538 – Regeneration of the Mischievous Demon (side: Alphiss)

“…Wow, Saint-sama, you even predicted this.”

Aruane abruptly rises.

“Aruane-dono? What are you…”

Aruane crawls backwards on the zephyr, then wraps Ool in a one-armed hug.

“Wh-what are you doing! Stop, stop! Stop, you monster! Stop, please stop…! I beg you, please stop… I promised my parents I would return to my village…!”

“Poor Ool-san… Aah, if you’re this scared then it’s too pitiable.
Sorry, sorry about this, Ool-san.
Aruane will make it real quick, okay? Okay?”

Watching Aruane’s strange behaviour, Alphiss draws her sword.
However, she’s too late, as Aruane’s fangs have already sunk into Ool’s neck.

“Please stop! No, noo….
A, aa, aaaaah!”

Ool’s skin tears as Aruane bites through his throat.
Blood spurts out, and the life fades from his eyes as he slumps down.
Aruane licks the blood from around her mouth with a look of ecstasy, then places her mouth on Ool’s neck again and sucks.
In no time at all, the entirety of the zephyr’s back is drenched in blood.

“What are you doing!?”

Her sword still ready, Alphiss yells.
As though in response, the dead Ool jolts up.
His eyes open wide, and his skin darkens as red disease-like flecks rise to the surface all over his body.
It’s Aruane’s skill that lets her control a dead body by sending her blood into it, [Blood Doll].

“…L-[Ligne]”

Ool uses the white magic [Ligne].
White light wraps Aruane.
The gouged-out parts of her body regenerate, and her missing arm rapidly grows back.
Her [Blood Doll] skill even allows her to make use of the skills of the dead.
Alphiss already knew this.

“N-no way…”

Alphiss’s face pales, and she lowers her sword.
When she had suggested to Lilixira that Ool might refuse to follow orders, Lilixira had suggested that they might still have options.
She must have been referring this.

Aruane twists her wrist and waist, checking the condition of her body.
Then, she looks down at the distant undead girl and tree spirit.
They had a significant head start, and yet in this thick fog, their pursuers are still snapping at their heels.

“With this, Aruane can easily take them on.
As long as Aruane can properly move her body, killing those two is simple.”

Aruane licks her lips, then glances up at Alphiss, who is still holding her sword.

“Would you mind pointing that sword away from Aruane? Friend of Saint-sama, Alphiss-san?”

“I-I…”

“Okay then? If you want to play with Aruane, then she’ll play with you.
You see, Aruane wanted to try eating Alphiss-san, who seemed to get along with Saint-sama.
Aruane has thought about it a lot, but after all, it’s best if she eats Alphiss-san.”

Aruane opens her mouth, baring her fangs.

“Wh-what are you saying!?”

Aruane’s nails grow long, transforming into sinister red crystalline weapons.
She then uses them to tear through the zephyr’s back.
Crying out in pain, it begins to fall.

“Kyaah!”

Screaming, Alphiss clings to the zephyr.
She just barely manages to hold onto her sword, but compared to Aruane, her figure is far too defenceless.

“Alphiss-san, thank you for the meal.”

As Alphiss desperately clings to the falling zephyr, Aruane raises her claws again.
The frivolous smile usually on her face is nowhere to be seen.
Instead, she stares into Alphiss’s eyes as though peering into her soul.

As the zephyr slams into the ground, Alphiss braces herself for death.
However, Aruane’s claw instead grazes her cheek to stab into the dying dragon.

Aruane lifts her arms, turning the crystalline blood coating her nails back into normal blood and licking it off her fingers.

Then, she sticks out five fingers and begins curling them one by one as though counting.

“…Was Ool-san the fifth person? He was the fifth, right? Aaah, Aruane completely forgot.”

“Wh-what are you saying?! Y-you monster…!”

Alphiss raises her voice, pointing her sword at Aruane.

“That reaction… Saint-sama really didn’t say anything.
That’s right… Aruane thought Saint-sama was like that.”

Admiration seems to be mixed into Aruane’s tone.
Alphiss is completely unable to understand the meaning of her words.
Her sword still raised, she freezes in place.
Aruane looks back the way they came, turning her back on Alphiss.

“Go somewhere else.
You’re weak, so you’ll just get in the way.
Aruane alone is plenty against those two.
Do you understand? You can’t even be a lookout.
If you stay here, then Aruane doesn’t mind killing you though.”

Upon hearing her, Alphiss slowly lowers her sword.
Aruane’s speech and actions are completely incomprehensible, and she can’t understand her guiding principle at all.
But, she understands that she was serious about that threat.

Alphiss is fully aware that, no matter how hard she fights, she’s no match for Aruane.
So then rather than pointlessly challenge her, she should focus on getting away and reporting her insanity to Lilixira.

“…But, going to Saint-sama is bad.
Alphiss-san would probably just be a nuisance.
You’d seriously get in the way.
Alphiss-san should find some corner to hide in until it’s all over.
That’s all you can do.”

“Don’t look down on me too much, devil.
If I would get in Saint-sama’s way, I’d rather die.
That is how us Holy Knights are.
And, Saint-sama knows that more than anyone.”

“That’s right, Saint-sama is the same sinner as Aruane.
But even so, it’s better if Alphiss-san doesn’t go back.”

“…I don’t understand the slightest thing you say or do.
Deviant… No, abomination.”

Alphiss spits those words out, then breaks into a run.
From the direction she’s going, it’s clear that she’s still trying to return to Lilixira.
Aruane watches her leave, but then soon turns away.

“She should have run away.
That dragon-san probably wouldn’t have blamed her, as well.”

In front of her, Aro and the treant are approaching.
Behind her, the dead Ool slowly rises.