That thought soon began to overlap with other thoughts.
What if I have to leave this place or get chased?
I don’t know when I started feeling so anxious about leaving this place.
“Your Highness?”
Perhaps because the thought was long, Decarabia peeked her head out toward her.
Was it because of this demon who pretended not to care about me, or because of the way the demons secretly rejoiced whenever she called his name?
Not all of them would have only positive feelings toward me.
However, at least they didn’t show any distance on the outside, and they listened to my words because I was the Grand Duchess.
They didn’t pretend to look up to me as something beyond humans like the priests, and they didn’t treat me as a tool or a consumable and tried to manipulate me as they pleased.
“...”
I actually liked this place just for that reason alone.
I didn’t know I was this hungry for affection, but I felt like I knew now that I received it.
Some reluctantly obeyed orders like Naberus, and I didn’t know the insides of other demons. But I couldn’t give up because I felt like I was being respected on the outside.
‘Do you really think the Saintess will refuse her duty? You must know that since you are from a noble family, you must follow your worldly duties.’
‘You wouldn’t abandon your duty, would you?’
What if I have to leave this place or get chased?
I don’t know when I started feeling so anxious about leaving this place.
“Your Highness?”
Perhaps because the thought was long, Decarabia peeked her head out toward her.
Was it because of this demon who pretended not to care about me, or because of the way the demons secretly rejoiced whenever she called his name?
Not all of them would have only positive feelings toward me.
However, at least they didn’t show any distance on the outside, and they listened to my words because I was the Grand Duchess.
They didn’t pretend to look up to me as something beyond humans like the priests, and they didn’t treat me as a tool or a consumable and tried to manipulate me as they pleased.
“...”
I actually liked this place just for that reason alone.
I didn’t know I was this hungry for affection, but I felt like I knew now that I received it.
Some reluctantly obeyed orders like Naberus, and I didn’t know the insides of other demons. But I couldn’t give up because I felt like I was being respected on the outside.
‘Do you really think the Saintess will refuse her duty? You must know that since you are from a noble family, you must follow your worldly duties.’
‘You wouldn’t abandon your duty, would you?’
The first life was Duke Orobas, who only saw me as an object to satisfy his desires, and the second life was Duke Yubar, who tried to sacrifice me while relieving me of another twisted desire. There was no way their servants had treated me properly. That’s why I couldn’t help but compare. If it weren’t so vulgar to desire such things. No, if it weren’t wrong. I also wanted to be treated like a human and live like this.
‘I’ll teach you how to desire.’
It seemed like I kept wanting something, just like Belled had said. At first, I just wanted to survive, then I wanted to live a slightly better life, and now I want to live a respected life...
I thought that anyone else might have done the same, but when it actually became my job, I was concerned. I thought I was being too greedy. Even more so because I thought that if I was being too greedy, maybe Belled’s heart might change.
“You can look if you want to.”
At that moment, Decarabia’s words interrupted my thoughts. My fingertips were touching Belled’s ‘day job.’
“Ah.”
If it was his job as a demon, which was his night job, then she might know, but if it was the Duke’s job, she had to know too. If it wasn’t supposed to be seen, it wouldn’t have been put in a place like this. I, who had come to that short conclusion, opened the document. And soon after, I realized an important fact.
“I knew that demons lived in Vine, but.”
As I turned the paper, I realized something I had not thought of.
“...Not all the people of Vine are demons, and it seems that the people of Vine Mansion don’t know that they are demons.”
It was a fact that could be easily figured out just by flipping through a few pages of documents.
“Yes, that’s right.”
Decarabia nodded. In a way, it was natural. If the number of demons, each with strong abilities, had been as many as the number of residents of the Duchy of Vine's territory, the map of the continent would have already changed. However, since that wasn’t the case, the demons had no choice but to hide around the mansion.
“The area around the mansion is where the most monsters appear...”
It was as if they were surrounded by a colony of monsters. That was how much they prevented humans from approaching.
“Humans think that the Grand Duke lives among the monsters for them.”
Decarabia spread her hands as if it were an absurd misunderstanding. As if she couldn’t do something like that for humans. However, I thought differently. Whatever the reason, wasn’t that the conclusion?
[Monster Slaying Record]
You could tell just by looking at this document. Just because they were a family that was good at catching monsters, the residents of the Duchy of Vine's territory would have a great affection for their lord. However, the Duke of Vine didn’t even approach the residents easily. The same goes for the knights under him. If we think about the cases where other families would not hesitate to abuse their power because they were the lord's knights, the people of the territory would not have welcomed this either. Of course, the reason they did not approach them was clear.
