Ch.82The Demon Lord and Lilith (8)

# The Demon Lord and Lilith (8)

Esmeralda was watching the campfire with a greatly relieved heart.

Nothing had changed, but somehow her mind felt a little more at ease.

Yes, it might be because of Lug’s stupid, but consistent attitude.

The enormous stress accumulated in a short period recently. And its release. What she had forgotten because of it.

Esmeralda realized.

‘Wait, but this bastard right now…’

That Lug hadn’t returned after saying he was going to the bathroom for a moment.

Considering that Lug’s goal was to escape, she shouldn’t have let him go alone.

At the very least, she should have kept minimal surveillance, but in the gently relaxed atmosphere, she had carelessly just let him go.

‘If this gets discovered…’

A drop of cold sweat trickled down Esmeralda’s cheek.

The suspicious gazes of her comrades who had been doubting her recently were already painful enough, but what if Lug escaped while under her watch in this situation?

Eight times out of ten, they would suspect her.

They would suspect that she had helped him escape and would monitor her every move.

Honestly, being monitored was fine. She had nothing to hide. But what would inevitably follow would be a rampage and the destruction of the party.

Tina might be open to negotiation, but Millia and Eirene would definitely leave the hero’s party to search for Lug.

‘I have to find him…!’

It’s still okay. No one has discovered it yet.

Esmeralda stood up from her seat with firm resolve, and.

“Phew, I’m back.”

She sat back down.

Fortunately, it seemed her worries were unfounded.

Lug apparently had a conscience and didn’t try to escape after shaking her up so much.

‘No, what nonsense. I wasn’t shaken. Why would I be shaken by someone like him? Absolutely not!’

Esmeralda shook her head quickly from side to side as if denying her own relief.

Beeeep───!

While Esmeralda was wasting time denying and cursing herself, the magical device wrapped around her wrist began to make a sound and glow faintly.

“Ah, time’s up.”

Esmeralda muttered as if dejected that her worries had taken so long, and headed toward the tent.

It was time to wake up Eirene, who was next in line.

“Eirene, wake up. It’s time to switch.”

“Yaaawn… Okay.”

Eirene rose in a dazed state at Esmeralda’s call and crawled out of the tent.

It was natural that she was in a drowsy state since she had the second shift, which was said to be the hardest.

Still, the fact that she got up immediately after being woken showed how diligent her usual lifestyle was.

Esmeralda inwardly thought it was convenient that Eirene was next in line and waited for her to come to her senses. As much as she wanted to lie down right away, she had to wait until Eirene was fully awake before her guard duty would be over.

“Oh?”

And that happened faster than expected.

Because Eirene’s gaze caught sight of Lug standing next to Esmeralda as she staggered out of the tent.

“…”

Eirene glared at Esmeralda with a suspicious look.

Esmeralda had to calm the anger rising from deep within her at that look, which seemed to say that she was the most suspicious person despite pretending otherwise.

“He says he woke up in the middle. Nothing happened, so don’t look at me like that.”

“Well, I wonder if that’s really true…”

“Whether you believe it or not is up to you, but could you move aside? I’m going to sleep now.”

Esmeralda shooed away Eirene, who was blocking the entrance to the tent, as if she was too tired to deal with her.

“Ah, I should go back to sleep too.”

And following behind Esmeralda, Lug moved as well.

For a moment, Eirene debated whether to stop Lug and ask him to stay with her, or to let the tired Lug go.

“Then good night, Mr. Lug.”

But in the end, she decided to let Lug go. As much as she wanted to interrogate him about what he had done with Esmeralda, that was just greed.

Eirene knew well that it would only lower Lug’s affection for her, so she had no choice but to let him go.

In the quiet night after the two had disappeared, Eirene sat demurely in front of the campfire and poked at the logs with a poker.

‘Maybe I should have tried some skinship?’

Regret that came too late was shaking her heart.

***

As soon as Esmeralda entered the tent, she lay down as if collapsing.

Her body wasn’t tired, but as always, her mind was exhausted.

Moreover, since she would have to wake up again later to monitor Lug, who had the last shift, she needed to sleep as much as possible now.

But the tent was meant for four people. It wasn’t that small, but now there were additional outsiders—Lilith and Lug.

As a result, Esmeralda belatedly realized that the space would inevitably become cramped.

Yes, she knew. Each party member had demanded to lie next to Lug, and to appease Lilith, hadn’t she agreed to take turns?

So now that Eirene had left and she had filled the empty space.

She knew who should be next to her.

“It’s cramped. But well, I suppose that’s part of the charm of traveling.”

“…”

Esmeralda couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable with Lug’s face right in front of her.

By the way, why was he looking at her? Esmeralda turned her head to look up at the sky, but she couldn’t escape the gaze she felt from beside her.

Of course, Lug hadn’t done anything.

He hadn’t sexually harassed her, nor was he having any bad thoughts now.

Just the feeling that he was looking at her because she was awake.

But Esmeralda couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable with Lug’s gaze, especially after her earlier anguish.

“Mr. Lug.”

“Yes.”

“I think Eirene might be lonely. If you’re not sleepy yet, why don’t you go out and talk to her?”

