Chapter 36: Spartan training supported with praise
The most peaceful, prosperous age that the world of Lambda ever experienced, the age of the gods. The ones who ended it were the Demon King Guduranis and the countless evil gods that followed him.
The one who cursed the water, earth and even the air, turning them into poison that ruined living creatures, the[Evil God of Cursed Poison.]
The master of massacre who knew of nothing but hunting and competing, the one who taught the people the pleasure of drawing blood, the[Evil God of Mad Slaughter.]
The one who toyed with all forms of life, the one who created numerous evil synthetic beasts, the[Evil God of Distortion.]
The one who corrupted the people with immoralities that had never existed in Lambda before, the[Evil God of Ruinous Greed.]
Their leader was destroyed by the gods and the champions, but there are still many evil gods lurking in this world.
One of those, the[Evil God of Distortion], had a subordinate god, Hihiryushukaka, the[Evil God of Joyful Life.]There was a Vampire community obeying this Evil God and receiving his divine protection.
Hihiryushukaka was an evil god who taught his followers that toying with life was the ultimate pleasure, a way of proving oneself to be a superior being.
If someone begs for their life, toy with them, give them hope and force them to obey before finally pushing them off the cliff of despair and taking their life.
If there are insects who desire power, give them a power they do not want that leads them to ruin and make them scream in regret that they do not need power.
If someone is proud of their strength, rob them of that strength. Tear off their limbs, crush their eyes and rip out their tongues. Make them into nothing more than insects that are only capable of crawling on the ground.
Only by doing that can you become superior beings. Only by creating a pile of the weak beneath your feet and trampling over it can you reach a higher place.
The Vampires had lost Vida, their『Goddess of Life and Love.』For Hihiryushukaka, who advocated such teachings, converting them into his followers may have been one of those pleasures for him as well.
A hundred thousand years later, those who followed the[Evil God of Joyful Life]were a prominent force even among the other Vampires who had begun to follow the evil gods.
There were over a hundred Noble-born Vampires, ruled by three Pure-breeds who possessed tremendous power. Below them were countless Subordinate Vampires and human followers who desired eternal life. If one included the Undead, monsters and even the groups of mercenaries and bandits who were not even aware that they were serving as the Vampires' pawns, it would be foolish to try to count their numbers.
Their military strength was equivalent to that of a large country, and their influence was so great that they would be able to manipulate such large countries.
「Now then, the first topic of discussion is the aforementioned Dhampir.」(Birkyne)
The one speaking was Birkyne, one of the three Pure-breed Vampires ruling the community. His outward appearance was that of a man of around twenty years of age with delicate features consisting of thin lines. He seemed like someone who might gather sons and daughters of noble families to host tea parties and balls.
「Dhampir? Ah, the one who was born between one of your Subordinates and one of the guards?」(Female Vampire)
The one who replied was a woman who looked to be over twenty years old. Her attractive figure and beautiful face would be enough to conquer any man if she smiled, but they were clouded by a somewhat dull-looking gaze.
The dress that revealed much of her chest and left her back exposed was extravagant, but in bad taste. Rather than looking like a noble lady, she looked like a high-class prostitute that noble families might pay for.
「Both the mother and child are working hard in my castle with their backs stuck together, moving around with eight limbs.」(Female Vampire)
「Ternecia, isn't that from a hundred years ago?」(Birkyne)
「Then are you talking about the one that came from the stomach of that Beast-person? Didn't you kill that one? Along with its whole clan.」(Female Vampire)
「That one was from five hundred years ago.」(Birkyne)
Ternecia, the one engaging in this two-person comedy act with Birkyne, was another one of the Pure-breed Vampires.
She was the third most powerful in this community, and recognized as the most powerful female Vampire.
「The Dhampir I am referring to is the one born at Gubamon's place between one of the Subordinates in a very low position and a Dark Elf.」(Birkyne)
「Ah, the one at Gubamon-jiisan's place! Now that you mention it, something like that did happen there, didn't it? So, where is Gubamon-jiisan? I don't see him around.」(Ternecia)
Birkyne and Ternecia spoke a third name, Gubamon. He was the last of the Pure-breed Vampires ruling the community.
But even though Ternecia looked for him, she couldn't see him at all.
「Lord Gubamon is absent today because he is busy with other matters…」(Vampire)
The pale-faced Noble-born Vampire who had spoken was likely one of Gubamon's followers. He was trembling violently, unable to endure Ternecia's glare.
「What did you say?! He's absent today as well?! I'm only absent for nine out of ten meetings, but that jiisan has already missed twenty! Hurry up and bring that sheetty old man out here!」(Ternecia)
「Please forgive me. Lord Gubamon is dealing with some matters at hand, and he asked me to apologize to you on his behalf, Ternecia-sama and Birkyne-sama.」(Gubamon's follower)
「Stop making excuses! Do you want to turn into materials for one of my creations?!」(Ternecia)
Ternecia looked as if she would pierce the trembling Noble-born Vampire with her fangs at any moment. Birkyne and the other Noble-born Vampires chuckled at this scene.
Even their own brethren didn't deserve their compassion.
「Let us leave it at that. We have already received a report on the details, you see.」(Birkyne)
Unlike Subordinate Vampires, creating Noble-born Vampires took a considerable amount of effort, and though it was very pleasant to see disputes between Gubamon's faction and Ternecia's faction, it could cause the community to disintegrate.
Birkyne enjoyed the spectacle for a little while before putting a stop to it.
「Is that so?」(Ternecia)
「Yes. As you know, Valen was executed by one of Gubamon's subordinates. The body was disposed of in a way that it will never come back to life. And I have heard that the religious fanatics in Amid were used to burn the Dark Elf mother at the stake.」(Birkyne)
「Wow, considering that sheetty old man has nothing in his head except filling up his collection, his subordinates perform pretty well, don't they? So what happened to the Dhampir?」(Ternecia)
「Apparently he managed to slip away.」(Birkyne)
「Huh?!」(Ternecia)
As Ternecia's face twisted in surprise, Birkyne raised a corner of his mouth and continued his explanation with a pleased look on his face.
「He was never found, but as he was still a baby of breast-feeding age, it was thought that he would be unable to survive on his own and was left alone. I do not know how he did this, but as a child not even three years of age, he apparently gathered several hundred Ghouls under his control. And when the humans dispatched a large extermination force after him, he apparently led the Ghouls across the Boundary Mountain Range before the extermination force could reach him. What he did and how he did it is a complete mystery.」(Birkyne)
As Birkyne spoke, not only Ternecia, but all of the other Vampires showed all sorts of reactions.
