≈ Chapter 4 ≈
“Seriously… at least make some noise when you walk!”
“It surprised you that much? Anyone would think you saw a ghost.”
Zigfried answered casually and walked toward me.
Wait…
He’s already able to walk around?
I knew he was the strongest among humans, but what kind of monster recovery speed is that?
Meanwhile, Zigfried reached up, took down the towels, and glanced at the basket beside me.
“Should I put them in here?”
“Yes! Thank you very much!”
I quickly gave him a polite bow.
At the same time, Zigfried narrowed his eyes.
“By the way, what’s this basket for?”
“I found it! I’m using it to carry things.”
See?
I’m actually a very reliable person.
I proudly looked him in the eye.
Zigfried looked back and forth between me and the basket with a strange expression.
“You’re… going to carry this?”
“Yep! I’ll just drag it across the floor!”
I proudly clenched both my fists.
After staring at me with an expression I couldn’t understand, Zigfried let out a sigh and picked up the basket.
“Huh? I was going to carry it!”
“It’s fine. At your speed, it would probably take ten years to move this basket.”
After saying that, Zigfried walked ahead of me.
“Hmph.”
If you’re going to help me, can’t you be a little nicer about it?
I puffed out my cheeks and hurried after him.
“Weren’t you hurt? Is it okay to do this?”
“I’m not so badly injured that I’d make a child like you do all the work.”
Hmph.
You’re acting tough.
If I hadn’t removed the demonic energy, you’d already be dead.
I secretly pouted where Zigfried couldn’t see…
Or at least, that’s what I thought.
“Why are you making that face?”
Oops.
He caught me.
I quickly changed my expression and smiled sweetly.
“It’s nothing!”
“Then why are you avoiding my eyes?”
“W-When did I ever avoid your eyes?”
Just then—
“Where have you been?”
Someone called out to Zigfried in a lazy voice.
It was a handsome young man with long, fiery red hair tied behind his back.
The relaxed way he stood made him look carefree.
Oddly enough, it suited him perfectly.
So that must be…
“Kyrios.”
That’s right!
The great mage finally woke up!
My eyes became as wide as a surprised rabbit’s.
At the same time, Kyrios narrowed his dark green eyes.
“What’s with the basket? And who’s that little kid following you around like a goldfish’s poop?”
What?
Goldfish’s poop?
This guy…
That’s how you talk to the person who saved your life?
…Of course, I didn’t actually have the courage to say that.
Stay calm.
For the sake of my peaceful future, I have to endure it.
I forced the corners of my shaking lips into a smile.
“Hello! I’m Titi!”
I smiled as brightly as I could.
But Kyrios’s cold expression didn’t change at all.
“I brought medicine and bandages!”
“…”
“You’re hurt, so I’ll treat your wounds!”
“…”
Um…
Am I talking to a wall right now?
Could you at least answer me?
Cold sweat slowly ran down my back.
Unable to watch any longer, Zigfried stepped in.
“I understand why you’re so tense, but this child really did save us.”
“…”
Kyrios looked down at me with an uninterested expression before turning away.
“I know that already. Just because she treated us doesn’t mean you should trust her so easily.”
“Kyrios.”
“How can you trust a child you met inside the Demon King’s Castle? What if she has some other motive?”
After saying that sharply, Kyrios walked away without looking back.
I froze.
‘D-Did he find out?’
This is bad.
If this keeps up, my guardian plan is going to fall apart!
Just then—
Zigfried spoke in a comforting voice.
“Don’t pay attention to what he said. He’s always been like that.”
…For some reason, Zigfried looked a little apologetic.
Or was I imagining it?
Either way…
Keeping a good relationship with my future guardian was my top priority.
So I smiled as brightly as possible.
“It’s okay! Lots of people don’t like me anyway!”
Honestly…
This kind of treatment was nothing.
If you wanted to survive among demons as a human-demon half-breed…
You had to learn how to ignore much worse than this.
…But why was Zigfried making that face?
His golden eyes were shaking as if there had been an earthquake.
Then I felt someone staring at me.
When I turned around…
Kyrios was secretly looking this way too.
‘Ah! We made eye contact!’
I froze for a moment.
No.
Don’t get scared.
