The Spearmaster and the Black Cat

Using the 24-faceted orbTrapezohedron, I returned to my mansion in Pelneet.

“Aaaahhhh!! Shuuya!”

“Nn――”

“Guildmaster!”

As soon as I stepped out of Paredes’s mirror, Rebecca and Eva hugged me. Veronika also joined in. I tightly squeezed them back.

…It’s been really a long time since I last felt the soft pressure of Eva’s hidden big boobs.

“Nn…”

Eva immediately closes her eyes, apparently wanting me to kiss her.

But you know, right now…is…

At that moment, I sensed an unnatural fluctuation of magic elements. Is it coming from around Mel or Bennett? Oh well, whatever. I guess it’s okay for now.

“…Haha, you’re exaggerating. It’s not like we haven’t seen each other for many years.” I pat Eva’s back while having my mind focused on her boobs.

Her metallic legs are bumping against mine. How nostalgic.

“Ojou-sama…”

“What a happy face she has… It makes me happy as well.”

Dee-san and Lily commented. While hugging my bloodkin, I faced Dee-san and bowed.

At that moment, “”Master!””

<Servant Leader> Mamani, the captain of the Blood Beast Squad, genuflected, and imitating her, <Servant Leader> Souther, a member of the same squad. <Servant Leader> Fuu of the same squad was behind them.

“Milord!”

And with a slight delay, <Servant Leader> Bia of the same squad as the other three shouted while shaking her thick lamia torso.

Ajul, adopting a daunting pose, opposed Bia’s words by shouting, “My lord!”

The eyeballs assembled on his ring-shaped head…are mysterious and interesting, no matter how often I look at them. Just what you’d expect of a precious race put for sale at the Underground Auction.

I wonder how Hundred Demon Ajul would react if I showed him Adombraly? He looks like he’d ask Adombraly whether he wants to become one of his many eyeballs.

Let’s try it out later while introducing Adombraly to everyone.

“Master, just as I mentioned in my regular blood messages, we’ve gathered a big amount of large magic stones.” Mamani stands up while talking and shows me a brand-new item box.

Her animalistic aura has clearly increased. She’s the sole tigerwoman among the Light Demon Lucival. Her whiskers are squirming right now, too.

“Nice. I’ll take them later on.”

Then I shift my eyes to Head Maid Isabella. 1 The Vice-Head Maids Anna and Krychiwa are next to her as well.

“””Welcome back, master.”””

The conduct as they greet me is top-notch. It immediately wakes the urge in me to act like a noble. I’m the one who has hired them, so I must treat them politely.

When I strengthened my awareness in that direction, I separated from Eva, Rebecca, and Veronika. Feeling slightly guilty, I approached the three maids.

“…I’m sure you had your fair share of troubles while I’ve been away…You did well to keep things running over here. Thanks. However, please consider this short period of absence as rehearsal. Our journey is actually going to start for real from now on. That’s why I leave taking care of the servants, including Mimi over there, to you three.” I bow my head.

“Master…”

“Y-Yes! You are a kind master…”

“Just having you say this is already plenty!”

Isabella, Krychiwa, and Anna place their hands on their chests and answer me while deeply moved.

“Good grief, no matter what you do, you’re truly a handsome guy!”

“Huh?”

“Not huh! Let me hug you more!” Rebecca retorts and leaps at me.

――Ughh!

I didn’t fall over, but shoulder tackle as Lucival packed quite the punch despite her slender body.

But, Rebecca whispers while crying, “Shuuya’s…scent…”

And then she puts her arms around my waist and strengthens her embrace, pressing her face against Hal’Konk as if to crush its buttons and fasteners.

“Nn, me too!”

“Me too.”

I got hugged by everyone while involuntarily rotating to the side.

“Hahaha, I got it, so don’t jump on me like that!”

I rotated with a speed similar to that of a spintop. Because my speed kept growing, Rebecca screamed, causing everyone around us to suddenly burst into laughter.

