Chapter 47
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 47. Black Knight's Ambition
Let's talk about this creature hanging on my shoulder like luggage.
Pink twintails are drooping limply, swaying in the wind.
Sway to the left. Sway to the right.
……Like a scene from a horror novel, but I am a good person.
Thorn Society's Seven Fingers. Rank 6. Witch Eris.
Since she is a dangerous existence, subdued her first.
Saying subdued seems grand, but reality is just one finger flick to the forehead.
To think she fainted and drooped like this by one finger flick despite hanging grand modifiers all over.
Feel like I understand why Evil God resurrection is delayed.
Opened Eris's door and threw her on the bed.
Flump.
Eris's body bounced once on mattress elasticity and settled.
Immediately, rodent commando unit dispatched from corner of room.
Squeak! Squeak squeak!
Snow Squirrels?
Pet monsters Eris carried around these days.
The guys rushed onto fainted master's body.
Slap slap.
Patting cheeks. Pulling twintails like tug-of-war. Riding trampoline on belly.
'Wake up! Die if sleep here! That black guy will eat you!'
Desperate. Tearful loyalty for squirrels.
While waking Eris up, the guys raised tails straight towards me and made warning sounds.
Squeeeeeak!
Lifting front paws, puffing up bodies, threatening me.
Cute.
These guys' loyalty is worthy of recognition.
Courage of small creatures facing predator to protect master. Isn't it beautiful.
But up to there.
I took out honey biscuits from pocket.
Sweet smell spread in room.
Squirrels stopped movement simultaneously.
Squeak squeak?
Front paws hitting Eris's cheeks stopped in mid-air. Mouth pulling twintails opened. Tail fur raised towards me subsided.
0.5 seconds.
Exactly that much time.
Tatadadada!
All squirrels abandoned Eris and rushed to biscuits.
Guy trampoline jumping on Eris's belly used belly as springboard and leaped.
"Kuek."
Short groan leaked from fainted Eris's mouth but no one cared.
Small feet stepped on Eris's cheek passing by. Wiggly footprints stamped on pink cheek.
Guys stuck to biscuits. Shoving in until cheeks burst.
Munch munch.
Speed of betrayal is faster than light.
To sell master for a piece of honey biscuit.
……Somewhere familiar pattern.
Master or summon beast, same.
I pulled chair next to bed and sat.
Leaving squirrels distracted by biscuits behind, observed sleeping Eris.
Early 140cm. Pancake-like toddler body. Clothes are wet. Since stuck in snowfield once when fainting earlier. Snoring zzzz. Drooling too.
Actually foreshadowing was overflowing.
Ability to handle thorn vines. Pink magic power. Administrative processing ability enough to make Lucia tongue-tied.
Does one have to master paperwork first to become Thorn Society executive. Since evil organization is company after all.
Original novel 'Master of Crown of Thorns'.
Recall that damn text scrap again.
'Pink Calamity. Witch who corrupted Empire nobles with magic and seduction. Ravishing appearance. Voluptuous body. Femme fatale controlling men with one look. General manager of Thorn Society ritual and key practitioner of Evil God resurrection project.'
Suspected before too.
Whether Eri is Eris. But denied myself.
Because thought word 'Femme fatale' and word 'Sauce-covered hamster' cannot coexist.
But don't tell me.
Don't tell me this was really Eris.
Whether my eyes were knotholes, or author described definition of 'Voluptuousness' based on hamster's cheek pouch.
Anyway conclusion is one.
Original work cannot be trusted.
"Umm…… Pudding…… Give more……"
Even sleep talk is gluttony.
Shouldn't this guy have been Gourmet Society executive before Thorn Society executive.
How much time passed.
"Hiek?!"
Eris opened eyes.
Boing-
Raised upper body like spring, pulled up blanket reflexively covering body.
Pupils shaking as if earthquake happened.
"Wh, What! Where is here! Y, You are!"
Flailed hands as if trying to summon thorn vines, but only plain wind came out.
Magic power depletion.
Natural since scraped bottom of magic power excavating Black Mammoth bones earlier.
Eris's face turned pale.
"I, Interrogate? Torture? Or worse thing?! E, Eris is still young and pure and super beautiful girl so if suffer such thing heart scar……!"
Imagination is free, but direction of that imagination seems very impure.
Ah, scared a lot.
Indeed. Worth being scared. Since I am Black Knight.
Calming down is priority first.
Conversation is not late after that.
I stood up from seat silently.
"Hiek! D, Don't come! Go away! Save me! Eris is not tasty! Unripe I say!"
Eris went into blanket pop.
Curled body round.
Like ostrich burying head in sand, escapism that will be safe if in blanket.
I brought tray prepared on table in corner of room.
Clatter.
Put down on bedside table.
Three golden shining objects were placed on tray.
Jiggly texture. Dark brown caramel syrup flowing on surface. Sweet and savory vanilla scent.
Black Knight Brand Special Custard Pudding.
