The Warden's Deception
The Demon King, Caladia, had entered a new city.
This time, she had paid close attention to her attire. To minimize exposure, she covered her body with a heavy cloak and pulled a hood low over her head. After walking through the streets in silence for a while, she tilted her head in confusion.
"Strange."
The streets were filled with a festive atmosphere. People were excited, their faces glowing with vitality. Everywhere she looked, posters announcing the subjugation of the Demon King were plastered on the walls. The conversations among the people were dominated by talk of the Hero's party.
Yet, there was no mention of Nightstream.
The praise was reserved solely for the Hero Arandal, the mage Cornelia, the puppeteer Lito, and the Saintess Elihart.
'If we're talking about who contributed most to my death, Nightstream should be at the top of the list. Why is he absent?'
A short while later, Caladia was stunned.
'…W-what is this?'
After asking the people directly, she learned that Nightstream had committed suicide. She couldn't believe it.
'I thought he'd be out there celebrating, and that bastard killed himself?'
No. He was alive.
She could feel his presence with absolute certainty. She felt it through the bite mark on his neck. If he were dead, she would have felt nothing at all.
She veered off her original path. A sense of caution crept in—perhaps the energy she was sensing from Nightstream was a trap. She had heard rumors of his grave and decided to visit the village to confirm it for herself before continuing her journey.
"Ah, you're looking for Nightstream's grave? Follow me, it's this way. The path is rough, so I'd appreciate a generous tip for the trouble. Hehe."
After a long climb up the mountain, they finally reached the gravesite. Weeds grew unchecked, and there wasn't even a single decent tree in sight. The landscaping and maintenance of the grave were abysmal.
It was a pathetic sight for a hero who had supposedly subjugated the Demon King.
'Did he live his whole life without receiving any respect from these humans?'
If this was truly his grave, it was absurd. That bastard. Had he really lived his life being ignored to this extent?
Whoosh!
Dirt began to rise into the air.
"Let's see your face."
Caladia cast a spell. The grave dug itself up, and soil flew in every direction.
"A-a witch!"
The man who had guided her screamed and fled. Soon, a coffin was revealed. She blew the lid off and peered inside. There was an urn. She picked it up and opened it.
"..."
She was so deflated she couldn't speak. The inside was completely empty.
Caladia remained in place for a long time, staring blankly at the empty urn. All sorts of thoughts surfaced, intersected, and were erased one by one. Finally, she finished organizing her thoughts and muttered,
"So, he faked his death to escape the Emperor who oppresses the Lurkers."
She tossed the urn aside and began to walk. Soon, her wicked laughter echoed through the mountain valley. It seemed she could continue on her path. After all, the bastard was waiting at the end of it.
"Being abandoned... that really is unexpected."
A sunset-drenched evening. In front of Zenita's house.
I arrived in a fancy carriage to pick her up. Before meeting her, I checked my reflection in a hand mirror inside the carriage. I adjusted my bowtie and meticulously smoothed out my hair. It wasn't like a pupa-like face would look any better with a bit of styling, but I was doing my best with the face I'd been given.
Click.
I heard the sound of someone coming out of the house. I quickly stepped out of the carriage. Zenita, her short hair curled up beautifully and wearing a lovely purple-toned dress, beamed at me.
"Warden. You had clothes like that?"
"Why? Does it suit me?"
"You look like a dapper gentleman."
"Well, I am a gentleman, so it makes sense. More importantly, you're the one who's surprising. You look incredibly beautiful."
Zenita, who usually only wore prison guard trousers, looked several times more feminine and pretty in that dress. The black see-through fabric from her chest to her shoulders provided just the right amount of exposure. The fullness of her breasts was a fine feast for the eyes. The silver pin in her hair and the jeweled necklace around her neck only served to highlight her feminine charm. The dress also accentuated the line of her slender waist. And the curve of her hips was smooth and round...
'I want to sleep with her.'
My heart fluttered at the sight of her. I gave her a light hug, pretending to be nonchalant, and we boarded the carriage together. The carriage rattled as it departed for the commercial district.
"Which restaurant are we going to?"
"You're dressed so beautifully, it's a shame. Should we just head straight to an inn?"
"Don't joke around. Tee-hee."
"Let's go eat. I booked a table for the most expensive menu."
Even on the prison island, there were shops and taverns. Though there was only one of each. I knew the faces of the owners and the staff, and we were all on good terms. The customers were the usual prison guards and their families I saw every day.
"We're here. Watch your step getting down."
I stepped down first and helped her out, holding her hand.
"Thank you."
The atmosphere between us, both dressed to the nines, was excellent. If there was one regret, it was that no matter how much I dressed up, I was a short, middle-aged man with thinning hair, while she was a tall, slender beauty. It was like Beauty and the Dwarf.
"Let's go in."
"Yes."
We entered the restaurant and sat across from each other at a window seat with a great view. The customers already dining were, as expected, familiar faces. They were busy whispering and giggling among themselves, surprised to see us while they ate with their families. The sound of the band playing sweet music drowned out their voices.
