Extra Episode — Maiodore’s First Love

While Keima was gathering information on the Last Commune, Bonodore was being pestered by his daughter Maiodore to talk about him.

“Father, Father! What kind of person is Keima?”

“Keima of Goren Town, hm. I believe he is a noble, but for some reason he is hiding that.”

“There is no mistaking that he’s the Keima Goren from the noble almanac, correct?” The fact that she could casually list off names from the noble almanac showed that Maiodore was taking her daily studies as the daughter of a noble family seriously. Bonodore grinned.

“Indeed. I imagine there is more to him than meets the eye. You saw the color of his hair and eyes. He is likely descended from a Hero.”

“I see... Ah, that means Kuro is, u-um, N-Niku Kuroinu, right?” Maiodore spoke her name with shy embarrassment. Naturally, she knew what the name Niku meant. Nobles had to learn about all facets of the world, pretty and ugly. Women in particular were expected to have a sharp, biting wit when it came to communicating. So much so that there were tutors dedicated to teaching women how to properly insult and offend others through euphemisms and other means. At a bare minimum, nobles needed to have the knowledge necessary to know when they were being insulted by others. Undetected malice was worse than bared malice.

However, understanding a word and being able to say it were two different things. Maiodore was still a pure little girl. At the moment she had only been taught enough to help her avoid accidentally saying dirty words.

“She is fine being called Kuro, you do not have to say her first name.”

“Y-Yes, forgive my inexperience.” Maiodore would be largely unaffected by this manner of conversation once she grew older, but naturally, it was a bit much to ask a ten year old girl to say dirty words without flinching. To Maiodore, saying “Niku” was equivalent to saying “Fuck, piss, dick, and balls” all at once. One could hardly blame her for blushing.

“It’s quite alright. You are still young enough to be accepted as a child... ah, but I suppose I will be proposing an engagement to you soon.”

“...Yes.” Maiodore nodded. She had been prepared for an engagement the moment her father had her meet Keima. Which was exactly why she was asking about him now.

Maiodore might have guessed Keima’s tastes the moment she learned that his small companion was a niku. But if anything, he should be praised for preparing an outlet for his lusts. Though it was hard to judge whether his openness with her was a positive thing or not. Since he was so open that Maiodore didn’t even realize it until she asked her father, perhaps it was indeed a good thing.

Bonodore, thinking that Maiodore’s impression of Keima was riddled with negativity, decided to tell her at least one positive thing.

“Keep what I’m about to say to yourself. Keima is so skilled that the Ivory Goddess herself gives him her backing.”

“H-He is that skilled?!” Maiodore was surprised, but also quick to understand. The blood of the Tsia archduke’s family was not so cheap that a mere town chief and minor noble would be worthy of it. However, one backed by the Ivory Goddess Haku was another story. Adventurer noble or not, he would be in practice a higher rank than your average duke.

“It is safe to assume he has connections to her somewhere.”

“...Connections to the Ivory Goddess...” Maiodore swallowed hard. Few people in the entire empire could boast connections that valuable. She would be a pawn to bring those connections to her family. As the daughter of nobility, this was the most important role of her life.

“Though as of yet, I have not mentioned the marriage to him.”

“Is that so? I would have thought the engagement would be on paper by now.”

“I just thought I should test him first. Hence the quest. I would never give my Mai to someone without making sure they’re worth you first.”

“I see. It is true that from my first meeting with him, he seems to have received an upbringing far above what an upstart adventurer would have.”

“Indeed. I was worried about the same thing myself. It should be safe to assume that Keima received training fit for a noble. I naturally don’t know when or where this happened, but... well, given that he has the Ivory Goddess’s backing, he likely isn’t a spy from a foreign kingdom. Though he might be a spy from another region in the empire.” In any case, once Keima was deemed a safe pick, Bonodore would acquire his connections through means of Maiodore.

“He seemed to have a pleasant personality.”

“His skill is no joke, either. He shook off the spies I sent after him with little effort, it seems.”

“What else do we know about him?”

“Hm.” Bonodore knew much about his status as a pope, for instance, but elected not to tell Maiodore much so as to avoid giving her prejudice. It’s often impossible to forget something once you’re told it, but in contrast, it’s very simple to teach someone something new. With that in mind, it was better to keep your cards in hand and be very careful about teaching others things.