Blanket lump flinched.
Slide.
Blanket edge lifted slightly.
One pupil revealed peeking.
Pupil dilates. Gaze fixes on pudding.
But turns head away sharply immediately.
"Hmph! Think Eris-nim falls for mere pudding? Taking Eris-nim for what!"
5 seconds elapsed.
Slide.
Head returns again.
10 seconds elapsed.
Blanket goes down a little more. Revealed up to nose.
Sniff sniff.
Smelling scent.
15 seconds elapsed.
Whoosh.
White hand popped out of blanket.
Lightning speed.
Eris snatched one pudding, stuck spoon and brought to mouth.
Gaze is still wary of me.
Glaring. But mouth is honest.
Ah.
Munch munch. Gulp.
Speed attaches from second spooning.
Nom nom nom nom.
First pudding evaporated in 30 seconds. Only empty bowl remained.
Caramel sauce smeared on Eris's mouth. Blanket came down to knees before knew.
Slide.
Hand reaches for second pudding.
'As expected…'
When lost memory, and now recovered.
Eri is Eri.
Essence doesn't change.
Saved Leona risking life during Monster Wave. Squeezed last magic power to catch falling Hero.
Worked hard at construction site. While pouring complaints, eventually completed warehouse with thorn vines.
Did Lucia's administrative assistance too. Repeating 'Only today' every day but no day missed.
Ate together, fought together, lived together.
Eventually Eris is just a pink kid insisting she is cutest in the world.
In original work Eris becomes evil witch.
As key practitioner of Evil God resurrection slaughters numerous lives, offers as sacrifices. And what awaits at end is neither salvation nor reward but betrayal. Tragic end hit in back of head by Evil God, disposed like used tool.
Decline such ending.
Firmly refuse.
Absolutely won't tolerate.
Rehabilitate before becoming evil witch.
Eris Salvation Route, go.
Make happy ending where everyone becomes happy. Because that is Romanticist Black Knight's duty.
Clatter.
Second bowl empty.
Eris tried to reach for third pudding, stopped.
Expression realizing mistake.
Seems realized she is being appeased too easily. But late.
Stopping here doesn't bring back lost dignity.
Eris bit lip, then picked up third pudding with feeling of whatever.
Comfortable if give up.
Eating speed became faster. Tension released completely.
Good.
Atmosphere where conversation works now.
Let's speak my sincerity.
Whatever past you had, whether Thorn Society affiliation or whatever doesn't matter. You are already Eri of this Frostgard. Let's live together here in future too.
I know what this scene is called in Romance Fantasy.
──Salvation.
Scene reaching out hand to heroine fallen in darkness.
Scene saying 'Still okay' to girl bound by past.
This is exactly essence of RoFan. Crown of cliché.
'Eri, doesn't matter how your past is. Eri is already our precious comrade. So don't worry.'
Containing sincerity. Go!
"Past is not important."
Eris looked at me biting spoon in mouth. Cheeks are puffy.
"Means doesn't matter where you rolled from bone."
"Oop?! Kehek… Kek!"
Eris choked swallowing pudding. Coughing with puffy cheeks looks like hamster choking.
No, wait. Just now was just intro. Main subject is important.
Let's continue speaking.
'Important thing is now. Eri, you are already our comrade. Let's be together here from now on.'
Warmly. Softly. Cozily.
"Important thing is now. From now on──"
"Obey my words absolutely."
'Let's be together' output as 'Obey absolutely'.
Where on earth went wrong.
"B, But… Eris is Thorn Society executive…"
"Thorn Society? Not even funny. Returning to such boring place?"
"Telling Eris to betray Thorn Society now? Eris-nim has mission to resurrect Evil God-nim…!"
Ah, Evil God.
Right, that’s problem.
'Don't worry. I will handle Evil God somehow. Eri just keep eating pudding here.'
If Evil God resurrects I just block.
Better if make unable to resurrect at all.
"Evil God."
"Think such vessel can contain me? Boring."
I drove wedge in.
Resolution to deal with even Evil God, and bring true peace.
"Even God is merely my collection."
Voice laid low.
"Evil God or whatever. Will violate and make submit and put leash on."
Clang.
Pudding spoon slipped from hand powerlessly and fell to floor.
"C, Crazy……"
Eris's lips trembled paruru.
Huh?
Wait a minute.
Seems words went out a bit strange just now.
Didn't it sound like nuance of 'Picking' Evil God not 'Blocking'?
No, 'Kneel and violate and obtain' is a bit too much.
Evil God has human rights…… no, god rights too.
No!
Not that meaning!
Zzzzt-!
Eris's brain circuit burned out.
Feeling black smoke rising mura mura.
What did that pitch-black bastard say just now?
Even Evil God is merely my collection?
Violate? Make submit? Put leash on?
Even object is Evil God.
"……."
Eris looked up at Black Knight with mouth wide open.
Crazy guy is not just crazy guy.
