Welcome to the Impregnable Demon King Castle

128 – I Told You This Won’t Make You Strong Right Away

It’s been two weeks since that day.

The day of the Raid Clear is finally approaching and the town has been getting lively.

This is because the son of my master, and also the father of her Highness, Fellow, has various projects going once again.

He prepared a special experiment for the main event, but he’s making good use of the preparation period.

Public Adventurer training exhibitions, symposiums, autograph booths, meet-and-greets, stamp rallies, and the sale of limited goods.

In perfect partnership with the shops of the town, there was a lively event that involved both residents and fans.

Also, TV stations would be insane to ignore such an experiment, so the town where the Demon King Castle is is on the news every day.

At one point, they even broadcast limited-time combat drills and so on being done in the space created in the Beginner’s Dungeon, the one that Thor earlier signed a contract with Fellow with to allow him to rent it, and it became a hot topic.

The video this time will have several versions produced, each version featuring each party as the main character and distributed in each party’s channel.

Since there are officially five parties taking part, Wraith and his allies don’t have their own channel.

This will end up raising people’s interest while limiting Wraith’s exposure, which is most likely good for Fellow. It’s probably all according to plan.

「Oh, look, Lem. It looks like they are introducing the Floor Bosses of the Demon King Castle.」

I kept on thinking while chewing my breakfast.

「Yeah…」

I half-heartedly answer whatever Milla just said.

That’s right, I have been stopped by a wall for the past two weeks.

I can sense the Magical Energy built into the Core.

I can also sense the Magical Energy that’s released.

But I just can’t absorb it into the horn. I concentrate and try to make the Magical Energy touch the horn, but nothing happens.

I’ve tried this and that, but nothing works. It doesn’t even twitch. Without grasping any sensation, I’ve just wasted time.

「Hmph…I’m sure that there are far better scenes of Carmilla. What a shoddy job…But Sitri does look cute on camera…Perhaps I should be more aware of the camera?」

「Yeah…」

「Vepar is ostentatious the moment she appears, so it suits her. How Furcus leads the Dragonkin and lies in wait is also…Hmm, I believe I might have to think of something more interesting for my role. Is Lord Lemegeton going to sit on the throne to welcome the Adventurers like last time?」

「Yeah…」

「By the way, does today’s breakfast suit your tastes?」

「Yeah…」

「…Lem. The forecast said it will rain spears today.」

「Uh-huh…」

「I believe we have become quite intimate. Shall we get married soon?」

「……huh?」

Marriage? Marriage…?!

I look up from my meal in confusion.

Milla looked unassuming, but if you looked closely, you could see she was pouting slightly.

I restlessly eat this painstakingly prepared breakfast in a daze while not listening to a word she’s said. Of course, she’d be in a bad mood.

「So-sorry…I was stuck in my own head.」

When I said that, she let out the air she was holding in her cheeks as a sigh.

「Is it about your lack of Magical Energy?」

「Yeah…it’s said that various people could do it, but still no success on my end…」

「…Knowing you, Lem, I believe you have already exhausted your thoughts thinking of various things. At such a time, wouldn’t it be important to take a break rather than forcing yourself to think?」

「I suppose…you’re right.」

「If you don’t mind, you could consult with me? Or perhaps there’s something I could help you with?」

Milla tilted her head, eyes wet.

I wonder if this is the usual performance she does.

She laughed as if suddenly losing interest, I realized that her expression hardened.

「Thanks, then, do you mind listening?」

「Of course not.」

Then I spoke.

About the past two weeks of absolutely no progress.

Until now, Milla had not asked me anything in-depth, perhaps out of concern for my well-being. I hadn’t talked to her myself, so today was the first time I had talked to her in detail.

「…I see. This is quite an extreme method… It’s like, no matter how much I were to struggle, I am unable to manipulate the blood of other races. I believe it is similar to that…」

The ability Vampires have to manipulate blood into weapons and armor is a Blood Manipulation Technique, if I’m not mistaken.

「If there wasn’t a previous person who succeeded, I would have thought the same thing.」

「Lem’s master, right…? Also her Highness’s grandfather.」

My master could do it. If it’s not technically impossible, then it’s possible. No matter how difficult it is to realize, it’s possible.

「Yeah, it might be hard to learn something at Sorcery level, but it shouldn’t be impossible.」

「Can you not ask your master for guidance?」

「…There are many reasons for that, but either way, I don’t think I’ll make it in time.」

Fenix’s and my hometown is deep in the countryside, so by the time I go there and return, the Raid Battle would have already started.

My master doesn’t have an e-mail account, so all I can do is send him letters.

And well…I never really considered asking him about it in the first place.

Of course, it is important to ask people if there is something they do not understand. Even if you think about it yourself, there are times when you cannot find an answer. Rather than leaving it as it is and causing problems, it is much smarter to rely on someone.

