After dealing with the Death Serpents, Kurose Akira scoured the lake area meticulously for any hidden clues.
How those two broke their seal and ended up here remained a mystery.
But after ages of searching with nothing, the group headed back to the guild.
"Medusa Queen's silver hair?"
Kurose Akira lounged on the guild hall sofa, eyeing the hair.
It pulsed with a faint spark of life, or so it seemed. Plus, he'd heard the Medusa Queen was holed up recovering in the Silent Lands.
Dead or alive? Unknown. But her hair lodged in a Death Serpent's corpse…
"Mr. Kurose~ We're back~"
A brilliant white flash bloomed from the teleport array, snapping him from his thoughts.
Ivysa and the others stepped through.
Kurose Akira stowed the hair and rose, checking on the returnees: "Quests go smooth?"
"Mm~"
Ivysa beamed a nod. "Flawless. Nailed all three."
"Good work."
He passed prepped tea to Ivysa and the elven sisters—no share for Lothelrin, the undead had no need.
"Thanks~"
Mid-sip, Ivysa's nose twitched like she caught a whiff. She leaned close to Kurose Akira, sniffing delicately.
Sniff sniff~
"What?" Kurose Akira shot her a puzzled look.
Ivysa blinked her bright eyes. "Smells… unfamiliar."
"Unfamiliar scent?"
Kurose Akira's brow creased—what was she picking up? Death Serpent stink? Or…
Lost in thought, Marei Rhein burst from the bedroom yelling: "Human, I'm starving!"
The sudden shout shattered his focus. Kurose Akira eyed her with a helpless smirk.
Her appetite lately was insane—tons of beast milk barely cut it.
Growth spurt, probably.
Height unchanged, though. What was growing…
"On it, food incoming." Kurose Akira grinned, popping the shop interface to stock beast milk for Marei Rhein.
This apocalypse dragon lazed in the bedroom most days, sleeping off everything but work and meals. No exercise? She'd pack on pounds for sure!
Beast milk delivered, he ducked into the bedroom—just as Carmilla emerged.
"Hm?"
Kurose Akira paused at the door, curious what the vampire progenitor was up to.
She beelined for her coffin in the hall… then started dragging it toward the bedroom.
"What're you doing?" Kurose Akira couldn't help asking.
Carmilla glanced over, matter-of-fact: "Can't tell? Moving my bed to the bedroom."
"My bedroom?"
"Duh?"
"?"
Before he could process, Carmilla hauled the coffin inside and settled in.
Kurose Akira's face fell grim.
Was his bedroom public domain now?
Damn!
NTR'd!
Milk handed off to Marei Rhein, he beat a retreat.
Pausing at the door, he glanced back at the two pint-sized invaders claiming his space.
Marei Rhein and Carmilla, both petite and delicate—Marei's sole outlier being her disproportionally stacked chest.
They coexisted in silence, no chit-chat.
One sprawled lazy on the bed, dozing. The other tucked quiet in her coffin, resting…
Kurose Akira pinched his brow, helpless sigh, and eased the door shut.
Back in the hall, Lucia's intense gaze pinned him.
"What?" He approached puzzled.
Lucia patted the seat beside her, tone dead serious once he sat: "Need to talk. The curse and Medusa Queen."
Kurose Akira slid close. "Any way to lift Carmilla's curse?" He lifted the teacup mid-sentence.
"This tea…" Lucia started to warn it was hers—too late, he drained it.
"What?"
"Nothing."
She pivoted back. "I'll dig into curse removal at the Church. That Medusa Queen hair? Keep it safe. Feels… off."
"Off how?" Kurose Akira hung on her every word.
"Mm."
Lucia nodded. "Just a hunch, but it might link to her main body."
"Meaning it could lead to the sleeping Medusa Queen?" Kurose Akira rubbed his chin, probing.
"Possible. Verify it yourself." Lucia rose, fingertip brushing her red lips before pressing a glow to his forehead.
"This?"
Kurose Akira blinked—no sensation, no prompt.
Lucia offered no elaboration, just: "Heading back to the Church. I'll update you first thing."
"Got it."
Kurose Akira nodded, watching her vanish into the teleport array.
His eyes returned to the hair.
"Could this track down Medusa Queen's body?"
He twirled it, tracing the intricate serpentine engravings.
Alive or dead in the Silent Lands? If it guided them to her—even a corpse—that'd be priceless loot.
"Oh, right."
Kurose Akira remembered: one unused [Demon King] trait.
Obviously for his favorite, Ivysa~ Demon race? Perfect fit.
"Master~"
Panel open to apply [Demon King]—Alice blitzed in like a gale, hugging him from behind.
