Demiurge uses Hiroshima-ben dialect (じゃ; jya) or also known as Chūgoku dialect when talking (Source HERE).
But for the sake of my sanity, I won’t translate the jya.
“Rise and shine, husband… It’s morning.”
“Uu… mm~……”
I woke up to the sensation of my body being gently shaken.
I feel like I was having a very nostalgic dream a while ago.
The last moment when I used my self-destruct magic… the scene of the clash between me and Demiurge.
“…Are you still asleep, husband?”
“No… I’ll wake up.”
A gentle sound of voice comes into my ear.
Then, a soft, fluffy, and very attractive weight rests on my body like a cushion.
If I turn my eyes, I can see Demiurge, who is settled on top of my body, just as she was born there.
…This girl, again.
Demiurge and I sleep in a cave built into a huge tree that grew in the forest.
Demiurge said she didn’t want to use it much because it was too small, but when I started using it, she started using it with me.
Even though it was small, it was a cave made of a huge tree that pierced the sky.
There was enough room for both Demiurge and me to lie down.
Moreover, Demiurge is covering my body, so we have even more space.
“Demiurge, get out of there so I can wake up.”
“Mu? Oh, sorry, sorry…”
I asked her to step aside and rose sluggishly.
Of course, be careful not to look at the Demiurge’s skin when doing so.
“Good morning, husband.”
“Ah… good morning.”
This is the eighth time I’ve woken up in this forest…
I thought to myself, still in a dreamy state.
“I mean, Demiurge, you’ve taken off your clothes again.”
“…I don’t like to wear clothes to bed. It’s too confining.”
And so on.
Demiurge seems to have a habit of sleeping naked, and since she sleeps with me in such a state, I have to be very careful every morning.
I’ve been trying to get her to put on some clothes and sleep with me, or if not possible, to stop sleeping with me, but she’s not listening.
Tohoho… ¹
“I’d like you to get used to my skin, husband. You’re always looking away from me.”
Don’t be so hard on a virgin.
While having the conversation that has become the norm these days, I proceeded with my preparations for the demon hunt today.
◆◇◆◇◆
“―――I think I’m going to go a little farther today.”
“What do you mean?”
As I walked through the forest, I said to Demiurge, who was standing next to me.
“The mana I’ve been giving to the world tree, to be honest, I’ve only been able to hunt green slime and【 Kill Rabbit 】. It’s pretty inefficient, if I do say so myself.”
“Mu… that’s true.”
【 Kill Rabbit 】is a rabbit-shaped demon. It is a small demon with a bad temper.
It has three sharp horns on its forehead, and it rushes at you and tries to stab you with its horns.
However, it’s not that strong.
The fur can be used as material, and the meat as food. I don’t need the materials, but the parts that can be used for meat are very useful.
But that’s beside the point.
“As I said before, even if I hunt the demons that live around this forest, the number of Anima Crystals I can get in a day is not even 10, and the amount of Mana I can give to the World Tree is also very small.”
At this rate, it would be more efficient for me to give mana directly to the world tree.
“So there. I’ve got a few ideas.”
“Houu?”
Demiurge leans forward as if her interest is piqued.
She must be aware that her current mana collection is not going well.
She seemed to be curious as to what kind of plan I would come up with.
“I’ve been thinking about leaving this forest and going to town… mm?”
“? What’s the matter, husband? Is there something on your mind… mu?!”
But suddenly, I sensed a strange presence and stopped speaking.
Demiurge in front of me seems to have sensed the same thing as I did.
Her expression became more serious.
What is this feeling…? Is the presence above my head… in the sky?
“This mana sensation is, no way… but why is『 that one 』here now…”
Demiurge looked up at the sky and muttered to herself.
It seems that she has some idea of this presence.
“Hey, Demiurge, I’m getting a strange feeling in the sky…’
“U-Umu. I know that, and perhaps I know what that presence is… I know that, but…”
The answer is vague.
I have an idea of what it might be, but I can’t be sure.
Demiurge, looking above, tried to block the sunlight with her hand.
Then,
“Here it comes… The elven wards are broken.”
*Barin!!*
A loud crashing sound echoed through the air.
The sound must have been the destruction of the wards that had been set up in this forest.
At the same time, my eardrums were stimulated by the sound of wings fluttering in the strong wind.
Then, a huge shadow that seemed to cover us fell from the sky.
“I thought it might be… but I didn’t think it was really you―――【 Phoenix 】.”
A huge shadow came down from the sky above.
It was flying in the sky with a golden body and wings lit with bright red flames.
Its long, seven-colored tail feathers shone with a mysterious glow, and it looked down at us with a sharp gaze reminiscent of a bird of prey. Unlike the Demiurge, its color was like a green emerald.
This is one of the four strongest demons… The source of the disaster that spread the existence of demons in the world… the Mythical Creature,【 Phoenix 】!
A huge bird that emits a divine glow from its entire body.
With just one flap of its wings, it creates a gust of wind around it.
However, the sight of it flapping its wings with flames was so beautiful that it could be called magical.
However, the flames of the wings did not seem to be burning the surrounding trees.
Could it be that they just look like flames, but aren’t really?
“What do you want with me now, when you have never returned to me since you were born into this world?”
Demiurge narrowed her eyes and looked up at Phoenix with a hint of caution.
It is said that although she is the one who created it, it has never returned to Demiurge before.
Such a thing has just appeared here. I guess I should be on my guard.
“Hey Demiurge, if I ask this guy that question, will it give me a straight answer? I thought you said they were not intelligent…”
“Umu, it should be, but… I can’t help but get a sense of intent from this guy…”
“Intent?” ²
And while Demiurge and I were staring at the phoenix questioningly.
『 It’s been a long time, Demiurge, my creator. This Phoenix has returned to you after thousands of years. 』
““―――?!””
It… talk?!
Phoenix suddenly spoke, and I, as well as Demiurge, widened our eyes.
“Y-You can talk? When did you learn?”
『 I have been in the world for a long time, and before I knew it, I had learned to speak. And with it came emotions and intellect. 』
“I see… I’m not sure how much time has already passed since I created you. But if that much time has passed, it’s no surprise that we’ve come to a point where we can exchange words like this.”
『 Yeah, totally… and I can do this now, too. 』
The phoenix’s body suddenly glowed, and its form gradually became smaller and smaller…
“Ha?”
“What do you think, Demiurge-sama? Amazing right?!”
In front of me, there’s a girl.
She had a small body with few curves and semi-long hair that shone bright red like fire. However, the part at the top of her head was unusually long and shone with seven colors. Her eyes were the same as in Phoenix’s state, green and jade.