Chapter 9
Chapter 9
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: This Victory to the Great Ancestor (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Karga stood with her arms crossed, leaning indifferently against the wall at the exit of the arena.
But her ears were perked up straight, and her tail was wagging furiously.
'This miraculous victory, I dedicate to one of my ancestors—the great First King of the Beastkin, Arkan.'
The reason was simple.
It was the statement Number 17 had made right after defeating the Gundun brothers.
His words had mentioned Arkan, Karga's own ancestor.
Normally, it would be displeasing to hear one's ancestors mentioned by some mutt.
But right now, Karga wasn't the least bit upset.
On the contrary, she was struggling to suppress her excitement.
'This is just joy at the elevation of the great ancestor's honor... It's not some weird feeling. I'm rational... I'm perfectly rational...'
Of course, the reason her heart was shaking like this wasn't just that.
It was what Number 17 had said afterward.
'Oh! So you've got some beastkin blood mixed in!'
'Yes, haha... Of course, being a mutt, I have blood from other fine lineages mixed in as well.'
The fact that he shared the same Arkan blood as her.
All races in this world harbored the same sentiment.
—They didn't want their blood mixed with that of other races.
That was one reason mutts were rejected.
Because mutts were barbaric creatures who mated with anything.
But.
This mutt's blood contained the same Arkan lineage as hers.
The moment she heard that, Karga felt a tickle deep in her lower abdomen.
'Get a grip... Karga, you're a half-breed, but still half noble beastkin blood. No matter if we share the same blood, mixing with a mutt's filthy blood is...'
So Karga jabbed her nails into her arm, desperately trying to hold onto her reason.
'It must be... because of that full moon last time...'
The night of the full moon.
Of all days, her heat cycle had come, and of all people, Number 17 had given off that strange scent.
And of all things, that scent had stuck in her memory.
That was the cause.
There was no way she'd feel this lust for a mutt otherwise.
And then.
"Ah! Guard!"
"Guh...!"
Number 17, who had entered the exit late due to the interview, approached Karga with a friendly smile and greeted her.
"I won!"
"Hmph... I already saw. Why tell me?"
"Ah, well... I'm grateful for how you lent me your knee last time and took care of me. I feel like this victory is partly thanks to you, Guard."
"......"
Wag wag wag wag.
At Number 17's words, Karga's tail wagged furiously despite her indifferent face.
But Karga forcibly suppressed her emotions.
And glared at Number 17 with cold eyes.
"Don't get cocky and try to cozy up, you filthy mutt."
"Y-Yes??"
"You think checking your condition once makes you something special? You're a mutt. A gladiator mutt."
"Ah, yes!"
"I have no intention of getting friendly with you, so don't cross the line."
"Understood!"
"......I'm going."
"Yes!"
Leaving Number 17's spirited reply behind, Karga walked silently ahead.
Her tail hung limp downward.
'I blew it...'
They were words she had to say.
But she had said them anyway.
It was her usual fierce tone toward mutt gladiators.
But after saying it to Number 17, an immense regret flooded her.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ '...Did I come on too strong?'
I judged that Karga was angry from her drooping tail.
Well, mutts were a rejected race, after all.
Her reaction was natural, so I didn't think much of it.
'Still, I caught Arkan's attention... I was hoping to use the beastkin Karga to find a way...'
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ancestor 'First King of the Beastkin' is watching you.] Just in time, the beastkin hero Arkan was watching me.
Now all I needed was to win his favor.
'Elisis likes muscles... Morduin likes craftsmanship... But I can't get a read on Arkan...'
How could I earn his favor?
I figured getting close to the beastkin Karga might give me hints.
'These guys... when I played them in the game, they seemed to have some weird fetishes I never expected...'
Even though I'd directly controlled them, it was tricky.
Because my simple actions had shaped their preferences.
Elisis was a prime example.
I'd just courted the high-strength character, never imagining she'd turn out to have a muscle fetish.
'What was it with Arkan...'
Like with Elisis.
I tried to recall how Arkan had chosen his mate.
And then.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ancestor 'First King of the Beastkin' is watching descendant 'Karga.'] "Huh?"
'To Karga...? Why...?'
Suddenly, Arkan, who had been watching me, shifted his gaze to Karga instead.
This was a first, so I panicked and tilted my head.
And soon I figured out why.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ancestor 'First King of the Beastkin' smiles lecherously.] "......"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ancestor 'First King of the Beastkin' nods lecherously.] And I remembered.
How Arkan had chosen his mate.
'He just mated with anything in sight...!'
Arkan was the second race character I'd played.
Being inexperienced as a player, I was uncertain about criteria for selecting mates for the next generation.
So back then, I'd kept it simple.
Mate like crazy.
Have tons of kids.
Pick the best one later.
It wasn't a bad method, of course.
Aside from the extreme grinding needed for affinity.
And the result.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ancestor 'First King of the Beastkin' smiles lecherously.] The Arkan I faced in reality.
Had become a playboy golden boy who took any female he saw.
