Morning at Stony Fortress
In the dining hall of the inner castle at Stony Fortress, Neromeltia and Nella waited for their meal to be served. Though the Demon Lord, the highest being, should have taken the seat of honor, Neromeltia chose to sit beside Nella instead. While they waited, the two enjoyed cups of warm rose tea.
“Uuuung… Master… That’s too much……”
“You’re up, Lus?”
Lusteria appeared in the dining hall looking thoroughly disheveled, as though she had only just rolled out of bed. Gone was her usual neat bun at the nape of her neck; her hair hung loose and tousled. It was obvious she had staggered straight here upon waking, and the fact that she had even managed to dress herself properly was impressive given how drowsy she appeared.
Since Neromeltia’s right seat was already taken by Nella, Lusteria settled on the left. Neromeltia retrieved a comb from her Dimensional Storage and began gently tidying Lusteria’s messy hair. Yawning and rubbing her eyes, Lusteria still seemed half-asleep, yet she accepted the Demon Lord fixing her hair as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world. In truth, her mind was simply foggy with sleep; had she been fully awake, she would have been mortified.
“I woke up… but I was alone… and Master wasn’t there……”
“Sorry, Lus. You must have been tired after staying up late yesterday, so I wanted you to sleep in.”
Even while the Demon Lord tended to her hair, Lusteria continued to act spoiled in her drowsy state. Neromeltia found this clumsy, adorable side of her utterly endearing and smiled warmly as she apologized. To Nella, the sight of Lusteria casually rubbing her sleepy eyes while receiving such attention from the Demon Lord seemed remarkably bold. Of course, it was only because Lusteria was still half-asleep.
“It seems having Her Majesty fix your hair is a daily occurrence for Lady Lusteria. As expected… the official wife, perhaps……”
“Hueah…?”
Nella believed Lusteria to be the Demon Lord’s official wife. No formal title had ever been bestowed, yet the frequent displays of affection between Neromeltia and Lusteria had led those around them to regard Lusteria as such. Nella was among them. If she herself were receiving such treatment from the supreme being, she would be far too overwhelmed to lift her head. Yet Lusteria sat there calmly, as though it were routine, reinforcing the notion. However, seeing Lusteria respond to Nella’s question with only vague, sleepy sounds made it clear she simply hadn’t registered the words.
“There, all done. Who’s this pretty girl?”
“Uuuung… Hehehe…”
Neromeltia stroked Lusteria’s now neatly arranged hair. Though sleepiness kept tugging at her, Lusteria responded with a silly grin, clearly delighted by her master’s warm touch.
“Hmm… Master wasn’t there this morning either… Did you sleep somewhere else…?”
“Ah… Well… That’s right…!!”
“Where did you sleep?”
Though Lusteria’s question carried no deliberate intent, it was sharp and pointed. She was simply curious, but for Neromeltia the question was awkward and uncomfortable. Admitting she had slept in Nella’s room instead of the perfectly fine guest quarters felt delicate.
‘Saying “I had sex with you and then had sex with Nella too” would be a bit much, right…?’
From the Demon Lord’s perspective it was no sin, and no one had the right to interrogate her, yet mentioning it still felt awkward. Neromeltia considered pretending not to hear, but Lusteria’s eyes were gradually clearing, leaving her no room to evade.
“Her Majesty was discussing the Caboni Forest development plan with me.”
“Uh, y-yeah. I just had some ideas come to mind at the time!”
Nella also felt uncomfortable with Lusteria’s unintentionally sharp question. Revealing that she had spent a passionate night with the Demon Lord in front of her supposed official wife seemed impossible. Though there was a slight misunderstanding, Nella went along with Neromeltia’s story, and Neromeltia responded favorably.
“Then did you sleep in Lady Nella’s room?”
“……”
“……”
Though Lusteria’s eyes remained pure and innocent, her questions were so piercing it felt as though she knew everything. It was as if she were saying, “I already know, so confess.” Her ordinary, guileless questions cut deep.
“Lady Lusteria, would you mind coming to the kitchen for a moment to check the seasoning?”
The one who suddenly emerged from the kitchen was Beatrice. Having been preparing meals with the orc chefs, she stepped out and called for Lusteria.
“Eh… Lady Beatrice’s cooking is always perfect, though?”
“No. I need Lady Lusteria’s help.”
With an extremely firm demeanor, Beatrice grabbed Lusteria’s wrist and pulled her into the kitchen. Though Lusteria looked flustered and dazed, Beatrice’s resolve was so strong that she could only follow meekly.
With Lusteria gone, silence settled over the dining hall. It felt as though a storm had passed, leaving them exhausted, yet peace had finally arrived. Neromeltia and Nella both let out sighs of relief.
Dragged into the kitchen, Lusteria’s eyes lit up at the sight of the delicious dishes being prepared. A salad of finely chopped fresh herbs and vegetables topped with her favorite mayonnaise. A big boar sirloin steak sizzling over roaring flames, infused with the smoky aroma of fragrant firewood. A hearty stew packed with potatoes, carrots, and generous portions of big boar thigh meat that looked incredibly filling.
As Lusteria savored the aromas one by one, anticipating the meal, Beatrice led her straight past the kitchen and out the back door, cutting her happy musings short.
Having asked Lusteria to check the seasoning only to walk right past the kitchen, Beatrice made Lusteria stare at her in confusion. Leading her outside the inner castle through the back door, Beatrice took her into the ingredient storage. Among the various storerooms, the two women entered the one for potatoes. In the now-empty storage room, Beatrice let out a deep sigh and spoke.
“Lady Lusteria. Her Majesty spent the night with Lady Nella. Didn’t you notice?”
“Ah! So that’s what it was!? I had no idea……”
Lusteria was genuinely surprised by the truth Beatrice revealed. She had truly known nothing. Seeing this, Beatrice felt an inexplicable sense of relief, let out a light sigh, and continued.
“Phew… Anyway, there’s no need to keep asking about what happened last night.”
“Got it! I really wasn’t paying attention!”
While revealing the details of an event that wasn’t particularly secretive, Beatrice had worried Lusteria might react negatively. However, Lusteria remained cheerful, with no trace of jealousy or disappointment. Feeling somewhat relieved, Beatrice thought there was no more reason to stay and led Lusteria out of the storage.
“Since you’re here, there’s a new dessert I’ve made. Why don’t you try a little before heading back to the dining hall?”
“Waaah! Lady Beatrice’s new creation!! I’m so excited!!”
“It’s still before the meal, so just one piece.”
Beatrice smiled lightly and led Lusteria back to the kitchen.