Chapter 74
“She worried a lot about Lady Esther. You have no idea how devoted she was.”
“Really? Looks like you two have gotten pretty close since I last saw you.”
The corners of Laksah’s lips curved upward in a gentle, rounded smile. It was quite unlike her usual demeanor.
“…Does it look that way?”
“Yes. Even Syphon seems less hesitant than before.”
“That’s a relief. She’s been making quite an effort. Well then, I’ll be going.”
Laksah slightly bowed her upper body with composure before leaving the room.
“……Huh?”
Esther, having realized Laksah’s words a little too late, made a puzzled expression.
‘She… is making an effort, after all?’
The words she had meant to ask but missed the timing for lingered in her mouth.
Esther spent a long while pondering Laksah’s cryptic remark but couldn’t come up with a proper answer.
‘Is she planning to make a contract and consume my soul…?’
Usually, when one made a contract with a demon, the price was often the soul.
‘Could it be that she’s considering Syphon as the one to contract with?’
If that were the case… it made sense why she was treating her so well.
After all, even when raising livestock, you feed them well, play music, and care for them meticulously to make the meat taste better and to avoid stress.
‘…Hmm, Syphon with Laksah?’
That thought was not at all appealing.
Once Esther awakened as a Demon Lord, she intended to offer Syphon a proper contract.
And if that contract was made, Syphon would have a lifespan similar to a demon’s.
“I’ll have to talk to Laksah properly later.”
I’ll tell her to give up since I’m the one who’ll have her.
At that moment, Esther was lounging on the bed. A restrained knock echoed twice.
“Yes.”
As Esther responded, the doorknob turned gently.
‘Father arrived rather quickly.’
Esther lifted her head, wondering how she should greet him.
The door opened, and someone stepped in.
“……Oh.”
But the problem was that it wasn’t the person Esther had been expecting—or someone she knew.
“……Who are you?”
The person entering was a beautiful woman.
Her lines flowed gracefully, appearing both neat and noble.
Her lips were neatly closed with a faint crimson hue, her cheeks pale, and her violet hair cascaded down to her waist.
Her hands were folded in front of her, her posture straight, and there was not the slightest hint of sloppiness.
She displayed the perfect etiquette she had learned as a Demon Lord without a single flaw.
Indeed, she was a woman so beautiful that one might be tempted to heap countless compliments upon her.
However, a black tattoo peeked from her chest—a mark of powerful curse strong enough to make Esther frown.
As she stared at the spiderweb-like pattern, Esther lifted her head to look at her.
“I am Freya Valkyrie Surtr. Yes, I am also your mother.”
“……Mother?”
Esther’s eyes widened. The woman slowly nodded, curling the corners of her eyes.
Her smile completely transformed her appearance.
But… it was fine that she was her mother, yet why was there such a powerful curse?
‘Ah, she said she left the Surtr Kingdom.’
Royalty cannot leave the Surtr Kingdom. If a curse came from leaving, that would make sense.
It was, after all, a punishment curse.
“Nice to meet you, my dear. I’ve missed you so much.”
She stepped forward slowly and stood before Esther.
Seeing the hesitant expression, Esther tilted her head.
“May I… hug you?”
“Ah, um… yes.”
“Thank you.”
She carefully extended her arms and pulled Esther into her embrace.
A rush of heat hit her.
No, it wasn’t just warmth—it was intense heat. Her body was hot.
It felt as if standing in front of a blazing fire.
“…Ah, finally holding my daughter after ten years.”
‘I don’t hate it.’
Esther buried her face in her mother’s chest, thinking.
Though it was a bit hot, demons—no, Esther herself—always liked warmth.
‘The curse is serious.’
There wouldn’t be many moments when she could even open her eyes.
So the fact that she was in front of Esther now meant it required an extraordinary will.
“Why do you have that expression?”
“Eh, what expression?”
“The one that asks why I am here.”
