The Incubus King of Holy Sword Academy (WN): Chapter 1

 

Chapter 1: Beginning of the Journey

 It was only two days ago that he received the urgent news that his father, Baron Ixel Söderholm, had been taken over by a demon. He had learned of this from a letter sent by the Holy Tree Church.

 The letter said that his father had been possessed by the king of the incubus race, which is said to have already become extinct among demons. When he asked the priest if his father was safe, he shook his head. It seems that the incubus is a species that sexually eat women, but in the case of men, it eats them physically.

 The demon captured the real Baron Ixel in a dilapidated hut somewhere・・・ He said that unless they were bred, the Baron would have already been eaten on the inside and all that would be left would be the outside.

 The incubus race is said to be indistinguishable from other races on the outside.

 When he asked the priest how they knew the Baron was a demon, he shook his head again.

 "I don't know," he said,". Most likely he was seen on performing a sabbath――

“As expected of the old Lancelot, who was once touted as the strongest in the kingdom. Look, Christopher. That incubus is covered with blood all over."

"Yeah."

 Christo nodded back at the old priest who was stroking his white beard right next to him.

 The dark-green wilderness spread endlessly before his eyes.

 The sky is cloudy.

 The clouds are thick, and nothing is being shined upon.

 In such a painting-like landscape, three figures were prancing around, running, and occasionally spurting bright red blood.

 One is a demon.

 The goat's horns, which look like they could be two meters long, the hairy face reminiscent of a ferocious beast, the muscular limbs, and the bat's wing that has been stripped off.

 The black beast was spewing black blood all over its body while howling horribly and raising its stiff arms at the man and woman.

"Uooohh!"

 On the other hand, there is the figure of a white-haired old man who raises a great sword that shines in silver.

 Compared to the demon, he looks like a dwarf, but he's actually a giant over 2 meters tall.

 Hero Lancelot.

 He is 120 years old this year, and is a survivor of the war against the demons.

 His pseudo-holy sword has a special attack against demons.

 He was an assassin sent by the Holy Tree Church as soon as Baron Ixel was discovered to be a demon.

 Next to him, a woman with white hair is chanting the Divine Word.

 It is the holy art, "Healing Light".

 The effect of the magic is to heal the target.

 She is one of Lancelot's wives.

 She is also a survivor of the Great War and was the vessel of Lancelot's pseudo-holy sword during the war.

"They're both monsters..."

 The knight of the Holy Tree Church, behind Christo on horseback, who had been shaking in his armor for some time now, muttered.

 The old priest turned his sharp eyes back.

"This is not the time for God's warriors to panic."

"B-but..."

"U-um, Priest Yohn? It is okay for us to just watch here?"

“For now, yes. Lancelot-sama said that our help would be a hindrance. That demon is the king of the incubus race that has been alive for 400 years. It is said that even men can be charmed and manipulated by it. But if Lancelot-sama's life is in danger, we must give our lives to help him."

"If that happens, we're finished..."

 Incidentally, Lancelot has so far suffered no serious injuries that cannot be cured by the holy art, "healing light", but the two old women with the pseudo-holy sword who had been his companion had already been killed.

 The first one had been killed by surprise when the demon was in the form of Baron Ixel, and the other had been sacrificed when he cut off the demon's right wing.

 But it was not until then that the tables were turned against the demon, which was incessantly flying around in the sky and shooting off magic.

 Incubus are good at magic, but they are not as strong as other demons when it comes to physical combat. At ultra-close range, they cannot use their magic well because it hits not only Lancelot but also the demon itself.

 On the other hand, Lancelot is a warrior who specializes in close combat, and his pseudo-holy sword, [The Holy Sword that Cuts Off Temptation and Slays Demon], has tremendous power, so as long as the blade of the holy sword is within reach, he can advance the battle in an advantageous manner.

"Gugyaaaaaaaaaa!"

 The demon lets out a particularly loud anguished voice.

 Lancelot's great sword finally gouged deeply into the demon's chest.

 Cheers rise from among the church knights.

 Christo furrowed his brows secretly next to the priest.

"Nuu!?"

 The demon's sharp claws swung down as if in a last desperate attempt.

 The black, ghastly claw slices Lancelot's left shoulder in an instant.

 It is a fatal wound that cannot be healed even with the holy arts―― he will bleed to death before it can be healed.

"Uoooohh!"

 The old warrior groaned.

 Even though fresh blood was gushing out from the left half of his body, he bit the hilt of the pseudo-holy sword with his teeth and, with recoil, twisted the demon's internal organs.

