Chapter 24

The content is almost identical to Chapters 11-14. If you don't like it, please skip it.

"Right, Yuri-chan, your chef's uniform is ready. Would you like to try it on?

All the work uniforms in the Northern Demon King Castle are made of special materials. They are light because they are made of fabric, but they are much stronger than any armor. They are perfect for protecting Yuri-chan, and they are also very resistant to dirt."

Karufru, as if to cut off the previous flow, handed Yuri the chef's uniform she had made and gave a brief explanation. After listening, Yuri thanked her and began to change, taking off the clothes she had been wearing with a boldness. She struggled with her small hands to put on the new uniform and button it up.

...Given that she could change her clothes by herself at this age, in a household of a certain status, it was hard to imagine that she had been in a good environment. Normally, servants would take care of everything.

As I thought this, Karufru collected the clothes Yuri had discarded and turned her gaze towards me. I immediately realized she was trying to gather information from the clothes. I nodded slightly and casually held the folded clothes.

"It's done."

"...Perfect fit."

"The size is just right."

Despite this, Yuri was happily bouncing on the bed in her new clothes. As Dilnan observed, it took a little time, but she managed to wear it beautifully.

"Yuri, take off the apron. It's understood that you only wear it in the kitchen."

At Dilnan's reminder, Yuri obediently took off the apron, looked at Dilnan, and then rolled it up, stuffing it into the back pocket of her pants. She seemed to be imitating Dilnan.

Karufru, seemingly unable to help herself, muttered, "So manly," and Yuri smiled happily. This seemed to shock Karufru greatly, and she glared at Dilnan.

"Even though you're so cute, Captain Dilnan, you made Yuri-chan imitate you with that apron! And she even looked happy when she was called 'manly'!!"

"...Sorry."

"No, this is absolutely unacceptable! I'll hurry and prepare a pouch for the apron and handkerchief!"

With that, Karufru rushed out of the infirmary again. Yuri, seemingly unaware of what had happened, blinked her eyes.

"Well, I think that's enough joking around. I have something I want to ask Yuri."

Thinking that Yuri had calmed down, I tried to get to the main topic, but Yuri was looking at Dilnan with concern.

"Don't worry about Dilnan. ...You are a really cute kid, you know."

Being able to care for others is one of Yuri's strengths. However, it could also be a weakness in terms of protecting herself.

"Yuri, can you tell me where your memories start?"

"...Well, the day I met Oniichan. When I woke up, I was very hungry and thirsty. I looked for water to drink and calmed down, but it was strange. I didn't understand anything.

...Who am I? Why was I in such a place?"

I asked to confirm how much she understood about her memory loss. Yuri thought for a moment and began to speak. However, this child, despite her youth, was too smart. I could see her thoughts deepening as she spoke. She didn't know who she was, and she doubted herself more than anyone else, with various anxieties clearly visible in her large eyes. It seemed she had been trying hard not to think about it.

Still, she didn't let her emotions take over. Even an adult might have lost composure in such a situation.

"Yuri, it's okay if you don't understand. I just wanted to know how much you understand."

"Eh...?"

"It's fine. Dilnan brought you to the Northern Demon King Castle, and Elies gave you temporary permission to enter. At that point, you have the qualifications to work here. You won't be abandoned, and if formal permission can't be granted, you can come to my house. The children have grown up and left home, and my wife loves children. If you want to learn cooking, we can think about it then."

"...But..."

"It's okay. Children should be honest and rely on adults for difficult matters."

"Hmm..."

Seeing that she was struggling, I tried to stop her and suggested she relax. However, Yuri was calmly recognizing her situation and was hesitant. This reaction, even without memories, was influenced by her past environment. Not only was she not acting like a child, but she didn't know how to be one.

I pinched her cheeks gently to stop her from thinking too much. She struggled to get free, but I had to make sure she stopped thinking completely. This child could endure anything if she thought about it too much. Adults needed to recognize the emotions she was suppressing and the colors in her eyes.

"Hmm, you might become quite a little devil with such a cute face."

Even as she struggled to escape, Yuri looked incredibly adorable, and I continued to play with her for a while.

We decided to have dinner a bit early.

Considering what might happen afterward, I put the necessary medicine and syringes in a case in my pocket. Only Bax noticed this.

While carrying Yuri to the dining hall, we talked about various things, but Yuri was exhausted and slumped in my arms.

