🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 20
I wanted to slap Shion’s mouth for speaking so proudly.
Sleep had long since abandoned me, and I didn’t even feel thirsty.
Amon, whom I had been introduced to before, added a word.
“Didn’t the King also hear Ms. Liliana’s steady breathing before the magic was cast earlier?”
Right now, all the prominent demons were in front of my room.
‘There’s no way they hold meetings like this every time in front of my door, right?’
It was a reasonable suspicion. I also wondered if Bael had deliberately given me this room.
‘I should’ve realized when he said he wouldn’t decorate this room!’
I had been puzzled when they so readily offered me the room—never imagining there would be such a secret.
Demons clustered in front of a trivial human’s room.
“This is insane.”
I muttered without realizing it. Instantly, the surroundings fell silent.
Gasp.
‘Could it be they realized I’m awake?’
A chill ran from my toes.
Aside from anything else, their conversation didn’t even sound human. In other words, admitting I’d overheard would be essentially acknowledging they were demons.
‘I’m doomed…’
My lips protruded in a brief pout of gloom. Roan’s voice continued.
“The problem with that magic is, once it’s cast, you can’t hear the sounds inside.”
His voice was full of annoyance.
“See now? You can’t hear anything at all.”
Roan tapped on the door. I could hear the sounds clearly, but apparently, they could not.
‘Then they haven’t noticed yet?’
I had to hurry to the bed and try to sleep before the magic wore off.
I tiptoed forward, then stopped.
“…Shall I listen a little longer?”
Curiosity got the better of me. I wanted to know why prominent demons had gathered at this hour.
Then, Shion asked Roan:
“Shall we解除 it now?”
His words startled me so much I completely forgot I was supposed to head to bed.
Roan stayed silent for a moment before speaking.
“If we解除 the magic, won’t you be able to hear everything inside?”
It seemed they weren’t planning to remove the magic immediately.
Ugh… the suspense was almost unbearable.
“Yes, such wicked curiosity shortens one’s lifespan.”
Just lie down, I told myself. If the demons noticed me here, it would be dangerous.
Suppressing my disappointment, I went to bed.
Forgetting my thirst, I strained to catch even snippets of their conversation. But the further I moved from the door, the less I could hear.
“Sleep is impossible.”
Who could rest with demons standing outside their room like this?
With a faint sigh, I turned over.
“Roan wanted to do something else tomorrow….”
Thinking that tomorrow would be tiring, I soon drifted off to sleep.
“Didn’t you hear anything from inside?”
Roan asked, frowning with an odd sense of displeasure. Shion replied, seemingly incredulous.
“Your Majesty, are you going to keep suspecting?”
“….”
“Shall we check if you’re curious? Even if we just cover the mouths of these demons, it doesn’t seem like the sound would get through immediately.”
Shion nodded while looking at the beaten low-ranking demons.
“Amon, take these down to the basement.”
“W-we… we’re here for the King.”
Even with their lips split and words stammering, they begged him.
“Who told you to be here for me?”
In that moment, Roan recalled Basago’s report when he first arrived.
‘The dissatisfied demons are starting to appear.’
‘They say they’re here for the King, and threaten to kill…’
‘King! Wait! I didn’t mean to kill anyone.’
It was just a hypothetical story, something that shouldn’t happen in their space, yet his blood boiled.
Since he hadn’t left Liliana’s side for even a moment, no demon could pose a threat to her.
And not only that—though Liliana didn’t know—Amon, Bael, Gremory, and Shion had been taking turns patrolling around her room on Roan’s orders as soon as she entered.
So while no danger would arise, there was always the possibility of ‘just in case.’
He knew that a split-second could turn into an eternal farewell. That’s why Roan was furious.
Basago didn’t understand his anger, but didn’t give it much weight.
No—he hadn’t even tried to understand. This was why Roan always gave Basago orders regarding Liliana.
“Just a human, huh!”
Roan was pulled from his thoughts by the last outburst of a low-ranking demon.
“A demon who served you for over a hundred years… will be pushed aside, ugh!”
Amon quickly covered the demon’s mouth. The atmosphere grew even colder.
Everyone was struggling to breathe under Roan’s presence. Meanwhile, Shion, who had used magic on Liliana’s room, wasn’t physically restrained. The control of his power was astonishing.
Bael, barely breathing, calmed him.
“Your Majesty, trust us and leave it to us.”
“….”
“You’ve already used more power than expected, even adjusting the barrier.”
Roan scanned Bael and the demons with cold eyes, calling to him softly.
“Bael.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“You must show Miss Ria that Winsphear is safe.”
The demons here understood—Roan’s words were not only for Bael.
The low-ranking demons could disappear without a trace at Roan’s hand.
Yet he gathered even the prominent demons, dragging those who intended harm into suffering.
It was a warning: anyone who harbored malice toward Liliana would not survive.
Bael’s voice trembled faintly.
“Of course. This place must be safe and peaceful for Miss Liliana.”
No one knew why Roan was so obsessed, but if the King commanded, they obeyed—without question, without doubt.
“When I wake, everything must be settled.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Now, take them away.”
One of the demons Amon dragged away had a toe crushed beyond recognition.
…Wow, I slept well.
I scratched my head at the shockingly refreshing morning.
“The time… oh no! I overslept!”
Checking the clock, I hurriedly got out of bed. That’s when I noticed something odd.
“Why isn’t Gremory here?”
He always seemed to know when I woke and would knock on the door.
“Could it be he left because I woke too late?”
Rushing to get ready, I flung open the door—and shivered at the figure standing there.
“…Basago?”
Why was he here?
I craned my neck, looking around. Gremory wasn’t next to him.
“I didn’t want to come here either.”
Basago frowned as if reading my expression.
“Then why are you here?”
“Roan will be gone for a while. I delivered the message.”
Without adding any extra words, he moved on.
I stood dumbfounded, barely able to open my mouth.
Where could Roan have gone after standing outside my door until dawn? Basago’s curt explanation didn’t help.
I hurried over, babbling.
“That’s it? You just tell me that and leave? What am I supposed to do until then?”
“Play or rest. Your choice.”
Basago waved his hand as if explaining further was too troublesome.
…What?
“Oh—Basago must be busy, huh?”
“Busy because of someone. Normally, I’d be asleep by now, so moving at this hour is… ugh.”
He grumbled as if annoyed. I hurried to follow along.
“Really? What’s so busy?”
“Those pests loitering outside your room. Ugh.”
I tilted my head. Basago wasn’t there yesterday, was he?
“Why do I have to deal with them?”
He flailed his hands, venting frustration. For a while, he detailed how he would punish and then dispose of the demons, before turning to me, eyes meeting mine.
The busy movement of his mouth suddenly froze.
“….”
“….”
A short silence followed.
