novelLineage of the Maou
| ← Ch.20 | Ch.22 → |
We, having had a blast at the beach until it got dark, driven by Lilith-san, went by car to the lodging hotel.
"Erm... There's something that has been bugging me for a while."
"Yes, what is it?"
"Aren't there any other monsters around here? Even in the beach there were no other visitors besides us..."
"Yeah. This place is a demesne of us demons. No one has been entertained here apart from you."
"...? But, a while ago, I think I saw some monsters in the sky that resembled birds..."
"I beg your pardon. It seems I've expressed myself wrong. Properly speaking, I meant there were no intelligent monsters... Monsters able to adopt human form. We differentiate unintelligent monsters by calling them magical beasts."
"I see."
As if our conversation had made her remember something, Zonmi, who was seating at the nearside, turned back.
"... Since we are at it, there's something I should explain to the little sister. The difference between zombies and ghouls lies in what the succubus has just mentioned.
Though, properly speaking, there are no less of a thousand differences between both races from the historical standpoint... Explaining it with easy to understand words, it comes to ghouls=intelligent zombies."
"Wow. Is that so?"
To tell the truth, I also hadn't heard about the difference between ghouls and zombies.
I see.
To Zonmi, mistaking ghouls with zombies is the same as to a human being treated as an animal.
That is, that's the reason Zonmi gets mad.
"Manami... chan, have you listened?"
Despite being the chance to better the way Manami calls Zonmi...
"... ZZZ"
"Wha, she's sleeping!"
I'd say, that's because she was frolicking at the sea.
The youngest group of Manami & Iris were soundly sleeping, cuddling each other in the back seat.
"... There's no way. Let's explain it to the little sister on another occasion."
Seeing Manami peacefully sleeping, Zonmi gave up.
Returning to her original position, Zonmi sat once again on the nearside.
"It's a pity for those sleeping but... People. We'll arrive soon."
"Could it be... Is that the hotel we'll be staying at..."
"Of course, it surely is."
"... Haha. This is great."
What appeared in our sights from beyond the window was a fairytale-like scenery you wouldn't usually see in the human world.
The building in front of us... Rather than an hotel, it would be better called a castle.
It had a classy air that made it seem directly taken off from the Middle Ages Europe.
"Well... Let's get down. From here on, we'll go on foot."
After waking up Manami and Iris, we got down as Lilith-san had said.
The gardens of the hotel were so spacious that it seemed like you could use them to play golf like that.
Furthermore, they not only were spacious, it looked like time and money had been spent in every nook, like the carefully planted and arranged trees or the uniquely shaped fountain.
Like that, it seems you could kill enough time simply by observing the scenery.
Standing before the hotel (castle?), we opened the huge door with a dull sound.
"""""Welcome home, masters!"""""
Next instant.
There was a battalion of more than ten maids to greet us.
Moreover... Each one of them was, to some extent, a beauty (though "to some extent" right here comes by rating them with "compared with the girls around me, they are a bit lacking", in truth they are striking beauties).
"They are like me, lesser demons, succubi. As you see, they've been gathered by their looks. If something troubles you, feel free to command them as you like. After all, we have personnel to spare."
"... Now, have you said as we like?"
The instant I asked, I felt stares overflowing with killing intent coming from the girls around me.
"... Of course sexual requests are forbidden?"
"I-it's not like I was asking with that purpose!?"
"... Why have you suddenly started talking like a tsundere?"
Kyouko rebutted me with a cold stare.
Is it you saying that?
"Quite right... I always tell them to give maximum priority to attend to the guests. So... If that's what Chiharu-sama really wishes, they may not be able to really refuse."
"Hoho!"
My cheeks softened unconsciously with the answer brimming with romance as if in the dreams of any man.
"Oniichan... Do you know what will happen if you do something like that?"
"Chiharu... Are you aware of what will happen to you if you do something like that?"
"Haru... You know what'll happen if you do that?"
"Yeah! I know! Since I know, please don't tell me the same sentence the three of you..."
How regretful.
As I'm under close surveillance by this lot, it seems that I can't ask *KYAKKYA UFUFU* things from the maids.
So, putting an end to those delusions, I felt somewhat anxious.
"... Do you feel unwell, Iris?"
Ever since entering the hotel, Iris has been behaving suspiciously, walking as if she were hiding behind us.
Pale as a sheet, Iris' every movement felt as if it was lacking her usual brazen demeanor.
"... There's no issue. Just a little fatigued."
"Is that so? If you say so..."
What the heck?
This uncomfortable feeling I can't get rid of—.
