"I like you, Ryu."
The Winged Lion's voice was steady and gentle. "I have seen all kinds of humans and understand the thoughts in their hearts. At first, I thought you were the same, but facts have proven me wrong.
Perhaps it is fate that, at the moment I was about to be reclaimed by the [Canaries], I met a man who could say 'no' to me.
You rejected me, which means you rejected desire, holding your life in your own hands... It is truly remarkable. I like you like this."
Ryu gradually stopped smiling, meeting its gaze expressionlessly, and did not say another word from that point on.
The Winged Lion did not mind. "In the eyes of you and other humans, I must be an existence of heinous crimes, correct? Tempting humans, causing them to fall, making them spurned by the world.
But, I merely responded positively to their requests. All actions and decisions were made by them—'Humans' are truly creatures adept at convincing themselves.
Weak, impulsive, domineering, wavering... yet also very cute.
I really like such humans. Spoiling them, cherishing them, nurturing them, making them become increasingly cute... and delicious."
"..."
"I am terrifying like this, am I not?"
The Winged Lion spread its wings, its four paws strolling around Ryu with the laziness unique to large felines.
"However, the more dangerous something is, the more people want to get close to it.
Perhaps because people's hearts are too empty, and reality leaves unique personalities with nowhere to fit in, there will always be some who fall deep into loneliness. They are fragile, yet also beautiful.
I sympathize with such people from the bottom of my heart. So, no matter what they ask for, I will—do it. Infinite mana is enough to support infinite wishes. Whether it is reviving the dead, making the night eternal, or building a better world... I helped them build a 'Paradise'.
The world's evaluation of me is extremely poor, but there is one thing I can say frankly, and I will absolutely not lie to you:
They were satisfied until the very last moment.
There is no time limit, nor any interest. I provide for humans unconditionally until all their wishes are fulfilled.
Just as a person with a full stomach can no longer eat anything... only then will the fruit they have cultivated fit my definition of 'delicious'.
If this contract is considered cruel, then reality is undoubtedly hell to them.
Compared to spending a lonely and brief life in hell, versus spending a long and happy time in a paradise built according to one's own wishes, only becoming my bait when no more satisfaction can be gained—
Of these two lifestyles, which one is happier?"
"..."
"I know. In your human society, things like 'morality' and 'common sense' exist, requiring you to detach from your own standpoint and choose from a more objective perspective when viewing things.
Doing this is right, doing that is wrong, doing nothing is irresponsible~
—But in the end, these are all forces applied from the outside, like spirit words, like curses... or one could say, 'the wishes of the masses'.
Compared to that, I would hope you could consider things more from your own standpoint, using your own wishes as the benchmark."
The Winged Lion extended its soft tongue. The wet, hot sensation licked Ryu's fingertips; that ticklish feeling penetrated the skin like the roots of a plant, drilling towards the depths.
It went along the blood vessels straight into the heart, merging into the marrow and piercing through the spine. The burning sensation brought a slight pain, but it also made one inexplicably obsessed.
"You actually understand it too, don't you? There is nothing in this world that does not require a price.
Everyone hopes to exchange a part of themselves for a better life.
Farmers trade physical strength and time for a full stomach; prostitutes trade health and dignity for money; politicians trade conscience and reputation for status.
Some people can simply use trivial things to exchange for wealth and power that most people could not accumulate in a lifetime.
Everyone is a slave to something, yet the price and the reward are completely unequal~
But here with me, everyone is equal. There is no distinction of high or low; one only needs to use their 'ending' to exchange for everything."
The Winged Lion came before Ryu and raised its head. Its clear eyes gazed at the handsome youth. The spotted patterns on its head slowly unfurled, turning into gem-like eyeballs, eerie yet holy.
"If you didn't have a wish, you wouldn't be able to see me—
What do you want? Ryu."
"..."
"I know. You are a person with a strong sense of responsibility, and a very great ideal is hidden deep in your heart.
That's right! Not for yourself, but for the safety of everyone, make a wish to me, Ry—"
Voom!
The thermal blade flashed past smoothly. A scorched, pungent stench emitted from the mane. The Winged Lion's eyes dimmed slightly, and then its entire head fell to the ground, leaving a smooth, slightly blackened cross-section on its neck.
