Akatsuki Translations

Mirage, who had transferred from the Demon Lord’s Castle, appeared in the place that belonged to the Four Heavenly Kings’ Bedivere, located on the western side of the Demon Tribe’s territory. 

Typically, the names of the castles are formed by combining the nicknames of the Four Heavenly Kings: Mirage’s castle is called the “Illusion Castle,” and Rafale’s castle is called the “Gale Castle.” However, Bedivere’s castle was different. 

In fact, naming castles with nicknames was not a rule in the Demon Lord’s army; it was simply done to avoid the trouble of coming up with proper names. However, Bedivere was an exception. 

Her castle was called the “Oni-Demon Castle” – a name she chose for herself. 

It was evident that she took it from the name of her own race, the Oni-Demon Tribe, and considering Bedivere’s character, it was surprisingly a decent name. 

In one of the rooms within Oni-Demon Castle, specifically prepared for Mirage, a teleportation magic seal was inscribed. 

This room was located in the section where Bedivere and her subordinates lived. Unauthorized entry was said to be perilous, as one of the Four Heavenly Kings, Bedivere possessed overwhelming power, and there were not a few who dared to challenge her and were defeated. 

Even among the demon tribes, Bedivere was feared, and she held immense power. Many had fallen before her in battle. 

“Hmm? Is that Mirage?” -Bedivere 

Rustling sounds followed by a stretched-out voice came from the bed. It was Bedivere herself, the ruler of this castle. 

Unlike Mirage, Bedivere, a pure demon, didn’t require much sleep. 

However, she had a peculiar hobby – taking naps during the day, even though it was already nighttime. Bedivere would just lie down and relax whenever she felt like it, even though she didn’t feel sleepy at all. 

“Hello, Bedi, did I interrupt your nap?” -Mirage 

“Not at all! Mirage can sleep with me. Sleeping helps you grow, you know!” -Bedivere 

Saying this, Bedivere got up from the bed and grabbed Mirage’s arm, pulling him along. 

Instantly, Mirage activated his enhancement magic to appear unbothered, but Bedivere’s nickname – “Brawn” – showcased her incredible strength, making her the strongest in the Demon Lord’s army. 

With just this one cute gesture, she could easily carry an average person away with her extraordinary strength. 

“Bedi, actually, I came here to discuss going out tomorrow. But if you’re taking a nap now, I don’t think we can have that meeting. It’s a dilemma. If you take a nap, we won’t be able to go out tomorrow.” -Mirage 

Mirage intentionally used a theatrical tone as she spoke to Bedivere, who had put her arms around him. However, this time, Bedivere released her hold on Mirage’s arm. 

Though Bedivere was usually quite laid-back, even to the point of being selfish, she was still like a child. The growth of members of the Oni-Demon tribe was slow, and even if they were a hundred years old, they wouldn’t look much older than a human ten-year-old. Despite her age, Bedivere had become one of the Four Heavenly Kings mainly due to her innate talent rather than any physical or mental growth. 

Bedivere’s genuine affection for Mirage, one of the few people she got close to, was evident, and she would believe Mirage without a second thought. 

“Even though the nap is tempting, going out is more important. Let’s hurry to Feo’s place!” -Bedivere 

“Alright then, let’s head to the office. Do you want a piggyback ride or to be carried?” -Mirage 

“Carry me~, Bedi’s a princess after all~!” -Bedivere 

Feo was a female Oni-Demon like Bedivere, who served as her adjutant. 

She had participated in the recent meeting of the Demon Lord and the Four Heavenly Kings and had taken over most of Bedivere’s administrative tasks on her behalf. 

As Oni-Demon demons were not particularly known for their intelligence, someone like Feo, who could handle administrative work, was highly valuable. However, her combat abilities were not as remarkable as Bedivere’s. 

Still, her being appointed as an aid was mostly due to their excellent compatibility with each other. Bedivere managed all the rough tasks while Feo efficiently handled the administrative duties, effectively governing the western part of the Demon Tribe’s territory. 

They complemented each other so well that without either of them, the current situation wouldn’t be sustainable. 

“Then, let’s go see Feo.” -Mirage 

“Let’s go~!” -Bedivere 

With Bedivere securely in his arms, Mirage moved out of the room and made their way to the office. 

Bedivere, who was about two-thirds of Mirage’s height, was remarkably lightweight, not even reaching thirty kilograms. 

Mirage couldn’t help but wonder where such strength resided in that small body; it was a mystery that always intrigued him. 

As a user of enhancement magic himself, Mirage knew that the effect of such spells increased with the caster’s physical strength, and vice versa. 

Bedivere’s petite frame gave no indication of possessing any muscles, making it secretly considered among the Seven Wonders of the Demon Lord’s Army. 

One of those wonders included Mirage’s masked identity, but he remained oblivious to that fact. 

“By the way, Bedi, what were you doing in that room earlier? If it’s just a nap, you can do it in your own room, right?” -Mirage 

“That bed smells like Mirage~. It’s comfortable~.” -Bedivere 

Mirage wondered if his body odor lingered that much or perhaps he had an old person’s smell, the thought of aging crossed his mind. The Illusion Demon race was already rare, and his father had passed away due to illness. Therefore, he had no clear understanding of his lifespan or aging process. 

