What a strange day it's been.
It was as if the world had turned upside down—the moon rose at dawn, darkness rode in with the sun. That kind of strange.
I have comrades now.
And just like that, the world began to shine like something I'd never seen before.
One of them is the Demon Lord.
Soft, fragile, delicate—my master.
The other is my colleague.
Someone who speaks to the Demon Lord without a hint of fear—my companion.
Both of them are precious to me.
There are moments when I catch myself thinking: was the world always this beautiful? When I stepped outside to gather ingredients, that's exactly how I felt. The wilderness stretched before me—"Blood Tears of the Demon Lord," they call it. Supposed to be nothing but empty land.
And yet the stars twinkled. The moon was beautiful. The night sky poured its pure, clear light down onto the earth.
...It's beautiful.
I meant it. Honestly.
The world had always been this wide, this gentle, this beautiful.
I took a bath for the first time.
It was warm. Toasty warm. And I was happy—so happy that I started crying again.
What a strange day. A day when tears come even when I'm not sad, or hurt, or suffering.
When Kiasu-sama noticed I was crying, he apologized. For some reason. And when he said we should bathe separately from tomorrow, I cried again—this time from sadness. I was so afraid he hated me. Later, I found out that wasn't it at all, and I felt so relieved. He even said we could still bathe together.
I said something selfish for the first time. But I don't want him to hate me for being too selfish. I'll be careful from now on.
They even let me use shampoo and conditioner. It was like magic—my hair turned impossibly smooth. It must have been some kind of magic potion. It smelled so nice I licked it.
It turned out bitter.
I'd been told not to drink the water. But I should probably remember not to lick anything else, either.
When I got out of the bath, I started crying again.
I couldn't help it.
Because Kiasu-sama had given me clothes. And they were the same as his. Apparently they'd come from the workshop, or something—I didn't really understand. Kiasu-sama and Andre are always talking about things I don't quite get.
It makes me a little lonely.
The dried meat I'd made—just charred over a fire—and the bread I'd brought, Kiasu-sama ate with obvious happiness.
Though honestly, watching him struggle to chew through either one was a little funny.
I know I'm only newly created, but even a child would have a stronger jaw.
Andre, of course, used it as an excuse to insult Kiasu-sama again. And Kiasu-sama, without taking any offense, answered him calmly.
"What a big-hearted Demon Lord," I thought.
When I think back to before I knew Kiasu-sama, I can barely keep from laughing at how small-minded that first Demon Lord was.
I should thank him, really. Thank you for not hiring me.
If I'd stayed under someone like that, my world would still be painful now.
"Thank you for the meal. It was delicious."
Someone who would say that to me—I never had anyone like that before.
So, truly—
Thank you.
We had separate bedrooms. It made me a little lonely, but I'd decided not to be selfish. I'd bear it. Kiasu-sama had apparently put a recovery attribute on the room—I didn't really understand, but the gentle light felt wonderful. He apologized for not having a bed, but only the Demon Lord and his close attendants would sleep on something like that.
...Ah. I suppose I am the Demon Lord's attendant now.
I gave Kiasu-sama the spare monster fur I'd been keeping, then went into my own room. I'd given him the better one—but was it really alright for a Demon Lord to accept something like that?
Today had so much in it. I closed my eyes, going over each moment slowly, one by one.
And at the very end, I remembered Kiasu-sama's words.
"Goodnight. See you tomorrow."
Such beautiful words.
I want to say them too.
So—
Goodnight to the me of today.
And tomorrow, a beautiful world will be waiting for you.
Summary:
The narrator reflects on a day of firsts—comrades, a bath, new clothes—and discovers the world's beauty through kindness. Each small kindness triggers tears, alternating between joy and the fear of rejection. The chapter ends with the narrator learning to say goodnight to themselves, a ritual of self-compassion they've never known.
Trivia:
The narrator was previously employed by a narrow-minded Demon Lord and suffered under them.
Kiasu-sama possesses recovery magic and applies it to the narrator's bedroom.
The matching clothes symbolize equality and belonging, not just a servant's uniform.
The narrator has never taken a bath before this day.
"Blood Tears of the Demon Lord" is a wilderness location, not an event.
The narrator licked shampoo and found it bitter—showing childlike curiosity.
Andre insults Kiasu-sama freely, yet Kiasu-sama never takes offense.
The narrator's final self-directed goodnight is the first time they've practiced self-care.
Notes:
• Kiasu - Job: Dungeon Master; Relationship: Master to Paimon; Item/Magic: Smartphone with Creation ability; Note: Zero years old, self-deprecating, clings to civilized lifestyle.
• Andre - A demon of the sixty-fifth rank in Solomon's seventy-two demons, appearing in the form of a peacock. Acts as a conductor of sophistry and a support interface for the dungeon master. Bestows knowledge of surveying, astronomy, and geometry. Displays a formal, refined demeanor with hidden warmth and genuine concern for her master's safety, though she expresses frustration through sharp lecturing. Colleague of the narrator. Speaks to the Demon Lord without fear. Blunt and sarcastic. Uses insults casually but reveals underlying care through actions. Functions as the straight-man tsukkomi character. The protagonist's smartphone companion who serves as both advisor and voice of reason. Speaks with polite, respectful deference while occasionally expressing exasperation at the master's priorities. Questions the safety of dungeon designs and serves as a grounding presence to the protagonist's whims.