Prologue: The Defeated

On the Beta Plains, located in the eastern part of the Garnet Empire, a civil war raged. The first and second imperial princes, Arthur and Lance Garnet, were fighting over the throne, each wishing to become the next emperor.

Contrary to everyone’s expectations, the first—and likely last—large-scale clash between the brothers had ended with Lance’s overwhelming victory.

However, Arthur was still alive, and it was all thanks to his aides. Gawain the Black Knight had protected him, and Merlin the Great Mage had teleported him all the way back to the imperial capital using her magic.

〇 〇 〇

After he was engulfed by light, Arthur appeared midair inside a room and fell onto the carpeted floor with a groan.

“Prince Arthur!”

“Are you well, Your Highness?!”

His retainers rushed over to him in panic.

“Is this...the palace...?” Arthur gritted his teeth, recognizing where he was—a room in the imperial castle.

Arthur’s vassals immediately began to tend to the wounds that Lance’s gunners had inflicted. Arthur had a number of injuries, but none of them were very deep—in fact, they were basically nothing more than scratches to him. No, the problem was the toxins that the bullets had been coated in—toxins made by Caim, the Poison King. Since a huge variety of poisons had been injected into his body, no mere antidote or Healing Magic would be able to heal Arthur easily.

“Please rest easy, Your Highness. The doctor and priest will attend to you!”

“I shall bring you back to health no matter what. Please stay still!”

Despite everything, Arthur’s vassals did their best to treat him using all the medicines and magic at their disposal to relieve their liege’s pain.

“Why are you all here...?” Arthur asked, his expression stern. Having his retainers present with a doctor and a priest ready for him was far too convenient. It was as though they had known Arthur would appear injured in this very room.

“Dame Merlin said she would send you here if you were injured and ordered us to stand ready to treat you!”

Arthur had guessed correctly. As someone with the power of foresight, Merlin had also considered the possibility of her liege’s defeat.

“Damn you, Merlin... How dare you make preparations for my loss!” Arthur snarled in humiliation. He would have scolded Merlin directly had she been present, but she wasn’t—and she would likely never return. The same was true for Gawain.

All because Arthur had lost. They had sacrificed their lives to allow him to flee.

Arthur groaned, and his face contorted as though he was going to vomit blood.

“Are you in pain, Prince Arthur?” one of the retainers asked anxiously.

However, what came out of Arthur’s mouth wasn’t blood but a beastly roar.

“AAAAAAH!” Arthur screamed with all of his strength, terrifying his vassals. He emptied his lungs and cried tears of blood as he slammed his fist into the floor. “Damn it! Damn it all! I lost! And I didn’t even get to die a proud death on the battlefield! No, instead I left my vassals behind and fled alone!”

“Y-Your Highness!”

“P-Please, calm down!”

“FUCK IT ALLLLLLL!” Arthur raged, shaking off the physician attempting to treat him.

His retainers quickly tried to pin him down.

“Please stop, Your Highness! You are bleeding!”

“He’s gone mad. Hold him down!”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” Arthur continued to scream while his vassals restrained him. He had lost, and no excuses could be made about it. That was why he couldn’t stop his volcanic rage from erupting.

I am not ashamed to have been defeated, nor do I find Lance’s plan unfair. But I cannot accept running away alone! How could I, the conqueror, leave my retainers and army behind while fleeing to safety?! Arthur hated Merlin for forcing him to take an action like this. He would rather have died on the battlefield than flee like a coward—that way, he would have at least been able to pass away proudly, commending his brother for his victory.

“Your Highness! Prince Arthur!”

“Please, calm down!”

Arthur’s vassals tried to soothe their screaming liege, but their voices couldn’t reach him.

As if I’d ever let things end like this! I admit my defeat, but I can’t accept living in disgrace!

The outcome of the war had already been decided. Arthur had lost his Twin Wings, and there was no telling how many of his soldiers would even make it back to the capital. Many of them had surely either been killed or captured. Even if some did return, their morale would be broken, and they would never be able to fight another war against Lance.

I could close the gates and hole up in the castle to buy time... No, never. That would only add to my shame!

Arthur panted, his screams finally subsiding.

“H-Have you finally calmed down, Your Highness?”

Arthur’s retainers felt relieved as their liege, having regained his composure, started to plan his next course of action.

“Open the gates,” Arthur said.

“Wh-What did you say?”

“I ordered you to open the capital’s gates! Tell the soldiers to let anyone—foes and allies alike—enter the city!”

“B-But then, the enemy—”

“Do not make me say it again. Right now, I don’t think I’d be able to restrain myself.”

“U-Understood!” Accepting the command, the vassal straightened up and swiftly left the room. He had sensed that in Arthur’s current state, the prince really would cut down anyone, even his own retainers.

“All that’s left is to welcome the victor. Notify me when Lance arrives. I shall fulfill my final duty as the eldest brother!”

Even in defeat, Arthur was still a conqueror. He would not allow himself to show any more disgrace, be it to his allies or his foes. He would stand tall and proud until his last breath.

While the war between Arthur and Lance had reached its conclusion, the greatest brotherly feud in the empire’s history had yet to end.

The final act would take place in the imperial capital.

At the heart of the Garnet Empire, Arthur impatiently awaited the arrival of his siblings.

Chapter 1: After the Party

As Arthur was returning to the capital, the victorious eastern army was pursuing the western army through the Beta Plains, west of the port town of Berwick.

“Damn it... To think we would lose!”

The soldiers ran, panting hard. They were remnants of the Knights of the Red Tiger. Their captain had been slain, and now that Arthur, the supreme commander, had been teleported away, the western army was collapsing with no one to lead it.

“If we’d known it would end like this, we should have sided with Prince Lance!”

They all were now regretting their choice. The Knights of the Red Tiger were lower-ranked nobles, and because aristocrats respected authority and hierarchy, they had sided with Arthur, the first imperial prince. Not only that, Arthur was a militarist, and many of his retainers were strong warriors, so naturally, everyone thought he would win the civil war.

Yet, Arthur had lost, and now his crumbling army was fleeing from the enemy.

“I-I was against it! I thought Prince Lance was a better choice than Prince Arthur, since he doesn’t care about status, so why did things end like this?!”

“Shut up, dumbass! If you’ve got the energy to complain, then put it into your legs and run! If they catch us, we’re dead!”

“Exactly. Only an early death awaits blabbermouth soldiers,” interjected a chilling voice, causing the soldiers to stop and turn toward its source—a young man with purple hair. “Still, that guy really is a slave driver, making me help pursue the fleeing enemy immediately after taking care of their generals.”

This young man was Caim, the Poison King. After defeating Gawain and Merlin, Caim hadn’t even had time to rest before he was asked to go after the enemy soldiers on the run.

“I was told not to kill anyone who surrenders, so don’t force my hand,” Caim warned them.

“Screw it!”

“As if we’d let a bastard like you kill us without putting up a fight!”

The soldiers of the western army used crass words unbecoming of nobility and leaped at Caim with their weapons drawn.

“Diiiiiiiie!”

“Jeez, you should value your lives more. Seems like I wasted my time warning you.” Caim sighed, exasperated, as he swung his right arm.

Caim was unarmed, and yet the enemy soldiers were beheaded as though cut by a sharp sword. That was the effect of Seiryuu, a basic technique from the Toukishin Style which allowed its user to create a blade of condensed mana.

“Why are you guys resisting when I told you anyone who surrendered would live? Are you suicidal?” Caim asked.

“Think of it from their perspective. Soldiers have their pride,” replied a large man wielding two swords.

“And you are...?” Caim sensed from the muscled man’s aura that he wasn’t like the rest of the soldiers.

“The vice captain of the Knights of the Red Tiger—Galeos Myzer.”

“The vice captain, huh? So you’re not just a small fry. Are you going to surrender?”

“Hah! It’s too late to turn back now,” Myzer replied with a snort. “We went up against Prince Lance, fully intent on killing him. How could we ask for forgiveness?”

“I don’t think he’d mind,” Caim said.

“Perhaps... However, I have my pride as a knight.” Myzer readied his twin swords, prepared to die. “I shall be your opponent to buy time for my men to retreat.”

“So you plan to take the rear, huh? You’ve got guts, but do you have the strength to actually do it?” Caim shouted, swinging down his condensed mana blade—but Myzer parried it by crossing his twin swords. “Oh? Not bad.”

“Don’t expect to kill me that easily!” Myzer swung his swords like a raging storm, unleashing a flurry of countless strikes aimed at his opponent.

Caim created a blade of compressed mana on his other arm as well and repelled Myzer’s onslaught, searching for an opening.

I see. He isn’t all talk—in fact, he’s actually pretty skilled, Caim thought. Myzer was far from Gawain’s level, but he was certainly worthy of being the vice captain of a knight order.

“Still, while you’re not weak, you’re not that strong either,” Caim commented as he extended his condensed mana like a whip, striking through a gap between Myzer’s attacks. This counterattack gouged Myzer’s flank, staining the ground with blood. “Asking again, just in case... Do you still refuse to surrender?”

Myzer’s only answer was silence.

“Your loyalty is admirable,” Caim said, giving up on persuading him.

What followed was a one-sided battle. Caim kept attacking while Myzer could only defend. In the end, the vice captain of the Knights of Red Tiger suffered a fatal blow and collapsed to the ground. Myzer didn’t manage to even scratch Caim, but he had accomplished his role as the rear guard. The few minutes he had bought by battling Caim, the eastern army’s strongest warrior, had allowed some soldiers of the western forces to escape with their lives.

〇 〇 〇

The civil war that had occurred on the Beta Plains came to a close with the retreat of the western army’s supreme commander, Arthur Garnet, and the death of his close aides, Gawain and Merlin. The remnants of Arthur’s army tried to flee, but while some managed to escape, most of the soldiers either capitulated or died in battle.

While Arthur was able to get away, that still effectively made it Lance Garnet’s victory, bringing him one step closer to the throne.

“Now, all that’s left is for us to invade the capital. Arthur won’t run away. In fact, I’m certain he’s waiting for us at the palace right now,” Lance said calmly. However, after he spoke, he immediately began coughing blood, his complexion deathly pale. Red blotches spread on his bedsheets.

“Lance! Hang on!” Millicia Garnet hurriedly rushed over to her brother.

Despite having won the war, Lance was currently lying in his own bedroom, unable to move. The cause of all this was the bullets smeared with toxins that had struck him and Arthur. While he had been treated with Sacred Arts and antidotes, the aftereffects were terrible. At this rate, Lance was in danger of passing away before he could even attack the capital.

“You need to recover your strength. How are we supposed to invade the capital with our leader in such a state?” Caim said with a shrug, standing near the entrance of the room. He was the one who had created the poisons that had been used on Lance. As such, he was also able to produce the antidotes to nullify them, but that didn’t help with the aftereffects. The poisoned bullets had pierced Lance’s internal organs, so it would take a while for him to be healed enough to be able to move. In fact, they weren’t even sure if Lance would ever be able to recover completely. “To be honest, I’m surprised you’re even still alive. There were a few lethal poisons among the ones I made.”

At Lance’s request, Caim had produced multiple toxins in order to make it harder for Arthur to heal, and some of them had been deadly. It was truly a miracle that Lance was still alive.

“Ha ha ha... I must look pretty pathetic right now. But that was the only way I could imagine winning against Arthur. I’m just glad I survived.” Lance laughed weakly.

Normally, this would be the time to strike—they ought to attack the capital before Arthur could recover. However, considering Lance’s current condition, that was impossible. They would at least need to wait until he was able to move.

“Oh well, I suppose I have no choice but to rest. Time to do some monkey business and split the opposition,” Lance said.

Surely, quite a few people would want to switch sides now that Arthur had lost. Not everyone served their liege out of loyalty; many just wanted to be on the winning side. Dividing the enemy’s ranks to increase one’s own was also part of warfare.

“Arthur despises such methods, but I’m much better at that than I am at fighting. I will become emperor in my own way!” Lance declared proudly—only to cough blood once again, which just made Millicia worry more.

〇 〇 〇

“So, it’s nice to get some time off, but what do we do now?” Caim asked.

Caim couldn’t help with politics, and there were no battles to fight, so while Millicia was busy healing her brother and Lenka was guarding her, Caim, Tea, Rozbeth, and Lykos had nothing to do.

“We should enjoy ourselves and relax, then,” Tea suggested.

“I’d feel bad having fun while Millicia and Lenka are working, though...” Caim replied.

“You’ve worked plenty, Master Caim! You did what you were asked, so you shouldn’t worry about this!”

“...I guess you’re right,” Caim agreed.

As Tea had fervently asserted, he had worked more than enough. He had protected Millicia and escorted her to Lance, exterminated the Ladies of the Lake, taken out most of the traitorous Knights of the Black Dragon with an opening strike using his strongest spell, produced the poisons that had rendered Arthur unable to fight, defeated Gawain and Merlin, and, lastly, chased after the fleeing remnants of the western army.

Caim had indeed worked plenty. In fact, if he did any more, Lance and Millicia might not be able to reward him enough.

“I, for one, am going to relax. You should do so as well,” Rozbeth said, taking Caim’s left hand.

“Mmmh!” Lykos agreed, taking his right hand.

Well, Caim couldn’t ask for more work now. “I feel bad for Millicia and Lenka, but I guess I’ll take it easy.”

Thus, Caim resolved to enjoy his rest until Lance’s recovery.

“Let’s go on a date!” Tea suggested.

“Mmmh!” Lykos approved.

“Why not? We should cut loose once in a while.” Though she wasn’t as enthusiastic as the other two, Rozbeth supported the idea.

“Yeah, sure... Where do you all want to go?” Caim asked.

“Not all of us together!” The three girls protested in unison. Well, actually, only two of them spoke, but it felt as though Lykos’s cry had meant the exact same thing.

“Whoa?!” Caim cried out in surprise.

“A date should only be between two people!”

“Mmmh!”

“Tea’s right. We should each have our turn with you.”

“But how do we decide the order? Should we have a fistfight?” Tea said.

“Mmmh!”

“Yeah, no, let’s not do that... How about drawing lots?”

The girls continued the conversation without Caim. They made lots from a piece of paper, and it was decided that Caim would go on dates in the order of Lykos, Rozbeth, and Tea.

“...What about my opinion?” Caim mumbled. It wasn’t as though he didn’t want to go on dates with the girls, but he couldn’t help being a little sullen at being completely ignored.

〇 〇 〇

The first day of the dates was with Lykos.

They went out in town. Berwick was a trading city that served as a hub of commerce thanks to its port, which allowed trade with foreign nations. Before the battle between Lance and Arthur, the town had been filled with tension, but now that Lance had won, it had regained its vigor. The main street was filled with stalls selling their goods cheaply to celebrate the victory.

“I think it’s the first time we’ve ever gone somewhere just the two of us... Feels kinda weird,” Caim said, walking along the street with Lykos. Or rather, Lykos was riding on his shoulders, so he was the only one to walk. That made them look like a father and his child, or a brother and his little sister, which caused the people they passed by to smile at the heartwarming sight. “This is really embarrassing... I’ve never felt like this before...”

“Mmmh?” Lykos tilted her head curiously at Caim, who was experiencing this particular kind of embarrassment for the first time in his life. She quickly forgot about it, though, and excitedly pointed at one of the food stalls.

“What’s up? Wanna go there?”

Still carrying Lykos on his shoulders, Caim walked toward the stall. Judging by the sweet smell, it seemed to be selling candy.

“Welcome. Want some cotton candy?” the owner asked.

“I’m not familiar with that... Judging from the smell, it’s something sweet, right?” Caim inquired.

“Yes, it’s from the east. I suppose it’s a rare treat in this country,” the owner replied with a cheerful smile, pouring a white powder into the machine on his stall. Then gradually, something like a cloud started taking shape inside of it.

“Whoa?!”

“Mmmh?!”

Caim and Lykos exclaimed, completely taken aback.

The stall owner then put a stick into the machine and wrapped the cloud around it. “Here, one cotton candy. That’ll be one silver coin, please.”

“What the...? How? Why is there a cloud in there...?”

“Mmmh...?”

“Don’t worry about that. Just try it! It’s sweet and delicious.”

Caim received the cotton candy with an incredulous expression, tore off a small piece of it—which, contrary to what he had expected, was rather sticky—and gave the rest to Lykos. Then they both ate it, and a sweet taste filled their mouths.

“So sweet!”

“Mmmh!” Lykos smiled broadly, clearly loving the taste. Then she thrust her face into the cotton candy that was as big as her head and greedily bit into it.

“Is it made from sugar? Is that what you put into your machine earlier?” Caim asked.

“That’s right. It’s a confection made by stretching out sugar,” the stall owner answered.

“People sure come up with interesting ideas. And you said it’s from the east...” Caim was once again reminded of how fascinating foreign cultures could be. The martial art he practiced—the Toukishin Style—was also from the east, and surely, the world was full of other unknown cultures and landscapes.

Might be interesting to do a world tour after settling Millicia’s problems.

Caim was pulled out of his musings when he saw the state of Lykos’s face. “Hey, your face is a mess!” Because of her enthusiastic dive into the confectionery, Lykos had small bits of cotton candy stuck everywhere on her face—she’d even gotten it in her green hair, and it really detracted from her cute appearance. “Jeez, you should eat more carefully...”

“Here, use this,” someone said, offering a handkerchief.

“Thanks.” Caim accepted it and wiped Lykos’s face and hair. “Be more careful when you eat.”

“Mmmh...”

“There, you’re all clean now.” Caim nodded in satisfaction and turned toward the owner of the handkerchief to return it. “Thanks for the help. If there is something I can do to repay— Huh?” Caim blurted out, dumbfounded, and Lykos barked, suddenly on guard.

“No need to concern yourself with such a trifle,” replied the owner of the handkerchief, tucking it in her breast pocket. This woman, who had red-and-black curled pigtails and wore a Gothic Lolita dress, was someone the two of them knew. “We meet again, adorable child. And you too, boy.”

She was the Immortal Butterfly, the oldest and strongest assassin, who had once fought Lykos on Mount Garank.

“The empire is a fine country. While it integrates cultures from all across the continent, each one manages to stay distinct. Truly, it is a fascinating nation,” the Immortal Butterfly commented. She was one of the assassins who had once targeted Millicia, so Caim and Lykos had braced themselves to fight her. And yet, contrary to what they’d expected, she had been very friendly, even inviting them to a restaurant. “I hail from the east, so I truly appreciate the fact that I can eat food from my homeland—especially sushi—even in a foreign land.”

They were sitting at the counter with Lykos between the Immortal Butterfly and Caim.

What’s her deal...? Caim wondered, throwing a sidelong glare at the Immortal Butterfly, who had been monologizing. He barely knew her—in fact, this was the first time he’d met her in the real world. I want to ask her about that night, but it’s kinda hard to do.

Caim had once slept with the Immortal Butterfly. However, it had been in a dream that occurred at the entrance to the realm of the dead. And since it was a dream, Caim wasn’t completely certain that it hadn’t all just been an illusion.

If I asked her if what we did in that dream was real, and she said she didn’t know what I was talking about, that would be really embarrassing. I’d die from the shame...

“Be at ease. That was not just a dream,” the Immortal Butterfly said seriously. “Your ‘instrument’ was delicious. You have my seal of approval and should be proud.”

“...Thanks, I guess.”

“Come now, child. Eat as much as you like. Today is my treat.” The Immortal Butterfly smiled at Lykos.

“There, premium sushi set for three,” the restaurant owner announced, placing rectangular wooden plates on the counter in front of them. On the plates were strange dishes Caim had never seen before. Ingredients of various colors—red, white, yellow, green—were laid on top of white grains. Caim didn’t know if they would actually taste good, but they sure looked the part.

“You said these were called sushi, right? Are the things on top slices of fish?” Caim asked.

“Sushi is made by shaping shari—vinegared rice—into a small mound and adding neta—the topping. This is usually sashimi—a slice of raw fish—but eggs or vegetables are sometimes used as well,” explained the Immortal Butterfly.

“So I was right—it’s raw fish. Won’t that upset our stomachs?”

“No, because it’s fresh. It should have been cleaned and be free of parasites too. Right, chef?”

“That’s correct. It’s safe to consume, so please enjoy yourselves,” replied the restaurant owner with a stern expression.

“Here, dip it in soy sauce and eat,” the Immortal Butterfly suggested.

“Well, if you say so...” Caim made up his mind, grabbed a piece of sushi topped with pale-pink fish, soaked it in the dark sauce, and ate it. A peculiar salty flavor mixed with the fat of the fish and flooded his mouth. “Whoa!”

“Delicious, isn’t it? The one you ate was made from tuna underbelly, so it has a lot of fat.”

“Yeah, it’s great. But...it’s just fish. How can this be so good?!”

It wasn’t just the fresh fish—the condiment called soy sauce and the texture of the shari that melted in his mouth were amazing too. It was unlike any flavor he had ever experienced before.

“It looks pretty simple—just raw fish on top of rice—but it’s got a surprisingly complex taste. I never imagined a dish like this existed,” Caim said.

“Every land has its own cuisine. I was just as surprised the first time I tried ham and sausage when arriving in the west,” the Immortal Butterfly replied.

While Caim had stopped eating, moved by the experience, Lykos kept devouring one piece of sushi after another. Having been raised by wolves, she usually preferred meat to seafood, but she had apparently also taken a liking to sushi.

“Make sure you chew properly before swallowing. See, you have rice around your mouth. Let me wipe it off for you.” The Immortal Butterfly gently cleaned Lykos’s mouth with a handkerchief. Lykos had been wary of the assassin at first, but she was so taken with her food that she didn’t resist. “I am glad that you like it so much, child.”

“You know, you sure dote on Lykos a lot. You’re acting like her mother,” Caim noted.

“You flatter me. I am far too old to be her mother. In fact, I am closer to a grandmother than anything else,” she replied with a chuckle. “We lycanthropes care for our kin even if we are not related by blood. To me, she is as precious as a real grandchild.”

“That word again... Just what are lycanthropes, anyway?” Caim understood from context that it referred to Lykos and the Immortal Butterfly, but the word’s meaning was still lost on him. Did it have something to do with the fact that Lykos had been raised by monster wolves?

“You will come to know in time. More importantly, there is liquor as well. Can you drink?”

“I like alcohol, yeah. Is this from the east too?” Caim asked, looking at the white drink the Immortal Butterfly had recommended to him. When he brought it to his lips, a strong alcoholic scent reached his nose. It smelled completely different from the fruit-based wines he was used to.

“This is doburoku—unrefined alcohol made from rice.”

“Let’s see...” Caim took a sip, and immediately a rich flavor hit his tongue. It was different from the fruity taste of wine, but it was sweet and paired well with sushi. “Not bad.”

“It’s good at room temperature, but it’s even better when heated. Can we have some, chef?” requested the Immortal Butterfly.

“Please wait a moment.” The owner poured the liquor into a ceramic bottle, which he immersed in hot water for a few minutes before serving Caim and the Immortal Butterfly.

“Wow... Warming it really brings out the sweetness! You can truly feel the mellowness of the rice!” Caim exclaimed.

“See? It warms the body, so it’s even better to drink it while admiring a snowy landscape,” the Immortal Butterfly replied.

“I’ve had hot wine before, but it’s completely different. It’s pretty good.”

“Indeed, it is. You seem to be holding your liquor well, so how about a drinking contest?”

“You’re on. I’ll wipe the floor with you.”

Caim and the Immortal Butterfly raised their cups together and drained them in one go.

Lykos, who was sitting between the two, got curious and leaned toward the alcohol, only to grimace and pull back after taking a sniff of it. Apparently, she didn’t like the smell. She scrubbed her nose with her sleeve, then went back to eating sushi, hoping to wash away the scent.

Thus ended the strange dinner. However, the day itself was far from over. Now satiated, the three had gone to a teahouse.

“People mistake us for children because of our appearance, but we are not. We can control the age of our body at will.”

The wet sound of dripping water echoed in the dimly lit room—a small bathroom. Indeed, the “teahouse” they’d visited was actually the kind of establishment where men and women would come to engage in lewd acts.

Caim stood next to the bathtub, and behind him, pressing her breasts against him, was a beautiful woman with long hair colored black and red—the Immortal Butterfly. Quite unlike the young appearance she had taken during their dinner, she was now a mature woman, just as she’d been in Caim’s dream, proving once again it hadn’t been a mere illusion.

“Taking the form of a child allows us to conserve energy,” the Immortal Butterfly continued. “That way, we can avoid wasting stamina and mana.”

“Ngh... Quite a convenient body you’ve got!” Caim replied with a groan.

“Indeed. Therefore, you do not need to feel guilty about this situation, boy. The child and I look young, but we are actually older than you.”

The Immortal Butterfly wasn’t the only one glued to Caim. Another woman was also pushing her breasts against him from the front, moaning all the while.

“How is it, Master? Does it feel good?” the gorgeous, green-haired woman—Lykos—asked, rubbing her soapy body against his.

