The next day, the sky was clear, so Halkara and I set out for the village of Flatta together.
We encountered slimes along the way, so I hunted them down with precision, then picked up the magic stones.
"Madam Teacher, you really are adept at eliminating slimes, aren't you?"
"Yes, because I've been doing it for three centuries. I'm like the curator of a traditional craft technique. You try it this time, Halkara."
Halkara brandished a staff made of oak.
"Take that, and that!"
They bounced.
Her breasts bounced like you wouldn't believe.
It was so bad it made you want to ask, Which one's the slime, huh?
"Whew… I managed to kill one, somehow."
"Lucky…"
"What is?"
"No, it's nothing. Never mind."
There are probably lots of drawbacks like stiff shoulders and whatnot, but for just one day, I would love to experience that feeling for myself.
And so, earning spare change as we went, we reached Flatta.
The village was as peaceful as ever.
"The air in highland villages is delightful, isn't it? It's so dry, somehow."
"That's what I hear. I've never left the area, so I don't really know the difference."
All right, we should probably take a casual walk around the village first.
Since she was going to be living with me, it was better to introduce her to everyone early on and get it out of the way.
After all, if people thought she was a mystery elf, they'd gossip more. If I told them she was my apprentice, it would be easier to convince them.
That aside, my family had been growing fast lately.
If you live a long time, your family is probably bound to expand sometimes. I bet so.
I thought we'd begin by walking down the street lined with shops, which also happened to be the village's main road.
Whenever we saw people, we'd greet each and every one of them. "Good morning." "Good morning." I felt like a politician with an election coming up.
Of course, "Good morning" wasn't the goal. What I was doing was introducing Halkara.
First, I spotted an old woman passing by.
"Good morning!"
"Well, well, great Witch of the Highlands. Good morning to you."
In this village, there's no one who doesn't know the Witch of the Highlands.
I have an approval rating of 100 percent. Usually, that only happens in a dictatorship.
It's the result of the trust I've built up over three hundred years.
"I've come to introduce my new apprentice. This is my elf student, Akikana."
"I-I'm Akikana… I make medicines! I'll work very hard!"
"Oh, an elf, eh? Don't see many of those myself. It's good to meet you."
Great, that's one down.
If I kept this up for a good long time, "Akikana" was bound to blend into the village.
After that, no one would be thinking that some weird elf had joined their number.
Naturally, Akikana was an alias.
If we'd introduced her as Halkara, people who knew about the wanted poster might catch on.
However, partway through our self-introductions, the atmosphere turned noticeably strange.
About one in every two villagers reacted awkwardly.
I didn't really get why at first, but gradually, I started to understand.
Nearly every single man was looking at Halkara's chest.
At one point, there was a passerby who was like, "I-I've never seen a-a bosom like that in this village…" and a boy who was exclaimed, "Lady, your boobs are humongous!" so I doubted I was mistaken.
"Say, do men really pay that much attention to busts? You'd think one or two wouldn't care, right?"
Was this even possible at a rate of 100 percent? Usually, that only happens in a dictatorship. About one person in ten isn't really a fan of big boobs, right? This was on a whole different kind of notoriety.
"Oh… No, this is how it usually goes. I know they're looking at me. Having men notice me is embarrassing, but…it's sort of my lot in life, so…"
Halkara seemed to have given up. Having a sizable chest is rougher than you'd think.
"Even with people who say they prefer smaller breasts, their eyes just gravitate toward an ample bosom when they see it, or so I've heard. It's a little like being startled by someone very tall."
"I see."
"So, Madam Teacher, believe in yourself, please."
"Excuse me?! Don't talk like I don't believe in myself!"
"Even if your bust is small, you can live with confidence!"
"Don't call it 'small' outright like that! A-anyway, it's not that small!"
What a rude apprentice.
Next, we stopped by the village general store.
This was the shop that sold my medicines on consignment for me.
I was planning to have them stock Halkara's as well. They had no real reason to refuse, so the matter was settled easily.
