Kidnapped Princess C32

Chapter 32

“Of course not. You know her name, right? Rain—the older sister of Lenya. Because she accepted the elves’ unreasonable request…”

Even thinking about it again made me feel wronged. I had absolutely no intention of becoming close to the High Elves, nor did we have any reason to entertain their requests in the first place.

The best I could do was to give those who had come seeking help fair treatment—and that meant granting them noble status among the demons.

Though fierce opposition from the demons was expected, no one could stop me once I took a firm stance. It wasn’t the first time. Many elves and beastfolk had been accepted this way.

I hadn’t given them official ranks, but considering the royal status of the Elven kingship, it was a suitable response. Moreover, since the title was personally granted by the Demon King, it was sufficiently symbolic.

Once their migration had been accepted, I sent Rain and Lenya—both formerly elves—to accompany them and convey the impression of utmost hospitality. Yet somehow, that gesture had turned into a marriage proposal—one involving me and the request to bear my child.

Had I refused them firmly on the spot, this wouldn’t have happened. But Rain, in her thoughtless goodwill, had casually accepted the offer, and everything went downhill from there.

Knowing her, she probably thought, “If it’s for harmony among races, it’s a small price to pay.” Perhaps she even assumed that, since I was the Demon King, it wouldn’t matter if I had multiple brides.

And Luminas… she must’ve been deeply unsettled. She’d already been anxious to become my bride as soon as possible. But I had told her she needed to think carefully about her future and not rush to conclusions.

Luminas was no longer the child she once was; she understood what it meant to be a bride now.

She’d grown into a young woman, mature and graceful, and I wanted her to know there were many paths in life other than becoming the Demon King’s bride. Being saved by me as a child didn’t mean she had to bind her fate to mine.

Moreover, even if I set Luminas aside for the moment, the rumor that my heir would rule the world had been spreading wildly among humans. I couldn’t recklessly bring an heir into existence.

Wait—was that what they were after?

As my thoughts deepened, Luminas’s expression grew more and more pouty.

“Luminas, there’s no way I’d take as a bride someone I’ve never even met.”

“I’m much better, aren’t I?”

Her gaze pleaded for me to agree. Those bright, glimmering eyes were impossible to resist, so I nodded awkwardly.

Compared to some High Elf I barely knew, of course I preferred Luminas.

“Then that’s fine. After all, you don’t care about elves, do you?”

You already knew that—why’d you have to corner me like that…?

Only then did Luminas relax, her face softening in relief. But I noticed something new around her neck—a scarf I hadn’t seen before.

“Why are you wearing a scarf?”

“Ah…”

Her eyes quivered faintly. Her expression betrayed both embarrassment and discomfort as she clutched the scarf tightly. It was an odd reaction.

“My throat feels a bit hoarse.”

“What? You didn’t catch a cold, did you?”

I jumped up in alarm.

Now that I thought about it, her voice had been unusually low lately. I should’ve noticed sooner.

As I checked her for signs of illness, worried, Luminas smiled.

“It’s not a cold.”

“You can’t know that without checking.”

“I’m sure it’s not. No need to worry. Besides, doesn’t this scarf look nice on me?”

Her floral-patterned scarf fluttered as she smiled with innocent charm.

Still, something felt off. Her insistence that it wasn’t a cold, the abrupt change of topic to her new accessory—it was suspicious. Yet technically, she wasn’t wrong. There was no fever or coughing.

“Lady Lilith gave it to me as a gift.”

“…She does have good taste. Anyway, everything the elves said about bearing an heir—that’s all just a misunderstanding, all right?”

“Yes, I understand. But Demon King, don’t forget—your bride is me and no one else.”

Her eyes gleamed with a faintly dangerous light as she repeated those words, “Don’t forget.”

When I returned to my office after calming Luminas down, I found Rain standing there with a massive lump on her head, arms raised in surrender, being scolded.

Beside her, Elvin smacked his palm with a switch, saying sternly, “Don’t slack off! Hold them up properly!”

“I’m disciplining Rain!” he declared, eyes shining as if waiting for my praise.

Rain, however, only pouted and grumbled, her lips jutting out. Next to them, Lenya remained silent, head bowed deeply.

“I apologize once again for the problems caused by my sister’s rash behavior.”

“What’s done is done. Just make sure they understand clearly—I have absolutely no intention of producing an heir.”

“I tried to persuade her after realizing her mistake, but…”

“It didn’t go well?”

“She grew angry when I changed my words.”

I couldn’t exactly blame them. If you tell someone yes one day and no the next, of course they’ll be upset. Rain’s blunder was our blunder too.

