Stupid Steps to End
Chapter 4: The Devil

Arthur POV's

I've heard a legend about a dashing young man who found an angel's shawl on the edge of the lake. The angels were bathing at night, the young man stole one of the nymph's shawls so that he could not return home.

Is this the scene that the young man saw in the legends? I never knew the legend was real.

TAP, TAP, TAP..

"Oi, what are you doing? Why are you peeping at them?"

"Wrong-I don't peek! I'm just checking things out!"

The witch crossed her arms. Nudging my ear, he told me not to make it up and dragged me back to the camp. After that, I was thoroughly lectured.

It's not that I intend to peek, I'm not a pervert. I just accidentally found them taking a shower. Is that wrong?

Especially, I have someone I want to marry after this trip is over. Gwendolyn, the woman I love. He was my friend from childhood. I promised I'd propose to her after this was all over.

"Hey, are you listening to me?! I didn't teach you to be a pervert!"

"Don't be afraid, witch. I only have one woman in my heart. You should be more worried about yourself-"

"I'm impotent and asexual. I have no interest in anyone"

...

.............. I don't need to hear that.

I want to say his security because he can't use magic but what can he do.

He is an eccentric wizard.

"Forget-so what am I supposed to do with this shawl?" I asked, handing the orange shawl over to his hand.

"We seem to be going the wrong lake. So we're gonna have to do plan B"

".. We have a plan B?"

The witch nodded. Pulling me to the edge of the lake, we found a woman crying. It flashed for a moment in my mind a bad plan that a witch would do.

He wanted to use this opportunity to threaten him to help us obtain the legendary sword Excalibur. I can't let him do that.

"Hey, stop!" My hand moved pulling his shoulder back. Forcibly taking his shawl, he glared at me unhappily.

The witch turned out to be a crafty person. He doesn't hesitate to play dirty if necessary. I didn't like his way though I knew he was doing this because he was desperate to help me.

I don't want him to be angry. This witch is a little crazy. I don't know what he'll do if I get in the way of his plan.

"I.. I think there's a better way than threatening him"

She's scary. Sometimes I can understand but also do not understand his actions. The reason why he helped me felt so ambiguous.

"Sir witch, leave it to me. I can guarantee we'll get Excalibur"

...****************...

Arthur walked over to the moon goddess. I couldn't hear what they were talking about from a distance. He asked me not to interfere with his plans.

I have the perfect plan. I'm not going to threaten the goddess, I'm just going to negotiate a little with her. What is he afraid of?

!!..

The night wind suddenly changed towards the south. I could feel the night sky move a little. With the course of the plot, time slowly began to move.

From behind the bushes, I could see two pieces of red light burning in the darkness. I leaned over to him. Trying to see more clearly, I felt the air in the forest turn cold.

'Young man, you look delicious..'

I goosebumps and reflexively, I jump to my feet. My eyes caught the eyes of the figure inside the shadow. This is bad news. I have faced the devil.

I glanced behind me. Arthur was still talking to the goddess of the moon. Instead, they are seen performing a ritual to summon the lake fairy. It's critical. I'm really alone now.

I don't have any superpowers or more intelligence about demons. What am I supposed to do? Can talking through logic help me get out of this situation?

"H, Hey. for a second.. I want to offer you something"

'You want to offer me something?'

"I, Yeah. Aren't you the fairy in the lake legend?"

The figure fell silent, not expecting me to tell him that. Letting go of the little laugh, she assented me and revealed herself as a beautiful woman with an attempt to tease me.

'You passed my exam.. I'm the lake fairy. What do you want young man?'

I smiled stiffly. Scratching my cheek, I gulped my saliva. I haven't thought about it so far. So I told him I wanted the sword Excalibur can defeat the demon lord.

The demon laughed out loud as soon as I said it. I pretended to be stupid in front of him and still asked how to get Excalibur. The demon propped up his chin enjoying this game.

He said he would give it to me after I passed the next exam. As he explained the rules, I grabbed a nearby wood with a pointed tip.

'Do you understand?'

"I, Yes.. B, can you protect me for a second? I feel like there's something in there"

The devil raised his eyebrows and turned his body in a hurry to see the direction I was pointing. Utilizing this situation, I stuck the pointy wood on his head.

The devil fell to the ground. Wiggling, I saw his body turn into a terrifying fox. He had trouble moving because I hurt his head.

He's not dead yet. To kill the devil, I must stab his heart. Unfortunately, I don't know where his heart lies. Demons often hide their hearts in difficult places. There are even things outside their bodies.

'K, you set me up..'

"You set me up first. I'm just negotiating with you"

'How dare you!'

I threw stones that I could find towards the demon that attacked me. The devil dodged every stone thrown at him. Running out of a plan that could help me, I ran meander in order to escape from it.

Due to running without direction, the good news was, the demon finally let me go because it could not find my messy tracks. The bad news is that I'm lost in the woods.

"Haa.. Ha... Maddened.. I'm going crazy a long time ago"

If I were not a character with knowledge of the outside world, I would definitely die. I knew I wouldn't die if I didn't eat and sleep. Unfortunately, it does not relieve fatigue and hunger.

Let me sleep for a few minutes. I'm not sure I can walk more than this.