Happy Daily Life of a Reincarnated Noble Blessed with Vassals - Chapter 5

“Come forth, Dragon Zombie!”

Once again, as soon as I summoned it, there was a loud crash from the sky! Descending was a massive skeleton shaped like an Eastern dragon. Despite being a zombie, there isn’t a trace of flesh on it. I half-expected it to have some decayed bits hanging on, but it’s just clean, white bones. It’s about the same size as Gorimaru.

[An evil dragon that continues to live even as bones. Threat level A: Dragon Zombie]

“I love the sound of ‘evil dragon.’ Alright, strangle them, Drazo!”

[Name confirmed. From now on, the summoned Dragon Zombie will be referred to as ‘Drazo.’]

Like Gorimaru, despite its size, it moves fast. In no time, it wrapped up two Mad Mad Bears that were trying to attack us, probably seeing us as their next meal. Then I heard the sound of something hard snapping.

When Drazo released its hold, the bears collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

“Before you became an advanced summoner, your tactic of summoning sheer numbers was already monstrous. What, are you planning world domination now?” 

Mary, who had accompanied us, skillfully cut open the bears’ chests with a large blade, extracting the life stones.

“You’ve got some real skill there. Should I help out?”

“This kind of dirty work is for servants like me. Alright, not bad size.”

It was smaller than the first one we’d gotten but still valuable.

Command, store it.

[As you wish.]

“Whoa, it really vanishes. Big Bro Odo was praising you in that creepy way again, saying, ‘The lord’s depths are unfathomable!'” Mary commented as he wore that wicked smile on his pretty face. 

I bet Odolski and the others find this mischievous younger brother attitude cute. I do, too. It’s kind of adorable. When Mary and Yumika are together, it’s soothing to the eyes.

“What’s with the dazed look, bro? If you keep that up, Gramps is gonna scold you for being scatterbrained again.”

As soon as he opened his mouth, the soothing feeling disappeared. 

Yumika is definitely our No. 1 mascot. When we get back, I’m going to cuddle and pet her.

“Still, it’s not so easy to run into dragons, huh? The Canilunya party will be bringing quite a few people, so we should try to gather as much meat as we can.”

“Normally, dragons are something you’d never want to meet, even if it kills you. But to you, they’re just gourmet ingredients. What do you think? Should we go deeper in? Might have better luck finding one.”

“Yeah… It’s not like we absolutely have to hunt one today. Let’s push forward a bit more, and if we don’t find anything, we’ll head back.”

“Thanks for the reasonable decision. When the big ones show up, I can’t contribute much to the fight.”

As an assassin, Mary wasn’t built to take on large opponents. Against something like the Mad Mad Bears earlier, Mary’s blade wouldn’t get through. But against smaller, human-sized beasts, he’s incredibly strong. One strike to the vital spot, and it’s over.

Sneaks up, hides presence, and then thrusts that big blade into the targets’ weak points. It’s always the same routine. What’s scary is how, despite being such an expressive kid, the moment he spots prey, his face goes totally blank.

Then, as soon as they stop moving, he beams with a full smile.

“You handle the big ones, bro, and it’s usually just a one-sided slaughter. It’s safe, sure. But as a man, it sucks to only be protected, y’know?”

He talks about his pride as a man, laughing like that. It’s ridiculously cute, even though the blade hanging from his waist is covered in blood.

“We just have different specialties. I’m not good at dealing with nimble beasts.”

Apparently, Rex Hesselink can use magic outside of summoning, but he’s best at fighting large beasts and in annihilation battles, so he leaves everything else to the others.

“There might be some unsavory characters among the Canilunya group, and I can’t handle them all by myself. I can’t exactly summon Gorimaru and Drazo inside the mansion, can I?”

“Please don’t ever do that. Big Sis Alice and the others would die under the rubble. Besides, with me, Big Bro Odo, and Gramps there, no one’s going to cause trouble. Normally, anyway.”

“That sounds like a loaded statement.”

“This time, there’s someone who isn’t normal. Your fiancée candidate, Amy? She’s bad news. If I were ordered to take her down during her prime, I doubt I could do it unscathed.”

“Are you saying you could take her down, but only if you got hurt in the process?”

“More like, I’d end up with injuries bad enough to keep me from ever fighting again. Well, if it’s just me. If Gramps were with me, we’d only get a few scratches. And if Big Bro Odo’s with us, it’d be a clean win.”

“Then I’ll relax and let you guys handle things while I focus on the engagement talks. I’m counting on you, Mary.”

“As you wish… Ha! Big Bro Odo keeps telling me to fix the way I talk, but I just can’t get used to it.”

It’s fine, don’t force yourself. The warrior characters are already saturated. Just the fact that you’re an assassin raised as a woman is enough to make you stand out.

“Let’s stop this pessimistic talk. This marriage proposal is an excellent opportunity that could greatly benefit our family’s future. I’d very much like to keep Lady Amy here, especially if she’s as formidable as you say, Mary.”

“Is that so? Well, as far as strength goes, she’s top-notch. When she’s just being herself, she’s a friendly woman. It might actually work out well.”

“I hope so.”

I really do want it to turn out that way. I’m not picky about looks, and while I know noble marriages aren’t usually about romance, I’m still human. Compatibility matters. Plenty of people seem great on the surface but turn out to be a mess underneath.

Of course, it’s also important if she likes me, right? Winning her favor could really be helped by some rare dragon meat, but…

[Your Excellency, have you noticed?]

Ah, there’s something here, right? Something bigger than the likes of the Mad Mad Bears.

[Indeed. It approaches.]

More details, please—oh, it’s really here! What is that, a giant lizard?

