The juice was delicious, but it couldn’t wash away Rein’s doubts about the human named Xion.
Someone finds a powerless stranger collapsed on the roadside and takes him in? Suspicious.
Such an act was intolerable by demonic standards.
True, Xion wasn’t a demon, yet in the Demon King’s eyes humans and demons were all the same lot.
Clearly some grand scheme lurked behind the man’s kindness.
Determined to uncover Xion’s plot, Rein kept a close watch on him—
that day,
the next,
and through the following week.
The result was dismal.
Xion was so ordinary that even the suspicious Demon King felt sorry for doubting him.
“Just a farmer living a simple, monotonous life,” was Rein’s verdict.
At 5 a.m. sharp Xion rose and prepared breakfast.
In truth, Rein was always fast asleep at that hour, so he couldn’t surveil properly. Perhaps Xion took advantage of that early time to execute whatever scheme he had in mind but Rein lacked the will to verify.
Even a Demon King who had slept for 500 years valued his sleep.
“Breakfast is ready, Rein.”
At six o’clock Xion would wake him.
“Want more sleep… Don’t wake me…”
When Rein mumbled limply, Xion lifted him in his arms and set him on his feet.
“You have to get up.”
“I’ve never risen at this hour in my life… I’m nocturnal.”
After muttering the same words every single morning since he had arrived, Rein accepted the fresh milk Xion pressed into his hand.
Five centuries ago he would have complained about eating before dawn—but the milk here was special, worth drinking even at this ungodly time.
The food here really is tastier than anything I had in the castle.
Perhaps, as humans had grown stronger over 500 years, their cooking skills had grown as well.
Maybe the castle’s chefs had leveled up too… but who cared? He had no interest in a place that had attacked and expelled him.
Once they finished a hearty breakfast, Xion prepared lunch for Rein and went out to work.
He resumed fieldwork only after Rein stopped treating him with suspicion.
At first Rein merely sprawled in the room. There was truly nothing else to do.
Were all humans so dull, or was Xion especially boring? Hard to say. Xion did obtain a few books from Rebecca, but Rein devoured them in no time. Unless someone hauled the capital’s entire library here, boredom seemed inevitable.
So Rein decided.
“I’ll go with you today.”
Of course, this was purely so he could watch Xion more closely and see if the man had ulterior motives. It was absolutely not because wandering around with Xion looked less tedious than lazing about.
“Wonderful. We’ll have more time together,” Xion beamed.
Such genuine happiness made Rein feel a twinge of guilt.
No. The Demon King does not feel guilty about this.
Resolute, he began accompanying Xion each day.
Yet even in the fields boredom reigned because Xion never made him work.
All Rein did was sit beneath a tree wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat Xion had woven for him and nibble from the lunchbox.
Hands that could probably fell a bear do such delicate work!
He rather liked the hat.
Watching Xion labor nonstop was unexpectedly interesting: plowing, sowing, pulling mature crops, picking fruit. These jobs usually shared by several villagers were handled alone and faster.
Remarkable.
With that solid build and stamina, he’d wield a sword well. Had the thought of knighthood never crossed his mind? Maybe, born in a remote village, farming was the only dream he’d ever had.
Should I teach him the blade?
Then if someone swaggering in gaudy gear shouting “I’m the Hero” shows up, Xion could chase him off.
Would Xion grant such a favor? Probably not. This honest country youth would never think of expelling a Hero.
Besides, Rein couldn’t teach swordsmanship: his whole life had been magic.
So boring.
Even the pleasure of observing Xion at work soon waned, though it beat sitting alone at home.
Now and then Xion would glance over and wave with a bright, foolish grin; the hours passed quickly.
Occasionally, when the mood struck, Rein waved back.
At dusk, they returned home together.
On the way, Xion stopped by neighbors to barter produce for meat or other foods, then shouldered a staggering load himself.
“Need a hand?”
“As long as you carry the basket, Rein, I’m fine.”
The basket, once filled with snacks, was now empty and weightless; Rein didn’t ask twice.
If a human insisted on hard work, it would be absurd for the Demon King to help.
Back home, Xion prepared dinner.
“Wow.”
Tonight’s spread was lavish as always: three kinds of fruit jam and buttered bread, juicy lamb, beef stew, boiled corn and mashed potatoes, sautéed vegetables like eggplant, plus cheese and wine.
He eats a lot because he moves a lot.
Rein eagerly looked forward to the thrice-daily meals served right on time.
After supper he soaked in warm water Xion had readied, easing the fatigue of the day’s surveillance, then headed for the bedroom.
When Rein lay in bed, Xion, having finished the chores, returned freshly washed.
The small house had only one bedroom, and the single bed barely fit Xion alone; with Rein added they had no choice but to lie pressed together.
Again, Rein landed in Xion’s embrace. It was unavoidable.
“Uncomfortable. How about you sleep on the floor?”
“The floor is cold and hard. You’re not fully recovered; you must sleep here.”
“I meant you sleep on the floor.”
“I have to rest well if I’m to work tomorrow.”
Being a freeloader, Rein couldn’t argue.
The floor was indeed uneven and chilly; even with the fire, the house never warmed completely.
On cold nights the warmest bed cooled quickly. When his body shivered from lack of mana, Xion silently hugged him tighter.
Lower mana means lower body temperature. It was perfectly natural.
Depending on a human for warmth was nothing to be ashamed of; pride froze before cold.
So warm…
Full belly, cozy heat… sleep came easily.
Another dull, boring day awaits tomorrow; I’d best rest.
As Rein entertained such thoughts, Xion sometimes patted his back.
Thus ended Xion’s dull, ordinary, identical day. Tomorrow upon waking, the same day would begin anew.
Rein, too, was growing accustomed to early nights: waking early, eating well, spending every hour keeping watch on Xion had become routine.
He fell asleep in Xion’s arms, expecting the same tomorrow.
❖ ❖ ❖
“At last—Audrit.”
A party entered the mountains skirting the Audrit estate.
Their leader was Jake West, eldest son of Duke West, a young Sword Master, and the newly appointed Hero of this generation.
“Ahhh, we made it! How far to the nearest city?”
“Two days should do, but we’ll pass through two villages first.”
“Then let’s rest at the closest village.”
“Good idea. The nearest place is…”
Jake unfolded the map and located the nearest settlement.
“A village called Root.”
At that moment, the Hero’s party had chosen its next destination.
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