Man, I never expected her to be older than me... I can’t call her a young girl anymore.

Caim had seen glimpses of this form in his dreams before, but it was the first time he’d actually gotten to appreciate her adult appearance in reality.

“To think you were hiding these secret weapons... Quite a surprise,” Caim commented with deep emotion, looking at Lykos’s breasts. Her chest was around the same size as Tea’s or Lenka’s, if not larger. He was truly shocked that she had been hiding such melons—such bombs—for so long.

“I was not concealing anything from you, Master. It is only after meeting the Immortal Butterfly and training several times that I have finally mastered the ability to assume this form!”

“I-I see...”

“I have felt envious of Tea and everyone else for so long, but now I can finally service you myself. I am happy beyond words. Please, enjoy my body tonight!”

Caim moaned as Lykos moved up and down, rubbing herself against him like a sponge.

“Do not forget me. Show me how you will make the child a woman,” said the Immortal Butterfly from behind. Though inferior in size to Lykos’s, she pressed her well-shaped breasts against his back.

The two women panted and moaned as they rubbed themselves against Caim without rest.

“Damn it...” Caim groaned. “This feels amazing!”

Caim was sandwiched between two beautiful women washing his body with their breasts in place of sponges. Surely, not even kings cleaned themselves so extravagantly.

“Mmmh! You have such a wonderful body, Master. I am completely charmed by it!”

“Ngh! That’s what I was going to say. Look at how sexy you’ve become, you she-wolf!”

“And your ‘sword’ is so big and hot!”

As she was pressing herself against Caim’s front, Lykos also naturally touched his “sword,” which was standing valiantly from being stimulated by a gorgeous woman, impatiently waiting to be used.

“Aaah... Your hot ‘thing’ is caressing me, and I am rubbing my nipples against you... Mmmmmh!” Lykos’s body began to twitch. Servicing Caim had aroused her so much that she was nearing climax.

“It seems the child cannot wait any longer,” the Immortal Butterfly said with a chuckle. Still behind Caim, she gazed at Lykos gently, as though the girl was her own grandchild. “That should be enough. Now it’s your turn to please her.”

“I don’t need you to tell me,” Caim retorted.

“Aaah!” Lykos cried as Caim turned her around so that her back was to him.

Caim was also reaching his limit. His “sword” felt like it would explode at any moment.

“I’m gonna do it, Lykos. You’re sure about it?”

“Of course, Master. Enjoy my body to your heart’s content.”

“Well then...!” Caim had Lykos place her hands on the wall, grabbed her hips, then thrust his “sword” deep into her hot valley, mercilessly penetrating its depths, eliciting a loud moan from Lykos.

The young she-wolf’s howl echoed inside the bathroom.

“You look so happy, child. Wonderful, truly wonderful!” the Immortal Butterfly commented, watching Lykos’s indecent display. “You are very fortunate to be able to give your first time to the man you love. Indulge yourself until you have had your fill.”

“Mmmmmh!” Lykos didn’t need the Immortal Butterfly’s words to give herself over to the pleasure. Her deep valley tightened around Caim’s “sword,” and she shook her rear, begging for more.

“Man, you’re a really lewd woman...and I love it,” Caim praised her honestly, grabbing her butt. Unable to endure it anymore, Caim thrust his “sword” even more violently into Lykos, making her moan loudly as she came before fainting in ecstasy, her expression blissful.

〇 〇 〇

Caim’s date with Lykos—with the unexpected addition of the Immortal Butterfly—finally ended, and the next day it was Rozbeth’s turn.

Both of them walked around the town, arm in arm.

“I found an interesting place. Want to go there with me?” Rozbeth asked.

“Yeah, sure,” Caim agreed, but internally, he was a little weirded out. He had felt this way when going out with Lykos too, but it was pretty rare for him to be alone with Rozbeth like this, and it was even rarer for them to link arms like they were doing now. It was as though they really were lovers.

Actually, I guess we are lovers, considering how many times we’ve done it. While they hadn’t known each other for long, calling them lovers wasn’t exactly incorrect. The awkwardness and stiffness that had existed between them at first had all but faded away.

Kind of a shame that her chest isn’t as large as everyone else’s, though... Even now, with her arm in his, Caim could feel how small Rozbeth’s breasts were. She was definitely lacking in that area compared to Tea, Lenka, and Millicia, and now that Lykos could take on her adult form at will, Rozbeth was the smallest of the group.

Oh well, smaller breasts aren’t bad. They’re more sensitive, so she reacts more strongly when I play with them.

“...Hey. Are you thinking something rude?” Rozbeth asked, pinching his arm.

“Ow!” Caim cried out. Rozbeth was glaring at him, as though she could somehow see his thoughts. “No, of course I’m not. Don’t worry—I’d never be thinking about how small your breasts are.”

“I knew it. What a shameless thing to say, considering how much fun you have playing with them every night,” Rozbeth said with a pout. And yet, she didn’t let go of his arm—in fact, she hugged it harder.

While her chest might not have been as abundant as bigger ones, Caim didn’t think it was a bad thing. Small breasts had their own charms, after all.

Eventually, they arrived at their destination. It was a stylish establishment on the main street—a dart bar.

“Darts, huh? Never tried that before,” Caim said.

“Really? Then I’ll teach you. I’m pretty good at it,” Rozbeth replied.

Still arm in arm, they entered the bar. Inside were mostly two groups of people: those who played darts seriously, and those who were here to drink. There was even a couple flirting at a table.

“Look at them, drinking in the middle of the day,” Caim remarked.

“You realize we’re going to join them, right?” Rozbeth retorted, leading them to a dartboard and ordering a bottle. They each drank a glass, standing a little ways away from the dartboard.

“Are you all right with playing Count Up?” Rozbeth asked.

“I don’t even know what that is. I’ll play whatever you want.”

“Then listen.” Rozbeth proceeded to explain the rules of the game.

Count Up was a very simple game of darts. Players started at zero points, and they could throw three darts during each round. After eight rounds—so twenty-four darts—the player with the highest score won. Points were counted based on where the darts landed on the board, and the maximum points for a single throw was a triple-twenty, or sixty points.

“Huh, so the center isn’t the best score?”

“That’s right. The bull is only fifty points. However, you’re more likely to hit something, at least, so it’s recommended for beginners to aim there.”

“Got it.”

Rozbeth played first, showing Caim how to throw; then it was his turn. He did as suggested and aimed for the bull, successfully hitting it three times in a row for a total of 150 points.

“Like this?”

“You’re no fun... Can’t you at least miss on your first try?” Rozbeth complained with a sour look. What kind of beginner could pull off a triple-bull like that?

“I’m actually pretty good at hitting targets. I shoot poison at my enemies, after all.” Moreover, it was easier to aim a dart at an immobile target than poison at a moving foe.

“Fine, then I’ll play seriously and stop treating you like a beginner.” Rozbeth threw her three darts, and they all landed on triple-twenty. “Since we’re at it, how about the loser of each game takes a straight shot?” she suggested, pointing at the liquor bottle.

“Feels more like a reward, but sure,” Caim answered, throwing his darts dexterously and managing to hit triple-twenty too.

Thus, their games went on, and soon they were on their fifth match. As expected from a first-rate assassin who was an expert at throwing knives, Rozbeth obtained a high score every time. But Caim wasn’t far behind thanks to his monstrous talent, which had allowed him to at least win one game.

“Damn it, I lost again,” Caim said, downing another glass of strong alcohol after his fourth defeat.

“Well played. You’re pretty good,” Rozbeth remarked. It wasn’t empty praise—Caim, just like Rozbeth, had scored more than a thousand points for every game. He could already be considered a top player, and the only reason he lost was that he had less experience than Rozbeth. “Still, you sure can hold your drink. This stuff is pretty strong, you know?”

Counting the one they had shared at the beginning, Caim was now on his fifth glass. That may not have seemed like much, but considering it was a high-proof whiskey that he drank straight every time, it was an impressive feat.

“Poison doesn’t work on me, and too much alcohol is basically poison,” Caim explained.

“Ah, makes sense. But that means our drinking penalty is pointless. Let’s make our next game the last,” Rozbeth suggested.

“Fine by me. I’ve had plenty of fun already.”

That said, I’d rather not end this on a losing streak... I want to win the last one. Unfortunately, Caim wasn’t as good as Rozbeth was. At this rate, he was going to lose the next game too.

I need to come up with a plan... Should I distract her by groping her butt? Caim thought, but decided against it. Not only was that cheating, but it was sexual harassment, and Rozbeth would get angry.

I don’t mind the alcohol, but I don’t like losing every time... Wait, the alcohol... That’s it! Caim came up with a plan that didn’t quite count as cheating, but only barely. He smirked in his mind as he poured liquor into his empty glass.

“Mmh...!” moaned Rozbeth, who was about to throw a dart at the board.

“What’s up?”

“It’s nothing,” she replied with a frown, then threw her three darts, all landing on triple-twenty once again. “Your turn.”

“Right.” Caim threw his darts, also getting 180 points. However, even after that, Rozbeth hesitated. “Hey, it’s your turn.”

“I-I know.” Looking agitated, Rozbeth threw her darts. However...

“Ah...” She missed the last one because her fingers were trembling. “That’s weird... Am I getting drunk?” She fanned herself with her hand, frowning in confusion.

Rozbeth didn’t understand how she could have missed, but Caim did. After all, it was part of his plan.

It’s affecting her more than expected, Caim thought with a grin, looking at Rozbeth’s back. She hadn’t noticed yet, but a sweet scent was permeating the air all around the table. Its source was the poison gas released by Caim with his every breath, which was in turn inhaled by Rozbeth.

Rozbeth’s a skilled assassin, so if this had been a lethal poison, she might have instinctively sensed the danger. But the toxin in the air wasn’t lethal—in fact, it was basically harmless. Coupled with the fact that he had mixed it with the smell of the alcohol, nobody would notice anything.

This poison has no effect on normal people, but you’re different, aren’t you? Caim smirked.

“My turn,” Caim said and, once again, scored 180 points.

On the other hand, Rozbeth missed all of her throws, and one of her darts even fell off the board.

“That’s not possible... Something is wrong...” Rozbeth was so out of form that she was starting to suspect something was up. “I feel hot, my limbs are shaking, and I keep spacing out... You did something to me, didn’t you?”

“And the cat’s out of the bag. Yeah, I made you breathe in your favorite poison,” Caim revealed, not even trying to hide it.

Rozbeth hurriedly covered her mouth, but it was already too late. Her skin was flushed, and her expression was turning into that of a female in heat. Such was the fate of women who were compatible with Caim. For them, his poison was just like an aphrodisiac. In Rozbeth’s case, she had been addicted ever since she had drunk an entire barrel of it a few weeks ago.

“You cheater... Have you no shame, drugging your girlfriend to win?” Rozbeth complained.

“I’m a novice at darts, remember? I should be allowed to use a few underhanded tricks,” Caim retorted.

“You’re truly shameless...” She glared at him, frustrated, rubbing her thighs together.

“Hmph. A loss is a loss,” Caim declared. He took the whiskey bottle, filled his mouth, then hugged Rozbeth and kissed her.

“Mmmh!” Caim made her drink the liquor—mixed with his saliva—mouth-to-mouth. Ingesting the Poison King’s bodily fluids made Rozbeth unbelievably aroused, her body twitching. “Mmmh... Ah! You’re really unfair...”

“This is your penalty for losing,” he replied. “By the way, I heard from the barkeep earlier that we can rest on the second floor.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” Rozbeth’s face was painted with a lascivious smile as she leaned on Caim.

“You heard us. We need a room,” Caim said, flinging a gold coin at the barkeep.

“Here’s your key.”

Caim received the key, and supporting Rozbeth, he headed for the stairs.

“Mmmh... Aaah...!” Rozbeth moaned loudly. She was currently lying face down naked on the bed while Caim straddled her and groped her chest from behind. “Aaah... Stop playing with my breasts.”

“I feel like doting on them today,” Caim replied, mentally replacing “them” with “your small breasts” as he flicked her nipples.

Rozbeth’s chest was the smallest of all his lovers, but was very sensitive in exchange. Caim enjoyed Rozbeth’s reactions as her body twitched every time he touched her.

“Stop—mmmh—it! My chest isn’t your toy!”

“You don’t like it? Then how about this?”

“Aaaah!” she cried as Caim pinched her tips and pulled. Her slender limbs trembled at her lover’s touch.

“So, you still don’t like it?”

“I don’t— Wait, if you keep pulling... Mmmh! You’re going to crush my nipples!”

Caim pulled Rozbeth’s tips in all directions while strongly rubbing them between his fingers. He made sure to vary his movements, but stubbornly kept focusing on her nipples and nothing else.

“You know... Your chest really does feel kinda nice,” Caim commented. True, he loved how he could bury his face into Tea’s and Lenka’s enormous busts, but being able to fit Rozbeth’s small breasts in his hand and do whatever he wanted with them was pretty exciting too. “Actually, with how small they are, maybe I can put one entirely into my mouth?”

And Caim did that. He opened his mouth wide and stuffed his cheeks with one of Rozbeth’s breasts, eliciting a moan from her. Then he lightly bit into it and sucked, enjoying the taste of her sweat.

“W-Wait, don’t eat my—”

Caim ignored her and continued to suck on her breast.

“Mmmh... Don’t suck so haaaaaaaaaaaard!” Rozbeth shouted, suddenly climaxing.

“Already? I’ve only played with your breasts.”

“And whose fault is that? You truly are a despicable man!” she complained with tears in her eyes. Her chest was already very sensitive to begin with, so coupled with the arousal from Caim’s aphrodisiac, it was no wonder that she would come so easily.

“Oh well, I’m at my limit anyway. Let’s do it.” Caim slapped Rozbeth’s abdomen with his erect “sword.”

“Ah...” Rozbeth had just climaxed, and yet, just seeing his heroic weapon was enough to paint her face with lust once again. She had been completely conquered by Caim’s “sword,” and she began to get wet just from the sight of it, her hips swaying in anticipation.

“You don’t need to look at me so hungrily—I’m putting it in now.” As he spoke, Caim spread Rozbeth’s legs without resistance, and he thrust his “sword” into her cleft, causing her to moan loudly as she climaxed once again. But naturally, Caim wasn’t satisfied yet. “Here I go.” Caim started to move, making Rozbeth cry out in pleasure with each thrust.

They went on all night, and the bed never ceased creaking until dawn.

〇 〇 〇

“We haven’t been alone in a while, Master Caim.”

“Not really the right setting for a date, though.”

The third day was supposed to be Caim’s date with Tea, but right now, they were in the forest north of Berwick instead, looking to eliminate a band of thieves hiding there. There was an old fortress in the forest, and the bandits had made it their base. Moreover, they were not just thieves, but remnants from the defeated western army who had turned to banditry.

“I’ve heard it’s pretty common for soldiers on the losing side to become brigands if they can’t return home,” Caim said.

“They have raided a nearby village and kidnapped a woman,” Tea noted.

Caim and Tea had been tasked with this job by one of Lance’s knights. Normally, this should have been the work of the soldiers, but they were busy preparing for the march on the capital, so instead the request was given to Caim, who was free. Naturally, he could have refused, but he felt bad spending his days playing, drinking, and sleeping with women while Millicia and Lenka were working.

That was why Caim and Tea were now walking around the forest in search of the bandits’ hideout.

“Tea doesn’t mind a date like this. Hunting with you is fun, Master Caim!” she reassured him. Despite their date having taken a violent turn, Tea was perfectly happy with it. As she was a beastfolk—and specifically a tigerfolk, who were a race of hunters—stalking prey would never be an unpleasant task.

“We’ve heard where the fort should be, but there are just so many trees...” Caim complained.

“It’s all right. I can smell them.” Tea stood in front of Caim and sniffed the air. “They skillfully concealed their trails, but they weren’t able to remove the scent of iron and blood. It’ll be easy to find them.”

“I was right to invite you. Let’s finish this bandit hunt quickly.”

“Yes. I’ll lead the way, Master Caim,” she said, leading him by the hand. The way they happily walked together made them look more like a couple having a stroll in the woods than warriors about to attack a fort held by brigands.

However, a bestial roar interrupted them. A lionlike monster with black fur suddenly emerged and attacked them.

“Shut it.” Caim used Byakko, the basic technique of the Toukishin Style that produced sharp claws made of condensed mana, to tear the beast apart in one blow with his right hand. What would have been a dangerous foe for anyone else was mere child’s play for him.

“Impressive as always, Master Caim!”

“Dealing with small fry like that is hardly worth praising.”

“If you say so,” Tea replied. “Ah, the fort is in sight.”

They arrived at their destination just as the sun had begun to set. The old abandoned fort now stood before them in the middle of the forest, lit by the dusk. At the entrance, a man kept watch.

Caim and Tea hid behind trees and observed their target.

“I know that armor,” Caim remarked. It was the same kind of armor the soldiers of the western army had worn. That confirmed the bandits’ identity.

“Do we kill him?” Tea asked.

“Well, we will, but not now. They have a captive, so we can’t charge head-on.”

The knight had told them that the brigands had kidnapped a young woman from the village they’d raided. It would make things difficult if they used her as a hostage.

Caim pointed toward the sky. “We’ll ignore the lookout and strike from above. Hold on to me.”

“Understood.”

Once he was sure Tea was clinging to him tightly, Caim leaped high above the fort.

“Suzaku.” He created a mana foothold and stopped midair, looking down on the fortress. “The enemy’s probably gathered in the heart of the fort,” Caim said, his gaze drawn to the center of the building.

The fortress had collapsed in various places, leaving little space for anyone to live inside it, so Caim’s assessment was likely correct.

“Still, hunting bandits reminds me of my first meeting with Millicia,” Caim remarked.

“Oh, yes. I remember you saying that you rescued Millicia and Lenka from brigands.”

“Yeah, they were captured and forced to drink an aphrodisiac. I arrived just in time, before they could be raped.”

Actually, thinking about it, just who were those bandits? Though it was far too late, Caim began to feel like something wasn’t adding up.

After having traveled with them, Caim now knew that Millicia was an outstanding priestess, and Lenka a talented knight. There should also have been several guards with them, and while they had likely not been numerous, no mere brigands should have been able to defeat them. So how did Millicia and Lenka end up captured?

Back then, I was pretty ignorant about the world, having just started my journey, but now I realize how weird those bandits really were. For mere criminals, they sure were numerous, plus they had good equipment and were pretty skilled. Maybe they weren’t thieves but trained soldiers...? Caim pondered, knitting his brows. But after a while, he shook his head and gave up on that train of thought.

“Oh, well, doesn’t matter now.”

It was pointless to wonder about the identity of dead people. Their corpses were far away and likely had become one with the Jade Kingdom’s soil by now, so it wasn’t as though he could confirm his doubts anyway. He decided to forget about it.

“Is there a problem, Master Caim?” Tea inquired.

“It’s nothing... Anyway, I’m gonna break the roof so we can enter. Hold on tight.”

“Understood!”

Still holding Tea, Caim jumped off the mana foothold and plunged. As he fell, he created new mana footholds to gain speed, charging toward where the bandits ought to be, and broke through the fort’s ceiling.

“What the—?!”

“The ceiling— Gah!”

There were ten or so brigands inside, and they were shocked when the roof collapsed. Some of them were even crushed by the debris.

“Surprise visit,” Caim said.

“Who the hell are— Gah!” The man was beheaded with one swing of Caim’s mana-clad arm before he could even finish his sentence.

“Let’s kill them all,” Caim declared.

“I love doing this kind of thing!” Tea said, baring her sharp fangs with a smile. She jumped almost as high as the ceiling and came down directly onto a bandit. “Grrraw!” Her fingers reinforced with mana clawed the bandit from his face to his chest. When strengthened with mana, Tea’s nails rivaled Caim’s Byakko, and she tore through the remnants of the western army like paper.

“Shit, we’re being attacked!”

“Kill them!”

The bandits did react, but it was too late.

“I’m the one who’s gonna do the killing here.” And Caim did just that, defeating one brigand after another. “Just a band of small fry. All that’s left is...”

“Look here!” the last surviving brigand yelled. The large, bald man was standing shirtless in a corner of the room with a sword in his right hand and a woman held in his left arm. The woman, who looked young enough to still be called a girl, was crying, and her face was bruised.

“Master Caim, she must be...”

“The woman they kidnapped,” Caim finished her sentence. “He’s using her as a hostage, which is exactly what we were trying to avoid. Talk about rotten luck.”

Master and maid looked at each other, exasperated. Apparently, using a frail village girl as a shield was just a staple of every villain in existence.

“Don’t move!” the bandit shouted. “If you take even one step, I’ll kill her!”

“H-Help...”

“We heard you, so don’t yell like that,” Caim said with a shrug. He didn’t care about the man’s threat and was fully intent on saving the woman pleading for help. “Tea. Go check the other rooms,” he instructed his maid.

“Understood. I shall kill any bandit I see.”

“You do that. And don’t forget the lookout.”

“Of course,” she replied and left the room.

Neither of them told the other to be careful, because there was no need for caution against such weak opponents.

“H-Hey! I said not to move!” the brigand cried.

“Yeah, yeah, stop making so much noise... Anyway, you’re a survivor of the western army, right?” Caim asked.

“I’m Gibernz, leader of the Cross-Sword Mercenaries.” Surprisingly, the man—Gibernz—readily answered, though he was still shooting a death glare at Caim and his breathing was haggard.

“Sorry, never heard of them. I don’t know much about mercenaries. Are you famous?”

“How would I know?! Damn it, it wasn’t supposed to end like this... Why is this happening to me?!” Gibernz cursed, his face twisting with rage. “I thought I’d picked the winning side, but no, that goddamn prince fled after acting so high and mighty! And because of that, now we’re the rebel army... And here I’d hoped to make it big by killing an enemy general in the raid on Berwick!”

“So I was right—you’re one of the mercenaries Arthur hired. Well, tough luck for you. Should have chosen your side better.”

“Fuck you! Because of all that, I’ve been forced to turn to banditry! I’m not gonna let you kill me! What did I even do?!”

“You stole a bunch of stuff and kidnapped a girl,” Caim deadpanned.

“Shut uuuuup!” Gibernz yelled, unwilling to listen. As he kept screaming, he strengthened his hold on the girl’s neck, starting to choke her. “Stay away! If you take even a single step closer, I’ll make it so that the woman dies with me!”

“Whoa, talk about uncool... You’re so sleazy I’m almost impressed,” Caim commented with a wry smile. Even if the man was a bandit—a criminal—it was still incredible that someone could throw their pride away so easily and shamelessly. “You know, in a way, it’s kind of amazing how you’re able to devote yourself to villainy like that.”

“Don’t praise me! Are you mocking me?!”

“Well, yeah, of course I am. Anyone would with how foolishly you’re acting,” Caim provoked him.

“You bastard!” Gibernz yelled furiously. “You wanna make a fool out of me? Fine! Then I’m gonna break this woman’s ne—”

“Hebi.”

“—ck... Huh?” Gibernz’s strength had suddenly fled.

He let go of the village girl, and she fell to the ground. Her chest was moving up and down, so she likely had only fainted from either fear or the lack of oxygen.

“Ugh... What’s happening...?” Gibernz fell on one knee, using his sword to not completely collapse. His limbs shook as he was unable to put any strength into them. “Why...?”

“Would be a waste of time to tell you why when you’re just gonna die anyway,” Caim said coldly, looking down on Gibernz.

Hebi, which Caim had just used, materialized a whip of condensed mana to attack an opponent, and was usually paired with Genbu to counterattack while defending. While it wasn’t a strong technique in itself, coupled with the poisonous nature of Caim’s mana, it could easily incapacitate the enemy.

“Shit...”

“Well then... Oh, and by the way—the only shit here is you.” Caim beheaded Gibernz with a roundhouse kick. The bandit should have been a skilled mercenary, but it amounted to nothing against Caim.

“I’m back, Master Caim. I dealt with all the other brigands,” Tea reported, blood staining her maid’s uniform.

“Well done. Let’s head back,” Caim said, lifting the unconscious village girl.

Ultimately, for the two of them, a bandit hunt was the same as going on a picnic. They safely returned with the hostage, not having received even a single scratch.

After having escorted the village girl back home, Caim and Tea didn’t return to Berwick—they went back to the forest instead.

“Grraow... Master Caim...”

“Jeez... You sure are whimsical, wanting to do it outside.”

“Tea’s a tigerfolk. Sometimes, we want to return to the wild.”

Caim and Tea were currently naked in the forest. The reason? Tea had wanted to have some outdoor sex.

The sun had already completely set, and the moonlight was blocked by the leaves of the trees, covering the surroundings in darkness. But to Caim and Tea, who both had good night vision, that presented no obstacle to indulging themselves in the pleasures of the flesh.

Tea moaned sweetly, her hands on the trunk of a large tree. She was leaning against it, and her hanging, abundant chest swung back and forth, the erect tips leaving afterimages in the dark, as Caim firmly grasped her rear, thrusting his prized “sword” inside her from behind.

