Under the twisted robe of Transylvania.
I stare at the chest wrapped in bandages for a long time.
For a moment, I cheer at the fact that I didn’t feel anything strange looking at a man.
As I lift my head, I meet Transylvania’s gaze.
“What are you doing? Staring blankly.”
“You. You’re a woman?”
“Does a blood ghoul have a gender? Ah, are you talking about when I was alive? Sure, before I became a blood ghoul, my body was female. That’s why my chest has become disproportionately huge and it’s quite uncomfortable. I would love to cut it off, but I hesitate to put a blade on this perfect body.”
“······.”
Transylvania speaks so nonchalantly, as if nothing is wrong.
As expected.
The dead blood ghouls seem to think of themselves as genderless.
Since they’re no longer alive, there wouldn’t be any gender differences besides physical characteristics.
“Hey. Aren’t you gonna apply the potion?”
“I will apply it······.”
After checking my complexion, Transylvania flashes a grin and presents her chest to me.
She read my thoughts.
I cool my heated cheeks slightly and lift the potion bottle the moment.
“······No, no. Jiji. Jiji.”
A small palm covers my eyes from behind.
Then Mi Jeong snatches the potion bottle from me.
“······I’ll apply it instead. Yoo Jin, rest.”
“No, I’m fine.”
“······Yoo Jin, rest.”
“······.”
Mi Jeong speaks firmly as if dissent is not allowed.
With no choice, I hand over the potion bottle and step back.
“Hah. Are you worried that it might lust after my body?”
“······That’s not it.”
“Feel free to be concerned. There’s no human who would lust after a corpse’s body.”
“······.”
There is such a thing as necrophilia in this world.
But I am not one of those who possess such a proclivity, so I decided to keep my mouth shut.
While Mi Jeong approaches to apply the potion on Transylvania’s side, I take a moment to scan her body; it’s truly something to be proud of as a perfect body.
If I had such a body, I would surely become a narcissist.
“But why the male disguise?”
“Male disguise? What are you talking about? I have never done such a thing in my life.”
“Not a disguise?”
Her face is ridiculously handsome, appearing like a male beauty.
With a voice that sounds husky, as if she’s been smoking.
Dressed in black attire that seems fit for a man, and with her hair styled up like a topknot, naturally, I would think it was a man’s disguise.
It seems the clothes and hair are just for comfort.
“Why? Is there a problem?”
“No. None.”
Thank goodness.
In the end, I didn’t feel anything strange looking at her in male disguise.
I’m definitely not gay.
This brings me peace of mind.
“······Alright. Now, your clothes, take them down.”
“What’s the hurry?”
“······Take them down.”
“Hahahaha! Do you think your master, aroused by the body of a mere corpse, is any great figure? That one has realized the martial arts secrets of the sword!”
“······.”
That stings.
Mi Jeong looks at me with a cold expression, and I have to look away from her gaze.
I am innocent.
Calling her merely a corpse is too pretty.
Seeing a beautifully crafted statue can arouse lust; it’s a natural phenomenon.
“By the way, what’s up with your martial arts? They’re all rather peculiar. Not to mention Dakia-style Swordsmanship. The Merida-style is a secret art passed only to elf warriors. And what’s the other one? Not with swords, but using shoes, rings, utilizing the entire body, it felt like you were fighting a beast.”
“That’s Frost-style. It’s a swordsmanship handed down from the royal family of Palana in the north.”
“Aha······. I’ve heard of it but never seen it in real life.”
Finishing the treatment, Transylvania nods while tying her long hair back again.
First time seeing Frost-style?
That’s strange.
Transylvania is the type to be addicted to learning martial arts and can’t hold back unless she either fights or learns a new style.
It’s odd that she has never encountered Frost-style until now.
When I went to Palana, I immediately got to taste it while sparring with Yerina.
‘Ah. So it’s not a common event after all.’
In my case, I kept being bothered by someone who looked scrawny, so we ended up sparring.
If someone as strong as Transylvania went to ask for a spar, there’s no way they would accept.
“Though Merida-style is rare, elf warriors often come out to show off their swordsmanship, making it not too hard to learn. However, I could never find anyone who practices Frost-style. Even when I went to Palana to clear some dungeons, I couldn’t find anyone using that art·····. You said it was passed down from the royal family, right? So does that mean all the royals of Palana learn it?”
“Mostly, yes.”
“Thanks for the good information.”
Are you thinking of mastering Frost-style too?
To me, Transylvania already seems plenty monstrous.
It looks like she intends to keep evolving.
I wonder how high she’ll reach a few hundred years from now·····.
It’s starting to feel a little scary.
Certainly, the lack of limits to lifespan seems powerful.
“Now, where are you and the blood ghoul pest heading to?”
“······Pest. No.”
“That’s incorrect. With the body of a powerful blood ghoul, you possess a strength far inferior to your master, hence you’re a pest.”
“······My bad.”
“If you don’t want to be called a pest, then strengthen yourself. It will be beneficial for both your master and for you after your master has died.”
While Transylvania and Mi Jeong are bickering again, I fold my arms and slip into contemplation.
Where shall we head next·····.
There are plenty of places to go.
I need to find the final piece of Longinus’ Spear at the Saint Francesco Maritime Fortress.
I also must visit Belfast Academy to meet a certain Swordmaster.
