Cheers for the Mad Dog
Ah, this was a romance fantasy, alright. Demons were beings that had to be exterminated. Everyone on the continent agreed on that. So what about those who surrendered to demons? Whether by choice or force. For whatever reason. What to do with those who chose submission over resistance?
'Obviously.'
No questions asked. No one should tolerate them. At least, that's what Kiara thought.
Forgiveness? Understanding? How dare they spout such nonsense? If you've ever suffered at the hands of those who surrendered. No one in their right mind would say such things. All those preaching pointless mercy should just die. Talking about forgiveness when they've never felt the pain?
Thwack! Every time his form blurred, blood sprayed in all directions. The demon screamed in terror, flailing in panic. Bound to the pillar, Kiara watched the scene.
'Ahh.'
A shiver ran through her. A deep resonance stirred in her chest. Yes. Kill them. Kill them all! Everything, kill it all!
Cain, was it? You're one hell of a man! Not like those spineless idiots peeking around corners. Not some fool desperate to catch a girl's eye! Pure ecstasy welled up from below. Ahh. Yes. Do it like that. Wipe them all out. Right in front of me. Every demon. Everything connected to them! Without understanding. Without forgiveness. Without mercy. All of it!!
"Kill them! Kill them all!!"
Her whole body trembled as Kiara cheered at the top of her lungs. She burst into joyous laughter with every demon that died.
"Wait a minute!!"
Until one hypocrite suddenly butted in.
'What the hell?'
After he'd stylishly decapitated the last demon. Just as he was about to finish off its vassal too. Estelle tried to stop Cain from behind.
"Is she insane?!"
She was the reason it hadn't escaped. The reason she'd nearly been eaten alive by the demon. Now turned into a vassal, beyond saving. And yet she dared jump in front of the sword to save it?
'What kind of lunatic is she?!'
Kiara had disliked her from the start, but now she hated her even more. No idea what was in that empty head. Didn't want to know. It just made her furious.
"This... this isn't right. We could have captured it alive!"
Captured it alive, she said. Someone already turned vassal. What then? Talk it out? Persuade it? Ask the Holy Kingdom and maybe they could help? Would they even take in some random noble who wasn't even royalty? Did the world look all pink to her?
"We have to try! As fellow humans, how can we kill another person without a second thought... "
Crazy bitch. Thinks everything's all sunshine and rainbows.
Kiara was about to hurl every curse she knew at Estelle. Screw lady-like poise; it made her sick just thinking about it.
Smack!!
"?"
Estelle's body pitched forward like a ragdoll. Cain caught her falling head. Not with his hand. With the top of his foot.
Without a moment's hesitation.
"No need for thanks."
Without hesitation, he kicked her. What a mad bastard.
For a split second, she was shocked. Confused.
"...Haha!"
A brilliant smile spread across Kiara's lips. As expected. Cain, you're way too much my type.
***
He pressed a hand to her nose to check her breathing. Good, she was still alive. Hadn't died.
"Hm."
He'd gone and done it. Should have held back more. Cain sighed and scratched the back of his head.
In the novel world or the real one. Hitting a woman was never good.
But this time, it had been really hard to hold back. She was practically begging for it. Holding back would've made a mockery of his Mad Dog title.
'At least I didn't use my right hand.'
In that instant, he'd switched and used his left. What if it'd been his right? What do you think? Exploded demon. Exploded human. He'd be cleaning up the mess of their friendly corpses side by side.
'Not like any romance lead.'
That pure heart might bring about change. If things followed the original plot, it would. She was the protagonist, after all. Destined to represent good and light. Instilling hope in a broken world. In shattered hearts. Etching stars into the darkness.
But you couldn't force that on others. People have different tastes, different thoughts.
Boom!!
"Advance! Slay the demons!"
"Charge! We must rescue the hostages!"
The knights formed up and entered. Impressive enough, but to Cain, it was pathetic. Showing up after everything was over? Like grandpas watching grandkids play.
Cain watched their farce. They thought they'd prepared thoroughly. But up close, the gaps were everywhere.
Watching them drove home the need for mental reform.
"Estelle!"
Then familiar faces approached. Prince on the left. Evan on the right. The male leads' grand entrance.
"Lady Estelle! Lady Estelle! Where are you?!"
No thought for the other hostages in those heads. Only one. Estelle. The heroine alone.
Cain clicked his tongue and stepped aside.
"Estelle!"
"Oh no!"
The two men rushed to the fallen Estelle. Chaos as they tried to hug and support her at once.
"Make way! It's Third Prince Arhen!"
And in came the Empire's Third Prince, Arhen. Spotting Estelle, he charged like a madman.
A three-way brawl over one fainted girl. Like zombies spotting prey, Cain thought.
'This is the part where the male leads fight to save the heroine?'
