Lord of Disease (JP-GL) 440

440: What Changes

Malinois, who had not interjected until now, opened her mouth.

“…Lord of Disease.”

“What is it? …We’re in the bath, so you can forget about the ranks.”

“No. Though we are in the bath, we are currently in training, and you are a superior officer, even if you are from another army.”

She was a proper type. Well, you couldn’t do a job with a living creature if you were not serious.

“…I said that I would become like the Lord of Disease… but can I?”

“I can only say that I don’t know.”

She was hoping for a conversation based on rank, on duty—or so I interpreted, and I, too, switched to a composed face and tone.

“But do not forget. I have spent nearly four years with these children. We have eaten and slept together… and we have fought.”

I had wanted the power of these children. Because there was nothing that could be protected with just pretty words.

And yet, these children had stood on the battlefield with me—and in whatever form, they had wished for a world where I was again.

To form such a bond… might only be possible for me.

But…

“…This is still the first day of training. There is no need to rush.”

These children did not hate living creatures. The Black Hound Barghests would, for the survival of their pack, prey on all other races, if they judged that they could hunt them with the strength of their pack.

That was a ‘hunt.’ A simple law, of the survival of the fittest. They hunted, just to live. If the Black Hound Barghests were a species whose sole purpose was to expand their pack, then this continent would be filled with Black Hound Barghests.

I would like to see that, a little. Though in that case, they would undoubtedly run out of food and would be destroyed, without even being able to resort to cannibalism.

“We—do not wish for everyone to become like me. Each of you should build a relationship of trust, in your own way. This training is for that.”

We had to continue to search for the right spot. …And surely, these children understood that, by instinct.

These children had answered trust with trust.

…And they liked a rather strong skinship. They were lonely creatures, who sought a companion, a master.

They might already have a master. And since I had no intention of relinquishing that position, that might not change.

But if it was in the form of a comrade.

Malinois stroked the Black Hound Barghest that was soaking in the bathtub beside her. A little awkwardly, but that stiffness was due to her consideration.

And she, with the softest expression she had shown today, smiled at the Barghest.

“…I may not have the aptitude, but I look forward to working with you.”

The presence or absence of an aptitude might sometimes be cruel. But I didn’t think that was all. …Or perhaps I should say, I wished it wasn’t.

I didn’t want the thing that had connected me with these children to be something like that.

I honestly didn’t know if an aptitude was necessary to tame a Black Hound Barghest. But these children had answered the affection I had poured into them.

These children, who had been bound, desired for their function as a kind of a ‘security device’—had received from me the mana to free themselves. Their numbers had increased, and when they had reached nearly fifty, Liz had noticed and had discovered it.

These children—had not directed the power they had gained at anyone. Even though I had not directly bound the Barghests, I was on the side of the user. They could have directed their resentment and their hatred, for the painful subjugation they had been subjected to, at me. …And yet, they had done nothing.

They had just been by my side.

I gently placed my hand on the neck of the Barghest beside me, which was wet with ooze, and I lightly massaged its supple muscles.

“I look forward to working with you, too.”

The Black Hound Barghest, without a word, rested its chin on my left shoulder. It closed its eyes, as if in comfort.

…Liz, as if in competition, pressed her shoulder against my right shoulder. And she met my eyes.

“…I look forward to working with you, too.”

The upward glance was a foul. If I had been wearing clothes, I would have hugged her, but since I was naked and in an ooze bath—and in front of people, that was also out of the question.

“Me too—for a long time, you know.”

So, I cupped Liz’s face and, as if leaning in, I just lightly kissed her cheek.

“W-we’re in front of people.”

“Rebecca told me that in Listrea, it’s a normal greeting between women, if they’re family or close. Since we’re family and close, it’s not a problem. And besides, Liz did it to me during the day, so this is in return.”

“…It’s not a ‘greeting’ that a married couple would normally do. And besides, I don’t think the timing was right for a greeting… but since it’s Master, it can’t be helped.”

I decided to ignore Rebecca’s additional lecture.

“Now, Liz, we have a lot to do.”

“Yes. With Master’s particularity, we have to carefully wash the ooze from their fur, dry them, and brush them.”

“Before that, you know?”

“…Huh? Was there something?”

Instead of replying, I clasped and unclasped my hands and flexed my fingers. The skills I had cultivated were, without a doubt, perfectly reproduced in this body.

“An ear massage, you know?”

“…Hah.”

“And besides, since we’re here, shall I massage your shoulders? I haven’t washed your hair yet, so that, too. I’ve already washed your body, but shall I wash your back?”

“…I have a feeling that the ‘many things to do’ for Master are a little special.”

“It’s just your imagination.”

I reached for Liz’s long, bamboo-leaf-like ears and, with my index finger and my thumb, I gently massaged the base.

“…Please be gentle.”

Liz turned halfway and turned her back to me. As I traced her nape with the tip of my index finger, Liz turned, her cheeks red, and she glared at me.

“Why did you just stroke my nape?”

“I just…”

Liz turned back to the front.

“There won’t be a next time.”

“I will put my heart and soul into it.”

“That’s not necessary.”

“Then I’ll do it as usual.”

I used the pads of my fingers and my bent fingers to massage the base of Liz’s ears, who had surrendered herself, and to relieve the tension. For the past three days, we hadn’t had this kind of a relaxing time.

Liz’s long ears drooped a little. They also did that when she was down, but now, in a good way, she was relaxed.

The Barghests that were paired with me and Liz went to Liz. Liz, while having her ears massaged by me, scratched the chins of the two Barghests with her index finger.

Malinois approached Aithys and, as if to be discreet, she whispered in her cat ear. Though I could hear her.

“…Hey, Aithys, isn’t their relationship with the Black Hound Barghests a little strange?”

“They’re married. …It’s not something that happened overnight.”

“…I see.” Malinois nodded, as if she understood.

“Ah, but somehow… as far as I can see… it doesn’t seem to have changed much…”

“Huh?”

“No, even before they were lovers, before they were married, they were always flirting…”

“I’m starting to get a little worried.”

“Aithys. …It has changed, with each passing moment.”

We were continuing to change. The name that indicated our relationship had also changed.

“That’s right.” Liz chuckled.

The degree of the actions that were permitted. The degree of the affection that could be expressed. Each other’s feelings. Everything had changed.

The feeling of love, which had been a vague one at first. The sense of trust, which had been necessary for work at first. They had intertwined and had become a solid thing.

Liz tilted her head a little and rested her head on my thin chest. And she took my hand, which was touching her ear, and intertwined her fingers. She smiled, as if to slowly relax her lips.

“…Since you came to me, everything has changed, for the better.”

There were many things that had been lost. That, Liz—precisely because it was Liz—understood. As a member of the Royal Guard, as a member of the training unit, she had trained many people. And many of them had been lost in Fort Litalside and on the Itria Plains. And many of the death knights who had adored me as their master—even I myself, once.

And yet.

“Because you came to me.”

Rather than the nation of Listrea being destroyed.

The current world was a world where there was a tomorrow, after today. A world that had been realized by taking away the future of humanity.

And yet, this world would surely become a better place.

Aithys nodded, even more deeply.

“Yes. This is the sweetest.”