Chapter 69………………………………

Whether it was a hundred years ago or now, priests were not much different.

Men who wore benevolent smiles while extending filthy hands—hands thick with greed—under the pretense of offering salvation.

Looking at the records written by a man whose face closely resembled that of the current Saintess, Marbas let out a twisted smile.

“They really tried to beautify it as much as possible.”

The same situation was being explained in every possible way to make it sound different, but even so, something about it felt subtly off.

Anyone with a functioning brain would quickly realize that these records were suspicious.

For example—someone like Xenia.

“Looks like it wouldn’t be a problem to show her.”

Marbas looked at the figure who, unlike in his memories, was slaughtering the demon race while shedding tears of blood.

Short-cropped hair, a youthful face, and crimson eyes set within it.

At the final moment, when he saw that face looking down at the dead woman, Marbas silently gathered his power.

The mana that had been built up solidly began to scatter in panic, only to be swallowed by the red power and transformed into a very familiar energy—demonic power—awaiting Marbas’s command.

Using the power that had come under his control, Marbas dispelled the magic as if it had never existed in the first place.

Paaah—!

Beyond the scattering magic power, a brightly lit reception room appeared, and a familiar presence greeted him.

Xenia, who had regained her original color at some point, was sitting on the sofa looking at him. But something felt strange.

What is it?

He had expected her to narrow her eyes and demand a proper explanation, but instead she looked completely unmotivated.

And there was something else missing—something that bothered him.

Did something happen on the way back?

Marbas turned his head again to look at Xenia and soon noticed Leraje sitting nearby with a bright, cheerful face.

What’s with him now?

As if he had sucked all the vitality out of Xenia, his face was practically glowing.

“Did you bully her?”

Suspicious red eyes scanned Leraje before turning back to Xenia.

“Pardon? What do you mean?”

Leraje waved his hands in denial.

“As if I would do such a thing.”

It was a firm denial, but Marbas had already seen Xenia pouting her lips.

It was obvious that Leraje had something to do with her current miserable state.

Clicking his tongue, Marbas sat down on the sofa between them, as if to separate the two who had been facing each other.

“I told you to protect her. Why did you mess with her on your own?”

She hadn’t been like this when she was younger, but as she grew older she had begun sulking more and more.

He knew it was because she had opened her heart to them, so he wasn’t angry…

“But there’s a time and place for that.”

There were already many things he needed to talk about with her, so he had intended to check her mood first. In this condition, that would be difficult.

The Demon King cast a chilly look at Leraje. Judging by that delighted expression, he must have talked his head off.

After studying Xenia’s completely exhausted face again, Marbas gestured toward Leraje.

“Tell me everything that happened while I was gone. Don’t leave out a single detail.”

If he started rambling about useless things, Marbas planned to use it as an excuse to punch him.

But the words that came out of Leraje’s mouth were completely unexpected.

“Xenia kissed the Hero!”

At the sudden declaration, Marbas slowly turned his stiff neck to look at Xenia.

What the hell was that supposed to mean?

When those faintly glowing red eyes fell on her face, Xenia shut her eyes tightly, her face pale.

Judging from her twisted mouth, she looked like she wanted to throw out a string of curses.

Marbas immediately gave an order.

“Explain everything. Starting from before that.”

“Yes!”

As Leraje began recounting the events in detail, Marbas openly stared at Xenia.

Xenia cautiously opened her eyes again, glanced at him nervously, and then abruptly turned her head away with a flushed face.

So it wasn’t a lie.

A kiss… How on earth had things ended up like that?

Marbas pressed his tongue against the inside of his cheek and swallowed the curse rising in his throat.

* * *

Even though Lumiere had left first, he had to tense his legs to stop himself from turning back immediately.

Did she return safely?

Lumiere shifted his gaze toward the carriage window.

He knew she would no longer be visible now that they had been gone from the palace for a while, yet his eyes kept drifting outside.

He wanted to stay by her side.

But this was the only way for Xenia to escape safely without harming any innocent people.

She’d hate me if I openly killed humans.

He wanted to shatter Xenia’s illusion about the Hero, but at the same time he didn’t want to lose the trust and faith she had in him because he was the Hero.

And besides…

If I leave like this, she won’t be able to forget me.

She would keep thinking about Lumiere, who sacrificed himself for her, and she would repeatedly recall his confession.

