78 20th Statement: Intrusion




 Even in the coffin, the black feelings swirling in my brain did not seem to subside in the slightest.
 In the darkness, I desperately took a deep breath to calm myself down.

 This demon king's army is the worst. It's not fair.

 The battle between me and the cannibals was stopped by an intruder, the Demon Lord Rainer. I wonder where he was watching from: ...... It's possible he was observing from inside the castle, though it's a long way away.
 If I hadn't intervened ten seconds later, he could have beheaded the cannibal who had pierced me with a poisoned needle and burned me with a cursed flame.

 But it's a terrible story. I'm not a member of the demon king's army, and I'm not on his side, but it's just too much.
 Monica didn't give me any information about the cannibals either. She did tell me, but there was a fatal flaw in the information.

 After all, Senri is the only one I can trust.

 Okay. It's okay that we missed the cannibal. The game is already decided. The next time we meet, we can kill it for sure.
 There's no forgiveness. He can't be trusted. I'm gonna surprise him and kill him like he's trash. We'll kill him and forget he ever existed like he was nothing.

 The problem is Reiner the Witch King.
 That one is unbeatable. At least, I'm pretty sure I can't beat him now.
 The Rynell I faced on the battlefield last night was powerful enough to convince me of that at a glance.

 In the darkness, his thick legs stomping on the ground, his huge body, his mane, everything was glowing with a strange golden color.

 The Demon Lord Rainer is a golden lion. A just and great king of beasts with no strings attached.

 He looked like a mere beast. However, his body was far bigger than a cannibal, bigger than Albatos, bigger than the last black evil dragon the Lord had created. Despite this, at the moment it landed on the ground, there was hardly a sound of footsteps.
 I couldn't even see the full extent of the creature as we came face to face from up close.

 Its voice was calm and did not have the mangled sound that cannibals had. Its face was not human, but it had a much deeper intelligence than the cannibals.
 And most importantly, on both of its paws were silver claws reminiscent of knives that would kill me.

 That's not just silver. It was holy silver, like the sword Senri carried. Expensive, rare, made of a blessed metal that cuts through all demons. It's a vampire-killing metal that completely blocks my ability to regenerate.

 With his size, it would be difficult to avoid an attack. Arbatos was unarmed. The cannibal didn't have a silver weapon.
 I just learned how to use my powers. I don't stand a chance. Not on my own.

 But I will.

 The Demon Lord, Rynell, turned his eyes on me, wounded from fighting the cannibal, and smiled.

"End Baron. You have defeated my servant ......, Hebram the Cannibal. Your strength is commendable.

 The voice was aware of its overwhelming superiority. It didn't even think of me as an enemy. And perhaps it was right.
 A king should be able to understand the difference in power between us.

Hebram will reflect on that. I'd like to formally welcome you into our army. When the invasion of Rhomburg is complete, you will be rewarded as you wish.

 There was the heat of a beast in his eyes. It was in the form of a proposal, but there was an unmistakable pressure in his voice.
 What would have happened if I hadn't nodded?

 That voice was trying to bind me. It disregarded my life. That voice was for the dominant.

 He's my enemy. I kill him. Conflict breeds conflict and resentment. I don't like it, but I have no choice.
 I'll kill Lynel the Demon King, the cannibals, and this army of misfits so completely that there will be no resentment. I'm a coward, but I'm more vindictive than anyone.

 I'll never forget what I've done.


§


 There's a presence approaching. A small knock on the coffin lid. I can smell Monica's scent ...... and Oliver's nearby. Night must have come again.

 By this time, the emotions that had been running through my brain had calmed down to a certain degree. I could smile and say hello to any cannibals I met outside, if only a little better.

 I opened the coffin and pulled myself up. Monica, still dressed in the same clothes that don't show her body lines, said in a slightly shaky voice. Nearby, Oliver is shrinking.

It's a good morning. Mr. Endo, ......, how are you?

 How? ...... is the worst.



 Fighting the cannibals has given me so much, but I've also lost so much.
 I've lost my pride, my cool gear that Senri was going to praise me with. And since I've used the power of blood to regenerate on a large scale many times, I'm nearing exhaustion of my powers. If I had to say that knowing how to use my powers was a plus or a minus, it would be a plus, but I felt like crap.

 But I dare to calm my voice and say.

"Well, it's not so bad.

"I'm sorry about last night, Mr. End. "I'm sorry about last night, Mr. End. But, as an excuse, ...... me and Oliver didn't doubt Mr. End's victory.

"Don't worry, it's over. And it's no big deal.

 Yeah, it's okay. Wounds heal. It's only the mind that doesn't heal.
 It's the calm that counts. If I lost my cool, I wouldn't have beaten Lord. I couldn't beat Arbatos either. So I'm going to do the same this time.

 I saw Monica relax her shoulders as if she was slightly relieved.
 Oliver lifts up the large box behind him and places it quietly in front of me. In this way, he really looks more like a dog than a wolf.  

