/
Chapter 2: “It seems like I have touched someone’s horns.”
There was long-standing bad blood between Demon King Ansel and Demon King Saros.
The demon realm was vast, with the cracks across the land dividing the seven big abyss plates. And such a vast area was governed by three demon kings respectively. Gentle Breeze and Sago Palm abyss belonged to Demon King Levi of the Southern Region. The central city was Ideon City and the emblem was the [Serpent]. Frozen and Blackstone abyss belonged to Demon King Saros of the Western Region. The central city was Lust City and the emblem was the [Black Swan]. And lastly, Ashes and Floating Flower abyss belonged to Ansel. The central city was Subabienne City and the emblem was the [Iris].
The seventh abyss was put under suspension, so it didn’t belong to any of the demon kings.
The city of Subabienne led by Ansel, was the youngest city of the demon king’s kingdom, with only 300 years of history. For the demon race with a long lifespan, it was truly an infant. But what made jaws drop was the rapid development of Subabienne City. The demons lived happily, and it was all thanks to the various policies enacted by Demon King Ansel.
He was like a fearless rebel—disregarding all the unspoken rules of the demons and leading his subjects forward. Thus, it naturally aroused the hostility of the old-fashioned forces in the demon realm.
The phoenix Finni was startled by the sound of the quill breaking. He snapped out of it and promptly brought over a warm towel for Ansel to wipe off the ink on his hand, then used his wings to brush off the fragmented pieces. He raised his little crest head and saw Ansel wiping his hand while sneering.
“Is the ‘Demon King Family’ all that great, huh? He’s merely relying on his ancestors’ shade to be able to keep his demon king status for generations after generations.” Ansel sneered, “How dare he say it’s a pipe dream! I’ll definitely turn it into reality! Demon King Saros is just a person that acts on emotion. It can’t be that he still holds a grudge for losing to me in the one-on-one competition last time? Really?”
“Very likely!” Finni’s face was full of indignant righteousness, “He suffered defeat and only dared to squawk about you in the newspaper!”
And the silver-winged dragon that Demon King Saros was raising was also annoying. Finni had fought with that guy so many times already.
Ansel calmed himself down. Don’t get angry, the demon life was just like a play. Just watch as he implements the trade policy and pisses Saros off!
At the thought of this, Ansel suddenly wavered a bit.
Speaking of which, they were bound to run into each other during this time’s joint expedition…
In the next second, an ominous glint flickered in the demon’s sunset-colored vertical pupils.
They will definitely duke it out when they meet. He will remember to sharpen his weapons beforehand!
With this objective hung in the forefront, it could be said that there was an intense murderous air when Ansel handled this morning’s government affairs. It was imperative to implement the new trade regulations. Admittedly, there were older demon lords who tried to go against Ansel’s policy in order to protect their own interests. This was nothing more than using underhanded methods by going behind people’s backs. Demon kings with real power do not cower in fear.
At eleven o’clock, Vassago punctually appeared at the demon king’s office door to ask Ansel to go judge. Ansel organized the documents and stood up. Finni immediately flew onto his shoulder, looking extremely happy.
“I heard that you are going to judge an emotional affair case?” He asked pryingly. Ansel shot him a look and Finni immediately shut his little pointed beak, but his eyes were still rolling around.
“It’s just an argument between young people regarding horns,” Ansel said casually. “It won’t take long.”
* * *
Regarding his prediction of the time, Ansel suffered a slap in the face. He sat on the demon king’s royal throne with his sunset-colored vertical pupils drooping. It was unknown whether he was happy or angry; only the frequent glances at the clock showed just how much he wanted to quickly end it and go eat.
“…and that’s what happened. He touched my horn.” The young demon’s face was flushed and his voice was trembling. Ansel looked at the horns on his head—they weren’t too big, and were a kind of soft and deep sepia color like a lamb. Although his horns weren’t that big, at least they were bigger than Ansel’s horns.
As a demon king, of course, Ansel wanted a pair of grand horns on his head, but… his horns were actually a headband.
The bigger the headband, the easier it could tilt sideways.
It would be a disaster if it went askew in front of someone!
So even until now, Ansel still wore a pair of horns that were a bit small for an adult devil. Moreover, he would savagely beat up every demon that dared to laugh at his small horns.
Ansel nodded slightly, indicating that he had understood the entire situation. He then looked at the demon kneeling on the other side. This demon was taller and the horns on his head had a subtle half-turn to them, which looked very formidable.
“Do you have any objections to this entire matter?”
The demon king with black horns and white hair quietly inquired.
The lofty demon was silent for a while.
“I have no objections, it was my fault.”
Ansel turned towards the demon with lamb horns.
“Since both parties have no objections to this entire incident, you can suggest your desired punishment. Although there are no correlating laws or regulations related to horns—according to the sentencing of Subabienne City—whether it’s exile or torture, as long as there are no objections between both parties, the punishment will be executed as appropriate.”
After hearing Ansel’s words, the demon with lamb horns unexpectedly stood up in a panic.
“E-exile… It doesn’t have to be that…severe… Torture is also…”
Ansel slowly typed out a question mark1.
Since you don’t want to punish the other party, why did you apply for the ruling of the royal court?
