Dark Knight Kroki

　Take the Aspidokeron and continue on to the North Sea.
　In the North Sea, there is a place called the Ice Island, a place with strong ice spirit power.
　The winds that blow from there turn the northern part of the central continent into a cold region.
　Many Krakens live in the vicinity of that ice island.
　They are on their way there now.
　It's been three days since we left the orc country of Nosoy, and we are making good progress.
　We are making good progress, I would say.
　A fleet of ships led by the orc Ezasa is sailing around Aspidochelon, guarding it.
　These orc ships have no sails or turrets.
　How does it navigate, then, is because a sea monster named Orca is pulling this ship.
　Orcas are huge, scaled, with fangs and snouts like pigs, and bristly hair.
　They are sometimes called sea orcs because of their resemblance to orcs, which is why they are called sea orcs.
　It is said that Ezasa and the other Orcs tame these orcas and fish for them.
　Looking out the window on the third floor of the mansion built on the back of Aspidokeron.
　There is glass in this world, so you can see the outside world without opening the windows.
　Glass is expensive, but it is fitted in all the windows of this mansion, which is the villa of the Demon King.
　If you look out, you can see ice floating on the sea.
　The mansion is not cold because of the winter barrier that has been set up around it.
　However, with the power of the frost dragon, I can operate outside the warding.
　I stop looking outside and look inside the room.

''No~. I'm sure you'll be able to find something to do with the cold weather. Poo-chan.
Totally. Your Highness.

　Polen and Puchina are eating the cheese pot.
　They have been eating a lot since a while ago.
　I wonder if Polen in particular is eating too much?
　I think you have a disease that will kill you if you don't eat something.
　But I can't tell you if you're not eating too much.
　Polen had been reluctant to go out and catch Kraken at first. So I can't tell her that she'll be offended.
　I look at Pollen with that in mind.
　She's eating the pot with a very happy look on her face.
　And she has this smile on her face.
　You can't say anything if she's eating that happily.

'Kuroki-sensei~. Would you like to eat with me too~
''No, Your Highness: ....... As expected, I'm already full, so I'll refrain from doing so.

　Pollen invites himself, but as expected, he can't eat anymore, so he softly refuses.

'I see. ......'

　Pollen looks lonely.
　I feel bad. As expected, I can't eat anymore.
　I was with him at first, but I can't do this anymore.

'Nufufufu. If you won't eat it, sir. I'll eat it instead.
'Ah! That's not fair!　Poo-chan, that meat is mine!

　Pollen and Puchina seem to enjoy eating.
　By the way, Puchina eats well, too.
　I've never seen it before, but it seems to be a huge bear, so the amount of food it eats may be the same when it's a human girl.
　I look outside again.
　Then I see a block of ice floating in front of me.
　It looks like we've arrived near the ice island.

Your Highness. It looks like we're getting close to the ice island. I'm going to take a look outside for a moment.
Huh.

　When I say this myself, Polen replies with his mouth stuffed full of things.
　He leaves the mansion and goes towards the head of Aspidokeron, where he finds Librum, the High Lizardman general.

'This is my lord. What can I do for you?'

　Librum notices him and curtsies.

'No, General Librum. I've come to check on you as you seem to be approaching the ice island. How is the voyage going?
'Yes. Lord Ezasa will be leading the way.

　Myself and Librum look ahead.
　The orc fleet, led by Ezasa, will go ahead and find us a route that doesn't hit the ice floes floating in the sea.

'I see, by the way, General Riburm. I've heard that Kraken live in this area, how do we find them?
That's all right, my lord. I'll have the selkies take you to Kraken.
Selkie?　I mean, that seal?
Yes, sir. 'Yes, sir. The Kraken prey on the selkie. So wherever the selkie is, the kraken is there.

　A selkie, as Riburum calls it, is a beastman in the form of a seal.
　Selkies live as seals in the sea, but when they go on land, they shed their skins and take on human form.
　In their human state, selkies take on a very beautiful appearance and are said to be very skilled at seducing humans.
　The selkie then seeks out and seduces humans who are dissatisfied with their husbands or wives to make love to them.
　However, it is only for one night. In the morning, he goes back to the sea.
　This is because the selkie can only spend a short time with one person and then must return to the sea immediately afterwards.
　Incidentally, it is said that if a human being wants to meet a selkie, he or she must drop seven tears into the sea.
　Also, if the selkie steals a skin that she has taken off, she will not be able to return to the sea and will have to become a mate.
　However, since her real home is the sea, it is said that she often looks at the sea with a pining look on her face even after she is married.
　However, when they find the stolen skins, they immediately return to their real home in the sea, and sometimes to their selkie mate.
　The selkie is said to be the result of a seal demon beast that mated with a human.
　Normally boys would be of their father's race, and girls would be of their mother's race, but in rare cases, a new race is said to be born with traits of both races.
　That is the ancestor of the selkie, it seems.
　A similar race is the hippogriffs. The hippogriff is a race that was born as a result of a cross between a griffon and a horse.

