Volume 4 Chapter 46 Poison of a Thousand Insects
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Revision: Luchia => Luchian
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”Nhhooooo♡”
”Oh, right, happy new year. I heard here the first of January is a holiday, and on the tenth there’s a parade and banquets, right? …Wait, you’re not listening, are you?”
Kian looked down at Eugenia, who trembled like an inchworm, her hips twitching. Dressed in a red string swimsuit, she was sucking in three of his fingers with her tear-like slit and spraying again and again.
The first climax of the new year.
It was the traditional first love-making of the year.
In the end, they had s** until morning on December 31, then he sent Eu back home.
After letting her nap, he called her again in the evening and went at it until morning once more.
The huge golden hourglass in the bath had just been turned for the third time since midnight. It was now three a.m.
Surely Eu was at her physical limit, and it was time to wash her and change clothes before sunrise. He wanted her home before her younger brother and sister woke, so unfortunately the training had to end here.
Kian lifted up the limp Eu, sat her on a bath stool, and quickly washed her hair and body. After that, he gave her a drink to make up for what she had lost and led her out of the bath.
In the kitchen he made a light bento for her and her family. Since she had no dislike for octopus or squid, he grilled them all with salt and packed them with some vegetables. Finally, he added a block of fine white bread (which had been quite expensive) and finished.
He put the bento, lemons, and a bottle of wine into a basket and returned to the bath. Eu, her face bright red, came out in a white one-piece dress, her hair tied up in a ponytail, still unsteady.
”Here, a gift.”
”Th-thank you~desuno.”
”And this is your s** fee.”
He pulled out one Azrael gold coin from his pocket.
He had given her money on the thirty-first as well, but at first she had refused to take it. Only after he explained it was hush money, payment for overtime, and a way to break up cleanly if needed, did she accept it unwillingly.
He did not know how much the Order of the Lightning Knights paid, but Eu clearly needed to eat more. He gave the coin with that wish in mind.
”My, you really are a strange man.”
”And you’re the one moaning nhhooo, nhhooo, yet you say that?”
”I-I didn’t say that!?”
”Well then, spend today quietly with your family, and from tomorrow do your best again. Take care of me during the training course.”
”Don’t you think you’re acting too casual? We just did something secret we can’t tell anyone. As for the course, I’ll take care of you as well…”
After two nights of nearly all-night training s**, Eu’s legs still shook. Too weak now even to push his hand away while saying “You’re gross~desuno!”, she let Kian escort her to the dorm of the Order of the Lightning Knights. At 02.30 in the morning, no one would see them, and unless her brother and sister talked too much, no one would know she had been out all night.
As yesterday, Kian landed his pterosaur golem in the bamboo grove inland from the base, then walked with Eu through the grove.
”Wait.”
”…What is it?”
Just before they reached the open plain in front of the base, Kian sensed something moving along the eastern coastal path.
There was almost no sound.
The night was dark under a thin moon, so an ordinary person would never notice. But with his vampire super senses, Kian could see the heartbeat of prey glowing red.
A shadow in the dark had fox ears on her head and a tail behind her waist. A woman. She glanced around quickly near the dorm wall where Eu lived, and, seeing no one nearby, she kicked off the ground and leapt over twenty meters.
She must have grabbed the window and gone into her room.
Kian felt no magic.
Even for a Beastman, it was an amazing ability.
Most likely, the shadow was the white fox Beastman girl Rita Corsano. She looked like someone with whom he could have a perfect duel.
”What is it~desuno?”
”Rita. She just went inside the dorm.”
”Ms. Rita? …At this time, I wonder why.”
”It’s almost five. If she was training, it’s not strange. By the time she wipes herself and gets ready, it will be six.”
”Everyone has the day off today except a few~desuno. Ms. Rita should be off too.”
”If she trains every morning at this hour, she’d train even if it’s a day off.”
Kian said this, but Eu frowned with worry.
”If she was already coming back at this time, then she must have started training at four a.m. She’ll ruin her body. Even if she has a handicap, that’s too much~desuno.”
”Handicap?”
”Ms. Rita is the only one among us who cannot use lightning to enhance her body. She can’t control electricity, so she has to win only with pure spear skill~desuwa. Her weapon is a spear with Blue Thunder Stone, so if she binds an enemy, she can run electricity through it thanks to the magic script, but…”
”Huh. …Wait, then Rita can’t even protect herself from electricity?”
