“Ngh! Lady Mil, you can’t have—”
Mil’s attack erased Crowell’s demon slash, and then both of her own shock waves landed a direct hit.
“Uhrrraahh!”
“Crowell!” Graun cried.
Crowell was thrown into the middle of the street, where she landed on her back.
“Haah, haah,” panted Mil. “I did it.”
It had taken all of her strength, leaving her so exhausted she felt ready to collapse.
“I expected no less of you, Lady Mil.” Crowell slowly rose to a sitting position. She must have lost her awakened effect, because her skin had returned to its normal color and the white patterns had disappeared.
“Are you all right, Crowell?!” Mil hurried over and held her.
“Your kindness could be your undoing, Lady Mil. If I attempted a surprise attack now, you’d have no means of dodging.”
“Oh... But...”
“Regardless, I admit defeat. I was ordered to apprehend Lady Mil. When I restrained you by your arm a short while ago, I did, for a moment at least, apprehend you. Now I may return.”
Crowell suddenly got to her feet and brushed the dirt off her clothing. Although it looked like she’d attacked with all she had, she wasn’t out of energy yet.
Graun sighed and sheathed his sword.
“Crowell, why are you helping me like this? Not just now, but in the Demon King’s Castle as well.”
“If I had to say, it’s probably because I miss adventurers.”
Mil didn’t know what that meant, but before she could ask, Mary came running over.
“Crowell! Um...how’s father doing?”
“He’s worried about you. What would you like to do? Will you come home with me?”
Mary shook her head. “I’m not going back! I’ve finally found something I enjoy! I’m going to go adventuring with Mil. And...next time he sees me, I want him to see how I’ve grown after I’m done adventuring!”
“Mary...” Mil was delighted to learn that Mary was going to join her.
Crowell smiled at Mary. “I’m so glad,” she said.
“You are?”
“You never opened up to me or the Demon King because you were ignoring your own feelings. You never had ambitions to share with us.”
“I didn’t...?”
Crowell’s eyes met Mil’s. “I believe you provided the spark, Lady Mil.”
Mil had no idea what she’d done to encourage Mary.
“Well then... I’ll return to His Majesty and inform him that I briefly grabbed you by the arm.”
“Crowell, wait!” Before the two siblings could fly away, Mary came over with the garuda egg that she’d left inside the guild. “Take this! I collected it by myself! Well...Mil helped a little too, but it’s not like I’m totally powerless!”
Crowell accepted the egg and nodded. “I’ll make sure I inform His Majesty. Lady Mil, please take good care of Princess Mary.” Crowell bowed low.
“A-All right,” Mil replied, suddenly feeling nervous.
“Oh, and,” Crowell muttered just as she was about to take off. “I think the Heavenly Four and others are going to pursue you and your party more seriously after this. Do take care, Lady Mil.”
Crowell and her brother both spread their black wings then disappeared high into the sky.
Mil thought back to her encounter with Grood. If someone else just as coldhearted came for her, she might have to fight like her life depended on it.
Mil stared up into the sky until the two demonkin were both gone from her sight.
“M-Mil!” Yulia cried. “Wh-What are those?!”
“Huh?” Mil touched her head and felt two small growths. Each one had a rough and unsettling surface texture, just like the ones she’d felt on Graun’s head some time ago, feeling to her as though she’d grown demon horns.
“You’re turning into a demonkin. You’ve been using the magic from the library, haven’t you?” Mary asked as she touched Mil’s horns. “Whenever humans use that sort of magic, the demonkin miasma seeps into their body. It’ll normally leave by itself given enough time, but your body will start to gain demonkin traits if you overdo it.”
Kuro eyed Mil’s transformation with concern, while Yulia started to panic. “Ah wah wah... Are you okay, Mil?”
Mil touched a horn with her right hand and said, “This is...”
“It’s?”
“Amazing! I’m like a demonkin now! Hey, will I get wings too? Can I fly just like you, Mary?!” Simply touching someone else’s horns had been satisfying, but to have horns of her own was even better. Mil couldn’t help but get excited about it.
“Hold on, Mil,” Mary said. “You should turn back if you don’t use any forbidden magic for a while. But keep using it, and the effects might be worse than a little transformation.”
“Wh-What’ll happen...?” Yulia stammered.
Mary sighed. “If her body can’t handle the miasma, she could die.”
“Ah! N-No! Mil! No magic for a while! Okay?!”
“Well, I don’t wanna die. But I don’t wanna lose the horns either.”
“No! You can’t use it anymore!” Yulia sounded genuinely worried.
It seemed even Yulia would get angry if Mil stood her ground over this, so she decided she’d better give in and stop using magic until she returned to normal.
“Can we really afford to take it easy like this?” Kuro asked.
“Oh... Someone’s coming,” Yulia said. “Are those soldiers?”
About ten armored soldiers came running toward them along the main street. They were the town’s guards, and all the commotion had drawn their attention.
“Which one of you is the Demon King’s daughter? We received a report just a moment ago.”
“Is all this damage the work of a berserk demonkin? You...you’re a demonkin, aren’t you?”
The soldiers began to approach. If they realized that Mary was the Demon King’s daughter, they’d definitely imprison her.
“Let’s run!” Mary said.
Mil and the others reacted quickly.
“Hey, wait!”
The soldiers tried to chase them, but it was no use in their heavy armor. Mil and the others shook them off in no time.
Am I in trouble? Mil wondered.
Mary had had the same thought. “You’re a princess too, aren’t you? Won’t you be in trouble if you get caught?”
“You’re right. You were worrying about me, Mary?”
“Hmph.”
Mary might have put up a cold front, but she was kind in her own way. She was always thinking about others.
Mil couldn’t resist grabbing Mary’s hand and then hugging her arm tight.
Mary blushed and asked, “Wh-What are you doing?”
“Let’s start our adventure!” Mil replied.
Mil felt she’d made a friend who wasn’t just dependable but also kindhearted.
In the days that followed, rumors spread through the fortress town of Algram that the Demon King’s daughter had destroyed the Adventurer’s Guild. A quest was soon issued...but that’s a story for another day.