I touch the magic shield. I think he wanted to tell me to get stronger.

  Suddenly, a shout pierced the air.

  「OMIROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOS!!」


  Rietto headed toward us… While riding on a werewolf.

  That werewolf did not eat humans anymore since it had been told by the Dark Knight to protect this kingdom. Maybe that was the reason it had decided to live here.

  It also visited Echigos many times while he was under medical care. Perhaps it considered Echigos a friend. Also, for some reason, that werewolf was very attached to Rietto.

  「What are you two talking about?」


  「The Dark Knight.」


  「Ooh, that minstrel old man, huh… I didn’t expect him to be the Dark Knight.」


  「Hahaha, neither did we.」


  「I mean, who’d have thought the minstrel we captured was the Dark Knight without armor? Hey, maybe someday I’ll be known as “The Man Who Captured The Dark Knight, Defeater Of The Hero of Light”?」


  「… Who do you think will believe that story, McGyusis?」


  「Che. It’s the truth, though.」


  McGyusis was frustrated with the lack of faith in him. It seemed to amuse Rietto, she was smiling at him. Then she looked at me.

  「Hey, Omiros… Can we meet… That minstrel old man and… And Regena…?」


  「Yup. Someday, we’ll meet them again.」


  As I reassured her, I looked at the sky.

  As long as we lived under the same sky, I’m sure we’ll meet again.

  ◆ Dark Knight, Kuroki

  「Fufufu~?」


  Kuna was happily brewing tea right in front of me.

  I bet her good mood was because Regena left with her family yesterday, heading toward the Holy Republic Lenaria.

  Thanks to that, the inhabitants of my mansion were reduced to just me, Kuna and the bear-faced caretaker Modes had assigned to me when he gave me this mansion.

  The caretaker seemed to be a woman of the Werebear race, but I wasn’t sure. I could only see her in her “human” disguise. Maybe she had a grudge against me because I still didn’t know her name.

  Unlike Kuna, the caretaker was quite sad to know Regena was moving out. I remember how she drooled whenever she saw Regena and her people. Maybe she wanted to eat them. Thinking of how the Werebear treated her, I’m glad Regena left Nargol. It was not a place for humans to live.

  I felt a little lonely.

  「Look, Kuroki. As long as Kuna is here, you don’t need someone like Regena to brew you tea.」


  After placing the teacup in front of me, Kuna placed her hands on her hips. This position pushed out her melon-sized breasts, and they shook like pudding. Her current attire was the one Regena wore before she left, a maid outfit.

  As for where that maid outfit came from… I commissioned a dwarf to make clothes for Regena and the others, and that was what he gave me. I’ve been told the dwarf had wanted to replicate the clothes worn by one of the Hero of Light’s followers.

  By the way, the Werebear caretaker also wore maid clothes.

  All this time, Regena had taken care of us while wearing a maid outfit.

  It had troubled me whenever I looked at her.

  The same maid outfit that disconcerted me so much when Regena wore it was now being worn by Kuna. The problem was… Kuna’s breasts were much, much bigger than Regena’s. Now that they were boosted by a maid outfit, they could be considered weapons of mass destruction.

  I couldn’t take my eyes off them.

  They looked like they’d burst through her clothing at any moment.

  「What’s wrong, Kuroki? Is there something wrong with the tea?」


  Kuna was looking at me with a puzzled look on her face.

  Thank God. It looks like she didn’t notice how charmed I was by her chest.

  「No, no. Thank you for the tea, Kuna. I’ll drink it now.」


  I picked up the cup and drank the tea.

  The tea was delicious and sweet. However, there was a subtle underlying flavor that I hadn’t tasted before.

  [TL: It’s a TRAP!!!]

  「What’s wrong, Kuroki?」


  The way Kuna stared at me…


  … Was she expecting some sort of reaction?

  「Um, it’s delicious. I don’t think I’ve drunk this type before, what kind of tea is this?」


  「Ah, I got this tea from Datie.」


  It took everything I had to control the impulse I had to spit out the tea.

  Datie… Did she mean Datie, the Goblin Queen?

  I met Datie not long ago when I traveled to the Keron Kingdom to look for Goz. I heard from Datie that he was locked in an underground water prison for stealing. Goz had stolen an important item that Modes had entrusted to Datie.

  Thus, Goz would never be able to hurt Regena again. When I told her about this, she was delighted. After all, with Goz gone she could return to human society.

  Although I was also satisfied with that outcome, only one thing left me worried. While I was talking to Datie, she kept staring at my crotch as if she wanted to lick it.

  It creeped me out so much that I hope I never meet her again. Ever.

  Did that mean this tea was a gift from Datie?

  I thought Datie and Kuna were on bad terms with each other…


  「Is it delicious, Kuroki?」


  What was I thinking? This was the tea Kuna had personally brewed for me. There’s no way it would taste bad.

  I drank the tea to the bottom and smiled at her.

