Chapter 7: Only This Once

Nighttime.  

Gabriella soaked herself in the hot spring of the Demon King’s palace.

Her pure white body was blurred beneath the rising white mist, yet the flawless skin and tempting curves were still faintly visible.  

Her sapphire eyes drifted between the water’s surface and empty air, lost in hesitation.

Her mind was completely occupied by the Demon King; she didn’t understand why.

She only knew she cared far too much about why Isabella treated her this way.

That woman had once tried every method imaginable to strip away the power in her body and claim it for herself; yet Gabriella’s pure, holy power had resisted too fiercely, and the attempt failed.

Back then, every single day, Gabriella had been punished until her body felt numb and tingly, locked inside a special dark room.

Later, the Demon King gave up trying to take her power… but those memories remained etched deeply.

Yet now, instead of harming her as usual, the Demon King had voluntarily returned that very power?

“Why…”

The word slipped out unconsciously.  

A small movement sent ripples across the water; her entire head sank beneath the surface.

She remembered: ever since the rebellion five years ago ended, the Demon King had actually treated her quite well.

But that was only because I was brainwashed!

The person she liked was the brainwashed version of me. 

That’s all.

After the bath, Gabriella changed into a thin silk nightgown.  

Through the translucent fabric, the generous swell of her breasts was faintly visible.

She took the shortest path back to the bedroom in the residential palace.

There, sitting on the edge of the bed, Demon King Isabella had been waiting for some time.

Gabriella sat beside her. 

She had wanted to ask something… but the words wouldn’t come.

She couldn’t exactly blurt out, “Why did you return my power?!”

Right now, with her strength restored, she should just kill the Demon King…

But she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

She absolutely could not raise a hand against a Demon King who meant her no harm.

That’s right; today wasn’t the right time.

But… does the Demon King know I’ve regained my memories?

She had to probe; but how?

Seeing Gabriella keep her head down, looking lost, Isabella stepped forward and took her hand.

“Tonight… can we?”

“……”

The question made the flush from the hot spring deepen across Gabriella’s face. 

She stammered something even she couldn’t understand; perhaps just an excuse.

Yes, I’m not ready.

That excuse always worked; Isabella respected her, after all.

“No way.”

Isabella’s voice carried a tiny complaint as she hmphed.

“Fine~ Then we’ll wait until Gabriella is ready.”  

Isabella didn’t push further.

The two lay down on the bed just like the night before. 

From this angle, they could clearly see each other’s bodies.

Gabriella had intended to stay silent, but the moment she saw that playful, youthful, lovestruck smile on the Demon King’s face, her heart began to itch. 

This idiot had definitely misunderstood something.  

But in her panic, she didn’t know how to scold her.

“I feel so lucky to have a wife like Gabriella~”  

Isabella started talking to herself again. 

The more she spoke, the deeper that serene, watery smile became.

“I’m so happy… so I want Gabriella to be happy too. Is there anything you wish for?”

“I… I don’t know…”

Gabriella made up her mind.

The Demon King was only returning what had always belonged to her; there was no reason to feel grateful.  

She was staying now precisely to get answers; to find out why the Demon King kept teasing her like this.  

And, incidentally, to undo the kin transformation before her body started craving the [Gift].

“Demon King-sama, why did you give me this ring?” 

She tried to sound calm.

“……”

For once, Isabella hesitated.

Her eyes darted, then filled with apology.

“…I’m sorry. Next time I’ll prepare a better gift for you.”

“That’s not what I meant!”

Gabriella nearly fainted.  

Was this Demon King not only stupid but emotionally dense too?  

What weird things was she thinking in that little head of hers?  

How could she possibly not know this gift contained all of Gabriella’s power?!

She definitely knew. She was deliberately toying with her!

Yet Isabella’s next words once again caught her completely off guard.

“This is the power you had as a human.  

I thought… returning it might help you somehow.”

Her heart-shaped tail curled around Gabriella’s arm.

“Gabriella, let’s say… hypothetically…  

If you regained your memories from when you were human… would you betray me?”

Gabriella froze.

She genuinely didn’t know how to answer that question.

During all those years of brainwashing, she had truly loved the Demon King; even knowing she had once been human, she still loved her.

That had been the brainwashed her.

But those memories and feelings didn’t vanish just because her true memories returned.

Why was the Demon King asking this?  

In the end, there was only one possible answer.

“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about, Demon King-sama…”  

Gabriella stammered, still intending to hide the fact that her memories were back.  

“I really love this gift. Thank you so much, Isabella-sama~”

If things kept going like this, her head was going to get weirder and weirder.

Gabriella twisted her body away, breaking free of Isabella’s tail; out of sight, out of mind.

A silly Demon King like this couldn’t possibly pose any threat to her, right?

A Demon King like this wasn’t even worth running from anymore.

Isabella was nothing more than a completely harmless idiot who was head over heels for her.

If she exposed the kin transformation right now, while the Demon King was professing her love, it would be far too reckless.  

All she had to do was control herself and refuse the [Gift]; then everything would still be fine.

It wasn’t time yet. She wasn’t in a hurry. She shouldn’t be in a hurry…

Just as those thoughts crossed her mind, Gabriella’s proud, defiant gaze suddenly turned hazy and filled with hesitation.

Taking the chance, Isabella slipped her tail around Gabriella’s thigh, slowly drawing closer and wrapping her arms around her from behind.

Her arms gently encircled Gabriella’s waist.  

The instant they touched, a soft moan escaped Gabriella’s lips.

Isabella’s longing voice whispered hotly against her ear.

“Can we…?”

“No!”

“B-but… it’s my wish~”

“Only… only this once.” Gabriella said through gritted teeth.

“And after this?”

“We’ll see how you behave.”

Under slender fingers, the silky fabric slipped free of its ties, loosening and sliding down until it vanished completely.

“Demon King, really… after this I… mm… I won’t be this gentle with you anymore… I’m your wife… no, I stopped being your servant long ago! I…”

“Isabella; yes, that’s how… I should call you.”

“Ah! Let”

“Nngh… I’m just… thanking you… for the gift…”

“Please… be gentle… mm~”

“No way…”

“Uu…”