Volume 10 Chapter 33 The Blood of Forestier
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
An adorably sulking cat-girl, Meina, puffed out her cheeks.
Behind her, Klock combed through her long hair, patting her head with a cautious “there, there,” as if trying to soothe a storm. Beside him, Suzette, the maid, glared with eyes sharp enough to flay him alive.
”Ready,” Rachel called from the living room doorway.
”Right.”
He turned to go, then paused halfway, frowning in brief thought before glancing back.
”I’ll be out for a bit. Try not to stay mad, yeah?”
With that, he made a hasty retreat—only for two pairs of footsteps to follow. When he looked back, both Meina and Suzette were trailing after him, faces stiff with displeasure.
…Well, whatever. He’d planned to tell them sooner or later anyway.
They arrived at the garden of the Valture estate—a space neither wide nor cramped, where a cart stacked with magic stones waited. He’d ordered them there earlier.
”What is it you intend to do, sir? No, I suppose it’s rude to ask,” Suzette said coolly. “It must be something grand indeed—grand enough, perhaps, to justify coming home after making friends with strange women.”
”…”
Even if they’d accepted his habit of keeping company with women, it didn’t mean they were fine with him actually straying. That little adventure with the girls earlier? Still very much cheating.
Suzette turned away with a huff. Meina puffed her cheeks again, refusing to look at him. Klock’s shoulders sagged under their combined sulk, while Rachel muttered from the side,
”That’s what you get for fooling around, idiot.”
He groaned. “Ah, Rachel. You ever wanted to try using magic?”
”Huh? Magic?”
Their moods could wait. First things first. Rachel tilted her head at his sudden question.
”Well… sure, I’ve thought about it. But isn’t magic power limited? And I don’t have that bracelet on me—Kaitney’s holding it like you said, so I wouldn’t waste it.”
”That’s fine. Starting today, you’re going to be a magic-user. This scroll’s for that.”
”…A magic-user?”
The dragonfire would burn the scroll instantly—no second chances. No tests, no practice runs. One shot.
”I’m going to engrave this magic into you using my Unique Skill.”
”…Unique Skill?”
If it were just Rachel, he’d have said it proudly. But with the other two behind him, the words came awkwardly.
”Wait. You mean that Unique Skill…?”
”What else?”
Rachel’s expression twisted in confusion. She hadn’t known him long enough to be surprised—but the pair behind her certainly had. When he glanced back, Meina blinked wide-eyed, and Suzette’s brow furrowed hard.
”Listen up. Before we start, I’ll explain the basics of a magic circle. It’s a system built from a core and an outer shell—this part stores magic power, this line channels it, and this ring activates the spell, like so—”
”W–wait, wait! Too fast! I don’t get it!”
He gave a rough summary, set the magic stones aside, and spread the scroll open. All that remained was to pass its spell to her—to bestow the circle’s magic onto Rachel, who had none of her own.
A magic circle could grant ownership, servitude, or power. The structure differed, but the theory was the same. If he could strip marks like Adelina’s slave seal or the Bastili Hundred Pits’ crest key, then a scroll’s circle was no different.
He’d take the stripped circle and give it to her. That was the plan.
He activated his skill—*Dominion*.
Pressing his palm to the scroll, he felt the inscribed sigil peel away with a faint shimmer, its magic dissolving into nothing.
”There. It should be imprinted on you now.”
Only a blank page remained in his hand—proof of success. He couldn’t sense it directly, but Rachel stood still, blinking in dazed surprise.
”What’s wrong?”
”Uh… weird. It’s like heat running through me…?”
Good. That meant it worked. He exhaled in relief—there’d be no second attempt today.
”That’s your magic power—the energy stored in the scroll. I’ve just given you the dragonfire spell. As long as you feed it external magic power, you can wield it.”
Those with little innate magic couldn’t sense it. But when it coursed through the body, it felt like warmth through the nerves—a living current. Rachel was feeling that now. Promising indeed.
”Can you move that heat, like with your own will?”
”Uh… move it? Wait—yeah, I think so? What is this?”
”Good. Then start by drawing power from the magic stones. The spell I gave you is fire-element. The stones are fire-type too—same flow. Channel their energy into the pattern. Trust me, it’s not that hard. Just stay calm and follow my lead.”
”O-okay…”
He remembered his own first time. The first moment he’d realized he could draw power from outside himself. It hadn’t been difficult—just strange, exhilarating.
Now Rachel stood where he once had, fumbling yet eager. She wrestled with the invisible current, guided by instinct and his voice. Excitement brightened her eyes—the same fever he’d felt as a boy when he first lit a spark and lost himself in study.
Less than an hour later, the quiet garden of the estate shook with an explosion.
* * *
The scroll lay blank in his hands when he returned. Suzette frowned at it, arms folded. Meina still sulked nearby.
