episode_0087
by fnovelpia“Found it!”
Marianne, who had been rummaging through the treasure vault while reminiscing about old tales, shouted excitedly.
“What did you find?”
“The Cat Transformation Bracelet!”
“Cat Transformation Bracelet?”
“Yes! With this, even if I’m with all of you, there’s no way I’ll get caught!”
“Transformation, huh…”
The others might notice, but…
Cain is only D-rank.
The odds of him detecting a simple transformation spell were slim.
…Or so she thought until—
“Ta-da!”
“!!!!!!”
“How is it?”
“Y-You’re way too cute!!!”
Marianne had transformed into an unbearably adorable black kitten.
Her appearance was so endearing, it made you want to scoop her up and plant kisses on her.
She looked more like a plush doll than any real cat you’d see in the wild.
“H-Hey… can I just hug you once?…”
“Of course.”
“Kyaaaaa!”
She was hugged immediately.
The moment Marianne was held, a soft, warm sensation overwhelmed the senses—it was pure artistry.
‘Holding Lady Serena was nice too, but… Marianne… haaaa…’
If forced to compare, Marianne felt even better.
Lady Serena’s embrace was wonderful, yes, but you couldn’t exactly manhandle the greatest goddess in the world.
Meanwhile, Marianne could be hugged all you wanted.
“Hehe… hehehe…”
You could pull her tight against your chest.
You could nuzzle your cheeks against hers, savoring the blissful sensation.
Haaa…
Is this what happiness feels like?
It’s wonderful.
“How is it?”
“You look so much like a real cat, it’s too cute!”
“That convincing?”
“Yeah! Exactly like one!”
Even knowing it was a transformation, the illusion was utterly flawless.
This level was more than enough.
More than enough, but…
“Duration?”
“They said as long as you eat properly, you can maintain it indefinitely.”
“Indefinitely?! That’s possible?!”
“Assuming the manual is truthful.”
Marianne pointed at a single sheet of paper lying inside the dropped ring box.
“This?”
She checked the manual.
Hmm…
A bit lengthy, but…
Summarized, it went something like this:
[Transformation Ring] – A ring that allows transformation by summoning and possessing one of its stored physical forms. – Not mere illusion—it swaps the actual body. – This nature makes detection nearly impossible, even for perceptive individuals. – However, since it alters the body, physical abilities drop drastically. (Conversely, switching to a stronger body enhances strength.) – The original body remains in timestop storage. – The transformation lasts indefinitely unless the assumed body dies. (HP zero, fatal disease, or starvation would break it.)
“Wow… this ring’s insane…”
“Right?”
Calling it a “Transformation Ring” undersold it.
In reality, it was a ring granting functional immortality.
By keeping the original body in timestop and continuously swapping vessels, lifespan became limitless.
‘Plus, there’s no restriction on what forms you can take.’
The only limit was registering bodies into the ring—but that was solvable.
‘Registration is easy too.’
Simply completely subdue a living creature, and the ring absorbs it.
In short: capture and torment someone a few times, and they’re yours.
Captured a monster? Torture it a bit?
Now you can transform into it.
Animals, humans, even demons—all could be seized and added to the collection.
…And just as that thought crossed her mind—
An absurd laugh escaped her.
‘This ring existed… and the Demon King just left it rotting in the vault? Never used it even once?…’
Disguise as royalty or nobility, drop a few words, and human society would collapse.
Pose as a soldier and spread misinformation.
The applications were endless.
Yet.
The Demon King had stored this priceless artifact away, unused.
‘Now I get why Cain said that.’
Demons are idiots.
Fools who rely solely on brute strength and vast mana, smashing everything in their path.
They sneer at tactics and strategy as “weakling tricks,” charging ahead like brainless meatheads.
A few, like Succubus Queen Bestia, schemed in human guise—but most were muscle-brained morons.
…Or so she’d heard.
‘Thank goodness they really are that dumb.’
Had demons used their brains like Cain and leveraged powerful artifacts, humanity would’ve fallen long ago.
Their stupidity was the only reason survival was possible.
But.
How long could that last?
‘Not all demons are fools.’
Some, like Bestia, had tried covert tactics.
Others, like Jet the Supersonic, gathered intel and whittled down the Hero Party’s strength with ambushes.
