The next day…

“Mom, are you really, really serious?”

Lowell asked her mother again for the umpteenth time.

Lowell and her parents were walking together towards Blanc City, with their destination being Qazar's home.

“Little Elle, how many time did you asked that? My answer’s still yes. It looks like you’re the one who doesn’t want that.. Aren’t you?”

Her mom looks at her suspiciously.

“Ah-?! E-eh?! No! It isn’t the case…”

“Then don’t ask anymore..”

Belle starts to hum happily.

It’s not the case.. but looking at you while telling the story of Hero and Demon King, I could see your hatred towards the Demon King… But I can’t tell that the person she wants to adopt is the Demon King’s successor..

She thought of that as she ponder for other ways to help Qazar rather than letting her mom adapt him.

Asking Dad… is isn’t a choice.. He’s a slave of Mom…

Lowell was still thinking until she remembered something.

“Mom, what’s teacher’s decision about the matter?”

“Well, she wants to take Qazar.. but his fiance didn’t agree.. So she thought it was a blessing that we wanted to take care of Qazar.”

“I-I see..”

“Your Teacher’s wedding is gonna be celebrated three months from now.. So they wouldn’t be able to take care of Qazar.”

“Wedding?!!”

Lowell's eyes widened.

Wedding? My Teacher’s getting married?

“Eh-?! Ah, yes.. I didn’t tell you, but your Teacher invited us a month ago to her wedding ceremony. So for this to happen… it’s just the worst wedding gift…”

Her colleague’s death is what Mom’s talking about.

Lowell knew and didn't ask about it anymore.

But… I may have resolved myself to be Qazar’s ally until the end.. but will Mom and Dad do the same?

When they arrived at Qazar’s home, the doors and windows are closed.

It looks like he shutted himself in his house.

Lowell thought as she and her parents approached the house.

The first one who called out was her mom, Belle.

“Qazar? Are you there?”

There’s no response..

Lowell started to call out too.

“Qazar, It’s me, Lowell… Please respond if you’re there.”

A small movement was heard from the house.

“Look’s like he’s inside..”

Louis starts to gather mana but Lowell stopped her dad.

“Dad~! No magic!”

“Ah~ Yes! Yes! Sorry, Lowell-sama~”

Lowell's dad starts to speak like that after the ‘Outbreak’ incident…

She also noticed her mom became a little kinder towards Dad.. but that’s not the issue here…

Her mom became more forceful.

“Qazar, Please respond, or we’ll enter the house.”

A weak voice came from the house. It belonged to Qazar.

“W-what do you want? I-if it’s because I slapped Lowell’s hand… Please forgive me.. but Please, Leave me alone! I will wait for Mother and Father’s return…”

Lowell's heart shook.

I may have some worry about him being the Demon King.. but I don’t want to see my friend like this..

That’s when she noticed…

Her parents started looks at each other, they both smiled as if they reached an agreement.

Her dad was the one who started to speak first.

“Is that so? If my memory is right, you we’re abandoned by your Mother and Father.. Hahaha! what a poor fellow!”

Louis started to laugh hysterically.

Lowell tried to stop her dad, but her mom held her.

Lowell looked towards her mom but Belle smiled while signaled that Lowell shouldn’t interfere.

“No! Mother and Father didn’t abandoned me! They’ll be back!”

A loud voice was heard from inside the house.

“Ah~?! Is That SO~?! Well, I think they won’t come back though~ ”

A loud bang sounded. It was from the door being forcefully opened. The one who did that is Qazar.

Now, his face has big circles underneath her very red eyes. It looks like he didn’t sleep and cried all night.

“I said they’re coming ba-!”

Before he could finish his sentence, Belle hugged him tightly.

Lowell didn’t notice her move at all.

“Little Qaz, Get~!”

Wait, even his nickname was already decided!?

“Wha-! Let me go! Please let me go!”

He starts to struggle strongly. But because of lack of sleep, his struggle looks very weak.

“We know.. you don’t want to accept it.. but you know yourself that they won’t come back, right?”

“N-no.. They’ll be back…”

“Look, don’t lie to yourself.. Is it really what you want? To wait for someone whose not coming back?”

“Then… what should I do now?.. No one wanted me.. Teacher doesn’t want me either.. I don’t have anything I could call ‘Mine’ left…”

Belle didn’t stop hugging Qazar.

Qazar looks towards the ground while crying.

So that’s why..

