Ch.130Golem (7)

“Grandmother.”

Silence is hard to bear. Anyone would feel the same if they said something and everyone went quiet, just staring at them.

It makes you want to say something more. So I deliberately added another word.

“Granny?”

Actually, that was two words. The uncomfortably prolonged silence was getting to me.

And if there was someone who felt even more uncomfortable than I did in this situation, it would be the Empress.

The woman who had been changing her pupils into all sorts of colors and shapes frowned with clear displeasure visible even through her veil.

“I won’t ask again. Right now…”

“I called you grandmother.”

Silence returned. In that silence, I rolled my eyes slightly to survey those present.

First, the two shapeshifters. The ones I had just fought, whom I could probably handle more easily if I brought out my black armor.

Their estimated level would be around 15. Not even on par with Lorian, so there hadn’t been any problems after I left them to Lorian, who was already accustomed to her 20 Dexterity.

In fact, if Lorian had sufficient fuel supply, she could easily subdue both of them on her own.

Lorian was an exceptional blood knight, and internally, she was an executioner who executed traitors.

She must know the weaknesses of each clan inside and out. Thinking this, I rolled my eyes slightly to look at Lorian.

Lorian had already erased the blood armor she had been wearing, which meant her expression was nakedly visible to me.

Finally, the monarch of the shapeshifters called the Empress. Presumably… Ortemilia’s mother.

And perhaps someone I could call my grandmother. These four people were showing different reactions.

Shock and fear, anger and hostility.

Confusion and acceptance.

And finally, interest and faint irritation.

I focused on the interest and irritation among them. I saw the Empress unfurling something in the direction of my gaze.

A fan? How elegant.

“Is there a reason for that judgment? Or did you say that simply to upset me?”

A tone too polite to be directed at a blood bag. This gave me insight into the character of the being called the Empress.

Polite, pretentious, acting like a lady.

All deception. Her essence is that of a shapeshifter. And one so powerful that she constantly displays her transformation in her eyes.

The vast majority of all races must seem like insects before her. Her biological perfection is on a level that defies comparison with ordinary beings.

Even for someone like me who possesses a perfected body.

With the thought that perhaps the Empress might be physically superior to me, I stuck my hands in my pockets and stood askew.

Sure enough, ‘Grandmother’s’ face frowned.

“First, I judged that you deserve respect due to your age.”

“Your tone lacks respect. As does your posture.”

“I figured you’d know that even if I showed respect now, it wouldn’t be genuine, so it would only annoy you.”

“…Continue.”

The Empress seemed to be a rational type. If pretentious behavior and deception were branches of rationality, I could understand.

“I think the ‘my child’ you’re referring to is Ortemilia, right? No need for us to confirm that.”

“That’s right.”

“That Ortemilia told me she was like a mother to me, and I’ve internally affirmed that perception.”

Of course, that’s entirely possible because I’m an orphan. But there’s no need to tell her that.

Not many people knew I came from another world, including her and Ortemilia.

There’s no value in mentioning it. If anything, mentioning it would only benefit her side.

My genius brain calculated that while I should prod, I needed to milk this conversation for all it was worth.

“Then you are my mother’s mother. By common understanding, it would be right to call you grandmother.”

No answer came. The Empress was still quietly glaring at me, her pupils changing from those of a cat, to a lizard, to something that might be a goat, a sheep, or an octopus, before finally becoming human again.

Can she transform into all kinds of animals?

Then what are her limits, and what specifically are her abilities?

It’s not easy to guess. If I think about having to fight her someday…

“That’s not all, is it?”

Her words cut through my thoughts. I quietly met the eyes glaring at me from within the veil.

A surreal being where not a single strand of hair or piece of skin was visible, only the eyes.

That being was looking down at me.

“You can’t contain your killing intent. A sign of immaturity.”

“…You can feel that through this projection?”

“Rather, is there any reason I shouldn’t be able to?”

My first thought was that she might be bluffing.

No, that had to be it. This is at best a hologram, and no matter how powerful a monster’s senses might be, they couldn’t feel things through a hologram.

That would be something beyond even supernatural abilities.

It’s in the realm of miracles that defy logical explanation. The realm of absurd imagination that can only be displayed because the principles are unknown.

Yes, it’s my expression. I was convinced and composed my face.

“So, Grandmother. Besides criticizing me as a worthless piece of shit who can’t contain my killing intent, did you have some other purpose?”

Perhaps because we had just exchanged blows, the Empress stared at me for a long time before speaking.

