Kidnapped Princess C10

Chapter 10

Whatever the reason, the child’s fear clearly stemmed from something deep.

She bit her lip hard, holding back tears, her breathing ragged after the struggle. She was already frail from not eating properly, and now, after fighting so fiercely against taking a bath, she was completely worn out.

“I see. I didn’t realize. But washing by yourself will be hard. Your mother…” I hesitated. “Hmm. She must have told you not to show yourself to anyone because she was worried about people who might hurt you. But those ladies won’t harm you, I promise. Let’s go wash, okay?”

There’s no way she could bathe alone anyway. Did she even know the difference between shampoo and soap?

“If it’s you, Uncle…”

“Hm?”

I looked down at her as she fidgeted with her fingers, clearly wanting to say something.

“If it’s you, Uncle, then it’s okay.”

Her quiet declaration echoed through the room. I was momentarily speechless, looking into her bright, glimmering eyes.

Lilith covered her mouth with her fan, her eyes twinkling.

“My, what a bold child. She shows promise. To conquer men’s hearts, one must—”

“Don’t say weird things! She didn’t mean it like that!”

I quickly cut her off, but Lilith only chuckled behind her fan, clearly amused.

“Ah—achoo!”

The girl sneezed suddenly, her wet body shivering in the cool air.

“That’s what happens when you come out while still wet.”

I snapped my fingers, evaporating all the moisture around her. Her damp clothes instantly became warm and dry.

“You’ll feel relaxed and clean once you’re done bathing. But it’s a little inappropriate for me to help you myself.”

The child pouted, lips pushed forward, but when I told her no, she glanced at me, gauging my reaction, and reluctantly nodded. Her grip on my sleeve, though, didn’t loosen—still clinging from anxiety.

“Are you scared?”

“…Yeah.”

“Why, though? This isn’t the royal palace anymore. No one here will hurt you.”

“It’s not that…”

She didn’t finish her sentence. Her lips moved several times, but no words came out—like her thoughts were tangled and she couldn’t quite put them into speech.

I didn’t fully understand what her mother had meant by “don’t show yourself.” Maybe she’d been worried her powerless daughter might be taken advantage of.

I glanced at the child again. Considering her appearance, I could understand the mother’s fears. I could just use magic to clean her, but a bath would help her relax her body. And she couldn’t go her entire life without ever bathing.

“Hm… If you go bathe nicely, Uncle will tell you you’ve done a great job.”

“Praise?”

“And since you did so well, you’ll get a delicious meal afterward.”

“Food!”

Her face lit up instantly, and her stomach growled right on cue. But she still didn’t say she would go. Still uneasy, huh?

“You two—come here.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“You didn’t use force with her, did you?”

The two lower demons approached, sweating nervously. I doubted the child had willingly undressed herself—she’d run away to protect her mother’s words, after all. The half-torn clothes and the demons’ scratched skin told the rest of the story.

“You followed my orders to the letter, didn’t you? I said to treat the princess with care.”

The pressure of my voice alone made the maids drop to their knees.

“W-we’re sorry! This lowly one disturbed Your Majesty’s peace!”

“You know what will happen if this ever happens again, right?”

“U-uncle, it’s okay! I’ll… I’ll take a bath!”

It was a sight I was used to, but for her, seeing demons kneel must’ve been uncomfortable. She probably felt bad, so she volunteered to bathe just to defuse the situation. My aura dimmed slightly, and the maids exhaled in relief.

Even after being mistreated, she worried about them. What a kind-hearted child.

“…All right. I won’t be angry. You must have been scared because of them, but you’re a good girl.”

I patted her head gently. She seemed hesitant, but she’d go. And once she saw good things happened after a bath, she’d learn to enjoy it on her own.

“Take her and help her wash.”

“Yes, my lord.”

This time, they approached carefully, moving with visible restraint. Their touch was cautious, and I nodded approvingly. Then Lilith, who had been silently observing everything, spoke up.

“So that’s where I went wrong,” she murmured.

That sounded… ominous.

“What do you mean?”

“I was wondering why I failed to capture your attention. It seems Your Majesty’s tastes lean toward… the youthful. Naturally, I cannot compete.”