There were some who were half-laughing, thinking that this was some kind of joke.
Others were silently dumbfounded.
Others still were confused, wondering if they had misheard something.
「You've got to be kidding me!」(Ternecia)
The only one to respond with anger was Ternecia.
「So you're saying that someone let him go thinking that he would die, then helplessly watched as this Dhampir gathered hundreds of followers and crossed the Boundary Mountain Range?! What the hell was he thinking?! No, does he even have brains to think with in the first place?! Kill that guy, right now!」(Ternecia)
Ternecia bared her fangs in anger. She wasn't scared of the Dhampir. She simply understood that the Vampires had ruled the world in the shadows for a hundred thousand years because of the evil god's divine protection and because they had prepared their battles in a way that they would win before fighting them.
She wouldn't feel this sense of danger facing a mere Dhampir or human. However, there were Pure-breed Vampires residing beyond the Boundary Mountain Range. Beings that stood equal to themselves.
They had shown almost no movement at all during the last one hundred thousand years, but if they were to begin moving, it was certain that the Vampire community here would have its existence endangered.
「She is right, Birkyne-sama, please execute the one responsible immediately and leave the Dhampir to us!」(Vampire)
「No, please leave this to me, Carmine!」(Another Vampire)
「I will do my best to live up to your expectations, Birkyne-sama and Ternecia-sama!」(Yet another Vampire)
And then the Vampires, seeing this as an opportunity to add some achievements to their own records, raised their hands one by one even though nobody had asked them to. It was impossible for a Noble-born Vampire to become a Pure-breed Vampire through achievements, but if Hihiryushukaka acknowledged them, they would receive his[divine protection.]
If they received this divine protection, they would rise one or two steps above the other Noble-born Vampires in power and privilege.
「No, no, I am thinking of still making the person who failed to work to deal with the matter.」(Birkyne)
「What?! Are you saying that you're taking pity on someone who has failed twice already? It's certain that he��ll just fail a third time!」(Ternecia)
「Well, I think so as well, but I was impressed by his enthusiasm. Ah yes, let me introduce him to everyone.」(Birkyne)
With these words, Birkyne gently raised his thin, white hand.
With a whooshing sound, a man with his whole body covered in blood fell down from somewhere.
「Allow me to introduce you; this is Gubamon's subordinate, Sercrent Ozba-kun.」(Birkyne)
With a smile, Birkyne raised his hand to introduce this man… The Noble-born Vampire who held connections to Earl Thomas Palpapek, currently letting out a small groan.
His appearance could be summed up in one word: Ghastly. All of the fingers on both of his hands had been pierced through by silver skewers; his legs were covered in burn marks as if he had been roasted in a fire and the flesh on his back was covered in countless protuberances.
One of those protuberances appeared to burst. A mouse with no skin or fur crawled out from within and began to eat into Sercrent's nearby flesh. And then once it had eaten a quantity of flesh equivalent to the size of its own body, it pushed its head into the hole it had created and returned beneath Sercrent's skin.
This was one of Hihiryushukaka's curses.
「For… give… me… This… I will… definitely…」(Sercrent)
As Sercrent mustered his strength and looked up, the Vampires looking at him gasped. He had no face.
His eyes had been gouged out, his nose sliced off, his cheeks dug out and his lips torn to pieces. His head was like a skull that was covered in blood.
The cruelest thing about all this was that none of the things that had been inflicted upon him, including the curse, were fatal. Noble-born Vampires possessed incredible Vitality and regenerative capabilities; they wouldn't die even after having this done to them.
Even the Noble-born Vampires who had transcended the limits of mortality were nothing but playthings for Birkyne. As they were reminded of this fact, the other Vampires fell silent.
The mice that were made of flesh continued consuming Sercrent's tissues as they regenerated. Ternecia rose from her seat, approached him and kicked him in the face with all her strength.
「Geuh!」(Sercrent)
「Birkyne, what are you planning on having this half-dead bastard do? He wouldn't even be able to kill a single caterpillar.」(Ternecia)
Sercrent was in agony after his jaw was crushed by Ternecia's kick. Indeed, he looked more like a pitiful criminal on death row awaiting execution than an assassin.
「With all due respect, I would say that Ternecia-sama is right. I believe it would be impossible for this person to cross the Boundary Mountain Range, find the target, get through hundreds of Ghouls and dispose of the Dhampir.」(Female Vampire)
This remark was made by a female Vampire who shared Ternecia's opinion. The other Vampires seemed to be in agreement as well.
Though differences existed between individuals, Vampires were a powerful race. If one were to only look at the Pure-breeds, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that they were the strongest among all the races that Vida had created.
They could slaughter Dragons with ease; one Pure-breed Vampire could destroy an entire nation on his own. The only ones capable of opposing them would be a party of adventurers of A-class or higher, equipped with legendary-class Magic Items.
However, Sercrent was a Noble-born Vampire, a being considerably inferior to a Pure-breed. Even so, he would be a great threat to knights or adventurers, but there were plenty of monsters on his level of strength in the Boundary Mountain Range.
Anyone trying to cross the Boundary Mountain Range high in the sky would encounter the monsters inhabiting the Devil's Nests in the skies… The Devil's Skies. They would be considered as challengers to the fight for domination over the air and be torn to pieces.
But crawling across the steep mountain surface like a human would take time, and there were still no guarantees that one would make it through that journey safely.
Monsters were overflowing from the unknown Devil's Nests and unexplored Dungeons; they would attempt to devour any outsiders.
In order to avoid that, hundreds of warriors strong enough to ignore monsters and capable of fighting while climbing the steep cliffs would need to be gathered, and they would have to travel in a large group while intimidating the surrounding monsters to deter them from attacking.
No matter how one thought about it, it was impossible. Unless a god and his followers were to act directly, or some incredible trick was used, this could not be done.
Not only would Sercrent have to cross the mountain range, but he would have to follow the Dhampir's tracks, slip through the sight of the hundreds of Ghouls that had survived the journey and kill the Dhampir. If Sercrent could at least complete that mission, the Vampires here couldn't care less whether he lived or died, but it would be problematic if he were to die before completing it.
