≈ Chapter 8 ≈
“That is…”
Caesar finally spoke with a serious expression.
At the same time, Zigfried shook his head.
“Let’s not think so negatively.”
“Zigfried.”
“Besides, her health isn’t something we can solve right away.”
Zigfried continued calmly.
“Instead of deciding now that she doesn’t have much time left, we should first think about what we can do for her.”
“That’s… true.”
“You’re right.”
Caesar and Kyrios nodded together.
Then Zigfried added,
“I think the first thing we should do is change her living environment.”
“I agree. I can’t believe such a little child was living in a room that looked like a garbage dump.”
Kyrios muttered unhappily.
“No wonder she got sick after living in a place like that.”
“Come to think of it…”
Caesar suddenly remembered something.
“The doorknob we saw on the floor earlier.”
“It looked like the door could be locked from the outside, didn’t it?”
When they had visited Tatiana’s room earlier, they had found a broken doorknob lying on the floor.
It looked like it had fallen off when the door was destroyed during the battle.
“So those demons locked that tiny kid inside that miserable room and forced her to work?!”
Kyrios exploded in anger.
“If that door hadn’t been broken, she could have been trapped inside and starved to death!”
“Quiet down, Kyrios. You’ll wake the child.”
After being scolded by Zigfried, Kyrios quickly closed his mouth.
But only for a moment.
“Mm…”
Tatiana frowned in her sleep and let out a weak groan.
Kyrios immediately panicked and turned to Caesar.
“What’s wrong with her? Why is she suffering so much?”
“Her fever is getting worse.”
Caesar looked at Kyrios.
“Kyrios, please bring some cold water. We also need a clean towel… and some fever medicine if you can find any.”
“You really know how to order people around.”
“I’m taking care of the child, so I don’t have much choice.”
“…”
Kyrios glared at Caesar.
Caesar simply shrugged as if it was nothing.
“Hah… Seriously. One day you’ll fall into the water, and only your mouth will stay above the surface.”
Even while complaining…
Kyrios still stood up without arguing anymore.
“I’ll come with you.”
Zigfried followed him.
Before closing the bedroom door, Zigfried looked back one last time.
Tatiana’s pale face stayed in his mind.
“…”
Suppressing the uneasy feeling in his heart…
He quietly closed the door.
The child disappeared behind it.
✦ ✦ ✦
The two of them headed to the laundry room first.
While gathering clean towels, Zigfried suddenly fell into thought.
Come to think of it… Tatiana came here before.
He could still clearly remember her.
She had been running around the laundry room like a little squirrel.
With her tiny hands, she carefully picked things up one by one.
She had even stood on her tiptoes, struggling to reach the cabinet.
Then…
She had turned toward him with eyes as wide as a frightened rabbit’s.
“…”
For some reason, remembering it made his heart feel heavy.
Just then—
“Hey.”
A quiet voice called him.
It was Kyrios.
“What is it?”
“You know…”
Kyrios hesitated for a long time before speaking again.
Then he muttered almost like a sigh.
“…I kept being mean to the kid.”
“…”
Zigfried quietly looked at him, waiting for him to continue.
“Honestly… I still think she’s suspicious.”
As if pushing back against the silence, Kyrios’s voice gradually became louder.
“A human-demon half-breed? I’ve never heard of something like that.”
“Kyrios.”
“And how are we supposed to trust someone we met inside the Demon King’s Castle? What if she’s hiding something…?!”
After speaking more than usual…
Kyrios slowly lowered his shoulders.
“But…”
“…”
“But still…”
He finally asked in a quiet voice.
“Was I… too cruel to that kid?”
“Yes.”
Without even a second of hesitation, Zigfried nodded.
Kyrios immediately shouted,
“Hey, you…!”
“What kind of answer were you expecting?”
Zigfried tilted his head.
“The only reason you’re asking is because it’s bothering you too.”
“…”
Kyrios had no reply.
He simply pressed his lips together.
“If you were going to worry about her this much, I don’t understand why you kept taking your anger out on her.”
“That’s…”
Kyrios stiffened.
Seeing that, Zigfried continued calmly.
“I understand being suspicious. I don’t completely trust her either.”
