The Dangerous Second Daughter (1)

A few days after my impression of Demian had changed, nothing particularly noteworthy had happened.

Creak!

"I'll just step out to pick up a few groceries. Wait for me a little while, will you?"

"Have a safe trip, and take care of yourself."

No.

There was one thing that had been nagging at me.

"……Someone's tailing Demian."

I had spotted it last time when I saw him off outside. Amid the bustling crowd of people coming and going, a small shadow that followed only Demian.

"Demian doesn't seem to have noticed. Probably because he's not using magic."

In a way, it made perfect sense. Ever since he told me about the Familiar Disease, he had been reluctant to use magic in front of me.

"He's holding back out of worry for me…… Heehee."

I couldn't possibly let him go alone into a situation like this. Today I intended to follow Demian on his grocery run—to protect him from the stalker.

Creak!

There he is. Just as I thought, heading toward the market.

I carefully opened the door and caught sight of his back. I had never noticed when I was always right beside him, but seeing him fully like this, the sharply tailored suit looked far too handsome. It gave him an air of refinement, somehow.

There's something about his back that…… draws me in strangely.

I slipped into the throng of people and tailed Demian.

"Hey there, young man! You're just dripping with bad luck. How about a fortune reading?"

"What about a curse-warding charm? You'll want at least one stashed away if you plan on surviving around here."

The moment he stepped into the street, people swarmed him—swindlers sniffing around for an easy mark.

"I have no interest. I'll look after my own person, thank you."

"Tch. What a boring one we've got here."

Demian shut them down with an iron wall and pushed past. Watching him, I realized he was always kind to me, yet surprisingly harsh with everyone else. I liked that about him—it even moved me—but at the same time…

Sometimes I wish he'd treat me a little like that, too.

That idle thought was still floating through my head when—

"Shopkeeper, are you in?"

I ducked into a side alley the moment Demian stopped in front of the grocery store. From here, I shouldn't be spotted.

"Well, well, if it isn't you again. You've been coming by quite often lately."

"This is the only place that takes my orders properly, you see."

"Haha! Fair enough. Wait right there while I fetch your goods."

A middle-aged man soon appeared. The black-haired girl I had seen at the shop before was nowhere in sight.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

A daughter or part-timer, maybe?

I had hated watching her throw herself at Demian without knowing her place. Good riddance, then.

Demian is my contractor. I won't give him to anyone.

I could no longer imagine a life without him. He was the only person I could trust—my benefactor.

If anyone ever tried to take him from me…

I'll stand in their way with everything I have.

"Order's rea—whoa, why the startled look?"

The shopkeeper was right. Demian's pupils had suddenly blown wide. He only ever made that face in front of this particular store. Was there something here?

"Ah, it's nothing. Here's the payment."

"Heh. I like how cleanly you settle up, sir."

After settling the bill for the ingredients, Demian asked,

"By the way, is your clerk not working today?"

So he was curious about that woman's whereabouts. I didn't like it, but I was curious myself, so I listened quietly.

"Clerk?"

"The person who attended me when I stopped by a week ago."

"I run this place alone. You must be mixing me up with another shop."

But the only answer that came back was blank confusion. Demian would never fail to notice a lie, so it had to be the truth.

I knew it. I thought something was off about that woman—

"I-I've been found out…… What do I do now……"

Huh?

"What exactly are you doing right now?"

"……Eek! Th-that's—!"

I turned toward the mutter and discovered the woman crouching and sniffling.

"I-I absolutely wasn't spying on a demon or anything……!"

"A demon?"

"……Ah."

So this was the stalker who had been tailing Demian. This woman.

"Let's have a little talk, shall we?"

"W-wait! I'll come with you! I'll go, so please just let go of me……!"

"So you're saying the Lord of Barloken ordered you to tail Demian?"

"Y-yes, that's right……"

In a deserted back alley, I heard the whole story from this woman—Yusia.

"The lord, huh. Quite the troublesome opponent we've attracted."

"I-I've told you everything, so can I go now……?"

"No. I still have more questions."

Rare chance to get information. I had to make the most of it.

"First: why did the lord order you to follow Demian?"

"Ah, she wanted to contract with a demon and receive his help……"

A contract. A contract, she said.

"Then pretending to be a clerk at that shop last time was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠also…"

"Yes…… I got caught while peeking……"

My instincts had been spot-on after all. No wonder she had been wagging her tail at Demian.

"B-but I wasn't actually hitting on him back then, okay?"

