NOVPUBAt the venue for Kaito's birthday party, there were moments of excitement with things like party tricks, but of course, that wasn’t the only focus. Many attendees were simply enjoying normal conversation.
And with such a large venue filled with guests, especially since even people who hadn’t exchanged contact information with Kaito but still knew him were invited this time, unexpected pairings and encounters occurred here and there.
[…………………]
[…………………]
In one corner of the venue, two Demons stood face-to-face, both wearing similarly complicated, bitter expressions as if they had bitten into something unpleasant. 𝔫𝖔𝖛𝖕𝖚𝔟.𝖈𝖔𝔪
One was a Cat Beastman-type Demon who lived at Kaito’s house as a member of his family and worked energetically behind the scenes, mainly assisting Anima…… Caraway.
The other was a Dog…… no, a Wolf-like Beastman-type Demon with a punk-style outfit, copper-red hair, and distinctive wolf ears and tail, a figure that gave off a rough, wild vibe…… Ryukoricyan.
They had once been rivals ruling neighboring territories in the Demon Realm, and this was their first encounter in a long time.
[……So you showed up, stupid mutt.]
[……Just my luck. Of all the people to run into, it had to be the stupid cat……]
[That’s my line…… I didn’t think you knew Miyama-sama……]
[It’s only a shallow acquaintance. We exchanged greetings, that’s all……]
Because they had clashed countless times in the past, the air between them was tense, and both Caraway and Ryukoricyan were shooting sharp glares at each other.
[Fuuuu……]
[Grrrr……]
Both of them unintentionally let out low, threatening sounds…… but after a moment, they sighed at almost exactly the same time.
[……This isn’t the place for it. Let’s not fight.]
[……Yeah. Starting a fight here would just be a nuisance.]
Though they are each others' rivals and claimed to "hate" one another…… in reality, their relationship wasn’t truly hostile. There was a part of them that acknowledged and respected each other.
Even now, they had enough common sense to realize that fighting at Kaito’s birthday party would trouble both him and everyone else, so they decided to let it go.
[……About that time with the territory, thanks.]
[Don’t be ridiculous. I only did it to expand my own domain. It wasn’t for the sake of some stupid cat.]
[Yeah yeah, sure. Let’s go with that.]
When Ryukoricyan clarified that her actions weren’t out of kindness toward Caraway’s kin, but entirely for her own benefit, Caraway just responded with a wry smile.
[……No thoughts of returning to your old position?]
[Nope. That whole incident made me realize I’m not cut out to be in charge. Back then, I kept forcing myself to act the part, and looking back, it’s obvious. I was pushing myself to do the unreasonable, and I took that stress and vented it as ambition or a hunger for power. Now that I’m in a support role, I can relax, be myself, it’s so much easier and more enjoyable.]
[……I see.]
Since becoming Kaito’s subordinate…… his family, and assisting Anima, Caraway had come to understand that her nature was more suited to support roles.
Looking back, when she was a Viscount-Rank Demon with many subordinates, she was constantly on edge, always pushing herself, and her perspective had grown terribly narrow. She could clearly see that now.
By contrast, when supporting someone else, she could notice the finer details, and she felt it fit her personality perfectly.
[Well, you were always the type to overthink every little detail.]
[Ryukoricyan, you're doing a lot better than me huh. I used to think you were the lone wolf type, but maybe you're more suited to being on top than I expected?]
[In my case, I’ve just made peace with it. I don’t go out of my way to micromanage. If someone wants to follow me, they can do it on their own, that’s all there is to it.]
[Hmmm, sounds like War King-sama then?]
[No. War King-sama might seem rough, but they're surprisingly thoughtful. They take care of their subordinates and is well-liked. Compared to someone like me, they're far more fit to lead others. There's a reason they're worthy of being called a King.]
As Ryukoricyan said, Megiddo may come off as rough and reckless, but she's actually very sharp. She dislikes unnecessary complications and roundabout ways of doing things, so she often chooses simple actions, but she carefully thinks through the things that need thinking.
And though it only applies to "people she likes", she’s also someone who takes good care of others. With her subordinates, even the lower ranks, she gives combat training without discrimination, and all in all, she's genuinely well-loved.
[I see…… Either way, someone like me who tends to get tangled up in thoughts probably isn't suited for that kind of position.]
[You act free-spirited, but in truth, you're constantly overthinking things…… Trying to do everything at once would choke the life out of you. In that sense, serving under Kaito might actually be your ideal role, you could call it your true calling.]
[Unn. Every day’s been really fun for me.]
[I see. Well, good to hear…… When I get the chance, I’ll come beat you down again, so take your time and prepare yourself.]
[I'm stronger than you now though~~]
[For now, maybe……]
[And that's obviously going to be the same too after this……]
[……………………]
[……………………]
They glared silently at each other for a few seconds before turning away at almost exactly the same time with a sharp flick of the head.
[……Still as infuriating as ever.]
[……Right back at you.]
<Afterword>
Serious-senpai : [Ah, come to think of it, they met at Harmonic Symphony, but they didn’t exchange contact info, so that’s why she wasn't at the party on the ship…… That said, the two seem pretty close.]
? ? ? : [Well, I’d say it’s more of an "undesirable friend" kind of relationship.]
Serious-senpai : [Yeah, I guess that’s…… mgh, guh, w- why is my body moving on its own……]
? ? ? : [Unn?]
Serious-senpai (Absolute Lovey-Dovey Mode) : [……Now then, comrades, let us begin. Next chapter: guaranteed lovey-dovey episode! (Huh!? My mouth’s moving on its own again!?)]
? ? ? : [……So now you can set the next development exclusively to lovey-dovey mode huh……]
