75. Untying the Knot (3)
75. Untying the Knot (3)
- 1 -
"What... what have you done? No, wait—what are you doing?!"
Elias's reaction right after his ascension into a monster was rather entertaining.
It felt as if I was witnessing one of the classic early reactions from a genderswap novel with my own eyes.
Though, rather than simply becoming a woman, he'd become a monster.
"It suits you well. Choosing a species with the most human appearance was worth it."
Elias had become a tall beauty with brown hair streaked with black in a balayage style, and bluish-gray eyes that harmonized perfectly with the overall look.
Black hair had grown among his original brown locks due to the influence of the monster he transformed into, and since the monster he became was of a species that only had a 'female form,' he had become a woman.
"What have you turned me into? Excuse me?!"
"A banshee."
"Th-that thing is a monster! And completely unsuited for combat at that!"
"A 'that,' you say. She is strictly a being with intelligence. Refer to her as 'she.'"
"Is that really the important part here?!"
A banshee.
Legend had it that banshees first came to be when a woman who lost her loved ones in war evolved into a monster, and perhaps because of that, they were monsters that appeared as a woman weeping atop a hill.
Since their cries contained mana and possessed the power to charm those who heard them, it was only natural that the common perception viewed them as unrelated to combat.
But.
"Unrelated, you say. All monsters fundamentally possess better physical abilities than humans. A pretty one is nicer to look at than one that's just swollen with muscle."
A monster's body was tougher and had higher muscle density than a human's, like that of a beast.
So merely turning into a monster would increase physical combat power.
Right now, immediately after the transformation, he was probably too mentally overwhelmed to feel it, but he would come to realize it soon enough.
"That's just wordplay—!"
Peok!
"Ack!"
Finally rising from her spot and trying to confront me, she was struck by Eve and sent tumbling once more.
Glancing at the bruise forming on her face, I checked the state of her transformed body.
『Title/Entity Name - 'Combative' Banshee』
『Title - Combative: Granted to an entity that is somewhat superior in stamina, technique, and magic power compared to others of its kind.』
'It applied properly.'
I had proceeded with the contract while the human sacrifice was already stored within the shadows, and had simultaneously carried out the Sacrifice Strengthening.
Thanks to that, his—no, her—abilities were definitely significantly strengthened compared to before, but I hadn't been 100% certain whether they had applied exactly as she or I had wanted...
『Occupation and Grade - High-rank Knight』
『Attributes - Stamina 34(◀ 26) Technique 35(◀ 17) Durability 25(◀ 28) Magic Power 32(◀ 14) Resistance 33(◀ 18)』
Fortunately, it was applied well, if not perfectly.
The massive increase in magic power and resistance was the effect of transforming into a 'banshee,' and in return, the stamina and technique were supplemented through the sacrifice.
To this extent, the drop in durability would be a minor loss.
『Traits - Advanced Specialization: Straight Short Spear, Specialization: Broad Sword, Explosive Power』
『Traits - Precision, Charming Tears, Lovely Lamentation, Advanced Specialization: Spear, Specialization: Sword』
The banshee's characteristic power to charm people had been added as a trait, and the traits I had prepared beforehand were also merged in well, so that he who once handled only one or two weapons skillfully could now wield a wider variety.
The most important trait among them was this one.
『Precision - Gains correction to evasion and mana manipulation abilities, and to all actions utilizing any means of attack that cuts or stabs.』
The explosive power trait that Eve also possessed had vanished, and the rare-grade 'Precise Mana Handling,' a trait universally held by banshees, had merged with the traits of another human sacrifice to create this hero-grade trait.
It was a quite decent miscalculation, born from a stroke of coincidence.
Right now, Evangeline also had a trait similar to this one. Though the name and details were different.
In any case, this was more than sufficient as initial support.
"Can't you turn me back...? To think I'm a woman... a woman..."
"It is punishment. Accept it willingly."
