A white finger, flicked some slightly white and cloudy hot water.
Ripples spread out, and reached the body that was submerged in the bathtub. The waves hit two well-rounded bulges.
「Fuu......」
Leaking out a long breath, the woman leaned her head on the marble. Her wet scarlet hair spread out.
She was Zircon Tower’s Feudal Lord, Farnis Lamnites.
Something like the splendid bathing room that was near the top of the tower did not exist in any building in the royal capital. It was that extravagant of a facility. Recuperating her strength here, she would once again be able to face the exhausting work as leader tomorrow as well.
What Lamnites thought about was──the Magician that she confronted in town during the day.
「You, what do you plan on doing once you find that Magician?」
「If they’re a useful fellow, I will make them my subordinate! If they won’t obey me, then I thought I would teach them the difference in our strength!」
「You damned troublesome fellow.」
To call Lamnites, the leader of this territory, a "troublesome fellow"......
「Fufu......He was a strange man.」
The magic that repulsed the 《Sand Whale》 that was heading to the town, it was something so high-ranked that she had never seen before. Most likely, there was no one even in the royal capital’s Magician Guild that could use that sort of Chemical Elemental Magic. She had no doubts about his extraordinary talent.
However, those eyes, they somehow looked like that of a young boy’s. The unselfishness that was unsuited for his ability, and behavior that couldn’t be called humility, she couldn’t help but feel incongruity from it.
Lamnites caressed her own well-rounded breasts. Seeing these, that man looked like he was bashful.
「......Going as far as taking along slaves such as those, he couldn’t possibly not have experience with women, right?」
Come to think of it, I forgot to ask his name──is what she thought.
She decided to have it investigated.
She had a personality where she would immediately take action once she made up her mind.
While still submerged in the bathtub, she raised her voice.
「Someone!」
Normally, there would be an immediate reply from a chamberlain in wait outside.
That, didn’t come.
Feeling a strange uneasiness, Lamnites stood up inside of the bathtub.
Making splashes, drops of water fell from her scarlet hair and her body that was abundant with curves.
Her slackened senses tensed up. When she exposed her skin to the atmosphere, she was able to sense something that she hadn’t noticed up until now.
──What is this? This sticky presence!?
Lamnites stretched her hand out.
The presence that was like mud, it approached with terrifying speed.
She hurriedly grabbed her Revolver Magi Gun. She turned around.
Some jet black person stood on the surface of the bathtub’s water. Lamnites pulled the trigger before she could confirm its identity.
The gunshot resounded.
The Magi Gun’s bullet certainly hit it but......
Their complexion didn’t change a single bit.
It was a man.
His age was at least in the twenties. With good looks that could be called beautiful, he had white skin, a slender chin, almond eyes, and even the bridge of his nose was good.
His clothes were that of a tuxedo that felt was if he were going to a party. The style was slightly old though.
If it was just that, he would simply be a handsome young man that looked like he would be popular in high society.
However, that guy was standing on the water’s surface.
On his back, he had the wings of a bat.
Even though the bullet had hit his left breast, not even blood came out.
He wasn’t a person.
Lamnites consciously calmed her breathing. She was nude, but she didn’t have a personality where she would feel shyness, and this wasn’t the time for that.
「Are you, a Demonic Being?」
「Fufufu......That is exactly it, beautiful Ojou-san.」
「What dribble. I am not of an age to be called "Ojou-san". To think I would allow a Demonic Being’s trespassing on this tower.」
「It was simple. It’s because unlike the people of the Races, I can fly through the sky, you know?」
「There should have been surveillance and guards as well......」
「Couldn’t it have been that they were all tired? They were soundly asleep......an eternal sleep that is.」
「You bastard!」
Lamnites discharged a second shot.
It should have hit, but as expected, there were no signs of being effective on the opponent.
──Does this mean that he is invulnerable!?
She concealed her feelings of unease.