 While the surrounding people shouted the old hero's name in unison, one by one they slowly went down the dry field.

"Christo-sama, let's go!"

 Before Priest Yohn could finish, Christo had kicked his horse and was running down.

"Lancelot! Lancelot! Stay with me!"

"Ah... Guine..."

 When he went to the center of the dry field, which was full of holes and clouded with blood, he saw the figure of an old woman who had rescued her husband from the body of the demon. The old woman is not trying to heal Lancelot with the holy arts.

 She knows that her husband can no longer be saved.

"Damn it... my younger brother... I can't face him... I promised him that I, would, return safely..."

"......"

 The old woman held the old man in black heavy armor.

 By the time Christo dismounted from his horse, Priest Yohn and other knights of the Holy Tree Church had gathered around the old heroes.

"Amazing, big..."

“Hey, don’t touch it. The body of an incubus is an ingredient in medicines and perfumes."

“A rejuvenating medicine that costs thousands of gold coins, huh?"

"Guinevere-sama――"

 Christo, accompanied by the priest Yohn, walked up to the old woman who was weeping in the center of the circle of knights.

"――Also, Lancelot-sama. You have avenged my father, Ixel."

"Christopher-sama."

 From his wife's arms, the old man looks up at Christo.

 Priest Yohn looked alternately at Guinevere and Lancelot and whispered to Christo.

“Shouldn't we give the two of them one last moment?”

"Fuu... don't bother. My wife... I'm sure she felt the same. I was prepared even before the fight. Me and my other dead wives."

"Dear...! Uu!"

 Lancelot spilled blood from the corner of his mouth.

"One hundred years have passed since the Great War. Since I wield the holy sword that kills demons, I just kept on fighting. The incubus had not been seen once in the last twenty years. This individual...... may be the last one."

"――――"

"Tell the king of Yggdrasil..."

 Lancelot stretched out his bloody hand to Christo. Guinevere supported and held it from below.

"The old man's role is over..."

"I understand. I will certainly tell him."

"……I appreciate it……"

 Christo looked down at Lancelot with cold eyes without taking his outstretched hand.

"Do you have anything else to say? Guinevere-sama?"

"Uu... No. But for a while, I want to be alone with him."

(After all, they need their last moments. Even a couple who have been close to each other for a hundred years can't communicate perfectly.)

 While Christo was dismayed inwardly, he smiled brightly at the two old people who had continued to fight to the end.

"Don't hold back. Soon after this, you will be alone with each other forever."

"...? What, did you?"

 Priest Yohn, who was listening, tilted his head.

 Christo is――――.

 Without replying, Christo uttered a small incantation and manifested countless spears of rock from the withered ground.

 The [Rock Spears] smashed Lancelot's skull first, and at about the same time, they stabbed Guinevere's entire body.

 After a delay, it skewered the church knights who were in the area one after another.

"W-What are you doing!? Christopher-sama, are you insane!?"

 In the end, only Priest Yohn remained, who was standing right next to him and could not be attacked with the [Rock Spear].

"I'm not insane. I'm perfectly sane."

 He slowly turns around to the priest who is behind him.

 Christo picked up the broken demon's claw and walked over to Yohn.

"Why, why...!?"

"Why? Fufufu. That's."

 Christo replaced the black claw with the other hand, got down on one knee in front of the priest, and whispered softly.

"Because I'm a demon too."

"――――"

 He stabbed the priest precisely through the heart.

 The old man quickly died.

 Christo carefully searched for signs of everyone in the dry field, then rushed to the giant demon lying on its back.

"Old man. Are you still alive?"

“…………”

 The demon didn't answer.

 Closing his eyes, opened his mouth like a moron, and did not move a muscle.

 The cold wind blowing through the barren field just ruffled its white fur.

(He had been cut many times by the pseudo-holy sword.)

 Christo turns his attention to Guinevere's remains.

 There was the leather armor she had worn and a small tree sprouting with blue phosphorescence.

 It was the end of the maiden who had the pseudo-holy sword inside her.

([The holy sword that cuts off temptation and slays demons]. Even though it's a fake holy sword, it's a deadly poison to us. A single blow can leave wounds that can't be healed. Certain death due to the curse of the holy sword)

 Christo closed his eyes as he touched the demon's forehead.

"Old man. I'm sorry."

"...Christo-sama."

"――! Old man!"

 He looked up in a panic and see the goat's face tilted toward him.

 Human words flowed out of the goat's mouth.

"Christo-sama, please live."

"Yeah, of course."

 He held his hand.

 The white fur had turned black with blood.

