She rammed into Jacqueline and sent her flying. The impact was staggering—a normal person would have died on the spot, every bone in their body shattered.
“Cough…cough… What was that…?!”
She stared as blood dripped from her mouth, her vision blurring.
A gigantic black hound stood in front of Norman.
“So you’re the Helkart Ripper…”
Unfazed, the man stroked the black hound’s back with a smile. It whined in pleasure.
“El’s the Hound of Helkart.”
Eltiel Siriusflame—the Black Hellhound.
“Th-that’s the woman from before…! That’s why you brought her along…!”
“Yep, she’s my bodyguard. Oh, I’d stay down if I were you. You look tough, but you’re not on El’s level.”
Besides…
“She’s a Category Three.”
Category Three Unlaw had stabilized powers that were quite adaptable. Cartesius ranked them the highest Category.
“…You’re okay with this?!”
“…?”
Her wounded face contorted as she screamed. Her scarred body shook. A body that had been violated by men’s basest desires—sold by her own brother and mutilated by customers.
“You’re just his lapdog, letting him use you as he pleases!” the girl screamed. “I know what kind of man he is! I’ve seen plenty of clients just like him. They were scum who thought of women as disposable tools! He’ll cast you aside the second something goes wrong. He’s an enemy to women everywhere!”
“Enough with the women this and women that.”
The Hound spoke. She lacked human vocal chords, so that should’ve been impossible for her, but Unlaw defied reason. She could speak, so she spoke.
“You’re generalizing. The world doesn’t revolve around you. You and I are different.”
“How?”
“Elementary, my dear Ripper.”
You may hate men, but I love this man.
You were betrayed by men, but this man saved me.
If you send all men to hell, then I’ll fall into hell with him.
It’s as simple as that.
“You chose the wrong master to wag your tail for. If you were going to be a pet, you should’ve chosen a master who loved you.
“If it’s from Lord Norman,” she added with a growl, “I welcome any wounds or pain.”
“No, I wouldn’t do that. Hurting girls isn’t my thing.”
“As expected of my Lord Norman. So kind…!”
“Quit messing around!”
The Ripper flew into a rage.
Jacqueline Harley never had a choice to begin with.
She crouched low like a beast, claws lengthening. Blood streamed from her fingertips, but she didn’t care. Emotions were fuel for Unlaw.
But she would never have the chance to use it.
“El.”
“Woof?”
“Get her.”
“Woof!”
The hound barked, overjoyed at the simple command. She charged at the Ripper, shattering the cobblestones. Jacqueline saw it all.
A pitch-black night. A single hound racing through the darkness.
Night, blackness, and shadow.
And within it all, those blazing eyes.
The Black Hellhound glistened in the midst of hell.
With a roar, she sent the Ripper flying. The woman’s body flew into the air, but it didn’t end there.
“Grrr—”
The Hellhound drew a sharp breath. What came out was no mere sound. Unlike Jacqueline’s claws, a single-use power, this was the result of Eltiel’s unnatural lung capacity and her canine transformation.
Roooaaar!
The Hellhound’s cry, an ability known as Black Demon Hound: Roar, echoed across the night sky. A directed blast of air slammed into the Ripper, devastating her.
Their evening walk was over.
“Woof!”
Tilting her massive head, the hound looked at Jacqueline, who lay bleeding.
“Aaah… Guh…”
Convulsing, Jacqueline looked upward through blurry vision at the hound standing in the night.
“Good work, El.”
Slowly, her master approached and stood beside her, gently stroking her black fur.
“Hrmmm.”
She gave Norman’s cheek a lick.
“Whoa, ha-ha. That tickles.”
Watching them, Jacqueline couldn’t help but ask:
“Why…?”
To her, it only looked like a giant monster about to devour the boy. It could tear out his throat just by baring its fangs, but Norman welcomed its tongue like it was nothing.
“Ah.”
“You and I are different.”
That was what she said. But what made them different?
The hound had him for a companion, and the Ripper had only her no-good older brother. They were related by blood, but there had been no real bond there. She may have hesitated when it came to killing her brother, but when her power awakened, that hesitation vanished.
Her brother had even said that with her power, she had plenty of ways to make money. In the end, he’d only ever seen her as a tool—a convenient workhorse for making money and satisfying his own desires.
The Ripper had a brother who only used her as a tool, but the Hellhound had a master. That was the difference.
That’s why I lost to you.
“Argh… This is the worst.”
The Ripper had been born in hell and now she looked upon a bond forged within the same fires.
She let go of everything, realizing the faults in her sense of justice.
“…That wasn’t a very satisfactory final line.”
Norman shrugged at Jacqueline’s last words before she collapsed, exhausted. She used the last of her strength to give him a complicated look, but…
“Well, whatever.”
…he didn’t really care.
“Nice work, El.”
“Thank you, Lord Norman!”
The beast had once again turned into a beauty.
Her dress was in tatters, leaving her naked beneath her trench coat, which just barely covered her ample breasts—both bigger than her head. Her hips were sensual curves. Her half-lidded eyes gave her a gentle look. The whites of her eyes had turned black, and the pupils glowed red. Being a powerful Shapeshifter Type caused residual effects of her transformation to linger. When they had first met, her eyes stayed inverted even in human form, so she lived blindfolded at times. Only repeated practice allowed her to live without the blindfold. Using her powers or being overwhelmed with emotion would trigger the change again.
“It’s a shame your clothes never survive the transformation.”
“I suppose. But I’ve made peace with it. I feel bad that you always have to buy me clothes, Lord Norman, especially when it’s so difficult to find something in my size.”
“I don’t mind. If you could wear anything you wanted, what would it be?”
“…Let’s see.” Eltiel tilted her head slightly. “Something cute with lots of frills or lace.”
“…Makes sense. I’d love to see that.”
Norman nodded, filing the answer away in his mind.
“You know, Lord Norman… That was quick thinking earlier. Impressive as always!”
“Hmm? What are you talking about?”
“The monster in the rumors, the Helkart Street Demon Dog. You tied me to those rumors.”
“Oh no. You actually were the monster in those rumors.”
“…Pardon?”
“Maybe you don’t remember everything… We first met on Helkart Street. I found you there again later on. I got a little banged up, remember? That probably caused the rumors to get overblown a bit.”
“Oh my…”
Eltiel widened her eyes and smiled.
“That’s…awfully romantic.”
“She was motivated by righteous fury,” Norman said mid-brush.