4. One Person and One Beast in the Basement
My security detail consisted primarily of Liz.
According to her, when she was out, a replacement guard was dispatched. However, I’d never seen them, so I didn’t know much about them.
The replacement was also an assassin from Liz’s elite Royal Guard division. Liz had explained, “An assassin who reveals themselves is second-rate,” implying that they specialized in covert protection.
Incidentally, when I’d remarked, “But you reveal yourself, and you’re first-rate,” she’d blushed and lightly punched my shoulder.
Still, skilled individuals were always in high demand. And Liz was skilled.
As my adjutant, she could engage in strategic-level discussions.
As my bodyguard, she was well-versed in assassination techniques and highly capable in combat.
As my maid, she handled all household chores… with a slight clumsiness that, frankly, made her even more perfect.
And since she was a practical, rather than ornamental, maid, she also did the shopping.
Currently, our primary source of groceries was the market. While we’d gone into town together a few times, Liz seemed reluctant, so I usually stayed behind.
The reason she, a top elite (and self-made) member of the Demon King’s army, also handled maid duties and shopping was to ensure food safety.
According to her, “Poisoning is the quickest way to assassinate Master, who has no poison resistance.”
Poison resistance.
Such a fantasy-esque term.
While not quantifiable, I imagined such a thing existed on Earth, too, to varying degrees. You occasionally heard stories about someone surviving a poisonous mushroom stew while everyone else perished.
Incidentally, the reason I’d been given the name “Virus King, Lord of Disease” was related to that. Of course, I had also proposed using poison and disease as attack vectors.
But ultimately, the name was chosen because it might deter enemies from attempting to poison me.
Liz had come up with the name. She had been my bodyguard and monitor since before I had a title.
I’d asked, “Isn’t it a bit… flamboyant?”
Liz had replied, “It suits you.”
I’d been naively pleased at the time, but now I suspected she’d meant, “(Given that almost all the strategies you propose are heinous and reveal your rotten core), it suits you.”
Surely not, I thought, but now that we were closer, I was even more afraid to ask, so it would probably remain a mystery forever.
According to Liz, who confided in hushed tones, the replacement guards were different every time and several levels below her in skill.
Therefore, while she was out, I stayed in the safest, but also most boring room in the mansion—the basement.
While not as expansive as the upper levels, the basement was quite large. Several rooms served as storage. Others remained unused. One of these rooms had been magically fortified to an extreme degree.
It had magical lighting, and during the winter, magical heating and blankets.
Furthermore, before going out, Liz usually left me homemade snacks and drinks. There was a rocking chair, a plush sofa—every comfort imaginable.
I could even bring down several books from the library and enjoy a leisurely reading session. It was a lovely space.
Except that once the door was locked, it couldn’t be opened from the inside. There was a toilet, thankfully, but the term “nuclear shelter” kept coming to mind.
And it was a little lonely.
So, for both company and protection, I brought in a Barghest, a magical beast that resembled a black dog.
When it was cold, I used its fur for warmth. When I was bored, I petted it and, on a whim, taught it tricks. They were generally intelligent, and being magical creatures, quite resilient.
“Master, I’m back.”
The basement door opened from the outside.
If Liz didn’t return for some reason, someone else would have to open this door. Or perhaps, it wouldn’t open at all.
“Welcome back, Liz!”
I stood, ran to her, and hugged her, expressing my relief physically.
“…Master always does this when I return from shopping,” Liz observed.
“Hmm? Well, I was lonely.”
“You’re one to talk…” She gave me an exasperated look.
But it was true!
I was the Virus King, Lord of Disease.
But inside, I was just a regular human. Partly due to my fragmented memory, I’d resigned myself to simply surviving this hard-mode life I’d been thrust into.
I had nothing certain, not even a firm grasp on my own identity. I was just… a person.
But telling her that would be cowardly.
I was employed as the Virus King, Lord of Disease.
I thought we’d become somewhat close. However, the most important bond connecting us was our professional relationship as “the Virus King, Lord of Disease, and her adjutant.” That was an undeniable fact.
So, after one last, tight squeeze, I released her.
“Anything happen while you were out?”
She usually replied, “Nothing in particular.”
But today was different.
“Fufufu. Actually, there’s something I want to show you.”
“A new operation, perhaps?”
I beckoned the Barghest. “Barghest…?”
“Watch this,” I said.
“Very well.”
“Sit.” The Barghest promptly sat.
“Eh?”
“Shake!” The Barghest placed its paw in my outstretched hand.
“Other paw!” It offered the other paw.
The feel of its paw pads was the same as an Earth dog’s, soothing, even though it was a magical beast from another world.
“Good boy!” I ruffled its head vigorously. Partly for my own amusement, but also because these creatures seemed to enjoy robust displays of affection.
“Ta-da!” I puffed out my chest proudly.
Liz’s exasperated retort was the expected next step in this well-rehearsed routine.
“Master… what did you just do?”
“Huh?”
Wait.
That wasn’t the plan.
Her cute face was etched with surprise. Liz’s wide-eyed expression was a rare sight indeed.
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