“Then repay it with your blood. Oh, I’m not saying to die, just so you know.”
I filled out the blank check that Kanak handed me without hesitation.
Despite what you might think, I’m a vampire who keeps business and pleasure strictly separate.
I’d love to wipe them all out, but the risk of completely severing ties with the entire Beastman Resistance Army over one greedy little beastman would clearly outweigh any benefit for me.
However, resources must yield more than what you put in.
Anything outside my fence is merely a resource to be consumed for my gain, and that includes the Beastman Resistance Army, which has an obligation to provide me with a certain level of benefit as long as they exist.
But what if the satisfaction derived from that consumption drops below cost, or worse, goes into the negatives?
That’s what they call a depreciating asset. To put it more simply, it means that it would be more beneficial if it simply didn’t exist.
Whether it’s done deliberately or not is beyond my concern.
If they had just stayed quiet, I could at least acknowledge their minimal value as potential food for the future, but if they’re going to mess up my space, that changes everything.
As a victim of this incident, I have the rightful demand for the supply officer’s head, who carelessly eliminated the chance for a swift resolution due to negligence.
But if they don’t want that, then they should at least accommodate me.
I planned to take the head of that beastman, Failure, who acted with blatant malice, but since I’ve already achieved that, I could honestly let Kanak’s blood cover any negligence.
Ah, I think I’m being too merciful. I’m not asking for the manager’s head, just a bowl of blood as settlement. What a world we live in.
However, the moment I returned the blank check with my demand, some beastmen silently showed hostility.
Isn’t it said that the one who farted gets mad? Where do they get off making faces like that? I memorized their faces just in case.
If the friendly relations with the Resistance Army fall apart, you guys will be the first to see the Lord.
“If my blood can convey my apology, I’d gladly do it.”
Oh, Kanak really is different.
Is this the chief’s insight? He knows exactly that I’m ready to make a fuss if I get upset here.
Even though my first impression was quite bad, he’s quick with his calculations, making conversation easy.
I thought he would at least accept this much without hesitation, so I’ll give him an extra point for that.
However, I still have a little scheme left. Did Kanak catch onto this?
“However, I cannot offer my head directly. That’s fine, right?”
“…That’s enough.”
…He dodged that one. He’s quick on the uptake.
If he had let me drink from him directly, I might have considered creating a subordinate for the first time, but that’s unfortunate.
Subordinates can’t oppose the Progenitor’s commands. In other words, making Kanak, who’s bound by a contract of subservience, my subordinate would mean the entire Beastman Resistance Army would fall into my hands.
Conning one would have been a miraculous exchange to gain thousands of troops.
It’s a pity it was shattered before I even got to hold the protractor, but I’ll just consider it a little poke. Kanak’s blood is certainly worth much more than that worthless supply officer’s life.
Should the supply officer somehow survive and harbor a grudge against me later, I can decide on that once I see how things play out.
Isn’t it a breach of contract to take his blood as payment for sparing him?
Isn’t it said that you sit to lend and stand to receive? If the one who receives first wipes their mouth, it means the one who gave is the one dressed down.
What great wisdom that is. Few phrases explain the harsh reality better than that.
From the moment I collected Kanak’s blood, I was in the dominant position. I can later decide whether to kill the supply officer if he becomes a nuisance.
If I get peeved, it’s going to be an exhilarating power trip.
“It’s better to settle this quickly. Can it be done right now?”
“Sure.”
“Letting a vampire have your blood feels a bit sketchy, but if it ends here, I’d consider it reasonable. But will you gain anything from this? I don’t think it’s a condition to make me feel bad.”
Oh, I stand to gain quite a lot. The blood of a true strong one is priceless compared to gathering dozens or hundreds of weak humans.
Looking back, one of the reasons I initially kept Eleonora close was just that.
Where else could I get the blood of a guaranteed dragonkin future? Of course, now it’s not just about calculations.
But I don’t need to explain this to Kanak. Explaining that strong blood holds that much value would just mean revealing my identity as the Progenitor.
Making the wrong response here could spark suspicion, but luckily, I had built an image for myself over time.
“Yes, I really did it to make you feel bad. If you managed your subordinates poorly, your feelings should be as bad as mine now. Am I wrong?”
“I’d like to call you a madwoman, but today, that wouldn’t be incorrect, so I’ll hold back.”
Look at this beast’s reaction? He curses but then holds back.
But he shows not a hint of doubt about my words. He must have felt unwavering sincerity in my lies.
And this is why regular conduct is important. I praised my own diligence in maintaining my reputation.
“Well, I was also looking forward to tasting it. The blood of a strong one is fresh and full of life, and it goes down well. It’s just my personal taste.”
“That was information I didn’t want to know. Thank you very much.”
Kanak rarely shook his head in genuine disgust.
Well, no intellectual being would want to hear how delectable they look from a predator. Thankfully, this topic was completely dropped.
A little while later, Kanak’s subordinate arrived carrying a fairly large bottle, a funnel, and extra bandages.
Let’s not ask why the supplies include a funnel.
