The Second Daughter's Dangerous Charm (2)

Could it be that he truly wasn't human after all?

Clack.

"It's nothing fancy, but please have some. I've brought our finest tea."

"Thanks. You're every bit as well-mannered as I heard."

Even after being barged in on without warning, his expression didn't shift in the slightest—as if this much had always been well within his expectations.

"Ah, would you care ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠for a snack as well? I've just finished baking some cookies, as it happens."

"I'm fine. It's late, so I'll get to the point."

"I'd hoped we might talk a little longer. What a pity."

And that wasn't all. She'd come in arrogant and high-handed, and yet he still carried himself like this—he had clearly seen through the act.

"Don't bother, Demian. Just hear her out and throw her out already."

"She's a guest. How could I do such a thing? Even a midnight caller deserves a proper welcome."

Meanwhile, the woman clinging to the demon's side had been staring daggers this way for some time. She was clearly on high alert.

Yusia told me as much—that she hates the idea of him dealing with demons.

The negotiating table was stacked badly against her. On one side, a girl who already regarded her as an enemy; on the other, a schemer with a mind that never stopped turning.

I've already lost the initiative. Beating around the bush won't work.

In that case, there was no more room for hesitation.

"I need your power, Archdemon. Make a contract with me."

She didn't have much time left, after all.

"A contract. Might I ask how you came to make such a choice?"

"You don't need the reason. You just take my soul and call it done, don't you?"

"Ahem! Cough…"

Across the table, the woman seated beside the demon cleared her throat.

"I see demons still have a dreadful reputation for credit. You, Haley—both of you so desperate to hand over your souls you can hardly sit still. Heh."

While she was still puzzling over that, his dry little laugh drifted across. She'd heard it from Yusia, but it seemed the woman was a contractor as well.

"Stop dodging and answer me. Are we doing this or not?"

"Well. At the moment, I'm not particularly inclined."

Crafty bastard. He was playing hard to get so he could squeeze out a better deal. She was the one who needed this, so of course he expected her to tip the scales herself.

"I'll prepare anything you want. All you have to do is teach me power."

"That's enough out of you. Demian already said no."

The woman—Haley—cut in without warning.

"Stay out of it, brat. This is between me and the demon."

"What—brat!? We look the same age. Watch your mouth."

There was no room for interference. Right now she had to persuade the demon by any means necessary.

"Gold, goods, titles—name it. If you don't want my soul, I'll throw in my body too."

"Y-You shameless—!"

She meant ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠every word. If survival was on the line, what wouldn't she do? At this rate she was going to end up assassinated. Every card she had left had to go on the table.

"A lady does not sell herself so lightly."

"Then what am I supposed to do? Money and fame I can just cheat somebody out of, so you wouldn't care about those."

"The same goes for a woman."

"Demian…!!"

Her prediction had been completely off. She'd thought a demon would snatch up a contract offer and take the soul without a second thought.

What exactly can I even offer a demon?

No matter how hard she thought, the answer wouldn't come. If gold, titles, and her own body all failed, she had nothing left to put on the bargaining table.

"…Lady Adele de Abolumi, was it?"

"That's right. You can just call me Adele."

"Then, Adele—why is it that you use a wheelchair?"

A strange question, out of nowhere. Of course she would answer. She needed to accommodate his side as much as possible.

"You've heard of magic overload, I assume? Someone of your caliber wouldn't be ignorant of it."

The reason the so-called genius had fallen—and the cause of her father's death. That loathsome curse was the answer.

"I got greedy and blew out my circuits. Now I can barely walk, let alone cast magic."

"Is there no way to cure it?"

"What kind of question is that? It's one of the most famous incurable conditions there is."

She had already poured out every bitter feeling long ago. There was no point still feeling wronged about it now.

Clunk.

"I won't ask you to fix the magic overload. That would be far too shameless."

