The Punishment of A Demon General

My mental crisis lasted a while, but was finally interrupted by the Heroine informing me that we had to start packing up to leave soon.

I just poke at the coals of the fire while the rest of them do the packing, since I'm the one carrying the largest load it seems like they don't have any issues with me sitting back during packing.

Or, at least none that they say. Fluffy is also sitting by the fire, the morning dew on the cut grass slightly clinging to her draping cloak.

I grab the hem of the cloak and shake it off a bit before setting it on Fluffy's lap to keep it from getting dirty.

She tilts her head a bit as she looks at me. "Thanks?" I just did it because you'd probably catch your death if water touched you.

Is there any point in me worrying about this mess right now? The Heroine will be dragging me there regardless, so what can I really do?

... Ugh, I miss just being stuck in that boring cell. I- "Ilvia, uh, your pants..." Oh, I'm on fire, whoops.

After a couple moments of patting it out, and a little bit of scooting back from the fire, I wonder where I left off in my thoughts, only to come up blank.

I guess it wasn't that important, anyway. We continue to sit in silence while the rest is packed up, Fluffy occasionally taking a stick to poke at the coals for a renewed blast of warmth.

"... Wait, is that 'miasma' why whenever my slaves get sick, it's difficult for them to recover?" That thought just occurred to me, I had thought about it before that they get sick and then pass sometimes, but...

"... Yeah, probably." Fluffy says after a short pause, her words slightly quiet as she speaks.

My chest feels really uncomfortable now, I don't know why. I can't help but frown as I stare into the last remnants of the fire. Forget the slave idea too, I guess. I'll figure something else out.

My spiraling thoughts are interrupted by a pair of hands wrapping around my eyes. "Guess who?" The Heroine says.

Ignoring her silly question, I just lean back into her, trying to wash away the negativity in the warmth.

Instead of asking more silly questions, she pulls my head back and plants a kiss on my forehead. What is this stupidly cute action?

"We're just about ready, Fluffy." The Heroine says, earning a question right back from Fluffy.

"Fluffy? Did Ilvia replace you or something?" She says, I can hear the teasing tone with it too, which puts me at ease.

"Nah, I just realized it actually kind of suits you." That it does, Heroine. You shall fall to the dark side soon enough!

"What part of me is fluffy, exactly?!" She asks, feigning offense with a pouty look on her face, finally visible now that the Heroine had released me.

"The hair." Julia, the Heroine, and I all answer in unison. Especially in the mornings it's a frizztacular mess. 'Frizztacular?' What the hells kind of word did I just make up?

Fluffy just scoffs, standing up and brushing herself off a bit before stretching her legs. I'm happy that the awkward air from before has been eliminated at least.

... Though, I don't know why I would be happy about that, I shouldn't be getting used to these idiots!

My thoughts are once again interrupted by the Heroine, this time she begins tugging my cheeks apart, giving them soft pinches. "Quit thinking about things that make your eyebrows do the thing."

The thing? What is she even talking about? As if reading my mind once again, she gives me an example of some sort of pouty unhappy look, furrowing her brows while curving her lips cutely and dramatically.

"... Fine." I don't wanna think about these things anyway, so I'll just follow her lead.

We all begin loading up our luggage onto our bodies, Fluffy only keeping a few bare necessities on her for the time being, Julia continues doting on her the entire time.

"Remember, if you feel off at all you have to tell us, okay? We can always back off to another town and get you treatment." Julia says, hovering over Fluffy menacingly.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. Jeez, all of you are a bunch of momma ducklings sometimes, where are the chicks?!" Fluffy playfully retorts, though her sincerity on wanting to join is still evident. I guess that's probably why they're letting her come still despite everything.

I can't disagree with the momma duckling statement, though, the Heroine is helping me get everything on and secured, though not without the occasional grope and a wink to distract me. ... Since when did she become so cute?

Ignoring the strange feeling in my chest, I finish buckling everything, trying to move towards the edge of the clearing to wait for everyone else.

Of course, that also gets equally interrupted by the Heroine, who just grabs onto one of my hands with both of hers, holding me back with a cute look on her face.

"Nope, you're staying with me so you don't get lost!" ... I almost want to tell her off, but whatever. I continue to sit there while she holds my hand, our warmth seeping into each other.

With everything finally packed up, we begin to move across the plains towards a foreboding treeline that trails up the side of a large hill. Or is it a small mountain? I dunno.

The Heroine's hand never leaves mine as we begin to make our way through the wooded area, Killa up front with a machete to take down any particularly problematic brush.

The awkward silence lasts for a while, no topics of conversation coming up in particular, but it's a comfortable awkward silence. ... Does that mean it's not awkward? That would be weird for humans.

