DKFTI 27

“Meow!”

The cat meowed, then raised its forepaw, rubbed its face, and licked its paw pad.

“There are clumps of fur rolling all over the castle, so maybe this one also found a place to stretch out.”

Aizen reached out his hand to touch the cat’s soft fur, but it slipped away from his touch with a nimble movement. The black iris cutting across the cat’s golden eyes swept over Aizen.

“How proud.”

It felt quite refreshing to see a creature living in a forest swarming with monsters,yet still maintaining its lustrous fur.

“Pupu-!”

“Meow!”

When the ever-innocent Pudding showed interest in the cat, the cat bared its claws with a hiss.

“What a temper. You’ll fit in here well.”

Aizen casually turned his body, opened the terrace door, and went inside.

As Aizen went in, the white cat wagged its tail and stretched out on the terrace. When the cat yawned wide, the sky lit up.

***

The sky, which had looked like it might rain at any moment, was clear as if nothing had happened.

“Mm, it feels refreshing.”

When he had first summoned the ice golem, it had really startled him. Just being near it was so cold he thought they would never get along. But guess what? Sibel ended up spending the most time with the ice golem.

Sibel was enjoying a lazy moment in the lain garden of the Demon King’s castle, bathed in the warm sunlight.

“It’s super cool.”

It was the height of summer, the wind felt stifling, but with the ice golem around, there was nothing to fear. Sitting beside the ice golem, radiating cold air, Sibel was absorbed in knitting. A new hobby he had picked up.

Watching the ice golem knit over its shoulder had sparked his interest, and he had started to learn properly.

“A scarf could be finished in no time at this rate.”

The thin yarn was already beginning to take the shape of cloth. Just as he thought it was going well, the needle slipped out.

“Uugh.”

The ice golem kindly pointed out with its blunt hand where Sibel’s knitting needle should go. Sibel fixed the problem.

“This is so good, why did you only come to me now.”

It felt like meeting a soulmate. The ice golem was cold on the outside but a warm friend inside. And on top of that, it functioned as a natural air conditioner.

Satisfied, Sibel put the needle back in place and laid the yarn and needles on his lap for a moment. After holding them for so long, his neck and shoulders hurt. When he stretched, the crystal communicator beside him caught his eye.

“Shall I check the community for the first time in a while.”

He had promised himself to cut off that chaotic community, but he had to know what was happening in the Demon Realm. He couldn’t be in peace! Who knew when another crisis might strike!

#DemonKingCommunity#

-Rules of Use

-Announcements

-No fraternization, good deeds, or religious solicitation!

Hot issue: update on the Demon King who was dating a human

10 types of demons that piss you off

He scrolled past the trivial clickbait posts.

Where’s everyone getting those dragon scale keyrings that are popular lately?

He was a little curious, but dragon scales weren’t his taste, so pass.

Haven’t you guys noticed something strange these days?

At last, a title that actually caught his interest. He clicked it right away.

Heliheart, Wenzu, Alveria, Jorn, Jesible ……

These are the territories of Demon Kings that recently disappeared. In order, following the river from the west.

Do you all think this is just coincidence?

Comments

└In order?

└(Author) Yeah

└Reason for disappearance not revealed?

└Lined up like this, it really looks connected somehow……

└(Author) I don’t know the reason. But if humans were behind it, they’d usually spread the news everywhere. It’s quiet.

└Isn’t this some anonymous hero roleplay starting?

└Sh1t, that’s near my territory, should I be scared?

└What are you doing not packing already

└Since when do Demon Kings run away, lol

└Those Demon Kings probably thought the same before they vanished, haha

└Guys, I noticed something creepy. Isn’t that the land blessed at the beginning? Same route as the pilgrimage path

└Oh, you’re right

└This feels shady. Couldn’t it be some scheme by the Holy Kingdom or somewhere?

.

.

.

There were quite a lot of comments, and as he scrolled down, he came across the self-proclaimed great detectives’ theories. The problem was, even after reading, he still had no idea what they meant.

“What do you mean.”

The land blessed at the beginning, what was that, and how did the Demon Kings there die. As expected, not a single day passed in the Demon Realm without trouble.

“Hmmm.”

Was it really fine for things to be running this messily? What good did calling meetings every single day do.

“Ughhh.”

Seeing Sibel distracted, the ice golem tapped at the yarn. At that, Sibel put the crystal communicator back on the table.