After receiving the items, Kanak unsheathed a dagger and without hesitation sliced his own forearm. Blood gushed out from the deep cut, and the mouthwatering scent began to fill the air.
“Is this amount sufficient?”
“For now, I’ll let it pass.”
Looking at the bottle that was nearly full, I nodded.
Since he just cut his forearm, I doubt he could extract any more. Moreover, suggesting he stab his insides or slice his throat wouldn’t sit well, so I decided to show mercy, given Kanak’s spirit.
“Here you go. I’d prefer you save drinking it for later. For us, it isn’t the prettiest sight.”
“I’ll spare you.”
Fresh is normally the most delicious. But if we’re thinking of nutrients, a delay won’t change much.
“Then let’s agree not to mention this incident anymore. Of course, I’ll ensure your subordinate gets proper care until he recovers, so don’t worry. Given he’s a dragonkin, as long as you stabilize the bones and change the bandages correctly, he should heal on his own.”
“Be careful next time. But that leads to another topic.”
“Is there something else?”
Does he doubt me after all? Kanak looked suspicious. He seems worried I might reverse my words and demand more.
What do you think of me? This time, I’ve got something that’ll pique your interest.
“Let’s go kill Hexion Requid together.”
*
The master of Pahera, Hexion Requid.
A master of spear techniques and the name of the nobleman who took one of my arms during our first encounter.
Objectively speaking, excluding any personal grudges, that man is certainly stronger than I am.
At first, there was such a vast gap that even my sense of smell couldn’t pick up his presence, and even after experiencing it once, I could only catch a faint hint when I was extremely vigilant.
That’s why, until now, I’ve been taking a strategy of escaping the scene whenever I sensed him. As tempting as his powerful blood is, the risks of engaging are simply too high.
Yet here I am, suddenly breaking my consistent stance and deciding to bring in the beastmen to fight Hexion, all because of Ludrik.
Visible stones in the path need to be removed before they cause immediate issues.
If left unattended, the weeds blooming in the flowerbed will inevitably kill the cherished flowers.
Through this incident, I learned how vital it is to preemptively clear unnecessary resources.
Wasn’t it Ludrik Marcus and the Security Maintenance Force that grew this problem by refusing to take the trouble to clear it? Isn’t it about time to do some weeding of the visible weeds?
And now that Ludrik is gone, the most overgrown weed is, without a doubt, that spear-wielding noble.
That guy has been bugging me during meals lately, so I can’t even tell you the feeling of having to throw down my spoon and run from a feast laid out before me.
The warm scent of blood calling to me while I have to turn my back—it’s truly a sorrow that feels like losing a country… ugh, let’s not dwell on that.
However, I regretfully acknowledge that it’s nearly impossible for me to deal with Hexion alone, even if he annoys me.
Given that I can’t guarantee a victory in a one-on-one, there’s no assurance that a one-on-one situation will even occur. After all, the battlefield isn’t a sacred arena.
If it’s impossible to create a situation where I can kill Hexion alone, then I need to enlist someone’s help.
The vampires here are weaklings, so they’re out of the equation, leaving only the beastmen as an option.
The fact that I can’t fully trust the Beastman Resistance Army was demonstrated in this incident, but at the same time, I gained confidence that things may change when I move alongside Kanak.
As long as I can secure Kanak’s agreement, I can rest easy leaving my back to the beastmen. The other beastmen wouldn’t dare oppose me in Kanak’s presence due to their subservience contract.
So, is Kanak a trustworthy beastman?
Absolutely not. How could I trust someone who was trying to take Eleonora away from me on the very first day?
Kanak Deivalt strictly acts for the benefit of the Resistance Army.
The reason he’s tolerating my reckless behavior is not because he’s sorry about the events of the first day, but simply because maintaining a friendly relationship is more beneficial for him.
Plainly, it means he lacks the confidence to deal with the aftermath if he were to turn against me. In this forest, if a fight breaks out, they’d have much more to lose than I would.
Therefore, even while pretending to agree to form a united front, he could very well stab me in the back. Hasn’t it already been established that waiting for an opportunity outside the protection of the barrier is a valid strategy?
But still, the reason I suggested collaborating with Kanak was that I have no doubt in my mind.
That bastard wouldn’t kick away the chance to kill Hexion and stab me in the back.
The title of the master of Pahera who refers to Hexion is effectively built upon the achievements stacked with the blood and corpses of their kin.
If I offer to help kill the enemy of the “poor wronged kin” while wanting to, would Kanak really try to stab me in the back after agreeing?
I’m certain it won’t happen.
If Kanak were a bit more incompetent and emotional, that would drain the possibility factor. But that annoying beast isn’t foolish enough to fail at distinguishing such priorities.
Being someone who solely thinks of the interests of the beastmen, ironically, in facing the common enemy of humans, he becomes the most reliable ally.
Thus, from the moment I made the proposal, I was confident Kanak wouldn’t refuse.
The result was as expected.
Kanak accepted my proposal as soon as he confirmed that I was serious, though he proposed a single condition before we form our coalition.
“How about you and I have a duel first? We need to gauge the strength of our allies to assess our chances of victory, right?”
Ah, here we go again. I figured this would happen.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.
