Chapter 17 Ruri’s dream store

A.N.

Is that guy gay or something! Was the impression of ten percent of you guys. I’m seriously considering adding the BL-tag. Would it be safe if the guy becomes a trap? Is what I’ve been thinking to myself……

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When Ruri said she wanted a store, Desas thought for a while and easily approved of it.

“―――――― I see, so you wish for a store. If it’s just that then suppose I can arrange it; however, mine authority is only effective within Evil Barrow. A place like the human continent is naturally impossible as well as the castle and outside the castle town. Would that still be fine with you?”

“I don’t have any objections. Please arrange it under those conditions.”

“I understand. Also, it’s about the size though……”

“In that case…… I would like to have a stall.”

“Eh……?”

Hearing that, Desas left her mouth open. Even I was surprised, because I just thought for sure that a large shop is what she clearly wanted.

Even if what she wanted wasn’t a large shop, stalls were the smallest shops in this world. If you talk about its use, it would be at the extent of restaurants setting up food samples to serve as advertis.e.m.e.nt for their cuisine.

“The truth is that I do want a large store, but…… I still lack experience and I’m not an adult yet like Mister Setsu mentioned. That’s why, even if I receive a large store, I think it would be too much for me to manage it.”

Upon hearing that, Desas and I showed a “So that’s how it is” kind of face. If the shop is large, it won’t be just large, but the management of it will be harder for sure. In that respect, a stall should be sufficient for even Ruri to handle.

“I have acknowledged the matter of the stall however, what in the world will you be selling? I don’t think you can sell decent articles though……”

“About that…… I have a small request to ask of you mister Setsu……”

While Ruri said that, she looked this way. Is she going to sell the merchandises she will  request from me? I can’t think of anything in particular though……

“Actually…… I want to try selling the deep fried food you have made, mister Setsu.”

――――――And so.

“――――――Mix the potato and the minced meat and add the bread crumbs to it, then add it to the oil and ta-dah! You got that?”

“Ye, yes I do! I can somehow understand this!”

Today I’m in the kitchen of the demon king’s castle together with Ruri. I think Ruri’s idea to sell deep-fried food is quite a great idea. In that case it can sell well in a stall and it’s suitable for after school students to buy and eat them easily. It doesn’t seem like you can earn a large profit, but you will likely be able to get a steady income with this.  Well, I’m a novice at commerce so I don’t understand and all, but…… I guess it’s a safe bet since the one who can see whether things can sell well or not, the sole merchant’s daughter Ruri said so.

“Then, if it becomes kind of this colour, take it out the oil in a flash. Alright, this one’s good. Hey, it’s done! Here, take it!”

“Yes sir, right away!”

I put the croquette I took out on a dish and handed it over to the waiter who is waiting for instructions.

“Even so, what an amazing dexterity do you have…… making a dozens of portions in the blink of an eye……”

“We ain’t done yet I tell ya! Hey Ruri, you come help me out too! We’re not done making them you know!”

“Ah, okay!”

I took out the chicken meat which is fried in another pot. This food is the so-called chicken cutlet.

Right now the demon lord’s castle is holding a simple party and the cooking duty is once again entrusted to me. When I was just thinking I guess they’re going to ask me in the end, by no means did I expect it to become a mess where I have to make enough for all the members in the demon lord’s castle…… Well, I can teach Ruri in making deep-fried food at the same time, so it wasn’t a bad job if it’s done for her sake.

“It would be nice if we could have Setsu constantly make them like this……”

“That is impossible for him for the time being.”

I have to visit the beastmen continent after all and then I plan to go and pick up Yuuhi in the human continent.

“Well, once everything’s over I can go out with you for a bit though……”　

“You, you really can!?”　

Ruri bit on my words harder than I expected. The oil is going to splatter you know, pay attention.

“Let’s make you prosper by that time okay? Else it won’t be worth helping you out after all.”

