The battle with the high-ranking demon Mastema was extremely challenging and literally life-threatening, but what followed was even more mentally exhausting.
Mastema spent some time staring at my face and poking at my immobile side as if playing.
Taking advantage of my inability to move.
From observing, it became clear that this demon had the mentality of a child. Though Mastema probably isn’t as young as she appears…
When the kingdom’s mages determined the battle was over and approached us, the situation with Mastema became volatile, and I had to endure my full-body pain while mediating.
Mastema seemed to follow my orders to some extent, but she is a demon. Patience is not her strong suit. If someone pointed a staff at her, she would retaliate immediately.
Thanks to a prior meeting with Mira, we managed to avoid a fight. Mastema’s power had already recovered significantly, so any battle would only result in more dead kingdom mages. What was the point of me risking my life?
Fortunately, the princess survived.
Next, the imperial army led by the empress arrived. The official reason was to prevent the chaos in the kingdom from spreading.
Though we knew that wasn’t their true intention, the kingdom was militarily paralyzed. The only ones left functional were the mages; most soldiers were in a coma, and the knights were decimated.
Most of the external defense forces were missing, leaving the kingdom defenseless.
The empress gave a secret potion to the princess. Despite her severe blood loss and weakened state, the princess regained consciousness and accepted the imperial army’s occupation.
The king… was already dead.
After her duties, the empress, accompanied by two ranked knights, came to see me.
“Ahavain, are you alive?”
“Yes, Empress.”
“As expected. And this child?”
The empress handed Mastema a candy. Mastema accepted it and put it in her mouth, her face breaking into a smile as she savored it. The two knights behind her were sweating profusely. Understandable, given the terrifying situation.
“It’s sweet. Delicious.”
“I’m glad you like it. Want more?”
“Yes. You are a good human. I won’t kill you.”
“Thank you,” the empress replied, hiding her fear remarkably well. Her courage was impressive. Though the two knights were quite strong, it was uncertain if they could even buy enough time for the empress to escape if Mastema turned hostile.
“A demon, indeed. By the time I arrived, it was too late.”
“I see. I’m very curious about what happened, but it seems better to hear the details later. I am busy as well.”
“Please do. I feel like I’m dying right now.”
The empress seemed to take a liking to Mastema and, after receiving permission, stroked her hair. Both angels and demons were humanoid, crafted with exquisite beauty. The empress herself was very beautiful, but Mastema was even more so.
Still unable to move, I was eventually dragged away by Mastema. Complaining was futile.
I was thrown into a bed and soon fell into a deep sleep.
I woke up three days later. Mastema was sitting nearby, reading a book.
…She can read?
The kingdom was in the midst of recovery. The residents had been in a coma, and there were areas damaged by Mastema’s rampage. The residents who regained mobility joined the reconstruction efforts, which were primarily led by the imperial army.
As I watched, I found a bucket and put a cloth in it. Using magic, I filled it with water to wash myself. My armor and undergarments were sticky with dried blood, an annoyance compounded by my lingering pain. As I struggled to undress, Mastema approached and helped me. Her hand brushed against my skin.
“You defeated me with such a fragile body.”
“Thanks. But it’s you guys who are abnormal.”
It’s a fact. Our bodies are composed of different materials altogether. I poured the remaining potion on my body, the pain from my superficial wounds dissipating.
I wiped my body with a wet cloth, removing the caked blood and grime, finally feeling a bit more comfortable.
After discarding the dirty water, I refilled the bucket with clean water and washed my face.
Finally, a moment to breathe.
“Where did you get that book?”
“Sanarie gave it to me.”
“The empress, huh. Only the emperor call her by name.”
“Strange thing to say. To me, all humans are the same. Except for Ahavain.”
“Thanks for that.”
“I’ve almost finished reading it. I want more.”
“I’ll buy you more later.”
Books are quite an expensive luxury, but if it keeps this demon calm, it’s a small price to pay. It’s not much considering my income.
In fact, I should bill the empress for the demon management expenses. This whole situation is entirely her fault.
The only thing I gained from this ordeal was Mastema. In exchange, I lost most of my equipment. My armor and cape are ruined. My favorite lightning sword’s magic circuits are burnt out from overuse. I wonder if it can be repaired. It’s my favorite weapon.
The divine sword is powerful but not practical for regular use. I still have the fire sword, so I’m not lacking in weapons…
“Since demons must pay for what they receive, if you take care of me, I’ll work to repay you.”
“I’m counting on you…”
