Chapter 4 (2/2)

Brought along by Celia-san, I had once again gotten an invitation to go to the Aquarain family mansion. Right now, I’m standing outside the mansion with Celia-san, however...

”Celia-san? The two guards here...”

The guards that once held me at spear point were no longer here.

Two different guards are stationed here instead.

”Oh, the people who were rude to our honored guest...I wonder what became of them?”

It's probably a good thing she didn't know I wasn't human.

I determined it was best left unsaid that I was a demon.

I feel like something terrible would happen if she caught wind...

”As for those two...our head maid gave them a thorough scolding.”

...what?

Geez, it's not nearly as bad as I thought.

”You know, our head maid used to be an A rank adventurer. For certain reasons she retired from being an adventurer and became a maid instead.”

Oh? She sounds rather capable.

I wonder if she works as the captain of the guard too?

So maybe that's why the head maid would be the one to lecture them...?

”She's terribly scary when she's angry. She's very sweet on her husband though.”

What are we talking about, a couple of newlyweds here?

”But it seems they once got into a quarrel. Her husband was so seriously injured it took half a year to make a full recovery.”

“...”

”But, her husband was also an A rank adventurer. Injuries like that were normal from what I hear.”

Scaaaaaary.

What on earth is she?

It took him half a year to fully recover even though they were the same rank? What's going on here?

“But, at the same time, she was also the one who lovingly nursed him back to health. She seemed quite happy to be able to spoil him so.”

So in the end they still acted like newlyweds?

I wonder if her husband is really all right?

”...Oh my, speak of the devil!”

I look toward the mansion and see a lady wearing a maid uniform coming our way.

”I'm pleased to see you've returned, Madam.”

Greeting Celia-san, she angles herself into a lovely bow.

Such a beautiful person couldn't possibly be very old.

Is she really the one from that story Celia-san just told me?

”Is this our honored guest? I am the head maid in the employ of the Aquarain family. I am called Sophia.”

“Ah...h.e.l.lo. I’m Youki.”

Because she lowered her head to me, I also casually bow.

What's this, she's just a normal person, isn't she?...or so I stupidly thought.

”Sophia, have you finished with that business?”

”Regrettably, I have not. I am only halfway done.”

I wonder what she’s talking about.

“Not yet? Only halfway?”

”Yes, it is taking quite some time, and though they are repeatedly blacking out I can think of no other method.”

“...”

For some reason I feel I shouldn't interrupt them.

”Madam, how many bones shall I break until they are pardoned?”

“Hmm, I’ll leave it up to you, Sophia-san. Do as much as you like.”

Seriously, what the h.e.l.l are they discussing?

”Understood. I shall refrain from doing more than five. Would it be safe to use intermediate level magic I wonder?”

”Indeed...there's only half left, so why not do so?”

”Understood. I shall do so. ...Youki-sama, are you feeling unwell? Your complexion appears rather ill.”

”Ah no, I'm doing fine. It's just your imagination.”

Even if it kills me I don't want to attract their attention.

Just what was the subject of their discussion?

The answer will remain buried in the darkness.

”Very well, then let me guide you to the mansion.”

Following Sophia-san, we entered the Aquarain residence.

Upon entering the mansion, Celia-san pulls me along until we're in front of the familiar door leading to Cecilia's room.

After entering the mansion, with a 'please take your time', Sophia-san left us.

”Now Youki-kun, please enter when I give the signal.”

Carefully, Celia-san entered the room.

Soon after, because I was given the cue, I enter as well.

”Wha? What is Youki-san doing here?”

It looks like she had just woken up.

Cecilia is in her nightgown with a bad case of bedhead.

”Oh this daughter of mine, sleeping in so late on a day off~”

Celia-san is in a corner of the room just giggling and laughing .

I thought it strange that she was off in the corner, but I understood as soon as I saw Cecilia's reaction.

She took the staff leaning on the nearby dresser, focused her attention over here and...WOAH!

“《s.h.i.+ny Bolt》!”

The elementary level light magic spell, s.h.i.+ny Bolt.

A direct hit from the lightning-esque holy light sent me flying out of the room.

It’s so sudden that I can't react in time, and getting hit by magic without any defense up left me laid flat outside the room.