「There is no problem. Sercrent-kun said that he would even go as far as to risk his life to complete his mission. Isn't that right, Sercrent-kun?」(Birkyne)
「Yaash. Leaf ert… Leaf ert ter meh!」(Sercrent)
Sercrent immediately responded to Birkyne's question with his shredded tongue and crushed jaw. The other Vampires were secretly amazed that he was still capable of hearing despite having no ears.
「I don't give a sheet about his willpower or motivation. What I'm trying to say is that I can't trust his ability.」(Ternecia)
「What you are saying is completely reasonable, Ternecia. That is why I am thinking of dispatching one of my lovers for this.」(Birkyne)
「Huh? One of your prostitutes?」(Ternecia)
The Vampires began to murmur. Their faces expressed uncontrollable fear and disgust.
Vampires were generally very proud; they would never make an effort to raise someone of the same rank above themselves.
The reason Subordinate and Noble-born Vampires formed a hierarchy was because the ones at the bottom of the hierarchy would be treated as slaves.
At least, this was true for the Vampires who had come to follow the evil gods.
And Birkyne greatly enjoyed watching this hierarchical process. It was a hobby to him; even things like torture were nothing but casual pastimes compared to this.
The Noble-born and Subordinate Vampires that he had turned into his subordinates, he would make them compete and fight amongst each other. He would make them crush each other and draw each other's blood, granting his favor to the victorious and bestowing severe punishments onto the defeated.
He was saying that he would have one of his lovers… one of his own bodyguards work with Sercrent.
「Eleanora, you will do this for me, won't you?」(Birkyne)
A beautiful woman with red hair that came down to her waist appeared from within Birkyne's shadow. If she were to appear at a ball, noblemen experienced in giving compliments would exhaust their vocabulary to praise her beauty from the depths of their hearts. She was wearing a smile that would instantly make any man fall in love with her.
「Yes, please leave it to me.」(Eleanora)
「Fufu, make sure you get along with Sercrent-kun and the others. Also, the ruins of Talosheim are nearby, so it would be very helpful for you to collect the bones of the Sword King Borkus if they are still around. That would allow me to have Gubamon owe me a second favor.」(Birkyne)
「Certainly, my beloved lord.」(Eleanora)
Eleanora. While she was the youngest among Birkyne's subordinates, having only become a Noble-born Vampire several years ago, she was a talented woman who had established herself as one of the best. It was expected that in a few hundred years' time, she would become one of the most powerful followers of the[Evil God of Joyful Life]other than the Pure-breed Vampires themselves.
Even Ternecia had killed several of her own subordinates out of irritation at the fact that they would never reach her level.
「Hmph, be careful to not let your guard down and go through a painful experience.」(Ternecia)
It would be even better if Eleanora and the Dhampir simply killed each other. As Ternecia spoke these words that concealed her true feelings, the discussion regarding this topic came to an end.
What came afterwards was a regular meeting with the same contents as usual… How the Guilds hiding in the shadows were doing, the recent movements of Amid's Church, how the conflict to become the heir of the Hartner family of earls was intensifying, the exchange of information that would help the Vampires pass the time during the long nights, reports on the status of various projects. Finally, candidates to become Subordinate Vampires were introduced. Once they were acknowledged, they underwent the process to transform into Vampires and then the meeting was adjourned.
There were four Dungeons in the Devil's Nests surrounding Talosheim.
They were Garan's Valley, Doran's Aquatic Cavern, Borkus's Sub-Dragon Savannah and Barigen's Fall Life-Mountain. All of them were Dungeons that imitated natural environments, but the materials obtained from these Dungeons had supported Talosheim's prosperity.
Vandalieu had decided to clear the one with the lowest-difficulty among them, the D-class Dungeon, Garan's Valley.
It would likely be about as difficult as the Dungeon that he had entered in the Mirg shield-nation (or so Vandalieu thought), but this had been a training ground for Talosheim's inexperienced adventurers and one of the sources of Talosheim's prosperity.
Garan's Valley was a place where rock salt and stone could be obtained. The rock salt in particular had been particularly important; since Talosheim was located in an inland area surrounded by a mountain range, it wouldn't have developed into anything more than a small village without this salt.
Vandalieu was currently on the first floor of Garan's Valley. The members with him were the usual cast with the exception of Basdia having replaced Sam.
「Gyih! Gah!」
He was fighting one-on-one against a Goblin Soldier armed with a short spear.
Though the Goblin's movements were poor in Basdia's eyes, it did have some degree of technique as it thrust its spear towards Vandalieu repeatedly.
「…」(Vandalieu)
Vandalieu used martial arts with some degree of technique to repel the thrusts and tried a counterattack with his claws.
「Gyagyah!」
His attack was dodged and the spear was thrust towards him again.
This crude exchanged continued. Though it was suspenseful to watch if one remembered that it was a battle between a three-year-old child and a monster, if one thought of it as a warrior fighting another, it would be yawn-inducing.
There were dozens of Goblin Soldier corpses all around them. The one who had done this was… not Vandalieu, but Bone Man, Basdia and the others.
They had slaughtered an entire group of Goblin Soldiers except one to allow Vandalieu to take it on.
『How is Bocchan's talent for unarmed combat?』(Saria)
As Saria asked Basdia this question while wiping the blood from her halberd, Basdia replied,「I don't know how to put it.」
「I've said this to Van before, that he has an aptitude for this. So much that it makes me excited. But I feel like it would be wrong to call it talent.」(Basdia)
『Umm, so does that mean that he does have talent?』(Saria)
『He has better memory than me, so he will probably surpass me soon, won't he, Nee-san?』(Rita)
Saria thought hard about Basdia's words. As Rita said, it seemed to her that Vandalieu had good memory.
They were now Undead Living High-Leg Armor and a Living Bikini Armor. But while they were alive, they had been maids, and thought they had used a broom for cleaning, they had never wielded halberds or naginatas or shot monsters to death with bows and arrows.
Thus, they were reliant on the increased Attribute Values that they had obtained from becoming monsters to wield their weapons. They had received the instruction of Vigaro who had told them that their movements were those of beginners and they had made use of the fact that Undead had no need for rest or sleep to train all night, every night. Through this, they had finally learned their skills.
To them, Vandalieu seemed to be quick to learn things in comparison. He slept at night and every week on his day off, he only did one hour of practice.
