He should have kept an appropriate distance after all. It was already too late to regret it now.
His steps toward the drawing room felt like they weighed a thousand pounds. James stopped in front of the door, took a deep breath, and knocked.
“This is James the Farmer.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the door opened. When he glanced inside, the jet-black Demon King was sitting with his legs crossed, staring at him.
“I greet His Majesty the Demon King. I came because you summoned me.”
“Come in and sit.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Under the pressure he could feel from the entrance, James entered with stiff steps and took a seat across from the Demon King.
“You’re the one.”
Here it comes. James lowered his head and squeezed his eyes shut.
“Who planned the prayer ceremony hoping for my rabbit’s return.”
At words different from what he expected, James subtly opened his eyes.
“…Yes, that’s correct. While caring for Your Majesty the Demon King’s rabbit under orders, I unknowingly grew attached… I know it was presumptuous behavior, but since the rabbit hadn’t been seen for months, those of us who were worried gathered and held a small prayer ceremony…”
Though it couldn’t be helped if the Demon King punished him for this, James was more curious about the rabbit’s safety than that. Whether it had died or fled from the castle. He wanted to know at least this much. If it was that clever rabbit, even if it had escaped from this castle, it would be safe somewhere… living well.
The surroundings became so quiet that even his breathing became distinct. In the continuing silence, James found it hard to stay still as if sitting on a bed of thorns. It was just when he was wondering if he should kneel right now.
“Do you remember the affiliations and names of all those who participated in the prayer ceremony?”
“…Pardon?”
Wh-why that… Though his gaze directed at the Demon King was full of fear, Ruan didn’t care and pushed the paper and pen that were on the table toward James.
“Write them down as you remember.”
“Y-Your Majesty the Demon King! I apologize! They did nothing wrong. I’m the one who instigated it all…”
“Don’t make me say it twice. Write.”
Though James, pale as a sheet, looked at him desperately, the cruel Demon King’s expression didn’t budge. He merely looked down at him indifferently with coolly extended eyes.
In the end, James grabbed the pen with trembling hands and stared blankly at the paper.
However, James soon put down the pen, knelt on the floor, and prostrated himself flat. Ruan’s brow twitched.
“I, I will take full responsibility. I will gladly accept death as punishment, so please, can’t you show great magnanimity and spare the others!”
Watching this bear-like large man trembling made Ruan feel tired. He let out a long sigh and pressed his index finger firmly against his temple as he spoke.
“When did I say I would kill you? I’m trying to give a reward for taking good care of the rabbit, so write it down.”
“…Pardon?”
James thought he had misheard for a moment, but at Ruan’s fierce expression, he hastily picked up the pen again. If he hesitated once more, it felt like he would really meet his end this time.
James wrote down the people who had participated in the rabbit prayer ceremony without hesitation. Though there were quite a few people, there were many familiar faces so he had no trouble remembering.
Receiving the list that filled an entire page, Ruan let out a small scoff.
“You charmed quite a few demons.”
It was natural. Because Beni was the cutest in all of the Demon Realm. Ruan put the paper down on the table and said.
“Including you, I’ll triple the salary of everyone on this list.”
“Yes… Pardon?”
Triple? Did the Demon King just say triple? James’s thoughts completely froze and he stared blankly up at Ruan. Whether James did that or not, Ruan didn’t even give him a proper glance and took out a Recording Orb from his pocket, placing it with a thud on the desk.
Still unable to escape from the shock of tripled salary, James was dazed before his mouth began to fall open at the video projected in the air.
Pure white, fluffy fur. Long, upright ears.
“R-rabbit…!”
“My rabbit.”
The Demon King’s rabbit was rubbing its body against the sheets on the bed. When a large hand with dark skin, presumed to be the Demon King’s hand, stroked the rabbit’s cheek, the rabbit even rolled over to expose its belly.
Watching James, who couldn’t take his eyes off the video, Ruan’s lips curved on one side. As James’s face gradually got closer to the rabbit in the video, Ruan immediately turned off the video.
“Your Majesty’s rabbit…!”
“Is alive and very well. In my bedroom, that is.”
“Oh, my goodness.”
Evil God, James murmured while clasping his hands to his chest. His tone was filled with relief.
“If you want to meet my rabbit, you can meet it very briefly if you ask Beni.”
“You mean Beni?”
Wasn’t he the one who didn’t even know about the Demon King’s rabbit’s existence? Ah, did he know but pretend not to because he’s the Demon King’s child?
At James calling Beni’s name without reservation, Ruan’s eyes twitched but he endured. Because he still had things left to say.
“That’s right. But there’s a condition. If you want to meet my rabbit, give up the tripled salary. Or you can choose the tripled salary and stop showing interest in my rabbit from now on.”
Emphasis was especially placed on the words ‘my rabbit.’ At the continuously shocking words, James found it hard to gather his thoughts.
Tripled salary was absolutely not an amount that could be easily given up. Never mind servants, but James was working as a farmer, a professional occupation, and receiving even more wages than regular servants. Three times that? If he just endured and worked for a few more years, enough money would accumulate that he could rest for about 100 years going forward. Since food, clothing, and shelter were provided at the Demon King’s Castle, it would be even easier to save money.
However.
“I’ll have to ask the others’ intentions, but I will give up the salary and choose to see Your Majesty’s rabbit.”
Money could be saved step by step, but there was only one of that rabbit. At James’s firm answer, Ruan clicked his tongue, but the answer had been decided anyway.
“…I’m joking. I’ll give you triple the salary and let you meet the rabbit.”
Because Beni had earnestly asked him if it wouldn’t be okay to meet the demons in rabbit form. Unlike the indifferent Ruan, James was dazed for a moment before standing up abruptly and bowing deeply toward Ruan.
“I am most grateful, Your Majesty the Demon King! The grace you’ve bestowed, I’ll engrave it deep in my heart and going forward even more…”
“Don’t make a fuss in front of me.”
Ruan’s words cut off the voice filled with emotion. The low, firm voice pressed down on the air in the drawing room.
“And if you keep bothering Beni asking to see the rabbit, then you’ll be begging to be killed instead. Understand?”
“I will keep it in mind!”
“Then go.”
Ruan now wanted to see Beni. He waved his hand telling him to leave quickly, but James hesitated before carefully asking.
“Um, by any chance, what is the rabbit’s name…”
“Do you need to know? Just call it rabbit-nim.”
At the voice thick with warning as if telling him not to covet, James immediately backed down. Though it was disappointing that he couldn’t learn the name, he could clearly tell that the Demon King cherished the rabbit more than he thought.
James, who had been about to leave the drawing room, looked at the Demon King’s expression again. Until earlier, James had thought he didn’t want to converse with the Demon King even briefly and should avoid standing out as much as possible.
However, seeing how he tripled the salary and even cherished the rabbit so much, his perception of Ruan flipped like turning over a palm.
Ruan was about to punch that James, but endured because he was someone Beni followed well.
“What.”
“Is Beni-nim also Your Majesty the Demon King’s…”
“That’s right, mine.”
“Ah, I understand well. Thank you, Your Majesty.”
As expected, Beni was the Demon King’s child.
But… exactly how old is Beni? When on earth did the Demon King have a child?
The moment useless thoughts were trailing, he saw dark red aura slowly rising around Ruan. Only then did James realize his patience had reached its limit, and he hurriedly gave his greetings and rushed out of the drawing room.
After leaving the main palace and heading toward his cabin, James finally couldn’t hold back and shouted loudly.
“His Majesty the Demon King’s rabbit is alive!”