The Order of the Lightning Knights used electricity to strengthen muscles and attack, and all of them had high resistance to it. Like the minotaurs under Asterios, they could even absorb it into their bodies.
It meant their bodies were built differently from normal humans.
If Rita couldn’t use lightning, then maybe she had no resistance to it.
Eu nodded, her face uneasy.
”Yes. Ms. Rita wasn’t born on this island and doesn’t carry the blood of the Knights. I heard she even failed the ‘Rite of Thunder Bathing’ at Mount Olympus when she joined.”
”What’s that?”
”It’s a ritual of receiving blood from one of the royals. For those born here, after the ritual, men or women, the power of lightning appears. I received blood from Princess Guria Selda. Ms. Rita did too. But… as expected, she never gained lightning powers.”
”And yet she still got into the Knights’ elite?”
”The Princess forced the Captain to let her in.”
”So, a connection admission.”
”That’s right. She joined the same year I did. At first, everyone gave her cold stares, since she came in through connections and had no lightning. But… she never gave in, and kept proving her skill.”
Eu looked down at her own calloused right hand.
”Anyone can work hard. That alone is not special. But not everyone can achieve results. Even without lightning enhancement, she became the best fighter in the Order with only physical skill and movement. I avoided her at first, so our relationship is awkward, but I respect her as a person.”
”So that’s why everyone goes quiet and listens when Rita speaks.”
”Yes. Ms. Rita is silent most of the time, but she thinks of her comrades first. She says what is needed when it’s needed. Not listening to her would be foolish~desuwa.”
Eu nodded firmly.
Kian, seeing Rita would not come out again, urged Eu forward and led her from the grove to the plain.
”I heard Rita is from Azrael. The Princess found her in a back alley while studying abroad.”
”So it seems~desuwa. But so what~desuno? She has talent, and she works hard. She’s loyal and cares for her comrades. Birth does not matter. She is an important member of the Knights~desuwa!”
”Rita was blessed with good colleagues.”
For a moment, Kian thought of asking if Eu knew Rita was hiding her power.
But there was little point in trying to sow discord within the Knights.
Recruiting should be done openly—by p**is.
Confident in his own manhood, Kian had no need for tricks.
”Well then, I’ll call you again when I want to jerk off.”
”You really are the lowest scum~desuwa!”
Eu turned back at the dorm’s stone wall, veins on her temple.
Kian waved it off lightly, heated up the bento he had given her, and left.
Eu soon went into the dorm.
The guard golems inside the wall did not react, meaning they must have special identification features. He wondered if they would sell him one as a sample.
’So, the date is over?’
”Yes. Sorry for boring you.”
’Not really.’
”Oh, because you were peeping, you weren’t bored?”
”――――!? Th-that’s not true! Stop making such lewd guesses, you pig!”
This was exactly the saying about betraying yourself by your own words, but Kian held back from saying it aloud.
Leaving the dorm, he decided to walk along the coast until the fishing village market opened. Isthbaran and Leanan Sidhe were off conquering Fire Island, Rou was exchanging money, and Leprobus was developing an uninhabited island—yet only he could enjoy s** and then a stroll.
It gave him a strange sense of superiority, like adventurers who felt proud returning to their inn at dawn after a night’s work, while others were only just setting out to hunt.
Now, the horizon was turning white with dawn as he walked, when Balinars came running from ahead with five of his men.
All six were covered in sweat, and their mood was sharp with tension.
”What a coincidence, Lord Balinars. Good morning.”
”Lord Kian.”
Balinars stopped, but the five men did not.
They moved to surround Kian.
”You are the captain of security. What are you doing here? This is Grass Island, near the base of the Order of the Lightning Knights.”
”And what are you doing here, Lord Kian?”
As he spoke, Balinars tightened his grip on his staff.
Behind Kian, one soldier scraped the sand with his step and lowered his body.
”I was only walking. I could not sleep. But whatever your reason, do you think it is wise to pick a fight with me, with only six men?”
”…!”
The soldier about to draw his sword stepped back in fear.
Kian’s eyes glowed with light as he looked left and right, and the soldiers shrank back.
”You should bring more meat walls and use group magic from far away to blow me apart.”
”Hey, stop it.”
