Chapter 78
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: Cute Vampire Lord, Ariel (4)
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Squelch, squelch...
The paralysis poison kept flowing into Ariel through the bloodsucking tentacle.
"Yu-jin...? Haa, haa... What..."
Ariel's body twisted awkwardly.
The power of the paralysis poison, injected directly into her bloodstream via the bloodsucking tentacle, was far beyond imagination.
It was potent enough to restrict even Elena, a mid-to-lower S-Class adventurer, to some degree.
Back when I fought Elena, my level was 67.
Now it was 92.
I pumped in the paralysis poison at maximum strength, and Ariel's body went limp. She dropped to one knee and stared up at me.
No matter that Ariel was a lord who inherited the blood of the ruler, she was still only at the peak A-Class adventurer level right now.
There was no way she could resist my paralysis poison.
"W-What did you do to me...?"
Ariel's eyes, fixed on me, were unmistakably filled with confusion.
Slurp...
"Hng...!"
I retracted the bloodsucking tentacle that had pierced her side.
The barbs pulled free from her flesh, blood spurting out. Ariel winced at the pain of the wound and let out a faint groan.
I approached her slowly.
"It's paralysis poison. Don't worry too much. It has no other effects—it just keeps you from moving."
Ariel's eyes shook as if an earthquake had hit them.
"Paralysis... poison? Th-Then, Yu-jin... why would you use something like that on me...?"
I grinned and replied.
"To make sure the queen can't resist, of course."
"M-Make me unable to resist? Haa, haa... N-No, release me right now...! It's dangerous. The monster will attack us..."
"Monster? You mean this one?"
Following Ariel's words, I glanced to the side. Ariel turned her head to follow my gaze as well.
"Ah...?"
And then she saw it.
Flap, flap...
The massive Special Tentacle Glare S-1 spread its wings and landed right in front of me.
Ariel strained desperately to shake off the paralysis poison somehow, but I stared straight at S-1.
Its body was 4 meters long.
With wings fully extended, it spanned over 10 meters across—a colossal tentacle glare that exuded overwhelming pressure just by locking eyes with it.
Of course, to me, it was just one cute pet.
S-1 let out a loud Kieeeek! before promptly lowering its head to me.
Smooth...
Just like a servant greeting its master.
"Wha... Huh?"
I lightly stroked the head of S-1, which had assumed a posture of complete submission.
Ariel stared blankly at the scene.
"Sorry for the late introduction. This is my subordinate monster, Special Tentacle Glare S-1. The name's a mouthful, so I just call it S-1. I placed it right in front of the dungeon entrance on purpose to draw the queen's attention."
"S-Subordinate...?"
"Yeah, pretty reliable, right?"
Stroke, stroke...
I petted S-1's head and body. Honestly, I thought S-1 was pretty dependable. It handled most monsters on its own. The perfect fixer.
Lately, I'd been luring monster-like women like Elena or Ariel into the dungeon, but S-1 was genuinely a powerhouse.
"N-No way... Th-That can't be your subordinate..."
Ariel muttered in disbelief.
"Y-Yu-jin...! You're a vampire. M-My family... right...? Y-You're just acting, playing a prank... right...?"
Even after showing her all this, Ariel didn't seem to believe it.
No, she just didn't want to believe it.
I gave S-1 an order.
"Lie flat on the ground."
"Kirrk-!"
Thud—rumble...
The moment my command dropped, S-1 slammed its massive body flat against the floor. Amid the deafening crash, I issued the next order without batting an eye.
"Do three loops in the air."
Flap, flap...!
S-1 lifted its body and flapped its wings, circling the air in acrobatic loops three times.
"See? It listens so well."
"......"
S-1 was my tentacle.
A monster that would carry out a suicide order without even 0.1 seconds of hesitation.
It had no ego or will of its own—just a puppet obeying my commands.
To Ariel, who didn't know that, it must have looked like an utterly loyal subordinate.
Anyone who could command a monster like this... the answer was clear.
No matter how much she didn't want to believe it, when undeniable proof piled up, that became reality.
Ariel wore a dazed expression, and I ordered S-1.
"I want to be alone with her for now. Go back to your original mission."
Kieek-!
Flap, flap...!
The instant I finished speaking, S-1 took off to carry out its orders.
Its original mission.
Scouting and growing in the Pedros Canyon.
S-1 would soar through the canyon skies as usual.
"Believe me now?"
As I looked at Ariel and spoke, she asked,
"Th-Then... that monster we ran into in the cave earlier... that was your subordinate too?"
"Yep. That one was mine too. Unfortunately, it died to the queen's attack."
"Y-You've been deceiving me this whole time...? D-Did you... kill my family too...?"
"All me. I'm the master of this dungeon. I wiped out every last vampire in that cave."
"Ah... Aah..."
Ariel let out a sigh, and at the same time, I released my transformation.
Shrrrip—!
Rumble...
The bat-like vampire form split open, and a purple body rose from within.
Countless violet tentacles surged from the core, growing endlessly larger.
S-1's wingspan had looked cute by comparison.
My body ballooned massively, swelling like a balloon.