Is this… a dragon?!

[Threat level A: Maddest Salamand. A mid-to-high tier dragon species. It cannot fly, but it uses swift movements and a fiery breath to catch its prey. Its durability is also top-tier.]

The Maddest Salamand is covered in red-black scales, with a long, drooping tongue and flames sporadically erupting from its back. It’s a bit smaller than Gorimaru and Drazo, but the sheer intimidation it gives off makes those Mad Bears seem like nothing.

“Mary!”

“Yeah, this one’s bad news. Sorry, but I’ll just get in the way.”

“That’s irrelevant. Do you think it’s edible?”

“Huh?”

“It doesn’t look appealing, but it might taste surprisingly good…”

Hey, Command, can you tell me if this thing is edible?

[Absolutely! Delicious! Dragon meat is rare due to their threat levels, but even among them, the Maddest Salamand is known for its exquisite taste. Its meat generates heat before cooking, and if fresh enough, it can even be eaten raw. In fact, thinly slicing it raw is said to be the best way to enjoy it.]

Such enthusiasm! I love raw chicken and beef, so I get it. If the liver’s tasty too, that’s even better.

[I knew we would understand each other, Your Excellency.]

Right? I thought so too.

I won’t let this dragon meat escape!

“Come forth, Gorimaru, Drazo!!”

Two massive beasts descended from the sky.

Gorimaru, the Great Demon Ape with two heads and four arms, and Drazo, the Dragon Zombie, formed of pristine white bones.

It’s my first time summoning both at once, and the amount of magic it drains from me is immense.

The two looked at each other briefly before something seemed to pass between them. Gorimaru moved to the lizard’s head, while Drazo circled around to its tail.

Incredible, they’re working together without me even saying a word!

“Man, what a sight.”

“You’re kidding! Any normal person would run for their life right now, you crazy count! Damn it, I demand hazard pay!”

OK, OK. I’ll add it, but I’ll deduct some for that insult.

Now, from the lizard’s perspective, it’s Gorimaru in front and Drazo at the rear. This thing’s Threat level A, after all. As a novice in this world, I can’t afford to hold back.

“Attack!!”

The lizard thrashed and breathed fire, but Gorimaru, unfazed by the flames scorching his fur, continued pounding it with all four arms. Meanwhile, Drazo wrapped its sturdy bones around the creature, as if mocking the idea that fire could harm a dragon.

“Yes, that’s it! Now, finish it off!”

As if responding to my heightened excitement, both Gorimaru and Drazo seemed to kick into a higher gear. It didn’t take long before the lizard stopped moving entirely. Its body was grotesquely misshapen, and its head was unrecognizable.

I took the Life Stone and the best cuts of meat from Gorimaru and allowed the two to feast on the rest. The moment I gave the go-ahead, I could feel their excitement surge, perhaps because of our bond.

Good, good. Eat as much as you like. Haha, that’s it. But stop with the hugs; it hurts!

“Completely overwhelmed… Damn, how can anyone ever catch up to these monsters?”

Oh, Mary’s fine too, it seems. I was worried he might have gotten caught in the chaos, but no scratches on that pretty face—though he is a guy.

“Mary, are you hurt? Alice and Yumika would be quite the nags if you were.”

“Thanks to you, I’m unscathed. Though I can’t say the same for my mental state. Ugh, the road ahead feels endless.”

He’s muttering something, but given that he’s basically the age of a teenager from my past life, it makes sense. If I pry too much, I might end up disliked. That’s the last thing I want—to have my loyal servant find me annoying.

“I won’t ask for details, but if something’s wrong, let me know before it’s too late. I’m on your side, Mary.”

“Tch, still as much of a sweet-talker as ever, aren’t you?”

Oof, not the best reaction. I should retreat now before I make things worse.

“Alright, we’ve got what we came for. Let’s head back. Take care of any beasts we encounter on the way. I’d rather not summon again after back-to-back battles.”

“Got it. Seems like the earlier commotion scared most of them away. I’ll handle anything that comes up unless it’s something major.”

“Thanks. If we make it back early, how about we sample some dragon meat tonight?”

“Now you’re talking, boss! But take it easy on the drinks, will you? Word wouldn’t look good if the lord of the house is constantly hungover.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

That being said, would anyone really gossip about what goes on in the Hesselink territory? I’m known as that eccentric guy who’s obsessed with hunting beasts and proclaiming undying love. Adding a bit of a drinking habit isn’t going to make much difference.

But… maybe it’s best to avoid any flaws before this marriage. I wonder what Lady Amy’s like. All I know is that she’s insanely strong and loves kids—hardly comforting details.

[Doesn’t Your Excellency also have a poor reputation? From what I’ve gathered, it’s not as though the Canilunya family is desperate for this match due to any financial decline.]

Everyone’s so harsh. The bad reputation is from before I became Rex Hesselink, isn’t it? Although, I guess it did keep me out of any loveless, political marriages. Ending up with a wife I don’t love would be a nightmare.

Good job, Rex Hesselink, in at least avoiding that.

[Madman Rex is still a figure of fear among your peers—both for better and worse.]

Rex Hesselink, it seems I can’t forgive you after all.

[Your power is more than sufficient to inherit the title of Lord Protector, but like previous Hesselink Counts, you’re difficult to handle. If that power were ever turned on someone, it would mean instant death.]

No, no, I’ve never turned this power against anything but beasts, right? Like I said earlier, summoning in the middle of a town would be a disaster. I’d be held accountable for sure.

[Have you forgotten Mary’s origins? How you, Rex Hesselink, rescued him from the assassin organization?]