Ch.79The Demon Lord and Lilith (5)

# The Demon Lord and Lilith (5)

While the hero was flustered by Lieutenant Colonel Lilith’s statement about wanting to sleep with me, Saintess Eirene spoke up.

“That’s absurd.”

She doesn’t like the idea of Lieutenant Colonel Lilith and me sleeping together. Of course, I understand what she means. Eirene clearly likes me. It’s what you’d call jealousy.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

And as if continuing that thought, Millia spoke with her usual expressionless face. Of course, I understand what she means. She likes me too. It’s quite troublesome being so popular.

“Right, and Lug’s tent is only meant for one person, so you can’t go in together. Ahem, if we’re talking about who could fit in there with him, someone small like me…”

That’s when Tina subtly hinted that she wanted to sleep with me.

Well, it’s only natural.

She likes me too.

After all, haven’t I shown my cool side many times? It’s not strange that she’d fall for me.

“Everyone, please calm down!”

And the hero Esmeralda clearly likes me too.

That’s right. Not only the hero’s party but even Lieutenant Colonel Lilith likes me.

I’m just that handsome, considerate, and perfect.

“Tsk…”

The hero, Esmeralda, suddenly looks at me fiercely and clicks her tongue, but that too is clearly an expression of affection.

She’s just violent by nature.

She must have the most girlish heart of them all.

“Let’s sort this out first. Lilith, since you’re… engaged, I understand you want to sleep together, but wouldn’t it be better to hold back for now?”

“But…”

“I understand your concerns, but Lug doesn’t even share a tent with us. As Tina said, he sleeps alone in a one-person tent. So whatever suspicious things you’re thinking of can’t happen, right?”

“You never know. During night watch, he might do this and that to my Lug!”

“No, that’s insane… What are you saying?”

“That’s right. That’s very insulting when you don’t know anything. If that’s how you feel, maybe you should have stayed at the mansion instead of coming along?”

“Eirene, stop.”

“I’ll kill her.”

“Stop, Millia.”

“…”

“Tina, stop.”

“I didn’t even say anything?”

“Anyway, nobody move!”

Is she afraid of losing me? Esmeralda threatens everyone around her with her holy sword, looking tense.

Lately, she’s shown an increasing tendency to solve problems with violence.

“I’ll propose a compromise. Eirene, don’t try to use holy magic. Millia, put down your staff… Tina, just don’t move.”

Why has it come to this?

Why must this tense situation continue?

There’s no choice. For the sake of peace, I, the smart one, must provide the answer.

“Why don’t we all just sleep in one tent together?”

If everyone likes me anyway, we can all sleep together.

Unfortunately, since I’m so popular, it’s hard for just one person to have me all to themselves.

I once dreamed of married life with Eirene or Millia, but if I’m this popular, it won’t work.

Yes, I’m a man loved by the entire hero party. And with Lieutenant Colonel Lilith liking me too, it would be rude to become just one person’s partner. Taking care of everyone is the best solution.

It’s a decision I’ve made with a heavy heart.

I’ll support them all.

“No, what kind of crazy—”

Esmeralda speaks with a trembling voice before falling silent.

Was she that desperate to have me all to herself? How unfortunate…

*THWACK*

***

Esmeralda knocked Lug unconscious with her holy sword before she even realized what she was doing.

She couldn’t bear to witness his inner thoughts any longer.

‘There’s a limit to how delusional you can be.’

Fortunately, the sword was still in its scabbard, so it didn’t result in bloodshed.

However, the argument continued afterward, and despite Esmeralda’s efforts, they eventually decided to follow Lug’s suggestion.

She had to accept it with a feeling like she was coughing up blood.

Afterward, there was debate about who would sleep next to Lug, but they decided to rotate according to night watch duty. Of course, since they couldn’t trust the suspicious Lilith with night watch, her position was fixed.

Naturally, she couldn’t earn the right to lie next to Lug.

The argument continued over this issue, but they finally seemed to reach a resolution.

“…Then I’ll take the first watch, followed by Eirene, Millia, Tina, and Lug.”