She managed to get down from the wheelchair and looked the demon straight in the eye. It felt like standing face-to-face with some legendary monster. Terror surged up without warning, but she couldn't afford to falter here.

"Just let me stay by your side. Wait until I find something I can give you."

"Buying on credit, is that it?"

"You could put it that way."

She would say it as many times as she had to: she needed his power. Sitting around waiting for the day she got assassinated was not an option.

"You're not actually going to accept, are you? This is the woman who had her people tail you."

"That was for information. Nothing else."

"Hmph. The act itself is offensive enough."

She was still bickering with the woman who kept throwing obstacles in her path when—

"Hold on a moment. What is this now…"

The demon opened his mouth.

"…Very well. If you want it that badly."

"Really? No take-backs?"

Whatever sudden change of heart it was, the demon accepted with surprising ease. From her side, that was perfect. She'd been racking her brains over what to do next.

"In exchange, I have one condition."

"Name it, demon. I'll bring you whatever you want."

A condition was exactly what she'd been hoping for. She had even been prepared to hand over the head of the house if it came to that—anything.

"From now on, use formal speech with me. And I'm not 'demon'—I'm Demian."

"…Got it. Sir."

That, she had not seen coming.

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

"Well then, I'll be heading back… sir."

"Understood. Have a pleasant night."

I saw Adele out at the front door. It felt as though some kind of storm had just blown through.

"…Demian. You clearly said before that you wouldn't fall for another woman throwing herself at you."

"I didn't fall for anything. Strictly speaking, this is my job."

I hadn't planned on taking a contract either, at first. I already had my hands full looking after Haley—managing another one on top of that?

And yet I accepted. Because of this, of course.

New features kept popping out like a nutcracker doll that wouldn't quit. Come to think of it, it was getting on my nerves—if it could do this from the start, why had it spent so much time just holding me down before?

DP, huh. How exactly do I use these?

What the hell is this now…

The status window started running wild all by itself. How had it even managed to keep quiet this long if it was this eager to talk?

Draw out emotions, huh. So I just have to make them happy or sad?

Sadness was out. I had zero interest in pulling anything unpleasant out of her.

That left making her happy…

"Haley. Are you still sulking?"

"I'm not sulking. I just don't feel like talking to you."

"We call that sulking."

Conveniently, Haley was right there with her cheeks puffed out like a hamster. Her face was turned toward the distant hills, but the hand she stretched in my direction—as if asking to be held—was kind of adorable.

"You like fruit, don't you? As thanks, I'll make apple pie for you today."

"…You think that'll make me get over it?"

Huh. Seems like it's working ridiculously well.

"All right. As a bonus, I'll sleep with you tonight."

"I'm not a child. Sleeping together is nothing…"

I feel bad saying it, but Haley seemed like a bit of an easy mark. Getting this happy over cooking and sleeping together—I'd have to make sure she stayed wary enough not to run into some bad guy later.

I am basically like Haley's dad, after all.

…Wait. Why am I getting chills all of a sudden? Can demons even catch colds?

"…If you grant me just one favor, I think I could let it all go."

While I was still shivering, she made me an offer. I needed the DP, sure, but smoothing over her sulk came first.

"Speak, then. Your demon is useful enough to grant you anything."

"Wash with me."

"…Excuse me?"

And what exactly are you supposed to be.

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

"That might be a bit much, don't you think? At my age, bathing with Haley would get me arrested."

"You're a demon, Demian. Can't a demon commit a little crime?"

Sure, a demon might get away with it.

But you're a Saintess. What's a Saintess doing trying to bathe with a full-grown adult?

"If you don't, I'll sulk all day."

"You just said you weren't sulk—"

"Ah—fine. We'll go in together later…"

"Hehe, thank you!"

Haley beamed as if nothing had ever been wrong. I couldn't begin to tell which tune I was supposed to dance to anymore.

"Oh. And the sleeping together is still a promise, right?"

"…Yes."

This was basically half blackmail.