Thanks to Xion’s care, Reinhild recovered quickly.
Xion wiped Reinhild’s body with warm cloths and spoon-fed him porridge just as he had when Reinhild first arrived.
Back then Reinhild had bristled with suspicion, yet now he yielded to Xion’s hands quite naturally and accepted each mouthful.
When Xion rose with the empty bowl, Reinhild slipped an arm round his waist and hugged him tight.
Taking the gesture as a request to stay, Xion set the bowl on the floor and lay down beside him.
Reinhild, as if it were the most natural thing, rested his head on Xion’s chest, and Xion embraced him.
“Does anything still hurt?”
“No. I’m fine.”
He had healed enough to trail after Xion to the fields or move about a little.
The only reason he still lazed in bed accepting Xion’s attentions was simple idleness.
Reinhild blamed his slackness on Xion doing everything for him and burrowed farther into Xion’s arms.
Warm…
He had never enjoyed warmth before, but somehow, he didn’t mind Xion’s.
Why is Xion so good to me?
Reinhild tilted his head and stared up at Xion.
Seeing Xion flash that bright smile when their eyes met only deepened the mystery.
Xion had no reason at all to dote on him like this.
Yet he couldn’t just ask, “Why are you so nice to me?”
If Xion realized how strange the situation was, it would be disastrous.
If he got thrown out now, Reinhild would lose everything.
Whatever misunderstanding moved Xion, he hoped it would last as long as possible.
After rolling his eyes in thought, Reinhild chose his question carefully.
“Xion, aren’t you curious about me at all?”
“Not really.”
“Not at all?”
Honestly, he felt a bit disappointed.
Maybe he’s not that interested in me
How could he have no questions?
He’d been found half-dead in the mountains.
He’d revealed nothing but a name—a false name, at that.
He wasn’t even human but the Demon King!
And Xion wasn’t curious? Really?
Noting Reinhild’s sulky look, Xion answered as though in excuse.
“I already know a great deal about you.”
“Liar.”
“You like warm milk with honey.”
Did he? …Yes, he supposed so.
Since the weather turned chilly, Xion heated milk each morning, and it tasted far sweeter and nicer that way.
“Well, yes, I do like warm milk.”
“And you prefer your meat grilled rather than boiled.”
“That’s true of every de—”
He nearly said “every demon in existence.” He bit it back.
“—every living being that has mana, I’d say.”
He silently applauded his own quick save.
Xion, seeming to notice nothing odd, continued with a bright smile.
“You dislike the cold but are sensitive to heat.”
“Mm, right.”
He’d never minded chill before as he was accustomed to a cool Demon-King’s body, but with his mana depleted his vitality had fallen, and illness often followed. He’d grown averse to cold.
He wanted warmth yet disliked swelter. What could he do?
Throw off stifling blankets and hug a conveniently warm human, that was all.
When Reinhild tightened his arms around Xion with that excuse in mind, Xion circled an arm about his back and locked him in.
Being hugged was stifling, and Reinhild squirmed.
“And when you’re in my arms you feel smothered,” Xion observed.
“Yet I don’t push you away, do I?”
For a moment Xion considered mentioning how every night Reinhild thrashed to escape while Xion held on but let it go.
“You also enjoy reading.”
“You don’t know what sort of books I like.”
“I do know you hate romance novels.”
“Then why do you keep bringing them?”
“I only borrow whatever books Rebecca brings back from other towns. I can’t help it.”
So that woman was to blame. Wretched human.
Read only those books and your brain would turn pink. Maybe his already had.
“You see? I already know plenty about you.”
“Still, aren’t you curious where I came from, who I am, whether I have family?”
Instead of answering, Xion hugged him tighter.
“What Reinhild did or where he was before doesn’t matter. What matters to me is the Reinhild here now.”
What matters is the present me…
The words pleased Reinhild.
That he’d once lost to the Hero, that he’d been driven from Demon-King Castle with nowhere to go—none of it seemed to matter anymore.
“Then do you have anything you’d like to know about me?” Xion asked.
Without a moment’s hesitation Reinhild replied, “Doesn’t matter. What counts is the Xion here now.”
“An excellent answer.”
Xion squeezed him harder.
Too tight, Reinhild thought, wanting to push him away but he held back. He’d just boasted he never shoved Xion off. A Demon King keeps his word.
Thus pinned, he kept chatting.
It was nothing grand: noting the chill meant winter was near, straw had to be set aside for covering the cold-weather crops, when spring came and the flowers bloomed, they should go on a long outing.
These were just small, homely plans for the future.
“Do you think we can go fetch another mana stone before it gets colder?”
The sudden question made Xion hesitate. He couldn’t admit the storehouse held a whole sack of stones.
“Do you need more?”
“No. I just want to try hunting a monster with you.”
A lie. He had no wish to face monsters.
But he couldn’t baldly state he needed more stones. Xion might risk himself gathering them.
If Xion were harmed, that would be terrible.
My mana’s come back a bit. I can fetch stones myself.
When Xion first brought a stone, he’d claimed he’d downed a huge, powerful monster.
Now, healed, Reinhild saw something odd: a mid-grade stone from a creature a simple farmer caught in a trap?
Impossible. Unless…
Over five hundred years monsters too had grown stronger, so surely common folk still couldn’t slay ogres or orcs.
Then how did Xion get it?
The answer was simple: as monsters’ mana increased, even weak ones like goblins now bore stones!
A dim-witted creature that fell into a bear pit… Yes, even a weakened Demon King could handle that.
Filled with this hopeful fantasy, Reinhild forged a new plan.
Gather many stones and restore my mana fast.
A single stone worn on a necklace had helped this much. Imagine sitting in a mana amplifying array studded with stones!
At least enough to drive the Hero away when he comes.
He had begun thinking not of fleeing but of protecting Xion.
Buoyed by that grand dream, he repeated the proposal.
“I want to go monster hunting with you, Xion.”
But Xion poured cold water on the scheme. “You’re not well enough yet.”
“I’ll be fine tomorrow.”
“Monsters are dangerous.”
“I’m not that weak a hu— no, no… that weak a person.”
Reinhild thumped his chest proudly. To Xion, it looked like a small animal chirping.
“If we set traps like you did, it’s safe.”
Did Reinhild know what expression he was wearing?
Whether unconsciously or to shatter Xion’s resolve, that pout was so adorable he couldn’t refuse.
“When you’re completely recovered, shall we go set some traps?”
“Deal.”
Only then did Reinhild nod in satisfaction.
And Xion began earnestly wondering what sort of monster he could bring back for Reinhild to “hunt” without getting hurt.
Leave a Reply