“Should I go call someone?” Cain asked.
“Don’t be a quitter!” Evelyn’s arms said. “But...that might help, actually!”
Cain nodded at the struggling arms and took off running toward the mansion. Kira watched him go, and as he shifted to grip both of the arms, he sighed.
“Why is this happening?” he muttered, deflated.
“It’s your fault!” the arms accused mercilessly.
Kira’s eyes widened.
“You ran away! I was so worried!” the arms yelled. “Then I fell into this pit, and it’s all your fault!”
“S-Sorry,” he blurted out.
Then, the muddy arms...gently, carefully grasped Kira’s hands. “It’s okay. I forgive you. You’ve done so much for me, Kira.”
Kira was about to say something but instead ended up laughing in self-deprecation. “I’m a demon, you know.”
“Yes, I knew,” the arms said. “My healing magic lets me visualize the target’s memories of being injured.”
“So...you know what you should do, then, don’t you?”
After all, Kira was a demon. He should be killed as such. That would only be natural. And yet...
“I don’t mind that you’re a demon, Kira,” the arms assured him, gripping his hands tighter. “You’re you. Right? You’re my friend. I care about you. Everything else pales in comparison.”
“But...”
“I’m not the only one who thinks so. Lord Theodore and Cain agree. I’m sure Lord Jackson and the others would say the same.”
That...
That couldn’t be, he thought.
As if sensing his disbelief, the arms laughed and declared, “Cain’s been attacked by demons before, but he said you’re not scary! You’re just Kira! So...do you believe me now?”
Something threatened to well up in his eyes, but Kira gritted his teeth. In a small, trembling voice, he murmured, “Fine. I believe you.”
The arms, in an incredibly gentle tone, said, “Good! And...you know, I want to apologize to you.”
“For what?”
“I mean, I’ve been dispelling miasma everywhere most of my life. That might’ve affected your parents, siblings, lovers, friends, neighbors...”
“Uh... No, actually, I didn’t have anyone,” Kira said, shaking his head.
He’d never had a family, nor did he have any particular attachment to demons as a species.
“I see,” the arms said, relieved.
Really, those arms. They had to stop fretting over pointless things. How annoying! And...just a tiny bit endearing, Kira thought.
“Speaking of which, that Europa lady...”
“Lady Europa said, ‘I shall die for the vile sin of calling Saint Evelyn’s friend a dangerous thing,’ and hanged herself.”
“What?!”
“It’s okay. Lord Theodore helped her and she immediately started breathing again... Urk.”
The arms began to cough ominously. Perhaps this was their limit.
“A-Are you okay?” Kira asked. “Can you breathe?”
The arms coughed again. “Well, I might be in imminent mortal danger.”
Cain was still nowhere to be seen. Rescue would take a while, and Kira was beginning to panic.
“W-Wait. I’ve got this. I’ll manage,” he said as he began to pull. “Ugh! You’re so heavy!”
“Kira, don’t overdo it! But also, please overdo it! I’m dying, probably!”
“So heavy. So, so heavy! The heaviest!” he grunted.
“Waaah! Why do you keep saying that?! Lord Theodore said I’m light as a feather!”
“He was just flattering you!”
Maybe, Kira thought. Maybe there was a reason he, a demon, had been born with a humanlike heart. Maybe it was so our hearts could connect...
“Kira! Help me, Kiraaa! I’m dyiiing! Like, reallyyy! This bog will be the end of meee!”
Actually, never mind, he concluded, breathing heavily.
“What’s going on here?” asked a dignified voice.
Kira slowly turned around to find a brawny man standing there, a group of knights behind him.