Leave a comment

TL: Yuki

“Na…!”

I gulped.

…No, there are cases where evolved Goblins are recognized as subhumans, and since they form such an advanced nest, it’s not surprising that some of them can at least speak. But it was still a shocking thing.

Without being upset about this, Black Knight turns his sword point towards us and asks us a question.

“Are you with the Wolf’s child and a human…? No, a half demon? Why did you invade our castle? I’m sure you won’t lose your life for nothing. Tell me, who sent you? Answer me and I’ll guarantee your life.”

He didn’t speak out loud.

But every time he said it, I felt a tingling sensation on my skin.

It’s not just because he’s a higher-ranked opponent, it’s because there’s a clear will and hostility there.

It’s not like Luka can sacrifice herself without hesitation. I can’t be as ruthless and clever as that old wolf in making decisions for the pack.

I’ve decided to stand here to protect what I want to protect.

I’m not going to be defeated by this guy with all my strength, even if it means bluffing.

“No one sent me here, it’s my own will that brought me here! I won’t let you people have your way with that city!”

I straightened my shaky voice and looked at the Black Knight in front of me.

“Huh…? Then you don’t know what you’re talking about. Why do you give to others? You’re an undead monster, aren’t you? Did you live in the city and become bonded to someone? Then I’m sorry, but you’d better stop before you get hurt. No race will ever truly accept you.”

“That has nothing to do with it…!”

“If there isn’t, then why are you here alone? You’re just an undead, a wolf, and a half demon, and you’ve been made into a bullet that they don’t care if you die?”

“No! We came here of our own free will!”

“Don’t you think you were made to do that? It’s a set-up, from the moment we met to the moment we left. What reason do you have to deny it?”

Black Knight asked quietly.

“Master…”

Chibi looked at him with a worried look.

“…”

Youmu, on the other hand, seemed to be having a little trouble trying to speak. I’m sure it’s not because there was anything wrong with it. She knew that she had to shake off these doubts herself.

Black Knight’s question was not entirely out of line. I’ve certainly decided to get involved in this matter to guarantee my identity. I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s taken advantage of such an empty promise, depending on how you look at it. I can’t give enough evidence to prove that the encounter with Youmu and Luka was not a setup.

But I do think this.

Even if it was a set-up, the encounter in that town was good.

“I can’t bring myself to kill a child. I’ll only ask once. Will you come with me? It is my responsibility to advise you that this rudeness will not be tolerated. With your abilities, I am sure the king will be pleased.”

Black Knight loosened his tone and extended his hand, returning the sword.

I don’t feel that he is trying to set me up. He was just genuinely thinking about you in his own way. I’m not sure what to make of that. It’s not like he’s going to challenge you to a fight that you don’t stand a chance in hell of winning, but he could just take advantage of you here and start a rebellion later if he sees fit.

If you think you don’t even have the will to do so, you are entirely wrong.

For a moment, I thought of such a scheme, but then I threw away such words.

It’s clever, but it’s not strength.

No, it’s not the strength I’m looking for.

Whose name do I take now?

Whose footsteps am I trying to follow?

It’s {Leticia}.

I swore to myself, and to no one else, that I would be a Demon Lord worthy of Leticia.

“No, thank you.”

I looked at Black Knight and said calmly… But with unwavering intent, he said.

“That’s unfortunate”

Black Knight also replied quietly, and quickly raised his sword. There was no hesitation, no doubt, only an unwavering will.

“…Chibi, Youmu, when I give you the signal, spread out once.”

I mumble in order not to let my opponent know what I’m saying, and use a resonant bell to send my voice flying.

When Black Knight swung his greatsword with all his strength and was about to jump at me with all the spring in his body, I took out all the smoke screen I could find from the bag of messy magic tools I was given at the shop and threw it at him.

The magic power I put into it activated the smoke screen, which quickly covered the surrounding area with smoke.

“Now!!!!”

“Wuff!”

“Ahh!”

At my signal, each of them started running in a different direction.

But I guess this is where the other side gets their measure.

“Don’t mess with me!”

Looking through the smoke screen, Black Knight stepped in between me instantly and swung his greatsword to cut me down at once.

“Ack!”

I gathered all my magic power into my arm and created a number of blood weapons, while hardening the blood flowing in my arm to catch the big sword.

The blood weapon shattered with a sound like shattered glass, and the greatsword slammed into my arm, still unable to kill the momentum. I was blown several tens of meters by the force of the sword, making a cracking sound that I couldn’t tell if it was the bones breaking or the blood weapon in my veins breaking.

With a dull thud, I was slammed into the wall on the perimeter of the square.

My vision turned red and intense pain shot through my body.

――――It hurts.

But the fact that I can feel pain is proof that I’m still alive.

“Master!!!”

“Leticia!”

The two of them turned on their heels and tried to rush towards me, but I stopped them, saying, “It’s okay”. I guess it’s easier for Black Knight if we’re all together, so he chose to surround us. And the one he’s most wary of is me. You can see this from the fact that he struck that blow into me without hesitation.

I’m uncertain if it’s Chibi or Youmu, but I have no choice but to attract as many enemies as possible to this side of the line and have them somehow join up with Garum.

I forcibly raised my body, screaming, and poured the magic water into my mouth.

The demon king’s ability is good, but this water is also quite amazing. The fact that my magic power doesn’t run out of means that I can continue to shoot without having to worry about running out of ammunition.

I waved my arm, which had just been torn to shreds, and sprinkled a shower of blood around me.

From that I created a lot of blood swords, and I took out the ceremonial blade in my thigh, and I poured as much magic power into it as I could, and wrapped it around with a dark magic arrow.

The Goblin’s elite troops who were closing in to hunt me down were startled by this, and tried to defend themselves, but it was too late.

“Take this!”

As if to make the compressed magic power explode, a rain of blood swords clothed in dark magic strikes at once.

By wiping out a part of the squad, experience values flowed in at once. At the same time, I was able to raise my level considerably.

I think I can manage this.

I’m going to use the holy water again to restore my magic power and unleash a rain of blood weapons on the troops chasing Youmu and Chibi as a distraction.

But with the black knight already chasing me, I can’t put as much magic into it as I did earlier, so it’s not as effective as a distraction, but it’s enough to confuse them.