When we arrived at the dining hall, Dilnan and Bax went to get the food, and I secured a table with Yuri. After sitting down, Yuri looked at the kitchen and smiled happily. The person she was looking at was Oji, a veteran of the cooking team. Oji, seeing Yuri's smile, looked surprisingly calm, unlike his usual grumpy face.

Dilnan, returning with the food, asked Yuri curiously. Bax, admiring Yuri's cuteness, tried to hold back his excitement. When I explained the reason to Dilnan, both Dilnan and Bax were surprised. Yuri didn't seem to be afraid of Oji's intimidating appearance.

"Even big men are scared of Oji."

"Uh... Oji isn't scary at all??"

Bax's typical comment made Yuri look genuinely puzzled, and Dilnan was impressed. Yuri then dropped a bomb with a full smile.

"Oji, I love you."

Yuri's words caused no physical damage but had a maximum psychological impact. Dilnan and Bax, holding the trays, froze, and the surrounding people struggled to contain their excitement. I, too, had already picked up Yuri's small body onto my lap.

"Do you really love him?"

"Yes, I love him."

Wanting to hear the perfect sound again, I asked Yuri, and she gave me that adorable smile. It was the best. Unable to resist, I hugged her small body, and Bax and Dilnan, along with the entire dining hall, glared at me with murderous intent. But it didn't bother me at all.

Ah, how should I get her to add "papa" after "I love you"?

I really want this child to be my own.

But such a moment didn't last long. Yuri's stomach and words reminded us of the meal. Seeing Dilnan take a deep breath and offer Yuri her food, I couldn't help but laugh. Special dishes were prepared for Yuri.

Due to the height of the table, I kept Yuri on my lap while we started eating. Yuri, with sparkling eyes, chewed and ate diligently. Her table manners were impeccable, and she hardly spilled or dirtied anything. Yuri's table manners were as good as an adult's. Bax, admiring Yuri's eating, might realize how extraordinary she is if he ever has children.

"Yuri's presence is like Tichis."

"Only in appearance. Given that she can say 'I love you' to Oji and immediately befriend my mount, she's a rare find."

Dilnan, watching Yuri eat, said this with a mix of admiration and exasperation. The content made Bax and me ask in unison. Dilnan's mount was Retz.

"Yuri is Retz's favorite, and Yuri isn't afraid of Retz at all. She even used Retz's fur as a bed and took a nap. Seeing this, Elies granted her temporary permission to join the team."

Learning the basis for Elies granting Yuri temporary permission, Bax and I fell silent. It must have been a shocking sight. I couldn't even imagine it. Yuri, unaware of how impressive it was, happily continued her dinner.

"Alright, Yuri, let's go back to the infirmary. Say goodbye to Dilnan."

"...Huh?"

Seeing that Yuri had finished her meal, I called out to her, and she blinked.

"Yuri, it's time to rest. I'll take responsibility for you, so you should get ready."

"Damn, I understand."

Ignoring Yuri, who still didn't understand the situation, I urged Dilnan, who reluctantly nodded. Immediately, tears welled up in Yuri's eyes, and she started crying. Seeing Yuri suddenly cry, Dilnan was genuinely flustered. It was rare to see this usually calm and composed man so anxious.

"Normally, when a child is separated from their guardian, they become anxious and cry and resist. It's normal. If she had thrown a tantrum, I would have considered using a sedative, but it's not necessary for this child.

I feel sorry for her, but considering Yuri's current physical condition, I can't allow her to accompany you as a doctor."

As an elder and a senior guardian, I firmly reminded Dilnan. I had brought a sedative to the dining hall, considering the worst-case scenario. Dilnan was stunned by my preparedness, but Bax nodded in agreement.

For Yuri, Dilnan and Elies have different weights.

Dilnan, who had saved Yuri in her extreme state and lost her memory, must have been a pillar of support for her.

No matter how advanced her inner development, a child is still a child, and instinct is stronger. It was understandable for her to cry and express strong anxiety. She couldn't hold back her tears, but her self-control was remarkable. I couldn't help but admire her.

"...I'll come to pick you up in the morning. Get a good night's sleep."

"Okay, Oniichan..."

"Good, you're a good kid. ...Vincent, I'm counting on you."

Dilnan, taking a towel from the subspace, wiped Yuri's face and spoke to her. Yuri, trying hard to answer, held back various words. Dilnan, patting Yuri's head, handed the towel to me. Without a word, I took it and firmly picked up Yuri. To avoid prolonging the separation and wasting Yuri's self-control, we quickly headed back to the infirmary.

