Dungeon Defense (WN)

I examine the status screen carefully.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Name: Vuffoet Ranierika Race: Vampire (Doll)　　 Main Body: Ivar Lodbrok Attribute: Evil (-20)

Level: 34　　　　Fame: 4,522 Job: Merchant (A)

Leadership: 30/30　　Might: 42/42 　　Intelligence: 71/71 Politics: 59/59　　Charm: 76/76　　Technique: 10/10

Affection: 100

*Title: 1. Keuncuska Executive Candidate *Abilities: Trade A, Accounting B, Arithmetic B *Skills: –

Current thought: “Lapis Lazuli looks displeased. That fellow must be holding a grudge against me. It is surely because I once saw her naked, and she is still sulking about it even now. Ugh, how narrow-minded…….” ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Her name field clearly states Vuffoet.

The attributes also differed greatly from Ivar’s original body. Only the most important part—the Affection—matched exactly at 100, just like Ivar’s. What this meant was obvious. Using dolls or similar tricks to deceive me was outright impossible for Daisy.

If Lapis was correct and Daisy truly held affection for me, then the status window would have reflected it without exception. Yet Daisy had always displayed an Affection of zero. Lapis’ hypothesis was cleanly disproven. “Just as I thought.”

“Your Highness?”

“Nothing. I was merely thinking aloud. You have done well, Ivar.”

Ivar bowed her head.

The “Daisy Doll Theory” had been riddled with holes from the beginning. Even if Daisy had set up a doll or something similar as a substitute, how would she have done such a thing? Daisy was no puppeteer. It was a hypothesis as close to impossible as it could get…….

Once again, I was certain. The Affection system was an impregnable fortress. No matter how strange or clever a scheme one might devise, it could not be breached.

There was absolutely no chance I had misjudged. Any scenario in which Daisy had genuinely liked me all along and everything she had done was an act was fundamentally impossible.

But.

“…….”

I glanced toward Lapis. She had been bowing her head this entire time. If I gave up here, Lapis would certainly never ask me to reconsider again. In her mind, she most likely believes she’s already asked far too much of me.

Let me think again.

I reviewed the possibilities once more.

Daisy is a Hero. In other words, a child destined to be the protagonist of this world. Is there a chance that Daisy alone is treated as an exception in the Affection system? ……No. If that were true, then why does Luke’s Affection display properly? If something were wrong with Daisy, the same should apply to Luke.

Think.

‘I am the master of all demons, Rank 72 Demon Lord Andromalius.’

‘O Great Being, there is something I must inform Your Highness.’

I replayed every memory involving Daisy from beginning to end. Was there any point at which something seemed strange? Any evidence, or even the slightest indication, that might support Lapis’ hypothesis?

‘There is a need for it to be eternally remembered that I was the piece of trash who caused her own brother to die.’

When we first met, Daisy had been full of spirit.

Her voice was confident, and her expression showed her self-assurance with ease. But the surgery—the operation where the slave crest was carved into her heart—changed everything. Her entire demeanor shifted. She grew more curt, colder, and heavier.

If Daisy had ever held affection for me, it would have been before the surgery. At that time, she did not openly hate me, but after the pain of torn flesh, the agony of a heart being branded, and the fury toward the unforgivable act that bound her as a slave forever…….

‘As I thought, I cannot.’

And then the attempted assassination.

The incident where she tried to drive a dagger into my neck, taking advantage of the moment when I was asleep.

‘It seems you have a death wish.’

‘No. I swore to kill you.’

‘So? Were you able to kill me? Ha, this is unfortunate.’

Actually, there was something strange about that incident. There was exactly one part of Daisy’s action back then that I couldn’t understand.

‘Confess. When did you wake up?’

‘When the sun rose today.’

It was the timing.

The moment I sensed Daisy’s killing intent and woke up was during the night. But Daisy had risen far earlier than I had. Until I regained consciousness, Daisy had all the time she needed to attempt an assassination in secret—and then pretend she had done nothing.

There was absolutely no reason for her to wait until I woke, just to make sure I would clearly know she had tried to kill me.

Yet Daisy deliberately said aloud, ‘As I thought, I cannot.’ She prompted me to wake up. She provoked and aggravated me. As though she were advertising that she was capable of doing something so dangerous without hesitation.

‘Who is Jack?’

What if that wasn’t the reason?

‘Do you always have nightmares? You mutter people’s names endlessly. There are names that you repeat. Jack, Hawk, Aland, Riff…….’

What if it were the exact opposite?

‘And mother.’

What if she attempted to kill me, but for some reason could not get up afterward?

‘It is surprising to know that existences like you also have mothers.’

If something so shocking had occurred while I lay asleep, something capable of holding Daisy utterly still—

That…….

That would mean…….

There’s…… no way.

My mind went completely blank.

“…….”

My right hand trembled slightly.

It was absurd. Such a thing could not possibly be true. Yet if there existed even the tiniest chance, I could not deny it outright. That means I have to verify it. I have no choice but to test it thoroughly.

I pressed my fingers together tightly with both hands to suppress the shaking.

“Ivar. I have one more request. Will you manage it?”

“If it is Your Highness’s command, I shall gladly carry it out a thousand times or ten thousand times.”

“When the unaffiliated Demon Lords attempted their rebellion.”

My voice would always come out colder and heavier than usual whenever my emotions wavered. It was proof that I was struggling to maintain control. For me, bluntness and chill always meant I was acting.

“At that time, did you not make several dolls shaped exactly like me?”

“Yes. To deceive the unaffiliated Demon Lords, I crafted three dolls resembling Your Highness.”

“One of them was destroyed, so two must still remain.”

Ivar nodded, looking somewhat puzzled.

“I kept them in case they might be useful as decoys against assassination. One is hidden in the Demon Lord Castle, and the other in the Imperial Palace.”

“Can you bring one here now?”

“Of course.”

“……I appreciate it. And Ivar, you may return in your original body as well.”

Ivar left the office.