"Live... and become a king."

"You say that even to the end of your life."

"For it is the desire of us demons."

"I see. I understand."

"Use my body. It's worth money."

"Yeah."

 That was the last conversation.

 This time the old demon extinguished the light of life from his eyes.

 Christo took a deep breath, placed the demon's hand on his forehead, and crouched down in the spot.

 × × ×

 Five days later, Christo was in a flying chariot, not a carriage, dressed in simple traveling clothes.

 A flying chariot is a vehicle in which a wyvern, a lower form of the dragon race, is attached to a steel string and carries a person inside an iron cage.

 Christo looked down at the world below through the transparent inner wall.

 The blue sky, white clouds, and a dense sea of trees stretched on and on like a carpet.

"Christo, are you listening?"

"...Yes. Count Netzel."

 A high-pitched voice brought him back, and he turned his attention to the obese man sitting in the overstuffed chair on the other side of the glass table.

 Count Netzel raised his thick eyebrows to the center and let out a big sigh.

"I'm sorry about your father. I shudder to think what it would have been if I had been you...... he had been replaced inside by an incubus without realizing it. I know exactly how you feel. I feel for you."

"Thank you."

"But aside from that, this is an important procedure. From now on, you must know where you are being sent and why."

"Yes."

 Christo nodded and stopped pretending to be listening to the count.

 That said, he generally understand what the middle-aged man in front of him was explaining until just now.

 The quick story is that he wants to seize the territory cultivated by Baron Ixel, so he is going to cut off the heir, Christo, from the local area.

 Of course, Count Netzel probably understood that it was too rude to tell the son to his face that he was in the way.

 Therefore, he approached Christo to enroll in the Yggdrasil Holy Sword Academy in the royal capital of the Yggdrasil Kingdom.

 Incidentally, he had no right to refuse.

 His father Ixel - the Demon Surt - had ostensibly been given a baronetcy by Count Netzel. If it was Count Netzel who gave him the baronetcy, it is possible to take it away from him. Unlike an associate baron, there is a law that the title of baron can be hereditary, but on the northern frontier, where the king's prestige does not reach, the will of the Count Netzel is the law.

 If the Count was so inclined, he could confiscate the lands without question for any reason and kick Christo down as a commoner.

"The tuition fee will be covered with the money from the sale of that demon's body. I was the one who helped subjugate the demon by various means, but as your guardian, I will give you some of the money as a gift. I have already deducted the taxes, so you don't have to do any complicated calculations. You don't have to worry about anything."

"Thank you."

"Ah, are you thirsty? Have a drink, too."

"Thanks for the drink."

"Yep, yep. It's good to be honest!"

 The Frontier Count twisted his obese face into a smirk and continued.

“The Holy Sword Academy is the pride of the Kingdom of Yggdrasil and is a prestigious military academy. As the name suggests, basically, children of blood who can handle the pseudo-sacred sword - in other words, children of nobles - enter the academy. The children of nobles learn various things at the academy and apply them to their reign after returning to their own lands. There are also sweet encounters. If it's a girl, this might be her main goal."

"...I've been saying all morning that I can't even use the Holy Arts, let alone the Holy Sword."

"That's, look, you'll get some credits! Or rather, I don't think holy arts is compulsory in the first place."

"If I can't use holy arts, even if I graduate from the academy, I won't be recognized as a noble."

 Holy art is strong against magic.

 The basics of holy arts, [God's Shield], [God's Sword] and [God's Arrow], except for those that have been perfected as a phenomenon.

 Also, in battles between the races of light - humans and beastmen, it simply becomes a strong weapon.

 Therefore, for the nobles who must perform a wide range of military duties, from suppressing bandits to skirmishing with demons, mastery of advanced holy arts is a must.

 Count Netzel made a difficult face and put his hand on his forehead with a number of luxurious rings.

“Nobility, you see. I would like to point out to you that it is not impossible that the lands granted to your father will remain unclaimed after your graduation. I would like you to inherit your father's land, but I don't know how the king will judge that. A powerful lecherous individual emerged. It was disguised as the reigning baron and was living in comfort. In the interest of maintaining public order, it may be deemed better for me, Eric Netzel, to reign it directly."

 The Frontier Count leaned forward and continued.

“I am on your side, Christopher Söderholm. But we must obey the king's orders as a loyal subject. You should choose your career path with the worst-case scenario in mind, that is, that you have no land to return to when you graduate from the academy."

"You mean I should become a scholar or something?"

