Kidnapped Princess C24

Chapter 24

Luminas stared quietly at the Arachne before her. Most would have found the spider-like form unsettling—perhaps even terrifying—but after living among so many demons, she seemed unfazed.

Good girl. That’s my brave girl.

The Arachne, too, seemed surprised by her calm demeanor.

“She doesn’t fear me at all. Well, I suppose that’s to be expected, considering she lives in the Demon King’s Castle—overflowing with demons as it is. So then, what kind of style shall we go for? Since she’s such a lovely princess, a frilly dress would suit her perfectly, don’t you think?”

The Arachne’s professional enthusiasm was unmatched. She examined the rows of dresses hanging along the walls before selecting one she deemed best suited to Luminas. But it was immediately clear that the dress was far too large—children were rare in the Demon Realm, and thus children’s clothes were almost nonexistent.

“Ah, it’s such a pity we so seldom have children here,” she said, eyes gleaming. “I’ve always wanted to make something for one—a being not merely small in body, but one with a pure soul and an untainted form. Now, come here, Princess.”

Her eerie, lilting laugh slithered through the air as she stepped forward slowly, and I instinctively drew Luminas into my arms.

“You’re not planning anything strange… are you?” I said sharply.

“Oh, Your Majesty, you’re so possessive already! What harm could I possibly do to your little bride? If anything, I’ll be extra careful—after all, I wouldn’t dare incur your wrath.”

She was the one who’d just waxed poetic about pure souls and untouched bodies, and now she expected me to relax?

With all smiles and fluttering gestures, she showed Luminas dress after dress, clapping her hands in delight at how everything seemed to suit her. She asked the child to choose any fabric or design she liked, then began taking her measurements under my watchful eye.

While Luminas stood quietly as the measurements were taken, I busied myself examining bolts of fabric. As the Arachne had said, nearly all of them looked wonderful on her—so much so that I found it nearly impossible to decide. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d ever pondered a choice this long.

What fabric would suit her best?

Then I spotted it—a soft, sky-blue cloth, the same hue as Luminas’s clear eyes. The color would go perfectly with her golden hair.

The Arachne approached, ready to sell her pitch.

“As expected of Your Majesty—your eye for beauty never fails. This sky-colored fabric would complement the bride exquisitely. Or perhaps this one? Doesn’t it remind you of fresh grass and spring air?”

“That one’s good too,” I admitted.

They all suited her so well that choosing just one felt impossible. I turned to Luminas.

“What do you think? Which one do you like best?”

She was the one who’d wear it, after all.

“I’ll love anything that Your Majesty gives me,” she said sweetly.

“Charming words,” I said with a sigh. “But that only makes it harder.”

The Arachne clapped her hands suddenly, her many eyes lighting up.

“Why not have her try them on? I have a few sample dresses I made just for days like this. I’ll fetch them from the storage room.”

“Good idea.”

She scuttled off eagerly and soon returned from the cellar carrying two dresses—one overflowing with frills, and another covered in delicate floral embroidery.

I liked both immediately.

“Will she be able to put them on herself?” I asked.

“My children will assist,” the Arachne replied smoothly.

With a clap of her hands, several small spiders descended from the ceiling.

“Let’s dress our pretty guest,” she said.

“Yes, Mother!” they chirped in high voices.

Luminas followed them timidly, and the cluster of tiny red eyes on the Arachne’s abdomen gleamed as they tracked her movements.

“Your Majesty truly has an eye for fine things,” the Arachne purred. “To have such a lovely bride—how fortunate.”

“Why,” I muttered, “is everyone so interested in my bride?”

“Why wouldn’t we be? You’ve finally chosen one for the first time in history. No demon has ever taken that seat beside you—yet a human now does.”

Her laugh was soft but knowing. “The little princess has quite the perilous fate ahead of her.”

Then, as if making an idle remark, she added, “Though personally, I don’t think she’s suited to be a bride.”

“Arachne,” I said warningly.

She continued, unbothered.

“Your Majesty, forgive my boldness—but humans live such short lives. Even one with great power will fade all the same. The hero Apellius himself didn’t live to see a hundred years. What a fragile, fleeting existence. If you pour too much affection into her, the loss may drive you to madness—like the ancient dragon who went insane after his lover died.”

“You really do worry too much,” I said flatly. “I’m not that fool. I know better than anyone how brief human lives are.”

Our circumstances were nothing alike. I hadn’t lived thousands of years alone, nor had I lost the one I considered my other half through my own mistake.

And even if Luminas were to die one day, I still had many under my care.

