Volume 3 Chapter 40 Love Call I
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
After passing through the gates of Châtillon, they headed east through the winding streets of the city.
They traveled about 5 kilometers down the main street, known as the “artery” of the eastern district, before Kian and Natra got off the carriage.
Priscilla would continue on the main street to the Adventurer’s Guild.
Kian and the others had to take a detour through the narrow alleys to return to their hideout, where Rufna was waiting.
They needed to change into more suitable attire for a night out in the pleasure district.
Although they thought it would be fine as long as they cleaned themselves up, it seemed that the casino where they would meet Abbas and Demete was off-limits to poor people.
The place was crawling with private soldiers of wealthy merchants, and they didn’t want to draw attention to themselves by showing up in their usual casual clothes.
”I see. So, you’re saying that we need to capture Sarah’s soul as it leaves her body, eliminate Wraith’s personality, and then have it settle in?”
Rufna, who had been waiting for them in the second-floor room of their hideout, cooking dinner, listened to their story with a difficult expression and let out a sigh.
The female dark elf stood up from her chair, which creaked in protest.
She walked over to the window, where the sea breeze was blowing in, and began to gaze out at the scenery, deep in thought.
Her silver hair fluttered in the wind, and her sleeves rustled softly.
A hush settled over the dim room.
”────”
Rufna stared out at a view fit for song—golden lights scattered like coins, the coast aglow, and a ship with red lanterns drifting across the dark sea.
To the west of the beach, a massive coliseum stood tall, surrounded by bonfires, and the sound of cheering could be faintly heard.
The lights of the high-class casino on the horizon were a kaleidoscope of colors.
”Rufna, is Lady Priscilla’s method possible in terms of necromancy?”
Natra, who was cutting up fish beside Kian, asked for an answer.
The flame of the candle reflected in the girl’s black eyes, making them sparkle and shine.
”If you know the tools to prevent souls from escaping and the incantation to fix them in place, then you might be able to do it. But capturing a soul form is impossible for ordinary humans. It requires a sharp sense, a supernatural sense that allows us elves to touch souls and feel the tiny existence that makes up objects.”
”Do you think Ms. Priscilla has that sense?”
”If she’s not an ordinary human, it wouldn’t be surprising if she did. By the way, fixing a soul to a physical body is similar to the law of immortality. Tampering with life is, according to our doctrine, an act that blasphemes Azrael, the god of life and death, and is considered a forbidden art.”
”If that’s the case, then you and I, Master, are guilty of fusing with familiars and should be punished.”
”Yeah, me and Milady Natra—we’re forbidden creations. If the gods really do exist, we’re probably cursed beings that’ll never be forgiven as long as we live. ――Master, I’m not against having Priscilla, help Lady Sarah. But Priscilla’s dangerous. She doesn’t just manage the forbidden archives of Châtillon—she can tamper with souls using forbidden arts. A terrifying witch. Don’t let your guard down.”
”I understand.”
”Then, it’s a matter of whether Sir Kian can defeat my sister.”
”It’s going to be a tough fight from the start, isn’t it? It’s impossible.”
”We have no choice but to think of a way to defeat her. Rufna, you too, think carefully.”
Rufna turned around, sat on the windowsill, and let out a sigh, saying “I guess so.”
”I knew Sir Kian before he was exiled, but he’s really no good. I mean, it’s hard to believe he defeated Shakerdoust’s son.”
”He had enough magic power, and Abbas thought I wouldn’t be able to use advanced techniques like ‘threads’ or ‘blast.’ I also had to hold back because the Great Sword’s power was too strong.”
”If it’s a trial in front of Azrael, then my sister will go all out. She won’t hold back. If she deploys a ‘Wall’ around her body from the start, your attacks won’t get through.”
”That’s true…”
”But if she keeps deploying the ‘Wall’ and staring each other down, it’s going to look bad. If you wait, she’ll probably disband the ‘Wall’ because she’s worried about what others will think.”
