76 â Correlation between the Demon King and the Hero â 3
Laura was walking down the corridor of the imperial palace. She was returning from a brief conversation with her father, the Emperor of the Empire.
There was no special reason. She was just having a normal conversation between her father and daughter, with no further intentions for either of them.
Laura was about to return to her room after finishing her conversation, as it was not a relationship between an emperor and a crown prince, but rather a relationship between her father and daughter, and she stopped in her tracks when she saw the face of someone approaching from afar.
The other person seemed to have seen Laura as well and greeted her warmly.
âHey, how long has it been since this?â
She has blonde hair that contrasts with Lauraâs black hair, a height that makes her look taller than Laura by a head, solid muscles all over her body, and an appearance that would be considered good-looking.
It was Lauraâs older brother, Igor Erkarenziana, who was once the crown prince.
Of course not now. As she had long since lost her power struggle with Laura and become the deposed crown prince.
Thatâs why it was even more strange. It was unclear how a person who had been deprived of his name, which symbolized the bloodline of the royal family, entered the corridors of the imperial palace.
âHow are you, little brother?â
âI donât think there is any reason for me to call you younger brother. Please show courtesy to the crown prince. Right Now.â
Laura, who nervously removed her arm that was naturally going to be draped over her shoulder, crossed her arms and fired fiercely. But Igor was calmly ignoring the gaze.
âThis is true. Thereâs nothing I canât say to my brother. If you act cold like that, you wonât have any friends. âBehave wisely, man.â
âThese words and actions are so frivolous that I canât listen to them. Have you finally gone crazy, Igor Ercarenziana?â
Laura was extremely displeased with that fact. The very fact that that person is trying to match him.
This is a person who has not even been able to make eye contact since he lost the power struggle, but what has happened in the meantime to make him act so confident?
âI am perfectly normal, little brother. Also, why are you leaving out the words that should come after the name?â
âYou have no right to claim the lineage of Belium. I warn you. Know your subject, Igor Ercarenchiana. âI will not allow any more disrespect.â
âWow, thatâs not even funny. Little brother, even though I lost to you once and was kicked out, the blood of Belium flowing in my veins hasnât disappeared? âYou canât forget that.â
âIf you are a loser, will you understand if I tell you to act like a loser? He must have made a pact with me when he left as if he was being chased. âAs long as my head is attached, I will never go to the imperial palace again.â
âOh, that?â
Igor grinned. It was a smile that captivated many women and made them feel intoxicated, but for Laura it only aroused her irritation and displeasure.
âIâve slowly started to gain confidence these days.â
âDid you take any medicine in broad daylight?â
When Laura heard those words, she snorted.
That is a human being who was exiled to the outskirts after losing the struggle for power. Laura herself even received recognition from the emperor as the legitimate and proper successor.
Even right now, with just a beckon from Laura, he could blame him as much as he wanted and cut off his head.
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In this situation, you support Igor and not Laura? It is safe to say that he has no perspective on politics. It was something a noble with his right mind would never do.
âIâll just look at it this time, so make sure you get it out of the way. âI am grateful for my mercy in not calling the Royal Guard and beheading him right away.â
âHey. Listen to the end, little brother. âIâm serious.â
âI definitely told you to get your dirty hands off.â
ã ¡Wow!
Laura slapped the back of Igorâs hand.
Igor looked down at his red hands for an instant and looked like he was about to get angry, but he immediately changed his expression and smiled slyly, raising both his hands near his head.
âOkay, okay. Iâll go. âI didnât come here to fight you, but then Iâm going to catch someone.â
âYou can actually catch it. Please keep in mind that it is thanks to the grace of His Majesty the Emperor that your head is still attached.â
In fact, Laura truly intended to blow off the heads of her two relatives. Because there was nothing more unpleasant than leaving the royal family defeated in a power struggle.
Thatâs because the current emperor, that is, the father of his siblings, made a request that was almost like a threat, saying that he didnât want to see the bloodshed unfolding at least as long as he lived.
Laura, who sensed the hidden meaning behind those words, simply accepted. That meant that after Laura ascended to the throne, he could do whatever he wanted, whether to kill her or not.
âYes, yes. âOf course.â
âAlso, you should be careful about your use of words. The word fight has no place in the relationship between you and me. âA fight means a fight between two equals.â
Igor did not respond and continued to smile slyly as he passed by Laura.
âHow long do you think you can hide it?â
Then, the moment I passed by him, he whispered softly.
âYouâre hiding it, I donât know what youâre talking about.â
At the very least, it is an attempt to reveal oneâs true feelings on a topic about which one knows nothing. It was a ploy that was too obvious to ignore.
âhehehe, really? You can think whatever you want. âYou will find out sooner or later.â
Igor calmly waved his hand until the end and left on the other side of the hallway. Then he started to task the maid near the corner.
Laura, who was looking at him with great displeasure, turned away from him.
âI just wasted time.â
For no reason, my hand went to the necklace of heaven. I felt a little awkward, perhaps because it had been a while since I worked with the skeleton of a perfect man.
