[Swordplay and Subordinates]
"Yes! Sister!"
"Shaa!"
—Scritch, scritch, scritch.
The one teaching us today was Reika. Just as she instructed, we stood with proper spacing. Reika scanned us, her eyes locking onto mine as she gripped her sword.
"Sister?"
"I’m going to show you the movements now. Follow along exactly. I’m not saying this twice, so unless you’re a complete idiot, you’ll get it."
"Understood."
Reika immediately assumed her stance.
And then.
—Swish!
She slashed through the empty air.
"Ooh!"
I didn't know much about it, but it certainly felt like actual swordsmanship. Honestly, what would a guy like me know? First things first: I had to mimic the movement. It was definitely different from the way I just hacked and slashed with my blade.
"Shall I follow along now?"
"What do you think I showed you for, then?"
When I asked, brimming with enthusiasm, Reika retorted sharply.
"Well, I suppose so. Alright, Sharan. Lumika. Let’s try doing it the same way."
"Shaa!"
—Whoosh.
The three of us slashed at the air simultaneously, following Reika’s lead.
Did we get it right?
"Hey. You got it wrong."
"Pardon?"
"I said you got it wrong. Are you a total moron? Even a brat picking up a sword for the first time wouldn't slash like that."
"No, come on. Could you be a little kinder?"
"I can't say nice things when I’m looking at a moron like you. Do it again."
She still hadn't shed all her hostility. Should I punish her with the Demon Imprint... at that moment.
"Shaa. Reika. You have to speak kindly to the Demon King."
"W-what?"
Sharan approached Reika, suddenly grabbing her hand and interlacing their fingers as she spoke.
"L-let go of this!"
"Don't be angry. Are you feeling bad, Reika?"
"No... that’s... just... this."
"Don't you want to hold hands with Sharan?"
"Why are you holding them!"
"I held them to talk to you."
"..."
Sharan stared straight into Reika’s eyes while holding her hand. Had she completely fallen into Sharan’s pace?
"Kuh."
Finding Sharan’s gaze burdensome, Reika turned her head away and bit her lip. Come to think of it, she was prickly with me, but she never acted that way toward the others.
"Hmm."
It seemed she found it very difficult to deal with Sharan, who clearly harbored no malice. No, it was more than that—Sharan was trying to make Reika a companion. That’s why she treated her so well.
It was different from me, an evil being who sought to dominate. That must be why she found it hard to handle. Even a prisoner in a dungeon might dislike a cruel guard, but would grow fond of a kind one nearby.
Looking at it this way, Reika’s heart truly seemed gentle.
And I had ruthlessly violated such a woman.
"Reika. Do you dislike Sharan?"
"That’s obviously..."
"Sharan likes Reika."
"D-don't talk nonsense..."
She was flustered.
I decided to step in.
"Sharan. It’s alright."
"Shaa?"
"Even if her words are a bit rough, she’s teaching us well, isn't she? That much is fine. Come over to my side for now."
"Shaa... if the Demon King says so."
Sharan immediately returned to my side.
"Sister Reika? Are you going to keep making Sharan sad?"
"Y-you, shut up! Ah, damn it! Hurry up and get back into your stance! I’ll teach you, so just do it!"
Reika, her face bright red, shouted.
Let’s start again, then.
—Swish!
—Whoosh!
From then on, Reika taught us swordsmanship without complaint, and quite affectionately at that.
"Seriously, damn it, you’re so frustrating! Move like I told you! And don't lay the blade flat when you swing! Are you planning to hit them with the side of the sword?"
"No, it’s just... this is my first time today."
"Augh, seriously, damn it! How did I lose to a guy like this! Why did I become a sex slave to someone like you? Huh!"
She was definitely getting very frustrated, though.
"Stay still!"
"Ah! To suddenly touch my body like this!"
"I’m correcting your posture, you idiot!"
Even while venting, Reika grabbed my body directly to fix my form. So, she was being affectionate, right? It was a lesson that included skinship, so it was, quite literally, a tender lesson. Anyway, seeing her put this much passion into it, she had clearly been dominated by me.
"Sister Reika. If you keep acting so harshly, you’ll have to be prepared for tonight."
"Ugh♥"
At those words, Reika’s face softened, and a moan escaped her lips.
"...Ha!"
After a moment of pleasure, Reika came to her senses and burst into anger.
"Damn it, seriously! You aren't taking this seriously!"
"No. I’m taking it seriously the whole time."
"Bullshit!"
"Could you please trust me a little?"
In truth, I had been serious from start to finish. I was learning how to handle a weapon. If I could wield a weapon in any situation, my survival rate would increase.
I was learning for the sake of survival, so there was no way I wouldn't take it seriously.
—Swish!
—Thud.
I swung the sword as taught, moving forward and backward. After practicing that, I repeated the slashing motions as Reika instructed, getting a feel for the rhythm.
It was a bit difficult since it was the first day, but that wasn't a problem for me. I’d get better as I kept at it... Ah. And I needed to train in black magic, too. Once I got a feel for swordsmanship, I’d have to research ways to link it with black magic.