Of course, since they couldn’t genuinely entrust night watch to Lug, a demon spy, it essentially meant Esmeralda would take two shifts.

She had the most stamina and was used to it by now, so it didn’t matter.

“Sigh…”

And so, the first night watch.

A time for contemplation, which could actually be considered the most comfortable.

Esmeralda was poking the campfire with a stick, wondering how to deal with Lilith.

The best solution would be to kill her.

Of course, since Lilith had spread the news about joining the hero’s party everywhere, if her sudden death became known, it would damage the hero party’s reputation.

But thinking about it carefully, that wasn’t Esmeralda’s problem. She had already received all possible support from the Divine Temple, the Magic Tower, and the Eye of Truth, so she didn’t need to worry about others’ opinions.

However, Eirene, Millia, and Tina would all suffer.

‘Especially Eirene.’

For someone working hard to revive the Divine Temple, image deterioration would hit her particularly hard.

Even now, Eirene, who calls demons vermin, is trying to expose Lilith’s true identity.

She can’t move until she has definitive proof.

If Esmeralda rashly killed Lilith in this situation, Eirene would be hurt.

‘Still, I should value my comrades. Even if she’s a bitch…’

Anything would do.

If only she could find evidence that Lilith is a demon.

For example, if she were hiding wings or horns, that would be perfect.

Since she’s a demon, she must have some demonic characteristics. While Lug might be excused as a half-blood, a pure-blooded high-ranking demon must be hiding some distinctive features.

“You seem troubled, Hero.”

“…Haa.”

Esmeralda sighed as she saw Lug crawling out of the tent.

She had just managed to put him to sleep, so why was he up again, making her uneasy?

“Why are you up so early instead of sleeping more?”

With all those girls he likes so much on either side of him.

Conveying this meaning, Esmeralda asked Lug in a gruff tone.

“Since I fell asleep at an unexpected time, it’s only natural that I’d wake up in the middle.”

Lug approached Esmeralda without minding her attitude and sat down beside her. A truly confident demeanor.

Esmeralda glanced at him and clicked her tongue.

The source of her stress had arrived.

“…Do you have something to say?”

Esmeralda asked Lug, who was just sitting beside her, staring at the flames.

She thought he might have something to say, but he was just sitting there, not even looking at her, just watching the fire.

A serene appearance that seemed unlike his usual self.

Seeing this, Esmeralda started to feel curious about Lug.

Come to think of it, his libido seemed to have decreased a bit lately.

From escorting Lilith to the frequency of his furtive glances, everything had decreased.

Though it’s hard to say this is a trade-off, his confidence has increased enormously.

It means Lug is also experiencing changes.

While feeling a mix of relief and regret, Esmeralda focused on Lug’s words.

“You said something earlier today. That I seem thoughtless. That’s actually true. There are many people who think deeply on my behalf.”

“I did say that… I’m sorry. I must have been tired then. I said something harsh.”

Looking back, she had. Esmeralda had criticized Lug, but he had brushed it off as a joke.

Whether it was sincere or considerate.

She shouldn’t have done that. Wasn’t she just being irritable?

It’s something to be ashamed of.

“Let me be honest. At first, I started working as a porter with the sole desire to help you, Hero.”

“…”

Esmeralda thought to herself.

He’s lying from the start.

“But now it’s different.”

“Different how?”

“I’m just desperate to survive. So I’ve given up on thinking and left everything to you and the others. So it’s not strange that you feel that way about me.”

“…”

“That’s why I should leave this party. It would be better for everyone.”

Esmeralda looked up at Lug’s face in surprise.

She never dreamed he would think that way.

That he would consider what’s best for the hero party… She had always thought he was only thinking of himself.

[Note: He’s actually imagining going back and marrying Lilith.]

She was wrong.

But somehow, Esmeralda felt at ease with his attitude, which wasn’t different from usual.

“Even if you say that, I won’t let you leave the party.”

What would normally have been an irritated rebuke…

“I see.”

“Yes, absolutely not.”

That day, it sounded unusually gentle.