”Get out of my room!”

The door closed with a BAM.

I wish she had said that before she laid me out with magic.

Just before the door closed, I saw Celia-san chuckling to herself inside the room.

That woman set me up big time.

For some reason I'm now sitting in the formal j.a.panese-style Seiza.

Really, what can I say for myself?

”Um...Cecilia? My feet are starting to go numb...Would it be alright if I sit on your bed like last time?”

I timidly ask Cecilia.

Cecilia is like a G.o.ddess to me.

I am sure she will grant me mercy...

”Absolutely not. You must reflect upon your actions.”

Mercy was not granted to me this day.

Her mouth is pleasant and smiling, but I could see the smile did not reach her eyes.

The feeling she’s giving off is...c.r.a.p, this might be the end.

I could hear giggling off to the side.

In the midst of this mayhem the only person who seems to be enjoying herself is Celia-san.

She kept laughing at the current situation.

...Celia-san was the culprit behind this, you'd think she could give me a hand here.

About the time I was thinking that, my legs had just about reached their limit.

”Cecilia, isn’t it about time you forgave him? It's not like he saw you naked. It's just a nightgown.”

Ooh! Help has arrived at last!

Even Cecilia's normal demeanor is returning.

”After all, you'll soon be in a relations.h.i.+p where you'll see each other naked, so there's no need to get all fl.u.s.tered over this, is there?”

She dropped a f.u.c.king bomb on this conversation?!

This person ain't my ally!

Cecilia's face turned red.

I couldn't move because my legs were numb.

After sitting in Seiza for so long, even my Cheat powers couldn't help me now.

”Oh my dear Cecilia, your face is bright red, you know? Could it be you already...?”

I move in to change the topic to stop her from dropping even more bombs.

”By the way, why did you have me come here today? It couldn't be just for this, right?”

Even if it's true, isn't this taking it a bit too far?

”Eh? Of course not. But we couldn't talk before with all of that going on.”

I listen to Celia-san as she sits on the bed.

Cecilia seems to have recovered and sits beside me.

”The other day, Youki-kun, you came by the mansion, right? In truth, it's rare for Cecilia to invite a man to the residence.”

The only reason Cecilia 'invited' me that time was because she wanted to continue our conversation.

”Cecilia doesn't have many male acquaintances. Only the Hero and his swordsman friend come to mind...and here comes this fellow n.o.body knows anything about! That's why I hid with everyone to see what was going on.”

Now that she mentions it, I didn't see anyone else at the mansion aside from the two guards. Considering it's such a huge mansion, I did find it strange that there were no servants about...

”And then, I find you and Cecilia talking and laughing.”

I see, she's probably talking about when I entered my Chuuni-mode*. ...Which means that...

”Did you perhaps overhear everything I said...?”

”Of course I did. You were so cool, Youki-kun! Like 'The only one for me is you'. I want my own husband to say that to me~e.”

Gaaaaah!?

This is terrible! I had already wanted to rid myself of that black stain from my history.

The color drained from my face as my soul left my body, then Celia-san delivered the final blow.

”You even struck a nice pose, didn't you? Everyone in the mansion was mimicking it after that~”

Ahaha...this is even worse.

I hid my face with one hand and with the other I raised my finger in something like a 'wait-a-minute pose'. How could something like a spur of the moment Chuuni-mode accident achieve such sudden popularity among the mansion staff? With all her employees imitating me, it’s no wonder she always seemed to be giggling in my direction.

”Please just kill me already...”

”Ohoho, come now...Let's get down to business then, shall we?”

Celia-san's face suddenly became very serious.

Apparently, this was to be a very important discussion.

Cecilia and I also adopted a serious look and listened intently.

”We have had many suitors for Cecilia's hand in marriage.”

She has my full attention.

This must be related to my conversation with Cecilia about the nations recruiting talented individuals.

This particular recruitment through an arranged marriage.

I wonder what happened after Cecilia refused all the proposals?

”Among them, there was also a proposal from the Hero.”

...What?

”It appears that Hero fellow has feelings for Cecilia.”

Something inside me broke.

On one hand, there was a handsome hero who vanquished the Demon Lord and saved the world.