“Ah, yes! Of course! Running a shop together with mister Setsu…… fufu”

While Ruri is frying croquettes, she is blushing happily. I’m not so much of a person you should be glad with though……

“Oh…… this one’s also done. Sorry Ruri, but take this one please”

“Ah, okay! I will take it!”

I put the chicken cutlets on the plate properly and handed it over to Ruri. I then moved to the pan with the croquettes, subst.i.tuting Ruri who left the kitchen.

I’m sorry that it gets in the way of her fried food practice, but those bunches who are getting excited right now don’t really want to eat cold food. Well, I wonder if the fried food this time are done well or not.

When I was waiting for the croquettes to finish frying, I noticed Desas entering the kitchen. Because it looks strange for the demon lord to come to this kind of place, the cooks whom I asked to be an a.s.sistant opened their eyes widely.

“Setsu, I’m sorry for entrusting you with the cooking…… originally I wanted you to do take it leisurely, but……”

“It’s fine, really. Well, it’s troublesome though. Still, you guys eating and saying it’s delicious is …… it honestly makes me happy.”

“I see…… It has been a long time for me as well, so I’ve already eaten one dish of Setsu’s croquette”

“You’ll become fat, you know”

“Ugh…… I’m doing exercises, so I will be all right”

When I warned her in a straightforward way, she started rubbing her stomach while looking down. It’s amazingly lean. Wouldn’t it be fine if she has a bit more meat on it is what I thought, but I wonder; do only girls understand the reason they dislike the extra meat?

“So what is it? I won’t allow you to steal some food you know?”

“That’s not why I’m here! …… There is something I want to talk about with you, you see”

Oops, looks like it was a serious conversation. I stopped with the teasing and stopped pouring magic to the fire magic stone in the stove I’m working on. When I confirmed that the fire stopped, I asked the cooks to take care of the cooking for a while.

“What do you want to talk about?”

“ …… With Setsu returned here, we no longer have any reason to seek vengeance towards the human country. So I will be calling back the group responsible for attacking the human country in person, but……”

“――――――Isn’t that what the human country is aiming for, is that what you’re thinking?”

“Right, you do understand that well.”

I heard from Eruka that the human country is considering using this war to attack both the demon continent and beastmen continent again. If that’s the case, then I’m sure it won’t be strange for them to aim for the moment they withdraw. It’s because they will be fighting near their own territory and their opponent is turning their backs on them after all.

“Those people, they will see this opportunity to come steal our territory again. If you see it that way, you can understand one side of the current defensive battle.”

“Really…… Your opponent isn’t attacking?”

“Yes, they’re constantly on the defense. Thanks to that there are no damage done on our side, but we could hardly deal any damage to the other side as well. We’ve continued fighting for a considerable time, but the gate not being open until this very day is the proof of it. I can’t send out reinforcements carelessly, because there is too little movement on the other side. I periodically send off a ship with troops, taking turns with a ship full of expired foodstuff among other things I’m doing.”* 

That they’re not moving is ominous, really. Pulling back the soldiers she mentioned looks like a pain as well.

”If it’s about withdrawing them, isn’t there only one choice which is to draw them back while sending reinforcements to protect them?”

“I also think that method is the only choice…… well, in any case we have to inform the beastmen continent of Setsu’s return don’t we? Even if my troops are pulled back, the beastmen troops will remain”

“Yeah…… So, shall I go to the beastmen continent right away then?”

“I would’ve liked it if you to took it more leisurely though”

Desas says so while making a lonely expression. With just that she loses the most of the majesty of a demon lord. At times like this, the best thing to do is to stroke her head for now.

“Ah…… You, are you not giving me the same treatment as Ruri?”

“Right now you’re the same as her you know? Well, you just wait okay? I have to show my face to the other guys, but once the war ends, I’ll take it very slowly.”

Desas looks unhappy from being treated as a child, but her mood returned after hearing the last part of my words,.

“ …… That is right, information came in about the heroes who were summoned along with you.”

“Oh?”

