Lust Devil's Rise

Luka pulled Iris onto the seat beside him before sitting in front of a table filled with food and drinks, although a significant amount of food. The meat and vegetables used were almost stale and wouldn’t last another day.

He grabbed a greasy leg and bit into the salty, yet succulent meat.

"Don’t hold back, tonight we’ll face hell."

His eyes narrowed, enjoying the hesitation from the dwarven princess.

However, the atmosphere, surrounded by loud voices and the clash of tankards bubbling with ale, thundered through the large tent, seeming to lower her guard as countless conversations and meals took place just before evening set in.

"H-Heh, don’t mind if I do!" Iris grabbed the remaining leg from Luka’s plate before opening her small mouth and biting down.

Unlike Luka, she struggled to chew for several minutes before swallowing.

"Here, take a drink."

She grabbed the tankard filled with fruit wine without a second question.

Opposite them, Brea lifted her brows before shaking her head and taking another massive bite of the salted pork butt she snatched from the kitchen.

Beside her, Vaun took small strips of chicken, dipping them into the beef-and-onion broth before nibbling them slowly. Her actions were the polar opposite of every male in the tent, which made Luka doubt his own judgment.

’How did I not realise before...?’

"Lord! Lord! Must we attack tonight, the danger..." Gerard sat two seats away, holding a metal tankard of ale while calling out to Luka.

Luka shook his head while picking the meat stuck in his back teeth using his tongue. "Listen here, Gerard... What do you want instead, huh? To enjoy this feast and let them amass in number, and before we realise they wash over us in droves?"

"N-No... you’re right, My Lord!"

"Heh, don’t be so worried, I promise it’ll be fine."

Gerard appeared unconvinced but didn’t speak further.

He leaned forward, nudging Galatea’s shoulder in the process, yet strangely enough, she didn’t react and turned away quickly, her lips wrapped around her drink.

’Strange... normally she’d be eating a lot.’

However, before he could follow up, a slight pain shot through his side.

When he turned to see what had happened, Iris was pinching him with a sour expression.

He refused to cause a scene and ruin the dinner, so he leaned closer, almost pushing his nose against hers. "Are you done being jealous, Princess?"

"H....Hmph! Who is jealous... you... you and her..."

"What about it?"

He leaned on his elbow, picking a drumstick from her plate, before gently pressing it against her lips.

Iris glanced down her nose at the meat before softly biting into the surface, leaving a tiny bite mark.

[You have Absorbed Iris’s overflowing Pride]

Luka chuckled, feeling the small flow of Iris’s Pride seeping into his body.

This benefit was part of the reason he didn’t just call her out, or make a scene, though he could gain Lust from both Galatea, Brea and Luvia. To strengthen his Pride, he needed someone like Iris.

"I just wanted to know."

She chewed her lips, making her mouth smaller.

"Well..." Luka leaned beside her ear, then gently blew, causing the Dwarf’s shoulders to quiver as he whispered. "She’ll be my woman in the future, so get used to it."

Iris scrunched up her eyes, glaring at him.

But surprisingly, she didn’t shout or make any further complaints; instead, she snatched the drumstick from his hand when he went to bite the same place she did.

"Hmph, pervert!"

’For now, this is enough.’

He couldn’t give everything to one person, not when his revenge hadn’t even started.

The meal continued quite peacefully until most knights and hunters were full and had emptied all the plates. Only a few people, like Brea and Vaun, continued eating the remaining meat, while the elf also drank ale to match the Templar.

Opposite Luka, Zack stroked his stomach while completely stuffed.

Luka suddenly tapped the table and caught his attention, asking. "Hey, Zack, can you get everyone’s attention for me?"

The knight nodded immediately and rose from his seat.

Clang!

A sudden loud noise echoed through the tent as Zack hit his metal tankard with a fork.

"Oi oi, everyone listen up!"

Dozens of knights, along with the hunters, turned to the young rookie knight after the meal. Many of them were a little buzzed from permission to drink a single barrel of ale between them all.

Not that Luka planned to take most of them to fight.

"Our Esteemed Lord has something to say! Since this grand meal was his plan, we should all give a moment to hear his words, right?!"

"Yeah!"

"I didn’t hear you!"

"YEAHHH!"

Luka watched Zack with quite the shock; he’d never imagined the knight, who seemed a little foolish at first, would prove to be so trustworthy and carry so many skills.

’I should keep an eye on his growth.’

