“Auu...”
And with her sister joining in, Nephy was brought down to her knees, leaving Stella with a strained smile.
“Haha... I’m glad it looks like you get along so well. So how are the other two here related?”
Nephteros and Chastille exchanged glances. Now that they thought of it, they were a little too shaken and had yet to properly introduce themselves.
“I’m Nephteros. Nephelia is my sister. Big... Zagan also treats me as his sister-in-law.”
“Oh, you two do look like peas in a pod... hang on, what? The sister of his lover is his sister-in-law means... you two are already married?”
“Are you, Nephelia?”
With the attention turned back on her, Nephy was on the verge of passing out.
“Um... um...”
“Well, I guess he wouldn’t do that kind of thing, huh? Nephy and Zagan just have their own way of getting along is all.” Chastille brought that conversation to an end for Nephy, then introduced herself. “My name is Chastille. How do I even explain it? I hold the title of a bishop, and have become responsible for the church in this town. Zagan is... a sworn ally... would be about the right way to put it? Anyway, we have a friendly relationship.”
“Hmmm? I thought the church treated sorcerers as their enemies. Has that changed?”
“Well, even the church happens to have all sorts of factions. I don’t intend on causing you any harm either, so I’d like for you to feel at ease.”
Stella nodded back to Chastille in admiration.
“That so? I see Zagan has made some proper friends, huh? That boy has always been rather bad at socializing. Even when he tried thanking people, he always glared at them for a long time so everyone just ran away. His big sister here really was worried about it...”
Seeing that she really was moved to tears, it appeared that Zagan’s difficult to understand personality stemmed all the ways to his days before he was a sorcerer. And seeing her like that, the little girl squeezed on Stella’s hand.
“It’s okay. The Archdemon isn’t scary. He’s actually really nice.”
“...Thanks. You’re such a good girl Lisette.”
It seemed the little girl’s name was Lisette.
“And how are the two of you related?” Chastille asked.
“Hmmm. Sisters maybe? She was being attacked by something weird so I picked her up.”
Stella brushed back her bangs and looked around the area with her right eye.
“I could see those weird things here and there up until now, but apparently they’re gone. Maybe they ran away? Or are targeting someone else? Or maybe they were hunted down by someone? Anyway, it looks like things have calmed down, so I thought I’d give her something to eat and came here.”
It appeared that her artificial eye was assisting her, unlike the one she used as Decarabia. At the very least, she didn’t show any signs of going berserk right now.
“Hey, can I ask about your circumstances too maybe? There’s no way you guys are struggling for money since Zagan’s an Archdemon now, right? And you’re a bishop too. So why are you working here?” Stella asked.
Chastille and Nephteros looked over to Nephy, who was the reason they were working.
I feel like it will be fine to tell her.
Nephy nodded, then finally stood back up to her feet.
“Actually—”
“A present for Zagan?”
Stella stared back at her in wonder, and Nephy nodded.
“Yes. I’ve heard that today is a festival called Alshiere Imera, and there’s a custom to present gifts to the one you hold dearest. That’s why I wanted to try earning money on my own so that I could buy a present.”
She also thought of making something on her own, but she had already given him a handmade muffler before. Moreover, there were many things that were difficult to procure if she were to make something by hand in the middle of the night.
It would be difficult to make ‘that’ by hand too.
Nephy had a good idea of what she wanted to give him as a present already. And upon hearing her answer, Stella clapped her hands together energetically.
“Okay! In that case I’ll help out too.”
“Is that alright?”
“Mm. I don’t really remember it clearly, but the last time I met Zagan I feel like I did something really bad to him. So this’ll be like making amends for that.” She then grinned and pointed at Nephy. “Besides, I’m awfully interested in just what kind of girl Zagan fell in love with.”
“Auu...” Nephy winced, unable to see any future where she wasn’t going to be teased by this girl.
Nephteros, who had been quiet until now, then suddenly cut into the conversation.
