Chapter 19

[Proofreader – Prøks]Chapter 19: Imperial Visit (6)

– Thud!

The troll’s face, with its severed limbs, fell against the ground.

“Ugh…”

Though still breathing, it was as good as dead.

I sat atop its head and slit its throat.

– Slish!

The troll’s body slumped like a rag doll, and a thick green liquid oozed from the blade.

I watched the scene intently for a moment before instinctively licking it.

“Ptuh!”

Disgusting.

It’s one thing for medicine to taste bad, but this was a bit extreme, wasn’t it?

Amidst the unpleasantly putrid smell, occasional hints of bitterness arose.

[You gonna taste it just like that? You should be a man and lift the head up high before taking a big gulp!]

The head seemed repulsive, so I opted to slice the wrist instead, creating a suitable hole.

The troll’s blood flowed freely from the hollowed-out space.

I closed my eyes tightly and swallowed it down.

– Gulp, gulp

A pungent aroma wafted up from my throat, sending shivers down my spine involuntarily.

This was much more… than I had anticipated.

“It’s actually edible, huh?”

[…?]

Surprised by the unexpected taste, I sliced the other arm of the troll in the same way.

Wondering if I had tasted it wrong, I took another gulp, and it tasted distinctly different from the blood of low-level demons, that to with a mysterious flavor.

The troll’s wrist shriveled up soon after.

[You’ve fully become a demon, huh….]

Kaeram’s ghastly expression was quite a sight.

It was my first time tasting a troll blood, but it seemed like my palate was gradually losing its sanity.

Enough with the blood; now, it’s time to deal with the rest…

– Thud, thud, thud

“This damn rain shows no signs of letting up.”

Without bringing a fire elemental mage along, it would be difficult to burn the troll’s corpse.

[Why not just leave it be?]

“It’s too risky to leave the body of a high-level monster lying around. We shouldn’t leave any room for potential trouble.”

Just as I was pondering if there was no good solution…

– Whoosh!

Suddenly, a familiar sound echoed in my ears.

It sounded like the rush of strong currents, reminiscent of rushing water.

Come to think of it, if we’re around here…

[Then why not throw it into the water?]

That’s it.

If we’re nearby, there’s probably the Blood River.

With the prolonged rainfall, the currents would be incredibly strong.

Whether it piles up or flows into the demon realm, throwing it in should take care of it with the strong currents.

Having made up my mind, I cut the troll’s corpse to make it more manageable to carry.

“It might be tough to carry it all in one go, we might have to make a few trips back and forth.”

I wrapped the massive legs, each as thick as a pillar, around my shoulders.

Each leg alone was taller than me by a considerable length.

Combined, they must have weighed over 100kg, but for someone like me who had been consuming monster blood, this was easily manageable.

– Thud, thud, thud.

Following the sound for about three minutes, a low cliff and a river glowing red below came into view.

As expected, the water level was significantly higher due to the heavy rainfall.

Without hesitation, I heaved the legs over my shoulder and hurled them down below the cliff, where they were swiftly swept away by the raging currents.

[You said it tasted good, so isn’t it a waste to throw it away after just one taste?]

“There’s no way to preserve it. Once you’ve had a taste, that’s it.”

Though I couldn’t help feeling it was a waste, there was no other choice.

One by one, I tossed all the remaining parts of the corpse into the blood river.

It was as effective a disposal method as burning them.

It’s oddly more exhausting to deal with them after catching them.

Taking a moment to rest, I sat down on the edge of the cliff.

Thoughts naturally turned to the other side, where the demons had been dealt with

With a somewhat absent-minded expression on my face, Kaeram asked with a smile.

[Thinking about that princess? Worried about her, perhaps?]

“Not really.”

[You told her to become the empress, and now you’re acting indifferent? Did you mean it when you asked her to become the empress?]

“Well, it wasn’t just empty words, at least.”

I considered it a much more valuable statement than just being told to be a ‘princess who would benefit the empire.’

[Are you trying to become a kingmaker?]

“Not at all. I simply provided direction. The rest is up to her to handle.”

Whether she ends up ruling the empire as an empress or sitting on the roadside, ultimately, it’s up to her.

However, now that it’s confirmed that Aschel has taken an interest in her, I’ll need to keep an eye on her for a while.

Still, if I leave her be, I don’t think she’ll repeat the fate of being a forsaken princess.

It’s been quite some time by now, and the reinforcements at the rear camp should have completed their joining.

If I’m nearby when they are found, I can naturally join them.

Just as I was about to get up and return to the camp, suddenly,

“…!”

My face automatically turned towards the sudden unfamiliar sensation.

The flickering eyes met the cliff on the opposite side, slightly higher than the one I stood on. It felt like a hungry beast catching the scent of its prey and turning back.

I saw it.

The radiant purple wings spread boldly in the howling wind!

The sharp tail and claws, like they were thrusting a sword!

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“A… Dragon?”

It was a Demonic Dragon, a rare giant demonic creature of the demon realm.

…By its size, it seemed to be a juvenile, but judging by the magic emanating from it, it was undoubtedly a Demonic Dragon.

Why would such a creature, which dwells deep in the demon realm, appear in the Lemea Valley?

Did it stray away from its pack?

Even if that’s the case, there’s no reason for it to come all the way here, right?

Could it be that this creature also followed my scent?

Despite that, it doesn’t seem particularly aggressive, does it?

Multiple thoughts crossed my mind, making it incredibly cluttered.

Stay calm.

There’s no need to overthink.

I just need to take the most appropriate action I can right now.

Demonic Dragon.

Despite being a juvenile, it’s still a giant creature.

It possesses high-quality blood that can’t be compared to the lesser demons.

