Editors: Speedphoenix, Joker
A good number of warwolves had entered my territory. Performing an exact headcount proved to be rather difficult given the fact that they were in the midst of combat, but I could at least discern that there were somewhere between fifty and a hundred of them. Yeah, so I'mma go ahead and say that it doesn't really take a genius to figure out that these are probably Lyuu's people.
Man, I know it was just one day, but this is what we get for putting off our little trip to her parents' house. I should've just forced her to go. Er, actually… On second thought, we might've ended up missing each other if we really did leave today, so this might actually be for the better. Well, Lyuu, congrats. Your laziness paid off.
"Is it just me, or are things looking pretty bad for them?" I muttered under my breath. "It looks like they're being attacked by every monster they encounter."
Unlike the humans, the warwolves didn't have magical items capable of repelling monsters. Naturally, that meant they were constantly under attack. In fact, they had only chanced upon my territory because they were in the midst of fleeing from one of their many assailants. That said, they had yet to be done in. In fact, as far as I could tell, they had yet to suffer even a single loss. Their excellent teamwork was stopping them from winding up as some strange animal's dinner. For now. Though I praised their efforts, I knew they weren't sustainable. Each wave of beasts would render more of their warriors incapable of combat.
It was only a matter of time before they were sent to the grave. Though I was heartless, I wasn't heartless enough to leave what was likely Lyuu's next of kin to die. I had to act. Plus, they might feel like they owe me if I lend them a hand. Which means I might actually get to solve this with words instead of getting jumped by some blood-crazed father.
"Well, I guess I've got no choice but to step in," I groaned. "Alright newbies, you guys go on ahead and kick the shit out of all the monsters in the area. Should be a breeze with how much you've all grown. Just make sure you watch your backs. The warwolves will probably attack you, so make sure you retreat as soon as you're done getting rid of all the monsters."
The red snake, the crow, the twin-tailed cat, and the waterball all telepathically acknowledged my orders and immediately set off.
"Sorry, Nell, but I think that's probably going to be it for today. You mind doing me a favour and heading back to the dungeon?"
"Sure, I don't mind," she said with a smile.
"Thanks. Can you show her the way back, Rir?"
The ever-reliable pup barked in affirmation as he walked over to the hero, who promptly jumped on his back. It was a smooth motion, one that proved she had already long gotten used to riding him.
"Alrighty then. I guess it's time for me to get to entertaining the guests…" After watching both mount and rider head towards the dungeon, I reluctantly began to carry out my next task.
***
Orochi, Yata, Byakku, and Wsprit had done their jobs well. They had drawn all nearby monsters off the warwolves by engaging them in combat. Wow, is it just me, or have they gotten a lot stronger since I last saw them? Though I guess it's only natural seeing as how Rir's the one in charge of getting them up to speed. Man, having competent subordinates is the best thing since sliced bread.
Though they were no longer being attacked, the beastkin were still on guard. Those that were still able bodied remained positioned around the perimeter of their formation, while those no longer capable of combat rested within the safety bubble created by their brethren.
Much to my surprise, the warwolves were skilled in the art of detection. They noticed me coming way before I got to them; their warriors were ready with their weapons raised by the time I arrived. Oh right, now that I think about it, Lyuu's was always kinda good at that kinda stuff too. She's got a pretty good nose. And pretty good ears too.
"Hey, over here."
I raised my voice as I stepped out from between the trees and hopped over a log for added effect. I had gone out of my way to signify that I wasn't trying to get the jump on them, but for some odd reason, the action only seemed to put them even more on guard. Their eyes narrowed into slits as they readied themselves to jump into combat. Huh. That's weird. I thought they'd be more chill.
"Don't let down your guard! He's probably a monster! And I bet he's just trying to lure us to our deaths!" shouted one of the warriors.
"Calm down man, I'm not a monster," I said. "I'm just your everyday normal guy."
"Do you really think we'd fall for that? Why would any normal person be all the way out here!? Do you know how dangerous this damned place is!?"
Well, there goes plan A.
"Alright, sure, whatever you say." I rolled my eyes. "But you know what? It doesn't matter what I am. Because you need my help."
Directing my gaze at the injured members of their group caused the warwolves' expressions to twist in bitter vexation. None were as far as being on the verge of death, but some were damn well close. Individuals with deep, open gashes and missing limbs could easily be made out amongst the crowd. I suspected that they would likely die of blood loss if left untreated.
"I can get you somewhere safe so you can treat all your buddies. All you gotta do is follow me. Either that, or you can sit around and watch them die. I don't really care either way, so it's all on you."
