Chapter 30
Flora walked deeper into the forest with cheerful steps.
Since the subjugation party was planning to set up camp here tonight anyway, she could just sneak back into the supply wagon at dawn.
She was resolving to keep dodging people’s eyes from now on, when suddenly a rustling sound came from her left.
What was that? A monster?
It hadn’t been a loud sound, so if it was a monster, it had to be a small one. If it was a person, then it would be better to hide quickly.
As long as it’s not the Duke’s people…
Just as Flora was staring at the swaying bushes with a pounding heart—
“What the—?”
A startled voice came from behind her.
Behind me?
Not even sensing someone’s presence—what a disgrace for a grand demon.
I must’ve gotten too carried away.
She must have lost her focus, overwhelmed by the magical energy flowing through the wilderness after so long.
Flora scratched her head awkwardly and turned around.
And there she faced someone she had never imagined meeting.
“Y-you!”
“Huh?”
The boy she had once saved—back when she fled to the back mountain to escape that detestable Athanas, and he had nearly died from a monster attack—
Basilian now stood right behind her.
“What are you doing here?”
“That’s my line! What are you doing here?”
“Why are you yelling at me?”
Flora raised her voice, flustered, and Basilian gave her a look of disbelief.
“Do you even know where this place is?”
“Uh… uh…”
Judging by his tone, Basilian knew full well this was the Demon’s Forest.
But unlike him, Flora had to brazenly pretend otherwise.
After all, she had secretly followed along.
She had to end this reunion as quietly as possible.
If things got noisy, Athanas and Benio might discover her.
“Uh… my dad.”
“What?”
“I followed my dad here!”
“…What kind of lunatic would bring his own daughter into the Demon’s Forest? And weren’t you from an orphanage…?”
At his sharp question, Flora just laughed. That was the best way to dodge things.
“…Don’t just laugh. Answer me.”
He said that, but Basilian’s face had turned a little red.
Which meant—her laugh worked.
“That’s why when I went to the orphanage—”
“You came looking for me?”
“We made a promise, didn’t we?”
His face flushed even deeper red.
At this rate, even a sloppy excuse would pass.
“My dad left me behind.”
She only meant that Athanas and Benio had gone on without her, but to Basilian—who didn’t know her father’s identity or circumstances—it sounded more like:
‘My father abandoned me again.’
“…And who exactly is your dad?”
“Mmm, can’t say.”
If she spoke the truth, she might get dragged away.
Flora wisely kept her lips sealed.
“A mercenary? Is that why he has such a rough… temper?”
Rough?
Though Athanas was Lucifer, objectively speaking he wasn’t a man of bad temper.
“Not really. But I can’t be found out.”
“Yeah, I figured.”
Basilian sighed deeply, scratching his head, then glanced behind him.
“…If you don’t have a place to stay, you can stay with me for a bit.”
“Really?”
“I’ll just say you’re a lost kid.”
“Here?”
“…Let’s just hope they let it slide.”
A lost child in the Demon’s Forest—if she wasn’t mistaken for a monster or demon, that alone would be a miracle.
“What if they say I’m a monster?”
“Anyone can see you’re like a fairy. Don’t talk nonsense…”
“Aha, so in your eyes I look like a fairy.”
“That was nonsense!”
Flustered, Basilian raised his voice. But since his true feelings had already peeked through, Flora wasn’t the least bit intimidated.
“What kind of fairy? Flower? Spring? Summer?”
“Argh, I don’t know!”
The best way to escape embarrassment was either to laugh it off or raise your voice and cut the topic.
Basilian chose the second option, whipping his head away.
That won’t hide your red ears, though.
Flora giggled at his sulky expression.
“Don’t laugh!”
“Okay, okay.”
When Flora nodded and naturally grabbed his hand, Basilian jumped up in surprise.
“W-what are you doing!”
“If I don’t hold your hand, I might get lost!”
“Unbelievable…”
He looked exasperated enough to shake his shoulders, but he didn’t let go of her hand.
Cute.
Unlike the orphanage siblings or the Lucifer family who openly showed affection, Basilian tried so hard to hide his feelings even though they were obvious.
That alone felt fresh and amusing.
I want to get closer to him.
Now that she thought about it, Flora knew Basilian’s name, but he didn’t know hers.