"If the knights approached the people's houses, it would only give the humans a chance to look at them strangely."
...It was hard to pretend to be human, so I just didn’t go.
But what about the people of the Duke of Vine's territory?
The knights who were responsible for their safety didn’t even approach them, let alone bully them, and just did their own thing? Where could there be a better territory than this?
However, there was one thing that bothered me.
“Still, I think there are some people who are anxious that Belled doesn’t personally visit the territory....”
People tend to trust those who show themselves.
If they thought that the Duke, who was like a shadow figure whose face was unknown, only did good things like a ghost, wouldn’t they be anxious that he might leave at any moment?
However, Decarabia shook her head despite those words.
“The Duke was busy, so they understood that it was okay.”
“...?”
So the other lords were visiting the territory because they had nothing to do?
“At first, there were people who were anxious that he didn’t visit the territory, but now they’re not like that.”
Decarabia explained in a light voice.
This territory, covered only at night, originally didn’t welcome guests.
In addition, since it was dark all day, there wasn’t much traffic between people, and it was common for people to communicate their well-being through writing rather than greeting each other face to face.
Monsters can transform into human form and attack people, but they can’t write.
“Ah...”
Still, I couldn’t help but feel a little worried. I looked over the documents a little more and asked,
“Do the people of the territory trust their lord enough?”
The Orobas and Yubar I had seen places that were more active in showing their lord’s face than in catching monsters. That’s how people would realistically believe in their existence and be loyal to them?
To be exact.
‘That way, wouldn’t those who want to line up with me have a chance to approach me? Hahahaha!’
...Duke Orobas seemed to think so.
However, Vine took the opposite approach.
“Yes, but the trust of the people of the territory remains unchanged.”
However, Decarabia spoke confidently. When I looked at her, thinking that there must be a reason, she continued speaking in a calm tone.
“This place has been ostracized for a long time, and it was Your Highness who deliberately chose to come here.”
She spread out her hands.
“It must have been touching for the humans.”
Although she spoke as if she had no such intention, I couldn’t help but laugh awkwardly at her words.
“Well, even so, since he settled in the middle of a monster infestation...”
To the people of this land who were ostracized for its many monsters, he must have seemed like a savior.
“That’s why many humans think that the first Duke of Vine protected them.”
Decarabia snorted.
“Stupid humans.”
I think I would think that too. I thought as I stroked the tip of my hair.
“But if it’s the first Duke of Vine.”
Was there another Duke besides Belled? Decarabia answered her words immediately.
“That’s also a misunderstanding on the part of the humans. The position of His Highness the Duke of Vine has never been held by anyone other than His Highness Belled.”
My eyes widened at those words. Wasn’t the Vine a very old family?
“The Vine was founded about 400 years ago, so this land has been His Highness Belled’s ever since.”
She said as if she had read my thoughts. My movements stopped.
Are you saying that Belled lived at least 400 years?
Then...
“...Are there no limits to the lifespan of demons?”
Come to think of it, I had never heard of a demon dying of old age. Decarabia nodded at that.
“Yes, there aren’t.”
“Then...”
I suddenly remembered a book I had read in the temple when I was young.
It was a sad love story between an angel and a human.
Since angels had no limits to their lifespan, unlike them, love between humans who lived only a few decades usually ended in a sad ending.
However, I always thought as I read the book.
It wasn’t good for the angel, but for the human who was the female protagonist.
‘She was loved until the end.’
That must have been good. She must have been happy. Not being left alone. I envied them. I thought so selfishly.
“Compared to other old demons, he was late in drinking the Fountain of Desire, but he is the strongest demon, so there is no need to worry.”
Meanwhile, Decarabia was talking about something else.
“Not all young demons are weak.”
...Did Decarabia think he was a young devil since he lived for 400 years? I laughed again, embarrassed.
“The Fountain of Desire?”
“Yes, it’s the fountain inside the gates of Hell. If you drink it, you’ll become a devil.”
Decarabia tapped the floor with the end of her folded parasol as she spoke.
It seemed boring to her because it was such an obvious story. However, I knew that, but I couldn’t help but ask one thing that was left.
If Belled drank the Fountain of Desire. And if he drank it, he’d become a devil.
“Was Belled originally human?”
