“Hah…”
Elia’s clutches successfully avoided, I locked the tent without a hitch.
“Harang? Hello?!”
I ignored the frantic voice coming from outside.
If I had failed… I definitely would have had to share a bed with Elia.
-Brrrr
Just imagining it sent shivers down my spine, how dreadful it was.
“No, no, no.”
I shook my head violently.
Surely, such a future is no longer possible, right? No need to entertain these ominous thoughts.
I might seem overly reactive, but from my perspective, it’s unavoidable.
Of course, I wouldn’t mind sleeping next to my one and only disciple, the Nameless.
But honestly, I can barely hide my discomfort just being beside her. Sharing a bed with the Saint? That’s just absurd.
If it were to happen, I might just lose my lunch…
I have my pride, you know? I can’t show such a pathetic side!
Mmm, right.
As I quietly congratulated myself and nodded, I heard—
“…Is it really okay to leave her like that?”
“What?”
The Nameless blurted out something that got on my nerves.
With a slight turn of my head, I saw the Nameless, tilting his head with a somewhat worried expression.
I frowned.
“So what should we do then?”
I couldn’t help but speak in a irritable tone.
…Is this guy actually worrying about her more than me?
At my intense reaction, the Nameless flinched and started sweating profusely.
“Uh, Master… I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Hmph.”
I turned away roughly.
“Master, just listen to me…”
“Enough!”
I flopped down onto the sleeping bag he had laid out, turning my back on him.
Words are like water; once spilled, they can’t be gathered back.
In short, it’s already too late.
Until tomorrow morning, I’m not saying a single word to the Nameless.
To emphasize my resolve, I huffed loudly.
“…Master?”
“…”
The Voice of the fidgeting Nameless behind me made my heart waver, but…
This time, I was really determined.
I wrapped the sleeping bag tightly around myself and closed my eyes, trying to sleep.
…
Suddenly waking up to a bright surrounding, I squinted and sat up.
“Hmm… Nameless, is it already morning?”
Normally, I wake up naturally before the sun rises, but today, for some reason, I only woke up after everything was bright.
Wait, is that even possible?
It can’t be that at some special reason, I would sleep in this late, could it?
Remembering the realization, a small sense of discomfort began to build.
“Nameless?”
If it were any other time, he would’ve immediately answered regardless of what he was doing, but now there’s no response.
Rubbing my eyes with one hand and peering around, I realized the Nameless wasn’t beside me.
No, more than that, this isn’t the place I remember.
This is my room in the cabin.
With a feeling of déjà vu creeping in, I clicked my tongue and shook my head.
“Tsk… It would have been nice if I’d gotten a heads-up.”
Sighing softly, I muttered to myself, and slowly, a silhouette came into focus in my vision.
Someone flapping their tiny wings at the waist and waving their tail.
“Harang! It’s Lili! Lili!”
Frowning, I brushed my face.
…Just as I thought.
It’s Lili.
The first face I see after just waking up is Lili… Isn’t that a bit much?
I want to relax today.
After all, I’ve had a lot on my plate and a bit of mental strain too…
But Lili, undeterred by my reaction, bounced over to me.
“Harang! Thank you!”
Feigning ignorance at her question, I turned my head and spoke softly.
“…For what?”
“Oh, come on~ You know!”
Lili giggled and playfully elbowed me in the shoulder. So annoying.
Waving my arms in disdain, Lili exaggeratedly leaned back, raising her lips into a grin.
“Honestly, I was worried! But it’s a relief!”
“Tsk.”
If you were worried about the task I gave you, why bother asking me to do it?
I clicked my tongue softly and turned my head, and Lili continued cheerfully.
“Contrary to what Jackal thinks, I actually hold some importance~”
Pouting her lips.
Since Lili said she’s important, she must surely be useful to the Demon King.
Conversely, for humans, she’s bound to be a huge headache.
Despite not caring about that, hearing her words suddenly grated on my nerves.
Why should I be worried about this?
While frowning, suddenly, Lucius and Elia came to mind.
The sight of them struggling to defeat that Jackal demon and then punishing themselves for failing.
“Ugh…”
No matter how much I dislike them, seeing them raises a bit of attachment in me.
A corner of my heart feels uncomfortable.
If this continues, things will be awkward while I’m together with them…
Sighing softly, I spoke up.
“Lili.”
“Yes?”
Hearing my serious tone, Lili tilted her head with a puzzled expression.
“Is it okay if I ask you a favor?”
“Uh… Well, I suppose it is?”
Lili gave an awkward smile, staring at my tightly clenched fist.
I couldn’t help but smirk at her expression and nodded—my veins were bulging from my fist.
“Of course.”
“Haha… If it’s Harang’s request, I’ll do anything!”
The negotiation between Lili and me progressed.
…
After our small negotiation concluded.
Lili, sweating bullets, clapped her hands once and switched the topic.
“By the way, about those humans you asked me to take care of?”
Well, it was blatantly silly how she took us off-topic, but I had already achieved my goal.
I raised an eyebrow, smirking at Lili’s face, and leaned in to back her up.
“Hmm? Humans?”
“Eh… You haven’t forgotten them, right? The… Cheonma Church?”
“Oh.”
Right, I did create something like that, but why in the world is it the Cheonma Church…
It felt oddly like a secret of my past had been exposed, so I coughed slightly.
Of course, it wasn’t entirely my will that gave it that name; it was mainly the Nameless’s intention.
“I remember.”
For a moment, Lili gazed at me with a holy glare before flinching under my narrowed eyes and opening her mouth again.
“Anyway, the group you created is growing rapidly!”
“Rapidly, you say?”
I tilted my head, not quite understanding Lili’s words.
“What… specifically, the number of humans is several times bigger now?”
“…Several times?”
My eyes nearly popped out.
…Did I mishear?
Several times? Isn’t that a ridiculous number?
What wisdom could those humans possess to lead a group with such a size?
Besides, it hasn’t even been a month since I last saw them.
At this rate, the growth speed is simply impossible without someone’s help.
Could it be Lili helped them? If that’s the case, there’s at least a glimmer of hope…
As I cast a questioning glance at Lili, she shook her head rapidly and wore a playful smile.
“Your disciple did everything!”
“The Nameless?”
I frowned.
…What in the world does that mean? There’s been a lot of confusing statements since earlier.
Does the Nameless have talents for leading a group that I wasn’t aware of?
No. That could be quite possible; if the Nameless had such a talent all along, how would I know, having no knowledge of leadership myself?
But what I’m worried about right now is that the Nameless has been with me this whole time…
When exactly did he meddle in the growth of the Cheonma Church?
As I pondered over Lili’s confusing words, I noticed her smile brighten even more.
“Yes! Right now, he’s in talks with your disciple!”
“…What?”
My eyes widened.
How is that even…?
Seeing the expression on my face, Lili appeared equally incredulous, pointing at herself.
“I… I think you forgot, but I’m a Succubus?”
“What does that have to do with anything… Ah.”
A Succubus, or a dream demon. Commonly associated with manipulating dreams and making a living off them.
In a sense, she could be considered second to none when it comes to anything dream-related.
…In that case, could it be possible?
Timidly, I ventured a question.
“Then, have you been meeting with the Nameless, aside from me?”
“Yes!”
Lili nodded cheerfully.
“…”
Unlike Lili, I felt my legs weakening, threatening to collapse any moment now.
The Nameless has been meeting with Lili behind my back?
I’d believe it would be a one in a million chance, but are they…?
Hmm… It’s oddly recent that the Nameless didn’t offer me strawberries too.
My expression grew pale.
An undefined emotion was stirring inside me.
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