“Mmm, I don’t think I’m losing out personally…but if it happens, it happens, I guess.”
Emeralda looked back blankly. Chiho responded by looking as bold as possible, nostrils flared.
“But I’m not just gonna sit there wringing my hands! If it comes to it, whether it’s a Hero with a holy sword or a Great Demon General, I’m ready to fight back with everything I got!”
“Uhh…hmmm?”
Before Emeralda could figure out which Great Demon General she meant…
“Besides, I love Maou and Emi a lot, so no matter what happens, I’m confident we’ll all stay friends!”
There wasn’t a single dark cloud to this ringing declaration. It was clear this was Chiho’s true emotion coming out. In other words, Emi had nothing to worry about.
“There’s no beating youuu, no…”
Emeralda began to feel like such a petty woman for prodding this young woman like that. Relenting on that front, she instead whispered about some other business of hers—something she didn’t intend to handle here.
“I’d like to discuss something eeelse with you later on…”
It was about planning a Christmas party for Alas Ramus, a topic that instantly made Chiho’s eyes light up. They agreed to head for Devil’s Castle after work, where they’d try to win over Ashiya and the gang.
The two of them arrived at Room 201 at around six in the evening.
“A Christmas party? Why the heck would you come up with something ridiculous like that?”
Urushihara’s whining was summarily ignored by the rest of Room 201.
“That’s a great idea, Emeralda! Alas Ramus has been working just as hard as Yusa, hasn’t she?”
“Could I ask you to help me handle the decorations?” Suzuno asked Chiho. “I have ample time at hand, so if we need to purchase anything, leave it to me.”
“If it is for Alas Ramus’s sake,” Ashiya reflected, “so be it.”
“Thank you sooo much, everyonnne. I knew you’d see it my way!”
“I didn’t agree with you! Hey! Hey…”
With even Ashiya signing on for it, Urushihara felt obliged to be the lone voice of dissent on the matter, as pointless as he knew it’d be.
“But no matter the size, location will be an issue.” Ashiya looked around the room. “If we are to hold this for Alas Ramus, there will no doubt be more people invited. Our own apartment will not be enough space.”
Room 201 was the kind of place that needed only seven people—Maou, Ashiya, Urushihara, Emi, Chiho, Suzuno, and Alas Ramus—to get packed to the gills. That didn’t include party planner Emeralda, Alas Ramus’s little sister Acieth, Acieth’s semi-adopted brother Erone, and Amane and Nord, always accompanying Acieth and Erone when they were together. With all of them, there’d be no room to breathe, and this wasn’t just a gathering of people, either. As a Christmas party, there’d be more food on the table, not to mention the decorations Suzuno mentioned.
“We cannot hold it at MgRonald, I suppose, like we did with Emilia and Ms. Sasaki’s party. What do you think?”
“Yeees, Bell, about that…” Emeralda shot an eye toward Ashiya and Urushihara. “I think Emiiillia’s apartment would be niiice.”
“…What?”
“Okay, uh, I’m not going.”
“Urushihara!”
The offer made Ashiya’s eyebrows clamp down and Urushihara get even more bratty.
“Bell, have you and Sasaki seen Emilia’s plaaace?”
“I have. It should be able to hold all of us. But what does Emilia think?”
“I haven’t aaasked her yet. We can’t have all of us together on the twenty-fourth or twenty-fifth aaanyway, and we can’t do this without the Devvvil King, so…”
“Hmm… I doubt my liege would say no if it is for Alas Ramus’s sake, but holding it at Emilia’s residence…?” Ashiya’s eyebrows quirked up, as if just realizing something. “Thinking about it, neither I, nor Urushihara, nor probably my liege himself knows where the Hero lives.”
“Huh?”
It was Chiho who lobbed that surprised gasp. Suzuno, already made aware of this by Emi, sat silently and watched how things unfolded.
“None of you demons know it?”
“I am aware it is an apartment in Eifukucho, of course. But I just now realized that I do not know the address. I do not think I have even seen it.”
“You’ve never been there before?!”
