Chapter 72

Episode 72

“I’m the daughter of the being known as the Demon King. To put it in terms of human society, I was the princess of the demon realm.”

The Demon King… Wasn’t that the divine being, the king of demon kings?

She was his daughter?

I had suspected she might be connected to demons, but this was beyond my wildest imagination.

The Lady paused, a bitter smile gracing her lips.

“Do you know what the demon realm is like?”

Her expression was one of reminiscing about something irreversible.

“Isn’t it a place filled with hellfire? A realm of despair and terror…”

“That’s just human prejudice. Of course, there are regions like that. But the human world is the same, isn’t it? There are deserts, flowing lava, and frozen wastelands.”

“It’s hard to imagine. A demon realm with natural beauty like this place.”

“It all depends on the will to cultivate it.”

The Lady stopped pacing and turned to face me.

“Do you know why demons keep invading the human world? It’s simple. Because it’s a pleasant place to live. That’s why the Demon King focused on transforming the demon realm into a habitable place instead of invading the human world and expanding his territory. It was beneficial for both sides.”

“He wasn’t an ordinary being.”

“Many demons followed him, but many didn’t. In fact, there were far more who opposed him.”

The Lady returned to her seat and placed the book she was holding on the table. I saw the title: “The Legend of Aldebaran.” I had never seen that book before.

“After my father implemented benevolent policies, the demon realm became peaceful. It was no different from the human world. The demons praised him, and he showered them with even greater affection. But a movement arose, like a backlash, advocating for a return to the demons’ true nature.”

“Don’t tell me…”

“Yes, a rebellion broke out.”

The Lady’s expression softened with nostalgia.

“Long ago, a rebellion erupted in the demon realm. A massive one. The archdemon, Diablo, led an army and assassinated my father. Not just him, but my entire family…”

Tears welled up in her eyes.

I felt a pang of guilt.

If I had known about her past, I would never have pried into it.

“Diablo, the archdemon and Grand Duke of the demon realm, was a meticulous planner. He was a trusted demon under my father, but he harbored sinister intentions. He slowly poisoned my father over centuries, weakening his powers.”

“Weren’t there other demons who helped the Demon King?”

“I told you, Diablo was meticulous. When the rebellion broke out, the high-ranking nobles were already in other regions, suppressing rebellions instigated by Diablo’s subordinates. He took advantage of that opportunity.”

It sounded like a familiar story, but I accepted it. This was a game world, after all. A story within a story was entirely possible.

“Although my father lost his life, he managed to seal them away using a secret magic. And with the help of my loyal servant, Alquines, I was transported to the human world. When I opened my eyes, I was reborn as the youngest daughter of House Kalisto.”

The pieces were finally falling into place.

In a way, she was also a transmigrator. She had crossed over from a different dimension, the demon realm, to the human world.

“What kind of demon is Alquines?”

“He was a loyal servant. An eccentric who researched difficult and dangerous magic, but he cherished me dearly.”

“It’s fascinating that there are demons who value loyalty.”

“They’re no different from humans. They’re just more driven by their desires.”

I had been unknowingly serving a demon. And not just any demon, but the daughter of the Demon King.

But I didn’t feel any sense of dissonance. I was a transmigrator, not a human born in this world.

It was my choice who I served, whether it was the Demon King or the Supreme God.

In fact, I was drawn to the Demon King, who had tried to create a beautiful world in the demon realm. He had achieved what no other demon lord had.

What kind of demon realm would the Lady create?

“Sir Aubrey, do you feel uncomfortable knowing that I’m the Demon King’s daughter?”

“Not at all. I already knew you were hiding your true identity. I just wanted to know what it was.”

“You don’t seem surprised…”

“I anticipated that you might be a transcendental being, like a demon or a dragon. So, I wasn’t shocked. Of course, I didn’t expect you to be the Demon King’s daughter.”

“I’m glad you trust me.”

I calmly organized my thoughts.

Then, a question popped into my mind.

“Is the recent discovery of the ‘Dark Soul’ related to the rebellion in the demon realm? To the archdemon, Diablo?”

“It’s highly likely. That’s why I said it was a sign of war. My father’s sealing magic wasn’t perfect. It was cast when his powers were weakened… By now, the seal might be weakening, and his subordinates might be preparing to attack the human world.”

The final piece of the puzzle fell into place.

“So, you created the Lucius Inspection Unit to eliminate the ‘Dark Soul’ that’s spreading in the human world and ultimately reclaim your stolen throne.”

“That’s right. But that’s not all. I also want to avenge those who were dear to me, whose dreams were crushed.”

Revenge.

It was a word that didn’t suit the Lady’s current demeanor.

“I apologize for asking so many questions, but I’ve never sensed any demonic energy from you, even when you were controlling the monsters and the demonic beast. Is there a reason for that?”

