TSMFTDG 10

Episode 10 
❖ ❖ ❖

These days, my mood has been all over the place.
One moment I’m happy because of something Rian says or does, and the next I’m sinking to the floor. It’s getting ridiculous.

I don’t think I was even this bad when I played the game.

Even after finishing an awkward meal with Rian and returning to my office, I couldn’t shake thoughts of him.

“Did I take this too lightly?”

In a game, capturing a character’s heart isn’t that hard. There’s usually a guide route, and honestly—there’s nothing you can’t do with enough money.

But this… this wasn’t that simple.
I mean, money isn’t even working here!

“I should’ve experienced romance at least once in my life.”

…Romance, huh. Did that even exist for me?

Forget dating—I’ve never really been interested in people in general.
The only person I could even call a friend was [Poopface]. And even that happened because he clung to me first, not the other way around.

“This is hard…”

I’d never thought deeply about relationships before. Now that I’m the one trying to reach out, I feel like I’m acting before thinking.

With a sigh, I summoned the system window.

“System.”

SYSTEM: Please state your command.

“When are you giving me the next quest?”

It had already been three days since the demon council. I’d been so preoccupied with Rian’s affection level that I’d completely forgotten about quests.

SYSTEM: Quests will appear at the appropriate time based on your progress.

“…Right.”

So, I hadn’t progressed enough for the next quest.
I wanted to advance quickly, but I couldn’t, and that just made me more impatient.

Why is this game so slow?
A real gamer rushes the story straight to the ending on launch day, right?

“Oh, and one more thing.”

SYSTEM: Please state your command.

“It’s about Terio’s affection level—”

“Your Majesty!”

Someone shouted urgently from outside the office. I shut down the system window and sighed.

“Come in.”

The door opened slowly, and in stepped one of the monsters I’d seen in the audience chamber before. She had white ears and a fluffy tail—apparently a fox-type demon.

“Um… excuse me…”

So bold when she called out to me, yet now she couldn’t even meet my eyes, fidgeting anxiously.

Seeing that reminded me again of how these demons viewed their ruler, Rehel.

Someone too terrifying to even look in the eye or speak to without trembling—
an existence that ruled over their world absolutely.

“If you have nothing to say, leave. I’m tired right now.”

Maybe it was because I hadn’t been sleeping well lately.
As I pressed my eyelids with my fingers, she hurriedly spoke up.

“Actually… there’s chaos in the training grounds. Someone’s insisting on sparring with the human hero. I thought Your Majesty should know.”

“…Understood. I’ll check it out myself. You may go.”

“Yes…”

She bowed and quickly left. Once silence returned, I leaned back in my chair with a deep sigh.

“Can’t they just get along?”

I knew how much demons despised humans—and that they hated the human hero even more.

But to me, Rian was precious. I wished the demons in my castle could open their hearts to him, even just a little.

I racked my brain for a good solution, but in the end, came up with nothing.

“At least I’ll see what’s going on first.”

With that casual thought, I headed toward the training grounds—only for my expression to harden the moment I arrived.

“What the hell is going on here?”

❖ ❖ ❖

The sight inside was chaos.
Two training swords were cleanly snapped in half, and one broken blade was even stuck in the wall.

One of my subordinates had a scratch on her cheek, while Rian was holding someone in his arms—
his own arm bleeding freely, drops of blood splattering the floor.

“……”

Why am I so angry?

Because my subordinates ignored my order not to touch Rian?
Or because one of my demons was injured?

No. That wasn’t it.

I approached the dazed demon, gently brushing her wounded cheek.

“You’re hurt.”

“T-This much is nothing, my lord!”

No—the anger was at myself.
Because even in this situation, I couldn’t bring myself to go to him first.

No matter how much I liked Rian, there was a wall between us I couldn’t cross.

I was the Demon Lord—ruler over monsters.
He was the human hero—destined to slay them.

“Better treat it before it scars.”

“I’ll see the physician right away. Please don’t worry, my lord.”

