Hata-Maou Vol 7 Translations
Vol 7 Short Story 1:
Haraku maou sama volume 7 part 1 :)
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Demon King, deciding to be an honest merchant
Even if he was defeated in battle and had to escape, he could not overthrow the battle situation, even if he could fight alone, he was surrounded by enemies.
Without any comrades he could trust, being strict with himself because he didn’t know his traitors, the life of the master he served was shortening.
With things as they were, he realised that it was time that he settled everything.
In order to reverse this bleak destiny, he would need to act personally.
“……Demon King-sama.”
He bowed to his master, who was uneasily eating the food which the enemy sent over.
“Hm? What is it, Ashiya.”
Due to being forced to eat a large amount of food which he obviously couldn’t digest at the time which he lacked energy because of torture from the enemy and being deficient in power, having a look of near death on his face, his master----Maou Sadao looked up slightly.
“I wish to take a temporary break.”
“……Hah?”
“Eh?”
“What?!”
“Ah?”
“Eh……”
In the Demon Fortress, room 201 of the 50 year old wooden structure apartment “Vila Rosa Sasazuka”, a six tatami room, the lively group of people looked at him with different reactions ---- the face of Ashiya Shiro.
“What? Can I take it as a sign for the disintegration of the Demon Army?”
The top enemy of the Demon Army Hero Emilia----Yusa Emi stared at Ashiya’s face in shock.
She was next to the window, one handedly grabbing the front of the shirt of the fallen angel Lucifer----now with a further fallen status of NEET, Urushihara Hanzo, trying to throw him out of the window.
However Emi’s attention was divided by Ashiya, and the grabbed Urushihara was released, falling onto the tatami mat.
“Wheeze……”
Urushihara, who looked like he was about to suffocate, rolled his eyes and fainted.
The fact that he secretly planted a transmitter inside the Hero’s bag was found out, and what happened just now was the punishment.
It was already fortunate that he wasn’t killed.
“Hey, hey, a break refers to……”
The one who was thrown into a panic because his loyal subject suddenly resigned would of course be his master, the Demon King----Maou Sadao.
Compared to ruling over the Demon World and dominating the foreign world Ente Isla, it was true that Maou did some things which were un-Demon King like.
But even then, he did not remember doing anything which would cause his number one loyal subject, even amongst the Four Kings, being Alsiel----Ashiya Shiro to leave him.
A few days ago, the demonic magic which he regained during the battle with archangel Sariel was totally spent because he had used it up to repair the Japanese facilities which were destroyed during the battle, so as the one who was planning to return to the foreign world Ente Isla triumphantly to attack it, Ashiya lectured him sternly.
However, with regards to that point, because it was something which could not be helped, he should have been forgiven.
“Er, erhm……. is it because I meddled too much?” The one who asked this uneasily was the only normal human in the Demon Fortress, Japanese High School student Sasaki Chiho.
She was a junior at Maou’s workplace----fast food restaurant, the MgRonalds in front of Hatagaya Station, and the only person who knew about Ente Isla and the true identities of the occupants of the Demon Fortress. Since she still harbored feelings of enamourment towards Maou despite knowing he is the Demon King, she would occasionally bring over food which she made herself.
“Be, because Suzuno-san and I brought food and stole Ashiya-san’s job, if that is the case, I……” “Ah, no, it’s not because of that.”
Ashiya frantically explained to Chiho, who was showing a sad expression.
“I am indebted to your assistance, that, erhm, it was really a big help.”
The job of Ashiya in the Demon Fortress is washing clothes, cooking, cleaning, taking care of finances and all of other housework.
And after doing it for so long, his master will be sick of the taste of his food no matter what.
On this note, the food Chiho sent over lightened Ashiya’s burden by a lot.
“Then, what is going on with you. My thoughts are the same as Emilia, however, if it really is a sign of the disintegration of the Demon Army, it’s fine for you to go anywhere, but if you disappear without telling us the reason, it’s really unsettling.”
The occupant of room 202 of Villa Rosa Sasazuka, also the neighbor of the Demon Fortress and an inquisitor from the Western Continent of Ente Isla, where the Church has the most influence, Crestia Bell----Kamazuki Suzuno, asked this as she tidied up the airtight containers containing the food.
Even though she is someone who also sent over the food she made herself, but Suzuno, like Emi, is an enemy of the Demon Fortress, her food was made from ingredients which have been blessed, which harmed demons to a certain extent. Therefore, even though Ashiya admitted that she helped with the household finances, he did not welcome it
much.
In the suffocating silence, Ashiya suddenly looked at Chiho and Emi, and then he shook his head in anguish.
“……it is difficult for me to explain……”
“Wait, hey, are you serious, hey……”
Maou slowly realised that Ashiya seemed to be serious, and while enduring the pain from his bloating stomach due to the food from Chiho and Suzuno, he stood up.
Maou kneeled on the tatami close to Ashiya, grabbing his shoulders.
“What, what are you dissatisfied with?! Are you angry with me sometimes buying Frankfurt sausages at the convenience store on the way home recently?! Or, or are you angry with me losing the receipts of the things I buy?! In addition, I didn’t buy two sets of toilet paper on purpose!”
“If there is a General who would feel dissatisfied and leave you because of these small things, you would be better off just replacing them……”
Because the things Maou thought of in his panic were too minor, Emi, who was behind Maou, gave him a look of pity.
“No, it’s definitely not because I am unhappy with Demon King sama or the working environment.
“So it wasn’t that.”
The Demon King was in a panic because it was found out that he bought things to eat, but as one of the Four Kings of the Demon Army, for him to not feel any unhappiness about doing the never ending work of a househusband in a six tatami room, it seems to be a problem too.
“It’s just that…… if this goes on, the Demon Army might meet its tragic end, if I am able to avert this tragedy a little by stepping down……”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying at all! Explain it properly!”
Maou stared at Ashiya with a serious look on his face.
After master and servant looked at each other with unexplainable expressions for a while
“Well then……Demon King-sama, please step out for a while……”
Ashiya bowed his head in defeat and left the house together with Maou.
Excluding the unconscious Urushihara, the three girls looked at each other, not knowing what was going on, but after a short while, Maou came back with a strange air around him.
“Hey, Emi, and Chi-chan.”
“……What is it.”
“Ye, yes……”
“I’m sorry, but can the both of you leave for today? I’ll explain later. For today……let me handle it myself.”
From Maou’s extremely serious expression, his usual calmness could not be felt at all.
Seeing such a face with a hint of some sadness, Emi scoffed and said.
“……Yes yes, I get it. Let’s go, Chiho.”
“Eh, Yu, Yusa-san, but……”
“Chi-chan.”
Maou sincerely called out Chiho’s name as she became flustered due to not understanding the situation.
Don’t worry. Chiho seemed to hear this voice.
“……I, I understand……but……”
Even then, Chiho couldn’t help but ask.
“Ashiya-san…...won’t be going elsewhere, right?” “……It’ll be fine.”
Ashiya was silent, not wanting to say anything, and Maou answered for him.
“It’s true right? Even if you become a guerrilla by yourself, I would still cut you down.”
“Hurry up and go back!”
Maou, regaining some spirit, nodded to Chiho with some force, and shooed Emi away coldly.
After the two left the proch, they saw Ashiya silently standing in the corridor.
Emi didn’t even look back while Chiho bowed a little and left the apartment.
Ashiya’s eyes followed the backs of the two people, and sighed heavily.
“……What, the situation has become strange.”
Perhaps it because only the occupant of Villa Rosa Sasazuka was left, Suzuno did not seem to be in a good mood.
“Now then, I will also……”
Saying that, she seemed to want to stand up in a hurried manner, but was suddenly stopped by Ashiya, who was coming back from outside.
“Wait a moment, Crestia Bell, stay here.”
“……What did you say?”
Maou also seemed to look over with a serious expression.
Unlike when Emi and Chiho returned before, Suzuno subconsciously assumed a fighting stance because of the dangerous aura that the two of them emitted, pulling out the hair clasp in her hair in one go.
There was a glow for an instant, and the small clasp holding up her hair became a hammer, which was huge compared to the small sized Suzuno.
Suzuno’s hair clasp is a medium for the cross shaped weapon to evolve into a hammer.
