The Sword Demon Tears People Apart

The alley behind the dining hall.

When the red sword star disappeared, silence fell.

The kid stared at him with her mouth wide open.

The emotions in her gaze were disbelief, surprise, and… pride?

What’s this, it’s not like she’s my mother.

Zeron chuckled and patted the dumbfounded kid’s head.

“The Matein Viscount family? You don’t need to worry too much. If things go wrong, I’ll just rip their heads off.”

He deliberately let out a bit of his aura when showing the sword star.

It would have more impact that way.

And sure enough, the effect was clear.

It’s a bit sorry, but the kid’s face had turned pale.

“Oh my, our little kid. Are you scared?”

Zeron lifted her up in his arms.

Her body stiffened slightly.

Is she still scared?

Or is she feeling awkward about the title “Master”?

Either way, it wouldn’t last a day.

That’s the kind of person the kid is.

Zeron patted the kid’s bottom like he would a baby.

It was quite plump.

The kid’s body stiffened even more.

Her face, pressed against his neck, seemed to have gotten hotter.

“Oh, come on. Now, should Uncle take you to class?”

“…Yeah.”

“…Huh? Yeah?”

“Wh, wha…!? What are you saying!”

The kid suddenly got angry and pushed against his chest, freeing herself from his embrace.

Her face was flushed, as if she were truly angry.

“…I’m not a child anymore!”

“No, you are a child.”

“I’m not a child! And this is sexual harassment!”

“Come on, how can it be sexual harassment between us.”

“…Between us?”

“Of course. Aren’t we almost like father and daughter?”

“Just die!”

The kid stomped away, huffing and puffing.

Zeron chuckled and called out after her.

“So! Am I trustworthy enough now?”

The answer was a raised middle finger.

Bad girl.

*

After parting with the kid, Zeron headed to the faculty office.

He was going to meet Iris, the homeroom teacher of Class A.

During the field training, each class’s homeroom teacher and their assistants would be in charge of one class. Zeron needed her help to officially accompany Class A.

If it really didn’t work out, he could just secretly follow them.

“I wonder if she’s in the faculty room now?”

She might be in class.

Thinking he might have to wait a bit, he opened the faculty room door, and…

“Oh, Zerron…!”

Such a stupid way of calling greeted him.

“Have you finally gone mad?”

“I’m not mad yet?”

“Why are you speaking informally?”

“You spoke informally to me too! And you told me to last time!”

“Crazy woman.”

Zeron clicked his tongue and walked towards her.

Perhaps because they seemed close as they talked, the gazes around them were quite focused.

Maybe I should just gouge out all their eyes.

“Oh? Did you come to see me!? Wow…! I’m so happy!”

“…It’s nothing much, I just want to assist Class A during the field trip.”

“Zeron!? Great! No taking it back, okay? I’ve already stamped it!”

She’s really diversely crazy.

The more I talk to her, the more tired I feel…

“Alright, whatever. Then I’ll be going.”

“Ah…! Wait a moment! I have one thing to ask!”

“…What is it.”

Zeron asked with a not-so-pleased expression.

Pingchang’s eyes were sparkling like a galaxy.

“Ah, no! Two things!”

“Haah….”

“Do you remember my name?”

“Was it Arlea de Poltina?”

“It’s Iris de Polhwiang!”

“Ah, right.”

As he nodded, Pingchang also nodded with satisfaction.

I have no idea what she’s satisfied about.

“Then the second question!”

Suddenly, Pingchang’s eyes sank heavily.

Though her expression and gestures hadn’t changed, only the atmosphere heavily pressed down on the space.

“If… for the sake of someone precious. No, if there’s no such person, then even for an acquaintance. For such a person, could you kill a hundred innocent people?”

“What kind of nonsensical question is that all of a sudden?”

“Hehe, is that so? Then changing the question, …how about for your own satisfaction?”

Pingchang’s eyes stared at him intently.

A persistent gaze as if trying to see through to his core.

Zeron stared at her blankly for a moment, then leaned in and whispered in her ear.

“────────.”

Hearing those words, Iris’s expression became strange.

And then, she smiled brightly like sunshine.

“Yes, that’s right! It was a stupid question.”

Along with that smile, a faint wind blew around them.

The spirit magic that had been blocking sound from leaking out was released.

Zeron stared down at her for a moment, then turned away.

*

It was when he was just killing time after returning to his room.

As the sunlight leaking through the window began to fade, someone knocked on the door.

Knock knock, and then a voice.

“Mr. Zeron. You have a visitor.”

“A visitor? Who?”

“She says to tell you it’s Medea.”

“I don’t know anyone by that name.”

“This idiot. Then tell him it’s the kid, she says.”

“Oh, let her in.”

Zeron chuckled as he got up from the bed.

His hair was a mess from lying down for so long.

There was no need to fix it anyway, so he just ruffled his hair and stared at the door.

Soon, with a creak, the door opened, and the kid glared at him with a sulky expression.

“I came because I have something to say.”

“Alright, come in.”

The kid thanked Luna and closed the door.

Then she trudged over and sat down beside him.

“Is that person the maid called Luna? She’s an unusual person.”

“Isn’t she?”

“Yeah. I didn’t expect her to relay even the ‘idiot’ part.”

“She probably just said what she wanted to say herself.”

Zeron chuckled as he got up.

He took out a glass, poured some milk, and handed it to the kid, who started sipping it with a ‘thank you.’

