For wounds that could only be treated with crude methods, Ash was completely helpless. Still, he could only be grateful that demon bodies were hardy enough to endure. At least for now, he could bear it.
He had been enduring pain since childhood—perhaps he was simply used to it by now.
"…Though getting used to this sort of thing really is unpleasant."
Sitting by the river, Ash rinsed the blood from his body. Even after accepting reality, he couldn't help feeling frustrated with the situation.
In front of him, with her back turned, Aura soaked herself in the water to wash away the blood. Her long pink hair swayed freely with every ripple as she remarked:
"Hey, Ash~ don't say such hateful things behind someone's back, okay? My figure isn't bad at all, is it?"
"Don't start with nonsense. Your figure is… well, let's just say it's hard to comment."
Ash, who had been staring at the blood in the current, instinctively raised his eyes. Not far away, his childhood companion was practically staging a wet-body display.
She was only fourteen, still small in stature, but already showing the faintest signs of growth. It made him wonder what she might become in the future.
That said, as someone who had watched her grow up since infancy, Ash's heart was filled less with expectation and more with the sudden urge to kick her into the river for shaking her hips like that.
Still, since he was always bullying her, always bossing her around, maybe he should occasionally treat her a little better? With that thought, he deliberately averted his gaze, refusing to look at the infuriating girl.
"What's this…" Aura noticed his reaction. Pressing a finger to her lips, she tilted her head in thought before a bright smile blossomed on her face.
"Ahhh~ I get it! You're embarrassed, aren't you?"
"…Yes, yes. I'm embarrassed."
Demons were said to be cold and self-centered. Aura certainly had the selfish part down, but why were her emotions so obvious? Surely, this was because of how he had influenced her—yes, it must be his influence. Not the upbringing of a normal demon, but his. That was something to be proud of, right? Ash pressed a hand to his forehead, trying hard to distract himself before he lost patience and disciplined her again.
"…But I still can't understand how I managed to raise such an irritating creature."
"You know, Ash, you sometimes say some awfully mean things about me… Do you actually hate me?"
"How could I? You're my dearest little sister."
"Really? But your face doesn't show anything. Is that really the expression someone should have when talking to a loved one?"
Aura climbed out of the river, water glistening on her skin, and peered closely at Ash's emotionless face, clearly puzzled.
Ash had no intention of humoring her strange use of the word "loved one." Without a word, he washed his hands in the cold river water, then stood up and headed for the bushes where they had come through. Without turning back, he said:
"…Are you done washing? If you're finished, let's go back. Otherwise, the meat we hunted will be dragged off by beasts or monsters."
"Geez, Ash, you're really no fun at all."
"Show at least a little respect for your older brother, you brat."
"I want to respect you, but you're far too cold and unloving toward your little sister. And who calls their dearest sister a brat or a thing?"
"Humans do."
"Eh? Really?" Aura's eyes went wide in surprise. As she hurried to catch up, she added thoughtfully:
"Humans are so barbaric. Ash, you're a demon—don't go imitating those savages!"
"…."
What should I do? She actually believed that. Should I tell her the truth? …Forget it. This is kind of entertaining. Ash walked on ahead, covering his face with one hand in exasperation. After a moment, he threw the thought aside entirely.
It wasn't anything serious. Better to just let it go. If things ever got truly out of hand, then he'd think of a solution.
Another year passed, with Ash and his eccentric little sister living together peacefully in the great forest.
Despite lacking the strength to protect herself, Aura, with Ash's help—and the aid of beasts and monsters she had enslaved—quickly built up a following. Within a few years, she commanded a servant army nearly a hundred strong.
The siblings, now familiar with nearly every corner of the forest, eventually wandered near a human village at the edge of the mountains.
There was almost no resistance. Under Aura's command, her servants descended like an avalanche, conquering the village in a single sweep without shedding a drop of blood.
The terrified villagers were herded into the center of the settlement, trembling as Aura raised her voice proudly:
"From this day forward, we are your masters!"
"And from this day forward, you'll be cooking for us!" Ash immediately added, blurting out the desire weighing heaviest on his heart.
Aura blinked in disbelief. "…Ash, don't you think that's a little… lacking in ambition? Normally, this is where we slaughter them, isn't it?"
"What are you talking about? Isn't it great to have someone else cook for us? Or would you rather do all the cooking yourself?"
"…Then I guess we'll keep them! Even if they're just savage humans, they've got some value after all."
Her instincts screamed at her to kill, but the thought of not having to cook—and the many years of being bossed around by Ash—made her cast those instincts aside without hesitation.
The village's hunters, about a dozen of them, had tried to resist. But Ash had simply raised his hand and unleashed gravity that forced them flat against the ground. With even their strongest subdued, the rest of the villagers could only give up in despair.
Yet the casual way Ash and Aura spoke gave them a faint glimmer of hope. Ash stepped forward at just the right moment and declared:
"There's no need to be afraid. We're good people—no, good demons… hmm, no, that doesn't sound right either. Anyway, we're good demonfolk."
What did humans in this world really think of demons? Meeting them face-to-face for the first time, Ash couldn't help but wonder.
His unreliable system offered power through killing, but the way its wishes were granted was vague and difficult to grasp. And if he massacred recklessly, wouldn't humans brand him a Demon King before long? He didn't like meaningless slaughter anyway.
For now, he decided, it was better to lay low and grow stronger quietly.