Chapter 237: Should I Pounce?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 237: Should I Pounce?
It was a peaceful morning.
In the office of the leader of the Merchants of Death.
Karami sat in the leader’s chair while Rin, transformed into a fox cub, tumbled about on the table.
When Karami wiggled his finger, she would bat at it with her front paws like a cat playing with a toy.
When he tickled her fur, she would lie on her back with her belly completely exposed, savoring the gentle touch.
On the sofa, Azyeth, who had brought her own bedding, was leisurely sleeping in.
Mirabelle was receiving maid training with her mother.
Alfia was teaching the young elves.
And Elize was at the city’s cathedral, proselytizing for the Reaper's Order.
It was a bit questionable, publicly, for a Saint to be spreading the teachings of another faith, but whatever.
Everyone was busy with their own tasks, but if one had to pick the busiest person, it was undoubtedly Narsha. She had just stopped by the office to give a report.
“I have rescued the slaves as you commanded, Master. There are forty-two in total, and we plan to gradually expand our area of operations.”
“Good work. They must be anxious, so make sure they want for nothing. If any wish to leave, let them go at any time. Only bring those who wish to stay to me.”
“Understood.”
If they had a place to return to, they would leave. If not, they would stay. It was fine if they went, and fine if they stayed.
“As time passes, the number of those who remain will surely grow.”
“However, no matter how spacious this place is, there will come a time when we can no longer accommodate the growing number of slaves.”
“Can’t we just build more buildings?”
“I have considered that matter, but what do you think about building a city instead?”
They had more than enough funds. With the active use of Mirabelle’s magic, many problems could be handled with ease.
“I also heard that Doomheim is indebted to you, Master. With the help of the dwarves, it would be much easier.”
“The scale is getting bigger. Isn’t this a bit much?”
“No. On the contrary, the very idea of you, Master, residing in such a small city, within someone else’s territory, is absurd.”
Noctar was too small to contain Karami.
The lord trying to get a piece of the pie, the royal family pressuring them for tribute—they were all nuisances.
How dare they not know their place.
She had developed the city and the merchant group for Karami, not for anyone else.
“Rin agrees! How about we build a slave kingdom? With Master as the king!” Rin, now back in her human form, enthusiastically agreed.
If anyone else had suggested it, Karami would have brushed it off, but because it was Narsha who said it, he gave it serious thought.
He had certainly been feeling the constraints. It did feel a bit cramped for the girls to move around in.
What if he built a city and filled it to the brim with entertainment to his liking?
Not a bad idea.
Was there any reason to hold back now? He would just live doing whatever the hell he wanted.
“Very well. I’ll leave it to you, Narsha. Please move forward with it. Use all the resources and manpower you need.”
“I will produce satisfactory results.”
*
Ordinarily, the quiet of the night was a time for the mind and body to settle, but lately, that feeling had become even more profound for Karami.
From the moment he opened his eyes until it was time to sleep, the slaves clung to him, never leaving his side for an instant.
He could have ordered them away, but he never did, knowing the crestfallen expressions that would follow.
For that reason, this time alone was incredibly precious to Karami, but even this wouldn't last long.
“Master, may I come in?”
Starting today, one slave per day would be allowed to spend the night with Karami.
The first slave on duty was Elize.
“Come in.”
Elize entered the bedroom with a polite bow.
She wore a black negligee that was quite revealing.
Her blood-red pupils glowed more intensely than usual.
She was first in line because she was scheduled to receive blood from Karami anyway.
“If you don’t want to, you can just take the blood and go. If you want to sleep alone, you can, so don’t feel pressured.”
“You’re being mean. As if you don’t know I wouldn’t turn back after coming all this way.”
“My apologies. I’m a bit dense. I won’t know unless you say it clearly.”
Karami wore an expression of genuine ignorance.
Dense? Who was he calling dense?
It was obvious he was teasing, but if she left, Elize would be the one to lose out.
“I want to… sleep with you, Master.”
In the end, she had to say it herself.
Only then did Karami grin in satisfaction.
“I see. If you insist, Elize, then I suppose I must sleep with you. Come over here.”
Karami shifted to the side, patting the spot on the bed where he had been sitting.
“…Pardon my intrusion.”
Elize sat down beside him and pulled the covers over herself.
“Why did you move for me?”
“I was keeping it warm for you until you arrived. It’s warm, isn’t it?”
“……”
He smiled with a look of utter innocence.
As if he had no other intention.
For a moment, Elize heard something snap in her mind.
“…It’s cozy.”
Fortunately, she managed to hold on by a thread.
She had almost caused an incident on the very first night.
Unaware of this, Karami continued to toss playful remarks at Elize.
“A Saint sharing a bed with a man. The world would be shocked if they found out.”
“And how does it feel, sleeping with that Saint?”