Regardless, I'd rather not be alone in my thoughts, so I decide to chat up first. "So, Fluffy. Who's Tol?" Julia has to reflexively catch her as she almost trips flat on her face with my sudden surprise question, stuttering as she speaks. "Wh... who... How did... What? How did you...?"

The Heroine looks between us with a curious look, she mouths the word 'Dream?' at me, to which I respond with a nod.

I feel like I shouldn't tell her that was actually me in her dream, so I guess a white lie wouldn't hurt. "I watched your dreams, first you dated, then you did lewd things, and you loved her oh so much, the tiny little catgirl~."

Being able to tease someone a little is really fun, I can feel my cheeks warming as I grin while she becomes a stuttering mess.

"Eh? You like someone, Fluffy?" The Heroine asks joining me in the teasing, the ally tickling my heart a bit.

"I um... I... ueh... Y-yes..." With a flushed but defeated look she hangs her head, her ears burning brightly.

"Oooh, details now!" Julia presses, keeping her supported while we hike now seeing as she's too embarrassed to keep an eye out for where she's going.

I decide to answer for her. "So she's a super short blondie kitty cat, in the dreams she was SUPER keen on the date with her, she was all smiles and laughs, happy as can be." Julia is all but carrying Fluffy at this point, who seems to be dying in embarrassment.

"Oooh? But that was just a dream, right? Can't really bank on those..." Julia says, part of me thinking that she's just saying that for her own sake right now after that whole 'lewd Heroine dream' debacle.

Maybe I'll bring that up later when she isn't having to support Fluffy. I grin evilly, my target already set onto one person here.

"No, no, when I invade people's dreams it's usually their absolute deepest fantasies, so this is definitely a hardcore fantasy of hers~." I can see Julia reddening a bit as she stares at me, like she's trying to gauge whether that dream was actually caused by me, and whether I saw it.

I won't kiss and tell, though~. "Oh, and then later... Fluffy was all like 'omigosh, I love you so much, you don't know how long I've been waiting to do this with you.'" Fluffy begins yelping in embarrassment, rushing over to me to cover my mouth, her cheeks bright red as she stares into my eyes with her slightly teary ones.

Okay, okay, I'll stop here. I just plant some kisses on her hands instead, grinning at her as she pulls them away. "It looks like she's at her limit, so I'll have to share the rest later." Killa already seems annoyed that we've had to stop because of this, not that I care.

Eheheh, second target acquired. "Don't think that you're getting off for free too, Killa. You dreamed about me training your brat behind, trying to sass me whenever you could just so you could get put down by me~."

Killa's cheeks begin erupting in a deep red as well, turning away as she continues up the path. "Oh yeah? Well, who cares? You're bad at it anyway." The Heroine looks thoughtful while she stares up at Killa, grinning slightly after a few moments.

"I'll use this information well, thank you." She whispers to me, tugging and stroking at one of my ears teasingly, causing me to shiver.

Julia now all but completely hides her presence, her inkling suspicion obviously turning into dread as she worries I'll target her next. It's okay, I won't! ... Yet.

I give her a happy little grin, causing her to turn away with sweat beading down her neck. What? I'm innocent.

I briefly glance over to the Heroine, only to find her looking to me with a smile on her face, like that 'good job' kind of smile. I look away quickly, my cheeks feeling slightly hot from her burning gaze.

I hope she doesn't stare at me like that the entire time...

+Ilvia? You're super frickin cute.+

(... Where did that come from?)

+I knew you were starting to warm up to us a bit here, but you're so frickin cute!+

(How am I cute?!)

+Aah, the cutie Ilvia falling in love with me, so cute!+

(It wasn't love yet!)

+Are you suuuure? Ticklish feeling in your cheeesst?+

(I dunno what it was then, but it wasn't love yet!)

+You know, you saying yet means that there'll be a time I get to see you fall in love with me, mmm? How exciting.+

(Humans are too obsessed with romance!)

+Says the demon who practically sleeps in a pile of romance novels...+

(That's just... uh...)

+Just uh?+

(... For research...)

+Researching love, huh?+

(N-no, researching humans!)

+Sure, sure... Researching humans... In love.+

(This started off as a sad part, why aren't you focusing on that?!)

+Cus I know you're probably still blaming yourself for it, and I don't think it'd be productive to talk about for now.+

(... Wh...)

+While technically it could be attributed to your fault, not only were you completely ignorant, but to you it was 'normal' everyone else around you was doing it, and you were actually treating them surprisingly well given the circumstances.+

(... Why are you so dumb all the time but smart when it comes to these things?!)

+You don't want to know what I went to college for.+

Author's Note:

I hope you all have a wonderful day. :)