”Ah… yeah. Sorry. Should’ve told you.”
Suzette stood silent in the living room. Normally she’d have seized his hand and scolded him raw, but today she only sighed.
”…What is it? Ah. The Unique Skill.” Her voice softened. “Then it was a sound decision. Strategically correct. You needn’t apologize.”
He’d never told anyone outside his close circle before. Unique Skills weren’t meant to be shared widely—they were secrets one carried to the grave. Not that he’d sworn an oath of silence, but still… it felt wrong to expose it further.
The air between them turned awkward, like a lover caught cheating. Which, technically, he had been—just earlier, in fact, with all of them watching.
”I’m glad to know you’re not the sort who brags about such things. It would’ve been embarrassing. So… what exactly did you do?”
Was that supposed to be reassurance? He scratched his cheek, half amused, half uncertain.
”I used my Unique Skill to engrave dragonfire into Rachel.”
”Then the dragonfire—does that mean it’s carved somewhere on her body?”
”Yeah.”
Now, as long as Rachel could supply magic power, she could use magic. The mark bound her to the spell’s element—fire—and required matching stones to activate, but that was a small price. No need for expensive magic tools anymore; just hold the right stone, and she could cast. And unlike enchanted gear, no one could snatch that power from her hands.
Strictly speaking, it wasn’t a spell but a magic circle. That difference mattered—it lowered the threshold for activation. No need for deep focus or ritual incantation; a touch of energy and it responded, as simple and instinctive as a breath. In that sense, it resembled a Unique Skill—something even a novice like Rachel could handle.
”I have several questions,” the maid said evenly. “But why do this at all? Would it not be more efficient to use it yourself?”
”No. Strengthening others is better. More power means more options.”
”But the magic stones—magic consumes them rapidly. She’ll need a considerable supply.”
He nodded. “True enough. Each casting turns a gem into rubble. And magic stones aren’t exactly lying around in the streets. It’s like throwing gold to make it explode.”
”Then how will you manage that?”
”I plan to use them ruthlessly,” he said, a dangerous glint in his eyes. “Even if word spreads, I’ll accept it.”
”…What do you mean?”
”Not just Rachel. I’m going to make one new magic-user every day—train them out of Brigante’s ranks. We’ll flood this war with magic until the field itself burns.”
That was his idea—mad, wasteful, brilliant. A strategy no sane commander would attempt, and yet he was certain it could turn the tide.
”You spoke of revolution before,” Suzette murmured. “Was this what you meant? But if you fight like that, the magic reserves will be drained in no time.”
”Of course. It’s for decisive moments only. We held the fort once, but the war’s still brutal. Sooner or later there’ll be a battle that decides everything. When that happens, I want us to have overwhelming firepower.”
He remembered the fortress—the narrow walls, the endless waves of monsters. He’d thought clever tactics and limited numbers could hold the line. But in the end, fear had undone them. The soldiers had trembled at the enemy’s sheer size and fury. Had the battle continued, they would have been crushed.
He’d learned then that massive firepower changes everything. Primlena’s tsunami had proven it—one overwhelming force could ignite courage. A visible, undeniable power could become a banner to rally behind. That was what Klock intended to create.
”It’s not like I wanted to start this war,” he muttered. “But Cianie’s with us. When the strongest in the world fights on your side, you don’t stand back—you follow. And if I’m asking people to stand behind me, they need to believe we’re strong too.”
From that day forward, Klock began selecting soldiers—one each day—to become newly minted mages under his command.
* * *
That night, just as he was about to rest, Flavia, who had been missing, finally returned.
”You’re late,” he said.
”My apologies.”
She found him alone for once, no woman in the room this time—fortunate, since she came with business. He gestured for her to sit.
”First, I must apologize,” she began, bowing deeply. “Though ordered to guide through the Void, I was delayed in returning. I accept whatever punishment you deem fit, but beg leave to explain—”
”Enough, enough. Don’t bow like that. I’m not here to scold you. Just tell me what happened.”
Her formal speech drew a weary smile from him, but it was oddly comforting—Flavia hadn’t changed a bit.
”I’m grateful. Then, to report: the Fairy Queen Palze has sent an offer of cooperation.”
”Cooperation?”
”She wishes to build a close alliance with you, Master. To that end, she requests that the negotiation with the Beast Demon Tribe—previously entrusted to me—be handed over entirely to the Fairies.”
”So the Fairies want to negotiate in our stead?”
”Precisely. They say persuasion will come more easily from them.”
So Palze had detained Flavia for that reason. He’d suspected as much. The queen had likely used Flavia to gauge his stance, to weigh her next move.
”That can’t be allowed,” came a clear, sharp voice.
”…Huh?”
”Master entrusted those negotiations to me. The Fairies have no right to interfere.”
