Chapter 56

* * *

“Because You’re Hurt, You Need to Rest!”
“…….”

At the bold declaration made in broad daylight, Ben, who was carrying food, nodded in agreement.

Adam, who had left to attend the hunting competition, returned wrapped in blood-stained bandages. For an ordinary citizen like Ben, it was shocking to witness.

For today at least, Ben stood firmly on her side as a reliable ally.

Your warrior is dissatisfied.

Oh-ho. Where does this dissatisfaction come from when you’ve been granted a break?

Adam silently fiddled with the bandages wrapped around his abdomen.

Since she had seen his condition yesterday, she went into his room first thing in the morning to change his bandages.

Whether it was thanks to the high-quality ointment sent by the crown prince or Adam’s own healing abilities, his wounds were fortunately healing quickly.

‘There’s no sign of that strange black smoke, either. I must have been so exhausted that I was seeing things.’

Even so, her gaze kept drifting toward Adam, scanning him from head to toe.

Sensing her stare, Adam deliberately moved his body and spoke.

“I don’t think I need to rest. These wounds will heal in just a few days…”

Adam tried to argue cautiously, but there was no way that would work.

Just as she was about to widen her eyes and retort, Ben jumped in first.

“What are you saying, Warrior?! You need absolute rest!”

That’s right, Ben! Well said!

“You’re not even sleeping properly, which is making you irritable. Last time, when you were exhausted from lack of sleep, I even saw some kind of black aura—was it aura?—around you! Haha!”

“So, are you saying he’s cranky?”

Eveline glared at him, eyes sharp.

Then, as if to prove her point, she stretched out her arm toward Adam.

“Look! He’s in pain and can’t even eat properly! At this rate, he’s going to waste away until there’s nothing left but bones!”

“No, Eve. Objectively speaking, the warrior has actually gained some weight.”

Ben replied with a serious expression.

“Look at these frail wrists!”

“Where exactly do you see just bones?”

Ben clicked his tongue at Eveline’s words.

To her, Adam probably looked like a skinny scarecrow that would collapse at the slightest push.

But to Ben, who had normal vision, Adam was a warrior with solid, well-defined muscles.

His wrists were so thick that Ben couldn’t even wrap one hand around them. And yet, Eveline was treating him like a frail child who hadn’t eaten in days.

The funniest part was how Adam, despite being treated this way, seemed entirely accustomed to it.

In the past, he might have denied it and argued. But now, he didn’t even bother refuting Eveline’s words—he simply let them slide.

Rather than actually believing her, it felt more like he just accepted whatever she said as truth.

I’m the only sane one in this demon castle.

Ben sighed, reaching that conclusion.

Meanwhile, Eveline’s concern continued.

“Besides, you even caught a cold and were sick for days!”

“That wasn’t a cold… No, actually, it was a cold.”

See?!

Eveline confidently lifted her chin.

A few days ago, she had been banned from entering his room for fear of catching it herself.

It was probably because he had gotten drenched when they were trapped in the storm.

His fever had raged on for days, and even in the middle of the night, she could hear his weak murmuring from inside.

She hadn’t been able to enter his room, but she had made plenty of medicine for him.

Either way, Adam still looked pale.

Ben muttered beside her that it was only in her imagination, but she ignored him entirely.

Right. Leaving quickly is the best way to help.

Deciding to withdraw from this exhausting battle, Ben spoke up.

“Like I said before, I’m heading out to visit my mother. I’m also curious about how much Tommy has grown.”

“Tommy wants to grow up strong and manly. Spoiling him too much isn’t good for his development.”

“That’s right.”

Adam chimed in from the side.

Eveline went on tiptoe and patted the good-natured Adam on the head.

Once, after accidentally touching his head, there were several times when she almost patted him naturally.

From the way Adam lowered his head to match her gesture, it seemed he didn’t completely dislike the act.

So ever since then, she kept on patting his head.

“Who is even taking care of growing him…?”

Watching that, Ben shook his head in dismay.

It seemed Eveline couldn’t quite grasp just how much she was coddling Adam.

But since the two looked so happy together, he decided to let it be.

Then, tears seemed to well up in her eyes…

Why, I wonder…

Ben left the demon castle alone, with no one to see him off, feeling rather forlorn.

Upon leaving through the main gate, he noticed a potato rolling on the garden floor, supposedly guarding the castle under the demon king’s orders.

“Potato…”

Still, you’re on my side, right?

From their very first meeting, the creature had grabbed the back of his neck, throwing him off balance.

While Eveline and the warrior treated him like a well-behaved, large cat, Ben still felt scared of it.

He wasn’t entirely sure, but he’d heard that before the demon king died, such creatures would swarm and invade villages…

Although the warrior had prevented any harm.

It was an instinctive hierarchy.

Yet, with emotions bubbling inside him, Ben bitterly confided in the potato.

Eveline, after all, wasn’t even seeing her brother off when he went home!

And the warrior… was just staring straight at Eveline.

“Yeah, I guess I’ll have to go home alone in solitude. It’s so lonely…”

The potato perked up its ears at his words and tilted its head.

Right. Even if a creature is intelligent, how could it possibly understand human words?

At that moment, just as Ben was about to pass the potato by…

“Ahh!”

The agile potato leaped forward and bit his neck.

Realizing what that meant, Ben’s face turned pale.

“No way… No! Potato, I meant to go home alone in solitude. I never meant for you to give me a lift… Aaaaah!”

Ben was forcibly given a send-off to the village while being carried by the potato.

In any case, it was a happy ending.

* * *

As soon as Ben left the Demon King’s castle after a long time, the place fell into silence.

Before he left, he mentioned that he had made potato sandwiches just in case, but for some reason, Potato returned triumphantly—after having devoured them all.

I caught him red-handed and stretched both of his cheeks as punishment.

‘Adam will probably try to eat the hardened leftover bread again.’

There was no way I could let our warrior eat something like that.

As I pondered the issue, a brilliant idea struck me.

I glanced at Adam, making sure he wouldn’t notice, and read the glowing number floating above his head.

Stress – 49%

It wasn’t too high, but it wasn’t particularly low either.

I made up my mind.

Tonight, I would cook him a delicious meal and change that first digit!

Since Ben had gone down to the village to visit Aunt Violet, it was finally my chance to show off my skills.

I had secretly observed Ben cooking from behind his shoulder.

Wearing Ben’s apron with confidence, I looked at the ingredients spread out before me.

‘I’m sure Ben added this.’

I recalled his movements from memory and mimicked them. Since Adam liked sweet things, I added more sugar. When I messed up the sauce mixture, I simply poured in more water to fix it.

After a brief period of chaos, the food finally looked presentable. Proudly, I plated it and brought it to Adam.

Hearing the commotion from the kitchen, Adam came to check—his face completely pale.

Well, to be fair, Adam was already pale since he didn’t get much sunlight.

Smiling sweetly, I handed him the plate.

Adam slowly lifted his spoon.

And then, at a speed that even a turtle could outpace, he forced himself to swallow.

“…It’s delicious.”

Adam muttered a short, lifeless compliment.

Stress – 51%

Hey.

Why did his stress level go up?!