Chapter 71

The next morning, I woke up a little earlier than usual.

Today was my turn to handle the meals. Doing my fair share of the housework—that was my policy.

The biggest reason, of course, was for Lateia, but it also served to make Angelica recognize me as a parent. After all, a parent is someone who cooks for their child.

However, the scent of frying bacon—or rather, a slightly charred smell—was already wafting through the air.

Angelica was in the kitchen.

“Ah… Demon King. Morning…”

Looking a bit awkward, Angelica quickly looked away.

“Why are you making breakfast? Not that I’m complaining, but…”

“I tried to reset my brain last night and went to bed earlier than usual. I ended up waking up really early and couldn’t sit still, so I figured I’d do some cooking.”

Angelica’s face flushed red. She was likely remembering last night’s talk—or rather, her tall order for me to just give her the answer.

“Sorry about yesterday, Demon King… I wasn’t in my right mind…”

Yeah, it would have been scary if that had been her normal state. If anything, I’d been thinking I might need to use mind-control-cleansing magic to fix her.

“I’m just glad to see you’ve calmed down. By the way, we have a more immediate problem.”

“What?”

“The bacon is burning.”

“Ah! You’re right!”

In a panic, Angelica killed the heat. Apparently, she had been cooking using fire magic.

“Well, it would be a waste to throw it out, so I guess I’ll make this the Demon King’s portion.”

“It’s one thing to dislike your father, but stop trying to actively neglect him.”

Eating burnt bacon is bad for your health. Well, since I’m the Demon King, it barely affects me, but still.

I decided to talk to her a bit before Lateia woke up.

While pouring a glass of water, I spoke to Angelica.

“Seeking advice from others because you can’t reach a good conclusion on your own isn’t a bad thing. It’s far better than making a decision while confused. Keep moving forward with that level of caution.”

“You’re right. It’s a serious issue that affects the party’s future, after all. I’ll take more time to decide.”

“Exactly. Also, make sure you discuss it within the party to reach a final conclusion. If you need someone to talk to, I’m here. But remember—just to talk.”

“I know. I won’t pull that stunt from yesterday again. By the way, Demon King, do you want the ‘super burnt’ bacon or the ‘somewhat burnt’ bacon?”

The “super burnt” one had already become “the artist formerly known as meat”…

“I’ll take the ‘somewhat’ one.”

From that night onward, Angelica asked me to resume her special training.

At least on the surface, she had returned to her usual self. Her swordsmanship still showed signs of mental unrest, but that was to be expected.

—And then, three days later.

It happened just as the nightly training session ended.

“Demon King, today the whole party got together and we talked things out.”

“Ah, is that so?”

Angelica didn’t look particularly serious, so I predicted that there was a light at the end of the tunnel.

“Everyone apologized, and we decided we’re going to keep going as this party. So, we managed to avoid a breakup,” Angelica said with a shy smile.

“That’s good to hear.”

As far as I was concerned, that was enough. She wasn’t looking for a detailed critique.

“I think everyone still feels a little hazy about it, but we all agreed that disbanding the party right now wouldn’t be a good idea. Nothing good comes from rushing into things.”

“That’s how it goes. If a problem isn’t impossible to solve, putting it on hold is a solid tactic.”

I truly don’t know what will happen to Angelica’s party in the future.

They’re a group of kids in a sensitive stage of life, after all. It’s more natural for them to clash. It wouldn’t be strange if someone left, someone joined, or if they disbanded entirely.

But that, too, is part of the experience.

It’s fine if things end in what looks like a failure or a setback. As long as it isn’t fatal, you can eventually use that failure or setback as medicine to lead yourself toward success.

—I couldn’t actually say that, though, since it sounded way too much like a lecture.

“Demon King, thanks.”

“I don’t know how much you mean it, but I’ll take it.”

Angelica held out her right hand—

And I reached out as well, giving her a sharp high-five.

I stayed up a little late, sipping wine in the dining room.

On days when something good happens, I want to stretch out the enjoyment of the day for as long as possible.

Lateia walked in.

“May I join you~?”

She was holding a glass.

“Yes, of course. You are more than welcome.”

I quickly poured some wine into her glass.

“I put you through quite a bit of trouble regarding that girl, didn’t I?”

Lateia giggled. It was a side of her as a mother that even Angelica rarely saw. She didn’t look quite as carefree as usual.

“This is part of being a father. If anything, I can’t even hold a candle to you, Lateia, for raising such a tomboy all by yourself.”

Honestly, I feel like it’s harder than being the Demon King. In a rigid job, the compromise points are usually clear, but there’s no “correct” answer in parenting.

“No, it wasn’t quite like that~”

Lateia smiled, but I wondered if I should take that at face value…

“You see, around me, she always tried to be strong so she wouldn’t cause me trouble. That’s why she didn’t really complain much~”

I let out an “Ah!”

I see. In her own way, Angelica had lived her life being considerate of Lateia.

Being a single parent is hard, but it isn’t just hard for the parent. It’s hard for the child, too.

“So, what I mean is… she felt like she could finally let her guard down with you. She might keep relying on you like that from now on, so please be prepared~”

The idea of a stepdaughter being clingy would be one thing, but this kind of “relying on me” is quite a heavy task in itself…

“Yes, I’ll do my best… I am her parent, after all…”

“Let’s keep working hard together~”

I clinked my glass against the one Lateia held out to me.