Randall threw back the blanket and kissed Sylvia's forehead, the tip of her nose, and her lips, making a soft voice.
“If you are tired, I will wash you, Ma’am.”
“...No. Today is my anniversary.”
Sylvia, who had been slightly captivated by his face and voice, regained her senses a little late and got up. Randall was disappointed, but he knew that Sylvia was right, so he followed her sullenly.
Sylvia slightly opened the curtain that had not moved for several days and checked outside. Then, she saw a crowd of people, not only in the square but also near the inn. Seeing that, she regained some sense of reality.
‘...Because I must not forget the purpose of coming here.’
‘...Because I must not forget the purpose of coming here.’
The reason Sylvia and Randall came to Kelvetia was to prevent war. Sylvia took a deep breath and smiled brightly as she turned to Randall.
“Shall we wash up and leave?”
“Oh, I’ll help you wash...”
“Stop talking nonsense.”
***
Randall and Sylvia left the inn and headed to the central square where the speech was to be given. The central square was already packed with so many demons that there was no room to stand.
“Me! Lift me up!”
“Me first!”
Young demons would climb on the necks of other demons and watch the stage. It was not uncommon to see them get into fights while trying to get a good spot.
“Be careful.”
Sylvia grabbed Randall's arm and pulled him away from the two demons who were making a fuss. Randall nodded lightly in gratitude. Sylvia and Randall took a spot away from the stage, somewhere inconspicuous. Sylvia glanced up and looked up. Then, beyond the stage, a huge, majestic black castle came into view. It was the Demon King's castle. Sylvia opened her eyes dimly and looked up at the tall spire. The black tower standing tall against the red sky looked like a coffin submerged in a pool of blood.
‘...Something feels ominous.’
Instinct rang the alarm bell. At that moment, Sylvia unconsciously shook her shoulders due to a strange feeling. A group of demons appeared from inside the main gate of the Demon King’s Castle. The demons who had been huddled together in front of the stage discovered them and started to murmur in excitement.
“Damn, it’s finally out!”
“Get out of my way!”
“...Huh? But Her Majesty?”
“I don’t see Duke Muller-Schert either.”
“Isn’t that...Baynas Perun, third in line?”
'...Baynas Perun?'
Sylvia opened her eyes wide in surprise at the people’s murmur. It was understandable, the name Baynas was definitely...
At that moment, the demons who appeared from the palace approached the stage. The demon who stood in the front, who seemed to be Baynas Perun, the third-ranked demon, looked around at the demons who had gathered like a flock of clouds with a solemn face.
Since the demons were a race that followed power, the demons at the front of the stage turned their heads in fear, perhaps feeling intimidated by just that gaze. At that moment, someone raised their hand and raised their voice as if to protest that fear.
“Your Grace, where did Her Majesty go, and why are you... here alone?”
“Oh, that’s right!”
“We came here to hear Her Majesty Evelyn’s speech!”
Then, the other demons also gained courage and added a word each. The wide square became noisy in an instant. At that moment, the demon who was standing next to Baynas took a step forward. She, with her sharp expression, looked at the demons with her cold eyes and opened her mouth.
“Her Majesty Evelyn Hayden was seriously injured last night after being attacked by Duke Muller Schert, and the Duke has been imprisoned for his crimes. The current Demon King is Lord Baynas Perun. Please refrain from any rash words or actions.”
"...What?"
The noise from earlier was dispelled by a deathly silence. Sylvia and Randall were also speechless in shock. Sylvia looked toward the Demon King’s Castle in confusion.
'Duke Muller-Schert... attacked the Demon King?'
Although she couldn't find out the details because she was stuck in the inn with Randall, Sylvia could tell just from the snippets of the people talking how gentle and decent the leader of the pacifist faction, Muller Schert, was for a demon. Why would he attack the Demon King...?
While Sylvia, Randell, and all the demons in the square were in confusion, Baynas Perun's aide continued.
“Last night, news came that the humans were preparing to conquer Kelvetia.”
"...What?"
“Conquest?”
“How did you know that?”
“Are you sure?”
The demons were in an uproar at the sudden news that came like a bolt from the blue. There was no answer from the aides, perhaps because many words were tangled at once. However, Sylvia and Randall looked at each other without saying a word during the commotion. An instinctive realization brought the same face to their minds.
'No way...'
"For our king, Baynas!"
It was clear that the dark bugs were worshipping 'Baynas', the leader of the hedonistic faction.
'Well, the dark bugs are ultimately a race that praises destruction, chaos, and slaughter. They would never embrace the pacifist demon race.'
Considering that the only means of connecting the human world and Kelvetia were irregular twists and moving magic circles, there was only one reason why the news of the 'conquest of Kelvetia' could be delivered to the demons so quickly.
'David.'
It was the work of the bastard who was working with the Dark Bugs. Beneath the hood, his green eyes glowed fiercely. Randall clenched his teeth. At that moment, Baynas Perun stepped forward, pushing his entourage back. He looked down at them with a rather miserable expression and continued speaking.