Despite her whimpers, Yuri didn't make any demands, just clinging to my white coat. The sight was painfully touching, and I felt a deep sense of empathy.

Back in the infirmary, Karufru called out to us at the door.

Seeing Yuri's tear-streaked eyes, Karufru called out Dilnan's name, and Yuri's eyes welled up with tears again. Karufru was flustered, but after explaining the situation, she calmed down. When asked why she had come again, she said she had brought clothes for Yuri to change into. It was helpful to have clean clothes ready after a bath. Entering the infirmary, Karufru happily arranged the freshly made clothes at the foot of the bed.

"Still, to seriously plan and make cute dresses and dresses with lace and drapes, which I had given up on until yesterday, is all thanks to Yuri-chan. The cute shoes and accessories to match... Our blacksmith team's fashion department is thrilled. There's nothing more exciting than this."

"...Until yesterday, in the Northern Demon King Castle, dresses and dresses were mostly for punishment games, or rarely, for Kaiyu-sama's companion."

"That's right, Captain Vincent! We put so much effort into making them, and they're only worn once or twice before being discarded! We get so many interesting fabrics and samples, but we usually only make work clothes. That's why Yuri-chan is our hope. What else would we decorate if not such a cute child?!"

Karufru's enthusiasm was rising, and it seemed to calm Yuri's tears a bit. To keep her engaged, I asked another question.

"Do you have so many different fabrics?"

"Yes, Captain Vincent. Among the fabrics we received, there are deep green velvet and other very high-quality materials, but Kaiyu-sama only wears black clothes without any extra decorations in daily life. There's not enough fabric to make adult women's clothes, and it would be a waste to use even a small part for costumes.

If the fabric is just going to gather dust and get old, it would be better to make a cute dress for Yuri-chan and let her wear it. Then, she can wear enamel shoes, decorate her hair with ribbons, and carry a plush backpack shaped like a bear."

"That would indeed be the cutest."

"Even if she can only wear it on days off, she can show it off in the villages around the castle. If you let her meet your wife, I'm sure your wife would be very happy too."

"My wife might not let her go, but that would be great."

...I had asked to distract Yuri, but unexpectedly, I was enthusiastic about the wonderful idea. However, it seemed to work. After calming down, Yuri seemed to be getting sleepy, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. Karufru quickly tidied up the things she had brought, including the previous shoes. After seeing Karufru off, I took Yuri to the bath.

Yuri almost fell into the toilet before the bath. Hearing her small scream, I rushed to help and ended up taking care of everything for her, as I couldn't leave her alone.

I sat her on the vanity chair and carefully dried her soft hair with a towel. Using magic to dry it would be too much of a burden for a child's small body. By the time I finished, Yuri was almost asleep. I laid her on the bed, sang a lullaby, and she quickly fell asleep. After making sure she was asleep, I cleaned her chef's uniform with magic, folded it, and put it on the shelf next to the bed with the pouch and other items.

"Captain"

Bax, who had apparently returned, quietly appeared.

"I'll be out for a bit. Please take care of her for a while."

"Understood. I'll keep an eye on her."

After telling Bax, I left the infirmary.

My first destination was the document team's Elies, then the facilities team. ...Even Dilnan probably didn't prepare for Yuri's toilet. It's related to her health, so Elies wouldn't hesitate to give permission.

After finishing my errands as expected, I returned to the infirmary and sent Bax off. The other day shift team members had already left, and the night shift team was resting in the adjacent on-duty room.

While tidying up some minor tasks in the back of the infirmary, I suddenly heard crying from Yuri's bed. Rushing over, I found her crying and screaming, clearly terrified by a nightmare. I picked her up and comforted her, and after a while, she fell back asleep, exhausted from crying.

What kind of life did she lead to become such a mature child?

What did she carry in her lost memories?

All I can see and feel is this.

Just how different and pitiful this child is.

No one knows what the future holds.

But I couldn't help but pray for something to make her days a little happier and gentler.

[Additional Explanation] The Position of Magic in the Demon Race

For the demon race, magic is both an attack method and a part of daily life. Therefore, there are many specialized magic techniques that craftsmen use for their work, which is why their work is completed at an abnormal speed. Additionally, these specialized magic techniques have evolved into magical devices used in daily life, which will be