Chapter 27: Let’s Adopt A Daughter

Chomp chomp.

“……”

Chomp chomp chomp.

“…There’s water here too, so eat slowly.”

She shakes head.

So, if you ask what on earth this situation is.

“Keck!”

“Sigh… I told you to eat slowly.”

It was just 5 minutes ago that she suddenly appeared, declared herself the Demon Lord, and confidently demanded food.

Anyway, the food prepared was for 4 servings, so I could make more if needed, but since I barely ate, I decided to give her the half-remaining Beogangye-bap.

Feels like leftovers, though…

Besides, one serving was a bit much for me anyway, so I planned to eat less.

Resting my chin on one hand, I watched the Demon Lord sitting across from me, eating.

Wondering if she might choke while eating, I offered water, but even before that, she seemed to choke, pounding her chest.

“……”

“So, you’re saying you threw a tantrum because you didn’t want to be educated, ran away, and got lost?”

Munch munch.

Nod nod.

She was so hungry she didn’t even glance at us, completely focused on eating.

Anyway, apparently, even Demon Lords need education, but she hated it, wrecked her lair, and ran off.

Then who were the ones in charge of the Demon Lord’s education? Who else?

The Four Heavenly Kings or whatever they’re called.

The reason she hated education was even more ridiculous. Complaining that all her teachers were ugly and male…

A kid born just a few days ago is already obsessed with looksism. Tsk, tsk.

[Aren’t you also quick to fall in love?]

‘Since when? And is it appropriate for a Goddess to use such terms?’

[Is a Goddess not allowed to use such words…?]

‘It’s a word that diminishes your image.’

[Tsk. Kids these days…]

Blocking the Goddess who was about to start reminiscing about ‘back in my day’, I looked back at the Demon Lord.

Having finished eating sometime ago, her bowl was clean, and she was gulping down water from the cup beside her.

Clank.

Placing the cup down noisily, the Demon Lord stood up, bowed her head, and turned to walk away.

Grab.

However, Lilac, noticing her escape attempt, immediately restrained her with mana.

“Ugh!”

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Dragged back, the Demon Lord looked at us with a tearful face.

“Can’t you just let me go?”

“Uh, no. And where do you get off speaking informally to adults?”

Thump.

Lilac’s fist landed on the Demon Lord’s head with a heavy sound.

‘With a sound like that, shouldn’t she be dead?’

I’ve never heard such a heavy sound, even from a falling rock.

And sure enough.

“Kuaaaaaaaak!!! My head split!!”

“It didn’t split. Stop talking nonsense and sit back down.”

‘Seems like this is the first person(?) Lilac speaks gently to besides me.’

Looking closely, it also seems like discipline…

“Sniffle… I don’t wanna die…”

“Who said anything about killing?”

“Huk. Then you won’t kill me?”

“No? I will kill you.”

””……”‘”

With dumbfounded eyes, Diana, Butler, and I stared pitifully at Lilac. Does she find teasing a child fun?

But admittedly, the Demon Lord’s reactions are quite amusing. So we were watching the confrontation between Lilac and the Demon Lord like a theatre play.

“Sniffle.”

“Stop.”

“Khung.”

“Don’t sniffle.”

“Then what should I do!”

“Do nothing.”

“You piece of sh-…”

Looks like she got hooked.

The three of us watching were also finding it fun, so how much more fun must Lilac be having?

More importantly, it was time to decide. The Demon Lord’s fate.

Elbowing Lilac beside me, I asked.

“What are you going to do now?”

“Hmm. What do you want to do?”

“Hmm…”

There’s one thing I overlooked. Both of us are terrible at using our heads. Then we need the quickest, simplest solution. First, we need to think about our purpose for coming to the Demon Realm.

The ultimate goal is the subjugation of the Demon Lord.

That’s why we came. Because the mission must be completed.

However.

Is it really necessary to kill her?

She’s so cute?

A kid who looks around 8 years old? Except for the horns and tail, she’s practically human?

Hmm…

A philosopher I saw in my past life said it.

