Chapter 1: The Hero’s Unexpected Proposal

“He must not set foot in the Demon Lord’s Grand Hall! Intercept that human!”

Argh—

Within the vast, empty expanse of the Demon Lord’s Grand Hall, the cacophony of battle from outside reverberated. Every demon general had rallied to repel the invaders, leaving only a lone, pink-clad figure seated upon the throne. Leaning languidly against the armrest, she slowly opened her eyes.

A glint of cunning anticipation flickered in her crimson eyes.

‘Has he arrived?’

Boom—

A colossal, lumbering minotaur burst through the grand doors, tumbling helplessly across the floor, a picture of utter disarray.

‘My liege, the human Hero is simply too powerful!’

He was one of the Demon Lord’s Eight Demon Generals, a warrior whose might was second only to the Demon Lord herself, embodying the pinnacle of the demon race’s combat prowess.

Now, his resounding defeat signaled the commencement of the final, decisive battle between the Hero and the Demon Lord!

The youth’s silver-gray hair, catching the sunlight, gleamed with a hard, metallic sheen, a perfect reflection of the unwavering resolve in his eyes.

His name was Qiaolun, hailing from an obscure village nestled in the eastern reaches of the continent. Having drawn the finest Holy Sword from his village, he had subsequently joined the Heroic Expeditionary Force dedicated to vanquishing the Demon Lord.

He alone had succeeded in penetrating the very heart of the Demon Lord’s fortress.

Raising his sword, the man pointed towards the shadowy expanse beneath the throne. Despite his profound physical exhaustion, the sight of the ultimate Demon Lord before him ignited an overwhelming surge of exhilaration within Qiaolun, anticipating the imminent battle.

To slay the Demon Lord was to become the savior of humanity, a hero revered for all time!

‘To think even Lord Crossell, one of my esteemed ‘Eight Demon Generals,’ has fallen. You truly live up to your reputation as humanity’s mightiest Hero.’

Whoosh—

A powerful gust of wind swept through the hall, perhaps an eruption of the Demon Lord’s formidable magical aura. The oppressive shadow that had enshrouded the throne began to recede, slowly, until the Demon Lord’s form was finally unveiled.

Her long, pink hair cascaded over the seat, and the figure propped her cheek up with a languid grace. When Qiaolun finally discerned the Demon Lord’s true appearance, his jaw dropped open in utter astonishment.

She was no grotesque abomination, nor a terrifying fiend.

Demons, after all, do not typically don black dresses, paired with white coats (of a style Qiaolun had never encountered), nor do they wear long boots and, of all things, black patterned stockings that elegantly encased her slender calves.

She was, to all appearances, an ordinary human girl!

‘Heh, you appear quite taken aback, Hero,’ the Demon Lord chuckled softly. While her beauty might not have been ‘country-toppling,’ for Qiaolun, who often found himself stuttering nervously when conversing with girls, her utterly maidenly smile rendered him momentarily speechless.

‘No, no, I must focus! This is undoubtedly the Demon Lord’s cunning ploy!’

‘Hero? What Hero?! Listen well, Demon Lord! I am Qiaolun, the Hero, and I have come to eradicate you on behalf of all humanity!’

‘Eradicate me?’

A series of measured, cold footsteps echoed through the silent, expansive Demon Lord’s Grand Hall. The Demon Lord’s long boots descended the steps, bringing her directly before Qiaolun.

The hall fell into a tense silence. Qiaolun, his entire being coiled with vigilance, gripped the ‘Holy Sword’ tightly in both hands, his gaze fixed unblinkingly on the Demon Lord before him. A single, heavy bead of sweat traced a path down his forehead.

The Demon Lord, by contrast, stood with her hands casually clasped behind her back, her body leaning slightly forward, head tilted in a curious manner. She meticulously scrutinized the Hero who had journeyed countless miles to stand before her.

As though suddenly realizing something, a faint blush crept across the Demon Lord’s cheeks.

‘You… you shouldn’t stare at me like that!’

‘Eh? Eh?!’

‘Then what about you, staring at me as if I’m prey?’

Qiaolun pondered the true nature of this individual. Was this truly the ruthless and formidable Demon Lord of legend?

He found it difficult to believe, yet since she had acknowledged her identity, there was little point in further deliberation.

After all, the mantle of Demon Lord was not one that could be assumed on a whim!

‘Oh!’ The Demon Lord exclaimed, as if a sudden thought had struck her. She reached a hand into her coat pocket.

The Demon Lord’s movement instantly put Qiaolun on high alert. The man steeled his nerves, his mind racing to anticipate what she might produce.

‘A weapon, perhaps? Or some potent magical artifact?’

‘Hehe…’ The Demon Lord before him actually offered a shy smile, her fingers delicately tracing the outline of an envelope adorned with a single rose.

‘Here, this is for you!’