「My master wouldn’t give me training that had no meaning behind it. Even if his directions were unreasonable or nonsensical, they had meaning. By doing that, I definitely gained something and grew.」

「What a wonderful man.」

「To the rest of the world, he may not be seen as a good person. But to me, he is a great person, and I owe him a lot. That’s why I think that the skill to absorb Magical Energy from the surroundings into the horn is amazing.」

「Yes, I think so too. After all, they say that only Spirits and Fairies are able to do it.」

「My master gave me his horn. He told me that if there ever came a time where an opponent that I want to defeat appears, I should win in a head-to-head battle. But I’ve never heard my master talk about this skill.」

「…Uh-uhm. Is it so unnatural that your master, who wishes for Lem to win, would not talk about such a useful skill?」

I nod at Milla’s words and continue.

「If trouble ever arose, it was time for the horn. So why didn’t my master teach me this skill? I can think of these reasons.」

And then, I list them, one finger at a time.

One,「Because it’s dangerous.」. From the way her Highness talked about it, this seems unlikely.

Two,「Because I’m still inexperienced.」. This may be so, but if it was, then my master would have said as much when he explained it to me.

Three,「Because you wouldn’t understand even if I told you.」. This is what I think it really is.

My master wouldn’t give me training that had no meaning behind it.

Even if he revealed the existence of this skill to me, if even my master couldn’t teach me how to use it…

I would have wasted my time training zealously, just like these past two weeks.

That’s why he didn’t say it.

Perhaps the order was the other way around, to begin with.

He didn’t master the skill after knowing about its existence…

but rather, he first acquired it by reaching a state of mind, personally.

「Thi-this is getting somewhat complicated…」

「How should I put it…for example if you pulled up a dictionary and looked for the definition of love or the definition of justice, I don’t think you’ll find the answers you’re looking for. I could be influenced by someone else’s words, but it’s what I find out for myself, in the end. My master didn’t say anything because he could not give me an answer in his own words.」

「I see, I completely understand.」

Milla nodded vigorously. She seemed very drawn to the「Love」part of what I said just now.

「That’s why I thought it would be useless to ask him.」

There’s actually one more reason I thought of.

And that’s「I know that you can’t learn it.」.

If it can’t be mastered by someone who just inherited the horn, no wonder my master didn’t tell me.

My master is a strict person, but he isn’t the type to deny someone’s future by saying that it is useless or impossible. Although he will call you a sissy or tell you that you’re not cut out for this.

He never once told me that I could never become a hero.

He isn’t the type of person that would intentionally say「I can learn this skill, but you can’t.」about absorbing Magical Energy. If there was, he would quietly tell me about it when I noticed it on my own.

But I can’t help but consider this.

Now that I’ve said I can do it, I must do it.

Of course, I have to think about what happens if I can’t, that is also a part of my duty, but I won’t give up.

「I think I have to do this by myself. I think it’s the way I handle the horn, or the way I perceive Magical Energy. It’s not about skill, but about sensation. Magical Energy is there, the horn is there, it isn’t impossible yet I can’t absorb it. Is it my perception? …Are my preconceptions getting in the way…?」

I muttered to myself, staring at the floor before I knew it.

My cheeks were wrapped by something soft and my face was turned upwards.

There, I saw two crimson moon-like eyes staring at me.

「I believe it’s almost time for you to pick up Cashew, isn’t it?」

It seems I got stuck in the mires of my mind again.

I look at the clock and she is exactly right.

I quickly wolf down the rest of my breakfast and change my clothes.

Time still passes even when I’m worrying endlessly. Time doesn’t slow down for me.

「…Somehow, I feel like I am indebted to you more and more as time goes on, Milla.」

「Pay it no mind, it is simply what I love to do.」

It’s more like, it feels like she takes care of me half of the time.

She takes care of my home perfectly and she is a big help both at work and in my personal life.

「No, this isn’t good. You’re always rescuing me.」

Just a little while ago, I was learning how to do the housework under her guidance, but that was interrupted by the Raid Battle.

「Ufufu, do you feel as if you couldn’t live without me? Truth be told, that is what I am aiming for.」

She laughs jokingly.

「Ahaha…」

When I realized that Milla’s presence will always be felt, I gave a wry smile.

「Lem.」

While putting on my shoes at the entrance, I heard her voice calling me.

「What is it?」

「About the reasons that your master did not explain it to you, earlier. I thought of one more reason.」

…Did she realize the same reason that I didn’t mention?

No, I was wrong.

「Surely, your master believed that you would arrive upon the answer on your own, perhaps?」

「…」

He didn’t give me the answer halfway because it was something that I had to get on my own.

Did my master think that I would be able to do that?

I don’t know the answer, and even if I asked him, he wouldn’t tell me.

「Yeah…if that were the case, I’d be happy.」

In that case, I went off the regular learning route when I heard about it from her Highness.

At the very least, I have to figure out the answers.

「I’m off. See you at the Demon King Castle.」

I smiled. I was able to give a completely natural one.

「Have a safe journey. Of course, I believe that if anyone can do it, you can, Lem.」

Even if someone said it was impossible, I wouldn’t give up on becoming a hero.

But I was happy when my master made me his disciple and when Fenix asked to form a party with him.

I feel the same way this time as well.

Just knowing that Milla believes in me, makes me very happy.

That will surely become my strength.

「Thank you.」