Using that opportunity, I stopped the rotation by focusing on my legs and trunk while making sure to not let everyone fall off. Then I grabbed the edge of Rebecca’s outfit – the Muntomi dress with the pretty feathers – and gently guided her slender body towards the ground.

“T-Thanks.”

“Don’t mind it. As usual, your collarbones are beautiful.”

“Sheesh, you lecher. But, thanks for the compliment…”

Just like that I stroke her head so as to tidy up her long, blond hair that got disheveled earlier. Once I do, Eva and Veronika glare at me with eyes full of jealousy.

Because I feel slightly awkward, I shift my eyes to the maids. In response, the maids bow simultaneously just like before while smiling at me. No matter how often I see it…their magnificent conduct is wonderful. It’s a first-class maid technique they learned at Resonante’s Boarding School.

All of them are pretty. Mimi, who’s behind them, too. I wonder whether she’s been properly taking care of Popobumu?

Now then, next are Vice-guildmaster Mel and Bennett, who are standing next to the maids. Since before they’ve been emanating a distinctive, tingly aura as conspicuously outstanding beings. The soldiers behind the two are only adding to that aura. Those must be the puppet soldiers Veronika mentioned.

In addition, I’m also curious about the unnatural magic elements, but…first I focus on Mel and Bennett. The Red Moon’s Puppet Corps wear all the same uniforms. The color is focused around red. A mark of the moon wreckage and full moon, which had been visible during the battle at the Dignified Heaven’s Shrine, has been engraved on the left side of their breastplate. And they also possess a small silver badge with a chain. The full moon’s design is big. But, the moon wreckage looks prettier. Fine, silver dust colors a twilight world. It reminds me of stars twinkling in an aubergine-colored night sky.

It has a great fashion sense. But, I have my shoulder dragon and Gatrance-form, so yeah…

In case I were to suddenly enter battle while wearing the new uniform, and if I expanded Hal’Konk at that moment…the new uniform would end up torn apart. It’d possibly be a solution if the shoulder dragon woke up and I got him to devour the new uniform, but…shoulder dragon-kun doesn’t seem to be inclined to wake up in such a convenient manner for me.

The Gatrance-form which comes out of a wearable, computer-type of item box is a protective clothing similar to tights, so it might be fine though.

“…Welcome back, guildmaster.”

“Welcome back, guildmaster.”

Mel and Bennett greet me while being all smiles.

“…Yo, long time no see.” I answer their greeting casually.

Thereupon Veronika moves next to the two with light, nimble movements. She faces the two with a smile while also wearing a red outfit.

Veronika, Mel, and Bennett are the leading gang of 【Moon of Dignified Heaven】, the successor of 【Remains of the Moon】. It really suits them, no, rather than suiting them, it looks pretty damn cool on them. Their current outfits aren’t inferior to the uniforms of the Great Knights of White Nine. Those are the outfits of the strongest leaders, in name and reality, of the dark guild.

Who has designed them?

“…From the fact of you coming out of the mirror, it was immediately clear, but Veronika has already informed us about us Lucival having built a new base in the deeper parts of the Sea of Trees.”

While listening to Mel’s explanation in a proud manner, Veronika whispers, “That’s only natural.”

She folds her arms triumphantly in front of her tiny breasts. But, going by the mood…she apparently hasn’t told Mel and the others…about me having had sex with Quiche and Kisara many times over. It looks like she plans to ignore this matter altogether, just like Viine.

“…It’s slightly outdated information, but we heard about several underground ruins in the Whirlpool Forest of Demonic Fog from Viine-san, and new sorcery dolls from Mysty-san. Mysty-san has mentioned that she’s developing her dolls while adding all kinds of materials based on her brother’s research data. But, she’s has extensively complained about the matter with the heart of Demi-God Munjay.”

I didn’t know that.

“I remember that she defeated a monster that appeared from a failed experiment, but I have heard nothing from her about Munjay.”

