92 - Bound Fate
Sitting at the desk in his office, Ray had been thinking about the future. How to organize the Undead Legion. Strengthening the defensive capabilities of the garrison in preparation for the return of the Laurel Kingdom army. The treatment of the demons who had fled to him. He couldn't keep his own base in this location forever, either. And that tied into who he would take revenge on, and how, moving forward. There were mountains of things to think about, and various thoughts crossed his mind. Some of them were things he didn't even want to think about.
...First, the things right in front of me. The defense of the garrison.
He tried to concentrate on the immediate tasks to avoid thinking about unnecessary things. The defense of the garrison was an urgent issue. There was no telling when the Laurel Kingdom army would return.
...I also have to think about what to do if I can't stop them. Should I prepare escape routes as well?
There were five garrisons in the mountains. Of those, only one had a certain level of preparation. If it became difficult to defend this one, he would move to that one, but that would ultimately be a temporary measure. They would likely be attacked immediately.
Is there any good magic tool? Increasing firepower to wipe out the whole forest... no, that's not it. I can only use that once. Water, wind, earth... darkness is impossible.
The defensive magic tools deployed around the garrison. He needed to improve them or think of new ones.
...Hey.
What is it? I'm thinking right now. Don't disturb me.
You're not thinking at all. Your thoughts are just flying from one thing to another.
Ray was thinking of something else before reaching a conclusion on a single matter. Nothing would progress that way.
...I can't concentrate.
Now... which one of us is the cause of that?
Cecil-san.
Cecil was cleaning the office. She had a bright expression, and occasionally, he could even hear her humming. She seemed to be in a very good mood.
...She seems happy, so isn't that fine?
No...
Unable to suppress his lust, he had devoured Cecil's body. It had been a rough act, and that expression was perfectly fitting. From behind while standing. Next, he laid her on her back on the table, making her spread her legs wide. When that was finished, he had her lie face down on the table and went from behind again. Normally, he would always leave a sliver of guilt in the corner of his mind, but yesterday, such a thing had been blown away, and he had simply drowned in the act. He felt embarrassed and apologetic, making it difficult to face Cecil, but as he could see, she was in high spirits.
I see. After discovering her sadistic side, I tried to satisfy the desire for dominance within me by making her submit.
You're the worst.
I'm talking about your thoughts. If you call that the worst, doesn't that mean you're the worst?
I'm the worst anyway.
He actually believed that. He didn't know if it was a desire for dominance, but it was certain that he had satisfied his own desires with Cecil's body.
Don't let it get to you. It just means you're a normal man.
Is being the worst man what's normal?
Men are the worst, aren't they?
...When you put it that way, maybe so.
While discussing such things, his important work didn't progress at all. Realizing this, once he reached a stopping point, he began to think seriously again.
...I wonder what her intention is?
I told you, don't disturb me.
But I'm curious.
The one Kamui was curious about was Hinata. Hinata was also wearing a white robe and cleaning. Was her face bright red because Ray had seen her in an embarrassing state?
...Even if you ask what her intention is. Even if she wanted to flee, it's impossible in this situation. For now, she's just seeing how things go, right?
He had heard that she had followed him of her own will, but he didn't know how far that will extended. At the very least, he knew from her reaction yesterday that she hadn't expected to meet Ray.
It'll be a pain if she makes a strange move, won't it?
Yeah, that's a possibility. Should I just kill her before that happens?
...If you think that's best.
Ray spoke of killing Hinata nonchalantly. He didn't seem moved by Hinata yesterday, either. This coldness of Ray's was incomprehensible even to Kamui, who had been a subordinate personality.
But I wonder what Cecil-san would say. She mentioned making her a servant.
A slave, right?
It's the same thing, isn't it?
...I wonder? It doesn't really matter.
It'd be a relief if that actually happened, but in a place that could become a battlefield at any moment, having someone who might betray—huh?
What?
Was she wearing that collar yesterday?
A black collar was wrapped around Hinata's neck. It was a collar he felt he had seen somewhere before. Only in appearance, though.
"It is a collar of subordination,"
Cecil informed him in a low voice. However, Ray knew that this was not the truth.
"No, that's..."
"That is what I have told her."
Cecil spoke in a low voice so that Hinata wouldn't hear. However, such behavior seemed to bother Hinata, as she cast glancing looks toward Cecil.
"...Even if you tell her a lie."
A collar of subordination was a magic tool. Something that forced subordination upon the person it was placed on via magic. Ray thought there was no point in lying.
"It is fine. That woman is that kind of woman."
"That kind of woman...?"
"Please watch. Hinata-sama! A moment!"
"...Ah, y-yes!"
Hinata looked frightened, having been called out to suddenly in a loud voice. Even so, she obediently approached Cecil.
"You were a bad girl yesterday, weren't you?"
"...I'm sorry."
Hinata uttered an apology. At this point, Ray was surprised. There was no reason for her to apologize.
"Please behave yourself today."
"...Behave... myself?"
"Yes. I hear that when animals swear obedience, they show their bellies."
"............"
Hinata's eyes widened. She thought she was about to be put through another embarrassing experience.
