HKWM | Chapter 23

“What are we going shopping for today?”

Noah asked, clutching skewers in each hand. Why does he like skewers so much? Kimaris’s cooking seems tastier to me… When compared to Kimaris’s culinary skills, which have improved so much that he could now be called a chef without exaggeration, skewers were really just junk food.

“Do you like that?”

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“Do you want to try some?”

“…Do you know what kind of meat it is?”

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“If that matters, you might not want to eat it.”

If he’s not even going to tell me, what on earth could it be made of… It couldn’t possibly be monster meat, could it? Although nowadays, it’s Kimaris who deals with any monsters or wild beasts that come near our house, I vividly remember the spider-shaped monster I first encountered.

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Is it really okay for Noah to eat this? It doesn’t seem toxic, so it’s probably not harmful to his health… Seeing my uneasy expression, Noah chuckled softly.

Skewers aside, I finally answered Noah’s earlier question.

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“Noah, do you know what a school is?”

“I’ve heard of it. It’s a place where kids go to study, right?”

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“Well, strictly speaking, it’s more like a facility where kids are taken care of while they learn, but it’s still a good place for you to meet peers your age.”

“So, are we going out to buy things you need for school today?”

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“Yes.”

Noah nodded thoughtfully. He wasn’t entirely sure if attending school would be beneficial, but he felt it was better to try and do something rather than nothing at all.

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“Have you ever met kids your age?”

“No.”

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“Well, think of it as making friends for the first time. Keep an open mind. Of course, you might find it a bit unchallenging since you’re quite mature for your age.”

“Okay.”

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A few days later, thanks to Phoras’s efficiency, Noah was finally ready for his first day of school. It could well be considered the start of his proper social life.

Uncharacteristically excited, I checked his backpack over and over again the night before, fussing about it, but Noah remained calm.

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“Call me immediately if anything happens.”

“With the necklace?”

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“Yes.”

Anyone would have believed I was the one going to school, given how much of a fuss I was making. Noah just nodded quietly. After a bit more nagging, I managed to calm my racing heart and took Noah’s hand, heading to the school.

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The school building was bigger than I expected, but the number of children seemed small in comparison. It made sense, though. Despite being a welfare initiative, the cost of tuition meant that only children from somewhat affluent families attended, as those from less affluent families would likely be working at home instead.

Hiding my complex feelings, I bid Noah farewell.

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“I’ll come to pick you up when it’s over.”

“Okay, I’ll see you then.”

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Leaving me with the farewell he had been taught, Noah waved his hand once and entered the school. I believed the smart and mature Noah would manage on his own, but I couldn’t help worrying, so I used magic to sneak a peek inside.

‘Is he new?’

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‘Did you enroll today?’

‘What’s your name?’

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‘Are you the new kid who just moved in?’

Fortunately, seeing the children swarm around Noah, asking his name or starting conversations, it seemed there was no need to worry about his school life. Children seem to like beautiful kids just the same.

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Relieved, I was about to head home when I found myself caught by people. My plan to keep a low profile had failed right from the start. Even changing my hair and eye color with magic couldn’t stop me from drawing attention.

“Are you new here? Where did you move from?”

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“Suzan at the store said a very handsome man had visited, that must have been you.”

“Oh, you came with your nephew?”

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While they were certainly addressing me, the responses oddly came from elsewhere.

“My goodness, you said your nephew was as pretty as an angel, it must run in the family.”

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“Where are the parents? Are you looking after him?”

Bombarded by questions, I felt dizzy for a moment. Worried that my behavior might lead to trouble for Noah, I hastily answered a few questions and excused myself, claiming I had urgent matters to attend to. I had felt steady stares from afar earlier, but that wasn’t my concern at the moment.

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‘I need to get home and rest…’

Exhausted, I collapsed onto the bed as soon as I got home. Seeing this, Phoras asked with a concerned look.

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“Master, it’s unusual to see you this tired… did you meet a troublesome human?”

“No, just too much friendly chatting drained me…”

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“Ah…”

Phoras sighed with a look of disdain. I considered scolding the cheeky demon but was too tired to bother and shooed him away with a wave of my hand.

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“Rest well, Master.”

After the door closed, I finally took a long-needed nap.

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When I went to pick up Noah after school, I grabbed his hand and ran to avoid getting caught in another barrage of questions.

As I ignored voices calling out from behind, I didn’t feel safe until we were far enough away from the school building. Then, I looked down at Noah and asked.

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“How was your day?”

“Um… they tested me first to see what I knew so they could place me in the right class. They said I could start attending the advanced classes tomorrow because the teacher praised me as being quite exceptional.”

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Noah spoke factually, showing no hint of bragging. Perhaps because of the education he received from Phoras, he didn’t think such achievements were praise-worthy.

But as a parent, I believe in praising a child when they deserve it, so I patted his shoulder gently, proud but not showing it.

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“I knew you were smart, Noah, but it’s still impressive.”

That’s my boy, his brain is indeed premium. His class name suits him well.

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“How about the other kids? Did you talk to them?”

“The kids…”

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Noah trailed off, seeming to ponder something.

“Why?”

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“Um… they all seem nice.”

His awkward smile reminded me of myself earlier. It seems the liveliness of the children had overwhelmed him too. Considering how they swarmed him with questions as soon as he entered, it was understandable.

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“…You’ll get used to it. You’ll make close friends soon.”

“Does Jin have close friends?”

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Friends… The first that came to mind were the guys I used to drink with frequently when I was human.
I wonder if they’re doing okay. They must have been shocked by my sudden death.

“Jin?”

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Noah’s call snapped me back to reality. Explaining those friendships to Noah seemed challenging.

The next people I thought of were Lust and Gluttony. Relationships… no, demon relationships, really?

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“I do, but…”

“What are they like?”

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“Very strange guys. If you bump into them on the street, you’d run away on sight.”

Even setting aside the fact that they were Archdemons, that was still true. Of course, I shouldn’t be one to talk, considering how often we used to play card games together… I added seriously,

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“Noah, remember, choose your friends wisely.”

Good-hearted Noah looked a bit puzzled but nodded obediently.

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The next day. As I dropped Noah off at school and tried to leave before being caught again, a man who looked quite friendly, almost amiable, approached me hastily as if he hadn’t just run from a thief.

“Ah, hello.”

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Though he had rushed over, he greeted me quite nervously.

“…Hello.”

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“Actually, I saw you from afar yesterday, but I didn’t get a chance to say hello.”

So what now? I wondered, watching him as he hurriedly added,

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“I mean, no other intentions… I just wanted to ask your name.”

I tilted my head, puzzled why he’d be so cautious about asking for my name. Then it struck me…

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While I had been surrounded and questioned by people yesterday, not one had actually asked for my name. They were more curious about how I ended up here, what my relationship was with the child, and what I did for a living.

Perhaps, sharing the common ground of having children in the same school, they were trying to figure out if I was a threat. This man’s intent in asking for my name seemed…

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Curiously staring at him, I saw his ears begin to redden. Wait, was he actually interested in me?

“…It’s Jin.”

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“Oh, that’s a lovely name. I’m Adam.”

Please remember… He murmured so softly I could barely hear, then he quickly left.

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Watching his retreating figure, I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Life sure is full of surprises…”

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An archdemon getting confessed to by a human, am I the first? Ah, Lust probably got his fair share, so maybe not so unusual.