The legend of the Crimson Demon clan started from Suqing

#395 - Catnip of the Body of God (Re:Zero)

Chapter 394: God's Body = Catnip (From Zero, Temporarily Complete)

The council's discussion was intense, as going to the Surveillance Tower was fraught with difficulty.

Ultimately, it was decided that five people would go to the Surveillance Tower: Emilia, Natsuki Subaru, Beatrice, Julius, and Anastasia.

The rest then disbanded.

Zun Zun also returned to the inn to rest, preparing to return to the royal capital with Reinhard and the others early the next morning.

Evening.

As Zun Zun was resting in his room, there was a sudden knock on the door, and a familiar girlish voice came from outside.

"— It's me. I apologize for intruding so suddenly, but does Lord Zun Zun have some time right now?"

"Come in."

As soon as he finished speaking, the door opened.

A slender girl wearing a fox scarf walked in slowly.

He didn't foolishly ask why she was here, as this inn was originally her property. At the same time, he wasn't surprised by her visit.

"I thought you wouldn't come."

"How could that be? Lord Zun Zun is about to leave, so I certainly had to see you off."

"…I wish that were the case."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing."

Zun Zun saw that she was still standing at the door, so he gestured for her to come in and sit down, and poured her a cup of tea.

"Thank you."

The girl thanked him softly, brought her legs together, and sat elegantly on the floor, while also taking off the scarf around her neck and placing it on the round table.

"So, is there something you came here for?"

"Yes, I wanted to discuss the matter of the Witch Cult's attack on the Water Gate City this time. You have done many great things this time, enough to be called great achievements. I imagine that this time when you return, you will definitely be favored by the council and the nobles."

"Are you saying you want me to share some of the credit? Fine, then let's just give all the credit for defeating the Cardinal of Lust and the Cardinal of Greed to Miss Anastasia."

"Am I such a person in your eyes?"

Zun Zun's words were a bit hurtful, and the girl pouted slightly as if she was angry, but then sighed.

"To give your own credit to others so casually, Lord Zun Zun, you really are an unexpected person. — On the contrary, on the contrary. I want to give you half the credit for protecting the city and organizing the people to avoid mass casualties."

"Oh?"

This part should rightfully be the credit of Anastasia and Kirika Taka. One treats this place as her base of operations, and the other is the head of the large merchant guild in the Water Gate City.

Although they didn't go to the battlefield, their roles were significant.

— Zun Zun and the others only had to consider how to defeat the Sin Archbishops, while Anastasia in the rear had much more to consider.

"Otto-san helped a lot. He single-handedly resisted a Sin Archbishop and helped others to retreat. His contribution cannot be denied."

"Let's just say that's the case."

Leaning against the coffee table, Zun Zun smiled meaningfully, took another sip of tea, and said, "Then, what do you need?"

"…No, other than that, I have nothing else."

"Don't get me wrong. I'm not talking about Anastasia, but you."

Zun Zun's words made her smile freeze, then gradually melt away, as she tilted her head slightly.

"Oh, it's truly unbelievable, Lord Zun Zun knows that I am not Anastasia?"

Knowing that she had been exposed, her tone changed greatly.

The two tones were very similar, but the most important part was indeed missing. Even if the girl in front of him imitated her very closely, he could still feel the obvious difference between the two.

"The eyes of the Crimson Demons can see magic power. The magic power of you and the fox on the coffee table are almost intertwined, which has never happened before."

In Zun Zun's eyes, they seemed like a whole, or rather, that the fox was controlling Anastasia's body.

"Besides that, there are many loopholes. For example, Anastasia wouldn't call me 'Lord', Anastasia wouldn't chat with me using a merchant's mindset to deliberately curry favor in the form of negotiations, and she wouldn't sit so close to me either."

"— I never thought that my admiration would become a flaw… Heh!"

The fake Anastasia, as if she couldn't hold back any longer, threw herself into Zun Zun's arms and then took a deep breath in his embrace. The girl's soft body and fragrant breath made Zun Zun stunned for a moment.

"…Eh?"

"Ah, that's it — — — —"

Her cheeks flushed, with a look of wish fulfillment, while the fairies in Zun Zun's crown jumped out one after another, constantly circling around her, and the fairy dragon was biting her clothes and dragging her out.

"W-wait a minute! The clothes are going to be ruined!"

What on earth was going on?

After a long while, the farce subsided.

"So, explain it," Zun Zun said, looking at Anastasia and the fox on the coffee table, "What exactly is going on?"

"Yes! Because Lord Zun Zun's scent is really too good, I couldn't control myself for a moment…"

"I'm not asking about that."

What an irrelevant answer.

Speaking of which, am I catnip, having the same powerful attraction to fairies?

"You came alone, and used credit as a bait, there must be something you want. At least, I don't think Otto can share half of the credit."

"As expected of Lord Zun Zun, if I wasn't worried about Anastasia, I would really want to sign a contract with you! — W-wait, wait, just kidding! Don't bully me!"

Zun Zun's fairies were bullying the fake Anastasia who had boldly confessed. Of course, whether it was a joke or not, only she herself knew.

"Lord Zun Zun, may I ask when you saw through it?"

"From the very beginning."

"…Is that so. I have been observing Anastasia alone, thinking that I could completely imitate her, but after all, I still can't do it?" The girl first sighed in frustration, and then said very seriously, "Lord Zun Zun, please save Anastasia!"

