Chapter 580

「My hips hurt……s.e.x with Aegir is too intense.」

Lucy groans as she languidly changes position.

Her t.i.ts, which had been squished into the bed, jiggle as she lies on her back and then point to the ceiling before spreading out slightly to the left and right.

「After a woman climaxes, you’re supposed to switch to light caresses and whispers of love. Swinging your hips until the woman’s eyes roll back is too cruel.」

Lucy complains, beckoning me with her hands.

When I move closer, her graceful hands wrap around my head and pull me into her ample cleavage.

「At the end, I was screaming and couldn’t come back from the climax……your actions are rough even for a vampire.」

Her plump b.r.e.a.s.t.s smack my head from side to side.

「Hearing Lucy scream on the verge of o.r.g.a.s.m turns me on.」

「So you get aroused from seeing me suffer……you’re terrible, Aegir. Fufu.」

「It’s ten times worse for me, having to listen to it right next to you.」

Celia determines that we have finished and wedges between us, forcibly putting my pants on so I don’t start a second round.

「Nevertheless……」

Lucy trails off, combing back her disheveled hair and using a wet towel to wipe my saliva off her b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

「I’m surprised Aegir and that girl are fine. During the earlier stages, the urge of blood-sucking feels like starvation and is enough to make writhe in agony. It’s not uncommon for vampires to lose their sense of reason and indiscriminately attack humans.」

「Blood tasted good. My instincts also urged me to suck it.」

「But it’s not enough to make me rampage. Tomatoes can be used as a decent subst.i.tute.」

Celia and I exchange looks, peck each other on the lips and then rub our noses together.

「That’s not what I know. I guess it must have been some complication I had during mutation or simply because Aegir is abnormal.」

「I’m abnormal even after becoming a vampire?」

I stretch and step down from the bed.

The three of us moved our residence from the cave to a hunter’s cabin.

Despite being vampires, living in a cavern is hard, and we wanted a bed and a roof.

The owner of the cabin was eaten by wolves a short distance away, leaving the place vacant, perfect for vampires who want to hide from the world.

A ray of sunlight s.h.i.+nes in through a crack in the closed window.

「Mu, I was so absorbed that I didn’t realize it became morning.」

「Indeed. Shall we sleep until the sun――」

Not sure what Lucy said, I spoke over her and put a hand on the wooden shutter.

「Bathing in the morning sun will give you the energy for the day ahead.」

「Eh?」

Celia let out a weird noise right as I flung the shutter wide open.

「Guwaaah!!」

The heat felt like the flames of a dragon.

「Aah, Aegir-sama, there’s smoke coming out! You’re getting burned!」

「Close it! Close the window!!」

Celia throws something to shut the window.

「Why would you expose yourself to the sun as a vampire!? Are you an idiot!?」

I wave away the smoke dejectedly as Lucy scolds me.

「I forgot because of how recent it was. Mgh……my entire body hurts.」

「You’re lucky that you didn’t turn into ash……I won’t forgive you if you died from a clumsy mistake after swearing to be with me for eternity.」

Lucy pats her chest in relief.

My throat feels dry, perhaps because I was burnt.

The water jug is empty too, I guess I’ll have to fetch some.

「It’s good that there is spring water close to this cabin. We can freely drink the fresh tasty water.」

「Eh?」

Celia lets out a strange noise right as the door swings wide open.

「Dowaaaah!!」

「Aegir-sama, are you an idiot!?」

「Gosh, should I cut off your arms and legs until you become more aware!?」

I plop face-first onto the bed with smoke rising from all over my body.

「I give up. I don’t feel like doing anything in the morning anymore.」

「Don’t make the morning as a starting point in the first place.」

I roll around in bed, wrap Celia in a blanket, and pull Lucy in too.

These two are my family now……it’s just the three of us.

「How many days went by since then?」

Although I’d like to act like I have no concept of dates as a vampire with no lifespan, Celia keeps a memo with her schedule so I unfortunately know the exact date.

It’s been two months since Celia and I stopped being human.

I gaze in the direction of the palace.

It should barely be visible from a hill.

Since I’ll burn up, I can’t even peek out of a window.

Sensing my unease, Celia slides up to block my vision and pushes her cute b.r.e.a.s.t.s in my face.

「Don’t you think that’s enough? We are not humans anymore. We have nothing to do with them and we must not have anything to do with them.」

Now that we’re monsters of the night, we can’t just nonchalantly waltz into the palace.

I know that much.

「The stupid worthless slug that is Antonio seems to be doing oh so well.」

Celia comments scornfully.

We aren’t just staying cooped up in this place.

Night after night, we visit nearby villages to satiate our urges and suck the blood from careless pa.s.sersby.

Even though there’s nothing I can do about it, I end up hearing tales of the “happenings after I died”.

Combining the different stories together gives me the broader picture.

「It seems he’s going pretty overboard.」

When I continue the conversation, Celia unhappily pulls out her notes from a pouch on her waist.

She’s using the pouch because her cleavage is too small to store anything.

「Stupid-tonio killed everyone who came to protest when he declared himself king as a form of disobedience, and that would be fine if that was all…… I’m sorry, those who praised him for liberating them from a “tyrant” were also killed for disrespecting the crown.」

He is using the same method I did except he is more uncompromising and thorough.

「Hmmm. But if he’s so severe, wouldn’t that spark a rebellion?」

Lucy poses casually as she crawls her hand over my crotch.

「Idiot-tonio knows that and is utilizing intelligence officers and a unit commanded by Leopolt-san to crush them the moment they disobey. It’s like he knows who will act out and who will chicken out from the start. And for some reason, the minister of justice is fighting as his minion.」

「Ehh, isn’t that incredible?」

Lucy fondles me more with her hand as she rubs her forehead against my chest.

It’s clear that she has lost all interest in politics.

「Additionally, Trash-tonio has turned the country’s army……into a useless training squad, dismantling them splendidly. The commander of the Federation’s vanguard saw it as an opportunity and attacked, breaking the secret agreement.」

And what was the result?

「A large contingent of elite soldiers were laying in wait and decisively thwarted them, and during the pursuit, multiple towns were burned to the ground along with its people down to the last tree to set an example.」

Given the scale of damage, the effect on the Federation is insignificant.

But it will make the Federation realize.

That the army will still be strong even if the king is killed, and that the new king is stricter and more ruthless than me.

With that, it at least stops them from making a move so easily.

And they will, as antic.i.p.ated, prioritize attacking the Empire.

Lucy doesn’t bother to nod or signal like she’s paying attention and continues touching me.

「Slug……it’s hard to say. Slug-tonio has……mumu……」

I wrap Celia’s adorable round face and cut her off.

「He has ma.s.sacred n.o.bles and enemies, but he hasn’t laid a finger on his family. He hasn’t exiled anyone from the palace either.」

Celia opens her mouth, thinking of another insulting name to call him, but refrains and rephrases her sentence.

「He just granted his biological mother, Catherine-san, a special position and declared his sister, Rose, as his wife.」

「That sounds incredible, now that you put it in words.」

Lucy, who has regained interest, cackles.

「As soon as he made the declaration, Rose slapped him as hard as she could, and Anastasia cursed him with words that even a town girl would not utter, but he returned to his throne like nothing had happened.」

Imagining what the atmosphere would be like makes both me and Lucy laugh.

「But it seems Catherine-san was in an absentminded state from beginning to end and didn’t even respond.」

That put an end to my laughter.

「Also, it seems Nonna-san cried loudly in the middle of the coronation ceremony, he rolled Anastasia over who he had pinned down, and he glared at Myla-san when she didn’t obey his order…… Antonio’s reputation is at rock bottom, not only among the n.o.bles, but also among the citizens, well of course it is!」

I continue to look at the window through which the morning sun leaks while quieting Celia, who is furious at the memory.

It’s natural for his reputation to take a hit, and I’m sure he’s having a hard time.

「Ei.」

I hear a tearing sound and feel a sharp pain run through my body.

Lucy ripped a handful of pubic hair.

Just when I’m about to say how mean she was, Lucy stands up, completely naked.

「You weren’t reacting at all, are you that interested? You want to see them?」

「I can’t go back now. I’m not human and if I go back……」

The feeling is enough to make me want to rub my hands nervously, but because that would look uncool, I squeeze Celia’s cheeks instead.

Celia fusses while Lucy sighs and flicks my forehead.

「You didn’t answer me. I asked if you are interested and if you want to see them?」

I reply, rubbing Celia’s cheeks together hard enough for the friction to produce heat.

「Of course I’m interested. Of course I want to see them. I told Nonna that I’d be back by nighttime and didn’t even say goodbye.」

Celia stops fussing.

I look at the window I can’t peek through once again.

「But there’s nothing I can do. n.o.body will proceed to die after announcing they will die. To live is to regret.」

The same applies to the guys who were once beside me and the guys I defeated.

Nothing will change no matter how selfish I am.

「Then shall we go?」

Just when the mood was all set up, Lucy silently puts on her clothes.

「Where to?」

Lucy points to the outside.

「To the capital.」

「Like I said, that isn’t……」

I hug Celia close.

Her body, which supposedly lacks heat, felt warm.

As you can expect, I have to be indecisive here.

Returning as a dead person surely can’t be a good thing.

It would give the women false happiness and it would ruin Antonio.

「Of course, the inhuman Aegir can’t return. Or rather, I won’t let you return.」

She states in a serious tone before giving me a peck on the lips.

「However, it should be fine to go say your goodbyes.」

I can’t answer right away.

The women will definitely cry.

And they’ll also be happy with my return.

But since my life as a human is over, I have to part with them immediately.

Their joy would be short-lived as I’d have to leave.

「Gosh, I’ve had enough of your bad habit!」

Lucy looks at me head-on.

Reflected in her red eyes is a pathetic, dithering man who is only good for his muscles and his d.i.c.k.

「Which is more painful for you, saying goodbye to me or me disappearing without a word?」

Celia, who has settled in my arms, also chimes in.

「Everyone would certainly be delighted, then several times more sad afterward. Compared to not being able to see you again……」

I slam my forehead against the wall, smack my cheeks, and whip my d.i.c.k on the bed.

「I was worrying about trivial things. Alright, let’s go.」

Lucy and Celia smile.

I swing open the door, thinking that putting on clothes would be a waste of time.

The sunlight beams down.

「Zuwaaaaah!!」

「Why don’t you learn!?」

「I’m not sure if you’ll live ten years, let alone eternity……」

I stand on the window frame and peer into the room.

There isn’t a single candle lit inside, but as I am now, that doesn’t hinder my ability to see.

In the largest room of the palace, sleeping in the middle of the largest bed was Nonna.

The bed is fluffy, the air is the perfect temperature, and I’m sure a lovely scent is wafting from the flowers on the table.

Despite all that, her sleeping face is strained and her eyebrows are furrowed.

「Hic……sniff……」

I hear soft crying come from her chapped lips, which gradually grow louder.

「You said……you’d be back at night……no……don’t go……uuuuu……」

Her cries turn to sorrowful groans and she takes her arms out of the blanket, waving them wildly.

