CH 37

ーーOn that day.

Kasdar Streltsy’s party was at the mercy of the Demon King, unable to do anything.

“Damn it. . .! Hey, Hiira! Heal us quickly!!! Bring us some food!!”

“Yes!”

Hiira, who was called, ran to Kasdar with freshly warmed crepe dough.

By chance, she tried to help her injured fiancé and got in between Kasdar and the Demon King.

It happened in that instant.

Her fiancé grabbed her shoulder and turned her towards the Demon King.

“Huh?”

The Demon King, who had closed in to pursue Kasdar, stopped in surprise when he saw Hiira’s shocked face.

That was when it happened.

Squelch.

At the same time as the unpleasant sound, a double-edged sword extended from Hiira’s stomach. The tip was extended by magic and touched the Demon King’s thigh.

Through Hiira, who was impaled, Kasdar’s sneering face could be seen.

“Lie, Kasdar-sama. . .”

Saint Hiira’s eyes widened so much that her lips trembled.

Blood spread like blooming flowers on her pure white saint robe.

“Hahaha, I finally did it!!!! I made the Demon King bleed!!! I did it!!!!”

Kasdar’s laughter echoed in the throne room.

The witch, who had been stunned, screamed.

“De. . .Demon King, sama. . .”

The shocked Demon King himself was reflected in Hiira’s eyes.

Blood trickled from her pale, girlish lips.

Transparent tears overflowed from her deep crimson eyes that suited her name, “Hiira Scarlet.”

The words she spoke with trembling lips were unexpected.

“Demon King-sama, I’m sorry for hurting you. . .It’s because I’m clumsy.”

“You. . .”

Even in this situation, Hiira, the saint who apologized to the Demon King.

With just that, the Demon King could sense what kind of life she had lived.

She was a girl who had lived a life of sacrifice.

Even though she had been stabbed in the stomach, laughed at by her fiancé, and hurt both physically and mentally, she still cared about the blood flowing from the Demon King’s thigh.

“. . .!!”

Unable to bear it, the Demon King blew away Kasdar and held the saint in his arms.

He stroked her stomach, which was limp in his arms, and healed her pierced wound with his palm.

“Ah. . .”

“It’s okay now. . .It won’t leave a single scar.”

She smiled softly in his arms, sweating from the pain.

A sweet smell of well-baked pastries wafted from her.

The gentle scent and soft smile made the Demon King’s heart feel like it was about to burst.

It was a pain that gouged a much deeper place than the thigh that was hurt by Kasdar.

“Time’s up. Leave, you fool.”

The Demon King teleported the three members of the Kasdar Party with his magic.

If humans stay in the Demon King’s castle for too long, they will be mentally broken by the magic of the land that the Demon King has contracted.

He wanted to keep Hiira alone, but that was impossible as long as he was the Demon King.

“Thank you, Demon King-sama.”

Hiira murmured softly and disappeared.

Before he knew it, the Demon King was still on his knees, crying uncontrollably in the position where Hiira disappeared. 

“Wow, I’ve never seen it before. The Demon King-sama crying.”

A black dragon that was flying through the ceiling of the throne room gently descended.

The Demon King had already lived for hundreds of years with the black dragon, having made a contract with the earth.

Looking back, the Demon King may have never cried in his life as an adult man.

“She was a delicious saint with extraordinary abilities. She was just like you in the old days.”

“Yeah. . .”

“Okay, okay, let me lick away your tears.”

The black dragon extended its tongue to the master who didn’t even wipe away his tears and licked his cheek. With one lick from the large dragon, the face was covered in either tears or saliva, making it wet and sticky.

“. . .The saliva is making my eyes sting even more.”

“Sorry, sorry.”

Even though he joked around with the black dragon, the Demon King’s tears didn’t stop.

[If you like her that much, why don’t you just kidnap her?]

To the beastly suggestion, the Demon King wiped his sticky face with his sleeve and shook his head in denial.

“No, I made a contract with you for the sake of the royal family. I can’t make her happy myself.”

“So you’re just going to let that violent man do whatever he wants to her?”

“. . .I can’t leave this place.”

“Well, if that’s what you’re satisfied with, then that’s fine.”

“But I can protect her. . .Not as the Demon King.”

The strength of the man’s words and gaze made the black dragon show a surprised expression.

“Wow, you’re serious, Demon King-sama.”

The Demon King’s actions were swift after making his decision. 

The Demon King covered his appearance with black clothes and a mask and rolled into Kasdar’s carriage just before returning to the capital.

Kasdar was surprised, so was the witch and the Saint.

Feeling relieved to see that the saint was doing well, the Demon King asked for her name and introduced himself by his real name, saying:

“I am Shinobu Bitou, born in Ikawa. I was impressed by Kasdar-dono’s bravery, so I humbly request to join your party.”

The mistake was in his tone.

Because he had introduced himself by his real name for the first time in hundreds of years, his words had become archaic.

“Synovidos Igahan? What the hell is that?”

And his name was misheard.

Well, he thought it might be better not to use his real name in the future, so the Demon King continued the conversation as Synovidos.

“As a ninja, I can help with unlocking and reconnaissance in the Demon King’s castle. Please let me join your party.”

“Ugh, I don’t want to add a man to our group. . .”

While Kasdar frowned at the sudden offer, the witch Lala was more favorable.

“Kasdar, since he’s offering, let’s add him to our group. It’s impossible to continue the subjugation with fewer people than the regulations just because you don’t want a man in the party.”

“Ugh, it’s a hassle.”

Thanks to Lala’s intervention, Kasdar allowed Synovidos to join.

“Fufu, I’m happy to have more companions. My name is Hiira. Hiira Seamacy.”

Saint Hiira smiled like a flower and extended her hand to the strange and mysterious masked man in black who suddenly appeared.

“Nice to meet you, Synovidos-san.”

“. . .There’s no need for honorifics with me, Hiira-dono.”

As they shook hands, Synovidos was surprised once again by the smallness of Hiira’s hand.

He swore in his heart to protect this child at all costs.

Due to nervousness, he continued to speak in a mysterious tone and decided to continue to go by the name Synovidos as the Demon King.