Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid Side Story: Ilulu's Dilemma
A flame dragon's heart wavers between duty and doubt...
Ilulu was raised on one truth: humans are lesser beings, meant to be ruled. As a soldier of the Pure-Blood Flame, the Chaos Faction's most radical faction, she's never questioned the code—until the day she's ordered to deliver judgment on Tohru, the senior who once taught her how to fight, now living among humans as a maid.
Descending into a world of convenience stores, morning commutes, and gentle smiles, Ilulu watches Tohru serve a huma
Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid Side Story: Ilulu's Dilemma - Can a Houseguest Break the Fire Dragon's Code? —The Smile in the Photo—
That's wrong, she thought.
She understood it in her head. Humans were an inferior species meant to be ruled. The first article of the Chaos Faction's code. She'd heard it so many times since the moment she was born a flame dragon that her ears should have grown calluses. And yet—why did her chest ache like this?
Ilulu stood in front of Kobayashi's apartment building. Fifteen years old, two stories, eight units total. "Maison Higashi-End," tucked in a residential neighborhood about a fifteen-minute walk from the station. Last night, after lying to Gardo, she'd found herself wandering back here without realizing it. There was nowhere else to go.
(What am I even doing?)
The night wind blew, and the tips of her red hair swayed like flames. The two small horns on top of her head were hidden by her human-disguise magic. Her tail, too, was invisible. But the fire in her heart—that, she couldn't extinguish no matter what.
Orange light spilled from the window of Room 201 on the second floor. Tohru must still be awake. The scene she'd glimpsed through that window yesterday morning surfaced behind her eyelids. Tohru in her apron, smiling as she served food to a human woman. That smile—she couldn't get it out of her head.
(I have to deliver judgment.)
Gardo's orders had been clear. If Tohru was coexisting with humans, bring down the flame's judgment. The third article of the Chaos Faction's code: those tainted by humans must be punished. It was the natural duty of a flame dragon warrior.
But she couldn't do it.
Ilulu looked at her own hands. Small hands. Hands meant to summon fire. Was she supposed to burn Tohru to ash with these hands? The gentle Tohru who had taught her how to fight?
(No.)
From deep in her heart, a voice of refusal rose up.
—And then, she heard a click.
The apartment's front door opened. Ilulu instinctively tried to hide, but she was too late.
"Huh? What're you doing out here in the middle of the night?"
Short black hair, sleepy-looking eyes. A worn-out T-shirt and track pants. Flat-chested, with an overall shortage of feminine features. This was the human woman called Kobayashi. A convenience-store bag dangled from her right hand. She must have gone out for a late-night snack.
Ilulu's words caught in her throat. A suspicious figure standing frozen in front of an apartment building at this hour. She looked shady no matter how you sliced it.
"...Nothing. Just... taking a walk."
Her voice cracked. Even she could tell how unnatural the excuse sounded.
Kobayashi stared at Ilulu's face for a while. An appraising look, yet oddly relaxed. Eventually, she let out a soft breath.
"Huh. A walk, huh. Well, whatever. It's cold out—want to come inside?"
"What?"
Ilulu's eyes went wide. What was this human saying? Inviting a suspicious stranger into her home—was she insane?
"I mean, whatever. If you don't want to, that's fine. But Tohru's been nagging me. See, she's been worried about you."
"Tohru... was worried about me?"
Something pricked at her chest. Tohru was worried about me? About me—the one she's supposed to punish?
"Anyway. If you're coming in, I'll at least pour you a beer. If not, go home on your own."
With that, Kobayashi walked briskly toward the entrance. Her stride held no hesitation. Ilulu stared blankly at her retreating back.
(Why is this human—)
Not afraid of me. Not on guard. Normally, you don't say "want to come inside?" to a total stranger.
Ilulu hesitated for a while. But in the end, her feet were already carrying her toward the door. Because there was nowhere else to go.
──
"Oh, Ilulu! Welcome!"
The moment the door opened, a bright voice flew out at her. Blonde twin-tails swayed softly. Flat-tipped, forked horns. Golden eyes. Tohru, wearing a white apron, was smiling happily.