Both failed, but—
It proved demons were learning strategy.
That was dangerous.
‘If we don’t end this in our generation, we’re doomed.’
Demons inherited power.
The Demon King passed strength via the Demon King’s Stone to successors.
The Succubus Queen’s Essence did the same for her lineage.
Each generation grew stronger.
Now add strategy to that?
Unstoppable.
Humanity would lose.
Hence—
This generation ends it.
Seal or destroy the Demon King’s Stone to sever the power cycle.
That alone would solve most demon problems.
“Lady Alice?”
“H-Huh?…”
“Why so serious?”
“Ah… Just thinking… If demons had used artifacts like this strategically, humanity might already be extinct.”
She added gravely:
“And that we must seal or destroy all Demon King Stones and Essences to prevent future Demon King forces.”
“Prevent future forces?”
“Cain explained it.”
The Demon King’s armies persisted because of the Stone and Essences.
Remove those, and no more armies.
Upon hearing this—
Marianne’s eyes gleamed with realization.
“So if we handle the Demon King’s Stone… we can eradicate them? Ah—! That’s it!”
“Marianne?”
“But… how? The Stone can’t just be destroyed on a whim. Same for the Essences. How would we even—”
“Marianne?”
“Ah—! Ahhh!”
“Do you know something?”
“W-Well… I agree with destroying them, but… there’s no method…”
“Why not?”
“B-Because… The Stone and Essences never emerge unless their chosen bearer dies. Even then, they immediately pass to the next successor or kin…”
“So we’d need to exterminate their entire race?”
“Yes.”
“But Cain already took one.”
“Huh?…”
“He stole the Succubus Queen’s Essence.”
“H-He stole it?! HOW?!”
“Used a contract.”
She detailed how Cain had outmaneuvered Bestia.
Marianne gasped in awe.
“Wow… Cain is amazing.”
“Right?”
“Especially the part where he made Bestia despair. Chef’s kiss.”
“You had history with her?”
“Oh yes.”
Marianne recounted her past.
The Succubus Queen had planned to implant her Essence into Marianne, drain all her power, then kill her to extract it.
Then?
Bestia would inherit it, becoming the ultimate Succubus Queen—mastering both swords and magic.
At the time, Marianne had been thrilled.
Finally!
The succubi were accepting her!
But.
It was all lies.
Lured with promises of friendship, she was imprisoned.
Then Bestia gloated:
“KYAHAHAHA! No succubus would ever befriend trash like you! You’re just a sacrifice! A stepping stone for our lineage!”
“Oh? Why that face?”
“Be honored!”
“Your blood will etch our history! A useless wretch like you gets to be part of something greater!”
“KYAHAHAHA!”
She spat those words.
“I still dream about it sometimes… Bestia that trash offering me up to become the true Queen…”
Then Marianne smirked.
“But now… she died losing her precious Essence… Haah… Wish I’d seen it.”
“You happy?”
“Yes. Not killing Bestia was my biggest regret… But Cain did it and took her Essence… He’s the best.”
“Speaking of the Essence—”
“Huh?”
“Pretty sure Cain stole it for you. Want it?”
“M-Me?! He’d… really give it to me?…”
“He would.”
“Oh… Then… I, who can’t even cast basic magic, could become… an archmage? Wow… A dream come true…”
“That happy?”
“Of course! Others just wave a hand to make campfires! Flick fingers to build houses! But me?! ME?!!”
Suddenly, Marianne burst into tears.
“I had to smack rocks to start fires!! Rub sticks together!! Build houses branch by branch!! And those damn demons—!!”
“Every time I hunted, they’d destroy it all!! ONE FIREBALL!! EVERYTHING GONE!! SCREW THEM!! SCREW THEM ALL!! WAAAHHH!!”
Years of pent-up frustration exploded.
Unable to use magic, she had to craft everything by hand.
And demons burned it all down on a whim.
The injustice.
The rage.
She cried and cried.
But.
Those days were over.
With the Essence—
With the Succubus Queen’s Essence—
She’d wave a hand and make campfires too.
Build houses in an instant.
The suffering ends. Happiness begins!
…Or so she declared, until—
“Your dream’s just… that?”
Her aspirations were so modest it was almost sad.
—
AI-generated image of Marianne’s cat form.
(Her actual appearance will be shown in a later episode.)
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