“Why would Maou need to go there, dude? It’s usually her coming in here, beating up on all of us, then leaving.”
“Well, yes, but…”
Chiho had to accept that Urushihara’s point-blank assertion was on the mark.
“I doubt Emilia has ever had any interest in inviting us over,” added Ashiya. “And we did not have free rein over demonic power at the time. If we tried tracking down and invading the Hero’s home, she might have defeated us right then and there.”
It was easy to forget given their current friendlier relations, but Maou and Emi were supposed to be mortal enemies. It surprised Chiho a little.
“But regardless,” he continued, “if we used Emilia Justina’s apartment, I doubt she would want us over. However, I also doubt Alas Ramus would be willing to participate if my liege was not in attendance. Perhaps we should consider another site?”
“I appreciate your concerrrn, but I have another reeeason for wanting to borrow her space. I think at least one person will attend precisely becaaause we hold it in there.”
“In there? You mean Laila?”
“Yeees, her exaaactly,” Emeralda said, nodding at Chiho. “I think, with recent eveeents, Emilia and Laila are a bit closer than befooore. But giiiven that, I think it’s important to show Laila that her scheeeme isn’t going to be accepted thaaat easily by them…”
“Meaning that Emilia will use teaching Alas Ramus about Christmas as a sign that she’d prefer to take root here in Japan?”
The day she had run into Rika and Maki, Emeralda had been seriously concerned that there wouldn’t be a next year. She didn’t want Emi to accept Laila’s request at all.
“I apologize if this is immodest to aaask, but do any of you—Alciel, and Luciferrr, and Ms. Sasaki, and Bell—do aaany of you think Emilia and the Devil Kiiing should take Laila’s offer?”
The four of them exchanged glances for a moment.
“Alciel and Luciferrr, you listened to Laila in this room, and I thiiink you know what Gabriel told us about, too. And the more I heeear, the less I feel Emilia and her cohorts need to lend a haaand at all…”
“Well, yeah… I mean, dude, as someone who was there at the time, it’s like, hey, do whatcha want. If Maou’s up for it, that’s a different story, but…”
“Even if His Demonic Highness says yes, I am still against it. Right now is a vital time in my liege’s career. If he creates yet more work for himself and shuts away his future as Devil King, everything would go to waste.”
“I agree,” Suzuno added. “I want to respect their choices, but I see so little good faith on the other side of the equation.”
“Yeah,” said Chiho. “Like I told Urushihara earlier, maybe I feel some sympathy for the angels’ past, but I think Gabriel and everyone are being way too unreasonable.”
“Indeeed.” Emeralda beamed victoriously. “I think Emilia and Laila growing cloooser is a different discussion from Emilia listening to her taaale. Emilia has so many people who cherrrish her. There’s so much in Japan and Ente Isla she holds as precious. I think we need to show Laila that it won’t be easy to convince her otherwiiise.”
“Yeah, but that’s just Emilia, right? What about Maou, dudette?”
“He is traaaining so he can become more strongly connected with Japaaan, isn’t he? I doubt he needs any more conviiincing to turn down Laila by now.”
Chiho and Ashiya both nodded.
“Yeah…”
“True enough.”
“And I knowww we are kind of taking advaaantage, but I ca
n think of another invitee who will be an equally great help if we hold it in Emiiilia’s place.”
“You mean…”
Emeralda nodded before Suzuno could guess. “Maki might be difficult, ignorant as she is of the situaaation, but wouldn’t Rika be interested in attending?”
““…””
Chiho’s and Ashiya’s faces tensed up. Urushihara and Suzuno picked up on it.
“I think Laila should knowww that Ms. Sasaki isn’t the onnnly friend Emilia holds dear in this country, no?”
Emeralda pleaded her case, unsure how to read this nervousness on their part.
“I know this might be a paaain for you demons, but if you’ll agree to this paaarty, I’d like to hold it in Emilia’s apartment. I’d be happy to cover all the costs apart from Alas Ramus’s giiifts, and I’ll persuade Emilia to agree to it, toooo.”