  「It’s delicious, Kuna.」


  「I see. Please drink again. Kuroki needs more tea because you have unbelievably powerful resistances. Kuroki is always reserved with Kuna, that’s why Kuna prepared this to accept Kuroki’s everything.」


  [TL: She means their pillow talk.]

  … Resistance?

  Kuna refilled my cup, but I was paying more attention to her words.

  What was she talking about?

  As I tried to figure out the meaning of her words, I suddenly got a bad premonition, like something bad was going to happen. There was the Ogre matter, too, but Kuna was taking care of it. She wouldn’t let them run rampant.

  「Yeah, that’s right. I have a present for you, Kuna.」


  I took a box from my bosom pocket and showed it to her.

  「Is… That… ?」


  Inside the box rested a pair of rings.

  I picked up one of them and, raising Kuna’s left hand, inserted one on her ring finger.

  「This ring is one half of a set. Both have been loaded with two magic spells: one, to make each wearer aware of the other’s position and two, to allow each wearer to teleport to the other’s position.」


  As I speak, I show her the companion ring already on my left ring finger, just like hers.

  Kuna’s eyes were already wet with tears.

  「With this, we’ll be together forever.」


  「Kuroki!! KUROKI!!! I LOVE YOOOUU!!」


  Kuna jumped up and embraced me, crying.

  「Haha, I’m glad you like my gift.」


  Brushing her hair away from her face, I feel a pang of guilt in my heart.

  The real reason I gave her that ring was to prevent Kuna from going wild. As long as she wore that ring, I could monitor Kuna wherever she went.

  Then again, it’s not like I was going to tell her that.

  Anyway… Kuna’s scent was so nice…


  Knock knock!

  Someone knocked on the door as I embraced Kuna.

  「WHO’S THERE!?」


  Whoa.

  Kuna immediately moved away from me and shouted at the newcomer.

  It looks like she’s in a bad mood from having our romantic mood interrupted… However, the one that opened the door was someone completely unexpected.

  「Excuse me, my dear master.」


  「Regena!? What are you doing here?」


  Yup. It’s just like Kuna said.

  By now, Regena should be with her family in the Holy Republic of Lenaria by using the teleportation stone she got from Shirone.

  「Yes, I should have left, but… I stayed behind by myself. I have one last wish to ask of my master.」


  Regena bowed her head.

  Kuna’s features twisted in a displeased frown.

  「What? What do you want from Kuroki?」


  「My wish is… For my dear master to give me his affection.」


  「Eh?」


  「!!!!!」


  Regena’s eyes stared straight into mine, not even blinking.

  I quickly reached out to stop Kuna, who had silently summoned her scythe.

  「Affection… !? Eh- WAIT, WAIT KUNA! Keep away the scythe!!」


  「Regena! YOU WANT HIS AFFECTION WITH THAT SEEDY-LOOKING BODY OF YOURS!!! KUNA IS ENOUGH FOR HIM!!!」


  「Is that so? Hm… I could swear that sometimes my dear master sneaks glances at my butt…」


  The tea I had been drinking was forced out in a spray from a few simple words.

  She knew. I can’t believe she knew. I thought I had been subtle!

  Sorry, Regena! I’m so sorry for sneaking glances at your butt while you’re bending over on your cleaning duties!

  「NO! YOU CAN’T! Kuna is enough for Kuroki!! Just now, his gaze was glued to Kuna’s breasts! HE DOESN’T NEED REGENA!!!!」


  … I unintentionally slipped from my chair onto the floor in despair and embarrassment.

  She noticed my lewd gaze!!!!! I’m sorry, Kuna! I’m sorry for staring at your breasts!!!

  「Your Excellency!! May I come in, Your Excellency?!!」


  Several footsteps could be heard heading to the room we were in. The ones who just arrived were the female knights of the Demonkind, armed to their teeth. They brusquely pushed Regena aside and barged into the room.

  The women bowed to me.

  「We were ordered by His Majesty the Demon King to become Your Excellency’s subordinates. Please take care of us.」


  Now that I thought about it… Were those the subordinates Modes was talking about before? I didn’t expect them to be a female-only team.

  The Demon Race was divided into two classes: the Lower Class and the High Class.

  Low-Class demons had a hideous appearance, whereas the High-Class demons had a beautiful appearance, greatly resembling the human race except for the horn on their heads. High-Class demons were so beautiful, their appearance is commonly compared to that of angels.

  Each of those knights in front of me was a beauty on their own.

  「Why… Why… WHY!!!」


  Kuna seemed to be at her wit’s end. Maybe the increase in the number of women around me was too much of a shock to her. Then again, not even I expected that these women would become my subordinates.

  They should be Mona’s subordinates.

  Since they were here, Mona must have consented to the transfer of her knights to me. That is odd. I thought she hated me.

  Poor Kuna looks bewildered.

  My noisy days had just begun.

  I drink the tea as I stare at Nargol’s sky outside my windows. For some reason, my body felt hot. The room was filled with a nice fragrance of women. So many of them in the same place at the same time…


  My thoughts were becoming hazier…