After the victory celebration ended, Airi, Arou, Nova, Haru, and Tomo all returned to their homes.
As soon as Airi opened the door to her house—
"Boo!"
"Aaaah!" Airi screamed, jumping back in shock.
Chika burst out laughing from behind the door. "You took forever! Where have you been?"
Airi lowered her head, still startled. "I was…"
Chika leaned in, eyes full of curiosity. "Hey, did you hear? Someone defeated the Demon King!"
Airi smiled faintly. "Yeah… that was me," she said casually, with a hint of pride.
Chika froze for a second—then burst into laughter. "Hah?! You defeated the Demon King? Yeah right, no way!"
Airi frowned and lightly smacked her head. "You don't believe me?"
Chika kept laughing. "You're scared of frogs, and you expect me to believe you beat a Demon King?!"
Airi immediately panicked, her face turning red. "Th-that's not true! I'm not scared of frogs!"
Chika grinned mischievously… and revealed a frog in her hand.
Airi screamed and bolted toward her room. "MOM! DAD! HELP! CHIKA'S BEING MEAN!"
Their parents came out from the living room.
"Chika, stop teasing your sister!"
Inside her room, Airi tripped over a small table and fell.
At that exact moment, Chika accidentally tossed the frog—
It landed right on Airi's nose.
"Eeehhhk—!"
Airi fainted instantly.
Chika panicked and quickly grabbed the frog. Their father carried Airi onto the bed.
"…She's probably just exhausted," he muttered, covering her with a blanket.
---
The next morning, Airi woke up and sat on the living room sofa.
Not long after, Chika sat beside her, smiling innocently.
"Sorry about yesterday," Chika said, clearly not sounding sorry at all.
Airi gave her a flat look. "I don't feel any sincerity."
Chika pouted dramatically. "I'm sorry…"
Airi sighed. "Fine… if you're sorry, buy me ice cream."
Chika blinked. "Huh? How many?"
Airi smiled mischievously. "Five."
"Too many. Lower it."
Airi crossed her arms. "Fine… since I'm kind, make it eight."
Chika frowned. "Why did it increase?!"
Airi puffed her cheeks. "I'm sulking now."
Chika sighed in defeat. "…Fine. Eight ice creams."
Airi lit up instantly. "Deal!"
"But," Chika added, patting her head, "you have to take a bath first."
"Got it!"
---
After getting ready, Airi and Chika headed out toward the ice cream shop.
On the way, they ran into two familiar faces.
"Hey, Airi!" Haru called.
"Oh, it's you guys," Airi said.
Tomo smiled. "Yesterday was insane. I still can't believe it."
Chika stopped walking. "…Yesterday?"
Haru nodded. "Yeah. Airi defeated the Demon King."
Chika looked at Airi for a long moment… then chuckled.
"…Seriously?"
Tomo nodded. "She did it alone."
Airi puffed her chest proudly. "See? Believe me now?"
Chika narrowed her eyes. "But… you're scared of frogs. There's no way."
"Huh?" Haru turned.
"You're scared of frogs?"
Tomo leaned in. "Wait… is that your weakness?"
Airi's face turned completely red. "Th-that's not fear! I just get startled!"
Chika grinned wider. "Nope, she's definitely scared. But she can yell at me just fine."
Haru and Tomo laughed.
"The Demon King slayer…"
"…has a cute weakness."
"THAT'S ENOUGH!"
Airi grabbed Chika's arm. "Let's go!"
"Bye~!" Chika waved.
"Don't forget to train against frogs!" Haru shouted.
Airi walked off quickly, face still burning. "Just forget it…"
---
After buying the ice cream, they walked home.
Chika carried all eight.
"…I still don't believe it," she said suddenly.
Airi glanced at her. "What?"
"You. Defeating the Demon King."
Airi took a bite of her ice cream. "It's true."
Chika laughed lightly. "If you're lying, that story's way too much."
Airi paused. "You think I'm lying?"
"Not think," Chika replied casually. "I'm sure."
Airi sighed. "Why is it so hard for you to believe?"
Chika pointed at her.
"Because people who defeat Demon Kings usually don't faint because of frogs."
Airi choked. "Th-that was private!"
"That's a fact," Chika replied. "And another fact—you scream at small animals."
Airi clenched her fists.
"I may be scared of frogs… but that has nothing to do with the battle!"
"It has everything to do with logic."
Airi looked at her ice cream, then said quietly but firmly:
"I still did it. The Demon King… lost."
Chika stared at her for a few seconds.
Serious.
Calm.
Not joking.
"…Hmm."
"S-so you believe me now?" Airi asked.
Chika looked away. "Nope."
Airi slumped. "Why…"
Chika took a bite. "If you really did it… then this world is weird."
Airi looked up at the sky. "…I think so too."
Chika laughed softly.
"Hero or not… you're still my frog-scared little sister."
"Yeah, yeah…"
---
They finally returned home.
Chika opened the door.
Airi stepped inside.
Knock. Knock.
Chika turned. "Who could it be this early?"
She opened the door.
"…Arou?"
"Morning," Arou said calmly.
"Come in."
Arou entered the living room.
Airi immediately stood up. "If you still don't believe me—ask him!"
Chika tilted her head. "Huh?"
"Arou was there yesterday."
Arou frowned slightly. "Ask what?"
"Tell her what happened. She doesn't believe I defeated the Demon King."
Arou paused… then sat down.
"…Alright."
Chika crossed her arms. "Go ahead."
Arou calmly told the story.
About Scarlet.
The demon army.
The giant meteor.
The summoning of Satan.
And Airi standing alone against everything.
"She won," Arou said.
"Alone."
Silence filled the room.
Airi looked at Chika eagerly. "See? You believe me now, right?"
Chika glanced at Arou.
Then at Airi.
Then—
"…No."
Airi almost collapsed.
"WHAT?!"
Arou: "..."
Chika sighed.
"Sorry. I still can't believe it."
"But Arou just confirmed it!"
Chika pointed at Airi.
"The problem isn't the story."
"Then what is it?!"
Chika looked at her blankly.
"You're scared of frogs."
Arou blinked. "…Frogs?"
Chika nodded seriously. "Very scared."
Airi covered her face. "Don't ask…"
Arou was silent for a moment.
"…Even so, she still defeated the Demon King."
Chika gave a small smile.
"Then the world must be strange."
Airi groaned. "What's the point of having a witness…"
Chika stood up. "But one thing's certain."
"What?" Airi asked.
"…Never mind."
"COME ON, SIS!!"
Arou looked at the two of them… and smiled faintly.
"…What an interesting family."