Noticing the profound changes that had taken place within the group before his eyes, Arthur couldn't help but form a faint, satisfied smile. It was not a warm or benevolent smile, but rather the calm expression of someone fully aware of the impact of his own actions.
"Very simply," he began, his voice calm. "I have few rules. The first and most important is this: do not attack humans without reason. However, if they attack you, you need show them no mercy whatsoever."
Arthur was certainly no saint. He knew all too well how cruel, petty, and despicable a human could be when placed in certain circumstances. Idealizing humanity was the folly of fools.
"Yes, sir!" everyone replied in unison, nodding quickly with rigid, respectful postures.
After that, Arthur turned his gaze toward the countless monsters gathered around. He crossed his arms thoughtfully and remained silent for a few moments before speaking again.
"Since I've already given names to you… I suppose I can give a few more."
In that very instant, the air seemed to grow heavy.
The entire group began to break out in a cold sweat.
Was their new master simply ignoring the absurd cost of magicles involved in naming?
"Let's see…" Arthur murmured, sweeping his gaze over the monsters like someone browsing items on a shelf. "Which ones should I name…?"
As soon as they heard his carefree muttering, the monsters—who until then had remained still and silent—fell into complete frenzy. Some straightened their posture, others discreetly stepped forward to draw attention; a few even began adjusting their stance or brushing dirt off their own bodies.
"Hm… it's a bit hard to choose…" Arthur scratched his chin, genuinely hesitant.
Seeing the scene, Shion and Shuna exchanged glances and laughed softly. To them, that unexpected hesitation was, in its own way, rather adorable.
A few seconds passed before Arthur clapped his hands decisively.
"Since it's so hard to choose… let's just name all of them."
The silence that followed was deafening.
Benimaru, Hakurou, and Souei—the three who could still maintain some composure—almost fell backward at the same time. At first, they thought it was merely a tasteless joke.
However, when they saw Arthur truly begin granting names, one after another, without the slightest pause, everyone was left completely stunned.
Was this… really necessary?
"My lord, you shouldn't do this!" Hakurou finally intervened, stepping forward quickly before it was too late.
Only then did Arthur realize he was going overboard, and he stopped.
That said, he immediately began making a selection.
First, he mercilessly discarded the ugliest monsters. To Arthur, ugliness simply had no right to exist, and there was absolutely nothing that could be done about it.
He would not allow creatures unpleasant to the eye to compromise the overall aesthetics of his future kingdom.
Next came the excessively aggressive monsters; all of them were problematic, difficult to train, and prone to causing unnecessary headaches.
Finally, there were those that ate too much…
Since he was choosing subordinates, the bare minimum was that they be presentable and efficient.
That was when Arthur noticed something out of the corner of his eye.
A small, snow-white cat, with a large and striking tuft of blue fur on the top of its head.
"This reminds me of that catwoman from a game I used to play when I was a kid…" he murmured, bending down to pick up the creature and examine it with curiosity.
"From today onward, you will be one of my servants. Your name will be Felicia."
The moment the name was granted, the little cat began to glow intensely.
The evolution was immediate.
After evolving, the white cat possessed a completely different appearance.
Her body took on an athletic, flexible humanoid form, blending a feline's natural grace with an unmistakable predatory presence. There was something wild and elegant in every movement.
Her hair—long, voluminous, and a vivid, vibrant blue—fell in thick waves, spreading like a living mane that seemed to react even to the subtlest movements of the air. Atop her head, white cat ears emerged from between the strands. Her face was beautiful and expressive, with soft features marked by alert, cunning eyes full of vitality.
Her pale skin contrasted sharply with the peculiar outfit that wrapped around her body—a kind of tight band ensemble that covered only what was essential, leaving her defined musculature and natural flexibility fully exposed.
From her back and hips extended a long, white tail, flexible like a whip and moving independently. Her legs, long and powerful, ended in sturdy feline feet, further reinforcing her hybrid nature.
Upon seeing her, Arthur felt as though his heart had been pierced by an invisible arrow.
'Wait a second… I think I…' he thought, immediately beginning to rummage through his Gate of Babylon in search of a specific item that had been stored there for a long time.
After a few seconds of searching, he finally found what he wanted.
"Felicia, put this on!"
"Yes, Master!" she replied without hesitation.
A few seconds later…
Felicia reappeared before him dressed in a complete maid uniform.
Arthur froze.
At that exact moment, he was absolutely certain he had found a true treasure.
As for why he had a maid outfit stored in the Gate of Babylon, that is a story for another time.
Not long after, Arthur came across a hive of evil bees, as Hakurou had called them.
"…I grant you the name Q-Bee!"
As soon as the name was given, the queen bee evolved, just like the other monsters before her.
Her body came to display a slender, graceful humanoid form, balancing delicacy with an unsettling supernatural air. Her silhouette was elegant, with smooth curves and harmonious proportions.
Her lilac hair, short and voluminous, rose to the sides in curved tufts resembling horns or rigid antennae, reinforcing her insectoid origin. Between these tufts, small antenna-like structures naturally emerged, giving her an exotic and threatening appearance. Her face was young and delicate, almost human, but her deep, dark eyes—devoid of any visible shine—conveyed something deeply unsettling.
The outfit covering her body seemed fused to her very skin. The torso area was adorned with rounded, symmetrical shapes of yellow coloration. Around her neck and waist, tufts of light-blue fur appeared, soft in appearance, contrasting with the rigidity of her organic armor.
From her back emerged translucent wings, long and delicate, similar to those of a giant insect, with fine veins that caught the light in a subtle manner. They looked as fragile as glass, yet conveyed the opposite impression: extreme durability and speed.
Her arms were thin and elongated, ending in delicate hands, while her long, well-defined legs reinforced her elegant and dominant posture.
Time passed, and more and more monsters were chosen by Arthur.
After a few minutes, it was finally the turn of a very specific group: the goblins.
Honestly, the decision surprised absolutely everyone.
Goblins were known as the weakest and most pathetic monsters in the Jura Forest. There seemed to be no reason whatsoever for Arthur to name them.
Even so, despite the names being extremely simple, it was terrifying to watch Arthur name so many goblins in succession.
As time went on, everyone grew numb.
Just how many magicles did he possess to be able to name so many monsters at once?!
It wasn't only those present who were in shock.
Even a certain dryad, secretly observing everything from a distance, was left completely stunned by that unbelievable scene.
(End of chapter)
A/N: I've always wanted to do this, anyone who knew me from my first Marvel fic, before Multiverse Login System, understands.
Felicia (Darkstalkers) -
Q-Bee (Darkstalkers) -