Negai o Kanaete Moraou to Akuma o Shōkan Shitakedo, Kawaikattanode Kekkonshimashita ~ Akuma no Nīdzu

“I apologize for taking so long.”

Helvi said after she transported herself back to where the others were.

For some reason, Xena and Celia sat on the ground, seemingly exhausted.

“What happened while I was gone?”

Helvi wondered if they were attacked, but saw no signs of a battle, or enemies.

“Did that absurdly powerful magic energy… Come from you?”

Said Celia, while gasping for air.

She was covered in sweat, and more tired than she had been the entire journey.

Helvi thought back and remembered the magic energy she released when she undid the seal on her memories.

“Yes, that was me.”

“I knew it. That was incredible, no, that doesn’t do it justice.”

“I’ve never felt such a big clump of magic energy. I wasn’t even attacked, but I felt like I was on the receiving end of an incredible attack.”

Helvi realized that she had concentrated enough magic energy to destroy the entire planet, and it was powerful enough for its effects to be felt even a thousand kilometers away.

“Are you alright Theo?”

“Y-yes. I don’t know why but yes.”

“I see, that’s good.”

Theo was most likely resistant to Helvi’s magic energy due to their contract.

“You really only care about Theo don’t you… How about caring about us too?”

“Yes, I apologize. If you are that exhausted… I wonder what happened in Nemophila.”

“I’m sure some people passed out…”

They passed by the town later to confirm, and found that fewer people than they expected were affected. The townspeople that could not feel magic energy were actually less affected.

A few dozens of people in the adventurer guild fainted, but it was nothing serious.

“Oh well, it will be fine regardless.”

“What do you mean fine? There’s a chance that everyone in town passed out, you know? Can you really call that fine?”

“As expected from Helvi. Or as exelvi.”

“Don’t shorten it like that, that’s lame.”

“Hahaha…”

Theo’s dry laughter echoed through the quiet forest.

Afterwards, they made their way to the peak of the western mountain.

One good thing to come out of the whole ordeal was that when Theo was kidnapped, he was taken to a place close to their destination.

They had no reason to return to the eastern mountain, and reached their goal in about one hour.

Theo and Celia got to work looking for the supposedly rare medicinal herbs, and…

“…Fast and steady, uh Theo?”

“W-why do you look upset Celia?”

Theo was done in a few minutes.

“Did we help with completing this quest at all?”

“Let me think. Helvi defeated the boss of the group of bandits, we didn’t do anything when Theo was kidnapped…”

“N-no, you defeated monsters on the way, and all the bandits aside from their boss!”

“Helvi could’ve done that on her own…”

“Yes… And Theo found the herbs quickly by himself.”

“Why are you feeling so down!?”

The main reason was, like they said, they could do nothing when Theo was kidnapped.

They were disappointed in themselves because they thought of Theo like a little brother, but failed to protect him even in the short period when Helvi was fighting.

“It was nothing for me, but that enemy was more than you could handle.”

He was on the weak side for a demon, but still a powerful opponent for humans.

Perhaps Xena and Celia could have beaten him in a fair fight, but not if he attacked while they were distracted, like he did when he took Theo.

“Lately I had been feeling like there weren’t many opponents that could fight us on equal terms. Who would’ve thought coming back to Nemophila would make me feel so weak?”

“Yes. Helvi is obviously really strong, but that boss was pretty strong too. And he got even stronger with that creepy arm.”

Even Helvi admitted that they were very powerful in that world, and the boss was also strong enough to oppose them.

However, the man that kidnapped Theo was a devil, not a human being. He was not of that world.

If strength was a pyramid, Xena and Celia would be on top, and Helvi would not even have a place in it.

Helvi thought there was no reason to feel down, but in order for her to explain why, she would have to reveal herself as a devil.

She figured there would be no harm in telling them, or Fiore the receptionist for that matter, but surprisingly enough, Theo was not so sure.

(They wouldn’t be so sad if I told them Helvi is a devil… But when I think about it being our secret, and me being the only one to see that beautiful form… Uu… What should I do…)

A happy conflict, to Helvi at least, was happening within Theo.

(I-I’ll tell them eventually. Yes, but for now I want it to be our secret… If Helvi herself reveals it it’s fine but… Sorry Xena and Celia…)

If Theo did not want to say it, obviously Helvi would not say it either.

(Ah, I’m so happy Theo. That tiny possessiveness is so adorable…)

Helvi smiled a little as she looked into his mind.

In the end, it motivated Xena and Celia to train more and become even stronger, so the result was not bad at all.