NOVEL NEXT Chapter 10
When I opened my eyes, I saw a white ceiling. Then, I felt a tight pressure on my body, and when I looked down, I was wrapped in bandages all over. Is this the medical room? More importantly, I’m alive.
I briefly recalled my last memory. The mansion under attack. The battle with the aura user leading the masked people. And then, the chaotic fight in the burning mansion. Right after, I saw the lady and her bodyguard before collapsing.
“Looks like you’re awake.”
“…Already?”
“Are you conscious?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Ah!”
As I answered and sat up, a woman in a white coat jumped in surprise.
“You shouldn’t get up! Absolute rest!”
“I’m pretty tough, so it’s fine.”
This isn’t something to rest over for too long. I stretched a bit and looked around. It’s a pretty nice medical room. Just the fact that there’s a healer in front of me says it all.
Next to me…
“Lowell.”
“You’re awake.”
Lowell was there, wrapping bandages around his arm.
“Ah, so it’s over?”
“Yes, thanks to you, we managed to stop them splendidly.”
As expected, we stopped them. Those guys seemed well-prepared, but I really messed them up. The remnants must be grinding their teeth now.
“Where is this?”
“The Void Family’s mansion.”
“…Didn’t it burn down?”
“It’s another villa of the family head.”
“Ah, I see.”
Two mansions that aren’t the main one? Well, it’s not surprising anymore.
“Is that injury on your arm from the fight?”
“Yes, I moved too hastily.”
“Tsk tsk.”
Even that monster got hurt. I wonder what the opponent’s face looked like.
“So, what’s the deal? I should know at least this much.”
I didn’t ask before, pretending not to care, but this time I need to know. I don’t care about the thieves, but I’m curious about the thugs who attacked us.
“Wait a moment.”
“Ah, yes…!”
Lowell seemed ready to answer and sent the healer away.
“Hmm. First, they are remnants of the Luger Kingdom.”
“Remnants? There were quite a lot.”
All those swarming people were remnants? No way.
“How did they even get into the capital? Where were they living? With that many people, solving food and shelter would’ve been a nightmare.”
“…Most of the masked people aren’t remnants but collaborators from another organization.”
“Collaborators?”
“Yes, suspected demon worshippers.”
“Uh…”
Demon worshippers?
“…What’s that?”
What the heck is that? Some kind of cult?
“…You don’t know about demon worshippers?”
“No.”
“You know demons exist, right?”
“…They do? That’s scary.”
Demons actually exist? Well, in a world with magic and aura, it makes sense.
“Where should I even start explaining?”
Realizing I knew nothing, Lowell closed his eyes for a moment. He seemed to be choosing his words.
“Just give me a rough idea of who they are and why they collaborated.”
“Well, the demon worshippers probably reached out first.”
“What do they do to reach out?”
“They try to connect hell and this world to summon demons.”
“Uh…”
Are these guys insane? Why would they want to open a portal to hell in a perfectly fine world?
“Wait, that’s possible?”
“We don’t know, but they’ve been around since ancient times.”
“Wow.”
What a bunch of weirdos.
“Where did they even come from?”
More importantly, how did they get to the mansion in the capital? Did they build an apartment here or something?
They didn’t just fall from the sky or rise from the ground, right?
“They probably dug up from underground.”
“…They really came from underground?”
“Demon worshippers usually dig underground tunnels.”
“In the capital area?”
“Yes.”
“…Can’t magic detect them?”
Why even learn magic if it can’t detect or stop them? All it does is shoot fireballs that burn down mansions… Hmm, maybe it’s worth learning.
“Normal magic can’t detect them because they dig too deep.”
“How deep?”
“They dig so deep it’s hard to predict.”
“How…?”
Even in my past life, digging tunnels and building underground wasn’t easy. How do they do it?
“Probably with the help of demons.”
“Do demons dig well?”
“They’ve been trying to connect hell and this world since ancient times. No one can match them in that.”
“What’s the connection between hell and tunnels?”
Does being underground make it easier to open gates? Seeing my confused expression, Lowell added.
“Well, hell is deep underground, so that’s probably why.”
“Huh?”
Wait, hell is deep underground? That’s kind of scary.
“Didn’t you hear fairy tales as a child…? Never mind.”
“If my parents had taught me basic education, I wouldn’t have been a slave gladiator.”
My parents really didn’t teach me the basics, so I’m lacking a lot of common knowledge.
“Anyway, demon worshippers dig deep tunnels.”
“This time, they surfaced in the capital and attacked?”
“Correct.”
Wait…
“Then, were the previous masked people also…?”
“Yes, demon worshippers.”
“…Can I ask why they’re coming?”
Why are demon worshippers targeting the Void Family? No, thinking about it, they’re not targeting the family.
To be precise…
“They’re targeting the lady.”
Right, they’re targeting the lady.
“Ah. I see.”
That’s all I needed to hear, so I didn’t ask further.
The lady’s occasionally glowing red eyes. It’s obvious why demon worshippers would go crazy over them, right?
So, they’re targeting her.
Anyway.
I roughly understand the situation.
The remnants of the fallen Luger Kingdom want to terrorize the Void Family, and the demon worshippers want to kidnap the lady, so they teamed up.
But in the end, they failed miserably.
Well…
“By the way, since you’ve made a contribution, we’ll reward you.”
In the end, I’m the only one who benefits from this situation.
“Can you teach me the Vision Technique?”
The reward I want is, of course, this. The Void Family’s Vision Technique, the best in the country.
I’ve been eyeing this technique all along.
“Of course. I’ve already confirmed it with the family head.”
“Already?”
“Given the situation, we’ve already been in contact.”
Right.
The mansion where his daughter lives was attacked and burned down.
