It Seems the Demon King Has Returned to a World Where Gender Roles Are Reversed - Chapter 38

 Chapter 38 :

As Ragna closed the door, he smiled and spoke.  

“Were you working? You’re putting in a lot of effort.”  

“…What brings you here?”  

“Well, I have a simple matter to discuss. Mind if I take a bit of your time?”  

“…”  

Karen didn’t respond to Ragna’s question.  

But Ragna, with a friendly grin, strode across the room, pulled out a nearby chair, and sat down.  

Then he looked at Karen.  

“Phew…”  

“…”  

“This is nice. I might want to take one of these chairs for my room.”  

“…Take it if you want. So, what’s this about? Why are you here?”  

“As I said, it’s a simple matter. It’s about Seria.”  

“Seria?”  

“Yes, exactly.”  

An awkward silence hung between them.  

It was Karen who broke the silence.  

“…I don’t understand why Seria’s name is coming up. By the way, didn’t I tell you to drop the formalities when we’re alone?”  

“Oh, my bad. I forgot. Sorry about that.”  

“It’s fine. But what’s this about Seria?”  

“Hmm, as I mentioned earlier today, I’m a bit worried. I was thinking it might be a good idea to check on her condition.”  

“Seria?”  

“Yeah, exactly. What do you think?”  

“…As I’ve said, you don’t need to worry about Seria.”  

“Well, I heard you, but still. Don’t you think it’s good to keep an eye on her condition? If she causes any trouble, it’ll be a problem for both of us, right?”  

“So, you’re saying you want to meet her to nip any issues in the bud?”  

“Something like that.”  

At Ragna’s response, Karen shook her head as if unimpressed.  

“No need to answer that.”  

“Hmm, meaning?”  

“I told you, didn’t I? You don’t need to worry about Seria.”  

“Hmm, I get that, but it’s still about Seria. You must know how she feels about me, right?”  

At that, Karen frowned.  

“That’s a separate matter. She’s a knight of the kingdom. Isn’t it only natural that she has that level of self-control?”  

“Hmm, so you’re saying there’s no issue then?”  

“Of course. Besides, she’s so busy with her training that she doesn’t have the energy to think about anything else.”  

“That’s quite the confidence. Can you vouch for that?”  

“Vouch?”  

Karen tilted her head at Ragna’s sudden remark.  

“Yeah, vouch. If Seria causes trouble, it’ll be a hassle for me too. So, I’d like some assurance. If something happens with Seria, you’ll take responsibility, right?”  

“…What’s the point of such nonsense?”  

“Well, it might seem pointless, but it’s for my peace of mind. If Karen Steiner, former member of the White Knights, guarantees it with her honor, I’d sleep a lot better at night.”  

“That’s absurd…”  

“Absurd? I think it’s a reasonable concern. Like we talked about this morning, I’ve been handling the marriage proposal rejections smoothly without causing any issues. You’ve seen that with your own eyes, haven’t you? But when it comes to Seria, I’m at a disadvantage. I can’t see or hear what’s going on with her.”  

“…”  

“So, I was thinking you could at least give me a word of assurance. That’s my ‘main’ business here.”  

“…”  

Silence fell between them.  

Then, with a huff, Karen leaned back in her chair.  

“…Are you doubting me?”  

“It’s not about doubt. I’d just like to gain some trust. After all, weren’t you the one who broke our initial agreement? Instead of enrolling me in the academy, you set me up for marriage proposals.”  

“…”  

At that, Karen flinched, showing a troubled expression.  

Indeed, it was Karen who had broken their agreement first.  

As such, she couldn’t exactly snap back at Ragna.  

In the end, Karen sighed and decided to hear him out.  

“…Fine, I’ll do it.”  

“Oh? Meaning?”  

“Just as you said. I’ll take full responsibility for Seria. If she causes any trouble—”  

“No, no. If she has caused trouble, you’ll take responsibility. It’s not just about dealing with the aftermath; it’s about ensuring compensation for any issues. That’s the point.”  

“…Alright, I’ll do it. So, what kind of responsibility are we talking about?”  

“Well, we’ll discuss that when the time comes. It’s all hypothetical anyway.”  

“…”  

At Ragna’s response, Karen’s expression soured. She felt like she was being dragged into something.  

But even so, it was just a clever trick.  

Seria wouldn’t cause any trouble.  

Right now, she was likely in the midst of intense sparring. After facing Karen, who hadn’t held back, Seria wouldn’t have the energy to stir up any issues.  

Moreover, Karen was confident she had instilled enough discipline in her.  

By now, Seria was probably reflecting on her swordsmanship and techniques, preparing for the next sparring session.  

There was no way the situation Ragna was describing would happen.  

That was what Karen believed.  

It was a mindset typical of Karen, born into a warrior family and raised as a warrior herself. It was the natural conclusion for someone like her, shaped by such an environment.  

She assumed others thought the same way she did.  

If they didn’t, it was simply a matter of lacking “resolve.”  

If someone had been by her side, observing her, they might have given her a wry smile and corrected her mistaken assumptions.  

But it was late at night.  

And this was her office.  

Even the maids and servants who usually assisted with miscellaneous tasks weren’t around.  

Thus, no one was there to point out her misjudgment.  

As a result, Karen nodded at Ragna’s words and said:  

“Alright. I swear on the honor of the Steiner family and my own. I will take responsibility for any incidents or accidents caused by Seria Brandzburg.”  

“…”  

At Karen’s words, Ragna gave a satisfied smile and slowly nodded.  

“…So, is that all for your business?”  

“Hmm, yeah, I suppose so.”  

“Then get out. I still have a ton of work to do.”  

Currently, the Steiner family was without its head, Alessa Steiner, who was away on a personal trip.  

In her absence, the head maid had been managing the estate.  

However, even the head maid couldn’t sign off on official matters related to the Steiner family.  

In this situation, Karen, the eldest daughter and a pillar of the family, had returned.  

As a result, the responsibility of signing off on the family’s backlog of official matters fell on her shoulders.  

Because of this, Karen had been working late into the night for days. Perhaps her usual sharp judgment was dulled because of it.  

But Ragna dismissed that idea.  

In his view, her true nature was that of a clumsy, mistake-prone person who tried to cover it up by acting cold and composed. That’s why she left loose ends everywhere.  

With that thought, Ragna stood up. The chair scraped as it was pushed back.  

He walked toward the entrance.  

Seeing this, Karen turned her gaze back to the documents in front of her.  

“Oh, by the way…”  

“…?”  

“Hmm… I almost forgot to mention the real reason I came.”  

“The real reason?”  

“Yeah. The conversation was so fun that I nearly forgot. My bad.”  

“…What nonsense are you spouting? What’s this ‘real’ reason?”  

“It’s nothing big, really. Just…  

Seria is in my room right now.” 

*Thud.* Something dropped.  

Still facing the door with his back to Karen, Ragna smirked.  

He could imagine the expression on her face without looking.  

Now, what should he do next? Perhaps it was time to discuss their relationship again.  

Yes, what happened that night the next part. It would be good to clarify who the “master” was.  

With that thought, Ragna turned around.  

And he couldn’t help but burst into laughter.  

Karen was staring at him with a pale, almost comical expression, like a rabbit struck by an arrow.  

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