Chapter Text
-Asmodeus Alice’s POV-
Iruma-sama was as brilliant as always today! We attended Balam’s classes today while Clara attended Raim’s class. It was truly a sight to behold!
While Balam may not have the most traditional methods of teaching, Iruma-sama still managed to get perfect marks! His knowledge on imaginary creatures is truly inspiring! I attempted studying to catch up with him, but alas, his knowledge is simply unmatched. You can’t exactly blame me… I just can’t fathom how creatures without wings or horns would possibly survive, even if they lived in a different environment! Cats without wings? How absurd!
I was a bit upset that Clara had a different class to go to… but it wasn’t something that bothered me too much. After all, she’d probably make her own imaginary creatures (as she does occasionally) more insane than that familiar of hers like a horse with an impossibly long neck or a bird that swims instead of flies. Iruma-sama sometimes entertains her even whenever she mentions her ideas by making up their diet and how they’d act too! He’s so creative, I cannot fathom how such a demon could possibly exist!
Once class ended I insisted on walking Iruma-sama home as usual, but for whatever reason he asked to stay late to ask Balam a few questions alone. I can’t say I exactly understand why the two meet up often. I understand that Balam is a fantastic teacher, as he did train me for quite some time, but Iruma-sama is more than passing his class! He could practically be the teacher if he wished!
Though… deep down, I know he should probably speak with someone other than myself. There’s been something that seems to be plaguing him… something that he’s been hesitant to speak to anyone about. He’s been much more restless recently and he’s started looking flushed occasionally, even if he tries to hide it.
Could Iruma-sama… be sick?
Surely not, right? Opera would notice immediately if Iruma-sama was ill and force him to stay home until he felt better or at least be more wary of his activities… but nothing seems out of the ordinary from his typical schedule. It simply didn’t make sense. The flare-ups seem to calm down whenever Iruma-sama eats… so perhaps Opera only sees him during mealtime? Unlikely, knowing how the feline-like demon acted… but it could be possible.
I wracked my brain for possibilities until I reached the Royal One, taking off my detection-warding glasses as I slipped inside. I sat in the classroom for a while as I patiently waited for Iruma-sama to finish with whatever he wanted to say to Balam… but it was taking a bit longer than I preferred.
Truthfully, it bugged me a little that he wouldn’t come to me or at least Clara if he was feeling unwell. It’s a bit hypocritical, seeing as I have my own things I’m dealing with, but it’s not troubling me to an extent that I physically look seconds away from exploding like a popped balloon.
Well, apparently I did look something similar to that by the way Soi suddenly materialized beside me, as if expecting me to speak.
“…What is it, Soi?”
“You’ve been dragging your feet.” He started, which I immediately recognized as one of his usual rants. He tends to watch silently from the shadows until he bubbles up and explodes all of his emotions at once… but it was a first that it was directed towards me in specific.
“And I don’t mean that figuratively, I mean that literally. There are tiny markings where you’re dragging your feet on the ground as if you were a zombie trudging towards a feast.”
That sentence made me freeze a bit, staring in horror as I did, in fact, leave a small trail of markings from the door leading to where I sat at my desk.
“Your ears have drooped half a degree, which is something I didn’t think was possible until I saw you walk in here. You’ve also been hovering around Clara and Iruma. More than often. This is the first time this entire week I’ve seen you alone, and sulking at that. You’ve been getting more fidgety which is weird because you used to never fidget when I first met you but now you’re either unconsciously digging at your sleeve or tapping your foot or-“
“What are you asking me, Soi.”
“Fine. What is it that’s worrying you this much? I know you know better than to be out and about when approaching an evil cycle but you seem to be too nervous to approach anyone about it so I’m approaching you instead.”
I almost chuckled a little out of the irony, but kept it to myself. He was right. I do know better than that. And the fact that Soi came out of his way to confront me instead of slipping away and alerting someone else made me die inside a little out of embarrassment.
