99 - Captive
Geel and Sera continued walking through the darkness. Sera, however, had night vision. Even enveloped in the darkness of night, she had no problem moving forward. Since she roughly knew the location of the Undead Legion's former garrison, they were able to arrive without getting lost at all.
"...No one's here."
There were no figures at the garrison they reached. At least, not within the range of Sera's sight.
"No bloodlust either. Though in the brat's case, just because it's not there doesn't necessarily mean he's not here."
He didn't have a bad feeling. But if Ray wasn't waiting for them with malicious intent, that would be natural. It wasn't proof that he was absent.
"True. At the very least, we're being watched."
"What?"
"That creepy bird. It's here."
Sera's eyes caught sight of the Information Crow. This was the third time. The first time, they had been attacked by Undead Beasts from here. The tension between the two spiked instantly.
"I won't do anything. At least, not right away."
"What!?" "Eh!?"
The two were startled by the voice that suddenly spoke. The voice had come from very close by.
"...Is this a place to be surprised?"
Ray, who had been surprised by their reaction, was also surprised. He hadn't thought they wouldn't notice him.
"...Brat. You finally showed yourself."
"Because if I don't show myself, you keep chasing me persistently."
"Are you alone?"
The presence in the surroundings was only Ray's. Even so, Geel couldn't bring himself to trust his own senses. Though it was something unacceptable to Geel.
"Why don't you ask that woman?"
"...What do you mean?"
Why did he have to ask Sera? Not understanding the reason, Geel directed the question to Sera.
"............"
Sera remained silent. Her gaze was directed behind Ray, into the darkness.
"Hey. Is someone there?"
"...King."
While keeping her gaze forward, Sera knelt on the spot.
"King?"
Geel was bewildered by the words Sera let slip. He couldn't judge who the person Sera called King was.
"It's not the Demon King."
Ray gave Geel a hint.
"...The King of the Vampio race, then."
If it wasn't the Demon King, there was only one option left.
"As expected. To think my master didn't notice the presence."
Without understanding that he had been the same, Ray praised Dracul King's concealment ability.
"Even if you praise me. It's a problem if I'm noticed."
Dracul King wasn't happy to be praised. Stealth-type abilities were a specialty of the Vampio race. It would be problematic if his own abilities as King were easily seen through.
"...I didn't say I wanted to meet the King of the Vampio race, though."
He could tell immediately upon recognizing the figure that the opponent was no ordinary warrior. Moreover, the night was the opponent's preferred stage. The situation was quite unfavorable for Geel.
"I didn't come to see you either."
"Sera, is it."
"That's also slightly off. If I let Ray-dono meet Sera alone, she might be killed. I came out of concern for that."
Dracul King accompanied him to prevent Sera from being killed. However, beside Dracul King, who was saying this, Ray muttered, "I won't kill her." This was his true feeling. Though it was conditional on her being Geel's girlfriend.
"...Are you acting together with the brat?"
"I wonder how I should answer?"
"'Yes' or 'no'. One of the two."
"Then it's 'no'."
"...And you expect me to believe that?"
"Yeah. Because it's a fact."
It was a fact. Dracul King desired to act together, but in a true sense, that had not been realized. Unless Ray had the intention to fight the Laurel Kingdom army, a cooperative relationship with the Vampio race would not be born.
"...Fine. It's not like I want to talk about the movements of the Vampio race anyway. So? What's the reason you called me here?"
It didn't matter what the Vampio race did. It was about what Ray was planning to do.
"Because I don't want you to get in the way."
"In the way of what?"
"In the way of making sure you don't get in the way of my revenge."
"...I don't get it. What does that mean?"
He thought about it for a bit, but he didn't understand the meaning. Geel asked Ray for an explanation.
"I'm thinking of resuming my revenge, but I'm full up with other things. I'm moving to resolve that situation, but I think my master is likely to get in the way of that."
"...Explain it in a way that's easier to understand."
"If I explain it so you understand, I won't be able to let you go. I'll be in trouble unless you tell me here, without asking anything further, that you won't get in the way."
