Chapter 321: Slave Experience (14)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 321: Slave Experience (14)
First Elize, then Rin and Alfia joined the fray one after another.
With the two newcomers’ arrival, neither the demons nor the celestials dared to make a move.
“Where is he?”
“I don’t know. I can smell him, so he’s definitely here.”
“They probably cast some magic to hide him away.”
“What a pointless thing to do.”
“Rin’s right. It’ll all be over once we tear this place apart. Idiots.”
How could they not know something so basic?
Whoever came up with that idea was probably patting themselves on the back for being so clever.
Pathetic.
Rin shook her head.
“So, there are a lot of winged things here. Who should I grab?”
“What do you mean, who? We just kill everyone we see.”
“He’ll scold you if you do that. Can you handle it? Don’t come crying to me later, begging for forgiveness because you can’t get your essence.”
“Hah, subduing them is such a hassle.”
But she had no choice.
Being annoyed was a few hundred million times better than being scolded by Karami.
Rin brought her hands together.
“If you want to keep all your limbs, put your faces on the ground. I’m warning you. If you resist, I won’t be held responsible.”
Rip!
Two pairs of vampire wings tore through Elize’s saintly robes and sprouted from her back.
A blood-red halo materialized above her head. She wielded divine power in one hand and demonic energy in the other.
“Well, I can heal you as long as you’re still breathing, so I’ll just do as I please.”
“By the way, where are the others?”
“Don’t look for them. It just means more competition… or so I was about to say. Speak of the devil.”
Kwoooaaaaaaar!
What appeared was not a devil, but a dragon.
The ice breath Skadia unleashed instantly froze a bone dragon solid.
The person riding on its back was, of course, Azyeth.
“It seems this is the place, Princess.”
“Yes.”
Azyeth, who had been traveling the world on Skadia in search of Karami, had finally reached the Laurentius Duchy.
The commotion was proof enough that he was here.
“But I cannot sense his presence.”
“No, he’s here.”
Azyeth answered firmly and leaped from Skadia’s back.
She landed in the center of the chaos.
Though all eyes turned to her, Azyeth paid them no mind. She fell like a meteor, scattering blue ice crystals.
Her gaze was fixed on the ground—and what lay beneath it.
The moment she landed, she plunged her ice sword into the earth.
Crack!
The surrounding area froze over.
Then, she twisted the sword.
*
Before the commotion, back when Elize had first arrived and thrown the duchy into chaos.
Evan, who had been lying in his sickbed, had slipped out of the mansion unnoticed.
He ran with a vigor that belied his earlier whining about being in too much pain to even walk a single step.
News had reached Evan even as he was confined to his bed.
‘Rami is the Slave Reaper?’
It was the most shocking news of Evan’s entire life.
To think his idol, the Slave Reaper, had been right beside him all along!
He grabbed a few supplies and, using the chaos in the mansion as cover, headed for the underground prison.
“Rami!”
“Young Master? I heard the Saint came to treat you. Why are you here?”
“To see you, of course! They said you’re the Slave Reaper. Is it true?”
“Uh…”
Karami had a feeling this was about to become a huge pain. He hesitated to answer, but Evan already seemed convinced.
“To think you were the real Slave Reaper! I’m so sorry! I failed to recognize you even when you were right in front of me. I’m a disgrace as your disciple!”
I don’t remember having a disciple like you.
“I’ve worked so hard to become just like you, Master. Please praise me!”
“Yeah, well…”
“You must have come here in person to witness your disciple’s growth, but also to sacrifice yourself for the sake of a new era, right?”
“What are you talking about…”
“There’s no other reason you would appear as a slave! To think the day would come when I could liberate the Slave Reaper himself…! What an honor!”
Evan fumbled with his clothes, pulling out a small medicine bottle and a leather pouch.
“I realized something when I used magic last time. Normal magic doesn’t work on you, Master. Some kind of power is protecting you.”
Karami was inwardly surprised.
He figured that out in one go?
“So I decided to change my method. Like this!”
Evan swung the pouch, showering Karami with the black powder inside.
“This is something that blocks all external contact. It’s used to increase the magic resistance of armor or to make recognition-obstructing robes.”
If some power was protecting Karami, all he had to do was sever the connection to that power.
Next.
He began drawing the liquid from the medicine bottle into a syringe.
