The hero, a commoner named Aman, would meet many ladies throughout his journey. The ladies would be source of romantic tension, side quests, and other distracting mini-games, and I thought, maybe I could somehow trap the hero in a perpetual mini-game such that he never gets to the point of ending the game. 

Kinda like not finishing that open world game  because a player wanted to keep access to a mission-only area. 

Anyway, I arrived at the destination, after a long four day horse-ride. 

"Count Edmund, we are here." My human servant, he rode in front. He's kind of like a knight. In the actual game, I am the Demon Lord Asmodeus, and I would have a large army of corrupted demon knights. The hero easily killed them, and me. 

So I am not planning to repeat that foolish strategy. 

It's a small shrine, located at the corner of a small village. A young lady sat at the side, she carefully tended to the flowers. 

"Ah...?" She gasped when she saw me and my companions. 

"Greetings. I am looking for a lady called Aida, would you know where I can find her?"

She paused and then she stood, she carefully cleaned her dress and gave a small curtsy. "I am Aida, milord." 

"Ah. Great. Can we talk?" I gestured to the village hall, Aida nodded and we walked together into the hall. I took this opportunity to get a good look of AIda. She’s medium height, a little skinny and her boobs are ordinary. She’s got shoulder length blonde hair and bright blue eyes. 

“What can I do for you, milord?” She asked. 

Well, for one, you can not-join the hero’s group, but that’s a bit too direct. She hasn’t even met the hero yet. At least, not for a few more months. Which is why I need to intervene right now. In the original story, the village would be attacked by demons, and she would be found hiding in the temple’s basement by the hero group. With nowhere to go and no village to live in, she would then tag along with the heroes. 

She’s pretty much the hero group’s ‘healer’, though she’s not formally trained, she’s got a real talent for healing magic, and as she gains levels throughout the game, she would become a whole lot stronger in healing.

We sat on a corner table in the village hall, and I gestured my assistant to walk away. “I’m looking for talent, and I think you fit.”

“Uh...” 

“You’ve been raised by the village’s priestess, and she’s been recommending you to various schools, correct? But it didn’t get anywhere.” Well, the priestess died a few years ago, and so she’s given up on that. 

“Ah...” Aida blushed. In the original game she’s actually mentally scarred by the demon’s attack, so as the hero, he would help her regain her emotional strength. Sounds like she’s not yet at that point. 

“So. Would you like to come and work with me? I’ll arrange for your studies as well.”

“...really?” 

“Of course. It’s mutually beneficial, you work for me, you get to study. I may have a less than stellar reputation, but I promise you this will work out.”

She looked at me, and she nodded. “Can I think about this?” 

“Sure, don’t keep me waiting.” I smile. As Count Edmund I take the appearance of a gruff looking man in his early 40s. Initially, I’m also a bit out of shape and my facial hair unkept. After all, I am part-demon and these things probably don’t matter. But, if I want to steal the hero’s harem, I’ve got to change.

And part of that requires me to... exercise. So, while waiting, I went for a jog around the village. Even during the trip I would regularly take some time to jog. 

It’s really hard, even though I am a part-demon. In my human form, my stamina is no different from any other human, and I need to work at it. 

“The girl’s still thinking, Count. I spotted her talking to the villagers.” My entourage is quite small, just me, and three guards, and one assistant. 

“That’s fine. Come, we need to spar.” And yes, sparring. 

I suck at fighting. I really do. As I recall, my character’s really weak in human form, looking like a typical fat noble, but a whole lot stronger as a demon lord. That’s going to change. Well, at this point you might be asking, why bother if the hero is OP? True, but if I’m stronger, I’ll be able to run away! Being unfit means I can’t run away.

It’s a tough choice, but the guards do enjoy sparring with me. It seems my suckiness makes them feel a whole lot better about themselves. 

So, eventually night came, and there was a knock on the door of the guesthouse. I looked out and saw a man waiting. 

“Milord, may I have a word?”

“Yes.” I walked out and sat on one of the chairs right outside the guesthouse. “What is it?”

“Aida said you’d like to train her... The priestess, before she passed away, said Aida’s powers is a raw unpolished gem..”

“Oh? “Wait... who are you again?”

“I’m the village chief, and Aida’s been in our care after the priestess passed away.” He handed me a small notebook. “This is from the priestess, she told us to pass it to whoever that will teach her magic..”

“Does Aida know about this?” The book’s magically locked. I’ll need to take some time to undo it later on. 

“Uh.. no.” 

In the game, Aida had a series of side quests where the hero needed to help her get control of her healing powers, and find a compatible magical summon so she can channel her full powers. Aida’s healing powers has a tendency of triggering random status event or sometimes accidentally cause damage instead, but because she’s the strongest healer after that side quest, most people stuck with her. 

“Hmmm... I will take her away. WIll that be fine? Is this all?”

“Yes.” The village chief nodded. Suspicious, there’s something else. I smile, and activate a bit of my demonic ability.

[Hypnotism]. My eyes glowed red, and the village chief stared right into it. Great. 

“Tell me about Aida. Do you all like her?” I said. 

“She’s a gentle, quiet girl. But her powers are unstable and when it sometimes flare up at night, we’d wake up and find all our crops dead. Since she came with the priestess a few years ago, nobody had a successful pregnancy. We think she’s cursed... so we’re happy to send her away.”

I nodded, and broke the hypnotism. I tapped the book and smiled at the village chief. “Thanks for this, I’ll take her away if she’s willing, try to convince her on my behalf.”

The village chief smiled. “Certainly.”

-

Indeed, the next morning, Aida came and bowed. “Milord.”

“Ah, have you gotten your answer?”

“Yes. I will go."

"Good." I clapped my hands together. "We have much to do, together."

I had her ride in the carriage, she sat opposite of me. She only had one small luggage bag, containing her clothes and things. Life as an ordinary peasant is one of few belongings. 

"How long have you tried to use magic?" 

"A few years, but... but I can't really control it. Everytime I try... weird accidents happen, and everyone in the village gets so angry. So I stopped."

Oh. She's not oblivious to their suspicion of her. 

"I see, do you have any idea why your magic is like that?"

She shook her head. "I don't, milord."

"Call me Edmund." I smiled, and I think she briefly blushed too. 

Throughout the journey, we talked, mostly about her life, and what she does on a day to day. What she feels when using her magic and powers.