Chapter 45
Translator: penny
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Frenzy (3)
It had already been about a week since the great incident where Kairen stole Astridje's frenzy from the Belverk Ducal House.
"Rawr!"
The Belverk Ducal House had been in utter chaos at first, but as always, time healed everything.
"Kyaa! It's a scary monster!"
"Everyone, run~!"
"Ugh, I'm so scared my heart hurts...."
Now, the maids—all sporting bite marks on their necks—burst into giggles and fled upon spotting Kairen in the hallway, just like today.
"Heh heh."
Kairen watched them fondly, then suddenly grew serious and lowered his voice.
"You still don't know what I've done."
At the solemn tone of Belverk's small, cute tyrant, the maids—who had been fleeing as slowly as possible—froze and pricked up their ears.
"I took a bath today, but...."
"......"
"...I didn't wash my face."
The next moment, the maids who had been listening intently erupted in shock at Kairen's confident declaration, heads held high.
"Gasp."
"N-No way."
"Th-That's so horrific...."
Kairen watched their reaction with even greater satisfaction, then lowered his voice again.
"That's not all."
"......?"
"I didn't clean my room today either!"
At the tyrant's villainous deeds laid bare to the world, the wide-eyed maids exchanged sly glances.
"That's our job anyway.... Mmph."
"...Watch it."
"Wh-What do you want...!"
One nearly broke the immersion, but the maids quickly recovered and trembling in feigned terror, presented their demands.
"If you want to stop my villainy, offer tribute."
Kairen flashed a wicked grin and made a truly terrifying demand.
"Fresh mountain sacrifices!"
"Ugh.... As expected from a fearsome, savage monster."
"...We have no choice but to offer sacrifices, then."
Faced with such cruel, merciless demands, the poor maids failed to rebel properly and began selecting today's victim.
"Then, we'll draw lots for today's sacrifice...."
"...Hey, drop the black magic?"
"You there. I see you hiding the winning slip—throw it away before I chop off your arm."
The lot-drawing devolved into a war-like battle of wits and psychological warfare, producing yet another innocent victim.
"Kyaa!"
The "victim"—drawing envious stares from the others—stumbled awkwardly and fell to the floor.
"Oh no, I tripped and fell...."
"...Huh?"
"N-Now I can't even run away... I'll be devoured by the monster...."
The maid monologued pitifully like a tragic heroine, then stealthily checked Kairen's reaction.
"Heh heh heh."
"N-Nooo~! Spare me~!"
Finally grasping the situation, Kairen pounced like a swift squirrel—no, a swift monster—sending high-pitched screams echoing down the hall.
"...From next time, let's just do rotations."
"Volunteers will overwhelm us—how do we choose?"
"Yeah, yeah, lots are still the best."
Meanwhile, the maids plotted the next sacrifice, a stark display of Belverk's miserable fate under Kairen's reign....
"...You lot, that's enough."
But Kairen's reign ended with Lilien's arrival, her expression one of utter disdain.
"I need to take Kairen to Mother today."
"Tch...."
"So stop the pointless games and get to work...."
The maids, glancing warily at her, pouted and dissolved into black smoke, scattering away.
"Hey."
Lilien, approaching Kairen while watching them go, frowned at the bold voice from ahead.
"Who are you?"
"......"
"Daring to interrupt my feast?"
Glared at fiercely by Lilien, Kairen charged with arms outstretched.
"You'll pay the price!"
"...Sigh."
But Lilien casually sidestepped the now-familiar attack, then poked his back with a finger.
"Eek?"
With that simple motion, Belverk's small, cute tyrant tumbled pathetically to the floor.
"......"
He slowly lifted his head and stared blankly up at Lilien.
"Uuu...."
A groan of frustration and injustice escaped Kairen, prompting Lilien—with a deep sigh—to walk toward him.
"Haa...."
And about 10 seconds later, the seventh bite mark was added to Lilien's nape.
"...Hm?"
Astridje, buried in paperwork as usual, lifted her head at the familiar presence.
"Lilien, what did you drag in?"
"You can see—it's Kairen."
She stared incredulously at Lilien entering the study with something dangling from her.
"Rawr...."
For reference, it was Kairen—eyes glowing red—clinging by his teeth to Lilien's neck.
"So why?"
"Ambush attack."
"That doesn't make sense."
"...It's true."
Astridje was about to retort to Lilien's absurd excuse when she shook her head and frowned, issuing a command.
"Fine, let him go."
"It's fine. He can only drink blood anyway, so he must be hungry."
"I've had reports of increasing anemia among the maids lately."
"Probably nothing."
But as Lilien stubbornly met her gaze, Astridje threw up her hands and returned to her papers.
"By the way, when does the young one's frenzy end?"
"...Haa."
She sighed softly and answered Lilien's question.
"Probably tomorrow—it'll fade naturally. The family head's bloodlust lasts up to seven days max."
"Ah, right."
"Suppressing it midway could shorten it, but... no need."
Her gaze shifted to Kairen, innocently biting his third sister's neck.
"He's lost all reason, but... he's harmless."
"Yeah, he couldn't even beat the neighborhood kids, let alone the maids."
