Chapter 9

Side: Hikobashi Kakeru

The class has ended. Stretching my body feels refreshing after sitting in the same position for so long.

“Hey, want to check out a club?”

As I’m getting ready to leave, Kitamura calls out to me. It seems he’s a little worried.

“Sorry, I have some plans today. Maybe next time.”

Clubs, huh? I can’t join a sports club. It’s tough to hold back my physical abilities, and it feels unfair to those who take it seriously.

Our school is private, but it’s not really a strong contender since they don’t put much emphasis on sports scholarships. I’ve heard there are individuals who can compete nationally in individual events, though.

I was looking forward to joining a club.

After leaving the school, I walk a bit. There’s a main road nearby lined with supermarkets and drugstores. I plan to do some shopping for dinner.

It’s been about half a month since I started living alone. Before that, I lived in the countryside with my grandparents.

I recall the times when my grandpa was alive, and we would go shopping by car. Well, I’m too far from my hometown now, so I don’t have any memories of my grandparents here.

“Welcome! Back for another bento?”

The supermarket is one of the larger stores in the area. There are many employees and customers, and a university student working part-time calls out to me.

“No, today I’m just getting some ingredients. I’m planning to cook a bit.”

I remember her. We’ve chatted a bit, and she recognized me because I usually come for the discounted bentos in the evening.

She’s an older sister type who enjoys helping others, and talking to her has left me feeling a bit embarrassed.

“You have to make sure to eat your vegetables, okay?”

“Yes, I’ll do that.”

I think about getting a bento for one person, but since I usually buy for one, it feels strange to say that. So I head to the ingredient section instead.

I’m cooking for five people, after all. Just shopping for ingredients is quite the task. To be honest, I’m not very good at Western cuisine since I lived with my grandparents. My grandma could make hamburgers and curry, so I learned from her.

I want to make sure they enjoy the food I prepare. Maybe I’ll go with hamburgers today. Sashimi is cheap, but I never really ate raw fish back home, so I’m worried about whether it will suit their tastes.

When I step outside, the western sky is dyed orange.

“Wow.”

For some reason, I feel tears welling up, even without a clear reason.

I never cried when my grandparents passed away, nor when I was back there.

It’s not like I’m recalling something specific, nor am I indulging in sentimentality.

…Am I just tired? I’ve been on edge with the demon king’s subjugation and everything.

I switch my mindset and hurry home.

“I’m home~”

My companions and the demon king are there, seemingly without any conflicts.

Well, I suppose this is the kind of atmosphere it is. It’s neither relaxing nor enjoyable, but it would be strange to feel completely at ease in a world with no ties or connections.

“Welcome back, Kakeru.”

“Sanctina? What’s going on? Calling me by name like that…”

While I was putting the ingredients in the fridge, Sanctina came to help, and I was surprised when she suddenly addressed me by my name.

“Oh, we decided to stop calling each other the hero, demon king, and princess.”

I see. That makes sense. Everyone must be considering how to live here for a while. I need to step up and be more responsible.

“Kakeru, you’re back. This is for you.”

Just as I was about to start preparing dinner, the demon king suddenly handed me a simple, slender bracelet. It’s the magic item we talked about.

“I don’t need it, though?”

“I discussed it with Filia. It includes transformation magic, translation, and a magic that prevents suspicion; it’s a mental magic, you know. It has those effects. Additionally, it also includes magic and skill sealing, and body ability suppression.”

I’m astonished by the demon king’s calm explanation. I know of several magic items, and I have some from when I became a hero, but nothing this multifunctional.

“Magic and skill sealing, and body ability suppression? Is it something you’d use on a criminal?”

“Yeah, originally. I made it so you can activate or deactivate it just by thinking about it. I calculated the magic density, so it should be about the same as when you lived here.”

She really is impressive for a demon king. Even with limited materials.

“This is helpful. Thank you.”

She acts with foresight. I wonder why this demon king ended up cornered in the demon king’s castle? Or was that situation something the demon king wanted to prepare?

“By the way, it seems like a small earthquake triggered the danger perception skill during the day. Does the danger perception skill activate for natural earthquakes?”

As I recall the events of the day, both the demon king, or rather Noctia, and Filia, who had been watching TV in the living room, look surprised.

“Kakeru, is that true?”

Filia approaches me with a serious expression. When I mention that the danger perception skill activated at a school with no monsters and no hostile individuals, she seems deep in thought.

“The danger perception skill doesn’t activate for pure natural phenomena. Could it be a misunderstanding?”

When I hear Noctia’s words, I start to lose confidence.

“I’m not sure. It was a faint sensation. If you say it could be a misunderstanding, then maybe it is.”

“You should have Sanctina check it out. There are quite a few cases of young people returning from the battlefield who suffer from trauma. There have been instances of people causing a fuss about the danger perception skill activating even when there wasn’t any real danger. You might be a bit too on edge.”

I feel relieved that it might just be a misunderstanding, but Filia seems more worried instead. Sanctina is looking at me with a similar expression.

In the midst of this, Princess Pritia also approaches me.

“Kakeru, I was going to tell you this when you got back. You don’t need to worry too much about us. I’ve decided to forget my position as a princess, too. I don’t know how long I’ll be staying here, but while we’re together, let’s forget about being a hero, princess, or even a demon king.”

“Your Highness…”

It seems Princess Pritia has settled down after just one day. Her mental strength is truly admirable.

“I’m fine. More importantly, I’ll start preparing dinner now.”

I hope it’s just a misunderstanding. I just don’t want to be treated like a PTSD patient. It’s true that I’m tired from everything that’s happened.

“I think I’ll make hamburgers today. It’s a representative dish from my country.”

Both of us must be feeling tired and confused.

The living environment and the food in this world aren’t necessarily inferior.

In fact, the variety and quality of the ingredients readily available should be better.

If the meals suit their tastes, I believe it would reduce stress and anxiety.

Now I need to discuss the upcoming outings. I need to talk about how to spend money, and I’m wondering if I need a smartphone. Looking at it this way, this world feels quite complex.

I haven’t really seen my neighbors since the greeting when I moved in. I suppose I’ll just consider them as a long-term homestay.

First, I need to make sure to communicate properly with everyone.