Chapter 24:
I lay in bed.
In this place that had become “my room,” the term no longer felt strange.
There was no blood on my hands, no traces of water used to wash it away.
Why?
Why couldn’t I bring myself to cut her throat?
Was it because I was a noble knight who wouldn’t attack a sleeping opponent? No.
Was it because I didn’t want to escape this place and return to Earth? Absolutely not.
Whatever the reason, like a sheep returning to its pen, I walked back into my cage. The opportunity I had kicked away today might never return.
And yet, for some reason…
‘I didn’t want to kill her.’
Perhaps she had cast a spell on me. I had wished for it from all those who had invaded this place. I had wished for them to take the Demon King’s head, to grant my captive soul liberation.
‘I don’t understand…’
Even after hours of contemplation, with the alcohol wearing off, I couldn’t pinpoint the reason. Or rather, a faint possibility flickered in my mind, but it was so absurd that I quickly dismissed it.
‘… Have I grown attached to the Demon King?’
Ridiculous.
Whatever the reason, my actions were undeniably foolish, unforgivable for someone seeking escape. That much was certain. It was nonsensical to even think about planning another escape attempt after this.
‘I can’t sleep.’
… Did she ever catch colds?
The Demon King always wore thin dresses. She had withstood Dorothy’s Absolute Zero, but now that her magic was weakened, I wasn’t so sure.
… Should I get some water?
-Step, step.
I was almost at the kitchen when I heard it.
‘… Huh?’
A soft, mournful cry.
I slowed my steps, treading carefully, and peeked into the kitchen.
!
-Sob… Sob… Hic… Waaaaah!… Waaaah!
The Demon King.
That Demon King.
Was sitting on a chair at the table, sobbing uncontrollably, tears and snot streaming down her face.
Her small body trembled with grief, as if overwhelmed by sorrow.
…
The ground beneath my feet felt unstable, as if it might shatter like stained glass on a skyscraper. I couldn’t move, frozen in place.
I retreated silently, like someone who had stumbled upon a crime scene.
I went back to my room, burrowed under the covers, and closed my eyes, desperately hoping for sleep to take over.
‘…’
The delicious smell woke me up. I opened my eyes to the familiar sight of the ceiling in my room in the Demon King’s castle.
I had hoped for some change after yesterday’s events, but… everything was still the same.
‘It smells like grilled meat.’
-Rustle
I threw off the covers, stood up, and stretched.
‘Huh?’
There was no hangover. This was impossible. I had exceeded my alcohol limit by a mile yesterday. How could this be?
‘… The Demon King?’
Perhaps she had cast a purification spell on me before I woke up.
-Step, step
As if it were a routine now, I naturally headed towards the kitchen where she was.
‘… That last scene yesterday…’
The Demon King, sobbing uncontrollably, on the verge of breaking down. I was trying to convince myself that it was just a drunken hallucination. The thought of her, alone in that room, crying her heart out, filled me with an inexplicable fear.
‘Just around this corner…’
The kitchen, and the Demon King, awaited.
-Turn
… As expected.
“You’re awake?”
“… Yeah.”
The Demon King was grilling meat on a hot plate, fanning the smoke in my direction.
“… What are you doing?”
“I was trying to wake you up. I was going to use ‘Roar of the Berserker Dragon,’ but I decided to lure you with the smell of meat instead.”
What kind of earsplitting skill name was that?
“… What’s that on the paper crane?”
“Well, I noticed its neck was broken this morning. So I bandaged it.”
…
As if nothing had happened. Everything was in its place. The Demon King’s normalcy brought a strange sense of relief.
“… I’ll eat first.”
I grabbed a fork from the drawer and reached for the meat she was grilling.
-Clang!
?
‘What, what’s this? A barrier?’
There was an actual barrier around the frying pan.
“You’re being greedy. Are you trying to eat this expensive meat for free?”
The Demon King shook her head disapprovingly, as if I were a lost cause.
“I realized I’ve been giving you free food, lodging, clothes, and even baths.”
‘When did I ever ask for that? You’re the one who imprisoned me! And damn it, you’ve been bathing me in my sleep?!’
The level of sexual harassment sent shivers down my spine. In a lawful country like South Korea, with a 99% crime clearance rate, she wouldn’t last half a day before getting arrested.
“… What is it?”