Vandalieu was receiving the Goblin Soldier's counterattacks and suffered injuries, but it couldn't be helped. Unlike Saria and Rita who were suits of armor, Vandalieu had a flesh body.
「Van has no hesitation, no fear and he doesn���t seem to be impatient at the moment.」(Basdia)
『Jyuuh? Is that not a good thing?』(Bone Man)
Bone Man was examining a Goblin's corpse with the tip of his sword to see if a Magic Stone might come out. In response to his question, Basdia replied,「You're right.」
「It's a good thing. Vigaro got angry at me plenty of times back in the day. He would tell me not to close my eyes, not to be scared, not to get impatient.」(Basdia)
Basdia calmly recalled the times when she was still an amateur. She was now a Rank 4 Ghoul Warrior, but, of course, that didn't mean that she had been strong right from the beginning.
Because she had grown up in a dangerous Devil's Nest, she had gone through and overcome harsh training.
The Ghouls had no military exercises or anything of the sort; instead, they had used Spartan-style training that emphasized practical experience, making the inexperienced fight against weak monsters such as Goblins that had been captured alive.
But even so, real battles and training are different things.
When someone is facing an opponent that really intends to kill them, they wonder if this attack will be enough, what could happen if the attack is dodged, and this causes them to hesitate.
Exposed to the bloodthirst-filled gaze and attacks of their enemy, they fear being wounded or killed.
Unable to display their ability in real battle as they do in training, they become impatient.
『Is that how it was?』(Saria)
『Ah, I might get the impatience part.』(Rita)
『Yeah, I don't know about the hesitation or fear, but I do understand the impatience part.』(Saria)
It seemed that the Undead didn't have much sympathy for that, however. Their senses were different from those of living creatures, so that was to be expected.
「But Van doesn't have any of those.」(Basdia)
Vandalieu attacked with no hesitation, received attacks with no fear of pain and counterattacked patiently.
Basdia had asked him whether he was simply covering it up with his expressionlessness, but it seemed that he really felt no hesitation or anything else.
「The worst thing that can happen is me being injured. I won't die from something like that, anyway.」(Vandalieu)
Vandalieu had the[Danger Sense: Death]spell constantly active, so he could sense how likely it was that he would die. The bloodthirst of his enemies was just another danger.
It seemed that he was also able to ignore pain. He wasn't dulling his senses, but rather, delaying them.
「I've experienced far more painful things in my previous life.」(Vandalieu)
It seemed that he had learned a way to divert his attention from pain in his previous life. This was further supported by the high-speed regeneration ability he possessed as a Dhampir and the no-attribute spell,[Healing Power Enhancement.]
And because he knew that he would simply feel a little pain even if he failed, he felt no impatience. Even if his fingers or legs were cut off, he would simply need to pick them up and reattach them. That would be problematic for his eyes, so he would be careful about those.
「That's why he does things like that.」(Basdia)
As Basdia said this, the Goblin Soldier's short spear pierced Vandalieu's arm.
『Aah!』(Saria)
『Wah, Bocchan!』(Rita)
『GRRR?!』(Bone Wolf)
Rita and the others panicked, but Vandalieu remained composed. That was only to be expected; he had used his arm as a shield against an attack that he had decided that he couldn't avoid.
The Goblin Soldier smiled and tried to pull his spear out, but that was the cause of his downfall.
「Fuh!」(Vandalieu)
With strength that seemed impossible for a three-year-old body, Vandalieu moved his arm that still had the spear piercing it and broke the Goblin Soldier's stance.
「Gyagihih?!」
And then as the Goblin Soldier fell forward, he dug out the Goblin Soldier's side with his claws. With blood spurting from its wound and its mouth, the Goblin Soldier became yet another corpse on the ground.
「Fuh… A failure.」(Vandalieu)
With these words, Vandalieu pulled the spear out of his arm, cast[Sterilization]and healed the wound.
『It wasn't a failure! What would we do if you were to die?!』(Saria)
『If I recall, humans die if they lose too much blood, don't they?!』(Rita)
『Geeh?! Geeeeh?!』(Bone Bird)
「Calm down, I'm not going to die. Sorry, sorry.」(Vandalieu)
Vandalieu apologized, trying to calm Seria and the others down. This was why Basdia was kept on her toes when watching him, and it was difficult to get angry at him as well.
「I'm sorry. I couldn't complete my attacks and I lost my footing because I tripped over one of the corpses on the ground so I couldn't avoid my enemy's attack. I used my arm as a shield to avoid a more serious wound. Next time, I will use my claws to deflect the spear or defeat my enemy before such a thing can happen.」(Vandalieu)
For Vandalieu, using his arm as a shield was an action he took to avoid the worst-possible outcome, something that couldn't be helped. But even so, he knew that it wasn't pleasant for those close to him to see that… and if he was scolded harshly, he would fall into a panicked state.
「Good, make sure to be more careful next time.」(Basdia)
And so after Basdia said those words, she settled on teaching him what he should have done in that situation.
Vandalieu was aware of his own lack of ability, so once he gained the skills that he was lacking, he would no longer need to do such reckless things. Basdia thought this, as did Vigaro and Zadiris who heard about these things from her.
Nobody allowed their own bodies to be wounded because they enjoyed it. Even Vandalieu felt the sensation of pain. If there was a way to survive and win without being wounded, he would definitely choose a method that allowed him to avoid pain.
In fact, Zadiris and Vigaro who were stronger than him had fought through battles and been forced to do absurd, rash things to somehow survive. Zadiris in particular had pushed herself like that only to be rescued by Vandalieu.
「So, Van. I'm going to have you raise your skill quickly. After a short rest, we're moving onto the next.」(Basdia)
So Vandalieu would have to learn some proper skills while they were still on a floor where he could get away with pushing himself.
「… Isn't the pace a little fast?」(Vandalieu)
「It's not.」(Basdia)
「Then am I allowed to use magic?」(Vandalieu)
「You want to get stronger, don't you? Do your best, Van~♪」(Basdia)
「At the very least, can I do a normal ambush or surprise attack instead of facing them head-on?」(Vandalieu)
「You won't learn the techniques if you do that, right? You have to fight~♪」(Basdia)
It wouldn't make for good training for Vandalieu if he were to use magic, and Vandalieu was not yet skilled enough to combine both magic and martial arts while fighting.
