Next was the inspection of Vandalieu’s Insect Binding Technique, but this turned out to be simple as well.

“It’s really going inside,” said Vandalieu.

“Is that really alright?” Basdia asked.

“There doesn’t appear to be any particular problems,” Vandalieu replied.

There was a large, vividly-colored, venomous-looking earthworm in his hand. And then it slowly dug its way inside his hand.

“Umm, wasn’t that a Pain Worm? It’s only Rank 1, but it has tiny, poisonous needles growing all over its body,” asked Kachia.

“So it seems,” said Vandalieu.

“How can you be so calm about it?

Basdia and Kachia’s voices sounded a little strained as they watched the Pain Worm disappear completely inside Vandalieu’s hand. But there wasn’t a single wound on his white, unhealthy-looking, candle-wax-like skin.

“My Vitality hasn’t gone down, either, so it does seem that there isn’t any problem with this,” said Vandalieu.

“Jyuuh? Are you saying that you consumed that creature?” Bone Man asked.

“No, I don’t think that’s the case,” Vandalieu replied. “Look, it can come out whenever it wants to, too.”

The Pain Worm slowly emerged from Vandalieu’s other hand. It plopped onto the ground, but Pete leapt out after it, grabbed it in his mouth and returned to Vandalieu’s hand.

“It’s difficult to believe, but it seems that Insect Binding Technique is a skill that allows one to equip insects to the body,” said Basdia.

“Equip insects… will they actually be useful? It’s not like you can punch enemies with insects, right?” said Vigaro.

“Well, that explains the mystery of why Pete settled in my hair,” said Vandalieu. “As for whether they’ll be useful, they probably will be. Cemetery Bees, can you enter my body in the same way?”

Showing no signs of hesitation, the Cemetery Bees silently entered Vandalieu’s body. They forced themselves mercilessly into Vandalieu’s head despite their size, so it looked quite grotesque, but Vandalieu didn’t feel any discomfort or pain.

And then once the Cemetery Bees were completely inside him, Vandalieu was able to control them as if they were a part of his body. He could poke their heads out from his hands or their poisonous stingers from the tip of his tongue. In the same way, he was able to produce Pete from anywhere in his body on command.

“I see, so I can control any insect-type monster that I’ve tamed,” Vandalieu concluded. “By the way, what’s wrong?”

Everyone except for Vandalieu’s apprentice touched their own heads cautiously as they looked up at him.

“It’s just that they were completely inside your head, so I was wondering if it’s really alright,” said Basdia.

“My lord, it may be fine for you, but to those watching, it appears as if you are being consumed by the insects, jyuuh,” said Bone Man.

“… I’ll make sure to avoid using this in front of people. By the way, what about Luciliano?”

“He’s fainted over there, but… I suppose we can’t blame him,” said Kachia.

Insect Binding Technique was a skill that allowed Vandalieu to equip insects inside his body, and if those insects were tamed, then he could produce them or a part of their bodies from his own at will.

But if the insects stayed equipped for more than a few hours, they would begin taking the nutrients they required from the host’s body. In other words, Vandalieu had to eat a lot in order to avoid losing Vitality to them.

That was the kind of skill it was.