“Cedric, your tie is crooked.”
“...Ah, thank you.”
Billy, the demon, extended his hand in a polite voice.
He straightened the demon child standing in front of him and straightened his back.
He looked at the children standing in front of him with a stern gaze.
A total of five demon children.
These were children who were selected from among the children who received ‘successor education’ from the current demon lord Evelyn.
Until now, the demon lord’s position was inherited by force.
If someone stronger than the current demon lord appeared, that person would inevitably kill the demon lord and take the position.
However, most demons now choose to live their lives by suppressing their instincts.
So naturally, it was right that the method of succession to the demon lord’s position should change.
This is what Evelyn, who had been pondering for several months, came up with.
‘Successor education.’
Demons cannot have children and pass on what they have like humans.
So, among the demons, they select the strongest and smartest children and teach them the mindset and responsibilities that they should have as the leader of the demons from an early age.
Later, through a vote by the demons, the wisest and strongest child among them is elected as the Demon King.
The most important condition that Evelyn set out was 'how well they can suppress the instinct to harm something'.
It is true that children who have never felt that pleasure even once are better at suppressing the urge to kill than adults who have already tasted the pleasure of harming something.
Therefore, Evelyn decided to select five children who were receiving successor education and who could suppress their killing intent the best and include them in the delegation that she was sending to the human world this time.
The main goal was to show them a wider world than Kelvetia and to have them talk directly to humans and build a bond with them.
"Hmm, good."
Billy, who was in charge of this delegation, snorted in satisfaction after confirming the impeccable appearance of the children.
His eyes turned to the child called 'Cedric' for a moment.
'...I'm a little worried about Cedric.'
But it was difficult to replace the delegation members now.
Besides, Cedric was the smartest of the five, except for the occasional breakdown when he was too nervous.
So there shouldn't be any problems.
Billy shook his head once to shake off his thoughts and took a deep breath.
As he spun around, his cloak, fixed in the Elvares style, fluttered loudly.
A refreshing voice echoed through the air.
"We're leaving for Elvares!"
Today was the third birthday of Regina de Carla Belfort, the next King of Elvares.
"Let's see. What would suit our Princess best?"
The red-haired boy smiled broadly, holding a white ribbon pin and a lime green headband in both hands.
For someone so deep in thought, his face looked incredibly happy.
Then, the girl standing next to the boy, who had an unusually calm expression on her face, pointed to something on the other side of the table.
“I like that blue hair tie. It’s neat.”
Kenneth’s lips curled up in response to the girl, Irene’s words. He grumbled.
“Your taste is too dull. There’s no need to be elegant on your birthday, right?”
“But Regina is a Princess. They said that a delegation from Kelvetia would be coming today. A certain degree of dignity...”
“Dignity is a dead end! How can you say that after seeing this face?!”
Kenneth reached out, fuming.
His hand stopped near the face of the child sitting on the sofa like a doll.
His Majesty the King and Queen...Yes.
“...”
Irene, who had been silent for a moment, smiled brightly. Well, let’s pretend I didn’t hear!
Irene completely abandoned the thought of punishing the person who taught Regina bad language.
Instead, she picked up the ribbon that Kenneth had dropped and slyly changed the subject.
“By the way, which one do you like better, Regina? Since they’re both your birthday presents, I think it would be good to decorate them with the one you like.”
“You should choose the one that suits you better.”
“Oh, me? Yes!”
“Let me choose too, please...”
Kenneth, who had barely come to his senses, stretched out his hand desperately while lying on the floor.
Of course, Irene pretended not to notice and focused on finishing Regina’s makeup.
Just as the white ribbon pin that matched Regina’s outfit today was resting on her hair, the door opened and a smiling Thelma appeared.
She bowed her head slightly to the three children.
“Young Master of Marquis Seicrine, Young Lady of Count Glever, The Marquis, and the Count are waiting downstairs. It’s time to go.”
“Oh, really? Thank you for letting me know.”
“Hmph. See you later, Regina! I’ll definitely open my present later!”