𝑓𝔯e𝚎𝒘𝗲𝚋𝒏oѵ𝒆𝒍. c𝗼m

“Okay. As for the experiments with Munjay’s heart, it’s about a new sorcery doll that uses the remaining energy of Munjay’s heart…according to what we know. It looks like she couldn’t bring it up…in front of the orcs you recently added as subordinates, guildmaster, but she has been grumbling about having run out of Totola masks and wanting the hearts of orc shamans.”

I see. That’s why she has pretended to not be interested in the orcs, huh?

“The stories of Yui and Kaldo, who have been going berserk on the roads of Radford Empire in the west…and our reports have been properly passed on, right?” Mel asks while looking at Veronika.

Still, an orc shaman who believes in Demi-God Munjay, huh? The orcs basically believe in the Eight Great Orc Gods. But, just like Quema’s Totokhun clan worships Fierce God Kisarame-sama…other clans might worship Demi-God Munjay. Even nowadays, you might be able to find some clans worshiping him in the underground. It might be a nice side entertainment to search for orc shamans during our upcoming underground exploration.

“…Ugh, that part…I reported about the Red Moon Puppet Soldiers I created with the skills <Turn Puppet> and <Tablet of the First King>! Because guildmaster texted me, 『I definitely wanna see the puppet soldiers who can use whip-staffs and heavy blades! I wonder just what moves they can pull off!』 with so much excitement that it seemed like he was able to hear my voice through the blood message, my heart started to throb as well, I got totally wet? That’s why I made a special exception and prepared my tuned gems here, hihi?” Veronika’s cheeks become bright red while she’s talking.

But, her fishy look abruptly ends, changing into a penetrative stare while she rotates sideways as if dancing. After turning her back on me, she approaches the puppet soldiers who have been lined up in the back.

Those are the bodyguards she touted about during our blood message exchange. Commonly known as Red Moon’s Puppet Corps. The appearance of the new, horned puppets is pretty neat, especially with the angle of their horns. The outlines of their heads and helmets are nice too. They’ve been created with a focus on a slender, inverted triangle from their cheekbones to their jaws. There are fangs visible at their coated lips, but the modesty around that part gives them a slightly womanly touch.

On top of a protruding bone breastplate, both shoulders are awesome tetragons, and their mantles are red as well. Each of them carries either a whip-staff or a heavy blade as a weapon.

Well…it’s not like I’m a Mysty fanboi, but…her new sorcery dolls are cooler. Then again, that’s just a matter of my personal preferences, I suppose. Besides, the huge difference in materials also plays a big role here.

Immediately after I thought about all that, those puppets started to move with a trembling of their armor. They held their halberd-like heavy blades, which resemble my Baldok a bit, level, pointing the sharp-looking blade points my way. It’s not a stance belonging to the Wind Spear Style.

On the other hand, the puppets holding whip-staffs…move their staffs as if handling a snake sword. Whip-based wires connect the bone blade pieces. A flock of bone blades extends towards the ceiling with a clattering like winding snakes. Their pointed ends seem sharp. They’re quite flexible, so I got to take back my previous words and admit that they’re not bad at all.

With the wires connecting the staff’s bone blades, the blades themselves look like the fangs of real snakes.

They’ve given me a demonstration. I feel like the former demonic marquis has twitched inside his ring, but it’s probably just my imagination.

“…Splendid. To be honest, their movements exceed my expectations. For them to move independently like sorcery dolls…won’t Mysty suffer a heavy shock from that?” I express my true opinion.

“I doubt that. If I’m nearby, they’re honestly quite strong, but…” Her expression looks like she’s not that dissatisfied, but it sounds like she doesn’t want to expose too much of her abilities.

I wonder whether they’ll turn into useless junk the instant she’s further away from them. Then again, even the previous puppet soldiers could be used as guards. Hence, they might be soldiers that can be used to imposingly fill the head count, even if Veronika isn’t nearby.

They might also be a nice addition to Cydale’s military forces, if they can be used there. I think I’ll chat her up about it later on. But before that…

“Are there actually martial artists from some leading school or some such inside those puppets?”

