Demon King Girl (9)

Demon King Girl (9)

“She’s in the guest palace now? Oh, how long has she been there?”

“Not too long, but the problem is making her wait in the first place.”

I managed to regain my composure and asked, but the answer was a merciless fact-check. I tried to gather my scattered thoughts.

From the beginning, I didn’t like this marriage proposal.

This purely political marriage was arranged so that the human side could sell off their princess in exchange for securing the safety of their borders, while we would use the princess to create a new image for the Demon Realm in this new era.

Of course, no sane human would send a princess to a one-eyed tentacle monster without a purpose. I didn’t want a fragile human royal that I couldn’t even play with.

“Your Majesty, the princess is one of the most talented mages in the empire…”

“That’s not important right now. Well, it seems this problem can only be solved by me.”

Although she was practically a hostage, I was no longer just a tribal chief, and I naturally had to pay attention to diplomacy and appearances.

“Let’s end this story here. I’ll handle it on my own.”

For now, I said I’d take care of it and dismissed everyone for the day. However, even as everyone was leaving the scene, I still couldn’t get up from my chair.

The princess, unless she’s a fool, must be aware of the reality. But I couldn’t bring myself to just leave her be.

“Of course, I understand that appearances are important, but there’s no need for you to be this concerned, Demon King.”

“No. This is… just my personal feelings, Robert.”

Robert, who had waited until the end, spoke up carefully, but I shook my head as I rubbed my forehead.

The issue of having to become the bride of a terrible monster has been resolved for now. However, from the moment this uncomfortable deal was first mentioned, I had felt a sense of kinship with her. That feeling and situation of being alone in a strange place against one’s will – I, before returning to Earth, deeply empathized with and cared about it.

“In that case, since you’re in human form now, why don’t you go and make a strong first impression and spend a passionate first night? Surely the princess will soon…”

“From a demon’s perspective, it might not matter at all, but she’s not a demon.”

The black-haired woman in a maid outfit standing next to Robert clapped her hands as if suggesting a clever idea, but I snorted.

Fluttering a pair of wings, she was Meia, the Queen of Succubi. Not because she’s a succubus, but to demons, the fact that I’m in the form of a young girl right now wouldn’t matter at all.

For them, there’s no such thing as ‘how it should be’. Doing whatever they want is the nature of demons.

“Enough. Everyone go and do your work. I came here to rest, so don’t bother me with work-related matters. Just pretend I’m not here. I’ll try to figure out something about the princess issue for now.”

Getting down from the chair, I dismissed the Demon King’s castle staff, including Robert.

Various methods flashed through my mind, but the most plausible approach was to simply be honest.

About what my current situation is and what I need to do from now on, and so on.

Still, I had to at least see her face once, so I crossed the corridor alone.

Inside the Demon King’s castle, especially in this main building which is the tallest and largest, most of the space is for me, so there are usually very few people. The castle staff were all there was.

“Eek!”

But the moment I turned the corner to take the elevator.

Here’s the English translation:

I bumped into someone walking towards me as I was completely off guard in my own territory that I had returned to after a long time.

“Are you alright? Palace…”

“Hey… Where on earth are you looking while walking?!”

I wasn’t pushed back at all, but this young demon with purple skin wearing a butler’s uniform fell hard on the ground.

But when I reached out my hand in concern, he ignored it, quickly got up, and started pointing his finger at me.

“Who are you? A new maid? More importantly, what’s your race? No horns, no wings…”

He muttered while looking me up and down carefully. I was slightly taken aback. It seemed this butler didn’t recognize who I was.

It was because I had habitually been erasing the energy leaking from Earth, and even now I had unconsciously not revealed my status as the Demon King.

“Do you really not know who I am?”

“You speak briefly? Who exactly are you? You don’t look like much.”

He tilted his head and looked down at me. Well, only the high-ranking demons of the Demon Realm who were just summoned had seen my current appearance.

The corners of my mouth that had unconsciously curved upwards twisted.

