“Nephy, did you do that?”
“I don’t know... But... probably.” She most likely didn’t know because it had happened unconsciously.
Since she’d been bullied by her fellow villagers, the thought of healing the wounds of others had probably never entered her mind.
“How surprising.” It seemed mysticism even surpassed the power of a Sacred Sword.
“Wow, this is amazing.”
“Is... that so...?”
“Yeah. Thank you, Nephy.” Nephy’s eyes widened as he honestly expressed his gratitude.
“What’s wrong?”
“Master, this is the first time... you’ve said such a thing to me.” Even Zagan was left perplexed by that phrase.
Up until now, I’ve never said that single phrase, ‘thank you,’ even once, have I?
Even though Nephy had been doing everything she could to prepare his meals and take care of his castle...
“...Oh, about that... Sorry.” As Zagan said that, the tips of Nephy’s ears quivered, showing her joy.
“I belong to you after all, Master.” It very likely was not his imagination that her voice sounded happy.
That feeling of loneliness, which had once spread throughout Zagan, was nowhere to be found.
◇
Midnight. For as far as he could remember, it was the time Zagan immersed himself in research, but lately it had turned into the time of sleep. Since Nephy followed a rather normal schedule, Zagan ended up getting used to it to suit her.
With his elbow propped up on the throne, he surrendered himself to drowsiness. However, a knock against the door to the room then rang out.
“Nephy? What’s wrong at this kind of hour?”
Normally, Nephy would already have been asleep at such a late hour. She may have just been thirsty, but that was the first time she descended from the spire and traveled all the way to the throne room so late at night.
As Nephy entered, he noticed her white nightgown, which made the fact that she’d already gone to bed once clear. The way she was carrying a fluffy looking pillow in her arms was so adorable that it felt like Zagan would lose all reason.
While still embracing the pillow, Nephy timidly opened her mouth to speak.
“Um, Master...”
“Hm?” Seeing that she seemed to be standing on ceremony, Zagan straightened himself up.
And before long, Nephy resolved herself and spoke up.
“Would it be... fine... to sleep together?” Not just her ears, but even her face turned red as she said those words.
And Zagan’s face stiffened up in turn.
I’m a man, and Nephy is a woman, so when she says sleep together, it means...! Zagan swallowed his saliva with a gulp.
Even he was a man. The thought of wanting to mess up such a lovely girl’s soft and fair skin had passed through his mind numerous times.
However, if he surrendered himself to lust even once and hurt Nephy, Zagan would surely never recover from it. That was why he had restrained himself thus far.
And now Nephy has come to give herself to me!? Considering the possibility that he heard wrong or that it was a mere slip of the tongue, Zagan calmed himself down as he asked her to repeat herself.
“Nephy, do you understand the meaning of what you just said?”
“...Yes.” She was likely also quite nervous. And so, with tears even forming in her eyes, she frankly spoke her mind.
“There is only one bed... in this castle after all.” And as he was about to yell out in delight, Zagan tilted his head to the side.
Hm? Hold on, that’s a weird way to put it... Certainly, if one were to think of any sort of proper bed in this castle, then only Nephy’s came to mind. Anything else was either broken or too dirty, and Nephy put forth her best effort to tuck them all away.
Of course, he didn’t object to the idea of them clinging to each other in Nephy’s room, but he felt like that wasn’t what she was trying to say.
While considering that for several seconds, he realized that he couldn’t get to the heart of the problem on his own, so he prodded her for further details.
“M-Meaning...?”
Nephy also seemed to have realized that her explanation was insufficient, and after biting her lip bashfully, she began explaining from the start.
“Master, you always sleep on this throne.”
“Well, that’s right.”
“I believe lying down while resting... would maybe make you feel... more at ease.”
However, even if he wanted to lie down, the only bed was Nephy’s. In other words... Hm? Then this isn’t about giving up her body or anything? As Zagan put on an utterly confused face, Nephy finished what she was saying.