Moreover, as a half-human and half-demon like Mirage, there were no recorded cases in the past. Perhaps such cases existed but were simply not reported, making it difficult to determine either way. 

Mirage’s appearance at around three hundred years old made him look like someone in their twenties, but the appearance of demons did not necessarily match their age. He could be approaching middle age or, conversely, still in his youth. 

This was something only time could reveal, leaving Mirage secretly preoccupied with his aging process. 

“Well, if Bedivere doesn’t mind, then I suppose it’s fine.” -Mirage 

“Mirage is Bedivere’s favorite after all~.” -Bedivere 

As Bedivere clung to Mirage’s body, he carefully used both arms to maintain his balance. 

Until just a moment ago, Bedivere was being carried like a princess, but now she found herself in a state akin to a cradled baby. 

As Mirage walked down the corridors of the castle, every time they’d pass by other demons who were working in the castle, they would receive warm and amused gazes their way, as if it were a common occurrence. 

Despite Bedivere being one of the Four Heavenly Kings reigning over a castle of the oni-demon clan, the demons passing by varied greatly in appearance, displaying little sign of racial bias. 

Except for cases like Mirage, who was an exception, the composition should have been predominantly demon-based. However, at present, they made up only about ten percent. 

Furthermore, unlike other races, the oni-demons would nod awkwardly and quickly depart after exchanging greetings with Mirage and Bedivere. 

“It seems like it will still take some time,” Mirage thought as he walked, supporting Bedivere with one hand, and soon they arrived at the office. 

Mirage was about to knock on the door while holding Bedivere, but it slowly swung open, as if someone from inside had come out. 

“Princess, Mirage-sama! I was just informed by the Demon Lord that she intended to come and pick you up, but then she was informed that Mirage-sama would come here. So, she decided to wait for you to decide the details in person.” -Feo 

“Hello, Feo-san. Sorry for the sudden visit. Can we talk inside for a bit?” -Mirage 

“Feo~! We’re going out tomorrow~. Gotta prepare.” -Bedivere 

From the door emerged none other than Feo, adjutant of Bedivere, and they exchanged a few words before entering the office together. 

Inside the room, it resembled the Mirage Castle, with rows of desks and chairs and scattered piles of documents here and there. 

They moved to a space slightly away from the clutter, where a table and a sofa were usually used for discussions, and Mirage took a seat. 

Feo remained on their knees while holding a map and several documents, sitting down beside Mirage. 

“Mirage-sama, the recently discovered ruins are located in this area, southwest from the Oni-Demon Castle.” -Feo 

“Let me see… Ah, this location should be fine since we can teleport nearby. We could start the investigation as early as tomorrow, but…” -Mirage  

“We’re going on a trip, a trip!” -Bedivere 

While keeping some distance from Mirage’s body, Feo pointed out the location of the newly found ruins. 

Wearing glasses and donning a serious expression, Feo’s posture accentuated their cleavage as she leaned forward, exuding an irresistible charm. 

Both Feo and Bedivere were dressed in a variation of traditional Eastern yukatas, cut so short that their knees were exposed. 

Especially Feo’s yukata had a wide opening at the chest, revealing their seemingly pure white and fluffy bosom. 

In this state, it was evident what would happen if Feo leaned forward, but Mirage didn’t seem to mind and replied without hesitation. 

The close proximity and the ample exposure of Feo’s chest were both unintentional traits, and mentioning it halfway would only make their fair skin blush in embarrassment. 

Mirage knew this better than anyone else and saw no need to comment on it at this point, especially when no one else was around. 

While Mirage appeared to be enthusiastic about the investigation, far from disliking work, he momentarily froze at Feo’s next statement. 

“Princess, I have no particular issues… However, um… is Astarte-sama going to be alright? I heard from the Demon Lord that Astarte-sama, as an adjutant, was supposed to conduct the investigation in place of Mirage-sama, who is on leave. But during the recent communication, Mirage-sama expressed that a decision should be made later when they visit…” -Feo 

It was Astarte who suggested to the Demon Lord that Mirage should take a break, and it was also Astarte who would handle the tasks during that time. So, it was only natural that Astarte would take over the responsibilities that Mirage usually performed. However, this masked man, who was still absorbed in ancient texts yet to be discovered, had failed to realize such a simple fact. 

“Oh no, I’m definitely going to get scolded by Tart-chan.” -Mirage 

After all, despite receiving this valuable vacation thanks to Astarte’s kindness, here he was eagerly planning to conduct the ruins investigation, effectively taking away Astarte’s duties. 

Astarte should have her own plans, and Mirage couldn’t just proceed without confirmation. Even if Lilith must have conveyed something about Mirage, it would still be necessary for him to speak directly with Astarte. 

“Um, uh, I’m going to see Tart-chan real quick, so could you wait for me for a bit, Bedivere? You’ll be a good girl, right?” -Mirage 

“May fortune favor you.” -Feo 

“Bedivere is always a good girl, right? Take care, Mirage.” -Bedivere 

“Thank you. …Alright then, I’ll be on my way.” -Mirage 

Slightly acting suspiciously, Mirage spoke these words while moving Bedivere onto Feo’s lap. Feo, being familiar with Astarte, offered comforting words, and Bedivere obediently followed along, seemingly pleased. 

Leaving a magical seal in that spot, Mirage let out a deep sigh as he initiated the teleportation.