143rd Chapter
“Where have you two been!? I’m worried because I couldn’t contact you!!”
As soon as Nahun and Seere returned, they were met with Rea’s scolding. They had forgotten to mention that they went to have fun in the human world.
“…Sorry.”
“…I apologize.”
As both of them apologized, Rea let out a deep sigh and said.
“I’ll have to tell the Daejeong that you’re back.”
“Hmm…?”
“Of course! There’s been no contact all day; they must have gone looking for you!”
“Ah.”
Embarrassed, Nahun scratched his head, while Seere rubbed their cheek. As they were doing so, Rea narrowed her eyes and asked.
“So, did you have fun?”
“Yeah! It was fun! This outfit was also given to me by the Teacher!”
“Hmm, it’s pretty. It looks good on you, Your Highness.”
“Hehe….”
“And how about you, Nahun?”
“Me? Well….”
Nahun glanced at Seere before nodding and responding.
“…It was quite alright.”
“Well, that’s a relief. You two must be tired, so go to your room and rest.”
“Okay.”
Rea took Seere with her. Being pulled away by Rea, Seere turned slightly to wave goodbye as they left.
“…Sigh.”
Nahun did not head straight back to his room. Instead, he walked to his office. When he opened the door to the office, a woman was sitting there quietly.
“Oh my, Nahun.”
“Ersha.”
Ersha Scarlet. She was waiting in the office as his assistant. It seemed she had been waiting since she originally expected him to return yesterday, judging by her tired appearance.
“Have you been waiting this whole time?”
“Why would a young lady be able to rest when her Lord hasn’t returned?”
“…You don’t have to do that. Please feel free to rest even if I don’t return.”
“If that’s an order from you, I will follow it.”
“Then listen to me. Go rest immediately.”
Ersha smiled brightly.
“That’s for the best. You do seem rather flustered today, Nahun, so I’ll let you have some time alone.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“I can tell by the look on your face. Despite looking like this, I’ve lived quite a long time. I’m good at figuring out how people feel based on their expressions, voices, and gazes.”
Nahun scratched his head.
“Is it that obvious?”
“A little.”
As Ersha said this, she passed by Nahun and exited the office. Just then, Nahun grabbed Ersha’s arm.
“Nahun?”
“…I’m sorry, but could you spare me a moment?”
“Sure?”
“I know this might sound a bit strange, but… I have a concern.”
“……”
Ersha’s eyes widened slightly. The great demon Nahema she knew was not one to share his concerns with others.
“Rather, it seems that your restrictions have made you a better person, Nahun.”
“What?”
“Never mind. If you don’t mind, I could help you with some counseling.”
Nahun nodded. Ersha smiled lightly and turned back around, and the office door closed behind Nahun.
“……What’s going on?”
There was someone who happened to witness all of this. Nahun, who caught Ersha’s arm and had some kind of conversation before returning to the office with her.
Without knowing the context, this person was likely to misunderstand the situation completely…
“What is that guy doing…!?”
It was Veronica, the only Daejeong who did not go on the search.
#
Nahun, having caught Ersha, sat down on the sofa in the office. As Ersha took a position behind him, Nahun spoke.
“You can sit down in front.”
“Is that okay?”
“You’re listening to my troubles, aren’t you? That’s separate from your duties as an assistant.”
“Understood. Excuse me.”
Ersha moved quietly and sat down across from Nahun.
“So, what is the concern that you wish to discuss with me?”
“…What I am going to say now is absolutely confidential.”
“I’m quite tight-lipped myself.”
“And it’s not even about me.”
How many people saying “it’s not about me” truly mean it? So far, Ersha had not met anyone like that.
However, if she were to point that out, it would be impossible for someone saying such things to show their true feelings…
“Alright, I understand.”
Ersha lightly let it slide.
“Nahun, how would you feel if a child you cared for since they were young told you that they liked you?”
“…Huh?”
“For example… let’s say you have a kin that you took care of. One of them confesses to you that they love you… cough, love you.”
“…….”
Ersha looked quite shocked. Nahun waved his hand as he saw her expression.
“I know it seems like a strange question! But a friend has been troubled over this issue…”
“…Have they already confessed?”
“Uh?”
“I mean, your friend. That child you took care of is a student, right?”
“Exactly.”
“I was asking whether your student had already confessed to your friend.”
“Uh, yeah. That’s what they said, and that’s why they’re troubled.”
“Were they sincere?”
At Ersha’s question, Nahun nodded vigorously.
It was when he was on the boat… After being knocked down by her, she smiled softly and confessed feelings that were impossible to deny; it was her true feelings.
“I’d say it was all sincere.”
“Then shouldn’t they just accept it?”
“How can you make such a decision so easily? That child is one I’ve cared for since they were young!”
“Are they your kin? That person and your student?”
“Ah, no. They’re not kin. It’s just someone I’ve looked after for several years.”
Ersha smiled brightly.
“I can see what the concern is about. I understand why your friend is troubled.”
“Do you?”
“Yes, but….”
Ersha’s gaze shifted slightly. Her red eyes looked at Nahun with a serious expression. Nahun, uncharacteristically tense, couldn’t help but feel nervous.
“If the young lady looks at it from a woman’s perspective, then the man seems a bit cowardly.”
“Uh?”
“It’s not kin, that’s just making excuses. It’s more about avoiding facing the feelings of your student….”
“Wait a moment.”
Nahun interrupted Ersha’s speech.
“How did you know my friend is a man?”
“Isn’t your student a girl, and your friend a man?”
“True, but I never mentioned their genders.”
“Ah, that was just a hunch.”
