“How is that possible? After all, the other party is the Demon King.” Ellyad looked at Thrett in disbelief. No matter what, the Demon King was invincible. How could he just say something like, “Alright, from now on, I won’t kill anyone,” because of a few words? Most likely, saying such a thing would result in instant annihilation.
“Well, actually, I’m quite familiar with the Demon King! I can guarantee he won’t do anything to you.” Thrett confidently patted his chest and assured.
“But I don’t know where the Demon King’s castle is.” Ellyad replied.
“I can take responsibility for guiding the way, and if the Demon King really wants to fight you, I’ll stand by your side to protect you,” Thrett said confidently.
Ellyad was left somewhat speechless. It seemed like no matter how monumental the matter, it sounded trivial when coming from this person’s mouth.
“What do you think?”
“I think it’s a far-fetched idea, but we can give it a try,” Ellyad said, despite realizing that this plan lacked practicality. However, looking at Thrett’s unwavering confidence, Ellyad found himself indirectly gaining the strength to believe in it. The tension that had been gripping his every nerve started to loosen, and his expression softened.
Seeing this, Thrett reached out and ruffled Ellyad’s hair haphazardly, saying, “You finally stopped frowning.”
“Hm?”
“You always subconsciously furrow your brow, don’t you? Doesn’t it get tiring here?” Thrett poked Ellyad’s forehead.
“I hadn’t thought about it that much… but please, stop poking,” Ellyad shyly waved away Thrett’s index finger. However, Thrett was feeling rather carefree and continued playing with Ellyad’s unruly flaxen short hair.
“Your eye color is quite beautiful, isn’t it?” Thrett rudely pushed aside the bangs that were obstructing Ellyad’s vision and said with a smile, “It’s the color of autumn rice fields.”
It was the first time someone had described his eye color like that, and Ellyad felt somewhat at a loss. He mumbled a quiet “thank you” while once again shooing away Thrett’s annoying hand.
—
The Pink God of Love Descends
—
It has been raining heavily since last night, and Ellyad suggested resting at an inn for the night.
After leaving the town of Rolen, Thrett and Ellyad continued their journey westward. It was currently the season when autumn transitions into winter, and usually, they could camp outdoors, but rainy days like this would make them susceptible to catching a cold. In a few weeks, as they officially entered winter, they would have to visit inns more frequently.
In the early morning, the two of them sat across from each other in a corner of the inn’s dining area. Thrett casually crossed his long legs, leaning back in his chair, looking disinterestedly at the meal on the table.
Breakfast was provided by the inn, consisting of simple fare like bacon, dry bread, and vegetable soup. It might be modest, but it was better than nothing, and the hot food was quite delicious.
“Aren’t you eating?” Ellyad quietly enjoyed his breakfast and noticed that Thrett hadn’t touched his food. He asked in a concise manner.
During the past few days, while spending time with Ellyad, Thrett noticed that Ellyad wasn’t one to initiate conversations. Their dialogues were typically led by Thrett, with Ellyad occasionally responding with a sentence or two. However, despite his reserved nature, Ellyad paid close attention to what Thrett was saying.
“Demonkind doesn’t need to eat every day; we usually just consume the food we enjoy,” Thrett mentioned. In reality, he wasn’t entirely sure if demons could truly go without daily meals, and he was using it as an excuse for his own refusal to eat. After all, he couldn’t remember the last time he had eaten anything.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“To put it simply, I’m an extremely picky eater,” Thrett explained.
“Ktja wjxfr rfcrf, rb P qgbyjyis kbc’a fja atlr. Gb sbe kjca la?”
Siisjv cbvvfv, atfc mbcalcefv klat tlr ygfjxojra. Vevvfcis, tf ibbxfv eq, tfrlajafv, jcv jrxfv, “Vb…?”
“Ft-tet?”
“Qtja vbfr Zg. Ktgfaa ilxf ab fja?”