The state of the two becoming intertwined and indistinguishable can be traced back to the attack of the Gluttony Archbishop.

The Gluttony Archbishop was much more troublesome than imagined. Not to mention that the three of them ran over to sneak attack, the three of them were very powerful, making it quite difficult to deal with.

And when Julius and Ricardo fell, Anastasia decided to help.

Thus, the fox spirit possessed her.

After being possessed, Anastasia could use some low-level magic, which didn't help much, but it did manage to drive away the Gluttony Archbishops.

Just as she was about to解除 the possession, she realized she couldn't.

“You know what happened after that.”

“Unable to解除 the possession, and forced to act without revealing any flaws… I understand. Before that, please get off me.”

He pushed away the girl who wanted to ride on him.

The fox spirit and Anastasia hadn't signed a contract because Anastasia's 'Gate' ability to absorb magic wasn't mature enough to be used properly, and signing a contract would only burden her.

“I beg you, Your Excellency Zun-zun.”

The girl knelt on the floor, her head touching the ground, and whispered:

“I really, really like Anastasia. Even without signing a contract with her, I've spent over ten years with her, and it's not just out of simple curiosity. I don't know if it's right to call it a real feeling, but I also feel a sense of closeness like a protector or family member. More than anyone, I want her to be healthy and happy, so—please!”

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She babbled on, expressing her love.

Not friends, not lovers, but family above all else.

Similar to Puck and Emilia, Beatrice and Subaru Natsuki, the Spirit Dragon and Zun-zun, they all had family-like feelings. She was the same.

“Of course, you can refuse. In fact, the real reason I'm going to the Sage Council this time isn't to help Mr. Subaru Natsuki and the others, but for Anastasia.”

“…I can try.”

“Really?”

“I've received a lot of care from Anastasia as well.”

See, this is the reward for building goodwill. Even though Zun-zun knew Anastasia was building goodwill with him, he couldn't stand idly by in this situation.

“Besides, only I can try right now, right?”

“Yes, that's right…”

Anastasia's current state is one of addition, with the fox spirit possessing her, which is an addition. Zun-zun's Sword of Darkness is subtraction, so there's a high probability he can do it.

“Then—”

“Eh? Wait, wait a moment, let me mentally prepare myself!”

“Who has time for that?”

“Wai—!”

Slash!

Holding the Sword of Darkness with a murderous look, even knowing there was no danger, she still felt afraid.

And this time, the result was naturally successful.

Anastasia's sleeping consciousness regained dominance, but what was unexpected was that, even in her slumber, she was still affected by the Gluttony Archbishop's authority, forgetting her knight, Julius.

But in the end, she decided to go to the Sage Council. This time, not for herself, but for her knight whom she had forgotten—Julius.

The next day.

Saying goodbye to Subaru Natsuki and the others, Zun-zun, Otto, and Rem, along with Felt and Reinhard, escorted the Wrath Archbishop back to the royal capital.

With the noisy Felt and Otto on the way, he wasn't too bored.

During this time, Zun-zun also chatted with the Wrath Archbishop, asking why the Witch Cult was looking for the Crimson Demons and why the Gospel showed the names of the Crimson Demons.

This was a blind spot.

Zun-zun's body had a strong adaptability to magic, coupled with the cheat of the Divine Body, making him undoubtedly an excellent vessel.

But the question was, how did the Witch Cult know? It couldn't be that this book even knew about things in another world, right?

However, the Wrath Archbishop didn't say anything. No, rather, she didn't care about any of this.

Admittedly, the Gospel vaguely mentioned the Crimson Demons, but she came to the Water Gate City because the Gospel told the Wrath Archbishop that she would be reunited with her lover here, and in fact, she was reunited—in Subaru Natsuki's body.

Unable to communicate, Zun-zun gave up.

Back in the royal capital.

The results of the Water Gate City battle had already been reported to the council.

Zun-zun didn't make a sound, but when he did, he astonished everyone.

Naturally, he received extremely high praise. Macrotoff, the representative of the Council of Sages, couldn't wait to hold a coronation ceremony to announce the return of the Dragon King after knowing how much Zun-zun had done, but he had no choice but to give up due to the three-year agreement.

As for Zun-zun, after Reinhard settled the Wrath Archbishop, he came to visit.

“The Water Gate City incident is over, and it's time for me to go back.”

“Your Excellency Zun-zun, you have accomplished so many great feats, and it can be said that the next king is already a certainty, so why…”

“Because of family.”

“Family…”

Reinhard carefully savored these two words, his expression very sad. His already fragmented family had become even worse after this incident.

The Sword Saint is invincible, but there are also things that make people feel sorry for him. At least, he has never had close, blood-related family members.

—Not since the death of the previous Sword Saint.

“Reinhard…”

“Your Excellency Zun-zun?”

“Sorry. And… no, it's nothing.”

Now, he couldn't say anything about letting Reinhard reconcile with Wilhelm. If he told him about the Gluttony Archbishop, if Reinhard hadn't missed, if Wilhelm had successfully said goodbye to his wife, if—

Many 'ifs' appeared in his mind, only to be shaken out by Zun-zun. Unable to return by death, he was not qualified to say these 'ifs'.

“In short, I will come again in a year.”

“I will feel lonely if you leave for so long.”

“Please be patient until then. Oh, wait a moment…” Zun-zun seemed to have thought of something and said, “Reinhard, can you change the flow of time?”