As Ersha said that, Nahun went along without suspicion. Usually, he had more friends of the same gender than of the opposite, so he likely assumed that the friend he mentioned was a man.
Thinking that, Nahun recalled something strange. Ersha knew very well what kind of person he was. Yet, she easily came to the conclusion about genders based on a friend’s story without questioning it…?
“Ersha.”
“Yes?”
“…Are you already aware of everything?”
Ersha fell silent. The quick-witted Nahun easily understood the meaning behind her silence.
“Ah.”
“Wouldn’t I know if I understand the situation you’re in, Nahun…?”
“Then why pretend to believe it’s a friend’s story…?”
If he had asked outright from the start if it was about him, it would have been less embarrassing. Now he felt even more ashamed, like he had been exposed after sharing everything.
As Nahun bowed his head, Ersha spoke apologetically.
“I’m sorry… but from my experience, those who share their stories with a friend as an excuse usually won’t continue talking if you don’t trust them, you know?”
“…….”
She wasn’t wrong. If she had figured out the very first clue, he would have simply denied it without continuing the conversation.
Nahun let out a grunt, rubbed his forehead, and finally nodded.
“…Sigh, fine. It’s about me and Seere.”
“You’ve come out quite aggressively, Your Highness.”
“Pretty much like a tank.”
“Huh? What’s a tank?”
“…It means reckless. Anyway, that’s the source of the concern.”
“Well, I feel like I’ve provided an answer to you.”
“I believe you think there’s no problem.”
“Yes. And using the excuse of being an older sibling to avoid a relationship… is merely a way to hide your feelings, Your Highness.”
Nahun sighed softly. Ersha didn’t seem to understand that this was not an easy issue. Perhaps it was because she was also a member of the demon race.
“Well then, if one of your kin expressed love for you, would you accept it?”
“Depends on how sincere it is. But marriage… would be difficult.”
“See?”
“That’s not the reason; I can’t have descendants with those who share my blood.”
“……What if it were possible?”
“I would consider several factors, but it wouldn’t be impossible.”
Nahun sighed deeply. It seemed Ersha had a similar line of thought as well.
“Can it be resolved so easily…?”
“It appears you’re still wrestling with many thoughts, Nahun. Your heart hasn’t fully gone to the matter yet.”
“If my heart was involved, it would certainly make things strange. And even if it were, I’d likely have more thoughts…”
“Fufufu, Nahun. That’s not the case.”
“What do you mean?”
At Nahun’s question, Ersha answered simply.
“Love makes one foolish. You haven’t experienced those feelings yet, so you wouldn’t know.”
“…….”
“You won’t have the luxury to consider conditions or situations. To be precise, you won’t have time to think. Your heart is already racing ahead… is there space for those kinds of thoughts?”
Ersha smiled brightly as if she were enjoying herself.
“When you eventually decide to open your heart, Your Highness, don’t regret it if you find yourself feeling nothing at all after some time….”
Ersha gently touched her chest. It was the area where a heart might be.
“Summon a little courage. No one will look at you strangely.”
As Nahun thought, it could be problematic given the nature of their relationship. At least among humans it could be. However, the demons had no issues with bonds of kinship.
“I don’t see Seere that way.”
“Is that so? Then why did you come to consult with me about your worries?”
“It’s because Seere has become increasingly reckless with their actions lately….”
“Every time they act that way, it’s because you’re conscious of it, Nahun, which is why you’re worrying.”
“…!”
“If you truly had no interest, you’d simply wait for Your Highness to fall out of it without any worries.”
At Ersha’s words, Nahun pondered.
‘Did I really look at Seere with such concern?’
The realization that he had been viewing his student with romantic feelings subconsciously shocked Nahun considerably.
‘Since when?’
He tried to think of when that realization came to him, but nothing particularly came to mind.
It wouldn’t have been possible to see the younger Seere with such eyes; if he had, it must have been after their eight-year reunion…
‘…I don’t know.’
The timing was unclear. However, one thing was certain: at some point, Seere’s reckless temptations started to catch his attention.
Nahun rubbed his forehead with his hand and let out a deep sigh.
“It might be better to gradually accept the situation. It seems you’re struggling to accept it for the time being.”
“I….”
“It’s okay, Nahun. From my perspective, the differences in species hold no significance.”
“…Hmm?”
“Wasn’t there an issue about that?”
Nahun blinked. Now that he thought about it, he and Seere were from different races. The great demon and the demon king. They seemed somewhat similar at a glance but were undeniably different beings.
“Oh… I hadn’t thought about that much.”
“So you really think that a teacher and a student cannot become lovers? Unexpectedly, you have a rather rigid side, Nahun.”
“Am I rigid…?”
Nahun let out a long sigh. He then stood up, looking perplexed, and faced Ersha.
“Thanks for listening. You can really go rest now.”
“Okay, I will.”
As Ersha stood to leave, Nahun asked her one last thing.
“Was there anything that happened while I was at the council meeting?”
“If you’re asking about work… there was nothing too big, but I think there was one thing.”
“What was it?”
“There’s a report that the Befrons on the 45th floor is showing signs of making a declaration of war against us.”
To refer to the declaration of war from a higher class as nothing significant showed how bold Ersha was. Nahun nodded and replied.
“…I see. Understood, I’ll go and rest now.”
“Sure.”
Just as Ersha was about to head out of the office, the door opened before she could even arrive.
“Uncle! You can’t do that!!”
It was Veronica, now the commander of the Second Corps…
“And I should be the first one to do that, Teacher!!”
In came Seere with some strange remarks.