Is Iris really just tired?
Looking carefully, her petrified stance, as if hiding behind us, can be perceived as her being scared of something.
"... It's all right. There's no one here that'll bring you harm."
It took me a while to notice that Lilith-san's words were meant for Iris.
With what intention has she said that?
Without finding a satisfactory response to what it was that she had seen, thinking in her own way—.
In the end, we were led like that inside the hotel.
× × ×
After that.
As we had free time until the start of dinner, each one went their own way.
Like that, being told by Lilith-san "I have something I want to show you", I went to the hotel's basement.
In spite of the above ground facilities being a gathering of the newest things that are not inferior to those of the human world, the basement was worn out like a dungeon from an RPG, it created a sharp contrast.
"... It's a considerably dusty place."
"Yeah. Since this hotel has been reformed from a Maou castle that was used up to two hundred years ago."
"... So it was like that?"
Is that the reason the exterior of the hotel is so castle-like?
"But then... This underground tunnel is the only thing that's kept intact in the same state as back then."
"Why haven't you refurbished it?"
"As this basement stores many things like rare valuable expensive antiques and magic artifacts... So as to guard them, a lot of life-threatening harmful traps have been installed. That's why... Not even us can carelessly remodel it."
"Erm... I'd have liked that you had told me in advance about that important thing of 'life-threatening'..."
Fearing harm, after that, I walked carefully down the stairs.
Hey... What the heck?
While I was walking, I realized one thing.
That was that Lilith-san, who walked before me, was maintaining at all times a distance of just over a meter from me.
If I walked faster, she also walked faster, If I walked slower, she also walked slower.
Since that gait wasn't something she had become accustomed to for nothing, I unconsciously became impressed.
"Just Lilith."
While we were going down the stairs, Lilith-san softly muttered as if remembering something.
"... Eh?"
"I think I should have said it to you before, but... Just call me Lilith, please, no honorifics. If I tell you my true feelings, serving a man... Though it's more humiliating than being ravished by cattle... Since, in the end, it's a job requested by my benefactor Kanae-sama..."
"... Is that so?"
I feel that, if only a bit, I've learned a part of her background.
Despite being a total man-hater, for the reason "since it's my job", she's forced to adopt a subservient attitude towards a man.
This is nothing other than my personal guessing, but that may be the reason why, until now, she has behaved so awkwardly.
"Lilith."
"... Uh."
"Lilith!"
"... Guh!"
"Lilith?"
"... Ng."
"..."
Why is it?
Despite having said it's humiliating, each time I call to her I think she puts on a pleasure-filled face.
Could it be that this person... She has in fact a fetish?
"Erm... If you dislike it, why don't I stop calling you without honorifics for no reason...?"
"..."
Once I suggested that, Lilith-san dropped her shoulders as if she was a little dejected.
"I see. Chiharu-sama, you have quite a brute hobby. Knowing I cannot refuse... You dare to restrict my options..."
"Of course I don't plan to do that. I mean... Are you all right?"
"What the heck do you mean by that? Of course I'm not all right. I feel as disgraced as if you had forced me to clean a public toilet's urinal with my tongue."
"... No, I didn't ask with that meaning. It seems you're having a nosebleed?"
"... Wha."
Right after I pointed that out.
Lilith-san's face turned beet red and she got flustered.
"Th-th-this... It's not what it seems! It's not like... I was having dirty thoughts or anything. Turning humiliations received from men into pleasure... It's decidedly not that!?"
"... Hah, is that so?"
In the first place, getting a nosebleed by having dirty thoughts is a trope from manga and anime without any scientific basic, but... Judging by this girl's reaction, there's no doubt.
"Here. A hankie."
"... Th-there's no need. I have mine."
Saying that, Lilith-san turned back and started briskly walking by herself.
Mmm. Lilith-san may say that, but I feel that it's still a bit too early to leave honorifics out.
While thinking that, I once again went down the stairs, chasing after her.
× × ×
"Well. We have arrived. Our destination lies at the other side of that door."
Have we been walking for around 20 minutes after that?
Pointing at the wall in front of her, Lilith-san said those words.
"What door... No matter how you look at it, that wall before us looks like a dead end."
"Is that so... To the eyes of an outsider it may seem like nothing more than a wall... But if I press here..."
After Lilith-san pressed a part of the brick wall, in the next instant.
With the sound of something being pulled, the wall before me opened right and left.
"I see. A hidden door?"
This is looking more and more like a typical RPG.
Still wary of the traps, I walked through the hidden door.
And, what came into my sight—.
