Book 1: Chapter 7

First Demon-Subjugation

“Tina, it went over there!”

“Please leave it to me.”

One month has passed since I was reincarnated. One day, Tina and I visited the forest beside the mansion.

I’m doing my first hunt here.

Demons were my target. In this world, one can level up by defeating Demons and monsters.

In ordinary households, children rarely defeat monsters to level up at the age of five. However, in the House of Silveray, generations of children begin their combat training when they turn five and reach a certain level of power, they proceed to Demon-Subjugation training.

When a massive upsurge of monsters and Demons occur in the territory of the House of Silveray, the head of the family—in our case, it is my father, the Count—will lead a private army to subjugate them. 

This has been a tradition among the successive leaders of the family. The heads of the House of Silveray never serve weak masters.

Although I am the third son, because I was born into the House of Silveray, I need to be strong. Of course, to prevent untoward accidents, it is customary for children to be watched over by high-level Knights. They are also accompanied by Magicians, who can use high-level healing magic in case of emergencies.

However, Tina is my only companion during my Demon-Subjugation training. Father decided that Tina alone is enough. The basis was her combat abilities, which are above those of high-level Knights, as well as the fact that she can also perform advanced-level healing magic.

Having trained with Tina for a month until today, I’ve fully witnessed how awesome she is, so I wholeheartedly listened to Father.

“Ice Wall!”

Tina created a wall of ice with her magic, and the Demon that fled from me no longer had any way to escape.

“Thanks, Tina.”

I joined Tina.

“Yes. But more importantly, please take care. Even if this one is weak, it is still a Demon.”

“Yes, I understand.”

I stretched my hand towards the Horned Rabbit, the rabbit-shaped Demon with one horn protruding on its forehead.

The Horned Rabbit tried to destroy the ice wall using its horn. However, Tina’s magic was too strong. 

When it realized it could not destroy the wall, it turned its body and run back to the last remaining escape route—that is, towards me.

Tina, worried about me, shouted, “Halt-sama!”

But it’s alright. I’ve already prepared my magic spell.

“Fire Lance!”

I made the spear of fire as thin as possible, and it pierced the body of the Horned Rabbit as it flew towards me.

The Horned Rabbit died with that shot.

“Just one shot… That was astounding, Halt-sama.”

“Thanks to Tina’s magic, it didn’t have any choice but to run straight towards me.”

“Still, to be able calmly deal with a monster suddenly jumping towards you- now that’s not something that can be done easily. Ah! H, Halt-sama, are you alright!?”

My body was shaking, and I just noticed it.

It’s because I saw the blood of the unmoving Horned Rabbit flow towards my feet. Not to mention a Demon, the reality that I killed a living thing for the first time dawned on me. I never had the experience of killing an animal directly in my whole 17 years in my previous world.

“Tina… I… I… a living organism..”

“Halt-sama.”

Tina hugged the shivering me tightly.

“Horned Rabbits are weak Demons. They do not directly harm humans, but because of their delicious meat, carnivorous monsters are lured, and they gather here to hunt them. If we do not defeat the Horned Rabbits, they will draw worse monsters, and you know the outcome.”

Tina tried to justify my action. I can understand what she’s saying. I tried to understand. But in reality, I realized that I didn’t know anything.

“We are living in this kind of world, Halt-sama.”

Tina let go of me and unsheathed her knife. She drew closer to the Horned Rabbit. In this world full of Demons and monsters, some species are edible. I’ve also eaten Horned Rabbit meat on several occasions.

“I… I’ll do that…”

I shouldn’t run away from this.

“That’s why, please, show me how to do it.”

“I understand. Halt-sama, you’re very brave.”

I got the dissecting knife from Tina.

I already did vivisection several times previously, as part of my training, but it felt really heavy doing this today…