Chapter 28 - Volume 2

Volume 2, Chapter 15: Demon’s Feast, Part 2

 

Oh… is this the end of our game of tag? Or did you already resign yourself to death.

 
As we entered the cave, Millaine called out to us in a condescending tone, surrounded with handsome butlers.
Good, it’s great that she’s so confident. Count Oberu, who stood next to her, is staring curiously at Noa and Nia, whose atmosphere had changed.
I figured that Millaine hadn’t ordered her subordinates to attack as a deliberate show of her own confidence, but the Count is not doing so due to caution.
As expected of the wisdom of elders… or is it? Does age even matter to a vampire?
 

I got tired of it, and I need to go home soon, so goodbye.

While I got into my [Duke’s Daughter] mode and smiled, Millaine’s [Noble Mask] cracked a little as her mood worsened immediately. I spoke candidly……
 

…Although, there seems to be less of you than when I first arrived earlier? Did some of you become food to someone on their way here?


I attacked them. They died.

Nia returned without incident after her slaughter.
Seriously, it’s great to be able to relax.

Well, the other two are keeping the Countess company at her other party outside. She seemed rather bothered, being left alone.


… So, Yurushia-sama, you still think you’ll get home alive…?

Millaine said, her voice drawing the thousands of runts forward, causing them to show their fangs in an attempt at intimidation.
No need to be impatient. What should we do…?
 

Yurushia-sama, may I please have your permission to exterminate the pests?

As the vampires’ thirst for blood swelled, Noa walked forward, asking me for permission in a calm tone.

Yurushia-sa-ma~, it’s fine, right?

Nia seems motivated… isn’t she? She’s waving her sword around in a lackadaisical manner looking bored. I guess she’s motivated in her own way.

…Will you be alright?

Millaine and the Count seem decently strong, and I’d really hate it if these children were hurt.

No problem.


…Okay. Just don’t try too hard and get hurt.

 
Oh well, worst case scenario, I can fly them away… I thought comfortably.
 
 

Nia, [Release].


Yes.

……Eh?
All of a sudden, an evil presence surged from Noa and Nia. Dozens of runts were instantly killed and turned to ash..
The atmosphere around the two changed. Their presence changed. The biggest change of the two was that a pair of sinister black horns emerged from the sides of their heads, curling around like a goat’s.
Ooooh… how demonic.
 

Ahahaha!

At the sudden change, the vampires were stunned, and even I was caught by surprise. Nia holds up her sword in front of her, and cut dozens of the runts in half with a single swing, [Absorbing] their life forces and souls.
The [Power] flowed from Nia to Noa. Noa roared out with a dragon-like breath, reducing hundreds of runts to ash as he [Released] the power.
 

……Eh…

How terrifying these children are.
Even for something with the [Setting] of a Greater Spirit of the Demon Realm, this is too much.
Noa’s setting is an [Incubus]; he is able to [Release].
Nia’s setting is a [Succubus]; she has the capacity to [Absorb].
Of course with their age, the 18+ setting is prohibited, but even so, their fighting power is very high…
The two outside, were they also this deadly?
 

Youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!

(TL: Elongate this yourself, as
You
is impossible to do that to in writing: Omae-waaaaaaaaaaaa!)
 
Millaine has finally broken, plunging towards me while shouting incomprehensible things.
Things like
You what?
or
Get out, you
I don’t get it.
I dodge Millaine’s attack with her sharp claws, Noa noticed and was about to come back, but I held out my hand to tell him to stop.
 

Millaine. Will you keep the weak me company?


Don’t mess around with meeeeeeeeee!

 
This child, how touchy……
 
＊
 
At first, Millaine thought that this would just be some entertaining prey-hunting…
When the girl had the boldness to provoke her while knowing her true nature, she used some sort of [Blackout] spell, one which even the Count, in his 500 years of life, hadn’t seen. While these were surprising, she was still just a human. Even if she was referred to as a [Saint] there should have been a limit.
 
The first surprise was the transformation of two of her servants.
They should have just been human children, but after transforming, they destroyed hundreds of runts with magic power, things like that were impossible.
Those [Demons]… A high-level demon like that needed a higher cost to [Manifest].
Even with natural talent, doing that would take perhaps hundreds of years… no, it would take thousands of years of study.
 
When did they appear…? When did they possess those human children? Where did the Countess go? Could it be that the other two [Inhuman] children were giving her trouble?
Could she have used her position as [Princess] of the Holy Kingdom to do a demon summoning at a gigantic scale…? No, the Holy Kingdom wouldn’t allow such a thing.
She thought about whether there was an evil tool passed down in the duke’s family which could control [Demons], the tool would have to be [Legendary Class] to manipulate these many, and even if it existed it should have been securely sealed away.
 
{… I should withdraw.}
The Count and Millaine. The Countess would run from those other two later.
But, the abilities of those two were unknown; they didn’t know what would happen.
 
That was when the Count thought to himself.
‘To be accompanied by such a Demon, that Saint… just who is Yurushia?’
 
A simple human girl would not be able to continuously dodge Millaine’s attacks.
200 years is a long life for a Greater Vampire. No matter how many dozens of average knights, she could split their shields with her bare hands, snap their swords, and bring forth enough force to instantly crush their armor.
{… Unless! Is she a [Hero]?}
The Count discarded that stupid idea and shook his head.
Once every several hundred years, the Hero would appear in the Holy Kingdom to drive out the evil forces of the country, surely the Hero wouldn’t walk alongside Demons.
 
The same was true of a [Saint]… but what if she wasn’t a [Saint]?
On the contrary…

… It can’t be.

