Beni’s lips trembled as he opened and closed them repeatedly, but the words he wanted to say wouldn’t come out easily. The desperation welling up from the depths of his chest reflected clearly in his eyes, but Ruan simply watched him quietly and leisurely.
If it were his usual self, he would have obediently withdrawn after a simple “Thank you.” Beni’s feelings were far too personal to share with others, and for someone whose treatment was even worse than a servant of the Count’s household to harbor such desires was absurd.
Though he had escaped the Count’s household now, he had lived that way his entire life—his mindset wouldn’t change immediately just because his environment had. Even now, his head certainly knew that’s what he should do, but…
If it was Ruan, a thought peeked out from somewhere in a corner of his heart: ‘Wouldn’t it be okay to express my desires a little, at least to His Majesty the Demon King?’ Anxiety and courage tipped back and forth like a scale as his small hands resting on his knees fidgeted.
Beni took a deep breath.
“Actually, Your Majesty…”
His voice was far smaller than the breath he’d taken in, but it was clear.
“Yes, Beni.”
A low response tinged with subtle anticipation approached him as if pushing his back.
“I also… if Your Majesty doesn’t mind, the greenhouse management…”
The last part was almost a whisper. He lowered his face, unable to properly meet Ruan’s eyes, but Beni didn’t give up on what he wanted to say and pushed it out to the end.
“I want to be the only one…!”
Hmm, Ruan let out a low sound and asked back.
“Really? You also like being alone with me, just the two of us?”
Emphasis was placed on “just the two of us.” Just the two of us—it was mysterious how he could perceive his inner thoughts. Since he was the Demon King, could he actually read his mind? As Beni hesitated, Ruan was about to ask, as if he had expected this, ‘Would you be okay being alone?’
“Yes… I also like being alone with Your Majesty, just the two of us.”
The Demon King’s eyes slowly widened. Kuk, Ruan clutched his chest tightly and Beni bolted upright in shock.
“Your Majesty!”
“…I’m fine, I’m fine.”
He couldn’t show such an unseemly appearance twice. Ruan recalled the memory from last time and quickly controlled the mana that was trying to backflow again, barely managing it. Right now was when his mana was at its most accumulated, so it was better to be careful as Marcel had said.
But still, he couldn’t let something like this slip by.
The Demon King, with his head deeply bowed, looked at the Recording Orb clutched in his hand and let out a giddy laugh. He had filled an entire wall’s worth of shelves with Recording Orbs, and it seemed he’d need to add another room. Marcel would surely have something to say about it, but it would be fine as long as Beni didn’t find out.
Ruan was aware at some point that what he was doing was like a creepy pervert, but once he started collecting, he couldn’t stop.
“Your Majesty? Are you really alright?”
At Beni approaching his side, Ruan hastily hid the Recording Orb in his bosom. Ruan smiled at the worry-filled Beni and said.
“Cute.”
Don’t worry.
“…Pardon?”
“Oh, no, I’m fine so you don’t need to worry, Beni. And from now on, I’ll entrust the greenhouse management only to you.”
Unlike Ruan who continued speaking nonchalantly, Beni was confused. Surely, surely he said cute? The words were too clear. Was he talking about him? He never expected to hear such words from the Demon King. As Beni froze, unable to give any response, Ruan grabbed Beni’s chin and cheeks and pressed firmly.
The soft cheeks squished together, making his crimson, plump lips pout out. Beni’s eyes went round—what was this sudden action?
“Of course you’re cute too.”
There was no need to ask ‘Me?’
“I’m talking to you, Beni.”
Because the Demon King told him clearly, leaving no room for confusion. From below his neck, his pale face turned red in an instant. If he brushed away his hair, his scalp had surely ripened bright red as well.
* * *
Even with the steaming beef meatball stew in front of him, Beni was in a daze.
Right now, the Demon King was surprisingly kind to him. But there was no guarantee this would last forever. His attitude wouldn’t change abruptly, but someday his attention could easily turn to other servants instead of him.
〈Cute.〉
〈Of course you’re cute too. I’m talking to you, Beni.〉
The Demon King’s words still circled round and round in his ears. Why had he said such things? Beni suddenly recalled what Trellou had said before he entered the Demon King’s Castle.
〈Don’t stupidly show you’re happy when someone says you’re cute. That’s all bullshit. Unlike you, cultured people tell white lies. You’re obviously spacey, can’t do anything, and look like an idiot, so they’re probably being sarcastic.〉
A white lie… But why was being sarcastic called a white lie? Was it because they didn’t directly call him stupid?
Beni didn’t think the Demon King’s words were sincere either. But unlike what Trellou said, it didn’t seem like Ruan was being sarcastic about him being spacey and unable to do anything.
Then, was he just teasing him about having a pretty face? Like the servants of the Count’s household?
He was well aware that his appearance was decent. In the first place, the Count thought it would be fine to send Beni as a concubine because his face was pretty.
But the Demon King’s praise was somehow different from what the Count or the Count’s household servants had said with their giggling. Somehow it didn’t feel sticky. For instance…
Beni quietly stared at Ren sitting across from him. As he took a spoonful of stew, Ren withdrew the hand that was about to take the food away and stared blankly.
At first, he thought Ren was always in a bad mood, but now he knew his expression was just naturally sullen. When sleeping, Ren just looked docile.
“What are you looking at? Hurry up and eat. We need to go wash up.”
“Ren.”
He tilted his chin.
“Cute.”
Clang— Pepe’s fork, who was sitting nearby, fell to the floor.
Ren’s face twisted as much as it could possibly twist. Ren glared at Beni, not caring at all about whatever sound came from Pepe’s side of the table.
“Are you crazy? What kind of bullshit is that all of a sudden?”
At the more intense reaction than expected, Beni rolled his lips inward and pulled his back backward.
“Ren… has anyone ever said something like this to you?”
“…Why would anyone say that shit to me? If they did, they’d be insane.”
“Right? They’d just be saying it casually, right? But I was sincere though.”
Ren was about to say something but just let out a deep sigh. Beni occasionally showed unexpected behavior, so this seemed to be one of those things.
“If you’re going to talk nonsense, just go to your room.”
“Mm, sorry.”
Pepe’s wavering gaze followed the two as they got up from their seats. But the two didn’t notice it. Throughout the walk back to the room, Ren asked the somehow quiet Beni.
“Who told you that you’re cute?”
Flinch—Beni looked up as if asking how he knew, but he didn’t seem to realize that reaction only made it more certain. Ren let out a hollow laugh as he looked down at him.
When did he hear such talk when he was supposed to be working alone in the greenhouse? Beni was already receiving more and more attention among the servants. Especially after the incident where he slammed a food tray into someone’s face last time, even servants from other palaces began whispering about Beni.
Those whispers included things about Beni’s violence, but more than that, they were about his exceptional appearance.
Actually, he hadn’t told Beni, but at lunchtime today at the dining hall, servants he’d never met before approached him.
〈Hey Chimera, what was his name… Beni? You’re close to him, right?〉
〈Want to come hang out in our room in the evening, just the two of you? We have… a lot of that stuff in the room.〉
He couldn’t know exactly what “that” was, but it was certain it wasn’t anything good. Probably strong alcohol or drugs. Like this, increasingly worse-looking guys were starting to show interest in Beni.
