“Milady.”
“Yeah?”
“There's this kid I thought of as just, like, a needy younger brother who needs a lot of care. But somehow, he keeps looking cool. Does that mean I like him?”
Konny asked seriously. Her cute round face looked worried. Her voice was always mixed with laughter, but this time, it also showed hesitation. Lara woke up pressing down her heavy eyes. She thought that she had been asked a difficult question as soon as she opened her eyes in the morning. Then, while trying to chase the sleepiness away, she suddenly asked back.
“He looks cool?”
“Yes.”
“Then, not yet.”
Perhaps Lara’s answer was unexpected, but Konny looked at her with a slightly surprised face.
“Not yet? So I don’t like him?”
“I think you will like him soon though…”
Lara was sleeping in a bed made loosely of wood. Since there were no proper bedrooms in the ruins, the Barbarians cut down trees and made Lara a bed. It was a good bed, it was strong and wide.
Lara roughly removed the blanket. She got out of bed and stretched her body.
“It’s possible for someone to look cool even though you don’t like them. In my opinion, love is… when your heart aches when you’re not with him. You cry for no reason and you always think about him before you go to sleep.”
“Love is a sad thing.”
“It’s not necessarily like that. It’s sad, but strangely, you feel happy. Otherwise, why would people call love a crazy thing?”
It was a sunny day. The sky rose far up to a high place and sprinkled a blue light. Lara let out a long sigh as she looked at the high blue sky. Her eyes were hot. Her chest felt cool yet stuffy at the same time, tingling as if an anesthetic was applied to a painful wound.
Lara smiled helplessly at her overly healthy body, she thought that it would have been better had she been sick. But it did not seem so in Konny’s eyes.
“Milady, you cried all night.”
“Huh?”
“I saw you crying while trying hard not to make a sound. You even kept trying to soothe your swollen eyes with cold water at dawn. I know you’re trying not to make the people around you worry, but don’t try to hide it from me.”
“Konny.”
“You’re my family. You’re the only one I have in this world. I know what you’re doing is difficult and great, but when you’re going through something sad, I want you to just be sad to your heart's content.”
When Lara looked at Konny nagging at her, she suddenly recalled when Konny totally opposed Prince Sidhar in her past life.
My dear Konny.
“You’re an idiot who only knows me.”
“I’m not an idiot. I was the smartest maid around when I worked at Bailey’s manor, you know?”
“Who said that?”
“The other employees.”
“Well, they lied because you’re cute.”
Konny looked at Lara with a shocked face. Konny organized the large blanket with her small hands. She pouted her lips as she saw Lara smiling mischievously.
“I hesitated a lot whether to contact Master Demian or not. If I were to tell him that you’re crying, I think he would run over to you like a bull from Lafort …”
“Don’t.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s doing something important.”
“For Master Demian, you crying is probably more important, milady.”
Konny talked back to Lara. She looked as if she was about to put up a ‘Do not disturb’ sign in front of the door had Lara not told her why she cried all night. At that moment, Lara resented Valentine, who taught Konny how to use the long-distance magic receiver.
“Does Valentine know?”
“About what?”
“That I cried…”
“Of course! You know that he doesn’t sleep at night. He patrols in front of your room every night because you’re on a dangerous battlefield…”
“Sigh.”
“So you should just get some rest today. The swelling has subsided but your eyes are still red. If you go out just like this, everyone will ask why you cried.”
“The Barbarians?”
“Uhh… Not them.”
“Who else is here besides the Barbarians? The demon Vassago?”
When Lara asked with a smile, Konny pouted even more.
“Well, the only people here are those who are bad at reading the room.”
“So, when are you going to confess to Valentine?”
“Confess what?”
“You said you like him. The one who likes first should confess first.”
After organizing the blankets, Konny took out the clothes for Lara. Then, she suddenly stepped back as if she had seen a ghost.
“Konny, what’s wrong?”
“What do you mean confess?”
Konny screamed.
“He’s just a silly little brother! He’s clumsy at everything so he needs a lot of care! You’re the one giving me my paycheck, milady, but he’s the one I take care of more!”
“Geniuses usually need a lot of care.”
“But I don’t need a genius! I like simple and diligent people who earn little by little every month! Someone who can unclog the sewer, carry the wheat sack, and fix the legs of a chair!”
“Valentine is going to be super rich soon. He’s decided to sell the long-distance magic receiver to the Crown Prince. I’m not sure about simple, but he is diligent. I’m sure he can make a sewer that will never clog and a chair that will never break.”
“Milady…”
“What?”
“I want to contact Master Demian.”
“No.”
“You’re terrible.”