"I'm Akikana, an elf apothecary. I look forward to doing business with you. These are pills I've made. This type is good for digestion, and the others may be used as a nutritional supplement."
The man who ran the shop said, "You betcha. If you're the great Witch of the Highlands' apprentice, they'll sell real well."
But then, for some reason, his expression clouded.
"Erm, young lady… You're an apothecary, you said? About how many years have you been doing that?"
"Oh, are you concerned about my ingredients since I said I've just become an apprentice?! I did become a student recently, but I've been working as an apothecary for several decades at least!"
"I-is that right…? In other words, you're an elf with a long career as an apothecary…"
What was this? This was starting to feel like an interrogation.
Was something suspicious about us?
"By the way, what province are you from?"
"Hrant."
"I see… No, don't worry about it. I bet it's some sort of mistake. I'm positive."
I really wanted to ask what exactly this was about, but suspecting it would come back to bite me, we just left the shop.
"All right, we've accomplished our main objective. Now we'll just go around greeting people and go home."
"You're right. Um, earlier, I felt like he was asking a lot of questions about my background… About where my province was and things…"
"Maybe your accent caught his attention. Different regions have different intonation, you know. Ha-ha…"
After that, while we made our round of introductions, people stared at Halkara an awful lot.
Up until a minute earlier, the only stares had been male and directed at her chest, but now we were getting them from the women as well.
Something was off… Not only that, but the change had happened so abruptly.
Finally, we stopped in at the guild to say hello.
"Natalie, good morning. I came to introduce my apprentice."
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
For some reason, Natalie leaped up from her chair and backed away.
What's with that reaction? You'd think she'd seen a monster…
"Um, I'm Akikana, an elf apothecary… I look forward to doing business with you…"
"Are you the one who was manufacturing Nutri-Spirits in Hrant?"
"Oh my, you know about that! That's impressive. Really, I'm truly touched you've heard of me all the way out here."
Hastily, I jabbed Halkara with my elbow. The fact that she made Nutri-Spirits wasn't in our script!
"Oh, right… Um, the elf who made Nutri-Spirits is a distant relative of mine. Her name is Halkara, and she's a silly girl, the type who eats poisonous mushrooms by mistake…"
Halkara began emphatically trying to cover her tracks.
"Is that right…? You see, this morning, an adventurer stopped by the guild. He said if we saw a person matching this description, he wanted us to let him know."
The paper Natalie brought out was the wanted poster Halkara had shown me (although this one had been translated from Demon into Human.)
*****
I AM LOOKING FOR HALKARA, A FEMALE ELF APOTHECARY WHO MADE A PRODUCT KNOWN AS NUTRI-SPIRITS IN THE PROVINCE OF HRANT. AT PRESENT, SHE HAS GONE MISSING.
DESCRIPTION:
A VERY LARGE BUST
I WILL SEND A GENEROUS REWARD EQUAL TO FIFTEEN MILLION GOLD TO WHOEVER FINDS HER
____________________________________________
DEMON BEELZEBUB 💀
*****
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! It's spreadiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!!!!!!" Halkara screamed.
I wanted to scream, too.
Was this why everyone had been so focused on her? Had they been wondering whether she was this elf…? I was relieved we'd used an alias.
"Huh. An elf from Hrant. What a coincidence. Still, her name is different, so it has nothing to do with my apprentice Akikana. Mm-hmm, yes, I'm glad she's completely uninvolved."
My strategy: bulldoze our way through this.
"I—I see… You're right…"
"By the way, where did the adventurer who brought this wanted poster go?"
"He just went around the village quickly, asking if there were any elves here. Evidently, he didn't think she was here, though. He's already set off for another village."
So we'd just missed him.
That was a small mercy, but word would get out soon enough.
We needed to come up with countermeasures, and fast.
***
Halkara and I left the village before noon and went straight back to the house.