Tears spill endlessly from her closed eyes.

And then, from the adjacent room……which was originally meant for servants, Bartolome comes running with a lamp and takes Nonna’s hand, comforting her with pats to her shoulder.

「Mother, mother.」

Nonna opens her eyes, sees the concerned Bartolome and acknowledges him with a long, long sigh.

「Did……I cry in my sleep again?」

She drinks the water offered to her and hugs Bartolome.

The door of the adjacent room on the opposite side also opens.

「Mother.」

Anastasia, who is on the verge of tears……no, who is already crying, waddles in.

「Aah, did you wet the bed again?」

The crotch area of her pajamas is soaked.

Anastasia hangs her head and silently throws her clothes to the ground, then jumps into Nonna’s chest.

The usual Nonna would have screamed loud enough for the entire inner palace to hear, but she doesn’t say anything this time and simply hugs her children and sobs.

This isn’t the scene I wanted to see.

I guess it’s good I came. What was I worried about?

Her beloved disappeared without a goodbye.

This is the result.

I open the window without making a sound.

「I’m sorry. I should be strong, yet when Aegir-sama isn’t here, I can’t……I can’t……」

The three of them cry in each other’s arms in the center of the bed.

I spread my arms wide and embrace them altogether from the outside.

I make sure my hands are touching all of them and I’m not hugging too tightly.

「I said I would come back at night but I didn’t. I’m sorry.」

「Eh?」

Everyone looks up, and their eyes make contact with mine.

I’m tempted to say “I’m back”, but I hold back and nod without uttering a word.

「A……aaah……aaaaah……」

「Father!」

Nonna’s eyes widen and her body begins to tremble.

At the same time, Anastasia pounces on me energetically……actually it’s closer to a tackle.

The blow that hit my waist from behind might have caused me to stumble if not for the difference in our weight.

Damm, she must have learned the move after watching fights in the arena many times.

「Aegir-sama is alive! He has returned! Someone, get someone――」

Nonna grabs my hand and tries to yell, but I place a finger on her lips and slowly shake my head.

「I’m sorry. I haven’t returned and I’m not alive.」

Bartolome stares blankly at his hand after it touched me.

「Cold……father is as cold as ice.」

Nonna’s smile fades.

Anastasia buries her head so much in my lower back that I’m worried whether she can breathe.

「I came to say goodbye.」

「Y-you……can’t be……!」

Nonna extends her hands to grab my face and chest.

「I’m still going to touch you even if you’re cold! These thick arms, this hot chest, this face and back, all belong to Aegir-sama, the person who has embraced me countless times! Yet why……why!!?」

I take her hand and hug her.

I don’t have time to explain everything and I probably don’t need to.

Nonna surely knows the truth.

It’s just that she loves me and can’t accept it easily.

What should I say?

I didn’t prepare any phrases.

“I love you”, “sorry”, “I don’t want to go”.

Those don’t seem right.

I have those feelings, but those aren’t the final words I want to convey to her.

Aah, I know.

「It was truly fun. Thank you.」

Nonna’s eyes become round like full moons.

She tries her best to hold back the tears and fights with the sadness in her heart to show me a smile.

She was ready.

Nonna takes Bartolome with her and steps away from me, then faces me and bows deeply.

「Thank you for all your hard work on this long journey.」

「Yeah.」

I respond with a single word.

Nonna knows it’s not a lukewarm answer.

It wouldn’t be cool if I kept talking after all.

「To pick up a failure like me……to love……and care……and bless with children……hic……」

「You’re taking too long.」

I say jokingly as Nonna chokes up.

「Gos.h.!.+ You’re rude till the end!」

Nonna pounds my chest playfully and then takes a deep breath.

「Thank you for everything. It was really, really fun!」

「Yeah!」

I hug Nonna, ruffle Bartolome’s hair, and then lift up Anastasia, who was clinging to my waist, her face dripping with tears and snot, and put my forehead against hers.

I give them a great big smile and wave my hand, then jump out of the window.

Now it’s goodbye.

A few seconds later, I hear tremendous wailing.

It was not a cry of despair, rather it was a cry of sadness……I’m sure they will recover soon.

Nodding, I remove the thumb-sized knife from my waist and toss it away.

A purple fluid trickles from the tip.

「Poison doesn’t work on vampires, it’s probably a numbing agent.」

She tried to make me faint to stop me during that exchange, d.a.m.n Anastasia is scary.

Her wailing, which is on the same level as Nonna’s, should be sad but sounds just a bit happy.

I hop onto the roof of the two-story annex.

It is an easy feat for me now that I’m a vampire.

Though, it’s not because I want to act like a cat.

My goal is right in front of me.

「Ahー」

「……」

The one who sounds unenergetic is Carla.

She is gazing at the night sky on the roof.

A guard pa.s.sing below holds up a torch and sees her, but makes a sad face before resuming his patrol.

This must be a normal occurrence.

「Hey Carla. At least eat a little.」

Sitting beside her is Mireille.

She offers a small loaf of bread, but Carla shows no interest and continues staring at the sky.

Looking closer, Carla’s cheeks are sunken in and her body is skinnier.

「I don’t need it.」

Carla turns her face away like a spoiled child.

「You’ve gotten so thin……if you don’t eat properly, you’re going to die.」

「I said I don’t need it!」

Mireille brings the bread up to Carla’s mouth only for her hand to be smacked away.

I catch the bread that spins through the air, then tap Carla on the shoulder.

「Wh――nmuu!」

Our eyes meet, and when her jaw drops, I stuff the bread into her mouth.

「You’ll ruin your body if you don’t eat.」

「Mm, mghu――!」

Carla rapidly chews the food in her mouth like a mouse and opens her mouth to speak.

But I just stuff another loaf of bread in her mouth, smiling.

「I came to say goodbye.」

Mireille collapses onto her b.u.t.t after standing up, and Carla’s chewing slows down to that of a cow’s.

I put one arm around each of their shoulders and hug them.

「……Aegir’s body is quite cold.」

「So it’s really true.」

The two of them cling to me and sob.

「Sorry this is so sudden.」

Carla holds onto my arm and drops to the roof to look up at the moon with Mireille.

「I could care less for a world without Aegir. I might join you soon.」

「I wonder if I wouldn’t feel this way……if I continued my life as a mercenary like back then.」

Both of them say tearfully.

「Don’t be sad.」

I whine, caressing their feeble upward-looking faces.

「Is everything going to disappear when I’m gone? I guess I didn’t leave anything behind.」

Carla pauses briefly, then shakes her head.

Mireille also forces herself to smile through the tears.

「No, you’ve left something. Aegir gave me his child and connected me to this family.」

「And also the memories of us crying, laughing……right?」

I’m glad.

「Half of our memories of us having s.e.x though.」

Carla jokes.

「I’ve had lots of adventures too……remember when we exterminated the two-headed demon boar and when we searched for the hidden treasure in the blue pond……we went through so much, even though I’m a senior member, yet for some reason I wonder why the others tell me I don’t have a close relations.h.i.+p.」

Mireille c.o.c.ks her head, her face clouded with mixed feelings.

Right, right, we went through a lot.

Anyways, I should end this reminiscent talk.

There is only one thing left to ask.

「Was it fun living with me?」

「Of course!」

「Yes!」

The three of us high-five each other.

I leap off the roof, leaving Carla and Mireille to hug one another and cry.

Those are some nice cries.

I’m sure they’ll be fine.

On my way, I see the light of a lantern.

Carrying bread and milk toward the annex is Ekaterina, Carla’s daughter.

She must be bringing a late meal to her mother, worried that she hasn’t been eating.

「Carla should be alright now.」

I embrace Ekaterina and give her a kiss.

Then I carefully lower her back to the ground like a fragile object.

「Live a long healthy life.」

Ekaterina silently runs off and then I hear a third crying voice from the roof.

The moment I entered Mel’s room, two ladies, three children, and a mature beauty rose from the bed and pounced on me.

「How did you know?」

I smile, letting them push me over.

「This is family you’re talking to.」

Mel says with a smile and a tear trickling down her face.

She probably knows this is the last time we’ll meet too.

Mel’s children get swept up by their mother’s emotions.

Kuu, Ruu, Sue, and Gilbard cry as they hug me, making it hard for me to talk with them.

This is fine.

Not saying anything and simply sharing one last embrace also makes it worth coming.

「I hope all continue to get along.」

I purposely verbalize a sentiment that doesn’t need to be said.

「Not just you, but the rest of them too.」

Mel seems conflicted at first but eventually nods.

「And you’re all crying a bit too much.」

The six of them are crying over me, making it seem like it’s raining.

I grab the apple left on the table and divide it into slices.

Normally, I end up crus.h.i.+ng it, but this time I’m able to split it cleanly.

「Here, eat. Eat up and stop your crying.」

I toss one slice into each child’s mouth.

That ceases their crying, however Ruu cries twice as loud.

「I’m leaving soon.」

「Right.」

Everyone lines up by the window.

Perhaps they emptied their tear ducts in the beginning, because by the end, everyone has a smile.

「It was fun.」

I say before jumping out of the window.

“It was fun”, “thank you”, “bye”.

The scattered responses are very characteristic of Mel’s kids.

The soft mutter of “I’m glad I got to live with you” at the end made me the happiest.

I can hear the sound of someone sleeping peacefully, though the room I crawl into has a gloomy atmosphere.

When I hug her from behind, Maria twitches in surprise.

「Hey.」

「……」

Maria doesn’t turn around.

Her rhythmic breathing has stopped and I don’t think she hasn’t noticed me.

「Heey.」

「……」

Does she think an unfamiliar man visited her in the night or something?

What should I do? Should I let her touch my d.i.c.k so she knows it’s me?

「……I can’t turn around.」

Maria mutters.

Her voice is hoa.r.s.e, like she had cried for a long time.

「Why not?」

Maria hugs herself like she’s terrified of something.

「Because if I turn around, you’ll disappear, right? I know……because you did it so many times.」

Maria trembles, stubbornly refusing to look at me.

She is more fearful and timid than most people.

「Maria, I died. I can’t be with you anymore.」

「Stop, this dream again!? Enough, let me wake up!」

I hug the screaming Maria from behind.

My body doesn’t have any warmth, but I at least transmit the warmth of my heart to her.

「But I’m here right now. For one more time, one last time, I wanted to talk with you.」

Maria’s sorrowful screams stop, and she turns around stiffly like a broken water wheel.

「Hey.」

I greet her with a wide grin.

Maria instantly bursts into tears.

「Cruel, so cruel……」

「I’m sorry.」

Maria shakes her head.

「I knew. I knew Aegir-san prepared the lunchbox for that child. Despite how clumsy you were, spilling things everywhere and complaining as you did it……you kept thinking that you’d make up with him……and yet, he did something so cruel.」

Oh, that’s what she meant.

「I’ve had enough. Enough, I said.」

She isn’t sad that I left her behind and disappeared, she’s crying and getting angry for what happened to me.

Maria is such a kind girl.

「Is this the last time?」

「Yeah.」

I pat Maria’s back to comfort her.

「We won’t see each other again?」

「Yeah.」

I comb my fingers through her long hair.

