I Took the Demon King as My Wife

“I’m grateful to be addressed as such.”
Eilena neatly folded her hands and bowed her head briefly to the Emperor as a sign of respect.
“Since we don’t have much time, let’s skip the personal chatter and get straight to the point.”
The Emperor said as he adjusted his posture.
Eilena slowly straightened her back and adjusted her sitting position. She looked at him with resolute eyes.
A faint smile spread across the Emperor’s lips at her clearly burning red eyes.
“I intend to establish peaceful diplomatic relations with demons. In that process, I desperately need the help of both of you.”
“What kind of help?”
“Marriage. Haven’t you heard about it?”
The Emperor tilted his head. Eilena immediately answered.
“No, I have heard. However, as for specifically why such help is needed…”
“Well, that’s fine. I didn’t expect him to explain properly anyway.”
The Emperor shook his head at Hans and snickered.

Hans lowered his head as if embarrassed. Eilena rolled her eyes and glanced at him sideways.
His attitude had noticeably changed since arriving in this space. Literally, he didn’t dare move in front of the Emperor.
‘Is this man truly that great…?’
At first glance, his appearance wasn’t much different from any ordinary noble family’s heir.
His long, thin fingers in white gloves immediately revealed that he was far from someone who fought with a sword in battle.
The overall impression, tone, behavior, and gestures he gave off were far from the “great person” she knew.
However, the Sovereign of the Green-Fingered wasn’t one to underestimate anyone. At the same time, she couldn’t allow herself to be underestimated by anyone.

It was somewhat difficult to say they were clearly having a conversation on equal footing, but regardless, she was sitting here as the representative of all demons.
She needed to be more dignified.
Eilena raised her head stiffly and straightened her back. The Emperor waved his hand as if embarrassed by her demeanor.
“I’m already grateful that he safely brought you here.”
Hahah! At the Emperor’s hearty laugh, Eilena calmly continued.
“Indeed… as the Emperor said, he seems to lack some flexibility.”
“Hey….”

At Eilena’s nonchalant tone, Hans immediately glared at her.
Deliberately ignoring his piercing gaze, Eilena asked the Emperor:

“So, specifically what kind of help do you want?”
The Emperor rolled his emerald eyes back and forth, seeming lost in thought for a moment, his tightly closed lips lifting.
Then he immediately opened his mouth to answer.
“I would like both of you to play the role of a loving couple.”
“A loving couple… for what reason?”
“It’s about creating a public image. Demons and humans aren’t that different. They can understand each other and live together… well, that kind of image.”
After hearing the Emperor’s explanation, Eilena nodded slightly and touched around her mouth.
“In summary, you need a political foothold?”
“Well, you could say that.”
“This ring, and the trick you played on him—were these all your doing, Emperor?”
“Indeed, as expected of the Sovereign of the Green-Fingered, your comprehension is quick.”
The Emperor raised his shoulders slightly with a satisfied smile.
“You flatter me. However… there’s something I don’t quite understand.”
“Which part?”
The Emperor asked, opening his eyes wide.
Eilena looked at him for a moment, then withdrew her gaze and seemed to be lost in thought alone, pressing her index finger firmly against her lower lip.
After a brief silence, Eilena, having finished her deliberation, carefully broached the subject.
“Forgive my impertinence, but for the sake of public image… wouldn’t it be more effective if I were to marry you, the Emperor, rather than the hero?”
“Ah….”
At Eilena’s words, the Emperor let out a short cough, relaxing the eye-smile he had maintained throughout.
Then, he smiled again and answered.
“Well, there are mainly two reasons.”
“Two reasons?”
At Eilena’s question, the Emperor barely lowered the corners of his mouth that were trying to rise on their own, and answered.
“First, in our people’s perception, he, as the hero, is a more internally relatable figure than I am.”
“Why is that?”
“Well… that’s….”
The Emperor hesitated to answer and glanced at Hans.
Noticing his gaze, Hans opened his mouth directly.
“Because of my humble origins.”
“What…?”
Eilena turned her head toward Hans with wide eyes.
Hans, disregarding her gaze, stretched his body behind the sofa’s backrest and continued speaking nonchalantly.
“I was born in a rural village on the outskirts. My father was a hunter and a butcher. My mother maintained our livelihood by working as a laborer in other people’s homes.”
At Hans’s words, the Emperor immediately continued the explanation.
“Well, it’s not just because of his origin… but most of the people tend to feel more affinity with the hero, who was born in an environment similar to their own.”
“I… see….”
Eilena couldn’t take her eyes off Hans even as she listened to the Emperor’s explanation.
How to put it—she had naturally assumed by his manner and appearance that he would be from some noble family… but to learn he was a son of an ordinary hunter was somewhat unexpected.
Perhaps because of that, the consistently stoic-faced man before her somehow seemed a bit different now.
For some reason, she felt a hint of empathy in a corner of her heart.

