“I really don’t know what His Majesty is thinking.”
The High Lord of Sanfaras, Vanderyl, spoke in a low voice.
The Demon Realm was divided into seven regions, excluding the central Demon Realm, and each was ruled by seven High Lords.
After defeating the previous demon king and ascending to the throne, the new demon king invaded the human realm for the first time in hundreds of years. However, the new king, who seemed to be advancing with great momentum, retreated to the demon realm after only a week.
Now, for the past ten days, he has secluded himself within his palace.
Upon hearing the news of the retreat, the seven high lords gathered, requesting an explanation, but the new demon king seemed uninterested; he did not even bother to look at their faces. In fact, he ignored them all, despite their repeated requests to see him.
“I don’t have time for this. There are matters in Imparas that need immediate attention.”
“Neither do I, Lord Vanderyl. When you put it that way, who among us has time to idle?”
Lord Rhino, the high lord of the southern swamp, chimed in. His skin, resembling dry bark, and yellow eyes characterized his appearance.
“In any case, aren’t we here to inquire about His Majesty’s intentions? Even if he is the king, neglecting the seven lords of the demon realm gathered in one place for ten days is too much. Answer us, Sakaya!” Lord Vanderyl exclaimed. The high lords turned their attention to Sakaya, the demon king’s secretary.
In reality, the new demon king had not called upon the high lords. They had come to the castle on their own accord. But it was obviously not wise to point that out to the stubborn High Lords.
Sakaya spoke quietly. “His Majesty has instructed not to disturb him until he gives a separate order.”
“How many times have I heard that already? Isn’t it about time you came up with a different answer?”
“You know, my lords, that the king hates to give the same command twice.”
The Demon King was as notoriously unreliable as any king in the past. This invasion of the human realm was also something he had decided on his own, without consulting the High Lords.
Of course, the Demon Realm was strictly a place where the logic of power ruled, and the strongest was the law.
The new demon king possessed unprecedented and formidable magical power. Even if the lords gathered here pooled their strength to oppose him, the chances of winning were slim at best. The fact that he could raise an army without the consent of the lords and the fact that no one seemed to mind the shocking fact that he has human blood in him were all due to this.
But they couldn’t take it anymore.
“No matter how mighty His Majesty is, he cannot rule this vast demon realm alone without the cooperation of the seven lords. We need to know why His Majesty, who was leading the demon army to victory, suddenly ordered a retreat. Me and the other lords share the same sentiment. No one will leave until we get an answer,” Vanderyl said. His appearance had no distinctive features other than pale gray skin and blue lips.
Vanderyl was a member of the vampire race, Sanparel, known for their unique magical powers and skills. Because of their vampiric nature, the Sanparels were the most active hunters of humans among demons. In fact, Sanfaras, ruled by Vanderyl, were the borderlands of the human realm.
During the year and a half that the new king challenged the previous demon king and seized the throne, the war with humans had been suspended, greatly restricting the vampires’ supply of blood.
Therefore, it was the vampires who were most cautious upon hearing news of the invasion. However, the new king withdrew his army only a week after the war began and even released all prisoners during that time. It was no wonder that Vanderyl, High Lord of Sanfaras, was so upset.
“Shouldn’t we hear the reason, whether it makes sense or not?”
Giyu suddenly spoke. He was a member of the Ethendal clan, like Sakaya, and the High Lord of Central Zataia, the largest of the seven regions of the Demon Realm.
He was extremely handsome to the eyes of both humans and demons, and his horns, much larger and more ornate than Sakaya’s, were a testament to his noble lineage.
“What do you mean by that, Lord Giyu?”
Giyu tilted his head at Vanderyl’s question.
“Considering His Majesty’s having been with that human woman in the inner chambers, the answer seems obvious.”
“Please be cautious with your words, Lord Giyu. She is destined to be His Majesty’s consort.”