“That’s quite rude! It’d be one thing if they only included my techniques, but so far as it goes, Mysty’s sorcery doll technology and Zeeta’s alchemy were also included, okay? Putting it like that is demeaning towards those two. And, just like I’ve also told you through the blood messaging――”

The whip-staff of one puppet soldier attacks Veronika.

“As long as I’m nearby――”

While talking she dodge the blades attached to the whip by crouching down.

“Like this――”

Then she stops a blade approaching her face from the left by pinching it between her fingers. Thereupon, the ring of Adombraly reacts once more.

A stir occurs around us because of the battle scene unfolding all of a sudden.

“So? You see, they can move quite freely, can’t they?”

…Yeah, it’s incredible. No wonder she’s already obtained <Blood Path – Open Third Gate>, the third gate of <Blood Mana>.

“…Veronika, I got it. Did you tell him any other information?” Mel looks quite refined, probably because of her decent way of speaking and as an effect of her outfit.

As I look at her with eyes full of admiration, Veronika vigorously shakes her head, “…T-That’s already…pleeenty! Right, guildmaster…?”

Veronika turns her head my way, and sends a wink my way. She also sticks out her small, pink tongue.

That’s probably her implicit way of telling me to 『deceive Mel together』 with her.

That’s why, I cooperate with Veronika, saying, “Yeah…”

But, “Hehe, I know it anyway, guildmaster. Veronika hasn’t told you anything, right?”

“Aww, it got exposed.”

For an instant Mel directs a cold stare at Veronika, but she immediately changes it into a gentle look, and turns her face my way.

“Very well, I’ll bring you up to date then.”

“Please do.”

“Okay? Let me start with past information I’ve obtained from Dad, Demonoid Zarlp.”

I’ve obtained that information from Veronika, though? Is there some more to it?

“Dad has been a member of 【Black Prophets】.”

“Eh? You mean he was connected to Naromivas?”

That’s a surprise.

“…No, it’s slightly different. It’s just that he belonged to them in the distant past. Back then he had a conflict going with Demonoid Cueberas due to his cousins who belonged to 【Sebdola Faith】, and after being defeated in a contest for the Beast Noble, Dad retired from 【Black Prophets】.”

“A conflict with Demonoid Cueberas, huh? I’ve heard from Veronika that he got injured during a melee between various powers… And, Four Heavenly Witch Kisara, who’s recently become my comrade, mentioned that she had fought Demonoid Cueberas over Beast Noble as well.”

“Eh? I’ve also heard the stories about the witches who protected the desert, but…I was pretty sure it was just a classic fairy tale…”

“Classic?”

“I mean “Tales of the Battle between Sorcerers and new as well as old Witches.””

“Come to think of it, I recall having heard about it in the past. I think it’s one of the books Viine obtained.”

Or rather…it looks like all kinds of story lines are interweaving here…

Hmm? Didn’t Naromivas talk about having exported soldiers to various cities? Those underground soldiers were called quezunarl, weren’t they?

Speaking of the underground…Amu and hers are also fighting the demonoid empire. Even if Underground Goddess Rolka hasn’t anything to do with it…there’s probably still a rather big connection to all of this. The demonoid empire’s name also popped up in Labyrinth City Souther’Deruly which Kaldo chose as his training ground…

“…So, what’s that Beast Noble anyway? I just heard from Kisara that the name is Jiardan’s Beast Noble…”

“Beast Noble…”

“――Let me explain.”

It’s the masked Demonoid Zarlp who appeared alongside a blood spray. So this guy was the source for the unnatural magic elements, huh? As before, he’s wearing a protective coat, and katana-like blades on back and waist. His outfit with its pattern of bloody specks is pretty, too.

Is it a coincidence that it somehow matches with the uniforms of 【Moon of Dignified Heaven】?

“Zarlp, huh?”

“Indeed…it looks like you’ve taken care of Mel in various ways. At one point there was a time when I thought it might be better to regard you as a target, but coincidences are truly frightening.”

