Kidnapped Princess C37

Chapter 37

Luminas walked with a flowerpot in her hands.

The flower within it was vibrant and lovely—one that would make most people feel cheerful just by looking at it. But to her, it brought nothing but irritation.

She went to the garden and planted the bloom Albreto had nurtured. Amidst a field of tangled thorns, that single flower stood beautiful and proud.

Luminas tried to make it blossom herself, just as Albreto had done.

However, while she could purify demonic energy, she didn’t have the gift to make things bloom. Or, more precisely, even if she forced a flower to blossom, it would quickly decay unless she stayed near it at all times. The moment she left, the corrupted air would twist it into something grotesque.

“What’s so great about this stupid flower…”

Blue veins bulged on the back of her hand.

“Lady Luminas!”

“Lenya. What is it?”

Her expression shifted instantly.

Luminas smiled at Lenya, but Lenya had seen the face she wore before that—cold and furious.

Of all the people in the Demon King’s Castle, only Suhyeon remained unaware of Luminas’s true nature beneath her demure façade.

“The Demon King sent me. He said your mood seemed low and asked me to keep an eye on you. Is something wrong?”

Something wrong? There were plenty of things wrong. Her head was full of thoughts—chiefly, the desperate wish that he could understand her turmoil without her having to say a word.

She felt lost—like she was wandering through a maze with no exit.

Luminas glanced at her. Lenya served Suhyeon closely; if she ever discovered the truth, she might reveal it to him. Most of the demons in the castle would have.

Fortunately, there’s one person helping me…

Lilith. The only one who knew her secret.

From the very beginning, Lilith had realized what no one else did—Luminas’s true gender.

There had been moments of doubt, but in the end, Lilith had helped her conceal it completely. It was a secret no one else knew—a secret that must never be revealed.

To Suhyeon, she had always been both a princess and a woman. She couldn’t begin to imagine what his reaction would be if she suddenly confessed otherwise.

He had always said his ideal bride was a woman who was beautiful, strong, and wise.

And yet… he said it didn’t matter if they were a man? Really?

She couldn’t be sure.

Every intruder who tried to sneak into his bedchamber had been female. If there was even a slim chance of rejection, she wanted to face it head-on—after she became his official bride. After the wedding, or whatever ceremony would bind them together.

Luminas smiled sweetly at Lenya, who was still waiting for an answer.

“My only concern, as always, is how to become a bride worthy of the Demon King.”

“…I see.”

“By the way, Lenya. That person we saw earlier—was she your sister?”

Lenya flinched slightly before answering carefully.

“Yes, my older sister. You’d best not get too close. She loves cute things… and that could make things quite troublesome for you.”

Lenya wasn’t protecting Luminas out of fear for her safety, but rather protecting her sister, Rain. She fully agreed with Elvin’s nickname for Luminas—the “Tyrant of the Demon Castle.”

It baffled her how Suhyeon couldn’t sense that dangerous aura from Luminas.

Still, Lenya had to admit—Luminas could act. In front of the Demon King, she looked like the sweetest creature alive. And with Elvin constantly whining about how “violent” she was, it was easy for others to dismiss the claim.

“Are you going to keep following me? Didn’t the Demon King assign you some other duties?”

And sharp, too.

She’d already deduced why Lenya hadn’t come straight to her after returning to the castle.

“…I’ll follow quietly from behind for a while.”

Because she had a pretty good idea what Luminas was planning to do.

“Suit yourself.”

One of the demon guards patrolling the corridors—a hulking figure meant to protect the castle—was walking proudly down the hall. They’d been ordered not to bother the elven royal guest, to treat him with courtesy.

Determined to show the guest how impressive the Demon King’s Castle could be, the guard strutted with his chest out. But when he spotted the golden-haired princess ahead, his shoulders began to tremble like a frightened wolf.

“L-Lady Princess? I swear I didn’t do anything!”

“I know. I just came to ask you for a favor. You’ll listen, won’t you?”

Luminas’s icy gaze locked onto the demon. He was one of those who had once mocked and belittled her—but no longer.

“A… favor?”

“There’s something I’d like you to do for me.”

She whispered softly, and the demon swallowed hard. He already suspected who she was targeting—there was only one person who’d drawn the princess’s ire lately.