I've found ...... a replacement for the equipment I lost last night. I also received a congratulatory gift for Mr. End, who has newly joined our army after defeating the cannibals.

 Inside the box were a number of items with a magical glow. Some of these items were not found when I was searching through the treasury the other day.
 But they're softer than my body, and they don't regenerate as well as my body. I bet they would come off if I turned into a dog, and they would tear if I turned into a giant dog. The only items I have left are the Lord's relic under Senri, the jet-black machete, and the Light Eater.

 In the first place, I'm immune to magic. I don't need magic items that improve the abilities of the wearer, and I don't need items that prevent attack magic or curses.
 You don't even need a sword. The poison will melt it anyway. ...... My right hand won't be melted by the poison. I want clothes that don't come off or get torn every time. I don't always want to fight (almost) naked.

 Discouraged, I chose the sturdiest and best-tailored black clothes I could find.

 Monica, who knows me well enough to know that I was excitedly choosing my gear, hurriedly checks me out.

You can take everything and no one will complain. No one will complain if you take everything.

I don't want it. Human items are still too fragile.

 Not even inorganic materials can keep up with a vampire's endurance. But if you live long enough, you'll find your favorite items.  
 Let's think positively. My time is coming. There will be good things and bad things, and in the end, the good things will outweigh the bad.

 I force myself to accept it and check with Monica.

I'm not sure what to make of it.

"Yes, yes. If you want to know more about this army, you can check with me and I can tell you most of the things you need to know.

I see. ...... That's ...... very helpful.

Thank you.

 Monica smiled slightly for the first time. She must be in a very high position in this army. It's a good thing that I'm not the only one who has a problem with this.

 I put the things I didn't need into the box and Monica closed the lid. I reached out my arm and lightly grabbed her wrist.
 Monica freaks out and looks at me.

What? Um, ...... is fine. I'm not taking it with me. I'll leave it in my room, and if you change your mind, you're free to use it--

"No, I don't need them anymore. But there's something that hasn't been made up.

Is it the ...... weapon? If so, there must be some left in the treasury.

No. It's not the weapons that need to be replaced.

What? Well, ...... it is .......

 A black flame is still smoldering in a corner of my head. Monica, who is too peaceful, is a little strange.

 What needs to be replenished is the power of blood. I used a lot of blood power in the cannibal fight. Thanks to that, the blood-sucking urge is coming on. I can still hold out, but there's no point in holding out. I need to replenish my strength as soon as possible. I'm busy.

 I smiled benevolently.

"Blood. Monica, I've used a lot of blood because of you. You need to make it up to me.

"What?



 The change was dramatic. For a moment Monica looked dumbfounded, but then her eyes widened and the blood drained from her face.
 I grabbed her wrist and pulled hard. But I didn't let go of my grip.

 You have to take responsibility. It was not out of mercy that I had not sucked Monica's blood before.
 Permission was not given for a good reason. But now I'm ready to make an enemy of the entire Demon Lord army, and I've suffered badly because Monica didn't give me proper information about cannibalism.

If you need blood, we have prisoners.

"It's not palatable. I need nutritious succubus blood.

"What? I'm not a succubus.

 Monica said in a trembling voice, looking down at her clothes that didn't show her body lines.
 I was mistaken because you have a voluptuous body and you were wearing a revealing outfit when you grew wings, but you're not.

"Oh, really? Well, okay. I've made up my mind. I'll suck Monica's blood. I'll suck it now.

 I promised Senri I wouldn't suck blood from anyone but her, but then I thought, Monica's not human, so it's okay.


 Did you think I forgave you? You're wrong.
 I'm still angry. I thought Monica was on my side, but she betrayed me. I'm very frustrated. This is also a punishment.

 Monica tries desperately to get up and back down, but the vampire's arm is stronger than the demon's. Monica makes a little offhand resistance in a low voice, as if begging for mercy.

"Dear End, your stomach! If you suck my dirty blood, you'll definitely ruin your stomach. Please forgive me, please forgive me.

 A sweet smell reminiscent of overripe, almost rotting fruit shook my brain.

 It's been a long time since I've sucked blood. I'll take my time and let her suck my blood.
 She seems to know a lot about vampires, and she's probably tougher than us. Let's see if she knows how to suck blood properly.

 I could have cut off her arm and gotten away, but Monica didn't want to do that. It's a shame, because Monica almost melted my whole body.

 I yanked hard on her arm and dragged the flailing Monica into the coffin. The coffin was a little wide, so it could hold two people without any problem.
 He held Monica down with only his left hand and glared at Oliver, who was trembling in the corner of the room. Her voice was surprisingly cold.






Oliver, I'm going to eat. Keep an eye on him so he doesn't get disturbed. If someone comes along, you'll have to fake it and drive them away. If you interfere, I'll kill you.