Lilien nodded, knowing he wasn't biting hard despite his frenzy.
"More importantly, how did Kairen steal my frenzy exactly?"
"Y-Yeah."
"Lilien, you've been attacked by him plenty, so you've adapted to his unique ability. Notice anything?"
Pondering Astridje's question, Lilien spoke softly.
"...I figured it out. Roughly."
"......"
"Haa, fine. I get it."
After gauging her reaction, Lilien sighed and explained seriously.
"But first, his physical condition."
"...His condition?"
"Our clan—no, family—regenerates easily with blood, but his is on another level."
She paused, pulling a black-magic scroll from her bosom and attaching it to her arm.
"My body is adapted to Kairen's right now. Temporary, but fully copied."
"......"
"And this scroll has a curse made by my personal maid."
The black magic scroll began emitting gray smoke slowly.
- Sizzle...
Astridje, no stranger to black magic in Belverk, understood immediately.
"...What's happening?"
The curse on Lilien's arm was fading without any healing magic.
"His body slowly neutralizes curses themselves."
"......"
"Wounds heal by consuming vitality. He hasn't mastered it yet, though."
The mystery from the past week—Kairen's relentless assaults— was explained by Lilien, who had inadvertently mastered him.
"Ahem. Now, his unique ability...."
Clearing her throat, Lilien posed a question to Astridje.
"You know best, right? Crimson Eyes grant the owner's deepest desire."
"......"
"...Do you know what he wants most?"
Astridje pondered silently, then answered softly.
"No one gets hurt.... That was it."
"Hah, so typical of him."
Lilien laughed as if fully understanding, her expression darkening as she revealed the secret.
"It's not simple healing."
"......"
"Precisely, it transfers others' wounds or curses onto himself."
Astridje nodded, half-expecting it, but her face twisted as she asked,
"...So he bears all that pain alone?"
Lilien replied with a complicated look.
"That's the problem."
"......"
"In his 'no one,' he excludes himself."
A heavy silence filled the study.
"Lilien, keep his condition secret."
"...I'd planned to."
Breaking the silence with her request, Astridje watched Lilien shrug. Lilien's eyes reddened as she muttered,
"Now I see why Opstein and the Holy Church targeted him."
"...Indeed."
"Those lowly fools, daring to eye Belverk...."
Astridje stared at her, then smiled faintly.
"You're fully Belverk now, Lilien."
"...?"
"You were so scared when we made our contract."
Lilien flinched, blushed, shook off Kairen, and shoved him toward Astridje.
"Sh-Shut up!"
"...?"
"Ugh, you get on my nerves...."
She stormed out of the study in a huff.
"Huh?"
Kairen, losing his meal target, looked around before fixing on Astridje.
"Kairen, come here."
"...Rawr!"
"Good boy. Mealtime."
Embraced by Astridje's open arms, Kairen left the eighth bite mark on her nape.
"......"
Silence descended on the study.
"...Stop peeking and get out, all of you."
Warning the maids peeking through the door, Astridje softly stroked Kairen's hair with a gentle smile.
"The more he excludes you, the more I'll cherish you. Kairen."
"......"
"Ah, but down there is a bit.... Kairen?"
That night, after Astridje quashed the maids' rebellion to guard their small tyrant's final night, the Belverk Ducal House fell deathly quiet.
"Chirp."
In Kairen's room—under the strictest guard—a small yellow bird flew in after a long absence.
'What on earth is happening here?'
Its true identity: the empire's youngest Imperial Princess, still mistaken by Kairen for Peep.
'...Is Kairen safe?'
She had breached the barrier with imperial power before, but the past week's window-sealing barrier was impenetrable even for her.
'Haa, I didn't want to do this....'
Her letters ignored, the anxious princess forced through the barrier at great risk.
- Swoosh...
A difficult task, but she succeeded in bird form, tensely scanning the room.
'...Good, you're safe.'
Spotting Kairen sleeping soundly on the bed, she sighed in relief, reverting to her prim expression.
'Making me worry for nothing—insolent.'
Finishing her cold inner monologue, she spread her wings to return before being spotted.
'Then....'
But she overlooked one thing in transforming.
- Boom...!
Astridje's custom barrier—designed for frenzy-afflicted Kairen—was far stronger than imagined.
"Gasp."
Amid a golden flash filling the room, the youngest princess landed, realizing she'd reverted to human form and hastily grabbed the bedcovers to wrap herself.
'...Didn't see this coming.'
Cold sweat beading as she bit her lip and searched for hiding spots—
"Ah!?"
A black shadow appeared before her, pinning her down instantly.
"What are you?"
Too sudden to react, she hit the floor and widened her eyes.
"...Fresh prey?"
Kairen, risen from bed, had grabbed the intruder princess's arm, toppled her, and straddled her with a cold smile.
"Ah? Uh...."
"Here to be my meal?"
His hot breath on her nape froze her in this unprecedented situation, blurting nonsense.
"...I-I taste bad."
An awkward silence enveloped the room.
- Thump, thump...
Only the princess's heartbeat—growing louder with each breath of his—echoed lowly in the quiet.