"There's no way I can say that!?"
He didn't even understand what "not getting in the way" meant yet. There was no way he could make such a promise.
"Then, I'll take your girlfriend as a hostage."
"Huh? Who are you taking as a hostage?"
"That woman. She's your girlfriend, right, master?"
"...Unfortunately, no. She just hasn't quite understood my charm yet."
Why did he think Sera was his lover? He didn't know the reason, but for now, Geel denied it in his own characteristic way of expression.
"There you go again. Even though you're close enough to be connected by a chain."
"...Your Demon Race did this."
"Ah, that's right. Oh? If she's not your girlfriend, then there's no reason to keep that woman alive, is there?"
The reason he didn't kill Sera without question was because she was the lover of his master, Geel. If that was not the case, there was no need for Ray to hold back.
"...Do you think I'll allow that?"
"I think that kind of statement is for a lover, but if you still say it's not the case, then I'll end up allowing it."
"...You've certainly started talking back."
Geel took Ray's words as belittling him. The atmosphere instantly turned dangerous.
"Rather than talking back, this is my home, after all."
"...Home?"
"Base of operations? Anyway, it's a place advantageous to me, so I think it'll be difficult for even my master to defend."
"Hmph... then, let's test—what!?"
He didn't even need time to finish the sentence. A spear thrust out right next to Geel's body. It was the spear of an undead soldier who had been hiding underground.
"For the record, I made it miss on purpose."
"...Good grief."
It was an unbelievable situation for Geel. To be caught off guard by mere undead was something that should not happen.
"Master has sharp instincts. But aren't you relying on those instincts too much?"
"...Don't be arrogant."
With Ray's words, Geel understood why he had been caught off guard. He hadn't felt any bloodlust from the undead that attacked. If he had focused his consciousness on the movement of magical power, he might have noticed. He thought so, but then reconsidered, thinking Ray would have already considered that much. This was the place Ray called home. As expected, it was a place where Geel was at a disadvantage.
"Now, what will you do? That woman is your girlfriend... no, she's not. Here's the deal with my master. Will you promise not to get in my way?"
"...First, tell me what I'm getting in the way of."
"If I talk about that... well, fine. Since I can't let you go unless you promise not to interfere, I suppose it's fine."
Unless he got a promise not to interfere, he couldn't set Geel free. If that was the case, Ray thought there was no problem in telling him what he was doing.
"I'm trying to stop the invasion of Nordende."
"And how is that?"
"By preventing orders from being issued."
"Preventing orders? That's... no, that woman. That woman is doing something, isn't she?"
The assistant commander of the Laurel Kingdom army who had seemed strange. The cause was the woman of the Lilith race he met at the fort. Geel could understand up to this point.
"Yes. That's correct."
"...What is she doing?"
"There's no need to tell you that. She's using some means to make the Laurel Kingdom army lazy. That explanation is sufficient, right?"
He wasn't withholding information. He just felt resistance to saying "sexual acts."
"...Why is that necessary?"
"Even if we drive them away in battle, they'll just attack again with even more people next time. Even if we defeat them, it'll happen again. The situation will only get worse."
"So you made it so the battle itself wouldn't start... it's a correct choice."
The method of stopping the fight was a good choice for Geel as well. It was far better than invading Nordende and being slaughtered by the Undead Legion led by Ray.
"If you think so, please don't get in the way."
"Yeah, I won't get in the way of that."
"Of that... meaning you will in other regards?"
"I'll stop your revenge. That's my objective."
"That's impossible."
The atmosphere of the place instantly became tense. Ray responded to the bloodlust Geel released. On the surface, he seemed to feel nothing.
"...I see. It looks like you've grown a bit, haven't you?"
He was different from the Ray of the past. It was as he expected, but Geel witnessed it firsthand.
"Is that so? I've still got a long way to go."
"As for me, I can't afford to lose to my disciple yet."
"That's your own convenience, master. I have no intention of matching that. Besides... do you intend to fight seriously in that state?"
