Chapter 59: A Wife’s Unspoken Preferences

[Hmph, I knew it. Resisting my charm is simply too difficult…]

Lamia hummed softly to herself, a confident smirk playing on her lips. Clearly, she believed her allure was truly top-tier among humans.

After all, even the demons had declared her the most adorable demoness they had ever seen. Surely, humans would feel the same!

‘Hehe~ I must have Wade completely captivated, right? Phew, hehe…’

Unable to contain her burgeoning joy, Lamia glanced around the room. She listened intently to the footsteps outside the door, confirming that the attendants wouldn’t simply barge in.

Only then did she turn her attention to the paper Wade Nairt had left on his desk.

The sheet of paper on the table appeared, on the surface, to be a title page. Its casual script, however, suggested it was merely a ‘draft’.

“Could it be that he hasn’t finished preparing? Oh, well~ That’s understandable. After all, falling in love with me at first sight must have been quite overwhelming. It’s only natural he hasn’t prepared for anything else~”

“This Queen is a benevolent and gracious ruler, so I shall grant you time~”

The items Wade kept on his home office desk were naturally not confidential, nor did they pertain to anything related to demons. Thus, it mattered little if Lamia Talia perused them.

Beneath the first sheet lay another, seemingly a preliminary draft for wedding preparations.

“Location… Church Grand Hall…”

Lamia tilted her head, pondering. The place she had visited Wade last time must have been the church. As for the hall, it surely wasn’t the room where that garrulous middle-aged man gave his lectures.

That space had felt more like a conference room than a grand hall.

When Lamia had gone there previously, Osias Parama, that old man, had immediately whisked her away. She hadn’t actually visited any other parts of the church.

Wade had intended to show Lamia around, but ultimately, he had simply brought her straight back home.

Though as the Demon Queen she was aware of some key buildings in the human city, she had never actually entered them. She only knew them as landmarks.

She had once believed there was no real need for her to visit them herself.

“Environmental decor… Hmm… Preferences?”

This particular sheet was clearly scratch paper, its handwriting somewhat messy. There were even a few markings that resembled annotations.

For instance, next to ‘Preferences,’ the words ‘Lamia’s preferences’ were clearly scrawled in a casual hand.

But then—

“…Unknown?”

Following the words ‘Preferences’ were the characters for ‘Unknown’.

“…”

“Hmph…”

After a moment of silence, Lamia pursed her lips.

“What is this? Such an incompetent husband, not even knowing his own wife’s preferences!”

“Oh dear—” Lamia settled into Wade’s office chair, still holding the nearly blank sheet of paper.

Naturally, the paper contained no information whatsoever. In fact, it seemed to throw the question directly back at Lamia, who was currently looking at it.

‘—What *are* my preferences?’

“…”

“…”

‘Ah!’

‘I don’t know!’

What her preferences were, she truly had no idea!

Not only did Wade not know, but Lamia herself wasn’t entirely clear on her own preferences.

Perhaps, as someone’s wife, she should have some seemingly ‘useful’ hobbies?

For instance—enjoying supporting her husband and raising children?

Enjoying cooking? Enjoying knitting?

Enjoying… enjoying—what *do* women enjoy?

To be honest, Lamia wasn’t quite sure.

Lamia had constantly been impersonating a perfect wife, and her personal understanding was, ‘as long as others need help, she will provide it unconditionally.’

This was especially true for Wade; whatever he wished for, Lamia would do.

In that case, could it be that Wade’s preferences were her own preferences?

‘Is that truly the case?’

In truth, it had always been this way, even as the Demon Queen. Personal preferences? No, no. She didn’t even have personal time, let alone hobbies.

‘My preference! It is to work hard for my people!’

Therefore, as Lamia, her preference should also be to strive to become a perfect wife for Wade!

When Wade returned, she would tell him: no matter what, no matter what they did, she would always be happy! That would be her preference!

‘Yes, that must be it.’

Witnessing those around her smile or find satisfaction because of her actions… that was indeed something to be proud of. Orlan, that fellow, had always taught Lamia as much.

As a ruler, one should take pride in fulfilling the wishes of their people. There were no ‘preferences’ to speak of; all that mattered was the prosperity of the land.

As a fragment of the Tower, as the embodiment of the Earth Veins, as the King and ‘Father’ of the Demonic Lands—

‘No… should I call myself ‘Mother’ now?’

‘Never mind, it doesn’t matter.’

In any case, making Wade happy, making Wade love her more and more, that was her “preference,” wasn’t it?

As this thought solidified, Lamia felt as though she had solved a difficult puzzle. Instinctively, she reached for the fountain pen on Wade’s desk, as if to inscribe her answer upon his draft paper.

But no, she decided against it. That would be far too impolite. As a perfect wife, she certainly couldn’t casually touch her husband’s work items.

Thus, Lamia stood up.

She even stretched leisurely, a satisfying arch to her back.

She turned to look at the paper on Wade’s desk, her response already formulated in her mind.

Yet, in that instant, a strange thought flickered through her consciousness.

‘If I simply become the “wife” Wade expects, then what exactly is he loving? Is it merely this facade of a wife, or is it me, myself?’

“Ha, what am I thinking?”

But the very next second, this thought vanished.

What arose in her heart was perhaps a fleeting moment of unease, a transient flicker of unwillingness. Yet, this emotion lasted only for an instant.

She seemed to crave warmth, but in merely a second, she emerged from that barren desire.

‘Is it time for the story of the Demon Queen or the heroine again?’

‘Kares Lux is the Demon King.’

‘Lamia Talia is the knight’s heroine.’

‘Wouldn’t that be just fine?’

‘When the future arrives, his heroine will die, and I will still be the Demon Queen.’

‘So, what does it matter if he only loves the facade?’

[I… don’t care.]

She didn’t even have the courage to voice these words aloud, merely repeating these five simple, yet heavy, characters within her mind.

With a soft click, Lamia turned the doorknob. As she gently pushed the door open, she saw a maid waiting at the top of the stairs.

“Ah, Madam, there you are.”

The young maid quickly approached Lamia’s side, bowing her head in a respectful curtsy.

“Hmm? Is something amiss?”

Lamia instinctively closed the office door, displaying the kind and gentle smile she had practiced so often.

“Someone has come to see you, Madam. They claim to be your uncle and have arrived to pay a visit. They are currently waiting in the living room.”

“Uncle?”

Lamia paused, momentarily stunned. She then walked towards the corridor railing, peering down below.

‘—Eh?’

‘—Orlan?’