I Favor The Villainess Chapter 18

A few days after the demon disturbance, I sat in front of Claire-sama in seiza.
Misha is also close by.
She has an expression that says good grief, but it feels like depending on the course of events she won't forgive Claire-sama.

"And? What in the world are you intending to do?"

Claire-sama demanded an explanation.

"What… might you be talking about?"
"Do not play dumb!"

With such a vigor that I wouldn't be surprised if the snap sfx appeared, Claire-sama pointed at Relaire in my arms.

"That, is it not a demon!"

The story traces back a bit.

Being Claire-sama's maid, I'm basically always at her side.
This is vastly different from the game where the heroine was frequently with Misha.
This is exactly what I wished for so I'm happy, the problem is taking care of Relaire.

Relaire is the water slime's baby.
Being a baby, like any baby it has a healthy appet.i.te.
Even human babies are said to only eat a little at a time but need to be breastfed around ten to fifteen times a day.
Slimes don't make sounds until they become adults, still if they get hungry they tremble to show it.

Since Relaire is still small enough to fit on the palm of my hand I keep it hidden in my bag, but it requires fairly hard work.
Despite being a water slime it doesn't wet the bag, the problem is that it's a mischievous child.
Because it doesn't have a definite form, even if I intend to keep my bag properly closed, it smoothly slips out.
I don't know how many times it slipped out during lectures when it was hungry.
Each time I stuffed it back in panic and fed it.

Now then, even though I'm manipulated by Relaire like that every day, I'm properly teaching it pet discipline.
The knowledge from the game on how to train a water slime is flawless.
Precisely because it's a baby, it must be thoroughly disciplined while it's still a child.
I've been slowly teaching it toilet discipline and to wait for meals.

Because it cannot be done in front of others, I only discipline it in my room.
Of course, it got exposed to Misha, but she's the kind of person to understand with an explanation.
At first, she was frightened, but she seemed to understand immediately that it poses no danger, now she a.s.sists me with disciplining it.

I guess like that we became careless.

"Hey commoner, where did you put my brush? Lene is looking――"

In the evening Claire-sama out of nowhere came to my room and perfectly found me out.

"Claire-sama, because you're a n.o.ble, could you knock"
"Ky――"
"Ky?"
"Kyaaaa!?"

Thanks to Misha's judgement and her use of wind magic, Claire-sama's shriek didn't resound throughout the dormitory that's in the middle of falling asleep.

And that's how we arrived at the current situation.

"To bring a demon into a human territory… What are you thinking!"
"No, Relaire isn't a demon, it's a subordinate demon――"
"Be silent! A demon is a demon! Have you already forgotten the recent uproar!?"

Recalling it, disgust showed in Claire-sama's expression.
Well, with how hard the fight was, it might be natural to be frightened.

"Misha, you too. Why is this happening with you present"
"I am deeply ashamed. But, Relaire is truly docile?"
"Relaire?"
"That's this child's name"

Misha said with a blank look on her face.

"Rei and Claire make Relaire! It's the fruit of our love!"
"Do not decide its parents by yourself!? What do you think you are doing!?"
"Eh? It's a good name, right?"
"Could you not use my name to name a demon!?"
"Selfish, aren't you"
"Me!? I am at fault here!?"

Claire-sama screamed.

"Rather than losing your temper, please take a look. See, isn't it cute?"

I lifted Relaire in my hands and held it in front of Claire-sama's eyes.

"It is not cute! It is a demon!?"
"But look, like this it somehow feels gentle――"
"I will not!"
"Selfish, aren't you"
"Me!? I am at fault here!?"

We basically repeated the same gag.

"It is enough. I will tell Tred-sensei exterminate it"

I called out to stop Claire-sama who turned around saying that.

"Please wait, Claire-sama"
"What is it? It is useless to stop me?"
"Please decide on Relaire's treatment after watching this"
"?"

I put Relaire on the bed.

"Relaire, wait"

Relaire stopped moving and stood by.

"Sit"

It got a little smaller.

"Bow"

It got a little smaller again.

"Spin"

It's spinning on the spot… I feel it is.

"How is it!"
"Do not look at me with that satisfied face!? There is almost no change!"
"Isn't that right"
"Eh. To not notice the change, both Claire-sama and Misha are unqualified, aren't they?"
"I do not want to become a slime expert!"

Apparently, Claire-sama wasn't pleased with it.

"Then, time for the last resort. Relaire, undine"
"?"

Reacting to my voice, Relaire shook and began to slowly change its shape.

"Wha… What is happening?"
"Well, please watch"

Relaire's appearance slowly changed to a familiar figure.

"This is…!"

Although Relaire is small, it completely resembled Claire-sama.

"It's undine!"
"By undine do you mean the water spirit?"
"Yes!"

Undine is a water spirit that appears in fairy tales, it's a being that brings a water blessing to people.
Spirits are different from monster, while there are opinions they are nothing more than a product of fantasies, in the kingdom belief in them is widespread.
In line with the belief in spirits, there's a power such as church, I think of explaining it at another opportunity.

"Why does it have my appearance?"
"Water slimes have a habit of imitating the appearance of a beautiful woman when they see one"

That's half-truth and half-lie.
It's the truth water slimes imitate their surroundings.
They use that mimetic ability for self-defense.
The part about a beautiful woman, that's a lie.

"Is, is that so…?"
"It is so!"

Claire-sama doesn't seem as annoyed as she appears.
Easy.

"Now that I look at it, I also feel it is considerably charming…"

Looking nervous, Claire-sama poked Relaire with her finger.
Relaire trembled.

"It might be cute"
"That's right, that's right?"

I wonder if Claire-sama shouldn't relinquish her position as a villainess and change it to an easy heroine.

"It cannot be helped. I will refrain from having it exterminated"
"Thank you very much! Gentle Claire-sama!"
"But, you must discipline it properly? Moreover, do not strangely conceal it and introduce it to everyone"
"Yes"

Somehow, Claire-sama's words were like mother giving instructions to her child.
I wonder if those are her motherly feelings.

"But, stop calling it Relaire. Do not use my name as you please"
"Ah, it's too late for that"
"Too late!?"

Once they recognize the name subordinate demons never forget it.
The reason for that is that you couldn't change their names in the game.

"I'm looking forward to working with you, Relaire"
"Objection! I object to that name!"

It's been decided I'll introduce Relaire to everyone the next day, however Claire-sama stubbornly forbid me from explaining the origin of its name.
I can't understand.

As a bonus, enjoy the novel's cover.