Irene greeted Thelma elegantly, holding the hem of her skirt as if she had never made a fuss, and Kenneth turned his head toward Regina and waved his hand as if he was sorry.
Thelma’s lips naturally smiled as they looked just like their parents.
Just as Thelma was leaving the room with Irene and Kenneth, Randall and Sylvia, perfectly dressed up, appeared.
Regina reached out to them with a face like a blooming flower.
“Mom! Dad!”
“Did you have fun, my daughter? The ribbon is so cute. It goes well with your clothes.”
Sylvia held the child in her arms with a smile just like Regina’s.
Following her, Randall lightly kissed the child’s forehead and smiled affectionately.
“Happy birthday, Regina.”
“...Ah, thank you.”
Billy, the demon, extended his hand in a polite voice.
He straightened the demon child standing in front of him and straightened his back.
He looked at the children standing in front of him with a stern gaze.
A total of five demon children.
These were children who were selected from among the children who received ‘successor education’ from the current demon lord Evelyn.
Until now, the demon lord’s position was inherited by force.
If someone stronger than the current demon lord appeared, that person would inevitably kill the demon lord and take the position.
However, most demons now choose to live their lives by suppressing their instincts.
So naturally, it was right that the method of succession to the demon lord’s position should change.
This is what Evelyn, who had been pondering for several months, came up with.
‘Successor education.’
Demons cannot have children and pass on what they have like humans.
So, among the demons, they select the strongest and smartest children and teach them the mindset and responsibilities that they should have as the leader of the demons from an early age.
Later, through a vote by the demons, the wisest and strongest child among them is elected as the Demon King.
The most important condition that Evelyn set out was 'how well they can suppress the instinct to harm something'.
It is true that children who have never felt that pleasure even once are better at suppressing the urge to kill than adults who have already tasted the pleasure of harming something.
Therefore, Evelyn decided to select five children who were receiving successor education and who could suppress their killing intent the best and include them in the delegation that she was sending to the human world this time.
The main goal was to show them a wider world than Kelvetia and to have them talk directly to humans and build a bond with them.
"Hmm, good."
Billy, who was in charge of this delegation, snorted in satisfaction after confirming the impeccable appearance of the children.
His eyes turned to the child called 'Cedric' for a moment.
'...I'm a little worried about Cedric.'
But it was difficult to replace the delegation members now.
Besides, Cedric was the smartest of the five, except for the occasional breakdown when he was too nervous.
So there shouldn't be any problems.
Billy shook his head once to shake off his thoughts and took a deep breath.
As he spun around, his cloak, fixed in the Elvares style, fluttered loudly.
A refreshing voice echoed through the air.
"We're leaving for Elvares!"
Today was the third birthday of Regina de Carla Belfort, the next King of Elvares.
***
"Let's see. What would suit our Princess best?"
The red-haired boy smiled broadly, holding a white ribbon pin and a lime green headband in both hands.
For someone so deep in thought, his face looked incredibly happy.
Then, the girl standing next to the boy, who had an unusually calm expression on her face, pointed to something on the other side of the table.
“I like that blue hair tie. It’s neat.”
Kenneth’s lips curled up in response to the girl, Irene’s words. He grumbled.
“Your taste is too dull. There’s no need to be elegant on your birthday, right?”
“But Regina is a Princess. They said that a delegation from Kelvetia would be coming today. A certain degree of dignity...”
“Dignity is a dead end! How can you say that after seeing this face?!”
Kenneth reached out, fuming.
His hand stopped near the face of the child sitting on the sofa like a doll.
“Ugh...”
Irene frowned at the child’s face, which looked like it was decorated with both a hair tie and a ribbon pin.
Not because she didn’t like it, but because it was too cute.
“Huh?”
The child, who had been blinking blankly, tilted her head, and eventually, Irene and Kenneth groaned together and hugged the child.
The two of them were rubbing their cheeks against the child’s.
Irene’s face, which had looked like an adult just a moment ago, was melting like cotton candy in water.
“Yeah, dignity and all, our child is this cute! What’s the use of anything else! I’ll make her the cutest baby in the world!”
“Haa, haa. It’s Princess Regina. Should I give her a ribbon, a hairband... Ugh!”
