So three days later, we arrived here, at a section of the great mountain range on the southern edge of demon territory. Originally, a long tunnel had been dug through this spot to reach the southernmost domain.
「Are you really sure it’s okay to do this?」
「Yes. The tunnel was built about a hundred and fifty years ago, but cracks inside and leaking rainwater have made it increasingly dangerous.」
「I see… but an entire mountain, huh…」
The trees had already been hauled here by the full force of the Demon King’s army. Amilia, Selene, and several hundred soldiers were now disassembling them.
「Yes. To make sure no one gets hurt, this mountain has been off-limits for the past three days. We even had this one (Graywolf) mark the area as his territory so travelers would avoid passing over the peak.」
「Wafuu!」
I hadn’t seen him in a while, but he had grown impressively, now big enough to look like one of those creatures from that M〇nonoke movie.
「Isn’t he huge?」
「Yes. Thanks to you, Yuuki-sama, he apparently grew much stronger. By protecting the locals from stray dogs and wild wolves, he was promoted to the rank of divine beast, and his power increased.」
「For real…?」「Wafuu!」
He rubbed his face against me. I thought he’d be fluffy, but the tips of his fur were hard as iron.
「But he still feels soft somehow.」
「Pii pii」
As I petted him, he rolled over to show his belly and made little happy noises through his nose.
「Yuuki-sama… May I too?」
「Is that okay with you?」「Wafuu!!」
Graywolf answered with extra enthusiasm this time. He let Liliana lean against him. She flopped gently onto his belly and was immediately enveloped in a big, fluffy hug as he nuzzled her all over.
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
After we’d had our fill of fluffing, we received word that preparations on the other side were complete, so we began our own.
「Nngh… gulp… nngh… gulp… puhaa…」
「All right, Liliana. Shall we start?」
Having finished drinking a large amount of blood, Liliana summoned her sword. She took the rapier I had given her and reinforced the blade with Blood Frenzy Magic.
「Here I go! ——Haa!!」
With a single swing she felled more than ten trees.
I watched her elegant form from behind.
「Okay, Croco. You can go in now!」
A thumb popped out from the shadow giving a thumbs-up. What are you, the Terminat〇r!?
「Here we go!」
I slipped into the shadow and felt myself being pulled up from the other side. It felt strangely satisfying to watch myself slide smoothly into the darkness.
「Um… Yuuki-oniichan?」
「Hm? What’s up, Croco?」
「Saintess-sama says she wants the branches removed too.」
「Ah, right. Got it. 『——Wind Cutter!』」
I used wind magic to slice off the branches. Graywolf deftly caught them in his mouth and moved them aside.
「Thank you.」「Waf!!」
Come to think of it… he doesn’t have a name yet. I should give him one later.
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
After several hours of relentless cutting and transferring, something unbelievable happened.
「Fuu… I’m so tired… wha—!?」
「Liliana!?」
Liliana’s body was suddenly enveloped in light and began shrinking.
「Wawah!?」
「Wafuu!?」
When the light faded, Liliana had become the size of an elementary school child.
「Yuuki-shama?」
「Uh… What in the world…」
「What… has happened to me?」
「For now, let’s head back to the castle. We should ask Noctarl-san.」
「Yes!」「Wafuu!」
「Ah, wait… Croco, can you hear me?」
「Yes, what is it?」
「Please let everyone know that work is finished for today. Also tell the two of them that there’s a problem with Liliana, so we’re returning to the castle right away.」
「Y-Yes!」
She hurriedly slipped back into the shadows.
We rushed back to the castle and burst into Noctarl-san’s room.
「Noctarl-san!!」
「Uwaaa!? What the…. you startled me!」
「Th-that’s… Liliana is—!」
I held out the tiny Liliana (now wearing clothes borrowed from Croco). Noctarl-san’s expression softened into a gentle smile as he opened his mouth.
「Oh my, has a child already been born? She looks just like Liliana did when she was little…」
「Otou-shama! It’s me!」
「Huh?」
「It’s Liliana desu wa!」
「Eh? ――――Eeeeeeeeeh!?」
――Gatan! Thud thud thud!
「What happened!?」
「I don’t know! But Liliana used up a huge amount of magic power, so maybe it has something to do with that?」
「Is that so? Liliana?」
Her flustered father called out to her.
「Hai! I was saving up magic power desu! But right after the work ended, this happened!」
Her speech had also become childish and lisping. She looked exactly like a little girl now….well, she literally was one in appearance.
「Anyway, I tried letting her drink my blood, but it didn’t fix anything…」
「I see… I’ll look through the records of past vampires on my end. Yuuki-dono, do you have any idea what might be going on?」
「Hmm… Well, to begin with, I don’t actually know any other vampires…」
「Is that right? That’s a shame…」
「Fufufu!! Now is the time for my grand entrance!!」
「「「!?」」」
A voice suddenly rang out. Light gathered in the room, and there stood Marian.
「Marian!?」
「Marian-sama!?」
「Mariaan-shama!!」
「Fufufu, actually, that state is not simply due to magic power exhaustion!」
With a smug look, Marian pointed straight at Liliana.
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