Chapter 146
Chapter 146: The Unrestrained Ones
Having thrown all caution to the wind, I carried on interacting with Platy as if nothing was amiss.
Or rather, we’re still embroiled in our daily training regimen.
I kept an eye on Gorirashia, but she didn’t seem to be particularly wary of me.
【Kyougan】 could only detect the ephemeral hues of fleeting emotions, and it seemed incapable of catching any calculated intent to kill. Perhaps… my resolve still isn’t strong enough.
In any case, the most crucial thing was to endure the current situation without drawing attention.
I would stay in the Reiju Tribe for a little over a month. Gorirashia was set to return to the Dosrotus Territory along with my return to the Demon Lord Castle.
‘But why is Gorira-nee going back to Dosrotus?’
I asked during a meal together. Gorirashia had married into the Reiju Tribe and had once called herself Gorirashia-Reiju, yet now she was returning to the Dosrotus Clan.
‘Hmm? It’s because the Reiju Territory is boring.’
Gorirashia replied nonchalantly, unconcerned about the eyes of the Reiju Tribe.
‘You can tell at a glance, but I’m an old-fashioned demon, you see. The cultural lifestyle here just doesn’t suit me.’
When Gorirashia removed her armor, underneath was not noble attire but rather an archaic fur outfit.
The Dosrotus Tribe was known for being advanced in combat but quite conservative in other aspects.
‘Our 【Void Spear】 was once one of the most powerful bloodline magics in ancient demon society. …Not quite to the level of 【Teleportation Spell】 though.’
While summoning a blade of magic resembling obsidian at her fingertips, Gorirashia spoke.
‘You see, the homeland of demons, the “Sanctuary,” was an incredibly impoverished land with little in the way of quality metal products. Back in the day when everyone was running around with obsidian blades and wearing fur, the 【Void Spear】 boasted unmatched strength as it was sharp and could be used infinitely.’
However, as she snapped her fingers of the opposing hand, she shattered the blade into countless shards.
‘—As you know, that’s a tale from long ago. With the spread of the Demon Lord Kingdom, now we can even obtain weapons made by dwarves, thus the value of the 【Void Spear】 has comparatively declined.’
As other clans rose amidst the expansion of the Demon Lord Kingdom, the once-mighty Dosrotus Tribe sought to survive.
In the end, they decided to cover their bases with sheer willpower.
They embraced and adopted any new technologies or cultures that seemed beneficial for combat, a truly muscle-headed solution. On top of that, through rigorous training, they produced countless fearsome warriors, maintaining their presence within the Demon Lord Kingdom.
Because of this, the modern Dosrotus Tribe has established themselves as ‘strong in brute strength, though their bloodline magic is a bit questionable.’
…And thus, Gorirashia, a member from such a lineage, was a pure-bred Dosrotus.
She had reportedly grown up amidst endless battles, which is why she couldn’t quite fit into the Reiju Tribe’s atmosphere. It made sense.
‘Well, my husband is dead now.’
As she sighed, Gorirashia looked just a tad lonely.
Platy’s father, Jizovalt-Reiju. Apparently, he participated in the succession war following the demise of the first Demon Lord and was killed in action.
‘Your grandpa was, at first, a leisurely fellow typical of the Reiju Tribe. But after I beat him to a pulp with my spear, I think he was deeply embarrassed about that.’
Gorirashia chuckled lightly. Ultimately, he had apparently become skilled enough to fight me on equal footing when magic was involved…
Still, how intense was the succession war for one of the Valto family men to have been killed in action?
‘Even if the current Demon Lord were to pass, similar chaos is likely to ensue.’
Antendeixis whispered with a smirk.
Ah, that’s true.
Thus, after witnessing Platy marry the current Demon Lord, the widow Gorirashia returned to the Dosrotus Territory.
‘Well, I’m glad you’re a person of extraordinary fighting spirit.’
She gave me an affectionate ruffle on the head and grinned.
‘I’ll find it worthwhile to train you!’
—And true to her word, I was relentlessly put through my paces.
“1, 2! 1, 2! Run, run! Feel like you’re being chased by a horde of Sword Saints!”
“Over there, you three idiots! Get your act together! Are you not ashamed to be losing to a five-year-old!!”
In this training, while being yelled at by Platy and Gorirashia, I ran around the mountain path. It was heavy, given not only my full gear but also a backpack loaded with food and water.