“Grrraooow... You’re so strong, Master Caim!”

“But you like it rough, no?”

“Grrrraaaaaoooooow!”

Each thrust from Caim produced a sweet moan of pleasure from Tea. Thanks to having slept together so many times, Caim knew all of her weak spots and attacked them precisely with his “sword.”

“Aaah...mmmh... That reminds me of the past...” Tea suddenly said.

“About what?”

“Back when you were still a child, you were scared of the dark, so Tea would take your hand to lead you through the forest. Back then, I never expected you’d become so strong and manly!”

“Ah, yeah, that did happen.”

When Caim had just been driven out of the Halsberg mansion and started living in a forest hut, he had often cried, afraid to be alone in the dark. At such times, Tea would come after work to comfort him and, sometimes, she would lead him by the hand through the dark forest.

You really never know what the future holds... Back then, I never expected to end up in a relationship like this with Tea.

Caim smiled bitterly, remembering his time of weakness. He would rather not recall his past, but it was only thanks to those days that his relationship with Tea had grown into what it was now.

“I really like you, Master Caim. I love you so much.”

“I know.” Caim gave a stronger thrust to hide his embarrassment, eliciting a loud moan from Tea as her body twitched in pleasure. “You don’t need to plead like that. I won’t let you go, so be at ease and stay with me.”

“Aaah! Y-Yes! I shall always stay by your side... Grraaoow!”

Caim pistoned faster, thrusting his “sword” back and forth. “Come!”

And as ordered, the tigress’s beastly roar of pleasure echoed in the forest as she climaxed.

Caim and Tea’s relationship had changed considerably, and depending on the circumstances, their positions and the form of their bond could change in the future. Yet, whatever that change might be, they would never split apart.

“Tea will forever stay by your side, Master Caim...” she said with deep affection.

“Yeah, yeah, I know... But anyway, time for round two.” Caim accepted his lovely maid’s words of devotion and immediately moved on to a second round of sex.

“Grrraaaaow?!” Tea cried in surprise as Caim’s “sword,” which hadn’t lost its firmness at all, suddenly attacked her weak spots yet again.

The passionate lovemaking between the two beasts continued until dawn.

Chapter 2: Lenka’s Ordeal, Millicia’s Devotion

“So you did all that, huh? Must have been rough. Good work,” Lenka said.

Back in Berwick, Caim had reported the success of his bandit hunt and encountered Lenka at work in the lord’s mansion.

“You’re the one who’s got it rough. You don’t look so good,” Caim replied. In the few days since he’d last seen Lenka, her complexion had paled, and she had developed dark circles under her eyes, making it very obvious that she was sleep-deprived.

“Well, I’ve been busy with work. But don’t worry, I managed to sleep for a whole hour last night.”

“One hour a day isn’t enough... I slept at least eight hours.”

“You sure sleep a lot, Sir Caim... No, that’s exactly how it should be,” Lenka said with a weak smile, which made it even more painful to look at her.

“Are you really that busy?”

“We’ve suffered quite a few losses in the civil war. The Knights of the Blue Wolf, in particular, are now severely undermanned because so many of their squad and platoon captains have been killed.”

The Knights of the Blue Wolf had been the major force against Arthur’s army, which was why they had suffered the most casualties. While it appeared as though the eastern army had won handily, many soldiers had actually sacrificed their lives for that victory.

Lenka continued. “Thankfully, while I fought with them, I wasn’t harmed. Captain Ildana was injured but is mostly fine. Vice Captain Iscow, however, was gravely wounded and won’t be able to fight for a while.”

“Iscow... Ah, that guy,” Caim recalled. Audy Iscow was a knight who greatly admired Millicia and had challenged Caim to a duel out of jealousy. Naturally, Caim had won, which had earned Iscow’s respect. “I’ll drop by and check on him if I get the chance.”

“Please do so. That’ll make him happy. Anyway, because of that, we’re short on knights who can take commands. My lady has her hands full too, so I have to do my best to support her!” Lenka exclaimed with determination, but in stark contrast to her words, she still looked frail—so much so that Caim was starting to seriously worry about her health.

“Err... Don’t push yourself too hard. Actually, is there anything I can help with?” Caim asked, scratching the back of his head, a little embarrassed. “I’m a fighter and can’t do any desk work, but I can haul stuff around or even be a gofer if needed, so... Please rest.”

“Sir Caim...” Lenka’s eyes widened in surprise at her lover’s encouragement, and she smiled, her expression more energetic than earlier. “I feel like I could go another ten days without sleep thanks to your words.”

“No, stop. I’ll use sleeping gas on you if you don’t.”

“Ha ha ha... Well, to be honest, there is something I want you to do for me.”

“There is?” Caim hadn’t expected such an answer. While he had said he would help her, he actually hadn’t thought there was any work he could do. “Sure, then. You can ask for anything. No need to hold back.”

“I won’t,” Lenka replied, her smile broadening. “Come with me.” With that, she started walking down the hallway.

“Where are we going?” Caim inquired, following her.

Lenka turned his way with a smile. “The bathroom.”

“You want to take a bath...with me?” Caim furrowed his brow. Asking her lover to take a bath with her could only mean one thing. However, considering how exhausted she was, Caim feared that doing any of that would be suicide for Lenka.

Lenka weakly shook her head. “Ah, no, it’s not what you think. I just want to bathe together. Nothing else. I’ve managed to get about two hours to rest, but I haven’t been able to take a bath for several days now, so I want to cleanse myself before a nap, but... Well, I fear that I may fall asleep in the bathtub and drown, so it would help if you came with me.”

“Oh... In that case, sure, no problem.” Caim had no reason to refuse. He did agree that, with how exhausted she looked, it would indeed be dangerous for her to bathe alone.

They arrived at the mansion’s bathroom and undressed in the changing room. While removing her clothes, Lenka had almost collapsed, but Caim had thankfully managed to catch her in time. They entered the bathroom proper and were pleasantly surprised to find that the mansion’s servants had already filled the bathtub with hot water.

Caim and Lenka rinsed themselves with a bucket of water, then stepped into the bathtub.

“Aaah... Nothing beats a good bath...” Lenka said, her expression relaxing in bliss.

“The temperature is perfect. Almost feels like a waste to monopolize it with just the two of us, though,” Caim added with a contented sigh.

Caim and Lenka were alone in the big bathtub, but instead of using the space, they were pressed against each other, Caim hugging Lenka from behind—a position that would allow him to grope her breasts if he so wished.

“Maybe it’s just because it’s been a while, but it really feels like my fatigue is melting away...” Lenka let her body go limp, resting her back against Caim’s chest. While she was a masochistic bitch in heat most of the time, today she didn’t ask to be spanked. Instead, she just relaxed for once, leaning against her lover with a peaceful expression. “Meow...”

“Wait, did you just mew? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine... I’m eating properly...”

“I didn’t mention food... You must be really tired.” It was rare to see Lenka so exhausted, so Caim pondered what he could do to reward his hardworking lover. “Ah, I know. That should do it.”

“Mmh... Did you say something, Sir Caim?”

“I’m gonna give you a massage. Just relax and leave it to me.” Caim grabbed Lenka’s shoulders and started massaging them with his fingers. “Wow... You’re super stiff.”

“Mmmh! Aaah!” Lenka moaned. Her shoulders were so hard it felt like grabbing rocks. Likely, it wasn’t just because she had been working nonstop recently, but also because she was a swordswoman.

“The number one reason has gotta be these, though. They’re just way too big,” Caim said, eyeing the beautiful female knight’s abundant chest floating on the water. Of course she would get stiff shoulders carrying around such heavy loads.

Lenka’s lips released sweet moans of pleasure every time Caim put strength into his fingers. Even though it was just a massage, if someone were to hear the sounds she was making from outside the bathroom, they would surely imagine something obscene was happening inside.

“If you’re this stiff, I guess I should just go all the way.” Caim carried Lenka out of the bathtub and laid her face down on the floor. “You lie here.” Thankfully, the bathroom was so spacious that they could easily stretch their limbs with plenty of space to spare. “I’m gonna give you a full body massage. Don’t move.”

Caim poured a viscous liquid on Lenka’s back, eliciting a gasp from her. This wasn’t lotion, but an aromatic oil produced by his Purple Poison Magic.

“Medicine and poison aren’t that different, so I can make something like this easily,” Caim announced. It would have been difficult for him before, but thanks to the work he had done in creating the wyvern-slaying poison, he had gained more precise control over his ability and could now produce more delicate drugs.

“It smells good... I feel like it’s permeating my whole body... Ah!” Lenka exclaimed, her body twitching. She wasn’t in pain—far from it. She looked comfortable and relaxed, and her complexion was starting to look healthier as her blood circulation improved.

“You said you haven’t been able to bathe the last few days, right? Then I’ll wash you along with the massage.”

“Mmmmh!”

Caim pampered Lenka, gently massaging her muscles while cleaning her body with a towel. He applied the scented oil to her neck, her shoulders, her back, her hips—all over her body. He took special care under her breasts, her armpits, and the joints of her legs, where dirt tended to build up.

“You’re so good at this, Sir Caim...” Lenka moaned in pleasure. “Where did you learn such a technique?!”

“Oh, you know. I just got used to toying with a woman’s body after sleeping with you all so many times.”

“Mmmmh!”

Caim rubbed the oil over Lenka’s breasts, enjoying her reactions. He had never massaged a woman before, but it was surprisingly fun. It felt as though he had discovered a new hobby.

“I need to take care of your lower half too,” Caim said, remembering that more than sixty percent of the human body’s muscles were located below the waist.

“Aaaah!” Lenka moaned as Caim carefully rubbed her hip joint and the area around it. “Mmmh... Sir Caim... Aaah... This is...!”

“Feels good, right?”

“I-It does, but—”

“Here we go.” Caim pressed a particularly sensitive spot, and Lenka cried out, her back arching to its limit. Then all the strength drained from her body, and she seemed to completely pass out. “Lenka?”

The only answer was the sound of her breathing.

“She fell asleep...”

“Sir Caim...” she murmured his name in her sleep, her expression peaceful.

“You work too much. You really shouldn’t push yourself so hard,” Caim said with a sigh, gently patting Lenka’s head. Even though she was older than he was, her sleeping face looked as innocent as a child’s.

In the end, even though Lenka slept for less than two hours, she awoke bright and refreshed. Maybe Caim’s aromatic oil possessed healing properties similar to potions.

Having recovered from her exhaustion, Lenka went back to work, briskly handling her duties once more.

〇 〇 〇

“May I ask for a favor, Caim?”

On another day, as Caim was resting at the inn, Millicia came to see him with a request. She usually worked at the lord’s mansion, and Caim had heard that she was as busy as Lenka. Perhaps today was her day off.

“Yeah, sure... But, are you all right? You’re not tired?” Caim replied.

“I am well. Your scented oil was really effective.”

Lenka had really liked it, so Caim had produced a bottle for Millicia too. He didn’t know how effective it truly was, but Millicia did have a healthy complexion, just like Lenka had after his massage.

“That’s good then. So...what’s your request?”

“I want to gather medicinal herbs in the nearby mountains. Could you escort me?”

“Why do you need those?”

“To treat Lance.”

“Ah... I see,” Caim said, his face stiffening slightly. Lance had allowed himself to be shot by poisoned bullets to defeat Arthur, and he was currently suffering from the aftereffects of the toxins. “Didn’t think he was in such a poor condition... I feel kinda bad now.”

The bullets smeared with lethal poisons had damaged Lance’s internal organs, leaving him barely able to move, but Caim hadn’t expected the prince’s treatment to take so long. He knew that he shouldn’t feel guilty, but he couldn’t help feeling bad about it.

“All the toxins have been purged from his body, but his internal organs have yet to heal,” Millicia explained. “If we could find some sunblooms, herbs that can improve the body’s natural healing, his condition would improve considerably.”

“I know that name... I think they only grow where the air is thin, right?” Caim said, using the knowledge he had gained from fusing with the Poison Queen. Sunblooms only grew on tall mountains, as close to the sun as they could get. However, high mountains were harsh environments populated by many monsters, so it was difficult to obtain them. “I don’t mind helping you to gather some, but sunblooms are delicate and lose their effectiveness an hour after they’ve been harvested.”

“You are very knowledgeable, Caim,” Millicia replied, slightly surprised. “However, while you are correct, it is possible to maintain their effectiveness by continuously applying the healing power of the Sacred Arts to them.”

“Really? I guess I can’t just go by myself then.” Caim could gather the herbs alone, but if the Sacred Arts were needed to preserve them, then Millicia’s presence was necessary. That must have been why she’d asked him to escort her. “Fine, I’ll go with you. When do we depart? Tomorrow?”

“Today, if possible,” she answered.

“Today? But the sun is setting, and it’s gonna get dark soon.”

It was almost the end of the afternoon, and by the time they would have climbed the mountain, it would be night.

“Sunblooms are the most potent when they have basked in the morning sunlight. So I hope to find some during the night and harvest them at dawn,” Millicia explained.

“I didn’t know that, but it does make sense. All right.”

Leaving right away, however, meant that they couldn’t bring the others with them. Tea was out buying ingredients, Rozbeth and Lykos were somewhere in town doing who knew what, and Lenka was even less of an option as she was busy with work.

It had been a while, but it would just be Caim and Millicia alone together.

“The sooner the better. Let’s go,” Caim declared.

“I have already finished my preparations and am ready to depart,” Millicia said.

Caim put the tent, food, and climbing gear Millicia had prepared into his magic bag, and they left Berwick at once.

The two arrived at a mountain north of Berwick. Being around twenty-five hundred meters high, it was the tallest peak in the area. For some geological reason, it had almost no vegetation and was mainly composed of rugged red rocks.

The sky was clear, and there was little wind—the perfect conditions for a climb.

“All right. If we want to make it before dawn, we’re gonna need to reach the summit fast. So hold on tight if you don’t wanna fall,” Caim cautioned Millicia.

“Understood. Well then, if you will excuse me...” Millicia climbed onto Caim’s back. She was so light that Caim wondered if she was eating enough as he felt her press her soft mounds against him.

It would be reckless for an ordinary person to ascend a mountain with someone on their back, but not for Caim, who could strengthen himself with Mana Compression. In fact, having to match Millicia’s pace would only slow them down, so carrying her was the faster option.

Caim ran up the mountain with long, leaping strides, Millicia clinging to his back all the while.

“By the way, are you certain there are any sunblooms on that mountain?” Caim asked.

“Y-Yes. Adventurers have found a bed of them on the summit. They reported that powerful monsters are present, however, so the herbs are difficult to harvest,” she answered, bearing with the intermittent shaking as Caim climbed the mountain.

“Oh, there’s a rock wall.”

“I-Indeed...”

“Make sure you don’t bite your tongue.”

“Aaah!”

Sometimes, rock walls blocked the way, but they were no obstacle to Caim, who could jump high into the sky thanks to Mana Compression. Using Suzaku, he created a mana foothold and easily leaped over anything blocking their path.

On the way, a bearlike monster attacked them, but...

“Seiryuu!” Caim beheaded it with one swing of his arm clad in condensed mana. “Not as powerful as you said they would be.”

“Well, not for you, Caim, but they are for normal adventurers,” Millicia replied, half exasperated, half impressed.

“Huh...?”

“What was that...?”

A group of adventurers stared dumbfoundedly at where Caim and Millicia had passed by, not far away. Because Caim was running fast through the sky, he had looked more like a strange creature or monster than a human to them.

“At this pace, we should reach the summit in time before dawn,” Millicia muttered, amazed. It shouldn’t be so easy to climb this mountain, with its rugged surface, its walls of rock, and the monsters inhabiting it. In fact, only a very small number of people managed to reach the summit every year. “I suppose for you, Caim, even the habitat of dangerous monsters is nothing.”

“Exactly,” Caim answered. “We’re gonna reach the peak soon, so hold on tight,” Caim cautioned her as he stepped on the back of a human-sized, armadillo-like monster along the way, crushing the creature under his foot.

An hour later, after dealing with the monsters they encountered, they reached the top of the mountain without even using any of the ice axes or ropes Millicia had prepared. The sun had completely set, but that was a good thing—sunblooms glowed in the dark, making them easier to find at night.

“The herbs are around here, right?” Caim asked.

“Yes, they should be. Let’s start searching,” Millicia replied, descending from Caim’s back. Because of the quick ascension, she looked deathly pale, like she might vomit at any moment.

“You okay? Maybe you should rest a little.”

“N-No... We need to find the sunblooms before dawn... Ugh.” Millicia tried to remain unflinching, but nausea finally got to her, and she hurriedly covered her mouth with her hand. Perhaps Caim was lucky she’d lasted that long without throwing up on him.

“Yeah, no, you stay here and take it easy. I’ll search for the plants alone,” Caim declared.

“I-I am sorry to be so useless...”

“Don’t worry about it. Here, it might be a little hard to swallow, but you should drink some water.” Caim gave the canteen to Millicia and had her sit on a big rock before going to search for the sunblooms on his own.

The mountaintop was flat like a table with boulders scattered everywhere, and a thin mist covered the surroundings, making it hard to see far ahead. It wouldn’t be possible to find sunblooms at a glance.

“Nothing but rocks around here... Maybe I need to look farther ahead?” Caim muttered as he continued his search.

Then finally, after walking around for a while, he found a bed of glowing plants among the expanse of bare rocks.

“Oh, there they are. So the report was right.” The herbs, which strongly resembled mugwort, shone faintly in the dark using the light they had absorbed from the sun during the day. “Millicia! I found them!”

“Truly? I am coming right away!” Millicia rushed over to Caim. Resting and drinking water had done her well, and her complexion looked healthier than before. “There is no mistake—these are sunblooms. Thank goodness we found them...” She patted her chest in relief and tried to take a step toward the plants, but Caim grabbed her wrist and stopped her.

“Wait.”

“I-Is there something wrong?”

“You, over there. What’s your business with us?” Caim ignored Millicia and called out to a big boulder next to the bed of sunblooms. A moment later, a man emerged from behind it, standing in front of the herbs. “You’re...!”

“We meet on a mountaintop once again, just as we did before,” said the man whose face Caim remembered—someone he had killed. It was like meeting a ghost, and Caim felt uneasy looking at a man who should be dead. “However, back then you were the one waiting on the summit. Yes. Yes, indeed. That’s exactly how it happened. But this time, I’m the one who’s been waiting for you. How ironic,” said the large, dark-skinned man in a low, solemn voice. He had a tattered turban wrapped around his head, and his hand rested on a massive shovel planted into the ground, as he looked at Caim and Millicia.

“You’re Deed the Gravedigger. I didn’t expect you to survive,” Caim spit with a click of his tongue, which made the man—Deed the Gravedigger—grin slightly in return. His expression didn’t change much, but it was clear he was enjoying himself. “I beat you to a pulp last time, so how are you still alive? Are you immortal or something?”

“Immortal, huh? I have, indeed, escaped death once again,” Deed replied. “The Grim Reaper must truly despise me. And yet, this time, it isn’t a bad thing. No. No, it isn’t. Because now, I have a reason to live—a reason to fight.” Deed pulled his shovel from the ground and pointed it at Caim. “Indeed, I have a reason to fight now. An enemy to defeat. This is why I am still alive. Yes. Yes, indeed. There is no doubt that it is why I survived!”

“So, in other words, you wanted a rematch, so you’ve been waiting for me here? You know, that makes me pretty happy actually. This is the first time an enemy has come to take his revenge against me.” Most of the time, Caim’s opponents ended up dead or beyond recovery, so Deed was the first foe who had ever come back for a rematch. “I’d love to give you a warm welcome and all, but how did you even know we’d be climbing this mountain?”

“A chatty informant told me,” Deed answered.

“An informant...?”

“In return, however, I’ll have to work under her for a while. But that isn’t so bad. No. No, it isn’t. It’s natural to repay a debt, after all. I don’t mind.”

“Can’t repay her if you die here, you know. I’m gonna make sure to send you straight to hell this time!” Caim glanced at Millicia, and she nodded in understanding, stepping back so as not to get in the way and using the Sacred Arts to form a barrier around herself. “Well then, let’s fight.”

“Let us fight, indeed.” Deed grinned belligerently at Caim’s invitation and kicked the ground.

No starting signal had been needed for them to know that the battle had begun.

Deed swung his shovel down at Caim, who parried it with one arm. Caim’s arm was as hard as steel thanks to Mana Compression, and a metallic clang echoed as Deed’s shovel was repelled.

“Hey, that hurts. My turn now!” Caim countered with a kick to Deed’s torso with enough power to shatter rocks—and yet it only managed to push back the Gravedigger a little without damaging him. “You’re as tough as I remember!”

“So are you!” replied Deed as he was showered in a rain of strikes. He didn’t even defend himself, and yet he stood unbothered, like a true immortal. Even Caim’s poisonous mana didn’t affect him.

Naturally, however, Deed didn’t just stand there doing nothing. He also struck Caim with his shovel, though Caim either blocked, deflected, or barely dodged the strikes.

In other words, while the two released fierce attacks at each other, neither was able to deal a decisive blow to his opponent.

“Ngh!” Deed groaned.

“You’re such a pain!” Caim complained.

So far, it’s the same as our last fight. We’re still warming up, Caim thought as he kicked toward Deed’s face. Neither normal attacks nor his poison affected his foe. If Caim wanted to beat him, he would need to use Shiyuu, one of the secret techniques of the Toukishin Style.

But can I really go all out now? There might be other enemies around. Caim didn’t know who was backing Deed. He had mentioned an informant, so perhaps he had allies hidden nearby.

If I were alone, I could afford to be reckless, but I’m with Millicia...

“Caim...” Millicia called his name, watching the battle from the inside of her barrier. She clasped her hands together, praying for her lover’s victory.

Since it’s a secret technique, Shiyuu is pretty exhausting. If I use it and it turns out there are more enemies around, I might not be able to protect Millicia. Last time, Tea and Lenka had been present, so he had been able to focus on Deed. But this time, Caim was alone. We shouldn’t have rushed with just the two of us to harvest the sunblooms as soon as possible...

“What’s the matter? Is that the best you can do?!” Deed yelled, swinging his shovel at Caim.

Caim was blown away, somersaulted in midair, then landed, clicking his tongue. “Shut your mouth. I’ve got other things to consider!”

At this rate, the fight would never end. Caim couldn’t defeat Deed while holding back.

I guess I’ve got no choice... Time to use my trump card.

“If you wanna die that much, then just you wait! I’m gonna kill you for sure this time, so you better say your last words!” Caim declared.

“Bring it on!” Deed readied himself to confront Caim at his full power.

However, just as Caim was going to activate Shiyuu...

“GYAOOOOOO!”

“Huh?”

“Hmm?”

A bestial roar interrupted them from above. The two fighters looked up and saw a massive silhouette covering the blue sky.

“A...dragon?”

Indeed, the giant reptilian creature with large wings looking down at them was a dragon—a Duke-class monster, and one of the strongest beings in the world after the Demon Lords.

“I didn’t expect a dragon to show up...” Caim said with a click of his tongue.

“How infuriating... It’s getting in the way of our duel,” Deed complained with a frown.

An unexpected new enemy had appeared, which was an unwanted turn of events for both Caim and Deed.

“GYAOOOOOO!” roared the uninvited guest—the dragon—full of enmity at the pair below. Its howl was so powerful that it shook the air, and if someone weak-willed had heard it, they would have been paralyzed with fear.

Caim clicked his tongue as the dragon attacked him with its sharp claws, choosing him because he was closest. He avoided the strike by leaping back, but the ground wasn’t spared from the dragon’s claws, which left deep scars.

“You’re fine with a temporary truce?” Caim asked.

“We haven’t got much of a choice. We need to take care of this obstacle first.” Deed agreed to form a united front, then leaped at the dragon and struck his shovel against its trunk.

However, the powerful blow only made the creature shake slightly, barely damaging it.

“GYAOOOOOO!” The dragon flapped its wings, creating a tempest of wind blades that assaulted the two men.

“Are you okay, Millicia?!” Caim shouted, worried, as he defended himself with condensed mana.

“I am!” she immediately answered. Her barrier was sturdy enough that it would resist as long as she wasn’t directly attacked by the dragon.

“Good... Now then, time to give this thing a beating!” Caim lowered his stance and charged at the monster like a bullet, slipping past the blades of wind, then swung his right hand when he was close enough. “Byakko!” His fingers, clad in condensed mana to look like tiger claws, tore through the surface of the dragon’s body. “Damn, its scales are tougher than a wyvern’s!”

“Move.” The monster had stopped flapping its wings in response to Caim’s attack, so Deed seized the opportunity and once again swung his shovel at it, targeting its face this time.

The dragon howled in rage from the consecutive blows and flew higher in the sky. Everything would have been perfect if it had just fled, but no—instead it opened its jaws wide, producing fire inside its maw before unleashing it.