I hadn't thought that poster would circulate this quickly…
My strategy of convincing people she was my apprentice might have backfired. Maybe I should have kept her hidden in the house for a while and introduced her as my apprentice later…
"First off, you're not allowed to go the village for a little while. We're fortunate there's no physical description going around, but given that very few elves live nearby, simply being one is enough to make people wonder. Hardly anyone goes in the woods, so if you want to exercise, you should do it there."
"All right… I'll be careful."
When we got home, Halkara was shaking like a leaf.
"W-will they come, do you think? Will Beelzebub's hunters come here?"
"Come on, pull yourself together. It's not as if they know what you look like. We can get through this. Try to be optimistic…"
Still, there was danger.
"Laika, could you evacuate my daughters to a distant village somewhere?"
"Yes, I was just thinking I should suggest that myself."
Having Laika around is a huge help.
"Please do, then."
I was planning to protect Halkara, but I also needed to make sure no harm befell my daughters. In cases like this, you couldn't call it a win unless you protected everyone.
"Mom, I want to fight, too."
Shalsha came up to me, seemingly deeply troubled.
"I tried to defeat you earlier, so this time, I'll make up for it and protect you—"
I hugged her tightly.
"Thank you, Shalsha. I appreciate the thought, but no. You're my daughter. Protecting you is your mother's job."
"But a book I read said that Beelzebub is really dangerous…"
At that point, Falfa came running up.
She took Shalsha's hand.
"Shalsha, you're causing Mommy trouble! Saying that makes you look like a dutiful daughter, but you're not being one at all!"
Even if she generally came across as childish, Falfa really was the older sister.
"All right…Sister."
Shalsha folded. Falfa patted her head. To their mother, the scene was truly adorable. I wanted to give some serious thought to the possibility of making a magic-fueled camera.
"Lady Azusa, our opponent is a high-ranking demon. It might be wise to further reinforce the barrier. Spells that repel demons have been handed down among humans, and I believe you could make one with your Spell Creation."
"Excellent idea, Laika. Now that you mention it, I remember reading about one in my grimoires."
"Then I'll return to my dragon form and take these two elsewhere. I'll be praying for your good fortune in battle from afar!"
"Yes. I know. Safe travels."
The three of them left the house quickly, flying away without eating the lunch waiting for them.
I wanted to apologize to Laika, who'd made enough for all of us, but right now, safety came first.
A little winged bug was flying near the neglected food.
It wasn't hygienic, and it just felt gross. I used my Ice and Snow spell to freeze the portions Halkara and I wouldn't eat.
I went outside and cast a demon-repelling barrier around the house.
"A high-powered demon might break through it, but if it wastes its power on that, I guess I can't complain."
My level bordered on cheating, too. This was likely to serve for the time being.
That afternoon and evening, nothing in particular happened.
I guess they wouldn't attack us quite this quickly.
"Sure would be nice if things stayed this quiet."
"Since long ago, it's been said that demons are nocturnal. It's possible they'll come at night…"
"Agh! If that's true, we won't be able to get a good night's sleep…"
No attacks came during dinner, either. The bug was still flying around, but since there was no insecticide in this world, I let it be.
After dinner, Halkara drank some Nutri-Spirits.
In a way, the stuff was the root of her predicament.
"Drinking it at night has become a habit for me…"
One bottle was pretty heavy, but Halkara had still come here with a dozen in her belongings. According to her, she'd drunk them to fuel her prolonged flight.
"Halkara, sleep in my room tonight."
"M-Madam Teacher, don't tell me you prefer women…?"
"It's because if you're far away, it will be harder to protect you! Obviously!"
I'm a sound sleeper, so it was possible the demon would attack Halkara while I slept. This was a move to prevent that.
"Y-you're so right… That was rude of me. I apologize."
We managed by moving Halkara's bed into my room. Sleeping in the same bed probably wouldn't have been a good idea. It would have been just plain cramped anyway.
Halkara talked loudly in her sleep that night, and I didn't get much rest.
"Huh? Melon sized? No, you're exaggerating. They're the size of large oranges at most. Ha-ha-ha… My rear end is peach sized. Kidding!"