At level 92, my form now rivaled a six-story building.
"......"
Tears welled up in Ariel's eyes. Finally seeing my true form, she realized it completely—she'd been tricked all along.
"I... I thought you were a new family member..."
Tears streamed down Ariel's cheeks. Her voice was steeped in sorrow.
"You listened to my stories so well... comforted me... I thought you were special, unlike the other vampires..."
I wrapped Ariel in my basic tentacles.
Coiling tightly around her body in an embrace, I spoke via telepathy.
-You are special. Completely different from the other vampires.
"Haa, haa... L-Liar...!"
Ariel glared at me through tear-filled eyes. Anger was rising on her face now.
"You're not special at all...! You deceived me! You killed my precious vampires... You're the enemy of my family!"
She lamented.
"Mother was right... There are so many dangerous things in the world... She said I was still too young to go out..."
Ariel had told me on the way to the cave.
Lords normally lived with their parents until age 50, gaining enough strength to stand on their own before independence.
In the age scale of lords, who lived centuries, 50 was about 20 in human years.
"Sob, hic... If you're going to kill me... just do it quick."
Ariel looked at me, tears mixing fury, regret, and grief. Her eyes burned with resentment and betrayal.
Her pure, fragile face twisted into such an expression... I felt like a real villain.
-I'm not going to kill you. You're my precious queen.
Taking her anger head-on, I gently stroked Ariel's head.
"Then what are you planning...? You could've killed me anytime..."
What was I going to do?
I extended a genital tentacle toward Ariel.
"...?"
Ariel seemed to ponder what tentacle I'd brought out, then shuddered violently.
"Eek, w-wait... Don't tell me this is...?"
-That exactly.
Ariel's eyes wavered.
"Y-You're going to use a lord like me... for your lust...?"
In response, I wiggled my basic tentacles as if to say no.
-Hey, "lust relief" is such a crude way to put it. I'd prefer a more elegant expression.
"Elegant...?"
-Yeah, elegant. From now on, don't say "lust relief"—say "sharing love." That's how we'll become one through love.
"L-Love? What does that—"
-Ariel. You're going to share love with me and be happy. You'll serve me as your husband and master, living sweetly together forever.
"Urk...! H-How am I supposed to love you!? You're the enemy who killed my vampires... my family!?"
Ariel snapped in outrage. Her face flushed red as she ground her teeth, and I stroked her hair.
Honestly, even her anger was cute.
-Don't be so harsh. I do feel bad about killing the vampires.
"What?"
I caressed Ariel's face with a basic tentacle, wiping the tears from her eyes.
-I had to build my dungeon, and they were in the way, so I had no choice. This world's all about the law of the jungle. They lost by that rule. If I'd been weaker, I'd be the one dead.
"......"
-And if I'd known they were the family of such a pretty lord like you, I wouldn't have killed them. I'd have made love to you first and formally made the vampires my subordinates. If you think about it, they were just unlucky.
"Ha, haha..."
Ariel laughed hollowly at my brazen response. Her laughter was filled with deep regret.
"If I'd known you were like this... If I'd known you were such an evil monster... I feel so stupid for ever liking you, even for a moment. I'm sorry, everyone. Your incompetent lord... your half-baked queen couldn't protect you. Sob, sob... If I hadn't gone to see Mother... If I'd just been a little stronger... No, if I'd just been a little more perceptive..."
Tears poured from Ariel's eyes again. I kept wiping them away.
-Don't blame yourself, Ariel.
"I don't want to hear that from a lying trash like you...!"
-I'm not a liar. I hardly ever lie.
"Wh-What? It was all lies... What are you talking about...!"
-I told you while walking through the cave together, remember? That I'd be with you forever.
I reminded her of what I'd said in vampire form—that I'd stay with the queen until the end.
Aside from claiming I'd join her group at first, I'd never actually lied to her.
I'd just disguised myself as a vampire and lured her to my dungeon.
Staying together until the end.
Giving her my real name, Yu-jin.
That I liked hearing her stories.
All true.
-See? All real.
"......"
Ariel just kept crying at my words.
-I'll make you happy, Ariel.
I said that as I hugged her even tighter.
"H-How are you going to make me happy? You killed all my family... lied to me... tricked and attacked me..."
Ariel's body trembled.
"I'm such an idiot for thinking you were my best family member even for a second..."
Ariel's expression was like that of a woman heartbroken. Her face was soaked from all the tears.
"You're... you're truly the worst..."
Regardless, I didn't let go of Ariel.
-First, let me heal you.
The wound on her side from where I'd stabbed the bloodsucking tentacle.
It was a hole gushing blood—looked painful.
I brought out a healing tentacle and pressed it to the injury, mending it through the tentacle.
"You think healing this will make me like you...?"
No matter what Ariel said, I treated the wound.
-Just wait a bit. I'll make you truly happy.
Honestly, I felt a little sorry. I was a tentacle monster—I didn't regret killing the vampires, but I felt a twinge for the sorrow of the woman who'd become my wife.
I didn't know the pain of losing everyone precious, but I knew how to heal it.
I resolved to make Ariel feel the best she'd ever felt.