When the sun is setting, at the main hall of the castle.
The duel that will decide the fate of the Kingdom of Silesie, the fight between me and Prince Freed started.
With the size of this hall, Oracle and I can even combine and be in flight form. I glanced at her and she normally cheered.
「Do your best, Takeru. Remember what you're carrying.」
Well, this is a duel between heroes so wearing Oracle-chan as a booster will be a foul.
Staring at me are heterochromic eyes of blue and gold.
A born ruler. The golden lion emperor Freed's presence is overwhelming.
「This is a fair duel between heroes so if you don't come, I'll go!」
「Oops!」
With a boong sound, I slashed back with the sword of light.
I thought that I should wait and see what happens but he's too fast!
I can't afford to follow the opponent's initial move so I just accepted his slash and fights back.
Spark scatters as swords of light collide with each other.
The weight of the Sword of Light is almost zero.
Its power and speed depend purely on willpower and dexterity.
Freed's swordplay is truly masterful as expected of the prince but it seems that he still doesn't understand the essence of the sword of light.
I am far above in terms of actual battle experience using the sword of light.
「You really are capable, Takeru.」
「Prince Freed is quite good too.」
Against to the right, against to the left, our sword exchange is speeding up.
An exchange of shining swords.
One mistake will cost us our life but this is getting more fun.
Whenever I swing my sword, my heart trembles with the pleasure of hitting each other.
Freed grinned.
Perhaps I'm also grinning. Freed's sword pressure swelled up from there.
「It's time to get serious, Germanicus ryu Sword of the Emperor!」
「Kuoh!」
Freed put all his power to the sword of light.
Drastic attack will begin here.
Spirit gushes out from Freed's whole body and poured it to an intense slash.
My arms got numb for receiving it but I desperately endures it. So this is the sword of the emperor?
「Ura! Ura! Ura! Ura!」
His attacks intensified and were so fast as if it's splitting the air. Afterglow and after image can even be seen from Freed's attacks.
I'm still enduring Freed's attack and wait for my chance in case he overswing.
He made a big swing and I sharply penetrate his defence in this momentary gap.
「Hiratsuki!」
Hiratsuki.
It's a sharp horizontal thrust where the blade is laid sideways with zero pause.
Freed's posture collapse due to his overswing but still has the ability to dodge my stab with his footwork.
Even though it's his first time seeing my technique, it looks like he already anticipated that move. He really has a splendid battle sense.
Even if he tries to evade sideways, I can change hiratsuki's thrust to side mowing.
The sword of light made a ching sound as it was resisted by his orichalcum shoulder pad.
As expected of the world's strongest metal, the sword of light only manage to graze it.
「Effective decoration.」
「Chi!」
My step in was too shallow. If something like that happened again next time, I'll penetrate more deeply.
But he isn't an enemy that will allow the same attack twice.
「An interesting technique, Silesie's hero. If its piercing technique, I'll show you germanicus style.」
Freed who withdrew once adjusted his breath.
This time, he took a posture like someone who's practicing fencing and drive a thrust while running.
「Germanicus-ryu, three-stage thrust!」
thrust thrust thrust Freed skilfully shows of his piercing technique.
So, there's also three-step thrust in this world. It's a tough match but it's a good practice.
「Jikishinkageryu, four-phase blast!」
Because it's a one-handed sword, I was able to perform four thrusts that hit accurately.
It's an exchange of thrusts. I was able to repel Freed's three step thrust and stab him in an acute angle with my fourth thrust that is loaded with my strong will.
「Nuah!」
Having been struck at his shoulder, Freed swings his sword of light greatly and checks the place he was hit.
It seems that even the sword of light can't pierce an orichalcum armor.
However, the one who's wearing the armor can't be unhurt.
I may have not broke his smile but the amount of sweat Freed is giving off and the way he clench his teeth, he's obviously damaged.
My swordsmanship career is also young but this fellow was still lacking in actual combat.
If it's just a duel between sword of light users, I, who had experience, will win.
「Hey Freed, can't we just stop this duel already?」
「What foolishness are you talking about? Do you think you have won already with just hitting me once?」
Even if I win this duel, the fact that the empire still has enough power to threaten the kingdom remains.
If that is the case, it is not the body but Freed's heart should be destroyed.
「Well, then I'll continue beating you up until you ask me to stop! 」
「Don't get cocky! 」
The sword of light which I have put my strong will surely would have flipped Freed's sword of light.
But, what is this? This feeling.
I feel like I'm having a premonition of receiving the enemy's slash. There is a phantom pain that runs through my body.
I feel like my life is in danger and my sense of time is really slow.
Freed's right hand has the sword of light and in his left hand, a jet black sword comes out.
