steps.

The one in front was a tall man with a half-face elephant mask - one of the captains.

"Move! Move! Official business!"

The crowd that was raging before now backed away obediently, though their faces still showed anger and disgust when looking at me.

"What's going on here?" his voice was deep and echoing.

"Captain Hashana!" the merchant from before immediately pointed at me with a trembling finger.

"This man attacked that girl! We saw him choking her neck and covering her mouth ourselves!"

Captain Hashana turned to me, still gasping, clothes torn, face bruised, eyes teary.

Then his eyes shifted to Syr who was still sitting leaning against the wall, surrounded by several women comforting her.

Red marks were clearly visible on her neck.

The captain's expression changed instantly.

"Miss," Captain Hashana crouched in front of Syr with a gentle voice.

"Calm down. Tell us what happened."

Syr lifted her tear-stained face. Her eyes were teary, her lips trembling perfectly.

"I... I was walking alone," she whispered almost inaudibly.

"Suddenly that man bumped into me and..."

She touched her bruised neck, as if still feeling the pain.

"He grabbed my neck really hard and pushed me against the wall. When I screamed for help, he panicked and covered my mouth by force. I thought he was trying to...rape me."

Her acting... perfect.

People looked at Syr with pitying eyes then looked at me like they were looking at garbage.

"He..." her voice trembled, almost like a whisper.

"He tried... he tried..."

Those words hung in the air.

Unfinished, but the implication was crystal clear.

The Ganesha Familia captain frowned. His eyes shifted to me with a completely changed look.

Cold. Full of contained anger. Judging.

I saw in his eyes what I'd see in everyone's eyes from now on.

Disgust. Anger. Accusation.

"Take him."

Two Ganesha Familia members immediately stepped toward me.

"Wait! Wait a minute!" I screamed while backing up, tears flowing freely down my cheeks.

"This is a misunderstanding! I can explain!"

"You'll have plenty of time to explain to us," the captain answered with a cold tone that shattered my soul.

"Drag him away."

"NO! LISTEN TO ME FIRST! I'M NOT A RAPIST!"

"THIS ISN'T FAIR! I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!"

My desperate scream echoed in the narrow alley.

But big hands were already gripping my arms.

As I was dragged to my feet, my gaze met Syr's eyes once more.

For a moment, her mask of sadness slipped.

I saw a thin smile on her lips. A smile of victory.

That wasn't a human smile. That was the expression of satisfaction from a being who had shaped someone's fate just to watch it slowly crumble. Like my life was a play... and she was the scriptwriter.

The smile of a goddess who had just destroyed an ordinary human's life for her own amusement.

It immediately destroyed my psychological defenses.

Strong hands gripped both my arms, pulling me roughly.

But strangely, I didn't feel the pain from that rough grip.

The punches from the mob earlier didn't hurt either.

The disgusted stares from dozens of people around me didn't affect me anymore.

My mind was empty.

Then one image appeared with painful clarity.

Goddess Hestia's smiling face.

Goddess Hestia hugging me when I sleep.

Goddess Hestia working hard to cook for me.

Goddess Hestia whose eyes sparkled every time she saw me.

Goddess Hestia who would wake up tomorrow morning and hear from all of Orario that her beloved child, Hestia Familia's only member, was a rapist.

"Rapist."

That word spun around in my head cruelly.

"They're calling me a rapist. My reputation... completely destroyed. It doesn't matter. I can live as trash. I can spend the rest of my life in prison or exiled. But Goddess... Goddess Hestia..."

"The goddess who gave me a home when I had nothing. The goddess who was so kind, so pure, so proud of me... now she'll be known throughout Orario as the goddess of the Familia whose member is a rapist."

"This shame... it's not just mine. I'm dragging her name through the mud. I'm destroying her honor. I'm betraying the only family I've ever had."

All resistance in my body vanished instantly.

My legs that were trying to stay standing became limp like rubber.

My head hung in total defeat, chin almost touching my chest.

My eyes that had been burning with the desire to explain were now empty and lifeless.

I no longer cared what would happen to me.

My life ended the moment the word "rapist" first came out of Syr's mouth.

The Ganesha Familia members started leading me through the crowd that was still cursing and insulting. Their voices sounded like distant buzzing in my ears.

"DAMN ANIMAL!"

"DEATH PENALTY FOR RAPISTS!"

"DISGRACING THE FAMILIA NAME!"

I walked like a living corpse, dragged by rough hands without any resistance whatsoever.

All I could do was mumble one name with a voice that was almost inaudible, like the last prayer of someone about to die:

"Goddess Hestia..." I whispered as I was dragged away from the crowd still hurling insults.

"Forgive me. Forgive me for staining this familia's name."

In the distance, I could still hear Syr's voice screaming, "Thank you! Thank you for saving me!"

Her acting was perfect until the very last second.

And I could only surrender, heading to prison with the label 'rapist' that would stick forever.