A Twisted Definition of Family

“I am not sure if breaking this magic is actually a good thing for us.”

After speaking, I let my eyes wander. Since the group wouldn’t understand with just that, I had to add a bit more explanation. Tired of the continuous questions, I decided to explain before anyone could ask this time.

“I do not know what will happen to the mana maintaining this village if we break the spell.”

“Ah, I understand.”

Azrael nodded. Somehow, everyone around seemed to grasp this point. Perhaps it was because they also used mana when wielding their swords.

“If it is a spell maintained through a medium, the mana will simply disperse into the air, but…”

“…If the magic is fueled by the mana of the Demon King’s summoner, that mana will return to them, is that it?”

The knights finished the thought in unison. I nodded to confirm their words.

“Exactly. So, what do you want to do?”

The meeting began once again.

I sat a little distance away to get a good view of them. Raphael, who also never offered opinions during meetings between Azrael and the knights, came and sat near me.

“Why did you come over here?”

There are other seats over there. Despite my blatant dissatisfaction, Raphael did not get up. He really loves acting like we’re close.

“You just thought I was acting like we’re close, didn’t you?”

“Oh, did I say that out loud?”

“You just had that exact look on your face.”

“You’re quite perceptive, aren’t you?”

I was genuinely impressed. Raphael furrowed his brows at my words. He didn’t seem truly angry, though. Since status is a privilege in any world, I shut my mouth instead of saying anything more.

“Did you think I wasn’t perceptive?”

“I thought you were pretending not to be.”

“That is even worse.”

“I have always been like this. I did not think you were expecting a glowing review anyway.”

He didn’t show any particular displeasure at my sharp response. Instead, he agreed with me.

“That is true, but it is a shame. I should have worked on a better image from the start.”

“Who would have believed it?”

“Many people do.”

Raphael curled the corners of his mouth, putting on a quite virtuous face. Surprisingly, he looked truly kind.

“Does this not look like a trustworthy face?”

“Yes, surprisingly.”

“I told you, many believe it. I have no intention of trying to change anything now, though. I do not have the leisure for it, and above all, I do not think a half-hearted scheme would work on you.”

That much was true.

I nodded. I knew him too well to overturn that first impression now. It would take a significant amount of time to change my mind, and I didn’t think Raphael planned on staying here that long. He hadn’t said when he would leave, but that was the vibe I got.

“It might result in nothing but a waste of time.”

“Breaking the village’s magic can wait until after we defeat the Demon King.”

“However, if this village holds great meaning to the summoner, it might be an opportunity to deal with the Demon King and the summoner separately.”

“If this magic uses a medium, it shouldn’t take very long.”

Listening to the knights, I suddenly turned to Raphael and asked.

“I am asking because I am truly curious: how do you think Sir Judas feels about you?”

Raphael arched an eyebrow as if he had heard an entirely unexpected question.

“Why ask me that?”

The reply was colder than I expected. I shrugged. I thought he would answer easily just to build rapport with a monstrously powerful mage, but it was a bit surprising.

“In a situation like this, wouldn’t you be curious?”

But I asked again. If not now, when else would I ask? If I don’t complete Judas’s sub-quest, Azrael dies.

Even after a moment passed, when I showed no sign of giving up on the answer, Raphael lightly raised both hands in a gesture of surrender.

“Well. I am not sure. Sir Judas left my country a long time ago.”

“Even though you acted like you knew him so well all this time?”

“It was something of a gamble.”

How ridiculous. Raphael, mentioning a gamble, glanced at my face and shrugged.

“I am not exactly lying, though.”

“Well… a gamble where you set the board beforehand is still called a gamble, I suppose.”

Raphael’s eyes narrowed at my sarcasm. He soon shrugged and replied.

“Everyone seems to think that. Even when I haven’t set the board. Is it because of my looks?”

Your looks are perfectly fine and handsome, so don’t blame your face. If the NPC designer who worked themselves to the bone to render him heard that, they would truly wail at the blasphemy.

