~Chapter 4~
After hearing the answer I wanted, I released the magic binding her.
“Tell me your name.”
“Syphon, Syphon… Agos.”
Hearing the name needed for the contract, I nodded and sent magic into her.
“If you betray me…”
A part of my black magic left me and flowed into her body.
“Promise.”
The maid nodded repeatedly.
‘Be glad to be the first servant of the great Demon King.’
Normally, I wouldn’t take such a human as a servant, but since I had no power now, I had no choice.
I slowly stretched my hand forward.
The maid, holding her sore thigh, crawled over and held my hand, then kissed it.
It was my first servant contract since becoming human.
“Ah, Miss. I-I brought your meal.”
Syphon, the maid who had taken a week off sick leave, had returned four days ago.
Of course, during that time, I barely got any proper meals and couldn’t even protest.
I was drained of magic after punishing Syphon and making the contract.
“Ugh, I’m sleepy.”
Still, things got better after Syphon returned to serve me.
She brought some history books in ancient language since there were no demon language books.
Thanks to that, I learned a bit about how the times had changed.
After Syphon came back, I kicked out all the other ungrateful maids from my place.
Strictly speaking, they had no choice but to leave on their own.
I had set things up so bad things would happen to anyone else who came.
‘I put little curses on them every time they came.’
Sadly, they weren’t strong curses.
Just little things like tripping on stones or twisting ankles.
But if you trip near a cliff or an incoming carriage, well…
‘You could die.’
I smirked.
Anyway, when I told Syphon the others didn’t have to come, she quickly ran away.
“Is the meal okay?”
“Hmm…”
The meal looked better than before.
Still just thin soup and softer bread, but better than the rock-hard bread I couldn’t chew.
“Ugh.”
The taste was still awful.
“By the way, there’s a family dinner tonight.”
“Family dinner?”
“Yes, I heard a merchant coming for a big deal with the duke will also attend.”
“Hmph.”
I didn’t care.
“Will there be good food?”
“Yes, the chefs here are highly skilled.”
“Is Syphon going?”
“Yes, servants can come too, two of them.”
“Good, Syphon is enough.”
I didn’t need anyone else.
I wanted to see the faces of the humans I’d take revenge on.
I smirked and chewed on the tough bread.
“By the way, Syphon, I want to go out here.”
“…What?”
Syphon was shocked. I hoped I didn’t need permission to leave here.
“No?”
“……”
“Hmm.”
“No, no. It’s okay if you go out.”
I just muttered, but Syphon quickly knelt down.
“Really? Then walk… walk…?”
Neither was quite right.
“Uh, let’s go for a walk?”
Not sure if I pronounced it right, but she’d understand.
“Walk… oh, you mean a walk?”
“Ah, yes.”
Human language sure has weird sounds.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, why?”
“No, I’ll prepare.”
Syphon shook her head as if hiding something but didn’t want to say it.
What’s with that worried look?
“It should be okay if it’s a short walk nearby. The other young masters and mistresses will be in class. But please cover yourself with a cape or something…”
Syphon’s voice was cautious.
She still remembered what I did to her.
A cape was fine. Magic is used by words, not hands.
Syphon carefully wrapped a worn, dirty cloth around me as a cape.
Honestly, it barely covered anything except my face.
“This way.”
Stepping outside, bright light blinded me.
I closed my eyes tightly, then opened them again.
The feeling on my skin made me open my eyes wide.
‘I’m really back.’
To the human world.
‘After over a thousand years.’
Originally, I lived as a lowly half-demon in the human world until the seed of Demon King awakened.
Life as a demon was miserable, but I’d forgotten that feeling after becoming Demon King.
The past came back to me—it was both new and familiar.
“What’s that dirty thing?”
“Yeah, the smell is terrible. Brother, sister, it smells like garbage.”
I heard voices as I enjoyed the wide mansion as big as the old Demon Castle.
“Hmph, yes. There’s a dirty beast.”
Humans were bothering someone again.
‘Humans never change, even after a thousand years.’
I clicked my tongue and shook my head.
Though I felt a bit sorry, it wasn’t my business, so I was about to leave when Syphon looked uneasy.
She was restless.
“Why do you look like that?”
“I’m going to meet Nifel, Hyra, and Othello.”
Syphon glanced at me then greeted three kids blocking my way.
I immediately understood.
‘So, the “someone” humans were bothering was me?’
‘I never expected this.’
The surprise hit me hard.
I should’ve been treated like this for a thousand years.
“Hey, you’re that idiot, right? That dumb fool! Why don’t you kneel before me?”
Kneel?
‘Hmm.’
How could the great Demon King kneel?
They were young but had high status.
But using magic to control these clueless kids would attract too much attention.
“They are the third son of the Duke, Nigel’s children, and cousins to you.”
“Ah.”
Then why should cousins kneel to me?
“It’s just that the lady always bows to everyone…”
Syphon whispered near my ear when she saw my frown.
‘I don’t want to.’
After thinking for a long time, I smiled awkwardly like a clueless kid.
“Wh-what is ‘murphy’?”
“…What?”
“Is ‘murphy’ delicious?”
I just pretended not to know.
Being humble once in a while isn’t shameful.
I tilted my head like an idiot and put a finger on my lips.
I twisted my tongue as hard as I could.
“This is a knee! I can’t believe you don’t even know this, how dumb.”
One of the kids, about nine years old, pointed to their knee.
I squatted and poked the kid’s knee with my finger.
“How dare this dirty thing touch me! Filthy!”
“Is ‘murphy’ this?”
I pointed to his pants.
“It’s not ‘murphy,’ it’s knee! Knee means the part of my body inside this cloth!”
“Body…? What’s that?”
“Body means my body!”
“Wow, impressive. I don’t know… then how do you kneel?”
“That’s easy!”
“I don’t know that kind of thing.”
Pouting and shaking my head, I acted my best.
“It’s like this, kneeling down…!”
The boy frowned, then blushed red as he understood.
He hurriedly stood.
“How dare you mock me!”
He shouted, his face bright red.
“I get it now…?”
I blinked a few times and smiled brightly.
