If those things hadn’t happened before, Aoki would really have thought this was just another of Nongli’s pranks.
First, she told him that his new name would be Aoki, then she wanted him to be her son.
Wasn’t this turning the whole world upside down?
Skipping two generations just to take advantage of him?
But when Aoki saw the serious look on Nongli’s face, he realized this was no joke.
Nongli truly didn’t recognize him anymore, but what was the reason for calling him her son?
Immediately, Aoki opened his mouth and refused: “No!”
He really didn’t want to let Nongli take advantage of him.
Nongli was caught off guard by his rejection, frowning. “Why?”
Nongli couldn’t understand it. As a demon king in her own right, what made her unfit to be the mother of this little human brat?
While she was puzzling over it, Nongli caught the disdainful look in Aoki’s eyes.
The pinch to the back of his neck, that electric jolt, his knees buckling, collapsing in front of all the little demons and humans—he owed all of that humiliation to this brat!
Is that why he looked down on her?
“That time doesn’t count.”
“What doesn’t count?”
“The time with the back of the neck—that doesn’t count.”
“Are you cheating?”
Seeing Nongli nod, Aoki was both annoyed and amused, recalling his past interactions with the little Nongli.
This little fox really was like that, always ready to cheat in certain situations. How come, even after becoming a demon king, she still hadn’t changed?
Well, maybe that wasn’t so bad.
“One more round. If I win, you have to call me ‘Mother.’ How about it?”
Nongli took a few steps forward, hands behind her back like an adult, bowing slightly. Her tall body and seven tails blocked out the light, casting a shadow over Aoki’s face.
Looking at her like this, Aoki didn’t feel pressured at all.
Maybe, no matter how much Nongli grew, in his eyes she’d always be that little fox.
But if he put himself in someone else’s shoes, a figure nearly two meters tall with fox features and shining golden eyes would definitely be intimidating—maybe even her faint scent would make people too scared to breathe.
But Aoki really wasn’t afraid, was he?
If Nongli hadn’t forgotten him, and if he was a bit taller, maybe he’d just reach out and pat the fox on the head.
“A competition? What are we competing in?”
Aoki met Nongli’s gaze directly.
“No touching the back of the neck. If you can make me fall, you win and can set a condition. But if you lose, you have to kneel and call me ‘Mother.’”
When Nongli made this proposal, Aoki almost burst out laughing, but managed to hold it in.
He understood Nongli’s body structure even better than Nongli herself, you could say he’d studied her inside and out.
Now, Nongli was like someone showing off in front of an expert.
“Alright, if I win, I want to be able to come and go as I please.”
“Only in my palace.”
Nongli added a rule to Aoki’s request, and Aoki nodded in agreement.
A minute later, Nongli was kneeling on the ground, panting heavily, her face full of confusion as she stared at Aoki.
She didn’t understand—why had she lost to Aoki again?
Clearly just a child, how could she lose to him again?
He hadn’t touched the back of her neck, just the base of her tail… So strange!
She touched herself there all the time and never felt that way!
Nongli turned to look at Aoki. The boy seemed totally at ease.
That shouldn’t be possible.
She could tell—he was just an ordinary little brat!
Why… It had to be a fluke, definitely a fluke…
Feeling humiliated, Nongli watched as Aoki swaggered out the door right in front of her. She opened her mouth but didn’t say a word.
Why was this brat copying her?
If the way he drank tea was a coincidence, then why did even the way he walked and his proud posture seem so familiar?
Anyway, next time! Next time, I’ll definitely make you call me Mother!
Defeat, utter defeat…
*****
Maybe it was fate’s arrangement, but ever since he started bantering with Nongli, Aoki felt things had gone much more smoothly—and even a bit cheerfully this time.
It looked like Nongli had him firmly under control, but who was really in control, after all?
This used to be Benji’s palace, and after Nongli took over, most things hadn’t really changed. After all, Benji’s taste was quite impeccable.
Thinking of Benji, Aoki remembered Benji’s soul cultivation manual. He guessed it was probably in Nongli’s hands now.
He needed to find an opportunity to get the manual—last time, he’d only practiced a small part of it.
Next, he needed to figure out why Nongli had forgotten him.
As for how to find out—
Aoki already had a plan.
Somewhere in the palace, the giraffe demon was ordering the little demons around, while Aoki poked his head in at the door.
It seemed the giraffe demon had gotten a post under Nongli too, and was putting on quite the show.
After returning to the Demon Realm, to Benji City, Aoki noticed the biggest change was that the demons’ shapeshifting skills had improved by leaps and bounds.
It seemed the little Nongli’s early transformation had paved the way for the others, right?
“Who are you!”
A little demon on the side spotted Aoki and grabbed him, making a commotion that caught the giraffe demon’s attention. He came over to ask:
“What are you doing here?”
“Nongli let me out.”
“How dare you call the demon king by name?!”
The giraffe demon snorted coldly and waved the little demon away.
“I mean it, she really let me out.”
Aoki brushed off his wrinkled sleeves, his calm, unflustered manner making the giraffe demon feel a bit puzzled.
Looking at Aoki, the giraffe demon felt a strong sense of familiarity, but the feeling was too unlikely to believe.
Still, he figured Aoki was telling the truth—just a little kid. If Nongli hadn’t let him out, how could he have left that room?
“Don’t wander around. I’ll get someone to keep an eye on you.”
Just as the giraffe demon was about to leave, Aoki suddenly said:
“Ah… Aren’t you the one watching me now?”
“What did you say?”
“I said, aren’t you the one watching me now?”
With his hands on his hips and a cheeky smile, Aoki looked up at the giraffe demon.
“You!”
The giraffe demon squinted, shocked.
“Have you been well all these years?”
Before Aoki had finished, the giraffe demon suddenly scooped him up and carried him into the shadows.
“Mister Aoki?!”
“Yes, Nongli really did give me this name.”
“I mean—”
“Don’t panic, how’s Nongli doing these days?”
Aoki saw no reason to pretend with the giraffe demon.
“It’s hard to believe—you weren’t…”
“Eaten?”
Aoki smiled, making the giraffe demon feel embarrassed.
“Nongli-sama didn’t mean it, she just—”
“I don’t hold a grudge about that. I just want to know—why has Nongli… forgotten me?”
Hearing Aoki’s question, the giraffe demon let out a long sigh, replying helplessly, “If Nongli-sama still remembered what happened back then… I’m afraid she wouldn’t be able to go on living…”
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