Free Web NovelDorian was looking around the dungeon.
Ah, as expected, he's doing well.
Destroying a dungeon was easy.
All he had to do was gather every demon and send them in at once.
Demons were a race that envied and hated one another, acting selfishly to satisfy their own greed. In that case, Dorian would have to command them personally.
But Dorian did not want to destroy the dungeon.
He merely wanted to give the Hero a trial.
Dorian issued an order to the mamool, and that order spread gradually.
The first to respond were the mamool near the dungeon.
He already knew they would not cooperate with one another.
Would mamool ever engage in something as noble as "cooperation"?
Such a virtue did not exist within those wicked creatures.
As he watched them greedily rush forward and get picked off one by one, Dorian pondered something else.
How should I kill my second regular customer?
Crossing dimensions was difficult, even with collaborators in the Middle Realm.
The wicked races could not display even a tenth of the power they possessed in the Demon Realm while in the Middle Realm.
Perhaps it was only natural that a Demon Archduke could be slain so easily despite its fearsome reputation.
Demons looked down on humans as insects.
Whenever they encountered a human capable of displaying power beyond that of an insect, they often became flustered.
Just like the demons who had once hunted Dorian long ago.
The only place where demons could use their full power in the Middle Realm was the vicinity of the Demon King's Castle.
He could have covered the continent in demonic energy and transformed it into another Demon Realm.
But Dorian had never done that.
He did not want the Middle Realm to be irreparably ruined.
What would be the point if the Hero died before the seed of talent within him could fully bloom?
By granting the title of Archduke to four demons who had distinguished themselves during the conquest of the Middle Realm, Dorian had restricted the authority of all the others.
The demons who received the rank of Archduke possessed absolute freedom within their own territories.
He had allowed them to enjoy the status of Demon King they desired, at least within their domains.
Those who reached the highest position often developed a peculiar habit.
They could not tolerate anyone but themselves enjoying freedom.
The four Demon Archdukes behaved exactly as Dorian had expected.
They did not seek to exterminate the slaves.
After all, if they wanted laborers to exploit and occasional "special meals" to enjoy, their numbers needed to remain above a certain level.
Dorian slowly wandered through the Middle Realm, waiting for heroes to emerge among the races managed in this manner.
Keith Moore had been one of those heroes.
A hero who grew up within the Vatican controlled by a Demon Archduke, then killed that very Archduke and won his freedom.
A more dazzling existence had appeared and stolen Dorian's heart since then.
But before that happened, Keith had unquestionably been the person who interested him most.
A faithful knight worthy of the title Agent of God.
Dorian liked him.
He had watched him for a very long time.
That was why he knew that with proper support, Keith could unleash tremendously destructive power.
Inside the dungeon, Keith could receive more support than anyone could ask for.
To capture him, one would either need overwhelming power capable of ignoring all of that support...
...or lure him outside the dungeon.
He had to isolate him.
But how?
The first option risked involving Ian as well.
Rejected.
The second had the problem that Keith himself refused to leave Ian's side.
This is troublesome.
"Your Majesty... you seem deeply troubled. If you would only give the order, I stand ready to lay all things in the world at Your Majesty's feet."
A demon that always appeared whenever temptation entered his heart whispered into his ear.
The Demon of Greed, Gula.
"You truly never know when to give up."
"It is only because my loyalty toward Your Majesty never runs dry..."
Gula bowed at Dorian's feet.
"Keith Moore will be leaving the dungeon soon."
Dorian paused.
Keeping his head lowered to the floor, Gula smiled slyly.
"...And the one Your Majesty desires will soon find his way into Your Majesty's embrace as well."
"Gula."
"Yes, Your Majesty?"
Gula replied in a sweet voice.
Dorian smiled at him.
"You were always a foolish child. But you were quick to notice things."
Gula carefully observed his master's mood.
Was he angry because Gula had overstepped his bounds?
It did not seem so.
"Go to the castle and prepare to receive a guest. Do a good job, and I'll reward you."
"Ah...! Your Majesty, it is an honor."
Gula dissolved into smoke and disappeared.
Other demons foolishly dreamed of overthrowing the Demon King and taking his throne for themselves.
He did not.
His goal was to receive the Demon King's favor and obtain even the smallest additional fragment of his power.
Kill the Demon King?
Had he ever seen a single demon succeed in such a thing?
What foolish creatures.
If it would earn him power, Gula would gladly lick the Demon King's feet.
And when the Demon King let his guard down...
Gula would devour him in an instant.
Dorian never even glanced at the place where Gula had vanished.
