The Canopy Bed and the Teddy Bear (2)
The Demon Lord who appeared at the window was not wearing the dignified countenance of a supreme ruler. Her expression was so warm and full of affection that even Nella, who was normally sensitive about rank, felt her heart ease. Yet as a loyal subject, she could not allow herself to grow lax. Nella steeled her resolve.
“Do you… have any orders for me…?”
Nella had assumed that the exalted Demon Lord would never visit her in the dead of night without urgent business. But Neromeltia kept her playful smile and said something entirely unexpected.
“Hmm. I’m quite sure I asked whether you missed me?”
What Nella had taken for a casual greeting turned out to be a sincere question. For her, this personal inquiry that forced her to reveal her feelings was deeply embarrassing. The emotions she wanted to hide—moreover, the forbidden feelings she must hide. Yet she could not lie to the Demon Lord, so Nella could only open and close her mouth, unable to form a proper reply.
“Didn’t Nella miss me? How sad…”
“N-no! I did miss you!”
“Hehe. Really?”
Neromeltia had looked utterly dejected, head drooping with listless eyes. The moment the Demon Lord suddenly showed disappointment, the flustered Nella blurted out her true feelings without thinking. At once Neromeltia lifted her head again, the melancholy vanishing as if it had never existed, and gazed at her with that same mischievous smile.
“How much did you miss me?”
“…Th-that is… I…”
Since Nella stood more than twenty mentols taller, Neromeltia had to tilt her head back to look up at her. Conversely, Nella, standing at rigid attention, was forced to look down at the Demon Lord and had no idea where to rest her gaze. She was mortified.
The revealing halterneck dress Night Illusion that Neromeltia wore lived up to its name, boldly displaying a daring degree of skin. A pair of breasts so large they could not be covered by a single hand, and the soft valley between them. Faced with that captivating, bewitching sight, Nella felt her vision blur.
“Of course you missed me to the point of death. Otherwise you wouldn’t have come sneaking all the way to the VIP quarters in the middle of the night to watch, right?”
“…!!!”
Nella felt as if her heart would stop. She had believed her peeping had gone unnoticed, yet the Demon Lord had known everything. A vassal who had dared to spy on her sovereign’s private night had very few options left.
Thud!
Nella dropped to her knees at the fastest speed her reason would allow. She believed there was nothing she could say to excuse herself, so she had no intention of offering excuses. At the very least, she thought she must kneel and bow her head in apology. Even spying on an ordinary woman’s lovemaking would be a shameless enough crime to warrant death; having spied on the Demon Lord’s union meant she must offer the most sincere atonement possible, even if it cost her life.
But Neromeltia caught Nella by the shoulders before she could lower her head.
“It’s all right. I didn’t come to scold you.”
“B-but…!!”
“I said it’s fine. I’d much rather you feel comfortable around me, Nella.”
Neromeltia’s voice was remarkably calm, utterly free of anger. On the contrary, it overflowed with benevolence, and her smile radiated kindness. Nella, who had been prepared to accept any severe punishment as only natural, could do nothing but rise when Neromeltia guided her up.
With her mind half-frozen, Nella could only follow obediently, as if enchanted, when Neromeltia took her hand and led her. The place the Demon Lord brought her to was Nella’s own adorable canopy bed. The two women sat facing each other on its edge.
“Shall we calm down a little?”
With a smile that carried a gentle warmth, Neromeltia waved her hand once through the air. The space split open, revealing a pitch-black void. It was the eighth-tier spatial magic Dimensional Storage, which created an artificial pocket dimension where time did not flow and served as a warehouse. Nella was familiar with the sight, since Neromeltia used it every time she retrieved her belongings.
From within the dimensional space Neromeltia produced a teapot and teacups that seemed freshly brewed, still steaming hot. She placed a cup in Nella’s hands, tilted the pot, and poured. As the tea filled the cup, fragrant steam rose in gentle curls. The scent of chamomile soothed Nella’s troubled mind.
“The aroma is nice, isn’t it?”
“…Yes… Thank you for bestowing such a magnificent tea upon me…”
The chamomile tea Neromeltia had offered was a premium blend so fragrant it vividly evoked the sweetness of ripe apples. The brewing technique was masterful as well, perfectly balancing flavor and scent to produce a profound depth. Just one sip brought comfort to her tense heart, and as it slid down her throat the liquid’s warmth seemed to ease the fatigue in her entire body.
“What adorable teddy bears. These are replicas of the Märchen Bear series by Teddy Maddy, aren’t they?”
