Confinement King

　As soon as I stepped into the "Confinement King\'s bedroom", the maids suddenly started shouting in a high-pitched chant, and I involuntarily backed away.

「Oh, yeah... t-that\'s great」

　Perhaps I should say that the maids have gotten used to being maids, but there is no hesitation in their behavior, and I, who should be their master, feel rather uncomfortable.

　I then whispered to Lili.

「Has everyone\'s mood changed a bit? It\'s more powerful somehow...」

　In fact, the girls used to turn red and squirm when they made eye contact with me, but now they smile back at me in a relaxed manner.

　Then Lili snorted.

「Hmph, of course, Devi. They now are fierce warriors who have crossed the line of death in their own way, Devi. They\'re not just any maids you find lying around, Devi」

「I don\'t think there are any maids lying around, though」

　Indeed, it would not be an exaggeration to say that they have crossed the line of death.

　Each one of them has the eyes of a master of martial arts.

　Somehow, it\'s just plain scary. What kind of experience does one have to have to have such eyes?

「But, now\'s a good time, Devi. I was just thinking we need to replenish the maids, Devi」

「Replenish?」

「I thought it was time to let the four of them go now that they\'ve done their part, Devi」

「Is that so?」

　Well, I guess that\'s more than enough punishment for messing with Fujiwara-san. I\'m sure their parents are worried about them, and although the term was set at one year, it might be a good idea to let them go home ahead of schedule.

「But... Devi」

「But what?」

　I tilted my head, and Lili let out a sigh, then spoke up.

「Cockroach, what would you do if I said I\'d let you go, Devi?」

　Saito-san then stepped forward and put her hands behind her waist, her chest heaving as she raised her voice.

「No, thank you? We are all maids for life? If we are not maids, then who are we? We wish to serve Confinement King-sama for the rest of our lives!」

「Tapeworm? What is a maid, Devi?」

　Lili asked, and this time Hotta-san stepped forward.

「Yes? To find out what it is to die!」

（No, don\'t find out it. I don\'t want a maid like that...）

「...That\'s how it is, Devi. In the demon world, I left these guys in the care of Balver, one of Lili\'s four heavenly kings, but it seems that his military training was a little too hard, Devi...」

「I\'m starting to wonder if they are even maids anymore...」

「That\'s why, although it\'s up to you to decide whether or not to return them to their home, but as a reward, each of them will be promoted as head maids. I was planning to make them semi-favorite princess apprentices and give them new subordinates, Devi」

「I see... so you\'re saying that the two first-year basketball players will eventually become maids? I mean, we can\'t just make them disappear, can we?」

「That\'s what I call a commuter maid, Devi」

「I don\'t know about "commuter maid" but isn\'t one of the two just a victim?」

　That\'s right.

　The other one is just a member of the basketball club in the same class as Hanabusa.

　It\'s not impossible that both of them are involved, but if not, it\'s really an accident.

　Then, Lili held up her index finger and waved it, "Tsk, tsk, tsk".

　Yeah, I haven\'t seen that in a while, but it\'s still annoying.

「Fumi Fumi is misunderstood, Devi」

「About what?」

「That it doesn\'t make sense, or that it\'s a setup. Lili is the devil, Fumi Fumi is the bad guy, Devi. You\'re not on the side of justice, Devi」

「Well, that\'s true, but...」

「Don\'t be afraid to show off, Devi. Just because they happen to be in the same class and in the same club, it doesn\'t mean they will not suffer in hell, Devi. It\'s unreasonable and unfair, Devi... but it\'s thrilling, Devi」

　I almost forgot, but now that I think about it, she\'s a devil. But――

「No, no, no! The only target is the one who caused Saori-chan\'s injury. I won\'t compromise on that」

　Lili puffed out her cheeks in frustration as I told her that.

「Buu~... you damn movie version of Giant」

「What kind of cursing is that!? I\'m not trying to be nice and make myself more likable!」

「Except for the space exploration history, Devi」

「Are you a fanatic!? You\'re right, but Giant didn\'t do anything. He was just treated like nothing!」

「Well, that\'s far enough of a preamble, Devi」

「That was a preamble, huh...」

　Then, Lili turned to the maids again.

「Are any of you close to the girls\' basketball club, Sankon and Monkey, Devi?」

　The girls looked puzzled for a moment, and then looked at each other.

「Well, we are all familiar with them. However, I don\'t think any of us are particularly close...」

　Saito-san replied, and the other three gave small nods.

「Fumu... so, what kind of person they are, Devi?」

　Inui-san responded.

「Ritsuko Sakon, aka Sankon, is the daughter of a wealthy family. She\'s tall and slender like a basketball player, and she gives the impression of a lady\'s daughter」

　Next, Kishijo-san.

「Monkey... or Mangi Nagashi is rather a violent person. Her parents live in a boxing gym, and she doesn\'t talk much, but when she loses her temper, she\'s out of control. I don\'t think she is particularly beautiful. She is always hunched over and has a bad eye, but not as bad as Saki-sama. My impression is that she is a ferocious beast of the cat family」

「A monkey, but a cat?」

　When I interrupted, Hotta-san opened her mouth.

「I went to the same middle school with Monkey, but she didn\'t get the nickname "Monkey" until after high school. Before that, she used to be called "Manko", but it seems that there were some problems」

「Well, of course there were problems!!」

「Yes, the girls were fine, but the boys were disturbed...」

　If you hear "Manko" in a girl\'s conversation, all adolescent boys will bend forward. Of course they would be disturbed.

　A nickname that requires a "beep" sound is not good.

「I don\'t care if it\'s Manko or Manbo (Sunfish), Devi...」

　Stop it. Don\'t put it out like that. I pity the Sunfish.

「We need to prepare for the death game, Devi. Let Ryoko be the first to die――」

「Why are you doing this to Ryoko!?」

「Well, we need one more person... Devi. We\'ll use the vertical rolls as cherry blossoms, Devi. If we don\'t have enough, we can add another Devi」

「Kayama-san? Why?」

「It\'s just that if you want them to compete, they\'re more likely to be in the same grade, Devi」

「Oh, I see.」

　I nodded, but Lili ordered the maids.

「Tomorrow at midnight, you two will split up and kidnap Sankon and Monkey, Devi!」

「「「「Yes, Mam!」」」」

「If they resist, you can tear them limb, Devi. You can do whatever you want as long as they don\'t die, Devi, but do it carefully and without anyone noticing, Devi!」

「Wait, wait, wait a minute!? We can\'t just kidnap them, right? There\'s no point if someone goes missing!」

　I panic, but Lili tells me in a soothing tone.

「Don\'t worry about it. They\'ll be home soon, Devi. I\'m just going to explain the rules, Devi」