Chapter 101
Chapter 101
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: Second Epilogue - Al'Miraz
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After we smashed the body of the succubus Sirka Mk.2.
Liliet tried to hastily perform her final ritual in desperation, but with the help of the awakened Violet, we made our way down to the third underground level. There, we ran into Rexton, who for some reason was defying Liliet while bawling his eyes out. In the end, we subdued that Rexton and tried to destroy the barrier...
"Hold on, you're rambling too much, Big Brother."
I flinched.
I'd been spinning out a long-winded tale when Shaomei's sharp voice made me jump.
"Rambling? It's all necessary—"
"In the end, you broke the barrier, Agnes the Imperial Princess and I went in, smashed the magic circle, sent Liliet's spirit packing. We all know the story. So what happened with that rabbit demon?"
Unbelievable. My plan to gloss over the Rose Pavilion incident with a lengthy excuse had gone up in smoke. Had Shaomei always been this sharp?
"Big Brother, stop scheming and just tell it straight."
"...Fine, it went like this..."
**
"Familiar ceiling."
When I opened my eyes, the simple ceiling of the academy's temporary lodging came into view. I must have slept deeply— the mana depletion I'd felt right before passing out was completely gone.
Right after resolving the Liliet incident last night, the academy staff arrived on the scene. Jorba must have called them. I'd thought it was pointless meddling, but seeing the staff handle the cleanup made me realize how narrow-minded I'd been.
'If we'd handled all those hostages ourselves, we wouldn't have slept until dawn...'
Instead, thanks to the considerate acting director who grasped the situation immediately after, I was assigned this temporary lodging instead of heading back to the Bronze Dormitory. I got to sprawl out and sleep like a log on an incredibly plush, oversized luxury bed.
"Gold Class lodgings really aren't anything to envy... Maybe I should swap out my bed."
Just order one and stick it in my inventory? With that thought, I pushed aside the arm of Unicorn, who was hugging me in her sleep, to get up.
"Hehe... Arthin... so many carrots..."
Unicorn, lying beside me, must have been exhausted too—she was deep in sleep, even talking in her dreams. A glance at the clock beside her showed it was well past lunchtime. I was starting to feel hungry.
"Maybe I should go grab something to eat..."
I left the room, had a light meal at a nearby restaurant, picked up some food for Unicorn on the way back, and returned.
"Master! You're finally awake!"
The moment I entered the temporary lodging room, someone charged at me and hugged me tightly. I looked down at her in surprise.
"...Huh? Al'Miraz? Why aren't you in Hell? Didn't you use up all your mana and go back?"
"Violet summoned me to explain the incident! So I figured I'd drop by to visit Master while I was at it!"
Why would someone Violet summoned come visit me? I made a puzzled face and tried to pry her off, but she clung like a cicada on an old tree trunk, refusing to let go.
"Get off a bit... You're making me hot sticking like that... Where's Violet? Did you come alone?"
"Violet said she's swamped with cleanup, so I came to play by myself!"
"Your master's busy, and you're slacking off as her familiar??"
I said that, but since she wouldn't budge, I gave up and walked to the sofa with her still attached, then flopped down. After everything we'd been through, I couldn't bring myself to shove her off harshly.
"Master!"
As I sat on the sofa, she shifted position to nestle in my lap, then bonked her head against me repeatedly, begging to be petted. Her ample chest pressing against me felt very grown-up, but her actions were pure childlike.
"Sigh... There, there... Want more pets...?"
With a sigh, I gently stroked her head, and she finally closed her eyes in satisfaction. Anyone seeing this might mistake me for her master.
Over those few months in the dream, we'd needed someone to talk to, sharing countless stories and growing incredibly close.
It wasn't strange. Deep down, she was a teenage girl harboring profound loneliness and negative emotions. And I... embarrassing as it is to admit, my real-world memories made me resilient to isolation.
The closer we got, the more she opened up: being scorned for her magic inability, subtly ostracized by peer demons, still whispered about as favored only due to her father's influence despite being one of the Twelve Retainers.
'...Damn, it's the same everywhere. Truly.'
Our reasons for bullying differed, but I could empathize deeply with her pain.
I'd grown up from the orphanage through high school, never belonging anywhere, always rejected or isolated.
So I started teaching her magic. Partly hoping it'd help Violet, but mostly because I hated seeing my new friend Al'Miraz pretend not to be ignored anymore.
"Learning magic...? If learning was enough, I'd have mastered it ages ago. Do you know how many tutors gave up on me?"
Al'Miraz was skeptical at first. Hell's finest mages had all been her tutors, only to abandon her due to her abysmal skills.
"If failing changes nothing, no reason not to try, right? We've got plenty of time anyway."
But I coaxed her into it. We had nothing but time in the dream... and her listless demeanor reminded me painfully of my apathetic 1st Round self.
Fortunately, her magic skills suddenly started improving rapidly at some point. One success sparked her enthusiasm; she cut sleep to immerse herself in practice, and I found teaching rewarding.
Before long, she called me "Master," dropped the formal speech for casual intimacy, and started acting spoiled like this.
"How long do I have to pet you?"
"Until I'm satisfied! You promised tons of pets after work!"
"Well, I did say that, but..."
