Starting with No Game No Life: Infinite Chests

"Riku-sama, what was that form just now? The dragon attribute in your aura was so pure," Zhuralis suddenly asked.

This question made Schwi and Jibril both look over as well.

"Well, just think of it as something I realised while fighting Reginleif," Riku replied, rubbing his nose helplessly.

The truth about the system was something he could never reveal.

"Riku, that's a lie," Schwi said flatly.

"Schwi, at times like this, keeping quiet is the right choice," Riku retorted with a roll of his eyes, reaching over to pat Schwi on the head.

Sure enough, trying to gloss things over in front of Schwi was impossible.

"But Schwi wants to know everything about Riku," she said, gazing at him steadily.

"Well... I'll tell you someday, okay?" Riku shook his head.

"Mmm..." Hearing this, Schwi eventually nodded.

Seeing Schwi become more and more humanlike, Riku nodded in satisfaction, her emotions were getting richer by the day.

"Zhuralis, let's keep going," he said.

"Okay."

With that, Riku, Jibril, and Schwi once again climbed onto Zhuralis' back.

Soon after, Riku lay back on Zhuralis's back, his head pillowed in Jibril's soft, plush lap, gazing leisurely at the sky. After unleashing so much power just now, he was honestly exhausted.

"By the way, Master, are you going to the vampires' territory because you want to bring them into the alliance too?" Jibril asked curiously, stroking Riku's forehead.

"No, I'm just after some treasure one that only I can find," Riku answered after a moment's thought, keeping things vague.

"So, does that mean the power you just used also came from some treasure you found with the dragonia?" Jibril pressed.

"...You could say that," Riku replied lightly.

The only reason he answered at all was because Schwi's gaze was tinged with a bit of guilt.

"Ehehe, Master, since I've recovered, how about making a deal with me?" Jibril's eyes sparkled, leaning so close her face was almost touching his, her smile a picture of madness.

"Jibril, what's your current status?" Riku raised an eyebrow, exhaling into her face, his tone calm.

"Why, your maid, of course!" Jibril answered without hesitation.

"If you're my maid, and I want to play with your body, do I even need to make a deal?" Riku said, utterly serious.

"Ah! That's true, isn't it!" Jibril froze for a moment, then tilted her head in surprise. "As the person I respect most in the world, Master, is welcome to play with my body whenever you want. Do you want me to undress and serve you now?" she asked, her face suddenly filled with crazed devotion.

Riku's mouth twitched he knew Jibril meant it. She'd really do it.

"Reproductive behaviour: prohibited," Schwi suddenly interjected.

"Hey! Idiot Flügel, don't you dare mate with Master on my back!" Zhuralis snarled, glaring over her shoulder.

"Ara? Are you jealous because you can't transform into a human and make love to Master?" Jibril replied, brushing her hair back and taunting her.

"Jibril, if you keep this up, things might get out of hand," Riku said, brows raised, his face serious.

"Actually, Master, I kind of hope you do lose control~. After all, you only ever spoil that little Fia," Jibril challenged, a sly smile on her face.

"Very well, Jibril. You've succeeded in provoking my 'anger.' When we get back, I'll teach you what it means to respect your master," Riku said with authority.

"I'm looking forward to it," Jibril said, her lips curling up as she smiled sweetly.

"You're both idiots," Zhuralis muttered.

At that moment, Schwi had been staring at Riku, clearly wanting to say something, her eyes flickering.

"Schwi, is something wrong?" Riku asked, noticing her unease.

"Schwi wants to help Riku. But since Fia won't share her reference data, I can't create the optimal 'hole' for you," Schwi said with a small frown.

"Uh..." Riku rubbed his nose. Schwi's obsession with this matter was truly persistent.

"Also, as a combatant, I feel like I'm just a burden... I hate being useless," Schwi said softly, eyes on Riku.

These words stunned Riku, Jibril, and Zhuralis for a moment. Riku understood, but the others hadn't expected Schwi to have such complex feelings, it wasn't in line with the definition of Ex Machina at all.

"Schwi, you don't need to overthink things. To me, you're one of the most important beings in the world. Besides, Schwi, you're also one of my greatest trump cards, my ace in winning the Suniaster," Riku said, gently caressing her small face, his expression serious.

"Schwi isn't that strong..." Schwi's eyes brightened, then dimmed again. "Schwi is just a disconnected analysis unit."

"Disconnected doesn't mean you can't go back. Schwi, I'll not only help you reconnect, but I'll make you the leader of all Ex Machina," Riku promised with utter seriousness.

"——!"

At these words, Schwi's eyes widened, and even Jibril and Zhuralis froze.

"Do you believe in yourself?" Riku smiled, voice soft.

"For Riku, Schwi will do it. No matter what the calculations say, my heart tells me I can. No, for Riku, I will do it," Schwi said firmly after a moment.

"That's enough. No matter what, Schwi, you are my most important contract partner. Our lives, souls, and will were already joined the first time we looked at each other, weren't they?" Riku said gently.

"Mhm!" Schwi, rarely, smiled a real, human smile and nodded, then lay against Riku, listening to his heartbeat.

Riku, too, stroked her head, a gentle smile on his lips.