So…

[Why is my master suddenly silent?]

Kaeram poked me as if I were dumbstruck, but I didn’t react.

After a moment of collecting my thoughts, I grabbed Kaeram and whispered quietly.

“Shadow Arts 9th Form: Demonic Sword Manifestation…..”

[Huh? What’s happening all of a sudden!?]

Before Kaeram could even react, she transformed into mist and was absorbed into my body.

Ignoring Kaeram’s cries of confusion, my mind was focused on one thing…

“I must capture… no, devour that dragon!”

* * *

“Kuooeok!”

The troll charged recklessly, unaware of the danger.

Greeting its approach was the sword of a knight, radiating holy light.

*Swoosh*

With a strike imbued with the power of light, the troll fell lifeless.

With the knights nearby delivering the finishing blows, the superior monster was easily dispatched.

“That’s already the fifth one…”

Despite the smooth progress of the extermination, Duke Vert’s expression remained unsettled.

Encountering five high-level demons in such a short time, when they were expected to appear once a month, was no coincidence.

“We must hasten our efforts, Willius.”

The Emperor, too, was under pressure.

With his daughter surrounded by demons, there was no time to hesitate. Hoping for her safety, at that moment…

“….!”

From a direction other than the front, urgent footsteps could be heard.

Not just one, but several sets of footsteps.

The knights who were about to advance turned their attention, and soon the light of guidance revealed the owner of the footsteps.

“Oh, Arin?”

Among the knights of the empire, adorned with its emblem, stood a girl at the center.

It was Princess Arin, known to have been at the camp.

“Greetings, Your Majesty!”

The knights who recognized the Emperor were the first to kneel.

Among them, a maid who had been hiding revealed herself.

“Why… Why is Father here?”

As she spoke, Princess Arin quickly realized that the Emperor had come here because of her.

For her actions, which caused concern for the Emperor and her father, this was undoubtedly a grave offense as both a princess and a daughter.

“I… I apologize, Father!”

The princess also quickly kneeled and begged for forgiveness.

“As long as you’re safe, it’s fine.”

The Emperor comforted her without further reprimand.

For now, that seemed to be the end of the matter.

Silence hung heavy in the air, making it seem like nobody could intervene.

Emily, realizing the Emperor was right in front of her, simply bowed her head without a word.

The pressure was so intense that it was hard to tell if the moisture running down her body was rain or sweat.

Just as she was about to gently lift her head, she found herself face to face with a stranger.

It was none other than Duke Vert.

Startled, Emily stumbled backward.

“You must be the maid Cyan brought with him, right?”

“Yes, Your Grace! I am Emily, serving Lord Cyan!”

As someone familiar from the mansion, the Duke could not fail to recognize her face.

But strangely, Cyan, the maid’s master, was nowhere to be seen.

Overwhelmed by a sudden surge of anxiety, the Duke couldn’t continue speaking.

“We… We need to rescue that person quickly!”

At the plaintive cry of the princess, everyone’s attention was drawn to her.

“W-Who are you referring to, Your Highness?”

“It’s Young master Cyan! He disappeared after ushering us to safety and said he would lure the demons alone! We need to hurry and help him!”

Tears or raindrops shimmered in her eyes, turning her from a princess into a vulnerable young girl.

“…”

The Duke’s right hand trembled with shock.

In the silence, the Emperor took charge and asked, “Which way did he flee?”

“We know the direction! If you give the order, we’ll go and rescue Young master Cyan!”

The knights who had escorted the princess expressed their determination to go back.

“What are you waiting for, Willius? Shouldn’t we be rescuing your son?”

The Duke remained silent as ever.

Just as the Emperor was about to intervene personally,

“The operation will proceed as planned.”

A voice, though small, was clear enough for everyone to hear.

It was a moment of astonishment for the Emperor as well as everyone around.

“W-Willius, are you serious?”

“At this moment, there are dozens of lives at stake in our camp. Can we afford to commit a large number of troops just to find my uncertain son? Simply ensuring the safety of the princess is already fulfilling his duty.”

Even though he was the Emperor, no one could question the rational decision made by the continent’s protector.

Having confirmed the unyielding resolve, the Emperor quietly turned his head.

“Alright, the troops will continue the operation!”

The knights resumed their march towards the camp.

Watching all of this unfold, Arin was left speechless with disbelief.

“Why? Why on earth…?”

His life was thrown away just because he was the princess’s companion.

Yet, Arin had nothing he could do to save his own life.

“Father! This is clearly not right, isn’t it? We don’t have time! We need to save him now!”

Arin pleaded desperately, but the Emperor coldly ignored her gaze.

“What are you waiting for? Take the princess and leave.”

All that returned was an indifferent command.

In the cruel reality, she couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed.

A sense of helplessness, where she couldn’t do anything.

It was a moment so pitiful that she questioned why she even existed.

“In such a state, you can’t even save a beggar lying in the street.”

Isn’t that phrase a perfect fit, leaving no room for rebuttal?

The incompetent princess, unable to save anyone in the world.

That was the current state of Arin Sebelleus.

-Whoosh!

Suddenly, a gust of wind swept through from somewhere.

Both the princess and the knights marching forward instinctively bowed their heads.

With the gust, the rain intensified, and shadows were cast upon the darkened sky.

The princess slowly raised her head in the direction where the wind was blowing.

“…!”

At that moment, an unknown creature caught her eye.

With its large wings spread wide, it exuded a nobility far beyond ordinary beasts.

As everyone on the ground gazed at its presence, the princess suddenly noticed a foreign entity hanging from the creature’s outstretched foot.

“Cy-Cyan?”

It was a moment of confusion and relief mingling in her heart.

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