Giyu smirked at Sakaya’s words. “Consort? Can an insignificant human become the consort of the demon king?”
“Lord Giyu.”
“Ah, I see. Considering His Majesty’s background, it’s not that surprising, is it?”
“Lord Giyu!” Sakaya’s eyes widened.
The other High Lords were also stirred by this remark. Even though the demon king was not present at the moment, it could still be considered a clear challenge to him.
“Please speak clearly,” Vanderyl said with a slight frown.
“I’m saying that this expedition was made for the sole purpose of getting his hands on that human woman… ah, pardon me, his consort, Lord Vanderyl.”
The audience was immediately stirred up.
“Perhaps he’s been eyeing the Consort for quite some time. After all, even His Majesty hails from the human realm. If you think about it that way, His Majesty’s sudden retreat and ten days of seclusion might not be so inexplicable. What do you think?”
“…….”
All eyes turned to Sakaya.
“Is what Lord Giyu says true?” Vanderyl asked.
“How many times must I say it? I have no knowledge of such matters.”
“Then I suppose we’ll just have to find out,” Giyu said gracefully, resting his chin on one hand.
“Our patience, as Lord Vanderyl says, has reached its limit. If you want to continue maintaining your position here, Sakaya, it would be wise to tell us the truth immediately.”
“…….”
Sakaya’s lips tightened in response to Giyu’s subtle threat.
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
“Ah, hmph….”
I threw my arms around Clyde’s neck, trembling as I clung to him.
Clyde gently laid me down on the bed, finally giving in to exhaustion, and kissed my cheek. Even though my face was feverish to the point of feeling dizzy, his lips were warmer than my skin.
It had been days since Clyde and I arrived at the demon castle. It was over a week, for sure, but the exact date was uncertain. More accurately, I’ve lost count.
Throughout this time, Clyde embraced me endlessly, day and night, as if he had planned it from the beginning, as if he had been yearning for this for the two years we were apart. His desire showed no sign of abating.
It was at this moment that I truly realized he was none other than Clyde Mezzer, the very <Blood-Soaked Beast>.
In the original story, Sylphia had also been violated by him countless times while locked in the bedroom. The difference between her and me was that this act was not coerced, and Clyde himself wasn’t as cruel as he had been back then.
Even as he forcefully pushed me to the point where I couldn’t breathe properly and whispered shame-inducing words in my ears, Clyde’s touch and gaze were affectionate and gentle.
Clyde continued to hold me as if to confirm that I was by his side. His voice calling my name with excitement sounded almost tearful, and there were times where I found myself getting emotional.
So, even though his demanding actions were burdensome, I couldn’t bring myself to refuse. In truth, I didn’t want to refuse. At some moments, I even thought I could do this forever. It was just that my stamina couldn’t keep up.
As I wandered through the haze with my eyes closed, I felt Clyde suddenly embrace me tightly.
“Where are you going…?”
“To wash up. You got dirty all over because of me.”
Even in the midst of it, I felt my cheek warming at his subtly whispering voice.
“I don’t even have the strength to stand up right now….”
“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of washing you.”
“You can’t just say that and then touch me all over again; you can’t do that. I really can’t take it anymore.”
“All you have to do is stay still. I’ll take care of it.”
It’s a conversation I’ve had many times.
‘Why doesn’t he understand that I can’t do it anymore, not because I don’t have the strength to move but because his touch and body are too overwhelming?’
However, expressing that it’s difficult because his touch is making me feel so good was too embarrassing to say.
“I really can’t. Promise me. Don’t touch me when I’m washing.”
“How can I wash you without touching?”
“That’s not it. You know what I mean…”
Clyde chuckled lowly at my complaint.
As we moved to the bathroom, we heard a knocking sound on the door of the inner chamber. It was the first time something like this had happened since entering this room.
“It’s Sakaya, Your Majesty.”
Clyde’s face instantly froze at that voice.
“I clearly told you not to disturb us.”