"I am not telling you to take off your clothes. Please lie on your back on the floor."
"On the floor..."
"You will do it for me, won't you?"
"...Yes."
Hinata slowly crouched and then lay on the floor. She certainly obeyed what Cecil said, but Ray didn't understand what this was proving.
"Since you are an animal, please bark."
"............"
"A dog would be good. Now, bark like a dog."
"............"
"It is useless even if you try to resist. Your collar will not permit it. Now, bark. This is an order."
"...Woof."
This time, it was Ray whose eyes widened. Even though no magic should have been acting, Hinata obeyed Cecil and let out a dog's bark. He had no idea why.
"Wonderful. Please continue to be as obedient as you are now."
"...Yes."
"Now, please return to your work. Next, I ask that you clean the bedroom."
"I understand."
Hinata headed to the adjacent bedroom, obeying just as readily. Compared to the previous shock, this was not surprising at all.
"She is that kind of woman."
"...I don't understand at all."
"She cannot refuse even when forced into submission. But her reason does not accept it. Therefore, I provided an excuse."
"An excuse... that's the collar?"
"Yes. Because she is wearing a collar, she cannot refuse no matter what she is ordered to do. That is the excuse."
"I see..."
Logically, he somewhat understood. However, Ray still couldn't believe that Hinata actually functioned that way.
"...May I ask something strange?"
After hearing Cecil's explanation, one thing piqued his curiosity.
"Please."
"It seemed she wasn't wearing it last night."
"Yes. She was not. She cannot refuse those things even without an excuse. Furthermore, it serves to make her realize that she is an obedient woman even without a collar."
"...I understand perfectly."
It felt somewhat like brainwashing. In a different way, Ray became afraid of Cecil.
"I intended to finish everything perfectly before Ray-sama returned, but it didn't go well. I must work harder."
"...In moderation."
"I will do my best."
Doing her best meant he would have to hear those sounds again. Hinata's moans. A disordered voice unimaginable from the Hinata Ray knew. And he imagined Cecil's figure forcing that from Hinata.
"...I see. I'll do my best too."
He had to possess a strong heart. A strong heart that would not waver no matter what happened. Ray resolved this. Since that was necessary, it meant that for the time being, Hinata would be kept alive. Whether that was lucky for her, he could tell even now. It was lucky.
◇◇◇
A short distance from the garrison, civil engineering work began. The purpose was the creation of traps to repel enemies and the preparation of escape routes to other bases. At first, he had decided not to borrow the help of the Demon Race, but work didn't progress well with only Ray and the skeleton soldiers. Due to the strong desire from the demon side, he decided to let them help. Only the adults helped. Moreover, most of them were women, but many of them possessed strength greater than an average human. The civil engineering work progressed rapidly. He began to think that it might be fine even if the attacking enemies were two or three times as many as before. Just as Ray began to think that...
"That's dangerous."
"Eh?"
"Kai-kun. Could you avoid ruining the pitfall I just made?"
Kai had arrived at the garrison.
"...You made something like that?"
"Various other things too. Since it's not just magic tools anymore, it's dangerous to walk around carelessly."
Ray had lent Kai a magic tool that suppressed the activation of traps. But even with that, it was no longer safe.
"So, did you come to pick me up?"
"That was the intention, but—"
"I apologize for making you come out to meet me. Let me express my gratitude. Thank you."
Interrupting Ray's words, it was King Dracul who expressed his thanks. He intended to get the upper hand over Ray.
"I had no intention of welcoming you."
But Ray denied it clearly. Ray was not one to easily accept someone just because they thanked him first.
"That does not matter. I simply wished to meet and speak with you."
"I have no intention of speaking. Did it not get across?"
Ray turned his gaze toward Kai. He should have told Kai clearly.
"I told him. But he wouldn't give up. Because of that, my return was delayed. Did anything happen?"
Kai informed him that he had indeed tried to persuade his father. It was an excuse for the result of leaving Cecil alone.
"If you ask if anything happened, the answer is yes. But it's fine. As you can see, Cecil-san is doing well."
"That's good, but what happened?"
"The Laurel Kingdom army came."
"Eh?"
"A unit of about a hundred. I wiped them all out, but if the allies don't return, they'll surely think something happened."
For now, no new enemies had come. But Ray believed they would certainly come.
"Is that why you're making new traps?"
"Yes."
"Even if you repel them, the next will come. Is that not so?"
King Dracul cut into the conversation. He thought it was a perfect topic to move the conversation forward with Ray.
"They probably will."
"What will you do then?"
"Repel them."
"The next will come again."
"Repel them. If it seems impossible, I'll flee."
Ray was not attached to this garrison. He was merely using it as a base for now, and he planned to move to another location even if enemies didn't come.
"They will pursue you even if you flee. Do you intend to spend your time running away?"
"I wonder about that. They pursue because there is value in doing so. If there is no value, or if the danger involved does not match the value, they won't pursue."
There was no reason for the Laurel Kingdom army to be obsessed with Ray alone. That was what Ray thought.
"...And are you fine with that?"
King Dracul knew Ray's objective. That it couldn't end with him just fleeing.
