The setting sun shone at an angle, casting its golden afterglow across the bustling streets of Knox City.
The clanging of hammers against metal in the blacksmith shop, the cries of street vendors… these somewhat noisy sounds of life were like heavenly music to Noctiluca’s ears at this moment.
It was so good to be back in human society!
She really wanted to become a human!
Seven days ago, she had arrived in a mountain forest amidst a world-shaking teleportation.
When she woke up, the Dark Purple Heavy Armor that symbolized her power as a Calamity Pillar was gone, replaced by a thin, coarse white dress.
However, perhaps fate took pity on this pure and softhearted member of the Demon Race, who had diligently served as a Calamity Pillar for two and a half years without ever actually killing a single soul; she was picked up by an old woman gathering flowers in the mountains.
Seeing the girl’s flowing golden hair, sapphire-clear eyes, and an innocent face like an angel descended from heaven, the woman guessed she was a noble lady in distress.
Not only did she take her home out of pity, but she also promised free room and board until she could settle down.
To repay this kindness, Noctiluca helped with housework every day and then went to the suburban mountains to pick flowers for the old lady, punching away any Slimes or Magic Wolves that crossed her path along the way.
After all, while her magic seemed to have remained in that armor, her physical constitution as a Calamity Pillar was still there.
Sending one or two low-level monsters flying was as easy and stress-relieving as popping bubble wrap.
“Hey, little girl, picking flowers again today? Here, here, take two loaves of freshly baked butter bread for Mrs. Farley!”
Just as she returned to the shopping district, a middle-aged man at the roadside bakery greeted her warmly.
“It smells wonderful. Thank you, Uncle Brad~”
Everyone loves a beautiful girl with flowers.
Noctiluca had only been here for a week, but with that highly deceptive face, she had quickly become the darling of the vendors on this street.
As she walked along, most of the flowers in her arms were replaced with freshly baked bread, milk, and towels…
Although she didn’t need some of these things for now, Noctiluca, who hadn’t felt human warmth in a long time, accepted them all with a beaming smile.
Though her days were as plain as water, there were no KPIs, no rankings, and no arbitrary categories.
Wasn’t this much better than the scheming workplace of the Demon Race?
Carrying a large bag of items through the commercial street, the girl felt like humming.
Just one more bar and a turn, and she’d be back at Mrs. Farley’s house.
However, in the next moment, her bare feet stopped in mid-air and pulled back.
Shouts and curses drifted from the bar on the other side of the street, followed by the dull thud of heavy objects hitting the ground.
Crash!
The bar’s glass window was shattered from the inside by something, and a black shadow flew out, rolling twice on the rough stone pavement before stopping precisely at the girl’s feet.
Noctiluca looked closely; it was a large crow… no, it was a young man dressed like a crow.
Why did he look like a crow?
Because this guy had black hair, black clothes, and black shoes, exuding a sense of gloom from head to toe.
And he really had just flown out of a bar window.
Judging by the bald, burly man who kicked open the door and stomped out in a rage, the “crow’s” takeoff probably wasn’t very dignified.
“What A-rank Hero? Bah! You can’t even clear a single dungeon. I think the Association must be blind!”
The brute pointed at the young man on the ground and cursed, spit flying.
“Until you pay off your tab, I’ll throw you out every time I see you! Scram!”
Seeing the young man lying on the ground unresponsive like a dead pig, the bald brute spat in annoyance and turned back into the shop, grumbling.
The passersby seemed accustomed to this scene and detoured around him, but Noctiluca stopped.
Although it was usually better to mind one’s own business, she was a retired Demon King Army cadre who had just returned to human society and was in an incredibly good mood.
Even a dog barking at her would get a smile, let alone this pitiful young man.
“If I hadn’t crossed over, I’d probably be around his age…”
With a hint of subtle pity, Noctiluca crouched down, pulled a loaf of bread from her paper bag, and tentatively poked the young man’s cheek.
Poke.
No reaction. Poke again.
The young man’s eyelids flickered almost imperceptibly.
He seemed determined to play dead to the end, but his moving Adam’s apple and the growling of his stomach betrayed the fact that he hadn’t actually fainted.
“That scary guy is already gone, sir,” the girl’s crisp, smiling voice rang out as she held the bread under the young man’s nose.
“…You heard what he said. I’m a worthless hero who can’t even afford his drinks.”
The aroma of butter and bread seemed to pry open the young man’s defenses a little, but he kept his eyes shut.
“Ignore me. Just let me rot here.”
“Oh? But the story I just heard was that you are a legendary A-rank Hero, sir.”
Noctiluca tilted her head, her tone light.
“As far as I know, that’s a level that requires superhuman talent and effort to reach.”
“…I can’t even clear a single dungeon. What kind of A-rank am I?”
Lured by the scent of bread, his stomach growled even louder.
He instinctively raised his voice, not wanting to lose face in front of a girl he’d never met, but then remembered the sound might bring the bar thugs back out.
His voice quickly deflated into a mumble.
“I appreciate your kindness, but—”
“You appreciate it, but I shouldn’t bother with you?”
The girl seemed to understand a man’s mind perfectly, anticipating what he was going to say and shoving the bread directly to his lips.
“Maybe you only failed to conquer the dungeon because you were hungry, sir? After all, even the strongest heroes have to eat.”
A wave of warmth came from the top of his head, and Gray suddenly realized something.
Was a girl he’d never met before patting his head?
The last shred of dignity in his heart made him open his eyes.
Then, Gray saw a scene he would never forget.
The picture of the setting sun unfolded before him.
Against the light, the edges of the girl’s milky-gold hair were dyed a beautiful orange-red, and his own reflection was mirrored in her sky-blue eyes.
No disgust, no disdain, no gaze that treated him like trash as others did.
She just smiled gently, her plain yet exquisite face bathed in the warm light of dusk, like an angel forgiving a mortal’s sins.
In that instant, a throb from the depths of his soul struck Gray’s brain.
Unconsciously, his lips trembled as he whispered a word.
“Mama…”
“Huh?”
Noctiluca tilted her head in confusion.
She heard the mutter, but her nearly 1.6-meter frame was definitely that of a teenage girl, not a toddler.
How could she be a mama?
But in Gray’s heart, he was already convinced:
The girl before me is someone who could become my mother!
“Ahem! I misspoke!”
Realizing how perverted his words sounded, Gray sat up straight, a faint blush of embarrassment appearing on his pale face.
“Thank you for the bread. My name is Gray. May I ask who you are—ugh?!”
Before he could finish his pleasantries, his mouth was stuffed full of bread.
It was sweet, with a taste of milk and sunshine.
It was likely the best bread Gray had ever eaten in his life.
“My name…”
The girl scratched her cheek, feeling a bit troubled.
“…You can call me Katy, sir.”
The name “Noctiluca” wasn’t exactly a household name in the human world, but considering she had just recognized his face in the sunset, she decided to use an alias to avoid unnecessary trouble.
The girl watched the young man chewing the bread like a hamster, her gentle smile mixed with awkwardness.
After all, based on the familiar aura and mana fluctuations emanating from this guy, he was the only regular visitor to The 13th Dungeon—the A-rank Hero who hadn’t managed to successfully conquer her once in a whole year: the Weakest Winless!
Love the chapter title, and now my mental image of him has cemented a a blonde pretty boy
haha fr
thanks for reading!