“It’s fine to help and all, but why did you come to this town in the first place? The personal disciple of an Archdemon couldn’t possibly have come to do some sightseeing, right?”
“Hmmm, not entirely. Honestly, I’m completely at a dead end.”
“What do you mean?”
Stella smiled back in a troubled manner.
“I’m looking for Marc. I mean, Zagan’s looking for him too it seems.”
Nephy also knew that Zagan was searching for that man.
“Do you have any leads?” Nephy asked.
“About the only thing I know is where he was trying to go after I last met him.”
“C-Could you tell me where he was going?”
Even Nephteros and Chastille joined Nephy in leaning forward in anticipation. However, Stella’s expression clouded over.
“Marc was chasing a sorcerer named Shere Khan... one of the thirteen Archdemons.”
Nephy was left at a complete loss for words at such an unpredictable answer.
◇
“Keehee, this shop has everything from clothes to accessories targeted at girls, you know? They surely have something fit for a gift for Lady Nephy.”
They were currently in a general store a short distance from Kianoides’ shopping district. There was a need for the store to be some distance away from other stores so it was off the main street. If one did not know it was there, then they surely wouldn’t visit it. It was a hole in the wall that was well known to those who knew of it. The interior of the store was quite vast, but the shelves were cram packed and there were quite a lot of customers, giving it a claustrophobic impression. Such was the case, but upon seeing everything collected here, Zagan nodded in a convinced manner.
“I see, looks like I’ll be able to find what I’m looking for here. You have my thanks.”
“I am love blessed to be given such honest praise.”
“I don’t get it, but whatever. This helps. Honestly, the only option I could think of on my own was visiting Manuela’s shop.”
Gremory let out a sigh of relief.
Precisely why I had to guide you here!
Gremory knew that Foll was planning a party for Alshiere Imera, and also knew that Nephy was working at a tavern so that she could buy Zagan a present. Gremory’s mission was to make sure their surprises succeeded without Zagan catching on. There was a pretty high probability that Nephy would head toward Manuela’s shop, so she guided him to a special store instead.
Just imagining his reaction when the surprise succeeds with a bang... ugh, crap, I feel a nosebleed coming.
Setting aside Gremory getting all aroused on her own, Zagan began looking through the goods on sale... For the time being, all the other customers around him were women, but the Archdemon showed no signs of cowardice. More precisely, he even had a shopping basket hanging down from his arm and was completely blending in. It was entirely possible that he simply didn’t recognize the other sex at all as long as they weren’t Nephy. Well, if he wasn’t at least that hardy, Gremory wouldn’t look up to him as her lord. After coming back to her senses, Gremory looked to Zagan and found him staring at some sort of long and narrow tube with a groan.
“It’s not bad... no, we really don’t need this.”
&
nbsp; It didn’t look like a present for Nephy, but Zagan returned it to its shelf in a troubled manner. Gremory then took a peek into Zagan’s shopping basket. He had what looked like pendants, mufflers, hats and all sort of similar goods thrown into it.
“Hrm? My liege. Is this not too much for a gift for Lady Nephy?”
“I’m just jamming anything in that comes to mind. I’ve yet to actually pick something for Nephy.”
Gremory continued to stare at the basket in curiosity for a while longer, but then came to a realization.
“My liege. Are these perhaps for your subordinates?”
“No, sorcerers won’t be happy at getting such normal ornaments. There’s Foll, Lilith, Selphy, Nephteros and also Raphael... Aah, I’ll at least prepare something for you and Kimaris too.”
“Huaah?”
Gremory never expected things to go in this direction and let out a strange sound.
I only informed him that there was a custom to give a present to one’s lover, right? Has the Alshiere Imera party been found out?
Upon thinking that, Gremory immediately realized that wasn’t the case. This man was surely just thinking that if he gave Nephy a present, he would make Foll feel lonely if he didn’t get her something too. And if he were to prepare something for Foll, then Raphael, Lilith and Selphy required presents as well. This went on to even include herself and Kimaris. He truly was an un-Archdemon-like sorcerer.
