Ch.69Chapter 69: Evening (3)

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KWAAANG-!!

The sound of something being struck with tremendous force filled a reception room tucked away in the farthest corner of the Obsidian Palace.

KUUUNG-!!

And just as the first sound faded, another even more powerful impact reverberated through the space.

KUUUNG-!! KAAANG-!!

Though varying in intensity, the sounds continued without pause, spreading throughout the Obsidian Palace until even the demons outside could hear them clearly.

Flinch

The demons prowling around the Demon Realm froze whenever these noises emanated from the Obsidian Palace.

As if trembling in fear and watching cautiously.

Why would these beings of the Demon Realm, who reign as objects of terror to humans, display such fear?

Because the one causing this commotion possessed such overwhelming power that even if the demons gathered into legions and charged at them, they would stand no chance.

And these sounds echoing throughout the Demon Realm were merely fragments of that being’s anger.

Whooosh

The impact sounds that had been ringing out ceased, and the cold wind of the Demon Realm filled the silence in their place.

The beings of the Demon Realm were relieved.

The reason was that the angry individual hadn’t come outside to continue their destructive activities on whatever came into sight.

They were especially relieved because they believed the object of that anger must be close at hand, which was why the enraged being hadn’t emerged.

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Let’s shift our location to a reception room deep within the Obsidian Palace at the heart of the Demon Realm.

Traces of the intense physical movement that had occurred here moments ago still lingered.

The spacious reception room was filled with an overwhelming presence that could only be described as a curious balance between scorching heat and chilling bloodlust.

It was an aura of such overwhelming density that even if a demon or equivalent being were to enter…

They would suffocate upon entry if their own accumulated status was too low.

And at the source of this aura, seated at a desk made of indestructible obsidian, was a being who appeared to be a woman, trying to calm her anger.

It might seem strange to describe her ambiguously as “a being who appeared to be a woman,” but…

“Huuuuu…”

As she exhaled a hot sigh, releasing the embarrassment and anger built up in her chest, what adorned her head made it impossible to limit her identity to that of a human.

Pitch black. Large horns reminiscent of a goat, in a color so dark they evoked the obsidian that suited this Demon Realm so well.

This was precisely why she couldn’t be classified simply as human.

And opposite her seat, someone else stood with a stiff posture.

“Ha… haha…”

Barely managing to let out an awkward laugh tinged with embarrassment.

His already pale complexion had become even more ashen to an indescribable degree, making for quite a sight.

Normally, his face would naturally be described as elegant with aristocratic dignity, but now not a trace of that remained.

Shame, anger, embarrassment.

These were the emotions evident in the man’s expression.

And the cold sweat gradually trickling down his forehead completed the picture.

After wiping away the cold sweat with his right hand, the man who displayed fragments of the negative emotions most easily revealed when facing adversity…

“I am deeply ashamed.”

Bowed at a 90-degree angle and offered a very respectful apology to the person seated across from him.

“I, Feil Sanguin, will make no excuses for this failure. What happened today was my mistake and my failure for not following your advice.”

Feil Sanguin, apologizing to the person before him, was in absolute misery.

Was it because he failed to conquer the fortress? No. Although failures weren’t common throughout his long life, that wasn’t the issue.

As he bowed and apologized, the woman across from him slowly opened her mouth, seemingly about to explain why he was in such misery.

“Sanguin. You may straighten up.”

The woman’s voice, calling his name and correcting his apologetic posture, was calm yet possessed a rather seductive charm.

“Your attitude of acknowledging your mistakes before making excuses is as commendable as ever. I accept your apology. After all, we’ve known each other for quite some time.”

It was hard to believe she was the same person who had been making the reception room reverberate with noise just moments ago.

“Huhu.”

The woman who accepted Sanguin’s apology with an intellectual demeanor had laughter in her voice and a smile on her face.

“However.”

The air changed.

The overwhelming presence that had filled the reception room and seemed to be subsiding began to increase in volume and mass once again.

Gulp

Sensing this, Sanguin swallowed dryly and focused his gaze on the woman.

She was still smiling, but Sanguin knew well.

That expression was one she often showed when her patience had reached its absolute limit.

“This girl told you not to engage in a direct confrontation with that fortress, yet you boldly declared, ‘I’ll crush that measly fortress the moment I arrive!’ And now you’re here apologizing to me, which breaks my heart.”

Screech

Having finished speaking, the woman rose from her desk and stepped toward where Sanguin stood.

Seeing this, Sanguin’s expression wavered unfocused.

Trembling with fear, as if anticipating what was about to befall him.

In fact, until just moments ago, Sanguin’s mind had been filled with thoughts of how to efficiently conquer the human fortress that had trampled his pride.

He had been convinced that doing so would also restore his diminished self-esteem.

But after entering this place to report his mission failure…

That conviction crumpled like a piece of paper, losing its form in an instant.

It was the moment he delivered the report with his own mouth that he had lost the borrowed Behemoth.

Sanguin hadn’t even considered that it would result in receiving the woman’s cold fury with his entire body.

All of this happened because he had fallen into a prolonged sleep trying to recover the power he lost during the Great Holy War a thousand years ago.

A thousand years ago, demons like the Behemoth were resources so trivial they could rightfully be called “mere Behemoths”…

Yet now he found himself in this predicament for losing just one Behemoth—and worse, failing to recover even its magic stone—which made Sanguin lament inwardly.

“So about that…”

Ah, I should have just listened instead of being reckless.

If he had, he wouldn’t be shouldering such a heavy responsibility despite his failure.

But regardless of the lamentations he was uttering inside…

The woman’s delicate right hand was caressing Sanguin’s chin.