“Well, do not worry too much. Just consider him a skilled adventurer and approach him with that in mind.”

“Understood. I cannot wait to see Keima again!”

Suddenly, the city bell rang, informing everyone of the time.

“Thank you for the chat, Father. I must be going to see my math tutor now.”

“Yes, do your best. Math will certainly be useful in your future, no matter what you might end up doing.”

“Until next time.” Maiodore bowed her head and left Bonodore’s office. Incidentally, she was learning about multiplication that day.

＊ ＊ ＊

Eventually, Keima returned, having achieved better results than anyone had ever imagined.

Maiodore knocked on the parlor door, where Keima was waiting. Delicately, holding back her urge to fling the door open. She must act the part of a noble daughter.

“Oh, excuse me. It seems Mai is here. I called for her after being informed that you had arrived. Come on in, Mai.”

“Thank you. Hello, Keima.” In truth, she wanted to fling the door open and dash inside, showering him with praise. Wow, you’re amazing! Just amazing! Maiodore’s heart was filled with the excited glee of a kid meeting a superhero. But doing so would look disgraceful, so she acted like a calm lady instead of a normal child.

“It’s good to see you again.”

“Yes, it’s been one week since we last met, Maiodore.” Keima replied as if he was speaking to a woman and not a girl, which made Maiodore’s heart flutter more. His taste for little girls might not be so bad after all, if he would treat her like an adult lady.

Apparently, they had been talking about his potential engagement to Maiodore. But surprisingly enough, Keima wasn’t enthusiastic about marrying Maiodore. It was true that for a normal man, Maiodore would be lacking in a variety of ways. It would be years before she grew enough to not be lacking in those areas. They had thought that Keima with his tastes would jump at the chance to marry her before that happened, but he wasn’t. Something was wrong.

That said, with the archduke himself pushing the issue, it was an offer that Keima could not refuse. A simple town chief would have to be prepared for financial and political ruin before he could oppose the archduke of an entire region.

Keima’s loli attendant, Niku, interrupted the conversation with a raised hand. “He is rejecting the marriage in its entirety.”

A chill ran down Maiodore’s spine. To think that he would refuse so bluntly. And through his attendant, for some reason.

“...Keima? Is she speaking for you here?” Bonodore glared at Keima with a mana-packed gaze. But Keima seemed unfazed, as did Niku.

“Yes, she said what’s on my mind. I don’t intend to marry your daughter,” said Keima, which made Bonodore break out into a grin.

“I like you! Very well, I will honor your position on the matter.” The atmosphere flipped right around. His mana pressure had been deftly avoided. Maiodore truly believed that by standing firm in the face of her father’s mana pressure, Keima had proven himself to be an extraordinary man.

But at this rate, they would be unable to form a connection with Keima, and therefore, with the Ivory Goddess. Maiodore immediately suggested that he be a marriage candidate instead. Bonodore jumped at the idea.

“I would like to get to know you better, Keima. I would like to hear stories of your adventures ever so much. Please, oh please!” She knew it was a vile act of manipulation, but Maiodore exploited Keima’s respect for her. When he began to reply, she followed up with more enthusiasm. Though to be fair, she did indeed want to hear his adventurer stories.

The discussion settled with him serving as her bodyguard for three days, as discussed prior. She would need to acquire his love before the three days were up. Maiodore clenched her fist with determination. But then, Keima revealed something that changed everything.

They had thought that Niku Kuroinu was his sex slave. But Keima made it clear that she was family. That shot up Niku’s importance immensely. They were related, and they shared the same black hair and eyes. It was clear they were of the same bloodline. There was no telling why their parents had named her Niku, but Keima himself said he had not given her the name himself.

Naturally, Bonodore apologized immediately. Maiodore also felt her attitude toward Niku change.

(Wait. Does this mean...?) At the same time, she realized that Keima had been treating her as a woman regardless of any fetish or sexual perversion. The one concern she had regarding him was all a misunderstanding on her part. Which meant all she had left was positivity for him. Mai, realizing she had the chance to marry Keima, realizing there was a potential engagement between them, felt her heart thump with excitement.

Afterward, Maiodore, Keima, and Niku had a tea party. She was nervous throughout, but she believed she showed them an entertaining time. She wasn’t sure about it because before she knew it, she had ended up enraptured in Keima’s stories.

