Even If It's the Demon King
Even if the other person was the Maou, her expression wasn't joking at all—she was dead serious. I faced Sibylius, who was brazenly mumbling to herself. We locked eyes for a moment before I raised my voice.
"Hey! You call that words coming out of your mouth right now?"
I called her out in disbelief.
"Didn't you strut around last time all high and mighty, saying, 'I'm different from those idiots. I would never love someone like you'? Something like that!"
"I was actually an idiot too. Does that settle it?"
"No, it doesn't!"
She'd made a promise with me, and now she was spouting something else entirely—it was absurd. Back then, she'd clearly hated me, and I thought there'd be no further developments in our relationship. So why was she suddenly declaring her love? I had no idea what was going on.
Just as I was about to press her again—
"Then what am I supposed to do?!"
Sibylius shouted.
"Ever since you left, I can't stop thinking about you. Your scent, your face, your voice! I can't forget any of it!"
...What the hell?
"You keep popping into my head and won't leave. I can't do anything because of it. I can't even sleep! I'm going to die like this!!"
"Hey, hold on."
I tried to stop Sibylius, who was screaming her intense love confession right in the middle of the street. But it was already too late—the passersby were all staring at us.
"What? A love confession?"
"Isn't that Lord Seres?"
"Yeah, it is. Someone's confessing to Lord Seres!"
"Right in the middle of the street like this? As expected from the empire's top beauty!"
Everyone recognized me and started whispering like it was some entertaining spectacle. It was mortifying.
"Aren't you embarrassed? Doing this with everyone watching!"
"Who cares! If I hold it in, I might actually die. Better to confess my feelings anywhere, anytime!"
Sibylius placed both her hands on my shoulders and gripped me firmly.
"Why? Why is that?"
"Wh-what do you mean?"
"Think about it—you've been guarding against me in this bizarrely intense way. You were convinced I'd fall in love with you. As if you knew this exact moment was coming."
"That's..."
I trailed off, unable to explain about the original story or possession.
"Whatever. That's not the point right now."
But Sibylius continued as if it didn't matter.
"I won't demand that you love me back. Just tolerate me loving you, at least."
"What?"
"Isn't it unfair? The others can cling to you, but not me."
"No, I hate it when they do that too?"
"It doesn't look that way to me. You're at least tolerating the other three loving you. So why not me? Why can't I even have that?!"
Because you're liable to devour me or turn me into a lab rat. If I said that honestly, she'd just shoot back, What nonsense is that? How was I supposed to make excuses in this situation? As I racked my brain, Sibylius kept pouring out her grand confession.
"I love you. I'll do anything for you. Tell me what you want, and I'll make it happen with all my power!"
"What do you mean 'anything'? You're just mooching research funds in the woods..."
"Then should I go conquer some country right now? I've stayed quiet not because I lack the ability, but because I had no reason to act. But now I have you!"
I stared blankly at Sibylius, who was shouting with such fervor. Did she even realize what she was saying? She was just blurting out whatever came to mind in her excitement.
"Hey, calm down. Can't you see everyone staring? This is really embarrassing."
"You're the one who's embarrassed since everyone knows who you are, not me. Hardly anyone knows what I look like."
So it's okay if I'm embarrassed? It was humiliating, ridiculous, absurd! I was utterly confused, but the crowd around us had no idea and just cheered.
"Whoa, that's intense!"
"Don't know who she is, but good luck!"
"Make the confession more romantic!"
They were cheering for her without even knowing who Sibylius was, and upon hearing that, she made an odd expression, murmuring, "Ah."
"A romantic confession, huh... Come to think of it, immature girls whisper to their lovers about even the Maou."
"What?"
"I'll protect you. Even if the opponent is the legendary Maou. Even if it revives right now and targets you, I swear I'll protect you. And unlike empty words, I can actually do it."
Sibylius spoke calmly, as if it were truly possible.
The next day after Seres entered deep into the Imperial Palace, Niobe, who had been wandering aimlessly nearby, finally left the palace. Her mission was to protect the last remaining king, Seres, but since he said he was fine, there was nothing she could do. It was the palace of the world's strongest empire, after all—no need to worry.