Despite the touch feeling so hot it seemed almost burning—unlike his own bloodless complexion—Sanguin felt a chill run down his spine.

Had he been unprepared, he might have instinctively twisted his body to avoid that touch, but knowing that would lead to real trouble, Sanguin gritted his teeth and endured the approaching hand.

By the way, what would she demand of him this time?

Such a question was about to arise in Sanguin’s mind as he endured her touch, but…

“You must relieve this tearing pain for me, Sir Sanguin.”

“H-how do you mean?”

Having received a request to relieve her pain, Sanguin forgot his position as the leader of the Elder Vampires and asked a relatively polite question, appropriately humbling himself before his counterpart.

It might feel humiliating, but he had to endure it.

Because…

“…You’ll have to let me hit you until my anger subsides. Just not enough to put you in a coffin.”

He needed to maintain the most courteous attitude possible and cater to her mood before she resorted to physical action, so that taking two hits might be reduced to the level of taking just one.

It wasn’t that he would die or even feel pain from being hit, given his elevated status, but imagining the madness the woman before him would display in carrying out what was about to happen, cold sweat once again trickled down Sanguin’s forehead.

To reiterate, it was cold sweat.

Not because the woman’s touch on his face was too hot.

But because this woman, who was both a colleague favored by the same demon god and clearly in a superior-subordinate relationship with him…

Was a noble being with a violence and madness that chilled even him to the bone.

Because he had to endure her anger without any resistance.

And because it was somewhat unfair that he had to bear this fury as soon as he awoke from his long sleep.

But while feeling this unfairness with his entire body, a cold anger toward the humans who had put him in this state simultaneously surged within him.

Just you wait.

As he silently received the hand that had suddenly slapped his cheek, Sanguin made a vow.

Though he had hesitated momentarily due to the admiration he felt seeing the completeness of the fortress…

After this light punishment ended, he would definitely reduce the fortress to dust.

With that determination, Sanguin prepared himself to receive the woman’s next blow, coming from the opposite direction of where he had just been hit.

“My lord once said! When you slap one cheek, you must also slap the other to balance the sadistic desire!”

SMACK

Haah.

It seems I’ll have to take quite a beating.

This crazy woman suddenly flipped her switch.

Thinking this, Sanguin sank into the realization that tonight would be quite long as he maximized his blood magic-related powers as much as possible.

Perhaps because it had been so long since he’d misbehaved and gotten hit…

The touch of this colleague—who might someday, depending on circumstances, become his lord—felt exceptionally fierce after such a long time.

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‘The Eagle’

In the language of the ancient northern kingdom that was destroyed overnight when its capital was devastated by Fafnir’s hand, it means “osprey.”

It’s a place that serves as both a restaurant and a provider of decent high-end liquor at fairly reasonable prices to soldiers, knights, and officers who frequent it.

It’s also the venue for the dinner gathering my sister had proposed earlier.

Bringing the three people my sister had asked me to bring wasn’t particularly difficult.

…Though one person did cause a bit of a commotion, but I’ll explain that later.

“The deputy commander is treating us to a nice dinner? Then I must go.”

“As a son of the North, I should be the one treating the deputy commander to food—this is rather embarrassing.”

Though their reactions differed slightly, both Dan and Rufus followed me without hesitation after hearing my explanation.

Dan, who had been at the Cradle longer than I had after being selected by Director Belpheus at an even younger age, seemed excited about spending his first evening in an unfamiliar land.

And Rufus, who was fairly familiar with this place, appeared to enjoy the simple fact of having dinner with others.

Up to this point, everything was fine.

If my words came out like this, perceptive people would notice.

Ah, there must have been some issue with Excel.

How was he, you ask?

Let me explain the situation.

After opening the door to his quarters…

“Hey. My sister’s treating us to dinner, so come out.”

I should have clearly said these words, but…

“Hey. My sister’s treating us to din—”

Before I could even finish my sentence, as soon as Excel recognized the words “sister” and “food” mixed in my statement…

Krrrng-!!

Though faint, a poorly controlled neural current leaked out, and then…

“Hup!”

He sprang up from his chair like a coiled spring and arrived right in front of me.

“Where is it? Let’s go.”

And with those words, he immediately brushed past me, flung open the door, and went outside.

Yes. He had just passed by me, the one who was supposed to guide the way.

…While I knew the geography here well due to my experience in a previous timeline…

There was no way Excel, who had impulsively rushed forward, would have figured out the layout of the fortress city.

Sure enough…

“…Where are we supposed to go?”

Scattering tiny neural currents and moving his feet quickly, Excel came back to me within less than a minute of rushing ahead and asked for directions.

He expressed his embarrassment at having acted before thinking by scratching the back of his head.

“…”

“…”

Dan and Rufus, who had witnessed Excel acting at his own pace without looking around, maintained expressionless faces but remained silent, apparently at a loss for words.

“Haah…”

A quiet sigh escaped my lips as I briefly worried about my friend’s future.

[Arthur. I’ll somehow make this guy into a decent successor for your lineage.]

Even Fafnir was saying such things.

‘Will I be able to bring him safely to the dinner venue?’

Though such worries crossed my mind…

“What? It was close to the quarters all along.”

Fortunately—truly fortunately—as Excel grumbled, “The Eagle” wasn’t far from the lodgings prepared for the Subjugation Festival participants.

So no further impulsive actions from Excel occurred on our way to the dinner venue.

The truth is, we reached our destination after just a few steps, with the contrasting boisterous sounds already audible against the quiet outdoor scenery, leaving no time for anything else to happen.

Anyway, just before entering the promised location, I quietly prayed inside.

That the dinner would end without incident.