”Hey, hey, it’s all up to Lady Sarah, isn’t it? Sir Kian can’t win for sure, can he?”
”Hmm… that’s true. In that case, let’s store some magic power in something portable and absorb it on the spot.”
”The iron sword I brought was confiscated, so it’s unlikely, but I’ll look for something similar at Châtillon’s magic tool shop.”
”Ah, that’s right. How about we bring Priscilla along? According to Master, she can move in the other world without being affected by ghosts. If we rape her and take her magic power, it’ll be perfect!”
”That’s it! Sir Kian, why don’t you ask Lady Priscilla if it’s okay to rape her just once?”
”Are you guys serious?”
Kian furrowed his brow.
The work of fixing the soul is a delicate task, and if they have sex before that, it could cause their body to become paralyzed, increasing the chances of failure.
Besides, they won’t have time for sex after arriving, so they’re worried.
Instead of thinking about increasing magic power, they should come up with a plan to make do with the little magic power they have.
”Anyway, starting tomorrow, we’ll practice how to beat Sarah with little magic power. Natra, Rufna, if you’re free, help us out.”
”Got it” “Aye aye”
”Later, we’ll head to the pleasure street. Are you ready?”
”I’m ready to go anytime”
Natra, who answered immediately, was wearing her usual white top and skirt with little exposure.
She had black tights on under her skirt, and as usual, there was no gap.
When he saw the large white scarf-like object on top of her backpack, it seemed she planned to wrap it around her head and neck tonight.
”I’ve already changed clothes too”
”By the way, you’re not wearing your usual revealing outfit today.”
”Well, I thought if I dressed like this, I’d give off a more elegant and refined elf vibe. Hehehe.”
The beautiful dark elf woman, who was making a dish, let out a gentle laugh.
Natra put down the knife and fork.
The plate was empty.
”You’re always showing too much skin. You even put on makeup every time you go out, and with that, you’ll only end up being misunderstood by the men on the street.”
”Huh? You’re just being too uptight, milady. A woman’s got to dress up and show off her stuff. If you hide your skin like you do, you’ll only end up losing out. It feels great to have men look at you with desire, you know?”
”That’s too indecent. You should only show that kind of attitude to your loved one.”
”──By the way, I remember you wore a revealing outfit during our training sessions together.”
As Kian said that while drinking white wine, a loud clinking sound was heard.
It seemed Natra had accidentally caught her sleeve on the fork’s handle.
She picked up the fork and replied calmly.
”That wasn’t me trying to seduce you, Sir Kian.”
”Huh?”
”It’s just that it gets in the way when I move, and it’s hot, so I took it off. I didn’t have any other intentions.”
”Oh, I see. Is that so?”
”Yes. We exist to support Sir Kian. We shouldn’t have any romantic feelings towards you, and even if we did, it would be just an illusion. If we were asked to, we would offer our bodies, but we shouldn’t be the ones to seduce you… I think it would be unpleasant for Sir Kian to have those kinds of feelings towards us, his familiars.”
”Yeah, I guess we’re just naturally inclined to have affection towards our Master, after all.”
”More importantly, Rufna, aren’t you embarrassed to always dress like that? As an Azraelian, you should have more modesty──”
”If milady can learn to eat the vegetables she dislikes, I might just dress up properly for you too.”
”────”
”Natra, Rufna. You two are my women.”
Kian said quietly, putting down his fork.
He moistened his mouth with wine and continued.
”It’s nice to have you all look up to me, and I don’t feel empty or anything. I think I’ve been treating you all as individuals. I’ve told you this before, Natra, but…”
”Thanks, Kian♡”
”Thank you, Master.”
Rufna made a playful face and threw a kiss, while Natra responded in her usual calm tone.
Kian nodded silently.
He wonder what would happen if Sarah were here, just as she was when she was alive.
What would she think if she saw how Natra and Rufna have changed…?
Ever since he found out he could save Sarah, he has been having these new worries.
