EP.109 Beast, King of Beasts, Human - 5
After my escape trick ended.
Dozens of expressions flickered across Brigadier General Ebon's face.
Confusion, emptiness, anger, despair, sense of failure, regret, indignation, and so on.
But what could he do? It might be different if I had shown any sign of releasing it midway, but now that we were already far apart, there was nothing he could do.
"Lieutenant Colonel!"
"Phew!"
Just then, the Undying One and Tir arrived. The Undying One, who had rushed over quickly, supported the collapsing Callis, but Tir seemed to have no interest in the bleeding Callis and instead examined me.
"Weren't you startled! How could you rush out alone? You should have given me some warning!"
That was impossible. If I had told this vampire who only cared about my life or death, instead of letting me go, he would have grabbed me first.
Instead of speaking honestly, I shrugged and trailed off.
"As long as I'm fine, that's what matters. I'm okay, so please return that person's blood at least."
When I replied casually, Tir narrowed his eyes.
"Blood, you say?"
"Yes. Even if Blood Control Art has weakened, you can at least turn flowing blood back inside, right?"
In the distant past, Tir was a healer. Back then, Tir used Blood Control Art to stop people's bleeding.
Since he did it back then, even now that he had regained his life, he should be able to return blood using Blood Control Art. When I made what I considered a reasonable request with that judgment—
For some reason, Tir puffed out his cheeks in dissatisfaction.
"Was that soldier's life so precious to you? Enough to risk your own life running over there?"
'I was terrified lest you die, yet how is it that you cherish your own life even less than I do!'
Oh my, he's really angry. How should I resolve this?
Win through an argument? Or appeal to emotions?
Since things aren't completely over yet, I should probably go with the easier method.
Instead of arguing back, I raised my hand and played with Tir's hair. The delicate silver hair rolled softly at my fingertips.
When Tir stopped talking and flinched at the suddenly reduced distance, I slowly scattered the silver hair on my palm and spoke.
"If I had died, you would have made me into a vampire, wouldn't you?"
A statement slightly off the point—that even if I died, becoming a vampire would be fine. However, to touch emotions, words must carry weight rather than logic.
To what was almost like a confession, Tir timidly replied.
"Th-that may be true... but my Blood Control Art is not complete..."
I asked innocently.
"So you can't do it?"
"Even if you become a vampire with my blood now, if you're far away... the blood won't move well."
"It doesn't work if you're far away?"
Smiling, I brought the hair to the tip of my nose and murmured.
"Then I guess I'll have to stay close to you constantly. Still, if it means coming back to life, it's worth bearing, right?"
"Ugh...!"
Tir's face turned as red as a beet. It seems his heart is working properly.
Reflexively pulling away from me, Tir snapped sternly and headed toward Callis.
"...Just try dying. I'll revive you and work you to death!"
And then, as I requested, Tir returned Callis's blood. Kindly, he also gathered darkness to support Callis's body.
The Undying One understood there was nothing he could do for Callis and stepped back, leaving it to Tir. With his hands now free, he approached me.
"Teacher, you've worked hard!"
"I did work hard. Enough that I should take it easy now."
"Still, I can't help but point this out! You're so mischievous! Playing a prank even in such a desperate moment!"
"A prank?"
"I mean pretending you couldn't undo the chains!"
"Huh? That looked like a prank to you?"
"...It wasn't?"
The Undying One blinked.
Wow, I saved a person and I'm getting criticized? I didn't hide my indignation and practically shouted to the heavens.
"Oh my. I worked hard and now you're picking on my attitude! If I had quickly undone the chains, would that Brigadier General have just retreated? He would have thrown his blade at me immediately!"
"Now that I think about it, you're right! I have no rebuttal!"
The Undying One immediately understood and nodded.
"You were making such a delighted expression that I just misunderstood! I'm sorry!"
"I'll forgive you, so behave yourself from now on."
It was true that I was enjoying myself.
But shouldn't this be considered a secondary factor? Since I was acting for safety anyway, it's fine if I enjoy it too, right?
"Anyway, your skill is impressive too. Who knew you could undo it in such a short time."
I shrugged.
"This happens because you use a weapon without foundation like a claw to begin with. Weapons should be one solid piece, not assembly-type or separable."
It's not like he used it because he wanted to, though. A general of the Military Nation is not a position one can reach while giving up the weapon with the best compatibility.
That was when.
"Woof! Woof woof!"
From over there, Aji, who had turned reddish, came running while barking. On his arm hung an iron chain with the claw handle attached, and the 10-meter-long chain swayed like a wave every time Aji ran.
Brigadier General Ebon had fled somewhere the moment he failed, so Aji immediately jumped toward me without interference.
"You rascal, making you suffer."
Still, he immediately runs to me because he's seen me the most. Raising a dog is truly rewarding... I thought, but for some reason, Aji's speed didn't decrease. Instead of slowing down, Aji leaped right into my arms.
"Urk!"
I'm confident I could fall gracefully even if a dog jumped at me, but Aji's body is that of an adult. With the chain dragging along too, even I, who am robust, couldn't withstand it.
