Even though there was some trouble, the person I’m with is practically one of the strongest beings in this world’s different realms, so our date continues without a hitch.
[Look, look, Kaito-kun! They’re selling a condiment that was popularized by someone who once held the title of Hero.]
[……Mayonnaise? Heehhh… So this condiment made its way to this world too, huh.]
[I guess it’s a good time for me to try a new flavor!]
[Just don’t put it on a baby castella all by itself.]
[Ehh?]
[No, you don’t “Ehh?” at that…!]
As I looked around the market where food ingredients were being sold…
[Heeehhh… There are so many different colored flowers for sale. Looking at them makes me feel like I’m really in another world.]
[Ah, Kaito-kun. That flower could “bite” you, so be careful.]
[What did you say!? And why didn’t you say that earlier!?]
[Ahaha, sorry, sorry. But those flowers taste amazing.]
[……No, no, even if you tell me that, I wouldn’t know.]
Almost bitten by a strangely colored flower in a flower shop…
[Kaito-kun, which one do you think suits me better?]
[Hmmm. Kuro usually wears black, so wouldn’t the silver necklace suit you better?]
[I see~~ But this one’s pretty short. It might snap if I go into my Demon Beast Mode.]
[……What’s this Demon Beast Mode?]
[It’s when I transform into a Demon Beast. I think I’d turn into a beast about the size of Acht.]
[Sorry, but even if you tell me that, I wouldn’t know.]
Window shopping at a store that sells ornaments…
[Kaito-kun, I bought some meat skewers~~ Let’s eat.]
[Yeah, thanks… Hmm, this is good, but this meat tastes kinda unusual. What kind of meat is this?]
[It’s the meat of a “Tyrant Worm”.]
[Pfuuu!?]
Surprised by the ingredients from another world…
[What book are you buying?]
[Hmmm. Something I can read in my free time, but I’m not sure what would be good.]
[Then how about this? It’s a book about the dramatization of the story of the First Hero.]
[Heeehhh, the story of the First Hero, huh? That sounds interesting. I’ve heard the First Hero is amazing, but I wonder what she was really like.]
[Unnn? Kaito-kun has “met” her before, though.]
[……Eh?]
I was shocked by the truth that suddenly came to light in the bookstore…
[Kuromu-sama, excuse me for interrupting.]
[Wha-!? E-Ein-san!? When did you…?!]
[What’s the matter?]
[We received a message from the royal palace carried by a hummingbird, asking to meet with you directly to thank you for your recent wyvern subjugation.]
[……But I’m in the middle of a date… ]
[I respectfully obey. We will now conduct a “bloodbath.”]
[Leave it to you~~]
[No, no, you shouldn’t just say “Leave it to you~~” like that!? Ein-san, stop, stop!!!]
Just when I thought the wyvern threat in this country was over, I realize another one (the maid) is about to fall upon the royal palace…
We passed our time like that—some hectic moments, some fun ones—and before I knew it, time flew by in the blink of an eye.
[That was quite a day~~ I had so much fun~~]
[Yeah. There were definitely some absurd moments here and there, but it was definitely fun.]
Sitting side by side with Kuro at the fountain in the plaza as the sun set, we exchanged words, soaking in the lingering memories of the day.
Time flew by so quickly. When was the last time I spent a day so lively, yet so enjoyable?
[Kuro… Thank you for today.]
[Unnn? I had lots of fun too! Let’s go out again sometime!]
As Kuro looked at me with a big smile, I returned it with one of my own.
Today had been a blast, and I learned so many things I didn’t know before.
But at the same time, I realized once again just how much Kuro has given me since I came to this world… and how much she’s always been there for me.
And yet, I also realized that I still don’t truly know Kuro at all.
It’s as if Kuro knows everything about me, while I’ve only scratched the surface of understanding how great she is as the Underworld King.
Up until now, I was fine with that. She’s on a completely different level from me, so it’s only natural that I don’t fully grasp such things…
However, spending time with Kuro today made me want to understand her better. I didn’t want to just be the one receiving—I wanted to give something back too.
[……We still have plenty of time, there’s no need to rush.]
[……Yeah.]
As I thought, she saw right through me.
