#085
"You get what I'm saying, right?"
Of course she did. Catherine nodded without dragging her feet. Her legs were already properly folded beneath her in a formal posture.
"I'll be more careful starting tomorrow. I think I slipped up while poking around trying to find my enemy."
So quit nagging already. Catherine snuck a glance at Mars, rolling only her eyes. He had a bluish glint in his gaze that Chezare never showed. It shone especially bright when he was pissed off—like now.
"Hey."
At his call, Mars plopped down on his ass right in front of her. It looked comfortable enough to anyone watching, but to Catherine in this situation, it was just burdensome. Is he gonna chew me out more here?
"Yeah?"
"How long are you gonna keep spouting that nonsense about being from 600 years in the future and coming back to kill your enemy?"
Mars propped his chin on his hand, its knuckles half-covered in calluses and rock-hard. Unlike before, his face wasn't just bored. It was crumpled in irritation, but at least he was treating her like an actual opponent.
"Enemy my ass. You open your mouth and it's all lies."
It's true, though. But it was only fair for Mars to doubt her. Magic that transcended time and space didn't exist in this world. In a way, Catherine's very existence here could be called a lie.
And if she couldn't save Lilith from that unknown danger, even this existence would vanish.
"Mixing a few truths in with clever bullshit, huh."
A sneer curled across Mars's face.
"So that 'enemy' you're looking for... is this Lilith?"
A chill ran down her spine.
Did I ever mention Lilith to Mars...?
Right. Damn it. She'd blabbed her guts out right before her first death.
Catherine denied it with the most innocent face she could muster. Times like this called for shamelessness.
"No."
But it didn't land with Mars at all.
"That part was true, then. Or was that the only true thing?"
It's all true! She wanted to spill everything now that it was out, but he obviously wouldn't believe her, so she clamped her mouth shut.
"Fine. You're using me to find Lilith, got it."
His voice dropped low—not just low, but like echoing over a lake deep underground in a cavern.
What if he's hurt? Ridiculous thought. The Mars in front of her was the guy who'd cut her down without a second thought on suspicion alone. He looked at people like ants and hadn't spared her a glance when she'd thrown herself at him.
But that doesn't mean he can't feel hurt. And announcing you'd use someone to their face would piss off anyone with emotions.
Realizing that, Catherine quickly closed the gap between them.
"Just in case, don't get hurt over it, Mars Captain. Absolutely not!"
"...Huh?"
"Everyone moves for their own desires and goals, right? Sure, I approached you with ulterior motives, but my feelings for you are genuine."
Mars blinked in disbelief.
"What feelings?"
"I like you."
It came out a bit weird somehow, but it was the truth. No one could outdo her affection for him.
Chezare had given her a new life. One packed with rotting piles of wealth, enough power to screw over Anne and her husband, and bonds deeper than blood—the ones he especially emphasized.
Even if her soul would eventually fade in his hands after long years.
She wouldn't regret it if she was with him.
Earthworm mage life, too.
So Catherine said it again, with emphasis.
"I like you the most in the world, Mars. Probably more than my own mother now."
Yeah, she liked Chezare.
Right. I like Chezare. Not some grand revelation, but her mind cleared like she'd uncovered a profound truth.
Whether it was romantic love or familial didn't matter. What counted was that her most precious person—no, demon—existed.
When I get back, I'll obey him better, study demonology hard to protect him from the other archdemons, practice puzzles, and...
Damn. Having a favorite demon sure piled on the to-do list.
Her favorite Chezare. And this was Chezare's past self from 600 years ago: Mars.
"Why do you like me?"
Mars asked, still looking utterly baffled.
"That's a weird question. Is there some reason I shouldn't like you?"
Does he think I just like his face? Mars had to know how stunning he looked. Just in case, she added,
"Don't flatter yourself. It's not your looks. I'd like you even if you looked like half-kneaded dough."
"So why?"
"You wouldn't get it even if I explained. You'd just call it all lies anyway."
Like she'd say, because I contracted with your future self and expect belief.
Mars was still propping his chin. The amazing part? No obnoxious growls from him, the equivalent of his grumbles.
Instead, he let out a hollow chuckle—not mocking, not probing her like before, just pure bafflement.