If it were me, I’d have contacted them immediately too.
“Then, shall we go learn it now?”
Anyway, being able to learn the technique is a good thing. Just as I was about to get up…
“…Rest first.”
“I’m fine.”
“I also need to handle some aftermath, so I need time.”
“Hmm, alright.”
If that’s the case, I have no choice. I sat back down on the medical bed.
“Ah, and…”
“Yes?”
“I’ll talk to the lady about improving your treatment. You can’t stay a dog forever.”
“Is that possible?”
The lady would probably just lie down and refuse.
“I’ll persuade her.”
“If it improves, what happens to me?”
“You’re an aura user and learning the family’s techniques, so naturally, you’ll become a knight of the Void Family.”
“Oh…”
I’ve really made a significant contribution.
From a house-guarding dog to an official knight of the Void Family.
“Then…”
It’s an opportunity for a status upgrade, so of course, I should agree…
“Hmm, uh…”
…I was about to, but then I remembered the lady’s red eyes that wanted to keep me as a dog.
The eyes that even demon worshippers are after. They’re not just for show.
And honestly, since I can learn all the techniques anyway, is there a reason to become a knight?
I already get to eat well and train.
No obligations, no responsibilities. Just lying in the yard, doing photosynthesis, and occasionally dealing with the lady.
…Compared to my gladiator days, this is already good.
And with the family’s Vision Technique, I won’t be ignored.
I’ve already gained the favorable attention of the guards after fighting the masked people.
So then…
“No, that part is fine.”
“Really?”
“Yes, I’ll just stay as a dog.”
I’ll just keep being the lady’s dog.
“What’s with you…”
“It’s just my feeling.”
“Tsk, alright.”
Besides, this doesn’t feel like the last opportunity.
There will be plenty of chances to escape the dog status later.
“Take care of yourself.”
“Yes, good luck with the aftermath.”
Anyway, after that, I received more treatment.
“Don’t move at all!”
“Ah, yes, but can I do aura training?”
“No!!”
The overzealous healer was a bit tiring, but my body kept getting better day by day.
“I’ve never handled such precious herbs before…”
“Is that so?”
“Yes…”
Thanks to the Void Family, I got good medicine.
I heard it’s incredibly expensive, but they just gave it to me.
“Ah… the wound is already…”
“I heal pretty fast.”
Anyway.
With such meticulous treatment and my natural recovery ability, my wounds healed quickly.
The cuts closed up, and the stab wounds filled in.
As time passed, the wounds turned into scars, and the healer’s fussing stopped.
“It’s done! You’re fully healed!”
“Finally, you say?”
I finally got the all-clear.
…By my standards, I was healed three days ago.
They’re just too fussy.
Anyway.
After getting the confirmation that I could return to daily life, I could finally leave the dreaded medical room.
“Doggy!!”
The first to find me after leaving the medical room was the lady. She was smiling brightly, as if something great had happened.
“Long time no see!”
“Yes, long time no see, lady.”
I heard that after the incident, she stayed at the royal palace for a while.
It’s definitely safer there than the mansion.
She stayed there as a guest and returned to the mansion once Lowell’s arm injury healed.
“House! I made a new house!”
“Oh, a house?”
“Yes! You did well, so it’s a good place!”
A good place? I didn’t get any hints, so I’m really looking forward to it.
Where will I be staying now?
Since she’s still calling me a dog and taking me outside, the new house must be in the yard.
Maybe they built a cabin?
Considering the size of the mansion, it’s entirely possible. I arrived at the garden, thinking that.
“…Is this my house?”
“Yes!”
I forced a laugh looking at the bigger, wider dog house.
Well, at least my treatment improved?
“I’ll live well here.”
“Good! I put a soft cushion inside! And snacks too!”
“Such an honor.”
Well, I did reject Lowell’s offer.
I should accept it humbly.
Anyway.
After receiving the new house, I looked around for a bit.
“Doggy!”
The lady called out to me as I was looking around.
“I’m listening.”
“I, I showed you the house, so I’m going to class now!”
“Ah, yes, have a good class.”
“Um… finish quickly and come back, okay? Don’t go anywhere…?”
“Huh?”
“Don’t disappear! Stay here!”
“Ah, yes, yes.”
Stay here, huh?
Is she like this because she hasn’t seen me in a while?
I checked her eyes just in case.
Hmm, they’re not glowing.
It’s probably just her usual whining.
“Understood.”
“Okay! I’ll be back.”
After the lady, who was fidgeting until the end, left, I finished inspecting the new house.
First, I pressed the soft cushion with satisfaction.
I ate one of the snacks left as treats and looked around inside.
The ceiling is higher now.
I can probably stand up inside.
There were also items that looked like dog toys.
And…
“Hmm.”
The dog collar I lost when the mansion was attacked was there, in a new form, neatly placed to the side.
Do I really have to wear this? At my level?
I sighed for a moment and tried it on.
But…
“Huh?”
There’s no difference in aura control.
Ah, so it’s not a shackle, just a real collar?
…Should I be relieved?
Or should I lament the fact that I’m putting on a collar in a dog house?
“…What are you doing there?”
“Ah.”
While I was having an existential crisis inside, I felt a presence behind me.
“Lowell?”
“I put a new one in case the lady felt bad… I see it suits your taste.”
“You know that’s not it.”
“Anyway, let’s start right away.”
“With what… Ah.”
Right, I almost forgot.
The most important thing.
“Is the lady’s class time the same as before?”
“Yes, you’ll have enough time to train and come back.”
“Good.”
The lady told me to stay put, but…
Even a dog has a life, right?
“Let’s go.”
The long-awaited time has come.
To receive the real reward.