"Now then, everyone, forgive me for interrupting you all when you’re waiting for dessert!"

"What Dessert!?" They shouted back.

"Goblin pie!"

"Gyahahaha!"

He carefully adjusted the Miasma within his body, spreading it through his senses, focused on hearing, sight and his throat. Luka used the Miasma to boost his hearing, vision and the power of his voice.

"Tonight, we will depart for the Village of Amol. It will be a dangerous and deadly attack." He glanced around the room, slowly dragging his gaze across their faces. Adjusting his tone as their emotions shifted. "Many may never return, and you might regret following me on this foolish but desperate attack. However! I can only promise that no matter what happens, as your Lord, I shall grant you all the honour and respect you deserve."

Luka took a short breath, his chest tightening further as his heart pounded.

The thrill of speaking and trying to rouse his men always made his veins run with it.

"Some of you may wish to refuse participation, and I promise you now! That I will not punish or chastise those who choose not to participate. These words are my oath to you all, whether knight, hunter or young recruit!"

"Oh?!"

"Lord Luka is the best!"

"Do you mean it?" A softer, more immature voice asked.

Luka traced his enhanced senses to find a youthful male, one of the ones chosen to join Gerard’s group.

"I am sincere in my promises. If you cannot muster the courage to join this mission, then I will not count it as a betrayal or dereliction of duty. But know, it is only now, only this one time! In future, there will be no choice other than returning to Babylon to pick fruits and shovel shit for life."

All the knights suddenly became more serious; their laughter came to a halt as they stared at Luka from all directions. He found it cute, compared to the past when he faced twisted women like Iris and Galatea.

There was a subtle shift in the atmosphere; this is when he switched tone.

Luka raised his arm and spoke with a stronger voice, one that reverberated throughout the entire tent with a deeper tone.

"Now I ask thee. After learning everything. Which of you will join me in slaughtering the goblin scum who have entered our lands and hurt our brothers and sisters?"

There was a clear silence.

Not a single knight moved, or even dared breathe.

A lord would never ask a knight; they would order them.

Though this led to conflicts when pushed too far.

Gerard watched Luka from the side, his lips faintly curled into a smile.

Galatea’s blue eyes peeked from the corner of her eyes. She’d been avoiding him since leaving his tent while he slept. But the moment he scanned her eyes, he almost felt the dense worry in her dazzling orbs.

’I should speak to her later...’

He noticed the flicker of the opening flap, with a dark-skinned woman watching him with a sharp glare.

’Luvia...’

Everyone remained quiet for what seemed like an eternity.

Yet only a few seconds had passed.

"I’ll join you, let me take the dangerous route with you!"

However, the first voice to sound shocked not only the knights and Amol warriors, but also Luka himself, as he turned to his right.

"Iris!" Brea’s low shout followed.

"Enough, I have made my choice." Iris held her small cup of fruit wine and offered it to Luka. "To free our people, and protect the lands of Babylon from here on... allow me to ride with you, My Lord."

Luka reached out for the cup, his gaze locked with hers.

"Heh! Cowards, what kind of yellow-bellied bastards did I raise that you need a little girl to put herself forward before you make a move!?" Gerard bellowed as he jumped up. "I will join you, my Lord!"

If Iris created a small shift in the stream, then Gerard created a surging wave.

The knights slammed their tables in unison, all of them rising.

"Forgive us for lacking the courage, Lord Luka. We swear to offer our bodies and steel to guide you towards the enemy!"

’Oh?’

He’d never expected this many people to offer themselves; in reality, he’d planned for only half the total forces to take part.

’Because this battle won’t be like the outpost, and I cannot promise them victory.’

After the knights, even the nervous rookie from earlier stood performing the kingdom’s salute, with one arm behind their back and the other grasping at their heart.

"We will serve the Lord!"

Maybe it was the alcohol speaking, but thanks to Iris and Gerard.

Luka now had a large force to help improve his plan.

"I understand your enthusiasm, my dear children of Babylon, in respect of your devotion, this Lord swears to guide you all. To make our beloved homeland a paradise! To create a Babylon that will never fall, never surrender and shall rise to the zenith of this world."

"For Paradise!"

"PARADISE!"

"For Babylon!"

"BABYLONIA!"

His words started with a faint ripple.

Then, by the end, everyone followed along unconsciously, chanting along with him, and even Brea and Iris joined in.

"Tonight we send those stinking goblins to the abyss!"