「So that means……I have to say goodbye?」

「Yeah.」

Maria stands up abruptly.

「T-then let me make you a meal! Err, let’s see, I’ve got to prepare a soup……put the meat in the oven……uugh, if I start now, I can’t finish anything……」

I glance at the table and find a portion of uneaten pasta.

So they didn’t have the energy to tidy up, huh?

「Those are leftovers, don’t eat it. And it’s gotten cold……」

I put the cold pasta in my mouth.

「Tasty. You made this, right?」

I pick up some more hardened noodles with a fork and bring it to Maria’s mouth.

「……uuu, it’s good. Even though it’s supposed to taste bad because it’s hard and cold……it’s delicious.」

「See?」

We take turns eating the pasta.

But as soon as the bottom of the plate can be seen, the corners of Maria’s mouth turn downward.

She knows that once we finish the pasta, our time together will end.

「It’s the last bite. Finish it with a smile.」

Maria opens her mouth wide as tears pour from her eyes.

「Thank you for the meal.」

Maria puts her hands together like she’s saying a prayer.

「Yeah, thanks for the meal.」

I do the same and then stand up.

「It’s fine if you wait a bit, but make him a meal too. I’m sure he’ll munch on the ingredients raw otherwise.」

「……I will after I sort out my feelings. I’ll deliberately start with cold hard pasta though.」

I unintentionally laugh out loud.

「By the way Maria, did you have fun living with me?」

Maria, still crying, nods enthusiastically.

A pretty young lady is lying naked on the sofa……no, if I look closer, she has underwear on, it’s just wedged deep into her a.s.s. Her body is a bit saggy, but just as erotic as ever.

「Fuu……haa……」

Tired and sighing repeatedly is Melissa.

I make eye contact with Jennifer, her daughter, so I raise my hand and say h.e.l.lo.

「Mama, mama.」

Jennifer pokes the exposed b.u.t.t.

「Sorry. I’ve reached my limit in many ways……I’m sorry for being such a pathetic mama…… let me rest a little……」

Melissa answers, her a.s.s swaying slightly.

If she is treating her child like this, she must truly be at the end of her rope both physically and mentally.

「Mama, not that.」

I join Jennifer and poke her b.u.t.t.

「Don’t poke me so much……in a bit, I’ll get up in a bit.」

I switch from poking to kneading her a.s.s cheeks with both hands.

「Gos.h.!.+ Where did you learn how to use your hands like that? It’s like Aegir-san’s naughty touch……urk.」

Melissa sees me when she reluctantly turns around.

Jennifer sneaks to the corner of the room.

「Which is it?」

「Hm?」

I don’t understand the question.

「Did you miraculously survive? Or are you a ghost?」

「Sorry, I’m closer to a ghost.」

Melissa slumps into the sofa.

「I see……aaah.」

「I guess I let you down.」

Melissa is an intelligent woman.

She doesn’t scream or lose her composure.

I’m sure she was also saddened by my death, but she most likely took care of the kids and other despairing girls at the same time. That’s why she is exhausted.

I mount Melissa, though I ensure not to rest my weight on her body, and give her a ma.s.sage from her back to her b.u.t.tocks.

Even as an amateur, I can tell plenty of fatigue has acc.u.mulated in her first-rate body.

「Sorry, Aegir-san. I can’t be with you even as a ghost. The children are still young…… you’ll have to wait ten years.」

「Don’t be silly. You’re not dying in ten years or twenty years. I’m not a worthless man who would drag his beloved woman to the grave.」

I apply a bit of force to my ma.s.sage as I get angry, stretching the underwear which is dug into her a.s.s crack.

「Ow ow ow, sorry……fufu, this naughty way of touching definitely belongs to Aegir-san.」

「That’s me.」

I declare boldly.

「This is the end……I suppose.」

「Yeah.」

I say, somewhat depressed.

「What should we talk about? There’s so much that happened, I don’t know where to start.」

Melissa’s breathing becomes ragged.

「It’s fine. Seeing your face, being touched by you and exchanging words, even if they are nonsensical ramblings, that is enough.」

Melissa lays on her back and spreads her arms.

Of course, I jump into them.

「I’m glad I was sold to you.」

I bury my face into her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and listen.

「I’m glad I became a prost.i.tute.」

I can tell she’s choking up and starting to hiccup.

「I’m glad I was……broken. Because I met you.」

In many ways, those aren’t good things.

But it’s an honor as a man to have her say it to me.

「I’m also glad to have met Melissa. If fate exists, I’m thankful for it.」

Both of us open our mouths simultaneously.

「「It was fun.」」

I stand up.

There are plenty of things I want to say, but I’ve told her what I wanted to tell her the most.

When I position next to the window and turn around, Melissa changes into an extremely s.e.xy outfit.

「It’s to send you off. Vulgar, isn’t it?」

「Fufu, it’s the most beautiful. But you should scold the one next to you.」

Jennifer is wearing a similar outfit as Melissa that exposes her childish body.

「When did you, it’s ten years too early for you……no, you must not wear such perverted clothes!」

「I want to be s.e.xy like mama!」

Melissa covers her face and stares up at the ceiling.

「Take care. Live a long life.」

I give the two of them a kiss each, and part with them forever.

I stand in front of the tower.

『Ooooo……Oooooooo!!』

「Is this the demon king’s castle?」

The earth-shaking groans continue to echo.

Its source is obviously within the tower, and I’ve been hearing it constantly ever since I got close to the palace.

『Aaoooooo……ugh! Aauoooooo!』

The groans get louder.

I even hear an extraordinary fart-like sound.

How did she make that sound?

I think about turning back, but I shake my head and pull myself together.

The person in the tower is not the demon king, it’s Claudia, and the groans are her wailing.

Surely, the reason she is crying is because of me.

I push off the ground and leap up to the window of the three-storey tower.

『Higuoooooo!! Egooooooooo!!』

Her voice is so powerful that I almost fall backwards when I open the window, but I grab the frame and hang on somehow.

「Hey.」

「Gugeeee……ah……」

Claudia, who is standing in the middle of the room, stops crying.

Oh and it stinks. That sound I heard was actually a fart, huh?

「Oooh……my……my……」

Claudia runs up and clings to me.

「To think I can see you again in this world……my tears and lamenting were not in vain!」

She seals my mouth with a kiss before I can say anything.

「You are without a doubt……my beloved. However, you are no longer alive.」

「Yeah.」

Claudia doesn’t probe any further and remains glued to my chest.

Staying silent could also be fine, but I have something I want to say.

「You’ve gotten a little……no, I guess it’s quite a bit skinnier, Claudia. And your skin is white.」

Two images, one of a giant ball of flesh and one of a s.h.i.+ny black muscular form, cross my mind, but the woman in front of me right now is just a chubby adult female.

「Ever since news of Your Majesty’s death reached me, I have been crying endlessly. Because of that, I have lost both muscle and fat, and my weight has dropped 150 kg, plus I’ve gotten paler from not going outside.」

「I see……that’s incredible.」

I leave this topic there and get to what I really want to say.

I separate from Claudia, get down on one knee and lower my head.

「I’ve been saved by you countless times. You left your husband and your house and devoted yourself to me, yet I couldn’t repay you. And now I’m disappearing with that debt unpaid.」

Claudia kindly puts her hand on my cheek.

「What are you saying? I devoted myself to you because of love, and there is no loss in love. I gave you my all because I fell for you. Don’t say that you will return anything, instead think of it as having received my love.」

I smile and slump my shoulders.

It’s my total loss, Claudia’s love appeared ridiculous but was actually much deeper than mine.

When I looked up, Claudia was crying and smiling with a dignified expression that was completely different from my unprepared veneer.

「Oh, my dear beloved. My eternal lover. I hope your path leads you to wherever you want to go.」

Claudia then takes a deep breath and shouts.

「Clara!!」

Clara comes jogging in with quick footsteps.

「You called, mada――fueh, master!?」

Claudia gives Clara a command as she’s trying to figure out what’s going on.

「A send-off! To King Hardlett, on his eternal departure!」

Claudia bows her head gracefully, keeping her back as straight as an iron pole.

Similarly, Clara also bows.

In the end, I couldn’t win against Claudia.

I put my hand on the window with a wry smile, thinking that I’ll be leaving with her having taken the initiative the whole time.

I convey the situation to the confused and tearful Clara with a single glance.

My message successfully reaching her, she sheds one tear and mouths the word “goodbye” back to me.

「By the way Clara, I realized many years ago.」

「Geh.」

Claudia says, her form still perfect.

I jump out of the window gallantly.

「P-please wait, Your Majesty, take me with you even if it’s to the other world――aah, madam, have mercy!! Anything but that! Please spare me! Ugyaaaー!」

I sneak through the window into a room where Yoguri is hunched over a desk and running her brush over a sheet of paper.

She is writing her script, her sole purpose in life, as if possessed by something.

Her cheeks are caved in, her greasy hair is stuck to her forehead, and her clothes are stained with sweat.

She probably hasn’t eaten much or taken a bath.

「I-I’m done……next……next……」

Yoguri doesn’t notice me even when I don’t make much of an effort to tip-toe closer.

I peek at the pile of roughly stacked papers on the desk.

These might be the scripts for a play, but I don’t know the detailed instructions so all I can read are the general plots.

It’s a story of a king who dies an untimely death returning home after narrowly escaping death, and ends with him defeating the rebels.

It’s a story of a king tired of the world who feigns death and becomes a peasant, eventually reunites with his former town girl concubine and lives together with her.

It’s a story where time rewinds at the moment of the king’s death, he is stopped before departing and is able to continue his life without incident.

They are all different works, but the feelings put into them are the same.

「Uuu……more……I have to write more……more, more!」

A red-eyed Yoguri desperately continues to write.

Just when I’m about to reach out and stop her, my eyes land on another work.

It’s a story about a king……at this point, I can say it’s me, right?

It’s a story where I am actually alive and come back to capture the throne.

And then his unjust traitorous son……I guess it’s Antonio.

Antonio is defeated in a duel and punished on the spot by being f.u.c.ked in the a.s.s――

「What the heck is this?」

I unconsciously voice my thoughts.

「That is written with my personal tastes and not meant to be published……don’t look at it.」

Yoguri s.n.a.t.c.hes the ma.n.u.script from me and sighs after burying it somewhere on her messy desk.

「Gosh, Aegir-san. Don’t just come into my room without warning.」

「Sorry. I have important business.」

Yoguri puffs up in anger, but soon realizes the way she smells and casually sprays perfume on herself.

「Goodness, what could it be that you had to come so late at night……I mean, the only thing can be s.e.x, right? I’m a bit dirty, so let me take a bath first……a bath.」

The bottle of perfume drops to the floor and shatters.

「Y-y-you’re alive――」

I shake my head.

Yoguri’s face changes from surprised to delighted and then to saddened.

That moment is painful.

「……this-this worthless thing!」

Yoguri grabs the draft she just completed and tries to tear it.

「I prayed hard when writing this! I believed you would come back if I wrote lots! But it’s all for nothing――」

I stop Yoguri before she rips up the papers.