To qualify as a romance fantasy male lead: heroic feats like a prince on a white horse. Rescuing the heroine from danger. Everyone crowds in, but only one scoops up the princess. This must be the spot to claim main love interest status! The one with the flashiest, most decisive moment gets the first sweet scene!
'Yeah. No heroics here. Get lost, you bastards.'
Heroine? Take her. Do whatever. But demons? No. Non-negotiable. They're mine. Only I can kill them. No one else touches. If I see them, they're all mine.
"Lady Estelle! Lady Estelle!"
"Why won't she wake up? Why!"
"Call the imperial physician now! No, to the palace first!!"
Strange. He hadn't hit hard enough with his left to kill her. Cain casually hid both hands behind his back.
As the three flailed and one watched nervously.
"Pardon the interruption."
One of the Holy Kingdom attendants from the party, disguised as a servant. He approached with quiet steps and stood before her. Gently caressed Estelle's cheek.
"You! What do you think you're doing?!"
"Shh."
The servant brushed off Evan and continued examining Estelle. A heavy, indescribable resonance filled the air. Evan, Prince, even Arhen—they bit their lips and fell silent before the servant.
'That guy's.'
Cain could see it. The power in the servant's hand. Not mana. Something warmer, purer. Holy power. And of a very high level.
"She's fine. Just startled, it seems."
"Ah!"
"The Lord has surely watched over her."
Of course. She's the pure light of goodness, after all.
As the servant rose, Arhen spoke.
"Who are you? You seem from the Holy Kingdom."
"Merely one humble servant of the Lord."
The servant made the holy sign. Cain realized it then. The saintly male lead. That guy was the next saint.
Lots of male leads, but all gathered from the start? Then it clicked.
Ah. This is because of me.
"Just to be safe, I'd like to examine this young lady further."
"No! Lady Estelle is a noble of our kingdom; I'll take responsibility."
"On what basis? My territory's knights were the first ones in."
"This is the Empire. As a prince, I'm the safest choice."
The naive, fainted heroine. The male leads gearing up for a tug-of-war over her. This was romance fantasy. The real deal.
"Good work, Sir Cain."
Yuris approached, having secured all hostages. She and the Special Forces hadn't entered the party hall at all. He'd ordered them not to. Everything inside was his.
"You too, Yuris. Any that slipped out or were on the outskirts?"
"None. This time, it's certain. We checked twice, three times."
"Figured out how they breached the hall. There was a vassalized noble. They infiltrated through him."
"Are you alright?"
"Not really."
Yuris's heart skipped at his answer. Was he hurt? Body not what it used to be? Too many fights wearing him down. If he'd broken...
"Not enough numbers. Was hoping for some fun, but it ended too quick. Big letdown."
"Ahh."
I see. Good. Relieved, Sir Cain. Really scared me.
"What about the vassalized noble?"
"Killed it."
"Understood. Special Forces will handle cleanup. Some backlash, but we'll lean on the name to squash it."
"Just drop my name."
He'd killed so many, it barely fazed him now. They called him Mad Dog outright. Woof woof.
***
The next day, Cain heard shocking news.
"Yuris. What did you just say?"
"They're establishing the Continental Academy. Didn't you know?"
"How would I?"
Busy demon-slaying, and suddenly an academy? What nonsense was this?
"It's been discussed for ages; the party basically locked it in. The alliance formed for the demon war is temporary, right? Seems they want to make it permanent."
"What's that got to do with an academy?"
Demons were retreating, but war wasn't over. They'd even hit a party outright. An academy now? Like begging them to strike here.
"Don't know the details, but Prince Frintz and Count Evan of Kasen, plus Prince Arhen all voted yes."
"???"
All the male leads' names out of nowhere. A possessor would note one thing.
"Yuris. That academy—is it open to all ranks? Princes mingling with country bumpkin nobles?"
"How did you know? Even commoners are being considered."
A place to somewhat nullify class systems. Nationality irrelevant, long-term stay. Freedom unbound by status.
'Yeah. Romance fantasy. Forgot for a sec.'
A world that crushes dukes over a party snub. Holds with tens of thousands of knights. An academy mid-war? Makes sense.
If predictions held, heroine enrolls. All male leads follow. While others fight demons afar. They'd flirt and moan sweet nothings.
'Overturn it?'
Easy. Go a bit madder than usual. Plot already twisted; twist more. Fine. Smash it before a year passes...
"Yuris. The academy, right? Perfect target once it's up."
"Pardon?"
"Demons will be dying to hit it."
"...Sir Cain?"
An academy means academy raids. Who comes? Demons, obviously. Poor fodder to bond the romance pairs.
'This is it.'
Honey pot central. The ultimate demon trap, foolproof. Harvest demons on cooldown like clockwork. So sweet, he grinned ear to ear!
'Academy? I'm all for it.'
Obviously no enrolling. That'd ruin demon-killing sprees.