Intermission 2: The Summoner of the Earl of Cardiff's Household
"Ah! Dammit!"
Maurice suddenly flew into a fit of rage and threw the glass he was holding against the wall.
No matter how much he drank, he couldn't get drunk. Not being able to get drunk only made him feel more depressed when he was sober, with everything coming to a dead end. The only things left to do were indulge in carnal pleasures.
So, alcohol and women. Lately, Maurice had been consumed by them day and night. Still, there were times when unpleasant things came to mind.
The new business... it had been going well, but suddenly, everything went wrong.
It was all because of those adventurers, the "Something-something" group. They caused trouble and forced Maurice to abandon his base in the harbor. He couldn't dispose of or sell the adventurers and the female monsters he had captured from the labyrinth because he was stuck and couldn't move.
That wasn't all. Just when things had settled down, Maurice sent his second son, who had been confined at home, to school, and he caused a problem on that very day.
His opponent was a bastard child of the Gardner Earl's family. It should be considered that the head of the Shilun Baron's family, who barged in, had also become an enemy. Or maybe he had been an enemy from the start.
The Gardner Earl's territory and the Shilun Baron's territory were both large grain-producing regions. It might have been a bit clumsy for Maurice, who had failed in farming methods, to insult the head of the Shilun Baron's family. He planned to retaliate eventually, but he had no choice but to withdraw.
Because of all these things, Maurice was in a terrible mood.
There was someone who looked at Maurice with a cold gaze and sneered.
"Please calm down, Your Excellency."
A bell-like voice could be heard from Maurice's bed. It belonged to a beautiful woman with red eyes.
Linette Keard. She was a female magician who happened to come to the Earl of Cardiff's household about three years ago. Linette was seeking a patron, and Maurice responded to that.
"How can I calm down like this! The inventory we have in the southern district is stuck in mid-air and can't be moved! And it was your idea in the first place!"
"Oh, my. It was Your Excellency who agreed to my suggestion, right? Your Excellency made a fortune with a little investment and risk, and I can conduct field tests, which helps my research. In fact, once we started, everything went smoothly, and it was all good, wasn't it?"
"If only we weren't in this situation!"
Maurice shouted, brushing off Linette, who tried to put her hand on his shoulder, and left the bedroom.
His heavy footsteps faded away in the hallway.
"...Hmph, too late."
Alone in the room, a smile appeared on Linette's lips.
It was a smile as thin as a crescent moon, almost splitting her face.
"The pig has lost his nerve."
Certainly, Maurice's thought process tended to be simplistic and driven by a logic of power. However, if one were to speak of the logic of power, Linette's companions were not much different. Manipulating Maurice's actions was as easy as could be.
In reality, the Earl of Cardiff's family proved to be extremely useful as a place to stay in the border city.
Whether it was the procurement of research facilities and resources or the patron's lack of ethical considerations and belief that anything with future profitability was worth pursuing, it seemed to be an ideal symbiotic relationship.
However, the beginning of trouble arose when Maurice failed in the management of his territory. The financial predicament of the infiltrating Earl of Cardiff's family meant a setback in their own research as well. The proposed solution was to procure adventurers and female-type monsters from the labyrinth and sell them, which could yield profits on par with slave traders.
It was mentioned that with the black transference stone created by oneself, the likelihood of being discovered would be low if caution was exercised. Though the words were meant to persuade, the existence of risks was explained, and there were no falsehoods mixed in the assessment.
Maurice eagerly embraced the idea, believing that the Earl would be unable to take command. Everything, from the plan to the facilities, was arranged by oneself.
In reality, had it not been for oneself, Maurice would have long since been unable to repay his debts and abandoned the mansion. After the capture of Snakebite, when the Earl of Cardiff's household staff was apprehended at the harbor, Maurice should have been captured as well, like tangled vines. Avoiding that outcome was undoubtedly one's own achievement.