“Pervert! Go away!”
Kenneth was breathing heavily and trying to put a ribbon in Regina’s hair, but was hit by the child’s hand and flung away.
Irene didn’t even pay attention to Kenneth, who was squirming on the floor in a mess, and just looked at Regina’s hand.
Irene frowned at the child’s face, which looked like it was decorated with both a hair tie and a ribbon pin.
Not because she didn’t like it, but because it was too cute.
“Huh?”
The child, who had been blinking blankly, tilted her head, and eventually, Irene and Kenneth groaned together and hugged the child.
The two of them were rubbing their cheeks against the child’s.
Irene’s face, which had looked like an adult just a moment ago, was melting like cotton candy in water.
“Yeah, dignity and all, our child is this cute! What’s the use of anything else! I’ll make her the cutest baby in the world!”
“Haa, haa. It’s Princess Regina. Should I give her a ribbon, a hairband... Ugh!”
“Pervert! Go away!”
Kenneth was breathing heavily and trying to put a ribbon in Regina’s hair, but was hit by the child’s hand and flung away.
Irene didn’t even pay attention to Kenneth, who was squirming on the floor in a mess, and just looked at Regina’s hand.
“Regina, are you hurt? That’s Jiji, Jiji. Where did you learn that our princess is a pervert? As expected from that frivolous guy... or is it a guy?”
Irene smiled kindly and stroked Regina’s hair.
However, unlike her smile, her eyes were filled with coldness.
If Regina had learned even a single syllable of foul language from Kenneth, she would have punished him herself.
At that moment, Regina, who was fiddling with the ribbon that Kenneth had dropped, answered with a laugh.
“Mom!”
“...Huh?”
“Something Mom used to say. To Dad.”
“...”
Irene, who seemed about to grab Kenneth by the collar at any moment, shut her lips tightly. Her hazel eyes, which resembled her biological father, rolled around with a groan.
‘So...’
Regina’s father, her mother. Uh...
Irene smiled kindly and stroked Regina’s hair.
However, unlike her smile, her eyes were filled with coldness.
If Regina had learned even a single syllable of foul language from Kenneth, she would have punished him herself.
At that moment, Regina, who was fiddling with the ribbon that Kenneth had dropped, answered with a laugh.
“Mom!”
“...Huh?”
“Something Mom used to say. To Dad.”
“...”
Irene, who seemed about to grab Kenneth by the collar at any moment, shut her lips tightly. Her hazel eyes, which resembled her biological father, rolled around with a groan.
‘So...’
Regina’s father, her mother. Uh...
His Majesty the King and Queen...Yes.
“...”
Irene, who had been silent for a moment, smiled brightly. Well, let’s pretend I didn’t hear!
Irene completely abandoned the thought of punishing the person who taught Regina bad language.
Instead, she picked up the ribbon that Kenneth had dropped and slyly changed the subject.
“By the way, which one do you like better, Regina? Since they’re both your birthday presents, I think it would be good to decorate them with the one you like.”
“You should choose the one that suits you better.”
“Oh, me? Yes!”
“Let me choose too, please...”
Kenneth, who had barely come to his senses, stretched out his hand desperately while lying on the floor.
Of course, Irene pretended not to notice and focused on finishing Regina’s makeup.
Just as the white ribbon pin that matched Regina’s outfit today was resting on her hair, the door opened and a smiling Thelma appeared.
She bowed her head slightly to the three children.
“Young Master of Marquis Seicrine, Young Lady of Count Glever, The Marquis, and the Count are waiting downstairs. It’s time to go.”
“Oh, really? Thank you for letting me know.”
“Hmph. See you later, Regina! I’ll definitely open my present later!”
Irene greeted Thelma elegantly, holding the hem of her skirt as if she had never made a fuss, and Kenneth turned his head toward Regina and waved his hand as if he was sorry.
Thelma’s lips naturally smiled as they looked just like their parents.
Just as Thelma was leaving the room with Irene and Kenneth, Randall and Sylvia, perfectly dressed up, appeared.
Regina reached out to them with a face like a blooming flower.
