The curtain slowly parted.
And the moment I saw the face behind it, I couldn’t help but feel a wave of shock and confusion.
‘I did wonder if it might be someone I knew, but…’
I never expected that the person standing there would be someone I had seen just a few days ago.
Teriya…
The young-looking witch who had guided Mari at the Magic Tower, the one who had shown her kindness.
Now, she stood before me, clad in the extravagant robes of the Great Demon King.
Yet, despite her grand attire, that youthful appearance made it hard to associate her with a ruler who could make the world tremble in fear.
‘…I get it now. So that’s why she always keeps the curtain drawn.’
With the overwhelming aura of demonic energy she exuded from behind the curtain, people instinctively groveled before her.
There was no reason for her to expose her youthful face and risk diminishing her imposing presence.
Besides, staying hidden only added to her mystique, reinforcing the idea that she was an untouchable, godlike being.
“Teriya… So, Your Majesty was the very person I met at the Magic Tower.”
“Yes, I see you remember. I did owe you one back then. Though, even if you had left me alone, I wouldn’t have suffered so much as a scratch.”
She was the Great Demon King, after all—someone who wouldn’t even flinch from a direct hit by the greatest spells of an archmage.
A simple fireball or a pile of books wouldn’t have left so much as a dent.
Still, that aside, I couldn’t hide my surprise and curiosity as I spoke.
“Well, of course, but… I never imagined that Your Majesty would personally go there yourself. Even if it was at Adolf’s request—”
“No, my presence there had nothing to do with Adolf. It was simply a coincidence that my schedule overlapped with his.”
“…What?”
I looked at her in confusion, and the Great Demon King gave me a small, amused smile before speaking.
“The witch named Teriya is my false identity. To be precise, it’s a small hobby of mine—something I do to relieve stress. Aside from my personal attendants and my head maid, no one in this kingdom or the Magic Tower knows about it. And now… you do.”
“Th… I see… I apologize, Your Majesty.”
“There is no need to apologize. Just make sure this secret doesn’t get out. Carelessly sharing it might earn my displeasure.”
“…I will keep that in mind, Your Majesty.”
I never imagined I’d uncover the Great Demon King’s secret double life like this.
Of course, I wasn’t a player in some game anymore—I was a Demon Lord.
And since I had no reason to antagonize her, naturally, I had every intention of keeping this secret.
“Now then, the troublesome matters have been settled, and the ‘reward’ you requested has been granted. Next, we shall meet again at the postponed banquet.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
After offering a respectful bow, I carefully rose from my seat.
The curiosity I had held for so long…
Honestly, I had imagined something quite different.
Perhaps a towering, imposing man exuding overwhelming majesty.
Or an awe-inspiring beauty so stunning that it would leave me speechless.
But reality had turned out to be something else entirely.
There was a strange sense of disappointment, yet at the same time, a certain freshness to the revelation.
And, as an afterthought, I couldn’t help but wonder.
Was there a secret faction of loli enthusiasts among the game’s developers?
But then.
“Ah, now that I think about it, one thing.”
“Wh… What is it, Your Majesty?”
Hearing her call out to me, I flinched slightly and turned back to face her.
“That human… Mari. Will she also be attending the banquet?”
“…? Ah… Yes. That is my intention. Does that displease you?”
“No, it is not an issue. Then I shall assume she will be present.”
“…”
Why did she suddenly ask something like that…?
Suppressing an uneasy feeling, I simply gave a brief nod before stepping out of the grand hall.
Haa…
The moment Kesar left.
The grand hall fell into silence.
And there, in that stillness, the Great Demon King Kaya let out a small sigh.
‘How unexpected… I never thought someone would make such a request…’
This was the first time.
Until now, not a single person had ever dared to ask her to reveal her face.
Even Adolf Gearmann—who had served since the previous Demon King’s reign—had never once spoken such words.
Perhaps, having been around for so long, he had some knowledge of the truth.
But considering how much time had passed since then, if he were to meet the current her.