A ripple of air split, and from nothing stepped a small, radiant girl—Kispe, who had been previously mentioned as part of Klock’s circle. She had appeared without warning, eyes steady, tone edged.
”The Fairies bear no ill will toward Princess Asura,” she said calmly. “We won’t meddle in the infiltration of the Serpent Demons. Queen Palze’s interest lies only in the horsefolk of Nobdovef.”
”And how do they plan to ‘convince’ them?” Klock asked.
”If persuasion fails, they intend to act accordingly—to make a show of loyalty to you, Master.”
”‘Act accordingly,’ huh. That sounds ominous.”
It was. The Fairies were no harmless folk; facing them was as dangerous as crossing the Succubi.
”What do you think, Kispe?”
”I believe they’ve assessed the shift in power,” she replied. “Palze is intelligent. She likely realizes my allegiance now lies with the Hero’s side. She’s trying to be pragmatic—and if so, we might as well make use of that.”
If Kispe had joined the Hero’s ranks, anyone who knew her would take notice. Even the willful Palze had faltered upon seeing her. Princess Asura’s influence clearly reached beyond the Demon Lord’s army—deep into Fairykind itself.
”Did Isabella mention anything? About Avery?”
”No message in particular.”
No word, then. Perhaps she didn’t intend to justify Avery’s actions—or the attempt on Primlena’s life. He wasn’t angry, just uneasy. He still didn’t understand why.
”Nothing else to discuss?” he asked quietly.
”She only asked a few things—how life here’s been, what the people around you are like, your relationships with the other women, whether you’ve, well… prepared any heirs yet. Just idle talk before I returned.”
”…”
Kispe smirked. “Fufu♡”
She smiled with wicked delight, while Flavia kept a perfectly straight face. Klock looked away, throat tightening under their twin gazes.
”…We leave tomorrow or the day after. Send word through the Void.”
”Understood.”
He’d let them handle it. Time was short. There was no room for long negotiations; the Fairies would have to take charge.
”Kispe, what about Ninfa? I’ll leave the entire negotiation to you.”
”If no one objects, I’ll approach her as planned. We all agreed on this before. And she’s troublesome as an enemy—better to have her bound as an ally.”
The Beast Demon Tribe was a broad name, a confederation of many beasts. Among them, the serpent demons were said to have the lower half of a snake—and, like merfolk, could assume human form.
”Then tell me more about this Ninfa.”
”My, my. So Master’s interested in her. The feel of serpentine skin, hmm? Understandable. You always aim for what you haven’t yet claimed—so very you, Master…♡”
”It’s a strategic question! Not—dammit, I’m not appraising women!”
Kispe laughed, a low, teasing sound. Always quick to jab the moment he let his guard down—and doing it beside Flavia made it worse.
He hadn’t so much as touched Flavia, though they were formally engaged. She never showed it, but he knew she cared about that. Best not to stir the embers.
”Anyway, she’s a Unique Skill holder, right?”
”Yes. A snake woman with venomous fangs. Her bite turns her prey to gold—slowly, while they drown in pleasure.”
A snake that gilded instead of petrified—strange. Poison didn’t need magic; anyone could smear toxins on a blade.
But still… unnerving.
Not dangerous compared to the girl before him—or Palze, for that matter.
”She’s part of the Beast Demon Tribe, but the serpents resent their current rule,” Kispe explained. “They’re powerful yet marginalized. Their homeland reduced to dust and bottles. A woman like her—discontent, ambitious—is ripe for persuasion.”
”I see…”
An ambitious outcast. The perfect target for subversion.
”I’ll leave Ninfa entirely to you. Take what you need—up to a hundred gold coins.”
”My. You trust me that much?”
”I do. But don’t fail. If you don’t want to end up under Palze’s thumb, make sure it works.”
”…As you command.”
Kispe smiled faintly, understanding the real meaning behind his words.
Palze was a predator—one who struck wherever weakness showed. If Kispe stumbled, the Fairy Queen would seize her moment, swelling her power until even Klock might have to bow.
Palze had changed her tone the moment she met Kispe. Kispe’s allegiance now bolstered Klock’s authority; should that image crack, the Fairies would no doubt shift again. He could reject their help outright—but that might push them toward the Demon Lord’s Army. That, he couldn’t risk.
Neither trusting nor discarding the Fairies was safe. Better, then, to favor Kispe openly—to keep Palze’s faction in check.
”Are you wary of the Fairies, Master?” Flavia asked. “Then why not demand Kupira’s transfer now?”
”No. Not yet. We’ll move for the witch only after taking Ms. Viola from the Moon Court.”
”….”
Kispe’s tone left no room for debate. Flavia glanced toward Klock for support. He merely shrugged—this was Kispe’s priority, and he wouldn’t interfere.
