Chapter 36: The Demon Successors
Dark clouds filled the sky as rain flooded the ground with deep puddles of murky water. A woman wearing black robes dashed along the road, her steps splashing water with every step she took. Her black hair shone like silk in the moonlight.
"Crap! I need to hurry. These fucks are too persistent!" She said with her increasing irritation.
Her body was thin and streamlined as she slipped through several boxes. She used her skilful footwork to slam them down behind her, delaying her followers. Two men behind her fell down from her tricks. They clicked their tongues, continuing their chase as green mana surrounded their legs to increase their speed.
"Catch the demon bitch!"
"Ah, she stole our fucking insignia!"
These two were humans who betrayed humanity. They had joined a successor for the demon race. Aldred Mammon was their master who used to have a brilliant future. Marry the demon princess Chiharu Luana Ebina and spend his life in luxury with his own grand harem.
Her return ended his dreams as she announced her desire to marry another, and her second demon core had already become his. Aldred couldn't stand this humiliation and started building an armed force to take her by force. If she didn't become his, there was no need for her to exist.
His father seemed pleased at these events. It wouldn't affect his loyalty to his Queen Ophelia. He was honestly pleased to see his waste of a son finally being productive. Neldar assured the Demon Queen he would step in before the princess was in real danger.
The common belief was a female demon would lose her power after they chose their mate. However, her daughter developed into a new race. Her core no longer mattered, her flame became more powerful, in fact. Ophelia would wait for her daughter to present Aldred Mammon's head before her.
"Hah… Hah… Damn princess, forcing me to do dirty work! I want a fucking raise!" Ludris lowered her hood as she reached a dead end, now trapped inside a rectangle of several metres wide. She lowered her body as the black leather outfit she wore morphed with her mana, revealing a leather tunic and dual daggers behind her back.
"At least Lucian let me be lazy all day. I should probably deal with this garbage."
Black mana shrouded her body like smoke. It hid her weapons and armour with a makeshift ethereal robe. Her emerald eyes watched the two men approach, holding their short swords. Their gazes filled with lust upon seeing her voluptuous body when the front male approached slowly.
"Now, pretty little young lady. I think you should give back the thing you stole, then get on your knee's and beg for forgiveness. Our lord is the great Aldred Mammon, the future demon king!" Mammon Thug A said in a superior tone.
"Yeah! You should also strip so we can see the good before we offer them to our master. He loves rabbit demons in his bed!"
*Crack*
Ludris stepped onto a large stone, crushing it into dust. Her eyes sparkled with an emerald light. She watched him like a predator. She grasped her daggers, resting the sheaths against her ass.
"Oho? Your master loves rabbit demons on his bed? Tell me which ones they might be?"
Both men seemed to believe she was hooked as they relaxed their vigilance and guards. Mammon Thug B stepped one metre closer. His body was now less than five metres from her as his arms opened wide.
"Yes! Can you imagine that shadow of death? The slut who follows that whore princess who bedded a wild man! Royal knight, Ludris Estala." Thug B was so sure of himself as he spoke, unable to detect the chill that surrounded the area.
He watched as the pretty girl's figure flashed. He felt an itchy feeling around his neck. His hand touched where he felt the prickling pain. Blood shot from his neck. His final thought was how the tilted view was strange. Thug A stood shocked, his eyes dilated with a shaking sword.
He had been with thug B since he was a child. Two feelings were fighting each other within his mind. The fear towards this woman who vanished into black smoke before she killed his friend without revealing how she attacked. His eyes peered at the girl, who held her hips and acted innocently.
"He called me a slut, so I killed him. That's fair, right?" Ludris said, her head tilted to the side to ask the man's reply.
"Y-you…"
"W-hat... Why?"
His hands trembled as he tried to hold the sword towards her. Once again, her body became a black smoke that drifted around his body. The fear of death crippled him as he struck out wildly with his sword, which only caused the smoke to dissipate briefly.
"Heh?"
"GYAAAAAH!?"
The thug's arm fell to the ground, landing inside a puddle with a splash, filling the man with muddy water. His body went into shock, instantly shaking violently. It took several seconds before blood started shooting from the severed arm. Her body reappeared in front of him, her hood now only showing her white teeth and a sinister smile. She was smaller than him, as her head was just below his throat.
"I am the sword of the princess. One who shall clear her path! Knight Ludris Estala! Warrior of the Black Iron Rabbit tribe!"
His lips were about to open with his response when a sharp spike shot from her forehead, piercing his throat and brain. The horn seemed to devour his blood as her eyes turned a crimson colour for a moment.
"U-uh…. gh... grk!" He gasped for air as he choked on his own blood and flesh before passing away.
Her vampiric properties applied not only to her fangs but to her black iron horn. She only used her horn for others as the fangs were for one person only. The one who gave her the power to surpass Chiharu's enemies.
Ludris breathed deeply. Her face returned to the cute girl that played around in the mansion. She was no longer the former assassin of the dark order. Her hand pressed a small gem embedded inside her necklace. Moments later, static sounded before a woman's voice came through.
"Did you deal with the trash, Ludris?" Chiharu said with a flat voice lacking all sense of emotion.
"Yes Princess! Ludris has slain the ones who captured those demon girls!"
"Were you able to give them peace… How many of those girls will live?" Chiharu spoke once more with concern.
Ludris thought deeply about tonight. This wasn't the first time she had killed the lackeys of enemy demon heirs. The word spread that Chiharu had lost her purity to a male of another race. The enemies of her mother acted to make the people lose faith in Queen Ophelia. They tried to make the demons have doubts about how they chose a new Demon King/Queen..
"Seventeen. Two now sleep forever. Ten wish to serve our cause. Five begged for a fresh start far away."
Chiharu gave a sigh of joy when she heard the news. Her attitude coming from the speaker seemed much more relaxed.
"The five girls need money to start their new lives. Maybe suggest the town of Adelvania in the Vampire kingdom. Send a letter of recommendation to Emura and Marina, like the last few girls. Give the girls plenty of female escorts! The horror's that man inflicted won't be easily cured!" Chiharu said, her voice was very dignified. It caused Ludris to salute her out of habit as a knight.
"Aldred... I swear to the demon goddess, I shall eradicate you from this world! We saved over fifteen girls, though... I'm glad."
There was a tapping on the call. Her lord seemed to be happy. She would imitate the habits of the man whom she longed to see when feeling relieved or joyful.
"The girl's who wished to join our cause send them to your mother and allow her to train them as knights. No matter what race or creed, if they will follow me, I shall become their home. No matter what lies ahead, I shall never abandon those girls or any that stand behind my back."
Ludris found her words to be effective and had been recording them to show the girls later. She always admired how, despite living in a disgusting world of betrayal and death. Chiharu could still continue smiling and caring for others.
"Yes, princess! Your knight Ludris shall do as you will!"
"Ludris…"
"Mmm, good. I shall see you later tonight. Please be careful, you are my dearest friend. I'd rather see the world destroyed than to lose you!" Chiharu said as she ended the call with a static noise.
"I would do anything to fulfil your dreams. Even killing your mother!"
A fierce crimson light flashed in her eyes as she returned to 'Chuchu' after a moment, shaking her head. She left the dark alley filled with blood and guts, whistling a cheerful tune.
Her shadows had ripped the men apart whilst she spoke on the phone to her princess. Ludris only had two things inside her heart. The desire to make her lord the queen and to interact with the man who makes her feel something strange yet exciting inside her chest.
"Lucian… I wonder how many women he collected since we parted. Will they play with me?"