Volume 1, Chapter 27: Lord of Underground Labyrinth?
「Oh c’mon, don’t glare at me like that. It’s scary, ya know. Look, we ended up in the same situation. Despite what we did for Regios, they eventually betrayed and killed us after we had served our purpose.」
As Domiliune spoke, she cowered in an unnatural way.
「Same situation?」
「Yeah, exactly! If we’re speaking of who lost the most during the Eight Countries Unification War, the answer would be the Kingdom of Regios! But then, the reason is because that stupid, ungrateful princess decided to get rid of you after you served your purpose!」
「I’ll never work alongside a bastard like you.」
Lambert indifferently replied to Domiliune’s fervent speech about her achievements.
Though his voice was laced with underlying killing intent, Domiliune just smiled at him, not seeming to mind his answer.
「C’mon, we ended up with similar fates. Look, once she thought I wasn’t useful anymore, she sent you to kill me, right? In your case, that stupid princess was waiting until right before the Makyuras Kingdom surrendered, and then sent Glyph to kill you? See? We’re basically the same.」
「Her Highness… Felt anxious that a remnant of foreign royalty could use my name to incite another war. If that were to happen, thousands more would die. That’s why my death was necessary to prevent more tragedies. And I’ll never forgive you for scorning Her Highness.」
During the Eight Countries Unification War, the Kingdom of Regios absorbed many other countries, and afterward, it continued on toward the unification of the entire western half of the continent.
But then, the nobles and royalties of the countries who surrendered to the Regios Kingdom then started to move behind the scenes.
One wrong move, and Aurelia’s secret and Lambert’s overwhelming popularity amongst the masses could be used by them to cause another bloody war.
As the king, Aurelia had to prioritize the safety of her citizens and the throne over her personal feelings. In her position, that decision was probably the correct one.
After becoming an undead, Lambert came upon an understanding in regard to her decision.
「I’ve accepted my death, but you’re just a wicked woman, Domiliune.」
However, she was unperturbed by Lambert’s remark. An eerie smile was plastered on her face.
「You’re wrong. If you’ve accepted your death, then you would have never become an undead. Lambert-kun, you’re not a loyal retainer at all. The current you is the reincarnation of your filthy desire, regret, and envy. You dream of something out of your reach, betrayed right before you could attain it. And yet, you’re still blinded by that stupid princess. That’s why you can’t move on.」
「You’re wro-」
「The one who’s wrong is you. I’ve been researching the undead for a long time, that’s why could tell as soon as I saw you.」
Domiliune cut off his retort.
「Moreover, if you were serious about killing me, you would’ve attacked me as soon as you saw me, instead of wasting your time talking. Just like in the past.」
「That’s a nice idea you got there.」
Domiliune then pointed upward with her index finger, and the moment she did so, Lambert threw his great sword toward her.
Domiliune heaved a sigh as if to say good grief.
Contrary to its bulky appearance, the great sword traveled at breakneck speed, creating a thunderous sound as it struck Domiliune’s abdomen.
Domiliune’s petite body, which was too small to win against such a force, flew back and right into the wall.
Skewered by the great sword, Domiliune’s body dangled lifelessly.
Her abdomen was crushed, black liquid flowing out from her nose and mouth.
「AHAHAHA. You’re pissed off, huh! Did I hit the bull’s eyes?!」
Domiliune suddenly lifted her chin, laughing while clenching her teeth as if to prevent the black liquid from spilling even further.
Her jaw turned black, covered by the mysterious black liquid.
Lambert closed in and then punched Domiliune’s face with his gauntlet-covered hands.
Her head sunk into the wall, causing a thunderous sound.
After the dust settled, her head hung lifelessly.
However, Lambert didn’t let his guard down since he knew that Domiliune wouldn’t fall that easily.
He spun around midair, sending a roundhouse kick toward Domiliune’s head again.
Domiliune’s body twisted as it slipped down the sword that nailed her body to the wall.
Lambert’s roundhouse kick missed its target and struck the wall, creating a huge crater.
Domiliune crept on the ground, even with a snapped neck, and then stood again as if nothing had happened.
Her hands fixed her head back in place with a crack, and she turned back to face Lambert, smiling eerily as she did so.
「Aah, that hurt. I think I died three times with each attack.」
「As if a fu*cking monster like you can feel pain.」
「My bad, I’ve left some of my pain receptors. I don’t hate pain after all.」
Domiliune stabbed her fingers into her own chest. Making a hole in her abdomen, she dug inside and then gouged out some of her own meat.
Though she looked enraptured as she mutilated her own body, her expression went back to normal as soon as she removed her hand.
「Well then, have you calmed down? If so, then let’s start again. The reason you became an undead is because you were betrayed by that Aurelia, right? You’re simply afraid to know the truth, that’s why you’ve come to kill me again. I need to make you understand thi-.」
Lambert pulled out his greatsword that was stabbed into the wall and made a beeline toward Domiliune.
Domiliune didn’t seem to care about Lambert’s incoming attack.
She just spread her arms to the side in silence.
「Don’t you think that we, who were betrayed, should get along? We should lick each other’s wounds in this place, forever. I can grant your wish too, as long as it’s within my ability. In exchange, become my knight and protect me from danger. How’s that, a lovely offer, right? I’m also happy with it, I took a liking to you too after all. Are you wondering whether I’m jesting or not, or could it be that you’re ignoring me? Should I entice you slowly then? I’m a poor talker, after all. Now, will you take off your helmet? I really like your current figure.」
Lambert simply ignored Domiliune’s words, swinging his greatsword and aiming for her head.
Domiliune couldn’t dodge in time; Lambert’s great sword struck her temple.
Though her body was knocked back again and slammed against the wall for a second time, she instantly recovered in a moment.
Especially her skull, despite being struck directly with Lambert’s greatsword, there was a single scratch on it.
Even with a huge wound in her abdomen and twisted limbs, liquid only poured from her mouth.
Overall, it was as if Domiliune wasn’t injured at all.
(I put even more power in that last attack…）
「Aah, that really hurt. I’m happy that you’re finally reacting, but what will you do since killing me is futile? I’ve obtained immortality; you can’t kill me. I’m even protected by layers of magic that have accumulated for two hundred years…」
「Cut the crap, I already know your weak point. Your head is protected to an abnormal degree for an immortal, huh.」
「… Fufufu, as sharp as ever, aren’t cha?」
Lambert also had a core as an undead, but for some reason, he knew that the location of his was right inside his cranium.
He judged that Domiliune’s existence was closer to that of an undead, thus concluded that the location of her core was right inside of her head as well.
This conclusion was not mere conjecture. He observed that the body parts below her neck were extremely brittle compared to the parts above her neck.
「But still, this state of mine is closer to an immortal, you know. You might need to beat my head hundreds of times with that great sword of yours to crack it open. And it’s not like I’m going to be a good child and just wait for you to crack my skull open without fighting back.」
After speaking, Domiliune leaped back and then vanished inside the hole in the wall that was opened by the Flesh Golem.
Lambert readied his stance with his greatsword and jumped into the hole to chase after Domiliune.
But, Domiliune’s figure had already vanished.
「Well, I don’t mind, with you being like that. I’ve known since long ago that you’re quite a stubborn man, after all. Now that you’re giving your all, let me show you mine.」
Domiliune’s voice resounded in the passage.
Lambert raised his vigilance against any possible trap as he went after the owner of that voice.
「I’ll crush your body, trap your soul, and toy with it forever. Now come, let me show you the results of my two hundred years of research.」