Chapter 79: A Confession by the Bar

The familiar voice from behind belonged to Wade.

Lamia and Kaze had been deep in conversation, so they hadn’t noticed his arrival. Lilith, however, had certainly caught it.

Yet, she offered no warning to Lamia, nor did she interrupt their discussion.

Oh, why interrupt? This was perfectly fine. They weren’t discussing anything illicit, were they? Just a normal chat, so what was there to hide?

Moreover—

“Lamia—my wife, what do you need? Your husband is right here; you can try telling me, you know.”

With a soft *clack*, the swivel chair at the bar emitted a metallic creak as Wade settled beside Lamia.

Delicious!

Just witnessing this scene, Lilith found it utterly delicious!

Watching romance unfold was delicious.

Watching happy romance was delicious.

Watching the Demon Lord’s happy romance was delicious.

And watching the Demon Lord’s happy romance with her mortal enemy was even more delicious!

‘I, Lilith, the Great Succubus, was born for this very purpose!’

Unlike Lilith, whose eyes sparkled with excitement, Kaze’s emotions weren’t quite so intense, yet they held no negativity either.

After all, Wade possessed a certain boldness, a remarkable audacity, capable of directly expelling the Great General. Such a man was undoubtedly a worthy partner for their Demon Lord!

“Sister, your coffee is ready. Brother-in-law, I’ll make you one now.”

*Clink*. A latte art coffee appeared before Lamia. The design was as exquisite as ever, almost too beautiful to disturb.

“…Ah, mm.”

Wade, upon being called “Brother-in-law,” stiffened slightly.

One might even say goosebumps prickled his skin.

He hadn’t initially intended to sit in this particular spot, as the bar stool placed him too close to Kaze. Kaze had always disliked him, and as a self-aware adult, Wade knew he should seek a quieter, alternative seat. But… Lamia was right here.

He had originally come here hoping to chance upon some demon dust, or rather, to acquire some more.

Lamia was fond of the demon dust from this place, and naturally so. After all, Lilith and Kaze were both here; as demons themselves, they would certainly know which demon dust offered the best taste for a demon like Lamia.

While Wade could perceive the ‘existence’ of demon dust, discerning the subtle differences in its taste was far too challenging for him.

Thus, he had intended to cleverly secure a direct supply and then return to make Lamia happy.

‘Make Lamia happy?’

Though he wasn’t sure why that was his motive, he had indeed acted on it.

Perhaps it stemmed from the ‘small meeting’ they’d had earlier at his grandfather’s place.

Zelin had said, “It doesn’t matter if your way of thinking is different, because the emotions are the same. As long as you can make her a little happier, just understand those emotions.”

Zelin had seemed to carefully choose his words as he spoke, considering how to express his feelings without making it too complicated.

However, not much of it had truly sunk into Wade’s mind; he had merely latched onto the word “happy.”

‘Something that could make Lamia happy?’ Wade genuinely couldn’t think of anything. Otherwise, the wedding dress proposal wouldn’t still be stalled.

Yet, there was one thing Wade knew Lamia would like: demon dust. That was the rare instance when Lamia had shown an expression of ‘liking’ something.

So, Wade had come directly to this place, knowing that its goods were the most authentic.

And then he had coincidentally overheard Lamia utter those words.

****

‘…What do you need?’

‘What do you need?’

‘Lamia, what exactly do you need?’

‘Your hobbies, your preferences, the things you want to do… what are they?’

Wade wanted to know, yet he also felt as though he already did.

‘Lamia’s needs?’

‘That must be—’

“What do you need to do?”

There was no precise response of ‘I need something,’ but rather—a single answer: ‘nothing.’

‘What do you need to do.’

‘Personal hobbies, those small desires—that autonomy, why do you insist on letting others hold it in their hands? Lamia, why don’t you just tell me what you want?’

****

Strictly speaking, this answer was quite that of a “dutiful wife and loving mother”—like a good wife who listens to her husband.

But Wade didn’t need that kind of response, because if that were the case, wouldn’t life become utterly devoid of meaning?

“I don’t need you to do anything for me. Isn’t the point what *you* want to do?”

Lamia’s reply left Wade somewhat dissatisfied, even a little… displeased.

Lamia would laugh, do strange things, show expressions of distress, and get angry over trivial matters. What did this prove?

It proved she possessed independent thought, that she experienced normal joys, angers, sorrows, and delights; she was a normal, sentient being.

But why?

Why, when asked about her needs, was her response so bland?

‘Who is erasing your ‘self’? Surely, you weren’t born devoid of all desires?’

After Lamia’s answer, Wade visibly furrowed his brow.

This minute detail did not escape Lilith, who licked her lips with relish.

Kaze, however, didn’t notice, as he was busy preparing the proportions for the new cup of coffee he was making for Wade.

Lamia, though, she noticed.

[Hmm? Is he dissatisfied with that answer?]

She had caught Wade’s fleeting frown. Though it was quick, it hadn’t escaped her perception.

[…Why?]

Confusion, incomprehension.

Lamia’s way of thinking had persisted for centuries; she had long grown accustomed to it.

“…”

“Lamia, you…”

Wade caught the questioning tone in Lamia’s thoughts, instinctively calling out her name, as if to pull her from that state of self-loss.

Though it wasn’t a negative state, merely a simple, ingrained habit of thinking, a custom of ‘because of this, therefore that.’

Wade knew Lamia was the Demon Lord, and one who was centuries old at that.

So, was he expected to confront a habit that had constrained Lamia for hundreds of years, all by himself?

That seemed rather impractical.

While Wade was still deep in thought, the other cup of coffee was already served, presented respectfully. As Kaze set the cup down, he even used his pinky finger to cushion it, preventing any loud clinking sound.

“Your coffee.”

“Ah, ah, thank you.”

‘Had the sun risen in the west?’

Watching the steaming coffee appear before him, Wade felt a pang of fear, worried it might contain some demonic curse or other strange concoction. After all, a succubus was right there.

‘What if there were some random, strange drug, and then this, that…’

*Cough*, no, he couldn’t think like that.

“Lamia, you…”

To compose himself slightly, Wade cleared his throat, then continued his earlier question to Lamia.

“Is there nothing you like?”

He asked cautiously, testing the waters.

“Hmm, there is, actually.”

Hearing the question, Lamia smiled confidently, as if she had a ready answer in her heart.

“Ah… then what you like is—”

“I like you, Wade! You are what I like most!”

As Lamia spoke, her expression seemed to say, “I finally said it, wasn’t I good?”

—?!