“…Hmm?”
Had she been staring too blatantly? Soon, Hans noticed her steady gaze and slightly turned his head.
As their eyes met, Eilena quickly turned her head and spoke to the Emperor.
“Y-you mentioned two major reasons. What’s the other one?”
She felt strange, as if she had done something odd.
Perhaps for this reason, Eilena blurted out her words surprisingly quickly, even to herself.
“Ah, that is….”
In response to Eilena’s question, laughter erupted from the Emperor’s mouth again.

She had fully understood that he had a naturally cheerful face, but this laughter seemed clearly different in meaning.
The Emperor suppressed his chuckling and slowly removed the glove he was wearing.
As the gleaming white silk glove came off, a modest silver ring was revealed.
The Emperor turned his hand to show it and said,
“As you can see, I’m already claimed.”
“Ah….”
Eilena nodded then, as if she finally understood.
“Then… I understand. I apologize for my presumptuous words.”
Eilena bowed to the Emperor.
The Emperor waved his hands and made her stand up.
“Not at all. It’s perfectly reasonable for you to have such questions. Rather, having such a lovely woman as the Sovereign of the Green-Fingered say such things makes me not know where to put myself. Why, in public, the Sovereign is even called the Beauty of Ice and Snow.”
“Your Majesty…”
Hans said with a furrowed brow. At his face, the Emperor laughed loudly and said,
“Oh my, Katrina would be furious if she knew… I didn’t mean it that way, so I hope there’s no misunderstanding.”
“I understand.”
Eilena answered with a bow of her head.
However, contrary to her immediate response, an unresolved question still remained in her mind.
‘Not that it would be a problem…’
Honestly, she had thought that even if he had a wife, he could still take her as a secondary spouse.
If reconciliation was the goal, there would be no problem with that, and taking her as a secondary spouse would be sufficient for creating a public image.
In fact, many demons established external relations in such a way. She had heard that humans weren’t much different in this regard.
But just now, that notion had completely vanished with the Emperor’s reaction.
He couldn’t take his eyes off the ring even as he put his glove back on.
Whenever his wife was mentioned, smile lines appeared around his eyes, and flowers of laughter bloomed involuntarily.
He even chuckled as if something were extremely pleasing.
‘He must be incredibly devoted to his wife.’
Even the most socially inept person could immediately notice that the Emperor cherished his wife dearly.
It was an emotion difficult for her to understand.
“Well, let’s end our conversation here for today. Given the time, there are people who might become suspicious if I don’t return soon.”
“I understand.”
The Emperor stood up from his seat as he spoke. Eilena also rose following him and bowed her head in response.
“Hah… we should have arrived earlier….”
Beside Eilena, who was nodding, Hans let out a deep sigh loudly.
At this, Eilena slightly furrowed her brow and cast a sidelong glance.
“Are you saying that for me to hear…?”
“If you can’t hear this, there must definitely be something wrong with your ears.”
“What…? The reason we were late was because you kept dawdling in the passage!”
“If the so-called Sovereign of the Green-Fingered hadn’t been distracted by the streets, we would have arrived on time.”
“Y-you…!”
Sharp currents immediately began to form between the two.
Fierce sparks flew across their crossing gazes. Their glaring eyes seemed about to clash at any moment.
The Emperor hurriedly separated them and said,
“Now, now, it’s alright. Today isn’t the only day, is it? You can gradually talk more in the future, can’t you?”
At the Emperor’s words, Eilena slowly turned her head and gently closed her eyes.