But well, all of this was for the purpose of reaching the seal of the lower layers of the Border Labyrinth—the Moonlight Temple—and had nothing to do with the humans or the Earl's family.
Ascending the ranks in the Earl of Cardiff's family and living a luxurious life was not Linette's goal, so there was no reason to boast about it. Some individuals were already aware that she had infiltrated Maurice's research, making her and that pig inextricably linked.
However, Linette pondered.
In reality, what was the situation? To what extent did the royal family or the Adventurers' Guild suspect the Earl's family? Depending on the circumstances, there was no room for hesitation, but Linette had invested considerable effort into her research findings thus far, including the ongoing experiment with the transference stone. It would be a shame to simply abandon them.
She had been sharing her progress with her comrades and providing reports. It wasn't in vain, but there was still a sense of regret.
Research on the transference stone could only be conducted in Termwil's, but if the Earl of Cardiff's family continued down this path...
"Perhaps it's time to seize the opportunity."
At least a little longer. Until the next set of experiment results were obtained.
However, if they were to escape, they would have to do it quickly... But even if they were to run away, there were some difficulties. The research on teleportation and transference magic using the boundary stones was still incomplete.
Whether it was the labyrinth or the outskirts of the city, there were barriers divided into several layers, which restricted teleportation and summoning magic.
Thanks to the results of their research, it had become possible to use teleportation and summoning magic within the barriers... However, in order to escape to the outside, they would have to walk through the main gate. If they were just waiting for the opportunity to escape, they would be caught even if they tried to escape.
Or... If they were to kill the priests and priestesses of the Moon Temple, could they destroy the outer barrier and escape through teleportation? Their trump card was still in the basement of the mansion, so if there was a possibility of causing a disturbance, they should consider that as well.
The risk was high, but if they succeeded in breaking the barrier, it wouldn't be just "escaping," but a "triumphant return." They wouldn't have to worry about losing face in Valros.
They had to decide whether to advance or retreat. They needed to think about it.
While contemplating such things, Lynette heard raised voices arguing downstairs.
Curious about what was happening, Lynette left her room and peered into the entrance hall from the second-floor corridor. There, she saw Maurice in a heated argument with armed soldiers near the entrance.
"You! Do you even know who I am?" Maurice exclaimed.
"Lord Maurice, you are suspected of kidnapping and murder. We kindly ask you to cooperate with us," one of the soldiers replied.
"As if I would know anything about that!" Maurice retorted.
"If you think it will help clear your name..."
"Silence! The Cardiff family is a distinguished lineage!" Maurice interrupted.
The exchange went something like that.
It's over, Lynette thought.
How the situation came to light didn't matter at this point. If they weren't just being played, they should quickly leave the Earl's mansion and escape from the city before it turned into a big commotion. At this point, they had no choice but to abandon the various ongoing research.
Lynette was contemplating such matters, but all of this... was all destroyed by Maurice.
"You insolent fool! I told you to be silent!" Maurice shouted angrily.
Enraged, Maurice unleashed the water magic, Ice Lance. The soldier's shoulder was impaled by the icy spear, and he screamed in agony, spraying blood as he writhed on the floor.
Witnessing Maurice's actions, Lynette couldn't help but lean forward. Even if Maurice resisted, the situation wouldn't improve. It was a bad move, to say the least. One could even say it was the worst move.
On this day, what was unfortunate for the soldiers who had come to the Count's mansion was... Maurice's rampage and his superior's impatience.
It had been arranged to handle the matter in cooperation with the Adventurers Guild, but they felt anxious after losing credit for the hostage rescue and realizing they had overlooked the crimes of the Earl of Cardiff's family. That's why they decided to act on their own without involving the authorities.
Despite knowing that the opponent was known as a martial arts faction, they also knew that the mansion was not constantly guarded. There was some negligence on the opponent's part.
"Well, using magic! Call for reinforcements! Call for reinforcements!" the soldiers exclaimed.
