CHAPTER 16
. A Friend Came to the Palace?
The Demon King had only the food prepared, then dismissed everyone else.
Because of that, I had to face this man with several cushions stacked beneath me.
“Weren’t you… busy or something?”
Kings can barely spare time even for their own families.
The Demon King shook his head firmly.
“I’m not so busy I can’t even see my daughter’s face, Elysion.”
“Hmm…”
“But.”
He paused mid-sip of his tea.
“These days, you’ve been spending a lot of time with the young lord.”
“…Eh.”
“Ahem. So I figured I should make some more time with you too.”
I simply stared at him.
Did I just hear what I think I did?
‘Is a full-grown adult seriously… jealous of a kid right now?’
No way.
There’s no way the Demon King would care about something like that—
“Elysion.”
“Y-Yes?”
“You might be drawn to older boys when you’re young.”
“…?”
“But once you grow up, they’re all the same.”
…What the heck is he even saying.
I had no idea whether to laugh or not.
If this had been my actual dad—
‘I probably would’ve just smiled at how cute it was.’
I awkwardly cleared my throat and picked up a small cocoa cup.
Let’s pretend I didn’t hear that nonsense just now.
“If you don’t like Ares, why let him stay by me?”
“That’s because, Elysion, he’s the one who made it possible for you to speak.”
“Ah…”
“So I keep him close.”
“……”
I shoved a random piece of cake into my mouth.
If I didn’t, my face might’ve twisted up.
Meanwhile, the Demon King looked at me and smiled with a glint of anticipation.
“Your birthday is coming up. Is there anything you want, Elysion?”
‘Ah… So Elysion’s birthday is coming soon.’
I couldn’t even remember how my birthday was celebrated in the Holy Nation.
No one had marked the day since I entered the temple in the capital, so I’d grown numb to it.
The Demon King’s smile grew even softer.
“We should throw a grand party. Invite all the nobles.”
“My birthday…?”
“It’s in January.”
“And now it’s…?”
“October.”
Exactly, why are we talking about this already?
The Demon King nodded solemnly.
“That’s not nearly enough time to prepare properly.”
“….”
“But if we start now, we can even invite foreign delegations.”
I could feel my eyes widening.
‘Foreign delegations? Then representatives from royal families across the continent would come!’
That would include Halcyon, the Holy Nation.
Since they were now offering tribute to Tartarus, it was only natural they’d attend the future Demon King’s birthday.
‘Maybe someone from the Holy Nation who would believe I’m the real Saintess will be there.’
My heart pounded.
A path back home—finally.
Just then, the Demon King wiped cream off the corner of my mouth and smiled contentedly.
“I’ll make it grand enough for your mother too.”
“…Yes.”
I gripped the lovely dress Lethe had chosen for me, biting my lip.
‘I wish he’d stop pushing his way into my heart like this.’
If he keeps going, I might start wanting to be Elysion.
A child so deeply loved, living without a care, with her family.
‘But what if he finds out who I really am?’
He would surely be furious, accusing me of stealing his daughter’s body.
And an enraged Demon King…
I absolutely never want to see that.
‘If only I didn’t have divine power.’
I thought back to the pain I’d felt when I used divine power.
From the start, divine and demonic powers are opposing forces.
A single body can’t contain both.
‘So when I used divine power, the body’s demonic energy must’ve gone berserk in rejection.’
Using demonic power would likely trigger the same result.
‘Tch. If only the 14th Saintess had appointed someone before dropping dead.’
I can’t believe I’m even thinking such a stupid thought… I’ve really gone too far.
Wait. But…
‘Come to think of it—how is the next Saintess chosen?’
…Suddenly, I realized something was missing from my memory.
How did the 12th Saintess know I was her successor?
And how did she pass the divine power to me?
Why don’t I remember any of that?
“Elysion?”
“Ah!”
The Demon King was looking at me with concern.
“Are you alright? Shall I have something else brought in?”
“No, no! I’m fine!”