(Natra is Natra, and Rufna is Rufna. I’ve been treating them as individuals. But what would Sarah feel if she saw us…? I hope it’s not disgust.)
”…It’s almost time. Let’s go outside and wait for Ms. Priscilla’s arrival.”
”Please wait, Sir Kian. I’ll get your hair and beard ready.”
Natra quickly got up and started preparing the tools.
Rufna let out a wry smile.
”Yeah, Master. Your hair’s a mess, and your beard’s grown a lot since morning.”
”Rufna, lend me some hair oil. I need it to get Sir Kian ready. We can’t have him meet Abbas and Demete looking like a mess.”
”Got it.”
While Kian was sitting, his 2 familiars were busy fixing his appearance.
As he watched them, he couldn’t help but think of them as just one person.
Would they have never understood each other if he hadn’t made them his familiars…?
He didn’t, so he merged with wraiths and altered their memories and personalities.
But now, he couldn’t help but wonder about it.
* * *
”Wow, you’re a completely different person from the Lord Kian I met earlier. I guess it’s no surprise, given your noble upbringing. I guess you won’t need the clothes and perfume I prepared for you.”
Later on.
Shortly after arriving at the base, Kian got into the carriage and Priscilla, who was sitting inside, said this as soon as she opened her mouth.
She had changed into a loose-fitting silver dress from her witch attire, and instead of a hat, she wore a satin ribbon called Katyusha.
Under the soft glow of the magic stone lamp inside the carriage, she sat elegantly with her legs crossed, and her hair, which was styled in a way that accentuated her parting, gave off a more mature atmosphere.
The dress had a large opening at the chest and back, yet it cleverly concealed her flat chest with a clever design.
Around her neck was a golden necklace.
The delicate and understated design had not a hint of gaudiness.
Even her perfume had changed from a lemony scent to a sweeter, more high-end fragrance.
She seemed to be quite accustomed to attending evening parties like this.
She had said that she was a recluse, but now it seemed even more suspicious whether that was true or not.
”Thank you for your guidance.”
Maintaining a gentlemanly demeanor, he deliberately sat across from her.
Next to Kian was Rufna, and beside Priscilla was Natra.
”Thank you, Lady Priscilla.”
”Thanks for the ride, Ms. Priscilla.”
”No, no. More importantly, there’s been a change of plans. When I told Mr. Abbas and Demete that you were coming, they dropped all their other plans and said they’d meet you right away. They’re probably already at the casino.”
”I see. In that case, we won’t have time to buy decorations for tomorrow.”
”Ah, sorry about that. But would you mind meeting them first? ────By the way, will you accept my trade proposal?”
Witch’s black eyes turned to Rufna.
”I have no objections.”
”Good. ────What will you do while waiting for Lord Kian? Are you going to play at another casino?”
”We were thinking of checking out the stalls around the area. We might also scope out some decorations for Sir Kian to wear.”
”That’s efficient. I suppose we’ll part ways at the dock. ────Here, this is a residence permit. If the merchant’s private soldiers (those from Comune) stop you for questioning, just show them this and mention my name, and they shouldn’t give you any trouble. But try not to go to any shady places, okay?”
”Thank you very much.” “Thanks, I’ll make sure to keep it safe.”
Priscilla smiled gracefully and shook her head, then opened the fridge to offer Kian and the others drinks again.
If we didn’t know anything about her, she’d just seem like a kind older sister, but after her proposal, she came across as suspiciously sketchy.
Since no one was thirsty, Kian politely declined.
After a ten-minute carriage ride through the winding streets, we arrived at the docks.
Stepping out, we saw a boat bound for the offshore casino ahead and a path to the night beach to the right.
Behind us stretched a vibrant entertainment district filled with exotic charm, where the gate opened to a mix of foreign merchants and locals dressed like adventurers.
East End, of course, but even more so than Izerland Fortress,
countless races crowded the area.
It was noisy and seemed like a place with poor security.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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