Kidnapped Princess C35

Chapter 35

“Demon King, what did Dylan say?”

I slowly unfolded and read the letter brought by a bat that had flown in from the human world to the demon realm. My eyebrows twitched soon after.

“It says monsters have crossed over into the human realm.”

“Monsters? Then humans will be dying by the dozens.”

Elvin snickered in satisfaction, the perfect embodiment of a demon.

“He’s right. Because of that, humans who were starting to resent the royal capital are now turning their anger back toward the demons. The attack seems to have hit the outskirts hardest.”

“They’re a busy species, aren’t they—hating one thing and then another every other day.”

I started to organize my thoughts.

First, the hero’s party. They were reportedly advancing continuously; I needed to assess how strong they’d become.

Just then, another bat flew in through the window.

“Your Majesty, the hero’s party has headed toward the labyrinth!”

“What? How do they even know it exists?”

The labyrinth was my own creation—built less than 300 years ago.

I’d built it simply because I’d run out of space in the treasury and thought, Wouldn’t it be fun to hide some treasures in a labyrinth?

Demons, who fought constantly, used it as a training ground, challenging themselves within it and growing stronger as a result. It had proven surprisingly effective as a form of training.

But the hero’s party had entered that labyrinth?

That they broke through the Forest of Beasts wasn’t surprising—their holy sword made it possible. They’d spent years learning to navigate it, so it was inevitable they’d eventually emerge. And logically, once through the forest, the Demon King’s Castle should’ve been their next target.

But they’d gone to the labyrinth instead. What could they possibly be after there?

“How amusing. This confirms someone’s meddling.”

Annoyance boiled up as I raked a hand through my hair.

One slippery eel had escaped our grasp and was now muddying the entire pond. Somehow, that eel seemed tied to both the elves’ secret and the hero wielding the holy sword.

I could no longer sit idle, watching either the demons hiding in the human realm or the humans themselves cause chaos.

Yes, wiping them all out would be simple—but…

The office door opened quietly, and Luminas appeared.

“Are you troubled by something, Demon King?”

Without replying, I reached out and ran my fingers through her hair. She didn’t say a word, simply letting me do it. Stroking her hair always helped me think clearly.

As a human, Luminas needed somewhere she could belong—a place she could return to that wasn’t the Demon Castle.

The only reason I kept delaying taking her as my bride was our difference in lifespan. I could never forget what Lilith and Arachne once told me—the more precious something becomes, the more dangerous it is to hold it too tightly.

I hadn’t changed, but Luminas was growing so quickly. Watching her mature alone reminded me that our time together would be painfully short.

And from her perspective, watching herself age while I stayed the same must fill her with both fear and shame.

The ongoing war between demons and humans was an obstacle, but if I just killed the hero, the humans would have no means of winning. Or I could destroy the royal capital that started all this.

If the hero dies, Luminas can become queen. She’s beautiful, intelligent—her people will love her. Maybe she could even clear my name, ease the tension between humans and demons. And perhaps… she could marry another human…

The thought twisted my face before I even realized it. I imagined some worthless, powerless human sitting beside her as king.

Then—pop!—a macaron was placed into my mouth. The burst of sweetness caught me off guard.

“It’s good, right? So stop frowning.”

Had my expression been that dark?

Still, it was a delicious macaron. She wasn’t just talented at cooking, but also at baking. Was there anything she wasn’t good at?

“It’s because of that High Elf, isn’t it?”

“Hm?”

She’d misunderstood. She thought my troubled expression was because of Albreto—the elven king staying at the castle. But in truth, I’d just been imagining her marrying another man.

“Um… Demon King, may I meet him?”

“You want to meet him?”

Her sudden request was unexpected. Luminas, who had clearly shown hostility toward the High Elf, now wanted to see him. Was she planning to assert dominance? Mark her territory?

Knowing her, probably not. It was more likely simple curiosity.

Knock, knock—

There were only a few people who would dare to visit my office unannounced. When Elvin opened the door, Rain entered brightly.

