CHAPTER 35
“A birdcage? Nair, can you explain that in more detail?”
Inside the Red Castle, in Mephisto’s room, Roziana smiled gently and clasped Nair’s hands tightly.
Beaming with excitement, as if she had been waiting for the moment, Nair began to speak.
“It’s an honor for someone lowly like me to share what I know with Your Highness. Hng~!”
With a strange moan and a flushed face, Nair proudly began to explain.
“The birdcage is… ahhn! It’s His Majesty’s exclusive property. It’s where he keeps his prey.”
Prey? Roziana’s eyes widened in shock.
“But it doesn’t mean he actually traps something to eat. Hmmm~ He doesn’t literally consume it.”
Considering the demon realm, it wouldn’t be surprising if they did put living beings in cages to devour them.
“Then why call it that?”
“Because that being gives the Demon King strength—just like food would. And while it’s not actual consumption, the prey goes through an experience that feels almost identical. Aahhn! What that means is…”
Roziana quickly waved her hand to cut her off.
If she wasn’t careful, she’d end up hearing far too much about the succubus’ specialty.
“Hold on, Nair.”
Seeing Nair’s flustered, excited expression mixed with her sultry demeanor, Roziana could guess what she was about to say next.
Even if she had to enter the birdcage, she had no desire to go through whatever “experience” Nair was about to describe.
Sensing her chance, Roziana changed the subject quickly.
“So, if I’m going into this birdcage, does that mean I’m the prey?”
“Hnnng~, without a doubt! You are His Majesty’s chosen prey.”
“That far, huh?”
Ab-so-lute-ly. Nair emphasized each syllable with great energy.
The idea of being prey was already strange enough, but the word “chosen” caught Roziana’s attention.
“Chosen… So that means Mephisto actually likes me?”
Mephisto was cruel, obsessed with the Demon King’s throne, and treated lives as insignificant. The thought that such a person could have soft feelings like affection was hard to believe.
“It’s a whole different level than simply ‘liking.’ Aahhn~ His Majesty is drawn to everything about his prey and reacts to it all.”
“Drawn to everything? Reacts to everything?”
It sounded like the prey had something essential that the Demon King needed.
Does Mephisto require something to become the Demon King?
Now that made more sense.
Someone like him needing another for a reason, not out of affection, fit better with his personality.
“It’s because the prey holds the power the Demon Realm desires. Huuu~!”
I knew it!
It was the answer Roziana expected. She clenched her fist tightly.
Graham had coveted her ever since she was born. Mephisto must also be attracted to whatever divine power or essence she possessed.
The Holy Kingdom wanted my divine power and the existence of the Saintess. Then the power Mephisto and the Demon Realm want from me must be…
It couldn’t be divine power.
“Because you carry that power, Your Highness resonated with both the Demon Realm and His Majesty.”
Could it be the dragon’s power? Or…
Maybe it was because of her witch’s power?
That could be it.
Until now, Roziana had felt like she was groping in the dark.
Her sisters’ deaths. The fall of the previous Demon King, Beelzebub.
Mephisto’s decision to bring her to the Demon Realm.
Asterios’s hidden identity and secret protection.
Finally, everything began to connect. The blindfold was coming off.
No matter how I look at it, this is all connected to me being a witch.
The thoughts that had always been cut off, as if someone were blocking them, were finally flowing in the Demon Realm. Meanwhile, Nair continued to explain eagerly.
“Aahhn~ Being prey is essentially the same as attracting the Demon Realm and its ruler. Because they want to become one.”
A thoroughly demon-centric perspective.
“Huh? But I never tried to attract anyone.”
“Ayyy~ That power resonates with the ruler of the Demon Realm from the moment you were born. And the realm itself can sense that power and seeks it out.”
A flood of unexpected information.
“That’s why the Demon King’s prey is also called his bride. Hnnn~.”
His bride?
That doesn’t sound like a word that fits Mephisto at all…
“The Demon King needs both his prey and his bride. Haa~ Through her, his power is finally completed. Once inside the birdcage, the prey realizes her instincts and role.”
Now the birdcage’s true purpose was finally revealed.
“Then Your Highness too will come to joyfully become one with His Majesty…”
“Wait, wait!”
