The Lord Who Levels Up by Devouring - LLD Chapter 29: Variable (2) (Part 2)

“No! I’ll eat it! I’ll eat it right away!”

She quickly sat down.

‘My brother… for me…’

Her heart wasn’t just fluttering—it was in full chaos.

The question of where he got the meat had already vanished from her mind.

She picked up her fork and knife without hesitation.

And just then—

“I’ll try it first.”

Someone grabbed her hand.

She turned—and saw Kai, who’d appeared out of nowhere, standing protectively in front of her.

“We can’t be too careful.”

In other words, he suspected it might be poisoned.

Adrian did hate Serapia enough to do such a thing.

Hadn’t he nearly strangled her to death just a month ago?

Kai glanced subtly at Adrian.

Fortunately, Adrian didn’t seem too bothered.

“Do as you wish.”

At Adrian’s words, Kai carefully began cutting the steak with just a knife. Perhaps it was infused with Aura, as the meat sliced smoothly even without a fork.

After setting the knife down, Kai used the fork to bring a piece of steak to his mouth.

And in that moment—

“……!!”

Kai’s eyes flew open, wide with shock.

A dazed look, as if overwhelmed.

“W-What in the world…?”

Anyone could tell it was unbelievably delicious.

In fact, Kai was barely suppressing the surge of pleasure that had spiked within him.

“Me too! I want to try it too!”

Serapia swiftly snatched the fork from Kai.

Holding both fork and knife in her hands, she gently cut a piece of steak. As it split open, the tender and juicy interior revealed a perfectly cooked medium-rare cut.

Serapia eagerly popped it into her mouth.

“Mmmmmm…!!”

With every bite, the steak burst with juice, flooding her mouth.

The thick layer of fat melted gently on her tongue, leaving behind a deep, lingering flavor.

Despite having a high fat content compared to other meats, it never felt greasy.

On the contrary, the harmony between the fat and meat enhanced the depth of flavor exquisitely.

Chew chew.

“This is seriously, seriously delicious!!”

Without a doubt, Serapia could confidently say it was the best steak she’d ever had.

Of course, it was impossible for something cooked by Adrian to taste bad.

She had no doubt he could make even fried beetles taste good.

But even stripping away her bias, this steak was in a class of its own.

That rich aftertaste that lingered in her mouth—

Her mind continued to crave more.

Unable to resist, Serapia stabbed another piece with her fork. Not wanting to waste time cutting, she just bit off a whole chunk.

Each bite sent waves of savory delight through her entire mouth.

Her hands simply wouldn’t stop.

And before she realized it—

Only an empty plate remained.

The steak had vanished like a crab hiding its eyes.

Kai gave a slightly regretful look. Serapia too, overwhelmed with deep regret, couldn’t help but ask the question gnawing at her.

“What kind of meat was that?!”

It was in a completely different league from any meat she had ever eaten.

She hadn’t tried every meat on the continent, of course, but this flavor was truly unprecedented.

“It’s Ice Drake meat.”

No wonder—it really was unlike anything she’d ever tasted—

“…E-Excuse me?”

“What did you just say?”

Serapia and Kai both questioned at the same time.

Naturally. Ice Drake meat?

“I-Ice Drake… as in…?”

“Are you talking about the monster we just subjugated?”

Their faces were full of disbelief.

No way. It couldn’t be.

Sure, Adrian disliked Serapia—but even so, feeding her monster meat?

He’d be more likely to serve cockroach meat than—

“Correct.”

—So he really did.

At that moment—

Serapia’s world shattered.

“Gaaagh—!!”

She hurriedly shoved her fingers into her mouth, trying to dig out the meat in her stomach, scraping her tongue with frantic desperation.

Monster meat must never be consumed by humans.

It’s not that it can’t be eaten.

It must not be.

Because the madness within monster meat drives people insane.

She had to vomit it out immediately.

Truthfully, it was already too late.

Still, Serapia desperately jammed her fingers down her throat. Meanwhile, Kai shouted, grinding his teeth.

“Are you insane right now?!”

Kai unsheathed his sword like a bolt of lightning. A bluish aura surged along the blade.

A clear killing intent.

He swung the Aura-infused sword with the intent to kill Adrian.

But it was futile.

CLANG—!

An intense burst of flame shot up in front of him.

“……!!”

Kai’s eyes widened in shock.

And no wonder—because what was blocking his sword now—

‘…Fingernails?’

It was no illusion.

Adrian had stopped Kai’s sword using his fingernails.

What kind of beast could even do that?

The idea that a person could block a sword with fingernails was absurd.

Even beasts couldn’t do that.

And this wasn’t just any sword—this was an Aura-infused weapon.

It could slice through steel.

Even the hide of a Ice Drake had been shredded by Kai’s blade.

Yet Adrian had blocked it with nothing but his fingernails.

And not just blocked it—

BOOOM—!

Kai’s Aura exploded where it collided with Adrian. The shock shattered light fixtures and dishes, leaving the dining hall in chaos.

Kai’s body was flung backward.

He barely regained his footing, but the trembling in his eyes wouldn’t stop.

…It was just like that time.

The Ice Drake’s claws.

It was the same sensation he had when he clashed with the claws of that dragon.

Kai’s mind reeled in disbelief.

But he quickly gathered his thoughts.

There was something more important right now.

“Do you not know what happens when someone eats monster meat?!”

“I do.”

“And you still—?!”

“That’s why.”

Adrian casually gestured with his chin.

“Are you insane right now?”

“Obviously—!”

…Wait.

Kai’s movements suddenly froze. He looked down to assess his condition.

He… felt fine.

But how?

By now, he should’ve been overtaken by madness—his sanity lost, turned into a rampaging lunatic.

But he was fine.

He’d definitely eaten Ice Drake meat.

And anyone who eats monster meat is instantly consumed by madness.

It doesn’t happen over time. It’s immediate.

Could it be… because he only had one bite?

Kai urgently looked at Serapia—who was still frozen in shock.

“Eh? E-Eh?!”

Serapia flailed awkwardly, her silver hair fluttering wildly.

Her dazed eyes darted around her own body, clearly at a loss.

Her snowy white cheeks were tinged red from embarrassment and tension.

Her lips moved as if trying to speak, but the words came out tangled.

“Huh?! Wh-What…?”

Her small hands fidgeted with the hem of her clothes. Her fingertips trembled as she played with her hair.

She looked utterly dumbfounded, like someone whose mental screws had all come loose.

But she didn’t look insane.

Rather than being consumed by madness…

“H-H-Huuuh?!?!”

It was more accurate to say she was swallowed by confusion.

At last, Serapia slowly lifted her gaze.

Kai stared closely into her eyes.

Ruby-like crimson irises.

But there wasn’t a trace of madness in them.

They still sparkled like beautiful gems.

“Why… am I… fine…?”

Serapia and Kai, almost in unison, turned their gazes sharply toward Adrian.

Even after eating monster meat, Serapia and Kai were mentally sound.

And at last, I was certain.

‘So it really was absorption.’

My Predation [S+] didn’t merely copy.

It absorbed the target’s traits—and took them for myself.

‘Looks like I can sell it.’

Now I could confidently bring monster meat to market.

Translatin_Otaku

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