Chapter 8: The Demon King Wouldn’t Cry, Right?

When the light from the canopy of the Demon Domain fell upon the girl’s snow-white cheeks, the arms that had been clutching the quilt finally slipped out from under the covers. 

Her body curved softly as she stretched with feline grace.

Daytime. Gabriella awoke in bed.

She opened her sleepy eyes, and before she could even sigh over how deeply she had slept, yesterday’s intense and profound memories crashed over her like a flood, instantly drowning her rationality.

“Ah… W-what did I do yesterday?”

The air was filled with a sweet, girlish fragrance; it was practically the best answer to Gabriella’s question.

She had spent an unforgettable night with the Demon King, and had a very, very deep exchange with the demon named Isabella Seter.

They had done things that only lovers; no, only spouses; would do!

And all of it was because that idiot Isabella just had to push her advantage the moment Gabriella hesitated!

Yet she herself had somehow, in a complete daze, accepted the other woman’s proposal. 

This was nothing less than a monumental humiliation.

Gabriella rubbed her eyes.

Only then did it hit her: yesterday had truly, genuinely been her first time.

That sensation had also been her first time.

The first time being treated like a delicate little wife… the inside of her was probably already moulded into Isabella’s shape.

“Damn it, Isabella…!”

At that thought, Gabriella viciously snapped at the idiot Demon King sleeping right beside her.

Yet the Demon King was still sprawled on the bed, arms wrapped around Gabriella’s waist, sleeping soundly. 

Gabriella’s soft, almost coquettish voice didn’t wake her at all; she merely turned over with a small sleepy sound.

Seeing that only made Gabriella angrier.

But she quickly calmed herself down.

I’m the one being overly dramatic.

It was just that the Demon King gave me a wedding ring as a gift and restored my power.

I simply exchanged the purity of my body as a return gift, that’s all.

I’m not some emotionally dense, low-EQ idiot like Isabella.

Besides, wasn’t that exactly what the Demon King wanted?

Now that I have my power and my magic circuits back, how could someone like me possibly be bound by that idiot?

“Phew…”

She began examining her own body.

Skin white and flawless as jade; the generously full “bunnies” slightly obstructed her view; a slender waist and long, shapely legs that were curvaceous yet not overly so; her delicate frame, modestly covered by necessary undergarments, formed a breath-taking silhouette that could make anyone’s blood race.

Nothing seemed different. It was still a human body?

Good.

Anything was better than becoming the same as those creatures oozing demonic miasma all over~

Suddenly, Isabella exhaled a sweet breath that tickled Gabriella’s bare thigh.

“That perverted Demon King whose head is full of lewd thoughts; just what is she planning?” Gabriella still grumbled unwillingly.

“Mm… wifey?”

The Demon King slowly opened her eyes; she had only heard what sounded like her wife pouting.

“It’s nothing.”

“Ah, wifey… did I hurt you yesterday?”

“It didn’t hurt.” 

Gabriella held her breath.

No, no, that wasn’t how she was supposed to answer.

But saying “you did hurt me” didn’t feel quite right either!

Was human nature really all about compromise? 

She had originally come here to scold the Demon King; was mere scolding really enough?

“I’ll be gentler next time, Gabriella~”

“No way!”

“Right, wifey, you look a little different today… your eyes…?”

At those words, a delighted expression appeared on Isabella’s face, as though she were offering congratulations.

But before this idiot could do anything more to her, Gabriella sat bolt upright in bed.

She walked quickly to the wardrobe, threw on a simple one-piece dress, and completely ignored the Demon King’s puzzled questions.

She needed to calm down right now, and then properly examine her body!

Her head was spinning slightly.

After turning through a few corridors, she bumped straight into Liya.

Liya had just finished preparing breakfast for the two of them and was pushing the dining cart toward the bedroom.

Gabriella had overslept, so the maids had prepared the meal ahead of time.

But she had absolutely no appetite, especially at the thought of eating together with the Demon King.

“Good morning, Lady Gabriella~”

“Gu… morning. Why are you smiling?”

Yet even Liya wore the same relieved, happy smile as the Demon King.

“So that’s how it is. You didn’t know yet, no wonder.”

While Gabriella was still confused, Liya produced a hand mirror.

In the mirror, the beautiful young girl looked… exactly the same as before?

No…

Her originally sky-blue pupils had turned into the turquoise vertical slits of a demon.

Visibly, strikingly different from when she was human.

Those demonic pupils glowed faintly like nocturnal gems in the dark.

They were the mark of the demon race, one of the clearest ways humans identified demons.

And now they had appeared on her own face!

“What?! This… this is impossible…”

Gabriella covered her face. She knew then that she probably could never go back.

So [Gift] wasn’t just a kiss…! True, we did that sort of thing while I was all muddle-headed; damn it, damn it, damn it!

At that moment, Liya gave a sweet celebratory smile and delivered the final blow to the poor Gabriella. 

“In a few more days, you will completely become one of us.”

“…”

“Lady Gabriella, you don’t look well.”

“I’m fine.”

Without looking back, Gabriella marched straight toward the bedroom.

She no longer wanted to run away; she had to settle accounts with the Demon King.

Right now, this instant, she would put an end to the Demon King’s ambitions!!

She flung the doors open with force. SLAM! The doors crashed against the wall, as though venting her fury.

The Demon King was still lying in bed. She sat up, looking cautiously at the furious intruder with eyes full of apologetic grievance.

The temperature in the room seemed to plummet to freezing.

Isabella slightly lowered her head, staring at her own tightly clenched hands. 

Her body trembled once.

She looked exactly like a wife awaiting scolding, ready to receive Gabriella’s anger at any moment.

Suddenly she lifted her head, opened her mouth as if to speak, then said nothing at all.

In the end, Isabella chose to keep her head lowered, fingers clutching the quilt, waiting for Gabriella to unleash her rage.

That sorrowful expression, however, instantly extinguished Gabriella’s anger.

“Wifey…” 

Isabella’s voice was thick with remorse. 

After hesitating for a very long time, she finally asked, “I know I was wrong. I really was wrong… I’m sorry…”

She confessed honestly, like a punished child.

Gabriella cursed the Demon King with the most vicious words she could think of.

Idiot! Blockhead!

Did this woman have any awareness of being the Demon King at all?

Yet the words she wanted to spit out got stuck in her throat. 

Her body stiffened, as if this outburst was never meant to happen; or rather, as if it should never have happened at all.

She couldn’t bring herself to do it.

She really couldn’t bring herself to do it.

Have I truly been completely brainwashed by the Demon King…? 

The thought lingered in Gabriella’s mind for only an instant.

Her anger completely died out. 

She walked over to the aggrieved Isabella, reached out, and gently stroked her long golden hair. 

This, it seemed, was what she was truly meant to do.

…The Demon King wouldn’t cry, right?