No, that is precisely what makes him my king, right?
This man was fulfilling Gremory’s desire to ‘love all creation,’ and just perhaps, he would help her with that other matter too. And suddenly, Gremory took a look at her surroundings.
“Something wrong?”
“No, I just thought that damn Kimaris was strangely panicked today.”
Gremory replied to Zagan with a puzzled expression of her own. Under normal circumstances, he would chase after her even if she leaped into mud to erase her scent. And with that, Zagan glared back at her reproachfully.
“What? You planning on buying that for Kimaris?”
Gremory was brought back to reality in an instant.
“Eeep? I-I’m not! Why would I do something like that for...”
“You’re not? I think you should sympathize with Kimaris at least once in a while.”
“Mrrr...”
Gremory groaned. This Archdemon was sensitive to the subtleties of the emotions of others despite being a late bloomer himself. Well, the fact that he knew these things but wasn’t able to do it well himself just made it that much more worth watching his love, though.
Gremory then picked up the pendant.
I wonder if he would actually be happy...
She did think it would suit him, but just how would he take it? Gremory’s relationship with Kimaris was just about half a century long, but that was also what made it difficult to become intimate with him. If pushed to say it, she was inseparable from him.
“If my liege orders it, then I must obey.”
“You’re quite the pain in the ass sometimes, you know...?”
She felt like Zagan was exasperated with her in an entirely different way from usual, but today was Alshiere Imera. She wouldn’t incur any punishment from just being a little whimsical.
Gremory went ahead to settle her own bill ahead of Zagan, and just then...
“So there’s a shop here? I never noticed.”
An elf with pure white hair stepped into the store.
Gaaaah! L-L-L-L-L-L-Lady Nephy?! Why here?!
“Eeek? Um, miss?”
Gremory quickly vaulted over the counter and hid herself, but she was completely thrown out of sorts. The clerk called out to her in surprise, but Gremory had no leisure to pay that any mind. That was but a trifle compared to the calamity that was about to occur.
“I wonder if Big Bro will be surprised by this outfit?”
“I’m sure Zagan will praise you and be happy about it... But, there’s no point in making me wear this outfit too, right?”
And it wasn’t just Nephy, Nephteros and Chastille were with her. The three of them also seemed to have come by still wearing the uniforms they had on for work. It was a charming red and white costume.
“You were just saying that it wasn’t embarrassing, weren’t you?” Nephteros quipped with a laugh.
“Being seen by people I know is an entirely different matter.”
“Isn’t it fine? They said it was a surprise, right? I think there’s a bigger impact if we all do it together.”
“Geez... guess there’s no other choice. It’d be nice if Barbatos doesn’t see this, though.”
For some reason, Nephteros was teasing her in good humor, and Chastille was giving in without resistance.
Crap... this is bad. My liege mustn’t see this!
The girls were preparing an even greater surprise that Gremory knew nothing about. Having it exposed here wasn’t something that Gremory could possibly allow as an evangelist of love power. And as if bringing the finishing blow to Gremory, who was trembling from her fear and her sense of duty, the next person came into sight.
“Haha. Isn’t it a great shop? Back in the day, I would come and ogle at this stuff all day long as a way of distracting me from starvation. There’s a whole lotta cute stuff here, right?”
She had long bangs covering her right eye, but there was no way Gremory would mistake her for someone else. This was Zagan’s old friend, the girl called Stella who they parted with half a month ago on the uninhabited island near Liucaon.
Decarabia...! Or was it Stella now? Why is she in town too?!
The girl’s tough past left Nephteros and Chastille completely taken aback.
“Well, you are his big sister, so that’s about how it would be, huh...?”
“Once in a while, I truly wonder whether the church is actually saving the people. I’m anxious if we’re really useful at all here...”