“Vabq klat atf ‘Zlrafg’ jigfjvs, la rbecvr rb jkxkjgv ktfc sbe mjii wf atja.”
“Okay, then what does Thrett like to eat?”
“I’ve never really thought about it, and I don’t have any particular memories of liking something in particular.”
“I see.” It seemed like he wouldn’t get an answer, so Ellyad didn’t press further.
“Uh-huh?”
“What does Mr. Thrett like to eat?”
“Stop with the ‘Mister’ already, it sounds so awkward when you call me that.”
“Okay, then what does Thrett like to eat?”
“I’ve never really thought about it, and I don’t have any particular memories of liking something in particular.”
“I see.” It seemed like he wouldn’t get an answer, so Ellyad didn’t press further.
After a brief silence, Thrett asked Ellyad, who was on his second breakfast, “What are your plans for the day?”
“I’m going to the market to buy some things, and then I’ll head towards the western city gate of this city, continuing in the direction of the Emerald Kingdom.”
They were currently in the eastern region of the Sipistole Continent, and the Demon King’s Castle was in the far west, separated by the continent’s central river, the main branch of the Ossinith River. As they only needed to head west for now, Thrett left the decision on the route to Ellyad.
“What are you buying?” Thrett inquired.
Ellyad looked away and replied, “Nothing much.”
Thrett didn’t press for further details, as it seemed Ellyad wasn’t eager to share.
Afternoon, the rain has finally stopped, and the sun is breaking through the clouds. Walking on the muddy ground isn’t very comfortable, especially in this bustling marketplace.
The two walked side by side. Thrett was taller than the average man, and Ellyad’s stature was similar. Their equal height created an unexpected sense of familiarity. Whenever one turned, they could easily meet each other’s gaze.
“Thrett,” Ellyad said as they walked.
“Alright.”
Thrett tilted his head.
“Before this, have you always traveled alone?”
“Not always. I occasionally met interesting humans, and we naturally decided to travel together,” Thrett thought for a moment. It had been several months since he left the palace, and he had indeed traveled with humans at times.
“And then?”
“After a while, I would get tired of it and leave. After all, demons aren’t really suited for group activities.”
—
As Thrett stood waiting by the wall, he suddenly heard a young and high-pitched female voice behind him, shouting, “What do you think you’re doing, you stinky guy? Pervert! Lecher! Idiot! Sewer rat!”
Startled by the sudden outburst, he turned around to see a girl who couldn’t have been more than ten years old, her face contorted with anger as she continued to berate him.
“I see.”
“Who’s that last insult directed at?” Thrett turned around to find a vibrant and youthful girl with long platinum hair that cascaded down to her calves.
She was dressed in a bright red short dress that highlighted her fair skin. Despite her petite stature, she glared at Thrett with wide hazel eyes filled with indignation.
“Of course, I’m insulting you! You fraudulent Demon King!”
As soon as he heard the words “Demon King,” Thrett was taken aback, and he quickly covered the girl’s mouth and pulled her into a nearby alley.
“How did you know I’m the Demon King?” He asked, trying to keep his voice low. With his seals and disguise, ordinary people shouldn’t be able to recognize him.
“Don’t touch me, you’re filthy! Of course, I know that. I can recognize the feel of a Demon King from a mile away,” the girl boasted with great pride.
“Are you a relative of my pet or something?” Thrett found the girl’s proud gestures and her way of speaking quite familiar, almost identical to the elf in the castle.
“How would I know what kind of pet you have at home? Besides, I could never have relatives! Listen up, I’m the renowned ‘Lena, the Blood Rose Goddess’ Possession Elf!”
“Oh, so you are related,” Thrett suddenly realized, nodding in understanding. It seemed that Possession Elves had this kind of attitude wherever they went, which was why this elf felt so familiar to him.
“I told you, Possession Elves can’t have relatives!”
