193. The Flower Garden's Queen (1)
193. The Flower Garden's Queen (1)
- 1 -
Her long hair, stretching behind her, was a pitch-black that seemed to swallow the light that fell upon it.
Horns that curved gracefully through her hair rose to the left and right and behind, forming the shape of a pitch-black crown.
But even that majestic sight, with a subtle purple hue upon its ink-dark base, could not eclipse the presence of the tiara resting on her forehead.
A tiara densely adorned with amethysts and diamonds.
Though it clearly had a frame of black metal, that structure was barely visible; the crown itself shone with a brilliant light, as if declaring her noble station.
Beneath it, between the bangs that swept across her forehead, a mysterious pattern shimmered faintly. Her sharp eyebrows and striking violet eyes together lent her a dignified beauty.
But now, that dignity was hidden by a flustered expression.
As if betraying that the unexpected encounter had left her unable to compose herself.
"Your Highness!"
Contrary to how long my thoughts had seemed, the sight of her appearance and the count's hurried rise unfolded in an instant.
"Demon Queen, Your Highness. It is an honor to meet you."
I rose a moment after the nobles, offering her a respectful greeting.
With proper courtesy, yet not overly humble.
"Your name?"
The Demon Queen slowly approached us, immediately fixing her gaze on me as she asked.
A voice with a very slight tremor.
Originally, by etiquette, it would have been proper to greet the high-status court countess first, then be introduced to me, who was of unknown standing—but her earlier fluster had likely not yet subsided.
'She is not politically complete.'
It might be a little premature, but I made that assessment internally.
After all, while no one would fault such a minor breach of etiquette toward the Demon King's wife, it was an attitude that failed to consider those who might see even this as an opportunity.
For example, the incubus court countess beside me.
"She is a surface dungeon lord. She is called Lady Libertas, Your Highness."
"Please call me Libertas."
"Libertas."
The moment the Demon Queen called my name, the air around us trembled faintly.
The tremor in her voice had faded, but the gaze she held on me still seemed unable to settle.
The court countess pointed this out to her, in a roundabout way.
"Your Highness. When a stream flows hastily, it sometimes loses its direction. Sometimes it is good to stay in the lake for a while and find tranquility."
"...Ah. Everyone, you may raise your heads."
Only then did the nobles raise their heads and look at her.
Her expression as she approached us was calm, but I didn't miss the way she deliberately relaxed her shoulders and straightened her back.
"It seems you were enjoying teatime."
"Your Highness. She is a dungeon lord who has succeeded in survival on the surface for the first time in a long while. Without the touch of other great dukes, at that."
"Really...?"
The surprised gazes of the Demon Queen and the maids following her briefly turned to me.
But the most intense gaze among them soon shifted to mourning and sadness, sinking toward the ground.
"Many children of the demon world have perished on the surface. One among them has succeeded in blooming a flower."
She seemed to have lived without paying much attention to surface affairs, but it didn't seem she was entirely disinterested either.
The seeds of dungeon lords, scattered along with the cores spread across the surface, were all children of the demon world. If one understood the circumstances, it wasn't strange to mourn them.
And for those who wish to go on living, it is better to turn away from sadness.
"It is regrettable, but it was all the providence of the supreme one. They too would have known that their sacrifice was the path to carrying on a great will."
"..."
When the court countess spoke in a voice utterly devoid of sympathy for the sorrow she felt, the Demon Queen seemed to study her face for a moment.
While I assumed the meaning of that gaze was 'I must remember the face of this unpleasant person,' she looked at me again and spoke.
"Do you like this garden, Libertas?"
"Yes. It is a very beautiful garden."
"...That is fortunate."
Having fully composed her complex emotions, she spoke in a calm voice, gave a single nod, and then addressed the count.
"I will take my leave now. Count Huelin. I hope you have a pleasant time."
Just as she was about to leave, the incubus Ophillius stepped forward.
