Large as he was, the look in Gerard’s eyes as he gazed at Ranok — trembling on the verge of tears — made it seem as though a single flick would send them spilling over.
This bedchamber, decorated in a charming and whimsical style that didn’t suit the imposing Demon King’s Castle at all, offered a view overlooking the entire fortress.
Gerard, who ordinarily enjoyed standing on the balcony and looking down at the various corners of the castle that Ranok had taken such care to decorate, was now pointing downward with a thoroughly anxious expression on his face.
“The Hero came!”
“Ah.”
A tendril of shadow shot out and scratched at Ranok’s head. Sliding to Gerard’s side using his shadow, Ranok looked down below.
Gerard’s room, floating in midair, was roughly equivalent to the 110th floor by height. Normally, at that elevation, you wouldn’t be able to make out the first floor at all.
But who was he? The Second-in-Command of the Demon Clan, said to be the strongest among even the high-ranking Demon Clan members — Ranok’s eyes had no trouble confirming what lay below, even from that height.
And yet, even with those eyes, the Hero was nowhere to be seen.
Hmm. If they had entered but weren’t visible at the entrance, there was only one answer.
“They’re already inside?”
“Yes! They’ve already gotten pretty deep in!”
Gerard fussed and fidgeted.
Despite appearances, Gerard was the Demon King — a being capable of sensing and perceiving everything that occurred within the Demon King’s Castle.
But he had one fatal weakness. He was far, far too much of a coward.
And Ranok, born as his right hand and the Second-in-Command of the Demon Clan, was saddled with a great many tasks he performed in the Demon King’s stead — the price of that birth.
One of those tasks was exactly this: driving out those Hero types.
Decorating the Demon King’s Castle, stationing Demon Clan members in all the right places, and personally stepping in to drive out any unfortunate souls lucky enough to make it to the 100th floor……
Ah, just thinking about it was exhausting.
“Tch.”
He had been hoping for at least a century of quiet. Less than 70 years had passed since the last invasion, and they were already barging in again. What was wrong with these people’s memories?
He had, of course, forgotten that the average human lifespan in this world was barely 60 years — and so grumbled to himself internally.
That Hero types were invading far too often, he thought.
Ranok spoke to Gerard, who looked as though he might keel over at any moment.
“Stop making such a fuss. Haven’t I told you time and again that you need to project the dignity of a Demon King?”
“But, hmph——”
“No hmph either.”
Ranok’s tone turned sharp without him even meaning for it to. The great and mighty Demon King, saying hmph. Hmph, of all things!
There were moments it felt like being a parent wrangling a small child — but there was nothing to be done about it.
Ranok had already been a fully grown Demon Clan member when Gerard was born, and had witnessed every stage of his growth from birth to now. The occasional lapse into treating him like a child was, well.
“But I’m scared.”
With him like this, how could my tone not turn sharp.
“Ah.”
Ranok felt the back of his head ache.
“Come here, first.”
Sighing, Ranok used his shadow to guide Gerard — who was standing there wringing his hands — over to the tea table.
The shadows moved deftly, whipping up the sweet tea that Gerard liked in no time at all.
The moment a cup of his favorite sweet tea was set before him, Gerard immediately reached for it.
A male whose frame already far surpassed that of an adult Demon Clan member — despite not yet having undergone his Coming-of-Age — melted into a goofy, beaming expression the instant he had his sweet tea.
“Gerard, a Demon King cannot make that kind of dopey face over a single cup of tea. I’ve told you before that being afraid of Heroes is also unacceptable.”
Even as he said it, the moment Gerard drained his cup, Ranok promptly refilled it. A habitual gesture he didn’t even register himself doing.
“But——!”
“Enough.”
Ranok cut off Gerard’s incoming excuse and pressed his fingers firmly into his throbbing temple.
He dropped himself naturally into the seat across from Gerard, crossed his arms, and crossed his legs.
Gerard, subdued like a child being scolded, watched Ranok’s expression nervously.
“Your Coming-of-Age is almost here — how much longer are you going to keep this up? It’s time to show the dignity of a Demon King. Start dealing with the Heroes yourself, hm?”
Having reflexively slipped into informal speech, Ranok belatedly tacked on a stilted “……right?” to smooth it over.
Gerard’s expression turned sulky.
“Speaking of which.”
“What is it.”
“The Coming-of-Age. During the ritual, I’ll be asleep the whole time, won’t I.”
“That’s right.”
“And while that’s happening, Ranok will be acting as Demon King in my place.”
Ranok, who even after all these years still couldn’t quite read the full depths of his Demon King’s mind, managed a slow nod.
“……That’s right.”
“In that case, what if Ranok just becomes the Demon King permanently?”