Konny snorted and went outside to prepare a meal. Lara barely held back her laughter and changed into the clothes Konny had taken out. She wore the top first and then the pants. Finally, she tried to wear the long vest, but something came out of it.
It was the long-distance magic receiver.
“Konny…”
The round diamond was in her hand. Valentine made the receiver in the shape of a necklace so she could use it comfortably. It was a medium that allowed Lara and Demian to talk when they were far away.
Demian might be waiting for her contact. They were so busy dealing with important things and there were a lot of eyes looking at them that they could not contact each other at any time. But he would still be thinking about her all the time.
Lara loved Demian, she could even die one more time for him. She did not think that her love was false or manipulated, and the same goes for Demian.
“I trust you.”
Lara spoke to the jewel of the necklace. Even though Demian was not listening, just talking to him alone became comforting for her.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
From that day on, Lara had gotten very busy. Vassago, who decided to betray the demons for the survival of hell, actively helped to subdue the nearby black sorcerers and demon worshippers who were living in hiding.
Most of them were worshippers of Vassago, but Vassago himself only snorted at them. He ridiculed them because they looked pathetic to follow him like an idol even though he had never asked them to worship him.
“I have made a contract with a few black sorcerers and lent them my power… But I have never ordered them to create a group to worship me. I love hell, so I have no interest in the human’s realm. The same goes for humans, of course.”
“But it doesn’t change the fact that you’re the cause. How many offerings have they made to make you ascend and how many crimes have they committed… Someone has to take responsibility.”
“If you think so, Master, I will punish them myself.”
Vassago acted like a very loyal subordinate. When it came to Lara’s order, he was ready to lie down and bump his head into the ground and even die for her. Moreover, he carried out all her orders without even staying apart from her. Valentine looked at Vassago with a fearful yet envious look.
Autumn was reaching its heights. It was the day when they attacked the hideout of demon worshippers and celebrated their victory for the umpteenth time. Domino sat next to the bonfire with a large bottle of liquor. Lara appeared in front of him.
“Domino.”
“Saintess.”
“Just call me by my name.”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“I’m afraid I will get attached to you.”
Domino threw the drunken Oscar and Lampion anywhere he could and brought Lara near the bonfire. He sat at a slightly slanted position behind her as if he were guarding her.
“Are we going to the West now?”
Domino asked. Lara looked back at him with a surprised face.
“How did you know?”
“Now that we are done with the small fry here, shouldn’t we deal with the small fry on the other side?”
Lara nodded. As she remembered, there was a time when the power of demon worshippers fluctuated near the western Gorgon Mountain Range. She did not know the exact date, but within a few years, that area would be a wasteland.
That area was closer to her hometown, Hautean, than Lafort, Sias, and Moltan. It was closer to the lawless zone, which would someday become Demian’s territory. As it was so far away, they might not even realize the season changing into winter.
Domino muttered.
“Everyone will be very happy.”
“Because you are all going back to Gorgon?”
“Because our families are there.”
While talking about family, Domino’s face had a smile that Lara had never seen before. It was the smile of a cold man who seemed friendly but pitiable.
“You must have been very worried. You wouldn't be able to contact your family freely…”
“It’s fine. We left behind some warriors there. And if they are given clubs, even the women can catch one or two demonic beasts.”
“We need to move quickly.”
“It’s fine.”
“No. I want to bring you to your family as soon as possible.”
Despite Domino’s insistence on it being fine, Lara did not miss the excitement cast like a shadow around his eyes.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
It was the day when they departed for the West. Lara immediately packed up after handing over the demon worshippers and black sorcerers she had captured to the Empire. The Barbarians were also busy moving to wrap up their long journey and go to the West, where their families were waiting.
“Vassago.”
“Yes, Master.”
“My shoes?”
“I have thoroughly cleaned it here.”
The people there had gotten used to Lara walking around the ruins with an expressionless face and handling the demon like her slave. Oscar roughly threw his things on the wagon and took out his map. The guide would lead the way but he checked it once more because it was his habit. At that time, Domino approached him.
“Oscar.”
“What?”
“I have something to say. Follow me.”
Oscar folded the map and raised his head. He thought there was only Domino but Lampion also stood behind his back with a runny nose.
“What’s up?”
“Be quiet and follow me. Be as inconspicuous as possible. We’re going to draw lots.”
“I mean, why?”
“Without letting the saintess know, we are going to get Demian…”
Domino, Lampion, and Oscar’s eyes were closely intertwined. They wandered around silently and moved to the corner of the ruins. Then, they drew lots with serious faces.
“Of all people…”
Lampion was chosen.