Realize what, exactly?
“You mean I’ll know my instincts and role?”
“Yes. As the Demon King’s prey, you pass your power to him and fulfill your duty as his bride.”
Nair blushed as if it were happening to her.
“My duty… Wait. You don’t mean—”
“Of course, that includes all the responsibilities of a mate, including reproduction. Huuu~.”
Roziana’s jaw dropped in shock.
She didn’t want to believe what she was hearing.
“So you’re saying I’m supposed to be Mephisto’s bride??”
“Hnnn! You understand so well, my bride!”
“Who said that was okay??”
Nair had already switched from calling her “Princess” to “Bride,” her eyes gleaming suggestively.
At the same time, Roziana had been fully dressed in an elegant and beautiful outfit.
“That is fate, Your Highness. Haa~ It cannot be avoided. Even the previous Demon King, Beelzebub, discovered his prey, whether it was a fairy or a witch.”
Just as Roziana was still reeling, another shock hit her like lightning.
Her face went blank.
“A… A witch?”
There were only five witches in existence.
Her four older sisters and herself—once known as Erica.
“There was a witch among Beelzebub’s prey…?”
She couldn’t stop her voice from trembling.
Could it be that one of her sisters was chosen as Beelzebub’s prey?
Was that why they entered the Demon Realm… and died?
If not, then…!
Her heart raced wildly.
She could barely breathe standing still.
If Nair’s words were true and a witch had indeed been Beelzebub’s bride—who was it?
“Ohho~ Interested, are we? As it happens, there’s a portrait of the former Demon King and his bride near the birdcage. Hnnn~ Would you like to see it?”
Drawn by Nair’s hand, Roziana, now dressed in a flowing white gown, began to walk.
“Where’s the birdcage?”
[It’s in the innermost room at the end of this hallway.]
Having arrived at the Demon King’s castle, Asterios followed Nox’s telepathic directions, taking a shortcut to approach the birdcage.
Thanks to this, he avoided unnecessary battles deep within a realm teeming with demons and dark sorcerers.
The castle’s defenses were tighter than expected.
“Clever bastard.”
The demon army Mephisto had raised was quite organized. Establishing hierarchies and reigning over them—it was clear Mephisto was no ordinary demon.
[He eliminated every demon who opposed him to ensure no one would attack from within.]
“That sounds exactly like something Mephisto would do. Then this entire force must be to fend off intruders—or prepare for invasion.”
[If a new Demon King is born, attacking the middle or heavenly realms is to be expected.]
A new Demon King must assert their power and presence to cement their reign.
[It seems he planned to strike right after acquiring his bride.]
Asterios gave a quiet nod.
The condition for becoming the Demon King—a bride.
Mephisto intended to marry Roziana, gain the power of the Demon Realm and its people, and thus claim the throne.
Just as Beelzebub had married an elven princess to become Demon King.
A Demon King’s power directly sustained the lives of monsters, so this was a destiny he could not ignore.
Finding a partner who possessed the needed power was part of that destiny.
However, the Demon King’s bride was almost always fated to die.
Her power would be drained completely, leaving only an empty shell to perish.
Thus, to be chosen as the Demon King’s prey and bride was essentially a death sentence.
A sacrifice offered to the Demon King and the Demon Realm.
To dare give her such a disgusting title…
The urge to burn everything and wipe out every demon alive surged within him.
If he’s even touched a single hair on her…
He would make sure Mephisto and the Demon Realm faced utter ruin.
[There’s movement.]
At that moment, voices could be heard from within the room.
“She is to be my bride—treat her with the utmost care.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Your Majesty, this way to prepare…”
Mephisto exited the room with his servants.
As the door opened and closed briefly, Asterios took a swift glance inside.
Inside were three demon maids and eight battle-type monsters.
Including the ones guarding the hallway, there were easily over twenty.
And in one corner of the room, part of the birdcage could be seen.
As well as the edge of a white dress inside it.
A white dress?
Had they dressed her in a wedding gown?
The hem of that dress—it could very well belong to Roziana.
Rage boiled in his veins. His head turned icy cold.
Of course, he had no intention of leaving things as they were.
But Asterios forcibly suppressed his burning fury and thought to himself:
…Something’s not right.
