Welcome to the Demon’s Cabin - Chapter 38

Sure enough, a small sound of footsteps approaching through the bushes was heard from behind. Unbelievable. It was the first time that familiar presence was this welcoming.

“Miss Irene! What brings you here?”

Idris welcomed Irene with more sincerity than ever before. At that reaction, she seemed to be in a good mood and smiled brightly while bringing her hands together as if clapping once.

“Of course I came because I was curious if Mr. Idris was doing well. Wow! It was split neatly again today.”

‘And you praise even the most trivial things today as well.’

“It is just ugly, so what do you mean by neat.”

“It is enough if it is made into the size of firewood. It is for burning anyway, so what does it matter if the shape is not very pretty.”

As expected, she is mostly generous and kind to an excessive degree. Should I say it feels as if nothing else matters as long as she can properly feel like a person.

If the adults around me had been even half as generous as Irene, I would have grown up much more normally than I am now. Idris laughed lightly, mocking himself.

“Thank you, it is a comfort.”

“Do not mention it. More than that, the firewood looks sufficient, do you intend to work more?”

“I was just contemplating whether I should return soon.”

“That is perfect. If you do not have something to do immediately, would you like to take a walk by the lakeside with me?”

Sadly, Idris’s answer was already decided.

“I would like that.”

* * *

“So in my opinion, I think it would be good to make a few more cups.”

Irene finished her sentence while moving her steps as light as a feather. Idris looked down at Irene, who was stuck right next to him, while keeping pace by saying, ‘That seems like a good idea. How about trying to engrave a small drawing.’

She only looked gentle and fragile, but there was not a single gap. She was clearly just fluttering and walking around, but……. The difference in level, which he often felt was like the distance between heaven and earth, made Idris lose even a shred of the will to resist.

Yes. It is comfortable if one conforms.

There is no other way anyway.

Idris gave a thin smile to Irene, who burst into a giggle, then dropped his gaze onto the surface of the water.

“What is the matter? Is there something in the lake?”

“It is nothing. It is just that I thought the sky was exceptionally clear today.”

“Mr. Idris, you know a thing or two. Certainly, a calm lake is a beautiful mirror reflecting the sky.”

Irene smiled playfully and spread her hand to point at the lake. Although she says she loves all of nature, in Idris’s view, her attachment to the lake seemed unusual. It was to the extent that it reminded him of his father, who cherished the lake where he first met the mistress he loved so much that he caused a commotion about whether to follow her in death or not.

As expected, Irene excitedly began to pour out information he had not even asked for. The autumn sky is much prettier, et cetera, et cetera, a lake this clear is truly hard to find, et cetera, et cetera.

What was strongly engraved in Idris’s mind was the description of the autumn lake scenery. To even talk about the future, which she almost never brought up, has the intention to keep him alive until then been created? He felt the worth of lying flat while throwing away all dignity and pride. Setting everything else aside, it was a true hardship to invent non-existent memories with his mother, who was already deceased and in a state of mutual enmity. He does not know how many times he told himself that it was unavoidable in order to live.

Irene, who had begun to move ahead with light steps, stopped and then turned her head to smile broadly at Idris. The bright sunlight shone upon her as she waved her hand, telling him to come quickly. Her face, which was already scary in its prettiness, sparkled even more beautifully.

‘When she is like this, she is a completely ordinary Orihen girl except for her eye color.’

Most of her actions and way of speaking were entirely those of a bright and love-filled girl herself, so at times it was even surprising how she could not be human. The unique sentiment of the Orihen people, which was strongly felt, fueled that impression further. He dared to predict that if he brought up the story of the war-mongering tyrant of Orihen, she would praise him like any other Orihen human. However, he does not particularly want to try it. He has bad memories in many ways regarding that royal family.

Perhaps it is because lately Irene has become even more bright and active that it feels more so, or perhaps it is because now he does not feel fear rising immediately upon seeing those chilling red eyes.

‘Have I done the self-brainwashing too properly? Will I end up tripping over my own feet like this? No, even so, I cannot constantly tell myself that she is the enemy of my daily life. Am I crazy.’

Idris knew how to hide emotions like fear or nervousness quite skillfully, but hatred was the exception. Because that intense emotion was the kind that could not be hidden even if one tried. If he did not want to reveal it all day long, there was no way but to constantly tell himself, ‘I do not hate her.’

The effect is good, but the side effect would be a situation like the present one. This bizarre situation where he evaluates that monster as feeling like a purely naive girl without a second thought.

Idris let out a hollow laugh internally. What does he mean, a girl, when he is a subject who even calculates a single blink while watching her every mood.

* * *

Irene, who had dragged Idris here and there for a while, returned to the cabin first. Idris, who picked up the firewood he chopped earlier, put it all down right next to the cabin, and after taking a breath, he opened the door and entered.

The wind chime Irene newly hung rang, announcing that the door had opened. Irene, who was working hard on making Mr. Idris’s clothes today as well, craned her neck and welcomed him with her eyes curved.

“You are back?”

‘Can you please refrain from such behavior?’

Since she acts like this despite the fact that internally she would be only pondering how to play with this trivial human…… is it not because of this that he keeps babbling such nonsensical thoughts. That she is like a pure and bright girl who is just a bit temperamental.

No, perhaps he is hoping for it a little bit.

‘I am finally going mad.’

Idris returned the greeting while forcing a smile. In his eyes, a bitterness that he could not quite hide was lingering.

“Yes, I am back.”