“You can use magic, right? Then the Adventurer's Guild might be a good idea for you to become an S-rank adventurer. Some of the former knights of the Söderholm territory went to job interviews with the Adventurers' Guild that their ability to use both the holy and the magic arts was their strong point, and they suddenly achieved the rank of C-level adventurer. You can follow their example."

"――――"

 It suddenly occurred to him that it would be a good idea to cut the man in front of him to pieces and make him disappear into the sea of trees below.

 He was getting tired of listening to the man's high-pitched voice.

 He has no hesitation in killing him.

 He would rather kill him right now.

(But then what?)

 Christo looked into his eyes.

 Would he continue to live a rough life deep in the forest, away from the eyes of people?

 If he just lived, he might be safe for a few years.

 But as the power of light increases and the forest is being cultivated, he will eventually lose his escape and be hunted to death.

 How about creating a rebellious organization?

 At first, it could be a group of mercenaries.

 But will the mercenaries fight against demons or light races?

 Whichever they fight, it is not likely to go well.

 In the first place, it seems that Christo is the only survivor of the incubus race, and it will be extremely difficult to recruit proper personnel, whether it be a rebellious organization or a mercenary group.

(It is only those races with a certain amount of individuals remaining, such as the dragons and vampires, that build up a rebellious force. It is not an option to be taken impulsively at this moment.)

 So what about the option of following the words of this Frontier Count and enrolling in the Holy Sword Academy?

 The disadvantage is that there is a higher risk of Christo being exposed as a demon.

 On the other hand, there are many advantages.

 He was saddened by his lack of imagination, but he couldn't think of any other options that seemed good at the moment.

"Speaking of which..."

"Hmm? What is it? Ask me anything. I'm your guardian after all."

“How did the church know my father was a demon? Did he use some kind of special art, read the stars, or was he seen performing a sabbath?"

 When Christo asked that, Netzel made a dumbfounded face and then burst into laughter.

"What, you didn't know?"

"Yes. If you know, could you tell me?"

"Simple. —There was an informant."

"Informant? Who informed them?"

"A private tax collector."

 Netzel answered shortly.

 He tipped his glass and continued.

“I heard that the tax collector didn't think Baron Ixel was really a demon either. The baron, or rather, the demon itself, caught the tax collectors embezzling last month. Tax collectors are always resented, but this led to severe accusations from various quarters. After all, the baron seized their family property, and most of them are now destitute."

"――――"

“So the tax collectors, who had a grudge against the baron, ratted him out to the Holy Tree Church, saying he was a demon. Isn't that hilarious?"

"I see, out of a lie came the truth."

 The Frontier Count lifted the edge of his mouth.

“Last month, we established a new window tax on all of our territory, including Söderholm. It's a radical tax that taxes people according to the number of windows they have. The baron, or the demon, heard the anguish of the people and decided to effectively reduce the taxation of the people by smashing the companies that were overtaxing and collecting the tax. And that proved to be the death of him. It's a story that makes me cry. Hahahahaha."

"True. Hahahahahaha"

 In the end, the demon Surt could not escape.

 He could not resist his instinct to keep his contract with humans, an instinct that has been with him since he was created by God as a spirit in prehistoric times.

 It is no wonder that Surt died.

(Even to do a good deed, one must choose the right time and the right person. Otherwise, God easily betrays fools.)

"Oh, we're about to arrive at the port. Christo, get ready."

"……Yes."

 Once again Christo hesitated whether or not to kill Netzel right here, and eventually picked up the hat he had left next to him.

 For now, he would at least take a look at what Holy Sword Academy is like.

 After that, it's not too late to decide whether he wants to leave the academy or enjoy his student life.

 × × ×

"Christopher Söderholm-sama. Age: 23 years old. Male. Human. No guardian. We have confirmed the payment stamp for the school fees. Welcome to Yggdrasil Holy Sword Academy.

 The port was located on a small hill outside the walls of the royal capital of Yggdrasil.

 The surrounding area was a waiting area for wyverns and people taking flights, and the visibility was excellent.

 As soon as Christo and Netzel stepped out of the box of the flying chariot, they were surrounded by men in fancy orange noble clothes.

 They seemed to be workers at the Holy Sword Academy, and they had come out to have Christo fill out an enrollment form. He had assumed that he would take care of all the formalities when he arrived at the academy, but it seems that Netzel had already taken care of it.

 Perhaps Netzel had planned to expel Christo from the territory even before Ixel was exposed as a demon. Otherwise, there is no explanation for this preparedness.

"This is goodbye, Christo. I'm sad, but do well at the academy."

 The obese noble cut in front of him, replacing the orange uniforms.

