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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: selkie
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Belzebuth, the Chancellor of the Demon King’s Kingdom.
She is both a servant to her lord, the Demon King, and her advisor… At the same time, as a friend she has grown up with since childhood,
She has always prioritized the safety of her lord and the kingdom and has dedicated herself for it.
And at this very moment.
Belzebuth is thinking that a huge crisis has struck her… No, her lord, the Demon King, and this Demon Kingdom.
The hero who requested to have a meal with the Demon King alone, and the Demon King who accepted it.
One might say, why react so sensitively over just having a meal, but from her perspective, the current situation is not something to take lightly.
‘The hero asked the Demon King to have a meal. He rejected all other riches and chose this. That means…’
The lord is the kingdom. Therefore, the fall of the lord is the fall of the kingdom, which is a natural principle.
Of course, among the nations belonging to the alliance of races, there are those who lead the country through councils rather than a lord, but even they cannot escape the basic principle that if the leaders who guide the country fall, it leads to the nation’s destruction.
However, that does not mean there is a significant possibility that the hero will attempt to assassinate the Demon King using this opportunity.
It is obvious that carrying weapons to a meal with the Demon King is prohibited,
And even though it is just the two of them, considering the servants coming in and out for service and the armed guards always waiting at the entrance, the chances of success are too low.
The “fall” being referred to here is in a different sense.
In other words… it is related to the hero gaining the Demon King’s favor.
The hero’s action of choosing to spend time with the Demon King, rather than anything else, indicates that the hero might be aiming for the heart of the Demon King… or perhaps the kingdom itself.
‘You, hero… As expected, you possess an insatiable desire equal to your immense power. Moreover, you’re smarter than I thought.’
Belzebuth had already understood through the circumstances that the hero was somewhat clever.
However… this incident made her reevaluate her impression of the hero entirely.
He is not just a human moving for his own gain…
But a dangerously greedy being who can firmly pursue what he desires based on immense power and abilities.
‘Are you saying that by capturing the heart of the Demon King, you will take hold of this country? Well… since you have such a goal, you would align with our demon race as the strongest among humans. What a terrifying fellow… I must protect the Demon King and this country from that person’s grasp, no matter what.’
As she began to feel an even stronger sense of caution and concern towards the existence of the hero, Belzebuth steeled herself and resolved to inform the Demon King seated before her about this…
A warning about the hero’s wicked plot.
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The Demon King, feeling a complex array of emotions after setting up the meal appointment with the hero.
Immediately after hearing the circumstances,
Belzebuth began to speak in a calm voice, maintaining her usual serene expression.
“Your Majesty, if it’s alright, may I say a word regarding this matter?”
“Go ahead. I wanted to hear your opinion.”
Belzebuth had always brought the most accurate and best answers to the Demon King.
Trusting that she could explain the current chaotic situation, the Demon King prepared to listen to her.
“First of all… Your Majesty must already have some awareness of this matter. The meal requested by the hero is certainly not happening with ordinary intentions.”
“Yes, to be honest, that’s why my mind is still in a complicated state. I wonder why the hero rejected all riches and asked for such a strange thing…”
As she spoke, the Demon King began to show a slightly subtle expression.
Seeing this reaction, Belzebuth spoke with her characteristic sharpness.
“Yes, indeed. It is quite a strange request, and… that point shows what the hero is truly aiming for.”
“What does that mean?”
“Think about it. Your Majesty, you surely said that you would grant the hero whatever he desires.
However, what he wanted was neither wealth nor territory… but to spend time with you. This means…”
As she said this, Belzebuth looked at the Demon King with a cold expression. Then, serious feelings of warning flowed from her lips.
“What the hero desires… is you, Your Majesty.”
“Uh?.. Me.. you mean?”
The Demon King began to show a look of confusion at her words.
Seeing her lord’s reaction, Belzebuth continued to speak in a calm voice.
“Yes, from what I can see, the hero is clearly trying to win your heart by any means. The excessive merits he gained during this operation and his request for a meal as a reward are surely all preparations for
this.”
“The hero is after my heart… But, why?”
“I apologize. I still can’t be sure how far he is thinking. But since it’s likely not for a good reason, please
be careful. That hero is more dangerous than Your Majesty thinks. Do not let your guard down during the meal.”
“Hmm…”
The Demon King slowly nodded in response to Belzebuth’s words.
However…
Even while observing her lord’s demeanor, Belzebuth’s heart was still filled with anxiety and deep sorrow.
“To be honest, if the situation were not this dire, I would have immediately advised against such a dangerous meal appointment…”
From a rational perspective, preventing the hero, an untrustworthy being in many ways, from contacting the Demon King was the best course of action.
She was well aware that her lord was inexperienced in such human relationships, so the hero’s cunning words could have unknown effects on the Demon King.
However, unfortunately…
The current situation in the Demon King’s Kingdom was not one where they could easily refuse something like the poisoned chalice known as the Hero.
At this very moment, the alliance forces of various races were launching a large-scale offensive.
For Belzebuth, who had held the position of Chancellor for nearly a hundred years, this was the worst crisis that was impossible to manage.
Although the Demon King, possessing overwhelming combat power, periodically intervened to put out urgent fires, even that would inevitably reach its limit someday.
In such times, the Hero, a being with strength surpassing even the Demon King.
Belzebuth knew all too well that he was the important and only key to pull the Demon Kingdom out of this desperate crisis.
The reason she couldn’t bring herself to tell the Demon King that the Hero might be targeting this country was rooted in such background, and the reason she couldn’t cancel the dinner appointment with the Demon King was also due to this.
In a situation where there was no clear evidence, it was too significant to act on mere speculation.
‘For now, I have warned Her Majesty, so he will probably handle himself somewhat well, but we must continue to keep an eye on him. If that Hero engages in suspicious behavior, we must be ready to respond immediately.’
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“Hmm…”
In a hot bathtub filled with rose petals.
She was alone, bathing without a stitch of clothing.
This was a bathing time that usually washed away the fatigue of war and brought her peace of mind.
As usual, she started by cleaning her neck, shoulders, collarbone…
And then, slowly washing her large chest to relieve the tension that had settled all over her body.
However, at this moment,
In the heart of the Demon King,
Feelings of worry and tension about the future were swirling instead of her usual calmness.
‘The Hero… wants my heart…’
The words Belzebuth had told her.
The Demon King had some understanding of what that meant.
Being in a position of power, receiving his affection meant acquiring power…
And it could lead to acquiring a great deal of power.
Considering that the target was a human Hero and not a member of the demon race, it was certainly something to be cautious about.
That was exactly what Belzebuth was worried about, and the Demon King also shared some of those concerns about the risk.
However…
Even knowing this fact,
At this moment, the Demon King felt an unfamiliar emotion that was stronger than her wariness toward the Hero.
‘But… I cannot understand. If that were the case, this dinner would be like a poisoned apple… Why am I waiting for that moment while taking a bath like this?’
Even though she knew she should be on guard, she couldn’t easily shake off the feeling of ‘anticipation.’
Feeling a contradictory emotion similar to when she visited the Hero to congratulate him on his achievements…
The Demon King began to slowly blow bubbles while keeping her eyes submerged in the bathtub.
Bubbles began to rise in the tub as if expressing her feelings.
As she watched them, the Demon King started thinking in her heart that she wanted to find the cause of this confusing emotion as quickly as possible.
‘Perhaps… I might find the answer during this dinner. I hope it turns out that way…’