There was a high chance he wouldn’t recognize her at all.
And yet, Kesar had asked to see her face.
She wasn’t entirely certain what his intentions were.
But when she heard his request, despite the initial surprise…
She did not feel any strong aversion to the idea.
Through the series of recent events, she had come to understand.
Exactly what kind of person Kesar was.
‘Adolf has always been wary of him… but he was wrong.’
Kesar, a man who was willing to suffer great losses for the sake of his subordinates.
Kaya knew exactly what that meant.
It wasn’t just that he valued loyalty and cared for his people.
It also exposed a glaring weakness in him.
‘Those with too much to protect can never move freely…’
People bound by attachments could never truly be free.
They hesitated to act in situations where they had everything to lose.
At some point, they would begin to seek stability rather than risk.
That was precisely why the Great Demon King chose to hide her face and minimize contact with others.
By keeping herself detached, she avoided unnecessary burdens and ensured that every decision she made was purely her own.
‘Well then… I suppose I should start preparing as well.’
The upcoming banquet.
For her, it was yet another form of entertainment.
With that thought, the Great Demon King slowly rose from her seat and made her way toward the inner chamber.
“Damn it!”
“P-Please calm yourself, Lord Adolf!”
A furious Adolf Gearmann slammed his fist against the desk.
Everything had seemed perfect.
He had secured the silent approval of the Great Demon King.
He had perfectly coordinated with the Master of the Magic Tower, who was practically his subordinate.
And yet.
Everything had crumbled due to Kesar’s cunning trickery.
At the time, the sheer shock of realizing it had all been a setup had left him speechless.
But now that he had pieced together the truth.
Now that he knew that the evidence had been fabricated, and that he and everyone else had been completely fooled.
His rage only burned hotter.
‘I can’t… I won’t let this stand. If I fall back any further, I’ll lose the chance to fight back for good!’
This incident had completely swayed the Great Demon King’s favor toward Kesar.
The loss of the Magic Tower, a crucial pawn, was a devastating blow.
And the public sentiment he had painstakingly manipulated?
The moment Kesar was declared innocent, it had backfired spectacularly.
Turning into a storm of backlash that now struck Adolf instead.
“Kesar is innocent?”
“Yeah, turns out the Magic Tower bastards set him up. They were trying to frame him.”
“Ha! I knew it! If the Magic Tower’s involved, then that old geezer Adolf must have been pulling the strings again!”
“That senile old man is so obsessed with power that he keeps accusing loyal subjects. Shouldn’t His Majesty step in and put a stop to this?”
The very people who had been cursing Kesar just days ago had now flipped their stance as if it were the easiest thing in the world.
It was enough to make anyone scoff at their lack of conviction.
But Adolf knew better than anyone that public opinion had always been fickle.
To them, justice didn’t matter.
As long as no one crossed too big of a line or directly harmed them, these large-scale political struggles were nothing more than passing gossip.
Something to idly chew on before moving on to the next thing.
At first, Kesar had been the target of ridicule.
But now, the tides had shifted, and Adolf had taken his place.
And this shift…
Forced Adolf to make a decision.
‘I can’t let this continue. If it comes to it, I will sacrifice myself for this nation…’
If he allowed himself to lose any more ground.
Then Kesar wouldn’t just take some of his influence.
He would take everything.
From this moment onward, Kesar’s power would only grow stronger.
By tomorrow, he would be even more unstoppable than he was today.
Meanwhile, Adolf’s own influence had already peaked.
From here, it would only decline.
Which meant…
There was only one choice left for him to make.
‘My life was always meant to be given for the good of this nation. If I must become its foundation, even in this way…’
He tightened his grip on the sword in his hand.
A blade once bestowed upon him by the late king.
A symbol of trust, meant to protect the royal family for generations to come.
Staring at the weapon, Adolf silently addressed its absent master.
‘The debt I owe… I will repay it. Your Majesty… please watch over your loyal servant, as I offer my final act of devotion…!’