Chapter 6 — Our Majesty Has Changed (3)

Roan felt he now perfectly understood why the Hero and Erenier could never progress in a lovey-dovey direction in the game.

To pursue Erenier's route in the game, you had to use some method to detach her heart from the Demon King.

Ultimately, by the time you succeeded in the route and could see her naked body, she was already incapable of speaking properly or in her right mind.

'And then you'd get the Bad Ending.'

The ending in which that very Erenier killed you was a point that made most players flip out.

To make matters worse, the Demon King apparently hadn't given Erenier any 'reaction' until now. He must have often used his sex slaves, like earlier. By default, the Demon King himself was the type of character who screwed any and every woman.

And yet, she still harbored affection for the Demon King.

With a fiancée so deeply attached to the Demon King, the Hero would have found it difficult to sway her heart.

"It worried me."

For now, Roan chose a safe answer to Erenier's question. But a bittersweet smile surfaced on her brightened face. She seemed to have interpreted his words in a different direction.

"Roan. Don't worry too much. Merde's dregs can't dare invade the lands of your kingdom, Evirgio."

Erenier spoke in a soft voice and rubbed her soft cheek against Roan's shoulder. The gesture resembled a cat showing affection to its owner.

'Hasn't the Hero appeared yet? Then I need to hear the war situation in more detail...'

Knowing the current state of the front lines would let him gauge more accurately when the Hero might appear.

Before the Hero appeared, Evirgio's demon king army was fighting an unfavorable battle against the Kingdom of Merde's forces. The one who reversed the tide was a dark mage who appeared at the front lines—Erenier.

The battle for the border city of Hazak, in which Erenier participated, ended in Evirgio's victory.

Once the war's dynamics shifted around that point, the Kingdom of Merde concluded that dragging out an unfavorable war would be difficult and began searching for the Hero.

"Right now, is Evirgio's battlefield situation really bad? Which sector is the most disadvantageous?"

At the Demon King's words, Erenier's movements halted with a jolt.

Not even once.

Had Roan ever asked such a question.

"...Roan? Why do you ask such a thing...?"

"How unfavorable is it? Why must you personally go?"

Roan was not a good ruler.

He had no interest in the nation or in power. Yet his overwhelming strength let him exist as the Demon King. It kept an unmanaged army from retreating.

If one had to put it, he was close to pure violence.

That Roan was now asking about military forces, and even about Erenier herself. Reacting to her.

"You're asking why... I have to go personally?"

Erenier caressed Roan's cheek with trembling hands.

It was truly strange.

He hadn't even shown much interest in Erenier herself.

If all he needed was a tool to satisfy sexual urges, he had no shortage of them. Be they slaves or demons eagerly awaiting his favor. He had hardly ever needed 'Erenier.' That was why he had never reacted much even when seeing Erenier's body.

Rather, he seemed to regard her as a shackle.

He was indifferent to her seductions. Though they had been betrothed as partners long ago, he never seemed to intend to hold the wedding. Even when she called his name like this, he would show no particular reaction. When she touched his body, he ignored her or even disliked it.

But today was different.

Was even a Demon King this powerful forced to pay attention to an unfavorable war?

Or maybe...

'Today's Roan is...'

The fact that I'm going personally... Could it really be that he's worried about it?

Erenier bit her lip, trying to calm her racing heart.

"The most unfavorable sector is Dao. I'll end the battle there as cleanly as possible, then move through Zeno to Hazak."

"How long will you need?"

Seeing this unfamiliar side of Roan made Erenier feel her heart pound like a wild drum. She never imagined she would discuss battle and state affairs with him.

This was the image of the fiancé, the husband, she had envisioned.

"...By autumn, the humans will begin supplying their harvested crops. Hazak is closest to their supply lines. I intend to strike there."

"I see."

Upon hearing her answer, Roan confirmed exactly when he was in the timeline.

Right now, as Erenier was about to depart, it was midsummer. The Hero was still working as a mercenary. Only come autumn, when the Battle of Hazak ended in humanity's defeat, would the Hero first witness the Demon King's brutality. The Hero would then complete preparations and reach the Demon King's Castle by early autumn of next year.

He had about one year and perhaps a month or two.

"Yes. You'll be more than able to reverse the tide of war. You are a powerful mage, after all."

Roan, who had briefly fallen into thought, spoke calmly. The Demon King's violet-glowing eyes seemed to pierce straight through Erenier's heart.

"Until I can reorganize the army, I'm counting on you."

Erenier ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was strong enough to drive the Hero and her party to the brink of death. That was why so many players, myself included, had despaired.

Right now, I was the Demon King, but I could hardly use my full power, and I didn't know how to control the army.

For the moment, the priority was to trust Erenier's magic and devise a survival plan before the Hero arrived. Her magic was, after all, a potent self-preservation tool proven in the game. It was reliable.

Under no circumstances must the situation from the original game—my head forfeited to the Hero's blade—come to pass.

The Demon King was stronger than the Hero, but after walking into the Hero's trap, he suffered a fatal blow. I knew the strategy for defeating the Demon King. In that case, I could simply adjust the situation so I never gave anyone an opening to harm me.

This was Roan's conclusion, but Erenier could not know what was going through his mind.

She had no need to know.

"...Roan!♡♡♡"

Overcome with emotion, she abruptly embraced the Demon King.

Normally, the Demon King would ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠never have allowed it or would have worn an expression full of irritation. But now, Roan quietly accepted her embrace. Erenier's heart pounded as if it were ablaze.

