Chapter 2: A Demon Lord’s Recollection and a Hero’s Predicament

The human standing before Yunajin stirred a vivid recollection of her previous life.

Then, she had been but an ordinary girl, orphaned and friendless, her solitary nature making her a frequent target for bullies.

Yet, in those moments, a certain boy would always step forward, shielding her like a prince from a fairy tale protecting his princess.

Alas, she was no princess. Despite her heart’s fervent desire to be with him, a deep-seated inferiority rendered her incapable of confessing her true feelings to the boy.

Even when the end arrived, during an accidental fall from a rooftop, as the boy’s anxious, clear voice echoed in her ears, all that remained was an overwhelming sense of regret, followed by an engulfing, silent darkness.

Now, on the continent known as Kerqunda, she had risen to become the fifth-generation Demon Lord of the demonic race, Yunajin.

To Yunajin, whether the individual before her was a human hero or not held no consequence. His striking features, particularly his familiar silver-grey hair, convinced the young Demon Lord that their reunion in this transmuted world was nothing less than the intricate design of fate itself.

Destroy humanity, ravage the earth?

At present, she had no time for such trivialities.

Yunajin settled onto the edge of the bed, drawing back the crimson curtains. There, nestled within her own bed, lay the hero she had yearned for, the one who had occupied her every thought.

While Qiaolun lay unconscious, Yunajin had dispatched all her attendants, even commanding the personal maids who served the Demon Lord to depart.

Thus, Yunajin herself had meticulously divested Qiaolun of his armor and unfastened his garments, revealing his broad, muscular chest and the subtle contours of his abdominal muscles.

It was clear that this human hero, the first to breach the Demon Lord’s formidable hall single-handedly, maintained an exceptionally rigorous training regimen.

A delicate blush bloomed across Yunajin’s cheeks. Despite her formidable title as Demon Lord, the succubus within her found it arduous to resist a primal instinct when confronted by this handsome, albeit slightly callow, man.

Her pale red eyes slowly glazed over. She lifted a hand, her dark nails tracing a light path across the hero’s abdomen. Yunajin stifled a low gasp, feeling an intense heat suffuse her body with each fleeting contact.

This burgeoning agitation…

—No, no, I must regain control. Damn it, why did I have to be a succubus of all things!

If I absolutely had to be a demon, a vampire, a lich, a slime, or even an orc would have been preferable!

Ah, if only I were the cute cat-girl type, that would be truly ideal!

Yunajin pulled back her hand, her eyes squeezing shut. She clenched her fists, then drew a deep, steadying breath.

Yunajin had been reborn into this world some sixteen years prior. To the ancient demon elders, who had lived for millennia, she remained but an infant among Demon Kings. Yet, a curious thought often struck them: despite being a succubus, a creature requiring the absorption of vital essence and life force, the Demon Lord had never once engaged in any “foraging” behavior during her entire tenure.

Perhaps the Demon Lord possessed a unique constitution, for this peculiar phenomenon had, thus far, failed to capture their attention.

Just as Yunajin managed to quell her burgeoning instincts, her tail, which had been idly resting beside her, was suddenly brushed by something.

“Hmm?”

In his deep slumber, the hero had inadvertently curled his fingers, ensnaring the Demon Lord’s tail between his index and middle fingers.

With the exception of demon-human hybrids and slimes, nearly all demons possessed tails. While not strictly a private part, it was considerably more sensitive than limbs like hands or feet.

Consequently, the casual touching of another’s tail within the demon realm constituted a grave offense against the Demon Lord’s law.

If such a rule applied to commoners, how much more so to the most esteemed Demon Lord herself?

“Surely the laws of the demon race don’t apply to humans, do they? It’s nothing major.”

—Still, touching him like this seems to have significantly lessened that peculiar sensation.

Yielding to the impulse, Yunajin guided the black arrowhead at the tip of her tail to caress Qiaolun’s arm, gliding over his rough, calloused palm, which felt both broad and remarkably warm.

—A pity, truly…

The Demon Lord gazed at the hero’s hand, then sighed helplessly at her own chest. She recalled that in her previous life, she had also been a girl, and though her current body as the Demon Lord was undeniably charming, there was a stark difference.

Her skin was smoother and fairer than she had imagined, her figure remarkably well-proportioned, with collarbones delicate enough to “raise fish.” Though her legs weren’t exceptionally long, her calves were slender, complementing her shapely thighs.

Yet, her breasts… they fit perfectly into one hand? But it was *her* own hand! They were perhaps a touch too small, though undeniably full and surprisingly firm.

Qiaolun’s eyelids twitched.

—Is he waking? How will I ever explain this?

Yunajin felt a pang of regret for her impulsive confession to the hero. Such an act would surely leave an unfavorable first impression.

After all, she was a demure young woman, graceful in her demeanor, and soft-spoken…

“Eep!”

Much like a relaxed cat startled into bristling fur when its tail is suddenly seized, Yunajin sprang upright, realizing her slender tail was firmly grasped by the other person.

“Huh?! What’s happening!”

The shrill shriek instantly jolted Qiaolun from his groggy state. He sat bolt upright, his hand instinctively flying to the place on his hip where his sword typically rested.

“This is…”

His left hand caressed the soft object, drawing it closer. Qiaolun rubbed his eyes, his blurry vision slowly sharpening, revealing an unmistakable small, black arrowhead.

