Chương 320: We Shall Meet Again

Previously, my heists would only include things my instinct for food would tell me were nice snacks, but since my family now included people who weren't monsters or spectres, I suppose that having actual money available would be nice for them… So whatever I couldn't devour, I sent straight to the Gravescape. Getting access to this pocket space was truly a blessing. In particular, getting Kyrtian to endlessly produce the trinkets needed to access and exit this space had been a most splendid idea.

It allowed me to easily steal even large objects in the blink of an eye. The treasury was rapidly emptied in its entirety. Not even leaving a speck of dust behind, as Velpa was too careful about cleaning and organising for there to be any of it. What a nice feeling it is to be back to myself after acting for so long–It felt especially refreshing since I hadn't encountered any challenge this entire time.

I had sailed through this mission without ever being questioned or running into the risk of having my true form discovered… It was nice to see that my acting skills were still top-notch, but the lack of opposition made it all a bit boring. I guess the 'Gynoid Form' is just that good for this sort of task. Coupled with my acting, there was literally no reason for anyone to even suspect that anything was wrong with sweet Leomi. It would seem that I am simply too skilled for my own good, eheheh.

Once I was done patting myself on the back, I left the treasure, avoided stepping in the blood of the guards I rendered headless, and decided to go for the other point of interest–The young lord's room. This time, I was going to do something nice. I was going to rid Hyotrask Junior of the quote-on-quote 'innate ability' that had been ruining his life. I quietly entered his room, walking over to the slumbering demon. I should thank him for existing. His presence made my mission so much easier.

I had been worried that I would end up having to seduce the lord to get the opportunity to poison him, but I had found a much simpler way into his heart in the end. Oh, Devilblood… I would have tried to eviscerate you in your sleep if I hadn't grown a little bit fond of your son. In light of this, I'll leave you alive and won't go out of my way to slaughter as many people in this residence as possible–What a shame. I bet his flesh would have been delicious. So you've come for me, huh… Of course I have, Conduit.

You are a piece of food I simply can not pass up. In response, the Living Curse ominously laughed. It was a laugh of… It sounded like relief, which was a bit confusing. Then go ahead and devour me, whatever you are! It will not kill me anyway. Oh? What do you mean by that? I'll have you know that I rob people of their souls or whatever alternative they have when I kill them.

Even those decrepit bastards that sit in their caves for centuries wouldn't be able to escape death if I inflicted a mortal wound upon them, but even as I tell you this, I can feel that your confidence does not waver in the least… What's the secret, Conduit? The Living Curse seemed like he wouldn't say anything, but I guess he was willing to have conversations with anyone at this point. The little curse that accompanies you is young and ignorant. She wasn't around when our kind ruled over a large kingdom!

Listen, even the Revenger of Noktronne couldn't destroy us in the blink of an eye. It was a confrontation that lasted for years on end, and in that time, we figured out a way to become immortal! Is that so? It is so! We found a way to connect with a realm of boundless curse energy. Curse energy is the only kind of energy that exists there, and it is so pure that even the strongest of us couldn't remain there for too long, lest the influx of pure energy make them explode…

We couldn't stay there, not directly, at least. Only a handful of us managed to figure it out, but we learned how to place a small part of ourselves, sealed inside a protective membrane. If we are to die here, the portion of our consciousness and body we left in this realm will awaken. The pure curse energy will restore us to our prime instantly, and we will be as good as new, if not even stronger! I see… I do have a question, though. What question?

If you were part of this kingdom, how did you manage to never even meet another female Living Curse? It sounded like Conduit choked on something for a few moments. Well, huh… Female Living Curses are actually incredibly rare. I only heard of them a few times… I guess you could say I switched a few details around, so huh… Alright, we Living Curses are indeed not supposed to reproduce normally. We are only meant to pop out of thin air under certain circumstances, or sometimes for no particular reason at all.

Females are an anomaly, and Living Curses born from an anomalous union are powerful beyond belief… These curses were the first to be targeted by the Revenger of Noktronne. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. I see… No wonder you were so flustered back then. I wasn't flustered! Me? N-Nervous because a girl showed a slight bit of interest in me? Ah! Never, absolutely never! You are convincing nobody, Conduit, not even yourself. Urgh… Don't judge me.

