The Devil Does Not Need to Be Defeated

"You don't know?"

Shien was rather surprised at Airi's words.

But Airi seemed very calm and indifferent. That told Shien that those words just now should have truly come from her heart.

"There was a period of time when I really hated the Hero." Airi slowly spoke.

"My most important person died because of the Hero."

"At that time, I even wanted to destroy the entire world."

"Rather, if not for the fact that my sisters beside me had stopped me, I should already have done so."

Airi just uttered those terrifying words like they were nothing. Even Shien kind of wanted to spit take in response.

However, soon, Airi's tone of voice took a turn.

"Later on, when I had almost completely sunken into the abyss of hatred, I saw it."

"I saw all the demons happily smiling in response to the end of the war."

"Only then did I realize it. So demons were just like all the other races. Even if they idolized power, it's not like they all loved fighting, killing, and covering their hands in blood."

"In the end, the Hero's actions brought forth peace between the three races. It put an end to the long war."

"Thus, I had woken up. I gave up. I stopped living on nothing but hatred. Instead, I joined my sisters in protecting the peace of the demon world."

This Airi didn't seem to hate the Hero much anymore. She had basically let go of her past pains and sorrows.

"Therefore, if you ask me how I view the Hero now, I don't really know either." Airi spoke very seriously, "In the past, the only thing I saw of Heroes was their strength, threat, and the hateful slaughter that they committed. Now though, the thing I want to know now is something else. Heroes aren't like the gods, mortals, and demons. They came from another world. So now, I want to know just why they fight, and for what they're fighting for."

"Just what kind of person is a Hero, really?"

"I kind of what to know."

Airi had stated her true thoughts from the bottom of her heart.

As he heard all that, Shien finally couldn't hold back anymore.

"Say, lady Airi." Shien spoke weakly, "Could it be that you in fact know that I…?"

Given how far they've come, how could Shien not have realized that Airi may very well have come because of him?

Plus, this little girl seems to know that he is the Hero?

This made Shien turn rather hesitant now. Thus, he tried to confirm it with Air.

The result was a look from Airi.

"Your Holy Sword has been sealed by the Hero exclusive sealing rings, right?" Airi gave a glance at the Holy Sword hanging on Shien's waist, "That's good. Remember not to unseal it casually. Your identity shouldn't be all that easily exposed in that case."

… In other words, putting aside anyone else, Shien had already been exposed before Airi, huh?

Shien really wanted to curse out loud.

How did it get exposed again?

Was he really just that terrible at hiding his identity as the Hero?

At this moment, Shien really did want to ask all those protagonists who likes to fake being weak, just how do you people manage to keep your covers?

Before, when he was reading those novels, he couldn't wait for those protagonists to get exposed as soon as possible. It will end up shocking and amazing all around them, so it was a pretty great payoff, even if it tends to take forever to actually happen. How that he's actually thinking on it though, Shien really just didn't get how those people managed to keep their covers for so long.

Was everyone in the setting just dumb? Or is it that he himself wasn't smart enough to follow in his predecessors' footsteps? Or it just because that was what the plot required?

Seriously! (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻

Shien, whose mind had collapsed slightly, spoke up again.

"Well, then, which big shot might you be? My dear lady Airi?"

Shien had started seriously questioning Airi's true identity.

He originally felt like Airi was some believable big shot, but from the looks of it, this little girl seems to be even bigger than he had imagined.

"Don't call me lady." Airi spoke in a dissatisfied tone. Then, after a bit of hesitation, she continued, "Guess for yourself."

With those final words, Airi started walking off.

"Wait!" Shien hurriedly caught up and, after a brief hesitation, continued weakly, "My dear big sister Airi, where are you planning on going?"

In response, Airi didn't answer Shien's question, but instead reacted to how Shien addressed her.

"Big sister… Huh?" Airi spoke in a surprised tone like it was something refreshing and new, "I like that. Before, it's just me who called other people big sister. Now there's finally someone calling me big sister. You can call me that from now on."

Airi seems to be quite happy with that form of address.

It's obvious that Air disliked being treated like a kid. She liked being treated too formally even less. Thus, Shien calling her big sister had hit her right where she liked.

Only, there's no way that Shien would actually do so.

"Like hell I'm calling you big sister. From now on, I'm calling you little sister Airi." Shien rolled his eyes before continuing, "You didn't answer by the way. Where are you going?"

"Ugh…" Airi frowned cutely, and while still muttering "call me big sister", she answered, "I'm going back with you."

"Back?" Shien's face twitched before he cautiously asked, "Could it be that you want to…"

"Hn. I'll stay with you." Airi spoke with a calm expression, "I said it already. I want to understand you Heroes. In that case, isn't this way more convenient?"

"… Is this way really more convenient?" Shien started rubbing at his temples, "Airi should be someone super important, right? Is someone like you really allowed to just randomly wander about outside on your own?"

Shien could easily imagine hundred of scenes where the people around Airi are going insane trying to find her.

After all, the disappearance of important people will always cause the most troubles.

Plus…

"Won't someone discover your identity? Little sister Airi?"

Shien wasn't worried for nothing there.

On the other hand, Airi instead didn't seem to care at all.

"Don't worry. Putting aside the demon world, you can count those who have seen me in the mortal world on your fingers. No one will recognize me." Airi so spoke, "It wouldn't be possible if it was big sis Sarah. She's the one who's been representing the demon world in our dealings with the mortal world and divine realm after all, so her appearance should have been pretty well known here in the mortal world, to the point where there's no one who wouldn't recognize her. I'm different though. I normally never interfere with matters relating to the mortal world or divine realm, and even matters in the demon world, I tend to just leave them to my subordinates. Normally, I'd just nap away in my castle. Therefore, even if I were to move about outside, it's very unlikely for me to be recognized."

Otherwise, Airi wouldn't have been able to have stayed this long in the Capital without someone coming for her.

As for Airi's subordinates…

"They may still be under the impression that I'm still asleep. Who knows when it'll be by the time they discover that I'm gone." Airi spoke even more indifferently, "Besides, if they really do find me here, I can just make them leave."

With that said, Airi started walking forward on her own again.

"Sigh…"

Shien could only sigh before catching up to Airi.

"I really did end up taking a loli home with me."

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