“Duke Muller-Schert had been advocating for reconciliation with humans. When he heard that humans were preparing to advance on Kelvetia, he was worried that his power would be tarnished, so he tried to silence Her Majesty Evelyn by killing her.”
“How could that be...!”
“Last night, news came that the humans were preparing to conquer Kelvetia.”
"...What?"
“Conquest?”
“How did you know that?”
“Are you sure?”
The demons were in an uproar at the sudden news that came like a bolt from the blue. There was no answer from the aides, perhaps because many words were tangled at once. However, Sylvia and Randall looked at each other without saying a word during the commotion. An instinctive realization brought the same face to their minds.
'No way...'
"For our king, Baynas!"
It was clear that the dark bugs were worshipping 'Baynas', the leader of the hedonistic faction.
'Well, the dark bugs are ultimately a race that praises destruction, chaos, and slaughter. They would never embrace the pacifist demon race.'
Considering that the only means of connecting the human world and Kelvetia were irregular twists and moving magic circles, there was only one reason why the news of the 'conquest of Kelvetia' could be delivered to the demons so quickly.
'David.'
It was the work of the bastard who was working with the Dark Bugs. Beneath the hood, his green eyes glowed fiercely. Randall clenched his teeth. At that moment, Baynas Perun stepped forward, pushing his entourage back. He looked down at them with a rather miserable expression and continued speaking.
“Duke Muller-Schert had been advocating for reconciliation with humans. When he heard that humans were preparing to advance on Kelvetia, he was worried that his power would be tarnished, so he tried to silence Her Majesty Evelyn by killing her.”
“How could that be...!”
“You insignificant human!”
The demons were furious at the fact that Muller-Schert had rebelled against the Demon King in favor of the humans. Baynas took advantage of this opportunity and added even more force to his voice.
“I heard that humans have developed a magic circle that can transport them to Kelvetia.”
"Ah...!"
“You said pacifism?”
Baynas' mocking voice seeped through the crowd of angry demons. He let out a hollow laugh and shouted with his eyes flashing.
“They’re going to attack us first, so is it pacifism to just sit back and face death? Bullshit! That’s just cowardice!”
A thunderous shout shook the square. Darkness billowed behind Baynas like a cloak.
“I have no intention of throwing my life away for such a beggarly belief! All warriors must make the battlefield their graves! It is the Demon King’s order! Everyone rise up and fight!”
As soon as Baynas finished his speech, the excited demons raised both their hands and responded.
“Waaaah!”
“That’s right! What good does it do if we try to get along with humans? It’s the humans who end up acting like that!”
“Pacifism? That was such a stupid idea!”
“It’s humans who despise us more! Let’s go out and fight!”
A huge cheer shook the square. The demons were burning with fighting spirit, scattering paper dust and flowers that they had prepared for Alyssa's anniversary. The scene was almost like a 'festival'.
'Shit...!'
Meanwhile, in the middle of the rippling demons, Sylvia and Randall bit their lips in thought. The situation was going in an unexpected direction.
***
Sylvia and Randall left for now. They had a serious conversation in a quiet corner of the park where there were no demons.
“I never knew things would turn out like this...”
“...Did Duke Muller-Schert really attack the Demon King for that reason?”
Sylvia sighed, then paused in thought at Randall's question. Her white eyebrows furrowed slightly.
"Duke Muller-Schert had been advocating for harmony with humans. When he heard that humans were preparing to advance on Kelvetia, he was worried that his power would be tarnished, so he tried to silence Her Majesty Evelyn by killing her."
Baynas said that Muller-Schert tried to harm the Demon King for the sake of the pacifist faction. From what she heard from the demons, Muller-Schert was a very polite person for a demon. Sylvia knew very well how ugly humans can be in front of power. She came to Kelvetia and admitted that the demons were not much different from humans. So, is it possible that Muller-Schert really prevented the news of the humans' conquest of Kelvetia from spreading for the sake of the pacifist faction?
“...”
Sylvia, who had been pondering, finally let out a deep sigh and looked at Randall.
“...I think I should listen to what the Duke of Shert has to say and then make a decision. Let’s go meet the Duke first. While I’m at it, I should also check on the Demon King’s condition.”
What Sylvia and Randall wanted was a peace treaty with the entire Demon Tribe, and ultimately, the only person who could make this possible was the Demon King. However, Baynas was the leader of the hedonistic faction. There was no way that he would agree to a peace treaty with humans now that he had heard the news of the conquest of Kelvetia.
'I don't know how much communication the Demon King called Evelyn will have.'
It was an undeniable fact that the Demon King, not Baynas, was more likely to conclude the negotiations. Randall said with a thoughtful expression after hearing Sylvia's words.
“I heard that the Duke of Shert was imprisoned in the dungeon, but I haven’t heard anything about the Demon King’s residence. Do you happen to know the layout of the Demon King’s castle?”