"Your Highness. How about offering a word of advice on Lady Libertas's growth?"
Both the Demon Queen and I turned our gazes toward him.
I knew why he wanted to prolong this encounter, and she seemed to simply be gathering her thoughts.
That attitude of hers was likely what Ophillius had wanted.
For an ordinary dungeon lord, a brief word like 'Grow well' without any deliberation would have sufficed.
In other words, that 'consideration' itself was a clue that hinted at a connection between me and her—or could turn speculation into certainty.
"Libertas. You are a candidate for the Demon King's successor who bloomed amid countless sacrifices. Do not forget that meaning, and live with dignity befitting it. You are a precious child."
"Yes, Your Highness."
The queen's words, ultimately unable to hide her true feelings. I answered with my eyes lowered.
I felt the gazes of the Demon Queen and the incubus court countess examining my face for a moment.
Honestly, it wasn't something I could empathize with, but they were the words of one who held the highest status in the demon world. I had no reason to show resistance.
Moreover, if I showed even a little agitation here, it would be as good as acknowledging my relationship with her. There was no need to give such a clue to this incubus.
After a little more silence passed, the Demon Queen spoke again.
"You may stay longer in the garden. All gardens of the palace are open to visitors."
She turned around and departed, leaving her final words behind.
"However, refrain from picking the flowers. For the flowers of this garden are planted by me."
Watching her retreating figure resume the steps that had paused near us, the count let out a sly, feigned sigh.
"This is— I have been rude. I should have informed you in advance that this is a place Her Highness frequents."
It was an attitude that suggested he was saying this despite knowing everything, but I merely shook my head.
"It is only an honor to have beheld the countenance of the supreme one."
"Haha. Rather, it was a good opportunity. Since Her Highness personally permitted the use of the garden, no one can object in the future, can they?"
He took a sip of tea with a meaningful smile. His words were as sharp as the narrowing of his eyes.
"By the way, Lady Libertas. Her Highness's last words were quite meaningful. 'A precious child,' she said..."
"Well. It seemed to me that she cherished all the dungeon lords who had fallen on the surface."
If I had chosen silence here, even that would have been a clue to him.
Fortunately for me, the Demon Queen had already laid the groundwork to evade this remark—even if she had certainly not intended to.
But he did not back down easily.
"Lady, it seems you had a connection with Her Highness the Demon Queen even before."
"This is the first time I have met her."
"Is that so? However..."
"Count, Your Excellency. This tea is really delicious. May I ask your subordinate where you obtained it?"
Mure suddenly interjected, cutting off the incubus's questioning.
"Ah, yes. Of course. I heard it's quite a rare item."
"Is that so? Then..."
Ophillius responded naturally to Mure, as if he understood the situation. Pressing any further would be a blatant show of hostility.
While the two continued their conversation, I calmly emptied my teacup.
He had already seen much. And that would subtly spread through the politics of the Demon King's castle.
'It can't be helped.'
The certain relationship between the Demon Queen and me.
This was a secret that even I myself had not known. Responding to such a thing was impossible.
'But using it is possible.'
I turned my gaze to Serica.
She was the illegitimate child of the Baritra Marquis Household, my close friend and the one who intended to become a 'maid' dungeon lord, and also the person with whom my marriage talks were underway.
She would naturally consult with the family head about this matter, and then...
'It will become easy to refuse the marriage talks themselves.'
In the worst case, even hinting at an acknowledgment of my relationship with the Demon Queen would give me a way to refuse the marriage talks.
It wasn't a perfect method, but it wasn't bad in terms of preparing for the worst situation.
And.
『Demon Realm Fame - 8,743』
『- Master of the Surviving Demon Realm』
『- Marriage Talks with the Baritra Marquis Household』
『- Certain Relationship with the Demon Queen』
Looking at the status window, the rate at which my fame was increasing in the demon world had already accelerated.
It meant that those who had witnessed the events here were already spreading word.