Whew, with an inaudible sigh, she released the strength from her tightly clenched fist.
“The Emperor seems to be the most generous and understanding human I’ve met. Unlike a certain someone.”
“…Hey.”
At Eilena’s raised voice, Hans deeply furrowed his brow.
“Alright, that’s enough. You must be tired from your long journey, so let’s have you return and rest for today.”
“If the Emperor says so, gladly.”
“…Yes, Your Majesty.”
Following the Emperor’s gesture, the two rose from their seats and moved toward the secret passage again.
Suddenly, as Hans was bending his body into the passage, he turned back with an “oh” and asked the Emperor.
“Um, Your Majesty…. But where are we supposed to return to…?”
“Oh right! Look at me… I haven’t told you that.”
The Emperor, seeing them off, took out a small key from his pocket and handed it to him.
“What is this…?”
“It’s your home.”
“Pardon?”
“Ah, now it would be both of your home.”
Hans stood dazed, staring at the Emperor while holding the key.
To him, the Emperor handed one more thing.
“This is the address.”
Receiving the neatly folded note, Hans looked at the Emperor with an even more dumbfounded expression.
“But….”
“Don’t argue and go quickly.”
“Y-Your Majesty!”
The Emperor hastily pushed him into the passage.
He then tapped the shoulder of Eilena, who was following right behind him.
When Eilena suddenly turned around, the Emperor, once again with his characteristic serene smile, whispered in a small voice.
“By the way, please remember that our meeting today was strictly unofficial.”
“Ah… yes, I understand what you mean perfectly.”
Eilena immediately nodded.
Satisfied with her answer, the Emperor smiled broadly and replied,
“I appreciate your quick understanding. Unlike a certain someone.”
“Your Majesty…! I can hear everything!”
“I meant for you to hear it.”
“Ugh…!”
Hans’s voice echoed from ahead. The Emperor spoke with a clearly raised voice, unlike when he had whispered to Eilena earlier.
Eilena thought that the Emperor might be a much better person than she had anticipated.
*
Only after escaping from the shack hiding the passage and walking for quite some time did the two arrive at the address written on the note.
“This is it.”
In the middle of the night with darkness deeply settled.
Hans suddenly stopped in front of a large mansion located far from the central area.
He looked back and forth between the address on the note and the surroundings of the mansion.
Seeing him like this, Eilena, who had been silent, opened her mouth.
“Are you sure this is the place?”
“Probably.”
“Probably… Hah, can’t you even read an address properly?”
“I’ve never lived outside the palace, so it can’t be helped. This kind of thing… I’ve never done…”
“Really.”
In place of Hans, who was hesitating with uncertainty, Eilena snatched the note from his hand.
“Rodwell Street, Number 45. Radman Mansion.”
After slowly reciting the address, Eilena skillfully went to the entrance of the mansion and checked the address written on the left.
“This is correct. Rodwell Street, Number 45. Radman Mansion.”
With a confident answer, Eilena extended her hand to Hans, who was standing blankly behind her.
However, in front of her small, delicate palm, Hans only blinked his eyes blankly.
“The key.”
“What? Oh, no… but….”
“But?”
“Doesn’t ‘Radman Mansion’ mean there’s a separate owner? If so, shouldn’t we call for the owner…?”
Like a dog reluctant to enter a new home, Hans couldn’t even climb the stairs leading to the entrance and just kept shuffling his feet.
What a waste of his size—this is exactly what they mean by that phrase.
Eilena shook her head gently with a sigh and said,
“Hah… how ignorant, ‘Radman Mansion’ is named after the person who built it, not the owner.”
“I see….”
Hans opened his mouth wide in pure amazement.
Eilena felt like her head was throbbing again.