Geel was connected to Sera by a chain. He didn't think he could fight properly like that.
"...Remove the chain."
"I refuse."
There was no way he would obey just because he was told to remove it. Especially if the chain could avoid a serious fight with Geel.
"That's cowardly, isn't it?"
"Not really. I think it's the fault of the one who got chained."
"It was put on while I was sleeping!"
"...In other words, master and that woman were sleeping at that distance?"
"Huh?" "Eh?"
At Ray's question, not only Geel but also Sera let out a voice of surprise.
"...Are you really not dating? Ah, doing those things even though you're not dating."
"I'm not!"
Sera was the only one to voice a denial. Geel didn't feel guilt over a passing love. Although he didn't have that kind of relationship with Sera.
"...You're not the one to tease. I assume you won't get in the way, right?"
"...As long as it doesn't become a calamity for the Vampio race."
Sera had no reason to stop Ray's revenge. Unless the opponent was the Vampio race.
"Your own race is important, huh. I don't intend to deny all of that, but it's the same as when you betrayed me."
"............"
For the sake of the Vampio race. Thinking that, Sera had betrayed Ray. There was no change in her answer and way of thinking this time. Being made aware of that by Ray, Sera felt an indescribable emotion.
"Well, fine. Regarding the Laurel Kingdom army, our interests should align. In that case, you cooperate too."
"...What should I do?"
"Just keep watch so master doesn't do anything strange."
"Understood."
If it was just keeping watch over Geel, Sera had no resistance. She immediately accepted Ray's instructions.
"Hey? Keep watch over me... you don't mean we'll stay connected the whole time, do you?"
Geel was the one who couldn't accept it. It was regarding the fact that they'd remain chained, he had no complaint about being watched.
"I think watching would be easier that way, but it's inconvenient in various ways. Fine. I'll remove it once we reach the base."
"Do you intend to take this man with us?"
At Ray's words, Dracul King let out a dissatisfied voice. He was anxious about taking Geel, a knight of the Laurel Kingdom and one called the Mad Sword, to a place where many demons were.
"I think that's best to prevent him from interfering."
"But..."
"There's no way the current plan will work forever. Someday the Laurel Kingdom army will attack again. We have to think of other measures by then."
False reports couldn't work forever. Even if he had won over the executives, the ordinary knights and soldiers would surely wonder why they weren't deploying. The royal capital side might also have doubts about the unclear results of the war. The current plan was merely a temporary measure to buy time. That's what Ray thought.
"...There's also the option of staying holed up in the garrison and continuing to fight."
"Feel free to do that. At that time... I'll think about it then. But for now, I have no intention of killing my master."
While buying time, it was the demons who would decide the future measures. It had nothing to do with Ray. Ray had only stopped the movement of the Laurel Kingdom garrison forces to resolve the current situation where he couldn't leave Nordende to protect the demons who had fled.
"...Understood. I'll leave it to Ray-dono's judgment."
He wanted to leave not only this matter but also future things to him, but saying that here would be meaningless. Ray would only refuse.
"Then shall we go?"
Ray turned his back and headed for the exit. At the same time, the presence of something writhing in the darkness was transmitted from various places.
"...Good grief."
Geel was stunned that he hadn't noticed that many things, likely undead.
"Don't be depressed. The undead Ray-dono commands are not ordinary. Not all of them, but there are undead that even I cannot find without carefully searching for their presence."
Just as the Vampio were among the demons, there were Magic Beasts with excellent stealth. It would be better to say there were many such beasts. Such abilities were equipped to hunt beasts sensitive to presence.
"...That's insane."
The Undead Legion that had toyed with the Laurel Kingdom army had been revived and increased its threat even further. For now, he should consider it a good thing that Ray didn't think about annihilating the garrison forces. That's what Geel thought.
◇◇◇
A room in the building that served as Ray's residence. On the bed placed there, two women were lying on top of each other. Cecil and Hinata. Now, Cecil had no reason to toy with Hinata other than to stimulate Ray's sexual desire. Why, then, in Ray's absence, was she in this state with Hinata?