”‘Yes, sir…’”
”Lord Kian, the truth is, we are searching this area for a suspicious person.”
Balinars, who usually wore a light smile, now spoke seriously.
”That is why we looked so hostile. Forgive us.”
”A suspicious person? Again? Last time you raided my trading house, the ‘suspicious person’ was Princess Guria Selda. I hope this time you are after a real suspect.”
”The one we seek is… someone from the Order of the Lightning Knights, Master Kian.”
The soldier who had drawn back stepped closer again.
”At the rocks ahead, someone was trading with a person Crete has secretly marked for capture.”
Balinars turned and looked behind.
The coastline stretched on, but beyond it indeed lay rocks full of hiding places.
There were no houses nearby, making it perfect for secret deals.
Kian thought of Rita for a moment, but said nothing.
”Yesterday at dawn, a magician’s butchered body was found on Water Island. So the security corps decided to patrol all of Crete. While patrolling, we saw shadows trading at the rocks. One fled into the sea. The other ran this way.”
”They were fast. Hard to follow.”
”But we, the soldier, are sure they were from the Order of the Lightning Knights. This sweat proves it.”
”Lord Kian, may I ask—was it you?”
”No, Lord Balinars.”
Kian pointed behind himself.
”I came walking from that way. That is the opposite of the rocks.”
”Then, did you see the shadow?”
”I do not know. I met no one while walking the sandy beach.”
”I see.”
”So, the body was found on Water Island, but you patrol Grass Island.”
Kian asked, and Balinars shrugged.
”We cannot trust the Lightning Knights. If something happens, I take the blame. I cannot say much, but it is likely the magician was killed by a warrior monk of Azrael. And Grass Island is the closest base of theirs.”
”I understand. But I am just a common man. If you think the shadow is one of the Lightning Knights, you should chase them at the base, not waste time here.”
”You are right. We will go. Move!”
”Yes, sir!” “At once!”
The men glared suspiciously at Kian, but they refreshed their Physical Ability Enhancement and ran along the coast.
When they were gone, Kian turned toward the woods where he had hidden and began to circle back.
* * *
Back at the merchant guild, he cooked breakfast with food bought at the market.
After that, he cleaned the bath ruined by Eugenia’s training and Mrs. Camilla’s chair.
Then he checked the mail. Nothing new today.
Even without paperwork, there was always work to do—cleaning the guild or sending supplies to the Island of the Minotaurs.
But instead, Kian went to his room, took bottles from his pocket, and lined them on his desk.
He wanted to practice the ability to create familiars, using parts of his own body.
Mrs. Camilla had used this power to make a crow familiar from a crow’s skull and deliver letters to him.
He had been thinking about it, and while walking earlier, an idea struck him:
”What if I mix my blood with thorn cells removed from Ms. Aliona, and form a familiar?”
Serendipity.
It was like lightning, a sudden and dangerous idea.
’Well, it should be easier than forming a crow. Even if you lack full images of muscle or bones, the thorn cells may fill the gaps.’
”Exactly. They disguised themselves as part of Ms. Aliona’s brain and grew on their own, changing freely. They are different.”
Kian smiled down at the thorn cells shaped like vines with spines.
He had seen familiars of this type before—during the fight with the Thorn Demon.
Creeping spider-like things that crawled on the ground.
They latched onto humans and took control.
Kian knew their nature well.
So he picked up the shortest vine—a fresh piece cut from Aliona—and opened the bottle.
He could have torn his palm, but it hurt and was unclean.
So he used s**en instead.
Thinking of Eugenia’s lewdness, he spilled it onto the thorn cells.
’Pig tool and Thorn Demon… which is stronger?’
”Of course, mine. If it is not a master root but only these follower cells, I can take them. Become mine!”
It was a sight that would make others doubt their eyes.
But Kian gave the order, and the thorn branch shook once, then swelled as it drank.
It grew until it formed a spider the size of his hand, leaping onto the desk.
Then it danced happily as he wished.
”Oh, so this is the power to give false life and command it. It is like making undead soldiers.”
’It feels different… but it moves. So maybe it is fine?’
”I must test if it can control human nerves too. I may try it on Eugenia. Enough. Back into the bottle.”
At his word, the thorn spider jumped back into the glass.
It coiled into vine shape again, mass preserved.