It is powerful enough to destroy the transformer facility at Shinjuku with one strike, the important part is that it can defeat the group of three demons who have lost their demonic defeat with no effort at all, however, if she was surrounded like that, it was difficult to conceal the nervousness she felt.
“Don’t do stupid things. Do you people think that you can match up to me if you work together?”
Even if Suzuno said this to contain the other party, but Maou and Ashiya did not listen.
“Shut up, Bell. You have to help us, you have no right to refuse.”
“Ridiculous, what do you mean by no right to refuse? What are you planning to do with your current power to make it submit?”
“At this time, only you can help us.”
Maou crossed his arms, giving a sidealong glance to Urushihara, who had fainted by the window.
“Urushihara used the household finances irresponsibly, buying transmitters and using up 40,000 yen. You’re helping us to replenish that amount!”
Just then, a large truck, announcing its presence as a refuse recycling point with a honk of its horn, passed by the road outside the apartment.
“……………………….40,000 yen?”
Suzuno, still assuming her fighting stance, narrowed her eyes.
“Urushihara used that device in order to determine the location of Emi and Chi-chan, who have been kidnapped by Sariel and you, that is the price of that device.
“What, what is a device to determine location?”
Suzuno looked towards Urushihara in surprise.
When she followed Sariel to the government building, it was true that she was curious about how Maou found out about their location.
“How, how is this kind of thing possible……”
“Anyway, you know it, don’t you, Bell. The reason why you cannot reject us.”
“From tomorrow, Ashiya would go out to work in order to replenish the 40,000 yen cost of the device used to save Chi-chan. The reason why he’s taking a break is for this. No matter how I increase my job shifts from now on, 40,000 yen is an enormous number which cannot be replenished.”
Because of the continuous talk from Ashiya and Maou, Suzuno pouted in regret.
“……Ugh.”
“Even if it’s not half, but you have to at least take one third of the responsibility. Especially the part where you dragged Chi-chan into this.”
“That, that is……erhm……”
Suzuno wanted to rebuke them, but her spirit was weakened not long after, and the hammer dropped onto the tatami.
A few days ago, with the “Evolving Holy Sword, Better Half” that Emi had as the goal, the archangel Sariel came here from the Heaven of Ente Isla, and Chiho who was dragged into this battle was almost taken back to the foreign world by him.
At that time, with Suzuno’s position, she was unable to disobey an angel’s orders and participated in the kidnapping of Chiho.
After that, because of Maou’s active performance, in the nick of time, he managed to save Chiho and Emi who were in danger on the rooftop of the Tokyo Government Building, Suzuno was also released from the corrupt ways of Ente Isla, for Maou to go to the scene without hesitation even though he didn’t know their location was because the transmitter Usushihara planted in Emi’s bag exhibited its use.
“From the result, we cannot completely blame Urushihara for abusing the household finances. In reality, if we did not have the transmitter, I wouldn’t know where to go and will be running around, and Chiho and Emi may have been taken away by that time.”
“Even so, there shouldn’t be a need to spend 40,000 yen, this problem is a little strange.”
“This is consequentialism as well. Of course there is a need to change Usushihara’s bad spending habit, but, just concerning this incident alone……”
In front of Maou, Suzuno was completely depressed.
“Because of this, you wanted Emilia and Chiho-dono to return first?”
“That’s right. Especially Sasaki-san, if she heard this, with her personality she would say something like it’s her fault and she would pay for it herself.”
Ashiya nodded.
“But, we definitely cannot accept Emilia’s charity. No matter what, that device was used not to save Emilia, but Sasaki-san. If we let Sasaki-san bear the responsibility alone, it would really be too unreasonable. We were the ones who dragged her into the issues of Ente Isla.”
Just now, Chiho saw Ashiya write “debt: 40,000 yen user: Urushibaka” in the household account book, Ashiya only specially emphasized Urushihara’s wastage because he didn’t want Chiho to worry unnecessarily.
It was fine for Chiho and Emi to think that Urushihara had no special reason and only wasted money to buy something which wasn’t needed in order to investigate Emi’s movements since she was the enemy, there was no need for them to worry unnecessarily.
In the end, only the truth of infringing a girl’s privacy was left, so Urushihara was beaten up by Emi until he was half dead……
“……Even though it’s the Demon Army, what’s up with this level of consideration.”
Suzuno mumbled in anger, but it wasn’t heard by Maou and the others.
“……So, what should I do. How many percent of the compensation must I pay?”
The first thing that comes to mind should be this.
However, no matter it was Maou or Ashiya, they sneered like they looked down on Suzuno.
“Don’t look down on us, we are the proud Demon Army, and we will definitely not make use of that dirty money from our archenemy the Church.
“Wrong, Ashiya, it sounds strange somewhere.”
“Regarding the point of Urushihara’s wasteful spending, I can replenish it alone! But, for now, I need to leave the Demon Fortress for a few days! Crestia Bell! The food money for the Demon Fortress during this time will be paid for with your own money!”
“Eh? Use what?!”
The one who protested who not Suzuno, but Maou.
“What is it, Demon King-sama.”
“No……rather than forcing Suzuno to make it, isn’t it good if you finish it in advance?”
“What are you talking about. Excluding the fact that the ingredients for Bell’s cooking are blessed, whether it is nutrition or taste, it is first class for homemade food. And we can save on food money as well.”
“Hm, ma, ma, it’s not that good.”
“Don’t praise her! Stop feeling shy! No, wrong, this is more humiliating than taking her money……”
“In addition, if Bell keeps cooking, we can hide the truth from Sasaki-san who might come over because she was worried. It’s killing two birds with one stone!”
Ashiya stopped Maou’s rebukes in a strict manner, however, going by this logic, there is still no way to assist the comrades of the Demon Fortress by making use of Chiho’s feelings of making her dislike Suzuno.
“Is, is that so?”
Even though Maou did not look like he understood, Ashiya continued his nagging.
“In addition, if we do not do this, even Demon King-sama is unable to resist the temptation of buying food from outside, causing further wastage to our food money.”
“Ugh.”
Maou, who confessed that he carelessly bought things to eat in his panic, suddenly had nothing to say.
“Besides, I saw with my own eyes that Urushihara ate some delivered fast food when I was not around, the kind of food that placed nutrition and health as a low priority. Frozen delivery food filled with preservatives and chemicals and fresh holy food, it’s obvious which one we should choose!”
“No, ma, in reality, because it is summer, there’s not much fresh ingredients left……”
The mumbles of the stone faced Suzuno was ignored.
“Anyway, it’s won’t take too long! As long as Demon King-sama and Lucifer is able to pass by the next few days in a thrifty manner while I’m not around without letting Sasaki-san or Emilia understand the situation, the household finances of the Demon Fortress will be in the black again, and we can avoid the tragedy of the downfall of the Demon Army! That is all!”
“Would that really be alright……”
“Would that really be alright.”
Suzuno and Maou said at the same time.
“……Aah, anyway, I get it! If this would work, I will assist all of you! I also feel very sorry towards Chiho-dono!”
“What, saying ‘will assist all of you”, you’re just looking down on us Crestia Bell!”
“……Please allow me to assist all of you.”
Because of Ashiya’s overwhelming presence, Suzuno shook with a red face, but she still submitted in the end.
“……It’s so noisy, what happened?”
At this time, the thick skinned Urushihara, whose unconsciousness changed to just being asleep, sat up angrily, rubbing his eyes to look towards the three people.
“Ma, it’s that, Urushihara.”
“Eh?”
Maou said softly with much feeling.
“To treasure food, money and friendship.”
“……what was that?”
No one could answer Urushihara’s question.
※
“Listen well, the seasonings are here, the rice is going to run out soon and the backup is in the cupboard under the sink. Wipe the rice bucket properly and dry it in the sun before putting in the new rice.”
“……Aah.”
“I have already sharpened the knives, if you’re not satisfied, the whetstone is also under the sink. After using the dishcloths, just hang it up on the mini clothes dying rack.”
“I understand……”
“Also, clean the rice cooker meticulously after you finished using it each time. After Urushihara uses it, he would definitely leave dry rice somewhere. Don’t forget the inner cover as well.”
“Enough, just go already!!”
Morning of the next day, Suzuno, who was summoned to the Demon Fortress, felt frustrated while listening to Ashiya’s detailed instructions.
