For someone used to getting eight hours of sleep a day, Kurone has managed well with the lack of quality sleep.

Since arriving in Andeavor, the only times he has slept peacefully was when he ended up in jail after Rory's attack in Grain Village and when he visited the Sophiette mansion.

The young man had spent the last two nights awake in the Sophiette lands, like a traffic warden, keeping track of the carriages coming and going, transporting the residents of Grain and the other towns.

Finally, when he thought of resting, he had to accompany Inri to the cathedral for the royal burial. According to Inri, ‘it was a Saint's duty’.

The boy had completely forgotten that he had introduced himself as ‘Saint of Heretics’ at Sophia's trial…

“First of all, excuse me... Argh!” The princess' speech was cut off by an open hand touching the back of her head.

Kurone struck Elisabella suddenly, surprising everyone present.

After the girl's polemic speech, a select group was summoned to one of the cathedral quarters for a ‘friendly chat’.

Among those summoned were, in the right seat, Kurone, and of course his inseparable lolis. On the left were Amelia, Sophia, and Inri. Three more nobles were waiting outside.

“What do you mean by ‘fiancé’? This is bad for my Lolicon Slayer image!”

“Sniff... I don't know what a ‘Lolicon Slayer” is, but I'm really sorry for involving you in this without consulting you first,” Elisabella answered in a tearful tone.

Seeing the interaction of the pair, a question crossed everyone's mind: ‘When did they get so close?’

From what they remembered, the only meeting of the princess and the young man was in the carriage, only for a few hours, but they acted like long-time acquaintances. Thinking about it left Amelia with a cloudy expression.

“I will explain everything, but you have to promise not to tell anyone.” After everyone's confirmation, Elisabella continued: “As you all heard from the mouth of the Marquis Guller, I can only be considered a queen if I am married, being under twenty. But, knowing the people around me, I would probably die before I was twenty in an ‘accident’ or something like that.”

“But, anyway,” Kurone raised his hand, “you're not married, I'm just your ‘fiancé’.”

“That's also part of my plan. I could easily say that we are secretly married and then forge a document.”

“So…”

“The declaration of war against demons will only be valid after my marriage. After all, demons are rational beings and respect the rules… at least some of them are like that. But I will be the target of the demons' observation.”

‘Did you do all this to be a target of observation? If you were needy you could have just bought a hamster!’

“I see…” Sophia drew the eyes of those present to herself.

“What do you mean? Am I the only one who doesn't understand?” Kurone asked, confused.

“I could be wrong,” the Marquise stepped forward, “but the declaration of war is actually an ‘insurance’, isn't it?”

“Exactly. I haven't told anyone this yet, but... My father was killed by a demon.”

Everyone's wide eyes stared at Elisabella. A demon? Wasn't it an accident?

The girl sighed before continuing, and then told the story of how she found a masked demon in her room and how this demon threatened her.

A strange being that could manipulate everyone's memories. As bizarre as the justification ‘he cut himself with his own sword’ was, nobody questioned anything.

The surprise was even greater when she described the appearance of the invader. It wasn't every demon that walked around in a maid's uniform. That creature could only be...

“Azazel van Elsie…” Rory stammered, frowning.

Kurone had noticed that whenever she heard the name ‘Azazel van’, Rory's expression changed. Was it instinct? Did knowing that there was someone stronger bother her? Considering how unpredictable Rory was, the answer would only come if she asked directly.

‘To get a 'fuck you' back.’ The young man shrugged and turned his attention back to Elisabella.

“This demon doesn't stay still anywhere! How the hell does she walk so fast?” Kurone protested.

“Anyway,” the princess continued, “she won't be touching me any time soon. Our wedding is scheduled for the end of the year, which is approximately six months from now.”

“In the meantime…” Sophia narrowed her eyes.

“I will kill Azazel van Elsie with my own hands.”

“So... no more war or marriage when you kill Azazel?” Amelia asked, somewhat hopeful.

“Maybe, if Kurone wants, the wedding can still happen.”

“How low! I intended to make Noah marry him!” Sophia protested.

Seeing Amelia's who-was-going-to-cry expression, the girls blinked discreetly. ‘Just kidding,’ that's what the coachwoman understood upon seeing the mischievous grin on both of their faces.

Excluding Kurone, there were only girls in the place, meaning that the young man was the only one who was unaware of Amelia's feelings — maybe Dora too.

Elisabella, as if she had remembered something, glanced at the boy, causing him to respond with a ‘what?’.

“It's just that I've been asking myself this since the moment I met you. ‘Nakano’ is your family name, right?”

“Yes ... Hey, you're not the first person to ask me that. Why does everyone associate my name with a so-called ‘Devil of the Orient’?”

“You really don't know? What did your father have in mind when he gave you that name?”

‘And I'm going to know what that damn man thinks!?’

“It's because…” Elisabella tried to explain, but a noise coming from outside caught everyone's attention.

Instantly, a frightening pressure spread throughout the room. It was like the smoke of an approaching fire.

Dora jumped up and stood beside the door, like a cat with goosebumps, while Rory simply materialized the rifle — she didn't seem to be intimidated by the aura.

Before anyone touched the door, they heard the nobles on the other side shouting ‘stop there, you will not pass!’

The doorknob turned slowly, at that moment, everyone was on guard, however, the only one carrying a weapon was Rory. Why open the door? It would be more efficient to blow it all up at once.

After a few attempts, the owner of the intimidating aura damaged the doorknob and slowly opened the door.

Rory prepared to shoot as soon as the intruder entered. From the position she was in, it would be a perfect headshot.

“Nyah! Is this where I find my little countryboy?”

Even the arrogant loli was surprised to see who it was that possessed that oppressive demonic aura.

First, a pair of furry ears became visible, then a small hand pushed open the door and jumped into the room.

It was a little girl about the same height as Rory. The demonic being they so feared was a loli with dark purplish hair and a gaping tooth. Behind her, something like a tail was swinging from side to side.

Although half-humans were new to that world, what most caught Kurone's attention was the girl's left thigh — not in the perverted sense!

The cloak the little girl was wearing was thrown back, leaving her left leg exposed. That thing hanging from the leg covered by shorts was a holster, and in that holster....

‘No way!’ The young man recognized that black object in the holster with just one glance: it was an Ingram M10, a weapon between a pistol and machine gun.

“Little brother Kurone ‘Nyakano’, we have come to rescue you!” The girl pointed at the masculine-looking coachwoman.

“I am not a man!”

“Nyah!? Did I myake a mess? Kawaii is deeply sorry.”

An unknown loli with cat ears carrying a submachine gun. Kurone felt a shiver run down his spine. That was not a good sign... what future awaited him from that moment on?

He wouldn't know!

Just like everything else in the world, the future was unpredictable, but the young man had a mission to fulfill. As long as there were lolis and lolicons in his path, he would be on the right course. 

He promised a goddess that he would kill all the wretches. He promised a desperate mother from Grain village that he would find her daughter. He promised a delinquent loli that he would protect her. In a casual conversation, he promised Noah that he would find Raul. Finally, there was the most important thing: he promised his sisters that he would take care and return home safely.

And Kurone Nakano was not a man to break promises!

The young man sighed before raising his hand:

“I am Kurone Nakano, the ‘little brother’ you are looking for.”