Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: Devil's Labyrinth (5)
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[Kuhk! Hah...!]
The demon was fleeing for its life, barely clinging to existence.
Already exhausted from forcibly canceling its holy water transformation, it had taken a hit from that enigmatic demon on top of it all, and now its body was going numb.
[If only... if only I can reach Him...!]
Even so, it had successfully escaped via the contingency escape route.
And it had sealed off the portal while fleeing.
Even if there were top-grade teleportation scrolls there, escape would be impossible.
To use transfer magic on the scale of crossing worlds, you'd need to summon a Transcendent—the so-called creator of transfer magic—otherwise, it was out of the question.
With those thoughts, the Lord of the Dead pressed onward.
Crossing the night sky where not even the moon had risen...
...But was this the end of the line?
-Flash!
[Hah, hahk?!]
Along with a red glow, Cyan appeared before the demon's eyes.
"Did you really think you could escape from me?"
[How...]
Like a star nobly illuminating the night sky, Cyan walked through the air toward the Lord of the Dead.
Her stride was so natural, like a leisurely morning stroll at dawn, that the demon lost even the will to flee.
"If you're going to leave, at least drop the item."
[What the hell are you—]
It happened before the Lord of the Dead could finish its sentence.
The surrounding space began to warp, and an unidentified red light flashed from Cyan's eyes.
That was the last sight the demon beheld.
"Die."
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Heavenly Demon Divine Art 5th Form - 『Absolute Fist』 ※Attribute: Physical / Range: 5m / Max Targets: 1
▶A straight punch that controls the qi contained in the fist to sever the target's origin. Damage from Absolute Fist is difficult to recover from and deals direct damage to the spirit body.
-Boom!
Soon after, a massive explosion engulfed the area.
The Lord of the Dead plummeted with terrifying momentum, suffering damage immense enough to form a crater.
Its flesh was already utterly pulverized, and the scant remnants of its consciousness began to scatter.
[...Ma, my lord Demon King.]
That was the only thing the Lord of the Dead left behind.
It simply murmured the name 'Demon King' and died.
After that, Cyan descended to the ground, approached the demon's corpse, and extracted something from its chest.
-Vmmm!
"So it was on him after all."
A gem emitting a snow-white light.
Satisfied with acquiring the so-called 'Soul Stone,' Cyan vanished from the spot.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 1.
《 ~Neutral Stage~ Asral City Inn District 》
The next morning.
I gently open my eyes to the sunlight filtering through my eyelids.
The voices of people outside the window, as always, remind me that this is a commercial city.
It's 7 a.m. now—a perfect time to start the day.
To maintain peace of mind, I've decided on a regular routine, and I'm sticking to it.
Demons have exceptional regenerative abilities, so even a short sleep leaves me refreshed, without a trace of fatigue or stress.
My body felt incredibly light.
"Ah, Cyan... you're awake...?"
A girl crawls out from under the blankets.
Louise must have woken up because I did.
She sleeps in her baby dragon form, but reverts to human shape right upon waking.
She said her horns make sleeping uncomfortable.
I get it—my original-sized horns would make side-sleeping impossible too. Hers are coin-sized now, so not a big issue.
"Whoa? Wait, why are you suddenly undressing me?!"
Perfect timing.
I dragged Louise out of bed and into the bathroom to wash up.
I don't know if it's a dragon thing or a reptile thing, but she hates bathing.
Probably the latter, I figured vaguely.
"I don't need a bath! Clean magic can handle any dirt just fine...!"
Where does she think she's going? I shook my head and grabbed her.
No cheating with Clean magic.
"Eek!"
Clean magic can indeed wash away bodily waste and external grime without a bath, but that defeats the purpose—no soaking relaxation.
I'm not just about getting clean.
For me, bathing is about immersing in water and savoring that comfort—my one true bliss.
"Nooo! At least let me do it alone—"
-Splash!
I pinned down the protesting Louise by force, rinsed her off with water before the tub, and got ready.
Just like bathing a cat.
'Those on her back—are they scales?'
Even in anthropomorphic form via Transform, Louise has scales in spots.