Even though she was not a sloppy person, but seeing that Ashiya unexpectedly kept the kitchen and its surroundings neat and tidy just irritated her.
Before leaving, Ashiya’s paid great attention and care into the kitchen and anything related to it.
Besides the rice, he even mentioned about the ingredients which Suzuno was responsible for preparing and cooking.
However, the day before, Suzuno had enthusiastically planned to bring over the blessed food she had already cooked, so she felt detested at being requested to do this.
If she was making food at the Demon Fortress, the feeling of “specially bringing over” was done, and it seemed to be better that way.
“Ah, huh, Ashiya hasn’t gone out yet?” Because of Suzuno’s shout, Maou, who had been sleeping while wrapped in a towel, woke up.
“Fwah……why is it a little chilly. Because it’s morning? Eh, five thirty?! You have to go out at this time?”
“Because I have to report at the front of Barse Tower at Shinjuku-Nishiguchi at six thirty, so I need to leave earlier.”
“Even though I don’t know where you’re going, but forget it, be careful, and leave quickly.”
“I will keep it in mind.”
Even though Maou knew that Ashiya was going out to work, but to where? Doing what? For unknown reasons, Ashiya did not want to say.
Because he said it was nothing illegal and non-hazardous, Maou didn’t question him too deeply, but to gather at Shinjuku on a Saturday morning, where is he going?
Flipping aside the towel and standing up, Maou, wearing a short sleeved shirt, hugged his arms, shivering slightly.
“……I already made breakfast. If you’re cold, it’ll be better once you drink some miso soup.”
Seeing the shivering Maou, Suzuno said this with some distaste.
There was a claypot on the stove, and it was steaming in the lower temperature. “Ooh, that quickly? Then I’ll help myself.”
Seeing Maou happily run towards the pot, Suzuno furrowed her brow in further distaste while Ashiya nodded in satisfaction.
“Then, I’m leaving, Demon King-sama. Please periodically pay attention to Urushihara’s movements.”
“Aah, it’ll be fine. He was almost killed by Emi, so he won’t carelessly spend money anymore……at least within this month.”
“Y, yeah, this month……”
At this time, Urushihara was wrapped up in his towel blanket like a bagworm, in deep sleep.
“……No matter what, it’s really cold huh.”
“Yeah, it’s too cold for the middle of summer. Is it going to rain?”
Even though it was more than one hour after they saw Ashiya off, and the sun had risen, waking up the whole street, but the temperature had not risen. For Maou and Suzuno, who did not have a television or a radio, or even a mobile phone which can receive news, it was something they did not know. Today, the high pressure winds of the Pacific Ocean decreased, and because of the influence from the approaching low pressure winds from China, the temperature of the whole of the Kanto region is on a decreasing trend.
Even though the highest temperature for the past few days is close to 30 degrees, today’s temperature was reported as 19 degrees.
Urushihara had not woken up yet, but he seemed to hug the towel and curl up because of the cold.
“Should I wear long sleeves today……”
Maou opened the cupboard and pulled out the easy storage container with the winter clothes, but
“No matter how cold it is, wearing a wool sweater or a thick coat would be too hot……”
The box contained real winter wear.
For their first winter in Japan, Maou and Ashiya spent it wearing bulging layers of clothes.
In order to prevent them from freezing to death in the Demon Fortress which had no proper heating facilities and no blankets, they bought low cost and very thick clothes. Seeing these, the memories from that time surfaced.
“Strange……we should have bought innerwear from HEATCHIC last year.”
(T/N: HEATCHIC is a parody of HEATTECH.)
Ashiya and Maou should have bought one set of heat retaining innerwear when it was released at UNIXLO last year.
But, after searching and searching, he could not find any HEATCHIC in the storage container.
“Once Alsiel isn’t around, you can’t even find the place where the winter wear is stored?”
Suzuno threw him a look of realization. Maou avoided her gaze.
“You’re really a person who doesn’t know where the backup new socks bought in advance are when your existing socks has a hole.”
“Idiot, how can there be new socks bought in advance. If the socks have a hole, it would definitely be Ashiya who mends it.”
Behind the two people, Urushihara turned over.
“……Demon King, are you that poor?”
“Are you looking down on the poor because you’re a high ranking inquisitor? Things should be used for as long as possible, this is called thrifty living.”
Maou, with some indignation, searched a storage container in the corner of the room and took something out from inside.
“……A light bulb? Is it prepared for the washroom?”
Maou took a light bulb out from a cardboard box with 20W written on it, and passed it to Suzuno.
“Shake it.”
“Hm? ……Huh, isn’t it already faulty? Did you forget to take it out on garbage collection day?”
“Of course not. When mending the toe portion of the socks, place it within the torn sock to make it easier to mend. Try it when you get the chance next time.”
Urushihara turned over again.
“By the way, Ashiya’s sewing sets were all from the 100 yen store…..”
“That’s enough.”
Suzuno started to feel sad.
“……You’re working afternoon shift huh, do you need lunch?”
“Yeah, please do.”
Maou carefully kept the faulty light bulb.
“……I went grocery shopping earlier, come over and let me know when you want to eat. Wake Lucifer up first then.”
“Yeah, sorry for the trouble.”
After saying some necessary words, Suzuno returned to her own room. The instant the dressing table opposite the porch showed her own reflection, Suzuno kneeled on the ground without taking off her shoes, her head bowed in thought.
“A Demon General uses a faulty light bulb to mend socks……”
Because the bicycle was broken by Suzuno in the commotion a few days back, Maou could only walk to work for now. Because he had to walk to work in the morning, even if the weather was cool, he still sweated all over, but it should be even cooler at night.
In the evening, Chiho, who had come to work after class ended, asking in a worried manner.
“That……in the end, Ashiya-san……”
“Huh? Aah……”
In the end, after making Chiho and Emi go home, they were never told about what happened to Ashiya in the end.
But, towards Chiho, they might have felt some responsibility to say the truth, so the Demon Army and Suzuno agreed to lie to her to an acceptable degree.
“Ah----that, it’s nothing serious. He said that he found a higher paying job.”
“Higher paying job……is it?”
“Yeah. But you see, didn’t the commotion with Sariel and Suzuno just happen not long ago? Deciding to leave house at this point of time is rather worrying, right?”
He wasn’t lying.
It’s just that he didn’t mention it was not for strengthening the black figures, but for replenishing the red figures.
“Is, is that so. Th, then, he’ll be back at night?”
“Ah----……it seems……he needs to stay out for a few days.”
“It’s a job which provides accommodation?”
“About that……”
The reason why Maou was so vague wasn’t because he was hiding something, in reality, he also didn’t know where Ashiya went.
Maou knew that when he started working at MgRonalds, Ashiya would sometimes go out to work on his own, but he didn’t know all the details of the job.
“I’m not too sure as well, he only said that it was a job which the Commander of the Demon Army cannot do.”
This was the conversation that occurred when Maou was called out to the corridor.
“Wh, what is that? Li, like something dangerous……”
“It doesn’t seem to be illegal or something dangerous. Ma, this is what Ashiya wants to do, so I’m not worried.
“Is that so……”
Because of Maou’s vague answer, Chiho’s expression darkened. Seeing this, Maou hurriedly changed the topic before the perceptive Chiho could sense anything.
“That’s not right, because Ashiya is not at home, Usushihara is the only one left in the Demon Fortress, if I had to choose, Urushihara is a bigger source of worry. Carelessly spending money, leaving the main switch to the gas on, I hope that doesn’t happen……”
“Aah……”
He tried to crack a joke, but Chiho’s expression did not seem to change.
“Ah……that’s right.”
With complicated feelings, Maou patted Chiho’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry about it too much, if you’re worried no matter what, Ashiya will still cook for us when he returns. At that time, that guy will say something.”
“……Alright, then what delicious things should I make and bring over?”
Chiho’s smile finally returned a little, and at the same time, the evening customer flow started to increase and Maou and Chiho returned to the tumult of their work.
9 o’ clock at night, the high school student Chiho finished her work and returned home.
Even though he did not fool her completely, if Ashiya was able to replenish the 40,000 yen red figure when he returns, there would be no need for her to carry an unnecessary responsibility even if it was revealed.
If he allowed a high school girl to bear responsibility because he was careless, it will spoil the proud name of the King of Demons.
