Arrogant Mother-Daughter Duo Deserves Only Violence!

After receiving Celestia's cocky duel challenge, I returned to Maou Castle and urgently summoned all my bitches.

Groaning inwardly at the memory of Celestia's smug expression from earlier... I had no idea what she'd prepared, but she was clearly brimming with confidence. And right after I'd punched Cecilia in the gut, no less—she ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠looked like she'd found the perfect excuse to kick me out! If it weren't for that, even if I lost the duel, I could've weaseled my way out somehow... But the timing had to be this shitty. What now? This didn't feel like something I could half-ass.

Was there some genius idea out there?

"...That's it! Let's hit the Cursed Mountain Range!"

As I pondered how to prepare for the duel, the Cursed Mountain Range suddenly popped into my head, and I slapped my palm in realization, shouting it out loud. Yeah! The Cursed Mountain Range! Sure, it was a creepy place crawling with freakish demon beasts, but the EXP there was insane. Even subtracting travel time, I could probably gain 1 or 2 levels round-trip!

Every level counted right now. Spending four days grinding around Radia might barely net me one level. But there, with that fat EXP...

"...The Cursed Mountain Range, Master?"

"That's... umm..."

...Huh? My bitches' reactions were kinda off. Why?

"Uh, well, the EXP there is super juicy. Remember, Lizbet? You went with me once."

"Ah, yeah... true, but..."

"...Isn't it a bit dangerous, Master? That's the world's largest Tesser contamination zone..."

Ah, they were worried about the danger. Yeah, the higher you climbed, the nastier the demon beasts got. Hmm... But even back when I was a total noob who knew nothing, I'd ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wandered the foothills just fine. So why the anxious faces? Something bugging them?

"...Celestia can't escape you anymore anyway, Master... No need to worry that much, right?"

"Mm... I think so too, but her face was way too confident. Better prepare thoroughly just in case. And leveling up's never a bad thing, yeah?"

"U-uh... yeah... Hold on, Master."

Lizbet and Klea, wearing uneasy expressions as they listened, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠exchanged glances, turned slightly away, and started whispering to each other.

"...What do we do, Liz? That place still..."

"Hmm. Leveling up isn't bad, sure, but..."

What were they on about? Was there really something there?

"...Master. If we go, don't climb too high. If we say stop, you stop there, okay?"

"The higher you go in the Cursed Mountain Range, the more dangerous it gets. Even if you want to push on, you have to stop, got it?"

"Uh, yeah? Sure. No matter how important the duel is, life's more important..."

With the vibe making it hard to refuse, they hammered the warnings home multiple times. I nodded, feeling a bit bewildered by my bitches' intensity.

"Master! Finish it!"

"Die, you filthy slut!!!"

"Kiiiyaaaaaaa!!!"

"...Hoo..."

I slammed down my horse bit to finish off the glowing flower upgrade that had set itself ablaze and was screeching like a banshee. Holy shit, flames all over its body and it was still throwing one-two jabs while howling? This wasn't like the ones at the foothills—different color too. What the hell was this crazy flower?

And yeah, like Lizbet and Klea said, we'd barely climbed a little, and already all sorts of weirdos were popping out. Even with Klea's buffs and Lizbet's magic support, anything more than one at a time felt tough. Klea's near-Fighting Spirit-level buffs were supposed to shred demon beasts extra hard, but these things tanked it like champs. Scary stuff.

Luckily, half a day of wandering and we hadn't hit a group of three or more, so they weren't too numerous... But we weren't even at mid-mountain yet, and it was already this bad. What the hell waited at the peak?

"...Master. No further..."

"Ah. Yeah. Getting rough. Let's head lower and circle around."

Man. I'd always thought circling the range when I first arrived in Essentia was dumb... Who knew demon beast levels spiked this hard just shy of mid-mountain. Good thing I stuck to the foothills back then. Low level, no human form—if I'd tried crossing the peaks, I'd be demon chow.

"...This is where they couldn't seal that massive dungeon, right?"

"Yeah. The kingdom sent heroes multiple times to clear it, but they all failed."

"If you don't clear a dungeon in time and it bursts, the Tesser and demon beasts it spews change scale completely."

"Normal dungeons have fixed monster counts, and they only spawn within that limit even if some escape... But when one bursts like this, they pour out endlessly."

"And here, the beasts were strong enough to repel every attempt... By the time the kingdom took it seriously, it was too late—no way to contain it."

Got it. So demon beasts spawn inside? ...Not like they're coming through from somewhere else, right?

"...Wait, so eventually, won't demon beasts overflow from here too...?"

"No. They managed to seal it somehow. Priests and heroes swarmed the ley lines around the range, capping Tesser density with barriers."

"The higher you go, the farther from the seals, so Tesser thickens and beasts strengthen. Of course, freak demon beasts spawn randomly regardless of altitude, so even the low foothills aren't safe."

Random spawns too? Explains why folks avoid it despite the juicy EXP. I got lucky as hell. Must've hit the tame ones only.

Hmm... This place is way riskier than I thought. Can't stay long...

"...Hm?"

As worrisome thoughts crept in, I spotted a fresh, massive print etched in the ground. This... a footprint? Not human—some bizarre shape I'd never seen. Holy crap. Twice the size of my hoof. And mine's already huge for a horse.

...Staring at it stirred this weird unease...

"...Nah. Time to head down."

EXP was great, but no need to risk my neck. We'd farmed plenty; I could fill the rest with Radia-area monsters. No clue how strong Celestia got, but a week-plus of training wouldn't restore her prime overnight. Worst case, Fengdun Snout Hole Brew to remind her of our mating and bluff through.

Yeah... For ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠now, distance from that creepy print first. Not scared or anything.

Feeling my gut twist at the massive print, I shook off the jitters, grabbed a few more demon beasts with my bitches, and escaped the Cursed Mountain Range.

"...Oh my. You actually showed up instead of running. How commendable."

"Haha. Running? As if."

"I gave you time to liquidate assets and flee."

After prepping even harder than the first duel, I arrived at the Lord's Castle to Celestia smirking arrogantly with those cheeky words.

Damn... What the hell did she do in secluded training? A week and change, and she's this cocky? Her daughter's level of bitchiness rubbed off or what?

"Looking confident. Satisfied with your training?"

"Of course. Even I was shocked. Old memories resurfaced after ages. Hehe..."

Old memories—back to her prime...? ...Pfft, better prep the Fengdun Snout Hole Brew early?

"You showed up too, so you prepared something?"

"Yep. Leveled up outta fear and got ready properly. Won't be as easy as you think."

"Pfft. A few levels in those days... Hehe."

...If she hadn't actually powered up, I'd fuck her to death with my horse cock today. Too damn arrogant!

Celestia. Yeah, I bailed from the Cursed Mountain Range shy of a full day thanks to that print, but I still farmed solid EXP. 24 to 26? Updated my adventurer card at the Guild Management Office this morning...

That's right. Stamina over 1,000, Strength nearing 500. Card only lists Crushing Strike, but I've got a few skills memorized too. Plus reinforced ice resistance gear—beating me won't be easy.

"Fine. Shall we? I'll ride—lower yourself."

"...As you wish, Lady Celestia."

Unaware or uncaring of my gritted teeth, she approached boldly, ordering me to kneel. My bitches stepped back quietly, and soon the married woman's huge, plush ass settled on my back.

Sheesh. Last duel, she grimaced like riding me was torture. Today? Zero hesitation, eager for the fight.

...Better not have powered up much. I'd wreck that ass so bad she couldn't sit for weeks.

With lingering unease about Celestia's strength, I carried the three women once more toward the duel site.