The Spearmaster and the Black Cat

Still, whatever one might say, he’s a round one-eye. I can’t see him as anything but a cute monster.

Demonic Marquis Adombraly-kun tilts his eyes downwards, staring at the cracked crimson sphere, which had lost its light, with an expression full of regret. He only has one eye, but because of his state that clearly expresses his sense of loss…I remember the one-eyed race that had been sold at the Underground Auction.

At that moment, pink mana waves are released from the cracked sphere. Does he plan to give it another go?

I can perceive how the waves expand like heat waves. In the next instant, the sphere transforms into something similar to a lava flow. It kinda looks like fluid clay, but…while dividing into two separate streams, they converge inside the axle marks and eyeball of Adombraly-kun.

I guess he recovered it.

“…Was that a light attack from the earlier ruby?” As I ask him, I grab him by the collar and lift his small body up.

Despite his tiny body, he’s surprisingly heavy. At least as heavy as a massive toy made out of metal. The two wings on his back are cute and tiny, but…just now Adombraly-kun said he’s a Amshabis… I recall having heard the name of that race.

If I remember correctly, the demon I met in the sky of the labyrinth’s 20th floor in Pelneet mentioned it. Her name was Soux. I ran into her when scouting the area with Rollodeen, didn’t I?

Soux introduced herself as an Amshabis as well. Just like Crazy-Eye Togma and Four-Eye Rulizeze, she was transferred into Evil Domain Hellrhone.

“Let go! Let go of me!” Adombraly-kun yells while his body dangles, but I ignore him.

Unlike this little guy here, Soux was a beautiful female demon. Well, they share the trait of having wings, at least.

Without asking him about Soux, “…So you’re not going to answer my question, I take it…?”

Adombraly-kun gulps and stares at me fearfully, “…I-I haven’t said anything like that.”

His voice trembles while his eye darts around in a funny way. It looks like he’s trying to dodge the issue.

I stare at that meatball-shaped Adombraly-kun. He’s got a fleshy eyelid… The way how it closes and opens while sliding across the surface of his eyeball is comical. The parchment-colored clothes he’s wearing look like a miniature version of a noble attire. A crescent-moon-shaped crest and a semi-transparent saxifrage badge are affixed to his chest next to each other. The moon resembled Evil Emperor Ciphot.

On his upper arms he’s got marks depicting a vase and wheel overlapping an axle. A red gem is embedded in the center of the axles. Those gaudy red gems look as if they represent some kind of king. Above the red gems are other gems with different shapes, as if blessing those kingly gems.

Overall, he’s a ridiculous, round life-form, but…just by the designs on his arms and the luxurious attire, you can say that his title as Demonic Marquis is fitting.

I think I’ll first ask about the crescent-moon-shaped accessory on his chest.

“…Say, do you know Evil Emperor Ciphot?”

“For you to mention Ciphot-sama’s name…are you a kin related to the gods of the Spirit World?”

Adombraly-kun answers my question with one of his own. Still, me as a kin of the Spirit World gods, huh? I’d love to say that he’s wrong, but…I do have that <Dark Dream Celebration> mark on my neck, don’t I? It’s an unwanted present I got from Goddess of Nightmares Vaamina…

I touch the mark with my fingers, feeling unevenness like that of a scar. I check the husk applied onto this patch of skin with status.

※ Dark Dream Celebration ※

※ Originally it’s a <Nightmare Symbol> that has been converted into a tool to summon those connected to Goddess of Nightmare Vaamina who implants nightmares. But, thanks to <Torrent of Light Darkness>, a part of the goddess has been absorbed and transformed into <Dark Dream Celebration>. ※

※ It has the ability to perceive those connected to Goddess of Nightmares Vaamina by causing small pain and bleeding, if they are nearby. ※

※ And it boosts the probability to project the true form of divine beings possessing huge amounts of magic elements. Occasionally the wavelengths of Goddess of Nightmares Vaamina are going to reach you while you are asleep. ※

That’s the kind of thing it is. Am I similar to Demonoid Naromivas because of that? As a kin of Vaamina?

