"what is it, Master?"

All along the sidewalk on my way back from my part-time job, yesterday's incident kept looping in my head.
Every now and then, I’d check my phone. I was just hoping to get a text notification from Cellia. She should have hit me up by now like she usually did. Was the future we once built together about to just vanish into thin air?By future, of course, I meant...Marriage."Ugh..."My feet came to a halt right next to a bus stop.If I truly am the Demon Lord she absolutely loathes, then why on earth did she fall for me? It makes zero sense. Damn it. 
Who even am I at this point? The Demon Lord Satanos, or just Izumi?
------------------------------
While I was drowning in my own thoughts, I didn't even notice someone sitting on the bench over there.But for some strange reason, she looked oddly familiar. Where have I seen her before? If we trace it back to our previous world..."Ah, hope, nope, nope..."I still couldn’t piece everything together. The memories I had right now were just fractured shards. The only thing I could vividly recall was that final battle scenario, where my heart was run through by that holy sword.Man. I figured it would be best if I just went over and checked for myself.With my head turning into an absolute mess, I built up the courage to go introduce myself.The closer I stepped, the clearer her outline became. She was a girl. She wore a black hoodie, and her blonde hair was tied back into a ponytail, mostly hidden beneath a cap. A black mask covered her mouth. She even sported dark sunglasses to block out the sun's glare.But just as I was about to say hello, she seemed totally absorbed in her phone. Like, insanely busy.For a second, I assumed she must be some high-powered, incredibly busy person. I mean, sure, that could happen."Excuse me, do you mind if I sit here?"Hey, at least asking for permission is a solid opening move."E-eh... S-sure..."Huh? That voice sounded way too familiar. Even her fingers were trembling as she answered."......"She didn't pay attention to my existence at all, despite the fact that I was sitting right next to her. Her eyes stayed glued to her screen.Naturally, I sneaked a quiet peek at her phone. I was genuinely curious about what was keeping her so occupied.But as it turned out...She wasn't busy at all.Yeah. Not even close.This person was literally just mashing random numbers into her phone's calculator app. Every few seconds, she’d hit clear, and then start tapping random numbers all over again.Realizing this, I could only let out a bitter smile. What is wrong with this girl?"I feel like I've seen you somewhere before... But where?"Brushing all other thoughts aside, I just went straight to the point.She snapped her head toward me. Then, she completely froze the moment she saw my face. Her body began to shake way harder than before."....M-Master...!!"Her voice sounded like someone utterly awestruck. Or maybe deeply moved."Master?""....I can't believe it!!"Out of nowhere, she literally threw her phone away and locked me in a hug with a terrifying amount of strength. I had absolutely no clue how to handle the situation. Total confusion began to hijack my entire brain."Y-You finally remember me!! I didn't think... I thought I was just going to be forgotten forever...!" This girl started bawling her eyes out right then and there.Whining like a total toddler.But looking closely at her, is she actually a kid? No. I mean, she’s probably only a few years younger than me. And besides, peeking out from under her hoodie, I could spot the collar of a high school uniform.A schoolgirl. Great.I tried to pry myself out of her embrace. I really tried.But it was practically impossible. Her grip was way too tight.Like, ridiculously strong. Ugh. I could barely even breathe. It felt like being squeezed to death by a massive python."I've been waiting for you for so long... Waiting for Master's awakening...""Awakening?""You know...?" She finally loosened her grip a bit and pulled off her sunglasses. She was genuinely crying. Tears were streaming down her face."Ever since Master's death, I felt so incredibly lonely.... And then, I suddenly had an idea.""Look, I don't understand a single word you're saying, but what kind of idea are we talking about here?""I created a magic portal! I copied the exact way Master activates portals. After ritual upon ritual, I finally managed to pull it off, even if it wasn't perfect. But it worked! I actually made it to the world where Master reincarnated!!!""Wow, well aren't you a little overachiever..."I gave her a polite smile for her effort. Credit where credit is due, right?Wait. No. Hold on! That's not the point!Something felt incredibly off."Wait a minute. What did you just say? A magic portal???""Yes! The emergency portal magic that Master created! Even though it wasn't fully perfected, Ariea figured it was more than enough!!"She threw her arms around me yet again.I stood there, completely frozen by the sheer absurdity of the moment.Suddenly, another lightning bolt of insight struck my mind. It was exactly like what happened when I kissed Cellia.A Demon Lord standing proudly before his throne. Several high-ranking officials stood at attention. That Demon Lord... me... extended his hand and muttered an incantation. In the next instant, a magic portal manifested right over the red carpet.And..."...Ariea...""...Yes, what is it, Master?"No way!!Don't tell me Ariea is one of the elite floor guardians?! A demon-vampire hybrid who also happens to be a cold-blooded assassin?!Shit. It all just came flooding back. That's her."Ah, no. So, you actually survived that final battle? Thank goodness.""Hm? Survived?""Right? You made it out alive? That's honestly pretty badass, surviving an onslaught from the nine wielders of the Holy Ragnarok weapons...""You're giving me way too much credit, Master!!""Too much credit?""Precisely!!!"She stood up right in front of me and planted both hands firmly on her hips."This was all thanks to Master's kindness! Ariea wasn't allowed to join the battle. Master strictly ordered me to abandon the Continent of Void..."As she kept rambling on with her explanation, the harsh truth finally hit me.Ariea was the single most loyal subordinate I had. And subconsciously, I just wanted her to stay alive. I knew it. By the time the invasion began, the demon race was entirely doomed to be wiped out by them. The demon army just wasn't as strong or as massive as it used to be.And then there was me. Satanos, facing all nine wielders of the Holy Ragnarok weapons completely solo, without letting anyone back me up.At most, I ordered my troops to hold off the low-tier soldiers beneath the castle, or stationed them at strategic choke points. In other words, I was completely alone in that castle."So that's how it went...""Exactly, exactly, exactly, see?!"She hugged me yet again. This time, she acted like a stray cat that had finally reunited with its owner. She was getting all cuddly, basically begging to be pampered.However..."C-Cellia...??"I spotted Cellia standing right across the street.Did she just witness this whole trainwreck from the start?! Her face was a mask of pure shock and betrayal. She covered her mouth, and the moment I called out her name, she instantly buried her face into the scarf around her neck.Son of a bitch.She's definitely getting the wrong idea! She probably thinks I already replaced her with another girlfriend! Crap. And here she is...Wait. Does she already know who Ariea is? Or is it the exact opposite? Does she just think I'm out here cheating and flirting out in the open?
------------------------------