At that breezy suggestion, Ranok squeezed his eyes shut.
Ah, my blood pressure. Ranok rubbed the aching back of his head again.
“And will you defeat the Hero types in my place?”
“That’s……”
That, apparently, was not to his liking either, and Gerard let his words trail off.
“I’ll just stay as Demon King, then.”
Anyone who heard that would think the Demon King was a position on par with a village headman.
Ranok could read Gerard’s intentions plain as day. If he simply remained Demon King, Ranok would handle just about everything as his proxy anyway — so Gerard seemed to think that was the better deal.
Of course, Gerard didn’t fear the Heroes because he was weak.
No matter how strong humans got, Gerard was a Demon Clan member powerful enough to deal with them without much difficulty.
So this was just, well — that. The fate of this man, born as Demon King, who was still a terrible coward.
And the fate of himself — who, from the moment this man was born, had become the loyal subordinate bound to him by soul.
Ranok cleared away Gerard’s empty teacup and exhaled a long sigh.
“Can’t you just wait until the intruder has made it deep enough into the castle that they’ve worn themselves out, and then take care of them in one shot with magic if you can’t bear to get your hands dirty? What’s so difficult about that?”
In Ranok’s view, he was genuinely offering the simplest possible solution — but Gerard’s reaction suggested he saw it differently.
“Ranok, that’s really underhanded of you……”
“…….”
Oh, you little——
Something surged up inside him — but unable to express it in words given his position as the subordinate, Ranok barely, barely managed to swallow down the rising irritation.
Still, fortunately, the pointless back-and-forth had calmed Gerard down considerably in the meantime.
“Stop with the nonsense — shouldn’t you be going to sleep soon? If I recall correctly, it was around today.”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
Gerard nodded at the question.
“It’s today.”
The Demon Clan’s Coming-of-Age was a rite in name only — there was no grand ceremony to speak of. One simply slept a long sleep, and upon waking, was an adult.
Though calling it “sleep” was a bit of an understatement given how long it lasted.
First, they slept for several months — building up strength in preparation for the years of sleep to come.
Then they woke briefly, for a short while — and before long, the true sleep for the Coming-of-Age began. For years, quite literally. When that passed, a Demon Clan member was an adult.
None of the blood-soaked rituals humans imagined. The only problem was the time it took.
Gerard was currently on the eve of the first sleep. And that first sleep was today, of all days. The very same day the Hero had come barging in.
“Then won’t I be the one driving out the Hero who invaded this time anyway?”
So what exactly are you whining about? You’re just going to sleep through the whole thing!
Ranok asked, sounding utterly baffled, and Gerard stuck out his lower lip.
“Hmph.”
From Gerard’s perspective it would all be over in an instant — but he had a memory of whining several times about not being able to see Ranok for years and getting scolded for it, and his expression went sulky in an instant.
Though the moment Ranok fixed him with a sharp look, the protruding lower lip quickly retreated.
……When on earth will this one grow up. Ranok clicked his tongue.
It was less that he had the energy to be properly angry, and more that he found it absurd — but regardless, once Ranok had let his irritation settle somewhat, Gerard, who had been stealing glances at him, broke into a soft, sheepish smile.
“When the Coming-of-Age is over, I’ll really be an adult.”
“That’s right. You’re still a child for now.”
Ranok said this and lightly stroked Gerard’s lower lip, which hadn’t quite come all the way back in.
At that, Gerard curled the pouting corner of his mouth back in and his cheeks flushed a soft pink.
“Ranok……”
“Yes.”
“I like Ranok.”
At those words, Ranok paused.
Partly because he wasn’t sure that was the kind of thing that belonged in this moment — but mainly because it was such a strangely awkward thing to say.
Like? Of course. Who else would the Demon King like, if not his right hand among the high-ranking Demon Clan members?
Ranok let the words pass without much thought.
“I like you too.”
He even went so far as to return the sentiment to Gerard.
“I’ll take care of the Hero types, so you focus on sleeping well and waking up, Gerard.”
“Mm-hm.”
Gerard, his expression growing even more pleased at the answer I like you too, finally seemed to be in the mood to prepare for the Coming-of-Age — he rose from the table in good spirits.
The Demon Clan members who attended to Gerard had been watching their lord’s mood carefully before drawing closer.
The lower-ranking Demon Clan members who served directly beside the Demon King always trembled and cowered whenever they were near Gerard — and every time Ranok saw it, he genuinely couldn’t understand it.
Not just saying this because I raised him from the time he was a newborn, but there’s no Demon Clan member as gentle as Gerard. What on earth is there to be so afraid of.
But since he wasn’t entirely incapable of understanding the pressure that those below him felt from rank and status, Ranok, as he always had, chalked it up to that and let it go.
