Chapter 18
To celebrate our winning of the opposition team exam my mother used all her skills and cooked up a feast .
It was very lively with 2 extra people and I must admit it didn’t feel bad at all, though most of the noise came from my parents .
Sasha stared complaining that celebrating her own loss was hard to swallow but as soon as she had some of my mother’s homemade food she fell silent .
It seems even in this age my mothers cooking is incredibly delicious .
“And and?? What did Arnos-chan say to invite Sasha-chan to the group?”
Here we go again . It seems clearing up my mother’s misunderstanding will be difficult . Sasha is facing the same question torture that Misha went through .
“It was nothing special . Become my subordinate . That was it, pretty much . ”
“Iyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!! Become my subordinate? What’s with that? If you act like a clumsy man, any girl will fall for itttttttttttttt!”
Listening to my mother scream Sasha’s face takes on a difficult look .
“The reason? Why did Arnos-chan invite Sasha-chan?”
“……No reason really . I’m just good war potential . That’s all . ”
“What? That’s it? That’s suspicious . What’s the reason Misha-chan?”
Misha swallowed the salad she was eating and said in an indifferent voice .
“…… . Your demon eyes are beautiful………?”
“If you say such a killing phrase any woman will definitely fall in looooooooooooooove!! Arnos-chan is a natural gigolo . The gap due to his awkwardness is too much . ”
How did Misha know that? Was she listening to me using Thought Transmission ?
Whatever . It’s a standard strategy for anyone using Demon King Army to activate without being ordered to anyway .
“Can you avoid saying unnecessary things please Misha”
“………Was it bad…… . . ?”
Being directly asked caused Sasha to turn her face away in surprise .
“Not especially . ”
Fumu . It looks like my mother thinks they are arguing now . She has a nervous look on her face that says ‘I was careless’ .
My father casually catches my eyes and nods in a profound and farsighted way . It’s a face that says ‘I have nothing more to teach you’ .
Yare yare . Like the time with Misha I’ve been waiting for it to calm down so I can explain that she’s not another bride but at the moment my mother’s got a tearful face and seems ready to cry .
Let’s wait for another opportunity .
Well, I don’t suppose it matters . It’s not like I’ll die from a misunderstanding .
The lively meal seems to finish in the blink of an eye . I’ll send Sasha and Misha home .
When I came back into the shop after talking to my father in his workshop I saw Sasha and Misha waiting for me standing side by side .
“……………”
“……………”
Silence .
I understand Misha . She’s originally a person of few words but Sasha does not have a silent personality . It was a weird feeling with no talking going on .
At first, I thought that it was because she had to eat with a trash doll but Sasha’s att.i.tude doesn’t seem to suggest that’s the reason .
Zepes and Liorg were also like this too . It’s a story I don’t understand .
I decide to wait a little longer and watch the two of them from the shadows .
The silence continued for 10 minutes but it became impossible for Sasha to endure it any longer and she started talking in a subdued voice .
“Late . ”
“…… . Nn…… . ”
The silence returns .
“Nee . ”
“Nn . ”
“………… . . We’ve spoken a lot today . It’s unusual . ”
“Nn . ”
“Do you like him Misha?”
“… . . Him… . . ?”
“Oh for………him, Arnos . ”
Misha thinks about it for a while .
“……Like…… . ”
“Fuuun . What’s good about him?”
“……Kind……”
“Where? He was like a demon in the group opposition test . ”
I am kind you know .
“…… . He’s strict on his enemies…… . ”
“I see . What an inconsistent fellow . ”
The silence returns for a while .
“…… . . Sasha… . . ?”
“What?”
“Do you like Arnos?”
“Haaaaa!? Such a thing is impossible . ”
Sasha denied it at full power while her face was red .
“…… . . That so…… . . ”
“It is . ”
Misha stares into Sasha’s eyes . Perhaps because she was excited had formed in her eyes .
“But…… . ” Sasha mutters in a small voice .
“……If its Arnos I can stare at him with these eyes…… . ” Sasha trails off like she’s speaking to herself .
“… . . Nn…… . ”
“He’s truly crazy . My demon eyes are beautiful? Even though they are cursed to destroy whatever I look at without my permission . However-”
Sasha cut off her own words then started speaking again .