If they trusted me, they would also get the added benefit of reuniting with Lyuu. I wasn't planning on truly abandoning them even if they chose to err on the side of caution. I couldn't do that. Not to Lyuu's family. My backup plan, which I admittedly was reluctant to go through, sounded like a major pain in the ass to pull off. It entailed joining my pets in hunting down all the monsters in the area to ensure the warwolves' safety. Like, come on guys. Just trust me. I really don't want to have to resort to Plan C.
It was impossible for me to know whether my intentions had gotten through or not, but fortunately, the warwolves had at least chosen to consider my proposition. After a brief period of discussion, a rather young looking man stepped out of the crowd. His eyes, sharp as those of a wild animal's, remained trained on me as he spoke.
"Can we trust you?" He spoke in a tone that carried with it a sense of strength and dignity. It alone was enough to tell me that he was a warrior, and likely one of high birth.
"You already know I'd answer with a yes either way, so honestly, I don't think what I'm about to say matters," I said. "But yes, you can, and should, trust me. It'll be what's best for you."
"…Fine." After a brief moment of hesitation, he agreed. "Men, lower your arms."
"Come on, boss! You don't have to do this! We can still go on!" shouted a warrior.
"Thank you. You're all very reliable, loyal to the bone," said the warwolves' leader. "But far too many of us have been injured. We will need rest if we wish to push on."
"…Right. Got it, boss."
The leader's judgement was not challenged any further. The pack immediately began following his orders by lowering their weapons and assisting the wounded.
"So you're the warwolf chief?" I asked, appraisingly.
"That I am. I should introduce myself. I am Vergillus Gyroll, leader of the Gyroll Pack," he said. "Thank you for your help."
A quick peek at Vergillus' character sheet confirmed that he was both their leader and the strongest of their warriors. He's even got himself a fancy title. "Chief of the Warwolves," huh? That's pretty cool. Wait, that totally makes him Lyuu's dad, doesn't it?
Question marks began floating around in my head as I reached the conclusion. It just didn't make sense. Just looking at him, I wouldn't have expected the warwolf chief to be anywhere past his twenties. Weren't chiefs all supposed to be older men? Apparently not, I guess. Welp. There goes that trope.
Wait, wait waiiiiiiiiit a second. Let's do some quick math. Lyuu's seventeen. If he's thirty, then that means he's gotta have been banging chicks since he was twelve. Or thirteen or at the latest. Holy fuck. He got laid when was thirteen!? Nononono, that can't be right. He's probably just baby-faced. Yeah, that's gotta be it. I'm willing to bet that he's actually thirty five and just looks like he's still in his twenties. That'd mean he had her when he was eighteen. Yeah, that definitely sounds way more plausible.
…But what if he isn't?
…
Alright, you know what? Fuck this. I'mma just assume that he's thirty five and stop caring.
"So does that mean you're Lyuu's dad?"
"You know my daughter!?" The warwolf's temper suddenly flared up at the mention of the less successful of my two maids. His expression contorted into one of violent rage. "Then you must be the Wicked Forest's Demon Lord!"
"Yup, that's m—"
"Curse you, Demon Lord! Consider your life forfeit!"
Oh, come on…
"Hold on, hold on! You've got it all wrong!"
"Give it up, demon lord! We know your villainy! Your lies will not work on us!" Lyuu's father shouted angrily.
My villainy? What? I don't remember ever doing anything bad enough to earn me that much notoriety. At least not among the warwolves. Whatever people have been feeding him, it's gotta be pretty bad.
…
Actually, I did mess up that one human town pretty badly the first time I visited it, didn't I? Riiiiight… I totally forgot. Alright, yeah, I can kinda see where they might've got the idea.
For a moment, I regretted not having Rir accompany me, but I soon came to the conclusion that I would have preferred the status quo over any lost opportunity cost. Because to the warwolves, Fenrirs were gods.
And Rir, Fluffrir, was collared.
In my defense, giving him a collar had been my way of showing the world that I saw him as a pet, a member of my family. But a moment of thought led me to understand that the warwolves would likely have seen the notion as blasphemy. To them, the choker would have looked much more like a chain, a fetter by which the one thing they worshiped was bound. Yeaaaahhh… That could have turned out pretty damn poorly. Good job, me.
"Dude, calm down. Your daughter is fine. I was actually just about to bring you right to her."
"Another lie! Say no more, demon lord! I won't fall for your nonsense!"
"…Look, you're going to get wiped out at this rate. Your only two choices are to let it happen or to gamble on me actually helping you. Just trust me man, it's your only shot at making it outta here in one piece."