What on earth is she dreaming about?! Talk about being oblivious to danger!
Nothing happened the next day or the day after that.
By itself, that was a very good thing. The trouble was that we had no way of knowing for sure whether we were in the clear.
How long were we to keep this up?
Halkara drank Nutri-Spirits that night, too.
A nighttime quaff was part of her daily routine. She said if she drank it in the evening, she could handle all-nighters… Although right now, she was spending all night sleeping.
"Aaaaaah! As long as I have Nutri-Spirits, I bet I could fight at night, too!"
Even if we did fight, my distinct preference was not to go up against Beelzebub.
"You really like that stuff, don't you?"
"When it comes to medicine, I work to create things I would personally like to drink. Besides, Madam Teacher, you're drinking it, too. Quite a lot of it, actually."
"Hmm? No, I'm not."
Relying on energy drinks reminded me of my office drudgery, so I avoided them.
"No, that isn't true. For the past several days, a bottle has been disappearing every day in addition to mine. I've run through my stock by now, so I'll have to make more from herbs for tomorrow."
"Huh…? But I'm really not drinking it…"
"Y-you're joking, aren't you?"
"No, I'm not. I wouldn't joke at a time like this."
Halkara and I looked at each other.
We'd both gone pale.
I had a very strong feeling we were in major trouble.
Just then, something flew toward us with a buzzzzzzzzz.
It was a winged bug. Come to think of it, over the past few days, it was like that bug had been in the room constantly.
When I took a closer look, I noticed that the insect was a fly.
I had an extremely nasty hunch.
"Say… Beelzebub is linked to flies, correct?"
"Yes. We've never met, but with a nickname like Lord of the Flies…"
"This is just an idea, but...…could Beelzebub be that fly?"
Fearfully, I pointed at it.
"I-it couldn't be… That's just a dirty fly. They're nasty creatures that swarm over horse manure… Not a hair-raising demon like…"
"Who's a nasty creature?"
"Madam Teacher, don't speak in such strange voices! You startled me… Save your jokes for more peaceful times, if you would!"
"Huh? I didn't say anything. I'm not too good at doing voices, either."
"Then that voice— I-it can't be…"
Halkara's eyes went to the fly, too.
Since it was buzzing around, it was tough to keep a steady gaze on it.
"Correct. It is I."
Then, in a little poof of white smoke—
—a girl with the visage of an extremely distinguished lady knight appeared.
She was wearing something that reminded me of a skirt, but with the slits, the garment turned out to be more like a leotard. She was equipped with a leather belt and a sword, too, so she didn't have the bearing of a young noblewoman.
Who is this character, and why is she cosplaying as an evil female military officer?
As far as looks went, her most noticeable feature was her horns. She had long silver hair that struck a contrast with brown skin.
To all appearances, she looked to be close to my own age, which would have made her roughly a high schooler.
However, in my current worldview, it was pointless to guess someone's real age based on presentation, so it wasn't clear whether she was younger than me.
"My name is Beelzebub. I'd wager further introductions are unnecessary this late in the game, yes?"
To think she'd show up in person…
So Beelzebub was female?
When a name is that weird, it's hard to tell whether it sounds feminine or masculine at all.
"Yes. I can transform into a fly, and thus I am known as the Lord of the Flies. I'm sorry they are such nasty creatures. Allow me to apologize."
Beelzebub put a hand to her chest, bowing courteously.
Was she the type to listen to reason? No, she was definitely being sarcastic.
Besides, in situations like this, it's almost a solid rule that the more politely someone behaves, the tougher and more malicious they actually are. We couldn't get careless.
"Eee… Eeeeeeeeeep… Nasty creature was a figure of speech… I had no intention of saying such a thing to an exalted personage such as yourself, Lady Beelzebub… N-not the teeniest, tiniest…"
Halkara was ready to keel over from shock.
Actually, her legs had given out on her, and she'd sunk to the floor right where she was.