“B-but the Demon King said to treat the elves well…”

Luminas’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. The demon went pale.

“I’m not asking you to hurt him. Just… tease him a little. Demons are known for their mischief, aren’t they?”

Even knowing Lenya was there, she didn’t care. Tilting her head innocently, she added:

“Lenya, you won’t tell, right? You don’t like that elf either, do you?”

Lenya sighed. Even when Luminas smiled sweetly, there was a terrifying edge behind it.

“No. Of course not.”

Luminas was right.

Objectively speaking, Luminas was stronger than Albreto. The elf king was, after all, someone who had lost to humans—a powerless loser. Lenya’s true king was Suhyeon, so it was only natural she preferred the princess he cherished.

Lenya studied Luminas silently. The once innocent princess had grown into someone entirely different.

Where did that pure little girl go…?

And as Suhyeon himself had said, there was something unstable about her now. As long as there were demons pushing for the Demon King to take a wife and bear an heir, Luminas’s heart would never truly rest.

“I won’t tell the Demon King, but if he finds out, he might be angry.”

Luminas laughed brightly.

“The Demon King? Angry at me? Don’t be silly. I’m too precious for that. He’d just think it’s one of my cute little tantrums. Obviously, he trusts and loves me far more than that pompous High Elf.”

Her eyes gleamed dangerously. There was no trace of the clear, beautiful “sky” Suhyeon often described when he looked at her.

“Lenya!”

The sound of hurried footsteps echoed from afar. Lenya’s face immediately darkened. The second person Luminas had been targeting was walking right toward them—unaware of what awaited her.

“Hi, Princess! I’m Rain!”

Rain greeted her cheerfully, her eyes sparkling. Lenya quickly glanced at Luminas’s expression, then whispered frantically to her sister.

“Sis, I told you to stay out of sight.”

“But I wanted to talk to the princess! You barely let me see her last time—you kicked me out right away! Do you know how badly I wanted to meet her? The Demon King hides her like some kind of treasure!”

“As a matter of fact, I was looking for you too,” Luminas said softly.

“Huh? You were?”

Rain tilted her head, genuinely confused. She didn’t sense any malice. Hardly anyone could—few could even imagine the “gentle princess” resorting to violence.

Rain studied her curiously.

“You really do look perfect to be the Demon King’s bride.”

“Oh? Do you think so?”

Luminas blushed faintly, embarrassed by the compliment. Her anger seemed to cool slightly—but the glint in her eyes suggested the beast within hadn’t gone anywhere.

“You’re the prettiest person I’ve ever seen! You and the Demon King are perfect together!”

Rain, always physically affectionate, reached out and lifted Luminas lightly—as she often did with younger elves.

She was careful not to use too much strength. The reason she hadn’t been allowed near Luminas before was her incredible strength. The last thing she wanted was to accidentally injure the Demon King’s precious bride-to-be.

“You’re too cute! I can’t believe the Demon King never let me meet you!”

But then—

“Huh?”

Rain felt her body tilt sideways. A heavy thud echoed as she hit the ground—and Luminas was suddenly on top of her.

Her warm spring-like smile had vanished, replaced by the feral grin of a predator.

“You just said I looked like I could be his bride. You’re wrong.”

“Huh?”

Rain’s eyes widened in disbelief. It was rare for anyone to overpower her. She tried to push Luminas off, but her strength failed her.

“I’m not someone who could be his bride—I am. The position beside the Demon King belongs to me and no one else. Remember that.”

Even after Luminas stood up, Rain couldn’t move. She blinked in confusion, wondering why her limbs felt so weak.

Unfamiliar with holy power, she mistook the sensation for Luminas’s natural strength.

“I’ve never met anyone who could pin me down so easily… But, Princess—doesn’t the Demon King dislike strong women like me?”

At those words, Luminas froze. Lenya quickly stepped in.

“The Demon King just dislikes unnecessary trouble, that’s all. And like I always tell you, be careful what you—”

But it was too late. Rain had touched a nerve. Lenya quietly stepped back.

“P-Princess?”

“When I was little,” Luminas said slowly, “the Demon King once told me—if words don’t work, show them through actions.”

“W-Wait—!”

Lenya could only think, with grim certainty:

Suhyeon was definitely the one who shaped Luminas’s personality.