Still—

“So what? I said no. End of story.”

I could be as blunt as I wanted; there was nothing wrong with that. After all, it was the elves who had come to us for protection.

A marriage, really?

There was no reason to go that far.

Protecting them and providing a safe home in the Demon Realm was already more than generous. And I had kept that promise with every elf and beastfolk who had migrated under my rule.

“There may have been some confusion in communication, and that’s on our side. But tell them clearly: I refuse to discuss heirs with people I barely know. That’s final.”

“Yes, I understand.”

I thought that would be the end of it.

Then Elvin spoke again, and I dropped my quill.

“They came in person.”

“What?”

“Yes.”

I immediately glanced out the window. A carriage was rolling down the path leading to the Demon Castle.

“That one?”

“Yes.”

I slapped my forehead with a groan.

Because of the unexpected guests, I moved to the audience chamber. Before long, the elves arrived. I’d assumed only emissaries had come—but no, the so-called Elf King himself was among them.

Long ears and golden hair—the very image of elven nobility.

Among them was a young boy, perhaps in his mid to late teens, with a refined air that screamed privilege. Given their long lifespan, it was hard to gauge age by appearance, but it was easy to tell he held the highest rank among them.

Wait… he’s a man, and he’s the one proposing marriage?
It wasn’t shocking, exactly—neither demons nor elves were bound by gender distinctions—but it was still unexpected.

Only beastfolk and humans could conceive through male and female union. Elves birthed children through the World Tree, while demons and dragons created life by offering their own life force.

“Thank you for granting me an audience on such short notice. I am Albreto, King of the Elves.”

His tone was stiff and old-fashioned. Though he looked young, the air around him exuded authority—it was immediately clear he was the king.

I hadn’t expected him to come all the way to the Demon Castle, the very heart of the Demon Realm. Elves generally despised demons—or rather, they despised all other races, but especially those who harmed nature.

“You must’ve had a tiring journey.”

“It’s fine. We had a capable guide.”

Behind him, Rain waved brightly, and Lenya bowed her head apologetically.

“I’ve heard from your emissaries. I wished to discuss this matter face-to-face.”

So their persuasion had failed. Judging by his resolute expression, I could already tell.

“I’ll say this once—I have no intention whatsoever of having a child with you. There’s a rumor that my heir will rule the world, and I have no desire to add to that chaos. Or… is that precisely what you’re after?”

“This is a decision for the sake of interspecies harmony.”

Lenya leaned close and whispered in my ear, “My apologies. I’ve spoken to him many times, but he won’t listen…”

Her expression showed how exhausted she was by the constant apologies. I gestured that it was fine. After all, it was the elves who had proposed the marriage in the first place. This outcome wasn’t exactly surprising.

“We do not wish to serve under demons,” Albreto said firmly. “We wish to coexist as equals. Surely even you, Demon King, understand how difficult that is. The Demon Realm thrives on survival of the fittest.”

I narrowed my eyes.

Survival of the fittest. The strong live; the weak perish. The law of nature itself.

I glanced over the entourage behind him. As the king’s guards, they were undoubtedly skilled. But could they stand against monsters? Perhaps lesser demons—but beyond that? Unlikely. Could they subdue the beasts infesting the forests?

The elves’ numbers had dwindled drastically. Outnumbered, they would fall just as they had against the humans.

“That’s why we need your child,” Albreto continued. “A being born of royal elven and demonic blood—strong, protected, and a living symbol of unity. It would ensure the safety of our kind and, in the future, allow elves and demons to coexist naturally. As king, it’s my duty to secure a future for my people.”

I stared at Albreto intently. His words were noble and proper—befitting a ruler. I could respect his intent to protect his people while refusing subservience.

But beneath those words, was there something else?

He hadn’t denied my earlier accusation—that he coveted the prophesied child who would rule the world.

“So you don’t desire dominion over the world?”

“…”

Albreto fell silent. Around him, the elves’ eyes sharpened—not with guilt, but with tension. After a long pause, he spoke again.

“We have no desire for domination. We are a race that loves nature, and war always harms it. But yes, I do wish to make my people stronger. After all we’ve suffered—hunted, enslaved by humans—who could call that desire unjust?”

The elves had always been the weak ones. Their beauty was a curse; humans coveted them as trophies.

I couldn’t fault Albreto’s resentment. If they wished to destroy humankind, I wouldn’t stop them. That wasn’t my concern.

Still… they were digging their own graves.

“Your wish is understandable,” I said quietly. “But I have no interest in turning a child into a political tool. Besides, I already have someone destined to be my bride. I will not make her weep for the sake of your ambitions.”