‘What is this?!’ The Demon Lord, having merely pressed the envelope into Qiaolun’s hand, swiftly darted to the side, her cheeks now burning with an even deeper crimson.

‘Fool, just open it and see for yourself!’

‘Oh…’ the Hero murmured in reply, then broke the seal on the fragrant envelope and began to read its contents.

Though I am but a humble soul,

I still yearn to offer you a single rose,

So that when we are both withered by age,

What I once bestowed upon you,

Shall be the memory of a rose you beheld many a morning ago.

And it will forever trace the fading contours of time,

To embrace…

With each line he consumed, Qiaolun’s expression grew increasingly strained.

‘By the heavens, what in the…’

‘Actually, I’ve liked you for quite some time, Hero. Would you… would you consider being my lover?’ the Demon Lord stammered, her voice thick with the shyness of a girl deeply in love, her hands nervously twisting between her legs.

‘I see.’

Qiaolun merely nodded, but the Demon Lord, misinterpreting his gesture, believed he had readily assented.

‘Yes! How absolutely wonderful!’

‘Absolutely not!’

‘Huh? But why?!’

‘That question should be *mine* to ask *you*! This is utterly preposterous! I am the Hero, I’m here to slay you!’ Despite instinctively retreating a step, Qiaolun declared with unwavering righteousness.

‘Mmm-hmm, I know that.’

‘Well, that’s just perfect.’

Qiaolun, as if a great weight had been lifted, wiped the sweat from his brow. Thankfully, his adversary understood his true purpose, and so—

‘Then let us bring an absolute end to all of this!’

The human Hero lifted his longsword, bringing it down with a powerful, decisive swing towards the Demon Lord.

‘Wait, not yet!’

Thwack—

The resounding crack of shattering metal filled the air. Qiaolun stared in stunned disbelief as the Demon Lord’s deceptively small fist, with a single blow, utterly demolished the finest Holy Sword in his entire village.

‘Hero, you’re far too impatient! I haven’t even prepared myself yet!’

‘Prepare for this? Excuse me, but I’m trying to *kill* you!’

‘Oh dear, I’m so sorry about your sword…’ The Demon Lord appeared genuinely apologetic for her mistake. ‘I didn’t mean to. I’ll have my finest craftsman repair it for you, Hero, later.’

Qiaolun stood helplessly, clutching the hilt of his broken sword. Even without his weapon, he reasoned, his unique magic should still suffice to defeat the Demon Lord, though he would be unable to fulfill his promise to the village chief to slay her with this particular blade.

‘Stop joking! As the Hero, why would I ever fall in love with the Demon Lord?’

‘Damn it, that felt so embarrassing to say!’

Qiaolun secretly felt a surge of mortification.

‘Hmm? Who decided that? Why can’t you fall in love with me? I fell for you at first sight, Hero!’ The Demon Lord stood with her hands on her hips, facing Qiaolun’s challenge with an air of complete justification.

‘Alright, if you truly wish to kill me, at least wait until I’ve annihilated all of humanity, leaving only you. Then, I will surrender my life, my… my everything… to… to…’

‘It’s too soon!’ The Demon Lord fretted, rubbing her head in exasperation, while Qiaolun was utterly bewildered.

‘This… this isn’t just absurd…’

‘It’s beyond ridiculous! How did I end up with such a situation?’

So Qiaolun thought to himself.

‘I won’t let you destroy humanity! Before that happens, I will definitely kill you!’

Beneath his iron-gray short hair, his young, resolute face was plainly visible.

‘He’s so handsome!’

The Demon Lord excitedly covered her mouth with a small hand, her eyes shimmering with affection.

‘Very well, from this moment on, you are my Hero! And you’re not allowed to touch any other women!’

‘When did I ever agree to be involved with you? I’m about to—’

Thump—

A dull thud echoed as Qiaolun’s head was struck hard from behind. His eyes rolled back, and he toppled backward, falling stiffly to the ground.

A small, unassuming demi-human youth stood timidly, holding a club.

He hadn’t anticipated that this Hero, rumored to have repelled the Demon Lord’s army, would be so utterly defenseless.

‘Ah, Kala, I didn’t realize you had such capabilities.’ The Demon Lord smiled, a look of appreciation gracing her features. She waved a hand, and shadows began to spread from the deeper recesses of the hall, coalescing into two dark attendants before her.

‘Take the Hero to my chambers to rest. Oh, and inform everyone else that the drill is over. The Demon Lord’s Castle will have three days of holiday.’

‘Understood, my liege.’ The shadowy figures nodded, then vanished into the darkness with the unconscious Qiaolun.

Shortly after, the grand hall reverted to its original emptiness. The young Demon Lord sat casually on the throne, her legs crossed, the vastness of the seat appearing mismatched with her petite figure.

Her face turned towards the sunlight, a subtle, intriguing smile playing on her lips.

‘It seems being reborn as the Demon Lord truly won’t be boring at all.’