Eva and I left [Grand Bahamut].
The sky was gray and cloudy. It looked like it might rain at any moment.
We were heading to Bones Magic Shop for now. It’s nearby, but on our way, we ran into a group of neighborhood kids. They must be the local children.
“Hey, the Demon Lord is here!” (Child)
Pointed out a boy with tan skin.
Ugh, naturally calling me the Demon Lord. How much pain do you think I’ve endured all these years with that name? What will you do if I suddenly feel like becoming a shut-in again tomorrow?
“Yeah, there’s the Demon Lord! Scary!” (Child)
“It’s the Demon Lord! What a dull face!” (Child)
“So lame.” (Child)
The children were merciless. Both boys and girls laughed while making fun of me.
Ah, the voices of children mocking me are rampaging in my mind. It triggers my trauma. I really just want to shut myself in.
“I’m a demon, so I have to worship you, right? Hail Demon Lord Wilhelm-sama~” (Child)
A girl with red hair in a ponytail started worshipping me. She raised both hands and sent me a serious gaze.
I guess there are people among the demon race who believe in the Demon Lord.
“But I’m not the Demon Lord. I’m a hero. He-ro.” (Wilhelm)
“But it was written in the newspaper that you’re the Demon Lord, right?” (Child)
No good. The worship won’t stop.
Huh? The tan-skinned boy seems startled when he looks at Eva.
“That… T-The ghost girl is with the Demon Lord.” (Child)
“Eek, scary!” (Child)
I wonder if they disliked her. The children quickly distanced themselves.
Seeing that, Eva seems pleased. She sticks out her tongue which is longer than most people and makes her hands look like ghosts to scare the children.
“Kekekeke~ Bad children need to be cursed.” (Eva)
The children screamed and ran away, saying things like “scary”. But they were laughing. Despite being scared, they probably liked her.
Eva looks pleased as she watches the fleeing children. Maybe she’s quite fond of children.
Oh, the tan-skinned boy came back and peeked out from the wall of a nearby house.
“The Demon Lord and Ghost are quite the matching couple. Bleugh!” (Child)
That guy… coming all the way just to throw insults. Not cool. Seriously.
“Sorry about that. It’s not fun being lumped in with someone like me, huh?” (Wilhelm)
When I looked at Eva, she blushed like a flower in bloom. Why, though? What’s there to be embarrassed about?
Although, it is refreshing to see Eva, who usually has a scary aura, making such a face.
“Being called a couple is a first for Eva-chan. It’s embarrassing. Ehehe.” (Eva)
Cute. She’s covering her cheeks with her hands and turning bright red.
Eva gently reaches out and takes my arm.
It really feels like we’re a couple now.
I continue walking with Eva clinging onto me. It’s surprisingly comfortable. Maybe we do make a good match after all.
Soon, we arrived at Bones Magic Shop.
Frankie-san, who’s behind the counter, looks at us with delight.
“Oh? What’s this? It feels like springtime has come even during the rainy season! You two look great together!” (Frankie)
“Come on, Grandpa! You don’t have to embarrass Eva-chan.” (Eva)
Eva blushes even more.
“Hahaha, to see Eva-chan making such a face. So, what do you think, lad? As you can see, my granddaughter is cute, talented in cooking, and, believe it or not, she’s growing up quite nicely, too.” (Frankie)
“Mouu! Grandpa, don’t praise me so much! You’re bothering Wil-oniisan. Ehehehe.” (Eva)
“I actually think Eva is pretty cute.” (Wilhelm)
Eva’s cheeks flushed even more. Her hand, holding onto my arm, felt warm, almost hot.
“M-Mouu, Wil-oniisan is praising Eva-chan too much. Did you sweet-talk Ana-chan the same way?” (Eva)
“It’s not like that. I only say these things to Eva.” (Wilhelm)
Eva’s blush deepens even further.
Maybe she couldn’t bear to look at my face anymore. She turned away and hid behind me, trying to hide her face.
Frankie-san grinned as he watched Eva’s reaction.