He was only watching the house with Urushihara when Ashiya isn’t around.
“……This is the most worrisome thing.”
Maou walked on the darkened streets, even if he was talking to himself, he did not delay his Friday’s work and finished this workday smoothly.
As expected, the temperature at night fell a little, and it was even a little cold.
Suzuno said that tonight’s dinner was Udon.
Even though it wasn’t something which should be eaten in the middle of summer, but in this temperature, it was something to look forward to, however a shocking incident attacked Maou when he returned home.
“H……hey, this, what’s going on?”
The instant Maou stepped onto the porch of the Demon Fortress as he returned home, he was greeted with a sea of white.
In the room sat Suzuno with a reluctant look on her face and Urushihara, who looked like he was going to fall apart from despair.
And.
In front of them were things which Maou never seen before.
Fresh fruit, countless detergent, today’s newspaper and……
“New model of fire extinguisher, five sets of duvets, and a water purifier in the sink over there.”
“Wh……wha……wha……”
“Give up, about 45,000 yen was spent.”
Suzuno’s voice was like a call from the God of Death from a faraway world.
Chiho, sitting on the bed in her own room and hugging a Rilakkuma cushion, was on the phone.
“……Ah, hello hello, I’m Chiho, I’m sorry for calling so late. Yes, it seems like he went out to work. ……Yeah, it seems like he is staying outside so he can’t go back immediately……so it’s like that after all.”
Chiho spoke with an expression which could not be called happy.
“Because tomorrow is a Saturday, I’m making some side dishes to bring over. I can only do this. Yes, yes, then goodbye.”
Hanging up the phone and throwing it on the bed, Chiho lay on her side and look a deep breath.
“I said some bad things to Urushihara-san huh.”
※
“Ugh, Urushihara, you, don’t tell me you once again……”
Urushihara, who only carelessly spent money on computer parts, snacks and cooling beverages used the good opportunity when Maou and Ashiya weren’t at home to buy whatever he wanted, this guess flashed through Maou’s mind. But
“No, that’s not it. I didn’t buy these domestic like items because I liked it!”
He never thought that Urushihara would protest in an uncomfortable manner.
“Then what are these?! When I left in the morning, these things didn’t exist in this room, right?!”
“Calm down, Demon King.”
Suzuno, who sat by herself with a reluctant expression, held out something akin to a receipt towards Maou.
“What is this, receipt……no, proof of purchase? 2000 yen, external hard drive?”
“……Even if it’s me, I also know the reason for Ashiya going out to work.”
Urushihara mumbled with his head bowed.
“Even though it’s not possible to earn it back with one person, but I want to return some of it……”
“In short, Lucifer seemed to have met with trading with coercion.”
“Trading with coercion?”
Because of this unfamiliar term, Maou felt a little lost.
“It’s the method of claiming to buy expensive metals, entering one’s house, and forcefully buying it with a very low price.”
“……Aah, I remember now.”
When interacting with the elderly during the breaks in neighbourhood cleaning, he remembered hearing about this topic.
According to the information, they were merchants who targeted the elderly and housewives, he also heard it from Watanabe-san, a regular at their store, precautionary measures were also printed on the circulating boards.
“So, to replenish that 40,000 yen red figure, you wanted to sell the computer parts?”
“……that was what it was supposed to be at first……”
“It seems like he was tricked by a very evil merchant.”
Suzuno actually gave Urushihara a look of pity.
“It seems like he executed the trading by coercion after pretending to come and collect things. When I sensed something was wrong and came over, it has already become like this.”
Bu, but, it’s like that even for the newspaper and fruits?! From fire extinguisher till fruits, what kind of scale of trading by coercion is thiss.”
“Sorry, the newspapers and fruits are another transaction. It was bought without considering the objections.”
“Oi.”
Maou kneeled down heavily.
“Don’t you know the ways of the world! Just say you don’t need them and reject him!”
“But I tried to say it, and he threatened that he wouldn’t leave unless I buy something, you know?! And the bell on the porch kept ringing, if it was broken, then there is a danger of increasing our spending.”
“So in the end you bought everything, and fell into his trap!”
“Even so, he would avoid it by saying vague things no matter what I said, and just wouldn’t leave. Should I say he is persuasive, or too sly……”
What kind of sales tactics were they for the fallen angel Demon General Lucifer to say this about the sales tactic.
Having never met this kind of person, Maou was unable to imagine it.
“Demon King, it’s useless even if you scold Lucifer now. Even though he is supposed to be a Demon General, he is unable to fend off someone who is forcefully selling newspapers, it is pointless to lecture this kind of fallen angel.”
“Bell, what you’re doing is rubbing salt on the wound, salt!”
“We can forget about the newspapers and fruits. For the newspapers, we can complain to the retail store and get back the money, and the fruits aren’t that expensive. But the quality is quite bad, if I saw the same thing in the supermarket, I wouldn’t buy it even as half price.”
“So I was saying, this is rubbing salt in the wound……”
“Compared to these, the problem is the remaining three things. Lucifer.”
“A, aah…… Maou, look at this.”
Urushihara pointed towards the computer.
“What is it, a web page? Deluxe Life International Holdings…… huh, this long company name without much meaning……can’t they write it with alphabets?”
“This is the web page of the purchasing company. There was a telephone number written, so I tried calling. Using the Sky Phone.”
(T/N: Sky Phone is the parody of Skype.)
“And then?”
“There was no response. I investigated a little, and discovered that the head office is in a mixed tenant building in Tokyo city. Then I infiltrated the network to check the IP address, but the website itself uses a rented server, the company’s computers are not connected to the internet.”
“…… And that means?”
“The fire extinguisher, duvets and water purifiers……might not be refundable. It’s definitely an unscrupulous company.”
“Hey, hey, wait a moment, did you just say that you’re going to give up on that 45,000 yen……”
Urushihara and Suzuno suddenly turned away.
Urushihara did not have his own wallet, and besides the money saved in the bank, all the remaining cash was in the custody of Ashiya and Maou.
Which also means that this was paid with the credit card or the money in the bank.
Ashiya went out to work in order to replenish that 40,000 yen. And you actually……”
Spent another extra meaningless 45,000 yen.
Maou and Urushihara felt a chill down their spine.
“If we do not think of something before Ashiya comes back……”
“Yeah, he would definitely blow his top like a demon.”
“He’s a demon to begin with……”
Suzuno’s rebuttal was ignored.
“Ashiya did say he will come back on Sunday night, so……”
“If we don’t think of anything before that, I’m afraid we would not be able to see the sunrise on Monday.”
“It, it’s not my fault!”
“No, I don’t think that Alsiel would listen to this kind of excuse. He is the type of person who would say that it’s your oversight.”
“As I thought?!”
Because of Suzuno’s calm analysis, Maou’s mournful cry shook the whole apartment.
※
“Is it here……”
Maou confirmed with the tenant directory set up within the building. He never expected that Deluxe Life something Company would be within walking distance from the Demon Fortress.
He had originally thought that it must be in the busy or bustling streets in the city centre, but he never expected that it would be in a building along the arterial road which intersected with Koshu-kaido.
“Ma……it doesn’t seem to be that exaggerated.”
As Urushihara said that it was a swindler company, Maou was mentally prepared to face a matching development, so he made up his mind, walked up the stairs, and saw a clearly displayed business plate and a neat working area on the other side of the reinforced glass. He could also see the silhouette of a female employee.
Maou, who had come to refund the products which Urushihara had bought through coercion, rubbed his chest in relief.
Pulling open the door, and entering, the female employee he saw from outside noticed him and stood up.
“Welcome, how may I help you?”
“Erhm……actually we were approached by your company yesterday in the door-to-door sales……”
Maou explained the situation.
No matter what, in order for the conversation to proceed smoothly, Maou roughly explained that the door-to-door sales was accepted yesterday, but he was not the one at home at that time, and the things that were bought had not been used before so he wished to get a refund.
“I understand. Yesterday was in Sasazuka……let me check the person in charge for this, please wait a moment.”
[Image of Maou talking to the receptionist]
Unexpectedly, the female employee quickly started searching for the person in charge without any complaints. From the reception area, he could see her take a thick folder out from a drawer, and after flipping through the documents
for a while, she slowly picked up the internal phone.