“I get it now, you’re that ‘What’s-Her-Name Pink Love Goddess,’ right? The one whose sword I saw before, the crimson broadsword that slayed twenty-seven Demon Kings throughout history.”
“Who’s the ‘What’s-Her-Name Pink Love Goddess’? That’s too much! I have the illustrious title of ‘Elena, the Blood Red Goddess,’ okay! Be careful, or I might just have to cleave you, you foolish demon!”
Even though there was no real enmity between them at the moment, Thrett’s instinct was indeed to want to destroy that sword. With the Possession Elf right in front of him, he wouldn’t pass up the chance to tease her.
“So, what’s your plan for suddenly showing up in front of this Demon King?” Thrett crossed his arms and asked with an intentionally haughty tone.
“I-I came to settle the score with you, of course! Why don’t you just stay in your Demon King’s castle, wash your neck clean, and wait for us to come and behead you? Instead, you’re here with the Hero, and you’ve even deceived him into going to the Demon King’s castle. You must have ulterior motives! You pervert! Deviant! Idiot! Sewer rat!” While initially overwhelmed by the Demon King’s presence, the elven girl still tried to raise her voice in anger.
“Your vocabulary for insults is really quite limited, isn’t it?” It seemed she was indeed a bit different from his own elf, as Queen Lily was more prone to cursing people in an unrecognizable fashion, often involving anatomical references, and she always began and ended with greetings to one’s ancestors.
“You don’t need to worry so much! What I’m saying is about our hero, and I absolutely won’t allow you to toy with him anym—
“His name is Ell, Ellyad.”
“I won’t acknowledge that. You must have gotten that name from him!”
“Strictly speaking, it was an exchange.”
“Anyway, what I’m saying is, you must not get clos—
“Strange, I seem to have lost track of Ell.” Thrett had been standing here with the elf for a while, and Ell had already disappeared into the nearby stalls.
“Hey, listen to me, let me finish!”
“Wait a moment, first be quiet, Pink Love Goddess.” Thrett pressed down on the elf’s head with one hand.
“Don’t call me Pink Love Goddess; I have a name too!”
“Isn’t it just Pink Love Goddess? Alright, be quiet.” Finally, with a commanding tone, Thrett stopped the elf, and then he began to focus on searching for Ellyad’s figure in the sea of people.
“I’m called Lena,” the elf said softly, sounding a bit pitiful. Once the Demon King dropped his playful demeanor, a solemn air followed, and no one would be foolish enough to resist it.
“There he is.” Thrett finally spotted a young man wearing a drab-colored windbreaker, a gray scarf, holding a rather large paper bag in his arms in the midst of the bustling crowd.
However, Ell appeared to be in a great hurry, nervously weaving through the crowd, occasionally bumping into people and receiving annoyed glances.
“Did he lose his wallet?” Seeing how he was running around frantically and sweating profusely, it seemed to be quite urgent. Thrett was about to push through the crowd to stop Ell, but Lena suddenly kicked Thrett’s ankle.
“…”
“What’s the matter?” He turned to ask, and the elf had an annoyed expression.
“As the Sword of the Hero, I don’t want to admit that kid as a hero. He always talks about being soft on the demon race, being treated that way by people, then being deceived by you, the fraud demon king. Now, even this… it makes me so angry!”
“What are you talking about?” Thrett couldn’t understand what she was saying. Why was he treated like that one moment and then like this the next?
Lena stomped her foot and yelled, “That kid isn’t looking for his wallet; he’s looking for you! He must have thought you left him behind, so he’s nervously searching for you! Can’t you see even this?”
“Ah?” Thrett looked in Ell’s direction again. The frantic figure did indeed seem to be looking for someone, and was he the one they were looking for?
Threat doesn’t understand 😔
*Thrett. Auto correct is a pain
It happens to me alot aswell 😭 I keep having to correct Threat as Thrett
Thank you for the chapter (´,,•ω•,,)
ˁ•ᴗ•ˀつ～ 💞