“As such... how about... sleeping... together...” Her face was already bright red to the point where it felt like a fire would start.
Zagan thought that he was probably making the exact same kind of face at that point.
You’re too pure, dammit... In other words, it seemed she didn’t mean that she wanted them to enter a physical relationship. No, she simply wished to share a bed. Still, that felt rather inadequate, given his previous expectations...
The feeling of lust from having his hope raised so high and the feeling of wanting to purely accept Nephy engaged in a tug-of-war. And at the end of that conflict, Zagan arrived at a rather odd answer.
“Hear me, Nephy. I am grateful for the thought, but this room is the cornerstone of my barrier. It is the most convenient place to deploy countermeasures in case of intruders.” It felt like tears of blood would gush out of his eyes. However, that was also the truth.
Those damn Angelic Knights just barged in here in the afternoon, after all. Normally, he wouldn’t have fussed over it so much, but he truly felt he couldn’t afford to be negligent.
It was easy to feel relaxed right after repulsing intruders, so the probability of a second wave coming in to aim for that window was high.
That was why Zagan needed to be perched in the room to take immediate action.
However, Nephy nodded as if she’d already predicted his answer.
“I thought... that might’ve been the case, so...” Nephy sat down atop the carpet, and spread out her arms.
“Please, go ahead... and use my lap.”
A lap... pillow? He didn’t expect that development. Moreover, seeing that she’d even brought her pillow with her, she seemed intent on staying the entire night. Zagan was doubting whether or not he would just up and die from happiness.
Seeing as Zagan was unable to make a prompt decision, Nephy began waving her spread out arms to beckon him over. It seemed that it was too embarrassing to say again, so she was trying to motion him to quickly come over.
There’s no way I can refuse such an invitation...! He felt like gazing at Nephy for just a while longer, but Zagan immediately stood up from his throne, having run out of patience.
“I-I see. Then, shall I leave it to you?” Faltering as he sprawled out on the ground, he entrusted his head to Nephy’s lap.
It was a carpet that was walked upon with shoes, but because Nephy had washed it and scrubbed it clean, it was even softer than any ordinary blanket. And because of the body warmth from her tender thighs, a strange sense of tranquility overpowered his lust.
Nephy stared at him fixedly as his head lowered onto her lap.
“How... is it?”
“N-Not... bad.” Nephy’s face was blocked by her gigantic breasts as Zagan looked up at her from below. He could still make out half of her face, but he was honestly unsure where to look.
Eventually, Nephy began awkwardly stroking Zagan’s head.
Zagan’s gaze only began wandering about even more because of the ticklish and somewhat comforting feeling. And, as if regaining his composure, he cleared his throat.
“However, why this all of a sudden?” Nephy averted her gaze at once, as if bewildered, and then spoke in a whisper.
“Master, even when... you learned about my m
ysticism, you told me it was alright for me to stay here. That’s why... I want to show my gratitude... somehow...” Expressing such thought and feelings was a first for her. And understanding just how delighted she was made Zagan content as well.
Remaining sprawled out on the floor, Zagan stretched out his hand to her cheek.
“You’re always helping me out in so many ways... Really, there’s no need for us to express gratitude so formally.”
“...Understood.” Nephy nodded bashfully.
Zagan then remembered that there was something that he failed to mention to her. Because the Angelic Knights came by, he didn’t get to say it.
“Hey, Nephy.”
“Yes.” Zagan spoke his mind as she nodded her head at him, a blank expression on her face.
“Do you want to try... learning sorcery?” Nephy blinked twice, then her eyes shot open in surprise.
“Me... learn sorcery?”
“Yeah. I think you have a knack for it. Besides, you can’t control that ‘mysticism’ or whatever from this afternoon, right?” At the moment, she was unable to use sorcery with the collar sealing her mana. However, she was able to manifest mysticism even with it on.
