Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: In the Demon King's Castle (2)
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War requires many things.
Soldiers, warriors, mages, commanders, and other human resources, along with material resources like food, clothing, and weapons for them—all are consumed endlessly. Naturally, you can't prepare all that on the spot, so we must stockpile reserves now and build up our forces.
The Demon King briefly scanned the list of current Demon Army executives.
In a place where a single warrior or mage could do the work of hundreds or thousands, high-level combat talent held astronomical value. Separate from commanders, having such personnel made any battle far easier.
Just like how the Hero's party had dashed across battlefields and swept through the Demon King's Castle.
Tap. Tap.
She pointed at the names one by one with her finger.
Unlike before, it was a relief that she no longer frowned upon seeing the names of her subordinate demons.
"The executives... yeah, not bad at all."
More than half the names she saw were different from those in the previous war. Many demons had died in that conflict, but neither the quantity nor quality had declined. If anything, their loyalty and character were far superior now.
It was all thanks to Valdes—and Hero Pedro.
Hero Pedro hadn't indiscriminately slaughtered demons just because they were the enemy.
He only killed those who massacred humans without mercy, those with cruel dispositions, or those who were utterly deranged, while merely wounding the rest severely. This was partly because wars ended with the death of the Demon King alone, and partly to prevent the demons from declining so drastically that Heroes would become unnecessary in the future.
There were exceptions, like Elder Lich Imur, whose future danger level was deemed too high despite not fitting the above criteria—he had been killed for it. Though he'd survived in the end, of course.
The same went for Valdes as the Demon King's Son.
He had executed those who disobeyed orders or had excessively brutal temperaments, replacing them with talented demons who had been rejected for petty reasons, and those with high loyalty.
This created a meritocracy even stricter than before, while establishing a framework for centralized authority.
The Demon King thought that even if Valdes revealed he was actually Pedro, most demons would still follow him. The ones who had died by his hand were those hated not just by humans, but by their fellow demons as well. The executives especially.
"Heh, I'm looking forward to that day."
As she reviewed documents for a while, one demon requested an audience.
Four Heavenly King Adektur.
For a long-lived demon who retained a youthful appearance, he looked middle-aged. With his neatly groomed black hair, mature aura, and dapper style, he quietly enjoyed the affection of certain demons whose tastes aligned.
He managed the overall affairs of the Demon Army and served as the Demon King's right-hand man, something like a prime minister crossed with a steward. He stayed mainly in the Demon King's Castle alongside Imur and had even greeted Valdes upon his return.
Adektur reported to the Demon King with a somewhat grave expression.
"...Lately, the rebels' movements have been suspicious."
"Hm? Rebels... oh. You mean those who refuse to follow my son?"
"Yes."
Valdes had subjugated most demons, but some still despised him. The reasons varied: he resembled the Hero, he wasn't pure-blooded, he was too domineering, and so on.
Of course, they acknowledged he would become the next Demon King. That's why they moved to eliminate him before he could ascend.
But their numbers were minuscule. Even so, their existence was a source of unease on the eve of war—especially since they targeted Valdes's life.
"Don't worry about them. I have a plan."
"A plan... you say?"
"Yes. Just give the signal when the time comes... and leak the info through our spies."
"...You're planning to use them as bait."
Adektur pondered briefly before expressing admiration.
As one of her closest and most trusted subordinates, the Demon King had shared part of Valdes's plan with him. He quickly grasped what she intended.
"Exactly. This was my son's idea too."
"Hah..."
If it went smoothly, it would be a masterful stroke killing two birds with one stone.
"Understood. Then I'll take my leave."
"Go ahead."
After Adektur departed, the Demon King's gaze shifted to the table beside the throne. Piles of documents still awaited her. Despite steadily working through them, the stack never seemed to shrink.
"Sigh, when will I ever get through all this?"
Grumbling under her breath, her eyes and hands never left the papers.
After poring over documents for ages, she suddenly snapped to awareness. Moonlight filtered softly through the window, drifting across the throne room. She'd been so absorbed she'd lost track of time.
"Time to call it a night."
Gathering only the documents she'd review in her bedroom, she headed to her chambers.
As she walked the corridor outside the throne room, she halted abruptly. Her room was just a few steps away, but the one right in front of her tugged at her more.
"...Sleeping in my son's bedroom after so long sounds nice."
Her hand reached for the doorknob, but embarrassment washed over her. She glanced around. Fortunately, no one was in sight.
With a sigh of relief, she opened the door and entered. Both her and Valdes's bedrooms were inviolable sanctuaries. No one but the owners could enter, so the doors were always left unlocked.
Over a month unused, yet the room still carried her son's scent.
"Haa..."
She inhaled sharply, drawing in the air laced with Valdes's trace. A heated sigh escaped her soft lips.
"Coming here makes me miss him even more..."
Longing etched her face.
She hadn't come here because it would make her crave him more. But after finally contacting him today, the ache persisted—growing stronger, even.
Still, she didn't regret stopping by.
"......"
The Demon King flopped onto the bed. Despite regular laundering, the blankets exuded a thick bodily scent.
A man's scent. Her son's.
She breathed it in silently. Unsated, she rolled over and buried her face in the covers.
"Hnnng..."
A nasal moan slipped out, unmistakable as anything but pleasure.
