≈ Chapter 9 ≈
Wow…
Wooooow…
I had been trying so hard to make the Heroes become my guardians.
But now that I was finally hearing the words I had dreamed of…
It didn’t even feel real.
I swallowed nervously before asking,
“B-But… I’m a human-demon half-breed.”
Zigfried calmly asked back,
“Why do you think we came all the way here?”
“Umm…”
I hesitated.
“We fought to free humanity.”
“We fought so every race could be treated fairly… and so no one would have to suffer anymore.”
His blue eyes looked straight into mine.
His gaze never wavered.
“Wouldn’t it be stranger if people like us ignored a weak little child like you?”
“Mr. Zigfried…”
“So don’t worry about something like that.”
After saying those words…
Zigfried hesitated for a moment before carefully reaching out his hand.
W-Why is he reaching toward me?
He’s not going to hit me… right?
I flinched without thinking.
Then…
His large hand gently rested on top of my head.
Not only that…
He awkwardly patted my head.
“No matter whose blood runs through your veins…”
“You’re simply a child who deserves to be protected.”
“…”
I could only stare blankly at Zigfried.
Then…
Plop.
A tear rolled down my cheek.
W-What…?
Why am I crying?!
Startled, I quickly rubbed my eyes with both hands.
“Hey, Zigfried!”
Kyrios, who had been watching everything closely, suddenly raised his voice.
“You’re so stiff that you made the kid cry!”
“I-I wasn’t trying to make her cry…”
For one of the few times in his life…
Zigfried looked completely flustered.
Caesar narrowed his eyes and sighed.
“Miss Tatiana is still very young.”
“You should be gentler so you don’t scare her.”
Then he turned to me with a warm smile.
“Isn’t that right, Miss Tatiana?”
“…”
With tears still in my eyes…
I looked at the three of them arguing.
It was my first time.
The first time someone cared so much about how I felt.
The first time people became so worried…
Just because I was crying.
The first time…
I was treated like a child who deserved protection.
I quickly shook my head.
“N-No…”
“I’m not crying because I’m scared…”
I could feel all three of them looking at me.
My nose started stinging again.
This isn’t good.
I wasn’t planning to cry.
I’m really okay…
I forced the brightest smile I could.
“I’m just… really happy that you asked me to come with you!”
Sure…
Part of me was celebrating because my plan had finally worked.
Yes!
I finally got the Heroes to become my guardians!
But even more than that…
There was another feeling inside me.
…So this is what it’s like to have adults protecting you.
It filled me with relief.
It truly felt like…
I was being protected.
My heart felt warm and ticklish…
As if someone were gently brushing it with a feather.
It was an unfamiliar feeling.
But it wasn’t unpleasant.
No…
“…I think I like it.”
Without realizing it…
I quietly fidgeted with my fingers.
“I understand.”
Caesar nodded.
“When emotions become overwhelming, that can happen.”
He took out a clean handkerchief and held it in front of my nose.
“Go ahead.”
“Blow your nose.”
“…Blow my nose?”
Wait…
Does he really mean…
That?
I secretly looked at Caesar.
He simply nodded naturally.
“Yes.”
“Go ahead.”
“…”
After hesitating for a long time…
I finally blew my nose.
Now his handkerchief was dirty.
But Caesar didn’t mind at all.
He calmly folded it away…
Then gently wiped the tears from my face.
“But don’t cry for too long.”
“Your body is still weak.”
“Don’t push yourself, alright?”
“…”
Feeling embarrassed…
I immediately denied everything.
“I-I’m not crying.”
“Of course.”
“You weren’t crying.”
“It’s just…”
“My eyes felt dry…”
“So they started watering.”
“I know.”
Caesar smiled gently while wiping away my tears and runny nose.
The way he gently patted my back…
The warm gazes of the three Heroes…
They were all so kind.
“Titi is sleepy.”
“I want to sleep.”
Feeling embarrassed…
I pulled the blanket over my head to avoid looking at them.
✦ ✦ ✦
The next day…
I left the Demon King’s Castle with the Heroes.
The journey was long.
I experienced many things for the very first time.
Camping.
Building a campfire.
Watching the Heroes hunt.
“Look, kid.”
“I picked these.”
Kyrios proudly pointed at twelve giant yellow fruits lined up on the ground.
Each one was almost as big as my head.
“Amazing!”
I happily clapped my hands.
