The Demon King was hesitating.
“O… Older Brother?”
“Let’s settle this with a conversation.”
“Bu…but…”
There was no way anyone could have imagined that something like this would happen. And it was the same for Blackheart as well.
“..Demon.”
To be precise, it was an expression of disdain. Honestly, it wasn’t unreasonable. Threatening a child by holding one’s own life as hostage is pretty despicable.
Of course, it’s normal to receive such looks. But I’m being serious here.
It’s unavoidable, this situation.
Do you think I enjoy watching a kid, practically my nephew, squirm like this?
“Ah…Older Brother…”
“Can you come over here slowly? They won’t do anything. I’ll guarantee that.”
“But…I’m too weak now…I can’t run away with Older Brother…they’re strong…right now, I might not even be able to beat them alone…”
“It’s okay. It’s fine, so please come over here quickly.”
The Demon King began to hesitate. The magical girls surrounding me seem to appear as witches in their eyes.
The Demon King started approaching with small steps. While keeping an eye on the magical girls, they hesitantly shuffled and finally clung tightly to me.
Success.
Pretending to be as weak as possible to make them give up. They judged that in their weakened state, they wouldn’t be able to protect me.
Though it feels wrong to exploit the tender heart of a child…
“Are you okay?”
“I’m sorry…”
Moisture could be heard in their voice as they spoke.
Not just that. The area where they buried their face gradually became damp.
“I came to save you, but I couldn’t do anything…I should’ve saved you…I’m the Demon King, yet…”
“No, it’s fine. So please stop crying. Alright?”
I was taken aback.
Why are you trying to cry? We haven’t even exchanged any words yet.
“Um, are you alright? Hmm? Look at this? There isn’t a single injury on Uncle, see?”
“Lie…”
“It’s not a lie! Well, it does hurt a little…but it’s not severe. Just like a muscle ache?”
Moreover,
“These sisters aren’t bad sisters. They only said those things because they missed our Demon King.”
“Really…?”
“Of course. Have you ever seen me lie?”
“…You just lied a moment ago!”
Ah.
“That’s true…?”
“Of course, it was a lie…! Older Brother, don’t get hurt!! I’ll beat up these bad sisters for you!”
“No! That’s not what happened! Let me explain! Hey, do you want some candy?”
While flailing around trying to calm them down, I heard footsteps from the side. The owner of those footsteps was Iris, or rather Noah.
Noah approached the Demon King without transforming.
“Hmm…so…Demon King?”
“!”
“You look exactly like me…”
“Who are you…?”
Creak.
The Demon King pressed their small body even closer to me.
“Older Brother…who is this? What’s going on…!”
“Ah…Honestly, I didn’t believe it either, but looking at this, there’s no other way to interpret it. It seems like I really had a younger sibling.”
A bizarre scene continued to unfold.
The towering Noah stood with his arms crossed, staring intently at us. His expression seemed somewhat bitter and resigned.
The smaller Noah was trembling while clinging to me, sniffling softly, refusing to let go, resembling a frightened cat.
Strictly speaking, it was difficult to call the smaller one Noah, but the two were eerily identical when observed closely.
‘Thought they looked alike, but…’
They resembled each other as if a decalcomania had been placed side by side.
The mystery of genetics can’t be fully explained with just a simple phrase.
“You look just like young Noah…no, is your hair a bit longer?”
“So, it’s true that there are two Noahs…”
“The one over there looks even younger than me.”
The magical girls were confused between the Demon King and Noah.
Perhaps due to the murmurs about themselves, the Demon King’s complexion wasn’t good.
Come to think of it.
“Hey, Demon King? What’s your name?”
We haven’t asked for your name yet.
While we can call Noah by name, we can’t keep referring to the Demon King as ‘you.’
Asking for a name also serves to ease the tension.
Upon hearing my voice, the Demon King blinked and shook their head.
“I don’t have a name.”
“You don’t have a name?”
“I am the Demon King. From the moment I was born and received the fate of the Demon King, I’ve existed and functioned solely for that purpose.”
So,
“You mean…you don’t have a name?”
“Yes.”
This is quite harsh.
As if reading my thoughts, the expressions of the magical girls also twisted.
The one who stepped forward was Noah.
“So…you’ve lived without a name?”
“T…that’s right. Don’t make that scary face. Father…no, Ppungppungi just didn’t give me one.”
“Ppungppungi?”
“…My secretary.”
I continued the unsaid part.
“And Noah and…this Demon King’s father as well, right?”
“…Older Brother? What does that mean?”
Now that I think about it, I haven’t told them.
“Uh…so, Demon King. Have you heard of someone named Nanoa?”
“I’ve heard of it. Ppungppungi sometimes referred to a certain failed experiment by that name.”
Failed experiment.
At that word, Noah’s brow furrowed. The Demon King quickly darted behind me to hide.
