Chapter 18: Reconciliation
Chapter 18: Reconciliation
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 <Liikus>?
Whatever. It’s a standard strategy for anyone using Demon King Army <Guys> to activate <Liikus> 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 attitude 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 <Demon Eyes of Ruin> 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 <Demon Eye’s of Ruin> 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 <Gatom>. 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 <Gatom> 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 passed 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. Nobody 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 <Liikus> 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 <Gatom>
Just before my scenery turns white
“…Nee….Arnos…..I’m glad I met you……”
Sasha’s voice echoes in my ears.