I don’t really have much interest in that, but I wonder; how much of a prodigy are they becoming? Only their abilities are outrageous after all, those guys.

“I’m told that one Hero who does not possess a sacred sword seems to be towering above the rest of the current Heroes.“

“They didn’t possess the sacred sword?”

So when it comes to talented people, there are those above Kouma? As far as I can remember, his Excalibur type doesn’t really look strong compared to the sacred swords I’ve checked up until now. However, wielders of a sacred sword get outrageous statuses on its own, it shouldn’t be easy at all for capable people to becomebetter  than a wielder of a sacred sword……

“This is information procured from an informant in Destinea, but I have heard of a girl who use an orange colored fire magic. I believe her nickname is the ?”

Setting sun――――――Orange?

“Aah…… her.”

“Do you know this person? Nevertheless, hearing that she exceeded a wielder of a sacred sword, we can’t make light of her. We should be thoroughly vigilant of――――――”

“No, she’s fine, because right now she should be receiving coaching from Eruka.”

“I see, from that ice woman. In other words she is your comrade, is that correct?”

“Yeah, that’s how it is.”

Be that as it may, Yuuhi…… we’ve only been apart for a few days, you know…… how much have your abilities increased in this short time, this childhood friend of mine.

“Be careful though okay? The heroes summoned with me can become a decent war potential after all. This war can be overturned if you’re being careless, you know.”

“I shall take your advice to heart. However――――――They won’t be like that person would they?”

“ …… that guy is special.”

What I’m reminded of is the smile of that gender fraud of a s.h.i.tty Hero. Even if I know he isn’t in this world anymore, it feels like I’m constantly being watched. That guy’s existence is that deeply ingrained within me as a trauma.

No…… He did become a companion, but…… well, I mean, It’s because he’s a guy who’s dangerous in various ways――――――

“ …… I understand your pain.”

“No, stop Desas. A woman like you isn’t supposed to understand that.”

“If it’s from the same s.e.x, then I too have……well……”

“Thanks Desas, you’re someone who understands me”

That’s right, Desas is also beautiful of course. I bet there are many who approach her calling her elder sister and such. My bad for acting like that. Let me cherish her with my whole life. And then have her cherish me. That way we can support each other.

But I wonder why though? I end up feeling like that guy, who I’ve dealt with with my own hands, is still aiming for me…… like I feel that his terror hasn’t ended yet……

“Hey Setsu? You’re staring you know……?”

“I’m all right…… I’m supposed to be all right”

If that guy was at least a woman…… Would I not be feeling this terrified then, I wonder.

“Aaargh! No more! This conversation is over! Anyway, I’m leave this castle the day after tomorrow! End of story!”

“Wha, wait! Is that not too sudden!?”

“I’ve made up my mind now so shut up!”

At any rate I want to forget that smile now. If I can think about something else.

“I would have wanted you to take a few more days though……”

“ …… well, that might drag on and on forever you see.”

If it becomes too comfortable for me, I won’t be able to leave until I die. I also want to quickly see the faces of those guys in the beastmen continent. Desas kept a unhappy face for a while, but she eventually consented in the end.

“――――――I guess that is also true. If possible…… please come back quickly. Won’t I……won’t I be lonely……”

“Okay……”

So there’s this person here who’s calling herself lonely while fidgeting embarra.s.singly. What is this cute creature, even though she’s a demon lord.

Thus I’ve decided on my departure schedule.

However, the me at the time didn’t know…… that the guy who became this much of a trauma to me――――――

――――――and I will meet once again.

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A.N.

Next chapter, Setsu departs.

It’s probably fast, but I will temporarily put the demon continent on hold. Because the next time will be a considerably major story, I will do about this much for the first time.

In addition, by no means did Setsu kill Touma because of him experiencing danger to himself. There is a perfectly serious reason for this. Just to be sure.

T.N.

*I didn’t quite understand the last part of the last sentence, specifically その他にやっていることと言ったら