“Ugh...!” Deed groaned in pain as he was engulfed in flames. Though he was nearly immortal, fire still burned his flesh. The dragon’s breath was so hot that it melted the rocks on the mountain’s surface into lava, and Deed disappeared among the flames, smoke, and ashes.

“GRUUU...” The dragon looked down at the summit in contentment, thinking it had won. Even though its reptilian expression was unreadable, it was clear that it was grinning.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself. Did you really think it was over?” said a voice from up above the dragon.

“GYA?!” The monster looked up and found the second enemy—Caim—standing midair, looking down at it.

“What, you thought the sky was yours? Well, you’re wrong!”

“GYAO!” The dragon tried to release its fire breath once again, but Caim was faster.

“Too slow! Houou!” Caim vanished—or rather, he sped faster than the wind, and moved above the monster’s head.

Suzaku and Houou were techniques that paired well when moving in the sky. The former created mana footholds, and the latter produced bursts of condensed mana under the feet to propel the user at high speed.

“Sorry, but I learned how to kill dragons while hunting wyverns. Now, fall!” Caim concentrated poisonous mana in his arm, then he struck the crown of the dragon’s head. “Ouryuu!”

Caim shot poison straight into the dragon’s body. The poison was, of course, the dragon-slaying one he had created to kill the wyverns. It caused dragon blood to coagulate and form clots. There was no question of what would happen when such a poison was injected directly into a dragon’s head.

“GRYUUUU!” the monster screamed, its eyes bloodshot. Its body convulsed, and it whined weakly as it fell, having stopped flapping its wings.

“You’re wide open.” A figure leaped out of the mountaintop, still covered in flames and ashes—Deed. He was surprisingly lively for someone whose body had been completely scorched as he brandished his shovel. “You boorish lizard that dared to interrupt a duel between men—fall!”

Deed swung his shovel at the dragon, and the creature rotated a few times in the air before dropping—not onto the summit, but all the way down below the cliff.

“That is your punishment for hindering us. May you return to the sands of hell,” Deed declared, watching the dragon fall.

“You too,” Caim said, grabbing Deed’s body.

“What?!”

“You’re a hindrance too, so go join it!”

“Aaaaaaaaaah!”

Caim didn’t give Deed a chance to resist and threw him off the cliff together with the dragon. As he fell, Deed extended his hand toward Caim, but naturally, he couldn’t catch hold of anything. The Gravedigger disappeared without being able to take his revenge.

“I don’t think that will kill him, but at least we should be fine for a while,” Caim muttered to himself. Deed was tough enough that he hadn’t died from an attack fully powered by Shiyuu, so Caim didn’t expect a mere fall to take him out. In fact, Caim didn’t think the dragon had died either, so he hoped the two would fight to the death at the bottom of the valley.

“Caim!” Millicia dispelled her barrier and trotted to him. “Are you all right? Were you hurt?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. What about you?”

“I am as well,” she answered. “I did not expect that assassin to be alive. And for a dragon to appear too...”

“Yeah, we sure are unlucky. That wasted a lot of time.”

“Yes, it did. But thankfully, it is not yet dawn. Let’s go harvest the sunblooms.”

Not only had they wasted time, but they feared that the battle had ravaged the area. Thankfully, the bed of sunblooms had been left untouched. The plants still glowed faintly, their leaves painting a part of the summit in green.

“Thank goodness... We will be able to treat Lance,” Millicia said in relief.

“Yeah,” Caim replied. “The sun is rising.”

The eastern sky’s color slowly changed as the first light of the day shone over the horizon. Bathed in the morning sun, the sunblooms glowed more strongly than before, each leaf shining like an emerald.

“How beautiful... This is actually my first time seeing them in person,” Millicia commented.

“It’s a natural work of art. A really pretty sight,” Caim agreed.

“Well then, I will harvest them.” Millicia carefully uprooted a few sunblooms. Once in her small hands, the plants started to slowly lose their glow. “From now on, I will continuously apply Healing Magic to them. Sorry to bother you, Caim, but could you please carry me all the way back to Berwick?”

“You mean like I did on the way here?” Caim replied with a grin. “We’re gonna use the shortest route for the return trip, so try not to get sick.” He lifted Millicia, one hand on her back and one behind her knees, eliciting a small cry from her. “Who knows when those two will come back, so we better hurry.”

“O-Of course. But, if possible, I hope you will not jump around too mu— Aaaaah!”

“Sorry, but I have to!” Carrying Millicia, Caim leaped off the cliff on the opposite side from where Deed and the dragon had fallen.

“Please...Caim!”

“I said we’d use the shortest route, didn’t I? If you don’t wanna bite your tongue, you better clench your teeth!”

“Eeeeeeeek!”

Caim kicked off the air as they fell, accelerating their descent. They were going twice as fast as they had when they were climbing up, and the scenery blurred past them as they tore through the air.

“C-Caim! Y-You are going too faaaaaast!” Millicia screamed.

“Don’t talk! You’re gonna bite your tongue!” Caim warned her.

“B-But... Aaaaaaaaah!”

Caim accelerated even more, ignoring Millicia’s shrieks. Yet, despite her fear, she never stopped using her Sacred Arts on the sunblooms.

“You’re doing good. Keep it up!”

“Eeeeeeeeek!”

Thirty minutes later, they finally reached the bottom of the mountain. It was still early morning, and the sun had only just risen entirely above the horizon.

“We’re back on the ground, Millicia.”

She answered with unintelligible sounds, completely dazed and limp in Caim’s arms. He wasn’t even certain if she was conscious. And yet, even now the sunblooms were glowing.

“You kept using your Sacred Arts even in such a state... You really are an amazing woman, to be able to go so far for your brother.” As Caim praised her, he felt like he was falling for her all over again.

Unfortunately, Millicia still didn’t react to anything he said.

“Well then, let’s head back to Berwick. Just hang in there a bit longer,” Caim said, encouraging his lover before starting to run once more.

When they arrived at Berwick, Caim felt that Millicia’s backside had become slightly damp, but he pretended not to notice and carried her all the way to the lord’s mansion.

〇 〇 〇

After that, Lance was given a potion infused with the sunblooms, and his condition stabilized. The doctor said the worst had passed, and Lance was only going to improve from now on. In fact, they expected he’d be able to move in just a few days.

While there was no guarantee that Lance would ever recover completely, as it was possible that some aftereffects might linger, at least his life was no longer in danger.

“This is all thanks to you, Caim. I am always in your debt...”

“You’re repaying me right now, so don’t worry about it.”

“Smooch... Aah! No need to be so rough!”

Caim and Millicia were currently inside a dark room, whispering sweetly to each other as they stood next to the bed, sharing a passionate embrace and kiss. They were glued together like a single being, their tongues intertwining as they sought each other out.

They had secretly rented a room in a small inn on the outskirts of Berwick under false names, and they were now going to make love. The act was intended to be Millicia’s way of showing gratitude for what Caim had done for her brother.

“Still, is it really okay for you to skip work just to sleep with a man, Your Highness?” Caim teased her.

“It is my duty to reward the person who has helped me. Moreover, now that Lance has woken up, my workload has diminished.”

“That’s good news.”

Lance’s recovery also meant that they would soon march on the capital in pursuit of Arthur. The thought that the final showdown with the conqueror prince was drawing near made Caim’s blood boil with excitement.

Millicia broke their kiss and looked down at herself. “Still, are you sure this is what you want as thanks for the sunblooms?”

Millicia was currently dressed in a rather peculiar outfit. She was wearing a black garment that was a kind of fusion between a corset and a leotard, and tight fishnet stockings covered her legs. A red bow tie adorned her neck, and strangest of all, she sported a headband with rabbit ears and a fluffy, round tail over her backside.

“What is this attire? A beastfolk costume?” she asked, perplexed.

What Millicia was wearing was called a bunny girl costume, a suggestive attire that bared the cleavage and accentuated the curves of the wearer’s body. Caim had requested that Millicia wear it, and she couldn’t help but wonder what the point of dressing like a beastfolk actually was.

“Well, to be honest, there’s not a lot to it... One of the waitresses at a bar I went to recently was wearing one of these,” Caim began to explain. He liked alcohol and often went to restaurants or bars to drink, and recently he had gone to a bar where the waitresses wore bunny girl costumes. The attire wasn’t as revealing as a swimsuit or underwear, but it had a certain sexy charm, so it tugged at Caim’s heartstrings. “I bought one from the shopkeeper, since I was hoping one of you could wear it.”

“Is that so?” Millicia replied, slightly mystified by Caim’s explanation. She didn’t find her outfit embarrassing, having already been in her underwear—and even naked—in front of Caim, but the concept of “cosplay” did not exist in this world, so she simply thought he had unusual taste. “Thinking about it, we serviced you wearing maid uniforms a while ago. Is this similar to that?”

“Maybe...? I’m not really sure myself, to be honest,” Caim answered.

“Well then, I hope you will spoil me today,” Millicia said, bending forward and doing a small hop like a rabbit.

The cute, yet seductive, act made Caim cover his face, bending backward.

“Th-That was amazing! But why do I feel so moved?!” Caim didn’t realize it, but the emotion he was feeling wasn’t lust—it was something called “moe.” Indeed, Caim actually had a thing for cosplay, but since the concept was unfamiliar to him, he was bewildered by the strange feeling welling up inside him for the first time in his life.

“I am glad to see you so pleased. Perhaps I should wear costumes like this more often,” Millicia said, still acting like a rabbit.

“Y-Yeah... You should, once in a while...”

“Well then, allow me to begin.” Millicia pulled Caim’s pants and underwear down with an ease that proved she was very used to doing this by now. The instant Caim’s “sword” was released from its cage of clothing, it struck Millicia’s cheek, already raring to go. “Do you like this outfit that much?”

“...I guess so.”

“Well, I shall partake of your carrot, then.” Millicia kissed the tip of Caim’s “sword”—or rather, his carrot—eliciting a groan from him. Then she shifted the front part of her costume and sandwiched his carrot with her now exposed breasts, licking it with an expression of rapture. Then, she put it in her mouth to enjoy the delicious taste of the big carrot, like she really had been transformed into a rabbit. “Your carrot is so tasty, Caim... It’s so big and hot that my breasts and mouth cannot contain it entirely!”

“Don’t devour it so greedily, you lewd bunny,” Caim chided.

“You are the one who turned me into such an indecent woman,” Millicia protested, then strongly sucked the tip of Caim’s carrot as she stroked it with her breasts.

“You’ve really gotten good at this. I think your father would weep if he could see you now,” Caim remarked. Millicia had truly grown a lot through the trials they had faced in their journey—and not just mentally either. She had also become very good at pleasing a man. “His sons are trying to kill each other, and his daughter’s acting like a slut... If the sick emperor knew about that, he would be devastated.”

“Please do not say things like that. My father has nothing to do with this...” And yet, despite her complaints, Millicia didn’t stop licking and sucking Caim’s carrot. Her status and birth didn’t matter anymore—Millicia had completely become Caim’s woman in body and soul.

“I’m coming.” Caim’s pleasure reached its peak, and he released his carrot juice inside Millicia’s mouth, who swallowed everything without letting a single drop spill.

“This is so thick and delicious...” Millicia said, licking her lips lasciviously.

“You lewd bunny...” Caim’s carrot immediately recovered its strength. “Now I’m gonna feed it to you there! Get on all fours!”

Millicia complied and got on the bed, wiggling her tail cutely like a rabbit. “Please, Caim. I want to give birth to your kits!”

“I’m gonna make you bear dozens of them, so prepare yourself!” Caim pinned the rabbit to the bed, assaulting her like a beast as he mercilessly thrust his carrot inside her.

Bunny Millicia moaned loudly, her body writhing in pleasure.

Later, Caim went on to buy a few more bunny girl costumes. The intent behind his sudden splurge, however, remained a mystery.

Chapter 3: Final Showdown at the Imperial Capital

“It’s time to depart, everyone! Let’s march on to the capital!”

A few days later, an exultant army departed from Berwick with Lance Garnet at the helm. He had been bedridden until a few days ago, but thanks to Millicia’s devoted nursing and the sunblooms, he had recovered enough to move. However, it appeared that his left arm, which was hanging in a sling, was still paralyzed, so he held the horse’s reins with one hand.

The destination of this march was the capital at the center of the Garnet Empire.

Its objectives were Arthur Garnet’s life and securing the throne.

While Lance had been bedridden, Millicia, Lenka, and his vassals had made the preparations for the march so that they could immediately depart once the prince was able to move again.

“Seems like he’s recovered successfully,” Caim said. He was in one of the army carriages with Millicia, Lenka, Tea, Rozbeth, and even Lykos. “It’s great that he’s okay now. I was worried the worst would happen.”

“He looks fine, but it is just a facade...” Millicia sighed, sitting opposite Caim. “As you can see, he cannot move his left arm. Moreover, beneath his clothes, his body is still covered in purple marks. The potion infused with sunblooms was not enough to completely heal the damage done to his internal organs. Should he exert himself too much, he would likely begin to vomit blood and collapse immediately.”

“Huh... That’s my poison for you, I guess.”

“Do not sound so proud! Though I suppose it is the reason we were able to repel Arthur...”

If Caim had used less lethal toxins, Arthur would likely not have retreated. Arthur Garnet was an extraordinary warrior, after all. If Lance hadn’t risked his life to take his brother down with him, Arthur might have been able to turn the situation around.

“All’s well and good as long as he becomes emperor,” Caim replied. “Anyway, I plan to watch how this brotherly quarrel for the throne plays out until the end.”

As things currently stood, Lance would win. But Caim didn’t think that Arthur would go down without a fight. His instincts told him that something would happen at the imperial palace.

Lenka then joined the conversation. “I don’t think Prince Arthur will just hole up inside the castle. Considering his personality, I’m certain he’s openly waiting for Prince Lance’s arrival. As for the Knights of the Golden Lion, who haven’t participated in the war so far, they’re under the direct control of the emperor, so they likely will not fight for Prince Arthur.”

“Weren’t you a member at one point, Lenka?” Tea asked, and Caim remembered that she had mentioned it once.

“I am indeed part of the Golden Lions, but the emperor has bestowed the right to command me onto the princess. Mind you, even if he took that back, I’d still continue to serve her.”

“Lenka... Thank you.” Millicia smiled at Lenka’s loyalty.

“Yeah, yeah, let’s get back to business,” Rozbeth interjected, uninterested in the beautiful bond between the princess and her knight. “If what you said is true, the Golden Lions won’t bother us, right? And the Silver Hawks and Red Tigers were annihilated in the war, so that means there won’t be anything in our way.”

“Rozbeth...?” Millicia tilted her head, unsure of where the assassin was getting at.

Rozbeth patted the hilts of her knives with a cruel smile. “Prince Arthur really did a number on me last time. I want to take my revenge.”

“Hey, I want a rematch too. I won’t let you steal my fight,” Caim protested.

“Didn’t they shoot him with your poison? You’ve had your revenge already.”

“I wasn’t the one who shot him, so that doesn’t count. I refuse to accept a half-baked ending like that,” Caim declared with a savage grin, baring his teeth like a beast.

“Fine... Honestly, boys can be so stubborn,” Rozbeth said with a pout. She might not have known him for long, but she knew that once he was like this, he wouldn’t budge on his decision to fight Arthur.

Thus, the stage of battle shifted to the siblings’ birthplace—the imperial capital.

The final showdown, where the countless threads of fate would converge, was about to begin.

〇 〇 〇

Before long, without anyone trying to hinder their advance, Lance’s army arrived at the capital.

They now stood in front of the city’s ramparts. Enormous walls made the capital of the militaristic nation a solid stronghold, so anyone hoping to make it fall would need a lot of time and manpower.

“But that’s only if you attack it. If the gates are open anyway, we won’t need a siege in the first place,” Lance said with a wry smile, pointing at the city’s entrance. The gate was wide open, and not a single soldier was present to stop them. Lance could almost hear his brother’s voice calling for him to enter. “It’s been a while, but I’m finally back,” Lance mused.

“What should we do, Prince Lance? This may be a trap,” warned Louivi Ildana, the captain of the Knights of the Blue Wolf. “I suggest sending scouts to investigate inside.”

“There’s no need. Arthur would never do anything like that.” Lance rejected his aide’s proposal. “My brother is welcoming me, and it’d be boorish to doubt his sincerity.”

Lance respected Arthur’s honor for leaving the gates open instead of shoring up his defenses. Not showing a single hint of suspicion, Lance had his horse trot up to the city’s entrance.

“I’m Lance Garnet. You don’t mind if I enter the capital, right?” he asked the soldiers standing on the rampart.

The soldiers didn’t reply. Caim prepared to make a move in case they fired any arrows, but it wasn’t necessary in the end. Nothing happened.

“Seems like it’s fine,” Lance said nonchalantly as he went through the gate, his army following after him.

Inside the city, the main street, which was usually so full of life and bustling with people, was deserted and silent. Still, they could feel countless eyes on them peering out from the windows of the buildings around them.

“Pretty quiet for a triumphant return,” said Caim with a snort. There was no warm welcome, no people singing praises. It was Lance’s glorious return after his victory, and yet they were only met with silence.

“Well, it’s been a while since I’ve been in my hometown. I can’t blame everyone if they’re uneasy.” Lance’s shoulders sagged in disappointment.

The army didn’t stop, continuing its march through the capital until it reached the imperial palace. Just like the city, the castle’s gate was also open without anyone around to stop them.

“All right. Everyone, wait here.” Lanced turned toward Millicia and Caim. “Could you two come with me?”

“Of course.”

“Yeah, sure.”

Lance entered the palace accompanied by a few knights to guard him, and Caim and Millicia followed. The rest of the army, including Tea and the girls, stayed outside the castle.

The moment they stepped inside, an old butler greeted them.

“Foshbell...” Millicia muttered.

“Welcome back, Princess Millicia...and you too, Prince Lance. I have been awaiting your return.” The grand chamberlain who had received them during their last visit bowed respectfully. “Prince Arthur is waiting for you in the throne room. Please, follow me.”

Foshbell guided them to the inner part of the palace. They were heading to a room Caim hadn’t seen before, since he hadn’t had the opportunity to go there during their last visit.

“The throne room is where the people and guests can have an audience with the emperor,” Millicia explained to Caim, her expression stiff from nervousness.

Before long, they reached large doors guarded by soldiers, who opened them for them. Inside was a spacious room entirely in marble, from its floor to its walls. And in the middle of the room was a red carpet going from the entrance to...

“There you are, Lance.”

“Yes, Arthur—here I am.”

The two voices were in total contrast, one grave and dignified, the other light and flippant.

At the end of the red carpet were a few steps, and at their top was a luxurious throne. Sitting on it, his legs crossed, was none other than Arthur Garnet, Millicia and Lance’s older brother.

“So you’ve come too, Millicia. I’ve been waiting for some time.”

“Arthur...” Millicia covered her mouth with her hands, gasping in horror. The toxins had stained half of Arthur’s face purple, and he had lost an eye. The once virile and gallant face of the first imperial prince was now but a shadow of its former self.

“And you as well, Poison Queen—no, Poison King. Your presence means that Gawain and Merlin have lost.”

“You’re in a better condition than I expected. Heck, you actually look more manly now,” Caim jested with a grin. Though Arthur’s appearance had changed, his aura of power hadn’t diminished one bit. In fact, it felt like one might lose a finger just by touching him. “Honestly, I’m relieved. I would feel bad killing an invalid who can’t move, after all. But now, I know that I can go all out for our rematch!” Caim smiled savagely, baring his teeth like a beast.

“Might as well ask, just in case. Won’t you surrender, Arthur?” Lance asked.

“Please, Arthur. Let’s put an end to this!” Millicia pleaded.

They both knew his answer, and yet they couldn’t help but try anyway.

Unlike the grieving voice of his sister, Lance’s was calm as he continued. “If you surrender, I’ll let you go to the temple without punishing you for everything you’ve done. Naturally, I’ll also grant amnesty to the people who supported you.”

“This conversation is pointless. Don’t spoil the mood,” Arthur flatly answered with a displeased snort, glaring at his siblings. “And don’t disappoint me. Do you really think a pair of cowards like you, unwilling to tread on their brother’s corpse, would be able to become emperor?”

“I knew you’d say that.” Lance nodded to himself.

“Arthur!” Millicia called her brother’s name sadly, tears forming in her eyes.

But even faced with his little sister’s sorrowful expression, Arthur didn’t waver. “A conqueror doesn’t need pity. Besides...I haven’t lost yet. Don’t think I’ll hand the throne over that easily!” Arthur stood up and took the sword that lay at the throne’s side. “If you want the title of emperor, then you must kill me first! I shall confront you!”

“Do I have to fight you personally? You know that I’m not that much of a swordsman, right?” Lance inquired.

“Be at ease. I am not one to torment a fox.” Arthur’s gaze moved away from Lance, passed over Millicia, and settled on Caim. He was the last opponent the conqueror wished to fight. “Come, Poison King!”

“That’s been my intention from the start. Let’s do this, conqueror of the empire!” Caim gladly answered the invitation.

The last time they’d fought in this palace, Caim had been forced to flee. At that time, Arthur’s Twin Wings, Gawain and Merlin, had been at his side, so perhaps that defeat had been inevitable. But to Caim, it had been the first loss he’d suffered since becoming the Poison King. And so, while he had accomplished some of it by defeating Gawain and Merlin, his revenge wouldn’t be complete until he’d dealt with Arthur.

“I may not look like it, but I’m actually quite the sore loser. I can’t let things end with my defeat!” Caim declared.

“You may not look like it? Don’t spout nonsense! You have the eyes of a predator—the eyes of a man who’d rather die than lose... The same eyes as me!” Arthur replied with a belligerent grin. The way he bared his teeth like a starving beast looked just like Caim.

“Caim...” Millicia said, worried about her lover.

“Stand back and put up a barrier. Don’t get dragged into our fight,” Caim warned her without turning back, focusing on Arthur.

“Let’s do it.” Arthur extended an invitation.

“Yeah, let’s.” Caim accepted.

They both kicked the floor at the same time, leaping in the air.

“Imperial Sword-Drawing Style—Severing Strike!” Arthur drew his sword in a flash. The blow unleashed by his powerful arm was so swift and strong that it could have cleaved iron. And yet...

“Toukishin Style Basic Stance—Seiryuu!” Caim met the strike with his right arm clad in condensed mana. His arm didn’t yield to the prince’s exceptional sword as they collided, locking in a fierce struggle before finally repelling each other.

“Impressive... That was quite the sharp blow!” Arthur couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration. His virile face now bore a cut on the cheek, from which trickled a single trail of blood.

“And yours was heavy. Your swordsmanship reminds me of Gawain’s,” Caim noted. He swung his right arm toward the floor, which stained it with blood—his arm had also been lacerated by Arthur’s blade.

“Of course it does. He was the one who taught me the way of the sword.”

“I see... Well, sorry for killing him.”

“I don’t mind. I’m sure he was satisfied to die in battle.”

“By the way, I can’t help but notice you’ve been speaking a little differently than you were earlier,” Caim remarked. Arthur’s tone had always been dignified and arrogant, but now he was talking like a normal young man. “Is that to show that you’ve given up on becoming emperor?”

“As if. Who cares how I talk?” Arthur scoffed, then lowered his stance, pointing his blade backward. “But if I had to give a reason, well... Rather than an emperor or a prince, I want to fight you as a warrior. I’m really glad I get to battle a tough opponent like you. I need to thank Millicia for bringing you to this country.”

“Well, you should do it now—before you die!” Caim pointed his finger at Arthur and shot a poison projectile at him.

Arthur dodged the bullet by only tilting his head to the side, then swung his sword in a wide arc, rotating his hips.

They were both a fair distance apart, so Arthur’s strike should never have been able to reach Caim. And yet, a mana slash was released from the prince’s blade, immediately closing the distance between them.

“A flying slash, huh...? Not bad,” Caim said, wrapping his leg in condensed mana. He kicked the incoming slash, deflecting its course toward the ceiling—and tearing right through it.

“If you think so, then let me cut you already!” Arthur shouted, taking advantage of the opening left by Caim’s defense and thrusting at him with his sword.

Caim clicked his tongue and used his other leg to jump. Even with just one leg, he ascended at top speed by blasting compressed mana under the sole of his foot.

“I won’t let you get away!” Not deterred after his attack was dodged, Arthur immediately leaped after Caim, this time stabbing at him from below. However, just before the tip of the blade could pierce through his foe...

“I’m not running away.” Caim wasn’t going to let himself be skewered so easily. He produced purple mist from his body, covering Arthur with it. It was a mist made from a virulent acid that could easily dissolve an entire person.

“Again with your tricks! I won’t fall for your poison a second time!” Arthur roared, rotating his body midair while swinging his sword, blowing the mist away.

“Payback time!” Caim kicked Arthur’s face, suddenly leaping out from behind the poison cloud.

Arthur slammed against the floor, but he quickly got up and flung his sword toward Caim without hesitation. “Right back at you!”

“Ugh!” Caim groaned in pain as the unexpected attack grazed his flank. If he had been an instant too late, he would have been stabbed, and it would likely have been a mortal wound.