It's difficult to keep cool when you meet the opposite sex of your species for the first time ever after thinking that they were a legend! Living Curses are not built for such interactions. We are supposed to all sound like males, but ultimately just be nothing but sapient curses. Besides… My reaction is mild. I have enhanced my thinking and wisdom a lot! Another Living Curse who had never seen one would be losing his damned mind about this. Alright, alright…

So what you're saying is that I'll get the chance to eat you a second time? … Can't we just politely ignore each other? Not if I sense you within eating range. Come on, that Anathema seems to like me at least a little bit. Could you at least consider not eating me alive if we were to run into one another again? I'll consider it if she's grown up enough. Well, I guess that's the best deal I'll get out of this… Regardless, you have my thanks for getting me out of this prison. Just get it over with.

With pleasure, Curse Boy! Placing just the tip of a single finger against the slumbering demon's chest, I pulled out the Living Curse that had burrowed itself so deeply into his being. Unbelievable, you're part Living Curse, but you feel more like our natural predator… These grumblings were the last words of Conduit, this version of him, at least. I swiftly devoured him, and even a being as strong as him was utterly powerless–He's right. I am the natural predator of curses and spirits.

Regardless, I was forced to put one knee on the ground. This fucker alone was akin to the full might of the Blood-Cursed Tree from back then. He hadn't been joking. He was truly an ancient and insanely powerful entity… To think that even something of his calibre could end up getting trapped like this was quite worrisome. If my enemies can't kill me, then they'll definitely consider sealing me away, well… Most of my enemies, I suppose. Leton would never settle for sealing me away.

If he takes action, it would be to try to put a permanent end to all of this… Any good news, Nara? The absorption of Conduit will take a while, but I am confident that this will yield something apart from the large improvement to your side as a Steel-Bound Curse That's nice to hear.

"Is someone here?" The young lord was woken up, putting his hands over his own chest. Did he feel it when I plucked Conduit out of his body? I gently placed my hand over his mouth.

"Shhh… It's just me, Young Lord. Do not worry about a thing. The thing that has forced you to hide all of this time is gone" It would seem that Conduit's presence has left an imprint. An innate ability is starting to slowly develop in the spot he used to occupy as a false innate ability"You might have even gained a gift, but for now…

Just go back to sleep" With the soft melody of my 'Music Box', I lulled him back into slumber and turned into the 'Nightmare Form', twisting his dreams to make him think that the interaction that just took place was nothing more than a dream instead of reality. Good luck to whoever is in charge of raiding that blood ocean.

Although I would have loved to jump headfirst into this massive pool of what would be considered 'flesh' to my special palate, I couldn't even sense a whiff of this ocean's existence, nor had I been clued in on how to even get to it. Besides, I am certain no one would appreciate it if I drank down an entire ocean that was apparently worth a whole lot. … I would ask Ergonip about it later. Maybe I can pay him with the intel I just learned from Conduit?

The dusty skeleton is ancient and knows a lot, but he can't know everything. Also, he's a mage, and no mage can resist the allure of knowledge. I prepared to warp away, but I heard Ophelie's voice whisper something to me.

"Heh, aren't you quite sharp, Ophelie? Alright, then…" I left a present for Hyotrask Junior, and then I warped away. Appearing in my knightly form inside my room in Leou's tower. I tried to sigh, but I could no longer do this anymore as I had changed form. Although the day and night cycle was as messed up as most things were in this world, it was also night in Heldinot. So of course, Mari and Leou were sleeping in my bed to get whiffs of my scent, which was probably just the smell of iron.

My 'Gynoid Form' lacked the juice to join them, so I instead turned into my 'Base Form', threw on the usual stylish clothes and cloak I liked to wear in this form, and left the room. I have been gone for several months now, so naturally, the first thing that happened when I stepped out of the room was Xlown splattering into me–Literally, her consistency was like that of a slime right now.

"I missed you so much, Mommy!" She reformed into her usual form, hanging from my neck as I propped her up.

"I missed you two, Xlowny. Was everything alright in my absence? The owl bastard didn't cause any problems, did he?"

"Not that I am aware of, but some adventurers or whatever did show up accusing Mama Leou of hiding you. They were all kicked out of the city, so they didn't get to do anything other than shout and be annoying""Is that so?"

"I also ate a few of them, but I was very sneaky! Well… No, they entered illegally and hurt some of the guards, so it's more like they sneaked themselves into my stomach, heheh" I booped her nose slightly.

"As long as they went missing without a trace, it's fine. No signs of the halfling detective?"

"None whatsoever""That's even more worrying than the alternative" I tapped the lower part of my maw in thought as I walked around the quiet tower while holding Xlown with one arm. I suppose it is time to play the offensive. I do have knowledge of a rather compromising secret regarding Lunovis Boorizar. With Leou's assistance, I will be able to spread it throughout the entire country in record time…