Seeing the imposing white-haired demon king sitting on the royal throne narrowing his sunset-colored eyes, the demon with lamb horns was about to cry due to fright, and he also spoke intermittently.
“I have no intention to mess with Your Majesty! It’s just that touching the horns is very…very… It’s fine as long as he receives a punishment…” Under pressure, as if throwing caution to the wind, he actually spilled everything, “I know! I know their family came from Your Majesty’s legion. They look down on ordinary demons that do business like me, which is why they used this method to make a fool…out of me…”
Unexpectedly, the tall demon who kept his head down all this while interjected for the first time.
“I never looked down on you! Nor was I making a fool out of you!”
“How were you not?!”
If it weren’t because of the demon king’s imposingness, both of them would have probably started to quarrel in court. It seemed like Ansel had come to a realization. Behind him, Vassago lightly coughed, making Ansel affirm his judgment.
It seemed like he wasn’t here to judge, but to…
Vassago came close to him and whispered into his ear.
“Both parties’ parents have arrived.”
Ansel: “…”
As expected! He, the demon king, wasn’t here to adjudicate, but to be the witness!
“You’re indeed perceptive to be able to figure it out with one look. That act of scaring the little guy was truly a textbook-level move. This way, the parents of both parties will be grateful to you. After all, their children’s happiness matters the most,” Vassago’s mouth moved as he whispered. The people around Ansel were never stingy with the ardent praise of their wise and farsighted majesty.
Ansel watched the two young demons quarreling with a blank expression.
The young demons these days…
The white-haired demon king languidly propped his cheek. From the corner of his eye, he could already see the two young demons’ parents coming in from the side door and greeting him with respect. Ansel slightly nodded in response. The quarrel happening below was finally coming to an end.
“You are always like this! Relying on the fact that I like you, you deliberately provoke…” The demon with lamb horns wept.
The tall demon finally couldn’t hold back.
“I wasn’t deliberately provoking! It was…” He found it hard to explain. In the end, he was only able to squeeze out a few words between his teeth, “It was just…hard to hold back my feelings.”
Done.
Ansel felt refreshed. He took the lead and clapped. Both parties’ parents flocked over. The scene became a joyous ocean.
The lamb-horned demon’s tearful eyes were hazy, but the tall demon’s words made his face scalding hot. He saw his family come up, blaming him for having to reveal his feelings in the presence of the demon king. The lamb-horned demon subconsciously looked up in the direction of His Majesty the Demon King, only to see His Majesty slowly walking down the stairs of the throne while applauding, smiling lightly at him.
“Now, it seems like I don’t need to adjudicate. However, maybe I can be the witness for the wedding?”
For ordinary demons, this was a great honor. The demon with lamb horns was still giddy, so he followed his mother over to bow in thanks for His Highness’s grace. Then he turned his head and looked at the tall demon who was also surrounded by his family and was looking embarrassed.
He once again blushed.
* * *
Ansel’s lunch was delayed for more than an hour, but he received additional military support, so he was in a great mood. At the dining table, Ansel recalled the scene of the quarreling couple from just now, so he casually brought up the topic of horns.
In fact, he still couldn’t quite understand the significance of the horns for demons. After what happened, he thought that the horns were a… um, private part of the demon’s body? However, Ansel still didn’t get a strong sense of reality.
Demons are a lustful race, and they usually play a lot. This kind of horn sentiment was really strange.
“Speaking of which, it seems like I have touched someone’s horns.”
Ansel casually said while stirring the cream of the hell mushroom soup. No sooner had the words left his mouth, than he noticed that it was dead silent all around. Vassago’s fish eyes opened so wide that they seemed like they were going to pop out, Finni fell head first into the tomato sauce, and the capable head maid who always had a professional smile on her face seemed to crack.
Vassago’s fish mouth began to open and close incessantly, making bubble-spitting sounds.
“Blub blub blub… Whose…blub blub blub…did you touch?”
Ansel did not realize the seriousness of the matter. He recalled the incident.
“Seems like it was…Saros?”
After the reddish-gold feathered Finni heard this answer, he suddenly seemed like he had lost all colors, becoming ashen. His expression was completely lifeless when he looked at Ansel. It wasn’t until a long time had passed that he forced a smile.
“You’re…joking, right?”
Ansel: “…”
He shouldn’t have started this topic. In any case, he couldn’t remember very clearly. Ansel decided to just hurry and get it over with.
They only saw His Highness the Demon King nodding indifferently.
“Yes.”
“Hahaha, I just knew it! Your Highness is truly funny!” Finni came back alive from his lifeless state, and so did everyone else at the table. Ansel pulled a long face but breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.
Were horns…really that important to demons?
This thing seemed to be an unspoken common knowledge in the demon realm and a very sensitive one at that. Ansel hadn’t read the relevant contents pertaining to it in any of the books. There were only vague statements like “horns are important” and “same as an angel’s halo”. However…
As an actual angel, Ansel didn’t think the halo was very important. He even found it very annoying as it was affecting his undercover job.
Ansel: “…”
Let’s not think about it anymore.
Counting the days, it should be time to break off his aperture again tonight.
* * *
The author has something to say:
It can be considered a scum move to touch and not take responsibility for it (nods)
Ansel: ???
So horns are more important than [beep—]?