HKWM | Chapter 11

Late at night. Once we confirmed Noah was asleep, we gathered in his study. Perhaps because the night felt a little more familiar than the day, Phoras and Kimaris seemed noticeably more comfortable than earlier.

“I’ve gathered you here for a reason—it’s time for a meeting.”

“A meeting, you say?”

“You remember when I said, ‘It takes a whole village to raise a child,’ right? We need to study to raise Noah properly. Phoras, Kimaris, I want you both to look for any books on parenting whenever you have time. If there aren’t any, then gather real-life examples instead. Let’s compile all that data and discuss the direction for raising Noah together. And Phoras, I’ll need a lot of help from you for this. You understand?”

It was essentially the most tedious task, but thankfully, Phoras was the type who burned with enthusiasm for anything related to knowledge or research. He responded with determined vigor.

“Understood. Leave it to me!”

“We can’t keep pretending to be suspicious outsiders forever. Kimaris, secure proper identities for us as soon as possible.”

A convincing lie requires a perfect concept, storytelling, and a sprinkle of truth. Especially with such striking appearances and atmospheres, we couldn’t afford to be careless.

“Schools or anything else can come later.”

“Understood.”

Since we didn’t actually require sleep, the meeting stretched on until dawn. We only adjourned when Noah woke up.

As soon as Noah stirred, Kimaris went to his room to tidy up his bedding and asked, “Young Master, shall I prepare your bathwater?”

“…Me?”

“Please, feel free to speak casually.”

“…Then, I’d appreciate it.”

Still half-asleep, Noah nodded awkwardly. Kimaris immediately headed to the bathroom to fill the tub with warm water. Watching him meticulously test the temperature with his hand, he resembled a general sharpening his sword with solemn determination before a battle.

“Young Master, while the bathwater is being prepared, please take a look at this. These are subjects you can study in the future. Once you master the Imperial language, we’ll prioritize topics you’re most interested in. After all, true learning starts with curiosity, and it can eventually become enjoyable in itself.”

“…Okay.”

Though he seemed swept along, Noah still inspected the letters on the paper with a quiet intensity. Seeing this filled me with pride. Finally, things were starting to come together. It was a reassuring and satisfying sight.

“Master, pardon me, but could you lift your leg for a moment? I need to clean under the sofa.”

“Uh… sure. Sorry about that. I’ll move.”

Where does all this dust even come from…?

It had been about a week since Phoras and Kimaris joined us. By now, Kimaris had become a flawless homemaker, to the point where calling him a professional housekeeper wouldn’t be an overstatement.

Initially, he struggled with cooking due to strength issues, but now he could effortlessly chop ingredients and create new recipes just by tasting the seasonings or ingredients.

Thanks to him, Noah no longer had to hover nervously around me, offering to help with chores.

At first, I thought Noah would be pleased, but for some reason, he looked disgruntled. That was until he tasted Kimaris’s soup and freshly baked bread. After that, he had no complaints.

“As expected, our brilliant Young Master finds these academic topics too simple, doesn’t he? It seems we can move on to more advanced material tomorrow.”

Phoras, on the other hand, had been teaching Noah according to the lesson plan I approved. With Noah learning at such a fast pace, it was hard to believe Phoras had once complained about not wanting to visit the Human World.

Now, he was thoroughly enjoying himself, treating Noah almost like an official disciple.

Phoras’s teaching skills matched his wealth of knowledge, and Noah absorbed everything like a sponge. Their synergy was so impressive that I couldn’t help but feel relieved we didn’t hire a human tutor.

Noah’s sharpness was undeniable, but my initial plan had been to skip anything beyond essential knowledge if he lacked the interest or will to learn. Yet, it seemed Noah had developed a genuine enjoyment for the act of learning itself.

“At this rate, he might even become a scholar.”

Hearing my musing, Kimaris, now clad in a pink floral apron, approached. Where on earth did he find that ridiculously mismatched apron?

“With all due respect, the Young Master appears to have remarkable talent in both swordsmanship and magic as well.”

Kimaris was a magic swordsman—a rarity even among demons, and an anomaly across all races, including humans. Swordsmanship and magic both required innate talent just to begin. So when Kimaris recognized such potential in Noah, it was a testament to his keen eye.

“I plan to teach him both swordsmanship and magic. Whether he chooses to pursue them is up to him.”

“If that is your will, Master.”

“Don’t get too disappointed if he’s not interested.”

Though Kimaris’s expression betrayed his disappointment, he didn’t argue. Amused by his consistency, I added, “Still, I won’t stop you from making it so fun that Noah can’t resist.”

Honestly, I didn’t expect Noah to show much interest in swordsmanship. After all, he had been a gladiator slave, forced to kill other humans, which tore him away from a normal life. It was that path that eventually led him to me, the Archdemon feared most by humanity.

At my lenient remark, Kimaris pondered for a moment before smirking. “In my humble opinion, the Young Master isn’t entirely unfamiliar with swords.”

“How can you tell? He hasn’t even touched a knife since coming here.”

Despite not having the telltale calluses of a seasoned swordsman, Kimaris seemed confident. His cryptic reply was almost like reading a fortune.

“Anyone who’s held a sword is bound to feel drawn to its power. The first thing you learn when wielding a blade is ambition.”

As Kimaris waxed poetic, I couldn’t help but laugh. It seemed he was determined to spark Noah’s interest through sheer skill and spectacle.

While the three of us demons discussed Noah’s future, Noah himself finished his lessons and approached, tugging at my sleeve.

“What were you talking about?”

“We were imagining what you’ll become when you grow up. You’d make a fine scholar, you know.”

Hearing this, Phoras, who had been organizing books, immediately perked up and rushed over. Great, why did I even bring it up?

“Absolutely! It would be a waste of talent if the Young Master didn’t pursue academia!”

“But the Young Master also has talent for the sword,” Kimaris countered.

“No talent compares to a sharp mind, you musclehead.”

“And yet, the Young Master would never suit a life of scribbling behind a desk.”

As the two bickered, Noah continued to look up at me expectantly. Today, we had plans to go shopping together. Although we’d gone out before, it was always rushed to avoid drawing attention, and we’d never had the chance to leisurely browse the market.

Fortunately, Kimaris had recently secured proper identities for us. Noah was now the youngest son of a wealthy merchant family, while I was his uncle, taking care of him after forfeiting any claim to inheritance.

Phoras and Kimaris were our household staff. With our identification nearly ready, it was finally time for a proper outing.

“Let’s leave them to it and head out.”

“Okay.”

Leaving the squabbling duo behind, Noah and I got ready and stepped outside. Naturally, Noah reached for my hand without prompting.

“Don’t touch the books!”
“You’re the one making a mess!”

I swallowed a sigh at the loud voices flying out the door. How did they become friends with such clashing personalities? Knowing they’d make up soon made it an almost carefree thought.

Leaving the noisy house behind, the first place we visited was a clothing store. The few outfits we had bought while staying at the inn were far from enough, and they didn’t even fit properly—getting new clothes was arguably our most urgent need.