Chapter 30: Theresa's Fury

The younger sister of the goddess Luminous...

Though the young man didn't say a word, his expression made it clear: he found that highly unlikely.

"None of that matters now. Come here, my dear child, and drink this." Theresa held aloft the Axe of the Fallen, transformed from her own blood embrace, above his head with her left hand. With her right, she drew a cut on her index finger and offered it to him.

To Theresa's surprise, the young man gazed at the enormous crimson axe hovering over his head before simply opening his mouth without hesitation.

How utterly compliant he is, she thought, somewhat taken aback. None of the previous three had been so willing.

Despite her astonishment, Theresa proceeded to drip her blood into his waiting lips.

And just like that, all four holy knights were infected.

After witnessing him swallow the blood, Theresa prepared to brief him on what lay ahead. From then on, any consequences would be solely his responsibility.

"In approximately 24 hours, you'll fully transform into a vampire," she explained. "However, as you've seen, there's no issue with sunlight or holy radiance." As if to emphasize her point, Theresa gently touched the glowing Oath of Judah cross around her neck.

"You'll need sustenance every few days—three to four, to be precise. Both human and monster blood will suffice; even slightly stale blood works, though it may not taste great."

"In normal circumstances, unless you bare your fangs, no one will discern your transformation into a vampire."

"Oh, and about the troll your group missed—it's already been dispatched by me. No need for further search."

-

Theresa meticulously reviewed all the necessary precautions once more, paying no heed to whether he was actually absorbing her instructions.

-

After delivering her message, Theresa turned and left the town.

As for whether they would spread word of what she'd said—she didn't concern herself with that at all. If news did leak out... it might even help her accomplish her main quest objective.

So Theresa remained unconcerned.

By the time Theresa left the town, it was already dawn.

As a vampire—albeit not one bound by traditional constraints—she found herself brimming with energy.

Just as Theresa was about to indulge in some nocturnal hunting, the System's voice chimed in once more:

Commission detected. Host, do you accept the summons?

"Another commission? Not another troll-like dud, I hope?" Theresa grumbled. "Your 'suitable' commissions better actually be suitable this time."

Despite her complaints, she accepted the offer. It wasn't just for the quest itself; if the teleportation destination happened to be close to Rimuru's old home, she wouldn't need to wait for Inky to fetch her—a significant bonus in her book.

Initiating teleportation...

-

"It actually worked! This summoning formation is real—it can truly call forth demons!"

As soon as Theresa arrived at her destination via teleportation, she heard an excited voice exclaiming from ahead.

She looked forward to see a portly, sleazy middle-aged man standing before her. Despite his appearance, he wore clothing that unmistakably marked him as a noble of some sort.

At his side stood several sycophantic lackeys—clearly his henchmen.

-

"Is this truly a demon?" The lecherous middle-aged man mused, gazing at the creature he had summoned.

In his imagination, a typical demon should have sported horns on its head, massive bat-like wings sprouting from its back, a humanoid upper body with hooves for feet, and a tail—its breath even capable of igniting flames upon exhale.

But what stood before him was...

A little girl?

An adorable one who seemed so enticing that it made him want to... well, you know.

Before him stood a young girl with silvery-white hair cascading down her shoulders like the very stars of the Milky Way. Her elongated crimson eyes shimmered with intelligence, grace, and an elusive hint of coldness—one could almost mistake them for autumn waters beneath a frosty moonlit sky...

Her fair, flawless face bore a straight, delicate nose and lips as red as ripe cherries. She possessed an enviable figure, her skin glowing under the candlelight with a porcelain-like luminosity, reminiscent of snow untouched by sin or stain.

As he gazed upon the young girl before him, the lecherous uncle swore she was undoubtedly the most beautiful creature he had ever laid eyes on in his life.

His body, long since drained by alcohol and debauchery, suddenly stirred with intense arousal—a sensation absent for years.

Upon realizing this physical response, a surge of ecstasy washed over him; it had been far too long since such a feeling had last graced his senses.

"Sir," whispered one of his henchmen into his ear, noticing the burning intensity with which his master regarded the girl before them, "I believe this might be what they call a succubus—the legendary offspring of demonesses. You've likely summoned one of these fabled beings, sir."

"A succubus..." The noble mused aloud, his interest piqued. "Excellent!"

Nobles like himself summoned demons because rumor had it that by offering their souls as payment, any desire could be fulfilled.

The cost? Merely surrendering one's soul to the demon after death from old age.

Initially, such nobles had approached this practice with trepidation. However, after enduring several years of living without experiencing true carnal pleasure—what some would consider the essence of being a "real man"—they began to view things differently. Compared to such delights, what did the fate of their posthumous souls matter? It seemed a small price indeed for the pleasures at hand.

By then, he had already died—no longer a noble by any measure.

He realized that if given another chance at life, he should seize it fully and enjoy all its pleasures. That was why he'd attempted to summon a demon, hoping to fulfill his wish of "starting anew."

However, he never anticipated summoning something as utterly adorable as Theresa herself.

"Human, what is your request?"

Theresa couldn't fathom what went through the man's mind; his fervent gaze made her distinctly uncomfortable. Nevertheless, for the sake of accepting his commission, she endured it with some difficulty.

"My desire is... I want you to become my woman," the noble hastily responded upon hearing Theresa's delicate voice, feeling completely smitten. "I am willing to offer my soul after death to you." He added almost breathlessly.

As for his initial wish from earlier, he had abandoned it entirely. With this girl before him, he no longer needed anything else.

"Hm???"

[Commission Task: Become the Client's Woman]

[Task Reward: Crystals x 5, Noble's Soul]

[Accept?]

"..."

"Accept you? More like accept this!" Theresa thought, her temper flaring.

Is this what you call an 'appropriate' commission?

Theresa felt an urge to strike someone—anyone—in frustration.

And that's exactly what she did. Raising Oath of Judah aloft, she bellowed:

"Go die already, you perverted freak! By the Oath of Judah!"

A colossal blade, ten meters long, descended from the heavens with devastating force, instantly claiming the life of the person before Theresa...

After venting her anger, Theresa's mood slightly improved. Before she could fully process her feelings, however, the System's voice chimed in once more:

Appropriate commission discovered. Will the host accept?

"Appropriate?" Theresa seethed. "You dare call that appropriate? What kind of garbage mission is this? Why don't you just drop dead?"

Her fury reached its peak; two consecutive scams by the System was pushing her patience to the limit.

How could they possibly consider such a request as an appropriate commission?

Yet after a moment of reflection, Theresa resigned herself to acceptance. She had no choice but to comply. Without completing these tasks, there would be no Crystals—and without those precious crystals, she couldn't unlock new worlds...

Refusal wasn't an option. Pay-to-win purchases were out of reach for her meager means. The only way to maintain even a semblance of normalcy was through these grueling commissions.