The Lord Who Levels Up by Devouring - LLD Chapter 46: The Bait and the Trap (Part 2)

Leaving only those words, Adrian walked off into the night.

Kai watched him, tilting his head.

“Did something happen between you two?”

“Huh? N-No. Nothing at all.”

Serapia frantically waved her hands.
And she wasn’t lying—nothing had actually happened.

Kai, seemingly uninterested in digging further, took a seat across from her.

Crackle, crackle.

Only the sound of the crackling campfire stirred the silence.

“It’s not too late, even now.”

Kai spoke up, his tone calm but firm.

“This operation is far too dangerous. More than anything—”
“No. I must be the one to do it.”

Serapia cut him off, showing her resolve.

Perhaps her unwavering will was conveyed clearly enough—Kai didn’t argue further.

“Then please promise me one thing.”

As Serapia looked at him, Kai spoke again.

“Promise me you won’t use your ability, no matter what happens.”
“All right.”
“Even if my life is in danger—you must not use your ability.”
“…….”
“Promise me.”
“……I promise.”

Serapia gave a small nod.

Only then did Kai’s expression soften in relief.

Silence returned.

This time, it was Serapia who broke it.

“But Sir Kai.”
“Yes, Lady Serapia?”
“I apologize for saying this, but…”

Serapia slowly looked Kai over.

His long golden hair, cascading to his waist, shimmered like sunlight in the glow of the bonfire. Each strand was soft, lustrous.

When the wind gently swept through, Kai’s face peeked between the strands.

It was so delicate, so beautiful, it was hard to believe he was a man.
His pale, smooth skin had the flawless quality of porcelain.
His lips, slightly tinted with pink makeup, glistened with moisture.
His deep, clear blue eyes, framed by graceful lashes, seemed almost divine.

“You’re stunning right now!”

She now fully understood why the maids had been so excited—why they’d all insisted they could handle everything if left to them.

“You’d look even more beautiful in a dress!”

It wasn’t a joke.

Kai, dressed as a woman, was no different from the most beautiful lady on the continent.

And yet, Kai himself lowered his head in embarrassment.

Normally so cold and composed, so emotionally restrained…

“……”

Now, he couldn’t say a word, his head hanging low. Somehow, Serapia felt his face must be flushed red like a girl’s.

Playfully, she found herself inching closer to Kai—

And right then—

A violent gust blasted past Serapia’s vision.

A fatal warning screamed through Kai’s instincts.

By the time he sensed it—it was already too late.

“Huh…?”

Serapia gasped, and something struck Kai.

There had been no killing intent.

Even with his trained senses, Kai hadn’t been able to react.

A large, brutish hand seized him.

And only then could Kai see who it belonged to.

A creature fused between beast and man.
Towering over six meters tall—its sheer presence was overwhelming.

Its coarse brown fur bristled sharply.
Every inch of its body was packed with iron-hard muscle, flexing visibly beneath its pelt.

Its face resembled a wolf—complete with a broad forehead and glowing red eyes.

But they held no madness.
No hunger either.
Only lust.
That base, revolting desire gleamed in those eyes.

And the moment Kai faced that primal craving, he knew exactly what he was looking at.

A Lycanthrope.
The beast of desire had arrived.

Grrrrrrrr…

Still gripping Kai in one hand, the Lycanthrope brought its snout close.

It grinned, savoring the perverse thoughts that followed.

Why it had chosen Kai and not Serapia was unclear.

But perhaps that was for the best.

Had it gone for Serapia… Kai would have been forced to watch her die.

The Lycanthrope sniffed him, tilting its head, puzzled.

Then—

Keurgh?!

Maybe it had just realized Kai was male.

Its face twisted grotesquely.

Crack—!

Its grip tightened even further.

“Ggh—!”

…What overwhelming strength.

If not for the Aura protecting his body, he would have been crushed on the spot.

Thud—!

The Lycanthrope hurled him like a rag doll. Kai slammed into the ground, pain wracking his body.

It felt like every bone had shattered.

But he clenched his teeth and forced himself up.

Thanks to the ability he gained upon reaching the realm of a Master, he could still move.

And when he rose—

Kieeeek—!
Kirik, Kirrk!

He saw the monsters surrounding him.

In other words—

The Lycanthrope hadn’t come alone.

‘…You knew.’

It had known all along.

That this was bait meant to lure it in.

Yet it had still shown itself.

Because it had confidence.
That it could kill everyone here.

If they’d laid bait—then the other side had laid a trap.

The Lycanthrope grinned.
While isolating Kai, it fully revealed its vile desires toward Serapia.

And Kai understood—having experienced it himself:

That was not something Serapia could endure.

“A… Ahh…”

Serapia trembled, her body quaking like a leaf.

Was she imagining what was about to be done to her?

Seeing her so terrified only seemed to excite the Lycanthrope further.

Its depravity surged.

It had to be stopped.

But Kai was surrounded.
And Adrian—wasn’t here.

Adrian had warned it would take three days for the Lycanthrope to react to the bait.

Right now, he was far away.

There was no time or strength to send a signal.
Even if he did, it would be too late.

They had walked right into the perfect trap.

“Run!!”

Kai screamed, but Serapia didn’t respond.
She couldn’t.

The Lycanthrope didn’t even glance his way.
It approached Serapia.

And right then—

A cloud of blood mist erupted from the Lycanthrope’s massive body.

Something had struck it.

Something like a black wolf, biting into its side.

…Adrian.

Adrian tore into the Lycanthrope’s shoulder.

It buckled—
Adrian seized its throat—

Slam!

He smashed it to the ground.

Only then did the Lycanthrope howl in pain, thrashing violently.

But it couldn’t move.

Adrian held it down with brute force, eyes blazing.

“Been a while, you bastard.”

His crimson eyes locked onto the Lycanthrope’s.

A swirl of emotions rose—

Hatred.
Joy.
Rage.
Exhilaration.
Ecstasy.

And as Kai watched those fragmented feelings rise—

He realized.

“You haven’t changed at all… That filthy lust of yours still festers!”

…That Adrian had set a trap, too.

Translatin_Otaku

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