Zarlp has the bearing of a soldier. I feel like it’s become even more prominent in comparison to before. But, rather than that, there must be some reason, I guess.

Mel and the others wouldn’t invite him into my mansion just because he’s Mel’s father. Moreover, Paredes’s mirror is a crucial item necessary for my teleports. Normally, they wouldn’t bring him in front of Paredes’s mirror, I think.

So did they invite him here since it’s set in stone for him to become our ally?

I shift my eyes to my <Head Servant Leaders> Eva and Rebecca. They nod back at me as if indicating that it’d be alright.

“So, what’s a beast noble?”

“Just like the philosopher’s stone, it’s considered to be one of the great treasures created by the Nine Purple Cloister of Wisdom God Illias’ 【Circle of Truth】. But, the truth seems to actually be different.”

Zarlp talks fluently in a well-reasoned way, but it’s all things I don’t understand. I know a bit about Illias. The overcoat I favored for a long time was an item related to Illias. It was designed after Illias’s Holy Burial Cloth.

But, in the end I fed it to Hal’Konk. He devoured it with quite the relish.

Hal’Konk later spat out an black lustrous embroidery of Illias’s crest, though…

“…I don’t know anything about that Ninth Purple Cloister. If it comes to rings, my knowledge is limited to Arbahgudorobe Buu, one of the divine warriors, and Ajul whom I bought myself. Thus it’d be a big help if you could explain things in order.”

Since it’s not like I’ve already approved of him as an ally, I glare at Zarlp.

“The Circle of Truth is a group worshiping the God of Wisdom. They consist of nine wisemen who use 【Mislan’s Tower】 as their base. Because all of them from the low-ranking servants to the wisemen are clad in black and purple priest’s robes, they’re called 【Nine Purple Cloister】. And the Philosopher’s Stone is a huge magic gem that has gathered a big amount of living sacrifices, and the mana as well as life force of countless living people. …I know stories where a few ancient cities got destroyed for it. It’s something referred to as a devil’s tool. On the other hand, Beast Nobles is a special summoning tool said to allow for enslaving and contracting the netherworld’s military nobles, just like it’s hinted at by its name.”

Contract with military nobles of the netherworld? Like Rollodeen or Rotalz? I don’t know, but I feel like that might be an appropriate comparison.

“…I see. I know about your face-off against Crimson Assashin of 【Skull Ogre】 concerning the penetration-based techniques of <Blood Layer>. So, about 【Skull Ogre】…there’s someone behind them who uses Fierce God Kisarame’s treasure. Do you know their name?”

“No, I don’t. I think you already know, but Crimson Assashin is strong. And most recently the people worshiping Demonoid Cueberas have rapidly increased because of Demonoid Naromivas’s disappearance. She’s also involved with the Underworld Martial Arts Association…honestly, it’s just not possible.”

I see… Each and every of the small past storylines keeps converging into a single, big trunk.

Just as I indulge in a mysterious lingering memory, Mel speaks up, “As you know, guildmaster, we killed those calling themselves leaders during the attack on 【Skull Ogre】 where I had Yui, Kaldo-san, Eva, and Rebecca assist us. However, since the other leaders are hiding out in Lalarbuin, it won’t be that simple…”

Figures. Because the guy using Kisarame’s treasure doesn’t come out in the open to fight…maybe he even watched the battle the other day from the shadows.

“What kind of other essential news do you have?”

“After carefully investigation the information of our branch in Hekatrail, and those who changed to our side from 【Rozen’s Commandment】, 【Gate of Hidden Evil】, and White Nine…the dispute between the dark guilds in Mine City Tandarl and Gulf City Terrier have intensified thanks to the disappearance of the 【Shadow Wing Brigade】. In Tandarl, it seems like 【Nose of the Big Bird】 is predominating at the moment, but…it looks like they’re forced into unexpectedly hard fights. Probably as an outcome of that, I hear an enterprise classified as military-industrial complex of Halphonia’s duke is raking in a good profit from the war between Oseberia and Zamalia.”

