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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: selkie
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The Demon King asked about dating.
Seeing this, Belzebuth, despite lacking practical experience, began to approach the topic with a serious attitude to fulfill her master’s wishes.
“When you say ‘dating’… what specifically do you want? Is it like having a meal alone with the Hero, or perhaps taking a walk together? Or does it mean something more intimate, like… being alone in a bedroom?”
Belzebuth drew upon all her knowledge to provide examples.
During this process, she felt her face getting warm but suppressed those feelings to understand her master’s context.
However, the Demon King listened to Belzebuth’s words with an unexpectedly calm expression and slowly shook her head.
“Well… in a way, it could be seen as similar to those things, but strictly speaking, it’s a bit different.”
“Really? Then…”
Belzebuth was slightly surprised by how composed the Demon King was.
Meanwhile, the Demon King turned her gaze slowly toward the window.
At that moment, she saw her people celebrating their victory outside and the soldiers rejoicing.
These were the most precious beings to her and those she had a duty to protect.
However, at this moment, they were also the root cause of her current dilemma.
“What I’m struggling with is that no matter how I think about it, it seems quite difficult for me to publicly pursue a romantic relationship with the Hero. Considering my status… wouldn’t it cause controversy at this point?”
“Ah…”
Belzebuth understood clearly what was troubling her master from the tone of anxiety in her voice.
The Demon King was the ruler of the Demon Kingdom and its strongest demon. However, no matter how powerful she was, the Hero was still human.
Although he had made significant contributions for both the demons and the kingdom, all of that had happened in such a short time that it wasn’t widely known.
In this situation, if the Demon King and the Hero publicly declared their relationship and began dating, it could spark debates and conflicts among the kingdom’s citizens and high-ranking demons.
Especially now, right after a war when hatred towards humans among demons was at its peak.
“In that regard, I think it might be wise to keep some distance from the Hero for a while…”
“That’s exactly why I’m troubled. If I distance myself from the Hero in this situation, he would naturally feel betrayed.”
Starting from the upcoming victory celebration banquet and various official events afterward, the Demon King had many obligations to attend.
If she intentionally avoided or distanced herself from the Hero during these occasions, he would likely feel more than just disappointment; he could feel betrayed as he had made the greatest contributions during this war.
Of course, discussing this matter in advance could somewhat ease tensions.
However, she knew well that human emotions were not so simple,
especially if the person in question was someone like the Hero who had wounds in his heart.
“From the Hero’s perspective, having won the war might lead him to think that I’m trying to abandon him. If I were in his position, I would certainly feel that way.”
“Ha… That’s true…”
Belzebuth sighed softly in agreement with the Demon King’s firm words.
Then she began to think more seriously about this issue.
‘Indeed… right now it’s difficult for Her Majesty to either neglect or get too close to the Hero; meeting only within the castle has its restrictions as well. Rumors tend to spread one way or another…’
As she contemplated for a moment, Belzebuth earnestly began searching for solutions to this problem.
A way to avoid stirring unrest among the citizens while also not hurting the Hero’s feelings.
A method for the Demon King to capture the Hero’s heart without needing to worry about others’ opinions.
After a short while, Belzebuth’s superior intellect allowed her to come up with several ideas that seemed quite promising regarding this matter.
“Um… Your Majesty. What if we…”
“!”
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Inside the grand banquet hall of the Demon Castle,
a formal celebration was taking place—not just a simple congratulatory gathering but one dedicated to honoring their victory in war.
The vast hall was filled with splendid decorations and musicians performing lively tunes.
Tables were overflowing with lavish food fit for royalty and filled with high-ranking officials of the Demon Kingdom.
Amidst them, I raised my glass alongside other commanders of the kingdom while dressed in specially prepared formal attire.
“For the glory of the Demon Kingdom!”
“To victory!”
As the Demon King rose from her throne and declared a toast, all demons raised their glasses in unison.
I drank deeply from my glass as well.
The sweet yet rich aroma of grape wine filled my senses immediately afterward.
Since this came from a royal banquet, its taste was far superior to any drink I had ever tasted before; even the meal that followed was on another level compared to everything I had eaten so far.
‘Indeed, royal banquets… especially victory celebrations are on an entirely different scale.’
The banquet was a place that showcased a nation’s power and prestige, making it natural to present the best offerings.
Historically, leaders enjoyed lavish banquets not just for pleasure but for political purposes as well.
In any case, I found myself enjoying luxuries I had never imagined in my previous life, and my gaze subtly shifted toward the Demon King, who was seated on her throne receiving guests.
As it was an official event, the Demon King wore a veil that concealed her face.
Beside her were numerous individuals of noble status engaged in the audience.
“Congratulations on your victory, Your Majesty. All of this is thanks to your grace.”
“You too have worked hard, Duke Simeon. I hope you will help restore this country, which has been ravaged by war.”
“Of course, Your Majesty. I will do my utmost.”
“If you need anything, please let me know at any time, Your Majesty. I, Issagal, will continue to offer unwavering loyalty as I always have.”
“I will not forget your loyalty. I ask for your continued support in the future.”
From elderly men to young demon warriors,
many bowed their heads and expressed loyalty and praise to the Demon King.
Although she was now my lover, at that moment, I couldn’t help but feel a significant distance between us.
‘No matter how much of a hHero I am… the Demon King might still be a bit too much for an ordinary person like me…’
Of course, I had no intention of giving up on our relationship after all the struggles I had endured to win her love.
I believed I could bear this burden without issue.
However, despite that determination,
I could feel the heavy weight of the Demon King’s presence more clearly at this moment, and honestly, I began to feel somewhat intimidated.
At that moment…
“Excuse me…”
“…?”
Suddenly, a voice that sounded familiar reached my ears.
I turned my head toward the source of the sound.
Before me stood a female demon with an appearance unlike anyone I had seen before.
She had blue eyes and golden hair styled in braids that shone brightly.
With a figure that could be deemed perfect like the Demon King’s, she exuded a fresh beauty.
At that moment, she slightly blushed as if feeling shy,
giving off an impression that was the complete opposite of the dignified and cold demeanor of the Demon King.
However despite these fleeting thoughts,
I greeted this unfamiliar demon woman with a hint of caution.
“Hello. Excuse me, but who are you?”
Even though there were many comrades around who had bled together with me, it was still necessary to maintain some tension in this place filled with high-ranking demons.
Especially since there were still demons among them who looked unfavorably upon me as a human; I needed to be careful not to get involved in any troublesome situations.
As I regarded her with caution, she appeared even more embarrassed and seemed anxious as she attempted to say something.
At that moment…
“Oh! There you are.”
The next moment, a woman appeared from behind her and gently placed her hand on her shoulder.
Following that, I politely bowed my head and greeted her out of respect for having become familiar with her by now.
“Hello, Belzebuth.”
“It’s been a while, Hero.”
