Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Vivi's Growth
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"She's growing fast, isn't she?"
Brans gazed at the baby thunder dragonling with wonder in his eyes.
"You can say that again."
Was it because of the troll blood I'd fed her?
The little thing, once the size of my palm, had grown to the size of a small dog in just a month.
With her eyes still closed, her options for food were limited, and there was nothing to substitute for her mother's milk, so I'd given her troll blood.
How much could a palm-sized creature eat anyway?
Besides, I had barrels of troll blood, so I didn't mind. Before long, she started growing rapidly.
Her teeth were already sharp, and horns were beginning to sprout from her head.
Claws and scales—hallmarks of a dragon that hadn't been visible at birth—were now faintly emerging.
Once those features appeared, I'd been feeding her a mix of troll blood and her mother's blood.
And one more thing.
"She's already wielding thunderclap."
She scampered about energetically, occasionally unleashing bursts of it.
The power was still weak, akin to static electricity.
-Kiiing, kiiing.
She came over to me, whining and nudging the sword at my waist.
I drew the Thunderclap Sword and channeled a bit of lightning into it, and she began licking the blade eagerly, as if devouring a bolt.
"Amazing, isn't it?"
Was she sensing traces of her mother in the Thunderclap Sword? Or did she think the sword itself was her mother?
Thinking about it that way made her situation seem so pitiful.
"Poor little thing. Tsk tsk."
Brans cooed sympathetically and reached out to pet her.
The tiny creature growled and bared her teeth at him.
"Heh. Looks like she thinks you're her parent, milord."
"Half and half, probably."
She reacted to the lightning from the Thunderclap Sword.
At first, I thought she was just drawn to it because it resembled her mother's essence, but after licking the sword and absorbing the lightning, she brimmed with even more energy.
It was a familiar power stirring in her belly, overflowing as her own—so yeah, half and half.
And she mistook me, bearer of this sword, for her mother.
"She's only dog-sized now, but..."
"She'll keep getting bigger."
Thunder dragon blood and troll blood no longer satisfied her.
She was already craving meat—a true beast through and through.
"But why name her Vivi?"
It was the name of a pet dog I once had.
No deeper meaning.
"It's my call how to name her."
Helena nodded, having no counterargument.
A month since heading south from the north.
I'd reclaimed the saddle Humasis stole and was about to get a new horse when we hitched a ride with a merchant caravan bound for the capital. It was relatively comfortable.
Early on, the roads were treacherous, so we'd cleared out magical beasts and bandits, but lately, no such trouble.
With cities lining the route, what dangers were there?
In the carriage, I trained in Phantom Smoke Sword arts; when we stopped, I practiced outside with Flowing Water Sword.
"Vivi, come here."
The rest of my time went to Vivi.
She romped wildly in the carriage, relieved herself on Brans, then came to me for affection and meat.
I'd let Thunderclap Sword lightning flow into her and use it to train her.
Dragon, wolf, and magical beast blood made her clever beyond her weeks. She grasped my intentions effortlessly.
For a beast barely a month old, she was remarkably sharp.
"Vivi, sit. Down. Stand. Beg."
She even played dead perfectly.
"Vivi, fetch."
-Grrr!
She latched onto Brans's pant leg. And then—
"Attack."
A tiny spark zapped Brans.
"Ow, hot! M-milord! Spare me from training her on your humble servant!"
Ignoring Brans's wails, I stroked Vivi's head.
I tossed her a chunk of meat; she leaped and snapped it up.
"Good girl."
Her tail wagged like it had a motor—adorable.
"Anyone'd think she's a real dog."
Right now, it was just static-level.
But growing this much in a month? I wondered how powerful she'd be fully grown.
Her mother, the thunder dragon, had held her own against brigade leaders.
One-on-one, she'd have surpassed them; even outnumbered, she hadn't faltered much.
Fully grown, Vivi would be formidable.
Troll blood, thunder dragon blood.
And constantly absorbing Thunderclap Sword lightning whenever she felt like it.
‘I might not be able to control her then.’
If not, I'd have no choice but to let her merge with the Thunderclap Sword like her mother.
That had been my plan from the start.
‘I won't grow attached.’
I couldn't afford to.
"Kallias, your face looks super weird right now. You know that?"
"What about it?"
"Like a kid dying for snacks but stubbornly holding back?"
"Shut it. Vivi, attack."
-Grrr!!
Zap!
"Eek! Why so childish! It really stings!"
"Attack, attack."
"Eek! H-hey, not there!"
Helena's face flushed crimson as she clutched her chest with both arms.
It had hit a very inappropriate spot.
"Beast instincts, huh. Went for the weak point."
"Heh, told ya. She's a male after all..."
I ordered Vivi to attack the smirking Brans.
"Ugh! Why me, milord?!"
"Your grin's annoying."
"Ow, hot! S-stop it!"
-Grr! Grrr! Woof! Woof!
"She's lost it for real."
Fuming, Helena melted into the shadows and vanished.
Once the commotion died down, I called Vivi and tossed her some meat chunks.
Clunk.
The carriage halted right on cue.
"What's going on?"
"Uh, well..."
The coachman looked troubled as he explained.
"Rohendel?"
Ahead lay Rohendel, but its lord was blocking the road.
"Why block the road?"
"He's demanding tolls."
Just detour, then.
There were other paths.
"The alternatives are too rugged—bandit-infested. It'd waste time and be risky."