"No, no, you may call them such if you like. Although if that's the case, I do wonder about an elf who's terrified of such 'nasty creatures.'"
"E-elves are like dust… Th-they aren't even worthy to be food for anything e-e-e-eeeeeelse…"
I know you're trying to survive, but you're really throwing elves under the bus here!
"I did come all this way in pursuit of that dust, though."
Beelzebub whipped out a magnificent feathered fan and waved it at herself.
The sweet scent of fruit spread through the room. Was it because of the thing she was fanning herself with?
"I'm partial to the aroma of ripe fruit, you see, so I've perfumed this fan with its fragrance. And I don't mean the smell of rotten fruit. I don't enjoy the stench of rot, understand? Don't conflate the Lord of the Flies with common, filthy flies."
It's hard to tell whether she identifies with her namesake or not.
"You've been lurking in my house this whole time, haven't you?"
I hadn't calculated on being invaded this quickly.
That said, I had gotten Laika and my daughters out of harm's way, so that part was all right.
"Correct. The rumor that there was an elf here reached me right away. Flies love rumors and redolent fruit… And definitely not rotten smells."
Does it bother her that people say flies like rotten things…?
"Never mind that—why didn't you show yourself immediately? You were already in the house, weren't you?"
"That is how I spend my long vacations, buzzing lazily around houses in the form of a fly."
Well, that's one way to enjoy your downtime!
"The two of you finally noticed me. My vacation was just about to conclude, so your timing was perfect."
Don't relish your time off in other people's houses without permission. I'll charge you hotel fees.
"Now then, Witch of the Highlands. I have no particular business with you. After my long journey, though, I would appreciate it if you would bring me tea. Even so, you are not my servant, so I leave the decision in your hands. The one I do have business with is—"
Beelzebub's cold gaze went to Halkara, who was still paralyzed with fear.
"—Halkara. You fled from me, and I went to great pains to find you. However, it was trouble worth taking."
"Yee… Yeeek! Sp-spare me! I-I'll do anything!"
"Hmm, so you will do anything, will you? I heard you say it."
Oh. This routine ends with Then die!
There was no getting out of it. After all, temporary though the arrangement was, an apprentice is an apprentice.
I stepped in front of Halkara, arms spread.
"If you want to deal with my student, go through her teacher, all right?"
I smiled fearlessly.
There was nothing funny about the situation, but that was why smiling was all I could do.
Meanwhile, Beelzebub looked a little put out.
"You mean to hinder me? Are you obstructing my path? I'm surprised you have the nerve for that."
"I don't think my apprentice wants to see you. Can I trouble you to leave?"
"Is it not common knowledge that when one is told to go home, she wishes to stay?"
Transparent wings grew from Beelzebub's back.
They were beautiful, but their shape made them insect-like.
"This is perfect. I haven't fought in a long time and was getting rusty. I hear you have some skill. Fight me."
"I trained by killing slimes for three hundred years or so."
"Only three hundred, hmm? Well, well. That's about a tenth of my lifetime."
Apparently, the enemy was three thousand years old. Yeah, you lived for three millennia, but I've eaten Chinese food. There's four thousand years of history in that!
So this was bound to work out somehow.
I'd managed to get her to fight me.
Now I simply had to win, and everything would end peacefully. I'd never fought a high-ranking demon before, but I'd just have to take the plunge.
"U-um, Witch of the Highlands, I mean, Madam Teacher… A-are you sure…?"
I shot a glance behind me.
"You're an apprentice, so just sit tight. It's a supervisor's job to take responsibility for her subordinates' mistakes."
However, since this particular customer wouldn't settle for an apology, we'd have to resolve this physically.
"Listen, Beelzebub? If I win, don't retaliate by sending in your underlings, all right?"
"I would never do such a thing. This is a personal matter. That's why I came all the way out to this hinterland by myself."
"Oh, that's good to hear. In that case, I've got nothing to worry about."
Now I'll just beat Beelzebub, and we'll all live happily ever after.
