Chapter 10

Hanna believes in God.

She was not blessed with the good fortune to revere God.

She was not struck by great misfortune.

That alone was enough for her not to doubt the existence of God.

That is why she believes in God.

When Hanna was 19, her parents fell ill.

In this world, medical science is not advanced, and the treatment of serious illnesses depends on items dropped by monsters.

Medicinal items have a low drop rate and are expensive, often monopolized by the nobility who have the funds and power, and rarely appear on the market.

Realizing they could not be saved, her parents stopped treatment and tried to leave their children an inheritance.

However, Hanna, Mina, and Kyle could not give up and continued the treatment, and continued, and continued, until their parents passed away.

What remained for Hanna was her crying sister and brother.

And a house that had nothing left.

After her parents' death, with no one to help them, the siblings could no longer live in the town and were forced to move to a distant village.

Hanna believed in God—until then.

The destination village was far, and the journey was tough for children's feet.

But there was no one to rely on.

There never had been.

When they were attacked by monsters, she did not pray to God.

There was no one, neither human nor God, who could help them.

...Hanna thinks.

But if, by some chance, they were to be saved.

It would be the work of a being different from humans or God—like, for example, a demon.

That is why Hanna did not doubt that the middle-aged man who suddenly appeared from the sky, instantly defeated the monsters, and was wrapped in gray with a cruel smile, was a demon.

Enchanted by the demon, when he, who called himself a merchant, asked for her cooperation, she obediently followed.

To be honest, when she was forced to fight the monsters, she regretted it.

Protecting her remaining family—Mina and Kyle.

That was Hanna's last hope after losing her parents.

She could not protect her sister and brother on her own.

So, she decided to accept the existence that had helped them, even if it was a demon.

Even if she had to offer her body...

Hanna was prepared to nod in agreement to any request the man made.

But the man seemed more interested in her teenage sister, who was in her mid-teens, than in the grown-up Hanna.

Hanna looked down at her own chest, which had developed appropriately for her age, then at her sister's flat chest, and decided it was just her imagination.

The demon had the power befitting his name.

He could fly, create food, keep monsters away, and even showed kindness.

The youngest, Kyle, who used to cry a lot, started to laugh.

Mina, who had become distrustful of people, began to rely on the man.

...And Hanna gained the power to fight monsters.

She did not desire power.

But to protect her remaining family and to survive, she would need power.

Having sought help from a demon, she was now a demon's servant.

Hanna decided that she would use any power without hesitation to protect her family.

Despite giving them such power, kindness, and favors, the demon left without a word.

Would he come back someday to collect his due?

...But strangely, the siblings felt they would never see the man again.

To him, their encounter was just a coincidence, a whim, and an insignificant event.

Hanna thinks.

What should they do now that they have become the demon's servants?

They learned many things from the man, but he did not teach them what to do next.

Then, can they do as they please?

...Yes, with the same selfishness as the man, the demon.

The power they gained is to protect themselves and their family.

That is their greatest wish.

...But if they can do more while protecting their family.

At that time, there was no one to help their family.

Now, she can understand a little why.

To help people, one needs power.

So, now that they have gained power, if there is something they can do.

With the same ease as that man, they will try to lend a hand—.

◆ ◆ ◆

—? days later—

The village was located away from the hustle and bustle.

Many people made a living through agriculture and hunting animals.

There was no one who could defeat monsters, but the village, which had never been attacked, was peaceful.

—Every village is peaceful.

Until it is struck by a sudden natural disaster.

A few monsters wandered into the village.

The villagers outnumbered the monsters, but being low-level and without combat experience, they could only run around in panic.

Many gave up on the village, and those who were left behind even gave up on their lives.

Those who gave up closed their eyes and prayed to God.

At least for a peaceful end.

...Praying, praying, and when they opened their eyes, they saw the monsters enveloped in flames.

The monsters burned, screamed in agony, and then disappeared.

And then.

First, the flames.

Next, the arrows.

Finally, the spears.

Pierced the large bodies of the monsters.

The villagers just stared in a daze at the familiar back of the person fighting the disaster until all the monsters were defeated.

—The siblings, who had come from outside and relied on distant relatives, were warmly welcomed by the villagers and lived quietly, working in the fields.

They looked like ordinary children, but they suddenly appeared and defeated the monsters, and continued to protect the village from disasters—another story.