It Seems That the Demon King Is Among the Members of the Hero’s Party

46. Sasha’s Confession

───Sasha and I have moved to a private room on the second floor of the tavern. The reason is that the atmosphere of the drunkards has become too intense, and Sasha wants to talk to me about something.

We’ve gotten familiar with the owner, so we asked for a room as usual. When we moved, the drunkards started booing at me, but I gave them a stern look and they quieted down. The drunkards who started drinking again, saying things like “What a bore,” looked pitiful. I felt pitiful too.

“So, when did you realize about Cecil?”

“During our journey to Tangamarin. Of course, it was hard to tell at first.”

She took out a wine bottle using her storage magic and poured the wine into a glass. Today’s glass is a bit fancy, made of glass. She’s prepared two glasses, so one is for me. Is this a toast?

“I mean, that kid was still easy to understand. They were wearing women’s clothes and accessories.”

“That’s true.”

When we first met, Cecil was wearing women’s clothes and accessories, and they looked really good in them. At first, Noel explained that Cecil was his younger brother, and I was taken aback.

That’s something that can be said to all our party members, so it’s not a problem. Even Eclair, who usually doesn’t show his emotions, was surprised.

“Have you heard that elves tend to fixate on someone they’ve opened up to?”

“I’ve heard that, more or less.”

I remembered what Durandal told me about elves, and it made me think of my past with Noel. If I had known that 13 years ago, would things have turned out differently? No, I would still have helped Noel. That wouldn’t have changed. But the way I think about it is different now.

“But that’s only for people of the opposite gender. For people of the same gender, it usually stays at a level of casual friendship. It’s not like there aren’t people who become lifelong friends, but…”

“And you realized that from Cecil’s distance?”

“I think it’s because of how Cecil looks at Kyle. It’s like they’re seeing him as a man. They have a woman’s face, after all.”

She’s laughing and drinking her wine. I’m not laughing, so I just take a sip of my wine quietly. The bitterness is strong. The aftertaste isn’t bad, but it’s not a taste I particularly like. The label on the wine bottle says “Dwarf Killer.” It seems like a strong liquor.

“Isn’t your treatment of Cecil a bit harsh?”

“Well, if I had let things go on like that, Kyle would have been eaten alive by Cecil.”

“Eaten alive?”

“Yes, eaten alive. They would have been pushed down and had their way with him.”

I’m glad I drank my wine slowly. Otherwise, I would have spit it out.

“But aren’t we guys?”

“That’s right, but their heart is that of a woman. From a woman’s perspective, they want to be held by the person they like, and they want to hold them too.”

She’s looking at me with a sultry gaze, her elbow resting on the table. I can feel the intensity of her gaze. Honestly, I don’t like this atmosphere. There are too many things to think about – Takashi, Mirebel, the demon king… My head is spinning.

“I interfered because I didn’t want to get involved with Kyle. Is that bad?”

I couldn’t find the right words. It was too straightforward. Cecil’s face, bright red and fleeing, flashed before my eyes. Even if Sasha said it was certain, I should keep a safe distance from Cecil. It was scary to be pursued by Cecil, and more than that, Noel was terrifying.

“I think I said it before, but I like Kyle. Should I confess now?”

“Mercy, please!”

I raised both hands in a surrender pose. I really needed mercy. Even if I was confessed to, I couldn’t give a good response to Sasha.

As Noel’s fiancé, I didn’t want to betray her.

“Did something happen with Noel?”

Why did this woman always hit the core of the issue? She was laughing, “Kusu kusu,” as if she had confirmed my silence.

“I’m not particularly attached to being number one. If I can have a relationship with Kyle, that’s fine. I’ll ask Noel, okay?”

I couldn’t help but cover my head. Why did all my party members have romantic brains? Should I consult with Noel? He would probably refuse. But I could imagine Noel losing to Sasha. I had never seen Noel win an argument with Sasha.

If Sasha said she didn’t care about being number one, there was a possibility Noel would yield. Or rather, since Durandal was involved, this conversation was also being monitored. I wished she would refuse, but…

“Why me?”

Was there some special reason? I shouldn’t overthink it, but it was hard not to. Honestly, I was overwhelmed. I didn’t think I could love multiple people at the same time.

“If I’m asked, I’ll confess, okay?”

“Do as you like.”

“Then, I’ll do as I like.”

I saw her drinking the liquor she had poured into her glass. Her gaze was hotter than before. As I gazed at her drinking, she put down her glass and leaned in close. I reacted late and found Sasha’s face in front of me, and she gave me a light, gentle kiss.

“It’s not a drunken joke; I really like Kyle.”

“I can tell you’re not drunk. We’ve been together for a long time.”

“There are various reasons why I like him, but if I start talking, I won’t stop. Just one thing: I like Kyle more because he can drink more than me.”

I couldn’t honestly be happy. It wasn’t that he could drink more; he just didn’t get drunk. If I drank too much, I would get a stomachache and feel terrible, which was the same for him.

Had Sasha ever won a drinking contest against me? Ah, yes, there was one time when we traveled together, and she won once. I remembered getting drunk and feeling terrible. Since then, I had set a limit for myself.

“Is that all?”

“I think that’s the only reason as a dwarf woman.”

It was a racial value, perhaps. Beastmen liked strong partners, elves liked noble ones, and humans… I didn’t quite understand myself.

Dwarves liked those who could drink more than them, I recalled hearing from a drunk in a tavern. “If I win, that girl will fall in love with me!” What a ridiculous story.

“I love spending time drinking with Kyle the most. I can monopolize you and talk with you. During our travels, Kyle protected me a lot, helped me a lot, made me have a lot of fun, and taught me a lot. That’s how I fell in love with you.”

It was embarrassing to be told so directly. The speaker’s face was red, but not from the liquor. She had been drinking a lot just now, but her face hadn’t turned that red.

“It’s okay if it’s not the top; I just want to be with Kyle.”

“I… “

I couldn’t think of a response, but I opened my mouth to say something, only to be silenced by Sasha’s finger.

“No need to respond. I’ll get permission from Noel and then attack.”

───What about my intentions!?

I understood that she wanted to get permission from Noel, but shouldn’t she confirm my intentions afterwards? That was important, and I didn’t think it was something to be ignored.

Ah, it was no use talking to this woman. Her previous red face was gone, and she was humming a tune while pouring liquor into her glass, just like usual. I was at a loss for words, as always, facing this Sasha.

“Oh, that’s right, I had something to ask Kyle.”

“Don’t bother me with troublesome things.”

“It’s not that kind of thing.”

I’m exhausted. I don’t want to talk to this woman anymore. If she says something annoying, I’ll snap.

“Is Master Maxwell’s magical tool ready? If so, I’ll have my teacher introduce us, and we can meet soon?”

“Will Master Maxwell do it?”

“My teacher is a top-notch magician and craftswoman. If you want Master Maxwell to make the magical tool, it’s better to ask my teacher.”

“From the way you’re talking, it seems like Sasha won’t come with us.”

To be honest, I think it’s better if Sasha is there when we meet Master Maxwell. It’s easier to have Sasha explain the technical aspects, and I don’t understand much about magic.

“That old man will just nag us, saying things like ‘stop drinking’ and ‘don’t spill your drink’.”

───Master Maxwell, I’ll bring this guy along, so please scold him thoroughly.