## Chapter 652 – The Scent of Flowers

I mourned my adventurer friends in my heart as I collected the shaman’s head and skinned its hide. I should also take all these strange ornaments and staffs as proof that I killed the shaman.

Maybe if I bring all this, combined with the basilisk I caught last time, they’ll promote me. A C-rank adventurer, that’s a title that’ll let me swagger around here for sure.

“Um, but Katt-nim, that demon.”

Hilde said, neatly folding the hide I had skinned.

“It was trying to take the shaman’s soul, right?”
“It did. It actually ate it.”

When the shaman’s head flew off, an inhuman, translucent green orb spewed out and flowed into the demon’s maw.

Hilde called it a soul.

It was obvious that was the demon’s goal.

“Actually, the souls of special monsters like that are more valuable than those of ordinary humans.”
“Do demons have a price list for that stuff?”
“It’s just common sense. They value the souls of people with noble status, priests, knights, and mages more than ordinary humans.”

That certainly seemed likely.

“Isn’t it obvious? There are tons of humans with no value at all. Demons generally think the same way about people that humans consider useless.”

Demons don’t even bother with people who have no value?

That’s a bit harsh.

“So, does that mean demons won’t appear before total losers?”
“No. It’s still good to have a soul. If they can kill them easily and eat them, they’ll still target them. But I’m not that kind of demon, so I don’t know for sure.”

I see.

“Anyway, the conclusion is that it transformed into a dragon to deceive the lizardmen and make them move in order to take the shaman’s soul?”
“If I were thinking like a demon… that’s probably it. Since it couldn’t kill the shaman, it probably tried to kill it using humans. Judging by this, the quality of the soul must have been pretty good. If it had absorbed it properly, it might have become quite strong?”
“That sounds about right.”

If a dragon told them, “Let’s go! There’s something good in the jungle!” the lizardmen would have no choice but to follow. It’s a being they worship.

Of course, people wouldn’t just stand by and watch that procession.

If the shaman died at the hands of humans in the process, it would swoop in and take the soul… If Hilde hadn’t been there, that’s probably what would have happened.

I was just planning to hunt and leave.

Anyway, the situation was pretty good.
I came out to earn some pocket money and ended up growing Vugal.

“Vugal…”

I checked Vugal again.

ㅡ…

There was no vibration or movement. It had just become a slightly better sword. But I don’t think it used to be like this.

The last time I went to the city ruled by the mayor according to Saintess Kadia’s instructions, I did slay demons. There was no reaction then, but this time it’s reacting? I don’t know the exact criteria, but… Ah, come to think of it, I killed that labor revolutionary with my bare hands.

But I’m not sure if that’s the reason.

Anyway, if I ever kill a demon again, I must kill it with the sword. If it can keep growing, I have to do it as much as possible.

“But Katt-nim, the hides and heads are more numerous than I thought? You caught thirteen of them in total… Can you carry all of this?”
“Of course, I can carry it all.”

I immediately walked over to a nearby tree and cut off a thick branch. I can just make a makeshift jig and carry it on my back. There’s nothing I can’t do with my strength.

I have rope in my hidden backpack, so I can just make it with that.

The biggest thing is that I can use sword energy. It consumes a lot of mana, but cutting and processing has become extremely easy. It can even cut through steel, so wood is nothing.

I roughly found my backpack, took out the rope, made a jig out of the cut tree, and packed all the heads and hides I had caught and hidden yesterday, along with the shaman’s head. By the time I packed everything, it was noon. If I adjust my speed properly, I can get back before sunset.

More than anything, I need to ask Risha about Vugal’s condition as soon as possible.

I can’t let Vugal revive or anything like that. It just needs to live in my inner world. I will never release it or let it go. Its soul must be entirely mine. It’s a companion, but it’s also a sacrifice for my Heavenly Demon Art.

“Katt-nim…? What are you thinking about?”
“Why?”
“No, your eyes just went out of focus for a moment… Never mind. Anyway, you’re going back now, right?”
“I have to. Are you going back too, Hilde? You must be tired from staying up all night with me.”
“I’m not tired at all when I’m with Katt-nim. Look, my eyes are sparkling.”

Looking at Hilde’s face, her eyes were indeed sparkling. Her skin was glowing, and her hair looked soft.

“I don’t think I’ll be tired at all, even if I stay up for days.”

Hilde gazed into my eyes, smiling seductively, and rubbed her body against me.

“Katt-nim. Are you perhaps interested in sex for three days and nights?”
“I am.”

But my wives can’t handle that.

“Shall I give you the experience?”
“Don’t even think about it.”
“Oh, come on! You always say no! I have a vagina too! I want to use it! I wish Katt-nim would take my first time!”
“You little…”

Our Hilde is a succubus, so whatever she talks about, it always ends up being about sex.

“I’m helping you in so many ways. I’ve told you about demons so many times.”
“I’m really grateful for that. Hilde, you’re my true friend.”

I’ve received so much help from Hilde. Hilde’s contribution is huge in making me who I am today. I’m feeling infinitely grateful.

“Only in words?”
“No, of course, I’m not just grateful in words.”

If she asks me for something, I’m confident I can do almost anything.

“Hmph… Then can I ask you for just one thing?”
“I’ll do almost anything as long as it’s not weird.”

ㅡPause.

Hilde, who was walking next to me, stopped.

“…It’s not weird. But promise me. Promise me you’ll grant it if it’s not weird.”
“Promise?”

…This is a bit ominous.

