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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Xrecker
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After my conversation with the Demon Lord, I returned to my room to prepare for my trip to the village below the castle.
I can’t believe my first assignment after defecting to the Demon Lord’s army is to be a human thresher.
I had never heard of an Archmage capable of wielding Hexa Spells being deployed for such menial labor.
To use magic, honed for taking demon heads on the battlefield, to harvest rice… it felt like using a butcher knife to kill a chicken.
“I’ve brought water for you to wash.”
“Ah, thank you.”
Since I had worked up a sweat at the training grounds, I thoroughly wiped myself down with a cool, wet towel.
Twice in one day! Such luxury would have been unthinkable before.
“Phew…”
Rubbing myself down with the cold towel soothed my stiff muscles, and a pleasant smile spread across my face.
This is why I love a cold rub.
I tossed the used towel into the laundry basket and asked the maid,
“Could you get me some fresh clothes from the wardrobe?”
She nodded silently and retrieved a crisply ironed white shirt from the wardrobe.
Identical to the one I had worn in the morning. They must have stocked several of the same style.
After drying myself and changing into the fresh clothes, I checked my appearance in the mirror.
A neat appearance was crucial, as it greatly influenced first impressions.
“Perfect.”
After fixing my slightly damp hair in the mirror, I put on my green robe and asked the maid, who had helped me dress,
“By the way, what’s your name? We can’t keep communicating without using pronouns.”
The maid, who had stepped back after helping me with my robe, placed a hand on her chest and replied in a calm voice,
“…My name is Camilla.”
“Then may I call you Camilla from now on?”
“Please, call me whatever you like.”
Camilla, Camilla. I repeated her name to myself a few times.
It rolled off the tongue nicely; I wouldn’t forget it easily.
“So, Camilla, when are we leaving for the village?”
“Whenever you’re ready, Master Kaldrash.”
“Then let’s go now… Oh, wait a moment.”
I had almost forgotten the Demon Lord’s request to keep my identity hidden.
Remembering this crucial detail, I picked up the staff I had retrieved from the training grounds and used one of the most basic spells: Transmutation.
The battered staff shimmered and reshaped itself.
“Hmm, this should do.”
A wooden mask in the shape of a dog’s head.
Not bad craftsmanship, considering I had made it on the spot.
I put on the mask and pulled the hood of my robe low over my face.
Now I looked like a suspicious mage, no matter how you looked at it.
Satisfied with my reflection in the mirror, I nodded and said to Camilla,
“Let’s go.”
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…And I had thought we would leave immediately.
As a consequence of our early arrival, we ended up waiting at the Demon Lord’s castle moat for thirty minutes, anxiously anticipating someone’s arrival.
As I stood there impatiently, tapping my foot and staring at the gate, Camilla, who had assured me we could leave as soon as I was ready, apologized, seemingly feeling guilty.
“I apologize for the delay. She’s usually not one to be late…”
“…She is coming, right?”
“Yes, I’ve sent someone to check. She should arrive shortly.”
“Sigh.”
There was no point in pressing Camilla further. It would just be misdirected frustration.
Knowing this, I decided to be patient. I closed my eyes behind the mask and said,
“There might be unforeseen circumstances. Let’s wait a little longer.”
“Thank you for your understanding.”
About forty minutes after we had started waiting at the gate, a headless knight, carrying a helmet that resembled a tin can under its arm, finally appeared.
“I apologize for the delay! These creatures suddenly started acting up!”
Vanessa, hurrying towards us, was accompanied by a massive black horse with reins attached.
A Bicorn, a magical beast more commonly known as a Two-horned Horse.
The sight of the Bicorn instantly dispelled my irritation.
Ah, if she was late because of this, I can understand.
Having generously forgiven Vanessa for her forty-minute tardiness, I turned my attention to another Bicorn being led by a demon soldier.
A flowing white mane like a majestic lion, rippling muscles, piercing red eyes, and sleek black skin.
It was a horse that embodied every masculine fantasy.
“Neigh!”
As I cautiously approached, wanting to pet it, the Bicorn, its reins firmly held by the soldier, suddenly snorted.
Thinking it was wary of me, I hesitated. But the Bicorn simply stared at me with its red eyes, without further protest.
What’s this? Does it like me?
I had heard stories of man-eating magical beasts luring humans in this way before devouring them, so I was hesitant. But I took a step closer.
Then,
“Heeheehee!”
The Bicorn suddenly let out a playful whinny and licked my mask with its long tongue.
I realized it just wanted to play and relaxed.
“There, there. Good boy, good boy.”
I wrapped my arms around its large head and gently stroked its white mane.
It seemed to enjoy the attention, closing its eyes and nuzzling its head against me.
This Bicorn, raised in the Demon Lord’s castle, was likely intended as a mount for a high-ranking officer. It was surprisingly docile.
Perhaps its handler had trained it well?
As I was thinking this, Vanessa, who had been watching from the side, covered her mouth with her hand, as if witnessing something unbelievable.
Perhaps because her face was hidden by her helmet, her gestures were exaggerated.
“Incredible. Just how many atrocities have you committed to make that ferocious Bicorn act as gentle as a lamb?”
“What? Atrocities?”
I couldn’t overlook her comment and retorted defensively.
But Vanessa, unfazed, explained the Bicorn’s peculiar nature.
“Bicorn are attracted to humans with a strong scent of blood and those who are… sexually promiscuous. The more… experienced a person is in such matters, the more they are drawn to them.”
“Scent of blood… promiscuous…”
Her words struck a chord.
As I fell silent, a complex expression on my face, Vanessa shrugged knowingly and addressed Camilla and me.
“Let’s depart before it gets too late. We might not reach the town before nightfall at this rate.”
Camilla, the only one among us standing on solid ground, nodded and reached for the reins of the other Bicorn…
“Neigh! Heeheehee!”
Suddenly, the Bicorn recoiled from Camilla as if she were something repulsive, backing away rapidly.
Vanessa, jumping down from her saddle, tried to calm the agitated Bicorn, more confused than I was.
“I apologize! What’s gotten into it? It’s acting as if it’s encountered a virgin!”
Camilla’s face paled, and she clutched her skirt, her lips pressed tightly together.
Wait, could it be…?
As I watched from the side, my eyes wide with surprise, Camilla, her face flushed crimson, a stark contrast to her usual stoic demeanor, trembled slightly.
“…I’m… not a virgin.”
But a strong denial is often an affirmation.
Vanessa, finally realizing the reason for the Bicorn’s frantic behavior, turned around with a gasp.
“What? A succubus? At your age? You’re joking, right?”
“…”
Camilla, her pride clearly wounded, bit her lip and, with a determined expression, tried to mount the fleeing Bicorn.
“Neigh! Heeheehee!”
But the more she tried, the more violently the Bicorn thrashed.
Finally, realizing it was impossible to force Camilla onto the agitated Bicorn, one of the soldiers watching ran to the stables and returned with a regular horse.
Camilla, finally able to mount the horse, her face a mask of displeasure, didn’t speak a word to Vanessa during the entire ride down to the village.
Serves her right.
I glanced at the dejected Dullahan and thought to myself.
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