"Trusting you would be no different from stabbing ourselves through the heart. We've been ready to lay down our lives since the moment we set out on this journey. But if we are to die, then we will die not as fools, but as warriors! We will make our stand, and we will take your head! Even if it costs us every last one of our lives!"
Seriously… ? Fucking hell… After heaving a weary sigh, I once again tried to pacify the beastkin. "I don't know who told you about me or what they said, but it was probably just over-exaggerated bullshit. Now, how about we calm down, be civil, and talk this out like men? Picking a fight with me really isn't going to do you any goo—"
My attempt at cordiality ended in total failure. Lyuu's father dashed up to me and kicked me before I even finished speaking. I hadn't been on guard, let alone watching him closely enough to evade the sudden strike, so his foot landed square in the middle of my chest.
"Stand! Stand and fight like a man!" shouted the warwolf.
"Oh, for fuck's sake! Fine!"
The kick hadn't dealt much in the way of damage. In fact, I'd barely felt it. But I was annoyed. Very, very annoyed. That was why I decided to employ the tool that any respectable gentleman in my position would: violence.
I grabbed the dull, wooden great sword I typically used for practice out of my inventory and propped myself back up as I narrowed my eyes. You know what? I don't even care if you're Lyuu's dad or whatever anymore. If you're not feeling like acting like a sensible adult, then I'm going to beat you over the head until you are. And just for the record, you did literally ask for it.
***
"Yuki! You're back!" The ball of energy I called Illuna ran up to me as soon as she spotted me.
"I see that you have returned." Likewise, Lefi also approached, but not for the same reason. "…And what, precisely, is that?"
"Don't ask," I grumbled.
The dragon's gaze had been directed to the pile of bodies stacked up behind me, one that I had struggled to transport. Oh, man… rolling them into a huge ball and trying to shove all of them through the door at once was definitely not my brightest idea. I almost can't believe I managed it, even with all my pets' help. Note to self: Don't follow through on violent impulses. Lugging unconscious people around is a huge pain in the ass.
"Rise and shine, bossman." After heaving the day's nth sigh, I gave Lyuu's dad's a few light taps on the cheek with the back of my hand. Surely enough, he eventually began to stir.
"W-where am I…?" he groaned as he blinked his eyes into focus.
"My place. I had you brought over while you were playing sleeping beauty."
Hearing my voice seemed to lead him to realize that he was still in danger. His sleepy-looking eyes snapped open and he immediately began to shout.
"You bastard! How dare you kill all my men!?"
"Dude, seriously, you need to stop jumping to conclusions," I complained in a fed-up, exasperated tone. "Your men are fine. All I did was knock them out."
The flustered warwolf looked around in a panic. His second round of observation was far less clouded than his first. This time, he realized that I was telling the truth.
"W-what happened? They're all… healed! Even the ones with more serious wounds!"
"Seriously? You still don't get it?" I griped. "I healed them."
I made sure that everyone with a major injury was given a potion before being shipped off.
"It's true, boss." A man that had been missing an arm spoke up. Unlike many of his buddies, he had been too injured to fight, so he had escaped the wrath of my wooden blade. "The demon lord healed every last one of us, but only after he ruthlessly knocked out everyone that tried to challenge him."
"I don't understand… Why would you…" The chief of the warwolves remained in a state of confusion. It was a state he likely would have retained for much longer had his daughter not entered the scene at that exact moment.
"Here you are, Lefi! I got the snacks you were askin' f—what the heck!?"
For better or for worse, Lyuu waltzed right out of the door connected to the throne room, tray in hand.
"Lyuu!? Is that really you!?"
"D-Dad!? Ughhhhhhhh… Why are you here…?"
The maid was so shocked that she dropped the tray she had brought with her. Fortunately, Lefi saved it before it fell to the floor. Lyuu, please… Isn't he supposed to be your dad? You groaning like that is almost making me feel bad for him. I mean, just look at how worried he is.
"I can't believe it! You're okay!" The warwolf chief was so overcome with emotion that he ended up running up to the maid and catching her in a hug.
"K-knock it off already, dad! You're embarassin' me! Everyone's watchin'!"
"I thought… I thought you were dead."
"That's horrible! Why'd you ever think something like that!? Wait! What the heck!? What's everyone else doin' here!? And why're they knocked out!?"
"Yeah uhhh… My bad. That's my fault."
"Oh… Yeah, I can kinda see that happenin'. You're real strong, Master." Lyuu paused for a moment to think. "But that still doesn't really answer my question. Why's everyone here anyway?"
Lyuu, p l s.
"I… am sorry," said Lyuu's father, who had finally regained his cool. "It appears that I've had a great misunderstanding."
