“Squeak. (In any event, what could they be after?) ”
On top of my head, Len, drawn up to her full height and with her front legs folded, is lost in thought.
“Squeak, squeak. (We defeated the necromancer Lich once. He opposed us, seeking Mare, who he claimed was created specifically for the Demon Lord. We fought him then, because we had just cause in protecting Mare…) ”
If all that stuff with Mare hadn’t happened, we wouldn’t have had a reason to fight him. I’m just a pet, after all.
But if we’d let him be, we wouldn’t have even known Lich’s graveyard was in the forest at all. He might have accumulated power and advanced on the human world before long. Maybe it was a good thing we prevented that in advance. Even though I feel like that’s the sort of job the strong adventurers from the Guild should be taking on.
“Squeak. (Hmm. I know what it is. Now that we’ve defeated one of their generals, the Demon Lord’s army sees us as enemies.) ”
“A-arwf?! (Wait, what?! I don’t feel the same about them, not one bit!) ”
“Squeak, squeak-squeak-squeak! (Even the Demon Lord’s army, said to have once plunged the world into fear, is avoiding fighting milord face-to-face… Plotting to take hostages is proof enough of that. Heh. Heh-heh. They rate you extremely highly, as I would hope when it comes to you! And as your wife, I am proud as well!) ”
Quit celebrating! Nothing about this should delight you!
If you want to fight over the fate of the world, do it somewhere else. Why does everything keep happening in this forest?
And besides, what happened to the Hero?! Hey, Hero! The Demon Lord’s army is out and about, so you should be, too! Where are you, Hero?!
Be quick about it! Don’t blame me if you’re too late!
“Squeak, squeak. (I doubt it’s a coincidence they chose that girl as their hostage. They know full well her relationship with you. Not harming anyone else from the mansion must be a show of intent—they want to appear as though they are open to negotiation. Likely either they want you to trade your life for hers, or they want to recruit you into the Demon Lord’s army.) ”
Ugh. So they’re the type to do things in a roundabout way.
Maybe that gaze I constantly felt, and the fact that I can’t smell, are because of this Carmilla person’s magic.
“Squeak. (This is, however, an excellent opportunity, beloved. That boar girl has thrown her plans into disarray. She must think we do not know where her main base is. I’m sure she’s lounging there now, considering the conditions for her negotiation. If we act quickly, we should be able to take her by surprise and go on the offensive.) ”
“How naive. I knew exactly what you’d be planning to do.”
I hear the voice denying Len’s idea coming from right next to us.
At the same time, a black figure leaps at us.
“Arwf?! (What?!) ”
Hastily I jump back, then look to see who the figure is.
“Arwf?! (What—it’s you all…?!) ”
It’s an entire group of Fen Wolves.
Also, for some reason the bear we fought during boot camp is here, too. Redarmor, was it?
“This is somewhat earlier than I’d planned, but I’ve been prepared for this from the beginning. You may come by anytime.”
Floating above the Fen Wolves, in the air, is a beautiful girl in a black dress. Her brow is furrowed as she laughs and bites her finger provocatively.
“That is, only if you can get this far. I’ve made all your kin my own. A reward for their harming my skin. I will keep them as servants, as pets, until their lives run out.”
Sanity is gone from the Fen Wolves’ bloodshot eyes. Their fangs seem to have grown even sharper and longer. It’s clear Carmilla is manipulating them.
“If you want, I’ll keep you as a pet, too. I’ll use you as my chair. It’s a very important job. My. Little. Puppy. Dog! ♪”
“Arwf?! (What?!) ”
“Hee-hee. I’m sorry, did I make you mad?”
“Arwf! (Thank you, so much, for that attractive proposition!) ”
Being a beautiful girl’s chair? What the hell? That’s a reward!
“Arwf, arwf! (But my heart is set on the young lady, so I refuse! Also, thank you for calling me a dog!) ”
I knew it! I really am a dog! That whole thing about being the Fen Wolf King, Fenrir, was a lie! Sweet!
“That’s… Ugh, you’re throwing me off my game. As I thought, the way you think is far different from us monsters. It’s so incredibly odd, I can’t even have a conversation with you.”