At my concern, the demon blushed and smiled as if my words were a blessing.
The “physician” she mentioned was my personal doctor who worked in the castle.

“Good.”

As I withdrew my hand, I glanced around again.
Rian had already released the person he’d been holding and was pressing his wound with his hand.

“I’ll leave the cleanup to you all.”

“Yes, my lord!”

The demons bowed deeply.

“You—human. Come with me.”

I threw the words at Rian and left the training ground. He followed silently without protest.

We still kept our distance—exactly five meters apart.
And somehow, that five meters was driving me insane.

Once inside my room, I locked the door. I didn’t want anyone interrupting us.

“Sit. I’ll treat your wound.”

“I’m fine.”

“I won’t say it twice.”

In the end, he gave in and sat on the sofa.
The slight furrow in his brow told me the wound hurt whenever he moved.

I sighed softly and took out the medicine kit my doctor had left in advance.

“Are we still doing this? The five-meter rule?”

“If I say no, will you respect it?”

“No.”

Honestly, I’d hated that rule from the start. But at least if he was within sight, I could endure it.

Still, watching him bleed without doing anything was unbearable.

“I want to honor everything you say, but right now… I can’t.”

I was doing my best not to explode.

Rian met my gaze with those crimson eyes before finally looking away.

“Do as you like.”

That was his way of giving permission.

As I lifted his shirt to treat the wound, he winced slightly.
Normally, I would’ve been flustered or even thrilled to see his body.
But now, all I could see was the injury.

“How do you even get hurt this bad with a training sword?”

It wasn’t a clean cut—the dull blade had torn the skin.
My expression hardened.
At least it hadn’t gone deep enough to impale his arm.

“It’s just a light scratch.”

“…I guess to a hero, this is nothing.”

His body was covered in old scars—some from blades, others that looked like bites from beasts.

If I’d only seen him through a game screen, I’d be calling him sexy nonstop.
But seeing it in person, knowing he’d bled for each one…
There was nothing sexy about it. I just wished I could take the pain for him.

Carefully, I wiped away the blood and applied ointment.

“Ugh…”

He claimed it was nothing, but the medicine must’ve stung—he let out a quiet groan.
I pretended not to hear, finished bandaging the wound, and whispered,

“…Sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?”

“Because it’s my fault.”

Because I hadn’t thought to properly look after my subordinates.
Because I thought keeping you close meant keeping you safe.
How foolish.

“I said I liked you, but when you got hurt, I couldn’t even run to you first. That pisses me off.”

I’d never really had to hide my emotions before.
Maybe because I’d never had any worth hiding.

I’d always been straightforward—clear about what I liked and disliked.
But earlier, I hid my concern for him.
Because I could feel the eyes of my subordinates on me—
eyes that seemed to say:

‘Our great lord values that pathetic human hero more than us.’

“At this rate, you’re the only one who’ll suffer,” he said.

“I’m not suffering.”

“Rehel.”

He only ever said my name when it hurt most.

“What’s the real reason you’re keeping me here?”

Whenever I met those red eyes, I wondered—
what do I look like in his gaze?
A monster beyond understanding?
Or just a target to be slain?

I gently pushed his upper body back and leaned over him, careful not to strain the wound.
His eyes flickered in surprise, his composure faltering.

“Are you asking because you want to believe me?
Or are you just testing me?”

“Think whatever you like.”

Even flustered, he evaded neatly—leaving the decision to me.

…Clever. He already knew what I’d choose.

My hair brushed against his cheek as I leaned closer.
I cupped his face, my cold hand contrasting his warmth.
My lips parted and closed again, unable to form the words.

What could I say to make him trust me?

Should I tell him he’s been my favorite since the very beginning?
Or that the world is doomed, and I just want to protect him before it ends?

None of the answers felt right.

After a long silence, I smiled faintly, gazing into his crimson eyes.

Because I loved how, in this moment, they reflected only me—
how we could call each other by name, talk, and share warmth.

“You have to live,” I whispered.
“Because if you die… I die too.”

That was the most honest confession I could give him.