This warmth, this feeling, was something Schwi wasn't sure how to describe. She didn't know how it was different from the warmth of energy flow, but somehow, it was.

"I'm actually a little jealous," Jibril thought to herself quietly as she watched the two. She hadn't even felt this way when Riku showered Fia with affection.

As they chatted, Zhuralis quickly headed toward the vampire homeland.

Truthfully, Zhuralis was a bit envious of how Riku and the others could talk and joke so freely. Sure, she could interject sometimes, but being the one someone sits on for a conversation is not the same as talking face-to-face. Why don't dragons have a shapeshifting skill? Zhuralis grumbled to herself.

With all the lively chatter, they soon reached the designated location, a shadowy mountain valley, where Zhuralis landed.

"Riku-sama, are you sure this is the place?" Zhuralis scanned the valley below with her dragon eyes, puzzled.

"Of course. Among all races, vampires' concealment skills are top tier," Riku said with a confident smile. "Especially vampires who've just fed, even old deus can't detect them."

"That's true," Zhuralis nodded.

"Master, how do you plan to make them come out?" Jibril asked with a mischievous grin, though she clearly already had an idea.

"Just do what you're thinking, let's give them a little scare," Riku replied leisurely.

...

In the shadowy valley, the mountains had been hollowed out to house castle-like structures. At this moment, many vampires had sensed several terrifying spirit signatures from the sky above.

This left them all anxious and trembling. If it were just passersby, that would be one thing, but the fact that the group hovered right overhead meant their target could only be the vampires.

"Your Majesty, the ones lingering above are most likely a high-ranking race. Flügel, maybe even dragonia. We should evacuate immediately," a female vampire said, kneeling on one knee before a petite, cold-eyed, red-haired girl in a black dress, who sat on the throne.

The girl's ears were pointed but shorter than an elf's, a distinguishing trait.

"I know. They've already found us. Escape isn't realistic," the girl said coldly. "If we try to flee now, a single area attack from them could wipe us out."

She was calm, too calm, in fact, for someone likely being targeted by a high race. This was her responsibility as queen.

"But—" the kneeling vampire's voice faltered, her expression desperate and anxious.

"We'll see what they want. Even if they attack, so what? Worst case, we use a blood sacrifice and summon our creator," the girl replied icily.

"Our creator... I understand," the vampire guard answered, nodding heavily.

"Vampires inside, our master just said this: You've got one minute to come out or we'll blow up your nest!" Jibril's cheerful voice suddenly rang out, causing the queen's crimson pupils to narrow.

"I'll go take a look. Prepare the ritual, be ready to summon at any moment," the vampire queen ordered coolly.

"Your Majesty, let us go. It's too dangerous for you!" the guards protested.

"Prepare the ritual," she said sternly.

"Understood," they replied, all shuddering, and hurried away respectfully.

The girl, taking only two guards, turned into black mist and vanished from the castle.

"My, Master, looks like they're trying to wait us out, still hoping for a miracle," Jibril giggled, floating in the air, gathering spirit energy as if she were really about to cast a huge spell.

"That may not be so," Riku said from atop Zhuralis' head, peering down at the valley below, a meaningful look in his eyes. If the vampires weren't stupid, they'd send someone out to probe and stall for time.

The vampire race's creator, the god of shadows, Gagras, was still alive. They could summon him if things got desperate.

"Vampires emerging three in total," Schwi said, her eyes flashing with data as she stood by Riku's side.

"See?" Riku chuckled.

"In that case, I'll spare them a spell what a pity," Jibril said, sounding disappointed. She had been ready to go all out.

"A girl?" Riku raised an eyebrow as he noticed the three figures emerging from the valley, a strange expression on his face...

Are all the race leaders female? Fia for the werebeasts, Think for elves, Reginleif for dragonia's most of the time, and now even the vampires...

"Flügel Exemplar Jibril, dragonia, Ex Machina, and what's that other one...?" As Riku stared at the girl, she stared right back, her heart in turmoil.

She couldn't understand how such mutually hostile races could travel together in peace. And as for Riku, whose presence clearly marked him as the leader, she couldn't imagine what race he belonged to.

Human? But how could a human be this strong?

"What do you want?" the girl asked coolly, black mist swirling around her, small bat wings fluttering as her crimson eyes locked on Riku.

Even facing someone who could wipe her out with a wave of their hand, the girl's expression didn't change she was perfectly calm.

"Interesting," Riku thought. In chaotic times like these, no race had a simple leader.

"Shouldn't you introduce yourself first?" Riku said blandly.

Even without intentionally releasing his aura, the presence Riku gave off was enough to make the girl feel heavy. His long campaign and string of victories had given him an unshakable natural pressure.

"I am Sonia, Queen of the Vampire Race," the girl said, eyes flickering with a trace of shock but still remaining cool and courteous, giving a noble's bow.

"Sonia... I'll remember that," Riku said, nodding.

"You may call me Riku," he continued.

"Riku... May I be so bold as to ask, are you human?" Sonia asked, keeping her etiquette flawless.

"Heh, what do you think?" Riku smiled back, answering with a question.

"I see." Sonia's eyes finally wavered, and she could no longer maintain her previous composure.