If he left her alone back then, the Angelic Knights that Nephy attacked would likely have been torn to pieces. Plus, she’d also healed Zagan’s wound. If she could more consciously control it, then there was a good chance that she’d eventually grown strong enough to wound even Zagan.
“It’s a power with a different structure, so simply studying sorcery won’t necessarily help you control mysticism. However, you should at least be able to defend yourself with it for now.” He’d faced some setbacks, but Zagan hadn’t given up on removing her collar. That was why he wanted to prepare her for the day she was unshackled.
And, as if unable to hide her bewilderment, Nephy’s eyes shook.
“W-Would I... really be able to do it...?”
“You can. Nephy, you’ll definitely become a far stronger sorcerer than me.”
Originally, the elves were a race that stored powerful mana within themselves. With that, alongside Nephy’s senses, even the Archdemon’s seat was in sight.
Nephy then tightly clutched her chest.
“Will I... be able to reach a point where I’m useful to you, Master?”
“You’re already... more than useful to me.” It wasn’t just about her managing his daily affairs. Little by little, he had been able to show more emotion, and every day they would meet face to face and have a conversation. He truly felt that he had gained something irreplaceable thanks to all that.
“Will I also... become like you, Master?”
“Uh... In terms of power, right? If possible, I’d like everything else about you to remain the same.” Sure, he wished to teach her sorcery, but it was a little troublesome for her to look up to a villain like Zagan. He wanted to see many more of her expressions, but he also felt like he wanted Nephy to stay the same.
“Will I... be able to assist you, Master?”
“You protected me from those damn Angelic Knights, didn’t you?” He felt like it was rather pitiful to be protected by a girl, but he was honestly happy about it.
As she thought about it, Nephy’s ears bounced and quivered.
“I’ll do it. Master, for your sake, I will learn sorcery.”
I’d rather you say it’s for your own sake, though... Even so, having reached the point where she held some sort of ambition was a step forward. That was why Zagan replied in a cheery tone.
“Then Nephy, you are my disciple from this moment on.”
“Yes.” Her expression already looked happier.
A disciple, huh...? Until he said it, he’d never thought of the idea. The idea of passing his knowledge and power to another that is.
Still, he wanted to impart Nephy with all that knowledge unconditionally.
The two of them remained like that for a while, basking in the silence.
After a long period of time, Nephy suddenly spoke in a comforting tone.
“Um, Master.”
“What is it?”
“About this evening...” By evening, she likely meant after they’d finished driving back the Angelic Knights, when Nephy was treating Zagan’s wound.
“Master, you were told — you, who can do anything on your own, can’t understand the feelings of the weak.”
“Yeah, I said something like that, didn’t I?” That was one of the things he told Nephy after she spoke openly about her secret.
It was a dull story from the past, but he wanted to let Nephy know that there was no need to worry about the eyes and words of others.
And in response, Nephy gently brushed Zagan’s head lovingly.
“Master, you spoke of it as if it were nothing, but in truth it was painful, right?”
Zagan opened his eyes wide as he took in those words.
“Why... do you feel that way?”
Nephy’s snow-white hair swayed as she shook her head.
“I don’t know, but...” As if it were her own pain, she clutched her chest.
“At that time, you looked awfully sad.” Nephy then curled around Zagan’s body as if embracing him. Tender bulges leaned in on his face, which made Zagan unintentionally blush.
“H-Hey...” Without worrying at all about Zagan’s unrest, Nephy kept speaking.
“Master, you aren’t evil. Even if the words you speak are few in number, I will never forget... that you have been kind to me.”
Even if it was pathetic, Zagan felt liable to burst into tears as he heard those words. His voice trembled, and he only managed a short, simple reply.
“...I see.”
However, despite that, Nephy’s ears shook happily as she nodded.
“I’m glad.” Nephy’s heartbeat was being passed to him through her chest, which was pressing down on him. Whether due to nerves, bashfulness, or perhaps another emotion, it was a very rapid sound.