"Is this it? The thing you said you wanted to show me..."
It wasn't like after the hidden door there was a treasure in gold and silver.
It wasn't like there was a huge monster.
What laid there was a regular small room.
No, to be accurate, it doesn't seem to be any different from the human world.
For having expressly come walking till here, I'd say it lacks impact... What a let-down.
"Yeah. This could be considered to be the den of the former Maou."
"!?"
Just as I heard Lilith-san words, I felt my back growing stiff in an instant.
The king who rules over the Netherworld—the Maou.
Even though up until now I've regarded that existence as something as distant as the weather in foreign countries, recently I feel that the frequency with which I'm hearing that word has increased all at once.
"... Why is such a thing here?"
"... The reason is as I explained a moment ago.
This hotel was originally reformed from the castle of the Maou. For said reason, it's nary a wonder even if something remained.
"Surely... That's possible..."
At least, I'd like it if you explained that to me beforehand.
I'd say it's bad for my heart or something. I wish you'd put yourself in my shoes when you are suddenly told "this is the Maou's room".
"... What's drawn in that picture is the countenance of the former Maou.
The 34th Maou—Cruel. There are no words to describe the greatness of his achievements. Being a fanatic of the human world's... especially Japan's culture, he brought many technologies to the Netherworld and brought forth an engineering revolution."
"..."
I see.
So the fact the scenery at the Netherworld didn't differ much from that of the human world is due to this Cruel guy.
"... He's more ordinary than I expected."
That was what I honestly felt when I saw the man in the picture.
If we talk about the personal image I have of a Maou, though I picture him as a character with a more sinister and wicked face, the one in the picture, the pair of horns growing from his head aside, looks like a regular old man you could find anywhere (?).
"Surely... You cannot say his looks are good even as flattery.
However, there's one legend about Cruel... I heard he was popular with the ladies at such a level that it looked like a love potion was emitted from his body."
"... You joking?"
I'm not so gullible.
That this... Old man like the ones you can find anywhere is a popular guy on legendary levels, how can it be.
"Incredible... That's the kind of face you have right now.
By the way, it's recorded that the Maou Cruel, in the 300 years he ruled over the Netherworld, has in fact married 14 wives and left more than 20 heirs."
"Fourt..."
Is this old man for real?
Grrrr. Harem man... Unforgivable.
"Even so... Being popular with the ladies has its merits and its demerits.
It's said Cruel made only a single mistake in his whole life... And that was all of the women troubles he brought on himself and did nothing about.
Was it about twenty years now? This constitution that granted him excessive popularity with the Netherworld ladies was a curse, Cruel tragically met death under the cover of the night at the hands of a single woman moved out of jealousy."
"...A-are you serious?"
I take back my words.
Isn't it the best to have everything in moderation?
You can even die from being too popular with the girls... I don't think that way out of envy.
"Then, since Cruel has died, what kind of person has become the next Maou?"
As I went and asked, Lilith-san put on a meek face and gently shook her head,
"Unfortunately... That still hasn't been decided."
"... Eh?"
"It's as I told you just a while ago. I told you the sole mistake Cruel made in his life was his women troubles that left him with too many heirs.
After Cruel's death... A bloody war unfolded between his more than twenty heirs to see who held the title of next Maou.
Especially, the dispute between those who oppose the changes in the Netherworld and the supporters of the constant peace up until now increase day by day in violence.
It's not an easy thing to say, but the origin of the monster incidents that happened at the human world in recent years... Have as one of their causes the political disturbances brought by this turmoil."
"..."
I didn't know.
That the passing of the former Maou held influence to such an extent.
If I think about it... Until now I didn't know a thing.
About the Netherworld. About my family.
And, above all... About myself.
"Thank you very much. I feel that I understand the reason why Lilith-san has brought me here a bit."
"... I'm not worthy of those words. Then, do we return above ground?"
"Eeerm... Before that, there's something I'd want to ask... This, what's this sword stabbed into the floor?"
"!?"
Just when I tried to pick up that sword.
"Y-you can't!"
Lilith-san yelled, her face devoid of blood.
"That sword... It's a treasure sword called 'Shiden' that, inheriting the Cruel's will, rejects everyone except those with the makings of a true Maou.
That sword does still keep some of Cruel's magic power and if a normal person touches it, it will be the last thing they do! Blue lightning will eat into their minds and their whole body will get turned into ashes!"
"... Eh, you're totally joking, right? Since, look, the normal me is touching it and there doesn't seem to be any problem."
"............ Wha?"
For a while.
