Chapter 1

Are you referring to a regular female knight, or a trash-tier female knight?

“Gwah!?”

My body moved on its own, deflecting the sword that had been coming toward me.

It must have had quite a bit of force behind it.

The woman who had been attacking me rolled away across the ground.

“S-Strong…! Unbelievable strength. This is the infamous…”

【……】

She lifted her face, glaring up at me.

It seemed that even humans had heard of my name.

…What a hassle. Give me a break.

There’s no way they’ve put a bounty on me, right?

I’m just a lowly, weak demon, you know? Seriously, spare me.

“I no longer have my sword. There’s nothing I can do now…!”

She had no weapon in her hands.

When I deflected her attack earlier, her sword had been sent flying far away.

If she could use magic or had some kind of hidden trick up her sleeve, it might be a different story—but that didn’t seem to be the case.

She looked utterly defeated, completely dejected.

Even so, my body showed no mercy and slowly approached her.

Well, I am a demon, and she’s a human. It can’t be helped.

“Then, there is only one thing left for me to do!”

【!】

Her eyes locked onto mine with a sharp, piercing glare.

In them, I could see a strong and unwavering resolve.

Her spirit hadn’t been crushed yet.

As long as her eyes still burned with determination like that, I couldn’t let my guard down.

I remained cautious, staring her down, waiting for her next words.

She bit her moist lips and then—

“Kuh… Don’t kill me!!”

…Wait, what?

This was the line.

The famous line uttered by proud female knights—ranked second in the “things a demon would love to hear at least once” list:

“Kuh, just kill me!”

【……Huh?】

…What did she just say?

Looking at her fierce, dignified face as she glared up at me, there was no way she had just blurted out those words.

Did I mishear her?

“Kuh… Don’t kill me!!”

【No, it’s not that I didn’t hear you—I heard you just fine. I just couldn’t comprehend it.】

I hadn’t misheard.

She had said it twice.

Wait, was she begging for her life?

A proud female knight?

No way. If she were really pleading, how could she still be glaring at me with such a sharp, defiant gaze?

…Maybe I really did mishear.

【Wait, did you just say ‘kill me’?】

“I said, don’t kill me! Absolutely do not kill me!!”

【…Seriously?】

Amazing.

This was the first time anyone had ever begged for their life with such strong determination.

And why did she sound so high and mighty despite being in a position to beg?

【This… this isn’t how it’s supposed to go. Aren’t female knights supposed to be more noble and dignified…?】

“If I could survive on pride alone, I would. But since I can’t, you might as well turn me into pig feed.”

【Oof…】

She let out a small laugh.

Not the time to be laughing, lady.

“Also, I didn’t expect you to talk. You seemed like the silent type.”

【I usually am. The armor doesn’t let me speak. But for some reason, it’s allowing me to talk right now.】

She blinked in surprise at the sudden shift in conversation.

Well, it’s true—I rarely get to talk. So I guess she’s not wrong about me being the silent type.

If it weren’t for this armor, I’d be able to talk normally like this all the time.

For some unknown reason, though, it seemed to be letting me speak freely today.

“Hmm… I don’t really get it, but… anyway, I should get going. Thanks for everything.”

With that, the female knight stood up and turned her back to me.

Ah… It felt nice to have a conversation after so long.

Thank you.

【Yeah, see you… Wait, wait, wait.】

“Gyaaaaaaaah!?”

Before I knew it, she was running away at full speed.

But I stopped her in her tracks with the dark energy emanating from my armor.

The miasma wrapped around her, making her scream.

【What the hell are you trying to casually escape for!?】

“Come on! Just let me go already! I want to live!!”

Dragging her back, she flailed around, tears and snot flying everywhere.

Ugh… gross…

My image of a noble female knight was crumbling into dust.

What is this?

How did someone like this even become a knight?

Are human recruiters blind?

“Are you sure about this? If you kill me, you’ll have to bear the weight of that sin. Can you really handle the responsibility of taking a life? It’s heavy, you know. And in my case, it’s especially heavy.”

…And now she’s trying to guilt-trip me!?

First, she begs. Now, she threatens.

This woman… She’s unbelievable.

You’re going to get yourself killed for real, you know?

That being said, I have heard of this concept before.

Taking a life leaves a burden on the soul. If you keep killing, the weight grows heavier, and eventually, if you can’t carry it anymore… you die.

It sounds like superstition, but it’s not something to be taken lightly.

But as for me…

【Oh, don’t worry. It won’t be me killing you. It’ll be the armor. So I bear no responsibility. My hands stay clean.】

Yes.

I wasn’t the one doing the killing—the armor was.

A suit of armor that moves on its own, controlling the wearer’s body.

If that’s the case, then all the responsibility for murder falls on the armor.

Which means… I stay pure and guilt-free.

Heh… Flawless logic.

“That’s… one hell of a way to dodge responsibility… It’s almost disturbing.”

You’re one to talk, lady. Look in the mirror.

【Besides, letting you live could come back to bite me later. It’s easier to just finish you off now.】

She might be acting pathetic now, but her combat skills were impressive.

She managed to hold her own against this armor for a few minutes—that’s no small feat.

If I let her go, she’d come back stronger one day.

And I didn’t want to die.

Hearing this, she teared up and then…

“No! No no no no! I absolutely refuse to die!!”

【Come on, have some dignity, female knight!!】

She threw herself on the ground, flailing around like a child throwing a tantrum.

This was beyond pathetic.

Her once-beautiful golden hair was now covered in dirt.

With a heavy sigh, I watched as she suddenly latched onto my leg.

“I’ll do anything! You can use my body however you want! I’ll even lick your feet like a dog! I’ll sell out human secrets to the demons!”

【O-Oh… The first part was tempting, but the second part? That’s just awful.】

As a man, I couldn’t deny the appeal of the first offer.

But the fact that she was so quick to betray her own kind was just… repulsive.

She looked good, though.

Her long golden hair—now dirty, but well-maintained—shone beautifully.

Her face, despite being smeared with tears and drool, was still striking.

And those eyes—one gold, one silver—were like precious gems.

Her slim yet toned physique suggested agility and strength.

But she was just… too disappointing.

A female knight groveling in the dirt, begging to lick a demon’s feet to survive?

No way.

I should just kill her and be done with it.

…But then, I had an idea.

【…You said you’d do anything?】

“Yes!”

【You sound way too enthusiastic…】

She nodded vigorously.

A normal person wouldn’t respond so cheerfully to a demon’s ominous question.

But fine.

If she was willing to do anything…

【Alright. I’ll let you live. But you’re coming with me.】

“My body? Be gentle, it’s my first time.”

【No, not like that! I mean, tempting, but no!】

“?”

She tilted her head in confusion.

Of course, I had a purpose for sparing her.

My goal was…

【You’re going to inherit everything from this Dark Knight!】

“…Huh?”

Her dumbfounded expression was priceless.