CH 79.4

Kayo cried, scolded, and screamed at me, and it was probably due to the position she was put in. For a girl who has been betrayed even by her own family, someone she can trust, even if they were a servant, was precious and important, and the services she provided for me were likely due to that. She probably trusted me more than I thought. After all, the emotions she felt when she felt betrayed were indescribable. So, Kayo blamed me over and over again in anger. And her anger finally goes to someone other than me.

"Yes, it's ridiculous. Isn't it too much for that foolish country young lady who does stupid things and the maids who flatter her when their positions become bad? Why don't let them be used as fodder for youkai!"

"......!!!"

My pitiful and empathetic gaze towards her changed to a killing intent at the last word. I shot Kayo with a look that contained anger and hatred.

"Hih!?"

Kayo probably didn't expect me to look at her with such a gaze. I'm sure she had no tolerance for it. After all, that alone made her cower in fear and fall on her ass. At the same time, I realized the gaze I had been directing at her and restrained myself. It was an immature act to do such a thing to a child, so I understood and looked away.

It was right after that, a particularly loud rumbling sound, like an earthquake from a distance, echoed. Something flew towards us along with an explosion-like sound.

"D*mn!? Isn't it too much!?"

What flew towards us from above were trees. Several trees, as if they had been dug up from the roots up, fly into the city. And it was rotating towards us...wait, this can't be true!

"Miss Kayo!!"

"Huh...!?"

It happened in an instant. I screamed as I noticed where the big tree was going to fall. With a shout, I enhanced my leg strength with my spiritual power and rushed towards her. I hugged her, pushed her down, and lay on top of her.

I charged towards the spot where Kayo had been standing moments ago. The tree that has gouged out the ground, however, is not enough to stop its momentum, and it bounces, scattering dirt, stones, and pieces of wood. It crashed into the roof of a warehouse, gouged it out, and then broke through the fence protecting the city. The horse standing nearby whinnied in fright.

(That demon might have intended to help, but this is going too far...!!?)

As in the original story, the demon's helping service is too rough and crude. She doesn't think of the damage to the people around her, and worst of all, she even involve the main character and cause him to fail, which would disappoint and infuriate him. It's truly reckless.

"Ouch... Miss Kayo, are you injured!?" I cursed at the small pieces of wood that had scattered and embedded into my skin and checked on Kayo.

"Oh, uh... Yes, I'm fine." The girl on the ground gives a dumb reply, unaware of what's going on, and immediately turns pale as she realizes what's happening.

"It's not safe here. We need to evacuate quickly." I plead with Kayo to get up.

However, when she stood up and looked at me, her expression became gloomy and regretful.

"Tomobe-san... isn't coming, is he?"

Her words were squeezed out, and her voice trembled.

"......."

Kayo looked down at my silent reply, but then opened her mouth with an embarrassed expression on her face.

"...Thank you very much."

"Yes?"

"About the other day. Thank you very much."

The sudden thank-you confuses me for a moment, but I immediately understand what she means by the supplementary explanation.

"No, my duty is to protect you, too."

"But you're not coming with me, are you?"

Kayo mutters regretfully, sadly, and lamely. The whispering voice sounded strangely good, even though it was not so quiet around us with the bustle of the city and the roar outside. I bite my tongue beneath my mask.

"Please forgive me."

I apologize. Then, as if to make up for it, I continue. "Lord Uemon is far more skilled than I am. We will settle this matter, I assure you. The merchants' guild has hired guards, and the city's soldiers are here as well. The exorcists and soldiers stationed around the area will also gather. This is not like that time. Please rest assured."

Half of what I said was true, but the other half was a lie. It was true that the youkai energy was intense enough to make me nauseous even from this distance, but it was probably not at full power. If the blue demon were to unleash her full power, the exorcists responsible for the surrounding area and the stationed soldiers would rush to the scene. Even Uemon and the others, who are no doubt stronger than I am, would be able to take advantage of the situation.

However, the blue demon would still not fall. And at the same time, she wasn't exactly in a state of rage. At least she doesn't intend to burn this whole area to the ground. If she wanted to, this city would have been destroyed by now.

...although even if that were to happen, I would still have to go. I'm pretty selfish too.

"...hehehe, I always end up losing, don't I?"

"Yes?"

In the midst of the rumbling sound, Kayo said something, and I tilted my head in confusion. But I couldn't hear what she said. Kayo lightly tapped her hakama and bowed.

"I'm sorry, I was a mess... until just now. It was really unbecoming of me, wasn't it?" Kayo spoke bravely, but she seemed like a child afraid of being scolded by her parents. The reason I thought so was because she was looking at me with a shy expression.

"No, I think it's only natural in your position, Miss Kayo," I deny what she says. My behavior is not admirable, and her anger and doubt are also natural. It wouldn't be mature to criticize her slightly petulant behavior, given her age.

"It's alright, really. ...Hehe, I need to become more of an adult, don't I?"

With a childish but bewitching smile, Kayo turns her gaze behind me. Ahead of her is Iruka, who is struggling to calm down by pulling the reins of the upset horse...

"I made a mistake checking while he was blindfolded and gagged. If I look closely, I'll see that he's not the same person."

"Miss Kayo?"

As I mutter the girl's name, she turns to look at me and smiles.

"At least it's a fact that you saved my life this time. Although it's a bit of a pushy offer, it's the shame of a merchant not to pay a fair price."

Kayo jokes while laughing, yet her goodwill and trust make me feel guilty. To cause trouble for a younger girl because of my own selfishness and to take advantage of her kindness...yet at the same time, I have no other choice.

"Please go quickly. I gave you a concession, remember? Do what you think you should do. That's what sincerity is all about. Time is money."