"I'm displeased by your assumption that you will defeat me…"
"I mean, we won't get anywhere unless I do."
"If we fight here, we'll damage the building. Let us take this outside."
Well, that's considerate of her. Much obliged.
I've got nothing to lose now.
"All right. Let's both fight fair."
Once we left the house, I used Levitation to travel to the emptiest tract of highland I could find.
As if I'd let anyone destroy my house after we'd just expanded it! I planned to keep living there for a long time yet.
Since it was nighttime, it was very dark except for the hint of moonlight that illuminated the ground.
In a way, it might have been perfect for Beelzebub.
This situation suited devils much better than bright sunlight did.
"Oh-ho, you've flown rather far. All right, I suppose I'll go to you, then."
Even at a distance, Beelzebub's voice carried well.
She beat her wings to fly toward me.
That was when I remembered something.
"That demon-repelling barrier is still up…"
"Now I shall show you just how terrifying the power of an eminent demon can bagh-buh-buh-buh-buh-buh-buh-buh-buh-buh-buh-buh-buh-buh-bbbuh-buh-buh-buh-buh-buh-bbbuh-buh-buh-buh-bbbaaaah!"
Screaming like a broken CD player, Beelzebub got zapped!
"The barrier's working!"
Who'd have thought it would be so effective from the inside…?
Nevertheless, my opponent was a high-ranking demon. She punched through my spell and made it over to me.
…But she was glaring daggers at me, teary-eyed.
"Witch, you said we were fighting fair! What was that?! Do you intend to claim that as a strategic victory?!"
"Oh! …Um, I didn't think you were already inside the house when I cast that, and, uh…I'd completely forgotten about it… Um, sorry."
I was aware I'd nearly committed a foul, so I bowed apologetically.
"Hell's bells… You've killed my enthusiasm for this… Hff, hff… C-come now… Let's fight…"
Beelzebub swayed on her feet as she spoke.
"Um! Aren't you exhausted?!"
The barrier had done its job far too well, albeit accidentally.
"Th-this is nothing...…koff, kaff… I feel sick…"
Beelzebub fell to her knees.
"I am so cold all of a sudden…and rather nauseated…"
Those symptoms were bad enough to warrant calling an ambulance!
"It's hopeless… I can't move anymore…"
There was no help for it, so I picked Beelzebub up. I went with the princess carry.
"I'm taking you back inside!"
"Don't! You'll hit the barrier again!"
"...That was close. I almost killed you…"
I'd genuinely forgotten. If I won that way, I'd probably be swarmed by higher demons looking to avenge her death…
"Oh, talking makes my head throb…"
"I'll take the barrier down, then bring you in!"
And so I ended up carrying Beelzebub back to my house.
"Oh, Madam Teacher! If you're back, that means you w— Agh, Beelzebub's here, too!"
"I'm putting her to bed! Come help me!"
Thus I ended up administering emergency treatment to Beelzebub.
I gave her some medicine right away, but something with a more dramatic effect would probably have been better. She still seemed to be in terrible pain.
"Ghk… I've never heard of a barrier so…ludicrously powerful…"
So that's the power of a level-99 barrier…
"Say, Halkara, can you use recovery magic?"
"No, I know nothing about it…"
"I can't use it, either. Recovery is a spell for clerics anyway… All right, I'll make one!"
I have Spell Creation, the ultimate spell.
I lined up a makeshift altar and some promising-looking leaves by Beelzebub's pillow.
It looked a bit like a sacred Shinto rope barrier, but it was nothing that auspicious.
Since this spell wasn't in my field of expertise, I was emphasizing atmosphere.
Now I just had to chant.
"O gods of the wide world, bestow creation's guidance on this— Wait."
In some games, using a recovery spell on a demon inflicts damage.
"Halkara? Is it okay to use healing magic on demons?"
"I—I think some demons can use them. I would assume it's probably safe…"
"All right! I believe you! If she takes damage from this and dies, it's your fault, Halkara!"
"It's what?! That's too much responsibility!"