「Hey now, don’t do something so wasteful. It’s well-written……although I just skimmed it.」

You can rip that one you buried on your desk though.

I straighten the wrinkles on the paper and hand it back to Yoguri.

Yoguri hugs the bundle of papers and eventually jumps into my chest.

「Aegir-san is not dead. I won’t let you die on my watch.」

She continues before I can open my mouth.

「Once every month, I will write about Aegir-san. I’ll make sure Aegir-san doesn’t disappear from everyone’s memories. You can live forever in my plays.」

It’s not that big of a deal.

Yoguri doesn’t listen when I tell her it’s fine if I’m forgotten over the years.

「I’ll remind everyone how much of a womanizer you are, how you like to cheat, how you act without thinking, but also how warm, kind and reliable you are……」

I don’t know whether I should blush or complain.

「I’ll make sure everyone remembers Aegir-san as someone who actually also likes cute boys!」

「That’s fabrication.」

Why does she want me to engage with males?

Anyway, I don’t say much else.

I am leaving and Yoguri is staying.

As the one leaving, I should be the one to say it.

And there is only one thing I have to say.

「Thank you. And goodbye.」

「Yeah. It was also……fun for me.」

We exchange a hug, a kiss and a final farewell with a smile.

Yep, that’s good. This is a perfect score.

「I guess it’s about time to patrol.」

Myla, who sluggishly stands up, is dressed in military uniform on her top half but only has underwear on her bottom half.

Rather than a sword, she is holding a bottle of alcohol in her hand.

「I was told by the vice-captain to rest for a while! What a rare dumb mistake for you, Myla-dono! Waha, wahaha! Wahaha……waha……」

Irijina sounds boisterous as usual, though her face doesn’t show the same emotion.

「You don’t have to go. The mushroom hotpot has just been cooked.」

「I don’t want any.」

Myla takes a swig from her bottle and returns to bed while Irijina stirs the pot next to the fireplace.

「Celia-dono, she isn’t coming back.」

「I doubt she will. I have a feeling about it.」

Myla finishes the last drops of her alcohol and tosses the empty bottle into the corner of the room.

She goes to fetch a new bottle from the cupboard, but Irijina grabs her hand and stops her.

「Drinking more will poison your body! You mustn’t do it, especially now!」

「Who cares. It doesn’t matter since he’s……」

Irijina s.n.a.t.c.hes the bottle out of Myla’s hand, picks her up and gently places her on the bed.

「Sniff……it’s too sudden……he was so strong……and still.」

「……that’s what it means to be a warrior. And it’s not uncommon for a corpse to not be left behind……not uncommon at all……」

Myla covers her face with her hand as she cries, whereas Irijina’s salt water gets added to her hotpot.

「I’m such a pathetic man.」

I hug their shoulders.

They raise their heads slowly, their eyes widen, and then they despair at the lack of heat from my skin.

「Sorry. This is the last time we’ll meet.」

I tell them.

「Uooooooh!!」

Irijina stands, grabs a bottle from the cupboard and comes running back.

「Time to drink!」

It’s very characteristic of Irijina to do things without a logical reason.

It’s better than her acting all solemn.

「Errr……umm!!」

Myla removes her uniform and shows me her exposed chest and belly.

What is she doing?

「I got pregnant when we fooled around three months ago!」

「No wait, wait just a second.」

I try to remember my liaisons three months ago, but there are too many.

「The time when the six of us, Irijina, Celia, and I, along with a girl from a nearby village, played strip dice……」

I remember now.

It has to be when Irijina and Celia were involved too.

It was the time when Myla was receiving a concentrated attack, got stripped quickly and then was pounced on by me after I got turned on.

Not to mention it was when both of us were drunk, so we didn’t think of using contraception.

「……I couldn’t be happy at all.」

I pa.s.s through the bottles to get to Myla.

「Without you here, I thought it was pointless to give birth, so I’ve been drinking everyday…… and I wouldn’t care what happened.」

I write the words ”pregnant, drinking alcohol is forbidden” with charcoal on a wooden tag and hang it around Myla’s neck.

「Why don’t we party it up one last time?」

Irijina and I share booze while Myla gets fruit juice.

「The mushroom hotpot is perfectly seasoned!」

「Mushrooms are fine too, but you two should eat meat. Look how thin you’ve gotten.」

I divide a healthy portion of meat into Myla and Irijina’s bowl while taking the mushrooms for myself. It’s a very pretty hotpot with red, white, green, and purple colors in it.

We enjoy a merry time without worrying about bothering our neighbors.

The tears welling up in their eyes were counteracted with laughter and the pecking of their hotpot.

Eventually, the alcohol runs out and the bottom of the pot can be seen.

「Well, it’s about time for me to leave.」

「……yes.」

「……umu.」

I hug both of them, and rub Myla’s belly.

「Take care.」

Their response was sobbing.

「One more thing, Irijina. I noticed it when I hugged you, your belly is swollen too.」

「What? You’re right! I’m pregnant! When did this happen!?」

「Are you serious?」

Their crying faces turn into a shocked and fed-up face respectively.

I laugh freely and wave farewell.

「This is an emotional farewell, but this is really just a pretty way of abandoning isn’t it?」

I hope I don’t get hit by karma and die.

Some strange b.u.mps are appearing on my body……is it an extension of divine punishment or just from the mushroom hotpot I ate?

I hate to think what would happen if I wasn’t a vampire.

I was pinned as soon as I entered the room.

Both my arms were locked and my ankles were held together.

「Impressive, Sekrit.」

I say to Sekrit, whose hair is draped over her face.

Then I hug her body from below.

It’s a gesture of love and also to show her that my body has no heat.

Sekrit, who is much smarter than me, should understand right away.

「Take me with you.」

She pleads as she closes my fingers around the handle of a knife, brushes her hair up and exposes her neck――or more specifically, her carotid artery.

「I can’t. You have a child too.」

Sekrit’s child, Hasafa, is not in this room.

She’s the one who gave birth to him, but the rearing of the child is all being done by Sulama.

「It’s not my problem. Whether or not I’m here……」

I seal her mouth with a kiss.

After the kiss, Sekrit groans and glares at me while holding her head.

「If you insist on not taking me then I’m going to find other men. I’ll go find the three most brawny guys and make them cover me in their seed every night.」

「Ur……gh……」

An image of Sekrit being surrounded by three men and all of her holes being filled crosses my mind.

Then she screams as she gets pumped with white j.i.z.z……oh, what jealousy it stirs within me.

However I can’t remain at Sekrit’s side anymore.

Even if she tells me that she’ll find other guys, it doesn’t make sense for me to complain.

「Gr……nnggg……guoo……」

Nevertheless, I don’t want to admit it and only express through grunts my frustration, to which Sekrit sighs sadly.

「You’re not going to take me no matter what?」

「Yeah.」

I won’t yield on that.

I definitely don’t want to drag Sekrit to the grave after taking Celia with me.

Even if that’s what she wants, I won’t allow it.

「Why don’t you raise Hasafa up to be a splendid man instead?」

Sekrit coldly turns her back to me.

「Go.」

She says bluntly.

「Yeah, sorry it’s so sudden.」

I kiss Sekrit on the nape of her neck and then head toward the window.

「One last thing.」

I stop moving.

「What kind of a woman was I to you?」

I could talk endlessly once I start, but let’s sum it up in one word.

「You were the best.」

Sekrit’s shoulders lift slightly.

「I’m sure you say that to everyone.」

I reply with a wry smile.

Everyone is truly the best, so it’s not like I’m lying.

「Enough. Go.」

I resume walking again.

When I try to show her a thumbs up, a fruit knife comes flying at me.

「Good bye, my man, my final man.」

Her shaky mumble would have gone unheard had I been a human.

That’s why I pretend not to have heard it and jump out the window.

Sekrit’s monologue continues as she stares at the window I leave through.

「I’ll raise your seed well. I’ll make him mercilessly kill any enemy he sees and indiscriminately f.u.c.k any woman he sees, just like you, until he eventually replaces that lazy son.」

I want to tell her I’m not like that and not to raise her son into such a beast, but I can’t respond like I can hear her the whole time at this point, and just leave her be.

I wanted a clean farewell and now I have this strange regret.

I’m scared there will be a rumor about him thirty years later, but I can only pray that she raises him well.

The next stop is a bit troublesome, so I psyche myself up before jumping through the window of the corridor.

When I do, I see an unexpected woman……it’s Casie sitting in the corner of the corridor holding her knees.

（Sniffle.）

I tap Casie, who has partially materialized into a vengeful ghost and is blowing her nose, on the shoulder, unable to ignore her.

（Fpsshu.）

She lifts her face, half-transformed because of her extreme sadness.

Then she blinks her eyes a few times when she sees me.

（Gyaaaaa! A ghoooost! Evil spirit, begone!!）

「You’re close, but wrong. Also, you’re one to talk, as a ghost yourself.」

Casie bounces around in fear, hitting the wall and ceiling, though she eventually calms down and descends in front of me.

There is a deflating sound and her face returns to the dumb-looking one I’m familiar with.

The order is wrong, but Casie is also family.

Let’s say goodbye to her.

When I tell her this is the last time we’ll see each other, she starts crying again.

However, she doesn’t transform this time.

「Well, I do have one thing to say to you.」

Casie wipes her tears with my sleeve and smiles, implying that I don’t have to say anything.

I know it’s late to ask, but where is the water for her tears coming from?

（I actually knew all along.）

“I see”, I mutter.

（My grudge has long since disappeared. I was just dragging it out.）

I simply nod.

（I wanted to stay here in this lively and warm house, even if just for a second longer.）

I gently pat Casie’s head.

（But everything changes. Everyone has grown older and Aegir-san is also gone. It’s weird for someone like me who never changes to stay here, right?）

「Yeah.」

The two of us don’t age anymore.

That’s why we must leave.

「You’re not going to say goodbye?」

（No. I wrote a note. I’ve also got some pumpkin for my final moments too.）

I’m a bit skeptical of her definition of a note, but let’s not nitpick.

「Then I’ll see you off.」

I stand Casie by the window.

Then the clouds part and the beautiful full moon peeks out.

Casie stares at my face and slowly rises up……only to come back.

（I-I’m not quite prepared……lend me your hand.）

「You’re a hopeless girl, aren’t you?」

I stick my hand under Casie’s arm, supporting her like I’m playfully lifting up a baby.

Then vigorously toss her up, without regret, towards the moon.

「Off I goooo.」

Casie soars high into the sky with a smile and vanishes, becoming a golden sparkle.

Palace windows open one after the other and patrolling guards stop to look around.

Apparently, her final words reached those who normally can’t see or hear her.

（What a pleasant farewell.）

Translucent ent.i.ties slip through the ceiling and walls……Neisha and the other ghosts of the inner palace come out.

Neisha speaks first before I can say anything.

（You don’t have to utter a word. Everyone is aware.）

Neisha and the other ghosts smile and become more faint.

（You brought us, who were deluded by grudges, to our senses. You yourself fell to a plot and feel no resentment. I also want to live that way. I want to live once more with others who live like that.）

「Then you’ll have to start over.」

Because she can’t do that as a ghost.