“It looks like spring has really come for Eva-chan. Hahaha, this is a joyous occasion. Lad, take good care of Eva-chan from now on!” (Frankie)
“Grandpa, come on! Stop teasing us. Let’s get to the point, okay? You have something to discuss with Wil-oniisan, right?” (Eva)
“Oh, right, right. I got too carried away by how adorable Eva-chan is. Hahaha. Well then, let’s get to the serious stuff. It’s about work.” (Frankie)
Frankie-san’s grin quickly shifted to a serious expression.
As expected of an adult, he can switch gears quite swiftly. Eva is still hiding behind my back, blushing.
“Anyways, the truth is, we Shamans received a request from the government. They want us to set up a barrier around the entire city.” (Frankie)
“A barrier… huh?” (Wilhelm)
“Yeah, that ghost, Bagi, is just too dangerous, you know? This is a precaution against him.” (Frankie)
“Indeed. We can’t afford to do nothing.” (Wilhelm)
“Exactly. That ghost can effortlessly slice through trained soldiers like it’s nothing. He’s too powerful to be left unchecked.” (Frankie)
I know because I’ve fought it before. It’s way beyond the capabilities of your average soldier. In terms of rank, I’d say it surpasses an easy A and reaches an effortless S.
“I understand. So, you want me to assist in creating the barrier against Bagi, right?” (Wilhelm)
“Yeah, that’s right. We’re counting on your massive pool of magic. You’re our best bet.” (Frankie)
“Got it. Leave it to the talented me.” (Wilhelm)
I smirked confidently.
“By the way, the one who recommended you was a beauty named Liliana. She said, ‘Feel free to use him as you please.’ Do you happen to know her?” (Frankie)
Ugh, that girl…
She’s learning to exploit me more and more to get her own work done. She’s going to disrupt my peaceful shut-in life.
“Liliana is my classmate. Lately, she’s been making me do her errands.” (Wilhelm)
“Ahahaha. Good guys always attract attention, after all. I used to be quite the charmer myself, you know?” (Frankie)
Sounds like a lie. It’s written all over his face.
Even Eva quietly told me it was a lie.
“Well, anyway. Please lend us your strength for the sake of this city. I’m counting on you.” (Frankie)
He bowed respectfully to me.
I could sense the sincerity in his request. That’s how serious the threat of Bagi is. Frankie-san probably knows that I’m the only one who can stand against it.
Being relied upon by such a seasoned expert feels like a great honor. If even a shut-in like me can be of use, then I’ll do my best.
“Alright, let’s get started, Eva.” (Wilhelm)
I turned to look at Eva.
…Something seems off.
She’s staring blankly up at the sky. Is she really okay?
Suddenly, Eva starts trembling violently. Her movements are erratic, not normal at all.
“Hey, Eva?” (Wilhelm)
“W-W-W-Wil-il-il-il-il oniiiii-saaaaaan.” (Eva)
“W-What’s going on? Did a bug get into your head?” (Wilhelm)
Eva continues to jerk her head back and forth.
Her movements were incredibly unsettling. No ordinary person would ever move like that.
Suddenly, Blacky leaped onto the counter.
Perhaps sensing the need for purification, she stuck her tail into a jar of salt sitting there. Skillfully scooping up some salt with her tail, she sprinkled it towards Eva.
And just like that, Eva’s strange movements ceased. She seemed to return to normal.
“Ah, that was a surprise. So, WIl-oniisan, let’s go set up the barrier~!” (Eva)
“Wait, wait, wait, don’t just brush that off. What was that all about?” (Wilhelm)
“It’s no big deal, really.” (Eva)
“No big deal? Are you kidding me?” (Wilhelm)
“I mean, it was just a ghost hanging around there trying to possess my body, right?” (Eva)
Eva-chan mentioned something terrifying as if it were an everyday occurrence.
“S-Sounds tough.” (Wilhelm)
“It’s not a big deal, you know? Eva-chan loves that sort of thing. Kekekeke.” (Eva)
She really is an unusual girl. Perhaps you should be a bit more scared; otherwise, the ghosts might feel disappointed, don’t you think?
TL Notes:
Thanks for reading!
Approval has been received. The ship may now set sail. I mean, they are quite an interesting pairing considering their personalities. I like it.
I’m surprised that Frankie is okay with his daughter dating MC even though he knows that he’s a shut-in. I guess he doesn’t mind as much.
Footnote:
- None