Freed, how can you use the sword of darkness that only demon king can use!
At the same time I was thinking about it, I received a side strike.
My sense of time returns as I violently hit the ground.
「Oya, what the hell is this demon garbage? I cut a worthless person. 」
Freed's ruthless voice falls on me.
Apparently, I was just flipped off and there is no abnormality in my body. I thought that the mithril armor withstood it but I was wrong.
My advance magician, Kaara, was the one who was torn down in my place.
Her body was greatly torn but there is no bleeding because her wound are burnt black.
「Kaara, this is my duel, why!? 」
She protected me but I'm not grateful instead, I was trembling with extreme anger.
My sight is blurry because of tears. I shake it off with the back of my hand in a hurry and rise.
「Takeru, you're the one who made the condition of her "curse slave contract". 」
I was startled from Oracle-chan's voice that I jumped out.
Article 2 Kaara shall not harm humans directly and indirectly. She also must not harm humans by overlooking harm to humans. Provided, however, that this shall not apply in cases where it is contrary to Article 1.
Because of the contract, Kaara jumped and defended me because she cannot overlook "harm to humans".
Indeed. If that surprise attack hits me, I certainly would have died.
Everything was my fault.
If I didn't want her to help me, I should have commanded Kaara to not save me.
「Silesie's hero! Though there is an unnecessary distraction, we should settle this immediately. 」
「Freed, how are you able to use the sword of darkness! 」
Freed showed his extreme joy by shaping his lips.
I really wanted to teach this shitty brat a lesson…
「Let me tell you about it. It's a souvenir from the underworld. 」
When he said that, he removed his orichalcum gloves and showed me his left hand.
On the back of Freed's hand is a comma shaped dark red bead.
「What the hell is that!?」
「Hahaha, you're a hero but you didn't even know a demon king core.」
Freed heterochromic blue and gold eyes looked down on me as if ridiculing me.
「The demon king's core is embedded in your hand!?」
「That's right, Silesie's hero Takeru. Do you think that a man of my caliber will just imitate you?」
「A hero gaining power from the demon king, absurd…」
「With the power of a hero and the demon king, I am now the strongest in the world!」
Freed, the golden lion emperor, holds the sword of light in his right hand and the sword of darkness in his left.
Certainly, I will not be able to win against this cheat…
「Hahaha, this world doesn't need two heroes. I will destroy anyone who'll get in my way!」
「Wait, golden lion emperor!」
「What? You are…」
Oracle who's wearing a big cloak stood in front of Freed while floating.
「My introduction seems to be late. I am the immortal king, Oracle.」
「Haa, don't say stupid things. A demon girl like you the immortal king?」
「Don't be deceived by my figure, I'm bluer. Prince, look at this.」
From both of Oracle-chan's hands, jet black sword like hell's flame shows up.
The wave of darkness that has the opposite polarity of the sword of light has a feeling of pressure.
「This is stupid. The Immortal King Oracle should have been exterminated by Hero Renz!」
「That's according to the legend the humans wrote but as you can see, I'm still alive. I thought that I would have to leave you because it's a duel between heroes but you hurt a demonkin using the demon king's core. I will not forgive you!」
Oracle who calmly set a pair of black swords fearlessly laughs.
「Mou…」
「Kukuku… Young prince who didn't know that I had survived, I will let you taste the legendary black swords of the immortal king, the "Bratty Twin Sword". Your body will taste my ancient class power.」
Freed gradually step back due to the pressure of the old immortal king.
As expected of Oracle, if she wears a cloak like this, there is really an intimidating feeling.
If you really wanted to preserve your majesty, I think it would be better if you stop that twin tail right away. As for me, I held my sword of light next to her.
This cannot be called a duel any longer since it two against one.
「Fuh, I've lost my interest…. Let's leave this for today.」
After giving off such a mediocre dialogue, Freed withdrew on the spot.
The empire's delegation also chased the golden lion prince who had walked away. The castle was in panic.
「Fuh, that was dangerous.」
「Oracle-chan was really awesome.」
When I praised her, she seems to be embarrassed.
「Idiot! It's just a bluff. I don't want to do that again.」
Oracle-chan hits her twin black sword to my sword of light.
It disappeared instantly like a fireworks.
「Yes, but you saved me.」
「Let's treat Kaara first. It's troublesome that human recovery magic can't treat demonkin's.」
Kaara, who received a slash from the sword of darkness, suffered a terrible laceration that almost torn her in two. She was taken to the castle's emergency room.
Please
—Scene Change—
「Oracle, how's Kaara's condition?」
「Not good. Even if the sword of darkness is not effective against demonkins, her wound is too deep to be heal with magic.」
Because magic power is necessary for the treatment, I gathered all my magic gems.