Kayo urged me to depart with annoyance and scolding, but it was clear that it was just a front.

"...Thank you very much."

There was no time, and a long talk was also impolite. I bowed deeply and got on my horse immediately. The black-horse I mounted was also a gift from her, which tickled my guilty conscience. But I couldn't stay here any longer.

"Let's go!"

"Yeah...!"

With Iruka, we rode the horse and raced down the city road towards the hole in the fence that had been broken by the thrown wooden block.

"......"

Feeling awkward, I turned back once and saw the girl giving me a complex smile. I grit my teeth and turn to face forward. There was no time.

"I need to be prepared for the aftermath of this..."

I leave the city, thinking of my own fate after this incident.

The sky was cloudy and the wind was so cold that I shivered...

* * *

"Mmm, mmmm!? ...Phew. Thank goodness. I managed to hold back."

After letting out a seductive moan, Kayo takes a glance at the departing figure of her beloved. Her expression showed none of the dignity or composure she had just moments ago. If anything, she resembled a b*tch in heat, utterly consumed by her desires.

"Haa... hehehe, it was a good thing I wore a diaper."

Kayo whispered sensually as she rubbed her thighs together. Inside her hakama and underwear, it was literally soaking wet. It might even have been stained with blood.

She couldn't help it. If she had received his gaze head-on like that, this is what she would become. Different from his usual mild-mannered, gentle, sometimes mischievous self. Through the cracks in his face, she could catch a glimpse of his steely, even oppressive gaze. It was horrifying. It sent shivers down Kayo's spine and made her feel like she was being held hostage.

He may not have meant to kill her or hurt her, but Kayo, who was just a weak girl, had no chance against him in terms of physical strength. She had learned that in that brief moment. He had made it clear to her.

"Hehehe..."

Nanban girl blushed, her face turning bright red. She looks like a maiden in love, but in reality, she's so corrupt.

During that moment of provocation and his angry reaction, Kayo was filled with a masochistic pleasure that was unparalleled even by the danger to her life. She felt as if her beloved had made her understand her own position and taught her a lesson. And for her, it was nothing short of a pleasure. After all, her twisted lust had taken over... so much that her heart was tingling from the excitement, and it was overflowing.

"Hehehe, how shameful of me."

Even though she said so, the girl's expression was brazen, and there was no trace of shame. ...If anything, she wanted him to expose her and punish her for her shameful desires, making her feel small and humiliated, scolded, and punished under his contemptuous gaze. So much so, that she was sad to see him leave her. She didn't want to be spoiled, but she wanted to be embarrassed and humiliated under his control, crying out "Ohh!? ❤️," "Hih!? ❤️," and "Ah!? ❤️" like a frog. She wanted to be crushed and have her hair pulled like reins.

"Miss!? Are you there!?"

As Kayo is lost in such pure and maidenly fantasies, a young boy's voice from behind her. She was abruptly pulled back into reality from her imaginary world and her expression turned cold as ice in the darkness. However, she quickly regained her composure and put on a perfect smile as she turned around, for she was a merchant.

"I've been looking for you!? You weren't in your room... I never thought you'd be here!?" the frantic boy said.

"I'm sorry. I was just trying to catch some fresh air... What's all the commotion?" Kayo pretended to be oblivious to the situation at the desperate kid's words. But it was a big lie. She knew everything. She was even certain that the throwing of the wooden plank was intentional. In fact, she was impressed by how everything went according to the rumors about the demon.

Of course, it was no problem for her, since she had enjoyed the moment of bliss so much.

"T-there's a youkai outside...!! Our guards and Onitsuki's exorcists are fighting them off right now!! We need to evacuate quickly!!"

"Yes, let's go to the central government office. There's a basement there. There is a possibility of another projectile like the one we saw earlier."

The young boy suggested this, and the merchant standing beside Kayo holding a lantern agreed and urged her to follow.

In Fusō-kuni, once a city reaches a certain size, a disguised shelter with boundaries and mechanisms is installed in the basement of the government office. This was a lesson learned from the Great War in the past. Naturally, it was for important persons only, since it was not a space that could hold many people, and Kayo was a qualified person to take refuge there.

"I see. Can you guide us?"

Kayo accepted the offer to head to the government office while being protected by her subordinates. She is no longer interested in this place. Her goodbye to him and her sales pitch were already over. Now, the demon will buy them some time by causing a commotion. And after that, it's her turn to buy some time. She has no worries. She was sure he wouldn't be stopped, and it would be too difficult to forcefully halt him. In fact, she had already discussed it with the second princess of Onitsuki. She would leave the support at the scene to her.

(And in the end, once again, I'll make sure to... hehe, he'll surely thank me.)

She knows his manners. When this incident is over, she is sure he will surely be grateful to her and she intends to make it so. As for that, she had already made a deal with the second princess of the Onitsuki clan, with whom she has a subservient alliance. It wasn't difficult to get concessions from her; she would make any concessions for him, and Kayo too had her share. Thus, the proposal and the arrangement went peacefully.

"And when it's all over..."

How much hatred will he direct towards her after she reveal her true nature and betray him? It will probably satisfying enough. She'll probably overdo it and make a fool of herself. But after that...

"Hehehe, it's going to be fun."

Kayo whispered so quietly that no one could hear her as she walked to the shelter. The noise and roar around her was like nothing to her. It didn't matter. While playing the role of the clown that the demon was looking for, she rolled over the taste that she had been savoring all along on her tongue. Its flavor was truly like sweet dew.

The beauty of the golden-haired girl, illuminated by the lantern, was as demon-like and as alluring as ever...