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Chapter 277 – That Morning

277 – That Morning

The final stage of the All-Heaven Festival Contest will be held at the town where the Impregnable Demon King Castle is.

The stage itself will be none other than the Demon King Castle.

We, the Wraith party, entered the town two days before our match.

The other four seem to have stayed in the same inn, but only I returned to the dormitories meant for Demon King Castle employees.

When I was with the Fenix party, we traveled everyday.

That’s why I never had my own apartment or home. There are Adventurers who own a home or even a vacation home, but we didn’t.

I became an employee of the Demon King Castle, got an apartment, which is now the third place I can call home.

The first is, of course, my parent’s house.

The second is my master’s house. Although…ever since the Original Dungeon debacle, my master moved out of that home and disappeared. I visited the land where it was but there was nothing there…

The third is this dormitory apartment but…

Looking back, I kinda feel sorry for it.

I made good use of it up to the battle with the Fenix party.

But after that, I was sent on a business trip to the town where the Beginner’s Dungeon resided.

I was able to spend time in it during the Raid Battle though.

But after the Raid, I returned to my hometown to investigate the Original Dungeon.

And then came the All-Heaven Festival Contest.

If that apartment could talk, it’d say「Are you sure you live here?」 in suspicion.

The day of the final stage arrives.

In the morning, I absent-mindedly think about all that when I awaken.

Besides me rests a beautiful, blond Vampire.

It is no exaggeration to say that it is thanks to this person that I have the life I have now.

Milla. Also known as the Vampire Queen Carmilla, one of the Impregnable Demon King Castle’s Big Four.

As Lemegeton, my first Contract.

As Lem, a dear person to me.

According to her, we’re sleep buddies.

The sight of her next to me breathing softly is so dazzling that I fear that I’m dreaming.

I get up while thinking about how I could watch her for hours, along with other unsavory thoughts.

I change into clothes that are easy to move around in, step out the entrance of the dorms and meet the man who is already waiting for me.

「Morning, Foras.」

I greeted him and he gave a small nod in return.

The One-Horned Dark Sorcerer Lemegeton has three direct subordinates.

The Black Explorer Foras.

A Minotaur Black Sorcerer with outstanding skill.

A taciturn hard worker capable enough to be a part of the Reaper Knight Furcus’s party in the All-Heaven Festival Contest.

He was hired for the Raid Battle, but we have been having morning jogs together ever since.

There is one more person that joins us in our jogs.

We jogged lightly to the girl’s dorm.

That person was waiting for us in front.

She is a beautiful descendant of unicorns who has a spiral horn growing from her forehead.

Her light purple, fluffy hair and her narrow, smile-like eyes are her distinct characteristics.

An animal trainer who can switch forms between human and centaur.

The One-Horned Poet Amduscias.

She was invited into the Demon King Lucifa’s party, so she is directly under her Highness’s command during the All-Heaven Festival Contest.

「Good morning~. It’s felt like such a long time since we did this~.」

「You’re right. …Hm?」

There was one other person next to Amduscias, and my eyes widened when I realized who it was.

A person who refused to join our jogs, saying that she wasn’t a morning person.

A person of the Lamia race, possessing a human upper body and a snake lower body. Her hair, scales and even skin are white, but today she has wrapped herself with a tight-fitting cloth.

「It has been a while, Chief of Staff. I was waiting to greet you in such a time.」

I cannot see her eyes. That’s because she always hides them behind a bandage.

She is an assassin who possesses petrification Evil Eyes.

As an assassin, I call her the Evil Eye Assassin Evil Eye.

She is taking part in the All-Heaven Festival Contest too. As part of the Vampire Queen Carmilla’s party.

While I am proud that my excellent subordinates are so highly regarded, it pains me that I haven’t been able to be much of a boss.

「I see, yes, it has been a while. …Oh, that’s right. Everyone, even thought we became allies, we haven’t been able to do much together and I’m sorry about that.」

After saying that, all three of them looked at me funny.

「What’s there to apologize for~?　We couldn’t shine in other places, but chief found us and here we are taking part in this big event.」

Said Amduscias, to which both Foras and Botis nodded.

「…!」

When I was recruiting subordinates for the Raid Battle, I only looked for those with the mettle to take down Heroes.

I sensed that from these three, as well as the Undefeated Hero Ellie party.

We won the raid, but I felt like I haven’t done many boss-like things since then.

But to these three, my recruitment of them is the key moment that led to where they are now.

「…Ahaha. If that’s the case, I’m glad. Uhm, right, well, shall start running?」

That made me happy, but also embarrassed, so I hurriedly faced forward.

「Chief, you’re so brave and manly during a fight, but you’re so adorable when you’re not fighting.」

「Don’t see your boss in such a light.」

「Aw, but you came out today because you were so moved by the chief’s battles, Botis.」

「…Please, stop. If by some chance Lady Carmilla heard that, my life would be forfeit.」

「Aw, there you go being all shy again~.」

「You don’t get it… You don’t know the true horror of Lady Carmilla…」

Something seems to have happened when Botis joined Milla.

Foras had been running in silence, but he let out a chuckle for a moment.

We’ve known each other for a short time, we don’t feel like strangers to one another.

Once this tournament is over, I hope we can trust each other more as allies.

While thinking that, I worked hard on my morning training.

◇

Working up a good sweat, I return to my apartment and hear the sound of sizzling oil coming from the kitchen.

At the same time, I smelled an appetizing aroma.

I head for the living room.

Milla had her hair up in a ponytail, and she had on an apron as she made breakfast.

「Good morning, Lem.」

「Good morning.」

「The food is almost done, so please take a shower after the meal.」

「Ahaha, you’re right. I’ll do just that.」

I use a towel to wipe of my sweat.

I pour water from a pitcher into a cup and gulp it down.

I sit on the dining room chair and turn on the TV.

It’s the news.

『The day has arrived! The final stage of the All-Heaven Festival Contest will be held today! The four strongest active parties have gathered at the Impregnable Demon King Castle special stage! They are here to challenge legends! This is a historic event that can’t be missed by any Adventurer fan! Just who will come out as the world’s strongest?!』

Today I, we, will be confronting the legends that we once looked up to.