Chapter 24: A Knight’s Undoing

When Wade heard Lamia’s thoughts, his entire expression shifted.

‘A weakness? No… I merely said that in passing.’

‘I never actually intended for her to target my weak spot.’

‘And now… what an undignified display! The Grand Commander is still present!’

‘No, I must leave this place. I’ll conjure up an excuse to escape first—’

[😈 Hmph, I’ve found your weakness! Hey! Take this!]

“Ugh…!”

The moment Lamia’s voice echoed within his mind, Wade knew he was utterly doomed.

The declaration ‘found your weakness’ wasn’t a mere exclamation. It was a terrifying reality.

As if unleashing the pent-up frustration of her earlier failed attempts, Lamia delivered a direct, unreserved slap, devoid of any ulterior motives.

Thankfully, she had restrained herself slightly, mindful of Jeffrey’s presence. Had she truly used her full power, her ambitious plan of “marrying for decades and having dozens of children” might have been cut short before it even began.

Wade had initially intended to stand up and relocate, but now, he found himself utterly unable to move.

In all his years serving as the White Knight, he had never once experienced such searing agony. Even for a renowned superhero like him, a blow of this magnitude would leave him reeling in pain for a considerable time.

“Ugh…”

“Ughhh…!”

“Ughhhhh…!!”

Yet, despite the torment, he couldn’t even manage a scream. The reason was simple: there was an outsider present.

He certainly couldn’t yell out now, only for Jeffrey to discover his own wife was savagely assaulting his most vulnerable point beneath the office desk. Should such a tale ever leak, he might never again be able to live publicly as Wade Nairt, destined instead to remain solely the White Knight for the rest of his life.

“Hm? Wade, is something amiss?”

Though Wade was doing his utmost to suppress his emotions, his sudden muffled groan and contorted expression of pain were impossible to overlook. Jeffrey regarded him with concern, only to see Wade force a strained smile and wave a dismissive hand.

“N-nothing… Grand Commander, I just… when I sat down, I didn’t… didn’t notice… and hit my… foot…!”

Wade’s face was slick with sweat from the torment, his lips bitten raw as he finished speaking. He drew in deep, shuddering breaths, hissing in cold air, determined to force himself to endure the agony through sheer, unyielding willpower.

‘Wade…! You can do this! Wade!’

‘Being pinned down and beaten by five or six burly men in my youth was nothing. How could I possibly surrender to this pain now?’

‘If I were to fall because of this agony, how could I ever become the hero destined to defeat the Demon King and save humanity?’

‘Hold on…!!’

He relentlessly rallied himself in his mind, his fingers and toes already contorted into grotesque shapes.

“Ah, well, you truly must be careful. Striking your foot on the sharp corner of a wooden desk can be excruciating.”

Wade’s excuse was quite plausible. After all, nearly everyone who had lived to adulthood had likely experienced the unforgettable agony of their pinky toe colliding with a sharp corner—a sensation so visceral it could induce goosebumps simply from the memory.

“Haha… Y-yes… indeed…”

Wade forced a strained laugh, his arm trembling as he struggled to appear as if nothing were amiss. He rummaged through his desk, searching for the activity plan Jeffrey required.

“Speaking of which, have you settled on the wedding style yet? I wonder what kind of aesthetic Miss Lamia would prefer.”

Jeffrey, utterly oblivious to the terrifying Demon King lurking beneath Wade’s desk, had settled comfortably onto the sofa after entering the office. He poured himself a cup of tea, seemingly intending to prolong their conversation, and showed no signs of leaving anytime soon.

“Ah… regarding the wedding… anything is fine, really…”

Wade, having already endured the worst through his astonishing willpower, took a deep breath. Though his tone still sounded somewhat peculiar, the pallor on his face had noticeably eased.

“That simply won’t do. How can you be so careless about a wedding? A person only experiences one in their entire lifetime.”