Even if the Demon King had an intelligence organization, the speed would gradually decline, but it wouldn't vanish entirely.
'The number of riffraff trying to get involved with me will increase.'
The Demon Queen held almost no real power, because bearing the Demon King's heir was nearly impossible.
But if a dungeon lord successfully established themselves on the surface, the power of the Demon Queen associated with them would likely rise, following an upward curve.
Those who backed a dungeon lord hostile to me would want to check my growth, while those without a supporting dungeon lord—or who supported the Demon Queen—would seek ways to ally with or use me.
"Ah, it's said that the stabilization of the two new dungeon lords is complete. Shall we go, Lady?"
"Let us."
As I welcomed Kamaya and Nirvana back into the group, I sank deeper into thought.
About how to turn this matter to my advantage.
- 2 -
In the depths of the Demon King's castle, Corona Tenebris.
Having arrived at her private room, the Demon Queen slowly leaned back in her chair.
"Libertas..."
From lips steeped in languor, the name that had filled her mind all day slipped out naturally.
The one she had met today was likely her half-sibling. It hadn't been difficult to recognize, for her hair and eye color resembled both herself and her father.
Though there was an age gap of at least a hundred years, she couldn't deny the familial affection she felt the moment she saw her.
'She was beautiful.'
And Libertas was beautiful.
She had hair and eye colors similar to her own, but her pure white skin and an appearance that at a glance highlighted benevolence made her seem innocent and harmless.
But.
"If she survived as a dungeon lord..."
Her neat figure and unwavering attitude seemed like looking at herself in a mirror.
But in her eyes, there was a will entirely different from her own—the will of someone who had idled away her days within the hollow authority of the Demon King's castle.
'She must be a strong child.'
She saw a certain potential in Libertas—the possibility that drawing closer to her might bring change to herself as well.
But today, the reason she called her 'a precious child' was entirely due to pure familial affection.
She did not want to acknowledge the fondness she felt for her beauty, or the political goodwill woven into it.
"Your Highness. I have brought tea."
At the voice of the head maid, the Demon Queen collected her thoughts and accepted the tea.
And she remained silent for a moment, drinking her tea.
The head maid attending her was her wet nurse's daughter. She would surely speak first about what she wished.
As expected.
"Your Highness. Shall I gather information about the person you met in the garden today?"
"You are speaking of Libertas."
"Yes. She is Your Highness's kin, is she not?"
"Yes. Probably."
The Demon Queen smiled, but then her smile disappeared at the head maid's next words.
"It is said that marriage talks are underway between her and the Baritra Marquis Household."
"What...?"
The feeling she had been suppressing, unwilling to acknowledge, stirred.
The feeling that the being called Libertas should be within her domain.
"...The Baritra household was certainly a place that supported Satan."
The Demon Queen spoke calmly. But her fingertips were trembling minutely.
"As far as I know, His Grace the Wrath Duke has not yet formed ties with another demon realm great duke. It would surely be a marriage that would also help Lady Libertas."
"...Yes. That would be so."
In the Demon Queen's voice, there was a feeling she herself could not understand.
After a brief moment lost in thought, she soon gave an instruction to her wet nurse's daughter.
"Bring a bouquet of flowers."
"Pardon?"
"Center it on the irises from my garden. It would be good to mix in various colors."
The Demon Queen smiled.
The irises that bloomed in her garden were known to have special value even in the demon world. Moreover, they symbolized her attention, possessing a special beauty and brilliance.
"Do not convey a separate message. Just... say it is a gift from my garden."
She finished her tea and thought.
She could not know if this was the right choice. But at least now, she wanted to convey her heart in this way.
'I want to let her know that I am watching over her.'
She did not know exactly what that thought meant. It was too unfamiliar to call it familial affection, and too pure to call it political calculation.
Only one thing was certain...
'To that child who smells of His Majesty.'
It was the fact that a new change would come to the boring daily life of the Second Demon Queen, Velastella Lillis, Stella.