Slime Reincarnation

Oh, wondering since when I could use dark spirit magic? Wintia and Belhia had given me some advice recently about handling light and dark spirit magic. They still hadn’t granted me their protection or made a contract with me, but casting spells was now possible in exchange for magic power. Light and darkness, quite the classic light novel power set, honestly.

Eventually the killer’s body began creaking and groaning under the pressure.

"Guooooh!"

"B... Boss! There’s something I need to tell you!"

"Chick Captain? I’ll heal you right away, just hold on a bit longer."

I told him not to push himself any further and to rest.

"That killer, apparently his real target is someone he’s after the day after tomorrow. He also kept going on about being invincible and having some cheat power. He’s probably the dangerous one you warned us about, boss!"

"I see... good work gathering that. Just rest now. I’ll heal you right away."

So this confirmed he was some trash reincarnator. But killing him here might not be wise. I still didn’t know who his real target was, two days from now. Also, unleashing full on Dark Pressure judgment in front of Cassina probably wouldn’t leave a great impression either. Better to provoke him, draw his hostility toward me instead. That way, when he went after his real target, he might come hunting for me with obvious killing intent, making it easier to figure out who he was actually after.

"Hey, weakling. You’re already a pathetic mess. Killing you here would just get the room dirty. Get lost."

I said this and released the Dark Pressure spell.

"Y... you bastard... I’ll remember this... I’ll definitely kill you!"

Even barely able to form words properly, he never missed his chance for a parting threat. Yep, textbook defeated villain material.

The killer threw himself out the window into the air. Normally, a fall from that height would be certain death, but for a self proclaimed invincible cheat holder like him, I doubted it would kill him.

"Crusader, can you hear me?"

"Yes, sir! Standing by."

"Follow the man who just jumped from the window. But be warned, he’s apparently quite powerful. If he notices you, withdraw immediately, full retreat. Do not pursue him under any circumstances. He’ll be coming back to this castle two days from now anyway. I will not allow any of you to die over this!"

"Yes, sir!"

I had the chicks track him, just in case, but since the opponent was a dangerous reincarnator, I made sure to instruct them not to take any unnecessary risks.

"Wintia, Freya, lend me your strength."

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Yabe." "Yabe, you called?"

Hey, you two, I’m going by Dark Knight right now, in a completely different outfit than usual, please stop blowing my cover by saying my name out loud!

"I need a combined spell. Read my intent and match it."

"Okay!" "Leave it to me!"

Wintia, the water spirit’s, Healing spell. Cell activation works even more effectively when the temperature is raised closer to body heat. I pictured adding thermal energy to Wintia’s cell activation to enhance the effect further.

"Combined spell, Cure Healing!"

Touched by that magic, the damage to Rösen, Cassina, and the chick captain healed completely.

"Rösen’s burns... not a trace left..."

Cassina, not even noticing that the burns on her own hands had healed cleanly as well, threw herself onto Rösen, crying.

"Chick Captain. Excellent work out there. Thanks to you, Cassina is safe."

Even with the wound healed, his stamina hadn’t fully recovered. He fluttered unsteadily up and landed on Yabe’s shoulder.

"I’m sorry, I let Princess Cassina end up in danger... I still don’t have enough strength. I’ve failed as her guard."

"If you’ve failed as a guard, then I’ve got no one else I could possibly trust with the job, so that’s a no."

"Boss...! I’m truly grateful..."

The chick captain slumped on his shoulder, seemingly moved despite himself.

"Lord Yabe..."

Having caught her breath, Rösen stepped away and Cassina threw herself against Yabe’s back instead.

"You’ve saved me again..."

"My name is Dark Knight... a slayer of evil hidden within the shadows..."

"Lord Yabe, you keep saving my life, over and over. And I haven’t been able to thank you properly at all, it troubles me so."

She wasn’t even listening!

"That mask looks remarkably similar to the half mask I always wear..."

Uh oh! Having thought I might never see Cassina again, I’d asked the dwarf Goldin to design and craft this silver mask. Never imagined I’d end up needing it again so quickly.

"Don’t you think you don’t need that mask anymore?"

I tried, at least, to steer Cassina’s attention away from me.

"Until I’ve properly thanked you, Lord Yabe, I don’t intend to show my bare face to anyone else... Ah, though I did show it briefly to my mother the other day. She was so happy for me. Even that alone leaves me endlessly grateful to you, Lord Yabe."

She hugged me tighter from behind as she said this. ...This was getting difficult.

Still, I couldn’t stay like this forever. Rösen’s wounds had healed, but her stamina hadn’t fully recovered. She needed rest. I turned to say as much, but,

"Ah, don’t look!"

Cassina pressed both hands over my face.

"I’m deeply grateful you healed Rösen’s wounds, but right now her clothes have burned away and she’s nearly bare, so..."

Oh! Now that was truly unexpected. I should really double check that the wound had healed properly...

"Owow... whad are you doig..."

Cassina pulled on my cheek from behind.

"Lord Yabe, you were just thinking something naughty, weren’t you!"

Why!? Is every beautiful woman secretly a mind reader, just like Irina!?

"Princess Cassina! Are you alright!" "Princess Cassina! What happened here?"

At that moment, two maids came rushing into the room.

"Whoa! The room’s a total wreck!" "Lady Rösen!? Why is your uniform torn to shreds and you’re practically naked?"

"Ah, please bring a change of clothes for Rösen. Once she’s changed, let her rest in bed for the day. And please clean up this room too."

"Yes, ma’am!"

The maids answered energetically. But by the time Cassina finished giving her instructions and turned back around, Yabe was already standing at the edge of the window.

"Lord Yabe!"

Cassina rushed toward the window, but I threw myself into the sky before she could reach it.

"Lord Yabe! Won’t you take me with you again...?"

Tears streaming down her face, Cassina leaned out over the windowsill.

"See you again, Cassina..."

I called out that one line as I flew away, leaving the castle behind.

"...You did end up saying something there, didn’t you."

The chick captain muttered quietly.

"I couldn’t help it... not after seeing those tears again..."

I let out a long, deep sigh.

"Princess Cassina... who was that person in black just now?" "Um... it looked like he flew off into the sky, though...?"

Back in the room, wrecked and in disarray, the maids cleaning up asked Cassina.

"That man is my future husband."

Cassina didn’t turn to face them, leaning against the windowsill, still gazing at the sky where Yabe had disappeared.

"EHHH!?"

It seemed Princess Cassina, too, was the type to lock things down from the outside in.