I've seen plenty of fur-covered beastkin here, but partial scales are a first—pretty novel.
A red dragon's scales look like thin, translucent red gems in human form.
And tough.
Dragon scale armor exists, so probably way harder than steel.
For Louise, gear made from dragons might be creepy—like human leather clothes to us.
Pretty brutal when you think about it.
"N-Now I can wash myself—hngh?!"
I grabbed her tail as she tried to flee.
She went limp and slumped down.
After washing, time for the tub.
-Splash!
I added new bath salts to the pre-drawn warm water and slipped in holding her.
This inn's bathroom is spacious, tub big enough for four—plenty of room.
Wasteful to use alone.
This isn't a single room anyway; designed for at least two.
Best to use it as intended.
"Eek!"
Plus, Louise's size is perfect—like hugging a doll for a quick nap.
Ideal for baths like this.
"Um, Cyan? Could you maybe give me a little space?"
Dragons run cool overall.
Even in warm water, she feels refreshing—quite satisfying.
"Y-You've been groping me too much since earlier."
Her skin's soft to the touch.
The scales add a nice texture too.
'...Wait, am I just a pervert?'
Mid-bath, the thought hit me.
I've adapted too well to this life.
'If I were my original self, it'd be a crime.'
No issue now as girls, but a guy doing this? Straight-up criminal.
Louise wouldn't stand for it either. That hero guy? She'd have breathed fire in his face.
But same gender, non-human—we share that, so she's embarrassed but not repulsed.
"Hngh..."
...Or maybe I'm imagining it.
'So, what now?'
I gazed at the ceiling from the tub.
Water droplets clung to the marble.
One soon dripped onto my face.
'Do I really need to go back to Earth?'
Unlike in the tower, my mindset had shifted.
I'd obsessed over returning at first, but living here? No real inconveniences.
No internet sucks, but this world has its own fun, and I live abundantly—no money or real-world worries.
Current funds cover food and play; need more? Hit the guild, bag a monster, cash it in...
Though the lack of worries brings boredom sometimes.
...Eh, whatever.
Less stress is good. Hunt for Earth-return methods while picking up hobbies?
This bath counts as one.
"Hey, Cyan."
"Yeah?"
Lost in thoughts, Louise turned to me.
"That thing in the labyrinth yesterday... it was a demon, right?"
Asking about yesterday. Yeah, it was a demon, as she said.
"Yep."
I nodded.
"...I see."
Louise shrank back a bit.
Trembling in fear, I'd say.
A dragon scared? Reminded me how terrifying demons are.
Not that I'm not one...
'Enough reason to be scared.'
Let's rewind a bit.
When the labyrinth started collapsing from the demon's attack, I rushed back to the adventurers.
And panicked a little.
'Everyone but Louise was down.'
All knocked out, unconscious.
Worried they were dead, but Louise said it was just the demon's presence overwhelming them—relief.
A level-100 holy-water demon? Low-levels like them could faint easy.
Plus the poison aura. Louise watched them well—no life threats.
Good, I relaxed then.
Dead adventurers? Awkward guild report. Alive was best.
'Troublesome otherwise. Wanna stick around this city long-term.'
Then I moved them to safety and chased down the fleeing demon.
Soul Stone's with the labyrinth lord—had to kill and extract it.
Got one yesterday; appraisal pending.
All resolved fine.
'Good they were out cold.'
Lucky they were unconscious—I rushed back without Transform, horns visible.
Louise freaked and told me to hide them, so obvious.
Nearly sparked rumors beyond the demon, but no—adventurers out, no witnesses.
Could've silenced if needed, but glad not to.
Grown a bit attached; didn't wanna kill them.
And super lucky.
Killing them there? Those 'guys' who came right after might've caught me.
'...Faster than expected.'
[Heresy Inquisitor – Lv.???] Mysterious humans in strange masks who came looking for me.
The Heresy Inquisitors.
-Knock! Knock!
"Are you in there?"
"?"
Everything sorted, but now someone's at the door first thing in the morning. Mid-bath enjoyment.