Just to be on the safe side, I changed the chant.
"Gods of the wide world, your chaotic power has not yet been divided into good and evil. Imbue me with that power…HAAAAaaaaaaaaah!"
Pale-blue light shone from my hands.
Beelzebub's color improved a little.
"It worked! Great, I'll repeat it!"
When I'd chanted the recovery spell five times—
—Beelzebub's face no longer looked pained.
"The nausea has subsided… As has the chill."
"Whew. That's great… All right, now rest, please."
I used my arm to wipe the sweat from my forehead. I'd just saved a life.
"I believed you to be an underhanded woman, but perhaps I was mistaken… Witch of the Highlands, you are rather venerable…"
"If you'd died on me like that, I have no idea how many centuries I'd have to live with the regret."
Apparently, I'd won her trust. Maybe this would work out peacefully.
Halkara appeared relieved as well. If she apologized properly, she was likely to be forgiven.
"Once I have recovered, I'd like another drink of those Nutri-Spirits."
"No, drinking those would put you right back at death's door."
"At death's door? Nay, I should probably take care not to overindulge, but drinking them will not kill me. On the contrary, one drinks it to energize."
"Huh?"
This was weird.
That was not at all like the story I'd first heard from Halkara.
"Wait, what? I'd heard that you developed a high fever and nearly died after you drank it."
"Oh, I took the elixir during an all-night work session, and it filled me with zeal. True, I relied rather too heavily on the momentum, then collapsed and came down with a fever, but that was because of the strain on my body, not the drink. As long as I rest, I foresee no problem."
"Um… Then you were chasing Halkara because…?"
"They told me production had been halted, so all I could do was go to the manufacturer directly and request she start making it again. However, she had disappeared, so I sent out a missing-persons notice."
I tapped Halkara lightly on the shoulder.
"Hey. (Angry)"
"Oh! Um…I'd heard a rumor you'd collapsed with a high fever and had a grudge against me… Ah, you really do have to fact-check these things, don't you…? Ha-ha…"
Take care with your information…
***
When dawn broke, Beelzebub got out of bed.
Although she was still recovering from her illness, it was probably safe to say she was healthy.
"So you believed I'd kill you? I am a high-ranking demon, so I am accustomed to frightening people, but I had no idea such a rumor was circulating."
"I got desperate and ran… I'll start operations at the factory again, so… So wait, when the Nutri-Spirits disappeared from the house over the past few days, that was…"
"I helped myself. It is truly sublime."
Halkara and Beelzebub seemed to have resolved their misunderstanding, so let's call that a happy ending.
"Actually, maybe I'll relocate my factory to this province."
Halkara seemed to be considering something.
"Move here? But why?"
"Well, even if the story about Beelzebub hunting me down was a misunderstanding, both the elves and my home province did abandon me. At the very least, they made no attempts to protect me."
They'd probably gotten cold feet, since they were up against a powerful demon.
Maybe they believed sacrificing one elf would be a small price to pay.
"If I reopen my factory there, they'll get my taxes, and that just doesn't sit right with me."
"You're the type who holds a slow-burn grudge, aren't you…?"
That said, if it boosted employment in Nanterre, it might not be so bad.
As far as I was concerned, as a resident, promoting things that would help the province prosper was probably the right way to go.
"Also… If I live here, I'll be able to be with you, Madam Teacher."
Halkara blushed a little as she spoke.
"Wasn't our teacher-apprentice relationship just a front? You're a full-fledged apothecary in your own right, and I have no intention of driving you hard as my student."
"But you see, you really did try to save my life, Madam Teacher. When you stepped between Beelzebub and me, you were terribly gallant. And so, even now, my feelings are uncertain…"
Halkara's gaze was oddly fervent, and I was getting concerned.
"Halkara… You wouldn't be having any of those, um, Sapphic ideas, would you?"
"I have nothing of the sort."
"In that case, I suppose it's fine."
"I'm just heteroflexible, that's all."
Whoa! That's an oddly specific term!