Although Keima’s status as a pope surprised her, the Beddhist Church had a reasonable doctrine, and allowed the worship of other gods. He knew many tales of adventure that made one question just how broad his personal connections were. Niku, too, was so adorable that Maiodore couldn’t help but smile.

In the end, Keima moved away from the table and used a cushion as a pillow while laying down. He said that he would show me how those of the Beddhist faith pray, but...

“...It seems to me that he is just sleeping.”

“That’s right, he is.” Niku confirmed Maiodore’s suspicions.

“Wait, he really is just sleeping?”

“Sleeping is a form of prayer in Beddhism.”

Maiodore got the urge to poke Keima’s defenseless cheek as he slept. “Praying in Beddhism certainly is simple, then.”

“...Do you really think that?” asked Niku, making Maiodore tilt her head.

What could be hard about just sleeping? Niku answered her unspoken question. “Mai, do you think could sleep like this, in front of other people?”

“...Ah!” Now that she mentioned it, that was exactly right. Sleeping itself was simple enough. But only when nobody else was around you. Mai could manage to sleep with a trusted maid nearby, but a man who she might be marrying one day? It would be difficult for men and women to sleep near each other without having enormous trust in one another. Which showed just how much Keima trusted her.

“That said, you can pray inside your home if you want, so it really is simple. It’s just hard when you do it outside.”

“I suppose I should expect nothing less from the pope of Beddhism.”

Niku nodded.

“And my, what peaceful expression he has... It’s like I can feel how happy he is just by looking at him.”

“Yes. I really, really like looking at Master when he’s asleep.” Niku’s expression rarely changed, but Maiodore felt that she could sense her happiness through her blank look.

(...She truly is cute...!) Maiodore looked at Niku again. She had glossy hair that was short but well taken care of. She was far from bony, showing that she was well fed. Her brown skin was smooth and looked pleasant to the touch. Her clothes were high quality enough to show how well Keima took care of her. And finally...

“Oh? What might that pendant be? It doesn’t seem to be one of the Beddhist Church’s holy symbols.”

“This? It’s a clock.” A clock small enough to hang from her neck. Maiodore took a closer look and saw that it was a magic tool with a needle that ticked every second or so. That would certainly allow her to tell the time better than someone relying on bells. Keima giving her such a valuable item was yet more proof of how precious she was to him.

It was then that Maiodore noticed how intently and lovingly Niku was staring at Keima’s face.

“...I will never get tired of looking at Keima’s face.”

“...You know, I think we can agree on that.”

And so, Niku and Maiodore watched Keima sleep for some time... until he eventually woke up.

＊ ＊ ＊

Keima ate supper with them. The meal was bread and soup, like normal. It was bread and soup fancy enough to leave an average adventurer stunned, but Keima was unimpressed.

Not to mention that it was a meal with Rondo, the next archduke, Jive, his second son, and Waltz, the archduke’s wife. It was a meal with the archduke’s whole family, but Keima was unfazed.

After the meal, everyone (excluding Jive) gathered in Bonodore’s office. Normally Maiodore wouldn’t be called, as she was even younger than Jive, but the discussion was related to her potential future husband.

“He seemed like a solid man to me. What did you all think?”

“He is very calm and composed. I can imagine that he has dined with the Ivory Goddess before. Don’t you agree, dear?”

“Despite being a mere visad, it is impossible to look down on him. He has the spirit and guts of a leader. I don’t know if he was born with the talent, or if he was trained to be this way, but I would have no problem entrusting an army to him.”

“He’s wonderful. Also, Kuro is cute.”

Everyone gave their impressions of Keima. Thankfully, all were positive.

“I was planning on forming connections with Keima. It seems that everyone here will agree that is a good idea.”

“I’ll do my best! I think I will be able to make a wonderful family with Keima.” Maiodore clenched her fist, determined.

“I was a bit worried about the age gap, but if Mai wishes for this, I will support her with all the strength I have as her mother.”

“Agreed. He is the man who destroyed the Last Commune single-handedly. I can imagine nothing more heartening than him supporting my future rule over Tsia with Mai as his wife. Either way, I would not want to make an enemy out of him. As your brother, Mai, I fully support your marriage to him.”

