....Shudder !?

Liliyn asked Hiiro ‘did something happen’ because he suddenly dropped the book he was reading.

“No, nothing”

“Really?”

Hiiro who felt a shiver suspected that someone was staring at him. Furthermore, it would’ve been better if it was without the crooked feeling he was getting.

(....Let’s keep it as an imagination.)(Hiiro)

Wiping off the bad feeling, he once again laid his eyes on the book.

Hiiro and others were staying in a single room within the Demon Lord’s Palace. He was living in a big room which he had borrowed for a while. When he was asked to stay here for a while to rest, he cheerfully took that request.

The biggest reason why he agreed was because he could be informed about the latest situation of the war, but also because he could eat all the food he wanted.

While reading the book, he looked towards Nikki who was sitting in a prostrating position on the floor. Her body was covered with blue light. And floating in front of her was a sphere about the size of a tennis ball.The light covering her was connected to the floating sphere.

“You’re distracted, Baka-Deshi”(Hiiro)

“Y,Yeah desuzo”(Nikki)

From her forehead slight sweat seeped out. She was biting her teeth with her eyes closed and somehow looked in pain.

“Ho~, Nikki is now able to control magic, too.”(Liliyn)

To Liliyn words, Nikki broadly smiled and looked towards her. But,

Creak!

Suddenly the sphere snapped, and she instinctively turned her face away.

“....It’s still a long way to go”(Liliyn)

Liliyn shrugged her shoulders in amazement.

“Au~....”(Nikki)

“This happened because you lost concentration. Do it from the start.”(Hiiro)

“Y,Yeah desuzo....”(Nikki)

She dejectedly nodded at Hiiro’s words

“Mumumu”(Nikki)

Hiiro stared at Nikki who once again started concentrating with her eyes closed.

(Come to think of it, it’s been a long time since I’ve picked her up)(Hiiro)

He recalled his first meeting with Nikki who was desperately trying to control her magical power. At first, her expression was like that of a corpse, not showing any emotions. One couldn’t tell whether she was even living or not.

Even though Nikki was a human, she was raised by a monster in the demon continent. One day that monster was killed by another monster.

For Nikki, it was the same as losing her parents. After living on her own for a while, she was met with an unexpected event.

That time, it was Hiiro who saved her. Due to some strange fact he was liked by Nikki, and she wanted to become his student.

Naturally, Hiiro would’ve rejected her, but he could not reject her.

(Sympathy....was it? It was not my character)(Hiiro)

Yes, at that time what he felt towards Nikki was without a doubt sympathy. He thought it would be interesting to make her into his disciple while seeing Nikki cling on to his waist.

Once Hiiro decided on something, he would never regret it later. He doesn’t like to blame others using excuses for the choices he made himself.

He had decided to take responsibility for the choices he has made by himself. And as long as he had thought to let Nikki grow, he would look after her till she became independent.

And as a human stands out in the demon continent, he changed her form to a Imp race using his“Word Magic”. When Nikki abruptly asked for a proof of her connection with Shishou, Hiiro used his “Word Magic” to write “Literature” on a cloth similar to a martial cloth uniform.

Thereupon, Mikazuki also asked for a proof, so he did the same thing he did for Nikki.

(Still why do little children gather around me? And all girls on top of it?)(Hiiro)

He turned his gaze towards Nikki and the moment he turned his gaze towards Liliyn, he was attacked by a tremendous stare as if he was being made fun of by her.

(....She has good intuition)(Hiiro)

Keeping his usual poker face, Hiiro exhaled a sigh and once again concentrated on his book.

The door opened and a noisy guy entered.

“Maaaaaaster! Mikazuki has returned!”(Mikazuki)

Hiiro swiftly dodged Mikazuki.

“What!?”(Mikazuki)

And just like that Mikazuki kissed the floor .

“Fuaa! I, IT hurts~! Master is a meanie! Hug Me!”(Mikazuki)

“Shut Up. It’s damn hot, so don’t cling onto me.”(Hiiro)

“That′s right Mikazuki! Only I can be hugged by Master!”(Nikki)

“It’s wrong! Only Mikazuki can be hugged by master! Nikki can do her practice!”(Mikazuki)

“Wha, What did you sa~y?”(Nikki)

Hiiro sighed while looking at the unproductive quarrel between the two.