“I see...” Caim said as he held his hand to the injury and poured mana into it to increase his natural healing. “You’re really strong. If you hadn’t been careless enough to accept a meeting with your brother, I don’t think you would have lost.”

“I wasn’t careless. My pride just didn’t allow me to cut down my brother while he was unarmed. I had to sit at that table with him,” Arthur declared without hesitation, even knowing this was the reason he had been hurt so badly.

Arthur Garnet wasn’t the kind of man who wanted to win by any means necessary. He wished to obtain victory in his way, and his pride was such that he would rather die than compromise his principles.

“Not satisfied with just winning, huh...? You’re really greedy, you know that?” Caim remarked.

“It’s natural for the strong to be arrogant. Aren’t you the same way?” Arthur retorted.

“I don’t know. I think everything’s fine as long as you win.”

“If you say so... Come!”

Caim immediately understood Arthur wasn’t talking to him as the sword the prince had thrown—currently lying on the floor some distance away—moved on its own and flew back into his hand.

“A magic sword, huh...?”

“If what you just said is true, you won’t consider this unfair, right?”

“Heh, true that... But anyway, while it’s been fun, it’s time to put an end to this fight.” Caim finished his emergency treatment. Then, spreading his arms, he released his latent mana. “Shiyuu.”

Caim forcefully opened his chakras—the source of mana in the body—and an overwhelming amount of power erupted from him like a volcano, which he wrapped around his body, strengthening himself to the limit.

“Very well... Then I’ll show you the martial pinnacle of the Garnet Empire—the strongest nation on the continent!” Arthur announced, his presence subtly shifting.

Caim didn’t understand what the prince had done exactly, but from the prickling of his skin and the danger he sensed, he realized that Arthur had also used his trump card.

“Well then, let’s end this,” Caim said.

“Yeah... This will be my final battle. Make it worthwhile,” Arthur replied.

Strongest versus strongest.

These two kindred warriors roared as they clashed head-on.

“Caim...!”

“You must not look away, Millicia.”

Millicia and Lance watched the two great men fighting from afar. If they hadn’t been protected by Millicia’s barrier, the siblings would have been blown away long ago.

However, Millicia couldn’t bear to watch the intense battle between her lover and her brother, both trying to kill each other. She wanted to avert her eyes.

“I don’t know about Caim, but for Arthur, this will be his last fight, whether he wins or not. As his siblings, we must burn his brilliance into our memories.”

Indeed, this would be Arthur Garnet’s final battle. Whether he won or lost, he would die. Lance and Millicia knew that—and of course, Caim and Arthur did too.

“Arthur’s entire body is ravaged by poison. In order to fight like this despite that, he must be burning his life away. And once this battle is over...” Lance trailed off.

“I know... That is exactly why Caim is fighting Arthur with everything he has.” Millicia bit her lip, tears spilling from the corners of her eyes as she gazed at the duel between the two men she loved—one as a brother, and one as a man.

If Caim desired so, he could defeat Arthur with barely any effort. The prince didn’t have much time left, so if Caim dodged all of his attacks, he’d collapse on his own before long.

But no. Caim has chosen to grant Arthur’s last wish—to die in a head-on battle, Millicia thought. Despite saying that he’d do anything to win, Caim did care about the way he obtained victory, just like Arthur did. Killing Arthur in a weakened state didn’t interest Caim—he wanted to take down a strong opponent.

“He’s kind... I would expect no less from the man you chose, Millicia.”

“Yes... Caim is a very kind person.”

Millicia shot a glance behind her. Despite the tumult in the throne room, no soldiers or knights had come to interfere. Arthur had likely instructed them to stay outside beforehand, wishing not to be interrupted by anyone.

“I leave Arthur to you, Caim...” Millicia prayed.

“Oooooooooooh!”

“Haaaaaaaaaah!”

The warriors screamed as they clashed in a final exchange that would decide the fate of the Garnet Empire.

Then silence fell upon the room. At last, the victor was...

〇 〇 〇

“Ngh!” Caim’s body was blown away, and he crashed back-first into the throne room wall. The heavy damage caused Shiyuu to deactivate, and the ultradense mana covering his body dispersed.

“So this is it, huh...?” Arthur said.

“Yeah...” Caim replied.

Arthur, on the other hand, was still standing. Blood flowed from his entire body, and his sword was broken, but he still stood, clutching his weapon in his hand.

The duel had ended with the unexpected victory of Arthur Garnet.

“Happy now? You walking corpse,” Caim snapped, still stuck in the wall. He was clearly a little sore from losing.

“Hmph... Well, I guess I should thank you for this,” Arthur squeezed out, his expression unchanging. “I’m satisfied.” After a long moment, his lips curled up a tiny fraction.

The reason it had taken him so much effort just to make a slight smile was that Arthur Garnet’s body was already dead. His heart had stopped. Yet he still stood, and even managed to talk, thanks to his incredible willpower that forcefully kept his soul bound to his flesh.

“You’re amazing... Yeah, you’re definitely the strongest opponent I’ve ever fought—and the one I respect the most,” Caim praised the man who had bested him as he extracted himself from the wall. “I wish our battle had lasted longer. It’s a shame we have to end things here.”

“Even if it’s just flattery, I’m glad to be recognized by a warrior of your caliber... You have my gratitude for granting me a glorious death.” Arthur laughed cheerfully at Caim’s compliments. “I can’t exactly claim the title of emperor anymore, so... I leave the rest to you two, Lance, Millicia.”

“You still haven’t fulfilled your promise, Arthur,” Lance said, walking up to his brother. “Did you forget that you’d give me the will before dying?”

“The...will?” Millicia frowned, puzzled. Caim was perplexed too, not knowing what they were talking about.

“Ah, you’re still stuck on that... There’s no need to care so much about the words of the dead, you know...” Arthur said pityingly.

“Unfortunately, I’m not as pragmatic as you. I need to know. So give it to me before you die,” Lance pressed on.

“Hmph... Then do as you wish. It’s in my breast pocket.”

Lance approached Arthur and took a letter from his breast pocket. It was a miracle that it was still intact, considering the fierce battle that had just taken place.

“Just saying, but I don’t think there’s a point in reading it. It didn’t change anything for me, and it shouldn’t for you either,” Arthur warned him.

“Wise words. You truly were my brother.” Lance slowly opened the letter and silently read it. Eventually, his shoulders sagged and he sighed deeply, shaking his head regretfully. “So I was right...”

“Brother...? What is it? And what is all this about a will...?” Millicia asked.

“‘Brother,’ huh...? You can’t call me that anymore.” Lance flung the letter at Millicia like it was nothing but a piece of trash.

“Huh...?” she blurted out, catching it.

And then, without warning, Lance took Arthur’s sword and stabbed its broken tip into his brother’s chest.

“I pity you... Lance Garnet...” Such were Arthur’s last words as he finally died, lying on the floor. However, unlike the contented expression he’d had after his fight against Caim, his face was now filled with pity.

“Why did you do this, Lance?!” Millicia screamed at this tragic turn of events.

“You...!” While not quite as shocked as his lover, Caim was surprised as well. True, Lance and Arthur had been enemies, but Arthur was going to die soon anyway. Why would Lance trample on Arthur’s dignity like that?

“Just read the letter. You will understand...or not. I suppose you probably won’t, Millicia.” Lance turned around. His smiling face, painted with splatters of Arthur’s blood, looked like that of a clown with lousy makeup.

Caim immediately prepared to make his move if need be. Lance looked the same as usual—calm and flippant—but right now, that only made him seem even more eerie. Caim could sense a deep darkness in Lance, and he didn’t know what the prince was going to do.

“Read it. I’m sure you’ll find it very interesting,” Lance said.

Still confused, Millicia obeyed and read the letter. “Is this...Father’s last will and testament?” Millicia seemed dumbfounded by its contents. “Impossible...”

“What’s it say?” Caim asked.

“Th-That I...” Millicia looked up, shaken to her core, and gazed between Caim and Lance. “I—Millicia Garnet—am to be the next ruler. Not Arthur, not Lance...but me.”

Caim gasped, his eyes narrowing slightly. No wonder Millicia was so shaken—even Caim, who wasn’t directly involved, was shocked.

“But why...? Why would Father...? No, in the first place, Father should still be alive...”

“Calm down, Millicia,” Lance chided her like a teacher would a slow student. “Just think about it. What does it mean for Father—no, for the emperor to choose you?”

However, Millicia was unable to think clearly, her mouth opening and closing wordlessly.

“Ah, I think I get it...” Caim arrived at the answer before his lover. “You and Arthur aren’t actually the emperor’s sons, right?” he asked Lance.

“What...?” Millicia blurted out, her expression one of disbelief. Then, just like Caim, she stared at Lance.

Lance theatrically spread his arms beneath their gazes. “So it seems. I wasn’t sure until reading his will, but Father not naming anyone as his successor, no matter how much time passed, was enough of a hint.”

Caim realized that Lance’s reasoning made sense.

On the one hand, Arthur had been an extraordinary warrior. He was respected by a great number of knights and military nobles, and while his ambitions had gone a little too far, he had possessed the makings of a true conqueror.

On the other hand, Lance was a superb strategist. He excelled at diplomacy and was well-liked by the surrounding nations and the moderate nobles. As a general he was lacking, but he would make a very wise ruler.

In other words, while different, Arthur and Lance were both worthy of becoming the emperor. And yet, neither had been chosen, which had led to a civil war. If all of this had happened because the emperor had simply been unable to choose, that would make him an indecisive fool.

“Neither you nor Arthur were qualified to succeed the emperor from the very start, because you aren’t his children,” Caim said.

“Exactly. Arthur and I aren’t related to the emperor and Millicia by blood.” Lance laughed cheerfully, but to Caim, the prince seemed sad, and it was painful to watch. “You must have heard the story of my brother’s birth, no? That a war broke out in the country his mother was visiting for diplomatic reasons, and unable to return to the empire, she birthed him on the battlefield.”

“So you mean that she was either impregnated by someone else, or the child was exchanged with another in the chaos of war?” Caim asked.

“I don’t know about Arthur’s father, but I do know about mine. My mother told me, after all,” Lance said, his tone dispassionate. “My mother was a princess from a nation conquered by the empire in the generation of the previous emperor. Father married my mother in order to justify his rule over the ruined country, but what he didn’t know was that she was already pregnant by her fiancé.”

“Lance...” Millicia murmured.

“To be honest, I didn’t believe her—or rather, I didn’t want to believe her. After all, I loved my father and my brother...and my little sister was just so adorable. That’s why I wanted to read Father’s will. Perhaps the real reason I waged war against Arthur wasn’t to become emperor, but to learn who I truly am.”

If that was true, the soldiers who had passed away during the war would never be able to rest in peace.

Caim wondered if Arthur had known the truth too, and realized he must have, as he had been in possession of the will.

Not that learning he wasn’t the emperor’s child had stopped him from aiming for the throne...

“So, what’s your plan now?” Caim asked, glaring at Lance.

“I’m not as pragmatic as my brother, so I gave myself two paths. If there was even a single word acknowledging me in the will, I would devote my life to this country,” Lance said with a serious expression, different from the cheerful one he’d worn a few moments ago. “However, if there wasn’t...I’d fight for my mother’s nation instead and take revenge against the empire for destroying my homeland.”

Everyone present already knew the outcome. Even if he hadn’t read the letter himself, Caim would guess the answer based on the reactions of Lance, Millicia, and the now-dead Arthur.

“I plan to destroy the empire, Millicia,” Lance declared.

“Please, Lance!” Millicia screamed.

“I knew it would come to this, so I made preparations long beforehand. Well then, I suppose the time has come for the empire to fall.” Lance delivered his parting words with a placid smile. Then he took a small bottle from his breast pocket and threw it against the floor, filling the throne room with white smoke.

“Damn it, he ran away... Where did he go?!” Caim looked around once the smoke cleared, but couldn’t find the prince.

“Where are you, Lance?! Brother?!” Millicia yelled frantically.

“Calm down, Millicia! Tsk, where did he go?!”

Lance had declared that he would destroy the empire, but was that really possible? While the prince did command an army, they were all loyal to the empire. The soldiers had obeyed Lance because he had fought to improve their country, so they wouldn’t support him if he tried to do the reverse.

“Master Caim!”

“Milady! Sir Caim!”

The throne room’s doors were flung open as the rest of Caim’s lovers—Tea, Lenka, Rozbeth, and Lykos—entered.

“Did something happen inside? It’s rather chaotic out there,” Rozbeth said.

“What?”

“The castle is on fire. Captain Ildana and the soldiers are trying to extinguish it.”

Caim gasped, his eyes widening in realization. That must have been Lance’s doing, though Caim didn’t know how he’d managed it.

It seemed that Lance was intent on proving that his vow to destroy the empire hadn’t been a lie.

“Mmmh!” Lykos whined, pulling at Caim’s sleeve and pointing at the throne in the back of the room.

“Is there something up with the throne? Let’s see...” Caim kicked the throne aside. “Oh?”

In the wall behind the throne, they discovered a tunnel large enough for someone to pass through if they stooped over. This must have been how Lance had fled.

“The palace has hidden escape routes in case of emergency, but I do not know them all,” Millicia explained.

“Makes sense. Anyway, I don’t know what he’s planning, but we better chase after him.”

Caim and the girls entered the hidden passage. As they hurried through the dark and musty tunnel, they reached a point where the path diverged in two directions.

“Can you tell which way he went, Lykos?” Caim asked.

Lykos sniffed the ground, grimacing at the foul stench, and pointed at the left path. As expected of a wolf girl, she had a reliable nose.

“Let’s go.” Caim led the way, running down the left tunnel. It turned into a long descending staircase, and eventually, light finally greeted them.

“There you are, Millicia.”

“Lance!”

“I knew you’d come after me. Though, to be honest, it would have been better if we never saw each other again.”

They had arrived in an open space—a square room enclosed by stone walls with no windows. The only light source was a magical lamp suspended from the ceiling.

There were two doors to the room—the opened one, from which Caim and the girls had just come, and a closed one on the opposite side, next to where Lance was standing. The latter was clearly no ordinary door, being painted bloodred and locked with several chains.

“I do not know what you are planning to do, Lance, but please, do not try to destroy the empire!” Millicia pleaded, taking a step forward. “Even if we are not related by blood, you are my brother. You are Arthur’s brother. And you are Father’s son! We do not need to heed Father’s will—you can still be the emperor. So, please...!”

“That’s not the issue, Millicia,” Lance replied to his sister’s frantic words with a troubled smile. “I’m not going rogue because Father abandoned me, nor am I just sulking like a child. I’m just doing what I must. I’m driven by a sense of duty.”

“What do you mean...?”

“I just want to accomplish my duty as my mother’s child—as the last surviving member of the Iolite Kingdom’s royal family.”

Caim had never heard of the Iolite Kingdom, but from context, he could guess it had been the home country of Lance’s mother that had been destroyed by the Garnet Empire.

“Didn’t you want to become emperor, Lance Garnet?” Caim asked.

Lance had started a civil war against Arthur to that end—or at least, that was what Caim had thought. He wanted to know if Lance had been deceiving them from the beginning.

If so, was that entire war—the death of Arthur, Gawain, Merlin, and everyone else—just a farce?

“Hmm... No, that’s not quite correct. I really was fighting to become emperor. However, I’m also serious about destroying the empire now,” Lance answered.

“I don’t get it...”

“In other words, I hedged my bets. I had two contrary objectives, and I made preparations for both outcomes. And only when I read my father’s... I mean, the emperor’s will, did I decide which path I’d follow.”

“...I still don’t get it,” Caim repeated after a long pause. He just couldn’t comprehend Lance’s outlook. Even though they had been enemies, Caim had been able to understand Arthur, and could even agree with some of his ideas. And yet, even though Lance should have been his ally, Caim found the prince’s way of thinking inhuman and incomprehensible.

“But, Brother...!” Millicia tried again.

“No, Millicia, I am no longer your brother. Also, while I’m at it, I’ve never been your ally either.”

“Huh...?”

“I sent you to the Jade Kingdom to get rid of the emperor’s only biological child. Whether I became emperor or destroyed the empire, you’d become an obstacle in both cases. So I sent you to the Jade Kingdom, and I hired bandits to take care of you.”

“Wait... Do you mean they were...?!” Millicia almost collapsed from the shock, but Caim quickly moved to support her. He also was surprised by the revelation. And they weren’t the only ones.

“D-Do you mean to say that the brigands who assaulted my lady and me were acting under your orders, Prince Lance?!” Lenka shouted, asking the question instead of her mistress.

“That’s right. Millicia was a hindrance, and her cruel death inside the Jade Kingdom would be a diplomatic asset. So I gave the bandits a strong aphrodisiac and instructed them to thoroughly humiliate her before ending her life. Unfortunately, they failed their mission.”

Millicia and Lenka were both struck speechless. They had been captured by brigands, had their guards and servants killed, and had even been drugged with an aphrodisiac. If Caim hadn’t saved them, they would have died regretting being born women.

And now, Millicia learned that it had all been planned by her beloved brother? He was the one who had wished for her to die in shame and despair?

“It wasn’t just the bandits, by the way. I also instigated the lord of that port town, had the sky pirates attack your ship, released the seal on that lich king, hired assassins to kill two members of the imperial family—me included—and poisoned the Dragon’s Nest water supply to provoke an outbreak of wyverns. Though, to be fair, these weren’t all just to get rid of you. I mainly wanted to cause chaos and disrupt Dame Merlin’s foresight.”

“That cannot be true...” Millicia fell backward, and Caim couldn’t catch her this time. Her eyes were devoid of light, and a lone tear trickled down her cheek. “Was I such a hindrance to you...? Did you hate me so much that you wanted to remove me no matter the means...?”

“No, you misunderstand me, Millicia. I love you,” Lance immediately replied to his sister’s wailing as though it was the most natural response in the world. “You’re my precious sister. I love you, just like I love Arthur and Father. I just make it a point not to mix personal feelings and business. That’s all.”

“Business...?”

“Indeed. I have a very big job to undertake, and to accomplish it, I’d kill anyone—my siblings, my parents, and even my own children. I’m ready to trample over the bodies of everyone close to me,” Lance declared without hesitation. In contrast with his sister’s eyes that had darkened because of the despair, his were pure, honest, and unwavering. He didn’t hold a single doubt about what he was doing.

“You monster...” Caim was chilled to the core at hearing Lance’s confession. He had been impressed by Arthur’s monstrous strength, but learning Lance’s inner thoughts only filled him with dread.

He isn’t human... His body isn’t different from the average man, but his mind has transcended humanity!

What kind of upbringing could birth such an abnormal existence? Caim couldn’t imagine any future where he would come to understand Lance. Or rather, his brain completely refused to entertain the possibility.

And so, for the first time in his life, Caim experienced genuine fear toward someone.

He would do it. To accomplish his goals, he would exterminate mankind without changing his expression. Heck, he wouldn’t even feel a thing. That’s the kind of man he is!

“Anyway, let’s put an end to this talk and get on with the main matter. Do you know what’s inside this room?” Lance looked away from Millicia, still sitting on the ground, and knocked on the closed door.

“...How could I?” Caim somehow managed to force out the words, cold sweat running down his back.

“Obviously.” Lance nodded. “Well, you see, a Demon Lord is behind this door.”

“What...?!” Caim cried, his voice hoarse as his throat went dry. He didn’t understand what that room was or what Lance was planning, but he did know the situation was dangerous, and his instincts screamed at him to kill Lance as quickly as possible.

“The Handsome Monkey King—one of the seven Demon Lords, the great disasters that can wreck this world—is sealed behind this door.”

Caim gasped. Just like the Poison Queen inside him, a Demon Lord was a monster that could ruin a nation by itself. “Why the hell would that kind of thing be under the imperial palace?!”

“Well, to be more precise, the Demon Lord wasn’t sealed below the castle—the castle was built above the seal. The seal is maintained by absorbing the mana from the people living aboveground, which is why this place became the capital of the empire and one of the largest cities on the continent. It’s honestly been pretty difficult to find its location,” Lance said, taking a tarnished silver key from his breast pocket.

“Wait, you’re not gonna...?!”

“I sure am. I’ll use this key to release it. If it’s unsealed, I’m certain it’ll destroy the Garnet Empire and avenge the Iolite Kingdom.”

“Poison Shot!”

“Die!”

Caim and Rozbeth tried to stop the prince, one with a bullet of poison, the other with a thrown knife.

But Lance only laughed, not even bothering to dodge. The lethal toxin began to burn his face away, and the knife stuck in his chest. “I thought you’d do that,” he said, sounding happy even though his face was half melted. “Thank you.”

The next instant, the silver key shone like the aurora borealis.

“Wha—?!”

“You see, this key is a magic item that can dispel any sorcery as long as its user dies. The issue, however, is that suicide doesn’t work, which is why you have my gratitude. I’m glad I failed to kill Millicia after all...” Lance collapsed.

“Lance!” Millicia screamed.

The ground quaked, and the ceiling began to crumble, debris falling around them.

“I’ll be the first one to die. Have fun,” Lance muttered, and the light released from the key that had fallen from his hand severed the chains.

The seal broke into pieces, the door opened, and...

“GYAOOOOOOOOOOO!”

...a goose-bumps-inducing roar assaulted Caim and the girls.

Before Caim could even ready himself, his vision was painted red. He felt a chilling mana wash over him, and he lost consciousness.

This is the Handsome Monkey King, the mad monkey god who came from another realm.

Caim heard a voice in his head just before fainting.

Chapter 4: Demon Lord Versus Demon Lord

“In life, the unexpected is inevitable.”

In a room with desks, a blackboard, and a teacher’s podium, a woman in a white lab coat—Faust—spoke in a clear voice.

“In this world, nothing goes as you expect. Even Miss Merlin, who had the power of foresight, was caught off guard. Something trivial that you ignore at first can grow into something that provokes great change, just like the flapping of a butterfly’s wings can cause a tornado on the other side of the planet.”

Faust paused an instant before continuing. “This also applies to us researchers. No matter how much we try to carefully proceed with an experiment, our test subject will create results that overthrow all of our expectations. To be honest, though, this is as much a source of entertainment as it is a source of worry. After all, what is more interesting than an amazing result that surpasses your expectations? Perhaps that is why I became a scientist.”

“Why are you here, Faust?” Caim asked as he rose from his desk. Looking around, he realized he was in the same classroom where he had met Faust last time. They were alone, Caim’s comrades nowhere to be found. “Is this another dream? Or...did I die?”

Caim didn’t understand his current situation. Just a few seconds before, Lance had unsealed the door underground, and then an outrageous amount of mana had assaulted him. He’d lost consciousness after that, so he had no idea what had happened to the girls.

“Don’t worry, your comrades are fine. You protected them,” Faust reassured him.

“I did...?”

“Well, see for yourself.” Faust snapped her fingers.

The next instant, Caim’s memories were projected on the blackboard.

When the seal broke, a flesh-tearing roar echoed through the chamber, and shock waves assaulted them.

“Ugh... Step back, everyone!” Caim yelled and held his arms out before him.

Releasing mana from his hands, he created a dome of poison to protect everyone, defending them from the shock waves. The dome quickly cracked, but Caim just produced more poison to seal the gaps.

Caim was pushing the limits of how much mana he could release at once. The flesh of his hands tore, his palms spurted blood, and his fingers were blown away. His brain couldn’t keep up with the process, so his head was in agony as blood gushed from his eyes and nose.

And yet, Caim endured until the shock waves stopped. In exchange for protecting everyone’s lives, though, he lost consciousness.

The instant the roar from behind the seal ceased, the girls moved.

“Master Caim!”

“We need to retreat! Follow after me!”

Tea carried her unconscious master, and Lenka took the lead, guiding everyone through the hidden passage they had come down.

“Caim!” Millicia cast Healing Magic on Caim as they ran.

“The tunnel is going to collapse! We need to speed up!” Rozbeth urged everyone from the rear.

They all ran as fast as they could, but eventually, the tunnel collapsed both in front of and behind them.

“No! This is bad...!”

Fortunately, their despair didn’t last long.

A high-pitched howl resounded. The source was Lykos, who had grown from a small girl to an adult woman, tearing her clothes in the process.

“You are...!”

“I shall create a path for us. Go ahead with Master!”

Everyone was surprised by Lykos’s sudden transformation, but she didn’t wait for them to get their bearings. Immediately, she landed a powerful kick on the rubble blocking their path, opening a hole big enough for them to pass.

“Let’s go!”

“Quick, it probably won’t last long!”

The girls, carrying Caim, sprinted down the part of the hidden passage and, finally, arrived outside of it.

Caim, who had gone through the strange experience of seeing his memories in third person, let out a relieved—and slightly exasperated—sigh.

“What can I say? I sure have amazing luck with women. They’re all so reliable.”

“Does that include me?” Faust inquired.