"Isn't this too cruel...! I only... I only liked you, Lady...!"
"You say that, while having mobilized soldiers and informants to try and confine my person to that mansion."
"That's... h-hic."
Right now, he probably felt like he'd given an inch and had a mile taken in return. The feeling that because he'd looked at someone with those kinds of eyes, he had ended up becoming a woman himself.
Anyway, she was crying quite sorrowfully.
She had a look that men would find impossible not to comfort.
"You seem to have adapted well to a woman's body already. Elias. Or rather, would Elena be better?"
"H-hic, don't tease me... I'm telling you I can't control it..."
The sudden hormonal changes, or whatever other factors.
It was a side effect of being overwhelmed by various changes that couldn't be explained by a simple bodily transformation.
The fact that her weeping figure looked quite lovely in the midst of it all was a bonus.
'The banshee's traits are quite powerful.'
To make even a succubus feel she was merely charming, and to stir such feelings even in me, who knew she had originally been a man.
The trait was probably a style that strengthened its power in exchange for limiting its conditions.
It was unfortunate that its effect was solely focused on charm, though.
'I'll have to caution her to always keep a weapon close if she's going to cry in front of others.'
If not, she might have a truly amusing experience.
"When you return to your family, tell them you were struck by a curse."
When I spoke up around the time Elias, now a she, had calmed down, she looked at me with puzzled eyes.
"Is that alright?"
"Of course. No matter what exorcist priest or cleric comes, they cannot restore your form. Unless a saintess comes, or they overwrite it with a human form again, that is. Because it is the power of the Demon King."
"That... is quite a troubling story."
Elias smiled bitterly. It wasn't a smile born from wanting to smile, but the result of the expression she usually made flowing out naturally.
If one were to speak only of her heart, she was probably in a state of wanting to collapse and do nothing at all.
"So speak carefully. If you say you were cursed in a dungeon, a cleric will come to you immediately."
"And that mustn't happen... ah."
"Exactly. Within your body resides our power, so if a cleric were to examine you directly..."
I deliberately trailed off, but Elias did not shy away from the situation she faced.
"I would die. To you."
Her face as she recited her own predicted future was quite impassive.
It wasn't boldness, but an expression closer to resignation.
"Yes. You would die together with that cleric."
"Then my family would also be in quite dire straits. Should I be thankful that I won't be lonely, since I won't go alone?"
"Do not worry. When that time comes, I will actively work to drive a wedge between the Holy See and Haisen."
I smiled as gently as possible at Elias, who was staring at me in disbelief.
While carrying the meaning: 'You'd better do well to prevent that from happening, right?'
Perhaps having properly read that meaning, she simply fell silent, and I continued my explanation as if nothing had happened.
"After exorcist priests come and go a few times, when the time is right, a person I send will go to you and restore your appearance for a while."
"Restore it? No, for a while?"
"For my person to help you within your mansion, wouldn't it be best if they were always by your side?"
"Haha... Yes, I suppose so."
Elias, her face twisted strangely, let out a laugh that didn't sound like a laugh. As if she was annoyed but had accepted the logic.
I tossed my final words to her as if letting them slip.
"And if you do well, I might even restore your original appearance. As a reward."
The words she had been waiting for most.
"...Truly? Earlier you said..."
"Since I presided over your contract, is there any reason it wouldn't be possible?"
To be precise, I had memorized and stored his appearance using magic, so it was a statement that I would form a contract to return him to that appearance. But whatever the truth, the fact remained that I could return her to her original form.
"...Yes. Understood. I will obey."
From the very beginning, she had only had one choice.
Now, it was about time to dangle a carrot.
"My goal is to raise you to the rank of frontier count. As long as your identity isn't discovered, and even if it is. I will not abandon you."
"You would try to recycle me in some way regardless. Because you... seem like that kind of person."
"How astute."
As expected, her insight into people was excellent. To this degree, even if it hadn't been for my power, there was a high probability she would have made a name for herself in another way.