 Netzel took Christo's hand and smiled.

"It is said that you have no guardian, but this only means that you have no guardian in the legal sense of the word. You are an adult. You have to live on your own. But I am your guardian. I am the guardian of your heart. If you ever need help, don't hesitate to turn to me."

"Thank you."

“Yeah. Well then, I have to talk to the person who I could sell the demon's corpse, so now――"

 When Netzel said that much with a smug look on his face...

"Excuse me! Are you Count Eric Netzel!"

 A male voice suddenly called out from behind the Count.

 Christo and Netzel looked in the direction of the voice and saw a group of people dressed in merchant-style clothes coming toward them from the wooden port gate.

 They were dressed in clothes with gold embroidery in some places, which looked very expensive.

"Eric Netzel, it's me."

"Oh, hello. This is the first time we have met like this. I am Romero of the Fridge Trading Company."

"Oh, Romero. Hello, it's nice to meet you. I've ordered the demon's body to be transported to your warehouse. It should arrive in a few hours."

 Netzel replied with a frown, as though he did not understand why his business partner had come all the way to the port.

 The man who introduced himself as Romero of the Fridge Trading Company distorted his eyes and turned his tone back to the frontier count.

"I would be troubled if it arrived!"

“What? What do you mean? We signed a contract last time to sell a 400-year-old incubus for 5,000 gold coins. Didn't you receive my letter?"

“I have received it! But, Sir, the body of the incubus you sold belonged to a man named Christopher Söderholm, according to the Adventurers' Guild's subjugation record!"

"What? Subjugation record? Christo?"

 The frontier count's eyes go blank.

 The merchant Romero spat out with growing irritation at his unintelligible counterparty.

"That means that the incubus corpse doesn't belong to you! The corpse is the property of the owner of the name on the adventurers' guild's account book! Who did you name as the owner when you submitted the proof of subjugation? Christopher, right? Isn't this Christopher the son of the murdered Baron Söderholm?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about. I was the one who led the team to defeat the demon, and now that Lancelot-sama has died, I guess that means I'm the one who has a claim for it."

"It's out of the question. If you're going to deal with us merchants in the royal capital, I'd like you to follow the laws of the royal capital."

"W-what is the meaning of this?"

 Netzel, at a loss, looked up at Christo.

 Christo shrugged.

“You left all the procedures to your butler, right? Then why don’t you ask the butler about the situation?"

"――――. R-Romero. What should I do?"

"According to our law, the sale of other people's property is valid. Either you buy the demon's corpse from Christopher-sama and prepare it for us, or you pay us for the damage."

"Romero-sama. I am Christopher Soderholm."

 Christo took off his hat, pushed aside the count, and took Romero's hand.

"Eh, you?"

"I am entering the Holy Sword Academy today. Here is my certificate of enrollment. My name and face are on it."

"Oh, it certainly looks like the person himself. Can I inquire about it later?"

"Of course."

“Thank goodness. You've saved us all a lot of trouble."

"Yes, really."

 Christo nodded with a smile and pointed with his hand at Count Netzel.

“I will sell the demon to His Excellency the Frontier Count for 5,100 gold pieces right here and now. After that, the Fridge Trading Company will purchase the demon's body from His Excellency for 5,000 gold pieces.”

“I-I'll buy the demon from Christo for 5100 coins and then sell it to the Fridge Trading Company for 5000 coins......? No, no, wait......! I'll lose money if I do that! This is absurd! Void it all! Nullify it all!"

"You're the one who's reckless, Frontier Count...... This is not your territory. ――There's no problem here, Soderholm-sama."

"Count Netzel. If you don't buy it, I'll sell the demon to another merchant. In that case, you will have to pay Romero-sama for the damage. I won't say anything bad about it, so you might as well buy the demon from me."

"...Christo. You..."

“This will be farewell now, Count Netzel, so I have one last thing to say to you."

 Christo took a pen from his chest and placed it firmly in the fat man's fingers.

"When you are making a large transaction involving thousands of gold coins, it is best to check the details yourself, rather than leaving it to others. Otherwise, you will get a disappointing result like this one."

"This demon...!"

"Fuu. Not at all."

 Christo looked into the small eyes of the count.

"I'm a human, so please don't tip me off like some tax collector."

――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

[Rock Spear]

 This is a magic technique that can be used in the northern frontier. A large spear of rock is generated from the ground. It will fail if there is no oak tree in the field where the spell is used. Also, it is necessary to determine the area to be used by pointing a branch of lodgepole pine in advance. The lodgepole should be a parasite of a six-year-old oak tree.