Chapter 11: A Saintess’s Playful Demands and a Sword Monk’s Impatience

“Don’t you dare think this is a victory!”

With that parting shot, Clennina fled the library, undoubtedly wishing to conceal the profound shock etched upon her face.

‘Keep your spirits up, Clennina. If you can’t outmatch them in size, perhaps you should explore other avenues to flaunt your allure.’

‘Oh, what a delightful spectacle this has been.’

Noah idly twirled a lock of her twin-tailed hair, a thoroughly pleased smile gracing her features.

Initially, Noah had found Clennina’s imperious manner somewhat grating, but now, she no longer perceived any danger from the vampire princess.

In Noah’s estimation, Clennina’s standing had been demoted from ‘detestable threat’ to merely a ‘feisty, yet ultimately harmless, little creature’.

‘When next they met,’ Noah mused casually, ‘I would certainly continue to amuse myself by teasing Clennina.’

While Noah was still savoring the moment, Letitia subtly shifted, intending to slip away unnoticed.

“Oh, Lord Demon King, where are you going?”

A delicate hand swiftly captured Letitia’s chin. Noah then forcefully pressed her ample chest against Letitia, her knee, round beneath its over-the-knee stocking, pinning the Demon King against the bookshelf.

“Now that the troublesome one has departed, why don’t we… resume what we were interrupted from doing earlier~”

Noah’s warm breath caressed Letitia’s cool skin, arousing a momentary haze in her eyes before they swiftly regained their clarity.

‘Having experienced this before, I resolved not to be continually swept into this woman’s intoxicating rhythm!’

“No, don’t.”

With a gentle push, she carefully distanced herself from Noah, who had pressed close. Meeting Noah’s slightly bewildered gaze, which stemmed from surprise, Letitia offered a soft explanation.

“I still have some official duties to attend to. Perhaps we can continue this evening, when I return?”

She found herself compelled to adopt a pleading tone, for otherwise, the entire Demon King’s Castle would undoubtedly learn just how loudly its ruler could cry out.

‘Despite my reluctance, this woman does not appear to be entirely unreasonable. If addressed politely, surely she will listen… won’t she?’

“Oh, is it official business as the Demon King?”

Noah’s momentarily vacant gaze once more gleamed with an alluring light. She lowered her head slightly, her pale pink eyes shimmering with a resplendent glow.

The innocent smile that perpetually graced her pretty face not only remained but deepened, radiating an even greater mirth.

“Since it is my ‘husband’s’ official business, as a dutiful wife, I naturally wouldn’t object.”

“However, if you fail to return tonight and properly ‘satiate’ me… well, I cannot guarantee what I might do~”

“Mmm, mmm, I’ll be back tonight.”

Upon hearing these half-threats, Letitia immediately nodded with the fervent rapidity of a chick pecking grain.

Only when Noah’s smile softened into something relaxed and radiant did Letitia turn and pursue Clennina in the direction she had fled.

Letitia was certainly not going to offer comfort or apologies; she was merely stating facts and saw absolutely no fault in her own actions.

Nevertheless, Clennina, who had been investigating a case in the town, had suddenly rushed back to the Demon King’s Castle.

It stood to reason there was an urgent matter she needed to report personally to the Demon King, and attending to such affairs of state was, after all, the Demon King’s duty.

In matters of both work and sentiment, Letitia had always maintained a strict separation.

***

“Saintess, I’ve brought the materials you wanted from the treasury… Has His Majesty the Demon King been here just now?”

Coincidentally, no sooner had Letitia departed than Astolfo returned to the library. Approaching the windowsill where Noah was, she detected the lingering magical fluctuations in the air.

“Mmm-hmm, thank you, dear Astolfo. You’re truly adorable~”

Without warning, Astolfo found herself enveloped in Noah’s embrace, her head being tenderly stroked, as if she were a beloved child receiving a warm, congratulatory hug for a job well done.

Astolfo’s eyes widened, her mind going utterly blank as though dissolved. This time, there was not even a flicker of resistance or defiance; she simply allowed Noah to hold her close.

The warm, maternal embrace stirred a profound longing within her, and she succumbed to the intoxicating allure of its milky fragrance.

In stark contrast to the slight unease she had experienced that morning, Astolfo now found herself able to completely lower her guard and fully revel in the Saintess’s embrace.

Noticing Astolfo’s pliant acceptance, a pleased curve graced Noah’s lips. Indeed, she mused, well-behaved and adorable girls were truly the absolute best!

‘While the Demon King’s persistent inner turmoil was certainly amusing, I concede that even I occasionally require a small boost of positive energy,’ Noah thought.

For both Bai Tong and Noah, the Demon King’s Castle remained an unfamiliar place, and she, too, required some intimate contact to satisfy her psychological needs.

“Hmm… potent, activated ancient dragon blood, Moonscent Grass, Deep Slumber Bloom….”

Noah opened the wooden box Astolfo had brought, cross-referencing the materials against her notes. Then, she opened a slim calendar, meticulously comparing its contents.

“The full moon arrives in two days, precisely the opportune moment to conduct the ritual. Perhaps then, I can finally awaken my dragon blood and reclaim my true identity as a player!”

A genial smile illuminated Noah’s face, and she even raised a small, determined fist, offering herself a silent cheer.

She felt a pure, unadulterated joy at the prospect of finally resolving a long-perplexing conundrum.

***

Falmond, in the southeast of the Holy Theocracy Empire.

Once a bustling metropolis, one of the largest on the entire continent, this city had been overrun by the demon army just two days prior. Now, it lay desolate, a landscape undergoing the slow, arduous process of reconstruction.

Yet, the constant stream of adventurers (players) seemed utterly unperturbed. They continued to resupply, venture out to level up, and gather materials within its walls.

Indeed, they had recently been bustling about, more active than ever, due to the proliferation of quests related to the town’s restoration.

Such was the nature of adventurers (players): so long as the rewards were sufficient, they would undertake even the assassination of the Demon King without hesitation.

At the city’s bustling south gate, a peculiar figure stood sentinel.

The hem of her long robe swayed in the wind, occasionally revealing glimpses of lightweight chainmail beneath. A dark metal helmet seamlessly merged with a hood, forming a striking, vagabond-esque ensemble.

Slung across her back was a slender, heavy greatsword, resembling an oversized iron ruler. Her slightly cinched attire subtly accentuated her youthful, graceful curves.

A palpable impatience radiated from the vagrant girl, cloaking her in an aura that warned all to keep their distance.

“That girl, she’s the top Sword Monk on the Asia server, right?”

“Seriously, how long has she been standing here?”

“It must have been over three hours by now. Who would dare keep the Sword Monk waiting for so long? They must have a death wish…”

Passing players couldn’t help but whisper among themselves, yet the girl appeared utterly deaf to their words. Staring at the blank chat panel before her, the veins on her forehead beneath her mask began to throb visibly.

“He’s too slow! That fellow, he promised to meet me here this afternoon. Why isn’t he here yet!?”

Her cheeks, hidden beneath the helmet, puffed out like a fugu fish in her anger. The girl exhaled heavy breaths, striving to calm her agitated mood.

“And that fellow, he hasn’t responded to a single message since the ‘Monster Siege’ event. What in the world is going on!?”