Chapter 2

“Hmm? What are you looking at?” Mako, a beastman monster and member of the Demon Army’s Four Demon Generals, suddenly leaned her face close to the Hero’s to get a look at what he was doing. Her upturned eyes and blank expression made her look adorable, and she even added a “meow” to the end of her question. Since it was already past seven, the lighting in the forest was dim. That reduced visibility may have been the only thing that kept the Hero’s heart from bursting. “H-h-hey! Don’t get so close!” he cried. The Hero was a shut-in who had severed all contact in his life, and he panicked and instinctively jumped back to retreat into the shade of a nearby tree. “…That shyness is a serious problem, Hero. Not that I really mind.” The Hero was thankful for Mako’s tolerance. It made him wonder (without any real basis) if all demons were as kind as her. It had been one week since the pair had set out on their shared journey. Mako had frizzy short red hair. Her adorable animal ears were covered in fur and protruded slightly from her unruly locks. She stood at around five feet, three inches and was somewhat shorter than the Hero. Her black-striped sweater exposed her midriff. Her chest was of adequate size for an adult, and her top alluringly outlined its shape. As he was not used to interacting with women, the Hero had trouble keeping his eyes off that area. Mako’s long and well-proportioned legs extended from a pair of short shorts, though they quickly took on the shape of a feline’s just above the knee. Every time the Hero saw her paws, he thought, I’m not really into this kind of thing, but anyone with a furry fetish would be beside themselves with excitement. “It’s getting dark, so let’s make camp for the night. By my master’s orders, I’m your traveling companion for now, so I’ll make sure you’re comfortable, meow,” said Mako. At first, the Hero thought that Mako was only doing the cat thing because the Demon Lord had forced her to, but she didn’t seem to dislike it. “What do you want for dinner? Ah, I guess there’s not much point in asking. Roasted monster or animal meat is likely the best we can manage.” “…” Without saying a word, the Hero took out his smartphone and began to tap the screen. “Oh right, you won’t talk to me unless it’s over SNS… All right, message received! You’re okay with anything. And there’s no need to apologize. I’m having fun here,” Mako replied aloud. Then she took off into the darkness of the forest to gather firewood and food. She’s awfully easygoing for a member of the Demon Army’s Four Demon Generals, thought the Hero, looking up at the sky. She’s friendly, though, so it’s all right by me. Given how debilitatingly demure and inactive he was, the Hero never would’ve imagined he would leave the house for such a trek. He was even sleeping outside. That said, Mako was doing all the heavy lifting—making camp and preparing food every night. Seeing the girl make an effort to understand him and his communication difficulties brought a little joy to his heart. Perhaps Mako was used to dealing with cases like his because the Demon Lord had similar hang-ups when it came to interacting with others. Despite having been on the road for days now, the journey had been nothing but comfortable. The Hero thought back to when Mako had mentioned that the Demon Lord’s castle was populated entirely by women. He also recalled how lovely she smelled, and he briefly mused that the Demon Army must have it pretty good, all things considered. Before the Hero knew it, Mako had returned. “I’m baaaack. I happened upon some lively-looking humans today, so I’m making human steak,” she announced. Mako was holding a large piece of meat, which she had already skinned and drained the blood from, over her right shoulder. [No!!! You promised you wouldn’t do that!!!] the Hero hurriedly typed out on his phone. [Dddddid you really kill someone?!] After glancing down at her phone, Mako burst out laughing. “Ah-ha-ha, sorry. I wouldn’t do that. Even if I wanted to, my master has ordered me not to harm any humans. It was just a joke. This meat is from a wild boar I found in the plains.” All of the Hero’s anger and fear washed away like air escaping a balloon, and he slid down into the tall grass around him…which he did primarily to hide that he’d wet himself a little. “I guess from my perspective, that would be like eating the meat of a fellow beastman monster. I couldn’t possibly do that… Just the thought gives me the shivers. I’m not nearly that twisted of a person. Anyway, I think I’ve got a handle on the sort of dishes you prefer, so I’ll do my best to make you something delicious.” Mako then raised an index finger and, using what appeared to be a spell, summoned wood and rocks for a bonfire. Once everything was in place, she lit it with her breath, which was undoubtedly imbued with fire-element magic. The Hero’s birthplace, Beginnerland, had a warm climate and mainly consisted of sprawling grasslands. It got cold at night, however, so a heat source was welcome. The fire also kept monsters away, making it an essential part of the campsite. “There we go,” muttered Mako as she made the meat she was carrying on her right shoulder float in the air. She cut it into eight slices with an invisible wind-blade spell and pierced each portion with a stick. The cuts of flesh sizzled above the fire, looking very enticing. The Hero’s excitement grew as he watched the juicy fat roast, and his stomach growled impatiently as the aroma traveled through the meadow. Mako had also somehow found the time to prepare him a flask of water and a perfectly sized stone chair. She left nothing to be desired, and for that, the Hero was grateful. “Okay, let’s eat. Oh wait, humans need their meat a little less rare, don’t they?” The meat had barely cooked at all, yet Mako took one stick with both hands and heartily sank her teeth into a slice. Such an action seemed appropriate for a beastman monster, and the sight proved amusing to the Hero. “Hmm?” As the Hero reached out from the opposite side of the fire to grab some meat, Mako felt a vibration in her back pocket. “…Which group did I set to vibrate again?” she asked, pulling out a cute phone colored an unusual shade of pink and checking her messages. This prompted a question in the Hero’s mind. [Oh yeah, you said you’re a member of the Demon Army’s Four Demon Generals, right? What are the other three members like?] he asked using his phone. Mako was looking at her group chat when she noticed the Hero’s message. “Hmm…,” she began, screwing up her face in a way that was rare for her. “It’s difficult to explain.” “…” The Hero responded with silence. “They’re all pretty weird, I guess.” “Huh…,” the Hero said aloud unconsciously, with only the bright-red fire to illuminate his surprised expression in the night.