Welcome to the Demon’s Cabin - Chapter 37

Well, it is a completely meaningless reminiscence. Because the faces of his family came to mind after a long time, he almost became trapped in sorrow by himself.

Idris turned his head toward the disaster-like being whom he had decided to treat simply as a new species called ‘Irene,’ as he still could not tell if she was a devil or a monster. Since he became certain that she had no contractor, he had become less afraid, but her identity remained inside a labyrinth.

She certainly did not seem to be a devil, but she was abnormally intelligent and strong for a siren. Seeing her yesterday, she performed mental arithmetic with three-digit numbers easily, Hand if that were a monster, it would be about a sign that the world was ending.

……No. It is not to that extent. What do I mean, the end of the world, what kind of ominous nonsense am I talking about. Originally, sirens are a different breed that stands apart among monsters. Therefore, a peculiar outlier appearing from there would not be a sign that the order of the world has broken. Not to mention a devil, which is a being that deviates from order in the first place. It must be so.

‘Why on earth did the past me not choose monsters or devils as a major? At the very least, I should have attended classes diligently. Since I have no in-depth knowledge that I know properly, I am going crazy. Ah, I do not know. Let us just say she is somewhere in between a devil and a siren. If I keep watching, the answer will come out.’

He used all his strength to strike up a conversation while naturally pretending to be friendly.

“Miss Irene, do you see any signs of catching something?”

“Not yet. I suppose it is because there are not many fish in the first place.”

Irene showed a smile with a face that looked exceedingly pretty and harmless, as if everything would be fine.

Facing that smile, Idris fell into a fresh, strange feeling, and he blinked his eyes at a natural speed while counting seconds internally.

He had often thought that he wished someone would welcome him with a smile, but seeing it now, he felt strange because it seemed that wish had been fulfilled in a twisted form.

Her laughter was so generous that it seemed the amount Irene had smiled for him during one week was more than the smiles he had received in his entire life. She even tried her best to smile for him when she was displeased. At those times, the shape of her folding eyes was slightly different.

If there is an intention mixed in to create good memories for an opponent she will kill, it is a truly foul prank. Well, that is likely why she is an unholy being.

* * *

After dinner ended and he was granted free time, Idris headed toward the forest behind the cabin carrying a large axe. As he walked the forest path alone, his heart was filled with fresh emotion.

‘How much effort I put in for several days to obtain this time.’

Because of Irene, who would not try to leave his side nor take her eyes off him, it was truly a hardship for a while. She did not allow him to go out alone, let alone be in a room alone. He thought he would wither to death like this, but while enduring day by day, Irene suddenly began to grant Idris short periods of freedom.

He wanted to get down on his knees and offer a prayer of thanks to God, but he barely held back. To die while praying in front of a devil, he refuses such a fanatic-like death.

Reaching the place where several cut logs were piled up, Idris lifted one small piece of wood. And he lifted the axe and struck down lightly. The axe, which had become sharp as he sharpened the blade himself, flashed as it reflected the sunlight.

With a loud noise, the wood split helplessly.

After swinging the axe a few times, quite a lot of small split firewood was already piled up beside Idris. He twitched his eyebrows with a dissatisfied face.

“No matter how much I think about it, it seems too much strength has left me lately.”

Idris, who put down the axe, rolled up his sleeves and turned his arms here and there. He was not a particularly muscular build originally, but somehow he felt even thinner. The muscle is still attached, but, well. He wonders what will happen if a life without a single bit of training continues like this.

‘All I have is this body. There is no answer.’

Idris clicked his tongue with dissatisfaction.

Ah, he was startled for a moment by the thought of what would happen if he were caught by Irene, but he soon soothed himself, saying there was nothing to worry about. If he deliberately makes a crying face saying he is upset because he chops firewood like rubbish due to having no strength, she always lets it pass. Because she is a subtly naive woman.

Of course, she would not allow training just for that……. Therefore, he is trying to maintain his body by taking charge of such labor, but he does not know if it will be meaningful.

‘I do not even know if I can use Aura, and in the first place, I have no sword, and even if I did, leaving this territory is simply a suicidal act.’

Although Idris was a reasonably skilled Holy Knight, without a sword or Aura, he was just a piece of meat with good physical endurance. To begin with, even if he had a sword, he might only be able to try a one-on-one, but the Black Mountains alone, let us not talk about it. He had no such taste that was beyond masochistic and wished to be murdered.

Idris was seized by a familiar sense of helplessness and stared at the forest beyond the territory. That way would probably be the path to the center of the Black Mountains. He did not even want to set foot there.

And he discovered a pair of sharp red eyes watching him from among the trees.

“……?”

‘Am I seeing a hallucination now.’

But even when he closed and opened his eyes, the clear eyes of the monster were still nailed to that spot. Idris’s eyes bulged as if they would burst.

‘No, wait. Dammit. Holy s**t, wait a minute……!’

To crouch at the boundary and target him so boldly. It seems it has gone mad with the desire to eat a human. He slowly backed away from the monster that was dripping saliva.

Surely it will not rush into the territory. He wanted to believe that the intelligence to fear Irene still remained.

The moment Idris tightly gripped the pathetic axe, the bright red eyes disappeared into the darkness instantly as if they had been his illusion.

‘Could it be…….’