Chapter 4
Chapter 4
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Demon Realm # 3
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It was a grand hall befitting the palace's scale.
The hall was shrouded in darkness, with only the Mother Duchess ahead of me visible in sharp clarity... No, actually, it wasn't that the hall was dark.
Her beauty simply eclipsed everything else.
"Ah."
She sat there on what might as well have been a throne—ornate, massive, and decadent—her legs crossed as she gazed down at me. The moment I laid eyes on her, I thought my heart had stopped.
It was the beauty of a goddess.
Long hair as if woven from darkness itself, horns protruding from between the strands. Her bright yellow eyes gleamed like gold, and with her legs crossed, her long legs and thighs stood out prominently.
Above all, she wore a dress that revealed her voluptuous figure in full... A crown of pitch-black metal and ornate, beautiful jewelry adorned her, but they almost seemed to conceal her beauty rather than enhance it.
Beautiful enough to stop my heart. And yet, terrifying at the same time. A vast, profound fear welled up within me.
I realized then that demon women were lethally beautiful, but monsters nonetheless. That thing sitting there was undoubtedly an existence of utmost dread... It felt like the clutches of terror had seized my heart.
—Thud.
Before I knew it, I was on my knees, forehead pressed to the ground.
"I greet the most beautiful and exalted Mother Duchess."
The words flowed out automatically from my training. Honestly, I was scared shitless right now. Terrified enough to collapse in a heap, screaming and wailing for my mom.
But that mom was the scariest of all.
A paradoxical situation.
Scared enough to call for mom? The very concept of fear seemed to originate from her... No way was a being like that my mother.
"Oh? You can speak?"
"Yes?"
In that instant.
The voice that pierced the darkness was so tender and affectionate that it left me flustered. I was so shocked, I genuinely thought I was talking to my real mom.
"Yes. I can speak."
"I heard you were mute."
"That's... what they called me. But around last year, I finally learned to talk."
"Oh? How commendable. Good boy. Hehehe."
That soft laughter burrowed into my ears, making my legs go weak.
"..."
What the hell was this?
I couldn't comprehend the sensations overwhelming me. To someone from another world like me, this felt utterly alien. My instincts and impulses were screaming at me to devote body and soul to that woman right then and there...
"So, my son? What's your name?"
The Mother Duchess called me her son in that sweet voice, asking affectionately.
"Qlus. Qlus Bellacru."
Did she really see me as her son? It was hard to believe. To her, I was just one among countless children. A queen ant doesn't care about individual worker ants. No affection, no attention. She birthed them but treats them as mere minions.
Our relationship had to be something like that, right?
"Hehehe, Qlus, is it? Such a cute name... Ah, sorry for asking? I didn't know since I didn't name you myself. I won't forget now."
"Thank you. This lowly one is deeply honored..."
"Stand up? Don't stay on your knees."
—Snap!
I shot to my feet in attention stance, faster than when that perpetually pissed-off lieutenant sergeant had barked my name.
"Come closer, dear."
"Yes."
I walked straight toward the throne. Up the stairs leading to it.
Why was she being so kind to me?
Was it because of my origins? Did I have some shocking birth secret after all? Something even more earth-shattering than being born from an egg...!
And so, I stood before the Mother Duchess. Her alluring scent and beauty left me dazed. My vision blurred.
"Closer."
"...Yes."
Terrified, but unable to refuse, I stepped nearer. Until I was within arm's reach.
And then.
—Stroke.
A warm hand touched my face.
"Ah...!"
The Mother Duchess began fondling my face... It was so cozy and warm, I felt my consciousness melting away. Like stumbling upon a hot spring just before freezing to death on a glacier. And now, I was immersed in it.
"You're handsome, aren't you? My son?"
She said with a smile.
"I-it's all thanks to the Mother Duchess."
"Hehehe, of course. But you seem uncomfortable? Like there's a wall in your heart."
Anyone who could relax here wasn't a psycho, they were something worse.
"I'm standing before Mama, after all."
"Th-that's! This lowly one is just a bit tense before the great Mother Duchess!"
"Hmm... Lowly, you say. Drawing that line like that almost hurts my feelings."
"Gasp!"
Hurt what!
Was she teasing me!?
"Let's talk casually, hmm? You're my son, after all."
"Y-yes!"
I had no idea why she kept emphasizing our parent-child bond! Was it that? Some ritual requiring sacrificing her own kid, and since no suitable one was available, she called me?
"Hmm, then call me Mama?"
No choice but to obey!
"M-Mama..."