Seeing that…
Kyrios puffed out his chest proudly.
Caesar was also an excellent cook.
Especially the roasted fruit seasoned with salt and pepper.
It was so delicious that it felt like it melted on my tongue.
Meanwhile…
Kyrios complained that roasting them properly took too long.
So he simply summoned a huge fireball.
…And burned every single fruit he had picked.
Before going to sleep each night…
Zigfried would have me sit beside him.
Then he would teach me the names of the stars in the night sky.
Every day felt like a fun picnic.
Later…
When we finally entered the Empire…
I became worried.
What if people point at me because I look like a demon?
“There’s nothing to be nervous about.”
Caesar gently patted my shoulder.
“What are you scared of?”
Kyrios grinned.
“If anyone says anything to you…”
“I’ll send them flying.”
“Kyrios.”
“As the Master of the Magic Tower, you should speak with a little more dignity.”
Zigfried narrowed his eyes.
“Still… I agree with what you said.”
After many days of traveling…
We finally arrived at the Imperial Capital.
It was my first time seeing it.
Wow…
This is incredible.
I pressed myself against the carriage window.
I couldn’t take my eyes off the city.
Countless beautiful sights passed by.
Clean streets without a single crack.
People walking around in beautiful clothes.
Colorful buildings everywhere.
It’s just like the city where a fairy tale princess would live!
Just then—
“Tatiana.”
“If you lean any farther, you’ll fall out the window.”
Someone clicked his tongue.
Then…
I was suddenly lifted by the back of my collar and placed safely back inside the carriage.
It was Zigfried.
“Be more careful.”
“Okay…”
I answered…
But I couldn’t stop looking outside.
While I was secretly peeking through the window again…
Kyrios suddenly dropped a bombshell.
“By the way…”
“Who’s going to raise the kid from now on?”
Huh?!
I instantly froze.
Zigfried shot Kyrios a sharp look.
“Did you really have to bring that up in front of her?”
“Why not?”
“It’s about where she’ll live.”
“I think she has the right to know.”
Kyrios shrugged.
For once…
Zigfried couldn’t argue with him.
Then he sighed.
“Kyrios…”
“It’s been a long time since you’ve actually said something reasonable.”
“What did you say?!”
Kyrios immediately got angry.
But Zigfried and Caesar completely ignored him.
Instead…
They continued discussing where I should live.
“At first, I thought we should find her a good family…”
“But…”
Caesar slowly shook his head.
“I don’t think leaving Miss Tatiana with strangers is a good idea.”
“She’s a human-demon half-breed.”
“She might feel uncomfortable.”
I quietly listened to their conversation.
“Since we’ve decided to take responsibility for her…”
“I’d like to see Miss Tatiana grow up healthy.”
“Exactly.”
Kyrios nodded absentmindedly.
“We should also be there in case the kid awakens as a demon…”
Then…
He suddenly realized what he had said.
He quickly looked at me.
“K-Kid.”
“I didn’t mean you’re definitely going to lose control…”
“I know.”
I obediently nodded.
After all…
Considering the hatred between humans and demons…
The fact that these three had accepted me at all…
Was already an incredible act of kindness.
Kyrios hurriedly tried to explain himself.
“I-I’m not saying that because I hate you.”
“You know that, right?”
“Yes.”
“I know.”
I smiled brightly to reassure him.
Only then did Kyrios let out a relieved sigh.
The discussion continued for quite a while.
“Then…”
“I think it would be best if I became Tatiana’s guardian.”
The moment Zigfried spoke…
Kyrios interrupted him.
“What?”
“Why should you take her?”
“My family commands the Empire’s strongest knight order.”
“If Tatiana awakens as a demon one day…”
“It would be safest for her to stay with us.”
Kyrios immediately argued back.
“The Magic Tower is full of powerful mages.”
“Even if the kid loses control someday…”
“Do you really think we couldn’t stop her?”
Zigfried frowned.
“I still disagree.”
“What if she grows up worrying about your temper every day?”
“Hey!”
“What kind of nonsense is that?!”
Kyrios protested loudly.
At that moment…
Caesar quietly joined the conversation.
“If we’re discussing it that way…”
“Wouldn’t it be most reasonable for me to become Miss Tatiana’s guardian?”
“What?”
“What are you talking about?”
Kyrios and Zigfried both turned toward Caesar at the same time.
Wow…
I quietly swallowed.
I’ve never seen those two look so serious before…