Sweat flowed profusely from the Count’s forehead.
What if the girl wasn’t [Human], but another high-ranking [Demon] that was being accompanied by more Demons…?
 
But, what kind of [Existence] could possibly have so much power to control an Arch Demon?
The Count watched Millaine attack the little girl, and noticed.
Millaine’s butlers and maids, why weren’t they helping her? No, they were going to help, but each time they moved to strike, they held back, entranced by the beauty of Yurushia, and stopping in their tracks.
 
The Count thought that it was [Charm].
But, that was wrong, he immediately changed his thoughts.
It’s said that a demon [Charms] a human, but in fact, demon’s don’t have any power to [Charm].
What had [Charmed] the vampires was not the performance; it was a kind of magic a long lived vampire would spend their nearly endless life creating.
It was triggered by [Line of Sight], and used without casting a spell.
Moreover, the effect was weak; it could not overturn antagonistic feelings.
 

… It can’t be… It can’t be… such a ridiculous power…

 
In the five hundred years of the Count’s life, he had talked about high-ranking demons with human sages.
Legend had it, that of all the demons in the past, there was only a single [Demon] that could [Charm] others.
 
It had Beauty far surpassing that of a [Human].
After living for thousands of years, and by clutching the souls of countless people, it understood the [Human Mind].
Having a cold sort of beauty which turned people away, wrapped in a soft caring understanding of the [Human Mind], it [Charmed] all the beings around it, purely in its existence…
This [Demon] had knowledge called [Knowledge of Another World] obtained over a long time, communicating with Wise Men on a whim, bringing chaos to the people of the world.
That existence…
 

……[The Devil]……


 
If that was the case, this thing was from an entirely different [League] than vampires. They would not be able to flee even if he and Millaine combined their power.
At the time the Count thought this, he began to run from Millaine’s battle.
 

Where are you going?

 
The [Girl Demon] suddenly moved her sword towards him, and as soon as the black sword swung down, the thoughts of the Count were enveloped in darkness.
 
＊
 

You bastaaaaaaard!

 
At the sight of Nia killing the Count with a single sword strike, Millaine yelled out in rage.
……What’s this?

Millaine-chan, are you angry?


OBVIOUSLY!

Oh my, what’s this?
Let’s have the good Miss settle down a little.
 

It really is narrow here… since I’m just a little stronger, won’t all of you die?

 
At my sudden voice, Noa and Nia who had finished their annihilation looked back with frightened faces. I grabbed Millaine by her attacking arm and collected demonic magic power in my fist, my consciousness spinning the words in the [Holy Spirit Language].
 

… [Tsuranuke]… tsu!


… Tsu?

 
Using the energy, I grab Millaine’s arm and fly up, flinging a fist against the bedrock roof of the cave.
Bubon
Pure demonic magic power used to speak the holy spirit language, the effects of the magic punched right through the rock ceiling, making a strangely comedic sound.
 
Oh well, the only goofy thing was the sound, the caves have been partially destroyed, and while it was good that I used some energy to leap off the ground, Millaine has fallen into a terrible state since I grabbed her arm, screaming all the while.
 
… Crud. I was too reckless with my movements, there’s not much magic power left.
 

Cough, Cough

Millaine, who came out with me into the sky grew out her own bat wings, flying in the sky while coughing from the dust.
But, she survived, huh… Excellent, excellent.
Her dress is in tatters… how erotic… Looking around, her eyes widened as she saw me.
I had my own wings too, my golden bat wings expanded for flight.
By the way, my dress wasn’t torn up. Obviously. I would never do such a thing as let the dress Father bought me get ruined.
 

You… what’s with that appearance…?

Millaine quickly stopped her voice and looks at me vigilantly.
She’s finally cautious of me.
I concentrate my magic power and laughed lightly as my eyes turned deep crimson and my fangs emerged.
 

Well, I am a demon, after all.

 

… Demon…?

After explaining, Millaine seemed to calm down, rather than be surprised again.
Certainly the existence of a human child who could earnestly avoid Millaine’s attacks as a vampire would destroy her self-confidence.

Hey~, Millaine.


What is it…?

With a powerful [Demon] in front of her, Millaine took up a listening posture. Now I’m unsatisfied.
 

Please be my subordinate.

 

………… Haaaah?

Millaine’s cautious face suddenly became messed up.
I wouldn’t have said such a thing if there was no chance.

What kind of idiot… do you think I am…?


Well…? Just being friends would be all right.


… Wh-what…

As I give my demand plainly, Millaine has a confused face, her mouth hanging open.
A breath goes by.

Else, die…?


……

After that, I give her an exciting deal. Since I’m a demon.
Millaine looks at my demonic appearance, then the large hole in the ground. After a moment of silence, heaving a large sigh, she speaks.

… Got it. I will… be your friend.

 
Yes! There’s a good place to land around here.
Actually, I was dangerously close to running out of magic power. I might have lost if I seriously fought with Millaine… It’s my own stupid fault.
 

You’re not angry anymore?


I’m not angry… I thought a lowly human was making a fool out of me and that I had been betrayed by the Count and that lot so quickly…

Millaine sighs as if she’s given up something.
As I thought…
When Nia destroyed the Count, her anger was less than from my fooling with her. I figured as much, somehow.
 

For the time being, please take care of me, Millaine.


Yes, yes, good luck to you Yurushia-sama.

 
Thus, the vampire threat closing in on the Holy Kingdom was resolved, with nobody being the wiser.
But I am sorry, Millaine…
Your life, I’ll only be using it as [Education] for my servants, though I won’t tell.
 
Author’s Notes:
Yurushia’s 『Otherworldly Wisdom』 – > 『Hair Restoration』
(Piro: I’m sorry, App.)