"Facing overwhelming odds, resistance is futile, Count Maurice! How about admitting the charges gracefully!?"
The soldiers still hesitated to speak out, perhaps showing restraint because the opponent was the head of a noble family.
It was a devastating sight for Lynette as the soldiers clamored and raised their spears.
Maurice shook his head in frustration and shouted, "Shut up! How the hell should I know about that! It's all her doing! That woman! Lynette must be behind it all!"
That damn pig! Did he betray me!?
Lynette clenched the handrail in the corridor, overwhelmed by anger.
It was a decisive moment. While Maurice would face ruin, she would also be confirmed as a wanted person, being the most important figure in the matter.
This was a rather clumsy situation. It was evident that the main gate would be closed to prevent any fugitives from escaping.
However...
"Ugh, hahaha," Lynette chuckled, her intense emotions subsiding for a moment.
It was terribly foolish.
A wanted person? Did she betray herself?
Besides, demons and humans were inherently incompatible.
Now that things had come to this point, there was no need to pretend to be a weak human and cleverly maneuver.
Miasma rose from Lynette's body, signaling that it was time to use that thing underground.
A magic circle unfolded at her feet.
"Awaken."
"What, what is this!?" Maurice's mansion trembled forcefully, shaking everything within.
Something long and narrow burst through the floor of the entrance hall, not just one or two, but several.
"Hu, Hydra...!? But this is...!?" one of the soldiers exclaimed, recognizing the creature.
It was an ugly imitation of a dragon, a multi-headed creature known for its abnormal regenerative abilities.
However...
Flesh started to fall off in various places, revealing muscles and white bones beneath.
- Undead. It was an Undead Hydra.
"Ah!" It latched onto a soldier who was nearby, biting down on them, swinging them around, and slamming them onto the floor before devouring them.
Simultaneously, the fallen parts of the Hydra's body began to regenerate, assimilating and absorbing the unfortunate soldier's flesh and blood.
The soldiers were filled with horror at the gruesome sight unfolding before them.
Becoming an undead, losing their original regenerative abilities, and instead continuously regenerating by devouring prey. It was a monster that had gained such an ability. In terms of having no pain or fear, it might be even more dangerous than the original hydra.
But it was not a natural creature. It existed only when being controlled, even if it was undead. If that's the case, its master should be somewhere.
"Lynette! Is it you!?"
Maurice searched for the figure of a woman and shouted. And he saw her.
Lynette's figure was floating in the middle of the entrance hall.
Forgetting what he had just blurted out, Maurice had been hoping for this moment. He knew about the existence of this immortal hydra.
Escape from the city using this. That's what he thought Lynette was planning. That's why he believed she would help him. Until he saw her figure.
However, the one there was not the beautiful woman Maurice knew. She still retained some resemblance to Lynette, but with shining red eyes and purple skin, emanating a dark mist-like substance from her entire body.
"De... Demon... A Demon?"
A resident of terrifying darkness who devours negative emotions from people and turns them into her own power.
"I have come to bid you farewell."
From such an otherworldly being, Maurice heard the familiar and refreshing voice of a woman.
"Your ugly emotions were quite delicious. While I was here, you entertained me to some extent. But now, it's all over."
Lynette paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. Her mouth split open to her ears, revealing a snake-like tongue.
"Gobah!"
In the next moment, a densely compressed bullet of miasma was shot from Lynette's mouth, piercing Maurice's abdomen.
"O-Go-A...?"
"You damn scum! How dare you betray me, a human! Gyaa hahaa!"
While listening to Lynette's mocking laughter, Maurice clutched his tunneling belly and collapsed to his knees.
Lynette deliberately didn't finish him off. The agony and despair of the dying Maurice were irresistibly delicious to her.
"You monster!"
A fireball flew towards Lynette.
However, she shot it down with a miasma bullet and closed in on the soldier who could use magic. Her claws extended sharply, cutting the soldier's limbs.
