Rather Than The Son, I’ll Take The Father

Chapter 176: After Story 16

[“The, the demon king hijacked the order! I tried to grant Eve’s wishes too!”]

It was an incredible excuse.

I picked up the biography and skimmed through the front.

“Hmm? It’s talking about you, too, Paimon.”

Roughly speaking, it was about a dragon that is a gold worshiper and became a subordinate after being defeated by me.

Perhaps Paimon was aware of it, as his short forepaws supported his waist.

[“Originally, a hero stands out only when there is a villain to defeat, right? I decided to sacrifice myself for Eve.”]

The illustrations seem too chubby for a ‘sacrifice’?

I held back a laugh to save Paimon’s face.

“Uh, thank you.”

This cute illustration might have been Sarah’s opinion.

As his stay in Cyclamen Castle got longer, Paimon’s ill feelings toward humans were diluted a bit, and Paimon often took off his invisibility.

He snooped next to Regen, who was studying, and yawned profusely as he climbed onto my head.

Since the little dragon behaved like a cat, it was only a matter of time before it took the attention of the servants.

Although Paimon still didn’t know.

Flipping through the pages, I read a passage that said I had brought about world peace by killing some immortal mass murderer. Then Paimon asked.

[“By the way, Eve, are you not going to look around the capital? Regen said there were a lot of fun things here.”]

I put down the biography and stroked Paimon’s hair.

“I’ll show you around tomorrow. I have to attend a party today.”

“Party?”

“It is also known as the Parents’ Gathering. It’s open for three days”

[“Kek, three days?”]

I shrugged.

“Most of them are nobles, so they hold boat parties and hunting competitions. Well, we won’t attend all three days.”

Then there is no impact.

And I heard that the hunting competition will be replaced with other small games starting this year.

Aedis’ good ears caught the noise trying to talk about this as well.

“I just heard the conversation between the two of them. Are they talking about hunting competitions?”

“You mean beast hunting?”

“The northerners are really savage.”

I only rolled my eyes and identified the five people.

They were parents with children attending the academy.

I had memorized the face and name long ago.

They were on the list of people of interest prepared by the knights who are known to be territorial among the parents of freshmen.

“We have to make them understand. They don’t know that this year, we’ve been refined from hunting animals to targeting.”

I know that! I was just about to explain it to Paimon!

“Anyway, the north is rural, right? Contact must be slow.”

“Will there be hot water there?”

“I heard that nobles live by collecting rainwater, is that true?”

“You don’t know too much about the Northern environment, Madam. They probably get some snow in the washbasin and use it.”

Aedis’ extraordinary hearing caught every buzzing nonsense.

[“E, Eve? My head is going to break?!”]

I let go of Paimon’s head and summoned Peep.

Peep didn’t turn invisible like Paimon, so it caught some people’s attention, but it didn’t matter.

“Peep, we’re going to play a target-hunting game from now on. Let’s send them to the other world one by one.”

“Ppi… Pppiii…”

Peep shuddered.

Seeing a vicious, murderous glint in my eyes, Paimon secretly distanced himself.

[“Look, demon king, stop Eve… Don’t go first! You are now in Eve’s body, right!”]

Paimon clung to Aedis’ face.

And looking at me, he attempted to give a long address.

[“Both of you calm down! How could you treat me as a monster if you’re cursing at people talking far away?”]

… Why does Paimon make sense?

Paimon said ahem and put on airs.

[“I also studied a lot about human life. It would be a big deal if there were rumors that Regen was crazy for chatting with the invisible me at the academy. A child who is already having a hard time meeting the wrong parents, kuwaagh!”]

“Wrong parents?”

Paimon was punished right before Aedis left. In the meantime, the parents quietly disappeared.

I brushed my hair annoyedly.

That the North is rural and Northerners are savage?

It was all in vain that Aedis had staged a grand wedding so that we would not listen to it anymore.

No matter how much I thought about it, I was pissed off and tried to ignore Paimon’s advice, but this time a voice came from the opposite direction.

“Lady? What’s wrong?”

“The Grand Duke looks cool…”

“…Are you serious?”

“You didn’t sleep last night?”

A student whose sanity is being questioned for praising Aedis glanced at me.

“But his face…!”

“What’s with the face? Ebony hair, long eyes, a straight nose, and a chiseled chin. He’s the demon king.”

“It is the embodiment of evil.”

I object to that!

“I think you should get a good night’s sleep.”

The tallest student made that diagnosis, and the other students turned their attention to Aedis, who had entered my body.

Suddenly, the students’ eyes twinkled.

“The Grand Duchess is still beautiful. Wouldn’t it be possible to conquer the world with her beauty?”

“Would it be rude if I approached and said hello?”

“I want to get an autograph.”

They said that couples look alike, but I don’t know why the reviews were so polar.

I glared at the vacant seat of the parents who had been swearing at the north just before. My stomach was boiling.

Yes, I can’t stand it either. How dare they insult my beloved North.

“Aedis, would you lend me your familiar?

Something scaly moved from Aedis’ shadow to mine. I’d rather have a big snake that crushes water pipes.”

The half-smashed Paimon blinked.

[“What are you going to do with the snake?”]

I smiled grimly.

“We have to get rainwater and melt the snow so that we can live.”

* * *

The party was held late in the evening.

As if they were deliberately waiting for it to get dark, they decorated by hanging lanterns in the open air.

Likewise, food and drinks were provided on tables set up outdoors, and toy bows and arrows were provided on shelves.

The arrows had blunt ends and were sticky, so they made a popping sound every time they were attached and removed. Certainly, compared to the hunting competition, it gave off a strong sense of play.

The rules were also simple, just hit the targets hidden throughout the party with toy arrows.

“Oh, Madam, you came in the same dress you wore during the day?”

“Madam hasn’t fixed your makeup at all. How can you disregard party etiquette like this?”

I overheard the conversation between the two ladies while examining the toy bow.

Whenever they cursed at the north amicably, I got anxious because I couldn’t bite it.

My husband seemed to be good at handling bows, so I got my posture right.

As soon as I found the target, I shot the arrow without hesitation.

The toy arrow, despite its innocuous use, snapped and stuck.

“Aack!”

The music, which had flowed quietly, suddenly stopped. The baron, who had been hit with an arrow straight through his chest, protested.

“What are you doing!”

The toy arrow stuck to the baron’s chest and swayed.

I was happy to answer.

“My eyesight is getting worse from washing my eyes in the wash basin using snow.”

That’s what you said, punk.

“Ho, how…”

“My ears are good because I drink rainwater.”

When I reloaded the arrow, the baron’s face paled.

He looked back and forth from my face, which was glistening with murderous intent, to the quiver full of arrows.

It wouldn’t matter to the baron whether it was a toy or not once he had tasted its power.

I touched the quiver with my foot and kindly confirmed the kill.

“Are there still many left?”

The baron pointed out his accomplices nearby, as if he thought he would die if I hit them all.

“Why are you standing still? Didn’t the Countess agree with me, too!”

“When did I?!”

“The Viscount too, repeat what you had just said!”

“I, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Everyone was in a cold sweat, busy denying the Baron’s words.

Tsk tsk, how can they show territorial attitude to the parents of freshmen with that level of loyalty?

I nodded to the host who was silently watching the situation. Then he hurriedly proceeded with the game.

Reluctantly, the onlookers and the four accomplices who were scared of being hit by arrows scattered away.

The baron, who was hit straight by an arrow, crawled away, apparently not having the strength to stand up.

… Did you crawl often? Why are you so fast?