However, she was nude. Her weapon was only the Magi Gun meant for self-defense that she held in her right hand. She wasn’t even able to bluff.
The young Demonic Being man made a wry smile.
「You won’t even make a scratch with that sort of thing. Well, please calm down. Tonight, I came to talk with you after all.」
「Mu......A Demonic Being, wants to talk......?」
They were a bunch that would kill people of the Races on sight. There was no room for dialogue or discussion. Wasn’t he that sort of existence?
While the other party was still floating, he took a position as if sitting down on a chair.
He crossed his long and slender legs.
「First, why don’t we do some self-introductions──I am called Vanaknes.」[1]
「This is my first time being introduced to a Demonic Being. However, there is surely no need for me to say my name, is there?」
「Of course. The one that came to visit is me after all.」
「What is your business?」
Vanaknes lightly hit his hands together, and made an applause.
「First, let me express words of praise. You did well to drive away the great whale. I was astonished to see that the people of the Races were able to perform such a feat.」
Lamnites opened her eyes wide.
「ッ......The one that turned the 《Sand Whale》 towards the town, are you saying that it was you?」
「That is correct. It is because I have someone that is able to manipulate Demonic Beasts. But we went through hardship with the great whale, you know? To think that you would drive it away, it was unexpected.」
「So it was unrelated to the sand ship that was running away.」
「We made use of it but......That was all.」
To be able to manipulate that great of a Demonic Beast──He is an outrageously formidable enemy.
However, Lamnites didn’t tear down her attitude of having leeway.
「Hmph......So you intended on annihilating Zircon Tower City using an extra-large Demonic Beast. As I thought, it seems that my town is hard to attack even for Demonic Beings, isn’t it? How pleasant.」
Vanaknes made a wry smile and shook his head side-to-side.
「No, no, that was my own way of showing mercy, you know?」
「Hou, I’m surprised. So even Demonic Beings can jest.」
「......I had thought that rather than being slowly killed by my military forces, you would probably prefer the suffering to end in an instant by being swallowed up together with the town by the whale.」
She couldn’t allow that comment to pass.
「Military forces, you say?」
「Yes, I──have been appointed as the Demon King Army’s generalissimo.」
The muscles along Lamnites’ spine trembled. Her skin had goosebumps.
「It couldn’t be......」
The Demon King’s Army had collapsed together with the previous Demon King’s annihilation. For a Demonic Being to say that now, it meant that it was newly organized.
「Having said this much, I think you already understand but......Demon King-sama’s revival has been completed.」
「Wha!?」
The people of the Races had long fought in order to prevent the Demon King’s revival.
However, if what this one was saying was true, then the Demon King has already started taking action. It meant that the long and painful war between the people of the Races and the Demonic Beings would start once again.
Once the Demon King revives, the strength of Demonic Beings and Demonic Beasts would increase──that is what was said.
This Demonic Being called Vanaknes, he could manipulate a gigantic Demonic Beast, and not even a scratch could be made with Lamnites’s bullet. He was awarded strength from the revived Demon King. She was able to understand if she thought of it like that.
──The rumor that the Demon King’s crest was spread out in the sky at Faltra City......It would seem that it wasn’t just some prank.
Lamnites nodded.
「So you’ve come to declare the Demon King’s revival.」
「She has already revived. However, I have not come just to tell you that.」
「Hurry up and tell me everything. I am not one with much patience.」
「I understand. Well then, let me say this frankly──Please surrender.」
That was a proposal that was way too unexpected.
To think that a Demonic Being would offer negotiations.
Lamnites shrugged her shoulders.
「HA! To think that a Demonic Being would demand our surrender!? That is quite amusing. And what will happen by making us surrender? Do you intend on governing a town of the Races? I would like to see that. Whether or no it can be governed by the Demon King.」
「Fufufu......Her Majesty’s rule is merciful and fair.」
「Hohou?」
「The people of the Races, we shall have them all commit suicide. That is surely much more merciful that being eaten alive by Demonic Beasts.」
In her mind, Lamnites felt a bit of disappointment, and exaltation.