But, lately I haven’t encountered her in my dreams…I guess it’s alright to consider her an acquaintance in the Spirit World for now.

Just when I reach that conclusion, I decide to ask him about the Spirit World in regards to Ciphot.

“…You could say that I’m acquainted with several Spirit World gods. And I’ve been entrusted with an item by Ciphot. Thus I plan to travel to the Spirit World at some point. I’ve already got a Score of the Demon King and a Highcellcone horn.”

“Seriously!? I want to go back to the Spirit World!” Adombraly-kun blurts out cheerfully. “Still, for you to have been entrusted with an item by the evil emperor who got famous during the Great Spirit World war… Even I, as a demonic marquis, only possess a replica of the crescent-moon blade…”

“You mean the accessory on your chest?”

“Quite so! That is no mere accessory either!” Adombraly-kun shouts out proudly.

He looks like he’s going to fire a beam from his eye any moment.

“This replica is called Forged Crescent Moon Imitation of the Evil Emperor. It’s a replica, but if you pump a big amount of mana into it, it transforms into a boomerang weapon! However, I can’t use it because I have too little mana on top of it being too heavy for me.”

In other words, it’s no more than an ornament, huh?

While looking at the decorations on his arm, I say, “Are the red gems in those marks on your arms some kind of item?”

“…Indeed.” Adombraly-kun admits while glaring at me.

The squirming of his thick eyelid is too hilarious. If I sold him as a plush toy, he’d be very popular, I’m sure.

Still, unlike with the fake evil emperor item, he doesn’t seem eager to talk about the gems. Oh well, let’s go with something crucial next.

“…In the first place, what’s a demonic marquis? What’s with that Adombraly name of yours?”

“It’s something similar to a mana capacity ranking among demons. Starting from the lowest, we have demonic soldiers, demonic knights, demonic generals, demonic marquises, demonic dukes, demonic marshals, demon kings, and demon gods.”

It feels similar to the adventurer guild.

“Hee, so it’s something like a power ranking?”

“No, ultimately it’s just about the apparent mana capacity. It’s quite rough. Hayzephan Rosnald, one of the famous Dead Sea Knights and subordinate of Tyrannical King Boshiado, is well-known for being a demonic knight going by his mana capacity. Of course it doesn’t change the fact that mana capacity serves as one indicator for the strength of a demon, but…there are also cases where demons suddenly experience a boost of the mana capacity all the way up from being demonic marquises to demon king like Lord Nightmare, okay?”

I’ve heard that Hol-something is a burning knight, but it’s my first time to hear the name of a Dead Sea Knight, isn’t it?

“…Spirit World knights, and the Dead Sea Knights belonging to Boshiado, eh? I’ve heard about those “Dead Sea Knights” on several occasions, but it’s the first time for me to learn one of their names.”

“You’re a weird guy. Aren’t you acquainted with Spirit World gods?”

“I’ve only talked with some of them.”

“…That’s a surprise. So, the bastard who won against Schmihazar…isn’t an official apostle or anything like that?”

“Correct. We’re the Spearmaster and the Black Cat. Right, Rollo?”

“Nya.”

Rollo replies after having been fumbling around with her forepaw’s pad as if cleaning it.

Alright, next is…the fact of his contact lens turning into a red sphere, and him then trying to use it for attacking me, I suppose.

“So, Adombraly-kun, you tried to dodge the issue earlier, but you attempted to attack me with that ruby of yours, didn’t you? If you want to fight me, I’ll humor you, but…what’s it gonna be?”

It’s not like I’m going to use <Saraten’s Secret Arts>, but I thrust out my left palm towards Adombraly-kun.

『Am I to pierce the tiny eyeball? Even though I have approved of you as my vessel, that’s a waste of my powers』

『…I haven’t asked you to do so』

『Uugghhh』

Saraten groans but doesn’t fly out.

“…You used trees to lock me up, didn’t you? That’s why I was pissed!”

Adombraly-kun scowls at me after checking my palm. His wings flap in a ridiculous manner, and he displays an intent to oppose me. He seems to plan on attacking me. But, he doesn’t appear to have any power anymore…

Though I’d butcher him anyway, even if he was in his normal condition… Oh! Right! I could feed him to my cats! He might top up their mana a bit.