“Noah, that wasn’t what they said-”
“…I understand. It must be all that…damn father’s words, right?”
“Anyway, Demon King, what I want to say is…”
I pointed at Noah with my finger.
“This guy is Nanoa.”
“…What?”
The Demon King froze. They began to scrutinize Noah from head to toe with a tense gaze.
The strange sight of two identical people facing each other. Since the Demon King was much smaller, Noah finished his inspection first and opened his mouth.
“So, I looked like this when I was younger.”
“If I grow up, I’ll become like this?”
Then,
“To be honest…you really look like someone who doesn’t listen.”
“Don’t joke around! You haven’t grown much, have you!”
Noah looked down at the Demon King and spoke, while the Demon King glared at a specific part of Noah and got angry.
“What is this brat saying!?”
“Older Brother! Look at this! Such a fierce temper, it’s like a wild dog!”
“Yet you, why are you attaching yourself and calling me Older Brother?”
“Isn’t it obvious? When I see Shin Hyun, I call him Older Brother!”
“There’s no way anyone else can call Uncle ‘brother’ except me!”
“Hmph! Who decided that?”
Why are they fighting over something like that?
It was hard to understand. They’re similar, aren’t they?
Ah, is that it? Similar people often clash unexpectedly?
I don’t know…
“What does Uncle think about this!?”
“Do you dislike me calling you Older Brother?”
Both turned their heads sharply and looked at me simultaneously.
Why involve me in your fight? Besides, from the start,
“Calling each other whatever you want is fine, isn’t it?”
“There’s no way…”
“See? You could also call me brother or Older Brother!”
Yeah, that’s also correct.
“Noah, you initially called me ‘brother’ often, right?”
“That’s…yes.”
“Hmm, thinking about it, it’s strange, isn’t it? Sometimes you call me Uncle, and sometimes you call me Brother. What’s the difference?”
“Wha? Th-that’s…”
Noah fidgeted with his fingers.
“Hmm…how should I put it…it’s like my mind gets completely overwhelmed…anyway, when I can’t think properly, my mouth moves on its own…”
In short,
“…It comes out instinctively?”
“Yes, that’s how it feels.”
Phew. That’s more…
‘Didn’t I put myself in a very dangerous situation?’
Being filled with thoughts about me, giggling, and sticking close while calling me “brother”?
Even the recent kiss incident was like that. Wasn’t it something that burst out after being suppressed?
If it keeps accumulating and bursts one day…
‘…Maybe I’ll really get eaten.’
Scary. Terrifying Nanoa!
No, let’s calm down first.
That’s not important now.
“Anyway, don’t you have any information to give to these guys?”
“In…formation?”
“Yes. After all, you’re captured, right? I’d like to hear some stories about that Ppungppungi guy.”
“T…that person is terrifying. Honestly, it’s questionable whether you guys can win.”
“Hmm.”
“While somewhat worrying tone,
“So, you’re not going to tell us?”
“Yes.”
Then there’s nothing we can do.
“Guys, can you leave this one with me for a while?”
“What are you planning to do?”
“Well, I need to torture them a bit.”
There’s nothing better than torture to extract information.
+++++
Noah swallowed hard.
“Uncle, are you serious?”
While preparing for the torture, the day had already dawned. The other magical girls had left, leaving Noah alone in his house.
Thus, Noah understood. He spent the whole night without sleeping, preparing for the torture.
“Yeah. I’m serious.”
“…I can’t comprehend it.”
“Right, it might be hard to understand. But if this method is efficient, there’s no need to understand it anyway.”
He picked up an object with a resolute expression. A knife that shone brightly enough to reflect his face.
“…If I had said it lightly, it would have been a reward instead of torture…”
“What…what do you plan to do?”
Kkomkmu had tied up the Demon King with its tentacles. Due to their weakened state, Kkomkmu alone was enough to subdue them.
Looking at the weakened Demon King, Shin Hyun began to chuckle darkly.
“Torture. Torture. You know, don’t you? I heard there are specialists in torture in the Demon King’s army too?”
“Torture…? Ah, now that you mention it, there was such a person. Someone strange who wanted to cut down sacred trees to make triangular stools.”
Hmm? Isn’t that…
“Hem! Anyway…I have no choice but to torture you too.”
“Older Brother…what exactly do you plan to do…! Me, I…”
“Enough talking. Witness it with your own eyes.”
Swish.
Shin Hyun sliced off the Demon King’s blindfold with a knife. In front of the Demon King’s opened eyes, there was a large piece of meat glowing red.
“T…that’s…”
“It’s pork. I hastily bought it from a nearby store.”
“So why is that…?”
“Hey, you.”
“Older Brother…?”
“Have you heard of food torture?”
Shin Hyun held the kitchen knife and grinned wickedly.
