I Took the Demon King as My Wife

The four people who had finished the grand return ceremony were gathered in the Emperor’s hidden reception room with the secret passage.

The four sat facing each other around a small table.

Hans and Eilena sat on the sofa positioned against the wall, while Lasia and Yeomje sat on the sofa opposite them.

Following the Emperor’s words that he would finish the follow-up and return, the group had been maintaining a heavy silence for dozens of minutes in the narrow room.

“……”
“……”

In the lengthening silence, only an awkward stillness remained in the room.

Hans slowly rolled his eyes, alternately observing the red-haired woman sitting on his left and the platinum-blonde woman sitting across from him.

The two women, as if by agreement, sat with their eyes gently closed and their backs perfectly straight.

Both had postures full of resolute determination not to listen to anyone’s words.

Thanks to this, the men sitting beside each of them were barely holding onto their sinking hearts amidst the increasingly heavy air.

-Click. Rumble.

Eventually, breaking the long silence, a sound of something interlocking was heard.

Hans and Yeomje suddenly rose from their seats and looked toward the source of the sound.

The two women, who now opened their eyes, belatedly rose from their seats and shifted their gaze.

The wall with the fireplace began to move with a clatter, turning, and the Emperor appeared along the opposing wall surface.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. Given the nature of the situation, there was much to explain.”

The Emperor gestured for all four to sit and slowly entered the room, turning the door again.

Clunk.

As the turned door interlocked, the gloomy fireplace reappeared.

“Well done. All four of you.”

The Emperor said as he pulled a chair from the corner and sat among the four people.

“Not at all, Your Majesty.”

Hans immediately bowed his head in greeting, and
“Your Majesty must have worked harder.”

Eilena slightly nodded her head and spoke in a refined tone.

“…Well.”

Yeomje mumbled, turning his gaze elsewhere, and

As for Saint Lasia….

-Thud!

She silently stood up abruptly from her seat.

Due to her rough rising, the sofa she had been sitting on moved with a clatter.

“Lasia?”
“…?”
“S-Saint Sharon?”

Everyone’s eyes widened at this behavior, so unlike her usual self.

With one exception: Eilena.

“Now that the official return has been announced and Your Majesty has completed all greetings, I will take my leave first.”

Lasia began gathering her outer garments and staff as she spoke.

At this, the confused Emperor stood up, gestured to her, and said,

“W-wait? Saint Sharon. I still have things to say….”

“The church.”

Lasia cut off the Emperor’s words as she pulled her veil over her head.

Yeomje, sitting beside her, whispered, “Sit down!” but Lasia continued speaking, disregarding him.

“The church will not provide any support for this reconciliation.”
“Oh, no. What do you mean by that?”

The Emperor asked, unable to hide his confusion.

Lasia continued preparing to leave and answered as if casually letting her words slip.

“I mean exactly that. Our Holy Priesthood and the Church of Light’s Repose will not provide any good deeds, mercy, healing, ceremonies, or anything else to demons.”
“What? No, but…!”

“We!”

When the somewhat excited Emperor raised his voice, Lasia raised her voice as if shouting angrily.

At this, everyone, including the Emperor, was dumbfounded and stared at her with open mouths.

Amidst everyone’s surprise, Eilena still maintained an expressionless face.

Lasia glared at Eilena with wide-open eyes. She continued speaking, gnawing at her lips.

“We are a religion for the salvation of humanity, not one suitable for associating with such filthy things.”

“……”

Lasia clutched her staff tightly and trembled her hand.

Despite her insulting words directed openly at her face, Eilena still maintained an indifferent expression without any particular reaction.

At this, Lasia’s brow furrowed even more.

Grinding her teeth loudly enough for everyone to hear, she said to Eilena.

“Vile, filthy… demon….”

“Lasia.”

Hans, who couldn’t bear to listen anymore, opened his mouth softly.

Lasia’s body trembled. Her faltering eyes touched Hans, who was sighing.

“Stop, please stop….”

“……”

Hans closed his eyes tightly with a sigh.

Lasia’s firmly closed lips gradually began to curl inward. Her soft eye rims started to redden.
Her precarious blue eyes, seemingly about to fall, shook slightly as they captured the sighing hero’s face.

“The church’s position will not change.”

“……”

“Never.”

Looking at Hans, who was deliberately avoiding her gaze, Lasia spoke in a resolute voice.

After the final word that seemed filled with malice, moist droplets began to settle on the Saint’s reddened eyes.

Lasia shook her head vigorously, bowed to the Emperor, and hurriedly left the room.

“Well….”

A defeated voice flowed from the Emperor’s mouth as he watched the departing Saint’s back.
‘So that’s what it was….’
To think that the Empire’s only Saint had secretly harbored feelings for the hero….
Though he had known them for quite some time, why hadn’t he noticed until now?
This, somehow, felt like things were getting a bit more complicated.

Groaning, Hans pressed his throbbing forehead and glanced at Yeomje.

“Yeomje….”

“What.”

“Please….”

“No.”

Yeomje gave a firm answer before Hans could even finish his words.

At this, Hans let out a faint sigh and said,

“Yeomje….”

“Why do I always have to get between you two and do this? Am I your father?”

“Don’t be like that….”

“Don’t be like that…!”

Yeomje, who had been glaring at Hans with wide eyes, eventually clicked his tongue with a sigh.