The other ghosts don’t seem to have any objections either.

（Us ghosts of the inner palace will abandon the past and look toward the future.）

（Yes, my grudge is disappearing. Rather than remaining in this world, I want to move on to the next life.）

（Goodbye my beloved, goodbye my begrudged. I will forget it all and ascend to heaven.）

Everyone scatters into golden beads and fades away……and don’t disappear.

（――do the same for us please.）

With a wry smile, I lift the tiny Neisha up, and like I did with Casie, throw her toward the full moon.

（Thank you.）

Neisha extends a hand up at the moon and then vanishes.

I send them off, one by one.

After sending off the last one, I gaze briefly at the empty s.p.a.ce in the sky, then walk to my original destination.

The reason I’m going to this room via the corridor is because the window is tightly guarded.

Of course, there is security in the corridor too, though they are easier to deal with than the ones in the room.

「Sorry.」

In an instant, I accelerate outside of their line of sight and take down four guards at once.

I hold back as much as I can, tapping them lightly, but they still spin around in the air once before fainting.

If I’m not careful, one day I’ll end up killing somebody.

Inside the room, I hear a disturbed woman’s voice rather than sobbing.

「Mother, stay strong……it’s not mother’s fault.」

The voice belongs to Rose, since this is Catherine and Rose’s room.

「It’s my fault……my son……I destroyed everything……I ruined everything again……」

Catherine sits on the bed clutching her head in distress, her teeth chattering.

It’s pathetic of me that I considered something as stupid as leaving without a trace knowing Catherine would end up like this.

This is no time to think about appearing in a cool manner.

I toss the troubled Rose to the corner of the bed and wrap my arm around Catherine’s shoulder.

「It’s not your fault. Don’t torment yourself.」

Then there is three minutes of confusion in their faces.

「……can you talk?」

「Nope.」

For some reason, Catherine strips naked and hugs me from the front.

She buries her face in my chest, staining my clothes with snot and tears.

「Let me explain, father.」

Rose speaks after raining my face with kisses.

Her eyes are a little red, but she doesn’t hesitate. Despite her soft appearance, she’s quite composed.

「Mother became like this because she blames herself for your death at the hands of Antonio. She says that we are people with a curse that ruins families.」

Catherine nods while still against my chest.

That can’t be true.

I was the one who destroyed Catherine’s previous family, and what happened this time was my just deserts.

……perhaps the curse is actually me, no it can’t be, right?

「She wanted to at least end things with her own hands and tried to kill Antonio……」

I poke Catherine’s side strongly.

She lets out a choked grunt, though she doesn’t separate from my chest.

「Obviously I stopped her, then next she suggested a double suicide.」

I flip up Catherine’s s.h.i.+rt, blow on my hand, and slap her back with an open palm.

A distinct hand print forms on her back as she lets out a cute shriek.

Still, Catherine doesn’t let go.

「Lastly, she tried to take responsibility by offering to kill herself……I put her to sleep temporarily with Natia’s medicine and now she’s like this.」

「Gosh, you……no, I guess it’s my fault for not saying anything.」

I hug Catherine’s head and talk to her like a child.

「There’s no such thing as a cursed people. If you consider all the things I’ve done, the kind of fate I met was not anything strange.」

Catherine lifts her head……her tearful and anxious expression makes her look like she’s in her twenties.

「But I……I said it would come someday. That retribution would come……and that became a jinx……」

I show her an exaggerated smile.

If some cursed words could kill me, then I’d have died decades ago.

I pull away from Catherine, put her hands on my neck and lift her up.

She is surprised for a second at my cold body and tries to close her eyes, but I rain kisses all over her face, not letting her do so.

「I died how I was supposed to die. I won’t let you girls shoulder the burden.」

I carry Rose with the opposite hand.

After the two of them briefly crawl their hands over my face, they smile……Catherine forces herself to while Rose’s comes from the bottom of her heart.

「If I can tell you a regret a have.」

With the two still in my arms, I walk over to the window where the king’s quarters can be seen outside.

「Will you forgive Antonio?」

「「Not a chance.」」

Both of them answered simultaneously.

「How could you kill our loving father and take me, your sister, as your wife, are you crazy? Die!」

「How dare you use foul play to kill your own father! I should never have given birth to you!」

「「We told him together.」」

Wow, harsh.

As someone who loves his mother and sister, he must be enduring a lot.

「Well, don’t be so quick to say that. No matter what happened, he’s still family. I’m not too familiar with the details, but he still loves you two.」

「「……」」

They don’t reply.

「He has no friends here. The only thing he has is the blood connection with you.」

Catherine and Rose look at each other, their eyebrows furrowing like they are contemplating the issue.

Then they break out in a smile.

「Now that I think about it, it’s weird for my dead father to appear to me as a ghost and tell me to forgive Antonio.」

It’s sad to hear my daughter say that.

「As a woman, I can’t forgive Antonio for killing you and making a mess of everything. However, I can still feel some affection towards him as a mother. ……I guess I can forgive him after giving him a good spanking.」

That’s good enough.

No matter what kind of evil deed he did, you forgive him because he’s your child.

That’s how it should be.

「Alright, I should be going, now that I have no regrets.」

I lower the both of them.

「Yes, and I also have something to say. I forgot about it before.」

Rose mentions lightheartedly.

I only turn my head around to her and smile sheepishly because she ruined the perfect mood for an eternal farewell.

「I’m pregnant. Father’s seed hit the bullseye in one shot.」

My neck rotates 180 degrees, making a bone-cracking sound.

If I was a human, it would have been a fatal injury.

Catherine also falls down with a thud.

「Just letting you know.」

「You said it like it was nothing.」

I help Catherine get back up from the floor as she struggles to stand on her weak legs.

「Anyways, I’ll accept Antonio’s proposal along with forgiving him. Even if we aren’t connected by blood, it’ll be bad if the public knows I am pregnant with my father’s child, so I’ll make it his child instead.」

「Being pregnant with your brother’s child is still bad……gosh.」

I’m afraid of the strength of Rose’s heart.

Catherine will be fine if I let Rose look after her.

「Now then……」

I return my head to its proper alignment and sit Catherine on the bed.

「Did you have fun?」

「Yes!」

「Of course!」

I have no regrets.

This is goodbye to the two of them.

I watch the three of them surround a campfire silently from atop of the roof.

Their sad and vacant expressions cause feelings of guilt from leaving without saying anything well up inside me.

But I have something to address first and foremost.

「Isn’t it a bad idea to start a campfire in the courtyard in the middle of the night」

I land next to Pipi, who is poking the fire with a stick, Luna, who is adding leaves to the flames, and Ruby, who is about to cook a potato.

「Chief!」

Pipi throws away her stick and pounces on me.

「Did perhaps the mountain G.o.d answer our prayers and project the chief’s soul to us!?」

Luna drops the pile of leaves straight into the campfire without thinking and clings to my waist.

Sorry, I’ve become an existence that’s more on the evil side.

「Err……ummm……」

Ruby turns left and right in a panic, not sure where to put her potato, then joins in and hugs Luna.

There’s something more important that I must do first.

I pull the three of them off me.

「Extinguish the fire! The stick and leaves are burning!」

I didn’t come to the palace as a ghost intending to set the palace aflame.

I stomp on the scattered embers, smother the flames with my cloak, and pick up Pipi and let her pee over the fire to finally completely extinguish the campfire.

We lay wearily on the ground on our sides, and I explain the details while I’m at it.

It was supposed to be a more emotional development, but now it seems more like a second thought.

「I want to ask one thing.」

Pipi murmurs.

「Did the chief lose to Antonio? Were you challenged to fight fair and square lose……then died?」

「Yeah, I lost. Antonio was the one who made it back here alive, not me.」

Other things happened, but that’s the truth.

The three of them look devastated.

「If the chief was defeated in a fair battle, then Antonio is the new chief……we have no choice but to accept it. That is the law of the mountain nation……as frustrating as it is.」

Now that they remind me, I did at one point slay the shaman and chief of the mountain nation at the time and made them follow me.

I couldn’t say it in front of Catherine, but everything I’ve done is coming back to me, and that’s pretty ironic.

「If the new chief orders it, we will have to do as he pleases.」

Ruby grumbles, causing me to stop moving.

「……as he pleases?」

「Whatever he desires. If he asks for it, we cannot refuse.」

Luna continues.

「Mu, gu……so that’s the mountain nation’s law?」

I’m starting to get some lingering attachment again.

「He will violate us one at a time from behind. He will stick it in roughly, slapping our a.s.s at the same time.」

Pipi adds, sticking her own a.s.s out as if imagining the scene.

「Guooo……」

When I grab my head in agony, the three of them burst out laughing.

「Fufu, we’re just teasing. Think of it as a way of venting our anger for visiting us so suddenly.」

Luna smiles, bowing politely to me.

「As people of the mountain nation, we will accept him as the new chief. If war breaks out, we will join in haste. But as women who had their beloved man taken away, we will refuse to let him mount us.」

Ruby playfully pokes me as I’m suffering.

「Pipi will also listen to his orders but refuse mating! Antonio is strong though, if he a.s.saults me, I can’t resist.」

He won’t do something as heinous as forcing himself on an unwilling woman, right?

Right?

「「「Who knows.」」」

「Guoo……」

The campfire is lit once more as they happily watch me act like I’m suffering.

「We bid you farewell. This is goodbye to you in this life, but if you see our children and our descendants, please take good care of them.」

「Pipi too! I want to stare at your face so I don’t forget it!」

Pipi jumps on my head, and Luna and Ruby also bring themselves near my face.

「Hahaha, you should be fine after looking so much.」

I etch their faces in my memory as well, and give their noses a final light poke, triggering them to sneeze.

「I’m going now.」

The three wish me well and wave their hands.

Death is not something to be sad about in the value system of the mountain nation.

It’s a different story if one dies and becomes a vengeful spirit, but souls that die without regrets return to the mountain and simply get reincarnated in another life.

That’s why our parting will end smoothly.

Or so I thought, as Pipi sobs, Luna cries, and Ruby falls to her knees in tears.

I leave the courtyard without daring to look back, despite thinking that I left a lot of loose ends.

「Shall we go greet the new chief tomorrow?」

「What will we do if he desires our bodies?」

「It’ll be fine. Our wombs already have a guest, we can confidently reject him!」

I approach the bed silently.

There is no need to keep our voices down because this place has no light or guards.

But she won’t come back even if I talk to her so I stroke her hair quietly.

「In some ways, you’re my biggest regret. I couldn’t get you to open your eyes.」

Benel remains asleep, almost like she’s dead.

She’s been this way for many years. Doctors have also given up on her, saying she’ll likely never wake up.

「It’s pathetic that I went and died without being able to nurse you back to health.」

Benel, who doesn’t seem to have aged possibly as a result of her comatose state, doesn’t react when I put my hand on her cheek or when I give her a soft kiss.

About thirty seconds pa.s.sed and I was just about to leave a single rose behind.

「……ugh.」

I’m surprised.

