Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 18: The Demon Woman
Why would a demon be here?
To demons, I’m a sworn enemy. It wouldn’t be surprising if they came to hunt me down.
In the past, bounty hunters from human territories came for the reward, but no demons ever did. So why now?
Puzzled, I kept a watchful eye on the demon woman, staying alert. She seemed to be trying to analyze the barrier, but unable to figure it out, she was muttering complaints about it.
I thought I’d wait and see if she let anything slip, but since that didn’t seem likely, I decided to speak up.
“Hey. What’re you doing here?”
“Ahhh!”
At the sound of my voice, the demon woman screamed and quickly backed away from me.
What? Do I look like a ghost or something?
“W-What!? Wha-what?!”
She was clearly trying to ask me something, but she was so startled she couldn’t form a sentence.
“Calm down, I’m not a ghost.”
When I said that, she finally composed herself enough to glare at me. Typical demon response to seeing me, I guess—she’s a bit unstable.
“Kenta Maya…!”
She spat my name with resentment, but I had no clue who she was.
Maybe Meyleen would know? She looked around Meyleen’s age, after all.
“Yeah, that’s me. And you are? What are you doing here?”
When I asked, she sneered at me, as if mocking me.
Yep, definitely unstable.
“Putting up such a grand barrier—are you finally scared, thinking our revenge is coming?”
“Nope.”
She was so off-base that I immediately shot down her assumption, which made her scowl again.
“Then why did you put up a barrier now, when it was left wide open before?”
From that exchange, I figured it out.
She wasn’t a combatant sent to take me down—she was here to gather information on me.
In that case, I had nothing to say to her.
“And why should I tell you?”
“So, you’re trying to hide something…?”
“Did you not hear me? Why should I tell you anything?”
As she pressed on, I added some magic intimidation to my words. Demons, unlike the less magically inclined humans, could resist a bit.
She was holding her ground, though only just.
“Ah! Ngh…!”
Despite her determination, the answer wouldn’t change.
“Whatever you came here to investigate, I’m not telling you a thing. So, go home.”
After I said this, the demon woman stayed silent, still glaring at me with resentment.
Looks like she finally got the point. When I withdrew the intimidation, she slumped to her knees.
“I get why you demons hate me. But I have no intention of being killed that easily. I don’t want to die, so unless you make a move against me, I won’t bother you. But… if you come for me, I’ll fight back with everything I’ve got. If you’re going to challenge me, be ready for it.”
“….”
The demon woman glared at me with frustration as she knelt there. Having her mortal enemy right in front of her, powerless, must have stung.
Suddenly, her eyes widened with shock.
“Huh? No way… Could it be…?”
“What? What’s wrong?”
“N-Nothing! Really!”
She no longer looked hostile, just genuinely surprised.
“What?”
“I told you, it’s nothing!!”
“Alright, fine. Then, get going.”
I waved her off dismissively, and after hesitating for a moment, she turned around to leave. Just as I thought she was leaving, she looked back over her shoulder.
“…My name is Mona.”
“Huh? Why introduce yourself now?”
“It’s… unfair if I’m the only one who knows your name.”
“Didn’t need to know, but alright…”
“Anyway!! Today, Mo-na, came here!!”
With that, the demon woman—Mona—shouted her name one last time and dashed toward the barrier’s edge.
The barrier allows someone to find their way out easily, even if they’d get lost trying to go further in.
Since Mona was heading straight for the exit, she should be fine.
Still… what was her deal?
This place has always been an open secret, so it’s not surprising that the demons know about it and have now noticed the new barrier.
Today’s visit from the demon wasn’t an attack but more of a reconnaissance mission.
Now that Mona has left, this issue is closed for the moment.
After confirming that Mona had exited the barrier, I headed back home.
“Welcome back.”
When I returned, Meyleen, who had moved from the bedroom to the living room, greeted me.
“I’m back.”
As I hugged her, Meyleen began to sniff around my shoulder.
“Meyleen?”
After sniffing me for a bit, she suddenly spoke in a low voice I’d never heard before.
“…I smell a woman’s scent.”
“The visitor was a woman, yes, but I didn’t touch her, so how can you tell?”
“There’s just a faint scent of another woman on you.”
What? Seriously? I hadn’t noticed at all.
“So… do I have your scent on me, too?”
“Yes. But since Yulia is a friend I trust, that’s fine.”
“Hehe. I love you, Meyleen!”
While Meyleen and Yulia chatted affectionately, Meyleen still clung tightly to my clothes.
“Um, Meyleen? I should report this. The one who visited… was a demon woman.”
!!
Meileen gasped, letting go of my clothes and covering her mouth with both hands.
“A… demon… Could she have come here looking for me…?”
“No, it didn’t seem like that. She was more curious about the barrier that wasn’t there before and came to check things out.”
“I see…”
Seeing Meyleen still uneasy, I hugged her tightly, stroking her head to reassure her.
“I didn’t tell her why the barrier was set up. I just intimidated her a bit and got her to leave quickly.”
“…I understand.”
Hearing that I hadn’t given the demons any information seemed to calm her down.
“What was she like?”
Back to normal, I see.
“Well, she had small black wings growing from her back.”
“Small black wings…”
“What is it?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
“Oh, and… she shouted her name before leaving. What was that about? Is that some demon custom?”
“No, that’s the first I’ve heard of such a custom. So, what name did she give?”
“Uh… Mona. She said her name was Mona.”
As I said this, Meyleen’s eyes widened briefly before she smiled sadly.
“What’s wrong?”
“…This woman named Mona… was she very glamorous?”
“Yeah, she was, but… do you know her?”
“…Yes.”
Meyleen looked down slightly, answering in a small voice.
“Mona was one of my maids.”
Her words surprised me.
What were the chances that someone who just happened to come by was someone Meyleen knew?
While I was still processing the coincidence, Meyleen reached into my chest pocket, touching the embroidered handkerchief.
“I made a mistake. If I’d known Mona was coming, I wouldn’t have given you this handkerchief.”
“You mean…?”
I understood what Meyleen was implying.
“She might have realized I’m here.”
So it seems.