'No, silver hair, so silver sun? Not tanning though.'
I tried to laugh it off with nonsense, but I couldn't.
Now the answer was clear.
——Seduce a beastkin woman.
Just like Elisis took interest when she saw me muscle training.
If I seduced a beastkin woman, Arkan would likely take interest.
'Other ways... other ways... Damn, nothing comes to mind...!'
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ancestor 'Eternal Teacher of the Fairies' smiles lecherously.] "Huh...?"
Then, out of nowhere, Elisis's message appeared.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ancestor 'First King of the Beastkin' wags his finger at ancestor 'Eternal Teacher of the Fairies'!] ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ancestor 'Eternal Teacher of the Fairies' wags her finger at ancestor 'First King of the Beastkin'!] ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ancestor 'The Creating Mortal' clicks his tongue.] For some reason, Elisis and Arkan were depicted getting along.
Seeing that made the strategy for Arkan solidify in my mind.
"Urgh... How am I supposed to do this...?"
"Hm? What? Something wrong?"
At that moment, Karga, walking ahead, glanced back at my muttering and asked.
"Pardon? Oh, no! It's nothing!"
"......I see. If you're hurt anywhere, say so. I'll guide you to the clinic."
"Yes!"
What was it with her?
She'd been so cold just moments ago, but now she was being nice.
'Is she actually pretty good-natured...? If so, maybe...'
For a second, I thought seducing her might not be impossible.
With that in mind, I stared intently at Karga's back as she walked ahead.
"What...?"
"Eh, uh, yeah? Ah, nothing!"
"......Do you have something to say?"
True to her beastkin senses, she noticed my gaze and shot me a slight glare.
"......"
Still suspicious eyes.
She seemed to be waiting for my answer or pondering my intentions.
'Should I... give it a shot?'
In real life, I wasn't exactly a casanova.
But I'd dated before.
So I decided to test the waters with a light compliment.
"Y-Your tail, I mean."
"......Hm?"
"Your tail... the fur is so soft and beautiful... I couldn't help staring."
"......"
"S-Sorry if that bothered you!"
Under her cold gaze, I ended up apologizing profusely.
Would she get mad?
That's what I thought, but surprisingly, Karga silently turned and walked ahead without a word.
Swish swish.
Instead, the tail at her hips swayed rhythmically.
'......Is that okay?'
Her expression was so impassive it was hard to read her reaction.
...Thinking of her like a dog, maybe she didn't mind?
And then.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ancestor 'Eternal Teacher of the Fairies' smiles lecherously!] ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ancestor 'First King of the Beastkin' smiles lecherously!] The two perverts' messages popped up simultaneously.
'They get along great.'
But at least Arkan's reaction wasn't bad.
That meant seducing Karga... or rather, a beastkin female, was close to the right answer.
'No other beastkin around...? Nah, probably not... As a combat slave, the only beastkin women I can meet are...'
So on the way back to the cell, I racked my brains with arms crossed, deep in thought.
I wanted Arkan's gift no matter what.
This Parion had gladiator matches, but it was also a city that ran a mercenary business.
And it was natural for combat slaves to be dragged into wars as mercenaries.
I could handle the arena somehow.
But war was unknown territory.
I needed to get stronger here.
'How does a mutt seduce a beastkin woman...?'
So I agonized over it, clutching my head.
And as I pondered.
"Mistress..."
"Pardon? Mistress...?"
Karga stopped and looked at someone.
"Kyahaha! Mistress, huh? That's disappointing, kid. Karga! ...Didn't I say to call me sis when we're alone?"
"...W-We aren't alone right now."
"Ah, true? Oh yeah~, there is a mutt slave here. Kyahaha!"
In the long corridor just before reaching the cells.
A silver-haired, silver-eyed young girl appeared in the middle.
But from the pipe she held.
And calling Karga 'sis'.
And Karga calling her 'Mistress'.
I could roughly guess who she was.
"Karga, I wanna see that Number 17 combat slave of yours. Got a sec?"
"......"
The pureblood beastkin girl, with an ominous air.
Gazed at me with sticky eyes while sensually sucking on her pipe.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ And shortly after.
I followed Karga to the room of the pureblood beastkin named Taira.
The ruler of this city, in other words.
The room oozed an Eastern vibe, and Taira lounged sideways on a sofa-like chair, smoking her pipe while eyeing me.
"Number 17, you. Ever thought of becoming my direct gladiator?"
"......Pardon?"
"M-Mistress?!"
"I like ya, kid. Whaddya say? Join my direct command, and I'll give ya a private room."
"P-Private room...?"
"Mistress...! Suddenly like this...!"
"Hm? Karga, you jealous? Alright, alright. Then let's do this."
Taira grinned seductively in her girlish form and spoke to me and Karga.
"Then Karga under my direct command, and Number 17 right under her. Kyahaha! Congrats, Karga. Fast track promotion!"
"Sis—!!"
"Honestly, blood aside, you're my little sis. Can't have ya stuck as a guard forever, kid."
The conversation started veering in a weird direction.