「Seriously, what were you thinking, Elena! The forest has been wrecked so much because of you!」
「I wasn’t the one who damaged it, it was the magical beast’s fault」
「Because you have shouted『Giving one’s name and fighting fair and square is the way』we couldn’t make a surprise attack, didn’t we?! Even though there’s no reason in naming oneself as you can’t understand the opponent’s words!」
「Whether the words connect or not doesn’t matter. Actions of cowardice such as surprise attacks go against the chivalric code」
「That was a magical beast! Elena is a brute! Who do you think had to restore that place?!」

These guys have been arguing the entire way back from the forest patrol.
Because one won’t yield to another, they have been going around in circles repeatedly.
It’s so ridiculous.

I half-irritatedly ignored the quarrel that showed no progress.
Rita served me a cup of tea before I asked for it.
Seems like Elena finally changed her mood as she begun drinking tea in silence.
Seeing that, Ashley got heated up even more.
It’s likely that she will start a fight soon.
I restrain her with a few words before something troublesome occurs.

「Ashley, be quiet」

When I said such, she got totally silent.
Ashley closed her mouth, but the grip on her weapon hasn’t relaxed.
As if it wasn’t already enough, she’s made a displeased expression.

「Oy, you there, you have some business with me, don’t you?」

I addressed the human child sitting before me.
The boy showed an apparent reaction as his body jolted up.
Then, he answered while making awkward motions as if wringing his voice out.
It’s almost as if he was a poorly made toy.

「Y, you are the Demon Lord, right? Ah, umm, my little sis……」
「Ah~ ah~ enough, stop talking」

Thinking it would be bothersome to listen to his story, I decided to concentrate my nerves and read his mind.
It’s an easy thing to do against an opponent with a weak magical power.
Let’s see, little sister, abduction, huge organization, no relatives.
I see, so that’s what it’s about.

「You are named Glenn, huh. You want me to save your abducted little sister. You have no parents and the people around you won’t help you」
「Ehh!?」

The boy opened his eyes wide and repeatedly nodded his head while being dumbfounded.
However, in contradiction to it, I shook my head from side to side.
The face in front of me gradually turned pale.
It’s not like I don’t have any sense of guilt, but I’m not a charitable person.

「So, why didn’t you do something about it yourself?」
「…… Eh?」

This seemed to be an unexpected question as his expression turned into one of perplexity.
Well, in fact, it’s not like this child could sneak in alone.
I understand that, but I still continued talking.

「I mean, it’s not necessary to exterminate them, right? You are only going there to save your little sister so there’s no need for a great number of people. Rather, it would go more smoothly for a child to sneak in alone」
「T, that’s……」

To tell the truth, I have a slightly favorable impression of this boy.
Enough to make me want to praise him for coming this far on his own.
But, I deliberately won’t do that.
It would be difficult to reject his request after all.

It’s already dark outside.
Taking a bath, filling up my stomach and the time of supreme bliss with my beloved daughter awaits.
After that, I will lull her to sleep and once my daughter enters the dreamland, I would like to enjoy my alone time.
In other words, I don’t want to do anything bothersome.

「Don’t you think you should try to do something about it yourself before asking others for help? You should return……」
(Daddy, what’s the matter with this big brother?)

The one who came in and interrupted my words is my and our house’s Angel, Sylvia-chan.
She generally can’t speak with beings of weak magical power.
In this place, Sylvia and this boy can’t exchange words.
Well, even if they could talk to each other, I’m doubtful whether my daughter would understand the contents of the talk.
That’s because Angel is still a child less than six years old.

(Say, say, Big Sis Rita. What’s wrong with this big brother?)

When I wasn’t answering, the target changed to Rita.

ーーNot good, I don’t want her to know……

The gaze I gave to Rita was an order to skillfully deceive her.
Then after a while, Rita placed her index finger on her cheek with a smile.
She seems to be choosing the right words as her mouth is still closed.
Then, after leaking out『Nーー』, she spoke to Sylvia.

「It appears that this child’s little sister has been s.n.a.t.c.hed by a bad mister」
(Eeehhーーー!?)

Probably because it was worse story than she expected, Sylvia stiffened and her shoulder started shaking.
Rather, Rita, far from deceiving her, wasn’t this a straight throw right in the center!

(But, but, but! Big brother’s father will save her, right? He’s out right now and rescuing her, right?)

Rita’s eyebrows slightly dropped and she shook her head.

「It seems that this child has no father nor mother」
(Eeeeeehーーーー!?)

Sylvia shouted, staggered a few steps and crumbled down on her b.u.t.t.
I have embraced Sylvia with twinkling ultra high-speed movements without causing the slightest impact.
These refined movements are the results of training, not a superficial technique by any means, but that doesn’t matter.

When I lifted my daughter in my arms, her gaze matched mine.
Many tears gathered in Angel-sama’s eyes, her mouth has been largely bent, and she squeezed out a voice while trembling.

(So pitiful, soo sad)
「Yeah, yeah, he is」
(Even though Sylvia has Daddy, even though Daddy would save Sylviaa, big brother doesn’t have a father!)
「It’s as you say」

Not good, not good, not good!
If I don’t go with the flow, I will be a heartless fellow!
I hear rough breathing escaping from Sylvia’s mouth.
This is indeed a truly dangerous situation.
When I glare at the traitor, that fellow Rita laughed at me with her finger still placed on her cheek.

(Daddy, save her? Save her in the stead of big brother’s father?)
「Woah~ it’s already so dark, let’s leave it for tomorrow」
(Waaaaaaa~~n)
「Ah~ ha ha haa! Daddy suddenly feels like helping another person~! What to do, I really want to help someone~!」

I frantically soothe Sylvia while spinning around.
Sylvia wouldn’t quite stop crying because of the overwhelming shock and sadness.
The mouth of Glenn who saw the development is half-open.

Thus, the nighttime of my supreme bliss has been crushed by a rescue of a waif child I didn’t know.
I will smack Rita’s b.u.m later.