“In your dreams... Wait, this is a dream,” Caim realized. Faust was invading his dream just like she had before. He never liked it, but this time, it might prove useful. “Say, Faust. Can you tell me more about the Handsome Monkey King that was sealed behind that door?”

“You heard Prince Lance, no? He’s one of the seven Demon Lords,” Faust replied, and started to write on the blackboard with a chalk. “The Poison Queen, the Sea Fiend of Delta, the Invisible Vampire, the White Sandalwood Ogre, the Heavenly Dragon Emperor, the Thousand-Hatchling World Tree, and the Handsome Monkey King. They are stronger than Duke-class monsters such as dragons, and most importantly, they are immortal.”

“Immortal, huh...?” Caim recalled the purple-haired beauty—the Poison Queen. She had obtained eternal life by cursing the people who killed her, stealing their bodies. She had tried to do the same with Caim, who had inherited the poison curse from his mother, Sasha. Fortunately, they had been able to make peace, and as a result, they had fused, giving birth to the Poison King.

“They can’t be killed—or rather, even if you manage to do it, they don’t stay dead. The Handsome Monkey King was miraculously sealed, but seals don’t last forever. They’re just a way to postpone the issue. What a shame things turned out this way,” Faust said.

“Talking like it’s none of your business...”

“Well, I’m a researcher. I try to look at everything objectively.”

Caim didn’t reply, instead just silently walking toward the classroom’s exit.

“Where are you going?” Faust inquired.

“Don’t ask obvious questions—I’m gonna fight,” Caim declared without hesitation. The Handsome Monkey King would soon get aboveground, which would put his comrades in danger. Caim had to fight—and defeat him. To protect his precious lovers, of course. “If I let him rampage outside, he’s gonna destroy the empire. That’d make Millicia sad.”

“Good... You truly are the best result I could have hoped for from that experiment.” Faust smiled. She took out a book from the teacher’s podium and tossed it to Caim, who caught it with one hand.

“What is it?”

“A parting gift. I’m sure you’ll find it useful.”

Knowledge suddenly started to flow directly into Caim’s brain from the book in his hand. It was information on something he didn’t know about the Toukishin Style—one of the secret techniques only taught to chosen disciples.

“A stalker pursuing me in the past used this technique, so I recorded it,” Faust explained.

“You were targeted by a Toukishin Style practitioner?”

“I was. By the way, funnily enough, that man ended up becoming Kevin Halsberg’s master. Then Kevin became my friend, and his son my patient. The way people are connected is truly amusing, don’t you think?”

“In this case, it feels more like an ironic twist of fate... If only we could put an end to it right here and now,” Caim said with a snort, exasperated.

The knowledge he had received from Faust not only contained one of the secret techniques of the Toukishin Style, but also information he lacked. Caim was self-taught—he hadn’t learned the techniques properly and only imitated what he had seen his father use. As such, Caim’s technique was actually flawed—and now, those flaws had been corrected by the new knowledge he had obtained.

I don’t like that she was the one to teach me, though...

Be it his father or Faust, why was it that Caim only learned from people he didn’t like?

Whether she sensed Caim’s dissatisfaction or not, Faust didn’t show it. She just waved at him with a smile. “I hope you’ll exceed my expectations once more.”

“I’m not fighting for you... Don’t appear in my dreams ever again,” Caim replied, then exited the classroom.

“Caim!”

Caim heard a familiar voice as his body was enveloped in white light.

〇 〇 〇

“Caim!”

“Hey, Millicia...” Caim opened his eyes to see Millicia’s crying face directly above him. She had laid him down on the ground and was on her knees next to him, treating him with Healing Magic. “How long was I out?”

“About thirty minutes... Wait, do not move!”

“I have to...” Caim ignored Millicia’s warning and got up. “Are we outside of the castle?”

He took stock of his surroundings. They seemed to be in the plaza not far away from the palace. Above the buildings, he could see the burning castle in the distance. Soldiers were running around in panic, and the air was thick with the kind of tension and despair that always accompanied a disaster.

“Explain the situation,” Caim asked.

“Umm... After Lance broke the seal, we carried you outside. Then I ordered the soldiers to evacuate the citizens from the capital. Lenka, Tea, and Rozbeth are also helping them. As for the monster sealed below the castle...”

“GYAOOOOOOOOO!”

“Ah!”

“Well, that’s one less thing to explain. There it is.” Caim smiled ironically, looking at the palace. One of the spires then collapsed, and a giant silhouette emerged from the ruins. “That name sure is exaggerated. Handsome Monkey King? It’s just a wild monkey.”

The air trembled as the enormous monkey—even taller than the imperial palace—roared. Its body was covered in red fur, its eyes were golden, and its mouth, full of fangs, could easily swallow a person whole.

“GYAOOOOOOOOO!” howled the Handsome Monkey King, sending out shock waves that blew the surrounding buildings away. It was so powerful that even just roaring was enough to cause destruction.

“So this is the Handsome Monkey King... Why would Lance free such a monster?!” Millicia cried.

“Don’t try to understand a lunatic like him. More importantly, we need to take care of that monkey.”

“You plan to fight it?!” Millicia exclaimed, shocked, as she saw Caim begin walking toward the monster. “You cannot possibly do that! No human can win against him!”

“That’s not true. Someone did manage to seal it, after all. And I personally know someone who killed a Demon Lord.” The face of his father—Kevin Halsberg—flashed into his mind. That man was an S-rank adventurer, and while he had been helped by his comrades, he had been the one to defeat the Poison Queen. “It would be embarrassing if I couldn’t even do what my old man could. I’ll do my part, so you do yours.”

“Ah...” Millicia let out as Caim leaped away before she could protest further.

Caim stopped midair on the mana foothold and looked down upon the ruins of the capital.

“What a miserable sight. What is it they say? ‘Rise and fall, all that’s left are the remains of the warriors’ dreams,’ or something like that?”

Buildings had collapsed in a radial pattern with the castle at its epicenter. As for the palace itself, it was completely destroyed. The place that had once housed the ruler of the country was no more.

A fifth of the capital was in ruins, and it was getting worse by the second. The remaining soldiers were helping people who had been buried under the debris and leading the survivors out of the city.

“You were right, Lance. That monster could easily put an end to the Garnet Empire.”

Left to its own devices, the Handsome Monkey King would wreck the imperial capital in less than a day. What happened after that would depend on the monster’s whims, but anywhere it went, destruction would follow.

“I won’t let you do that, though!” Caim shouted, releasing a huge amount of mana. He should have used up a great deal of his power while defending against the Handsome Monkey King’s shock waves, and yet he felt strangely filled with power.

Caim looked at his hands, missing some fingers that even Millicia’s Sacred Arts hadn’t been able to restore.

“Hmph!” Caim focused on his hands, and his fingers started to regrow. Poisonous mana outlined a shape, then his flesh filled them as Mana Compression accelerated his self-regeneration.

At the same time, Caim also felt his senses sharpen immensely. He was now able to feel everything happening in a few-hundred-meter radius around him.

“Tea, Lenka, and Rozbeth are rescuing people, and Lykos is... Well, she’s fine too.” Caim let out a relieved sigh. His enhanced senses had informed him of the well-being of his comrades, who were currently digging through the rubble to save anyone who had been buried and help them evacuate.

“Still, how come I feel so great? What’s happened?” Caim was puzzled by the unnaturally good condition he was in.

His self-healing had been strengthened enough to easily regrow fingers, his senses had sharpened to the point he could grasp everything around him—and above all, even though he wasn’t using Shiyuu, he had become an endless font of mana. He hadn’t done anything special, and yet he had experienced an unbelievable power-up. Caim now completely surpassed who he had been a mere half an hour ago.

“Did Faust do something to me? No, I’d remember that...”

The only thing he had received from Faust was the knowledge about the Toukishin Style. That shouldn’t have anything to do with his sudden power-up.

Caim tilted his head to the side in wonder, still not grasping the truth.

The reason behind his tremendous growth was that he had been attacked by the Handsome Monkey King. He had basked in the mana of a monster in the same Demon Lord class as the Poison Queen. Confronted by a creature far superior to the Lycaon King and the dragon he had fought before, the limits Caim’s body had imposed on itself instinctively in order to prevent it from breaking down had been forcefully lifted, releasing Caim’s full potential.

If Caim had been able to access his full power the instant he became the Poison King, he would have been overwhelmed by it, resulting in his own destruction. But now that Caim had fought several strong enemies, he was able to control the energy that currently erupted out of him like a volcano.

“GYAOOOOOOO!”

“You wanna go wild? Well, what a coincidence—so do I!”

The Handsome Monkey King lifted a huge chunk of debris from the remains of the castle and threw it at Caim, who smirked and thrust out his fist.

“Kirin.”

A spiraling projectile of compressed mana shot from his fist at great speed, piercing through the rubble and flying straight toward one of the Handsome Monkey King’s eyes.

“GYAO?!” However, while the monster was surprised, it was still a Demon Lord. The attack didn’t even manage to penetrate its eyeball.

Still, it had been enough to enrage the monkey. Its eyes turned red as it focused its hostility on Caim.

Under the monster’s gaze, Caim felt great pressure assault him—but he grinned as if it were nothing.

“Well then, let’s fight.”

“GYAAAAAAAAAAA!”

It was now time for the true final showdown at the imperial capital.

Poison King versus Handsome Monkey King.

Thus, the battle between the two Demon Lords began.

〇 〇 〇

“GYAAAAAAAAAAA!” roared the Handsome Monkey King, sending mana shock waves in all directions.

Caim had lost fingers defending against them earlier, but this time, he stood unmoving midair. However...

“Huh?” Caim blurted out, noticing something strange was happening.

The shadow of the Handsome Monkey King quivered before it transformed into countless small monkeys. They were only “small” compared to the Demon Lord, though—at two meters tall, they were much bigger than a person.

The small monkeys scattered around the capital, their shrill cries piercing the air.

“This is bad! They’re gonna attack everyone!” Caim started to panic. He had to fight the Handsome Monkey King, and he couldn’t deal with all of these smaller monkeys on top of that.

Fortunately, a reliable voice assuaged his worries.

“Slay the monsters! Do not let a single one pass!” commanded a red-haired female knight—Lenka—from below. Leading the Knights of the Blue Wolf and the Knights of the Black Dragon, she fiercely slashed at the smaller creatures. “Leave them to us, Sir Caim! Focus on the big one!”

“Got it!” Caim replied with a smile. Truly, comrades—and lovers—were important to have. “I’ll spank you as much as you want once we’re done here, so look forward to it!”

“Bwah?! D-Don’t yell that in public!” Lenka shouted back, flustered, as she struck down yet another monkey.

Caim then returned his focus to the Demon Lord.

“GYAO!” The Handsome Monkey King threw a punch at Caim. It wasn’t skilled, but considering the monster was as huge as a mountain, it was still a threat. If that punch actually hit Caim, it would grind all of his bones to dust.

“Houou!” Caim released mana bursts under his feet and dodged the incoming fist.

While the punch didn’t hit Caim, the gale it created tore the roofs off the buildings behind where Caim had been. It hadn’t been a direct hit, nor had the blow used Mana Compression like Caim had. The buildings had been destroyed purely by wind pressure.

“You’re packing quite a lot of power... If this battle lasts too long, the capital might end up in ruins just from the aftershocks.”

Lenka and the rest were fighting below, so that meant they were at risk.

Caim increased his altitude, hoping that would help reduce the damage to his surroundings.

“GYAAA!” The Handsome Monkey King followed with another attack. This time, it opened its jaws wide and breathed out a fireball.

“Whoa!”

“GYAAA! GYAAAA! GYAAAAA!” It wasn’t just one—the Demon Lord kept shooting fireball after fireball in an endless barrage.

No matter how good Caim’s physical abilities and reflexes were, even he couldn’t avoid so many projectiles.

“Genbu isn’t enough to defend against fire. Then I suppose it’s time for this technique—Reiki!” Caim decided to use the other defensive technique of the Toukishin Style for the first time.

He released condensed mana around his body and made it spin rapidly. When struck by fireballs he couldn’t manage to dodge, the whirling mana around Caim repelled them.

“How’s that? A wild, rampaging monkey like you can’t do anything like that, right?” Caim said smugly.

Reiki—Spirit Tortoise—was also a basic technique of the Toukishin Style. Unlike Genbu, which focused condensed mana in a single place to create a “hard” defense, Reiki covered the body with spinning mana, repelling attacks with a “soft” defense. As such, rather than Genbu, Reiki was the way to go to defend against fire, lightning, or any other kind of magical attack.

“Hmph!” While warding off the flames with Reiki, Caim drew close to the Handsome Monkey King with Houou and punched it in the face with all his strength.

“GYAO?!” The Demon Lord retreated two steps, shocked to have its snout struck. But it didn’t stay astonished for long. “GYAAA!” It glared at Caim, eyes burning with rage, and extended its hand toward him.

“Seiryuu!” Naturally, Caim didn’t let himself get caught. He slashed at the grasping, hairy palm with a blade of condensed mana, tearing into it.

However, Caim noticed something. He quickly activated Reiki with a click of his tongue, protecting himself from the spurt of blood.

Caim was fine, but not the buildings below that were showered in blood. A sizzling sound echoed as roofs and walls melted, as though eroded by acid.

“It’s not the same as my blood, but just as troublesome. Demon Lords are such a pain!” Caim complained, conveniently forgetting he was included among them.

“GYAAAAAAAAAA!” roared the Handsome Monkey King, the wind pressure almost blowing Caim away.

Caim smirked. “You sure are a lively one. I guess that’s a Demon Lord for you—a monster on par with the Poison Queen. You’re not gonna go down easily, are you?!”

Indeed, a mere cut to the palm was far from a fatal wound—in fact, it had already healed. The Handsome Monkey King had an impressive self-healing ability, making it worthy of being called immortal.

Naturally, Caim knew that basic techniques like Kirin and Seiryuu would never be enough to defeat his foe. But he’d been using them on purpose, because he had wanted to test his new power and get used to his body.

The warm-up was over.

“It’s time to start our real battle. From now on, I’m gonna go all out, so prepare yourself!”

An outrageous amount of mana gushed from Caim’s body with the ferocity of an exploding sun.

“GYA?!” blurted out the Handsome Monkey King, surprised.

“Toukishin Style Secret Stance—Shiyuu!” Caim opened all of his chakras—the source of mana—and drew out even more power, far beyond his ordinary limits.

The deadly clash between Demon Lords would now begin for real.

〇 〇 〇

While Caim was fighting the Handsome Monkey King, the soldiers were dealing with countless small monkeys flooding the ruins of the capital.

“Slay every one of them!” Lenka shouted, and the soldiers replied with a yell as they courageously battled the monsters.

However, the small monkeys were only small compared to the Handsome Monkey King, being two meters tall and as strong as orcs.

“Ugh... There are too many of them! At this rate we’ll...!”

“Don’t give up, valiant knights of the empire!” Lenka said to the soldiers who were starting to lose heart. “There are civilians behind us! If we let even one of these monkeys pass, they’ll all be at its mercy!”

Lenka swung her mana-clad sword, cutting one small monkey after another. She had greatly improved during her travels with Caim, and she could now easily defeat enemies that would have been difficult for her to deal with before.

“Grrraaaaaoooooow!”

And Lenka wasn’t alone. A white-haired beastfolk maid—Tea—appeared, breaking the monsters’ skulls with her three-section staff.

“Your heads are mine.”

The beautiful assassin with navy blue hair—Rozbeth—beheaded one monkey after another.

“Are you all right, Lenka?!” Tea asked.

“You look like you’re struggling a bit. Need a hand?” Rozbeth added.

“Thanks, you two... Still, there are way too many of them.” Lenka smiled at her reliable comrades, then gazed around. While Tea and Rozbeth had helped to thin the number of monkeys, there were still a huge number of them. The Handsome Monkey King would likely endlessly produce them as long as it remained alive. “No wonder they call Demon Lords calamities that can destroy nations.”

The big monkey was trouble enough by itself—but on top of that, it also produced an army of smaller monkeys. If Caim hadn’t been present to fight the Demon Lord, the Garnet Empire might have already been annihilated.

Lenka and the girls fought the monsters for a while—until suddenly, several small monkeys started huddling together.

“What are they— Huh?!”

“They fused?!”

A dozen monkeys had combined into one massive black ape. Naturally, it wasn’t as big as the Handsome Monkey King, but it was still around ten meters tall.

“UGOOOOOOH!” the ape roared, straining the air and causing Lenka and the others to break out into a cold sweat.

“This is bad!” Lenka yelled.

“But it’s not like we can retreat, can we?” Rozbeth said.

Lenka wasn’t panicking about the great ape—but about the great apes. Indeed, all of the small monkeys had fused to form several of these larger apes. One or two, they would have been able to deal with, but so many?

“Do not give up, everyone!” someone shouted. The next instant, one of the great apes’ heads exploded. The person who had landed the powerful kick spun in midair a few times before landing. “Master will exterminate their source before long. We only need to endure until then!”

“You are...?!” Lenka and the others widened their eyes in surprise.

The one who had smashed the great ape’s head with a single kick was a beauty with long, green hair, dressed in tattered clothes that barely covered the important parts.

“Is that you, Lykos...?” Tea asked.

“Yes, it is.” She nodded. Now in her adult form, Lykos stood poised amid the chaos and shouted to everyone, “Anyone who is injured should retreat. Millicia and the priests will treat you. As for those who can still fight, do not abandon hope. We only need to endure until Master slays the enemy!”

“I don’t need your encouraging speech. I never gave up in the first place!” Rozbeth protested, throwing a knife in the eye of a great ape.

“Me neither!” Lenka followed by cutting the tendon in one of its legs, causing it to drop to one knee.

“And now, the coup de grâce! Die!” Tea finished it by crushing its skull with her three-section staff.

Seeing the great ape die cheered the soldiers up.

“We can’t let the girls steal all the glory! Let’s prove our valor as well!”

“Show them the pride of the Knight Orders! Let’s exterminate those monsters!”

The captains of the Knights of the Blue Wolf and the Knights of the Black Dragon—Louivi Ildana and Ikkaku—roused their troops and joined the fray against the great apes.

As Demon Lords clashed above them, the people cooperated to confront the threat before them.

Humanity’s pride and resolve clashed with the army of monsters to protect the imperial capital and its citizens.

〇 〇 〇

Shiyuu, one of the secret techniques of the Toukishin Style, allowed its user to fully open their chakras and draw out mana above their usual limits. Caim condensed that mana and clad his body in it, greatly boosting his offensive and defensive abilities to the point that he could now easily match a giant in a fistfight.

“Take that!”

“GYAO!”

Caim punched the Handsome Monkey King in the face. Contrary to his previous punch, this struck the Demon Lord so hard it turned its head 180 degrees around. However, the monster’s neck immediately snapped back into place, and it tried to flatten Caim between its palms.

“GYAAA!”

“Hah! You’ve got quite a big pair of hands,” Caim noted, stopping them with his own by stretching his arms out on both sides. “Here’s a little payback!”

Caim grabbed one of the monkey’s fingers and bent it in the wrong direction.

“GYEEE?!”

Then he immediately followed by leaping at the monster’s face and punching it repeatedly. Caim’s barrage of strikes broke the Handsome Monkey King’s nose, bloodying it, and the Demon Lord fell on its backside atop the destroyed castle.

“Everyone around here should have evacuated already, so I don’t need to hold back anymore!” Caim focused the overwhelming amount of compressed mana released by Shiyuu into his right hand and produced a broadsword as long as he was tall. “Toukishin Style Secret Stance—Fukugi!”

Caim swung the sword in a flash, severing the Handsome Monkey King’s right arm at its root.

“GYEEEEEEEEE?!” screamed the Demon Lord an instant later. A large amount of blood gushed out of the stump, melting the mountain of rubble that had once been the imperial palace.

“Huh... I wasn’t sure, but I guess I can do it if I try.” Caim let out an impressed sigh as he watched the sword in his hand, created by his mana.

Usually, mana was an intangible energy, but the Toukishin Style compressed mana to the point that it started to materialize, and the user would then wrap their body in it to fight.

What Caim had done here was a step even further. He had created an entire weapon with the materialized condensed mana.

Mana held infinite possibilities. It could transform into fire, water, wind, earth, lightning, ice, poison, and many other things. As such, shouldn’t it be possible to create something from nothing by condensing mana into material form?

And the technique that implemented that principle was one of the secret techniques of the Toukishin Style—Fukugi. And true to its name, which came from an eastern god of creation, it allowed its user to perform the divine act of materializing whatever they wished from nothing.

“Thinking about it, if I can produce poison from mana, then there’s no reason I can’t make a sword too!”

Caim closed in on the Handsome Monkey King and freely swung his blade in all directions. This was different from Seiryuu, which was just a temporary mana construct. This weapon was a sword that truly existed as an object in this world.

It was a magic sword created from Caim’s desire to cut down a Demon Lord. And true to its creator’s will, the blade easily cut through the monkey’s flesh.

“GYAAAA! GYEEEEE?!” the Handsome Monkey King screamed, but Caim didn’t stop. He swung his sword relentlessly without even stopping to take a breath, to the point that he even exceeded the speed at which the Demon Lord could regenerate.

This wasn’t even a fight anymore—it was a slaughter.

“GYEEEEEE!”

“This is a lot more one-sided than I expected... Man, talk about a letdown,” Caim said, a little disappointed, as he continued to slash at the monkey. “I wish I could’ve fought you while you were still sane. Killing a suicidal beast like you is boring.”

A warrior’s strike said more than a thousand words ever could, and Caim had come to understand his opponent during their battle.

The Handsome Monkey King wanted to die. It had no desire to live. It was a tragic monster burning with madness and fury, unable to die because of its own tremendous power.

“I don’t know what’s happened to you, but I do pity you. Now, die.”

Caim leaped high in the sky and once again stood in midair. He gathered purple mana in his right hand until, eventually, it started shining a brilliant violet-gold.

“Don’t worry, Handsome Monkey King. I’ll put an end to your despair and grant you eternal rest.”

Caim combined the poisonous mana he had inherited from the Poison Queen and the creation power of Fukugi to produce an entirely new poison—one that could kill the Handsome Monkey King for good. It was a poison whose only purpose was to bring an end to the tragic immortal monster wishing for its own death.

“Purple Poison Magic—Helheim!”

Violet-gold liquid poison poured down like a waterfall onto the Demon Lord, covering its body.

“GYAA...” The Handsome Monkey King let out something that seemed like a sigh as it yielded to the torrent of poison.

This substance, made to slay a Demon Lord, melted its flesh away, not leaving it any room to regenerate. Death was unavoidable.

The Handsome Monkey King’s furious face softened, its expression almost relieved as it slowly dissolved, not even leaving a single cell behind.

〇 〇 〇

“My, what a surprise. I didn’t expect things to end like that.”

A figure was standing atop the rampart of the capital. That person, wearing a white lab coat and laughing cheerfully, was a woman with deep ties to Caim—Faust.

“I’m not surprised he won against the Handsome Monkey King. Nor that he managed to use Fukugi. I am impressed that he managed to use it so easily right after learning the technique from me, but not surprised. That was within my expectations.”

Even though nobody was listening to her, Faust continued monologizing with great interest.

“But for him to actually kill the Handsome Monkey King for good? That’s surprising. After all, it should be impossible to bring an end to a Demon Lord, as they’re all immortal.”

Demon Lords were defined in two ways: They could destroy a nation by themselves, and they were immortal. It was impossible to kill them—even Faust, who’d been maneuvering as a mage in secret for quite a long time, did not know of a way to do it.

“You can seal them, or even repel them. In fact, with enough preparations, it might even be possible to banish them to the underworld. But you can’t kill them.”

There were seven Demon Lords, and each one possessed their own immortality.

The Poison Queen could curse the person who killed her, then steal their body.

The Handsome Monkey King was tough and had inexhaustible stamina and life force. No matter how much it was injured, its regeneration would always return its body to peak condition.

Naturally, that meant one could theoretically end its life by doing so much fast, continuous damage to it that its regeneration couldn’t keep up. But it was unrealistic to expect anyone to be able to do such a thing. Even all the S-rank adventurers—humanity’s strongest warriors—put together wouldn’t be able to.

“And yet, he—the Poison King—did it.”

From what she had witnessed, Caim’s poison had completely annihilated the Handsome Monkey King. Of course, it was possible that some cells had survived and it would be resurrected someday, but Faust was almost certain that wouldn’t happen.

“That means Demon Lords can kill each other. That’s a new discovery, one that seems almost obvious in hindsight...and yet nobody’s ever thought of it.”

One of the seven Demon Lords—the Handsome Monkey King—was no more.

As for the Poison Queen, Faust wasn’t certain. Her immortality was based on cursing and stealing the body of the person who killed her. So if Caim lived out his natural lifespan and passed away peacefully, then perhaps she would vanish with him and never return.

“This is why I could never give up being a scientist. You’re the best research subject ever, Caim.”

Faust knew that Caim would continue to deliver amazing results and couldn’t wait to see them, her heart racing in anticipation.