Nevertheless, it is not enough to close the wound of the dying Kaara.
I'm going to visit Kaara who's sleeping on the bed.
「Takeru-sama, please become a splendid demon king…」
Kaara holds my hand with her feeble hand. It appears that the light in her purple eyes are gone.
I'm sorry to the point of death but I can't become one…
「Hey, Oracle. Can't you help her somehow?」
「There is another way but can you lower the people in here with just the two of us before we can talk about it?」
I did what she asked and cleared other people out of the room.
Oracle-chan and I decided to sit on the bed of the emergency room and talk.
「To help Kaara, it is necessary to increase my magic power. The magic gems are insufficient for me to be able to have a magic power level that can save life.」
「Then, what can I do?」
I somewhat understand it.
Preparing a stage where there are only the two of us.
「I guess the sensitive Takeru may have already known. I'm sorry but I'm going to give Takeru's life to Kaara.」
Oracle-chan exposed her sharp fang.
Yes, I knew that she was a vampire lord as she came from the immortal king's arm.
「There will be no danger in my life, right?」
「I'll just suck a bit so you won't die. Rather, you'll feel refreshed and healthy.」
I won't get healthy if my blood is sucked.
「Well, this time, it's my fault. I'll do what I can to save her.」
「Then, get naked and lie on the bed.」
「Why do I have to get naked?」
「If you're not in the mood, just try to wrap a towel around your hips.」
What mood?
Because there is no other way, I take off everything, roll a bath towel in my waist, and lie in the bed.
「I'll ask you once again. You agree to have your life absorb by me?」
「Don't ask me again and again. There is no other way to help Kaara so do it quickly.」
I don't like blood collection that much.
I can't say that.
Kaara is a demonkin and a criminal. Some might say that it is alright to use her until she breaks.
However, it'll be bad for my conscience to let the woman who protected me using her own body die.
「Okay, the contract is established.」
「I've been curious about it before, but are demonkins really obsessed with contract?」
Something like, the demon will grant your three wishes.
Even if they deceived humans, these contracts will secure them.
「Well, it's not an exaggeration to say that the world is made out of contracts. It is also the reason why Takeru and I are together in bed.」
「It's good to be philosophical but hurry up.」
Oracle-chan untied the string on her childish twin tail. She shed her long hair and shook it.
She smells of fresh soap. Looking at her like this, she looks like a little adult female.
She rides on my chest. Oracle-chan looks at me with her red eyes, she's a bewitching, blood-sucking monster after all.
Her crimson red eyes are wet and seemed to be hungry for blood.
「Why are you not feeling it even though I prepared with this much effort?」
「Ugh…」
At the moment she said that, she buries her fangs on my neck.
The pain in my neck was gone in an instant as my body gets numb. Blood comes out of my suffering body and I'm likely to faint if I don't hold on to my consciousness firmly.
It might be good to faint as it is but fainting might have some consequence in the end.
「Hey Takeru, how can you remain conscious after I sucked considerable amount of blood from you?」
「Haa…」
I can't speak. My limbs are numb and I can't lift them. This is somewhat a little scary.
I'm in a state where I can't do anything. I have a bad feeling.
「Fufufu, there's something I have to apologize to Takeru for.」
What are you talking about. Don't look at me with your red eyes, it's scary.
「The Immortal King Oracle is not a vampire lord. The original was a succubus.」
Huh ... Succubus, huh! What!?
「A low ranked demon that sips man's vigor in their dreams. Of course, the immortal king Oracle is a thousand year old ancient succubus. The wife of the old demon king. That makes her a noble demon that can even inhale souls.」
Are you serious….
Stop joking. This pattern is something that Ria had already done!
「Why are you comparing me with such a young girl? Although it can be said that she's a virgin, she's only about 20 years old. I am 300 years old so the simulation is perfect. It will not hurt for the first time so be relieved.」
If you stop now, I'll forgive you.
「We already have a contract. If I stop, I'll have to suck Takeru's life out.」
「This is your first time so it can't be helped if you're uneasy. Just count the stars in the sky and just feel it until the end.」
Are you telling me to count the number of stains in the ceiling?
「When I simulated it, our first time should have been outdoor.」
You're a delusioned senior citizen…
「Well, that's why it's so nice of you!」
Ugh, Oracle-chan, seriously, please stop, stooppp, stooopppppp!
This fellow is really sucking me…uaaaaaaaaa
I can't move. I have no way out of this.
I can't count the stains on the ceiling but I somewhat manage to look at the window.
Is it because the emergency room is shaking?
From the vase placed at the window, I could see the red petals of daisy fell down.
Ha, what a day … ….