Zephyr marvelled that he’d never seen such a beautiful sight before, while Nadol, who had just finished an early dinner, plopped down with a look of complete disagreement.
The terrace of the Demon King’s Castle.
Four demons sat sprawled on beach chairs, watching Valen. Piles of earth he’d dug up were heaped all around him. His sweat- and dirt-soaked shirt lay crumpled on the ground, sweat beading on his muscular, bare torso. His hair was completely swept back from his forehead, revealing his sharp, dark features.
“Human perseverance, passion, effort! Is there anything more beautiful than this?!” Zephyr laughed heartily, clapping his hands forcefully.
“It’s brutal. Brutal…” Nadol shook his head with a displeased expression, while Finn nodded vigorously, as if his neck might snap.
Valen had been shovelling for over ten hours, drinking only water. What kind of place was the Demon Realm? Judging by labor intensity alone, it valued rest and leisure time so highly it was less than half that of the Human Realm.
To those demonic beings, Valen was a monster.
Originally, they’d planned to watch him sweat it out for just an hour or two. But whenever they approached to tell him to stop, he glared at them with eyes that seemed ready to kill. Overwhelmed by his intensity, they could only fill his bucket with cold water and retreat.
Even Finn, who had initially chuckled, “Let’s see that bastard suffer!”, was now utterly repulsed by his relentless stubbornness.
Such frighteningly obsessive behaviour had completely lost sight of its original purpose. Proof of love? Devotion? Such things didn’t matter anymore. Valen was driven solely by the stubborn determination to uproot this tree.
It was a miracle he’d dug up that entire patch of ground using only human muscle, without any magic. Even without magic, the demon realm was overflowing with beings who could have done the labor. How many idling ogres were there?
“That bastard must have been born a soldier.”
These demons knew neither his age nor his name. But his profession was easy enough to guess.
“What kind of soldier in the world digs like a madman?”
“The demon realm and the human realm are different. I read in the species military dictionary that in the human realm, a shovel is more important than a sword or armour. Besides, those bastards will jump out at dawn to dig if their superiors order them to.”
“……Shouldn’t we report this to the Human Rights Commission?”
“I told you, the Demon Realm and the Human Realm are different.” Slurp. Nadol downed the cocktail with a lime wedge.
They were the ones who ordered the digging, but Valen took it so seriously it ended up being a demerit.
It was true Valen regarded Argen differently from other demons, but there were too many ambiguous aspects to be certain that feeling was love. The three elders knew this too.However, love begins with that sense of specialness.
‘What a funny guy.’
‘Annoying.’
‘Utterly hopeless.’
The three elders stood at a crossroads, debating whether to focus on defence to prevent his feelings from growing or becoming self-aware, or to simply let him be. Seeing him shovel this time seemed to deeply move Zephyr, but not the other two demons.
Men should know when to give up and be flexible, but that bastard’s obsession is terrifying. If that attention were to turn towards Argen… They didn’t even want to imagine it.
Isn’t he the one who left Argen half-dead even during their relationship for the peace treaty? Absolutely not.
Nadol glanced sideways, checking Argen’s expression. Valen, well, that’s one thing, but he couldn’t fathom what she’s thinking.
‘She’s just such a kind-hearted person…’
Even when Valen acted like a complete jerk, true to his nature, Argen never once showed any sign of dislike. Since she owes him a favour, she might put on a good face in front of him, but she doesn’t need to hold back her complaints about him to the elders.
Then again. Even when the Demon Electors pick fights over every little thing, she never shows the slightest sign of anger. A person with this kind of temperament needs someone who is affectionate and mature, someone who won’t cause her grief.
“Men are just harsh and lack any charm. Doesn’t Lord Argen prefer someone moderately witty and obedient?”
“Exactly! Humans are hopeless. Their lifespans are too short. You know about Dragon Loss Syndrome, right? Many demons get depressed when the dragons they raised cross the rainbow bridge. Human lifespans aren’t even half of a dragon’s.”
“They’re lacking in so many ways to keep by your side. Right, Argen?”
Argen turned, her expression unchanged. It was as serene as a lake rippling with gentle waves.
A cool evening breeze swept through her silver hair. The world, stained with multicoloured dyes, came into view through the surface of her eyes. The southern edge of the endless plain stretched toward the towering peaks of the mountains. Below the ridge line, where the sun was being dragged down, waves of dark blue rolled in, as if scorched black by a fiercely burning flame.
The demons finished their work and streamed out of the Demon King’s Castle. Each passing demon stared at Valen in astonishment, unable to tear themselves away for a while. A few tactless ones offered encouragement only to get slapped in the face with a shovel.
Valen stubbornly loaded the tree onto the massive cart. Finn’s face turned pale.
“That madman… “
“When the contract ends, I’ll part ways with Number 38 too. I might cherish past memories, but I never considered a future together.”
“Really?”
Argen nodded.
She knew the Elders viewed Valen with distrust. Thus, they must have been quite shocked by the physical contact, which had nothing to do with the contract. Moreover, it was a time when the Elders were particularly sensitive regarding Argen. The anniversary of the late King and Queen Delcarno was approaching.
The Elders, loyal subjects, had watched the royal couple pass away overnight and treated the orphaned Argen as their own child. Though they had never raised even a puppy, they did their utmost out of a sense of guilt and responsibility.
Child-rearing couldn’t have been easy for them, lacking both experience and knowledge. They’d toss the infant high into the clouds while playing with her, or offer chunks of meat to a child whose teeth hadn’t even come in yet. It was fortunate Argen had a calm temperament; for any ordinary child, it would have been a series of events enough to terrify them into hysterics.
Despite the Elector’s scrutiny and criticism, the Elders elevated Argen to the position of Demon King. Argen understood their sacrifices better than anyone. Hadn’t they devoted their entire lives, even foregoing marriage, solely for her?
Like friends, like fathers, like uncles… Though lately, more like younger brothers. Regardless, though not bound by blood, the Elders were family to Argen, no matter what anyone said.
Whenever the anniversary approached, excessive attention was heaped upon Argen. It was only natural they couldn’t let this morning’s incident pass. Argen let them have their way during this period.
But Valen getting dragged into it was unexpected. She didn’t want to cause him trouble twice, yet the Elders were completely fixated on Valen. She couldn’t dissuade the Elders, nor did she want to make unreasonable demands of Valen… In her anxiety, last night’s wager came to mind.
Before she knew it, Valen, pulling the cart, had passed through the East Gate of the Demon King’s Castle.
‘He could have just pretended to do it moderately…’
As Valen disappeared from sight, Argen rose to her feet. Hearing someone call her name, she turned and pointed sharply at the door. “Shall we follow?”
“I should at least wipe his sweat.” Argen hurried down the stairs.
She sprinted through the long corridor, crossed the central courtyard, and raced along the winding path. The pure white door, always closed, stood wide open on both sides. Valen stood in the middle.
“Should I just throw it in the water?” He asked, one hand on his hip.
The moment Argen saw Valen, she realised her mistake. She had no handkerchief.Her eyes fluttered in panic. It was fortunate Valen was watching the lake. The only cloth Argen possessed was the dress she wore. Its shiny material wouldn’t absorb sweat.
Argen repeatedly clutched and unfolded the hem of her skirt. Just as she lifted it from above her ankles, where it fluttered, up to her thighs, Valen turned around.
“In a hurry?” He asked, squinting.
“What?”
“Rather than doing it here… Yeah, maybe I should just toss it into that lake.”
‘He must have thought I was about to pee in public, since I suddenly pulled up my skirt.’