CH 21

“Demons have existed for thousands of years. Co-existing with humans. The devil feeds on evil energy. It’s like growing up on human hatred and resentment. And then.”

“And then?”

“Human beings fell in love with demons. It was originally forbidden. What humans and demons love? Coexistence is allowed, but love is not allowed in the world. It is said that those who are possessed by demons die without even bones left.”

“If that’s true, Charlize, isn’t she in a very dangerous situation?”

“She indeed is in a dangerous situation. I may not be able to keep what is written in Mother’s will.”

“That’s a big deal. You damn Charlize! You can only make big accidents happen.”

In Jeremy’s lament, Eugene continued to talk about the past again.

“So, more and more things happen between humans and demons. There are even demons that got entangled with the Imperial family. The war that took place like that was the first Demon War.”

“I think I heard it in Academy History class a long time ago.”

“But humans were still possessed by demons. The saint who was sent to purify the world was also tainted by demons.”

“…….”

“Our mother died because of the devil, too. It’s because she signed a contract with the devil. People are saying that she just died of illness, but that’s not true. Our mother was possessed to death by the devil. Knowing that, our father tried to protect our mother, but was killed by the devil.”

“…then both Mother and Father were killed by the devil?”

Jeremy’s facial muscles trembled slightly at the unfamiliar story he heard for the first time.

“I couldn’t tell you because I thought you’d go crazy if I told you the truth, Jeremy.”

Jeremy didn’t budge at Eugene’s cold tone.

He just thought that the world he knew was very small.

Eugene put his hand on Jeremy’s shoulder as the expression of Jeremy being shocked. And he opened his mouth and said in a low voice.

“Jeremy, you don’t want to lose her like Mother and Father, do you?”

“… of course. I’m going to protect Charlize from that demon cub somehow.”

“To do that, we need Demon Hunters.”

“Demon Hunters? So the great devil who stays next to Charlize can be hunted? Brother Eugene, it’s a great plan!”

Jeremy asked Eugene again with a bright face, wanting to get rid of the monster cub next to Charlize.

But no answer came back.

Jeremy thought this was strange and asked Eugene again.

“Brother Eugene? Why aren’t you answering me? Huh? Could it be that the Demon Hunters can’t get rid of that demon cub next to Charlize…?”

“Even if I called a Demon Hunter, they may not be able to hunt the great devil that Charlize has. Because he’s called the King of Demons.”

“…ha!”

Jeremy sat down to Eugene’s vain answer.

‘Charlize, why do you keep making my heart fall into the abyss?’

Jeremy gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.

He can’t give up on Charlize like his mother or father like this.

Jeremy struggled to get on his legs and declared to Eugene.

“Brother Eugene, I’m going to kill that devil.”

Eugene nodded to Jeremy’s reaction, which came out stronger than expected.

He meant do as you please.

Jeremy’s eyes were filled with venom when he got the permission.

It was a sign that evil energy was gradually rising.

“Brother Eugene, weren’t you going to Charlize?”

“I don’t want to force myself to go. I don’t know what the devil will do.”

“First, I think we should call the Demon Hunters and go find them.”

“Why?”

“Let’s aim for a shot. I think we’d better go after secretly gathering strong Demon Hunters.”

“It’s also hard to recruit Demon Hunters. They tend not to show themselves.”

“That’s why let’s wait some time. I don’t think Charlize, as we know her, will be easily killed by the devil anyway.”

Eugene, who was strangely persuaded by Jeremy’s persuasion, answered with a slow nod.

“…I might as well do that. Charlize is not the one who will die soon.”

“That’s what you think of Charlize, don’t you? So let’s proceed step by step. It’s because I don’t think we’ll be able to do anything if we take action too quickly.”

“Staying by Your Majesty’s side made you a bit smarter right, Jeremy?”

“Just a bit.”

Because I don’t want to lose Charlize in vain.

Jeremy couldn’t bring up his inner words. This is because Eugene might be worried that Charlize had stained him after hearing what he said.

***

Meanwhile, Charlize was sharing her evil energy with Lua in the room.

Lua was sucking up the energy of hers after sinking his two sharp fangs in the neck of Charlize.

Charlize was indifferently giving Lua her evil energy as if she felt no pain.

Lua’s gray eyes glanced at Charlize’s side face. He was just amazed that she didn’t make a sound of pain.

Ordinary humans didn’t prefer to let the demons have their evil energy like this.

The sound of heavy breathing and painful cries still seem to be heard vividly, but Charlize does not do so like other humans. So Lua thought for a moment whether she was really a human being.

“Are you done eating? Please finish eating quickly, it’s because this posture is uncomfortable. Lie down-“

Lua quickly pulled his fangs out of Charlize as if he had been caught thinking about something else.

Then he waved his hands in the air and cut off the end of Charlize’s words.

“I’m done eating. It’s all right, Charlize.”

“Really? Didn’t you say that ordinary people faint if Lua eats a lot?”

“I know, is it because Charlize is filled with evil energy? Usually, if I consume too much evil energy from humans, they either faint or die.”

Charlize shrugged regardless of Lua’s frightening answer.

“I have so many grudges in this world. I guess that’s why a lot of evil energy has been built up.”

“……It’s not a good thing that humans have a lot of evil energy, Charlize.”

Charlize adjusted her clothes and smiled at Lua and answered.

“I gave up being human. I want to live like a monster. That’s better.”

I don’t think it’s right to live a normal life.

Charlize omitted the last sentence.

This is because she thought it would be right for her to live like this, being treated so poorly, pretending to be the only villain in a reverse harem game.

She felt like Lua would leave her even if she told him the truth.

Charlize was going to take it to her grave that she wasn’t really Charlize.

Lua tilted his head as he stared at Charlize, who was smiling like a doll.

There was a sense of difference.

Like she wasn’t a normal human being.

***

Harrison, the Emperor of the Evansky Empire, was about to go to war with the Kingdom of Oran.

Because the King of Oran offended Harrison.

‘If he had listened to my conditions in a good way, I wouldn’t have done this. Why is Charlize and this King so stubborn? I’m annoyed.’

The Kingdom of Oran was a famous kingdom that made a name for itself as a trading country for its vast mana stone mines.

But the Kingdom of Oran rejected quite good terms for the Evansky Empire. Not only this, but it was also interacting with countries that had cut ties with the Evansky Empire.

It meant that they perceived the Evansky Empire as an enemy.

Harrison remembered his condition for a moment.

‘100 billion gold coins every month, and free entry to mana stone mine at will. I don’t think there’s a country that would be so generous. Why did he say no? Did he refuse because he wanted to die?’

Harrison smiled grimly. He was ready to go to war.

Harrison has been under a lot of stress lately because of Charlize.

He felt a little good to have someone to relieve that stress.

Very little.

Harrison left a letter to Charlize and left for the battlefield.

The letter was delivered to Charlize.

Charlize, who was spending as boring days as ever, opened the door directly to the voice of a maid over the door.

When Charlize opened the door and asked, the maid quickly bowed her head and handed Harrison’s letter.

“Miss Charlize, His Majesty has sent you a letter.”

“Really? Thank you.”

“Well, then, I’ll go then. My lady.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

The maid, who was usually scared of Charlize, ran away without even raising her head.

Charlize stared at the letter as if she could not see the maid fleeing. Holding it with her fingertips and fluttering in the air.