Chapter 87

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"Hey, what do you want to do with that girl, Lily?"

The auntie asked me seriously.

"...I don't want to let Lily go."

My tongue wasn't moving well, probably due to the alcohol.

But the answer came out of my mouth without much thought, just like when I spoke to the maid. It was vague and lacked specificity.

"...Is that all?"

But the auntie wasn't satisfied with that.

Seeing her expression, I tried to think of something I hadn't thought of when talking to the maid.

"...I want to cook."

Suddenly, a familiar voice entered my ears.

There was no way I could have misheard it; it was definitely my own voice.

Of course, I hadn't intended to say such a thing.

I was still thinking about it.

"...I want to go shopping."

But the voice wouldn't stop.

"I want to hold hands."

"I want to pat her head."

"I want to play with everyone together."

"I want to sleep with her."

"I want to be hugged."

It was as if the voice had a will of its own, spilling out endlessly.

"And—"

Finally, my words paused for a moment.

But I soon felt my mouth opening again.

"—I don't want to let her go."

The last words that slipped out were the same as the first.

Once I finished, my words fell silent as if they had never been spoken.

"..."

I cautiously looked at the auntie, and she seemed to be smirking, but the next moment, her eyes were serious again.

"If you have so many feelings, why did you leave her at the demon king's castle?"

Then, in a tone that seemed to blame me, she said:

"Maybe she didn't mean that much to you, right?"

"Ha—Shut up!!!"

Before I knew it, I was yelling at the auntie as soon as she finished speaking.

But I didn't try to stop myself.

I had said something I shouldn't have.

"Lily was important, very important to me!!!"

People around us were staring, but I didn't care.

I was frustrated.

"If she's so important, why did you give up so easily?"

But the auntie didn't hesitate to respond to my angry outburst.

—She still doesn't understand.

"Because there was no other choice, okay!!! I wanted to bring Lily back too! But it's impossible!!! Lily herself decided to return to the demon king's castle, so what could I do!!!"

That's right.

I wanted to try harder too!

But if Lily herself wanted to do it, what could I do...?!

"What—So what!!!"

As I was tormented by regret, the auntie started yelling at me.

"If you're a man, you should take her by force!!!"

"By force...?"

Her words took the wind out of my sails.

"Yeah!!! If you're a man, you should try something like eloping before complaining!!!"

"..."

But if I did that, I might cause trouble for Esyck, who brought me here.

But it seemed the auntie hadn't thought that far, and she spoke again.

"Besides, you haven't met the demon king yet, right? Then at least try saying, 'Father-in-law, please give me your daughter!!!'"

"How—How do I do that!?"

Indeed, that might be possible.

I don't know what kind of person the demon king is, but if it means I can keep Lily, I want to try.

I couldn't help but ask the auntie how to do it.

"—Are you serious?"

The auntie asked, testing me.

"I am."

I immediately answered affirmatively.

"Then how will you meet the demon king?"

"Yes."

We sat back down properly, tidied up the scattered bottles, and got down to business.

"If you want my help, I'll help you, but to show sincerity, it might be better to go alone..."

"Alone...?"

Honestly, I was filled with nothing but anxiety.

"But I think it's probably impossible."

The auntie sighed and started thinking.

I looked at the neatly arranged empty bottles on the table.

"—What about this?"

Suddenly, Esyck's words came to mind.

"..."

I turned to the auntie, who was earnestly thinking of a way for me to reach the demon king.

"...I'll go alone."

"What!?"

She looked surprised, but when she saw my face, she seemed to relax and smiled slightly.

I don't know what kind of face I was making, but it must have been reassuring.

Maybe I was making a face that I usually don't, but that was probably just my imagination.

"...Do you have some secret plan?"

The auntie asked me.

Of course, I do—

"—Of course I do."

And it's a great one.

Yes, the "Savior of the Abyss"—

—.