The beast tamer exiled from the hero’s party and the cat eared girl from the strongest race meet

Chapter 185: At the Bottom of the Darkness

(TL:By Rafael,valhallatls.blogspot.com)

I was lying on my back...and then I slowly woke up.

"?"

Where am I?

I know it's a room, but there is no lighting at all.

The window is open and the moonlight is shining in, illuminating the room slightly.

I could see lavishly decorated furniture lined up, as well as art objects such as paintings and sculptures. Additionally, swords and armor were also on display.

Does it feel like a human noble's room?

However, I couldn't feel anyone's presence. To be more precise, I couldn't feel any sense of life.

Why am I here?

I wondered strangely as I tried to get up...

"Ugh...ah!?"

Intense pain shot through my body. I couldn't help but scream.

"Haa, haa..."

Unable to bear the pain, I fell back on the bed. What was that pain just now...?

"You'd better not push yourself too hard."

Suddenly, a voice echoed.

There shouldn't have been any human presence in this room...?

Ignoring the pain, I forced myself to get up. And then, when I turned around...

There was a woman there.

"Oh my, you're already able to get up? Impressive."

The woman was in her mid-twenties, tall with a clearly defined body. She was wearing revealing clothes as if to emphasize her body.

And...what was particularly striking was her eyes.

Her eyes were a blood-like red color.

As I looked at them, I felt like I was being drawn in...

I had this strange sensation.

"You're not...human, are you?"

"Correct. You figured it out well."

"I didn't sense my most hated scent from you."

Once I was able to get up, the pain in my body began to subside. I wasn't completely immobile.

Of course, I still had the same condition of being unable to move much and still in pain...

I couldn't afford to show weakness to this woman, so I forced myself to stand up.

"You should take it easy."

The woman said as if she could see inside my heart.

"Standing there is hard enough, right? Please sit in that chair."

"...?"

I tried to figure out the true intention behind her words, but I couldn't tell.

The woman seemed genuinely worried about me...

But at the same time, she seemed to be observing how far I could move.

"Then...thank you for your kind words."

If I was already caught, there was no point in pretending to be tough.

Also, it was painful where I was standing, so I obediently sat in the chair.

"What about you... Who are you? That scent isn't human... You're a demon, aren't you?"

"Oh? You figured it out? That quickly?"

"I know. Don't underestimate me."

"Hehe... My apologies. I didn't mean to have that intention, but it seems like I unintentionally tested you."

I'm not sure if her words are to be believed. Surely, this woman tells lies effortlessly. It's questionable how much I can trust her.

"My name is Reese. I'm a demon."

"You're straightforward about it."

"There's no point in hiding it."

"It's good to be straightforward, but... Is it alright to admit that you're a demon? Aren't demons natural enemies of all living creatures?"

"That's true. However... You're different, aren't you?"

"...?"

"I believe that you and I can build a good relationship. That's why I honestly revealed that I'm a demon."

"...What are you expecting?"

"Nothing for now."

The woman laughed.

She must have used magic to disguise herself as a human...

Her smile was filled with so much malice that it seemed inhuman.

"Why did you save me?"

It was almost certain that this woman had saved me.

However, her intentions were unclear.

After all, demons were supposed to be natural enemies...

"I wanted to recruit you."

"Recruit me? As a lackey of the demons?"

"Well, it's a little different. We can't treat a talent like you as a lackey. I want to form a cooperative relationship with you."

"Cooperation...hmm."

Can demons really be trusted?

Doubts arise, but...

I was saved, so maybe I should listen to what she has to say.

"I secretly watched the whole thing... I mean, I never would have expected a human to defeat you. I was so surprised that I couldn't help but come to your rescue. I almost left you to die."

"You were watching?"

"Of course. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to help you at the right time."

"...That's twisted."

"If it made you feel uncomfortable, then I apologize."

She gave a half-hearted apology.

"Okay...never mind that. What do you want me to do?"

"Well, that's..."

"I can't answer until we have a cooperative relationship. And with that kind of attitude, I can't tell you what I want either."

"I see."

"Tell me your objective first. Then we can talk."

"Okay."

The woman smiled again.

This time, it was a smile filled with madness.

"Do you know what the demons' objective is?"

"You demons don't have individual objectives, do you? If I had to give one, it would be to follow the Demon King. That's the demons' objective."

"Correct. We demons move according to the orders of the Demon King, in order to fulfill his wishes. And the Demon King's objective is...the eradication of humanity. No, the incineration of humanity. That is our first priority."

"I know that."

"But the current Demon King is in a dormant state and doesn't have a proper consciousness. Therefore, we demons aren't actively moving. If we move on our own, we might get scolded later. In fact, there have been cases like that in the past. Well, it's okay to cause a little bit of trouble, but...large-scale movements are prohibited."

"That's an interesting story."

"But..."

The woman, Reese, laughed.

"I'm a rebel, you see. When I'm told not to do something, it makes me want to do it even more. After all, we don't know when the Demon King will wake up. Waiting patiently for that would be too boring. So, I thought I'd stir things up a bit. I thought, if I'm going to die anyway, I might as well go out with a bang."

"I see."

"That's why I saved you. You're strong. And I think you have the potential to be even stronger. So I want you to join me in my rebellion."

"Rebellion, huh."

I pondered her words.

I couldn't just blindly trust her, but...

If what she said was true, then there was a chance to gain power and knowledge beyond what humans could achieve.

"Well, what do you say?"

Reese looked at me with expectant eyes.

Should I join her rebellion? Or should I refuse and walk away?

I had a feeling that this decision would change my life forever.

"My goal as a demon is the same as the Demon Lord's: to kill humans. In that sense, don't our interests align?"

"Well..."

For some reason, I couldn't answer right away. I hated humans. They were the target of my revenge. However, when I thought of that person...

I didn't feel the same intense emotions as before.

"Well, first and foremost, healing your wounds should be a priority. You don't have to answer right away. Take your time to rest," Reese said before disappearing into the darkness.

Left alone, I gently placed my hand on my chest.

"If I accept that woman's offer, I can continue my revenge... but why don't I feel happy about it? Has something changed within me? If so, is it because of Rain-sama...?"

I walked to the window and gazed at my reflection in the glass.

"What do you want... Iris?"

TL Note- Plot Twist. ........

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