“You’re asking questions like Jericho. You’ve become a true mage. You’re right. It’s the Demon King’s power. I can conceal my demonic energy. High-ranking demons can sense it, but humans can’t. It’s difficult to detect unless you’re a special being.”

“I see.”

If even Jericho couldn’t sense it, it must be truly difficult to detect.

‘Perhaps Selendis was also a victim of demons.’

Although the cases were few, the people close to the Lady I had encountered were all connected to demons. Jericho came from a long line of “demon hunters.”

Naturally, she would need a force that could effectively combat demons to achieve her revenge.

But the story wasn’t over yet. The Lady continued.

“So, I gathered trustworthy individuals and formed an army. I called it ‘Blood Revenge.’ And after much preparation, we opened a dimensional gate and invaded the demon realm.”

What?

This was too sudden.

“As expected, the archdemon Diablo’s seal was almost broken. He was regaining his original power in the Demon King’s castle. But I had already confirmed this through my inside informant. We overcame countless hardships, defeated Diablo, and destroyed his soul stone.”

“You succeeded? That’s strange. Then, there’s no reason for you to be here.”

“…That’s the plot of this book.”

Lucia handed me the book on the table. I reached for it, confused.

Wait.

The plot of this book…?

The Lady smiled brightly, reading my expression.

“You surprise me. I didn’t know you had such a naive side. It’s refreshing.”

“Wait, my Lady. Are you saying that you being the Demon King’s daughter, the rebellion led by Diablo, it’s all from this book?”

“Yes. The protagonist is the Demon King’s daughter. I thought you might enjoy it, so I introduced it as if it were my own story. …Hmm? What’s wrong? Don’t you like it?”

“…”

“I was reading this book when we talked about the ‘Dark Soul’ before. You can borrow it now that I’m done.”

For the first time, I lost control of my expression in front of the Lady.

“You’re not really the Demon King’s daughter? Really?”

“I’m kidding. Look at me. Do I really look like the Demon King’s daughter?”

The Lady leaned in close, less than a handspan away.

I was so startled that I recoiled. Our lips almost touched.

(TLN: Phew it would have been quite underwehlming if this was her actual story)

***

Jericho entered my office, tilting his head in confusion.

“Inspector, you’re drinking in the middle of the day? Did something happen?”

“Sigh… Leave me alone. I want to get drunk today.”

The Lady had completely played me. I had to take this embarrassing story to my grave.

I wanted to burn the “Legend of Aldebaran” she had lent me, but I restrained myself.

I read it to confirm whether she was joking or not.

It took me half a day.

By the time I confirmed that everything she had said was identical to the story in the book, I was already calling for a maid to bring me more alcohol.

“This is strange. Did those church bastards summon you and give you a hard time? Those damn hypocrites!”

Unlike the eloquent Jericho, Selendis approached me with a worried expression.

“Master, did the Lady scold you?”

“Nothing like that. Don’t worry.”

“This is the first time I’ve seen you like this, so I’m concerned.”

I recalled what the Lady had said earlier. She said it was because I hadn’t known her for long. I repeated her words to Selendis.

“I’ll bring you some snacks. Drinking too much on an empty stomach is bad for you.”

“It’s fine. I’ll feel better eventually. If the church summons us, handle it yourself.”

“…Understood.”

But my loyal subordinates wouldn’t let it go. Jericho showcased his culinary skills. He brought me french fries and fried chicken, dishes that could be prepared quickly.

The fried chicken wasn’t anything like Japanese karaage. It was greasy and oily.

But I had gotten used to the taste and occasionally enjoyed it as a drinking snack.

‘I wish she were actually the Demon King’s daughter.’

I sighed.

Of course, it was too early to conclude that the Lady’s story was entirely fictional. Any noble with enough money could publish their own story as a novel.

No, no…

I had to think this way to maintain my sanity. Otherwise, all my efforts would feel futile.

How much had I drunk?

By the time I lost count of the empty bottles, someone opened the door and entered.

“Sir Aubrey, you’ve been drinking a lot.”

I saw a familiar silhouette through my blurry vision. It was Lucia.

I instinctively tried to stand up and salute, but my body wouldn’t cooperate.

I had never drunk this much, even in my previous life.

“Lady Selendis told me. I guess my prank was too much. I didn’t know you would be so upset…”

No, it wasn’t like that.

I tried to tell her not to worry, but my body went limp. The alcohol hit me with full force, and the dizziness intensified.

Then, something warm touched my cheek.

This was definitely…

Lady Lucia’s soft lips.

This must be a dream.

The precious daughter of House Kalisto wouldn’t kiss me.

She would just smile at me.

But the Lady didn’t disappear from my dream.