God is dead.

[Child?]

So, maybe I don’t have to live bound by duty?

[Child? Can’t you hear me?]

And another philosopher also said this.

Treat people not just as means, but also as ends.

[No. Such beliefs are unnecessary.]

So, if I had to choose between a moral person and an immoral society, I would naturally choose the former.

Being affiliated with the Goddess, I would somehow form a temple and society.

But I refuse.

[Why are all the children I choose like this…]

‘Didn’t I say it’s too late for regrets?’

[Ooooh. So. What do you plan to do? If the Demon Lord isn’t killed, the world will be covered in Miasma.]

‘I have a solution in mind.’

[Really…?]

‘Yes. Just watch quietly.’

[……]

Whether the Goddess remains silent or not, I don’t care; I need to resolve this situation.

The solution isn’t empty words; there really is one way.

Miasma. That’s the problem. Then, if we just subdue and eliminate the Miasma emanating from the Demon Lord, won’t the situation be resolved?

Besides, the thought of killing a child who looks exactly like a human triggers a severe rejection warning in my head.

Even if it wasn’t a child, having memories from my past life, the very act of killing someone just because they look different was horrifying.

Monsters and Majin don’t apply… those beings were too far removed from humans, so the rejection wasn’t severe.

Anyway.

Killing a child about half my height seemed likely to plunge me into guilt in many ways. Even if it’s a demon disguised as a human.

Humans are inherently like that.

Of course, since this world has a s*ave system, my fixed notions and the perception of people in this world might differ.

But can’t I just ignore that?

Making various excuses and performing self-justification, I heard a worried voice beside me.

“Tired? Want to go inside and sleep?”

Looking at Lilac, she was looking only at me, as if the Demon Lord’s life or death didn’t matter to her at all.

So Lilac merely came here to fulfill my mission.

She had no interest in the Demon Lord’s existence. Seeing that, I chuckled and spoke.

“Lilac. Ever thought about expanding the family?”

At my words, Lilac’s eyes widened, and she asked back.

“Family? Why. Should I make one?”

Seeing Lilac’s meaningful smile, a shiver ran from my toes to the top of my head, but I quickly corrected myself and continued, sensing a slight discrepancy in our words…

‘Did she think I meant impregnating… me? Surely not…?’

[Really not?]

‘Shut up.’

“How about adopting the Demon Lord?”

“Huh? The Demon Lord?”

“Yes.”

Lilac questioned my words but soon nodded and said.

“I don’t mind. But why bother?”

“She’s cute. And she’s almost human, so killing her feels a bit…”

“You’re too soft, Sia.”

“Ahaha…”

Even saying that, I didn’t think Lilac would reject my proposal.

Lilac granted almost all my requests, and it seemed she would grant even unreasonable ones.

“But how do we take her? She can’t leave this state because of the Miasma.”

That’s why I prepared a solution for that.

Mission? Tell it to eat shit. Because beside me exists someone who seems capable of shattering even causality.

[I don’t know anymore… Do as you please…]

Received the Goddess’s permission(?) too, so that’s settled.

I placed my hand on the head of the Demon Lord, who was staring blankly at us.

Tssssss.

As soon as it touched her purple hair, Miasma enveloped my hand, swallowing it.

And with my other hand, I grasped Lilac’s hand.

From now on.

I will break one of the world’s laws.

With the transcendent power Lilac possesses.

Woooooong.

Lilac silently complied as I initiated an action.

She trusts me completely.

Miasma cannot be purified. If that were possible, previous Saintesses would have already done it.

But seeing the Demon Realm still exist until I became a Saintess made me realize Miasma simply cannot be purified.

For that, the Hero’s starlight mana was the only way.

Even starlight mana could only suppress Miasma. It couldn’t eliminate it.

So the solution I thought of was precisely.

Wooooooooong.

Hand connects to hand, and different powers clash between hand and head.

Saintess’ divine power. Hero’s starlight mana. Transcendent’s power. Demon Lord’s Miasma.

Powers that should never coexist were gathering in one place.

