The Punishment of A Demon General

I decide to just remain silent for the rest of the time, the Heroine's gaze making me slightly uncomfortable as we walk. Julia begins to tease and pat Fluffy after a while once she feels safe from my revealing of her secrets.

Seems like she's trying to coax more information about her love life out? I'm kind of interested too, but the Heroine won't stop staring at me! It's bad enough that we're holding hands! Why is her hand so warm?!

I briefly attempt to loosen my grip on her hand, only to have my own squeezed even harder by her. See? Whenever I try to escape she holds me back!

I nearly jump out of my skin when something suddenly licks my ear, turning to find the Heroine looking at me with a cute expression. "Do I have to do that every time to get your attention?" She says.

Of course not! I shake my head in firm denial, using my other hand to rub my ear, my cheeks feeling hot. "What do you want?"

"I was just wondering, are you okay with everything?" What? What is she even saying? What does 'okay with everything' even mean?! Of course I'm not okay with everything you nonsensical Heroine!

"I mean, like, the plan and stuff. You're the one who knows about the demon lands more than us, so I'm a bit worried it might have been... Lacking consideration." Lacking consideration?! Isn't that literally the entire point of the original plan in the first place? To be as lacking in consideration as possible?!

+The best way to make up for bad intentions is to plead ignorance.+

(You're a real sociopath sometimes, you know that right?)

+You're the one who built defenses up to the sky, unconventional tactics are a must to break down those walls!+

(... I mean, threatening to kill someone is pretty unconventional, yeah.)

+I didn't say all of my ideas were good. I learned my lessons and now I'm going on the offensive!+

Stop looking at me with those innocent eyes! I'll think about it and get back to you later! I turn my head away, trying to focus on anything else that isn't the Heroine.

Of course, about an hour later I was suddenly licked again. Why do you have such an obsession with licking my ears?!

+They're cute and pointy, I wanna suck on them.+

(That... You... What?)

+I said what I said.+

"Are you alright with answering the question now?" Why are you such a considerate freak? Just force me to do things like before! You're driving me crazy here, I don't wanna talk to you!

I don't like it. I don't like how stuffy my chest feels around this idiot! I just wanna get my revenge and be done with it! Down with the Heroine!

We continue to hold hands in silence for another couple hours of walking, the group finally deciding to take a break, not that I'm really tired at all.

Killa and Julia both begin doting on Fluffy lightly while taking care of themselves a bit as well. Fluffy seems a bit pale from the hike, but continues to reiterate that she's fine. Fluffy, if you die I won't be pleased.

Another ear lick shocks me awake, only this time it's accompanied by me being pressed up against a nearby thick tree trunk, the Heroine's face being brought close to mine, our breaths mingling, causing my face to heat up once again.

She doesn't say anything though, she just sits there silently and makes the ticklish feeling worse. What is wrong with you, you evil Heroine?!

"Will you answer my question, please?" Question? What question even? You haven't even asked anything, you're just sitting there silently!

"Are you okay with everything?" ... Oh, right, this question I chose to forget. Why do you have to remind me, you dirty tricky Heroine?! How do you even want me to answer, you weirdo?

Aagh, it's driving me nuts! "I don't know! How are you even hoping I'll answer that?! 'Oh, sure, I'm okay with you using me as your scapegoat to get in to rescue other people.'?" My voice is a bit louder than I intended, but my head is a mess right now so I'm not really in the position to care.

The Heroine looks thoughtful for a few moments, tempting me to nibble at her eyebrows to annoy her in the meantime, but I'm supposed to be angry or whatever! I don't know, am I supposed to be angry?

I mean, all they're doing is going to rescue a bunch of slaves from a place they can easily get sick, be killed, or be mistreated in... Is that really such a bad thing? I mean, I don't really care that much about my slaves to make them have to live in a place like that.

They're using me as their key in though, with no regards to me or my own safety... I should be angry about that part, right? That's no different from what a demon would do though, so what's the problem there?

Doesn't that mean they already think of me as their ally since they're willing to throw me to the dogs like that? Why do I feel so uncomfortable, though?!

I hate humans! Why do they always make you feel such complicated things that are impossible to figure out?! My slaves would do that too! They'd go off and die and make me feel uncomfortable instead of just surviving like a good slave!

Ignoring my worked up state, the Heroine plants a deep french kiss on me briefly, only to pull back and look at me once again. "I like you and I'll protect you, Ilvia." You're not supposed to french kiss someone before saying romantic words, though?!

... Wait, romantic words? What? Huh? I stare at her blankly for several moments, needing a moment to process everything.