And since I haven’t even stepped foot in Galia, I’m considering clearing that dungeon and checking the situation there.
‘The problem is where to go first.’
As always, the order is the issue.
Which path will make the routing seem well-planned?
“I’m planning to break some dungeons… but I haven’t decided on a destination yet.”
“Is that so? So for dungeon breaking, can I help?”
“It’d be great if you could. Preferably focusing on the Black Star Dungeon.”
“Indeed, if we only defeat the dangerous dungeons, the other mercenary riffraff will take care of the rest. If we wipe out all of them, Draken’s power will be significantly weakened. At that time, do you really intend to strike Draken?”
“I started this work with that determination, and it hasn’t changed. I won’t stop until Draken is dead.”
“You don’t hesitate in your answer. A madman. Well, it’s also why I’ve become fascinated with you. I will depart for training again to sharpen my sword, so feel free to call me when you need my strength. I will come running anytime.”
Transylvania grins while opening her arms wide.
What does that mean?
She’s asking for a hug.
In the south, handshakes are the common greeting method, but not in the north.
Some places do bow, and some do salute, but·····.
In every northern region, good friends part with hugs.
‘Friends, huh·····.’
It seems Transylvania thinks of me that highly.
When I ask myself how I feel, it’s peculiar.
I’ve built up quite a few prejudices about Transylvania, so I believed we could never be close friends.
However, having been dragged to face the final boss and barely escaping, and forming an alliance against Draken, and now able to achieve the sword secrets I thought I could never reach—it’s hard not to grow fond feelings.
Friends.
The strongest swordsman and monster who has lived for hundreds of years.
It wouldn’t be inaccurate to say Transylvania and I have become friends.
“Got it. I might call you when I figure out the location of the Four Heavenly Kings and want to hunt them down.”
“That’s good. They’re folks I know well, so the match-ups are very favorable. But please don’t call me when fighting Draken·····.”
“You’re still not brave.”
“You’re insane. You’re the only one who doesn’t budge when facing Draken.”
Transylvania and I embrace.
With a squeeze, Transylvania hugs me tightly, and I feel her chest beneath the clothes and bandages.
It’s definitely big.
If we had hugged right from the start, there wouldn’t have been a chance for misunderstandings about gender.
Seeing her up close, she’s quite short too.
Maybe it looked huge due to her proportions.
I thought she was taller than me, but it seems she’s around 170.
A tad taller than Yerina.
“······Enough. Let go.”
“Yeah. Let go already. It’s gross.”
From the side, Mi Jeong seems annoyed and snorts, interrupting us.
We finally break the hug and step away.
Now’s the time to part.
Both of us share the same destination, but our journeys will differ.
“Let’s get stronger and meet again! Hmm, but it feels like there’s still something left to say?”
“······.”
Waving my hand to leave, Transylvania turns back.
Did she notice something?
Indeed.
There’s a lingering thought.
Gathering some courage, I open my mouth.
“That chest. Can I touch it just once?”
“······.”
“······.”
I’m curious about the texture.
Very much so.
“······Pervert.”
“Why? What’s wrong? It could be a natural curiosity.”
“······Pervert.”
“I’m not lusting; it’s pure inquiry! Don’t you find it curious what the touch of a dead but not dead blood ghoul’s chest might feel like?”
“······Pervert.”
Mi Jeong is utterly offended.
No matter what excuses I make, she won’t listen.
She won’t even look at me, just repeating the same words for days.
It’s a tad unfair.
Well, if you didn’t have such big breasts, you wouldn’t be in this situation.
Making noise when there’s nothing to touch.
“We’re almost there. I’m getting off.”
“······Pervert.”
I can feel the train slowing down.
We’ll soon arrive at Clockwork City.
After taking this transcontinental train so many times, it feels like home now.
There was a time when the first class was uncomfortable, but due to fears of being chased by spies from Palana or the Holy See, I rode first class so often that I’ve become quite accustomed to it.
Now, why am I going to Clockwork City?
It’s to respond to the call of the Centipede Nun.
The moment I said goodbye to Transylvania and stepped out, Mi Jeong’s communication device chimed with Linda’s voice flowing out.
When I responded, Linda said,
[The Monster is saying she wants to consume life force so hurry over·····. What? Don’t call her a monster? Then how·····. Ah. Shall I call her Sister? Huh? She doesn’t like that either? Then what should I call her, like how Yoo Jin does, calling her a bug····· Aah! She doesn’t like that either? So how should I address her·····?]
By the time it was nearing the end, Linda was almost crying.
Apparently, the Centipede Nun is right next to her.
It hasn’t been long since I fed her life force, and now she wants more.
If it were usually me, I’d have let her manage with the leftovers and taken my time.
But since I’m already in Clockwork City, I feel bad making her wait indefinitely.
Since I have some free time, I decided to hop over for a quick visit.
“Huh?”
“······Pervert.”
Then, at that moment.
A brilliant idea struck me.
The Centipede Nun cannot produce energy herself.
She must absorb life force from others to survive.
It’s also possible for her to produce demonic energy from the absorbed life force.
Once I inject her with life force, she can use it for magic hundreds of times, and she’ll be able to live for approximately three months.
That means her energy efficiency is quite remarkable.
Then… how about using the Centipede Nun as a factory to inject demonic energy into Kali’s dead soul?
“Am I a genius?”
“······Pervert.”
Aha. This is it.