Lilith-san looked like she blinked in surprise with her mouth half-open, but in the end she came back to her senses and *AHEM* she cleared her throat.
"Of course everything I said was a joke."
"It is, isn't it. You got me."
"However, Chiharu-sama. Even if it's like that, it's not nice of you to go touching the things in the room without my consent."
"Sorry. It was such a cool sword..."
It appealed to the chuuni in the depths of my heart.
"I'll let it slide just this time, but be careful.
As I've just told you, inside this underground there are lots of traps that we still haven't managed to comprehend. If you carelessly touch something in the room, you could activate some switch..."
"Erm... Lilith-san. Do you... Hear a weird noise?"
"? A weird noise, you say?"
"Like turning cogwheels... A somewhat ominous sound."
"I beg your pardon. I cannot hear such a sound."
"... Is that so?"
That's weird.
I certainly can hear it crystal clear.
Possibilities I can think of... There are two.
One is that I'm just mishearing... The other one is that the me that has awakened the power of a monster has a hearing ability that surpasses Lilith-san's.
... It seems the latter is the correct one.
As I was pondering about that, the cogwheel noise became gradually stronger and, in the end, I could feel the ground shake under my feet.
"... Above! Lilith-san!"
How careless.
The cause is not yet definite, but... Me having picked the sword may have been what has activated the trap.
In an instant.
The ceiling split in two and a huge iron ball fell from above Lilith-san's head.
This is bad. The iron ball that's coming from right above Lilith-san seems to entirely fall into her blind spot.
Come to this... I can only save her!
"Excuse me!"
Ready to die, I jumped at Lilith-san.
... Safe.
It seems I managed to avoid the ball by a hair's breadth.
However.
It seems that due to diverting my attention only upwards, I left my feet defenseless.
On the floor where just a while ago there was nothing, there appeared numerous pitfalls like in a Swiss cheese.
"... Ku. Double trap?"
I tried to assess it calmly, but it was too late already.
At our wits' end, we fell through a hole.
× × ×
The pitfalls that suddenly appeared inside the room were deeper than I thought.
I'd say... I think we have fallen 20 meters down?
To a regular human it'd have been instant death... Perhaps I should say it wouldn't have been weird if a tragedy where the body was scattered in pieces had happened... That's a non-human quality.
... When I say it myself, I feel a bit sad.
Though I've broken several bones, as they'll be as good as new with just a little of spit, it's not really an issue.
"Are you hurt somewhere?"
"..."
"Erm... Lilith-san! Say something!"
"..."
No response.
At first glance, she doesn't seem to have external injuries, but... It may be that she has hit her head somewhere.
In that case... That's bad.
Though it seems she's breathing, I have to call for help asap...
"... Do-don't touch me."
Interrupting my thoughts, I could hear a frail voice I wouldn't have expected from her usual self.
"Good... You're safe."
"Don't... Touch me. Please... Go away."
"U-understood."
Since Lilith-san asked me with quite a serious tone, I unconsciously became panicked.
Although, in the first place, the cause that activated the trap was me... I'll give my life to protect her.
That way of speaking... Something somehow feels out of place.
Mm, wait?
That reminds me, Lilith-san said something like that.
That the thing she hated the most in the world were the beings known as males.
"..."
That?
Is it that?
So Lilith-san... Extremely hates to be touched by me, who is a man?
"Sorry. I... It seems I was being insensible."
"... No. That's my line. You gracefully saved me and I repaid it by spewing harsh words.... I truly beg your pardon."
"Erm... Can I ask the reason?"
"Yes. Of what?"
"The reason why Lilith-san is scared of men."
"..."
When I asked, she, after a little while, carefully started spinning her story.
"Before talking to you about that, there's something I want to ask... Chiharu-sama, what's the image you hold in regards to us, the succubus clan?"
"..."
"If you are being considerate to me, please stop. If you don't speak truthfully, the story cannot progress."
"How do I put it... It's terribly difficult to answer that, but... An image of perverted women."
"So it is. That's the usual image people have of the succubus clan."
Lilith-san shot a glance as if realizing something.
"Certainly, the sexual drive of us succubi, put into terms of the human world... Can be said to be twenty times the one of a male middle school student in the peak of his puberty, and there are many whose raison d'être is to copulate with men.
However, naturally, it's not like every succubus fits into that design.
Among them there are some that, hurt by the conceptions of the society, have fallen into distrust of men."
"Then... Is that the reason you started distrusting men, Lilith-san?"
"So it is. And to make thing worse... It seems my body is, from the start, one that easily attracts glances from men... So I've received terrible and heartless words from men. It wouldn't be once or twice that I was raped while taking a night stroll."
