Chapter 45: The King of the Desert – (3)
(I)
“That arrogant creature….”
Tina gritted her teeth and twisted her face at the provocation of an unnamed cactus monster.
Her pale hand gripped her greatsword tightly, as though she was ready to cleave the green monster in half at any moment.
“Stop.”
“…!!”
I quickly extended one hand to stop her.
Though my arm was thin and frail, it felt like a towering wall to Tina.
The moment she saw my signal, she forcefully halted her body, which had been ready to leap off her phantom horse.
“Stop…? Why are you stopping me…?!”
She seemed shocked, as though the idea of me stopping her hadn’t even crossed her mind.
Her expression quickly filled with confusion.
“But that thing dared to utter insolent words to you, Master….”
Tina growled, clearly unable to forgive the cactus monster for its disrespectful words toward me as her master. Smiling, I once again calmed her down.
“It’s fine, don’t mind it.”
I spoke with a broad grin.
“…It’s been a while since I’ve seen something interesting. It’d be a waste to kill it right away, don’t you think?”
“Something interesting…?”
“Yeah.”
At Tina’s question, I nodded.
With a carefree smile, I turned my gaze back to the giant cactus monster before us.
“A plant-type monster that can talk—how fascinating is that?”
…Monsters possessing clear intelligence were exceedingly rare, and among those, ones capable of speech were even rarer.
This cactus had not only appeared out of nowhere but also possessed the ability to speak a human language and even had the audacity to call itself a “king.”
It piqued my curiosity, making me want to engage in at least a short conversation.
To put it in simpler terms, it was like stumbling across a dandelion on the way home from school, proclaiming itself to be the ruler of the world and demanding my allegiance.
Who wouldn’t stop to see what it had to say?
“Hello there!”
…I called out cheerfully to the cactus monster, which had introduced itself as the king of this land.
“A monster speaking human language, huh? How do you do it?”
I deliberately included a provocative undertone in my question.
As if it had taken a potent drug, the cactus monster immediately reacted with great agitation, grinding its sharp teeth ferociously.
-How dare a mere creature like you look down on me?! Do you see me as being on the same level as other lowly monsters?!
“…Yeah, you kind of do seem like you’re on their level.”
I muttered quietly to myself so the cactus couldn’t hear me.
Other than being a rare, enormous plant-type monster capable of speech, it didn’t look particularly formidable or exude an intimidating aura.
Judging by its appearance, the cactus was likely an S-rank monster, about equivalent to a labyrinth’s boss monster.
While it would be an overwhelming existence to ordinary people, to me, it was just another run-of-the-mill creature.
If it couldn’t talk, I would’ve simply ordered Tina to cut it down in one strike.
…Still seething with anger, the cactus monster continued its tirade.
-…I am the king of this ‘Land of Creation.’ Unlike you lowly beings, I can produce hundreds, no, thousands of voices.
“Thousands of voices…?”
-Yes, like this.
“…!!”
The cactus’s voice, which had been rough and full of noise, suddenly shifted to a crystal-clear tone.
Now, it sounded like a young woman.
-I can even produce a voice like this, you lowly creature.
“A child…?”
This time, it mimicked the voice of a child.
Hearing it, I couldn’t help but feel intrigued, my expression showing as much.
“…You’re a pretty talented cactus.”
For a plant-type monster to perform voice impressions, it far exceeded my expectations.
-Naturally. What do you take me for?
The cactus, seemingly hearing my muttering, let out a satisfied smirk.
-I can mimic the voices of every creature I’ve consumed. I can produce more than 100,000 voices.
“Oh….”
A power to steal the voices of consumed creatures, huh? It was a unique ability, unlike anything I’d encountered even a thousand years ago.
-Consider yourself honored to hear my voice, you lowly being.
The cactus’s enormous body had nothing but a few tentacle-like stems and sharp thorns. Yet, it somehow exuded the impression of puffing out its chest in pride.
Faced with its unexpected self-aggrandizement, I responded with an awkward smile.
“Uh, sure, okay.”
For a monster to boast about itself like this… The world had certainly changed a lot during my thousand years of confinement.
-…Then let me ask you something.
“Hmm?”
This time, the cactus directed a question at me.
-How are you able to withstand the sunlight of this ‘Land of Creation’?
“Ah.”
The cactus was curious about how I was enduring the sunlight of the “Desert of Silence,” which would normally be unbearable for any ordinary human.
From its perspective, it had likely witnessed countless living creatures collapse at the desert’s entrance, so seeing me standing there so nonchalantly must have seemed unusual.
I chuckled softly and opened my mouth to respond.
“That’s, of course….”