The ability was confirmed.
He thought of cleaning again for the first time in a week.
But then he heard the bell near the post box ring.
Probing, he sensed Rou and the guildmaster Michelangelo at the gate.
And one stranger.
He let Talia cleanse him with Penetration [T/N: magical purification spell] before leaving his room.
* * *
”Welcome back, Rou. Good day, Mr. Michelangelo.”
He opened the gate to the sandy beach, greeted Rou, and hugged Michelangelo, dressed in bright wine-red clothes.
”Master Kian, I hope the new year brings great success to you.”
”And I hope you have a good year as well, Mr. Michelangelo. And who is that with you?”
Kian looked past him to a dark-skinned man in a magician’s robe.
His skin was even darker than Kian’s.
He seemed of Eldorado descent, far south of Malc.
The magician greeted in a deep baritone.
”Nice to meet you, Master Kian. I am Yaya Banana. I run a magic tool shop on the west coast of this island.”
”Ah, so you are Mr. Yaya Banana.”
”Oh? You know of me?”
”Yes. I shopped at Master Magiello’s store, and heard your name then.”
”What! You were nearby? You should have visited my shop!”
He went inside the shop, but since most of the customers were couples flirting, he left right away. Incidentally, Yaya Banana also sold the same kind of shameless items as Magiello, such as aphrodisiacs.
”Guildmaster. The head of the merchant guild and the master of the alchemy guild have a personal request for you.”
Rou turned his narrow eyes toward the two men and spoke clearly.
”And about that other matter—we got the contract. For now, eight hundred swords and eight hundred crowns.”
”――――!? Already? And eight hundred!?”
”Oh my, what is this eight hundred? Do you mean silver coins?”
Michelangelo cut in with a bitter smile.
”As long as you pay what is due, I have nothing to say.”
”Of course I will pay the dues. Rou, well done. We’ll deal with that later.”
”Yes.”
”So then, what is this request for me?”
As Kian spoke, he noticed that the mustached magician who had come with Michelangelo last time was not here.
If he remembered correctly, the name was Luchian.
Since Luchian was a magician working for the merchant guild, his magic power was strong, and from his balance and movement, Kian thought he would also be good in a fight.
Kian glanced at the spot behind Michelangelo—where Luchian had stood last time. Perhaps noticing his expression, the guild head made a hoarse sound.
”Luchian is no longer with us.”
”Did something happen?”
”Yesterday, he was stung by a poisonous insect and died.”
Yaya Banana answered in a deep voice instead of Michelangelo.
His face was twisted with grief.
”He was my comrade. Ten years ago, in the war with Azrael, he fought beside me to block enemy grand magic. Together, we chanted spells and sank many ships. I still cannot understand why this happened. I am confused.”
”The reason we came to you today, Master Kian, is this very matter.”
Michelangelo continued.
”On the same day, one of the court mages was also killed. Sir Scipio is completely tied up with that case, so Luchian’s death was treated as just an accident. Perhaps it was even payback because I spoke too boldly before.”
”You spoke out to protect me from the authorities, didn’t you?”
”Of course, but also because I felt I had to oppose injustice.”
”Master Kian. There is no way that Luchian—a skilled magician—could die from a mere insect sting. We don’t even know what kind of insect it was. The guards have not started an investigation. That is why we want you to look into the cause of his death.”
Yaya Banana fixed his glowing white eyes on Kian.
He was a man of large build, yet still shorter than Kian.
Kian frowned.
”For an autopsy, wouldn’t it be better to ask a coroner or doctor?”
”Indeed, a coroner is a specialist in looking at bodies. But they are not specialists in the Warrior Monks of Azrael.”
”What do you mean?”
Kian asked, and Michelangelo answered.
”We think Luchian’s death was murder. Given the timing, it is very likely an assassination attack from Azrael. It was like ten years ago.”
”Ten years ago too?”
”Ten years ago, powerful magicians of the city were beheaded. Despite the guard and the Order of the Lightning Knights, our skilled magicians were cut down one after another.”
”Then it was with a sword—probably faster than the eye could follow, one strike to the neck. This time, we think they used insects. The Warrior Monks of Azrael use insects, don’t they?”
”They do.”
”Please, will you take this investigation? If not, Luchian’s death will remain a mystery.”