“Nufofofofo! I have returned, My Lady!”(Silva)

“Aa”(Liliyn)

“Oho! I am impressed even by the cold words from my Lady! Nufofofofo!”(Silva)

“Hiiro, he is being irritating, shut him up using your ‘Word Magic’.”(Liliyn)

“That is harsh! That is indeed harsh! Nufofofofo!”(Silva)

Liliyn directed her line of sight towards Shamoe standing beside the Hentai butler. [ET: hentai gives more impact than pervert]

“Thank you for gathering information. So what is the situation right now?”(Liliyn)

“Tha, That is....”(Shamoe)

Shamoe stared at the door with a face saying ‘it’s hard to say’

“Nh? Is someone over there?”(Liliyn)

Someone suddenly entered through the door. Hiiro twitched his eyebrows while Liliyn was making a grim expression.

“Ho, we have a rare guest here. No, actually, we are the guests here.”(Hiiro)

Saying so he closed the book.

“I wanted to talk with you for a bit”(Aquinas)

While saying so, Hiiro looked at Aquinas with a investigating stare. Liliyn herself was displaying an displeased mood. Silva who had been laughing was also being cautious.

“With me? Just the two of us?”(Hiiro)

“Yeah”(Aquinas)

A loud sound of someone stomping the floor was heard. Hiiro realised it was the work of Liliyn.

“Don’t joke around....I told you....not to put your head in our business.”(Liliyn)

Hiiro widened his eyes seeing Lilyn emitting hostility towards Aquinas.

(I thought they were acquaintances but it feels like it’s more than that)(Hiiro)

He suddenly remembered. It was their names. When he peeked at Aquinas’s 《Status》, he felt some uneasy feeling. He finally remembered it

Liliyn Li Reysis Red Rose and Aquinas Li Reysis Phoenix. The ‘Li Reysis’ was the same in both their names.

(And If I look at them closely....these two....look alike)(Hiiro)

Their red hair resembled each other, particularly their eyes looked similar. And they both had a similar atmosphere too. Hiiro tried to guess their relationship, while both stared at each other and spoke.

“Don’t worry. It’s not like I want to stick my head in your business. I came only to talk with him.”(Aquinas)

“....Really ?” (Liliyn)

Aquinas exhaled while staring at her.

“Well, I do have a request too”(Aquinas)

“See! It might be some troublesome request, right? Solve it yourself!”(Liliyn)

“I can do that, but if I do, then maybe I cannot fulfill the promise made to him”(Aquinas)

Hiiro who remained silent, reacted towards those words.

“What does that mean?”(Hiiro)

“The continuation from the story will be just between us? So what is it? Will you take it or not?”(Aquinas)

“kuu! You are a coward Aquinas! If you say it like that then Hiiro will....!”(Liliyn)

“Aa, I’ll take that offer.”(Hiiro)

Hiiro easily accepted the offer.

“Ah Mou! See,it ended up like that!”(Liliyn)

“My Lady, please calm down”(Silva)

“Eei! How can I keep calm with this happening!?”(Liliyn)

Silva’s words didn’t work on her and she pouted. But surprisingly the one she turned her attention to was Hiiro.

“Aka-Loli, I don’t know what happened between you and him, but I should choose my decision here not you.”(Hiiro)

“B, But Hiiro, this man is....”

Hiiro raised his hand and made a gesture as to not speak anymore.

“As a matter of fact, I have already guessed what his so called request is”(Hiiro)

“R, Really?”(Liliyn)

Liliyn made a blank expression in an instant. Aquinas made an understanding face saying ‘As expected’.

“Aa, So you guys wait here. Let’s go Aka kami”

“Yeah”(Aquinas)

Just before he was about to leave,

“H, Hey Hiiro”(Liliyn)

Hiiro stopped his feet and asked “What?”.

“It should be fine knowing it’s you......but do tell us if something happens”(Liliyn)

It implicitly meant that in case Mikazuki or Nikki was unable to move, the word that was set up on them should be activated.

Hiiro took a quick glance at his friends. When he looked at them he saw Nikki and Mikazuki staring at him with worrying faces.

tap....tap....Hiiro poked their heads with his index fingers.

“Wait patiently.”

Upon hearing Hiiro’s words both felt reassured. And then, Hiiro was taken out of the room by Aquinas.