"...Embarrassing."
Her cheeks had flushed pink before she knew it.
Worried the patrolling servants might have heard, she soon gave up. The corridor had been empty before she entered, and even if they did, so what?
She was no longer the Demon King who fretted over every detail.
"I've changed a lot too."
She rolled back and stared at the ceiling.
Two years since Pedro became the Hero, and eighteen with Valdes. Twenty years of profound change.
She had learned excitement, butterflies, love.
Not just emotions—her sense of duty as ruler of demons had evolved too.
In the past, the weight of leading demons to better lives crushed her. Talented but vile demons, or those spouting nonsense, she had tolerated them all, believing they acted for demonkind.
Now, she prioritized herself, her convictions, moving in directions she deemed right.
"Heh."
Amusing, that one man sparked all these changes.
And they stemmed from her heart.
The Demon King rose and approached the full-length mirror in the corner.
"Hmm."
As a demon, her horns caught her eye first.
"...Forgot to undo it."
She snapped her fingers. The majestic horns vanished, replaced by small ones: three along the hairline, and one above each temple, thumb-sized. Pathetic compared to before.
For demons, horns symbolized power. Number, size, color varied, but they revealed one's latent strength plainly.
To hide her weakened state, she used illusion magic daily to restore their original form.
She could adjust size or number for convenience, but as the Demon King, pinnacle of demon worship for strength, no such leeway existed.
"Two years... might not be enough."
She'd told Valdes recovery would take two years, but her horns suggested longer.
"......"
Her smooth forehead creased.
The continental invasion didn't worry her. If Valdes's plan succeeded—even halfway—they could swallow most of the continent without her direct involvement.
Pregnancy concerned her more.
Idly pondering, her gaze drifted downward from the horns.
Face, neck, collarbone, arms, breasts, stomach, waist, hips, buttocks, legs, feet. She scrutinized her body thoroughly, even loosening her dress mid-inspection to bare her underwear.
"Mm, splendid."
After ten minutes, a satisfied smile bloomed.
"As expected of me. The ideal woman."
A habit since Valdes's body had matured. To keep him from leaving, she refined her natural beauty and figure, periodically admiring subtle changes and her blessed form in the mirror.
Her stunning face had grown even more alluring, her already exceptional figure enhanced for a man's love: fuller breasts and hips, slimmer waist.
Valdes hadn't noticed, but maintaining a form that would ensnare any man took her bloody effort. Even the previous Succubus Queen, slain in the war, might concede to her now.
"......"
Yet the man she longed to show this to daily was absent.
It soured her mood.
"...Imur. I'll ask him to make me a magic tool."
Decision made.
If he wouldn't come to her, she'd go to him.
Words that would horrify Valdes or her subordinates spilled casually from her lips.
The Elder Lich might even welcome it.
With his forgetfulness, a note would suffice; no stopping her.
Imur excelled at crafting despite combat prowess.
With the caveat of no power usage, he could probably conceal her presence decently.
Add constraints, and a month should do it. By then, Valdes would have seized the Ulstro royal family.
'Before that...'
Her body heated at the thought of seeing her son.
She returned to the bed.
"Haa... hnnnght." Reduced to a single woman, the Demon King let out hot moans as she pleasured herself.
Lying in her son's bed, inhaling his scent, fingering her pussy over her panties like some mom.
Outrageous as a mother.
But as a lover?
Perfectly fine. Thus, her actions were entirely reasonable.
"Aa, hn, haa...!"
She slipped her right hand into her underwear.
Index and ring fingers peeled back the clitoral hood, middle finger circling the nub softly.
"Hit, haht...! Hak!"
Familiar yet not pleasure washed over her.
Despite countless trysts with her son, she hadn't masturbated much.
Only occasionally to cool her ardor while nursing him as he grew.
After, she'd pounced on Valdes first, coupling daily before urges fully built—no need for self-relief.
But since he left for the continent, she'd indulged sporadically when aroused.
"Haat, hnut... hiiing!" Awkward strokes now plunged her middle finger into her entrance.
Squelch, squelch.
"Hauht, haang, hwaa...♡"
Lacking finesse, her fingers merely pistoned rapidly between labia and hood, but rising pleasure made her free hand clutch the blankets tight.
"Hnut, son... give it to this slutty, haa, bitch hole... hng, your cock... haht..."
Evoking him, she uttered lewd phrases she'd been practicing.
Vocabulary and tone still clumsy, but she tried.
"Haa, c-cock...♡ The stud's, throbbing dick punishing this bitch-in-heat Demon King... hng, give it...♡"
Squelch—squelch—
Her body began to tremble faintly amid moans and dirty talk—nearing climax.
Shuddering, she pushed deeper, stroking inner folds. Her pussy, far wetter and hotter than before, clung desperately to the invading fingers despite knowing they weren't enough.
"Hng, haht, a, a, my son—♥ my love...♡"
Faster fingers frictioned her walls rapidly.
"Nng! Krhng, haaaang...!!"
Squirt— Her pussy gushed fluids onto the bed.
"A, a, aaahang..."
Overwhelmed by ecstasy, her hips bucked up and down uncontrollably.
Through hazy eyes, her lover's face seemed to appear.
"Haa...♡"
Weary from work and sated in body, the Demon King welcomed gentle sleep.