60 2nd Statement: Team 2 (1/2)

The world is wide. The sky is high, and the unobstructed view to the end of the horizon is deeply moving to me, as I was stuck for a long time.

In dog form, I am small, so just running around in the company is a great adventure. If I go into the long grass for a while, people can't see me, and I can't see anything.

But I do have a sense of smell. My senses became more acute when I became a lower level vampire, but now that I'm a dog, they're much more acute.

Senri heard from Kainushi that Arbatos was able to track me down hundreds of kilometers away by scent. Sadly, my sense of smell was not that keen, but I could easily detect Senri's location.

In my spare time, I checked my strength.

A dog's body is more useful than I thought. I used to think it was a scam when I couldn't get the ability to fight like Albatross, but it's so wonderful to be unguarded by people. It makes me a little sad that they love me so much more than when I was human.

There were many things I learned about the dog's body.

They have the best sense of smell in the world. They have no fighting ability. A dog's body can't do magic. He has inherited the weaknesses of vampires. Can't eat onions or chocolate.

And apparently the curse of cannibalism is different from the curse of vampires.

It was the vampire's power to give the canine curse, but the canine curse itself is not a vampire power. You may think this means nothing, but it's important.

So. I can keep my canine state on ...... water.

Normally, vampires lose all of their powers when they are on water. If I were to try to pass as a bat or a wolf, my transformation would be undone. But not me.

My transformation into a dog is a different curse than that of a vampire, so my transformation will not be broken even if I approach the water.

Senri and I found out by accident.

We accidentally tried to enter a city that had been properly protected against vampires while still in our carrying cases. If the transformation had been undone, it would have been a disaster.

The weakness itself remains the same, weakening me to the point where I can't walk a step, but this is an important difference.

This meant that I would be able to board the ship if I was in my carry case. Provided, of course, that I have Senri's cooperation.

According to Senri, Lord could have become a first-class necromancer much earlier.

Perhaps he was prepared to take the risk of being attacked, and extended his time to become undead.

To complete the undead with the ”sucking spell”. More specifically, his ideal was to take over the body of the undead and become the strongest king of the dead himself.

My book ”Carth Steel” contains all of Holos Kamen's research over the years.

Holos Kamen is dead. The residue remains within me, but it's not ideal.

The least I can do is put that power to good use for the Lord, a mage in his own right.

Senri returns after finishing his watch duty for the day. I greeted my master with a large ornamental box in my mouth and a wagging tail, given to me by one of the merchants.

Children's blood is fresh. Although there are individual differences based on nutritional status, gender, and age, it usually smells very delicious.

But it's still nothing compared to Senri's blood.

I run around Senri to see if he is injured. If she is wounded, I can smell it. Apparently, she had made it through the day unscathed.

Bending down, Senri looked at the results in the box and sighed heavily.

”...... Baron, you've gotten so much ...... again, you must have a talent for dogs.

Inside the box were a number of coins and jewelry.

Many of the merchants who can form a band are rich. Some of them have jewelry for sale.

If you take the box in your mouth, they will dumbfoundedly put things inside. If there is something you want, you can tap your paw on it, and they will give it to you at a not-too-low rate.

Most of the coins were copper, but there were a few silver and gold coins mixed in as well. Not that I was in need of money, as I had some from my father, but he was a good customer.

I'll have to return it.

Squeak.

I told you not to do that.　Don't you have any pride?

...... Kyuun.

I'm a cute puppy, but Senri always goes to return my wares, even though I'm sure he'll refuse. I'm a cute puppy, but Senri is a beautiful girl too. She doesn't realize that the image of me going to get money and her owner going to return it has become a kind of specialty.

I'm just making the most of my situation. I have no pride. They give me sweets, they give me money. They give me information because no one cares what the dogs think. All I wanted was blood, but Senri would give it to me. I was satisfied. It would have been perfect if Epe had never existed.

The merchant's children were very clever.

Well-groomed hair, clean clothes. Their eyes shone as if there was nothing but good in the world, and they learned from their parents every night by the fire in their free time.

Knowledge is power for a merchant. At first they chased me away when I went near them, but when they saw that I was quiet while studying, they allowed me to lie down nearby and listen to their stories.

I listened to stories of travel, history, and the city, and remembered how to do calculations that I had almost forgotten.

Among the merchants were the families of the mercenaries. The children of mercenaries were different, many of them had sharp eyes, and I had a hard time forming friendships with them.

But a child is a child. Once you get used to them, they're nothing.

I observed her training with her weapon, ran around with her, learned how to set traps, and learned how to eliminate and detect signs.

Senri was far superior in terms of pure combat ability, and it was easy for a vampire to eliminate and detect signs, but it was fun to gain knowledge. And mercenaries can be my enemies. It's good to know.

Sadly, I couldn't just watch the magic training.

There were a few mages in the ranks, but almost all of them were proficient and never trained to use magic, only to read books.

Mages are very rare and their skills are secret.

The contents of grimoires are the basics, and they are not foolish enough to reveal their power where no one is watching. Perhaps they are trying to avoid consuming too much magic to be able to fight when the time comes.

As the troopers proceeded, the scenery around them began to change.

From grassland to wilderness. The demons that appeared were diverse, ranging from hairy animals to magical beasts with the characteristics of multiple animals, and humanoid creatures such as goblins and orcs. This is a sign that we are heading towards the edge of the human dominion.

Powerful demons gather under the Demon Lord. That's why demons that ordinary humans can't match appear near the demon lord's territory.

For the intelligent demons, the troopers are good food. They can get a large amount of food and are loaded with weapons, armor and jewelry. Some of the humanoid demons will even go for the horses.

Some of the humanoid monsters will try to attack the horses, but the merchants know this and are well protected, so they won't be killed so easily.

While many people were injured, Senri, with her overwhelming fighting ability and power of recovery, earned the name of ”Goddess of Victory,” while I provided spiritual healing.

We came to be known as the ”Goddess of Victory and the Shiro Dog.

§§

Inside the thick tent, I had returned to human form after a long time. I wore a black cloak to cover my skin.

Blood consumption is essential for vampires. I've gotten used to the dog state, but I need to return to my original form to suck blood.

In the dog state, vampires cannot use their powers. And that includes bloodsucking.

Senri always sleeps wrapped in his cloak. Most mercenaries do, but they only pay to rent a large tent when they need blood.

I can't let them see me, and I can't let them suck my blood in the shadows.

”...... end, a little too easy.

As I returned to human form for the first time in a long time, Senri gave me a reproachful look and said something I've heard enough times to make my ears hurt.