I was hungry, and there was no option to refuse. Let’s just get this game over with, crush her, and eat the meat before it gets cold.
She challenged me to a rematch in Iron Fist. She claimed to have been secretly training at dawn after her defeat. Just how diligent was she…
-Go, Ddori!
Last time, I had been caught off guard by her beginner’s luck and let her score a few points. But now, facing a seasoned player like me, fully prepared from the start, she stood no chance.
-Go, Ddori! Go, Ddori! Go, Ddori! Go, Ddori! Go, Ddori!
Her demon character was pummeled by my main character’s Five Gods of Wind and died. Her face puffed up like a balloon, fuming with frustration. It was a delightful sight.
“H-How… How is this possible…”
The Demon King couldn’t believe her eyes. She poked at the fallen demon character on the screen, but of course, poking at the glass wouldn’t revive him.
“… . I promised. Go… Ddori…I said Hit me.”
She spread her arms, offering her stomach as a target.
“… No.”
“Hurry up and hit me. What are you waiting for? Are you going easy on me? I said hit me!”
“… I can’t hit you unless you deactivate your Auto-Reflect buff.”
“… Tsk, what a waste.”
This wicked woman. Was she trying to turn me into Captain Hook?
I almost choked to death on a piece of meat during dinner.
“What, what’s wrong?! I’m so sorry, I don’t know what happened!”
She suddenly bowed her head at the table. I could hear the wails of all the demons who had died under her rule echoing from hell.
“… This is how you ask for a favor… I have a favor to ask.”
-Gulp
What could it be? A favor from the ruler of all demons. I was already mentally prepared to offer her an arm or a leg.
“Teach me how to play Ddori…”
…
‘… Hmm.’
Maybe I could leverage this to my advantage?
“… Okay. But I have a condition. I’ll teach you, but we won’t play any other games until you beat me in Iron Fist…”
-Crackle!
!?
Lightning flashed past my ear. Judging from the black smoke rising from the Demon King’s index finger, there was no need to ask who had cast it.
“Huh? Oh, there was a fly behind you. What were you saying?”
“Why would I ask for anything in return? Of course I’ll teach you.”
I smiled benevolently, accepting her as my student. She might be beautiful and cute, but the slightest provocation would trigger her laser beams. She was a mini-Hitler.
After dinner, we went to water the cabbage patch. Why did she insist on watering each plant individually with a watering can when she could create a miniature sun? It was beyond me.
“Oh no! Cabbage worms!”
“Yes, that’s too bad… Hey! Why are you pushing me?!”
“It’s a national rule that men should catch bugs.”
National rule… She was picking up human slang like a four-year-old.
‘Didn’t you say you wouldn’t make me do things I hate…? And more importantly…’
Why were there cabbage worms on a floating island above the clouds?
“Wouldn’t those laser beams you use to kill flies work on the worms?”
“What are you talking about? That would turn the cabbages into charcoal. Are you stupid?”
Then why the hell did she zap me with them when killing flies?
“… Well, I’m not really fond of bugs either…”
As I grumbled, the Demon King, as if anticipating my reaction, pulled out a coin tied to a string from her pocket.
“Look closely. Don’t look away or you’ll be in trouble. You will start liking bugs… liking bugs…”
“Damn it! Fine! I’ll catch them, just don’t turn me into a bug enthusiast!”
I reluctantly caught and disposed of the cabbage worms. Her torture methods were eerily similar to Dorothy’s. She didn’t hesitate to use force to get what she wanted.
‘I should have killed her yesterday.’
And I was already regretting it… Idiot. Alright, let’s kill her today. This time, I’ll get her blackout drunk for sure.
“Want another drink? Tonight?”
“It’s not good for a man to keep asking for drinks. That’s what the fairy tale book said.”
That fairy tale book seemed to be a practical guide to life. I bet it shaped this monster’s personality. Hey, Mr. Author, watch your back at night.
“Whew… Finally finished picking and watering everything…”
The Demon King stretched and patted the cart.
“Here, you pull this.”
“…”
After dinner, she suggested we play a game to decide who would do the dishes. I proposed rock-paper-scissors, but she refused, seemingly disgusted by games of chance. Oak Barrel Roulette was also scheduled for termination soon.
“… I’m going to bed.”