''It seems that they have reached the selkie village. ''My lord,''

　If you look towards Librum's point, you can see multiple seals on the ice.
　Quite a few of them.
　The great tortoise, Aspidochelon, goes directly in the direction of the selkies.
　Thus, they themselves were heading directly to the selkie village.




Polen, the princess of the demon world

　The audience room in the hall of Aspidochelon.
　The beautiful lords and ladies are on their knees on the floor and bowing in front of me.
　I almost giggle at the sight.
　The beautiful lords are all young selkies.
　They have come to welcome us when we arrive in their village.
　They are half-naked, with only their own sealskin wrapped around their waists.
　It is a sight for the eyes to see their slender bodies.

'Good evening, Your Majesty. Your Highness, Your Majesty's son, Your Majesty the Great Demon King, Your Highness Polenna.

　A cool voice calls my name.
　It was Inul, the representative of the selkies, who called my name. I remember my name because I was told by the Dragon Demon General Librum.
　Imul is a dignified young man with brown hair and jet-black eyes. He is probably the most beautiful of all of them.
　Now he's on his knees and bowing his head like the rest of the selkies.
　I need to see more of his face.

'Ladies and gentlemen. Face up, please.

　I urge them to look up.
　At my prompting, Inul and the others look up.
　Their beautiful eyes are fixed on me.
　Beautiful is good, after all.
　I stifle the urge to take them home.
　In the past I have met a selkie lad.
　On that occasion, he had brought a tribute to his father.
　I wanted to make friends with him, so I grabbed his arm. Then his arm was easily broken.
　I thought I held it lightly.
　But the selkie has a very vulnerable body compared to mine. But the selkie is very fragile compared to me, and it is said that he can be seriously injured if I touch him just a little.
　His arm was broken and he cried out and ended up blowing bubbles and passing out.
　The tragedy of that time must not be repeated.
　That is why you are not allowed to touch him even if he is in front of you.

Your Highness. We have a great selection of seafood.

　Inul offers me a plate of fish, shrimp and shellfish on top of me on behalf of the selkie.
　Seeing this, Poo-chan leans forward involuntarily.

'We did it, Your Highness. We're celebrating with a seafood hot pot before we catch the Kraken.

　Poo-chan says, drooling.
　How mean and dirty.
　But I know the feeling.

'Yes, I do. Poo-chan. Gufufufu.''

　Seafood hot pot with a view of selkie beauties.
　This looks like a very good meal.

Inur-dono. Do you have any idea where Kraken is?

　Standing next to me, Kuroki-sensei stepped forward.
　Kuroki-sensei is dressed as a dark knight as usual.
　However, his helmet is off so his face is visible.
　The teacher kneels on the floor in front of Inul and smiles at him.
　Perhaps he is trying to have a conversation with Inul from the same perspective.
　When the beautiful Inul and Kuroki-sensei are side by side, it's a picture.
　This makes a lot of progress.

''Yes, my lord. The fact is that a giant kraken has been haunting the area recently. He seems to have spotted us, and has been appearing many times in front of us as we fish.
'I see ....... You've been spotted by Kraken ....... Can you take me to that Kraken?
'Of course, my lord!　Some of our people have already been killed!　Please avenge our people.

　Inul says with tears in his eyes.
　The tears move my heart.
　A beautiful man is a treasure to the world! I can't believe you ate that! Forgive me, Kraken!

Don't worry!　It's Inul!　I'll show you how to get rid of that Kraken here, Polen!

　I say with an effort as I stand from my seat.
　From all around me, oh! The voice goes up.
　Inul and the others gave me impressed eyes, and Kuroki-sensei gave me impressed eyes.
　Now, I feel like Kroki-sensei's opinion of me has gone up a lot.
　You did it!

What?　What's the matter with you?　Your Highness?　It's not like His Highness, who eats and sleeps all the time and is always so lazy!

　Poo-chan says something unnecessary beside me.
　I want you to shut up for a minute.

''That's as good as it gets!　Your Highness!　It is the duty of those above us to work for those who serve us!　As expected of His Majesty the Demon King's son!

　Dr. Kuroki looks very happy.
　It's kind of embarrassing.

''Ehehehehe. Is that so? It's kind of embarrassing~

　I can't help but wriggle around.

'Thank you!　Your Highness!　I can't believe you're working for us!

　Inul and the others will be impressed.
　It's okay to hug me! I want to say.

'Come on!　Guys!　In the meantime, let's have some seafood hot pot!　And tomorrow we'll get moving in earnest!

　When I say that, people are like, oh! He let out a voice.