Stella laughed in a troubled manner.
“Well, we had good times too, you know? More importantly, I wonder if we can find anything fitting for Zagan’s present here? I actually brought you all along to look for Marc, though.”
“It’s alright, Miss Stella. Master Zagan has always been worried about your safety. He will surely be pleased to be able to meet you.”
“Is that so? Well, okay, then,” Stella said as she awkwardly scratched her face before continuing, “Right on! Leave it to Big Sis! Let’s do our best to make it a wonderful surprise!”
“Right!”
Gremory was left screaming in her mind from under the counter.
The surprise is about to get spooooooooooiled!!
The girls didn’t know that the one they were trying to surprise was but a few steps away. Perhaps as a small mercy, Zagan was at a shelf in a blind spot from the entrance. So neither he nor the girls had yet to notice each other. However, just how was Gremory supposed to avert the oncoming crisis when the exit to the building was blocked as it was? She didn’t even feel this cornered one month ago when she escaped from her teacher just for the chance to love strike the girls of Liucaon.
Gremory quietly took a deep breath.
It seems the time to cast this life away may have come.
She made her resolve, hardened her spirit and abandoned her fear. No matter how impossible, no matter how difficult, she had to do it. There was no other choice. It must be done.
Love power is found even in death!
All was for the sake of realizing the delighted expressions of those lovely girls in that one instant. Even if she herself were not there to witness it, it had to be accomplished.
“Um, miss? Are you not feeling well? Would you like me to call a doctor?”
The reckoning was at hand. And yet, the clerk called out to her in concern as Gremory began writhing about under the counter. And in response, Gremory transformed into a beautiful woman and sat atop the counter. She then suddenly lifted the clerk’s chin with her finger.
“Keehee, fret not. You ar
e simply so adorable that I had a dizzy spell.”
“Huh? Huh? Um? Auu...?”
It wasn’t like the clerk had any such inclinations, but the fomorian’s full power could even charm the same sex. This was the power of Balor’s Evil Eye that belonged to the fomorians, who called themselves the ancestors of the succubae.
This is a gamble!
Gremory’s eccentric behavior should have been easily seen by both Zagan and Nephy. In this case, they would surely take action to stop her. The problem was who would cut in first. And the winner was...
“Are you unable to be obedient for even a few minutes?!”
Zagan. He brought down his fist atop her head, and sparks flew about in Gremory’s vision.
But... this... is good... I won... the bet?
The counter was designed to face the exit, so with Zagan on the other side smacking Gremory atop the head, his back was turned to Nephy’s group.
“M-Master Zagan?!” Nephy whispered with a jolt.
“Shh! Let’s run Nephelia!” Nephteros shushed her and took her hand.
“Awawawawa!” Chastille began panicking.
“You run too! Zagan will find us!” Stella grabbed her and ran.
The moment Gremory’s consciousness faded, she saw with her very own eyes that Nephy’s group had safely escaped.
◇
“I really must apologize for my subordinate.”
“Oh, no. It was not her... please, do not pay it any mind.”
Zagan bobbed his head down to the clerk and finished settling his payment. The girl was on the verge of fainting from having an Archdemon bow down to her, but Zagan had no time to worry about that.
I wonder if Orias is like this too...
That Archdemon apologized on every occasion that he met her. Was she too just like Zagan as he was now? Filled to the brim with apologies for this idiot’s behavior? The person in question was lying there with an accomplished-looking face too, so he couldn’t help but feel irritated about it.
It’s even worse that I can’t hate her for it.
She was talented enough for him to have her as his left hand, and her habitual behavior never resulted in something worse than this. His head hurt, and he didn’t want to get involved any further, but she wasn’t someone he felt enough disgust for that he would push her away. And since it couldn’t be helped, he paid for Gremory as well, and then dragged her along by the scruff of her neck.
An Archdemon's Dilemma: How to Love Your Elf Bride: Volume 8 (Premium) Page 10