Chapter 71
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: Interest
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"Tch. I shouldn't have listened to all that nonsense..."
The day after taking in the elves. As I was about to start my daily routine as usual, there was still one issue nagging at the back of my mind.
'They'll either try to win me over... or get rid of me.'
"Tch."
The story about the 'Union' that I'd heard from Alfred yesterday. It started as a group formed when they first heard heroes were coming, but lately, they'd been making moves to swallow up the entire south. If they found out this ruin had survived the heroes' assault intact, they'd make contact somehow.
"For now, they probably think the heroes won, so it should be fine."
The heroes who'd survived the battle a few days ago had been 'enchanted' and sent back unharmed, so word had spread through dungeon merchants and such among the demonkin that the 'new dungeon' had been destroyed.
On top of that, this Union was busy scheming against other dungeons scattered across the south, so there shouldn't be any immediate run-ins with them.
...Probably.
"Ah, whatever. I shouldn't worry about pointless stuff and just focus on my own work."
I hadn't even encountered this Union directly in the first place, so fretting over them right now wouldn't accomplish anything. I already had a mountain of tasks piled up with no spare attention to go around.
First things first...
"Erzsebet. Mind lending me your [High-Pressure Cleaner] for a sec...? What are you doing?"
"Hm?! Master?"
"Hooeeeng... That tickles..."
The moment I went to find Erzsebet with something in mind, I caught her with her face buried in Rio's nape.
"Gulp... Master. This is different from just watching. Rio said it was okay to drink her blood voluntarily, and I'm only taking a little so it won't affect her health..."
"Confiscating this for now."
"W-Wait! Master!"
I'd told her not to touch Rio, who's still just a kid compared to the other Red Demon Tribe members, no matter their blood. Even if Rio gave permission, the idea of sinking fangs into a growing child and sucking her blood...
"The wounds from bloodsucking don't hurt and heal instantly, I told y—"
"A week. Confiscated."
"Aah...!"
...Should I confiscate it for longer than a week? I meant it as a joke, but her reaction's way too intense.
'Has she gotten addicted to the [High-Pressure Cleaner] or something?'
Come to think of it, ever since I gave her the [High-Pressure Cleaner], I don't think I've ever seen her let go of it... Is an infinite blood source that big a deal for a Blood Demon Tribe member?
'Tch. Maybe I shouldn't have given it to her... Nah, whatever.'
I briefly considered scrapping my original plan, but shook it off and proceeded.
Will you use -50p, 30 [Metal Fragments], [Unknown Fragments]... to raise the level of [High-Pressure Cleaner]?
'Erzsebet's been working hard with it lately.'
In the recent massive cleanup of the heroes' gear, I'd racked up a ton of points and materials. Enough to level up all sorts of cleaning tools. And the first one I chose was Erzsebet's [High-Pressure Cleaner].
'Hm. I wonder if leveling up a modified cleaning tool creates new effects?'
That curiosity arose too.
Even if not, raising the [High-Pressure Cleaner]'s level would increase the amount of water—or blood—it could output at once, letting Erzsebet use more in a single go.
I'd heard her complain a few times that she wished she could get more blood out at once.
"Sigh... Fine. Dream Demon. You come here."
"Kyaaak! I'm not tasty!"
As I held onto the [High-Pressure Cleaner] and refused to give it back, a dejected Erzsebet dragged Lilith up from where she'd been sulking in the corner.
'This feels kinda off.'
Erzsebet usually asked others for blood but never forced it like this. Yesterday she even asked the elves... Hasn't her bloodsucking frequency gone up? It seemed to increase after fighting that hero called Fallen...
Did she get hurt or something?
"Ugh...! Wash up a bit! It's filthy to put my mouth on you like this!"
"N-No way. I just won't suck then..."
"Come here!"
"Gyaaaak..."
I wanted to ask if something happened to her, but Erzsebet wrinkled her nose in disgust at Lilith and dragged her off somewhere by the hair to suck her blood.
...She's gonna wash her, right? From the outside, it looks more like dragging a pig to the slaughterhouse.
'Hm. [Employee Management] says she's normal though...'
Whatever. If there's a problem, she'll tell me. She's not a kid who'd suffer in silence.
[High-Pressure Cleaner] level has risen to 5! [Cleaning Range Setting] is now more detailed, and various additional attachments can be equipped.
