Chapter 153: 150

150 – Carmilla and Milla

「…!」

Alone in a video room, I clenched my fist.

It was the moment I witnessed Herv’s defeat.

As an Adventurer, I respect her from the bottom of my heart.

But right now, I am the Demon King Army’s Chief of Staff. My allies are the Monsters.

Above all else, the one who just defeated the Hero of the world’s 3rd ranked party…is Carmilla.

Or perhaps I should say, Milla.

To me, she is my benefactor, my dear friend, my ally, my subordinate, and my rival.

Humanity’s top-ranking powerful contender, to defeat such an opponent…

I am as happy as can be.

Things might have ended differently if Herv entered a simple one-on-one fight in perfect condition, but this is a Dungeon Clear.

Just as she herself said, if a match is established, all that’s left is to see who wins or loses.

I don’t know how Milla feels about it being a draw, but at the very least, I think it is an extremely amazing thing.

With a plan that involves her manipulating leech Demi-Beasts, she weakens these Adventurers who are particularly nasty to fight head-on.

And then, while using the collected blood to restrain the other Adventurers, a glorious battle unfolded between her and the Hero of the Cursed Sword.

I can say without a doubt that her actions have not brought shame to the Demon King Army Big Four name.

「Still…that leaves ten Adventurers left.」

Currently, they are allowed to revive one person after having crushed two Floor Bosses.

If they plan to use it, the first candidate would most likely be Herv.

However, even if they were to Clear all the strata from here all the way down to the tenth stratum without a scratch, the total amount of people they could revive is five.

They have already lost seven members, so there are at least two members who can no longer participate in this Raid Battle.

…Geez, I really can’t help thinking too hard about these things.

It doesn’t matter who they revive, we will eliminate them all. No one will completely clear the Demon King Castle, we cannot allow it.

After all, that is our job.

Suddenly, I heard something like an echo of an earthquake from afar.

Wait, is it getting closer?

I could hear the sound of someone running, getting louder and louder.

And then, it stops just in front of the door to this video room.

Did someone…run here in a hurry?

I put on my mask and quietly approached the door.

I sense who is beyond the door with Magical Energy Detection.

Weird, I wonder why she’s just stopping in front of it. It’s fine for her to enter.

While thinking that, I slowly open the door.

What I saw was Carmilla, in the flesh, wearing her Monster attire, tidying up her hair with her mask off.

Our eyes meet.

「Lem…Lord Lemegeton.」

「Ah, yeah.」

Being seen combing her hair with her hand, her cheeks blushed.

Not knowing what to say, I say the first thing that pops into my head for now.

「That was a splendid fight.」

「…! Th-thank you very much.」

Her face instantly became brighter.

「Is there anyone else in the room?」

「No, just me.」

「Can I come in?」

「Yes, I do not mind.」

I invite her into the video room. Not that it’s my room or anything…

「Fufu, were you watching the whole time?」

「It’s kind of a hobby of mine.」

「Oh my, so you’re cheering for the Adventurers?」

「Of course not, I’m the Demon King Army’s Chief of Staff.」

「I’m kidding.」

It was the usual Milla.

Since there’s no one else here, I take off my mask. I’ve gotten used to the Lemegeton tone, but nothing beats using my normal voice.

「So, what is it? You were in quite a hurry.」

「Uh, yeah…that’s… I-I wondered if Lem was here.」

Even Carmilla has returned to just being Milla.

「Is-is that so?」

「Yeah…but… when I thought about it, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do… When I woke up in the cocoon, I… my body just started running like this…」

I think I kinda understand Milla’s feelings.

It’s just that I’m too overly self-conscious to say it myself, so I say nothing.

Milla intertwined her fingers together, weaving a web of words while looking down.

「I’m sure…I’m sure that I wished to report to you since the start. And then, if possible, share in the joy. I’m sure that’s what I was thinking.」

After the fight with Fenix, I wrote a letter to my master before I sent one to my parents.

He was the one who trained me to that level and had me inherit his horn.

Just like how a child rushes towards their parent when they’ve done something well.

There are times when those who have experienced something important, want to immediately share it with someone. 

In regards to this battle, I am that someone to her.

I am honored and…somehow I am welling up with emotions.

「Thank you. It really was amazing. I couldn’t help but clench my fist during your fight with Herv.」

「…Fufufu, thank you very much. It’s all thanks to you, Lem.」

「Me? I didn’t do anything, it was all you, Milla.」

「Not at all, It is because I met you that I am standing here today. If I hadn’t met you two years ago… I would still be at my old workplace, spending my days in despair without ever seeing the light of day.」

「…」

In her previous place of work, her abilities were under-appreciated and she was treated coldly.

In just two years, she rose up the ranks to become one of the Demon King Army’s Big Four as a Floor Boss who has just defeated four members in the Raid Battle.

Just because she didn’t succeed in one place, doesn’t mean that she is incompetent.

Including being given a place where her efforts can be rewarded, I was very happy for her.

「In that case, if I hadn’t met you, Milla, I wouldn’t be here right now, either.」

「I knew you would say that.」

Milla smiled modestly.

「Earlier, you said we were rivals, right?」

「…! Y-yes.」

Her expression became very nervous.

This time, I’m the one who smiled.