In truth, Wade was beyond the capacity for much thought at this moment, which accounted for his rather flippant reply. This, in turn, prompted Jeffrey to shake his head.

“Haha… yes, I know…”

The realization that this once-in-a-lifetime event would be shared with the Dark Demon King imbued Wade with a subtly conflicted feeling.

However, with Jeffrey seated opposite him and Lamia concealed beneath his desk, he found himself unable to voice any sarcastic commentary.

“Hmm… I should invite the Bishop of the Church to bestow blessings upon your wedding… and then, perhaps, invite some…”

Jeffrey continued to muse aloud, sipping his tea, while Wade seized the moment to glance down at Lamia beneath the desk. He frowned at the mischievously grinning figure, genuinely appearing quite angry, for such intense pain was certainly not something an ordinary person could withstand.

Yet, more than anger, it was an overwhelming sense of helplessness. He felt as though she was pushing him to the brink of exasperated laughter.

[…Hm, are you angry?]

However, Wade’s expression, caught only in a fleeting downward glance rather than a prolonged stare, appeared somewhat fierce. Thus, when that flash of anger crossed Lamia’s vision, she couldn’t help but murmur to herself.

[Angry? Being angry isn’t good… Honestly, isn’t it perfectly normal to have your weakness exploited in battle? Why the frown? Fine, fine…]

Lamia pursed her lips, seemingly abandoning her continued assault on Wade’s weak spot.

Hearing this, Wade finally allowed himself to relax slightly, thinking she might at last be willing to behave.

But the very next second, another thought from Lamia surfaced.

[Alright—alright, thankfully this King is magnanimous. Fine… What did the Great Succubus say before? Humans seem to particularly enjoy some childish behaviors… blowing on it when it hurts? Yes, I believe that was it.]

“—Hmph…!”

The very next second, before Wade could even manage to shift his posture, a sudden wave of warmth enveloped him.

“Hm? What’s the matter now?”

Hearing Wade’s peculiar sound once more, Jeffrey again lifted his gaze, observing Wade, who had been deathly pale moments ago but was now flushed crimson.

“Haaah… I… I… bit… um… bit my tongue…!”

This time, Wade’s expression was noticeably more peculiar. The sensation, akin to receiving a slap followed by a sweet treat, truly made him feel as though he had just clawed his way out of hell only to be abruptly yanked into heaven.

Compared to the searing pain from earlier, this new sensation seemed even more challenging to suppress.

“Bit your tongue? Why are you so clumsy today? Is your wife’s visit to the Knights’ Order making you absent-minded?”

“Ah… um… yes… that’s right… it’s because… of that!”

Wade gripped the edge of the desk with white knuckles. This latest sensation seemed to render him even less capable of coherent thought. Unable to bear it any longer, he hastily waved his hand at Jeffrey.

“Forgive me, I… I’m having a bit of a stomachache again, Grand… um… Grand Commander, could you please wait outside for a moment? I’ll… hah… I’ll bring the documents over shortly…!”

“…Alright, alright, you look truly miserable. What’s suddenly come over you? Fine, take a break. Just leave the plan on my desk later.”

Seeing Wade’s face contorted in agony, Jeffrey decided not to press him further. He rose and promptly exited the office. The very instant the door clicked shut, Wade impatiently yanked Lamia out from under the desk—

“—Ah, right, Wade, your—”

But the very next second, the door swung open.

Jeffrey had returned. Pushing the door ajar, he looked inside, only to see Lamia, having just been pulled out, now seated squarely in Wade’s lap.

The three of them stared at one another, a heavy silence descending. After roughly three seconds, Jeffrey’s eyes suddenly widened in understanding. He gave Wade an ‘oh, you young people’ look, then quietly closed the door.

‘…Ah 😨’

‘—Aaaahhhhhhh!!! 😱’

‘My… my entire career in the Knights’ Order is overrrrrr!!’

‘It’s all completely ruined—!!!!’