Waltz and Rondo both gave Mai their support. They had both fully approved of Keima.

“About that. Sorry for mentioning this so late, but... Keima seems disinterested in marrying Mai. We need to think of a plan that doesn’t involve marriage.”

“...Is he unsatisfied with her age? Judging by his companion, I thought that would not be an issue.”

“Watch yourself, Waltz. It seems that Keima is Kuroinu’s father.”

“Ah! I see, erm... Forgive my indiscretion. “ Waltz apologized for hitting Keima with unjust complaints. Her apology was better suited for Keima and Niku, but it was a misspoken statement in a secret meeting. She had no choice but to bottle up her regret and live with it.

Maiodore was surprised to learn that Keima and Niku were father and daughter. If she married Keima, she would end up with a daughter the same age as her. They would have no problems being friends, but should she ask Niku to call her “mom”?

“It’s not your fault. I too was deceived by her name.”

“...He foiled our spies and has a mysterious past. Could it be that Keima himself is a spy?”

“No, Keima is a town chief and the pope of Beddhism. He stands out too much to be a spy. We can mark off that idea in its entirety. There is one possibility I’ve considered, but... It too is unthinkable.”

“What possibility, Father?” asked Rondo, replying to his father’s murmur.

“Well. It might be possible that Keima isn’t descended from a Hero, but is a Hero himself. However, all Heroes in the empire are given an S-Rank immediately.” There were no exceptions, not even for Heroes summoned without official permission like Wataru Nishimi, or Heroes from another country like Dragon Suzuki.

“With the Ivory Goddess involved, there is little chance he would be left as a B-Rank adventurer.”

“A solid point. Otherwise, this would be subterfuge performed by the Ivory Goddess herself.” That would be far too risky to do for the sake of a single individual.

“The only option is that he is descended from a Hero and was trained in secret.”

“That would explain many things.” Waltz and Rondo nodded.

Maiodore’s mind raced at thoughts of what kind of secret village Keima was raised in. Maiodore wasn’t curious about Keima’s true identity. She found him more than attractive enough as he was already.

“But if Kuroinu is Keima’s daughter, does that not mean he already has a wife?”

“The noble almanac listed him as single. Perhaps he has a secret wife?”

“Judging by the fact that their party member Ichika Kuroinu shares her last name, I would guess she is the mother?”

“...No. I saw Ichika during a Beddhist mass and she was a human. With Kuroinu’s hair and skin color in mind, the possibility is even less likely. It’s more likely that they just share the same name, maybe due to—”

“How old is he, anyway? He seems to be—”

Maiodore’s eyes were beginning to get heavy.

“Woah there. You can go to your room if you’re tired, Mai.”

“Fwaah, n-no, I’m still... Let’s keep... nmmm...”

Bonodore, seeing that Maiodore was beginning to rub her eyes, called an end to the family meeting.

＊ ＊ ＊

The next day, Maiodore left the mansion with Keima and Niku as guards early in the morning. They were bodyguards in name only, and the event was, to be realistic, just a date. The city was safer than ever thanks to the Last Commune’s destruction, she likely didn’t even need a bodyguard at all.

“Let us leave at once, Keima!”

“Sure. Where’s this orphanage, then?”

“This way!” said Maiodore, taking the lead. She was getting so excited that Niku held out her hand to get her under control. It was a bit childish for friends to walk holding each other’s hands, but after Keima told her he had to keep his hands free to do his job, Mai obediently took Niku’s hand despite her embarrassment.

Her hand was smooth and so soft it almost felt like she had never held a blade before. But Keima had said she was the strongest fighter in their party.

“...Squish squish.”

“That tickles, Mai.”

“Are you really a fighter, Kuro? I heard that fighting hardens one’s hands.”

“...This is just how my body is. I don’t get blisters from swinging swords. But it makes the pain go away too, so it’s okay.” That explanation seemed odd to Maiodore, but she accepted it— for the moment anyway.

They offered their prayers at the church before going to the orphanage. Keima offered a serious prayer suitable for a holy man such as himself, while Niku gave a comfortable prayer much like a nun would.

“That was quite the passionate prayer, Keima. What did you pray for?”

