The Devil Does Not Need to Be Defeated

What happened that night was not known by anyone besides Shien and Melika.

However, the next day, when everyone got up, someone noticed that Markray was missing, which ended up causing a small commotion. After a brief search, he was finally discovered to have long since awoken. However, since he was hung under a tree for the whole night, Markray was somewhat exhausted.

Then, just as Shien had though, everyone rescued Markray and asked him why he was hung under a tree. However, Markray didn't dare to tell the truth, so he just hesitantly covered the matter up in a very obviously suspicious manner. The only thing of note was the hateful glare he tossed in the direction of the smiling Shien.

As one could imagine, that young master truly had begun to hate Shien. That was completely within Shien's expectations.

Finally, this particular matter obviously couldn't be taken any further. However, there was another matter that brought about an even greater commotion.

That was the fact that someone had discovered that the chained up Jillian was covered in injuries. His entire face was bloated up with swelling and bruises. Also, it was as if he had undergone some kind of torture, and he had completely lost his cold demeanor. Rather, he was like a doll. His face was vacant, and he even needed people to feed him before he could eat.

This situation had alarmed even Balon, who ordered an investigation. He seemed to be ready to seriously investigate this matter.

Unfortunately, this particular incident also ended up unresolved.

That was because other than Jillian, there was no one else who could possibly know just what this demon of the Old Demon Faction really experienced the previous night.

But Jillian was completely slack and unresponsive. Compared to the fearful aura he emitted the previous day, it was like he was now a completely different person. Balon and the others tried all their might to get Jillian to speak, but it was to no avail.

Rather, over on Vivian and Diere's side, when the who of them heard about his, they suspiciously looked at Shien over at the side acting like a good boy.

"It can't be…"

"… You did something again?"

The two of them looked at Shien with eyes full of suspicion.

It was obvious that in the minds of those two, Shien was already synonymous with the word "incident".

"I'm not. I didn't. Don't speak nonsense."

Shien naturally wouldn't admit to it, and he kept on acting like a good boy.

Vivian and Diere naturally didn't believe him at all.

Putting aside the matter with Jillian, the two of them were at least sure that the incident with Markray had something to do with Shien.

The reason for that is the young master in question was just way too terrible an actor. Although he refused to say what had happened last night no matter what, he did constantly glare in Shien's direction with eyes filled with anger and hate. It was like he wanted to literally take a bite out of Shien, so it was obvious that Shien definitely had to have been involved.

But since Shien wouldn't admit it no matter what, so the two of them couldn't really do anything about that.

Rather, it was Melika who kept on sneaking peeks at Shien ever since she got up in the morning. Then, she'd hurriedly shift her eyes away and lower her head whenever Shien turned to look at her. It was obvious that she was trying to avoid meeting Shien's eyes.

"What's with you? Melika?"

Lumia noticed Melika's behavior and was somewhat worried, which ended up attracting Vivian and Diere's attention.

The two of the looked at the unnaturally acting Melika, then the pissed off Markray, and finally the completely calm and peaceful Shien. They suddenly had an epiphany.

"It looks like that piece of trash really didn't learn his lesson."

Diere looked over in Markray's direction with a cold glare filled with killing intent. That finally broke the young master's nerve and scared him into running away.

"I had thought that given how many people are in the camp, even young master Markray shouldn't have been so reckless as to do something so obvious. It looks like my consideration was lacking." Vivian begun reflecting before speaking to the group, "From now on, be it for patrol or night watch, at least one of us is to accompany Melika at all time. Any issues with that?"

Diere and Lumia obviously has no problem whatsoever with that, and they nodded without hesitation.

"T-there's no need to go to such troubles! Everyone!"

Melika was rather embarrassed at that, so she tried to object.

Until…

"Does that include me as well?"

Shien asked that from the side, and Melika immediately lost her voice.

"What does Melika think?"

Vivian was silent for a bit before turning to Melika and asking for her opinion.

After all, Vivian knew about Melika's situation. She knew that Melika was guarded against Shien, so she felt that she should ask for Melika's opinion on the matter.

Of course, Vivian personally felt that Melika probably wouldn't agree.

To allow Shien to be alone with her. That didn't seem like something that Melika would agree to.

However, Vivian herself still hoped that Melika and Lumia could get along better with Shien.

It wasn't for any particularly deep reason. It's just that Shien's identity was special, so it was likely that she and her group will end up needing to work with Shien long into the future. Thus, Vivian didn't want the two sides to be so awkward with each other.

However, Vivian also knew that this wasn't something that could be forced. For now, all she could do is allow both sides to slowly decrease their distances. As for the rest, that could wait.

While holding such thoughts in mind, Vivian didn't really think that Melika would agree to it. Rather, when she asked Melika, she had already prepared some excuses in her mind.

But who would have though…

"I… I'm fine either way…"

Yet, Melika who was just embarrassed actually blushed, lowered her head, and gave such an answer in a minuscule voice.

"Eh?"

This time, it wasn't just Vivian, but also Diere and Lumia who were also dumbfounded.

It wasn't just the girls either. Even Shien was somewhat surprised. He looked at the blushing Melika and twitched in his mind.

(This development… It can't be that a mere flower crown ended up conquering an elven beauty that even a noble young master couldn't, right?)

Were the beauties of this other world really so easily conquered? Were there seriously goddesses with such beauty who would fall for a random mob without a car, house, or savings?

(No, I'm not a mob though. I'm the Hero chosen by a goddess. A man of destiny. How could I be a mere mob?)

Shien forcefully shook his head to purge himself of his previous thoughts.

Shien had already forgotten all his memories relating to how he lived in his previous life, so Shien had no idea what kind of family he was born to previously. However, since he had forgotten it all, then his identity in his previous life thus shouldn't mean anything to him anymore.

(Maybe I was some rich heir back then. Who knows?")

Shien could only repeat that to himself in an attempt to brainwash himself.

As for the other side, everyone just looked at Melika's blushing face, and each person had their own thoughts on that.

"Young master Markray seemed to have done something good this time."

Vivian showed a smile deeply laden with meaning as if she had seen through something.

"Humph…"

Diere looked away like she felt the whole thing was boring.

"Melika…?"

Lumia still didn't understand. She just looked at Melika, still in shock.

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