~Chapter 3~
After drifting aimlessly in an unknown place for a thousand years, finally, I had something to do.
The long-lost feeling of being alive lifted my mood.
‘I’ll finish this quickly and return to a free, easy, and happy life as the Demon King, just enjoying honey!’
I hate headaches and complicated things.
Sometimes teasing humans or the gods and fighting, rolling around in bed living however I want—those were the best times.
‘Ah, I want to return to my prime.’
Buzz—
As soon as the greedy thought ended, my skin stung again.
Holy power was leaking out once more.
Low-grade holy relics are usually bought by nobles to bless their children…
‘But it’s poison for me!!’
Don’t they know I’m a half-demon? Or are they trying to torture me?
Of course,
Esther was okay as long as her body recovered and the holy relic wasn’t leaking holy power like this.
Higher grade relics don’t leak power.
‘And why is the holy power green…?’
That was strange.
Normally, holy power is white or clear to fit their tastes.
I had to take revenge on this family and do good deeds.
At the same time, my final goal was to live happily, comfortably, and enjoy life like a rich noble.
Revenge, good deeds, and a carefree noble’s life—all at once. It was so ironic it made me laugh.
Thinking about it, I had a lot to do.
If the curse was true, the more good deeds I did, the weaker the seal would get and the stronger my magic would become.
‘Gods being kind? That’s a big lie.’
The most cowardly and dirty beings in the world were those called gods.
“Sigh.”
I lowered my eyes, annoyed by the tingling on my skin.
‘Marina Asr Sansrsti Parsu…’
(* “A faithful servant of the god humbly…”)
I started reading slowly, translating the ancient words into demon language since I didn’t know the empire language.
Surprisingly, the more I recited, the holy power began to calm.
‘Why does holy power go wild if I don’t read the prayer?’
Shouldn’t reading make it stronger?
‘Really strange relic.’
Esther narrowed her eyes and read the prayer again slowly.
‘I won’t stay still forever…!’
When they know how great a Demon King I am, everyone will bow.
‘…Dbitiya Assi Muriya Na…’
(* “…drive away evil and save us poor ones…”)
I pretended to read slowly because I didn’t know when the maids would come.
Ugh, such narrow-minded and dirty gods. Calling this a holy prayer?
Gods were pathetic. Without forcing these prayers, how would they get believers?
After slacking off a bit, no maids came until sunset when one showed up with a bored face.
“Sorry, I was late because of something.”
‘Jeebom?! Jeeboom?!’
I was starving to death, and that tiny thing says that?
“Here’s your meal. Pray enough thanks to the god before eating.”
I blinked at her words.
‘Pray again?!’
No way!
I can’t!
I won’t!
‘These guys just keep making me…’
Just then, a dry, hard bread rolled on the dusty marble floor.
It stopped by me.
I looked at it and raised my head.
“…Hey!”
Gathering all my small, precious magic to my tongue, the stiff feeling eased, and my tongue moved.
“…What did you just say…?”
“You stupid place!”
I awkwardly spoke empire language, mixing the ancient words I had learned.
“Are you talking to me?”
“Do you know who I am?!”
It was my first time speaking since gaining a body, and maybe because the body was young, my speech was lisping.
Pointing at her annoyed the maid.
“What are you saying? You’re the duke’s daughter, right? Well, a rejected illegitimate daughter.”
“…….”
Wow.
Was I that great?
Being a duke’s daughter is a pretty high status among humans.
“But compared to others, you’re a ‘rejected’ daughter with no status.”
Ah, I was really at the bottom of the hierarchy.
Not all daughters are equal.
I got excited for no reason.
“Why? Trying to do something about your rank now?”
The maid walked up and poked my head.
She even slapped my cheek hard enough to make a sound.
It didn’t hurt but felt terrible.
“Go ahead. Who would believe a cursed dirty daughter’s words? You couldn’t even talk until yesterday.”
She poked my head again; I clenched my fists.
‘The great Demon King won’t be pushed around here.’
I put strength in my eyes—no, my tongue.
“Hey, do you like dogs?”
“What did you say?”
“I like dogs. Dogs that listen well.”
“What nonsense are you saying?”
It’s natural for speech to be messy when first learning another language.
“Ttebam aham arban bid? Atznya.”
(* “Do you understand me? Idiot.”)
My demon language made the maid’s face turn red.
“You, you!”
She pointed at me.
“Are you mocking me?! No! You’re cursing me! You’re cursing me!”
Turning my eyes, my golden eyes in the mirror changed to ruby red.
“I want a dog. Be my dog.”
“What are you saying…! Gasp… Your eyes…! I’m reporting this monster to the duke immediately!”
I smiled widely.
I pulled a little magic from outside. It was tiny but enough for a small magic trick on this annoying maid.
I couldn’t force difficult moves, but simple ones were fine.
“Nitamba!”
(* “Sit!”)
As soon as I said it, the maid squatted down.
Seeing her shocked face, I dragged a chair, climbed on it, and smiled.
Ah, nice view.
“Distati.”
(* “Stand up.”)
Welcome to hell of sitting and standing.
I made the maid sit and stand about five hundred times.
That’s about a thousand movements total.
I almost made her do more, but my magic was nearly gone.
Normally, I could do this thousands of times with thousands of people.
“Huuuu… Please, please save me… I’ll do anything, don’t kill me, please, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, ah!!”
When I tapped her red thigh, she jumped as if in pain.
She cried sadly and had trouble pronouncing words.
Probably from the forced motion without rest, the maid was exhausted and unfocused.
Good thing she came alone; I wouldn’t have the power to control three at once.
“Danda.”
(* “Stop.”)
At my command, she stopped standing. Her hair was messy and her tear-streaked face was a mess.
“Um, so my name is Esther, and I’m the second child of the Duke’s family. How many more siblings do I have?”
I asked, showing my fingers.
“Yes, uh… yes… sob…”
I didn’t say anything, but the maid apologized for all the wrongs done to me.
Some seemed over the top.
She said she sometimes forgot I was here and didn’t come.
She cried and begged for forgiveness, listing all the things I didn’t know I’d done wrong.
Slowly, memories came back and I felt unfamiliar emotions.
It felt like becoming one with this body’s owner—the “me” without a name until now.
I was born to the Duke Egbert of the powerful Destroka Empire and an unknown woman.
Because I ran away at my prime and did bad things, I was considered an illegitimate child.
The family was strongly pure-blood and male-preference.
They were a family that led the temple’s heresy inquisitors for generations.
Probably the unknown mother had demon blood.
And I seemed to have inherited it strongly.
‘I must not let anyone know I have demon blood.’
It would be bad if the inquisitors found out.
Demon children grow slowly unless their demon parents constantly supply magic.
That’s why I hadn’t been able to speak properly.
I was treated like half-breed and badly.
‘I get it now.’
My body grew slowly but my mind developed.
I found my situation unfair.
So I wished to the god.
The demon god was the Demon God Beast.
The wish came to me because the Demon God was probably gone, and I was the last Demon King with the next strongest power.
I understood the situation.
‘This is crazy.’
My goal was set.
I would become a happy noble and take revenge, regain power and honor, and live a fun life as the Demon King.
Of course, I’d use the well-trained dog I just tamed for revenge.
“Ah, last question.”
“Yes, yes.”
“Will you be my dog?”
The maid kept shaking her head stubbornly.
After making her sit and stand a hundred times, I stopped asking.
She realized this was her only chance to stop and begged to let her do it, but I ignored her.
Finally, I asked the question she wanted to hear.
“…I-I will. Please tell me what to do. I will do it.”
She finally gave in.
