Chapter 226 (1/2)

Death Mage 226 – The calm before the thunderclouds

“W-welcome… back… Mas… ter…” said the woman with a clumsy smile, her words unsteady

Her skin was pale and stitches ran across her entire body She was an Undead… a Zombie

But she wasn't just any Zombie She was a Vampire Zombie, an Undead created fros protruding from herdull and devoid of light

In this world, beco Undead would not mean that one would become more powerful than they had been while alive, but… as this Zoence to speak, it was absolutely certainly a threat to humans

And if she was a noble-born Vampire, she would have been able to use advanced spells and fly despite having no wings She was a fearso a maid unifor; her bosoap at the chest and her skirt ended above the knees

“W-wel… coroaned

She had been practicing this greeting over and over for a while

“Hmm… her speech is unsteady after all Maybe it's because you split her head open with your halberd, Nee-san,” said Rita

“Yes… Her movements are stiff Maybe it's because you cut her head off with your glaive, Rita,” said Saria

Rita and Saria were supervising her greeting practice She was one of Birkyne's four noble-born confidants, and she had been turned into adefeated by the twins

Her naisa, and when she was alive, she had been a fearsome Rank 11 noble-born Vampire Marquess who had operated in the shadows of the Bahn Gaia continent for tens of thousands of years

But of course, this had nothing to do with hoell she would serve as a maid

“She is a complete amateur as ayou!” said Rita

“We have a lot of new Vampires, so we have a lot of new maids as well But we'll be sure to turn you into a splendid issan,” said Saria

“Let's all work together!” the twins said in unison

Magisa's dull eyes an to tremble in response to their words

“We'll leave the greeting for later… Let's start with acquiring the 'Spirit For-distance Control' Skills The benefit of Undead-type maids like us is that we can split our bodies up and have each part do different bits of housework individually,” said Rita

“How about getting Bocchan involved first instead, with the goal of acquiring a divine protection?” Saria suggested “He ith you when he was repairing your body and brain, so I think you just need a little more,” said Saria

“Bocchan told us off, too, saying that it takes a long time to repair eyes and brains…” said Rita

“… I think I have a better suggestion Want to hear it?” asked the 'Aegis' Melissa, interrupting the discussion of Magisa's future education plans

“Melisssan, have you finishedthe baby food?” Saria asked the aproned Melissa

“Yes More importantly, if you intend to turn her into a splendidyou should do is have her wear a proper – and by that, I ,” said Melissa as she exah narrowed eyes

Indeed, Magisa's current clothes were a remodeled maid uniform that would certainly offend real, first-rate isa had the appearance of a woure, so it looked like the kind of clothes that a queen-type person in the sex industry would wear reluctantly at the request of a customer

In other words, it looked forced and unnatural; Magisa did not look like a real maid

But it seemed that Rita and Saria had objections to this idea

“If we get a bunch of new formal maids, we'll stand out too much,” Rita complained

As a Living Bikini Ar Leotard Armor, the twins' bodies that were visible in between their ar from their main bodies But froirls wearing very revealing clothes

Even if they were in the company of other maids, they would stand out i formal maid uniforms

“And there isn't a single person in Talosheim ears a formal maid uniform like those in human society,” said Saria

Indeed,in Talosheim's royal castle were members of Vida's races or Undead Thus, the common sense that applied in human society did not apply to them

“Now that you ave up on trying to convince the sisters “I'll justher best not to look at Magisa, as tre like an abandoned puppy

Suddenly, a troubled bark frohter of children came from the shed

“It see is the one being played with,” said Saria

“As expected of Maroru and the others They've learned Kanako-san's teachings well,” said Rita

“She taught the that they could becoht? Luciliano didn't stop her, either,” said Melissa

While watching the three of the her clothes once he returned from the Adventurers' Guild

As Vandalieu and his co, they drew the attention of the adventurers inside

The first ones to draw attention were Simon and Natania

“If I recall, that's Simon I re cleaning jobs”

“He only had one arhts monsters with a two-handed sword like he did in the past How did he get such a high-quality artificial arm?”

“That's not the only thing you should be surprised about Look at the Beast-kin girl next to hiht not know, but she was one of the wo attacked and captured by Minotaurs She had all of her limbs cut off, not just one arm”

“What?! Then those ar armor…!”

“They're probably artificial limbs If you look closely, you can see that there are a few differences, but they're very similar to Simon's arm”

It was fairly well-known a the adventurers that Simon had lost an arm and Natania had lost all of her liained artificial limbs

Of course, the ruic Items

“Is it that kid who gave them those artificial limbs? Apparently he's a Dhampir, but honestly, he just looks like a creepy brat to me”

“Hey, don't say such rash things That br… That child is a big-shot with friendly relations with the Guild Master here and the Guild Master at the Tamers' Guild, and he was even invited to a tea party with the lord of the land! The red-light district of this city is like his playground now!”

“W-why has a brat round?! Just how precocious can you be?!”

“I just told you to stop saying rash things! If he hears you, you won't ever be able to visit a brothel again!”

