The Death Mage that doesn't want a fourth time

25 The journey by carriage, pushing through the mountains

As Vandalieu and the others made a triumphant return home, they were welcomed with cheers from the Ghouls who had remained in the village.

They had expanded the village beforehand in preparation, but since the population had increased by over a hundred Ghoul women who had been held captive, it now exceeded the village's limits. But nobody cared about that.

And then the rescued Ghoul women and adventurers were allowed to rest while Vandalieu undid the Undead transformation on the food and spoils of war that had walked here on their own two legs so that they could be properly dismantled.

The tongues and eyeballs of the Kobold Mages could be used as materials for Alchemy. The fur of the Kobold Generals could be used for armor and clothing, while their fangs would make good knives.

The only thing to be gained from ordinary Orcs was their meat, but the tendons of the Orc Generals could be used to make bowstrings. Meanwhile, the tongues, eyeballs and livers of the Orc mages would be used as more ingredients for Alchemy.

And every part of the Noble Orcs' bodies could be used as materials. Their meat would be used for food; their intestines would be used in Alchemy or to make medicine; their skin would be used to make leather items; their bones would be used to make armor or weapons; their genitals would be used in medicines that boosted sexual function; their golden hair would be used to weave stab-proof clothing.

And, of course, their Magic Stones.

If one were to bring these to an Adventurers' Guild, they could be paid a hefty sum for them.

「Ufufufu, materials~ materials~ I wonder what I should make~♪」

It's a bit gruesome but she's having a lot of fun, Vandalieu thought as he saw Tarea skillfully handling a knife to dismantle Bugogan into pieces while humming to herself. As he did so, she suddenly turned around.

「Come to think of it, Van-sama, what will you do from now?」

The knife dripping wet with blood and fat that she was holding close to her face was gruesome indeed, but it seemed that she was concerned about what Vandalieu's future plans were.

The Ghoul King was a role that only existed while multiple Ghoul villages unified against a common enemy; it was different to the King Title of other races like Goblins or Kobolds.

Now that the Noble Orcs had been defeated and the rest of the enemies eliminated, there was no point in Vandalieu continuing to be the Ghoul King, nor was there a reason for all of the Ghouls to continue to stay in one place. Tarea and her followers would return to their original village and go back to living their normal lives.

(That is precisely why I must take Van-sama back with me!)

Tarea held this thought in her heart as Vandalieu replied.

「About that, there is something I want to discuss tomorrow.」

「Eh?! Something you want to discuss with just the two of us~♪」

「No, with everyone.」

「I-I guessed that would be the case. Ho, hohoho...」

That night's dinner was a feast to celebrate their victory; the Ghouls praised each other's deeds over grilled skewers and soups made from Orc meat. The appetites of the women who had been held captive were particularly fierce.

They devoured the Orc meat greedily, as if in repayment for having been treated as playthings for so long.

Even the female adventurers who had only been desiring death had vigorous appetites. Right now, they only wanted to undergo the Ghoul transformation to become Vandalieu's followers, so it seemed that Zadiris's advice of,「Your bodies won't be able to handle the ritual if you don't build up your strength a little」had been effective.