CHAPTER 132……………………………………
“…….”
“…….”
Esther and the other remained silent, mouths firmly shut. It was an entirely unexpected encounter.
She let out a small sigh, her face showing mild fatigue.
“Your Highness, Crown Prince.”
“…What was that just now, young lady?”
She slowly lowered the hand that held her dagger and spoke.
“It’s nothing. Nothing you need to worry about. More importantly, you should leave this place.”
A poisonous aura lingered.
It wasn’t lethal, but there was no reason to stay exposed to it. Soon, the wind would carry it away.
“…Nothing? Even though I just watched someone literally melt before my eyes?”
“Yes. It’s not something for you to concern yourself with. I’ll report it to my father so it can be handled.”
“…Young lady, what exactly are you? You’re clearly not human, are you?”
The Crown Prince asked bluntly.
Even Esther, usually unflappable, fell silent. She couldn’t find the right answer and simply kept her mouth shut.
From his gaze, it was clear he already knew something. Esther lowered her head, her expression tired.
“I have matters to attend to, so I’ll be going in now.”
As she brushed past him, the Crown Prince suddenly grabbed her hand roughly.
Esther narrowed her eyes and looked at him, weary.
“What are you doing?”
“You haven’t answered me, young lady.”
“I see no reason to answer. One cannot recount every encounter with everyone, can one?”
“A person just died! And you still say I have no right to question you?”
Esther stayed quiet for a moment. No explanation came to mind. Any explanation would inevitably link her to those events.
Would people accept it?
She was skeptical.
She narrowed her eyes and pulled her wrist free from the Crown Prince’s grip.
She was growing tired. The Crown Prince could have been subdued by intimidation if she wanted.
She could have done it.
But he was one of the few bonds she had as a human. She didn’t want to be interrogated like this by someone who held good feelings toward her.
“I am one of the demons.”
She said it calmly.
“Demons… How are demons even in the human world? I was told that the realms are separate, unable to cross.”
“Yes, that’s correct…”
She lowered her gaze slowly. She no longer wished to converse. Of all people, it had to be the Crown Prince who had witnessed this.
Had it been anyone else, she might have killed them—or at least silenced them.
But the moment the Crown Prince touched her, the danger wasn’t to her—it was to those around her.
He was a man of considerable standing.
She narrowed her eyes and waited for him to step back willingly.
Yet, after a long silence, the Crown Prince continued to press her with questions.
“Why did the demons seek you out?”
“Am I obliged to tell you?”
“The resurgence of demons isn’t just a problem for my country, it’s a global issue. Staying silent won’t solve anything.”
“I have nothing more to say.”
Esther brushed past him, tired, and spoke. The Crown Prince’s expression stiffened.
He wasn’t stepping back. The once hesitant, wavering Crown Prince was gone. Only the heir to a kingdom remained.
‘This is exhausting.’
Truly maddening.
“If you leave like this, I’ll have no choice but to report all of this to His Majesty the Emperor and interrogate the duke, duchess, marquis, and yourself. You won’t like the outcome.”
The Crown Prince threatened her.
Esther smiled faintly. Ridiculous—she could only laugh. She hadn’t experienced such threats often in her life.
“Are you threatening me?”
“I’m explaining the consequences that could occur.”
“What if I twist the Crown Prince’s neck and melt him into nothing?”
“Since you were the last person I met, you’d remain a suspect.”
“But many would have seen me leave alone. I have an alibi.”
In contrast, few probably saw the Crown Prince enter this quiet alley.
Why he left his knights behind was a mystery.
“You didn’t bring your knights. What were you thinking?”
“I wanted a quiet, private conversation with a lady. I couldn’t have others intruding.”
“So that’s how we ended up in this quiet, secluded chat.”
True, it was in a dark, dirty alley. Esther smirked, and he narrowed his eyes.
“Don’t be sarcastic. I didn’t come here to have this conversation with you.”
“No, I suppose not.”
“I only want the truth. Why can’t you tell me?”
“Would telling the truth harm my family?”
“Yes. I swear it.”
Esther clicked her tongue at the lightness of his oath. Hard to believe the heir to a kingdom could be so casual.
“Even if it brings harm to this empire?”
“…That I cannot say.”
“Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter. The ruler is the Emperor anyway.”
“Young Lady Esther!”
He shouted. Her expression tightened. He clicked his tongue sharply.
“Sorry for raising my voice.”
“It’s fine. They say character shows in such moments, after all.”
He bit his lip at her comment. Esther paused, then spoke.
“Yes, the demons did come looking for me.”
“Why?”
“Because they had a request for me.”
Esther’s words widened the Crown Prince’s eyes.
“What request?”
“You’re asking even about the smallest details.”
“Understand that the demon issue is serious.”
Instead of replying, Esther simply shrugged. Sometimes it was better to give just enough information and avoid escalating things.
‘Would Sid have handled this more flexibly?’
Esther had never been good at talking. Before she could finish, he spoke again.
“They asked me to return to the demon realm.”
The Crown Prince’s eyes widened.
Shock, resignation, fear, and frustration churned in his gaze.
“Who exactly are you…?”
“Who…?”
Esther hesitated, wondering if she should tell him she was the Demon King. She shook her head.
Revealing it here would only make things worse.
“I’m a demon.”
She said it plainly.
Upon hearing this, disappointment flickered in the Crown Prince’s eyes. Watching his expression, Esther sighed.
“Really… exhausting. You… demanding a truth you couldn’t possibly handle…”
“Why exactly are they asking you to return?”
“I was overseeing some of the demons, but living among humans with my father, I… decided I just want to live like this.”
She had been so immersed in peace that she lost track of time. She had endured the deaths of countless demons, waiting patiently.
“Are you really… a demon?”
“Yes. Disgusting, isn’t it?”
“But you are nothing like the historical accounts describe.”
“Externally, I can change shape with polymorphing.”
Hearing this, the Crown Prince shook his head.
“That’s not it. It’s the inner part. You don’t appear bloodthirsty, mad, or eager for slaughter.”
He spoke with certainty, which stirred a strange feeling in Esther.
“Not all demons are like that, right?”
“You are an exception?”
“Probably. I once enjoyed it, but being with my parents made it impossible.”
“You mean the duke and duchess too…”
“They’re humans. Technically, my father is human, my mother a descendant of Surtr. I was born between them.”
“…You went to the demon realm after birth?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“I don’t know, apparently I have many latent abilities.”
She added that subtly, avoiding the full truth—it was too dangerous for her to be fully honest.
“So that’s why they wanted to take you back?”
“Yes. Apparently, there are humans who can draw demon summoning circles.”
They would have tried to resolve the lack of sacrifice by devouring the summoner.
But they couldn’t take her body, so they needed a clumsy form of possession.
She found them pitiful—forced to survive at all costs.
Ultimately, it was the mess she herself had created.
“So… are you going to hand me over to the heretic inquisitors? Your Highness?”
At her words, the Crown Prince’s eyes hardened.