“Someone with the same eye’s as mine . I’ve finally met that person for the first time . ”
It’s only a bit but she smiles .
“That’s all . ”
“… . . I understand… . . ”
Sasha quietly watches Misha who does not look away .
“That reminds me . Misha is also the same . ”
“… . . The same…… . . ?”
“You can look me straight in the eyes . ”
Misha nods .
Of course she can . Misha’s demon eyes are strong as well . Sasha’s will be resisted .
“Do you remember? Our childhood? I could not control these demon eyes at all and I was destroying everything so I was locked away in a prison made from magic . ”
“………I remember……”
Sasha looks down after remembering .
“While everybody else avoided entering my field of vision Misha was always by my side . ”
“We practised together . ”
Sasha laughs a nostalgic laugh .
“That’s right . Thanks to you, as long as I don’t meet someone’s gaze directly I don’t carelessly injure people anymore . ”
“Sasha tried hard . ”
Instead of answering Sasha just nods .
“Nee . A while ago . It felt nostalgic . ”
“……Hand……?”
“Yeah . ”
“……Me too……”
In a timid voice, Sasha says
“Is again… . . okay?”
“…… . . Nn…… . . ”
The two of them hold hands .
“We always used to do this . I wasn’t let out of the prison so whenever I started crying Misha held my hand and made me smile . ”
Misha nods .
“Honestly . I don’t know who’s the older sister sometimes . ”
“Sasha is the older sister . ”
Sasha smiles wryly at her .
“Misha . I’m only going to say this once . ”
Misha nods .
“… . . I’m sorry……please forgive me…… . . ”
Misha shakes her head from side to side .
“……I wasn’t angry… . . ”
Sasha’s eye’s rounded in surprise .
“Really?”
“…… . Nn………”
The two of them stare at each other and grasp each other’s hand firmly .
Fumu . I don’t understand everything that’s going on but at least they seem to have reconciled . Why were they originally fighting though? It’s mysterious .
Whatever . They are at a vigorous age . It could have been a worthless reason for all I know .
I called out to them .
“Sorry, I’ve kept you waiting . I send you home now . ”
“It’s fine . I’ll walk home . ”
I look at Misha and she nods as well .
“Taking the time to walk home? How commendable . ”
“It’s fine . Then have a good day . ”
Still holding hands the pair leave the house .
I don’t say anything but start walking next to them .
“Why are you coming as well?”
“I said I’d send you home . I stand by my word . ”
“The story behind Transfer . Will you tell me while we walk?”
“It’s also fun to waste time occasionally I suppose . ”
“Fuuun . ”
Sahsa turns a look to me that says ‘strange guy’ but I brush it off lightly .
In the end, I didn’t talk about at all and Sasha seemed to forget about it after a bit .
Perhaps the impact of my mother was too strong?
“Oh, that reminds me . Do you know?”
“Naturally . ”
She turns her gaze my way .
What a dangerous fellow . If I wasn’t me I’d have pa.s.sed out by now .
“I haven’t said anything yet . ”
“It’s impossible for there to be something I don’t know about . ”
“I see . Well then, even though you already know, our lecturer for tomorrows great magic formation is one of the old 7 Demon Emperors . Aivis Necron . ”
“Fumu . Is that so? I didn’t know that . ”
“Then say so from the beginning!!”
“Don’t get so excited . I was joking . ”
One of the old 7 Demon Emperors? It’s a name I’m curious about .
“Sasha . Why are they called the old 7 Demon Emperors?”
“I’m amazed . You just said that there was nothing you didn’t know about . You don’t know about the old 7 Demon Emperors? You truly are an inept person . ”
“So? What is it?”
“2000 years ago the founder used his own blood and made 7 subordinates . They are the founders of the demon king tribe and inherited the traits and talents of the founder . ”
“I know that . ” because I did it after all .
“I don’t really know much more apart from the followers of the 7 subordinates started calling them the old 7 Demon Emperors . ”
“What…… . ?”
Those fellows are the old 7 Demon Emperors?
Oh, that reminds me . I never did give them names . I was so absorbed in my reincarnation I never found the time to do it .
