An Unexpected Dinner Invitation
The Demon King commanded the hero to name anything he desired. In response, the hero displayed deep hesitation before finally opening his mouth with a trembling voice. “Well… that is… If it would not be too rude, Your Majesty… Please, with this humble subject… s…”
The hero’s words carried such palpable tension that the Demon King began to feel a flicker of concern. Just what sort of extravagant demand is he about to make, to be acting like this?
I was the one who declared I would grant him anything, but… still, I truly hope it will not be something that deals a catastrophic blow to the national treasury.
With that thought in mind, the Demon King waited in mild anxiety for the hero to continue. A moment later, as if he had finally steeled his resolve, the hero spoke in a slightly shaky yet earnest voice.
“Would Your Majesty… grant this humble one the honor of sharing a meal… just the two of us… together?”
“…Pardon?”
The request was so utterly unexpected that the Demon King felt more bewildered than she would have if he had asked for something that strained the kingdom’s finances.
“A… a meal with Us, you say?”
“Yes! That is correct, Your Majesty. That is precisely… what this subject desires from you.”
“…”
The hero’s face flushed a vivid red as he spoke. In that moment, the emptiness that had lingered in his expression earlier had been replaced by embarrassment and a vibrant spark of life. It was as if a withering flower had been touched by rain and suddenly regained its vitality.
Watching him, the Demon King remained silent for a long moment.
“Is… it not possible?”
The hero asked cautiously, studying her expression with clear anxiety in his voice. Seeing him like this, the Demon King found herself seized by a strange emotion she had never once experienced in all her years.
A meal…? Just the two of us…?
It was a request she had never received in her entire life. A distinct awkwardness bloomed in her chest, yet at the same time, it did not feel entirely unpleasant.
Well… when you think about it simply, he is only asking to share one meal. This much… could be considered no more than holding a banquet for a warrior returning from victory…
It would place no burden on the national treasury, nor would it violate any laws. It would not even impose any significant inconvenience on her personally. Nevertheless, the Demon King found herself running through a subtle process of rationalization before she finally spoke to the man before her—the hero—in a tone laced with slight embarrassment.
“W-well… there is no particular reason it cannot be done… but is something so trivial truly enough for you?”
“Y-yes! For this subject, that is more than sufficient!”
The hero answered with eyes that sparkled like stars. Seeing the bright expression that had replaced the gloomy shadow from moments ago as if it had never existed, the Demon King felt something stir strangely within her heart. Almost unconsciously, she averted her gaze slightly and said,
“…Very well. If that is what you desire, then We shall make it so.”
“Th-thank you! Your Majesty!”
When the Demon King asked what reward I wanted for my achievements, I first offered a modest refusal out of politeness. But in that brief moment, I began to seriously consider what I should actually request from her.
There were countless things I could have asked for. Enormous wealth, vast territories, loyal subordinates to command personally, or even the so-called “slaves” that existed in this world would not have been bad options. Unlike modern society, this was a medieval fantasy world whose ethical standards sat at least four steps removed from my common sense. Social hierarchy was strict, and for those with money, acquiring slaves was as ordinary as buying any other commodity.
In that sense, if I had wanted to, I could have legally assembled the very harem that was every man’s fantasy. For a fleeting second, the temptation did cross my mind. I could have asked the Demon King for beautiful demon women as subordinates, or perhaps human female warriors as slaves.
However, after briefly wavering under that primal desire, I slowly shook my head at the idea.
…A harem, huh. Physically, I can see the appeal, but… it really doesn’t match my views on romance.
Certainly, a harem was the stuff of male fantasy, and instinct could easily crave it. But I was not the type of person who enjoyed digging multiple wells at once, nor did I particularly like stories that reveled in irresponsible pleasure. Whether it was because I had been heavily influenced by modern ethics or because I was simply too old-fashioned, I had always yearned for a wholesome relationship—one where love developed step by step, carefully and sincerely, until it finally bore fruit.
