19. My New Subordinate Is Too Loyal
For the next few days, I spent a lot of time in the basement.
Liz was frequently out. While Samarkand was officially recognized as my bodyguard, he remained outside the door, not inside the room.
I had little to do but cuddle with the Barghests. I’d wanted to get to know Samarkand better, but Liz was adamant.
She’d said, “It’ll be troublesome if you get attached.” Meaning Samarkand’s fate hadn’t been decided yet. Execution was still a possibility.
But that was understandable. A supreme commander of the Demon King’s army had been targeted for assassination by one of their own.
That said, I was already attached.
I’d gotten used to being called a heartless monster. But I wasn’t heartless enough to abandon a ‘subordinate’ who’d sworn loyalty to me.
The basement door opened, and Liz entered. She closed the door behind her, leaving us alone, except for the Barghests.
“I’m back.”
“Welcome back!”
Liz, with practiced ease, gently pushed me away as I hugged her.
“The matter has been resolved, for the most part. Here’s the report.”
“So? How high up did this go?”
“It was a rogue operation by a commander in the demon army.”
“Who?”
“You don’t need to remember.”
“…Meaning?”
“He’s been assassinated.” Liz said it casually.
“Samarkand has been summoned to the royal castle. No one died, but he did subdue someone.”
“Who?”
“One of my colleagues… a junior. He needs retraining. Apparently, he was put to sleep by a single sleep spell cast from outside his detection range. Honestly… and he calls himself a member of the Royal Guard…” Liz grumbled.
Now that she mentioned it, there should have been a replacement guard for Liz. But the fact that they’d been subdued by ‘a single sleep spell’ was rather unsettling, considering I’d almost been assassinated.
“So, what’s the deal with the Royal Guard? I thought they were supposed to be elite.”
“The true Royal Guard is elite. But they’re also the last line of defense, so it’s a convenient place to sneak in incompetent nobles with connections.”
Ugh. I didn’t want to know that.
“Well, the Royal Guard also serves as a training unit, responsible for raising the overall skill level of the army. And since they’re surrounded by elite soldiers, even the most incompetent will improve after ten years or so… but assigning a greenhorn to a high-priority, solo guard duty like this is unheard of.”
“Then why…?”
“That commander had made ‘preparations’ to exploit the weaknesses in my security detail. I strongly protested that simply having the paperwork in order wasn’t enough.”
“So, he’d done his homework…”
“Indeed. Honestly, if Samarkand hadn’t changed his mind, this ‘assassination’ would have succeeded. It would have been different if I’d been here, but…” Liz sighed. Well, there wasn’t much she could do if someone had meticulously planned to remove her from the equation.
“Is Samarkand strong?”
“He’s not weak. Quite the opposite. Stopping the Barghests was a wise decision, in retrospect.”
Black Hound Barghests were not weak magical beasts. He’d subdued a member of the Royal Guard with a single sleep spell and easily bypassed Liz’s carefully laid traps and the mansion’s security system.
And he was one of the few greater demons. In other words, he was highly skilled.
“…But you said you could ‘take him down in four seconds,’ right?”
“Master? Have you forgotten?” Liz smiled serenely.
“—I am the Darkling Blade, Lizlit Finis. One of the top five assassins in this nation.”
“Yeah, I’m counting on you.” I smiled back.
I could trust Liz with my life.
“And I’m self-made, by the way. My older sister is the commander of the dark knights, but that has nothing to do with me.”
“I know. You joined the Royal Guard before she became commander, right?”
“Yes… how did you know that?”
“I read my subordinates’ files.”
“An assassin’s history is supposed to be classified…”
“I’m a supreme commander. I have clearance.”
“Well, yes, but… was that necessary?” Liz tilted her head.
“Seriously, knowing your subordinates’ backgrounds and abilities is a basic requirement for a superior.”
“That’s an unusual level of seriousness for you, Master.”
I couldn’t argue with that, given my usual work ethic. That said, I was seriously working towards the extinction of humanity.
“So, am I considered a high-priority protection target?”
“You are a supreme commander. If you’re not high-priority, then who is?”
She had a point.
“Regarding Samarkand’s fate, there’s some debate. We could force the issue, but using your ‘reward’ would be smoother.”
“Alright, do that.”
“Now that you’ve said that… are you sure? Neutralizing the Dragon Knights was a major accomplishment. …You could ask for something significant.”
“A competent subordinate is worth more than any reward.”
Besides, lives couldn’t be bought with money.
“And I… don’t really want anything.”
“…I see.” Liz smiled.
“Then I’ll call Samarkand.”
“Okay. Samarkand! Come here!”
I called out to Samarkand, who was waiting outside the door.
“Excuse me, my master. What is it you require?”
Less than a second later, the door opened, and Samarkand slipped inside, immediately kneeling on one knee.
His reflexes are terrifying.
“His Majesty wants you to come to the castle. He wants to hear your side of the story. …Right, Liz?”
“Yes.”
“But make sure you tell him, ‘He’s my subordinate.’”
Samarkand fell silent. Silent tears traced paths through his black fur.
“…Samarkand. Why are you crying?”
“Tears of joy, my master. Forgive this unsightly display…”
“…Um… right.”
It felt strange to scold him or say anything, since he hadn’t done anything wrong. But having someone burst into tears at my every word was a new experience, and I could only remain silent.
“—Please, use me as your tool, my master.”
A strange feeling stirred within me.
“…Did you just call yourself a tool?”
“Yes.”
“Are those your true feelings?”
“Yes.”
The stirring in my chest, the unfocused anger, moved my arm. I grabbed Samarkand’s head, pulling him closer, forcing him to meet my gaze.
“—You are my subordinate. Do not mistake that. You are not a ‘tool.’”
“H-huh?”
“Don’t say it again. —Understood?” I released him.
“Yes, my master…” Samarkand closed his eyes and bowed his head. He understands.
“Allow me to reaffirm my vow. I am your servant, always and forever. My life is yours to command.”
“…Do you really understand?”
“Yes. You wish to say, ‘You are my servant, always and forever, and I do not intend to treat you as a disposable tool,’ correct?”
“…Does a blood contract… alter one’s language comprehension skills?”
“No, not at all,” Samarkand replied smoothly.
“Oh, right… well, take care of yourself…”
“Yes. After my master.”
That’s… concerning.
His answer was as black as his fur, suggesting a deep-seated self-destructive tendency. But if that was what he truly desired, what was I, as his superior, supposed to do?
Leave a Reply