We’ve only been in this world for a little over two weeks, and we haven’t spent that much time together.
But to me, the amount of time we’ve shared doesn’t matter. I thought such things only happened in stories.
—I admit it.
Before I even realized it, this feeling had settled in my heart so naturally that I hadn’t noticed it until now.
Towards this innocent, cheerful, free-spirited, and kind-hearted demon who’s unlike anyone I’ve known—I’m feeling drawn to her…
I once thought Kuro was someone formidable. After all, she’s strangely perceptive about my habits but oblivious and clumsy when it comes to relationships like this.
I guess you could call it a reckless challenge in some ways… but like Kuro said, there’s no need to rush. We still have plenty of time.
Let’s take it slow, getting to know her little by little, inching closer to her heart, step by step.
[Kuro, I’m not sure when the next time will be… but can I ask you out next time?]
[……Unnn. I’m looking forward to it.]
For now, I’ll start by acknowledging these feelings today. After that, I’ll work on turning those thoughts into action… Honestly, I’m new to all this, and I have plenty of worries… but I’ll do my best.
Dear Mom, Dad—In a way, this might be the biggest change that’s happened to me since I arrived in this world. The me who used to push away all connections with others in my old world… has come to a new world, and after meeting a strange demon—I fell in love
After parting ways with Kuro at the fountain in the plaza, I started walking down the path toward Lilia-san’s mansion as the sun set.
Reflecting on the fun I had today, I naturally walked forward with a faint smile on my lips. But after a little while, something started to feel off.
It was dusk, and this area should have been bustling with people heading home or out for dinner, but the wide, straight road was eerily silent. Not a single soul was in sight.
It felt as though the space I was in had been cut off from the rest of the world—like this place was the only one out of sync, and that realization naturally made me stop in front of the strange scene.
[……What the heck is happe—!?]
A chill immediately ran down my spine, and I felt the hairs on my body stand on end.
The buildings nearby seemed to be melting, as though they were rotting, and the road ahead was crumbling. It was a sight so horrifying that my mind struggled to even process it.
I didn’t know why, but my body was trembling, and it felt like the sound of my dry throat was echoing loudly in my ears.
And it wasn’t just in my head—my entire body… my instincts… were screaming at me.
—That “something very frightening” is coming.
It’s different from the pressure I felt from Kuro’s magic when she questioned me at Lilia-san’s mansion. This is a far more terrifying sensation, one that makes me feel utterly helpless, a primal warning from my instincts about a being whose presence exudes a pressure even more profound than Kuro’s.
It’s so dense I can almost feel it on my skin—the presence of death.
Then, from the far end of the dimly-lit, silence-heavy road, it appeared.
Long hair as white as ash, skin pale as death itself, and eyes a deep, blood-like crimson.
A woman dressed in gothic, dress-like attire, enveloped in a pale blue light that shimmered like fluttering dandelion seeds, was drawing nearer with an eerie presence surrounding her.
She resembled a ghost, yet her beauty was unequaled—a beauty that only served to amplify the fear that gripped me.
I can’t breathe properly. My instincts are screaming at me to stay away from her.
Don’t get involved with her—just leave, quickly…
But contrary to those thoughts, my body feels frozen, unable to move.
[……What a strange magic power… Are you… a Hero?]
[ ! ? ]
Her cold voice echoes, and her red eyes fixate on me.
I feel as though my entire body is trapped in an illusion, unable to tear my gaze away from the woman standing before me.
The sun is setting, and in the growing darkness of the road, I stand before the very incarnation of death.
<Author’s Notes>
We’re celebrating 50 chapters (this includes the Intermission Chapters)!
And if we split the story into two parts, you could say the point where the protagonist realizes his feelings for the heroine marks the end of this first part.
By the way, have you heard about that story that’s over 200,000 words long and was written in less than a month…?
~ Important notes to keep in mind ~
This webnovel is essentially a laid-back, heartwarming slow-life story. You won’t find anything too serious here.
The protagonist isn’t some invincible warrior…
The protagonist isn’t suddenly thrust into a life-or-death situation where he discovers a hidden power…
The protagonist is liked by several women…
And in the next chapter, the protagonist will quickly become friends with this incarnation of death who made quite the dramatic entrance.