”I’m sorry, Flavia,” he said. “But my impression of Palze isn’t great. She treated me like a fool during our meeting.”
”…What!?”
”And Isabella… she said nothing. When Palze tried to corner me, Isabella just watched. I don’t like that.”
”I… I doubt she meant harm,” Flavia said softly. “She might have sensed Princess Asura’s presence.”
Klock frowned. “She noticed Kispe?”
”Yes. Queen Isabella said she felt something—muttered that perhaps you’d allied with Princess Asura. She was wary.”
He exhaled. “Guess having a succubus queen break into your realm would do that.”
”Princess Asura is known to be close with the dark sorceress Parl Forestier,” Flavia added. “To us Forestkin, Parl is a lifelong enemy. It’s only natural to be cautious.”
”What the hell… her own kin say that?”
Parl’s name again. Always that name. And of course—it made sense. Parl was a Forestkin.
”She destroyed our nation,” Flavia continued quietly. “Joined the Abyss, betrayed the Void, betrayed the Hero and the Saint alike. To us, she is shame incarnate—a sickness that rotted the royal line.”
Too much information at once. Klock blinked, trying to piece it together.
”Wait—royal line?”
”She was once Princess of the Forest Nation, Forestier. Queen Isabella—Isabella Forestier—is her cousin, descended from a branch family that rebuilt the kingdom through the Void.”
”…So they’re related.”
Parl, kin to Isabella. It made grim sense now.
”And she betrayed the Hero and Saint… what, from the first Chosen Ones? Or—”
Before he could finish, Kispe’s lips curled into a knowing smile. That same eerie, playful curve he’d come to dread.
”Master,” she said softly.
”…Yeah?”
”Three hundred years ago, Ms. Parl was part of the first Hero’s party.”
”…What?”
The first Hero—the one who ended the Great War by slaying the Demon King. They hadn’t been called “Heroes” or “Saints” back then; those titles came after, born of their deeds.
The girl smiled, sweet and sinister, as though about to drop another secret just to watch his reaction.
Notes:
• Meina – She is a golden-haired catgirl employee of the beastman (Larana the cat woman) Inn, appeared performing fellatio, desperate and tear-streaked, with an inexperienced yet earnest approach to her work.
• Suzette – The older maid from Viscount Fennec. The head maid at the Viscount Fennec’s villa. She is confident, clear-spoken, and professional.
• Valture – A district within the Conro Federation, administered by Baron Kreis Borges. Outwardly it appears stable and prosperous, but its politics run on favors and hidden bargains, making it a place where strangers like Klock can be measured as assets or prey the moment they arrive.
• Adelina – The slave girl.
• Primlena – Orange-haired merfolk priestess, fierce yet elegant | First v8c3 | Sister of Sea General Primjune, subordinate to Primrity | Once captured and violated by Klock, now obsessed with reclaiming honor | Commands Obsidian Riders on giant fish, fights with trident | Seeks to drag Klock to Seabed Temple for marriage trial or execution | Unique note: revenge-driven siren bride who masks fury under ritual grace
• Cianie – A noble girl with a fluffy white and light blue dress, indicating her high status. She has a hesitant and flustered personality but is kind and courteous. Her relationship with Klock begins as an accidental encounter and develops into a romantic interest. She has a fiancé but expresses feelings for Klock, complicating their relationship.
• Flavia – Younger Forestkin princess (132). Gentle yet resolute. Sent by Queen Isabella as marriage pledge to Klock, the Chain Binder, symbolizing the Void’s loyalty to the Goddess Teekua.
• Palze – A female character mentioned in relation to Succubi and beastkin, representing the complexities of non-human races.
• Nobdovef – An elder leader of the beast tribes mentioned as failing to coordinate with Viola’s forces during the Orrid raid. No personal ties shown. Unreliable commander.
• Avery – Forestkin princess, Isabella’s eldest daughter, appearing after Klock meets the Phantasmal Beast. Questions her mother about Klock, the Chosen One. Sister to Flavia. Linked to peace with Humans. No direct tie to Klock. Calm, proud, analytical nature.
• Isabella – Forestkin queen, appears after Klock meets the Phantasmal Beast. Leads peace talks with Humans. Mother of Avery, Flavia. Calm, strategic ruler.
• Ninfa – A figure whom Kispe aims to sway during negotiations, crucial to the success of a potential truce.
• Kupira – A female Fairy outcast with white hair, porcelain skin, and cursed golden eyes, born from Palze’s (a Fairy Queen) obsession and abandonment, chosen by Kispe (a Succubus familiar) as a potential familiar for Klock (a male leader)
• Parl Forestier – She is the Demon King’s strategist, appeared as a sharp-eared, high-pitched voice, known for her role in annihilating resistant tribes.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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