Making use of his high Attribute Values, he would be able to kill a Goblin Soldier in one hit with a surprise attack, but then he wouldn't learn the essential skills he needed.
And above all, men needed to be strong.
「I heard from Kachia that wives raise not only their children, but their husbands as well. Rest assured, Van. I'm going to raise you well~♪」(Basdia)
「… Yay…」(Vandalieu)
Vandalieu was the one who had asked her to teach him unarmed combat because he wanted to be stronger, and he knew that this almost-real-combat training was an efficient way to do learn.
「It's alright, Van. You can do it!」(Basdia)
「Yes.」(Vandalieu)
And most importantly, Vandalieu was the type of person that was easily affected by praise.
And so on this day, Vandalieu defeated two Goblin Soldiers, one Kobold, two Mini Needle Wolves and a Goblin Knight all on his own.
[You have acquired the Unarmed Fighting skill!]
Chapter 37: Can this be called clearing a Dungeon?
「Gigyaaah!」
「Gihyih?!」
Vandalieu avoided a Goblin Soldier's sword and gouged out the flesh of the side of its body with his claws. While the additional Goblin behind it was panicking, he dashed up its body, grabbed a hold of its head and twisted it, breaking the bones of its neck.
And then he continued to attack the Goblin Archers that were further behind. An arrow grazed his cheek lightly, but he wouldn't die from this. He ignored it as he charged in.
「…!」
The Goblin Archers panicked and drew their short swords to replace their bows, but Vandalieu hit them with the unarmed martial skill,[Fist Strike.]He felt the pleasant sensation of breaking their ribs and crushing their lungs through the furs they were wearing in place of armor.
Another Goblin Archer fired an arrow at him from his blind spot. Feeling it with his[Danger Sense: Death], he used[Kicking Strike]against the ground to leap out of the way.
「Gyih?!」
And then he used[Kicking Strike]once again, charging towards the Goblin before it could ready a second arrow. It struggled humorously to draw its short sword, but Vandalieu broke the Goblin's leg with a kick and then crushed its neck with his foot as it collapsed.
「… Fuh.」(Vandalieu)
Making sure his enemy was properly finished and checking whether there were any more enemies around, Vandalieu exhaled.
And as he regained his breath, he really appreciated one fact.
「Skills are amazing things.」(Vandalieu)
He didn't feel it so much with magic-related skills, but every time he gained a new skill like[Unarmed Fighting],[Carpentry]and[Cooking], he realized just how amazing skills were.
Vandalieu had never received combat-related training in either of his two previous lives on Earth and in Origin. The closest thing would perhaps be the judo that he did in his physical education classes. Even in real battles, he had never fought without the assistance of magic.
But this was the result of three months of training.
His enemies were Goblin Soldiers and Goblin Archers. Both were Rank 2; they were not particularly strong enemies.
But though they didn't possess skills, they were stronger than the average human and capable of using weapons.
Vandalieu had managed to slaughter them all, sustaining only a scratch on his cheek. Yesterday, he had barely managed to kill a single Goblin, using his own arm as a shield in the process.
This was the effect that skills had.
Obtaining the skill didn't mean that he suddenly gained some mysterious power. The same applied for his[Carpentry]and[Cooking]skills. He wasn't unconsciously, half-heartedly creating things and having them turn out well-made.
Take the[Unarmed Fighting]skill as an example. When he threw a punch, he understood how to make his fist strike hard and fast and moved his body according to that understanding.
When he threw out a kick, he understood how to break the enemy's leg and moved his body according to that understanding.
How to avoid the enemy's attacks, how to evade, how he should posture himself for a counterattack.
He understood them all, and this allowed him to move his body accordingly.
In the case of[Carpentry], he understood what he needed to do to make a good building, where he should put pillars to bear loads and how many he needed. As for[Cooking], he instinctively, intuitively knew what he needed to do to make a more delicious meal.
As to be expected of a system created by gods. Gods who did their work properly were truly wonderful.
What was especially wonderful about it was that abilities could be quantified in numeric values. On Earth and in Origin, one would have to look at a person's past achievements and whatnot to determine how useful the person would be, but in Lambda, it could be done with one look at a person's Status… or at least the relevant skills for the field in question.
… Well, there was also the risk that the value of people would be determined solely based on the current skills they possessed.
『Good work, Bocchan.』(Saria)
『Splendidly done, my lord.』(Bone Man)
Saria and Bone Man brought Vandalieu some water.
「I give you eighty points, Van.」(Basdia)
And Basdia gave him a merciless grading.
「Umm, what are the reasons I lost points for?」(Vandalieu)
「The scratch on your cheek is ten points, and relying on your martial skills too often is another ten points. You wouldn't need to worry about running out of Mana, Van, but if you use martial skills too many times consecutively, your brain will become unable to keep up. It's the same as when you use magic too many times in quick succession.」(Basdia)
「I see.」(Vandalieu)
He had experienced multiple sudden fevers. It was easy to imagine that he would be easily killed without being able to put up any resistance if they occurred during battle.
It wasn't a matter of mental strength; it was something that couldn't be avoided because people were creatures that required their brains to think.
Vandalieu's Mana exceeded 100,000,000, but his Intelligence was just over a hundred. Even with the[Surpass Limits]skill, overusing martial skills might be a bad idea.
「Now then, from now on I'll learn how to fight while combining these skills with my magic.」(Vandalieu)
The reason Vandalieu had chosen[Unarmed Fighting]out of the numerous available combat-related skills was because it suited him and he could make convenient use of his claws.
His body was small and his limbs were short. No matter how much strength he had, it would not change this fact.
Most of the weapons he had pillaged up until now were too large for him. The only weapons he could realistically use were a short sword, a short bow, a short spear and his own claws.
A short sword would be exceptionally easy to carry and would work well as a hidden weapon, and in emergency situations, could even be thrown as a projectile. But it would have poor attacking power and one would need more speed than strength to wield it. Vandalieu's lowest Attribute Value was Agility.
Using a short bow would clearly be a bad idea. With a short bow's projectile range and killing power, it could simply be replaced by the use of[Mana Bullets.]
A short spear was more appealing than the other two. Though it was short, the[Spear Technique]skill would govern its use and if Vandalieu learned the skill now, he could replace it with a longer weapon once his body grew larger.
It wasn't a weapon that could be concealed, but Vandalieu wasn't really planning on becoming an assassin or anything, so he couldn't reject the idea based on that reason alone.