“If I had to point it out, I think it is your personality or the atmosphere.”

“Is it my personality?”

“Yes.”

“So you’re saying I have a bad personality?”

You catch on fast. I made a face of total affirmation. Raphael let out a short, incredulous laugh. What is he so baffled about when he said it himself? He shook his head silently for a moment and then spoke. His tone was quite chilling.

“Don’t you live your life trusting your own power a bit too much?”

“Pardon?”

But at the content of his words, I was the one baffled, so I asked back with total sincerity.

“With my level of power, I think I am surprisingly humble and well-behaved.”

“…….”

“Honestly, it is true.”

“Uh, right…….”

Raphael had a truly reluctant look on his face.

…And as for me, having said it, I felt embarrassed and pressed a hand to my forehead. The words were true. But to think I said them with my own mouth….

We remained silent for a quite some time after that. Raphael seemed embarrassed in his own way as well. I suppose so. If I had lowered my voice to set a mood and the conversation went this way, I’d be mortified too.

“…….”

“…….”

“Well…….”

The long, awkward silence was finally broken by Raphael. It was unexpected.

“Yes.”

“Regarding Sir Judas.”

“Sir Judas?”

My eyes widened. I thought it would be impossible to get any useful information now that the topic had shifted. Long live the meritocratic society. No matter how much of a self-centered prince he is, he can’t help himself against a mage with overpowered stats.

“Yes.”

“I thought you weren’t going to tell me?”

“Shall I not?”

“No.”

Since it looked like Raphael might shut his mouth at any moment, I shook my head hurriedly. He looked truly reluctant to talk about Judas. I wondered why.

“Does Sir Judas not hate me?”

I rested my chin on my hand and looked up at Raphael. Raphael was smiling. It was enough to make his earlier hesitation seem non-existent. He said that Judas would hate him as if it were a natural, calm fact—like saying the sun rises in the east.

“Why?”

“That is what everyone says.”

I naturally frowned. Again, not a proper answer.

“I asked what you think. Not what other people speculate.”

When I criticized him, Raphael asked me back.

“How do you judge whether I think so or not?”

“Is there even anything to judge? Anyone can see you aren’t being sincere right now.”

I could answer that much firmly.

“Should you not ask Sir Judas how he feels about me?”

“Can I be honest? What I am curious about is what you think of Sir Judas.”

As the useless riddle-like talk dragged on, I was starting to get annoyed. I decided to throw away useless politeness. I was already acting boldly, so what difference would it make whether I spoke in circles or directly? It would be better to just have a straightforward conversation.

“Why are you curious about that?”

Is this a conversation with a three-year-old or an adult? My patience was wearing thin, so I snapped in irritation.

“Ugh, if you don’t want to talk, just forget it!”

“No, I asked because I am genuinely curious.”

“About what?”

“Why you care what I think of Sir Judas.”

“If I’m watching from the side and get curious, I can ask. If you don’t want to answer, then don’t, and if you’re going to answer, then just do it. Pick one.”

Throughout this conversation, Raphael had been acting unlike himself. He seemed to be debating whether to answer or not, but for whatever reason, he finally opened his mouth.

Of course, he didn’t just speak. Perhaps he didn’t want the knights, who were in the middle of a heated discussion, to hear him; he used an artifact to block the sound from spreading before he finally spoke.

“I like him, in my own way.”

That again.

“Ah, yes.”

“I am being sincere this time.”

“I wasn’t exactly being sarcastic. I had an inkling that you had that kind of mindset.”

“Ah.”

Raphael let out a sound close to a lament at my words.

“It seems you misunderstood; I did not mean it like that…….”

“If not like that, then what?”

“I think of our relationship as being close to something like family.”

What is this about family all of a sudden? Raphael struggled to put his words together one by one to form a sentence, but his new claim didn’t resonate with me either. Where in the world is there a person who clings, pokes, and acts like a total b*tch to their family like this?

“And I believe Sir Judas thinks similarly.”

Without even trying to hold back, I blurted out the thought straight from my brain.