“This is the reception……it’s a customer who wants a refund……yes, I understand.”
The female employee put down the phone receiver, and pointed at a chair at the side of the reception area.
“The person in charge of the refunds will be here soon, please take a seat.”
“Ah, alright.”
It was unexpectedly smooth.
Perhaps, the reason why they didn’t pick up Urushihara’s call yesterday was because the phone line of the small company was busy.
Maou had just sat on the chair when a man wearing a western suit came out from inside. After speaking to the female employee for a short while, he walked over.
The man was thin and his stature was similar to Maou’s, wearing spectacles.
“Sorry for the wait. I am the person in charge of refunds, Kuryuu. You are Maou-san, is it?”
“Hello……”
“So, the items which you wish to refund are……these, right, fire extinguisher and duvets, as well as a simple water purifier.”
“Ah, that’s right, it’s these items, these items……”
Suddenly, Maou felt that something was amiss.
He didn’t say his own address.
And he did not remember mentioning the products he was (forced) to buy.
Could it be possible that the sales of the company yesterday were only from the Demon Fortress?
“Erhm……I deeply apologise, basically, refund is not possible.”
“……Eh?”
Because of this first sentence which was thrown over, this feeling that something was amiss grew.
“Especially the water purifier, even if you said that you never used it before, it was filled with water when it was installed to try it out, so it’s difficult to say that it has purely never been used before……”
“Wait, wait a moment, b, but, it was only used for that?!”
This was the truth.
Suzuno, who knew Urushihara had been forced into buying, did not use any tap water.
“I understand what you are saying fully, but this is what was set in the clauses regarding the water purifiers.”
“About the clauses……”
The paper which Kuryuu passed over was something Maou had never seen before.
“I did not receive such a thing yesterday.”
“I should have given it to you, the safekeeping is the customer’s responsibility after, even for me, I……”
“It’s not possible to lose it in one day.”
“That may not be the case……”
Kuryuu shrugged it off in a vague manner.
Ignoring the troubled Maou, Kuryuu continued to speak.
“Honestly, it’s difficult to refund the fire extinguisher as well.”
“Hah?!”
“Do you know the installation standards for fire extinguishers?”
“Installation standards?”
“That’s right, in collective housing, the distance between the fire extinguishers and the stairs and rooms should be 20m for every floor, and it must be placed on a mounting block with a label hung over it.”
“No, normally it should be one public fire extinguisher in the corridor.”
“Even so, if it’s that apartment, there should be two of them per level. It is obligatory to place one every 20m, and it differs by the land area of the building. If we remove something which has already been installed, it would be considered illegal even for me, so……”
Even if that really was the case, it was not an obligation which Maou, as a rental tenant, should spend money to fulfill.
At this point, Maou slowly started to understand.
“So, how about the duvets.”
“About that, as long as it is unopened, and is totally unused, it can be refunded. It’s a set of seven duvets.”
“……It should be a set of five.”
“No, it’s a set of seven, it is stated here in detail.”
Kuryuu was holding a receipt list on a carbon copy paper. And Urushihara’s ugly alias signature was also printed on it, it looked similar to the receipt left at the Demon Fortress.
However, in the printed contents of the products, the number of duvets became seven.
Because they had tampered with the carbon copy paper.
“……if it’s five duvets, the quantity isn’t enough, in this case, even if the five sets have not been used, compared to a full refund, they can only be purchased back as a second hand product.”
In short, they did not have any intention of accepting the refund from the start.
They kept a low profile, using poor and suspicious excuses as well as small tricks to con the customers of their money.
Because the products themselves do not have any defects, even if they were forced to buy something useless, there was no way for them to get a refund, in the end they could only swallow their anger and tolerate it, they should be going along these lines of thinking.
“Do you plan to play opossum till the end?”
Even Maou’s face tightened, and his tone became rough.
“What do you mean by playing opossum? This is a completion of a transaction on the basis of the agreement between us and you, the customer. The receipt was kept as well. I don’t remember selling substandard products either.”
“What completion of a transaction on the basis of an agreement. This is obviously a damn fraud, why would any idiot willingly buy a duvet with only the blanket in the middle of summer.”
“……That is, that idiot is in the room at your home, you know.”
Suddenly the tone Kuryuu used changed.
The warm looking face twisted in an instant.
“Wasn’t it your family who said that they wanted to buy? I just moved the products in. It’s not as if I threatened you into buying it. The way you’re making things difficult is troubling for us. Is your family what is known as a claimant?”
“What?!”
Maou was extremely angry, but Kuryuu remained composed.
“It is alright for us. The agreement and the signature of your family member for receiving of the products are present. The products are not substandard at all. In that case, if you want to say that we have tricked your family, it’s fine in a trial or any other things. Ma, in this case, as the ones with the documents, we will win, but after that, we will accuse you of being a bad intentioned claimant. In this situation, we will definitely win, and the lawyer fees will be paid by your family, is it alright even if it’s like this?”
“You……this……”
Anyone who suddenly shows this attitude cannot be someone to conducts legal business.
Even if it’s Maou, if he thought about it calmly, what Kuryuu said might sound logical, but he should know that it is completely illogical as well.
However, Maou did not have any time to think.
He did not know anything about the actual court system, and, when this time was spent, Ashiya would have already returned.
However, if he acted on anger, he would not be able to change the current situation.
The other party was not conducting sales. He is a conman who tricks others.
These people are demons wearing human skin. Maou completely put aside his own issues and glared at the other party with all his might, but no matter how much Maou, who had lost most of his demonic magic in his battle with Sariel, glared at him, the other party ignored it.
“So, do you still want a refund even if you understand that? If you’re so persistent, I’ll call the police.”
Kuryuu seemed to intentionally pat his leg and stood up. And the female employee, who looked like a good person, held the phone receiver in a manner like she was tied down, and looked over.
Even if he continued to talk, the other party would not cooperate. But if he left, then he will definitely lose.
But if he was too persistent, perhaps the people getting called over aren’t police but accomplices who are more evil.
Because Maou did not have much demonic magic as he just finished a battle, he was completely a young human.
“If you’re able to call, then try it.”
At this time.
Because of the voice which was heard from the opened door, Maou, Kuryuu and the female employee turned around.
When Maou saw the person who came and was about to shout out.
“……E”
“Please do! It’s good if you can help us call them over!”
The one who covered over Maou’s shout and faced Kuryuu straight on was someone who definitely could not appear here, even by coincidence----Emi.
“W, wh, who are you.”
“Me? The comrade of justice.”
“Hah?”
Kuryuu sneered at Emi’s honest self-introduction.
“So, what do you want to do, call the police, or not?”
“……”
This time, it was Emi’s turn to sneer at the unmoving Kuryuu and female employee.
“Seriously, if you don’t have the courage to really call the police, you’ll be suspected if you’re not careful, and you can still shamelessly say that you will call the police.”
“I say……even though I don’t know who you are, but if you continue saying belittling words, then it won’t be as simple as just calling the police, okay? Aah?”
Kuryuu let out a voice with an even lower pitch compared to when he faced Maou. But if she felt shaken with just this standard, she wouldn’t be Emi.
Even though it wasn’t known what group of people was referred to when ‘not just calling the police’, but, as long as the people who came are Japanese, if the battle power of all the self-defence troops were not mobilised, they would not be Emi’s match at all.
“……that’s right, this company suddenly threatened a visiting customer. Did you record it properly?”
Emi took a very thin phone out of her pocket and the video function was currently activated.
“It’s perfect.”
Isn’t the voice coming out of the speaker Chiho’s voice?
“……Wha!”
“So? Do you still want to call the police?”
Emi smirked, asking Kuryuu.
“If you want to call, I would pass all the recordings taken after that man came to the police.”
“……”
“W, when……”
Was it followed by Emi? Maou, who did not expect it, represented the thoughts of everyone present.
Emi and the people of Deluxe Life something stared at each other for a while, and Emi was the one who retracted her spear first.
“……Now then, let’s go back.”
“Hah?!”
Maou was stunned.
“Even if we stay here, these people would not process it honestly. So as what they wish, let’s report to the police station or the court.”
“Hey, hey, Emi!”
Maou frantically chased after Emi, who left the company without hesitation.
He could feel the gloomy stares of the people from Deluxe Life something coming from behind him.
“Su, Suzuno?!”