As she thought, they were incompatible with Demonic Beings. There was no room for discussion, was her disappointment. And then, exaltation for the fighting that would surely come from now on. Her fighting spirit welled up.
「It seems that Demonic Beings are the ones among the creatures affiliated with evil that can interpret human speech. Well then, to you who should comprehend human speech, I shall teach you words suitable as a reply to this sort of situation──」
「So that means I will receive an answer to my proposal. And what might it be?」
「It is "you damned fool".」
Vanaknes stiffened up while still having a smile.
Before long, that gentle smile collapsed and crumbled. His lips tore apart, and countless fangs line up within could be seen.
「Fuhahaha! In that case, let the eating start with you!」
「Do not take me lightly, you scum──《Flare Bullet》!!」
She added magic on top of the magical power that was endowed on the Magi Gun’s bullets.
And then, she drove all of the three remaining shots in the cylinder into him.
An explosion was raised.
Vanaknes’ figure was engulfed in black smoke.
Lamnites jumped out from the bathtub. She had even stronger equipment prepared outside of the bathing room. If she used those, then──
However, she was thrust away by the thing that flew out from the black smoke.
She was thrown into a wall.
「Kuhah......!?」
──What just happened?
The black smoke cleared up. What had bashed Lamnites was Vanaknes’ fist. His arm stretched out long as if it were an elephant’s trunk.
Going *shuru shuru*, it returned to its original length.
「Fufufu......So it was a magic endowed bullet. That was quite good, it worked splendidly. That’s true, you know?」
His tuxedo was burning. Did it only burn his clothing?
Or could damage really have gotten through to him?
「However, unfortunately......I am much too strong. I do not have a measurement method but......If I were to speak with the people of the Races’ scale, I suppose it would certainly be at level 160.」
「Wha!? Do not screw around with me!」
In order to manage the grades of requests towards Adventurers, there was a measuring system for strength with a scale called level.
However, that was just something that strong people acknowledge, and went up to 100.
And since the Hero Allen, who was said to be the strongest among the people of the Races, proclaimed that "he is level 150" in the past, it became an accepted opinion that the limit of the people of the Races was 150.
──So in other words, he is stronger than anyone of the people of Races, is what he wants to say.
It was irritating, but right now, she didn’t have a means to counterattack.
Lamnites put her left hand on the wall and supported her body up. It took her all to somehow not collapse and support herself.
Did she dislocate her right shoulder with that last attack? She couldn’t put in any strength due to the intense pain.
She had dropped the Magi Gun. It was useless though, since there weren’t any remaining bullets in it anyway.
Vanaknes drew near her.
「I’ve changed my mind. It seems you are stronger than I thought. And I like strong women.」
「What was that?」
With a hand where only the appearance wasn’t any different from that of a Human’s, Vanaknes touched Lamnites’ skin. He traced the curve of the bulges on her chest.
The Demonic Beings nail touched the tip of her breast.
With a *guh*, he pinched it.
A sharp stimulus made the muscles along Lamnites’ spine tremble.
「Kuh......」
At the spot the nail touched, a drop of blood rose up.
Vanaknes curved the ends of his lips.
「Fufufu......Tearing from just a touch, even though you’re fragile and ephemeral like this, you are strong enough to inflict a wound on me. To me, that sort of woman is attractive and suits me. 」
「Shut up. You’re making me nauseous.」
「Even that confidence, it isn’t bad at all. Even though your life would be gone if I were to pierce that soft chest with my fist just like this.」
「Go ahead and try it. When you try to smash my heart, I will bite your windpipe to a thousand pieces.」
「Farnis Lamnites......I will not kill you. Let’s add you to my harem.」
Vanaknes’ large hand touched the nape of Lamnites’ neck.
Her chin was grasped.