However, the current her didn't know that.
Because she had been blinded by the talents of others, which shined brighter in her eyes.
It was a pity; if she had discovered her own talent early and refined it, she might have walked a purely glorious path.
'It's a good thing for me, though.'
Thanks to that, I had been able to aim a dagger at the western part of the Kingdom of Haisen. What remained was to sharpen that dagger further and coat it in poison.
"...I will follow the Lady's orders. After all, you decided to spare me... and your plan seems to have a basis in reality."
As I calmly explained the process, Elias's eyes cooled and settled as well.
What filled those eyes was, indeed, ambition.
The ambition to climb the stairs by any means necessary, to draw her sword and make all sing her praises.
"Do not worry. The contract will be honored."
Once this ambition-filled dagger was stabbed into its target, and its poison spread.
I would obtain the western part of the Kingdom of Haisen.
It was something that wouldn't have happened if she, back when she was still a he, hadn't tried to confine me under the pretext of love.
It was, so to speak, a calamity she had brought upon herself.
- 2 -
"..."
Serica, who entered the room connected to the Mammon Company in the Demon World, had a deeply regretful expression.
I didn't know what excuse she had given her family, but it was because it was time for her to return, after visiting me under the pretext of spectating Elias's dungeon exploration.
"Go carefully. Serica."
"Aren't you sad? Now that I'm leaving, I don't know when I'll see you again."
She was regretful enough to pout and complain greatly even at my meaningless farewell.
Fortunately, I was now in a state where I understood to some extent how to handle her.
Enough to resolve her disappointment with a single sentence.
"Whenever it may be, I'll come and visit you next time."
"Do you really mean that? I'll be angry if it's a lie. When will you come?"
"I can't make an exact promise. I have quite a lot of things I've started."
Serica's eyes sparkled with anticipation, but I had no choice but to shake my head.
My situation wasn't easy enough to set an exact date for a visit. I had resolved her disappointment, but it was regrettable that I couldn't relieve all of her longing.
Fortunately, while she pushed her lips out slightly, she didn't seem particularly annoyed.
"Tch. Then at least accept my contact well. I'm not a child, so I won't throw a tantrum."
"How mature of you."
"Ehem."
Serica placed her hands on her hips and nodded proudly. It seemed a single word of praise from me made her that happy.
"Alright. I'll think of something so that it'll be even more enjoyable when we meet again."
"Okay! Keep the core safe. I'll come and take it next time."
"I will."
Serica's dungeon core was in a state where I had neither absorbed it, nor she had taken it back.
Even if one recovered a dungeon core, a special process was needed to reactivate it fully as a core again.
This was also the reason Serica would be unable to visit the surface for a while.
"It can't be helped. Next time, I'll be able to stay on the surface for a long time. It's just for a little while."
"You will do well."
"Okay!"
Apparently, she had to take a test in the Demon World first.
The qualification for the test was to secure the core but undergo the process without it, so in the end, she had decided to entrust the core to me.
Once she recovered the core, she had verbally promised to come under my command.
I didn't know if that would work with her family... but I figured I'd watch and offer help if necessary.
Smack!
"Bye-bye!"
Having thus fully accepted our brief parting, she smiled brightly, planted a surprise kiss on my cheek, and then crossed over beyond the gate.
"...Tsk. So irrepressible."
- Grrr...
"Shue?"
"...It was nothing..."
Leaving behind Shue, who was burning slightly with jealousy, and me.
"You, really. Come here."
"Huh...? Okay...!"
In the end, I had no choice but to pet her chin and ears for about 30 minutes until her mood lifted.
Considering that the emotion of jealousy isn't easily resolved, that alone showed just how nicely Shue was behaving.
- 3 -
Kiii-ik— Tang!
Descending into the underground prison, I found a woman there.
A woman blindfolded over her eyes, shackles on her body, looking this way in a pleading posture and mumbling something.
"Please..."
It was none other than Eleanor.