I quickly stabbed another strawberry with my child-sized fork and stuffed it into my mouth.
It must be because it was such a long time ago… That’s why I can’t remember.
Definitely.
With the Demon King’s declaration, preparations for Princess Elysion’s birthday began in earnest.
Despite my conflicted emotions, everyone in the Perseon Palace was ecstatic.
Especially Lethe—she practically glowed.
“His Majesty said we could make it grand enough to go down in Tartarus history!”
“Lethe, isn’t that… a bit much—?”
“Princess! This is the future ruler’s birthday we’re talking about!”
Lethe practically burst into flames with passion.
“The celebration won’t be long enough to tire you out. Just a little bit of effort, please!”
“Wait, how long is ‘not long’ supposed to be?”
“Only three days!”
“…Ah.”
I forgot I’d woken up as a princess.
‘Woke up in a whole different class, where indulgence means something else entirely.’
With no choice, I slipped out to the balcony alone, leaving the excited Epicus twins and other maids behind.
‘The autumn moon is so bright tonight.’
Even though my heart feels so dark.
“Hey. Zion?”
“Ah! Ares.”
Ares approached just in time, fresh from his evening training.
He had nearly doubled in height and was covered in scrapes again today.
‘Still a bit hotheaded, but he really is such a cute kid.’
Ares rubbed his cheek with a grimace.
“Ugh, seriously. Training is brutal. I think Master Minte’s scarier than my brother’s dragon.”
“She did erase mountains, remember.”
“I thought that was an exaggeration!”
“……”
Even the way he talks is adorable, I swear.
Ares frowned at me and raised an eyebrow.
“Zion. What’s with your face?”
“My face?”
“Looks like a squished pastry.”
Okay, I take it back. Nothing cute about him at all.
‘This brat hasn’t changed a bit since he apologized.’
Still frowning, Ares asked me again.
“And why do you look so down? You’re tiny, and now you look even smaller.”
“…I don’t wanna do the birthday thing.”
“Everyone’s just happy you were born. Why not?”
“Well, um… I mean, I can’t really use magic.”
I scrambled for an excuse and landed on magic.
My demonic physician had warned me, “Avoid using magic, if you can.”
They still hadn’t figured out the reason why.
‘There’s probably never been anyone like me in history.’
A soul that uses divine power in a body filled with demonic energy?
Of course, I hadn’t actually used any demonic power yet, so it wasn’t a real problem.
It was just the first excuse that popped out.
But Ares frowned, scratching the ground with his foot.
“You’re still small. It’s okay if you can’t use magic yet.”
“You were already throwing fireballs like crazy.”
“That’s just ‘cause I’m amazing.”
“…Oh. Right.”
“Hey, just say the word. If some idiot talks crap at the party, I’ll beat them up for you.”
“Pfft.”
I had to cover my mouth to stifle the laugh.
This boy in front of me was just too cute.
‘He’s trying to comfort me since I look like a little kid? I’m actually twenty, you know?’
“Hey, don’t laugh!”
“I’m not laughing at you!”
“You’re smiling!”
“No, really. Thank you, Ares.”
“…Hmph.”
Ares pouted at my smile, clearly unhappy.
That slight blush on his face—was it from the warm night?
He side-eyed me and whispered.
“Zion.”
“What?”
“Don’t go anywhere.”
“…What?”
What did this kid just say to me?
Ares looked me dead in the eye with uncharacteristic seriousness.
“Ares, what do you mean—?”
“When we first met, why didn’t you talk?”
“That was—”
“Like someone who didn’t even want to be here.”
He gripped my hand tightly—unusually intense for someone his age.
“Even just now, staring at the moon, you looked like you were about to leave.”
And my heart skipped. It felt like he had seen right through me.
This kid… is terrifyingly perceptive.
“No matter what happens, you can’t leave. Zion.”
“….”
“You’re my… our princess.”
Ares’s eyes gleamed like red jewels in the dark of the autumn night.
“You must never leave this place.”