“…Yes… I tried to imitate what I saw in the history books… but they are hardly suitable for someone like me…”
The Märchen Bear series had been a popular line of teddy bears during the golden age of Hemonigent a thousand years ago. The Märchen Bears, signature products of the renowned doll artisan Teddy Maddy, had enjoyed such fame that they were recorded in history books. Thanks to Beriberi, who had transcribed every surviving volume to create new copies and founded the Great Library, information about the Märchen Bear series had been preserved for future generations.
While studying history, Nella had read the entry on the Märchen Bears, fallen in love with the charming, cute illustrations, and begun crafting and collecting her own dolls.
“Unsuitable? What are you talking about? When I imagine you hugging these children as you sleep, the only thought that comes to mind is how adorable you must look.”
“Eep…”
Neromeltia’s voice was gentle and soft, little more than a whisper that tickled Nella’s ear in the most pleasant way. Moreover, hearing someone say she was cute with genuine feeling filled her with even greater happiness. Nella’s face flushed hot; without realizing it, she turned her head slightly away.
“Would you like to hold this one?”
“Th-this is…”
While Nella had shyly averted her gaze, Neromeltia had taken something from her Dimensional Storage. It was a teddy bear of the same style as those on the bed, wearing pajamas embroidered all over with red heart patterns. Nella unconsciously widened her eyes and covered her mouth, openly revealing how utterly astonished she was.
“An original from Teddy Maddy’s Märchen Bear series—‘No. 27, Pajama Sleepy Bear.’ I collected a few myself long ago. Someone very dear to me loved this series.”
Nella accepted the adorable doll Neromeltia offered and hugged it as if in a trance. Its luxurious plushness proved it was of the highest quality, and the meticulous stitching and perfect accessories declared that it had been crafted by a master’s hand. As she stroked the velvety surface, a faint, pleasant lavender scent wafted out.
“It really suits you. I truly believe it does, which is why I’m giving it to you as a gift. I wasn’t just being polite.”
“Haaah…”
A genuine Märchen Bear from a thousand years ago—an authentic piece that displayed a level of perfection far beyond the replicas Nella had made without knowing the exact designs. To receive such a precious, priceless treasure as a gift, and to be told once more that it suited her, left Nella struggling to endure the ever-growing pounding of her heart.
Watching Nella overwhelmed by happiness and embarrassment, a wry smile flickered across Neromeltia’s face.
“Why are you so lacking in confidence, Nella?”
“…I don’t quite understand what you mean…”
“You’re beautiful. Pretty. Cute. Lovable. I think I’m only stating the obvious, yet you always deny it, don’t you? You get embarrassed. You become flustered.”
The sudden question from Neromeltia struck a painful nerve. At the Demon Lord’s direct words, Nella’s eyes darkened. A shadow fell over the face that had been glowing with happiness, and though she tried to conceal her feelings, she could not stop a deep sadness from leaking through the cracks.
“…I am an orc, am I not…?”
“What’s wrong with being an orc?”
“Well… we are a race treated as monsters by others…”
Nella’s words came in hesitant fragments. Speaking of her own complex was far more difficult than she had imagined. Unconsciously, she gave a bitter, self-mocking smile.
For a moment Neromeltia spoke with eyes as cold as ice.
“Who dared say such a thing?”
Seeing the Demon Lord’s aura turn menacing, Nella grew terrified that she had made a grave mistake. A few careless words from her had caused the Demon Lord to harbor hostility. The killing intent was so palpable it could be called bloodthirst, and Nella was horrified at the thought that something terrible might happen because of her.
The benevolent Demon Lord who had smiled at her instead of growing angry after catching her spying on that secret night was now truly enraged. The sight bewildered Nella even more.
“N-no!! No one said it…! Ah… It was in the novels I was reading…!!”
“…Novels…?”
The murderous aura that had been steadily thickening, chilling the air around them, suddenly eased. Yet the explanation was still insufficient, so Nella had no choice but to confess everything. The novels she enjoyed reading, the way orcs were portrayed within them. How orcs were always depicted as monsters who invaded and raided as casually as eating meals. How they were evil that committed murder, arson, pillage, rape, and waged cruel wars. How descriptions of orc appearance invariably came with modifiers such as “hideous, with green skin and a massive build.” And how no novel had ever featured an orc as its protagonist.
“So… from the perspective of most other races… I must appear as a terribly ugly being…”
As she listened to Nella’s long confession, Neromeltia gradually began to smile with relaxed ease. She listened to the entire story as if it were nothing of consequence. Rather than reacting to the issue of orcs itself, she seemed only mildly intrigued by the subject matter of the novels.
When Nella finally finished, Neromeltia smiled brightly and said,
“So Nella likes romance novels, does she?”