Chapter 75
Lloyd creating an Omega fever? That kind of thing wasn’t even mentioned in the original work.
Given the Mage Tower Master’s skill in potion-making, it might be possible—but why would an Alpha with abilities create a disease that kills all Omegas?
“No, don’t think too deeply about it.”
Lloyd was just a whimsical, reckless man who did whatever he pleased.
He was a crazy person who could throw away his own life for amusement; trying to understand him was just a waste of time.
I decided to give up on the idea of trying to get information from him.
This madman reacted strongly to anything unusual beyond his own thoughts. That’s why he clung to Lancelot, who smelled of Omega pheromones, and why he had taken such a strong interest in me.
If I drew his attention carelessly, he might obsess excessively.
“Tell me, how on earth did you survive the fever?”
I kept my mouth tightly shut.
He poked my forehead with his finger.
“I’m curious what’s going on in that little head of yours.”
It’s said that controlling another person’s body requires intense concentration. Since he couldn’t use his abilities through another’s body, I didn’t have to worry about him reading my thoughts.
Lloyd babbled on by himself.
“I want to investigate you properly. Want to come to the Mage Tower? I’ll invite you!”
He even revealed that he was affiliated with the Mage Tower himself. He really seemed like he lived without a care in the world.
“Hmm? It’ll be far more fun than rotting away as a priest.”
“……”
“Doesn’t sound fun that way. It’s better if you follow when I offer nicely.”
I didn’t react at all to his words.
The playful expression Lloyd wore while poking my forehead slowly twisted into something bizarre.
“Do whatever you want. I’ll take you to the Mage Tower my way.”
He murmured in a low voice, as if warning me.
I was stunned by Lloyd’s announcement of kidnapping.
“Trying to drag me out?”
I had no idea how he got in without being noticed, but once the sleep bell rang, paladins would take shifts guarding at night.
It would be impossible to sneak me out past all the paladins’ watchful eyes.
I didn’t need to tell Lloyd this, so I stayed quiet, but the madman seemed to freely spill his plans.
“I brought a slightly unusual potion, just in case something happens. If you take this, you’ll become… dead.”
He pulled out a bright red pill from his pocket.
Confident as ever, he openly explained his plan.
“Don’t worry. You’ll revive in three days! I’ll sneak your body away during the funeral chaos. The investigation has to be done while you’re alive.”
He chuckled like a mad scientist.
While reading The Predators’ Domain, my least favorite character was Shane—but seeing him in person changed the ranking.
Now, Lloyd was just as hated as Shane.
“Who would just go along quietly?”
I had no intention of complying, so I bit his arm hard.
“Ah! Ouch! Stay still before you get rough.”
Even though I bit with all my strength, he didn’t budge.
I moved my hands to look for something I could use as a weapon. Unfortunately, there was nothing within reach.
“Don’t struggle!”
Irritated, he pinned me down with his knee and opened the vial.
Creak… from the roof came a sound like something pressing down.
The only support now was Mikael, crouched on the ceiling.
“Mikael! Help me!”
As soon as I called Mikael’s name, there was a running sound above: thump, thump, thump.
Then—crash!—the closed window shattered, and Mikael entered the room.
I froze at the sight.
I thought he must be badly hurt from ramming the window with that fragile body.
Nyaaang!
Fortunately, Mikael stood proudly on the broken shards, seemingly unharmed.
Lloyd clutched his stomach, laughing.
“What is that? A cat? Hahaha, are you joking?”
That may look like a cat, but he’s the royal beast of the kingdom.
I didn’t know his abilities, but I hoped Mikael would do something. The moment I trusted him, Mikael’s body emitted a flash of light and began growing.
“Wait, hold on. There was no explanation for him growing like that!”
Mikael swelled up and transformed from a cat into a massive lion with a thick mane.
Even the sharp teeth visible in his growling mouth were threatening.
“Kuh!”
