The Hero’s Mentor is a Demon (King) Witch

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Morning.

I sent them off to have breakfast separately.

“Isn’t it better to eat together…?”

“I don’t feel like eating this morning. Just the two of you eat.”

“But, Witch…?”

Rosmas was sneaking glances, visibly concerned about me.

“What?”

“Um, I just thought it’d be nice to eat together…”

“I said I’m not eating.”

“Eek…”

It clearly feels like a dream, one of many desires in my subconscious, so I shouldn’t hold any biases, yet I keep treating Rosmas with prejudice.

“Isn’t saying ‘I won’t eat’ enough? Why do I have to say it two or three times?”

“Ah, no…. Huhuh…”

Her whimpering was a bit annoying.

Whenever I tried to glare at her, she hid behind Lucius and started whimpering. Talk about being clever.

“Hmm…”

Suddenly, Lucius in the middle began to count something with his hands.

From left hand to right hand, then right hand back to left hand.

As his fingers folded and unfolded, nearing thirty counts.

“I understand, Master. If needed, may I brew a light tea? A warm one.”

“That sounds nice.”

Lucius quickly took Rosmas outside, trying not to upset me.

The two would soon be dining happily while I, in the meantime, had to convert the libido I absorbed from Rosmas into mana.

Gooood.

I focused all my mana into one point.

Gathering the negative mana scattered throughout my body, I concentrated the essence of the dream into one part of my body.

The mana gained through libido isn’t in my heart, but elsewhere.

Below the lower abdomen.

Satan, a member of the deep and dark council, called this place ‘Dantian.’

The mana of living beings generally resides in the heart, but he came up with the idea of creating a heart of mana somewhere other than the heart, thus creating a sort of ‘sub mana heart.’

I intended to meld Satan’s teaching with Asmodeus’s method.

Though it was a first attempt, I aimed to transform one of the least useful organs from this undead girl into the most meaningful one.

Saaaah.

All the negative energy converted through libido was directed to my lower abdomen.

“……Huh.”

The mana seeping out was less than that which escapes from the heart.

The heart area remained wide open, covered by magic and clothes, but the mana stored in the lower abdomen Dantian had no escape points.

Under specific circumstances, it might leak out.

For instance…

‘Destroying the Dantian.’

The sub mana heart named Dantian serves like a reserve magic stone stored within the body.

While it doesn’t have a physical form, its magical essence is still tangible enough that if it’s broken, it would deal serious harm to the body.

In other words, while I could use more mana than what’s stored in the heart, it also meant creating more critical points of danger.

A prime example would be getting stabbed in the Dantian by something thick and sturdy, like a spear.

Unless extraordinary measures are taken, the sub mana heart would be destroyed, and once a vessel is shattered, restoring it becomes almost impossible.

Thus, I must be cautious.

There shouldn’t be reasons for my abdomen to attract attacks, but there are still occasional lunatics who aim to pierce the belly.

“…Hah.”

How much time did the absorption and purification of libido take?

My body was drenched in sweat.

While creating the Dantian and letting mana run wild throughout my body, I ended up sweating profusely to regulate my temperature.

And…

“Ew.”

As if releasing the waste accumulated deep within, I spewed a handful of blood from inside my body out of my mouth.

“Whoa…”

I had no idea so much blood was still left in me.

As I filled every corner of my veins, even the tiniest capillaries in my fingertips, with mana and made mana flow instead of blood, I ended up spitting blood into my hands.

Thankfully, due to the mana still supplied from my body, the blood didn’t rot or anything.

Should I be glad to be pouring clear blood?

I set it ablaze with my fire magic to evaporate it quickly.

“Phew. Phew.”

After taking a deep breath to settle the remaining mana, I swallowed a sip of cold water in the room to wash away the blood lingering in my mouth and throat.

The blood that entered my stomach would completely be annihilated through heat magic internally, meaning my body now truly flowed with mana instead of blood.

“Hmm…”

I opened the window.

Although my sense of smell isn’t keen, I figured the incoming person wouldn’t feel too good with the smell of blood wafting through.

Saaaah.

A refreshing breeze flowed in, brushing against my face.

Outside, the warm sunlight sparkled, and I swept my hair back from my face as it danced around.

“Master?”

The wind blew surprisingly hard, perhaps because the door had just been opened.

I couldn’t help but chuckle at Lucius, who came in holding a teacup on a small plate.

‘Just when I needed to freshen my mouth.’

What perfect timing.

Having absorbed libido not long ago left me feeling good, and a sip to wash away the unpleasantness couldn’t be better.

“Thank you. Did you enjoy your meal?”

“Yes. Um…”

“I’m sorry for being grumpy earlier. My condition was just terrible.”

“Ah, ah….”

Rosmas, who was with Lucius, looked pale and blinked rapidly.

“I-I’m sorry!! I didn’t realize!!”

“Bad conditions don’t announce themselves, you know. I should be the one grateful for you, Rosmas, for offering this apology.”

“M-Mistress…!”

She was practically moved to tears now.

I couldn’t even begin to guess at the emotional fluctuations of this elf.

Ah.

Perhaps I’ve begun to develop some familiarity over meals?

Having shared a bed, maybe the next step is to find a separate room and lock them in the same one!

“Sit down, Rosmas. Lucius too. I’ll properly convey today’s agenda now.”

“Is it okay to sit?”

“Of course. There’s nothing particularly difficult about sitting.”

I sat the two down at the table and lifted my teacup.

But then…

“Aaaah.”

“Ugh, why are there so many bugs?”

Fwwaaap.

I incinerated the bug with fire magic.

The bug was reduced to ashes in an instant and scattered to the ground as cinders.

Since it was fire made from mana, it wouldn’t spread just because it touched the ground.

“So… using mana to catch bugs?”

“It’s fine. It’s nothing. After pouring it all out, I actually feel better.”

Thanks to the hit I took in the Normans, I could now meticulously adjust the mana output in my body.

“Now, today…”

“Witch! We have a big problem! Missing livestock has been found dead!!”

“…It looks like we need to move right away.”

A crisis has arisen.

*

In a dark cave.

Within the cave where not a single speck of light could be seen, numerous creatures wriggled about.

Crunch, crunch, crunch.

Things resembling bugs were chewing and swallowing something.

If there had been light, it would’ve surely been a grotesque scene that would make people nauseous.

The bugs, both larvae and adult forms, were chewing on something softer than ordinary flesh.

“…….”

Observing this scene from above in the cave, atop a mana barrier, was a goblin dressed in a white robe.

With glasses on, he recorded various things on a chart in his hands, checking the condition of the bugs.

“…Condition is stable. Just one more day…”

Creak, creak, creak.

With the sound of wheels rolling, an iron cart arrived in front of the goblin.

Inside the cart were intestines and entrails of various beasts, and the goblin wrinkled his nose up, covering it.

“Urgh.”

Even the goblin felt nauseous from the stench.

It must’ve been freshly caught, probably from sick livestock, judging by how horrible the smell was.

“Ninety-ninth. Dropping.”

The goblin picked up a staff placed beside him and tapped the ground.

Then the magic circle he was standing on was dispelled, and one side of the iron cart opened, spilling the chunks into a pit below.

Thud, thud, thud.

Regardless of whether the bugs below were crushed by the falling meat, the goblin dumped all the animal innards without leaving a single piece behind.

“Water Elemental.”

Then, using magic on the cart, he sprayed water to wash away the blood and tapped his staff on the ground to spread out the magic circle again.

Tap, tap, tap.

Some of the flying bugs tried to take off into the air but collided headfirst against the barrier.

Having had their fill, the adults itched to rush outside, and the goblin laughed wickedly at the sight of them.

“Hehehe. They’re already anxious to rush out. I feel the same way. I want to show my power to those human folks… hehehe.”

Flap, flap.

Beneath his robe.

Something protruded sharply from the goblin’s back.

The goblin chuckled to himself as he checked a crystal ball from within his robe.

“Asydia. Objective. Destruction of Count Odrone’s Territory. In charge…”

Amutar Arkshiel.

Seeing his name boldly printed in the directive, the goblin bared his teeth and grinned wickedly.

“Reward… the title of ‘Demon Baron, Ronove.’”

A new name bestowed directly by the Demon Lord.

Since the demon race grows stronger by receiving names from those more powerful than themselves, receiving a name from none other than the Great Demon Lord Bel Phegor would surely allow him to spread his notoriety far and wide.

“Greheh, grehehe.”

Amutar raised his right hand.

His right hand resembled a sharp claw, much like the bugs beneath the magic circle.

“With this power… hehehe, I’ll establish the Goblin Kingdom, then trample the heroes beneath my feet… kihehehe.”

Amutar collected the power granted to him, ‘the power to control the bugs,’ and steadied his breathing.

“Lord Zephar, look at how many bugs I’ve cultivated and nurtured like this…!”

Poison Bugs, Narag.

“Please watch over me, Lord Zephar. This Amutar Arkshiel commands the legion of poison bugs…!”

*

“Miss Droniel, from here on…”

“It’s alright. From now on… you know?”

“Yes. I’ll refer to it as [Black Lotus].”

“Good.”

The woman, veiled in a black coat and a black mask, steadied her breath as the slowly revealing village came into view.

“Listen carefully. Our identity must never be revealed. We are adventurers here to resolve a request… Arthur?”

The woman observed.

Next to the blonde youth, two women followed closely to his sides.

“…….”

Droniel, or rather Black Lotus, fidgeted with her sword sheath and gripped the reins.