"...It must have been difficult."
"It's fine. I've already overcome those things."
"For reals?"
"Yeah. By carrying out my greatest ambition, I could settle that problem."
"... Ambition?"
"So it is. Did I tell you, Chiharu-sama?
My dream is to wipe the loser image of succubus=loose woman from the world.
By living my whole life without mingling with men and maintaining my body pure, working earnestly and succeeding in improving my career prospects, surely the men on the world are bound to think like that. 'Aah. Among the succubus clan there are also those who live a honest and diligent life. '"
"... That's a splendid idea."
Living her life in order to wipe out the image they hold of her clan... What?
Surely, there are lots of objectionable points in her way of thinking.
For starters, it's not likely that Lilith-san, by her sole effort, will change the image of the whole clan, and I feel it's wrong that she avoids men for that reason.
However, I cannot refute her ideas as she has told me about her dream with such an earnest gaze.
"But... I think that if things keep like this, Lilith-san's androphobia will be fixed?"
"... And why is that?"
"After all... Right now, aren't you being able to hold a conversation with me in such a dimly illuminated place?"
"... Ah."
"So... Don't worry. Lilith-san androphobia will soon..."
The moment right after I started talking.
Lilith-san, flinching as if she had noticed something,
"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
"Goheh!?"
It hit her as soon as I said it.
Ueh. I shouldn't... Have made her remember that...
"Fufufu. Misleading me... With dangerously nice words... You were about to rape me.
At last you show your true colors, Chiharu-sama.
You won't trick me!
Seducing girls like that up till now... How many poor maidens have you turned into your meat slaves!?"
"... S-stop saying things that could cause a misunderstanding."
"Silence! I shoulder the reputation of the succubus tribe... I'm not like those easy women you've won over until now.
...I won't make a peace sign in each hand as I let out a pleasure scream while riding your crotch!"
"..."
Peace sign, she says.
Come to think of it, Lilith-san said something a while ago.
The sex drive of succubi is twenty times the one of a male middle schooler in the peak of puberty or something.
Thinking about it calmly... That's a frightening number.
With that, let's build up a hypothesis.
That is... As it came to light on the conversation from a while ago, it seems she's an extreme masochist, her true character... Since she has to behave like an honor student in order to erase the image attached to her clan, doesn't that make her a closet pervert?
"Don't worry. At least, by me... Since I don't feel inclined to make you do something against your will."
"It's no use to try making me lower my guard with that! Men's words cannot be trusted!"
"..."
Alone with a big-breasted girl inside a hole with no one coming to the rescue.
Moreover, the other party is a peerless beauty.
That is, maybe if it was any normal boy he'd want to make even a single faux pas, but... It's me, who's had more experience than anyone in being beaten half to death. That's why I absolutely won't make a faux pas.
However, in this situation I won't be believed even if I say it.
"Understood. In that case, I'll face the wall until help comes. Will that make you feel relieved, Lilith-san?"
"... Wha?"
"If that's not enough, with this handkerchief... Yes. Just in case, I've bound my hands."
The special skill I hold of being able to get free from any binding... Conversely means I'm skilled at binding.
Of course, with just a single layer... If I wanted, I could shred it to pieces in an instant, but, even so, it should help Lilith-san to feel a little more relieved.
"If you see that I behave strangely... You can attack me from the back as you please. Like that, does it help to make you feel relieved?"
"... I-I don't understand what you say."
Lilith-san, in a state of total dumbfounding,
"Let's assume Chiharu-sama has no evil intentions... Why do you go so far for me... Who has been groundlessly accusing you?"
"Weeell... Do you promise you won't laugh?"
"... I do."
"How do I put it, I... It seems I have it in myself to not be able to ignore hardworking girls."
"... As I promised, I didn't laugh. Honestly, I had to endure greatly. That's truly an unfunny, uncool and lame line."
"..."
You didn't have to go that far.
"... However, it was so uncool that it looked like 'it went all the way round and it's even cool?'. I see, so this is Chiharu-sama's pick-up line."
"Nothing... It's not like that..."
"... How sly. Truly, from head to toe... You are the spitting image of that person."
Good.
If nothing else, in the end everything is all right.
It seems that I... Managed to calm Lilith-san without issue.
I feel curious about that "that person" Lilith-san mentioned at the end, but I wouldn't dare to touch that.
More than that, I feel that prying in people's pasts lacks delicacy.
With this and that, we—waited inside the hole for someone to help us without saying a word.
| ← Ch. 20 | Ch. 22 → |