Flustered, Lloyd assumed a defensive stance, but Mikael’s paw struck him, sending him flying into the wall.
Clang! The vial he had was shattered on the floor.
After a moment, the smoke from the collapsed wall cleared, and Lloyd, battered, grinned.
“Ouch, ouch! What the… it wasn’t a cat, it was a divine beast? Attacking me like that?”
Grrr!
“Oh. Of course, you don’t recognize him now that the owner’s changed!”
Roar!
Mikael roared at Lloyd. When Lloyd smirked at the growling beast baring its teeth, his body slumped like a puppet with cut strings.
When he raised his head again, he looked around, terrified.
“Wh-where… is this?”
Realizing Mikael was there, he trembled in shock.
“What’s happening? Pl-please… it hurts…”
He covered his head, shivering.
Grrr!
Mikael, looking at the nearly crying man, didn’t relax; he grew even more ferocious. I understood why his attitude had changed.
“Right. That body belonged to someone else!”
An innocent merchant could have died.
“You can’t kill him. It’s someone else.”
“I know he borrowed the body. This isn’t enough to break the connection.”
Startled by Mikael’s voice, I slightly parted my lips.
‘He can talk?’
The fact that conversation was possible was surprising, but that wasn’t the priority.
The reason Lloyd hadn’t severed his connection with the merchant was likely to gather more information. The Mage Tower Master would share this with Shane as well.
Now that Mikael’s identity as a divine beast was revealed, we couldn’t let him run rampant. Mikael didn’t take his eyes off the trembling merchant.
“How do we break the connection?”
“We have to knock him out, but he’s sturdier than I thought. Maybe hitting him a bit harder with real intent will work.”
“You call that controlling the force?”
The wall collapsed, didn’t it?
“Yeah. That was just a light tap.”
One mistake, and the entire building might collapse, not just my room.
‘If knocking him out is enough, let’s try it once.’
The storage for priest robes was in the section that hadn’t collapsed.
I dug through the robe pockets and took out the perfume Lancelot had sent. Then I approached Lloyd, who was injured and barely standing.
His terrified expression changed instantly.
It seemed he only let the master’s personality emerge when needed. Truly devilish behavior.
“Oh, what’s this? Thinking of coming with me?”
“I have no such intention.”
“Playing hard to get?”
“Your speech is awful. I don’t want to be involved with you again.”
I opened the perfume bottle and sprayed it toward Lloyd’s face.
The rich floral scent spread. The lily-of-the-valley fragrance didn’t harm Mikael or me—but Lloyd was different.
He smelled my pheromones, which had lingered with Sertina. That’s why he reacted so strongly to the perfume Lancelot made.
Cough! Cough! Damn it… what is this! Cough!
Coughing nonstop, Lloyd started streaming tears and snot. His reaction was like someone who had inhaled pepper.
“You! What did you do!? Cough, cough…”
“I’m not telling you.”
Why would I reveal my secret weapon?
“Hey! Cough! Tell me what this is! I’m curious…!”
Even while suffering, this pervert seemed obsessed with studying. Ugh, with a leader like him, I resolved never to get involved with the Mage Tower again.
Tears streaming, Lloyd shouted:
“Damn it! Cough! You! Just wait!”
After cursing, he collapsed to the floor, unable to endure the pheromone perfume.
With Lloyd disconnected, the merchant relaxed and fell asleep.
For an Alpha-free merchant, it would just smell like ordinary flowers, Mikael explained.
“Don’t worry. The connection is broken.”
Simultaneously, the tension seemed to melt away.
“Ha… it’s over.”
My legs gave out, and I collapsed to the floor.
Beside me, the enormous Mikael approached.
“Good work. You can lean on me.”
I’d thought his chest fur was especially thick when he was a cat—it must’ve been his mane.
Having wanted to touch it repeatedly, I eagerly rested against it.
The softness was beyond my expectations, and my tension eased… briefly.
“You can talk?”
Not only did the cat transform into a lion, but it could speak too!