It wasn't by her own wish. Hinata had pushed Cecil down onto the bed.
"...What are you thinking?"
While directing a cold gaze at Hinata, who was looming over her, Cecil questioned the reason for this action.
"I thought I'd make you happy for once."
As she said this, Hinata overlapped her lips with Cecil's. Cecil accepted it without resisting. However, her gaze became even colder.
"...It's a good thing to honestly admit the lewd desires you possess. I wonder if you've become disciplined?"
"Don't treat me like a pet."
"Pet?"
"I'm a human. I'm not your toy."
A being that is merely toyed with. Hinata's pride would not allow such treatment. "Having her pride wounded" was an excuse to herself, the real reason for taking this action was different.
"...I've never thought of you as my toy. You are Ray's servant. Everything about you must be offered to Ray."
"I don't want that!"
"Your will doesn't matter. I will discipline you to be so."
Hinata's will didn't matter. If she were to respect such a thing, she wouldn't have brought her here in the first place.
"...I won't accept that. I have my own will. I'll make you understand that."
Hinata brought her mouth close to Cecil's neck and let her tongue crawl. Her right hand went to Cecil's lower body. While rolling up the robe, she began to stroke her legs.
"...It's useless even if you try to make me happy. My body belongs to Ray. Only acts with Ray are my pleasure."
"Then, I'll make you realize that's not the case."
Hinata sat up and moved to the foot of Cecil's bed. She rolled up the robe, which had been pulled up to above the knees, even further. Cecil's white skin was exposed. Hinata's hand reached for her chest, then her lower body.
"Even if you do that, there's no way it'll feel good. I wonder why you don't understand?"
"You'll feel good soon."
Furthermore, Hinata let her tongue crawl over Cecil's entire body. The movement of her fingers also increased in intensity.
"My, Hinata-sama. That won't do. You have to lick more like a dog. Like a dog."
"Shut up!"
"...I could shut up, but it's a waste of time. No matter what you do, I won't feel pleasure as a woman. The only one in this world who can make me happy is Ray."
"...That's a lie. That's impossible."
While denying it with words, Hinata was panicking. In reality, Cecil's body showed no reaction at all.
"I'm different from you. Unlike you, who feels it just by being caressed regardless of who the partner is."
"I'm different too! I... I... I..."
What she was trying to say. Realizing it halfway, Hinata was shaken. Why was she doing this? Clearly recognizing something she should have known from the start.
"...That's enough. It seems I was mistaken. Because I didn't teach you properly."
"...W-what?"
"You know, don't you? You're doing this, but in truth, you want to be the one done to, right? You don't want to make me happy, you want to be made happy yourself."
"............"
Words of denial did not come from Hinata's mouth. It was exactly as Cecil said. She hated being left alone. She wanted Cecil to look at her. She unbearably hated that Cecil only looked at Ray. It was painful to see Cecil happy while being embraced by Ray.
"Hinata-sama. Is that alright? You said you have your own will, but that will is seeking to be unilaterally toyed with."
The time for letting Hinata do as she pleased was over. From here, it was Cecil's time for discipline. Hinata's feelings didn't reach Cecil, but the result would be what she sought.
"I shall do as you wish. I will toy with you until you feel like you're going mad. That is your wish, isn't it?"
"............"
"Say it. That it's your wish. Please make a mess of me until I go mad."
"...P-please... please..."
"It's perfectly fine, you know? If you're not seeking it, I'll just do nothing."
As she said this, Cecil lightly pinched the tip of Hinata's breast with her finger.
"Nn... ah..."
With just that, Hinata let out a moan.
"Which is it, Hinata-sama?"
"...P-please, make a mess of me. Drive me mad."
Turning bright red all over, Hinata spoke the words seeking Cecil. The moment Hinata first admitted her own desires from the bottom of her heart. Her body was already trembling with pleasure. After this, further waves of pleasure would assault Hinata. Waves of pleasure that would never cease. As she wished, Hinata was given the time by Cecil to feel as if she would go mad with joy.