“Mom! Dad!”
“Did you have fun, my daughter? The ribbon is so cute. It goes well with your clothes.”
Sylvia held the child in her arms with a smile just like Regina’s.
Following her, Randall lightly kissed the child’s forehead and smiled affectionately.
“Happy birthday, Regina.”
“Thank you for celebrating your third birthday safely.”
Sylvia said and hugged Regina tightly.
A few years ago. Not long after God had visited, Sylvia had a dream.
"Come play with your little sister later! I’ll be waiting."
Under a sky that seemed out of this world, a mixture of yellow, purple, and pink.
Juliet smiling and waving in a vast meadow covered with flowers.
Seeing that face, the guilt that had been weighing on Sylvia’s heart all this time could not help but subside a little. And as if that dream had come true, Sylvia soon became pregnant.
That child was none other than Regina, who was now in her arms.
Aside from her curly golden-brown hair, the child looked just like Sylvia.
The child had been sick for a while immediately after birth, so Randall and Sylvia were extremely worried.
However, Regina soon regained her health and became active.
Still, somehow, her heart ached at the thought of her child safely passing another birthday like this.
Sylvia giggled, rubbing her face against Regina’s neck.
The child laughed, saying that it was ticklish.
Sylvia whispered with a face full of happiness.
“I love you, baby. More than anything in the world.”
“Me too. But keep it a secret from Daddy.”
Regina whispered back.
Randall smiled mischievously and stroked the child’s cheek.
“What can you do if Daddy already heard everything?”
“What? I told you not to listen, so how did you listen? This time, I really meant you not to listen!”
Daddy, do you have four ears?!
Regina opened her mouth in shock, and Randall and Sylvia burst into laughter together.
The three soon hugged each other, then held hands and headed to the banquet hall, bickering.
Since Regina liked the outdoors more than the indoors, this year’s birthday banquet was set up in the garden.
The white cloth fluttered elegantly, forming a tent-shaped dome, and beneath it were a wide dance floor, tables, and chairs.
The delegation was amazed and sighed at the sight of the banquet hall that was as bright as day even in the late evening when the sun had almost set.
“So many magic stones...”
“Each magic stone is larger and purer than the national treasures of any country.”
“Even if all the magic stones on the continent were gathered here, it would barely be able to match the number of magic stones decorating the tent.”
“Hehe, now I can look forward to how much bigger the country of Elvares will become. Fortunately, the King and Queen have no interest in expanding their territory...”
“Even more so when you have such a healthy and intelligent successor.”
The gaze of the delegation turned to one side as if they had made a promise at the words someone uttered.
There was Regina, greeting the demon delegation that had just arrived from Kelvetia.
“Wow, you’ve really grown up so much, Princess. I almost didn’t recognize you.”
“Uncle Billy!”
“Not uncle, but brother... No, no. It’s an honor just to be remembered.”
Billy wiped away the tears that were welling up and tried to smile.
He took a step back and introduced the five children.
“These are the children who are being taught directly by Her Majesty Evelyn. This is their first time seeing the human world, and they may eventually sit across from the princess at the conference table.”
Sylvia said and hugged Regina tightly.
A few years ago. Not long after God had visited, Sylvia had a dream.
"Come play with your little sister later! I’ll be waiting."
Under a sky that seemed out of this world, a mixture of yellow, purple, and pink.
Juliet smiling and waving in a vast meadow covered with flowers.
Seeing that face, the guilt that had been weighing on Sylvia’s heart all this time could not help but subside a little. And as if that dream had come true, Sylvia soon became pregnant.
That child was none other than Regina, who was now in her arms.
Aside from her curly golden-brown hair, the child looked just like Sylvia.
The child had been sick for a while immediately after birth, so Randall and Sylvia were extremely worried.
However, Regina soon regained her health and became active.
Still, somehow, her heart ached at the thought of her child safely passing another birthday like this.
Sylvia giggled, rubbing her face against Regina’s neck.
The child laughed, saying that it was ticklish.
Sylvia whispered with a face full of happiness.
“I love you, baby. More than anything in the world.”
