Chapter 70

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 70

Chapter Title: ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Finally, the Training Begins (1)

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Kalt pondered how to handle the demon's essence.

The demon's essence had been scheming to use him to revive the Demon King from the start.

That audacity alone made him want to smash it to pieces right then and there.

But.

'It's already under my hypnosis, so it shouldn't pose any threat to me.'

As long as his hypnosis held, the demon's essence couldn't harm Kalt.

In fact, through hypnosis, it had drawn out only the dormant succubus power without tainting his mind at all.

Above all, it felt a bit of a waste to just shatter a 15-million-gold essence he'd only just acquired.

Besides.

'I might be able to extract information on demons and the Demon King.'

It was from 200 years ago, but it just might know secrets humanity was unaware of.

Kalt decided against destroying it for now and addressed the demon's essence.

"The one you pledge loyalty to from now on isn't the Demon King—it's me."

First, he'd switch its loyalty from the Demon King to himself.

"Stay silent until I question you first. And from now on, answer my questions honestly."

Kalt withdrew his hand toward the demon's essence.

True to the hypnosis command, the essence maintained its silence.

"Who are you?"

And when Kalt asked.

A lively voice echoed from the essence.

With its object of worship switched from the Demon King to Kalt, the voice brimmed with excitement, as if thrilled to be in the presence of its revered master.

"Tell me why demons try to revive the Demon King."

"Do you still want to revive the Demon King now?"

With its loyalty fully redirected, the essence showed no mercy even toward the Demon King it had once instinctively followed.

'The hypnosis is working flawlessly.'

When he'd fought demons before, the battles had been too intense to even extend a hand and test it.

So Kalt had harbored a slight worry.

Maybe it wouldn't work on demons.

Or perhaps it was useless on a purely spiritual state.

Those concerns turned out to be needless.

The essence's voice confirmed the hypnosis's success, revealing one more condition to Kalt.

Any being capable of communication—even a spirit—could be hypnotized.

"You're aware that people carrying the hero's bloodline are awakening and acting as heroes, right?"

That was already common public knowledge.

'No real secrets there.'

"How do we stop the Demon King's revival? No—how does the Demon King revive in the first place?"

He knew demons schemed in secret for it.

But the exact method remained unknown.

"Life force?"

"So that's the method... But no one's ever found life force in a demon's essence after death. How's that possible?"

"I see."

Kalt had just uncovered one of the demons' hidden secrets.

'I've heard everything useful for now... Time to test it out.'

Kalt took off his pants.

"Hey, I'm gonna try using the succubus power. Watch closely and evaluate how well I'm doing it."

Kalt spent some time experimenting with his dick customization ability.

Three days had passed since Kalt bought the demon's essence at the auction house.

Besides its secrets and the Demon King's revival method, he hadn't extracted any particularly helpful new information.

The most he'd gleaned was a description of the Demon Realm's landscape, and the rest was no different from widely known public knowledge.

If he had to point to something useful, it was that—under two days of the demon essence's supervision—he had mastered the dick customization ability he'd named himself.

And that absorbing Kalt's semen would refill the mana in the demon essence, allowing it to substitute for mana in powering burner magic tools like a battery.

As well as the fact that its voice would warn him if demons were nearby.

'Well, personally, the first one pleased me the most.'

In fact, actually taking off his pants and seeing his cock freely change in size and length was a novel sensation—and it fueled his anticipation for how he'd use this ability to train the Nellis Party going forward.

And today was the day Kalt had decided to seriously begin training one member of the Nellis Party.

Aria.

'Aria's grown plenty now, and her issues have improved.'

She'd advanced so far that it would now take a level of blessing or holy attack that would trouble an ordinary nun or priest to trigger her trauma.

In other words, a full cure was right around the corner—the most hopeful phase yet for her.

More than that.

'I'm getting tired of just watching the sight forever.'

Under the pretext of "special training to get used to shame," Aria had been spreading her pussy wide open toward Kalt every single day, utterly exposed.

Even covered by what looked like full-body stockings, that visual assault had tormented Kalt's lower half relentlessly.

Finally, the time had come to release that agony.

'Kalt wants to talk...? What could it be?'

Toward the end of their regular counseling session, Kalt had told Aria.

After dinner, once Nellis and Scarlet had gone to their rooms.

To come to his room—he had something to discuss.

Aria confirmed that Nellis and Scarlet had entered their rooms, just as Kalt had asked, then headed to his room next door.

"Kalt."

"Come in, Aria."

Kalt greeted her with a smile as she entered.

"Have a seat first."

"Okay."

Aria sat on the bed and looked up at him.

"What did you want to talk about? Did something happen?"

"No, nothing like that."

"Then what is it?"

"Aria, you've improved a lot lately, right? You've overcome so much of your trauma. At this rate, I'm certain you'll be fully cured within a month."

"R-Really?!"

It was the first time Kalt had given her a specific timeline for a full recovery, so Aria was overjoyed.

Just one more month.

The fact that she could be freed from the problem that had tormented her so much—and that she'd fought so hard to overcome—in a mere month was the best news imaginable.

"Yeah. No doubt about it."

"Ahh, Kalt...! Thank you. I can see hope now, all thanks to you."

"No big deal. We're comrades, after all."

'He called me here to give me this surprise.'

Aria figured that's why he'd summoned her.

To notify her of the recovery timeline.

"You called me here to tell me this, right, Kalt? I'm... I'm so happy."

"No, that was just a bonus mention. The real point starts now."

"The real point?"

"Yeah."

Kalt spoke without losing his smile.

"Aria, as you know... the Mabel Party was once a lazy bunch just like yours."

"Yes. You helped them recover through counseling... But even then, they shamelessly kicked you out."

"Right. That hit me hard... I was furious, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠baffled. So back then... I thought about it. No matter how nicely you treat people, unless you drill the lesson home clearly, they turn shameless. I vowed never to let it happen again."

"That's understandable. But don't worry, Kalt. We would never kick you out like the Mabel Party did."

"...You can't be sure. People change in unpredictable ways."

"Kal...t?"

Aria sensed Kalt's atmosphere shift.

Different from his usual gentleness.

Somehow colder, laced with a hint of menace.

"Aria. What's the biggest reason you think your problem got solved?"

"Huh? Well... your counseling, right? Your words helped me confront my trauma more directly. Thinking of my comrades gave me the strength to overcome it..."

"Yeah, that's important too. Mindset and actions definitely play a role. But honestly, Aria... the biggest reason is my hypnosis."

"Huh? Hyp... hypnosis? What are you saying, Kalt?"

Aria couldn't process what she'd just heard.

"Truth is, I've had a special power since birth. The ability to hypnotize. I can literally put others under hypnosis. That's how I fixed the Mabel Party's mental issues."

"Wh-What are you..."

"Hard to believe just from words, huh."

Kalt extended his hand toward Aria.

"I'll prove it right now."