I didn’t want to risk getting dragged into another Little Farm session, so I quickly cleared the table and headed for my room.
“Hey, I’ll tell you my secret.”
“… What?”
She scurried to her room and returned with the piggy bank.
“You said you were curious about what I was saving up for, right?”
“… A little.”
“……. You said you were curious?”
“I’m dying of curiosity. Please, won’t you tell me?”
She giggled and shook the piggy bank.
“… Hehehe. Friend. A friend.”
“… What?”
“Yes. I’m going to buy a friend.”
… I didn’t know she had a penchant for human trafficking. But then again, this world was a place where people sold poor girls and healthy children into slavery. It wasn’t surprising for the wicked Demon King to have such a hobby.
Still, I couldn’t help but ask.
“… You mean you’re going to buy a person?”
“What? Do you think I’m that kind of villain?”
You are a villain. The ultimate villain.
“I’m going to buy the Eternal Bead.”
… What?
“The Eternal Bead is…”
“I know. It grants eternal life to beings with limited lifespans, right?”
The Demon King’s jaw dropped, and she clapped her hands.
“Yes! Yes! I’m going to use it to make a friend!”
“You’re going to use it on a summoned skeleton or something?”
“That’s right! What do you think? Good idea, right?”
…
Her reason for saving money was revealed. To think it was for something like this.
‘Sorry, but your wish won’t come true.’
I had heard that there were less than ten Eternal Beads left in the continent. And they cost a fortune. Even if she filled that small piggy bank to the brim and multiplied the coins inside, she probably wouldn’t be able to afford it.
“… Well, I hope you can save enough.”
“Yes!”
She smiled brightly. But there was a hint of sadness in her eyes. I could clearly see the difference.
“I’m going to bed.”
“Okay.”
I lay in bed, staring at the dark ceiling. The open drawer in my room bothered me, keeping me awake.
‘… This is a disease. A serious one.’
An ordinary day in the Demon King’s castle. And yet, I had felt a strange sense of comfort in this normalcy.
Was this the right attitude for someone seeking escape?
‘Get a grip.’
Just because I didn’t kill her yesterday didn’t mean I had changed. It was just a momentary lapse, an inexplicable emotional shift.
But…
Why was I concerned about her feelings today when I was so desperate to escape yesterday, even if it meant hurting her?
‘After doing that… I didn’t feel good.’
It was like a piece of cake covered in mud, devoid of any sweetness.
‘Let’s try a different approach next time.’
I couldn’t explain why I felt this way, but… I didn’t want to hurt her, physically or emotionally.
…
“What? Do you have something to say?”
I turned my head and asked, facing the door.
The Demon King was standing there. She did this sometimes. Her presence was no longer unfamiliar.
-Are you asleep?
“No.”
Today…
She had smiled like usual, challenged me to games like usual, and cheated like usual. So now, it was time for her usual melancholic mood.
-You enjoy playing with me, right?
“Yes.”
A familiar question with a predetermined answer. I didn’t hesitate.
-…Hehehe… Ehehe.
I could picture her behind the door, covering her mouth with her hand and giggling.
-Say it again. You enjoy playing with me, right?
“I do.”
-You like playing with me?
“Yes.”
-You like playing together, just the two of us?
“Yes. I do.”
-Me too. But you see…
“…”
After a long pause, she continued.
-About that Eternal Bead I mentioned. After I save enough money and buy it…
Another long pause, and then she finished her sentence.
-After I buy it… then… I’ll have a friend… And then, if you want… you can leave.
Even though I couldn’t see her, I could sense her throat constricting. It was a habit. A habit that emerged when she forced out words she found difficult to say.
‘Does she remember… I wish she would forget.’
The memory of yesterday’s awkward drinking session. I wanted her to forget that muddy memory, which had yielded nothing but discomfort.
…
‘… She’ll never let me go.’
Because she would never obtain the bead.
‘In that case…’
In that case, it wouldn’t hurt to tell her a lie that would make her happy.
“I won’t leave.”
-…… Huh? What did you just say?
“I won’t leave. When you have a friend, the three of us can play together.”
-……?!
…
-Jump! Jump! Jump!
Moments later, I heard her joyful footsteps as she bounced around excitedly. It was the unmistakable sound of her happiness.
Hearing those sounds made me feel a little better. Finally, I drifted off to sleep.