“Demon King! I’m here!”

“Excuse me,” Lenya followed politely.

And behind them—

Of course. Albreto.

So, fate had decided Luminas would meet the High Elf right here and now.

I immediately looked at Luminas’s face—and froze.

Her expression was cold, like a blizzard sweeping across a frozen plain. For a moment, her eyes were emotionless, flat and sharp.

Then her gaze narrowed as she looked Albreto up and down.

“…You’re a man?”

Albreto had the appearance of a beautiful youth, but yes—he was undeniably male. From her point of view, this was the one who had sought to take her place as my bride. The shock was understandable.

Luminas glanced toward me, silently asking for an explanation.

“Demon King… are you all right with this?”

“Huh? With what?”

She hesitated for a long moment, struggling to decide what to say first. Her lips parted several times before she finally bit them shut.

Albreto’s eyes moved between us.

“So, you’re the princess of the Demon King’s Castle. I’ve heard much about you. I am Albreto, king of the elves—though I’m still learning the role. I imagine we’ll be seeing a lot of each other.”

“…”

He offered his hand, but Luminas didn’t take it. She simply stared at it until he awkwardly withdrew.

“Hm. I see you dislike me, but I have no intention of backing down easily. Forgive me for troubling someone so young.”

That was the wrong thing to say. Luminas hated being treated like a child.

Her face tightened, the faintest vein visible at her temple.

What do I do now…? I wondered.

Before I could decide, Luminas asked, “So, you’re a man?”

She sounded like she already knew but wanted confirmation.

“I am.”

Hearing it from his own mouth, she froze. Then, barely audible, she whispered, “Why…?”

She was visibly shaken.

Ah, she must think I dislike men, I realized. It was true I’d mostly received confessions from female demons—never from males.

But there was a reason for that.

It went back to my fight with Dylan.

He had wanted a powerful successor for the demon throne. He believed that, since he was a capable demon, producing a child with me would yield the strongest possible offspring.

Imagine my horror—my battle companion suddenly suggesting we have a child together.

At the time, I hadn’t even wanted to be Demon King, let alone a parent.

But Dylan was stubborn. Neither of us yielded, so we settled it in combat. The battle was so fierce that the surrounding forest became a molten wasteland.

Word of our fight spread like wildfire, and soon rumors circulated that I hated men.

Luminas had only ever seen me receiving confessions from female demons. Then Albreto came and proposed we “have a child together.” From her human perspective—where men and women produce offspring—it must have been unfathomable.

“Luminas, elves and demons don’t really care about gender.”

“And you, Demon King? You don’t care either?”

“If it’s someone I truly care for… then no, I don’t think it matters. Though I’ve never really considered being with a man before.”

Her eyes widened with every word, until she was staring at me like I’d grown a second head.

“But that doesn’t mean I like men,” I hurried to add.

I could already imagine the gossip: The Demon King prefers men!

No, absolutely not. It wasn’t about age or gender—it was about Luminas. I liked her, not anyone else.

“…Ha.”

“Luminas?”

Her expression was unreadable—a mix of laughter and despair. A soft, ironic chuckle escaped her red lips, the tone low and distant.

“So that’s how it is…”

She slowly closed her eyes. The hand clutching her scarf trembled before finally falling limp at her side.

Did I… shock her?

We weren’t even romantically involved!

Still, she’d always declared she would be my bride. Hearing me say I didn’t care about gender must have rattled her. Maybe she thought it meant new rivals—including men.

Then Luminas smiled faintly and turned to Albreto.

“So, Lord of the Elves, what brings you here?”

“I don’t believe that’s a matter for you.”

“Then shouldn’t you speak directly to the Demon King, since he’s right here?”

Luminas tugged on my arm and drew it against her, emphasizing our closeness.

Albreto’s eyes narrowed briefly, but he soon stepped back. Apparently, he had no intention of competing with a child.

“I only came to offer assistance,” he said calmly. “After all, the Demon King graciously accepted my unreasonable request.”