“I have a proposal.”

With a crisp sound, the fan she had opened closed. Though all I could see were her brightly shining pair of eyes due to the veil.

The Empress was looking down at me with a very interested expression.

“A proposal that wouldn’t be bad for you either, blood bag.”

Silence fell, and the Empress’s eyes shone brightly upon me.

In the darkness reflected in those eyes, I read desire.

“I want to formally bring you, blood bag, into the clan.”

“What do you mean?”

“Become my adopted child.”

Behind her hologram, the two shapeshifters drew in their breath. Even Lorian beside me widened her eyes in surprise.

“The only successful experiment in ‘body reconstruction.’ I want to bring you into the clan and put an end to this cold war that has begun.”

She calmly revealed facts I had known nothing about.

*

Cold war.

Those from Earth would be familiar with it, but those born after a certain period might not be so familiar with the term.

That’s inevitable because it’s been a long time since the last cold war ended.

What remains as a cold war now is something that’s ambiguous to even call a cold war, and traces of it can only be found in games and media.

Generally, one has to ponder the expression before understanding what it means.

But who am I?

Am I not a superhuman with outstanding intelligence and even more humility and propriety?

Even my status window reveals that I am a being unbound by the shackles of ordinary humans, so my confidence was based on logic and reason.

Judging by that logic, reason, and the world’s acknowledgment.

“Holy shit…”

The three clans were in a cold war.

“No, fuck, how…”

It’s surprising. I know. But thinking about it carefully, it wasn’t really surprising at all.

The three clans were completely different clans grouped together as three.

The shapeshifters who gather the world’s magic through endless transformation and possess powerful bodies.

The blood clan who steal life from others with the power of plunder flowing in their blood and command that life itself.

And finally, the necromancers who handle all deaths beyond even their own.

Three powerful races living together.

Even if they hadn’t been united well until now, one would think it’s understandable, but they were clashing with each other due to different methodologies for some purpose.

Such a background could lead to a cold war situation at any time. It’s rather remarkable they’ve held out this long.

In that sense, the Empress’s request was extremely rational.

“The clan needs a new focal point. Until now, plausible results, some achievements, and the existence of the Empire have prevented that… but things suddenly changed.”

She testified as such.

“The Court Scholar and the Prophet, both suddenly changed. They switched to a policy friendly to the Empire.”

“To the Empire?”

“Considering they had a policy of attacking the Empire until now, it’s a surprisingly quick transition. Don’t you think it’s unusual?”

At that point, the Empress read my expression and smiled.

“You seem to have some idea? That’s good then.”

The Empress crossed her legs. Her long, pure white snake tail rippled beyond the screen, and she used that tail to make her veil flutter before speaking.

“Even if not the head of the clan, even as an external advisor, it would be a decent position. I’ll let you use the clan’s power, what do you think?”

As the Empress said, it was all benefit. But for some reason, something felt off.

“Let me think about it. I’ll tell your lackeys when I decide.”

“…Considering I’m not a person with much patience, I’d appreciate a quick decision.”

The hologram disappeared after those words, and the two shapeshifters glared at me as if they found me distasteful.

I turned my back on their gazes and returned to our lodging where the door had disappeared.

“Oh.”

I don’t know when it was repaired, but a new door had been installed. Wow, they work fast.

As I was humming a tune and entering the room.

SMACK!

With a sudden sharp pain, my knees hit the floor.

“Huh? What…”

Before I could grasp the situation, something accelerated. What I saw as I turned my head was Lorian’s expression as she exhaled rough breaths.

And her leg extending straight for my head.

Lorian was wearing a dress.

Ah, crazy bitch. I told her to wear under—

THWACK!

With a choking sound, I rolled across the floor. As I finally stopped rolling, Lorian approached and mounted me.

Oh, this, could it be.

As I was shocked, Lorian exhaled heated breaths and said,

“I’m sorry. I used too much blood.”

“Wait, I can’t pass out here—!”

CRUNCH!

I drew in a breath at the pain digging into my neck. In the paradoxical pain that was both cold and hot, I felt intense pleasure along with the sensation of something being sucked out.

Fuck, I hate being fed on.

I desperately try to control my hand that wants to go limp and grab Lorian’s hair, but.

Lorian burrows deeper into my embrace, licking my neck thoroughly and sucking my blood vigorously.

Before long, I lost consciousness and fainted.

I should have fed her regularly.

It was too late for regrets.