On the other, a boring-faced rank D adventurer hiding the fact that he was a demon.

...I really have no chance, do I?

”Celia-san, is the engagement already...?”

”Ohoho, no worries there. Cecilia already turned him down...but the Hero won't give up so easily, you see?”

After a moment's reprieve I was soon dropped back into h.e.l.l. Cecilia let out a sigh.

”No way, what's Hero-kun thinking? Wasn't there a mage in the party he could have fallen in love with? Did he have to go by the book and get smitten with the n.o.ble lady? He doesn't need to go out of his way to ruin my lovelife!!!”

In my agitation I went and b.i.t.c.hed about Hero-kun.

This is bad, I badmouthed him.

Cecilia also saw me get out of line, my face the very picture of irritation.

”Oh my, to say that much about the Hero, you must love Cecilia very much.”

Somehow, I was misunderstood in good way.

Even Cecilia looked relieved.

”So I'd like to ask you, Youki-kun...would you like to marry Cecilia? Answer immediately, yes or no.”

Cecilia as my wife?! I was so surprised I just about fell into a panic, but managed to stop myself. Hmm...

I let the last lucky chance slip away, and I may not get another chance like this. With Celia-san's blessing, even if we encounter trouble in the future, she would help take care of it.

My answer is...

“I’m sorry, but no.”

I lowered my head. The answer was no.

”...May I ask for your reason?”

”Well, I know it's a very attractive offer. But Cecilia already turned me down when I confessed. That's why I decided to make an honest living and then confess once again.”

Celia-san looked directly at me as she listened.

I also want to know what Cecilia thought of my answer, but wait patiently.

”And honestly, talking about marriage this early, ...it's just...that is...”

Shoot! I messed up at the most important part!

Without a chance to give another excuse, Celia-san's serious mask crumbled as she looked at me.

”Ohoho, Youki-kun, you pa.s.s! It appears as though my daughter has a good eye, wouldn't you agree?”

Not completely understanding, Cecilia and I both head tilt.

”After all, how could I possibly give my precious daughter away to someone I only just met today?”

”Eeehh?! You set me up again?”

”Not at all! It would have been dreadful if a suspicious little bug had attached itself to my daughter. That's why I decided to test you.”

Cecilia hadn't been given any warning, so she was a little angry.

In any case, being tested means that...

”Suppose I had agreed to the marriage...?”

”I would have called Sophia to escort you out of the mansion.”

Apparently I had been faced with a fairly dangerous choice.

A barrier I couldn't overcome even with my Cheat.

I also came to understand that Sophia-san is one of those barriers.

”I told you that you pa.s.sed, didn't I? You don't have to tremble so much...Please be a good friend to Cecilia. You’re welcome here anytime, Youki-kun.”

Seems like Celia-san has approved of me.

...But wait?

Today it seems like I haven't progressed with Cecilia at all. After that, Celia-san kept talking about Cecilia's childhood, embarra.s.sing her daughter. I heard the legend of Sophia and nearly fainted. And so the fun day came to a close.

*Translator’s note. While after we do our own translation of Chapter 1 we’ll include a proper explanation of Chuunibyou, but for those still lost to the reference of Chuunibyou, Chuuni, and Chuu2 here is a short rundown:

Chuunibyou: lit. Eighth grader syndrome. This is that period of life when children around the age of 13 start to undergo p.u.b.erty and may realize how insignificant they are in the grand scheme of things. So they’ll turn anti-social, or become a hipster, or in the case of Youki here, in a single word, become ‘delusional’. But it’s a bit more than that. Think of it like playing ‘Make Believe’ after elementary school. You act out a character you’ve created in your head (which is usually a ‘self-insert’/’wish-fulfillment’ type of character), with a whole back history, and supernatural stuff happening like having crazy powers, or a cursed arm, etc. There is also some social disdain for people as old as Youki who still act out their Chuunibyou (basically when you get into high school you should be done with that sort of thing). When Youki goes into his “Chuuni-mode” he is essentially ‘acting out a character’, someone confident who will talk in a boastful manner, or act the part of a cartoon villain.

For a more in-depth explanation of Chuunibyou, check out this awesome article.

<script>