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9. An End to this Connection…
I wait for Carla, who went to confirm the new phrase with the higher-ups.
There, I came across the biggest rival I would ever meet in my life.
It was none other than—
Bzzzzzzzz…
A fly.
It’s not a conversation to have during a meal, but demi-lich and flies have an inseparable relationship.
Demi-lich are an existence which is half-dead.
That must be why, I give the scent of a corpse.
Even if humans or other demons don’t realize it, flies do.
What’s more, this connection cannot be cut off even when I come to the human city.
“What’s wrong, master?”
Seeing me wrestling with the fly, Pafimia mysteriously tilts her head.
“Oh, there’s a fly…”
I focus on the source of that small noisy sound.
Bzzzzzzzzz…
“There!!”
Got it–is what I thought, as I opened my hands.
However there was nothing like the remains of a fly there.
Only my pale palm, spread out.
“Damn it!”
“Master… can I help?”
“No, this is my own battle!”
I focus on the noise.
However, the bastard…!
It seems to have realized that it’s being hunted.
That unpleasant sound stopped all of a sudden.
Meanwhile, Carla descends from the 2nd floor of the guild.
She was accompanied by an old-looking dwarf.
I say old-looking, but his body is comparable to an active adventurer.
No, it could be called greater than that.
What resembled an old man, was limited to his face.
The old dwarf said his name was Mackenzie.
Guildmaster—to put it plainly, he carried himself like a higher up of the guild.
That Mackenzie puts a sharp eye out.
The first one he looks at was Pafimia.
Seeing his gaze, Pafimia swallows her breath with a gulp.
“Ho-ho… I see. My eyes aren’t decieved. You’re the adventurer who brought out the new phrase, aren’t you? You have good meat on you.”
Mackenzie declares this, while excitedly shaking his hands.
Carla expresses a bitter smile beside him.
“Um, Mackenzie-sama… I do not know how to express this, but that person is Pafimia-sama. The Hero chosen by the “Priestess of Prophecy”, Sharon-sama.”
“What! The “Priestess of Prophecy”-sama…!–and where is the Priestess-sama right now?”
“That would be me.”
Sharon advances forward.
Immediately, Mackenzie makes a perverted face.
“Oooh! What a beautiful face. Such beautiful silver hair, and skin white like ivory. Ample breasts which are obvious even under those loose priestly clothes! Nyo ho ho ho… I can barely control myself.”
Turns out, he’s just a plain old pervert.
Sharon reddens her face as she looks clearly troubled.
Then, Carla clears her throat relatively strongly.
As expected, he noticed that he was being silently reprimanded.
Mackenzie returns to his stern expression.
“Ca-Carla, I never heard that the chosen Hero, and the “Priestess of Prophecy” were coming. If I had, I would have greeted them with a slightly more beautiful appearance.”
“That was rude of me. But what would you have achieved by doing so?”
“Gulp…”
This geezer hasn’t reflected at all, has he?
“By the way, what qualification did the Hero get?”
“It was “What are You”.”
“Hm, as expected of someone chosen by the “Priestess of Prophecy”.”
“Te he he he…”
“Thank you, Mackenzie-sama.”
Pafimia blushes, and Sharon bows her head.
“So..? Where is the person who raised the new phrase?”
“It was Capua-sama here.”
Carla introduces me like so.
Mackenzie begins to stare at me.
“….. He’s not much, is he.”
Wha…..!
“As if he doesn’t have strength in his face, or his eyes are dead.”
I can’t help that!
I’m a demi-lich after all.
In fact, that description is too accurate!
“His body is so thin, that if I blew air at him he’d fly away.”
Mackenzie pulls me down.
It was at that moment.
When my lifelong rival reappeared…
Bzzzzzzzz…
I heard that unpleasant sound again.
It hasn’t appeared in my vision yet.
But it’s definitely here.
Also it’s definitely seeing me.
It was probably making rounds, to try and stop on my skin.
Damn you…
Despite being a lowly Orthorrhaphous*, trying to pick a fight with me.
Fine then…
I will finally settle this connection between us, once and for all.
I concentrate with all my will.
In the meantime, the conversation progressed.
“Like I said, the result of the magic tool is…”
“It’s not like I am doubting that either, Carla. In any case, I will know once I fight him.”
“Will you be fighting Capua-sama?”
Sharon raises a worried voice.
“Forgive me, “Priestess of Prophecy”. As the supervisor of this guild, I have to test whether this person is evil or not; and besides, the other side also seems motivated.”
Everyone’s vision is directed to one place.
There stood my figure, trying not to let the fly’s noise escape me.
“Master, what amazing bloodlust.”
“T-this is the first time I’ve seen Capua-sama in this state.”
Pafimia and Sharon both gulped.
“Ah, youth. I’m sorry, but I’ll have you show me your power.”
Mackenzie shakes his arms and loosens his body.
He then takes his stance.
“Wooow, Mackenzie-san looks pumped.”
“Is that old man gonna fight?”
“Idiot! Don’t you know? that old man is a former silver ranked adventurer.”
“Even at that age, he’s keeping his body trained like in his youth.”
“That newbie might kick the bucket…”
The adventurers make a crowd as if it’s natural, and spread out to make a space for us.
For me who was chasing a fly, this was perfect.
With the adventurers spreading out, my vision has become clear.
Finally, I grasp its appearance.
After making two turns in the air, it lands on Mackenzie’s bald head.
“There you are…”
I look sharply in Mackenzie’s direction.
The old guildmaster who was glared at gulps in nervousness.
However, he quickly returns the gaze.
Sweat starts to appear on the bald head where the fly had stopped.
“Ho ho… That bloodlust… You have stopped being a human, haven’t you?”
“Mackenzie-sama has become serious…”
Carla raises her voice.
“Master, don’t give up!”
“Capua-sama, please don’t get hurt.”
Pafimia sends a hail, and Sharon has her hands clasped in prayer.
The one who made the first move, was me.
I stick my hand out towards Mackenzie.
“Don’t move.”
“Nu… What tremendous bloodlust… However, I am also a former silver rank adventurer! I can’t withdraw heeeeeeere—–!!!”
Mackenzie takes a step forward.
“I TOLD YOU NOT TO MOVE!!!!”
I slapped the top of Mackenzie’s head with all my might.
A sharp ‘Pashiiin’ like voice rings throughout the guild.
In that moment, Mackenzie’s muscular body pierced the floor, and got buried further deep into the soil beneath it.
“q a w se d r t f g hyu ji ko 1 p”
Spitting incomprehensible words, Mackenzie’s eyes go white, and he faints.
Seeing his state, everyone gets frozen.
“The guildmaster…”
“…Was take down in 1 hit.”
“Amazing. As expected of Capua-sama.”
“”””””ALRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!!””””””
Everyone was really excited.
On the other hand, I open my palm while holding expectations.
But I didn’t see the fly’s corpse.
I already lost its presence, and couldn’t hear it anymore.
“Damn it! It escaped!!”
Just you wait.
I’ll settle this with you one day.
The flames of my revenge have only been stoked more.
“Alright! I’m so happy even though Mackenzie-sama lost.”
“He never let his guard down!”
“His bloodlust was amazing!”
“This time’s newbie seems to be a monster…”
The adventurers seemed out of breath, as they wiped the cold sweat from their foreheads.