"You aware of how batshit crazy you sound?"
In that moment, a sharp pang of longing stabbed Catherine's chest. His voice, the shape of his mouth, the way he looked at her, even his eyebrows—they were all Chezare incarnate.
She had to answer, but her lips wouldn't move. She'd thought she'd been holding up fine here all this time.
Now she felt inexplicably down.
Demian, Yaong, Roze, Fontpado Madam, Magi. Who else? They hadn't been together long, but being stranded here alone made it hit harder.
This feeling was unfamiliar. She'd only ever felt it toward her mother, faintly.
Catherine finally spoke.
"Sorry if I upset you. I'll be careful from now on."
Mars's face stiffened slightly. Catherine rose slowly from her spot.
"I'll head out now, Captain. See you tomorrow."
This melancholy was new; she had no clue how to handle it. Small mercy, maybe. Mars didn't stop her.
As expected, she couldn't sleep that night. In the pitch-black predawn before the sun rose, Catherine blinked her heavy eyes open and stepped out of her tent. Sleep wouldn't come, so she craved fresh air.
Once the gloom set in, it went beyond missing Chezare—to her mother, even. Then she remembered her mother was the one who'd dumped her ass into this godforsaken demon king subjugation force 600 years back.
The gloom tormenting her vanished like magic.
A fine drizzle fell from the sky that had been clear all evening. Catherine wove through the dozing knights, her head nodding, into the thicket where the lake came into view. She figured she'd watch quietly and head back.
But someone was at the lake. Or rather, collapsed.
Those clothes, that hair, that back—they were all too familiar to Catherine.
"...Mars?"
A memory flashed unbidden.
It's just like that time.
The day Chezare had collapsed in front of the mansion, seemingly dead.
Catherine bolted through the rain straight to him. His body didn't stir, and his cheek against her hand was ice-cold.
Dread surged. She hadn't forgotten that rainy night when Chezare lay before the mansion like a corpse. No—couldn't forget. That was the day he'd tried to end it all.
Why? She couldn't bring herself to ask the reason. She wanted to know, yet didn't.
Catherine flipped Mars's body over. His face was corpse-pale. But no matter how she tried to prop him up, his heavy frame wouldn't rise.
"Catherine."
Then a savior appeared before her.
"I'll help. Let's get him to the tent quick."
The weasel-masked mage.
Two women hauling a full-grown man wasn't easy. The thickening rain drowned their ragged breaths in the sound of water rushing through the dirt.
They arrived at Mars's tent looking like drowned rats. With a light wave from the weasel mask, flames flickered to life in the candelabra.
"Hold one leg there."
After much struggle, they laid Mars on the bed. Catherine meticulously covered his chilled body with the furs and hides on the floor.
That day at the mansion replayed vividly. Not a good memory.
As she stared at his near-death face, the weasel mask patted her shoulder.
"Happens sometimes. He'll wake up fine tomorrow."
"Is something wrong with Mars?"
If not, he wouldn't try to die. He was an archdemon—Leviathan, no less.
"Everyone has problems."
"Tell me what it is."
The weasel mask's familiarity nagged at her. After a long silence, she finally spoke.
"I don't know the details myself, but..."
But she shook her head.
"No, sorry. You should hear it from him. Ask the captain yourself if you're curious."
Could she? Catherine wasn't sure.
Leaving her to get some rest, the weasel mask returned to her own tent.
Catherine buried her face against Mars's body.
"What's wrong with you, Chezare."
And as if waiting, they swarmed in.
「Hand it over, child.」
「Give that noble thing to us.」
「Trade it for a wish, child. That noble thing for your wish...」
Disgusting shadows crawling down from the ceiling. What had Chezare called them? Remnants of desire, ash?
Whatever their name, Catherine had no intention of handing Mars over.
"Scram."
Her sharp command made the shadows shudder—the biggest fear reaction she'd seen yet.
「Ahh. The frightening one!」
「Noble one. So noble... Let's flee quick.」
「Quick, quick, flee.」
Yeah, run fast. I need to rest too.
Catherine didn't return to her tent. She stayed by Mars's side until the end.
The most exhausting time since arriving here.