A Tale of a Swordsman and Justice (Free Reading Game) - Introduction and Review

This article introduces the reading game "The Tale of the Assassin's Justice," which was unveiled at VIPRPG Kouhaku 2022.
This is a short story about a female samurai who travels the world making a living by killing people, and her visit to the "City of Justice."
The theme might seem heavy, but it's a light and enjoyable read.
前作『人斬りと人喰いの噺』をプレイして面白かったので、プレイしようと思いました。

The completion time was approximately 30 minutes.

Game Overview (No Spoilers)

This story depicts the events when the protagonist, "Wacchi" (whose name is unknown), stops by the "City of Justice" out of curiosity in order to earn some money for his travels.
「わっち」は、己の愉悦のために人斬りを生業としており、自分が悪という認識があるアウトローですが、自分が嫌いな「正義」を標榜する街がどんなところなのか、気になったのでしょう。
This story depicts the few days spent in a city of justice after learning about its existence.

The gameplay is similar to a visual novel, where you progress by reading text.
There are no choices; it's a linear story.

This work often features very detailed descriptions of cooking.
Although it's not directly related to the main story, the game displays appetizing images, which can stimulate the player's appetite.
Those on a diet who desperately want to avoid food-related cravings should be careful.

Review (contains spoilers)

It's not a very long book, so I don't think it will take you very long to read.
This is a continuation of the series featuring a female samurai who uses "wacchi" as her first-person pronoun, following "The Tale of the Assassin" and "The Tale of the Assassin and the Man-Eater."

The lack of proper nouns and the way the city is named concisely, like "The City of Justice," made me read it as if it were an allegory.
As I listened to the homeless people talk about their town, I got the feeling that this town was modeled after Japan's internet society.
The way someone was subjected to vigilante justice by people who weren't directly involved, simply for a minor mistake, reminded me of the online lynching we often see.

This film doesn't particularly portray these things in a preachy way, but perhaps the reason I perceive a satirical undertone is because I feel this way myself.
"Wacchi" is an outlaw who sees himself as a filthy, murderous deranged man, but even from Wacchi's perspective, this city of justice is depicted as unsettling.

The difference between the two lies in whether or not they have self-awareness.
Which character do you think would have found more frightening: "Wacchi," who recognizes his own abnormality and makes his choices accordingly, or the mayor, residents, and players who believe this is normal?
(Of course, not all residents are abnormal; many are probably just obeying out of fear.)

In terms of sheer strength, "Wacchi" is incredibly strong, so there's no way he'll lose.
However, it's unsettling when the innkeeper, who had been treating us normally, suddenly attacks us at the mayor's command.
It would be one thing if the attacker had lost their mind, but what's terrifying is when someone who appears perfectly normal attacks you.

"Wacchi" is portrayed as a perfectly normal character, but I was glad that the ending contradicts that, clearly showing him to be a deranged individual who loves killing.

The story of "Wacchi" visiting various unusual countries is interesting, as it reminds me of a certain tomboyish girl's story about traveling on a motorrad.