Zeeeeeeeeeng.

A sound like an impending explosion continued, but maintaining it was my goal.

Cold sweat poured like a waterfall, and a strong chaotic light bright enough to blur my vision engulfed the area.

In my trembling vision, the Demon Lord’s figure appeared. She was smiling.

Ah. Right.

There are no bad children in the world. If a child is bad, it’s an environmental issue.

If I get this child out of the Demon Realm, maybe she won’t have to endure that difficult education?

She wouldn’t have to die at the hands of the Hero as the Demon Lord.

Even though she was born only recently.

The child’s smiling face looked sad. Perhaps it was just my delusion. Maybe because I was the only one who gave her food?

That thought suddenly occurred, making me laugh unintentionally.

Even if she’s the Demon Lord. Having come into the world just days ago, she must have been confused and scared. It was commendable that she left home on her own to find a meal.

If the Demon Lord originally looked different. I wonder what choice I would have made. It might be discrimination.

Still, I want to look at the present.

Because in my eyes, she is undeniably a child. Truly a selfish thought.

I grabbed the energy mass floating above the Demon Lord’s head.

Pzzzzzzzzzt!

The sound of flesh burning and tearing echoed.

Electricity flowed from my hand, traveling up my arm, bursting blood vessels.

Instantly, the sleeve of my left arm tore, and fragments of electricity grazed my face.

Psssht.

And I aimed for this moment.

Very briefly.

When the jumbled powers entered a state of lull.

I shoved the tightly gripped energy mass into the Demon Lord’s chest.

After shoving it in, I immediately reached out with the other hand that held Lilac’s and hugged the child.

Explosive energies raged.

I channeled my divine power to its maximum, pouring it into the child’s interior.

This was the solution I devised.

To annihilate the source of Miasma with an immense and vast energy mass. And that source was generated slightly to the right of the Demon Lord’s heart.

That’s why Miasma endlessly poured out, destroying the environment.

Of course, it wasn’t unique to the Demon Lord; monsters and Majin also had it, but the source of Miasma they possessed was smaller than a fingernail.

However, the source the Demon Lord possessed was larger than a fist.

A clear difference was revealed.

And the reason I hugged the child was simple.

To prevent the child’s heart from being damaged, just in case.

Well… I’ll probably be mostly shattered in the process, but.

Is there really a need to go this far for one child?

“Because I’m very greedy.”

I just hated it.

Does there have to be a reason?

My doing this crazy thing is questionable in itself, but.

Unfortunately.

I just wish the child doesn’t have to carry Miasma forever and die at the hands of the Hero. And also have her stay by my side.

Even if she isn’t human.

Anyway, based on my divine power examination, her physical structure was no different from a human’s.

So, eliminating the source of Miasma makes her practically human.

She’s like a younger sister or daughter, so raising her would be fun too.

Slightly lifting my head, I looked at the child.

Despite the pain, like my whole body being torn apart, I managed a faint smile.

I saw the child’s trembling eyes.

Eyes that seemed to ask why I was doing this crazy thing after meeting for only a few dozen minutes.

It was a little sad, but I saw worry tinging those eyes.

So I smiled again, and the child smiled back.

Even as my body screamed in pain, my divine power continued flowing into the child’s body.

It seemed too much for a young child to handle, so I directed the backlash and impact of the energy solely towards myself.

It hurt, but anticipation for the daily life I would spend with this child from now on kept making me smile.

Sparks scattered profusely from my body and the child’s, flashing brightly, and my body seemed to turn into white lightning, like Pikachu; it felt strange.

Dragging my tingling body, I examined the appearance of the child staring blankly with an open mouth before me.

Slightly brown skin, purple-toned hair.

Matching violet eyes.

The name of a protagonist from an anime I saw in my past life came to mind.

Jahy.

Just thought of it because of the similarity.

“From now on, your name is Jahy.”

Capillaries burst.

Blood vessels burst, and my surroundings stained with my blood.

Quite incongruously, such a name came from my lips.

Looking at it this way, maybe I really do have something wrong with my mind?