“――Rollo, wanna eat this guy?” I show Adombraly-kun to Rollo while still holding his collar.

『If you’re going to feed him to that nyan partner of yours, you might as well give him to me…I need some blood soon』

『Saraten, you just want to get out and do as you please, don’t you?』

『…Tsk, you noticed it, huh? But still, if I don’t get any sweet blood, I’ll…』 𝒇𝐫ℯ𝑒𝒘ℯ𝑏n𝑜ѵ𝐞l.c𝗼𝗺

I don’t know whether Saraten is a candy lover, but it looks like it wants some sweet blood. Even so, I ignore the sword.

“Nn, nyaa?” Rollo points her head upwards as she lay on my bed, meowing in a questioning manner.

“He might be as delicious as a dessert.” free𝚠𝚎𝚋𝒏𝚘ѵ𝐞l.𝑐oｍ

I don’t know whether she understood my words, but Rollo’s ears twitch, and she unleashes a cat punch in Adombraly-kun’s direction.

“Nyanyanya, nya～”

I guess he’d be transformed into a SuperBall after all. Or so I thought, but she places her paw on the edge of Adombraly-kun’s eyeball. Then she starts to play and fiddle around with him in various ways.

Going through all those experiences, Adombraly-kun is seized by fear. Something similar to cold sweat gushes out on the skin around his eyeball. I can also see what might be blood veins throb. And then his eyes start to spin around clockwise.

“…Uuhh, w-wait! Please waaait! Don’t eaaat meee!” He starts to quickly yell, or rather, whine pathetically with his eye continuing to spin.

All of his previous confidence is gone like the wind. He doesn’t seem to have any fight left in him anymore. Well, I guess that’s only natural.

Rollo’s head must be filling Adombraly-kun’s visual field right now…

“Nyaon――”

I don’t know whether it’s a reaction to Adombraly-kun’s wish, but Rollo suddenly turns her face away, looking my way. She looks like she’s found a liking in him. Maybe she’s pleased with his scent.

While she’s looking at me, she’s caressing Adombraly-kun with her bushy tail. Suddenly, she stops moving her tail around, stretches it upwards, and farts.

“――Fuuuuuuucckk! It stinks!”

Ahahaha, did she get influenced by Rotalz?

“…Although I’ve fallen low, I’m still a former demonic marquis…!”

Adombraly-kun is visibly anything but amused by Rollo’s fart. On the other hand, Rollo looks satisfied with herself.

After apologizing to him by stroking him with her tail, Rollo returns on my shoulder.

“Ahahaha, it’s the fart of a divine beast. Maybe it’s a divine favor?”

“Kuuh…” Adombraly-kun’s pupil widens as he watches us mess around with him. “But, I don’t want to be eaten…

He doesn’t seem overly angry despite having been directly hit in the face by Rollo’s fart. Or rather, he’s suppressing his anger…

Figures. Not like he can act up under these circumstances anyway.

Thereupon, Alray and Hueremy meow as they walk along the cat path I built on the roof. It looks like they’re interested in Adombraly-kun who had the rare chance to personally experience Rollo’s fart.

“Rollo won’t eat you, it seems. But, I don’t know about Alray and Hueremy.”

“――N, nyaoo.”

“Nn, nyaa――”

However…both don’t show much interest in Adombraly-kun. They play around by boxing with each other. After a while, they stop, and then continue dashing energetically across the roof, before I witness how the leave through the cat window.

“…Aren’t you glad? It looks like they have no interest in you for the moment.”

“For the moment…huh…?”

Adombraly-kun stares at Rollo on my shoulder, his eyes full of fear. After looking back and forth between me, Rollo meows at me meaningfully.

“Make him my new subordinate? Is that what you’ve asked? Or did you ask whether I wouldn’t eat him?”

“Nn.”

I only get a throaty purr as reply.

“Now then, what should I do with you, Adombraly-kun?”

He did try to attack me. While considering that, I stare at the round eyeball thing.

“Anyway, what do you want to do, Adombraly-kun?”