“Sigh, I’m such a pushover… I’m such a pushover….”

He got up from his seat trudging along and hastily gathered his hat and staff.

“Please do me this favor.”

“Hah… I really need to do something about that guy….”
Yeomje muttered in an irritated tone as he followed Lasia outside.

“This is something….”

How on earth did they manage to invade the Demon King’s castle with such teamwork….

The Emperor stared at the hero with eyes brimming with new doubts.

“Well… anyway, the most important two remain.”
The Emperor muttered, glancing at the empty seats of the two who had left.

Then he put his chair away and sat across from the two.

The Emperor, who adjusted his posture comfortably, let out a long sigh and drew a faint smile on his lips.

“Sitting like this reminds me of the day I first met you two.”

The Emperor smiled broadly and leaned his back against the backrest.

“Despite the short period, you’ve prepared flawlessly. I express my gratitude once again.”

“You flatter us.”
“Not at all, Your Majesty.”

Eilena gently shook her head at the Emperor’s praise. Hans bowed his head deeply again.

The Emperor stared at Hans, who showed his crown, and said,

“Especially you.”

“…?”
“Honestly, I had no expectations of you… but this, this exceeded expectations. To think you would subdue Hartuk’s minions with your eloquence. I’ve never envisioned such a scene even in my dreams.”

“Ah….”

Hans involuntarily opened his mouth and let out a short cough.
Whether it was praise or criticism….

He couldn’t quite distinguish, but for now, he slightly bowed his head with a word of thanks.

“Did your wise wife give you prior hints to speak that way?”

The Emperor asked, slightly glancing at Eilena.

At this, Eilena blinked her eyes as if contemplating, holding her chin. Then after a moment, she gently shook her head and said,

“No. Although I helped with some basic aspects, I didn’t give specific hints about how to speak.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Eilena nodded slightly.

The Emperor slightly turned his head and looked at Hans with meaningful eyes.

When Hans, who didn’t understand, moved his eyelids busily, the Emperor let out a slight chuckle.

“The more time passes, the more respect I have for you.”

“Your Majesty….”

“I’m not teasing you. I truly feel that way.”

The Emperor waved his hand at Hans, who wore a dubious expression.

“However….”

Eilena, who had been silently keeping her mouth shut until now, readily opened it and broached a subject.

The Emperor and Hans turned their heads and looked at her.

“What is the future schedule? In the letter you sent earlier, there was no mention of the upcoming schedule….”

“Ah…!”

The Emperor let out an awkward laugh, saying he had been planning to talk about that anyway.

Eventually, with Eilena’s response not to mind, the Emperor cleared his throat once and spoke in a rather serious voice.

“First of all… your wedding will take place at the imperial palace. There’s no benefit in delaying it day after day, so we’ll hold the ceremony as soon as preparations are ready. Until then, you must stay at the imperial palace.”

“What…?”
“Understood.”

Unlike the surprised Hans, Eilena immediately acquiesced. The Emperor lightly snorted and continued speaking.

“Both the wedding and the attire will be prepared by the kingdom. Originally, I was planning to ask one of the priests of light to officiate, but… well, given how things have turned out, I’ll find a suitable person separately. You two can rest easy, and I’ll take care of everything.”

“B-but Your Majesty…!”
“Thank you for your kindness.”

Eilena poked Hans’s side, who was raising his voice, and slightly nodded to the Emperor.

The Emperor smiled lightly, seemingly satisfied.

“Well, you must be tired, so go and rest. You’ll have to start preparing for the ceremony as soon as you wake up tomorrow.”

Hans still seemed to want to say something, his lips moving, but he couldn’t ask because both the Emperor and Eilena rose from their seats simultaneously.

In the end, he buried the rising questions in a corner of his heart and followed them outside through the secret door.

“Ah, by the way.”

“…?”

The Emperor, who had been walking ahead in the palace corridor, suddenly stopped.

“The Sovereign of the Green-Fingered, unlike him, will have to stay in the annex, the Ruby Palace.”

“…Yes.”

Despite the sudden news, Eilena let out a brief cough and immediately answered.

Hans opened his mouth again as if wanting to ask something, but remembering Eilena’s attitude from earlier, he immediately closed it.

The Emperor, who glanced at him, silently observed him.

“Well, even if you miss her, just be patient a little.”

“…Pardon?”

“Come on now. It’s not like you’ll die if you don’t see each other for one night. Grown adults shouldn’t be so petty.”

“What….”

With such disjointed talk cutting off all context, Hans stood blankly, not knowing how to react.

Then, belatedly realizing that he had said it to tease him, Hans raised his eyebrows awkwardly.

“Your Majesty…!”

“Oh my, if I keep you apart one more day, my neck won’t survive, will it?”

“Kugh…!”

Hans’s nose tip reddened slightly in embarrassment.

Looking at the Emperor who was walking faster with a hearty laugh, he resolved to get revenge someday.

“……”

Eilena glanced at Hans’s dumbfounded expression.

It was utterly amusing how he always fell for the Emperor’s teasing.
When acting in front of the ministers earlier, he had been as sharp as a well-honed sword… but now, far from being sharp, he was like a cotton bat unsuitable even for children’s soldier games.

It seemed like the overwhelming hero who had made her kneel on the first day was dying away, replaced by some rookie standing there.

Good physique, but somewhat silly…. That kind of character from an unremarkable rural origin.