Leaving the building, he saw that Suzuno was waiting there, fully prepared.
“I’ll leave it to you.”
Emi seemed to know it, and only said this to Suzuno.
“Yeah.”
Suzuno walked past Maou and Emi, entering the building.
Then, she came back less than one minute later.
“OK?”
“No problems.”
Feeling confused, Maou looked towards Suzuno.
“……Ma, to explain it in one sentence.”
“Ah?”
“Emi and Chiho-dono have already predicted your plan of action.”
“What?”
Maou couldn’t help but look towards Emi, and Emi, with a look of embarrassment, hugged her arm and looked to the side.
“At the beginning……that, I got angry without considering anything……”
“Huh?”
“Then I thought carefully about it later, that is……about how you came to the government building without any hesitation, that……”
“Wh, what is it, I can’t hear it properly.”
“S, so! Even though I dislike it, even though I really dislike it, even though I don’t think this was its purpose at the beginning, but it helped in the end, so I came to apologise to Lucifer! Then, some strange things happened……”
“Aah, is that so……”
“I, I feel weird owning you a favour, but returning kindness with ingratitude will harm my title as the Hero! If I have to redeem myself, it looks like the cost in terms of the economic effect will exceed this 40,000 yen, so, I will wipe the slate clean this time! Is that alright?!”
“I, I never thought of anything as exaggerated as economic effect……ma, if you’re going to help me, I’ll be very grateful. Sorry.”
“As, as long as you know it.”
“Ah, that’s right, since you meddled, let me ask one thing of you.”
“I’m not meddling! I’m just repaying a debt! So, what do you want to ask?!”
Maou bowed sincerely to the red eared Emi.
“After everything quiets down……keep it a secret from Ashiya, Suzuno as well, I beg you!! Once on the topic of money, that guy becomes very scary!”
This was a heartfelt request without any pretense. It did not resemble a request which should come from the king of demons.
Hearing this, Emi and Suzuno, while stunned, sighed heavily.
※
“Ah, welcome back……Maou-san, is it alright now?”
Once they returned to the apartment, they saw Chiho sitting in front of the computer.
“A, aah, yeah, but, why is Chi-chan here.”
“Rather than asking this, please look at this.”
“Huh?”
“Do you know the installation standards for fire extinguishers……”
“This, this voice?!”
Chiho operated the computer, and from the computer, the voice of that detestable Kuryuu was heard.
In addition, in the footage, on the other side of the transparent doors of the company, the faces of Maou and Kuryuu could obviously be seen, the video footage was that clear.
“Yeah, it was recorded clearly.”
“Emi……you, this is……”
“We roughly heard the situation from the house guard who couldn’t even protect his own home.”
“……”
Urushihara sat in the corner of the room, unmoving, like he was bearing the humiliation.
“There’s no time right? Even though the methods are a little forceful, there is a need to gather required information.”
“But, how did you get this footage……”
“Quickly thank the advancements in IT. The video and sound were recorded and transmitted to the computer using the Sky Phone App on my ultra slim phone.”
“Sky Phone refers to……the telephone function Urushihara added on the computer?”
“Correct. The computer’s too old, so I was a little worried, but as expected of someone glued to the computer every day, it’s very well maintained.”
A Sky Phone is a phone which uses internet connection, recently, within the cutting edge information endpoint ultra slim mobile phone, shortened to slimphone, Sky Phone was installed as a software.
According to the different operating environments, as long as there is a camera function, it can be used as a video phone.
“It doesn’t feel like I have been praised at all.”
The house guard who was unable to guard his own phone said a little angrily.
“Oh my, and it was one of the rare chances I praised you.”
Emi raised an eyebrow, and looked at the footage over Chiho’s shoulder.
“In addition, there’s still this kind of thing.”
Chiho operated the computer, and clicked on an icon which Maou did not know the meaning of at all.
“Urushihara-san is the type of person who doesn’t clean up, and that actually helped. The auto-recording system was on, so the footage of outside the apartment from the day before was kept.”
“I told you, it doesn’t feel like you’re praising me at all!”
“No, whatever was said just now wasn’t praise at all.”
Suzuno, who sat in the middle of the apartment because she didn’t understand computers like Maou, mumbled.
“The footage outside the apartment……this, from that webcam?”
Maou was referring to the webcam which Urushihara bought on his own to install in the window that can only monitor the outside.
Even though the footage was in black and white and wasn’t clear, from the window of the Demon Fortress, the road outside could be seen.
A commercial van was parked there, and from the passenger seat, a man wearing a western suit alighted.
“Ah! Isn’t that Kuryuu!”
The figure who took boxes out from the trunk which seemed like they contained the duvets and water purifier after alighting should be the one in charge of the refunds, Kuryuu.
“Anyway, from the beginning, he had come with the purpose of trading by coercion. He only said he came to purchase things. Promotion staff who go door to door and fake their purpose for doing so are people who should be prosecuted.”
“Is, is that so?”
“If it’s a promotion, say it’s a promotion, if it’s selling, say it’s selling, if it’s purchase, say it’s purchase, they have the obligation to clear state their reasons for visiting. In this case, he clearly did not clearly state that there are other transactions besides purchase, and this is strong evidence to prove that it had already planned to sell things from the start……it would be good if there is a shot of the license plate. Well, there’s a clear picture of the face, so it should be fine.”
“B, but, why do you know so much?”
Emi said with an expression that it was common knowledge.
“There are many strict guidelines with regards to telemarketing. Even I specialize in receiving calls, and am not a seller or a promoter, but I was training in all similar aspects.”
Emi was different from Maou, a large part of the reason why she knew so much about the Japanese information communication technologies is because of her occupation as a call center employee in the Japanese mobile phone company Docodemo.
“Japan is really good. So much obvious evidence can be left just by individual effort. If local priests and evidence of social misconduct can be left like that in the Western Continent, everything would be so much easier……”
Suzuno said this with lament after listening to Maou and Emi’s conversation, but the one who reacted to this was Urushihara.
“That, but Emi, just now you said something like you would report this to the police station or court, but videos or photos taken in secret cannot be used as evidence, right? Won’t we be blamed in return?”
“That is referring to them being unable to be used as evidence in court.”
Chiho said as she watched the computer footage.
“In addition, even though this is the secret recording of video, this video was taken for the sake of self-protection, so it is not considered secret photography because it isn’t illegal and does not violate privacy. If this company is really an illegal merchant, the police won’t treat it as ‘evidence’, but will use it as ‘investigative material’, there are situations like that.”
“As expected of someone whose father is a policeman.”
Because the knowledge didn’t match what should be known by a high school student, Emi exclaimed thus.
“It’s not anything that amazing……next……actually I’ve been concerned about this for a while.”
Chiho turned towards Urushihara shyly.
“Urushihara-san, how old are you?”
“Hah?”
“Erhm, I’m not referring to demon or fallen angel or anything like that, I’m referring to how you are in Japan……”
“Aah……what was the age which was decided before?”
Urushihara looked toward the representative of the Demon Fortress.
The name Urushihara Hanzo was the name Maou thought of after he decided to live in the Demon Fortress at Sasazuka.
“You’re like a brat, so I remembered writing 18 years old in the household registration.”
Maou and Urushihara, and of course Ashiya, did a household and citizen registration in order to live properly in Japan.
After they decided to live in Japan, they did this via hypnosis. If they did not have a household registration in Japan, they can’t even maintain even the basic standard of living.
“He’s a kid in reality anyway.”
“He’s a child. Even Chiho-dono is a few times more like an adult compared to him.”
Because of Emi and Suzuno’s rebukes, Urushihara’s face tightened, but Chiho expression was cheerful instead.
“Which means, Urushihara-san is still a minor!”
(T/N: The legal adult age in Japan is 20 years old.”
Chiho clapped her hands once with a smile and Emi seemed to realize something because of this.
“Is it that, Cooling Off?”
“What? What is Cooling Off?”
“Cooling Off, in simple terms it means that within a fixed time period, you can unconditionally cancel the contract or sign up requests which were brought out of rashness. Especially in door to door sales, there are many situations where people enter a contract without getting the full picture, it’s is an assistance measure to consumers. Within a
fixed period, if the guardian says ‘I don’t allow it!’, any kind of contract can be cancelled quickly. In reality, in many cases of the signing up of new mobile phone contracts, most of them were scrapped because of this reason……”
“Maou-san, did you see it before at the bottom area of the curriculum vitae? Something like minors just obtain the consent of their guardians.”