“I—what?! That’s not it! I just like cute things, that’s all!”

“Then, do you truly mean to make that child your bride?”

Her eyes glinted with playful mischief, the red in them glowing faintly. She cast a brief glance toward the door the princess had exited through. The faint golden aura lingering in the air hadn’t escaped her notice.

“She’s a lovely child, blessed deeply by God. But one who bears divine grace cannot possibly be compatible with demons like us, who thrive on magia.”

“Well, that’s true. The two forces repel each other.”

“Unless,” she added slyly, “she’s just for display. Demons aren’t exactly known for needing physical relationships.”

“That’s not it.”

I repeated what I’d told Elvin earlier.

“I couldn’t just leave her alone. Calling her my bride makes it legitimate for me to protect her—and keeps others from touching her. I’m not so wicked as to prey on a child.”

Lilith smiled knowingly. “I thought as much.”

She always saw straight through people. Even me.

Back when I’d been struggling to stabilize the Demon Realm, she’d once said to me—

‘You don’t really want to save the world, do you?’

She’d been right. I never cared about grand ideals like that. I just wanted to live peacefully, one day at a time.

“Well,” she said now, “as someone who could’ve taught you the joys of the night, I find it quite insulting that you chose a little girl instead.”

“…Please reserve those ‘joys’ for your own lovers. I don’t need them.”

There was no shortage of demons lining up for a night with Lilith.

“But tell me, Your Majesty,” she continued sweetly, “one thing still puzzles me.”

“…What now?”

Every time she spoke, it felt like the beginning of a migraine.

“Did you truly bring back a princess?”

“What are you talking about? I already explained.”

Was she even listening to anything I’d said? Wait—

“Do you think she might be the Hero? I mean, with that kind of divine energy, I get the suspicion. But no—the Hero’s already been identified. The prince of the royal family. So it’s unlikely.”

But Lilith didn’t answer. She merely fluttered her fan and stared at me.

“What?” I frowned. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

After a long pause, she snapped her fan shut.

“Well, if you don’t know, that’s fine. It’ll be… entertaining, at least.”

Her low, chilling laugh filled the room—the same laugh she’d had the first time we met. The laugh of someone who’d just discovered a new toy to play with.

A shiver ran down my spine.

What does she mean, ‘if I don’t know’?

“As a fellow woman,” she said with a honeyed smile, “I’ll make sure to take good care of the princess. Who knows? If you truly wish it, she might become your queen one day. But before that, she’ll need help adapting to life among demons. Leave it to me.”

“You?” I asked incredulously.

She was the very definition of fickle—never staying in one place for long. Her sudden offer to help made no sense. Even Elvin shot her a suspicious glare.

“…What are you plotting? Weren’t you the one who wanted to be Queen?” he asked.

“Women are fickle creatures,” she said lightly. “And on reflection, virgins who’ve never touched a woman aren’t really my type.”

“Guh—!”

Her words stabbed straight through my chest. I clutched my heart, staggering, while Elvin exploded.

“How dare you insult His Majesty! He’s not naïve, he’s pure! That’s what makes him adorable!”

His attempt to defend me only made it worse.

Adorable?! Couldn’t you just say ‘dignified’ or ‘charismatic’?

Demons had no shame about their desires—lust included. Succubi were among them, and Lilith was their queen.

I wasn’t being prudish; I was being harassed! How was I supposed to “court” normally when most of them snuck into my room at night?!

Suppressing a groan, I steadied my voice.

“Anyway… you’ve heard the prophecy, haven’t you?”

“Yes. ‘The child who receives the love of God and the Great Hero shall be born under all the blessings of the world. The radiant darkness shall shine like light itself. This one shall rule the world.’ That one, right?”

“Exactly. And most assume it means a hybrid child—part demon, part human. But the key phrase is the Great Hero’s love. You know who that refers to.”

“Of course,” she said smoothly. “The shining champion bestowed upon humanity by the gods. Apellius—the handsome young hero of light.”

…She really had lived too long. Probably at least three thousand years.

Suddenly, a gust of wind swept through the room.

“…You weren’t thinking anything strange just now, were you?” she asked, her eyes narrowing.

Damn it. Her intuition was terrifyingly sharp.