The Grim Reaper, shrouded in darkness, swears fealty to a lazy, greedy saint

Chapter 1: The end of a girl

Happy are those who can put others down.

　I used to think so whenever I heard someone say something bad about another person.

My mother is annoying. She's the reason I'm losing it. I wish my brothers would die because they disgust me.

　Whenever I heard these stories from my classmates, who were able to spout off expletives and laugh hysterically, I envied them.

　I couldn't do that.

　My family had already collapsed many years ago.

　Or perhaps my father and mother had not been a family even before I was born.

　My father was the president of a small company. He was a voracious lover, and he would often have his way with women just for fun.

　When one of the women he was attracted to became pregnant, he had no choice but to marry her. She was my mother and I was born.

The first few years were normal. My father did not look at me, and my mother treated me like I was a tumor, but we had money, so I didn't need to worry about food or shelter.

One day, however, my father's company's scandals came to light and their stocks plummeted. The company went bankrupt and our family was saddled with a large amount of debt.

　My father became addicted to alcohol and began to beat me up out of anger.

　My mother, who loved my father, could not escape and consequently began abusing me.

　I was like a sandbag for my parents to release their stress. That is who I am now.

　It has been seven years since those nightmarish days began. Even now, at the age of 14, they continue to abuse me.

　I have long since lost the will to rebel. I no longer even want him dead. All I have left is fear.

　I am allowed to go to school now, but that is probably because it is compulsory education.

　After graduating from junior high school, I am sure that I will not be allowed to go to high school and will be forced to work somewhere.

While my classmates get to go on to higher education and enjoy their youth, I will have to work for minimal wage.

　But if I don't obey, I get hit. No matter how many years have passed, what hurts hurts, so I must listen to my father.

　I envy people who can put others down.

　It means that they can afford to do so, doesn't it?

　Because they can speak ill of others because they live without any inconvenience every day and are well provided for by their parents.

　I envy you. I don't have the guts to humiliate my parents anymore.

　****

When I arrived at the apartment where I live now, the door to our room was open.

　.........Ah, not again.

　The debt collectors must have broken in. The deadline had already passed long ago.

I'd like to kill time somewhere, but I've been told to come home as soon as we're out of school, and there's no place to kill time to begin with. There is no park nearby, and I don't have the money to go into a coffee shop or store.

　I approached the front door.

I was home. .........

"Oh, you're back. I've been waiting for you.