I poured points and materials into it without holding back, raising the [High-Pressure Cleaner] straight to level 5. Considering how well Erzsebet had made use of it, it was worth bumping it up to at least 5.
Each level increased the pressure and range bit by bit, and upon hitting 5, the message about attachable add-ons appeared.
'No need for an extension nozzle or anything... but if need be, she can use [Detergent] too.'
Among the add-ons for the [High-Pressure Cleaner] was something called a 'Soap Nozzle,' which allowed using various types of [Detergent]. I wasn't sure if Erzsebet would ever need it, but no harm in having it...
'...Wait a sec. Her [High-Pressure Cleaner] outputs blood instead of water, so what happens if she uses detergent?'
A question popped up, but with Erzsebet not around, I'd figure it out later. No need to check right now.
Instead, I approached Rio, who was rubbing her neck where Erzsebet had bitten.
"Rio. How've you been holding up lately?"
"Yes! I have so much to burn, and I got to see my sisters and brothers again—I'm super happy!"
...Does burning stuff come before reuniting with people you know?
'Rio's tasting weirder and weirder the more time passes...'
Red Demon Tribe trait? I've had her by the incinerator every day burning stuff, staring into the flames all day, and now she's gotten strange. I told Lina to keep an eye on her since she knows Rio better, but...
"What's up?"
"Oh. Got a sec? Wanna try these out?"
-Rumble...
"Whoa! So much stuff!"
I bought a bunch of level 1 cleaning tools from the [Shop] and laid them out in front of Rio. Excluding the [High-Pressure Cleaner] she already had.
Tools I'd used like [Pruning Shears] or [Ladder], ones I'd barely touched like [Filter] or [Item Placement Guide], and gear to wear like [Janitor's Gloves].
'Rio, Erzsebet, Drye... even Desmond. These [Employees] all have the ability to alter cleaning tool effects.'
With points to spare even after buying one of every cleaning tool type, this was a good chance to check how each one's effects changed.
"Alright. Start with... this one."
I handed Rio the [Pruning Shears] first.
"Ugh... I don't wanna wash..."
"If you pull this again, next time it'll be a blood bath."
"Eek...!"
Erzsebet eyed the now much cleaner Lilith with mild dissatisfaction before sinking her fangs into the cowering girl's nape.
"Kyaut?! G-Gently, just a little..."
-Slurrrrp...!!!
"Hng..."
And with that, she began sucking Lilith's blood.
'Her speech and mannerisms are pathetic... but the quality of her blood is astonishingly high.'
A fragrant blood scent that even unwashed Lilith's stench couldn't fully mask. Erzsebet drank it with a hint of irritation, deliberately not numbing the nerves, feeling her own power steadily rising.
'This should do it...'
A few days ago, her battle with the 4-star hero named Fallen.
Unlike how she'd toyed with the 3-star hero Chris before, this time Erzsebet could only stall against Fallen. No—if they'd fought endlessly, she probably would've lost, unable to pierce his skin.
Her naturally lazy personality had kept her from focusing on recovery or actively bloodsucking... but things had changed.
'Struggling against trash like that? I won't be of any use to Master going forward.'
Her master, who'd awakened her after ages of slumber, during which she'd lost much of her power and memories.
Their first meeting hadn't gone well, but the more she saw, the more intriguing he became.
He didn't seem athletically gifted from his daily running around, yet he felled dozens of trees with one sword stroke. When she asked about magic, he seemed ignorant yet pulled off bizarre spells.
And he'd even bestowed upon her a device that generated infinite blood...
'Truly fascinating.'
Her poor first impression faded, replaced by deep interest in her master.
She hadn't realized it herself, but this was a major change.
A being who'd lost interest in everything long ago, merely idling away time in sloth, was starting to take interest once more.
The more intriguing things her master showed, the stronger a genuine emotion welled up from deep within—not from the [Blood Contract]'s compulsion. She even thought she needed to be properly useful to him.
"Puha...!"
"Guhk...!"
Finally, after draining a hefty amount, Lilith passed out. Erzsebet casually dumped the unconscious girl nearby.
The blood of a dream demon, utterly pure despite her race's image. Far superior to most dragonkin blood. After drinking it, her faintly pulsing heart began to throb more vigorously.
Then, the power slumbering deep within her faded, suppressed core... began to awaken, little by little.
"Hehe. Once I make a big show of it... then you'll have to give me your blood as a reward, Master."
With that thought of making her stubbornly withholding master crack and reward her with his blood.