“Well, my gal, if you’ll cover for it, then it’s all up to what Maou thinks, huh?” Urushihara turned toward Ashiya, trying to gauge his opinion. Ashiya kept his stony look on his face.
“My liege is already an extremely busy man. Whether he agrees to it or not, I cannot say whether he is able to participate.”
“Oh, I knowww. It all comes down to whether Daddy is up for it. We can work out the other arraaangements later.”
It was a very Japanese way of arranging things—making sure the patriarch was around for it, despite the long hours he spent at work.
Soon, Emeralda bowed at Ashiya and left Room 201. Chiho spent the next little while half cajoling the unenthusiastic Ashiya and Urushihara and half chatting about Maou’s work before realizing how late it was getting.
“Well, I better get home myself.”
“Oh, are you leaving? Would you like to have dinner?”
“Thanks, but I didn’t tell my mom I’d eat here, so I need to get back… Urushihara, if Maou says yes, you better show up, too!”
“I’ll, uh, do my best?” he blankly offered back.
“Ms. Sasaki?” Ashiya said as Chiho put her shoes on by the front door.
“Hmm?”
“Let me walk you home. I have some shopping to do anyway.”
“Oh? Um, sure.”
She had walked home alone fairly often lately, there being no particular threat to her life to speak of—but even discounting that, Ashiya’s offer seemed a bit sudden. Before she could say yes, he was already grabbing the ultralight down jacket hanging off a drawer handle and walking out the door behind her.
“…I apologize,” he said the moment they were off apartment grounds. “My walking you home and shopping were, ah, just excuses.”
“I thought as much, yeah.”
It wasn’t a surprise to Chiho. She figured there must be a reason for Ashiya’s uncharacteristically pushy behavior.
“Ah, but I will gladly walk you home, however, and I do have an item or two to pick up, so I did not intend to lie to you. But, er…”
“Is this about Rika?”
“…It is,” he admitted, walking a step behind Chiho. “Have you met her before?”
“Yes,” she replied, “on the same day you did.”
“I see.” He nodded, looking more hesitant than Chiho had ever seen him before. “It makes sense, then. Emilia seemed entirely unaware.”
His voice indicated to her that, if Emi were to find out what Ashiya did to Rika, he feared she’d react aggressively to it.
“I don’t think Rika’s said anything to her. She told me she didn’t feel she could, really.”
“Ah…” Ashiya took a deep breath and fished his brand-new smartphone out of his pocket. “I apologize,” he said, choosing his words carefully for reasons Chiho couldn’t fathom. “I suppose Ms. Suzuki’s been forced to…look out for us in the Devil King’s Army. For our weaknesses.”
“Hee-hee-hee! You say that,” Chiho replied in a deliberately cheerful voice, “but it’s that weakness that attracts us all to you. Not that I want you weak forever, of course. On that front, at least as far as I can tell, you’re still a lot more sincere than Maou is.”
Ashiya looked down at her, a little surprised, then broke into a grin. “I suppose I have no right to chastise my liege. Honestly…”
Sasazuka station and the Jizo Street shopping center next to it were now in full-on Christmas mode. The flashy lights and decorations looked like something from a different world.
“I thought the whole human race was this disposable thing.”
Chiho wasn’t sure she had ever heard Ashiya let out such an unbelievably human sigh before. It was the first time Ashiya had ever sighed about anything he had done in the past.
“I have no regrets…but I still cannot get it off my mind. I keep worrying about how she has been since.”
“Oh, I don’t think Rika’s the type of woman to break down in tears just because her crush turned her down.”
“That is exactly why I am concerned. About…assorted things.”
Ashiya turned his eyes toward Chiho. He was absolutely right, and Chiho understood that all too well—but it was nothing either of them could solve just by thinking about it. So she decided to turn the topic toward something more accessible.
“Would you like me to talk to Maou about holding the Christmas party at Emi’s place?”
“No, I think it best if I bring it up, so everyone in the Devil King’s Army is on the same page as quickly as possible. You heard what Emeralda Etuva said.”