"Exactly! Keep petting until I'm happy! Got it, Master?"
Squish! Al'Miraz snuggled deeper, pressing her chest even closer. Her thin dancer's outfit made the sensation vivid.
'...Just acting spoiled, right?'
I glanced down, wondering if she was seducing me, but her sparkling, innocent eyes staring up made me dismiss it as my imagination.
'No way she'd seduce with eyes that pure. Get a grip, me.'
I kept petting without overthinking, and she purred, twitching her rabbit ears happily. But then I noticed her hand position was a bit bold.
'Why's her hand on my thigh...? A little to the side and it'd touch.'
She's so defenseless—what if she gropes Little Arthin? I subtly reached to move her hand aside.
"...Hey, Al'Miraz?"
But her hand wouldn't budge. Instead, as I tried to intervene, it crept higher up my thigh.
***
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Al'Miraz was lonely. The label of "incompetent demon who can't use magic" stuck to her no matter where she went.
"Talented? An upper demon who can't even use imp-level magic and struts around?"
"Mana overflowing thanks to her family, yet can't handle basic spells or powers?"
"Get close, and some scraps might fall, right? Or seduce her into marriage for a promotion, yeah?"
Sadly, as a rabbit demon, Al'Miraz had keen ears. Overhearing a handsome demon who'd sweetly approached as a "friend" badmouthing her was child's play.
"Can't believe such a talentless one exists—high pay means nothing. Might as well teach math to stone demons!"
Even after tutors hyped her up and she left the mansion, she overheard their complaints calling her hopeless.
Among Hell's countless demons, only her parents and Lord Mephistopheles never spoke ill of her.
'...Lonely.'
But they weren't friends. Fundamentally, Al'Miraz craved friends. She believed becoming strong—unignorable strong—like Mephisto would earn her some. Thus, she admired his power.
Rabbits were animals prone to loneliness.
*
So defenseless. Al'Miraz woke and banged her head in frustration.
'You idiot...! Showing weakness to others—what were you thinking!'
Hell was survival of the fittest. Weaknesses must stay hidden, especially mental ones. Yet she'd exposed hers to a mere human.
She felt like a fool. Surely, this human would gossip and scorn her soon.
"So, Al'Miraz. Want to learn magic from me?"
"...Pardon? What do you mean?"
She was baffled. A human—sure, friends with Mephisto so capable, but still—offering to teach her magic?
"Didn't you hear me? I'm a talentless demon who can't control her own mana!"
Thinking it mockery, Al'Miraz shrieked at him. But he just petted her head and smiled kindly.
"Even better—no risk if it flops, right? Time's all we've got, so let's try."
"H-Hey, don't pet me! I'm a proper lady too!"
She grumbled, but somehow started lessons. And predictably, she bungled everything.
"...Eek, failed again...!"
After over a hundred failures at basic light creation, Al'Miraz squeezed her eyes shut. She didn't want to see Arthin's disappointment. If this human she'd grown close to in weeks scorned her, the pain would be unbearable.
"So close! Mana control was spot-on, but the formula broke mid-cast. No worries! I messed that up tons when learning. Wanna retry?"
"...You're not mad?"
But Arthin didn't scold her. He usually teased freely, yet teaching her, he was incredibly gentle—like a different person.
"Learned you shouldn't blame someone trying to improve, not giving up. You didn't whine like I did, so you're way better than me."
First time. Someone saw her flaws without sighing. Not oblivious or indifferent, but genuinely caring, truly believing in her.
Something shifted inside Al'Miraz at Arthin's demeanor. A small, faint warmth took root for the first time—profoundly.
"Understood, Master! Let's try once more!"
"...Master? Master... Yeah, I guess I am."
Arthin smiled sheepishly at being called "Master," but the weight in Al'Miraz's words differed for her.
Soon after, Al'Miraz succeeded in magic for the first time.
**
While begging for headpats in Arthin's arms, he didn't notice her hand on his back glowing pink.
──Asmodeus, a spell invoking one of Hell's three lords, slowly stirred lust and love in its first-seen target.
She peeked at Arthin—he hadn't noticed. Naturally. These sparkling eyes were one of her powers, softening mental guards in those who met her gaze.
Unbeknownst to Arthin, the plan progressed smoothly. While he focused on petting, she deepened Unicorn's sleep, warded the room against intruders, and steadily infused him with the lust spell.
'...Today, execution day. The day Master becomes mine.'
Arthin didn't know. The kindness he'd shown this demon over time—what emotions it birthed in her heart. Al'Miraz knew clearly: it was love.
He remained oblivious why her stroking hand climbed higher, or why she'd worn that thin dancer's outfit today.
"Al'Miraz? Won't you get off soon? I'll pet you more later..."
"No way! Who knows when I'll get more—I'm taking them all today!"
Playing spoiled verbally, Al'Miraz observed her master. Seeing his eyes drift to her cleavage, feeling her touch without rejection, she smirked inwardly.
'No interruptions. In Hell, love is seized...!'
Arthin still hadn't realized the adorably cute Al'Miraz was a wicked Hell demon. Nor that he was under an aphrodisiac spell.
Before the predator disguised as prey, Arthin was all too appetizing.