It would be nice if following the old manâs advice and living as a woman would help relieve shame.
Laura started walking again, thinking that when she returned to her academy, she would have to call Mira and see her for the first time in a long time. The only way to see the effect of her special training would be face-to-face.
She asked Beatrice to clean her mansion and also told her that she did not need any servants.
It was natural. Not only did she have to avoid finding out that the Demon King was here, but it was also essential for the conversation that only possessed people could have with each other.
No matter how much Beatrice is, she canât even reveal anything related to possession.
âHello, Masterâs friends. My name is Beatrice. âI am here to serve you.â
âAh, hello. This is Nika Justera. Likewise, I have come to serve youâ¦â¦ Isâ¦â¦ ?â
However, I never imagined that I would come all the way here in person.
Elisier looked away from eating her cake with a happy expression, looking somewhere else, and Rosaria looked quite embarrassed, wondering if she might be discovered to be the Demon Lord.
The only person who seemed calm was Priscilla.
â⦠â¦.â
On the other hand, former succubus Nica, who was now living as a human named Nica Eustera, also looked very surprised.
Of course, the surprise was not directed at me, but toward Elisier. She seemed to recognize the purple-haired woman sitting in front of her.
âHyung.â
Nika, who had been watching the Demon Kingâs thoughts, gave a small hiccup. Beatrice heard that sound and glanced at Nica with a frown, but perhaps because she was in front of us, her face immediately returned to its original state.
âI said you didnât have to come. âI think he also said he didnât need an attendant.â
âPlease rest assured that the head of the house and the hostess have also given permission.â
ââ¦â¦ You both gave permission? Why?â
âDonât you always say itâs okay, Master? This time too, you will most likely experience some inconveniences while staying with his friends, and I guess he does not want you to have to deal with it alone. âMe too.â
Ever since I was young, I never believed anyone even if I told them that I was fine, that I was fine, and that this situation seemed to be an extension of that. I sighed inwardly and approached Beatrice.
âBeatrice.â
âYes, master. âPlease tell me.â
âLetâs talk for a moment.â
After gesturing with his hand to signal the three people behind him to wait, he lifted Beatrice onto one of his shoulders.
I felt like if I hugged the princess, I would have to do the same to someone else later.
âKyaaa?!â
Even Beatrice, a veteran maid who had experienced all kinds of prenatal care, let out a cute moan as if this was her first time experiencing something like this.
âOh, master?! What is this all of a sudden?!â
âStay still.â
I gave strength to his hand that was wrapped around my waist. Beatrice calmed down immediately. I escaped the mansion using physical strength. A loud scream rang out from the side.
I arrived at the forest and put Beatrice down. Beatrice, who was catching her breath while sighing, immediately adjusted her clothes and returned to her usual appearance as soon as our eyes met.
âWhat do you want to say, master?â
I stiffened my expression a little and approached Beatrice. Beatrice also seemed to have finally sensed the unusual atmosphere and took a step back. Suddenly, his back was blocked by the tree behind him.
He placed his hands just above his head and bent his elbows. Naturally, his body leaned forward and his elbows touched the tree. Their foreheads were so close that they almost bumped into each other.
It was a slightly closer version of the so-called âwall poundingâ posture. In that state, he placed his other hand next to Beatriceâs shoulder.
âBeatrice.â
âYes, master⦠â¦.â
âWhat did I say before I came here?â
âThere is no need to attendâ¦â ⦠âYou did it.â
âOkay. âThen why did you come?â
âB-But, Masterââ
I lowered my head further. When not only their foreheads but also their noses were almost touching, Beatrice hiccuped! He hiccuped cutely. Did it move after being stuck with Nika?
âDo I still look sick? Really?â
âWell, that isâ¦â â¦.â
âDidnât you hear that I ranked first in the midterm exam at the academy? He must have delivered it home. âDidnât your parents tell you?â
âI heard⦠â¦.â
âI heard that, but why are you doing that?â
I deliberately pushed Beatrice to the point where it felt a little harsh. It was because it was necessary.
If I were alone, I would have ignored it and thought it would be okay whether he came or not. After living together for 18 years, we have developed a lot of affection, and there have been more than one time that the entire family has worried about me.
It was also a much improved behavior compared to before.
But that wasnât the case now. Itâs a shame that I detected the presence quickly and cast a spell on Elisiere, so it would have been very difficult to keep up with them.
âBeatrice.â
So, there was a need to clear things up here.
âYes, yesâ¦â ⦠Young master⦠â¦.â
âI will tell you clearly. If I say itâs okay, itâs really okay. Okay?â
âBut master⦠â¦.â
âAnswer.â
I lowered my head further. As their noses almost brushed against each other and their vision was filled with each otherâs faces, Beatrice, who was shivering, closed her eyes.
This is a method Rosaria taught me a while ago, and if Beatrice reacted like this, it seemed to be quite effective.
âHuh?!â
As I was waiting for Beatrice to respond, a sound came from an unexpected place. Turned her head@@novelbin@@
Nika was trembling and looking at us.