”If his death is a sign of more assassinations to come, we magicians and alchemists of the city must prepare. We need an expert.”
Both Michelangelo and Yaya Banana bowed their heads.
Kian glanced at Rou, who nodded once.
Since Rou had already secured the contract to sell their treasures, Kian had to transport them by pterosaur golem anyway. He could handle the guildmasters’ request at the same time.
’True. But if we take Rou, the merchant guild will be left completely unattended.’
(If Eugenia didn’t have her little brother and sister, I could ask her to watch the shop. Too bad.)
Kian put his hands on the guildmasters’ shoulders and nodded.
”Understood. Show me Ms. Luchian’s body and the site. It was yesterday, so I don’t know how much is preserved, but I’ll do what I can.”
”Ohh!”
”We are most grateful, Master Kian.”
They shook hands.
The advance payment was ten Azrael gold coins.
When the work was done, forty more.
If something important was discovered, there would be an additional reward.
Like the lecture fee from the Order of the Lightning Knights, large sums of money kept flowing to him. His sense of money was starting to dull.
Just this morning he had casually given Eugenia one gold coin. But thinking about it, that was more than a whole year’s income for an adventurer from a town on the eastern edge of the Franz Kingdom. If he didn’t keep his senses sharp, he might become a wasteful spender like Mrs. Camilla.
”Guildmaster. I have news for your ears.”
After the two guildmasters teleported to Water Island, Rou came closer and said this.
”What is it?”
”A new report from General Isthbaran. Strictly speaking, from Lady Leanan Sidhe, who assists him.”
”What’s the report?”
Rou, his narrow eyes still closed, spoke evenly.
”The investigation is hard. The general gave up on defeating the lava mole for now and is building a base on the eastern shore of Fire Island. According to Lady Leanan Sidhe, ‘the general is angry because his favorite sunglasses were eaten. He says he needs no help and will handle it himself, but he seems to need aid.’”
”I see. Understood.”
Considering his powers, Isthbaran would be poor against fire-using foes.
On top of that, their weapons had been worn down since Izerland’s government had drained their funds. Aliona was not there either. Help had always seemed likely.
”Lady Leanan Sidhe brought back the Salamander the general killed. He is thinking of ways to defeat it, but also wants your advice.”
”I see. But Salamanders are big, right? Is Lady Leanan Sidhe carrying the body?”
At Kian’s question, Rou put his hands together and bowed respectfully.
”They borrowed the grounds of an old man named Gaius, who lives on the high ground of Water Island, and quickly built a shed with alchemy. The body and Lady Leanan Sidhe are there.”
”He already prepared this much?”
”Yes. You may know, but Gaius is a mortician. He also keeps Luchian’s body. If we land the pterosaur golem at Gaius’s cliff, it will save time.”
”――――! That helps. We’ll depart at once. The shop will be empty, but you are needed. Sorry for no rest, but bring the goods with you.”
”Yes. As Guildmaster Kian wishes.”
Kian smiled at his reliable partner and quickly turned back toward the stairs leading to the beach. Behind him, Rou hurried toward the underground warehouse from the merchant house entrance.
Notes:
• Luchian – Magician serving Guildmaster Michelangelo Rendano of Crete’s Merchant Guild. Calm, graceful, and reliable, he aids him with conjured items and discreet support. First appears v4c21. Reminder: Loyal guild mage, quiet strength behind his master.
• Isthbaran – The High Warlord of the ‘Storm Herd.’
• Leprobus – Rou’s comrade who sacrificed his chance to escape during a pirate raid by pushing Rou off in a small boat. He returned to the deck, sword in hand, to protect the others. Distinguished by his giant blood and burning red hair, marking him as more than human. He is released by Kian on Cyclops Island jail.【v4c23】.
• Camilla – A woman; the subject of the chapter; her body was used to seal Erynys’ soul.
• Michelangelo – Guildmaster of Crete’s Merchant Guild, flamboyant and charming in purple-red finery. Diplomatic yet shrewd, allied with magician Luchia and representing the Guild’s interests. Greets Kian warmly with gifts, opposes Scipio’s restrictions, and requests aid against the Fire Island lava mole-dragon. First appears v4c21. Reminder: Charismatic merchant chief, smooth talker with pragmatic courage.
• Mag – The wolfwoman under Yelmar—the one who was caught by Kian’s group earlier.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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