Welcome to the Man-Eating Dungeon

Chapter 48: The Temple Knight – Betraying the World

Translator: Manga0205

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「Master……」

Having regained consciousness, Dahlia slowly got down from on top of me. My penis which was still standing tall had become uncovered, but this wasn’t a situation to attention to that. I’ll probably just end up covering it with a jacket anyhow……is something that I didn’t have the leeway to think of. Detaining Dahlia who had made a small bow and tried to leave the room, I made her wait at my side. ……She might not remember things of the past anymore, but I thought that Dahlia had the right to know about this story. When Olivie slightly cast her eyes downward, she started talking with a somewhat powerless voice.

「Because of that, Count Abram sent the force here, and needed to take it back. Naturally, there exist those that do not possess loyalty towards Count Abram among the town nobles of Abram. A portion of them have tattled this situation to the capital city, and have raised it up as an opportunity to slay Mazoku. If he didn’t send out the force, he would be insulted as a coward, and even if he were to send out the force, Count Abram is of old age, so his body would not be able to endure the military service. Pressured by the anticipated gains that would be produced by the iron vein, the Church gave authorization to this expeditionary force by stating that the Mazoku elimination would be an honor. The capital city also got on board with that, and even went as far as saying that they would confer mining rights to some other person as long as they suppressed this place in the event that Count Abram wouldn’t move. ……Because of that, even if I was Count Abram’s illegitimate child, being the only blood relative of his left, I was called on to serve as the commanding officer.」

Her voice was stiff, and she was trying to conceal her emotions……It seemed as if she were crying.

「……Why, didn’t you run away?」

「With the position of Count Abram’s niece, I would take command of the expeditionary force, and if it were to succeed, the mining rights to this mine would remain with Count Abram……with father. If it resulted in anything other than that, a power struggle would occur within Abram, and there is no doubt that infighting would occur. After mom died and I became unable to come to this village, I was raised in Abram with the position of being the niece of a lower grade noble. I liked the people of that town, and father was kind to me……I no longer, had any family other than father. Becoming alone is……I’ve had enough of it.」

Olivie, felt ashamed of her own decision. She reproached herself for moving with sentiments of not wanting to be alone, and wanting to protect the town that she loved, to protect the person that she loved. Just, what was wrong with that? In that case, I’ll say that she isn’t at fault. I’ll change it into a result where she isn’t at fault. I’ll do anything, no matter what it is, in order to make that happen. ……Would you resent me for doing that?

「Olivie, suppose, you were able to able to safely return to Abram along with your subordinates. Let’s assume that I would keep myself hidden, the Mazoku were defeated, the mine was taken back, and the expedition was a success. ……After that, what would you do?」

To go into this time’s supposition, there were several measures that I could take. At the present time, Olivie knows much more than me about the situation with the many nobles of Abram, and possesses the intelligence to only construct deductions. In that case, after hypothesizing what I should do, I make her predict what will happen beyond that and……find which path I’ll guide Olive to from among those, and then corner her so that she picks that.

「……Eh, um. Most likely, Count Abram would officially designate me as his successor as an adopted child. Although the town nobles would feel disappointed, I think that they would scheme to make either their own sons or themselves my husband. Since I am a woman, even if I possess inheritance rights, there isn’t really a custom for a woman to succeed peerage after all……」

「It’s not like there isn’t any precedent, right?」

「Although it seldom happens in this country, instances where exceptional women possess peerage and have managed territory isn’t nonexistent……However, it isn’t easily approved, you know? To begin with, women’s inheritance rights have a low degree of relative priority, and cases where the one that possesses inheritance rights is only a woman seldomly happens.」

It’s not like I was considering assassination, but as expected, massacring the consanguinity of the Lanvelt House isn’t realistic. Making it so that only women are the people that possess the inheritance rights also sounds difficult.