So the old 7 Demon Emperors started Deruzogedo Demon King Academy and started raising the next generation of demon emperors .
Also, they knew I’d one day reincarnate as well so it was for that time as well .
“I see . ”
Then if I meet the old 7 Demon Emperors it should be really easy to prove I am the founder .
Somethings strange though . Those fellows are mazoku who were born during the age of mythology but the management of Deruzogedo Demon King Academy is way too negligent when it shouldn’t be .
Also, they should know me above all others so how was I branded an inept person?
Not to mention the mazoku have fallen into bloodline pedigree . I thought it must be because they became incompetent over the years but perhaps there’s another reason?
I’m walking next to Misha while thinking darkly .
Before long-
“…………Arnos……………Arnos……… . . ”
I finally noticed that Sasha was calling me .
“What’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong? Nothing . We’ve arrived . This is our home . ”
There’s a gate in front of me and a splendid mansion can be seen set further back .
“After learning about the old 7 Demon Emperors you fell silent . Is something wrong?”
“No, it’s nothing . ”
“Is that so . Well then, thank you for escorting us . Have a good day . ”
Turning on her heels Sasha leaves .
“Goodbye . ”
“Ou . See you tomorrow . ”
“…… . Nn…… . ”
Misha also heads towards the mansion .
I still don’t have enough information to work out how I have been branded inept .
I can think of a few possibilities but they are all guesses at the end of the day .
Never mind . Tomorrow I get to meet one of the old 7 Demon Emperors so I should understand more then .
There’s no hurry . Let’s bide my time and wait .
Should I return home?
While still thinking Sasha came back to the gate .
“What’s wrong?”
“…… . Nothing…… . ”
Then why did you come back?
“…… . Arnos…… . ”
“Nn?”
“You know . ” She abruptly turns away while blushing bashfully . “……Thank you…… . . ”
“For what?”
“… . . Because…… . . thanks to you…… . I’ve reconciled with Misha…… . ”
What? Did Sasha want to make up all this time but couldn’t due to her stubborn character?
“I haven’t done anything great . ”
“That’s not true . Becoming your subordinate . n.o.body would normally say such a reckless thing . ” Sasha seems happy and laughs . “Except for you . ”
Fumu . I wasn’t in danger of dying at all so it was nothing much for me .
“By the way . Why were you fighting?”
Sasha’s expression clouds over .
“It’s silly . A really trivial thing…… . . however, there was something I could never hand over . That’s it . ”
“Did you settle it?”
“……Yeah… . it seems so……”
Sasha’s manner of speech is breaking down .
“I want to ask you something . ”
“What?”
“What if fate has already decided on something . What would you do?”
I answer immediately .
“If you don’t like it, change it . If you don’t mind it, it doesn’t matter . ”
Sasha’s face had a blank expression before she asked me
“Do you think fate can be changed?”
“Yeah . It’s easy . ”
“What would you do?”
“Break it . ”
Sasha’s eyes rounded a little before she smiled .
“Nee . Come here a moment . ”
“I refuse . ”
“… . Why are you refusing? Just come here . ”
“I don’t like being ordered around . ”
“Mou . How selfish are you?”
Sasha sighs in amazement .
“Will you come over here?”
“Very good . ”
I move over to Sasha .
“More . ”
“What are you doing-”
When I step forward Sasha kisses me on the lips .
Due to a conditioned reflex, I activate and try to read her mind . The reason being that there is a specific curse that activates through a kiss .
Sasha’s mind comes flowing in .
—-This is the first and last kiss—-
There’s no hostility but I feel a brave but tragic resolve .
I don’t know how long it took but she separates her body quickly .
“… . That’s a kiss between friends . A mere thank you…… . ”
Blushing bashfully Sasha looks down .
“… . . But you are my first . I’ve never done that with anyone else…… . ”
I don’t know what she’s thinking but I won’t shame her .
“Fumu . I got something precious then . Thank you . ”
Sasha blinks in surprise and mutters “strange mongrel”
“Then see you tomorrow . ”
“Ou . ”
Waving my hand I activate my magic and use
Just before my scenery turns white
“…Nee… . Arnos… . . I’m glad I met you……”
Sasha’s voice echoes in my ears .