I curled the corners of my mouth, preparing to respond with something akin to “Because I’m a badass vampire.” I opened my mouth, eager to see the cactus’s reaction to my answer.
But before my voice could escape, the cactus monster’s voice reached my ears once more.
-Ah, I see.
“Huh…?”
-Ashen hair, a vampire, an abnormal amount of magical energy. I was wondering where I had seen this before. Aren’t you that fool of a vampire who got betrayed by a so-called hero and sealed away a thousand years ago?
“What…?”
-Let me think… your name was… ah, right. ‘Elzerba.’
“….”
At the cactus’s words, the smile that had been spread across my face just ten seconds ago quickly darkened.
“…Interesting, cactus.”
A surge of emotions coursed through me, and a deep, oppressive wave of magical energy radiated outward, enveloping my body.
I had been sealed a thousand years ago.
During that time, Lilianel had manipulated all records, ensuring that no one in this era would know of my existence.
No one should have known my appearance—marked by my ashen hair—or my name. It was an impossibility.
Yet, this monster spoke my true name so casually.
Moreover, it mentioned the truth that no one should have known: that I had been betrayed and sealed away by Lilianel’s performance.
…It was just one sentence, but it marked the first time I encountered a living being who spoke the truth since I was freed from the seal.
“Hey, green spiky lump, how does someone like you know about my master?”
Beside me, Tina growled once more, tightening her grip on her greatsword.
In response, the cactus sneered, grinding its sharp teeth mockingly.
-Hah, what I gain from consuming a creature isn’t limited to just their voice.
“….”
-I can also see the memories of the creatures I devour.
“…!!”
The cactus monster waved its spiked tendrils menacingly, as though to intimidate us.
-Do you have any idea how many creatures I’ve consumed over countless eons? I possess the memories of hundreds of thousands, millions. I am time itself. I am the history of this world, sealed vampire.
“….”
Not only could it steal the voices of its prey, but also their memories.
The fact that it knew my story in such detail meant that among the creatures it had devoured, there was one who knew the truth about why I was sealed a thousand years ago.
A smile spread across my lips.
“…This is getting interesting.”
I dismounted my phantom horse, stepping onto the soft sands. Slowly, I began to approach the “master” of this Desert of Silence.
“You, you claim to hold all memories?”
-That’s correct.
“…Then you must also know everything that happened over the last thousand years.”
-Of course. Over the last millennium, I have consumed a million creatures. I hold the memories of a million beings.
“…Good.”
I clenched my fist.
Before I even reached Nevirthol, an unexpected opportunity—a hidden event—had presented itself to me like a gift.
If the cactus held the memories of the last thousand years, it might know about the first hero, Vellius Varius, who sealed me away, as well as the stories of his comrades.
It might even know why the nation of shamans, Tenma, was destroyed, or the intricate details of how Lilianel ascended to the position of Prime minister.
In short, standing before me was a massive living history textbook.
And since its memories were based on firsthand experience or direct observation, their accuracy was undoubtedly reliable.
I spoke to the cactus.
“You, I’m telling you nicely—spill everything you know.”
-What did you say?
“The history of the past thousand years. Tell me everything, without leaving anything out.”
-Pfft, puhahaha! Hahaha!
…Hearing my demand, the cactus burst into laughter.
The massive plant-like monster twisted its grotesque body, grinding its sharp, shark-like teeth in front of my face.
-Do you seriously think you can give me orders?
“….”
-I have ruled this ‘Land of Creation’ as the king of kings for thousands of years. I am the history of this world. Do you think I’d obey a mere vampire’s command?
“Haah….”
I let out a long sigh.
Honestly, given how it had exuded overwhelming pride and arrogance since the beginning, I didn’t expect it to comply so easily with a polite request.
“…I suppose you don’t have any memories of what happens to those who defy me.”
…Even if it could speak human language, it was still just a monster.
If it truly knew of the events from a thousand years ago, it should have known what happened to those who dared to challenge me.
Yet, it still chose to oppose me. How pitiful.
Still, I understood.
Monsters are inherently beings that rely more on brute force than logic or dialogue. They are a foolish race that would rather clash and risk death than negotiate.
Especially if they’ve lived for thousands of years and become territorial overlords.
…As I released my magical energy in preparation to activate a skill, I spoke.
“What? The ‘King’ of the Land of Creation?”
Even the term it used to refer to this desert annoyed me.
A place where every step spelled death, and it dared to call it a “land of creation”? Utter nonsense.
“I don’t like it.”
In my view, this place was more fittingly the Land of Death than of Creation.
“Starting today, the king is getting replaced. Act like the monster you are and crawl, you damned cactus.”
…As the words left my lips, the magical energy I released formed a magic circle, completely enveloping the vast desert.
—
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