「In Abram’s situation, what will happen to the inheritance rights?」

「My granduncle who is under medical care due to illness possesses first inheritance rights, but I’ve heard that he intends to turn it down due to his health problems. The next one would be the head of the Lanvelt House, and then next would be me, the blood relative. However, although I’ve been treated as his niece, if I were to be officially recognized as his adopted child, I would become first to the inheritance rights……Or more accurately, the person that would become my husband would end up possessing the inheritance rights.」

……In that case, there might be a possibility. Let’s finely confirm the conditions.

「What about the event where a woman with first rights to the inheritance were to be unmarried?」

「The peerage would temporarily be succeeded by that woman. However, there is also the possibility that a spouse would arbitrarily sent from the capital city. Once married, since the teaching of the Church are strong……After the spouse dies, in the time until the young first successor comes of age, the instance of possessing peerage would suit the occasion, I suppose. Nonetheless, I’ve never thought about something like marriage up until now……」

By processing the information, and immersing herself in work during the time I was confirming things, it seemed that she temporarily forgot about her gloomy self. In this area, Olivie is kind of intelligent, but kind of simple……But since she would get mad at me if I were to say that out loud, let’s not say it.

「I see. If you get married, then you won’t be targeted then. ……Incidentally, what would the inheritance rights be in the event of a divorce?」

Hearing the word “divorce”, Olivie’s facial expression clouded over. Being a follower of the River Goddess, Olivie, well, she probably doesn’t see divorce too favorably.

「A noble’s divorce, it would probably be better to think of it as never happening. There are many cases where the connection as fellow house members is more essential than individual circumstances, and getting a divorce is an act similar to smearing mud upon the family name. ……Because of that, nobles do things like keep lovers, regardless of their gender.」

Ah, I stepped on a landmine on a different course. Come to think of it, being the child of Count Abram’s lover, this was probably a difficult topic for Olivie in various ways.

「Sorry. ……I apologize if I’ve made you feel bad.」

「Eliott, there’s no need for you to apologize. I love both my father, and my late mother despite all that.」

……Unexpectedly, Olivie displayed a gentle smile. This was probably a problem that she has already settled in her heart.

「But, you also seem like you would absolutely cause problems in your relations with women……No, I suppose I should say that it’s already happened, shouldn’t I?」

「Eh, that’s a bit, why are you pointing the aim of the attack at me.」

「That is right, it is unreasonable to condemn Master on that. Master, he equally embraces the women that he has degenerate into demons.」

「……Um, Dahlia. That’s not the point……」

「Ahー……Yeah, sorry, Eliott. We kind of, got off topic.」

Maybe it was my imagination but it felt as if Dahlia, who had made an unexpected follow-up with a nonchalant face, had stuck her tongue out a bit and smiled. Olivie and I once again looked at each other with awkward faces, and after a few second, we simultaneously burst into laughter. Unable to stop laughing, the meeting was suspended for a short while.

◆◆◆

「Haa, that was a terrible experience. My sides hurt.」

「It, it’s your fault since you said something so weird……Jeez.」

After moistening our throats with the really chilled water that Dahlia brought us, our discussion resumed.

「I’ll be continuing the conversation from before but……what would happen in the case where you become a widow?」

Olivie’s eyes instantly became stern, and after pondering over it a bit, she came back with an answer.

「If a child hasn’t been born, the inheritance rights would remain with me. As long as an heir isn’t born, in this country, the relationship of being relatives by marriage won’t remain. In the case where a child is born, the inheritance rights would be transferred to that child. Just as I said before, in the case where the successor is small, during the time until that child has grown up, the mother would temporarily inherit the peerage and……Wait, could it be that that’s what you’re thinking of!?」

She probably understood my idea. Standing up, she glared at me.

That’s right, that anger was correct. And then, it’s because it’s correct that you’re suffering.

「The men of the Lanvelt House, what have they done against you? This is a fight. Actually, if destiny had slanted just a little bit, you would have died inside of that tunnel.」

Olivie stopped moving due to the reality that I had thrust before her.