“Me too. But keep it a secret from Daddy.”
Regina whispered back.
Randall smiled mischievously and stroked the child’s cheek.
“What can you do if Daddy already heard everything?”
“What? I told you not to listen, so how did you listen? This time, I really meant you not to listen!”
Daddy, do you have four ears?!
Regina opened her mouth in shock, and Randall and Sylvia burst into laughter together.
The three soon hugged each other, then held hands and headed to the banquet hall, bickering.
***
Since Regina liked the outdoors more than the indoors, this year’s birthday banquet was set up in the garden.
The white cloth fluttered elegantly, forming a tent-shaped dome, and beneath it were a wide dance floor, tables, and chairs.
The delegation was amazed and sighed at the sight of the banquet hall that was as bright as day even in the late evening when the sun had almost set.
“So many magic stones...”
“Each magic stone is larger and purer than the national treasures of any country.”
“Even if all the magic stones on the continent were gathered here, it would barely be able to match the number of magic stones decorating the tent.”
“Hehe, now I can look forward to how much bigger the country of Elvares will become. Fortunately, the King and Queen have no interest in expanding their territory...”
“Even more so when you have such a healthy and intelligent successor.”
The gaze of the delegation turned to one side as if they had made a promise at the words someone uttered.
There was Regina, greeting the demon delegation that had just arrived from Kelvetia.
“Wow, you’ve really grown up so much, Princess. I almost didn’t recognize you.”
“Uncle Billy!”
“Not uncle, but brother... No, no. It’s an honor just to be remembered.”
Billy wiped away the tears that were welling up and tried to smile.
He took a step back and introduced the five children.
“These are the children who are being taught directly by Her Majesty Evelyn. This is their first time seeing the human world, and they may eventually sit across from the princess at the conference table.”
Following Billy’s introduction, the demon children stepped forward one by one and greeted Regina politely.
“I’m Merlin.”
“I’m Terus. It’s an honor to meet you, Princess.”
They had the courtesy and smooth manners that could be counted among the top five children that Evelyn had personally taught.
Last was Cedric's turn.
He walked stiffly, simultaneously extending his arm and leg on the same side.
Cedric bowed his head in a movement that almost made a creaking sound.
He stammered.
"Nice to meet you... I'm... Cedric."
"You should say I am!"
"I am."
"No, that's not it! 'Cedric' and 'I am' together...!"
"Ah."
Cedric's face turned red as he belatedly came to his senses at Billy's desperate whisper.
He shut his eyes tightly, not having the confidence to face Regina's face, who was looking at him with an expression he couldn't read.
'How stupid I must have looked.'
He should fix this habit of being so nervous every time he experiences a 'first time.' It was sad that his body had frozen like this just because he had visited the human world for the first time.
Cedric was so embarrassed that he just wanted to disappear from this place.
He had his eyes closed, but he could feel the eyes of the humans focused on him, and it made him even more suffocated.
Then, a clear voice broke the silence.
“Hello! It’s Regina!”
“I’m Merlin.”
“I’m Terus. It’s an honor to meet you, Princess.”
They had the courtesy and smooth manners that could be counted among the top five children that Evelyn had personally taught.
Last was Cedric's turn.
He walked stiffly, simultaneously extending his arm and leg on the same side.
Cedric bowed his head in a movement that almost made a creaking sound.
He stammered.
"Nice to meet you... I'm... Cedric."
"You should say I am!"
"I am."
"No, that's not it! 'Cedric' and 'I am' together...!"
"Ah."
Cedric's face turned red as he belatedly came to his senses at Billy's desperate whisper.
He shut his eyes tightly, not having the confidence to face Regina's face, who was looking at him with an expression he couldn't read.
'How stupid I must have looked.'
He should fix this habit of being so nervous every time he experiences a 'first time.' It was sad that his body had frozen like this just because he had visited the human world for the first time.
Cedric was so embarrassed that he just wanted to disappear from this place.
He had his eyes closed, but he could feel the eyes of the humans focused on him, and it made him even more suffocated.
Then, a clear voice broke the silence.
“Hello! It’s Regina!”
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