Even just using Demon Breath during combat had been incredible.
Thinking of such future possibilities, I continued to practice my swordsmanship.
"Shaa! Reika. Am I doing it like this?"
"...You’re good."
"Look at me too. Should I thrust like this?"
"The movement is fine, but..."
She was truly kind to Sharan and Lumika.
Ah. But rather than kindness, it felt like someone who was shy was acting awkwardly.
Should I have the three of them sleep together for the next few days? Sharan and Lumika usually slept with me, but it wouldn't be bad for them to sleep as a trio to help them get closer to Reika.
Or I could just take Reika with me to sleep for a few days. Since Reika had been sleeping alone in the temporary prison.
"Sister Reika. Please speak kindly to me as well."
"That won't happen because you’re a moron. Just swing your sword."
"Still, seeing you like this, it feels like you’ve completely become a member of our Demon King’s Castle..."
"Shut up!"
And so, I learned swordsmanship from Reika alongside the scantily clad women. Sharan, wearing only a leaf bikini, and Lumika, draped only in a seashell bikini. It was pure bliss to watch women with such sexy, voluptuous bodies swinging their swords.
—Swish!
—Jiggle, jiggle.
Their breasts swayed with every swing of the sword.
A sight worth seeing.
"Didn't you ask me to teach you swordsmanship? You moron. Are your eyes wandering to their tits?"
"Oh, Sister Reika. If you keep acting like that, I’ll strip off all your undergarments, too."
"You vulgar bastard. You’re a total piece of shit. You know that?"
"Well. I’m not so sure if I’m a piece of shit."
"A brilliant criminal mindset. I’ll give you a round of applause."
—Clap, clap.
My first round of applause.
"But Sister Reika. What kind of swordsmanship is this? Do they do this at the convent? Is it, like, 'Nun Swordsmanship'?"
"Don't talk bullshit... what they teach at the convent is just self-defense. Well, maybe a little swordsmanship."
"Is this it?"
"I learned something else separately before I entered the convent."
"Then the other nuns wouldn't be able to handle swords well?"
"..."
"Answer me."
"Yeah. They can't. Happy now?"
It seemed the nuns at the convent mainly used their holy power to heal wounds, proselytize, run the convent, and attend services.
They were all young women around Reika’s age. Their combat power was weak, but they had various abilities.
It would be nice to capture other nuns, too.
"You’re having disgusting thoughts again, aren't you?"
"How did you know?"
"I can tell just by looking at your eyes."
"Anyway. Let’s start practicing swordsmanship again."
"...Get into your stance."
In that manner, I spent time getting into stances, swinging the sword, and practicing how to walk while fighting, until it was time for a break.
"Phew."
This is pretty tough.
As I sat in a chair, Lumika came over and sprinkled water on my head.
—Drip, drip.
"Ah, refreshing."
"Demon King. It’s okay."
"Hm? Lumika?"
"She might be a bit prickly now, but if you spend time together, you’ll naturally come to like the Demon King. So don't worry too much. Look, she even grew such pretty markings and horns, didn't she?"
She must have been worried about the situation with Reika.
"I’m not worried. It’ll happen just as Lumika said. Still, thank you."
"Don't mention it."
"Then let’s start again. It’s the final session."
"Okay."
I stood up and grabbed my sword again.
We swung our swords until the afternoon.
"Phew! Thank you, Sister Reika. You taught us so kindly today that the swordsmanship is really sinking into my head."
"Is it really sinking in? I feel like a three-year-old would do better than you."
"Such words. Anyway, I’m happy because it feels like we’ve gotten closer."
"W-what did you say! You piece of shit, you keep doing whatever you want...! Forget it!"
—Whoosh!
Reika shouted that and turned around, heading back into the dungeon.
"I’ll have to play with her thoroughly tonight. Sharan. Lumika. Let’s go inside and get ready to rest, too."
"Yes, Demon King... Shaa? Demon King! Over there!"
"Huh?"
Looking where Sharan was pointing.
"Keruuuk! Demon King! I’m back!"
"Krrrk! I’m back!"
Buril and Im-sung were returning!
"My boys! You’re back!"
Looking at them, Buril had kidnapped a bunch of guys to use as subordinates, and Im-sung had also packed plenty of food!
"Demon King! There were no dangerous incidents today!"
"I couldn't find anything strange, either!"
—Vroom!
The Pixies we had sent out also returned safely!
"Well done! You all succeeded in the operation!"
"Keruk!"
"Krrk!"
It was a very productive day! We trained the Pixies, and we learned swordsmanship. On top of that, Buril farmed subordinates, and Im-sung gathered food well!
"Buril, you always do well! Im-sung! This was your first external operation as a standalone unit, and you did great! It was truly perfect! There were no injuries, and you gathered food very well!"
"Krrrk! I got praised!"
Look at him being happy.
—Boing, boing!
I guess he couldn't break the habit of jumping around.
"Hehehe!"
Anyway, whatever.
Days like that just keep flowing by.
The daily life of the Cules Demon King’s Castle.