The thing I’m best at…
Is surviving around people who hate me.
After calming myself down, I gave Kyrios another bright smile.
“…”
Kyrios suddenly stiffened.
Then he quickly turned his head away.
What was that?
Why did he keep avoiding my eyes?
At the same time, Zigfried spoke with a tired voice.
“If you’re sorry, why don’t you just say so?”
“W-Who said I was sorry?!”
Kyrios shouted before stomping away.
Zigfried let out a long sigh.
“I’ll apologize instead. I don’t think that fool will ever grow up.”
“Hey! Who told you to talk behind my back?”
It seemed Kyrios had already heard us.
He immediately shouted from the distance.
Wow.
His hearing is really good.
But after dealing with countless demons…
Something like this didn’t bother me anymore.
“It’s okay. It’s fine if you don’t like me. I understand.”
“…”
“…”
Both Zigfried and Kyrios looked down at me with strangely complicated expressions.
Huh?
Did I say something wrong?
Why were they reacting like that?
✦ ✦ ✦
When we returned to the Central Hall…
Caesar was still sleeping peacefully.
‘Come to think of it… Caesar suffered the most in this battle.’
Holy power and demonic energy were complete opposites.
Because of that…
His body had suffered the greatest burden.
Maybe that was why.
Even though Zigfried and Kyrios were already awake…
Caesar still hadn’t regained consciousness.
I quietly walked over to him.
I could feel Zigfried and Kyrios watching me closely the whole time.
‘Hey! I’m not going to eat Caesar!’
Even while complaining inside…
I couldn’t help feeling a little bitter.
Well…
I understood why they were suspicious of me.
Humans and demons had hated each other for a very long time.
They had only just finished risking their lives fighting one another.
How could they possibly trust someone who was half human and half demon?
“Please give me the basket.”
I gently tugged on Zigfried’s sleeve.
“You don’t have to pull on me. I was already going to put it down.”
After scolding me lightly, Zigfried placed the basket on the floor.
Then he quietly asked,
“I can take care of treating Caesar.”
“No. I can do it too.”
I quickly shook my head and took out the medicine and bandages.
I’m trying so hard to earn points with all of you.
So please…
Think a little better of me.
I looked down at Caesar’s injured arm.
‘His wound still hasn’t fully healed…’
Even though I had removed the demonic energy…
A wound that had already been infected by demonic energy couldn’t be healed with holy power alone.
Medicine could help it recover.
But in the end…
It mostly had to heal naturally.
‘First I’ll clean the wound… then change the bandage.’
I firmly picked up the bottle of disinfectant.
But then—
“Ah!”
Way too much disinfectant poured onto the wound!
Watching nearby, Kyrios muttered awkwardly,
“That… looks like it really hurts…”
I know that!
Because of the stinging pain…
Even the sleeping Caesar frowned deeply.
Looking like I was about to cry…
I quickly wiped away the extra disinfectant.
But the problems didn’t stop there.
The bandage was supposed to be wrapped tightly…
Yet it kept coming loose.
Unable to watch anymore, Kyrios stepped forward.
“Hey, kid. I’ll wrap the bandage. Move aside—”
Just then—
“Huh?”
My eyes grew wide.
Caesar’s silver eyelashes trembled.
Slowly…
His eyes opened.
The blurry gray eyes gradually came into focus.
“…Where am I?”
His voice was hoarse from sleeping so long.
The two Warriors immediately rushed over to him.
“Hey, Caesar! Are you awake?!”
“How’s your body? Are you alright?!”
Meanwhile…
I nervously watched Caesar’s reaction.
‘Waaah… What do I do? The High Priest woke up…’
I knew he would wake up eventually.
But…
I still wasn’t mentally prepared!
There was a reason I was so nervous.
Because the original novel clearly said it.
‘Caesar, the High Priest who was deeply loved by the God of Light, hated demons more than any of the other three Warriors.’
That’s what it said.
So…
If Caesar disliked me too…
Just then…
His gentle gray eyes turned toward me.
‘Ah! We made eye contact!’
I instinctively became tense.
At the same time…
Caesar tilted his head slightly.
Then, in a sleepy voice, he quietly muttered—
“…An angel?”
“…Huh?”