He pushed her against the wall.
Lamnites tried to punch Vanaknes’ face with her left fist that she could still move but ──he easily caught her wrist.
To begin with, this was an opponent where not even the bullet of her Magi Gun could injure him. A bare handed attack probably would even give him mental anguish.
Slowly, Vanaknes’ face got closer and──
「Lamnites-sama!」
A shout was made from the side.
At the same time, a bullet charged with magic was fired. An explosion happened.
Vanaknes laughed scornfully.
「To obstruct an act of love......That is very boorish.」
The one that charged into the bathing room was one of her subordinate knights. He attacked by firing a large type Magi Gun in rapid succession.
「You damned Demonic Being, don’t touch Lamnites-sama!」
「This isn’t bad, since the more love is obstructed, the more roused up it gets. I wouldn’t mind going against you here, but I do not want to get the precious lovely woman that I found to get dragged into it──I suppose I will withdraw for tonight.」
Even while taking the Magi Gun attacks, Vanaknes kept a nonchalant air about him, and gently floated up.
With his hand separating from her, Lamnites could finally exhale.
「Kuh......So you’re running away!?」
「I am letting you off with this, is what I suppose is the correct way to call it. On the evening of the next full moon, I shall come to take you away. Be sure to choose a wedding dress, okay, Farnis?」
「Do not say my name so imprudently, you dullard!」
「Fufufu......Next time, I shall have your all.」
Saying that, Vanaknes licked the red drop that was on the tip of his nail. It was the nail that pricked the tip of Lamnites’ breast earlier.
「Kuh......」
She reflexively covered her breast with one hand.
Going *Fufufu*, Vanaknes leaked out a laughter.
He waved one hand.
In the outer wall of the sturdy tower that could withstand even cannon fire, a hole was easily opened up.
Lamnites opened her eyes wide in astonishment.
──So, without getting even a scratch while drawing Magi Gun bullets, he smashed the wall of this tower with one hand.
「Damned monster......」
After opening up a hole in the outer wall, the black clothed Demonic Being flew out. Spreading out his bat-like wings, he vanished into the starless night sky as if melting into it.
The knight rushed over.
「Are you alright!?」
「Of course. Who do you think I am?」
She still couldn’t move her right arm. It was hard to say that she was alright, but Lamnites declared that. The emotional humiliation was larger than her body’s injuries.
Although her equipment was lacking, it was a unilateral defeat. Her fist trembled with rage.
The knight knelt down.
「I am terribly sorry! To think we would allow an invasion to go as far as Lamnites-sama’s bathing room......!!」
「What of the guards?」
「It seems that several of them are breathing but......」
It seemed that Vanaknes’ words were not a lie. So a majority of them were killed.
Some others came in carrying Lamnites’ clothing and equipment.
By nature, aristocrats would make the servants dress and change their clothes. She had no opposition to having her skin seen by others.
However, unlike the ones that usually assisted her, the knight never had the chance to lay his eyes on Lamnites’ nude body.
The knight that came to her aid blushed and hung his head down.
If she remembered correctly, his name was──
「It was Henrick, was it not.」
「Yes!」
「You did well to come rushing in.」
「Y, yes! The fact that you are alright, Lamnites-sama, is the best news of all!」
He deeply bowed his head while still hanging it down.
He had gone red down to his neck.
Maybe due to the harsh region called the Former Demon King Territory, there were many vulgar fellows among Lamnites’ subordinates. It seemed that there was a rare innocent man among them.
「Henrick, gather all of the unit commanding officers and the heads of the Adventurer’s Guild and the Magician’s Guild. There is something that needs to be reported quickly. Those that are sleeping are to be roused out of bed.」
「Understood!」
He stood up and saluted, but since he was still in front of Lamnites as she was in the middle of changing clothes, he looked like he was troubled as to where to place his eyes.
Translator’s Notes:
[1] Pronounced Va-nak-nes. Original: バナクネス
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