“Uhhh, world peace.” Keima spoke of an enormous, admirable dream like it was nothing. Most prayed for themselves, but one holy enough to be a pope began to pray for the world, it seemed.

“And you, Kuro?”

“I prayed for health.” Maiodore sighed in relief. That was much more normal. However, Niku continued. “So that I can be with him for even a little bit longer.” She remained expressionless, but there was a simple warmth on her blank face that made Maiodore embarrassed for being so selfish when it came to Keima.

“Kuro... Er, well. Yeah. Let’s both live for a long time.”

“Yes.” Niku nodded as Keima patted her head.

“...So splendid.” Somehow, Maiodore felt close to tears. She was extremely moved to the point of not entirely understanding why.

They could hear the cries of children playing once they entered the orphanage area. Their voices were loud and excited. The kids all rushed toward Mai, who was really only slightly older than them. She was healed by their innocent childlike smiles, lacking any of the insincerity that noble smiles tended to have. Maiodore was a child herself, but that wasn’t on her mind at the moment.

“Who’s this guy, Mai... um, Lady Mai?”

“Oh, well.”

“I’m an adventurer working as Mai’s bodyguard. Same goes for this other little girl.” Keima introduced himself before Maiodore could.

He had no problem dealing with the kids calmly even after they insulted him by calling him weak. Maiodore, however, was frustrated. Keima and Niku were strong enough to have destroyed an entire criminal organization by themselves. In the end, though, her frustration faded as Keima talked to the kids. It would be silly for her to get mad on his behalf when he himself wasn’t upset.

Maiodore played with the kids while Keima watched from the shade. The kids were fast and hard to catch during minotag. She looked to Niku for help and saw that a kid was challenging her to a duel.

Niku put him on his back in no time. She did so to such a natural and deft extent it was enrapturing. It felt as if she was saying minotag was mere child’s play, and that real adventurers were as strong as her. Despite being the same as her, and a girl like her, she was so much stronger than Maiodore. What training led to her being so fast, so strong?

Niku was soon surrounded by kids wanting to be adventurers, yelling their praises at her and begging to be taught. Keima watched it all with a smile. Maiodore also felt proud of Niku’s success, somehow.

...Perhaps this is what it feels like to be a parent, thought Mai while taking Niku’s place in the shade. She began talking to Keima about Tsia Dungeon as a form of small talk, but then realized something. Keima no doubt already knew everything about the nearby dungeon. He was just feigning ignorance to keep the conversation going.

“There’s actually a lot I don’t know. I really appreciate you telling me about that dungeon, Mai.”

“...T-Truly?” Even so, Maiodore was forced to accept something. Keima was an adult, and she was just a child. Perhaps even this orphanage might appear like a simple pastime to Keima, which made Maiodore nervous enough that she asked about it.

“...Um, Keima. I am providing financial support to this orphanage myself. What do you think about it? Does it seem like I am merely funding it for propaganda reasons?”

“Are you doing it for propaganda reasons?”

“No! I wouldn’t dream of exploiting children for that purpose. But some accuse me of such.”

“Then why worry? Listen to what other people say, consider their ideas, and leave it at that. If they’re wrong, that’s that.” Keima effortlessly blew away Maiodore’s worries.

“Kids not starving is a pretty good thing. See? You’re fine.” He even approved of her. An adult like Keima giving her his approval made Maiodore feel happy.

She continued the discussion and Keima listed off fruitful ideas that never would have occurred to Maiodore. She could turn the orphanage into a school for raising workers. If the orphans worked as merchants, the orphanage could survive on its own without her support.

“But if your goal here is just to make yourself look good, or to give the orphans more time to play, then just handing over money like you have been is fine too.” Still, Keima suggested that his ideas weren’t her only options.

“You should do what you think is best.”

“...Yes, you’re right.” Indeed, Keima was an adult, and she was not. Maiodore could deny it no longer. Meanwhile, Niku had gotten exhausted from playing with the other kids.

The date ended midway through not long after that. Keima spotted suspicious people following them and ended things early.

“...Kuro, I had no idea you were so strong.” Where was all the strength hiding within her cute girlish exterior? Even Rondo would need a rest after running through the whole city to the mansion. Princess carries seemed elegant, but they required significant muscles to maintain over a long period of time. Though that was exactly why girls admired them.