But judging from what Hilde is saying, she doesn’t seem to be thinking of asking me to do anything really weird. Of course, I trust my demon friend. As long as it doesn’t go against Fusion Confucianism, I can grant anything.

I can always say no if it seems wrong.

“Okay, I promise. But if it’s weird, I really can’t do it?”
“Hehehe, do you think I would ask you for something like that, knowing your personality, Katt-nim?”

I think she would.

“You do it all the time.”
“That’s, um. Just an expression of affection? An expression of affection. Of course, I mean it, but it’s just an expression of my feelings!”

Hilde said that, put her hand on her chest, closed her eyes, and took a breath in and out.

ㅡHaa.

“…Then, Katt-nim. Can I ask you for just one thing? For the sake of this little Hildegard who has supported you with love?”
“Okay, okay. What do you want me to do?”

When I answered,

Hilde grinned.

“It’s simple.”

She smiled ominously, clasped her hands together, rubbed her cheek with the back of her hand, and said.

“Please let me meet Claudie-nim next time.”
“What?”
“Claudie-nim.”

Claudie?

“I want you to let me meet her.”

Hilde emphasized, clinging to me. She wants me to let her meet Claudie now?

“Um… that’s.”
“Why?”

Is this little brat planning to instigate something with Claudie? If it’s such a heinous scheme, I should refuse, of course.

“It’s not a weird request at all?”

As I was thinking that, Hilde circled around me, saying with a very happy face.

“Ah.”
“I just want to see her again and talk to her since we met last time? I also want to hear the secrets of beauty? We originally like beautiful women as well as men. It’s a kind of camaraderie? Succubi worship strong and dominant men and revere beauty and sex appeal?”

Hilde continued to circle around me.

“All succubi are like priestesses who serve the beautiful goddess of lust, Keshara-Gia Lillianne. She loves males who are obsessed with the desire to reproduce and beautiful and lewd women… Ah, I’m rambling. Anyway, is there anything strange about my request?”
“Um…”

There’s nothing strange…

“Katt-nim, you just promised, right? You said you’d do anything as long as it’s not weird. That’s what you promised your demon friend Hildegard.”
“…I did.”
“Ehehe, then I can meet Claudie-nim?”

Is this… am I being swept away by Hilde’s pace?

“Katt-nim is a person who always keeps his word. He’s a truly heroic person, so rare in this world these days. That, Fusion Confucianism? That’s cool. Heavenly Demon? That’s also very cool. Manly.”

Hilde kept chattering.

“Such a cool Katt-nim… wouldn’t break his promise with this little succubus who has been helping Katt-nim with love, right? Huh? Answer me, Katt-niim.”

Damn it.
I can’t help it.

“Ah, damn it. Okay. I’ll let you meet her. I’ll let you meet Claudie next time, okay?”
“Yay! Yes! I love you, Katt-nim!”

How can she be so similar to Ari?

So, I carried the jig and headed to Isvant with Hilde.

“Then Katt-nim! Call me next time! I’ll be waiting!”

I adjusted my speed appropriately, and we were able to reach the city before sunset. When the fortress walls appeared in front of me, Hilde waved her hand and entered the gate.

“Ah, but if you call me super late, I’ll pout!”
“Okay, okay. I’ll call you as soon as possible. Goodbye.”
“Yes! Katt-nim, have a happy day too!”

Hilde left like that.

Anyway, I decided to think about this later and headed straight to the Adventurer’s Guild after passing through the city gate. Let’s get this done as quickly as possible and go home.

It was almost sunset, but the guild was as crowded as ever.

But the jig is a bit big, so I don’t think I can take it inside. I immediately put the jig down and went inside to call an employee.

The employee who came out soon admired the jig.

“So many… did you catch all of these by yourself?”
“Yes. As you can see, I also caught the shaman. If it’s 2 silver per head and 10 silver for the command entity, is that 34 silver?”
“Yes… that’s what the calculation comes out to, but just a moment.”

The employee who went inside came out with other employees.

“Um… twelve heads and one shaman.”
“Headmaster, is there any reward money left?”
“There is.”

Three employees recorded in the ledger while checking the heads. They’re using three employees even though it’s night? These Adventurer’s Guild guys are really rich.

I asked them something that suddenly came to mind.

“Ah, but I have a question.”
“What are you curious about?”
“How much more performance do I need to reach C-rank?”
“Ah, C-rank? As far as I know, Katt-nim is currently in the screening stage. Your career in Isvant is short, but I heard that you’ve solved several major cases. No one has been promoted to C-rank this year yet, so maybe Katt-nim will be the first promoted this year?”
“Oh, is that so?”

That’s welcome news.
If I’m being screened, I won’t be rejected.

The employee added that there wasn’t a single C-rank promoter in the year before last and the year before that. Only two people were promoted last year. A C-rank adventurer is a pretty high-level manpower. The core of the Adventurer’s Guild is D-ranks.

Giving mages C-ranks is just like outsourcing.

“Here, I think I can calculate it for you now. I’ve recorded everything.”
“Please exclude the shaman’s head. I’ll bring it next time.”
“The shaman’s head? Is there any reason?”
“I have to brag to people I know.”
“Yes. I understand.”

I took the 24 silver, excluding the shaman’s head value, and left the guild. I’ll show this to my wives as Karin asked and then submit it.

I quickly ran to the area where blacksmiths were concentrated and knocked on the door of the leather shop just before it closed. I just need to sell this leather and go home.