"Don't bother with such transparent lies."

"It's true……!"

Anyway, this situation was rather serious. The fact that the lord had set her sights on him meant there was a real possibility of retaliation if she were refused.

But I can't let Demian make a contract with her either.

I was his only contractor. I would never tolerate anyone else laying a hand on him.

"Last question. How much do you people know about Demian?"

This was actually the most important one.

"Not much. That he has a good presence, that he's kind, and that he's incredibly strong… that sort of thing?"

"You left one out. Demian is incredibly handsome."

"……Pardon?"

Why was she looking at me like that? How could she claim to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠know anything while leaving out Demian's greatest trait and virtue?

"Answer me."

"Y-you're right! Maybe it's because he's a demon, but he did have a striking face."

"It's not because he's a demon. Demian is exceptionally handsome on his own."

Did I mishear just now? I thought I caught a crackle of static from somewhere.

"Anyway, don't even think about approaching Demian again."

"I understand…… I've already been caught. I'm not shameless enough to keep pushing."

It was about time for him to arrive home. I needed to head back.

"I hope you mean that."

"Yes. Please go carefully……"

I left the back alley and melted back into the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠crowd. After a warning that thorough, she ought to give up by now.

"Are you really going to give up, Young Lady?"

"But what should we do? That person looks ready to draw a blade."

Clink, clink.

"The Lord of Barloken has realized that Demian is a demon."

"……Explain in detail, if you would."

Damn it, I almost sprayed my food. What the hell was this out of nowhere?

"I watched your back when you went out today. Along the way I ran into the stalker."

"Wait—you were tailing me?"

"Yes. I was protecting you."

……I would set aside the fact that Haley seemed a little off for now. The real shock was that I hadn't noticed the tail at all. Had my instincts gone dull lately?

"Are you all right, Haley? You weren't subjected to any schemes like last time, were you?"

"Nothing happened. Thank you for worrying about me."

I spooned another bite into her brightly smiling mouth.

The Lord of Barloken… I admit I never considered that.

As head of the house, word of everything that happened in the city would naturally reach her ears. I had been so focused on protecting Haley from the Holy Kingdom that I failed to account for other factions.

"Mmmph, mmph-mm."

"Swallow first, then speak. You'll choke."

Gulp.

"The stalker was a woman named Yusia—the same person who sold you groceries last time."

"So she really did notice my identity."

It had been true after all. Haley's instincts were remarkably sharp. I had thought of her as nothing more than a fragile child.

"……Aren't you going to praise me?"

"Ah, as expected of Haley. You're far too capable."

I stood and patted her head. She had been clinging to me more and more lately.

Obviously because of this thing.

That stat had begun rising rapidly at some point. The cause of this whole mess was clearly that thing.

What even is that value? Dependency? Obsession?

If it were something that ordinary, it would have been revealed long ago.

"So, did you learn their purpose?"

"Uh…… th-they were keeping an eye on you because they were worried you might harm the town?"

Hmm.

I smell something.

"Haley, you're hiding something from me."

The thick, dense scent of lies that demons love most of all.

"I'm not! I haven't told a single lie!"

"I never said you lied. I said you're hiding something."

"Kh……!"

Did she really think she could lie to my face? Deception and fraud were the specialties of my kind.

"What is it? You're not the type to keep secrets, Haley."

"Well, that is……"

I had to find out. It might even be connected to the sudden spike in that ??? value.

Knock knock!

"Oh? Is it someone you know?"

A sudden knock at the door.

"No. I don't particularly know anyone around here."

I rose and walked to the entrance. The grocery store owner, maybe? But he shouldn't know our lodging.

I yanked the door open.

"Hello—huh."

No one was there. I was about to close it again, figuring it was a prank, when—

"I'm down here. Look below."

"Ah."

I lowered my gaze and found a young lady with purple hair looking up at me. Now she was in a wheelchair.

"My apologies for the discourtesy. What business do you have with me?"

"Demian, right?"

……She knew my name?

"A great demon who ranks among the Seven Desires will come to Barloken and aid you."

"Hold on a moment."

"Father was right. You really did appear."

She gathered her dress and offered a polite greeting. That archaic gown, those refined manners—everything pointed to high birth.

"You… don't tell me."

"Looks like you've figured it out. Then I'll keep the introductions short."

Speak of the devil and he shall appear, as they say.

"Adele de Abolumi. Current head of the Barloken house and Master of the Magic Tower."

……I honestly never expected her to show up in person.