Aji, who climbed on top of my fallen self, kept licking my face.
"Woof! Woof!"
"Oh come on. Hey! I'm not hurt! Stop licking me!"
"Woof!"
It's good that he seems to know gratitude, but his way of repaying is wrong. Instead of licking me, I wish he'd bring some money from somewhere.
I untied the chain bound to Aji's arm and spoke to him.
"That's enough, Aji. You have a job to do."
"Woof?"
"Outside, there's a cat. Not a prickly human like a cat, but a real cat."
"Woof!"
How uncomfortable must he have been until now. Chained by the arm, bound by a promise. Ugh, how much must he have suffered because I didn't say this until now.
Clank, the chain fell.
I gave a command to Aji, whose hands were now free.
The command to release the chain that had been restraining Aji until now.
"That cat is tormenting us. So, go bite it."
"...Grrr."
When permission was given, Aji gladly bared his teeth. Aji rose quickly from on top of me, and walked outside with a low growl that made the entire Abyssal Pit ring.
Good. It seems the Returnee has almost cleared the butterflies outside too. If Aji goes, he'll be able to finish it for sure.
Having roughly finished my work, I clapped my hands to dust them off. Now what's left is...
"Oh? Mr. Rash. Where are you going?"
When I looked up, the Undying One was striding off somewhere. When I asked, the Undying One waved his hand and replied.
"Ah, don't mind me! I'm going to look for the Brigadier General because I want to see him!"
"The Brigadier General?"
"That's right. I have something to ask him!"
I glanced at Tir. Perhaps because the range of his Blood Control Art had narrowed, Tir was pressed close to Callis and wasn't paying attention to this side.
I also carefully stood up, following him.
"What a coincidence. I also have business with him. Let's go together."
"I'm not particularly going to fight. Is that alright?"
"I'm not particularly going to fight either. I just have something to ask."
"Understood! Now, let's g—!"
I hurriedly put my finger in front of my nose.
"Shh. Quietly. And let's go secretly. If Tir hears I'm going to the Brigadier General, he'll have a fit."
The Undying One, who was blinking, also understood my words and lowered his voice.
"Haha! You're like a simple outsider! Good. Let's go! Secretly!"
If I only get hit with something simple, that'd be fortunate. Try getting hit by that fist. It's the fist that knocked the King of Beasts unconscious in one blow.
Right now he's like that because he doesn't know how to use it properly, but if he were to learn how to use it completely. Oof.
I shook my head and followed the Undying One.
Brigadier General Ebon was heading to the rooftop with the stealth typical of a cat beastman. I followed in his footsteps along with the Undying One.
'It was a disastrous failure. I'm always prepared to die. But I can't die having failed like this.'
Even in this state, Ebon desperately crawled toward life until the end.
If it were an obsession with life, I would applaud. But I know. That is the scream of someone searching for a period.
It is a flame that calmly burns other books for the sake of a perfect period that will never be ready.
'The biggest cause was... that dangerous figure. They said he was subdued by the Six-Star General, the Absolute Spear, so he should be several levels below that. I thought if I used the King of Cats or stepped in myself, it would somehow work...'
The Returnee's existence was a variable to him. Unlike the King of Beasts or the Progenitor, a dangerous figure whose very existence was unclear, making it difficult to approach carelessly.
I'm relieved that his impression is similar to mine.
Thank goodness. So he's not only violent toward me. Returnee, you were an equitable disaster that threatened everyone.
'...But even considering that, things went strangely wrong. The Lieutenant Colonel betrayed, and the Colonel and the King of Cats were astonishingly powerless. There must have been another variable I couldn't account for...'
Another variable you couldn't account for?
We call that the world. The world is supposed to be nothing but variables.
You're not some cowardly prophet, so you can't predict and foresee everything in the world.
'Therefore, somehow get outside. Sink this Tantalus. Variables and all.'
"That won't do! There are people on board!"
At my shout, Ebon, who was walking into the middle of the rooftop, startled and turned around. And before long, the Undying One and I also arrived at the rooftop.
Even after seeing us, Ebon acknowledged us without any sign of tension.
"Ah, the Undying One and the laborer."
The Undying One spoke to him.
"Nice to meet you, Brigadier General. I am Rash. Also the person you tore to shreds."
"And yet you stand before me, resurrected."
It was a skilled retort. He was also surprisingly relaxed for someone being chased.
The Undying One also nodded broadly.
"That's right! Well, I don't hold a grudge against the Brigadier General. If I held a grudge just because my body got a little damaged, the world would be full of people to resent! This is a secret, but even in this Abyssal Pit, everyone has a record of playing with my body at least once!"
True, Aji, the Returnee, Tir, and I all did ruin the Undying One's body.
The Undying One shouted heartily. The Brigadier General answered with a benevolent smile.
"Yes. You were that kind of person. Thanks to that, I didn't feel too much guilt when tearing you apart."
"It's fine! There's no need to feel guilty about tearing me apart! The people here didn't feel guilty toward me either!"
...I'm sorry, Mr. Rash.
I apologized in my heart beforehand, before he could hold a grudge.
"However! There is something I'm curious about!"