Volume 2, Chapter 3: Acedia’s Neglect, Part 1: Today was Peaceful

Volume 2, Chapter 3: Acedia’s Neglect, Part 1: Today was Peaceful

It was the reaches of space.

Space. According to some God out there or another, it was an endless abyss of darkness. Even if one possessed heavenly wings, it wasn’t so easy to span the emptiness that was vaster than the high Heavens, and rumored to exist in a place somewhere far beyond them. And there, it was said that absolutely nothing existed.

Gravity and matter and light and even desire ceased to exist.

All that was there was… right.

“Nothing…”

“… It’s not… nothing!”

An unthinkable amount of power came from those slender arms to pull at me, and from that dark, and warm, and soft space of nothingness, I was dragged out.

Lust generally wasn’t suited to battle, but when love was concerned they did have a nature that raised their abilities quite a bit. Not that it really matters.

Beautiful golden hair, and deep blue eyes. Her innocent yet delicate features held an air that would knock any Demon that governed another original sin silent.

But at the same time, there wasn’t anyone brazen enough to assault her on this land.

Lorna. No last.

A Luxuria Demon, as well as the Lord of Sloth’s personal maid.

But that form I once yearned for, that way of life, none of them were enough to stimulate my desire in the slightest.

It’s not like I Overruled her, or that I didn’t even envy her anymore, or anything like that.

It all just became a pain. All of it. Perhaps this is a single form of enlightenment.

Between me and her, I was just a little shorter, but that was a difference in the range of experimental error. That’s why when she grabbed me, and dragged me around, my feet still slid across the ground.

With strong will concealed in those blue eyes that seemed to suck me in, I offered a single word as always.

“… What?”

“… Why are you… in Leigie-sama’s bed…”

‘Twas my daily schedule. That’s why I’m always so sleepy.

With my arms locked down by her, I let out a yawn. The corners of Lorna’s lips twitched for a moment, but even that expression of hers was lovable.

This may be her natural gift thing… no, is it something that simply comes naturally to Luxuria Demons? I mean, those guys are always tempting others’ carnal desires.

The darkness gradually seeping out of the deepest depths of my body.

Like Envy, it was hard to go against, but overwhelmingly more gentle, and nothing but kind. That force that was sinking my existence into depravity was something called drowsiness.

I wonder how much time has passed since the path of Sloth opened to me. Recently, I’ve become able to understand Leigie-sama’s sentiment just ever-so-slightly.

I’m really sleepy. And sluggish.

Just as Envy continues to scorch, and Gluttony continues to hunger, the desire of Sloth forbade me from making any drastic movement.

“… Each and every day, just give it up already…”

“That’s because you haven’t given up on crawling in there each and every day!!”

As if her usual calm demeanor was but a lie, Lorna began prodding me with her broom.

And just as I’ve begun to understand Leigie-sama’s feelings as of late, I’ve begun to understand Lorna as well.

It’s not that she’s kind. She’s kind to Leigie-sama. She’s spoiling him.

There was probably a small difference between the two.

She incessantly shakes up my shoulders.

But up to here’s just our usual routine. Perhaps because of Sloth’s power, even if she’s shaking me like that, it barely gets through to me.

“Medea Luxeliaheart! Do your work properly!”

“… I’m a pillow.”

It’s not like working is a pain.

My duty is for me to sleep in Leigie-sama’s bed. By sleep, I don’t mean it in any strange way. I’m just trying to indicate pure and simple sleep.

In that sense, I’m fulfilling my professional duties more than all else.

As evidence, my Sloth Tree is proceeding forward at a reasonable rate.

“Then… what the hell is that under Leigie-sama’s head!?”

“… My senpai.”

Whether he was listening to our exchange or not, Leigie-sama had the back of his head rested against the pillow without moving a single bit.

The way he looked as if he were dead hadn’t changed at all. But the power I could feel from him simply existing there was definitely that of a Lord.

Senpai. My senpai.

Handed down from the Great Demon King, Kanon Iralaude, he was a pillow crafted from the plumage of infant Fire Dragons. Of course, he didn’t have a name. But having been made of Fire Dragon materials, the pillow was exceedingly durable, possessed ridiculously high fire resistance, and on top of being constantly warmed to a comfortable temperature, he boasted exquisite softness.

He was undoubtedly my greatest foe.

He was, but recently, I’ve found myself losing interest in mulling over something like that. In the first place, I never accepted it from the start.

Isn’t it idiotic to envy a pillow? I’ve never heard of an Invidia like that.

The reason I still aim for that coveted position is simply because my instincts will me to.

… And it’s not like I have anything better to do.

What’s more, the greatest bedroom in the Castle of Shadows was undoubtedly the Demon Lord’s bedroom. Just by being here, my power rises.

Lorna silently held a hand mirror up to me. And in it, I saw an expressionless Medea Luxeliaheart, without a trace of the abundant emotions I had before.

Truly expressionless…

“… And?”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“… Hah… Medea. Are you really fine with this?”

“Yes.”

“… Hah…”

As I gave an immediate response, Lorna let out a deep sigh.

Her eyes weren’t colored with wrath. They held only the colors of sorrow.

Lorna would never let an angry expression grace her face. Perhaps that was the nature of Lust, or perhaps she had gotten used to Leigie-sama’s behavior, or perhaps it was because she was the one who saved me. I didn’t know the reason.

She seemed to want to say something, but once more, she let out a deep, deep sigh, before speaking.

“At the very least, please wear some clothes… clothes…”

“… That’s a pain.”

In the first place, I’m barely ever going to leave the bed, so there’s no point in wearing clothing, and when I did want to leave, there was only ever Lorna here, so there was no point in hiding anything.

