The sound of a pen gliding across paper that had echoed in the office stopped.
With a document in hand, I let out a sigh.
I, Sieghart, was regretting my slip of the tongue earlier today.
During my patrol in the afternoon, I happened to see the manager of the Bikneze Trading Company talking with a woman named Iriya . After parting with my subordinates after a round of the town, I saw them again, this time chatting with the guild master of the Commercial Guild.
If you think about it normally, it wouldn’t be strange for a craftsman and the guild master to be talking, and I also knew that the Bikneze Trading Company was eager to recruit craftsmen.
I hadn’t intended to say such things.
“… No, that was just me lashing out… It’s because I couldn’t gather any proof of their wrongdoing.”
“… For such a trivial reason, you hurt my contractor? Your attitude is no longer something I can tolerate.”
I turned around sharply upon hearing the voice that came from the darkness where no one should have been.
In the corner of the room, hidden in the shadows, red hair gleamed in the light.
“… Wh-where!? I was sure it was Belial and…”
“You are not worthy of uttering that name!!”
In response to the fury, something struck my skin. As I stood up, the chair rattled and fell to the floor with a loud crash.
‘I’ll get angry if my contractor suffers,’ I remembered Silphy’s words of concern.
I was fully aware of the unpleasant attitude I had taken, even though I wasn’t sure why I had acted that way.
“… I know I was wrong. I’ll apologize properly later…”
“That is unnecessary. I told you it is unforgivable.”
An icy attitude and an overwhelming pressure radiated from Belial.
I couldn’t move. If I even glanced away for a moment, I felt like I’d lose my life in an instant.
It was pathetic, but my legs were shaking. The fear of the overwhelming power I felt was like nothing I had ever experienced.
Suddenly, Belial’s hand was raised toward my right hand.
I felt heat and pain near my elbow, followed by the sound of something cracking sharply.
“Ugh…!?”
My right arm… is it broken!?
I sensed the contraction of magical energy, but could something like this happen with just that!? I pressed my aching arm with my left hand. I had assumed Belial was a demon of high rank, but I hadn’t fully understood what kind of being that was…
I had heard rumors that high-ranking demons were incredibly strong and terrifying, but most humans never get the chance to witness them fighting.
“Where should I strike next? I’ll let you choose.”
Belial’s merciless red eyes narrowed, and with a twisted grin, he deliberately stepped closer, slowly.
“… Tch.”
I understood very well that I couldn’t escape. How foolish I was for even trying to probe such a being.
“Then… your foot, perhaps?”
His right hand reached for my foot. Reflexively, I closed my eyes in that moment.
The window suddenly slammed open from the outside, and the curtains fluttered wildly.
“Lord Belial! Please stop!!”
Iriya flew in from the open window, carrying Silphy on her shoulder.
Did Silphy go to get her? She had been so scared to go outside alone…
“… Why do you stop me? This person has mocked you.”
Belial’s voice was clearly displeased, and he cast a cold glance at Iriya , who had stood beside him.
It was pitiful for a captain of the guards to be saved by a woman he had wounded.
“But… there’s no need to hurt him.”
“You mean it’s unnecessary? Are you saying you cannot protect him?”
“No, that’s not what I meant, and I’m fine…”
“You!!”
Suddenly, Belial raised his voice sharply at Iriya , who was desperately trying to stop him. He raised his fist and slammed it into the wall. A loud bang echoed, tearing through the quiet night.
“Fine!? You don’t understand! You’ve never said anything to me! It’s always like this!! Back then… why did you leave me in hell like that!? I didn’t know I was hurt so badly! And yet, I couldn’t protect my contractor… Do you understand what kind of humiliation that is!?”
“… I didn’t mean it like that…”
She hadn’t realized how much it had affected him. She hesitated, her words faltering.
“… I cannot forgive anyone who hurts you. Why don’t you understand this!”
As he spoke of humiliation, I could see a mix of pain, regret, and frustration in Belial’s red eyes.
The pain of not being able to protect someone… I understand that feeling well. There are times when no matter how hard you try, you feel powerless, and it’s overwhelming. Even a being as strong as him could suffer from such feelings…
I had wondered why they came to this town and what they intended to do, but I hadn’t really thought about what had brought them here.
I had heard from the gatekeeper, Malain, that they were being pursued by a bad man, but I hadn’t taken it seriously.
Considering Belial’s emotions, it seemed that she had been deeply hurt by someone in the past, and he hadn’t known about it, causing him inner turmoil and guilt.
“Why… does it take years to say just one word of pain…!”
“Sorry… it wasn’t part of the contract…”
“… What’s that supposed to mean… You really have no idea when to stop.”
With a sigh, Belial exhaled heavily.
“… Forget what you heard just now. Honestly, what have I done…”
“Heh, I won’t forget. I’m happy that you got angry for me.”
“Forget it! You’re still such a cheeky little girl!”
Even after being exposed to the fury of such a demon, she could still laugh… I admired her resilience.
Belial grumbled, turning his back on her.
“Here, please use this.”
As she was about to leave, she handed me a bottle of potion.
An advanced potion. Such a valuable item?
“Stop being so soft-hearted! You should let them experience a little pain!”
“I think I’ve already seen enough. Besides, I can make as many of these as I need!”
“As many as you need? In a street stall, you’d only sell mid-tier potions to a select few, wouldn’t you?”
“No, I’ve got supplies of potions.”
I declined, but she placed the potion bottle on my desk and flew off through the window with her magic.
After they had vanished into the night, Silphy, who had been huddled up on the corner of the sofa, finally came over to me.
“Zieghardt, are you okay? Does it hurt?”
She looked like she was about to cry. I reassured her that I was fine and decided to drink the potion she had given me.
Since my dominant arm was broken, I opened the bottle with my left hand and drank it all at once.
The effect was immediate. My broken arm returned to normal instantly, and even the small cuts from earlier healed completely.
I had never seen such a potent potion before. She must have undergone quite a lot of training to make something like this.
“It’s healed, amazing! That girl’s medicine is incredible!”
I gently stroked Silphy’s head with my finger.
“Thanks, Silphy. It’s all because of you. You must have been scared going outside alone at night.”
“No! I just wanted to help Zieghardt!”
Even a small fairy like this went out of her way to help me…
This girl is the one I saved after she was bought and sold for ornamental purposes.
At first, she was terribly afraid of humans, and whenever a summoner got near, she would scream and cry. But since I saved her, she warmed up to me and stayed close, and now she says she’d rather be here than go back to her original world.
I need to make sure I don’t worry her and can protect her properly…
It was a difficult situation, but I felt a little clearer in my mind now.
Starting tomorrow, I’ll focus on my work and properly apologize to her.