She'd left instructions for her subordinates to prepare for any contingencies and headed back to the Huferion territory to handle other matters.
The Huferion estate, returned to after just one day, was a total mess. The servants' faces were stiff, and the interior hadn't been properly cleaned.
The territory folk I saw on the way seemed fine, but these people couldn't be.
The news hadn't spread yet since mouths were sealed, keeping the territory peaceful overall, but the household servants had witnessed yesterday's events—they couldn't help but be in an uproar.
"Where's the countess?"
Niobe clicked her tongue and asked one of the servants about Ares's whereabouts.
"Ah, Lady Ares. Didn't she go with Lord Seres?"
"Our lord is safe inside the palace right now. I came back alone to inquire about yesterday. I want to consult with Countess Ares."
Niobe's public identity was the captain of the guard knights protecting the family heir, Seres—a fairly high status. Yet even she hesitated in the servant's response.
"What's wrong?"
"...Lady Ares isn't in a good state right now."
"Did the shock make her collapse or something? That seems unlikely."
"It might've been better if she had."
The servant replied awkwardly and led Niobe to Ares's room.
"What a disaster."
Once inside, Niobe understood why. Nearly everything in the room was smashed, half-drunk bottles of liquor spilled and rolling on the floor. Not just one—several.
The culprit, Ares, was hunched over her partially shattered desk, propping her head with both hands, exuding a gloomy aura.
"You're a Sword Master too, so you don't get drunk, yet you vented uselessly."
"...Did Seres come with you?"
Ares immediately asked about Seres upon noticing Niobe.
"No."
Ares flinched but looked at her with hopeful eyes. Niobe replied flatly.
"He's at the palace."
"You left him at the palace, right by Emperor Viol?!"
"Is there a problem?"
Niobe said as if she truly didn't know.
"That emperor definitely loves our lord. No need for me to protect him from her. In fact, even if I told her not to, she'd protect him herself."
"What if the emperor defiles Seres?"
"Then the imperial bloodline automatically mixes with our Huferion blood, making the entire empire descendants of the Holy Kingdom. Sounds good."
"What?!"
"Joking."
Niobe shrugged. If she thought Viol would actually harm Seres, she never would've left his side. And our lord's reaction wasn't bad either. He didn't seem to hate her and followed her lead without complaint. If it was consensual marriage, she didn't mind.
Niobe had called it a joke, but she actually thought it was quite plausible. After all, the emperor had come immediately when Seres needed help—more reliable than Arios in that regard.
But that wasn't important now, so she held her tongue.
"I'll mention two crucial facts. One: our lord, Seres, is adopted. Two: Huferion blood still flows in his veins."
It wasn't just because he had Divine Power. Not all Divine Power was the same, but what she sensed from Seres was unmistakably the Huferion family's unique strain.
"How exactly did you adopt him?"
"...It wasn't exactly me."
Ares answered awkwardly.
"My late husband adopted him before dying, so he became my adopted son too."
"Ah, that husband you neglected to death and didn't shed a tear for when he died."
"...Where did you hear that?"
Ares glared seriously, her expression confirming it.
"We overheard Duke Graviuss telling our lord. Your face says it wasn't just talk—it's true."
"That woman spouting nonsense!"
Ares raged and completely smashed the already damaged desk.
"...Ignore that damned woman's babble. I did my duty as a wife. I ensured he lacked for nothing materially."
"But no love? If you'd given him even a tenth of the love you give our lord, he might not have died."
"Shut up! What the hell are you getting at?!"
As Ares snapped irritably, Niobe narrowed her eyes.
"I want just one thing: the exact truth of our lord's origins. If the husband who adopted him is dead, does no one know?"
"...One person does."
"Who?"
"The exclusive mage of our Huferion family. Actually, she introduced Seres to my late husband."
"Never seen her."
"She has wanderlust, so she's always roaming. We summon her when needed. I'll contact her to come here right away."
Ares rummaged through the wrecked room, found a magic communication orb, and activated it.