CH 79

Chapter 79: Conversation

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Well then.

Good afternoon, everyone.

How are you?

This is Maou speaking.

Right now I’m….

I’m sitting on top of the Hero’s lap.

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“It’s dangerous.”

“I know but… We don’t have any other options….”

Me and Velke were arguing about the place I planned to go.

I wanted to know more about Killa and his human side.

For that reason, I needed to have another face to face conversation with him.

I believed our conversation was absolutely necessary.

That was why I planned to go to human city to talk with Killa but….

“I can’t allow you to go.”

“Velke…”

As expected from my iron-wall aide, Velke showed no opening at all.

I could have gone behind Velke’s back but I knew he’d found out in the end and the repercussions I’d get later would be much, much worse so I crossed that option away.

“This is something that I have to do no matter what. I have to go through this myself.”

“It’s too dangerous.”

Velke picked me up and briskly carried me back inside.

“Wha-What are you doing?!”

“At this rate, we won’t be able to be on the same page. That’s why… It’s better if I bring you back now…..”

Wai-!

Hey! Why are you bringing me to the bed?!

“Velke! This is an oppression of my rights!”

“You can call it whatever you want. Rather than letting you go to a dangerous place, I’d much prefer to hold you in my arms like this.”

“Velke!!”

I shouted at Velke, his gaze started to turn obsessive.

“I’ll be fine. You don’t have to worry. That’s why… Please let me do my job as Maou.”

“Master….”

“My ultimate goal is to protect the demonkind from any malice. For that reason, I need to get to know more about our main opponent, the Hero. That’s why… Don’t prevent me from going…”

“But….”

“When I return, I want you to make me fully feel this is the place where I belong. That’s why, please let me go now…”

“……… Master…”

Velke finally yielded. He allowed me to go as long as I returned from the city before the sun set. I immediately went to the city before Velke changed his mind. 

I remembered Killa said that he was staying at a place called Hero’s Pavilion.

Apparently it was commonly known that the Hero stayed there.

When I arrived, it seemed he was in the middle of a morning practice but for some reason this place was surrounded by a lot of women.

As expected from the Hero, he’s really popular.

Even though your inner thoughts are… Like that… You’re still popular.

Killa, who was pretending to be cool and gallant looking, put on a surprised expression when he noticed me.

“Mao-kun!”

“Killa onii-chan! Good morning! Are you practicing in the morning? Amazing!”

“No, not at all. You’ve come to play with me? Ah, I’m so happy.”

Killa’s smile was so bright it was blinding.

Ahh… All the women are squealing.

Oh, some of them even fall down.

So this is the effect of the Hero’s divine smile.

I felt that kind of smile was a waste to be directed to such a common looking young boy like me. 

After telling me to wait for him on the first floor of the Hero’s Pavilion, Killa went for a light shower since he said he was sweating a lot from his morning practice. 

Meanwhile all the women gathered all voiced their delight in seeing Killa’s dashing figure this early in the morning.

“Today Hero-sama looks as wonderful as ever!”

“That’s right!”

They were very excited just from being able to see Killa.

“Hey, do you know the Hero?”

One of the woman called out to me. 

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“Is that so…. Ah, I’m so jealous.. If only I could trade places with you… Ah, no. Hey, I will give you some money so can you tell me what kind of things you’re talking about with the Hero?”

Oi, don’t just suddenly offer me a borderline illegal transaction like that, onee-san.

“Umm.. It’s a private matter between me and onii-chan so I will have to ask onii-chan first…”

“Isn’t it fine if you just tell me what kind of things you’re talking about?! You don’t have to go into detail!”

“Umm… I’m sorry!”

Hiiiiiiiii! They’re glaring at me! Their expressions are so scary!

“A prettier boy wouldn’t look so out of place standing side by side with the Hero so someone like you should-”

What a terrible thing to say.

“Mao-kun?”

Oh it seemed Killa had already finished with his shower.

Only at a time like this I felt grateful the Hero was here to help me.

“See you later, onee-san!”

“Ah!”

I quickly ran to Killa.

Their gaze was seriously frightening….

“What were you talking about with them?”

Killa asked.

“No-nothing. We were only talking about how cool Killa onii-chan is.”

Killa seemed surprised for a moment before his face broke into a smile.

He looked genuinely happy, then embarrassed then he started to laugh bashfully.

Compared to his smile from before, his smile now looked more humane.

I held hands with Killa and went inside the Hero’s Pavilion.

“They have a lot of delicious cakes here.”

The restaurant in Hero’s Pavilion had a wide variety of cakes and Killa ordered a bunch of them.

Not bad, Killa! I didn’t expect you’d try to bribe me, a Maou!

I cautiously stared at Killa while stuffing my cheeks full with cake. 

I think it’s about time for me to take a peek at his inner heart.

“Mao-kun, is it good?”

“Yup!”

(Hahh… Hahh… Hahhh… Mao-tan’s cheek is stuffed full!! Ahh, I want to become that cream, I want to become that fork! No, I want to lick Mao-tannnnn!!!)

