Chapter 358: A Lucky Day

Chapter 358: A Lucky Day

"Are you really asking me to drink your blood? Not metaphorically?"

Frey stared blankly at Ruby and asked hesitantly.

"Yes, please drink my blood."

Ruby replied as she closed her eyes, breathing heavily in front of him.

"To bind my soul to you through the blood oath, you must consume my blood."

"Are you for real...?"

"Yes, I know it might be unpleasant..."

"Um, Ruby?"

Frey, who was looking down at Ruby, who was talking to him while on her knees, quietly took her hand and spoke.

"You don't need to speak formally."

"Huh?"

"It's just... it feels a bit awkward when you speak formally."

"Oh, I see. Then, I will explai–"

"That's enough."

As Frey sighed, Ruby looked at him in surprise.

"How much do I need to drink? Can I just lick it now?"

"N-No, I'll prepare for it. You just stay still."

With that, Ruby began to frantically wave her fingers.

- Rustle...

Then, a wine and a glass appeared before her eyes.

"This is the wine I treasure the most. It was made by a master thousand years ago, and it's still magically preserved. If I were to sell this, I could probably buy a whole city."

Ruby explained unnecessarily as she poured wine into the glass.

"I-I'll make you happy. I'm capable. With just the treasures I have, I can easily buy a kingdom."

“...I have no intention of running away from you.”

When Frey once again sighed and reassured her again, she finally felt a little relieved.

She then took the wine glass cautiously.

- Zing...

Then she cut her own arm with her nail and began pouring her blood into the wine glass.

"I never imagined I would do this to someone else."

Despite the blood flowing from her arm, she didn't flinch.

Then, she cautiously offered the wine glass to Frey.

"D-Drink it, please..."

"Hmm."

A drink made with the world’s oldest and most expensive wine and infused with the Demon King’s blood.

This shining red ruby drink possessed an efficacy beyond measure.

Even if one combined all the potions and elixirs in the world, it wouldn’t even come close to it.

Even without considering the potent magical effects in the Demon King's blood, the healing properties of the wine remain quite potent.

The mere fact that drinking this glass would make one the master who could control the strongest Demon King in history made it worth its weight in gold.

- Swoosh, swoosh...

As Frey brought the extraordinary drink to his lips, Ruby, who had been staring blankly at him, blushed and clung to his side.

- Thump, thump...

Ruby's heart was actually pounding very hard as she sat next to him, her body pressed tightly against him, and she looked up at the night sky with a calm expression.

Was it because she was performing not just verbal obedience or physical submission, but a much more significant act of devoting her soul to someone?

Or was it because this was the moment where she gave her whole life to the man she cherished above all else?

Or perhaps it was the sense of immorality from Frey consuming a part of herself.

- Guzzle, guzzle...

"Ah..."

Regardless, it was undoubtedly a wonderful feeling.

Today, at this moment, Ruby was experiencing the happiest moment of her life.

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"Hmm."

Having consumed all the wine, Frey blankly stared at the empty wine glass.

- Swipe...

Quietly stealing the wine that lingered on his lips with her hand, Ruby leaned against the man who had just become her master.

"S-So, how is it? If you feel uncomfortable..."

"...I have a favor to ask."

"W-What favor? What is it?"

When Frey interjected her, Ruby asked back.

"Can you... speak in your usual tone?"

"M-My usual tone?"

"Yeah, your usual tone. Lately, I keep thinking about you, and it feels strange. Does it bother you?"

"N-no! Not at all! Um, ahem..."

Having abandoned the Demon King’s way of speaking over the past few days and completely fallen in love, her way of speaking inadvertently changed.

Ruby started to blush at Frey's request before clearing her throat.

“...So, how did it feel when you tasted me?”

Then, Ruby raised her chin and spoke with her signature arrogant expression.

"No man has ever tasted me, nor has ever dreamt of it. Consider it an honor."

She suddenly took out her horns and tail.

Combined with her expression she suddenly looked quite... majestic.

- Sway, sway...

If only she had not snuggled up to Frey, linked her arms with him, and wrapped her fluttering tail around his arm.

It was less like the imposing Demon King and more like a woman cosplaying for her lover.

Anyway, it was incredibly cute.

"What would the Demon King’s Army say if they saw you now?"

"...It doesn't matter. I'm not the Demon King anymore; I'm your woman."

She needed time to sort out her feelings.

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- Chirp, Chirpp...!!

As time passed, morning arrived.

"..."

Ruby sat alone by the roadside, a little away from the cabin by the river, with a vacant expression.

She eventually stood up.

"Yeah, it was my fault."

She made up her mind.

"It's my pain to bear, not Frey's."

With those words, she moved slowly and murmured in a subdued voice.

"I have to reveal to the Hero Party that I am the Demon King."

It was the result of the self-loathing, love for Frey, and remorse that had been building up overnight.

"...How should I deal with Frey's identity?"

Of course, she couldn't say that right away.

If she revealed herself as the Demon King, people would naturally start to suspect Frey's true identity.

If that happened, it would be Frey who would suffer.

She, being the Demon King, would not truly die even if her body perished.

But for Frey, death would be the end.

So, she needed to find a way for Frey not to be suspected as the Hero even if she revealed herself as the Demon King.

"And..."

Ruby walked briskly with that thought in mind, but she soon stopped, reached into her pocket, and grabbed the bead from the blood oath.

- Hiss...!

Seeing the bead, Ruby clenched her fist with all her might.

- Swoosh...

She opened her hand again and the bead became considerably cloudy.

The distinct ruby and silver colors were mixed by her grip.

The murkiness of the silver color had already become irrelevant as it mixed with the ruby color.

"Soon... I have to offer myself."

She blushed shyly at the thought.

“If I offer my body and make him eat this bead... his soul may stabilize.”

She planned to feed him her own soul.

Of course, it was a forbidden act.

She didn't know what would happen.

Even the former Demon King had only attempted it.

"I wish there was another way..."

But now, Ruby was simply filled with the thought of saving Frey.

She, who had once boasted of devouring Frey, had reached the point where she would offer her blood and soul for him.

"Then..."

Ruby finally arrived at the cabin.

She pondered how to apologize for abruptly leaving yesterday as she went through the defensive spells she had cast on the cabin.

But suddenly, she turned her gaze to the side.

"...Ah, I need to prepare breakfast."

She still wanted to create a few more memories with Frey.

"Maybe I'll try making button mushroom soup today..."

After today, maybe she should leave the Eastern Continent and spend about a year in a secluded mountain village with him?

With such thoughts in mind, Ruby began to walk towards the market.

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- Crackle...

"Hehe..."

She was giggling softly to herself as she lifted the defensive spell and entered the cabin.

"I managed to haggle for the first time."

To become Frey's woman, learning how to do chores was essential.

With that in mind, Ruby had vigorously negotiated with the owner of the vegetable shop, securing ingredients for a silver coin less than the asking price.

"Frey, I’m sorry for what happened yesterday. Please forgive me."

With both hands full of food ingredients, Ruby stepped inside.

"I'll prepare breakfast, so just wait a moment..."

Her words trailed off and her eyes widened as she saw the scene in front of her.

- Swoshh...

The inside of the cabin was horribly destroyed.

"..."

It was unmistakably the aftermath of a fierce battle.

"...Ah."

Seeing the devastation, Ruby slumped to the ground limply.

The button mushroom she held slipped and rolled to the floor.

- This is Vener.

As the mushroom stopped rolling, there, next to it, lay a letter addressed to her.

- Hero, if you're reading this letter, don't worry too much.

"..."

- We have secured Frey.

Her face quickly turned pale.