Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Demon King Qlus, Descends! #4
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—Spin, spin.
I spent a good long while lost in delight, giving Buril airplane rides. Buril. This fucking Buril. Was it just how cute the name sounded? Whatever the reason, Buril was starting to look adorable to me.
It felt so good.
"Keruk keruk!"
Here in the Middle Realm, I'd finally gotten my first subordinate. A Demon King was meant to rule by dominating monsters like this. And the very first one was Buril.
How could I not be thrilled?
This was a huge accomplishment. A massive one that could drive me insane with joy. I wasn't alone anymore. I had a subordinate now. Which meant I could put him to work or have him stand guard.
Just thinking about it sent shivers down my spine...!
"Whew! Alright, time to come down!"
"Keruk...!"
—Wobble wobble.
After spinning him for so long, Buril staggered off, clutching his head when he got down. A pint-sized creature like him doing that? Yeah, definitely cute.
"Oh, right."
This guy was still injured, after all.
My Monster Domination had taken hold and injected him with Demonic Power, so he was recovering, but he wasn't back to full strength yet.
To make proper use of him as my subordinate, I needed to get him into top shape.
Good.
Let's set some goals and get moving. Water? Got it. Hideout? Check. Food? Plenty. Conditions were perfect.
"Alright, let's head inside. Recovery first."
"Keruk."
Getting Buril back to full health was priority one.
If you're hungry, your Demonic Power barely recovers. You need good food for that.
And right now...
Thanks to Buril, I could finally eat those fruits.
There were still plenty left, so if we polished them off, we could hold out today. Once something's in your stomach, Demonic Power starts recovering. Then I could heal Buril.
"Hurry up and get in."
"Keruk."
Buril keruked his way deeper into the pit. Was that goblin speech? Keruk, kruk? No clue what he was saying yet, but living together should sort that out.
—Crunch crunch!
The pit felt even more cramped now that Buril was inside. He went straight for the fruits the moment he entered.
"So good...!"
Juice burst in my mouth, filling it completely!
Honestly, it wasn't that sweet. Kinda like watered-down fruit juice from a bottle—barely any sugar.
It had been ages, but the fruits back on modern Earth were all bred hybrids, super sweet. Nothing in the wild could match that. These had that raw, wild taste.
"Still delicious!"
After surviving on just water yesterday, it tasted amazing!
"Buril, you eat too!"
"Keruk keruk."
And just like that, Buril and I devoured every last fruit in a flash.
"Urp."
We crammed in everything we had until my belly felt ready to burst. Perfect. No pit repairs today. Filling up then doing heavy labor would ruin my gut, and that'd mess with Demonic Power recovery.
I could forage more fruits, but dragging the still-recovering Buril along would be tough. And leaving my hard-won first subordinate behind felt too risky.
So, whatever.
"Hey. We're just crashing here together today."
"Keruk?"
No choice but to rest up in this pit.
"Sleep."
"Keruk..."
I ordered him to sleep and closed his eyes for him. He must've been wiped, 'cause he went limp right away.
"Heh heh heh, look at this guy sleeping."
"..."
Sweet dreams.
Once I confirmed that...
I relaxed, closed my eyes, and focused on my body.
—Hummm.
Concentrating, I could feel the Demonic Power inside me. I breathed slowly, keeping it as still as possible.
A meditation technique to boost Demonic Power recovery.
The one Kartiya taught me... Kartiya. Thinking of her now, huh. She only ever said nasty stuff, but she was a small, cute kid.
If I could see Kartiya right now, I'd brag my ass off about today's win. Tell her how I dominated a goblin.
Lost in those thoughts, I kept meditating.
Time to max out that Demonic Power recovery!
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Ngh...!"
The next day.
My body was fucking stiff from the cramped quarters, but my mind felt fucking refreshed.
"Alright, Buril, copy me. Ngh!"
"Kehuuuk...!"
Buril mimicked my stretch with his kid-sized body. Monster-tough skin, hooked nose, wrinkly prune face—and he was doing something this cute? I was losing it.
"Anyway. Buril. Feeling okay?"
"Keruk?"
He didn't understand everything I said, of course. But it wasn't an issue. I checked his wounds anyway.