Lowell remembered her mom’s words – ‘Demon Kings want to conquer the world’. If it was the case, I think it’s a common trait for Demon Kings to want something he could call ‘Mine’.

If all Demon Kings have experienced Qazar’s experience, and no one supported them.. It isn’t strange for them to want everything that the world has to offer. They would want to overturn the world, having ‘Nothing’ from start, but gained ‘Everything’ in the end. It is a noble ambition, if the way of conquering everything wasn’t as twisted as those noted in history.

But of course, it’s already decided from the time I resolved myself to help him.

I’ll start by him having a Family he could call ‘Mine’.

Lowell decided as she started to speak with conviction.

“Then… Stay with us!”

“But… won’t I be a bother instead?”

Qazar was still having second thoughts, but Lowell didn't hesitate anymore.

“You won’t. But if ever you became one, don’t hesitate. We’re family..”

Louis looks at his daughter with a smile. He looks at Qazar and said:

“I’m sorry for what I’ve said earlier.. so have you decided?”

“Yes. I’ll be in your care.. Sir Louis.”

“Hahaha! Don’t be so uptight. Just call me Father. We’re family now, remember?”

Qazar looks towards Louis' face, which gave him a smile in return.

“Y-yes, F-father!”

“Then call me Mother too.”

Belle starts to speak while hugging Qazar.

“Thank you.. M-mother..”

“Mhm~ ”

After that, Zvalle family gathered Qazar’s things and returned towards their home.

All of them arrived before dinner time.

Belle cooked one of the chickens she was raising. She used it to cook a chicken stew. Lowell talked with Qazar while eating until some tears fall from his eyes. Belle, who was beside him, wiped it and starts giggling.

Our house just added another family member.

Lowell thought of that as she feel the warmth of her family.

Belle made Qazar sleep on Lowell's room since the room he should be using wasn’t cleaned yet.

Before they slept, Lowell started another conversation with Qazar.

“Say.. How are you feeling right now, Qazar?”

“I’m still sad because my real Mother and Father left me.. but..”

“But?”

“Even though it isn’t my true family, I experienced a meal that I could say… a real family does…”

He continued.

“Father goes out in the morning… and always comes home drunk. He abuses mother whenever he’s in a bad mood… Mother didn’t bother to take care of herself… It was my family’s daily scenery.. I dreamed of my family having a happy meal together.. Until that day when father left us, five months after we’ve first met.. We waited weeks but he didn’t came back..

Mom, who was deeply in love with father, saddened when father left. That’s when I started to realize that my dream would never become a reality. I supported my mother, who my only family member left. Teacher frequently visits us, but because of her fiance, her visitations lessened until the time she only visits us once every two weeks.

I tried my best to support Mother by my own hands, but her health still deteriorated because of her sadness. Until that day you and teacher visited our house. I felt sudden pain in my hand, and Mom shrieked suddenly. The last thing I saw was her running away and you entering our house.”

It looks like he didn’t know he’s the Demon King himself..

“When I was took by your family, I was happy, but I can’t put myself to bother your family. I insist that I shall stay waiting for a family I knew that wouldn’t be complete… and if ever it became complete again, it would return to those days full of pain and sadness.”

Qazar started to look sad, but Lowell noticed it and pinched his face.

“O-ow?! Why?”

“It’s forbidden! Being sad is forbidden!”

Lowell cutely humphed as she scold Qazar.

“I-I see..”

Qazar starts to smile again.

“So.. shall I call you Big Brother then?..”

“E-eh? Just call me by my name…”

“Since we’re brothers and sisters now, I shall call you big brother, and you call me little sister!”

“W-what? you really want that?”

“Mhm!”

I thought having a Big Brother was cool.

Lowell thought as she smiled.

“Then.. Little Sister…”

Qazar's voice was weak, but he already tried his best before getting embarrassed.

“What is it, Big Brother?”

Lowell responded without breaking her smile.

Qazar: “N-nothing..”

Lowell's eyes brightened as she gained another idea.

“Since you’re the Big Brother now, you should be cool and reliable!”

“Eh? isn’t that too unreasonable? I might not reach your expectations..”

Qazar became nervous after hearing Lowell's criteria for a brother.

“Don’t worry…”

My plan’s perfect.

Lowell hugged his Big Brother.

“W-w-w-whaa-?!”

In response to her hug, Qazar's face became beet red and his voice started to stutter.

“While we practice under Teacher, I’ll make you the coolest brother in the world!”

Lowell made her final declaration.