He had wanted to ask back then, but now he just sneaked glances, his lips twitching like he wanted to ask but was too shy.
“You’re curious about my name, right?”
She decided to help him out.
“Huh?”
Caught off guard, Basilian hesitated, then nodded.
“But I can’t just tell you so easily.”
“What?”
Flora chuckled smugly.
“Guess my name.”
“If you’re gonna tell me, just tell me.”
“You being curious actually makes me not want to.”
“Why is your personality so twisted when your face is so… pretty…”
He raised his voice in annoyance, but immediately realized his slip and clammed up.
“What? Twisted?”
Of course Flora had heard it all.
“Fine! Then don’t tell me! I’ll just call you fairy!”
Continuing her earlier teasing only made Basilian’s face redder.
“You were going to tell me before! Tell me!”
“Oh dear, I’m just a twisted fairy. Guess I won’t tell you after all!”
He trembled, clenched his eyes shut, and shouted:
“…Spring!”
“What?”
“You weren’t some twisted fairy—you looked like a spring fairy! I wanted to ask back then, but I held back so I could use it as an excuse to meet you again!”
Wow, this is more fun than I thought. Though if I push further, he might cry.
Flora thought about letting it go.
But then—
Oh…
Seeing him cover his face, blushing as red as an apple, her mischievous urge came flooding back.
“So you wanted to see me again, huh.”
“…No.”
“What was that? I couldn’t hear you. You wanted to see me so badly you wanted another meeting, right?”
“Ughhh.”
Grinding his teeth, he made a muffled sound. Flora couldn’t hold back her laughter anymore.
“Pfft—ahahahaha!”
She clutched her belly, laughing so brightly that Basilian eventually started fuming.
“Stop teasing me!”
“Hahaha, okay, okay.”
“Don’t get so close!”
She stepped closer to calm him, but Basilian shouted in protest and marched ahead quickly.
Oops. She must have teased him too much.
“Are you sulking?”
“I’m not!”
“Ooh, a dignified gentleman who’s not sulking. If you really want to know my name, stop and look at me.”
“…You’re way too bold.”
Basilian sighed like he regretted bringing her along.
He stopped walking, and in the dark, cold forest, a winter wind swept through.
Moonlight fell between the rustling leaves.
In the dim light, his warm green eyes stood out all the more clearly.
They held a tangle of emotions as he waited for her to speak.
Strangely, his face looked tight with nervousness.
Almost sorrowful.
So Flora didn’t make him wait.
“Flora.”
Stepping right up to him, she smiled sweetly and whispered:
“My name is Flora.”
“…Alright, Flora. Before it gets too late, let’s go. You can stay here until we reach the next village.”
He tried to sound casual, but the tips of his ears were glowing red as he turned away.
Flora decided to let it slide and followed after him.
“You can stay here until we reach the next village.”
“Mm, but it’s so cold.”
“This is the west, but it borders the north. Of course it’s colder than the east where you lived.”
“Brr…”
As she shivered, Basilian sighed again.
Then he took off his leather coat and draped it over her.
“There, that should help.”
“But now you’ll be cold.”
“It’s fine. I’m sturdier than you.”
He knew some manners, apparently. But rather than warming her heart, his act only made Flora uneasy.
I just took a kid’s coat. What if he catches a cold because of me?
But if I refuse, he’ll be hurt.
So she pulled the coat tighter around her and gave him a sheepish smile.
“Thanks.”
“I’d have been disappointed if you didn’t say that.”
He spoke casually, but his hands were turning red from the cold.
We should hurry.
Flora picked up the pace, and thanks to that, they soon arrived at their destination—the mercenary camp.
Beyond the thicket lay a cluster of tawny tents.
At the center, burly men were gathered around a great bonfire.
When they noticed Basilian, they turned—and were shocked at the sight of Flora.
“Kid, who’s the even younger kid behind you?”
“You didn’t get lured by something strange, did you?”
Suspicion flashed in their eyes.
After all, this was the Demon’s Forest—no place for ordinary civilians.
“Ah, she’s—”
Before Basilian could explain, Flora darted ahead.
“Hey, hey!”
He tried to stop her, but she had already reached the warm bonfire.
“Brr, brr.”
Stretching her hands out toward the flames, Flora smiled brightly at the startled men.
“Hi, my name’s Flora. It’s just so cold—I’ll borrow some fire, okay?”
