The morning after my so-called training triumph, I woke up with sore muscles, singed hair, and the overwhelming desire to go back to my peaceful life as a convenience store clerk.
Unfortunately, the universe had other plans.
A Not-So-Peaceful Morning
I had just settled into breakfast—an ominous-looking plate of dark purple eggs and something that was either bacon or a tentacle—when Lilith burst into the dining hall, looking suspiciously excited.
"Kazuki! Today, I have planned the perfect day for us!"
I nearly choked on my drink. "Uh… what kind of 'perfect' are we talking about?"
Lilith beamed. "A date, of course!"
Ryuu, who had been dramatically brooding in the corner, nearly fell off his chair. "Wait, WHAT? You're seriously dating him now?!"
Lilith crossed her arms. "He's my fiancé. It's only natural that we spend quality time together."
I hesitated. "You do remember that I'm only engaged to you because of a magical contract, right?"
Lilith ignored me. "Now, hurry and get ready. I have a full schedule planned for us!"
I sighed, glancing at Ryuu, who just shook his head. There was no escaping this.
Date Time… with a Side of Chaos
The first stop on our "date" was the bustling demon marketplace, a chaotic mess of floating shops, fire-breathing merchants, and… was that a sentient pile of goo trying to haggle over a magic sword?
"This place is… lively," I muttered.
Lilith grabbed my hand (which I tried not to think too much about) and led me toward a food stall. "You must try these!"
A demon vendor handed me a skewer of something deep-fried and glowing ominously. I hesitated. "Uh… what exactly is this?"
The vendor grinned. "Oh, just a local delicacy. It only has a 30% chance of exploding in your stomach!"
"WHAT?!"
Too late. Lilith had already taken a bite. "Mmm! Delicious!"
I gulped. This was going to be a long day.
The Hero Café Disaster
Our next stop was a themed café called "Hero's Rest", where demons could dress up as human warriors and roleplay as valiant knights.
Lilith clapped her hands excitedly. "Look, Kazuki! They even have a 'Great Hero Kazuki' special!"
I turned to see a menu item featuring a poorly drawn version of me holding a mop like Excalibur.
Ryuu, who had been forced to join us, nearly died laughing. "Oh, this is too good."
Before I could protest, the café staff surrounded me.
"Oh! It's the REAL Great Hero!"
"Sir, please bless our establishment!"
"Sign my battle-axe!"
One demon waitress actually tried to sit on my lap, which resulted in Lilith violently tossing her across the room.
"Hands off. He's mine."
"…I don't remember agreeing to that," I muttered.
Needless to say, we left shortly after.
The 'Friendly' Arena Battle
As if the day wasn't chaotic enough, Lilith had one last surprise.
"A friendly sparring match," she said sweetly.
Translation: A fight to the death.
I was thrown into a battle arena with Ryuu standing across from me, his sword gleaming under the blood-red sun.
"This is ridiculous," I groaned.
Ryuu cracked his neck. "No arguments here. But if I win, you call off this engagement."
I glanced at Lilith, who was watching with an excited expression. "And what if I win?"
Lilith smirked. "Then I'll reward you with a kiss."
"…Can I just forfeit now?"
Lilith waved her hand. "Nope! BEGIN!"
The ground shook. Ryuu charged. I braced myself.
Here we go again.