Even though I usually trained in a combat simulation, this was quite tough. The three idiots who hadn’t built enough stamina were close to dying every time.
However, Kuvirtar and his subordinates only broke a light sweat and maintained their cool, while Platy and Gorirashia, under the same conditions, ran alongside us, shouting without even losing their breath. I couldn’t help but feel ashamed when they remarked that we weren’t training hard enough.
While Platy was still decked out in light armor like mine, Gorirashia was in heavy armor. How could she run around the mountain path so easily? What a monster.
It wasn’t just magic enhancing their bodies; the difference in fundamental physical fitness struck me hard.
Speaking of physical monsters, Gorirashia’s brother Legorius was also participating in the training, among other members of the Dosrotus Tribe.
Well, “participating” might be misleading—sometimes they would suddenly ambush us.
They timed their ambushes perfectly: during breaks, when visibility was poor due to winding paths, or moments of reprieve after scaling a long incline.
What’s more, while they initially stopped just short of delivering a blow, upon realizing my and Liliana’s healing abilities, they soon switched to real combat.
‘Well, I suppose it would be sensible to use healing without consuming human lives.’
Antendeixis said as if it were none of his business.
True enough. However, my pain was entirely disregarded!!
And ultimately, it was the three idiots who often ended up severely injured… I couldn’t count how many times I regretted casually taking them under my wing.
However, after repeated ambushes and severe injuries, the three idiots were rapidly improving their skills. They no longer let their guard down during breaks and seemed to be gaining a solid foundation in physical fitness.
—Well, it’s not like their actual combat power can spike overnight, though.
“Hey hey, what’s the matter kid? Put some weight behind it!”
“Gahhh!!”
The Seire Knight got sent flying by Legorius’s shield, soaring through the air. Although he had been eagerly wielding a new spear gifted by Platy, he simply didn’t have the essential basics down to stand against Legorius armed with sword and shield.
Well, it wouldn’t be easy for a young demon to take on Gorirashia’s brother… I’ve got experiences from my past life backing me up…
Furthermore, the Seire Knight had recently formed a contract with the 【Power Demon】, which allowed his power to increase rapidly; however, honing his skills was proving tougher. Recently, even Gorirashia had thrown in the towel on instructing him, calling him “Specializing in weak prey” and other harsh evaluations.
On the other hand, the younger brother, Oke Knight, managed things quicker, whether in a good or bad way. He struck a balance, being a tactician who excels at exploiting weaknesses, having formed a contract with the 【Dissection Demon】. Yet, he too had weaknesses; he showed a lack of tenacity, being unable to hold up under overwhelming circumstances.
Perhaps if you combined Seire and Oke, they’d turn out just right?
‘Wouldn’t both just end up being half-baked?’
Hmm, I can’t deny that.
Amidst all this—
“Your Highness! Let’s do that!”
Making remarkable progress is the elder brother of the three idiots, Albar Aoril.
With a light and agile step, he clashed swords with a Dosrotus warrior wielding both sword and shield.
In his hand—was a spear similar to my weapon, with a human sword as its point.
“Ah—【No Slashing】!”
In response to Albar Aoril’s call, I enacted the constraint spell. My slashing action was sealed, and holding weapons that couldn’t move freely, Legorius and the others groaned, “Nuu…!”
“Haha! Off I go, seniors!”
And within that【Constraint】—
Albar Aoril alone could swing his spear freely.
“Damn it, that’s dirty, you brat!”
“Heheh, winner takes all!”
Against the Dosrotus warrior on defense, Albar Aoril relentlessly attacked.
—He is contracted with the 【Demon of Freedom】, Eleferia.
By moving freely without being bound by customs or traditions, he gains power.
It was purely by coincidence that we discovered he could slip past my【Constraint】 using that authority.
Now he wielded his spear, ignoring demon traditions like I did, and further nurtured his magical prowess by eluding my【Constraint】—
“Watch out, your footing is weak, kid!”
“Whoa—!”
That said, the age difference was insurmountable, and he was overturned by a counterattack from the Dosrotus warrior.
As of now, he was still but a fledgling demon.
But…
‘…That one is dangerous,’
Antendeixis remarked coldly.
Indeed.
I thought so as well.
While it may not be an immediate concern…
If he continues to grow this way, he may become my greatest rival.
—I’d better eliminate him sooner rather than later.