“Aah, now that you mention it, there seems to be something like that…..”
It had been a long time since he had filled up a curriculum vitae, but he remembered that there was such a clause in a field which he did not need to write anything.
“Because a complete employment contract is needed when working. Even though this situation is a little different, if an agreement is needed to allow a minor to handle their own finances, a guardian’s consent is normally needed.”
“But, I’m not Urushihara’s guardian right? Even the household registration is different, will it still work that way?”
“I don’t remember treating Maou as a father.”
“I don’t want a brat like you either.”
The two people went through a meaningless conversation.
“This useless angel is being taken care of due to you working right? If that’s the case, you can be treated as a legal representative, which is equivalent to a guardian.”
“Hey, Emilia, your pronunciation just now is a little strange?”
(T/N: In Japanese, fallen angel and useless angel are spoken in a similar manner.)
Emi ignored Urushihara’s protest.
“This time, you spent 45,000 yen altogether right? I don’t think that the impoverished you would give Lucifer that much allowance, and it is obviously higher than the upper limit of what Lucifer can arbitrarily spend, so I think you can use Cooling Off.”
Maou, who had a dark expression due to anger until just a while ago, brightened up visibly when he heard Emi’s words.
Even he could avoid making Ashiya angry because of this, it’s fine even if he called Chiho and Emi goddesses.
“Then, for the transmitter which Urushihara originally bought, Green on……”
“It’s Cooling Off! It doesn’t apply for normal online purchases. It was paid with the credit card which was under your name, and you have reached legal adult age, and online purchases are something can be done after careful consideration, right? If it’s not something which has not been used before or a defect, it would be difficult to unconditionally ask for refund.”
“Is, is that so……”
Maou was a little disappointed.
“But, the device helped me and Yusa-san because it was working normally.”
At that time, Chiho stood up from beside the table and stood in front of Urushihara.
“Urushihara-san, I’m sorry for before. Even though I was saved thanks to Urushihara-san, I said very mean things.”
“……I didn’t do anything much……the one who helped in reality was Maou.”
In a strange manner, Urushihara, who was apologized to directly, looked to the side, embarrassed.
“But, if not for Urushihara-san’s power, Maou-san might not be able to come. Actually, I wanted to pay a portion of the device cost together with Yusa-san.”
“Ah? Is, is that so?!”
Because Chiho’s words were too unexpected, Maou and Urushihara looked towards Emi and Emi bore those gazes with some distaste.
“That miser Alsiel didn’t say anything to me. Even if I say I would pay some of it, he wouldn’t accept it honestly, so……”
Differently from before, Emi looked towards Urushihara resolutely.
“From the result, it is the truth that I was saved by you, but Lucifer didn’t plant that transmitter in my bag for that purpose in the beginning. So, this part of the favour is cleared. Treat it as cleared with Lucifer’s punishment earlier. On the other hand, I was also responsible for dragging Chiho into this, so I will try my best to recover your losses as well……Chiho also came to help in order to pay a debt of gratitude. It should be better if it was put in that way.”
It felt as if a few messy excuses were found, but Emi and Chiho will become Maou and Urushihara’s sources of support.
Currently, this is enough.
“We’ve already gotten a lot of advantages things. So, where exactly should we hand them to? The police station?”
Maou changed the topic, showing that he already knew what the both of them meant.
In response to Maou’s question, Emi and Chiho shook their heads simultaneously.
“From the contract, it’s not an illegal act. Even if the police come in, as long as the business is not more evil than now, we won’t be able to solve it before Alsiel returns.”
“Then, what should be done.”
“Go here.”
Chiho returned to the computer, searched a particular website, and pointed it out.
The name of an organization Maou was not familiar with was written there.
“Tokyo Municipal Integrated Consumer Living Centre?”
※
The Tokyo Municipal Integrated Consumer Living Centre at Iidabashi, Shinjuku is an independent administrative institution, resembling Tokyo Headquarters, which is open even on Saturdays.
When Maou went to enquire about the incident regard Deluxe Life or something company, a person responsible for and qualified in consumer living consultation came immediately, giving all kinds of explanations.
The male pleasant looking consultant, introducing himself as Tamura, said that there were already a few cases enquiring about the Deluxe Life or something company, but Maou and the rest were the first ones who brought so
much clear information.
“Then, we will immediately investigate this company. There is no need to worry anymore.”
Following these very humble words, the consultant known as Tamura took out a phone in front of Maou, and called a few people. And then……
“That was dangerous, they almost got away.”
“Huh?”
“For the contents of the contract for Maou-san, it is fine as long as the contract is voided through Cooling Off, but, to be safe, the weekend consultants based in Shibuya rushed to the scene with their law enforcement partners. Then they realized they were currently packing up the agency, preparing to escape. Even a moving truck came.”
“Pack, packing up the agency……”
Even though it was a surprising term, Tamura said this nonchalantly.
“This is a common tactic. Just taking away the computer files and other records, passing the tables and cupboards to the recycling industry to handle and escaping. To clean up one level in a mixed tenant building, building up and taking down an agency can be completed in half a day each. Other than Maou-san’s case, they must have done a lot.”
Even though it was put this way, it was still difficult for Maou to imagine.
In Maou’s eyes, the decoration of Deluxe Life or something company already looked like it was an outstanding agency.
It can be estimated that for the Japanese, who do not possess any magic, to set up and take down an agency requires a lot of manpower, but it was difficult to believe that a company conducting this standard of sales only involved this type of humans.
“For dishonest merchants, only their methods are a little despicable, they do not have a violent group behind them. Even if they do, such a simple basic level organization will be abandoned. Maou-san’s……or more accurately, Urushihara-san’s contract seems to be located. Even though it was paid via ATM card, because it is a dishonest merchant, the payment was not processed and only written on the records. It seems like it was not passed to the bank, so it wasn’t deducted in the first place, that’s great.”
If Emi and Chiho are goddesses, in this instant, the Tamura in front of Maou was like a savior who descended upon Japan.
“However, they said some strange things, like, they wanted to escape, but the doors and windows of the company could not be opened. When the consultants rushed to the scene, the staff from the moving company were about the break the windows.”
“The door couldn’t be opened?”
Thinking about it, when Maou left that building, Suzuno had entered. It seemed like a plan of action was discussed with Emi, perhaps it was to prevent them from escaping, a sealing spell or something similar was cast.
“This company would probably receive an administrative punishment of being forced to stop their operations……well, if we do not use suitable measures to force them to close down or not punish them, they will probably do bad things somewhere else……”
Tamura’s gaze was stern as he looked at Maou.
“Even though Maou-san’s losses were recovered this time and the truth of the company’s evildoings was exposed, from the recent remittance fraud cases, people who take action when the victim is careless can appear any time. Until now, amongst the people who enquire about this type of company, most of them are the elderly, Maou-san is still young. It might not be that smooth sailing next time, so please be more careful in future.”
Only this time, Maou, whose actual age is more than 300 years old, did not feel repulsed at the term ‘young’.
To Maou, who only interacted with people from Ente Isla with holy magic like Emi and Suzuno, Chiho as well as his supervisor at his workplace, Kisaki, people who had respectable characters, he was shocked that Japan had humans who were filled with such evil intent and deception.
As a demon king, there were still many many things which he did not know about.
“I will remember it. Thank you so much.”
Maou bowed to show his thanks.
“Also……”
He said the thing which had been bothering him since he came to the consumer center.
“Erhm, is there any need to pay an administrative or enquiry fee?”
Tamura shook his head with a smile.
“In the case of needing to refer a lawyer or law enforcer, the referrer would need to accept some fees, but this time it was solved by the actions of the other party, so there is no need to pay anything. Because this places operates on taxes. If you still have any questions, there’s no need to worry, you can come here to ask without any trouble.”
Even though Maou is always gloomy when having to file individual taxes, but, this is the first time he thought that taxation was great from the bottom of his heart.
※
“In the future, I want to invite that Tamura consultant into the Demon Army.”
“Are you an idiot.”
There were in the midst of cleaning up the Demon Fortress.
Emi responded unkindly to Maou’s words.