My focus was entirely on the beauty in front of me. She was smiling, looking only at me.
"You don't need to order. I've already booked the most expensive course, so they'll bring it out automatically."
"You put a lot of thought into this. I didn't expect you to even bring such a nice carriage."
"Did you feel like a princess?"
"A little? I did get that feeling. Tee-hee."
"Then am I a prince from a foreign land who has promised to marry you?"
"No. You're the princess's father."
"Hahaha."
I tried to make a move, but she drew a sharp line.
A waitress dressed in a neat uniform brought out the food. It was a simple, bite-sized vegetable dish to stimulate the appetite. We finished it quickly and, while waiting for the next course, shared a pleasant conversation with Zenita.
"Did you hate being assigned here?"
"Actually, my dream was to join the Imperial Knights. But there were so many people better than me, it was tough. I ended up drifting here by necessity."
"Are you satisfied with your life here?"
"Yes, it suits me better than I thought."
As we talked and ate, a variety of new dishes made with fresh ingredients were served one after another. The food was delicious, the conversation flowed, and I was in a great mood. Zenita's expression was just as bright as mine. She was saying things she wouldn't normally share, and she seemed very satisfied with the evening.
'Now, the real game begins.'
When the atmosphere was ripe, I began to unveil the things I had prepared, one by one.
Clap, clap.
At my two claps, the waitress brought out Andor 107 wine along with high-end glasses.
"Wow! This is my favorite wine! It was too expensive, so I couldn't drink it often!"
"I knew you'd say that, so I prepared it specially."
"How did you know I liked it?"
"Because I'm a romantic at heart."
Smile.
As I gave her a suggestive grin, she laughed and straightened her face.
"I don't date married men, so give it up."
Is that so? Then how about this? You won't be able to resist this method, will you?
We chatted for a while, savoring the Andor 107. Then, I suddenly snapped my fingers. The band's music, which had been playing sweetly in the room, stopped abruptly.
"What is it? Why did they stop playing? Did you arrange this beforehand?"
Zenita looked around, bewildered. I smiled contentedly and stood up. The waitress brought over a lute she had prepared right on time. I took it and struck a pose.
"Blue skies, bountiful earth. The healing of the green forest. A world given fairly to all♪"
I began to sing a song by the famous bard Loreina while playing the lute. Zenita looked at me in surprise.
"You can play the lute, too? I like this song as well..."
A smile slowly spread across her face as she stared at me blankly. She fell into my voice and enjoyed the song. After that, I sang two more songs. When I finished and sat back down, Zenita was looking at me with an enchanted expression, completely smitten.
"Ugh! Ugh!"
"Haa, haa. Slurp, sluuurp."
"N-no...! We shouldn't be doing this...!"
"Just for a moment. Yeah? Just a quick kiss."
"We shouldn't...! Ugh!"
On the way back to Zenita's house after our fun date. Inside the carriage.
When we were about halfway there, I took advantage of the good atmosphere and covered her lips with mine. Zenita kept her lips tightly shut, desperately trying to defend herself.
"Ugh, ugh!"
"Open up. I told you to open up quickly. Come on!"
"Warden, we shouldn't be doing this...!"
"What's wrong? You want to kiss me too."
"Ugh, you perverted old man, really...!"
She scowled, shrinking back. She kept struggling to avoid the kiss. But seeing as she wasn't pushing me away hard enough to slap me, it seemed there was plenty of potential. We'd had plenty to drink today, and since she was tipsy, she must have had some level of desire.
Despite her resistance, I didn't care and kept mashing my lips against hers. Her soft, plump lips, which were clamped shut, became covered in my saliva.
"Ugh, ugh! W-wait a second!"
She grabbed my arms and pushed me away. She was surprisingly strong, and I fell back. She looked me straight in the eye and said,
"Do you know what happens if we kiss now?"
"I know. It means we're dating, right?"
"If you know that well, why are you doing this?"
"Because I want to date you."
"Haa. Warden, you're married."
"I'm planning on getting a divorce."
"Excuse me?"
"I'm going to get a divorce right away because I want to date you."
"Are you saying that seriously?"
Zenita looked at me with disbelief. I took my time and explained it earnestly. I lied, saying that my wife and I were in a sexless marriage, didn't talk to each other, slept in separate rooms, and that a divorce was already scheduled...
"I love you. I'm saying this with my life on the line."
"...What do you like about me?"
"Everything about you. Especially your kind personality."
"..."
She thought deeply before asking,
"Really... are you going to get a divorce?"
"Of course."
I pulled Zenita into an embrace. And slowly, I kissed her lips. This time, there was no resistance. She closed her eyes and parted her lips. My tongue and hers tangled stickily, and we fell into each other.
The next day.
I was finally able to enter J-Block, where Berzena was imprisoned. I felt a thrill as I inhaled the musty air that permeated the deep underground.