Carmilla’s plan was progressing smoothly. The schedule had been changed, what with that swordswoman giving the King of the Fen Wolves information, but if he was heading this way, the plan had essentially succeeded.
“Hee-hee. Yes, do fight your own kin as much as you need, eroding both your body and heart before coming here,” she said with a smile, showing a row of teeth as she listened to the cries of monsters reaching her from far off in the forest.
This crystal palace in which she sat was a prison she had made into an impenetrable fortress—a prison that let nobody caught in it escape. It rebuffed external attacks, and she would suck the blood and mana from any who entered.
Carmilla’s crystal palace was different from the graveyard that Lich, another one of the generals, possessed. Geared for invasions, the graveyard allowed him to speed up production of undead soldiers to dispatch. This, however, was a domain ill suited for striking the first blow.
“But with this girl here, the Fen Wolf King will have no choice but to jump into my trap on purpose.”
She checked on the girl, who was sunk in the shadow of her mantle. She seemed to be sleeping deeply, oblivious to what was happening.
“You’re quite the carefree one. Even though your pet dog is risking his life to come save you.”
If this girl was of the Hero’s bloodline, it was possible she was linked to the Demon Lord’s seal. Should Carmilla kill her without thinking, it might not undo the seal—in fact, it might make it even stronger.
Once she put down the Fen Wolf King, she would have to investigate what had happened in the last millennium. After all, the Demon Lord’s wish to destroy the world and turn it into a crucible of chaos had not yet been fulfilled.
“Miss Carmilla, please focus on the enemy in front of you first. You must not—”
“—falter, right. I get it. You’re such a worrywart, Uncle,” said Carmilla, cutting off Lich’s scolding—he was hung up now, like a decoration—with an index finger. “This roundabout plan was for your sake, you know. If I suck out all the Fen Wolf King’s mana using this palace and give it to you, you’ll get your former strength back immediately, won’t you?”
“Yes, and I am grateful for this. I will be greatly indebted to you.”
“Well, as long as you understand.” Carmilla opened the big door connecting the throne room to the balcony. “Come to me, King of the Fen Wolves. I’ll drain you dry until you’re nothing but a withered husk.”
✦ ✦ ✦
What we see upon arriving at the lake is a giant, crystalline castle.
The thing is so big it takes up the entire surface of the lake. All that’s left of it is a moat. A drawbridge leads to the front gate, so we decide to head into the castle from there.
As we approach along the shoreline, the castle’s form steadily grows clearer. A fortress of glittering crystal, bathed in moonlight. It’s beautiful, while at the same time giving off an ominous air.
“Arwf? (Hm? The shape of the top—I feel like I’ve seen it somewhere before…) ”
As I narrow my eyes and stare hard at it, I remember where I saw it.
“Arwf?! (Isn’t that the crystal that was at the bottom of the lake?!) ”
That shape is the very same as that of the crystal I saw when we caught that huge fish. The crystal must have been a part of this castle. Would that mean it rose up from the lake bed?
How dare she build something like that in a place made for rest and relaxation? Now we can’t even have fun swimming.
“Oh? You’re finally here.”
Carmilla, standing on a castle balcony, notices us.
“How does it feel to make it here after trampling over the corpses of your friends? I’m sure you’re quite wounded now, having tried to go easy on them.”
Nope, not at all. After all, Len took them all down at once. All I did was run here. I don’t feel any particular guilt over defeating them, either.
“Woof, woof! (Len did everything! I’ve been a good puppy!) ”
“S-squeak. (N-now, don’t put it like that. You make it sound like it was my fault…) ”
Len’s so shy for a meathead—and now , after all the butt she’s kicked, she starts to get flustered.
“Squeak. (But as his wife, I do not find it appalling to sully myself for my husband’s sake. Because I’m his wife. Because I’m his wife!) ”
It’s not that big a deal. No need to say it twice.
The mouse calling herself my wife squirms around in embarrassment, which I ignore.
“Arwf. (Anyway, that castle is freaking huge.) ”
Actually, no matter how you look at it, this castle is something Carmilla summoned, right? She’s right there living in it.
Then what was that story passed down about this lake all about, with the crystal that kept monsters away with its holy powers?
It’s not a holy crystal at all—it’s literally a base for monsters. That’s an extreme case of telephone through the ages. Maybe it’s not strange for that to happen over the span of a thousand years, but this means even the legend of the Hero is suspect.
But right now, those questions aren’t as important as rescuing Lady Mary.
“Woof, woof! (Carmilla! I came, like you asked! Where’s the young lady?!) ”
“Hee-hee. She’s right here.”
The young lady, unconscious, appears from within the mantle Carmilla wears. She’s still in her sleepwear, her eyes are closed, and she’s breathing softly in slumber.
“Woof! (Hey, what did you do to her?! She’s unconscious!) ”
“Actually, I haven’t done anything yet… She’s been sleeping ever since before I made off with her… Despite all the noise, she just doesn’t want to wake up… Soundest sleeper I’ve ever seen…”
As expected of the young lady. Once she falls asleep, it’s very hard to wake her up. I’m glad she can sleep through something like this.
After all, if anyone found out I was fighting the Demon Lord’s army, wouldn’t that be the end of my life as a pet? My gut tells me the young lady would be able to accept that, but I must cut off any anxieties regarding my future. I’m just an adorable white puppy dog who happens to be a little bit big.
“Squeak. (How long do you intend on making such untenable claims?) ”
Until I die. Duh. Don’t think some superficial resolve will ever break my faith that I live as a pet dog.
“Mew. (The more you try to make it sound amazing, the more uncool it gets.) ”
Oh, zip it.
But our current situation is an actual crisis. Carmilla may be acting easygoing, but that doesn’t mean she won’t harm the young lady.
“Woof, woof. (Anyway, what do I have to do to get you to return her? If you want me to crawl on my belly and lick your shoes, I would gladly do that.) ”
Also, you can throw in the extra condition of using me as your chair.
“…No thank you.”
Her face looks really peeved now. Her disparaging glare is pretty good, actually. It gets a gold star from me.
“…Well. It certainly seems too dangerous to allow anomalous monsters like you into the Demon Lord’s army. It would be simple to tell you to kill yourselves, but where’s the fun in that?”
Carmilla rests her elbows on the balcony railing, and the crystalline castle opens its gates.
“If you can make it all the way to my room, you can have her back.”
She then leaves the balcony, bringing the young lady inside the castle. As she shuts the windows, she beckons.
“Arwf. (Okay. You promised.) ”
I cross the bridge made of crystal and head through the gate.
From the outside, looking in from the gate, the clear crystal castle is filled with muddled black shadows.
“Squeak. (Beloved, I know I don’t need to tell you this, but you’re walking into a trap.) ”
“Mew. (Ururu is here, too. Maybe we should withdraw.) ”
“Squeak, squeak. (I don’t know the details of the magic cast on this castle, but it probably springs from her vampiric characteristics. It will be a dangerous labyrinth, where your entrance will trigger the draining of your magic or blood, and you’ll likely be toyed with and killed. If you go inside, it’s over. You will not leave until you are a withered husk.) ”
“Lord Routa…”
They all look at me uneasily.
“Arwf? (Huh? Who said we’re going inside?) ” I respond blankly.
Carmilla told us to get all the way to her room. She didn’t say to go through the inside.
I look up at the castle and gauge the position. About there? Maybe a little over?