「Most likely, as a person, you are correct. But, as a noble, I don’t know whether or not you’re correct, and it’s because I am in a position that isn’t Human that I am talking to you. And then, I would like you to remember that you have currently become my prisoner together with your subordinates. ……In addition to that, Olivie」

Standing up, I got one step closer. Olivie gulped, and took one step back. That facial expression of hers, it was something complex that had regret, hope, resignation, and resolution mixed into it. Aah. I want to make that face warp due to love. I want to change that face into a smile and protect it. The lust that was within me wouldn’t settle down either. While I still haven’t turned into a scoundrel, I can’t return to being a virtuous person. In that case, I can only move forward. To the place of no return.

「Join me. Betray the Humans, and become mine. I will protect the things that you want to protect. In order to save your life, and preserve the peace of Abram……I’m telling you to make a contract with me, a demon.」

There was a few seconds of silence. Olivie, as if baffled, asked a question in return.

「……Eliott. Are you, going to dominate me? Are you, going to make me a demon……and make me yours……?」

For only an instant, what I saw on her facial expression was, the figure that I wanted to see……yet was the number one thing that I didn’t want to see.

「Olivie, don’t say any more than that! That……that is something that I won’t allow you to do.」

I shouted. Unable to endure it, I shouted. What rose to Olivie’s face for only an instant was, relief. Being dominated, she yearned to be able to abandon her determination, to escape.

Olivie bit her lip, and stood stock still. Maybe because she didn’t understand the reason for my rage, Dahlia stood stock still with a puzzled face. Aah, that’s right. I was giving Olivie special treatment.

「……I mean, there’s nothing I can……Why, am I……」

Like an abandoned child, tears rose to Olivie’s eyes. I made her cry. Seeing her crying figure, is something I haven’t seen since our farewell when we were children.

「……It’s because, I don’t want that. For you, Olivie, to throw away your determination, and leave everything to me. For the Olivie that I love, the only friend that I have, to become just a mere doll is……something I don’t want.」

I am truly hating the degree of my own childishness. Even though I degenerated Dahlia, Shiro, and Sara into demons for my own convenience. With Olivie, even though there was no change in the fact of degenerating her for my own convenience, I didn’t even give her freedom by taking her freedom. Aah, I get it. Even though Olivie tried to depend on me, I went and rejected that. I, was surely depending on her.

「……You’re so, selfish……You’ve been like that, since long ago. Even though you’re usually so kind, you’re so stubborn only at times like this……」

After her weeping continued on for a while, she raised her face, and her eyes were a bit red.

「I get it, I get it!」

Making a small shout, she turned towards me and took a step forward.

「This is, a transaction. I, will become yours. My heart, and my body, I will offer them up to you. But, in exchange, I will demand various things! If you won’t let me depend on you, then I, won’t do something like hold back!」

Suddenly, I remembered something from the past. The small cause of our quarrels that we repeatedly done many times. Neither of us were able to apologize, but since we would be lonely if we didn’t play together, giving each other some kind of condition, was the way we sought for a chance to reconcile.

「Yeah, that’s fine. It wouldn’t be worth doing if it weren’t something like that……There are various things that I want you to work on. Let’s cooperate on various things for Abram’s stability. Olivie, the dirty work that you shouldn’t do shall be taken up by me, a demon, and the daytime Abram, I will give it all to you. Therefore……I will take the night of that town. And then, all of you.」

Taking one step forward, I took Olivie’s hand, and pulled her towards me. Without any resistance, Olivie’s body was completely settled within my arms.

「It’s kind of, a weird feeling. ……I’m, going to be made into a woman, by you, right, Eliott?」

「……Since that time, I made my decision. That, I would definitely make you mine. Not as a Mazoku, but for the sake of me who was a Mazoku. Betray the world……Become mine.」

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