“That’s a nice sofa. It’s fluffy, and the goldwork is exquisite. Is this your taste?”
“N-no, that was something left behind by the previous lord…”
“Haha, for how bad the territory was, he sure was picky about the furniture. He must have been quite the useless lord.”
This conversation took place after I calmed down the furious Albedo. I wanted to help her relax, as she was trembling nervously.
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to eat you or anything. Anyway, let’s have some tea. Hey, Lilitina, bring us some tea.”
“Abagabagabababa…!”
“Whoa!”
When I glanced at the dog-eared girl, she was foaming at the mouth and had wet herself.
“Looks like she’s out of commission for a while.”
“Lilitina!?”
Well, beastmen do have stronger instincts than humans. Maybe she got overwhelmed by the pressure I let slip from my dragon form.
“Hey, you!”
“First, fix your language. You’re a lord now, so you shouldn’t act rough.”
“…Yes.”
Good, compliance is key.
“Sigh… That inhuman pressure from earlier… I suspect you’re some ‘Stealth Knight’ from the Holy City, right? Even though Lady ‘Dark Lady Sara’ helped you become a lord, now you’ve been found by those superior High Humans…”
“No comment on that.”
I can’t admit it. That I’m not a knight, but actually Sara.
“Forget about me. Let’s talk about you, Albedo.”
“What about me?”
“You’ve killed quite a lot of people, haven’t you?”
“!?”
I can tell just by looking. That lack of hesitation when it comes to killing—it’s the kind of detachment you only develop after years of doing it.
“And what’s this? You want to become stronger? So strong that you can live without bowing to anyone?”
“…Yes.”
“That’s quite the selfish dream. You’re not interested in saving the world, just looking out for yourself, huh?”
Albedo, who had been shrinking back, raised her head. Her murky eyes glared at me.
“Yeah… That’s right! Is that so bad!? All I want is to kill every last one of the scumbags around me and live freely!”
Albedo stood up and slammed her foot on the table, grabbing me by the collar.
“If you’re weak, you can’t do anything! That’s how it was in the slums where I was born. Maybe it was different in the distant past, but in today’s world, where talent manifests as special abilities, garbage remains garbage! We’re only robbed from and killed!”
“…Yeah, that’s how it is.”
To counter monsters, the goddess ‘Sophia’ granted humanity the ability to manifest talents as skills.
This brought about a stark divide in humanity.
Because talents became visible, those with wealth and good lineage could carefully select the best partners with superior talents to integrate into their bloodlines.
Those with talents flourished, while the ‘have-nots,’ who weren’t chosen, were left to breed among themselves, passing down weak, undesirable traits.
And you, Albedo, are one of those have-nots.
“I had no talent or skills. I tried everything, knowing that some people awaken their abilities later through experience… but the only skill I developed was ≪Storage Space: Item Box≫. All I can do is ambush or carry luggage.”
“Yeah, it’s not exactly a great skill.”
At least from a human perspective.
≪Storage Space: Item Box≫ isn’t magic. The weight of the stored items still bears down on your body.
I, on the other hand, can carry tons with ease.
“That’s why… all I have left is this body.”
She gripped the front of her nun’s outfit, clutching at the body she depended on.
“I hate being weak. I don’t want to go back to those slums. I never want to be hunted down like a bug again… That’s why I want to fix this body, at least.”
“So, you want to live selfishly?”
“Yeah, that’s right. It’s despicable, isn’t it? Go ahead, laugh at me.”
“I’m not going to laugh.”
In fact, quite the opposite.
Before I realized it, I had already placed a hand on her shoulder.
“You’ve done well.”
“!?”
To live selfishly without bowing to anyone?
—That’s a damn good goal. After all, it was the same wish I had when I overworked myself to death in my meaningless life, just before I became the Dark Dragon.
“You’re incredible.”
“Wha—?”
“You dragged your weak body along, fighting tooth and nail with a ‘never give up’ attitude, didn’t you? You struggled, refusing to let anyone use you up, didn’t you?”
Where’s the part of that that deserves ridicule?
“Tell me, what’s there to laugh at?”
“S-something like that…”
“Which is why, Albedo…”
I activated the skill ≪Storage Space: Item Box≫ and pulled a small white vial from the void.
“Here, take this.”
“What… is this?”
“Holy Water. They say it can regenerate cells and heal any disease or old wounds.”
“Wha—?!”
“That’s practically the same as an Elixir!” she shouted.
Come to think of it, yeah, it is. Well, the ingredients are… quite something.
“Something like that must be ridiculously expensive…!”
“Doesn’t matter. I happened to get it, so who cares? High price or not, so what?”
I’m not the type to hoard it for collection. Besides—
“Albedo, I want you to use it. With your dreams and determination, you’re the one who deserves it most.”
“—!?”
I took her hand and forced the vial into it. She tried to pull away for a moment, but I gripped her tightly and made her take it.
“Eek! You’re so strong…!”
“Don’t think someone with the strength of a mere first-rate adventurer can resist me.”
Now, about that…
“Why did you hesitate to accept it?”
“Ugh… because…”
Because of what?
“If… if this ‘Holy Water’ is real, there must be people more deserving of its power, right? Meanwhile, I… I just want to live selfishly…!”
That’s true.
“You say you respect someone like me? That can’t be true, right? It just can’t.”
“What do you mean ‘it can’t’? You kept saying things like ‘you’ll scorn me’ or ‘just laugh,’ but why are you denying yourself?”
“Because… I’m just trash from the slums, from the filth of the streets!”
“No, you’re amazing. Even if the whole world denies you, I’ll be the one to acknowledge you.”
“――!!?”
Well, enough with the back-and-forth.
“Hurry up and drink it. Or are you still going to keep putting yourself down?”
“N-no, no…!”
The nun hugged the bottle tightly, her head bowed, trembling as she said, “I have nothing left to say.”
“To think that someone would know my true self and still accept me… Even though I once tried to kill you…”
“Hah, it felt more like a cute kitten trying to play with me.”
“S-stop teasing me already!”
No, seriously, that’s how it felt given the power difference.
“Alright, that’s the end of that. Now, go ahead, Albedo.”
“…Yes.”
She opened the bottle, raised it high, and gulped down the contents in one go.
“Gulp… gulp… gulp――!”
Her slender throat moved as she swallowed, the thick sound of liquid echoing from within. Then, at the moment it disappeared deep inside, the change began.
“Ah… ahh, my body, my eyes!?”
In an instant, a radiant glow burst forth, her skin, visible through her clothes, turning even paler, and her once-clouded eyes regained their clear, vivid light.
“My body feels so light… and I can see the world clearly! I can see you, Lord Jade, so clearly…!”
“Well, that’s great. If I knew, I would’ve dressed up a bit more.”
“N-no, you look fine just as you are!”
Oh, really? I came straight here after messing around with Anemone and the adventurers, so I was worried if my clothes looked too disheveled.
“Is your health all good now?”
“Yes.”
“Can you chase your dream of ‘becoming stronger’ now?”
“Yes!”
She nodded with a big, bright smile.
Alright, problem solved! I feel like I’m forgetting something, but time to head home!
“Hehehe, Lord Jade…♡”