“Mrow. (Yeah, I think Routa’s weird no matter who looks at him.) ”
Stop it, Nahura. Quit making me out to be a lunatic.
Monsters, with their minds always set on fighting, are the strange ones. I am a lover of peace—that’s way saner, no matter how you slice it.
“Well, of course monsters are keen to fight.” Carmilla sniffs as if to scorn me. She spreads her hands, and the corners of her lips turn up, revealing a row of sharp teeth. “Monsters are that which disgraces man, tramples him underfoot, and abuses him. That is their nature. The very reason for their existence. I’m sure your companions understand this quite well. Why not abandon that strange King of the Fen Wolves—a monster by name, if not by choice—and join the Demon Lord’s army? If you do so now, we will treat you very well.”
“Squeak. (Actually, I am not a monster, but rather a dragon.) ”
“Mew. (And this humble cat is a homunculus.) ”
And I’m not Fenrir. I’m a dog.
“I… I see. You’re all throwing me off.”
In the first place, these two are practically domesticated now, with how much they’ve eaten the old man’s food. They’d never attack people at this point. If human civilization disappeared, they’d never be able to eat his delicious food again.
“I understand now that we will never see eye to eye. If you insist on saving humans despite being a monster, then come to me—over the corpses of your own comrades.”
At Carmilla’s signal, the Fen Wolves’ circle begins to slowly edge inward.
The main bad guy is right there, so if we can take her down here, will everyone go back to normal?
“Squeak. (Beloved, that is an illusion. There would be no point fighting it.) ”
“Arwf. (Oh, like I thought, then? I figured as much. That’s the kind of thing they do in these situations.) ”
“Mew. (Quite frankly, I think your lack of tension is amazing.) ”
Carmilla’s illusion vanishes into the dark, and the manipulated Fen Wolves—and the bear—attack me.
“Grwl…! (My king… I’m terribly sorry…!) ”
“Grrrr…! (Please, kill us before we can turn our fangs upon you…!) ”
“Grwl, grwl…! (If it is you who judges us, my king, we will be satisfied…!) ”
The Fen Wolves painfully plead with me, as though their minds still remain.
Damn it. I could never harm a friend! If I had to, I’d rather choose to let them bite me without resisting!
“Gohh, gohh! (I don’t get it, but I feel intense power swelling within me! Gu-ha-ha-ha! Has the time come to overthrow those above me?! Hey, you, King! Die! I’ll show you a technique I learned in hell: my Rotating Batto— brghbhr?!) ”
This violent dragon, on the other hand…
Her undulating tail strikes down Redarmor first, then the other Fen Wolves. I think he was just about to use his ultimate attack, too. How cruel.
“Squeak! (Run through them, beloved! I shall sweep the small fry away!) ”
Len slams her dragon-ized tail about.
Sorry to bother you while you’re so enthusiastic, but make sure to go easy on them, okay?
“G-gohh… (I… I thought I was the strongest… Every last one of you is too insanely strong…) ”
Redarmor hangs his head, having lost his energy.
Don’t worry, Redarmor. For someone just recently born a monster, I think you’re plenty strong. Not that I’d know.
“Grwl… (Urgh…) ”
“Grwl… (Your Majesty…) ”
“Grwl, grwl… (I thought I would finally be able to feel the sweet sting of His Majesty striking me…) ”
Hey…one of you just said something weird.
But if she can joke like that, they should be fine. I’ll come back to save you later, so please forgive me.
“Arrrrrwf! (Out of the way, out of the way! Stand too close and you’ll be knocked away! By Len!) ”
I focus on running, and as the pursuers come one after another, Len strikes them away with her tail.
It’s not only Fen Wolves, either. All kinds of other monsters from the forest are mixed in, too.
She gained this much power in just a few days? If we leave this Carmilla person to her own devices, things could get real bad. Talk about a double-or-nothing game.
I couldn’t care less about the fate of the world or whatever, but the punishment for manipulating my forest friends and the young lady will be grave, Carmilla.
I’ll beat you down, soak that impertinent face of yours in your tears, and lick them all up as hard as I possibly can!
I howl loudly toward the full moon as I blast toward the lake where Carmilla waits.