DKFTI 31

“Since it was resolved well, that is enough. As for the damage, just a little… hm, a little more than a little of the building was destroyed and, well, the garden… reduced to ashes. That is the only loss.”

Sibel spoke while looking out at the garden, which had turned into a mess.

“As a compensation, though it may seem small, I will give you this.”

Cloton’s hand moved. A large sack dropped with a clatter beside him.

The sound of metal clashing came from inside the sack.

‘It’s gold.’

The thick sack smelled of money. If it was filled with gold and jewels, it would not be a bad deal at all.

It would be enough to buy a castle.

“Hmm, well, this is not the kind of compensation I was hoping for. But as you can see, we gave your nephew a place to sleep, fed him, and put in some effort.”

“Yes. I am grateful for it.”

Sibel forced down the corners of his mouth that were trying to rise and spoke in a dignified tone.

“Then, are you returning together now?”

At Sibel’s words, Kairin looked at Cloton with startled eyes.

Why, what, why are you surprised. Of course you are going home.

“That is correct.”

At Cloton’s answer, Kairin grabbed his arm.

“Uncle, can I not stay here longer?”

“No.”

Before Cloton could answer, Shanti, who was standing by Sibel, spoke.

“……”

Cloton’s gaze turned to Shanti. Shanti did not look at him.

“We cannot trouble them further. Let us go back.”

Sibel felt relieved by Cloton’s answer.

“…But.”

Kairin stuck out his lips.

“It is only because this is his first time seeing the outside world, he’s driven by curiosity. Please do not mind it.”

Sibel nodded. But when he met Kairin’s sorrowful gaze, his heart softened a little. He had not expected to say something like this….

“Well, sometimes you can come visit, that is, that is fine….”

“Lord Demon King.”

Shanti quietly called Sibel through his clenched teeth.

“Hmm.”

A Demon King who has to mind his subordinate’s expression. How embarrassing to do so in front of others.

When Sibel quickly closed his mouth, Cloton studied Sibel and Shanti intently, then looked away.

“Let us go.”

“Uncleeeeee.”

Kairin whined, but Cloton firmly gripped his shoulder.

“Then.”

“Ah, g-goodbye!”

He gave a brief bow, then in an instant disappeared before their eyes. Kairin vanished as well.

“……”

Sibel felt as if a storm had swept through him.

“What just happened?”

His tense body collapsed into the chair.

Even after the two were gone, Shanti stood beside Sibel like a stone statue.

“Shanti?”

Sibel called him.

“Shanti!”

Shanti, standing there blankly, looked very different from his usual self.

“Shaaaanti.”

“Ah, yes.”

At last Shanti answered as if waking from his thoughts.

“What’s the matter?”

“…It seems we must strengthen the defenses of the Demon King’s castle. You must always be on guard against other races. Do you understand?”

“What is this? That is unlike Shanti.”

“Lord Demon King, you are far too careless.”

“But Shanti.”

“Yes.”

“Do you know that dragon?”

At Sibel’s question, focus returned to Shanti’s previously vacant eyes.

“I believe so.”

“He said something about being of the same clan…. Shanti, were you a Red Dragon?”

“It means a broader kind of clan, before dividing by temperament. Do I look like such a vulgar, fire-breathing dragon to you? You cannot even recognize this pure aura of darkness.”

“Shanti, you are older than I thought. Is that why you are obsessed with your cute form?”

Shanti let out a hollow laugh at Sibel’s words.

“How do you even reach such a thought? Lord Demon King, are you not at all concerned about how he called me a traitor?”

Shanti looked Sibel straight in the eyes as he spoke. Sibel waved his hand as he opened the lid of the candy jar on the table.

“Ah, I do not care, I do not care.”

“I just told you to be on your guard.”

Shanti spoke bitterly. Sibel stared blankly at him. The sweet candy rolled around inside his mouth with a crunching sound.

“Are you saying I should be cautious of you?”

“You’ve finally put some thought into it.”

Sibel thought his mood seemed a little better as he listened to Shanti’s usual way of speaking.

Sibel answered Shanti’s words without much concern.

“No one suspects their own family.”

Shanti’s hand, which had been fumbling to cover the lid of the candy jar Sibel had left open, stopped.

“If that guy bothers you, tell me.”

“You were completely scared in front of that big body.”