"Yes, yes. Good boy. Such a sweet son."
—Stroke.
Her hand moved from my face to the top of my head. Astonishingly, she was petting my hair.
I couldn't make sense of it. This woman couldn't be like this. What the hell was going on for her to keep treating me so kindly?
The Mother Duchess I knew was a cruel, powerful, terrifying demon. One of the dukes ruling this dread-filled Demon Realm.
"So, the question: why did Mama call our Qlus here?"
"I... can't quite fathom the great Mother Duchess's intentions..."
"Formal again? Keep drawing lines like that, and Mama really will get hurt?"
—Fwoosh!
"No!"
Killing intent surged in that instant!
No!
Fuck, no choice now! She seemed to like people who obeyed instantly and to the letter!
So that's what I'd do!
"S-so! Mom, uh! Honestly, I have no clue why you called! I mean, I thought about it, but nah, no idea, haha! Super curious about it! Tell me, Mom!"
I blabbered on casually, just like talking to my real mom! It'd been nearly ten years since I'd spoken to anyone like this. After reincarnating as a demon, there'd been no one to talk to so intimately...!
So, her reaction?
"Hm?"
I glanced up, and the Duchess was tilting her head slightly.
"Hehe. Looks like Qlus has a quirky personality. Yes. I like it."
She covered her mouth with her hand, smiling warmly.
Obeying had pleased her? I didn't know, but she hadn't killed me for my sass, so my blabbering must've worked.
"Truly fascinating... Anyway. I suppose I should tell you why I called. Qlus, have you heard of the Demon King Descent Festival?"
"Yes?"
Demon King Descent Festival?
Ah.
Something clicked. I'd only learned to speak about a year ago, but I'd heard the term recently.
Apparently some kind of festival.
Other demons had mentioned it was coming up soon. Details were fuzzy, but it was something about honoring an insanely powerful Great Demon King from ages ago who ruled the Middle Realm.
Demons lived only in the Demon Realm now, but back then, thanks to that mighty Great Demon King, many lived in the Middle Realm too. That was the gist.
Like a national holiday event.
Grand festivals, feasts, praising the Great Demon King, having fun.
"Of course I've heard of it. Isn't it a festival? Something honoring a Great Demon King, right?"
But why ask me?
Planning to use me as some festival staff? No way. No reason for a great duchess like her to spend personal time on something so trivial.
Felt like something important.
"Yes, a festival. You know it?"
"Not really. Not the details."
"Then I'll tell you."
"Okay."
If she was offering, I'd listen.
"The Demon King Descent Festival is indeed a festival. To honor the great Demon King who once ruled even the Middle Realm."
"Wow, just hearing about it makes it sound like a great day! Honoring the Great Demon King! I'm so excited! I can't wait to devote my heart to it!"
Whatever it was, it seemed important, so I played along.
"Ah, hehe... Does our Qlus just have a unique way of speaking? Anyway. The Demon King Descent Festival isn't just any festival."
"Then what is it?"
"You could call it an outdated one... Son? You really don't know what happens during it?"
"Yeah, I was bad at listening and speaking before. No clue."
"Son. Listen without being too shocked."
What was she about to say?
Bladder ready, anyway.
"During the Descent Festival, to honor the Great Demon King who descended alone and conquered the Middle Realm, each house sends selected demons down to the Middle Realm in a ritual. It's a prayer for our demon race to rule the Middle Realm again, like in the Great Demon King's time."
"Whoa, no way! What an amazing ritual! Never would've guessed!"
Too shocking!
"But what happens to the demons sent down? Do they soak up the festival vibes, tour the Middle Realm all carefree, and come back?"
Mom.
Please.
Say yes.
—Drip, drip, drip.
Cold sweat started pouring down before I knew it.
To the Middle Realm...? I didn't know much, but if a guy like me went down there, wouldn't that be a huge problem? Or straight-up death?
Humans would want to kill any demon popping up in their world, right?
—Shake, shake.
But the Mother Duchess shook her head.
"Hmm... The Great Demon King never retreated, did he? Fleeing is a demon's shame. So no retreats. Once sent down by the ritual, you must become a Demon King ruling the Middle Realm."
"Whoa! So that's how Demon Kings are made! Has anyone actually conquered the Middle Realm like that?"
At my words, the Mother Duchess sadly brushed a finger along her eye.
"Qlus..."
Why call me in that wistful voice...!
"From our house, you're the one going to the Descent Festival."
—Kyaaaaaaaah!!
I tore at my hair and screamed!!!!