The sensation was unexpectedly soft. ‘What is this thing?'”

“Ugh…”

A delicate whimper sounded from beside him. Yunajin, her body rigid, had her back to Qiaolun. She slowly turned her head, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears, presenting a truly piteous sight.

Though humans lacked such an appendage, Qiaolun was aware that for demi-humans and other tailed races, an unsolicited touch to their tail was considered highly impolite, given its apparent sensitivity.

—Hold on, what is with that expression? I haven’t done anything to her, have I!

Qiaolun, after all, considered himself a man of integrity. How could a respectable gentleman like him possibly commit such an improper act without cause?

No, wait, why am I even here?

The hero suddenly perceived that something was amiss.

A refreshing fragrance wafted around his nose. Crimson drapes enveloped him. The bedding felt incredibly soft. Since enlisting in the hero’s army and embarking on countless arduous expeditions, Qiaolun had not once slept in a bed so utterly comfortable.

“You… you’re holding on so tight.”

“My apologies, my apologies, it was unintentional.”

—So that’s how a tail reacts when it’s grabbed, huh? Heh, I almost thought she was being… molested.

Indeed, who would dare lay a hand on the Demon Lord?

She was the Demon Lord, after all, despite her outwardly delicate, girlish appearance.

Demon Lord… Demon Lord!?

Perhaps it was the comforting embrace of the environment, a stark contrast to the relentless winds, rains, and wild encampments he was accustomed to, but Qiaolun had almost forgotten his sacred mission.

“Demon Lord, you cannot bewitch me!”

Qiaolun’s hand shot down to his leg, searching for his equipped dagger, only to find that Yunajin had already disarmed him.

“Damn it!”

“Now, don’t get so worked up! You’ve already disheveled my bed!” Yunajin exclaimed, hands planted firmly on her hips, her expression that of a stern mistress of the house.

“Oh, right, I’ll get down then.”

Qiaolun nodded, acknowledging that this was someone else’s private chamber, and bouncing on the bed was indeed a breach of etiquette.

“Mmm, that’s better.”

The Demon Lord’s beaming smile made Qiaolun grit his teeth in frustration. He had arrived with the serious intent of vanquishing her, yet what had this creature done from start to finish?

First, she had abruptly thrust upon him something akin to a love letter, scented with flowers—Qiaolun even recalled it was the fragrance of roses, a scent he rather enjoyed.

Then, with a bashful expression, she had uttered such idiotic words as, “Be my lover.” How could this be? You, the formidable enemy of humanity, the Demon Lord, the terror of all creation, behaving in such a manner? Did she truly believe herself some innocent girl next door experiencing her very first crush?

—But if she truly were like that, it would indeed be rather charming.

No! Why am I even entertaining such thoughts? Am I under the Demon Lord’s enchantment?

Following the conventional narrative, it ought to be…

“Oh? Sir Hero, you didn’t anticipate this turn of events, did you? Are you quite surprised?”

“What?” Observing Qiaolun’s ever-changing expression, Yunajin appeared to perceive his innermost thoughts.

The Demon Lord’s eyes narrowed, her curved lips pulling up the corners of her rosy cheeks. The dimples that appeared on either side made the hero realize that her smile was far from cute; rather, it was a devilishly alluring, captivating charm.

Her pink tresses cascaded over her shoulders, and her slender fingers toyed with a lock of hair as she began, “A desperate struggle ensues between the hero and the Demon Lord, yet under the absolute disparity of power, the hero is ultimately vanquished and falls completely under the Demon Lord’s dominion, to be dealt with as she pleases.”

“I…”

Yunajin continued, speaking with an air of casual eloquence, “You are then confined to a desolate underground chamber, tormented endlessly until your spirit shatters. The fate that awaits you is…”

“What is it?” Qiaolun asked curiously.

“Why, to surrender beneath this queen’s skirts, of course!”

“I never would have guessed, Sir Hero, that you harbored such masochistic tendencies. Would you care for a taste?” Yunajin inquired, tilting her head with a playful smile.

“Hah~” Qiaolun sharply inhaled, quickly waving his hands in dismissal. “No, no, I’m not *that* perverse.”

“Hehe, I’m only jesting! I wouldn’t want you to come to any harm, after all!”

Gazing at the radiant smile gracing the Demon Lord’s countenance, Qiaolun blinked in a daze. Such genuine warmth… it was utterly inconceivable coming from a creature like her.

“Oh, by the way, you might not yet know my name. I am Yunajin.”

—Yunajin? Shouldn’t a Demon Lord’s name be something long and terribly convoluted?

Qiaolun cast a suspicious glance at her.

“Hey, what kind of look is that? A girl has introduced herself first, so can’t you at least respond politely?”

Qiaolun grew increasingly uneasy the more he thought about it. He was here to kill her, wasn’t he? He should be holding a blade to her throat, then coolly declaring, “What do you take life for!” or something similar.

How had it devolved into such a casual introduction, like meeting an ordinary person?

“The human hero, Qiaolun.” Qiaolun reluctantly stated his true name, then glared fiercely at Yunajin. “You may have the upper hand this time, but don’t think for a moment that I will submit!”

—So, your next words are…

Qiaolun pointed at Yunajin, whose face was gradually lighting up with excitement, and declared firmly.

—It’s coming, it’s coming, *that* line!

She thought to herself at that moment.

“I will personally slay you!”