Chapter 200

“Yeah…”

If she happened to come across those faint, almost impossible chances, Timani might finally be able to resolve the knot in her heart after so many years, maybe even succeed in taking revenge on those who had caused her parents’ deaths.

But what if she failed…?

Every time she imagined those girls—who joked with her every day, who called her to eat at mealtime, who were loud, carefree, and cheerful—lying in pools of blood, dying and weeping just like her parents had back then…

Timani couldn’t help but shiver all over.

“Living together with you all these days… I’ve really had enough of it… Every day has been too happy. What should I do…”

“Being happy—don’t you think that’s a good thing?”

“But the moment I think about how my parents are dead! And that I’m the only one who can enjoy this kind of life! I just feel disgusted with myself!”

Sheffy’s heart tightened.

Because Timani suddenly raised her head and shouted those words, the dragon’s tears scattered all around, a sight so breathtaking it made one’s heart tremble.

Sheffy didn’t interrupt Timani’s emotional outburst.

She simply waited patiently, until that gritted-teeth determination gradually softened into fragile sobs, her face buried in her hands as she wept.

“But… but… when I think about using you all just to fulfill my revenge… I feel even more disgusted with myself… What should I do… Sheffy… it hurts so much… Maybe it’d be better if I just disappeared? Maybe I shouldn’t have told you all this today…?”

Maybe I should just leave alone in the snowstorm while you’re all asleep.

No need to pack anything—after all, I came alone, and I’ll leave the same way.

So you won’t be able to find me. Ha… No, I was wrong. How could I be so conceited to think that, after just these few days, you would really care about me? Would you even look for me?

—You would, wouldn’t you.

It was precisely because Timani knew that this group of people was so “strange,” so sincere and loyal, that she felt so conflicted and miserable, wasn’t it…

“Hey.”

“W-what…?”

“Anyway, first take a bite, calm down a little, and then listen to me. Really now, you’ve said everything already. At least give someone else a chance to speak, will you?”

That was why Sheffy was so strange.

In Timani’s understanding, after she’d lost control like this—the other party wasn’t her parent—shouldn’t Sheffy have despised her and kicked her away…?

To be honest, Timani had never vented her emotions like this to anyone other than her parents.

Yet Sheffy somehow produced a donut from somewhere and pressed it lightly against Timani’s tear-streaked cheek.

Timani didn’t refuse her kindness. Still crying, she took the donut with trembling hands and held it in front of her chest.

Because through companionship came understanding.

If it had been anyone else, this act might have seemed insulting.

But Sheffy was different. To her, a donut carried the same weight as sincerity.

Sheffy looked at the Fire Lizard holding the donut, not eating it, just staring at her with watery eyes, as if seeking an answer to the turmoil in her heart.

Seriously… don’t look at me with such expectations. I’m really not good at comforting others—especially not a Fire Lizard this big.

Sheffy stood up.

She brushed the hem of her dreamy, azure-blue skirt, shaped her hand like a knife, and gave Timani a light tap on the head.

Pak.

Crisp and light.

“I can only say that your definition of ‘using’ someone is a bit too twisted.”

“W-what… do you mean?”

“Just the literal meaning,” Sheffy withdrew her hand-knife motion slowly, grinning mischievously. “Think back—who was it that first suggested going to the Northern Flaming Lands?”

“It… it was you?”

“That’s right. I was the one who brought it up in the first place.”

With Sheffy guiding the conversation, Timani could only follow along, her thoughts a little muddled.

“You already know it was me who brought it up, right? Okay, let me ask you this: if there was a fight outside the city and someone from your family was getting beaten up, and I heard about it and said I couldn’t just stand by and had to step in to stop it—would you really say that, just because you didn’t stop me, you were ‘using’ me? It’s not like you encouraged me to get involved.”

“Stepping in… to break up a fight?”

“Of course not… but that’s different! That’s outside the city—we’re talking about the Northern Flaming Lands here! One wrong step and it’s a death sentence!”

“Still no difference. What I’m saying is, for something to count as ‘using’ someone, your selfish intentions would need to make the other person feel uncomfortable in the first place.”

Just a little Fire Lizard—what do you know about what it really means to ‘use’ someone?

Sheffy leaned in and quietly took back the uneaten donut from Timani’s hands.

Then popped it into her own mouth, chewing with delight.

“Mmmgh… mm… Well, clearly, you didn’t make me uncomfortable. Breaking up a fight was something I did because I couldn’t stand it. I felt bothered. You were just the one who benefited from it because you happened to be caught up in the mess. You didn’t need to do anything—just stay home and wait for your beaten-up family member to come back. So why feel guilty about it? It didn’t have anything to do with you to begin with.”

“Ah?”

What kind of logic was that?

Even with Timani’s usually sluggish mind, she could tell—this was nothing short of bandit logic!

Helping others… Could that kind of twisted, forceful reasoning really be used to justify helping someone?!

Timani blinked, her eyes now glimmering more than before, and stared at Sheffy’s puffed cheeks stuffed with donut.

The more she looked, the more she felt that this Demon Clan Princess before her was utterly baffling… completely different from anyone else.

But that was a separate matter altogether.

The more she witnessed their happiness, the more she saw how different they truly were—

The more resolute Timani became about never dragging them into danger.