"Hm... Better than yesterday."
Stuffing his face with fruit and resting had improved his condition. Not 100% yet, though. I had him kneel, then stood behind him.
"Good."
"Keruk?"
Honestly, no idea how to heal monsters. But pumping in Demonic Power should do the trick. Worth a shot.
And so...
—Hummm...!
I focused my mind, channeling Demonic Power into my hand on his back.
"Keruuuk...!"
I watched his status closely. He was startled but didn't move. I infused the power, then pulled my hand away.
"Hey. How's it feel?"
"Keruk?"
I laid him down and checked the wounds.
"Oh...!"
It's working!
Definite effect!
For weak monsters like this, just a Demonic Power boost massively amps up their natural healing!
"I've got healer talent!"
Perfect!
Rest an hour, then get moving.
"Yeah. Buril, stay inside and rest. I'll patch up the pit real quick."
"Keruk?"
"I said get in?"
"Keruk keruk."
"What, don't wanna? Fine, sit there then."
He plopped right down. Sitting's rest too. Let him watch. I'd have him digging soon enough.
"Rest up and enjoy the show."
I grabbed my hand axe and started digging around the pit. Gotta expand it for two. Living together with my subordinate? That's a dungeon. Could call it that.
"Dungeon, huh."
Demon Kings have dungeons, right? This pit was just a hole in the ground. No dungeon vibes. But with tons of minions someday, maybe I could dig a real one?
The thought cheered me up.
Time to build a dungeon.
Games always have monster lairs. Maybe steal one... Huh? With Buril around, doesn't that mean there's a goblin cave nearby?
"Hmm."
Think on that later. Important, but not right now.
—Thud!
Back to expanding the pit.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Sure enough, after about an hour, Buril looked fully recovered!
What a morale booster! My goblin minion was in prime fucking condition!
"Time to start the day! Buril!"
"Keruk!"
He jumped up cheering at my shout! This guy... his emotions were so expressive! Great reactions got me pumped too.
"Keruk keruk."
Who knows what had him so happy—Buril rubbed his once-injured spot with a creepy grin. Goblin face made even a smile look weird. Still, more smiles mean good luck.
Anyway.
What came next was crucial.
"Alright, Buril. Look straight into my eyes."
"Keruk?"
Buril stared at me.
Kartiya said eye contact makes commands sink in better. Time to test how much he could understand.
"Buril, right hand."
"Keruk."
Up went his right hand.
"Good boy. Now spin around once."
"Ker keruk."
—Pat pat pat pat.
One full spin. Nice. Eye contact works for most things.
"Now turn around."
"Keruk."
He turned his back to me.
"Buril, sit."
"Keruk?"
—Glance.
He turned to look at me instead of sitting.
"Keruk keruk?"
Then he keruked like he wanted me to repeat... Yeah, can't hear commands facing away?
"Yeah. Face front again."
"Keruk."
Head back in place.
"Again? Buril, sit."
"Keruk?"
Looks at me again.
I met his gaze and reissued.
"Sit."
"Kurruk."
Down he went.
"Good. Got it."
Buril wasn't parsing my "language." When facing me, he reads my will from my eyes, face, mouth.
Some Demonic Power effect at work.
"Alright, Buril! Run to that tree over there and back!"
"Keruk!"
—Tata tat!
Off to the tree he went. Simple commands are easy? Back quick.
"Good job! Buril!"
"Keruk!"
Pet his head, and he grinned happily.
This little fucker gets cuter every second.
"Okay, Buril! This time: Go to that tree, two jumping jacks, three punches, two kicks, three more jumping jacks, then back!"
Can he handle that?
"Keruk!"
—Papapap!
Buril dashed over, did two jumps and punches. Oh. Memory that good? Or Demonic Power helping?
But then...
—Halt.
Mid-punch, he froze. Made some weird gesture, clutched his head, then came back to me.
"Keruk. Keruk keruk. Kerrrruk. Ker kek."
"What the fuck are you saying?"
He's explaining hard, but I got nothing.
"Keruk keruk. Kuruk. Kruk."
Buril kept yapping like he had no idea I couldn't understand. Fine, whatever. I got the gist. Felt like he forgot partway through the command.