“Will you kill the other Demon Lords? Will your children or grandchildren also produce surprising results?” Faust wondered with a smile, but then she remembered something. “The issue, however, is the Holy Spirit Church... Oh well, I suppose I’ll have to help.” She shrugged, thinking about the religion that hated Demon Lords.

The Holy Spirit Church’s creed called for the annihilation of all monsters and the defeat of the Demon Lords, so if they ever learned of Caim’s existence, they might want to kill him. Of course, not every member of the Holy Spirit Church was a fundamentalist, but sooner or later, they would clash with Caim.

“He’s such a handful... But oh well, I am a caring doctor. I can at least do this much aftercare for one of my patients.”

A magic circle appeared under Faust’s feet, and light covered her body. Then the next instant, the mad scientist in the white lab coat vanished.

To Caim, Faust was an annoying woman, but thanks to her, his meeting with the Holy Spirit Church would be delayed for a little while.

In the future, the eccentric woman would keep following Caim around. But whether Faust’s existence would prove to be a blessing or a curse to him was still unknown.

Chapter 5: Empress Millicia

The ancient Demon Lord sealed below the imperial palace—the Handsome Monkey King—had been defeated. However, it had managed to transform half of the capital into a mountain of rubble before its demise.

While the soldiers had acted quickly, resulting in fewer deaths than there should have been considering the damage, that didn’t change the fact that the capital of the greatest nation on the continent was now a mere shadow of its former self.

Moreover, not only had the two imperial princes, Arthur and Lance, died, but it was also discovered that the supposedly sick emperor had already passed away.

As such, the country currently had no leader and only one person left to inherit the throne—Millicia Garnet, the one the late emperor had named his successor and the last surviving member of the imperial family.

〇 〇 〇

Chaulac was a city in the southern part of the Garnet Empire, and it was serving as a temporary location for the government now that the capital had been partially destroyed.

“Please, Princess Millicia. Take the throne and lead the empire.”

Millicia fell silent at her vassal’s plea.

The prominent figures of the empire—powerful nobles and bureaucrats, as well as delegates representing the knights and soldiers—were all assembled in a conference room, sitting at a round table and staring at the woman at the primary seat.

This woman—Millicia Garnet—was the last surviving member of the Garnet family. Having neither Arthur’s military strength nor Lance’s diplomatic skills, her political influence was weak, and she had never intended to even come close to the throne. However, her brothers had died, and she was now the only candidate left. Moreover, the late emperor had named her his successor in his will.

“You are the last direct descendant of the imperial bloodline. There are collateral families, but the imperial blood runs thin in them. Should you decline the crown, Your Highness, the empire will surely be thrown into disorder.”

Not only had a civil war occurred because of the conflict between the two princes, but the capital had been nearly destroyed by a Demon Lord. The empire was reaching its limits, and if Millicia refused to succeed to the throne, the nation risked complete collapse.

“Naturally, we shall do our utmost to support you. So, please, we beg you, become our empress!”

“Please!” All the vassals bowed their heads together.

Some of them had served Arthur, others Lance, and the rest had been neutral. And yet, right now, they were all pledging their allegiance to Millicia. In the end, their political positions didn’t matter. They all loved their country, and so, even if they had once been enemies, they now united to save the empire.

Millicia sighed at the sight of everyone bowing to her.

Everyone’s hearts are finally as one. Why could this not happen when my brothers were alive...?

Millicia wished this had happened while Arthur and Lance were still alive—she didn’t just want the vassals to work together, but her brothers too.

But they are gone... They have both passed away.

Millicia looked away from the retainers, toward the wall. A young man—Caim—was leaning against it, his arms crossed.

Their eyes met, and he smiled faintly with a shrug. Having mingled her body with his so many times, she understood the meaning behind his gesture—“Do as you wish.”

I do not want to become empress. I would rather continue to travel with Caim...

If only she could just keep traveling with Caim, Lenka, Lykos, and Rozbeth, wandering the world. If her brothers had reconciled and supported each other in leading the empire, she would have been able to depart without regret, even if that meant never coming back.

But as many regrets as I have, it is nothing but my selfish wish. Neither Arthur nor Lance would have wanted that.

“Very well. I shall become the empress,” Millicia eventually declared.

“You finally made your decision!” the vassals rejoiced. They beamed, as though they had regained the spark of hope that would light the dark path ahead of them.

“However, I have a condition.” Millicia wasn’t done. She still had to announce the most important part. “My spouse is mine to decide, and the husband I have chosen is Caim, standing there.”

All of the vassals’ eyes turned toward the wall at once.

“Whoa... Don’t stare at me like that, it’s awkward...” Caim’s face stiffened in discomfort.

〇 〇 〇

“I can’t say I didn’t expect it, but still, I feel like I’ve been stabbed in the back!”

“I... I am sorry... There was no other way.”

What greeted Caim and Millicia when they returned to their private room was Tea, pouting with her arms crossed.

Millicia continued. “I need to become empress for the empire’s sake. However, that means my choice of husband would become critically important. The only way was to impose the condition that I would only take the throne if I could marry Caim.”

“I understand that much, but don’t think that means you’ve won!” Tea declared.

“Naturally. But be at ease—this changes nothing to our relationship.” Millicia looked at all the other girls in the room—Lenka, Rozbeth, and even Lykos—and said, “I do not only want to be with Caim—I want to be with you all too. My position may change, but I still intend to be Caim’s woman first and foremost.”

“The empress is my woman, huh? Man, I’m quite the lucky guy.” Caim smiled wryly. “But you know, you could have just entrusted the nation to someone else and run off.”

“No. I need to fulfill the wishes of my brothers.” Millicia looked down, placing a hand on her chest. “Though his way was a violent one, Arthur desired more than anyone for the empire to prosper. And while Lance went astray, he had to discard his feelings for our nation to do so. Now that they are dead, as the sole survivor, I cannot escape from my responsibilities.”

“Well, as long as you’re fine with it.” To be honest, Caim had known Millicia would choose to become the empress. That was just the kind of woman she was, and that was exactly why he had fallen for her. “Just do whatever you want. I’ll do the same.”

“Caim... Will you still stay by my side from now on?” Millicia asked anxiously, afraid Caim would leave her.

“You’re mine. I don’t care whether you’re the empress or a slave—I won’t let you get away from me. I hope you’re ready, because no matter how much you cry and scream, I’ll never let you go.”

“Thank you so much!” Millicia beamed.

However, for some reason, Lenka whined and fell to one knee, clutching her belly. “I-I wish you would say the same to me... I want to be treated like your plaything...”

“Lenka... This is shameless, even for you...” Millicia complained.

“Yeah, don’t spoil the mood, you damn she-dog,” Caim added.

“Aaah... I can’t get enough of your cold glare! The very deepest part of me is trembling in anticipation!”

She is beyond saving, thought Caim and Millicia at the same time.

“Well, as long as Master Caim is fine with it, then Tea is too.”

“Same here. Not like I have anywhere to go anyway.”

“Mmmh.”

Tea and Rozbeth agreed to Caim’s decision, and Lykos raised her right hand as she munched on a piece of jerky.

It was decided. Millicia would become the empress with Caim as her prince consort, and his other lovers would support them. Millicia’s new status wouldn’t change the relationship of the six people in this room.

“Well then... Now that we have sorted this out, how about we reaffirm the strength of our bonds?” Millicia said, her cheeks flushing as she started to unbutton her top. She looked at Caim with eyes full of lust, her tongue peeking out of her mouth longingly.

“So in the end, it really is the same as usual, huh?” They just had a serious conversation, and yet Millicia was already completely aroused. She had no right to complain about Lenka because, just like her, Millicia was nothing more than a woman in heat when it came to Caim. “Oh well, let’s do—”

Someone knocked on the door.

“Excuse me, Princess Millicia. Can I have a little of your time?”

Millicia frowned at the interruption. “Who could it be...?”

“Wait, that voice...” Lenka muttered in realization. Her bitch face immediately turned nervous, and she glanced at her mistress.

Millicia, seeing how tense her knight was, immediately turned serious. She fixed her top and said, “You may enter.”

“Excuse me.” Having received permission, an old man entered the room. He was wearing worn-out armor and was a much older knight than Gawain—Arthur’s close aide—had been. Despite appearing to be in his seventies, the way he wore his imposing armor proved that age hadn’t weakened him.

“Uhh...” Lenka groaned, paling in his presence.

The old knight ignored her and knelt before Millicia. “My apologies for bothering you during your respite. Please pardon me for dirtying the floor of your room with my unworthy feet.”

“I do not mind...” Millicia replied nervously.

Naturally, there was a reason for Lenka and Millicia to become so tense in the old knight’s presence. He was the strongest man in the empire, even surpassing Gawain and Arthur. He was the captain of the Knights of the Golden Lion—Gleipnir Grandmaster. He was under the direct command of the emperor and, as such, hadn’t participated in the civil war between the two princes.

I see... Making an enemy out of him would be a pain, Caim thought, narrowing his eyes at the empire’s strongest. Caim didn’t find him strong or weak—merely annoying. He doesn’t have an absolute sense of self like Arthur, or knightly pride like Gawain. I don’t feel any ego from him at all.

If Caim had to compare the old knight to something, it would be a sharpened blade. A sword chose its wielder, but not who it cut.

And that was what Gleipnir Grandmaster was. For his liege, this man would easily discard his selfhood and pride. If asked to kill his own family or even a newborn baby, he would do it without hesitation.

If that man had participated in the civil war or the fight against the Handsome Monkey King, the outcome for both would have been different.

He discarded everything but his loyalty to his liege. He’s the kind of guy you don’t want as an enemy. But why did he come here now?

Thankfully, the old knight’s master—the late emperor—was already dead. Gleipnir had become nothing but a masterless ghost.

“First, allow me to congratulate you on your ascension to the throne, Princess Millicia,” Gleipnir said solemnly.

“Thank you very much...” Millicia answered with a stiff expression.

“Consequently, I would like to recommend Lenka as the new captain of the Knights of the Golden Lion and quickly make the preparations to place her in the position.”

“What?! You want me to become the Golden Lions’ captain?!” Lenka squeaked at the sudden suggestion.

“Do not act so unseemly in front of your liege, Lenka. Have some shame,” Gleipnir chided her.

“I-I am sorry, Grandfather...”

“Grandfather?” Caim knitted his brows.

“Yes, Ser Grandmaster is my grandfather. It isn’t known publicly, however, as I am an illegitimate child,” Lenka explained.

“She is but one of my many grandchildren. Think nothing of it,” Gleipnir said, and as his words indicated, he didn’t seem to think much of his granddaughter either. “The late emperor once told me I should sire children, so I found myself a wife and several mistresses. I produced around twenty children, all in all. Lenka is the daughter of one of them. The fact that we are related by blood is of no import.”

“That’s pretty cold... Don’t you have any feelings at all?” Caim interjected, but Gleipnir ignored him and went back to his conversation with Millicia.

“Once she has inherited my position, I shall follow my liege into his imperial tomb. I must join His Majesty, who passed away before me.”

“You do not need to go that far...” Millicia’s expression clouded.

Gleipnir wanted to commit suicide to follow his master in death. Caim found the old knight completely insane for going so far in his devotion.

“I pledged my loyalty to the emperor alone. Now that he is no more, I no longer have any reason to stay in this world,” Gleipnir declared.

“But...”

“Also,” he continued, “while it was in order to protect His Majesty’s remains, it does not change the fact that we were absent in the fight against the Handsome Monkey King. If we had been present, we would not have let that monkey do as it pleased. I must take responsibility as the captain.”

There was no hesitation in his voice. Even if Millicia ordered him not to die, he wouldn’t obey. After all, she wasn’t his liege—the late emperor was.

“Lastly, I must inform you of His Majesty’s last words to you,” Gleipnir said.

“From Father? What are they?”

“‘Sorry, forgive me.’ He drew his last breath after saying these words.”

Millicia bit her lip, holding herself back from crying, and with a bitter expression, she said, “I would have preferred if he had apologized to my brothers. If he had done so while alive, things would have been different.”

Arthur and Lance weren’t the emperor’s children, so neither had been chosen as his successor. However, if the emperor had told them this directly instead of via his will and apologized to them, it might have prevented a few tragedies.

“If you reunite with my father, please tell him that I do not forgive him, and I still resent him.”

“As you wish.” Gleipnir bowed while still kneeling. “Well then, excuse me.” He stood up. “Let’s go, Lenka.”

“I shall leave your side for a moment, my lady.” Lenka followed Gleipnir out of the room with an anxious expression.

The instant the door closed, like a puppet that had its strings cut, Millicia lost her strength, and Caim quickly caught her by the shoulders.

“You okay?”

“I hate you, Father...”

“Well, I guess neither of us were blessed with the best fathers,” Caim said, allowing Millicia to cry against his chest, her tears wetting his shirt.

“...I think I’ll go for a walk.”

“Same. It’s getting a little too gloomy in here.”

“Mmmh...”

Sensing the mood, Tea, Rozbeth, and Lykos awkwardly left the room, leaving Caim and Millicia alone.

All Caim could do was hold Millicia in his arms and pat her back to comfort her.

〇 〇 〇

A month later, the death of the emperor was finally announced publicly.

The two princes had died in the civil war, a Demon Lord had partially destroyed the capital, and now the emperor had died. The people couldn’t help but be anxious at the continuous misfortune befalling their country. Moreover, the fact that their new ruler would be Millicia, the politically weak princess, filled them with anxiety.

Still, Millicia had decided to take the throne. The Garnet Empire had been badly damaged, and there were many problems on the horizon, both internal and external. Some countries might even try to use the opportunity to start a war.

But Millicia was determined to accomplish her duties. She had chosen the thorny path of becoming the empress, all so she could save the empire and protect its people.

“That sure is a queenly outfit. Looks great on you.”

“Caim...” Millicia turned toward Caim. She stood in front of a full-length mirror, wearing a sumptuous dress with a tiara on her head. Coupled with her makeup and the various different accessories that adorned her body, she truly looked like a queen.

“You don’t look like you’ve been on the road and sleeping outdoors until recently,” Caim commented.

“Your outfit looks good on you too,” Millicia returned the compliment.

Indeed, Caim was also dressed up. Instead of his usual adventurer’s clothing, he was dressed like a young nobleman. Today was Millicia’s coronation, and as Millicia’s fiancé, Caim had to participate too.

“You know what they say: Clothes make the man. I agree with that sentiment.”

“That is not true, Caim. You are handsome no matter what you wear,” Millicia replied.

“Not everyone thinks the same way. A lot of people are definitely against me standing by your side.”

Caim and Millicia’s betrothal had already been announced publicly. However, aside from the people who knew about Caim’s overwhelming strength, most nobles were opposed to their union.

“‘We can’t allow a man of doubtful origin to become the prince consort,’ they say. These self-proclaimed patriots sure love running their mouths. If they care about their country so much, then what were they doing during the civil war?”

Most of the people against their engagement were the opportunistic nobles who hadn’t chosen a side between Arthur and Lance. The Garnet Empire liked to proclaim that it was a meritocracy that valued strength, but not every noble was a brave warrior capable of fighting. In fact, many of them were opportunists who avoided conflict and preferred to simply reap the rewards. The instant it was decided Millicia would become empress, those aristocrats had tried to get closer to her and had criticized Caim and her close retainers, saying that lowborns weren’t worthy of standing by her side. There were even some who had claimed they should be the ones to marry Millicia and become the prince consort, threatening to start a revolt if she refused. Those fools had ended up as the perfect targets to showcase Caim’s power, however. Thanks to that, though many were still dissatisfied, nobody opposed their union publicly anymore.

“This also applies to me. Most people hoped for either Arthur or Lance to become emperor. Surely, they must think I am not up to the task.” Millicia smiled weakly. After all, she herself didn’t think she was worthy of becoming the empress. She had imperial blood and had been chosen by the late emperor, but she believed that her brothers would have been far better rulers than her. “I did not wish to become empress. But I love this country, and I want to protect it. So if I am the only one who can do it, then I shall,” she declared, full of determination.

“That’s the woman I fell for,” Caim said with a laugh. “As for me, I’ll do whatever I please. I’m not gonna help you because you asked for it, but because I want to. Doesn’t matter if they’re imperial rebels or other nations—I’ll crush them all. As long as I’m by your side, nobody will threaten your reign, so just stand firm and hold your head high.”

“Thank you so much!” Millicia hugged Caim, then, standing on her tiptoes, kissed him. “I would love to continue, but we cannot dirty my dress.”

“Of course not... Anyway, it’s time. Let’s go.”

“Yes. Would you please escort me?” Millicia gracefully extended her hand to him.

Caim silently presented his arm, remembering the etiquette he had learned in the past half year.

“Well then, let’s go, my dear husband.”

“Let’s, Your Imperial Majesty.”

Caim escorted Millicia out of the room, and they entered the ceremony hall, welcomed by thunderous applause.

The first ever empress of the Garnet Empire—Millicia Garnet—and her husband, the supreme warrior who would be known as the Poison King or the Emperor Pugilist—Caim Garnet.

This instant marked the first public appearance of the two together.

Epilogue: The Poison King and His Gorgeous Brides

The coronation ceremony proceeded without a hitch.

No rebels assaulted the ceremony hall, nobody tried to poison Millicia, and no foolish man proclaimed that he was more worthy of being her husband either.

Everything went smoothly and, before the eyes of her subjects, Millicia exchanged her tiara for the imperial crown.

The one who placed the crown on her head was the woman who was like a mother to her—Mother Ariessa, the nun in charge of the temple. While Mother Ariessa didn’t have an official position, she was still a highly ranked clergywoman in the Garnet Empire. She had enough influence that even long-established nobles couldn’t ignore her, so nobody had objected to her participation in the ceremony.

Thus, Millicia became the empress and the person with the highest authority in the Garnet Empire.

She immediately announced the new appointments she had made.

For his support to Lance and Millicia during the civil war, the leader of the neutral party—Count Atlaus—was promoted to marquis and granted the position of chancellor along with control over more territory.

Then she named the five captains of the different knight orders. Ildana and Ikkaku would continue to be the captains of the Blue Wolves and the Black Dragons, and suitable nobles were chosen to replace the dead leaders of the Silver Hawks and Red Tigers. Finally, Lenka Grandmaster became the captain of the Golden Lions, inheriting her grandfather’s surname and position, becoming the new shield of the empress.

However, while Lenka had carried herself with dignity throughout the ceremony, she immediately collapsed the instant they returned to their room after it ended. Once the tension left her, she fainted and was bedridden for a few days with a fever.

Though internal and external threats still existed, the reborn Garnet Empire didn’t face any major issues. Some people might have still been maneuvering behind the scenes, though, and there were still many things to do, like repairing the former imperial capital.

Still, with both hope and unease, the Garnet Empire entered a new era with Empress Millicia as its head.

〇 〇 〇

“Well then, Caim... Please do as you like,” Millicia said, spreading her arms with a smile.

In a bedroom of the imperial palace, a bouquet of beautiful flowers in bloom welcomed Caim, all wearing wedding dresses of different colors—one blue, one white, one red, one black, and one green.

“Whoa... This is an amazing sight...” Caim let out, taken aback as though he had been punched in the face—such was the destructive power of the view before him.

Millicia, Tea, Lenka, Rozbeth, and Lykos were all wearing splendidly designed wedding dresses. Naturally, Lykos wasn’t in her child form but her adult one.

And the girls weren’t the only ones dressed up—Caim was too, having put on a purple tuxedo.

The reason for their outfits was that today was a sort of wedding ceremony for them all. Caim had become Millicia’s fiancé, and the empress’s husband couldn’t publicly have other lovers or mistresses. As such, even though Caim and Millicia would make their union official in the future, the others couldn’t do the same.

That was why they had all decided to get married in private. Not in a church or a temple, but in a bedroom with a king-sized bed.

There was no priest nor any witnesses—they would just do what they always did. After all, their wedding ceremony consisted of pledging their love by mingling their bodies atop a bed.

So, in the end, aren’t we just basically doing costume play? Caim thought, but was smart enough not to say it aloud. The girls were all happy, having fun dressing up, so he didn’t want to come off as a wet blanket.

“Let’s start, Master Caim.”

“Ah, yeah.”

Tea stood before Caim in a white dress.

“Tea shall always love you, Master Caim. I swear to love you forever.”

“Me too.”

“Then let’s seal our vow with a kiss.”

Tea embraced Caim, and their lips met. It wasn’t one of their usual deep kisses, where they intertwined their tongues and exchanged saliva, but a light one. And yet, for some reason, Caim found it embarrassing.

“I also swear to love you forever, Caim.” Millicia followed, wearing her blue dress, and also kissed Caim.

“Me too. I vow to be your bitch...or rather, your knight and wife, Sir Caim.”

“And I’ll be your blade. I pledge that you can use me however you wish.”

“I hereby swear that you shall have my undying loyalty and love, Master.”

Lenka, Rozbeth, and Lykos—in a red, black, and green dress, respectively—also kissed him to seal their vows.

Hmm... It still feels weird to see Lykos like this...

Lykos had been appearing in her adult form more often lately, but Caim still wasn’t used to it, nor to how fluently she spoke.

“Well then, Master Caim, please enjoy us,” Tea said as the girls all lay on the bed. The bottom of their dresses were disheveled, revealing their legs, and their pale skin was flushed pink. Their eyes were glistening with lust, full of anticipation for what they were about to do.

“Finally, I can remove this tight outfit.” Caim removed his tie and unbuttoned his shirt. Even though he had started to wear formal attire more often, since he was required to show up at official events as the prince consort, he still couldn’t get used to it.

Caim briskly threw his shirt aside, and then he jumped on the bed, ready to appreciate the beautiful flowers before him.

“Grrraow!”

“You’re first, Tea.” Caim decided to begin with the one he had known the longest—his beastfolk maid. She currently didn’t look like a servant, however, as she was wearing a white wedding dress that paired well with her hair, making her look like a noble lady.

But the instant Caim kissed her and his tongue entered her mouth, her expression changed. Now she looked more like a whore lustily intertwining her tongue with his.

“Master Caim...” Tea moaned, kissing him, and her skin flushed even redder as her body temperature increased.

The reason was, of course, Caim’s saliva. His bodily fluids were like an aphrodisiac to women compatible with him, and they made Tea even more lewd.

“I’m removing your top,” Caim said, sliding the bodice of her wedding dress aside to reveal her abundant chest. He then roughly grabbed her plump fruits, sinking his fingers into her flesh.

“Grrraaaaooow! Aaah!”

“Yup, I really like your breasts. I think they’ve gotten bigger too, haven’t they?”

Perhaps it was because they had been eating better thanks to living in the castle now, but Caim felt like Tea’s bust size had increased.

“It’s...aah...because you keep...mmmh...rubbing them!”

“Ah, makes sense,” Caim replied. “Guess it’s time for the main event.”

Caim removed his pants, revealing his “sword.” It was erect, ready to be wielded, and Tea’s cleft was ready as well, flooding from the effect of Caim’s aphrodisiac.

“Master Caaaaaaaaaaaim!” Tea shouted in pleasure as he plunged his “sword” into her depths in one thrust.

“It’s gonna be a long night, so I won’t hold back.” Caim mercilessly moved his hips, assaulting Tea’s depths while pinching the tips of her breasts to bring her to climax quickly.

“Grrrraaaaaoooooowwwww!” Tea let out a beastly roar as she came.

“Who should be next...?” Caim wondered as he withdrew his “sword.”

“Aaah...”

“Hm?” Caim turned toward the source of the moans—Lenka. She was lying face down on the bed, her butt pointing toward the ceiling, as she fingered herself.

“I-I can’t bear it anymore... Mmmh...”

What an impatient knight—she hadn’t even been waiting for long. Her wedding dress was rolled up, and her underwear slid down as she shook her exposed rear toward Caim.

“You’re unbelievable... And you call yourself the captain of a knight order?” Caim said, exasperated, then spanked the perfectly positioned butt before him.

Lenka moaned like a dog as the slap’s satisfying sound resonated throughout the room. “S-Sir Caim...”

“Rejoice—you’re next.” Caim spanked her again, utilizing both of his hands to hit her rear like a percussion instrument. “You’re too depraved to be the captain of the Golden Lions!”

“Aaah... Don’t say...mmmh...that!”

“Shut up, you she-dog! Dogs don’t speak—they bark!”

As ordered, Lenka barked happily as Caim continued to spank her. If her grandfather—Gleipnir—had seen his granddaughter like this, would he still have chosen her as his successor?

I wonder if the old man’s rolling in his grave. Well, serves him right.

“Hmph!” Without warning, Caim stabbed his “sword” into Lenka, eliciting a loud moan. She was perfectly positioned for it, which made it easy. He grabbed her hips and pistoned into her as she continued to bark in pleasure. “Come!”

Obeying his command, Lenka cried out, her back arching. Then she sank into the mattress, her body twitching repeatedly.

Two down.

“Next is...”

“Me.”

“Oh?”

