As the Demon King, I have married a slave elf. How should I express my love?

"You guessed it! That's right, the Demon King's legacy is among them!"

At first, he had doubts.

But Magasilia, the Demon King, is a thousand years old, so his estate certainly wouldn't consist of just one or two items. It's not surprising that a few of them ended up at auction.

Barbaros elbowed Sagan.

"So, you'll have to join us. I'll prepare a few nice women to serve you. And regarding this trip, I'd be very grateful if you could provide some sponsorship."

After he finished speaking, he made a circle with two fingers.

Simply put, he wanted to participate in the auction, but he didn't have enough money.

Sagan sighed, but didn't refuse him.

"In that case, the inheritance will belong to me."

"Hey, who does that? I'm the one who provided the information."

"If that doesn't work, then we'll have to find someone else."

"Besides you, which other magician would lend me money?"

Caught up with that mournful face, Sagan had no choice but to reluctantly follow her to the auction.

But women—Sagan thought to herself as she walked.

Sagan was a man, after all; he couldn't be completely uninterested in women. In fact, the young girl had stirred something within him.

That's what they say, but the thought of several women serving him at the same time was less about being erotic and more about being a nuisance to Sagan.

He could have easily used them as props, but he would have been better off using regular magic props, which wouldn't have bothered him and would have achieved the same goal.

It wasn't that he didn't crave love, but the thought of having to treat the other person the same way brought back the word "trouble."

Compared to physical allure, he was more concerned about the side effects that came with satisfying his desires, which is why Sagan has never touched a woman until now.

Compared to those, a person who is not strong enough may die at any time.

If a person is weak, they have no one to blame but themselves for whatever treatment they receive; the only way to protect themselves is to become stronger.

Because of this idea, Sagan became a powerful magician at the age of eighteen.

...Although after today, he will no longer be the aloof magician he claims to be.

◇

Chinnoind is a canal city.

The canal's waterways stretch across the continent like branches, serving as a logistics and transportation hub. The prosperous cities not only boast a wide variety of goods but also a diverse array of people. In addition to humans, there are orcs with fangs and fur, winged people with wings, and dwarves who are short and rugged but skilled in intricate carving.

Beautiful sailboats adorned with various emblems sail along the waterways, the breeze from the canal unable to dispel the hustle and bustle and the smell of earth. This must be one of the most vibrant cities in the country, with over a million people reportedly passing through every day.

In this bustling city, you can see quite a few people wearing collars.

slave.

Some of them were human, some were of other races, and the people leading them weren't necessarily human either. There were dwarves beating strong human men with their staffs, humans leading beautiful winged female humans, and orcs drinking milk from plates on the ground like dogs.

Some of them are certainly preparing to enter the auction as 'commodities'.

The only difference between slaves and humans lies in money, power, and luck.

To avoid being like them, Sagan relentlessly pursued strength from a young age, and therefore had no sympathy for them.

However—Sagan murmured:

"I feel a little nervous today."

He was referring to the atmosphere on the street.

This wasn't Sagan's first time in Kinnold, but today he saw church knights patrolling everywhere, and the residents on the street were all filled with unease, or rather, indignation. In short, there was an unusual atmosphere.

Barbaros laughed happily.

"I heard that some idiot kidnapped a large group of young girls, planning to do some kind of magic experiment."

"A sacrifice? That's too risky."

By using living sacrifices, magicians can perform spells that they cannot perform on their own. This is a common technique for using magic as a catalyst, and it is not uncommon.

However, to perform such a sacrifice, one would first need to purchase slaves or capture some homeless children of unknown origin; in short, one must not give themselves away. Therefore, Sagan did not understand why anyone would risk being arrested by the Church to capture commoner girls, as that would be tantamount to going against the Church.

Barbaros shrugged.

"Who knows? If you want to find someone with a specific birth date, you'll just have to start with ordinary girls."

"Could it be that they plan to summon demons?"

That's the name of a horned, winged monster that only appears in stories. While the truth about this is still inconclusive, it's certain that something comparable to a god or demon did exist in this world in the past.

To summon that thing, one would need the complex rituals Barbaros described. But Sagan believed that was nothing but wishful thinking.

Seeing that Sagan didn't take it seriously, Barbaros laughed again.

"So, Sagan, it seems they also suspect you're one of the murderers?"

"Utterly boring. What use is magic that can't be used without sacrifice in a critical moment?"

"Hahaha, that's absolutely right. Besides, you don't even have any cronies to associate with."

