273.【Volume 2 Launch Commemoration Short Story】The Demon King Wants to Make Contact

 

 

Hmm, deep breaths. Breathe in slowly, and then exhale even more slowly. That’s right, that’s a deep breath. To calm the heart. Now…

 

“Welcome to Ortush!”

“Guh… !?”

 

N-No good! I can’t do it, no matter how many times I try! Why? Why does it make my heart race!? Deep breaths are for calming the heart, right? Why can’t I do something this easy!

 

“You’re making a puzzled expression, Zahariash-sama. Could it be that… you haven’t even taken a deep breath yet?”

“Hah!? So that’s why I can’t calm down! You’ve realized something important, Kron!”

 

That’s right, I always see my adorable Meg before I can even take a deep breath! Okay, I’ll turn around. I won’t be able to see her if I do that. Breathe in, breathe out. Oh, I’m calm. I’m now aware of the importance of breathing.

…But can I really keep my back to her? Not see my adorable daughter? What was the point of even coming here? I came to see her!

 

“Zahariash-sama, you’re trembling from withdrawal symptoms.”

“Guh—what—what should I do… !?”

 

I tremble when I don’t see her, and I tremble when I see her. Am I ill?

 

“Zahariash-sama, the guild members are becoming intimidated. If you can’t endure it, then let’s return to Demon Castle.”

“Of course I can endure this. It’s only natural. Who do you think I am?”

 

No good, if things continue like this, Kron will take me back to Demon Castle. I have to avoid that. …I’ve endured all kinds of things since I was a child. Something like this… of course I can handle it. Okay, I won’t look. I’m not going to look at Meg. I’ll close my eyes and calm my heart.

 

“Okii, have a safe twip!”

“Guh…!?”

 

Wh-Why!? I’m not looking at her, but that power! It’s her voice, huh. So I can’t even listen!? But that’s the same as being back at Demon Castle!

 

“Meg-chan, that hair ornament’s so cute!”

“Wight!? It’sh from Ran-chan’s shop! I wuv it!”

 

Meg’s favorite hair ornament!?

 

“Hey, hey, Meg. There’s a mark on your cheek? Were you sleeping in a weird position?”

“Eh!? I checked in the mirror!”

 

A mark on her cheek!? I want to see. It’s definitely cute. I want to see it…!

 

“Zahariash-sama, it might actually worsen your symptoms if you don’t look. Your imagination will run wild.”

“I see, imagination huh. Worsen my symptoms… so this illness will worsen?”

“…There is no difference.”

 

The human imagination is limitless. Just hearing those words from Meg made me imagine her and me sleeping in my bedroom, and her waking me up in the morning, saying, “Father-sama, it’sh morning!”. But, imagination isn’t enough. The real thing is right here… I want to see her with my own two eyes.

 

“How about some training?”

“Training?”

“Yes. Observe Meg-sama intently. No matter how much your heart races, you have to keep watching her. You might eventually get used to it.”

“I see, training, huh… okay.”

 

If I think of it as training, then maybe I can do it. And if I endure this trial, then maybe someday, I’ll be able to casually chat with Meg! But she said, “No matter how much your heart races…” She’s asking for a lot….

Resigned, I immediately turned around and looked at Meg…!

 

“Ah, hewwo! Welcome!”

“Muh…!”

“Endure it! Zahariash-sama!”

 

I barely stopped myself from falling to my knees. It was close, if Kron hadn’t called out to me, I would have collapsed.

 

“You’ve gotten worse, just from not seeing her for a while… If we don’t do something, you’ll turn into a pervert. You’re already close though.”

“Who’s a pervert?”

 

Kron’s merciless. She’s always been like this, but I do get hurt when she calls me a pervert.

 

“But you could be seen that way. What are you going to do? If Meg-sama thinks that about you?”

“I’ll fix it immediately.”

 

I wouldn’t be able to live if that happened. I’m sorry, Eugene and Meg, but I’m prepared to end it all. I need to make sure these feelings don’t show, before Eugene gets back to Ortus. I steeled myself and diligently trained.

 

 

 

“…How was that, Kron?”

“Passing grade, Zahariash-sama.”

 

It was a very difficult training session. But thanks to that, I’m now able to just groan a little, no matter how moved I am by Meg’s cuteness. It can’t be helped, because Meg does adorable things so often. Ugh, she’s yawning and rubbing her eyes…! I want to pick her up. I want to pick her up and carry her to bed!

 

“…I want to make contact with Meg.”

“That’s a bit dangerous, Zahariash-sama. You’ll be misunderstood.”

“Why!? What’s so strange about wanting to touch my daughter!?”

 

But I can’t frighten her. We’ve only known each other for a few days. And we just suddenly found out that we’re parent and child. Even I’m bewildered. Meg must be even more bewildered than me. I have to be patient. There’s no choice but to slowly close the distance.

 

“I understand. Nothing good comes from rushing. That’s why I’m enduring this.”

“Zahariash-sama…”

 

Our time together has just begun. We’ll have plenty of opportunities to interact in the future. It’s enough to just be here and see her up close.

But she really is adorable. And she looks so much like Yennaliearl. Yennaliearl had upturned eyes and a strong personality, while Meg’s kindness is obvious, but she really does look like her.

 

“I’m sure she’ll look even more like her when she grows up.”

 

It’s easy to imagine her looking exactly like her. But that gentle atmosphere probably won’t change. That’s one of her good qualities. Well, as for me, I found Yennaliearl’s strong personality, and the way she’d blush shyly at times, adorable, but I also find Meg’s gentle atmosphere to be incredibly charming.

Honestly, as a father, I want to watch her grow up from up close. But just looking at her, it’s obvious how much she loves Ortus.

Even though she doesn’t have to work at this age, she’s happily walking around the guild hall. Cheerfully greeting everyone, laughing adorably, speaking to those who seem to be struggling.

She probably wanted to work. I knew that without even asking. That’s how much she loves her comrades in this guild. I’m jealous. Of course I am, I want to be loved that much too. But at the same time, I also feel proud and happy. It makes me happy to see my daughter, my precious daughter with Yennaliearl, being so happy.

 

I have no intention of forcing her to come to Demon Castle. If this is where she wants to be, then I’ll respect her decision. It doesn’t change the fact that she’s my daughter. I’m sure Yennaliearl would agree. I won’t be greedy. I’ll just continue to watch over her.

But, just a little, even just a little.

I can’t help but to wish that she’d warm up to me, even just a little, before I have to return to Demon Castle.

 

And it seemed like my wish was granted, because a few hours later, an unforgettable memory of Meg was created. That monumental day, when I first felt paternal affection, has become a treasure I wouldn’t trade for anything.

Ahh, Eugene. You were right. A daughter is a wonderful thing!!

 

 

——

 

 

TL Note: Once again, this side story is continued in a light novel volume. I only translated this so I don’t get chapter numbers confused later.