Caim was pushed onto the bed, and Rozbeth straddled him.

“I feel like going on the offensive tonight. Let me hear your cute voice,” Rozbeth said with a sadistic smile, licking her lips. She put the tip of Caim’s “sword” inside her and lowered her hips in one go.

“Ngh!” they both groaned.

Rozbeth’s face turned lascivious for an instant, but her sadistic expression immediately returned, and she sneered at Caim.

“I’m going to take you to heaven. Now, moan for me!”

“Aaah?!”

Rozbeth moved her hips up and down on Caim’s “sword.” She was relentless, as though trying to squeeze out all of his energy.

“Ngh... N-Not bad!” Caim realized how serious Rozbeth was from the skillful and powerful way she moved. Maybe she was trying to get back at him for all the times he had tormented her.

Rozbeth chuckled. “You can let it all out, you know? Go on, show me a cute orgasm!”

“As if I would!”

“Aaah!”

The instant Rozbeth smiled victoriously, Caim counterattacked. Lifting himself using only the strength of his abdominal muscles, he embraced her and planted a passionate kiss on her lips. But he didn’t stop there—he poured his aphrodisiac saliva inside her mouth too.

“And now for the coup de grâce!” Caim vigorously thrust his hips up, causing Rozbeth—who was now under the effect of his poison—to come with a loud moan immediately.

“Y-You...cheater...” Rozbeth somehow managed to say before collapsing onto him, like a doll that could only twitch in pleasure in the afterglow of her intense climax.

“A win is a win. I’ll use any advantage I can to obtain victory,” Caim declared.

“I would expect no less from you, Master. I am completely charmed by your mettle.”

“Oh?”

It appeared that Lykos would be next. She gently removed Rozbeth from Caim and laid her on the bed before bringing her plump chest to his crotch.

“This has become quite dirty from being used thrice in succession. I shall clean it,” Lykos announced, sandwiching Caim’s “sword” between her large breasts. They were both soft and firm as they pushed on him while she serviced him with her mouth. She kissed the tip of his “sword” as though greeting it, then deliciously licked its length with her tongue.

“Ngh... You’ve gotten really good at this. To think you were just a little girl not so long ago...” Lykos had started to use her child form less and less, so her adult appearance had become the norm. Now they all knew that she was part of House Lyzbeth and that she was actually twenty years old, meaning she was older than Caim. “Your grandfather officially adopted you, right? Why did you suddenly decide to accept his proposal?”

“I am not interested in political power, but being a member of a count’s family should be helpful. Like you, Master, I am using any advantage I can,” she answered between licks.

“Jeez, that’s quite pragmatic of you.”

Throughout the conversation, Lykos never stopped to move her breasts along Caim’s “sword” while skillfully using her tongue.

“Ngh!” Naturally, Caim was bound to climax soon. Lykos received everything he let out and swallowed it all with a lewd expression.

“That was delicious, Master.”

“And I felt amazing. Now it’s time for your reward.”

“Aaah?!”

Caim turned Lykos’s body around and stabbed her with his “sword,” repaying her devoted service by feeding her “other” mouth. He mercilessly pounded her, and she quickly climaxed, painting her adult face with joy and rapture.

“Aaah... Now your manly member has been sullied again...” Lykos muttered.

“Don’t bother cleaning it—I’m not done. Right, Millicia?”

“Yes, Caim,” answered the last woman—Millicia—with a lascivious smile. While the circumstances had forced her to go last, that didn’t change the fact that she would officially become Caim’s legal wife, so she didn’t mind.

“Come here.”

“As you wish.”

Only Caim could order the ruler of the greatest empire on the continent like this.

Millicia slid down the top of her wedding dress, exposing her well-shaped breasts. Then she straddled Caim—who was himself sitting cross-legged—and embraced him, pressing her soft mounds against his chest, their body warmth blending together and becoming one.

Their lips met. At first, they only exchanged light pecks, but they quickly switched to deeper kisses, intertwining their tongues.

“This makes me remember the first time we met,” Millicia remarked.

“You mean when I saved you and Lenka from the bandits?” Caim asked.

“Yes. You also kissed me back then, but you were not as experienced as you are now.”

“Hah! Well, sorry, I was still new at it.”

But that wasn’t the case anymore.

Caim slightly moved his hips and put the tip of his “sword” against Millicia’s most important part. She wasn’t wearing any underwear, proving she was ready to accept his “sword” at any moment.

“Ah...”

“I can put it in, right?”

“Yes, please do as you wish... Aaaah!”

Receiving Millicia’s permission, Caim stabbed his “sword” to its hilt, and her hot, wet walls envelopped it.

“Aaah! Caim!” Millicia shouted, tightly embracing her lover.

“You’re my woman, Millicia,” Caim muttered in her ear. “Whether you’re the empress or a slave—you’re mine. Never forget that.”

Millicia moaned in pleasure at his words, her body twitching and her walls tightening around his “sword.”

Then Caim grabbed her butt and moved it up and down along with his hips, relentlessly assaulting her depths. The bed creaked nonstop as Caim kept pounding into her, making her moan sensually.

“Aaaah! Mmmh!”

“I’m still waiting for your answer, Millicia! You’re my woman, right?!”

“Y-Yes! Yes, I am your woman! Aaaaaaah!”

“Come!” Caim said with a firm thrust, leading Millicia to climax loudly, her body convulsing for a while, before falling limply on him.

“Aaah...” Millicia moaned as Caim laid her on the bed. Her blonde hair was spread like a fan on the mattress, and her rapturous expression was something that should never be shown to the citizens of the empire. “Caim...”

“Master Caim...”

“Sir Caim...”

“You...”

“Master...”

Millicia and the other four flashed him flirtatious glances. Their wedding dresses—the symbol of a pure bride—were tainted with sweat and various bodily fluids, but they didn’t mind. They only wanted one thing, and Caim knew what it was.

Caim bared his teeth like a beast before its prey and said, “Fine. I’ll take you all together!”

Thus, Caim’s long fight concluded.

However, his story wasn’t over.

Countless hardships still stood before Caim and his companions.

But so be it.

Whether they were enemies or women, Caim would accept all challenges.

His foes would die to his fists, and the women would fall to his “sword.”

If necessary, he would rule over the empire—or even the entire continent. It mattered not whether they were dragons or Demon Lords—he would fight them all.

For Caim was the Poison King—the strongest daemon who commanded all kinds of poison.

Extra Story: Sister Arnette’s Departure for a New Adventure

“Time to set sail! Let’s go!” declared an energetic girl, thrusting her fist into the air.

“...Yes,” replied the young butler after a long silence.

The girl was Arnette Halsberg, daughter of Kevin Halsberg, the Master Pugilist. She was currently on the bow of a small sailboat, barely larger than a dinghy, ready to set off from the shore.

“I’ve had enough... How did things end up like this...?” complained the butler—Luzton—with a sigh, holding his head in his hands. He was an apprentice butler who had worked at the Halsberg mansion until, by chance, he had spotted Arnette as she was trying to run away from home and ended up being dragged along with her.

The two of them were now on a boat on the Flumen River, west of the Jade Kingdom. Their objective was, of course, to cross it to reach the Garnet Empire.

“Lady Arnette... This is too reckless. We should take a ferry like everyone else,” Luzton suggested, half sobbing.

“Are you still saying that, Luzton? Didn’t I already tell you that was impossible?” Arnette replied, puffing her small chest proudly. “We’re wanted. Forget boarding a ferry—we can’t even enter the port town.”

“Uh... I should never have come with you...” Luzton cried, head in hands, lamenting the situation he was in.

As Arnette had pointed out, the two of them were wanted people—criminals. The charges included treason against the royal family, prison breaking...and assisting in the escape.

Arnette had punched the fifth prince of the kingdom—Roussel Jade—in the face. It had been an accident, but hurting a prince so badly that his injuries couldn’t be completely healed by the Sacred Arts couldn’t be left unpunished. So, Arnette had been detained in the prison for nobles, and she should have been awaiting her punishment.

And yet, here she was, trying to travel to the neighboring country after prison breaking.

“Ugh... I should have stopped her. Why did I even help her escape...?”

Indeed, the one who had helped Arnette escape from prison was none other than Luzton.

When Arnette was imprisoned for her crime, Luzton wasn’t arrested despite being her servant. He wasn’t shown clemency for not being involved—everyone had just forgotten about him.

Luzton was a plain and uninteresting boy, and he appeared even more so next to Arnette, who stood out like the sun. In a way, his presence was as faint as the moon in the daytime.

That was why he had been completely ignored despite having been present when the crime had occurred. In fact, when he had stolen the key to the noble’s prison, he had said he was only borrowing it to bring Arnette her meal, and the guard had let him.

At this point, his ability to be overlooked was almost a talent in and of itself.

And now, thanks to that unexpected skill, Arnette was free.

“I’m glad I brought you with me, Luzton! I’m really grateful!”

“I would rather have an apology than gratitude...” he mumbled.

“And I’m not only talking about your help to escape from prison. To think that Caim went to the Garnet Empire!”

“I shouldn’t have told you...” Luzton sighed once more.

Indeed, helping Arnette to escape wasn’t Luzton’s only achievement. Using his inconspicuous nature, he had stumbled upon a conversation where Roussel had learned about Caim’s whereabouts while wandering the castle.

“I see... So the one Arnette is searching for has gone to the Garnet Empire.”

“Yes. Some witnesses have seen a young man with purple hair board a ferry from Otarria. The guards confirmed that his name was registered as Caim when he entered the town.”

“All right. Never let Arnette learn about this. Be sure to watch her so she doesn’t escape.”

Roussel had fallen at first sight for Arnette, and being injured by her had turned his love into an unhealthy obsession, so he had decided to conceal this information about the person Arnette was searching for so that she wouldn’t escape.

Unfortunately for him, Luzton had told Arnette. She had been depressed about being imprisoned, so Luzton had told her about Caim’s whereabouts to cheer her up.

The instant she had learned that Caim was in the Garnet Empire, Arnette had decided to break out of prison. She had Luzton steal the key, and they’d made their escape. Now, they were on the western shore of the Flumen River, ready to cross over to the empire.

I really shouldn’t have done that... I’m sure the master would have saved her anyway... Luzton was feeling miserable. The more he thought about it, the more he realized he had made the wrong choice. Even if he hadn’t helped Arnette escape, she would have been freed before long anyway. After all, Roussel would never have her executed, as he was in love with her, and her father, Kevin, would surely try to rescue her from her predicament.

Staging a prison break had only added to her list of crimes—to such an extent that Kevin might not be able to protect her and ensure her survival. Now, their only choices left were either to succeed in going to the empire or die.

“Let’s sail! Raise the anchor!” Arnette ordered.

“This is a small sailboat. It doesn’t have an anchor... I need to untie the rope.”

While Luzton was depressed, Arnette was all smiles. Not only had she obtained a hint about Caim’s whereabouts, but she was also excited about going to the Garnet Empire—a foreign country—for the first time. She was gazing at the other side of the Flumen River with sparkling eyes.

She sure is carefree... We used all our money to get this boat. Even if we do reach the empire, what’ll we do then?

“I see them!”

“Wait there!”

“Ah...” Luzton let out as he saw the soldiers pursuing them coming their way to stop their departure.

“Quick, Luzton!” Arnette urged him.

“Sorry, but the knot is really tight!” Luzton tried his best to unfasten the rope tying the boat to the shore, but panicking and trying to go faster only made it more difficult.

“Ah, jeez! Guess I have to do it!”

“Lady Arnette?!”

“Focus on the rope! I’ll buy us time!” Arnette jumped out of the boat and faced the incoming soldiers. “Here I go! Kirin!”

“Gaaaaah!” The soldiers were blown away by the spiraling shock wave of condensed mana Arnette had fired.

“I’m the Master Pugilist’s daughter, Arnette Halsberg! I’m not some weak woman who’d let herself be arrested without resistance!”

“Th-That damn brat— Whoaaaa?!”

“Seiryuu!” Arnette cut the soldiers’ weapons and armor with a blade of compressed mana. While she was merciful and didn’t cut their flesh, it still constituted yet another crime.

Luzton sighed. “We’ll never be able to come back to this country...”

“Are you done with the rope, Luzton?!”

“Y-Yes...”

“Then let’s go!” Arnette jumped back onto the boat using the force from kicking a nearby soldier. “Our destination is the Garnet Empire! Full speed ahead!”

“This sailboat moves with the wind, so we cannot exactly control its speed...” Luzton said, exasperated.

Luck was on their side, however, as a strong gust kicked up and propelled them toward the east.

“Hooray! Good job, Luzton!” Arnette beamed, hugging him.

“I didn’t do anything, though...” he mumbled.

“Wait! Arnette!”

“Stop acting so rashly, Arnette!”

Two men who weren’t soldiers shouted—Roussel Jade and Kevin Halsberg.

“Please, Arnette! Don’t leave me!”

“It’s all right, Arnette! I won’t let them execute you, so come back!”

“You two came to see me off?!” Arnette rejoiced.

Her father and the man who loved her both rushed to the shore. Kevin dragged his body along with his cane, and Roussel was hiding his injured face with bandages.

“Thanks, you two! I’m off!” Arnette waved her hand with tears in her eyes. “I’ll avenge you and strike Caim down!”

“We’re not talking about that!”

“We’re telling you to come back! Listen to us!”

“Thank you and goodbye!” Arnette shouted, waving her hand at the shouting men on the shore, completely talking past each other.

“Lady Arnette isn’t paying attention at all...” Luzton muttered. Arnette was just too reckless. Once she had made a decision, she wouldn’t listen to anyone.

“I’m glad I got to see them before leaving. They waved their hands so much for me...” Arnette said, wiping her tears.

“Indeed,” Luzton replied with half-lidded eyes, his tone completely monotone.

“Goodbyes are sad, but I’m sure we’ll reunite someday!”

Luzton doubted that. They would likely be arrested the instant they came back to the Jade Kingdom.

“I’ll do it! I’ll defeat Caim and return no matter what!” Arnette declared.

“How did things end up like this...?” Luzton sighed, drooping his shoulders.

The answer was simple: because Luzton hadn’t fled.

I had the opportunity to get away from her several times... In the end, I suppose I wasn’t just swept along, and really it was my own choice...

Indeed. Luzton had stayed with Arnette for the same reason as the two men shouting on the shore—he was also captivated by her. Despite her causing him so much trouble, he was a foolish boy who couldn’t bring himself to hate her.

I know this isn’t the right choice, but...well, I still want to watch over Lady Arnette a little longer.

“What’s wrong, Luzton?” Arnette curiously asked the boy, as he was getting sentimental. They were now alone, far from the men on the shore. “Are you also sad to leave your homeland?”

“No... I just got a spray of water in my eyes,” he replied.

“Really? Well, as long as you’re fine!” Arnette smiled. She had already shifted gears, and there were no traces of tears anymore. “I swear I’ll beat you, so you’d better prepare yourself, Caim!” she declared, pointing her finger at the east.

Though Arnette set off in high spirits, only the first stretch of their trip went smoothly.

The Flumen River was wide and its currents fast, so two people with no navigation skills could never traverse it easily.

Thus, the two drifted far away from the Garnet Empire, washing ashore in a completely different location.

They would experience a great adventure in that unknown land, but that was a story for another time.

Afterword

Long time no see, everyone. This is LeonarD, the eternal chuuni author who has managed to lose five kilos thanks to a glass noodle diet.

With this, we have reached the seventh volume of this series, so it once again takes the record for my longest-running work. It has now been three years since the start of this series, and I have only been able to get this far thanks to everyone’s support.

Moreover, the manga version is starting soon, and I’m deeply moved to be able to bring you another rendition of the world of Poison King.

And, as usual, I am grateful to the readers, to Won-sensei for his wonderful illustrations, and to everyone who was involved in the publication of this book!

The following will contain spoilers, so please finish the book before reading any further.

First, the story isn’t over. It will continue!

If you have read this book or the web version, you might have thought that this was the end, but it’s not!

I am currently writing the eighth volume. As I have now overtaken the web version, I will need to write everything from scratch from now on, but I will do my best to deliver the next volume as soon as possible.

Now, back to this book—the story has reached a kind of conclusion.

The Garnet Empire’s civil war is over, bringing history’s greatest brotherly feud to an end.

Arthur and Lance are now dead, and thanks to that fortunate(?) turn of events, Millicia has become the empress.

One of the seven Demon Lords was defeated, so there are now five left other than Caim, but whether they will make an appearance remains a mystery.

Caim has married the five heroines, and we even got a color spread with all of them in wedding dresses.

And finally, the extra story. The little sister and her apprentice butler companion won’t show up again for a while. They have their own story, and I’m sure they’ll continue to do as they please, living energetically and brazenly in that distant land. As for whether they will be able to meet up with Caim... Well, even I don’t know.

The next volume will have a new development.

The Holy Spirit Church, which had only been mentioned so far, will finally make its appearance. Be ready for new enemies and a new heroine.

Speaking of, I’m still undecided on the new heroine’s design and background... Have we had a black-haired, Japanese-style heroine yet? I suppose the Immortal Butterfly is close.

I could make her another beastfolk heroine. Or a noble lady heroine. Or a witch heroine. Or a cross-dressing heroine. Could also be a mercenary, an adventurer, or a captured princess heroine. An elf or a dwarf heroine might be interesting too.

There are so many possibilities that I don’t know what to choose.

And that’s it for this afterword.

I hope you continue to support Poison King, and I pray to all the gods, Buddhas, and devils for us to meet again.

LeonarD

Bonus Short Stories

Empress Millicia’s Work

After the civil war between Arthur and Lance and the revival of the Demon Lord, Millicia Garnet became the new empress.

Compared to Arthur, a prodigy of warfare, and Lance, who excelled at diplomacy, many people thought Millicia would be lacking as a ruler, but she was actually a far more capable woman than they’d expected.

“Please do that. Now, concerning the budget for the restoration of the capital...”

Millicia was currently displaying her abilities in the temporary government of Chaulac. With her in the office were bureaucrats and nobles like Marquis Atlaus.

“We have received a letter from Marquis Neidle, Your Majesty. It says that he is too busy to come greet you.”

“Not surprising. Send investigators to his territory. Someone has suggested that he may be taxing his people unjustly. We need to look into this and find proof,” Millicia said.

“Marquis Neidle is an influential noble in the western part of the empire. Will he actually cooperate with our inspection?”

“It would be treason if he did not. If he does not cooperate, you may use force,” Millicia declared without hesitation.

Millicia was a beautiful woman with a gentle personality, earning her the love of many, and some people had been worried that she would be too timid for politics. How wrong they turned out to be. Millicia was unexpectedly decisive, and she was a good politician who knew when to be firm and when to be lenient.

To think that Her Majesty Millicia would be the most fit to rule among the three siblings! thought Marquis Atlaus, the chancellor, in amazement as he watched Millicia swiftly deliver instructions.

Millicia wasn’t a genius politician. In fact, she was lacking in many areas. But thanks to her humility and her diligence, she knew her weaknesses and was able to use other people to cover them.

And her heart is strong. She has the resolve to make painful political decisions!

Millicia was implementing reforms one after another while dealing with the corrupt nobles who had been free to commit their wrongdoings until now. Because of that, she had earned many people’s ire, but she accepted that burden willingly for the sake of the oppressed.

She has the flexibility Prince Arthur lacked, and a firmness Prince Lance didn’t have. By possessing both qualities, Her Majesty Millicia is truly the ideal ruler!

“Is something troubling you, Marquis Atlaus?” Millicia asked.

“No, it’s nothing.” Marquis Atlaus, who had paused to lose himself in his thoughts, quickly went back to work. He devoted himself to his duties, nearly trembling with joy at the fact that he was building a new era under his ideal empress.

〇 〇 〇

“Aaah... Mmmh!”

Marquis Atlaus’s perfect empress was currently moaning sweetly in the throne room after finishing her work.

This throne, on which many emperors had sat, had been excavated from the destroyed palace and brought to Chaulac. And right now, a certain couple was doing something very inappropriate atop it.

“Hey, don’t get too wet. You’re gonna get this thing dirty,” the man sitting on the throne—Caim—warned teasingly. Indeed, Caim was sitting where only the emperor should be allowed to sit. Moreover, Millicia was on his lap, facing away from him, while he groped her breast with one hand and slid the other inside her skirt.

“E-Even if you say that— Aaaah!” Millicia moaned once again at Caim’s caress. If she hadn’t made everyone leave beforehand, many people would have seen how immodest their empress now looked. How many would have kept their loyalty toward her after seeing her like this?

“Still, you sure we can do this here? The throne is a valuable antique that’s been handed down for generations, isn’t it?” Caim asked.

“This is fine... The emperor’s authority is not that important anyway...” Millicia replied, letting out hot sighs as Caim kept groping her. “My brothers fought to kill each other for this throne... How could the authority of a bloodline like that be worth anything? Treating it like this is just fine— Mmmh!” Millicia spit resentfully.

Her brothers’ deadly struggle, the throne that had driven them to it, and her father, the late emperor. Even now that she had become the empress, Millicia hated the imperial bloodline. Perhaps fooling around on the throne right now was her own small act of revenge against her ancestors.

“Well, I’m benefiting from it, so I don’t care either way,” Caim said, inserting a finger inside the slippery spot between Millicia’s legs, causing her to moan even louder. “Let me hear your adorable voice. Loud enough for every past emperor to weep in their graves!”

“Aaaaaaaaaaah!” As though obeying Caim’s order, Millicia let out a breathy, sensual cry.

Caim and His Maid’s Day Off

During one of their days off, Caim went out into town with Tea, his beastfolk maid.

“What’s even the point of meeting somewhere else? We’re living together,” Caim mused to himself as he recalled Tea saying that it would be more “date-like” to meet in town. “Oh, there she is.”

Caim immediately spotted Tea when he arrived at the plaza. She wasn’t wearing her usual maid’s uniform, but a bright green dress instead. She had even put her hair up and worn makeup, and the unfamiliar sight made his heart skip a beat.

Unfortunately, Tea wasn’t alone.

“Come on. Let’s have a meal together!”

“I know a place with great booze. Hang with us!”

Two men were trying to invite Tea somewhere. They had sleazy, frivolous grins as they rudely traced her figure with their gazes.

“And then after the meal, we could have some fu— Gah!”

“Sorry, were you waiting long?” Caim asked, knocking one of the men away with a punch to the face.

“What the— Argh!” The other guy tried to grab Caim’s collar, but Caim twisted his arm, and another punch to the face laid him out of the ground right next to his friend.

“I just arrived, Master Caim,” Tea replied.

“Why didn’t you take care of them? Should’ve been easy for you, no?” Caim inquired. Tea was a tigerfolk, one of the strongest species among the beastfolk. She should have been able to deal with the two playboys in less than five seconds.

“I wanted you to save me. All girls dream of being treated like a princess, you know,” Tea answered with a smile, but Caim didn’t really get it.

“If you say so... Anyway, let’s go.”

“Yes. I’ll be relying on your escort, Master Caim.” Tea wrapped her arm around Caim’s, pressing her large bust against it.

Caim enjoyed the wonderful softness that felt like it contained all the happiness in the world as they headed toward the shopping district.

“These pastries are good,” Tea remarked.

“I like the honey flavor. It’s great,” Caim agreed.

They strolled around, eating the sweets from any stalls that had a delicious aroma.

“Look, a street performance.” Tea pointed.

“Magic tricks, huh? I wonder if they’re using actual magic.”

They stopped to watch an illusion show in the middle of the street.

“Phew... Today was so fun,” Tea said.

“This liquor is pretty good,” Caim commented.

And now, to end the day, they were dining at a restaurant, gazing at the setting sun from the outdoor terrace.

“It’s been a while since we’ve been able to take it easy like this,” Caim said.

“And have it be just the two of us too,” Tea added.

Out of the whole group, Tea had known Caim the longest, so they had countless memories of times they had shared together.

“I am truly happy that I’ve made this journey with you, Master Caim.”

“Yeah... I am too.”

Traveling together as they did would have been impossible when Caim had been afflicted with the poison curse. That was why the two of them couldn’t help but appreciate the moment, only made possible by what felt like miraculous luck.

“I’m really glad I was able to travel with you, Tea.”

“Master Caim...”

Tea placed her hand on Caim’s.

As the sunset dyed the horizon crimson, their faces drew closer, and...

“I found them!” a boorish voice interjected just before their lips could meet.

They reflexively pulled apart and turned toward its source. There, they found a dozen armed men, including the two playboys from earlier.

“You’ll pay for what you did to us! Get him, guys!”

The hoodlums rushed at Caim, whose shoulders sagged at having been interrupted.

“Welp, time to crush them. What do you think, Tea?”

“They deserve death,” Tea replied in a low tone. She was furious to have been interrupted right at the best part of the night.

“Well then, let’s go.”

“Yes!”

They stood up and went to fight with the thugs.

Soon, the restaurant was flooded with screams as the ruffians experienced the fury of the Poison King and his tigerfolk maid.