"I don't understand the meaning of the question. I have no desire to be pursued by the Laurel Kingdom army. It's a pain."
"The Laurel Kingdom is the enemy of my wife and daughters."
"Yes. The enemy is the nation. Not the soldiers. Ah, the knights who came to the Forest of Bewilderment have all been killed already."
"...I see."
King Dracul had been slightly mistaken. He thought Ray's revenge was something more vague, that he viewed the Laurel Kingdom as the enemy just as he did. But that was not the case. Ray had decided specifically who he would take revenge on and was putting it into action.
"The rest are the Hero, the King and the Prince, and other influential people. It would be fine to destroy the Laurel Kingdom as well, but since I can't think of a method, I plan to target individuals for now."
"...We are prepared to cooperate in that fight."
King Dracul finally managed to bring up the main topic. But he had only managed to bring it up.
"There are still targets for revenge. The former Demon King, the traitor of the Vampio race, and their accomplices."
Accomplices of the traitor. Ray's feelings were shown in this ambiguous phrasing.
"...The traitor has been dealt with."
"She was alive, though?"
"You met Sera!?"
"Yes. I met that woman named Sera. Actually, the revenge should have ended then, but there was an interference."
The revenge against Sera was not finished. Ray was saying that the disposal of the Vampio race was irrelevant.
"...There were circumstances. She had no choice but to do it to protect the Vampio race."
"In that case, the Vampio race who caused it becomes the enemy."
"Why? Why do you refuse cooperation so stubbornly? My wife and daughters. They are Vampio."
He didn't understand the reason Ray refused cooperation. The fight against the Laurel Kingdom was a vendetta for King Dracul as well. Since they were family, he believed he was the primary party involved.
"Whether they are your family or Vampio, it doesn't matter. I am avenging Kamiira-san, Rui, and Kara-chan. And the enemies of the Third and his comrades."
To Ray, whose wife or daughter they were didn't matter. Race mattered even less. He was simply avenging the enemies of the people precious to him.
"...Even so, there is a limit to what one person can do."
"Even with that limit, I will think of a way to do it."
"Do not be stubborn."
"...Your premise is wrong. I believe the possibility of success is higher alone than by obtaining the cooperation of the Vampio race. That is why I say cooperation is unnecessary."
"That is not true."
"It is. In fact, I obtained cooperation once and failed. The Undead Legion was wiped out."
Another premise. Ray did not trust the Vampio race. Even if he was Kamiira's husband and the father of Rui and the others, he did not trust King Dracul. He would never accept cooperation from a partner he couldn't trust.
"I apologize for that. I promise that nothing like that will happen again."
"...Then, please bring me the head of that woman named Sera."
"What?"
"Ah, she'll be shattered, so a head is impossible. Bring her to me alive."
"...Knowing she will be killed, you ask me to hand over a comrade?"
The litmus test Ray had prepared. King Dracul could not pass it.
"That is the conclusion. How can I trust you, who calls a traitor a comrade? How can I trust the Vampio race? It is impossible."
Sera had betrayed the Undead Legion for the sake of her race. There was no guarantee that King Dracul or other Vampio would not do the same. That was the reason Ray would not accept the Vampio race. It was the same for other races or tribes. Ray had no intention of making allies of people who possessed things precious to them other than the goal of revenge.
"...I was mistaken."
"Do you understand now?"
"It is not about cooperating. I want your help. For the sake of the Vampio race's survival, I want to borrow your strength. I want you to fight with us."
It wasn't conscious, but these words from King Dracul were an attempt to align their goals. Even if cooperation was impossible for revenge, he was asking Ray if they could cooperate for another goal—the survival of the Vampio race.
"...Once I have fulfilled the goal of revenge, and if I am still alive, I will think about it."
"That is..."
It was an indirect refusal. Ray did not believe he would remain alive.
"That would be a problem, so I'll cooperate to make sure Ray survives."
"Huh?"
At this point, Kai used his wit. For Ray, it was unexpected.
"I want you to cooperate in the Vampio race's fight, so it would be a problem if Ray died. Therefore, we'll help so that Ray doesn't die for the sake of revenge."
"...Kai-kun. How did you become a child who thinks of such sly things?"
"That's probably Ray's fault. Because Ray is who I admire."
"............"
Unable to find a counterargument, Ray fell silent. King Dracul was not one to miss this opening.
"Kai says a good thing. Indeed. To have the promise fulfilled, it would be a problem if Ray-dono died. We must do everything we can."
"What promise?"
Ray had no memory of making a promise.
"You said 'if I am alive'."
"I said I would think about it."
"Exactly. You promised to think about it. And that is contingent on you being alive, is it not? Therefore, it would be a problem if you died."
"...Damn it."
The moment those words came out, it was Ray's loss. It meant he had admitted to making a promise. An unexpected reversal caused by Kai's intervention. The Vampio race would fight alongside Ray. The result of this brief conversation was the beginning of a fate that would continue into the distant future, spanning over a thousand years. There was no way these three would ever know that in the future. The only one who could know that was the existence who had been in this place other than the three of them—him.