"Yeah, dude. You did. You really did," I said with a shrug. Looks like he's finally willing to talk. God fucking damn it, that was such a pain in the ass. And it took forever. I almost want to hold a grudge, but I won't. I've already beat the shit out of him—and everyone else—so I might as well forgive him. He is a part of Lyuu's family, after all.
Really makes me think though. This world doesn't really seem to take all that kindly to demon lords, and I'm willing to bet it's because of their behaviour. Really does beg the question of what the local demon lords have been up to. I mean, it's obviously something. That much is evident. But what…?
"Please excuse my behaviour, I'm terribly sorry for reacting the way I did." Lyuu's father was situated before me with his head bowed. He sat on his legs with his knees jutting forward at an outward angle and his fists placed knuckle-down on the floor in front of him. "I was not aware that you did so much for my daughter."
It was a very warrior-like approach to apologizing. While I certainly did notice that he had gone out of his way to perform the exaggerated gesture, and I understood that it was authentic, I didn't particularly care all that much for formalities, so I dismissed it with a shrug.
"Don't worry about it. What's done is done."
"I can't apologize enough for profiling you and assuming the worst. It shames us to know that we attacked you over nothing but a misunderstanding despite you having saved Lyuu's life." However, the warwolf was far more fixated on etiquette, so he continued regardless. "Our actions were unjust. By all means, you deserve to be fuming with rage. But you aren't, and for that, I thank you. I know I've said it many, many times already, but I must thank you. I know now that all the fault lies with the imbecile I call my daughter."
He followed up his final statement by drilling his fist into the back of Lyuu's head.
"Ow!" The maid whimpered in pain as she placed both hands on the point of impact. "That hurt, dad…"
"Shut up, you idiot! Do you know how much trouble you've caused? Do you know how many of our men nearly died because of what you put them through? We could have been completely obliterated if we had just made one mistake!"
"I know, I know already! And I'm real sorry I made everyone come all the way out here just to see me! But this ain't my fault! It's yours! I never would've run away from home if you didn't keep goin' on and on about some dumb marriage!"
"Dumb? Dumb!? There is nothing dumb about it! Lynaut is a man well worth your hand!"
"First of all, I never wanted to get married! Secondly, Lynaut's the last person I'd ever marry! Why the heck would I wanna marry a creep ten years older than me!?"
"That's what you find wrong with him? His age!? Open your eyes, Lyuu! Do you not see how strong and dependable he is? Lynaut has a bright future ahead of him!"
"What the heck!? You can't be serious! He's nothing but a stuck-up snob!"
Hearing the two of them shout at each other led me to smile in a half-amused, half-exasperated manner. "Alright, you two. That's enough. This isn't the place for it."
I used my chin to gesture at the warwolves situated behind the two VIPs. All the men within the group were making awkward expressions that served to indicate that they had no idea what to think, do, or say.
We were currently situated within one of the inn's reception halls. While the room was certainly on the larger side, the warwolves had chosen not to flood it with bodies. Most of them had been assigned to stand by in another room whilst those higher up the social ladder joined Lyuu and her father. Going to sidetrack a little bit. Man, building this inn was the best choice I've ever made. It's gotten mileage every single time I've had to entertain a guest. Worth/10. Would build again.
Unfortunately, practicing escapism failed to end the argument between the parent and child. In fact, neglecting them and allowing my mind to drift had only seemed to make things worse—the pair had somehow gotten even further away from reaching a compromise.
"Lynaut ain't all that strong either! Master crushed all o' you at the same time even though he was tryin' not to hurt anyone!"
The warwolf chief grimaced as he clutched his chest in a display of agony. His daughter's attack on his psyche had been so precise that it had apparently managed to do him physical harm.
"Hey, Lyuu? You mind doing me a favour and not dragging me into this?"
"While I must admit that Yuki is certainly a splendid warrior, your point isn't of any relevance." My plea fell on deaf ears. Even her father continued to include me in the conversation.
"No it's not!"
"Yes, it is! Unlike Lynaut, Yuki is not your fiance! Nor are you romantically involved with him!"
This time, it was Lyuu who winced in the face of the other party's argument. Come on, guys… Do I really need to be brought into this? Because it feels like I don't.
"Whatever the case, you're coming home. I can not let you impose on Yuki any more than you already have, and everyone that has stayed behind in the village is still worried about you."
"No way! I don't want to leave! I want to stay here, with all my friends!"
"Stop acting like such a spoiled brat! You can't have everything you want!"
"I'm not acting like a brat! It's my life dad, not yours!"