"I heard all about it. Kobayashi said you were standing frozen in front of the building. Honestly, what are you doing out so late? Are you hungry?"
"Not really. I'm not hungry."
Ilulu answered bluntly. But the truth was, she was hungry. She hadn't eaten anything since morning. If she could just absorb the flame from a gas burner, that would do—but she couldn't very well do that here.
"Fufu, you're not very honest, are you? Well, that's fine. Come in, come in. I'll make some warm tea."
Tohru said this and ushered Ilulu inside.
The living room had a sofa and a TV. The kitchen had a gas stove. A room where humans lived. A space utterly different from the scorched valleys of the Chaos realm. The air was soft here. Warm.
(This is the place Tohru chose.)
Ilulu slowly looked around the room. A calendar on the wall. Little figurines on a shelf. A remote on top of the TV. Everything smelled of human life.
"Here, sit down. Want a beer?"
Kobayashi pulled two cans of beer from the fridge and held one out to Ilulu.
"...I don't drink human beverages."
Ilulu eyed the can warily. Silver aluminum, covered in unfamiliar writing. A pull-tab, they called it. Human alcohol. Something that didn't exist in the Chaos realm.
"Huh. Suit yourself, then. More for me."
Kobayashi pulled the tab and tipped the can back with a hearty swig. Her throat moved. Glug, glug—she drank with obvious relish.
"Pwaaah. That hits the spot."
Her expression looked strangely happy.
Ilulu scowled.
(Why does she drink it like it's so delicious?)
Human drinks shouldn't be anything special. And yet this human drank it like it was the finest feast in the world.
"...I'll try a sip."
Ilulu said it out of sheer stubbornness.
"Oh, I figured you couldn't drink."
"It's not that I can't. I just never had any interest in human drinks."
Ilulu took the can and, mimicking Kobayashi, pulled the tab. A hiss of escaping gas. The smell of carbonation rose from the opening.
(So this is beer.)
Ilulu gingerly brought the can to her lips.
—It was awful.
Bitter. And the carbonation stabbed at her tongue. The back of her throat burned.
"Gah! Cough, cough!"
Ilulu choked. Tears welled up. She couldn't stop coughing.
"Ahahahaha! What kind of reaction is that?! You look like a kid trying beer for the first time!"
"Fufu, oh Ilulu, you really are adorable."
The two of them were laughing. Kobayashi clutching her stomach, Tohru with a hand over her mouth.
Ilulu's face went hot. Embarrassing. Frustrating. Why did she have to be laughed at by these humans?
"Shut up! It's not that I can't drink it! Human alcohol is just disgusting!"
"Yeah, yeah, sure it is. Disgusting. But that's fine. Beer's good *because* it's disgusting."
Kobayashi said this, still laughing.
Ilulu didn't understand. If it's disgusting, why drink it? If it's disgusting, why laugh about it?
(This human is really, seriously weird.)
That's what Ilulu thought.
──
The next morning.
Ilulu ended up staying at Kobayashi's apartment.
"Well, let's just say she's a bit of an odd one. If she's a friend of Tohru's, I don't mind. Rent can wait for now."
Kobayashi said this offhandedly while sipping her morning coffee.
"Oh my! Ilulu is going to live with us! How wonderful! I'll clean your room with all my might!"
Tohru's eyes sparkled as she bustled out the cleaning supplies.
Ilulu sat at the edge of the sofa, watching the two of them.
(Is this really okay?)
She had come here to deliver judgment on Tohru. And now she was going to live under the same roof. Not only that, she was about to be taken care of by this human.
(What am I supposed to tell Gardo?)
Gardo's face surfaced in her mind. Red eyes glinting sharply. "The pure-blood flame will not wait," that low voice had said.
(There's no time.)
But she still couldn't bring herself to punish Tohru. Why was Tohru coexisting with humans? She wanted to know. Once she knew, it wouldn't be too late to act.
Ilulu told herself this.