"To be honest, I was really tempted."
Ryu looked down at the Winged Lion's head, aiming the thermal blade right at it.
Though he said this with his mouth, not a ripple of emotion could be seen in his eyes.
The high temperature had already caused the fur on its forehead to curl up completely, yet the Winged Lion seemed unable to sense it. It remained just as expectant and joyful, as affectionate as if looking at a best friend it hadn't seen in ages.
"Did you like the feeling of being licked by me... Will you come to see me again, Ryu?"
Schwing!
Grinning, Ryu drove the thermal blade through the Winged Lion's head from the forehead.
—Whoosh!
The Winged Lion's body dissipated instantly, leaving not a single scrap of residue, as if it had never appeared in the first place. Only the Golden Grimoire lying on the corpse remained at the scene.
Ryu stood quietly in place, waiting for the mist formed by the spores to gradually disperse. Only then did he take off the gas mask. The members of the [Canaries] had surrounded him at some unknown point.
"I am the Lord of this island. Are you the envoys of the Western Elves?"
Ryu looked around, his gaze finally settling on Captain Mithrun. "Regarding your unauthorized dispatch of a large force onto the island... due to the urgency of the situation, we will not discuss it for the time being.
Now, I have seized the Grimoire from the Mad Mage—"
Lifting his foot for a kick, Ryu tossed the Goblin corpse, along with the Grimoire, toward Mithrun.
The melancholy Elven man waved his hand; the corpse vanished instantly, while the Grimoire was firmly grasped in his hand.
"!"
In that instant, his face, which usually lacked expression and showed no motivation for anything, radiated a resentment and killing intent so dense it was almost tangible, causing even his subordinates to step two paces away.
"...It is indeed the magic conduit connected to the Demon. I have received it."
Mithrun suppressed his hatred and passed the Golden Grimoire backward. The team members dared not delay; they immediately brought out tools specially made by the Elven Kingdom to process it, giving the impression they were going to mummify the Grimoire so it would never see the light of day again.
—This thing was equivalent to a window for the Demon to spy on the outside world, as well as a medium for its contracts with humans. Keeping it where the sun never shines was the safest method.
Especially for Mithrun, the Captain. This man, like Thistle, was once a Lord of the Dungeon seduced by the Demon.
But he was one of the very few who still had the drive to survive after his desires were devoured by the Demon, avoiding becoming a complete invalid. It was for this reason that he was regarded as a precious talent, and his status in the [Canaries] had risen instead of fallen.
All his desires capable of feeling beauty had been eaten by the Demon. He was now completely a walking corpse; only his hatred for the Demon remained, supporting all his actions. Although the Demon had changed its form, whether it was a Winged Lion or a monkey, it was essentially the same enemy!
Anyone in the team could potentially be seduced by the Demon and betray them, but Mithrun alone would not—
It was like saying a eunuch couldn't contract syphilis.
"Thank you for your assistance, Lord of the Island."
A female noble Elf responsible for diplomacy within the team stepped forward, specifically bowing to Ryu to express her thanks.
Some among them had seen it: a peculiar magic that "could not be visually tracked" had severed the Dungeon Lord's hand and seized the Grimoire. Now it seemed that the human before them was the one who had ambushed the Dungeon Lord.
"Once the situation is resolved, we will certainly send a letter to our homeland to dispatch someone to reward you."
"That tone is just as high-and-mighty as the rumors say... No need for the trouble. As long as you can solve the Dungeon and then withdraw cleanly, we can consider it settled."
"Please rest assured. Although the Lord of the Dungeon fled back, he is heavily injured now and without the Grimoire; we will be able to suppress him very soon."
He still has another half, you know—Ryu shook his head. But since he couldn't explain how he knew that, he turned to leave.
"You..."
Just then, Mithrun suddenly spoke up, calling out to Ryu.
"What did the Demon say to you?"
"Nothing much."
Ryu glanced back. "I refused."
"...Understood." Mithrun nodded without a shred of doubt, and asked no further questions about the matter.
It wasn't until Ryu handed over the Grimoire that he truly relaxed. Cold sweat flowed non-stop from his head, and the suppressed emotions surged up all at once, giving him a momentary sense of dizziness...
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