“Hey! If that foot had stepped on me, I’d have been crushed to death!”

“Then what exactly are you telling me to say?”

“That was just because I was startled! Look, you, can’t you see this, my horns? I haven’t said it because it sounds like bragging, but my magic power is growing really fast, you know? This is what you call a genius! A genius!”

Sibel pointed at the horns that had grown on his forehead with his finger, his veins standing out on his neck.

“Yes, yes. Anyway, what I’m saying is, don’t just let anyone into the Demon King’s castle from now on.”

“I wasn’t the one who let them in!”

Sibel protested. In fact, it was Aizen who had caused all this. The more he thought about it, the more resentful he felt. He made the mess and then disappeared when things got dangerous.

“But it’s a relief. I was so worried that the uproar in the community would spill over into our castle.”

“I told you to cut down on that community.”

“A community isn’t something you quit. You only take a break from it.”

“It’s unbearable.”

“Come on, let’s open the sack. Even though I don’t want to seem happy about this when the castle’s in ruins, I guess I haven’t shaken off my petty side.”

Sibel lifted his shoulders as he started untying the sack. Watching him, Shanti smiled as if disarmed.

“You really are hopeless.”

And so, the short crisis of the Demon King’s castle seemed to have passed.

***

Cloton, who had teleported from the Demon King’s castle, held the struggling Kairin tightly at his side and flew up into the sky. Instead of returning at once, he intended to circle around and inspect the Demon King’s castle before going back.

While flying over the castle, Cloton felt a gaze on him from somewhere. He stopped in midair and quickly looked toward it.

‘…That one.’

A man stood leisurely atop the high spire of the Demon King’s castle.

‘An apostle of the Holy Kingdom?’

Why was a saint radiating holy power in the Demon King’s castle?

Cloton found the strange combination puzzling.

Leaning carelessly against the spire, a small monster bounced on Aizen’s shoulder. When the wind blew aside his hair, the apostle’s sharp eyes were revealed.

‘Is he wary of me?’

Cloton found it odd. An apostle blended into the Demon King’s castle naturally, yet the wary gaze was directed at a dragon, not at demons.

“What a funny place.”

Clotin found it all the more interesting, he quickly left the Demon King’s castle behind.

Aizen’s gaze followed him relentlessly until he vanished into the distance.

***

Why was a Demon King’s life never simple?

Today, Sibel reflected on the absurdity of life. The reason was the return of an uninvited guest.

“Didn’t you go home already?”

“Huh?”

The dragon Kairin appeared again in the Demon King’s castle.

“But this place is so much fun!”

“Your uncle will come back again!”

Sibel did not want to see Cloton with that ominous aura again.

“Kkyuu?”

“Stop acting cute! Don’t make sounds like that!”

“But, I came with permission.”

“You didn’t get my permission! Not mine!”

Where on earth did you get permission? Without even saying a word to the homeowner!

“Hehe, but they like me too!”

Kairin innocently ran around the yard with Sibel’s familiars. Gomdori especially liked him. Maybe because when Kairin turned into a dragon, he and the bear were about the same size.

“Oh my…”

Sibel already dreaded the scolding he would get from Shanti.

Kairin came to the Demon King’s castle as casually as if visiting a friend’s house. Was this really in line with demonkind’s code?

“I don’t know anymore.”

Whether there was one guest or two or three…. He would get tired eventually and go home.

“Fine, play. Play all you want.”

When Sibel raised the white flag in surrender, Kairin became even more excited and ran around the yard.

“Ha, this dragon’s fun to ride!”

Raccoon showed up and climbed onto the dragon’s back to play along.

Kairin was the perfect match for Raccoon, who liked rough games.

“…Don’t play, plant some trees in the garden instead.”

And so, today again, the Demon King’s castle was a peaceful mess.

***

It was around the time the repairs of the castle were nearly finished.

Kairin, who spent his days in the castle playing with the monsters, brought out something interesting.

“So… what is this?”

“A potion of truth!”

“It makes you only speak the truth, right?”

“Mm-hm, mm-hm!”

Kairin had taken it from his uncle’s lair.

“Ho, this is exciting!”

Ruru stared at the potion of truth and licked his lips with sparkling eyes.

“Why are you making such a sly face.”

Sibel grew anxious at Ruru’s intense reaction. What scheme was he plotting now?