Dragon Knight Chronicles ~ From a mere mercenary, rise to success through tactics! A small harem with the princess and the lord's daughter!? I'll also develop my territory! ~ - Chapter 83

Chapter 83   The First Reister Vassal

“Hahaha! No human can stand against my ultimate technique!”

He had transformed into a monstrous creature, over 3 meters tall, with bulging muscles. He effortlessly snapped the iron saber he held with just his fingers.

…With that kind of swordsmanship and monstrous strength, he was an overwhelmingly powerful opponent to face one-on-one.

“Pokorina, Gau, I need your help!”

“Poko~♪”

“Gau!”

They had been observing the duel as a matter of noble honor, but now, I called them to join the fight. When dealing with a monster, there’s no place for ceremony or chivalry.

“Poko~♪”

Pokorina cast a fire spell, launching a large fireball at the creature.

“How trifling!”

The monster countered with a frost spell, neutralizing the fire magic.

…It seems he’s not just a muscle-bound brute. This could be troublesome.

“Gau!”

Gau, the mithril golem clad in armor, swung his massive battle hammer. The creature grabbed a nearby rapier and used it to block the hammer. It was impossible for a rapier to withstand such an impact, but the overwhelming aura surrounding the creature made it possible.

“…Damn it, Lord Shinker. Do you control these monsters?”

“…”

…That’s not right. Gau is Pokorina’s adopted child, not something I control. But trying to explain that to him seemed pointless.

“Gau!”

I coordinated with Gau, exchanging sword strikes while receiving magical support from Pokorina. Gradually, we began to corner the monster.

“Three against one? How cowardly!”

The creature, despite its monstrous form, complained.

“…I don’t care. The winner is the one who’s right!”

I must have said something that shouldn’t be said.

The creature’s face flushed with anger as it quickly summoned a magic circle, calling forth numerous undead monsters from the underworld.

“…Oh, no.”

Six skeletal knights clad in armor appeared to guard him, along with two undead mages and two skeletal archers as his rear guard.

“Come, my minions!”

The creature and its summoned monsters coordinated their attack against us.

“In this situation, there’s no choice!”

I cast a physical enhancement spell. The spell’s effect would last about 30 minutes, but afterward, it would leave me with severe physical exhaustion—a double-edged sword.

“Gau, Pokorina, take care of the minions!”

“Poko~♪”

“Gau!”

I charged straight at the creature. Just as it began to move to counterattack, I activated my teleportation spell, appearing behind it and plunging my sword into its back.

My beloved sword was an alloy of mithril and silver—exceptionally effective against monsters. The creature’s blood boiled at the wound, causing severe burns.

“Gwaaah! Teleportation?! A mere human wielding forbidden magic!”

As the creature spat out those words, I continued my assault. Whenever it prepared to counter, I’d immediately teleport to its blind side, launching another strike.

“Damn it!”

I inflicted two, then three deep wounds on the creature. When I drove the fourth strike deep into its abdomen, it spewed a torrent of blood.

…Is it over?

“…Heh heh heh.”

But the creature let out an eerie laugh.

“Even for a monster, you can’t move with wounds like those. Surrender! I won’t take your life.”

I urged the creature to surrender. However, it began chanting a strange and unfamiliar spell.

“Secret Art! Full Recovery!”

After finishing the incantation, the creature absorbed the fighting spirit from the surrounding monsters, claiming it as its own. As a result, its body began to heal at a terrifying speed.

“Summon! More monsters!”

The creature then summoned more undead warriors from the demon realm, offering them as sacrifices to fuel its body’s recovery.

“Damn it! Return to the earth!”

With this strategy, the tide of battle gradually turned in the creature’s favor. My physical enhancement spell wore off, and Pokorina’s magic was nearly depleted.

…Suddenly, the undead warriors stopped moving.

“Guh!?”

In the midst of the battle, the wall broke open, and sunlight streamed in. I hadn’t noticed in the dark building, but it was already morning outside.

“Gau! Break down the walls!”

“Gau!”

Following my orders, Gau began demolishing the walls of the building one after another, allowing sunlight to flood into the room.

For undead creatures, sunlight is their greatest enemy. As the undead monsters were bathed in the sun’s rays, they began turning into white ash one by one.

The same effect took hold of the creature, transforming its body back into that of Count Bartholomeus. Exhausted from overusing his magic and life force, he dropped to one knee on the floor.

“…W-What are you doing!? Why don’t you finish me off?”

I draped a cloak over the kneeling Count Bartholomeus, shielding him from the sunlight.

“It’s mercy, as one warrior to another. But I’m taking this land. You should leave—soon.”

With that, I took Pokorina and Gau and returned to the administrative office of the Enkera settlement.

◇◇◇◇◇

Three days later, late at night—in one corner of the government building, in the lord’s chambers.

“My lord! An unfamiliar guest has arrived!”

“Show them into the office!”

At the maid’s words, I rose from my bed, threw on a jacket, and took a seat in the office, awaiting the guest.

“Excuse me!”

“…Hmm?”

The guest who entered the room exuded an air of nobility, with a pale face and two fangs. It was Count Bartholomeus.

“What is your business? I believe I ordered you to leave this land.”

“I apologize, but I cannot live if I leave the ancestral land…”

“…What do you expect me to do?”

I placed my hand on my beloved sword, which was nearby.

“Wait! After our encounter, I spoke with everyone, and we wondered if you might accept me as your vassal, Lord Shinker.”

“…What!?”

And so, the first vassal I gained after taking the name Reister was none other than the monster, Count Bartholomeus.