“Anyway, having admitted that I’m a weakling who’s no match for human women and spilled all the beans possible, I shall now say that my name is Gweldeian Asterious Rheinbacker Enderwine. Charmed, I’m sure.” His tragic introduction ends with him collapsing into tears.
“Gweldeian Asterious Rheinbacker Enderwine? Your name’s a real mouthful.” Kazuya rolls his eyes.
Meanwhile, I’m amazed Kazuya was able to repeat the Demon King’s name in one shot.
“So what are you going to do with me? I, who was once called Chaos and terrified all who laid eyes upon me, am apparently weak as can be. Is there any reason you can’t leave me alone as I am?”
Good question. I gingerly ask Kazuya, “Wh-what should we do with him?”
“It’s not really my place to say. That said, it’d probably be better to kill him like we would any other monster. But I don’t really want to, because not only does he look like a person, he talks like one, too.”
“Yeah, and he’s been crying for a while now. I feel sorry for him.”
The Demon King whines through his nose, “I was only acting up earlier because I was cocky. I’m the Demon King, after all. I’m supposed to be invincible. That’s why all these damned heroes set on me every time I wake up and seal me away. That’s the only way to keep me from threatening the entire world.”
“Fine, but we don’t know how to seal you.” Kazuya heaves a long, annoyed sigh. “I know you were due to appear and everything, but meeting you now is a real pain in the ass.”
“Why don’t we bring him with us to town for now?” I suggest. “Maybe the townspeople will teach us how to seal him.”
Kazuya tilts his head. “I doubt they’d know how, but we may as well.”
Great! It’s settled. But Kazuya continues to frown.
“If I may, Lady Sakurako, I have but one request,” the Demon King says, his tears finally drying up.
“What is it?”
“Just this. I’ve fallen in love with your strength. I want to make a deal with you. To demons, strength is beauty, and you are beauty personified. I am but a sad clown, but let’s live together.”
What?!
“What?! What are you talking about?! Who in their right mind would propose to someone when they’re tied up with rope?!” Kazuya splutters.
The Demon King shrugs. “What difference does my appearance make? Love trumps all.”
“What?! You love me?!” I squeak. I-I could never! He’s a Demon King. He has horns! Then again, he’s basically human in form, and his face is handsomely symmetrical! My heart leaps involuntarily. This is my first proposal!
Kazuya slings me a sharp glare that lets me just about read his mind. He’s pointing out that only a moment ago, my head was filled with thoughts of him.
Sorry. I was only kidding. I’m not excited at all. Pardon the slip.
“Hey, Sushi Roll,” Kazuya addresses the Demon King. “I won’t let you have Sakurako. She’s spoken for.”
“Oh? Have you already sealed the deal?”
“She’s been the only one for me for a ridiculously long time. I’m not going to yield to some loser who drops in out of nowhere.” Kazuya faces him down, dead serious.
My heart throbs. What? Kazuya’s thought about me for a long time? That means he’s in love with me…
How do I react? I think I love him, too. I don’t know for certain, but he does make me nervous in a very particular way.
The Demon King snorts in derision. “Right. Well, I know one thing.”
He grunts, then strains and flexes his muscles, which swell until the rope we bound him with snaps. Immediately, he takes off into the sky. Black wings like those of a bat beat on his back. “Lady Sakurako is the only human with the power to defeat me. My eyes are omniscient and see through everything. In the brief period you had me captured, I was able to observe the activities of other humans in this world! I was worried for a moment that they’d evolved, leaving me the inferior species, but given that doesn’t apply, I won’t be sealed without a fight!” The Demon King turns to me and bows his head. “Oh, but you are wonderful, Lady Sakurako. I do hope we meet again sometime.”
With a flap of his wings, he leaves so casually that we don’t stop him. Or rather, I’m so thrown by how everything’s unfolded that I don’t react in time to stop him.
“He got away. What was his deal?” Kazuya mutters in sullen resignation. “What do you want to do? Go after him?”
I glance at him.
“What?” he asks, cocking his head.
“Hey, Kazuya. I think there might be something wrong with me.”
“How so?”
“We have a lot of things to think about, including the Demon King and Luke, but all I can think about is you. And like, I’m nervous?”
Kazuya’s eyes widen slightly, and he breaks into a smile. “Well. Isn’t that a good thing?”
“Is it?”
“Yeah, it is. To me, it is. You say there’s something wrong with you? There’s been something wrong with me for a very, very long time.” Kazuya moves closer to me.
Oh, he’s going to kiss me again…I think…
A shadow darkens the sky above us. “Indeed, it is dangerous for a boy and fair maiden to travel alone together. I believe I shall accompany you.”
The Demon King has returned and is towering over us, his hands on his hips.
“Y-you damn…! Nice timing!” Kazuya glowers at the Demon King.
The Demon King doesn’t pay him any mind. “Lady Sakurako, you are to be my wife one day. I can’t allow you to galivant around unchaperoned.”
What?! I’ll be his wife one day?! Are you kidding me?! I can’t stop my heart from pounding all on its own. C’mon, I’m not used to being flirted with like this!
“What do you think you’re saying?! Fat chance. I’m gonna seal you away for sure!”
“Young man, don’t get yourself in a tizzy. From now on, the three of us shall journey together. It’s been a long time since I’ve been on a sojourn with anybody else, so let’s try to get along, you amoeba.”
“How am I supposed to get along with someone who calls me an amoeba?!”
They descend into a ridiculous argument, and I giggle. Looks like we’re about to start a three-person trip, then. Maybe we’ll gather even more people to travel with us. I know the atmosphere will be animated like it was with the Evenfall Lions, and I get to walk alongside Kazuya like I always have. But I have a feeling things won’t be quite the same as before, because I’m 100 percent sure Kazuya loves me.
“Hey, Kazuya. I think it’d be good to have him along.”
Kazuya looks genuinely appalled. “Why?!”
“Because…” I turn my back to him, unable to say this to his face. “If it’s just the two of us, I don’t think my heart can take it,” I mumble. I’m only just starting to realize how I feel, yet my heart’s already pounding out of my chest. If we’re going to be together forever…how will I manage?
“What? What did you just say?” Kazuya asks. I guess he didn’t catch what I said.
But I honestly can’t say it again, so I only smile.
“I feel like I missed something important,” Kazuya groans.
“Ho ho. Treating me as a third wheel to spice up your love life? What a player you are, Lady Sakurako,” the Demon King says, impressed.
I laugh out loud. We’re on track to start a fun and thrilling journey!