"W-well…we do still have rooms available, so you could stay. Only, we handle cooking, cleaning, and shopping by turns, so be sure to do your share."
"Of course! I'll work hard!"
I guess my family's growing again.
Two daughters and two apprentices. This had turned into a genuine witches' studio.
I'll have to develop my pharmaceutical skills as a witch, too, or I'll end up embarrassing myself.
"Hmm. That sounds rather fun."
Beelzebub was displaying intense interest.
"Um, an eminent demon such as yourself would never want to live in this cramped little hovel, would you…?"
If Beelzebub lived here, the neighbors would probably be afraid of us, and everything would be awkward.
"I have a proper residence and no intention of moving. However, I will stop by. I want to buy Nutri-Spirits, too. If I visit this elf, Halkara, I'm sure to be able to procure it."
True. Buying from the manufacturer was the safest way to go.
"Besides, Witch of the Highlands Azusa, we haven't settled our score yet. Next time, we fight without that barrier."
"Huh…? You're coming to fight me?"
"Be at ease; I do not wish to fight to the death. When one lives a long time, boredom is inevitable. Help me kill time. If anything else of note happens around here, call me."
"Call you? How would I contact the demon lands?"
"There is a spell that's perfect for summoning. If you do not know it, I shall teach it to you later. Indeed, 'twould be convenient for you to have…"
How often is she planning on visiting?
This was the kind of situation where if I didn't call her for a long time, she'd get mad and drop by on her own, wasn't it?
"Well anyway, we know it was all a misunderstanding, and that's good. Would you like to stay and eat with us?"
"Hmm, yes, I believe I shall. Why don't we carry the table outside and eat there? It's a splendid opportunity. It would feel more like a highland inn, and 'twould be rather exciting."
"That sounds like work, but it's not a bad idea. Let's do it."
And so we ended up having an elegant breakfast in the great outdoors.
I'd never met a demon before, so I asked her several questions about demon society.
Q1 What is demon society like at this point in time?
"The same dynasty has ruled for the past several centuries. There has been no real attempt to invade human lands, so we are getting along peacefully. It is governed by the king and us high-ranking demons."
…Meaning it's a perfectly normal country.
Q2 What do you do, Beelzebub?
"As a noble, I manage several manors, and within the dynasty, I promote the expansion of farmland as the minister of agriculture."
So apparently, she really is important.
Q3 Are you married?
"D-don't ask such peculiar questions. That is an activity for races that age rapidly. I-is it a problem for you if I'm an innocent maiden…?"
So despite her manner of speech, she's a maiden?
Q4 What do you do in your life as a fly?
"Do not mistake me: Just because I can turn into a fly, that doesn't mean I prefer to eat filth. If you put out such a thing as my meal, I shall consider it an insult to a demon minister and declare it an international incident! True, fruit is good when it's very nearly rotten, but I do mean nearly, not actually!"
Better be careful with this one. I'll just make sure to treat her like an ordinary human.
I thought I should probably contact Laika and tell her there was no longer any need to lay low, but she came flying back in dragon form while we were eating.
"I returned alone, quietly, to see how things were going, but it appears the matter's been resolved."
"It has indeed. You're welcome to bring the girls back. Actually, it will make things pretty hectic, but do you think I could ask you to do that today?"
This was a rare opportunity, and I wanted to introduce the rest of my family to the Lord of the Flies.
Beelzebub and my daughters hit it off marvelously, and they played house and— Of course they didn't. What they actually did was ask a lot of questions about demon history.
"And thus, that noble line fell. But why are you so interested in history?"
"Because there aren't many books about demons."
"My sister, Shalsha, likes studying history! I like math more!"
"Ah, I see. In that case, Falfa, I'll bring you a book about differentials and integrals next time."
I didn't really understand it, but they seemed to be having an intellectual conversation.
That night, as Beelzebub was leaving, she said, "I would like to adopt one of your daughters. Would that be all right with you?"
"I'm honored, but no."
And so the Beelzebub matter was settled without incident.