If she died by someone else’s hand—that would be another matter entirely. But if it were simply the natural end of her life…

“Then I’d let her go,” I said quietly. “Besides, you’re acting like it’s already decided that she’ll be my bride. Whether or not that actually happens—it’ll be her choice. She says she wants to now, but who knows how she’ll feel when she’s grown?”

“I’m not talking about titles,” the Arachne murmured. “I’m talking about the depth of the love you already show her.”

I waved a hand dismissively. I didn’t want to think that far ahead. That was a future problem.

“Enough of that. You mentioned rumors—about a demon moving behind the scenes. What have you heard?”

“Work talk, during your date?” she teased. “The princess will be heartbroken.”

“It’s for her safety. So—do you have information or not?”

Her narrow, glinting eyes met mine. Then she lifted one hand. A small spider descended from the ceiling into her palm.

Her “children” were everywhere in the Demon Realm—her eyes and ears woven through every dark corner.

“When has it ever been quiet here? There are always demons lurking in the shadows, coveting your throne. To taste the sweetness of ultimate power, they’ll do anything.”

My brow furrowed. Her words were sharp, deliberate—each syllable a thorn.

“One of my children brought news earlier today,” she continued. “A maein has been sighted wandering the city.”

“A maein?”

A human forcibly transformed into a demon—rare now, though once more common. The pacts that created them had long since been forbidden.

“Yes,” she said. “It seems they had help—someone aiding them from the inside.”

A chill shot through me. I straightened, my body tense, and rushed toward the door where Luminas had gone.

The sight that met me made my blood boil.

The room was in ruins. Dresses lay shredded across the floor, and the small spiders lay twisted and lifeless, their delicate bodies mangled.

“My poor children,” the Arachne said calmly. “It seems they weren’t enough.”

Her composure was unsettling. There was no grief in her face, only the stillness of one who had expected this outcome.

“Arachne…” I growled.

“Your Majesty, such things can happen at any time. There are those who see your bride as your weakness. They will come for her again and again. Can such a fragile princess truly endure it?”

Every word struck where it hurt most.

“Was it Lilith?” I demanded.

The two of them had always been close, bound by shared circumstances and long friendship.

“My decision alone,” she said softly.

Then she bowed her head. “I will accept any punishment you deem fit.”

I clenched my jaw, dragging a hand through my hair in frustration. I knew exactly what she was thinking. I understood it—too well.

These demons and their twisted ways of showing affection…

“Luminas isn’t someone who’ll fall apart over something like this,” I said coldly.

She was a child who had lived alone in a palace where no one cared for her—and still, she’d endured. She’d never turned away from fear, never rejected opportunity, but seized it head-on. Her mind was sharp, her will even sharper.

That was why she’d said those ridiculous words about wanting to grow stronger.

“I’ll deal with you later.”

I turned, leaping through the shattered window. Luminas’s safety came first.

If there was a maein, there had to be accomplices. It wasn’t easy to abduct someone from under the eyes of the castle’s inhabitants, yet they’d left no trace.

I kicked at the ground, summoning the shadow beneath my feet. It expanded, dark and writhing until a massive, three-headed hound emerged—Cerberus, the guardian of the Gates of Hell.

“Kero. You know Luminas, don’t you? Find her.”

He remembered her scent well from the many times she’d played at my feet. The great beast lifted his heads, sniffing the air, then let out a deafening howl before bounding forward. He’d found her trail.

I vaulted onto his back as he raced through the streets, the onlookers’ faces blurring past in confusion. We followed the scent through winding paths until we reached a narrow alley, shrouded in shadow.

“Here?” I murmured.

Nothing visible to the eye—but I felt it. A faint, flickering pulse of demonic energy. Concealment magic.

“Invisibility, huh? Clever trick,” I said. My voice turned cold. “Come out now, and I might let you live. Think you can relax just because your kidnapping worked?”

I took a slow step forward. I’d given them a chance, and they hadn’t taken it.

The instant I felt a presence brush past my side, I moved. My hand shot out, seizing the culprit.

“—Ghhhk!”

The spell broke in an instant, and I smiled faintly—so that Luminas wouldn’t be frightened. The maein’s form became visible again—along with Luminas herself, clinging to his arm and biting down with all her might.

My heart clenched. I scanned her quickly—no major injuries. Thank the gods.

She must’ve struggled fiercely, refusing to give in. She wasn’t crying, though her small body trembled with adrenaline.

Brave girl.

I scooped her into my arms, kicking the maein hard enough to send him crashing into a wall. Whatever became of him afterward didn’t matter in the slightest.

All that mattered was that Luminas was safe in my arms once more.