“Mai, how was your date?” asked Bonodore, making Maiodore blush and answer while staring into the distance.

“...Keima is a truly splendid adult. He gave me very valuable advice regarding the operation of the orphanage.”

“Oh?”

Maiodore told her father Keima’s ideas and thoughts. Bonodore even gave her his own thoughts, that the cost-performance was already high enough that she didn’t need to change things if she didn’t want to.

“So, what do you want to do, Maiodore?”

“...Well, um. I want to make the children happy, if I can. So I would like to try teaching them to be merchants. I want to try.”

“That’s fine. I will continue budgeting as much money for the donations as I have been, and you may do with the money as you like.” Bonodore gave permission on a dime as Maiodore fidgeted nervously.

“You don’t mind, Father?”

“Not at all. In fact... If you would like to continue learning from Keima, I might even think it acceptable for you to go to Goren Town to study.” Worst case scenario, they could secure a connection with Keima through having him be Maiodore’s teacher. Maiodore hugged her father tight, impressed as always by his tenacity and political skill.

＊ ＊ ＊

A day passed. Maiodore learned why Keima had been so firm about not marrying her.

“I’m Keima’s partner, Rokuko. Can I call you Mai?” Beside Keima stood a confident looking girl named Rokuko.

When Maiodore stirred conflict between them, Keima clearly prioritized Rokuko over her. Niku consoled her as she wept over each defeat. She really was cute. And kind. Maiodore would expect nothing less from Keima’s child.

“Grrr, who is this Rokuko, really...!”

“Hm? Rokuko is Master’s partner,” said Niku like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Maiodore glared at her angrily.

“But Keima is my... my marriage candidate...!”

“Rokuko is his partner.”

“...What does partner mean? Are they married?”

“.........” Niku averted her eyes, clearly avoiding the question. It would probably be wise to assume that they were married or something close to it.

“In the end, he never gave me the ring... Haaah.” As Maiodore sighed, depressed, Niku held out the ring Keima had given her.

“...I think this would look better on you.”

“Ah! Kuro...!” Maiodore took the ring with a greenish blue gem resembling turquoise on it.

“You’re very kind, Kuro.”

“...Master said to be friendly with you, so...?”

“In short, we are friends.”

“I see, I guess we are friends, then.” Niku nodded. Maiodore returned her nod with a smile.

“Haaah. You know, I might not mind it if I were ultimately engaged to you, Kuro.”

Niku tilted her head. “You would want to marry me?”

“Hm? Yes. I mean, Keima already has Rokuko, it seems. It’s normal for noble children to engage in political marriages, so I naturally would prefer to at least marry someone I’m on good terms with.”

“Oh, okay.” Niku fell into thought. Suddenly she remembered that Keima’s ultimate goal was Mai’s Divine Pillow. Marriage with Maiodore would likely be the key to acquiring it. And he had just told her to be friends with Mai. “...Ah!” It struck her like lightning. Niku took Maiodore’s hand and looked her in the eyes. “Maiodore. Please marry me.”

“Wha?!” The sudden request made Maiodore’s eyes open wide. Niku looked deadly serious. On Mai’s finger was the ring Niku had just given her. The proposal made Maiodore so happy that she was subconsciously flapping her wings.

B-But I already have a tentative engagement to Keima! No, but Keima has a partner, Rokuko! No no no no, but Kuro and I are both girls! Ah, b-but, she’s kind, and I can rely on her, and she’s kind! Ah, wait, I remember my tutor telling me that even girls can marry in the empire! Right! As Maiodore’s mind went into a panic, Keima was kidnapped, and before she knew it, her marriage with Niku was all but set in stone. It was possible that Keima had offhandedly mentioned the idea and Bonodore just picked it up.

“...Ah, um, well... I look forward to spending time with you, Kuro. I think we will be able to work together to support Keima together.”

“I think so too, Maiodore.” Niku nodded.

“...Can I ask something?” said Kuro, her head tilting. Maiodore was reminded of how cute she was.

“Certainly.”

“What should an engaged couple do together?”

“...Oh? Um, well, I suppose we should be on more friendly terms with each other. You can, um, call me... Mai?

“...Okay, Mai.”

Maiodore felt as if they had misunderstood each other somehow, but her worries were drowned out by the fast beating of her heart after Kuro called her Mai.