The last part was really impulsive, though.

When she told him to come with her—when she said the words he had always wanted to hear—

He had calculated that since she didn’t actually hate him, she might accept something like that.

And no matter how he thought about it, it had been the right move.

Lumiere lifted his hand and touched his lips, which still seemed to retain her scent and warmth.

“Ah…”

Her startled parted lips, her small breath, those lips he had found himself staring at more and more often without realizing it.

Once he had captured them, a thirst he never knew existed had swallowed him whole.

Since when had he been this thirsty?

He wanted to devour her completely.

He barely restrained the urge to hold her tightly so she couldn’t escape.

He wanted to feel her more deeply, but there had been too many eyes watching.

The flushed face he saw when their lips parted, those moist and slightly swollen lips—they were so beautiful.

I can’t let others see something like that.

Enduring and restraining himself—those were things Lumiere excelled at.

So he told himself to endure just a little longer. Calming his overheated body, Lumiere stepped back.

And in order to suppress the instinct that threatened to devour her again at any moment, he hurriedly left.

But from the moment he took that step away from her, he began to miss her terribly.

And now, as he left the palace behind, he was filled with regret that he hadn’t indulged his desire a little more.

As he traced his lips again, recalling her lingering presence, the man sitting in front of him cleared his throat.

“Ahem. Lord Lumiere.”

Lumiere lowered the hand touching his lips and looked at the man sitting across from him.

It was the priest who had cornered Xenia earlier.

The memory of her troubled expression surfaced, and the thought that this man had caused their separation stirred hostility within him.

…He took Xenia away from me.

It was a far more intense emotion than anything he had ever felt toward demons or the Demon King.

The sudden surge of emotion was unfamiliar, and Lumiere failed to control his power.

Though even if he could have, he probably wouldn’t have bothered.

“…K-kugh!”

With cold eyes, Lumiere watched as the priest’s body bent unnaturally and collapsed onto the large floor of the carriage.

Drool dripped from his mouth, his eyes rolled back showing only the whites.

Struggling to breathe, the priest pounded his chest and crawled along the floor.

“Lu—ugh—mi—gasp—!”

Should I just let him die like this?

What if he dealt with this man, the coachman, and the two priests following behind them?

Then he could return to find Xenia.

But news of Lumiere had likely already reached his mother.

Even if he disappeared now, the problem would not be solved.

She’d realize the Jeremiah who stayed with me wasn’t the real one.

To keep attention from turning toward Xenia, he needed to appear obedient until the Demon King left with his group for the Demon Realm.

Though he hated to admit it, the Demon King cared deeply for Xenia.

He would take good care of her, and once they returned to the Demon Realm her safety would be assured.

Then I’ll deal with everything and return there myself.

It sounded ridiculous—almost laughable.

But Xenia, who possessed a peculiar power, would actually be freer and more comfortable living under the protection of the Demon King and his steward in the Demon Realm than in the human world.

And if he could be with her, Lumiere wouldn’t mind living among the demon race he had always despised.

As long as I have Xenia.

After what happened today, she wouldn’t be able to push him away when he came looking for her again in the Demon Realm.

Thinking of how she had tried to stop him before he left made heat rise in his body and his mouth go dry.

If he acted a little hurt, a little wounded, she would surely take him into her arms.

And then, this time, he would finally be able to claim her.

Now is the time to endure.

Imagining the gentle, warm hand that had once stroked his hair, Lumiere tightly shut his eyes.

He needed to remain the fragile Hero—one easily manipulated by the temple.

So that Xenia would pity him.

So that, in the end, she would accept him.

If he was lucky, he might even kiss her again like today.

Lumiere brushed his fingers over his lips again, his face flushing.

Xenia.

He wanted to see her more and more.

At the same time, his anger toward the worm writhing at his feet grew stronger.

“Ugh—!”

The priest clawed at his throat, scratching red lines across his skin as he struggled for air, and looked up at Lumiere as if begging.

But Lumiere felt no sympathy at all.

Knocking away the hand clutching his trousers, he looked down at the priest with lifeless eyes.

This much venting was acceptable.

Even if something happened to a single priest, the news would never spread outside.

Releasing a bit more of his power so the priest’s filthy hands couldn’t touch him, Lumiere turned away from the trembling man and watched as the carriage headed toward the temple…