“This is very simple. It’s a drug that induces a state of suspended animation. Even a demonic beast would be paralyzed by this.”
“And you’re going to inject me with that?”
“A master’s noble sacrifice for the next generation. Your disciple understands completely. Leave the rest to me and rest easy.”
Flick.
Evan checked to make sure the syringe wasn’t clogged, then slowly brought it toward Karami’s neck.
Just as he was about to inject it into the carotid artery…
Crack.
“Huh?”
Evan looked up at the strange sound.
The lantern was swaying.
Something was falling from the ceiling.
It wasn’t dust, but snowflakes.
The already cool dungeon became so cold he could see his breath.
“Wh-what is this?”
Crack.
Cra-crack.
The sound of ice splitting echoed again and again.
In the blink of an eye, the underground prison had transformed into a prison of ice.
Crash!
The ceiling collapsed.
A shower of ice crystals rained down.
“Aargh!”
Evan scrambled to dive out of the way.
Sharp crystals fell toward the bound and helpless Karami.
Just before they reached him, the crystals stopped dead in the air.
A blue mist of dust clouded the prison. Within it, a single line was drawn.
The chains holding Karami were severed in one clean motion.
His legs, weak from being suspended for so long, gave out, and Karami pitched forward.
Thud.
Before he could fall, something cool yet gentle caught him.
“Azyeth?”
Having found her master, Azyeth gave a faint, smiling glance.
“Hello… my princess.”
“Am I the princess?”
“Yes. This time, Rami is the princess. And I’m the prince.”
“Is that how it is?”
“That’s how it is.”
Azyeth stared at Karami’s face, then leaned in and gave him a light peck on the lips.
It was the prince’s duty to awaken the sleeping princess, after all.
Not that Karami had been sleeping, but seeing his face just made Azyeth want to kiss him.
Azyeth caressed Karami’s cheek.
“Rami, you’ve gotten so pretty.”
“Right?”
“Yes. So pretty it’s making me feel strange.”
Finding her comment a little odd, Karami asked cautiously.
“…How so? Strange in what way?”
“My heart is… tingling.”
It’s a common saying. Something is so cute you could just bite it.
When looking at creatures like rabbits, chicks, or puppies, people can feel an inexplicable urge of aggression.
The theory of cute aggression.
When one sees something cute, the brain, in an attempt to suppress a level of emotional stimulation that could be harmful to the body, draws out aggression to strike a balance.
That was exactly Azyeth’s state right now. Looking at Karami, she was overcome with a sadistic urge.
It was the first time she had ever felt such an emotion.
Her whole body tingled, and her heart pounded.
“Ugh, what is all this chaos…”
Evan staggered to his feet.
His eyes widened when he saw Karami in Azyeth’s arms.
“Who—who are you? Who are you to be holding the Reaper!”
“Who…?”
“The youngest son of House Laurentius. He keeps trying to kill me.”
“……”
The temperature around Azyeth plummeted, as if the midsummer duchy had become a land of permafrost.
“…Can I kill him?”
“Use nice words.”
“Can I scold him?”
“It’s not the child’s fault, but since his parents are neglecting him, another adult has to step in and discipline him. Just don’t hurt him too badly.”
“Okay.”
Azyeth extended her hand.
Evan opened his mouth to speak, but Azyeth had no desire to hear his voice and used her magic.
Crack!
In an instant, Evan was turned into an ice statue.
Karami’s attention shifted to the world outside.
“It’s noisy.”
“There are a lot of people. I think they all came to see you, Rami.”
“I see. But what should I do? I’m too sleepy to go out and greet them.”
Living in this unfamiliar body had caused a significant amount of fatigue to accumulate.
After working as a maid and being locked in prison, his arms had been bound, preventing him from sleeping properly. His body was tired, and his mind was even more so.
Azyeth smiled gently and patted Karami.
“Sleep well. I’ll finish up and come back.”
“Then I’ll trust you… Ah, and make the pretty ones slaves.”
With that final message, Karami closed his eyes. A few seconds later, the sound of his soft, even breathing filled the air.
Azyeth created a clean bed of ice and laid him down. The cool surface must have felt pleasant in the summer heat, as Karami’s expression was peaceful.
After putting him to sleep, Azyeth stood up. The commotion from above was not an environment suitable for deep sleep.
I have to make things quiet so the princess can sleep soundly.