He was originally human too? How did devils come into being?
...It was hard to pretend to be human, so I just didn’t go.
But what about the people of the Duke of Vine's territory?
The knights who were responsible for their safety didn’t even approach them, let alone bully them, and just did their own thing? Where could there be a better territory than this?
However, there was one thing that bothered me.
“Still, I think there are some people who are anxious that Belled doesn’t personally visit the territory....”
People tend to trust those who show themselves.
If they thought that the Duke, who was like a shadow figure whose face was unknown, only did good things like a ghost, wouldn’t they be anxious that he might leave at any moment?
However, Decarabia shook her head despite those words.
“The Duke was busy, so they understood that it was okay.”
“...?”
So the other lords were visiting the territory because they had nothing to do?
“At first, there were people who were anxious that he didn’t visit the territory, but now they’re not like that.”
Decarabia explained in a light voice.
This territory, covered only at night, originally didn’t welcome guests.
In addition, since it was dark all day, there wasn’t much traffic between people, and it was common for people to communicate their well-being through writing rather than greeting each other face to face.
Monsters can transform into human form and attack people, but they can’t write.
“Ah...”
Still, I couldn’t help but feel a little worried. I looked over the documents a little more and asked,
“Do the people of the territory trust their lord enough?”
The Orobas and Yubar I had seen places that were more active in showing their lord’s face than in catching monsters. That’s how people would realistically believe in their existence and be loyal to them?
To be exact.
‘That way, wouldn’t those who want to line up with me have a chance to approach me? Hahahaha!’
...Duke Orobas seemed to think so.
However, Vine took the opposite approach.
“Yes, but the trust of the people of the territory remains unchanged.”
However, Decarabia spoke confidently. When I looked at her, thinking that there must be a reason, she continued speaking in a calm tone.
“This place has been ostracized for a long time, and it was Your Highness who deliberately chose to come here.”
She spread out her hands.
“It must have been touching for the humans.”
Although she spoke as if she had no such intention, I couldn’t help but laugh awkwardly at her words.
“Well, even so, since he settled in the middle of a monster infestation...”
To the people of this land who were ostracized for its many monsters, he must have seemed like a savior.
“That’s why many humans think that the first Duke of Vine protected them.”
Decarabia snorted.
“Stupid humans.”
I think I would think that too. I thought as I stroked the tip of my hair.
“But if it’s the first Duke of Vine.”
Was there another Duke besides Belled? Decarabia answered her words immediately.
“That’s also a misunderstanding on the part of the humans. The position of His Highness the Duke of Vine has never been held by anyone other than His Highness Belled.”
My eyes widened at those words. Wasn’t the Vine a very old family?
“The Vine was founded about 400 years ago, so this land has been His Highness Belled’s ever since.”
She said as if she had read my thoughts. My movements stopped.
Are you saying that Belled lived at least 400 years?
Then...
“...Are there no limits to the lifespan of demons?”
Come to think of it, I had never heard of a demon dying of old age. Decarabia nodded at that.
“Yes, there aren’t.”
“Then...”
I suddenly remembered a book I had read in the temple when I was young.
It was a sad love story between an angel and a human.
Since angels had no limits to their lifespan, unlike them, love between humans who lived only a few decades usually ended in a sad ending.
However, I always thought as I read the book.
It wasn’t good for the angel, but for the human who was the female protagonist.
‘She was loved until the end.’
That must have been good. She must have been happy. Not being left alone. I envied them. I thought so selfishly.
“Compared to other old demons, he was late in drinking the Fountain of Desire, but he is the strongest demon, so there is no need to worry.”
Meanwhile, Decarabia was talking about something else.
“Not all young demons are weak.”
...Did Decarabia think he was a young devil since he lived for 400 years? I laughed again, embarrassed.
“The Fountain of Desire?”
“Yes, it’s the fountain inside the gates of Hell. If you drink it, you’ll become a devil.”
Decarabia tapped the floor with the end of her folded parasol as she spoke.
It seemed boring to her because it was such an obvious story. However, I knew that, but I couldn’t help but ask one thing that was left.
If Belled drank the Fountain of Desire. And if he drank it, he’d become a devil.
“Was Belled originally human?”
He was originally human too? How did devils come into being?
I only knew the answer because he was cursed by God a long time ago... Then unexpected information fell upon me.
“All devils were originally human.”
My eyes widened.
“All devils were originally human.”
My eyes widened.
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