“More importantly, tell him about how he's a capable Tamer He has a Rank 4 hellhound and three other ht be the cause of all the noise at the front”

“Monsters of new races, huh I'o and take a look”

“By the hat is that Beast-kin child that he's carrying on his back? Err… Did bull-type Beast-kin always exist?”

These whispers could be heard all over the Adventurers' Guild It seeade, the adventurer party that Vandalieu was acquainted with, wasn't here

“Hey, Master Soht to leave them be?”

“It's fine I'm sure that the truth will naturally start to spread soon… although I'es' Guild,” said Vandalieu

“da all suspicious because they think Master is going around handing out Magic Ite us any real harm,” said Natania

Vandalieu and his couided to the second floor by a Guild employee and entered the Guild Master's office in the back

“It sees have been calm as of late Have you become accustomed to this city?” asked Berard, the Guild Master of the Adventurers' Guild

He had invited the three of thee for Natania

“… Well, I suppose Things have been calh his words had a different nuance from Berard's

Berard's 'recently' referred to the past half- or chilling had occurred around Vandalieu during that time

Joseph, former Deputy Guild Master of the Commerce Guild, had been exiled without incident, and the Guild Master had returned frogar, the uard, had reappeared in an insane state of ht district in which Vandalieu lived and operated his food cart, so it was considered to be unrelated to him At least on the surface

The number of food carts under Vandalieu's banner had increased, causing Gobu-gobu and baked KoboldWolf' Michael was now in a completely cooperative relationshi+p with Vandalieu, and the thugs working under hiuards,the slum quarters drastically safer

As for the Adventurers' Guild, their attention was on the discovery of three new monster races – the Flame Rat, Wet Rat and Iron Rat

Not only that, but Berard hi to see if Vandalieu could help train other adventurers who had lost limbs to use artificial limbs like Simon and Natania

Under nor deal To the e or living in the red-light district and slunificant events that they would still remember a decade later Thedeal to Berard

But Berard was Guild Master of the Adventurers' Guild; he was in a different societal position fronificant events' They were an extension of everyday events; if he had a stomachache, he would not have to force hi in order to write reports about them to the earl and the Guild headquarters

But to Vandalieu, 'recently' meant 'the past two days'

In the teeks since he had devoured the pure-breed Birkyne and Hihiryushukaka, the evil God of joyful life, there had been s to do that Berard didn't know of, so he had been very busy

First, he had gone around to visit the organizations and facilities left behind by Birkyne that were dangerous to leave alone or had valuable things

Most of the facilities 'far' humans to use as sacrifices or turn into Undead or Vampires were fine to leave alone There had been only a feith brainwashed Dhampirs or Vampires like the one in Morksi, or run by evil Vampires that were fully aware of the situation Many of the

Va thees or pay for the freedom of slaves and prostitutes when they needed someone to use

The Va this role had either fled or sworn loyalty to Vandalieu, so they would be operating as very ordinary orphanages, brothels or slave traders from now on Thus, there was no need for Vandalieu to interfere

As for the organizations, Vandalieu had left alone those that were just running local crio to the places that stored Undead and Subordinate Vampires whose brains had been meddled with and tortured by Birkyne for his own amusement

Unlike Ternecia who had considered Undead to be works of art and Guba forces, Birkyne had apparently considered Undead to be a source of labor

There had been several facilities that stored Undead for production-oriented tasks such as constructing buildings orarms

Surely this couldn't have been because he would destroy entire buildings at a time when he went into one of his hysterical fits…

The Subordinate Vampires whose brains had been altered had lost their ability to reason, showed no eence of beasts, but that was actually a fortunate thing They had beco char corpses would

And Vandalieu had also acquired Magic Ite Item Boxes Up until this point, he had just teleported around each region very quickly, so there had been no troubles

The busy times had started after that – after he took the orphans rescued froerous facilities, the Undead and the Subordinate Vampires back

The dozen or so orphans that had originally come from Morksi's slu their captivity had chosen to live in Director Holly's orphanage

But there were over a hundred orphans in total Thus, those not returning to the orphanage had been taken to Talosheim However, there was no way that a hundred parentless children could simply be crammed inside a dormitory

The production-related Undead did nothing until ordered to do so, so they hadn't caused any problems, but… it would have been proble them back The ones whose brains had been altered were particularly dangerous to others, even if they were obedient to Vandalieu

On top of dealing with probles that Berard are of, as well as watching over the training of Natania and the others, beginning a certain plan, and taking care of the reborn 'girls'

He had been fairly busy

Miles has been working publicly as well, so that's ht

Miles and the others had infiltrated the crianization that had controlled this city froer a reason to continue this infiltration after Birkyne had been disposed of

They had already seized the organization's inforets – the reincarnated individuals – were likely already aware of this infiltration work, as they were receiving information from Rodcorte and their friends who had become his familiar spirits

Of course, Miles's name had beco known as the 'Starving Wolf' Michael, while Isla remained in the shadows, as she was an Undead

“I've heard that you have more employees now And the wo these beautiful women from?” Berard asked

“No, I have no idea Well, Iabout,” Simon replied

Incidentally, Simon had not been told Vandalieu's secret However, he had recently been using the convenient words 'Because it's Master' to explain any strange things about Vandalieu or those connected to his any further

Perhaps he believed that he would be informed one day, or perhaps the hidden letters of his divine protection were being revealed, s

“I see I wanted to share in his good fortune But I suppose I'll give it up, since I can't investigate hiiving up on the idea of looking into Vandalieu's relationshi+ps with those around him

“More i paid the reparations? I thought the amount hadn't been finalized yet,” said Natania

“That's right Please hurry and explain,” said Vandalieu

I want to ask about you in more detail, but I also want to pretend that I never saw you… Berard thought to hiaze at what appeared to be a creature that he was seeing for the first time, and yet looked familiar

That creature… what appeared to be a five-year-old girl with a bull-like tail and horns, as well as features that strongly rese a familiar's collar

“We already told you, this girl is the ave birth to!” said Natania, noticing Berard's stare

“My nairl said

Of course, the truth was different Juliana, the youngest sister of Duke Alcres i, and had been born a few days after Hihiryushukaka's destruction

Initially an egg, she had hatched and developed quickly, going froirl around five years old in appearance in around ten days

For some reason, she possessed the divine protection of Peria, the Goddess of water and knowledge, in addition to Vandalieu's At the sae fro on, including the fact that she could not re very well

… Perhaps too well But although ordinary Minotaur children did not develop as quickly as Goblin children, they did develop at a fast pace On top of that, Juliana was a child that had been i's oviducts and s ithin acceptable limits… for Vandalieu and his companions, at least

“I see, a mutant… I suppose if she's a mutant, then that's how it is?” said Berard

“That's how it is, isn't it? Bacheht before his eyes, he has no choice but to accept it,” said Vandalieu

Mutants were monsters born with abnormal appearances and abilities; in other words, they were those with spontaneous mutations

“She doesn't bear the slightest reseirl Not only that, but she is able to speak and looks exactly like a certain so a monster extermination mission was publicly announced… But if she's a mutant, then that's how it is, I suppose,” said Berard

“I think that's correct,” said Vandalieu

Statuses existed in this world, and race titles were clearly displayed But they could only be viewed by their owners, with the exception of those with the rare 'De able to see the Statuses of the creatures they tamed Juliana's Status was visible only to herself and Vandalieu

There was also a way to display one's Status to another with Magic Iteistration cards But Juliana was considered to be a monster rather than a person, and there were no Guilds that allowed the registration of monsters as members

Thus, no matter how odd and suspicious she was, everyone had no choice but to accept Vandalieu and his companions' explanation that she was a mutant

“This is reallyta is supposed to be prohibited,” said Berard, trying to show a small amount of resistance

Vandalieu stood up fro Juliana up in his arms

“But there's a rule that sed like this, so there's no problem, is there?” he said “… It's quite a new experience for ,” he added

“Th-this is rateful if you could put me down… Berard-san, you can't fool me!” Juliana said in protest

“Y-yes, I'll be careful from now on Umm, you know…” Berard muttered

He wasn't intending to brush aside Vandalieu and Juliana's co about her

Officially, he's just a Tamer and an apprentice trader, but… he is very influential in this city, especially in the red-light district and the slums… and the redhead and blonde beauties that he has recently brought froht to hi As always, the o is the fact that I don't knohat exactly he is

Berard took out the report about the Flame Blades “It's true that the sum of your reparations have not yet been decided, but… it seehest possible amount to their Adventurers' Guild branch One hundred thousand Baums each – Five hundred thousand Baums in total”

“F-five hundred thousand?!” Natania and Si up out of their seats

“… That'sin surprise

Juliana covered her mouth with a hand

Though this could not be measured precisely, one Baum orth about a hundred yen on Earth Thus, five hundred thousand Baums was the equivalent of fifty ht realistically have to pay his victim who had lost their lie sum

If one lived h to feed the all of their limbs But apparently, reparations would not be so expensive

“Th-they overcharged them quite a bit, didn't they,” said Natania

“About that… This doesn't sound good to say out loud, but you were a mere D-class adventurer However, you have attended the earl's tea party and now have this person as your guardian,” said Berard, glancing at Vandalieu “It see they could”

It could also have been so to do with the fact that Natania hadn't mentioned Juliana's nairl by the name of Julia' The possibility that the reparation amount included hush money for her to stay quiet couldn't be ruled out

“But that was the maximum amount that they would have been forced to pay; it would almost certainly have been reduced by some amount… by several tens of thousands of Baums But the Flame Blades have apparently paid theic Stones from monsters that they hunted,” said Berard

“There's got to be some kind of mistake; there's definitely some trick behind it! Less than a month has passed since we met Natania and reported her situation to the Guild I'd understand if they were class or B-class, but no D-class adventurer could earn that much,” said Simon, as a D-class adventurer himself

Natania and Juliana nodded in agreement

“I think it's suspicious as well,” said Berard “The Guild over there also suspected that so was amiss Those adventurers left to hunt and didn't return for e aic Stones So the Guild was oods to buy theoods were real, and they were not obtained in a way that violates the Guild's rules or the Alcrem Duchy's laws”