God fucking damn it… It didn't seem like they were going to stop anytime soon, so I decided to step in after heaving a heavy sigh. The first person I turned towards was Lyuu's father.
"I said that's enough. Stop screaming already, for fuck's sake. Did you really come all the way here just to get into some silly argument?"
"…I apologize. That was an unsightly display we should have kept behind closed doors."
The warwolf chief finally seemed to realize how rude he was being, as he once again bowed his head in apology after correcting his posture.
"And that goes for you too, Lyuu." After dealing with her dad, I directed my gaze at the maid. "You were going on and on about how you weren't at fault, but you totally are. None of this would've happened if you told me the truth from the start."
"Erk…. I-I'm sorry, Master." Lyuu wasn't able to come up with any sort of argument, so she reluctantly ended up apologizing.
I turned to face her father again after breathing the yet another sigh.
"Alright, so I'm totally sticking my nose where it doesn't belong right now, but whatever," I said. "I know I just said that this whole incident is Lyuu's fault, but her opinion matters a lot more to me than yours does, so I'm going to be taking her side. By that, I mean I'm not going to let you drag her home against her will."
"What…?" The chief's eyes narrowed into a glare, but I ignored him and kept talking.
"She really should've at least popped in to say hi and show everyone that she was still alright. Hell, I was planning on making her visit whether she liked it or not. But that's it. If she wants to stay here, then I'm going to have her do exactly that. Stay. I'm not going to force her to leave just because her old man decided to come a knocking. Not unless it's what she wants."
"I knew you'd understand, Master."
Apparently, my declaration had moved Lyuu to the verge of tears. The gaze she directed at me was filled with trust.
"I mean, it just wouldn't make any sense for me to let her go. She's finally started figuring this whole maid thing out. If she leaves now, we'll have nothing to show for all the time we wasted onboarding her."
Plus, she's only been here at Demon Lord Inc. for about a year. This is her first job, so it'd probably be best for her to stay at least three. As far as Japanese companies go, most hiring managers assume that anyone that leaves their first job before they get three years of experience is probably incompetent. Leaving now will probably hurt her future prospects.
"C-come on, Master! Why do you always gotta make fun of me!?"
"Why? Because bullying you is hilarious, of course."
"W-what the heck!?" Her jaw dropped. See, that's exactly what I mean.
"I was just messing with you," I said with a shiteating grin. "Don't worry, Lyuu, you're just as important to me as everyone else that lives here."
After chuckling a bit more, I turned towards her father. "Oh, and just so we're clear, that whole me keeping her here thing wasn't a part of the joke."
"…Are you telling me that you won't allow a course of action as natural as allowing a child to return to her parents' home?"
"More or less, yeah. Because I'd definitely miss her. Hell, it's not just me. Everyone else that lives here would miss her too," I said. "Besides, she's already made her intentions clear. She said that she wanted to stay, so I'm going to make it happen no matter what you say."
The opposite was true too. I would have let Lyuu go if that was what she wanted, even if it meant that the dungeon would feel like it was missing something without her.
"Lyuu's already old enough to make her own decisions, isn't she? What's wrong with letting her make her own decisions?"
"That is not the warwolf way. Our people have thrived by trusting in their parents' decisions even well into adulthood," he said. "Lyuu is unwed. It is only right for us to dictate her future—and choose her partner. I have no intention of letting her go simply because she is no longer a child. I will be taking her home."
What the fuck? And here I thought I was a self-serving prick. But this guy? He takes the whole goddamn cake.
"You think I give a shit about your stupid culture?" I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "I don't care about your, or any, tribe's customs. Your dumb traditions can go eat shit for all I care."
Apparently, he didn't like how blunt I was. His face twitched in annoyance.
"I respect you Yuki. You've saved my daughter's life. My people and I owe you an irreparable debt. But this is something I can and will not yield on. Please understand."
"Debt, shebt. I never cared about that shit to begin with. You think I saved you because I wanted you to owe me? Fuck no. I only did it because you're Lyuu's people. I probably would've just sat around and watched you die if you weren't. Because, honestly, your dumb ass deserves it," I spat, venomously. "I don't care what you think. I wasn't trying to suggest anything or give you any ideas. I was just telling you how this was going to go. You're not having her back."
Tension filled the air as we stared each other down in silence. It was a contest, a demonstration of our will.
And he was the first to break.
"…I see." The chief of the warwolves closed his eyes and slowly breathed in and out before reopening them. "If neither of us is willing to compromise, then we have no choice but to butt heads."
Again, he paused and took a breath. One that dripped with resolve.
"We shall settle this matter through single combat!"