Confinement King

　The atmosphere at the end of the cake buffet was like hell.

　Tachioka's sister said, "Nii nii? here it comes, aahh..." and bring the spoon, which had scooped up the cake, closer to me, looking up at me. But as I had agreed to act as a big brother brother for Shiratori-san, I decided to treat her like a big brother.

（Act like a big brother...act like a big brother... o-okay! ）

「"Kizuna-tan", ahh...」

　I say to her in such a way as to match her sweet mood.

　But――

「Eh?」

　――She immediately turned into a straight face.

　"What is it?" I say, confused.

　And both of us stiffen with confused faces.

　Shiratori-san is indifferent, and Kei-chan seems uninterested in anything other than the cake. I felt as if I have to say something smart to the one who moves first, and I couldn't even move.

　The situation is doomed, like a siege with no hope of rescue.

　A hellish silence settled between her and me descended, and we stared at each other in confusion for several minutes.

　As it was, the buffet time was up.

　Everyone parted ways at the station, and on the way back to my house, my thoughts wandered.

（I wonder how I should have reacted correctly...）

　Probably, she reacted only because she didn't expect it. It was a big difference from what she imagined her brother to be.

（No, no, no, why do I have to be so bothered?）

　Tachioka-kun's sister doesn't want to be my sister, she's trying to act as my sister in order to be protected by me and to win my affection.

　But I don't really want a sister other than Saori-chan.

（I wonder... what is this feeling that no one benefits from...）

　The fact that Shiratori-san is making such an arrangement means that there is some kind of deliberate scheme going on... no, there is a possibility that she is just being amusing herself.

　Nevertheless, that's not what I should be thinking about right now.

　The culprit who targeted Hanabusa-san. The one who injured Saori-chan.

　According to Shiratori-san, it was a member of the basketball club in Hanabusa-san's class. There are two of them, girls with terrible nicknames like "Sankon" and "Monkii".

　One of them, or both of them, is using Hanabusa-san as a tool to drag down Asuka Nitani in a devious way.

（If this is true, it's pretty bad...）

　It is not difficult to identify either or both of these two as the culprits.

　I... might be too cautious, so if I can get Claudia to ask a question or two and use her <Eyes of Truth>, it should be enough to identify them.

　But the problem is after that.

　If their misdeeds are made public, the basketball club will be suspended, and Hanabusa-san's past efforts will be for nothing.

　If I punish the culprit by confining them, I may end the life of this school this time.

　The school has become infamous throughout the country as the scene of too many incidents.

　At this moment, it is believed that it will be very difficult to recruit students for the next school year, but if such an incident happens one more time, the school will be closed.

　I can only say that I deserve it, but I can't help feeling a sense of stagnation.

　All I can think of is to scare them so that no one will notice.

（You're pathetic, Confinement King. You need to be more cunning like a bad guy...）

　With this in mind, I arrived home, told Mom that I had gone to a cake buffet and didn't want dinner, and went upstairs.

　And as soon as I stepped into my room...

「This manga about a salaryman who just eats... why is it so addictive, Devi?」

　I heard a familiar voice, and I looked up.

「Lili!」

　There, floating in midair, scratching her belly and reading a manga, was my partner, the devil girl, no doubt.

「I'm back, Devi」

　She said while smiling with a toothy grin.

　Although we hadn't been apart for long enough to have an emotional reunion, I had been worried about her because she had seemed quite upset when she returned to the demon world. So, to be honest, I was relieved to see that she was still the same.

「Is everything alright in the demon world?」

「For the time being, Devi. Things with Lord Andras aren't over yet, Devi, but the crisis is over for the time being, Devi」

「I see. Is everyone else okay?」

「No problem, Devi. Nefuterra is staying behind to rule the newly expanded territory, Devi. I also brought all the maids back with me, Devi」

「I see... that's good」

　The four former members of the track and field club are now obedient maids, even though they humiliated Fujiwara-san. No matter how strong they are, they're still just human beings.

　To be honest, it's not an exaggeration to say that the girls were the ones I was most worried about.

　While I thought this, Lili threw the manga down on the bed in her hands and turned to face me, sitting up in the air.

「We'll talk about this later. Fumi Fumi also has a souvenir, or trouble, or something like that, Devi, but more importantly, there seems to be a problem, Devi? Why are you looking so upset, Devi?」

「Actually...」

　Although I'm curious about the trouble she's talking about, that's not what I need to be thinking about right now.

　I put my bag on the floor and sit down on the bed, explaining to her about the events surrounding the entertainment company and the basketball club.

　Lili listened to me quietly, but when I finished, she shrugged her shoulders as if to say she was dumbfounded.

「What is it? It just like that, Devi?」

「Why it just like that... do you have a better idea?」

「Yes, Devi」

　Lili's small chest puffed out.

「All you have to do is get revenge on them, or one of them, without anyone noticing, Devi?」

「Well, yeah, but...」

　My brow furrows, and she twists her mouth to say.

「"Death Game", Devi」

「……….What?」

　I thought for a moment that I had misheard, but Lili repeated it again, full of herself.

「It's death game, Devi」

「Are... are you kidding me?」

「What is it, Devi?」

「You heard what I said, right? I told you not to let anyone missing, didn't I? What death game? That's exactly what will make them missing!」

　And Lili just said, "Whaaa?」 and her cheek twists in annoyance, then she thrusts her face towards mine.

「Really, that kind of standardized thinking is the limit of the cramming education in this country, Devi"

「From what standpoint are you talking about education?」

　Then Lili puts her face right in front of my nose, as if she's trying to stir me up.

「Look, Devi, if you think you can't play the death game without kidnapping and confinement, you're wrong, Devi. You can play the death game with just a matchstick if you want to, Devi.」

「A matchstick... how?」

　Then, for some reason, Lili's gaze swam.

「Eh? Ah, umm............... well kidnapping and confinement is not a prerequisite for a death game, Devi」

「You mean you didn't think about it first?」

　It's a dumbfounding but somehow relieving exchange. Lili's existence itself is extraordinary, but I felt that everyday life had mysteriously returned.

「A-Anyway, I'll explain in detail, Devi. We're moving to the "bedroom", Devi」

「Can't we do it here?」

　Then she smirked and said.

「It'll be quicker if we talk about it with the others, Devi」