“But…”
“Zigfried, I…”
“She’s only four years old.”
Those simple words hit Kyrios like a blow.
Zigfried continued.
“And she’s the child who took such good care of us.”
That was true.
A human-demon half-breed.
The fact that they had first met inside the Demon King’s Castle.
All of those suspicious facts were real.
But before all of that…
Tatiana was simply Tatiana.
A child who couldn’t hurt anyone.
More accurately…
A child who didn’t even have the ability to hurt anyone.
Just a four-year-old girl…
With the sweetest smile.
“Even if she really is planning something, we can stop her.”
Zigfried smiled gently.
“We’re strong enough for that, aren’t we? So why don’t you stop worrying so much?”
“…”
Kyrios quietly bit his lip.
Zigfried lightly patted his shoulder.
Then his expression became serious.
“That’s enough thinking.”
“Hurry up.”
“If we take too long, Caesar’s lecture will be unbearable.”
✦ ✦ ✦
Something cool gently touched my forehead.
That feels nice.
A small smile appeared on my face.
Someone was carefully wiping my forehead with a cold, wet towel.
The cool, gentle feeling was so comforting.
Then suddenly—
Wait…
Who’s taking care of me?
There’s no one who would take care of me!
It felt as though cold water had been poured over my head.
I immediately opened my eyes.
The first thing I saw was a beautiful canopy ceiling decorated with golden embroidery.
Startled, I quickly sat up.
“W-What?! Where am I…?!”
“Ah, you’re awake.”
The gentle silver-haired man with gray eyes sitting beside me smiled warmly.
“C-Caesar…?”
“Yes, it’s me.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Umm…”
I blinked blankly.
“I… think I’m okay.”
And it was true.
My body felt light.
The imbalance caused by absorbing too much demonic energy had settled down.
The sharp pain in my heart…
The heavy feeling in my arms and legs…
Everything had disappeared.
Just then—
A handsome young man with red hair suddenly leaned into my view.
It was Kyrios.
“Hey, kid! Are you alright?”
“Wah!”
I flinched in surprise.
Ignoring my reaction, Kyrios started talking rapidly.
“Seriously, why were you still living in that broken-down room?”
“Huh?”
“The demons are all gone now. You could’ve taken any better room you wanted. Instead, you stayed in that place until you got sick…!”
At the same time, Zigfried spoke sternly.
“Kyrios, you’ll scare her.”
“She just woke up. Why are you talking so harshly?”
“What? How am I scaring her?”
Ignoring Kyrios’s complaint, Zigfried looked at me.
“But Kyrios does have a point.”
“Why did you stay in that old room?”
I blinked before giving an awkward smile.
“Umm… I… didn’t think about it…”
“What do you mean you didn’t think about it?!”
Kyrios immediately sounded annoyed again.
I quickly lowered my head so they couldn’t see my expression.
“I-I guess… I’m just stupid…”
The truth was…
It wasn’t that I had never thought about changing rooms.
I simply…
Didn’t have the courage.
Maybe it was because I had spent my whole life living in the darkest corner of the world.
It felt like I didn’t deserve a bright and comfortable room.
The nightmare I had earlier still lingered in my mind.
What if the demons who abused me come back?
What if they find out I’m using one of their bedrooms?
I tightly clenched my fists.
If they returned…
A simple scolding wouldn’t be the end of it.
I might be starved…
Or beaten again…
“Why are you calling yourself stupid?”
Hearing that voice, I quickly looked up.
Kyrios stood there with his arms crossed, looking down at me.
“That’s right.”
“Why would you say something like that about yourself?”
Caesar agreed.
“I agree with Kyrios this time.”
Zigfried nodded.
After a brief cough…
Zigfried spoke again.
“Anyway…”
He bent down until he was looking directly into my eyes.
“Don’t misunderstand what I’m about to say.”
“You’re a child who is much closer to being human than demon. Right?”
I nodded.
Zigfried continued.
“So…”
“We don’t think you can survive here alone.”
“Y-Yes…”
“A child like you deserves to grow up in a much better place.”
Wait…
Don’t tell me…
My eyes became wide.
Then Zigfried calmly asked,
“What do you think… would you like to come with us?”
