22 – Complications

The keeper's scream was gone. Ritor was no longer running but walking in the middle of the forest.

"Errr…. You can put me down already." Finn muttered.

The minotaur just let Finn go, sending him crashing down. Then, the minotaur sat down and leaned against a large tree. He took a deep breath, feeling his fatigue and pain gradually return to his body.

Finn rose from the ground, brushing off his clothes. "So, if I may ask, why did you leave her? Is it because she can't die? You think it's useless fighting her?"

"My lord forbids me to kill humans." The minotaur closed his eyes.

"But, that keeper is not human." Finn sat opposite the minotaur. "She used to be human, but a great wizard transformed her into undead hundreds of years ago. Then, she was assigned to guard the cave..."

"You realize that I didn't hear your story, right?" Ritor interrupts.

Finn scratched his hair. "So, what are you going to do now?"

"I don't know, maybe return to base and wait for orders from my master."

Finn was silent for a moment. "Your master is really Vorn? He's really changed, you know? In the legend, he was very ruthless and liked to destroy humans. But this time, he sent you to help people like me instead..."

"I don't care about his former life. The important thing is that I will carry out his orders." Ritor interrupted Finn again, getting annoyed. "And you better remember his name... Maybe you wouldn't do that because you didn't get the weapon."

Finn took his fiancé's ring out of his pocket, then looked at it with a faint smile. "Actually, that wasn't my main purpose of going there. At least I get closure by paying my last respects to her..."

The man stopped talking when he heard Ritor's loud snoring.

***

{Vorn's POV}

Sitting under a tree, I continued to watch the screen that appeared above Ritor's head. The minotaur told me stories about every mission he carried out, and everything was projected onto the screen.

This is one of the best features of this game. I won't be bored because it feels like watching scenes in a movie instead of hearing long words.

Maybe it was Ritor who felt so bored. From the very beginning, he seemed hesitant to talk in detail.

"An undead keeper, huh?" I rubbed my chin.

Maybe she does have the ability to make zombies and skeleton soldiers. That would certainly help me a lot. I can build an army without using my darkness points, although they might be easier to destroy.

I just had to ask her to resurrect the already available bodies, maybe from some graveyard. She can also restore my fallen squad members in battles.

"Do you think there's a chance she will come with us?" I asked the minotaur, who was sitting cross-legged in front of me.

Ritor scratched his hair. "Well, I don't know, sir. But I can take you there to see her."

I shook my head. "Sorry, but she's mad at you, isn't she? If I were going with you, I might have a hard time persuading her."

"I see."

Phisovia landed near me and sighed. "Xenora is finally willing to wear clothes, my lord."

"Good." I got up from the ground, then spoke to Ritor again. "Sorry, we have to chat here. As I said, there's been a bit of a complication at our base."

The minotaur also rose to his feet. "That's fine, my lord."

I could detect the confusion on his face, but I didn't need to explain everything to him.

While Ritor was walking through the cave, Phisovia and I flew. Upon our arrival at the base, I found Xenora sitting with her mouth pursed. Luckily, she was already dressed, though without shoes.

I occupied the rock near the black-haired succubus, then whispered in her ear. "You're a good kid, Xenora. I just don't want your private parts to be seen by other men. Only I can see them."

She puffed out her cheeks and rested her chin on my thigh. I then rubbed her head. This girl looks cute with such an expression.

I'm so lucky to have her and Phisovia. My tiredness and stress from life disappear when I see them.

Ritor looked even more confused. He repeatedly glanced at the leash on Xenora's neck. However, the minotaur remained silent, perhaps not daring to ask me.

Not long after, Szur and Charlia came to me. Like Ritor, they glanced at the leash on Xenora's neck but said nothing.

"I apologize for doing something against your command, my lord," Szur squeaked after paying his respects to me.

"He forced me to seduce the religious leader, your majesty," Charlia added in an annoyed tone. "And that religious leader doesn't even bat an eye to me."

I kept stroking Xenora's hair. "If it's because Szur can't destroy his mind, that's fine. It's for efficiency. Sometimes you have to take the initiative yourself."

Charlia slightly lowered her chin at my answer while Szur flashed a triumphant smile.

However, I will still choose the long-distance communication skill when I advance to level two. This is so that the line of command doesn't get messed up if I have a lot of subordinates.

"It doesn't mean I can't break that religious leader's mind." Szur continued. "It's just that his faith in god is so solid. It may take months for me to succeed."

"That's bad." I sighed.

Jude must be conquered as soon as possible so that my darkness points flow more smoothly.

"The thing is, Jude isn't as pure as he looks," Szur smirked. "He was a bully when he was a kid. One day, the child he bullied committed suicide because of depression."

"That's why he felt so guilty, so he asked God for forgiveness and became a religious person?"

The little creature nodded. "You are right, Your Majesty."

I've been getting various ideas for conquering that man. It's all a little bit tricky, but the challenge is one of the things that makes a game interesting.

"That guy sucks, my lord. I heard he managed to get many of your new followers back to god's way." Charlia added. "Mayor Karl has succeeded in converting them. However, their relatives or friends brought many of those people to Jude."

Szur rubbed his chin. "And I've also seen Jude and his subordinates often make public lectures to draw the citizens back to God, or at least strengthen their faith."

This is terrible. If I don't do something, all my efforts will be in vain. No one else will worship me.

I looked at my darkness points, which only amounted to 279.

"Ritor," I called the minotaur. "Show me where the keeper is."

Ritor bowed down. "Alright, your majesty!"

"And all of you come with me." I gave orders to the others. "Except you, Charlia. I have a special task for you."

"I am ready, my lord." She bowed down too.

Then, I whispered again into Xenora's ear. "Sorry, but I must let go of this leash for a while. You also have to walk on two legs for the time being."

Xenora snorted, looking at me with a pout.

Ah, why is her cuteness level going to the roof?