Chapter 119 - Volume 7 (2/2)

It seems that they have differing personalities, and Onzada-kun chose to stay. Well, Onzada-kun made a [Pact] to protect me.

And so, we chose to split up like this and investigate each country.

Rinne and Geas were headed towards the forces of darkness, while Noa was going south to explore, and Fannie was going in search of the zombie incident that was heading from the north.

…… I wonder. I have this uneasy feeling. I wonder if it’ll be okay to leave these children be this time.

＊

The Demons decided to head out after properly obtaining permission from Sail.

Although there were four of them with Yurushia, from the perspective of Sail, as it was only the butler and maid going out to see the country, they couldn’t deny them.

Still, a number of knights from Sail were deployed and were supposed to watch them under the name of escorting them, but the moment the pair left the kingdom they lost sight of them, that was when they realized the power of the followers of the [Saint].

Remaining in Sail was Yurushia, Tina, Nea…… and Onzada.

[(trod trod)]

With a gait like an infant in an old Saturday evening cartoon, the 50cm long stuffed toy rabbit was walking about the castle lightly.

Although Onzada’s memory as a human was ambiguous, he properly guarded Yurushia and moved of his own will.

Although he’d become a Demon, since his soul wasn’t dyed black like Geas’, his behavior was close to a human’s.

The young accompanying maids that were watching this rabbit walking about were wriggling. Mizuki, who was on her way back from the toilet, was also twitching together with them, and couldn’t endure it, tailing Onzada.

Although the sight of a little girl walking and tailing after a rabbit was a pleasant sight, she was clearly stalking it.

“A, uhm, Mr. Rabbit?”

[…(Kurun)]

Looking back to face the voice, Mizuki was looking at the rabbit (note: actually, a middle-aged man) with glittering eyes as it tilted its head, and Onzada, seeing that she wasn’t moving, moved off again, and Mizuki hurriedly called out to it again.

“W-wait, I’m sorry.”

[…(kokun)]

When Onzada stopped and nodded, Mizuki who was running over hugged him to her (surprisingly big) chest.

“Uhm…… where are you going?”

“(Hyogo hiyo)”

As if answering Mizuki’s question, Onzada pointed out the direction of his travel with his rounded hands.

“Over there…? Is that the cafeteria?”

“(nod)”

In that direction was the soldiers’ and knights’ dining hall that Mizuki also used.

When Onzada started to walk, Mizuki, thinking that the rabbit was going to get “snacks” for its master, walked right behind it.

“………”

She really wanted to hold him, but Mizuki endured it since she had been carefully instructed by Touka not to touch the rabbit without permission.

It was crowded with people in the dining hall during meals, but surprisingly enough, it was empty at other times.

However, today only a few hundred of them could eat at any one time in the dining hall, and several soldiers were eating with tired faces after their duty shifts, and noticing the walking soft toy that came in, they were all staring with shocked faces.

Onzada didn’t pay them any heed and headed towards the kitchen, and feeling the stares, Mizuki nodded and followed after it.

“Oh, you’re here again.”

From the kitchen, a good-looking middle-aged woman called out to Onzada as she saw it.

“You, little one…… you’re one of the ones from another world, right? What’s the matter?”

“N-nothing, it’s just Mr. Rabbit…”

“Ah, this little one comes by often. Hold on a moment.”

The woman called out to Onzada and retreated to the back of the kitchen.

Mizuki looked at the kitchen counter above, and there, there was a long-lasting sweet that she took by her own convenience, handing one to Onzada.

“Will you take this to your mistress?”

[……(nod)]

Onzada showed off a troubled look after taking it from Mizuki,

“Oi, you, you’re one of the people that came with the Saint!”

The soldiers surrounded Mizuki and Onzada before they noticed.

“That’s true, but…”

“You guys are coming here all the times for meals, you’re causing a lot of problems you know”

The soldiers were in charge of cracking down on people who were trying to find information about the [Saint], and even so, because the saint’s followers had just left the country under the pretext of ‘investigation’, there was an upsurge of spies, and their time to eat and rest had been cut down.

Although she understood their irritation, Mizuki was just a bystander caught in the middle, from the view of the soldiery though, she looked like one of the Saint’s companions.

“Oh, what’s wrong?”

“““………”““

As the lady returned from the kitchen, she called out to them, and the soldiers fell silent at her matronly attitude.

“What are you guys doing…… Here, I’ve brought it.”

As the lady handed over the bottle, the soldiers’ face grew strained.

“Is that liquor?”

“It’s liquor in the daytime.”

“Hey, you, this is…”

“You stay out of it.”

Thinking that Mizuki was trying to drink in the day, the soldier shouted at the woman who froze, and reached out for the shoulders of the small Mizuki.

“Giyaa!”

Mizuki inadvertently closed her eyes at the soldier’s anguished expression and exhausted spirits.

*gashi*

“……Wha-”

The hand of the soldier was caught in the small hand of the soft toy that sat on Mizuki’s shoulder.

[…(heave)]

“DowAAAAAAAAA!?”

When Onzada twisted his hand, as if the laws of physics themselves had been twisted, the soldier’s body twisted around his head, dancing and tossing in the air, even as Mizuki felt no extra weight from holding him.

“…o, OI!?”

“What the!?”

The soldier’s friends raised their voices with an incomprehensible look rather than anger.

[(hyoi hyoi)]

“Eh…… ah, here.”

Onzada took the bottle of wine from the lady who had a look of blank surprise, and opening it dexterously, began to drink and swallow with a gobble.

As Mizuki and the rest of the soldiers were stunned at the sight, Onzada took the bottle that was about 70% full still and handed it to the soldier who he had tossed.

“…O-okay”

While being puzzled…… the soldier who was in a state of confusion took up the liquor bottle despite still being on duty.

“……Puhaaa”

[(hyoi)]

“……hei”

And again, receiving the bottle of liquor, the rabbit poured the liquor into its mouth and enjoyed itself with a very middle-aged gesture.

““““……………””””

After that, the soldiers and Onzada began a drinking party on the floor, and even after being found out by the captain and reproached, their faces were surprisingly cheerful.

On this occasion, Onzada came to be accepted by a portion of the soldiers, and was from then on  called: [Rabbit Boss].

Author’s Notes:

Next time, the actions of the demons away from Yuru.