Sagan's shoulders slumped after hearing that.

—Yeah, I don't need any partners.

Loneliness is something I've long been accustomed to.

Although the two chatted as they walked, the magicians were not there for sightseeing.

Barbaross led him to the underground of the city.

There are ancient ruins underground here—it should be an arena—now converted into a market selling sensitive goods that cannot be openly sold.

The auction was held in the main arena area, in a circular venue with guest seats surrounding it. The bidding was about to begin, and a countdown began.

The only lighting was on the stage; the guest seating area wasn't even lit with candles. This wasn't to neglect the guests, but rather to prevent them from seeing each other's faces.

However, this concern is meaningless to magicians.

Once he found a seat, Barbarossa whistled.

"Hey, Sagan, look, Simmonli from 'Black Blade' and Gomel from 'The Witch' are here too, and even Varefal from 'The Undead' is here."

Although there are no lights here, night vision magic is just a piece of cake for anyone who calls themselves a magician.

Looking in the direction Barbaross pointed, one could indeed see several imposing figures.

Although Sagan didn't know these people, they were all renowned magicians, mostly human, but also including some from other races. The previously mentioned Simulli from *Black Blade* was an orc with a magnificent mane, while Varrefal from *Undead* wore a mask and hood, his entire body shrouded in robes, making his race impossible to discern.

Prepositions like "Black Blade" are actually titles or appellations for magicians, which are possessed by magicians whose power has reached a certain level.

The most famous of them is probably Magasilia's "The High Elder." As for Barbarossa, he is often referred to as "Purgatory."

Although Sagan himself was a somewhat renowned magician, he still didn't have his own title. This was partly due to his young age of eighteen, but the main reason was the passing of Magasiah, the "Demon King" who ruled the region. Giving magicians titles was originally the Demon King's job, but unfortunately, Sagan died before receiving his own.

In short, a title is proof of ability.

Although these people were all outsiders, Sagan was still somewhat interested in them since they were magicians with titles.

Are they good?

"Amazing. Just like you and me, we're all on the list of candidates for the next Demon King."

With the passing of Magasiah, the throne of the Demon King is now vacant.

The remaining Demon Kings are still discussing who will fill that vacancy, but they will likely nominate a magician with sufficient skill.

"Heh, since even that group of people have come from afar, it seems the matter of the inheritance can't be faked."

"I hope so."

Otherwise, coming here without sleeping would be a waste of time.

The auction continued while the two were talking.

"Distinguished guests, next up is today's final and most anticipated item!"

The host's voice made Barbaros lean forward.

"Hey, Sagan, looks like that thing is finally going to make its appearance."

"Um."

While it's still uncertain whether it truly is the legacy of "The Demon King," today's main event is about to take the stage.

Soon after, a petite human appeared on stage, hooded and covered from head to toe by a cloak, making it impossible to discern their race. While not as short as dwarves, they would likely be a child of any other race.

So, is that inheritance in the hands of the hooded man?

As soon as everyone's eyes were focused on the room, the host began to explain.

"This item was originally intended for Lord Magasia, the Demon King. Unfortunately, Lord Magasia passed away before delivery, so we have taken over the disposal of this extra item."

Upon hearing this, Barbarossa frowned.

"Huh, so it wasn't an inheritance after all?"

"It seems to be one of the catalysts for 'The Demon King'."

To perform magic, in addition to drawing magic circles and chanting spells, props are sometimes needed. These include ink for drawing magic circles, accessories worn by magicians, and sacrificial offerings used to enhance the power of magic.

These kinds of items are collectively called catalysts, and the quality of the catalyst can sometimes cause a difference in power.

It's a pity that the auctioned items weren't part of the Demon King's legacy, but the fact that even "The Demon King" used the same catalyst is still intriguing.

Next, the host lifted the cloak covering the hooded person.

On stage appeared a delicate young girl with a pair of long, straight ears.

Sagan knew it at first glance.

Those are the legendary race—the elves—who dwell in the sacred northern land of Norden, which is forbidden to humans.

Her snow-white hair, reaching to her waist, was tied with a deep red satin ribbon. Her small face was framed by two pupils as blue as a summer sky, and her lips were a pale pink. Her slender frame was draped in a pure white dress; one could easily mistake her for a princess from some country.

But she was bound hand and foot with shackles, and wore a collar around her neck that sealed off her magic.

Looking into the girl's eyes, Sagan felt a tremor within him. It felt as if something had suddenly passed from his toes through the top of his head.