“Anyway, is our castle safe….?”

The monsters gathered in the Demon King’s castle were reassuring, but to say he had no worries would have been a lie. Outside, he was threatened by humans, and inside, there was the bomb called the Hero. How could anyone sleep peacefully… come to think of it, he had slept pretty well….

“De-Demon King, show yourself!”

A loud shout came from somewhere. Startled, Sibel anxiously looked around his surroundings. Maybe because he had just read that post in the community, his heart beat so hard it felt like it would jump out of his chest. Even the hair on his head stood on end.

“Huh?”

Checking outside with tense nerves, he saw at the entrance of the Demon King’s castle, where sunlight streamed down, a tiny figure no bigger than a dot.

‘What’s that?’

A human no taller than his waist. Was it really human?

“A lost kid?”

But this wasn’t a place where humans lived. Was this a place for a lost child to be wandering?

Sibel felt it was suspicious, but he couldn’t just stand there watching the child alone at the gate. Looking around, he slowly approached.

As Sibel moved, the ice golem, who had been sitting on the ground, followed behind him.

“Wh-who are you?”

Sibel hesitantly approached the child and spoke.

The boy, with hair as red as ripe tomatoes, had scratches all over his soft cheeks. His hair was stuck with leaves, who knew where from, and his clothes were ragged.

But he stood boldly with his chest puffed out. His spirit alone was like that of a king.

“What are you doing?”

When Sibel asked cautiously, the boy glared at him with fierce eyes. After a long moment of staring each other down, the boy’s tightly closed mouth opened.

“Is this the Demon King’s castle?”

The boy’s bad-mannered, but Sibel, calm and very adult-like, replied.

“Maybe… it is?”

Just in case, he used a cautious tone. Sibel was still a coward.

“Where’s the Demon King!”

The boy asked in a clear voice. What a temper. Sibel clicked his tongue inwardly and straightened his back.

“Can I ask why you’re looking for him.”

“I came to kill the Demon King!”

The boy said with eyes full of determination. Sibel flinched for a moment, but he couldn’t help but laugh as he looked at the child.

“Pfft, you? The Demon King?”

What could he kill with those small white hand?

Sibel found it absurd, himself aside. It was ridiculous that we live in a world where even this little brat is out to kill the Demon King.

Sibel crossed his arms and looked the young hero up and down. Now that he saw, the boy’s hands and feet were trembling, his whole figure flimsy.

“Why? Why should the Demon King be killed?”

“You don’t need to know! Who are you!”

“Huh? Me?”

The boy’s eyes flickered with confusion, then suspicion flared up.

“I am….”

“Are you one of the Demon King’s underlings?”

That line sounded familiar somehow. Sibel felt a strange déjà vu.

Why did no one ever think he might be the Demon King himself?

“No, well, that is….”

“Where’s the Demon King!”

“Come on. Kid, just because you’re looking for him doesn’t mean the Demon King will suddenly appear right in front of you….”

He was thinking he had to calm the child and send him back nicely.

“What are you doing?”

He suddenly heard a familiar voice. He turned around and saw Aizen approaching with swaggering steps, digging at his ear as he glanced between Sibel and the boy.

“Y-you’re the Demon King!”

“Hm, not exactly….”

Sibel tried to correct the boy’s misunderstanding.

“What’s that supposed to be.”

Aizen frowned at the child, and the child bit his lip tightly at the sight of Aizen.

“I am the dragon Kairin! Evil Demon King, take my flames!”

“……”

Sibel, who was about to open his mouth, snapped it shut at the boy’s sudden declaration. Wait. Dragon?

“Th-that’s the Demon King, right?!”

The boy asked Sibel, who was closer to him, as if he was seeking confirmation. Sibel looked at him with a new perspective.

It was amazing that this boy had made it through the rough terrain to the Demon King’s castle on his own. And despite his poor condition, his body bore only scratches. That strange, fiery spirit, and he even dared to call the Demon King as if he were some neighbor’s dog.

Yes, it made sense that he wasn’t human.

“Yes. That one over there is the Demon King.”

Sibel politely opened both palms and pointed at Aizen, shamelessly lying that he was the Demon King. Aizen stared at Sibel in disbelief, his mouth opening and closing in speechless shock.

‘Since ancient times, the presence of scantily dressed women or children in such places always spelled danger.’