But in the end, Vandalieu chose to use his claws.
The claws were his own personal weapons that grew on all four of his limbs, and he could withdraw and extend them freely like a cat. They had short reach and they couldn't be thrown as projectile weapons, but he would always have access to them as long as his limbs weren't severed.
The other reason was because it was possible that he had inherited a talent for claw-based unarmed combat from his father.
Darcia was happy about it and the decision was well-received by Basdia and the other Ghouls.
『Bocchan is becoming more and more like a Ghoul, isn't he?』(Saria)
『He might come to be known as the[White Ghoul]before long.』(Rita)
『Jyujyujyuh, if he were to apply[Deadly Poison]to his claws, he would become even more Ghoul-like.』(Bone Man)
Vandalieu had a feeling that this might become a new Title. No, this might actually become a Title placed on him by the Adventurers' Guild labeling him as a monster to be exterminated.
It would be problematic to be put on the wanted list of the Mirg shield-nation's Guilds.
「Leaving that aside, the basic training is over. Now let's raise our levels while we clear the Dungeon. It seems that we've hunted down almost all of the monsters on this floor, anyway.」(Basdia)
And so they continued on for a little while, passed through some stairs leading further underground and descended to the second floor.
Vandalieu was in the middle of the formation, with Bone man and Basdia in front. Bone Wolf, Bone Bear and Bone Monkey were positioned at the sides. Saria and Rita were positioned at the back, having switched from their long melee weapons to bows. Bone Bird was keeping a lookout from above.
Garan's Valley was a Dungeon that mimicked the structure of a natural valley, from the first floor all the way to the bottom floor.
Because of this, there were passages that were split into multiple paths by boulders and things, but even so, it was no exaggeration to say that the Dungeon's layout was simple and linear, and there were almost no traps. This was one of the reasons this place was suitable for the inexperienced to learn.
「Oh, it's the King!」(Black Goblin)
「Yo, King!」(Black Goblin)
Because it was suitable for the inexperienced, the Black Goblin children were undergoing training in real battles here with the Undead Titans acting as their teachers.
「How are you feeling, King?」(Braga)
Half a year had passed since Braga had been born, and he was now a fully-grown adult. Vandalieu looked up at him as he replied.
「I learned the skill and Basdia gave me eighty points.」(Vandalieu)
As Vandalieu said this proudly, the corners of Braga's mouth rose in a smile as he answered.
「That's amazing considering you're still so small! You're doing well, King!」(Braga)
Vandalieu's head was patted roughly… He was being praised, but for some reason, he found it hard to believe that this was praise.
「I suppose this is the feeling of watching your childhood friends become adults while you're the only one to stay as a child. What an empty, painful, uneasy feeling.」(Vandalieu)
「Don't talk nonsense, King. I'm a Goblin and you're a Dhampir.」(Braga)
Vandalieu was startled as he suddenly became aware of his unusual emotional state. But it was as Braga said; there was a difference in how children of different races developed.
And though Braga was taller than Vandalieu, as a Black Goblin, his height only reached up to an adult human's chest. One day in the future, Vandalieu would be able to look down at Braga once more… right?
「Oh yeah, how is your training, Braga?」(Vandalieu)
「I learned tons of skills. Short Swordsmanship, Short Spear Technique, Silent Steps, Detect Presence… I'm already over level 80!」(Braga)
「Uwah, amazing. I'll be overtaken in no time.」(Vandalieu)
As Braga held his chest out in pride, Vandalieu used[Flight]to pat his head back.
「You're a Black Goblin after all, Braga. Like normal Goblins and Kobolds, you mature quickly. It's like your growth period is condensed together, so now is your time to grow.」(Vandalieu)
For monsters like Black Goblins that reached adulthood in less than a year after birth, their growth occurred during a short, condensed time period. So they seemed to grow stronger the more they trained during that period.
「You have to do your best and increase your Rank. If you don't, it'll be difficult to earn your keep by hunting the monsters around here in the future.」(Vandalieu)
The Black Goblins were Rank 2. The majority of the monsters that appeared around Talosheim were Rank 3 or above. Though they would have friends and weapons to help them, hunting monsters in a stable manner with their current strength would be difficult.
「So strict. But it's true, so I'll do my best.」(Braga)
Braga was training hard because he understood this. As they were now, they might be able to scrape by, living as assistants for the Undead Titans or Ghouls. Or perhaps they could try their hand at agriculture, though they might find it difficult. But they were monsters; they felt an instinctual desire to grow stronger.
「See you, King. Once we clear this place, we'll go on an adventure!」(Braga)
「Yeah, an adventure.」(Vandalieu)
Exchanging a firm handshake with Vandalieu, Braga returned to his training.
Incidentally, it seemed that Braga and the other Black Goblins didn't hesitate at all to kill the Goblins appearing in the Dungeon.
「Those are enemies.」
That one sentence summarized it all.
Since the second and third floors of the Dungeon were being used by the Black Goblins for their combat training, Vandalieu's party didn't encounter many enemies here. They didn't mind, however, as only Rank 2 monsters appeared in the earlier floors of the Dungeon, making them unsuitable to gain many Experience Points.
And on the fourth floor, it was not the Black Goblins but the Anubises receiving combat training here.
「GAAAAH!」
「GAAAAH!」
A young Anubis wielding a spear was facing off against a baboon-like Rank 3 monster.
They bared their fangs at each other menacingly. As if deciding that a fight was inevitable, the baboon used all four limbs to climb a nearby cliff, trying to take the high ground.
「Uohn!」(Anubis)
The young Anubis somehow dashed up the cliff after it with just his legs, using the spear in his hand to attack the baboon.
「GYAAAAH!」
With a high-pitched scream, the baboon fell onto the ground on his back. The Anubis leapt down after it, crushing its neck with his foot.
It was a magnificent victory.
「Uohn! What did you think of my hunt, King?」(Anubis)
「You've become strong, haven't you? You'd probably be able to hunt any Rank 3 monster now, Zemedo*.」(Vandalieu)
The young Anubis was Zemedo, born around the same time as Braga. His appearance was now considerably different from how it had been during his childhood.
His head resembled the impressive, tough-looking head of a German shepherd, and from the neck down, his body was that of a lean-muscled man with attractive, dark-colored skin. He was tall as well; nobody would look at him and think that he was younger than Vandalieu.