“Ah… it looks painful.”
Esther chose her words carefully, pointing at the symbol on her chest.
“…My daughter seems to have a keen sense and an excellent mind. Good thing she didn’t inherit her father.”
“Ah… what?”
“There’s nothing good in inheriting a coward like him. Look, my daughter has awakened, yet she didn’t even arrive on time.”
“Where did father go?”
“He went to exterminate nearby monsters. He should be on his way back soon…”
A deep line formed on her forehead, her lips twisting.
“No sooner had I finished speaking than he arrives.”
Even after Freya finished speaking, the door remained closed for a while.
“You’re terribly slow.”
Just as she clicked her tongue, the door burst open.
“Esther!”
“Shows no basic manners or consideration at all.”
“…….”
It seemed her mother was not fond of the man who rushed in, her father, looking pale as a ghost.
‘Hmm…’
“What a pitiful sight. You can replace a husband, but a father cannot be replaced. Truly lamentable for you.”
Ah, that’s wrong.
Correction.
My mother apparently despises my father beyond what words can describe.
“…Freya, you’re here?”
“Yes, but do not step any further.”
No sooner had Freya finished speaking than he stopped abruptly.
“I trust you wouldn’t hug my daughter wearing clothes stained with monster blood.”
“Ah….”
“Do not tell me you threw away even the slightest sense of decency along with the monster’s corpse.”
Wow, mother’s fierce.
“…I apologize. I was careless. I’ll change my clothes right away.”
Why did Esther feel that her usually imposing and cool father looked so small today?
His normally expressionless face now clearly showed panic.
His beautiful silver-white hair was disheveled as he hurriedly turned and left the room.
“I’m sorry you had to deal with such a pitiful man as your father. I’ve heard you’ve worked hard.”
“Ah….”
That’s true. She had endured quite a lot.
I wonder what she’d think if she knew her real daughter had already perished.
‘Time to start doing good deeds again, I suppose.’
But only after recovering her body for a while.
In fact, five years had passed, yet it didn’t feel like it at all. Her gaze was slightly higher, but that was it.
‘You’ve grown steadily.’
Esther exhaled deeply.
‘Sudden changes aren’t good either.’
Rather than sleeping for years at a stretch, a slower pace might be better.
“You’ve seen a pitiful sight.”
Ah, she at least realized she’d shown her child a bad side.
“That pitiful man is all show, you see.”
Ah, that one?
Watching her speak such harsh words with a refined voice so casually, Esther awkwardly smiled.
‘I must make a good impression.’
No matter how genius or formidable a Demon Lord she was, she understood how society functioned.
There are always weaklings who cling to the powerful.
Esther was still young, so it seemed much better to align with her mother than with her father.
“Mother.”
“Speak, my dear.”
Esther’s eyes widened.
That phrase, “my dear,” somehow made her heart flutter.
“……I’m hungry.”
She felt like she might die of hunger.
“When will Syphon come?”
“Syphon? You mean that maid. My dear is fortunate; you have a good maid. She cared for you more than I did, with utmost devotion.”
“Really?”
“Yes, it must be your karma. My daughter is a good mistress to her servants.”
Perhaps hearing something from Syphon or Laksah, she gently stroked Esther’s hair with a soft smile.
“Hmm….”
The feeling of her soft hair brushing past was quite pleasant.
Esther’s eyes curved into a crescent, and the corners of her mouth curled up.
‘Having parents is nice.’
Even something small made her feel warm inside.
Knock.
Once again, a neat knock echoed. Freya furrowed her brow, looking displeased, and spoke.
“Come in.”
“Freya, I’ve washed and returned.”
“Yes.”
In his usual cold voice, he cautiously stepped inside with a slightly awkward expression.
His face hadn’t changed much, but he stopped abruptly upon seeing Esther.
“……Esther.”
“Hello, Father.”
Esther lightly raised her hand in greeting, and he strode forward to embrace her.
