Chapter 39

Mary patted my lap.

“Franz, give me a lap pillow.”

“A… lap pillow…?”

Words I hadn’t even considered had just come flying at me.

“That’s right. After all, if it’s called a ‘lap pillow,’ it implies there’s value in it as a pillow. I believe it’s worth a try.”

Mary was speaking with an incredibly serious face. There wasn’t a hint of joking in her demeanor.

“I don’t mind, but… a lap pillow is basically just for couples to flirt… Considerations like ‘ease of sleep’ aren’t exactly taken into account.”

I mean, it’s a knee. Surely the pillow Mary carries around would be more effective for getting some rest. I certainly didn’t have that much confidence in my own lap.

“I have that much common sense. But when it comes to sleeping, I’m pursuing every possibility, so I can’t neglect this one. I want to find a pillow that somehow keeps the nightmares away.”

“By the way, what kind of nightmares are they? Like the Demon Realm being destroyed or something?”

“I usually see the kind where my family or friends die.”

“That is… genuinely heavy…”

When people talk about nightmares, it’s often about themselves dying, but the type where family or friends die is quite a burden. I still remember having a dream when I was a kid about my mother dying—it was devastating. For the record, my mother is doing just fine.

“Master, I know it’s a lot to ask, but would you do it for her?”

Cerulia was also showing sympathy toward Mary. For my part, I had no intention of refusing. I was the one who summoned her, after all.

“Sure, if you’re okay with me. Should we do it on the bed?”

If we did it on the floor, it would be grueling for me as the pillow-side.

“Yeah, that’s fine.”

Mary hopped onto the bed. Her babydoll nightgown swayed softly. I sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Alright, go ahead,” I said, patting my lap.

“Right. Then, if you please.”

Mary’s head rested on my lap. She was lighter than I expected. Her hair was a bit ticklish at first, but I got used to it quickly. It felt like I was soothing a spoiled little sister.

I figured she’d say it was no good after five minutes. I could endure that much time. She’s a demon who could arguably take the summoner’s life in an instant if she felt like it, so I could handle this much.

Cerulia stayed to watch over us, perhaps feeling bad about only her Master being awake. It would only be for a few minutes anyway, so I didn’t mind.

Apparently, she falls asleep quickly; Mary’s consciousness faded in about a minute.

“Kuu… kuu…”

Her sleeping breath was cute. Unintentionally, I found myself thinking that if I had a sister like this, I’d want to protect her. What do you call the feeling of wanting to protect a woman who isn’t your sister because she feels like one? It’s not paternal… maybe “fraternal”?

—Ten minutes later.

“Kuu… suuu…”

Wait, she’s actually sleeping quite well.

Cerulia whispered in a small voice, “From the look of it, she doesn’t seem to be moaning from a nightmare.”

“Yeah. Well, maybe not every nightmare involves literal moaning.”

Since “waking up the Ancestor of Nightmares” was not a viable option, I continued.

—Thirty minutes later.

“Suuu… Big Brother, you’re so clumsy…”

She just said “Big Brother”! Does she have a brother?

Honestly, my lap was starting to get pretty stiff… but it would be cruel to wake her, and I hadn’t set a rule about waking her if I got tired, so I decided to endure as long as I could. And to be frank, the fact that she was cute made it forgivable.

“Cerulia, she’s really not waking up. Also, I’m starting to feel like Mary really is my actual sister.”

“I understand a little. I have begun to see her as a younger sister as well. She has the face of an angel while she sleeps, doesn’t she?”

An angel… who is actually the “Indescribable Ancestor of Nightmares.”

—Two hours later.

“…Big Brother… you’re so warm… suuu…”

She isn’t waking up. In fact, is it even possible to sleep for two hours on a lap pillow? I thought thirty minutes was the limit.

“Master, aren’t you sleepy?” Cerulia whispered again.

“Needless to say, I’m exhausted, but I feel sorry for her if I wake her… It’s not even about being afraid to wake her anymore; I just purely want her to keep sleeping.”

“Then, how about we do this?”

Cerulia placed her back against mine and sat down.

“This way, we can support each other’s backs and sleep without losing our posture.”

“I see! Cerulia, that’s a brilliant idea!”

This feeling was different from romantic love—it was something warmer and softer. I’m sure it’s because of the trust I have in Cerulia.

Just as I was thinking I could hear Cerulia’s breathing, I naturally drifted off into a slumber.

I woke up when the morning sun poured into the room.

“Ah, it’s morning… You really can sleep like that, huh…”

My sleep was a bit shorter than usual, but this should be enough to function.

“Are you awake?”

Cerulia’s voice came from behind me. Right—if I moved my center of gravity backward, Cerulia wouldn’t be able to move.

“Yeah, I’m fine. And… Mary is still sleeping.”

Of course, there was a possibility she woke up and went back to sleep multiple times, but she certainly didn’t look like someone suffering from insomnia.

Flicker. Her eyes opened.

“Ah, good morning. Did you sleep well?” I greeted Mary from point-blank range.
Mary sat up slowly, and for some reason, tears immediately welled up in her eyes.

“Wait, did you have another nightmare?!”

I wondered if it had been a dream so painful it made her want to cry. But Mary’s reaction was not what I expected.

Huuug! Mary lunged into my chest.

“I slept so well! Thank you! It was almost moving!”

“I never imagined a lap pillow would have such an effect…”

It was completely unexpected. That said, it would be a bit rough if I were forced to give lap pillows forever…

“The hardness of your lap was just right, but above all, Franz… I’m certain now that I’ve slept. You smell exactly like my big brother.”

Big brother…?

“That’s how it was. When I was given a lap pillow by my brother or held by him, I could sleep very comfortably. It made me remember those days. And so, the nostalgia naturally brought tears…”

I wondered if demons were that similar to humans, but it would be strange for me to nitpick since I had been feeling like she was a sister. Besides, memories are vague things; perhaps the fact that Mary perceived it that way was what mattered.

“How wonderful… I am becoming quite moved myself…” The soft-hearted Cerulia was crying in sympathy.

I was just glad I could be of use to Mary.

“Hey, Big Bro… Franz.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“You don’t have to give me a lap pillow from now on… but could you hold me while we sleep? I think that would solve my insomnia, too.”