Chapter 82

“I’m sorry for making you hit me. I’m sorry for making you feel bad.” Rino bowed her head. Tears started to fall from Tama’s eyes. “That’s unfair, meow. I can’t be angry if you say it like that, meow…” “I’m sorry.” Rino smiled awkwardly and started to dry Tama’s tears with her handkerchief. After that, she turned around to face Norman. “I really want you to get along with everybody, but I know that’s impossible.” “Huh…?” Norman was stupefied, since he expected her to blame him for being the one to start the fight. Rino looked him square in the face. “I wanted to be friends with Elen—Elazonia—but I couldn’t do it, even though I tried.” All the human students, including Norman, had watched the entire event unfold. “Shinichi even said forcing someone to see things from your perspective is worse than being violent.” “Everyone getting along” sounded good in theory, but was it really worth it to eliminate the uncooperative or brainwash them? “I really don’t want to put a Geas on everyone and make them follow my orders.” The only option to curb the rabble-rousers was to use mind-control on them, but people had the right to think what they wanted, even the demon-haters. “I can’t change your mind if you hate us, Norman.” “No, I don’t—” “But I don’t think you need to hurt the person you hate,” said Rino sadly. “Elazonia hated the demons and tried to destroy us, and we ended up having to eliminate her.” That was karma for you. Hatred bred hatred. The shooter shot themselves in the foot. “I really don’t think it’s good to hurt people.” Call it self-defense, but the secret of living a long life was to avoid making enemies. “That’s why it’d be better if you…um…” “…Had your own space, so you don’t have to fight.” “Uh-huh—wait. Shinichi?!” Rino jumped to see he had opened the door and entered the classroom. Shinichi smiled wryly at himself that his overprotective nature had finally won out and made him intrude on their skirmish. He walked over and gently patted Rino’s head. “You’ve really grown, Rino.” “Really? Hee-hee.” Nothing had changed about the sweet way she blushed since the day they’d met. While she may still be innocent, she was starting to take the steps away from being a carefree child into a real-life adult. I think my concerns were unfounded. Rino’s heart was far stronger than Shinichi had worried it might be. There’s a part of me that’s sad to see her so grown. Shinichi turned to Norman, whose face had gone pale at the teachers’ arrival. “Rino’s right. We can’t change your mind. And we won’t attack Boar Kingdom just because you hate us. Don’t worry.” “I…” “Remember to put some distance between you and a nemesis rather than making your disdain known and going on the attack. Especially if you plan to do well in noble society.” “……” Norman didn’t say anything as Shinichi patted his shoulder, trying to cheer him up. He didn’t seem too apologetic. Shinichi saw regret and hesitation in him. His lips curled into a huge grin. “One other thing. If you bully your crush, she’s going to hate you.” “What?!” Norman snapped in shock, face turning as red as a tomato. “I was just joking. Seems I’ve touched a sore spot,” said Shinichi. “W-w-w-wait! I don’t like that catgirl!” “You’ve started talking like that masochistic elf.” Any onlooker could tell Norman was lying based on his new stutter. “Now that you mention it, I remembering hearing the Siamese family loves cats…” “I heard they have more than ten pet cats.” His fellow students started to testify against him, regarding him coldly. Tama was dumbfounded for a moment, then blushed, accepting it as the truth. “I thought something was fishy about you. So you were in heat this whole time, meow!” “I-in heat? Shut up! Nobody has feelings for a pervy catgirl like you!” Norman shouted back, but his eyes followed her every movement—down to the twitching of her ears and tail. It completely destroyed his argument. “Ummm… Are they living happily ever after?” Rino was confused, unable to keep up with the sudden turn of events. Shinichi grinned in satisfaction. Ha-ha-ha. A bad situation has turned into a golden opportunity. He wanted these two together as a symbol of friendship between humans and