“...No. In fact, I ran to the human world right after cutting off Basis’s head on the plains, so I haven’t even been able to see the inside of the Demon King’s castle.”
"Ah..."
“...”
“...”
Sylvia and Randall were silent for a moment. They were a little depressed at the thought of sneaking into the Demon King’s castle, finding out where the Demon King was, checking on her condition, and going down to the basement to find Duke Shert again, while unable to use their magic.
“I never knew things would turn out like this...”
“...Did Duke Muller-Schert really attack the Demon King for that reason?”
Sylvia sighed, then paused in thought at Randall's question. Her white eyebrows furrowed slightly.
"Duke Muller-Schert had been advocating for harmony with humans. When he heard that humans were preparing to advance on Kelvetia, he was worried that his power would be tarnished, so he tried to silence Her Majesty Evelyn by killing her."
Baynas said that Muller-Schert tried to harm the Demon King for the sake of the pacifist faction. From what she heard from the demons, Muller-Schert was a very polite person for a demon. Sylvia knew very well how ugly humans can be in front of power. She came to Kelvetia and admitted that the demons were not much different from humans. So, is it possible that Muller-Schert really prevented the news of the humans' conquest of Kelvetia from spreading for the sake of the pacifist faction?
“...”
Sylvia, who had been pondering, finally let out a deep sigh and looked at Randall.
“...I think I should listen to what the Duke of Shert has to say and then make a decision. Let’s go meet the Duke first. While I’m at it, I should also check on the Demon King’s condition.”
What Sylvia and Randall wanted was a peace treaty with the entire Demon Tribe, and ultimately, the only person who could make this possible was the Demon King. However, Baynas was the leader of the hedonistic faction. There was no way that he would agree to a peace treaty with humans now that he had heard the news of the conquest of Kelvetia.
'I don't know how much communication the Demon King called Evelyn will have.'
It was an undeniable fact that the Demon King, not Baynas, was more likely to conclude the negotiations. Randall said with a thoughtful expression after hearing Sylvia's words.
“I heard that the Duke of Shert was imprisoned in the dungeon, but I haven’t heard anything about the Demon King’s residence. Do you happen to know the layout of the Demon King’s castle?”
“...No. In fact, I ran to the human world right after cutting off Basis’s head on the plains, so I haven’t even been able to see the inside of the Demon King’s castle.”
"Ah..."
“...”
“...”
Sylvia and Randall were silent for a moment. They were a little depressed at the thought of sneaking into the Demon King’s castle, finding out where the Demon King was, checking on her condition, and going down to the basement to find Duke Shert again, while unable to use their magic.
After a brief moment of silence, Randell opened his mouth, trying to brighten his expression.
“...Shall we go for now?”
“...Shall we go for now?”
“Yes. If we’re together, anything will work out.”
“What you just said was a little touching.”
“You can be a little more touched.”
“It is such an honor, Ma’am.”
Sylvia said playfully, interlocking her hands. Then Randall smiled and pressed his lips to the back of her hand. The couple walked toward the Demon King’s Castle as if they were going on an outing.
As they walked side by side, the blood-red sky somehow felt like a sunset.
***
The fact that the demons couldn't sense magic worked as an unexpectedly big advantage for Sylvia and Randall. The two first hid their human scent with Sylvia's darkness and hid inside the Demon King's castle.
Through the guards' conversation, they learned that Demon King Evelyn was in the bedroom at the top of the castle, and headed upstairs. Occasionally, when the guards noticed the darkness they were wearing and tried to approach, Randall would create a small sword energy and fly it in the opposite direction of where they were hiding. Like just now.
Boom!
The wall on the other side of the hallway shattered with a small sound. At that sound, the guard who was approaching the corner where Sylvia and Randall were hiding turned around in surprise.
"What's the matter!"
“What kind of guy is this!”
“It’s the hallway over there!”
The guards swarmed in front of the broken wall noisily. Sylvia and Randall took advantage of the gap and sneaked up the stairs to the upper floor. Sylvia hid her scent with the darkness, and Randall turned his gaze with his sword a few times.
Soon, the two reached the Demon King's bedroom with considerable ease.
“...Why is it so noisy down there?”
“Yes. Should I go check it out?”
“Arthur. If anything happens, I will come and tell you. Have you forgotten that Lord Baynas told you not to leave this place?”
Sylvia and Randall took advantage of the commotion downstairs to sneak into the Demon King’s bedroom while the guards were chatting.
“...Why is it so noisy down there?”
“Yes. Should I go check it out?”
“Arthur. If anything happens, I will come and tell you. Have you forgotten that Lord Baynas told you not to leave this place?”
Sylvia and Randall took advantage of the commotion downstairs to sneak into the Demon King’s bedroom while the guards were chatting.
Click.
The door behind them slammed shut. The room was dark enough to feel cozy. Sylvia stopped when she found a woman lying on the bed as if she was dead.
'She is...'
'She is...'
The New Series, Reincarnating As My Husband's Mistress is out now!
You can check it HERE!
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment