Damn Reincarnation

pig?’[1]

— Why would you put lipstick on a pig?

— You’re dumber than a pig.

Since Molon liked fighting against a strong person.
he had also been interested in Orix.
However, his interest quickly dissipated once he found out that Orix wasn’t as strong as he had thought.

As for Anise and Vermouth, they had shown zero interest in Orix from the get-go.
Anise said that the current party was ideal, adding someone would just break the balance.
On top of that, she evaluated Orix as someone who wasn’t worth enough for her to wait until the party regained balance.

Vermouth said the same stuff: the hero party didn’t need an extra member.
The five were fine on their own.

Vermouth always said that.
While the party had been wandering around Helmuth, they had met numerous heroes.
Some had wished to be a member of their party.
There had been some whom Hamel himself wanted as one of his party members.

There was one thing he could never deny — Hamel was the weakest member in the hero party when they first arrived at the frontline of Helmuth.
Among the heroes who had already made a name for themselves in the area, there were many people who were stronger than him.

Yet, Vermouth never asked them to join his party.
On the contrary, when other heroes approached him wanting to become a member, he firmly rejected them.
Vermouth explained to them that it had been great fighting together on this or that occasion, but he had to be together with his current teammates.

At the time, Hamel had really been unable to understand Vermouth.

‘…I still don’t.’ Eugene thought, feeling mixed emotions.

He put his hand inside the cloak and slapped the back of Mer’s hand to stop her from pinching him.

“…You seem to have a lot of respect for your ancestor,” Eugene spoke, trying to be as calm as possible.

“Just like you respect the Great Vermouth,” Alchester spoke, smiling.
“My ancestor may not have fought against the Demon Kings in Helmuth, but he protected numerous Kiehl citizens and the Kiehl borderline as he remained in the Empire.
Sir Vermouth protected the world by fighting against the Demon Kings, but my ancestor also devoted his life to Kiehl.”

Alchester looked at the symbol of the White Dragon Knightly Order on his uniform.

“…It is said that the first Kiehl emperor was friends with a dragon,” Alchester explained the founding myth of Kiehl.
“From the start, the Kiehl Empire has been friends with dragons.
However, a long time has passed since the guardian dragon of the Empire died.
No connection existed between the Empire and dragons afterward….
But when my half-dragon ancestor arrived at Kiehl three hundred years ago, the Empire once again became friends with dragons.”

“…Cough,” Eugene suddenly cleared his throat.

“What’s wrong?” Alchester swiftly asked.

“…My… my wound from the fight with the Rakshasa Princess suddenly ached.” Eugene grabbed his chest, physically suppressing his laughter from coming out.

“Of course, you would have an injury.
The Rakshasa Princess is strong,” Carmen spoke as she turned her head away from the window.
Holding her bandaged right arm, she continued, “But we’re strong too, kid….
Well, I guess I can’t call you kid anymore, Eugene.”

“…Why are you calling me kid then….” Alchester timidly interrupted.

“Quiet, kid.
I haven’t survived a life and death battle with you, so you are still a kid to me, Alchester.”

Alchester wasn’t able to understand Carmen’s logic, but he decided to not nitpick on that.

“A dragon, huh…,” Carmen muttered under her breath as she stared at her bandaged fingers.

“Do you have something you would like to say?” Eugene cautiously asked.

“No, it’s nothing.” Carmen put her hand in her coat pocket and chuckled.
“Heaven Genocide….
The pocket watch that hides its true form.”

As she kept on staring at her pocket watch, she furtively glanced at Eugene.
“…A dragon, huh….”

Eugene stayed silent at Carmen’s obvious act.
What Carmen had said the day before crossed Eugene’s mind.

— I found the Heaven Genocide through a coincidental encounter — no, a miracle….
Wow, it has already been decades since I found it.
I went through a magical experience when I was young.
That’s all I can tell you.

— You started anyway, so why can’t you just tell me the whole damn story?

— I can’t.
I can’t break the promise since promises are important.

In any case, thanks to Carmen being really obvious, Eugene had a rough idea about how Carmen had gotten her hands on Heaven Genocide and who had made it.

“…Wouldn’t it be better if we go together?” Alchester asked with a hint of discontentment.

“No, you guys should go by carriage.” Carmen shook her head.

“I think it’s inefficient….”

“I asked you and the rest of the White Dragon Knights to guard the nearby areas of the Lionheart land.
I don’t want strangers to enter the main estate.”

Due to Carmen’s firm rejection, Alchester had no choice but to step back.

“In that case, I will do as you ask.
We will use the warp gate at the outskirts of Ceres to visit the Lionhearts’ land.”

“We will discuss how to protect the estate later.
We will come to you, so you just put up a camp outside the main estate’s wall or something,” Carmen instructed Alchester.

Leaving Alchester, Carmen went through the warp gate first.
Following Carmen, Eugene also entered the warp gate.
The sight of a familiar forest unfolded before his eyes.

“Did you do that because of the forest?” Eugene asked Carmen, who was putting another cigar in her mouth.

“Yeah, that’s why.” Carmen nodded.
“Alchester isn’t a black-hearted person.
I have known him since he was a little child.
At one time, I have exchanged knowledge for the sake of the Lionhearts and the Dragonics’ friendship.”

“Exchanged knowledge?” Eugene tilted his head in confusion.

“I taught Alchester the Lionheart style.
Alchester’s father… the former Dragonic Patriarch taught me the Dragonic style.
I personally think the Lionhearts were the ones who suffered a loss during the exchange,” Carmen spoke, chewing on the end of her cigar.
Soon, she frowned as she felt the bitterness spreading in her mouth.
“…To put it in another way, I was Alchester’s teacher, so I know who Alchester is.
He’s timid, but his loyalty for his lord makes him overcome his timidness.”

Alchester’s lord was the emperor of Kiehl.

“This forest is too valuable.
There is not only the leyline made by the Great Vermouth, but there are also the trees that you brought.
These things make the forest into a treasure warehouse.
If Alchester finds out about the forest… he will definitely report back to the emperor.
He wouldn’t try to take our land, but he is more than capable of producing a royal decree ordering us to cooperate and let the White Dragon Knights train in the forest.
Things would get real noisy around here.”

As they talked, the other Black Lions arrived at the estate through the warp gate.

Watching them, Carmen continued, “The Rakshasa Princess retreated, but don’t lower your guard.
Since she went that far last time, we don’t know when she will strike again.”

After warning Eugene, Carmen went over to the Black Lions to discuss their future plans.

Eugene approached Lavera, who looked noticeably pale.

“…Master Eugene.” Lavera’s eyes lost focus for a moment.

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m…okay.
Master Eugene, are you….
No, never mind.
I’m sorry….”

“What’s there for you to apologize?” Eugene grumbled as he stood in front of Lavera.
“Stand still.”

“…Pardon?”

“Don’t move,” Eugene repeated, grabbing Lavera’s shoulders.

Lavera was surprised, but she stood still, remembering Eugene’s instruction.

‘He is punishing me.’ Lavera thought and bit her lips.

Although Lavera hadn’t done it on purpose, Eugene had fallen into danger because he had gone out to the city with her.
Since the slave had put her master into trouble, the slave had to be punished.

“Hmm…” Eugene groped Lavera’s body, starting from her shoulder.
His hands went slowly over her armpits, collarbones, and her chest.
Lavera wasn’t humiliated, but saddened by the fact that Eugene, whom she had idolized, was doing this kind of stuff to her.

While talking with the Black Lions, Carmen happened to see what Eugene was doing to Lavera.
She gaped in shock, her cigar falling out of her mouth.

‘What on earth is he doing? Why here? They aren’t alone.
Why would he be groping an elven maid’s body in front of everyone?’

Carmen’s eyes lost focus.

“Hmmmm…” Eugene’s touch was delicate, as if he was merely conducting some sort of diagnostic.
After her chest, Eugene’s hands had come down on Lavera’s waist and abdomen.

Turning her flushed face, Carmen loudly cleared her throat.
“…Uhm… why don’t you… do it later…?”

“Got it.” Eugene spoke calmly, not giving a hoot about the onlookers’ impression.

‘Got what?’ Carmen bewilderedly thought.

Before she could say something, Eugene slapped Lavera’s waist.

“Ugh…!” Feeling a shock spreading throughout her body, Lavera covered her mouth.

Eugene infused his mana into Lavera as he kept his hand on her waist.

“Open your mouth,” Eugene ordered.

However, there was no need for Eugene to give such an order.
Something instantly squirmed out from deep inside her body and filled her mouth.

“Blarghhh!”

Lavera vomited up a dark lump.

1.
The raw was a pearl necklace on a pig.
But it seems ‘putting lipstick’ is more popular in English culture.
☜