Chapter 74

A few mornings later.

When I shared the itinerary with the family during breakfast, Angelica was practically beaming.

“Thanks, Demon King! I’m going to make sure I’m all prepared!”

Ooh! It had been quite a while since I’d heard such a pure, heartfelt “thank you” from her!

Providing family service really was the right move. That single word made everything feel worth it.

“I’m looking forward to it too~. I don’t have much experience with traveling~,” Lateia added.

“Oh, is that so? You’re so full of curiosity, Lateia, that I assumed you’d been all over the place.”

I always had the feeling she was the type of person you’d accidentally bump into in the most unexpected places.

However, for some reason, Angelica looked down with a regretful expression.

“Demon King, I mean… when I was little, it must have been hard for Mama to travel, right…?”

Ah, I see. Raising a daughter alone as a single mother doesn’t exactly leave much room for carefree trips.

“And once I grew up, I became an adventurer and was always away from home. So Mama never really got the chance to go anywhere.”

“Angelica, I’ve never blamed you or held a grudge for that. It’s just that the opportunity never came up. You don’t have to talk like it’s your fault,” Lateia reassured her.

Of course, Lateia was quick to follow up.

And I’m sure she meant it. To begin with, there’s a huge divide between people who travel constantly and those who almost never do. Many people rarely leave their hometown simply because traveling is exhausting.

“Yeah, maybe. But even after I became an adventurer, I could have at least taken you somewhere. When the Demon King planned this trip, I realized that the idea hadn’t even crossed my mind.”

Well, I only realized it because of a stray comment from Freise, so I wasn’t exactly on a higher plane of thinking…

Still, seeing how much Angelica cared for Lateia was a positive outcome in its own right.

“Angelica, most people your age don’t even think about filial piety. The fact that you even felt you should have taken her on a trip makes you a fine daughter.”

When I was around her age, I hadn’t given such things a single thought.

“That’s right. I always feel your love, Angelica.”

“Mama, Demon King, stop saying embarrassing stuff! You’re making it hard to be your daughter!”

Angelica was blushing, but she didn’t seem to truly mind the praise.

“Well then, Mama, let’s get ready for the trip together!”

“Yes, please, Angelica.”

Mother and child preparing together. Truly, was this not an irreplaceable page in the book of life?

Since I didn’t have much to prepare myself, I spent the time researching tourist information near Sirha Hot Springs.

Come on, holidays, get here already!

And please, let it be sunny while we’re at the springs!

Once the holidays arrived, we set off on our journey toward Sirha Hot Springs.

For this trip, we used an express carriage. As far as legitimate transportation goes, it was the fastest option.

As the Demon King, I possessed riding Wyverns and the like, but while Angelica might have been fine, it was too dangerous to put Lateia on one… They move at incredible speeds, and it’s terrifying if you aren’t used to it.

Besides, it wasn’t just about getting there as fast as possible. A trip is about the atmosphere of the journey itself.

For that reason, I didn’t take the shortcut of traveling to the springs alone beforehand and then using teleportation magic to warp the three of us there on the day of the trip.

It would have eliminated travel time, but it would have also sucked the life out of the vacation.

I made sure to include plenty of rest stops so Lateia wouldn’t get tired as we headed toward our destination.

Angelica also seemed to recognize that this was a family vacation and not an adventurer’s quest, as she didn’t complain even when we moved slowly. In fact, she was quite attentive to Lateia.

I really was glad I planned this. I felt satisfied even before we had arrived.

I even made sure to book spacious, relaxing rooms at the inns along the way.

And then, just as the sun reached its zenith—

Our family arrived at the white sandy beaches of Sirha Hot Springs.

Actually, I should call it the Sirha Coast.

“Whoa! The sand really is white! And the ocean is such a vivid blue!”

Angelica’s excitement had spiked significantly.

I couldn’t blame her. Even I thought the view was breathtaking.

There were plenty of tourists, and I could see people swimming in the distance.

“Is this place heaven or something? It’s the exact opposite of the damp, gloomy caves adventurers crawl into!”

“Don’t compare it to caves. I’m sure this ocean wouldn’t appreciate being put in the same category as those places.”

“Geez, I might not be able to go back to cave-diving after this.”

Angelica laughed cheerfully, her tone clearly joking.

“Hey now, if that’s the case, you’ll have to retire from adventuring.”

Directly behind the beach stood a line of luxurious hotels, their intricate designs making it clear that a fortune had been spent on them.

Among those hotels, we were staying at a particularly high-end one. If I didn’t use the Demon King’s wealth now, when would I?

“Mm-hmm. Scenery this refreshing is something you only see in human territories. I’m enjoying myself as well.”

The weather was perfect, a cloudless day. It was so bright it was almost painful for a member of the Demon race. Well, except for a few specific types, we don’t actually take damage from the sun.

However, I wonder why…

I felt a strange sense of unease, like a premonition.

As if something inconvenient was waiting on this beach…

My instincts are usually right about these things, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. It was a nagging feeling…

“Okay, Demon King! Mama and I are going for a bit, so wait here!”

“I don’t mind waiting, but where are you going—”

Before I could finish, Angelica had already grabbed Lateia’s hand and run off. My eyes followed them as they entered a nearby shop.

It was likely one of those shops that served simple food for tourists at the beach. I believe they’re famous for a dish of pan-fried noodles seasoned with sauce. It was a strange place, famous despite the rumors that the food wasn’t actually that good.

And then, after waiting for a short while—

“Demon King, sorry to keep you waiting!”

Angelica and Lateia came running back, dressed in swimsuits!