demons. Who cared if the whole world was against their relationship? He was confident he could convince them by saying that joining families with a demon would mean the Demon King would be their ally. All the better if he’s the third son of a baron. His status isn’t too high, and he’s not the eldest son. It shouldn’t take too much pushing for Boar Kingdom to offer him as a human sacrifice. Any potential external problems could be easily smoothed out. The largest issue was getting a boy in puberty to admit his feelings despite potential for ridicule. “I think this calls for drastic measures,” Shinichi announced. “Huh? What are you going to do?” asked Rino doubtfully, but Shinichi didn’t answer. He turned to the closet furry. “Norman, you really don’t like Tama, right?” “Obviously! I won’t let anyone get the wrong idea—” “So you won’t mind if I do this?” Shinichi draped his arms around her. “…Huh?” Norman stood there, still. “There you go. That’s a good girl.” He started tickling Tama under her chin, petting her at the base of her tail. “Mreow?! M-Mr. Sotoyama! You shouldn’t touch me there, meow!” “But your tail is clearly trying to tell me another story.” “Mreow! I’m starting to feel really good, meow…” “Come on! Let it out! Purr in front of everyone!” Shinichi’s hands worked harder, and Tama’s eyes narrowed, then the moment she was about to purr— “Stop!” Norman’s face was screwed up in anger as he shoved Shinichi away. “Agh…” He tumbled to the ground. “I’m the only one who can pet her!” Norman said defiantly. “…Uh-oh.” He gulped. He couldn’t take that back. Released from Shinichi’s clutches, Tama blushed a deeper shade of red than when he’d been petting her. Her tail perked up happily. “I might really go into heat after such a passionate confession, meow…” “N-no, don’t misunder—” “I’ll marry you if you become strong enough to beat me, meow.” “Really?! I mean, no way!” Norman was still trying to keep up his act as Tama played with him, like a cat with their favorite toy. Shinichi stood slowly, smiling at the pair. “I’m tired of playing matchmaker.” Arian and Celes came to either side of him and pinned his arms. “Are you done with your excuses?” “Shall we have a horse kick him to death?” They were expressionless as they gripped his arms so tight the bones were close to snapping. There was no need to ask why they were angry. “As you just witnessed, I was simply trying to spur a young boy into action, since he was having a hard time being honest with his feelings.” “And you think that’s a good enough reason to rub a little girl’s tail?” Arian asked. “Public cuckolding? A flea’s life is more precious than yours, dirtbag.” “No!” Shinichi screeched. “I just rubbed her tailbone, and I’m a fan of doggirls!” Arian and Celes’s eyes were as cold as if they were looking at a guilty man on death row. There wasn’t an ounce of mercy left in them. “Tell them, Rino!” Shinichi cried out to his perfect angel to find a way out. “…I, the Blue Demon King’s daughter, Rinoladell, command you, Shinichi Sotoyama, to swear you will never touch another girl again.” The light had vanished from her eyes. She smiled like a fallen angel as she mercilessly began to cast Geas. “Rinoooooo?!” “Hold it,” interjected Sanctina. “I propose we slice off his hands and testicles to prevent him from doing any misdeeds again,” she whispered with an evil smile, like this was the perfect opportunity to eliminate her rival in love. “Now isn’t time for that, you perv!” Shinichi screamed hysterically. Celes tightened her grip on his arm. “Accept your fate and allow Lady Rino to cast Geas on you.” “Wait! Who cares about my crimes?! Shouldn’t we be stopping this weird mood that Rino is in?!” Rino had just been lecturing about how wrong it was to use magic to force people to obey her. There was something off about the fact she was trying to cast Geas on Shinichi. Even though Celes listened to his point, her grip on his arm didn’t loosen at all. “Have you forgotten, Lord Shinichi? Lady Rino is the daughter of that woman.” “Oh…” Shinichi’s heart sank. The Blue Princess of War, Regina, would choose to die by fire with her lover rather than have him stolen by another woman. That was Rino’s mother.