“As expected, Zamalia is still a big country, even with the death of Hyatos, huh?”

“Yes, according to legends passed down in Zamalia, a demon-king-class demon has been lurking in the back within Zamalia’s royal family. I think the bloodline of that demon might strongly remain in the ducal families and marquis families, too.”

Somehow Mel’s voice sounds cheerful as she reports back to me.

“Nn, Shuuya, are we going to join the eastern war?”

We have our own plans as well.

“No, if I feel like it, I might join together with Rollo, but you have enough blood, don’t you Eva?”

“…Nn!”

Eva is an honest girl. After flashing her angelic smile at me, she inclines her head, offering me her neck as if telling me to suck her.

“What are you up to, Eva? I think that he should first suck my blood as I’m your senpai.”

“Nn, that’s a weak argument.”

“Sheesh, you two, stop fighting, okay? Of course I, as the sole person capable of manipulating blue flames, should be the very first.”

Rebecca-san, if you join in as well, it’ll never end.

Bennett loudly clears her throat, “Vero-chi, considerin’ how you insisted that you’d report everythin’ yourself…you apparently limited it to nothin’ but stuff you like, eh?”

Bennett splendidly defuses the situation as she speaks with a friendly grin on her lips.

“I mean…”

“From now on, I’ll also give guildmaster proper reports through blood messages, got it?”

“Mel…”

She winks at me. Mel has become a <Head Servant> after inheriting the blood of my <Head Servant Leader> Veronika. You can also say that she’s made a comeback as guildmaster, rather than vice-guildmaster, in 【Moon of Dignified Heaven】.

Looking at everyone’s faces, they seem very happy. While getting that impression, I feel the soft pressure of Eva’s boobs.

“Now then, you know that the reason for today’s return isn’t related to the dark guild, right? With that out of the way, you two, please let go. Eva, Rebecca, you’re going to go visit the apple trees from now on, right?”

“Nn.”

“I wanted to sniff your scent for a bit longer…”

“Dee-san, Lily, Mamani, and the others are all here, so endure it for now.”

“Oki.”

I separate from the two while savoring their perfumes.

After greeting Dee-san and Lily, I say, “For starters I’ll take the magic stones off you, Mamani.”

“Okay, then…wait a moment…they’re in the item box you’ve entrusted us with.”

The box-shaped item box possessed by Mamani was bought by them independently. I’ve given them my permission to use the mansion’s money that’s being managed by Isabella.

“No, it’s yours. After all it’s an item box you bought after choosing it together.”

While saying so, I accept approximately 400 large magic stones from Mamani. I put them into my bag without offering them to my item box just yet.

“So, before we return to Cydale, I’m going to show all of you…and not just Ajul…my new contracted familiar Adombraly. I’ve reported it to Evan and my other bloodkin before, but――,” I explain as I pour mana into the ring.

The ring reacts in the same way as before, and Adombraly manifests.

“This guy seems to be of the same Amshabis race I encountered on the 20th floor a while back.”

“Wh-!?”

“Yoo! Milord’s friends! I’m Adombraly. Nice to meetcha, nice to meetcha, piko! Currently I’m looking like this, but I used to have the position of a demonic marquis in the Spirit World, who also had his clothes made by Spirit World Enchanter Arzen. So, don’t get cocky with me, okay?”

The far too weird eyeball rattles down his words…and then makes a break.

Hmm? Just now he said Arzen, and my boots have been made by Arzen too. I didn’t hear anything about this.

Well, I guess it’s only reasonable. I’ve prioritized my training, and thus haven’t poured my mana into the ring thus far.

“…Piko? An eyeball that fused with your finger?”

“…Master, a weird magic tool got onto your hand piko.”

“…Quite the piko, that piko. It’s small piko. Is it of any use anyway piko?”

“That’s piko. The Piko Taro you mentioned in your blood messages…”

Everyone was laughing while messing around by saying piko this, piko that. I’ve also reacted to the piko part, though…

Maybe he should dance with everyone while wearing a tiger-patterned outfit?

