Akuyaku Reijou no Naka no Hito

Chapter 24 – Extra Story — The Knight Who Pledged The Oath, Part Three

Translated by KaiesV

Edited by KaiesV

「Tch, How long are you going to keep Remilia-sama waiting, you lazy demon king…!」

I clucked my tongue loudly inwardly as I saw Remilia-sama off to inspect the territory, which had already grown to the size of a village… or should I say a town.

An evening of goodwill will soon be held to commemorate the establishment of official diplomatic relations between the Demon Kingdom and this country.

The king of the Demon Kingdom, the Demon King, is naturally invited. Although Angel-dono had nominated Remilia-sama as his partner, he has not communicated any of his thoughts to her, so she only thinks of him as「a business partner in the export and trade of magical materials and magical tools in the Magical realm.」

I have told them many times that Angel-dono’s younger siblings, Klimt-dono and Misery-dono, should join me and「get on with it and have them become lovers.」

On each occasion, he will run away saying things like,「I know Remilia has her hands full with her homeland right now, so I’d like to talk to her when it’s all over,」and「If Remilia still has feelings for her ex-fiancee in her heart at that time, it will be a fetter on me. I want her to be happy with the person she truly desires.」

What’s with the「timing is a little off right now」! You just can’t make up your mind and you’re second-guessing!

We all know it’s because you can talk straight at work, but when it comes to your personal life, you’re too conscious and awkward to confess your feelings!

「And yet he keeps other men away and give her exclusive dresses, so don’t you think what he’s saying and what he’s doing is strange?! Right, Klimt-dono!」

I pounded the table with my fist. The sake bottle and cup shook a little with the impact.

There are bars in town, but I, as a close aide of Remilia-sama, and Klimt-dono and Misery-dono, the Demon King’s younger siblings, cannot be seen in public. This is a room in a small mansion used as an embassy of the magical country.

「Well, you are really right, Sofia-san. I never expected my brother to be so timid about the woman he fell in love with, and to repeat such obvious excuses.」

「But what did my brother say to her when he gave her that dress? Remilia-san didn’t even ask him to be her lover, and I’m surprised he accepted…」

I was remembering the dress that Remilia-sama happily showed me.

A dark blue dress with a dazzling design that would not lose to the glamorous beauty of Remilia-sama. The gradation of the color of the dress, which becomes darker and turns to black as it goes to the hem, is the same as the hair of Angel, the sender of the dress. It was finely embroidered in places with gold threads of the same color as Angel’s eyes, and was finished with good materials and design, with no ornate decorations.

It is also annoying that I understand Remilia-sama’s taste and am able to prepare dresses that suit her best.

「Remilia-sama… She thought it was a coincidence that the colors of the Demon King is the color of her dress, knowing that there is no custom in the Demon Kingdom for『lovers to give each other the color of their eyes and hair.』」

「You’re lying, right!? No, but… I wonder if it’s possible with Remilia-sama’s innocence…」

「My brother gives it to her without saying anything, so…」

The two of them sighed an oversized one. I felt exactly the same way.

In our country, there is a culture of『wearing each other’s colors』between lovers or married couples, but naturally there is no such custom among the Demon Tribe, where everyone has black or brown hair or similar colors. The color of their eyes also changes when they invoke magic, because demons with strong magic power change their color when they invoke magic.

Oh, the Demon King Angel has a characteristic hair color that changes from blue to black, but it’s said that he is an exception caused by the fact that his magical power is so strong.

Also, Remilia-sama’s own hair is golden and her eyes are blue, so she has convinced herself.「I wonder if he prepared a dress in the same color as my eyes and hair.」She believed that the overall black base is to create a magical country-like atmosphere.

Instead of the color of the eyes and hair, there is a culture in the Demon Country to give a magic crystal stone made by oneself when proposing. I’ve heard that they are casually processed into jewelry and given as gifts not only when proposing, but also among family members.

In the Magical Realm,「Oneself’s color」is said to be the color of this magical stone. It has nothing to do with hair color or eye color, but really shows the person’s individual color. They can be transparent, layered like marbles, or opaque.

Above all, the Demon Tribe is said to be able to tell「who made it」and「how strong the Demon Tribe is」by looking at the magic crystal stone. That’s a great gift to give to a mate or family member… Well, essentially.

「Wait a minute, on the contrary, your brother made his own magic crystal stones as accessories and gave them to Remilia-sama, right? It was done at the time of proposing in this culture…」

「As for that one… I’m pretty sure that Remilia-sama didn’t know about that culture at first. Later, the women of the demon tribe told me what it meant…」

「Did you ask them to teach you?」

「He knows the culture is different and he gave it to her without saying anything, so it doesn’t mean anything in particular, wait…」

We fell silent. No, it was not Remilia-sama’s fault. She is indeed slow when it comes to love, and no matter how many times she has been courted by men of the Demon Tribe after the problem of the miasma in the Demon Kingdom was resolved, and no matter how many times Angel-sama has been possessive and overtly checked her (even though she is not his lover)… Remilia-sama is not so bad that she doesn’t even realize she was being seduced. The fact that she is unaware of such favors directed toward her is also her charm.

Yes, it’s only that pathetic man who can’t say it out loud but tries to make it an established fact. Moreover, he knows that Remilia-sama is dull, so he even gives her gifts without saying so, to keep away insects around her. This is an act that could be called cowardly… in my opinion.

「Mostly …I think Remilia-san likes my brother enough to know that I can see it. He doesn’t seem to be aware of it.」

「There. That’s really where it’s at.」

「I don’t know why he would be timid at all, they’re so compatible with each other… Why should we be the ones to be yapping about this?」

All three of us sighed again.

「…All I want is for Remilia-sama to be happy.」

「! That’s… what I want too. I want my brother… to be happy because he has had to bear more hardships than anyone else as the Demon King until now.」

「Of course I love Remilia-sama with all my heart. He’s the one who can make Remilia-sama happier than anyone else… And above all, that other person must be the one whom Remilia-sama loved…」

「I know…! I want my brother to be happier than anyone else, and I can think of no better partner for him than Remilia, whom he is truly in love with and who, by all appearances, is also in love with each other…!」

I am dazzled and envious of Klimt-dono and Misery-dono, who are straight up adoring their brother… I wish I had an older brother like Angel-dono.

They were my ideal siblings because of their close family relationship.

「Remilia-sama is an object of respect, not someone to whom those who are not recognized should direct their adoration… and that’s a good point. She was truly a wonderful person…」

「Of course I am grateful to Remilia-sama for saving the Demon Tribe and my brother, but it’s unbecoming of me to feel for her. I think it’s only when I was at my brother’s age that I’m finally allowed to stand next to him.」

「Yes! Many men try to win Remilia’s heart without realizing it. It’s very inexcusable!」

Our strategy meeting was heated. Whatever it takes to make it to the evening party…!

The three of us had one goal in mind. Uhh, we want them to show how much they love each other so much that the heartless crown prince, who refused to believe in Remilia-sama’s innocence and condemned her, will not be able to take advantage of her at all!

The discussion continued well into the night, and after a meaningful exchange of ideas I was able to… I slept soundly with a good dream of Remilia-sama smiling happily.

Sleeping in a good mood, I did not yet know that the various plans we had discussed this night would not correct Angel-dono’s sloppiness.