So the only safe route was through Rohendel, and the lord, knowing that, was extorting massive fees.
"How much is he taking?"
"Forty percent of the caravan's goods. What can we do?"
Tolls? This was outright robbery.
"Orkal, handle it."
"Me? Such a hassle..."
"Better than dying."
"Understood."
Orkal had joined my service.
He and his insects were useful, so I'd coaxed him into subordination.
It wasn't hard.
‘Follow me?’
‘Like hell!’
That back-and-forth led to tastes of Thunderclap Sword lightning.
‘I-I'll follow! Please let me!’
‘We’ll see.’
Writhing in agony, Orkal screamed obedience, but I pressed Judgment Sword each time.
‘Not enough yet.’
‘N-no! I mean it! Let me serve you!’
Yet Judgment Sword's blade stayed far from clear.
After days of near-death beatings, Orkal bared his true heart.
‘A blade as pure and clear as your soul. Good. I accept you.’
‘...’
As you can see, splendid results.
I'd pondered deeply.
Someone up top had sicced Heretic Inquisitor captains on me to kill me.
Joining them now was like shoving my head into a tiger's maw.
‘But it creates opportunities.’
The capital had eyes everywhere.
Assassinating me there would be trickier than in the north or hinterlands.
The higher my Heretic Inquisitor fame rose, the harder it'd be for them to kill me.
So I spared Orkal.
Made him mine, and with a title, he'd breeze through probation straight to captain.
That'd smooth things out.
Perfect position to stir Carpe's rot.
"You're here."
Orkal's insect arrived first.
A beetle-sized one landed on my hand, tapping its carapace.
I emitted a bit of holy power, and suddenly—
*Do you hear me?*
One of Insect Spirit's abilities.
Communication via bugs.
"Speak."
*You should come see.*
Something I needed to handle.
I reached into subspace for Judgment Sword. As I stepped out, Vivi scampered after me.
A short walk revealed Orkal facing off against wall-blocking soldiers.
The lord had emerged, unyielding in his stance.
Flanked by soldiers and knights—about thirty strong.
"Orkal, you could've handled this. Why not?"
"The Church's rep's in the gutter for ages. Without solid grounds, even I can't act."
Reason I wanted a count's title. Church prestige had tanked. Under empire pressure, pilgrims ignored war, scavenging corpses—hence this.
I clicked my tongue, slung my sword over my shoulder, and glared at the lord.
Frog-faced, greed etched deep—no need for hassle.
I strode up and shoved Judgment Sword at the staring lord.
"Wh-what are you doing?!"
Shing!
Soldiers' swords flashed out, aimed at me. No concern.
"Did you bribe local bandits to force this route?"
"Wh-what nonsense!"
Unlike his denial, the blade darkened.
Reflecting his filthy greed.
Obvious.
Bandits rampant nearby, yet he blocks nothing—takes tolls instead?
Either he bribed them for this charade, or what?
"Filth."
No mercy.
Slash!
"Gah!"
"L-Lord!"
The lord's head flew.
It hit the ground with a thud.
Thump.
"Wh-what is this?! Why can I still talk?!"
Head severed, yet the lord lived. His head spoke.
Judgment Sword's humble yet beautiful—and cruelest—power.
"Without my say, you won't die."
Judgment Sword discerns lies; behead the liar, and...
It delays death.
The eerie trait dubbed "Judgment Sword."
"Watch everything you cherished crumble."
I nodded at Orkal; he sighed wearily and headed for the castle.
Orkal would drag out every impurity there.
A guy pulling this wouldn't lack corruption.
"Wh-what are you doing?! Who the hell are you?! Men! Kill him now!!"
"If you can."
It won't be easy.
"Ugh!"
"Guh!"
"M-my body... ack!"
Mere soldiers, even knights of a small city? Tyrant Sword sufficed.
Unable to twitch a finger, they huddled, immobile.
"What are you lot doing?! Argh! You mangy mutt! Let go! I said let go!!"
Vivi, amused by the rolling head, batted it around, gnawing hair like a toy.
New plaything, apparently. Not surprising—several prior lords met the same fate.
"Vivi."
-Woof!
She fetched the lord's head.
I grabbed it and strolled the town slowly.
Some trembled in fear; others thanked me.
They prayed, knelt, wept.
Hovels teetered on collapse; streets crawled with starving beggar-thieves kids.
I spotted some snatching bread amid the stares.
Common sight.
In the world I shaped, plenty fatten themselves by starving others.
The world I made.
So I must change it.
Carpe, where I live.
My world.
No need for such trash.
"You're unfit to rule."
Whoosh.
The lord's castle blazed.
"No! Nooo!!"
I tossed the screaming head into the flames and turned away.
『Kingdom Quest』
【Empire's Spy】
◆ Kill the Empire's spies to save the kingdom from ruin's path.
◆ Spies killed: 2/?
<Reward>: 「Lord's Banner」
"Found it?"
"Yes, here."
Ledgers and envelopes.
Ledgers of his corruption.
The envelopes...
"Empire's lackey, as expected."
Corruption spreads from the top.
He just followed orders from above.
"Whose orders, I wonder? Know?"
"I do."
Corruption's apex—the one who likely ordered my death.
Silently steering Carpe to ruin:
"The Church's Archbishop, Alhamtra."
Alhamtra du Rohan Vallus.
The serpent devouring the kingdom.