She didn’t want to witness another tragedy. She didn’t want to see someone she cherished die in front of her again.

Even if it meant becoming a wanderer, sleeping rough and braving the elements—she still wanted to protect the rare smiles they wore in this chaotic world.

But at the same time… she no longer wanted to say goodbye.

Just as Timani’s resolve began to firm, just as she was thinking of persuading Sheffy to take another path—to avoid going to the Northern Flaming Lands, to consider some other solution—

Sheffy suddenly said something that caught her completely off guard.

“Alright, hurry up and wipe those tears off. Otherwise, it’s going to look like I bullied you, and if Xiarette and the others see this, they’ll start scolding me again. Also—get ready. We’re heading to that clearing where we fought the Wind Magic Dragonfish yesterday.”

“For what…?”

“We’re going to fight. No holding back—go all out.”

“O-oh… fight… FIGHT?!”

“What else did you think?”

Actually, from the very beginning, the whole premise of what you were so worried about, Timani—

Had been just a little off.

You believed that going to the Northern Flaming Lands was reckless and suicidal.

From your perspective, that made sense.

But aren’t we already companions now?

And since we’re companions, there are some things you have the right to know. You shouldn’t have to stay in the dark and suffer by yourself.

So.

Come on! Let’s fight!

31. Just Right

“Um… Lady Xiarette? What exactly is going on right now?”

“Obviously, Princess Livra, as you can see for yourself—Miss Sheffy and Miss Timani are about to fight.”

“I saw that, but I’m not asking about appearances. I’m asking about the reason. They’re fighting, sure—but why are they fighting?”

It was around noon.

After everyone had finished lunch, they saw Sheffy and Timani, both with dark expressions, walking silently side by side out of the Demon King’s Castle.

Their unusually tense demeanor made it impossible not to follow.

Of course, before leaving the castle, Xiarette had shifted into her silver-haired form to avoid being recognized by any passing demon nobles.

And so—

At this very moment—

They had arrived at the vast clearing outside the Demon King’s Castle, the same place where the Wind Magic Dragonfish had crashed down yesterday.

The creature’s remains had already been thoroughly cleared away by the castle’s elite resident maid corps, returning the land to its previous state.

Endless in sight, barren of grass—it looked like a natural training ground.

And there they were: Sheffy and Timani standing across from one another in inexplicable opposition, rolling their wrists and ankles—clearly preparing for a serious match.

Livra, as usual, had no idea what was going on.

She glanced at Lady Xiarette beside her, who wore a serious, contemplative look. Surely, with that expression, she must know some key detail—right?

However, when Livra voiced her question, the answer she got was utterly decisive.

“I have no idea. Absolutely clueless.”

“You mean you don’t know?!”

Then that whole brooding, chin-holding, sharp-eyed act—was that just for show?!

No no no… Princess, the reason I’m thinking so hard with my hand on my chin is because I don’t know! If I did know, wouldn’t I have just said so?!

Well, there was nothing else for it—everyone’s hope now had to rest on the wisdom of Belith.

Belith was perched elegantly atop a large stone in a poised, noblewoman’s sitting posture. Her expression mirrored Xiarette’s in contemplative depth.

But unlike Xiarette, her eyes gleamed with a flash of insight.

She had truly discerned the full story just from what was visible.

However, no one should expect her to start explaining it clearly and enlightening them.

Because when Belith sighed and reflected on things—she always turned into a complete riddle-speaker.

“Sigh… one after another… Does Royal Sister really care about all of you that much? You two are like this, the Holy Sword is like this, and now even pampering and looking after that Fire Lizard… Just what kind of charm spell did you all cast on her…? Damn it… so hateful!”

Livra withdrew the bold, smiley face she’d put on to try and ask questions—

And promptly hid behind Xiarette.

Ugh… I actually thought I could have a normal conversation with Princess Belith? That look in her eyes—she clearly wanted to tear me apart!

Whether they understood what was going on or not, everyone’s attention naturally shifted back to the “battlefield.”

Sheffy was holding her right wrist with her left hand, raising it high and bending forward, stretching as if preparing to dive into a pool like a proud swimmer about to charge in.

Timani, on the other hand, had no need for such flashy theatrics.

Her heart was unsettled, her gaze unfocused—so all she could do was rotate her wrist a bit, doing some token warm-ups.

Had Sheffy really prepared for this fight… huh?

When Timani looked up, she saw Sheffy mid-twist, and her expression suddenly froze. Even her waist, mid-motion, seemed to jam like a stuck gear!

“Uh… are you okay?”

“I-it’s nothing…! Just tweaked my back a little… Tch, what a joke—my waist’s fine! I’m still young!”

Don’t forget, Sheffy’s poor little waist had endured a great deal of high-difficulty positions last night.

All because of Belith’s wicked mind and endless antics! Sheffy still didn’t understand how her waist had even managed to bend like that—forming a whole bridge-like arch. With such extreme angles, how couldn’t it hurt?!

Timani silently watched Sheffy holding her waist and casting 【Healing Magic】 on herself, at a loss for words.

Are you sure… you want to fight?

You’re already in this state before the match starts—if you take a single punch, are you gonna start bawling?

You’ll… be okay, right?

“Alright! Hup, check out my waist—still got potential after all. Okay, okay… now then, Fire Lizard!”

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