「No, I've still got a long way to go. And being Rank 3 in this place means that I'm still weak. Even if I'm going to be working with others to hunt, I want to become stronger.」(Zemedo)
Multiple weak individuals could combine their strength to hunt strong prey.
However, it was only natural to think that it would be better if strong individuals combined their strength to hunt even stronger prey. It seemed that Zemedo had set his sights on the higher objective.
「More importantly, I have something I want to ask you about. It's about Memediga.」(Zemedo)
「Did something happen to her?」(Vandalieu)
It seemed that there was something about Zemedo's twin sister Memediga, who had grown to adulthood just like him and Braga, that was troubling him. It seemed that she had been behaving strangely lately.
「She wears a necklace made of a monster's bone or fang that someone gave her, and whenever I go to talk to her during our breaks, she disappears somewhere… Recently, she's been spending all of her time with that Berg guy.」(Zemedo)
「… Isn't she just getting to that age?」(Vandalieu)
It seemed that Memediga had started accompanying another Anubis by the name of Berg-kun. Quite impressive for a younger guy, though he was only a month younger than her.
It seemed true that girls were more mature than boys. Vandalieu wanted to congratulate her.
「What?! Is Memediga intending to have Berg's child?!」(Zemedo)
It seemed like quite a leap of logic to go from accompaniment to baby-making… No, perhaps not. They were monsters living in the world of Lambda, after all.
「It's still too early! We're still young!」(Zemedo)
As someone who had grown up as a Japanese person on Earth, he agreed with Zemedo, but -
『That isn't true. It isn't uncommon in human society for people to get married as soon as they come of age.』(Saria)
『And even if you say that it is too early, she isn't a child anymore. If you keep saying things like that, she will miss her chance to get married.』(Rita)
So said the Living Armor sisters.
The view on marriage in this world was that people should get married and have children while they were young. Though this world's underdeveloped medical knowledge was compensated for by the existence of magic, only noblemen, wealthy merchants and high-ranking adventurers could afford to pay fees for the mages' services.
The same had been true in the past in Japan and other countries as well; this was fairly normal.
「That's right. The important question for a woman is whose child she wants to bear. If Memediga wants to have Berg's child, you should be supporting her.」(Basdia)
Basdia showed how the Ghouls thought of the relationships between men and women. Women gave birth to children and raised them in the village. Was this a heavy or light responsibility, considering the standards of modern Japan?
Though the men had no responsibilities as fathers, as long as they were members of the village, they had to hunt enough food for more than themselves. In Ghoul societies, it wasn't acceptable for men to become reliant on the women.
… Life might be harsh for men who couldn't fight.
『Jyuh…』(Bone Man)
『Aooohn.』(Bone Wolf)
As if unconcerned with this, Bone Man and the others were keeping an eye on their surroundings. Well, even if they were consulted, they would likely give answers based on their knowledge as animals, so this was likely for the best.
「I-is that so…」(Zeme)
「Well, perhaps the best thing to do would be to tell them to wait until Berg becomes able to hunt prey?」(Vandalieu)
Things might be difficult for sis-cons in this world as well.
And so the journey through the fourth floor continued peacefully. Incidentally, the baboon's liver and kidneys could be used as Potion ingredients… Unfortunately, there was nobody running an apothecary, so they couldn't be used, however.
And on the fifth floor, a joint-training between the other Anubises and the Ghouls who were still Rank 3 was taking place.
「GAAAH!」
「GRRRR!」
Words in the Ghouls' battle language were shouted and in the blink of an eye, a Rock Python that resembled numerous boulders linked together began to take damage.
The giant snake that possessed a rock-like defense was still just prey when faced with the coordinated efforts between the Anubises and the Ghouls. Viscous mud created with magic was used to trap it and then spears, swords and claws were twisted into the gaps in its skin until it stopped moving.
And despite its rocky exterior, the flesh underneath was tender when cooked and tasted similar to chicken tenderloins.
「King! How do you like my earth-attribute magic!」(Memediga)
Memediga, the female Anubis with a German shepherd's head approached Vandalieu, waving her staff back and forth. The viscous mud that had stopped the Rock Python's movements had been created by her magic.
「Mhmm, it was very good.」(Vandalieu)
It was a simple but reliable and useful spell in battle. Many spells of the earth-attribute were like this. Only a very small portion of mages could do things like causing volcanic eruptions, manipulating lava like their own limbs or creating fissures in the ground to swallow up their enemies; most earth-attribute mages were proficient at spells that did things like digging pitfalls and causing hard spikes to grow out of the ground.
So considering the special characteristics of earth-attribute magic, Memediga was using it well. Most living creatures couldn't separate themselves from the ground, so her magic was very effective.
But Vandalieu was thinking about something different as he looked up at her.
Her shining eyes, long ears, moist nose, white fangs, magnificent fur, skin that was just as beautiful as her fur, her generously-sized chest, tight hips and the tail that was wagging happily back and forth.
Memediga had been cute as a small child, but now she had become a beautiful woman. Vandalieu had heard that one feels a little proud when their childhood friend becomes a beautiful woman, so he realized that this was the emotion that he was feeling as he looked at her.
It was easy to understand that she would have a boyfriend.
「What's wrong, King?」(Memediga)
「No, it's nothing. Come to think of it, I saw Zemedo on the fourth floor; are you not getting along with him these days?」(Vandalieu)
「That's right. Listen, Nii-san is just annoying, complaining about every little thing.」(Memediga)
After that, Vandalieu heard enough of her complaints to think,「Ah, this is a common thing that happens during puberty.」
「But I do understand that Nii-san is just worried about me. Still, I think it'd be fine if he would trust me more.」(Memediga)
「Ah… Yeah… I wonder if things would be fine if you two just talked to each other sometime. Things might become too intense with just the two of you, so maybe include someone else in the conversation as well.」(Vandalieu)
「You're right, well then, I'll ask Berg -」(Memediga)
「Someone other than Berg.」(Vandalieu)
Bringing Berg would only cause a scene of carnage.
Normal Goblins and Kobolds didn't understand human language, but the reason Memediga, Braga and the other children could speak so fluently was because they had learned the language from Vandalieu and the Ghouls.
This was not a particularly special case; monsters of a certain intelligence tamed by Tamers could learn human language. Only a very small number of non-humanoid monsters were capable of having conversations, however.
