My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero's

"You want to know about the Demon Clan, right? Then I'll tell you!"

Lattice Nail said cheerfully as he shoved the black cloth he’d been wearing into the pouch at his waist.

"Wait—who are you anyway? How did you get on this ship?"

Noah, wary, made a fist, and I hurriedly stopped her and ran over to Lattice Nail.

She's supposed to be the demon lord's daughter, yet she's far too trusting. Anyone would be suspicious if someone suddenly appeared on a flying ship.

"Hold on. Rusty is someone we know. He’s helped us before. So please don’t attack him out of the blue."

Amelia’s words made Zeal and the other heroes relax from their combat stances as well. They’d met him before, though not talked to much—Noah had likely influenced them.

"Indeed, this is my first time meeting you. I’m Lattice Nail! I’m a Demon Clan member and a friend of Amelia and your big brother!"

I wondered when he got to be friends with me, let alone Amelia.

Also… is he judging Noah’s age by her appearance? Then again, since Lattice Nail is a demon too, he might be older than Noah. It’s annoyingly difficult to guess ages when appearances lie.

Noah twitched at the word "Demon Clan."

"Demon Clan? Hey, what’s this about?"

Noah looked to Crow, but Crow didn’t know either and shrugged, turning away. I still can’t tell whether those two are reconciled or not.

Noah then looked at me, so I reluctantly recounted how I met Lattice Nail—the handsome-and-beautiful contest in Beastmen territory.

While I spoke, Lattice Nail and Amelia were happily reuniting with giggles. Lucky. I wanted to join them.

"...I see. So the demon lord’s daughter ran away from home. Every family has trouble with their kids, huh. I suddenly feel a bit sorry for the demon lord."

Noah said, glancing at Crow who still faced away.

"In any case, he doesn’t seem hostile... right?"

"Of course! Think of me as just a helper~"

His words made me tilt my head. He spoke as if he intended to join our party.

'Lattice Nail-sama! Are you planning to revolt against the demon lord!?' Yoru shouted in my head—apparently thinking the same thing at night—but his words don’t reach unless I translate them.

"Sorry, can someone swap shifts with Yoru on guard duty?"

It’s just precautionary, but I wanted at least one person on deck.

Crow silently stood up at my request. He might have been unable to bear Noah’s gaze.

Yoru arrived immediately to take Crow’s place.

"Yoru, before you guys start arguing, there’s something we need to clarify... Lattice Nail, how did you get on this ship? If Demon Clan members or demonic beasts have ways of getting in, we need countermeasures."

I stopped Yoru from saying something to Lattice Nail and asked. Yoru looked annoyed at being cut off, but with the ship getting closer to Demon Clan territory, being cautious was justified.

"It’s fine! I came here like I did to you and your big brother before—I flew in wearing these, and I put on this cloth that blocks various things! And these two are unique magical tools I borrowed from the castle treasury, so no other demon should be able to do the same!"

When he said he borrowed them from the treasury, Lattice Nail stuck out his tongue mischievously. I smiled wryly and nodded in understanding.

Still, between him and some knight commander, aren’t they borrowing too much from the treasury? Not that I can complain, considering I abused a borrowed sword and turned it into two daggers myself.

"Alright. Now, earlier I heard you say you intended to join us and confront the demon lord."

Yoru wasn’t being calm enough, so I took the lead.

Lattice Nail’s cheerful smile faded and he put on a serious expression.

"I came with that intention... Please, stop my father. It’s gone too far to turn back now, but he’s still my only father."

He spoke not with his usual light, carefree tone but with a tightened face, looking up at me clearly and firmly.

You could see he understood what he was saying and had steeled himself.

Yoru stared at Lattice Nail dumbfounded—like an uncle realizing his nephew has grown while he wasn’t looking.