「When I saw you in the Clear this time, I thought that for the first time. And then, I panicked. I thought『I can’t lose to you as a Floor Boss or as a Monster.』」

「……!」

It seems those were very pleasing words to her.

After shaking a little, she gave a beautiful smile. From the corners of her eyes, there were teardrops.

「Thank you so much… I’ll…do my best.」

「Yeah.」

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「I know very well that you are an amazing person, but I cannot simply look up at you and admire.」

「I feel the same. Neither can I, because there’s a guy that I don’t want to lose to.」

It’s because of Fenix that I’m able to do my best.

You can’t raise yourself up by yourself. There are some efforts that are made possible by the clear presence of someone.

「Fenix, is it?」

Asks Milla directly with a straight face.

「Eh? Ah…yeah.」

「…It would seem that I still have more work to do.」

「Hey, hey, come on now, he’s…y’know, I’ve known him since we were kids.」

「It’s fine Lem. This is my problem.」

「Huh…?」

I suppose if this is enough to keep her motivated, it’s not a bad thing…

Yeah, I’ll leave it at that.

「Oh, that’s right. I just thought of something, Lem.」

「Hm?」

「This time, I promised the pig…my subordinates that I would give them a reward if they defeated an Adventurer.」

「I see… I was wondering why their morale was unusually high this time…」

「As a result of that, they were of use to me, so I am thinking of rewarding them.」

While her subordinates did not directly defeat an Adventurer, it goes without saying that their battles were a huge help.

Forcing the Adventurers to focus on fighting them made it extra hard for them to realize the leeches.

Also, Haagenti managed to steal Herv’s right arm. It gave us a big advantage.

「Yeah, I’m sure they’ll be very pleased.」

「That’s the problem.」

Is it?

「You’re worried if…they ask for something weird as a reward or something…?」

「No, I am free to refuse any requests I don’t like.」

She’s resilient. I expected nothing less.

「I am sure that my subordinates will be delighted by my reward. But the thing is Lem…」

「Y-yes?」

I unconsciously gulp.

「I, too, did my best.」

「…? Sure.」

Milla moves her face closer to mine.

「I believe I have done very well.」

「Yes you did, you were wonderful.」

Isn’t this almost exactly what she just said?

Or I wonder if she’s trying to hint at something else?

「I wonder if someone will reward me for my hard work.」

Milla kept sending me glancing looks.

At last, I understood what she’s getting at.

「O-oh…! I see, I see. If there’s anything I can do, just say the word.」

Ever since we met by chance, I have been taken care of by her from work to my everyday life.

While it may not be a reward, I did plan on congratulating her.

Milla smiled and tilted her head, saying nothing.

Uh-uhm… Did I…misunderstand something?

We stared at each other like that for a while.

…Could it be that rather than me asking her what she wants and then simply granting it to her, she wants me to think of a congratulatory gift and tell her?

I think it would be more helpful if she just told me what she wanted, but human relationships don’t work by logic alone.

「Uh…hmm…」

Seeing me start to worry, Milla’s eyes sparkled.

Looks like my first guess about her wanting me to propose ideas wasn’t wrong.

「Blood? To drink, I mean. Y’know…mine. You uh…you said that it was delicious so…」

As I was saying that, I could see Milla’s expression get steadily grimmer and grimmer.

「Lem’s blood certainly is delicious. It might even be the most delicious flavor in the world. But it isn’t something you just do.」

「I-I see…」

I’m…not really sure what to make of that, but I’ll leave it for now.

If not, I’d probably have to acknowledge it.

Milla likes me.

She doesn’t hide it, but she respects my wishes.

Unless I acknowledge that and think about what would make her happy, I won’t arrive at the right answer.

It’s very difficult for me to admit that because I’ve lived a life that has little to do with being liked by others.

「This might not be a reward, exactly.」

「Yes?」

I was very nervous uttering these words.

「I wonder if we could…celebrate.」

「Celebrate…」

Milla repeats my words, almost as if she were rolling them around in her mouth.

「Yeah. If you want, we could go somewhere. Go out for a meal, or shopping. Sorry, I can’t really think of a solid plan right n-nn」

Milla put a slender finger to my lips. Because I’m saying too much.

「Yes, please.」

Her smile was so beautiful that I froze.

Somehow, I pulled off the correct answer.

「Fufufu, that is the best possible reward. It was worth tormenting those Adventurers for.」

A beautiful woman with the best smile saying disturbing things.

I let out a sigh as if I had just scaled a mountain.

「But, are you sure? We’re rivals, right? It doesn’t really feel like a reward.」

「Then, let’s celebrate as friends.」

「Ahaha, I see.」

「Oh and one more thing, Lem. This might be selfish of me to ask, however.」

「No, please. Go right ahead.」

She put her hands around my neck and put her lips close to my ear.

Her scent tickled my nostrils and I could feel her body heat. Her breath was on my ear.

「After we have enjoyed our date, if it’s alright with you, would you let me suck your blood?」

…I see.

The act of blood-sucking isn’t something you simply do when you feel like it.

She seems to think of it as a way to extend our fun time together or perhaps as a way to conclude it.

「Is that a…no?」

Ah, I haven’t heard that in a long time.

So I say this for the first time in a long time.

「I wouldn’t mind.」

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