The veins of Ado’s eyeball move faintly due to the piko stuff…that in itself is funny as well, though.

“…All of you liked the piko part, huh? Or rather, my contract with Ado is still fresh, you know? The skill isn’t the type you immediately understand after acquisition either, so it remains unclear as of yet.”

The skill <Demonic Armament Spirit – Ruby Loop>. I haven’t checked it in my Status either. To be honest, I don’t expect much out of it since he’s an eyeball anyway.

During the day I’ve been taking on Muu, who’s growing at an astounding rate with her spearmanship, just to continue with various martial arts training regimes atop the new gate. At night I’ve been spending passionate quality time with Sarah.

Higlia has been really jealous of it, though…

“Milord, this thing doesn’t look all that strong…”

“It looks like I could cut it down with my shadow strike…”

Bia and Ajul seem to share the same opinion.

“I’ve also grown after obtaining <Blood Mana>. It looks like I could easily crush it soil pebble shot by Bastral’s Face.”

Fuu is wearing adventurer-styled clothes. Not the brigandine of the Godtroll set that got scarred, but a splint mail that combines silver and black leather. On her chest she has a leatherwork accessory with an embedded magic gem. The accessory is connected to a fastener of her waist belt. Knitted strings made out of steel and leather are connected through silver chains.

Anyway, everyone seems to be puzzled by my new contract ring.

“Fuhahahaha! Don’t mess with me, don’t mess with me, don’t screw with me, YO! I’m weak! But, should I show you what happens if you underestimate my abilities!? Milord!”

Despite being no more than an eyeball growing out of a ring, he’s getting all excited.

“What kind of abilities, former demonic marquis?”

“Don’t mess with me! What’s the deal if you don’t believe in me, milord!? Very well, pour your mana into the center of my eyeball and my wings!”

“Okay, sure.”

Just as he wishes, I give him my mana.

In response, Adombraly swells up like a balloon fish, and separates from the ring while flapping his wings.

But, that’s not the end of it all.

Many feeler-like things extend from his lower half. They look like an aqueous solution with a strong stickiness. His basic spherical shape remains unchanged, but…the feelers are wriggling downwards as if causing waves. His upper body looks like an abnormal monster consisting of just an eyeball, but…his slowly floaty movements might be somewhat cute.

As I wonder where he’s heading with this…he seems to be moving towards the puppet soldier army created by Veronika.

――Eh?

While making the lower half of his globe transform, Adombraly charges at one puppet, obviously having determined it as his target. At the same time, he extends his feelers.

Once the tips of those feelers entwine themselves around the puppet’s horn, Adombraly reels those feelers back in, resulting in himself being quickly pulled towards the puppet. Then clinging himself to the horn like a leech.

“Watch carefully―― ”

The instant he says so, the one-eyed orb explodes. No, he’s invading the puppet’s helmet after separating into many red drops.

“Noooo! My bodyguard! I had planned to give them to guildmaster!”, screams Veronica, apparently at her wits’ end.

『It’s far too late at this point』, pops up in my head as a thought.

And then, unnaturally, bordered lines appear on the puppet’s forehead. Those lines form the shape of an eyeball.

Suddenly, the eyeball opens its eye widely like an 『enlightened』 Buddha or Shiva. It looks like it could shoot a beam at any moment. The two eyeball-look-alikes of the eyes, which had been present to begin with, also move left and right as if having a consciousness.

I guess it means Adombraly has hijacked the puppet. Now the puppet seems just like the three-eyed demons I met on the 20th floor.

“Fuhahahaha! This is the power of former Demonic Marquis Adombraly!”

I-Incredible. He magnificently wields the whip-staff the puppet has been holding.

For him to possess such an ability…possession like the bugs of Evil God Hyuriox… No, it feels more like being possessed by an evil spirit, doesn’t it?

Don’t tell me he’s Schmihazar’s inner eye? A parietal eye has evolved or something…?

I suppose this is a part of the power of a demonic spirit armament. But either way, he’s a new combat asset.

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