And above all else… sitting right before my eyes at this very moment was a woman more beautiful than any I had ever seen, whose personality struck my tastes with perfect precision. She was the one who had captured my heart from the first moment I saw her face. She was the benefactor who had prevented my life in this world from ending in a miserable bad ending.
And right now, that very woman was looking at me and telling me to name my desire. That she would grant me anything.
In response to her words, I chose to ask for what I truly wanted, in my own way. A request that was neither too excessive nor too meek. The result was that I asked the Demon King out on a date—in the only way one could in this world.
The Demon King appeared slightly flustered by the proposal, but in the end she accepted it. She even told me she would clear her schedule tomorrow evening for my sake.
After concluding the discussion about the “reward” for the hero, the Demon King returned to her office. As always, the person she trusted most was already there, brewing tea and holding down the fort.
A demon woman with an intellectual appearance, wearing glasses and possessing small deer antlers on the sides of her head. A beauty with violet eyes, dressed in a blue maid uniform, her blue hair tied in a neat ponytail. She was one of the Four Great Executives, the Demon King’s secretary and the Chancellor of the Demon Kingdom—Belzebeuty Jeremiah.
She greeted the entering Demon King with a calm yet respectful voice.
“Welcome back, Your Majesty.”
“Yes… We have returned…”
With those words, the Demon King sat down with a complicated expression. Belzebeuty poured the prepared tea for her without hesitation, and the Demon King drank it down in one go.
Watching her lord attempt to calm her clearly turbulent emotions, Belzebeuty asked in a voice heavy with concern,
“So… how did it go, Your Majesty? What exactly did the hero request as his reward for this achievement?”
One look at the Demon King’s face was enough to tell that something was off. Having already grasped the general situation, Belzebeuty immediately understood that the hero must have demanded something far from ordinary.
This realization caused Belzebeuty’s mind—despite her outwardly composed expression—to spin with complex calculations and intense tension.
I had a bad feeling… So the hero really did make some unreasonable demand of Her Majesty? Demanding an enormous amount of treasure, or a massive territory… or perhaps he even asked for dozens of our demon women or captured human females as sex slaves. After all, no matter what else he is, the hero is still a male!
She had not yet heard the exact details, but the fact that the hero’s request had shaken their usually unshakable monarch this much was enough for Belzebeuty to conclude it must have been something outrageous. Her mind was already descending into chaos, and a deep anger began to well up inside her.
Damn it… So that hero really was nothing more than an armed robber wearing a mask of betrayal. He must have come here after meticulous calculation, intending to bleed our Demon Kingdom dry. Even if it takes time, he knows that allying with the unstable demons will yield more gains than sticking with the human alliance that will eventually win. And in this situation where we are cornered, we cannot refuse his demands. Then later, once our resources are exhausted, he’ll turn his blade on us and stab us in the back…
From the beginning, Belzebeuty was one of the only two people—alongside the Demon King herself—who had accurately assessed the hero’s combat strength. As a thorough strategist and analyst, she had always viewed the hero as a dangerous entity who must be watched closely, despite his oath of loyalty. If he ever showed even the slightest suspicious sign, he should have his neck severed immediately.
Since her master, the Demon King, was too soft in that regard, Belzebeuty believed it was her duty to keep a sharp eye on the hero. It had even been her idea to insert Elisa into the operation against Rob. From the very foundation, Belzebeuty held a negative view of the hero.
Therefore, seeing her monarch display such an unusual reaction to the “hero’s request” caused an endless stream of complex thoughts to race through her mind in less than half a second.
And it was to this Belzebeuty—who was maintaining a perfect poker face while internally tearing the hero apart at incredible speed—that the Demon King spoke in a slightly trembling voice.
“A meal…”
“…Yes?”
“He requested… a meal. Just the two of us. That was the reward the hero asked of me.”
“?!?”
The Demon King had delivered a truly unthinkable answer. For a moment, Belzebeuty’s face went blank as her mind seemed to freeze entirely. After several seconds, the conclusion she reached in her head was simple.
That hero bastard… He’s even more terrifying than I imagined.