“All right. Maybe that’s for the better, yeah. Maou hasn’t really been at MgRonald when I’m there. Now that I think about it, we haven’t seen each other in a little while.”
“No? I suppose going full-time makes things more difficult, yes.”
They continued to casually chat about Maou and the restaurant. Before long, they were at Chiho’s door.
“Well, thank you for joining me. And if we do hold that party, you’re invited, of course.”
“I…”
“This might be kind of impertinent of me to say, Ashiya…”
“Hmm?”
“But I feel like both you and Rika are making a big mistake. I wasn’t there to see it, of course, but looking at you, I’m pretty sure about that.”
“Ah…”
Chiho gave him a big smile. “You really can’t chide Maou right now, I don’t think. Because maybe you think you’ve given an answer, but really you haven’t.”
“Huh?!”
“And with that, thanks again. See you later!”
Leaving that epic riddle for the utterly confused Ashiya to ponder over, she went inside.
“I haven’t…?”
Too serious-minded to understand what she meant, he went back home to the apartment—and immediately back out again to do the shopping he forgot about.
“Hmm… I don’t know if I’ll be able to make my own. I need to think about what we do with them afterward…”
The next day, back on the clock, Chiho gave a questioning look to the Christmas decorations dotted around the dining space.
“What’s up, Chi? Something about the decorations bothering you?”
“Oh! Ms. Kisaki!”
Mayumi Kisaki, the manager, gave Chiho a curious look as she pointed at the golden tinsel right above their heads.
“Is it falling down?”
“No, I was just using some free time to think a bit about what makes for good Christmas decorations…”
“You should be using that free time to find work to do,” Kisaki quipped, putting a hand to her hip for emphasis.
“Oh, um, sorry.”
“So did any of the decorations look off to you when you did your rounds?”
“…No, ma’am.”
“Good. Back to work, then. Marko’s not here today, so we’re a man down this shift. It’s gonna be a packed dinner rush, so hang in there.”
“Okay!”
Chiho followed her behind the counter, thankful that Kisaki didn’t gripe at her further about being idle.
“Where’s Mr. Maou tod
ay, by the way?”
“A MgRonald managed by a friend of mine. Different configuration but Marko’s already been there a few times, so today’s training ought to go pretty smoothly.”
“The one at Fushima-en?”
“Oh, you know it?”
The Mag at the Fushima-en theme park had enlisted Maou to fill in on several occasions before.
“MgRonald locations in theme parks during the season are pretty unique setups. The way I hear it, they’re always a part of the cycle during training periods like this.”
“The way you hear it? Don’t they tell you about the training schedule in advance?”
“…”
Kisaki paused, taking a quick look around the dining space. “This isn’t something I learned until I sent Marko off to training,” she solemnly replied, “but even if you undergo the full-time training, the chances of you becoming a salaried employee aren’t actually that high.”
“Really?”
“Only HR and the main office know what happens in training. Now that we’re past the initial portion where I’m accompanying him around, the managers like me only get told when a trainee’s coming, and that’s about it. Mizushima, my friend at the Fushima-en location, would normally be able to give him some inside advice along those lines, but there are so many home-office people involved right now that I doubt she’ll be able to.”
Kisaki looked down for a moment, deep in thought.
“I think Marko’s a great crewmember. But the way the office manager put it to me, great crewmembers aren’t always the kind of people that pass this training. I don’t really know what standards they’re looking for myself. I believe in Marko, of course, and I want him to try his best at it…” She took off her hat and mike for a moment, adjusting them. “But part of me kind of wants to show him a bigger world than this, you know…?”
“Ms. Kisaki?”
“…Ah, never mind. Now we’re really getting into nonwork-related topics.”
With that wavering statement, Kisaki returned to work.
“Weird,” Chiho said to herself. “It’s not like she doesn’t want Maou to be a full-timer, but…”
Kisaki knew full well how driven Maou was to earn that position. But the way she put it just now, the idea of Maou continuing up the MgRonald career track seemed to give her genuine concern.
The Devil Is a Part-Timer!, Vol. 15 Page 12