“It’s not my place to talk about this sort of-“
“So it’s something happening to someone else?” I grit my teeth. I get that his clan is kind of about being in other’s business… but did he really have to say it like that?
“…yes, it is.”
“Is it about Iruma-kun?”
“Soi!”
“Is it, though?”
“…perhaps.”
Soi gave me an odd look, as if telepathically telling me ‘I told you so’ with that blank stare of his before sitting down beside me.
“Iruma-sama has been acting… unusual, I suppose?” I let out a small sigh, “Not that he’s acting strange or anything, he’s just been far more restless than he usually is and doesn’t look me in the eye half as often as he used to.”
I could tell Soi definitely understood what I was talking about… most likely to a better extent than I did by the way that he tried to hide his smirk.
“I’m supposed to be Iruma-sama’s spear… I’m Iruma-sama’s soulmate! It pains me seeing him act like this and not knowing what to do about it or how to help.”
We sat in a momentary silence before Soi spoke up.
“…maybe what Iruma needs most is just for you to be there with him. I haven’t really figured it out yet, but it seems like there’s a lot of things weighing him down… but he always looks calmer when he’s with you and Clara.” He then smirked slightly, “Besides, you all have little bouts where you all act abnormally. Like that time last year where you kept a fire ring around both you and Iruma for almost a week or that time Clara started wearing weird makeup and clothing. I’m certain his skittishness will pass.”
I nodded… it did make sense. But I would still like to help in some way. Perhaps I should plan to go to Walter Park or someplace similar like Iruma-sama had done with me before.
“That was very insightful. Thank you, Soi.” He dissolved into thin air, but I could still sense his gloating.
I contemplated asking Clara for help… but I quickly changed my mind. If I need to help Iruma-sama, I’ll do it myself.
I quietly opened up a notebook and began jotting down things that he enjoyed. Food, of course. Iruma-sama has a larger appetite than any other demon I’ve ever known. During his evil cycle, he drank tea quite a bit, so perhaps that acts as some sort of calming agent. He seems to enjoy things like amusement parks and games… but then again, he enjoys almost every activity. Perhaps an arcade would be nice? Or perhaps a restaurant?
No, absolutely not a restaurant. Especially not alone with just the two of us… my heart couldn’t handle it.
I rested my face in my hands as I wracked my brain for things Iruma-sama enjoyed doing, things that calmed him down or made him too excited to worry, as he so often does. It was also handy to hide just how flushed my face was getting in case anyone walked in.
Iruma-sama doesn’t care for status, so perhaps something as simple as a circus could do… no, I couldn’t possibly bring Iruma-sama to a place like that. I pulled out my hellphone and started searching for nearby places I think Iruma-sama would like.
Most results I found were restaurants and amusement parks, which I wasn’t too surprised by. Amusement parks are popular with kids my age to prevent evil cycles, and most courting forums usually suggest restaurants to take your partners. Not that I’m courting Iruma-sama. I simply wish to have him relax and enjoy himself. There is no other motive behind this.
After a while longer of searching, I came across a new establishment that had opened recently. A cat cafe. It’s not something I’d typically go to, but I believe it’d be something Iruma-sama likes. He does have two house cats that he is fond of, and the menu does include sweets, so I think it would certainly be a place he would be interested in. The only issue is if he ever got bored… but it’s inside a large plaza so we can simply visit other stores if necessary.
I excitedly typed the time and place into my digital calendar and let my mother know that I’d be busy after school tomorrow. I tried to calm myself down, forcing my heart to stay at my normal bpm as I tried to make my smile look less giddy. Fortunately, it worked. Shortly, at least, before I saw Iruma-sama walk in the Royal One, already finished chatting with Balam.
“Azz-kun? Why are you still here?”
I only smiled as I stood up and handed him his bag.
“I said I’d walk you home, didn’t I, Iruma-sama? A little waiting doesn’t bother me.”