The most surprised I’ve been since dying.

Her eyes open a tiny crack, look around in confusion and land on me.

「……Aegir? ……good morning.」

She shouldn’t be able to generate sound from her throat or lungs after sleeping for so long.

I answer her hoa.r.s.e ghost-like whisper with a wide smile.

「Good morning. Nice night, isn’t it?」

I mutter, placing a rose on the bed of Benel, who is perplexed at how her weakened body can’t move.

Then, I leave as I hear the maid come around for her night s.h.i.+ft.

「What is this sound so late in the――B-Benel-sama!?」

「My body……can’t move……how strange.」

I hear more sets of footsteps.

The nurses and doctors likely told her she’s been sleeping for years.

「……but I’m lucky to even be alive with that wound. Aegir’s the one who saved me, right? Eh, where did you go? Aegir, where are you?」

I stop eavesdropping.

「It can’t be! You were right here, it’s not a dream! This rose too――」

I don’t want to make her sad right after she wakes up.

Hopefully, she thinks it’s an illusion.

I systematically visited each woman’s room.

Soon, there were no more people who cried, forced themselves to smile, were glad they got to see me for one last time, or despaired in a mix of emotions as they watched me leave.

The ones I couldn’t visit were Leah, Natia, Felteris and the elves.

Although I’m worried about them, I just have to concede that I can’t meet everyone.

「While I’m at it, I’ll also take care of some trivial business.」

There is still time until dawn.

If I can do some clean-up, I might as well do it.

I open the door of the room where light is leaking out even though it’s close to daybreak without knocking.

The sound of a pen scribbling on a sheet of paper pauses and resumes moving less than one second later.

Without worrying about hiding my footsteps, I walk toward and stand behind the source of the noise and light.

「Hey, any problems?」

The sound of the pen doesn’t stop.

Leopolt doesn’t turn around either.

「None. Or are you suggesting one will happen soon?」

I shake my head and show him the red eyes that prove I’m no longer human.

「A king is nothing more than an accessory to the nation. If the new king has sufficient capabilities, he would just be a higher quality alternative. What problem is there?」

This guy, saying what he wants until the end.

I’m getting so angry that my eyes are s.h.i.+ning like crazy.

It’s gotten to the point that the whole room has a red glow, how do I stop it?

I want to just knock this unpleasant guy down and leave, but since I’m here, I might as well say what I have to say.

「I said I’d get you promoted to the top, but that ended prematurely. Well, I guess this is what they call the changing of times. It was unexpected to me too, so forgive me.」

I can write him a letter of recommendation now. No, that’d have the opposite effect.

Leopolt covers his eyes with a hand because my eyes are too bright, then answers.

「I don’t mind. The new king seems to have endless ambition. I’m sure there will be plenty of opportunities in the future.」

That’s fine then.

「He doesn’t charge recklessly or let himself be overcome with anger. Although he lacks in experience, he has the potential to eventually become someone capable of leading hundreds of thousands of soldiers. He’s far superior to his predecessor, who was only competent enough to command a thousand-man army, and much easier to use.」

d.a.m.n him, thinking of me so poorly.

Does he want me to grab him and throw him out of the window?

Getting angry once more seems to have made the light in my eyes disappear.

Do I control it by turning them on and off in my mind?

「However.」

Leopolt continues.

It’s not bright anymore, you don’t have to cover your eyes.

「It’s become boring and dull as he isn’t as much of a ha.s.sle or as irrational as his predecessor.」

I didn’t think I’d hear those words come out from Leopolt’s mouth.

「……I see.」

I turn around, unable to hold in a smile.

I don’t have to talk long with him. It’s always been that way with him.

Leopolt stands up from his chair, making me wonder what he’s thinking.

He better not be hoping for a hug, I’ll punch him.

「Thanks for your hard work, Lord Hardlett.」

「Sure.」

He offers his hand and I reciprocate on reflex.

I guess this will do, since I’m not a king or n.o.ble anymore, nor am I a close friend.

We let go of each other’s hand after the brief handshake.

I exit the room.

Leopolt returns to his seat and resumes his work.

That’s the end.

Not that I care, but I guess I’ll also visit Adolph and Tristan.

If they’re there, great, if not, I’ll scribble a message on the wall.

Also……oh.

「Haa, I can’t get over it. This kind of ending is possible?」

「……how disappointing.」

「The general lost to such a brat? I won’t be able to go on unless I drink.」

I pa.s.s by the dining hall where a gloomy Christoph, Mack and Yakov are drinking.

「Let’s just drink. Let’s be cheerful even if it’s a lie.」

「……I doubt it will change anything.」

「It makes me feel sick no matter how much I drink. Still, there’s no other option.」

The three of them clank their gla.s.ses together in a mood that is by no means happy.

「「「「Cheers.」」」」

I smile and leave the dining hall behind as the three of them tip over from their chairs.

Then I see the stable from the window and descend with a sigh.

「I’ll drop by, I guess. Not like I have time to spare for a perverted horse.」

I curse, stroking the wide-eyed Schwartz’s nose a few times before stopping.

「You’ve gotten pretty small.」

Of course, a horse can’t shrink, but his entire body has shriveled and his spirit is almost non-existent.

Schwartz turns away coldly.

I tug on his mane which is more ruffled than it is in my memory.

Schwartz snorts, but it doesn’t have the same impact as it used to.

「Are you going to die too?」

Schwartz glances at me and then nuzzles his nose against me.

He’s not yet at the age considered to be an old horse.

And it doesn’t appear like he has any illness.

And somehow I know that he can’t be saved.

「Gosh, you’re so annoying, chasing after me.」

I take a brush and step inside the stable.

I’ve ridden him for a while. I can groom him one last time.

When I set foot inside, I come across four mares lying down with white liquid dripping from between their legs.

One of them is an especially big one with an abnormal s.e.x drive.

Schwartz neighs like he’s laughing.

「……d.a.m.n horse, you’re just exhausted from overdoing it!?」

I jam the brush up his a.s.s and stomp off, ignoring his neighs of agony.

「Do your best to live long, dimwit.」

The night is not over yet.

But it is time for light to start emerging from the horizon.

「……」

There is an idiot who is casting a fis.h.i.+ng line into the creek……or rather, the aqueduct outside the palace.

That person, who doesn’t appear to know how to fish, is holding the rod blankly.

I sit down next to that idiot.

「Catch anything?」

The response comes after a long long time.

「There’s no way I can catch anything this late at night.」

However, right as those words were said, the floating lure gets pulled into the water.

「You got a bite.」

The person doesn’t reply or do anything with the fis.h.i.+ng rod.

Eventually the lure stops moving.

「You suck, you let it run away.」

「Well yeah, because I’ve never done this before.」

What a hopeless guy.

「I’ll show you. Give me the rod.」

I grab the familiar rod and reattach bait to the end.

Getting a bite in an aqueduct is a miracle, and it won’t happen again, but you never know unless you try.

Besides, there is some fun in just waiting with your lure in the water.

「Hey, what are you crying about, silly?」

I drape my cloak over the person’s nightwear and slap the person’s back.

「Is it tough?」

I ask with my eyes still on the rod.

I sense a nodding motion.

「It comes with the job. You had the determination too, I’m sure it’ll go well.」

「Really?」

With that, things go silent.

I’m really not getting any bites.

Maybe I’ll try using an apple as bait instead.

「Father.」

「What?」

Don’t keep looking at me, watch the movements of the rod.

「Sorry. I’m sorry, father.」

「Yeah. Don’t worry about it.」

If you cry, you’re not going to see my graceful rod handling skills.

「Father, you got something.」

「Mu.」

I quickly pull the rod up.

What was on the end of the hook, however, was not a fish, but a blackened shoe that I’ve seen somewhere before.

「It’s Ana’s. Half a year ago, she said she lost it when we went on a trip.」

「That brat, she threw her shoe in the aqueduct because she wanted new ones. d.a.m.n, she really isn’t picky on how she does it.」

I……as well as Antonio smile together.

「Haa, no luck huh? Well, it’s your fault for fis.h.i.+ng here in the first place.」

It’s going to be daytime soon.

Perfect timing.

「You’re going already?」

「Yeah, I got to fish a little with you.」

I toss the rod back to Antonio.

He catches it, holding it carefully like the ordinary rod is a precious treasure.

「……I won’t ever see you again.」

「Yeah.」

I pat Antonio’s head as he goes quiet.

「That’s why I told you to wait another four years, stupid son.」

After giving his head a good rub, I take Head-helmina, who I found lying in the corridor, out from my pocket.

「She’s somewhat troublesome, but knowledgeable. You can also carry her around easily, I’m sure she’ll come in handy.」

「Umu, we’ve talked about this. The point of contention is whether I am alive or dead.」

「No……this looks……wait, isn’t this Emperor Wilhelmina’s head? Father, you’re more fiendish than I thought.」

The sun is about to come up.

「Goodbye father.」

「Goodbye, stupid son.」

「Kefun.」

I hear someone clear their throat softly.

「Brynhildr. Goodbye……no, I guess you don’t want it.」

「I’ll kill you if you do.」

I thought so.

It’s not needed.

「That kid is incomplete.」

Brynhildr points at Antonio, who is crying with the fis.h.i.+ng rod still in his hand.

What does she mean by that?

「That woman, she must have hesitated quite a bit because the transformation stopped halfway. His life has extended, but it doesn’t mean he won’t die. And he might find it harder to have children, but if he repeatedly does it over and over, it’s not impossible.」

A smile unconsciously forms on my face.

「In the first place, a newborn can’t protect himself from the sun with a hood. A few seconds of exposure will turn him to dust.」

I have doubts about the few seconds part, but whatever.

Should I go back and inform him?

No, I don’t know if going back right after saying goodbye is a good idea.

I’m sure it’ll also hurt his pride if I see him bawling.

Brynhildr continues.

「In the end, it’s going as that woman wants, she’s doing whatever she wants and destroying everything……」

Something feels off here.

Brynhildr clearly sounds angry.

But what is she angry at?

I was killed.

But I just became like her, it’s not like we have to say farewell.

My family is a mess, but it’s not like that concerns Brynhildr.

「Oh, by the way, I’m not a mindless puppet. I can do this kind of thing.」

I flip up Brynhildr’s skirt.

Just as the thought of her racy underwear comes into my mind, she cracks my cheekbone. d.a.m.n, she’s merciless to her own kind.

「I know that. If you were a puppet, I would have annihilated you already.」

Then I don’t know what it could be.

I glance at Brynhildr, trying to figure it out, and see her looking sadly at Antonio.

I’m even happier.

She must feel sorry for Antonio who had to kill his father.

「Brynhildr. This is only if you want to.」

「What?」

I lower my head.

「You only have to do it until the end of my children’s lifespan. Will you watch over them?」

Brynhildr puffs her cheeks and turns her back on me without giving an answer.

In other words, she accepts.

「The price is great though. You’ll have to accompany me on a date.」

「Very well.」

That kind of price is nothing.

I’m more than happy to do it.

「The location is that woman’s bedroom. I’ll aim for when she’s away, be prepared for that.」

「……」

That price is steep.