Leigie-sama’s here too, but I’ll bet he doesn’t even see me when I’m before his eyes, so the emotion of embarrassment before him had vanished at some point. Thinking about it was just a waste of time.

Without saying anything to my response, with a smile to indicate, ‘Medea’s drunk again,’ she took a single Glance in Leigie-sama’s direction.

“Leigie-sama… once I put Medea away, I will bring out your meal, so please wait a moment…”

“…”

Leigie’s sleeping time has recently gotten even longer. He doesn’t even make the slightest movements at Lorna’s voice.

Nodding in satisfaction, Lorna quietly extended her arms towards me.

She inserted her hands into my armpits, and lifted me up. I didn’t resist. This is also but our daily routine.

Being lifted like this was quite a bizarre sensation. It literally felt like I was moving without my feet reaching the ground.

As she carried me away like I was a piece of luggage, I offered her a word.

“Lorna…”

“Yes?”

“I think it’s best if you quit it with these pointless things.”

No matter how many times you put me away, I’ll return.

And as of late, it’s a scene that’s happened over and over again. As if through homing instinct, no matter how far away she would stow me, I would find myself here.

Even if it went against my Sloth, perhaps that was the remnants of the Envy left within me.

I can’t calm down. I have to be here.

“Medea… you are a bad influence on Leigie-sama.”

“… Bad… influence?”

Lorna likely offered blind devotion. She saw only what she wanted to see.

This is the Lord of Sloth who’s lived an overwhelmingly long time, and you’re saying I’m a bad influence… just what sort of dreams are you seeing of Leigie-sama?

There wasn’t a window, but due to the countless candlesticks decorating the walls, the inside of the room was bright.

Oh, even if it was dark, with my night vision, I would be able to make out Lorna’s expression regardless.

I thought for a moment, and tried asking.

“So should I wear clothes?”

“… That isn’t the problem here.”

Then what exactly is the problem?

Even if I didn’t ask that, I could guess. If a Demon’s cravings are the validation for their existence, then Lorna’s being is the form of Luxuria.

But in this current situation, without envying me, without developing 『Invidia』, she continued to embrace that, and in that sense, she was perhaps superior to me as a Demon.

She didn’t answer anything more, as she draped a gray blanket around me, before lifting me up by the armpits again.

Without sound, she opened the door of Leigie’sama’s room. The deepest chamber to which no Hero, or Angel had ever reached was, to the maid, and to the worthless Demon known as me, simply a portion of our everyday lives.

The army of Leigie of Sloth, that used to exist in such numbers, could now be counted on a single hand. The inside of the Castle of Shadows, constructed of black stone, was dreadfully quiet.

The powerful and famous army had largely been absorbed into the forces of a certain Heard Lauder. No, that was probably Heard’s army to begin with. That’s why that was the natural result.

This castle was always much too vast.

Even compared to the Great Demon King’s Palace of Rending Flames I had visited once before, its scale was off the charts. It could fit two or three of those cities around inside it with ease.

No, in truth, while this castle was a castle, it was just as much a town itself.

Not just subordinates, all of the subjects under the protection of the Lord of Sloth gathered at this stronghold. Of course, they lived apart, but that was also one characteristic of the Castle of Shadows.

Additions, and annexes added onto one another, and onto this bizarrely bloated Demon Lord estate. Inside, a countless number of Demons had their own properties, and it had already developed into a sort of labyrinth.

But all of that is already a story of the past.

“Now, Medea. We’re here.”

While I was nodding off, it seems we arrived. The place I found when I lifted my eyelids was my own room I had become accustom to. Without any decent garnishings, it was a very practical room.

Lorna’s room was the one beside it. That wasn’t always the case, but since I began carrying around Sloth, she altered her station. So she could deal with me easier.

My body was left on the bed, and Lorna hit her hands against each other as if she had just finished cleaning up.

How rude…

She tilted her head in thought, and murmured.

“Wouldn’t just tying her to her bed be for the best…?”

“No use.”

It was a pain, so I just gave two words.

Right, that won’t work.

It’s a given that Lorna’s schemings will end in failure.

Even like this, I’m a General Class Demon. In just basic specs, I far surpassed the maid.

In this dog-eat-dog world, that simple truth was an absolute value.

With a wordless expression, Lorna looked at me.

“Then just… work a little. Every day, you just keep sleeping in that bed…”

“…”

Then why not tell that to Leigie-sama?

In the first place, I am working. In my own sense of values, I’m continuing to pursue my desire. I mean, yeah, I haven’t been fighting as of late, but it’s not like fighting’s all there is to life.

Just what is Lorna wishing of me?

That was the biggest mystery. Leigie-sama no longer has any territory besides this castle, and this structure was completely surrounded by Heard’s domain.

Possessing a territory surrounded on all sides by allied forces was a trait that no one else but the Great Demon King boasted.

Meaning there isn’t a single one to invade here.

Even if you think long and hard about it, I doubt there are many out there who could get past that Heard Lauder.

“Leigie-sama is fine. Because that’s his job…”

“…”

Then what’s different with me? No, Leigie-sama’s sleeping time is rapidly growing in length. I spend about half a day asleep, but while I’m awake, the only time I ever see Leigie-sama awake is during his meal time. That meal is also fed to him by Lorna, so I can’t even say with certainty that he’s awake at those times.

I’m quite gone case, but Leigie-sama’s on another level.

That great divide was something I could only look to in respect. Just what can I do to sleep for such a long time…

When looked at from afar, Leigie-sama was quite bad, but when observed up closely, he was even worse, and even greater than that, was Lorna’s habit of taking everything in a favorable light. I don’t know what’s going on anymore.

And all was at peace at the Castle of Shadows.