“So what’s up? Is it about earlier?”

“Uh… well, that’s part of it.”
The kid put down the glass, smiled vaguely, then closed her eyes tightly and lay down slightly.

Thump-, the kid’s head touched his thigh.

Her face was bright red, but she continued speaking calmly, as if nothing was wrong.

“Wh, wh, when did you become a Mastet…!? Ugh…. Ma, Master…?”

Correction.

She wasn’t calm.

“It’s been a while. Around my late teens, I think. About ten years.”

“Hmm…. That’s amazing. I think the youngest record was someone in their mid-thirties.”

“Well, yeah? I’m a genius, after all.”

“You’re so full of yourself.”

The kid, still lying on his thigh, kept squirming as if trying to change positions.

Because of that, her hair and clothes were getting messed up.

He could hear her heart pounding, boom-! boom-! all the way over here. What could she possibly want that she’s acting so cute?

He was reminded of the kid’s childhood, and he felt strangely happy.

“Kid.”

“Yeah….”

“Is there anything you want?”

“No…?”

The kid squirmed closer, snuggling up against him, and then subtly rubbed her soft cheek against his thigh.

Then, she mumbled, “It’s hot…” and unbuttoned a few of her shirt buttons, glancing at him!

Holy shit.

Zeron smacked his forehead and reached out.

“Ugh…!”

The kid squeezed her eyes shut.

Zeron, unconcerned, buttoned her shirt all the way back up.

“Ah…?”

“Oh, kids these days. You can’t go around showing off your skin like that in front of other people.”

“…Oppa.”

Suddenly, oppa?

Zeron chuckled slyly.

This little kid clearly wanted something.

“Hm? What is it?”

“Do you think I’m stupid?”

The kid bit her lip tightly and sat up.

Then, she straddled his lap, trapping him between her legs, and stared directly into his eyes.

“You’ve always known. Since long ago.”

“…Known what?”

“That I…like you, Oppa…”

Zeron was silent for a moment, then let out a small laugh.

“Of course, I like my little kid too. What kind of relationship do we have? Huh? Almost like father and daugh…”

Frowning, the kid grabbed Zeron’s face with both hands.

Look at me.

Don’t look away.

“…You know that’s not what I mean. I like you, Oppa. As a man, as someone I’m attracted to.”

The kid…, no, Medea, her face flushed red, but she spoke clearly, without faltering, calmly continuing.

“I want to be your girlfriend, and do all sorts of things with you, and kiss you, and do things beyond that. Someday, I want to get married, have kids, and live happily together for a long, long time.”

“Hey…”

By now, tears had welled up in Medea’s large, clear eyes.

Her expression was anxious.

As if she already knew the answer she would receive.

“No matter how…”

“Oppa! Oppa said I was cute, so I even wore my hair in pigtails… From that time, always…”

From that time?

He couldn’t quite remember, but Medea had insisted on twin tails for almost 10 years.

“That dumb ‘byak’ squeak… You said I was like a chick…, that it was cute, so it just stuck with me…”

“……”

“Oppa, do you…dislike me…? Don’t you see me as a woman…? Why? Are my breasts too small…?”

“…It’s not because of something like that.”

“Then why!”

Medea glared at him, sniffling.

A single tear rolled down her pale cheek.

She bit her lip tightly, then squeezed her eyes shut and leaned forward.

But, smack-

The kiss was blocked by Zeron’s palm.

“…Idiot.”

“I’m sorry.”

“…Is it because of Mom? Because you like Mom?”

“Where did you even hear that…?”

“Dad got drunk and told me everything…”

“That moron…”

Zeron sighed.

Then, he simply hugged her tightly.

Medea buried her face in his neck and tried to stifle her sobs.

“…I won’t give up.”

“Just give up. From the start, what’s the age difference between you and me?”

“Age doesn’t matter… And, Oppa, you’re a Master… You’ll live younger and longer than me.”

“…There are a lot of better men than me.”

“I know that… I don’t even know why I like someone like you…”

He didn’t know what to say and kept his mouth shut.

Medea sniffled, then kissed his neck. Smack.

“Hey, hey.”

He tried to stop her, but smack, smack, the kisses continued.

Zeron finally pulled her away by force.

With her eyes red and swollen, she forced a smile.

“You really are a fool… Do you think women like me are common…?”

That forlorn smile was nothing like Elena’s.

He’d called her “kid, kid,” but he wasn’t unaware that she was an adult.

But even so…

“I’m sorry.”

“…”

In the end, Medea hung her head low.

Is she giving up now?

Feeling disgusted by the disappointment rising in a corner of his heart, Zeron smiled bitterly.

So he couldn’t stop it in time.

Medea’s hand shot out like an arrow.

Conflict and avoidance. And a moment’s hesitation.

Zeron instantly exposed his vital point.

“Hey, hey…!”

“…And you’re telling me to give up after this?”

Medea forced a mischievous smile.

Although her face was flushed a bright red, she still turned up the corners of her lips in a pout.

“After making such a big deal of it.”

“That’s not what this is…!”

“Ah, I don’t care!”

Medea  jumped down from Zeron’s thigh.

Looking down at him, who was staring at her in bewilderment, she smiled in a way that hinted at her intentions.

“Look forward to it. You won’t be able to help yourself eventually.”

And then, with a soft sound, she touched her trembling tongue to his hand.

…His hand, which still felt warm to the touch.