In this form, doesn’t it mean I can move freely not only on Earth but also in this world? It seems I’ve made quite a big discovery unintentionally.

“Butler. What’s your name?”

“Such a little thing being so arrogant… I’m Basim, the next chief of the Garbana tribe.”

When I asked for his name, he grumbled as if it was ridiculous but still told me his name obediently. Apart from being oblivious, he seemed to be a rather diligent and earnest fellow. If so, he passes.

“Alright, Basim. I’ll specially tell you some information that only the high-ranking demons summoned to the Demon King’s castle conference know. So I’d like you to do a few things for me.”

“What are you keep saying…”

As I spoke with a slight smile, he raised his fist and tried to give me a knock on the head. However, when tentacles rising from my shadow wrapped around his arm, his clenched fist trembled, unable to move.

His eyes, frozen in that awkward posture, met mine as I no longer concealed my power, and they widened and began to shake violently.

“Do you understand?”

“Uh, uhhh… My Lord!”

Pale-faced, he tried to fall to his knees, but couldn’t even do that as his arm was grabbed. It was the moment Robert had gained a useful subordinate who could help him move without his knowledge.

*

‘Demon Realm Evening Newspaper. Published by Central News Agency.’

In an empty room, she carefully unfolded it. The large paper was filled with pictures and text.

The text contained articles reporting on major and diverse news from the Demon Realm, while the pictures served to supplement these texts.

She read the newspaper, turning pages without noticing the time passing.

In her common sense, the very concept of gathering various events from across the nation and distributing them in such large quantities was fascinating.

‘But it’s certainly impressive. And useful.’

She inwardly marveled after finishing the newspaper. It wasn’t just the newspaper.

Compared to the Empire, the strongest human power on the continent, the Demon Realm was incredibly developed and sophisticated.

The automatically flushing toilets, the skyscrapers and cities that seemed to pierce the sky, the well-paved roads without a single piece of debris.

It was hard to believe this was the terrible land inhabited by man-eating monsters from the legends.

“The current Demon Lord Takiras.”

Now she knew the source of all this. The newspapers, buildings, trains, water and sewage systems, planned cities – all were conceived and developed by a single being.

She stood up and walked to the window. The owner of the Demon Lord’s Castle, the Celestial Palace, which was even taller than this 50th floor.

The owner of that castle, connected by cloud bridges, was the one who had developed the Demon Realm incomparably beyond the Empire.

‘It doesn’t really matter in the current situation.’

In fact, she wanted to meet Takiras. Of course, at first she resented her brother the Emperor, was angry, and even seriously considered a coup, but not anymore.

Seria Rene Laose. Before being a princess, she was a magician. With a magician’s characteristic spirit of inquiry, she found the intellect and insight within more interesting than the appearance, even if it was a terribly-looking tentacle monster.

But even though she came as the bride for the marriage ceremony, she couldn’t meet the Demon King. She only heard that he was absent due to important matters.

‘Of course, why would the Demon King be interested in someone like me?’

She looked down at her body and smiled bitterly.

An existence incomparable in both magical ability and status. Moreover, since the Demon King wasn’t even human, her looks, which she had been somewhat proud of, were of no use.

She had a premonition that her fate was to become just a trophy, spending her days lonely in this separate palace where no one visited.

“Y-Your Highness.”

“What is it, May?”

Just then, she heard her maid knocking on the door outside.

“You are…”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness. I’m Takil… no, Lee Jin-ah from the Palace Interior Department of the Demon King’s Castle.”

Standing with the maid was a maid girl pulling a cart. This beautiful short-haired brunette smiled and greeted politely.

Seria’s eyes wavered as she looked at the girl.

She couldn’t sense any power. There were no horns, wings, or scales. She looked like an ordinary human girl in every way.

“Are you… human?”

“Although I work here, yes, I am. Would you like some tea?”

The girl, without losing her smile, pointed to the tray she had brought on the cart. Both Seria and the maid May looked at each other in confusion.

“Come in for now.”

But in the end, Seria let the girl in.