Level needing to rewrite definition of word madness.
Imperial Dictionary, madness item, must draw Black Knight's picture and omit detailed explanation.
"Ha, haha…… Oh my god……"
Vain laughter leaked out.
Usually villains dream of world conquest or wealth and glory, immortality.
If villain with bigger scale, resurrect Evil God to borrow power, or become Evil God's apostle trying to rule world.
Thorn Society is exactly that side. Resurrect Evil God-nim to let world know His greatness and eat bean flour falling(?), humble goal.
But this man?
Conquer God?
"Don't tell me… planned all from beginning?"
Thorn Society Rank 1, title of Black Knight of Abyss were all merely process.
Huge, too huge causing dizziness ambition to smack resurrected Evil God's back of head and put leash on.
Then all actions until now are explained.
Why did Black Knight come to North?
To build independent force. Using Frostgard's natural fortress as base to increase armaments, hunt monsters to become strong.
Why keep Princess close?
Empire's legitimacy. If set Princess as puppet Emperor, entire Empire comes into grasp. Besides rumor that secret power is passed down in Astellia Imperial Family.
Why let Hero live?
Hero of Holy Sword is Evil God's natural enemy. Intention to make Thorn Society and Hero fight then hit last blow when both tired.
Too meticulous plan.
To think existence this evil exists in world!
Thump thump.
Eris's taste is firm.
Handsome bad guy.
Not just bad guy.
Must be bastard. Must be trash.
Man in front of eyes now?
Man sending rape notice against God.
Breached upper limit of badness. Scouter exploded.
Cosmic scale trash. History unprecedented bastard.
"……Cool."
Sincerity popped out inadvertently.
Of course face not visible. Because hidden by helmet.
But if this level of trash power, might be forgiven even if face is ordinary……
No, wait. Face is important. Cancel. Must see face.
Creak.
Black Knight stood up from seat.
He looks down.
Red glint seems to pierce Eris's soul.
"Forget Thorn Society. From now on just follow my orders."
Low voice hit eardrums and shook Eris's brain fluid.
No choice.
If say 'Hate it?' here, twintails might be cut immediately, or might be added to collection before Evil God-nim.
Eris switched stance quickly.
Pulled blanket up to under chin, equipped most pitiful and obedient eyes possible.
"……Yeees."
Black Knight nodded as if satisfied.
And left room without looking back.
Bang.
Door closed.
Silence.
Eris counted 10 seconds. In case comes back in.
One, two, three…… ten.
"Phew……"
Eris sank into blanket. Tension released, strength drained from whole body.
Lived.
Lived for now.
Eris started organizing situation wiggling inside blanket.
First self-rationalization process start.
"First Eris-nim didn't submit."
Black Knight kept Eris alive not killing, because recognized value.
Classy villain covets ability over beauty.
Black Knight is man reached that level.
"In other words, this is scout recognizing Eris-nim's ability!"
Besides treatment is not bad.
Turned head secretly checked three empty pudding bowls.
Right. Pudding.
In Thorn Society snack expense support was salty.
But here?
Atmosphere that top grade custard pudding will be provided unlimitedly.
"Yeah yeah. This time too Eris-nim's words are totally right! Not submitted. Changed job to better condition!"
Eris accepted.
But.
Even so completely betraying Thorn Society is dangerous.
Thorn Society's influence is wide, curse is deep.
Cannot exclude possibility Black Knight gets counter-toured.
Then answer is one.
Two-timing strategy.
In front of Black Knight suck honey pretending 'Loyalty loyalty!'.
To Thorn Society report 'Infiltration investigation in progress. Observing enemy movement.'.
And moment of end.
If Black Knight wins 'As expected Black Knight! Believed in you!'
If Thorn Society wins 'Eris lured enemies!'
Winning side is our side.
Strong guy is justice.
Eris-nim survives anywhere.
Weed witch… no Thorn Witch's survival method.
"Perfect."
Eris kicked blanket.
Confidence returned. Dignity recovered.
Although still small and cute, trivial witch bribed by pudding.
But mental victory is strongest.
It was then.
Squeak squeak.
Sound from under bed.
Snow Squirrels were looking up at Eris.
With biscuit crumbs Black Knight gave earlier on mouth.
Guys held out biscuit piece in front paw towards Eris.
Squeak?
"……."
Eris's eyebrow twitched.
Dare.
Dare sympathize Eris-nim?
Rodent sympathizing primate.
"Give me!"
Eris snatched biscuit piece from squirrel's front paw.
Squeak!?
'Really take and eat that?'
Crunch.
Really took and ate.
Squeak squeak…
Squirrel's eyes changed to eyes of contempt immediately.
"Hmph! What! So what!"
But Eris was confident.
Survival of fittest. Providence of nature.
Just as Black Knight did to self, I do to you too.
Crunch, crunch.
Eris chewed and swallowed biscuit squirrel was eating smartly.
Delicious.
As expected everything Black Knight makes is delicious.