──
"Ilulu, could you come to the kitchen for a moment?"
Early afternoon. Tohru called Ilulu into the kitchen.
Tohru stood in front of the sink, still wearing her apron. Her expression was serious. Her golden eyes looked straight at Ilulu.
"If you're going to live here, there are a few things I need you to remember."
"...What?"
Ilulu entered the kitchen warily.
"First, don't stand out in the human world. Your horns and tail are hidden from human sight, but when your emotions run high, they can slip out by accident. Please be careful."
"I know."
"Second, don't do anything unnecessary. The human world has human rules. The common sense of the Chaos realm doesn't apply here. You mustn't conjure flames or fly through the sky on a whim."
"...I know that."
"And most importantly—"
Tohru lowered her voice just slightly.
"Don't get in Kobayashi's way. Kobayashi works so hard, and she's always tired. So I heal her. That is my duty as her maid."
At those words, something stirred uneasily in Ilulu's chest.
"...You really are working as a human's maid, aren't you."
Ilulu's reply came out barbed.
"Yes. Being Kobayashi's maid is my everything."
Tohru smiled.
That smile—the same one Ilulu had seen through the window yesterday.
(That face again.)
Ilulu felt something tighten deep in her chest.
"...Whatever. That's your business."
That was all Ilulu said before leaving the kitchen.
──
Evening.
Tohru went out shopping.
"Kobayashi's favorite tofu is on special sale! I'm just going to run out and grab some! Ilulu, please watch the house while I'm gone."
Tohru headed out happily, shopping bag in hand.
Ilulu was left alone in the living room.
(Watching the house, huh.)
She sat on the sofa and turned on the TV. Human programs played noisily. But none of the content registered in her head.
(Tohru's room.)
Ilulu's gaze drifted toward the far end of the hallway. The door to Tohru's room. A closed wooden door.
(I shouldn't look.)
She knew that in her head. But her body moved anyway.
Ilulu stood up.
(Just a little. Just a tiny peek.)
Making excuses to herself, she walked down the hallway. Her heart pounded fast.
She stood before Tohru's door. Her hand found the knob. The cold of the metal seeped into her fingertips.
(Tohru's secret is in here.)
The reason she coexisted with humans. The reason she broke the code. The clues to all of it must be inside this room.
Ilulu slowly opened the door.
—The room was neatly tidied.
A bed. A desk. A closet. And on the desk, a single photograph.
Ilulu approached the desk as if drawn by a magnet.
(This is...)
She picked up the photo.
In it, Kobayashi and Tohru stood side by side. They were laughing together in front of a shopping arcade. Tohru wasn't in her apron—she wore regular clothes. And her face was—
Ilulu stopped breathing.
(What is this face?)
The Tohru Ilulu knew had two faces: the warrior's and the maid's. But the Tohru in this photo was neither. Unguarded, soft, genuinely happy.
(She's never made a face like that.)
Not once, in the scorched valleys, had Tohru worn an expression like this. She was always strong, always dignified—but somewhere beneath it, always a little sad.
(And yet, in front of humans, she makes this face.)
Her chest hurt.
Was it jealousy? Longing? She couldn't tell. The feeling churned inside her, formless.
(She's never once shown me this.)
The hand holding the photo trembled.
"That one's from the shopping arcade the other day."
A voice came suddenly from behind her.
Ilulu's heart nearly leaped out of her chest.
"What—!"
She spun around. Kobayashi stood in the doorway. The usual sleepy eyes. But they were looking straight at Ilulu.
"You shouldn't go into Tohru's room without permission. Though I guess I can't talk."
"...It's not like that! I didn't just barge in on my own—"
Ilulu hurriedly put the photo back on the desk. Her hands were shaking.
"I'm not mad. I'll just keep it a secret from Tohru. She's scary when she's angry."
Kobayashi said this with a light laugh.
Ilulu couldn't say anything.
──
The next day.
"Ilulu, could you run to the store for me? Fresh Mart East. The stuff on this list."
Kobayashi held out a memo.
"Shopping?"
"Yeah. I'm worki
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