If we’re discovered, I’ll literally be torn to pieces.

「I’m counting on you.」

When I agree with a troubled face, Brynhildr nods, and runs back to the sobbing Antonio with a sisterly aura.

I confidently leave from the main gate.

At this point, I don’t care if someone sees me and makes a scene.

「Ah, there he is!!」

I turn around, thinking that I was found pretty fast, and see all the girls on the balcony.

Although cramped together, they do their best to wave at me.

However, the narrow s.p.a.ce quickly creates discontent.

「So tight! I’m getting squished!」

「Ow, someone stepped on my foot! This weight must be Irijina-san!」

「Hey, Nonna! Move your b.o.o.bs! They’re in the way.」

「Melissa-san, stripping is against the rules! If everyone does the same thing, it’ll get out of hand!」

「Ugh, it stinks! Doing it now of all times! Who was it!?」

「Mama’s makeup is rubbing off and s.h.i.+fting almost like a mon――eek!?」

「Now now Pipi, don’t climb on me. You’ll hurt yourself!」

「Gyoee! A severed head!!」

I shout and wave back.

The guards gather in a hurry, but it shouldn’t be a problem if I simply cover my face with my hood.

「You’re here after all! Heey, Aegir!」

「……what?」

「Is it really the general!? I don’t believe it.」

The drunk companions also show up, but the girls complain about their b.r.e.a.s.t.s and a.s.ses being touched and kick them out right away.

Lammy hangs from the roof and Mirumi jumps up from the aqueduct.

I also see Pochi’s form high in the sky.

「Father, I am also――!」

「Ah, it’s the main villain!」

「Everyone, step on his feet! Pinch his side too!」

「Knee him hard in the b.a.l.l.s.」

「Father’s killer, I’ll cut off his d.i.c.k.」

「Ana, bright objects are a bad idea!」

Antonio, who shows up late, gets ganged up on by the others.

He does keep the promise of not fighting back.

I can’t keep track of who’s there anymore, but the boisterous atmosphere is fitting to sum up my life.

「Aegir-sama!」

Celia hops off the roof, then runs toward me.

There on the roof, Leah is watching with wet eyes.

I was wondering where she was, so she was with Celia, good for her.

「Leah said she wanted to die so I gave her a mission of becoming the best confectioner.」

It was that serious?

She would have done something horrible if we didn’t come to say goodbye then.

While those on the balcony make a fuss about how Celia is getting a head start, I turn around and leave behind the nostalgic clamoring. This is the end.

Or so I thought.

「Uwahahahahaha! I found you, man!!」

A ma.s.s of muscle stands in front of us.

It’s Gildress.

「Read the mood! You ruined the touching farewell!」

Gildress disregards my yell and Celia’s shooing, and draws his sword.

「If you returned alive, you would have displayed your joy with a pa.s.sionate manly hug!」

Absolutely no thanks.

「From what I see, it seems you aren’t alive. So let me ask you this! Are you the true man that I have come to know!? Or are you a foul monster wearing the skin of a man!?」

This can’t be resolved unless I answer.

And morning is near.

「I’m a monster, but I’m still myself. I came to deliver my final goodbyes. I don’t have any hostile intent.」

Gildress peers into my eyes with a piercing stare.

「I see, man. So that’s how it is.」

Then, oily tears gush out of his eyes.

「Ooh, man. It is an honor for a man to die in battle. But he should not have been able to defeat you yet.」

Gildress was the one training Antonio.

Naturally, he knows Antonio’s true ability.

「I am more of a parent than a man. Don’t you understand?」

This guy might really not get it.

「I understand. Of course I do. That’s why I’m frustrated! It’s frustrating to see a man such as yourself die without giving his best!」

Gildress says as he throws off his s.h.i.+rt.

He’s always been wearing only a pair of underwear to begin with, so it’s safe to say he has completely stripped.

「Let’s fight, man. My friend. Getting a chance after death is also because of the discretion of the G.o.d of battle. Show me your full strength!」

Gildress wails, drawing his glowing red sword.

「Father, use this!」

Antonio tosses the Dual Crater to me from the balcony.

Why does an emotional farewell have to take such a sweaty turn?

And Celia, don’t sprinkle salt on Antonio, it might work on us if you’re not careful.

（How surprising. Your life-）

Shut up.

（Muu. I’m going to sleep.）

「Here I come――!!」

Gildress holds his treasured sword, the Light of Aless, above his head and charges.

Despite his bulky body, he is faster than the wind.

I wonder how much power his defense-abandoning downward slash possesses.

Regardless, he is no match for the current me.

This body, which has given up its humanity in exchange for a weakness of sun and silver, has strength incomparable to――

「Uoooooh!!」

I meet Gildress’s full-powered slash with my Dual Crater, held only with my right hand.

My knee buckles, my chest is kicked, and I am sent flying in the air.

「You’re kidding.」

I curse as I’m knocked back.

I lost in a pure contest of strength. Don’t tell me he’s also a vampire.

「Man, have you gotten weaker!?」

「What did you say?」

I sweep my sword sideways, angry that I was embarra.s.sed in front of the girls.

The unrestrained inhuman strike blows dirt to either side and gouges the earth without the sword even making contact with the ground.

「Nnrgh!!」

Gildress accepts the attack head-on with his blade, and the resulting sparks created by the clash emit a blinding flash.

The torrent of power stirs up a gust of wind that spins up into the sky.

「Grrr!」

「Nnuu!」

Both of us push the other, and Gildress takes two steps back while I take one step back.

「Man. Have you stopped being human and gotten stronger!?」

「I’m not so sure if you’re a human anymore.」

We both distance ourselves and prepare for a clash between downward swings.

Defense or tricks are not considered, this collision of swords relies solely on strength.

I did not hold back.

I threw all of my monstrous strength at him.

However, Gildress did not break.

He blocks multiple strikes capable of crus.h.i.+ng the earth, and when I run out of steam for even a second, he counters with attacks as solid as a boulder.

Guards rus.h.i.+ng in because of the intruder are blown backward by the force of the sword swings, the gla.s.s windows of the palace shatter from the impact, and the flames of the torches dance as if fanned by a great gale.

The girls and Antonio cheer me on from the balcony.

Losing in front of my family after becoming a vampire is not an option.

Murderous intent swells from within my body as I increase my strength, gradually accepting the possibility that I may kill Gildress.

Gildress’s body is pushed away.

「I’m not done!!」

When I go in for the finis.h.i.+ng blow, he adjusts himself in midair, knocks away my thrust and retaliates with a slash aimed at my neck.

I block and my sword is deflected far from my body.

Although I wouldn’t have died if the attack landed, my head would have been chopped off.

Our swords clash for a third time, then a fourth time, but the battle isn’t settled.

「Aau……au……uu.」

Celia stares at the sun rising from the horizon and begins to panic.

「Nuoo!!」

「Hmpp!!」

We both unleash a grand horizontal sweep at each other that knocks us to the ground on our b.u.t.ts.

In that moment, Gildress’s fighting spirit disappears.

「My friend. Did you fight for real?」

「Yeah. It pains me to admit that I was serious.」

I fought with the intent to kill him.

It was unmistakably my best effort.

「I should be the one asking if you held back.」

If we’re equals now, then I’d be outcla.s.sed as a human.

「I won’t be so rude as to go easy against a friend. I always give my all……and a man becomes stronger the stronger his opponent.」

You’re pretty much a monster with the name of a man.

「I did push myself……just a little.」

Gildress drops his sword and falls forward.

He did not get hit, but the fight itself must have been hard to endure.

He managed to bear it to the end though.

All for the sake of encouraging me to fight with my full power.

「Goodbye, my friend.」

Gildress, who is lying face-down on the ground, raises a closed fist in response to my words.

The sun emerges as if to see me off.

Celia shouts something from a nearby house, but I’m in no hurry.

We have a limitless supply of time ahead of us.

Antonio is also yelling something after withdrawing from the balcony, but I don’t answer him.

I’ve said all that I needed to for a farewell. Further words are redundant――

「Guwaaaaah!!」

「You got burned again!? Please learn to take cover!」

Celia tosses a rope at me, which gets caught around my neck, allowing her to pull me into the shade.

「My road led to the kingdom. And that led to a happy ending to my story. The future will be the start of another story.」

The road to the kingdom has reached the end.

Where the next path leaves and where it goes, I don’t know, and that’s okay.

We have all the time in the world.

～FIN～

~500? Years later.

The artificial intelligence of the ancient civilization began to use its own judgement with the loss of its administrator.

They defined human happiness as the absence of any suffering, and concluded that it could be achieved by not giving life to mankind, in other words, the extermination of mankind.

Ruins scattered across the continent started the ma.s.s production of unmanned weapons, preparing several million steel soldiers to erase humanity――

「Platoon leader! Platoon leader Hardlett! Please wake up!」

My cheek is slapped.

I open my eyes with a groan.

「Gh……a dream?」

It must be because of the movie I watched yesterday

「Where am I? The palace? Rafen?」

「What are you saying, leader? Palace? Did you have a dream about becoming king or something?」

I hear the din of multiple voices.

My senses gradually return.

I see eight men crammed into the interior of a vehicle that is as narrow as a steel coffin.

The stench of body odor from sweaty male bodies and fuel wafts in the air.

My ears are filled with the sound of a noisy engine and the endless treading of uneven ground……

「It sucks to sleep in this thing. A carriage would be better.」

When I mutter, the jovial soldier who woke me up laughs.

「Hahaha, you’re not wrong. The M-205 armored combat vehicle, commonly known as ‘Smoothie’, has a p.i.s.s-poor ride quality in exchange for its tough armor and 30 mm chain gun――right, where did I leave off?」

「If you’re referring to your monologue that n.o.body is listening to, you left off at the part about the second emperor.」

A middle-aged man with a stern face answers.

His rank, if I recall, was sergeant.

「Oh yes, that’s right. Uhh, the second emperor, Antonio……it feels odd because that was his childhood name at the time. Even though it was normal to change one’s name upon ascension of the throne, he kept it until the end for some reason……is anyone listening?」

The other soldiers make a face like they’re fed up.

「I knew you were a history major, but I’m surprised you can still babble on when we’re going to be fighting a war.」

「At least it’s not as annoying as the propaganda I’m tired of hearing. Keep talking about the cute emperor with the childhood name.」

Implicitly urged to continue, the cheery man resumes his story.

「Well, the second emperor was far from cute. His reign was extremely harsh, killing enemy and ally alike if they defied him, burning down cities of enemies who didn’t surrender, and going so far as making his mother his lover and his sister his wife, who he had children with――he was dubbed the mad emperor.」

「So you’re saying he was crazy and did whatever he liked?」

One soldier chuckles.

I act like my foot slipped and kick him in the s.h.i.+n.

The upbeat individual shakes his head and goes on.

「The second emperor was not merely a tyrant. He challenged the Olga Federation, a nation that was unstoppable at the time and controlled 90% of the continent after annexing the Garland Empire, with less than a tenth of their strength and kept pus.h.i.+ng forward, winning consecutive battles.」

Some of the audience let out oohs in admiration.