My process is interrupted by another kiss, though this time even deeper than the last, eliciting soft moans from me into the kiss as our tongues intertwine, each swirl of her tongue mixing up my thoughts in an equally turbulent swirl.

My vision is spinning by the time she lets me go, not from any lack of air, but from sheer confusion as my brain tries to process it all.

Was she really sorry about that whole mess...?

+Yes.+

Was she looking at me cus she was enjoying looking at me, maybe...?

+Yes.+

Does the heroine like me?

+Yes.+

What kind of fucked up love story is this?!

+Yes.+

There's no way I'll ever like the heroine, though! Ever! Stupid evil heroine!

+Ye-... Wait what?+

I force down this tingling in my chest, pushing her away as I do. "I-I don't need your protection, idiot! You really think I'd need help from a fragile human?!" I do my best to ignore my stutter at the beginning, calming my beating heart down with my indignation at the thought.

+... Goddess, please save me from this idiot tsundere.+

(Hey!)

+Oh no, she's here! Spare me from your avoidance of reality!+

(You're dumb sometimes.)

+Oh no, she hit me with the 'baka'!+

(... What?)

+If the goddess won't intervene... I'll have to save myself! By kissing her until she has to admit it!+

(Wai-)

I don't know why, but the warmth in the Heroine's gaze hurts as she watches me. I storm off to hide behind one of the trees, desperately trying to avoid that heated gaze of hers.

"Don't go too far, Ilvia." She calls out after me. I won't! Go away! I curl up behind one of the trees, my hands rubbing both of my ears as I try to mask the burning sensation in them.

Humans are really the worst! Why do I even bother making friends with them in the first place?! Demons don't make you feel stupid conflicting feelings like this!

I brood for about an hour as Fluffy tries to catch her breath, seeming to fully recover in the meantime. Julia had stated that we probably just moved too quickly since the surrounding miasma becomes denser as we move.

+Wha-+

+It was sulking not brooding, by the way.+

+Mph!+

So, what? Now we have to move even slower?! Do I really have to sit there and hold the Heroine's hand? I don't wanna! She's dirty!

+You're covered in my cooties now, though+

(Sto- mf.)

I silently storm over, grabbing onto one of Fluffy's hands with both of mine, glaring at the other three, trying to indicate 'Don't touch her, I'm walking with her this time!' as best as I can with my glare.

Fluffy just looks baffled as I gently help her up off the log she had taken a seat on. I hold her snug to my side as we begin to walk step by step.

"Uh... Did something happen?" Julia asks. I open my mouth to shout 'nothing' but the Heroine manages to beat me.

"Young love is happening, oh woe am I to have such a cute lover..." Who are you even talking about you weirdo Heroine?! I give up and just continue to press forward in a random direction, only to be guided by Fluffy's steps soon after.

"Are you feeling okay? Your, um... Cheeks are blue." Fluffy says, tapping one of her cheeks.You're not supposed to point out things like that!

"... m'fine." I mutter, looking away so she can't continue to stare at me with those round eyes of hers. All of these humans around me are the worst! Evil! Worse than demons!

"Hey, Ilvia?" Fluffy calls out, queuing me to look over with a squeeze of her hand. "Can we slow down a bit, please?" ... Ugh, evil and fragile. I stop, allowing the others to catch up, slowing the pace to match Fluffy's now.

Several moments pass as we all walk together. I'm trying to ignore absolutely everybody in the meantime, the Heroine especially, who looks like she's about to burst open in laughter watching me.

The rest of this day's trip is otherwise uneventful, a surprising lack of monsters given the situation. I have a feeling they might instinctively avoid the Heroine given how overpowered she is...

Fluffy's hand grew a bit sweaty after a while, but she said she was fine besides feeling a little bit hot from being so close to me. I'll keep you safe, Fluffy!

I declined to help set up the camp this time, if you're gonna bully me, you're gonna lose a worker! Hmph! Learn a spin attack next time!

I just sit down and hold Fluffy close while we relax, waiting for them all to finish building the camp as dusk begins to fill the sky, slowly growing darker as the three in front of us work.

The Heroine keeps shooting me frustratingly smug and cute glances every once in a while. How does she manage to be so annoying?! I refuse to be your eye candy!

The moment the tents are complete I let go of Fluffy and dive into one, out of sight from the evil Heroine finally...

Only for my peace to be interrupted by repeated wheezing and hacking coughs from Fluffy and alarmed shouts from the working trio outside.

(J-jeez! Stop kissing me already! It's supposed to be a dramatic moment!)

+Nuh, still kissing you.+