Chapter 10: The Demon Lord Who Can’t Even Catch a Break

I had hoped that after the garden and the fence disaster, Aria would at least let me rest for a while. I needed time to regain my composure, to reflect on the fact that I—Leonard Nightfall, demon lord—had somehow become the laughing stock of this small town.

But no.

Aria, in her infinite wisdom, had another brilliant idea for me. "You're going to the market today," she said, handing me a list of things to buy. "You need to pick up some supplies for the house."

I stared at her in disbelief. "The market? You want me, Leonard Nightfall, a demon lord, to go to the market?"

"Yes," she said, looking at me with that familiar, deadpan expression. "And don't cause any trouble. Just get what's on the list and come back without embarrassing yourself. Got it?"

I sighed dramatically, my shoulders slumping. "Fine. I'll go... but don't expect me to enjoy it."

Aria raised an eyebrow. "If you're so miserable about it, maybe you should not go. It'll be easier for everyone that way."

"No, no! I'll go!" I snapped, standing straighter. "I'll prove that I, Leonard Nightfall, am more than capable of handling... shopping."

I arrived at the market, my cloak trailing behind me as I walked through the bustling stalls. Merchants shouted their wares, people haggled over prices, and the smell of fresh bread and vegetables filled the air. But to me, this wasn't a quaint scene of town life. No, this was a test. A test of my ability to do something so simple, so beneath my dignity, without embarrassing myself further.

I glanced down at the list Aria had given me, which seemed simple enough—bread, eggs, carrots, some herbs. Surely, this would be easy. How hard could buying groceries be?

I approached the first stall, where a cheerful merchant was selling bread. "Excuse me," I said, trying to sound as regal as possible, "I'll take two loaves of your finest bread."

The merchant looked at me with a puzzled expression, then smiled. "Of course, sir. Two loaves coming right up."

I handed him the coins, trying to maintain my composure, but as I did, I noticed a stray dog sniffing around my feet. My eyes widened. I wasn't accustomed to animals running up to me, especially not in this humiliating state.

I stepped back, attempting to avoid the dog, but it was too late. The dog bolted forward, knocking into my legs and sending the loaves of bread flying out of my hands. They soared through the air like a pair of missiles, landing in a vendor's basket of tomatoes with a loud splat.

"What in the name of—" the tomato vendor yelled, his tomatoes now splattered with bread.

I stared in horror. "I... I didn't mean to!"

The merchant who'd sold me the bread shook his head in disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me. A dog? Really?"

I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks. I was Leonard Nightfall, demon lord of the underworld, and yet here I was—looking like a fool in front of a market full of people.

"I—uh—I'll pay for the tomatoes," I muttered, fishing through my coin pouch, my hands trembling.

"Oh, you'll pay for more than that," the tomato vendor grumbled. "You'll pay for my bread too."

I let out a frustrated sigh. "Fine! I'll pay for the bread, I'll pay for the tomatoes, I'll pay for everything!"

At that moment, a loud whoosh sound filled the air as another loaf of bread came flying through the market. The loaf had somehow launched itself out of the dog's mouth, and—predictably—landed right in the basket of carrots. It was the final straw.

I closed my eyes, unable to face anyone. "I'm... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"

Aria suddenly appeared from behind me, her arms crossed, a smirk on her face. "I told you to be careful. You've literally been here for five minutes and already destroyed half the market."

I turned toward her, my face burning with embarrassment. "I didn't do it on purpose, I swear! The dog—"

She waved her hand dismissively. "I'm sure. You're a demon lord, but apparently, you can't even handle a simple shopping trip."

I groaned in frustration, slumping forward. "This is beneath me," I muttered. "I should be commanding armies, not... not chasing down dogs in a market."

Aria raised an eyebrow. "Well, you're here now. You've got the bread, the tomatoes, and the carrots. Let's just get this over with."

I took a deep breath, trying to salvage what little dignity I had left. "Yes, yes... of course. I'll not mess this up."

We reached the final stall on the list—the one selling milk. The merchant was an elderly woman who looked more than a little tired of the bustling crowd. She smiled politely as I approached, and I handed her my list. "I'll take some milk, please," I said, trying to sound more confident.

The woman handed me a bottle of milk, but as I reached for the bottle, my foot caught on a loose brick in the ground. In an instant, my balance was lost, and I tumbled forward, sending the bottle of milk flying through the air.

It landed with a crash, splashing milk everywhere—including directly on the elderly merchant.

I froze, staring in horror as the merchant wiped the milk from her face. "Oh no... no, no, no..." I muttered, my heart sinking.

The woman looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "Well, at least you didn't break the entire stall this time."

I sighed in complete defeat, my pride shattered beyond repair. "I'm so sorry..."

Aria walked over, shaking her head with a bemused smile. "You're really something, aren't you?"

I straightened up, trying to act like the demon lord I once was. "I... I'm a demon lord!" I said, though my voice cracked under the weight of my humiliation. "I don't belong in a market, trying to buy milk and bread!"

Aria laughed lightly, her arms still crossed. "You might be a demon lord, but you're clearly not the kind of demon lord who can handle a simple errand. Maybe you should leave the big stuff to me from now on."

I slumped forward in defeat. "I... I'm sorry, Aria. I really am."

"Don't worry," she said with a smirk. "You're still better than some of the other adventurers here. But maybe... just maybe... you should stick to fighting demons instead of trying to shop."

I glanced at the milk-splattered stall, the fallen tomatoes, and the wreckage I had caused. "Yeah," I said with a deep sigh, "maybe you're right."