“Hmm, that makes sense.”

Lug agreed with Esmeralda’s words. He was a popular man.

It wouldn’t be strange if he made Eirene jealous since she had seen him spending time only with Esmeralda.

Esmeralda sighed at his abnormal level of self-awareness, but she didn’t say anything since it wasn’t entirely wrong.

“Then I’ll see you later.”

“Ah, yes.”

Esmeralda could finally calm her pounding heart as she watched Lug’s back as he left the tent again.

***

Eirene, who had been blankly staring at the campfire, turned her head at the presence she felt behind her.

“Ah.”

And then she smiled broadly.

Because Lug, who had gone in saying he would sleep, had come back out.

Despite everything, Eirene loves Lug. Whether he’s a celestial being or not, isn’t he someone to be grateful for just for breaking her stubbornness?

That’s why Eirene was happy just being with Lug.

Of course, she would be even happier if there weren’t any pests around trying to seduce Lug, but still.

“Here, sit here.”

Eirene patted the spot next to her, calling Lug over.

Lug sat down next to her with a slight smile.

“…”

Eirene just smiled as she glanced at Lug’s face from time to time.

She didn’t think about seducing him with words as usual, nor did she think about kidnapping him or sprinkling holy water on him. She didn’t even try to use her holy power.

After all, she was just a girl of her age in front of love.

Instead, Eirene moved her hand hesitantly, showing the maximum boldness she could muster.

“Ahem!”

“Ah, I understand what you mean.”

When Eirene cleared her throat and gave him a hint, Lug quickly grasped what she meant and grabbed her hand that had moved closer to him.

Eirene blushed at Lug’s unusually perceptive behavior today and quietly muttered.

“I-I didn’t say to interlock fingers…”

“Ah, excuse me.”

Lug said that but didn’t let go of Eirene’s hand.

Instead, he made an excuse as if he was joking.

“But since it’s cold, let’s stay like this a little longer.”

“S-should we?”

Lug was unusually adept at seducing women today.

No one thought it was strange. Because everyone who should have thought it was strange was already enchanted.

“Hehe… *gasp* Hehe…”

Eirene repeatedly tensed her facial muscles that were relaxing on their own.

It was like a dream.

Today, Lug wasn’t showing his lecherous side but was displaying the dependable image she had only dreamed of.

Eirene was happy.

So happy that her head was heating up just from holding hands.

Was that why? Eirene was gradually closing the distance between her and Lug.

From a distance where their fingertips barely touched, she moved little by little until they were at a position where their shoulders could touch.

A distance where she could expect more if she just had the courage now.

But she didn’t.

The time spent silently watching the flames of the campfire burn at a distance where their shoulders touched.

Eirene felt that was enough compensation for the jealousy she had felt watching Lilith today.

Beeeep───!

And a sound that broke that silence.

“Ah…”

Eirene realized that it was the sound signaling the end of the guard duty and let out a sound that clearly showed her disappointment.

She thought about pretending not to know and staying longer, but seeing Lug getting up and dusting himself off, Eirene had no choice but to get up with him.

“Then let’s wake up Lady Millia.”

“Yes, let’s do that…”

Eirene nodded her head as if disappointed, then looked back at her hand when she felt like she was being pulled along.

Lug was still holding her hand. At the thought that they were walking together with their hands intertwined, Eirene nibbled on her lips shyly, as if she had forgotten that it had been like this all along.

But she didn’t let go of his hand.

She just wished this moment could last a little longer.

However, despite her wishes, it was less than two seconds to the tent. In the end, Eirene woke up Millia with a regretful heart.

“Lady Millia. It’s your turn for guard duty.”

“Okay…”

Millia also got up with a disheveled feeling at Eirene’s call.

She looked worse than Eirene. While Eirene had just come out in a half-asleep state, Millia was frowning.

She rose from her seat like a ghost, frowning intensely as if she had a headache.

“…”

And the first thing she saw was the worst scene.

None other than Lug and Eirene holding hands with their fingers interlocked.

Millia stared blankly at that for a moment, then approached with her usual expressionless face and grabbed Lug’s free hand.

“Come to think of it, I forgot. At the ruins, I told you to come to me, not Tina, and I’d let you touch my breasts, right?”

And without hesitation, she guided Lug’s hand toward her chest.

“Here.”

“Ohhh…!”

The ideal realm finally reached.

The seven emotions and six desires began to clearly appear on Lug’s face, which had been unusually sweet all day.

Overwhelming volume.

The moment it came into his grasp. No, it would be more accurate to say his hand was sucked in.

Even with his hand spread to the maximum, he couldn’t touch it all—at that vastness, Lug’s other arm naturally let go of Eirene’s hand.

“Mmm… it hurts when you grip so tightly, Lug. A little more gently…”

Millia blushed while looking at Eirene with a cold face.

There was a clear sneer on her profile.

Millia’s special measure upon discovering Eirene holding hands with Lug.

A warning that only she could give in the hero’s party.

“…Are you suggesting we do it now?”

“Do what? You can’t do this kind of thing. Because you’re not as… ugh, big as I am.”

At that moment, the atmosphere in front of the hero party’s tent was surprisingly chilly.