[71.1] An Annual Checkup

I stood with my hands on my hips as I glanced around in irritation, "Lovi. Come out. We aren't playing hide 'n seek."

Asmonious came out of Lene's room with a sleeping Lene in his arms, "You're still trying to find her, Master?"

"Yep." I scowled as I raised my voice, "Lovi! If you don't come out now, then I'm going to have to look for you! And you know if I find you, I'm going to be even more angry than I am now!"

Only silence answered me.

"Fine. So be it." 

I took a deep breath and watched as smoke formed. I could clearly see Atta, Asmonious, and Lene, due to the shape and color of the smoke surrounding them. I stepped away from them, sniffing the air until I finally was led to a hidden space that someone tried to conceal. I pulled away the fake board and found Lovi hiding inside.

She screamed, "GO AWAY!"

I grabbed her foot and tried to pull her out of the hole, but she held on firm to a piece of wood.

How is she so strong?!

I pulled on her to get her out of the hidden space, "Lovi! It's just a doctor's visit!!!"

"I don't need one! I'm fine!"

"Yes, you do! It's your annual check-up!!!"

"I had one last year!"

"That's what annual means! Every! Year!" I groaned as I pulled with all my strength, "Come on! Atta and Lene aren't afraid!"

"Lene is asleep! Otherwise, she would fight alongside me!"

Which is exactly why we are leaving before she wakes up for the night.

I pulled her more, "Relax! They won't give you any medicine!"

"I don't care! Annual checkups are an injustice to my bodily freedom and a complete disregard for the independence of my own choice!!!"

I clenched my jaw, "How do you even know all these words!?!"

This is what happens when you provide children with education…

-I'm so proud!

As I tried to hide my prideful grin, Atta stood behind me and tapped my shoulder. I turned to her and watched her motion to herself. I stood up and left Lovi to think she had won the battle. However, before she could celebrate, Atta stuck her head into the space with a joyful look in her eyes.

Lovi burst out screaming at the sight of her face, "AAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!!"

With one swift movement, Atta jabbed the side of Lovi who immediately collapsed out of the hole and onto her face.

I panicked when I saw that, "Did you kill her!?"

Atta shook her head and picked Lovi up so I could see her face. Lovi glowered at me as if silently cursing me and everyone else in the room. Her intimidating glare was intensified by the sight of only one eye poking out from the hair she kept covering her entire face.

I reached out to rub her head, "Relax. It's not going to be any different than last time. They just want to check and make sure you're healthy."

She muttered spitefully, "I'm half demon. I can't get sick."

Asmonious stood behind me with a smile as he reminded her, "Didn't you catch a cold last winter?"

Her cheeks flushed red, "No one asked you."

I laughed at her, "Lovi, there's nothing to be scared about. They won't have you take medicine like they do Lene or Atta."

She clicked her tongue, "Then just take them with you. I don't see the point in bringing me along."

I pulled at her cheek, "I just want to make sure everyone under my care is healthy."

"Please have mercy!!" She cried out pitifully, "Don't make me go!! I am healthy! Or, healthy-ish!"

"Nope. You're going." I spun around and started walking out of the courtyard with a skip in my step, "Now let's go everyone~"

Once outside of our courtyard, I summoned my ice chunk where Asmonious stepped on carrying Lene and Atta followed behind him carrying Lovi. Together, we all flew to the village. However, Lovi wasn't finished begging for her freedom.

Knowing it wouldn't work for me, she turned her attention to Atta.

"Come on, Atta. Let's escape together! Surely you don't want to be forced to take the medicine, right?! They always remove more of your skin while you're there! It has to hurt, right!?"

Atta stared down at her, her lower jaw still bandaged from the previous treatment. Her eyelashes fluttered as she batted her eyes down at Lovi. She didn't have to say anything for all of us to understand what she was thinking: 

'Master commands it, so it shall be'

Lovi quickly darted her eyes to plead her case with Asmonious, "Moni! Come on, please!"

I shivered at the sound of that name but tried to ignore it.

She continued to whine, "Come on! Let's go back home! You don't want to go either, right? Those demons all fear and hate you! They don't even try to hide it! It has to be so uncomfortable for you that you'd rather not go, right!?"

He continued to smile as he chuckled, "Lovi, everyone looks at me like that. I'm used to it now."

I glanced at his smiling expression, a strange and uncomfortable feeling settling in my chest as I did.

I don't like it when he talks like that…

He gave her a look with a smile that wasn't quite a smile, "Didn't you also used to look at me like that?"

"Urk…" Lovi hung her head in defeat and tried a different approach, "Oh come on… You wouldn't force me to go if you truly loved me!"

I laughed, "It's because we love you that we are forcing you to go."

Asmonious smiled at her, "You should be thankful we get to go. Most humans, let alone demons, have little opportunity to receive medical care. I never even thought an annual checkup existed before I met Master. We are truly lucky to receive such care."

I held back tears, "My perfect boy!"

I need to make sure I spoil these children even more!

I will spoil them until they no longer think of an annual checkup as a gift!

Lovi finally accepted defeat and clicked her tongue, "Butt kisser."