Chapter 8: A Demon Lord’s Meal and a Hero’s Dilemma

Upper-tier demons, long accustomed to relying primarily on magic for sustenance, coupled with their unique racial talents, meant they had no need for regular food, unlike humans.

Meredith, a demon-human hybrid among the divine demons, possessed the most magical conduits on the continent within her body. The magic stored within her ensured she never experienced hunger.

She might have questioned Yunajin, who was also a demon-human hybrid, for even as the Demon Lord, she ought to maintain the dignity befitting an upper-tier demon. However, Yunajin also possessed succubus blood from the Soul Devourer tribe, and thus, at times, Yunajin yearned to confront the succubus’s inherent urges—a craving for the essence and vitality of intelligent beings.

According to Yunajin herself, eating like humans could effectively suppress this desire.

“My Demon Lord, unless it interferes with your official duties, I suggest you adhere to the customs of the succubus tribe. It would also benefit the growth of your power.”

Meredith was acutely aware that the devouring desires of every Soul Devourer were difficult to control; the more they consumed, the easier it was to lose their own will.

Yet, Yunajin was not a pure Soul Devourer demon; her other half belonged to the demon-human hybrid lineage.

“Regarding the reduction of attendants in the ancient castle, I recommend delegating some of the less skilled tasks to the Slime by your side. Her innate talent can significantly enhance work efficiency.”

“Uh-huh…”

A drop of scalding meat sauce slipped from Yunajin’s lips, landing on her leg. She blinked, her expression one of slight embarrassment.

“Vivi.”

She called out her maid’s name.

Vivi, who was attending nearby, seemed to understand the Demon Lord’s unspoken request and deftly picked up a pristine white towel to wipe her clean.

‘This body, as always, feels neither pain nor heat.’

Yunajin only registered the sticky sensation of the sauce and its relatively mild warmth. In her previous life, she likely would have been scalded.

Tonight’s dinner was eaten in haste. Despite the presence of Yunajin’s favorite coq au vin, she devoured it in silence, her head bowed, as if she hadn’t eaten in days.

‘Meredith is prattling on again, and while it’s annoying, at least she hasn’t offered to help with state affairs,’ Yunajin grumbled inwardly.

‘Just looking after me is hard enough, and now she wants my Vivi to do other things every day? Does she want to work her to death?! That old woman is full of schemes, always looking to exploit her subordinates.’

Our Demon Lord, it seemed, possessed a touch of kindness, yet, if the castle’s servants were dismissed during the holidays, who would perform the daily cleaning? Even if Yunajin promised to give Vivi whatever compensation she desired.

“Alright, alright!” Yunajin stood up impatiently, wiping her sauce-stained mouth with the back of her hand.

“This King is off to attend to royal duties. Do not disturb me!”

She secretly licked the back of her hand and unhurriedly walked towards the door, while Vivi silently followed behind her.

Meredith cast a meaningful glance at Yunajin.

Though her pace was slow, her steps were disorderly.

It was as if she were seizing the moment before a teacher checked homework, rushing to complete it.

“Ah…” Meredith let out a slow sigh.

“It seems the Demon Lord has spent considerable effort entertaining her guest lately…” Meredith’s violet eyes flickered towards a corner of the room. “Wouldn’t you agree, human from Aldelit?”

No sooner had she spoken than a robust human youth emerged from his hiding spot.

“An excellent ability to conceal your presence. You seem to have received professional training. Are you an assassin sent by the United Kingdom?”

Meredith’s tone was leisurely, sounding like a casual inquiry, but Qiaolun, suppressing the fear in his heart, replied with a serious expression and earnestness: “Third Independent Group of the United Kingdom’s Hero Army, Hero Qiaolun.”

“I am a human hero here to confront the Demon Lord in a direct duel. My mission is to kill her.”

“Oh?” Meredith understood the visitor’s intent. This human wished to defeat the Demon Lord through an honorable battle… Heh, how to put it?

The Demon High Priestess’s face displayed a look of intrigued amusement.

“Why do you wish to kill our Lord? She is only sixteen years old. At that age, even among humans, she would be considered an innocent maiden, wouldn’t she? Moreover, within our demon race, the current Demon Lord is merely a newborn infant.”

“I do not know how you breached the Demon Lord’s army defenses and the capital’s barrier to arrive here, but you must have expended a tremendous amount of effort. Was all that merely to kill a demon girl who understands nothing?”

“Tch…” Faced with Meredith’s interrogation, Qiaolun was momentarily speechless. Reflecting on the past few days spent with Yunajin, though they couldn’t claim to truly know each other, Qiaolun had never sensed even a hint of the rumored cruelty and coldness of the Demon Lord from her.

Just as Meredith had stated, the nascent Demon Lord was like a blank slate, utterly pure.

‘What about all those warnings I heard in the kingdom? Were they just rumors?’

The Demon Lord was aggressively expanding her military power, preparing to wage war across the entire continent. Prior to this, the United Kingdom had assembled humanity’s most formidable legion, the Human Hero Army, and launched a decapitation strike to kill the Demon Lord before the demon forces could fully gather.

Qiaolun had grown increasingly perplexed by the serene Demon Lord’s Castle over the past few days. Four army groups, totaling four hundred individuals, each a formidable human warrior, yet, apart from himself, who had stormed into the castle, there had been no sign of the others.

A terrifying thought began to surface in Qiaolun’s mind.

‘Could this be a trap laid by the demons, designed to annihilate all of the kingdom’s elite forces?’

“As I said, she is still an immature child. How could she harbor such intentions?”

Meredith, as if reading Qiaolun’s thoughts, spoke.

“You… what do you intend to do now?” Qiaolun did not believe the demon before him would spare his life after learning his identity. He took a step back, clenching his fists warily. He reckoned that without his weapon, relying on magic, which he wasn’t proficient in, would inflict limited damage on a demon.

‘If battle is inevitable, I will…’

“My duty is to guide and instruct the Demon Lord. As for her decisions, I have no right to interfere.”

Meredith gazed at the human before her, her deep violet eyes shimmering with an inscrutable, mysterious light.

“Since she regards you as a guest, we will abide by the Demon Lord’s will, and the demon race will welcome you.”

Their gazes met and intertwined. This time, Meredith had softened her stern gaze, and Qiaolun’s eyes began to dart uncertainly.

He pondered, he doubted, for the environment he was in, and the things he had come to know, had surpassed Qiaolun’s previous understanding.

Humanity had once been enslaved by demons for a prolonged period, an indisputable fact recorded in every human historical text.

Their cruelty, their bloodlust, their greed had caused humanity to lose countless brethren.

‘No, just because I haven’t been harmed doesn’t mean others won’t be.’

‘The Demon Lord must still die!’

“If you have the time, travel around the demon lands. I believe you will discover things that differ from your expectations. Then, perhaps, you can ponder the true differences between humans and demons.”