「And it was in the state capital currently known as Beldograd, which was……what was it again?」

「Greidel.」

The cheery man claps his hands.

「Right, it was near Greidel where the decisive battle took place, in which he defeated and killed the supreme commander Stessel, and invaded White City. In just one generation and 15 years, he crushed the mighty Olga Federation!」

I nod in satisfaction.

「Then he also repelled a large scale invasion by an ethnic tribe from the east which happened at the same time the Federation surrendered……and went on to disappear without returning to the capital of Goldonia.」

「What the heck? Did he not just die in battle?」

「It’s unthinkable that a king ran away.」

The jolly man shakes his head.

「One theory claims he died from illness, but if that was the case, his body should have been retrieved. The most reliable record at the time simply wrote “he disappeared in the middle of the triumphant return and never came back”. Nothing else is known about his whereabouts……」

The cheery individual smacks his knee and continues.

「Succeeding him as the third emperor was Bartolome――here, the name is officially the empire and the king is the emperor――anyway, this one is again a complete contrast to his predecessor, and is said to be mild-mannered, gentle, and indecisive. He has a personality not suited for violence, however, was perfect for an empire which had already swallowed the Federation and annihilated the ethnic tribe. It is because of the third emperor that our homeland continued to experience great prosperity unprecedented in history for the last four hundred years!」

Spa.r.s.e unenthusiastic applause comes from the audience.

「Well, after that……as you know, a democratic revolution happened and the emperor was overthrown, which then led to a communist revolution and the establishment of the People’s a.s.sembly, which then led to the forming of the patriotic party who defeated the People’s a.s.sembly through a coup d’etat……I won’t go into detail as it gets messy……but the nation strayed too far and declined in power, resulting in our current situation.」

「That was terrible. Not only did the ruler change every year, the political system also changed.」

Although Lucy laughed, finding the era all too amusing.

「Leader, you sound like my grandfather.」

Oh, leave me alone.

「So, going back in history again, the second emperor was merciless to his enemies and allies……but strangely, he never laid hands on his family. It is said that those who blatantly disobeyed him or attempted to a.s.sa.s.sinate him were never punished, let alone executed or exiled.」

He promised after all.

That’s when the stern sergeant grumbled.

「I get the second emperor, but why aren’t you mentioning the first emperor when talking about the rise of the empire?」

The cheery fellow scratches his cheek with an uneasy look.

「There are very few doc.u.ments on the first emperor. Actually, there are plenty of places he’s mentioned. In novels, in plays……for example, this book.」

He takes out a small paperback from his pocket.

I catch a glimpse of the author’s name: Christoph.

「Apparently, the original creator of this book is my ancestor. Isn’t that amazing?」

He gets jeers of “who cares” and “never heard of that book”, but I nod to myself.

No wonder he has a similar aura about him.

「It says he rode a dragon in the sky. It says he led an army of monsters. It says he faced a thousand enemies alone, and repelled a cannon with his sword――」

「That stuff can’t be true.」

The upbeat guy acknowledges the retort.

「Right, there are too many elements of fiction that the real image can’t be pictured. If you were to believe everything written about him, he’d become like a hero in a children’s RPG――with that said, the Chronicles of Tristan, said to be close to historical fact, describes the movements of the first emperor vaguely.」

「Then he probably didn’t accomplish anything and was probably a boring guy, no?」

I act like my foot slipped and kick the soldier in the knee.

「That can’t be possible. It was undoubtedly the first who transformed the Central Plains from a sea of rivaling warlords into an ent.i.ty capable of competing with the then strongest Olga Federation in just a decade or so. We know the result, but we have no idea of the process.」

As respect for what he said, I give the guy a cookie from my pocket.

「A Celia cookie……leader, despite the way you look, you have a sweet tooth, huh?」

The stern sergeant laughs with a scary expression.

「By the way, this cookie, with a lot of sugar and cream in it, is famous in our nation and also has its origins in the era of the third emperor. The creator named them after her best friend who pa.s.sed away.」

I slap the shoulder of Christoph III.

Don’t talk about that too much, it’ll make me cry.

That’s when the radio suddenly roars.

「Oh, there’s the company commander.」

A voice that sounds young and hot-blooded comes from the wireless transceiver.

『The 2nd Mechanized Infantry Company is now entering the combat zone! The goal of this operation, in which three corps have been deployed, is of course to recapture the capital city Rafen and its surrounding area! We must take back the land of our home that has been stolen by the vile 8-nation alliance――the air force is fighting hard and vying for control of the air s.p.a.ce!』

「They still haven’t gained air supremacy……?」

One of the soldiers mutters.

「That reminds me, you’re part of the volunteers, right? Is it because you wanted to protect your home……?」

Christoph III asks.

「I’m not interested in that, but a bomb landed near us. It almost blew us to bits. And I couldn’t let things continue or else my family would get hurt.」

「Aah……you mean the enemy’s indiscriminate bombing of the city?」

To be precise, it did blow us up.

We just returned to normal afterward.

I no longer cared what happened to the political system or whether territory was gained or lost, however it mattered if Lucy and Celia were going to get hurt, and so I decided to volunteer and put a stop to things before it got out of hand.

At the recruiting site, I told them to make me a commander because I had experience, but after going through the apt.i.tude test I was deemed qualified to only be a platoon leader.

How disappointing.

The stern sergeant leans over and smiles creepily.

「Actually, I’m like you. Look, this is my daughter.」

I tilt my head when he shows me the photograph.

The familiar face revives a distant memory.

「She’s a weird one, and although I was not there to witness her birth, according to my wife, as soon as she was born, she yelled “I’m finally here!”」

「……」

The sergeant goes on with a lovestruck expression unbefitting his exterior.

「She’s still a toddler, yet doesn’t like playing with dolls, instead she is happy when looking at bodybuilding magazines.」

「……does she also like pumpkins?」

The sergeant becomes surprised.

「It’s her favorite. Also, sometimes she would crash into windows and say, “I thought I could pa.s.s through like before”.」

It’s confirmed.

「After the war, I’d like to meet her once.」

「Sure, please do.」

The company commander’s briefing continues while we chat.

『There are reports of a formidable enemy in Rafen. However, they are nothing to――』

「Uwah!?」

A loud boom interrupts the fervent speech.

「The company commander was. .h.i.t! It was a missile!」

At the same time the report comes in, the armored vehicle ramps up in speed, making the ride laughably b.u.mpy.

「Two combat helicopters overhead――hey, this is bad.」

Things aren’t looking good for me either.

The shaking is making me want to vomit.

An autocannon begins firing rapidly above my head.

「Third vehicle, severely damaged……fourth vehicle also incapacitated……d.a.m.n it, the sixth vehicle got blown apart!」

「Where are the anti-air guns and surface-to-air missiles!?」

「Both of them got blown up by the first strike!」

Christoph III stores his book away and trembles.

「The Smoothie is the world’s strongest combat vehicle……but I don’t know if it can withstand combat helicopters without support from the air……」

I hear a high-pitched whistling sound.

I grab Christoph III’s helmet and press him to the floor.

「Everyone, get down!」

A powerful impact hits us and tips the vehicle sideways.

「Raise your hand if you’re dead.」

Good, everyone’s still alive.

I kick the completely destroyed back door and step outside.

The vehicle which was brand new an hour ago is crumpled and on fire.

Surviving soldiers are crawling out of the other wrecked vehicles, with the exception of the company commander’s vehicle, which is totally engulfed in flames.

I think they’re all done for.

A faint whizzing of wind prompts me to twist my body, narrowly avoiding a bullet aimed at my chest.

The enemy is hovering just above the ground, shooting at allied soldiers, and launching missiles and rockets at our combat vehicles.

I try retaliating by spraying a few shots with the gun provided to me.

My gun makes the guns in the Federation battle seem like a joke, as the bullets travel in a straight line as fast as light.

「Things would have been easier if we had these.」

Bullets. .h.i.t the enemy directly, but don’t seem to have any effect.

「It’s not working.」

「Of course not, leader! A rifle is as effective as a pea shooter against a combat helicopter!」

Is that so? I’m going to need something bigger then.

I scan my surroundings and put my hands on the vehicle we were riding earlier.

The 30 mm……whatever-it’s-called. The barrel is still intact, I can probably use this.

I rip the bolt fixing it in place and drag the gun along with all the stuff resembling guts attached to it.

I press a few b.u.t.tons to test if it works and a sh.e.l.l shoots out. I can use this.

「Leader, what are you doing!? Without a motor, that thing still weighs 170 kg――」

I ignore the babbling Christoph and pick up the gun with my right hand.

The enemy happens to circle around.

I take a breath and strain my eyes.

It’s harder to see because of the sun, but I can clearly make out the spinning rotor, the bullets being spit out at a constant interval by the gun, and the pilot who has a smirk on his face.

I step on the dangling b.u.t.ton and fire the gun.

The sh.e.l.l flies slowly with a clockwise rotation.

Although it’s hard to aim with the opponent and the sh.e.l.l both being fast, it’s still easy enough for me even as a human.

Now, it’s practically child’s play.

The rotating sh.e.l.l pierces the c.o.c.kpit and hits the pilot in the abdomen, spraying blood everywhere.

Scattering broken metal debris, the combat helicopter pa.s.ses over my head and crash lands not long later.

「In one shot……」

I yell at the dumbfounded sergeant to lower his head.

I fire the gun, aiming at the three rockets fired by the other helicopter, making them explode mid-flight.

The pilot’s face warps in astonishment and hastily tries to breakaway by ascending.

「Too slow.」

I lower my waist and set my aim on him.

The fired sh.e.l.l hits the helicopter’s rotor, causing it to spin wildly until it crashes into the ground and explodes.

「Man, that was heavy.」

Turning into a vampire has increased my physical strength, but heavy things are still heavy.

Moreover, it is unpleasant to fight in the sunlight, even though it has become more bearable after the first five years.

「Well, it looks like the company commander was burnt to a crisp.」

There should be three other platoon leaders besides me.

One of them is unable to stand due to fear.

Another is searching for his right arm that was blown off.

The last one is getting cardiac compressions by a combat medic.

「I’ll take command. Everyone, ride the remaining vehicles separately.」

「W-we can’t possibly ride them.」

I smack the sergeant’s forehead.

「If you can’t ride inside, ride the top. If you stick close together, I’m sure you can fit about 20 people.」

Another sergeant speaks up.

「But the company commander has suffered major injuries! We lost 60% of our vehicles and 30% of our personnel! We should wait for reinforcements……」

「The enemy is likely thinking that too. That’s why we’ll charge forward.」

Leave this to me.

Despite how I look, I should be the most experienced of everyone in war.

The weapons might have changed, but the essence of battle hasn’t.

And neither has human nature.

I fight endlessly, eat endlessly, and laugh endlessly.

And I sleep with the beauties of the period endlessly, while also taking a little of their blood.

「Aah, this is wonderful. Don’t you think?」

A book falls out of Christoph’s descendant’s pocket.

Its t.i.tle……makes me smile.

『Road to the Kingdom』, huh?

～True End～