"Ahh, how can there be so little time now...? I want to receive your seed this very moment, yet the time...!"

"Erenier, not now."

She felt a little disappointed when the Demon King gently squeezed her shoulder and pushed her back. But her sentiment evaporated with his next words.

"I don't want to do it with you in a bed this filthy."

"♡♡♡♡♡!!!!"

No, with you, I wouldn't mind rolling around in a field of dung!

Erenier screamed internally, but her self-control was formidable. She decided to respect Roan's opinion.

Right. This was our precious first experience.

Suppressing her pounding heart, Erenier nodded and gave Roan a light kiss.

"Yes, Roan. I'll definitely win and come back♡"

"Mm."

Even after that, Erenier repeatedly made Roan promise to wait for her. She forced her unwilling feet to move, as if dragging herself out of the Demon King's bedchamber.

*

Erenier's mood had never been better.

The reason she was engaged to Roan was thanks to her bloodline. Roan had no interest in the fiancée his predecessor had arranged for him. Rather, it was Erenier's family, her father's side, that wanted the emperor's power.

Erenier had a mission to capture the Demon King's heart, and because it was never easy, she had spent countless nights in frustration.

But at last, it seemed an opportunity for her value to be at least slightly recognized had arrived.

"Hmm, truly astonishing."

The servants of the Demon King's Castle, who had bowed their heads as she passed, were startled to see her humming.

She was almost ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like a wax doll. A faint smile on her face—she neither grew angry, nor grieved, nor showed great happiness.

To the servants who had watched her for decades, the sight of Erenier humming in delight defied all expectations.

Oblivious to their astonishment, she headed deeper into the fortress with buoyant steps. She was just about to depart, but even if she had to carve out the time, she absolutely had to stop by this place.

"Lady Erenier. You've come."

This place ill-suited her.

It was gloomy and at the castle's outermost edge, where wind, rain, and cold air rushed in. Yet the guard guided her as though quite familiar with her arrival.

Worst of all was the stench of the place.

The smell of filth and disease jabbed at her nostrils. With a light gesture, Erenier purified the foul air that approached her and walked down the dark hallway.

She asked brightly,

"Where are today's?"

"They're still inside the quarters."

At the unexpected answer, Erenier shot the guard a look of puzzlement. She had left orders that the children who attended to Roan be set aside separately. Why were they still in the quarters?

"Why? How many are there today?"

"Three. Well, the thing is—"

Erenier was surprised once more by the guard's following action. She and the guard were worlds apart in status. He had neither reason nor cause to speak unprompted.

Normally, a vicious curse spell might have flown his way, but fortunately for the guard, Erenier's mood today was so good that he did not suffer any pain.

As if the man himself were aware of that fact, he swallowed nervously and spoke carefully to Erenier.

"His Majesty gave the command to keep those three alive."

"His Majesty did...?"

In the end, Erenier stopped dead in her tracks.

As I thought. Today, he was definitely strange.

This was not about a matter of 'kill them' or 'spare them.' Roan had never cared in the first place whether slaves lived or died.

He would sometimes kill a slave simply because of that night's bedroom experience or because he was in a bad mood. Nor had he ever shown mercy just because someone pleased him.

Should I report this to Father?

"Hmm..."

The happiness washed off Erenier's face.

The fact that this morning, too, a slave might have writhed in his bed and received his seed.

And that one of them had left a filthy trace on the bed where her Roan slept.

The fact that she might need to contact Father to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠report Roan's behavior.

Above all else—the fact that she had to keep those wretched creatures alive and well.

As these things she didn't want to think about rose in her mind one after another, her face returned to its usual 'gentleness.'

"Thanks to His Majesty, I've saved time today."

She turned with a subtle smile. But the guard couldn't follow Erenier in time as she walked straight out of the corridor.

The moment she passed him, his feet simply refused to move because of the killing intent he felt from her smile.

The click of her shoes, so out of place here, soon faded away. The heavy door closed, and the entrance to the slave quarters darkened once more.

***

"She's prettier when she smiles than when she's broken down."

That was Roan's impression of meeting a female character who had been his first official romanceable target.

Facing a character whose every move he had analyzed and whose CGs he had zealously collected to clear her route, a fresh realization dawned on him that he really had entered the game's world.

"Hmm, so she's officially my fiancée."

Although she seemed to have a somewhat violent side, Erenier's smile when she looked at him held no hint of falsehood. It was a happy smile that he had never been able to see in the game.

For the first time since becoming the Demon King, Roan felt his heart swell with eager anticipation as a player of Legend of the Holy Hero.

That was when it happened. A tactlessly cheerful alert sound chimed, and a message appeared before Roan's eyes.

[Message: First Quest — Duplicate a skill from the First Princess of the Kingdom of Merde!]

The Demon King's body flinched as he read the quest.

'Hey, I was just talking about my fiancée...'

If this was telling me to go ahead and devour other characters as well— Isn't that a bit... too much... like a Demon King? The arrival sound of this notice and its exclamation mark were subtly infuriating.

Ah, right, this was an eroge... And I'm the Demon King, to boot.

In the end, I was the worst scumbag in this world!

'Can I... try to live peacefully?'

The Demon King sobbed internally. He had resolved to live a decent life, in his own way.

But in truth, he had no need to worry.

The past Demon King's deeds were so much more staggering than he realized that no matter what he did, he could end up looking like a merciful Demon King.