After dealing with Memediga's problems, Vandalieu's party descended the stairs after not running into many battles on the fifth floor.
And on the sixth floor was where Garan's Valley really began… industrially.
『Cut it!』
「UOOOH![Rock Cutter!]」
The Undead Titans were cutting square blocks of bright white rock out of the stone cliffs. They were the stonemasons of Talosheim.
White rock could be mined from the rock walls on the sixth floor of Garan's Valley. It was similar to Earth's marble, but perhaps because it originated from a Dungeon, it was a higher-quality stone that contained Mana.
Apparently through some secret processing technique, it could be turned into products that were harder than marble and more resistant to wear.
When Talosheim had first started trading with the Hartner duchy in the Orbaume Kingdom, the Titans were apparently surprised by the high price that they could sell the stone for.
But that trading had long since come to an end, and Vandalieu had already restored the royal castle, the town and the walls back to normal. So there shouldn't have been much demand for more stone, however.
「Look who it is! Have you come to the Dungeon for training, o Holy Son?」(Nuaza)
Standing there was Nuaza, wearing metal armor and holding a shield and a mace that looked as if could crush someone's skull like an egg. His appearance was rather un-Lich-like.
「Yes. What are you and the others doing here, Nuaza?」(Vandalieu)
「We have come to be in need of some stone.」(Nuaza)
Vandalieu's[Golem Transmutation]could be used to combine broken fragments of stone to reuse it. However, he couldn't make new stone out of nothing.
But why would new stone be needed?
「Could it be because I made too many Reversi sets?」(Vandalieu)
Had he gone overboard by making a hundred Reversi sets because everyone had liked it?
「No, that is not the case, o Holy Son. But I would like to request that you make one hundred more sets when it is convenient for you to do so.」(Nuaza)
The Reversi sets, Jenga sets and Frisbees that Vandalieu had created were currently very popular in Talosheim. The fact that everyone was so deprived of entertainment that they themselves hadn't realized it was one reason, but the fact that all of them had simple rules that could be learned quickly made them very well-received.
Thus, owning a Reversi or Jenga set had become something of a status symbol. Vandalieu was getting worried that their popularity had gone overboard.
It wasn't as if Vandalieu was being paid to make the sets, nor did it take much effort to make them. Giving it some more thought, he decided it wasn't a problem.
「And if possible, I would also like to request more Jenga sets and Frisbees.」(Nuaza)
「… I don't think you need to ask me to make them?」(Vandalieu)
Anyone should be able to make these.
「No, there is some meaning behind them being created by your hands, Holy Son.」(Nuaza)
It seemed that receiving Vandalieu's handmade toys were like receiving an award for the Undead. Even though they weren't such amazing creations.
Had he created a brand name without realizing?
「I understand.」(Vandalieu)
But if they were so happy about it, he would make plenty for them. Now that he thought about it, he wasn't paying the Undead Titans or Ghouls salaries or anything, so it was fine to do at least this much for them.
「So what is this stone going to be used for?」(Vandalieu)
「The plaza in front of the royal castle is empty, is it not? We thought that we would erect a stone statue there.」(Nuaza)
「A stone statue. That would be nice.」(Vandalieu)
The arts make the mind rich. The minds of Undead in particular were often more important than their bodies, so it was important for them to have stable minds.
「Yes, we have planned for the stone statue of the Holy Son to be completed by next spring.」(Nuaza)
「… Are you serious?」(Vandalieu)
「I am serious. You are the Holy Son of two prophecies, after all. For those of us who desire the restoration of the goddess Vida, you are someone to be worshipped, Holy Son.」(Nuaza)
「… I suddenly don't really want to go outside anymore.」(Vandalieu)
Of course, Vandalieu didn't feel negative feelings about being treated favorably, but would it be alright for him to go so far beyond that and become a religious symbol?
Well, it wasn't as if his face had the words「I am the Holy Son」written on it, so it would be fine as long as he kept his mouth shut about it when he went to the Orbaume Kingdom.
『Bocchan, it's something to look forward to, isn't it?』(Rita)
『Noblemen should keep at least one self-portrait or stone statue of themselves, so you shouldn't feel so opposed to it.』(Saria)
「Are there any noblemen who would have a stone statue of themselves erected in the plaza in front of the royal castle?」(Vandalieu)
Upon being asked this, Rita and Saria averted their gazes, so Vandalieu had a rough idea of how it was. The sisters showed plenty of expressions, even though they didn't have heads.
『Ooh, which means that there are none? In other words, you are the only one, my lord! Jyuuuh, my congratulations to you!』(Bone Man)
Bone Man congratulated Vandalieu sincerely.
Well, it was fine. It wasn't like anyone would be coming to Talosheim. The only ones who would see it would be the Undead Titans, Ghouls and those of the new races that Vandalieu had created.
「Well then, we shall be carrying this stone out, so excuse us.」(Nuaza)
With those words, Nuaza and the other Undead Titans set about carrying the stone out of the Dungeon. They would be protecting the stone that weighed tons and preventing it from being destroyed by attacking monsters on the way to the surface.
The monsters wouldn��t deliberately aim to attack the stone, but if an attack happened to hit it, the stone would be cracked.
「Fugofugoh.」(Orcus)
「We'll protect the materials for King's stone statue.」(Orcus)
「So more Reversi sets for us, too.」(Orcus)
Gorba and the other Orcuses were in charge of guarding the stone. Unlike the Anubises and Black Goblins, they had not yet reached adulthood, but they already possessed enough skills and physical strength to somehow deal with Rank 3 monsters. In other words, this was perfect training for them.
「I'll make them after I'm done here. Come to think of it, won't it be hard to carry the stone up the stairs?」(Vandalieu)
『Don't you worry about it! We have something called know-how!』(Titan)
It seemed that there were various things they could use, including a Magic Item that turned stairs into a slope. And between the Undead Titans who didn't feel fatigue and the Orcuses, though they were still children, there was plenty of physical strength to be used. Worrying about them would be pointless.
Parting with Nuaza and the others, Vandalieu's party continued on, but perhaps the monsters had been cleared pre-emptively so that the stone-mining wouldn't be interrupted. There were almost no monsters appearing on the sixth floor.
「Why did we pass through here again? To observe everyone?」(Vandalieu)
「I know how you feel, but I'm sure there are still plenty of monsters beneath here. Let's keep going, Van.」(Basdia)