The maid's tackle jolted him; by recovery, the trait was applied.
But…
['Demon King' trait added!]
[Demon King: One of the Abyss's rulers, leader of demonkind. +50% combat boost to allied demons. +50% damage to light units. 50% damage reduction from dark units. Gains recognition from the Abyss Throne!]
"?"
Kurose Akira approved the effects.
Then his gaze hit the recipient…
"Viora?!"
Face grim, heart stuttering.
Shit!
He scrambled to revoke—no dice. Once applied to Viora, irreversible…
Kurose Akira's brow locked, eyeing Viora.
The little one frolicked happily with her Magiflame Silver Phoenix, oblivious to her new Demon King status.
Subtle shift: her antlers fading from pale pink to dark red.
"Should… be fine, right?"
Kurose Akira muttered. Done was done—reality accepted.
A tiny deer as Demon King… tch tch~
"Something up?"
He turned to Alice, still clinging tight. "What's this about?"
Alice nuzzled his back: "Master, master~ On today's quests, we met a Moon God Empire priestess. She told me stuff."
Kurose Akira arched a brow. "Oh? Like what?"
"Said if we head to the Empire, contact her—she'd take me to see Witch-sama…" Alice recapped, smile unbroken.
Kurose Akira stroked her head gently, smiling: "Nice. We'll hit her up next Empire trip."
Inwardly, red flags. Moonlight Witch—taboo in the Empire—yet this priestess knew Alice's link.
Two options: loyal subordinate relaying via priestess. Or Moonlight Witch foe, baiting Alice as a weapon.
Kurose Akira leaned enemy. Moonlight Witch's middleman? Him, guildmaster.
"Awesome~ Master's so amazing~ Witch-sama'll love him~" Alice beamed, cheek-rubbing his.
"Maybe." Kurose Akira's lips curved faint, recalling Moonlight Witch encounters.
At least she hadn't wrecked Starfall Kingdom like Night Witch, or ice-locked a mid-tier realm like Frost Witch.
Midnight hit quick. Kurose Akira tallied gains.
C-rank commission cleared: 20 gold, 200k EXP, five Sublimation Crystals.
Plus three dailies: 5 gold, 60k EXP.
Sublimation Crystals: post-50 adventurer upgrade fuel—one per level-up.
"Post-exams, level everyone up." Kurose Akira plotted acceleration after Gaokao.
"Mm~"
He stretched, heading to bed.
Planned: dragon girl body pillow for sound sleep, then tomorrow's exam.
Stepping in, Carmilla writhed in her coffin, muffled "mmph mmph" groans.
"You okay? Look rough."
Kurose Akira hurried over, scanning her face.
Carmilla pale as death, fangs gnawing her red lip, blood-traces at the corner.
"N-No… problem… just the curse acting up."
Stubborn reply, tiny hand wiping brow sweat to hide the pain.
"Way to suppress the Death curse?"
Kurose Akira's brow furrowed, concern thick.
"Useless… Death Goddess's curse dug deep into my…" Carmilla waved it off, forcing a smile: "I'll handle it. This won't break me."
She burrowed under covers, shutting him out.
"Can't sleep with you like this."
Kurose Akira yanked the blanket. Carmilla curled fetal in the coffin, thighs clenched, lithe body quaking.
Hand clamped desperately between legs—fighting the curse tooth and nail.
Curse-amplified, a thick exotic fragrance wafted, teasing his nostrils relentlessly…
"Shit!"
Kurose Akira's face twisted; he staggered back.
Fangs elongated sharp; bloodlust surged unchecked!
"You—!"
Carmilla's eyes widened at his shift.
Vampire senses screamed: bloodthirst state!
"Weird… why's the Death curse triggering [Bloodthirst] trait?"
Kurose Akira clawed the coffin edge, agony raw. Never guessed her curse would exude a madness-inducing scent!
[Bloodthirst] impulse zeroed on coffin-bound Carmilla.
Progenitor blood—apex tier. Trait readout spiked to 1000!
Unbearable!
Driven, Kurose Akira's hand lashed toward her.
"No!"
"Don't suck my blood!"
"No!"
"My hard-hoarded reserves!"
"Get away! Shoo!"
Curse-crippled, Carmilla couldn't budge—forced to watch him close in, helpless.
All she managed: legs kicking wildly, trying to boot his hand off.
Futile. Kurose Akira seized her ankle, fangs bared—sank in hard.
"!!!"
Carmilla clapped a hand over her mouth, crimson eyes bugging huge.
Wait!
Bite if you must—but not the neck, why there…
Wait!
What the hell…
…
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