The greed of demons never changed.
Their true intentions were so obvious he could read them without effort.
And Gula was far from the only demon like that.
I've lived far too long.
Everything was boring.
Dorian felt sleepy.
Then an elemental woke him.
"He came out? ...My second regular customer?"
Dorian shared the elemental's vision.
A hidden door within the dungeon opened.
From it emerged a Holy Knight in armor, riding a horse.
His helmet was raised, exposing his face.
Dorian recognized him immediately.
The very regular customer who had been occupying his thoughts.
Surprisingly, what Gula had said moments ago was true.
After staring at the dungeon briefly, the second regular customer urged his horse forward as though casting aside his lingering attachment.
A single location was marked in red on the map he had unfolded.
The Demon King's Castle.
Ah...?
He rode down the forest path.
Dorian decided this was the moment.
For reasons he did not understand, the second regular customer had departed alone for the Demon King's Castle.
Dorian could kill the Hero's lover right now.
Ian's lover.
"Aah, aaaahhh...!"
"Aaaagh!"
Suddenly, an echo from the distant past rang in Dorian's ears.
Back then, Dorian's chest had hurt so badly it felt as though it would tear apart.
He had believed he had to do something.
That he had to kill that evil dragon.
That it was the only thing he could do.
My first regular customer would hate me just the same.
Dorian could imagine Ian hating him.
Unable to spare a thought for anything else.
Thinking only of Dorian.
Burning away his will and his life.
That was exactly what Dorian wanted.
But—
Where is he?
Dorian could not imagine Ian willingly allowing his lover to leave alone.
If he had known Keith Moore intended to go to the Demon King's Castle, Ian would have done everything possible to stop him and change his lover's mind.
Before he realized it, Dorian had started walking.
An elemental drifting through the dungeon guided him toward the temple.
The elemental stopped at the entrance and shook its head.
"Mm."
Dorian rubbed the elemental's cheek and stepped inside.
Dark bruises spread across his skin as though it were rotting away, but he continued upward.
His body, destroyed by holy power, reconstructed itself while leaking demonic energy throughout the corridors.
As breathing became easier for Dorian, the temple gradually lost its radiance.
Drawn onward as if possessed, he finally found the person he had been looking for.
Ian was trapped in a prison by his own lover, trembling with rage.
Dorian could understand that feeling as well.
He too had once been betrayed by people precious to him.
But that had happened far too long ago.
Instead of feeling sorrow, Dorian broke into a bright smile.
He was happy to see Ian again.
The next moment, he realized his mistake.
A Hero sensitive to demonic energy would immediately sense the evil aura flowing from him.
He hurriedly suppressed it, but the demonic energy he had been releasing moments earlier could not vanish instantly.
Dorian tensed.
Yet Ian showed no wariness toward him.
He only asked to be let out.
"Open this door."
He could not sense Dorian's demonic energy.
Dorian noticed the bruises covering Ian's skin.
Even the trembling of his muscles.
There were scratches around his neck, as though he had clawed at himself.
Blood was visible beneath the wounds.
It looked as though he had tried to rip off the pearl necklace around his neck through sheer force.
Dorian recognized the necklace.
Fairy Queen's Necklace.
Ian was helpless.
Dorian could do whatever he wanted with him.
...Whatever I want?
But what would he ever do to a Hero?
A helpless Hero was a pitiable thing.
Someone he ought to help—
Or not?
Wasn't this a trial as well?
Shouldn't he leave Ian exactly as he was?
But Ian was staring directly at him.
Before he knew it, his body moved on its own.
He released Ian from behind the bars.
Huh? Why did I do that?
The question briefly occurred to him, but he did not dwell on it.
Dorian had spent his entire life nurturing Heroes.
If a Hero standing before him asked for help, wasn't helping the natural thing to do?
Then that Hero grabbed him by the collar.
"I save your life and this is how you repay me? Running off after stabbing me in the back?"
"Eh!?"
Dorian jumped in surprise.
Ian's scent washed over him.
He barely heard the words.
My Hero is far too bold.
Wasn't this much too close?
His heart pounded.
His insides twisted with a strange sensation.
Looks like he still hasn't kicked the habit of seducing everyone he meets.
I knew something was wrong from the moment he touched my ears and gave me his hair.
And now he's stealing the soul of some innocent elf all over again.
Even I know exactly what kind of person Ian is, and yet I'm affected this much.
How much worse would it be for someone who knew nothing about him?
"Don't you know debts collect interest? You're paying back the value of my life with double the interest."
"I'll repay it."
