Chapter 61: Lilith’s Curious Cafe and a General’s Demand

“Oh, gentlemen, please don’t look at me like that. Really, you’ll never understand the heart of a lady~”

Lilith immediately put on a troubled expression.

However, it was clear that this distress was entirely feigned. Aside from a few words she uttered, neither her tone, expression, nor actions conveyed any genuine difficulty.

But—could she truly be considered a normal lady?

Wade glanced at Kaze out of the corner of his eye.

Observing his expression, it was evident that even Kaze, a demon himself, didn’t quite comprehend Lilith’s demeanor.

‘She truly is a strange woman… otherwise, she wouldn’t have given Lamia such a…’

“Are you gracing us with your presence today for coffee? You’re in luck, we just opened a few minutes ago, so everything is fresh.”

Ignoring the expressions and attitudes of the two men, Lilith waved a hand.

She gestured for Wade to take a seat at the nearby table.

Only after hearing Lilith’s words did Wade survey his surroundings.

He realized there was no one else in the shop besides himself and Kaze. Judging by its pristine cleanliness, it indeed seemed like they had just opened.

“At this hour, just opening?”

“Mm, I don’t like getting up too early, and Kaze doesn’t either.”

“She’s just lazy.”

“Oh dear, don’t be so heartless with your words.”

Lilith seemed to be trying to use Kaze as an excuse.

However, Kaze gave her no quarter, unhesitatingly puncturing Lilith’s pretense.

‘…That’s true. Most demons prefer to come out at night. Their routines might differ from humans, so waking up a bit late during the day is normal.’

‘Before, Wade himself had always gone to the Demon King’s City during the day to blow up its walls because of this—’

‘Ah… *phew*, it seems Lamia didn’t rest well. It genuinely might be because of me.’

‘No, no, no, why am I feeling guilty? Back then, she was an enemy. Not resting well, that—that’s a good thing!’

‘But Lamia should be awake by now, right? It’s already past ten. She’ll probably be hungry soon.’

“By the way, is your coffee made with demon stone powder?”

‘—I need to get Lamia something to eat quickly.’

“Didn’t you see my sign? It’s not *made* of demon stone powder; it *contains* demon stone powder. I heard from my sister that you work for the Knights, so you should know what this is, right?”

‘Her words sounded like a rhetorical question. Since Lamia knew his identity as the White Knight, then these two ‘fake relatives’ beside her must also know.’

Nevertheless, Wade politely played along, nodding in agreement.

“Yes, I know… and that day, I tasted it in the cake you gave my wife. She seemed to really like it, so I wanted to ask… how to make this type of food—”

“Oh! How wonderful!”

Upon hearing Wade’s words, which were entirely focused on Lamia, Lilith shrieked with excitement, as if her tail had been stepped on.

She didn’t forget to put on a bashfully girlish expression, patting Kaze on the back.

“…”

Kaze, naturally, stared at her with a bewildered expression.

Yet, he didn’t appear angry enough to do anything to her.

‘Wade couldn’t help but feel that while Kaze seemed to dislike everything, in reality… his tolerance was unexpectedly high?’

“It’s all for Lamia! Oh~ my goodness, a newlywed husband scouring the entire town for delicious food just because his wife said it was tasty—Oh my~ What a beautiful sentiment~”

“…Ah, haha…”

Lilith’s demeanor seemed quite different from Wade’s understanding of a succubus.

To be honest, he had never encountered a succubus before.

The demons he had met were skilled in combat, not those who enchanted humans.

‘But since she was a “succubus,” just hearing the name, Wade knew what a succubus should be like.’

‘For instance, at its simplest—they should be evil demons with alluring appearances and revealing attire, seducing humans to drain and purify them.’

‘But Lilith, this succubus… she felt quite different from his preconceived notions. She seemed to get incredibly happy just by hearing some gossip about married couples…’

‘What kind of succubus is this? She just genuinely loves hearing emotional gossip, doesn’t she?’

‘Perhaps like someone who enjoys reading romance novels?’

“We don’t really have any secret recipes here. I simply grind demon stones into powder and add them to food.”

“I stumbled upon this combination by chance, and it tasted quite good. Plus, it causes no harm to the human body.”

“And, you know, people love to try new and unique things, especially novelties that aren’t harmful. So, this is quite a signature item for us.”

As Lilith spoke, she winked at Kaze.

Despite appearing to dislike Lilith, Kaze was surprisingly compliant. Following Lilith’s instructions, he retrieved two pre-prepared bottles of demon stone powder from beneath the counter.

“I had planned to send some to you two earlier, but I worried you might not be used to it, which is why I brought some cakes last time.”

“Since you liked the taste, Kaze and I will give you these two pre-prepared bottles. Lamia will surely love them too.”

After taking the bottles from Kaze, Lilith then handed them to Wade.

To be honest, receiving food from a succubus always made him feel uneasy.

He instinctively used his magic to inspect it. To his surprise, it truly was just demon stone powder, with no other ingredients added.

‘…Why?’

‘Shouldn’t this constantly scheming succubus have put something strange in it, waiting for Lamia to eat it and then—’

‘—Alright, alright, stop having such strange thoughts!’

Wade took a deep breath, calming himself and forcing the self-conceived images from his mind to vanish.

As a succubus, Lilith was naturally highly sensitive to such things. Witnessing Wade’s fleeting blush, she found him even more delectable.

‘Do succubi only charm humans?’

‘No, no, no, that’s utterly meaningless. One-night stands are the most boring things in the world. That kind of gossip about seducing someone into bed is boring. What’s truly interesting are the delicate and complex emotions of humans.’

‘Magical energy can be obtained anytime, but these twisted emotions aren’t something you can feast on whenever you please.’

‘They were once enemies, but now they are husband and wife. Watching them gradually develop personal affection for each other, that feeling of struggle—that is the most delicious essence!’

‘How can those low-level succubi, who merely chase after magical energy, compare? This is the palate of a true connoisseur!’

…

Lost in thought, Lilith had intended to savor the moment a little longer.

However, she suddenly sensed something, pausing for an instant as her expression turned serious.

Yet, that serious demeanor lasted only a fleeting moment.

She quickly reverted to her cheerful, smiling self, looking at Wade.

“Alright, my brother-in-law—speaking of which, I remember your uncle is supposed to visit you and Lamia today, isn’t he?”

“Thinking about my last visit to your home just now reminded me. Why don’t you head back first? Don’t keep your uncle waiting.”

“Uncle?”

Hearing Lilith’s words, Wade froze for a moment.

‘How many people are in Lamia’s fake family anyway? Now there’s an uncle too?’

****

Meanwhile, Lamia descended the stairs, leading Orlan to the reception room.

She then dismissed the servants attending nearby.

Lamia, uncharacteristically expressionless, simply watched Orlan without uttering a word.

As for Orlan, the Great General of the Demon Race, he remained composed even in the presence of the Demon King.

He picked up the tea that a maid had poured, brought it to his lips, and took two sips. Then, raising an eyebrow, he flicked the cup, unceremoniously tossing the tasteless tea into a nearby potted plant.

“Your Highness, you must be quite unaccustomed to being here.”

He placed the cup back on its coaster, then clasped his hands together on his lap.

“Therefore, I ask that you return with me.”