Uwah… Killa… You really leave no holes barred there…

Rather than that, I needed to focus on gathering information.

Yes, focus on gathering information!

“Say, Killa onii-chan, how long have you been a Hero?”

“Hm? I think ever since I was born.”

“That sounds rough….”

“You think so? But, since I was born like that, I never thought it was hard or anything.”

But that means you’ve always been different ever since you were born.

It was common for people to oscratize anyone who was ‘different’ from them.

His very existence was like a heresy despite him being a ‘Hero’.

It must have been hard….

“How long have you been slaying demons?”

“Hm… Oh, that’s right. I think it’s when I was Mao-kun’s age?

That young?! 

I knew it. He doesn’t realize he’s abnormal.

“But since you were still too little, didn’t your father or anyone try to stop you?”

“No. It can’t be helped since I’m a Hero.”

Killa murmured with resigned expression.

“Because you’re a Hero… But onii-chan, you’re a human too though?”

That’s right. 

Before a Hero, he is a human first and foremost.

I couldn’t believe a human, a parent to the boot, would let their children do something dangerous.

If it were me, I would never let my precious children be like that.

“You’re right… But I’m a Hero after all.”

(Aah.. This boy.. He’s really worrying about me. No one ever treated me like I’m a human before. They always treated me as a ‘Hero’ yet this boy….)

“I have something important that I have to protect. That’s why I will never hesitate to wield this sword.”

The Hero said before he hugged me tightly.

“Right now, I’m really glad I have this power because I can protect Mao-kun and the others.”

Killa was a real hero to the core, his speech and mannerism were really heroic but….

(Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!! Mao-tan’s body is so softtttttt!!! With this memory, I can get by for another 100 daysssssssssssss!!! Ahhhhh!!!!)

If it weren’t for his wretched inner thoughts…..

No, really. If only he wasn’t like this…….

Don’t use me as your ‘side dish’!!!

“Hey, what do you think of the demon?”

“Hm?’

“No, I mean… Remember the incident with the kobold before? I’ve been wondering what onii-chan thinks of demons ever since then.”

“An enemy that I have to defeat.”

Killa answered in a heartbeat. 

Of course. He’s a Hero so it’s given he’d answer like that.

“Why are they an enemy that onii-chan have to defeat?”

“Why? Well…”

Damn, was I too straightforward?

But it seemed Killa was seriously considering his answer.

“The demonkind attacks humans unconditionally, that’s why I have to exterminate them.”

“But that kobold was frightened though? He didn’t attack me at all?”

Now.. This is the moment of truth…

The fact that demonkind doesn’t blindly attack humans might never have crossed Killa’s mind. 

“That’s…”

Killa trailed.

“You know, I’ve been thinking…”

I stared into Killa’s eyes.

“I think the reason why the demon attacks humans is because humans attack the demon.”

“So you mean… It’s the opposite of what I’ve said before?”

“I don’t know… I just think maybe that’s one of the possibilities.”

Killa was completely focused on listening to me.

“I think demons also have a family and in order to protect their family, they have to attack humans.”

The shock was apparent in Killa’s eyes.

(That kind of thing… Those demons…. Are they sentient? They want to protect their family?! No, it can’t be…. That kind of thing is….)

(If it’s true then all these time I’ve been――)

NO!

He mustn’t sink any further than this!!

If he goes any further, the Hero… No. Killa will begin to deny his own existence!

“But you know! There’s one thing I’m sure of!”

“…Eh? Huh?”

“All these time, onii-chan has been working so hard to protect us, humans.”

“……. Yeah.”

“Onii-chan has been protecting humanity all by yourself.”

“……..Yeah.”

“Thank you, onii-chan.”

Suddenly, drops of tears fell from Killa’s eyes.

Eh?! Wai-!

I don’t think I’ve said anything that would make you cry! Right?!

“Thank you, Mao-kun.”

“Uuh.. Onii-chan, forgive me? Are you alright?”

“You know, maybe all these time… I’ve been wanting for someone to understand about… My suffering. Mao-kun, thank you. Thank you for thinking about me.”

“Y-yeah.”

“I’ll give your question some more thoughts. Maybe just like Mao-kun said, maybe the demon does have a conscience. Maybe they also have feelings.”

“Yeah.”

“Maybe I’ve been missing something big here.”

These parallel lines, although it was still far away, I felt like we’ve gotten a bit closer to our intersection now.

I’m glad. Our conversation today is not for vain.

I’ve successfully made a possibility bloom inside Killa’s mind.

I quietly thought to myself as Killa hugged me.

( Mao-tan! Mao-tan! Mao-tan! How thoughtful you are!! To think you’d have this much compassion for a single kobold!! And you even have so much kindness for the demon!! Hahh… Hahhh… Hahhh… Mao-tan.. Mao-tan must be a saint.. No, maybe Mao-tan is really a saint!! A virgin saint!! Ahhhh!! My excalibur!! My Excalibur is waking up!!)

At least let me have a cool final moment…….

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T/N: Our perverted Hero never betrays our expectations! Though…  I’m not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing… ( ´･ω･)