It was a feeling of his frozen emotions softly melting, which made Zagan lose all strength in his shoulders.
“Nephy.”
“Yes.” He just wanted to call out to her, even though he had nothing to say. He just... wanted to try saying her name.
“This kind of thing... isn’t bad... is it?”
“...It isn’t.” Nephy simply nodded as she always did.
Surely, even if he sought her body, she wouldn’t refuse. Yet, being atop her lap was far too comfortable to allow for such thoughts.
Zagan fell asleep before he knew it. It had been long since he felt so at ease.
◇
“What the hell, man! I came here after hearing you were attacked by Angelic Knights, but you don’t have a scratch on you!”
The next day, in the throne room.
The one who said that after breaking through someone else’s barrier and trespassing was Barbatos.
It had been about one week since they last met face to face, but the way he acted hadn’t changed.
Zagan waved his hand as if he found it irritating. Frankly speaking, he never showed up when he was truly needed, and he was just a hindrance coming in so late, so he really was irritated.
“Like I care. It’s their fault for being weak, right?”
“Weak? Come on, I heard that someone with a Sacred Sword was sent over!”
“Sacred Sword? Oh, now that you mention it, there was one.”
He was talking about Chastille. Honestly, the memory of her had faded from his mind due to Nephy’s use of mysticism. Moreover, though she was an Angelic Knight, she didn’t point her hostility toward him. If she actually got serious, then she would have likely been able to fight on Zagan’s level. That was why he didn’t have much awareness of her as an enemy.
“Wow, even the Maiden of the Sacred Sword wasn’t a worthy opponent?”
“No, she was quite strong, actually. She broke a few of the castle’s barriers, after all.” And, as he’d not yet finished repairing said barriers, he felt that he’d rather
go finish the job than continue their conversation.
However, as he was thinking that, Nephy came over with tea and baked sweets on a tray.
After lining up the tray on top of a small table that she had prepared ahead of time without Zagan’s knowledge, she bobbed down at the waist courteously.
“By all means. Please use the milk and sugar to your liking with the tea.” Barbatos’ mouth popped open as he watched all that.
“H-Hey, that’s... the elf from before, right? Am I wrong?”
“No, there’s no mistaking she’s the girl from the auction.”
“You still haven’t used her as a sacrifice? Or what, in exchange for prolonging her life, you’re making her serve you or something? How nice. You’ve got good taste there.”
Nephy clung to Zagan’s mantle as if she was frightened by Barbatos’ thoughts.
“Don’t lump me together with you. Nephy is, well... Um, my disciple.”
Barbatos’ face spasmed, and then he screamed, clearly unable to believe Zagan’s words.
“The hell? A disciple? You just said disciple? You said disciple, right? That thing where you teach someone else your sorcery, right? You?”
“Can’t I?” Zagan pushed his undesired friend back like he found him detestable.
However, it was difficult to say that he bought her because he fell in love at first sight. After worrying about it for a bit, he hit on a good excuse that seemed to fit the bill.
“There’s sorcery that I can’t use alone. Nephy will definitely be useful.” He was speaking of Nephy as if she were a tool again, but he was making his best effort to praise her.
Even with sorcery, I can’t obtain everything on my own. After all, the simple happiness he’d gained from being together with Nephy was one such thing.
It seemed Nephy had gotten used to Zagan’s roundabout way of speaking too. And so, she gracefully spread out the hem of her skirt as she bowed her head.
“I am honored.” And, as if taken aback, Barbatos smacked his own forehead.
“Shit, I get it... Nothing’s out of reach if you’ve got an elf by your side... Shit, I never thought of using one like that...”
Zagan was aware that his face turned grim as he heard Barbatos speak of Nephy as a tool. Sure, he’d said something similar himself, but that didn’t mean anyone else could.
An Archdemon's Dilemma: How to Love Your Elf Bride - Volume 01 Page 13