“It feels like I’m doing something wicked, so my heart is pounding. What about you, Elize?”
“It’s similar for me.”
Elize placed a hand over her heart.
It was pounding, yet it was calm.
Two contradictory feelings coexisted within her.
A strange sensation.
It wasn’t bad.
“Well, I suppose that was a pointless question.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you’ve already pounced on me twice, haven’t you, Elize? Once at the inn, and once at the temple.”
Memories of the recent past surfaced in Elize’s mind.
It wasn’t even that long ago—a month at most.
She had pushed Karami to the floor and held him down so he couldn’t move.
She had even climbed on top of him.
It was far too late to call herself demure.
“To think the Elize who swore she’d never drink my blood would come scurrying to my room asking for it. Is it okay for someone so sly to become this cute?”
“In the first place, I’m not a person, I’m a vampire, so there’s no problem with me changing.”
“Would you like some milk, even now? I know a place with fresh, delicious milk.”
…Should I really just pounce on him?
No.
Patience. Be patient.
Not yet.
“My body can no longer be satisfied by anything other than your blood, Master. Is that clear enough?”
“Perfectly.”
Having had his fun, Karami stopped teasing her.
“How is your life here? Is it manageable?”
“Yes. I’m more than satisfied.”
The bat that had belonged nowhere had found a home.
And here, there were other slaves in the same situation as her. There were some she didn’t like, and they bickered every day, but it was fun.
A sense of belonging.
And a sense of kinship.
Here, she didn’t have to pretend to be something she wasn’t, didn’t have to put on a facade. She could just be herself.
Here, she could live without a single worry.
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“It’s all thanks to you, Master.”
“I know, you don’t have to tell me.”
A disbelieving laugh escaped her lips.
Then, silence fell, and Elize began to fidget with her fingers.
“Master, now… about that…”
Unable to bear it any longer, Elize couldn’t wait and spoke up first.
Though her eyes blazed with a crimson light, her gaze upon Karami was pitiful.
“Come here.”
Elize slowly moved and climbed on top of Karami. She sat astride his thighs, facing him.
He tilted his head, offering his neck to make it easier for her to drink.
Elize’s eyes were fixed on Karami’s neck. Then, she noticed something odd.
“The wound is gone.”
The bite mark Elize had left last time had vanished without a trace.
“Mirabelle erased it. It wouldn’t do to have something like that on my neck, what with people’s stares.”
“……”
“You’re good with healing magic too, aren’t you, Elize? You can just heal it yourself from now on.”
Elize whipped her head away.
“No. Go ask Miss Mirabelle to do it.”
“What are you upset about now?”
“I’m not upset.”
Not upset? Her sulky expression was practically screaming that she was pouting.
Elize bit into Karami’s neck. Her sharp fangs pierced his skin, carving a new wound.
She made the wound just deep enough to drink without issue, but then Elize pushed her fangs in a little deeper.
For some reason, she felt like it today.
“Ugh.”
A faint groan escaped him.
The sensation of carving a wound into her master’s body.
She felt sorry for causing him pain, yet seeing him grimace, his body trembling slightly, sent a sharp, acrid pleasure coursing through her veins with his blood.
She felt a twisted ecstasy, as if she were marking his body with her own trace.
And he had dared to erase such a mark as he pleased.
She didn’t like it.
Go ahead and erase it.
I’ll just mark you again and again.
*
Even after she finished drinking, Elize remained seated on Karami’s lap for a while.
She licked away the blood that had trickled down, which she hadn’t managed to swallow.
She gazed satisfyingly at the two holes on Karami’s neck before getting off.
Karami stretched his stiff neck.
“It seemed to hurt more today than last time…”
“I’m sorry. I must still be clumsy at making the wound. I’ll try to be gentler next time.”
“The process seems rather troublesome. How about we draw the blood beforehand and store it?”
They could use Mirabelle’s magic, or store it refrigerated with Azyeth’s ice.
She could have it whenever she needed, and Karami wouldn’t have to feel any pain.
A win-win for both of them.
“No.”
But Elize refused flatly.
“Then I’ll have to get some pain-reducing magic before we do this.”
“I don’t want that either. Please let me bite you, and please be in pain.”
“……”
To say something so creepy so casually.
He really wondered what went on inside his slaves’ heads.
He did hold their souls. Maybe he should ask Mirabelle to take a look for him.
Lost in thought, he felt a gaze on him. Lying face to face, Elize was staring at him from inches away.
“Is there something you want to say?”
“I’m not sure if I should call it something I want to say, or something I want to do.”
“What is it?”
“I was wondering if you would drink my blood, too? Just as your blood flows through my body, I want my blood to flow through yours.”
Yeah, let’s not look.
What kind of mind is that?
Who would willingly stare into the abyss?
Karami gave up completely.