After Maou returned home, Kuryuu, who was bought over by the Shibuya consultant, immediately took back the duvets, fire extinguisher and water purifier.
Before entering the house, and contacting with the consultant Tamura from earlier, he was praised.
“It’s alright. You were careful when confirming beforehand. Please do not forget that vigilance.”
Kuryuu, who had been so confrontational in their conversation this afternoon, seemed like a totally different person in front of the consultant, very considerate, which gave off a scary feeling instead.
The documents were also disposed of with confirmation from Maou and the others, they also protested that the newspapers were bought under forceful promotion and a person known as the Head of Operations also came to apologise, finally, the unprecedented threat to the Demon Fortress and the danger of Maou and Urushihara being killed by Ashiya disappeared.
“We’re saved! Emi, Chi-chan, Suzuno, thank you! Hey, Urushihara!”
“Aah, yeah, erhm, we’re saved wah!”
“Bow properly, you idiot!”
Maou pushed down the head of Urushiahra, who wanted to do it halfheartedly.
“There’s no need to go that far…… but, it’s great that we could help.”
Chiho was a bit flustered, but she nodded with a smile.
“Ma, nothing can be done about the fruits, so just treat it as a lesson fee.”
“Aah, seriously.”
Because the fruits only cost a few thousand yen, Maou decided to keep them as a lesson fee in being more vigilant.
“Do you want some?”
“There’s no need, they don’t look delicious.”
“I, I’ll pass as well.”
Maou wanted to promote it to the two people, but was rejected heartlessly.
“I already said so. The price doesn’t match with the quality. If you do not want to get scolded, eat it before Alsiel comes back.”
There wasn’t any choice, Maou could only listen to Suzuno’s suggestion, peeling a brandless pear and biting into it.
“Even then, why do I have to do such a thing.”
Just like what Suzuno said, Maou’s mouth, stuffed with a pear with almost no moisture, mumbled this.
“What is that……even though you’re the leader of the demons……you’re that shocked about humans doing bad things?”
“Demons won’t do such sinister things. In the first place, the concept of promotion isn’t common, the bad things done by demons are much easier to understand, it’s a straight line. This kind of……”
Kuryuu’s face surfaced in Maou’s mind.
“people who can smile so calmly after snatching people’s money, like killing someone with a soft knife, do not exist.”
“Humans aren’t all kind people. After becoming an inquisitor, even if I hate it, I also understand that it’s this way.”
Suzuno said.
“Even so, from our standpoint, we need to treat all life equally. If that person known as Kuryuu was killed by the demons invading Ente Isla……Kuryuu will also become a victim which should be saved. Intolerable.”
She grumbled, then as if she realised something, she suddenly raised her head.
“B, but, I am not admitting that you guys understand reason and justice! Don’t get me wrong!”
“I get it.”
Maou smiled wryly.
“Even though everyone used to be babies at first……what went wrong……”
Chiho said in a depressed manner.
“……That, I don’t know. But, there are many other people who did not do wrong. If there are companies more evil than the people from that company, there are also people are Tamura-san and the person in charge from Shibuya who watch the people in the dark world. How mysterious, the human world. The demon world is much more simple.”
“Yeah, I agree with that.”
Urushihara actually nodded solemnly because of Maou’s words.
For dinner that night, in the name of celebrating the adverting of the crisis, they used Suzuno’s allowance to buy pork chop which was high rated from a meat store nearby.
On Sunday morning, Maou had to start working in the morning, he asked Urushihara to lock the door properly, and strictly ordered him to pretend that he wasn’t at home, and that it’s fine even if he was blatant about it.
To Chiho, who also came to work, he thanked her again, and six o’ clock in the evening, he got off work with Chiho, who once again had prepared the food she made herself, and returned to the Demon Fortress.
“Oh! Ashiya, you’re back!!”
“Ashiya-san, welcome back!”
Ashiya had already returned home.
“Sa, Sasaki-san?!”
Not expecting Chiho to be present, Ashiya was a little depressed, but Suzuno patted this shoulder.
“That fact that you went out to work for the 40,000 yen was already exposed. Give up.”
“Ashiya-san, I’m sorry, In order to earn back to money which saved me……”
“Ah, no, I said this is……”
“It’s alright. I already heard it all from Maou-san. So, at least allow me to express my gratitude to Ashiya-san and Urushihara-san.”
The bento box Chiho brought over seemed to contain three roasted eels.
Chiho couldn’t have caught them from the river, so it was definitely bought. And it was obvious that it wasn’t anything cheap.
“At least let me make these!”
Chiho said stubbornly, refusing to back down.
The three demons could not resist the temptation from the eel which was hard to come by.
“Oh yes, Ashiya-san, what kind of job did you do in the end?”
Because of Chiho’s question, Ashiya gave a troubled expression.
“……Shameful……”
In a dejected and despondent manner, Ashiya started to confess.
“In a certain cram school……”
“Cr, Cram school?”
Because of this unexpected term, Maou, Urushihara and Suzuno were a little surprised.
“I moved in with them.”
“You really did that, Ashiya-san?”
“Yes, as a lecturer……”
“Lecturer?!”
This time, everyone was shocked.
“Even so, it’s not like it’s teaching in front of a blackboard. Just someone specialising in understanding and phonics……”
“Ah, aah, that type……”
Maou nodded in understanding.
It wasn’t clear how it was for Emi, but in the first few days when they came to Japan, Maou and Ashiya used magic to grasp the Japanese language.
They thought that their knowledge in language would help them obtain a job as a full time employee, and there was a period where they studied it seriously, but Ashiya had already risen to the standard where he could use it for education.
“As a Demon General, I still have to use my own power to nurture our enemies the humans, it was difficult to endure……a solution which could not be helped……”
“Ma ma, it became like that after phrasing it differently?”
Suzuno was a little confused.
“Hey, Ashiya.”
“Yes……”
“Isn’t that good?”
“……Hah?”
Ashiya raised his head because of Maou’s unexpected words.
“I feel that as long as you are teaching, those kids will definitely not stray in the wrong direction. If there is a chance for this kind of job, I’m coming with you.”
“Huh? Hah……ma, it probably won’t happen that often……”
Ashiya was stunned for a while and whispered to Urushihara, who was next to him.
“Lucifer. Did something happen to Demon King-sama?”
“Huh? Isn’t he as capricious as usual?”
Of course, Urushihara didn’t entertain him. He didn’t look up, and ate the eel with his head bowed.
Even though he’s the culprit of the commotion this time, and this is the usual Urushihara who did not understand some things, even so, he suddenly raised his face, which still had rice stuck on it, and looked at Ashiya.
“Ah, but.”
“Hmm?”
“Ashiya, you’re always fighting with very capable enemies.”
“Hah?”
Ashiya was confused because he didn’t understand the background.
Seeing this situation, Maou said.
“That’s right, Chi-chan. Just like usual, we’re going to do our best for proper and decent sales!”
“Yes!”
Chiho nodded energetically towards Maou with a smile.
“Even though you’re the Demon King, why are you acting so honourably……”
As usual, no one heard Suzuno’s mumbles, and it disappeared into thin air, the dinner with demon, person of the church and human continued in a stable manner.
※
Sunday, Emi, returning from work to her condominium in Eifuku, looked at the clock while thinking that it was about the time when Alsiel returns to the Demon Fortress.
Now that she thought about it, within the people in Villa Rosa, for her to only know the number of the Demon King was a very troublesome thing.
If Suzuno was prepared to stay here for a long time, as she thought about persuading her to buy a phone while forcefully remembering that she had forgotten her stance of fighting the Demon King in the last few days,
“Eh?”
The phone in the condominium rang.
“Hello?”
She nonchalantly picked up the phone and the internal phone with a video showed the hall of the condominium.
A male foreigner with a steady smile stood there.
And, he seemed to be holding a leather bound book in his hand.
And just like what she predicted, the man in the video drew in a breath.
“Do you believe in God?”
“Enough!!”
Emi screamed and put down the receiver of the internal phone.
Sereiously, the Demon Fortress met with trading by coercion, and calmly conducting religious persuasion with the Hero who owned the holy sword, this country was too unpredictable.
“I’m going to take a bath.”
In order to wash away the fatigue from work and the anxiousness in her heart, Emi angrily strode towards the bathroom.
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