"Guoo!?"
Grabbing the soldier's hair as he fell to the ground, Lynette threw him towards the direction of the hydra as if discarding a doll. In mid-air, the soldier was bitten on the hands and feet and writhed in agony.
"Guaaaah!"
"Now, now, wait. Not yet. It's not over yet... You have to wait, right?"
Lynette smiled happily as she faced the soldiers who had their hands and feet bitten by multiple heads.
"Sto-stop..."
"Feast upon them."
"Guh?!"
With the soldier's scream as a backing chorus, Lynette spread her arms towards the remaining soldiers.
"Now then..."
Licking her lips, she looked down upon the soldiers who had completely lost their courage.
"Oh... how delicious it must be. I wonder what taste those temple monks have, hmmm?"
Riding on the back of the immortal Hydra, Lynette advanced without hiding her true nature. The taste of liberation and despair, long-awaited. It was incredibly delicious.
Compared to the captured ones from the labyrinth, the taste of anxiety and fear experienced through the prison bars was bland at best.
The destination was the entrance to the labyrinth, the Moon Temple. The despair and agony of the priests and priestesses must be incredibly delectable.
"Hi! Hiiii!"
"Save us! Save us!"
Both the resisting soldiers and the fleeing ones became sacrifices to the Hydra one after another. Lynette continued moving forward, consuming their fear and listening to their screams.
There were sporadic counterattacks, but they were nothing significant. Humans are nothing more than a restorative potion for the immortal Hydra.
They could go on. It was nothing extraordinary.
The so-called border city boasted, but when suddenly attacked from within without being able to prepare, this is what happens.
While trampling with the colossal body of the Hydra, they reached the plaza near the temple.
It... arrived.
"What...?"
A shiver ran down their spine. Following their instincts, Lynette leaped off the back of the immortal Hydra.
In a fleeting moment, a thunderous strike pierced through the back of the immortal Hydra, dyeing the world white.
"Oh, ooooooohhh!?"
However, as if treating the tremendous lightning strike as a warm-up, a massive magic circle unfolded in the square.
In the center of it, Lynette saw a human boy. He had dark golden-brown hair and eyes, the appearance befitting a noble.
The boy narrowed his eyes at her, as if looking at something insignificant.
Intuitively, Lynette understood that the boy was responsible for the earlier lightning strike.
"That guy...!"
Despite having holes in its body from the lightning strike and emitting white smoke, the immortal Hydra was still moving. Sensing a chill in the boy's expression and his inner thoughts, Lynette tried to incite the Hydra. But...
"You are in the way."
The boy swiftly stepped forward at an explosive speed.
"Devour it all."
Approaching to the point of touching the Hydra, the boy cast a shadow over it. Along with the boy's words, a seal unfolded at the feet of the immortal Hydra.
Simultaneously, as its movements were completely restricted, a terrifying brutality occurred within the seal.
Scrunch, scrunch.
Sounds of chewing could be heard.
At the Hydra's feet, darkness spread and swirled. Within it were numerous eyes and mouths. The darkness extended its tendrils, binding and enveloping the body of the immortal Hydra in layers.
The colossal body was being devoured and corroded by the darkness.
The Hydra was regenerating using the flesh and blood of the victims along the way. It was resisting, attempting to devour the darkness in return.
But it was futile. Sinking into the depths of the earth, helpless and without hands, the Hydra was relentlessly consumed.
Grade 8 dark magic, Demon's Eater. An advanced magic.
However, Lynette couldn't witness such a scene. She couldn't divert her gaze from the human boy, who directed immense hatred towards her.
Such negative emotions were supposed to be the preferred emotions of a demon — hatred alone would be understandable. She was accustomed to being targeted with it.
However, why was there a sense of joy? Like a carnivorous beast directed at an herbivore, the feeling of having found its prey. Such an emotion.
"A demon... huh?"
Lynette heard the quiet voice of the boy, who was staring straight at her.